The War.

[Antonine]

Well Immanuel Octavius is the new "Lord Protector" of Melhed and was elected on a pledge to return it to a republic subject to referendum once the situation allows.

[Chenier]

Lots of realms trying to bail out of the war, now...

Do players love peace THAT much as to seek it at any cost?

[De-Legro]

Lots of realms trying to bail out of the war, now...

Do players love peace THAT much as to seek it at any cost?

No, they just hate losing that much that they are willing to accept peace at any cost to stop the losing.

[Naidraug]

I think it is more of a fear of losing the realm that most players have.

[De-Legro]

It is a good thing. When players recognise defeat then wars don't drag on becoming boring for everyone and causing the losing realms to dwindle and lose player.

[Lorgan]

Indeed. No one wants to fight an endless war just to put off the inevitable. The losing party can make peace and start from scratch. The winning party can make peace and move on to different targets.

[Antonine]

Except, of course, when the winners are pledged to destroy the losers.

I understand there are good IC motives for it but Melhed is promised complete destruction by Thalmarkin and Ar Agyr and Spearhold (although the last doesn't really have any IC motives). On the other side, Ar Agyr is promised destruction by Melhed.

So however this war ends there's likely to be at least one realm destroyed - and personally I think it would be good if players could find an IC way of changing positions so that no realms get wiped out for the sake of keeping the game interesting.

After all, a mighty realm humiliated and reduced to a tiny scrap of land and seeking its vengeance is far more interesting for the game than a new colony that spends the next two IRL years being best buddies with their founding realm.

[Indirik]

It might be possible. Melhed had a New ruler, right? Have they tried begging for mercy? Offering some massive conciliation?

[Antonine]

Melhed has a new ruler, yes. But said ruler is my character Immanuel. And Immanuel is probably the most despised man in the north of Beluaterra :p

[Constantine]

I guess that speaks volumes of Melhed as whole. :D

[Antonine]

Not really - all it reflects is that I'm the most vocal and active character in the realm and that the only other noble to run in the election was a proven traitor.

Now if Yeux Serpentis had unpaused just a turn earlier then things might have been very different.

[Chenier]

Not really - all it reflects is that I'm the most vocal and active character in the realm and that the only other noble to run in the election was a proven traitor.

I guess that speaks volumes of Melhed as whole. :D

Quoted for truth. If the only two nobles to run in the election were a proven traitor and the most despised man in the North, then that does speak volumes of Melhed as a whole.

[Indirik]

Then maybe, for the good of the realm, heh needs to step aside.

[Lorgan]

Except, of course, when the winners are pledged to destroy the losers.

True, I still don't like it but it's too late now.

It might be possible. Melhed had a New ruler, right? Have they tried begging for mercy? Offering some massive conciliation?

King Pavel of Melhed lied outright to Thal and AA trying to form a coalition against us behind our back so he went from ally to enemy, he was killed so we signed peace with his successor Maya, treaty and everything. Just a little while later at the most opportune moment, the new ruler broke the treaty and we went back to war. After this, Thalmarkin and Ar Agyr vowed to wipe Melhed off the map for their repeated treachery.
Electing Immanuel as ruler certainly hasn't done anything to improve our opinion of them though I doubt that it'd have been better had someone else been elected. When you are betrayed by consecutive rulers, you kind of get the idea that the ruler's not to blame but the realm as a whole. Trust between these realms is thus non-existent.

[Indirik]

So? Find a way to make it work. If the players really want it to happen, then they have to work together to make it happen. One side doesn't get to sit back and say "Well, we'd really like to not wipe you out, by it's my character. You know, I can't really control him, and he wants to wipe you out, so... tough luck."

If you want to save Melhed, then find a way. Will it come back to bite you later? Maybe. But then you have a built in enemy, the next time you need one. And, really, it's a game. Who cares? If you don't like the way it's going, then change it.