Lex Sedet In Vertice: A Supervillain in the DCU CK2 quest

[Alex Sol]

[X] Plan PR

[X ] [Town] Buy Cassandra a gift from an interesting shop here

[X] [Arkham] Arnold Wesker, Doctor Faustus and Aaron Cash
[X] [Arkham] Bethanie Ravencroft and Margaret Pye
[X] [Arkham] Alyce Sinner

[X] [Menagerie] You'll pay for orphanages in Metropolis as well as transport to those orphanages for child members of the Menagerie in exchange for a favor from Selina Kyle later on down the line

[X] [Trip] Take a tour of Gotham Academy
[X] [Trip] Meet with Paige Monroe
[X] [Trip] Take a tour of Gotham University

 

[The-Chained-One]

[X] Plan PR

[X] [Town] Buy Cassandra a gift from an interesting shop here

[X] [Arkham] Gretchen Whistler and Simpson Flanders
[X] [Arkham] Alyce Sinner
[X] [Arkham] Basil Karlo

[X] [Menagerie] You'll pay for orphanages in Metropolis as well as transport to those orphanages for child members of the Menagerie in exchange for a favor from Selina Kyle later on down the line

[X] [Trip] Take a tour of Gotham University
[X] [Trip] Meet with Paige Monroe
[X] [Trip] Take a tour of Gotham Academy

 

[Thanatosra]

[X] [Town] Buy Cassandra a gift from an interesting shop here
[X] [Arkham] Harleen Quinzel and the Joker
[X] [Arkham] Arnold Wesker, Doctor Faustus and Aaron Cash
[X] [Arkham] Basil Karlo
[X] [Menagerie] You'll pay for orphanages in Metropolis as well as transport to those orphanages for child members of the Menagerie in exchange for a favor from Selina Kyle later on down the line
[X] [Trip] Take a tour of Gotham Academy
[X] [Trip] Take a tour of Gotham University
[X] [Trip] Meet with Paige Monroe

 

[Uber Phantom]

[X] Plan PR

[X] [Town] Buy Cassandra a gift from an interesting shop here

[X] [Arkham] Harleen Quinzel and the Joker
[X] [Arkham] Arnold Wesker, Doctor Faustus and Aaron Cash
[X] [Arkham] Basil Karlo

[X] [Menagerie] You'll pay for orphanages in Metropolis as well as transport to those orphanages for child members of the Menagerie in exchange for a favor from Selina Kyle later on down the line

[X] [Trip] Take a tour of Gotham Academy
[X] [Trip] Meet with Paige Monroe
[X] [Trip] Take a tour of Gotham University

 

[Negation]

X] [Town] Buy Cassandra a gift from an interesting shop here

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[X ] [Town] Buy Cassandra a gift from an interesting shop here

X] [Arkham] Harleen Quinzel and the Joker

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I don't think these votes would count guys.

 

[Nurgle]

I really do want to meet Harley and the Joker. Mostly to see if we can mess that relationship up. I do not even care if we higher her. I just do not like the relationship and how abusive it was. To me the relationship is too real life in you have a smart attractive woman in a terrible relationship with a horrible person.

 

[Zale]

So I'm pretty much all caught up with the quest and it has been a great read so far. I'd thought I would express some thoughts for easy goal we could accomplish with minimal investment next turn. In catching up I've not read the discussion between updates so I don't know if a lot of this has been discussed already.

So next turn we are obligated for a number of things. We have to begin producing STRIPE suits. Carol wants to work on a Ferris Aerospace project. Oswald demands to produce tv for two turns. Caitlin and Louise stuck with Cold Engine. We have to do the build orphanages option for Selina. So we're down at least 5 actions and 4 heroes.

First questions the the QM. 1) @King crimson Does the hire private investigator action get us a free source of info/actions sorta like risk management firms or is it more like gaining a hero unit?
2) This turn our risk management firms suggested Stagg Industries wasn't a good bet. Do they think the whole company is going down soon or that its recoverable? I'm wondering because now might be the best time to either buy them out or poach any hero units they have that want to jump ship. Also is there an action to specifically target hero units at another company to hire?

Besides that there are a few actions I want to advocate towards:
-Going off our risk management firms' advice I would like to buy out LL Fashions and get Lana Lang as a hero unit.
-Meet with General Sam Lane. He is already suspicious of superman and if we can help support his projects it might be a good way to do Nemesis actions. Hopefully like with our other general budy he gives us the data from his super projects getting us free research too. Besides that fucking with Lois more is always worth it as shown with her sister.
-Also I find Lex managing a cabal of US generals as pawns against Superman very amusing. All we need is General Denton Synge for a hat trick.

I really do want to meet Harley and the Joker. Mostly to see if we can mess that relationship up. I do not even care if we higher her. I just do not like the relationship and how abusive it was. To me the relationship is too real life in you have a smart attractive woman in a terrible relationship with a horrible person.

Click to shrink...

Can't really argue with how some one feels, but if that is the main reason for your vote than I don't know how you enjoy quest. Our main character is a CEO that preys on the emotional weaknesses and mental illnesses of his employees to bind them to his company. He is a major participant in the military industrial complex and all the horrible things associated with it. He runs his company with an iron fist were regular employees must soullessly adhere to the company line never allowed to express anything negative to the outside without consequence (obviously hero units are exempt from this to a degree). The things Lex and Lexcorp does are depressingly real if I think about them in translation to IRL. However, being able to make that separation between fiction and reality is what allows enjoyment in things like quests for me personally.

But again if it hits to close home for you its kinda hard to ignore your own feelings so I understand why'd you go with that vote.

 

[King crimson]

First questions the the QM. 1) @King crimson Does the hire private investigator action get us a free source of info/actions sorta like risk management firms or is it more like gaining a hero unit?
2) This turn our risk management firms suggested Stagg Industries wasn't a good bet. Do they think the whole company is going down soon or that its recoverable? I'm wondering because now might be the best time to either buy them out or poach any hero units they have that want to jump ship. Also is there an action to specifically target hero units at another company to hire?

Click to shrink...

The private investigator action functions as follows. A hero unit (or an unnamed unit) will agree to complete a task for you which they will then do so at their own pace. They'll drip feed you information on a subject over time before concluding their business and potentially giving you an opportunity to hire them for something else.

They think the company is going to be in a massive mess soon. They're not sure about whether or not it will recover but they are confident that the hit they will take will be massive.

Collaborating with another company allows you to identify potential hero units who you can then target for recruitment as does any industrial espionage option. There's no one and done option to recruit hero units specifically in one turn but after identifying a hero unit you can try making overtures.

 

[Zale]

They think the company is going to be in a massive mess soon. They're not sure about whether or not it will recover but they are confident that the hit they will take will be massive.

Collaborating with another company allows you to identify potential hero units who you can then target for recruitment as does any industrial espionage option. There's no one and done option to recruit hero units specifically in one turn but after identifying a hero unit you can try making overtures.

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Hmmm. Buying them out might even drop below the current DC 21 from the sounds of it. After Stagg's next big hit might be the time to buy them out. I imagine at that point it would be a pittance. Also their reputation will be so bad that hopefully us buying them is perceived as stepping in to fix an incompetent company and not you know...Lexcorp further creating monopolies and controlling every industry.

 

[Serpentine]

What!? That is a LOT better than I would have expected that's almost 600 million people at least okay everyone I am thinking of including promoting her on handshake as part of the plan

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I figure offering it would be better than not. Trying to think of there's anything else we can offer her in our interview, since it doesn't seem particularly juicy for her to me.

 

[Reader of all]

I figure offering it would be better than not. Trying to think of there's anything else we can offer her in our interview, since it doesn't seem particularly juicy for her to me.

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I feel it is very juicy, superman and metahumans are a hot topic right now and will be for the forseeable future and Vicki is living in gotham so she is well aware of the impact of costumed vigilantes and a weak police force. I also would like to add promoting her on handshake but a plan already exists that has that option internet pr by negation and yet people chose my plan so I feel it would be rather rude to change the plan when so many other people voted for it.

 

[Serpentine]

I also would like to add promoting her on handshake but a plan already exists that has that option internet pr by negation and yet people chose my plan so I feel it would be rather rude to change the plan when so many other people voted for it.

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Ah, I didn't realize someone already made that an alternative.

 

[Negation]

I feel it is very juicy, superman and metahumans are a hot topic right now and will be for the forseeable future and Vicki is living in gotham so she is well aware of the impact of costumed vigilantes and a weak police force. I also would like to add promoting her on handshake but a plan already exists that has that option internet pr by negation and yet people chose my plan so I feel it would be rather rude to change the plan when so many other people voted for it.

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Just add it in? We really should boost her to give Lois Lane the finger.

 

[Sirrocco]

Can't really argue with how some one feels, but if that is the main reason for your vote than I don't know how you enjoy quest. Our main character is a CEO that preys on the emotional weaknesses and mental illnesses of his employees to bind them to his company. He is a major participant in the military industrial complex and all the horrible things associated with it. He runs his company with an iron fist were regular employees must soullessly adhere to the company line never allowed to express anything negative to the outside without consequence (obviously hero units are exempt from this to a degree). The things Lex and Lexcorp does are depressingly real if I think about them in translation to IRL. However, being able to make that separation between fiction and reality is what allows enjoyment in things like quests for me personally.

But again if it hits to close home for you its kinda hard to ignore your own feelings so I understand why'd you go with that vote.

Click to shrink...

He's really not as bad as you make him out to be. With few exceptions, his employees are happier and healthier than they would be without him. In some cases, by far. Sure, he has a bit of a cult of personality going, but part of that is that LexCorp is a really good employer. He does actively support the US military (if you choose to think of that as immoral) but he's also got some impressive environmental initiatives going. This Lex is pretty much a classic case of enlightened self-interest. He's got some pretty selfish motives, and he won't shy from doing some pretty dirty things from time to time, but it turns out that beign good for the world is good business, and he leans itno that.

As far as upcoming actions, I'd like to make sure we keep working the Nemesis plots. In particular, we should be looking for Nemesis plots that will result in long-term advantage - either building things that will continually undermine Superman, or taking potential assets that he might otherwise acquire off the table. I think maybe we can't afford the more frivolous Nemesis actions - we need to keep driving our own improvement engines - but this is the threat that will break us, and we need to keep on top of it.

 

[King crimson]

So a very brief update to how things are looking right now. I plan on getting out the next update by Thursday or Friday. Shortly following that will be the long-awaited Secrets and Lies in Jump City part 4 will be landing. I have been working on it in the background for a while and it'll be coming out soon (I haven't forgotten).

The rewards for the contest winners will have shifted around a bit and I'm still getting back with people on who the winners are (I had some friends with no real knowledge of the quest rank the entries) but suffice to say everyone who entered will get something. The results will likely be made known to the entrants either tomorrow or on Saturday.

Thank you all for your patience.

 

[Zale]

As far as upcoming actions, I'd like to make sure we keep working the Nemesis plots. In particular, we should be looking for Nemesis plots that will result in long-term advantage - either building things that will continually undermine Superman, or taking potential assets that he might otherwise acquire off the table. I think maybe we can't afford the more frivolous Nemesis actions - we need to keep driving our own improvement engines - but this is the threat that will break us, and we need to keep on top of it.

Click to shrink...

Yeah I agree that these are super important actions to take. Looking them over I think there aren't many of the actions that fit your description. Convince Eiling that Superman is a threat is an easy one that will put continued pressure on him. I think next turn if we have a good meeting with General Lane that we could also focus him on Superman. That would focus two stronger enemy factions on him. The only thing is that for the Eiling action it is listed as unsatisfying meaning I don't think the Nemesis gauge will go down that much, but its worth for as you say the long-term advantage and putting more negatives on Superman's dice roles.

Another thing we could do is kill, get rid of or subvert (maybe pheromones?) his new private investigator Dan Turpin. Who knows what that guy is going to do for Superman, but any hero unit helping him we should try to neutralize so he has less assets. Presumably Dan also isn't in constant close proximity as Lois is to Clark so he might be easier to get to than her. Using pheromones to have him investigate or be suspicious of certain factions might lead to Superman fighting them.

Then there is Vale. We got an option to capture him this turn and us doing that is probably better than Superman doing it. If we can find him and either hire him secretly or help him covertly it can be a good long term boon for anti-Superman weapons or just strengthening another faction that will attack him.

The other avenue that I think would be really effective is demons. Demons are so far from our MO that I think it would very difficult to link to us. This would be a multi-turn Nemesis project though because first we should do the study demonology action. This should help learn the more about the dangers of the action, lower the other demon summoning dcs and in general see if the Nemesis action is worth taking at all.

@King crimson Since we know Dan Turpin is a personal friend of Superman will we get Nemesis actions against him? Would Oswald be satisfied being put on the "Use 'Curse of the Atomic Skull' as a platform to subtly attack Superman's character" action since he could be producing the squeal or even a spin off series? Or does he want to be on the more general producing television actions?

 

[King crimson]

He's really not as bad as you make him out to be. With few exceptions, his employees are happier and healthier than they would be without him. In some cases, by far. Sure, he has a bit of a cult of personality going, but part of that is that LexCorp is a really good employer. He does actively support the US military (if you choose to think of that as immoral) but he's also got some impressive environmental initiatives going. This Lex is pretty much a classic case of enlightened self-interest. He's got some pretty selfish motives, and he won't shy from doing some pretty dirty things from time to time, but it turns out that beign good for the world is good business, and he leans itno that.

Click to shrink...

So I have opinions as always. Keep in mind that your reading is no less legitimate than my own but I do think my own opinion is somewhat relevant here.

I personally fall somewhere between you and Zale on where I consider this Lex's morality to be. Lex Luthor as he is written here falls in a very grey area in my eyes. He's understanding towards his employees and helps them to achieve their dreams and is decently liked by people who know him but on the other hand many of the people working for him are not by any means "better" than they would be without him in a moral sense (a lot of characters are arguably worse morally now). Furthermore the working conditions at LexCorp are a similar state. On the one hand the company has great pay and insurance plans and facilities. On the other hand it also breeds a constant atmosphere of paranoia, distrust compliance and coercion in the average worker and has constant surveillance watching people and a committee specifically for rooting out and silencing dissent. To add onto all of this he has made the world a better place in some ways (improved the standard of living, pushed green initiatives, genuinely made an effort to help improve metahuman relations) and on the other hand he's also done some pretty terrible things (work with terrorists repeatedly, prop up brutal dictators and warlords and condone human experimentation). It's an interesting question and I think it's not one that can be easily answered because Lex has done both good and bad. He's miles better than the Joker but he's not a moral paragon by any stretch of the imagination and I don't think he fits the model of "enlightened self-interest" because a lot of what he does is imperfect, personal and more than a little iffy. There's elements of it there but I don't think it's a perfect match.

I know I haven't actually said much of an opinion here, only really bringing up conflicting information on if the character is good or bad but I do think the central thrust of my argument (that there is enough evidence to argue both ways for Lex) is relevant to the conversation.

@King crimson Since we know Dan Turpin is a personal friend of Superman will we get Nemesis actions against him? Would Oswald be satisfied being put on the "Use 'Curse of the Atomic Skull' as a platform to subtly attack Superman's character" action since he could be producing the squeal or even a spin off series? Or does he want to be on the more general producing television actions?

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You'll get nemesis actions to mess with Dan Turpin a bit but they won't be directed at Dan Turpin (they'll be aimed at ruining Superman's life through his connection with Dan Turpin). You'll also be getting some Lois based nemesis actions.

Oswald wants to be on more general producing television actions.

 

[Reader of all]

@King crimson is the vote closed?

 

[Negation]

On the other hand it also breeds a constant atmosphere of paranoia, distrust compliance and coercion in the average worker and has constant surveillance watching people and a committee specifically for rooting out and silencing dissent.

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As someone who works in a company contracted by Government agencies to handle Restricted stuff, this is actually normal though it's less silencing dissent and more compliance with security protocols.

LexCorp by having heavier security measures as a weapons manufacturer & government contractor than legally/contractually mandated is actually a huge point in it's favour when bidding for Government Contracts (other than being the lowest bidder).

Frankly I'm surprised LexCorp has not been cited in various Business Industry Newsletters as having Best Practices.

 

[Sirrocco]

You'll get nemesis actions to mess with Dan Turpin a bit but they won't be directed at Dan Turpin (they'll be aimed at ruining Superman's life through his connection with Dan Turpin). You'll also be getting some Lois based nemesis actions.

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I'd presented an idea a while back for organizing the group of "people who are kind of freaked out about Superman" into, in essence, an ongoing community, possibly putting out a newspaper or magazine, with the idea of letting their views solidify, and then normalizing them to a degree. Did that make it on the list for the next time we have a list?

 

[Simon_Jester]

Yeah.

The US government doesn't normally trust corporations without strict information control procedures with military contracts.

Now, a lot of our business isn't actually for the military! So that's an issue. But the point remains that we do a lot of advanced military research here, and that basically any enemy of the United States would consider "steal LexCorp technology secrets" to be an extremely high priority.

We also handle a substantial online banking app and a huge social media website (If King speaks the truth, we're big like Facebook was big in 2010) with, potentially, a LOT of sensitive personal information. If anything, our IT security measures are too weak in light of that.

So while we do some really heinous bullshit that is objectively terrible, we have damn good reasons for the company to keep secrets as aggressively as it does.

( @King crimson , how would we go about enhancing our security against just plain general data breaches of the kind you hear about major Internet companies having in real life?)

 

[King crimson]

@King crimson is the vote closed?

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No not yet.

As someone who works in a company contracted by Government agencies to handle Restricted stuff, this is actually normal though it's less silencing dissent and more compliance with security protocols.

LexCorp by having heavier security measures as a weapons manufacturer & government contractor than legally/contractually mandated is actually a huge point in it's favour when bidding for Government Contracts (other than being the lowest bidder).

Frankly I'm surprised LexCorp has not been cited in various Business Industry Newsletters as having Best Practices.

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As someone who also worked at a company that produced microchips for the military (admittedly as an intern), I can respond that it's all about degrees. Most companies don't have a straight up secret police or monitor as heavily and brutally as LexCorp does. Yes it's better for the government but I think it's fair to say that the security measures for LexCorp are soul-crushing to the average employee and far beyond standard practice.

It's not morally wrong per se but it's certainly not a fun workplace environment and it's a direct contradiction to LexCorp being a good company to work at.

I'd presented an idea a while back for organizing the group of "people who are kind of freaked out about Superman" into, in essence, an ongoing community, possibly putting out a newspaper or magazine, with the idea of letting their views solidify, and then normalizing them to a degree. Did that make it on the list for the next time we have a list?

Click to shrink...

Something along those lines has.

( @King crimson , how would we go about enhancing our security against just plain general data breaches of the kind you hear about major Internet companies having in real life?)

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I'll need to consult some stuff before I can answer this. I may have to create a new option. If I do then you will get the 100 exp.

I'll have the answer tomorrow after I look over the the document I have covering all listed actions (it's late where I am so I'd like to wait till I've gotten more sleep before reading that much)

 

[Negation]

It's not morally wrong per se but it's certainly not a fun workplace environment and it's a direct contradiction to LexCorp being a good company to work at.

Click to shrink...

Hmmmm.... We may need to throw a Company Party to improve morale.

 

[Reader of all]

Hmmmm.... We may need to throw a Company Party to improve morale.

Click to shrink...

Agreed I was against it last turn because the city was just attacked but now may as well we should let Roxy organize it.

 

[veekie]

I think the way Lex looks at Lexcorp is essentially a feudal lord and his fief. Its oppressive, its focused on the benefit and interests of the lord, but a smart lord knows how far to push his people and how to motivate them.

The rest is nearly incidental to that one factor.
Lexcorp belongs to Lex. Its success is his success, though his success is not its success.