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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
1. Yes, people will notice! Gaby will say that he's done some good work, but he can't move forward until he official joins the Morningstar organization. That said, once he does, a few more doors will open for him to utilize his contacts. He will have made some noteworthy ones, and they'll be willing to put some effort into helping to rebuild some of the necessary infrastructure. In both New Amsterdam and New Beijing, he'll definitely have made contacts - we'll leave the creation of these NPCs up to you, unless you'd like us to help! None of the New Amsterdam contacts would be Morningstar affiliated (yet), while the New Beijing contacts would likely be a mix of Morningstar agents and sex workers. The agents would be reluctant to help him out until he named Gaby, and the sex workers would appreciate his efforts and would be open to helping him out. This could also create ins for Marcos with the sex workers in New Amsterdam if he wants to look into creating a system like the one in New Beijing (where the sex workers and Morningstar work in tandem to protect people).
That said, El would most likely take the forefront in funding the safehouse operations, and as a wider plot, Marcos' contacts from out of town would head in to come help him begin to fix up these pieces of property. He wouldn't be in this alone! You're free to make a network post, but you'll be getting some outside resources on this front, too, as more Morningstar contacts will be coming into town and helping out in our January intro. We'll cover more details there.
Let us know if there are any questions here, or if you need anything else cleared up!
2. There's definitely no secret about the trials themselves (just the circumstances of those trials, as the message illustrates), so it would just take a little internet searching for Marcos to find the current drug trials being held by Giles Bell. Much like today's trials, trials in 2512 are still double-blind studies that require test subjects to determine the efficacy and side-effects of the drugs released before mass circulation. He'll be able to get in without much fuss, but he will be subject to a screening visit which involves a physical including blood work, an app placed on his neural implant to monitor his status, and he'll need to check in frequently to the clinic that the testing is being held. On the up side, he'll receive a stipend for his time and a chance to make some contacts.
The drug itself was quickly designed in the past few months to try and help combat the sickness from the July 2511 virus (or what they have defined as a virus). As many of the Displaced know, the drug likely won't do what it's advertised to do, as they're the only ones who can cure it. But that doesn't mean that the Giles Bell scientists are aware of that, and their researchers are doing whatever they can to try and solve the problem. While the drug may not accomplished its intended purpose, since it's an antiviral it does come with a host of possible side-effects (which may be worse in some participants than in others), including insomnia, hallucinations, and manic episodes. To be clear, Marcos would be informed of these potential side effects when he gives informed consent to join the trial. How you want to play with this for Marcos is completely up to you! We do want to mention that this isn't tied directly to the metaplot, but does have potential for Marcos to gain some resources and to have a bit of fun, if you're interested.
Let us know how you'd like to move forward!
no subject
1) i think i'm all good with this. i did remember to sign marcos up for morningstar so he's good there and i'll get my creative brain going with some npcs but if i run into a block, i'll ask y'all. so, if he needs to do anything further to proceed there, let me know.
2) i think i'm gonna go ahead and get marcos involved with the trials! one or two other people have expressed interest but he's definitely going to sign up and let himself get poked and prodded.
is there an official start of these trials or are they just ongoing and about how long would he be looking as checking in and experiencing side effects? what sort of resources would he gain when he does this?
no subject
1. That sounds great. Let us know if there are any other questions in this arena.
2. Anyone who's interested (if you're good with it, too) are free to sign-up, just let us know on the Plot Engagement page. The trial would already be ongoing, so as soon as he signed up and consented they would get him started on taking the medication. He'd be expected to report any side effects to the study coordinator if he experienced them, and would also need to go in every month for a general check-up. He would also be asked to keep a patient diary basically keeping track of when he took the meds, if he missed a day accidentally, etc.
This would allow him contact with Giles Bell doctors, nurses, and research staff, so he could try and form some connections there. Usually drug trials like this will run for up to a year, though part of the consenting process is that he can withdraw as a participant at any time. Feel free to reach out to us if you need to follow up on anything with it, though!