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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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no subject
First off, we'll be up front here and let you know that they can't develop a cure due to the unique nature of the empathy bond and how it cures it. No matter what research they put into it, they won't be able to come down to that particular end goal.
That said, there's still a lot to mine here in terms of information if Clarke and Bobbi want to chase it. We can say that blood analyses of the infected will lead to the same traces of the monster, and that these traces will seem to be broken down and diluted in the drug (making it so that the effects aren't permanent once it's inhaled and metabolized in the system). The exact traces in the drug are always a small amount, and they'll be able to find a pattern to the amount assuming they can get their hands on multiple samples. There are also numerous versions of the drug, with some being more experimental than others. We have some more information on it here. To get their hands on the drug, Bobbi and Clarke would likely need to touch base with people in the fighting rings, and then find out that there are numerous different versions in the process. The interesting part is that some of these drugmakers are clearly doing some experiments to figure out what does and doesn't work - there may be people out there who inhaled too much monster smoke and they haven't turned back.
As for the empathy bond, it does not change someone's body chemistry in any way. Some people's body chemistry will change if they utilize their in-game power - that's specifically people whose bodies would change as a result of their power. Clarke's power is one that would change. Peggy, Damian, Johnny, Jiang Cheng and Keith are other examples of this off the top of our heads. There are other questions that they can ask, too.
Overall, we encourage this as more of a general scientific inquiry into what they are and what happened to them since a cure/vaccine won't be something that they'll be able to put together.