The Affection Multiplier
Because sometimes you need to even the odds.
Chapter 1
by 
Fantasy
Some people have it easy. They’re born lucky, with money, with families that love them, with talents that let them succeed in life and in some rare cases, all of them together. Then there’s the Average Joes. They live normal, yet challenging lives. It’s a daily struggle, but one that’s possible to overcome with enough effort. They make up the majority of the world’s population.
Then life decides that it’s potty time, and all the shit falls on top of one person. Maybe it’s a single event, maybe it’s several in succession, or perhaps even a lifetime of misfortune.
These are stories about those people, and how the universe, in its almighty wisdom, attempts to balance things by giving them compensation for such bad luck. When looked at from the outside, some of these lives might not seem that terrible, but the feelings of the unlucky ones are real, and in their despair, they need a bit of karmic aid.
That’s where the Affection Multiplier comes in. Its form depends on the receiver, but its effects are always the same. It gives fondness a numerical value and increases the rate at which affection from others is gained. As a safety measure to avoid making things even worse, the effect only works up, so it doesn’t multiply enmity.
We live in society, surrounded by people. Magically becoming more likable is a huge edge, no matter what kind of situation one is in. What they do once they get the gift, it’s their choice. Will they attempt to live happy lives or will they get drunk with power, taking over the minds of those around them?
That is not the universe’s concern anymore. As far as it knows, balance has been kept.
(Editor’s note, August 25th, 2020: Inactive branches noted in their titles, current as of today. In all cases of branches classified as ‘dead’ the author hasn’t been around for about 6 months, or at least hasn’t had any activity on their account. Otherwise if the author has contacted me or Fantasy the branch is listed as on hiatus. Looking forward to hearing from ya, guys. Hope yer all alright. ~ W)
Whose role do you take on?
- David Walker – The only boy in an all-girls academy. (Fantasy) [Completed]
- Frank Thompson - A father beaten down by work and family (ThreeNipps)
- John Doe - A Detective that doesn't actually have the app for himself. (TheNextGamer - Updating schedule is horrendous)
- Simon Sinclair – A public school teacher who hates his job. (Fantasy)
- Matt Jones – A Joke Contestant on Island Amour, a Reality TV Show (DimUse92; Branch on indefinite hiatus)
- Jimmy Nibornski (AKA Lazlo F. X. Black, Darius P. Just, Ryan Phillip Morningstar, Marcus James Woolshire III, and Liam Conner Fitzpatrick, plus others as necessary), a small time criminal, con artist, and thrill seeker. (MrWhysper)
- Jason Ramirez, a part time grocery clerk and unsuccessful YouTuber, who finds a new app on his phone (Gfoxx2; Status, dead)
- Jack Jericho — A down on his luck character living in the world of superheroes (Orange Man; Status, dead as disco)
- Writer’s Guidelines READ ME BEFORE STARTING A NEW BRANCH
- Arkady, a prisoner, sometime in the future (leuler; Status, non-responsive)
- Jacob Carter - a lonely genius with bad luck (DFang)
- OOC: Writer's Resource Appendix
- Lucus Straight a 20 year who still lives with his family (I-love-boobs3)
- Zach Pritchard, an IT worker at a health facility where 90% of his coworkers are women (wilparu)
- Markus Najbreit — the Estranged Son of a Billionaire (bobbobbobthethir)
- Jakob Holloway - A Flawblood Noble in the Medieval Age (Fink; Status, Dead)
- Simon Hughes, an orphan destined for bigger things
- Isabella Davis – A new university student looking to make a fresh start (Gibbio260)
- Aviel Mandebaum, an Israeli war veteran returning home (Ebanu8)
- Darren Patel - A 24 year old recent college grad and veteran on vacation in Europe (Montmorency; Status of branch, hiatus))
- Grigory Yefimovich Rasputin (Status: Ongoing, MrWhysper)
- Zeren Drake, Priest of Deslyna (Godess of love, lust and passion) and member of the Scarlet Company adventuring party (JoyousJenny)
- Reglin Farmstedt- A Guardsman in a Fantastical Alternate World (mr_eff)
- Fredric Bakerson, 24 year old daytrader and social hermit trying to make ends meet. (Grozar)
- Jace Sanders, a college freshman (PhoenixAuthor)
- I AM GUS - an artificial intelligence with the Affection Multiplier developed as part of its operating system. (Deadedge)
- Sabishi Yuri, the loneliest lesbian in the East Blue
- Jay Craig, 36 year old divorcee (saktongmanyak) [Posts Mondays and Thursdays]
- Lev Malyshev - A Russian-American father, struggling against corporate America and his ancestry.
- Cody Stevens - A university student and band geek
- Jon Steel A MMA fighter with Shit Luck
- Aviel Mandebaum - An Israeli War veteran moving to Liberia (Ebanu8) [Rewrite]
- Max Dow - Marketing Consultant who's stuck in a rut.
- Robbie Blane; 25 year old Event Coordinator, and Boyfriend of the User
- Wesley Doe - An Overnight Security Guard at a Local Mall
- Jake Whittaker, Ex-Marine, now a PI dabbling in the world of supernatural. (UnknownSam)
- Add a new chapter