smacks another discussion thread down

[dame]

[div style="width: 450px; margin: auto; text-align: justify"]Hey guys! There've been some threads recently where I've been getting some feedback on Northstar, and it's given me some ideas. Pretty much all of it has focused on Northstar's theme: trading. It's not especially exciting and nothing is done with it. I've tried to do things with trading in the past, but even when there's other people, no one's really interested. It was also brought up that we might add some other things to our theme, like a circus or a zoo, and while I'm not committed to those ideas (I'm not anti them either, just not committed, if that makes sense), they're right that we need more stuff going on.
So I'm just gonna do my best to lay down all of my ideas, all the possible plots, etc here. A lot of it is inspired by feedback I've gotten throughout my reign and I'll try to cite anything that really got me thinking or is. directly used.

Plots:
— The Young Rogues: I've already talked about this in this thread, so I won't go too in depth here. Things have been going slow since there's been somewhat limited interest, but I'm trying to get things moving as far as getting the group up and rolling is concerned. Also, the thread with James is all written, I just need to iron out a specific part of it bc I'm not happy with it, then it'll be up.
— Sickness: It was suggested in this thread that there be an airborne illness that begins in the Badlands, things kinda move towards Flintlock because of the cold there, there's some possible tension and Northstar ends up being the ones to discover the cure (in one of their plants).
— Electricity: It was suggested in that same thread that one of the groups gets power back on, and since Northstar is about to move, it'd be us! I was thinking if they got use of power, they could start producing things. There'd also be some tension with whether or not they'd share the power, particularly with the Badlands.
— Other: These are really brief explanations but this is still in the beginning phase of being planned and if any of you have any ideas, please feel free to let me know or pop into the tnw groupwide plotting thread.

Traditions:
— Events: Sheo has suggested a circus or a zoo, which got me thinking. I dunno that Marine is really the type to wanna do a circus or zoo (she probably doesn't even know what the first one is, and I'm skeptical about her knowing what a zoo is. maybe she knows both but idk), but it reminded me of something someone else suggested a long ass time ago about horse races (it was in dms and a long time ago so no link rip, but it was Demesne that suggested it). Since they'll be leaving the jungle and still have the horses, maybe something like that?
— Safe Haven: Something Marine would absolutely push is that Northstar is a place for second chances and redemption. People who've done really bad things would have to work for it, but it could open it up a bit more in terms of what characters we might see?
— Culture: Another thing I was thinking about was Northstar just in general building up more culture. Art, music, fashion, etc. That their territory would be a place people would want to visit not just for trading, but just to see. Maybe they have a museum there or something.

Territory: I said before I wanted it to be temperate, and Salem suggested putting them in a port city and I? Really like that idea? I'd love to put them by the water when they move, tbh. Plus a big city would give them some good space and supplies, not to mention the potential for the infrastructure needed for the electricity plot.

[Wesley Woodrow]

Smacks myself down into the discussion thread. Sorry this is long, I wanted to hit as many points as possible!

I'm really into the idea of the airborne sickness, and ND being the ones to cure it! It'd give some interesting tension, particularly between the researchers + possible subjects they bring in from the other groups to observe (and subsequent IC pushback to that from healthy members of ND)

Not sure about electricity, but it could be fun! It'd just need to get flushed out a bit, since sharing electricity over long distances without the infrastructure to support it would be functionally impossible anyways so it'd be... Difficult to get it to other groups, unless one group decided to maintain the power lines.

A circus sounds really fun, especially because of the jungle; exotic animals snatched from the jungle as babies and brought to the new territory as a circus sorta thing, or perhaps to trade to other groups. Overall I think it could be really fun as like, a monthly reoccurring event; every month someone could get assigned as a Ringmaster and hosts the circus. Could be an interesting role to test out responsibility in potential HPs as well.

Horse races could be fun, though they'd need to go to a place where they have the space to race; it could be the same sort of reoccurring event as the circus, but with betting added in for observers and members of ND could participate as jockeys and get a slice of whatever was betted against them if they win.

I'm totally up for the Safe Haven thing, and trying to get the rep as the group that takes in stragglers could be cool! I wouldn't really want the group to become Badlands 2: But Worse! though, so maybe we could push more of a rehabilitation angle? Get people the help they need and give them the opportunities to succeed w/o forcing them to resort to violence and posturing.

As for culture, I'm 100% down for it. We could make up some new holidays, maybe one for each month and then cycle through them with events for each; characters could still celebrate normal holidays like Halloween and such, but there'd be a separate holiday celebrations going on as well. People from other groups could come in as tourists as well, to celebrate or to just observe.

A port city sounds cool, plus it could give us a chance to have them build another open-air market on the city streets and they could start experimenting with building boats. Might attract more characters as well, since the jungle is a bit restrictive as a territory and cities give a bit more leniency.

As for another idea, or rather something building off of other stuff; I'd really love to see Northstar becoming a hub of progress, and becoming one of the larger beacons of civilization. Not like, becoming modern or anything, but actively trying to reinvent old things, innovate like mad, establish structure and perhaps become a city-state rather than just a group of survivors. Idk, but it could be a cool thing to work towards.

[babyface]

track for now but all of these sound bomb as hell

[dannychan]

track bc o3o

[Wesley Woodrow]

Adding onto my original post, aka continuing some brainstorming for some of those ideas. All this stuff can be changed and adjusted, and if anybody wants to build onto these feel free to do so! I'd love feedback on all of these, even if it's as simple as saying you like it or dislike it.

[spoiler=Horse Races]Horse races could be organized as such:

-Any character from any group Northstar is currently not embargoing or at war against is allowed to bet, including characters not allied to any group. Betting can be Bones, IC items, services (such as the betting character will do a job for Northstar if they have a losing bet, like repairing a roof or tending the horses) and IC pets/animals.

-Betting characters do not have to attend the actual race thread or be active in any threads in order to bet, they only need to post what they're wagering and who they're betting on in an official thread.

-The winning jockey is determined by a random raffle hosted by the race's organizer; the more posts the jockey makes in the race thread, the more "tickets" they get in the raffle. *This is more of a mechanics thing, it won't be referred to as a raffle ICly.

-Races will be held once a month, on the second weekend. Bets can be placed in the two weeks preceding that, but the actual event with the jockeys will only be held on that weekend. *This can be changed, but I personally think it'd be fun to make it more of an actual race for the jockeys to post as much as possible in a set amount of time

-To start out there will only be three jockeys per race, and they will all be volunteers; if need be, someone can step in with multiple characters as jockeys if nobody else will be around during the race

-When the race is over, the race's organizer divides up the winnings between the jockey and the correct betting characters.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Circus]Circuses could be organized as such:

-Any character from any group Northstar is currently not embargoing or at war against is allowed to attend, including characters not allied to any group. Attendance would net you a cool Badge graphic you could put on your profile, in a bio or in a storage thread; the graphic could change month-by-month, as a cool way to encourage people to attend more often. *The badges don't need to use the actual Badge System mechanic built into BB, but using the name Badges make it a bit easier to understand

-Once a month a Ringmaster is picked from a pool of volunteers from ND, and the Ringmaster sets up all the threads and events. Ringmasters aren't a High Position and only have power over that month's circus, and the person changes every month.

-The monthly theme of the circus and other events can be made by the Ringmaster, but there are a few events that would be mandatory to host:
--Opening Ring (A welcoming thread to invite visitors to take their seats, which serves as a rollcall of attendance so Badges can be given out appropriately)
--Jaguar Tamer (An entertainment thread where an NPC or character from ND serves as the Jaguar Tamer, and has to either tempt or force a live Jaguar out of one pen and into a different one without getting mauled. Visitors can watch and react to the show but it doesn't force or even encourage active participation from outsiders.)
--Musical Stroll (A hangout thread that takes place just outside of the tent/where the circus is held; NPCs and members of ND are encouraged to preform music and visitors can dance or listen.)
--Concessions Stands (A bartering thread that takes place just outside of the tent/where the circus is held; NPCs and members of ND tend stalls where food, drinks and trinkets are sold to visitors. Salespeople are encouraged to advertise other products made by ND while they tend their stalls.)

-The circus would be held once a month, potentially on the third week of every month. Ringmasters would be picked 1-2 weeks in advance, to give them time to prepare or acknowledge that they won't be able to host that week.

-Events inside of the tent other than the Opening Ring and Jaguar Tamer can be decided by the Ringmaster or could be brainstormed in advance in this thread.

-The Ringmaster would be in charge of either making the Badge or finding someone to make it, and they'd also be in charge of giving out the Badge to everybody who attends the Opening Ring thread.

-While the circus isn't active, the circus animals and location would be maintained by ND.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Potential new holidays]Names, traditions and months can all be changed but I figured these all would be a good place to start.

January - Festival of Rebirth
--A large festival to celebrate the new year; it's encouraged to write down regrets from the previous year and burn them, either by yourself by candlelight or in large groups using bonfires. It's a great time to put yourself out there, meet new people and to teach people skills and be taught yourself. Candles and other sources of light are placed everywhere, particularly in windows and high-up ledges.

February - Starlight Dance
--A quieter celebration, where people stay up very late and dance by the light of the moon and stars on nights where the sky is clear. This is more of a personal event, and people are encouraged to spend time with a romantic partner during this month. People without partners can still celebrate of course, and can still dance. It's taboo to dance with someone else's partner or with someone other than your own partner, as it's seen as an act very close to full-on cheating.

March - Full Moon Celebration
--A fun, festive celebration where people are encouraged to stay up on the night of the full moon and spend the time with family and friends, playing games and talking. The full moon is said to bring people closer together, as it brings the tides higher to the sky. Gifts are ceremoniously given out during this festival to people who consider each other family, whether by blood or bond.

April - Festival of Laughter
--A lighthearted festival centered around pranks and games. Brightly colored ribbons are hung from trees and buildings, and people are encouraged to spend more time outside socializing. Adults typically spend some time baking so they can give out treats to kids and visitors.

May - Feast of Flowers
--A large potluck is hosted on the 16th, where all are welcome to come and sample Northstar's hospitality. The event takes place in the early evening and sometimes stretches deep into the night, and it's customary to bring at least one dish to share. Throughout the month people may celebrate by hosting small feasts of their own and inviting friends and family to attend.

June - Sunlit Fair
--A large fair is set up, focused mainly around trading with outsiders. People are encouraged to brush up on their bartering and to make goods, trinkets, etc to trade. The fair takes place all throughout the month, but is only open during the daytime.

July - Month of Ashes (Potentially a historical remembrance holiday for what the Young Rogues did?)
--A sober holiday, focused around remembering those who have fallen in Northstar's past and in the past of whomever is celebrating. Bonfires may be held during this time, typically in the evening time or at night. People are encouraged to open up more during this month, and to talk about things that may be bothering them or open up about secrets they've been holding.

August - Seaside Party (Can be changed if we don't move to a place with an easily-accessible beach)
--A large party hosted on the beach, where people are encouraged to swim and play in the sand. The party takes place on the 18th, and is mainly focused around relaxation. Adults will sometimes drink during the party, though there are a couple people around to keep an eye on the kids and to make sure everybody gets home safe.

September - Harvest Fair
--A fair hosted to celebrate the harvest, which is hosted throughout the month. Adults are encouraged to test their mettle riding bulls while kids get to enjoy petting goats, lambs and pigs. Decorations are usually very autumn-themed, with tones of red, orange, yellow and earthy brown being popular.

October - Lanternlit Gathering
--An evening-time gathering to celebrate the seasons changing. Paper lanterns are crafted, lit and then set onto the ocean at night to float until they burn out or are taken by waves. Stories are told around campfires, of historical events or of myths; it's a great time to share past experiences and test yourself as a storyteller.

November - Fallen Leaves Gala
--A gigantic party hosted by Northstar, where guests from all over the continent come together to dance, chat and enjoy. People are encouraged to wear masquerade masks and intricate clothing, though neither are necessary to enjoy the event. Chefs from Northstar cook a large feast, while Northstar's musicians tend the atmosphere of the Gala. This also serves as a great place for political leaders to meet and discuss things, as the Gala is a neutral zone for everybody except those who Northstar is at active war against.

December - Feast of Ice
--In the depths of winter a large feast is held, where people can gorge themselves and be merry. This is much more of a personal holiday to Northstar, and visitors aren't encouraged to attend unless they have family or close friends residing inside ND.[/spoiler]

[dannychan]

considering multiple circus characters are going to north star, i think it’s work well??

[Jasper,]

Track!

[dame]

ok wow this is hella late but I thought I'd be able to whip up a territory proposal first. I've been working on it, but I'm not done yet. Anyone who'd like to throw out their own territory ideas, now's a good time to do it.

holy shit Darky, that is super freaking detailed
there's probably one or two things I'd change as far as mechanics and timing (like making it so there's at least a week between the races and circus), but overall I really like all of that and I'd be interested in implementing them if other people are into it too!

[dame]

this took a really long time to write I'm sorry y'all
but anyway, what do you think? More details can be added and stuff ofc

After fleeing the jungle, Northstar District has made their home in a city built along the coastline. The structures there go back many years and it shows in the stone used to construct most of the buildings, however there are several more recent additions that are made of brick, particularly in the more industrial areas. The closer to the water you get, the more modern things get, as the buildings there had been renovated or even demolished and replaced to make room for a harbor, factories and warehouses, though most of the latter two are only on one side of the city. Behind the warehouses and factories is a set of train tracks, and there's even a long abandoned train on them.

The buildings are pretty close together, particularly the older ones. Doorways are often set in or under archways (though some are just flush to the walls without decoration), and archways often reach across the alleys, sometimes covering only a small section, other times larger sections and in some places, entire alleys are covered. Things are rather overgrown in many places, to the point that they can barely be used as they are.

There are two types of apartments that the Northerners area able to get, ones that are above shops and store fronts, and ones that are not. Shops can be just about anything, such clothes, weapons, supplies, luxury items, etc. There's also a market, which is often quite busy.

On the edge of the city, somewhat close to the waterline, there are two trails: one goes up along some cliffs and provides an excellent view of the water, the other leads down to a hidden beach on a cove in the shadow of the city. There's also another beach a couple miles from camp, which got a small amount of development before the apocalypse struck.

In the area outside the city there are some rather important things to note: one is a long-abandoned mill, and the other is an overgrown graveyard. Most of the names on the graves have faded, but there are a great many of them, spanning back many, many years. Beyond that the territory is mainly comprised of rather hilly fields, where horses are often left to roam, though they do have a stone stable in the shade to retreat to.

[aureate]

[align=center][div style="width: 500px; text-align: justify; font-family: helvetica; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 1.4;"]PYRE I LOVE THIS SO MUCH