Metaplot Secrets
It has been a thousand years since the Reckoning. This cataclysm nearly destroyed Arvum, a massive continent that stretches from the frigid, mountainous north to the sultry southern isles. Today the Compact rules Arvum. The Compact is formed from the six great noble houses, and it thrives while fighting off threats from within and without. The great city of Arx is the seat of power for the Compact, home to its king and queen and the most powerful men and women in Arvum.
You are a member of the Compact. Perhaps you are a highborn lady or an armor crafter or a great knight or a quick-witted bard. Whatever your story, you find yourself in Arx. And you are special.
You know or may learn that unspeakably powerful entities wage a secret war. You live in a world in which knowledge is being intentionally supressed. Magic, demons, dragons - these are things that 99.9% of the population thinks are fairy tales, entertaining stories or metaphors to teach children important lessons. You may know differently. Magic is real. You also may know that this knowledge is dangerous. If you talk about magic publicly, you may be shunned or killed.
Why is knowledge suppressed? To keep you ignorant and weak. To allow dark forces to define the past and the future.
The war is a dangerous one. If you so choose, you may have a role to play in stopping this evil.
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Welcome to Arx's metaplot: the overarching story that connects all of our characters. You can play Arx without being involved in the metaplot. If this story sounds interesting to you, however, please read on.
1. "Can any character be involved in the metaplot?"
--Yes. You don't have to be king or even a noble. Even criminals have roles in the metaplot.
2. "Can my character use magic?"
-- No. Magic is currently supressed in Arvum by the dark forces mentioned above.
3. "If it's dangerous to talk about magic, how do we roleplay about it?"
--While your character needs to be careful with what they talk about, we want you to advance your story. You can talk about magic with small groups. Avoid talking about it in public rooms on the grid or mentioning it in your public white journal entries. If you need help, talk to your org leader, story coordinator, or put in a +request to staff.
4. "How do I get involved?"
--You have several options for getting involved with the metaplot:
ORGs. Your character will be a member of one or more organizations (e.g., Valardin, Crafter's Guild, Faith of the Pantheon). Talk to your Head of House (HoH), org leader, or story coordinator (SC) about how to get involved with the org's plotlines.
SECRETS. If you are playing a roster character, you may see a section called "Secrets" on your character page. This is a personal secret for your character that will help you get tied into the metaplot. Not all characters have them; don't worry if you don't see one.
PRPs. Player run plots (PRPs) are GM'd scenes run by players to tell stories, advance character goals, and get fun rewards. PRPs are a great way to get into the metaplot. You can join ones run by your org or get to know other players and ask to join in on theirs.
WRITE YOUR OWN. If you are familiar with Arx already, you could create a secret or plot for your character and submit it to staff via a +request. This is only recommended for players experienced with the theme and lore, however.