DIPLOMACY / RESEARCH WAR TABLE MISSION: Worlds' Fair

[bouchonne]

WAR TABLE ASSIGNMENT: WORLDS’ FAIR

WHAT: New technologies aren’t just about creating new weapons or getting an edge in battle. They’re also about improving people’s lives. Riftwatch has created dozens of new innovations — so isn’t it time to share those with the world?

Welcome to the Riftwatch Cultural Exposition, held on the campus of the University of Orlais. The Exposition is going to be a three-day fair in which members of Riftwatch demonstrate friendly levels of technological advancement and partake in Rifter-oriented cross-cultural sharing, designed to intrigue and entertain. These demonstrations can be foods, dances, simple inventions, fashion, and so on.

The purpose of this event is twofold.

One: we love money, sympathy, and a positive image. An event such as this is designed to build up Riftwatch's rapport in a different setting than just pure heroics, and garner some goodwill and curiosity that will have the effect of investing in our little operation over here.

Two: we wish to shake loose some potential academically inclined alliances that can, in the future, be used to leverage more advanced world-improving technology and theory into Thedas.

HOW: This plot will be run on a points system, in which you’ll be able to earn points to buy quality-of-life improvements based on meeting certain criteria, as well as earn interested parties who may assist Riftwatch in introducing more advanced technologies and scientific theory to the world. These criteria will involve threading and hitting specific goals.

There will be two ways to approach threading in this plot:

Method one: Write your character sharing a new technology. The best tech to share will be things that bring uncomplicated quality-of-life improvements. Things that will scare the hell out of the locals will be barred from being shown to others, as will sensitive or confidential technologies. This will require a specific sign-up in which you identify which tech your character be taking to the Exposition (with the asterisk that Tony will have the right to refuse).

Method two: Write an NPC reacting to this technology. This will be the fastest way to earn points to buy rewards. You’ll create an NPC who might come and be impressed by these new inventions, or skeptical of them, or horrified, or whatever you’d like. You’ll earn points by threading your NPC against the Riftwatch members repping their technology.

You can either ask us for an NPC suggestion or come up with an NPC to play yourself. If you're inventing your own NPC, we'd encourage you to focus on creating the sort of Thedosian who Riftwatch would want to impress. Obviously academics are the primary target here, but we'd also be going after artists, nobles, rich people with deep pockets, mages with social capital, and the like. (Just don't do anything wild - don't NPC the Empress dropping by or something like that.)

WHO: All can participate (with Diplo/Research characters extra encouraged to do so). Sign-ups are mandatory if you want to present culture/technology and/or play an NPC for points; however, characters are welcome to attend the Exposition with no sign-up necessary.

WHEN: Sign-ups will close Saturday, 7/8, and the plot log will go up the next day.