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PLOT ENGAGEMENT
What is Plot Engagement and how does it work within Meadowlark? This is the page where players can come discuss with us how to facilitate plots within the setting. However, there will be occasions where a plot doesn't work within Meadowlark's world, and we'll suggest alternative routes. For small worldbuilding or gameplay details, please direct your question to the FAQ. If you're ever not sure if you're at the right page, don't worry—we'll help you get it sorted out. We know we have a load of info!
In addition, you do not need to have a complete plot in mind when you come to us. We aim for plot engagement to be more of a conversation between us and our players. If we propose a plot angle and it's not to your liking, we're more than happy to work with you to come up with something more to your tastes.
WHEN WILL YOU HEAR BACK?
◉ All Plot Engagement answers go out on Sunday, except during events.
◉ The deadline to submit a question and ensure you'll hear back from us on Sunday is 11:59 PM UTC on Saturday.
PLOT ENGAGEMENT INCLUDES
◉ Player plots! If you'd like your character to become a mafia boss, this is your place to start. Typically, this involves anything that could impact the setting or other player characters.
◉ Character career advancement that gives the character additional power or status within the setting.
◉ Metaplot exploration and information! We plan all events to give characters something to explore after the event ends. This is the place to do it!
SUBMISSION TIPS
◉ Specify what your character is looking for when they're investigating. What questions are they asking and what angle are they trying to explore?
◉ If you have a specific goal in mind but don't know how to reach it, please let us know.
◉ If you link a thread to us, please summarize it! That helps us process the plot in question.
◉ Don't worry about not knowing the setting like the back of your hand before you submit the plot—that's up to us! We're here to help you with any adjustments to get you on the right track.
◉ Plot engagement is meant to help with IC play so that characters can continue to interact. If you're not sure how to loop in others, let us know so that we can work with you on it! While this page is meant to be a conversation between players and mods, we know that the fun part of a plot is how it can change character arcs, spice up CR, and more.
NOTES & THINGS THAT YOU CAN HANDWAVE
◉ Characters always start out in entry level positions. Characters can update their skill sets to the 2512 standard through paid apprenticeships or internships.
◈ If a character is advancing within a major corporation (as noted on the Setting or Locations page) or one of its subsidiaries, we will need to approve this advancement.
◈ If a character becomes a supervisor at a local bar or other small business, we do not need to approve this advancement.
◉ Joining the police force within a city requires three months of IC training (six months OOC). There will be instances where this changes, and we'll keep you looped in on that.
◉ We'll approve whether someone has social media fame, but we will not be providing social media follower counts. Once you have a plot for how to use those followers, that's where we step in!
◉ All Morningstar business goes on our Morningstar page. Please feel free to discuss specific plots here (including joining), and go there for signups and anything else.
◉ Characters getting jobs, finding apartments, participating in the fighting rings, getting married, making workplace friends, the creation of minor NPCs, etc. do not need to be run by us. Please let us know if these expand into player plots or other plot bits!
QUICK LINKS
◉ Archived Plot Engagement: Previous Plot Engagement.
◉ FAQ: For small worldbuilding or gameplay details.
◉ Setting: Our setting page! We'll update as needed.
◉ Jobs: A reference for who's working where!
◉ Locations: Both major and minor locations within New Amsterdam, as well as outlines for other megacities.
◉ Mod Contact: For wider game concerns.
◉ The Story So Far: Gamewide plot events up to current (your CTRL+F best friend!).
◉ NPC page: Includes NPC blurbs and inboxes.
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giftsquestions1. having accepted that the people setting up shrines to the displaced are here to stay, thor wants to try to engage with those people directly(knowing that as a former cardinal he won't necessarily be viewed well). this will involve putting information out there about himself and the myths around him back home, and over time engaging more directly with the worshipers and finding out who they are, why they're interested in worship, what they think the worship will achieve, if there's any help they need.
he's very cautious about making promises to help because he can't do all the things he used to, but if he's going to be worshiped here he wants it to be done right, and for people to know who it is they're setting up shrines to. what will the response to this be? are people amenable to one of the displaced reaching out to them?
1.5 thor's interested in learning about the gods of this world, and he'll use any connections he makes this way to learn what he can or find where more information can be found! will the approach above lead to any information or people to talk with?
2. HE WANTS TO GO HUNTING and also to figure out what animals now exist and where, but mostly hunting. he's willing to travel on foot for up to a week in any direction outside any of the major cities, and he has a number of friends who'd join him on various trips. what kind of animals would be find? what's edible? is there network coverage out that far??
3. thor's keen to go to north america!!! if a hovercar/bus will get him there he's keen to try it, but otherwise he'll get a boat and sail over
because if there's anything he should good at, it's sailing to north america from europewill this be possible? he'll be reaching out to see if there are others interested in joining him for the trip in case there's a better way to get there.
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1. For our purposes, we want to clarify if you're referring to the shrine makers around New Amsterdam that have been around for a while (that Thor would be aware of), or the recent religious devotees who will be coming out of the Aerie? The former has their own set of beliefs based around the Displaced and their deeds so far, and Thor's been pictured in their works. In the latter, it's a burgeoning religion, but it's one where he'll be able to have a bit more influence on their approach moving forward. To be clear, the shrine makers have a leader of their own and some direction, but the new followers of this still forming belief-system are there to be shaped to Thor's liking (depending, of course, on his choices). Let us know! And feel free to ask any questions because we know these two groups can be confusing.
1.5 A lot of this belief system has been lost to history, so a lot of the people on the ground are getting information second hand. It does seem that the shrine makers' former leader (Ball) had some more information than he let on, and there is also the mysterious Nirvana/Legion who's been behind the Banksy murals. Using those connections to try to reach out to Nirvana is probably a good first step.
2. Hunting is definitely a possibility, though Thor will likely want to not draw too much attention to doing this, as there are likely going to be people who take issue with it! Given that animals were a scarce resource for so long, hunting these newfound ones for food or sport would be a point of contention. The first obstacle here would be getting over the walls without getting noticed, as no one is supposed to venture out into the wilds between megacities without a permit of some sort. Thor might be able to follow some of the animals that wandered into the city back over the wall, but he'll need to be careful about surveillance, etc. Once he gets outside, he will likely want to contain everything he does to beyond the walls. (Coming back in with a carcass of anything would draw a lot of attention.)
If he goes on a long hunting trip, he won't be without an internet connection!
3. Tomato is also interested in North America, so we suggest you guys work together on this one. Essentially, we want getting to North America to be a gamewide plot, and that will be the easiest way to accomplish it because of the logistics. A bus/car definitely won't get anyone there. A boat is an option, but he'd need to figure out a way to acquire one that's up to the journey and amass a "crew" who has the skills and know-how to actually sail a boat such a long distance. Anyone involved in this will need to be careful because of the UN's surveillance drones and possible boat routes. Plus, who knows what's waiting for them when they get to their destination?
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1.5 Yeah, Thor would definitely go looking for wherever the source of people's information is! He heard about Ball from Quentin and is very interested in finding out about the current leader, so that's a lead he'll definitely follow up on.
2. good to know! Would an option for getting meat into the city via a van meeting him at the walls be an option?
3. okay i will hit them up and continue thinking about how this can happen!
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1.5 Perfect! Sounds good!
2. That would work just fine, as long as he's hiding the bodies of the animals he's hunting. We'll have more information about the animals and how they're being handled on the calendar tomorrow, so that will probably answer a lot of your questions!
3. Great! Whenever you guys are ready, we'll be happy to help.
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In the long run, I think he's hoping to build trust and connections with these people, to be able to hear what it is they want, their fears and hopes, and while he may not be able to do anything about it, to encourage them to strive for ideals in their live, and to do good.
3. okay! we're still sorting things out, it seems like there's going to be a group of at least 20 people wanting to go, and i think even though flying might be faster, thor's pretty determined to get a boat lol.
so going forward, what kind of logistical obstacles are they going to face to get the boat on the water? Obviously they have to get a boat, but are there any specific challenges in just stealing one and sailing off? And getting out of New Amsterdam and across the Atlantic, are there any issues they'd be able to find out about before setting off?
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1. That sounds great!
3. The usual difficulties with stealing a boat apply here—security in the world is high, and surveillance is intense. If they did want to steal a boat, their best bet would likely be to find someone with powers that could help them do so without being noticed. Fishing boats are ubiquitous in many of the coastal cities. For example, during the gate event, the Displaced took a boat from New Beijing to Mt. Everest. They could easily rent one of these, but in order to go "off course", so to speak, would have to shut down all radar and GPS abilities to stay stealthy.
Building a boat, of course, is another option, and in that case they'd need funding to buy (or steal) materials and rent a workspace to make it in. Powers could make this part easier, too! There are a few seasoned engineers that may be in Thor's peripheral, as well as other characters in the game as well.
New Amsterdam isn't a great choice for this endeavour, as it's so far away from the ocean. It would be a good idea to find a fairly secluded area from which to cast off, but that also means having to transport the boat, unless it's acquired/built near where they sail from.
Either way, their best bet here is to aim for the east coast of North America, which will be the place to start. They don't need to bring everyone all at once—they can bring a smaller group and then build a gate upon arrival to get everyone else there. If they decide to take this route, we'll need to know who the boat crew is!
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And I didn't konw that they could build a gate on arrival so that will definitely make things easier!
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You can absolutely make a network post—we think that's a great way to get this on the radar of the characters, since this is still a mostly OOC theoretical thing right now. We'll also be making this trip to North America our next game event, but we'll be basing it on character movement in this direction rather than the other way around. So, we'll keep an eye on what's decided, but if you wouldn't mind bringing that to us once a consensus is reached, that would be great! This also extends to if you need any help from us mods in that regard in terms of organization or resources.
Thanks!
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Also just a heads up that I'm struggling to be the person who steps in and makes the choice about what we do in the end. There are a lot of ideas and a lot of characters with various powers in the mix who could help get some displaced to north America unnoticed, and I'm pretty ambivalent about which method gets chosen. Rather than stall the process indefinitely, is there someone else who's also been interested in this whole plot idea who you think would be keen to make that choice or is there another way to settle on what ultimately happens? thanks!
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A plane is not viable, but that's because they no longer exist in Meadowlark's world. (They're very, very bad for the environment.)
As for the rest, we'll be reaching out to Tomato to take it up from here! Thanks for letting us know that you needed some help.