Discuss Kensington Backstage

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[center][SIZE=3][SIZE=1][URL="http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b16/Blayze54/?action=view¤t=hughferriss.jpg"][IMG]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b16/Blayze54/hughferriss.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[B]Art by Hugh Ferriss and Raymond Hood - New York Modern[/B]
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Kensington Backstage

[/U][/B][SIZE=1][B][U][SIZE=2]Kensington Industries[/SIZE][/U][/B]

Founded in the early 18th Century by Robert Kensington, Kensington Industries quickly grew from a single, small business dealing with the acquisition of products brought into the country by foreign merchants into a global corporation.

As the company spread, they assimilated other, smaller companies into the whole, creating a brand which was recognisable in thousands of different products. Through quality craftsmanship and affordable products, Kensington became one of the most popular brand names in history - bigger than Nike, bigger than McDonalds, bigger even than Coca-Cola.

Now, in 2010, Kensington Industries has branches across the globe, and has opened many different subsidiaries, each specialising in the production of different quality products. The current CEO is Lazarus Kensington, by all accounts a good and moral man, who has begun to focus more attention on the charity work that he feels it is his duty to carry out.

However, this has made him enemies within his own company. Many people are dissatisfied with the amount of money that Lazarus is pouring into charitable work, believing that it is the company's job to make money rather than throw it all away.

But Lazarus' own influence spreads further throughout the company - he has placed members of his own family in positions of authority, ensuring that any disloyalty is spotted immediately. Every member of the board of directors is related to Lazarus in some way, so the man himself can keep an eye on the entire company.

But this can't work forever.

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[SIZE=2][U][B]Divisions of Kensington Industries[/B][/U][/SIZE]

[B]Kensington Technologies[/B] - this subsidiary includes Electronics, Entertainment Systems, Communications, Medical Systems, Biotech and Weapons Research, and is headed up by Lazarus' eldest son, Marcus Kensington.
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Kensington Commerce[/B] - including Shipping, Oil and Steel, headed up by Lazarus' only brother, Jonathan Kensington.

[B]Kensington Chemicals[/B] - including Ecology Studies and Pharmaceuticals, and is headed up by Andrea Dillon, Lazarus' only daughter and wife of Gregory Dillon, a Kensington TV News Reporter.

[B]Kensington Military[/B] - includes the private security force of Kensington Industries and the paramilitary wing. Headed by Major Alan Kensington, Lazarus' eldest nephew, and a high-flier in the military.
[B]
Kensington Media[/B] - Kensington Industries control a large portion of the world's media - this subsidiary is closely tied with the Entertainment Systems division, producing televisions, DVD players and recorders and other entertainment-related products. They also have their own TV channels, and license a lot of film and television. Headed up by Prometheus Kensington, Lazarus' second son.

[B]Kensington Trust Foundation[/B] - the current apple of Lazarus' eye, the Trust Foundation is in charge of all charity outgoings that the company undertakes. Headed up by Graham Kensington-Griffiths, Joanna's only son from her first marriage.

[B]PR Department[/B] - this department includes personnel and marketing, and is the part of the company which ties the others together. Headed up by Lazarus' youngest son, Alexander, an ace spin doctor.
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Management[/B] - the nerve centre of Kensington Industries, which includes the Accounts department, and headed up by Lazarus' wife and mother to all his children, Joanna Kensington-Griffiths.

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The Board of Directors[/B][/U][/SIZE]

As Lazarus heads the company as CEO, the Board serves to relate the inner workings of each subsidiary to Lazarus himself, and is made up of the heads of each department. Lazarus is trusting enough that he believes every family member he has in a position of power and authority will be loyal to him. However, other company members in lower positions of authority feel resentment towards their CEO for this, accusing him of being an exponent of extreme nepotism.
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Locations[/B][/U][/SIZE]

Kensington Industries has branches in every major country across the world. The following is a list of cities which hold a Kensington building (all of which are built identically, save the original in New York City, which is a lot bigger):

London
Hong Kong
Los Angeles
Paris
Singapore
Mumbai
New York
Amsterdam
Melbourne
Nairobi
Munich
Moscow

These are the major branches, however, there are smaller offices in other locations across the globe, from research stations at the South Pole to retail outlets in towns, and even as far as the upper atmosphere, where the revolutionary space station Kensington 1 is located.

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I believe that this is everything I need to put here at this stage. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have regarding this RP within this thread.

Every character mentioned in this thread (except Alexander and Lazarus) are available to those signing up - I have specifically left out any real detail about them so that the characters are open to be fleshed out by the individual players. However, not all of these positions need to be filled - those that are not will remain as NPCs.

This first post is where I will be posting all important information regarding the RP, so remember to keep checking back in as the story progresses.[/SIZE]
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[Sandy]

I closed the other thread for you, to avoid confusion about where to post what.

The background seems interesting, although how the heads of apartments are almost all related reminds me of the tv-series [I]Dynasty[/I]. But I liked that series, so I meant it in a good sense.

Just one minor notification: if Graham is from the first marriage of Lazarus Kensington's wife (and thus not related to Lazarus by blood), then he shouldn't bear the Kensington name, should he? Unless Lazarus adopted him... It's really minor detail, but it just caught my eye.

Anyway, good going thus far!

[Gavin]

[SIZE="1"]Despite any worries you have/had about this projects similaity to Almagest, I have to say, despite some superficial ones, it seems to be completely different and I'm rather intrigued by it. I imagine if/when the company does actually start to splinter, a lot of the family loyalty is going to be put to the test.[/SIZE]

[Muse]

[size=1] This sounds really, really interesting. I love the idea of the characters all being related, it adds a sort of different level altogether that's always so much fun to explore. I'm anxious to see how this goes :animesmil. Love the name choices for Prometheus and Lazarus...[/size]

[Raiha]

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]But this still begs the question, how many people know who Lazarus was? I mean seriously. Who's read the gospel of Matthew anyway.

But otherwise I like the idea quite a bit, like Almagest collides with Batman Begins and has a lovechild named Kensington.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[James]

[font=franklin gothic medium]I guess my only question is whether or not you have a general plot in your mind at this point - I mean, the set up/background is quite good... but I'm wondering if you have any ideas of how the story might progress?

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[SIZE=1]Thanks for your interest, everyone, it's really good to see so many people so keen on this idea.

To answer some questions: [B]Sandy[/B], Graham was very young when Lazarus and Joanna married, and as such his mother decided to change his name to encompass her husband's.

[B]Muse[/B], I just wanted to point out that not all the characters are going to be related - the heads of department are all part of the Kensington family, but players are free to create characters outside of the family, and are encouraged to do so.

[B]James[/B], in answer to your question, I have ideas about the general direction of the plot, and some major events within, but how and when we get to those events and how quickly we progress through the story is very much up to the players themselves. I don't want to keep a stranglehold on the players' creativity, so I'm not going to create a rigid story which we all must stick to.

And [B]Raiha[/B], Lazarus was one of two people - either a beggar given great reward in the afterlife as opposed to a rich man named Dives who got nothing, or a believer in Jesus whom Jesus decided to resurrect. Jesus was a showoff.

[B]EDIT: [/B]The backstage thread is now up. It can be found [URL="http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=59040"][B]here[/B].[/URL][/SIZE]