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]

Hi Laura! Thanks for the questions.

1. Fitz would be able to find out that the "Venus Riots" happened in 2454. The records Fitz would find would say that the people were dissatisfied, that they ignored the warnings put out by the government and corporations that were funding these trips over to the colonies to begin the terraforming process. Numerous people died, proving that it was a tragedy of massive proportions, and new regulations were put into place to prevent riots like this in the future.

Gaby and El would tell a version of the story that is similar, but make it clear that the riots were a result of rising tensions on the colonies because of the poor conditions. Many of these people were promised a new life that would pioneer the future for humanity away from the increasingly difficult conditions on Earth. Gaby would describe it more as the government had picked up cattle to be slaughtered, people who would prove to be a part of the testing ground on one of the most dangerous environments out in space. Common people should have never been chosen as a part of the first wave of the terraforming project.

As for Morningstar's role, a number of people who were involved and lived would go on to help to form the organization as it's known today.

Finally, as a note, there would be no holocatalogues! All of this would be digitized.

2. Yes, they are very open, and this is not a secret at all. The information is primarily where they're working - when that information is available - and who is and isn't likely to cause problems for Morningstar. Known risks are reported to the higher ups.

3. Unfortunately, none of the information would change. They drew a conclusion based on intel that came from their agents, which was that there was a large bus carrying a shipment of experimental weapons. Where this information came from is something they'd still be tight-lipped about, as it may jeopardize their sources.

4. Casper is fine! We're sorry for not finishing our log back in August to illustrate this, but after a stint in the medi-unit - which are highly advanced units that can revive people - he's back out and doing work for Morningstar.

5. The seismic event in question hit a number of large megacities, including New Amsterdam, New Oslo, and New Venice. Despite the disparity in these locations, they were also all hit with a massive power outage. This drastically impacted these cities as it occurred during the last stint of high summer weather. The event was noted as being unusual as there were no quake precursors, making it completely unexpected, where most quakes are accurately predicted in advance.

6. Yes, this would be common knowledge! It was reported early on as the waves of chaos hit New Amsterdam. The vice president was one of the men who were healed during the hospital sweeps by Keith's plot.

7. Of course! There would be no reason to limit unless they got a flood of applicants.

8. They would thank him, but decline. They can't really attend a party because it means ignoring the boundaries set between themselves and the people they're taking care of, and El in particular is not allowed to work in person because of the heavy risks for someone who works in Morningstar's tech side.

[larkers]

Hi Jenna! Thank you for these questions.

Situation #1

1. It would largely depend on what got removed, and why it got removed. For instance, the NAPD monitors a lot of social media so that they can keep people from feeling inspired by vigilante movements, so they'll delete accounts for releasing this information. They may keep a record of this for themselves, but no one is flagged or given any further information from the NAPD, and this is actually a commonplace occurrence in Meadowlark's world.

Other information would vary.

As it is, we should note that the information on the nurse was absolutely scrubbed and erased. Someone with that level of skill and access would be extremely powerful.

2. As a result, it would depend! The nurse being scrubbed did freak out the people behind AJJ Holdings because one of their tenants was gone. Someone disappearing like that definitely isn't a nonoccurrence, but social media accounts being deleted would be, as people sometimes leak spoilers, say something too bold, try to be edgy, or more. It's not too different from actionable offenses online these days, only the NAPD has more ability to do something about it. Once these are reported, they're just wiped with a warning as to why it happened.

Asking into the erasure of social media accounts would raise eyebrows, as it's a relatively well known occurrence, but the erasure of data like the nurse would raise eyebrows in a different way - potentially with a lot of dubiousness that it even happened.

Situation #2

1. Yes, though Fitz and Connor wouldn't need to go up into space to see that there is a huge satellite network around Earth which supports all the world's data demands - this is public knowledge, and a simple search would provide this information to everyone interested in it!

2. The specificity would depend on what they're looking for, as many of these satellites are involved with different corporations, and of course the UN have their own. Was there a specific outlet that Daisy wanted to learn more about?

3. No, none of the PCs have the credentials! This would be very, very high level.

4. What would Daisy and her friends be looking for? Our initial answer is "no," but we might be missing what they're looking for on these. Data itself is inherently not physical, and there are no physical satellite dishes on any buildings, so we would need more precise questions.

Situation #3

We're covering this in one fell swoop for you. Hiring takes place online like it does today, with her first submitting her application, resume, and cover letter. She wouldn't be able to walk into the office of the associated press without permissions or an invite. Since El did not set her up with credentials to begin a path in journalism - neither courses nor training - she wouldn't be able to abruptly change career paths, as that would be extremely suspicious - and more importantly, impossible. Without a blog or similar portfolio, experience in freelancing, or anything similar, this would not be an outlet that would be available to her.

Daisy would need to begin to build a portfolio and take courses to establish herself and network before she could consider getting a job in that field.

If Daisy wishes to pursue any outlet for information with Morningstar's assistance, you can feel free to ask us! She may need to prove herself to the organization, and we're currently unclear as to whether or not she's signed up with them (she made it seem as if she hadn't in a post with NPC presence). Morningstar isn't that unlike SHIELD; they have to work off the radar because the world has a great deal of surveillance, but that doesn't mean they lack paths to follow. Please feel free to come to us with any plot ideas you have for her, and if we can do anything to facilitate them!

[larkers]

Hi Veronica! Thanks for the questions.

1. El would be the best in finding postings regarding these online, and most of the money would be paid through a "legitimate" laundering front, making it difficult to trace that Loki would be doing anything illegal. There would be a wide range of monster parts available, including dried or powdered parts, full limbs or organs, or the most expensive being full carcasses.

2. Yes, the cave system would link up to a few of the corporate buildings' underground floors. The caves that are off-limits come in two varieties: those that are accessible to cave-divers, and those that are completely closed off as they've been decided to be health and safety risks.

3. Yes, there are government mandates and regulations set by the UN to keep companies from verging on developing advanced AI technology. A lot of companies know their livelihood would be at risk if they even began to verge on this level of technology, and there is a general cultural fear or dislike of the prospect enough to have people avoiding it anyway.

4. Jughead would have to show a very good portfolio to qualify for a job as an intern with the NAAP. There are smaller journalist outlets around that would be more willing to give him a chance as he begins to build up his reputation and resume. Once he has that in place, he'll be able to prove himself with such a well-known media outlet.

[larkers]

Hi Leigh! Thanks for the questions.

1. It would depend on where Sniper was looking, as some of the outlets for rumors are a lot more outlandish. Some social media accounts have a conspiracy running that the government and UNA were working together to create a giant creature to protect the megacities, and it got out of control. Others suggest that the government is helping one of the corporations cover up their mistakes. There are some groups that believe these creatures are a divine event, one that we should all be glad to experience, but the most widely held belief is that it was a result of the extreme environmental changes the Earth has undergone.

2a&b We would need to know more about how Sniper intends to go about this, so we recommend that they approach a more subtle approach to fomenting unrest - IE through the internet, and reaching out to these conspiracy groups with the evidence that they have to compel people to believe these things. In their other research, they would be able to determine which outlets are more likely to be taken seriously.

3. No, there was and is nothing on the market capable of inducing obedience. The closest would be any drugs similar to roofies - sex workers would talk about these a fair deal, passing information about the latest strains and any signs to watch out for. Many of the dealers who sell these drugs also sell devices to check drinks or similar for them, essentially playing both sides of the market, but they would have no idea about anything as total as what player characters experience on arrival.

[larkers]

Hi Emily! Thanks for the questions.

1. We typically handwave these conversations anyway! Now that Noctis has expressed interest, he'll be called on to do small jobs with Morningstar, but as a reminder, he would not be considered a full-fledged member for some time. He'll need to prove himself as trustworthy and dedicated to their cause.

2. Right now, Noctis would not be able to find out anything about the investigation just yet, as joining the NAFD would initially involve him going into training. And it would be a paid position!

[stabilis]

This is awesome, thank you! I'll start the counter on the IC 1-2 months for now and will brainstorm more specific ideas/problems/etc in the meantime.

And just to make sure I'm not misunderstanding, let me know if this sounds okay:

1. Use fake ID stuff and BSing to get his foot in the door with one of Vyonation's subsidiaries, probably a more entry level IT job, put in a few months there to learn the ropes (both by snooping and legitimate experience/job training).
2. Eventually put feelers out with hacking groups, spend some time courting those circles, then shift over to more 'freelance' work. This would be after the 2ish months of legitimate work, and I'd check back in to discuss the logistics of how it'd go.

[revlon]

Hi mods! Brand new here but getting a head start on the job hunt for one Miss Carter, hope that's alright.

While Peggy wouldn't outright tell Morningstar about being an intelligence officer/agent of espionage, she would be relatively open with El about her skill set and the greatest hits of her resumé so as to establish a firm foothold in New Amsterdam right off the bat. What it would sound like is broad strokes of a long career in law enforcement at the federal level with experience in international relations and travel (her being fluent in at least four languages though I know this is irrelevant given the implants), swinging from secretarial duties to experience in the field — although more cop than soldier. I'm still working on it but her general backstory would be having grown up as a diplomat brat since her father did have connections with senators, etc.

Would this be enough for her to get a job somewhere in government? I'm not sure what kind of job just yet because I'm not sure what would be accessible to her and while I realise this is... hideously vague, I know she's definitely overqualified to be a receptionist but would be open to being someone's assistant/secretary or similar. She'd be especially interested in something with the UN (I understand their headquarters are elsewhere, but I assume there's a field office in NA?) or the governor's office.

TL;DR help

also i did some rereading of the the comments here and now know an in-world backstory of being police isn't possible bc credentials etc so once aware of that she'd understand having to lean on the clerical angle ok i'm done for real now

[deicider]

2. Thank you for the suggestions!

My plan was for them to start sort of grassroots, starting with the people in the tents. They would start throwing subtle shade on Giles-Bell, and feeding into government dissatisfaction in one-on-one conversations while asking about monster theories, etc. They would also definitely do internet research, and definitely reach out to a legit conspiracy group with the knowledge that Giles-Bell has an unknown interest in the monster corpse (and the other stuff about science and genes etc that's been released), but they'd tried to get someone else to drop the info-- i.e use charm on someone and convince them to do it so they can keep their name out.

3. It sounds like buying one of these detectors would be pretty straight forward, and I assume legal?

[saviorexe]

Thanks once more for the reply!

Markus did indeed get in touch with Bobbi, and she had also agreed to accompany him during this little stints of questioning the neighbors, utilizing her power where necessary to encourage loose-lipped individuals to talk. (If necessary.)

My follow up questions are pretty straightforward as a result!

1. Would visiting AJJ Holdings (with Bobbi now at his side) and questioning about this couple yield new information?

2. Following the trail of the reproduction application hearing, where would that lead them to specifically, and what information could be obtained asking around there? Markus is indeed interested in digging a little deeper into their backgrounds for now to see where it’ll lead.

[batricide]

Hey modlies! I'm coming at you with some questions.

1. Damian's going to go back to prizefighting in the next few IC days, once he's had a moment to regroup and shake off the annoyance of being attacked. Can be expect any changes after Maeda and her thugs jumped him? Such as people gunning harder for him or people not wanting him to fight in their rings?

2. Damian wants to try recreating a scene Kara described of her homeworld in VR. He's been here a little while now and is already tech savvy thanks to his upbringing and familiarity with alien technologies, how difficult would it be to create the firefalls she's describing here as a small contained VR simulation?

3. Damian wants to start investigating Maeda independently of his brothers. If he looks into her - press releases, any active social media accounts, anything like that - what can he find regarding her identity and work?

[selfimage]

Thanks for the answers, mods! I've got a few follow-up questions:

1. Would it be financially feasible to purchase any parts? Which are the most expensive? I'm not sure Loki has the funds to cover anything, but getting a general gist of a price range might be something that's asked when I follow-up.

3. Thanks! Is there any broad information on what these mandates or regulations are based on the historical aspects of AI sentiency? He's looking for anything that might give him a hint as to what, from a technological and possibly environmental standpoint, caused the switch in programming toward awareness.

4. That sounds great! I'll settle him somewhere outside for now.

[evite]

thank you for the detailed response! i admit a lot of what should be "common knowledge" wasn't totally clear to me, but i may have also missed something in skimming an older entry or reading through plot engagement questions, so no worries there! i'll loop back in with the fitz & connor team and see if they have any follow up on the data pathways, but for now, it sounds like they'll get a non-useful answer of "of course there are satellites, of course we back up data, everyone knows that"

as far as journalism goes, she doesn't exactly have canon credentials either — more along the lines of quasi-ethical leaks on social media, back-alley hacking, that sort of thing, so she would not be surprised to find that gaining official employment would require actual credentials here too.

so far, i haven't had her officially "join the ranks" of morningstar beyond simply taking their assistance in the initial, because she is skeptical of their methods -- even if they're logically devised. that said, it might be a nice wake up call for her to realize she does need to partner more closely with morningstar if she wants to get anything accomplished beyond the basics of "get a job, get an apartment, and survive"

would it be possible to have daisy come to the safehouse sometime before the current arrival log to discuss her failed experiment with the journalism outlet, and to go over options with gaby and/or el about how to maybe pursue that OR something similar where her desire to find out the truth could be put to good use? if there's an exchange of "we'll help you if you'll agree to help us" and a task they'll put for her to test her, that's fine too!

alternatively, if you have suggestions, please don't hesitate to let me know! i admit i've been spinning my wheels a bit trying to really find my place in game, and i'm really open to anything that gives daisy a bit more motivation to explore the setting.

[mercurio]

(AGES LATER)

1. alright, that's cool! he'll keep it for his own use and recreation.

3. noted! they'll most likely be kept for the safehouse and the like.

NEW QUESTION ALTOGETHER: what is the fishing situation in new amsterdam? i know there was a river party last month, is it possible to also fish on it? also: fishing equipment, is it similar to what we're used to nowadays?/how available is it?

[covertness]

hi mods! a few questions for you once again :>

1. how long would it feasibly take for "katelin philips" to gain unsupervised access to a lab without her doing anything but being competent at her job? weeks? months? years?

2. if she ever wanted to get some samples tested without supervision and without recourse to morningstar, would this be at all possible? could she use her powers to manage it?

3. on a completely different note: would it be an option for dutch/yalena yardeen to get a job as a bouncer of sorts at some shady af bar? would it pay well enough? she's been doing that kind of work canonically in exchange for free drinks...

[crisised]

hey mods! after kara disappeared and came back, she got her blood drawn by clarke, specifically wondering if there were any drugs in her system post-disappearance. so. questions!

1. would any drugs or foreign substances show up in her blood work?
2. she's an alien and warned clarke (off-screen) her blood work probably wouldn't look human normal. is this actually the case or would her results come back as human?

ty ty!!

[deicider]

In a move to try and pique the interest of the Insomniac Ball's Proprietor, Sniper and Loki are going to hold a competition over the 7 days of the ball to see who can convince the most that the opposite party is actually the Proprietor of the Insomniacs Ball (i.e Sniper will argue that Loki is, Loki will argue that Sniper is). Essentially a rumor-mongering competition between Loki, god of lies and mischief and Sniper, a mortal shithead with Charm. They'll start subtly to see which rumor takes better, using vague body language and some less obvious hints rather than go full-force. There may even be a point where they try to kindle curiosity with doubt. They will both do their best to ensure that the other is not the head of the rumors, even by laying hints, word games, or specific riddles to point to the other one.

At some point they will deploy an additional gambit they are going to try to organize the dancers on one of the bigger dance floors into the party’s sigil.

Just to cover their bases Sniper is absolutely dressing up all 7 days; Loki will look far more subtle.

[cyberlife]

since i couldn't do this before i left because life hit me square in the eyes, i might be able to do something about it when i get back:

1. connor intends to investigate ajj holdings and look for any ties between them and the fire, since they're proprietors of the apartment complex some of the monster carcasses were being stored in. he's going through proper channels with his job as a safety officer performing a ritual check on how their occupational health and safety processes are, especially since there was a fire (and he gets after companies and organizations about the number of extinguishers in hallways and needing the proper amount of windows and exits in case of fire in each apartment, reviewing chemicals used to clean, maintenance work, et cetera).

he also, obviously, has a detective's mind and a keen eye for detail; he would be suspicious of any odd happenings or even attempts to refuse his service. would he find anything significant or worrisome either before or after arriving? and if he brought daisy as an "assistant" and either of them "went to the washroom" to "powder their noses", would their snooping/super-sleuthing give them anything to work with?

2. what happened to the old safehouse after they evacuated it with gaby when leggy godzilla™ attacked? is it still accessible? would anyone find anything interesting inside if they happened to go take a look? would a character be able to, say... live in there... if they wanted to hunker down in a hovel while not paying rent? this is the weirdest series of questions ever, but i had to ask because of my burning curiosity.

[larkers]

Hi Eppy! Thanks for these questions.

Police academy training actually takes several months to complete before he would be able to hit the ground - so he'd have at least one more month to go! That wouldn't prevent him from getting to know his future coworkers - he just wouldn't have those permissions just yet. Please let us know if there's anyone you'd like to have him look up!

With regards to people disappearing, Bellamy wouldn't be able to find anything out! That doesn't mean that he won't be able to in the future, but most of the people that he's surrounded by would be instructors who wouldn't want to encourage this line of inquiry, and the other trainees wouldn't have any experience with someone disappearing.

As for the fire investigation, Bellamy would find out that there are detectives who are working with the NAFD and NACDC to find out about what happened with the fire!

While his access would be limited now, he would be able to get more down the line. Please feel free to contact us again after more time has passed!

[larkers]

Hi Tifa! Thanks for providing more information.

Rey would be able to get a job as a maintenance person that is more like a jack of all trades who travels between their various subsidiaries on call. Given that it's on-call but could prove rather demanding, she would be a salaried employee and would be paid rather well for consistent and competent work.

[larkers]

Hi Melissa!

All of this sounds great!

[larkers]

Hi Ellie! Thanks for the question, and for your enthusiasm in getting started!

There are a few routes that she can take. If she's against taking clerical work, she can always sign up for training with the NAPD and undergo the beginning phases for their training. She would have to start out as an entry level employee regardless, but it sounds like she has the skills to prove herself no matter what position she takes.

Otherwise, you can have her apply for a lower level position within city hall and begin to work up the ranks. This would essentially be clerical work, but some of it would involve running messages, getting coffees, helping plan meetings, and more.

From here, you can always have her begin to prove herself and move on from city hall and join the United Nations embassy that's in New Amsterdam.

[larkers]

Hi Leigh! Thanks for these additional plans.

2. Right now, the people in the tents would need a more established link between Giles Bell and the government. Can you please tell us how Sniper would make this link? Most of the people there are upset with Governor Gill-Jade for her negligence, and wouldn't be directing their ire toward any corporate official. Bear in mind that these people are from this world, so they are far more accustomed to corporate involvement when it comes to research.

For the record, we're very happy to help you pursue this plot! We just need more information about how Sniper intends to make these claims and capitalize on the dissatisfaction there.

3. Yes, it would be encouraged by others in the sex worker community, and therefore easy to find. However, the people selling these detectors are dealers themselves, so it's not legal so much as easy if Sniper knows the right people.

[larkers]

Hi Jen! Thanks for these follow up questions.

1. Most of the information will relate to the couple having some difficulty in making their rent payments. They would have struggled to be on time, or would have had to pay overdue rent fees several months in a row. This would be a distinct deviation from their previous rental history. Up until a couple months ago, they were always on time.

2. Assuming Markus has Bobbi on board, they would be able to find out that the couple was extremely disappointed to learn that they didn't qualify income-wise for bringing a new life into their lives! They had enough money for themselves, but not enough to support this child - at least according to the government's rather strict income regulations!

[larkers]

Hi Shikki! Thanks for the follow up! We're excited to see what you do with this Maeda plot.

1. The biggest thing that Damian will notice is that people will be betting on him winning. Maeda now knows how skilled he is, and plans to take advantage of this knowledge to pad her pockets. No one will be throwing the fights - that would be too obvious - but Damian would find that there's a vested interest in him succeeding.

That said, Damian will recognize some of the men in the ring from his shake down. They want another go at him to prove themselves, even if they're well aware that their employer is betting against them.

2. This would not be that difficult! There are numerous virtual reality programs like what we have today to make "homebrewed" video games, so to speak, that allow people to design their own virtual settings. Think of it like today's RPG maker or like when someone uses Square Space to make a website - but far more advanced! How good it looks will depend largely on how much time Damian puts into it, as well as the modifications he downloads to help advance his work. Either way, it would be more of a matter of the technology making it easier, rather than Damian's own savvy.

3. Maeda's biography on the Giles Bell website will talk about the Maedas' involvement with Giles Bell for the past few centuries. There will be some sugarcoating about how she proved herself to be as efficient and capable as her family members to work her way up to where she is, though this seems to be the tune for most of the board members. Assuming that they got here through nepotism - and the company's overhead essentially being more or less an oligarchy - wouldn't be a reach. She was raised for this life from birth. Additionally, her husband is on the board of directors for Pulsar.

Further research will lead to Damian finding public records that show that both Maeda and Giles Bell financially backed Governor Gill-Jade's rise to office.

Otherwise, Maeda doesn't get a whole lot of social media hits. Her son Hideki does - he's an active user of what doubles as Meadowlark's Twitter and Instagram. There are a lot of images of him partying, of him with the dog, and other things that indicate that he lives a rather decadent life without much responsibility. There's a point where his Instagram had to be restarted because he posted pictures that weren't meant to be online, so it only dates back to within the last two months.

[larkers]

Hi Veronica! Thanks for the follow-up questions.

1. Loki would be able to easily buy the smaller parts. While they were sold to the Black Market dealers in a fuller size, breaking them up obviously means that they'll be able to turn a greater profit. Anything larger would begin to price itself out of his range by quite a bit. Depending on how much he's willing to spend, he could get larger parts, but nothing like organs. Most of it would be limbs - things that are more easily obtained, for instance, and there would be some in bulk.

3. The history itself would be similar to why people are developing AI now. It would largely be so that corporations would be able to cheaply employ AI - but there would also be some aspect of humans wanting to play god by creating a sentient being themselves. The latter would have easily motivated the former aspect of things. Xelkov was the company that streamlined these efforts and perfected them for the rest of the world.