Ilvermorny Plot: Extended Info

The following posts will be something of an experiment. While most characters will have no way of knowing everything that's happening on this list, it might be helpful to you, OOC, so you can find people to write with. If you want your character to know something, this list will show you who is aware of that piece, and you can reach out to their writer in hopes of finding a way to get involved. Through this, we hope that people can find their own way through the plot, can carve their own story from the outline the staff is providing.

Now, this is something that's been considered but not done yet because my original intention was to have Adrienne post these in the Daily Prophet. We also wanted to give a bit of time to collect information to list in our first edition, so to speak. But after consideration and discussion, we think that this version might be more convenient. This is a closed thread because we don't want anyone to get lost looking for updates, and because we have provided the link above for those who want to ask questions throughout the plot. If you have time, though, please send me a PM with feedback as to whether or not you find this helpful. I do hope that this version of the information will provide the direction that we've been trying to offer.

A new post will be given every other week at the most, so nobody feels rushed to get through their threads. They will only include things that are relevant in some way to the plot, though. I do try to read through everything but if I miss your thread and you feel it's important for people to know, please get in touch with someone on the staff so it can be edited in. Thanks! And Happy Posting!

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IC HAPPENINGS as of August 5, 2016:

• The train arrived in each place (Kings Cross and Ilvermorny) and people are beginning to investigate. The Ilvermorny ferry is not working as it should either, as any student who boards it will only end up back on the shores of Ilvermorny castle, rather than on the grounds of Hogwarts. Believe them, they've tried.
  
  
• The students at Ilvermorny are preparing for a potential duel, not knowing who to expect on the other side. Most students from Hogwarts haven't seen Ilvermorny, and most Ilvermorny students haven't seen the Hogwarts Express, so the threat level seems high.
  
  
• The students who were teleported to Ilvermorny are dealing with serious "portkey lag." Most of them probably haven't used portkeys before, and even those that have probably have not jumped six hours into the past or across an ocean. That should definitely make any sort of battle difficult.
  
  
• Robert Lupin, Michael Tremaine and Jack Dyllan are investigating what's happened to the student part of the train. Jack thinks the train cars might have been a portkey, and Michael thinks he might know someone involved, but doesn't have any proof except a rogue sighting of the woman in question, Gwen. The Headmistress of Ilvermorny.
  
  
• Ace Longbottom is trying to convince Christian Zabini and the other students who weren't on the train to work on their magic in secret, with the help of Oliver Connolly. Even though Oliver doesn't trust Jack Dyllan, she was there at the time and has offered to help, too. Oliver secretly plans on talking to Hermione Granger about making those students that help into temporary members of the Order of the Phoenix so that they can practice magic without getting in trouble, legally.
  
  
• The Hayes', Theodore Rookwood, and Elijah Krum are planning public statements and a press conference where everyone who wants to can come discuss what they're going to do. Keiran thinks they should let everyone help but the others and their friend Athena Goyle disagree, thinking it will make the Ministry appear weak. Either way, they're going to have anyone from the Ministry who is interested, and anyone from the public who is concerned, come together. That way people can voice their concerns and officials  from different departments can explain what they plan on doing about the problem.
  
  
• At Ilvermorny, the students are also trying to overcome the following problems: lack of food, lighting that rarely works, failing temperature-steadying spells, and missing staff. The only people who seem to be around are their Headmistress and Deputy Headmaster, although some students, like Scarlett Duffy for example, would argue that the latter is a little bit dark. They don't really have proof though. They're hoping that whoever arrived in those train cars can help in some way.
  

BONUS UPDATE:

A lot of questions have been asked in the cbox lately, so I thought I'd take a bit of advice from Jackles and put this up for you early.

As some of y'all know, there are threads happening both at Platform 9 and 3/4, as well as at Ilvermorny. We really need people to get involved with those in order for the plot to go anywhere. Please, please, please go stick some characters there and post with us. The more the merrier, and the better the site plot will work.

That said, it's been made clear to the staff that, because the plots are kept fairly secret in order to create a sense of suspense around the site, it makes it hard for characters to get involved. We've discussed finding a way to point folks in the right direction, and I inadvertently found a way that I'd like to try out. At least for a little while, as a test run.

In this post, here, where I explain what's going on with the Order (so you probably should read it ), I was joking when I typed in #hint. But then I realized it would come up as a tag, like on social media. So any time I make a suggestion meant to drive the plot, I'll include that tag. Clicking it now and then will probably help you get your character involved.

We're also going to leave hints at the start of big threads to let people know what they're looking for, for example, if there's something specific to be found. Reading threads that include big moments in the plot will be helpful, too, because often times important clues are mentioned IC for plotting purposes and it'll help you get some ideas. A lot of those will be mentioned in this thread as time goes on, but if you want info quicker, look for the most active characters and see what they're up to!

It's kind of like a scavenger hunt, I guess!

That said, I really would like feedback on this thread and the tag system once that gets going, so PMs sent my way would be great. If I need to edit the formatting or something isn't clear, we'd like to know sooner rather than later so that the Admin team can best help your character development through this plot.

HAPPY PLOTTING!

Hey, just a couple important things for students who have wound up in Ilvermorney.

We're taking some creative license from what we've seen in some of the sketchier images of the castle in order to structure our own design of the school.

So, here's the basic layout. There is a large circular-ish main building, surrounded by a large square stone wall. At each corner of the wall, there is a tower that serves as a gatehouse to one of the 4 Ilvermorny houses.  

On each of the tower doors is a symbol for the house it corresponds to:

Thunderbird, Horned Serpent, Pukwudgie, or Wampus.

For ease of play here on PA, we've decided to make sorting simple. (Yes, it is a bit against canon.  Sorry, All.)  

But, here's how we've decided to simplify it. Hogwarts students will be sorted, because they're exchange students, to a house where they should, ideally, for the purposes of this adventure, feel more at home.

Here's how the sorting will break down:

Gryffindors--Thunderbirds
Ravenclaws--Horned Serpents
Hufflepuffs--Pukwudgie
Slytherins--Wampus.

Now, here's the tricky bit. The main door of the castle is buggared. You can't get in there. You can only get inside castle walls by going through the gate to the house to which you've been assigned.

The main gate will give you the following rhyme that your character must figure out.

Of our House doors,
You will find four
Without your name,
They’ll stay the same.

To find the key,
As you’ll soon see,
Don’t be a mouse,
Go find your house.

(okay, so doors are not literary geniuses, right?)

Anyway, the key that your character needs, eventually, to figure out is that in order to access the door to your house, you must walk around the outside of the castle, and when you get to a gate, you must shout your character's name--loudly. If you shout your name at the Pukwudgie house, for example, and you're already considered as being sorted into the Horned Serpents, the Pukwudgie door will not open for you. Speaking softly will not get a response from the door at all.

Your character should need to have to work a bit to figure this out.

And--if you're wondering what's on the inside of the house door? An outdoor courtyard for your house. It does separate you from the other houses. You still cannot get inside the castle. So, you're going from the outdoors to find more outdoors.  

Good luck!!

DEAR STUDENTS LEFT AT ILVERMORNY:

After everyone gets into the castle via their courtyards, they'll settle in for the night. But don't be mistaken. By the time night falls, things will only get that much more confusing. As they decide they want to sort something out, dinner-wise, an enormous bolt of lighting flies not into the ground, but upwards, into the sky. It's coming from somewhere above the castle, but the students aren't sure where. All they know is that it's the loudest thing they've ever heard, and that it probably came from outside.

They have no way of knowing, of course, that when they run outside - if they decide they want to investigate - they will find two of their former professors.

Dom Weasley, the semi-useless but entirely charming Groundskeeper that didn't do much but did help students get away with things.

And Declan Arryn, who was hired on as part of a very failed project to teach students how to cook (as he is the owner and head chef at the Leaky), but instead ended up substitute teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts and doing a rather ridiculously miserable job at it.

The big thing about these two? Everybody knew they were together before they did, and the students probably saw them fighting in the hallways at some point or other while they worked stuff out. So, needless to say, these two are not the heroes they were hoping for.

Still. The professors are stuck on the other side of a giant shield, which reaches just to the far side of the train they arrived in, and the one they probably would've expected to be the leader of the bunch is on the ground, essentially convulsing.

WHAT'S NEXT? It's up to the students to figure out first, how to help their professor, but also how to take down the shield, if it's even possible. From there, perhaps they'll look for the student that's figured out how to send letters out. Or perhaps they'll use Declan's knowledge to start making proper meals. Or use what knowledge Dom may or may not have to try and make a garden to grow fresh food since they don't have much of that left. ( #hint )

That's up to you.

https://www.pottersarmy.net/t21654-the-severely-incompetent-but-sincerely-determined-rescue-squad#415799


[also, this should not interfere with the Courtyard threads. This is a follow-up, and if you wish to post there first you're obviously welcome to, but the Declan/Dom thread met its goal sooner than expected, so we wanted to offer!]

Hello, friends!

We've all been really busy with starting up at school for the fall or with work, but I wanted to put up a reminder as I said I would every now and then.

Currently, the courtyard threads seem to have dwindled to a stop and that's fine, if people want to move on! We're just making threads and following what you guys create or focus your interest on, so if the Courtyards aren't it, no worries.

We still need replies in that thread mentioned above and in the Ilvermorny Plotting Thread that Selwyn started. Until people recognize the threat they're under, the plot cannot move on. Yes, the children have been moved, but up until this new thread involving Declan, Dom, Gwen and a mysterious villain figure we've yet to see acting in this plot, we haven't had a direct threat on their safety.

So you may want to get them involved, eh? Without your help IC, our kiddos will continue to be trapped there, and the adults will continue to panic and stress about how to fix it.

If you need help getting involved, check out the plotting thread or the thread we opened for questions, which is linked above. Or get in touch with an Admin over PM and we can talk about what you want your characters to do and how to make things possible for you so you can make the most out of your time writing on PA.

Uh oh....The man in the Headmistress's office has cast yet another spell. He's activated a castle defense spell that has caused an outer rock wall to rise out of the ground.

Anyone on the island will be caught in an earthquake as the wall rises up out of the ground. The wall is of steep, rugged rock and probably won't be the easiest climb from either side.

If you're on the outside, well, good luck. If you're inside the castle, well, you're relatively fortunate--for now. How long that will last, well, who knows? If, however, you find yourself in the space between the two walls, then that could be a really bad thing. This space was called, in medieval times, "the killing fields" because it was the most dangerous place to be when a castle was under attack.