[DRAFT] Hit the Bricks

[Fauxia]

I was bored, in the mood to write and didn't know how to start something new. So I decided to rework another two year old draft... We'll see how this one goes.

Second Draft

[description] For as long as you have been in power, conspiracy theorists have claimed that your government is run by secret societies of alien-demon-lizard people intent on global domination. Your Minister of Intelligence, who is now going by "O", used this as an excuse to investigate senior members of the cabinet. O found that more than half of them were members of an organization known as the Brickmeisters.

[validity] all nations

[option] "I've known they were up to something ever since they didn't invite me to that happy hour!" exclaims O, whose hands are singed after attempting to sign off on a report with an exploding pen. "We can't possibly trust they weren't plotting against us in those secret meetings! You must sack your entire cabinet, other than yours truly, of course. They may all be compromised, other than yours truly, of course. Then, pass a law requiring all politicians to disclose all organizations they are a part of. Other than yours truly, of course."
[fallout] the government is in shambles after the removal of its foundation

[option] "They're called secret societies for a reason, you know," remarks @@RANDOMNAME@@, an advisor in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, whose minister was implicated in the report. "They aren't going to disclose their allegiance, and if we aren't careful, they could get out of it. We need to thoroughly investigate every government official for ties to subversive organizations like the Brickmeisters, and ban them outright."
[fallout] book clubs are now banned

[option] Your Minister of Foreign Affairs barges into the room most undiplomatically. "This investigation was totally uncalled for!" @@HE@@ claims, wagging @@HIS@@ finger at O, who has failed to slink into the shadows just this once. "This travesty and campaign of lies was accomplished through violating the privacy of senior government officials: wiretapping our offices, watching us take bubble baths, breaking into our secret stash of - never mind, nothing at all. We Brickmeisters are harmless, but the Minister of Intelligence clearly is up to no good. @@HE(1)@@ is the one who should be removed!"

[description] Conspiracy theorists have long held that your government is run by secret societies of lizard people intent on world domination. This was apparently "just cause" for your Minister of Intelligence, now going by "O", to stage an impromptu investigation into the allegiances of your cabinet. The results show that at least half of the cabinet belongs to a secret society known as the Brickmeisters.

[validity] all nations

[option] "I knew they were up to something!" exclaims O, whose hands are singed after attempting to sign off on the report with an exploding pen. "We can't trust anyone in these secret societies not to have ulterior motives: we don't know what goes on in those meetings. @@LEADER@@, you must sack your entire cabinet. They may all be compromised, besides me, of course. Then, pass a law requiring all politicians to disclose all organizations they are a part of."
[fallout] cabinet members resign for being in book clubs that meet at night

[option] "They're called secret societies for a reason, you know," remarks @@RANDOMNAME@@, an advisor in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, whose minister was implicated in the report. "They aren't going to disclose their allegiance. We need to thoroughly investigate every government official for ties to subversive organizations like the Brickmeisters, and ban them outright. Nothing good can possibly come of them, right?"
[fallout] the government is in shambles after the removal of its foundation

[option] Your Minister of Defense barges into the room most undiplomatically. "This investigation was totally uncalled for!" he claims, his shaking finger pointed at "O", who has failed to slink into the shadows just this once. "And it involved violating the privacy of the most senior members of the government, wiretapping our offices, and stealing into our secret stash of - oh, nevermind. The point is, the Brickmeisters are harmless. It's that disgraceful Minister of Intelligence you must get rid of, @@LEADER@@."
[fallout] government advisors get promotions for plotting coups

[Lelscrep]

So, I don't think I'm making an ass out of myself in assuming that this issue draws inspiration from that "QAnon" garbage. The reason I bring this up is Q only has that name because they are anonymous; I don't really see much reason why your publicly known Minister of Intelligence would don a pseudonym.

I also think it may do some good to differentiate the first two options, as basically any government who goes with option one would investigate their politicians whether they've confessed to belonging to a secret society or not - you don't exactly take a criminal suspect for their word alone.

I also really liked fallout two.

[Fauxia]

So, I don't think I'm making an ass out of myself in assuming that this issue draws inspiration from that "QAnon" garbage. The reason I bring this up is Q only has that name because they are anonymous; I don't really see much reason why your publicly known Minister of Intelligence would don a pseudonym.

I also think it may do some good to differentiate the first two options, as basically any government who goes with option one would investigate their politicians whether they've confessed to belonging to a secret society or not - you don't exactly take a criminal suspect for their word alone.

I also really liked fallout two.

Hey Lelscrep.

It doesn’t actually really draw inspiration from QAnon. It was barely around when I wrote the original draft in 2018. Conspiracy theories about freemasons have been around for centuries - more about the undue influence of secretive groups than the evil practices of politicians.

As for the Minister’s name, the Minister is supposed to seem paranoid. In the MADness chain, the Intelligence Minister is "N"; I just slid up the alphabet a letter. Concealing the Minister’s identity is hardly a new NS thing.

Thanks for pointing the options out to me - the point was that the former only banned them from government but the latter banned secret societies in their entirety. However, re-reading it, I realize that’s not clear. I’ll fix that next draft.

[Lelscrep]

So, I don't think I'm making an ass out of myself in assuming that this issue draws inspiration from that "QAnon" garbage. The reason I bring this up is Q only has that name because they are anonymous; I don't really see much reason why your publicly known Minister of Intelligence would don a pseudonym.

I also think it may do some good to differentiate the first two options, as basically any government who goes with option one would investigate their politicians whether they've confessed to belonging to a secret society or not - you don't exactly take a criminal suspect for their word alone.

I also really liked fallout two.

Hey Lelscrep.

It doesn’t actually really draw inspiration from QAnon. It was barely around when I wrote the original draft in 2018. Conspiracy theories about freemasons have been around for centuries - more about the undue influence of secretive groups than the evil practices of politicians.

As for the Minister’s name, the Minister is supposed to seem paranoid. In the MADness chain, the Intelligence Minister is "N"; I just slid up the alphabet a letter. Concealing the Minister’s identity is hardly a new NS thing.

Thanks for pointing the options out to me - the point was that the former only banned them from government but the latter banned secret societies in their entirety. However, re-reading it, I realize that’s not clear. I’ll fix that next draft.

Turns out I was making an ass of myself.

[Fauxia]

Hey Lelscrep.

It doesn’t actually really draw inspiration from QAnon. It was barely around when I wrote the original draft in 2018. Conspiracy theories about freemasons have been around for centuries - more about the undue influence of secretive groups than the evil practices of politicians.

As for the Minister’s name, the Minister is supposed to seem paranoid. In the MADness chain, the Intelligence Minister is "N"; I just slid up the alphabet a letter. Concealing the Minister’s identity is hardly a new NS thing.

Thanks for pointing the options out to me - the point was that the former only banned them from government but the latter banned secret societies in their entirety. However, re-reading it, I realize that’s not clear. I’ll fix that next draft.

Turns out I was making an ass of myself.

Eh, I get the connections

[Far Tholk]

I love it! The single-letter pseudonym also reminds me of "L" from Death Note.

Nitpicks: I would change "a part of" to "members of," just sounds better to me and "politicians" is plural so "a" part of is a little wonky. Change "whose minister" to "whose boss," slightly easier to follow. And could you sneak one more LEGO joke in somewhere?

[Australian rePublic]

But wouldn't leader be a member of the alleged secret society, and thus in on it?

[Fauxia]

But wouldn't leader be a member of the alleged secret society, and thus in on it?

Nope, which is why @@HE@@ might be suspicious about it. It's not really alleged at this point, either. The Minister has proven it.

[Pluvie]

So it might just be me but I feel like the effect lines for option 1 and 2 would make more sense switched? Option 1 is "fire everyone" and effect line 2 talks about removal of the foundation. On the other hand, option 2 says we should just thoroughly investigate everyone and so I think effect line 1 would make more sense there.

Mostly I see the difference between option 1 and 2 to be mostly fire everyone on the spot vs investigate them all and the effect lines at the moment feel switched

[Fauxia]

Well, revived this draft after five months I guess, updated the draft.

Switched the effect lines in Options 1 and 2, as suggested.