Wolvden Giving Tree - "Conspiracy Grove" with it's own Mechanics & Rewards

“The Conspiracy Grove”

A Wolvden Variation of the Giving Tree

Intro

    The Conspiracy Grove is a variation of the Giving Tree from Lioden. Many folk have been wanting a variation of the Giving Tree due to the excess of pups about. While in this version of the Tree, I do NOT have an option for donating items, it does have further mechanics that add to the game and make use of the pups you donate. I will be doing my best to explain the idea I and others have elaborated on, and of course will be happy to answer any questions.

What is “The Conspiracy Grove”?

    The Conspiracy Grove is a grove of tree’s (type list below) that house a Conspiracy of Ravens. These Raven families claim a tree in the grove, where they make it their home, then decorate it and themselves. With the help of a wolf named Gur, these Ravens take in pups that other packs can no longer care for, or do not have the space for. While the Ravens watch the pups as they explore their territory, learn how to hunt small critters, find items and even forage for herbs; Gyr trains the pups and helps find them homes. As far as how it works, I will try to explain it as simply as I can without losing myself as I tend to do.

    When you first discover the Conspiracy Grove, you are given a single nest aka a “slot” for a pup or adolescent to be sent to the Grove. I use the term pup a lot, but I mean anything under adult age. On your tour, your Raven friend informs you that you can build new nests, or pay the Ravens in GC to build a new nest for you. In order to build new nests, you must collect cave materials and have nest material. These slots act as a temporary Dynasty page for your pup, saving the information for each pup for when they are adopted. (We’ll get to that in just a second!) 

    You’re likely wondering why on EARTH we need slots for this? Well, that’s where the new mechanics come in. See, these pups don’t just sit and waste away in hopes that one day a player will click on their picture and claim them from the 1 pup a day pile. No, no, they live a better childhood than that. Each rollover, every pup you have remaining in your nests will have a chance to find a common item for you. This can be a bird feather, critter carcass, or any other small, easily findable items native to your pack biome. Keep in mind this is not a situation such as the Herbalist in which you have to claim the items from each pup. These items are automatically added to your hoard. I have preferred this mode as this would prevent issues such as players not claiming items before a pup is claimed through adoption that day. However, when you first add a pup to the nest, you have a 100% chance to find an item. This may be a common item, an uncommon item, or even a 1GC Grove item in rare occasions. Each day the pup remains is simply a chance at a bonus, compensation for taking up a nest, if you will.

    So, aside from slots, what else is different? Not very much! Each player still has an opportunity to claim one free pup a day. You choose the category; Male Pup, Female Pup, Male Adolescent or Female Adolescent. Upon choosing the category, you are given 4 random wolf images, and you choose based off these images only. Only once you claim the pup do you see information such as stats or appearance information. 

How do you Discover the Conspiracy Grove?

    Well, I’m not sure. Sure we could just have a mission, but I also thought it might be fun if you perhaps discovered the grove while following the raven in explore, which then triggered the discovery and tutorial mission. What do you think?

What are some further things to discuss?

    A few things, actually! Let me make a list for ya.

• Adulthood. Should the pups that age out be deleted or simply chased? Needs further discussion to weigh pros/cons.

• How to determine what a pup will find at rollover and drop-off. Should it be entirely random, or should their stats determine the chances of what kind of item they would pick up? Perhaps instead of actual stat numbers being used, to avoid stat player control, it would be encouraged by what their highest stat category is?

• The pups wouldn’t have a 100% chance of finding an item each rollover. So, what should the likelihood to find an item look like at each rollover?

• Ravens as sitters do increase the pups survival rate, but not to 100%. (I just don’t think we can really expect a Raven to absolutely keep a pup alive?) So what percentage survival rate should each pup have? A universal percentage I feel should be used to reduce too much complexity.

• As far as what pups are generated, should your lead wolfs level open up better chances for rare or high stat pups? Similar to how you find new NBW’s when your lead reaches a certain level. Or, should it be entirely random?

• Lore wise, the pups are in training while at the grove. Should they indeed have a chance of increasing their stats while in the grove? Would this make things too complex? Needs more discussion.

Prompts

Intro to the Grove

You follow the Raven into brambles and bushes, though the call of it’s Conspiracy makes your hair rise up just a tad. These were very wise creatures, certainly not the avian you want to make the wrong move with. As you push through the brush, your eyes settle on a grove of trees absolutely filled with Ravens, decoration, and even Ravens with decorations. All fall quiet, and turn to look at you in a chilling silence. Soon, however, the silence is broken by a Raven landing before you, and taking a moment to inspect you.

“Look at you, lookie look! What a fine specimen, I bet you have great pups in your pack! Yes, good finders? We like finding. Pups great finders too, yes, yes! Great team we make. Come, come! We shall find the trainer so you may understand, yes?”

A large yet gentle canine pads from his cave, his large ears as focused on you as his eyes were. This must be the Trainer. Hopefully his mode of speech was a bit more to the point. 

“Hello, stranger. (Raven name). My name is Gyr, yes like Gyrfalcon. I’m sure you got a… rapid rundown of what’s going on here. But, I’ll explain further and answer any questions you may have. This is what we call the Conspiracy Grove. All the tree’s roots are intertwined, they serve as great roofing for our pup caves. We take in pups that other packs can’t care for, or just don’t have the space for. Weaned only, of course. Nobody here is producing milk. I train them and try to find them homes, while the ravens sit the pups. Come along, let’s take a walk to the pup caves.”

Slipping into an entrance built of logs and leaves, you find yourself in a cave system extending with halls and side rooms. Everything is reinforced, and clearly this grove has been established for a while. Curious how you hadn’t heard of it until now?

“The Ravens don’t care for being in the caves, but being out in the tree’s offers suitable watchful eyes. All our pups stay in the caves, and each pack has their own wing of rooms they may build off of. Our land is extensive, but you still need to provide the materials for building. Or, perhaps you can find some bored Ravens, they will do the work for Gold Cones. I am giving you one nest to start, but that will be all. Each time you expand, it takes about two hours to build and reinforce the cave. Then, we’ll accept your new pup. Come along, there’s still more to see.”

You sit at the base of one of the tree’s with the trainer and Raven, watching how they manage the pups going out for training, and how they manage the items they find. You watch ravens sort feathers, pups make donations to the food hoard, and watch some of the Ravens as they decorate themselves in fresh feathers or other trinkets they can manage on to their body. 

“The pups spend their time finding things. Hunting, scouting, even foraging. They all find a range of items, and sometimes they will take excess items back to their pack of origin. Once I am able to find the pups a new home, though, this does stop. You’ll have to fill your nest again once they’re gone, but do keep in mind we will not accept more than one pup per nest a day, even if a pup is adopted the same day you drop them off. We’re here to help you with your overpopulation, not start our own overpopulation issue, so we stagger intakes to avoid being at max capacity at all times. You understand, I hope?”

Finally, you and your new acquaintances return to the Trainers cave, where another wolf waits. You wonder if perhaps they are new as well, as they didn’t have a pup with them. Or perhaps they were here for something else?

“Hello! Good, I have pups ready that fit your needs. Oh, this is our new friend! They just discovered the Grove today. I hope you don’t mind if they watch to see what the adoption process looks like? No? Great!”

*At this point, I would like a quick click-through tutorial on how to adopt a pup, essentially letting you “pick” this random wolf’s new pup.*

Routine Prompts

Grove Main Page

As the grove comes into view, familiar croaks greet your entrance. Pups trot past with tails high, proud of their finds, and you can’t help but chuckle at some of the playful sparring going on. Soon, (Raven Name) fly’s down and rests on your head, causing him to appear quite upside down and quite in your face.

“Friend! Hello again, I missed you! Here to handle your pups? Oh, maybe you want to adopt? We can help, we sure can! Okay, (Raven name) will quiet down now, so you may tell me what to do and then I may speak again!”

Adopting Page

(Ravens name) rides on your back, chit chatting the entire walk over to Gyr’s Den. Such a kind Raven, but they certainly didn’t stop talking, which is likely why they didn’t mind the chaotic noise of pups living everywhere. Thanks to this, however, Gyr heard you approaching, and came to meet you.

“Hello, looking for a new pup? I have a few that are getting a bit antsy. Come, let’s find you what you need and make a pups day, yeah?”

*Trigger category option + then 4 random pups from category to choose from.*

Cave Page

(Ravens name) fluffs his feathers in joy, for dealing with caves was his job. He liked being useful, he continuously made that quite clear.

“Cave duty today! How fun, how fun! We can build here, or get a new puppy set up in its nest if you want! Come on, then… pick! The suspense is too much, I cannot wait!”

* Options to edit nests either by building/buying a new one or adding a pup to a nest is then triggered.*

Pup Drop-Off

Your young pack mate looks up at you with a wide grin, excited to start training with a whole new group of friends. Everytime, you fear this will be a sad exchange. But everytime, your pups surprise you with excitement. 

“Here! I found this on the way here. You should have it, you know… as a thank you.”

*Insert found item*

Roll Over Notifications

Puppy in Nest #(?) found *Insert item* yesterday, and has delivered it as a gift to your pack.

Puppy in Nest #(?) didn’t find any items for the pack yesterday!

Concepts

Trainer "Gyr" Appearance Idea

Grove Type for Biomes

Biomes Grassland and Prairie: Burr Oak Tree

Biomes D Forest, Mountains, R Woodland, C Forest, Swamp and Taiga; Basalm Fir Trees

Biomes Taiga & Tundra: Glacier/Rock Cliff w Caves & Bird Homes carved in

Biome Desert: Butte Cliff w Caves & Bird Homes carved in

Biome Rainforest: Araucaria Pine

i like this idea. 

if you pups in your you den that you can't sell , and don't want to chase. 

it gives the user another option of what do with the pups without having to chase them. 

An idea for the theming - a shady, kinda outcast coyote or fox (or raven?) NPC who wants wolf cubs as little minions to help them in their "business" (which seems to be just.. scavenging? stealing? poaching things from land belonging to wolf packs?) Only pups are useful to them, bc their own species wants nothing to do with them and adult wolves don't want to work for an (insert species here.) So they get pups in exchange for raising them, and they raise pups in exchange for the pup's help. (perhaps claiming a pup from them should cost a token quantity of SC? like maybe 10)

The character could also have an adult wolf ex-minionpup friend who shows up in some way from time to time, just to make it clear to the user that pups given to the npc are going to have a "good life" and not so much disappear into the void.

Love that! I like the raven idea, perhaps a tree full of raven's that manage the pups and their intakes. Ravens can sometimes be called a Conspiracy as a group (other variations include unkindness and treachery) so perhaps we could call it the Conspiracy Tree, art full of ravens decorated in different little "trinkets"(ex; putting other feathers in their tail to decorate) 

I enjoy the idea of it being a little ominous, thatd be interesting 

Kinda like a raven mafia. I like it :^D

what about an about an reward system 

for example after about maybe dropping of ten pups you can choose a 100 SB or a free herb an reward 

after 20 pups  choose 200 SC or elk carcass.  

just an example of an reward system. 

That might be a bit much if a Initial item find & rollover find chances are also incorporated but if that was say the sole item drop for the tree that'd be cool too! I'd be down for pretty much any award system personally, whatever is most workable for the devs!!

it was just an example of an reward system. 

the reward system can be anything that works. 

I totally support this idea and the suggests I'm seeing! I bet a lot of players would enjoy this! Especially when it comes to having not too special but nice enough pups that just flat out won't sell no matter how cheap and will eventually need to be chased. Which is pretty sad since when wolves are chased you just lose track of them all together. When all I really want is for my pups at a chance to have a home I can see them in and watch them grow. c':

hesitant support -- I think there's a definite need for an alternative to chasing, but I would suggest them being perma-deleted once they reach adulthood. I think there needs to be a way to not overcrowd the NBW pool, although I'm not against them being 'chased' at the end of it if that's a better solution in more people's eyes. 

Also just a little confused about the item gathering idea, since other users would also be able to claim the pups? So you would donate a wolf to the NPC, and have chances to get items until they're adopted/aged out? I suppose it doesn't fully take away from the idea, but rather than Scouting or the like, you could have that resource taken away at any moment because of the adopting feature. Just think that needs a bit more tweaking imo.

Overall I think the idea is really good though, if just a little too complex for my taste! We definitely need something similar to this framework in the game! <3

edit: if i misunderstood part of the mechanics please let me know, there was just a lot of ideas to take in!