I'm not even sure where to start with this one, as it such a volatile subject.
I understand that BattleMaster is a work in progress game and we will certainly find things within that do need changing.
Firstly, this is MY opinion from MY point of view and not everyone expected to agree with me.
In my opinion, this is where the
supposed OOC problem we now face started:
Letter from Glynkar Plaraveen
Message sent to the rulers of Beluaterra (7 recipients) - just in
Queen Aibhlidhn,
***
Thank you Eldest Wilhelm. All very good points.
***
I gave up Baqua willingly as you asked, you need not bother the rulers channel in an effort to buy time to finish the TO of Baqua.
There are currently no forces on the way to interfere with the TO in Baqua. You are not taking the region, it was given freely.
So, is this to be as you suggest an existential war in which case all allies must become enmeshed?
That choice is not mine to make, it is the choice of you and your allies.
I will repeat what I explained earlier, which I thought was quite clear:
Goatseer Quartz wants a nice clean and polite war, well I offer this:
Send your allies home so Caelint and Gotland can go toe to toe, one on one.
Capitals (only) will be spared the destruction of battle, but all else is fair game.
There you have it, a nice clean and polite war with terms that will see neither realm utterly destroyed.
Northern Alliance Members,
I offer you basically the same.
Go home now and leave Gotland to the war that it has pushed for and earned.
A one on one war with limits.
If any member of the NA (other than Gotland) enters Caelint lands, I will settle for nothing less than an all out war that will certainly see the end of Caelint or Gotland.
So, the question goes to you - Is this to be an existential war in which case all allies must become enmeshed?
We have not yet invited our allies into our lands. Should I send word to them?
On a separate note, we have just received our first prisoner of war.
New Prisoner
message to the realm's council - 1 hour, 26 minutes ago
Patrols in Djembe have captured the enemy adventurer Vladmir, Commoner. He is now on his way into your dungeons.
Though he is a commoner of very little importance, he is a bastard son of Gotland.
Since I have previously warned Gotland about sending their people into my lands, his execution is already on the books, so time is of the essence.
Will this be an existential war where he will be the first to die, or will my offer of a one on one limited war with Gotland be accepted and this poor wretch be set free? A timely response is required for me to be able to intervene if necessary.
Glynkar Plaraveen
King of Caelint
Royal of Caelint
A ONE on ONE war between two realms that were basically equal in resources and nobles.
The players in Thal (and AA for that matter) CHOSE to pursue the war.
I will also note, that at that time, Thalmarkin
alone had more nobles than the entire Caelint/Angmar/Nothoi alliance block combined (I do not recall the specific numbers).
Around this time (or shortly after), I recall reports of members of Thalmarkin moving to the south to interfere there as well. Many infil attacks and scroll use that produced hoards of rogues for the southerners to deal with (not sure of more specific details as I was more concerned with the happenings in the north at that time.). I believe that the southerners were trying to sort through troubles of their own at the time and did not really need the added excitement of Thal's "meddling".
Since that time, many things happened/changed continent-wide that can be attributed directly to the actions of Thal and its members.
Enhancing fun in the game for many players.
Time rolls by and things change. Realms fall, realms merge, old problems are sorted out new problems crop up... Life goes on.
Thalmarkin grows to the point that it becomes "unwieldy/unmanageable" as a single realm and the nobles choose to split and form a new realm from the resources they have.
All is still wonderful.
The downfall of Thalmarkin is at hand.
Thalmarkin, still quite powerful (but only half a strong as they were previously), decides to declare war on Irondale (the remnants of the remaining smaller realms in the north that have merged into one realm) figuring that it will be a fairly even war from what they can see of the current layout and happenings of the continent.
They may loose, they may win, but with the back-up of VS close at hand and many of their possible enemies far to the south, they are in no real danger from this war.
And then things start to go bad (for Thalmarkin).
Irondale has grown strong due to the need to band together into one realm for their survival. (certainly due to Thal's actions)
Their allies in AA are no longer there to assist them due to strife between their two realms. (likely due to Thal's actions)
The southern realms contemplate "meddling" in Thal's current happenings. (Again, likely Thal's previous actions in the south brought this on)
Then, the final straw, their former realm-mates (and back-up) in the new realm of Vordul Sanguinis decide that not only will they not help defend Thal, but they will join the other side to help "punish?" Thalmarkin. (I am not sure of the reasoning behind this turn of events, but as members of both realms are originally from Thalmarkin, I suspect that we can say Thal's actions also caused this turn of events).
So why is everyone, all of a sudden, out to get Thalmarkin and ganging up on them?
It must certainly be OOC powergaming that is to blame.
All Thalmarkin ever did was to try to enhance the continent and bring fun to all.
I will also note that being on the winning side of a conflict is normally MUCH more fun than being the ones who are getting their asses kicked.
