These allegations are so frivolous that they are not worth responding to. However, out of respect for both TH and Sean, I will say something in my defense:
OOC insults toward a realm name:
Imho, realm names are IC constructs and are fair game for OOC criticism and OOC satire. I thought the jokes about both "MiCE" and "Silnarnia" were fair hits and quite funny. And after all these years, I still can't believe it's not butter.
OOC insults toward a noble:
Imho, nobles are IC constructs and are fair game for OOC criticism and OOC satire. I assert my right to OOCly call Merlin a Machiavellian bastard if I want to. Every story needs a good villain. One of the charms of BM is that everyone can call the other side's nobles the villains in the story. And heck, maybe they're all correct. Cagilans are imperialistic puppet-masters. Darkans are mercenary scum. Redspaniards have inappropriate relationships with their goats. Ottar is a bully. Merlin is a weasel. KKC likes to sacrifice little boys to the volcano (or so I've heard). I know of no saints on Atamara. Making up horrible stories about other nobles is FUN, dammit, and you shouldn't take it personally.
They are not you.The "fiddles" comment:
That was honestly meant to be a compliment to both TH the player and Merlin the noble. I consider being able to "play your nobles like fiddles" to be a good quality for a Ruler to have. It's a reasonable assumption that Merlin somehow bribed or persuaded a majority of the Senate to play along with his schemes. However, even if I were to stand on top of a soapbox and shout, "Silnaria is full of sheeple! SHEEPLE!" You still can't call that an OOC insult toward fellow players. I'd only be insulting nobles.
TH certainly did not seem insulted by the "fiddles" comment at the time:
Out-of-Character from Merlin Silverfire (29 days, 23 hours ago)
Thank you mate!
It's all good. Merlin will just blame all of his "failings" on your teachings as well.
TH
"Game mechanics trump RP":
Ugh. I wouldn't have brought it up at all, had I realized that it was controversial even among the Devs. Anyway, if "an attempt to use OOC messages to convince people that the IC discussion is rightfully in their favor" is a crime, then I respectfully request that TH get in the defendant's box with me.
Out-of-Character from Merlin Silverfire (16 days, 13 hours ago)
Message sent to everyone in "League of the Eagle" (56 recipients)
Well if Game Mechanics trump RP, then Coria is game mechanically dead. It can't game mechanically gain a capital anymore, and so it is dead.
So game mechanically stop RP'ing characters into making stuff up.
TH
Look, I realize that this is a game, and that people are here to have fun, not to have their egos stomped on. I make reasonable efforts to not offend people, just like I make reasonable efforts to shrug it off when other people offend me. However, I draw the line at following the rules and being reasonable. I refuse to walk on eggshells when I'm just trying to relax and play a game. If me making fun of your realm name, or insulting your noble, offends you, then
please, feel free to put me on your ignore list. I would not be offended; I promise.
And if you can show me evidence that I've been unfair to you as a player, Solari/Aaron can tell you that I'm not too proud to apologize. I do not see any evidence that this was the case here. All I see are a bunch of month-old IC messages, and some OOC back-handed compliments at Merlin, and not a single insult or aggressive message toward TH the player.
While it is normal to become emotionally attached to your nobles, I respectfully suggest that TH is going a little overboard here.
In all honesty, these allegations are so frivolous, that I believe TH owes some of us a public apology. I may sound calm, but I am actually quite angry at TH right now. What the heck man. I thought you were my friend.
