Wars in Althanas

[Kak Zalta]

WAR (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?p=50136#post50136)

I read this recently. I think it would be useful if regional mods provided more information to people about the wars happening in specific regions so that we could understand how it should effect our roleplaying. For example, the thread states "There is a civil war in Corone." I looked around a bit in Corone and didn't find the civil war.

Another example: the thread states that "The Illicit Entrepreneurs have declared war on the Citadel. " and "don't have your characters frolicking about the Citadel picking daisies as usual."

I searched a bit and found out where this one was happening, HERE (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?p=50469#post50469). I even joined because it looks fun. However, based on what I can tell, they HAVE declared some sort of war on The Citadel, but their actions haven't really effected anything happening there yet. In fact, the IE got a pretty good whipping when they tried to "tax" a blacksmith just outside The Citadel, so I don't think their actions have any real effect on the everyday operations of The Citadel as of yet.

However, to determine this I had to search for the Illicit Ents, then read the whole thread. Most people probably aren't going to do this. If you don't go through that effort, there is no real signs that anything has changed.

For this example, a STICKY thread in The Citadel stating briefly the current situation in regards to IE would make it much easier for people to integrate that story line into their Citadel experience. Perhaps even making it official that a FAILURE to include the situation in your Citadel thread would result in an automatic point deduction in some part of the rubric.

Something similar could help in other regions as well.

Discuss.

EDIT: Correction, there HAS been an announcement at The Citadel by Chidori Draconid, but no real action yet.

[Atzar]

The deal with the IE in regards to the Citadel is hard to find because they haven't done anything yet. They intend to, but their leader has to survive the attempt to tax the smithy first.

The civil war in Corone is entitled "The Price of Freedom", and is written by Letho.

You can choose to incorporate these things in your storyline, but it's not absolutely necessary.

[Ashiakin]

I don't have time to respond to your post in full at the moment. My apologies. I just want to clarify that when I referred to characters "frolicking about the Citadel," I was not referring to the IE thing specifically. I meant it more as just saying "don't have your characters go about life as usual because there are wars going on."

Edit: I edited the announcement for clarification and will respond to your other points tomorrow. Sorry I can't tonight, I just have things to do for class.

[Letho]

The reason why there is no official notification in Corone about the Civil War is because it technically didn't start yet ICly. The spark that would start the war took place in one of my quests ("The Price of Freedom") and I planned to make an announcement within the next week with the specifics about what's going on and who's fighting who though, so hang on to yer helmets.

As for the Citadel... Well, I reckoned that, since the attack on the Citadel had been mostly thwarted, there is no point in making an announcement until the IE succeed in doing something that would seriously affect anyone.

But you are right; some kind of official announcement would be good to see in every region, just to keep people in the loop.

[Reiko]

yeah Atzar's right. I really disliked the announcement that there's wars that are happening and "Good" writers use the regions and would acknowledge it. A lot of writer's will have wars in their thread and no one should have to acknowledge every single one and I don't think players should be pressured to use ones that well knowns use. if someone wants a war than it's cool and if they want a quest where they feel the effects than that's cool too. But if I want to pick flowers in the citadel then that should be cool too. it's our stories we're writing and we should be free to do it as we wish.

[Ürei]

I think a minor ammount of continental continuity ever hurt anyone.

[Reiko]

sorry I didn't mean to come off so bitter. I just think it should be up to the players whether they want these big things affecting their stories and not be pressured by scores and the like, it's just there's a little more pressure to conform to settings than there should be.

[Zook Murnig]

Well, if we don't want the stuff going on in our threads, then we could always write the threads taking place in an alternate and parallel Althanas where these wars are not taking place. How's that for creativity?:p

But I've decided to do a little research on the war in Corone, and I'm already a part of the IE v. Peregrine scandal.

[{Kid disasteR}]

Personally I think it adds a little spice to everything. it brings me back to the days when the Facade and the Red Hand were always goin at it. althanas was a much more exciting forum back then. I'd get home from school eger to read. (imagine that XP). but since then Althanas had, in all honesty, lost its shine. The addition of the war and the idea of incorperating it in quests with talks of revolution going on, secrets societies forming, riots in the streets, it all mkakes for a good write, and an excellent read.

[Atzar]

I think a minor ammount of continental continuity ever hurt anyone.

When it interferes with a story, then it can hurt. To be completely blunt, I intend to ignore the Corone civil war, even though my character is in Corone. Not because it isn't a good idea, or it isn't interesting; just because it would impede Atzar's storyline if he got involved in it.

[Zieg dil' Tulfried]

I agree in part with you, Reiko. However, at the same time, we are here on Althanas to play a role, in this case within the World of Althanas. Interaction is a key aspect of roleplaying on a site like this. I agree that your character has every right to go and pick flowers, for example. However, the reason for your character's naivety about the worldly situation should be explained as well. Perhaps you don't care, perhaps you are too innocent. All it would take is a single paragraph then it wouldn't have to be mentioned again in the thread.

On the other hand, these worldly events give a sort of connection to every member of Althanas. War, for example, should have some sort of effect on every person, but the depth of that effect is varied. It simply adds another depth to playing this role in order to make it feel as real as possible.

EDIT:
When it interferes with a story, then it can hurt. To be completely blunt, I intend to ignore the Corone civil war, even though my character is in Corone. Not because it isn't a good idea, or it isn't interesting; just because it would impede Atzar's storyline if he got involved in it.

Liquid time can also help in this regard, especially if you note that your story takes before the civil war, or after even.

[{Kid disasteR}]

Yeah its like Zieg said. All you would have to say is something like " (Name here) treaded onward, ignoring the riot forming in the streets of radasanth. He had no desire to be involved in the quarrels of the common man." and then u move on with the story AND could get them bonuses they talk about for mentioning the war ^^

[Osato]

And, Atzar, that's exactly why Althanas' story and the work by the mods will never mean anything more than a plot line for their own history.

I suppose this is a bit angry, but I feel it's somewhat rediculous that people take that stand on threads and plot lines that are affecting Althanas as a whole.

I want to make my character do something else, well then do something in the "Other Regions" area... 'cause that's what that's for. If you wanted to do a thread where you were a space pirate, then go somewhere else or to the other regions...

I'm not angry, per se, but I feel that people completely disrespect what the mods on this forum do. It's not for them that they do everything, but for everyone else... I've been in there place (and you should understand that Atzar).

[Atzar]

And, Atzar, that's exactly why Althanas' story and the work by the mods will never mean anything more than a plot line for their own history.

I suppose this is a bit angry, but I feel it's somewhat rediculous that people take that stand on threads and plot lines that are affecting Althanas as a whole.

I want to make my character do something else, well then do something in the "Other Regions" area... 'cause that's what that's for. If you wanted to do a thread where you were a space pirate, then go somewhere else or to the other regions...

I'm not angry, per se, but I feel that people completely disrespect what the mods on this forum do. It's not for them that they do everything, but for everyone else... I've been in there place (and you should understand that Atzar).

Maybe I was a little extreme in my example. Let me tell you a little bit about my character, to see if it helps you see why - for the time being - I'm avoiding the war.

Atzar is part of a village in the mountains. They, at the moment, are getting involved in their own civil war. Zieg's completely right, I could just use liquid time and get involved anyway, but the fact of the matter is that, unless there's an effort made to get everybody involved, Atzar really doesn't have any business there yet.

Now, later on in my character's story as I see it in my head, Atzar will get banished from the village. At that point he'll play a role in Corone and hopefully the rest of the world as well. Right now, however, he hasn't reached that stage yet, and even using liquid time to justify Atzar's entrance into the war would be a stretch since he's nowhere near that time period yet.

So I'm not trying to do my own thing without contributing anything to Althanas as a whole with my character. On the other hand, I want my character to proceed to a stage where he can, somewhat realistically, play a part in the bigger picture.




Khariss, by the way, is completely embroiled in Althanas already - he's the head of the IE. So I assure you that I'm not just screwing Althanas by doing my own thing.

[Max Dirks]

Ranger, go read carefully over the rules of Athlyia's Verse and that might make you feel a bit better. The whole point is for characters to become a part of Althanas' story.

[Osato]

@Atzar: -shrug- Sure, why not? I just get annoyed that people want to do what they want for their personal storyline... instead of joining threads and promoting and advancing the storyline of Althanas as a whole.

I, again, did not mean any offense, but it always bothers me that Althanas seems to be a collective of people that are advancing their own storylines and not even bothering to pay attention to the current storylines. I love the idea of taking part of the world, and I'd never put my character's story before Althanas... meaning I'd respect the decisions of the mods before any of my own decisions.

Again, I've been a mod... I know how much work and discussion (sometimes) goes into all the threads. I'd give anything to help anyone of the continent writer's stories, especially if it meant that my character could advance. If you can't tell, I can find a way to make my character's fit with any story... see Dirge, he's joining the cult in Fallien, and starting a gang in Corone on the side of the revolutionaries.

@Dirks: Dude, I know. But nobody ever posts in there, and that deters me greatly. Why would I start something that isn't going to go anywhere outside of the Athylia Verse? What I do there doesn't really have an impact on Althanas if people completely ignore it. I mean, seriously, if peopel don't even pay attention to the storylines that the continental moderators are writing, why would they pay attention to something written by some random member?

[The Prophet of Zane]

I am very interested in anything that Letho plans on doing with Concordia, as I have a large city of characters that belongs to a 3 foot by 3 foot plot of land there. If anything happens to that nine square feet, thousands of demons are dead, and one of my accounts would be incredibly devastated.

[AdventWings]

Takes a while to really find anything on the War, so maybe you could say the War is starting to emerge, yet not in their full-blown form in some continents. Liquid Time helps a lot, if you can figure your character's storyline into the whole world picture.

Of course, you'll need to work on the comprehension of Time, which is a bit hard when Time constantly shifts back and forth between characters. And I guess that's why we can have one character as old as a millenia and another to just be three months older meet each other again, even though they both started off on the same IC timeframe as being around the same age.

Liquid Time brings a whole new context to the phrase "Time Management." :p

[INDK]

And, Atzar, that's exactly why Althanas' story and the work by the mods will never mean anything more than a plot line for their own history.

Perhaps if they incorporated more of what other people were trying to do, they might be more successful. It seems many moderators have essentially made continents for themselves and their characters. Some have definately incorporated what others are doing into their continents, and as a result, have made stronger continents. Making shared storylines should not be a one way street.

Also, the one problem all of us may be facing because of this is that we may have already started threads that took place before the war. Granted, in real life, stuff happens that changes stories, but I think it would be unfair to ask people to suddenly take new events into account when they have already planned out their quests with their fellow adventurers.

[Dirge]

That's one thing, but starting threads now that are just bs quests (since they do come up) and completely ignoring the current storylines somewhat stunts Althanas' growth as a community. It turns the site into a free-for all, with levels...

And I do agree, unfortunately a lot of the continent's are run by mods who are throwing their character's in the middle and starting the plots... taking the fun away from most things. People who aren't mods that attempt to do anything creatively for the continents often are told they should have asked first... why would they do that? It's not like the mod owns it. As soon as they relinquish their place another will step in anyway... why not allow the people to decide what to do for a bit?

-shrug-

[The Valkyrie]

The mods may not own it, but on the other hand it is our job to plan and create this continent, and quite often if a character does something major which will effect the culture, politics, or whatever of this place that we've created and planned for you to be able to play in and enjoy, it A: dissolves or delays what we've got lined up for it, or B: completely disregards what we've already stated as a fact of the region. I have a lot of respect for players who care enough about having accurate and believable characters, and who have enough respect for the work I put into my continent that they do want to consult the regions mod if they aren't clear on somethng or want to do something major in or to the region. In a lot of cases I'm happy to let them do it, or at the most ask them to tweak or delay what they have in mind, and usually for very rational and reasonable causes.

[Atzar]

Currently, I'm sort of letting the Quest Board determine how Scara Brae is going to evolve. I have a concept there called "Current Events" that includes the latest political, military, and social developments. For example, a logging operation has opened with the intention of starting a program in Brokenthorn. That's really all these assignments give in terms of information. They are left completely open for the writers to do with as they will, and I fully intend to use the outcomes of these threads to write Scara Brae's story.

I'm more than happy to entertain massive changes, too, as long as I'm notified in advance if they do something drastic. I'd definitely want to know, for instance, if somebody planned to kill Queen Valeena. In all likelihood I wouldn't stop them, but I'd want to be ready with a response when the event was carried out. Karuka, in particular, has some big things planned for her quest, and many of the others can't help but have far-reaching effects.

It seems to me that I had a point that I was trying to make before I started rambling... oh, well. This, at least, will let everybody see my philosophy as mod and writer of Scara Brae. Comment on it as you wish; I'd love to hear opinions of this approach from anybody at all.

[Dirge]

Yeah man, I had a lot of idea's for SB. But that's not the topic of this thread... if you need any idea's I could throw them at you, what I was doing before I relinquished the position.

And I must admit, I do like the fact that the current events board shapes the island, instead of random quests that people can accept... that really didn't do anything.

/done being off topic...