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Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Legionnaires

2015-06-10T01:17:21Z

Smoot: /* Unit Demographics */

[OOC: This is a cusp-of WW2, “print the legend” depiction of the Legion. It is as close to realistic as a pulp campaign calls for, and uses RL Legion lore and fact as much as possible, but please don’t go using it for term papers or anything. ;) ]

=The Legion in General=
The French Foreign Legion (Legion Etrangere) is a French Army unit whose enlisted members are primarily non-Frenchmen.

''HQ'': Sid-bel-Abbes, Algeria.

''Origins:'' Legionnaires may come from everywhere ''but'' France (a rule easily end-ran by simply leaving France and enlisting from outside) and Belgium (the King of Belgium expressly forbids it). Officers above the rank of Colonel could be of any nationality, but above were solely French.

The Legion is legendary for being a refuge for the disgraced, heartbroken, criminals, political refugees, princes in hiding and men no longer allowed to serve in other militaries (due to forced retirement, discharge or ‘up or out’ policies- the Legion has no problem with career privates.) No ID is required, and there is no background check. All Legionnaires take an assumed name when joining the Legion, eschewing their own for the duration.

''Enlistment Period'': 5 years. 12 years’ honorable service qualifies one to be a French citizen. (However, if one is wounded in battle, a Legionnaire may invoke the rule of “French by right of spilled blood”.)

=The Legion Company at Port Cochere=
The company garrisoned at Ile Trouve is a special detachment of the Foreign Legion [OOC: probably on loan from the 5th Foreign Regiment, the Legion’s “Far East” contingent, based in French Indochina.] It clocks in at 282 members, in all. (It’s somewhat of an outsized company as a result).

It is, oddly, categorized as a “Fortress Infantry” unit (a la the troops assigned to the Maginot Line, back home) with a contingent of “C” reservists. (Meaning that they are, technically, very low-priority for equipment, but also allowing them to perform ''Gendarmerie'' functions)

==Unit Structure==
The ''Compagnie'' ('''Company''') is commanded by Capitaine Auguste Pierre St. Michel LaValle.

It consists of
-A '''Command Platoon''': (Further details TBA, but it definitely includes a bicycle messenger.)

-A 5-man 60mm '''mortar squad''' ( Leader/Spotter (Sgt.), Gunner, Assistant Gunner & 2 Ammunition Bearers.) using one of these: http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandt_Mle_1935

-and 4 Infantry ''Sections'' ('''Platoons''')
(each Section consists of:

1 Command Squad ( CO (Lt or Sous-Lieutenant), NCO (Sgt, Sgt-Chef or 1re Sergent), an observer/scout and a signaler/messenger) & 3 infantry squads.
An '''infantry squad''' is led by a Caporal-chef as a squad leader, and consists of two teams:

-- A “Shock Element” (4 riflemen and a rifle-grenadier), led by the senior Legionnaire present.(They use Lebel 8mm rifles).

--and a “Fire Element” (A Caporal, a Light Machine Gunner ( mostly using these 1931 Mitrailleuse guns (http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reibel_machine_gun ), mounted up at the fortress), a loader, and 3 ammo carriers (who also carry carbines).

This brings the official company count up to about 212 men. The remaining 70 people are largely logistical people (Quartermaster & Suppliers, Cook & staff, medical doctor/veterinarian, packmaster for the mules, etc), but also have a number of people unaccounted for on any official roster.

-Due to the unsuitability of the Ile Trouve backcountry for motorized transport, the Legion company depends entirely on pack-mules.

==Unit Demographics==
-The Company’s senior leadership (from about the Caporal level up) is mostly French. It’s seen as a choice posting for a French Army officer.

-About 160 of the Legionnaires present are on short-term postings.

-84 are “Belgian” (see below). The remainder are from, literally, around the world (Including Britain, Chad, Spain, Italy, Germany, Russia, Argentina, Indochina, Canada, even the US of A.)

-There are no female Legionnaires at this time, though women have allegedly served disguised as men. [There will be one undisguised woman Legionnaire, in WW2.]

-There are, surprisingly, a few ''Aspirants''. These are French Army cadets getting their feet wet in command roles. What they’re doing out here is quite unclear.

==Unit Activities==
Generally speaking, the Legion unit drills, trains, patrols, or performs hard labor. The Captain is well aware that no Legion unit has ever mutinied while in combat, but that it frequently happens while on garrison duty. Therefore, he does his best to keep his troops occupied, working largely on “public and military infrastructure construction”. (Roads, shoring up the fort, etc.)

In the rather unusual structure of life in Port Cochere, the Legion unit is occasionally given special dictat to locally perform the functions of the Gendarmerie (see the Police section of “The Authorities” for more). The current Mayor only occasionally pulls ''that'' lever, though.

POLICY REGARDING THE KAMEKAME: The Legion has, on occasion, performed "border marches" along the edges of the agreed-on turf of Port Cochere. This was not taken as an aggressive act by the Kamekame, who seemed to rather enjoy Legionary marching songs.

Even with the force-multiplier of the fortress, it is not publicly known what plans the Legion company have regarding the Kamekame. Naturally, they follow the lead of the Territorial Government as it carries out instructions from Paris.

=Miscellany=
-“A moi, la Legion!”- this is the individual Legionnaire’s distress call, usually in town or in a rough spot. There is no promise that the answer won’t be “Demerdez-toi, Legionnaire!” (See Systeme D)

-“Belgians”: Because the King of Belgium outlawed Belgians joining the Foreign Legion, and France forbids Frenchmen joining the Legion, any “Belgians” you see are most-likely French criminals or such. (This applies to “Swiss” Legionnaires, and so on, as well.) Also, a popular Legion marching song ("Le Boudin") insults Belgians in general, every verse.

-''Desertion'': The Legion actively pursues deserters. The usual punishment is to be reassigned to special, grueling Disciplinary Company for a term that does ''not'' count toward your initial enlistment.

-''Discipline'': French Army discipline is notoriously harsh. Even by those standards, Legion discipline is legendary.( There hasn’t been a firing squad lately, but not because they ''can’t''.) The dread of what officers could do is as much of a motivator as service to the Legion or France itself.

-''Housing'': The Legionnaires are stationed at the fort on a ridge overlooking Port Cochere. Some units near to town use ‘housing allotments’ to rent lodgings in town, but this is not their practice here. Yet.

-''Language'': Despite the multinational nature of the Legion, all business is in French. Everyone learns (quickly).

-''Marching'': The Legion uses a distinctive, slow marching cadence some people call "The Crawl". For this reason, Legion units come last in any parade they're in.

-''Pay'': Legionnaires get paid 4 cents a day... and all the secrecy they could want.

-''La Salud'': Similar to a ‘blanket party’, this is a form of “corrective measure” administered by one’s fellow Legionnaires. The Legion’s concession to fairness is that while it will be corporal punishment in the form of a group beating, Legionnaires of your nationality will be found to deliver it, so there can’t be said to be discrimination.

-"Systeme D": Short for 'Demerdez-toi', it's a sort of aggressively "you're on your own, sort it out" outlook. "Borrowing" equipment from another (non-legion) unit is "system D", as are jury-rigs and so on.

(A famous "System D" story: A Legion unit in North Africa got, in lieu of a radio, a cage of homing pigeons. The chef yells to the troops 'Good news! Squab tonight!". A regretful (and technically accurate) report about hawks is sent back by post. Next shipment, there was a new cage of homing pigeons and a shotgun with birdshot. The chef, again: "Good news! Tonight squab, tomorrow, ''pheasant''!")

-''Tattoos'': There is no Legion rule against tats. An old “hardcase” trick would be to tattoo something insulting on the blade of one’s hand, so that every time one saluted an officer…

-''Uniforms'': The Legionnaires wear regulation Khakis and the Legion’s trademark [i]kepi[/i] hats.

==Other Nearby French Military Units==
-''The Naval Infantry'': A type of Marine unit primarily assigned to protect naval ports. The two nearest are in Noumea (New Caledonia) and Papeete (Tahiti).

-''Conscription'': Cantonment is part of the Colonial strategy. Universal conscription is the law in the colonies, no less than in France itself (where a 3-year hitch is a public duty). The majority of the version employed at Ile Trouve is “public service” (with a rather diplomatic circumlocution for the Kamekame), and also the local police force, but other parts of French Polynesia use it more ‘traditionally’.

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Legionnaires

2015-06-10T01:16:49Z

Smoot: /* Unit Demographics */

[OOC: This is a cusp-of WW2, “print the legend” depiction of the Legion. It is as close to realistic as a pulp campaign calls for, and uses RL Legion lore and fact as much as possible, but please don’t go using it for term papers or anything. ;) ]

=The Legion in General=
The French Foreign Legion (Legion Etrangere) is a French Army unit whose enlisted members are primarily non-Frenchmen.

''HQ'': Sid-bel-Abbes, Algeria.

''Origins:'' Legionnaires may come from everywhere ''but'' France (a rule easily end-ran by simply leaving France and enlisting from outside) and Belgium (the King of Belgium expressly forbids it). Officers above the rank of Colonel could be of any nationality, but above were solely French.

The Legion is legendary for being a refuge for the disgraced, heartbroken, criminals, political refugees, princes in hiding and men no longer allowed to serve in other militaries (due to forced retirement, discharge or ‘up or out’ policies- the Legion has no problem with career privates.) No ID is required, and there is no background check. All Legionnaires take an assumed name when joining the Legion, eschewing their own for the duration.

''Enlistment Period'': 5 years. 12 years’ honorable service qualifies one to be a French citizen. (However, if one is wounded in battle, a Legionnaire may invoke the rule of “French by right of spilled blood”.)

=The Legion Company at Port Cochere=
The company garrisoned at Ile Trouve is a special detachment of the Foreign Legion [OOC: probably on loan from the 5th Foreign Regiment, the Legion’s “Far East” contingent, based in French Indochina.] It clocks in at 282 members, in all. (It’s somewhat of an outsized company as a result).

It is, oddly, categorized as a “Fortress Infantry” unit (a la the troops assigned to the Maginot Line, back home) with a contingent of “C” reservists. (Meaning that they are, technically, very low-priority for equipment, but also allowing them to perform ''Gendarmerie'' functions)

==Unit Structure==
The ''Compagnie'' ('''Company''') is commanded by Capitaine Auguste Pierre St. Michel LaValle.

It consists of
-A '''Command Platoon''': (Further details TBA, but it definitely includes a bicycle messenger.)

-A 5-man 60mm '''mortar squad''' ( Leader/Spotter (Sgt.), Gunner, Assistant Gunner & 2 Ammunition Bearers.) using one of these: http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandt_Mle_1935

-and 4 Infantry ''Sections'' ('''Platoons''')
(each Section consists of:

1 Command Squad ( CO (Lt or Sous-Lieutenant), NCO (Sgt, Sgt-Chef or 1re Sergent), an observer/scout and a signaler/messenger) & 3 infantry squads.
An '''infantry squad''' is led by a Caporal-chef as a squad leader, and consists of two teams:

-- A “Shock Element” (4 riflemen and a rifle-grenadier), led by the senior Legionnaire present.(They use Lebel 8mm rifles).

--and a “Fire Element” (A Caporal, a Light Machine Gunner ( mostly using these 1931 Mitrailleuse guns (http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reibel_machine_gun ), mounted up at the fortress), a loader, and 3 ammo carriers (who also carry carbines).

This brings the official company count up to about 212 men. The remaining 70 people are largely logistical people (Quartermaster & Suppliers, Cook & staff, medical doctor/veterinarian, packmaster for the mules, etc), but also have a number of people unaccounted for on any official roster.

-Due to the unsuitability of the Ile Trouve backcountry for motorized transport, the Legion company depends entirely on pack-mules.

==Unit Demographics==
-The Company’s senior leadership (from about the Caporal level up) is mostly French. It’s seen as a choice posting for a French Army officer.

-About 160 of the Legionnaires present are on short-term postings.

-84 are “Belgian” (see below). The remainder are from, literally, around the world (Including Chad, Spain, Italy, Germany, Russia, Argentina, Indochina, Canada, even the US of A.)

-There are no female Legionnaires at this time, though women have allegedly served disguised as men. [There will be one undisguised woman Legionnaire, in WW2.]

-There are, surprisingly, a few ''Aspirants''. These are French Army cadets getting their feet wet in command roles. What they’re doing out here is quite unclear.

==Unit Activities==
Generally speaking, the Legion unit drills, trains, patrols, or performs hard labor. The Captain is well aware that no Legion unit has ever mutinied while in combat, but that it frequently happens while on garrison duty. Therefore, he does his best to keep his troops occupied, working largely on “public and military infrastructure construction”. (Roads, shoring up the fort, etc.)

In the rather unusual structure of life in Port Cochere, the Legion unit is occasionally given special dictat to locally perform the functions of the Gendarmerie (see the Police section of “The Authorities” for more). The current Mayor only occasionally pulls ''that'' lever, though.

POLICY REGARDING THE KAMEKAME: The Legion has, on occasion, performed "border marches" along the edges of the agreed-on turf of Port Cochere. This was not taken as an aggressive act by the Kamekame, who seemed to rather enjoy Legionary marching songs.

Even with the force-multiplier of the fortress, it is not publicly known what plans the Legion company have regarding the Kamekame. Naturally, they follow the lead of the Territorial Government as it carries out instructions from Paris.

=Miscellany=
-“A moi, la Legion!”- this is the individual Legionnaire’s distress call, usually in town or in a rough spot. There is no promise that the answer won’t be “Demerdez-toi, Legionnaire!” (See Systeme D)

-“Belgians”: Because the King of Belgium outlawed Belgians joining the Foreign Legion, and France forbids Frenchmen joining the Legion, any “Belgians” you see are most-likely French criminals or such. (This applies to “Swiss” Legionnaires, and so on, as well.) Also, a popular Legion marching song ("Le Boudin") insults Belgians in general, every verse.

-''Desertion'': The Legion actively pursues deserters. The usual punishment is to be reassigned to special, grueling Disciplinary Company for a term that does ''not'' count toward your initial enlistment.

-''Discipline'': French Army discipline is notoriously harsh. Even by those standards, Legion discipline is legendary.( There hasn’t been a firing squad lately, but not because they ''can’t''.) The dread of what officers could do is as much of a motivator as service to the Legion or France itself.

-''Housing'': The Legionnaires are stationed at the fort on a ridge overlooking Port Cochere. Some units near to town use ‘housing allotments’ to rent lodgings in town, but this is not their practice here. Yet.

-''Language'': Despite the multinational nature of the Legion, all business is in French. Everyone learns (quickly).

-''Marching'': The Legion uses a distinctive, slow marching cadence some people call "The Crawl". For this reason, Legion units come last in any parade they're in.

-''Pay'': Legionnaires get paid 4 cents a day... and all the secrecy they could want.

-''La Salud'': Similar to a ‘blanket party’, this is a form of “corrective measure” administered by one’s fellow Legionnaires. The Legion’s concession to fairness is that while it will be corporal punishment in the form of a group beating, Legionnaires of your nationality will be found to deliver it, so there can’t be said to be discrimination.

-"Systeme D": Short for 'Demerdez-toi', it's a sort of aggressively "you're on your own, sort it out" outlook. "Borrowing" equipment from another (non-legion) unit is "system D", as are jury-rigs and so on.

(A famous "System D" story: A Legion unit in North Africa got, in lieu of a radio, a cage of homing pigeons. The chef yells to the troops 'Good news! Squab tonight!". A regretful (and technically accurate) report about hawks is sent back by post. Next shipment, there was a new cage of homing pigeons and a shotgun with birdshot. The chef, again: "Good news! Tonight squab, tomorrow, ''pheasant''!")

-''Tattoos'': There is no Legion rule against tats. An old “hardcase” trick would be to tattoo something insulting on the blade of one’s hand, so that every time one saluted an officer…

-''Uniforms'': The Legionnaires wear regulation Khakis and the Legion’s trademark [i]kepi[/i] hats.

==Other Nearby French Military Units==
-''The Naval Infantry'': A type of Marine unit primarily assigned to protect naval ports. The two nearest are in Noumea (New Caledonia) and Papeete (Tahiti).

-''Conscription'': Cantonment is part of the Colonial strategy. Universal conscription is the law in the colonies, no less than in France itself (where a 3-year hitch is a public duty). The majority of the version employed at Ile Trouve is “public service” (with a rather diplomatic circumlocution for the Kamekame), and also the local police force, but other parts of French Polynesia use it more ‘traditionally’.

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Legionnaires

2015-06-10T01:12:36Z

Smoot: /* Unit Activities */

[OOC: This is a cusp-of WW2, “print the legend” depiction of the Legion. It is as close to realistic as a pulp campaign calls for, and uses RL Legion lore and fact as much as possible, but please don’t go using it for term papers or anything. ;) ]

=The Legion in General=
The French Foreign Legion (Legion Etrangere) is a French Army unit whose enlisted members are primarily non-Frenchmen.

''HQ'': Sid-bel-Abbes, Algeria.

''Origins:'' Legionnaires may come from everywhere ''but'' France (a rule easily end-ran by simply leaving France and enlisting from outside) and Belgium (the King of Belgium expressly forbids it). Officers above the rank of Colonel could be of any nationality, but above were solely French.

The Legion is legendary for being a refuge for the disgraced, heartbroken, criminals, political refugees, princes in hiding and men no longer allowed to serve in other militaries (due to forced retirement, discharge or ‘up or out’ policies- the Legion has no problem with career privates.) No ID is required, and there is no background check. All Legionnaires take an assumed name when joining the Legion, eschewing their own for the duration.

''Enlistment Period'': 5 years. 12 years’ honorable service qualifies one to be a French citizen. (However, if one is wounded in battle, a Legionnaire may invoke the rule of “French by right of spilled blood”.)

=The Legion Company at Port Cochere=
The company garrisoned at Ile Trouve is a special detachment of the Foreign Legion [OOC: probably on loan from the 5th Foreign Regiment, the Legion’s “Far East” contingent, based in French Indochina.] It clocks in at 282 members, in all. (It’s somewhat of an outsized company as a result).

It is, oddly, categorized as a “Fortress Infantry” unit (a la the troops assigned to the Maginot Line, back home) with a contingent of “C” reservists. (Meaning that they are, technically, very low-priority for equipment, but also allowing them to perform ''Gendarmerie'' functions)

==Unit Structure==
The ''Compagnie'' ('''Company''') is commanded by Capitaine Auguste Pierre St. Michel LaValle.

It consists of
-A '''Command Platoon''': (Further details TBA, but it definitely includes a bicycle messenger.)

-A 5-man 60mm '''mortar squad''' ( Leader/Spotter (Sgt.), Gunner, Assistant Gunner & 2 Ammunition Bearers.) using one of these: http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandt_Mle_1935

-and 4 Infantry ''Sections'' ('''Platoons''')
(each Section consists of:

1 Command Squad ( CO (Lt or Sous-Lieutenant), NCO (Sgt, Sgt-Chef or 1re Sergent), an observer/scout and a signaler/messenger) & 3 infantry squads.
An '''infantry squad''' is led by a Caporal-chef as a squad leader, and consists of two teams:

-- A “Shock Element” (4 riflemen and a rifle-grenadier), led by the senior Legionnaire present.(They use Lebel 8mm rifles).

--and a “Fire Element” (A Caporal, a Light Machine Gunner ( mostly using these 1931 Mitrailleuse guns (http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reibel_machine_gun ), mounted up at the fortress), a loader, and 3 ammo carriers (who also carry carbines).

This brings the official company count up to about 212 men. The remaining 70 people are largely logistical people (Quartermaster & Suppliers, Cook & staff, medical doctor/veterinarian, packmaster for the mules, etc), but also have a number of people unaccounted for on any official roster.

-Due to the unsuitability of the Ile Trouve backcountry for motorized transport, the Legion company depends entirely on pack-mules.

==Unit Demographics==
-The Company’s senior leadership (from about the Caporal level up) is mostly French. It’s seen as a choice posting for a French Army officer.

-About 160 of the Legionnaires present are on short-term postings.

-84 are “Belgian” (see below)

-There are no female Legionnaires at this time, though women have allegedly served disguised as men. [There will be one undisguised woman Legionnaire, in WW2.]

-There are, surprisingly, a few ''Aspirants''. These are French Army cadets getting their feet wet in command roles. What they’re doing out here is quite unclear.

==Unit Activities==
Generally speaking, the Legion unit drills, trains, patrols, or performs hard labor. The Captain is well aware that no Legion unit has ever mutinied while in combat, but that it frequently happens while on garrison duty. Therefore, he does his best to keep his troops occupied, working largely on “public and military infrastructure construction”. (Roads, shoring up the fort, etc.)

In the rather unusual structure of life in Port Cochere, the Legion unit is occasionally given special dictat to locally perform the functions of the Gendarmerie (see the Police section of “The Authorities” for more). The current Mayor only occasionally pulls ''that'' lever, though.

POLICY REGARDING THE KAMEKAME: The Legion has, on occasion, performed "border marches" along the edges of the agreed-on turf of Port Cochere. This was not taken as an aggressive act by the Kamekame, who seemed to rather enjoy Legionary marching songs.

Even with the force-multiplier of the fortress, it is not publicly known what plans the Legion company have regarding the Kamekame. Naturally, they follow the lead of the Territorial Government as it carries out instructions from Paris.

=Miscellany=
-“A moi, la Legion!”- this is the individual Legionnaire’s distress call, usually in town or in a rough spot. There is no promise that the answer won’t be “Demerdez-toi, Legionnaire!” (See Systeme D)

-“Belgians”: Because the King of Belgium outlawed Belgians joining the Foreign Legion, and France forbids Frenchmen joining the Legion, any “Belgians” you see are most-likely French criminals or such. (This applies to “Swiss” Legionnaires, and so on, as well.) Also, a popular Legion marching song ("Le Boudin") insults Belgians in general, every verse.

-''Desertion'': The Legion actively pursues deserters. The usual punishment is to be reassigned to special, grueling Disciplinary Company for a term that does ''not'' count toward your initial enlistment.

-''Discipline'': French Army discipline is notoriously harsh. Even by those standards, Legion discipline is legendary.( There hasn’t been a firing squad lately, but not because they ''can’t''.) The dread of what officers could do is as much of a motivator as service to the Legion or France itself.

-''Housing'': The Legionnaires are stationed at the fort on a ridge overlooking Port Cochere. Some units near to town use ‘housing allotments’ to rent lodgings in town, but this is not their practice here. Yet.

-''Language'': Despite the multinational nature of the Legion, all business is in French. Everyone learns (quickly).

-''Marching'': The Legion uses a distinctive, slow marching cadence some people call "The Crawl". For this reason, Legion units come last in any parade they're in.

-''Pay'': Legionnaires get paid 4 cents a day... and all the secrecy they could want.

-''La Salud'': Similar to a ‘blanket party’, this is a form of “corrective measure” administered by one’s fellow Legionnaires. The Legion’s concession to fairness is that while it will be corporal punishment in the form of a group beating, Legionnaires of your nationality will be found to deliver it, so there can’t be said to be discrimination.

-"Systeme D": Short for 'Demerdez-toi', it's a sort of aggressively "you're on your own, sort it out" outlook. "Borrowing" equipment from another (non-legion) unit is "system D", as are jury-rigs and so on.

(A famous "System D" story: A Legion unit in North Africa got, in lieu of a radio, a cage of homing pigeons. The chef yells to the troops 'Good news! Squab tonight!". A regretful (and technically accurate) report about hawks is sent back by post. Next shipment, there was a new cage of homing pigeons and a shotgun with birdshot. The chef, again: "Good news! Tonight squab, tomorrow, ''pheasant''!")

-''Tattoos'': There is no Legion rule against tats. An old “hardcase” trick would be to tattoo something insulting on the blade of one’s hand, so that every time one saluted an officer…

-''Uniforms'': The Legionnaires wear regulation Khakis and the Legion’s trademark [i]kepi[/i] hats.

==Other Nearby French Military Units==
-''The Naval Infantry'': A type of Marine unit primarily assigned to protect naval ports. The two nearest are in Noumea (New Caledonia) and Papeete (Tahiti).

-''Conscription'': Cantonment is part of the Colonial strategy. Universal conscription is the law in the colonies, no less than in France itself (where a 3-year hitch is a public duty). The majority of the version employed at Ile Trouve is “public service” (with a rather diplomatic circumlocution for the Kamekame), and also the local police force, but other parts of French Polynesia use it more ‘traditionally’.

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Legionnaires

2015-06-10T01:11:59Z

Smoot: /* Unit Activities */

[OOC: This is a cusp-of WW2, “print the legend” depiction of the Legion. It is as close to realistic as a pulp campaign calls for, and uses RL Legion lore and fact as much as possible, but please don’t go using it for term papers or anything. ;) ]

=The Legion in General=
The French Foreign Legion (Legion Etrangere) is a French Army unit whose enlisted members are primarily non-Frenchmen.

''HQ'': Sid-bel-Abbes, Algeria.

''Origins:'' Legionnaires may come from everywhere ''but'' France (a rule easily end-ran by simply leaving France and enlisting from outside) and Belgium (the King of Belgium expressly forbids it). Officers above the rank of Colonel could be of any nationality, but above were solely French.

The Legion is legendary for being a refuge for the disgraced, heartbroken, criminals, political refugees, princes in hiding and men no longer allowed to serve in other militaries (due to forced retirement, discharge or ‘up or out’ policies- the Legion has no problem with career privates.) No ID is required, and there is no background check. All Legionnaires take an assumed name when joining the Legion, eschewing their own for the duration.

''Enlistment Period'': 5 years. 12 years’ honorable service qualifies one to be a French citizen. (However, if one is wounded in battle, a Legionnaire may invoke the rule of “French by right of spilled blood”.)

=The Legion Company at Port Cochere=
The company garrisoned at Ile Trouve is a special detachment of the Foreign Legion [OOC: probably on loan from the 5th Foreign Regiment, the Legion’s “Far East” contingent, based in French Indochina.] It clocks in at 282 members, in all. (It’s somewhat of an outsized company as a result).

It is, oddly, categorized as a “Fortress Infantry” unit (a la the troops assigned to the Maginot Line, back home) with a contingent of “C” reservists. (Meaning that they are, technically, very low-priority for equipment, but also allowing them to perform ''Gendarmerie'' functions)

==Unit Structure==
The ''Compagnie'' ('''Company''') is commanded by Capitaine Auguste Pierre St. Michel LaValle.

It consists of
-A '''Command Platoon''': (Further details TBA, but it definitely includes a bicycle messenger.)

-A 5-man 60mm '''mortar squad''' ( Leader/Spotter (Sgt.), Gunner, Assistant Gunner & 2 Ammunition Bearers.) using one of these: http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandt_Mle_1935

-and 4 Infantry ''Sections'' ('''Platoons''')
(each Section consists of:

1 Command Squad ( CO (Lt or Sous-Lieutenant), NCO (Sgt, Sgt-Chef or 1re Sergent), an observer/scout and a signaler/messenger) & 3 infantry squads.
An '''infantry squad''' is led by a Caporal-chef as a squad leader, and consists of two teams:

-- A “Shock Element” (4 riflemen and a rifle-grenadier), led by the senior Legionnaire present.(They use Lebel 8mm rifles).

--and a “Fire Element” (A Caporal, a Light Machine Gunner ( mostly using these 1931 Mitrailleuse guns (http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reibel_machine_gun ), mounted up at the fortress), a loader, and 3 ammo carriers (who also carry carbines).

This brings the official company count up to about 212 men. The remaining 70 people are largely logistical people (Quartermaster & Suppliers, Cook & staff, medical doctor/veterinarian, packmaster for the mules, etc), but also have a number of people unaccounted for on any official roster.

-Due to the unsuitability of the Ile Trouve backcountry for motorized transport, the Legion company depends entirely on pack-mules.

==Unit Demographics==
-The Company’s senior leadership (from about the Caporal level up) is mostly French. It’s seen as a choice posting for a French Army officer.

-About 160 of the Legionnaires present are on short-term postings.

-84 are “Belgian” (see below)

-There are no female Legionnaires at this time, though women have allegedly served disguised as men. [There will be one undisguised woman Legionnaire, in WW2.]

-There are, surprisingly, a few ''Aspirants''. These are French Army cadets getting their feet wet in command roles. What they’re doing out here is quite unclear.

==Unit Activities==
Generally speaking, the Legion unit drills, trains, patrols, or performs hard labor. The Captain is well aware that no Legion unit has ever mutinied while in combat, but that it frequently happens while on garrison duty. Therefore, he does his best to keep his troops occupied, working largely on “public and military infrastructure construction”. (Roads, shoring up the fort, etc.)

In the rather unusual structure of life in Port Cochere, the Legion unit is occasionally given special dictat to locally perform the functions of the Gendarmerie (see the Police section of “The Authorities” for more). The current Mayor only occasionally pulls ''that'' lever, though.

POLICY REGARDING THE KAMEKAME: The Legion has, on occasion, performed "border marches" along the edges of the agreed-on turf of Port Cochere. This was not taken as an aggressive act by the Kamekame, who seemed to rather enjoy Legionary marching songs.

Even with the force-multiplier of the fortress, it is not known what plans the Legion company have regarding the Kamekame. Naturally, they follow the lead of the Territorial Government as it carries out instructions from Paris.

=Miscellany=
-“A moi, la Legion!”- this is the individual Legionnaire’s distress call, usually in town or in a rough spot. There is no promise that the answer won’t be “Demerdez-toi, Legionnaire!” (See Systeme D)

-“Belgians”: Because the King of Belgium outlawed Belgians joining the Foreign Legion, and France forbids Frenchmen joining the Legion, any “Belgians” you see are most-likely French criminals or such. (This applies to “Swiss” Legionnaires, and so on, as well.) Also, a popular Legion marching song ("Le Boudin") insults Belgians in general, every verse.

-''Desertion'': The Legion actively pursues deserters. The usual punishment is to be reassigned to special, grueling Disciplinary Company for a term that does ''not'' count toward your initial enlistment.

-''Discipline'': French Army discipline is notoriously harsh. Even by those standards, Legion discipline is legendary.( There hasn’t been a firing squad lately, but not because they ''can’t''.) The dread of what officers could do is as much of a motivator as service to the Legion or France itself.

-''Housing'': The Legionnaires are stationed at the fort on a ridge overlooking Port Cochere. Some units near to town use ‘housing allotments’ to rent lodgings in town, but this is not their practice here. Yet.

-''Language'': Despite the multinational nature of the Legion, all business is in French. Everyone learns (quickly).

-''Marching'': The Legion uses a distinctive, slow marching cadence some people call "The Crawl". For this reason, Legion units come last in any parade they're in.

-''Pay'': Legionnaires get paid 4 cents a day... and all the secrecy they could want.

-''La Salud'': Similar to a ‘blanket party’, this is a form of “corrective measure” administered by one’s fellow Legionnaires. The Legion’s concession to fairness is that while it will be corporal punishment in the form of a group beating, Legionnaires of your nationality will be found to deliver it, so there can’t be said to be discrimination.

-"Systeme D": Short for 'Demerdez-toi', it's a sort of aggressively "you're on your own, sort it out" outlook. "Borrowing" equipment from another (non-legion) unit is "system D", as are jury-rigs and so on.

(A famous "System D" story: A Legion unit in North Africa got, in lieu of a radio, a cage of homing pigeons. The chef yells to the troops 'Good news! Squab tonight!". A regretful (and technically accurate) report about hawks is sent back by post. Next shipment, there was a new cage of homing pigeons and a shotgun with birdshot. The chef, again: "Good news! Tonight squab, tomorrow, ''pheasant''!")

-''Tattoos'': There is no Legion rule against tats. An old “hardcase” trick would be to tattoo something insulting on the blade of one’s hand, so that every time one saluted an officer…

-''Uniforms'': The Legionnaires wear regulation Khakis and the Legion’s trademark [i]kepi[/i] hats.

==Other Nearby French Military Units==
-''The Naval Infantry'': A type of Marine unit primarily assigned to protect naval ports. The two nearest are in Noumea (New Caledonia) and Papeete (Tahiti).

-''Conscription'': Cantonment is part of the Colonial strategy. Universal conscription is the law in the colonies, no less than in France itself (where a 3-year hitch is a public duty). The majority of the version employed at Ile Trouve is “public service” (with a rather diplomatic circumlocution for the Kamekame), and also the local police force, but other parts of French Polynesia use it more ‘traditionally’.

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Legionnaires

2015-06-10T01:07:31Z

Smoot: /* Miscellany */

[OOC: This is a cusp-of WW2, “print the legend” depiction of the Legion. It is as close to realistic as a pulp campaign calls for, and uses RL Legion lore and fact as much as possible, but please don’t go using it for term papers or anything. ;) ]

=The Legion in General=
The French Foreign Legion (Legion Etrangere) is a French Army unit whose enlisted members are primarily non-Frenchmen.

''HQ'': Sid-bel-Abbes, Algeria.

''Origins:'' Legionnaires may come from everywhere ''but'' France (a rule easily end-ran by simply leaving France and enlisting from outside) and Belgium (the King of Belgium expressly forbids it). Officers above the rank of Colonel could be of any nationality, but above were solely French.

The Legion is legendary for being a refuge for the disgraced, heartbroken, criminals, political refugees, princes in hiding and men no longer allowed to serve in other militaries (due to forced retirement, discharge or ‘up or out’ policies- the Legion has no problem with career privates.) No ID is required, and there is no background check. All Legionnaires take an assumed name when joining the Legion, eschewing their own for the duration.

''Enlistment Period'': 5 years. 12 years’ honorable service qualifies one to be a French citizen. (However, if one is wounded in battle, a Legionnaire may invoke the rule of “French by right of spilled blood”.)

=The Legion Company at Port Cochere=
The company garrisoned at Ile Trouve is a special detachment of the Foreign Legion [OOC: probably on loan from the 5th Foreign Regiment, the Legion’s “Far East” contingent, based in French Indochina.] It clocks in at 282 members, in all. (It’s somewhat of an outsized company as a result).

It is, oddly, categorized as a “Fortress Infantry” unit (a la the troops assigned to the Maginot Line, back home) with a contingent of “C” reservists. (Meaning that they are, technically, very low-priority for equipment, but also allowing them to perform ''Gendarmerie'' functions)

==Unit Structure==
The ''Compagnie'' ('''Company''') is commanded by Capitaine Auguste Pierre St. Michel LaValle.

It consists of
-A '''Command Platoon''': (Further details TBA, but it definitely includes a bicycle messenger.)

-A 5-man 60mm '''mortar squad''' ( Leader/Spotter (Sgt.), Gunner, Assistant Gunner & 2 Ammunition Bearers.) using one of these: http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandt_Mle_1935

-and 4 Infantry ''Sections'' ('''Platoons''')
(each Section consists of:

1 Command Squad ( CO (Lt or Sous-Lieutenant), NCO (Sgt, Sgt-Chef or 1re Sergent), an observer/scout and a signaler/messenger) & 3 infantry squads.
An '''infantry squad''' is led by a Caporal-chef as a squad leader, and consists of two teams:

-- A “Shock Element” (4 riflemen and a rifle-grenadier), led by the senior Legionnaire present.(They use Lebel 8mm rifles).

--and a “Fire Element” (A Caporal, a Light Machine Gunner ( mostly using these 1931 Mitrailleuse guns (http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reibel_machine_gun ), mounted up at the fortress), a loader, and 3 ammo carriers (who also carry carbines).

This brings the official company count up to about 212 men. The remaining 70 people are largely logistical people (Quartermaster & Suppliers, Cook & staff, medical doctor/veterinarian, packmaster for the mules, etc), but also have a number of people unaccounted for on any official roster.

-Due to the unsuitability of the Ile Trouve backcountry for motorized transport, the Legion company depends entirely on pack-mules.

==Unit Demographics==
-The Company’s senior leadership (from about the Caporal level up) is mostly French. It’s seen as a choice posting for a French Army officer.

-About 160 of the Legionnaires present are on short-term postings.

-84 are “Belgian” (see below)

-There are no female Legionnaires at this time, though women have allegedly served disguised as men. [There will be one undisguised woman Legionnaire, in WW2.]

-There are, surprisingly, a few ''Aspirants''. These are French Army cadets getting their feet wet in command roles. What they’re doing out here is quite unclear.

==Unit Activities==
Generally speaking, the Legion unit drills, trains, patrols, or performs hard labor. The Captain is well aware that no Legion unit has ever mutinied while in combat, but that it frequently happens while on garrison duty. Therefore, he does his best to keep his troops occupied, working largely on “public and military infrastructure construction”. (Roads, shoring up the fort, etc.)

In the rather unusual structure of life in Port Cochere, the Legion unit is occasionally given special dictat to locally perform the functions of the Gendarmerie (see the Police section of “The Authorities” for more). The current Mayor only occasionally pulls ''that'' lever, though.

=Miscellany=
-“A moi, la Legion!”- this is the individual Legionnaire’s distress call, usually in town or in a rough spot. There is no promise that the answer won’t be “Demerdez-toi, Legionnaire!” (See Systeme D)

-“Belgians”: Because the King of Belgium outlawed Belgians joining the Foreign Legion, and France forbids Frenchmen joining the Legion, any “Belgians” you see are most-likely French criminals or such. (This applies to “Swiss” Legionnaires, and so on, as well.) Also, a popular Legion marching song ("Le Boudin") insults Belgians in general, every verse.

-''Desertion'': The Legion actively pursues deserters. The usual punishment is to be reassigned to special, grueling Disciplinary Company for a term that does ''not'' count toward your initial enlistment.

-''Discipline'': French Army discipline is notoriously harsh. Even by those standards, Legion discipline is legendary.( There hasn’t been a firing squad lately, but not because they ''can’t''.) The dread of what officers could do is as much of a motivator as service to the Legion or France itself.

-''Housing'': The Legionnaires are stationed at the fort on a ridge overlooking Port Cochere. Some units near to town use ‘housing allotments’ to rent lodgings in town, but this is not their practice here. Yet.

-''Language'': Despite the multinational nature of the Legion, all business is in French. Everyone learns (quickly).

-''Marching'': The Legion uses a distinctive, slow marching cadence some people call "The Crawl". For this reason, Legion units come last in any parade they're in.

-''Pay'': Legionnaires get paid 4 cents a day... and all the secrecy they could want.

-''La Salud'': Similar to a ‘blanket party’, this is a form of “corrective measure” administered by one’s fellow Legionnaires. The Legion’s concession to fairness is that while it will be corporal punishment in the form of a group beating, Legionnaires of your nationality will be found to deliver it, so there can’t be said to be discrimination.

-"Systeme D": Short for 'Demerdez-toi', it's a sort of aggressively "you're on your own, sort it out" outlook. "Borrowing" equipment from another (non-legion) unit is "system D", as are jury-rigs and so on.

(A famous "System D" story: A Legion unit in North Africa got, in lieu of a radio, a cage of homing pigeons. The chef yells to the troops 'Good news! Squab tonight!". A regretful (and technically accurate) report about hawks is sent back by post. Next shipment, there was a new cage of homing pigeons and a shotgun with birdshot. The chef, again: "Good news! Tonight squab, tomorrow, ''pheasant''!")

-''Tattoos'': There is no Legion rule against tats. An old “hardcase” trick would be to tattoo something insulting on the blade of one’s hand, so that every time one saluted an officer…

-''Uniforms'': The Legionnaires wear regulation Khakis and the Legion’s trademark [i]kepi[/i] hats.

==Other Nearby French Military Units==
-''The Naval Infantry'': A type of Marine unit primarily assigned to protect naval ports. The two nearest are in Noumea (New Caledonia) and Papeete (Tahiti).

-''Conscription'': Cantonment is part of the Colonial strategy. Universal conscription is the law in the colonies, no less than in France itself (where a 3-year hitch is a public duty). The majority of the version employed at Ile Trouve is “public service” (with a rather diplomatic circumlocution for the Kamekame), and also the local police force, but other parts of French Polynesia use it more ‘traditionally’.

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Legionnaires

2015-06-10T01:07:01Z

Smoot: /* Miscellany */

[OOC: This is a cusp-of WW2, “print the legend” depiction of the Legion. It is as close to realistic as a pulp campaign calls for, and uses RL Legion lore and fact as much as possible, but please don’t go using it for term papers or anything. ;) ]

=The Legion in General=
The French Foreign Legion (Legion Etrangere) is a French Army unit whose enlisted members are primarily non-Frenchmen.

''HQ'': Sid-bel-Abbes, Algeria.

''Origins:'' Legionnaires may come from everywhere ''but'' France (a rule easily end-ran by simply leaving France and enlisting from outside) and Belgium (the King of Belgium expressly forbids it). Officers above the rank of Colonel could be of any nationality, but above were solely French.

The Legion is legendary for being a refuge for the disgraced, heartbroken, criminals, political refugees, princes in hiding and men no longer allowed to serve in other militaries (due to forced retirement, discharge or ‘up or out’ policies- the Legion has no problem with career privates.) No ID is required, and there is no background check. All Legionnaires take an assumed name when joining the Legion, eschewing their own for the duration.

''Enlistment Period'': 5 years. 12 years’ honorable service qualifies one to be a French citizen. (However, if one is wounded in battle, a Legionnaire may invoke the rule of “French by right of spilled blood”.)

=The Legion Company at Port Cochere=
The company garrisoned at Ile Trouve is a special detachment of the Foreign Legion [OOC: probably on loan from the 5th Foreign Regiment, the Legion’s “Far East” contingent, based in French Indochina.] It clocks in at 282 members, in all. (It’s somewhat of an outsized company as a result).

It is, oddly, categorized as a “Fortress Infantry” unit (a la the troops assigned to the Maginot Line, back home) with a contingent of “C” reservists. (Meaning that they are, technically, very low-priority for equipment, but also allowing them to perform ''Gendarmerie'' functions)

==Unit Structure==
The ''Compagnie'' ('''Company''') is commanded by Capitaine Auguste Pierre St. Michel LaValle.

It consists of
-A '''Command Platoon''': (Further details TBA, but it definitely includes a bicycle messenger.)

-A 5-man 60mm '''mortar squad''' ( Leader/Spotter (Sgt.), Gunner, Assistant Gunner & 2 Ammunition Bearers.) using one of these: http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandt_Mle_1935

-and 4 Infantry ''Sections'' ('''Platoons''')
(each Section consists of:

1 Command Squad ( CO (Lt or Sous-Lieutenant), NCO (Sgt, Sgt-Chef or 1re Sergent), an observer/scout and a signaler/messenger) & 3 infantry squads.
An '''infantry squad''' is led by a Caporal-chef as a squad leader, and consists of two teams:

-- A “Shock Element” (4 riflemen and a rifle-grenadier), led by the senior Legionnaire present.(They use Lebel 8mm rifles).

--and a “Fire Element” (A Caporal, a Light Machine Gunner ( mostly using these 1931 Mitrailleuse guns (http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reibel_machine_gun ), mounted up at the fortress), a loader, and 3 ammo carriers (who also carry carbines).

This brings the official company count up to about 212 men. The remaining 70 people are largely logistical people (Quartermaster & Suppliers, Cook & staff, medical doctor/veterinarian, packmaster for the mules, etc), but also have a number of people unaccounted for on any official roster.

-Due to the unsuitability of the Ile Trouve backcountry for motorized transport, the Legion company depends entirely on pack-mules.

==Unit Demographics==
-The Company’s senior leadership (from about the Caporal level up) is mostly French. It’s seen as a choice posting for a French Army officer.

-About 160 of the Legionnaires present are on short-term postings.

-84 are “Belgian” (see below)

-There are no female Legionnaires at this time, though women have allegedly served disguised as men. [There will be one undisguised woman Legionnaire, in WW2.]

-There are, surprisingly, a few ''Aspirants''. These are French Army cadets getting their feet wet in command roles. What they’re doing out here is quite unclear.

==Unit Activities==
Generally speaking, the Legion unit drills, trains, patrols, or performs hard labor. The Captain is well aware that no Legion unit has ever mutinied while in combat, but that it frequently happens while on garrison duty. Therefore, he does his best to keep his troops occupied, working largely on “public and military infrastructure construction”. (Roads, shoring up the fort, etc.)

In the rather unusual structure of life in Port Cochere, the Legion unit is occasionally given special dictat to locally perform the functions of the Gendarmerie (see the Police section of “The Authorities” for more). The current Mayor only occasionally pulls ''that'' lever, though.

=Miscellany=
-“A moi, la Legion!”- this is the individual Legionnaire’s distress call, usually in town or in a rough spot. There is no promise that the answer won’t be “Demerdez-toi, Legionnaire!” (See Systeme D)

-“Belgians”: Because the King of Belgium outlawed Belgians joining the Foreign Legion, and France forbids Frenchmen joining the Legion, any “Belgians” you see are most-likely French criminals or such. (This applies to “Swiss” Legionnaires, and so on, as well.) Also, a popular Legion marching song ("Le Boudin") insults Belgians in general, every verse.

-''Desertion'': The Legion actively pursues deserters. The usual punishment is to be reassigned to special, grueling Disciplinary Company for a term that does ''not'' count toward your initial enlistment.

-''Discipline'': French Army discipline is notoriously harsh. Even by those standards, Legion discipline is legendary.( There hasn’t been a firing squad lately, but not because they ''can’t''.) The dread of what officers could do is as much of a motivator as service to the Legion or France itself.

-''Housing'': The Legionnaires are stationed at the fort on a ridge overlooking Port Cochere. Some units near to town use ‘housing allotments’ to rent lodgings in town, but this is not their practice here. Yet.

-''Language'': Despite the multinational nature of the Legion, all business is in French. Everyone learns quickly ( sometimes with percussive instruction methods if nothing else works).

-''Marching'': The Legion uses a distinctive, slow marching cadence some people call "The Crawl". For this reason, Legion units come last in any parade they're in.

-''Pay'': Legionnaires get paid 4 cents a day... and all the secrecy they could want.

-''La Salud'': Similar to a ‘blanket party’, this is a form of “corrective measure” administered by one’s fellow Legionnaires. The Legion’s concession to fairness is that while it will be corporal punishment in the form of a group beating, Legionnaires of your nationality will be found to deliver it, so there can’t be said to be discrimination.

-"Systeme D": Short for 'Demerdez-toi', it's a sort of aggressively "you're on your own, sort it out" outlook. "Borrowing" equipment from another (non-legion) unit is "system D", as are jury-rigs and so on.

(A famous "System D" story: A Legion unit in North Africa got, in lieu of a radio, a cage of homing pigeons. The chef yells to the troops 'Good news! Squab tonight!". A regretful (and technically accurate) report about hawks is sent back by post. Next shipment, there was a new cage of homing pigeons and a shotgun with birdshot. The chef, again: "Good news! Tonight squab, tomorrow, ''pheasant''!")

-''Tattoos'': There is no Legion rule against tats. An old “hardcase” trick would be to tattoo something insulting on the blade of one’s hand, so that every time one saluted an officer…

-''Uniforms'': The Legionnaires wear regulation Khakis and the Legion’s trademark [i]kepi[/i] hats.

==Other Nearby French Military Units==
-''The Naval Infantry'': A type of Marine unit primarily assigned to protect naval ports. The two nearest are in Noumea (New Caledonia) and Papeete (Tahiti).

-''Conscription'': Cantonment is part of the Colonial strategy. Universal conscription is the law in the colonies, no less than in France itself (where a 3-year hitch is a public duty). The majority of the version employed at Ile Trouve is “public service” (with a rather diplomatic circumlocution for the Kamekame), and also the local police force, but other parts of French Polynesia use it more ‘traditionally’.

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Legionnaires

2015-06-10T01:05:53Z

Smoot: /* Miscellany */

[OOC: This is a cusp-of WW2, “print the legend” depiction of the Legion. It is as close to realistic as a pulp campaign calls for, and uses RL Legion lore and fact as much as possible, but please don’t go using it for term papers or anything. ;) ]

=The Legion in General=
The French Foreign Legion (Legion Etrangere) is a French Army unit whose enlisted members are primarily non-Frenchmen.

''HQ'': Sid-bel-Abbes, Algeria.

''Origins:'' Legionnaires may come from everywhere ''but'' France (a rule easily end-ran by simply leaving France and enlisting from outside) and Belgium (the King of Belgium expressly forbids it). Officers above the rank of Colonel could be of any nationality, but above were solely French.

The Legion is legendary for being a refuge for the disgraced, heartbroken, criminals, political refugees, princes in hiding and men no longer allowed to serve in other militaries (due to forced retirement, discharge or ‘up or out’ policies- the Legion has no problem with career privates.) No ID is required, and there is no background check. All Legionnaires take an assumed name when joining the Legion, eschewing their own for the duration.

''Enlistment Period'': 5 years. 12 years’ honorable service qualifies one to be a French citizen. (However, if one is wounded in battle, a Legionnaire may invoke the rule of “French by right of spilled blood”.)

=The Legion Company at Port Cochere=
The company garrisoned at Ile Trouve is a special detachment of the Foreign Legion [OOC: probably on loan from the 5th Foreign Regiment, the Legion’s “Far East” contingent, based in French Indochina.] It clocks in at 282 members, in all. (It’s somewhat of an outsized company as a result).

It is, oddly, categorized as a “Fortress Infantry” unit (a la the troops assigned to the Maginot Line, back home) with a contingent of “C” reservists. (Meaning that they are, technically, very low-priority for equipment, but also allowing them to perform ''Gendarmerie'' functions)

==Unit Structure==
The ''Compagnie'' ('''Company''') is commanded by Capitaine Auguste Pierre St. Michel LaValle.

It consists of
-A '''Command Platoon''': (Further details TBA, but it definitely includes a bicycle messenger.)

-A 5-man 60mm '''mortar squad''' ( Leader/Spotter (Sgt.), Gunner, Assistant Gunner & 2 Ammunition Bearers.) using one of these: http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandt_Mle_1935

-and 4 Infantry ''Sections'' ('''Platoons''')
(each Section consists of:

1 Command Squad ( CO (Lt or Sous-Lieutenant), NCO (Sgt, Sgt-Chef or 1re Sergent), an observer/scout and a signaler/messenger) & 3 infantry squads.
An '''infantry squad''' is led by a Caporal-chef as a squad leader, and consists of two teams:

-- A “Shock Element” (4 riflemen and a rifle-grenadier), led by the senior Legionnaire present.(They use Lebel 8mm rifles).

--and a “Fire Element” (A Caporal, a Light Machine Gunner ( mostly using these 1931 Mitrailleuse guns (http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reibel_machine_gun ), mounted up at the fortress), a loader, and 3 ammo carriers (who also carry carbines).

This brings the official company count up to about 212 men. The remaining 70 people are largely logistical people (Quartermaster & Suppliers, Cook & staff, medical doctor/veterinarian, packmaster for the mules, etc), but also have a number of people unaccounted for on any official roster.

-Due to the unsuitability of the Ile Trouve backcountry for motorized transport, the Legion company depends entirely on pack-mules.

==Unit Demographics==
-The Company’s senior leadership (from about the Caporal level up) is mostly French. It’s seen as a choice posting for a French Army officer.

-About 160 of the Legionnaires present are on short-term postings.

-84 are “Belgian” (see below)

-There are no female Legionnaires at this time, though women have allegedly served disguised as men. [There will be one undisguised woman Legionnaire, in WW2.]

-There are, surprisingly, a few ''Aspirants''. These are French Army cadets getting their feet wet in command roles. What they’re doing out here is quite unclear.

==Unit Activities==
Generally speaking, the Legion unit drills, trains, patrols, or performs hard labor. The Captain is well aware that no Legion unit has ever mutinied while in combat, but that it frequently happens while on garrison duty. Therefore, he does his best to keep his troops occupied, working largely on “public and military infrastructure construction”. (Roads, shoring up the fort, etc.)

In the rather unusual structure of life in Port Cochere, the Legion unit is occasionally given special dictat to locally perform the functions of the Gendarmerie (see the Police section of “The Authorities” for more). The current Mayor only occasionally pulls ''that'' lever, though.

=Miscellany=
-“A moi, la Legion!”- this is the individual Legionnaire’s distress call, usually in town or in a rough spot. There is no promise that the answer won’t be “Demerdez-toi, Legionnaire!” (See Systeme D)

-“Belgians”: Because the King of Belgium outlawed Belgians joining the Foreign Legion, and France forbids Frenchmen joining the Legion, any “Belgians” you see are most-likely French criminals or such. (This applies to “Swiss” Legionnaires, and so on, as well.) Also, a popular Legion marching song ("Le Boudin") insults Belgians in general, every verse.

-''Desertion'': The Legion actively pursues deserters. The usual punishment is to be reassigned to special, grueling Disciplinary Company for a term that does ''not'' count toward your initial enlistment.

-''Discipline'': French Army discipline is notoriously harsh. Even by those standards, Legion discipline is legendary.( There hasn’t been a firing squad lately, but not because they ''can’t''.) The dread of what officers could do is as much of a motivator as service to the Legion or France itself.

-''Housing'': The Legionnaires are stationed at the fort on a ridge overlooking Port Cochere. Some units near to town use ‘housing allotments’ to rent lodgings in town, but this is not their practice here. Yet.

-''Language'': Despite the multinational nature of the Legion, all business is in French. Everyone learns quickly ( sometimes with percussive instruction methods if nothing else works).

-''Pay'': Legionnaires get paid 4 cents a day... and all the secrecy they could want.

-''La Salud'': Similar to a ‘blanket party’, this is a form of “corrective measure” administered by one’s fellow Legionnaires. The Legion’s concession to fairness is that while it will be corporal punishment in the form of a group beating, Legionnaires of your nationality will be found to deliver it, so there can’t be said to be discrimination.

-"Systeme D": Short for 'Demerdez-toi', it's a sort of aggressively "you're on your own, sort it out" outlook. "Borrowing" equipment from another (non-legion) unit is "system D", as are jury-rigs and so on.

(A famous "System D" story: A Legion unit in North Africa got, in lieu of a radio, a cage of homing pigeons. The chef yells to the troops 'Good news! Squab tonight!". A regretful (and technically accurate) report about hawks is sent back by post. Next shipment, there was a new cage of homing pigeons and a shotgun with birdshot. The chef, again: "Good news! Tonight squab, tomorrow, ''pheasant''!")

-''Tattoos'': There is no Legion rule against tats. An old “hardcase” trick would be to tattoo something insulting on the blade of one’s hand, so that every time one saluted an officer…

-''Uniforms'': The Legionnaires wear regulation Khakis and the Legion’s trademark [i]kepi[/i] hats.

==Other Nearby French Military Units==
-''The Naval Infantry'': A type of Marine unit primarily assigned to protect naval ports. The two nearest are in Noumea (New Caledonia) and Papeete (Tahiti).

-''Conscription'': Cantonment is part of the Colonial strategy. Universal conscription is the law in the colonies, no less than in France itself (where a 3-year hitch is a public duty). The majority of the version employed at Ile Trouve is “public service” (with a rather diplomatic circumlocution for the Kamekame), and also the local police force, but other parts of French Polynesia use it more ‘traditionally’.

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Legionnaires

2015-06-10T01:01:05Z

Smoot: /* Unit Demographics */

[OOC: This is a cusp-of WW2, “print the legend” depiction of the Legion. It is as close to realistic as a pulp campaign calls for, and uses RL Legion lore and fact as much as possible, but please don’t go using it for term papers or anything. ;) ]

=The Legion in General=
The French Foreign Legion (Legion Etrangere) is a French Army unit whose enlisted members are primarily non-Frenchmen.

''HQ'': Sid-bel-Abbes, Algeria.

''Origins:'' Legionnaires may come from everywhere ''but'' France (a rule easily end-ran by simply leaving France and enlisting from outside) and Belgium (the King of Belgium expressly forbids it). Officers above the rank of Colonel could be of any nationality, but above were solely French.

The Legion is legendary for being a refuge for the disgraced, heartbroken, criminals, political refugees, princes in hiding and men no longer allowed to serve in other militaries (due to forced retirement, discharge or ‘up or out’ policies- the Legion has no problem with career privates.) No ID is required, and there is no background check. All Legionnaires take an assumed name when joining the Legion, eschewing their own for the duration.

''Enlistment Period'': 5 years. 12 years’ honorable service qualifies one to be a French citizen. (However, if one is wounded in battle, a Legionnaire may invoke the rule of “French by right of spilled blood”.)

=The Legion Company at Port Cochere=
The company garrisoned at Ile Trouve is a special detachment of the Foreign Legion [OOC: probably on loan from the 5th Foreign Regiment, the Legion’s “Far East” contingent, based in French Indochina.] It clocks in at 282 members, in all. (It’s somewhat of an outsized company as a result).

It is, oddly, categorized as a “Fortress Infantry” unit (a la the troops assigned to the Maginot Line, back home) with a contingent of “C” reservists. (Meaning that they are, technically, very low-priority for equipment, but also allowing them to perform ''Gendarmerie'' functions)

==Unit Structure==
The ''Compagnie'' ('''Company''') is commanded by Capitaine Auguste Pierre St. Michel LaValle.

It consists of
-A '''Command Platoon''': (Further details TBA, but it definitely includes a bicycle messenger.)

-A 5-man 60mm '''mortar squad''' ( Leader/Spotter (Sgt.), Gunner, Assistant Gunner & 2 Ammunition Bearers.) using one of these: http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandt_Mle_1935

-and 4 Infantry ''Sections'' ('''Platoons''')
(each Section consists of:

1 Command Squad ( CO (Lt or Sous-Lieutenant), NCO (Sgt, Sgt-Chef or 1re Sergent), an observer/scout and a signaler/messenger) & 3 infantry squads.
An '''infantry squad''' is led by a Caporal-chef as a squad leader, and consists of two teams:

-- A “Shock Element” (4 riflemen and a rifle-grenadier), led by the senior Legionnaire present.(They use Lebel 8mm rifles).

--and a “Fire Element” (A Caporal, a Light Machine Gunner ( mostly using these 1931 Mitrailleuse guns (http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reibel_machine_gun ), mounted up at the fortress), a loader, and 3 ammo carriers (who also carry carbines).

This brings the official company count up to about 212 men. The remaining 70 people are largely logistical people (Quartermaster & Suppliers, Cook & staff, medical doctor/veterinarian, packmaster for the mules, etc), but also have a number of people unaccounted for on any official roster.

-Due to the unsuitability of the Ile Trouve backcountry for motorized transport, the Legion company depends entirely on pack-mules.

==Unit Demographics==
-The Company’s senior leadership (from about the Caporal level up) is mostly French. It’s seen as a choice posting for a French Army officer.

-About 160 of the Legionnaires present are on short-term postings.

-84 are “Belgian” (see below)

-There are no female Legionnaires at this time, though women have allegedly served disguised as men. [There will be one undisguised woman Legionnaire, in WW2.]

-There are, surprisingly, a few ''Aspirants''. These are French Army cadets getting their feet wet in command roles. What they’re doing out here is quite unclear.

==Unit Activities==
Generally speaking, the Legion unit drills, trains, patrols, or performs hard labor. The Captain is well aware that no Legion unit has ever mutinied while in combat, but that it frequently happens while on garrison duty. Therefore, he does his best to keep his troops occupied, working largely on “public and military infrastructure construction”. (Roads, shoring up the fort, etc.)

In the rather unusual structure of life in Port Cochere, the Legion unit is occasionally given special dictat to locally perform the functions of the Gendarmerie (see the Police section of “The Authorities” for more). The current Mayor only occasionally pulls ''that'' lever, though.

=Miscellany=
-“A moi, la Legion!”- this is the individual Legionnaire’s distress call, usually in town or in a rough spot. There is no promise that the answer won’t be “Demerdez-toi, Legionnaire!” (See Systeme D)

-“Belgians”: Because the King of Belgium outlawed Belgians joining the Foreign Legion, and France forbids Frenchmen joining the Legion, any “Belgians” you see are most-likely French criminals or such. (This applies to “Swiss” Legionnaires, and so on, as well.) Also, a popular Legion marching song ("Le Boudin") insults Belgians in general, every verse.

-''Desertion'': The Legion actively pursues deserters. The usual punishment is to be reassigned to special, grueling Disciplinary Company for a term that does ''not'' count toward your initial enlistment.

-''Discipline'': French Army discipline is notoriously harsh. Even by those standards, Legion discipline is legendary.( There hasn’t been a firing squad lately, but not because they ''can’t''.) The dread of what officers could do is as much of a motivator as service to the Legion or France itself.

-''Housing'': The Legionnaires are stationed at the fort on a ridge overlooking Port Cochere. Some units near to town use ‘housing allotments’ to rent lodgings in town, but this is not their practice here. Yet.

-''Language'': Despite the multinational nature of the Legion, all business is in French. Everyone learns quickly ( sometimes with percussive instruction methods if nothing else works).

-''Pay'': Legionnaires get paid 4 cents a day... and all the secrecy they could want.

-''La Salud'': Similar to a ‘blanket party’, this is a form of “corrective measure” administered by one’s fellow Legionnaires. The Legion’s concession to fairness is that while it will be corporal punishment in the form of a group beating, Legionnaires of your nationality will be found to deliver it, so there can’t be said to be discrimination.

-''Tattoos'': There is no Legion rule against tats. An old “hardcase” trick would be to tattoo something insulting on the blade of one’s hand, so that every time one saluted an officer…

-''Uniforms'': The Legionnaires wear regulation Khakis and the Legion’s trademark [i]kepi[/i] hats.

==Other Nearby French Military Units==
-''The Naval Infantry'': A type of Marine unit primarily assigned to protect naval ports. The two nearest are in Noumea (New Caledonia) and Papeete (Tahiti).

-''Conscription'': Cantonment is part of the Colonial strategy. Universal conscription is the law in the colonies, no less than in France itself (where a 3-year hitch is a public duty). The majority of the version employed at Ile Trouve is “public service” (with a rather diplomatic circumlocution for the Kamekame), and also the local police force, but other parts of French Polynesia use it more ‘traditionally’.

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Legionnaires

2015-06-10T01:00:19Z

Smoot: /* Unit Structure */

[OOC: This is a cusp-of WW2, “print the legend” depiction of the Legion. It is as close to realistic as a pulp campaign calls for, and uses RL Legion lore and fact as much as possible, but please don’t go using it for term papers or anything. ;) ]

=The Legion in General=
The French Foreign Legion (Legion Etrangere) is a French Army unit whose enlisted members are primarily non-Frenchmen.

''HQ'': Sid-bel-Abbes, Algeria.

''Origins:'' Legionnaires may come from everywhere ''but'' France (a rule easily end-ran by simply leaving France and enlisting from outside) and Belgium (the King of Belgium expressly forbids it). Officers above the rank of Colonel could be of any nationality, but above were solely French.

The Legion is legendary for being a refuge for the disgraced, heartbroken, criminals, political refugees, princes in hiding and men no longer allowed to serve in other militaries (due to forced retirement, discharge or ‘up or out’ policies- the Legion has no problem with career privates.) No ID is required, and there is no background check. All Legionnaires take an assumed name when joining the Legion, eschewing their own for the duration.

''Enlistment Period'': 5 years. 12 years’ honorable service qualifies one to be a French citizen. (However, if one is wounded in battle, a Legionnaire may invoke the rule of “French by right of spilled blood”.)

=The Legion Company at Port Cochere=
The company garrisoned at Ile Trouve is a special detachment of the Foreign Legion [OOC: probably on loan from the 5th Foreign Regiment, the Legion’s “Far East” contingent, based in French Indochina.] It clocks in at 282 members, in all. (It’s somewhat of an outsized company as a result).

It is, oddly, categorized as a “Fortress Infantry” unit (a la the troops assigned to the Maginot Line, back home) with a contingent of “C” reservists. (Meaning that they are, technically, very low-priority for equipment, but also allowing them to perform ''Gendarmerie'' functions)

==Unit Structure==
The ''Compagnie'' ('''Company''') is commanded by Capitaine Auguste Pierre St. Michel LaValle.

It consists of
-A '''Command Platoon''': (Further details TBA, but it definitely includes a bicycle messenger.)

-A 5-man 60mm '''mortar squad''' ( Leader/Spotter (Sgt.), Gunner, Assistant Gunner & 2 Ammunition Bearers.) using one of these: http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandt_Mle_1935

-and 4 Infantry ''Sections'' ('''Platoons''')
(each Section consists of:

1 Command Squad ( CO (Lt or Sous-Lieutenant), NCO (Sgt, Sgt-Chef or 1re Sergent), an observer/scout and a signaler/messenger) & 3 infantry squads.
An '''infantry squad''' is led by a Caporal-chef as a squad leader, and consists of two teams:

-- A “Shock Element” (4 riflemen and a rifle-grenadier), led by the senior Legionnaire present.(They use Lebel 8mm rifles).

--and a “Fire Element” (A Caporal, a Light Machine Gunner ( mostly using these 1931 Mitrailleuse guns (http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reibel_machine_gun ), mounted up at the fortress), a loader, and 3 ammo carriers (who also carry carbines).

This brings the official company count up to about 212 men. The remaining 70 people are largely logistical people (Quartermaster & Suppliers, Cook & staff, medical doctor/veterinarian, packmaster for the mules, etc), but also have a number of people unaccounted for on any official roster.

-Due to the unsuitability of the Ile Trouve backcountry for motorized transport, the Legion company depends entirely on pack-mules.

==Unit Demographics==
-The Company’s senior leadership (from about the Caporal level up) is mostly French. It’s seen as a choice posting for a French Army officer.

-About 160 of the Legionnaires present are on short-term postings.

-84 are “Belgian” (see below)

-There are no female Legionnaires at this time, though women have allegedly served disguised as men. [There will be one undisguised woman Legionnaire, in WW2.]

-There are, surprisingly, a few Aspirants. These are French Army cadets getting their feet wet in command roles. What they’re doing out here is quite unclear.

==Unit Activities==
Generally speaking, the Legion unit drills, trains, patrols, or performs hard labor. The Captain is well aware that no Legion unit has ever mutinied while in combat, but that it frequently happens while on garrison duty. Therefore, he does his best to keep his troops occupied, working largely on “public and military infrastructure construction”. (Roads, shoring up the fort, etc.)

In the rather unusual structure of life in Port Cochere, the Legion unit is occasionally given special dictat to locally perform the functions of the Gendarmerie (see the Police section of “The Authorities” for more). The current Mayor only occasionally pulls ''that'' lever, though.

=Miscellany=
-“A moi, la Legion!”- this is the individual Legionnaire’s distress call, usually in town or in a rough spot. There is no promise that the answer won’t be “Demerdez-toi, Legionnaire!” (See Systeme D)

-“Belgians”: Because the King of Belgium outlawed Belgians joining the Foreign Legion, and France forbids Frenchmen joining the Legion, any “Belgians” you see are most-likely French criminals or such. (This applies to “Swiss” Legionnaires, and so on, as well.) Also, a popular Legion marching song ("Le Boudin") insults Belgians in general, every verse.

-''Desertion'': The Legion actively pursues deserters. The usual punishment is to be reassigned to special, grueling Disciplinary Company for a term that does ''not'' count toward your initial enlistment.

-''Discipline'': French Army discipline is notoriously harsh. Even by those standards, Legion discipline is legendary.( There hasn’t been a firing squad lately, but not because they ''can’t''.) The dread of what officers could do is as much of a motivator as service to the Legion or France itself.

-''Housing'': The Legionnaires are stationed at the fort on a ridge overlooking Port Cochere. Some units near to town use ‘housing allotments’ to rent lodgings in town, but this is not their practice here. Yet.

-''Language'': Despite the multinational nature of the Legion, all business is in French. Everyone learns quickly ( sometimes with percussive instruction methods if nothing else works).

-''Pay'': Legionnaires get paid 4 cents a day... and all the secrecy they could want.

-''La Salud'': Similar to a ‘blanket party’, this is a form of “corrective measure” administered by one’s fellow Legionnaires. The Legion’s concession to fairness is that while it will be corporal punishment in the form of a group beating, Legionnaires of your nationality will be found to deliver it, so there can’t be said to be discrimination.

-''Tattoos'': There is no Legion rule against tats. An old “hardcase” trick would be to tattoo something insulting on the blade of one’s hand, so that every time one saluted an officer…

-''Uniforms'': The Legionnaires wear regulation Khakis and the Legion’s trademark [i]kepi[/i] hats.

==Other Nearby French Military Units==
-''The Naval Infantry'': A type of Marine unit primarily assigned to protect naval ports. The two nearest are in Noumea (New Caledonia) and Papeete (Tahiti).

-''Conscription'': Cantonment is part of the Colonial strategy. Universal conscription is the law in the colonies, no less than in France itself (where a 3-year hitch is a public duty). The majority of the version employed at Ile Trouve is “public service” (with a rather diplomatic circumlocution for the Kamekame), and also the local police force, but other parts of French Polynesia use it more ‘traditionally’.

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Legionnaires

2015-06-10T00:59:11Z

Smoot: /* The Legion Company at Port Cochere */

[OOC: This is a cusp-of WW2, “print the legend” depiction of the Legion. It is as close to realistic as a pulp campaign calls for, and uses RL Legion lore and fact as much as possible, but please don’t go using it for term papers or anything. ;) ]

=The Legion in General=
The French Foreign Legion (Legion Etrangere) is a French Army unit whose enlisted members are primarily non-Frenchmen.

''HQ'': Sid-bel-Abbes, Algeria.

''Origins:'' Legionnaires may come from everywhere ''but'' France (a rule easily end-ran by simply leaving France and enlisting from outside) and Belgium (the King of Belgium expressly forbids it). Officers above the rank of Colonel could be of any nationality, but above were solely French.

The Legion is legendary for being a refuge for the disgraced, heartbroken, criminals, political refugees, princes in hiding and men no longer allowed to serve in other militaries (due to forced retirement, discharge or ‘up or out’ policies- the Legion has no problem with career privates.) No ID is required, and there is no background check. All Legionnaires take an assumed name when joining the Legion, eschewing their own for the duration.

''Enlistment Period'': 5 years. 12 years’ honorable service qualifies one to be a French citizen. (However, if one is wounded in battle, a Legionnaire may invoke the rule of “French by right of spilled blood”.)

=The Legion Company at Port Cochere=
The company garrisoned at Ile Trouve is a special detachment of the Foreign Legion [OOC: probably on loan from the 5th Foreign Regiment, the Legion’s “Far East” contingent, based in French Indochina.] It clocks in at 282 members, in all. (It’s somewhat of an outsized company as a result).

It is, oddly, categorized as a “Fortress Infantry” unit (a la the troops assigned to the Maginot Line, back home) with a contingent of “C” reservists. (Meaning that they are, technically, very low-priority for equipment, but also allowing them to perform ''Gendarmerie'' functions)

==Unit Structure==
The ''Compagnie'' ('''Company''') is commanded by Capitaine Auguste Pierre St. Michel LaValle.

It consists of
-A '''Command Platoon''': (Further details TBA, but it definitely includes a bicycle messenger.)

-A 5-man 60mm '''mortar squad''' ( Leader/Spotter (Sgt.), Gunner, Assistant Gunner & 2 Ammunition Bearers.) using one of these: http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandt_Mle_1935

-and 4 Infantry ''Sections'' ('''Platoons''')
(each Section consists of:

1 Command Squad ( CO (Lt or Sous-Lieutenant), NCO (Sgt, Sgt-Chef or 1re Sergent), an observer/scout and a signaler/messenger) & 3 infantry squads.
An '''infantry squad''' is led by a Caporal-chef as a squad leader, and consists of two teams:

-- A “Shock Element” (4 riflemen and a rifle-grenadier), led by the senior Legionnaire present.(They use Lebel 8mm rifles).

--and a “Fire Element” (A Caporal, a Light Machine Gunner ( mostly using these 1931 Mitrailleuse guns (http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reibel_machine_gun ), mounted up at the fortress), a loader, and 3 ammo carriers (who also carry carbines).

This brings the official company count up to about 212 men. The remaining 70 people are largely logistical people (Quartermaster & Suppliers, Cook & staff, medical doctor/veterinarian, packmaster for the mules, etc), but also have a number of people unaccounted for under any unit.

-Due to the unsuitability of the Ile Trouve backcountry for motorized transport, the Legion company depends entirely on pack-mules.

==Unit Demographics==
-The Company’s senior leadership (from about the Caporal level up) is mostly French. It’s seen as a choice posting for a French Army officer.

-About 160 of the Legionnaires present are on short-term postings.

-84 are “Belgian” (see below)

-There are no female Legionnaires at this time, though women have allegedly served disguised as men. [There will be one undisguised woman Legionnaire, in WW2.]

-There are, surprisingly, a few Aspirants. These are French Army cadets getting their feet wet in command roles. What they’re doing out here is quite unclear.

==Unit Activities==
Generally speaking, the Legion unit drills, trains, patrols, or performs hard labor. The Captain is well aware that no Legion unit has ever mutinied while in combat, but that it frequently happens while on garrison duty. Therefore, he does his best to keep his troops occupied, working largely on “public and military infrastructure construction”. (Roads, shoring up the fort, etc.)

In the rather unusual structure of life in Port Cochere, the Legion unit is occasionally given special dictat to locally perform the functions of the Gendarmerie (see the Police section of “The Authorities” for more). The current Mayor only occasionally pulls ''that'' lever, though.

=Miscellany=
-“A moi, la Legion!”- this is the individual Legionnaire’s distress call, usually in town or in a rough spot. There is no promise that the answer won’t be “Demerdez-toi, Legionnaire!” (See Systeme D)

-“Belgians”: Because the King of Belgium outlawed Belgians joining the Foreign Legion, and France forbids Frenchmen joining the Legion, any “Belgians” you see are most-likely French criminals or such. (This applies to “Swiss” Legionnaires, and so on, as well.) Also, a popular Legion marching song ("Le Boudin") insults Belgians in general, every verse.

-''Desertion'': The Legion actively pursues deserters. The usual punishment is to be reassigned to special, grueling Disciplinary Company for a term that does ''not'' count toward your initial enlistment.

-''Discipline'': French Army discipline is notoriously harsh. Even by those standards, Legion discipline is legendary.( There hasn’t been a firing squad lately, but not because they ''can’t''.) The dread of what officers could do is as much of a motivator as service to the Legion or France itself.

-''Housing'': The Legionnaires are stationed at the fort on a ridge overlooking Port Cochere. Some units near to town use ‘housing allotments’ to rent lodgings in town, but this is not their practice here. Yet.

-''Language'': Despite the multinational nature of the Legion, all business is in French. Everyone learns quickly ( sometimes with percussive instruction methods if nothing else works).

-''Pay'': Legionnaires get paid 4 cents a day... and all the secrecy they could want.

-''La Salud'': Similar to a ‘blanket party’, this is a form of “corrective measure” administered by one’s fellow Legionnaires. The Legion’s concession to fairness is that while it will be corporal punishment in the form of a group beating, Legionnaires of your nationality will be found to deliver it, so there can’t be said to be discrimination.

-''Tattoos'': There is no Legion rule against tats. An old “hardcase” trick would be to tattoo something insulting on the blade of one’s hand, so that every time one saluted an officer…

-''Uniforms'': The Legionnaires wear regulation Khakis and the Legion’s trademark [i]kepi[/i] hats.

==Other Nearby French Military Units==
-''The Naval Infantry'': A type of Marine unit primarily assigned to protect naval ports. The two nearest are in Noumea (New Caledonia) and Papeete (Tahiti).

-''Conscription'': Cantonment is part of the Colonial strategy. Universal conscription is the law in the colonies, no less than in France itself (where a 3-year hitch is a public duty). The majority of the version employed at Ile Trouve is “public service” (with a rather diplomatic circumlocution for the Kamekame), and also the local police force, but other parts of French Polynesia use it more ‘traditionally’.

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Legionnaires

2015-06-10T00:58:28Z

Smoot: /* The Legion in General */

[OOC: This is a cusp-of WW2, “print the legend” depiction of the Legion. It is as close to realistic as a pulp campaign calls for, and uses RL Legion lore and fact as much as possible, but please don’t go using it for term papers or anything. ;) ]

=The Legion in General=
The French Foreign Legion (Legion Etrangere) is a French Army unit whose enlisted members are primarily non-Frenchmen.

''HQ'': Sid-bel-Abbes, Algeria.

''Origins:'' Legionnaires may come from everywhere ''but'' France (a rule easily end-ran by simply leaving France and enlisting from outside) and Belgium (the King of Belgium expressly forbids it). Officers above the rank of Colonel could be of any nationality, but above were solely French.

The Legion is legendary for being a refuge for the disgraced, heartbroken, criminals, political refugees, princes in hiding and men no longer allowed to serve in other militaries (due to forced retirement, discharge or ‘up or out’ policies- the Legion has no problem with career privates.) No ID is required, and there is no background check. All Legionnaires take an assumed name when joining the Legion, eschewing their own for the duration.

''Enlistment Period'': 5 years. 12 years’ honorable service qualifies one to be a French citizen. (However, if one is wounded in battle, a Legionnaire may invoke the rule of “French by right of spilled blood”.)

=The Legion Company at Port Cochere=
The company garrisoned at Ile Trouve is a special detachment of the Foreign Legion [OOC: probably on loan from the 5th Foreign Regiment, the Legion’s “Far East” contingent, based in French Indochina.] It clocks in at 282 members, in all. (It’s somewhat of an outsized company as a result).

It is, oddly, categorized as a “Fortress Infantry” unit (a la the troops assigned to the Maginot Line, back home) with a contingent of “C” reservists. (Meaning that they are, technically, very low-priority for equipment, but also allowing them to perform [i]Gendarmerie[/i] functions)

==Unit Structure==
The ''Compagnie'' ('''Company''') is commanded by Capitaine Auguste Pierre St. Michel LaValle.

It consists of
-A '''Command Platoon''': (Further details TBA, but it definitely includes a bicycle messenger.)

-A 5-man 60mm '''mortar squad''' ( Leader/Spotter (Sgt.), Gunner, Assistant Gunner & 2 Ammunition Bearers.) using one of these: http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandt_Mle_1935

-and 4 Infantry ''Sections'' ('''Platoons''')
(each Section consists of:

1 Command Squad ( CO (Lt or Sous-Lieutenant), NCO (Sgt, Sgt-Chef or 1re Sergent), an observer/scout and a signaler/messenger) & 3 infantry squads.
An '''infantry squad''' is led by a Caporal-chef as a squad leader, and consists of two teams:

-- A “Shock Element” (4 riflemen and a rifle-grenadier), led by the senior Legionnaire present.(They use Lebel 8mm rifles).

--and a “Fire Element” (A Caporal, a Light Machine Gunner ( mostly using these 1931 Mitrailleuse guns (http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reibel_machine_gun ), mounted up at the fortress), a loader, and 3 ammo carriers (who also carry carbines).

This brings the official company count up to about 212 men. The remaining 70 people are largely logistical people (Quartermaster & Suppliers, Cook & staff, medical doctor/veterinarian, packmaster for the mules, etc), but also have a number of people unaccounted for under any unit.

-Due to the unsuitability of the Ile Trouve backcountry for motorized transport, the Legion company depends entirely on pack-mules.

==Unit Demographics==
-The Company’s senior leadership (from about the Caporal level up) is mostly French. It’s seen as a choice posting for a French Army officer.

-About 160 of the Legionnaires present are on short-term postings.

-84 are “Belgian” (see below)

-There are no female Legionnaires at this time, though women have allegedly served disguised as men. [There will be one undisguised woman Legionnaire, in WW2.]

-There are, surprisingly, a few Aspirants. These are French Army cadets getting their feet wet in command roles. What they’re doing out here is quite unclear.

==Unit Activities==
Generally speaking, the Legion unit drills, trains, patrols, or performs hard labor. The Captain is well aware that no Legion unit has ever mutinied while in combat, but that it frequently happens while on garrison duty. Therefore, he does his best to keep his troops occupied, working largely on “public and military infrastructure construction”. (Roads, shoring up the fort, etc.)

In the rather unusual structure of life in Port Cochere, the Legion unit is occasionally given special dictat to locally perform the functions of the Gendarmerie (see the Police section of “The Authorities” for more). The current Mayor only occasionally pulls ''that'' lever, though.

=Miscellany=
-“A moi, la Legion!”- this is the individual Legionnaire’s distress call, usually in town or in a rough spot. There is no promise that the answer won’t be “Demerdez-toi, Legionnaire!” (See Systeme D)

-“Belgians”: Because the King of Belgium outlawed Belgians joining the Foreign Legion, and France forbids Frenchmen joining the Legion, any “Belgians” you see are most-likely French criminals or such. (This applies to “Swiss” Legionnaires, and so on, as well.) Also, a popular Legion marching song ("Le Boudin") insults Belgians in general, every verse.

-''Desertion'': The Legion actively pursues deserters. The usual punishment is to be reassigned to special, grueling Disciplinary Company for a term that does ''not'' count toward your initial enlistment.

-''Discipline'': French Army discipline is notoriously harsh. Even by those standards, Legion discipline is legendary.( There hasn’t been a firing squad lately, but not because they ''can’t''.) The dread of what officers could do is as much of a motivator as service to the Legion or France itself.

-''Housing'': The Legionnaires are stationed at the fort on a ridge overlooking Port Cochere. Some units near to town use ‘housing allotments’ to rent lodgings in town, but this is not their practice here. Yet.

-''Language'': Despite the multinational nature of the Legion, all business is in French. Everyone learns quickly ( sometimes with percussive instruction methods if nothing else works).

-''Pay'': Legionnaires get paid 4 cents a day... and all the secrecy they could want.

-''La Salud'': Similar to a ‘blanket party’, this is a form of “corrective measure” administered by one’s fellow Legionnaires. The Legion’s concession to fairness is that while it will be corporal punishment in the form of a group beating, Legionnaires of your nationality will be found to deliver it, so there can’t be said to be discrimination.

-''Tattoos'': There is no Legion rule against tats. An old “hardcase” trick would be to tattoo something insulting on the blade of one’s hand, so that every time one saluted an officer…

-''Uniforms'': The Legionnaires wear regulation Khakis and the Legion’s trademark [i]kepi[/i] hats.

==Other Nearby French Military Units==
-''The Naval Infantry'': A type of Marine unit primarily assigned to protect naval ports. The two nearest are in Noumea (New Caledonia) and Papeete (Tahiti).

-''Conscription'': Cantonment is part of the Colonial strategy. Universal conscription is the law in the colonies, no less than in France itself (where a 3-year hitch is a public duty). The majority of the version employed at Ile Trouve is “public service” (with a rather diplomatic circumlocution for the Kamekame), and also the local police force, but other parts of French Polynesia use it more ‘traditionally’.

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Legionnaires

2015-06-10T00:57:44Z

Smoot: /* Miscellany */

[OOC: This is a cusp-of WW2, “print the legend” depiction of the Legion. It is as close to realistic as a pulp campaign calls for, and uses RL Legion lore and fact as much as possible, but please don’t go using it for term papers or anything. ;) ]

=The Legion in General=
The French Foreign Legion (Legion Etrangere) is a French Army unit whose enlisted members are primarily non-Frenchmen.

''HQ'': Sid-bel-Abbes, Algeria.

''Origins:'' Legionnaires may come from everywhere [i]but[/i] France (a rule easily end-ran by simply leaving France and enlisting from outside) and Belgium (the King of Belgium expressly forbids it). Officers above the rank of Colonel could be of any nationality, but above were solely French.

The Legion is legendary for being a refuge for the disgraced, heartbroken, criminals, political refugees, princes in hiding and men no longer allowed to serve in other militaries (due to forced retirement, discharge or ‘up or out’ policies- the Legion has no problem with career privates.) No ID is required, and there is no background check. All Legionnaires take an assumed name when joining the Legion, eschewing their own for the duration.

''Enlistment Period'': 5 years. 12 years’ honorable service qualifies one to be a French citizen. (However, if one is wounded in battle, a Legionnaire may invoke the rule of “French by right of spilled blood”.)

=The Legion Company at Port Cochere=
The company garrisoned at Ile Trouve is a special detachment of the Foreign Legion [OOC: probably on loan from the 5th Foreign Regiment, the Legion’s “Far East” contingent, based in French Indochina.] It clocks in at 282 members, in all. (It’s somewhat of an outsized company as a result).

It is, oddly, categorized as a “Fortress Infantry” unit (a la the troops assigned to the Maginot Line, back home) with a contingent of “C” reservists. (Meaning that they are, technically, very low-priority for equipment, but also allowing them to perform [i]Gendarmerie[/i] functions)

==Unit Structure==
The ''Compagnie'' ('''Company''') is commanded by Capitaine Auguste Pierre St. Michel LaValle.

It consists of
-A '''Command Platoon''': (Further details TBA, but it definitely includes a bicycle messenger.)

-A 5-man 60mm '''mortar squad''' ( Leader/Spotter (Sgt.), Gunner, Assistant Gunner & 2 Ammunition Bearers.) using one of these: http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandt_Mle_1935

-and 4 Infantry ''Sections'' ('''Platoons''')
(each Section consists of:

1 Command Squad ( CO (Lt or Sous-Lieutenant), NCO (Sgt, Sgt-Chef or 1re Sergent), an observer/scout and a signaler/messenger) & 3 infantry squads.
An '''infantry squad''' is led by a Caporal-chef as a squad leader, and consists of two teams:

-- A “Shock Element” (4 riflemen and a rifle-grenadier), led by the senior Legionnaire present.(They use Lebel 8mm rifles).

--and a “Fire Element” (A Caporal, a Light Machine Gunner ( mostly using these 1931 Mitrailleuse guns (http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reibel_machine_gun ), mounted up at the fortress), a loader, and 3 ammo carriers (who also carry carbines).

This brings the official company count up to about 212 men. The remaining 70 people are largely logistical people (Quartermaster & Suppliers, Cook & staff, medical doctor/veterinarian, packmaster for the mules, etc), but also have a number of people unaccounted for under any unit.

-Due to the unsuitability of the Ile Trouve backcountry for motorized transport, the Legion company depends entirely on pack-mules.

==Unit Demographics==
-The Company’s senior leadership (from about the Caporal level up) is mostly French. It’s seen as a choice posting for a French Army officer.

-About 160 of the Legionnaires present are on short-term postings.

-84 are “Belgian” (see below)

-There are no female Legionnaires at this time, though women have allegedly served disguised as men. [There will be one undisguised woman Legionnaire, in WW2.]

-There are, surprisingly, a few Aspirants. These are French Army cadets getting their feet wet in command roles. What they’re doing out here is quite unclear.

==Unit Activities==
Generally speaking, the Legion unit drills, trains, patrols, or performs hard labor. The Captain is well aware that no Legion unit has ever mutinied while in combat, but that it frequently happens while on garrison duty. Therefore, he does his best to keep his troops occupied, working largely on “public and military infrastructure construction”. (Roads, shoring up the fort, etc.)

In the rather unusual structure of life in Port Cochere, the Legion unit is occasionally given special dictat to locally perform the functions of the Gendarmerie (see the Police section of “The Authorities” for more). The current Mayor only occasionally pulls ''that'' lever, though.

=Miscellany=
-“A moi, la Legion!”- this is the individual Legionnaire’s distress call, usually in town or in a rough spot. There is no promise that the answer won’t be “Demerdez-toi, Legionnaire!” (See Systeme D)

-“Belgians”: Because the King of Belgium outlawed Belgians joining the Foreign Legion, and France forbids Frenchmen joining the Legion, any “Belgians” you see are most-likely French criminals or such. (This applies to “Swiss” Legionnaires, and so on, as well.) Also, a popular Legion marching song ("Le Boudin") insults Belgians in general, every verse.

-''Desertion'': The Legion actively pursues deserters. The usual punishment is to be reassigned to special, grueling Disciplinary Company for a term that does ''not'' count toward your initial enlistment.

-''Discipline'': French Army discipline is notoriously harsh. Even by those standards, Legion discipline is legendary.( There hasn’t been a firing squad lately, but not because they ''can’t''.) The dread of what officers could do is as much of a motivator as service to the Legion or France itself.

-''Housing'': The Legionnaires are stationed at the fort on a ridge overlooking Port Cochere. Some units near to town use ‘housing allotments’ to rent lodgings in town, but this is not their practice here. Yet.

-''Language'': Despite the multinational nature of the Legion, all business is in French. Everyone learns quickly ( sometimes with percussive instruction methods if nothing else works).

-''Pay'': Legionnaires get paid 4 cents a day... and all the secrecy they could want.

-''La Salud'': Similar to a ‘blanket party’, this is a form of “corrective measure” administered by one’s fellow Legionnaires. The Legion’s concession to fairness is that while it will be corporal punishment in the form of a group beating, Legionnaires of your nationality will be found to deliver it, so there can’t be said to be discrimination.

-''Tattoos'': There is no Legion rule against tats. An old “hardcase” trick would be to tattoo something insulting on the blade of one’s hand, so that every time one saluted an officer…

-''Uniforms'': The Legionnaires wear regulation Khakis and the Legion’s trademark [i]kepi[/i] hats.

==Other Nearby French Military Units==
-''The Naval Infantry'': A type of Marine unit primarily assigned to protect naval ports. The two nearest are in Noumea (New Caledonia) and Papeete (Tahiti).

-''Conscription'': Cantonment is part of the Colonial strategy. Universal conscription is the law in the colonies, no less than in France itself (where a 3-year hitch is a public duty). The majority of the version employed at Ile Trouve is “public service” (with a rather diplomatic circumlocution for the Kamekame), and also the local police force, but other parts of French Polynesia use it more ‘traditionally’.

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Legionnaires

2015-06-10T00:56:03Z

Smoot: /* Unit Activities */

[OOC: This is a cusp-of WW2, “print the legend” depiction of the Legion. It is as close to realistic as a pulp campaign calls for, and uses RL Legion lore and fact as much as possible, but please don’t go using it for term papers or anything. ;) ]

=The Legion in General=
The French Foreign Legion (Legion Etrangere) is a French Army unit whose enlisted members are primarily non-Frenchmen.

''HQ'': Sid-bel-Abbes, Algeria.

''Origins:'' Legionnaires may come from everywhere [i]but[/i] France (a rule easily end-ran by simply leaving France and enlisting from outside) and Belgium (the King of Belgium expressly forbids it). Officers above the rank of Colonel could be of any nationality, but above were solely French.

The Legion is legendary for being a refuge for the disgraced, heartbroken, criminals, political refugees, princes in hiding and men no longer allowed to serve in other militaries (due to forced retirement, discharge or ‘up or out’ policies- the Legion has no problem with career privates.) No ID is required, and there is no background check. All Legionnaires take an assumed name when joining the Legion, eschewing their own for the duration.

''Enlistment Period'': 5 years. 12 years’ honorable service qualifies one to be a French citizen. (However, if one is wounded in battle, a Legionnaire may invoke the rule of “French by right of spilled blood”.)

=The Legion Company at Port Cochere=
The company garrisoned at Ile Trouve is a special detachment of the Foreign Legion [OOC: probably on loan from the 5th Foreign Regiment, the Legion’s “Far East” contingent, based in French Indochina.] It clocks in at 282 members, in all. (It’s somewhat of an outsized company as a result).

It is, oddly, categorized as a “Fortress Infantry” unit (a la the troops assigned to the Maginot Line, back home) with a contingent of “C” reservists. (Meaning that they are, technically, very low-priority for equipment, but also allowing them to perform [i]Gendarmerie[/i] functions)

==Unit Structure==
The ''Compagnie'' ('''Company''') is commanded by Capitaine Auguste Pierre St. Michel LaValle.

It consists of
-A '''Command Platoon''': (Further details TBA, but it definitely includes a bicycle messenger.)

-A 5-man 60mm '''mortar squad''' ( Leader/Spotter (Sgt.), Gunner, Assistant Gunner & 2 Ammunition Bearers.) using one of these: http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandt_Mle_1935

-and 4 Infantry ''Sections'' ('''Platoons''')
(each Section consists of:

1 Command Squad ( CO (Lt or Sous-Lieutenant), NCO (Sgt, Sgt-Chef or 1re Sergent), an observer/scout and a signaler/messenger) & 3 infantry squads.
An '''infantry squad''' is led by a Caporal-chef as a squad leader, and consists of two teams:

-- A “Shock Element” (4 riflemen and a rifle-grenadier), led by the senior Legionnaire present.(They use Lebel 8mm rifles).

--and a “Fire Element” (A Caporal, a Light Machine Gunner ( mostly using these 1931 Mitrailleuse guns (http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reibel_machine_gun ), mounted up at the fortress), a loader, and 3 ammo carriers (who also carry carbines).

This brings the official company count up to about 212 men. The remaining 70 people are largely logistical people (Quartermaster & Suppliers, Cook & staff, medical doctor/veterinarian, packmaster for the mules, etc), but also have a number of people unaccounted for under any unit.

-Due to the unsuitability of the Ile Trouve backcountry for motorized transport, the Legion company depends entirely on pack-mules.

==Unit Demographics==
-The Company’s senior leadership (from about the Caporal level up) is mostly French. It’s seen as a choice posting for a French Army officer.

-About 160 of the Legionnaires present are on short-term postings.

-84 are “Belgian” (see below)

-There are no female Legionnaires at this time, though women have allegedly served disguised as men. [There will be one undisguised woman Legionnaire, in WW2.]

-There are, surprisingly, a few Aspirants. These are French Army cadets getting their feet wet in command roles. What they’re doing out here is quite unclear.

==Unit Activities==
Generally speaking, the Legion unit drills, trains, patrols, or performs hard labor. The Captain is well aware that no Legion unit has ever mutinied while in combat, but that it frequently happens while on garrison duty. Therefore, he does his best to keep his troops occupied, working largely on “public and military infrastructure construction”. (Roads, shoring up the fort, etc.)

In the rather unusual structure of life in Port Cochere, the Legion unit is occasionally given special dictat to locally perform the functions of the Gendarmerie (see the Police section of “The Authorities” for more). The current Mayor only occasionally pulls ''that'' lever, though.

=Miscellany=
-“A moi, la Legion!”- this is the individual Legionnaire’s distress call, usually in town or in a rough spot. There is no promise that the answer won’t be “Demerdez-toi, Legionnaire!” (See Systeme D)

-“Belgians”: Because the King of Belgium outlawed Belgians joining the Foreign Legion, and France forbids Frenchmen joining the Legion, any “Belgians” you see are most-likely French criminals or such. (This applies to “Swiss” Legionnaires, and so on, as well.) Also, a popular Legion marching song ("Le Boudin") insults Belgians in general, every verse.

-[i]Desertion[/i]: The Legion actively pursues deserters. The usual punishment is to be reassigned to special, grueling Disciplinary Company for a term that does [i]not[/i] count toward your initial enlistment.

-[i]Discipline[/i]: French Army discipline is notoriously harsh. Even by those standards, Legion discipline is legendary.( There hasn’t been a firing squad lately, but not because they [i]can’t[/i].) The dread of what officers could do is as much of a motivator as service to the Legion or France itself.

-[i]Housing[/i]: The Legionnaires are stationed at the fort on a ridge overlooking Port Cochere. Some units near to town use ‘housing allotments’ to rent lodgings in town, but this is not their practice here. Yet.

-[i]Language[/i]: Despite the multinational nature of the Legion, all business is in French. Everyone learns quickly ( sometimes with percussive instruction methods if nothing else works).

-[i]Pay[/i]: Legionnaires get paid 4 cents a day... and all the secrecy they could want.

-[i]La Salud[/i]: Similar to a ‘blanket party’, this is a form of “corrective measure” administered by one’s fellow Legionnaires. The Legion’s concession to fairness is that while it will be corporal punishment in the form of a group beating, Legionnaires of your nationality will be found to deliver it, so there can’t be said to be discrimination.

-[i]Tattoos[/i]: There is no Legion rule against tats. An old “hardcase” trick would be to tattoo something insulting on the blade of one’s hand, so that every time one saluted an officer…

-Uniforms: The Legionnaires wear regulation Khakis and the Legion’s trademark [i]kepi[/i] hats.

==Other Nearby French Military Units==
-The Naval Infantry: A type of Marine unit primarily assigned to protect naval ports. The two nearest are in Noumea (New Caledonia) and Papeete (Tahiti).

-Conscription: Cantonment is part of the Colonial strategy. Universal conscription is the law in the colonies, no less than in France itself (where a 3-year hitch is a public duty). The majority of the version employed at Ile Trouve is “public service” (with a rather diplomatic circumlocution for the Kamekame), and also the local police force, but other parts of French Polynesia use it more ‘traditionally’.

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Legionnaires

2015-06-10T00:55:29Z

Smoot: /* The Legion in General */

[OOC: This is a cusp-of WW2, “print the legend” depiction of the Legion. It is as close to realistic as a pulp campaign calls for, and uses RL Legion lore and fact as much as possible, but please don’t go using it for term papers or anything. ;) ]

=The Legion in General=
The French Foreign Legion (Legion Etrangere) is a French Army unit whose enlisted members are primarily non-Frenchmen.

''HQ'': Sid-bel-Abbes, Algeria.

''Origins:'' Legionnaires may come from everywhere [i]but[/i] France (a rule easily end-ran by simply leaving France and enlisting from outside) and Belgium (the King of Belgium expressly forbids it). Officers above the rank of Colonel could be of any nationality, but above were solely French.

The Legion is legendary for being a refuge for the disgraced, heartbroken, criminals, political refugees, princes in hiding and men no longer allowed to serve in other militaries (due to forced retirement, discharge or ‘up or out’ policies- the Legion has no problem with career privates.) No ID is required, and there is no background check. All Legionnaires take an assumed name when joining the Legion, eschewing their own for the duration.

''Enlistment Period'': 5 years. 12 years’ honorable service qualifies one to be a French citizen. (However, if one is wounded in battle, a Legionnaire may invoke the rule of “French by right of spilled blood”.)

=The Legion Company at Port Cochere=
The company garrisoned at Ile Trouve is a special detachment of the Foreign Legion [OOC: probably on loan from the 5th Foreign Regiment, the Legion’s “Far East” contingent, based in French Indochina.] It clocks in at 282 members, in all. (It’s somewhat of an outsized company as a result).

It is, oddly, categorized as a “Fortress Infantry” unit (a la the troops assigned to the Maginot Line, back home) with a contingent of “C” reservists. (Meaning that they are, technically, very low-priority for equipment, but also allowing them to perform [i]Gendarmerie[/i] functions)

==Unit Structure==
The ''Compagnie'' ('''Company''') is commanded by Capitaine Auguste Pierre St. Michel LaValle.

It consists of
-A '''Command Platoon''': (Further details TBA, but it definitely includes a bicycle messenger.)

-A 5-man 60mm '''mortar squad''' ( Leader/Spotter (Sgt.), Gunner, Assistant Gunner & 2 Ammunition Bearers.) using one of these: http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandt_Mle_1935

-and 4 Infantry ''Sections'' ('''Platoons''')
(each Section consists of:

1 Command Squad ( CO (Lt or Sous-Lieutenant), NCO (Sgt, Sgt-Chef or 1re Sergent), an observer/scout and a signaler/messenger) & 3 infantry squads.
An '''infantry squad''' is led by a Caporal-chef as a squad leader, and consists of two teams:

-- A “Shock Element” (4 riflemen and a rifle-grenadier), led by the senior Legionnaire present.(They use Lebel 8mm rifles).

--and a “Fire Element” (A Caporal, a Light Machine Gunner ( mostly using these 1931 Mitrailleuse guns (http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reibel_machine_gun ), mounted up at the fortress), a loader, and 3 ammo carriers (who also carry carbines).

This brings the official company count up to about 212 men. The remaining 70 people are largely logistical people (Quartermaster & Suppliers, Cook & staff, medical doctor/veterinarian, packmaster for the mules, etc), but also have a number of people unaccounted for under any unit.

-Due to the unsuitability of the Ile Trouve backcountry for motorized transport, the Legion company depends entirely on pack-mules.

==Unit Demographics==
-The Company’s senior leadership (from about the Caporal level up) is mostly French. It’s seen as a choice posting for a French Army officer.

-About 160 of the Legionnaires present are on short-term postings.

-84 are “Belgian” (see below)

-There are no female Legionnaires at this time, though women have allegedly served disguised as men. [There will be one undisguised woman Legionnaire, in WW2.]

-There are, surprisingly, a few Aspirants. These are French Army cadets getting their feet wet in command roles. What they’re doing out here is quite unclear.

==Unit Activities==
Generally speaking, the Legion unit drills, trains, patrols, or performs hard labor. The Captain is well aware that no Legion unit has ever mutinied while in combat, but that it frequently happens while on garrison duty. Therefore, he does his best to keep his troops occupied, working largely on “public and military infrastructure construction”. (Roads, shoring up the fort, etc.)

In the rather unusual structure of life in Port Cochere, the Legion unit is occasionally given special dictat to locally perform the functions of the Gendarmerie (see the Police section of “The Authorities” for more). The current Mayor only occasionally pulls [i]that[/i] lever, though.

=Miscellany=
-“A moi, la Legion!”- this is the individual Legionnaire’s distress call, usually in town or in a rough spot. There is no promise that the answer won’t be “Demerdez-toi, Legionnaire!” (See Systeme D)

-“Belgians”: Because the King of Belgium outlawed Belgians joining the Foreign Legion, and France forbids Frenchmen joining the Legion, any “Belgians” you see are most-likely French criminals or such. (This applies to “Swiss” Legionnaires, and so on, as well.) Also, a popular Legion marching song ("Le Boudin") insults Belgians in general, every verse.

-[i]Desertion[/i]: The Legion actively pursues deserters. The usual punishment is to be reassigned to special, grueling Disciplinary Company for a term that does [i]not[/i] count toward your initial enlistment.

-[i]Discipline[/i]: French Army discipline is notoriously harsh. Even by those standards, Legion discipline is legendary.( There hasn’t been a firing squad lately, but not because they [i]can’t[/i].) The dread of what officers could do is as much of a motivator as service to the Legion or France itself.

-[i]Housing[/i]: The Legionnaires are stationed at the fort on a ridge overlooking Port Cochere. Some units near to town use ‘housing allotments’ to rent lodgings in town, but this is not their practice here. Yet.

-[i]Language[/i]: Despite the multinational nature of the Legion, all business is in French. Everyone learns quickly ( sometimes with percussive instruction methods if nothing else works).

-[i]Pay[/i]: Legionnaires get paid 4 cents a day... and all the secrecy they could want.

-[i]La Salud[/i]: Similar to a ‘blanket party’, this is a form of “corrective measure” administered by one’s fellow Legionnaires. The Legion’s concession to fairness is that while it will be corporal punishment in the form of a group beating, Legionnaires of your nationality will be found to deliver it, so there can’t be said to be discrimination.

-[i]Tattoos[/i]: There is no Legion rule against tats. An old “hardcase” trick would be to tattoo something insulting on the blade of one’s hand, so that every time one saluted an officer…

-Uniforms: The Legionnaires wear regulation Khakis and the Legion’s trademark [i]kepi[/i] hats.

==Other Nearby French Military Units==
-The Naval Infantry: A type of Marine unit primarily assigned to protect naval ports. The two nearest are in Noumea (New Caledonia) and Papeete (Tahiti).

-Conscription: Cantonment is part of the Colonial strategy. Universal conscription is the law in the colonies, no less than in France itself (where a 3-year hitch is a public duty). The majority of the version employed at Ile Trouve is “public service” (with a rather diplomatic circumlocution for the Kamekame), and also the local police force, but other parts of French Polynesia use it more ‘traditionally’.

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Legionnaires

2015-06-10T00:54:39Z

Smoot: /* The Legion in General */

[OOC: This is a cusp-of WW2, “print the legend” depiction of the Legion. It is as close to realistic as a pulp campaign calls for, and uses RL Legion lore and fact as much as possible, but please don’t go using it for term papers or anything. ;) ]

=The Legion in General=
The French Foreign Legion (Legion Etrangere) is a French Army unit whose enlisted members are primarily non-Frenchmen.
[i]HQ[/i]: Sid-bel-Abbes, Algeria.

[i]Origins[/i]: Legionnaires may come from everywhere [i]but[/i] France (a rule easily end-ran by simply leaving France and enlisting from outside) and Belgium (the King of Belgium expressly forbids it). Officers above the rank of Colonel could be of any nationality, but above were solely French.

The Legion is legendary for being a refuge for the disgraced, heartbroken, criminals, political refugees, princes in hiding and men no longer allowed to serve in other militaries (due to forced retirement, discharge or ‘up or out’ policies- the Legion has no problem with career privates.) No ID is required, and there is no background check. All Legionnaires take an assumed name when joining the Legion, eschewing their own for the duration.

[i]Enlistment Period[/i]: 5 years. 12 years’ honorable service qualifies one to be a French citizen. (However, if one is wounded in battle, a Legionnaire may invoke the rule of “French by right of spilled blood”.)

=The Legion Company at Port Cochere=
The company garrisoned at Ile Trouve is a special detachment of the Foreign Legion [OOC: probably on loan from the 5th Foreign Regiment, the Legion’s “Far East” contingent, based in French Indochina.] It clocks in at 282 members, in all. (It’s somewhat of an outsized company as a result).

It is, oddly, categorized as a “Fortress Infantry” unit (a la the troops assigned to the Maginot Line, back home) with a contingent of “C” reservists. (Meaning that they are, technically, very low-priority for equipment, but also allowing them to perform [i]Gendarmerie[/i] functions)

==Unit Structure==
The ''Compagnie'' ('''Company''') is commanded by Capitaine Auguste Pierre St. Michel LaValle.

It consists of
-A '''Command Platoon''': (Further details TBA, but it definitely includes a bicycle messenger.)

-A 5-man 60mm '''mortar squad''' ( Leader/Spotter (Sgt.), Gunner, Assistant Gunner & 2 Ammunition Bearers.) using one of these: http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandt_Mle_1935

-and 4 Infantry ''Sections'' ('''Platoons''')
(each Section consists of:

1 Command Squad ( CO (Lt or Sous-Lieutenant), NCO (Sgt, Sgt-Chef or 1re Sergent), an observer/scout and a signaler/messenger) & 3 infantry squads.
An '''infantry squad''' is led by a Caporal-chef as a squad leader, and consists of two teams:

-- A “Shock Element” (4 riflemen and a rifle-grenadier), led by the senior Legionnaire present.(They use Lebel 8mm rifles).

--and a “Fire Element” (A Caporal, a Light Machine Gunner ( mostly using these 1931 Mitrailleuse guns (http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reibel_machine_gun ), mounted up at the fortress), a loader, and 3 ammo carriers (who also carry carbines).

This brings the official company count up to about 212 men. The remaining 70 people are largely logistical people (Quartermaster & Suppliers, Cook & staff, medical doctor/veterinarian, packmaster for the mules, etc), but also have a number of people unaccounted for under any unit.

-Due to the unsuitability of the Ile Trouve backcountry for motorized transport, the Legion company depends entirely on pack-mules.

==Unit Demographics==
-The Company’s senior leadership (from about the Caporal level up) is mostly French. It’s seen as a choice posting for a French Army officer.

-About 160 of the Legionnaires present are on short-term postings.

-84 are “Belgian” (see below)

-There are no female Legionnaires at this time, though women have allegedly served disguised as men. [There will be one undisguised woman Legionnaire, in WW2.]

-There are, surprisingly, a few Aspirants. These are French Army cadets getting their feet wet in command roles. What they’re doing out here is quite unclear.

==Unit Activities==
Generally speaking, the Legion unit drills, trains, patrols, or performs hard labor. The Captain is well aware that no Legion unit has ever mutinied while in combat, but that it frequently happens while on garrison duty. Therefore, he does his best to keep his troops occupied, working largely on “public and military infrastructure construction”. (Roads, shoring up the fort, etc.)

In the rather unusual structure of life in Port Cochere, the Legion unit is occasionally given special dictat to locally perform the functions of the Gendarmerie (see the Police section of “The Authorities” for more). The current Mayor only occasionally pulls [i]that[/i] lever, though.

=Miscellany=
-“A moi, la Legion!”- this is the individual Legionnaire’s distress call, usually in town or in a rough spot. There is no promise that the answer won’t be “Demerdez-toi, Legionnaire!” (See Systeme D)

-“Belgians”: Because the King of Belgium outlawed Belgians joining the Foreign Legion, and France forbids Frenchmen joining the Legion, any “Belgians” you see are most-likely French criminals or such. (This applies to “Swiss” Legionnaires, and so on, as well.) Also, a popular Legion marching song ("Le Boudin") insults Belgians in general, every verse.

-[i]Desertion[/i]: The Legion actively pursues deserters. The usual punishment is to be reassigned to special, grueling Disciplinary Company for a term that does [i]not[/i] count toward your initial enlistment.

-[i]Discipline[/i]: French Army discipline is notoriously harsh. Even by those standards, Legion discipline is legendary.( There hasn’t been a firing squad lately, but not because they [i]can’t[/i].) The dread of what officers could do is as much of a motivator as service to the Legion or France itself.

-[i]Housing[/i]: The Legionnaires are stationed at the fort on a ridge overlooking Port Cochere. Some units near to town use ‘housing allotments’ to rent lodgings in town, but this is not their practice here. Yet.

-[i]Language[/i]: Despite the multinational nature of the Legion, all business is in French. Everyone learns quickly ( sometimes with percussive instruction methods if nothing else works).

-[i]Pay[/i]: Legionnaires get paid 4 cents a day... and all the secrecy they could want.

-[i]La Salud[/i]: Similar to a ‘blanket party’, this is a form of “corrective measure” administered by one’s fellow Legionnaires. The Legion’s concession to fairness is that while it will be corporal punishment in the form of a group beating, Legionnaires of your nationality will be found to deliver it, so there can’t be said to be discrimination.

-[i]Tattoos[/i]: There is no Legion rule against tats. An old “hardcase” trick would be to tattoo something insulting on the blade of one’s hand, so that every time one saluted an officer…

-Uniforms: The Legionnaires wear regulation Khakis and the Legion’s trademark [i]kepi[/i] hats.

==Other Nearby French Military Units==
-The Naval Infantry: A type of Marine unit primarily assigned to protect naval ports. The two nearest are in Noumea (New Caledonia) and Papeete (Tahiti).

-Conscription: Cantonment is part of the Colonial strategy. Universal conscription is the law in the colonies, no less than in France itself (where a 3-year hitch is a public duty). The majority of the version employed at Ile Trouve is “public service” (with a rather diplomatic circumlocution for the Kamekame), and also the local police force, but other parts of French Polynesia use it more ‘traditionally’.

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Legionnaires

2015-06-10T00:54:25Z

Smoot:

[OOC: This is a cusp-of WW2, “print the legend” depiction of the Legion. It is as close to realistic as a pulp campaign calls for, and uses RL Legion lore and fact as much as possible, but please don’t go using it for term papers or anything. ;) ]

=The Legion in General=
The French Foreign Legion (Legion Etrangere) is a French Army unit whose enlisted members are primarily non-Frenchmen.
[i]HQ[/i]: Sid-bel-Abbes, Algeria.

[i]Origins[/i]: Legionnaires may come from everywhere [i]but[/i] France (a rule easily end-ran by simply leaving France and enlisting from outside) and Belgium (the King of Belgium expressly forbids it). Officers above the rank of Colonel could be of any nationality, but above were solely French.

The Legion is legendary for being a refuge for the disgraced, heartbroken, criminals, political refugees, princes in hiding and men no longer allowed to serve in other militaries (due to forced retirement, discharge or ‘up or out’ policies- the Legion has no problem with career privates.) No ID is required, and there is no background check. All Legionnaires take an assumed name when joining the Legion, eschewing their own for the duration.

[i]Enlistment Period[/i]: 5 years. 12 years’ honorable service qualifies one to be a French citizen. (However, if one is wounded in battle, a Legionnaire may invoke the rule of “French by right of spilled blood”.)

=The Legion Company at Port Cochere=
The company garrisoned at Ile Trouve is a special detachment of the Foreign Legion [OOC: probably on loan from the 5th Foreign Regiment, the Legion’s “Far East” contingent, based in French Indochina.] It clocks in at 282 members, in all. (It’s somewhat of an outsized company as a result).

It is, oddly, categorized as a “Fortress Infantry” unit (a la the troops assigned to the Maginot Line, back home) with a contingent of “C” reservists. (Meaning that they are, technically, very low-priority for equipment, but also allowing them to perform [i]Gendarmerie[/i] functions)

==Unit Structure==
The ''Compagnie'' ('''Company''') is commanded by Capitaine Auguste Pierre St. Michel LaValle.

It consists of
-A '''Command Platoon''': (Further details TBA, but it definitely includes a bicycle messenger.)

-A 5-man 60mm '''mortar squad''' ( Leader/Spotter (Sgt.), Gunner, Assistant Gunner & 2 Ammunition Bearers.) using one of these: http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandt_Mle_1935

-and 4 Infantry ''Sections'' ('''Platoons''')
(each Section consists of:

1 Command Squad ( CO (Lt or Sous-Lieutenant), NCO (Sgt, Sgt-Chef or 1re Sergent), an observer/scout and a signaler/messenger) & 3 infantry squads.
An '''infantry squad''' is led by a Caporal-chef as a squad leader, and consists of two teams:

-- A “Shock Element” (4 riflemen and a rifle-grenadier), led by the senior Legionnaire present.(They use Lebel 8mm rifles).

--and a “Fire Element” (A Caporal, a Light Machine Gunner ( mostly using these 1931 Mitrailleuse guns (http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reibel_machine_gun ), mounted up at the fortress), a loader, and 3 ammo carriers (who also carry carbines).

This brings the official company count up to about 212 men. The remaining 70 people are largely logistical people (Quartermaster & Suppliers, Cook & staff, medical doctor/veterinarian, packmaster for the mules, etc), but also have a number of people unaccounted for under any unit.

-Due to the unsuitability of the Ile Trouve backcountry for motorized transport, the Legion company depends entirely on pack-mules.

==Unit Demographics==
-The Company’s senior leadership (from about the Caporal level up) is mostly French. It’s seen as a choice posting for a French Army officer.

-About 160 of the Legionnaires present are on short-term postings.

-84 are “Belgian” (see below)

-There are no female Legionnaires at this time, though women have allegedly served disguised as men. [There will be one undisguised woman Legionnaire, in WW2.]

-There are, surprisingly, a few Aspirants. These are French Army cadets getting their feet wet in command roles. What they’re doing out here is quite unclear.

==Unit Activities==
Generally speaking, the Legion unit drills, trains, patrols, or performs hard labor. The Captain is well aware that no Legion unit has ever mutinied while in combat, but that it frequently happens while on garrison duty. Therefore, he does his best to keep his troops occupied, working largely on “public and military infrastructure construction”. (Roads, shoring up the fort, etc.)

In the rather unusual structure of life in Port Cochere, the Legion unit is occasionally given special dictat to locally perform the functions of the Gendarmerie (see the Police section of “The Authorities” for more). The current Mayor only occasionally pulls [i]that[/i] lever, though.

=Miscellany=
-“A moi, la Legion!”- this is the individual Legionnaire’s distress call, usually in town or in a rough spot. There is no promise that the answer won’t be “Demerdez-toi, Legionnaire!” (See Systeme D)

-“Belgians”: Because the King of Belgium outlawed Belgians joining the Foreign Legion, and France forbids Frenchmen joining the Legion, any “Belgians” you see are most-likely French criminals or such. (This applies to “Swiss” Legionnaires, and so on, as well.) Also, a popular Legion marching song ("Le Boudin") insults Belgians in general, every verse.

-[i]Desertion[/i]: The Legion actively pursues deserters. The usual punishment is to be reassigned to special, grueling Disciplinary Company for a term that does [i]not[/i] count toward your initial enlistment.

-[i]Discipline[/i]: French Army discipline is notoriously harsh. Even by those standards, Legion discipline is legendary.( There hasn’t been a firing squad lately, but not because they [i]can’t[/i].) The dread of what officers could do is as much of a motivator as service to the Legion or France itself.

-[i]Housing[/i]: The Legionnaires are stationed at the fort on a ridge overlooking Port Cochere. Some units near to town use ‘housing allotments’ to rent lodgings in town, but this is not their practice here. Yet.

-[i]Language[/i]: Despite the multinational nature of the Legion, all business is in French. Everyone learns quickly ( sometimes with percussive instruction methods if nothing else works).

-[i]Pay[/i]: Legionnaires get paid 4 cents a day... and all the secrecy they could want.

-[i]La Salud[/i]: Similar to a ‘blanket party’, this is a form of “corrective measure” administered by one’s fellow Legionnaires. The Legion’s concession to fairness is that while it will be corporal punishment in the form of a group beating, Legionnaires of your nationality will be found to deliver it, so there can’t be said to be discrimination.

-[i]Tattoos[/i]: There is no Legion rule against tats. An old “hardcase” trick would be to tattoo something insulting on the blade of one’s hand, so that every time one saluted an officer…

-Uniforms: The Legionnaires wear regulation Khakis and the Legion’s trademark [i]kepi[/i] hats.

==Other Nearby French Military Units==
-The Naval Infantry: A type of Marine unit primarily assigned to protect naval ports. The two nearest are in Noumea (New Caledonia) and Papeete (Tahiti).

-Conscription: Cantonment is part of the Colonial strategy. Universal conscription is the law in the colonies, no less than in France itself (where a 3-year hitch is a public duty). The majority of the version employed at Ile Trouve is “public service” (with a rather diplomatic circumlocution for the Kamekame), and also the local police force, but other parts of French Polynesia use it more ‘traditionally’.

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Mayor

2015-06-04T21:33:26Z

Smoot:

The Mayor of Port Cochere is a Ministry of the Interior functionary who, they say, found out something he shouldn’t have about his superior.

He was promoted out of his section, but was then given the “Guilded Cage” assignment of Port Cochere for his troubles.

A French colonial governor has less leeway than, say, a British colonial governor. All instructions come from Paris, and are to be followed, without delay or interpretation. The “Home office” in Paris is several weeks away from Papeete (the regional capital), and it’s an even further delay to go from Papeete to Porte Cochere.

Therefore, the Mayor is put on the end of a very short leash, officially speaking. If he was a by-the-book player, this would be a nightmare. The place sustains itself on things that ought not to, officially, be happening. Virtually any ‘failure’(that is, public revelation) on the part of the Colonial government would be squarely placed on him. He’s presumably already sacrificed his one bit of blackmail material just to get a field posting.

He and the Governor are technically on the same side (Keep French Polynesia French, carry out orders from Home, etc), but at the same time they know the deal ("You are disposable, M'sieur." "I know." ) and even if they were friendly that would put a strain on it.

Basically, he’s more than what he seems. But not MUCH more. (Think of a French William H. Macy-in-''Fargo'', and you’re in the ballpark.)

To his credit, he does keep a steady appearance and manages to not let the place explode. But he’s notas clever as he thinks he is. And almost everyone plays for bigger stakes than he ever did- he’s worried that the Kamekame are going to brush the town off the island, or the Legion would refuse to heed his commands, or that some faction would somehow take the island out from under him.

==“Playing Defense”:==

-He is not at all interested in taking on anything that is going to get him into MORE trouble. This includes taking blame or determined-responsibility for as much as possible. He is happiest when getting the least official attention.

-He is attempting to do the ‘hang around, find out something useful, put it to work’ thing that so many do here. He’s just not particularly good at it. It worked once and that was his one-hit wonder.

-If someone consistently makes themselves a source of trouble, he will try to 'calm the waters' as best he can.

== Personal Details: ==

-As many as can arrange it bring their wives and kids. He has not. Not just because of the circumstances, not even because he’s got local mistresses.
It’s because he likes that they think of him as on top of things. He desperately wants to ‘become the mask’ of his competent identity, and them thinking he’s that in Paris is better than them realizing who he is, right there.

-He has become, since his arrival, an avid reader of 'Police' Magazine, from France (www.le-livre.fr/default.asp?page=10&C=353,36&A=0&tri=). Issues were left by his predecessor, and its become a sort of guilty pleasure for him.

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Authorities

2015-06-04T21:22:11Z

Smoot: /* Firefighting */

= The Colonial Government =

'''Full Name:''' Établissements Français de l'Océanie (French Establishments in Oceania)

'''Capital:''' Papeete, Tahiti. (OOC: If you're asking a question about where to find [Western convention or amenity not in Port Cochere], it's probably in Papeete- courts, jails, the military, newspapers, all that business.)

Executive:

'''Governor:''' Frédéric Marie Jean Baptiste Chastenet de Géry [RL person.] Appointed March of 1937.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between the French and British systems is that a "native" would generally not be allowed to serve in British administration, where all in French territory are considered citizens. (That is, you may find islanders in administrative support roles in French Polynesia, but not British holdings.)

Legislature:

'''Privy Council''': Advisors to the Governor.

'''Advisory Council:''' This was, formerly, a body of representatives from the Islands. In 1903, it was changed to a purely advisory administrative group.

==Policies==

In principle, the goal of the Establishment government is to bring the benefits of French civilization to the area: religion, scientific progress, and so on. It mainly does this through the method of "Direct Rule".

Direct rule differs from the British method in a several major ways: British governors are allowed more leeway for decision than their French counterparts (who carry out instructions from, and answer to, Paris). And where the British foster relationships with 'native leaders' (Chieftains, and so on), the French system considers all residents of its territory to be French. Therefore there is no official acknowledgement of tribal life, native traditions, or local mores. (French is the only language spoken in school or court, as well.)

The policy also encourages assimilation, and association (with somewhat more social intermixing than in the British system). There is somewhat less stigma in the French system on "going native", for example, or taking a 'native bride'. This also means that local languages play no part in local governance. [IRL, Polynesian languages were not used in official documents or education until ''1980''.]

The state owns all land not privately owned, and all citizens owe service (just like French conscripts do at home).

In practice, the colonies are profitable. Aside from serving as a trans-pacific waystation (and, now, a source of tourism via air-travel), French Polynesia has plantations that are hugely profitable (copra, pineapples, coconuts, etc). Oceania's trade has recovered from the Great Depression- both imports and exports are at more than quadruple the figures for 1933.

''Policy toward Port Cochere'': Officially, a blind eye. Over the last century-or-so, the French have ignored a lot, in order to get a lot out of it. So long as the Mayor of Port Cochere is doing his job properly, there is typically little in the way of direct engagement.

''Policy toward the Kamekame'': The Kamekame have shrewdly played the Establishment's game, first by wrangling up a Protectorate status, then by "buying" their own lands with trade-goods in the late 1800s. No Kamekame have ever sat on the Council when it had powers, and they continue not to, now that it's advisory in nature. For its part, the Governor's office have tended to depict the Kamekame to the outside world as too remote and isolated to deal with.

(In theory, they could assemble troops to seize the lands, for example, but this would be costly on several levels, gain little that the French aren't already getting, and furthermore would upset a few Government apple carts: a lot of outside official attention would be turned to Ile Trouve (which is not what anyone wants), and the Republic would want an official explanation for why so many resources were needed.)

= The Mayor's Office =
(For more on the Mayor himself, see here: [[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Tailspins_%26_Tiki_Gods:The_Mayor]] )

Term: Administrators serve tours of 2 years (3, the first time), then return home for 3 months' leave. (They may serve multiple terms).

Like mayors in Metropolitan (ie, "''France'' France") France, the Mayor of Port Cochere represents the State, manages a staff, and commands the local police authorities. Unlike Metropolitan French mayors, the Mayor of Port Cochere is an appointed position- he isn't elected.

Duties:

Aside from this, the Mayor has duties typical of any mayor- represent the State, post laws and local regulations, validate signatures and assign permits, act during emergencies, and so on. The Mayor commands the Municipal police directly

The Mayor also directly commands the Municipal Police (and may have people put in custody if there's reason to suspect them of a crime), may conduct preliminary investigations, and (being a civil officer) may officiate marriages.

As Port Cochere is 'outside' many typical French administrative functions (due to "oversight" or actually due to ''oversight''), roles that normally fall to a prefect or commissioner (issue of documents, immigration control/passports, etc) is handled at the mayoral level. He is, also, sometimes instructed to assist in finding wanted persons. (These are, of course, unusual situations. It is extremely unlikely that anyone would find a wanted fugitive in ''Port Cochere''!)

HQ: The Mairie

The Mairie (Town Hall) is a broad two-story building in La Haut Ville. (Something like a version of this: [http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/temp/files/Tahiti-02-ColonialBuilding-PolynesieFrancaise-01-lr.jpg]) ground floor of the Mairie (Town Hall) is offices, the top floor a residence.

Traditionally, the mayors of Port Cochere have attempted to make the top floor as much of a slice of home as possible. If one never unshuttered the windows, one might squint and think one was in France.

The lower floor is, simply, a series of offices, storerooms, and support areas (such as a kitchen).

==The Staff==

There is a small household staff (cooks, cleaners, etc), but what is generally meant here is the administrative staff: a small group of functionaries (both French-ethnic and of Islander ancestry) who handle many of the day-to-day bureaucratic functions of the office. Many of them have worked for several mayors.

==Relations:==

''vs. the Colonial Government:''

The job of Mayor of Port Cochere is possibly the Toughest Job In Show Biz, so to speak. There is typically a great deal of turnover.

It's basically a circuit-breaker: So long as things are running quietly, the Mayor is fine, although he has the issue of creatively non-noticing things while also keeping tabs on them unofficially. If, on the other hand, something major should go wrong, the mayor is basically there to take the fall for it. (He is, in essence, the 'pit boss' for the proverbial 'gambling' that the Governor would be shocked- ''shocked'' to find in his establishment.)

''vs the Kamekame'': The history of the island makes relations with the Kamekame, largely, a draw. The Kamekame come into town to work, then return home. The Mayoral government, largely, stays put and doesn't go into Kamekame territory without a very good reason.

''vs the Legionnaires'': Various mayors have set different tones with the Foreign Legion outpost uphill from the Maiorie. Some called on them early and often, others encouraged them to stay put. The current mayor favors the latter, assuming that not doing so would cause fewer 'ripples'.

''vs the Port Authority'': The Mayor himself outranks and has charge over the Port Authority. In practice, the Mayor's ''office'' and the Port Authority are often at cross-purposes.

''vs. VIPs'': The Mayor's office keeps tabs on VIPs, even when they take no official notice of them. Socially, the Mayor himself is considered a sort of local dignitary (hosting functions and such) among the residents of Le Haut Ville. Other VIPs simply wish not to be noticed, so the Mayor's office arranges for them not to be noticed [OOC: leading to a 'just-enough' game where they have to notice them to be certain they're not being noticed. ;)].

=The Port Authority =

The rather grand-sounding Port Authority is, at most times, no more than 5-10 people. If need be, they can call on the police- but this is seldom necessary.

They are responsible for regulating both interisland trade (still mostly sail-driven, though steamers up to 200-300 displacement tons are coming on the scene) and incoming ships from far away. (Luckily, most of these vessels do not require fuelling- Port Cochere being merely a “through port” on the way somewhere else.)

Being mainly concerned with the harbor and the lagoon, the Port Authority seldom moves out of La Bas Ville. There are actually painted wooden poles denoting the limits of the Authority’s beat on land.

'''Structure:''' The ''Capitaine de Port'', Alaine St. Heler de Montaigne, may have up to 10 agents at any given time. They answer to him directly, and he answers (rather tenuously) to the Mayor’s Office.

==“Daytime Business” (and standing policies)==

''Contact with out-villages'': there are minor atolls that can sustain no more than 40-50 people. The Port Authority checks in on them every so often, on behalf of the Mayor or Governor, if the villages are otherwise not heard from. (If they are in a lazy mood, they pay someone else to ‘knock on the doors’.)

''Concessions'': If it’s ashore, it’s the Town’s problem, but if you’re a businessman who approaches ships directly (say, rowing up to the side and offering goods on the spot), the Port Authority ‘has a word’. They also “recommend” porters/stevedores/longshoremen for freighters. (The town has a separate authority for the Marketplace, however. This has the effect of making landing and using the Marketplace a more effective option, which helps the town as a whole)

''Customs & Tariffs Inspections:'' Typical items-of-interest include firearms (without proper documentation), drugs (especially Opium- both the local Benevolent Society and the Port Authority put their heavy boots on regarding this), wild or domestic animals NOT in transit.

''Harbormastering'': The Port Authority rigorously controls where private vessels (aside from very small craft) go while in the lagoon. The recent introduction of seaplanes makes this VERY IMPORTANT. (The Capitaine de Port has expressed an interest in making a ‘landing strip’ area of the lagoon taboo to islander boating, but this so far seems unworkable. And development of a rudimentary air-traffic control system is in progress.)

''Hiring:''They ‘recommend’ lighters (locally-run shore boats) for people who haven’t brought their own, as well as recommending locals for dockside work. (Here, they work with the Wangguan Benevolent Association’s hiring hall system, as well as native and local groups with identifiable ‘representatives’.)

''Mooring:'' The Port Authority is responsible for charging for mooring (cost depending on location and availability, as well as duration.)

''Navigation:'' They do maintain channel markers, as needed.

''Notices to Mariners:'' The Port Authority is partly responsible for issuing weather and surf advisories, among other things. (OOC: If a kraken started preying on local boats, they would be the ones to have to decide whether to warn everyone or if it would “Cause a Panic”, a la most monster movies. ;) )

''The On-Ship Rule'': Ships’ crews are confined to ship after nightfall. This actually does have a certain crime-preventing effect. (It’s hard to mug sailors by night when those sailors are on their boats, for example, and drunken brawls are kept to a minimum), but shop-owners complain that it’s restraining trade.
“Liberty of the Town” can be arranged through the Port Authority, or via the Mayor’s Office.

''Passports:'' They do typically inspect them. They do not, however, ''stamp'' them (though they do have, if need be, access to a lovely set: Papeete, Nuku Hiva, Tubuai, Uturoa…). THEY ARE AN OFF-THE BOOKS EXCEPTION to the law that requires all foreign visitors to go through Papeete first. (This was a draw for the film company- shorter trip than going to Tahiti, ''then'' out to the island.)

''Pilotage'': If you have a larger vessel and wish to NOT drop anchor outside the lagoon’s barrier reefs, the Port Authority will charge you to have a PA Pilot either taking the wheel of your vessel or watch over your shoulder.

''Quarantine:'' They are authorized to call ‘quarantine’ on a ship. This usually involves consulting with Port Cochere’s town doctor. If an initial inspection shows rampant vermin (rats, bugs, etc), contagious illness, or is shown to carry insufficiently contained dangerous live cargo, that vessel may be quarantined for any amount of time. Alternately, a ‘restricted bill of health’ may allow the crew to unload onto a lighter without any further contact or disembarkation. (This is a big deal- through a combination of vigilance and dumb luck, Ile Trouve is almost completely clear of invasive species like rats, and managed to avoid the worst of the global influenza epidemic in 1918.)

''Registry:'' They gladly keep books of what registered ships have passed through, per international maritime custom. (They do it so gladly that they keep more than one book!) They also ask to know where you’re going, as ports often do. They do know that almost any answer they get is likely to be a lie, however. They also keep an eye out for stolen or otherwise ‘commandeered’ vessels.[OOC: It is by no means a dealbreaker. (“Typical business” means you pay the ‘expediting’ fee) ]

''The Safe Harbor Rule:'' “Any port in a storm” is a law of the sea. The Port Authority cannot, by custom, refuse entry during an emergency. (Some clever bastards sometime try to arrive DURING a storm, in order to obtain berthing they otherwise would not get. They are seldom up to any good. )

''Shipping News:'' Using ships notices given by Mr. Kinney (Port Cochere’s young radioman), they know who is announced to be coming or going.

''Tugboat:'' The Port Authority also runs the majestic ''Le Pot de Rouille'', Port Cochere’s only tugboat. If you’re being towed in, this is the only game in town.

==“Nighttime Business”==

If the Mayor’s office represents the high-end “intrigue” end of Port Cochere’s business, the Port Authority represents pure piratical instinct.

''Additional Fees:'' While it is subsidized by the French government (represented in the person of His Honor the Mayor), the Port Authority nonetheless (off the record) extracts ‘fees for special procedures’ (for things likewise off-the-record). The most profitable fee the Authority uses is a ‘bypass’. Basically, for a fee, one need not bother oneself with the fine details. Port Liberty is sometimes sold, either for a fee or for a refundable security.

Obviously, this is only done within limits, otherwise nobody would use the harbor at all. Thus, all ‘fees’ must be justifiable to someone (ie, no straight up graft), and they must be taken in moderation (“Part of doing business”). The Port Authority does (per the old saw) “stay bought”, typically, and they know when to stop squeezing the stone.

They also keep the “surface tension” going. By making it prohibitive for smugglers or other demimondaines to just barge into the port, they encourage them to ‘transfer’ to light transport on out-islands, making it possible to say “we didn’t know!”. Since affordable anonymity is Ile Trouve’s most profitable industry, setting the price just-so is important.

''“Hiring Fees”'' (ie kickbacks): In exchange for ‘primary recommendation’ in hiring, the Port Authority tends to want a “Finder’s Fee”. Bas Ville is chock full of be crewmen whose hitch is over for one reason or another (“They left without me.” “I wonder WHY, hm?”), drifters, stowaways, renegade islanders no longer welcome at home, even refugees (though they’d have to be really stubborn refugees to be way out here.) This can make hiring a nightmare. While the Port Authority does show favoritism in ‘recommendations’, it at least imposes as sense of order.

''“Reading”:'' Members of the Port Authority have a knack for telling what’s on a ship and where it’s likely to go. (If you know the fuel-efficiencies of a ship and its fuel-load, you can find out where it’s going. Since ships rarely carry more ballast than they need to, a ship claiming to go a short distance while clearly loaded to go a long way (or vice versa) is of note. This information can then be ‘sold’ (to interested parties) or ‘sold back’ (to the owners of the ship in question). )

==Relations:==
''vs the Mayor’s Office:'' There’s always been a bit of a turf war between the two bureauxs. The Mayor’s office is charged with validating documents, which sometimes bumps into the Port Authority’s “checking your papers”, for example. [OOC: The main difference is that while the Mayor’s office might be obstructionist while flexing their bureaucratic muscles or illustrating a larger point, the Port Authority is mainly just looking to ‘expedite things’.]

''vs the Police:'' The Port Authority is fairly ginger about calling in the Municipals. They are not about to ask the Legionnaires to get involved, either. However, if they do see a crime committed that falls in either’s territory, they will call them immediately (theft, for example, or assaulting a Port Authority official.)

''vs. The Navy:'' The French Navy is based at Papeete. While the Port Authority may technically call the Navy in for certain things, this ruins certain gentlemen’s agreements. (That is, the French naval officer will ask what is going on, not take “well, you know…” for an answer, and will log whatever he is told, accurately.)

''vs. VIPs:'' Generally speaking, VIPs will be sized up on arrival. Exceptionally wealthy high-rollers tend to get “hands off” treatment, after initial contact. (Herr Zoransky for example.)

=The Police=

All French colonial law-enforcement attempts to model itself on the “home” model exercised in France. Port Cochere is no exception- though certain concessions have been made to Port Cochere’s unique situation.

At one point- due to the nature of the unique position of the Kamekame natives, vis a vis the town, it was considered to adopt a modified version of the Cercle system adopted in French West Africa, with appointed chieftains and so on. This plan did not survive contact (or lack thereof) with the Kamekame.

Therefore, an attempt was made to model the local forces on ones from Home.

-When role of the ''Gendarmerie nationale'' (that is, detached military-police responsible for public safety), this duty sometimes falls to the ''Legion Etrangere'' unit stationed at the fort overlooking town.

On occasion, they have done “Search and Rescue” missions in the countryside and coastal areas, such game-warden work as the island requires, crowd control and bodyguarding, securing the Port during emergencies, acting as an honor guard for dignitaries, and (of course) acting as Military Police amongst their own.

In deference to local wishes, the Legion command tends not to perform investigative functions, unless directly ordered to by the Governor (not the Mayor). They perform the other duties when requested by the Mayor, whom they file reports to for the duration. They generally arrive as armed and in uniform, as if they were on regular Legion business.

-''La Sûreté'' (France’s crack National Police force) have a few officers in the Territory, but none stationed at Ile Trouve itself.

(They tend to be assigned to larger cities, and would only really have a detective visit if there was a major crime in Port Cochere that the Territorial Government felt required investigation. There is not much chance of the Territorial Government having major crime in Port Cochere that they wanted to be investigated.)

-This leaves the ''Polices Municipales'', the police force that most Port Cochere residents see on average. The local Brigade of officers answers directly to the Mayor. While they technically share “rural guard” duties, if something requires forest ranger or ‘game warden’ duties, he gives it to the Legionnaires, owing to the delicacy of the Kamekame situation. Neither do they have investigative powers.

This leaves the Municipals as old-fashioned thieftakers. They break up fights, tell drunks and other disorderly people to go home, stop thefts and assaults, and provide assistance as needed. (If there were cars on Ile Trouve, they would ticket them, that sort of thing.) They have certain broadly-interpreted “good order” duties, and are supposed to help out in (for instance) disasters, but generally they stick to the basics: Patrolling and arresting. They wear a uniform (including a half-cape) and a baton. They do not typically carry firearms, though special circumstances may apply.

One thing that makes the local French colonial system different than the British colonial system is that the French system makes no differentiation between ‘subject’ and ‘native’- if an Islander is qualified to serve in the Municipals, they do. There is no ‘auxiliary’ or ‘tribal’ police force.

Also, all French citizens are considered eligible for national service, including colonial French. A great many Ile Trouveiens have taken the option of patrolling rather than, say, laying a road. (This is carefully tiptoed around in the case of the Kamekame, who are (diplomatically) assumed to ‘tend to their own law enforcement whilst on their private lands.’, due to a historical Protectorate status).

==Police Powers==

French law does not presume innocence, it presumes guilt. There is a right to silence, but they don’t need to remind you of it. Police may ask anyone to identify themselves, and hold unidentified people (even arrest them for resisting). They can question anyone about a case, search and seize property (during the day), detain suspects for up to a day without access to a lawyer for most of it.

==Courts==

The French Polynesian judicial system features a Court of First Instance, a Court of Appeal, and a Court of Administrative Law (which also handles things like business disputes). These are all located in Papeete, a fair distance away. If a case is not resolved locally (“Pay the fine, and don’t do it again”, for instance), the suspect is held until such time as he can be transported to court.

==Jail/Punishment==

There is a small jail here (maybe five or six old cells in a sun-blasted stone blockhouse), mainly used for holding prior to a prisoner transfer. Things tend to be “handled locally”, instead. French Polynesia has three prisons, none of which are near here. Rumor has it that the worst are still, unofficially, sent to the old penal colony at New Caledonia.

Generally speaking, there is a local distaste for jail-time- many of the French colonist’s forebears were sent to the island as Penal Colonists, so the idea just sits wrong. Fines and “alternate punishment” are favored as a result. Public execution (often by guillotine) is still common in France in this era- it’s an “arrow in the quiver”- but it has not been applied here for ages.

=Le Deuxieme Bureau=

The Second Bureau is France’s national intelligence agency. There are no apparent 2eme Bureau agents in Port Cochere, or on Ile Trouve as a whole. Neither the Mayor nor the Governor has ever contacted anyone from the Bureau. (It is left as an exercise for the reader to figure out exactly what use spies could be in Port Cochere.)

=Firefighting=
What firefighting exists in Port Cochere is on the volunteer "sand-and-water bucket chain" model.

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Authorities

2015-06-04T21:21:55Z

Smoot:

= The Colonial Government =

'''Full Name:''' Établissements Français de l'Océanie (French Establishments in Oceania)

'''Capital:''' Papeete, Tahiti. (OOC: If you're asking a question about where to find [Western convention or amenity not in Port Cochere], it's probably in Papeete- courts, jails, the military, newspapers, all that business.)

Executive:

'''Governor:''' Frédéric Marie Jean Baptiste Chastenet de Géry [RL person.] Appointed March of 1937.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between the French and British systems is that a "native" would generally not be allowed to serve in British administration, where all in French territory are considered citizens. (That is, you may find islanders in administrative support roles in French Polynesia, but not British holdings.)

Legislature:

'''Privy Council''': Advisors to the Governor.

'''Advisory Council:''' This was, formerly, a body of representatives from the Islands. In 1903, it was changed to a purely advisory administrative group.

==Policies==

In principle, the goal of the Establishment government is to bring the benefits of French civilization to the area: religion, scientific progress, and so on. It mainly does this through the method of "Direct Rule".

Direct rule differs from the British method in a several major ways: British governors are allowed more leeway for decision than their French counterparts (who carry out instructions from, and answer to, Paris). And where the British foster relationships with 'native leaders' (Chieftains, and so on), the French system considers all residents of its territory to be French. Therefore there is no official acknowledgement of tribal life, native traditions, or local mores. (French is the only language spoken in school or court, as well.)

The policy also encourages assimilation, and association (with somewhat more social intermixing than in the British system). There is somewhat less stigma in the French system on "going native", for example, or taking a 'native bride'. This also means that local languages play no part in local governance. [IRL, Polynesian languages were not used in official documents or education until ''1980''.]

The state owns all land not privately owned, and all citizens owe service (just like French conscripts do at home).

In practice, the colonies are profitable. Aside from serving as a trans-pacific waystation (and, now, a source of tourism via air-travel), French Polynesia has plantations that are hugely profitable (copra, pineapples, coconuts, etc). Oceania's trade has recovered from the Great Depression- both imports and exports are at more than quadruple the figures for 1933.

''Policy toward Port Cochere'': Officially, a blind eye. Over the last century-or-so, the French have ignored a lot, in order to get a lot out of it. So long as the Mayor of Port Cochere is doing his job properly, there is typically little in the way of direct engagement.

''Policy toward the Kamekame'': The Kamekame have shrewdly played the Establishment's game, first by wrangling up a Protectorate status, then by "buying" their own lands with trade-goods in the late 1800s. No Kamekame have ever sat on the Council when it had powers, and they continue not to, now that it's advisory in nature. For its part, the Governor's office have tended to depict the Kamekame to the outside world as too remote and isolated to deal with.

(In theory, they could assemble troops to seize the lands, for example, but this would be costly on several levels, gain little that the French aren't already getting, and furthermore would upset a few Government apple carts: a lot of outside official attention would be turned to Ile Trouve (which is not what anyone wants), and the Republic would want an official explanation for why so many resources were needed.)

= The Mayor's Office =
(For more on the Mayor himself, see here: [[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Tailspins_%26_Tiki_Gods:The_Mayor]] )

Term: Administrators serve tours of 2 years (3, the first time), then return home for 3 months' leave. (They may serve multiple terms).

Like mayors in Metropolitan (ie, "''France'' France") France, the Mayor of Port Cochere represents the State, manages a staff, and commands the local police authorities. Unlike Metropolitan French mayors, the Mayor of Port Cochere is an appointed position- he isn't elected.

Duties:

Aside from this, the Mayor has duties typical of any mayor- represent the State, post laws and local regulations, validate signatures and assign permits, act during emergencies, and so on. The Mayor commands the Municipal police directly

The Mayor also directly commands the Municipal Police (and may have people put in custody if there's reason to suspect them of a crime), may conduct preliminary investigations, and (being a civil officer) may officiate marriages.

As Port Cochere is 'outside' many typical French administrative functions (due to "oversight" or actually due to ''oversight''), roles that normally fall to a prefect or commissioner (issue of documents, immigration control/passports, etc) is handled at the mayoral level. He is, also, sometimes instructed to assist in finding wanted persons. (These are, of course, unusual situations. It is extremely unlikely that anyone would find a wanted fugitive in ''Port Cochere''!)

HQ: The Mairie

The Mairie (Town Hall) is a broad two-story building in La Haut Ville. (Something like a version of this: [http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/temp/files/Tahiti-02-ColonialBuilding-PolynesieFrancaise-01-lr.jpg]) ground floor of the Mairie (Town Hall) is offices, the top floor a residence.

Traditionally, the mayors of Port Cochere have attempted to make the top floor as much of a slice of home as possible. If one never unshuttered the windows, one might squint and think one was in France.

The lower floor is, simply, a series of offices, storerooms, and support areas (such as a kitchen).

==The Staff==

There is a small household staff (cooks, cleaners, etc), but what is generally meant here is the administrative staff: a small group of functionaries (both French-ethnic and of Islander ancestry) who handle many of the day-to-day bureaucratic functions of the office. Many of them have worked for several mayors.

==Relations:==

''vs. the Colonial Government:''

The job of Mayor of Port Cochere is possibly the Toughest Job In Show Biz, so to speak. There is typically a great deal of turnover.

It's basically a circuit-breaker: So long as things are running quietly, the Mayor is fine, although he has the issue of creatively non-noticing things while also keeping tabs on them unofficially. If, on the other hand, something major should go wrong, the mayor is basically there to take the fall for it. (He is, in essence, the 'pit boss' for the proverbial 'gambling' that the Governor would be shocked- ''shocked'' to find in his establishment.)

''vs the Kamekame'': The history of the island makes relations with the Kamekame, largely, a draw. The Kamekame come into town to work, then return home. The Mayoral government, largely, stays put and doesn't go into Kamekame territory without a very good reason.

''vs the Legionnaires'': Various mayors have set different tones with the Foreign Legion outpost uphill from the Maiorie. Some called on them early and often, others encouraged them to stay put. The current mayor favors the latter, assuming that not doing so would cause fewer 'ripples'.

''vs the Port Authority'': The Mayor himself outranks and has charge over the Port Authority. In practice, the Mayor's ''office'' and the Port Authority are often at cross-purposes.

''vs. VIPs'': The Mayor's office keeps tabs on VIPs, even when they take no official notice of them. Socially, the Mayor himself is considered a sort of local dignitary (hosting functions and such) among the residents of Le Haut Ville. Other VIPs simply wish not to be noticed, so the Mayor's office arranges for them not to be noticed [OOC: leading to a 'just-enough' game where they have to notice them to be certain they're not being noticed. ;)].

=The Port Authority =

The rather grand-sounding Port Authority is, at most times, no more than 5-10 people. If need be, they can call on the police- but this is seldom necessary.

They are responsible for regulating both interisland trade (still mostly sail-driven, though steamers up to 200-300 displacement tons are coming on the scene) and incoming ships from far away. (Luckily, most of these vessels do not require fuelling- Port Cochere being merely a “through port” on the way somewhere else.)

Being mainly concerned with the harbor and the lagoon, the Port Authority seldom moves out of La Bas Ville. There are actually painted wooden poles denoting the limits of the Authority’s beat on land.

'''Structure:''' The ''Capitaine de Port'', Alaine St. Heler de Montaigne, may have up to 10 agents at any given time. They answer to him directly, and he answers (rather tenuously) to the Mayor’s Office.

==“Daytime Business” (and standing policies)==

''Contact with out-villages'': there are minor atolls that can sustain no more than 40-50 people. The Port Authority checks in on them every so often, on behalf of the Mayor or Governor, if the villages are otherwise not heard from. (If they are in a lazy mood, they pay someone else to ‘knock on the doors’.)

''Concessions'': If it’s ashore, it’s the Town’s problem, but if you’re a businessman who approaches ships directly (say, rowing up to the side and offering goods on the spot), the Port Authority ‘has a word’. They also “recommend” porters/stevedores/longshoremen for freighters. (The town has a separate authority for the Marketplace, however. This has the effect of making landing and using the Marketplace a more effective option, which helps the town as a whole)

''Customs & Tariffs Inspections:'' Typical items-of-interest include firearms (without proper documentation), drugs (especially Opium- both the local Benevolent Society and the Port Authority put their heavy boots on regarding this), wild or domestic animals NOT in transit.

''Harbormastering'': The Port Authority rigorously controls where private vessels (aside from very small craft) go while in the lagoon. The recent introduction of seaplanes makes this VERY IMPORTANT. (The Capitaine de Port has expressed an interest in making a ‘landing strip’ area of the lagoon taboo to islander boating, but this so far seems unworkable. And development of a rudimentary air-traffic control system is in progress.)

''Hiring:''They ‘recommend’ lighters (locally-run shore boats) for people who haven’t brought their own, as well as recommending locals for dockside work. (Here, they work with the Wangguan Benevolent Association’s hiring hall system, as well as native and local groups with identifiable ‘representatives’.)

''Mooring:'' The Port Authority is responsible for charging for mooring (cost depending on location and availability, as well as duration.)

''Navigation:'' They do maintain channel markers, as needed.

''Notices to Mariners:'' The Port Authority is partly responsible for issuing weather and surf advisories, among other things. (OOC: If a kraken started preying on local boats, they would be the ones to have to decide whether to warn everyone or if it would “Cause a Panic”, a la most monster movies. ;) )

''The On-Ship Rule'': Ships’ crews are confined to ship after nightfall. This actually does have a certain crime-preventing effect. (It’s hard to mug sailors by night when those sailors are on their boats, for example, and drunken brawls are kept to a minimum), but shop-owners complain that it’s restraining trade.
“Liberty of the Town” can be arranged through the Port Authority, or via the Mayor’s Office.

''Passports:'' They do typically inspect them. They do not, however, ''stamp'' them (though they do have, if need be, access to a lovely set: Papeete, Nuku Hiva, Tubuai, Uturoa…). THEY ARE AN OFF-THE BOOKS EXCEPTION to the law that requires all foreign visitors to go through Papeete first. (This was a draw for the film company- shorter trip than going to Tahiti, ''then'' out to the island.)

''Pilotage'': If you have a larger vessel and wish to NOT drop anchor outside the lagoon’s barrier reefs, the Port Authority will charge you to have a PA Pilot either taking the wheel of your vessel or watch over your shoulder.

''Quarantine:'' They are authorized to call ‘quarantine’ on a ship. This usually involves consulting with Port Cochere’s town doctor. If an initial inspection shows rampant vermin (rats, bugs, etc), contagious illness, or is shown to carry insufficiently contained dangerous live cargo, that vessel may be quarantined for any amount of time. Alternately, a ‘restricted bill of health’ may allow the crew to unload onto a lighter without any further contact or disembarkation. (This is a big deal- through a combination of vigilance and dumb luck, Ile Trouve is almost completely clear of invasive species like rats, and managed to avoid the worst of the global influenza epidemic in 1918.)

''Registry:'' They gladly keep books of what registered ships have passed through, per international maritime custom. (They do it so gladly that they keep more than one book!) They also ask to know where you’re going, as ports often do. They do know that almost any answer they get is likely to be a lie, however. They also keep an eye out for stolen or otherwise ‘commandeered’ vessels.[OOC: It is by no means a dealbreaker. (“Typical business” means you pay the ‘expediting’ fee) ]

''The Safe Harbor Rule:'' “Any port in a storm” is a law of the sea. The Port Authority cannot, by custom, refuse entry during an emergency. (Some clever bastards sometime try to arrive DURING a storm, in order to obtain berthing they otherwise would not get. They are seldom up to any good. )

''Shipping News:'' Using ships notices given by Mr. Kinney (Port Cochere’s young radioman), they know who is announced to be coming or going.

''Tugboat:'' The Port Authority also runs the majestic ''Le Pot de Rouille'', Port Cochere’s only tugboat. If you’re being towed in, this is the only game in town.

==“Nighttime Business”==

If the Mayor’s office represents the high-end “intrigue” end of Port Cochere’s business, the Port Authority represents pure piratical instinct.

''Additional Fees:'' While it is subsidized by the French government (represented in the person of His Honor the Mayor), the Port Authority nonetheless (off the record) extracts ‘fees for special procedures’ (for things likewise off-the-record). The most profitable fee the Authority uses is a ‘bypass’. Basically, for a fee, one need not bother oneself with the fine details. Port Liberty is sometimes sold, either for a fee or for a refundable security.

Obviously, this is only done within limits, otherwise nobody would use the harbor at all. Thus, all ‘fees’ must be justifiable to someone (ie, no straight up graft), and they must be taken in moderation (“Part of doing business”). The Port Authority does (per the old saw) “stay bought”, typically, and they know when to stop squeezing the stone.

They also keep the “surface tension” going. By making it prohibitive for smugglers or other demimondaines to just barge into the port, they encourage them to ‘transfer’ to light transport on out-islands, making it possible to say “we didn’t know!”. Since affordable anonymity is Ile Trouve’s most profitable industry, setting the price just-so is important.

''“Hiring Fees”'' (ie kickbacks): In exchange for ‘primary recommendation’ in hiring, the Port Authority tends to want a “Finder’s Fee”. Bas Ville is chock full of be crewmen whose hitch is over for one reason or another (“They left without me.” “I wonder WHY, hm?”), drifters, stowaways, renegade islanders no longer welcome at home, even refugees (though they’d have to be really stubborn refugees to be way out here.) This can make hiring a nightmare. While the Port Authority does show favoritism in ‘recommendations’, it at least imposes as sense of order.

''“Reading”:'' Members of the Port Authority have a knack for telling what’s on a ship and where it’s likely to go. (If you know the fuel-efficiencies of a ship and its fuel-load, you can find out where it’s going. Since ships rarely carry more ballast than they need to, a ship claiming to go a short distance while clearly loaded to go a long way (or vice versa) is of note. This information can then be ‘sold’ (to interested parties) or ‘sold back’ (to the owners of the ship in question). )

==Relations:==
''vs the Mayor’s Office:'' There’s always been a bit of a turf war between the two bureauxs. The Mayor’s office is charged with validating documents, which sometimes bumps into the Port Authority’s “checking your papers”, for example. [OOC: The main difference is that while the Mayor’s office might be obstructionist while flexing their bureaucratic muscles or illustrating a larger point, the Port Authority is mainly just looking to ‘expedite things’.]

''vs the Police:'' The Port Authority is fairly ginger about calling in the Municipals. They are not about to ask the Legionnaires to get involved, either. However, if they do see a crime committed that falls in either’s territory, they will call them immediately (theft, for example, or assaulting a Port Authority official.)

''vs. The Navy:'' The French Navy is based at Papeete. While the Port Authority may technically call the Navy in for certain things, this ruins certain gentlemen’s agreements. (That is, the French naval officer will ask what is going on, not take “well, you know…” for an answer, and will log whatever he is told, accurately.)

''vs. VIPs:'' Generally speaking, VIPs will be sized up on arrival. Exceptionally wealthy high-rollers tend to get “hands off” treatment, after initial contact. (Herr Zoransky for example.)

=The Police=

All French colonial law-enforcement attempts to model itself on the “home” model exercised in France. Port Cochere is no exception- though certain concessions have been made to Port Cochere’s unique situation.

At one point- due to the nature of the unique position of the Kamekame natives, vis a vis the town, it was considered to adopt a modified version of the Cercle system adopted in French West Africa, with appointed chieftains and so on. This plan did not survive contact (or lack thereof) with the Kamekame.

Therefore, an attempt was made to model the local forces on ones from Home.

-When role of the ''Gendarmerie nationale'' (that is, detached military-police responsible for public safety), this duty sometimes falls to the ''Legion Etrangere'' unit stationed at the fort overlooking town.

On occasion, they have done “Search and Rescue” missions in the countryside and coastal areas, such game-warden work as the island requires, crowd control and bodyguarding, securing the Port during emergencies, acting as an honor guard for dignitaries, and (of course) acting as Military Police amongst their own.

In deference to local wishes, the Legion command tends not to perform investigative functions, unless directly ordered to by the Governor (not the Mayor). They perform the other duties when requested by the Mayor, whom they file reports to for the duration. They generally arrive as armed and in uniform, as if they were on regular Legion business.

-''La Sûreté'' (France’s crack National Police force) have a few officers in the Territory, but none stationed at Ile Trouve itself.

(They tend to be assigned to larger cities, and would only really have a detective visit if there was a major crime in Port Cochere that the Territorial Government felt required investigation. There is not much chance of the Territorial Government having major crime in Port Cochere that they wanted to be investigated.)

-This leaves the ''Polices Municipales'', the police force that most Port Cochere residents see on average. The local Brigade of officers answers directly to the Mayor. While they technically share “rural guard” duties, if something requires forest ranger or ‘game warden’ duties, he gives it to the Legionnaires, owing to the delicacy of the Kamekame situation. Neither do they have investigative powers.

This leaves the Municipals as old-fashioned thieftakers. They break up fights, tell drunks and other disorderly people to go home, stop thefts and assaults, and provide assistance as needed. (If there were cars on Ile Trouve, they would ticket them, that sort of thing.) They have certain broadly-interpreted “good order” duties, and are supposed to help out in (for instance) disasters, but generally they stick to the basics: Patrolling and arresting. They wear a uniform (including a half-cape) and a baton. They do not typically carry firearms, though special circumstances may apply.

One thing that makes the local French colonial system different than the British colonial system is that the French system makes no differentiation between ‘subject’ and ‘native’- if an Islander is qualified to serve in the Municipals, they do. There is no ‘auxiliary’ or ‘tribal’ police force.

Also, all French citizens are considered eligible for national service, including colonial French. A great many Ile Trouveiens have taken the option of patrolling rather than, say, laying a road. (This is carefully tiptoed around in the case of the Kamekame, who are (diplomatically) assumed to ‘tend to their own law enforcement whilst on their private lands.’, due to a historical Protectorate status).

==Police Powers==

French law does not presume innocence, it presumes guilt. There is a right to silence, but they don’t need to remind you of it. Police may ask anyone to identify themselves, and hold unidentified people (even arrest them for resisting). They can question anyone about a case, search and seize property (during the day), detain suspects for up to a day without access to a lawyer for most of it.

==Courts==

The French Polynesian judicial system features a Court of First Instance, a Court of Appeal, and a Court of Administrative Law (which also handles things like business disputes). These are all located in Papeete, a fair distance away. If a case is not resolved locally (“Pay the fine, and don’t do it again”, for instance), the suspect is held until such time as he can be transported to court.

==Jail/Punishment==

There is a small jail here (maybe five or six old cells in a sun-blasted stone blockhouse), mainly used for holding prior to a prisoner transfer. Things tend to be “handled locally”, instead. French Polynesia has three prisons, none of which are near here. Rumor has it that the worst are still, unofficially, sent to the old penal colony at New Caledonia.

Generally speaking, there is a local distaste for jail-time- many of the French colonist’s forebears were sent to the island as Penal Colonists, so the idea just sits wrong. Fines and “alternate punishment” are favored as a result. Public execution (often by guillotine) is still common in France in this era- it’s an “arrow in the quiver”- but it has not been applied here for ages.

=Le Deuxieme Bureau=

The Second Bureau is France’s national intelligence agency. There are no apparent 2eme Bureau agents in Port Cochere, or on Ile Trouve as a whole. Neither the Mayor nor the Governor has ever contacted anyone from the Bureau. (It is left as an exercise for the reader to figure out exactly what use spies could be in Port Cochere.)

==Firefighting==
What firefighting exists in Port Cochere is on the volunteer "sand-and-water bucket chain" model.

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Film Crew

2015-06-04T18:17:34Z

Smoot: /* Camera Crew: */

''[OOC: This is, of course an almost-comedically small crew for a big film, but this is 'adventure sized'.]''

This is an overall listing of the film crew for the Metro Goldwyn-Mayer production ''Tailspin'', for the location shots on Ile Trouve, in French Polynesia.

''How are they getting here?'': The stars and most of the 'brass' came in via a China Clipper flying boat (on the first day of the campaign). The rest will follow, shortly, in a more practical ride- a steam freighter rented by the studio, that will be arriving after.

== THE BACK OFFICE ==

All of these people are relevant to the production, but are currently in Hollywood. (This doesn't include all the post-production people, but they're there, somewhere.)

'''Executive Producer''': Chris Sollenberger. Veteran of several films. Got this project greenlit, hired the screenwriters, etc.

'''Producer:''' Keith Parkinson
Raises funds, hires personnel, arranges for distributors. Overall quality-control man. He put this project up for Mr. Sollenberger’s approval. This is his first project, as a producer.

'''Line Producer:''' Charles Deasen. "Charlie" has the job of acting as a liason between the studio and the production manager. Responsible for managing the production budget. If things go over budget, he'll be the first to notice back home.

'''Legal Counsel:''' Francis Wilkins. Handles contracts, licensing, immigration paperwork, and other legal minutiae.

'''Music Director''': Lucazs Chmelíček. Eastern European composer. Recently had to leave his home country for political reasons. First film. Has requested, if possible, that the sound crew return some recordings of "local rhythms" for use in the score.

'''Production Accountant:''' Harry Smilek, Sr.

'''Publicist:''' Maura Capwell

'''Screenwriters''': There’s been a whole [i]team[/i] of them. A regular bullpen. ''Tailspin'' was originally a novel, but who knows where the author of that might be?

'''Casting Director:''' John Selway

“Johnny” reviews auditions and casts parts. He’s working an interesting angle with Tailspin: He’s managing to get character actors that would typically be well outside the picture’s budget on the promise of a relaxing tropical vacation with “just a little bit of shooting” tossed in. There's also some expectation that the field crew will find 'local talent' and put them to use as extras or bit players.

He actually got some trouble out of the way by agreeing to let a local bigwig (the mayor or governor or something) to be in the picture.

== PRODUCTION CREW: ==

This is the part of the actual "boots on the ground" production team that's currently back in Hollywood (setting up for later on)

'''Prop maker''': Vince Gibson. He can get a prop out here fast, by plane, if necessary, from his workshop outside Los Angeles.

'''Costume Designer/Wardrobe''': Nancy Krebs. Likewise in LA, she OK'd the suits and sarongs and such for the film.

'''Production Designer:''': Walter Markus. Heads up the Art Department, after a fashion. (The Art Director and Set Designer work for him.)

'''Illustrator/Graphic Artist''': Leland MacBride. He pulls double-duty on this production, heading up the bunch that does storyboards, 'artists conceptions' of things, and also physically makes things signs, billboards, posters, logos, etc. for the production. (Part of how they intend to get permission to use businesses, etc, is to make new signs and whatnot for them. Over the course of the story, Port Cochere might look different...) Currently at a workshop in Los Angeles.

== On-Island (The Location Crew) ==

'''Location Manager''': Eli Beck. Eli is, frankly, an incompetent who believed the third of the five inaccurate books about the Kamekame (available at the UCLA Irvine library). His job was to get final permission to use locations for filming, and get assistance from the production and finance departments in keeping location/permit/labor fees down. It was his decision to hire "alternate help" instead of waiting for Arthur's okay, to go 'by the book' in the permitting process, and so on. [He may get fired.]

'''Location Scout:''' This is, officially, '''Arthur's job'''. (There's otherwise a blank spot on the 'credit sheet' where his name would go') They essentially want his name for PR purposes, and to let Eli do the heavy lifting.

'''Production Manager:''' Brant Henshaw. A frequently red-faced, loud gentleman given to bouts of upset. (Picture... Paul Heyman, but in the 30s.) His job is to handle the logistical aspects of the shoot (personnel, tech, budget, scheduling, etc), not the creative ones (That's the director). He's already had a set-to with the Port Authority (over 'fees'), and others. He gets the job done, so even the people that don't like him love him.

He has terrified, newbie Assistant PM named Colin Harding, a fresh-faced kid who just got promoted to this position and didn't expect quite so much shouting.

'''Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator/Weapons Master''': Roy Blackburn. Works with the director and the 1st AD. Won't be in until the second bunch of people- Cary wanted his stuntman, Cranston, to come along in "First Class", but won't be doing any stunts until later. Blackburn's job is (among other things) to block and supervise the filming of Lana's dives. He's bearded and portly, but agile for his size. If he's demonstrating a fight scene, he seldom has to have an assistant do it, though he has famously never thrown a real punch in anger. (He has a ''fake'' punch that looks like it'd take a rhino's head off, but feels like a feather.)

'''Unit Publicist:''' [VACANT]. Eli Beck convinced the bigwigs back home that the general lack of press on Ile Trouve (outside of the press flacks he brought on the plane) meant that it wasn't necessary to have one.

= Camera Crew: =
'''DIRECTOR:''' Micah Wolman. Mr Wolman's excited to be out here. A veteran, old-school director, he's seeing this as the best of all worlds: An actioner 'and' a comedy 'and' maybe a musical to boot, plus he get to do documentary work (of a sort) on top of it. They might take it out of his hands for the shoot back in Hollywood, though, and he knows it. But he's been cooped up in studios, doing second-unit stuff for years, and this is, he says "what I'm 'supposed' to do."
He can be a tough to work with from time to time, but he gets pictures done on time in a way that takes weeks for other guys, and he's never going to complain about rough conditions. That made him ''perfect'' for this picture. [OOC: Picture him as "played by" William Wellman (See: www.imdb.com/media/rm3055593728/nm0920074?ref_=nm_ov_ph ).]

'''Cinematographer:'''
Assistant Cinem’r:

''Clapper/Loader'': Tyson Barrett. "Ty" handles the clapper (“Take one!” ''Clap''!), and also loads new reels. He's pretty quick (which you have to be in that line of work.) He's worked out a trick with smaller handheld cameras that allows not-very-steady, but continuous filming.

Camera Trainee: An intern

Production Manager:

Production Assistant (PA):

Unit Manager: Production Manager for 2nd unit shooting

Script Supervisor/Continuity guy

== The Sound Gang ==
(There's a lot of post-production involved, but these are the field-guys. Though they could technically do Foley if needed.)

Production sound

Production sound mixer

Boom operator: Barry Doyle.

Utility sound technician

== The Tech Crew: ==

''Lighting Team:''
Key Grip: Head grip (lighting and rigging guy). Works with the DP to set up the set, do lighting and blocking.

''Gaffer'': Chief lighting technician

''Best Boy:'' Assistant to the Gaffer

''Electrician'': Handles electrical distribution around the set.

== The Prop & Set Team: ==

Greensman: Handles the care and arrangement of plants/greenery.
Prop Master: Manages any item handled by an actor that isn’t part of the scenery or costumes.

Set Dresser:
Buyer: Works locally, buying what props need to be bought.

Set decorator: Furnishings and props. Works with the Production designer and art director

Lead Man: Foreman of the set crew (or swing gang).

Hair and make-up

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Film Crew

2015-06-04T18:16:36Z

Smoot: /* Camera Crew: */

''[OOC: This is, of course an almost-comedically small crew for a big film, but this is 'adventure sized'.]''

This is an overall listing of the film crew for the Metro Goldwyn-Mayer production ''Tailspin'', for the location shots on Ile Trouve, in French Polynesia.

''How are they getting here?'': The stars and most of the 'brass' came in via a China Clipper flying boat (on the first day of the campaign). The rest will follow, shortly, in a more practical ride- a steam freighter rented by the studio, that will be arriving after.

== THE BACK OFFICE ==

All of these people are relevant to the production, but are currently in Hollywood. (This doesn't include all the post-production people, but they're there, somewhere.)

'''Executive Producer''': Chris Sollenberger. Veteran of several films. Got this project greenlit, hired the screenwriters, etc.

'''Producer:''' Keith Parkinson
Raises funds, hires personnel, arranges for distributors. Overall quality-control man. He put this project up for Mr. Sollenberger’s approval. This is his first project, as a producer.

'''Line Producer:''' Charles Deasen. "Charlie" has the job of acting as a liason between the studio and the production manager. Responsible for managing the production budget. If things go over budget, he'll be the first to notice back home.

'''Legal Counsel:''' Francis Wilkins. Handles contracts, licensing, immigration paperwork, and other legal minutiae.

'''Music Director''': Lucazs Chmelíček. Eastern European composer. Recently had to leave his home country for political reasons. First film. Has requested, if possible, that the sound crew return some recordings of "local rhythms" for use in the score.

'''Production Accountant:''' Harry Smilek, Sr.

'''Publicist:''' Maura Capwell

'''Screenwriters''': There’s been a whole [i]team[/i] of them. A regular bullpen. ''Tailspin'' was originally a novel, but who knows where the author of that might be?

'''Casting Director:''' John Selway

“Johnny” reviews auditions and casts parts. He’s working an interesting angle with Tailspin: He’s managing to get character actors that would typically be well outside the picture’s budget on the promise of a relaxing tropical vacation with “just a little bit of shooting” tossed in. There's also some expectation that the field crew will find 'local talent' and put them to use as extras or bit players.

He actually got some trouble out of the way by agreeing to let a local bigwig (the mayor or governor or something) to be in the picture.

== PRODUCTION CREW: ==

This is the part of the actual "boots on the ground" production team that's currently back in Hollywood (setting up for later on)

'''Prop maker''': Vince Gibson. He can get a prop out here fast, by plane, if necessary, from his workshop outside Los Angeles.

'''Costume Designer/Wardrobe''': Nancy Krebs. Likewise in LA, she OK'd the suits and sarongs and such for the film.

'''Production Designer:''': Walter Markus. Heads up the Art Department, after a fashion. (The Art Director and Set Designer work for him.)

'''Illustrator/Graphic Artist''': Leland MacBride. He pulls double-duty on this production, heading up the bunch that does storyboards, 'artists conceptions' of things, and also physically makes things signs, billboards, posters, logos, etc. for the production. (Part of how they intend to get permission to use businesses, etc, is to make new signs and whatnot for them. Over the course of the story, Port Cochere might look different...) Currently at a workshop in Los Angeles.

== On-Island (The Location Crew) ==

'''Location Manager''': Eli Beck. Eli is, frankly, an incompetent who believed the third of the five inaccurate books about the Kamekame (available at the UCLA Irvine library). His job was to get final permission to use locations for filming, and get assistance from the production and finance departments in keeping location/permit/labor fees down. It was his decision to hire "alternate help" instead of waiting for Arthur's okay, to go 'by the book' in the permitting process, and so on. [He may get fired.]

'''Location Scout:''' This is, officially, '''Arthur's job'''. (There's otherwise a blank spot on the 'credit sheet' where his name would go') They essentially want his name for PR purposes, and to let Eli do the heavy lifting.

'''Production Manager:''' Brant Henshaw. A frequently red-faced, loud gentleman given to bouts of upset. (Picture... Paul Heyman, but in the 30s.) His job is to handle the logistical aspects of the shoot (personnel, tech, budget, scheduling, etc), not the creative ones (That's the director). He's already had a set-to with the Port Authority (over 'fees'), and others. He gets the job done, so even the people that don't like him love him.

He has terrified, newbie Assistant PM named Colin Harding, a fresh-faced kid who just got promoted to this position and didn't expect quite so much shouting.

'''Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator/Weapons Master''': Roy Blackburn. Works with the director and the 1st AD. Won't be in until the second bunch of people- Cary wanted his stuntman, Cranston, to come along in "First Class", but won't be doing any stunts until later. Blackburn's job is (among other things) to block and supervise the filming of Lana's dives. He's bearded and portly, but agile for his size. If he's demonstrating a fight scene, he seldom has to have an assistant do it, though he has famously never thrown a real punch in anger. (He has a ''fake'' punch that looks like it'd take a rhino's head off, but feels like a feather.)

'''Unit Publicist:''' [VACANT]. Eli Beck convinced the bigwigs back home that the general lack of press on Ile Trouve (outside of the press flacks he brought on the plane) meant that it wasn't necessary to have one.

= Camera Crew: =
'''DIRECTOR:''' Micah Wolman. Micah's excited to be out here. A veteran, old-school director, he's seeing this as the best of all worlds: An actioner 'and' a comedy 'and' maybe a musical to boot, plus he get to do documentary work (of a sort) on top of it. They might take it out of his hands for the shoot back in Hollywood, though, and he knows it. But he's been cooped up in studios, doing second-unit stuff for years, and this is, he says "what I'm 'supposed' to do."
He can be a tough to work with from time to time, but he gets pictures done on time in a way that takes weeks for other guys, and he's never going to complain about rough conditions. That made him ''perfect'' for this picture. [OOC: Picture him as "played by" William Wellman (See: www.imdb.com/media/rm3055593728/nm0920074?ref_=nm_ov_ph ).]

'''Cinematographer:'''
Assistant Cinem’r:

''Clapper/Loader'': Tyson Barrett. "Ty" handles the clapper (“Take one!” ''Clap''!), and also loads new reels. He's pretty quick (which you have to be in that line of work.) He's worked out a trick with smaller handheld cameras that allows not-very-steady, but continuous filming.

Camera Trainee: An intern

Production Manager:

Production Assistant (PA):

Unit Manager: Production Manager for 2nd unit shooting

Script Supervisor/Continuity guy

== The Sound Gang ==
(There's a lot of post-production involved, but these are the field-guys. Though they could technically do Foley if needed.)

Production sound

Production sound mixer

Boom operator: Barry Doyle.

Utility sound technician

== The Tech Crew: ==

''Lighting Team:''
Key Grip: Head grip (lighting and rigging guy). Works with the DP to set up the set, do lighting and blocking.

''Gaffer'': Chief lighting technician

''Best Boy:'' Assistant to the Gaffer

''Electrician'': Handles electrical distribution around the set.

== The Prop & Set Team: ==

Greensman: Handles the care and arrangement of plants/greenery.
Prop Master: Manages any item handled by an actor that isn’t part of the scenery or costumes.

Set Dresser:
Buyer: Works locally, buying what props need to be bought.

Set decorator: Furnishings and props. Works with the Production designer and art director

Lead Man: Foreman of the set crew (or swing gang).

Hair and make-up

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Film Crew

2015-06-04T18:12:17Z

Smoot: /* Camera Crew: */

''[OOC: This is, of course an almost-comedically small crew for a big film, but this is 'adventure sized'.]''

This is an overall listing of the film crew for the Metro Goldwyn-Mayer production ''Tailspin'', for the location shots on Ile Trouve, in French Polynesia.

''How are they getting here?'': The stars and most of the 'brass' came in via a China Clipper flying boat (on the first day of the campaign). The rest will follow, shortly, in a more practical ride- a steam freighter rented by the studio, that will be arriving after.

== THE BACK OFFICE ==

All of these people are relevant to the production, but are currently in Hollywood. (This doesn't include all the post-production people, but they're there, somewhere.)

'''Executive Producer''': Chris Sollenberger. Veteran of several films. Got this project greenlit, hired the screenwriters, etc.

'''Producer:''' Keith Parkinson
Raises funds, hires personnel, arranges for distributors. Overall quality-control man. He put this project up for Mr. Sollenberger’s approval. This is his first project, as a producer.

'''Line Producer:''' Charles Deasen. "Charlie" has the job of acting as a liason between the studio and the production manager. Responsible for managing the production budget. If things go over budget, he'll be the first to notice back home.

'''Legal Counsel:''' Francis Wilkins. Handles contracts, licensing, immigration paperwork, and other legal minutiae.

'''Music Director''': Lucazs Chmelíček. Eastern European composer. Recently had to leave his home country for political reasons. First film. Has requested, if possible, that the sound crew return some recordings of "local rhythms" for use in the score.

'''Production Accountant:''' Harry Smilek, Sr.

'''Publicist:''' Maura Capwell

'''Screenwriters''': There’s been a whole [i]team[/i] of them. A regular bullpen. ''Tailspin'' was originally a novel, but who knows where the author of that might be?

'''Casting Director:''' John Selway

“Johnny” reviews auditions and casts parts. He’s working an interesting angle with Tailspin: He’s managing to get character actors that would typically be well outside the picture’s budget on the promise of a relaxing tropical vacation with “just a little bit of shooting” tossed in. There's also some expectation that the field crew will find 'local talent' and put them to use as extras or bit players.

He actually got some trouble out of the way by agreeing to let a local bigwig (the mayor or governor or something) to be in the picture.

== PRODUCTION CREW: ==

This is the part of the actual "boots on the ground" production team that's currently back in Hollywood (setting up for later on)

'''Prop maker''': Vince Gibson. He can get a prop out here fast, by plane, if necessary, from his workshop outside Los Angeles.

'''Costume Designer/Wardrobe''': Nancy Krebs. Likewise in LA, she OK'd the suits and sarongs and such for the film.

'''Production Designer:''': Walter Markus. Heads up the Art Department, after a fashion. (The Art Director and Set Designer work for him.)

'''Illustrator/Graphic Artist''': Leland MacBride. He pulls double-duty on this production, heading up the bunch that does storyboards, 'artists conceptions' of things, and also physically makes things signs, billboards, posters, logos, etc. for the production. (Part of how they intend to get permission to use businesses, etc, is to make new signs and whatnot for them. Over the course of the story, Port Cochere might look different...) Currently at a workshop in Los Angeles.

== On-Island (The Location Crew) ==

'''Location Manager''': Eli Beck. Eli is, frankly, an incompetent who believed the third of the five inaccurate books about the Kamekame (available at the UCLA Irvine library). His job was to get final permission to use locations for filming, and get assistance from the production and finance departments in keeping location/permit/labor fees down. It was his decision to hire "alternate help" instead of waiting for Arthur's okay, to go 'by the book' in the permitting process, and so on. [He may get fired.]

'''Location Scout:''' This is, officially, '''Arthur's job'''. (There's otherwise a blank spot on the 'credit sheet' where his name would go') They essentially want his name for PR purposes, and to let Eli do the heavy lifting.

'''Production Manager:''' Brant Henshaw. A frequently red-faced, loud gentleman given to bouts of upset. (Picture... Paul Heyman, but in the 30s.) His job is to handle the logistical aspects of the shoot (personnel, tech, budget, scheduling, etc), not the creative ones (That's the director). He's already had a set-to with the Port Authority (over 'fees'), and others. He gets the job done, so even the people that don't like him love him.

He has terrified, newbie Assistant PM named Colin Harding, a fresh-faced kid who just got promoted to this position and didn't expect quite so much shouting.

'''Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator/Weapons Master''': Roy Blackburn. Works with the director and the 1st AD. Won't be in until the second bunch of people- Cary wanted his stuntman, Cranston, to come along in "First Class", but won't be doing any stunts until later. Blackburn's job is (among other things) to block and supervise the filming of Lana's dives. He's bearded and portly, but agile for his size. If he's demonstrating a fight scene, he seldom has to have an assistant do it, though he has famously never thrown a real punch in anger. (He has a ''fake'' punch that looks like it'd take a rhino's head off, but feels like a feather.)

'''Unit Publicist:''' [VACANT]. Eli Beck convinced the bigwigs back home that the general lack of press on Ile Trouve (outside of the press flacks he brought on the plane) meant that it wasn't necessary to have one.

= Camera Crew: =
'''DIRECTOR:''' Micah Wolman. Micah's excited to be out here. A veteran, old-school director, he's seeing this as the best of all worlds: An actioner 'and' a comedy 'and' maybe a musical to boot, plus he get to do documentary work (of a sort) on top of it. He's been cooped up in studios, doing second-unit stuff for years, and this is, he says "what I'm 'supposed' to do." [OOC: Picture him as "played by" [William Wellman] (See: www.imdb.com/media/rm3055593728/nm0920074?ref_=nm_ov_ph ).]

'''Cinematographer:'''
Assistant Cinem’r:

''Clapper/Loader'': Tyson Barrett. "Ty" handles the clapper (“Take one!” ''Clap''!), and also loads new reels. He's pretty quick (which you have to be in that line of work.) He's worked out a trick with smaller handheld cameras that allows not-very-steady, but continuous filming.

Camera Trainee: An intern

Production Manager:

Production Assistant (PA):

Unit Manager: Production Manager for 2nd unit shooting

Script Supervisor/Continuity guy

== The Sound Gang ==
(There's a lot of post-production involved, but these are the field-guys. Though they could technically do Foley if needed.)

Production sound

Production sound mixer

Boom operator: Barry Doyle.

Utility sound technician

== The Tech Crew: ==

''Lighting Team:''
Key Grip: Head grip (lighting and rigging guy). Works with the DP to set up the set, do lighting and blocking.

''Gaffer'': Chief lighting technician

''Best Boy:'' Assistant to the Gaffer

''Electrician'': Handles electrical distribution around the set.

== The Prop & Set Team: ==

Greensman: Handles the care and arrangement of plants/greenery.
Prop Master: Manages any item handled by an actor that isn’t part of the scenery or costumes.

Set Dresser:
Buyer: Works locally, buying what props need to be bought.

Set decorator: Furnishings and props. Works with the Production designer and art director

Lead Man: Foreman of the set crew (or swing gang).

Hair and make-up

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Film Crew

2015-06-04T17:27:38Z

Smoot: /* THE BACK OFFICE */

''[OOC: This is, of course an almost-comedically small crew for a big film, but this is 'adventure sized'.]''

This is an overall listing of the film crew for the Metro Goldwyn-Mayer production ''Tailspin'', for the location shots on Ile Trouve, in French Polynesia.

''How are they getting here?'': The stars and most of the 'brass' came in via a China Clipper flying boat (on the first day of the campaign). The rest will follow, shortly, in a more practical ride- a steam freighter rented by the studio, that will be arriving after.

== THE BACK OFFICE ==

All of these people are relevant to the production, but are currently in Hollywood. (This doesn't include all the post-production people, but they're there, somewhere.)

'''Executive Producer''': Chris Sollenberger. Veteran of several films. Got this project greenlit, hired the screenwriters, etc.

'''Producer:''' Keith Parkinson
Raises funds, hires personnel, arranges for distributors. Overall quality-control man. He put this project up for Mr. Sollenberger’s approval. This is his first project, as a producer.

'''Line Producer:''' Charles Deasen. "Charlie" has the job of acting as a liason between the studio and the production manager. Responsible for managing the production budget. If things go over budget, he'll be the first to notice back home.

'''Legal Counsel:''' Francis Wilkins. Handles contracts, licensing, immigration paperwork, and other legal minutiae.

'''Music Director''': Lucazs Chmelíček. Eastern European composer. Recently had to leave his home country for political reasons. First film. Has requested, if possible, that the sound crew return some recordings of "local rhythms" for use in the score.

'''Production Accountant:''' Harry Smilek, Sr.

'''Publicist:''' Maura Capwell

'''Screenwriters''': There’s been a whole [i]team[/i] of them. A regular bullpen. ''Tailspin'' was originally a novel, but who knows where the author of that might be?

'''Casting Director:''' John Selway

“Johnny” reviews auditions and casts parts. He’s working an interesting angle with Tailspin: He’s managing to get character actors that would typically be well outside the picture’s budget on the promise of a relaxing tropical vacation with “just a little bit of shooting” tossed in. There's also some expectation that the field crew will find 'local talent' and put them to use as extras or bit players.

He actually got some trouble out of the way by agreeing to let a local bigwig (the mayor or governor or something) to be in the picture.

== PRODUCTION CREW: ==

This is the part of the actual "boots on the ground" production team that's currently back in Hollywood (setting up for later on)

'''Prop maker''': Vince Gibson. He can get a prop out here fast, by plane, if necessary, from his workshop outside Los Angeles.

'''Costume Designer/Wardrobe''': Nancy Krebs. Likewise in LA, she OK'd the suits and sarongs and such for the film.

'''Production Designer:''': Walter Markus. Heads up the Art Department, after a fashion. (The Art Director and Set Designer work for him.)

'''Illustrator/Graphic Artist''': Leland MacBride. He pulls double-duty on this production, heading up the bunch that does storyboards, 'artists conceptions' of things, and also physically makes things signs, billboards, posters, logos, etc. for the production. (Part of how they intend to get permission to use businesses, etc, is to make new signs and whatnot for them. Over the course of the story, Port Cochere might look different...) Currently at a workshop in Los Angeles.

== On-Island (The Location Crew) ==

'''Location Manager''': Eli Beck. Eli is, frankly, an incompetent who believed the third of the five inaccurate books about the Kamekame (available at the UCLA Irvine library). His job was to get final permission to use locations for filming, and get assistance from the production and finance departments in keeping location/permit/labor fees down. It was his decision to hire "alternate help" instead of waiting for Arthur's okay, to go 'by the book' in the permitting process, and so on. [He may get fired.]

'''Location Scout:''' This is, officially, '''Arthur's job'''. (There's otherwise a blank spot on the 'credit sheet' where his name would go') They essentially want his name for PR purposes, and to let Eli do the heavy lifting.

'''Production Manager:''' Brant Henshaw. A frequently red-faced, loud gentleman given to bouts of upset. (Picture... Paul Heyman, but in the 30s.) His job is to handle the logistical aspects of the shoot (personnel, tech, budget, scheduling, etc), not the creative ones (That's the director). He's already had a set-to with the Port Authority (over 'fees'), and others. He gets the job done, so even the people that don't like him love him.

He has terrified, newbie Assistant PM named Colin Harding, a fresh-faced kid who just got promoted to this position and didn't expect quite so much shouting.

'''Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator/Weapons Master''': Roy Blackburn. Works with the director and the 1st AD. Won't be in until the second bunch of people- Cary wanted his stuntman, Cranston, to come along in "First Class", but won't be doing any stunts until later. Blackburn's job is (among other things) to block and supervise the filming of Lana's dives. He's bearded and portly, but agile for his size. If he's demonstrating a fight scene, he seldom has to have an assistant do it, though he has famously never thrown a real punch in anger. (He has a ''fake'' punch that looks like it'd take a rhino's head off, but feels like a feather.)

'''Unit Publicist:''' [VACANT]. Eli Beck convinced the bigwigs back home that the general lack of press on Ile Trouve (outside of the press flacks he brought on the plane) meant that it wasn't necessary to have one.

= Camera Crew: =
DIRECTOR:

'''Cinematographer:'''
Assistant Cinem’r:

Clapper/Loader: Handles the clapper (“Take one!” Clap!), also loads new reels.

Camera Trainee: An intern

Production Manager:

Production Assistant (PA):

Unit Manager: Production Manager for 2nd unit shooting

Script Supervisor/Continuity guy

== The Sound Gang ==
(There's a lot of post-production involved, but these are the field-guys. Though they could technically do Foley if needed.)

Production sound

Production sound mixer

Boom operator: Barry Doyle.

Utility sound technician

== The Tech Crew: ==

''Lighting Team:''
Key Grip: Head grip (lighting and rigging guy). Works with the DP to set up the set, do lighting and blocking.

''Gaffer'': Chief lighting technician

''Best Boy:'' Assistant to the Gaffer

''Electrician'': Handles electrical distribution around the set.

== The Prop & Set Team: ==

Greensman: Handles the care and arrangement of plants/greenery.
Prop Master: Manages any item handled by an actor that isn’t part of the scenery or costumes.

Set Dresser:
Buyer: Works locally, buying what props need to be bought.

Set decorator: Furnishings and props. Works with the Production designer and art director

Lead Man: Foreman of the set crew (or swing gang).

Hair and make-up

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Film Crew

2015-06-04T17:26:14Z

Smoot: /* THE BACK OFFICE */

''[OOC: This is, of course an almost-comedically small crew for a big film, but this is 'adventure sized'.]''

This is an overall listing of the film crew for the Metro Goldwyn-Mayer production ''Tailspin'', for the location shots on Ile Trouve, in French Polynesia.

''How are they getting here?'': The stars and most of the 'brass' came in via a China Clipper flying boat (on the first day of the campaign). The rest will follow, shortly, in a more practical ride- a steam freighter rented by the studio, that will be arriving after.

== THE BACK OFFICE ==

All of these people are relevant to the production, but are currently in Hollywood. (This doesn't include all the post-production people, but they're there, somewhere.)

'''Casting Director:''' John Selway
“Johnny” reviews auditions and casts parts. He’s working an interesting angle with Tailspin: He’s managing to get character actors that would typically be well outside the picture’s budget on the promise of a relaxing tropical vacation with “just a little bit of shooting” tossed in. There's also some expectation that the field crew will find 'local talent' and put them to use as extras or bit players.

He actually got some trouble out of the way by agreeing to let a local bigwig (the mayor or governor or something) to be in the picture.

'''Executive Producer''': Chris Sollenberger. Veteran of several films. Got this project greenlit, hired the screenwriters, etc.

'''Legal Counsel:''' Francis Wilkins. Handles contracts, licensing, immigration paperwork, and other legal minutiae.

'''Music Director''': Lucazs Chmelíček. Eastern European composer. Recently had to leave his home country for political reasons. First film. Has requested, if possible, that the sound crew return some recordings of "local rhythms" for use in the score.

'''Producer:''' Keith Parkinson
Raises funds, hires personnel, arranges for distributors. Overall quality-control man. He put this project up for Mr. Sollenberger’s approval. This is his first project, as a producer.

'''Line Producer:''' Charles Deasen. "Charlie" has the job of acting as a liason between the studio and the production manager. Responsible for managing the production budget. If things go over budget, he'll be the first to notice back home.

'''Production Accountant:''' Harry Smilek, Sr.

'''Publicist:''' Maura Capwell

'''Screenwriters''': There’s been a whole [i]team[/i] of them. A regular bullpen. ''Tailspin'' was originally a novel, but who knows where the author of that might be?

== PRODUCTION CREW: ==

This is the part of the actual "boots on the ground" production team that's currently back in Hollywood (setting up for later on)

'''Prop maker''': Vince Gibson. He can get a prop out here fast, by plane, if necessary, from his workshop outside Los Angeles.

'''Costume Designer/Wardrobe''': Nancy Krebs. Likewise in LA, she OK'd the suits and sarongs and such for the film.

'''Production Designer:''': Walter Markus. Heads up the Art Department, after a fashion. (The Art Director and Set Designer work for him.)

'''Illustrator/Graphic Artist''': Leland MacBride. He pulls double-duty on this production, heading up the bunch that does storyboards, 'artists conceptions' of things, and also physically makes things signs, billboards, posters, logos, etc. for the production. (Part of how they intend to get permission to use businesses, etc, is to make new signs and whatnot for them. Over the course of the story, Port Cochere might look different...) Currently at a workshop in Los Angeles.

== On-Island (The Location Crew) ==

'''Location Manager''': Eli Beck. Eli is, frankly, an incompetent who believed the third of the five inaccurate books about the Kamekame (available at the UCLA Irvine library). His job was to get final permission to use locations for filming, and get assistance from the production and finance departments in keeping location/permit/labor fees down. It was his decision to hire "alternate help" instead of waiting for Arthur's okay, to go 'by the book' in the permitting process, and so on. [He may get fired.]

'''Location Scout:''' This is, officially, '''Arthur's job'''. (There's otherwise a blank spot on the 'credit sheet' where his name would go') They essentially want his name for PR purposes, and to let Eli do the heavy lifting.

'''Production Manager:''' Brant Henshaw. A frequently red-faced, loud gentleman given to bouts of upset. (Picture... Paul Heyman, but in the 30s.) His job is to handle the logistical aspects of the shoot (personnel, tech, budget, scheduling, etc), not the creative ones (That's the director). He's already had a set-to with the Port Authority (over 'fees'), and others. He gets the job done, so even the people that don't like him love him.

He has terrified, newbie Assistant PM named Colin Harding, a fresh-faced kid who just got promoted to this position and didn't expect quite so much shouting.

'''Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator/Weapons Master''': Roy Blackburn. Works with the director and the 1st AD. Won't be in until the second bunch of people- Cary wanted his stuntman, Cranston, to come along in "First Class", but won't be doing any stunts until later. Blackburn's job is (among other things) to block and supervise the filming of Lana's dives. He's bearded and portly, but agile for his size. If he's demonstrating a fight scene, he seldom has to have an assistant do it, though he has famously never thrown a real punch in anger. (He has a ''fake'' punch that looks like it'd take a rhino's head off, but feels like a feather.)

'''Unit Publicist:''' [VACANT]. Eli Beck convinced the bigwigs back home that the general lack of press on Ile Trouve (outside of the press flacks he brought on the plane) meant that it wasn't necessary to have one.

= Camera Crew: =
DIRECTOR:

'''Cinematographer:'''
Assistant Cinem’r:

Clapper/Loader: Handles the clapper (“Take one!” Clap!), also loads new reels.

Camera Trainee: An intern

Production Manager:

Production Assistant (PA):

Unit Manager: Production Manager for 2nd unit shooting

Script Supervisor/Continuity guy

== The Sound Gang ==
(There's a lot of post-production involved, but these are the field-guys. Though they could technically do Foley if needed.)

Production sound

Production sound mixer

Boom operator: Barry Doyle.

Utility sound technician

== The Tech Crew: ==

''Lighting Team:''
Key Grip: Head grip (lighting and rigging guy). Works with the DP to set up the set, do lighting and blocking.

''Gaffer'': Chief lighting technician

''Best Boy:'' Assistant to the Gaffer

''Electrician'': Handles electrical distribution around the set.

== The Prop & Set Team: ==

Greensman: Handles the care and arrangement of plants/greenery.
Prop Master: Manages any item handled by an actor that isn’t part of the scenery or costumes.

Set Dresser:
Buyer: Works locally, buying what props need to be bought.

Set decorator: Furnishings and props. Works with the Production designer and art director

Lead Man: Foreman of the set crew (or swing gang).

Hair and make-up

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Film Crew

2015-06-04T17:23:22Z

Smoot: /* On-Island (The Location Crew) */

''[OOC: This is, of course an almost-comedically small crew for a big film, but this is 'adventure sized'.]''

This is an overall listing of the film crew for the Metro Goldwyn-Mayer production ''Tailspin'', for the location shots on Ile Trouve, in French Polynesia.

''How are they getting here?'': The stars and most of the 'brass' came in via a China Clipper flying boat (on the first day of the campaign). The rest will follow, shortly, in a more practical ride- a steam freighter rented by the studio, that will be arriving after.

== THE BACK OFFICE ==

All of these people are relevant to the production, but are currently in Hollywood. (This doesn't include all the post-production people, but

'''Casting Director:''' John Selway
“Johnny” reviews auditions and casts parts. He’s working an interesting angle with Tailspin: He’s managing to get character actors that would typically be well outside the picture’s budget on the promise of a relaxing tropical vacation with “just a little bit of shooting” tossed in. There's also some expectation that the field crew will find 'local talent' and put them to use as extras or bit players.

He actually got some trouble out of the way by agreeing to let a local bigwig (the mayor or governor or something) to be in the picture.

'''Executive Producer''': Chris Sollenberger. Veteran of several films. Got this project greenlit, hired the screenwriters, etc.

'''Legal Counsel:''' Francis Wilkins. Handles contracts, licensing, immigration paperwork, and other legal minutiae.

'''Music Director''': Lucazs Chmelíček. Eastern European composer. Recently had to leave his home country for political reasons. First film. Has requested, if possible, that the sound crew return some recordings of "local rhythms" for use in the score.

'''Producer:''' Keith Parkinson
Raises funds, hires personnel, arranges for distributors. Overall quality-control man. He put this project up for Mr. Sollenberger’s approval. This is his first project, as a producer.

'''Line Producer:''' Charles Deasen. "Charlie" has the job of acting as a liason between the studio and the production manager. Responsible for managing the production budget. If things go over budget, he'll be the first to notice back home.

'''Production Accountant:''' Harry Smilek, Sr.

'''Publicist:''' Maura Capwell

'''Screenwriters''': There’s been a whole [i]team[/i] of them. A regular bullpen. ''Tailspin'' was originally a novel, but who knows where the author of that might be?

== PRODUCTION CREW: ==

This is the part of the actual "boots on the ground" production team that's currently back in Hollywood (setting up for later on)

'''Prop maker''': Vince Gibson. He can get a prop out here fast, by plane, if necessary, from his workshop outside Los Angeles.

'''Costume Designer/Wardrobe''': Nancy Krebs. Likewise in LA, she OK'd the suits and sarongs and such for the film.

'''Production Designer:''': Walter Markus. Heads up the Art Department, after a fashion. (The Art Director and Set Designer work for him.)

'''Illustrator/Graphic Artist''': Leland MacBride. He pulls double-duty on this production, heading up the bunch that does storyboards, 'artists conceptions' of things, and also physically makes things signs, billboards, posters, logos, etc. for the production. (Part of how they intend to get permission to use businesses, etc, is to make new signs and whatnot for them. Over the course of the story, Port Cochere might look different...) Currently at a workshop in Los Angeles.

== On-Island (The Location Crew) ==

'''Location Manager''': Eli Beck. Eli is, frankly, an incompetent who believed the third of the five inaccurate books about the Kamekame (available at the UCLA Irvine library). His job was to get final permission to use locations for filming, and get assistance from the production and finance departments in keeping location/permit/labor fees down. It was his decision to hire "alternate help" instead of waiting for Arthur's okay, to go 'by the book' in the permitting process, and so on. [He may get fired.]

'''Location Scout:''' This is, officially, '''Arthur's job'''. (There's otherwise a blank spot on the 'credit sheet' where his name would go') They essentially want his name for PR purposes, and to let Eli do the heavy lifting.

'''Production Manager:''' Brant Henshaw. A frequently red-faced, loud gentleman given to bouts of upset. (Picture... Paul Heyman, but in the 30s.) His job is to handle the logistical aspects of the shoot (personnel, tech, budget, scheduling, etc), not the creative ones (That's the director). He's already had a set-to with the Port Authority (over 'fees'), and others. He gets the job done, so even the people that don't like him love him.

He has terrified, newbie Assistant PM named Colin Harding, a fresh-faced kid who just got promoted to this position and didn't expect quite so much shouting.

'''Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator/Weapons Master''': Roy Blackburn. Works with the director and the 1st AD. Won't be in until the second bunch of people- Cary wanted his stuntman, Cranston, to come along in "First Class", but won't be doing any stunts until later. Blackburn's job is (among other things) to block and supervise the filming of Lana's dives. He's bearded and portly, but agile for his size. If he's demonstrating a fight scene, he seldom has to have an assistant do it, though he has famously never thrown a real punch in anger. (He has a ''fake'' punch that looks like it'd take a rhino's head off, but feels like a feather.)

'''Unit Publicist:''' [VACANT]. Eli Beck convinced the bigwigs back home that the general lack of press on Ile Trouve (outside of the press flacks he brought on the plane) meant that it wasn't necessary to have one.

= Camera Crew: =
DIRECTOR:

'''Cinematographer:'''
Assistant Cinem’r:

Clapper/Loader: Handles the clapper (“Take one!” Clap!), also loads new reels.

Camera Trainee: An intern

Production Manager:

Production Assistant (PA):

Unit Manager: Production Manager for 2nd unit shooting

Script Supervisor/Continuity guy

== The Sound Gang ==
(There's a lot of post-production involved, but these are the field-guys. Though they could technically do Foley if needed.)

Production sound

Production sound mixer

Boom operator: Barry Doyle.

Utility sound technician

== The Tech Crew: ==

''Lighting Team:''
Key Grip: Head grip (lighting and rigging guy). Works with the DP to set up the set, do lighting and blocking.

''Gaffer'': Chief lighting technician

''Best Boy:'' Assistant to the Gaffer

''Electrician'': Handles electrical distribution around the set.

== The Prop & Set Team: ==

Greensman: Handles the care and arrangement of plants/greenery.
Prop Master: Manages any item handled by an actor that isn’t part of the scenery or costumes.

Set Dresser:
Buyer: Works locally, buying what props need to be bought.

Set decorator: Furnishings and props. Works with the Production designer and art director

Lead Man: Foreman of the set crew (or swing gang).

Hair and make-up

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Film Crew

2015-06-04T15:22:06Z

Smoot: /* THE BACK OFFICE */

''[OOC: This is, of course an almost-comedically small crew for a big film, but this is 'adventure sized'.]''

This is an overall listing of the film crew for the Metro Goldwyn-Mayer production ''Tailspin'', for the location shots on Ile Trouve, in French Polynesia.

''How are they getting here?'': The stars and most of the 'brass' came in via a China Clipper flying boat (on the first day of the campaign). The rest will follow, shortly, in a more practical ride- a steam freighter rented by the studio, that will be arriving after.

== THE BACK OFFICE ==

All of these people are relevant to the production, but are currently in Hollywood. (This doesn't include all the post-production people, but

'''Casting Director:''' John Selway
“Johnny” reviews auditions and casts parts. He’s working an interesting angle with Tailspin: He’s managing to get character actors that would typically be well outside the picture’s budget on the promise of a relaxing tropical vacation with “just a little bit of shooting” tossed in. There's also some expectation that the field crew will find 'local talent' and put them to use as extras or bit players.

He actually got some trouble out of the way by agreeing to let a local bigwig (the mayor or governor or something) to be in the picture.

'''Executive Producer''': Chris Sollenberger. Veteran of several films. Got this project greenlit, hired the screenwriters, etc.

'''Legal Counsel:''' Francis Wilkins. Handles contracts, licensing, immigration paperwork, and other legal minutiae.

'''Music Director''': Lucazs Chmelíček. Eastern European composer. Recently had to leave his home country for political reasons. First film. Has requested, if possible, that the sound crew return some recordings of "local rhythms" for use in the score.

'''Producer:''' Keith Parkinson
Raises funds, hires personnel, arranges for distributors. Overall quality-control man. He put this project up for Mr. Sollenberger’s approval. This is his first project, as a producer.

'''Line Producer:''' Charles Deasen. "Charlie" has the job of acting as a liason between the studio and the production manager. Responsible for managing the production budget. If things go over budget, he'll be the first to notice back home.

'''Production Accountant:''' Harry Smilek, Sr.

'''Publicist:''' Maura Capwell

'''Screenwriters''': There’s been a whole [i]team[/i] of them. A regular bullpen. ''Tailspin'' was originally a novel, but who knows where the author of that might be?

== PRODUCTION CREW: ==

This is the part of the actual "boots on the ground" production team that's currently back in Hollywood (setting up for later on)

'''Prop maker''': Vince Gibson. He can get a prop out here fast, by plane, if necessary, from his workshop outside Los Angeles.

'''Costume Designer/Wardrobe''': Nancy Krebs. Likewise in LA, she OK'd the suits and sarongs and such for the film.

'''Production Designer:''': Walter Markus. Heads up the Art Department, after a fashion. (The Art Director and Set Designer work for him.)

'''Illustrator/Graphic Artist''': Leland MacBride. He pulls double-duty on this production, heading up the bunch that does storyboards, 'artists conceptions' of things, and also physically makes things signs, billboards, posters, logos, etc. for the production. (Part of how they intend to get permission to use businesses, etc, is to make new signs and whatnot for them. Over the course of the story, Port Cochere might look different...) Currently at a workshop in Los Angeles.

== On-Island (The Location Crew) ==

'''Location Manager''': Eli Beck. Eli is, frankly, an incompetent who believed the third of the five inaccurate books about the Kamekame (available at the UCLA Irvine library). His job was to get final permission to use locations for filming, and get assistance from the production and finance departments in keeping location/permit/labor fees down. It was his decision to hire "alternate help" instead of waiting for Arthur's okay, to go 'by the book' in the permitting process, and so on. [He may get fired.]

'''Location Scout:''' This is, officially, '''Arthur's job'''. (There's otherwise a blank spot on the 'credit sheet' where his name would go') They essentially want his name for PR purposes, and to let Eli do the heavy lifting.

'''Production Manager:''' Vincent Henshaw. A frequently red-faced, loud gentleman given to bouts of upset. (Picture... Paul Heyman, but in the 30s.) His job is to handle the logistical aspects of the shoot (personnel, tech, budget, scheduling, etc), not the creative ones (That's the director). He's already had a set-to with the Port Authority (over 'fees'), and others. He gets the job done, so even the people that don't like him love him.

He has terrified, newbie Assistant PM named Colin Harding, a fresh-faced kid who just got promoted to this position and didn't expect quite so much shouting.

'''Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator/Weapons Master''': Roy Blackburn. Works with the director and the 1st AD. Won't be in until the second bunch of people- Cary wanted his stuntman, Cranston, to come along in "First Class", but won't be doing any stunts until later. Blackburn's job is (among other things) to block and supervise the filming of Lana's dives. He's bearded and portly, but agile for his size. If he's demonstrating a fight scene, he seldom has to have an assistant do it, though he has famously never thrown a real punch in anger. (He has a ''fake'' punch that looks like it'd take a rhino's head off, but feels like a feather.)

'''Unit Publicist:''' [VACANT]. Eli Beck convinced the bigwigs back home that the general lack of press on Ile Trouve (outside of the press flacks he brought on the plane) meant that it wasn't necessary to have one.

= Camera Crew: =
DIRECTOR:

'''Cinematographer:'''
Assistant Cinem’r:

Clapper/Loader: Handles the clapper (“Take one!” Clap!), also loads new reels.

Camera Trainee: An intern

Production Manager:

Production Assistant (PA):

Unit Manager: Production Manager for 2nd unit shooting

Script Supervisor/Continuity guy

== The Sound Gang ==
(There's a lot of post-production involved, but these are the field-guys. Though they could technically do Foley if needed.)

Production sound

Production sound mixer

Boom operator: Barry Doyle.

Utility sound technician

== The Tech Crew: ==

''Lighting Team:''
Key Grip: Head grip (lighting and rigging guy). Works with the DP to set up the set, do lighting and blocking.

''Gaffer'': Chief lighting technician

''Best Boy:'' Assistant to the Gaffer

''Electrician'': Handles electrical distribution around the set.

== The Prop & Set Team: ==

Greensman: Handles the care and arrangement of plants/greenery.
Prop Master: Manages any item handled by an actor that isn’t part of the scenery or costumes.

Set Dresser:
Buyer: Works locally, buying what props need to be bought.

Set decorator: Furnishings and props. Works with the Production designer and art director

Lead Man: Foreman of the set crew (or swing gang).

Hair and make-up

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Film Crew

2015-06-04T15:19:55Z

Smoot: /* On-Island (The Location Crew) */

''[OOC: This is, of course an almost-comedically small crew for a big film, but this is 'adventure sized'.]''

This is an overall listing of the film crew for the Metro Goldwyn-Mayer production ''Tailspin'', for the location shots on Ile Trouve, in French Polynesia.

''How are they getting here?'': The stars and most of the 'brass' came in via a China Clipper flying boat (on the first day of the campaign). The rest will follow, shortly, in a more practical ride- a steam freighter rented by the studio, that will be arriving after.

== THE BACK OFFICE ==

All of these people are relevant to the production, but are currently in Hollywood. (This doesn't include all the post-production people, but

'''Casting Director:''' John Selway
“Johnny” reviews auditions and casts parts. He’s working an interesting angle with Tailspin: He’s managing to get character actors that would typically be well outside the picture’s budget on the promise of a relaxing tropical vacation with “just a little bit of shooting” tossed in. There's also some expectation that the field crew will find 'local talent' and put them to use as extras or bit players.

He actually got some trouble out of the way by agreeing to let a local bigwig (the mayor or governor or something) to be in the picture.

'''Executive Producer''': Chris Sollenberger. Veteran of several films. Got this project greenlit, hired the screenwriters, etc.

'''Legal Counsel:''' Francis Wilkins. Handles contracts, licensing, immigration paperwork, and other legal minutiae.

'''Music Director''': Lucazs Chmelíček. Eastern European composer. Recently had to leave his home country for political reasons. First film.

'''Producer:''' Keith Parkinson
Raises funds, hires personnel, arranges for distributors. Overall quality-control man. He put this project up for Mr. Sollenberger’s approval. This is his first project, as a producer.

'''Line Producer:''' Charles Deasen. "Charlie" has the job of acting as a liason between the studio and the production manager. Responsible for managing the production budget. If things go over budget, he'll be the first to notice back home.

'''Production Accountant:''' Harry Smilek, Sr.

'''Publicist:''' Maura Capwell

'''Screenwriters''': There’s been a whole [i]team[/i] of them. A regular bullpen. ''Tailspin'' was originally a novel, but who knows where the author of that might be?

== PRODUCTION CREW: ==

This is the part of the actual "boots on the ground" production team that's currently back in Hollywood (setting up for later on)

'''Prop maker''': Vince Gibson. He can get a prop out here fast, by plane, if necessary, from his workshop outside Los Angeles.

'''Costume Designer/Wardrobe''': Nancy Krebs. Likewise in LA, she OK'd the suits and sarongs and such for the film.

'''Production Designer:''': Walter Markus. Heads up the Art Department, after a fashion. (The Art Director and Set Designer work for him.)

'''Illustrator/Graphic Artist''': Leland MacBride. He pulls double-duty on this production, heading up the bunch that does storyboards, 'artists conceptions' of things, and also physically makes things signs, billboards, posters, logos, etc. for the production. (Part of how they intend to get permission to use businesses, etc, is to make new signs and whatnot for them. Over the course of the story, Port Cochere might look different...) Currently at a workshop in Los Angeles.

== On-Island (The Location Crew) ==

'''Location Manager''': Eli Beck. Eli is, frankly, an incompetent who believed the third of the five inaccurate books about the Kamekame (available at the UCLA Irvine library). His job was to get final permission to use locations for filming, and get assistance from the production and finance departments in keeping location/permit/labor fees down. It was his decision to hire "alternate help" instead of waiting for Arthur's okay, to go 'by the book' in the permitting process, and so on. [He may get fired.]

'''Location Scout:''' This is, officially, '''Arthur's job'''. (There's otherwise a blank spot on the 'credit sheet' where his name would go') They essentially want his name for PR purposes, and to let Eli do the heavy lifting.

'''Production Manager:''' Vincent Henshaw. A frequently red-faced, loud gentleman given to bouts of upset. (Picture... Paul Heyman, but in the 30s.) His job is to handle the logistical aspects of the shoot (personnel, tech, budget, scheduling, etc), not the creative ones (That's the director). He's already had a set-to with the Port Authority (over 'fees'), and others. He gets the job done, so even the people that don't like him love him.

He has terrified, newbie Assistant PM named Colin Harding, a fresh-faced kid who just got promoted to this position and didn't expect quite so much shouting.

'''Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator/Weapons Master''': Roy Blackburn. Works with the director and the 1st AD. Won't be in until the second bunch of people- Cary wanted his stuntman, Cranston, to come along in "First Class", but won't be doing any stunts until later. Blackburn's job is (among other things) to block and supervise the filming of Lana's dives. He's bearded and portly, but agile for his size. If he's demonstrating a fight scene, he seldom has to have an assistant do it, though he has famously never thrown a real punch in anger. (He has a ''fake'' punch that looks like it'd take a rhino's head off, but feels like a feather.)

'''Unit Publicist:''' [VACANT]. Eli Beck convinced the bigwigs back home that the general lack of press on Ile Trouve (outside of the press flacks he brought on the plane) meant that it wasn't necessary to have one.

= Camera Crew: =
DIRECTOR:

'''Cinematographer:'''
Assistant Cinem’r:

Clapper/Loader: Handles the clapper (“Take one!” Clap!), also loads new reels.

Camera Trainee: An intern

Production Manager:

Production Assistant (PA):

Unit Manager: Production Manager for 2nd unit shooting

Script Supervisor/Continuity guy

== The Sound Gang ==
(There's a lot of post-production involved, but these are the field-guys. Though they could technically do Foley if needed.)

Production sound

Production sound mixer

Boom operator: Barry Doyle.

Utility sound technician

== The Tech Crew: ==

''Lighting Team:''
Key Grip: Head grip (lighting and rigging guy). Works with the DP to set up the set, do lighting and blocking.

''Gaffer'': Chief lighting technician

''Best Boy:'' Assistant to the Gaffer

''Electrician'': Handles electrical distribution around the set.

== The Prop & Set Team: ==

Greensman: Handles the care and arrangement of plants/greenery.
Prop Master: Manages any item handled by an actor that isn’t part of the scenery or costumes.

Set Dresser:
Buyer: Works locally, buying what props need to be bought.

Set decorator: Furnishings and props. Works with the Production designer and art director

Lead Man: Foreman of the set crew (or swing gang).

Hair and make-up

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:Smoots Guide Kamekame

2015-06-04T15:13:34Z

Smoot: /* Demographics */

'''The Kamekame'''

[OOC: Originally, we were going to call them the Kamakama ("Smart" in Maori), but usage kinda... slipped.Also, this wiki entry is from the PoV of non-Kamekame, and contains "errors"- the Kamekame are very insular, and have been so for over a century. A lot will be revealed during the campaign, and added here as we go.]

The Kamekame are the indigenous people of Ile Trouve, in the New Hibernia archipelago.

The Kamekame have gone to great lengths to keep outsiders from their land. Early on, they somehow managed to (correctly) surmise that it was necessary to gain land-concessions from the French for the lands they currently occupied. Tribal representatives, unexpectedly shrewdly to European eyes, played the colonial powers off eachother ('Perhaps the British or Germans would grant us this thing?'), and finally granted “recognition” of France’s general dominion without ceding a centimeter of land. (Every settlement since has been a negotiated concession.) Ergo, most of Ile Trouve is private, collective property of the Kamekame within the larger French territory in Polynesia.

== Demographics ==

''Population'': Uncertain. (No census figures.)

The Kamekame, so far as any outsider can tell, can be broadly said to be in three groups:

-''Coastal'' Kamekame: The majority of the fisher-folk, lighters, divers and so on seen in Port Cochere come from coastal villages. ( http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/view-of-unspoiled-polynesian-fishing-village-in-a-scene-news-photo/507440037 ) They augment traditional Polynesian seagoing methods (celestial navigation, outriggers, shell-charts, etc) with modern compasses and so on. They have also adopted the coracle for lagoon-fishing.

These Kamekame seem highly curious about others' seacraft. Some speculate that if it weren't for the problem of leaving Ile Trouve for too long, the worlds' merchant marines might be packed with Kamekame.

Others posit that they want to know how people get here, so they might pass knowledge of those methods on to other Kamekame who don't ''want'' those people here. The coastal Kamekame apparently are exempt from the daily "Singing out" ritual, though they also do not linger after the sun dips low in the sky.

-''Lowland'' Kamekame: These Kamekame come from lowland farming villages closer to town (trading farmed-goods and other goods handed down from the island’s highlands.) Many also act as porters, stevedores and so on, in town.

(Perhaps, something like: http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/etexts/HenFiji/HenFijiP011a.jpg).

-''Highland'' Kamekame: Very little is known of the Kamekame who live in Ile Trouve's deep interior. And this is, apparently, how they wish it.

== Cultural Details ==
'''Virtually everything non-islanders know for sure about the Kamekame is through observation. The reason follows:

'''Whatever the Kamekame’s attitude toward falsehood may be, it apparently does not extend to academics offering to buy information. Five attempts at anthropological surveys have been written, and all five are mutually contradictory. The interviewees seemed to be most adept at letting people draw their own conclusions without stopping them: One account has them as fierce, anarchic cannibals. Others describe the same exact peoples as ‘noble savages’ with a Scots-like clann structure, and so on.'''

''''Architecture'''': The only Kamekame buildings seen by non-Kamekame are the coastal villages visible from shore. They seem to be typical of similar structures seen in French Polynesia.

'''''Arts''''': Kamekame tikis and masks are sold in the marketplaces. The other arts practiced by the Kamekame are mainly clothing or personal adornment (such as tattooing). Taboos on sharing beliefs with outsiders curtails exchanges of folktales, for example, so what sort of oral literature they may practice is unknown. The Kamekame do sing, quite often, in their language and others. There are records of Kamekame saying there are "Kamekame dances", but they have not been performed for outsiders.

'''''Clothing'':'''' The Kamekame seen in Port Cochere adhere to local custom- specifically, they imitate the fashion of other islanders visiting Ile Trouve. Women favor sarong-like dresses, Men tend to wear sandals and ''lava-lavas''. What they do outside of town has not been documented by outsiders.

Floral arrangements (or single flowers) are a common adornment- there seems to be a kind of "flower language", almost like the Victorians practiced. (How one wears one's flower(s), and what kind of flower one is wearing carry meaning, much as it is practiced on Tahiti or the Sandwich Islands. The 'rules' seem different, however.)

'

'''''Education:'''''
How the Kamekame pass on their own traditions and folkways is poorly-documented (by outsiders.) The Kamekame have sent their children to schools near the coastal villages, but teachers are not encouraged to enter Kamekame territory.

'''''Government:'''''
The Kamekame do seem to have a system of rulership beyond the village level, but its workings are a mystery to outsiders. There have, historically, been representatives of the Kamekame to the Colonial Government, but not anything so fixed as a seated ambassador or 'on call' emissary. (So far as can be told, the representatives were a sort of senior village headman who conveyed the will of his people. If the Kamekame have a king, they do not speak of him.)

'''''Laws''''': The Kamekame seem to have an elaborate legal system based on taboos, but this apparently does not extend to outsiders. One of the taboos seems to be extended discussion ''of'' the legal system with outsiders.

However, what is known is that the Kamekame seem to have a razor-sharp sense of Legalism. Residents of the Chinese Fishing Village have discussed how the Kamekame gave concessions for where and when they might fish in Ile Trouve's waters, for example- so excruciatingly precise that some of the Fishing Village opt to go fish near other islands' waters entirely. And, as noted, they grasped the French colonial system well enough to play on the Colonial Government's level, on several historic occasions.

'''''Religion''''': Largely unknown. The Kamekame clearly have a well-defined system of taboos- but one of them seems to be discussing their beliefs with outsiders.

They steadfastly do not permit missionaries to enter their lands to preach or convert. Reasons given go from “we have our own ways” to “If this is true, it will be true when I tell it. You don’t need to come in.” and “If I was not going to your peoples’ Hell until you told me it existed, why did you tell me so?” (and a flat refusal to pass the information further.)

However, there apparently ''are'' Christian Kamekame- at least natives who attend mass and otherwise go to the Mission on the north of the island, from several villages near the mission. Even the clurgy there are uncertain of this, but it seems like at least some moved specifically to those villages in order to do so. According mission records, Matthew 8:8 is the most-popular Bible verse among the Kamekame.

'''''Sports and Games''''': The Kamekame have been seen joining in games in Port (wrestling, foot-racing, betting on animal fights or occasionally gambling), but only as a 'break'. As the Kamekame return to their villages at the end of a workday, this is not a regular occurrence. It isn't known what they play among themselves.

'''''Trade''''': The Kamekame traders who come into Port Cochere tend to work in barter, rather than trade via currency. Some posit a system of ritual, non-commercial trade exists, but this is unconfirmed. The Kamekame tend to sell sea-goods (sea-cucumbers, pearls, etc). If paid in currency, they tend to use it to buy something of maximum value with the money before returning home with it. No record exists of a Kamekame agreeing to a personal, non-verbal contract (as opposed to the treaties and other brokered agreements between the Kamekame as a whole and the French.)

'''''Transportation and Travel''''': The Kamekame use advanced boats in the Polynesian mode. Land travel seems to be confined to foot travel, with occasional travois-style carriers. There are no roads into the lowlands or highlands suitable for motor transport, and while wild horses live on Ile Trouve, the Kamekame have not been seen to practice horsemanship.

'''''Warfare''''': Aside from skirmishes at the very beginning of Ile Trouve's colonization and resistance to attempts at impressment, there have been no major armed conflicts between the French at Port Cochere and the Kamekame. By the accounts of other islanders, the Kamekame ''have'' waged war in the past, but have not done so since European contact. (The "War Boats" spoken of seem to have gone- no evidence of them in coastal villages.)

Internal conflicts, should they exist, are back-burnered when outsiders are present.

Arms sales, a historically-booming trade with peoples such as the Maori and Sandwich Islanders, was generally not approved of by French colonial authorities. And even when bootleg sales have been found to have happened, the Kamekame claimed to "not have" the firearms soon afterwards. Occasionally, a rusted or broken gun has been found, confirming this theory. The going theory is that, having no tradition of metal weaponry, the Kamekame view all weapons as inherently disposable.

'''''Writing''''': The Kamekame seem to embrace literacy (sending their children to school and attending mission services), but have not displayed a native writing system.

== Customs & Etiquette ==

''Burial Customs'': No outsider has yet seen what the Kamekame do with their dead. No visitor has, to date, seen a cemetery or graveyard.

''Facial Expressions/Body language:'' French colonial authorities tend toward a low estimation of the intelligence of the Kamekame in town due to their near-constant smiling (a judgement the French, to be fair, also reserve for ''les Americains''.) Other, visiting islanders in Port Cochere claim to find the Kamekame cordial, if a bit standoffish.

An odd note: Some Kamekame have been seen to "count to 25" on their hands like some Malaysian peoples do, rather than to ten (per standard).

''Masks and Tikis'':The Kamekame seem to have an advanced ‘mask culture’ as several Polynesian peoples do, but while they have sold the masks, outsiders have not seen them in use, nor are they (generally) invited to come watch.

"Singing In" and "Singing Out": Generally speaking, “We will come to you” seems to be the motto of the villages closest to town. As sunrise begins, there is usually a procession of villagers into town for trade or work, and a similar group-egress just before nightfall. They rarely conduct trade with outsiders in their home villages.

The Kamekame apparently put a great deal of stock in 'permission'. They do not enter homes, businesses or other occupied buildings without announcing their presence in some fashion (either taking tacit or explicit approval and entering, or simply not going in). This extends to the entire town of Port Cochere. A spectacular, daily ritual is the process of 'singing in' and 'singing out', where the Kamekame arrive en masse around daybreak, singing so that their approach would not be taken as as trespassing, and 'singing out' at nightfall, to give notice of their approach at home. The practical purpose of this seems to partly be to startle off any wild animals in their path, but also to announce their arrival (in a non-aggressive way).

Simply ‘barging in’ (say, to a Kamekame village) would be considered an act of aggression. (Given their terrain advantage and likely numbers involved, even the most aggressive Legion garrison officers have not considered this advisable. Given that France itself claims to only want Ile Trouve so that some other power didn’t have it, the manpower to do such a thing goes unspared.)

''Speech'': While the Kamekame speak what seems to be a complex language of their own, those who enter town favor French (or, for some, English) over speaking their own language to outsiders- there seems to be a taboo on the matter. They seem to regard loud speaking as itself aggressive. They have a rather short 'cutoff' before sitting to have longer discussions (that is, they do not 'stand in the street talking' as long as other cultures might.)

''Taboo'': The Kamekame keep a great many things as ‘tabu’, private, or secret from outsiders. Most questions about their lands, history, beliefs, traditions and customs are responded to with an a whole vocabulary of non- answers: “I don’t know” , ‘I’m not sure’, ‘not understand the question’, or just a non-committal grin. Questions about warfare traditions are greeted with “….are we fighting?”, questions about courtship with “…are we courting?”, and so on.

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:Smoots Guide Kamekame

2015-06-04T15:13:20Z

Smoot: /* Demographics */

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:Smoots Guide Kamekame

2015-06-04T15:12:19Z

Smoot:

'''The Kamekame'''

[OOC: Originally, we were going to call them the Kamakama ("Smart" in Maori), but usage kinda... slipped.Also, this wiki entry is from the PoV of non-Kamekame, and contains "errors"- the Kamekame are very insular, and have been so for over a century. A lot will be revealed during the campaign, and added here as we go.]

The Kamekame are the indigenous people of Ile Trouve, in the New Hibernia archipelago.

The Kamekame have gone to great lengths to keep outsiders from their land. Early on, they somehow managed to (correctly) surmise that it was necessary to gain land-concessions from the French for the lands they currently occupied. Tribal representatives, unexpectedly shrewdly to European eyes, played the colonial powers off eachother ('Perhaps the British or Germans would grant us this thing?'), and finally granted “recognition” of France’s general dominion without ceding a centimeter of land. (Every settlement since has been a negotiated concession.) Ergo, most of Ile Trouve is private, collective property of the Kamekame within the larger French territory in Polynesia.

== Demographics ==

''Population'': Uncertain. (No census figures.)

The Kamekame, so far as any outsider can tell, can be broadly said to be in three groups:

''Coastal'' Kamekame: The majority of the fisher-folk, lighters, divers and so on seen in Port Cochere come from coastal villages. ( http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/view-of-unspoiled-polynesian-fishing-village-in-a-scene-news-photo/507440037 ) They augment traditional Polynesian seagoing methods (celestial navigation, outriggers, shell-charts, etc) with modern compasses and so on. They have also adopted the coracle for lagoon-fishing.

Seagoing Kamekame seem highly curious about others' seacraft. Some speculate that if it weren't for the problem of leaving Ile Trouve for too long, the worlds' merchant marines might be packed with Kamekame. Others posit that they want to know how people get here, so they might pass knowledge of those methods on to other Kamekame who don't ''want'' those people here.

The coastal Kamekame apparently are exempt from the daily "Singing out" ritual, though they also do not linger after the sun dips low in the sky.

''Lowland'' Kamekame: These Kamekame come from lowland farming villages closer to town (trading farmed-goods and other goods handed down from the island’s highlands.) Many also act as porters, stevedores and so on, in town.

(Perhaps, something like: http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/etexts/HenFiji/HenFijiP011a.jpg).

''Highland'' Kamekame: Very little is known of the Kamekame who live in Ile Trouve's deep interior. And this is, apparently, how they wish it.

== Cultural Details ==
'''Virtually everything non-islanders know for sure about the Kamekame is through observation. The reason follows:

'''Whatever the Kamekame’s attitude toward falsehood may be, it apparently does not extend to academics offering to buy information. Five attempts at anthropological surveys have been written, and all five are mutually contradictory. The interviewees seemed to be most adept at letting people draw their own conclusions without stopping them: One account has them as fierce, anarchic cannibals. Others describe the same exact peoples as ‘noble savages’ with a Scots-like clann structure, and so on.'''

''''Architecture'''': The only Kamekame buildings seen by non-Kamekame are the coastal villages visible from shore. They seem to be typical of similar structures seen in French Polynesia.

'''''Arts''''': Kamekame tikis and masks are sold in the marketplaces. The other arts practiced by the Kamekame are mainly clothing or personal adornment (such as tattooing). Taboos on sharing beliefs with outsiders curtails exchanges of folktales, for example, so what sort of oral literature they may practice is unknown. The Kamekame do sing, quite often, in their language and others. There are records of Kamekame saying there are "Kamekame dances", but they have not been performed for outsiders.

'''''Clothing'':'''' The Kamekame seen in Port Cochere adhere to local custom- specifically, they imitate the fashion of other islanders visiting Ile Trouve. Women favor sarong-like dresses, Men tend to wear sandals and ''lava-lavas''. What they do outside of town has not been documented by outsiders.

Floral arrangements (or single flowers) are a common adornment- there seems to be a kind of "flower language", almost like the Victorians practiced. (How one wears one's flower(s), and what kind of flower one is wearing carry meaning, much as it is practiced on Tahiti or the Sandwich Islands. The 'rules' seem different, however.)

'

'''''Education:'''''
How the Kamekame pass on their own traditions and folkways is poorly-documented (by outsiders.) The Kamekame have sent their children to schools near the coastal villages, but teachers are not encouraged to enter Kamekame territory.

'''''Government:'''''
The Kamekame do seem to have a system of rulership beyond the village level, but its workings are a mystery to outsiders. There have, historically, been representatives of the Kamekame to the Colonial Government, but not anything so fixed as a seated ambassador or 'on call' emissary. (So far as can be told, the representatives were a sort of senior village headman who conveyed the will of his people. If the Kamekame have a king, they do not speak of him.)

'''''Laws''''': The Kamekame seem to have an elaborate legal system based on taboos, but this apparently does not extend to outsiders. One of the taboos seems to be extended discussion ''of'' the legal system with outsiders.

However, what is known is that the Kamekame seem to have a razor-sharp sense of Legalism. Residents of the Chinese Fishing Village have discussed how the Kamekame gave concessions for where and when they might fish in Ile Trouve's waters, for example- so excruciatingly precise that some of the Fishing Village opt to go fish near other islands' waters entirely. And, as noted, they grasped the French colonial system well enough to play on the Colonial Government's level, on several historic occasions.

'''''Religion''''': Largely unknown. The Kamekame clearly have a well-defined system of taboos- but one of them seems to be discussing their beliefs with outsiders.

They steadfastly do not permit missionaries to enter their lands to preach or convert. Reasons given go from “we have our own ways” to “If this is true, it will be true when I tell it. You don’t need to come in.” and “If I was not going to your peoples’ Hell until you told me it existed, why did you tell me so?” (and a flat refusal to pass the information further.)

However, there apparently ''are'' Christian Kamekame- at least natives who attend mass and otherwise go to the Mission on the north of the island, from several villages near the mission. Even the clurgy there are uncertain of this, but it seems like at least some moved specifically to those villages in order to do so. According mission records, Matthew 8:8 is the most-popular Bible verse among the Kamekame.

'''''Sports and Games''''': The Kamekame have been seen joining in games in Port (wrestling, foot-racing, betting on animal fights or occasionally gambling), but only as a 'break'. As the Kamekame return to their villages at the end of a workday, this is not a regular occurrence. It isn't known what they play among themselves.

'''''Trade''''': The Kamekame traders who come into Port Cochere tend to work in barter, rather than trade via currency. Some posit a system of ritual, non-commercial trade exists, but this is unconfirmed. The Kamekame tend to sell sea-goods (sea-cucumbers, pearls, etc). If paid in currency, they tend to use it to buy something of maximum value with the money before returning home with it. No record exists of a Kamekame agreeing to a personal, non-verbal contract (as opposed to the treaties and other brokered agreements between the Kamekame as a whole and the French.)

'''''Transportation and Travel''''': The Kamekame use advanced boats in the Polynesian mode. Land travel seems to be confined to foot travel, with occasional travois-style carriers. There are no roads into the lowlands or highlands suitable for motor transport, and while wild horses live on Ile Trouve, the Kamekame have not been seen to practice horsemanship.

'''''Warfare''''': Aside from skirmishes at the very beginning of Ile Trouve's colonization and resistance to attempts at impressment, there have been no major armed conflicts between the French at Port Cochere and the Kamekame. By the accounts of other islanders, the Kamekame ''have'' waged war in the past, but have not done so since European contact. (The "War Boats" spoken of seem to have gone- no evidence of them in coastal villages.)

Internal conflicts, should they exist, are back-burnered when outsiders are present.

Arms sales, a historically-booming trade with peoples such as the Maori and Sandwich Islanders, was generally not approved of by French colonial authorities. And even when bootleg sales have been found to have happened, the Kamekame claimed to "not have" the firearms soon afterwards. Occasionally, a rusted or broken gun has been found, confirming this theory. The going theory is that, having no tradition of metal weaponry, the Kamekame view all weapons as inherently disposable.

'''''Writing''''': The Kamekame seem to embrace literacy (sending their children to school and attending mission services), but have not displayed a native writing system.

== Customs & Etiquette ==

''Burial Customs'': No outsider has yet seen what the Kamekame do with their dead. No visitor has, to date, seen a cemetery or graveyard.

''Facial Expressions/Body language:'' French colonial authorities tend toward a low estimation of the intelligence of the Kamekame in town due to their near-constant smiling (a judgement the French, to be fair, also reserve for ''les Americains''.) Other, visiting islanders in Port Cochere claim to find the Kamekame cordial, if a bit standoffish.

An odd note: Some Kamekame have been seen to "count to 25" on their hands like some Malaysian peoples do, rather than to ten (per standard).

''Masks and Tikis'':The Kamekame seem to have an advanced ‘mask culture’ as several Polynesian peoples do, but while they have sold the masks, outsiders have not seen them in use, nor are they (generally) invited to come watch.

"Singing In" and "Singing Out": Generally speaking, “We will come to you” seems to be the motto of the villages closest to town. As sunrise begins, there is usually a procession of villagers into town for trade or work, and a similar group-egress just before nightfall. They rarely conduct trade with outsiders in their home villages.

The Kamekame apparently put a great deal of stock in 'permission'. They do not enter homes, businesses or other occupied buildings without announcing their presence in some fashion (either taking tacit or explicit approval and entering, or simply not going in). This extends to the entire town of Port Cochere. A spectacular, daily ritual is the process of 'singing in' and 'singing out', where the Kamekame arrive en masse around daybreak, singing so that their approach would not be taken as as trespassing, and 'singing out' at nightfall, to give notice of their approach at home. The practical purpose of this seems to partly be to startle off any wild animals in their path, but also to announce their arrival (in a non-aggressive way).

Simply ‘barging in’ (say, to a Kamekame village) would be considered an act of aggression. (Given their terrain advantage and likely numbers involved, even the most aggressive Legion garrison officers have not considered this advisable. Given that France itself claims to only want Ile Trouve so that some other power didn’t have it, the manpower to do such a thing goes unspared.)

''Speech'': While the Kamekame speak what seems to be a complex language of their own, those who enter town favor French (or, for some, English) over speaking their own language to outsiders- there seems to be a taboo on the matter. They seem to regard loud speaking as itself aggressive. They have a rather short 'cutoff' before sitting to have longer discussions (that is, they do not 'stand in the street talking' as long as other cultures might.)

''Taboo'': The Kamekame keep a great many things as ‘tabu’, private, or secret from outsiders. Most questions about their lands, history, beliefs, traditions and customs are responded to with an a whole vocabulary of non- answers: “I don’t know” , ‘I’m not sure’, ‘not understand the question’, or just a non-committal grin. Questions about warfare traditions are greeted with “….are we fighting?”, questions about courtship with “…are we courting?”, and so on.

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Mayor

2015-06-04T14:56:19Z

Smoot:

'''The Mayor:'''

The Mayor of Port Cochere is a Ministry of the Interior functionary who, they say, found out something he shouldn’t have about his superior.

He was promoted out of his section, but was then given the “Guilded Cage” assignment of Port Cochere for his troubles.

A French colonial governor has less leeway than, say, a British colonial governor. All instructions come from Paris, and are to be followed, without delay or interpretation. The “Home office” in Paris is several weeks away from Papeete (the regional capital), and it’s an even further delay to go from Papeete to Porte Cochere.

Therefore, the Mayor is put on the end of a very short leash, officially speaking. If he was a by-the-book player, this would be a nightmare. The place sustains itself on things that ought not to, officially, be happening. Virtually any ‘failure’(that is, public revelation) on the part of the Colonial government would be squarely placed on him. He’s presumably already sacrificed his one bit of blackmail material just to get a field posting.

He and the Governor are technically on the same side (Keep French Polynesia French, carry out orders from Home, etc), but at the same time they know the deal ("You are disposable, M'sieur." "I know." ) and even if they were friendly that would put a strain on it.

Basically, he’s more than what he seems. But not MUCH more. (Think of a French William H. Macy-in-''Fargo'', and you’re in the ballpark.)

To his credit, he does keep a steady appearance and manages to not let the place explode. But he’s notas clever as he thinks he is. And almost everyone plays for bigger stakes than he ever did- he’s worried that the Kamekame are going to brush the town off the island, or the Legion would refuse to heed his commands, or that some faction would somehow take the island out from under him.

As many as can arrange it bring their wives and kids. He has not. Not just because of the circumstances, not even because he’s got local mistresses.
It’s because he likes that they think of him as on top of things. He desperately wants to ‘become the mask’ of his competent identity, and them thinking he’s that in Paris is better than them realizing who he is, right there.

''“Playing Defense”:''

-He is not at all interested in taking on anything that is going to get him into MORE trouble. This includes taking blame or determined-responsibility for as much as possible. He is happiest when getting the least official attention.

-He is attempting to do the ‘hang around, find out something useful, put it to work’ thing that so many do here. He’s just not particularly good at it. It worked once and that was his one-hit wonder.

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Authorities

2015-06-04T14:29:06Z

Smoot: /* “Nighttime Business” */

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Authorities

2015-06-04T14:28:03Z

Smoot: /* Relations: */

= The Colonial Government =

'''Full Name:''' Établissements Français de l'Océanie (French Establishments in Oceania)

'''Capital:''' Papeete, Tahiti. (OOC: If you're asking a question about where to find [Western convention or amenity not in Port Cochere], it's probably in Papeete- courts, jails, the military, newspapers, all that business.)

Executive:

'''Governor:''' Frédéric Marie Jean Baptiste Chastenet de Géry [RL person.] Appointed March of 1937.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between the French and British systems is that a "native" would generally not be allowed to serve in British administration, where all in French territory are considered citizens. (That is, you may find islanders in administrative support roles in French Polynesia, but not British holdings.)

Legislature:

'''Privy Council''': Advisors to the Governor.

'''Advisory Council:''' This was, formerly, a body of representatives from the Islands. In 1903, it was changed to a purely advisory administrative group.

==Policies==

In principle, the goal of the Establishment government is to bring the benefits of French civilization to the area: religion, scientific progress, and so on. It mainly does this through the method of "Direct Rule".

Direct rule differs from the British method in a several major ways: British governors are allowed more leeway for decision than their French counterparts (who carry out instructions from, and answer to, Paris). And where the British foster relationships with 'native leaders' (Chieftains, and so on), the French system considers all residents of its territory to be French. Therefore there is no official acknowledgement of tribal life, native traditions, or local mores. (French is the only language spoken in school or court, as well.)

The policy also encourages assimilation, and association (with somewhat more social intermixing than in the British system). There is somewhat less stigma in the French system on "going native", for example, or taking a 'native bride'. This also means that local languages play no part in local governance. [IRL, Polynesian languages were not used in official documents or education until ''1980''.]

The state owns all land not privately owned, and all citizens owe service (just like French conscripts do at home).

In practice, the colonies are profitable. Aside from serving as a trans-pacific waystation (and, now, a source of tourism via air-travel), French Polynesia has plantations that are hugely profitable (copra, pineapples, coconuts, etc). Oceania's trade has recovered from the Great Depression- both imports and exports are at more than quadruple the figures for 1933.

''Policy toward Port Cochere'': Officially, a blind eye. Over the last century-or-so, the French have ignored a lot, in order to get a lot out of it. So long as the Mayor of Port Cochere is doing his job properly, there is typically little in the way of direct engagement.

''Policy toward the Kamekame'': The Kamekame have shrewdly played the Establishment's game, first by wrangling up a Protectorate status, then by "buying" their own lands with trade-goods in the late 1800s. No Kamekame have ever sat on the Council when it had powers, and they continue not to, now that it's advisory in nature. For its part, the Governor's office have tended to depict the Kamekame to the outside world as too remote and isolated to deal with.

(In theory, they could assemble troops to seize the lands, for example, but this would be costly on several levels, gain little that the French aren't already getting, and furthermore would upset a few Government apple carts: a lot of outside official attention would be turned to Ile Trouve (which is not what anyone wants), and the Republic would want an official explanation for why so many resources were needed.)

= The Mayor's Office =
(For more on the Mayor himself, see here: [[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Tailspins_%26_Tiki_Gods:The_Mayor]] )

Term: Administrators serve tours of 2 years (3, the first time), then return home for 3 months' leave. (They may serve multiple terms).

Like mayors in Metropolitan (ie, "''France'' France") France, the Mayor of Port Cochere represents the State, manages a staff, and commands the local police authorities. Unlike Metropolitan French mayors, the Mayor of Port Cochere is an appointed position- he isn't elected.

Duties:

Aside from this, the Mayor has duties typical of any mayor- represent the State, post laws and local regulations, validate signatures and assign permits, act during emergencies, and so on. The Mayor commands the Municipal police directly

The Mayor also directly commands the Municipal Police (and may have people put in custody if there's reason to suspect them of a crime), may conduct preliminary investigations, and (being a civil officer) may officiate marriages.

As Port Cochere is 'outside' many typical French administrative functions (due to "oversight" or actually due to ''oversight''), roles that normally fall to a prefect or commissioner (issue of documents, immigration control/passports, etc) is handled at the mayoral level. He is, also, sometimes instructed to assist in finding wanted persons. (These are, of course, unusual situations. It is extremely unlikely that anyone would find a wanted fugitive in ''Port Cochere''!)

HQ: The Mairie

The Mairie (Town Hall) is a broad two-story building in La Haut Ville. (Something like a version of this: [http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/temp/files/Tahiti-02-ColonialBuilding-PolynesieFrancaise-01-lr.jpg]) ground floor of the Mairie (Town Hall) is offices, the top floor a residence.

Traditionally, the mayors of Port Cochere have attempted to make the top floor as much of a slice of home as possible. If one never unshuttered the windows, one might squint and think one was in France.

The lower floor is, simply, a series of offices, storerooms, and support areas (such as a kitchen).

==The Staff==

There is a small household staff (cooks, cleaners, etc), but what is generally meant here is the administrative staff: a small group of functionaries (both French-ethnic and of Islander ancestry) who handle many of the day-to-day bureaucratic functions of the office. Many of them have worked for several mayors.

==Relations:==

''vs. the Colonial Government:''

The job of Mayor of Port Cochere is possibly the Toughest Job In Show Biz, so to speak. There is typically a great deal of turnover.

It's basically a circuit-breaker: So long as things are running quietly, the Mayor is fine, although he has the issue of creatively non-noticing things while also keeping tabs on them unofficially. If, on the other hand, something major should go wrong, the mayor is basically there to take the fall for it. (He is, in essence, the 'pit boss' for the proverbial 'gambling' that the Governor would be shocked- ''shocked'' to find in his establishment.)

''vs the Kamekame'': The history of the island makes relations with the Kamekame, largely, a draw. The Kamekame come into town to work, then return home. The Mayoral government, largely, stays put and doesn't go into Kamekame territory without a very good reason.

''vs the Legionnaires'': Various mayors have set different tones with the Foreign Legion outpost uphill from the Maiorie. Some called on them early and often, others encouraged them to stay put. The current mayor favors the latter, assuming that not doing so would cause fewer 'ripples'.

''vs the Port Authority'': The Mayor himself outranks and has charge over the Port Authority. In practice, the Mayor's ''office'' and the Port Authority are often at cross-purposes.

''vs. VIPs'': The Mayor's office keeps tabs on VIPs, even when they take no official notice of them. Socially, the Mayor himself is considered a sort of local dignitary (hosting functions and such) among the residents of Le Haut Ville. Other VIPs simply wish not to be noticed, so the Mayor's office arranges for them not to be noticed [OOC: leading to a 'just-enough' game where they have to notice them to be certain they're not being noticed. ;)].

=The Port Authority =

The rather grand-sounding Port Authority is, at most times, no more than 5-10 people. If need be, they can call on the police- but this is seldom necessary.

They are responsible for regulating both interisland trade (still mostly sail-driven, though steamers up to 200-300 displacement tons are coming on the scene) and incoming ships from far away. (Luckily, most of these vessels do not require fuelling- Port Cochere being merely a “through port” on the way somewhere else.)

Being mainly concerned with the harbor and the lagoon, the Port Authority seldom moves out of La Bas Ville. There are actually painted wooden poles denoting the limits of the Authority’s beat on land.

'''Structure:''' The ''Capitaine de Port'', Alaine St. Heler de Montaigne, may have up to 10 agents at any given time. They answer to him directly, and he answers (rather tenuously) to the Mayor’s Office.

==“Daytime Business” (and standing policies)==

''Contact with out-villages'': there are minor atolls that can sustain no more than 40-50 people. The Port Authority checks in on them every so often, on behalf of the Mayor or Governor, if the villages are otherwise not heard from. (If they are in a lazy mood, they pay someone else to ‘knock on the doors’.)

''Concessions'': If it’s ashore, it’s the Town’s problem, but if you’re a businessman who approaches ships directly (say, rowing up to the side and offering goods on the spot), the Port Authority ‘has a word’. They also “recommend” porters/stevedores/longshoremen for freighters. (The town has a separate authority for the Marketplace, however. This has the effect of making landing and using the Marketplace a more effective option, which helps the town as a whole)

''Customs & Tariffs Inspections:'' Typical items-of-interest include firearms (without proper documentation), drugs (especially Opium- both the local Benevolent Society and the Port Authority put their heavy boots on regarding this), wild or domestic animals NOT in transit.

''Harbormastering'': The Port Authority rigorously controls where private vessels (aside from very small craft) go while in the lagoon. The recent introduction of seaplanes makes this VERY IMPORTANT. (The Capitaine de Port has expressed an interest in making a ‘landing strip’ area of the lagoon taboo to islander boating, but this so far seems unworkable. And development of a rudimentary air-traffic control system is in progress.)

''Hiring:''They ‘recommend’ lighters (locally-run shore boats) for people who haven’t brought their own, as well as recommending locals for dockside work. (Here, they work with the Wangguan Benevolent Association’s hiring hall system, as well as native and local groups with identifiable ‘representatives’.)

''Mooring:'' The Port Authority is responsible for charging for mooring (cost depending on location and availability, as well as duration.)

''Navigation:'' They do maintain channel markers, as needed.

''Notices to Mariners:'' The Port Authority is partly responsible for issuing weather and surf advisories, among other things. (OOC: If a kraken started preying on local boats, they would be the ones to have to decide whether to warn everyone or if it would “Cause a Panic”, a la most monster movies. ;) )

''The On-Ship Rule'': Ships’ crews are confined to ship after nightfall. This actually does have a certain crime-preventing effect. (It’s hard to mug sailors by night when those sailors are on their boats, for example, and drunken brawls are kept to a minimum), but shop-owners complain that it’s restraining trade.
“Liberty of the Town” can be arranged through the Port Authority, or via the Mayor’s Office.

''Passports:'' They do typically inspect them. They do not, however, ''stamp'' them (though they do have, if need be, access to a lovely set: Papeete, Nuku Hiva, Tubuai, Uturoa…). THEY ARE AN OFF-THE BOOKS EXCEPTION to the law that requires all foreign visitors to go through Papeete first. (This was a draw for the film company- shorter trip than going to Tahiti, ''then'' out to the island.)

''Pilotage'': If you have a larger vessel and wish to NOT drop anchor outside the lagoon’s barrier reefs, the Port Authority will charge you to have a PA Pilot either taking the wheel of your vessel or watch over your shoulder.

''Quarantine:'' They are authorized to call ‘quarantine’ on a ship. This usually involves consulting with Port Cochere’s town doctor. If an initial inspection shows rampant vermin (rats, bugs, etc), contagious illness, or is shown to carry insufficiently contained dangerous live cargo, that vessel may be quarantined for any amount of time. Alternately, a ‘restricted bill of health’ may allow the crew to unload onto a lighter without any further contact or disembarkation. (This is a big deal- through a combination of vigilance and dumb luck, Ile Trouve is almost completely clear of invasive species like rats, and managed to avoid the worst of the global influenza epidemic in 1918.)

''Registry:'' They gladly keep books of what registered ships have passed through, per international maritime custom. (They do it so gladly that they keep more than one book!) They also ask to know where you’re going, as ports often do. They do know that almost any answer they get is likely to be a lie, however. They also keep an eye out for stolen or otherwise ‘commandeered’ vessels.[OOC: It is by no means a dealbreaker. (“Typical business” means you pay the ‘expediting’ fee) ]

''The Safe Harbor Rule:'' “Any port in a storm” is a law of the sea. The Port Authority cannot, by custom, refuse entry during an emergency. (Some clever bastards sometime try to arrive DURING a storm, in order to obtain berthing they otherwise would not get. They are seldom up to any good. )

''Shipping News:'' Using ships notices given by Mr. Kinney (Port Cochere’s young radioman), they know who is announced to be coming or going.

''Tugboat:'' The Port Authority also runs the majestic ''Le Pot de Rouille'', Port Cochere’s only tugboat. If you’re being towed in, this is the only game in town.

==“Nighttime Business”==

If the Mayor’s office represents the high-end “intrigue” end of Port Cochere’s business, the Port Authority represents pure piratical instinct.
Additional Fees: While it is subsidized by the French government (represented in the person of His Honor the Mayor), the Port Authority nonetheless (off the record) extracts ‘fees for special procedures’ (for things likewise off-the-record). The most profitable fee the Authority uses is a ‘bypass’. Basically, for a fee, one need not bother oneself with the fine details. Port Liberty is sometimes sold, either for a fee or for a refundable security.

Obviously, this is only done within limits, otherwise nobody would use the harbor at all. Thus, all ‘fees’ must be justifiable to someone (ie, no straight up graft), and they must be taken in moderation (“Part of doing business”). The Port Authority does (per the old saw) “stay bought”, typically, and they know when to stop squeezing the stone.

They also keep the “surface tension” going. By making it prohibitive for smugglers or other demimondaines to just barge into the port, they encourage them to ‘transfer’ to light transport on out-islands, making it possible to say “we didn’t know!”. Since affordable anonymity is Ile Trouve’s most profitable industry, setting the price just-so is important.

''“Hiring Fees”'' (ie kickbacks): In exchange for ‘primary recommendation’ in hiring, the Port Authority tends to want a “Finder’s Fee”. Bas Ville is chock full of be crewmen whose hitch is over for one reason or another (“They left without me.” “I wonder WHY, hm?”), drifters, stowaways, renegade islanders no longer welcome at home, even refugees (though they’d have to be really stubborn refugees to be way out here.) This can make hiring a nightmare. While the Port Authority does show favoritism in ‘recommendations’, it at least imposes as sense of order.

''“Reading”:'' Members of the Port Authority have a knack for telling what’s on a ship and where it’s likely to go. (If you know the fuel-efficiencies of a ship and its fuel-load, you can find out where it’s going. Since ships rarely carry more ballast than they need to, a ship claiming to go a short distance while clearly loaded to go a long way (or vice versa) is of note. This information can then be ‘sold’ (to interested parties) or ‘sold back’ (to the owners of the ship in question). )

==Relations:==
''vs the Mayor’s Office:'' There’s always been a bit of a turf war between the two bureauxs. The Mayor’s office is charged with validating documents, which sometimes bumps into the Port Authority’s “checking your papers”, for example. [OOC: The main difference is that while the Mayor’s office might be obstructionist while flexing their bureaucratic muscles or illustrating a larger point, the Port Authority is mainly just looking to ‘expedite things’.]

''vs the Police:'' The Port Authority is fairly ginger about calling in the Municipals. They are not about to ask the Legionnaires to get involved, either. However, if they do see a crime committed that falls in either’s territory, they will call them immediately (theft, for example, or assaulting a Port Authority official.)

''vs. The Navy:'' The French Navy is based at Papeete. While the Port Authority may technically call the Navy in for certain things, this ruins certain gentlemen’s agreements. (That is, the French naval officer will ask what is going on, not take “well, you know…” for an answer, and will log whatever he is told, accurately.)

''vs. VIPs:'' Generally speaking, VIPs will be sized up on arrival. Exceptionally wealthy high-rollers tend to get “hands off” treatment, after initial contact. (Herr Zoransky for example.)

=The Police=

All French colonial law-enforcement attempts to model itself on the “home” model exercised in France. Port Cochere is no exception- though certain concessions have been made to Port Cochere’s unique situation.

At one point- due to the nature of the unique position of the Kamekame natives, vis a vis the town, it was considered to adopt a modified version of the Cercle system adopted in French West Africa, with appointed chieftains and so on. This plan did not survive contact (or lack thereof) with the Kamekame.

Therefore, an attempt was made to model the local forces on ones from Home.

-When role of the ''Gendarmerie nationale'' (that is, detached military-police responsible for public safety), this duty sometimes falls to the ''Legion Etrangere'' unit stationed at the fort overlooking town.

On occasion, they have done “Search and Rescue” missions in the countryside and coastal areas, such game-warden work as the island requires, crowd control and bodyguarding, securing the Port during emergencies, acting as an honor guard for dignitaries, and (of course) acting as Military Police amongst their own.

In deference to local wishes, the Legion command tends not to perform investigative functions, unless directly ordered to by the Governor (not the Mayor). They perform the other duties when requested by the Mayor, whom they file reports to for the duration. They generally arrive as armed and in uniform, as if they were on regular Legion business.

-''La Sûreté'' (France’s crack National Police force) have a few officers in the Territory, but none stationed at Ile Trouve itself.

(They tend to be assigned to larger cities, and would only really have a detective visit if there was a major crime in Port Cochere that the Territorial Government felt required investigation. There is not much chance of the Territorial Government having major crime in Port Cochere that they wanted to be investigated.)

-This leaves the ''Polices Municipales'', the police force that most Port Cochere residents see on average. The local Brigade of officers answers directly to the Mayor. While they technically share “rural guard” duties, if something requires forest ranger or ‘game warden’ duties, he gives it to the Legionnaires, owing to the delicacy of the Kamekame situation. Neither do they have investigative powers.

This leaves the Municipals as old-fashioned thieftakers. They break up fights, tell drunks and other disorderly people to go home, stop thefts and assaults, and provide assistance as needed. (If there were cars on Ile Trouve, they would ticket them, that sort of thing.) They have certain broadly-interpreted “good order” duties, and are supposed to help out in (for instance) disasters, but generally they stick to the basics: Patrolling and arresting. They wear a uniform (including a half-cape) and a baton. They do not typically carry firearms, though special circumstances may apply.

One thing that makes the local French colonial system different than the British colonial system is that the French system makes no differentiation between ‘subject’ and ‘native’- if an Islander is qualified to serve in the Municipals, they do. There is no ‘auxiliary’ or ‘tribal’ police force.

Also, all French citizens are considered eligible for national service, including colonial French. A great many Ile Trouveiens have taken the option of patrolling rather than, say, laying a road. (This is carefully tiptoed around in the case of the Kamekame, who are (diplomatically) assumed to ‘tend to their own law enforcement whilst on their private lands.’, due to a historical Protectorate status).

==Police Powers==

French law does not presume innocence, it presumes guilt. There is a right to silence, but they don’t need to remind you of it. Police may ask anyone to identify themselves, and hold unidentified people (even arrest them for resisting). They can question anyone about a case, search and seize property (during the day), detain suspects for up to a day without access to a lawyer for most of it.

==Courts==

The French Polynesian judicial system features a Court of First Instance, a Court of Appeal, and a Court of Administrative Law (which also handles things like business disputes). These are all located in Papeete, a fair distance away. If a case is not resolved locally (“Pay the fine, and don’t do it again”, for instance), the suspect is held until such time as he can be transported to court.

==Jail/Punishment==

There is a small jail here (maybe five or six old cells in a sun-blasted stone blockhouse), mainly used for holding prior to a prisoner transfer. Things tend to be “handled locally”, instead. French Polynesia has three prisons, none of which are near here. Rumor has it that the worst are still, unofficially, sent to the old penal colony at New Caledonia.

Generally speaking, there is a local distaste for jail-time- many of the French colonist’s forebears were sent to the island as Penal Colonists, so the idea just sits wrong. Fines and “alternate punishment” are favored as a result. Public execution (often by guillotine) is still common in France in this era- it’s an “arrow in the quiver”- but it has not been applied here for ages.

=Le Deuxieme Bureau=

The Second Bureau is France’s national intelligence agency. There are no apparent 2eme Bureau agents in Port Cochere, or on Ile Trouve as a whole. Neither the Mayor nor the Governor has ever contacted anyone from the Bureau. (It is left as an exercise for the reader to figure out exactly what use spies could be in Port Cochere.)

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Authorities

2015-06-04T14:25:28Z

Smoot: /* “Daytime Business” (and standing policies) */

= The Colonial Government =

'''Full Name:''' Établissements Français de l'Océanie (French Establishments in Oceania)

'''Capital:''' Papeete, Tahiti. (OOC: If you're asking a question about where to find [Western convention or amenity not in Port Cochere], it's probably in Papeete- courts, jails, the military, newspapers, all that business.)

Executive:

'''Governor:''' Frédéric Marie Jean Baptiste Chastenet de Géry [RL person.] Appointed March of 1937.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between the French and British systems is that a "native" would generally not be allowed to serve in British administration, where all in French territory are considered citizens. (That is, you may find islanders in administrative support roles in French Polynesia, but not British holdings.)

Legislature:

'''Privy Council''': Advisors to the Governor.

'''Advisory Council:''' This was, formerly, a body of representatives from the Islands. In 1903, it was changed to a purely advisory administrative group.

==Policies==

In principle, the goal of the Establishment government is to bring the benefits of French civilization to the area: religion, scientific progress, and so on. It mainly does this through the method of "Direct Rule".

Direct rule differs from the British method in a several major ways: British governors are allowed more leeway for decision than their French counterparts (who carry out instructions from, and answer to, Paris). And where the British foster relationships with 'native leaders' (Chieftains, and so on), the French system considers all residents of its territory to be French. Therefore there is no official acknowledgement of tribal life, native traditions, or local mores. (French is the only language spoken in school or court, as well.)

The policy also encourages assimilation, and association (with somewhat more social intermixing than in the British system). There is somewhat less stigma in the French system on "going native", for example, or taking a 'native bride'. This also means that local languages play no part in local governance. [IRL, Polynesian languages were not used in official documents or education until ''1980''.]

The state owns all land not privately owned, and all citizens owe service (just like French conscripts do at home).

In practice, the colonies are profitable. Aside from serving as a trans-pacific waystation (and, now, a source of tourism via air-travel), French Polynesia has plantations that are hugely profitable (copra, pineapples, coconuts, etc). Oceania's trade has recovered from the Great Depression- both imports and exports are at more than quadruple the figures for 1933.

''Policy toward Port Cochere'': Officially, a blind eye. Over the last century-or-so, the French have ignored a lot, in order to get a lot out of it. So long as the Mayor of Port Cochere is doing his job properly, there is typically little in the way of direct engagement.

''Policy toward the Kamekame'': The Kamekame have shrewdly played the Establishment's game, first by wrangling up a Protectorate status, then by "buying" their own lands with trade-goods in the late 1800s. No Kamekame have ever sat on the Council when it had powers, and they continue not to, now that it's advisory in nature. For its part, the Governor's office have tended to depict the Kamekame to the outside world as too remote and isolated to deal with.

(In theory, they could assemble troops to seize the lands, for example, but this would be costly on several levels, gain little that the French aren't already getting, and furthermore would upset a few Government apple carts: a lot of outside official attention would be turned to Ile Trouve (which is not what anyone wants), and the Republic would want an official explanation for why so many resources were needed.)

= The Mayor's Office =
(For more on the Mayor himself, see here: [[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Tailspins_%26_Tiki_Gods:The_Mayor]] )

Term: Administrators serve tours of 2 years (3, the first time), then return home for 3 months' leave. (They may serve multiple terms).

Like mayors in Metropolitan (ie, "''France'' France") France, the Mayor of Port Cochere represents the State, manages a staff, and commands the local police authorities. Unlike Metropolitan French mayors, the Mayor of Port Cochere is an appointed position- he isn't elected.

Duties:

Aside from this, the Mayor has duties typical of any mayor- represent the State, post laws and local regulations, validate signatures and assign permits, act during emergencies, and so on. The Mayor commands the Municipal police directly

The Mayor also directly commands the Municipal Police (and may have people put in custody if there's reason to suspect them of a crime), may conduct preliminary investigations, and (being a civil officer) may officiate marriages.

As Port Cochere is 'outside' many typical French administrative functions (due to "oversight" or actually due to ''oversight''), roles that normally fall to a prefect or commissioner (issue of documents, immigration control/passports, etc) is handled at the mayoral level. He is, also, sometimes instructed to assist in finding wanted persons. (These are, of course, unusual situations. It is extremely unlikely that anyone would find a wanted fugitive in ''Port Cochere''!)

HQ: The Mairie

The Mairie (Town Hall) is a broad two-story building in La Haut Ville. (Something like a version of this: [http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/temp/files/Tahiti-02-ColonialBuilding-PolynesieFrancaise-01-lr.jpg]) ground floor of the Mairie (Town Hall) is offices, the top floor a residence.

Traditionally, the mayors of Port Cochere have attempted to make the top floor as much of a slice of home as possible. If one never unshuttered the windows, one might squint and think one was in France.

The lower floor is, simply, a series of offices, storerooms, and support areas (such as a kitchen).

==The Staff==

There is a small household staff (cooks, cleaners, etc), but what is generally meant here is the administrative staff: a small group of functionaries (both French-ethnic and of Islander ancestry) who handle many of the day-to-day bureaucratic functions of the office. Many of them have worked for several mayors.

==Relations:==

''vs. the Colonial Government:''

The job of Mayor of Port Cochere is possibly the Toughest Job In Show Biz, so to speak. There is typically a great deal of turnover.

It's basically a circuit-breaker: So long as things are running quietly, the Mayor is fine, although he has the issue of creatively non-noticing things while also keeping tabs on them unofficially. If, on the other hand, something major should go wrong, the mayor is basically there to take the fall for it. (He is, in essence, the 'pit boss' for the proverbial 'gambling' that the Governor would be shocked- ''shocked'' to find in his establishment.)

''vs the Kamekame'': The history of the island makes relations with the Kamekame, largely, a draw. The Kamekame extracted a particular Protectorate status from the French in the 1800s, and further "bought" their own lands so that it is (collectively) the private property of the Kamekame nation. The Kamekame come into town to work, then return home. The Mayoral government, largely, stays put and doesn't go into Kamekame territory without a very good reason.

''vs the Legionnaires'': Various mayors have set different tones with the Foreign Legion outpost uphill from the Maiorie. Some called on them early and often, others encouraged them to stay put. The current mayor favors the latter, assuming that not doing so would cause fewer 'ripples'.

''vs the Port Authority'': The Mayor himself outranks and has charge over the Port Authority. In practice, the Mayor's ''office'' and the Port Authority are often at cross-purposes.

''vs. VIPs'': The Mayor's office keeps tabs on VIPs, even when they take no official notice of them. Socially, the Mayor himself is considered a sort of local dignitary (hosting functions and such) among the residents of Le Haut Ville. Other VIPs simply wish not to be noticed, so the Mayor's office arranges for them not to be noticed [OOC: leading to a 'just-enough' game where they have to notice them to be certain they're not being noticed. ;)].

=The Port Authority =

The rather grand-sounding Port Authority is, at most times, no more than 5-10 people. If need be, they can call on the police- but this is seldom necessary.

They are responsible for regulating both interisland trade (still mostly sail-driven, though steamers up to 200-300 displacement tons are coming on the scene) and incoming ships from far away. (Luckily, most of these vessels do not require fuelling- Port Cochere being merely a “through port” on the way somewhere else.)

Being mainly concerned with the harbor and the lagoon, the Port Authority seldom moves out of La Bas Ville. There are actually painted wooden poles denoting the limits of the Authority’s beat on land.

'''Structure:''' The ''Capitaine de Port'', Alaine St. Heler de Montaigne, may have up to 10 agents at any given time. They answer to him directly, and he answers (rather tenuously) to the Mayor’s Office.

==“Daytime Business” (and standing policies)==

''Contact with out-villages'': there are minor atolls that can sustain no more than 40-50 people. The Port Authority checks in on them every so often, on behalf of the Mayor or Governor, if the villages are otherwise not heard from. (If they are in a lazy mood, they pay someone else to ‘knock on the doors’.)

''Concessions'': If it’s ashore, it’s the Town’s problem, but if you’re a businessman who approaches ships directly (say, rowing up to the side and offering goods on the spot), the Port Authority ‘has a word’. They also “recommend” porters/stevedores/longshoremen for freighters. (The town has a separate authority for the Marketplace, however. This has the effect of making landing and using the Marketplace a more effective option, which helps the town as a whole)

''Customs & Tariffs Inspections:'' Typical items-of-interest include firearms (without proper documentation), drugs (especially Opium- both the local Benevolent Society and the Port Authority put their heavy boots on regarding this), wild or domestic animals NOT in transit.

''Harbormastering'': The Port Authority rigorously controls where private vessels (aside from very small craft) go while in the lagoon. The recent introduction of seaplanes makes this VERY IMPORTANT. (The Capitaine de Port has expressed an interest in making a ‘landing strip’ area of the lagoon taboo to islander boating, but this so far seems unworkable. And development of a rudimentary air-traffic control system is in progress.)

''Hiring:''They ‘recommend’ lighters (locally-run shore boats) for people who haven’t brought their own, as well as recommending locals for dockside work. (Here, they work with the Wangguan Benevolent Association’s hiring hall system, as well as native and local groups with identifiable ‘representatives’.)

''Mooring:'' The Port Authority is responsible for charging for mooring (cost depending on location and availability, as well as duration.)

''Navigation:'' They do maintain channel markers, as needed.

''Notices to Mariners:'' The Port Authority is partly responsible for issuing weather and surf advisories, among other things. (OOC: If a kraken started preying on local boats, they would be the ones to have to decide whether to warn everyone or if it would “Cause a Panic”, a la most monster movies. ;) )

''The On-Ship Rule'': Ships’ crews are confined to ship after nightfall. This actually does have a certain crime-preventing effect. (It’s hard to mug sailors by night when those sailors are on their boats, for example, and drunken brawls are kept to a minimum), but shop-owners complain that it’s restraining trade.
“Liberty of the Town” can be arranged through the Port Authority, or via the Mayor’s Office.

''Passports:'' They do typically inspect them. They do not, however, ''stamp'' them (though they do have, if need be, access to a lovely set: Papeete, Nuku Hiva, Tubuai, Uturoa…). THEY ARE AN OFF-THE BOOKS EXCEPTION to the law that requires all foreign visitors to go through Papeete first. (This was a draw for the film company- shorter trip than going to Tahiti, ''then'' out to the island.)

''Pilotage'': If you have a larger vessel and wish to NOT drop anchor outside the lagoon’s barrier reefs, the Port Authority will charge you to have a PA Pilot either taking the wheel of your vessel or watch over your shoulder.

''Quarantine:'' They are authorized to call ‘quarantine’ on a ship. This usually involves consulting with Port Cochere’s town doctor. If an initial inspection shows rampant vermin (rats, bugs, etc), contagious illness, or is shown to carry insufficiently contained dangerous live cargo, that vessel may be quarantined for any amount of time. Alternately, a ‘restricted bill of health’ may allow the crew to unload onto a lighter without any further contact or disembarkation. (This is a big deal- through a combination of vigilance and dumb luck, Ile Trouve is almost completely clear of invasive species like rats, and managed to avoid the worst of the global influenza epidemic in 1918.)

''Registry:'' They gladly keep books of what registered ships have passed through, per international maritime custom. (They do it so gladly that they keep more than one book!) They also ask to know where you’re going, as ports often do. They do know that almost any answer they get is likely to be a lie, however. They also keep an eye out for stolen or otherwise ‘commandeered’ vessels.[OOC: It is by no means a dealbreaker. (“Typical business” means you pay the ‘expediting’ fee) ]

''The Safe Harbor Rule:'' “Any port in a storm” is a law of the sea. The Port Authority cannot, by custom, refuse entry during an emergency. (Some clever bastards sometime try to arrive DURING a storm, in order to obtain berthing they otherwise would not get. They are seldom up to any good. )

''Shipping News:'' Using ships notices given by Mr. Kinney (Port Cochere’s young radioman), they know who is announced to be coming or going.

''Tugboat:'' The Port Authority also runs the majestic ''Le Pot de Rouille'', Port Cochere’s only tugboat. If you’re being towed in, this is the only game in town.

==“Nighttime Business”==

If the Mayor’s office represents the high-end “intrigue” end of Port Cochere’s business, the Port Authority represents pure piratical instinct.
Additional Fees: While it is subsidized by the French government (represented in the person of His Honor the Mayor), the Port Authority nonetheless (off the record) extracts ‘fees for special procedures’ (for things likewise off-the-record). The most profitable fee the Authority uses is a ‘bypass’. Basically, for a fee, one need not bother oneself with the fine details. Port Liberty is sometimes sold, either for a fee or for a refundable security.

Obviously, this is only done within limits, otherwise nobody would use the harbor at all. Thus, all ‘fees’ must be justifiable to someone (ie, no straight up graft), and they must be taken in moderation (“Part of doing business”). The Port Authority does (per the old saw) “stay bought”, typically, and they know when to stop squeezing the stone.

They also keep the “surface tension” going. By making it prohibitive for smugglers or other demimondaines to just barge into the port, they encourage them to ‘transfer’ to light transport on out-islands, making it possible to say “we didn’t know!”. Since affordable anonymity is Ile Trouve’s most profitable industry, setting the price just-so is important.

''“Hiring Fees”'' (ie kickbacks): In exchange for ‘primary recommendation’ in hiring, the Port Authority tends to want a “Finder’s Fee”. Bas Ville is chock full of be crewmen whose hitch is over for one reason or another (“They left without me.” “I wonder WHY, hm?”), drifters, stowaways, renegade islanders no longer welcome at home, even refugees (though they’d have to be really stubborn refugees to be way out here.) This can make hiring a nightmare. While the Port Authority does show favoritism in ‘recommendations’, it at least imposes as sense of order.

''“Reading”:'' Members of the Port Authority have a knack for telling what’s on a ship and where it’s likely to go. (If you know the fuel-efficiencies of a ship and its fuel-load, you can find out where it’s going. Since ships rarely carry more ballast than they need to, a ship claiming to go a short distance while clearly loaded to go a long way (or vice versa) is of note. This information can then be ‘sold’ (to interested parties) or ‘sold back’ (to the owners of the ship in question). )

==Relations:==
''vs the Mayor’s Office:'' There’s always been a bit of a turf war between the two bureauxs. The Mayor’s office is charged with validating documents, which sometimes bumps into the Port Authority’s “checking your papers”, for example. [OOC: The main difference is that while the Mayor’s office might be obstructionist while flexing their bureaucratic muscles or illustrating a larger point, the Port Authority is mainly just looking to ‘expedite things’.]

''vs the Police:'' The Port Authority is fairly ginger about calling in the Municipals. They are not about to ask the Legionnaires to get involved, either. However, if they do see a crime committed that falls in either’s territory, they will call them immediately (theft, for example, or assaulting a Port Authority official.)

''vs. The Navy:'' The French Navy is based at Papeete. While the Port Authority may technically call the Navy in for certain things, this ruins certain gentlemen’s agreements. (That is, the French naval officer will ask what is going on, not take “well, you know…” for an answer, and will log whatever he is told, accurately.)

''vs. VIPs:'' Generally speaking, VIPs will be sized up on arrival. Exceptionally wealthy high-rollers tend to get “hands off” treatment, after initial contact. (Herr Zoransky for example.)

=The Police=

All French colonial law-enforcement attempts to model itself on the “home” model exercised in France. Port Cochere is no exception- though certain concessions have been made to Port Cochere’s unique situation.

At one point- due to the nature of the unique position of the Kamekame natives, vis a vis the town, it was considered to adopt a modified version of the Cercle system adopted in French West Africa, with appointed chieftains and so on. This plan did not survive contact (or lack thereof) with the Kamekame.

Therefore, an attempt was made to model the local forces on ones from Home.

-When role of the ''Gendarmerie nationale'' (that is, detached military-police responsible for public safety), this duty sometimes falls to the ''Legion Etrangere'' unit stationed at the fort overlooking town.

On occasion, they have done “Search and Rescue” missions in the countryside and coastal areas, such game-warden work as the island requires, crowd control and bodyguarding, securing the Port during emergencies, acting as an honor guard for dignitaries, and (of course) acting as Military Police amongst their own.

In deference to local wishes, the Legion command tends not to perform investigative functions, unless directly ordered to by the Governor (not the Mayor). They perform the other duties when requested by the Mayor, whom they file reports to for the duration. They generally arrive as armed and in uniform, as if they were on regular Legion business.

-''La Sûreté'' (France’s crack National Police force) have a few officers in the Territory, but none stationed at Ile Trouve itself.

(They tend to be assigned to larger cities, and would only really have a detective visit if there was a major crime in Port Cochere that the Territorial Government felt required investigation. There is not much chance of the Territorial Government having major crime in Port Cochere that they wanted to be investigated.)

-This leaves the ''Polices Municipales'', the police force that most Port Cochere residents see on average. The local Brigade of officers answers directly to the Mayor. While they technically share “rural guard” duties, if something requires forest ranger or ‘game warden’ duties, he gives it to the Legionnaires, owing to the delicacy of the Kamekame situation. Neither do they have investigative powers.

This leaves the Municipals as old-fashioned thieftakers. They break up fights, tell drunks and other disorderly people to go home, stop thefts and assaults, and provide assistance as needed. (If there were cars on Ile Trouve, they would ticket them, that sort of thing.) They have certain broadly-interpreted “good order” duties, and are supposed to help out in (for instance) disasters, but generally they stick to the basics: Patrolling and arresting. They wear a uniform (including a half-cape) and a baton. They do not typically carry firearms, though special circumstances may apply.

One thing that makes the local French colonial system different than the British colonial system is that the French system makes no differentiation between ‘subject’ and ‘native’- if an Islander is qualified to serve in the Municipals, they do. There is no ‘auxiliary’ or ‘tribal’ police force.

Also, all French citizens are considered eligible for national service, including colonial French. A great many Ile Trouveiens have taken the option of patrolling rather than, say, laying a road. (This is carefully tiptoed around in the case of the Kamekame, who are (diplomatically) assumed to ‘tend to their own law enforcement whilst on their private lands.’, due to a historical Protectorate status).

==Police Powers==

French law does not presume innocence, it presumes guilt. There is a right to silence, but they don’t need to remind you of it. Police may ask anyone to identify themselves, and hold unidentified people (even arrest them for resisting). They can question anyone about a case, search and seize property (during the day), detain suspects for up to a day without access to a lawyer for most of it.

==Courts==

The French Polynesian judicial system features a Court of First Instance, a Court of Appeal, and a Court of Administrative Law (which also handles things like business disputes). These are all located in Papeete, a fair distance away. If a case is not resolved locally (“Pay the fine, and don’t do it again”, for instance), the suspect is held until such time as he can be transported to court.

==Jail/Punishment==

There is a small jail here (maybe five or six old cells in a sun-blasted stone blockhouse), mainly used for holding prior to a prisoner transfer. Things tend to be “handled locally”, instead. French Polynesia has three prisons, none of which are near here. Rumor has it that the worst are still, unofficially, sent to the old penal colony at New Caledonia.

Generally speaking, there is a local distaste for jail-time- many of the French colonist’s forebears were sent to the island as Penal Colonists, so the idea just sits wrong. Fines and “alternate punishment” are favored as a result. Public execution (often by guillotine) is still common in France in this era- it’s an “arrow in the quiver”- but it has not been applied here for ages.

=Le Deuxieme Bureau=

The Second Bureau is France’s national intelligence agency. There are no apparent 2eme Bureau agents in Port Cochere, or on Ile Trouve as a whole. Neither the Mayor nor the Governor has ever contacted anyone from the Bureau. (It is left as an exercise for the reader to figure out exactly what use spies could be in Port Cochere.)

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Authorities

2015-06-04T14:18:27Z

Smoot: /* Relations: */

= The Colonial Government =

'''Full Name:''' Établissements Français de l'Océanie (French Establishments in Oceania)

'''Capital:''' Papeete, Tahiti. (OOC: If you're asking a question about where to find [Western convention or amenity not in Port Cochere], it's probably in Papeete- courts, jails, the military, newspapers, all that business.)

Executive:

'''Governor:''' Frédéric Marie Jean Baptiste Chastenet de Géry [RL person.] Appointed March of 1937.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between the French and British systems is that a "native" would generally not be allowed to serve in British administration, where all in French territory are considered citizens. (That is, you may find islanders in administrative support roles in French Polynesia, but not British holdings.)

Legislature:

'''Privy Council''': Advisors to the Governor.

'''Advisory Council:''' This was, formerly, a body of representatives from the Islands. In 1903, it was changed to a purely advisory administrative group.

==Policies==

In principle, the goal of the Establishment government is to bring the benefits of French civilization to the area: religion, scientific progress, and so on. It mainly does this through the method of "Direct Rule".

Direct rule differs from the British method in a several major ways: British governors are allowed more leeway for decision than their French counterparts (who carry out instructions from, and answer to, Paris). And where the British foster relationships with 'native leaders' (Chieftains, and so on), the French system considers all residents of its territory to be French. Therefore there is no official acknowledgement of tribal life, native traditions, or local mores. (French is the only language spoken in school or court, as well.)

The policy also encourages assimilation, and association (with somewhat more social intermixing than in the British system). There is somewhat less stigma in the French system on "going native", for example, or taking a 'native bride'. This also means that local languages play no part in local governance. [IRL, Polynesian languages were not used in official documents or education until ''1980''.]

The state owns all land not privately owned, and all citizens owe service (just like French conscripts do at home).

In practice, the colonies are profitable. Aside from serving as a trans-pacific waystation (and, now, a source of tourism via air-travel), French Polynesia has plantations that are hugely profitable (copra, pineapples, coconuts, etc). Oceania's trade has recovered from the Great Depression- both imports and exports are at more than quadruple the figures for 1933.

''Policy toward Port Cochere'': Officially, a blind eye. Over the last century-or-so, the French have ignored a lot, in order to get a lot out of it. So long as the Mayor of Port Cochere is doing his job properly, there is typically little in the way of direct engagement.

''Policy toward the Kamekame'': The Kamekame have shrewdly played the Establishment's game, first by wrangling up a Protectorate status, then by "buying" their own lands with trade-goods in the late 1800s. No Kamekame have ever sat on the Council when it had powers, and they continue not to, now that it's advisory in nature. For its part, the Governor's office have tended to depict the Kamekame to the outside world as too remote and isolated to deal with.

(In theory, they could assemble troops to seize the lands, for example, but this would be costly on several levels, gain little that the French aren't already getting, and furthermore would upset a few Government apple carts: a lot of outside official attention would be turned to Ile Trouve (which is not what anyone wants), and the Republic would want an official explanation for why so many resources were needed.)

= The Mayor's Office =
(For more on the Mayor himself, see here: [[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Tailspins_%26_Tiki_Gods:The_Mayor]] )

Term: Administrators serve tours of 2 years (3, the first time), then return home for 3 months' leave. (They may serve multiple terms).

Like mayors in Metropolitan (ie, "''France'' France") France, the Mayor of Port Cochere represents the State, manages a staff, and commands the local police authorities. Unlike Metropolitan French mayors, the Mayor of Port Cochere is an appointed position- he isn't elected.

Duties:

Aside from this, the Mayor has duties typical of any mayor- represent the State, post laws and local regulations, validate signatures and assign permits, act during emergencies, and so on. The Mayor commands the Municipal police directly

The Mayor also directly commands the Municipal Police (and may have people put in custody if there's reason to suspect them of a crime), may conduct preliminary investigations, and (being a civil officer) may officiate marriages.

As Port Cochere is 'outside' many typical French administrative functions (due to "oversight" or actually due to ''oversight''), roles that normally fall to a prefect or commissioner (issue of documents, immigration control/passports, etc) is handled at the mayoral level. He is, also, sometimes instructed to assist in finding wanted persons. (These are, of course, unusual situations. It is extremely unlikely that anyone would find a wanted fugitive in ''Port Cochere''!)

HQ: The Mairie

The Mairie (Town Hall) is a broad two-story building in La Haut Ville. (Something like a version of this: [http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/temp/files/Tahiti-02-ColonialBuilding-PolynesieFrancaise-01-lr.jpg]) ground floor of the Mairie (Town Hall) is offices, the top floor a residence.

Traditionally, the mayors of Port Cochere have attempted to make the top floor as much of a slice of home as possible. If one never unshuttered the windows, one might squint and think one was in France.

The lower floor is, simply, a series of offices, storerooms, and support areas (such as a kitchen).

==The Staff==

There is a small household staff (cooks, cleaners, etc), but what is generally meant here is the administrative staff: a small group of functionaries (both French-ethnic and of Islander ancestry) who handle many of the day-to-day bureaucratic functions of the office. Many of them have worked for several mayors.

==Relations:==

''vs. the Colonial Government:''

The job of Mayor of Port Cochere is possibly the Toughest Job In Show Biz, so to speak. There is typically a great deal of turnover.

It's basically a circuit-breaker: So long as things are running quietly, the Mayor is fine, although he has the issue of creatively non-noticing things while also keeping tabs on them unofficially. If, on the other hand, something major should go wrong, the mayor is basically there to take the fall for it. (He is, in essence, the 'pit boss' for the proverbial 'gambling' that the Governor would be shocked- ''shocked'' to find in his establishment.)

''vs the Kamekame'': The history of the island makes relations with the Kamekame, largely, a draw. The Kamekame extracted a particular Protectorate status from the French in the 1800s, and further "bought" their own lands so that it is (collectively) the private property of the Kamekame nation. The Kamekame come into town to work, then return home. The Mayoral government, largely, stays put and doesn't go into Kamekame territory without a very good reason.

''vs the Legionnaires'': Various mayors have set different tones with the Foreign Legion outpost uphill from the Maiorie. Some called on them early and often, others encouraged them to stay put. The current mayor favors the latter, assuming that not doing so would cause fewer 'ripples'.

''vs the Port Authority'': The Mayor himself outranks and has charge over the Port Authority. In practice, the Mayor's ''office'' and the Port Authority are often at cross-purposes.

''vs. VIPs'': The Mayor's office keeps tabs on VIPs, even when they take no official notice of them. Socially, the Mayor himself is considered a sort of local dignitary (hosting functions and such) among the residents of Le Haut Ville. Other VIPs simply wish not to be noticed, so the Mayor's office arranges for them not to be noticed [OOC: leading to a 'just-enough' game where they have to notice them to be certain they're not being noticed. ;)].

=The Port Authority =

The rather grand-sounding Port Authority is, at most times, no more than 5-10 people. If need be, they can call on the police- but this is seldom necessary.

They are responsible for regulating both interisland trade (still mostly sail-driven, though steamers up to 200-300 displacement tons are coming on the scene) and incoming ships from far away. (Luckily, most of these vessels do not require fuelling- Port Cochere being merely a “through port” on the way somewhere else.)

Being mainly concerned with the harbor and the lagoon, the Port Authority seldom moves out of La Bas Ville. There are actually painted wooden poles denoting the limits of the Authority’s beat on land.

'''Structure:''' The ''Capitaine de Port'', Alaine St. Heler de Montaigne, may have up to 10 agents at any given time. They answer to him directly, and he answers (rather tenuously) to the Mayor’s Office.

==“Daytime Business” (and standing policies)==

''Contact with out-villages'': there are minor atolls that can sustain no more than 40-50 people. The Port Authority checks in on them every so often, on behalf of the Mayor or Governor, if the villages are otherwise not heard from. (If they are in a lazy mood, they pay someone else to ‘knock on the doors’.)

''Concessions'': If it’s ashore, it’s the Town’s problem, but if you’re a businessman who approaches ships directly (say, rowing up to the side and offering goods on the spot), the Port Authority ‘has a word’. They also “recommend” porters/stevedores/longshoremen for freighters. (The town has a separate authority for the Marketplace, however. This has the effect of making landing and using the Marketplace a more effective option, which helps the town as a whole)

''Customs & Tariffs Inspections:'' Typical items-of-interest include firearms (without proper documentation), drugs (especially Opium- both the local Benevolent Society and the Port Authority put their heavy boots on regarding this), wild or domestic animals NOT in transit.

''Harbormastering'': The Port Authority rigorously controls where private vessels (aside from very small craft) go while in the lagoon. The recent introduction of seaplanes makes this VERY IMPORTANT. (The Capitaine de Port has expressed an interest in making a ‘landing strip’ area of the lagoon taboo to islander boating, but this so far seems unworkable. And development of a rudimentary air-traffic control system is in progress.)

''Hiring:''They ‘recommend’ lighters (locally-run shore boats) for people who haven’t brought their own, as well as recommending locals for dockside work. (Here, they work with the Wangguan Benevolent Association’s hiring hall system, as well as native and local groups with identifiable ‘representatives’.)

''Mooring:'' The Port Authority is responsible for charging for mooring (cost depending on location and availability, as well as duration.)

''Navigation:'' They do maintain channel markers, as needed.

''Notices to Mariners:'' The Port Authority is partly responsible for issuing weather and surf advisories, among other things. (OOC: If a kraken started preying on local boats, they would be the ones to have to decide whether to warn everyone or if it would “Cause a Panic”, a la most monster movies. ;) )

''The On-Ship Rule'': Ships’ crews are confined to ship after nightfall. This actually does have a certain crime-preventing effect. (It’s hard to mug sailors by night when those sailors are on their boats, for example, and drunken brawls are kept to a minimum), but shop-owners complain that it’s restraining trade.
“Liberty of the Town” can be arranged through the Port Authority, or via the Mayor’s Office.

''Passports:'' They do typically inspect them. They do not, however, ''stamp'' them (though they do have, if need be, access to a lovely set: Papeete, Nuku Hiva, Tubuai, Uturoa…). THEY ARE AN OFF-THE BOOKS EXCEPTION to the law that requires all foreign visitors to go through Papeete first. (This was a draw for the film company- shorter trip than going to Tahiti, ''then'' out to the island.)

''Pilotage'': If you have a larger vessel and wish to NOT drop anchor outside the lagoon’s barrier reefs, the Port Authority will charge you to have a PA Pilot either taking the wheel of your vessel or watch over your shoulder.

''Quarantine:'' They are authorized to call ‘quarantine’ on a ship. This usually involves consulting with Port Cochere’s town doctor. If an initial inspection shows rampant vermin (rats, bugs, etc), contagious illness, or is shown to carry insufficiently contained dangerous live cargo, that vessel may be quarantined for any amount of time. Alternately, a ‘restricted bill of health’ may allow the crew to unload onto a lighter without any further contact or disembarkation. (This is a big deal- through a combination of vigilance and dumb luck, Ile Trouve is almost completely clear of invasive species like rats.)

''Registry:'' They gladly keep books of what registered ships have passed through, per international maritime custom. (They do it so gladly that they keep more than one book!) They also ask to know where you’re going, as ports often do. They do know that almost any answer they get is likely to be a lie, however. They also keep an eye out for stolen or otherwise ‘commandeered’ vessels.[OOC: It is by no means a dealbreaker. (“Typical business” means you pay the ‘expediting’ fee) ]

''The Safe Harbor Rule:'' “Any port in a storm” is a law of the sea. The Port Authority cannot, by custom, refuse entry during an emergency. (Some clever bastards sometime try to arrive DURING a storm, in order to obtain berthing they otherwise would not get. They are seldom up to any good. )

''Shipping News:'' Using ships notices given by Mr. Kinney (Port Cochere’s young radioman), they know who is announced to be coming or going.

''Tugboat:'' The Port Authority also runs the majestic ''Le Pot de Rouille'', Port Cochere’s only tugboat. If you’re being towed in, this is the only game in town.

==“Nighttime Business”==

If the Mayor’s office represents the high-end “intrigue” end of Port Cochere’s business, the Port Authority represents pure piratical instinct.
Additional Fees: While it is subsidized by the French government (represented in the person of His Honor the Mayor), the Port Authority nonetheless (off the record) extracts ‘fees for special procedures’ (for things likewise off-the-record). The most profitable fee the Authority uses is a ‘bypass’. Basically, for a fee, one need not bother oneself with the fine details. Port Liberty is sometimes sold, either for a fee or for a refundable security.

Obviously, this is only done within limits, otherwise nobody would use the harbor at all. Thus, all ‘fees’ must be justifiable to someone (ie, no straight up graft), and they must be taken in moderation (“Part of doing business”). The Port Authority does (per the old saw) “stay bought”, typically, and they know when to stop squeezing the stone.

They also keep the “surface tension” going. By making it prohibitive for smugglers or other demimondaines to just barge into the port, they encourage them to ‘transfer’ to light transport on out-islands, making it possible to say “we didn’t know!”. Since affordable anonymity is Ile Trouve’s most profitable industry, setting the price just-so is important.

''“Hiring Fees”'' (ie kickbacks): In exchange for ‘primary recommendation’ in hiring, the Port Authority tends to want a “Finder’s Fee”. Bas Ville is chock full of be crewmen whose hitch is over for one reason or another (“They left without me.” “I wonder WHY, hm?”), drifters, stowaways, renegade islanders no longer welcome at home, even refugees (though they’d have to be really stubborn refugees to be way out here.) This can make hiring a nightmare. While the Port Authority does show favoritism in ‘recommendations’, it at least imposes as sense of order.

''“Reading”:'' Members of the Port Authority have a knack for telling what’s on a ship and where it’s likely to go. (If you know the fuel-efficiencies of a ship and its fuel-load, you can find out where it’s going. Since ships rarely carry more ballast than they need to, a ship claiming to go a short distance while clearly loaded to go a long way (or vice versa) is of note. This information can then be ‘sold’ (to interested parties) or ‘sold back’ (to the owners of the ship in question). )

==Relations:==
''vs the Mayor’s Office:'' There’s always been a bit of a turf war between the two bureauxs. The Mayor’s office is charged with validating documents, which sometimes bumps into the Port Authority’s “checking your papers”, for example. [OOC: The main difference is that while the Mayor’s office might be obstructionist while flexing their bureaucratic muscles or illustrating a larger point, the Port Authority is mainly just looking to ‘expedite things’.]

''vs the Police:'' The Port Authority is fairly ginger about calling in the Municipals. They are not about to ask the Legionnaires to get involved, either. However, if they do see a crime committed that falls in either’s territory, they will call them immediately (theft, for example, or assaulting a Port Authority official.)

''vs. The Navy:'' The French Navy is based at Papeete. While the Port Authority may technically call the Navy in for certain things, this ruins certain gentlemen’s agreements. (That is, the French naval officer will ask what is going on, not take “well, you know…” for an answer, and will log whatever he is told, accurately.)

''vs. VIPs:'' Generally speaking, VIPs will be sized up on arrival. Exceptionally wealthy high-rollers tend to get “hands off” treatment, after initial contact. (Herr Zoransky for example.)

=The Police=

All French colonial law-enforcement attempts to model itself on the “home” model exercised in France. Port Cochere is no exception- though certain concessions have been made to Port Cochere’s unique situation.

At one point- due to the nature of the unique position of the Kamekame natives, vis a vis the town, it was considered to adopt a modified version of the Cercle system adopted in French West Africa, with appointed chieftains and so on. This plan did not survive contact (or lack thereof) with the Kamekame.

Therefore, an attempt was made to model the local forces on ones from Home.

-When role of the ''Gendarmerie nationale'' (that is, detached military-police responsible for public safety), this duty sometimes falls to the ''Legion Etrangere'' unit stationed at the fort overlooking town.

On occasion, they have done “Search and Rescue” missions in the countryside and coastal areas, such game-warden work as the island requires, crowd control and bodyguarding, securing the Port during emergencies, acting as an honor guard for dignitaries, and (of course) acting as Military Police amongst their own.

In deference to local wishes, the Legion command tends not to perform investigative functions, unless directly ordered to by the Governor (not the Mayor). They perform the other duties when requested by the Mayor, whom they file reports to for the duration. They generally arrive as armed and in uniform, as if they were on regular Legion business.

-''La Sûreté'' (France’s crack National Police force) have a few officers in the Territory, but none stationed at Ile Trouve itself.

(They tend to be assigned to larger cities, and would only really have a detective visit if there was a major crime in Port Cochere that the Territorial Government felt required investigation. There is not much chance of the Territorial Government having major crime in Port Cochere that they wanted to be investigated.)

-This leaves the ''Polices Municipales'', the police force that most Port Cochere residents see on average. The local Brigade of officers answers directly to the Mayor. While they technically share “rural guard” duties, if something requires forest ranger or ‘game warden’ duties, he gives it to the Legionnaires, owing to the delicacy of the Kamekame situation. Neither do they have investigative powers.

This leaves the Municipals as old-fashioned thieftakers. They break up fights, tell drunks and other disorderly people to go home, stop thefts and assaults, and provide assistance as needed. (If there were cars on Ile Trouve, they would ticket them, that sort of thing.) They have certain broadly-interpreted “good order” duties, and are supposed to help out in (for instance) disasters, but generally they stick to the basics: Patrolling and arresting. They wear a uniform (including a half-cape) and a baton. They do not typically carry firearms, though special circumstances may apply.

One thing that makes the local French colonial system different than the British colonial system is that the French system makes no differentiation between ‘subject’ and ‘native’- if an Islander is qualified to serve in the Municipals, they do. There is no ‘auxiliary’ or ‘tribal’ police force.

Also, all French citizens are considered eligible for national service, including colonial French. A great many Ile Trouveiens have taken the option of patrolling rather than, say, laying a road. (This is carefully tiptoed around in the case of the Kamekame, who are (diplomatically) assumed to ‘tend to their own law enforcement whilst on their private lands.’, due to a historical Protectorate status).

==Police Powers==

French law does not presume innocence, it presumes guilt. There is a right to silence, but they don’t need to remind you of it. Police may ask anyone to identify themselves, and hold unidentified people (even arrest them for resisting). They can question anyone about a case, search and seize property (during the day), detain suspects for up to a day without access to a lawyer for most of it.

==Courts==

The French Polynesian judicial system features a Court of First Instance, a Court of Appeal, and a Court of Administrative Law (which also handles things like business disputes). These are all located in Papeete, a fair distance away. If a case is not resolved locally (“Pay the fine, and don’t do it again”, for instance), the suspect is held until such time as he can be transported to court.

==Jail/Punishment==

There is a small jail here (maybe five or six old cells in a sun-blasted stone blockhouse), mainly used for holding prior to a prisoner transfer. Things tend to be “handled locally”, instead. French Polynesia has three prisons, none of which are near here. Rumor has it that the worst are still, unofficially, sent to the old penal colony at New Caledonia.

Generally speaking, there is a local distaste for jail-time- many of the French colonist’s forebears were sent to the island as Penal Colonists, so the idea just sits wrong. Fines and “alternate punishment” are favored as a result. Public execution (often by guillotine) is still common in France in this era- it’s an “arrow in the quiver”- but it has not been applied here for ages.

=Le Deuxieme Bureau=

The Second Bureau is France’s national intelligence agency. There are no apparent 2eme Bureau agents in Port Cochere, or on Ile Trouve as a whole. Neither the Mayor nor the Governor has ever contacted anyone from the Bureau. (It is left as an exercise for the reader to figure out exactly what use spies could be in Port Cochere.)

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Authorities

2015-06-04T14:17:02Z

Smoot: /* Policies */

= The Colonial Government =

'''Full Name:''' Établissements Français de l'Océanie (French Establishments in Oceania)

'''Capital:''' Papeete, Tahiti. (OOC: If you're asking a question about where to find [Western convention or amenity not in Port Cochere], it's probably in Papeete- courts, jails, the military, newspapers, all that business.)

Executive:

'''Governor:''' Frédéric Marie Jean Baptiste Chastenet de Géry [RL person.] Appointed March of 1937.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between the French and British systems is that a "native" would generally not be allowed to serve in British administration, where all in French territory are considered citizens. (That is, you may find islanders in administrative support roles in French Polynesia, but not British holdings.)

Legislature:

'''Privy Council''': Advisors to the Governor.

'''Advisory Council:''' This was, formerly, a body of representatives from the Islands. In 1903, it was changed to a purely advisory administrative group.

==Policies==

In principle, the goal of the Establishment government is to bring the benefits of French civilization to the area: religion, scientific progress, and so on. It mainly does this through the method of "Direct Rule".

Direct rule differs from the British method in a several major ways: British governors are allowed more leeway for decision than their French counterparts (who carry out instructions from, and answer to, Paris). And where the British foster relationships with 'native leaders' (Chieftains, and so on), the French system considers all residents of its territory to be French. Therefore there is no official acknowledgement of tribal life, native traditions, or local mores. (French is the only language spoken in school or court, as well.)

The policy also encourages assimilation, and association (with somewhat more social intermixing than in the British system). There is somewhat less stigma in the French system on "going native", for example, or taking a 'native bride'. This also means that local languages play no part in local governance. [IRL, Polynesian languages were not used in official documents or education until ''1980''.]

The state owns all land not privately owned, and all citizens owe service (just like French conscripts do at home).

In practice, the colonies are profitable. Aside from serving as a trans-pacific waystation (and, now, a source of tourism via air-travel), French Polynesia has plantations that are hugely profitable (copra, pineapples, coconuts, etc). Oceania's trade has recovered from the Great Depression- both imports and exports are at more than quadruple the figures for 1933.

''Policy toward Port Cochere'': Officially, a blind eye. Over the last century-or-so, the French have ignored a lot, in order to get a lot out of it. So long as the Mayor of Port Cochere is doing his job properly, there is typically little in the way of direct engagement.

''Policy toward the Kamekame'': The Kamekame have shrewdly played the Establishment's game, first by wrangling up a Protectorate status, then by "buying" their own lands with trade-goods in the late 1800s. No Kamekame have ever sat on the Council when it had powers, and they continue not to, now that it's advisory in nature. For its part, the Governor's office have tended to depict the Kamekame to the outside world as too remote and isolated to deal with.

(In theory, they could assemble troops to seize the lands, for example, but this would be costly on several levels, gain little that the French aren't already getting, and furthermore would upset a few Government apple carts: a lot of outside official attention would be turned to Ile Trouve (which is not what anyone wants), and the Republic would want an official explanation for why so many resources were needed.)

= The Mayor's Office =
(For more on the Mayor himself, see here: [[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Tailspins_%26_Tiki_Gods:The_Mayor]] )

Term: Administrators serve tours of 2 years (3, the first time), then return home for 3 months' leave. (They may serve multiple terms).

Like mayors in Metropolitan (ie, "''France'' France") France, the Mayor of Port Cochere represents the State, manages a staff, and commands the local police authorities. Unlike Metropolitan French mayors, the Mayor of Port Cochere is an appointed position- he isn't elected.

Duties:

Aside from this, the Mayor has duties typical of any mayor- represent the State, post laws and local regulations, validate signatures and assign permits, act during emergencies, and so on. The Mayor commands the Municipal police directly

The Mayor also directly commands the Municipal Police (and may have people put in custody if there's reason to suspect them of a crime), may conduct preliminary investigations, and (being a civil officer) may officiate marriages.

As Port Cochere is 'outside' many typical French administrative functions (due to "oversight" or actually due to ''oversight''), roles that normally fall to a prefect or commissioner (issue of documents, immigration control/passports, etc) is handled at the mayoral level. He is, also, sometimes instructed to assist in finding wanted persons. (These are, of course, unusual situations. It is extremely unlikely that anyone would find a wanted fugitive in ''Port Cochere''!)

HQ: The Mairie

The Mairie (Town Hall) is a broad two-story building in La Haut Ville. (Something like a version of this: [http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/temp/files/Tahiti-02-ColonialBuilding-PolynesieFrancaise-01-lr.jpg]) ground floor of the Mairie (Town Hall) is offices, the top floor a residence.

Traditionally, the mayors of Port Cochere have attempted to make the top floor as much of a slice of home as possible. If one never unshuttered the windows, one might squint and think one was in France.

The lower floor is, simply, a series of offices, storerooms, and support areas (such as a kitchen).

==The Staff==

There is a small household staff (cooks, cleaners, etc), but what is generally meant here is the administrative staff: a small group of functionaries (both French-ethnic and of Islander ancestry) who handle many of the day-to-day bureaucratic functions of the office. Many of them have worked for several mayors.

==Relations:==

''vs. the Colonial Government:''

The job of Mayor of Port Cochere is possibly the Toughest Job In Show Biz, so to speak. There is typically a great deal of turnover.

It's basically a circuit-breaker: So long as things are running quietly, the Mayor is fine, although he has the issue of creatively non-noticing things while also keeping tabs on them unofficially. If, on the other hand, something major should go wrong, the mayor is basically there to take the fall for it. (He is, in essence, the 'pit boss' for the proverbial 'gambline' that the Governor would be shocked- ''shocked'' to find in his establishment.)

''vs the Kamekame'': The history of the island makes relations with the Kamekame, largely, a draw. The Kamekame extracted a particular Protectorate status from the French in the 1800s, and further "bought" their own lands so that it is (collectively) the private property of the Kamekame nation. The Kamekame come into town to work, then return home. The Mayoral government, largely, stays put and doesn't go into Kamekame territory without a very good reason.

''vs the Legionnaires'': Various mayors have set different tones with the Foreign Legion outpost uphill from the Maiorie. Some called on them early and often, others encouraged them to stay put. The current mayor favors the latter, assuming that not doing so would cause fewer 'ripples'.

''vs the Port Authority'': The Mayor himself outranks and has charge over the Port Authority. In practice, the Mayor's ''office'' and the Port Authority are often at cross-purposes.

''vs. VIPs'': The Mayor's office keeps tabs on VIPs, even when they take no official notice of them. Socially, the Mayor himself is considered a sort of local dignitary (hosting functions and such) among the residents of Le Haut Ville. Other VIPs simply wish not to be noticed, so the Mayor's office arranges for them not to be noticed [OOC: leading to a 'just-enough' game where they have to notice them to be certain they're not being noticed. ;)].

=The Port Authority =

The rather grand-sounding Port Authority is, at most times, no more than 5-10 people. If need be, they can call on the police- but this is seldom necessary.

They are responsible for regulating both interisland trade (still mostly sail-driven, though steamers up to 200-300 displacement tons are coming on the scene) and incoming ships from far away. (Luckily, most of these vessels do not require fuelling- Port Cochere being merely a “through port” on the way somewhere else.)

Being mainly concerned with the harbor and the lagoon, the Port Authority seldom moves out of La Bas Ville. There are actually painted wooden poles denoting the limits of the Authority’s beat on land.

'''Structure:''' The ''Capitaine de Port'', Alaine St. Heler de Montaigne, may have up to 10 agents at any given time. They answer to him directly, and he answers (rather tenuously) to the Mayor’s Office.

==“Daytime Business” (and standing policies)==

''Contact with out-villages'': there are minor atolls that can sustain no more than 40-50 people. The Port Authority checks in on them every so often, on behalf of the Mayor or Governor, if the villages are otherwise not heard from. (If they are in a lazy mood, they pay someone else to ‘knock on the doors’.)

''Concessions'': If it’s ashore, it’s the Town’s problem, but if you’re a businessman who approaches ships directly (say, rowing up to the side and offering goods on the spot), the Port Authority ‘has a word’. They also “recommend” porters/stevedores/longshoremen for freighters. (The town has a separate authority for the Marketplace, however. This has the effect of making landing and using the Marketplace a more effective option, which helps the town as a whole)

''Customs & Tariffs Inspections:'' Typical items-of-interest include firearms (without proper documentation), drugs (especially Opium- both the local Benevolent Society and the Port Authority put their heavy boots on regarding this), wild or domestic animals NOT in transit.

''Harbormastering'': The Port Authority rigorously controls where private vessels (aside from very small craft) go while in the lagoon. The recent introduction of seaplanes makes this VERY IMPORTANT. (The Capitaine de Port has expressed an interest in making a ‘landing strip’ area of the lagoon taboo to islander boating, but this so far seems unworkable. And development of a rudimentary air-traffic control system is in progress.)

''Hiring:''They ‘recommend’ lighters (locally-run shore boats) for people who haven’t brought their own, as well as recommending locals for dockside work. (Here, they work with the Wangguan Benevolent Association’s hiring hall system, as well as native and local groups with identifiable ‘representatives’.)

''Mooring:'' The Port Authority is responsible for charging for mooring (cost depending on location and availability, as well as duration.)

''Navigation:'' They do maintain channel markers, as needed.

''Notices to Mariners:'' The Port Authority is partly responsible for issuing weather and surf advisories, among other things. (OOC: If a kraken started preying on local boats, they would be the ones to have to decide whether to warn everyone or if it would “Cause a Panic”, a la most monster movies. ;) )

''The On-Ship Rule'': Ships’ crews are confined to ship after nightfall. This actually does have a certain crime-preventing effect. (It’s hard to mug sailors by night when those sailors are on their boats, for example, and drunken brawls are kept to a minimum), but shop-owners complain that it’s restraining trade.
“Liberty of the Town” can be arranged through the Port Authority, or via the Mayor’s Office.

''Passports:'' They do typically inspect them. They do not, however, ''stamp'' them (though they do have, if need be, access to a lovely set: Papeete, Nuku Hiva, Tubuai, Uturoa…). THEY ARE AN OFF-THE BOOKS EXCEPTION to the law that requires all foreign visitors to go through Papeete first. (This was a draw for the film company- shorter trip than going to Tahiti, ''then'' out to the island.)

''Pilotage'': If you have a larger vessel and wish to NOT drop anchor outside the lagoon’s barrier reefs, the Port Authority will charge you to have a PA Pilot either taking the wheel of your vessel or watch over your shoulder.

''Quarantine:'' They are authorized to call ‘quarantine’ on a ship. This usually involves consulting with Port Cochere’s town doctor. If an initial inspection shows rampant vermin (rats, bugs, etc), contagious illness, or is shown to carry insufficiently contained dangerous live cargo, that vessel may be quarantined for any amount of time. Alternately, a ‘restricted bill of health’ may allow the crew to unload onto a lighter without any further contact or disembarkation. (This is a big deal- through a combination of vigilance and dumb luck, Ile Trouve is almost completely clear of invasive species like rats.)

''Registry:'' They gladly keep books of what registered ships have passed through, per international maritime custom. (They do it so gladly that they keep more than one book!) They also ask to know where you’re going, as ports often do. They do know that almost any answer they get is likely to be a lie, however. They also keep an eye out for stolen or otherwise ‘commandeered’ vessels.[OOC: It is by no means a dealbreaker. (“Typical business” means you pay the ‘expediting’ fee) ]

''The Safe Harbor Rule:'' “Any port in a storm” is a law of the sea. The Port Authority cannot, by custom, refuse entry during an emergency. (Some clever bastards sometime try to arrive DURING a storm, in order to obtain berthing they otherwise would not get. They are seldom up to any good. )

''Shipping News:'' Using ships notices given by Mr. Kinney (Port Cochere’s young radioman), they know who is announced to be coming or going.

''Tugboat:'' The Port Authority also runs the majestic ''Le Pot de Rouille'', Port Cochere’s only tugboat. If you’re being towed in, this is the only game in town.

==“Nighttime Business”==

If the Mayor’s office represents the high-end “intrigue” end of Port Cochere’s business, the Port Authority represents pure piratical instinct.
Additional Fees: While it is subsidized by the French government (represented in the person of His Honor the Mayor), the Port Authority nonetheless (off the record) extracts ‘fees for special procedures’ (for things likewise off-the-record). The most profitable fee the Authority uses is a ‘bypass’. Basically, for a fee, one need not bother oneself with the fine details. Port Liberty is sometimes sold, either for a fee or for a refundable security.

Obviously, this is only done within limits, otherwise nobody would use the harbor at all. Thus, all ‘fees’ must be justifiable to someone (ie, no straight up graft), and they must be taken in moderation (“Part of doing business”). The Port Authority does (per the old saw) “stay bought”, typically, and they know when to stop squeezing the stone.

They also keep the “surface tension” going. By making it prohibitive for smugglers or other demimondaines to just barge into the port, they encourage them to ‘transfer’ to light transport on out-islands, making it possible to say “we didn’t know!”. Since affordable anonymity is Ile Trouve’s most profitable industry, setting the price just-so is important.

''“Hiring Fees”'' (ie kickbacks): In exchange for ‘primary recommendation’ in hiring, the Port Authority tends to want a “Finder’s Fee”. Bas Ville is chock full of be crewmen whose hitch is over for one reason or another (“They left without me.” “I wonder WHY, hm?”), drifters, stowaways, renegade islanders no longer welcome at home, even refugees (though they’d have to be really stubborn refugees to be way out here.) This can make hiring a nightmare. While the Port Authority does show favoritism in ‘recommendations’, it at least imposes as sense of order.

''“Reading”:'' Members of the Port Authority have a knack for telling what’s on a ship and where it’s likely to go. (If you know the fuel-efficiencies of a ship and its fuel-load, you can find out where it’s going. Since ships rarely carry more ballast than they need to, a ship claiming to go a short distance while clearly loaded to go a long way (or vice versa) is of note. This information can then be ‘sold’ (to interested parties) or ‘sold back’ (to the owners of the ship in question). )

==Relations:==
''vs the Mayor’s Office:'' There’s always been a bit of a turf war between the two bureauxs. The Mayor’s office is charged with validating documents, which sometimes bumps into the Port Authority’s “checking your papers”, for example. [OOC: The main difference is that while the Mayor’s office might be obstructionist while flexing their bureaucratic muscles or illustrating a larger point, the Port Authority is mainly just looking to ‘expedite things’.]

''vs the Police:'' The Port Authority is fairly ginger about calling in the Municipals. They are not about to ask the Legionnaires to get involved, either. However, if they do see a crime committed that falls in either’s territory, they will call them immediately (theft, for example, or assaulting a Port Authority official.)

''vs. The Navy:'' The French Navy is based at Papeete. While the Port Authority may technically call the Navy in for certain things, this ruins certain gentlemen’s agreements. (That is, the French naval officer will ask what is going on, not take “well, you know…” for an answer, and will log whatever he is told, accurately.)

''vs. VIPs:'' Generally speaking, VIPs will be sized up on arrival. Exceptionally wealthy high-rollers tend to get “hands off” treatment, after initial contact. (Herr Zoransky for example.)

=The Police=

All French colonial law-enforcement attempts to model itself on the “home” model exercised in France. Port Cochere is no exception- though certain concessions have been made to Port Cochere’s unique situation.

At one point- due to the nature of the unique position of the Kamekame natives, vis a vis the town, it was considered to adopt a modified version of the Cercle system adopted in French West Africa, with appointed chieftains and so on. This plan did not survive contact (or lack thereof) with the Kamekame.

Therefore, an attempt was made to model the local forces on ones from Home.

-When role of the ''Gendarmerie nationale'' (that is, detached military-police responsible for public safety), this duty sometimes falls to the ''Legion Etrangere'' unit stationed at the fort overlooking town.

On occasion, they have done “Search and Rescue” missions in the countryside and coastal areas, such game-warden work as the island requires, crowd control and bodyguarding, securing the Port during emergencies, acting as an honor guard for dignitaries, and (of course) acting as Military Police amongst their own.

In deference to local wishes, the Legion command tends not to perform investigative functions, unless directly ordered to by the Governor (not the Mayor). They perform the other duties when requested by the Mayor, whom they file reports to for the duration. They generally arrive as armed and in uniform, as if they were on regular Legion business.

-''La Sûreté'' (France’s crack National Police force) have a few officers in the Territory, but none stationed at Ile Trouve itself.

(They tend to be assigned to larger cities, and would only really have a detective visit if there was a major crime in Port Cochere that the Territorial Government felt required investigation. There is not much chance of the Territorial Government having major crime in Port Cochere that they wanted to be investigated.)

-This leaves the ''Polices Municipales'', the police force that most Port Cochere residents see on average. The local Brigade of officers answers directly to the Mayor. While they technically share “rural guard” duties, if something requires forest ranger or ‘game warden’ duties, he gives it to the Legionnaires, owing to the delicacy of the Kamekame situation. Neither do they have investigative powers.

This leaves the Municipals as old-fashioned thieftakers. They break up fights, tell drunks and other disorderly people to go home, stop thefts and assaults, and provide assistance as needed. (If there were cars on Ile Trouve, they would ticket them, that sort of thing.) They have certain broadly-interpreted “good order” duties, and are supposed to help out in (for instance) disasters, but generally they stick to the basics: Patrolling and arresting. They wear a uniform (including a half-cape) and a baton. They do not typically carry firearms, though special circumstances may apply.

One thing that makes the local French colonial system different than the British colonial system is that the French system makes no differentiation between ‘subject’ and ‘native’- if an Islander is qualified to serve in the Municipals, they do. There is no ‘auxiliary’ or ‘tribal’ police force.

Also, all French citizens are considered eligible for national service, including colonial French. A great many Ile Trouveiens have taken the option of patrolling rather than, say, laying a road. (This is carefully tiptoed around in the case of the Kamekame, who are (diplomatically) assumed to ‘tend to their own law enforcement whilst on their private lands.’, due to a historical Protectorate status).

==Police Powers==

French law does not presume innocence, it presumes guilt. There is a right to silence, but they don’t need to remind you of it. Police may ask anyone to identify themselves, and hold unidentified people (even arrest them for resisting). They can question anyone about a case, search and seize property (during the day), detain suspects for up to a day without access to a lawyer for most of it.

==Courts==

The French Polynesian judicial system features a Court of First Instance, a Court of Appeal, and a Court of Administrative Law (which also handles things like business disputes). These are all located in Papeete, a fair distance away. If a case is not resolved locally (“Pay the fine, and don’t do it again”, for instance), the suspect is held until such time as he can be transported to court.

==Jail/Punishment==

There is a small jail here (maybe five or six old cells in a sun-blasted stone blockhouse), mainly used for holding prior to a prisoner transfer. Things tend to be “handled locally”, instead. French Polynesia has three prisons, none of which are near here. Rumor has it that the worst are still, unofficially, sent to the old penal colony at New Caledonia.

Generally speaking, there is a local distaste for jail-time- many of the French colonist’s forebears were sent to the island as Penal Colonists, so the idea just sits wrong. Fines and “alternate punishment” are favored as a result. Public execution (often by guillotine) is still common in France in this era- it’s an “arrow in the quiver”- but it has not been applied here for ages.

=Le Deuxieme Bureau=

The Second Bureau is France’s national intelligence agency. There are no apparent 2eme Bureau agents in Port Cochere, or on Ile Trouve as a whole. Neither the Mayor nor the Governor has ever contacted anyone from the Bureau. (It is left as an exercise for the reader to figure out exactly what use spies could be in Port Cochere.)

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Authorities

2015-06-04T14:08:24Z

Smoot: /* Direct Rule */

= The Colonial Government =

'''Full Name:''' Établissements Français de l'Océanie (French Establishments in Oceania)

'''Capital:''' Papeete, Tahiti. (OOC: If you're asking a question about where to find [Western convention or amenity not in Port Cochere], it's probably in Papeete- courts, jails, the military, newspapers, all that business.)

Executive:

'''Governor:''' Frédéric Marie Jean Baptiste Chastenet de Géry [RL person.] Appointed March of 1937.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between the French and British systems is that a "native" would generally not be allowed to serve in British administration, where all in French territory are considered citizens. (That is, you may find islanders in administrative support roles in French Polynesia, but not British holdings.)

Legislature:

'''Privy Council''': Advisors to the Governor.

'''Advisory Council:''' This was, formerly, a body of representatives from the Islands. In 1903, it was changed to a purely advisory administrative group.

==Policies==

In principle, the goal of the Establishment government is to bring the benefits of French civilization to the area: religion, scientific progress, and so on. It mainly does this through the method of "Direct Rule".

Direct rule differs from the British method in a several major ways: British governors are allowed more leeway for decision than their French counterparts (who carry out instructions from, and answer to, Paris). And where the British foster relationships with 'native leaders' (Chieftains, and so on), the French system considers all residents of its territory to be French. Therefore there is no official acknowledgement of tribal life, native traditions, or local mores. (French is the only language spoken in school or court, as well.)

The policy also encourages assimilation, and association (with somewhat more social intermixing than in the British system). There is somewhat less stigma in the French system on "going native", for example, or taking a 'native bride'. This also means that local languages play no part in local governance. [IRL, Polynesian languages were not used in official documents or education until ''1980''.]

The state owns all land not privately owned, and all citizens owe service (just like French conscripts do at home).

(The Kamekame shrewdly played this game, first by wrangling up a Protectorate status, then having scrambling to "buy" their own lands with trade-goods in the late 1800s.)

In practice, the colonies are profitable. Aside from serving as a trans-pacific waystation (and, now, a source of tourism via air-travel), French Polynesia has plantations that are hugely profitable (copra, pineapples, coconuts, etc). Oceania's trade has recovered from the Great Depression- both imports and exports are at more than quadruple the figures for 1933.

''Policy toward Port Cochere'': Officially, a blind eye. Over the last century-or-so, the French have ignored a lot, in order to get a lot out of it. So long as the Mayor of Port Cochere is doing his job properly, there is typically little in the way of direct engagement.

= The Mayor's Office =
(For more on the Mayor himself, see here: [[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Tailspins_%26_Tiki_Gods:The_Mayor]] )

Term: Administrators serve tours of 2 years (3, the first time), then return home for 3 months' leave. (They may serve multiple terms).

Like mayors in Metropolitan (ie, "''France'' France") France, the Mayor of Port Cochere represents the State, manages a staff, and commands the local police authorities. Unlike Metropolitan French mayors, the Mayor of Port Cochere is an appointed position- he isn't elected.

Duties:

Aside from this, the Mayor has duties typical of any mayor- represent the State, post laws and local regulations, validate signatures and assign permits, act during emergencies, and so on. The Mayor commands the Municipal police directly

The Mayor also directly commands the Municipal Police (and may have people put in custody if there's reason to suspect them of a crime), may conduct preliminary investigations, and (being a civil officer) may officiate marriages.

As Port Cochere is 'outside' many typical French administrative functions (due to "oversight" or actually due to ''oversight''), roles that normally fall to a prefect or commissioner (issue of documents, immigration control/passports, etc) is handled at the mayoral level. He is, also, sometimes instructed to assist in finding wanted persons. (These are, of course, unusual situations. It is extremely unlikely that anyone would find a wanted fugitive in ''Port Cochere''!)

HQ: The Mairie

The Mairie (Town Hall) is a broad two-story building in La Haut Ville. (Something like a version of this: [http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/temp/files/Tahiti-02-ColonialBuilding-PolynesieFrancaise-01-lr.jpg]) ground floor of the Mairie (Town Hall) is offices, the top floor a residence.

Traditionally, the mayors of Port Cochere have attempted to make the top floor as much of a slice of home as possible. If one never unshuttered the windows, one might squint and think one was in France.

The lower floor is, simply, a series of offices, storerooms, and support areas (such as a kitchen).

==The Staff==

There is a small household staff (cooks, cleaners, etc), but what is generally meant here is the administrative staff: a small group of functionaries (both French-ethnic and of Islander ancestry) who handle many of the day-to-day bureaucratic functions of the office. Many of them have worked for several mayors.

==Relations:==

''vs. the Colonial Government:''

The job of Mayor of Port Cochere is possibly the Toughest Job In Show Biz, so to speak. There is typically a great deal of turnover.

It's basically a circuit-breaker: So long as things are running quietly, the Mayor is fine, although he has the issue of creatively non-noticing things while also keeping tabs on them unofficially. If, on the other hand, something major should go wrong, the mayor is basically there to take the fall for it. (He is, in essence, the 'pit boss' for the proverbial 'gambline' that the Governor would be shocked- ''shocked'' to find in his establishment.)

''vs the Kamekame'': The history of the island makes relations with the Kamekame, largely, a draw. The Kamekame extracted a particular Protectorate status from the French in the 1800s, and further "bought" their own lands so that it is (collectively) the private property of the Kamekame nation. The Kamekame come into town to work, then return home. The Mayoral government, largely, stays put and doesn't go into Kamekame territory without a very good reason.

''vs the Legionnaires'': Various mayors have set different tones with the Foreign Legion outpost uphill from the Maiorie. Some called on them early and often, others encouraged them to stay put. The current mayor favors the latter, assuming that not doing so would cause fewer 'ripples'.

''vs the Port Authority'': The Mayor himself outranks and has charge over the Port Authority. In practice, the Mayor's ''office'' and the Port Authority are often at cross-purposes.

''vs. VIPs'': The Mayor's office keeps tabs on VIPs, even when they take no official notice of them. Socially, the Mayor himself is considered a sort of local dignitary (hosting functions and such) among the residents of Le Haut Ville. Other VIPs simply wish not to be noticed, so the Mayor's office arranges for them not to be noticed [OOC: leading to a 'just-enough' game where they have to notice them to be certain they're not being noticed. ;)].

=The Port Authority =

The rather grand-sounding Port Authority is, at most times, no more than 5-10 people. If need be, they can call on the police- but this is seldom necessary.

They are responsible for regulating both interisland trade (still mostly sail-driven, though steamers up to 200-300 displacement tons are coming on the scene) and incoming ships from far away. (Luckily, most of these vessels do not require fuelling- Port Cochere being merely a “through port” on the way somewhere else.)

Being mainly concerned with the harbor and the lagoon, the Port Authority seldom moves out of La Bas Ville. There are actually painted wooden poles denoting the limits of the Authority’s beat on land.

'''Structure:''' The ''Capitaine de Port'', Alaine St. Heler de Montaigne, may have up to 10 agents at any given time. They answer to him directly, and he answers (rather tenuously) to the Mayor’s Office.

==“Daytime Business” (and standing policies)==

''Contact with out-villages'': there are minor atolls that can sustain no more than 40-50 people. The Port Authority checks in on them every so often, on behalf of the Mayor or Governor, if the villages are otherwise not heard from. (If they are in a lazy mood, they pay someone else to ‘knock on the doors’.)

''Concessions'': If it’s ashore, it’s the Town’s problem, but if you’re a businessman who approaches ships directly (say, rowing up to the side and offering goods on the spot), the Port Authority ‘has a word’. They also “recommend” porters/stevedores/longshoremen for freighters. (The town has a separate authority for the Marketplace, however. This has the effect of making landing and using the Marketplace a more effective option, which helps the town as a whole)

''Customs & Tariffs Inspections:'' Typical items-of-interest include firearms (without proper documentation), drugs (especially Opium- both the local Benevolent Society and the Port Authority put their heavy boots on regarding this), wild or domestic animals NOT in transit.

''Harbormastering'': The Port Authority rigorously controls where private vessels (aside from very small craft) go while in the lagoon. The recent introduction of seaplanes makes this VERY IMPORTANT. (The Capitaine de Port has expressed an interest in making a ‘landing strip’ area of the lagoon taboo to islander boating, but this so far seems unworkable. And development of a rudimentary air-traffic control system is in progress.)

''Hiring:''They ‘recommend’ lighters (locally-run shore boats) for people who haven’t brought their own, as well as recommending locals for dockside work. (Here, they work with the Wangguan Benevolent Association’s hiring hall system, as well as native and local groups with identifiable ‘representatives’.)

''Mooring:'' The Port Authority is responsible for charging for mooring (cost depending on location and availability, as well as duration.)

''Navigation:'' They do maintain channel markers, as needed.

''Notices to Mariners:'' The Port Authority is partly responsible for issuing weather and surf advisories, among other things. (OOC: If a kraken started preying on local boats, they would be the ones to have to decide whether to warn everyone or if it would “Cause a Panic”, a la most monster movies. ;) )

''The On-Ship Rule'': Ships’ crews are confined to ship after nightfall. This actually does have a certain crime-preventing effect. (It’s hard to mug sailors by night when those sailors are on their boats, for example, and drunken brawls are kept to a minimum), but shop-owners complain that it’s restraining trade.
“Liberty of the Town” can be arranged through the Port Authority, or via the Mayor’s Office.

''Passports:'' They do typically inspect them. They do not, however, ''stamp'' them (though they do have, if need be, access to a lovely set: Papeete, Nuku Hiva, Tubuai, Uturoa…). THEY ARE AN OFF-THE BOOKS EXCEPTION to the law that requires all foreign visitors to go through Papeete first. (This was a draw for the film company- shorter trip than going to Tahiti, ''then'' out to the island.)

''Pilotage'': If you have a larger vessel and wish to NOT drop anchor outside the lagoon’s barrier reefs, the Port Authority will charge you to have a PA Pilot either taking the wheel of your vessel or watch over your shoulder.

''Quarantine:'' They are authorized to call ‘quarantine’ on a ship. This usually involves consulting with Port Cochere’s town doctor. If an initial inspection shows rampant vermin (rats, bugs, etc), contagious illness, or is shown to carry insufficiently contained dangerous live cargo, that vessel may be quarantined for any amount of time. Alternately, a ‘restricted bill of health’ may allow the crew to unload onto a lighter without any further contact or disembarkation. (This is a big deal- through a combination of vigilance and dumb luck, Ile Trouve is almost completely clear of invasive species like rats.)

''Registry:'' They gladly keep books of what registered ships have passed through, per international maritime custom. (They do it so gladly that they keep more than one book!) They also ask to know where you’re going, as ports often do. They do know that almost any answer they get is likely to be a lie, however. They also keep an eye out for stolen or otherwise ‘commandeered’ vessels.[OOC: It is by no means a dealbreaker. (“Typical business” means you pay the ‘expediting’ fee) ]

''The Safe Harbor Rule:'' “Any port in a storm” is a law of the sea. The Port Authority cannot, by custom, refuse entry during an emergency. (Some clever bastards sometime try to arrive DURING a storm, in order to obtain berthing they otherwise would not get. They are seldom up to any good. )

''Shipping News:'' Using ships notices given by Mr. Kinney (Port Cochere’s young radioman), they know who is announced to be coming or going.

''Tugboat:'' The Port Authority also runs the majestic ''Le Pot de Rouille'', Port Cochere’s only tugboat. If you’re being towed in, this is the only game in town.

==“Nighttime Business”==

If the Mayor’s office represents the high-end “intrigue” end of Port Cochere’s business, the Port Authority represents pure piratical instinct.
Additional Fees: While it is subsidized by the French government (represented in the person of His Honor the Mayor), the Port Authority nonetheless (off the record) extracts ‘fees for special procedures’ (for things likewise off-the-record). The most profitable fee the Authority uses is a ‘bypass’. Basically, for a fee, one need not bother oneself with the fine details. Port Liberty is sometimes sold, either for a fee or for a refundable security.

Obviously, this is only done within limits, otherwise nobody would use the harbor at all. Thus, all ‘fees’ must be justifiable to someone (ie, no straight up graft), and they must be taken in moderation (“Part of doing business”). The Port Authority does (per the old saw) “stay bought”, typically, and they know when to stop squeezing the stone.

They also keep the “surface tension” going. By making it prohibitive for smugglers or other demimondaines to just barge into the port, they encourage them to ‘transfer’ to light transport on out-islands, making it possible to say “we didn’t know!”. Since affordable anonymity is Ile Trouve’s most profitable industry, setting the price just-so is important.

''“Hiring Fees”'' (ie kickbacks): In exchange for ‘primary recommendation’ in hiring, the Port Authority tends to want a “Finder’s Fee”. Bas Ville is chock full of be crewmen whose hitch is over for one reason or another (“They left without me.” “I wonder WHY, hm?”), drifters, stowaways, renegade islanders no longer welcome at home, even refugees (though they’d have to be really stubborn refugees to be way out here.) This can make hiring a nightmare. While the Port Authority does show favoritism in ‘recommendations’, it at least imposes as sense of order.

''“Reading”:'' Members of the Port Authority have a knack for telling what’s on a ship and where it’s likely to go. (If you know the fuel-efficiencies of a ship and its fuel-load, you can find out where it’s going. Since ships rarely carry more ballast than they need to, a ship claiming to go a short distance while clearly loaded to go a long way (or vice versa) is of note. This information can then be ‘sold’ (to interested parties) or ‘sold back’ (to the owners of the ship in question). )

==Relations:==
''vs the Mayor’s Office:'' There’s always been a bit of a turf war between the two bureauxs. The Mayor’s office is charged with validating documents, which sometimes bumps into the Port Authority’s “checking your papers”, for example. [OOC: The main difference is that while the Mayor’s office might be obstructionist while flexing their bureaucratic muscles or illustrating a larger point, the Port Authority is mainly just looking to ‘expedite things’.]

''vs the Police:'' The Port Authority is fairly ginger about calling in the Municipals. They are not about to ask the Legionnaires to get involved, either. However, if they do see a crime committed that falls in either’s territory, they will call them immediately (theft, for example, or assaulting a Port Authority official.)

''vs. The Navy:'' The French Navy is based at Papeete. While the Port Authority may technically call the Navy in for certain things, this ruins certain gentlemen’s agreements. (That is, the French naval officer will ask what is going on, not take “well, you know…” for an answer, and will log whatever he is told, accurately.)

''vs. VIPs:'' Generally speaking, VIPs will be sized up on arrival. Exceptionally wealthy high-rollers tend to get “hands off” treatment, after initial contact. (Herr Zoransky for example.)

=The Police=

All French colonial law-enforcement attempts to model itself on the “home” model exercised in France. Port Cochere is no exception- though certain concessions have been made to Port Cochere’s unique situation.

At one point- due to the nature of the unique position of the Kamekame natives, vis a vis the town, it was considered to adopt a modified version of the Cercle system adopted in French West Africa, with appointed chieftains and so on. This plan did not survive contact (or lack thereof) with the Kamekame.

Therefore, an attempt was made to model the local forces on ones from Home.

-When role of the ''Gendarmerie nationale'' (that is, detached military-police responsible for public safety), this duty sometimes falls to the ''Legion Etrangere'' unit stationed at the fort overlooking town.

On occasion, they have done “Search and Rescue” missions in the countryside and coastal areas, such game-warden work as the island requires, crowd control and bodyguarding, securing the Port during emergencies, acting as an honor guard for dignitaries, and (of course) acting as Military Police amongst their own.

In deference to local wishes, the Legion command tends not to perform investigative functions, unless directly ordered to by the Governor (not the Mayor). They perform the other duties when requested by the Mayor, whom they file reports to for the duration. They generally arrive as armed and in uniform, as if they were on regular Legion business.

-''La Sûreté'' (France’s crack National Police force) have a few officers in the Territory, but none stationed at Ile Trouve itself.

(They tend to be assigned to larger cities, and would only really have a detective visit if there was a major crime in Port Cochere that the Territorial Government felt required investigation. There is not much chance of the Territorial Government having major crime in Port Cochere that they wanted to be investigated.)

-This leaves the ''Polices Municipales'', the police force that most Port Cochere residents see on average. The local Brigade of officers answers directly to the Mayor. While they technically share “rural guard” duties, if something requires forest ranger or ‘game warden’ duties, he gives it to the Legionnaires, owing to the delicacy of the Kamekame situation. Neither do they have investigative powers.

This leaves the Municipals as old-fashioned thieftakers. They break up fights, tell drunks and other disorderly people to go home, stop thefts and assaults, and provide assistance as needed. (If there were cars on Ile Trouve, they would ticket them, that sort of thing.) They have certain broadly-interpreted “good order” duties, and are supposed to help out in (for instance) disasters, but generally they stick to the basics: Patrolling and arresting. They wear a uniform (including a half-cape) and a baton. They do not typically carry firearms, though special circumstances may apply.

One thing that makes the local French colonial system different than the British colonial system is that the French system makes no differentiation between ‘subject’ and ‘native’- if an Islander is qualified to serve in the Municipals, they do. There is no ‘auxiliary’ or ‘tribal’ police force.

Also, all French citizens are considered eligible for national service, including colonial French. A great many Ile Trouveiens have taken the option of patrolling rather than, say, laying a road. (This is carefully tiptoed around in the case of the Kamekame, who are (diplomatically) assumed to ‘tend to their own law enforcement whilst on their private lands.’, due to a historical Protectorate status).

==Police Powers==

French law does not presume innocence, it presumes guilt. There is a right to silence, but they don’t need to remind you of it. Police may ask anyone to identify themselves, and hold unidentified people (even arrest them for resisting). They can question anyone about a case, search and seize property (during the day), detain suspects for up to a day without access to a lawyer for most of it.

==Courts==

The French Polynesian judicial system features a Court of First Instance, a Court of Appeal, and a Court of Administrative Law (which also handles things like business disputes). These are all located in Papeete, a fair distance away. If a case is not resolved locally (“Pay the fine, and don’t do it again”, for instance), the suspect is held until such time as he can be transported to court.

==Jail/Punishment==

There is a small jail here (maybe five or six old cells in a sun-blasted stone blockhouse), mainly used for holding prior to a prisoner transfer. Things tend to be “handled locally”, instead. French Polynesia has three prisons, none of which are near here. Rumor has it that the worst are still, unofficially, sent to the old penal colony at New Caledonia.

Generally speaking, there is a local distaste for jail-time- many of the French colonist’s forebears were sent to the island as Penal Colonists, so the idea just sits wrong. Fines and “alternate punishment” are favored as a result. Public execution (often by guillotine) is still common in France in this era- it’s an “arrow in the quiver”- but it has not been applied here for ages.

=Le Deuxieme Bureau=

The Second Bureau is France’s national intelligence agency. There are no apparent 2eme Bureau agents in Port Cochere, or on Ile Trouve as a whole. Neither the Mayor nor the Governor has ever contacted anyone from the Bureau. (It is left as an exercise for the reader to figure out exactly what use spies could be in Port Cochere.)

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Authorities

2015-06-04T13:51:52Z

Smoot: /* The Mayor's Office */

= The Colonial Government =

'''Full Name:''' Établissements Français de l'Océanie (French Establishments in Oceania)

'''Capital:''' Papeete, Tahiti. (OOC: If you're asking a question about where to find [Western convention or amenity not in Port Cochere], it's probably in Papeete- courts, jails, the military, newspapers, all that business.)

Executive:

'''Governor:''' Frédéric Marie Jean Baptiste Chastenet de Géry [RL person.] Appointed March of 1937.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between the French and British systems is that a "native" would generally not be allowed to serve in British administration, where all in French territory are considered citizens. (That is, you may find islanders in administrative support roles in French Polynesia, but not British holdings.)

Legislature:

'''Privy Council''': Advisors to the Governor.

'''Advisory Council:''' This was, formerly, a body of representatives from the Islands. In 1903, it was changed to a purely advisory administrative group.

==Direct Rule==
The French method of colonial government is called "Direct Rule". It differs from the British method in a several major ways: British governors are allowed more leeway for decision than their French counterparts (who carry out instructions from, and answer to, Paris). And where the British foster relationships with 'native leaders' (Chieftains, and so on), the French system considers all in its territory to be French. Therefore there is no official acknowledgement of tribal life or mores. The state owns all land not privately owned, and all citizens owe service (just like French conscripts do at home).

(The Kamekame shrewdly played this game, first by wrangling up a Protectorate status, then having scrambling to "buy" their own lands with trade-goods in the late 1800s.)

The policy also encourages assimilation, and association (that is more social intermixing than the British system). There is somewhat less stigma in the French system on "going native", for example, or taking a 'native bride'.

Oceania's trade has recovered from the Great Depression. The value of both imports and exports more than quadruple the figures for 1933.

= The Mayor's Office =
(For more on the Mayor himself, see here: [[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Tailspins_%26_Tiki_Gods:The_Mayor]] )

Term: Administrators serve tours of 2 years (3, the first time), then return home for 3 months' leave. (They may serve multiple terms).

Like mayors in Metropolitan (ie, "''France'' France") France, the Mayor of Port Cochere represents the State, manages a staff, and commands the local police authorities. Unlike Metropolitan French mayors, the Mayor of Port Cochere is an appointed position- he isn't elected.

Duties:

Aside from this, the Mayor has duties typical of any mayor- represent the State, post laws and local regulations, validate signatures and assign permits, act during emergencies, and so on. The Mayor commands the Municipal police directly

The Mayor also directly commands the Municipal Police (and may have people put in custody if there's reason to suspect them of a crime), may conduct preliminary investigations, and (being a civil officer) may officiate marriages.

As Port Cochere is 'outside' many typical French administrative functions (due to "oversight" or actually due to ''oversight''), roles that normally fall to a prefect or commissioner (issue of documents, immigration control/passports, etc) is handled at the mayoral level. He is, also, sometimes instructed to assist in finding wanted persons. (These are, of course, unusual situations. It is extremely unlikely that anyone would find a wanted fugitive in ''Port Cochere''!)

HQ: The Mairie

The Mairie (Town Hall) is a broad two-story building in La Haut Ville. (Something like a version of this: [http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/temp/files/Tahiti-02-ColonialBuilding-PolynesieFrancaise-01-lr.jpg]) ground floor of the Mairie (Town Hall) is offices, the top floor a residence.

Traditionally, the mayors of Port Cochere have attempted to make the top floor as much of a slice of home as possible. If one never unshuttered the windows, one might squint and think one was in France.

The lower floor is, simply, a series of offices, storerooms, and support areas (such as a kitchen).

==The Staff==

There is a small household staff (cooks, cleaners, etc), but what is generally meant here is the administrative staff: a small group of functionaries (both French-ethnic and of Islander ancestry) who handle many of the day-to-day bureaucratic functions of the office. Many of them have worked for several mayors.

==Relations:==

''vs. the Colonial Government:''

The job of Mayor of Port Cochere is possibly the Toughest Job In Show Biz, so to speak. There is typically a great deal of turnover.

It's basically a circuit-breaker: So long as things are running quietly, the Mayor is fine, although he has the issue of creatively non-noticing things while also keeping tabs on them unofficially. If, on the other hand, something major should go wrong, the mayor is basically there to take the fall for it. (He is, in essence, the 'pit boss' for the proverbial 'gambline' that the Governor would be shocked- ''shocked'' to find in his establishment.)

''vs the Kamekame'': The history of the island makes relations with the Kamekame, largely, a draw. The Kamekame extracted a particular Protectorate status from the French in the 1800s, and further "bought" their own lands so that it is (collectively) the private property of the Kamekame nation. The Kamekame come into town to work, then return home. The Mayoral government, largely, stays put and doesn't go into Kamekame territory without a very good reason.

''vs the Legionnaires'': Various mayors have set different tones with the Foreign Legion outpost uphill from the Maiorie. Some called on them early and often, others encouraged them to stay put. The current mayor favors the latter, assuming that not doing so would cause fewer 'ripples'.

''vs the Port Authority'': The Mayor himself outranks and has charge over the Port Authority. In practice, the Mayor's ''office'' and the Port Authority are often at cross-purposes.

''vs. VIPs'': The Mayor's office keeps tabs on VIPs, even when they take no official notice of them. Socially, the Mayor himself is considered a sort of local dignitary (hosting functions and such) among the residents of Le Haut Ville. Other VIPs simply wish not to be noticed, so the Mayor's office arranges for them not to be noticed [OOC: leading to a 'just-enough' game where they have to notice them to be certain they're not being noticed. ;)].

=The Port Authority =

The rather grand-sounding Port Authority is, at most times, no more than 5-10 people. If need be, they can call on the police- but this is seldom necessary.

They are responsible for regulating both interisland trade (still mostly sail-driven, though steamers up to 200-300 displacement tons are coming on the scene) and incoming ships from far away. (Luckily, most of these vessels do not require fuelling- Port Cochere being merely a “through port” on the way somewhere else.)

Being mainly concerned with the harbor and the lagoon, the Port Authority seldom moves out of La Bas Ville. There are actually painted wooden poles denoting the limits of the Authority’s beat on land.

'''Structure:''' The ''Capitaine de Port'', Alaine St. Heler de Montaigne, may have up to 10 agents at any given time. They answer to him directly, and he answers (rather tenuously) to the Mayor’s Office.

==“Daytime Business” (and standing policies)==

''Contact with out-villages'': there are minor atolls that can sustain no more than 40-50 people. The Port Authority checks in on them every so often, on behalf of the Mayor or Governor, if the villages are otherwise not heard from. (If they are in a lazy mood, they pay someone else to ‘knock on the doors’.)

''Concessions'': If it’s ashore, it’s the Town’s problem, but if you’re a businessman who approaches ships directly (say, rowing up to the side and offering goods on the spot), the Port Authority ‘has a word’. They also “recommend” porters/stevedores/longshoremen for freighters. (The town has a separate authority for the Marketplace, however. This has the effect of making landing and using the Marketplace a more effective option, which helps the town as a whole)

''Customs & Tariffs Inspections:'' Typical items-of-interest include firearms (without proper documentation), drugs (especially Opium- both the local Benevolent Society and the Port Authority put their heavy boots on regarding this), wild or domestic animals NOT in transit.

''Harbormastering'': The Port Authority rigorously controls where private vessels (aside from very small craft) go while in the lagoon. The recent introduction of seaplanes makes this VERY IMPORTANT. (The Capitaine de Port has expressed an interest in making a ‘landing strip’ area of the lagoon taboo to islander boating, but this so far seems unworkable. And development of a rudimentary air-traffic control system is in progress.)

''Hiring:''They ‘recommend’ lighters (locally-run shore boats) for people who haven’t brought their own, as well as recommending locals for dockside work. (Here, they work with the Wangguan Benevolent Association’s hiring hall system, as well as native and local groups with identifiable ‘representatives’.)

''Mooring:'' The Port Authority is responsible for charging for mooring (cost depending on location and availability, as well as duration.)

''Navigation:'' They do maintain channel markers, as needed.

''Notices to Mariners:'' The Port Authority is partly responsible for issuing weather and surf advisories, among other things. (OOC: If a kraken started preying on local boats, they would be the ones to have to decide whether to warn everyone or if it would “Cause a Panic”, a la most monster movies. ;) )

''The On-Ship Rule'': Ships’ crews are confined to ship after nightfall. This actually does have a certain crime-preventing effect. (It’s hard to mug sailors by night when those sailors are on their boats, for example, and drunken brawls are kept to a minimum), but shop-owners complain that it’s restraining trade.
“Liberty of the Town” can be arranged through the Port Authority, or via the Mayor’s Office.

''Passports:'' They do typically inspect them. They do not, however, ''stamp'' them (though they do have, if need be, access to a lovely set: Papeete, Nuku Hiva, Tubuai, Uturoa…). THEY ARE AN OFF-THE BOOKS EXCEPTION to the law that requires all foreign visitors to go through Papeete first. (This was a draw for the film company- shorter trip than going to Tahiti, ''then'' out to the island.)

''Pilotage'': If you have a larger vessel and wish to NOT drop anchor outside the lagoon’s barrier reefs, the Port Authority will charge you to have a PA Pilot either taking the wheel of your vessel or watch over your shoulder.

''Quarantine:'' They are authorized to call ‘quarantine’ on a ship. This usually involves consulting with Port Cochere’s town doctor. If an initial inspection shows rampant vermin (rats, bugs, etc), contagious illness, or is shown to carry insufficiently contained dangerous live cargo, that vessel may be quarantined for any amount of time. Alternately, a ‘restricted bill of health’ may allow the crew to unload onto a lighter without any further contact or disembarkation. (This is a big deal- through a combination of vigilance and dumb luck, Ile Trouve is almost completely clear of invasive species like rats.)

''Registry:'' They gladly keep books of what registered ships have passed through, per international maritime custom. (They do it so gladly that they keep more than one book!) They also ask to know where you’re going, as ports often do. They do know that almost any answer they get is likely to be a lie, however. They also keep an eye out for stolen or otherwise ‘commandeered’ vessels.[OOC: It is by no means a dealbreaker. (“Typical business” means you pay the ‘expediting’ fee) ]

''The Safe Harbor Rule:'' “Any port in a storm” is a law of the sea. The Port Authority cannot, by custom, refuse entry during an emergency. (Some clever bastards sometime try to arrive DURING a storm, in order to obtain berthing they otherwise would not get. They are seldom up to any good. )

''Shipping News:'' Using ships notices given by Mr. Kinney (Port Cochere’s young radioman), they know who is announced to be coming or going.

''Tugboat:'' The Port Authority also runs the majestic ''Le Pot de Rouille'', Port Cochere’s only tugboat. If you’re being towed in, this is the only game in town.

==“Nighttime Business”==

If the Mayor’s office represents the high-end “intrigue” end of Port Cochere’s business, the Port Authority represents pure piratical instinct.
Additional Fees: While it is subsidized by the French government (represented in the person of His Honor the Mayor), the Port Authority nonetheless (off the record) extracts ‘fees for special procedures’ (for things likewise off-the-record). The most profitable fee the Authority uses is a ‘bypass’. Basically, for a fee, one need not bother oneself with the fine details. Port Liberty is sometimes sold, either for a fee or for a refundable security.

Obviously, this is only done within limits, otherwise nobody would use the harbor at all. Thus, all ‘fees’ must be justifiable to someone (ie, no straight up graft), and they must be taken in moderation (“Part of doing business”). The Port Authority does (per the old saw) “stay bought”, typically, and they know when to stop squeezing the stone.

They also keep the “surface tension” going. By making it prohibitive for smugglers or other demimondaines to just barge into the port, they encourage them to ‘transfer’ to light transport on out-islands, making it possible to say “we didn’t know!”. Since affordable anonymity is Ile Trouve’s most profitable industry, setting the price just-so is important.

''“Hiring Fees”'' (ie kickbacks): In exchange for ‘primary recommendation’ in hiring, the Port Authority tends to want a “Finder’s Fee”. Bas Ville is chock full of be crewmen whose hitch is over for one reason or another (“They left without me.” “I wonder WHY, hm?”), drifters, stowaways, renegade islanders no longer welcome at home, even refugees (though they’d have to be really stubborn refugees to be way out here.) This can make hiring a nightmare. While the Port Authority does show favoritism in ‘recommendations’, it at least imposes as sense of order.

''“Reading”:'' Members of the Port Authority have a knack for telling what’s on a ship and where it’s likely to go. (If you know the fuel-efficiencies of a ship and its fuel-load, you can find out where it’s going. Since ships rarely carry more ballast than they need to, a ship claiming to go a short distance while clearly loaded to go a long way (or vice versa) is of note. This information can then be ‘sold’ (to interested parties) or ‘sold back’ (to the owners of the ship in question). )

==Relations:==
''vs the Mayor’s Office:'' There’s always been a bit of a turf war between the two bureauxs. The Mayor’s office is charged with validating documents, which sometimes bumps into the Port Authority’s “checking your papers”, for example. [OOC: The main difference is that while the Mayor’s office might be obstructionist while flexing their bureaucratic muscles or illustrating a larger point, the Port Authority is mainly just looking to ‘expedite things’.]

''vs the Police:'' The Port Authority is fairly ginger about calling in the Municipals. They are not about to ask the Legionnaires to get involved, either. However, if they do see a crime committed that falls in either’s territory, they will call them immediately (theft, for example, or assaulting a Port Authority official.)

''vs. The Navy:'' The French Navy is based at Papeete. While the Port Authority may technically call the Navy in for certain things, this ruins certain gentlemen’s agreements. (That is, the French naval officer will ask what is going on, not take “well, you know…” for an answer, and will log whatever he is told, accurately.)

''vs. VIPs:'' Generally speaking, VIPs will be sized up on arrival. Exceptionally wealthy high-rollers tend to get “hands off” treatment, after initial contact. (Herr Zoransky for example.)

=The Police=

All French colonial law-enforcement attempts to model itself on the “home” model exercised in France. Port Cochere is no exception- though certain concessions have been made to Port Cochere’s unique situation.

At one point- due to the nature of the unique position of the Kamekame natives, vis a vis the town, it was considered to adopt a modified version of the Cercle system adopted in French West Africa, with appointed chieftains and so on. This plan did not survive contact (or lack thereof) with the Kamekame.

Therefore, an attempt was made to model the local forces on ones from Home.

-When role of the ''Gendarmerie nationale'' (that is, detached military-police responsible for public safety), this duty sometimes falls to the ''Legion Etrangere'' unit stationed at the fort overlooking town.

On occasion, they have done “Search and Rescue” missions in the countryside and coastal areas, such game-warden work as the island requires, crowd control and bodyguarding, securing the Port during emergencies, acting as an honor guard for dignitaries, and (of course) acting as Military Police amongst their own.

In deference to local wishes, the Legion command tends not to perform investigative functions, unless directly ordered to by the Governor (not the Mayor). They perform the other duties when requested by the Mayor, whom they file reports to for the duration. They generally arrive as armed and in uniform, as if they were on regular Legion business.

-''La Sûreté'' (France’s crack National Police force) have a few officers in the Territory, but none stationed at Ile Trouve itself.

(They tend to be assigned to larger cities, and would only really have a detective visit if there was a major crime in Port Cochere that the Territorial Government felt required investigation. There is not much chance of the Territorial Government having major crime in Port Cochere that they wanted to be investigated.)

-This leaves the ''Polices Municipales'', the police force that most Port Cochere residents see on average. The local Brigade of officers answers directly to the Mayor. While they technically share “rural guard” duties, if something requires forest ranger or ‘game warden’ duties, he gives it to the Legionnaires, owing to the delicacy of the Kamekame situation. Neither do they have investigative powers.

This leaves the Municipals as old-fashioned thieftakers. They break up fights, tell drunks and other disorderly people to go home, stop thefts and assaults, and provide assistance as needed. (If there were cars on Ile Trouve, they would ticket them, that sort of thing.) They have certain broadly-interpreted “good order” duties, and are supposed to help out in (for instance) disasters, but generally they stick to the basics: Patrolling and arresting. They wear a uniform (including a half-cape) and a baton. They do not typically carry firearms, though special circumstances may apply.

One thing that makes the local French colonial system different than the British colonial system is that the French system makes no differentiation between ‘subject’ and ‘native’- if an Islander is qualified to serve in the Municipals, they do. There is no ‘auxiliary’ or ‘tribal’ police force.

Also, all French citizens are considered eligible for national service, including colonial French. A great many Ile Trouveiens have taken the option of patrolling rather than, say, laying a road. (This is carefully tiptoed around in the case of the Kamekame, who are (diplomatically) assumed to ‘tend to their own law enforcement whilst on their private lands.’, due to a historical Protectorate status).

==Police Powers==

French law does not presume innocence, it presumes guilt. There is a right to silence, but they don’t need to remind you of it. Police may ask anyone to identify themselves, and hold unidentified people (even arrest them for resisting). They can question anyone about a case, search and seize property (during the day), detain suspects for up to a day without access to a lawyer for most of it.

==Courts==

The French Polynesian judicial system features a Court of First Instance, a Court of Appeal, and a Court of Administrative Law (which also handles things like business disputes). These are all located in Papeete, a fair distance away. If a case is not resolved locally (“Pay the fine, and don’t do it again”, for instance), the suspect is held until such time as he can be transported to court.

==Jail/Punishment==

There is a small jail here (maybe five or six old cells in a sun-blasted stone blockhouse), mainly used for holding prior to a prisoner transfer. Things tend to be “handled locally”, instead. French Polynesia has three prisons, none of which are near here. Rumor has it that the worst are still, unofficially, sent to the old penal colony at New Caledonia.

Generally speaking, there is a local distaste for jail-time- many of the French colonist’s forebears were sent to the island as Penal Colonists, so the idea just sits wrong. Fines and “alternate punishment” are favored as a result. Public execution (often by guillotine) is still common in France in this era- it’s an “arrow in the quiver”- but it has not been applied here for ages.

=Le Deuxieme Bureau=

The Second Bureau is France’s national intelligence agency. There are no apparent 2eme Bureau agents in Port Cochere, or on Ile Trouve as a whole. Neither the Mayor nor the Governor has ever contacted anyone from the Bureau. (It is left as an exercise for the reader to figure out exactly what use spies could be in Port Cochere.)

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Authorities

2015-06-04T13:50:44Z

Smoot:

= The Colonial Government =

'''Full Name:''' Établissements Français de l'Océanie (French Establishments in Oceania)

'''Capital:''' Papeete, Tahiti. (OOC: If you're asking a question about where to find [Western convention or amenity not in Port Cochere], it's probably in Papeete- courts, jails, the military, newspapers, all that business.)

Executive:

'''Governor:''' Frédéric Marie Jean Baptiste Chastenet de Géry [RL person.] Appointed March of 1937.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between the French and British systems is that a "native" would generally not be allowed to serve in British administration, where all in French territory are considered citizens. (That is, you may find islanders in administrative support roles in French Polynesia, but not British holdings.)

Legislature:

'''Privy Council''': Advisors to the Governor.

'''Advisory Council:''' This was, formerly, a body of representatives from the Islands. In 1903, it was changed to a purely advisory administrative group.

==Direct Rule==
The French method of colonial government is called "Direct Rule". It differs from the British method in a several major ways: British governors are allowed more leeway for decision than their French counterparts (who carry out instructions from, and answer to, Paris). And where the British foster relationships with 'native leaders' (Chieftains, and so on), the French system considers all in its territory to be French. Therefore there is no official acknowledgement of tribal life or mores. The state owns all land not privately owned, and all citizens owe service (just like French conscripts do at home).

(The Kamekame shrewdly played this game, first by wrangling up a Protectorate status, then having scrambling to "buy" their own lands with trade-goods in the late 1800s.)

The policy also encourages assimilation, and association (that is more social intermixing than the British system). There is somewhat less stigma in the French system on "going native", for example, or taking a 'native bride'.

Oceania's trade has recovered from the Great Depression. The value of both imports and exports more than quadruple the figures for 1933.

= The Mayor's Office =
(For more on the Mayor himself, see here: [[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Tailspins_%26_Tiki_Gods:The_Mayor]] )

Term: Administrators serve tours of 2 years (3, the first time), then return home for 3 months' leave. (They may serve multiple terms).

Like mayors in Metropolitan (ie, "''France'' France") France, the Mayor of Port Cochere represents the State, manages a staff, and commands the local police authorities. Unlike Metropolitan French mayors, the Mayor of Port Cochere is an appointed position- he isn't elected.

Duties:

Aside from this, the Mayor has duties typical of any mayor- represent the State, post laws and local regulations, validate signatures and assign permits, act during emergencies, and so on. The Mayor commands the Municipal police directly

The Mayor also directly commands the Municipal Police (and may have people put in custody if there's reason to suspect them of a crime), may conduct preliminary investigations, and (being a civil officer) may officiate marriages.

As Port Cochere is 'outside' many typical French administrative functions (due to "oversight" or actually due to ''oversight''), roles that normally fall to a prefect or commissioner (issue of documents, immigration control/passports, etc) is handled at the mayoral level. He is, also, sometimes instructed to assist in finding wanted persons. (These are, of course, unusual situations. It is extremely unlikely that a fugitive would make it to ''Port Cochere'', and even less likely that someone would find him.)

HQ: The Mairie

The Mairie (Town Hall) is a broad two-story building in La Haut Ville. (Something like a version of this: [http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/temp/files/Tahiti-02-ColonialBuilding-PolynesieFrancaise-01-lr.jpg]) ground floor of the Mairie (Town Hall) is offices, the top floor a residence.

Traditionally, the mayors of Port Cochere have attempted to make the top floor as much of a slice of home as possible. If one never unshuttered the windows, one might squint and think one was in France.

The lower floor is, simply, a series of offices, storerooms, and support areas (such as a kitchen).

==The Staff==

There is a small household staff (cooks, cleaners, etc), but what is generally meant here is the administrative staff: a small group of functionaries (both French-ethnic and of Islander ancestry) who handle many of the day-to-day bureaucratic functions of the office. Many of them have worked for several mayors.

==Relations:==

''vs. the Colonial Government:''

The job of Mayor of Port Cochere is possibly the Toughest Job In Show Biz, so to speak. There is typically a great deal of turnover.

It's basically a circuit-breaker: So long as things are running quietly, the Mayor is fine, although he has the issue of creatively non-noticing things while also keeping tabs on them unofficially. If, on the other hand, something major should go wrong, the mayor is basically there to take the fall for it. (He is, in essence, the 'pit boss' for the proverbial 'gambline' that the Governor would be shocked- ''shocked'' to find in his establishment.)

''vs the Kamekame'': The history of the island makes relations with the Kamekame, largely, a draw. The Kamekame extracted a particular Protectorate status from the French in the 1800s, and further "bought" their own lands so that it is (collectively) the private property of the Kamekame nation. The Kamekame come into town to work, then return home. The Mayoral government, largely, stays put and doesn't go into Kamekame territory without a very good reason.

''vs the Legionnaires'': Various mayors have set different tones with the Foreign Legion outpost uphill from the Maiorie. Some called on them early and often, others encouraged them to stay put. The current mayor favors the latter, assuming that not doing so would cause fewer 'ripples'.

''vs the Port Authority'': The Mayor himself outranks and has charge over the Port Authority. In practice, the Mayor's ''office'' and the Port Authority are often at cross-purposes.

''vs. VIPs'': The Mayor's office keeps tabs on VIPs, even when they take no official notice of them. Socially, the Mayor himself is considered a sort of local dignitary (hosting functions and such) among the residents of Le Haut Ville. Other VIPs simply wish not to be noticed, so the Mayor's office arranges for them not to be noticed [OOC: leading to a 'just-enough' game where they have to notice them to be certain they're not being noticed. ;)].

=The Port Authority =

The rather grand-sounding Port Authority is, at most times, no more than 5-10 people. If need be, they can call on the police- but this is seldom necessary.

They are responsible for regulating both interisland trade (still mostly sail-driven, though steamers up to 200-300 displacement tons are coming on the scene) and incoming ships from far away. (Luckily, most of these vessels do not require fuelling- Port Cochere being merely a “through port” on the way somewhere else.)

Being mainly concerned with the harbor and the lagoon, the Port Authority seldom moves out of La Bas Ville. There are actually painted wooden poles denoting the limits of the Authority’s beat on land.

'''Structure:''' The ''Capitaine de Port'', Alaine St. Heler de Montaigne, may have up to 10 agents at any given time. They answer to him directly, and he answers (rather tenuously) to the Mayor’s Office.

==“Daytime Business” (and standing policies)==

''Contact with out-villages'': there are minor atolls that can sustain no more than 40-50 people. The Port Authority checks in on them every so often, on behalf of the Mayor or Governor, if the villages are otherwise not heard from. (If they are in a lazy mood, they pay someone else to ‘knock on the doors’.)

''Concessions'': If it’s ashore, it’s the Town’s problem, but if you’re a businessman who approaches ships directly (say, rowing up to the side and offering goods on the spot), the Port Authority ‘has a word’. They also “recommend” porters/stevedores/longshoremen for freighters. (The town has a separate authority for the Marketplace, however. This has the effect of making landing and using the Marketplace a more effective option, which helps the town as a whole)

''Customs & Tariffs Inspections:'' Typical items-of-interest include firearms (without proper documentation), drugs (especially Opium- both the local Benevolent Society and the Port Authority put their heavy boots on regarding this), wild or domestic animals NOT in transit.

''Harbormastering'': The Port Authority rigorously controls where private vessels (aside from very small craft) go while in the lagoon. The recent introduction of seaplanes makes this VERY IMPORTANT. (The Capitaine de Port has expressed an interest in making a ‘landing strip’ area of the lagoon taboo to islander boating, but this so far seems unworkable. And development of a rudimentary air-traffic control system is in progress.)

''Hiring:''They ‘recommend’ lighters (locally-run shore boats) for people who haven’t brought their own, as well as recommending locals for dockside work. (Here, they work with the Wangguan Benevolent Association’s hiring hall system, as well as native and local groups with identifiable ‘representatives’.)

''Mooring:'' The Port Authority is responsible for charging for mooring (cost depending on location and availability, as well as duration.)

''Navigation:'' They do maintain channel markers, as needed.

''Notices to Mariners:'' The Port Authority is partly responsible for issuing weather and surf advisories, among other things. (OOC: If a kraken started preying on local boats, they would be the ones to have to decide whether to warn everyone or if it would “Cause a Panic”, a la most monster movies. ;) )

''The On-Ship Rule'': Ships’ crews are confined to ship after nightfall. This actually does have a certain crime-preventing effect. (It’s hard to mug sailors by night when those sailors are on their boats, for example, and drunken brawls are kept to a minimum), but shop-owners complain that it’s restraining trade.
“Liberty of the Town” can be arranged through the Port Authority, or via the Mayor’s Office.

''Passports:'' They do typically inspect them. They do not, however, ''stamp'' them (though they do have, if need be, access to a lovely set: Papeete, Nuku Hiva, Tubuai, Uturoa…). THEY ARE AN OFF-THE BOOKS EXCEPTION to the law that requires all foreign visitors to go through Papeete first. (This was a draw for the film company- shorter trip than going to Tahiti, ''then'' out to the island.)

''Pilotage'': If you have a larger vessel and wish to NOT drop anchor outside the lagoon’s barrier reefs, the Port Authority will charge you to have a PA Pilot either taking the wheel of your vessel or watch over your shoulder.

''Quarantine:'' They are authorized to call ‘quarantine’ on a ship. This usually involves consulting with Port Cochere’s town doctor. If an initial inspection shows rampant vermin (rats, bugs, etc), contagious illness, or is shown to carry insufficiently contained dangerous live cargo, that vessel may be quarantined for any amount of time. Alternately, a ‘restricted bill of health’ may allow the crew to unload onto a lighter without any further contact or disembarkation. (This is a big deal- through a combination of vigilance and dumb luck, Ile Trouve is almost completely clear of invasive species like rats.)

''Registry:'' They gladly keep books of what registered ships have passed through, per international maritime custom. (They do it so gladly that they keep more than one book!) They also ask to know where you’re going, as ports often do. They do know that almost any answer they get is likely to be a lie, however. They also keep an eye out for stolen or otherwise ‘commandeered’ vessels.[OOC: It is by no means a dealbreaker. (“Typical business” means you pay the ‘expediting’ fee) ]

''The Safe Harbor Rule:'' “Any port in a storm” is a law of the sea. The Port Authority cannot, by custom, refuse entry during an emergency. (Some clever bastards sometime try to arrive DURING a storm, in order to obtain berthing they otherwise would not get. They are seldom up to any good. )

''Shipping News:'' Using ships notices given by Mr. Kinney (Port Cochere’s young radioman), they know who is announced to be coming or going.

''Tugboat:'' The Port Authority also runs the majestic ''Le Pot de Rouille'', Port Cochere’s only tugboat. If you’re being towed in, this is the only game in town.

==“Nighttime Business”==

If the Mayor’s office represents the high-end “intrigue” end of Port Cochere’s business, the Port Authority represents pure piratical instinct.
Additional Fees: While it is subsidized by the French government (represented in the person of His Honor the Mayor), the Port Authority nonetheless (off the record) extracts ‘fees for special procedures’ (for things likewise off-the-record). The most profitable fee the Authority uses is a ‘bypass’. Basically, for a fee, one need not bother oneself with the fine details. Port Liberty is sometimes sold, either for a fee or for a refundable security.

Obviously, this is only done within limits, otherwise nobody would use the harbor at all. Thus, all ‘fees’ must be justifiable to someone (ie, no straight up graft), and they must be taken in moderation (“Part of doing business”). The Port Authority does (per the old saw) “stay bought”, typically, and they know when to stop squeezing the stone.

They also keep the “surface tension” going. By making it prohibitive for smugglers or other demimondaines to just barge into the port, they encourage them to ‘transfer’ to light transport on out-islands, making it possible to say “we didn’t know!”. Since affordable anonymity is Ile Trouve’s most profitable industry, setting the price just-so is important.

''“Hiring Fees”'' (ie kickbacks): In exchange for ‘primary recommendation’ in hiring, the Port Authority tends to want a “Finder’s Fee”. Bas Ville is chock full of be crewmen whose hitch is over for one reason or another (“They left without me.” “I wonder WHY, hm?”), drifters, stowaways, renegade islanders no longer welcome at home, even refugees (though they’d have to be really stubborn refugees to be way out here.) This can make hiring a nightmare. While the Port Authority does show favoritism in ‘recommendations’, it at least imposes as sense of order.

''“Reading”:'' Members of the Port Authority have a knack for telling what’s on a ship and where it’s likely to go. (If you know the fuel-efficiencies of a ship and its fuel-load, you can find out where it’s going. Since ships rarely carry more ballast than they need to, a ship claiming to go a short distance while clearly loaded to go a long way (or vice versa) is of note. This information can then be ‘sold’ (to interested parties) or ‘sold back’ (to the owners of the ship in question). )

==Relations:==
''vs the Mayor’s Office:'' There’s always been a bit of a turf war between the two bureauxs. The Mayor’s office is charged with validating documents, which sometimes bumps into the Port Authority’s “checking your papers”, for example. [OOC: The main difference is that while the Mayor’s office might be obstructionist while flexing their bureaucratic muscles or illustrating a larger point, the Port Authority is mainly just looking to ‘expedite things’.]

''vs the Police:'' The Port Authority is fairly ginger about calling in the Municipals. They are not about to ask the Legionnaires to get involved, either. However, if they do see a crime committed that falls in either’s territory, they will call them immediately (theft, for example, or assaulting a Port Authority official.)

''vs. The Navy:'' The French Navy is based at Papeete. While the Port Authority may technically call the Navy in for certain things, this ruins certain gentlemen’s agreements. (That is, the French naval officer will ask what is going on, not take “well, you know…” for an answer, and will log whatever he is told, accurately.)

''vs. VIPs:'' Generally speaking, VIPs will be sized up on arrival. Exceptionally wealthy high-rollers tend to get “hands off” treatment, after initial contact. (Herr Zoransky for example.)

=The Police=

All French colonial law-enforcement attempts to model itself on the “home” model exercised in France. Port Cochere is no exception- though certain concessions have been made to Port Cochere’s unique situation.

At one point- due to the nature of the unique position of the Kamekame natives, vis a vis the town, it was considered to adopt a modified version of the Cercle system adopted in French West Africa, with appointed chieftains and so on. This plan did not survive contact (or lack thereof) with the Kamekame.

Therefore, an attempt was made to model the local forces on ones from Home.

-When role of the ''Gendarmerie nationale'' (that is, detached military-police responsible for public safety), this duty sometimes falls to the ''Legion Etrangere'' unit stationed at the fort overlooking town.

On occasion, they have done “Search and Rescue” missions in the countryside and coastal areas, such game-warden work as the island requires, crowd control and bodyguarding, securing the Port during emergencies, acting as an honor guard for dignitaries, and (of course) acting as Military Police amongst their own.

In deference to local wishes, the Legion command tends not to perform investigative functions, unless directly ordered to by the Governor (not the Mayor). They perform the other duties when requested by the Mayor, whom they file reports to for the duration. They generally arrive as armed and in uniform, as if they were on regular Legion business.

-''La Sûreté'' (France’s crack National Police force) have a few officers in the Territory, but none stationed at Ile Trouve itself.

(They tend to be assigned to larger cities, and would only really have a detective visit if there was a major crime in Port Cochere that the Territorial Government felt required investigation. There is not much chance of the Territorial Government having major crime in Port Cochere that they wanted to be investigated.)

-This leaves the ''Polices Municipales'', the police force that most Port Cochere residents see on average. The local Brigade of officers answers directly to the Mayor. While they technically share “rural guard” duties, if something requires forest ranger or ‘game warden’ duties, he gives it to the Legionnaires, owing to the delicacy of the Kamekame situation. Neither do they have investigative powers.

This leaves the Municipals as old-fashioned thieftakers. They break up fights, tell drunks and other disorderly people to go home, stop thefts and assaults, and provide assistance as needed. (If there were cars on Ile Trouve, they would ticket them, that sort of thing.) They have certain broadly-interpreted “good order” duties, and are supposed to help out in (for instance) disasters, but generally they stick to the basics: Patrolling and arresting. They wear a uniform (including a half-cape) and a baton. They do not typically carry firearms, though special circumstances may apply.

One thing that makes the local French colonial system different than the British colonial system is that the French system makes no differentiation between ‘subject’ and ‘native’- if an Islander is qualified to serve in the Municipals, they do. There is no ‘auxiliary’ or ‘tribal’ police force.

Also, all French citizens are considered eligible for national service, including colonial French. A great many Ile Trouveiens have taken the option of patrolling rather than, say, laying a road. (This is carefully tiptoed around in the case of the Kamekame, who are (diplomatically) assumed to ‘tend to their own law enforcement whilst on their private lands.’, due to a historical Protectorate status).

==Police Powers==

French law does not presume innocence, it presumes guilt. There is a right to silence, but they don’t need to remind you of it. Police may ask anyone to identify themselves, and hold unidentified people (even arrest them for resisting). They can question anyone about a case, search and seize property (during the day), detain suspects for up to a day without access to a lawyer for most of it.

==Courts==

The French Polynesian judicial system features a Court of First Instance, a Court of Appeal, and a Court of Administrative Law (which also handles things like business disputes). These are all located in Papeete, a fair distance away. If a case is not resolved locally (“Pay the fine, and don’t do it again”, for instance), the suspect is held until such time as he can be transported to court.

==Jail/Punishment==

There is a small jail here (maybe five or six old cells in a sun-blasted stone blockhouse), mainly used for holding prior to a prisoner transfer. Things tend to be “handled locally”, instead. French Polynesia has three prisons, none of which are near here. Rumor has it that the worst are still, unofficially, sent to the old penal colony at New Caledonia.

Generally speaking, there is a local distaste for jail-time- many of the French colonist’s forebears were sent to the island as Penal Colonists, so the idea just sits wrong. Fines and “alternate punishment” are favored as a result. Public execution (often by guillotine) is still common in France in this era- it’s an “arrow in the quiver”- but it has not been applied here for ages.

=Le Deuxieme Bureau=

The Second Bureau is France’s national intelligence agency. There are no apparent 2eme Bureau agents in Port Cochere, or on Ile Trouve as a whole. Neither the Mayor nor the Governor has ever contacted anyone from the Bureau. (It is left as an exercise for the reader to figure out exactly what use spies could be in Port Cochere.)

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Authorities

2015-06-04T13:12:13Z

Smoot: /* The Mayor's Office */

= The Colonial Government =

'''Full Name:''' Établissements Français de l'Océanie (French Establishments in Oceania)

'''Capital:''' Papeete, Tahiti. (OOC: If you're asking a question about where to find [Western convention or amenity not in Port Cochere], it's probably in Papeete- courts, jails, the military, newspapers, all that business.)

Executive:

'''Governor:''' Frédéric Marie Jean Baptiste Chastenet de Géry [RL person.] Appointed March of 1937.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between the French and British systems is that a "native" would generally not be allowed to serve in British administration, where all in French territory are considered citizens. (That is, you may find islanders in administrative support roles in French Polynesia, but not British holdings.)

Legislature:

'''Privy Council''': Advisors to the Governor.

'''Advisory Council:''' This was, formerly, a body of representatives from the Islands. In 1903, it was changed to a purely advisory administrative group.

==Direct Rule==
The French method of colonial government is called "Direct Rule". It differs from the British method in a several major ways: British governors are allowed more leeway for decision than their French counterparts (who carry out instructions from, and answer to, Paris). And where the British foster relationships with 'native leaders' (Chieftains, and so on), the French system considers all in its territory to be French. Therefore there is no official acknowledgement of tribal life or mores. The state owns all land not privately owned, and all citizens owe service (just like French conscripts do at home).

(The Kamekame shrewdly played this game, first by wrangling up a Protectorate status, then having scrambling to "buy" their own lands with trade-goods in the late 1800s.)

The policy also encourages assimilation, and association (that is more social intermixing than the British system). There is somewhat less stigma in the French system on "going native", for example, or taking a 'native bride'.

Oceania's trade has recovered from the Great Depression. The value of both imports and exports more than quadruple the figures for 1933.

= The Mayor's Office =
(For more on the Mayor himself, see here: [[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Tailspins_%26_Tiki_Gods:The_Mayor]] )

Term: Administrators serve tours of 2 years (3, the first time), then return home for 3 months' leave. (They may serve multiple terms).

Like mayors in Metropolitan (ie, "''France'' France") France, the Mayor of Port Cochere represents the State, manages a staff, and commands the local police authorities. Unlike Metropolitan French mayors, the Mayor of Port Cochere is an appointed position- he isn't elected.

The job of Mayor of Port Cochere is possibly the Toughest Job In Show Biz, so to speak. There is typically a great deal of turnover.

It's basically a circuit-breaker: So long as things are running quietly, the Mayor is fine, although he has the issue of creatively non-noticing things while also keeping tabs on them unofficially. If, on the other hand, something major should go wrong, the mayor is basically there to take the fall for it. (He is, in essence, the 'pit boss' for the proverbial 'gambline' that the Governor would be shocked- ''shocked'' to find in his establishment.)

HQ: The Mairie

The Mairie (Town Hall) is a broad two-story building in La Haut Ville. (Something like a version of this: [http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/temp/files/Tahiti-02-ColonialBuilding-PolynesieFrancaise-01-lr.jpg]) ground floor of the Mairie (Town Hall) is offices, the top floor a residence.

Traditionally, the mayors of Port Cochere have attempted to make the top floor as much of a slice of home as possible. If one never unshuttered the windows, one might squint and one was in France.

The lower floor is, simply, a series of offices.

=The Port Authority =

The rather grand-sounding Port Authority is, at most times, no more than 5-10 people. If need be, they can call on the police- but this is seldom necessary.
They are responsible for regulating both interisland trade (still mostly sail-driven, though steamers up to 200-300 displacement tons are coming on the scene) and incoming ships from far away. (Luckily, most of these vessels do not require fuelling- Port Cochere being merely a “through port” on the way somewhere else.)

Being mainly concerned with the harbor and the lagoon, the Port Authority seldom moves out of La Bas Ville. There are actually painted wooden poles denoting the limits of the Authority’s beat on land.

'''Structure:''' The Capitaine de Port, Alaine St. Heler de Montaigne, may have up to 10 agents at any given time. They answer to him directly, and he answers (rather tenuously) to the Mayor’s Office.

==“Daytime Business” (and standing policies)==

''Contact with out-villages'': there are minor atolls that can sustain no more than 40-50 people. The Port Authority checks in on them every so often, on behalf of the Mayor or Governor, if the villages are otherwise not heard from. (If they are in a lazy mood, they pay someone else to ‘knock on the doors’.)

''Concessions'': If it’s ashore, it’s the Town’s problem, but if you’re a businessman who approaches ships directly (say, rowing up to the side and offering goods on the spot), the Port Authority ‘has a word’. They also “recommend” porters/stevedores/longshoremen for freighters. (The town has a separate authority for the Marketplace, however. This has the effect of making landing and using the Marketplace a more effective option, which helps the town as a whole)

''Customs & Tariffs Inspections:'' Typical items-of-interest include firearms (without proper documentation), drugs (especially Opium- both the local Benevolent Society and the Port Authority put their heavy boots on regarding this), wild or domestic animals NOT in transit.

''Harbormastering'': The Port Authority rigorously controls where private vessels (aside from very small craft) go while in the lagoon. The recent introduction of seaplanes makes this VERY IMPORTANT. (The Capitaine de Port has expressed an interest in making a ‘landing strip’ area of the lagoon taboo to islander boating, but this so far seems unworkable. And development of a rudimentary air-traffic control system is in progress.)

''Hiring:''They ‘recommend’ lighters (locally-run shore boats) for people who haven’t brought their own, as well as recommending locals for dockside work. (Here, they work with the Wangguan Benevolent Association’s hiring hall system, as well as native and local groups with identifiable ‘representatives’.)

''Mooring:'' The Port Authority is responsible for charging for mooring (cost depending on location and availability, as well as duration.)

''Navigation:'' They do maintain channel markers, as needed.

''Notices to Mariners:'' The Port Authority is partly responsible for issuing weather and surf advisories, among other things. (OOC: If a kraken started preying on local boats, they would be the ones to have to decide whether to warn everyone or if it would “Cause a Panic”, a la most monster movies. ;) )

''The On-Ship Rule'': Ships’ crews are confined to ship after nightfall. This actually does have a certain crime-preventing effect. (It’s hard to mug sailors by night when those sailors are on their boats, for example, and drunken brawls are kept to a minimum), but shop-owners complain that it’s restraining trade.
“Liberty of the Town” can be arranged through the Port Authority, or via the Mayor’s Office.

''Passports:'' They do typically inspect them. They do not, however, ''stamp'' them (though they do have, if need be, access to a lovely set: Papeete, Nuku Hiva, Tubuai, Uturoa…). THEY ARE AN OFF-THE BOOKS EXCEPTION to the law that requires all foreign visitors to go through Papeete first. (This was a draw for the film company- shorter trip than going to Tahiti, ''then'' out to the island.)

''Pilotage'': If you have a larger vessel and wish to NOT drop anchor outside the lagoon’s barrier reefs, the Port Authority will charge you to have a PA Pilot either taking the wheel of your vessel or watch over your shoulder.

''Quarantine:'' They are authorized to call ‘quarantine’ on a ship. This usually involves consulting with Port Cochere’s town doctor. If an initial inspection shows rampant vermin (rats, bugs, etc), contagious illness, or is shown to carry insufficiently contained dangerous live cargo, that vessel may be quarantined for any amount of time. Alternately, a ‘restricted bill of health’ may allow the crew to unload onto a lighter without any further contact or disembarkation. (This is a big deal- through a combination of vigilance and dumb luck, Ile Trouve is almost completely clear of invasive species like rats.)

''Registry:'' They gladly keep books of what registered ships have passed through, per international maritime custom. (They do it so gladly that they keep more than one book!) They also ask to know where you’re going, as ports often do. They do know that almost any answer they get is likely to be a lie, however. They also keep an eye out for stolen or otherwise ‘commandeered’ vessels.[OOC: It is by no means a dealbreaker. (“Typical business” means you pay the ‘expediting’ fee) ]

''The Safe Harbor Rule:'' “Any port in a storm” is a law of the sea. The Port Authority cannot, by custom, refuse entry during an emergency. (Some clever bastards sometime try to arrive DURING a storm, in order to obtain berthing they otherwise would not get. They are seldom up to any good. )

''Shipping News:'' Using ships notices given by Mr. Kinney (Port Cochere’s young radioman), they know who is announced to be coming or going.

''Tugboat:'' The Port Authority also runs the majestic ''Le Pot de Rouille'', Port Cochere’s only tugboat. If you’re being towed in, this is the only game in town.

==“Nighttime Business”==

If the Mayor’s office represents the high-end “intrigue” end of Port Cochere’s business, the Port Authority represents pure piratical instinct.
Additional Fees: While it is subsidized by the French government (represented in the person of His Honor the Mayor), the Port Authority nonetheless (off the record) extracts ‘fees for special procedures’ (for things likewise off-the-record). The most profitable fee the Authority uses is a ‘bypass’. Basically, for a fee, one need not bother oneself with the fine details. Port Liberty is sometimes sold, either for a fee or for a refundable security.

Obviously, this is only done within limits, otherwise nobody would use the harbor at all. Thus, all ‘fees’ must be justifiable to someone (ie, no straight up graft), and they must be taken in moderation (“Part of doing business”). The Port Authority does (per the old saw) “stay bought”, typically, and they know when to stop squeezing the stone.

They also keep the “surface tension” going. By making it prohibitive for smugglers or other demimondaines to just barge into the port, they encourage them to ‘transfer’ to light transport on out-islands, making it possible to say “we didn’t know!”. Since affordable anonymity is Ile Trouve’s most profitable industry, setting the price just-so is important.

''“Hiring Fees”'' (ie kickbacks): In exchange for ‘primary recommendation’ in hiring, the Port Authority tends to want a “Finder’s Fee”. Bas Ville is chock full of be crewmen whose hitch is over for one reason or another (“They left without me.” “I wonder WHY, hm?”), drifters, stowaways, renegade islanders no longer welcome at home, even refugees (though they’d have to be really stubborn refugees to be way out here.) This can make hiring a nightmare. While the Port Authority does show favoritism in ‘recommendations’, it at least imposes as sense of order.

''“Reading”:'' Members of the Port Authority have a knack for telling what’s on a ship and where it’s likely to go. (If you know the fuel-efficiencies of a ship and its fuel-load, you can find out where it’s going. Since ships rarely carry more ballast than they need to, a ship claiming to go a short distance while clearly loaded to go a long way (or vice versa) is of note. This information can then be ‘sold’ (to interested parties) or ‘sold back’ (to the owners of the ship in question). )

==Relations:==
''vs the Mayor’s Office:'' There’s always been a bit of a turf war between the two bureauxs. The Mayor’s office is charged with validating documents, which sometimes bumps into the Port Authority’s “checking your papers”, for example. [OOC: The main difference is that while the Mayor’s office might be obstructionist while flexing their bureaucratic muscles or illustrating a larger point, the Port Authority is mainly just looking to ‘expedite things’.]

''vs the Police:'' The Port Authority is fairly ginger about calling in the Municipals. They are not about to ask the Legionnaires to get involved, either. However, if they do see a crime committed that falls in either’s territory, they will call them immediately (theft, for example, or assaulting a Port Authority official.)

''vs. The Navy:'' The French Navy is based at Papeete. While the Port Authority may technically call the Navy in for certain things, this ruins certain gentlemen’s agreements. (That is, the French naval officer will ask what is going on, not take “well, you know…” for an answer, and will log whatever he is told, accurately.)

''vs. VIPs:'' Generally speaking, VIPs will be sized up on arrival. Exceptionally wealthy high-rollers tend to get “hands off” treatment, after initial contact. (Herr Zoransky for example.)

=The Police=

All French colonial law-enforcement attempts to model itself on the “home” model exercised in France. Port Cochere is no exception- though certain concessions have been made to Port Cochere’s unique situation.

At one point- due to the nature of the unique position of the Kamekame natives, vis a vis the town, it was considered to adopt a modified version of the Cercle system adopted in French West Africa, with appointed chieftains and so on. This plan did not survive contact (or lack thereof) with the Kamekame.

Therefore, an attempt was made to model the local forces on ones from Home.

-When role of the ''Gendarmerie nationale'' (that is, detached military-police responsible for public safety), this duty sometimes falls to the ''Legion Etrangere'' unit stationed at the fort overlooking town.

On occasion, they have done “Search and Rescue” missions in the countryside and coastal areas, such game-warden work as the island requires, crowd control and bodyguarding, securing the Port during emergencies, acting as an honor guard for dignitaries, and (of course) acting as Military Police amongst their own.

In deference to local wishes, the Legion command tends not to perform investigative functions, unless directly ordered to by the Governor (not the Mayor). They perform the other duties when requested by the Mayor, whom they file reports to for the duration. They generally arrive as armed and in uniform, as if they were on regular Legion business.

-''La Sûreté'' (France’s crack National Police force) have a few officers in the Territory, but none stationed at Ile Trouve itself.

(They tend to be assigned to larger cities, and would only really have a detective visit if there was a major crime in Port Cochere that the Territorial Government felt required investigation. There is not much chance of the Territorial Government having major crime in Port Cochere that they wanted to be investigated.)

-This leaves the ''Polices Municipales'', the police force that most Port Cochere residents see on average. The local Brigade of officers answers directly to the Mayor. While they technically share “rural guard” duties, if something requires forest ranger or ‘game warden’ duties, he gives it to the Legionnaires, owing to the delicacy of the Kamekame situation. Neither do they have investigative powers.

This leaves the Municipals as old-fashioned thieftakers. They break up fights, tell drunks and other disorderly people to go home, stop thefts and assaults, and provide assistance as needed. (If there were cars on Ile Trouve, they would ticket them, that sort of thing.) They have certain broadly-interpreted “good order” duties, and are supposed to help out in (for instance) disasters, but generally they stick to the basics: Patrolling and arresting. They wear a uniform (including a half-cape) and a baton. They do not typically carry firearms, though special circumstances may apply.

One thing that makes the local French colonial system different than the British colonial system is that the French system makes no differentiation between ‘subject’ and ‘native’- if an Islander is qualified to serve in the Municipals, they do. There is no ‘auxiliary’ or ‘tribal’ police force.

Also, all French citizens are considered eligible for national service, including colonial French. A great many Ile Trouveiens have taken the option of patrolling rather than, say, laying a road. (This is carefully tiptoed around in the case of the Kamekame, who are (diplomatically) assumed to ‘tend to their own law enforcement whilst on their private lands.’, due to a historical Protectorate status).

==Police Powers==

French law does not presume innocence, it presumes guilt. There is a right to silence, but they don’t need to remind you of it. Police may ask anyone to identify themselves, and hold unidentified people (even arrest them for resisting). They can question anyone about a case, search and seize property (during the day), detain suspects for up to a day without access to a lawyer for most of it.

==Courts==

The French Polynesian judicial system features a Court of First Instance, a Court of Appeal, and a Court of Administrative Law (which also handles things like business disputes). These are all located in Papeete, a fair distance away. If a case is not resolved locally (“Pay the fine, and don’t do it again”, for instance), the suspect is held until such time as he can be transported to court.

==Jail/Punishment==

There is a small jail here (maybe five or six old cells in a sun-blasted stone building), mainly used for holding prior to a prisoner transfer. Things tend to be “handled locally”, instead. French Polynesia has three prisons, none of which are near here. Rumor has it that the worst are still, unofficially, sent to the old penal colony at New Caledonia.

Generally speaking, there is a local distaste for jail-time- many of the French colonist’s forebears were sent to the island as Penal Colonists, so the idea just sits wrong. Fines and “alternate punishment” are favored as a result. Public execution (often by guillotine) is still common in France in this era- it’s an “arrow in the quiver”- but it has not been applied here for ages.

=Le Deuxieme Bureau=

The Second Bureau is France’s national intelligence agency. There are no apparent 2eme Bureau agents in Port Cochere, or on Ile Trouve as a whole. Neither the Mayor nor the Governor has ever contacted anyone from the Bureau. (It is left as an exercise for the reader to figure out exactly what use spies could be in Port Cochere.)

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Authorities

2015-06-04T05:23:57Z

Smoot: /* Le Deuxieme Bureau */

= The Colonial Government =

'''Full Name:''' Établissements Français de l'Océanie (French Establishments in Oceania)

'''Capital:''' Papeete, Tahiti. (OOC: If you're asking a question about where to find [Western convention or amenity not in Port Cochere], it's probably in Papeete- courts, jails, the military, newspapers, all that business.)

Executive:

'''Governor:''' Frédéric Marie Jean Baptiste Chastenet de Géry [RL person.] Appointed March of 1937.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between the French and British systems is that a "native" would generally not be allowed to serve in British administration, where all in French territory are considered citizens. (That is, you may find islanders in administrative support roles in French Polynesia, but not British holdings.)

Legislature:

'''Privy Council''': Advisors to the Governor.

'''Advisory Council:''' This was, formerly, a body of representatives from the Islands. In 1903, it was changed to a purely advisory administrative group.

==Direct Rule==
The French method of colonial government is called "Direct Rule". It differs from the British method in a several major ways: British governors are allowed more leeway for decision than their French counterparts (who carry out instructions from, and answer to, Paris). And where the British foster relationships with 'native leaders' (Chieftains, and so on), the French system considers all in its territory to be French. Therefore there is no official acknowledgement of tribal life or mores. The state owns all land not privately owned, and all citizens owe service (just like French conscripts do at home).

(The Kamekame shrewdly played this game, first by wrangling up a Protectorate status, then having scrambling to "buy" their own lands with trade-goods in the late 1800s.)

The policy also encourages assimilation, and association (that is more social intermixing than the British system). There is somewhat less stigma in the French system on "going native", for example, or taking a 'native bride'.

Oceania's trade has recovered from the Great Depression. The value of both imports and exports more than quadruple the figures for 1933.

= The Mayor's Office =
(For more on the Mayor himself, see here: [[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Tailspins_%26_Tiki_Gods:The_Mayor]] )

Like mayors in Metropolitan (ie, "''France'' France") France, the Mayor of Port Cochere represents the State, manages a staff, and commands the local police authorities. Unlike Metropolitan French mayors, the Mayor of Port Cochere is an appointed position- he isn't elected.

=The Port Authority =

The rather grand-sounding Port Authority is, at most times, no more than 5-10 people. If need be, they can call on the police- but this is seldom necessary.
They are responsible for regulating both interisland trade (still mostly sail-driven, though steamers up to 200-300 displacement tons are coming on the scene) and incoming ships from far away. (Luckily, most of these vessels do not require fuelling- Port Cochere being merely a “through port” on the way somewhere else.)

Being mainly concerned with the harbor and the lagoon, the Port Authority seldom moves out of La Bas Ville. There are actually painted wooden poles denoting the limits of the Authority’s beat on land.

'''Structure:''' The Capitaine de Port, Alaine St. Heler de Montaigne, may have up to 10 agents at any given time. They answer to him directly, and he answers (rather tenuously) to the Mayor’s Office.

==“Daytime Business” (and standing policies)==

''Contact with out-villages'': there are minor atolls that can sustain no more than 40-50 people. The Port Authority checks in on them every so often, on behalf of the Mayor or Governor, if the villages are otherwise not heard from. (If they are in a lazy mood, they pay someone else to ‘knock on the doors’.)

''Concessions'': If it’s ashore, it’s the Town’s problem, but if you’re a businessman who approaches ships directly (say, rowing up to the side and offering goods on the spot), the Port Authority ‘has a word’. They also “recommend” porters/stevedores/longshoremen for freighters. (The town has a separate authority for the Marketplace, however. This has the effect of making landing and using the Marketplace a more effective option, which helps the town as a whole)

''Customs & Tariffs Inspections:'' Typical items-of-interest include firearms (without proper documentation), drugs (especially Opium- both the local Benevolent Society and the Port Authority put their heavy boots on regarding this), wild or domestic animals NOT in transit.

''Harbormastering'': The Port Authority rigorously controls where private vessels (aside from very small craft) go while in the lagoon. The recent introduction of seaplanes makes this VERY IMPORTANT. (The Capitaine de Port has expressed an interest in making a ‘landing strip’ area of the lagoon taboo to islander boating, but this so far seems unworkable. And development of a rudimentary air-traffic control system is in progress.)

''Hiring:''They ‘recommend’ lighters (locally-run shore boats) for people who haven’t brought their own, as well as recommending locals for dockside work. (Here, they work with the Wangguan Benevolent Association’s hiring hall system, as well as native and local groups with identifiable ‘representatives’.)

''Mooring:'' The Port Authority is responsible for charging for mooring (cost depending on location and availability, as well as duration.)

''Navigation:'' They do maintain channel markers, as needed.

''Notices to Mariners:'' The Port Authority is partly responsible for issuing weather and surf advisories, among other things. (OOC: If a kraken started preying on local boats, they would be the ones to have to decide whether to warn everyone or if it would “Cause a Panic”, a la most monster movies. ;) )

''The On-Ship Rule'': Ships’ crews are confined to ship after nightfall. This actually does have a certain crime-preventing effect. (It’s hard to mug sailors by night when those sailors are on their boats, for example, and drunken brawls are kept to a minimum), but shop-owners complain that it’s restraining trade.
“Liberty of the Town” can be arranged through the Port Authority, or via the Mayor’s Office.

''Passports:'' They do typically inspect them. They do not, however, ''stamp'' them (though they do have, if need be, access to a lovely set: Papeete, Nuku Hiva, Tubuai, Uturoa…). THEY ARE AN OFF-THE BOOKS EXCEPTION to the law that requires all foreign visitors to go through Papeete first. (This was a draw for the film company- shorter trip than going to Tahiti, ''then'' out to the island.)

''Pilotage'': If you have a larger vessel and wish to NOT drop anchor outside the lagoon’s barrier reefs, the Port Authority will charge you to have a PA Pilot either taking the wheel of your vessel or watch over your shoulder.

''Quarantine:'' They are authorized to call ‘quarantine’ on a ship. This usually involves consulting with Port Cochere’s town doctor. If an initial inspection shows rampant vermin (rats, bugs, etc), contagious illness, or is shown to carry insufficiently contained dangerous live cargo, that vessel may be quarantined for any amount of time. Alternately, a ‘restricted bill of health’ may allow the crew to unload onto a lighter without any further contact or disembarkation. (This is a big deal- through a combination of vigilance and dumb luck, Ile Trouve is almost completely clear of invasive species like rats.)

''Registry:'' They gladly keep books of what registered ships have passed through, per international maritime custom. (They do it so gladly that they keep more than one book!) They also ask to know where you’re going, as ports often do. They do know that almost any answer they get is likely to be a lie, however. They also keep an eye out for stolen or otherwise ‘commandeered’ vessels.[OOC: It is by no means a dealbreaker. (“Typical business” means you pay the ‘expediting’ fee) ]

''The Safe Harbor Rule:'' “Any port in a storm” is a law of the sea. The Port Authority cannot, by custom, refuse entry during an emergency. (Some clever bastards sometime try to arrive DURING a storm, in order to obtain berthing they otherwise would not get. They are seldom up to any good. )

''Shipping News:'' Using ships notices given by Mr. Kinney (Port Cochere’s young radioman), they know who is announced to be coming or going.

''Tugboat:'' The Port Authority also runs the majestic ''Le Pot de Rouille'', Port Cochere’s only tugboat. If you’re being towed in, this is the only game in town.

==“Nighttime Business”==

If the Mayor’s office represents the high-end “intrigue” end of Port Cochere’s business, the Port Authority represents pure piratical instinct.
Additional Fees: While it is subsidized by the French government (represented in the person of His Honor the Mayor), the Port Authority nonetheless (off the record) extracts ‘fees for special procedures’ (for things likewise off-the-record). The most profitable fee the Authority uses is a ‘bypass’. Basically, for a fee, one need not bother oneself with the fine details. Port Liberty is sometimes sold, either for a fee or for a refundable security.

Obviously, this is only done within limits, otherwise nobody would use the harbor at all. Thus, all ‘fees’ must be justifiable to someone (ie, no straight up graft), and they must be taken in moderation (“Part of doing business”). The Port Authority does (per the old saw) “stay bought”, typically, and they know when to stop squeezing the stone.

They also keep the “surface tension” going. By making it prohibitive for smugglers or other demimondaines to just barge into the port, they encourage them to ‘transfer’ to light transport on out-islands, making it possible to say “we didn’t know!”. Since affordable anonymity is Ile Trouve’s most profitable industry, setting the price just-so is important.

''“Hiring Fees”'' (ie kickbacks): In exchange for ‘primary recommendation’ in hiring, the Port Authority tends to want a “Finder’s Fee”. Bas Ville is chock full of be crewmen whose hitch is over for one reason or another (“They left without me.” “I wonder WHY, hm?”), drifters, stowaways, renegade islanders no longer welcome at home, even refugees (though they’d have to be really stubborn refugees to be way out here.) This can make hiring a nightmare. While the Port Authority does show favoritism in ‘recommendations’, it at least imposes as sense of order.

''“Reading”:'' Members of the Port Authority have a knack for telling what’s on a ship and where it’s likely to go. (If you know the fuel-efficiencies of a ship and its fuel-load, you can find out where it’s going. Since ships rarely carry more ballast than they need to, a ship claiming to go a short distance while clearly loaded to go a long way (or vice versa) is of note. This information can then be ‘sold’ (to interested parties) or ‘sold back’ (to the owners of the ship in question). )

==Relations:==
''vs the Mayor’s Office:'' There’s always been a bit of a turf war between the two bureauxs. The Mayor’s office is charged with validating documents, which sometimes bumps into the Port Authority’s “checking your papers”, for example. [OOC: The main difference is that while the Mayor’s office might be obstructionist while flexing their bureaucratic muscles or illustrating a larger point, the Port Authority is mainly just looking to ‘expedite things’.]

''vs the Police:'' The Port Authority is fairly ginger about calling in the Municipals. They are not about to ask the Legionnaires to get involved, either. However, if they do see a crime committed that falls in either’s territory, they will call them immediately (theft, for example, or assaulting a Port Authority official.)

''vs. The Navy:'' The French Navy is based at Papeete. While the Port Authority may technically call the Navy in for certain things, this ruins certain gentlemen’s agreements. (That is, the French naval officer will ask what is going on, not take “well, you know…” for an answer, and will log whatever he is told, accurately.)

''vs. VIPs:'' Generally speaking, VIPs will be sized up on arrival. Exceptionally wealthy high-rollers tend to get “hands off” treatment, after initial contact. (Herr Zoransky for example.)

=The Police=

All French colonial law-enforcement attempts to model itself on the “home” model exercised in France. Port Cochere is no exception- though certain concessions have been made to Port Cochere’s unique situation.

At one point- due to the nature of the unique position of the Kamekame natives, vis a vis the town, it was considered to adopt a modified version of the Cercle system adopted in French West Africa, with appointed chieftains and so on. This plan did not survive contact (or lack thereof) with the Kamekame.

Therefore, an attempt was made to model the local forces on ones from Home.

-When role of the ''Gendarmerie nationale'' (that is, detached military-police responsible for public safety), this duty sometimes falls to the ''Legion Etrangere'' unit stationed at the fort overlooking town.

On occasion, they have done “Search and Rescue” missions in the countryside and coastal areas, such game-warden work as the island requires, crowd control and bodyguarding, securing the Port during emergencies, acting as an honor guard for dignitaries, and (of course) acting as Military Police amongst their own.

In deference to local wishes, the Legion command tends not to perform investigative functions, unless directly ordered to by the Governor (not the Mayor). They perform the other duties when requested by the Mayor, whom they file reports to for the duration. They generally arrive as armed and in uniform, as if they were on regular Legion business.

-''La Sûreté'' (France’s crack National Police force) have a few officers in the Territory, but none stationed at Ile Trouve itself.

(They tend to be assigned to larger cities, and would only really have a detective visit if there was a major crime in Port Cochere that the Territorial Government felt required investigation. There is not much chance of the Territorial Government having major crime in Port Cochere that they wanted to be investigated.)

-This leaves the ''Polices Municipales'', the police force that most Port Cochere residents see on average. The local Brigade of officers answers directly to the Mayor. While they technically share “rural guard” duties, if something requires forest ranger or ‘game warden’ duties, he gives it to the Legionnaires, owing to the delicacy of the Kamekame situation. Neither do they have investigative powers.

This leaves the Municipals as old-fashioned thieftakers. They break up fights, tell drunks and other disorderly people to go home, stop thefts and assaults, and provide assistance as needed. (If there were cars on Ile Trouve, they would ticket them, that sort of thing.) They have certain broadly-interpreted “good order” duties, and are supposed to help out in (for instance) disasters, but generally they stick to the basics: Patrolling and arresting. They wear a uniform (including a half-cape) and a baton. They do not typically carry firearms, though special circumstances may apply.

One thing that makes the local French colonial system different than the British colonial system is that the French system makes no differentiation between ‘subject’ and ‘native’- if an Islander is qualified to serve in the Municipals, they do. There is no ‘auxiliary’ or ‘tribal’ police force.

Also, all French citizens are considered eligible for national service, including colonial French. A great many Ile Trouveiens have taken the option of patrolling rather than, say, laying a road. (This is carefully tiptoed around in the case of the Kamekame, who are (diplomatically) assumed to ‘tend to their own law enforcement whilst on their private lands.’, due to a historical Protectorate status).

==Police Powers==

French law does not presume innocence, it presumes guilt. There is a right to silence, but they don’t need to remind you of it. Police may ask anyone to identify themselves, and hold unidentified people (even arrest them for resisting). They can question anyone about a case, search and seize property (during the day), detain suspects for up to a day without access to a lawyer for most of it.

==Courts==

The French Polynesian judicial system features a Court of First Instance, a Court of Appeal, and a Court of Administrative Law (which also handles things like business disputes). These are all located in Papeete, a fair distance away. If a case is not resolved locally (“Pay the fine, and don’t do it again”, for instance), the suspect is held until such time as he can be transported to court.

==Jail/Punishment==

There is a small jail here (maybe five or six old cells in a sun-blasted stone building), mainly used for holding prior to a prisoner transfer. Things tend to be “handled locally”, instead. French Polynesia has three prisons, none of which are near here. Rumor has it that the worst are still, unofficially, sent to the old penal colony at New Caledonia.

Generally speaking, there is a local distaste for jail-time- many of the French colonist’s forebears were sent to the island as Penal Colonists, so the idea just sits wrong. Fines and “alternate punishment” are favored as a result. Public execution (often by guillotine) is still common in France in this era- it’s an “arrow in the quiver”- but it has not been applied here for ages.

=Le Deuxieme Bureau=

The Second Bureau is France’s national intelligence agency. There are no apparent 2eme Bureau agents in Port Cochere, or on Ile Trouve as a whole. Neither the Mayor nor the Governor has ever contacted anyone from the Bureau. (It is left as an exercise for the reader to figure out exactly what use spies could be in Port Cochere.)

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Authorities

2015-06-04T05:23:44Z

Smoot: /* Le Deuxieme Bureau */

= The Colonial Government =

'''Full Name:''' Établissements Français de l'Océanie (French Establishments in Oceania)

'''Capital:''' Papeete, Tahiti. (OOC: If you're asking a question about where to find [Western convention or amenity not in Port Cochere], it's probably in Papeete- courts, jails, the military, newspapers, all that business.)

Executive:

'''Governor:''' Frédéric Marie Jean Baptiste Chastenet de Géry [RL person.] Appointed March of 1937.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between the French and British systems is that a "native" would generally not be allowed to serve in British administration, where all in French territory are considered citizens. (That is, you may find islanders in administrative support roles in French Polynesia, but not British holdings.)

Legislature:

'''Privy Council''': Advisors to the Governor.

'''Advisory Council:''' This was, formerly, a body of representatives from the Islands. In 1903, it was changed to a purely advisory administrative group.

==Direct Rule==
The French method of colonial government is called "Direct Rule". It differs from the British method in a several major ways: British governors are allowed more leeway for decision than their French counterparts (who carry out instructions from, and answer to, Paris). And where the British foster relationships with 'native leaders' (Chieftains, and so on), the French system considers all in its territory to be French. Therefore there is no official acknowledgement of tribal life or mores. The state owns all land not privately owned, and all citizens owe service (just like French conscripts do at home).

(The Kamekame shrewdly played this game, first by wrangling up a Protectorate status, then having scrambling to "buy" their own lands with trade-goods in the late 1800s.)

The policy also encourages assimilation, and association (that is more social intermixing than the British system). There is somewhat less stigma in the French system on "going native", for example, or taking a 'native bride'.

Oceania's trade has recovered from the Great Depression. The value of both imports and exports more than quadruple the figures for 1933.

= The Mayor's Office =
(For more on the Mayor himself, see here: [[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Tailspins_%26_Tiki_Gods:The_Mayor]] )

Like mayors in Metropolitan (ie, "''France'' France") France, the Mayor of Port Cochere represents the State, manages a staff, and commands the local police authorities. Unlike Metropolitan French mayors, the Mayor of Port Cochere is an appointed position- he isn't elected.

=The Port Authority =

The rather grand-sounding Port Authority is, at most times, no more than 5-10 people. If need be, they can call on the police- but this is seldom necessary.
They are responsible for regulating both interisland trade (still mostly sail-driven, though steamers up to 200-300 displacement tons are coming on the scene) and incoming ships from far away. (Luckily, most of these vessels do not require fuelling- Port Cochere being merely a “through port” on the way somewhere else.)

Being mainly concerned with the harbor and the lagoon, the Port Authority seldom moves out of La Bas Ville. There are actually painted wooden poles denoting the limits of the Authority’s beat on land.

'''Structure:''' The Capitaine de Port, Alaine St. Heler de Montaigne, may have up to 10 agents at any given time. They answer to him directly, and he answers (rather tenuously) to the Mayor’s Office.

==“Daytime Business” (and standing policies)==

''Contact with out-villages'': there are minor atolls that can sustain no more than 40-50 people. The Port Authority checks in on them every so often, on behalf of the Mayor or Governor, if the villages are otherwise not heard from. (If they are in a lazy mood, they pay someone else to ‘knock on the doors’.)

''Concessions'': If it’s ashore, it’s the Town’s problem, but if you’re a businessman who approaches ships directly (say, rowing up to the side and offering goods on the spot), the Port Authority ‘has a word’. They also “recommend” porters/stevedores/longshoremen for freighters. (The town has a separate authority for the Marketplace, however. This has the effect of making landing and using the Marketplace a more effective option, which helps the town as a whole)

''Customs & Tariffs Inspections:'' Typical items-of-interest include firearms (without proper documentation), drugs (especially Opium- both the local Benevolent Society and the Port Authority put their heavy boots on regarding this), wild or domestic animals NOT in transit.

''Harbormastering'': The Port Authority rigorously controls where private vessels (aside from very small craft) go while in the lagoon. The recent introduction of seaplanes makes this VERY IMPORTANT. (The Capitaine de Port has expressed an interest in making a ‘landing strip’ area of the lagoon taboo to islander boating, but this so far seems unworkable. And development of a rudimentary air-traffic control system is in progress.)

''Hiring:''They ‘recommend’ lighters (locally-run shore boats) for people who haven’t brought their own, as well as recommending locals for dockside work. (Here, they work with the Wangguan Benevolent Association’s hiring hall system, as well as native and local groups with identifiable ‘representatives’.)

''Mooring:'' The Port Authority is responsible for charging for mooring (cost depending on location and availability, as well as duration.)

''Navigation:'' They do maintain channel markers, as needed.

''Notices to Mariners:'' The Port Authority is partly responsible for issuing weather and surf advisories, among other things. (OOC: If a kraken started preying on local boats, they would be the ones to have to decide whether to warn everyone or if it would “Cause a Panic”, a la most monster movies. ;) )

''The On-Ship Rule'': Ships’ crews are confined to ship after nightfall. This actually does have a certain crime-preventing effect. (It’s hard to mug sailors by night when those sailors are on their boats, for example, and drunken brawls are kept to a minimum), but shop-owners complain that it’s restraining trade.
“Liberty of the Town” can be arranged through the Port Authority, or via the Mayor’s Office.

''Passports:'' They do typically inspect them. They do not, however, ''stamp'' them (though they do have, if need be, access to a lovely set: Papeete, Nuku Hiva, Tubuai, Uturoa…). THEY ARE AN OFF-THE BOOKS EXCEPTION to the law that requires all foreign visitors to go through Papeete first. (This was a draw for the film company- shorter trip than going to Tahiti, ''then'' out to the island.)

''Pilotage'': If you have a larger vessel and wish to NOT drop anchor outside the lagoon’s barrier reefs, the Port Authority will charge you to have a PA Pilot either taking the wheel of your vessel or watch over your shoulder.

''Quarantine:'' They are authorized to call ‘quarantine’ on a ship. This usually involves consulting with Port Cochere’s town doctor. If an initial inspection shows rampant vermin (rats, bugs, etc), contagious illness, or is shown to carry insufficiently contained dangerous live cargo, that vessel may be quarantined for any amount of time. Alternately, a ‘restricted bill of health’ may allow the crew to unload onto a lighter without any further contact or disembarkation. (This is a big deal- through a combination of vigilance and dumb luck, Ile Trouve is almost completely clear of invasive species like rats.)

''Registry:'' They gladly keep books of what registered ships have passed through, per international maritime custom. (They do it so gladly that they keep more than one book!) They also ask to know where you’re going, as ports often do. They do know that almost any answer they get is likely to be a lie, however. They also keep an eye out for stolen or otherwise ‘commandeered’ vessels.[OOC: It is by no means a dealbreaker. (“Typical business” means you pay the ‘expediting’ fee) ]

''The Safe Harbor Rule:'' “Any port in a storm” is a law of the sea. The Port Authority cannot, by custom, refuse entry during an emergency. (Some clever bastards sometime try to arrive DURING a storm, in order to obtain berthing they otherwise would not get. They are seldom up to any good. )

''Shipping News:'' Using ships notices given by Mr. Kinney (Port Cochere’s young radioman), they know who is announced to be coming or going.

''Tugboat:'' The Port Authority also runs the majestic ''Le Pot de Rouille'', Port Cochere’s only tugboat. If you’re being towed in, this is the only game in town.

==“Nighttime Business”==

If the Mayor’s office represents the high-end “intrigue” end of Port Cochere’s business, the Port Authority represents pure piratical instinct.
Additional Fees: While it is subsidized by the French government (represented in the person of His Honor the Mayor), the Port Authority nonetheless (off the record) extracts ‘fees for special procedures’ (for things likewise off-the-record). The most profitable fee the Authority uses is a ‘bypass’. Basically, for a fee, one need not bother oneself with the fine details. Port Liberty is sometimes sold, either for a fee or for a refundable security.

Obviously, this is only done within limits, otherwise nobody would use the harbor at all. Thus, all ‘fees’ must be justifiable to someone (ie, no straight up graft), and they must be taken in moderation (“Part of doing business”). The Port Authority does (per the old saw) “stay bought”, typically, and they know when to stop squeezing the stone.

They also keep the “surface tension” going. By making it prohibitive for smugglers or other demimondaines to just barge into the port, they encourage them to ‘transfer’ to light transport on out-islands, making it possible to say “we didn’t know!”. Since affordable anonymity is Ile Trouve’s most profitable industry, setting the price just-so is important.

''“Hiring Fees”'' (ie kickbacks): In exchange for ‘primary recommendation’ in hiring, the Port Authority tends to want a “Finder’s Fee”. Bas Ville is chock full of be crewmen whose hitch is over for one reason or another (“They left without me.” “I wonder WHY, hm?”), drifters, stowaways, renegade islanders no longer welcome at home, even refugees (though they’d have to be really stubborn refugees to be way out here.) This can make hiring a nightmare. While the Port Authority does show favoritism in ‘recommendations’, it at least imposes as sense of order.

''“Reading”:'' Members of the Port Authority have a knack for telling what’s on a ship and where it’s likely to go. (If you know the fuel-efficiencies of a ship and its fuel-load, you can find out where it’s going. Since ships rarely carry more ballast than they need to, a ship claiming to go a short distance while clearly loaded to go a long way (or vice versa) is of note. This information can then be ‘sold’ (to interested parties) or ‘sold back’ (to the owners of the ship in question). )

==Relations:==
''vs the Mayor’s Office:'' There’s always been a bit of a turf war between the two bureauxs. The Mayor’s office is charged with validating documents, which sometimes bumps into the Port Authority’s “checking your papers”, for example. [OOC: The main difference is that while the Mayor’s office might be obstructionist while flexing their bureaucratic muscles or illustrating a larger point, the Port Authority is mainly just looking to ‘expedite things’.]

''vs the Police:'' The Port Authority is fairly ginger about calling in the Municipals. They are not about to ask the Legionnaires to get involved, either. However, if they do see a crime committed that falls in either’s territory, they will call them immediately (theft, for example, or assaulting a Port Authority official.)

''vs. The Navy:'' The French Navy is based at Papeete. While the Port Authority may technically call the Navy in for certain things, this ruins certain gentlemen’s agreements. (That is, the French naval officer will ask what is going on, not take “well, you know…” for an answer, and will log whatever he is told, accurately.)

''vs. VIPs:'' Generally speaking, VIPs will be sized up on arrival. Exceptionally wealthy high-rollers tend to get “hands off” treatment, after initial contact. (Herr Zoransky for example.)

=The Police=

All French colonial law-enforcement attempts to model itself on the “home” model exercised in France. Port Cochere is no exception- though certain concessions have been made to Port Cochere’s unique situation.

At one point- due to the nature of the unique position of the Kamekame natives, vis a vis the town, it was considered to adopt a modified version of the Cercle system adopted in French West Africa, with appointed chieftains and so on. This plan did not survive contact (or lack thereof) with the Kamekame.

Therefore, an attempt was made to model the local forces on ones from Home.

-When role of the ''Gendarmerie nationale'' (that is, detached military-police responsible for public safety), this duty sometimes falls to the ''Legion Etrangere'' unit stationed at the fort overlooking town.

On occasion, they have done “Search and Rescue” missions in the countryside and coastal areas, such game-warden work as the island requires, crowd control and bodyguarding, securing the Port during emergencies, acting as an honor guard for dignitaries, and (of course) acting as Military Police amongst their own.

In deference to local wishes, the Legion command tends not to perform investigative functions, unless directly ordered to by the Governor (not the Mayor). They perform the other duties when requested by the Mayor, whom they file reports to for the duration. They generally arrive as armed and in uniform, as if they were on regular Legion business.

-''La Sûreté'' (France’s crack National Police force) have a few officers in the Territory, but none stationed at Ile Trouve itself.

(They tend to be assigned to larger cities, and would only really have a detective visit if there was a major crime in Port Cochere that the Territorial Government felt required investigation. There is not much chance of the Territorial Government having major crime in Port Cochere that they wanted to be investigated.)

-This leaves the ''Polices Municipales'', the police force that most Port Cochere residents see on average. The local Brigade of officers answers directly to the Mayor. While they technically share “rural guard” duties, if something requires forest ranger or ‘game warden’ duties, he gives it to the Legionnaires, owing to the delicacy of the Kamekame situation. Neither do they have investigative powers.

This leaves the Municipals as old-fashioned thieftakers. They break up fights, tell drunks and other disorderly people to go home, stop thefts and assaults, and provide assistance as needed. (If there were cars on Ile Trouve, they would ticket them, that sort of thing.) They have certain broadly-interpreted “good order” duties, and are supposed to help out in (for instance) disasters, but generally they stick to the basics: Patrolling and arresting. They wear a uniform (including a half-cape) and a baton. They do not typically carry firearms, though special circumstances may apply.

One thing that makes the local French colonial system different than the British colonial system is that the French system makes no differentiation between ‘subject’ and ‘native’- if an Islander is qualified to serve in the Municipals, they do. There is no ‘auxiliary’ or ‘tribal’ police force.

Also, all French citizens are considered eligible for national service, including colonial French. A great many Ile Trouveiens have taken the option of patrolling rather than, say, laying a road. (This is carefully tiptoed around in the case of the Kamekame, who are (diplomatically) assumed to ‘tend to their own law enforcement whilst on their private lands.’, due to a historical Protectorate status).

==Police Powers==

French law does not presume innocence, it presumes guilt. There is a right to silence, but they don’t need to remind you of it. Police may ask anyone to identify themselves, and hold unidentified people (even arrest them for resisting). They can question anyone about a case, search and seize property (during the day), detain suspects for up to a day without access to a lawyer for most of it.

==Courts==

The French Polynesian judicial system features a Court of First Instance, a Court of Appeal, and a Court of Administrative Law (which also handles things like business disputes). These are all located in Papeete, a fair distance away. If a case is not resolved locally (“Pay the fine, and don’t do it again”, for instance), the suspect is held until such time as he can be transported to court.

==Jail/Punishment==

There is a small jail here (maybe five or six old cells in a sun-blasted stone building), mainly used for holding prior to a prisoner transfer. Things tend to be “handled locally”, instead. French Polynesia has three prisons, none of which are near here. Rumor has it that the worst are still, unofficially, sent to the old penal colony at New Caledonia.

Generally speaking, there is a local distaste for jail-time- many of the French colonist’s forebears were sent to the island as Penal Colonists, so the idea just sits wrong. Fines and “alternate punishment” are favored as a result. Public execution (often by guillotine) is still common in France in this era- it’s an “arrow in the quiver”- but it has not been applied here for ages.

=Le Deuxieme Bureau=

The Second Bureau is France’s national intelligence agency. There are no apparent 2eme Bureau agents in Port Cochere, or on Ile Trouve as a whole. Neither the Mayor nor the Governor has ever contacted anyone from the Bureau. (It is left as an exercise for the reader to figure out exactly what use spies would be in Port Cochere.)

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Authorities

2015-06-04T05:13:04Z

Smoot: /* The Mayor's Office */

= The Colonial Government =

'''Full Name:''' Établissements Français de l'Océanie (French Establishments in Oceania)

'''Capital:''' Papeete, Tahiti. (OOC: If you're asking a question about where to find [Western convention or amenity not in Port Cochere], it's probably in Papeete- courts, jails, the military, newspapers, all that business.)

Executive:

'''Governor:''' Frédéric Marie Jean Baptiste Chastenet de Géry [RL person.] Appointed March of 1937.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between the French and British systems is that a "native" would generally not be allowed to serve in British administration, where all in French territory are considered citizens. (That is, you may find islanders in administrative support roles in French Polynesia, but not British holdings.)

Legislature:

'''Privy Council''': Advisors to the Governor.

'''Advisory Council:''' This was, formerly, a body of representatives from the Islands. In 1903, it was changed to a purely advisory administrative group.

==Direct Rule==
The French method of colonial government is called "Direct Rule". It differs from the British method in a several major ways: British governors are allowed more leeway for decision than their French counterparts (who carry out instructions from, and answer to, Paris). And where the British foster relationships with 'native leaders' (Chieftains, and so on), the French system considers all in its territory to be French. Therefore there is no official acknowledgement of tribal life or mores. The state owns all land not privately owned, and all citizens owe service (just like French conscripts do at home).

(The Kamekame shrewdly played this game, first by wrangling up a Protectorate status, then having scrambling to "buy" their own lands with trade-goods in the late 1800s.)

The policy also encourages assimilation, and association (that is more social intermixing than the British system). There is somewhat less stigma in the French system on "going native", for example, or taking a 'native bride'.

Oceania's trade has recovered from the Great Depression. The value of both imports and exports more than quadruple the figures for 1933.

= The Mayor's Office =
(For more on the Mayor himself, see here: [[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Tailspins_%26_Tiki_Gods:The_Mayor]] )

Like mayors in Metropolitan (ie, "''France'' France") France, the Mayor of Port Cochere represents the State, manages a staff, and commands the local police authorities. Unlike Metropolitan French mayors, the Mayor of Port Cochere is an appointed position- he isn't elected.

=The Port Authority =

The rather grand-sounding Port Authority is, at most times, no more than 5-10 people. If need be, they can call on the police- but this is seldom necessary.
They are responsible for regulating both interisland trade (still mostly sail-driven, though steamers up to 200-300 displacement tons are coming on the scene) and incoming ships from far away. (Luckily, most of these vessels do not require fuelling- Port Cochere being merely a “through port” on the way somewhere else.)

Being mainly concerned with the harbor and the lagoon, the Port Authority seldom moves out of La Bas Ville. There are actually painted wooden poles denoting the limits of the Authority’s beat on land.

'''Structure:''' The Capitaine de Port, Alaine St. Heler de Montaigne, may have up to 10 agents at any given time. They answer to him directly, and he answers (rather tenuously) to the Mayor’s Office.

==“Daytime Business” (and standing policies)==

''Contact with out-villages'': there are minor atolls that can sustain no more than 40-50 people. The Port Authority checks in on them every so often, on behalf of the Mayor or Governor, if the villages are otherwise not heard from. (If they are in a lazy mood, they pay someone else to ‘knock on the doors’.)

''Concessions'': If it’s ashore, it’s the Town’s problem, but if you’re a businessman who approaches ships directly (say, rowing up to the side and offering goods on the spot), the Port Authority ‘has a word’. They also “recommend” porters/stevedores/longshoremen for freighters. (The town has a separate authority for the Marketplace, however. This has the effect of making landing and using the Marketplace a more effective option, which helps the town as a whole)

''Customs & Tariffs Inspections:'' Typical items-of-interest include firearms (without proper documentation), drugs (especially Opium- both the local Benevolent Society and the Port Authority put their heavy boots on regarding this), wild or domestic animals NOT in transit.

''Harbormastering'': The Port Authority rigorously controls where private vessels (aside from very small craft) go while in the lagoon. The recent introduction of seaplanes makes this VERY IMPORTANT. (The Capitaine de Port has expressed an interest in making a ‘landing strip’ area of the lagoon taboo to islander boating, but this so far seems unworkable. And development of a rudimentary air-traffic control system is in progress.)

''Hiring:''They ‘recommend’ lighters (locally-run shore boats) for people who haven’t brought their own, as well as recommending locals for dockside work. (Here, they work with the Wangguan Benevolent Association’s hiring hall system, as well as native and local groups with identifiable ‘representatives’.)

''Mooring:'' The Port Authority is responsible for charging for mooring (cost depending on location and availability, as well as duration.)

''Navigation:'' They do maintain channel markers, as needed.

''Notices to Mariners:'' The Port Authority is partly responsible for issuing weather and surf advisories, among other things. (OOC: If a kraken started preying on local boats, they would be the ones to have to decide whether to warn everyone or if it would “Cause a Panic”, a la most monster movies. ;) )

''The On-Ship Rule'': Ships’ crews are confined to ship after nightfall. This actually does have a certain crime-preventing effect. (It’s hard to mug sailors by night when those sailors are on their boats, for example, and drunken brawls are kept to a minimum), but shop-owners complain that it’s restraining trade.
“Liberty of the Town” can be arranged through the Port Authority, or via the Mayor’s Office.

''Passports:'' They do typically inspect them. They do not, however, ''stamp'' them (though they do have, if need be, access to a lovely set: Papeete, Nuku Hiva, Tubuai, Uturoa…). THEY ARE AN OFF-THE BOOKS EXCEPTION to the law that requires all foreign visitors to go through Papeete first. (This was a draw for the film company- shorter trip than going to Tahiti, ''then'' out to the island.)

''Pilotage'': If you have a larger vessel and wish to NOT drop anchor outside the lagoon’s barrier reefs, the Port Authority will charge you to have a PA Pilot either taking the wheel of your vessel or watch over your shoulder.

''Quarantine:'' They are authorized to call ‘quarantine’ on a ship. This usually involves consulting with Port Cochere’s town doctor. If an initial inspection shows rampant vermin (rats, bugs, etc), contagious illness, or is shown to carry insufficiently contained dangerous live cargo, that vessel may be quarantined for any amount of time. Alternately, a ‘restricted bill of health’ may allow the crew to unload onto a lighter without any further contact or disembarkation. (This is a big deal- through a combination of vigilance and dumb luck, Ile Trouve is almost completely clear of invasive species like rats.)

''Registry:'' They gladly keep books of what registered ships have passed through, per international maritime custom. (They do it so gladly that they keep more than one book!) They also ask to know where you’re going, as ports often do. They do know that almost any answer they get is likely to be a lie, however. They also keep an eye out for stolen or otherwise ‘commandeered’ vessels.[OOC: It is by no means a dealbreaker. (“Typical business” means you pay the ‘expediting’ fee) ]

''The Safe Harbor Rule:'' “Any port in a storm” is a law of the sea. The Port Authority cannot, by custom, refuse entry during an emergency. (Some clever bastards sometime try to arrive DURING a storm, in order to obtain berthing they otherwise would not get. They are seldom up to any good. )

''Shipping News:'' Using ships notices given by Mr. Kinney (Port Cochere’s young radioman), they know who is announced to be coming or going.

''Tugboat:'' The Port Authority also runs the majestic ''Le Pot de Rouille'', Port Cochere’s only tugboat. If you’re being towed in, this is the only game in town.

==“Nighttime Business”==

If the Mayor’s office represents the high-end “intrigue” end of Port Cochere’s business, the Port Authority represents pure piratical instinct.
Additional Fees: While it is subsidized by the French government (represented in the person of His Honor the Mayor), the Port Authority nonetheless (off the record) extracts ‘fees for special procedures’ (for things likewise off-the-record). The most profitable fee the Authority uses is a ‘bypass’. Basically, for a fee, one need not bother oneself with the fine details. Port Liberty is sometimes sold, either for a fee or for a refundable security.

Obviously, this is only done within limits, otherwise nobody would use the harbor at all. Thus, all ‘fees’ must be justifiable to someone (ie, no straight up graft), and they must be taken in moderation (“Part of doing business”). The Port Authority does (per the old saw) “stay bought”, typically, and they know when to stop squeezing the stone.

They also keep the “surface tension” going. By making it prohibitive for smugglers or other demimondaines to just barge into the port, they encourage them to ‘transfer’ to light transport on out-islands, making it possible to say “we didn’t know!”. Since affordable anonymity is Ile Trouve’s most profitable industry, setting the price just-so is important.

''“Hiring Fees”'' (ie kickbacks): In exchange for ‘primary recommendation’ in hiring, the Port Authority tends to want a “Finder’s Fee”. Bas Ville is chock full of be crewmen whose hitch is over for one reason or another (“They left without me.” “I wonder WHY, hm?”), drifters, stowaways, renegade islanders no longer welcome at home, even refugees (though they’d have to be really stubborn refugees to be way out here.) This can make hiring a nightmare. While the Port Authority does show favoritism in ‘recommendations’, it at least imposes as sense of order.

''“Reading”:'' Members of the Port Authority have a knack for telling what’s on a ship and where it’s likely to go. (If you know the fuel-efficiencies of a ship and its fuel-load, you can find out where it’s going. Since ships rarely carry more ballast than they need to, a ship claiming to go a short distance while clearly loaded to go a long way (or vice versa) is of note. This information can then be ‘sold’ (to interested parties) or ‘sold back’ (to the owners of the ship in question). )

==Relations:==
''vs the Mayor’s Office:'' There’s always been a bit of a turf war between the two bureauxs. The Mayor’s office is charged with validating documents, which sometimes bumps into the Port Authority’s “checking your papers”, for example. [OOC: The main difference is that while the Mayor’s office might be obstructionist while flexing their bureaucratic muscles or illustrating a larger point, the Port Authority is mainly just looking to ‘expedite things’.]

''vs the Police:'' The Port Authority is fairly ginger about calling in the Municipals. They are not about to ask the Legionnaires to get involved, either. However, if they do see a crime committed that falls in either’s territory, they will call them immediately (theft, for example, or assaulting a Port Authority official.)

''vs. The Navy:'' The French Navy is based at Papeete. While the Port Authority may technically call the Navy in for certain things, this ruins certain gentlemen’s agreements. (That is, the French naval officer will ask what is going on, not take “well, you know…” for an answer, and will log whatever he is told, accurately.)

''vs. VIPs:'' Generally speaking, VIPs will be sized up on arrival. Exceptionally wealthy high-rollers tend to get “hands off” treatment, after initial contact. (Herr Zoransky for example.)

=The Police=

All French colonial law-enforcement attempts to model itself on the “home” model exercised in France. Port Cochere is no exception- though certain concessions have been made to Port Cochere’s unique situation.

At one point- due to the nature of the unique position of the Kamekame natives, vis a vis the town, it was considered to adopt a modified version of the Cercle system adopted in French West Africa, with appointed chieftains and so on. This plan did not survive contact (or lack thereof) with the Kamekame.

Therefore, an attempt was made to model the local forces on ones from Home.

-When role of the ''Gendarmerie nationale'' (that is, detached military-police responsible for public safety), this duty sometimes falls to the ''Legion Etrangere'' unit stationed at the fort overlooking town.

On occasion, they have done “Search and Rescue” missions in the countryside and coastal areas, such game-warden work as the island requires, crowd control and bodyguarding, securing the Port during emergencies, acting as an honor guard for dignitaries, and (of course) acting as Military Police amongst their own.

In deference to local wishes, the Legion command tends not to perform investigative functions, unless directly ordered to by the Governor (not the Mayor). They perform the other duties when requested by the Mayor, whom they file reports to for the duration. They generally arrive as armed and in uniform, as if they were on regular Legion business.

-''La Sûreté'' (France’s crack National Police force) have a few officers in the Territory, but none stationed at Ile Trouve itself.

(They tend to be assigned to larger cities, and would only really have a detective visit if there was a major crime in Port Cochere that the Territorial Government felt required investigation. There is not much chance of the Territorial Government having major crime in Port Cochere that they wanted to be investigated.)

-This leaves the ''Polices Municipales'', the police force that most Port Cochere residents see on average. The local Brigade of officers answers directly to the Mayor. While they technically share “rural guard” duties, if something requires forest ranger or ‘game warden’ duties, he gives it to the Legionnaires, owing to the delicacy of the Kamekame situation. Neither do they have investigative powers.

This leaves the Municipals as old-fashioned thieftakers. They break up fights, tell drunks and other disorderly people to go home, stop thefts and assaults, and provide assistance as needed. (If there were cars on Ile Trouve, they would ticket them, that sort of thing.) They have certain broadly-interpreted “good order” duties, and are supposed to help out in (for instance) disasters, but generally they stick to the basics: Patrolling and arresting. They wear a uniform (including a half-cape) and a baton. They do not typically carry firearms, though special circumstances may apply.

One thing that makes the local French colonial system different than the British colonial system is that the French system makes no differentiation between ‘subject’ and ‘native’- if an Islander is qualified to serve in the Municipals, they do. There is no ‘auxiliary’ or ‘tribal’ police force.

Also, all French citizens are considered eligible for national service, including colonial French. A great many Ile Trouveiens have taken the option of patrolling rather than, say, laying a road. (This is carefully tiptoed around in the case of the Kamekame, who are (diplomatically) assumed to ‘tend to their own law enforcement whilst on their private lands.’, due to a historical Protectorate status).

==Police Powers==

French law does not presume innocence, it presumes guilt. There is a right to silence, but they don’t need to remind you of it. Police may ask anyone to identify themselves, and hold unidentified people (even arrest them for resisting). They can question anyone about a case, search and seize property (during the day), detain suspects for up to a day without access to a lawyer for most of it.

==Courts==

The French Polynesian judicial system features a Court of First Instance, a Court of Appeal, and a Court of Administrative Law (which also handles things like business disputes). These are all located in Papeete, a fair distance away. If a case is not resolved locally (“Pay the fine, and don’t do it again”, for instance), the suspect is held until such time as he can be transported to court.

==Jail/Punishment==

There is a small jail here (maybe five or six old cells in a sun-blasted stone building), mainly used for holding prior to a prisoner transfer. Things tend to be “handled locally”, instead. French Polynesia has three prisons, none of which are near here. Rumor has it that the worst are still, unofficially, sent to the old penal colony at New Caledonia.

Generally speaking, there is a local distaste for jail-time- many of the French colonist’s forebears were sent to the island as Penal Colonists, so the idea just sits wrong. Fines and “alternate punishment” are favored as a result. Public execution (often by guillotine) is still common in France in this era- it’s an “arrow in the quiver”- but it has not been applied here for ages.

=Le Deuxieme Bureau=

The Second Bureau is France’s national intelligence agency. There are no apparent 2eme Bureau agents in Port Cochere, or on Ile Trouve as a whole. Neither the Mayor nor the Governor has ever contacted anyone from the Bureau. (It is left as an exercise for the reader to figure out exactly how useless spies would be in Port Cochere.)

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Authorities

2015-06-04T05:08:11Z

Smoot: /* Direct Rule */

= The Colonial Government =

'''Full Name:''' Établissements Français de l'Océanie (French Establishments in Oceania)

'''Capital:''' Papeete, Tahiti. (OOC: If you're asking a question about where to find [Western convention or amenity not in Port Cochere], it's probably in Papeete- courts, jails, the military, newspapers, all that business.)

Executive:

'''Governor:''' Frédéric Marie Jean Baptiste Chastenet de Géry [RL person.] Appointed March of 1937.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between the French and British systems is that a "native" would generally not be allowed to serve in British administration, where all in French territory are considered citizens. (That is, you may find islanders in administrative support roles in French Polynesia, but not British holdings.)

Legislature:

'''Privy Council''': Advisors to the Governor.

'''Advisory Council:''' This was, formerly, a body of representatives from the Islands. In 1903, it was changed to a purely advisory administrative group.

==Direct Rule==
The French method of colonial government is called "Direct Rule". It differs from the British method in a several major ways: British governors are allowed more leeway for decision than their French counterparts (who carry out instructions from, and answer to, Paris). And where the British foster relationships with 'native leaders' (Chieftains, and so on), the French system considers all in its territory to be French. Therefore there is no official acknowledgement of tribal life or mores. The state owns all land not privately owned, and all citizens owe service (just like French conscripts do at home).

(The Kamekame shrewdly played this game, first by wrangling up a Protectorate status, then having scrambling to "buy" their own lands with trade-goods in the late 1800s.)

The policy also encourages assimilation, and association (that is more social intermixing than the British system). There is somewhat less stigma in the French system on "going native", for example, or taking a 'native bride'.

Oceania's trade has recovered from the Great Depression. The value of both imports and exports more than quadruple the figures for 1933.

= The Mayor's Office =
(For more on the Mayor himself, see here: [[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Tailspins_%26_Tiki_Gods:The_Mayor]] )

=The Port Authority =

The rather grand-sounding Port Authority is, at most times, no more than 5-10 people. If need be, they can call on the police- but this is seldom necessary.
They are responsible for regulating both interisland trade (still mostly sail-driven, though steamers up to 200-300 displacement tons are coming on the scene) and incoming ships from far away. (Luckily, most of these vessels do not require fuelling- Port Cochere being merely a “through port” on the way somewhere else.)

Being mainly concerned with the harbor and the lagoon, the Port Authority seldom moves out of La Bas Ville. There are actually painted wooden poles denoting the limits of the Authority’s beat on land.

'''Structure:''' The Capitaine de Port, Alaine St. Heler de Montaigne, may have up to 10 agents at any given time. They answer to him directly, and he answers (rather tenuously) to the Mayor’s Office.

==“Daytime Business” (and standing policies)==

''Contact with out-villages'': there are minor atolls that can sustain no more than 40-50 people. The Port Authority checks in on them every so often, on behalf of the Mayor or Governor, if the villages are otherwise not heard from. (If they are in a lazy mood, they pay someone else to ‘knock on the doors’.)

''Concessions'': If it’s ashore, it’s the Town’s problem, but if you’re a businessman who approaches ships directly (say, rowing up to the side and offering goods on the spot), the Port Authority ‘has a word’. They also “recommend” porters/stevedores/longshoremen for freighters. (The town has a separate authority for the Marketplace, however. This has the effect of making landing and using the Marketplace a more effective option, which helps the town as a whole)

''Customs & Tariffs Inspections:'' Typical items-of-interest include firearms (without proper documentation), drugs (especially Opium- both the local Benevolent Society and the Port Authority put their heavy boots on regarding this), wild or domestic animals NOT in transit.

''Harbormastering'': The Port Authority rigorously controls where private vessels (aside from very small craft) go while in the lagoon. The recent introduction of seaplanes makes this VERY IMPORTANT. (The Capitaine de Port has expressed an interest in making a ‘landing strip’ area of the lagoon taboo to islander boating, but this so far seems unworkable. And development of a rudimentary air-traffic control system is in progress.)

''Hiring:''They ‘recommend’ lighters (locally-run shore boats) for people who haven’t brought their own, as well as recommending locals for dockside work. (Here, they work with the Wangguan Benevolent Association’s hiring hall system, as well as native and local groups with identifiable ‘representatives’.)

''Mooring:'' The Port Authority is responsible for charging for mooring (cost depending on location and availability, as well as duration.)

''Navigation:'' They do maintain channel markers, as needed.

''Notices to Mariners:'' The Port Authority is partly responsible for issuing weather and surf advisories, among other things. (OOC: If a kraken started preying on local boats, they would be the ones to have to decide whether to warn everyone or if it would “Cause a Panic”, a la most monster movies. ;) )

''The On-Ship Rule'': Ships’ crews are confined to ship after nightfall. This actually does have a certain crime-preventing effect. (It’s hard to mug sailors by night when those sailors are on their boats, for example, and drunken brawls are kept to a minimum), but shop-owners complain that it’s restraining trade.
“Liberty of the Town” can be arranged through the Port Authority, or via the Mayor’s Office.

''Passports:'' They do typically inspect them. They do not, however, ''stamp'' them (though they do have, if need be, access to a lovely set: Papeete, Nuku Hiva, Tubuai, Uturoa…). THEY ARE AN OFF-THE BOOKS EXCEPTION to the law that requires all foreign visitors to go through Papeete first. (This was a draw for the film company- shorter trip than going to Tahiti, ''then'' out to the island.)

''Pilotage'': If you have a larger vessel and wish to NOT drop anchor outside the lagoon’s barrier reefs, the Port Authority will charge you to have a PA Pilot either taking the wheel of your vessel or watch over your shoulder.

''Quarantine:'' They are authorized to call ‘quarantine’ on a ship. This usually involves consulting with Port Cochere’s town doctor. If an initial inspection shows rampant vermin (rats, bugs, etc), contagious illness, or is shown to carry insufficiently contained dangerous live cargo, that vessel may be quarantined for any amount of time. Alternately, a ‘restricted bill of health’ may allow the crew to unload onto a lighter without any further contact or disembarkation. (This is a big deal- through a combination of vigilance and dumb luck, Ile Trouve is almost completely clear of invasive species like rats.)

''Registry:'' They gladly keep books of what registered ships have passed through, per international maritime custom. (They do it so gladly that they keep more than one book!) They also ask to know where you’re going, as ports often do. They do know that almost any answer they get is likely to be a lie, however. They also keep an eye out for stolen or otherwise ‘commandeered’ vessels.[OOC: It is by no means a dealbreaker. (“Typical business” means you pay the ‘expediting’ fee) ]

''The Safe Harbor Rule:'' “Any port in a storm” is a law of the sea. The Port Authority cannot, by custom, refuse entry during an emergency. (Some clever bastards sometime try to arrive DURING a storm, in order to obtain berthing they otherwise would not get. They are seldom up to any good. )

''Shipping News:'' Using ships notices given by Mr. Kinney (Port Cochere’s young radioman), they know who is announced to be coming or going.

''Tugboat:'' The Port Authority also runs the majestic ''Le Pot de Rouille'', Port Cochere’s only tugboat. If you’re being towed in, this is the only game in town.

==“Nighttime Business”==

If the Mayor’s office represents the high-end “intrigue” end of Port Cochere’s business, the Port Authority represents pure piratical instinct.
Additional Fees: While it is subsidized by the French government (represented in the person of His Honor the Mayor), the Port Authority nonetheless (off the record) extracts ‘fees for special procedures’ (for things likewise off-the-record). The most profitable fee the Authority uses is a ‘bypass’. Basically, for a fee, one need not bother oneself with the fine details. Port Liberty is sometimes sold, either for a fee or for a refundable security.

Obviously, this is only done within limits, otherwise nobody would use the harbor at all. Thus, all ‘fees’ must be justifiable to someone (ie, no straight up graft), and they must be taken in moderation (“Part of doing business”). The Port Authority does (per the old saw) “stay bought”, typically, and they know when to stop squeezing the stone.

They also keep the “surface tension” going. By making it prohibitive for smugglers or other demimondaines to just barge into the port, they encourage them to ‘transfer’ to light transport on out-islands, making it possible to say “we didn’t know!”. Since affordable anonymity is Ile Trouve’s most profitable industry, setting the price just-so is important.

''“Hiring Fees”'' (ie kickbacks): In exchange for ‘primary recommendation’ in hiring, the Port Authority tends to want a “Finder’s Fee”. Bas Ville is chock full of be crewmen whose hitch is over for one reason or another (“They left without me.” “I wonder WHY, hm?”), drifters, stowaways, renegade islanders no longer welcome at home, even refugees (though they’d have to be really stubborn refugees to be way out here.) This can make hiring a nightmare. While the Port Authority does show favoritism in ‘recommendations’, it at least imposes as sense of order.

''“Reading”:'' Members of the Port Authority have a knack for telling what’s on a ship and where it’s likely to go. (If you know the fuel-efficiencies of a ship and its fuel-load, you can find out where it’s going. Since ships rarely carry more ballast than they need to, a ship claiming to go a short distance while clearly loaded to go a long way (or vice versa) is of note. This information can then be ‘sold’ (to interested parties) or ‘sold back’ (to the owners of the ship in question). )

==Relations:==
''vs the Mayor’s Office:'' There’s always been a bit of a turf war between the two bureauxs. The Mayor’s office is charged with validating documents, which sometimes bumps into the Port Authority’s “checking your papers”, for example. [OOC: The main difference is that while the Mayor’s office might be obstructionist while flexing their bureaucratic muscles or illustrating a larger point, the Port Authority is mainly just looking to ‘expedite things’.]

''vs the Police:'' The Port Authority is fairly ginger about calling in the Municipals. They are not about to ask the Legionnaires to get involved, either. However, if they do see a crime committed that falls in either’s territory, they will call them immediately (theft, for example, or assaulting a Port Authority official.)

''vs. The Navy:'' The French Navy is based at Papeete. While the Port Authority may technically call the Navy in for certain things, this ruins certain gentlemen’s agreements. (That is, the French naval officer will ask what is going on, not take “well, you know…” for an answer, and will log whatever he is told, accurately.)

''vs. VIPs:'' Generally speaking, VIPs will be sized up on arrival. Exceptionally wealthy high-rollers tend to get “hands off” treatment, after initial contact. (Herr Zoransky for example.)

=The Police=

All French colonial law-enforcement attempts to model itself on the “home” model exercised in France. Port Cochere is no exception- though certain concessions have been made to Port Cochere’s unique situation.

At one point- due to the nature of the unique position of the Kamekame natives, vis a vis the town, it was considered to adopt a modified version of the Cercle system adopted in French West Africa, with appointed chieftains and so on. This plan did not survive contact (or lack thereof) with the Kamekame.

Therefore, an attempt was made to model the local forces on ones from Home.

-When role of the ''Gendarmerie nationale'' (that is, detached military-police responsible for public safety), this duty sometimes falls to the ''Legion Etrangere'' unit stationed at the fort overlooking town.

On occasion, they have done “Search and Rescue” missions in the countryside and coastal areas, such game-warden work as the island requires, crowd control and bodyguarding, securing the Port during emergencies, acting as an honor guard for dignitaries, and (of course) acting as Military Police amongst their own.

In deference to local wishes, the Legion command tends not to perform investigative functions, unless directly ordered to by the Governor (not the Mayor). They perform the other duties when requested by the Mayor, whom they file reports to for the duration. They generally arrive as armed and in uniform, as if they were on regular Legion business.

-''La Sûreté'' (France’s crack National Police force) have a few officers in the Territory, but none stationed at Ile Trouve itself.

(They tend to be assigned to larger cities, and would only really have a detective visit if there was a major crime in Port Cochere that the Territorial Government felt required investigation. There is not much chance of the Territorial Government having major crime in Port Cochere that they wanted to be investigated.)

-This leaves the ''Polices Municipales'', the police force that most Port Cochere residents see on average. The local Brigade of officers answers directly to the Mayor. While they technically share “rural guard” duties, if something requires forest ranger or ‘game warden’ duties, he gives it to the Legionnaires, owing to the delicacy of the Kamekame situation. Neither do they have investigative powers.

This leaves the Municipals as old-fashioned thieftakers. They break up fights, tell drunks and other disorderly people to go home, stop thefts and assaults, and provide assistance as needed. (If there were cars on Ile Trouve, they would ticket them, that sort of thing.) They have certain broadly-interpreted “good order” duties, and are supposed to help out in (for instance) disasters, but generally they stick to the basics: Patrolling and arresting. They wear a uniform (including a half-cape) and a baton. They do not typically carry firearms, though special circumstances may apply.

One thing that makes the local French colonial system different than the British colonial system is that the French system makes no differentiation between ‘subject’ and ‘native’- if an Islander is qualified to serve in the Municipals, they do. There is no ‘auxiliary’ or ‘tribal’ police force.

Also, all French citizens are considered eligible for national service, including colonial French. A great many Ile Trouveiens have taken the option of patrolling rather than, say, laying a road. (This is carefully tiptoed around in the case of the Kamekame, who are (diplomatically) assumed to ‘tend to their own law enforcement whilst on their private lands.’, due to a historical Protectorate status).

==Police Powers==

French law does not presume innocence, it presumes guilt. There is a right to silence, but they don’t need to remind you of it. Police may ask anyone to identify themselves, and hold unidentified people (even arrest them for resisting). They can question anyone about a case, search and seize property (during the day), detain suspects for up to a day without access to a lawyer for most of it.

==Courts==

The French Polynesian judicial system features a Court of First Instance, a Court of Appeal, and a Court of Administrative Law (which also handles things like business disputes). These are all located in Papeete, a fair distance away. If a case is not resolved locally (“Pay the fine, and don’t do it again”, for instance), the suspect is held until such time as he can be transported to court.

==Jail/Punishment==

There is a small jail here (maybe five or six old cells in a sun-blasted stone building), mainly used for holding prior to a prisoner transfer. Things tend to be “handled locally”, instead. French Polynesia has three prisons, none of which are near here. Rumor has it that the worst are still, unofficially, sent to the old penal colony at New Caledonia.

Generally speaking, there is a local distaste for jail-time- many of the French colonist’s forebears were sent to the island as Penal Colonists, so the idea just sits wrong. Fines and “alternate punishment” are favored as a result. Public execution (often by guillotine) is still common in France in this era- it’s an “arrow in the quiver”- but it has not been applied here for ages.

=Le Deuxieme Bureau=

The Second Bureau is France’s national intelligence agency. There are no apparent 2eme Bureau agents in Port Cochere, or on Ile Trouve as a whole. Neither the Mayor nor the Governor has ever contacted anyone from the Bureau. (It is left as an exercise for the reader to figure out exactly how useless spies would be in Port Cochere.)

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Authorities

2015-06-04T05:02:27Z

Smoot: /* “Daytime Business” (and standing policies) */

= The Colonial Government =

'''Full Name:''' Établissements Français de l'Océanie (French Establishments in Oceania)

'''Capital:''' Papeete, Tahiti. (OOC: If you're asking a question about where to find [Western convention or amenity not in Port Cochere], it's probably in Papeete- courts, jails, the military, newspapers, all that business.)

Executive:

'''Governor:''' Frédéric Marie Jean Baptiste Chastenet de Géry [RL person.] Appointed March of 1937.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between the French and British systems is that a "native" would generally not be allowed to serve in British administration, where all in French territory are considered citizens. (That is, you may find islanders in administrative support roles in French Polynesia, but not British holdings.)

Legislature:

'''Privy Council''': Advisors to the Governor.

'''Advisory Council:''' This was, formerly, a body of representatives from the Islands. In 1903, it was changed to a purely advisory administrative group.

==Direct Rule==
The French method of colonial government is called "Direct Rule". It differs from the British method in a several major ways: British governors are allowed more leeway for decision than their French counterparts (who carry out instructions from, and answer to, Paris). And where the British foster relationships with 'native leaders' (Chieftains, and so on), the French system considers all in its territory to be French. Therefore there is no official acknowledgement of tribal life or mores. The state owns all land not privately owned.

(The Kamekame shrewdly played this game, first by wrangling up a Protectorate status, then having scrambling to "buy" their own lands with trade-goods in the late 1800s.)

The policy also encourages assimilation, and association (that is more social intermixing than the British system). There is somewhat less stigma in the French system on "going native", for example, or taking a 'native bride'.

Oceania's trade has recovered from the Great Depression. The value of both imports and exports more than quadruple the figures for 1933.

= The Mayor's Office =
(For more on the Mayor himself, see here: [[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Tailspins_%26_Tiki_Gods:The_Mayor]] )

=The Port Authority =

The rather grand-sounding Port Authority is, at most times, no more than 5-10 people. If need be, they can call on the police- but this is seldom necessary.
They are responsible for regulating both interisland trade (still mostly sail-driven, though steamers up to 200-300 displacement tons are coming on the scene) and incoming ships from far away. (Luckily, most of these vessels do not require fuelling- Port Cochere being merely a “through port” on the way somewhere else.)

Being mainly concerned with the harbor and the lagoon, the Port Authority seldom moves out of La Bas Ville. There are actually painted wooden poles denoting the limits of the Authority’s beat on land.

'''Structure:''' The Capitaine de Port, Alaine St. Heler de Montaigne, may have up to 10 agents at any given time. They answer to him directly, and he answers (rather tenuously) to the Mayor’s Office.

==“Daytime Business” (and standing policies)==

''Contact with out-villages'': there are minor atolls that can sustain no more than 40-50 people. The Port Authority checks in on them every so often, on behalf of the Mayor or Governor, if the villages are otherwise not heard from. (If they are in a lazy mood, they pay someone else to ‘knock on the doors’.)

''Concessions'': If it’s ashore, it’s the Town’s problem, but if you’re a businessman who approaches ships directly (say, rowing up to the side and offering goods on the spot), the Port Authority ‘has a word’. They also “recommend” porters/stevedores/longshoremen for freighters. (The town has a separate authority for the Marketplace, however. This has the effect of making landing and using the Marketplace a more effective option, which helps the town as a whole)

''Customs & Tariffs Inspections:'' Typical items-of-interest include firearms (without proper documentation), drugs (especially Opium- both the local Benevolent Society and the Port Authority put their heavy boots on regarding this), wild or domestic animals NOT in transit.

''Harbormastering'': The Port Authority rigorously controls where private vessels (aside from very small craft) go while in the lagoon. The recent introduction of seaplanes makes this VERY IMPORTANT. (The Capitaine de Port has expressed an interest in making a ‘landing strip’ area of the lagoon taboo to islander boating, but this so far seems unworkable. And development of a rudimentary air-traffic control system is in progress.)

''Hiring:''They ‘recommend’ lighters (locally-run shore boats) for people who haven’t brought their own, as well as recommending locals for dockside work. (Here, they work with the Wangguan Benevolent Association’s hiring hall system, as well as native and local groups with identifiable ‘representatives’.)

''Mooring:'' The Port Authority is responsible for charging for mooring (cost depending on location and availability, as well as duration.)

''Navigation:'' They do maintain channel markers, as needed.

''Notices to Mariners:'' The Port Authority is partly responsible for issuing weather and surf advisories, among other things. (OOC: If a kraken started preying on local boats, they would be the ones to have to decide whether to warn everyone or if it would “Cause a Panic”, a la most monster movies. ;) )

''The On-Ship Rule'': Ships’ crews are confined to ship after nightfall. This actually does have a certain crime-preventing effect. (It’s hard to mug sailors by night when those sailors are on their boats, for example, and drunken brawls are kept to a minimum), but shop-owners complain that it’s restraining trade.
“Liberty of the Town” can be arranged through the Port Authority, or via the Mayor’s Office.

''Passports:'' They do typically inspect them. They do not, however, ''stamp'' them (though they do have, if need be, access to a lovely set: Papeete, Nuku Hiva, Tubuai, Uturoa…). THEY ARE AN OFF-THE BOOKS EXCEPTION to the law that requires all foreign visitors to go through Papeete first. (This was a draw for the film company- shorter trip than going to Tahiti, ''then'' out to the island.)

''Pilotage'': If you have a larger vessel and wish to NOT drop anchor outside the lagoon’s barrier reefs, the Port Authority will charge you to have a PA Pilot either taking the wheel of your vessel or watch over your shoulder.

''Quarantine:'' They are authorized to call ‘quarantine’ on a ship. This usually involves consulting with Port Cochere’s town doctor. If an initial inspection shows rampant vermin (rats, bugs, etc), contagious illness, or is shown to carry insufficiently contained dangerous live cargo, that vessel may be quarantined for any amount of time. Alternately, a ‘restricted bill of health’ may allow the crew to unload onto a lighter without any further contact or disembarkation. (This is a big deal- through a combination of vigilance and dumb luck, Ile Trouve is almost completely clear of invasive species like rats.)

''Registry:'' They gladly keep books of what registered ships have passed through, per international maritime custom. (They do it so gladly that they keep more than one book!) They also ask to know where you’re going, as ports often do. They do know that almost any answer they get is likely to be a lie, however. They also keep an eye out for stolen or otherwise ‘commandeered’ vessels.[OOC: It is by no means a dealbreaker. (“Typical business” means you pay the ‘expediting’ fee) ]

''The Safe Harbor Rule:'' “Any port in a storm” is a law of the sea. The Port Authority cannot, by custom, refuse entry during an emergency. (Some clever bastards sometime try to arrive DURING a storm, in order to obtain berthing they otherwise would not get. They are seldom up to any good. )

''Shipping News:'' Using ships notices given by Mr. Kinney (Port Cochere’s young radioman), they know who is announced to be coming or going.

''Tugboat:'' The Port Authority also runs the majestic ''Le Pot de Rouille'', Port Cochere’s only tugboat. If you’re being towed in, this is the only game in town.

==“Nighttime Business”==

If the Mayor’s office represents the high-end “intrigue” end of Port Cochere’s business, the Port Authority represents pure piratical instinct.
Additional Fees: While it is subsidized by the French government (represented in the person of His Honor the Mayor), the Port Authority nonetheless (off the record) extracts ‘fees for special procedures’ (for things likewise off-the-record). The most profitable fee the Authority uses is a ‘bypass’. Basically, for a fee, one need not bother oneself with the fine details. Port Liberty is sometimes sold, either for a fee or for a refundable security.

Obviously, this is only done within limits, otherwise nobody would use the harbor at all. Thus, all ‘fees’ must be justifiable to someone (ie, no straight up graft), and they must be taken in moderation (“Part of doing business”). The Port Authority does (per the old saw) “stay bought”, typically, and they know when to stop squeezing the stone.

They also keep the “surface tension” going. By making it prohibitive for smugglers or other demimondaines to just barge into the port, they encourage them to ‘transfer’ to light transport on out-islands, making it possible to say “we didn’t know!”. Since affordable anonymity is Ile Trouve’s most profitable industry, setting the price just-so is important.

''“Hiring Fees”'' (ie kickbacks): In exchange for ‘primary recommendation’ in hiring, the Port Authority tends to want a “Finder’s Fee”. Bas Ville is chock full of be crewmen whose hitch is over for one reason or another (“They left without me.” “I wonder WHY, hm?”), drifters, stowaways, renegade islanders no longer welcome at home, even refugees (though they’d have to be really stubborn refugees to be way out here.) This can make hiring a nightmare. While the Port Authority does show favoritism in ‘recommendations’, it at least imposes as sense of order.

''“Reading”:'' Members of the Port Authority have a knack for telling what’s on a ship and where it’s likely to go. (If you know the fuel-efficiencies of a ship and its fuel-load, you can find out where it’s going. Since ships rarely carry more ballast than they need to, a ship claiming to go a short distance while clearly loaded to go a long way (or vice versa) is of note. This information can then be ‘sold’ (to interested parties) or ‘sold back’ (to the owners of the ship in question). )

==Relations:==
''vs the Mayor’s Office:'' There’s always been a bit of a turf war between the two bureauxs. The Mayor’s office is charged with validating documents, which sometimes bumps into the Port Authority’s “checking your papers”, for example. [OOC: The main difference is that while the Mayor’s office might be obstructionist while flexing their bureaucratic muscles or illustrating a larger point, the Port Authority is mainly just looking to ‘expedite things’.]

''vs the Police:'' The Port Authority is fairly ginger about calling in the Municipals. They are not about to ask the Legionnaires to get involved, either. However, if they do see a crime committed that falls in either’s territory, they will call them immediately (theft, for example, or assaulting a Port Authority official.)

''vs. The Navy:'' The French Navy is based at Papeete. While the Port Authority may technically call the Navy in for certain things, this ruins certain gentlemen’s agreements. (That is, the French naval officer will ask what is going on, not take “well, you know…” for an answer, and will log whatever he is told, accurately.)

''vs. VIPs:'' Generally speaking, VIPs will be sized up on arrival. Exceptionally wealthy high-rollers tend to get “hands off” treatment, after initial contact. (Herr Zoransky for example.)

=The Police=

All French colonial law-enforcement attempts to model itself on the “home” model exercised in France. Port Cochere is no exception- though certain concessions have been made to Port Cochere’s unique situation.

At one point- due to the nature of the unique position of the Kamekame natives, vis a vis the town, it was considered to adopt a modified version of the Cercle system adopted in French West Africa, with appointed chieftains and so on. This plan did not survive contact (or lack thereof) with the Kamekame.

Therefore, an attempt was made to model the local forces on ones from Home.

-When role of the ''Gendarmerie nationale'' (that is, detached military-police responsible for public safety), this duty sometimes falls to the ''Legion Etrangere'' unit stationed at the fort overlooking town.

On occasion, they have done “Search and Rescue” missions in the countryside and coastal areas, such game-warden work as the island requires, crowd control and bodyguarding, securing the Port during emergencies, acting as an honor guard for dignitaries, and (of course) acting as Military Police amongst their own.

In deference to local wishes, the Legion command tends not to perform investigative functions, unless directly ordered to by the Governor (not the Mayor). They perform the other duties when requested by the Mayor, whom they file reports to for the duration. They generally arrive as armed and in uniform, as if they were on regular Legion business.

-''La Sûreté'' (France’s crack National Police force) have a few officers in the Territory, but none stationed at Ile Trouve itself.

(They tend to be assigned to larger cities, and would only really have a detective visit if there was a major crime in Port Cochere that the Territorial Government felt required investigation. There is not much chance of the Territorial Government having major crime in Port Cochere that they wanted to be investigated.)

-This leaves the ''Polices Municipales'', the police force that most Port Cochere residents see on average. The local Brigade of officers answers directly to the Mayor. While they technically share “rural guard” duties, if something requires forest ranger or ‘game warden’ duties, he gives it to the Legionnaires, owing to the delicacy of the Kamekame situation. Neither do they have investigative powers.

This leaves the Municipals as old-fashioned thieftakers. They break up fights, tell drunks and other disorderly people to go home, stop thefts and assaults, and provide assistance as needed. (If there were cars on Ile Trouve, they would ticket them, that sort of thing.) They have certain broadly-interpreted “good order” duties, and are supposed to help out in (for instance) disasters, but generally they stick to the basics: Patrolling and arresting. They wear a uniform (including a half-cape) and a baton. They do not typically carry firearms, though special circumstances may apply.

One thing that makes the local French colonial system different than the British colonial system is that the French system makes no differentiation between ‘subject’ and ‘native’- if an Islander is qualified to serve in the Municipals, they do. There is no ‘auxiliary’ or ‘tribal’ police force.

Also, all French citizens are considered eligible for national service, including colonial French. A great many Ile Trouveiens have taken the option of patrolling rather than, say, laying a road. (This is carefully tiptoed around in the case of the Kamekame, who are (diplomatically) assumed to ‘tend to their own law enforcement whilst on their private lands.’, due to a historical Protectorate status).

==Police Powers==

French law does not presume innocence, it presumes guilt. There is a right to silence, but they don’t need to remind you of it. Police may ask anyone to identify themselves, and hold unidentified people (even arrest them for resisting). They can question anyone about a case, search and seize property (during the day), detain suspects for up to a day without access to a lawyer for most of it.

==Courts==

The French Polynesian judicial system features a Court of First Instance, a Court of Appeal, and a Court of Administrative Law (which also handles things like business disputes). These are all located in Papeete, a fair distance away. If a case is not resolved locally (“Pay the fine, and don’t do it again”, for instance), the suspect is held until such time as he can be transported to court.

==Jail/Punishment==

There is a small jail here (maybe five or six old cells in a sun-blasted stone building), mainly used for holding prior to a prisoner transfer. Things tend to be “handled locally”, instead. French Polynesia has three prisons, none of which are near here. Rumor has it that the worst are still, unofficially, sent to the old penal colony at New Caledonia.

Generally speaking, there is a local distaste for jail-time- many of the French colonist’s forebears were sent to the island as Penal Colonists, so the idea just sits wrong. Fines and “alternate punishment” are favored as a result. Public execution (often by guillotine) is still common in France in this era- it’s an “arrow in the quiver”- but it has not been applied here for ages.

=Le Deuxieme Bureau=

The Second Bureau is France’s national intelligence agency. There are no apparent 2eme Bureau agents in Port Cochere, or on Ile Trouve as a whole. Neither the Mayor nor the Governor has ever contacted anyone from the Bureau. (It is left as an exercise for the reader to figure out exactly how useless spies would be in Port Cochere.)

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Authorities

2015-06-04T05:00:38Z

Smoot: /* Direct Rule */

= The Colonial Government =

'''Full Name:''' Établissements Français de l'Océanie (French Establishments in Oceania)

'''Capital:''' Papeete, Tahiti. (OOC: If you're asking a question about where to find [Western convention or amenity not in Port Cochere], it's probably in Papeete- courts, jails, the military, newspapers, all that business.)

Executive:

'''Governor:''' Frédéric Marie Jean Baptiste Chastenet de Géry [RL person.] Appointed March of 1937.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between the French and British systems is that a "native" would generally not be allowed to serve in British administration, where all in French territory are considered citizens. (That is, you may find islanders in administrative support roles in French Polynesia, but not British holdings.)

Legislature:

'''Privy Council''': Advisors to the Governor.

'''Advisory Council:''' This was, formerly, a body of representatives from the Islands. In 1903, it was changed to a purely advisory administrative group.

==Direct Rule==
The French method of colonial government is called "Direct Rule". It differs from the British method in a several major ways: British governors are allowed more leeway for decision than their French counterparts (who carry out instructions from, and answer to, Paris). And where the British foster relationships with 'native leaders' (Chieftains, and so on), the French system considers all in its territory to be French. Therefore there is no official acknowledgement of tribal life or mores. The state owns all land not privately owned.

(The Kamekame shrewdly played this game, first by wrangling up a Protectorate status, then having scrambling to "buy" their own lands with trade-goods in the late 1800s.)

The policy also encourages assimilation, and association (that is more social intermixing than the British system). There is somewhat less stigma in the French system on "going native", for example, or taking a 'native bride'.

Oceania's trade has recovered from the Great Depression. The value of both imports and exports more than quadruple the figures for 1933.

= The Mayor's Office =
(For more on the Mayor himself, see here: [[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Tailspins_%26_Tiki_Gods:The_Mayor]] )

=The Port Authority =

The rather grand-sounding Port Authority is, at most times, no more than 5-10 people. If need be, they can call on the police- but this is seldom necessary.
They are responsible for regulating both interisland trade (still mostly sail-driven, though steamers up to 200-300 displacement tons are coming on the scene) and incoming ships from far away. (Luckily, most of these vessels do not require fuelling- Port Cochere being merely a “through port” on the way somewhere else.)

Being mainly concerned with the harbor and the lagoon, the Port Authority seldom moves out of La Bas Ville. There are actually painted wooden poles denoting the limits of the Authority’s beat on land.

'''Structure:''' The Capitaine de Port, Alaine St. Heler de Montaigne, may have up to 10 agents at any given time. They answer to him directly, and he answers (rather tenuously) to the Mayor’s Office.

==“Daytime Business” (and standing policies)==

''Contact with out-villages'': there are minor atolls that can sustain no more than 40-50 people. The Port Authority checks in on them every so often, on behalf of the Mayor or Governor, if the villages are otherwise not heard from. (If they are in a lazy mood, they pay someone else to ‘knock on the doors’.)

''Concessions'': If it’s ashore, it’s the Town’s problem, but if you’re a businessman who approaches ships directly (say, rowing up to the side and offering goods on the spot), the Port Authority ‘has a word’. They also “recommend” porters/stevedores/longshoremen for freighters. (The town has a separate authority for the Marketplace, however. This has the effect of making landing and using the Marketplace a more effective option, which helps the town as a whole)

''Customs & Tariffs Inspections:'' Typical items-of-interest include firearms (without proper documentation), drugs (especially Opium- both the local Benevolent Society and the Port Authority put their heavy boots on regarding this), wild or domestic animals NOT in transit.

''Harbormastering'': The Port Authority rigorously controls where private vessels (aside from very small craft) go while in the lagoon. The recent introduction of seaplanes makes this VERY IMPORTANT. (The Capitaine de Port has expressed an interest in making a ‘landing strip’ area of the lagoon taboo to islander boating, but this so far seems unworkable. And development of a rudimentary air-traffic control system is in progress.)

''Hiring:''They ‘recommend’ lighters (locally-run shore boats) for people who haven’t brought their own, as well as recommending locals for dockside work. (Here, they work with the Wangguan Benevolent Association’s hiring hall system, as well as native and local groups with identifiable ‘representatives’.)

''Mooring:'' The Port Authority is responsible for charging for mooring (cost depending on location and availability, as well as duration.)

''Navigation:'' They do maintain channel markers, as needed.

''Notices to Mariners:'' The Port Authority is partly responsible for issuing weather and surf advisories, among other things. (OOC: If a kraken started preying on local boats, they would be the ones to have to decide whether to warn everyone or if it would “Cause a Panic”, a la most monster movies. ;) )

''The On-Ship Rule'': Ships’ crews are confined to ship after nightfall. This actually does have a certain crime-preventing effect. (It’s hard to mug sailors by night when those sailors are on their boats, for example, and drunken brawls are kept to a minimum), but shop-owners complain that it’s restraining trade.
“Liberty of the Town” can be arranged through the Port Authority, or via the Mayor’s Office.

''Passports:'' They do typically inspect them. They do not, however, ''stamp'' them (though they do have, if need be, access to a lovely set: Papeete, Nuku Hiva, Tubuai, Uturoa…)

''Pilotage'': If you have a larger vessel and wish to NOT drop anchor outside the lagoon’s barrier reefs, the Port Authority will charge you to have a PA Pilot either taking the wheel of your vessel or watch over your shoulder.

''Quarantine:'' They are authorized to call ‘quarantine’ on a ship. This usually involves consulting with Port Cochere’s town doctor. If an initial inspection shows rampant vermin (rats, bugs, etc), contagious illness, or is shown to carry insufficiently contained dangerous live cargo, that vessel may be quarantined for any amount of time. Alternately, a ‘restricted bill of health’ may allow the crew to unload onto a lighter without any further contact or disembarkation. (This is a big deal- through a combination of vigilance and dumb luck, Ile Trouve is almost completely clear of invasive species like rats.)

''Registry:'' They gladly keep books of what registered ships have passed through, per international maritime custom. (They do it so gladly that they keep more than one book!) They also ask to know where you’re going, as ports often do. They do know that almost any answer they get is likely to be a lie, however. They also keep an eye out for stolen or otherwise ‘commandeered’ vessels.[OOC: It is by no means a dealbreaker. (“Typical business” means you pay the ‘expediting’ fee) ]

''The Safe Harbor Rule:'' “Any port in a storm” is a law of the sea. The Port Authority cannot, by custom, refuse entry during an emergency. (Some clever bastards sometime try to arrive DURING a storm, in order to obtain berthing they otherwise would not get. They are seldom up to any good. )

''Shipping News:'' Using ships notices given by Mr. Kinney (Port Cochere’s young radioman), they know who is announced to be coming or going.

''Tugboat:'' The Port Authority also runs the majestic ''Le Pot de Rouille'', Port Cochere’s only tugboat. If you’re being towed in, this is the only game in town.

==“Nighttime Business”==

If the Mayor’s office represents the high-end “intrigue” end of Port Cochere’s business, the Port Authority represents pure piratical instinct.
Additional Fees: While it is subsidized by the French government (represented in the person of His Honor the Mayor), the Port Authority nonetheless (off the record) extracts ‘fees for special procedures’ (for things likewise off-the-record). The most profitable fee the Authority uses is a ‘bypass’. Basically, for a fee, one need not bother oneself with the fine details. Port Liberty is sometimes sold, either for a fee or for a refundable security.

Obviously, this is only done within limits, otherwise nobody would use the harbor at all. Thus, all ‘fees’ must be justifiable to someone (ie, no straight up graft), and they must be taken in moderation (“Part of doing business”). The Port Authority does (per the old saw) “stay bought”, typically, and they know when to stop squeezing the stone.

They also keep the “surface tension” going. By making it prohibitive for smugglers or other demimondaines to just barge into the port, they encourage them to ‘transfer’ to light transport on out-islands, making it possible to say “we didn’t know!”. Since affordable anonymity is Ile Trouve’s most profitable industry, setting the price just-so is important.

''“Hiring Fees”'' (ie kickbacks): In exchange for ‘primary recommendation’ in hiring, the Port Authority tends to want a “Finder’s Fee”. Bas Ville is chock full of be crewmen whose hitch is over for one reason or another (“They left without me.” “I wonder WHY, hm?”), drifters, stowaways, renegade islanders no longer welcome at home, even refugees (though they’d have to be really stubborn refugees to be way out here.) This can make hiring a nightmare. While the Port Authority does show favoritism in ‘recommendations’, it at least imposes as sense of order.

''“Reading”:'' Members of the Port Authority have a knack for telling what’s on a ship and where it’s likely to go. (If you know the fuel-efficiencies of a ship and its fuel-load, you can find out where it’s going. Since ships rarely carry more ballast than they need to, a ship claiming to go a short distance while clearly loaded to go a long way (or vice versa) is of note. This information can then be ‘sold’ (to interested parties) or ‘sold back’ (to the owners of the ship in question). )

==Relations:==
''vs the Mayor’s Office:'' There’s always been a bit of a turf war between the two bureauxs. The Mayor’s office is charged with validating documents, which sometimes bumps into the Port Authority’s “checking your papers”, for example. [OOC: The main difference is that while the Mayor’s office might be obstructionist while flexing their bureaucratic muscles or illustrating a larger point, the Port Authority is mainly just looking to ‘expedite things’.]

''vs the Police:'' The Port Authority is fairly ginger about calling in the Municipals. They are not about to ask the Legionnaires to get involved, either. However, if they do see a crime committed that falls in either’s territory, they will call them immediately (theft, for example, or assaulting a Port Authority official.)

''vs. The Navy:'' The French Navy is based at Papeete. While the Port Authority may technically call the Navy in for certain things, this ruins certain gentlemen’s agreements. (That is, the French naval officer will ask what is going on, not take “well, you know…” for an answer, and will log whatever he is told, accurately.)

''vs. VIPs:'' Generally speaking, VIPs will be sized up on arrival. Exceptionally wealthy high-rollers tend to get “hands off” treatment, after initial contact. (Herr Zoransky for example.)

=The Police=

All French colonial law-enforcement attempts to model itself on the “home” model exercised in France. Port Cochere is no exception- though certain concessions have been made to Port Cochere’s unique situation.

At one point- due to the nature of the unique position of the Kamekame natives, vis a vis the town, it was considered to adopt a modified version of the Cercle system adopted in French West Africa, with appointed chieftains and so on. This plan did not survive contact (or lack thereof) with the Kamekame.

Therefore, an attempt was made to model the local forces on ones from Home.

-When role of the ''Gendarmerie nationale'' (that is, detached military-police responsible for public safety), this duty sometimes falls to the ''Legion Etrangere'' unit stationed at the fort overlooking town.

On occasion, they have done “Search and Rescue” missions in the countryside and coastal areas, such game-warden work as the island requires, crowd control and bodyguarding, securing the Port during emergencies, acting as an honor guard for dignitaries, and (of course) acting as Military Police amongst their own.

In deference to local wishes, the Legion command tends not to perform investigative functions, unless directly ordered to by the Governor (not the Mayor). They perform the other duties when requested by the Mayor, whom they file reports to for the duration. They generally arrive as armed and in uniform, as if they were on regular Legion business.

-''La Sûreté'' (France’s crack National Police force) have a few officers in the Territory, but none stationed at Ile Trouve itself.

(They tend to be assigned to larger cities, and would only really have a detective visit if there was a major crime in Port Cochere that the Territorial Government felt required investigation. There is not much chance of the Territorial Government having major crime in Port Cochere that they wanted to be investigated.)

-This leaves the ''Polices Municipales'', the police force that most Port Cochere residents see on average. The local Brigade of officers answers directly to the Mayor. While they technically share “rural guard” duties, if something requires forest ranger or ‘game warden’ duties, he gives it to the Legionnaires, owing to the delicacy of the Kamekame situation. Neither do they have investigative powers.

This leaves the Municipals as old-fashioned thieftakers. They break up fights, tell drunks and other disorderly people to go home, stop thefts and assaults, and provide assistance as needed. (If there were cars on Ile Trouve, they would ticket them, that sort of thing.) They have certain broadly-interpreted “good order” duties, and are supposed to help out in (for instance) disasters, but generally they stick to the basics: Patrolling and arresting. They wear a uniform (including a half-cape) and a baton. They do not typically carry firearms, though special circumstances may apply.

One thing that makes the local French colonial system different than the British colonial system is that the French system makes no differentiation between ‘subject’ and ‘native’- if an Islander is qualified to serve in the Municipals, they do. There is no ‘auxiliary’ or ‘tribal’ police force.

Also, all French citizens are considered eligible for national service, including colonial French. A great many Ile Trouveiens have taken the option of patrolling rather than, say, laying a road. (This is carefully tiptoed around in the case of the Kamekame, who are (diplomatically) assumed to ‘tend to their own law enforcement whilst on their private lands.’, due to a historical Protectorate status).

==Police Powers==

French law does not presume innocence, it presumes guilt. There is a right to silence, but they don’t need to remind you of it. Police may ask anyone to identify themselves, and hold unidentified people (even arrest them for resisting). They can question anyone about a case, search and seize property (during the day), detain suspects for up to a day without access to a lawyer for most of it.

==Courts==

The French Polynesian judicial system features a Court of First Instance, a Court of Appeal, and a Court of Administrative Law (which also handles things like business disputes). These are all located in Papeete, a fair distance away. If a case is not resolved locally (“Pay the fine, and don’t do it again”, for instance), the suspect is held until such time as he can be transported to court.

==Jail/Punishment==

There is a small jail here (maybe five or six old cells in a sun-blasted stone building), mainly used for holding prior to a prisoner transfer. Things tend to be “handled locally”, instead. French Polynesia has three prisons, none of which are near here. Rumor has it that the worst are still, unofficially, sent to the old penal colony at New Caledonia.

Generally speaking, there is a local distaste for jail-time- many of the French colonist’s forebears were sent to the island as Penal Colonists, so the idea just sits wrong. Fines and “alternate punishment” are favored as a result. Public execution (often by guillotine) is still common in France in this era- it’s an “arrow in the quiver”- but it has not been applied here for ages.

=Le Deuxieme Bureau=

The Second Bureau is France’s national intelligence agency. There are no apparent 2eme Bureau agents in Port Cochere, or on Ile Trouve as a whole. Neither the Mayor nor the Governor has ever contacted anyone from the Bureau. (It is left as an exercise for the reader to figure out exactly how useless spies would be in Port Cochere.)

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Authorities

2015-06-04T04:57:05Z

Smoot: /* Direct Rule */

= The Colonial Government =

'''Full Name:''' Établissements Français de l'Océanie (French Establishments in Oceania)

'''Capital:''' Papeete, Tahiti. (OOC: If you're asking a question about where to find [Western convention or amenity not in Port Cochere], it's probably in Papeete- courts, jails, the military, newspapers, all that business.)

Executive:

'''Governor:''' Frédéric Marie Jean Baptiste Chastenet de Géry [RL person.] Appointed March of 1937.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between the French and British systems is that a "native" would generally not be allowed to serve in British administration, where all in French territory are considered citizens. (That is, you may find islanders in administrative support roles in French Polynesia, but not British holdings.)

Legislature:

'''Privy Council''': Advisors to the Governor.

'''Advisory Council:''' This was, formerly, a body of representatives from the Islands. In 1903, it was changed to a purely advisory administrative group.

==Direct Rule==
The French method of colonial government is called "Direct Rule". It differs from the British method in a several major ways: British governors are allowed more leeway for decision than their French counterparts (who carry out instructions from, and answer to, Paris). And where the British foster relationships with 'native leaders' (Chieftains, and so on), the French system considers all in its territory to be French. Therefore there is no official acknowledgement of tribal life or mores. The state owns all land not privately owned.

(The Kamekame shrewdly played this game, first by wrangling up a Protectorate status, then having scrambling to "buy" their own lands with trade-goods in the late 1800s.)

Oceania's trade has recovered from the Great Depression. The value of both imports and exports more than quadruple the figures for 1933.

= The Mayor's Office =
(For more on the Mayor himself, see here: [[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Tailspins_%26_Tiki_Gods:The_Mayor]] )

=The Port Authority =

The rather grand-sounding Port Authority is, at most times, no more than 5-10 people. If need be, they can call on the police- but this is seldom necessary.
They are responsible for regulating both interisland trade (still mostly sail-driven, though steamers up to 200-300 displacement tons are coming on the scene) and incoming ships from far away. (Luckily, most of these vessels do not require fuelling- Port Cochere being merely a “through port” on the way somewhere else.)

Being mainly concerned with the harbor and the lagoon, the Port Authority seldom moves out of La Bas Ville. There are actually painted wooden poles denoting the limits of the Authority’s beat on land.

'''Structure:''' The Capitaine de Port, Alaine St. Heler de Montaigne, may have up to 10 agents at any given time. They answer to him directly, and he answers (rather tenuously) to the Mayor’s Office.

==“Daytime Business” (and standing policies)==

''Contact with out-villages'': there are minor atolls that can sustain no more than 40-50 people. The Port Authority checks in on them every so often, on behalf of the Mayor or Governor, if the villages are otherwise not heard from. (If they are in a lazy mood, they pay someone else to ‘knock on the doors’.)

''Concessions'': If it’s ashore, it’s the Town’s problem, but if you’re a businessman who approaches ships directly (say, rowing up to the side and offering goods on the spot), the Port Authority ‘has a word’. They also “recommend” porters/stevedores/longshoremen for freighters. (The town has a separate authority for the Marketplace, however. This has the effect of making landing and using the Marketplace a more effective option, which helps the town as a whole)

''Customs & Tariffs Inspections:'' Typical items-of-interest include firearms (without proper documentation), drugs (especially Opium- both the local Benevolent Society and the Port Authority put their heavy boots on regarding this), wild or domestic animals NOT in transit.

''Harbormastering'': The Port Authority rigorously controls where private vessels (aside from very small craft) go while in the lagoon. The recent introduction of seaplanes makes this VERY IMPORTANT. (The Capitaine de Port has expressed an interest in making a ‘landing strip’ area of the lagoon taboo to islander boating, but this so far seems unworkable. And development of a rudimentary air-traffic control system is in progress.)

''Hiring:''They ‘recommend’ lighters (locally-run shore boats) for people who haven’t brought their own, as well as recommending locals for dockside work. (Here, they work with the Wangguan Benevolent Association’s hiring hall system, as well as native and local groups with identifiable ‘representatives’.)

''Mooring:'' The Port Authority is responsible for charging for mooring (cost depending on location and availability, as well as duration.)

''Navigation:'' They do maintain channel markers, as needed.

''Notices to Mariners:'' The Port Authority is partly responsible for issuing weather and surf advisories, among other things. (OOC: If a kraken started preying on local boats, they would be the ones to have to decide whether to warn everyone or if it would “Cause a Panic”, a la most monster movies. ;) )

''The On-Ship Rule'': Ships’ crews are confined to ship after nightfall. This actually does have a certain crime-preventing effect. (It’s hard to mug sailors by night when those sailors are on their boats, for example, and drunken brawls are kept to a minimum), but shop-owners complain that it’s restraining trade.
“Liberty of the Town” can be arranged through the Port Authority, or via the Mayor’s Office.

''Passports:'' They do typically inspect them. They do not, however, ''stamp'' them (though they do have, if need be, access to a lovely set: Papeete, Nuku Hiva, Tubuai, Uturoa…)

''Pilotage'': If you have a larger vessel and wish to NOT drop anchor outside the lagoon’s barrier reefs, the Port Authority will charge you to have a PA Pilot either taking the wheel of your vessel or watch over your shoulder.

''Quarantine:'' They are authorized to call ‘quarantine’ on a ship. This usually involves consulting with Port Cochere’s town doctor. If an initial inspection shows rampant vermin (rats, bugs, etc), contagious illness, or is shown to carry insufficiently contained dangerous live cargo, that vessel may be quarantined for any amount of time. Alternately, a ‘restricted bill of health’ may allow the crew to unload onto a lighter without any further contact or disembarkation. (This is a big deal- through a combination of vigilance and dumb luck, Ile Trouve is almost completely clear of invasive species like rats.)

''Registry:'' They gladly keep books of what registered ships have passed through, per international maritime custom. (They do it so gladly that they keep more than one book!) They also ask to know where you’re going, as ports often do. They do know that almost any answer they get is likely to be a lie, however. They also keep an eye out for stolen or otherwise ‘commandeered’ vessels.[OOC: It is by no means a dealbreaker. (“Typical business” means you pay the ‘expediting’ fee) ]

''The Safe Harbor Rule:'' “Any port in a storm” is a law of the sea. The Port Authority cannot, by custom, refuse entry during an emergency. (Some clever bastards sometime try to arrive DURING a storm, in order to obtain berthing they otherwise would not get. They are seldom up to any good. )

''Shipping News:'' Using ships notices given by Mr. Kinney (Port Cochere’s young radioman), they know who is announced to be coming or going.

''Tugboat:'' The Port Authority also runs the majestic ''Le Pot de Rouille'', Port Cochere’s only tugboat. If you’re being towed in, this is the only game in town.

==“Nighttime Business”==

If the Mayor’s office represents the high-end “intrigue” end of Port Cochere’s business, the Port Authority represents pure piratical instinct.
Additional Fees: While it is subsidized by the French government (represented in the person of His Honor the Mayor), the Port Authority nonetheless (off the record) extracts ‘fees for special procedures’ (for things likewise off-the-record). The most profitable fee the Authority uses is a ‘bypass’. Basically, for a fee, one need not bother oneself with the fine details. Port Liberty is sometimes sold, either for a fee or for a refundable security.

Obviously, this is only done within limits, otherwise nobody would use the harbor at all. Thus, all ‘fees’ must be justifiable to someone (ie, no straight up graft), and they must be taken in moderation (“Part of doing business”). The Port Authority does (per the old saw) “stay bought”, typically, and they know when to stop squeezing the stone.

They also keep the “surface tension” going. By making it prohibitive for smugglers or other demimondaines to just barge into the port, they encourage them to ‘transfer’ to light transport on out-islands, making it possible to say “we didn’t know!”. Since affordable anonymity is Ile Trouve’s most profitable industry, setting the price just-so is important.

''“Hiring Fees”'' (ie kickbacks): In exchange for ‘primary recommendation’ in hiring, the Port Authority tends to want a “Finder’s Fee”. Bas Ville is chock full of be crewmen whose hitch is over for one reason or another (“They left without me.” “I wonder WHY, hm?”), drifters, stowaways, renegade islanders no longer welcome at home, even refugees (though they’d have to be really stubborn refugees to be way out here.) This can make hiring a nightmare. While the Port Authority does show favoritism in ‘recommendations’, it at least imposes as sense of order.

''“Reading”:'' Members of the Port Authority have a knack for telling what’s on a ship and where it’s likely to go. (If you know the fuel-efficiencies of a ship and its fuel-load, you can find out where it’s going. Since ships rarely carry more ballast than they need to, a ship claiming to go a short distance while clearly loaded to go a long way (or vice versa) is of note. This information can then be ‘sold’ (to interested parties) or ‘sold back’ (to the owners of the ship in question). )

==Relations:==
''vs the Mayor’s Office:'' There’s always been a bit of a turf war between the two bureauxs. The Mayor’s office is charged with validating documents, which sometimes bumps into the Port Authority’s “checking your papers”, for example. [OOC: The main difference is that while the Mayor’s office might be obstructionist while flexing their bureaucratic muscles or illustrating a larger point, the Port Authority is mainly just looking to ‘expedite things’.]

''vs the Police:'' The Port Authority is fairly ginger about calling in the Municipals. They are not about to ask the Legionnaires to get involved, either. However, if they do see a crime committed that falls in either’s territory, they will call them immediately (theft, for example, or assaulting a Port Authority official.)

''vs. The Navy:'' The French Navy is based at Papeete. While the Port Authority may technically call the Navy in for certain things, this ruins certain gentlemen’s agreements. (That is, the French naval officer will ask what is going on, not take “well, you know…” for an answer, and will log whatever he is told, accurately.)

''vs. VIPs:'' Generally speaking, VIPs will be sized up on arrival. Exceptionally wealthy high-rollers tend to get “hands off” treatment, after initial contact. (Herr Zoransky for example.)

=The Police=

All French colonial law-enforcement attempts to model itself on the “home” model exercised in France. Port Cochere is no exception- though certain concessions have been made to Port Cochere’s unique situation.

At one point- due to the nature of the unique position of the Kamekame natives, vis a vis the town, it was considered to adopt a modified version of the Cercle system adopted in French West Africa, with appointed chieftains and so on. This plan did not survive contact (or lack thereof) with the Kamekame.

Therefore, an attempt was made to model the local forces on ones from Home.

-When role of the ''Gendarmerie nationale'' (that is, detached military-police responsible for public safety), this duty sometimes falls to the ''Legion Etrangere'' unit stationed at the fort overlooking town.

On occasion, they have done “Search and Rescue” missions in the countryside and coastal areas, such game-warden work as the island requires, crowd control and bodyguarding, securing the Port during emergencies, acting as an honor guard for dignitaries, and (of course) acting as Military Police amongst their own.

In deference to local wishes, the Legion command tends not to perform investigative functions, unless directly ordered to by the Governor (not the Mayor). They perform the other duties when requested by the Mayor, whom they file reports to for the duration. They generally arrive as armed and in uniform, as if they were on regular Legion business.

-''La Sûreté'' (France’s crack National Police force) have a few officers in the Territory, but none stationed at Ile Trouve itself.

(They tend to be assigned to larger cities, and would only really have a detective visit if there was a major crime in Port Cochere that the Territorial Government felt required investigation. There is not much chance of the Territorial Government having major crime in Port Cochere that they wanted to be investigated.)

-This leaves the ''Polices Municipales'', the police force that most Port Cochere residents see on average. The local Brigade of officers answers directly to the Mayor. While they technically share “rural guard” duties, if something requires forest ranger or ‘game warden’ duties, he gives it to the Legionnaires, owing to the delicacy of the Kamekame situation. Neither do they have investigative powers.

This leaves the Municipals as old-fashioned thieftakers. They break up fights, tell drunks and other disorderly people to go home, stop thefts and assaults, and provide assistance as needed. (If there were cars on Ile Trouve, they would ticket them, that sort of thing.) They have certain broadly-interpreted “good order” duties, and are supposed to help out in (for instance) disasters, but generally they stick to the basics: Patrolling and arresting. They wear a uniform (including a half-cape) and a baton. They do not typically carry firearms, though special circumstances may apply.

One thing that makes the local French colonial system different than the British colonial system is that the French system makes no differentiation between ‘subject’ and ‘native’- if an Islander is qualified to serve in the Municipals, they do. There is no ‘auxiliary’ or ‘tribal’ police force.

Also, all French citizens are considered eligible for national service, including colonial French. A great many Ile Trouveiens have taken the option of patrolling rather than, say, laying a road. (This is carefully tiptoed around in the case of the Kamekame, who are (diplomatically) assumed to ‘tend to their own law enforcement whilst on their private lands.’, due to a historical Protectorate status).

==Police Powers==

French law does not presume innocence, it presumes guilt. There is a right to silence, but they don’t need to remind you of it. Police may ask anyone to identify themselves, and hold unidentified people (even arrest them for resisting). They can question anyone about a case, search and seize property (during the day), detain suspects for up to a day without access to a lawyer for most of it.

==Courts==

The French Polynesian judicial system features a Court of First Instance, a Court of Appeal, and a Court of Administrative Law (which also handles things like business disputes). These are all located in Papeete, a fair distance away. If a case is not resolved locally (“Pay the fine, and don’t do it again”, for instance), the suspect is held until such time as he can be transported to court.

==Jail/Punishment==

There is a small jail here (maybe five or six old cells in a sun-blasted stone building), mainly used for holding prior to a prisoner transfer. Things tend to be “handled locally”, instead. French Polynesia has three prisons, none of which are near here. Rumor has it that the worst are still, unofficially, sent to the old penal colony at New Caledonia.

Generally speaking, there is a local distaste for jail-time- many of the French colonist’s forebears were sent to the island as Penal Colonists, so the idea just sits wrong. Fines and “alternate punishment” are favored as a result. Public execution (often by guillotine) is still common in France in this era- it’s an “arrow in the quiver”- but it has not been applied here for ages.

=Le Deuxieme Bureau=

The Second Bureau is France’s national intelligence agency. There are no apparent 2eme Bureau agents in Port Cochere, or on Ile Trouve as a whole. Neither the Mayor nor the Governor has ever contacted anyone from the Bureau. (It is left as an exercise for the reader to figure out exactly how useless spies would be in Port Cochere.)

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Authorities

2015-06-04T04:55:21Z

Smoot: /* The Mayor's Office */

= The Colonial Government =

'''Full Name:''' Établissements Français de l'Océanie (French Establishments in Oceania)

'''Capital:''' Papeete, Tahiti. (OOC: If you're asking a question about where to find [Western convention or amenity not in Port Cochere], it's probably in Papeete- courts, jails, the military, newspapers, all that business.)

Executive:

'''Governor:''' Frédéric Marie Jean Baptiste Chastenet de Géry [RL person.] Appointed March of 1937.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between the French and British systems is that a "native" would generally not be allowed to serve in British administration, where all in French territory are considered citizens. (That is, you may find islanders in administrative support roles in French Polynesia, but not British holdings.)

Legislature:

'''Privy Council''': Advisors to the Governor.

'''Advisory Council:''' This was, formerly, a body of representatives from the Islands. In 1903, it was changed to a purely advisory administrative group.

==Direct Rule==
The French method of colonial government is called "Direct Rule". It differs from the British method in a several major ways: British governors are allowed more leeway for decision than their French counterparts (who carry out instructions from, and answer to, Paris). And where the British foster relationships with 'native leaders' (Chieftains, and so on), the French system considers all in its territory to be French. Therefore there is no official acknowledgement of tribal life or mores. The state owns all land not privately owned.

(The Kamekame shrewdly played this game, first by wrangling up a Protectorate status, then having scrambling to "buy" their own lands with trade-goods in the late 1800s.)

Oceania's trade has recovered from the Great Depression. The value of both imports and exports more than quadruple the figures for 1933.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between

= The Mayor's Office =
(For more on the Mayor himself, see here: [[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Tailspins_%26_Tiki_Gods:The_Mayor]] )

=The Port Authority =

The rather grand-sounding Port Authority is, at most times, no more than 5-10 people. If need be, they can call on the police- but this is seldom necessary.
They are responsible for regulating both interisland trade (still mostly sail-driven, though steamers up to 200-300 displacement tons are coming on the scene) and incoming ships from far away. (Luckily, most of these vessels do not require fuelling- Port Cochere being merely a “through port” on the way somewhere else.)

Being mainly concerned with the harbor and the lagoon, the Port Authority seldom moves out of La Bas Ville. There are actually painted wooden poles denoting the limits of the Authority’s beat on land.

'''Structure:''' The Capitaine de Port, Alaine St. Heler de Montaigne, may have up to 10 agents at any given time. They answer to him directly, and he answers (rather tenuously) to the Mayor’s Office.

==“Daytime Business” (and standing policies)==

''Contact with out-villages'': there are minor atolls that can sustain no more than 40-50 people. The Port Authority checks in on them every so often, on behalf of the Mayor or Governor, if the villages are otherwise not heard from. (If they are in a lazy mood, they pay someone else to ‘knock on the doors’.)

''Concessions'': If it’s ashore, it’s the Town’s problem, but if you’re a businessman who approaches ships directly (say, rowing up to the side and offering goods on the spot), the Port Authority ‘has a word’. They also “recommend” porters/stevedores/longshoremen for freighters. (The town has a separate authority for the Marketplace, however. This has the effect of making landing and using the Marketplace a more effective option, which helps the town as a whole)

''Customs & Tariffs Inspections:'' Typical items-of-interest include firearms (without proper documentation), drugs (especially Opium- both the local Benevolent Society and the Port Authority put their heavy boots on regarding this), wild or domestic animals NOT in transit.

''Harbormastering'': The Port Authority rigorously controls where private vessels (aside from very small craft) go while in the lagoon. The recent introduction of seaplanes makes this VERY IMPORTANT. (The Capitaine de Port has expressed an interest in making a ‘landing strip’ area of the lagoon taboo to islander boating, but this so far seems unworkable. And development of a rudimentary air-traffic control system is in progress.)

''Hiring:''They ‘recommend’ lighters (locally-run shore boats) for people who haven’t brought their own, as well as recommending locals for dockside work. (Here, they work with the Wangguan Benevolent Association’s hiring hall system, as well as native and local groups with identifiable ‘representatives’.)

''Mooring:'' The Port Authority is responsible for charging for mooring (cost depending on location and availability, as well as duration.)

''Navigation:'' They do maintain channel markers, as needed.

''Notices to Mariners:'' The Port Authority is partly responsible for issuing weather and surf advisories, among other things. (OOC: If a kraken started preying on local boats, they would be the ones to have to decide whether to warn everyone or if it would “Cause a Panic”, a la most monster movies. ;) )

''The On-Ship Rule'': Ships’ crews are confined to ship after nightfall. This actually does have a certain crime-preventing effect. (It’s hard to mug sailors by night when those sailors are on their boats, for example, and drunken brawls are kept to a minimum), but shop-owners complain that it’s restraining trade.
“Liberty of the Town” can be arranged through the Port Authority, or via the Mayor’s Office.

''Passports:'' They do typically inspect them. They do not, however, ''stamp'' them (though they do have, if need be, access to a lovely set: Papeete, Nuku Hiva, Tubuai, Uturoa…)

''Pilotage'': If you have a larger vessel and wish to NOT drop anchor outside the lagoon’s barrier reefs, the Port Authority will charge you to have a PA Pilot either taking the wheel of your vessel or watch over your shoulder.

''Quarantine:'' They are authorized to call ‘quarantine’ on a ship. This usually involves consulting with Port Cochere’s town doctor. If an initial inspection shows rampant vermin (rats, bugs, etc), contagious illness, or is shown to carry insufficiently contained dangerous live cargo, that vessel may be quarantined for any amount of time. Alternately, a ‘restricted bill of health’ may allow the crew to unload onto a lighter without any further contact or disembarkation. (This is a big deal- through a combination of vigilance and dumb luck, Ile Trouve is almost completely clear of invasive species like rats.)

''Registry:'' They gladly keep books of what registered ships have passed through, per international maritime custom. (They do it so gladly that they keep more than one book!) They also ask to know where you’re going, as ports often do. They do know that almost any answer they get is likely to be a lie, however. They also keep an eye out for stolen or otherwise ‘commandeered’ vessels.[OOC: It is by no means a dealbreaker. (“Typical business” means you pay the ‘expediting’ fee) ]

''The Safe Harbor Rule:'' “Any port in a storm” is a law of the sea. The Port Authority cannot, by custom, refuse entry during an emergency. (Some clever bastards sometime try to arrive DURING a storm, in order to obtain berthing they otherwise would not get. They are seldom up to any good. )

''Shipping News:'' Using ships notices given by Mr. Kinney (Port Cochere’s young radioman), they know who is announced to be coming or going.

''Tugboat:'' The Port Authority also runs the majestic ''Le Pot de Rouille'', Port Cochere’s only tugboat. If you’re being towed in, this is the only game in town.

==“Nighttime Business”==

If the Mayor’s office represents the high-end “intrigue” end of Port Cochere’s business, the Port Authority represents pure piratical instinct.
Additional Fees: While it is subsidized by the French government (represented in the person of His Honor the Mayor), the Port Authority nonetheless (off the record) extracts ‘fees for special procedures’ (for things likewise off-the-record). The most profitable fee the Authority uses is a ‘bypass’. Basically, for a fee, one need not bother oneself with the fine details. Port Liberty is sometimes sold, either for a fee or for a refundable security.

Obviously, this is only done within limits, otherwise nobody would use the harbor at all. Thus, all ‘fees’ must be justifiable to someone (ie, no straight up graft), and they must be taken in moderation (“Part of doing business”). The Port Authority does (per the old saw) “stay bought”, typically, and they know when to stop squeezing the stone.

They also keep the “surface tension” going. By making it prohibitive for smugglers or other demimondaines to just barge into the port, they encourage them to ‘transfer’ to light transport on out-islands, making it possible to say “we didn’t know!”. Since affordable anonymity is Ile Trouve’s most profitable industry, setting the price just-so is important.

''“Hiring Fees”'' (ie kickbacks): In exchange for ‘primary recommendation’ in hiring, the Port Authority tends to want a “Finder’s Fee”. Bas Ville is chock full of be crewmen whose hitch is over for one reason or another (“They left without me.” “I wonder WHY, hm?”), drifters, stowaways, renegade islanders no longer welcome at home, even refugees (though they’d have to be really stubborn refugees to be way out here.) This can make hiring a nightmare. While the Port Authority does show favoritism in ‘recommendations’, it at least imposes as sense of order.

''“Reading”:'' Members of the Port Authority have a knack for telling what’s on a ship and where it’s likely to go. (If you know the fuel-efficiencies of a ship and its fuel-load, you can find out where it’s going. Since ships rarely carry more ballast than they need to, a ship claiming to go a short distance while clearly loaded to go a long way (or vice versa) is of note. This information can then be ‘sold’ (to interested parties) or ‘sold back’ (to the owners of the ship in question). )

==Relations:==
''vs the Mayor’s Office:'' There’s always been a bit of a turf war between the two bureauxs. The Mayor’s office is charged with validating documents, which sometimes bumps into the Port Authority’s “checking your papers”, for example. [OOC: The main difference is that while the Mayor’s office might be obstructionist while flexing their bureaucratic muscles or illustrating a larger point, the Port Authority is mainly just looking to ‘expedite things’.]

''vs the Police:'' The Port Authority is fairly ginger about calling in the Municipals. They are not about to ask the Legionnaires to get involved, either. However, if they do see a crime committed that falls in either’s territory, they will call them immediately (theft, for example, or assaulting a Port Authority official.)

''vs. The Navy:'' The French Navy is based at Papeete. While the Port Authority may technically call the Navy in for certain things, this ruins certain gentlemen’s agreements. (That is, the French naval officer will ask what is going on, not take “well, you know…” for an answer, and will log whatever he is told, accurately.)

''vs. VIPs:'' Generally speaking, VIPs will be sized up on arrival. Exceptionally wealthy high-rollers tend to get “hands off” treatment, after initial contact. (Herr Zoransky for example.)

=The Police=

All French colonial law-enforcement attempts to model itself on the “home” model exercised in France. Port Cochere is no exception- though certain concessions have been made to Port Cochere’s unique situation.

At one point- due to the nature of the unique position of the Kamekame natives, vis a vis the town, it was considered to adopt a modified version of the Cercle system adopted in French West Africa, with appointed chieftains and so on. This plan did not survive contact (or lack thereof) with the Kamekame.

Therefore, an attempt was made to model the local forces on ones from Home.

-When role of the ''Gendarmerie nationale'' (that is, detached military-police responsible for public safety), this duty sometimes falls to the ''Legion Etrangere'' unit stationed at the fort overlooking town.

On occasion, they have done “Search and Rescue” missions in the countryside and coastal areas, such game-warden work as the island requires, crowd control and bodyguarding, securing the Port during emergencies, acting as an honor guard for dignitaries, and (of course) acting as Military Police amongst their own.

In deference to local wishes, the Legion command tends not to perform investigative functions, unless directly ordered to by the Governor (not the Mayor). They perform the other duties when requested by the Mayor, whom they file reports to for the duration. They generally arrive as armed and in uniform, as if they were on regular Legion business.

-''La Sûreté'' (France’s crack National Police force) have a few officers in the Territory, but none stationed at Ile Trouve itself.

(They tend to be assigned to larger cities, and would only really have a detective visit if there was a major crime in Port Cochere that the Territorial Government felt required investigation. There is not much chance of the Territorial Government having major crime in Port Cochere that they wanted to be investigated.)

-This leaves the ''Polices Municipales'', the police force that most Port Cochere residents see on average. The local Brigade of officers answers directly to the Mayor. While they technically share “rural guard” duties, if something requires forest ranger or ‘game warden’ duties, he gives it to the Legionnaires, owing to the delicacy of the Kamekame situation. Neither do they have investigative powers.

This leaves the Municipals as old-fashioned thieftakers. They break up fights, tell drunks and other disorderly people to go home, stop thefts and assaults, and provide assistance as needed. (If there were cars on Ile Trouve, they would ticket them, that sort of thing.) They have certain broadly-interpreted “good order” duties, and are supposed to help out in (for instance) disasters, but generally they stick to the basics: Patrolling and arresting. They wear a uniform (including a half-cape) and a baton. They do not typically carry firearms, though special circumstances may apply.

One thing that makes the local French colonial system different than the British colonial system is that the French system makes no differentiation between ‘subject’ and ‘native’- if an Islander is qualified to serve in the Municipals, they do. There is no ‘auxiliary’ or ‘tribal’ police force.

Also, all French citizens are considered eligible for national service, including colonial French. A great many Ile Trouveiens have taken the option of patrolling rather than, say, laying a road. (This is carefully tiptoed around in the case of the Kamekame, who are (diplomatically) assumed to ‘tend to their own law enforcement whilst on their private lands.’, due to a historical Protectorate status).

==Police Powers==

French law does not presume innocence, it presumes guilt. There is a right to silence, but they don’t need to remind you of it. Police may ask anyone to identify themselves, and hold unidentified people (even arrest them for resisting). They can question anyone about a case, search and seize property (during the day), detain suspects for up to a day without access to a lawyer for most of it.

==Courts==

The French Polynesian judicial system features a Court of First Instance, a Court of Appeal, and a Court of Administrative Law (which also handles things like business disputes). These are all located in Papeete, a fair distance away. If a case is not resolved locally (“Pay the fine, and don’t do it again”, for instance), the suspect is held until such time as he can be transported to court.

==Jail/Punishment==

There is a small jail here (maybe five or six old cells in a sun-blasted stone building), mainly used for holding prior to a prisoner transfer. Things tend to be “handled locally”, instead. French Polynesia has three prisons, none of which are near here. Rumor has it that the worst are still, unofficially, sent to the old penal colony at New Caledonia.

Generally speaking, there is a local distaste for jail-time- many of the French colonist’s forebears were sent to the island as Penal Colonists, so the idea just sits wrong. Fines and “alternate punishment” are favored as a result. Public execution (often by guillotine) is still common in France in this era- it’s an “arrow in the quiver”- but it has not been applied here for ages.

=Le Deuxieme Bureau=

The Second Bureau is France’s national intelligence agency. There are no apparent 2eme Bureau agents in Port Cochere, or on Ile Trouve as a whole. Neither the Mayor nor the Governor has ever contacted anyone from the Bureau. (It is left as an exercise for the reader to figure out exactly how useless spies would be in Port Cochere.)

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Authorities

2015-06-04T04:55:04Z

Smoot: /* The Mayor's Office */

= The Colonial Government =

'''Full Name:''' Établissements Français de l'Océanie (French Establishments in Oceania)

'''Capital:''' Papeete, Tahiti. (OOC: If you're asking a question about where to find [Western convention or amenity not in Port Cochere], it's probably in Papeete- courts, jails, the military, newspapers, all that business.)

Executive:

'''Governor:''' Frédéric Marie Jean Baptiste Chastenet de Géry [RL person.] Appointed March of 1937.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between the French and British systems is that a "native" would generally not be allowed to serve in British administration, where all in French territory are considered citizens. (That is, you may find islanders in administrative support roles in French Polynesia, but not British holdings.)

Legislature:

'''Privy Council''': Advisors to the Governor.

'''Advisory Council:''' This was, formerly, a body of representatives from the Islands. In 1903, it was changed to a purely advisory administrative group.

==Direct Rule==
The French method of colonial government is called "Direct Rule". It differs from the British method in a several major ways: British governors are allowed more leeway for decision than their French counterparts (who carry out instructions from, and answer to, Paris). And where the British foster relationships with 'native leaders' (Chieftains, and so on), the French system considers all in its territory to be French. Therefore there is no official acknowledgement of tribal life or mores. The state owns all land not privately owned.

(The Kamekame shrewdly played this game, first by wrangling up a Protectorate status, then having scrambling to "buy" their own lands with trade-goods in the late 1800s.)

Oceania's trade has recovered from the Great Depression. The value of both imports and exports more than quadruple the figures for 1933.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between

= The Mayor's Office =
(For more on the Mayor himself, see [[http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Tailspins_%26_Tiki_Gods:The_Mayor]]

=The Port Authority =

The rather grand-sounding Port Authority is, at most times, no more than 5-10 people. If need be, they can call on the police- but this is seldom necessary.
They are responsible for regulating both interisland trade (still mostly sail-driven, though steamers up to 200-300 displacement tons are coming on the scene) and incoming ships from far away. (Luckily, most of these vessels do not require fuelling- Port Cochere being merely a “through port” on the way somewhere else.)

Being mainly concerned with the harbor and the lagoon, the Port Authority seldom moves out of La Bas Ville. There are actually painted wooden poles denoting the limits of the Authority’s beat on land.

'''Structure:''' The Capitaine de Port, Alaine St. Heler de Montaigne, may have up to 10 agents at any given time. They answer to him directly, and he answers (rather tenuously) to the Mayor’s Office.

==“Daytime Business” (and standing policies)==

''Contact with out-villages'': there are minor atolls that can sustain no more than 40-50 people. The Port Authority checks in on them every so often, on behalf of the Mayor or Governor, if the villages are otherwise not heard from. (If they are in a lazy mood, they pay someone else to ‘knock on the doors’.)

''Concessions'': If it’s ashore, it’s the Town’s problem, but if you’re a businessman who approaches ships directly (say, rowing up to the side and offering goods on the spot), the Port Authority ‘has a word’. They also “recommend” porters/stevedores/longshoremen for freighters. (The town has a separate authority for the Marketplace, however. This has the effect of making landing and using the Marketplace a more effective option, which helps the town as a whole)

''Customs & Tariffs Inspections:'' Typical items-of-interest include firearms (without proper documentation), drugs (especially Opium- both the local Benevolent Society and the Port Authority put their heavy boots on regarding this), wild or domestic animals NOT in transit.

''Harbormastering'': The Port Authority rigorously controls where private vessels (aside from very small craft) go while in the lagoon. The recent introduction of seaplanes makes this VERY IMPORTANT. (The Capitaine de Port has expressed an interest in making a ‘landing strip’ area of the lagoon taboo to islander boating, but this so far seems unworkable. And development of a rudimentary air-traffic control system is in progress.)

''Hiring:''They ‘recommend’ lighters (locally-run shore boats) for people who haven’t brought their own, as well as recommending locals for dockside work. (Here, they work with the Wangguan Benevolent Association’s hiring hall system, as well as native and local groups with identifiable ‘representatives’.)

''Mooring:'' The Port Authority is responsible for charging for mooring (cost depending on location and availability, as well as duration.)

''Navigation:'' They do maintain channel markers, as needed.

''Notices to Mariners:'' The Port Authority is partly responsible for issuing weather and surf advisories, among other things. (OOC: If a kraken started preying on local boats, they would be the ones to have to decide whether to warn everyone or if it would “Cause a Panic”, a la most monster movies. ;) )

''The On-Ship Rule'': Ships’ crews are confined to ship after nightfall. This actually does have a certain crime-preventing effect. (It’s hard to mug sailors by night when those sailors are on their boats, for example, and drunken brawls are kept to a minimum), but shop-owners complain that it’s restraining trade.
“Liberty of the Town” can be arranged through the Port Authority, or via the Mayor’s Office.

''Passports:'' They do typically inspect them. They do not, however, ''stamp'' them (though they do have, if need be, access to a lovely set: Papeete, Nuku Hiva, Tubuai, Uturoa…)

''Pilotage'': If you have a larger vessel and wish to NOT drop anchor outside the lagoon’s barrier reefs, the Port Authority will charge you to have a PA Pilot either taking the wheel of your vessel or watch over your shoulder.

''Quarantine:'' They are authorized to call ‘quarantine’ on a ship. This usually involves consulting with Port Cochere’s town doctor. If an initial inspection shows rampant vermin (rats, bugs, etc), contagious illness, or is shown to carry insufficiently contained dangerous live cargo, that vessel may be quarantined for any amount of time. Alternately, a ‘restricted bill of health’ may allow the crew to unload onto a lighter without any further contact or disembarkation. (This is a big deal- through a combination of vigilance and dumb luck, Ile Trouve is almost completely clear of invasive species like rats.)

''Registry:'' They gladly keep books of what registered ships have passed through, per international maritime custom. (They do it so gladly that they keep more than one book!) They also ask to know where you’re going, as ports often do. They do know that almost any answer they get is likely to be a lie, however. They also keep an eye out for stolen or otherwise ‘commandeered’ vessels.[OOC: It is by no means a dealbreaker. (“Typical business” means you pay the ‘expediting’ fee) ]

''The Safe Harbor Rule:'' “Any port in a storm” is a law of the sea. The Port Authority cannot, by custom, refuse entry during an emergency. (Some clever bastards sometime try to arrive DURING a storm, in order to obtain berthing they otherwise would not get. They are seldom up to any good. )

''Shipping News:'' Using ships notices given by Mr. Kinney (Port Cochere’s young radioman), they know who is announced to be coming or going.

''Tugboat:'' The Port Authority also runs the majestic ''Le Pot de Rouille'', Port Cochere’s only tugboat. If you’re being towed in, this is the only game in town.

==“Nighttime Business”==

If the Mayor’s office represents the high-end “intrigue” end of Port Cochere’s business, the Port Authority represents pure piratical instinct.
Additional Fees: While it is subsidized by the French government (represented in the person of His Honor the Mayor), the Port Authority nonetheless (off the record) extracts ‘fees for special procedures’ (for things likewise off-the-record). The most profitable fee the Authority uses is a ‘bypass’. Basically, for a fee, one need not bother oneself with the fine details. Port Liberty is sometimes sold, either for a fee or for a refundable security.

Obviously, this is only done within limits, otherwise nobody would use the harbor at all. Thus, all ‘fees’ must be justifiable to someone (ie, no straight up graft), and they must be taken in moderation (“Part of doing business”). The Port Authority does (per the old saw) “stay bought”, typically, and they know when to stop squeezing the stone.

They also keep the “surface tension” going. By making it prohibitive for smugglers or other demimondaines to just barge into the port, they encourage them to ‘transfer’ to light transport on out-islands, making it possible to say “we didn’t know!”. Since affordable anonymity is Ile Trouve’s most profitable industry, setting the price just-so is important.

''“Hiring Fees”'' (ie kickbacks): In exchange for ‘primary recommendation’ in hiring, the Port Authority tends to want a “Finder’s Fee”. Bas Ville is chock full of be crewmen whose hitch is over for one reason or another (“They left without me.” “I wonder WHY, hm?”), drifters, stowaways, renegade islanders no longer welcome at home, even refugees (though they’d have to be really stubborn refugees to be way out here.) This can make hiring a nightmare. While the Port Authority does show favoritism in ‘recommendations’, it at least imposes as sense of order.

''“Reading”:'' Members of the Port Authority have a knack for telling what’s on a ship and where it’s likely to go. (If you know the fuel-efficiencies of a ship and its fuel-load, you can find out where it’s going. Since ships rarely carry more ballast than they need to, a ship claiming to go a short distance while clearly loaded to go a long way (or vice versa) is of note. This information can then be ‘sold’ (to interested parties) or ‘sold back’ (to the owners of the ship in question). )

==Relations:==
''vs the Mayor’s Office:'' There’s always been a bit of a turf war between the two bureauxs. The Mayor’s office is charged with validating documents, which sometimes bumps into the Port Authority’s “checking your papers”, for example. [OOC: The main difference is that while the Mayor’s office might be obstructionist while flexing their bureaucratic muscles or illustrating a larger point, the Port Authority is mainly just looking to ‘expedite things’.]

''vs the Police:'' The Port Authority is fairly ginger about calling in the Municipals. They are not about to ask the Legionnaires to get involved, either. However, if they do see a crime committed that falls in either’s territory, they will call them immediately (theft, for example, or assaulting a Port Authority official.)

''vs. The Navy:'' The French Navy is based at Papeete. While the Port Authority may technically call the Navy in for certain things, this ruins certain gentlemen’s agreements. (That is, the French naval officer will ask what is going on, not take “well, you know…” for an answer, and will log whatever he is told, accurately.)

''vs. VIPs:'' Generally speaking, VIPs will be sized up on arrival. Exceptionally wealthy high-rollers tend to get “hands off” treatment, after initial contact. (Herr Zoransky for example.)

=The Police=

All French colonial law-enforcement attempts to model itself on the “home” model exercised in France. Port Cochere is no exception- though certain concessions have been made to Port Cochere’s unique situation.

At one point- due to the nature of the unique position of the Kamekame natives, vis a vis the town, it was considered to adopt a modified version of the Cercle system adopted in French West Africa, with appointed chieftains and so on. This plan did not survive contact (or lack thereof) with the Kamekame.

Therefore, an attempt was made to model the local forces on ones from Home.

-When role of the ''Gendarmerie nationale'' (that is, detached military-police responsible for public safety), this duty sometimes falls to the ''Legion Etrangere'' unit stationed at the fort overlooking town.

On occasion, they have done “Search and Rescue” missions in the countryside and coastal areas, such game-warden work as the island requires, crowd control and bodyguarding, securing the Port during emergencies, acting as an honor guard for dignitaries, and (of course) acting as Military Police amongst their own.

In deference to local wishes, the Legion command tends not to perform investigative functions, unless directly ordered to by the Governor (not the Mayor). They perform the other duties when requested by the Mayor, whom they file reports to for the duration. They generally arrive as armed and in uniform, as if they were on regular Legion business.

-''La Sûreté'' (France’s crack National Police force) have a few officers in the Territory, but none stationed at Ile Trouve itself.

(They tend to be assigned to larger cities, and would only really have a detective visit if there was a major crime in Port Cochere that the Territorial Government felt required investigation. There is not much chance of the Territorial Government having major crime in Port Cochere that they wanted to be investigated.)

-This leaves the ''Polices Municipales'', the police force that most Port Cochere residents see on average. The local Brigade of officers answers directly to the Mayor. While they technically share “rural guard” duties, if something requires forest ranger or ‘game warden’ duties, he gives it to the Legionnaires, owing to the delicacy of the Kamekame situation. Neither do they have investigative powers.

This leaves the Municipals as old-fashioned thieftakers. They break up fights, tell drunks and other disorderly people to go home, stop thefts and assaults, and provide assistance as needed. (If there were cars on Ile Trouve, they would ticket them, that sort of thing.) They have certain broadly-interpreted “good order” duties, and are supposed to help out in (for instance) disasters, but generally they stick to the basics: Patrolling and arresting. They wear a uniform (including a half-cape) and a baton. They do not typically carry firearms, though special circumstances may apply.

One thing that makes the local French colonial system different than the British colonial system is that the French system makes no differentiation between ‘subject’ and ‘native’- if an Islander is qualified to serve in the Municipals, they do. There is no ‘auxiliary’ or ‘tribal’ police force.

Also, all French citizens are considered eligible for national service, including colonial French. A great many Ile Trouveiens have taken the option of patrolling rather than, say, laying a road. (This is carefully tiptoed around in the case of the Kamekame, who are (diplomatically) assumed to ‘tend to their own law enforcement whilst on their private lands.’, due to a historical Protectorate status).

==Police Powers==

French law does not presume innocence, it presumes guilt. There is a right to silence, but they don’t need to remind you of it. Police may ask anyone to identify themselves, and hold unidentified people (even arrest them for resisting). They can question anyone about a case, search and seize property (during the day), detain suspects for up to a day without access to a lawyer for most of it.

==Courts==

The French Polynesian judicial system features a Court of First Instance, a Court of Appeal, and a Court of Administrative Law (which also handles things like business disputes). These are all located in Papeete, a fair distance away. If a case is not resolved locally (“Pay the fine, and don’t do it again”, for instance), the suspect is held until such time as he can be transported to court.

==Jail/Punishment==

There is a small jail here (maybe five or six old cells in a sun-blasted stone building), mainly used for holding prior to a prisoner transfer. Things tend to be “handled locally”, instead. French Polynesia has three prisons, none of which are near here. Rumor has it that the worst are still, unofficially, sent to the old penal colony at New Caledonia.

Generally speaking, there is a local distaste for jail-time- many of the French colonist’s forebears were sent to the island as Penal Colonists, so the idea just sits wrong. Fines and “alternate punishment” are favored as a result. Public execution (often by guillotine) is still common in France in this era- it’s an “arrow in the quiver”- but it has not been applied here for ages.

=Le Deuxieme Bureau=

The Second Bureau is France’s national intelligence agency. There are no apparent 2eme Bureau agents in Port Cochere, or on Ile Trouve as a whole. Neither the Mayor nor the Governor has ever contacted anyone from the Bureau. (It is left as an exercise for the reader to figure out exactly how useless spies would be in Port Cochere.)

Tailspins & Tiki Gods:The Authorities

2015-06-04T04:53:23Z

Smoot: /* The Colonial Government */

= The Colonial Government =

'''Full Name:''' Établissements Français de l'Océanie (French Establishments in Oceania)

'''Capital:''' Papeete, Tahiti. (OOC: If you're asking a question about where to find [Western convention or amenity not in Port Cochere], it's probably in Papeete- courts, jails, the military, newspapers, all that business.)

Executive:

'''Governor:''' Frédéric Marie Jean Baptiste Chastenet de Géry [RL person.] Appointed March of 1937.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between the French and British systems is that a "native" would generally not be allowed to serve in British administration, where all in French territory are considered citizens. (That is, you may find islanders in administrative support roles in French Polynesia, but not British holdings.)

Legislature:

'''Privy Council''': Advisors to the Governor.

'''Advisory Council:''' This was, formerly, a body of representatives from the Islands. In 1903, it was changed to a purely advisory administrative group.

==Direct Rule==
The French method of colonial government is called "Direct Rule". It differs from the British method in a several major ways: British governors are allowed more leeway for decision than their French counterparts (who carry out instructions from, and answer to, Paris). And where the British foster relationships with 'native leaders' (Chieftains, and so on), the French system considers all in its territory to be French. Therefore there is no official acknowledgement of tribal life or mores. The state owns all land not privately owned.

(The Kamekame shrewdly played this game, first by wrangling up a Protectorate status, then having scrambling to "buy" their own lands with trade-goods in the late 1800s.)

Oceania's trade has recovered from the Great Depression. The value of both imports and exports more than quadruple the figures for 1933.

Administrators: (TBA). A notable difference between

== The Mayor's Office ==

=The Port Authority =

The rather grand-sounding Port Authority is, at most times, no more than 5-10 people. If need be, they can call on the police- but this is seldom necessary.
They are responsible for regulating both interisland trade (still mostly sail-driven, though steamers up to 200-300 displacement tons are coming on the scene) and incoming ships from far away. (Luckily, most of these vessels do not require fuelling- Port Cochere being merely a “through port” on the way somewhere else.)

Being mainly concerned with the harbor and the lagoon, the Port Authority seldom moves out of La Bas Ville. There are actually painted wooden poles denoting the limits of the Authority’s beat on land.

'''Structure:''' The Capitaine de Port, Alaine St. Heler de Montaigne, may have up to 10 agents at any given time. They answer to him directly, and he answers (rather tenuously) to the Mayor’s Office.

==“Daytime Business” (and standing policies)==

''Contact with out-villages'': there are minor atolls that can sustain no more than 40-50 people. The Port Authority checks in on them every so often, on behalf of the Mayor or Governor, if the villages are otherwise not heard from. (If they are in a lazy mood, they pay someone else to ‘knock on the doors’.)

''Concessions'': If it’s ashore, it’s the Town’s problem, but if you’re a businessman who approaches ships directly (say, rowing up to the side and offering goods on the spot), the Port Authority ‘has a word’. They also “recommend” porters/stevedores/longshoremen for freighters. (The town has a separate authority for the Marketplace, however. This has the effect of making landing and using the Marketplace a more effective option, which helps the town as a whole)

''Customs & Tariffs Inspections:'' Typical items-of-interest include firearms (without proper documentation), drugs (especially Opium- both the local Benevolent Society and the Port Authority put their heavy boots on regarding this), wild or domestic animals NOT in transit.

''Harbormastering'': The Port Authority rigorously controls where private vessels (aside from very small craft) go while in the lagoon. The recent introduction of seaplanes makes this VERY IMPORTANT. (The Capitaine de Port has expressed an interest in making a ‘landing strip’ area of the lagoon taboo to islander boating, but this so far seems unworkable. And development of a rudimentary air-traffic control system is in progress.)

''Hiring:''They ‘recommend’ lighters (locally-run shore boats) for people who haven’t brought their own, as well as recommending locals for dockside work. (Here, they work with the Wangguan Benevolent Association’s hiring hall system, as well as native and local groups with identifiable ‘representatives’.)

''Mooring:'' The Port Authority is responsible for charging for mooring (cost depending on location and availability, as well as duration.)

''Navigation:'' They do maintain channel markers, as needed.

''Notices to Mariners:'' The Port Authority is partly responsible for issuing weather and surf advisories, among other things. (OOC: If a kraken started preying on local boats, they would be the ones to have to decide whether to warn everyone or if it would “Cause a Panic”, a la most monster movies. ;) )

''The On-Ship Rule'': Ships’ crews are confined to ship after nightfall. This actually does have a certain crime-preventing effect. (It’s hard to mug sailors by night when those sailors are on their boats, for example, and drunken brawls are kept to a minimum), but shop-owners complain that it’s restraining trade.
“Liberty of the Town” can be arranged through the Port Authority, or via the Mayor’s Office.

''Passports:'' They do typically inspect them. They do not, however, ''stamp'' them (though they do have, if need be, access to a lovely set: Papeete, Nuku Hiva, Tubuai, Uturoa…)

''Pilotage'': If you have a larger vessel and wish to NOT drop anchor outside the lagoon’s barrier reefs, the Port Authority will charge you to have a PA Pilot either taking the wheel of your vessel or watch over your shoulder.

''Quarantine:'' They are authorized to call ‘quarantine’ on a ship. This usually involves consulting with Port Cochere’s town doctor. If an initial inspection shows rampant vermin (rats, bugs, etc), contagious illness, or is shown to carry insufficiently contained dangerous live cargo, that vessel may be quarantined for any amount of time. Alternately, a ‘restricted bill of health’ may allow the crew to unload onto a lighter without any further contact or disembarkation. (This is a big deal- through a combination of vigilance and dumb luck, Ile Trouve is almost completely clear of invasive species like rats.)

''Registry:'' They gladly keep books of what registered ships have passed through, per international maritime custom. (They do it so gladly that they keep more than one book!) They also ask to know where you’re going, as ports often do. They do know that almost any answer they get is likely to be a lie, however. They also keep an eye out for stolen or otherwise ‘commandeered’ vessels.[OOC: It is by no means a dealbreaker. (“Typical business” means you pay the ‘expediting’ fee) ]

''The Safe Harbor Rule:'' “Any port in a storm” is a law of the sea. The Port Authority cannot, by custom, refuse entry during an emergency. (Some clever bastards sometime try to arrive DURING a storm, in order to obtain berthing they otherwise would not get. They are seldom up to any good. )

''Shipping News:'' Using ships notices given by Mr. Kinney (Port Cochere’s young radioman), they know who is announced to be coming or going.

''Tugboat:'' The Port Authority also runs the majestic ''Le Pot de Rouille'', Port Cochere’s only tugboat. If you’re being towed in, this is the only game in town.

==“Nighttime Business”==

If the Mayor’s office represents the high-end “intrigue” end of Port Cochere’s business, the Port Authority represents pure piratical instinct.
Additional Fees: While it is subsidized by the French government (represented in the person of His Honor the Mayor), the Port Authority nonetheless (off the record) extracts ‘fees for special procedures’ (for things likewise off-the-record). The most profitable fee the Authority uses is a ‘bypass’. Basically, for a fee, one need not bother oneself with the fine details. Port Liberty is sometimes sold, either for a fee or for a refundable security.

Obviously, this is only done within limits, otherwise nobody would use the harbor at all. Thus, all ‘fees’ must be justifiable to someone (ie, no straight up graft), and they must be taken in moderation (“Part of doing business”). The Port Authority does (per the old saw) “stay bought”, typically, and they know when to stop squeezing the stone.

They also keep the “surface tension” going. By making it prohibitive for smugglers or other demimondaines to just barge into the port, they encourage them to ‘transfer’ to light transport on out-islands, making it possible to say “we didn’t know!”. Since affordable anonymity is Ile Trouve’s most profitable industry, setting the price just-so is important.

''“Hiring Fees”'' (ie kickbacks): In exchange for ‘primary recommendation’ in hiring, the Port Authority tends to want a “Finder’s Fee”. Bas Ville is chock full of be crewmen whose hitch is over for one reason or another (“They left without me.” “I wonder WHY, hm?”), drifters, stowaways, renegade islanders no longer welcome at home, even refugees (though they’d have to be really stubborn refugees to be way out here.) This can make hiring a nightmare. While the Port Authority does show favoritism in ‘recommendations’, it at least imposes as sense of order.

''“Reading”:'' Members of the Port Authority have a knack for telling what’s on a ship and where it’s likely to go. (If you know the fuel-efficiencies of a ship and its fuel-load, you can find out where it’s going. Since ships rarely carry more ballast than they need to, a ship claiming to go a short distance while clearly loaded to go a long way (or vice versa) is of note. This information can then be ‘sold’ (to interested parties) or ‘sold back’ (to the owners of the ship in question). )

==Relations:==
''vs the Mayor’s Office:'' There’s always been a bit of a turf war between the two bureauxs. The Mayor’s office is charged with validating documents, which sometimes bumps into the Port Authority’s “checking your papers”, for example. [OOC: The main difference is that while the Mayor’s office might be obstructionist while flexing their bureaucratic muscles or illustrating a larger point, the Port Authority is mainly just looking to ‘expedite things’.]

''vs the Police:'' The Port Authority is fairly ginger about calling in the Municipals. They are not about to ask the Legionnaires to get involved, either. However, if they do see a crime committed that falls in either’s territory, they will call them immediately (theft, for example, or assaulting a Port Authority official.)

''vs. The Navy:'' The French Navy is based at Papeete. While the Port Authority may technically call the Navy in for certain things, this ruins certain gentlemen’s agreements. (That is, the French naval officer will ask what is going on, not take “well, you know…” for an answer, and will log whatever he is told, accurately.)

''vs. VIPs:'' Generally speaking, VIPs will be sized up on arrival. Exceptionally wealthy high-rollers tend to get “hands off” treatment, after initial contact. (Herr Zoransky for example.)

=The Police=

All French colonial law-enforcement attempts to model itself on the “home” model exercised in France. Port Cochere is no exception- though certain concessions have been made to Port Cochere’s unique situation.

At one point- due to the nature of the unique position of the Kamekame natives, vis a vis the town, it was considered to adopt a modified version of the Cercle system adopted in French West Africa, with appointed chieftains and so on. This plan did not survive contact (or lack thereof) with the Kamekame.

Therefore, an attempt was made to model the local forces on ones from Home.

-When role of the ''Gendarmerie nationale'' (that is, detached military-police responsible for public safety), this duty sometimes falls to the ''Legion Etrangere'' unit stationed at the fort overlooking town.

On occasion, they have done “Search and Rescue” missions in the countryside and coastal areas, such game-warden work as the island requires, crowd control and bodyguarding, securing the Port during emergencies, acting as an honor guard for dignitaries, and (of course) acting as Military Police amongst their own.

In deference to local wishes, the Legion command tends not to perform investigative functions, unless directly ordered to by the Governor (not the Mayor). They perform the other duties when requested by the Mayor, whom they file reports to for the duration. They generally arrive as armed and in uniform, as if they were on regular Legion business.

-''La Sûreté'' (France’s crack National Police force) have a few officers in the Territory, but none stationed at Ile Trouve itself.

(They tend to be assigned to larger cities, and would only really have a detective visit if there was a major crime in Port Cochere that the Territorial Government felt required investigation. There is not much chance of the Territorial Government having major crime in Port Cochere that they wanted to be investigated.)

-This leaves the ''Polices Municipales'', the police force that most Port Cochere residents see on average. The local Brigade of officers answers directly to the Mayor. While they technically share “rural guard” duties, if something requires forest ranger or ‘game warden’ duties, he gives it to the Legionnaires, owing to the delicacy of the Kamekame situation. Neither do they have investigative powers.

This leaves the Municipals as old-fashioned thieftakers. They break up fights, tell drunks and other disorderly people to go home, stop thefts and assaults, and provide assistance as needed. (If there were cars on Ile Trouve, they would ticket them, that sort of thing.) They have certain broadly-interpreted “good order” duties, and are supposed to help out in (for instance) disasters, but generally they stick to the basics: Patrolling and arresting. They wear a uniform (including a half-cape) and a baton. They do not typically carry firearms, though special circumstances may apply.

One thing that makes the local French colonial system different than the British colonial system is that the French system makes no differentiation between ‘subject’ and ‘native’- if an Islander is qualified to serve in the Municipals, they do. There is no ‘auxiliary’ or ‘tribal’ police force.

Also, all French citizens are considered eligible for national service, including colonial French. A great many Ile Trouveiens have taken the option of patrolling rather than, say, laying a road. (This is carefully tiptoed around in the case of the Kamekame, who are (diplomatically) assumed to ‘tend to their own law enforcement whilst on their private lands.’, due to a historical Protectorate status).

==Police Powers==

French law does not presume innocence, it presumes guilt. There is a right to silence, but they don’t need to remind you of it. Police may ask anyone to identify themselves, and hold unidentified people (even arrest them for resisting). They can question anyone about a case, search and seize property (during the day), detain suspects for up to a day without access to a lawyer for most of it.

==Courts==

The French Polynesian judicial system features a Court of First Instance, a Court of Appeal, and a Court of Administrative Law (which also handles things like business disputes). These are all located in Papeete, a fair distance away. If a case is not resolved locally (“Pay the fine, and don’t do it again”, for instance), the suspect is held until such time as he can be transported to court.

==Jail/Punishment==

There is a small jail here (maybe five or six old cells in a sun-blasted stone building), mainly used for holding prior to a prisoner transfer. Things tend to be “handled locally”, instead. French Polynesia has three prisons, none of which are near here. Rumor has it that the worst are still, unofficially, sent to the old penal colony at New Caledonia.

Generally speaking, there is a local distaste for jail-time- many of the French colonist’s forebears were sent to the island as Penal Colonists, so the idea just sits wrong. Fines and “alternate punishment” are favored as a result. Public execution (often by guillotine) is still common in France in this era- it’s an “arrow in the quiver”- but it has not been applied here for ages.

=Le Deuxieme Bureau=

The Second Bureau is France’s national intelligence agency. There are no apparent 2eme Bureau agents in Port Cochere, or on Ile Trouve as a whole. Neither the Mayor nor the Governor has ever contacted anyone from the Bureau. (It is left as an exercise for the reader to figure out exactly how useless spies would be in Port Cochere.)