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Greetings community! As I am doing something rather unorthodox here, I would like to be transparent on my process and my intentions. A few points of clarification are in order first.
1. I fully accept that what I am trying to do, seize leadership of Blackfeather Keep (BFK), does not fall in to any definition of the word “nice” that I am aware of.
2. That said, I would like to do this as fairly as possible. This primarily means giving Scorchbark and the Agents of Erastil the opportunity to actually show up in the game and make use of the space they possess in a manner constructive to the larger PFO community. My primary mechanism for this comes by way of limiting my harassment of their towers. Specifically, I will take 1 tower a week, up to the point of possessing all 6 core towers around BFK and any other towers the Agents mean to hold. The simple logic is that if they cannot spend enough time in-game each week to hold what they have, then they do not deserve it. And this is the way of the River Kingdoms.
3. I sincerely believe that Scorchbark is unfit to have leadership of a settlement at this nascent, vulnerable and vital stage of PFO’s life. He is leader of a settlement that is dedicated to Erastil, the God of Community. Yet he makes no effort to actually cultivate community within his own company, much more the entire settlement. Further, my own efforts to engage the settlement many months ago and get a recruitment plan put together were met with toxicity rather than support. Such a response is the opposite of what would be expected of a true community leader and devotee of Erastil.
4. If the community leaders from other settlements active in the game right now are overwhelmingly against my efforts to take over Blackfeather Keep, I will cease and desist. The members of the Northern Alliance have particular sway in this matter.
5. I have nothing against the Agents of Erastil. They are welcome to remain at Blackfeather Keep. I have nothing against Scorchbark. He is welcome to remain at Blackfeather Keep. However, I take exception to Scorchbark remaining the the sole gatekeeper (or any gatekeeper) at Blackfeather Keep. That is the primary change I seek to precipitate.
Working Vision for BFK
My current working vision for BFK is that of a relatively safe base for PVE and RP-focussed players and companies (guilds) as well as a safe home for dedicated crafters and gatherers in the North East. BFK will maintain its dedication to the god of farming, hunting, trade and family, Erastil, with a particular emphasis on Community.
Action Plan
1. Continue to develop trade relations with other settlements in the game. Continue to support other settlement’s in their acquisition of key resources.
2. Maintain a firm but peaceful presence in Blackfeather Keep.
3. Recruit new members to the Wilderness Wanderers, Blackfeather Keep and PFO via MMO websties such as Massively and MMORP.com as well as on the Goblinworks and Paizo boards.
4. Work with incoming members to more fully develop both the vision for BFK and the resources and structure needed to manage the settlement.
Key Guiding Principles
Participation is the key to harmony.
Leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern. There is but one authority, the community’s conscience as it expresses itself in community meetings.
Individual self-care will be encouraged and respected over self-sacrifice. The health of the community depends upon the health of its individuals.
More to come as the process requires.
Best Case Scenario
Scorchbark willingly turns settlement control over to the Wilderness Wanderers.
Worst Case Scenario
Scorchbark and the AOE occupy BFK just enough not to trigger any redistribution action on the part of GW. Wilderness Wanderers begin an aggressive campaign to occupy all towers until Sorchbark sees fit to yield the settlement.
Middle Ground Scenario
Scorchbark and AOE give up on the game in short enough order to warrant redistribution action by GW. GW either directly transfers the settlement over to the Wilderness Wanderers or we take it in a second land rush.
Goblin Squad Member
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The Elder Council of Forgeholm finds the matter of leadership of Blackfeather keep to be an internal matter and will not interfere. It is our preference that a peaceful solution be found within themselves as we wish friendly and prosperous relationship with our western neighbors. Already our ambassador is in communication with their leadership to find a resolution acceptable to all.
Elder Durin Steelforge; Chief Engineer & Quartermaster of Forgeholm; Leader of Steelforge Engineering Company
May fortune favor your efforts to pull your fellow settlers from their slumber, Brother Trader.
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Goblin Squad Member
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I'm unclear of the NAP requires us to take to task independent groups that seize core six towers. If we do, then both Blackfeather Keep and Aragon have a right to call on us to help them oust their interlopers.
My understanding is that the NAP does not require us to take any action at all. Breaking the NAP simply removes the protection it would otherwise afford (which to an independent group is null). The agreement doesn't call for reprisal that I recall, but it does leave groups free to do so should they wish to.
Sunholm has no position on this matter. It is an internal affair for BFK.
On a personal level, I support Gale's ideals, though I don't rate his chances highly given that the current leadership isn't 100% uncommunicative (which largely rules out GW's support on the matter).
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Goblin Squad Member
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(IC): I made the very long trek to visit the Keep the night before last. I brought some bows of my own craftsmanship as a sign of goodwill... but there was nobody there to receive them. I left them at your Auction House for a penny apiece. I saw no travelers coming or going for miles along those roads; the only living things I saw were the native ogres and the groups of bandits hiding from the law, which appear to be growing in number. It was strange to see an elven stronghold in such a barren place, and even stranger to see it so devoid of life.
I've had dealings with this fellow traveler, Gale Windswept, and think him to be a good man. I have never seen nor heard from the Keep's leader, which isn't too surprising as I am a journeyman and a vagabond, but to hear the Keep's dwindling residents say the same is concerning. A leader must be accountable to his or her constituents, and even the blood-soaked iron fist of Golgotha makes his presence known. I will support your efforts to shake him out of whatever tower he's hiding in, by arms if it's asked of me.
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Goblin Squad Member
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Ozem's Vigil understands the reasons stated for this move, Lord Windswept. We can clearly see that Blackfeather Keep would be a healthy productive place under your guidance, assuming that you stick to the principle's laid out above.
The only caveat that we would ask is that the current leadership be given every opportunity to get engaged in the game and make their own try at it (as they envisioned it). That could include leadership moving to another prominent member, the current leader stepping up, or your plan as described.
They must have a chance (every chance) to speak on this. If that is given them, and they do not wish to give their settlement a try, then we see no drawbacks to your plan.
We are a bit troubled, I will add, to see instances of the Core 6 NAP treaty falling so fast into anarchy through "work around" free Companies.
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Goblin Squad Member
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We are a bit troubled, I will add, to see instances of the Core 6 NAP treaty falling so fast into anarchy through "work around" free Companies.
Edam had indeed wondered what the situation would be if larger "free companies" took core towers from small settlements and held them for ransom.
Though this situation be more of a coup then extortion per se.
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IC: Durin, thank you for communicating Forgeholm's stance on the matter. As it stands, I have no direct line of communication with Scorchbark. I have missed him on the rare occasion he has been around and have no other recourse. I appreciate any assistance Forgeholm can provide in broaching a peaceful solution to this situation.
Cal, I appreciate Ozem Vigil's adherence to the law in this matter. To my knowledge, I am the only representative of Blackfeather Keep that will be in attendance of the meeting tomorrow. If this is the case, I question whether the Agents of Erastil would actually call on any support.
Brinslite, simply "Gale" will suffice :) I agree wholeheartedly that the Agents of Erastil and their leader should have every chance to communicate and participate in this process and the game, as a whole. That said, my plans and my actions have been prevalent on this space for a week or more now. Now that Forgeholm has contacted Scorchbark directly, hopefully we will have an opportunity for an open discussion of the matter.
I agree that the free company "work around" is an issue and one we might discuss tomorrow and on Saturday. I am willing to adjust my plans, as needed.
OOC: If they did actually call on support in maintaining control of their towers, then I would say Scorchbark has actually joined the game instead of occupying space. That would be an improvement over the status quo :)
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Goblin Squad Member
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I cannot speak formally for Forgeholm in any way as I hold no office, however I support any activity that gets the bellows pumping in Blackfeather Keep.
Before I learned of Gales attempts I made contact of my own volition to the Agents that Goblinworks has made some leadership changes of settlements but that they are not currently under the stated criteria. I suggested it might be best to at least capture their base 6 for training purposes. I was responded to with derision at the thought of possible loss of control and seems to think that the devs will make efforts to keep them in the game when they are plainly choosing to not participate just short of abandoning the game. He seems to think that WoT is simply a phase and not a prelude to the normal order of business from now on. In quite colorful language he has been rather open in his distaste for PvP of any form and I think they are going to be unpleasantly surprised.
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I cannot speak formally for Forgeholm in any way as I hold no office, however I support any activity that gets the bellows pumping in Blackfeather Keep.
Before I learned of Gales attempts I made contact of my own volition to the Agents that Goblinworks has made some leadership changes of settlements but that they are not currently under the stated criteria. I suggested it might be best to at least capture their base 6 for training purposes. I was responded to with derision at the thought of possible loss of control and seems to think that the devs will make efforts to keep them in the game when they are plainly choosing to not participate just short of abandoning the game. He seems to think that WoT is simply a phase and not a prelude to the normal order of business from now on. In quite colorful language he has been rather open in his distaste for PvP of any form and I think they are going to be unpleasantly surprised.
War of the towers will be replaced by POI's and those will require defending as well. If Scorchbark is so adamantly against PVP, then his best course of action is to join the game and build alliances with settlements who do enjoy PVP and try to attract players to BFK that are happy to fill the settlement's PVP needs in a role-play friendly manner. At least, that is my plan.
On a separate note, my Twin, Kaelli Windswept, thoroughly enjoyed aiding in the defense and capture of towers with The Seventh Veil and against Golgatha tonight. I hear much fun was had on all sides! And more than a few suits of armor fell to scraps :) But fortunately such skirmishes are far from the quiet hills of the NE.
But reflecting on what has been said about Scorchbark's opposition to PVP, creating an enjoyable space for PVE-centric players depends on involving a few players who have a firm grasp on PVP. Scorchbark's failure to recognize is another sign that he is a poor fit for leadership of Blackfeather Keep.
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This is the leader of Agents of Erastil in response to its ally.
Taking towers that we held throughout Alpha, within hours of WoT going live was no act of charity. --That's absurd, especially considering that I specifically raised this complaint to your company when it did this exact thing the first week of WoT in Alpha...
Frankly we don't give two shits who took them, so long as it wasn't in fact, us. And since you've set your PvP window just prior to the server reboot (I believe that is frowned upon) another day is wasted in the recovery of this pointless f'n tower.
If we're going to continue harping on the angle that AoE doesn't spend enough time online <wah>, give us a damn game worth playing with allies that act less like hall monitors and/or scheming vultures.
AoE is in this for the long haul, banking on the forum trolls and toxic fanbois moving on and making some other game miserable. Until this game gets interesting though, we will keep our accounts in good standing and “participate in our settlement” as often as we choose and in whatever capacity amuses us.
This makes it clear that Scorchbark and AoE have no intentions of participating at this point in the game or any point in the future, as the game will never meet their standards. I am emailing Ryan and asking him to transfer control of the Settlement to my account so that something productive can be done with the space.
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Open Letter to Ryan, et al:
Greetings Ryan and the rest of the GW team. I am writing to request that you transfer control of Blackfeather Keep to Gale Windswept and the Wilderness Wanderers at your earliest convenience.
The current owners of the Keep, the Agents of Erastil, and their leader, in particular, has made it clear that they have no intention of utilizing the space. They will maintain their accounts "in good standing" in order to deter you from taking action and redistributing the settlement; however, this is a rouse, as is made clear in the last post of the thread I have linked to below.
Meanwhile, I am already taking measures to bring Blackfeather Keep into the game despite not having access to the settlement's controls. While the Wilderness Wanderers are currently few in numbers, I intend to begin strong recruitment efforts within the next week.
I am not making this request out of some power hungry bit of greed. I believe in the game and its success and would like to do my part to make it the best it can be. Where BFK is concerned, my part is helping to build a strong community of PVE players and Role-players that can stand as a testament to the game's flexibility in play styles and help serve to demonstrate that open-world PVP is not mutually exclusive with enjoyable PVE.
If it matters in the least or helps my case at all, I was a member of the Agents of Erastil, until the leader of that company met my efforts to develop a recruitment plan with pure toxicity. You might say, therefore, that I am a player who's settlement leader has gone AWOL and who is willing to step up to the task of leading the settlement myself.
Lastly, whatever promotional benefit you may see in holding BFK out for redistribution in a second land rush, I believe there is greater value in redistributing the settlement now. "Community" is currently the number one draw for PFO, and community is what I aim to bring to BFK.
AoE and Scorchbark's True Nature[/ur]
[url="http://erastil.shivtr.com/forum_threads/1924159"]Response to my efforts to develop a recruitment plan
Plan of Action for developing BFK (this thread)
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Goblin Squad Member
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In my talks with him I got that they (at least he and his wife) do not feel that the game is currently worth playing. They intended to do the bare minimum to hold their settlement. I personally have made several posts on their website and so has Forgeholm leadership trying to get them to work with us in game and we have either been ignored or ridiculed for attempting to engage them with the current state of the game.
They intended to do the bare minimum to hold their settlement.
Definitely the kind of people you want in control of one of the only limited resources in the game.
Goblinworks Executive Founder
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They intended to do the bare minimum to hold their settlement.Definitely the kind of people you want in control of one of the only limited resources in the game.
I don't know, I don't play, but it doesn't seem to me that settlements are a limited resource, it seems to me that players, are the limited resource.
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Correcting the links:
AoE and Scorchbark's True Nature
Response to my efforts to develop a recruitment plan
@Audoucet, Regardless, if you have any interest in seeing this game succeed, then you do not want to have people like Scorchbark sitting on a settlement at this stage of the game. He won't scare anyone away; but he will make it harder for other players, like the folks in Forgeholm, to enjoy the game. With an active and engaged leader in BFK, Forgeholm's lives will be a lot easier and they will have a much better time with their own recruitment/player retention challenges. And that helps the game as a whole.
@Thod, Getting his opinion requires him to participate in the game, its community and its development. I would welcome that, as well.
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Goblin Squad Member
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I'm watching this but will keep any of my own opinions for myself at the moment.
It would help to get the opinion of the current leader.
I figure if GW intends to put the 'abandoned' settlements back into circulation, They should specify the rules before any contest starts.
edit to add: If there isn't sufficient demand for additional settlements - that is, if current settlements do not have populations that GW expects they need to be viable - it might make more sense to just remove towers from the map and encourage consolidation.
The middle ground is that any settlements not claimed by Land Rush winners past a certain date could collapse and disappear, and the hex revert to a claimable state. That's the state of the majority of settlement hexes on the map, overgrown. They'll eventually be claimable, but likely not before the end of WoT.
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Goblin Squad Member
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I figure if GW intends to put the 'abandoned' settlements back into circulation, They should specify the rules before any contest starts.I'm watching this but will keep any of my own opinions for myself at the moment.
It would help to get the opinion of the current leader.
And clearly (very clearly) communicate them to the settlement leaders. Although if a settlement leader isn't responding to them, and isn't in game, I'm all for them taking swift action.
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Hi Gale,
I'm in contact with the designated leader for Blackfeather Keep and as far as I can tell that person remains legitimately responsible for the Settlement.
If you think there's a significant number of people who want that person removed of the people who participated in the Land Rush promotion, please prepare some kind of documentation to that effect, with names and contact information for the people who think the current leadership is engaging in a fraud. We don't want to have a Settlement that is sitting idle because someone refuses to participate in the game, but we also are not going to get involved in resolving internal disputes within groups over leadership and control of Settlements. That's part of the game.
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Goblin Squad Member
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To be fair I know of at least 3 if not 4 players that I've seen on the AoE forums in game under other banners. I think what most others did was just move on not push to keep that settlement as home. However as the note above mentions participants of the Land Rush it might still be possible? Not sure how many participated in that, that are playing now.
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Goblin Squad Member
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Take towers until they yield...Purely a curiosity, but why would they yield? If they're apathetic about the War of Towers and not playing the game, why would the loss of Towers have any impact on their decision to retain Settlement control?
We took some of the towers between us and BFK and were rather harstly berated for taking "their" towers. We didn't touch the 6, just the ones nearby. They want to claim territory but not use it or defend it.
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Goblin Squad Member
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(OOC): If they don't care about the settlement enough to engage, I imagine later on when actual settlement mechanics are in place, you'll be in a position to hold an actual revolution, or start your own settlement, depending on how it's going to work. I don't know much about the settlement mechanics proposed, but am I not correct in assuming the current player settlements are not set in stone and could be taken over in the future? If the current leadership (whom I don't know and am not judging OOC, even if IC I love political upheaval) doesn't care about maintaining the settlement, they're probably going to lose it either way, and the question is going to be whether alienated BFK members take over or foreign conquerors.
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Thanks for the answer. Seems like it should be easy to take all the Towers if they're not playing...
He rather craftily set the PvP window for something like 3 or 4 AM EST. I don't expect any resistance at that hour, however, so leaving a character sitting in the tower should suffice.
At the Norther Alliance meeting tonight, I will formally ask permission to take BFK's core 6 towers, as well.
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Goblin Squad Member
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Take towers until they yield...Purely a curiosity, but why would they yield? If they're apathetic about the War of Towers and not playing the game, why would the loss of Towers have any impact on their decision to retain Settlement control?
The main reason I can think of is that we have been told that post WOT settlement building points will be doled out relevant to a settlements overall success during WOT. If Glale and others consistently deny them towers BFK will likely enter the next phase of the game with nothing and be in the same position as someone starting a new settlement from scratch. To the victors go the spoils after all....
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I missed that post, Nihimon. 3 things:
1. If they cannot hold towers now, then they are not going to be able to defend POI's in the future. So if they don't like defending towers now, then they need to move on since this aspect of the game, effectively, is not going anywhere - even if I stop my raids.
2. They're enjoyment of the game, such as it is, will be severely limited since they will not be able to train out of Tier 1 or low Tier 2.
3. All Sorchbark has to do is turn settlement control over to me. After that, he and his are free to do whatever they want, including staying in BFK and enjoying the game on their terms. Right now, however, enjoying the game on their terms is impeding the enjoyment of the game on other players' terms due to AoE's lack of involvement in anything (OOC: but lets be honest, they are also providing us with a little fun and excitement too, if all too unwillingly :).
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On that note, anyone interested in joining the cause, feel free to PM me. Right now, what Blackfeather Keep needs most are dedicated gatherers and folks willing to sit on towers. Tower capture will be a strictly non-violent affair, however. It is my hope to avoid bloodshed in this matter- at least on the part of the Wilderness Wanderers.
Gatherers and tower sitters will be paid 1s per week for their participation in developing the community, in addition to anything they may earn selling goods on the AH.
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Goblin Squad Member
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I missed that post, Nihimon. 3 things...
I tried to ask a very specific question.
I get why you want them to yield, and I get the impact that their inaction is having on others.
I'm very specifically asking what's going to motivate them to do anything. If they don't care and aren't interested in playing right now, then it seems like they've already accepted the fact that they won't have training, which they won't need anyway since they're not playing.
Do you have reason to think they'll bestir themselves to ensure they hold their Core 6 Towers, but make no effort to do anything else in the game?
Or do I have a misconception about their actual level of activity?
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I missed that post, Nihimon. 3 things...I tried to ask a very specific question.
I get why you want them to yield, and I get the impact that their inaction is having on others.
I'm very specifically asking what's going to motivate them to do anything. If they don't care and aren't interested in playing right now, then it seems like they've already accepted the fact that they won't have training, which they won't need anyway since they're not playing.
Do you have reason to think they'll bestir themselves to ensure they hold their Core 6 Towers, but make no effort to do anything else in the game?
Or do I have a misconception about their actual level of activity?
What will motivate them to do anything is that if their towers remain unclaimed and their players inactive, then at some point they will trigger redistribution by GW. So long as they at least make an appearance of doing something in the game- in this case, recapturing towers- then they are safe from GW redistributing the settlement at a future date (and not necessarily to me).
I see one of three outcomes possible right now.
1. They really just don't care enough to keep up with retaking towers on a daily basis and lapse into appearing, if not actually being, inactive. At this point, they will likely face redistribution by GW.
2. They get fed up and agree to yield the settlement to me because it isn't worth the trouble I am causing them (and they aren't really loosing anything, anyways).
3. They are very stubborn and we have a pissing match over who can out-stubborn the other group over routine tower capture.
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If it goes to redistribution, then I will just have to retake it in the 2nd Land Rush. That is still a better outcome, in my book, than the status quo.Who? What? Why is the goat getting involved ;P
edit: Good recovery, but not good enough....
OOC: lol what would you expect of an ornery goat but to but heads with other ornery things?
I think almost every post I have made on here I have forgotten to switch the alias over, and had to immediately edit the post because of that.