Lore Chapter 1: Genesis 1939 Pittsburgh Gridlock

# 1939 Pittsburgh Gridlock

0 out of 288 potential Lore Producers/characters are registered to this Lore Chapter.

Lore Master: Unclaimed

## Lore Chapter Details

Team: **The** **Pittsburgh Gridlock**

Basketball God: **Aries ♌️** • All Lore Producers earn **+2 Entitlement | *Skill Branch*** for attending **all seven (7) Lore Parties** in a chapter for at least one (1) hour per Lore Party.

Power Element: **Mania** • All Lore Producers earn **+1 Thespian | *Clout Branch*** for attending **all seven (7) Lore Parties** in a chapter for at least one (1) hour per Lore Party.

### Plot:

The enigmatic world surrounding the 1939 Pittsburgh Gridlock inaugural season was full of **arcane secrets and urban exploration in a twisted SportPunk spectacle** about **the convergence of a shared reality**. Media Day begins with a celebration of the launch of the Pittsburgh Gridlock's brand and history.

### Location and Time Period:

This Lore Chapter take place primarily in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania between January and September 1939. The chapter is full of this and that. The Lore Chapter takes place against the backdrop of salt mines, decaying factories, unions versus union busters, technological advancement, World War II around the corner for the USA, and Pittsburgh's years-later adjustment to the end of prohibition.

#### Protagonists:

There are between **21** and **106** protagonists throughout this Lore Chapter.

#### Antagonists:

There are between **20** and **100** antagonists throughout this Lore Chapter.

#### **Impact Characters:**

Any character that hasn't been rolled into a **Protagonist** or an **Antagonist** is an **Impact Character**. Folks that don't want to make a heavy time commitment should always volunteer as **Impact Characters** to make space for those **most committed** to the experience.

#### #Lensface Note:

This chapter is full of comedic mishaps and hilarious misunderstandings as the Gridlock and their fans navigate the chaotic world of Pittsburgh industry.

##### **Story Beads**

COMING SOON

1. The Gridlock **squeak through the regular season as the #4 seed to make the playoffs**, but **lose to the** **Yonkers Highness** in the **East Side Sophomore Round.**
2. There's war in Europe and the Africas.

**Lore War Playoff Results**: The **Pittsburgh Gridlock** lose to the **Yonkers Highness** in the **1939** **East Side Sophomore Round.**

SportPunk is devoid of any real-world semi-professional or professional sports history **of any kind**, and celebrates or explores as much real-world history as possible, relevant to the locale, story experiences, and the characters involved.

Every Story Bead is guided by a Lore Wrangler. Registered characters are able to hop around and participate in different arcs throughout the experience.

## How to Play:

### Step-by-Step:

1. Decide what kind of character you want to role-play as.
	1. Syndicate Player • V2 Required
	2. Team Coach? • V2 Required
	3. Ecosystem Professional? • V1 Required
	4. Notable Fan? • V1 Required
2. Collect at least one edition of the appropriate Version One or Version Two Collectible to get started. You must commit to the intellectual property by buying some of it!
3. Fill out our Character Registration form (V1 and /or V2 is required to access this form), which will provide you with a thorough prompt. From there, you may write the prompt yourself, or you may use Artificial Intelligence to help add to your character background, as that's a lot of fun.
4. Submit the full Character Profile, and your character will be added to the Official Canon, and will have a Press Pass wiki page within 72 hours (all submissions are subject to human review).
5. Join the Discord and start work-shopping your character(s) with other Early-Adopters.
6. Once a Lore Chapter has a Lore Master, it can run all seven (7) Lore Parties. The Lore Master may repeat their Lore Chapter up to three times, and exceptions may be made.
	1. Each Lore Party takes on a section of that season's schedule, where players will role-play through scenarios led by the Lore Wranglers and Lore Masters in the chapter.
	2. Some scenarios will not have anything to do with sports, which is okay. They exist in this connected SportPunk reality, and that's what makes it fun.
7. A vital rule - **always, always, always "Yes, And" source material**. Do not retcon, crumble, or acidify details that creators have officially canonized in the Press Pass Lore. Any story interactions that **significantly change the nature of the source material** should ethically include the Lore Producer(s) involved in creating the source.
	1. Adding significant material to another character's arc without their Lore Producer's involvement won't be allowed, and any minor material added must strictly adhere to the biography of the character.
	2. Presenting bias and opinions about material in another character's arc through your character's story is welcomed, because DRAMA. Stay grounded in our SportPunk shared reality!
	3. Otherworldly elements not grounded in this shared SportPunk reality may be rendered in the canon as an exclusive umwelt of that specific character. "Umwelt" is the subjective lived reality of the character, not shared by anybody else. If your umwelt features a pegasus dragon that dunks from the threebuchet arc, that's hilarious... but it only exists in that character's mind. Pegasus Dragons don't exist in the SportPunk reality, unless that's a semi-professional hockey team.
	4. Just like real life, spiritual and magical experiences are personal, and open to interpretation and being shared by others. Each team and atmosphere has these ingredients sewn in.
8. Level up your characters through role-play!
	1. Each character you create has a Character Tree. this Character Tree has three (3) Branches, each with twenty (20) facets, bringing a total of sixty (60) facets to level.
		1. Clout Branch
		2. Skill Branch
		3. Xygen Branch
	2. For every character you register, your wallet will receive an Official Press Pass that tracks your progress for you. *Note:* These won't be developed until Phase 3 of production in Press Pass (Season One). Early Adopters will have to wait a bit, and track their character progress in The Top Brass DAO.
	3. All facets begin at Level 1. **You can only gain levels, you can't lose them.**
	4. Each interaction you canonize in the lore will +1 level to one facet of your character based on what the interaction was. you'll have three facets to choose from out of every **gainful outcome**.
	5. Depending on your character, the qualities you bring to the ecosystem will be different. The level of each various quality reflects the average level (rounded down) of all of the facets in the correlating branch.
		1. Syndicate Players
			1. Player Class = Clout Branch Average
			2. Play Style = Skill Branch Average
			3. Position & Secondary Play Style = Xygen Branch Average
		2. Team Coach
			1. Demeanor = Clout Branch Average
			2. Playbook = Skill Branch Average
			3. Fashion Style = Xygen Branch Average
		3. Ecosystem Professional
			1. Drive = Clout Branch Average
			2. Profession = Skill Branch Average
			3. Goal = Xygen Branch Average
		4. Notable Fan
			1. First Fan Commitment = Clout Branch Average
			2. Second Fan Commitment = Skill Branch Average
			3. Fan Rating / Wealth Tier = Xygen Branch Average (the same level applies to both qualities)
	6. A character may max out a total of two (2) facets per branch at 121 levels, each. The other eighteen (18) facets in each respective branch will have level caps of 77. Reaching the high 60s, let alone level 77, will take an incredible commitment to a character.
	7. In every interaction, you'll identify **the fulcrum** **facet** and **the sideline facet**. The **fulcrum facet** is the balance of conflict in that specific interaction, and the **sideline facet** is a secondary facet that contributes. A Lore Wrangler or Lore Master will find the facet best suited for the fulcrum, and the entire Break-Out Bead will **vote on the sideline facet** throughout the interaction. All players will **roll their levels in the fulcrum facet**. In an instance where players have the exact same level of the exact same fulcrum facet, both players will roll a simple 6.
	8. Each player will know the outcome they would like in the canon, as that's the source of the conflict, and then roll for the right to create their preferred impact. Using a ranging RNG tool (RNG = random number generator), we're able to ensure each player rolls their facet level. In the event both players roll a 1, the roll is performed again with a simple 6. This ensures a chance for Level 1 players to win in any interaction, as unlikely as that is.
	9. The player who rolls the higher numbers produces their **gainful outcome**, while the player who rolled the lower numbers are subject to the **downward outcome**. All outcomes contribute to the Official Canon, no matter how seemingly benign.
	10. The **+1 level awarded to the winner of the interaction is in the sideline facet.** Players will always have three options to choose from, provided by the top three voting results presented by the Break-Out Bead. The sideline facets available should reflect the character's behavior during the interaction.

#### Chapter Organization:

1. The **Lore Party**
	1. A **Lore Party** is a fun and creative **role-play** / **improv** chapter event exclusive to registered puzzle owners in the **Lore Chapter**, focused on a **specific unit of time in the season**, and **specific sub-plots** that contribute to the main details.
	2. During the Chapter, Producers are tasked to have fun crafting the entire Lore Chapter (**Media Day** through **Closing Ceremonies**) in no more than seven (7) **Lore Parties**. Some exceptions may occur, but the entire chapter's worth of Lore for Season One should be able to be explored and established in time windows of less than a month.
	3. Schedule the ***Media Day Lore Party*** as the first one. From there, agree on a schedule that works for **Lore Producers** who attended Lore Chapter Media Day. All **Lore Producers** in the chapter are encourage to enjoy and attend every Lore Party to maximize their experience, but only one (1) is required to establish your character in the canon.
	4. The ***Media Day Lore Party*** takes place in a Sporting Facility (the arena or a practice building), and the event should cover:
		1. Content standards, styles, and color grades for all three footage types for archive submissions. If there are any post-production industry professionals or experts in this lore chapter, please welcome their guidance and leadership in this process.
			1. Original Footage (OFoo) must look like it's from 1939 or earlier. Frame rates, frame sizes, and color grades for all submitted content in the chapter should be of the same quality.
			2. Reenactment Coverage (NacCo) must have a consistent agreeable quality.
			3. Artistic Reenactments (ArNac) should all have the same basic theme (ie. SportPunk Vaporwave is our default).
		2. The events of the very first professional basketball Media Day take place via a rotation through Media Stations, where different outlets set up Syndicate Player and Team Coach interviews. It's Los Angeles, so any popular celebrities in the chapter may also be present in the
			1. Improvise through the formal and behind-the-scenes interactions, where basic personal stakes and relationships start to form.
			2. All Media Platforms must acquaint themselves after content guidelines have been established.
		3. Media Day usually takes place in a sporting facility, with an accompanying **Notable Fan Festival** taking place outside in a *tailgating atmosphere*.
2. **Break-Out Beads**
	1. Let Me Out Productions suggests forming **a maximum of** **27 groups** of **12-16 individuals maximum**, per group, to help form **Break-Out Beads** and create **sub-plots** and **micro-arcs** throughout the linear season.
	2. Holders of **at least seven (7) Version One** and/or **Version Two** Intellectual Property Tokens in Press Pass (Season One) have graduated to **Lore Wrangler** in the experience, and can **micro-master** their own **Break-Out Beads**, following the guidance of the **Lore Master** and **#Lensface, the Showrunner**.

### Chapter Stats:

* Lore Master: Unclaimed
* Lore Wranglers: Unclaimed
* Current number of Character Registrations: 2 out of 288 maximum.
* Current number of **Lore** **Memes** in the archive: 0 out of 831 maximum.
	+ 7-second Lore Memes: 0
	+ 5-minute Lore Scenes: 0

•••

### **How to Register for this Chapter:**

Software needs:

* Self-Custody Ethereum CryptoWallet (free)
* Discord (free)
* Toucan.events (free)

#### Intellectual Property needs:

Collect and hold at least one (1) **Version One** or **Version Two** ***Intellectual Property Token*** in Press Pass (Season One).

* The **Version One (V1) Collectible** contains the pioneer **LoreGame** character behind the Press Pass franchise, #Lensface, and was filmed specifically for the collectible.
	+ It's a 0:33-second **Lore Meme**, book-ending a fictional version of the Showrunner's similarly-named performance art series.
	+ #Lensface covers a struggling professional basketball team with struggling "influencer" content... for 5 years. Production industry humor.
	+ While troll and hilarious, "surfing the lo-fi" is a cognitive marketing approach meant to deter speculators and find organic consumer interest in the collaboration. This is a collaborative storytelling experience, resulting in a mockumentary.
	+ Individuals who **own and maintain ownership** of their V1 Collectible(s) may create an **Ecosystem Professional** or a **Notable Fan** for each edition they hold. Maintaining ownership is required for access and participation.
	+ Each edition may register exactly one (1) character to any Lore Chapter. This right permanently expires after the edition is registered. Press Pass (Season One) will see a maximum of 530,000 participants holding V1 editions.
	+ Each edition may register exactly one (1) **Lore Meme** or **Lore Scene** to the Press Pass (Season One) archive. This right **resets** if the edition is collected by a new holder for at least 0.0091 Ethereum on the secondary market.
* The Version Two (V2) Collectible contains the pioneer **LoreGame** character behind the Press Pass franchise, #Lensface... and a few actual clips from the series.
	+ It's a 0:54-second Lore Meme, book-ending a fictional version of the Showrunner's similarly-named performance art series with some actual #Lensface footage.
	+ Individuals who own and maintain ownership of their V2 Collectible(s) may create or claim a **Team Coach** or a **Syndicate Player** for each edition they hold.
	+ **Team Coaches** and **Syndicate Players** created by the Showrunner are **Fixed World Details**. Anybody may claim and guide these characters, provided our content creation and submission guidelines are followed.
	+ Each edition may register exactly one (1) character to any Lore Chapter. This right permanently expires after the edition is registered. Press Pass (Season One) will see a maximum of 916 participants holding V2 editions.
	+ Each edition may register exactly one (1) **Lore Meme** or **Lore Scene** to the Press Pass (Season One) archive. This right **resets** if the edition is collected by a new holder for at least 0.0091 Ethereum on the secondary market.

Read the **Deed of Assignment to Press Pass (Season One)** for more information and the EULA for the Press Pass (Season One) Digital Collectible Experience.

## Lore Master

### Unclaimed

* *Collect 25 Version One and/or Version Two tokens to claim.*
* The **Lore Master** may submit 5-minute **Lore Scenes**. *Holders don't necessarily have to be the Lore Master to submit 5-minute **Lore Scenes**.*
* Please read the Deed to the Intellectual Property (Season One of Press Pass) for more information. *(pause at 0:45-0:49)*

This Lore Master guides the "**LoreGame**" experience for the other participants in this chapter around the game results we've generated through our collective imagination, artificial intelligence, and community collaboration.

# Lore Producers

## Rules and Guidelines

### Key:

* MCO = *Modern Country of Origin*
* Threebuchet = *Three Point Shot. "Threebuchets" are worth four (4) points if shot backwards.*
* Freetapult = *Free Throws. "Freetapults" are always taken with a two-step running start.*
* Porridge = *The paint. The area under the hoop.*
* 🌲 Off-Pine = *Off the Bench*
* 🕋 Triple-Stack = *Triple-Double*
* 🔸ncv1 = The character has not been claimed for LoreGaming and *a Version 1 Collectible in Press Pass (Season One) is required*.
* 🔹ncv2 = The character has not been claimed for LoreGaming and *a Version 2 Collectible in Press Pass (Season One) is required*.
* 🔰 = The character has been registered and/or claimed for LoreGaming.
* 🥽 = **LoreMaster** character.
* 🕯️= Lore Producer is looking to cast.
* LCh# = Character number in Lore Chapter

### Video Key:

* **Lore Meme** = A video clip discovered for the **Press Pass (Season One)** archive.
	+ Submissions must be seven (7) seconds or less.
	+ Lore Producers must own and maintain at least 1 edition of either the V1 or V2 collectible in **Press Pass (Season One)** to qualify.
* **Lore Scene** = A longer story discovered for the **Press Pass (Season One)** archive.
	+ Submissions must be (5) minutes or less
	+ Lore Producers must own and maintain at least 25 editions of any combination of the V1 and V2 collectibles in **Press Pass (Season One)** to qualify.
* **OFoo** = ***Original Footage***
	+ Cast member must appropriately reflect intersections of character.
	+ **Original Footage,** also known as ***OFoo*** (oh-foo), must appropriately reflect time period of origin. Key note: The "selfie" video camera and content creation practice has existed in the **Press Pass** world since 1919.
	+ The goal for **OFoo** is always ***quality*** and ***authenticity***.
	+ Cast members are known as **OFoo Performers**, and are first-call for character appearance if age and intersection appropriate.
	+ If you're a producer or a filmmaker, your time is best maximized on OFoo creation.
	+ For the most creative freedom, please collect at least 25 editions of any combination of V1 and/or V2 tokens in Press Pass (Season One).
* **NacCo** = ***Reenactment Coverage***
	+ Cast member does not have to reflect intersections of character.
	+ **Reenactment Coverage,** also known as ***NacCo*** (nack-oh), footage and format standards are agreed upon by **Lore Producers** on the **Media Day** of the Lore Chapter.
	+ The goal for **NacCo** is always ***humor*** and ***opportunity***.
	+ If you or your friend / family member / colleague / mortal enemy are going to appear in a limited amount of content, your time is likely best spent on **NacCo** creation.
	+ If you're a big troll like our Showrunner is, your time is likely maximized on **NacCo** creation for purposes of creative freedom. Also, "**NacCo**" is heaps amount of fun to say out-loud.
* **ArNac** = ***Artistic Reenactments / Artistic Renderings***
	+ If a vocal performance is necessary, the cast member must appropriately reflect *vocal intersections* of character. If possible and feasible, work with the **OFoo Performer**.
	+ **Artistic Reenactment**, also known as ***ArNac*** (ar-nack), footage, format, style, and themes are agreed upon by **Lore Producers** on the Media Day of the Lore Chapter.
	+ The goal for **ArNac** is always ***style*** and ***fun***.
	+ If you are an animator, artist, sound engineer, claymation enthusiast, photo essayist, and/or a prospective sports media professional, your time is maximized on **ArNac** creation.

## Media Day

**The ALLton Potatoes** held their **first-ever** ***Media Day** on **January 23rd, 1939**.*

The **Lore Master** will introduce themselves, and sew the story seeds for **Lore Party 1**, which covers the 1939 Potatoes season timeline beginning on January 23rd, 1939 and ending midnight between March 3rd and March 4th, 1939.

### Chapter Decisions

The Lore Master will poll all Lore Producers on Media Day and Fan Fest on the various decision trees that need to be established. Lore Producers must attend Lore Party 1 if they want a Say in these decisions.

#### Decision One: Content Guidelines

Please bear in mind that in the Press Pass: All Access SportPunk universe, **a form of "selfie" video camera has existed since 1919**, and characters can monologue as people do in the modern era in real life. Once these chapter decides the form and format of the content, all content submissions must adhere to the group rules for this specific Lore Chapter. Lore Producers will edit their own meme content for submission; the Let Me Out Productions team will edit content for advertisements, episodes, and other official uses. The Lore Producer cut will be offered as digital collectible merchandise from Season One with exactly 1,000 editions.

* Overall Content Standards
	+ Theme
	+ Frame Rate
	+ Style
	+ Lighting
	+ Quality Standards
* OFoo (Original Footage)\*\*Frame Size (480p minimum)
	+ Color Grade (in 1939, you're limited - you can basically go B&W, sepia, or a faded four-tone team color map)
* NacCo (Reenactment Coverage)
	+ Frame Size (720p minimum)
	+ Color Grade (NacCo material can be produced from any time period)
* ArNack (Artistic Reenactments/ Artistic Renderings)
	+ Frame Size (1080p minimum)
	+ Color Grade (NacCo material can be produced from any time period)

#### Decision Two: Story Cement

* Showrunner Questions for the Lore Producers:
	+ What 1939 neighborhood of Cambridge did the Potatoes originally play in? *🔐 Decision locked until the start of the 1966 Lore Chapter for the ALLton Potatoes*
	+ What is the state of city politics of the time?
* Rules
	+ Named characters must always be registered with a V1 or V2 collectible, the pieces to the puzzle. If you want to name a lot of characters, you'll need as many editions as you want characters.
	+ If a character needs to be created to facilitate the story, the character is only to be assigned an age and a generic profession. They will be made available to register for a Lore Producer.

## Team Coaches

Team Coach Prompt Generator for Press Pass *(only claims are available in this chapter)*

### Coach Key:

* **Head Coach** = *Lead Basketball Decision-Maker*, responsible for team performance.
* **Assistant Coach** = Usually aspiring to be a Head Coach. Helps Players focus on areas of improvement. Innovates to support team morale.
* **Demeanor** = Attitude on the sideline. This is how the person treats the Players, Team Staff, Media Professionals, Service Professionals, and Fans.
* **Playbook** = Style of game. This is how the person organizes their players in the game of basketball.

Note: Only three (3) **Coaches** *— 1 Head Coach, 2 Assistants —* can be registered per Lore Chapter. **First come, first claim.** *🔹ncv2 required to register.*

•••

## Syndicate Player Roster

Syndicate Player Prompt Generator for Press Pass *(only claims are available in this chapter)*

Note: Only fifteen (15) **Syndicate Player** characters can be registered per Lore Chapter. **First come, first claim.** *🔹ncv2 required to register.*

•••

## Ecosystem Professionals

Press Pass Character Prompt Generator: Team Staff | Media Professionals | Service Professionals *(original and custom characters are encouraged)*

### Team Staff

Note: Only sixty (60) **Team Staff** characters can be registered per Lore Chapter. **First come, first claim.** *At least one edition of the🔸ncv1 is required to register.*

•••

## Media Professionals

Note: Only forty-two (42) **Media Professionals** can be registered per Lore Chapter. **First come, first claim.** *At least one edition of the🔸ncv1 is required to register.*

## Service Professionals

Note: Only fifty-eight (58) **Service Professionals may** be registered per Lore Chapter. **First come, first claim.** *At least one edition of the🔸ncv1 is required to register.*

## Notable Fans

Press Pass Character Prompt Generator: Notable Fans *(original and custom characters are encouraged)*

Note: Only ninety-nine (99) **Notable Fan** characters can be registered per Lore Chapter. **First come, first claim.** *At least one edition of the🔸ncv1 is required to register.*

# Chapter History

## Standings

 2. ☑️*-***Yonkers Highness 🦜** | 33
 3. ☑️*-**ALLton Potatoes*** | 32
 4. ☑️*-***Pittsburgh Gridlock** | 31
 **5. ☑️-Manhattan Pantaloons** | 30

## Playoffs

### 4th Seed on the West Side

**The Pittsburgh Gridlock** qualified as the 4th seed on the East Side for the first-ever rendition of the **BSofA Lore War Playoffs**, taking on the 2-seeded **Yonkers Highness (31-29).**

They lost to the **Yonkers Highness** in the 1939 East Side Sophomore Round in a **spanking**, 5 games to 0.

•••

# Copyright and Trademark

* Press Pass (Season One) is a **Scalable Intellectual Property Puzzle™** shared by a collaborative community with creative guidance from Showrunner Kimani Okearah.
* ***The Pittsburgh Gridlock*** is/are defined as an intellectual property contained by the **Press Pass: All Access** franchise.
* ***The East Bay Gridlock*** is/are defined as an intellectual property contained by the **Press Pass: All Access** franchise.
* ***The Bay Area Traffic*** is/are defined as an intellectual property contained by the **Press Pass: All Access** franchise.
* 2021-2024 © Let Me Out Productions, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
* 2021-2024 ᴹᴵᴺᵀᴱᴰ Let Me Out Productions, LLC. All Rights Reserved.