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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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1. It's all through the grapevine here! You can do a call-out if you're looking to diversify CR, and we'd definitely suggest poking around the CR meme in this case. We're also fine to keep this open as long as you need to find the appropriate person.
2. Johann would not be inclined to answer anything in a particularly straight-forward fashion! It would become increasingly obvious how Johann treats Cassius and vice versa, though. Johann is clearly the one in control, while he orders Cassius to fulfill more menial purposes. Johann would make it clear that what he gets out of it is looking out for their best interests and ensuring their personal freedom.
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We latched onto this paragraph: In these lower levels, it's nearly impossible to uphold the laws around population restrictions. As a result, these raids also often result in children being separated from their parents who weren't approved for having a kid. These parents would also be arrested to further justify this action. (Having a child without permission is not enough to get someone arrested in typical situations, so it may seem as if the officers are trying to meet a quota by slapping these parents with arrests for other, unrelated "crimes.") This can happen at any age.
1. I will give the CR meme a gander, but I could also have Klaus on the lookout for someone with expertise in computers. That, I'll noodle on!
2. Looking out for the Displaced's best interests and personal freedom? Dick thing to do, then, to torture two of them, Johanne! But, OK. Thank you!
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First off, we want to begin with some links for write ups that we did previously on this plot: During Event 007 | Follow Up. The big takeaway is that this is all legal in terms of the world's structure (and therefore, its evils). It's just that this happens a lot more abruptly and horribly for the families in New Beijing because of the quotas involved.
That's not to say that there isn't a plot involved! Wealthy people are more likely to be approved for an adoption under this arrangement - it's just that the Black Market wouldn't be in play. They would instead be tackling the NBPD and its ills, as well as the corrupt officers who believe they can intervene in the lives of those who live in poverty. Tim and Klaus can choose to work with Morningstar and the sex workers there, or go their own way.
The world's structures and laws largely only favor the wealthy being able to raise children. It's one of the world's evils, and they could, for example, look at ways of finding out who's looking to adopt and sabotage them so they aren't approved. They can also look into retrieving children long adopted out and reunite them with their families.
All of this would take a lot of legwork and would be a rather lengthy sidequest, so let us know what you'd like to do.
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Wanted to approach you guys, though, after speaking with Allison. Initially, I was intrigued by playing Klaus adapting to his differences but a new idea has emerged for me that I think I could run with better. Is it possible over time, Klaus continues to lose everything which makes him a vampire, ie. everything supernatural until he is rendered human? Alison suggested perhaps as more gates are activated. I work with his nerfs, but it seems so interesting to track what it would be like to lost that which has made him for over a thousand years.
Even going so far, perhaps, to being an untriggered werewolf which would've been his original race. This would only mean that he could be easier to anger, more prone to violence and if something changed in game, his first real kill would trigger his first curse. I'm completely good with him never turning in this case.
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All of this sounds like a super cool plot, so we're going to approve it. However, it won't show yet: as people haven't begun to figure out what the relics do just yet, it won't begin to have an impact on him. We'll reach out to you when someone begins to expand the fast travel network. We know a few players have goals in mind for that, so we'll let you know.
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We talked about Tim being Klaus' in at Morningstar. While Klaus and Tim would sabotage an adoption, Klaus would be more keen on reuniting families.
If there's a way to dovetail this idea with something that could lead them back into the main metaplot eventually, that would be ideal! We're looking to keep them in with this as long they're needed. I know for Klaus, I'll have him be a continued presence among the network or in dreams.
Right now, they're currently training into New Beijing. I have Klaus keeping a paper trail going for the benefit of his boss. He's ... lied and says he has some ins with a few up and coming artists and a particular painting he'd like to procure to bring back.
So, my question is, mods. What is the art world like in New Beijing right now? Who are some of the up and coming artists that may have made names for themselves?
Klaus knows he's going to have his hands full but he wants to keep his hands and mind busy. So, to recap.
1. Klaus and Tim do want to work with Morningstar or the sex workers to help reunite families.
2. Klaus needs to make some meaningful artistic connections and/or get his hands on a high profile piece for the gallery...
3. Eventually, he'd zig back into the main metaplot refreshed. And better for it?
no subject
In terms of dovetailing this with the metaplot, Riverstone has a major, suffocating presence in New Beijing. We'll be bringing their involvement in the evolution of the world to the forefront of our upcoming event, so Tim and Klaus could begin to look into their influence in New Beijing as a whole. How can one corporation have such a vividly symbiotic relationship with the world's government? This won't link back to the child abduction plot, but we believe that the longer they spend in New Beijing, the more this will become obvious.
The art scene in New Beijing is extremely abstract, with lots of bright colors and unusual shapes. While it's shifted gears to traditional art and portraits time and time again, it's largely into two-dimensional abstract paintings for the moment. Sculptures and "modern art" aren't getting much traction at the moment, though an up and coming artist has begun a series of objects to best express her interpretation of the conflict on Mars. These pieces are small, individual sculptures, characters she's created to represent the people in art, and she tosses in some mixed media backdrops. Like the rest of the popular art in New Beijing (at the moment), the backdrops are brightly colored in appearance and unusual. This up and coming artist is named K. Chen.
Otherwise, feel free to make up any artists he'd come into contact with! Chen is definitely available to him, but he can go for more known artists if he doesn't want to take any risks with a newcomer (especially since her specialty involves political commentary and mixed media).
Beyond that, we have some questions of our own!
1. Is Tim joining Morningstar? We weren't sure given his role as Klaus' in here! We're fine with that, but we would like Bobby to have him signed up here for recordkeeping purposes! Otherwise, him schmoozing with their agents there is fine, too, but they would want him to sign up officially (as it makes them feel better about sharing resources).
2. Would you prefer for it to be just Morningstar or just the sex workers? The two tend to work in tandem in New Beijing. We apologize for not making that clearer!
3. Are you looking to get them into any scuffles with the New Beijing police? How would you see that going?
no subject
2. Klaus and Tim could easily work with both Morningstar and Sex Workers.
3. Definitely a possibility if they run afoul of them, or if something goes sideways. And it might be a good way for Klaus to discover his new power. If not police, definitely private adoption agents. Klaus is not in a good place and he could definitely ... make the wrong moves. If they scuffled, I’d want Klaus and him to get away but, would they be on a watch list if not identified. I wouldn’t want to strand or jail them. For the most part they want to help and not draw any more attention, especially with Klaus not in a place to!
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Thanks!
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Also, where earlier do you think Klaus and Tim would be intervening?
no subject
There's no way that they would be able to get into a scuffle with the police without being identified. In the question thread linked in the previous comment (see the comment here) where PCs were interfering with child abductions, we outlined to both the players that they would need Morningstar resources to ensure that they weren't identified. Morningstar will be hesitant to give both Tim and Klaus resources when they already have an established presence in New Beijing. That isn't to say that they'll refuse to help, instead both Tim and Klaus will need to present a solid plan to get the scrambler masks to ensure that they're not identified by the police on sight. We're aware that they're reaching out to Marcos, but they'll need to do the legwork.
The scrambler masks are worn to keep the police and UNA from identifying someone by scanning their neural implant. This tech is only in Morningstar's hands and can be distributed through agreements.