New dynamic to game???

As was stated in the event's highlights thread, with the new land forums, clans, and other storylines now coming in... from my limited perspective, a possibly cool, new dynamic has entered the game.  Politics.  I hate real-life politics and such... but for this game, the desire to improve your own faction can be a great game motivator.  There are of course the drawbacks.  So folks... lets open up, talk about this, and remember let's be open minded and all of this is friendly.

You get more than two people together, you're going to get some kind of politics.  I think theres already some amount of politicking going on IG, from trying to embarrass someone at feast to spreading ill rumors about someone, and to me thats a -Major- part of any LARP.   

I like the idea that being in favor at court might confine some kind of IG bonus (ex. an allowance of gold given to members of a certain faction at the beginning of each event) But ultimately thats up to the Director.  The idea that certain clans and factions might get to vie for limited resources -is- a really cool idea and something that would add a new social level to the game.

When I started in '04, I was informed that if you had fifteen people declare in game they are following a new god, after a certain time and active worship, it became a real god. Brazan kind of started like that or something. I don't know if any of that is true at all, but there is that.

And politics are awesome.

Politics has  been present in KR since I entered more than 3 1/2 yrs ago.  IG politics, that is.

Politics? I wouldn't know anything about those  :

POLITICS, n. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage. From the Latin Poli meaning "many" and Tics meaning blood sucking creatures

So folks... lets open up, talk about this, and remember let's be open minded and all of this is friendly.

All jokes aside... Tristan brought up some nice ideas for James to play with.  IG bonuses to factions.  I'm sure the WoW players that we have can attest to the boring action of rep grinding for faction hits.  Here, a person can get faction by RPing it and not killing/turning in loot drops.

Some people have seen the different lands now sporting colors for their vassals to wear, which is a nice costuming flavor and addition.  Helps the game and players look better, I think.

I'd like to compliment the members of Kaledonia.  After a leadership change, member recruitment for them is up and I see they are getting together more and doing more.  That is something that drives players to feel more like part of a group.

I've learned more about Travance and Alisandria after joining the land and now actually picked up some cool IG history.  So... anyone else have ideas or wanna share something positive so far they liked about the new lands and vassalships?

The evolution has been coming/developing for a few years.  I do not believe there is a need for any IG rewards to be offered.  All that will be served is an artificial creation which imo, is best left to RP.  If province X continues to do better in battles, it will attract better vassals, which is reward enough,as if stronger folk live in a province, it will be safer at night.  Reward enough, I believe.

When I chose Kaladonia in which to settle (and never considered being a vassal) I did so purely due to the physical layout - Edwin likes woodsy areas and minimal industry.  The idea of sustained forestry and related eco-business was appealing.  Now, a victim of my own success, I must live in the proper.  But my heart...

When I started in '04, I was informed that if you had fifteen people declare in game they are following a new god, after a certain time and active worship, it became a real god.

There technically was never a codified way of getting a "new" god into the KR world but yes it definitely happened a time or two in the past.. At this time the only possible way to get a new god placed into the game is directly through JamesCKimball, and even then I don't think he's taking any new lower list rules into consideration at the moment.

IG politics started roughly, ummmm, about 12years ago.

PS when James gets the bug for a new god, I call dibs. Ramular is mine!

Ramular is terribad. 

  is such a better potential IG god, IMO.

There was actually a small effort by some of the STs to introduce the concept of "demigods" that you could worship but that didn't grant prayers. It didn't get terribly far, unfortunately.

I bid for race specific gods

Sadly my bid counts for nadda lol.

ALL HAIL GRIMDAR!

there is allready politicing going on IG no need to bog it down with "rules" and "official" or "unofficial" factions.. too much mechanics to make it worth the effort.

You mean like Jeramy's bid to get Parr to become a god?

I'm trying to keep my laughter in check as I think about how in February Clark (Oakroot) as a religiously confused NPC tried to worship Count Winterdark until he had a sword pointed at his face and was dragged away shouting "he's a mean god"

I know playing a Norse based Barbarian that I've tried to incorporate some Norse Gods into my background and IG beliefs, and it has worked out pretty well for me. IF anyone asks, I simply tell them it's the "northern" aspect of one of their "southern" deities.   

Westerner and your silly gods 

I once had Odo explain them to me in game. My little khitan brain is now fearful that the wizard god-king of unlimited power called Enax is somewhere out there just waiting to invade from another plane, and rule with an iron fist.

As far as politics go..... between race, land, profession, clans, foreign powers, and tribes i think there is enough of that already. And I'm pretty sure the land rules will give IG benefits in one way or another when they are applied anyways.

Westerner and your silly gods 

I once had Odo explain them to me in game. My little khitan brain is now fearful that the wizard god-king of unlimited power called Enax is somewhere out there just waiting to invade from another plane, and rule with an iron fist.

Or laughing at the Valosians telling them to just give it up and become fire mages already. 

I completely agree that the IG politics of this game, although not new, have recently become truly and marvelously intense. I also completely agree with Charlie. (Charlie, mark this one down in the books!)
To reiterate, I would hate to see us unbalance an amazingly organic and spontaneous evolution of political intrigue by trying to artificially weight it with 'rewards'. Its an interesting concept, neither appropriate or necessary to a hands-on, deeply interpersonal and high-level RP game.
If there were a lack of politics, and some political intrigue were desired, then perhaps codifying it would have merit. However, I'm not sure that such a thing would add value to a game with an already fully functioning and high-level political playing field.
I hope that the politics continue and are allowed to evolve on their own--it is one of my prime draws to this game.

I completely agree that the IG politics of this game, although not new, have recently become truly and marvelously intense. I also completely agree with Charlie. (Charlie, mark this one down in the books!)
To reiterate, I would hate to see us unbalance an amazingly organic and spontaneous evolution of political intrigue by trying to artificially weight it with 'rewards'. Its an interesting concept, neither appropriate or necessary to a hands-on, deeply interpersonal and high-level RP game.
If there were a lack of politics, and some political intrigue were desired, then perhaps codifying it would have merit. However, I'm not sure that such a thing would add value to a game with an already fully functioning and high-level political playing field.
I hope that the politics continue and are allowed to evolve on their own--it is one of my prime draws to this game.

^ This.  QFT

Perhaps we should await the fully fleshed out verison of this new system before judging? I doubt it will ratchet up the level of strife and intrigue to a level that will overshadow the existing factional elements of the game anyway, but to follow my own advice, I'll await its release before I form an opinion. I imagine it will simply enhance the game and not detract. A more elaborate resource system of some kind that helps motivate groups is not bad in concept. If it becomes a crutch or a table top wargame element to the game that is the principle driving force for people to act on things, then those players have lost what larping is about. I have confidence that there will be a good balance to the system.