WAR TABLE: ALL DIVISIONS

[katabasis]

WAR TABLE ASSIGNMENT: OPERATION DREAMCATCHER

WHAT: With bad dreams continuing to plague Kirkwall, and with reports revealing an unpredictable area of effect, Riftwatch is ordering an extensive survey in an effort to understand the range and locate the source of the nightmares.

HOW: A mingle log and associated rookery post (for anyone who prefers to text spam their way through adventures rather than logging them) will be posted on Sunday, 10/2. Similar to the A Thousand Wrongs and the The Drifting Roads events, this log will serve of a catch-all space for nightmare research-related exploration that may occur at any time throughout the month. It will include some general set dressing and optional prompts. Get ready for sailing excursions, camping trips, dream diaries, and interviewing npcs!

At the end of this, Riftwatch may not be able to successfully pinpoint the source of the nightmares but then will have a better understanding of the effected area and, just maybe, one another. Maybe the real source of the nightmares is the friends we made along the way! That said, consider that this is mostly an excuse to ICly share bad dreams, get up to some hijinks, and write some self-indulgent side quests under the guise of ICly doing work.

WHO: Anyone and everyone. No sign ups necessary, though there will be an optional side quest/discovery request generator for anyone looking for more specifics.

WHEN: Log and rookery chatter goes up on Sunday, 10/2. A report will be filed on 10/31 (but will be general enough that threads don't have to be finished—or even started—by then).

Comments

QUESTIONS?

[katabasis]

ASSIGNMENT GENERATOR

[katabasis]

Want a bespoke assignment (aka a 2-3 sentence prompt; think the jobs board) to get the creative juices flowing? Request one by commenting here with the following form:

Player:
Character:
Division/Project(s):
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Do you want to be paired up with someone, if someone is available?: Y/N

<B>Player:</b> <b>Character: <b>Division/Project(s):</b> <b>Strengths:</b> <b>Weaknesses:</b> <b>Do you want to be paired up with someone, if someone is available?:</b> Y/N

Meanwhile, if you play a character in a leadership position then you're welcome (but not obligated!) to answer any requests that come in. Side quests should be scaled to Fairly Average Riftwatch Tasks that take folks out of the Gallows where they could record their nightmares or lack thereof and/or interview someone about their sleeping habits, rather than Something That Probably Needs A Plot Request. Use this to push your characters' leadership agendas more than to reveal revelatory plot info.

[notathreat]

Player: Charlie
Character: Ellie
Division/Project(s): Scouting
Strengths: Griffon rider, parkour, stealth, combat, recon & reference sketching.
Weaknesses: Diplomacy, bluffing, being intimidating.
Do you want to be paired up with someone, if someone is available?: Y

[katabasis]

An old signal tower north of Hercinia, historically used to warn the surrounding coastal villages of potential raids from the pirates of Estwatch, has fallen into disrepair since its caretaker died the previous year. Ellie and Viktor are to travel to the aforementioned region and repair (or improve) the tower's old lamp-and-reflective-lenses signal system. If they happen to recover intelligence regarding coastal smuggling routes or pirates crews of particular note in the region while there, then all the better.

As per the general directive, they'll be expected to do their dream-related recon with the locals and to keep personal records while traveling abroad.

[notathreat]

Is this something we should/could file a report for?

[katabasis]

I'm never gonna say no to additional reports, but only do so if the spirit moves you. Not technically required.

But if you do, go ahead and label it as part of the operation dreamcatcher stuff. 👍

Thank you for checking!

[notathreat]

You bet!

[grindset]

Player: a ghost
Character: Viktor
Division/Project(s): Research, Felandaris
Strengths: mechanical genius, manual dexterity, creativity, pattern recognition, ✨math✨, profile so low it's lying down, can be charming, ballsy as hell
Weaknesses: can also be abrasive, maybe too ballsy?, no firsthand experience with local culture, anxious of public speaking, may ruin stealth by coughing, functionally one-handed while walking, can't run
Do you want to be paired up with someone, if someone is available?: Y

[katabasis]

An old signal tower north of Hercinia, historically used to warn the surrounding coastal villages of potential raids from the pirates of Estwatch, has fallen into disrepair since its caretaker died the previous year. Ellie and Viktor are to travel to the aforementioned region and repair (or improve) the tower's old lamp-and-reflective-lenses signal system. If they happen to recover intelligence regarding coastal smuggling routes or pirates crews of particular note in the region while there, then all the better.

As per the general directive, they'll be expected to do their dream-related recon with the locals and to keep personal records while traveling abroad.

[grindset]

time to nerd ALL THE WAY OUT about optics.

we're also going to be incorporating a wee rift for hijinks reasons.

[heirring]

Hell yeah sounds sick 👍

Re: ASSIGNMENT GENERATOR

[portalling]

Player: Julie
Character: Stephen Strange
Division/Project(s): Research
Strengths: strong intellect, resourceful, doesn't let go of a mystery, comfort w/ combat & has some magical abilities
Weaknesses: abrasive, not a lot of local knowledge yet, can't write so needs a scribe for notetaking or will simply try to memorise any intel
Do you want to be paired up with someone, if someone is available?: Y but he can also run solo if we're still at an uneven number!

[katabasis]

An Antivan vineyard located along the Viverna River has run into unexpected difficulties when it comes to expanding the cellars of the old castello out of which they operate. Demolition has revealed a cavernous side chamber that clearly once served as an alchemist's workshop and extensive library. Unfortunately, opening the chamber has also triggered dangerous poltergeist-like activity which has rendered the castello nigh on uninhabitable. Oops!

Strange (and, optionally, a buddy of your choosing because I don't have anyone to pair you with :'(—although if you want to take Wysteria or Laurentius along, I'm happy to offer them up!) is to travel to the vineyard and root out the cause of the strange activity. Is it some weird relic in the alchemist's chamber? An old ritual reactivated by having the chamber cracked open? Whatever floats your boat!

As payment, Riftwatch is welcome to take any of the weird old books and scrolls he might recover from the spooky hidden chamber to add to their library. No please, they insist!

As per the general direction when traveling abroad, Strange will be expected to take notes re: the state of his sleep, and the locals he might come into contact with en route and while in Antiva.

[portalling]

1. !! this is perfect
2. oh my god can he go with wysteria, this would be extremely funny, i can’t tell if he would be charmed or aggravated or both (but then they can be Research buds 2gether)

[heirring]

THRILLED, let's do it.

DISCOVERY REQUEST

[katabasis]

Have a thread going on and you want a character to make a particularly relevant discovery during it? Request one here using the form below! These discoveries are designed to act as either obvious plot hooks to help guide development of your own player plots later (by submitting the ideas to mods via the plot request page).

Characters: Who's involved in the thread?
Thread Link: Link to a thread in progress, ideally one that has a few rounds completed. This is to help give me/us a sense of what your characters are up to and tailor discoveries to match in an effort to make sure you're getting something that will actually be useful to you.
What do you want?: Looking for something your character can a) act on immediately in the thread, or b) save for a later player plot request? Please only request the latter if you think you actually have the time/interest to develop something independently (although I personally am happy to help spitball).
Wishes/Ideas: Interested in something specific? List it here. Eg. Want to discover that the clerk you're going to interview was murdered and want some suspects and motive, or learn about Venatori looting in the northern Free Marches. No guarantees, but will do my best to accommodate.

<b>Characters:</b> Who's involved in the thread? <b>Thread Link:</b> Link to a thread in progress, ideally one that has a few rounds completed. This is to help give me/us a sense of what your characters are up to and tailor discoveries to match in an effort to make sure you're getting something that will actually be useful to you. <b>What do you want?:</b> Looking for something your character can a) act on immediately in the thread, or b) save for a later player plot request? Please only request the latter if you think you actually have the time/interest to develop something independently (although I personally am happy to help spitball). <b>Wishes/Ideas:</b> Interested in something specific? List it here. Eg. Want to discover that the clerk you're going to interview was murdered and want some suspects and motive, or learn about Venatori looting in the northern Free Marches. No guarantees, but will do my best to accommodate.

Any player of a character in a leadership position is welcome (but not obligated!) to answer these discovery requests. Unlike the assignment requests which should be for odd jobs and setting flavor, consider this your opportunity to offload/outsource some of those random ideas you've had for plots that you've been too busy to actually do anything with. The things you give out here should be a relatively small clue that can be spun into a larger idea down the road with the usual mod approvals.

CAMPING TRIP(s) INFO

[katabasis]

During the month of Harvestmere, members of Riftwatch will be sent on a few trips in order to better survey regions in the area which might otherwise go unexplored during their day-to-day work. These excursions will anywhere from three to six days in length, and be staffed according to the anticipated magnitude of risk involved (i.e. if you're purposefully going to survey an area behind Tevinter enemy lines, they're probably not sending two non-combatants).

Everyone who goes on a Survey Camping Excursion will be required to keep a dream diary logging the location and severity of any bad dreams, and surrender the pages to Research Division upon their return. Use your best judgment about what you write down, but remember that everyone is counting on your input to solve this problem so we don't all die from exhaustion and stress.

Some optional ideas for camping trip hijinks:

Enter bear, stage left.

Is that a bad dream, or are you sleeping in haunted ruins?

Finding a nightmare-free area and deciding to stay an extra day or two because, uh, the weather is just, checks notes, soooo bad sorry we definitely can't make it back in time.

Rifts, demons, and fade-touched animals, oh my!

Actually being trapped in miserable weather. Early autumn is the perfect time for flash flooding.

Get robbed by bandits.

Stumble across hostile Dalish.

Something else!

SAILING EXCURSION INFO

[katabasis]

Two major sailing excursions will occur at some point during the month of Harvestmere. The first trip, spanning three days on the Waking Sea, will occur practically without warning. Early in the month, Flint appears in the main dining hall and informs the first handful of people he happens to see (whether they're in Forces or not) that they're going on a trip tomorrow and to pack for bad weather. This is clearly a very important assignment and not the impulse of someone who is sick of having his sleep disturbed and has the means to attempt to find an alternative.

To sign up for this first trip, reply to this in the comments below (first four only please!) and I'll loop you into the top-level I eventually sling up for it.

The second sailing excursion will occur later in the month and focus on traveling around the Waking Sea (and can be used as a more general vehicle for sea-faring prompts, and has no limit as to the number of participants). Expect excellent stargazing, and an almost relaxing trip (persistent interludes of nightmares aside) right up until the third night when the tempestuous seasonal winds take a sudden turn for the worst. Amidst the sheeting rain, a giant squid-like creature infested with red-lyrium attacks the ship. It will need to be defended against before it or the storm puts a permanent end to the nightmares of everyone aboard. The inclement weather persists for time spent limping back to the Kirkwall harbor.

Everyone who goes on a Sailing Excursion will be required to keep a dream diary logging the location and severity of any bad dreams, and surrender the pages to Research Division upon their return. Use your best judgment about what you write down, but remember that everyone is counting on your input to solve this problem so we don't all die from exhaustion and stress.

[charmoffensive]

Me.

[katabasis]

#rememberwhen

I've got a top level/catch-all for this written here, but no pressure if you're no longer feeling it. I'm only, checks notes, ONE MILLION DAYS LATE.

[tender]

Me.

[katabasis]

#rememberwhen

I've got a top level/catch-all for this written here, but no pressure if you're no longer feeling it. I'm only, checks notes, ONE MILLION DAYS LATE.

[notathreat]

Me!

[katabasis]

#rememberwhen

I've got a top level/catch-all for this written here, but no pressure if you're no longer feeling it. I'm only, checks notes, ONE MILLION DAYS LATE.

[elegiaque]

me!

[katabasis]

#rememberwhen

I've got a top level/catch-all for this written here, but no pressure if you're no longer feeling it. I'm only, checks notes, ONE MILLION DAYS LATE.