Zact

What is this?
Zact runs one shared story loop for the whole server. Players dig toward a common ore goal, then a world boss named Mor appears. Kill him in time and everyone gets a temporary perk. Fail the timer and the plague starts instead. When the perk or the plague ends, a new cycle begins with a fresh mining task.
Drop the jar into plugins, start Paper once, then tune plugins/Zact/config.yml, acts.yml and messages.yml. Messages use MiniMessage.
Where it runs

• Yes: Paper 26.1.x (built on Paper API 26.1.2). Java 25 or newer.
• Usually fine: Purpur on the same game version as Paper 26.1.x.
• No: plain Spigot or CraftBukkit. The plugin needs Paper APIs (Dialog guide and more).
• No: Folia.
• Old Paper 1.21.11: not the build target. Update to Paper 26.1.x first.

Short version: if your server is Paper 26.1.3, you are good. If you are still on 1.21.11, update the core.
Optional soft depends
Vault (coins for hitting the boss) and PlaceholderAPI (%zact_...%).
The plugin starts without them. Features that need those plugins simply stay quiet until you install them.
The cycle (plain language)

• Mining the whole server works on one ore goal (diamonds, iron, gold, coal, lapis, redstone, quartz, ancient debris and more). Timers, milestones, boss bar and action bar keep people informed. Natural ores only can be required so placed blocks do not count.
• Boss (Mor) a tough world boss with random forms (Wither, Blaze, Phantom, Breeze, Warden, Ravager, Golem, Zoglin, Brute, Wither Skeleton, Evoker and more). Each form has its own ability kit: pull, nova, laser, dash, meteor, quake, inventory scramble, reinforcements and others. He pursues players, has virtual HP, weapon rules and optional hit coins via Vault.
• Reward if Mor dies in time, a random server perk runs for hours: double or triple XP, haste, speed, strength, keep inventory, extra ore chance, mob loot, heal on kill and more.
• Plague if the boss timer runs out, the world gets worse: rising water, mob hordes, acid rain, rot under open sky, curses, atmosphere sounds. Survive until the timer ends, then the next cycle starts.

Default timing in acts.yml is roughly one day of content (long mining window, several hours for boss, perk or plague). You can change every duration, goal, form and perk in config.
Player facing extras

• Boss bar and action bar with stage progress, timers and a simple boss radar
• Titles and sounds on stage changes
• Join guide via Paper Dialog (or chat), reopen anytime with /act guide
• Per player opt out with permission zact.exempt (no mining credit, no boss/plague/perk UI)
• Disabled worlds list (lobby and similar)
• Progress saved between restarts

How to install

1. Put Zact.jar into the plugins folder
2. Start Paper once so configs appear
3. Edit plugins/Zact/config.yml and acts.yml if you want
4. Use /act reload after config edits (or restart)

Main commands
Players:
Admins (need zact.admin), short list:
Aliases: /zact and /acts also work.
Permissions
PlaceholderAPI
Identifier: zact
Useful examples:
Full list is commented inside config.yml under the PlaceholderAPI section.
Configs

• plugins/Zact/config.yml worlds, display, sounds, guide, storage
• plugins/Zact/acts.yml mining tasks, boss forms, abilities, perks, plague phases
• plugins/Zact/messages.yml all player text (MiniMessage)
• plugins/Zact/data.yml runtime progress (created automatically)

You can write text in any language in the yml files.
Support
Telegram: https://t.me/Zoobastiks
If something breaks, tell me your Paper version, Java version, and the error from the console. That saves a lot of back and forth.
Thanks for trying Zact.