Plot & Continuity Work Group

Plot & Continuity Work Group
Terminology
Term Name:	Plot & Continuity Work Group
Description:	Plot and Continuity manages the Game Masters and handle all elements of the game's story and gameplay.
Abbreviation or Synonyms:	Plot Work Group, 'P & C', Plot
Rule Type:	Out-of-Game

Keeping players entertained is a difficult job.

Purpose

The Plot & Continuity Work Group is in charge of the Game Masters, or GMs, who tell the story of the Kingdoms of Novitas. They:

• Oversee each shift
• Send Non-Player Characters out on plots that the Player Characters can then interact with
• Collect Post Event Letters (PELs) from players after each event
• Answer Lore questions
• Write the details for Player Initiated Plots (PIPs)

Twice a year the Plot Work Group also meets to discuss Role-playing Skill advancement applications.

First and Second Marshals

The Marshal for the Plot & Continuity Work Group is Ryan Green, and the Second is Donald Tyson. When you see something that requires "Plot Marshal approval", you can contact either of them.

Volunteering

Game Masters are selected by the Plot Marshal and Second when they are needed. If you are interested in joining the Plot Work Group, the best thing you can do is to demonstrate your ability when working as a Lead Non-Player Character. Lead NPCs guide groups of Non-Player Characters in the field while the Game Master is behind the desk in the Logistics building. Demonstrating that you can handle unusual situations while maintaining the spirit & identity of the game will make you stand out as a candidate to be a Game Master.

There are other ways to help out as well; periodically Plot & Continuity will take submissions for filler plots so that the Game Masters have something extra to draw on when they are out of ideas. This is a good way to help the game, flex your creativity, and demonstrate what you can do.

Post Event Letters (PELs)

After every event each player who attended may submit one Post Event Letter (PEL) summarizing what they did. The Game Masters use these as reference material to find out what happened with certain plots, or what players did for the event. You can submit your PEL at this link.

PELs are due the Sunday after each event. In exchange for writing one, players are awarded with 2 experience points. You must NPC or PC for at least one shift to qualify to write a PEL. Empty PELs will not qualify for experience points.

When you are an NPC keep in mind the GMs don't know exactly what happened, and in the middle of running a shift are not going to remember all the details of anything you report. A good PEL gives them the records when things are calmer to understand what took place so they can grow a story from it.

General Guidelines for Writing PELS:

As an NPC

• Include details about plots you think players are likely to write Lore requests asking for more information, especially NPC names.
  • Often Lore requests talk about an NPC they encountered by name, but if you named the NPC the GMs are stuck guessing at which plot the player is actually talking about.
• Put useful descriptors of PCs whose names you don't know or use their real-world name (if you know it).
  • "Short person with a purple dress" is very generic and describes a lot of players or even an NPC; "red-haired faekin" or "Shauna's PC" is distinguishable and easier for GMs to identify.
• If a player did something interesting with you that you liked.
• If you think that a plot can have an interesting follow-up.

As a PC

• Be as factual as possible. Writing in a narrative format is not helpful.
• Put the real-world names of players who represented NPCs you mention, if you know them.
• Note any plots you encountered that you are likely to follow up on either in Lore or PIP.
• Bring up if you really liked a particular plot, even if you won't be following up on it.
  • This makes it easier for GMs to know what plots the players on their shift like to interact with.
• Mention things that you did that you will be using as examples for Roleplay Skill advancements.
• Any inter-PC interactions that you think the GMs should know about.

What Should Not be in a PEL:

• Details about what fights you participated in, if that fight is unlikely to have a follow-up.
  • If you were skeleton number 5 in a fight and died, you don't need mention it. If you were a Vlenoan Inquisitor and a PC group killed you and your followers, that is important and should be written down.
• Details about discussions you had with players that aren't relevant to plot.
  • If you are in the inn taking a break and talk with someone about their family, that typically isn't important. If you are a PC's family member and talk with them about family as part of a PIP, then you would write that down.
• Anything that adds extra length without adding substance.
  • Thieving something from another player as a PC, listing everything you sold at your merchant stall, or talking about every one-off plot you went on or encountered that had little impact on the shift are all examples of things that can be left out.
• If you don't think anything you did that qualifies as being noteworthy, say something to that effect. Completely blank PELs will not get experience.
  • Example: "Fought as various creatures throughout the shift on a Bag of Tricks. I died a few times as expected. Nothing else of note."

If you are wondering if you should put something in a PEL, you can reach out to a member of Plot between games or ask a GM during event.

Lore Requests

A Lore request is an opportunity to learn more about a plot taking place or to have some element of the world given a bit more definition. Lore requests are an excellent way of giving Game Masters feedback on what plots you are interested in by asking for follow up information. If you encountered something that you want to know more of the story to, a Lore is an excellent way to find that out.

Lores generally provide context for plots or set up ideas of plots you might pursue next. They can also help you understand why something you encountered happened. It is rare that you'll find a solution to a conflict through Lore, since this game is intended to be entirely focused on how the players handle things in-game. Sometimes it is easy to mistake Lores as a "downtime action" when they are actually a way for you to gather information about the world; the best Lore responses will give you new and interesting things to talk about at the next event you attend.

Players gain the ability to ask a Lore request from the Scholar role-playing skill and items like the Library. You can submit a Lore request using this form.

Players must submit Lores by the Sunday following each event and may only submit them if they attended the most recent event. You can only request lores for the character you played that game. If you NPC for an entire event but have an active PC or Alt in game, you can submit a Lore request for one of your characters.

Two or more characters can each coordinate investigating the same topic from different sources at the same time. If characters are coordinating it should be mentioned in the request, that way they are less likely to get the exact same answer (assuming there is enough information available to get different answers). For example, your PC wants to gather information about a strange cabin in the woods and then have your party member follow up on it. You should submit a Lore request stating that you gather information on the strange cabin. Then your party member can submit a request stating that they would like to follow up on any information gleaned from your Lore, or that they are seeking similar information on the cabin from a different source.

Once submitted the Game Masters will determine who is answering each one and if they need any clarifying information, such as when no one recognizes the plot you are asking about, they will reach out to you to get it. Most Lore responses will be sent back to players the week before the next event. Sometimes Game Masters will get inspired by Lores and give you a response in the form of a targeted plot, in which case you will be informed that your Lore will be answered in-game. Rarely, you may even get a surprise Lore from a GM that you didn't ask for!

If you do not hear back from a Game Master with a Lore response by the day before game, please reach out to the GM (if known) or the Plot Marshal or Second for more information. Sometimes real life gets in the way and Lores that slip through the cracks are rare, but they do happen. When this occurs, you will have the option of carrying the question over to the next event (in addition to any new Lore requests) or asking something different.

Please keep in mind that although we will do our best to answer every Lore request submitted, some subjects are simply out of bounds on what we want to define for the game. When a player asks such a question, the Game Masters will steer the response into the realm of something similar that they can answer instead.

Plot Lores

Each player who attended an event may submit one 'Plot Lore' afterwards for whatever character they played. These Lore requests can ONLY be about a Plot you encountered recently and should not be about anything of larger scope than that.

Guidelines for Lore Requests

Sometimes it takes players time to understand what Lores are for and how their character will best use them. Some players will sell them to get information for other players, some parties will all submit the same request with different information sources, and some players will just write "tell me more about this thing". There is no "correct" way to lore something, but there are some general guidelines to follow.

• Lore requests should be on a single topic.
  • Sometimes there might be sub questions to a Lore, but they should all have a very strongly related common theme.
  • If you submit a Lore with multiple unrelated questions, the GM will answer the first question asked and ignore anything unrelated in the request.
• Do not confuse a Lore request with explaining "Downtime Action" (what your character is doing between games).
  • Saying "I use my contacts in the Vleanoan resistance to find the missing faekin" is more than enough to make a lore on, barring a couple details about who you are contacting or if there is any background the GM might not know. If you want to talk about what your PC did before or after the events of the Lore response, you can just say that you do that.
  • Saying "I contact my old resistance friend Harold, who leaves Vlean to meet me on the border. We get in his cart and go north to Gersh where I think the faekin is, we take a pit stop to eat at an inn, we find a snow goblin who tells us they recently saw them and brings us to them, and then I ask the faekin for information about the big bad evil guy and they tell me all about him before I go back to Maplewood" is an example of explaining a downtime action rather than asking for information, and is better suited for a blog post.
• Use sources that you think will be useful for what you are looking for. Your response will be entirely based on your source.
  • Asking your childhood tutor from Civen about something that they specialized in teaching you will net you more information than searching a random library in the Freelands for the same information.
  • It is completely okay to make up a source that isn't established in game, ie "a crazy druid that lives on the town outskirts" or "my contact at the Evenandran Library".
• Don't ask about another character's backstory.
  • If you would like to know more about another PC, ask them in-game via roleplay or message the player outside of game.
• Inquire about details that can be defined in-game without causing issues down the road.
  • Asking "What does Kazvak meat taste like", while it may seem fun, is something that cannot be defined without needing EVERY GM to now know that Kazvak meat tastes like chicken for future lores. "What is the best way to prepare Kazvak meat" leaves more wiggle room for the GM to answer your question without a very random detail getting lost.
• If the Lore doesn't mesh with some other established facts, reaching out to the GM who sent it to you to let them know is helpful.
  • This might be on purpose because different sources don't always agree on information. It could also be an honest mistake because GMs aren't aware of every detail, especially in the case of personal backstories. In the latter case they might rewrite the response to make it more in line with this new (to them) information.
• Talk with the GM and give feedback on your lore, if needed.
  • If you aren't understanding what the Lore is explaining, it is okay to ask the GM for clarification. If you are following up the Lore response with a PIP, giving the GM a heads-up on what you want to do will give them time to plan something.

Player Initiated Plots (PIPs)

A Player Initiated Plot (PIP) is an opportunity for players to suggest what they would like to encounter during an event. Many different players enjoy many different aspects of the game, and that's a great thing. PIPs are an opportunity to get the thing YOU want out of the game and tells the Game Master what style of story you wish to encounter like drama, comedy, fighting, intrigue, mystery, or problem-solving. They are not an opportunity to write a plot for yourself.

PIPs are due by the week before each event and should only be submitted if you plan on attending that event. While having forewarning about things you are planning in the future can be useful, PIPs for future events shouldn't be submitted until the event in question is the next event scheduled. PIPs can be submitted via this link.

Guidelines for PIPs

PIPs can be confusing to submit as sometimes players think that they need to define an entire encounter. This is not the case and is frowned upon. The PIP should say what kind of thing you want to do, for example:

• "I want to convince a merchant to join my caravan."
• "I want to get into a big fight."
• "My PC wants to meet a brownie who tells bad puns."
• "I would like to talk to (insert specific NPC here) about (insert topic here)."
• "I want to find pieces of a ritual I'm trying to put together."

The best PIPs explain what your goal is and let the GM write the story, instead of instructing the GM how you want to get to your goal.

• You are allowed to write PIPs seeking out rare items, such as ritual paper or another scarce item.
  • Keep in mind that you may not get exactly what you want, or it may take time.
• If your PIP is related to your backstory, you should include some details of who the important NPCs involved are and why they are related.
  • There are many active characters in the game, and Game Masters are not expected to know everyone's backstory by heart. Backstories also change and evolve over time, so simply reading what you wrote 2 years ago may not be accurate any longer. Letting plot know who is involved and what their deal is helps save the GMs a lot of time, which they can then spend making a cool plot for you.
• Much like a PEL, please keep PIPs brief and to the point. Start with what it is you want, then include the details.
  • The Game Masters have a lot to read through and saving them time is appreciated. Be clear in what you are asking for. If you put the details first, they spend the entire PIP trying to figure out what it is you actually want.
• Submitting a PIP does not guarantee that we will run the plot you request.
  • Plot will work with you to make a plot we can run, but sometimes they can't or don't want to fit certain things in. For example, just because you request a fight with an incredibly rare and powerful monster doesn't mean they want that creature in play right now.
• Players shouldn't expect more than one PIP per event.
  • You are allowed to submit more than one, but the Game Masters need to spend time entertaining everyone and that means sending 5 or more plots for one person or group is not feasible. Generally, the GMs will try to split PIPs so that one shift isn't burdened with all the PIPs at once.

If you have questions on how best to submit or phrase your PIP, speak with a GM that runs your PC shift or reach out to the Plot Marshals (Ryan Green and Donald Tyson).

Categories: Out-of-Game Rules | Work Groups