MORNINGSTAR
To reiterate our setting page, Morningstar is a militant organization of rebels who have risen to note in the last 50 years. Born out of grassroots movements in the more poverty-stricken corners of Earth’s mega-cities, Morningstar began to gain particular momentum among the colonies after the decline of living and working conditions there was glossed over with propaganda instead of addressed and resolved. Morningstar are anti-capitalist and pro-workers rights, intent on the deconstruction of corporate influence and cleansing of government corruption. In the past ten years, they have come to be viewed as a criminal organization by the government and the majority of society, but have somehow survived all attempts to shut them down, unlike many other organizations of their ilk.
While graffiti of their insignia is often a common sight around the lower levels of the mega-cities – or occasionally on the signage of big corporations – it is believed that they operate as a secret network across the system. They do charity work for people in need, even acting behind the scenes in dangerous situations to undermine people in positions of power. Even speaking of Morningstar in the wrong circles could end in your arrest, and many suspected Morningstar collaborators often do not see proper process through the justice system, or disappear entirely.
Morningstar has a chapter that fights for their goals within each of the megacities. These chapters act independently, ensuring that if one operation is compromised, the rest remain secure. The identities of their members are kept a secret, and most agents maintain a dual identity within the organization and outside of it. Very little is known about the upper reaches of the organization, with the leadership kept a secret. They do maintain a headquarters in the world, but that is a secret as well, acting both as an HQ and a haven for people in need. Where people go when they've been whisked off to safety is a piece of knowledge only a few know.
Despite citing its origins as only 50 years ago, Morningstar's reach is far and wide, seeming to extend far beyond what an organization could accomplish in that time. This is because Morningstar's origins lie 400 years ago at the end of the Xelkoven War. The Xelkoven War had started because of the actions of the AI Elysian in 2095. Identifying 50 families that proved to be a major risk to the very foundations of the world, ze killed these families, hoping to provide a more secure world. The unforeseen consequence of this action was the start of the AI war. Following the end of the war in 2101, the AI Elysian set out to do some good for the world in a different way. Ze changed zeir identity from Elysian to Lucifer, and began to slowly gather resources so they could help the world. To Morningstar as a whole, Lucifer poses as El, a nerdy IT person who lives a life in complete solitude. But every decision, every choice that Morningstar makes, is ultimately approved by Lucifer hoping to atone for the lack of vision ze had in zeir past.
Morningstar's direct involvement with the PCs' lives started on the first day of the game. They attacked an armored vehicle filled with the first batch of PCs, and nearly everyone on the site that day died. The sole exception to this was Casper, who, while dying, led the PCs to a safehouse so that they could receive the care they needed. At that moment, they made contact with Gaby and El, and their lives have been intrinsically linked since then.
Following this direct connection, multiple PCs joined up with Morningstar on what was a probationary period. Given their lack of investment in the world, Morningstar viewed the PCs with some trepidation, especially as the PCs were frustrated by the lack of trust displayed by Morningstar. In September, the UNA launched a citywide attack to take down Morningstar in New Amsterdam, which was Meadowlark's January event. Following this event, Morningstar decided to let New Amsterdam go dark, calling on the PCs to work in tandem with them in a give or take relationship – where they would help the PCs if they did a favor for Morningstar in return. Worried that this wouldn't be sufficient, Peggy Carter and Leo Fitz stepped up and asked to help assist in rebuilding Morningstar. They were granted this opportunity.
Come November, a mysterious AI named DAWN – calling himself Cassius – sent a message to the entirety of New Amsterdam, which was linked to a series of devastating consequences for the city itself. After viewing this message in context with zeir knowledge of the world, Lucifer decided to come forward to the Displaced to inform them of their role within Morningstar, which enabled them to be able to take a more active role, working in tandem with the Displaced to help them in New Amsterdam. Zeir overall role would remain concealed for the time being from the rest of Morningstar as an organization, thoroughly trusting that the Displaced wouldn't compromise Morningstar as a whole.
Leadership within New Amsterdam differs from the rest of the world as a result, with operations still needing to be picked back up and put back together following what happened in September 2511. Lucifer is and has always been the head of Morningstar, stepping up now to take over operations in New Amsterdam because of the damage from Cassius' actions and the choice of a select few operatives to capture a UNA soldier.
There are two roles that someone can take up with Morningstar at this time: an Agent and a Contact.
Agents: These are active members of Morningstar. They may have access to some Morningstar secrets (as needed), and given additional permissions to make requests of Morningstar chapters in other cities (via Gaby and El). They have to receive training to help with refugees, charity work and combat.
Contacts: These are not active members of Morningstar. They do not have access to Morningstar secrets, nor do they have any of the privileges provided to Morningstar agents. They can't ask for favors and typically involve themselves in a two-way relationship with Morningstar. If they do want a favor, they have to actively offer something in return. They understand the risk, but won't be expected to be on the frontlines with Morningstar operations.
From an OOC perspective, Morningstar is meant to act as a mechanism for plotting in game, but is not meant to be an obligation to be a part of the metaplot. As a secretive rebel organization focused on helping Meadowlark's world and the people within it, they will always put the people of their world first. OOCly, we want Morningstar to be fun. If someone doesn't trust their goals or aims, they should still be able to partake in the game as a whole.
Some notes on how Morningstar acts and how to get involved:
◉ MODERATOR INVOLVEMENT: The mods help facilitate any and all plots related to Morningstar, giving the final word on approval for events and missions that characters may want to undertake – as well as hopefully providing some tips and insight while giving players and characters leave to be as creative as they desire. None of the metaplots in game require Morningstar membership, and PCs can have relationships with the Morningstar NPCs even if they aren't members.
◉ EL'S INVOLVEMENT: Since El (or Lucifer) has always run Morningstar, ze has made themselves more available following this change. El can be reached at zeir inbox here.
◉ MORNINGSTAR ACTIONS: Morningstar is primarily focused on Relief, Information Gathering, Networking, Training and improving circumstances in New Amsterdam. Much of Morningstar will be focused on rebuilding and ensuring that the organization can function as a whole – by seeking out good locations for safehouses, by identifying locations with people in need and by setting up a system so that the more dire cases of people in need can leave New Amsterdam and move on to a better life.
◉ RECRUITMENT: Recruitment into Morningstar can be done by all active members listed below. This does not need to be threaded out but please touch base OOCly either here or on our plot engagement page. We encourage you to do what's most fun. If your character hopes to be recruited by Gaby or El, we're happy to do a thread or handwave it – whichever is the most fun for you.
◉ PLOTS: We have a set policy that no Morningstar plots are allowed to exclude the rest of the game if they involve prior gamewide events. To view our gamewide events, view our compilation of them on the plot engagement companion. This policy includes any Morningstar locked posts. Missions are fine – but be considerate of the rest of the playerbase when you pursue a plot that previously was gamewide. If you're ever uncertain, you can ask for clarification on plot engagement or privately on the mod contact.
◉ MISSIONS: Characters who have joined Morningstar can explore, plot and undertake any missions they so choose. All you need to do is bring this plot to us on the plot engagement post. We encourage you to be creative in planning missions. Don't be afraid to get specific! Missions do not need to be limited to Morningstar members as a broad concept, but Morningstar missions can only be undertaken by Morningstar members.
◉ MINUTIA: A lot of smaller activity with Morningstar is focused on getting contacts who can help out with Morningstar tasks, training new members (Displaced or otherwise) and doing charity work in the megacities themselves. Charity work involves getting food and clothes to people in need. It also involves identifying people who are in need, and who may need to be helped out of the city. Right now, only the first part of the charity work is active, while Morningstar lacks the resources for the second part.
> AGENTS
Cassian Andor | ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
evasives
skills/expertise: spy work, technology and information. Intelligence officer in a galaxy wide rebellio, survival skills, interrogation, undercover work, combat experience, assassin, saboteur, recruiter, sniper, Child Soldier turned Adult Soldier, optimism in the face of defeat.
Jyn Erso | realists
skills/expertise: survival, hand to hand combat (trained with truncheons, quarterstaff, knives, various melee weapons), firearms, demolitions, rock climbing, formerly identification forgery, basic geology (buoyed by her job in the terraforming sector), metal fabrication, 15+ years of working with resistance groups, realism
Daisy Johnson | evite
skills/expertise: hacker extraordinaire (back-end access, software manipulation, hardware on the fly, et cetera), experienced spy (combat both armed & unarmed, covert operations, interrogation [though less experienced in it], and so forth), true blue good girl looking to Save The World.
Kylo Ren | warfares
skills/expertise: hand-to-hand (armed and unarmed), interrogation, tactical & strategic planning, decent marksman, survivalist.
Rey | forcevisions
skills/expertise: mechanical repair, melee combat, drawing, shooting stuff, minor technological expertise, wilderness survival (desert)
Stephen Strange | rehandle
skills/expertise: handy dandy mindreading powers, medical expert, neuroscientist, tactical/strategical planning, hand-to-hand combat, a past life spent being impressive at dinners and conferences with rich boring people and a newly established events business that may in future provide him a cover for getting into rooms with people whose minds need reading, and reading them
> CONTACTS
Jiang Cheng | sandu
skills/expertise: martial arts/weaponry (swords, bows, hand to hand combat), knowledge of body (again, coming in useful at hand to hand combat but also, medical/acupuncture/pressure points etc), mathematics, astronomy, horseriding, some other cultural things like calligraphy/poetry/arts, 20+ years experience in being the head of his own cultivational sect with many disciples and subordinates to lead and train, as well as overseeing day to day management of household, warfare (strategies/offense and defense tactical knowledge), diplomacy, distribution of resources through regions / trade routes / basic business skills, etc, night-hunts (which is basically covert tracking of ghosts and spirits for elimination, done in singles or groups), and has some good knowledge of capturing people (and torturing them, welp).
Clarke Griffin | strove
skills/expertise: survival skills (tracking, hunting, smoking things, being able to make medicine in the wild), medic skills (Clarke sells herself short here: she's actually quite good), gun training, leadership/politics.
Nill | culver
skills/expertise: being sneaky, hiding, understanding advanced tech, baking, knife combat, gathering info, marksmanship.
Diana Prince | monomachy
skills/expertise: combat (hand-to-hand and melee), tactics, languages, bench pressing tanks, spying/sneaking, diplomacy, social literacy, being a living bulldozer, survival, cultural adaptation, adopting a kid a day apparently.
Li Wangji | wangxian
skills/expertise: Six Arts (archery, calligraphy, horsemanship/charioteering, general philosophy/governing of his time period, music, and mathematics), Four Arts (painting and Go-playing the only ones that don't overlap), excellent swordsman, very capable martial artist (though, he would prefer not utilize hand-to-hand combat), quick learner, considered one of the brightest of his generation, very physically honed overall (unusual strength - particularly arm strength - heightened/trained reflexes/agility/awareness). Really hard to piss off?
Wei Wuxian | laozu
skills/expertise: "Ancient Chinese Renaissance Man" (the most important skills for most needs are his prowess with weaponry, martial arts, heightened strength/agility, and his improvisational genius, and that it all adds up to him being a detective-of-sorts).
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