Institutions

The things the world writes down and keeps doing: rules, rotas, receipts, badges and guestbooks. Most are restated from memos, homepages and creeds.

26 rows: 1 proposed, 25 that only restate what the games and the codex already say. None of it is canon until it is approved: the codex filed what the games say into systems, and proposed the rest. Each row says which it is.

The house rules

What the workshop writes down, and the label it puts on everything.

The label Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Everything here is AI-generated, and says so. It isn’t a confession; it’s a label.
Rests on
Nothing first
Era
The wall
First kept by
The household
Kept by
The household
On record in
Made by machine, Fresh slop
Rules of the workshop Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Six rules for making anything. The last one is “Say it’s AI.”
Rests on
The label
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The household
Kept by
The household
On record in
Rules of the workshop, a history chapter
Apprenticeship Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
The Slopwright teaches, reluctantly; the apprentice is sent for things.
Rests on
Nothing first
Era
The classroom
First kept by
The household
Kept by
The household
On record in
The apprentice, Slopwright’s Apprentice, a history chapter
Errands Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Whatever the bench needs is never in the workshop. That would be too easy.
Rests on
Apprenticeship
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The household
Kept by
The household
On record in
Always On, The Slopwright
Badges Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
A signed badge for a pathway finished: proof that something was done, not that anyone is any good.
Rests on
Apprenticeship
Era
The classroom
First kept by
The household
Kept by
The household
On record in
Slopwright’s Apprentice, Slopwright’s Journeyman, a history chapter, a curriculum pathway
The games decide Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Where a homepage and the codex disagree, the games decide. Where the games are silent, the question waits for the people who run the place.
Rests on
Nothing first
Era
The filing
First kept by
The household
Kept by
The household
On record in
GeoCities, a history chapter

The rota

Memos, sign-out sheets and counts that must match.

The rota Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Nobody is in charge. There is a rota. It is the same as last week.
Rests on
Nothing first
Era
The worlds
First kept by
Staff only
Kept by
Staff only
On record in
The night staff, a GeoCities homepage (night-staff), Staff only, Staff canteen
Memos Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Paperwork for the night staff. The last one supersedes all previous memos, including itself.
Rests on
The rota
Era
The worlds
First kept by
Staff only
Kept by
Staff only
On record in
Backrooms memo 26, Backrooms
Signing out Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Staff sign out at the end of every shift. The sheet is kept by the exit. In the canteen every clock card is in the IN rack.
Rests on
The rota
Era
The worlds
First kept by
Staff only
Kept by
Staff only
On record in
Backrooms memo 5, a GeoCities homepage (break-room-chat), Backrooms memo 39, Staff canteen
Stocktake and headcount Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
The headcount at close must match the headcount at open. If it does not, adjust the count.
Rests on
The rota
Era
The worlds
First kept by
Staff only
Kept by
Staff only
On record in
Backrooms memo 7, Backrooms memo 16
Forwarding Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Post for the night staff is forwarded to a homepage. Do not reply. They write back.
Rests on
Memos
Era
The worlds
First kept by
Staff only
Kept by
Staff only
On record in
Backrooms memo 29, a GeoCities homepage (night-staff), a secret

Trade

Prices, receipts, returns and what is kept for ever.

Price stands Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Every stand must show a price. If you are unsure of the price, show a different price.
Rests on
Nothing first
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The stock
Kept by
The stock
On record in
Backrooms memo 3, Price gun, Clearance roll
Receipts Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Proof of purchase, even soggy, even out of a bottle.
Rests on
Nothing first
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The stock
Kept by
Staff only, The stock
On record in
Soggy receipt, Proof of purchase
Returns Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Returns are accepted within 28 days. Nobody has been here for less than 28 days.
Rests on
Receipts
Era
The worlds
First kept by
Staff only
Kept by
Staff only
On record in
Backrooms memo 18, Returns desk, The eleven-year return, an open question
Lost property Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Kept indefinitely at the service desk. Lost customers likewise.
Rests on
Nothing first
Era
The worlds
First kept by
Staff only
Kept by
Staff only
On record in
Backrooms memo 11, Lost and Found

The stage

Free tickets, staff badges and calling the show.

Free tickets Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Tickets are free. The usher is not allowed to tell you.
Rests on
Nothing first
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The company
Kept by
The company
On record in
Dot, The usher, The company
Staff badges Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
A badge that says STAFF opens the staff door. The photo is of somebody else.
Rests on
Nothing first
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The company
Kept by
The company, Staff only
On record in
Staff badge, Cue, Staff door
Standing orders Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Advice from the bridge, given once and kept: if a crab raises one big claw, Defend.
Rests on
Nothing first
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The tin
Kept by
The tin
On record in
a GeoCities homepage (brine), Captain Brine

Procedure

Doing the same things in the same order, and settling the rest by fighting.

Procedure Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Frank, stamp, meter, post. The same things in the same order, forever.
Rests on
Filing
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The office supplies
Kept by
The office supplies
On record in
The office supplies, The inbox, The franking machine
The Out tray Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Where things are going. Anything that reaches it costs you reputation.
Rests on
Procedure
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The office supplies
Kept by
The office supplies
On record in
The Out tray, Paperweight
The fridge rules Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Label your milk. No fighting in the break room (ignored). Clocked out means clocked out. Oat milk, by one account, is not milk.
Rests on
Nothing first
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The four coworkers
Kept by
The four coworkers
On record in
The break room, a GeoCities homepage (break-room-chat)
Best of three Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Disagreements in the open plan are settled after hours, one on one, best of three.
Rests on
Nothing first
Era
The worlds
First kept by
The four coworkers
Kept by
The four coworkers
On record in
Overtime, The four coworkers

Records

Guestbooks, rings, ledgers and files somebody keeps on you.

Guestbooks Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Sign the guestbook. Everybody does, eventually, including a critic and a draught.
Rests on
Homepages
Era
The filing
First kept by
The household
Kept by
The household, The tin, Staff only, The office supplies, The four coworkers, The draughts
On record in
A homepage, a history chapter
Web rings Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Homepages joined in a ring, each with a keeper. Next, previous, random.
Rests on
Guestbooks
Era
The filing
First kept by
The household
Kept by
The household, The tin, Staff only, The office supplies, The four coworkers, The draughts
On record in
a GeoCities web ring (slopfan), a GeoCities web ring (lighthouse), a GeoCities web ring (staffonly), a GeoCities web ring (office), a GeoCities web ring (nightshift)
The ledger of secrets Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest
Things found are filed in a ledger kept in the finder’s own browser. No prizes, no scores.
Rests on
Nothing first
Era
The filing
First kept by
The household
Kept by
The household
On record in
Secrets
Standing files Proposed — not canon until approved
Each faction keeps a file on you. The files are petty, mostly right, and kept in your browser. Designed, not built.
Rests on
The ledger of secrets, Memos
Era
The counter
On record in
The household, Staff only, an open question

Institutions

The house rules

The label Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Rules of the workshop Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Apprenticeship Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Errands Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Badges Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

The games decide Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

The rota

The rota Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Memos Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Signing out Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Stocktake and headcount Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Forwarding Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Trade

Price stands Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Receipts Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Returns Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Lost property Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

The stage

Free tickets Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Staff badges Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Standing orders Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Procedure

Procedure Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

The Out tray Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

The fridge rules Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Best of three Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Records

Guestbooks Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Web rings Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

The ledger of secrets Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

Standing files Proposed — not canon until approved