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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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no subject
There are a few pathways here depending on what you'd like to do! Not much is going to be available from a "parts" perspective due to the nature of how neural implants have been established in this world. There's not much to upgrade that wouldn't require some pretty intense surgery. Getting that on the blackmarket is possible, but difficult and very, very sketchy. We don't want you to be dead-ended here, so let us know what you're interested in!
He's bound to find out some of the following:
• The implants formerly used for the UNA have more processing power as well as a few other cool perks (night vision, heat vision, more processing power, etc.). There are still some of those around. Jack, Gabe and Jyn all have experience with them. Gabe has one in his head!
• The Hi-Jacks have an illegal neural implant trade. Those implants are mostly taken from dead people, and their identities hacked and repurposed in some sketchy illegal brain surgery. Roy has an in here, or Aidan could do something similar to Roy in getting their attention. In this instance Roy hacked a few news feeds and replaced them with a crazy chicken-esque side-scrolling platformer.
• In the future, and to note, both Jimmy and Johann could be resources here. Jimmy helped pin the technology for Giles Bell, and Johann has conducted brain surgery on the Displaced in the past. Both of them are able to manipulate identities and technical resources beyond normal means.
Let us know if there's anything you'd like to expand on.
no subject
-- The Hi-Jacks! Not going to cross my cr-streams too much because then I'd have to beat up my own characters buut Aidan could work on getting their attention! He's currently trying to intermingle with the shady side of the city a little more--visiting fight rings, gambling dens, getting a little more involved down there. While he's not the loud sort who'd make a big scene, he'd definitely go for making a scene at the bot fighting matches and/or street racing. I figure he might: 1) Make a bot out of broken bits fallen off of fallen ones and use it to win a match or 2) fuck with one of the hi-jacks' cars during a street race, giving it a bit of extra oomp. He'd start messing around in their drug trade, too--buying, selling, trading for other shit. He'd get high and intermingle with some of the Hi-Jacks in the trade, see what he can pull from them and if they'd let him in.
no subject
• There will definitely be more opportunities with Johann in the future as there are those who are (and most likely will be) pursuing him. As it moves forward, Aidan is always welcome to join them. We just wanted to make sure it was on your radar so it wasn't missed.
• It wouldn't be hard to get swept up into the lower ranks if that's where he'd like to start! His hijinks can gain some traction, either 1 or 2 is fine, and he can start as a lower-level grunt dealer. There shouldn't be any overlap with Jason right off, but if you're concerned about that in the future, we can make sure that they veer apart. Since these guys are a bit lower level, they'd have some of the basics, but they wouldn't be too deep in the illegal neural implant trade—they would, however, know about it! Aidan could get some basic deets from that.
Let us know if there's anything else. Thanks!
no subject
And when Johann becomes more available, he'll definitely stick his neck out trying to get in touch with him.
no subject
For now, they'll definitely be keeping an eye out on him as a newbie. If he shows himself off a little, they'd put him on a few lower-key hacking jobs. That means that Aidan's going to have to learn quickly (and possibly through trial and error) a few of the ins and outs of hacking in Meadowlark's world. You're free to decide his gains and losses here in terms of his low level hacking successes, but let us know what direction you'd like to take in the future.
Definitely keep your eye out for Johann!