Constant diplomatic "praise realm" fails

[Velax]

My 80+ Oratory (98 on the Skills fame page) Diplomat has been attempting to raise his city's sympathy to another realm to get rid of the "Peasants complain about alliance with X" message. He's tried some two dozen times in the last three weeks, with varying numbers of hours between 4 and 10. Every single attempt has had the "They seem unimpressed" result, even with the "silver tongue" message coming up. The peasants hated the other realm, true, but it still seems like an awful number of fails for a Diplomat with a very high skill level.

is this normal?

[Indirik]

If you are at war with them, then your chances of success are greatly decreased. Being at war, and greatly despised... not so good.

[Gustav Kuriga]

If you are at war with them, then your chances of success are greatly decreased. Being at war, and greatly despised... not so good.

Then why would the "peasants be complaining about alliance with X".

[vonGenf]

Is it possible that another diplomat is quietly undoing your work?

[Indirik]

Then why would the "peasants be complaining about alliance with X".

...Because they hate that realm?

Maybe I'm not understanding your question. Please explain.

[vonGenf]

...Because they hate that realm?

Maybe I'm not understanding your question. Please explain.

If you are at war with them, then your chances of success are greatly decreased. Being at war, and greatly despised... not so good.

The message says "Peasants complain about alliance with X", therefore they're not at war. The situation is that the peasants hate an allied realm, and diplomat actions seem not to work.

[Velax]

Yes, it's an allied realm.

Is it possible that another diplomat is quietly undoing your work?

I don't think so, but would that make a difference anyway? The issue is not that the diplomatic actions as a whole are having little effect (although that is also the case), but that each individual attempt is failing. Whatever dice roll is used to determine if the specific diplomatic action succeeds (or at least has a greater effect than the worst possible result) is failing every time.

[vonGenf]

Yes, it's an allied realm.

I don't think so, but would that make a difference anyway? The issue is not that the diplomatic actions as a whole are having little effect (although that is also the case), but that each individual attempt is failing. Whatever dice roll is used to determine if the specific diplomatic action succeeds (or at least has a greater effect than the worst possible result) is failing every time.

I don't really know how the snippets of text relates to effect. I think it's possible that the "They seem unimpressed" relates to their final view of the realm and not only to the change you achieved.

[Velax]

Really? I hadn't thought of that. If that is the case it changes things, although then it begs the other question as to why weeks of effort from an expert Diplomat has accomplished virtually nothing. I don't believe there's anyone working against him.

[Anaris]

My 80+ Oratory (98 on the Skills fame page) Diplomat has been attempting to raise his city's sympathy to another realm to get rid of the "Peasants complain about alliance with X" message. He's tried some two dozen times in the last three weeks, with varying numbers of hours between 4 and 10. Every single attempt has had the "They seem unimpressed" result, even with the "silver tongue" message coming up. The peasants hated the other realm, true, but it still seems like an awful number of fails for a Diplomat with a very high skill level.

is this normal?

Have you tried doing it with 16 hours each time, instead? The amount of time you spend is a significant factor.

I don't really know how the snippets of text relates to effect. I think it's possible that the "They seem unimpressed" relates to their final view of the realm and not only to the change you achieved.

No, it is solely about the amount of change.

But also, as Indirik says, trying to convince people that a realm they hate, hate, HATE is OK will take a lot more than trying to convince people that a realm they're indifferent about is good.

[Indirik]

I actually missed the part about it being your own realm.

[Deytheur]

It took me weeks to convince a region of my realm not to hate us and doing the same thing as you (trying to get  them to like an ally) isn't going that well for me either. Also you are much more effective when you are trying to improve the view of your own realm instead of someone else's (from in game text: Naturally, your word about your own realm will be believed more than your word about other realms) so I think it's working as intended.

[Velax]

Have you tried doing it with 16 hours each time, instead? The amount of time you spend is a significant factor.

16 may be a bit beyond him as he is not a priest, but we'll give 12 a go. Tried twice with 12 hours so far with the same result. Will keep you updated.