PLOT ENGAGEMENT (ARCHIVED)

[larkers]

> PLOT ENGAGEMENT (ARCHIVED)

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!

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.

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).
◉ 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

◉ 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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> NAVIGATION

Comments

[larkers]

Hey Laura!

That's fine! We're excited to see where the discussion leads.

[retravel]

Hey mods!

Just popping in to acknowledge this reply, confirm we’re happy with the final choice for the NPC safehouse to be effective mid-November, and thank you for the further detail on your plans for both the game and New Morningstar at present “early stages” and in future.

As per your request, we’ll swing back to this thread some time next weekend with any follow-up considerations — though I’m sure we’ll be in this post for other business in the meantime! If you have questions or additions for us as well, feel free to drop them here.

[verflair]

Brilliant, thanks mods! I’ll do some reaching out to get this rolling. I think for now the Displaced will be X’rhun’s priority but he’ll probably come back around to Morningstar at some point. :)

[selfimage]

1. Awesome, thanks! I think you got Anne's comment on how this is coming along, but she'll take the baton from here.

2. Oh man, Loki would absolutely create an opening, but the methods would depend on the intern. If it was someone in poorer graces he'd find a way to let them go, if it's someone competent with a tie to someone internal, he'd try and find a way to either get them a) promoted or b) transferred depending on how much shit he wants to cause. Let me know what you think, mods, and Loki will ruffle some feathers!

[stabilis]

Hi mods!

Just a quick one re: this thread, will Johnny find anything if he does a bunch of wild google searches for "project" and a symbol with yellow at its center and a dark V cutting down?

edit: he'd also search whatever back channels/dark web stuff he has access to at this point.

Thank you!

[wangxian]

me, a fool: I responded to this. Surely.

I did not. Anyway, thank you so much for all this lovely information! Now that I have had ample time to soak all this in and my life isn't on fire anymore due to my being at a new job (now it is only semi-new...):

1. Wonderful! If it is possible for him to snag a job at the gallery now considering they're back in NA (which I was originally waiting for to respond for, I think...), I'd be 100% happy to put whatever legwork in that you require of me (particularly when it comes to him snapping up a little online course). I've actually got social media up and running for him already, so that's crossed off.

2. I've definitely taken that to heart (re: the calligraphy) and started incorporating that where I can for him on his Cooltalk and in other areas (such as in point three!).

3. He's also participated in the art contest this past month and included calligraphy there as well, so I'm curious to see how that would have assisted. I'm also atemptin' to facilitate other possible ins (such as with the folks you mentioned), so! Thank you again for steerin' me in the right direction.

OKAY PHEW, please feel free to ask me whatever you need from me and so sorry for the delayed response.

[warfares]

`hello modlies, after chatting with tifa, ellie and laura i return with a few follow-up questions:

1a. what is the una's consistent presence in new amsterdam like? how often would they be seen around, in what areas etc? would it be possible to track them in any way through social media?
1b. do they have any specific outposts/bases in the megacities or is it all concentrated in new beijing and they just dispatch as needed? how quickly would this happen? what kind of transport would they use, etc?
2. is it ok to do a morningstar-only (contacts included) network post to brainstorm what to do about the leaks and captured agents? given the leaks place morningstar directly at risk, rather than the displaced as a whole, it feels like it would make the most sense to contain the resolution of the issue to morningstar agents and contacts.
3. re: captured agents. given that the m.o differs from the june and september captures, would we be searching for a single containment site or multiple sites?`

[retravel]

THANKS MODS

Quick q: Where is the weapons cache currently located (here in ic November)? Would it have been moved to another Morningstar site in prep for detonating the old joint ms-displaced safehouse?

JUST IN CASE SOMEONE ASKS ON THE POST... I assume they can't free for all access it, but could Gaby and Fitz etc peak in the cupboard to eyeball how much manpower is needed to assess it and the range of items (from guns to what look like EMPs and so on) you mentioned in the initial reply to Leigh that may require different approaches to sussing out?

Basically, if there's any info to give PCs to help brainstorm, please hit me with it!

[doubledoctornocitrus]

Hello! Query!

I would like to have Rodney get into an R&D position in one of the major companies as part of the information network for Morningstar, which I gather is being called a contact? I'm...not actually sure what the questions are I should be asking regarding this. :D He'd likely try to find the most bleeding-edge technology he can possibly work on and be as obnoxiously/arrogantly ambitious without really...trying to be with the aim of getting into a position of authority. He'd want his own little team of minions eventually (he's really quite fond of having minions, though he would never admit it) and a nice juicy project that he could be lauded for making work. I figure he would need to work his way up from lab tech (as suggested by the jobs page) not just because he's an unknown, but because he's going to be learning many years worth of an entirely different technological trajectory. How...how might this play out? I saw there were a couple/few large companies that do things (but now that I say that I can't find them again).

But yes! Thank you! Your game is a delight!

[revlon]

Hi mods! Just checking in / following up on two points here: the gubernatorial elections and the progress of Peggy’s career in local government.

The Elections:

1. What’s the chatter around City Hall regarding the top three candidates? Who are people generally in favour of within government and does this sentiment reflect the public opinion? Are there rumours that would stand out, such as who might be financially backing any of the three (as Maeda did Gill-Jade)?
2. As noted in a previous plot engagement, Peggy now has a friend and ally in a superior (Neema Seif) since her proposal to aid New Tokyo was put forward and acted upon; they now regularly do lunch together, sometimes with colleagues of Neema’s rank in City Hall (they all partied together during the Halloween festival too!). What would Peggy be told in confidence about the elections and Gill-Jade, outside water cooler gossip? (Why did Gill-Jade decide against running for reelection, who do the higher ups in City Hall like/dislike with the new candidates and why?)
3. Related to the previous question, Peggy has also made friends within the UN Embassy during her weekly meetings with officials (as noted in a previous engagement from Feb here) since her committee — customs and border security — directly overlaps with UN duties related to travel regulation. During drinks with these friends, she would inquire about embassy staff opinions regarding the upcoming elections. Who’s the projected favourite? Who do they dislike? What would they like to see change (or stay the same, even) in New Amsterdam? Are they at all concerned?
4. I’m curious about Joseph Lynch! Specifically, what philanthropies is he known for? What’s his focus, what platform is he running on? What information would be publicly available about him and his life?
5. When are the elections? (This may already be stated somewhere, apologies if I've missed it in all my rereading!)

Peggy’s Career:

As you noted in the plot engagement I’d linked above (and my first one back in December), it would take a “few IC months” for Peggy to make a name for herself in City Hall before making the jump to the UN Embassy (since she couldn’t immediately start working there when she got to the game). So I’m curious how the dream event muddling with some IC timelines has affected the trajectory of Peggy’s career! A few preliminary questions re: that —

1. During the aftermath of the dream event, I’d asked about this and you clarified “her coworkers would know her longer” and “the conditions of her employment would be similar, only they would start earlier.” How much earlier? The aftermath post stated she received her promotion due to, in part, her “heroic and selfless efforts during the June 27 monster attacks.” Does this mean her employment record now states she’s worked for City Hall since at least May, possibly earlier? What does this mean for the timeline you gave me of “a few IC months”?
2. In another comment from our Feb engagement thread, you stated that cocktail parties and the like do happen amongst local government but Peggy’s entry-level position at City Hall at the time would mean she, understandably, would not be on the invite list. Given her promotion, stellar reputation of being a hard worker (bolstered by the monster attacks and her efforts for New Tokyo), and the extensive networking she’s done within City Hall and the embassy as mentioned above (it’s worth noting she also occasionally has lunch or coffee/tea with Ardyn since his promotion), how has this changed? Does she now have her foot in the door with these events?

I’m especially interested given that your reply back in Feb also said this — attending parties, networking — would be a strong step towards getting a job at the embassy. So I just wanted to check if I was on the right track with everything I’ve done since December! Thank you!

[deicider]

Hello,

Following up now that there's some movement on this! Sniper has worked with Fitz to get some workable schematics of various engine components and is now ready to meet with Pulsar. Their plan is:

1. Have Ardyn, former CFO of Pulsar, set up a meeting between Sniper and Pulsar + Fitz
2. To try and bolster Fitz, Sniper is going to spin it that Fitz was the one who convinced them to bring their schematics to Pulsar rather than a competitor.
3. ??? profit

Let me know if this sounds good!

[forcevisions]

ok coming back here following some more thinking:

Rey will be pursuing developing and recruiting contacts for Morningstar to network with. Specifically, she will be following up on anyone in Peggy and Fitz's list that can work with heavy machinery (e.g., transports, inspections, repairs/garage work, modifying mechanical systems) because she can network with them easily as both a current Giles Bell technician and as someone who used to work in a repair garage!

Related to this, despite Gaby's warnings about recruitment, Rey will be seeking to create new contacts too by feeling out who might be amenable to Morningstar's activities from those who dislike her old boss (who she got along badly with and was fired by following the fire/rage sickness event). She's interested in people in the above category of mechanical workers who aren't on the preexisting list, who she already has a connection to and potential to develop a positive relationship with.

Lastly, Rey's going to follow up with some of the specific people she helped following the monster attack by providing supplies in the tent cities, just to check in on them and see how people are doing. Similarly, she'll be feeling them out for attitudes towards Morningstar in order to prime them for future roles as contacts and possible agent recruits.

To find them without revealing Morningstar, she'll mostly be looking to exchange favors, do small jobs for them, and testing their antiauthoritarian sentiments gently in conversation.

[larkers]

Hi Tifa!

As a quick follow up question: can you tell us a bit more about her former boss? We were under the impression that you originally followed that lead to get her in to the underground aside of things, and that he wasn't someone with a whole lot of status. Are we mistaken, or is there some other reason behind Rey's appeal to his enemies?

[forcevisions]

It was originally to get her into the underground side of things, and he is not someone with a lot of status, but as someone running a business, I assume he has competitors and suppliers etc. that he has positive or negative working relationships with. I'm mostly thinking that side, not the underground element. People he's had bad business interactions with, basically, but who are in the same business and would therefore be useful in the same group of skills.

[larkers]

Thanks for clearing that up! That'll help us with our reply to you.

[larkers]

Hi Alison!

1. Yes, she'd be able to find out that one of the benefits is that their families are offered subsidized apartments and groceries! It's one of the perks used in recruiting, though many of the sources she'll find will paint in a very specific image about uplifting their families with the benefits. In addition, they receive a stipend every month to help support them. This isn't a lot of money, but for many of their recruits, it's offering their families massively improved standard of life.

2. For the underwater facilities - they do exist! There is one on the outskirts of New Tokyo. They are not very numerous as they are difficult to maintain, but they are possible. All of the ones Riku will be able to find will have plenty of information available, from social media channels of sea life and even information on research applications and aid. Many will have photos up, but none of them will match even vaguely with what Riku remembers of the facility.

The facilities outside the cities are mostly for climate and weather research, nothing on scale with the underwater facility from the dreams.

Riku will not find much official coverage regarding any scientific accidents. However, if he digs, he will find some unofficial accounts from a few outlier blogs and edgy news sites. Nothing with regards to an underwater facility, and the stories themselves will be vague - not naming names, passed around like urban legends to try and squeak past by detection by censors.

[larkers]

Hello Julia!

It would just be a digital map, essentially drawn in a paint program!

For the cameras, the more high-class establishment, the more hidden the cameras will be, and the harder they will be to get past. For a house like the Maeda's, finding the cameras would either involve elaborate detection equipment or very thorough snooping paired with sophisticated infiltration knowledge. Keep in mind that snooping for the cameras may alert whoever's manning the cameras that someone's looking for them. Even in modern times remote cameras can operate on an internal power source and be extremely small, so multiply that by a few hundred years of improvement.

[larkers]

Hi Leigh! Thanks for bringing this to us.

All of this sounds like a very good foundation to get started! Feel free to touch base with us once you get it in motion.

[larkers]

Hi Anne!

Anyone would be able to access it! It would just have a clientele from the beginning that could help it become lucrative.

[larkers]

Hi Jen! Thanks for reaching out.

1. Riko is both hoping to unveil the mystery behind the Displaced, as well as have someone on her side who is seemingly immune to any trouble. For this reason, we'll let you work out what V would share about the Displaced to get answers and access to Riko's databases. He may want to discuss with the other characters about what questions they think they can get answered by a NAPD database. He may need to go to some shady/seedy locations for Riko, even choosing to purchase various drugs so that the NAPD can get their hands on them. That's the extent of sketchy behavior she'll ask of him, however!

2. V would be able to pursue this path! He likely won't be able to make a living off of it right away, as he'd have to gain some clout. But if he goes out for auditions and tries out for podcasts, video games and more, he'll eventually create quite the resume to land something larger. In the meantime, he may need another outlet for income. So, go ahead!

3. They will make a decent first impression at the auction, but their limited understanding of recent art will make a few of the people side-eye them. They may be encouraged to read a smattering of more recent literature, as well as familiarize themselves with what's popular today.

Many of the people there will be in the upper echelons of the big three companies, either working on the companies' boards, running some of the subsidiaries - though there will be a number who are uncomfortable, as their subsidiaries were recently absorbed but they knew they had to come to the auction for status reasons - or the adult children of many of the previous mentioned who are hoping to rub elbows with the elite as they prepare to step into positions of power at the three companies.

The overall sentiment is that they approve of Katelin Jovavich - she is a big pioneer of improving humanity's conditions. They are a little frustrated that Gill-Jade has decided not to move forward - they believed her to be the best for the city, maintaining stability at a time like this.

As for Maeda, she'll be present to greet some people there, but won't be there for long. It'll be the equivalent of "making an appearance."

4. Right now, there is an overall feeling that things are chaotic and disorganized. Everyone working in the UN wasn't expecting anything of this sort, as they felt that Gill-Jade was relatively interested in maintaining her job. Since she was connected to so many people and their positions, they are currently working in overdrive, believing that they need to make themselves invaluable for the new administration coming on.

Most of the rumors right now revolve around how the three corporations are pushing Katelin Jovavich, but they'll back Joseph Lynch if the cards move that way. They believe him to be weak - much in the way that Gill-Jade turned out to be weak. They feel that she was pressured by the big three to back down and give up her office because of how she's handled the recent crises in New Amsterdam. This isn't true - her unwillingness to maintain office definitely is a direct result of Ardyn's actions in the dreams - and the reality is that she wants to return to a more private life out of the public eye, as it's like she's been drained of her ambition.

[larkers]

Hi Veronica!

Feel free to choose whichever option is more entertaining for you!

[larkers]

Hi Melissa!

He wouldn't be able to find anything at this stage! He'll need to try to work out what that symbol describes - and there are a few clues littered throughout the game to point toward it! For anyone who had the dream, it was a blur, but we suggest that Johnny and the other characters brainstorm what it could be before searching further.

[larkers]

Hi Din!

Sounds good! Lan Wanji's online presence will help with his job prospects. You can assume he is able to get a low-level job teaching art classes and doing busy work around the gallery.

[larkers]

Hi Mal! Thanks for following up.

1. The UNA does not have much of a consistent, visible presence in New Amsterdam or anywhere else! You will generally only see them during emergencies - like the monster attack in our August 2018 event, and their base featured as an aspect of the UNA attacks in our January 2019 plot. Even during raids the amount of people who see the UNA is low, and raids on the scale of the one on Morningstar would be very rare. The only online information you will find about the UNA is a general information/recruitment page. In addition, Clarke and Kate looked into a lot with the UNA and reported on it here.

There would not be anything indicating this online, but given that the UNA also functions as an emergency response team (like SWAT), there would be a base in every city, with some being larger and more active than others. Transport would be armored vehicles - again, think of the future SWAT-equivalent.

2. Per the FAQ, locked posts are possible on the network. However, it would be good to keep in mind that several non-Morningstar affiliated characters participated in the rescue of agents.

3. This would need to be determined ICly by the PCs, but we can confirm there will only be a single site.

[larkers]

Hi Laura!

It was moved to where those few agents are just outside of the city, so it's out of reach at this moment. Morningstar did put together an inventory on what's inside, but they haven't been able to do any research beyond that. There are five guns, as well as four different types of grenades. The EMPs seem to range in terms of "power" - with some being for more controlled attacks, while others take up most of the space in a room, showing a greater and more dangerous capability. It seems as if this latter EMP has further potential in use.