State of the Game, March 2022

[apocalypsehowmods]

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State of the Game

Welcome to State of the Game 3: The Statening of the Game! Once more, we have some updates to share with all of you that we hope will help the game run more smoothly, as well as some additions/updates to the FAQ, Setting, and AC pages based on player inquiries and in-game events. We also have some questions for you regarding the upcoming arc finale. Please make sure you read over that section thoroughly and provide us with any comments, ideas, or concerns.

Please note the following:

• There will be no mod plot in April. However, we have a Player Plot in the works for April. It involves the extrajudicial kidnapping and potential murder of Fenix Down, the owner of a circus who rolled through town and caused problems in August 2021.
• Headline News #3 will be posted in April with some information that will nod toward our Arc 1 finale.
• There will be a setting shift for the Arc 1 finale; because of this, there will be NO application round in June. Apps will re-commence in July.
• Arc 1 will wrap up with a two-month event in May through June.
• The Arc 1 finale will have multiple high-risk IC prompts. We just wanted to remind players that their characters can escape from death (or other bad fates) by grasping onto an Entity as a lifeline and becoming aligned or becoming a full-fledged avatar. If you would like to take this route, please just drop us a line on the Player Plots page when the time comes and you decide you want to go that route.
• As a more general information note, as stated in the FAQ, the game is planned to run for 2.5 years. Things are currently laid out to take place over 3 arcs total: two 1-year arcs, and one shorter arc.

Questions for Players:

The final, two-month event for the Arc 1 finale will require a setting shift. Characters will be asked by ADI to travel several states away to assist with stopping an apocalypse ritual in-the-making. With that in mind, we have a few very important questions for players to consider:

1. Would your character be willing to leave Gloucester at ADI's behest? Due to the scale of this effort, which will involve both PC and NPC efforts, there will be roles during the Arc 1 for characters of all kinds, not just investigators/fighters. If you cannot think of an IC reason why your character would agree to assist with this mission, please let us know and we can help to brainstorm ways to make it happen. If it's a case that they would just not leave Gloucester under ANY circumstances to help stop an apocalypse ritual, then we need a headcount for that so that we can make sure they still have something to do in May and June.
2. What sorts of roles would your character want to take on during an away mission to stop an apocalypse? What motivates them? Are they crafty with an eye toward lying/manipulation/deception? Can they help lay the concerns of locals to rest and work to enlist those people's help, even if the locals aren't necessarily happy to see them? Are they a planner who can put all the pieces together and come up with a strategy? Are they someone with a supernatural ability that they might want to try to use secretly to help? We want to incorporate as many prompts and story beats that will highlight different types of characters and what they can do to contribute as possible. There will be opportunities to figure out what's going on and execute plans to stop the ritual, as well as managing public relations and investigating peripheral supernatural phenomena that may or may not be linked to the ritual-to-be.

We have added the following information to the FAQ (full text of the new FAQ entries can be found at the bottom of this post):

• ADI issues network devices (standard smartphone or an appropriate device for anyone with a specific need for accommodations) to all arriving characters during basic orientation and has recently implemented a mandatory cybersecurity class for all off-worlders.
• Characters are not able to create multiple accounts or post anonymously on the ADI network… with some caveats. If characters OOCly agree to it, they are welcome to have their passwords stolen/have some basic hacking done. If you want your character to cause problems on a larger scale than just a one-off post/interaction, please post this on the Player Plots page for the mods to review. There may be consequences from the folks at ADI if they see someone being a proper menace.
• While messages posted to ADI's network are generally secure from outside intrusion (barring events where the mods will make a point to note this), any character with some tech knowledge will be able to gather that the network administrator (Pam Ruan at the moment) is able to view all posts on the network, whether they're public or private.
• Several entries have been updated to reflect the local population's growing belief and fear of the supernatural. Characters who use or discuss supernatural abilities will note that NPCs are increasingly more likely to take what they're saying seriously. Even benign uses of supernatural abilities are likely to frighten them. For PCs who show themselves or claim to be affiliated with the supernatural, they may find that they are refused service to PCs at businesses, run off, or threatened with someone calling the police. PCs who don't do this will continue to be treated as they normally would be. PCs may notice that NPCs who are convinced of the supernatural and especially afraid of it tend to disappear or are found dead more often than those who shrug off the supernatural/don't take it as seriously.

We have added the following information to the Activity Check (full text of the new AC information can be found at the bottom of this post):

• We have clarified the submission of hybrid (log and network) thread submissions. You may submit a single thread for a hybrid proof that has 10 comments from you total where there are 6+ network comments and 1-4 log comments.

There are also these updates to setting information:

• The Locations page has also been updated to reflect the increasing awareness and fear among locals regarding supernatural activity.
• In the wake of the "Material Goods" event, ADI eventually released Kahlil Nassir; the agency is now keeping him and his shop under observation as well as offering him general protection. Things of Beauty has discarded its uncomfortably Fleshy stock and returned to selling antiques and curios, but the business is struggling. Kahlil has agreed to act as an informant regarding any events downtown, and offers ADI employees a discount at his shop.
• The location entry for Hammond Castle has been updated to reflect the events of the February 2022 TDM; the Castle is now open to the general public.

Thank you again for taking this horrible journey with us. Please comment below with any additional questions or feedback.

New FAQ Entries:

➥ Are there game-issued network devices? How do they work? How does my character get online, in general?

Characters are provided with a smartphone during basic orientation. Depending on the department they join, they may also be issued a company laptop. Additionally, computers are abundant at ADI HQ, and characters working with ADI would be free to log into them to access the internet and whatnot. All characters are required to take a mandatory cybersecurity course during their first week at ADI, whether they stick with the group or not. Those who try to avoid the course will be tracked down and brought in for it. Players can assume that their characters will be given an in-depth tutorial on how to use a smartphone, how to set up accounts and passwords, access the internet, and what they need to do to keep themselves safe online and with technology in the modern world.

➥ Can my character have more than one account on the ADI network? Can they post anonymously?

No... with some caveats. Characters will have the chance to set up one account at the start of their tenure with ADI. They can change their username, but all of their identifying information on their profile will remain the same unless they contact the network administrator, Pam Ruan, to change it. Adding an additional account would not be possible, but characters are welcome to post under each other's usernames/credentials if the players OOCly agree to it and the characters ICly obtain the information to do that. It's also possible for a particularly skilled hacker to get in and cause some mischief. If your characters is going to cause problems on that front for more than just a one-off thread/interaction, we'd just ask that you reach out to us on the Player Plots page.

➥ Are messages on the network truly private?

They are private from those outside ADI/the ADI sphere of influence barring some plot-related events where the mods will note that the network has been breached in some way. Savvy characters will be able to note that the network administrator, Pam Ruan, has the ability to read all messages posted to the network, whether they are private or not.

Updated FAQ Entries:

➥ What is life like in Gloucester?

Gloucester is, at least on the surface, an ordinary small town. Its main industries are fishing, shipping, and tourism. All the typical modern-day amenities are available to characters, and characters will be paid a modest salary if they work for ADI.

Among Gloucester's tourist attractions are its unusually high number of haunted sites and odd happenings around the area. Ghost tours are popular and lucrative, and the town is a frequent destination for ghost-hunting video crews. There are also a lot of disappearances; but there always seem to be more people coming in to replace those who are gone. That's the modern world, though, isn't it? People are always moving away to bigger opportunities. Surely it's nothing to worry about. though there always seem to be more people coming in to replace those who are gone, the locals are starting to question the status quo and become more suspicious of unexplained phenomena.

Crime isn't rampant; nor is it nonexistent. There are a few local gangs that engage in turf wars, particularly around the railroad tracks that cut through town and head north, but they're small fry compared to their big city counterparts. Belief in (and fear of) the supernatural is growing among the general populace, with locals increasingly likely to take supernatural threats seriously.

➥ How do NPCs feel about the PCs?

Feelings and opinions among the NPCs are mixed. ADI employees native to this world are often wary of anyone who displays what they consider supernatural abilities. Other ADI employees are off-worlders more empathetic toward the PCs... and often more depressed if they came from a magic-filled world now lost to them. By and large, everyone who works at ADI is at least willing to work alongside off-worlders, whether or not those off-worlders have their full trust.

The wider NPC community of Gloucester is skeptical of the number of outsiders who have moved into their small town, but they're used to tourists and are increasingly on edge around any arrivals they suspect of having supernatural abilities. Reactions toward PCs will largely depend on how those PCs treat the people around them.

➥ What happens if my character does something that reveals the supernatural as real?

If it's just talking, most regular NPCs will shrug it off and there will be few to no repercussions.it's about a 50/50 chance whether regular NPCs will shrug it off and there will be few to no repercussions, or whether those NPCs will take the conversation seriously. NPCs who take the supernatural seriously are afraid of it; some will be morbidly curious while others may shut down the conversation or even refuse service to PCs at local businesses in response. Minor reveals that people can convince themselves that they didn't see/just imagined can be shrugged off, as well. Basically, don't get caught and you're fine. Some NPCs will still shrug off minor reveals they can convince themselves they didn't really see or just imagined, but many will react with fear to even seemingly benign supernatural displays and actively avoid or chase off PCs who do so. More serious actions or attempts to prove the supernatural exist to non-ADI NPCs may result in ADI personnel jailing characters for a period of time or the police picking them up and then handing them off to ADI to deal with. This sort of reveal would constitute a player plot and should be run past the mods.

NPCs who are convinced of the supernatural and especially afraid of it tend to disappear or are found dead more often than those who shrug off the supernatural/don't take it as seriously. Discussing the supernatural in depth with NPCs can lead to those NPCs being harmed or killed by the Entities.

New Setting Information:

➥General Setting Information:

Gloucester, Massachusetts is a somewhat isolated coastal city with a modest population (30,000 people). It has warm summers and cold, wet, windy winters. The general weather/climate can be found HERE, but weather in-game will not 100% mirror real-world conditions at all times. It is surrounded by coastal wetlands, beaches, and forest. It is a well-known hotbed for supposed paranormal activity on the Eastern Seaboard and more than one ghost hunter has come looking in the area. There are haunted houses and farms in the surrounding area, and it's said more mysterious occurrences happen within the harbor than anywhere else. There are few in town who don't have their own 'ghost story,' but very few people legitimately believe in the supernatural. It's all well and fine to attract tourists and boost the thrill for Halloween events. More and more locals have taken notice of the uptick in supernatural activity around Gloucester since summer 2021. Locals are increasingly likely to believe in the supernatural and to be actively afraid of it, as well as afraid of anyone displaying supernatural abilities.

➥Things of Beauty:

Once again a small antiques and curiosity shop in the heart of the city, now home to a bizarre assortment of unsettling curios of unspecified origin. Things of Beauty itself might be described as cozy if only it weren't for the shelves upon shelves of uncomfortably organic-looking or body-themed knickknacks. Selections include beads and small toys carved from bone; half-animal, half-vegetable figurines; squeeze toys with realistic plastic guts that pop out of their mouths; and dolls that double as anatomical models, among others. Things of Beauty is a business that has seen better days. Its layout might be described as cozy if it weren't for the sparse offerings and too many shelves standing empty. Following ADI's intervention, the uncomfortably organic-looking or body-themed knickknacks formerly for sale here found their way to the dumpster, but the shop's staff and hours have also been reduced. Things of Beauty and its proprietor are currently under observation and protection by ADI, and ADI employees will receive a discount upon presentation of an employee ID. Though stock is limited due to financial struggles, Kahlil has a good eye for used goods and interesting curios and one can sometimes find good quality furniture, antiques, and decor here.

NPCs Typically Found at Things of Beauty
Kahlil Nassir (he/him) - Proprietor of Things of Beauty. Kahlil is an all around average man. Average height, average build, average looks. He has a rather stressed demeanor, though, like he's juggling too many balls and is terrified one of the really important ones is going to drop, or like he's waiting for something terrible to happen to him. His hands always seem to have bandages on them. He has a rather haunted air about him, though, like he's still waiting for the other shoe to drop. He's nervous around ADI personnel he doesn't know well, but keeps tabs on happenings downtown and is forthcoming with that information. His hands are extensively marked with scars in the shape of tiny bite marks.

➥Hammond Castle:

Hammond Castle, built in the late 1920s and early 1930s, is a curious and eccentric piece of architecture located in the northeast reaches of the city, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It was built by John Hays Hammond, Jr. and his wife Irene as both a home and a laboratory for John's work with inventions. Most of Hammond's 400+ patents dealt with mechanical devices, but the one he ended up being most famous for was a device that allowed for the remote control of other devices.

Reports of paranormal activity at Hammond Castle are rampant and both Hammonds were known for being highly interested in the occult. Visitors have claimed to see apparitions and floating objects, as well as hearing voices and experiencing a general sense of foreboding within certain parts of the castle. The castle is filled with unusual artifacts from different eras and places. There are skulls from famous vessels, a child's tomb from ancient Rome, and grave markers set into the walls, to name a few of the pieces.

The castle has been closed to the general public for more than a year due to an undisclosed incident; however, it remains accessible to those working for and with ADI due a decades-old agreement made with the Hammonds, themselves. The castle, which had been closed to the general public for more than a year due to an undisclosed incident, has reopened to the public as of February 2022. A decades-old agreement between ADI and the Hammonds themselves entitles those working for and with ADI to special access outside of business hours when needed, and the relationship between ADI and Hammond Castle is one of reciprocal professional courtesy.

NPCs Typically Found at Hammond Castle
Simone Clark (she/her) - The caretaker and curator at Hammond Castle. She is a woman of average height and build who provides access for those working with ADI, and has so far proven willing to cooperate with ADI's investigations, up to and including having allowed ADI to confiscate a supernatural artifact found in the Castle's collections. She has a pet black cat named John that can be found roaming around the castle grounds on occasion.

New AC Information:

Regarding Hybrid Log/Network Threads

• You may use separate parts of a hybrid thread for different AC proofs if they each meet the proof lengths. E.g., a thread that had 11 network comments that led into 7 log comments all posted in the same month could be submitted as your full AC in the same way a 10 comment log thread or a 20 comment network thread could be.
• If you have a thread with a total of 10 comments where there are 6+ network comments and 1-4 log comments you may submit the whole thread as a network proof. You do not have to get 10 network comments or 5 log comments. Just combined, they need to total 10 comments with the majority of the tags coming from network comments.

Comments

[henchgal]

1. Yes! She's willing to go where she needs to!

2. Meredith is not a fighter, but I do want to show off her competence as an office warrior and media relations maven. She's also decent at reading people and coaxing them to trust her; she's not a Malcolm-level profiler, but her experience with Khalil is a show of something she's great at.

She also makes good bait.