Businesses and Other Story Elements For Use

This page contains a list of businesses and other story elements that can be used by other authors with in the bounds set out by the originator without needing to request permission. Anything outside the rules would require the original authors permission. Rules are to allow consistency and cohesion of stories maintaining the time lines so everyone can use and extend the ideas.

Name

Wings And Tails

Originated By

EMW

Originated In

Freeze Frame

Stories This Idea Appears In

Freeze Frame

Description

A Clothes Shop specialising in clothes for MORFS Survivors. Has off the rack stuff pre modified for people with the more common modifications (tails wings etc), offers tailoring services for modifying existing clothes, and also using an automated process can fabricate clothes to spec (sophistication depending on time period). Generally not the cheapest place somewhere between reasonable quality clothing shop and bespoke tailors, it carries a premium but it isnt a rip off and is high quality. Size wise it is a smallish shop boutique like specialised not a large clothing retailer since this is a fairly niche market. Would also depend on local market conditions ie the number of MORFS about.

History

Founded in 2034 by Charlotte Isaacks (aka Charlie) as a hobby to make some money off her final year project an automated clothing manufacturing robot she decided to patent. Charlotte began making a fair amount of money so set up a small business on a market stall then opening a small shop in 2035 in Wilynsford - UK. Working with friends from university who were foreign exchange students Charlotte set up several more widely flung shops gradually becoming a small international chain by 2040's with a UK headquarters.

Rules of Use

No shops before 2035 and only the initial one till 2036. Shops up to early 2040's would have to be founded by some direct connection to the original and would be few and far between. After that small specialised chain you are not going to pass several on a street but a major city might have one. Probably would be more likely in high MORFS population centres like Sun City (because that's where the money is ;) ).

Name

The Swap Shop

Originated By

Joreymay

Originated In

Angel's Tale

Stories This Idea Appears In

Angel's Tale, Synergy

Description

A clothing chain specializing in clothes for MORFS Survivors, based loosely on the business model of used book stores. Has limited off the rack stuff (mostly underwear and the like) pre modified for people with the more common modifications (tails wings etc), and offers tailoring services for modifying existing clothes, but is primarily known as a place where morfs with significant changes can take virtually their entire wardrobe, get credits, and use those credits to buy most of a new wardrobe. Originally appealed primarily to those with sex changes and/or significant changes in size, but eventually built a significant inventory of clothes suitable to hybrids and the like. One popular aspect is that one can use the credits at any of the stores in the chain, in most major cities (and a lot of smaller ones). People can also buy the clothes there, at reasonable prices. Considered a big step up from the usual thrift shops, because of the frequent availability of high quality clothes (even formal wear) at near thrift store prices.

History

In 2021, After it became obvious that some cases of MORFS resulted in gender swaps and major body modifications, an enterprising young morf named Rebecca Wilcox got an idea. People were spending fortunes on new wardrobes, and thrift stores and consignment shops were getting flooded with clothes. At the time, the government imposed dress codes were still in effect, so families had little choice. It was a significant need, just waiting to be met. She had spent a lot of time in used book stores, and decided to try applying that business model to the clothing situation. Recent morfs would bring in their old wardrobes, which would be evaluated for currency, condition, and cost. The evaluators would allocate credits, which could then be used to buy clothes more appropriate to the customer's new condition. The clothes would then be carefully inspected and cleaned, then tagged and racked for sale. Those garments which did not meet their standards for salability were donated to a thrift store or the like. Three branch shops, in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Seattle, opened in 2023. In 2025, they adopted a franchise approach, and within a decade were nationwide and even international (with several shops in Canada). In 2051, the founder retired, a wealthy woman.

Rules of Use

No shops before 2021 and only the initial one (in San Fransisco, California) till 2023. By 2032, they are nationwide, and also in Sun City and most major Canadian cities. Clothes are valued for credits by both market price and rarity. Male clothes will be valued slightly higher than female clothes, because girls tend to have larger wardrobes, and newly minted girls (and many hybrids) can often use elements of their old male wardrobes (such as t-shirts). Clothes already modified for wings, tails, etc. will also be valued higher (for similar reasons). Credits cannot be exchanged for cash, but they do not expire. They can be transferred as gifts. They are not supposed to be sold, but that is not heavily policed.

Name

SHAME (Soldier of Humanity for Animal MORF Extinction

Originated By

Oliver McDonald

Originated In

Passaro

Stories This Idea Appears In

Passaro

Description

A registered Charity group that supports the State law that restricts and controls Hybrids. They hold public demonstration, and will picket organizations and businesses that cater to Hybrids.

Their less legal activities include attacks on Hybrids, vandalism of businesses etc that will cater to hybrids and are suspected by many to be behind acts of terrorism against Hybrid supporting businesses and institutions.

To date no member of SHAME has been convicted of any crimes towards Hybrids or their supporters. In fact, typically, when such activities occur, the Kansas State Police never seem to get to the scene until it is too late to observe criminal activities, and can never seem to corroborate reports of attacks.

History

SHAME began as a grass-roots organization during the mid 30's in Kansas, and was considered to be harmless, but were instrumental in bringing about the discriminatory Laws in Kansas against Hybrids. Mainly using FUD (Fear Uncertainty Doubt) tactics. Many acts of terrorism and vandalism were purported to be acts of these "dangerous animals".

They successfully infiltrated the State Police by 2038, and those that opposed the Laws that SHAME supported were victimized by the State Police, many just pulling up and leaving.

In 2041, SHAME acquired recognized Charity status in Kansas.

Rules of Use

SHAME is firmly established in Kansas, but is always looking to expand into other "Forward Thinking States".

Prior to 2035, SHAME was not yet organized, and prior to 2041, was not a recognized charity in Kansas.

Name

Cubes a.k.a. MORFS rules football

Originated By

EMW

Originated In

Salamander 2

Stories This Idea Appears In

Salamander 2

Description

A sport developed by MORFS survivors to allow them to make use of their special abilities which ruled them out of participating in normal sports.

The name comes from the cube like structures that make up the play area. Usual layout is three by three cube of cubes making 9 in total with a single goal area at each side of the play area. Internal layout of the cube differs to allow for different challenges and best use of abilities.

Rules

There are three types of players, attackers, defenders and goalies.

Attacker task is to retrieve the cake (which is the name for the ball used in the game) from the opposing teams goal area and place it in their own teams home area. If they are tagged by a defender when they are in one of the cubes they have to move back to the previous section, if they are tagged once they get the cake they have to go back to the home cube (their own teams goal area) and the cake returns to the opponents home cube. Once a team has the cake it's attackers can't be tagged by defenders unless they have the cake. When they are untaggable they can't obstruct the defenders but they can distract them. Once their side has the cake they usually work cooperatively passing the cake between them and distracting opposition players to get the cake home and score. If the cake is lost and they are not carrying it they have to go to the nearest white connection space between cubes. Attackers are also able to tag the opponents attackers but only if the opponent is carrying their cake and in the opponents home cube.
Attackers score by getting the cake and bringing it to your home goal. However if both cakes are in play you can't score, you have to have your own cake at your home cube to score.”

Defenders can only move about the cube they are assigned to so there are nine defenders on each side. Defenders can tag opposition attackers if their team doesn't have the cake or the one with the cake once the attackers have it. They can't tag or even come into contact with an opposition defender in the same cube but they are allowed to block them or distract them with powers or otherwise as long as they don't touch them.

Goalies are basically like defenders except they are in charge of guarding the cake. There are two of them on each side. They stay in their teams home cube/goal area.

If the cake is dropped or thrown and not caught then it goes back to the opponents home cube but attackers only go to the nearest white box rather than the beginning.

Restrictions on powers:

There are a couple of restrictions on powers, telekinetics are usually out unless they don't use that ability which tends to put them off from joining. Still they are usually allowed to use their ability on themselves assuming they can, similarly teleporters and telepaths are out unless they agree to not use their abilities. Time powers are generally seen as too much of an advantage and even some of the more powerful speed enhancements are frowned upon since normal people play and it's just impossible for them to compete with someone that can run at supersonic speeds. Oh, and of course the offensive powers are banned unless they aren’t used offensively, there are occasional exemptions especially if it is a creative use of power but it is subject to a judge ruling.Gamesmanship is allowed, creativity and misdirection are encouraged.

History

Direct origins of the sport are unknown it is more legend than established fact. The story goes that a load of MORFS survivor friends who were into sport and disliked the restrictions on powers, began to add their own rules on top of a football game to make it more interesting. They kept changing their version of football to include new challenges and took out a load of the original stuff, playing in adventure playgrounds rather than on a pitch, changing it from kicking the ball into the goal to taking the ball from a set place and returning it to a starting position. It gradually evolved taking on parts of other sports the ability to pick the ball up and even throw it to other players. It changed to the point it was no longer the same sport, people began to come to watch them play and try to join in themselves, even people who didn't have powers liked playing it.

Some of them began to design a proper court to play it on and formalised the rules, their engineering knowledge and access to proper building materials was slight so they used what they had, nailing simple wood planks together to make the cubes and lining them with impact absorbing foam and crash mat floors to make it nice and safe. They also made it a game of attack and defence refining the rules of tagging and how it affected the game.

Pretty soon the local youth club was running a little tournament with it then a local PE teacher saw it and thought it was a an excellent fun sport for his pupils to play. He had some more of the cubes made up added some refinements to the rules and started using it as an alternative sport for kids to try. It caught the eye of one of the parents Reginald Bamford who had a small engineering firm and together with the teacher and a few of the kids they designed a proper version of the cubes. He sold them to other schools and soon the idea spread and before you knew it there were clubs springing up all over the place.

As of 2035 there is a league with a prize funded by Mr Bamfords company and they are in discussions about going professional even broadcasting it on TV.

Rules of Use

I've not really mapped out the sports future it obviously exists 2035 and some point before that but it is still not very well known at that point. Because it hasn't featured widely in the rest of the cannon (which is consistent with it perhaps being more well known in the UK and europe since sports don't always translate across international boundrys) care should be taken when using it in currently established timelines. The basics of the game as I describe it should be stuck to I did speculate on a fourth type of player a sort of telepath coach to coordinate that could be introduced so long as it makes sense with the rest of the setup.

Name

Everybody's Place

Originated By

Shrike

Originated In

Synergy

Stories This Idea Appears In

Synergy
Ohnomorehybrid
Through the Looking Glass
Feral

Description

Everybody's Place has a double meaning. One is that everyone, whether morfed or not is welcome. Bigotry and discrimination is not allowed.
Second meaning is that it serves as a coffeebar, lunchroom, ice-cream parlor and restaurant. Each customer can choose what kind of service is wanted. Mostly it also depends on the time of day.
It does mean that it has several seperate sections that can change in size according to needed room. The business needs lots of initial room for all the sections.

History

Founded in 2035 by Andre Vanderluijke it started as one shop in the city Savannah Georgia. After Gabe Kramer took over as manager in 2042 the discussion of expansion started and in 2045, chains were started in other cities and countries. The first chainstore started in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Later London, Tokyo, Sun City and lastly Tenkei were added.

Rules of Use

There are no shops before 2036 and only one till 2045. The Savannah store is managed by Darren 'Spike' McCabe from 2048, the Sun City store is managed by Britney Peasly (details about character in Ohnomorehybrid-1). The Tokyo store is managed by Eiko Tanikuma starting in 2048 (details of character in Feral-11). Use of chains in other cities is free to use, depending on the time. The manager of a chain is fairly autonomous, but can be overruled by the Kramer family or a representative. From time to time audits and or spot checks are performed to see if the rules are adhered to.

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