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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
Just exploring job options for Jiang Cheng here, wanted to let you know that he would be approaching the relevant Morningstar parties about possibly joining the recruitment/training for NAPD when they return from New Tokyo? He's had plenty of battle / military experience back home and has had to take on a leadership role from an early age to deal with crisis / leading a rebel force to overthrow tyrannical dictatorship (of sorts), so he would definitely want to be involved in something that is disciplined and structured like the justice / law enforcement system!
I've already read through your responses re: police force to Bellamy and Aranea so I think I've got the gist of the training period and all the surrounding bits relating to it, but I've just got some extra very minor questions, let me know if these need to be directed elsewhere!
#1: Being dropped in New Tokyo, would the records for the new arrivals then begin from New Tokyo, so they are going to be considered moving (for want of a better word) to New Amsterdam when the PCs go back? Or will they be retroactively added to their existing citizen records for New Amsterdam?
#2: Just nitpicky questions re: NAPD, is there an option for the trainees (and of course, properly instated police officers) to be offered some kind of dorm or otherwise general housing units that's provided within the structures of the NAPD?
#3a: What would be available as an option for Jiang Cheng if he would like to move up further within the NAPD? I know this is going to be a long term thing and certainly won't be happening anytime soon, but I just wanted to map out a career path for him as a general long term plan I can keep in mind. e.g. CID/Detective sort from a beat cop?
#3b: In terms of CID/Detective ... Would there be a fair bit of undercover police investigation happening in terms of dealing with the city's gangs/underground/general shady illegal business? How well is that network run in NAPD and how secluded and secure are those agents from having their real identity leaked? I know this involves creating false identities and stuff which is.... difficult... but I wanted to possibly look into narcotics agents and things of this undercover sort of nature so just wanted to get the question out there!
#4: Does the NAPD have any quasi-military units within (like SWAT) or are those more universally handled by UNA if there is any need for that? How readily available would they be in terms of rapid developing crisis and would the police have any access to those sort of resources in terms of emergency situations?
Sorry if these have been addressed already!
no subject
1. No, he will be considered as a New Amsterdam resident as this will actually make it easier for him to travel back to New Amsterdam.
2. No dorm housing is available, but the training is paid!
3a. He can certainly pursue CID/Detective status, but this will take a very long time to achieve via conventional means. In our modern world, this training takes about five years of experience on the job, plus another couple years of education. However, his instructors won't hold back if he's interested in that route, and will provide him with the supplemental information to get started. As we've shown, there are ways to get around these limitations in game, and we're also willing to be flexible depending on any other plot opportunities that arise.
3b. Going undercover in Meadowlark's world is treated as a separate skill set, and they typically do close examinations of potential recruits during the testing and training process. People who are best suited to undercover work will be profiled for this work, and pulled aside. After all, this is a world where so much is caught on camera, and these individuals would need to have a heavy divide between their work and their home life. It would all but require them to work a double life.
Some characteristics that they would be looking for are individuals who can adapt quickly, are capable of duplicity, resourceful, aren't married and don't seem likely to marry, able to keep a cool head and excellent observation skills. Since many of these officers would start on this line of work, they would be trained on the job, slotting into an undercover position from the very beginning.
None of these officers would go by a fake name, instead trained to use their real identity to slip in and out of these walks of life. There is a high risk of someone falling apart under the pressure of this position, and there is a high percentage of officers who end up defecting and becoming loyal to the people they're trying to investigate. This is a high risk, high reward position for most departments around the world, but it's proved necessary given the heavy social media presence in Meadowlark's world.
4. The UNA does handle any situations that might require extreme force. They are a very well-ordered force and can deploy rapidly, so the local police does not have access to heavy military-esque equipment.