Clan Council

[Chloro]

Specifically to clan planning and dynamics as well as council activity, many people on the game have talked about how they desire to tell stories with their characters. Council is a coded role where you can get elected to it. Right now that role is mostly administrative. We're moving most of those administrative features to the clan as a whole so all you need to do is catch someone.

Now we're hoping that this might give council reason to get their people together and do stuff. And maybe when we see that we can have the environment react or participate in the story telling.

Is this making sense? Does anyone have any questions or want to engage this topic?

I really like this idea, it’s something Ajah sitters have been doing for a while already with good results. As an example, take my master quest, it was a global rp event. Now the actual quest aside, I saw clans get active that I had not seen decent volume in for years on side plots, or putting their own spin on what was going on. It felt like the old days for a while, where you could find rp in more than just Tar Valon or Caemy square.

I would ask some IMM involvement though. One thing I have noticed is many clans want something like this but have trouble starting it. Maybe give a general plot like you do now possibly (rift between countries, or Aiel/Seanchan renewing their attack) to get the ball rolling? Mob raids seem to draw a lot of people back. I do know displacement is usually a good starting point. Perhaps seanchan attempting to invade Tear or Mayene, the tower schism (my personal favorite, just need to find an Elaida, it would fit in with season 3 of the show), Trollocs over running Fal dara/kandor and forcing those clans south. That would be a huge amount of work for the IMM's though.

I am interested to see how this works out, and the consequences that come to clans because of it.

[Elysia]

We're aiming for more of a "let people find out what they can do" instead of "here's a foundation, see what you can do with it". The latter has been tried a number of times, going as far back as the Saniago storyline. Player engagement on these has been dropping consistently though.

The thing is, we have tons of players with a wide variety of RP and interests to keep things fresh and challenging, as opposed to some imm playing a King/ Queen/ Amyrlin/ leader for the umpteenth time. This new angle is us trying to lead the horse to water. Let's hope it will drink.

[Ismael]

It's an interesting idea - players have been periodically motivated to do things with little incentive or rewards because it's a roleplay game, different character types and clans offer different opportunities, and that's just the game. This sounds like institutionalizing those sparks of roleplay/ideas and letting the players create direction and then the system of incentives/rewards that further that direction.

Like Chloro, I'd advise Imm involvement, but less in terms of direction setting and more in terms of direction validating and keep an eye on the incentives themselves and rewarding. Setting direction is fine, but I think at the end of the day, clans should behave like their core lore approximations rather than everybody trying to be Le Good Iterations Of Niceness, avoid friction, and just collect QPs.

[Feneon]

I am wondering if you could maybe give an example with some more specifics, even a hypothetical one, on how you think this might play out? I'm not quite sure I understand how the Council role would look or what the scope of their "authority" might be with this update.

Appreciate the posts.

Often times what takes the ball the longest to get rolling is permissions between either immortals or clans as a whole. So, we may all be waiting for something to get done (e.g. Mayene and various parts of that) that requires other people.

If we have a run-way of December that means that stepping up the speed of an event is likely what is going to keep the event most interesting.

So maybe a Council person from Child of Light has a problem with the old defined boundaries of Civil Watch and want it to be 4-exit room instead of waterfall. They have a roleplay encounter or interaction with a Civil Watch and post it somewhere public. RP forums? Now Civil Watch has a chance to respond through their Council on whether to concede or fight for the boundary.

Single individuals creating a narrative that allow for counter-action and are public would allow the general public to know what is going on without requiring a clan participant and allow players with characters in that clan to act as stooges for the event. E.g. Civil Watch or Child of Light people now login to occupy the contested area and this gives others on DS an idea of where people might be.

As the area is contested, maybe there are certain patrols that occupy the boundaries etc. and maybe it culminates in a contest scheduled for 4 or so hours between the two groups. Where we can build out the objectives to determine a winner / loser.

Conceptual. But, like Mikhan said, I think that WoTMUD should have a sub culture of D&D aspects and players driving some sort of storyline. As Ely said, just having more participants in the world story will keep things more fresh and interesting than repeated shadow raids or Shienarans running out of Fal Dara to raid the Blight.

We're hoping this can lead to player engagement.

Beyond just the situation above, though, you could imagine the CW council saying "we've declared war on the *oL. Because of this clear the patrols north of the city, east of the city, and in the Shadow of the Misties and I'll award you once for each." The *oL would have some equivalent opportunity as well. And could go as far as rewards for Panarch scalp or rewards for the *oL mob scalps to encourage group play. This wouldn't go against the outlined rules to limit Council rewarding. It would be a way to tell a story, encourage your clan mates to participate in the story, and then given the climax also allow people to gain value out of the storyline (however it manifests).

[Chloro]

Instead of a setup, when this goes into place, could the Imm's give 5 suggestions of possible starting points (small/medium), things to get the ball rolling? Even for the ajahs?

[Korsik]

Instead of a setup, when this goes into place, could the Imm's give 5 suggestions of possible starting points (small/medium), things to get the ball rolling? Even for the ajahs?

Tower is excluded, we will not be making suggestions for the Ajahs. This is a good opportunity to play another character type and participate in a different line of roleplay. You are free to meddle as the Tower tends to do but the Tower will not be a driver of narratives.

Here's another example. The sailmistress mysteriously disappeared from Mayene. The Winged Guard could investigate this and perhaps find a culprit or points a finger erroneously at a culprit. Defenders obviously will take offense to this and have a response. Or maybe someone with another port could pull together something that would entice trade to resume.

[halfhand]

So this is a sort of the Clan Councils as mini-DMs. What are your thoughts about different Clan Councils coordinating with other councils on general story beats, goals/rules, time coordination, etc outside of in-character means.

[Feneon]

It seems really good to play out a story together and let us support you. Just avoid playing multiple characters in each clan to avoid it coming off as manipulation for one result or another. Feel free, though, to support the other clans who participate. Just don’t play a central role in pushing an agenda. Supporting character make sense?

Go crazy with your own rules; we might ask questions.

[isabel]

Idea brainstorming

Ilian declares the hunt for the horn

CoL or Tower - each is on a global quest to install a legion of their soldiers in every nations city. Who can sway how many nations with the power of their diplomacy / other incentives?

The amyrlin seat calls on all nations to rally against a false dragon..

A strange ancient object is discovered by the RE and it must be brought to shayol ghul to be destroyed..the shadow is after it.. each nation sends a hero to form a fellowship )))

The blademasters tournament - heroes from each nation vie in a tournament

Da'es damar and succession crisis in andor and cairhien lead to an odd trade situation where no one can access rents ) until they diplomacy their way out of it by plotting to install a suitable daughter-heir

[Feneon]

Meant to have the mobol out by Dec. 1, but I've been sick and lost the free days I had. Feel free to take action throughout this month as council. You can communicate with Staff via mail, post things via RP forums, or engage the game in anyway.

If I'm better this weekend I'll be pushing it out, there are a lot of clans to get through, so this is a large project in general. Other than that, we're watching. Feel free to keep posting here your thoughts.