Zion: Light of the New Moon -- How This Works
Zion - Light of the New Moon How This Works
So... you've been waiting (im)patiently for the story of dark fantasy to get underway? Not much longer now!
As we're counting down to the final days before the expeditions leave for the grand city, I figured it would be a good time to explain how this all works, as many of the people following these stories have submitted characters, or will like to help those who have.
Overview
Today, we are covering three important aspects of the Zion story lines: Story Posts, Reader Interaction, and Plot Points.
Story posts will be done on a regular basis. While 'regular' is open to interpretation, I will be aiming to complete one post per group every week. Considering each post will be several pages, that's quite a decent amount to post. I would like to give readers a chance to read and provide feedback on the chapters so I do not want to do more than one post per group in this time frame. At five posts a week that's still quite a bit to read/write, especially considering that I have other projects going on at all the same time.
Reader interaction is several-fold. Everyone has had the opportunity to submit characters for the storyline. Those who have characters approved will have the chance to modify, change, control, and influence their story after every chapter. Many storyline decisions are made by the contributing reader (through their characters). Actions and events dependent upon these decisions will pop-up in each installment of their group's story. In addition to character decisions, readers who have not contributed characters will also have a bearing on the story lines, whether that be with reader votes, or through the use of a Group trait known as "Favor" (to be explained later).
Although Plot Points are making a return in this reader-driven story, they will be used differently than they were in the Zombie Apoc-Fur-Lypse. While the term "Plot Point" referred to a specific trait for each character in ZAFL, in Zion, the term "Plot Point" is used to describe three different kinds of special traits as they relate to characters, groups, and story lines. Every character will have a specific type of plot point known as "Willpower"; groups will have plot points known as "Luck"; each storyline will have a plot points known as "Favor".
Willpower
Every character (yes, including the characters I have created) will have 5 Willpower points with which to begin. First, Willpower may be used once per chapter by a character as directed by the character's Contributing Reader. Since only one Willpower Point is spent in a given chapter, any Contributing Reader that wishes to use a Willpower Point will have to choose one and only one use for it. The four main uses of Willpower are as follows.
First, a Willpower point may be used to turn 1 failed roll of a reader's choice into a success (For example, if the party were engaging in combat with a group of undead, a Contributing Reader may elect to have their character succeed at a single Mettle roll that they would have otherwise failed). If no roll of the specified type is failed then the Willpower is not used.
Secondly, a Willpower Point can be used any time to let a Contributing Reader make a single, minor change in the storyline. This alteration must always be based around their character and be something their character would have control over. For example, a Contributing Reader may elect to have their character successfully get the party back on the right track after they get lost in the mountains but, for example, it cannot be used to have the character defeat another in a duel (the use of a Willpower Point cannot influence the success or failure of another character). If, for any reason the author (that's me) decides to disallow the use of a Willpower Point for this purpose the Willpower Point is refunded and does not take effect.
Third, a Willpower Point may be used by a Contributing Reader to proactively provide defense for a character against mind-control, emotion-influencing effects, or charms. If a character were to be affected by some kind of mental attack in a given story post they will assume to have automatically rolled the maximum dice roll in their benefit, most likely resulting in immunity to the 'attack' or effect. Unlike the preceding forms of Willpower, this point will be used whether or not a character encounters such an effect-- being constantly on guard against such powers takes its toll on a character's mental stamina.
Fourth, a Willpower Point may be used by a Contributing Reader to make the next story post originate from their character's point of view. While it is not specifically a benefit as such, sometimes being seen as the 'main character' can often garner a character public support by readers and, anyone who has seen how the Zombie Apoc-Fur-Lypse can attest, having reader favor is important in its own right. In the event that two contributing readers make use of Willpower in this way, the character with the highest Wits will be chosen and any other characters' use of Willpower will be refunded.
At some points the author (that's me) may elect to provide opportunities for Contributing Readers to use their Willpower for special purposes at the end of a given Story Post. Any Contributing Reader that did not make an election for their use of a Willpower Point may then elect to expend their point at that time. This use of Willpower counts retroactively for the Story Post in which it is offered and does not keep a Contributing Reader from using a Willpower Point for the next Story Post.
Finally, there are some effects and events in the dark fantasy world of Zion that may cause a character to lose points in Willpower. If this is the case, the lost point does not count against any election the Contributing Reader has made for the Story Post. If the character loses a Willpower Point due to one of these effects and the Contributing Reader has not made an election for the Story Post, this used Willpower DOES count against any optional use at the end of the Story Post. That is to say, if a character loses a Willpower Point during the Story Post due to one of these horrific events then they will be unable to spend the optional Willpower Point at the end of the post.
Luck
Readers familiar with "Plot Points" from my previous reader-driven story "The Zombie Apoc-Fur-Lypse" will note the similarity between "Luck" and the previous incarnation of the term "Plot Point". Luck is a group-based rating used to determine how fortunate (or how unfortunate) a party is). All parties will begin with 5 Luck, plus 1 Luck Point for every Prologue or Character Sketch/Picture submitted before the stories officially begin + 1 Luck Point for however many party members they start with less than 7.
With each new Story Post, all groups will lose 1 point of Luck. When a group has no more points of Luck left, then they might encounter a Torment-- this might spell disaster for a group, especially if they aren't ready for the horrors that this could bring. These Torment events will push the group to the extremes in the attempt for survival, requiring that the rely on their traits and sub-traits to see them through. There are many complexities involving survival and Luck plays a big part.
"So how do I get more Luck Points?" you may ask? Well... that's easy enough: one group every story post will gain one Luck Point (effectively canceling out the one they were required to pay). "Which group will gain the Luck Point" you may ask? To be honest, that is not up to me; readers of Zion will have the vote. Whichever group gets the most votes will get the bonus Luck Point and every reader (contributing and otherwise) gets a vote-- so even if you don't have a character, be sure to toss in your vote for the group you want to back!
Luck Points also act as a 'second chance' of sorts for characters that would otherwise meet an untimely end. If a character's traits just don't meet the needs of a given chapter they might otherwise meet the goddess a little too early... but, if the group has remaining Luck Points then it might just end up as a close call. This will become more evident as the story lines progress and everyone sees the characters in actions.
For now, just know that the more people follow (and vote for) a given group, the more Luck points they have... and the more Luck Points a group has, the longer they tend to live. At the same time, since Luck Points are listed as a pool for each group having one character continue to drain the party's score can also create quite a damper on things, so working together will be highly important.
In addition to getting the votes of readers there are a number of other ways that a group might gain Luck. Certain story arcs provide options for gained luck; certain special events also provide bonuses to a group's Luck. Some items, magical abilities, or allies can contribute to a group's Luck. Keep all of these methods in mind since there are plenty of ways to lose Luck-- you should be looking for opportunities to gain it as well.
One of the main differences you'll notice between Willpower and Luck Points is that Luck Points are not actively used by Contributing Readers, instead it is used reactively and automatically. Contributing Readers do not have control over the use of Luck Points, excluding two specific situations:
First, if a character continues to suffer unfortunate events and drains Luck after Luck after Luck from a party they may ultimately called to account for themselves. If the majority of a party's Contributing Readers, a general majority vote on behalf of readers in general, or at the decision of the author (that's me!), said character may be unable to draw from the Luck pool any longer, and they shall expire in good form without further draining the chance of survival for the rest-- at some point, even Luck will fail a hopeless character.
Secondly, any Contributing Reader for a given group may bring up a Luck Vote for his or her group. Each Contributing Reader in that group may then vote Yes or No. If the majority of votes is Yes then the party spends 1 Luck Point to take fate by the reins and bypass their next Story Seed (more on Story Seeds in the near future). Instead of having one of the Story Seed options the next Story Post will be a benevolent, or at least benign one, such as encountering a Wayside, a traveling merchant, or maybe just having one of those rare "quiet days" on the roads of the Wild Lands. Luck Votes are available for most Story Posts, unless prohibited otherwise.
Favor
If "Willpower" is for Contributing Readers to use, and "Luck" is for specific Group use, then "Favor" is the type of Plot Point specifically for the story fans to use-- those not involved in a given group (this can be Contributing Readers from other groups, or readers who have not contributed characters to Zion). The author (that's me!) is also able to make use of Favor points as is suitable. Groups start with a number of Favor points equal to the greatest among its characters' Religion + Sub Trait scores. For example, the characters from Bannihar have Religion + Full Moon scores of 5, 5, 2, x, 9, 18, and 17, thus that group starts with 18 Favor Points.
The initial starting Favor Points is also modified by several other factors. A Group will get +3 Favor for each Ordained character they have in the party and +1 Favor for each character with a 10 in Religion (or +2 if they are Pious), and will lose 1 Favor for each Wild Lander in the party. Groups will also lose 1 Favor for each character with 0 points in Religion, and -3 Favor for each Unbeliever. This could mean good things for groups faithful to Tah'aveen and particularly nasty things for parties composed mostly of the faithless.
As an example, let us review one of our groups and calculate their starting favor. Looking at the Banniharians, it appears that there is an Ordained Priestess in the group which increases the Favor to 21. Since Iskiy is a Wild Lander, that decrease the starting Favor to 20. The party from Bannihar will begin with 20 Favor... a pretty decent number to start, but considering it's a limited resource, more is always better.
(Re)gaining Favor will not be an easy task, but it is possible. Certain obtained items, completed quests/tasks, and certain events that take place throughout the storyline will provide groups an opportunity to do the divine will of Tah'aveen, or else strike another blow to her already crumbling faith. Acting in accordance with the wishes of the Moon Goddess, or doing service to her can result in a boost to Favor, while opposing her will and/or damaging the faith can result in a loss of Favor. If Favor reaches a negative number in this manner than who knows-- perhaps a different Goddess might take an interest in the party. A scary thought indeed.
Favor Points may be used as a form of currency for readers following the story to use as a way to help out their favorite group(s). Special events may be able to be 'purchased' by readers using Favor Points, but only by those readers not directly involved with a given storyline. In addition to having opportunities for (non-contributing) readers to provide bonuses to the parties, Favor Points may also be spent after Torment to provide a party extra Luck because, let's face it: with one Torment being hard enough to survive, just imagine having to deal with two!
Finally, Favor is also a story-end resource. At the culmination of Zion a high number of Favor points will be instrumental to determining the "quality" of the ending for a given storyline. Since there are any number of endings possible it is all the more important that Favor points be kept high. As such, balancing a group's ability to survive, temporal benefits, health, and overall ability to thrive with providing an "ideal" or otherwise positive ending through a preservation of Favor points should be something all readers consider.
In Conclusion
Zion: Light of the New Moon is almost ready to begin. Look over the above information and feel free to ask your questions now! An upcoming group prologue for each party will be coming in the next few days to help set the scene and give each traveling procession their first set of choices (and a few small boons). Be sure not to miss it because contributions and participation are important!
I reveal the first set of Story Seeds (and explain them) "soon". Be on the lookout for the first series of posts; they will all be titled Zion, and include the respective city names of each group. While you wait be sure to sharpen your blades, ready your magic, and gather your equipment-- the journey shall be upon us in no time. May the Moon Mother guide you in the trials ahead and, as always, walk in Her light.