Tom,
Most players on Atamara would have more fun if their realms could have a littl more independent agency.
However, they are having enough fun now not to want to destroy their realms' chance at total victory/mere survival to shake things up. If a CE duke seceded, even if he wants to, it'd be terrible for CE and be a big setback to them winning Battlemaster. Hence why we've had Magistrate-case-level hostility directed at the ONE player who actually did try to shake things up, and why CE established a policy of getting island-wide expulsions for their political foes: because they're bent on winning Battlemaster on Atamara. AND THEY'RE DAMN CLOSE TO DOING IT. To which I say: impressive, most impressive. Well done, CE.
But it isn't good for BM. It makes the continent a pit for inactivity and unengaged playing. I have a powerful character with strong RP reasons to do some rabble-rousing on Atamara. Instead, I sit and collect gold. Why? Because there is no gain from causing a ruckus. None. And that's the position EVERYONE is in. We're in a situation where every powerful player has sufficient power to prevent anyone beneath them from toppling them, but can't plausibly increase their power very much. There are a few exceptions, but, overall, not really. Keep in mind that CE's treaty in Eston actually forced us to play Peacemaster for months on end. We're basically forced to twiddle our thumbs or be destroyed.
Now maybe you want to say, "Oh, your fault: you COULD choose destruction!" Sure. Yea. You're right Tom, we could. We could also all become infiltrators and train at the academy for years to engage in idiotic assassinations of other characters. That sounds like a blast. Not.
Battlemaster thrives on dynamism. Atamara is not dynamic, not because of some geographic fundamental reason, but because of the political structures players have created. Again, I don't like the idea of sinking a continent. I like freezing them. But if you must sink one, Atamara is the obvious choice.
Or you can do what Tim said and WAIT FOR ACTUAL DATA PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE. Because frankly we're all just bull!@#$ting here about our pretty well unfounded opinions, and here in a few weeks (months? Guess the timetable depends on Tim, then however much processing is needed to sort out the relevant trends) we'll have some solid data about what the whole player base, not just people on the forum, think. SO WAIT FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
