SPOILER - Plot: Integration

[Brytan]

This is an overview of the discussion of the Modding Seminar Final Plot "Descent". It's still being discussed but I'll use this thread to post edited overviews to be used as a running plot when completed.
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TITLE: “Descent”


TARGET AUDIENCE: All active players in the Ursa Etheria area.


THEME: Divine Intervention, Combat. The War of the One rages on in the Seven Isles, the call for warriors to the side of Pan and the Earth Mother asks for some changes to be made in the status quo…


SYNOPSIS: For days the people of the Etherial Isle have felt the tremors. At first they were insignificant and minor, but over the past few days they have grown more frequent and more powerfull.

The Council of Owls, under the watch of Analor Goldenback convenes to discuss this recent change in their island. There is something brewing in the forest. All the tribesfolk have felt disturbing changes in the Aether. The animals of the isle have been restless and dreams are more and more frequently disturbing and fevered, plagued by horrid scenes of war and turmoil. Gannas Hawkeye has called for the Eyes of the other tribes to come to an emergency session of the Council, but they have yet to arrive.

During the course of the night, the tremors have settled down some though, only to be felt as now a constant shiver in the land. A darkness hangs over the isle as the sun rises, observant eyes might note a slight change in the angle at which it looms over the Skymyst mountains.

Preparations continue for the upcoming festival of Awakening. A group of young kit have arrived at the stage of the start of their trials and a large feast is to be prepared in the honour of their coming day of reckoning with their Inner Animal. They are asked to help in the preparations as is tradition in their tribe.

As the preparation continues and day turns into night, the tremors can still be felt as the people of Ursa lay down to rest.

With the break of morning, coming somehow sooner than expected, the tremors are no longer small and constant, but terrible. There is noise everywhere as trees snap, mountains crumble and animals flee from the terror in the deep that has befallen the island as parts of the surrounding mountain range give way and collapse to reveal an opening, a bridge, another island. Water now surrounds the island as observant onlookers find out. Nature is disturbed, the village is all but destroyed.

The Council of Elders calls for scouting parties to form and head out to investigate what has happened. No more tremors can be felt but the destruction is everywhere and has to be estimated. Casualties have to be cared for, the Awakening must continue.

INVOLVED FACTIONS:The Council of Owls will have been discussing this matter thoroughly over the past few days, with the Eyes of the other two tribes present who may have noted that the island was visible from the surface of Pan's Isle now, instead of the cloudcover being there where it should be. This should cause concern and hint at it's descent. The Council will not be readily acceptant of contact with the outside, reclusive as they are.

The council wouldn't be unanimous entirely. Wouldn't be a council if they agreed on everything. The chief of the tribe, aswell as the shaman would be pretty much sided on the conservative side, wanting to protect the tribe from new influences. There would be three Kanthans (trainers) two of whom would be of the same persuasion and one more willing to view the world openly. Then the Eyes would also be more liberal, already living on the mainland of Taz, so currently it would be a 4 against 3 stand for both sides of the matter, with the chief holding final say. The chief would be more neutral than the shaman, in that the shaman is thoroughly grounded in his ways, whereas the chief has to view his people as a whole and does also acknowledge some of the points the younger generation makes. So any decision can sway either way, depending on who attends the meeting (sometimes a general meeting is held in the town fire circle to hear the voice of the entire tribe, especially concerning large matters). This would also be something players can participate in.

The younger generation is already slightly detached of this view, as more young kanthrop choose to leave for the surface world after their Awakening. They might welcome the change to the island, after the devastation that follows is cleared up. They would not be adverse to allowing others there, be it in a limited amount in the future, whereas the Council will be highly opposed to that notion (challenge for leadership anyone?)

The Panlings will wonder what the heck that island is doing on their nice sandy beach and want to investigate, running into packs of wild animals to their eyes, the scouts, or the Awakening players who appear human and who might seem to be invading the island. Scholars from Pan might know the history of the island, if they dug deep enough into the past (the island being created a good thousand yahren or so ago, when Kanthanar first dreamed it up as a haven for her family). The will want to see what's behind the massive rock walls, or shield themselves from the people that emerge from the gaps, or trade with them, who knows?

And then there are the gods involved in this struggle. Pan being an obvious good choice for letting this happen, or the Mother should she be convinced she needs an influence in the war down below. This is something I've been considering. Pan might want the Kanthrop to side with him as warriors for his cause against the Oneists. On the other hand the Earth Mother might want to take advantage of the situation and spread her influence in Pan's domain while he is busy with Dominicus. She might even appear in dreams proclaiming this cause after the descent.



TIMELINE: These events take place over the course of a day, with background information given from previous days to account for some of the occurences.


REWARDS: The players that partake actively in scouting out the changes in their surroundings will find that much has changed to their island. Actions will have to be taken to ensure safety for their people and doing so will require drastic measures as their entire ecosystem is in jeopardy. Kanthrop players who find themselves under these conditions might resort to their animalistic side and will have to come to terms with some of it to keep a grip, bringing them some small measure closer to their Awakening.


HOOKS TO OTHER PLOTLINES AND FOLLOW UPS: This Plot can play out as an overshadowing plot for the entire area of Ursa. During this period the Awakening trials will have started, the festival of Awakening will be celebrated during or after the event of the descent of the isle back to sea level.

Scouting parties will discover the bridge to the isle of Pan, also the destruction the Skymyst mountains have suffered reveal a series of caverns that warrant exploring.

A new guard post will have to be constructed on the bridge leading to the isle as is discovered that they are now directly linked to Pan’s Isle. Also, as the people of Pan’s Isle are sure to go exploring themselves they will, for the first time ever, have to deal with strangers seeking access to their once completely isolated island.

I will assume that every new kanthrop has been thoroughly versed in the Kanthrop ways during his childhood and adolescense. They will be presented with a quest, which can differ per character, but will ultimately culminate in the same thing; Awakening. Part of this quest will be obtaining a piece of crystal to craft their own medallion which will grant access to Ursa's Heart and with that the rest of the world, that is, provided the island doesn't crash and form a new portal The old ways will then have to be abandoned and the trials will most likely be adjusted by the Kanthan on the spot, so that the young kit will get a "task"in the reconstructing of their island and the defense aswell, while getting in contact with their Inner Animal through hardship, struggle and introspection.

This gives way to a whole lot of options once the island hits. A healer oriented character would have to face the death of loved ones, not being able to save them, while a warrior might find new threats in the cracked rockface and the outside world as they search through the scarred walls of the isle. A diplomat will have to face new people who come to investigate and also everyone will suddenly be confronted with religious questions like "why did the Mother let this happen?", "What is behind this?" and maybe even "Hmm, maybe these Oneists have a point?".