Crime System
Where magnates and nobility shape Ironhurst in the open, the underworld manipulates it in the shadows. The Crime System is a framework for criminal and Copperguard roleplayers who want structured conflict, meaningful stakes, and a shared story to push against. This system does not dictate day-to-day roleplay. You can commit and investigate crime at any time without needing the system to “approve” your scene. Rather, this system exists to provide a larger shared plotline to engage with alongside regular roleplay.
At the center of the system are Storylines: a rotating, city-wide criminal plotline that runs for roughly four months at a time (three per year). Each Storyline introduces a major, ongoing opportunity that gangs and Copperguard departments alike can approach in different ways: heists, blackmail, kidnappings, infiltration, sabotage, alliances, betrayals, and more. By the end of the Storyline, someone comes out on top, and the winner takes the spoils.
Participation is proactive and optional. If you engage with the Storyline, you can earn rewards and influence the outcome. If you don’t, nothing bad happens - you simply won’t gain much beyond watching the major story beats unfold as other groups make moves.
The system is overseen by System DMs who post seasonal hooks, track interactions, and moderate events as necessary. These System DMs are presently Bimberi (@iseval) and AWildRhia (@sapphicpanic).
Crime Storylines
A Storyline is the central underworld conflict currently shaping Ironhurst. It acts as a shared motivator for criminals and Copperguard alike: a problem to exploit, a secret to uncover, a prize to seize, or a threat to contain. Each Storyline runs for a fixed period and is largely self-contained, with a clear beginning, escalation, and conclusion. While the outcome of one Storyline may influence the tone or details of the next, you do not need to have participated in previous Storylines to take part in the current one! Every Storyline is designed to stand on its own.
Throughout the Storyline, events unfold based on player action. Every two weeks, a Crime Progression update is released that advances the story, reflecting what groups have done, what they failed to stop, and how the city has reacted. Some progressions may be accompanied by in-game events, encounters, or limited-time opportunities, depending on what the situation calls for.
Storylines allow for a wide scope of interaction. There is no single “correct” way to engage with them. If you want to take action, simply create a ticket explaining what you intend to do and how it ties into the Storyline. This can include (but is not limited to) kidnapping or interrogating NPCs, stealing or destroying key items, forging documents or manifests, infiltrating organizations, spreading misinformation, or planning full-scale heists. The System DM will work with you to resolve the attempt and its consequences through in-game roleplay.
At the end of a Storyline, there is a grand prize, as well as a number of smaller rewards. Which rewards you can access depends on how - and how much - you interacted with the Storyline. Additional, limited rewards may also appear during the Storyline in the form of Flashpoints.
Flashpoints
Flashpoints are short-lived openings that arise during a Storyline. They represent sudden openings and opportunities that demand immediate action. Each Flashpoint has a fixed duration: if no group takes it in time, the opportunity is lost. Flashpoints appear semi-randomly and are often tied to the current Storyline, though they may occasionally be independent events. Only one group can claim the rewards from a Flashpoint.
Compared to regular robberies or other small-scale crime, Flashpoints offer richer and faster payouts, but they also carry greater risk. Pursuing one may expose your gang, provoke retaliation, or force you into dangerous situations with little room for error. The rewards are significant, but so are the stakes. If you want to pursue a Flashpoint, you must act quickly, and be prepared for the consequences of success or failure.
Robberies
Robberies represent small-scale, opportunistic crime: breaking into homes or businesses, lifting valuables, and getting out before things go wrong. These can be attempted at almost any time and do not require a Storyline, Flashpoint, or special approval to pursue - merely making a ticket to request any Narrative staff member DM the robbery to open doors and record results. Their only limiting factor is that each group may only run one a week, to prevent overwhelming staff.
Most robberies are low risk, low reward. You are unlikely to walk away rich unless you get exceptionally lucky, but the consequences are generally limited and localized. These are meant to be the everyday crimes of Ironhurst’s underbelly; good for character development, building reputation, and padding your pockets, but with little impact beyond.
Risk scales with where you choose to rob. Poorer districts are easier targets with smaller payouts. Wealthier districts bring better potential rewards, but also increased security, and the chance of Copperguard involvement. The richer the area, the more dangerous the attempt becomes.
Magnate manors and major public buildings such as the University are a different beast entirely. Robbing one is extremely dangerous and carries serious consequences if you are caught. However, the potential payout is significantly higher than ordinary robberies. These are not casual crimes and should be treated accordingly - prepare well, have a plan, and have another for when something goes wrong. These may only be attempted as a planned heist, and should be discussed with the System DM, as well as presenting screenshot evidence of roleplay around the planning, casing, et cetera.
Robberies are there to provide a mediated option between the mainstays of the system and day-to-day roleplay. They reward boldness and luck, but they will rarely yield returns comparable to Flashpoints or Storylines.
Districts
Ironhurst is a city of sharp contrasts. Wealth and security vary wildly depending on where you are, and not every district offers the same risks - or rewards - for criminal activity. Districts are here grouped by Tier, which represents both the difficulty and potential payout of burglary and similar crimes within that area. Higher Tier districts tend to have better loot, stronger security, more witnesses, and a greater likelihood of Copperguard being alerted. Districts may change Tier in the event of frequent, active guard patrols or uncontested criminal presence.
Tier 1 Districts - Low Risk, Low Reward
These districts are poorer, and loosely policed if at all. Targets here are unlikely to yield real profits, but the risks are minimal.
- Rattletrap
- The Maw
- Terebinth Alley
- Lower Bink
- Centurion Row
Tier 2 Districts - Moderate Risk, Moderate Reward
These areas are more populated and better maintained. Security is present, but not overwhelming. Successful robberies can pay off, though mistakes are more likely to draw attention.
- Tisserand Square
- Sourgrave Close
- Coppercut Street
- Meridian Street
- Flintlock Row
- Pinnacle Row
- Eastgate
- Serpentine
Tier 3 Districts - High Risk, High Reward
Affluent districts with wealth worth stealing - and the defenses to protect it. Robbing here is dangerous, but the potential payout is significant.
- Peddleston Park
- Paradise Court
Tier 4 Targets - Extreme Risk, Extreme Reward
These are not casual burglary targets. Expect considerable payouts, and severe consequences if you are discovered.
- Magnate Estates
- Major City Buildings (university, etc)
Attempting crime in Tier 4 areas should be treated as a major undertaking and may tie directly into Storylines or Flashpoints. It should only be done with considerable preparation.
Fence & Requisition
The Fence
The Fence exists for one reason: to turn stolen goods into leverage. When you steal valuables or contraband of any kind, the Fence is who takes it off your hands. In exchange, you receive Spintriae. These tokens are a currency accepted throughout the criminal underworld of Ironhurst.
Spintriae can be:
- Cashed out for currency usable in World Progressions
- Used to acquire unique or restricted loot
- Traded or leveraged as part of criminal dealings
The Fence does not care how you got your goods - only that they’re valuable.
Any character with Operations 2 may call the Fence to their location. The Fence will also occasionally appear on their own in public locations, allowing anyone to discreetly offload stolen goods in exchange for Spintriae.
Requisition
The Requisition Office is the lawful counterpart to the Fence. When Copperguard successfully disrupt criminal activity - shutting down operations, recovering stolen goods, capturing key figures, or preventing major crimes - their department is awarded Requisition Chits. These function similarly to Spintriae, being able to be exchanged with the Requisition Officer for rewards.
Requisition Chits cannot be used for illegal activity. Instead, they may be spent by Copperguard departments to:
- Secure one-time funding usable in World Progressions
- Acquire specialized equipment
- Gain access to intelligence or informants
The Requisition Officer may be requested by any Copperguard department commander to redeem their department’s chits.
Together, the Fence and Requisition systems ensure that both sides of the law are rewarded for proactive play, whether you’re stealing from the city or working to keep it standing. Rewards are single use unless otherwise stated. All rewards are provided as in-game items, distinguishable by their (I forget the colour) names. These can be transferred to other players, just make a ticket to inform the System DM of the item changing hands! Once used, they should be removed with /trash. The number in circulation is noted, and abuse will result in being barred from this system.
| Name | Cost | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cash-Out | 1+ | Convert Spintriae into money for World Progressions, at a rate of 1:1000. |
| Masterwork Lockpicks | 2 | +3 to the result of one lock-related roll, be it a Robbery, Flashpoint, or Storyline action. |
| Disguise Kit | 4 | Lets you perfectly alter your appearance and voice for 24 hours, including suitable documents. Cannot be used to perfectly copy someone who already exists. |
| Insider Tip | 6 | A concrete piece of actionable info about a chosen topic tied to the current Storyline or a posted Flashpoint. |
| Breaching Charge | 8 | Explosive for entry or sabotage. Immediately succeeds a roll to break through a lock or other barrier, but also requires an immediate roll to avoid being discovered. |
| Escape Route Map | 10 | A map providing the opportunity to make a guaranteed escape from a scene. |
| High-Grade Forgery | 12 | A single forged document, which cannot be detected as falsified by any level of Perception. Nom de Plume will fail to show any author. |
| Breakout Kit | 14 | A kit providing a uniform and keychain to access Copperguard headquarters or Cannonade. Grants the opportunity to access the Copperguard evidence room, or attempt to free a prisoner. Ticket to use. |
| Rare Material | 30 | A small quantity of a Rare Material. |
| Name | Cost | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Funding Allocation | 1+ | Convert chits into department funding for World Progressions, at a rate of 1:1000. |
| Field Forensics Pack | 2 | Improves evidence collection in a scene, granting an Advantage to all rolls relating to searching for evidence. |
| Disguise Kit | 4 | Lets you convincingly alter appearance and voice for 24 hours, including suitable documents. Cannot be used to perfectly copy someone who already exists. |
| Temporary Security Detail | 6 | NPC support to secure a location for a scene/event. This must be used in advance, and will be disclosed publicly! |
| Emergency Warrant Authorisation | 8 | Allows unrestricted search and seizure rights to any one building not owned by the Crown for investigation purposes. |
| Armoury Loan | 10 | Guaranteed access to special equipment for an operation. This grants +3 to the result of all combat rolls for one encounter, and must be used at the encounter start. |
| Special Intelligence | 12 | Grants automatic success on a major roll tied to Storyline/Flashpoint efforts. |
| Emergency Detention Order | 14 | Allows legal detainment and questioning of a suspect without the need for evidence or due process, for up to 48 hours. |
| Rare Material | 30 | A usable quantity of a Rare Material other than Cymrinite. |
Application Process
Participation in the Crime & Justice System is available to anyone as long as they fit the minimal requirements! Just fill out the application and put it in a ticket, where the DM will review it. Please note, your character must have an accepted character sheet.
Application Template
- Leader Username:
- Leader Character Name:
- Leader Character Sheet:
- Group Name:
- Group Character Sheet(s):
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