[DL] ACME, Inc. the good stuff

[Eric Watson <ericw@shelby.net>]

The response I got was great.
Instead sending this to everyone that asked for it individually
I'll make it available here.
Soooooo.... see the attached text file.


Eric the Red
ericw@shelby.net
ACME, Inc.

The History
	Six daring scientists/hucksters worked valiantly
defeating the evil that was spreading throughout the west.
Their leader, Dr. Seymour Cracktree, was constantly
disappointed with Smith & Robards.  He decided to start
their own business.  Starting off with just the six of them,
they now employ over 100 scientists, 30 hucksters and more
than 50 couriers.
	Dr. Cracktree's first challenge was to establish a
productive lab.  He concentrated on Arizona.  Thanks to 
some skillful disguising and camaflouge spells, ACME labs
looks like a giant mile-wide crater in the middle of the
Arizona desert.
	The next challenge facing Dr. Cracktree was how
to build items to an exact deadline. A trio of huckesters 
solved this tricky problem.  They came to the conclusion
that you need to know what someone wants before they need
it.  Or, more specifically, what ACME would exactly sell
before they needed it.
	Finally, how to make a delivery that would be
immediate.  The hucksters came up with a brilliant solution.
After a lot of work they developed a One-Way "Back Step" Time
Spell to the past.  They would send the completed order and
courier back in time to arrive immediately after the customer
place the order.
	But, there-in is the problem.  They cannot send
a living breathing person back through the void and collapse
of time.  Harrowed couriers are the only ones able to survive
the time shift.  It was found that Time travel causes
cellular degeneration in all matter. So only select and
gifted harrowed are chosen as couriers.  This cellular 
degeneration also affects items, chemicals & ghost rock and
instills a greater degradation of reliabilities.

How It All Works
	ACME hucksters predict orders that will come in on
a daily basis, up to one in year in advance.  ACME scientists
then begin to fill the order.  When the order is completed
ACME hucksters then "Back Step" the order and a courier back in
time so they can deliver the order.  Travelling times are
compensated for.  The cellular degeneration of the "Back Step"
spell corrodes all items reliabilities by half.  The ACME 
couriers then deliver the order, guaranteeing immediate 
arrival after the customer has placed the order.

Prices are Cheap
	A marketing decision was made to under-cut S&R prices.
Afterall, Smith & Robards is a monopoly.  But, ACME has to 
make a profit some how.  Due to the risky delivery methods,
ACME had to double the shipping costs.
	ACME frequently runs special offers for first time customers.
This might include a free can of "Tunnel Paint", "Detour" &
"Yikes!" signs or "Rocket Skates".

ACME vs S&R
	ACME products and kits are strictly compatible with ACME
products alone.  Combining S&R and ACME products requires an
Incredible(11) Tinkering.
	ACME does print a Bi-Monthly catalog of their goods.
	They will accept all blue-print submissions.  They do
require a non-competition contract to be signed ensuring that the
submission has not been given to S&R.  ACME has a 6 month preview
period in which the sumbitter receives no royalties.  During this
period ACME scientist rework the blueprints to cut the cost down
to a minimum.  After the 2 month preview period, the submitter 
receives 5% royalties on all sales of their submission on a monthly
basis.

ACME Employees
	All ACME employees live on site and work a required 60
hours a week, in any way.  ACME provides food & board for their
employees.  So, ACME only pays employees a flat $400/month
	ACME has stringent and difficult hiring practices.  It
can take up to 3 months before a new employee will be hired after
extensive background/security checks and aptitude tests.  
All employees leaving the company will have their entire memory
of ACME practices erased.  Those who leave, or should that be
escape, without being processed are hunted down by ACME couriers and
either terminated or returned to ACME labs for processing.

ACME Hucksters
	ACME hucksters are required to know the following hexes:
Forget, Fortune Teller, Gambler's Luck, Mind Tweak, Reanimate.
Acme hucksters are required to have a minimum d10 Smarts
All ACME hucksters are taught the company spell called Hide Out.
A select group of ACME hucksters are taught the powerful time
warping "Back Step" spell.

Spell:	Hide Out
  Trait:    Smarts
  Hand:     Jacks
  Speed:    1
  Duration: 24 Hours
  Range:    5yd/hand over minimum hand
  Effect:   Disguises area range as a natural topography of casters
	choice.  Groups of hucksters can work together to cover a
	larger area.

Spell:  Back Step
  Trait:    Smarts
  Hand:     Pair
  Speed:    1
  Duration: Permanent
  Range:    15 yd
  Effect:   Sends target back in time according to the following
	table.  Back Step also deals 1d6 of wind for every hand
	above the minimum to any living items affected.

	Pair		- 1 day
	Jacks		- 1 weeks
	Two Pairs	- 2 weeks
	Three of a Kind	- 1 month
	Straight	- 3 months
	Flush		- 6 months
	Full House	- 1 year
	Four of a Kind	- 2 years
	Straight Flush	- 5 years
	Royal Flush	- 10 years

ACME Scientists
	ACME scientists are required to know sciences of engineering
& alchemy, tinkering and mad science.  All scientist are required to
make an ounce of philosophers stone on a daily basis.  ACME has their
own psychiatrist to help tend to mass insanity of so many scientists.

ACME Couriers
	ACME couriers are a special breed.  The primary requirement
is to be a harrowed.  After all, they are the only ones who could
survive/recover from the damage inflicted by the Back Step spell.
Harrowed scientists are highly sought as couriers.  Under no 
circumstances would ACME hire harrowed priests or harrowed 
hucksters as couriers.  All couriers are taught an additional 
language and steam wagon driving.

If you have any further questions or comments please contact me.
My e-mail address is "ericw@shelby.net".

Thank You
And Enjoy ACME, Inc.