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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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First off: feel free to go ahead with this! We think it's a great idea, and it fits a lot of what Stephen was trying to do before the Aerie, especially given the fact that Judas turned his self-sacrificing tendencies against him in the simulation. Even though the Aerie is still fresh in people's minds, the simulation wasn't so long ago. So, Stephen going back to his roots will help him a lot.
Secondly: responses will be mixed. At first, it will be a matter of positive response, which might be a pleasant surprise for Stephen. That is, until this whole thing starts trending and drawing in more eyes. If you're familiar with Instagram or Twitter comments, you'll probably be able to imagine that the longer the quote-retweet-like function, reply function, and so forth continues to be used, there will be people coming in and making snide responses about Stephen's intentions, as well as the Cardinals as a whole. But on the flipside, there will be people realizing that this kind of response is unfair. And … people bandwagoning the hate to dunk on Stephen's efforts. Either way, it's going to get a lot of exposure. More than anything, it will get people talking—starting with a local trend in New Amsterdam and eventually becoming a global one. Hopefully Stephen knows how to mute notifications for his sanity (and don't worry, that is an available function!).
How Stephen responds is up to you. Will he defend himself on the internet? Block unruly commenters? Retweet the positive-or-neutral responses to try to encourage discussion? Will he be looping in other Displaced to try to get them in on the action? And if so, what will they be doing? You can have him loop people in via a post, or you can plot it elsewhere and have people reply here. Either way, we're curious to know both Stephen's reactions and if anyone else is on board!
One thought we had was that this could easily collide with three other Cardinals' plots: Yennefer with her cult, Homelander's outreach to discharged UNA soldiers, and Loki's St. Augustine-like Confessions book. While these plots don't necessarily need to intersect, we think that, given that they'd be all developing simultaneously in real time, it would be neat to see how you guys would view this growing movement. We're also happy to work with you on this.
If you have any other questions or would like to see this go a different way, we're happy to make modifications that make the plot more interesting for you.