Goblin Squad Member
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And just to be clear, I don't mean my question as an attack in any way whatsoever. I just find the dynamic interesting, and wonder what your own opinion is on those situations where it might be required to "look the other way" at the evil activities of your close allies. I asked basically the same thing in a Pax thread. I think some groups will just make excuses for it and hardly care, and others might actually have some interesting intra-settlement dynamics.
A legitimate question and worthy of a straight answer (if you didn't get one already). I suppose that it can only be answered on an individual level until we are in game and it becomes necessary to set some policies about it.
I won't be doing anything that damages my Rep or drags my alignment toward Chaos and Evil. Except in rare cases where I have to for some important and immediate goal/need for my Company, settlement, or Empire. I will gladly take one for the team, at that point.
You won't see any from Fidelis participating in banditry. You will see us Avenging unprovoked attacks made against us, our Family and Allies.
What will happen if I see other Allies or Xeilians doing things like banditry? I am not sure. It could easily be part of a feud or war. It could easily be part of them defending their "turf". wherever that is at the moment. Not excuses or deflection, just not answerable without context and time, in game.
I have serious doubts that Golgotha (my wayward family) will have an easy time doing "really evil" things and keeping a viable rep up. I have a feeling that almost all of their activity will be legitimate game play. If it is not "evil", is legitimate, and non rep damaging I may join them (assuming they want a useless tag along).
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Goblin Squad Member
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Late to the party but Huzzah for Xeilias!
In regards to the balance between Fidelis and Golgotha, I read in a different thread that it's important to realize that while Golgotha is LE, there is more of an emphasis on the Lawful part of that. They will do what is necessary, even if you don't like how they do it, but I doubt they would commit outright atrocious acts of villainy.
I for one, being a mercenary for Aeternum, have quite a bit of moral wiggle room ;)
Good night Golgatha. Well done. Sleep well. I'll most likely kill you in the morning.
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Goblin Squad Member
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Given reoccurring questions about how the Empire of Xeilias will be structured and how new, non-Pax settlements, CCs, and individuals can join the Empire, I have prepared a very simple presentation. What it lacks in bells and whistles, I hope it makes up for in explanation.
This is best viewed in full screen mode. If not familiar with Prezi, click on the forward arrow beneath the screen to progress through the presentation. Though the urls listed do not highlight blue, they do link to the appropriate websites when clicked.
If you have any remaining question about this or any other matters regarding the Empire of Xeilias, please feel free to post them here.
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Goblin Squad Member
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And a snappy new alias too. If we are trying to use our prefix abbreviation to more clearly represent "where" we come from, since my position is Imperial and represents all Imperial settlements, I thought it would be more accurate to use EoX (Empire of Xeilias).
Now we'll really confuse people. :)
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Goblin Squad Member
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My wish is to help educate and inform. Informed players make good decisions. The Xeilian Empire is very interested in players, CC's, and settlements that care enough about PFO to be well informed, and thereby, make good decisions.
Certainly, we think the best decision involves joining the Xeialin Empire, but we leave that to the reader. All we can do is provide the most informative view of ourselves and hope that their evaluation of those facts agrees with our own.
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Goblin Squad Member
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Awesome! I am a "You"! ;p Very informative, also for people who learn about companies and settlements for the first time. I could see some confusion about the acronym "CC". Even I had to think twice, wondering why there were 2 C's, and then it dawned me that it means "Chartered Company".
As opposed to Companies that are a single C and do not belong to any Settlements. I am sure that will be something that new-comers will wonder about. I like how you made the Controlling Companies circle a little bigger, those are all subtleties that people will want to know about.
Looks great!
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Goblin Squad Member
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To those individuals, Charter Companies, and whole settlements currently engaged in he Land Rush or still deciding where in all this you might fit, we of the Empire of Xeilias invite you to plan on a grand scale...and not just plan for something greater, but to take an active role in nation building with the current and future members of the Empire of Xeilias.
For companionship, for adventure, for strength of numbers with experienced sandbox gamers...for trade and the highest tiers of training that only a nation can offer...for the place to realize your dreams, and at the end of that fruitful day, safely hang your hat until tomorrow...we invite you to consider the Empire of Xeilias.
In a game where player interaction and interdependence will be key to unlocking the the most that PFO has to offer, come unlock that experience with players like you.
The Empire of Xeilias - One nation. Countless possibilities.
To better visualize how you, your charter company, or settlement can be a part of the Empire of Xeilias, click on the link below. And as always, we invite your questions.
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Goblin Squad Member
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Introduction
At a time when most people are talking about gaining votes to win a spot for a settlement, some may wonder why should individuals, Charter Companies, and Settlements be considering joining a nation level structure like the Empire of Xeilias? Some may ask, isn't this a bit premature? My answer would be that history has proven that the most successful groups in open world PvP sandbox games are those who are both highly organized and forward thinking, and by being so, are the best prepared for the challenges of the game they hope to play.
To that end, let me humbly put forth what we of the Xeilian Empire see as the benefits we plan to afford our members. We hope that if these benefits are put forth in a clear, concise manner, that you will find them to your liking and in keeping with your own expectations for the game.
Inclusion & Representation
From its founding, the ideals of inclusion and equal representation have been paramount to the structuring of the Empire. Though most members of the founding settlements enjoy membership within the Pax Gaming Community, there has never been an assumption that the Empire would be a purely Pax entity. Much to the contrary, the Empire of Xeilias Charter has been drafted with new settlements in mind, since each settlement within the empire will enjoy full voting rights, equal in voice and authority to those of the founding settlements. If we had wished to create an insular monarchy, we would not have worked so hard to lay the foundations for a nation wherein all member settlements will equally collaborate in plotting the Empire's course together.
Diversity
First, let us consider diversity in alignment. The Empire of Xeilias has been structured to be as diverse as possible within the allowed alignment mechanics of PFO. If these rules should change, we will be flexible enough to change with them. Though following the current rules does exclude some alignments, we have attempted to cover as many of the 9 alignments as possible, while enjoying the Development Index benefits that Lawful aligned settlements and nations will experience. Currently, we enjoy the inclusion of Lawful Good Fidelis, Lawful Neutral Aeternum, and Lawful Evil Golgotha. This breadth of alignment was chosen to allow as many different positive play styles as possible to exist within the same empire. Where game alignment restrictions prohibit direct membership, the Empire of Xeilias will offer a number of possible arrangements to allow for mutually beneficial relationships with non-Empire entities.
Diversity within the Empire will also be enjoyed in the roles and archetypes that its members pursue. For a thriving, growing nation to endure, every playstyle and every role will not only find a place within the Empire, but will be viewed as a valuable asset. PvP, PvE, Harvesting/Refining/Crafting, Mercantile and Portage skills, Role Play and event crafting, settlement construction and settlement management...every skill and experience that the game offers or that you can offer the game, will find its presence well valued within the boundaries of the Xeilian Empire. The question is not, "Will the Empire have a place for me," but rather, "How soon can you take your place?"
Organization and Experience
The members of the founding settlements of the Empire of Xeilias have been involved in MMOs since MMOs have existed, many of them in positions of guild leadership, community management, Alpha and Beta testing, relations with industry leaders/developers/etc., and much more. In short, these people have been around gaming a long time. They know what it takes to be successful in the various genres and they do it very, very well.
The fact that the Empire of Xeilias is being constructed even before Alpha has begun demonstrates its members' degree of organization and foresight, and in open-world, PvP oriented sandbox games built around territorial competition, the need for organization and foresight cannot be overstated. From the very first days of sandbox games, such as Ultima Online and Starwars Galaxies, to ongoing participation in Eve Online, many of the Empire's current members and leadership will hit the ground running with the experience needed to succeed in a sandbox world. With over a decade of experience in nearly every major theme park title, our crafters and PvE enthusiasts will be hotly harvesting every necessary resource and turning them into the best finished goods the current game skills allow. They will do so, confident in the knowledge that our equally experienced PvPers will be present to protect them. With skills honed in World of Warcraft, Dark Age of Camelot, Darkfall, Age of Conan, Warhammer Online, Rift, and many other PvP-centric games, the Empire of Xeilias will not want for battle experience...a depth of experience we will gladly share with new members.
Community & Unity
In the best, most enjoyable of times to the darkest, most challenging of times in any competitive game, one thing stands above all...not just the feeling, but the reality of a strong unified community. In community do we find the real wealth in an MMO - other players. In community do we find the people not only to play the game, but with whom we can create meaningful, long lasting memories. In community do we find a feeling of true belonging and self-worth as a player, of feeling like we are a part of something greater than our one character, yet where our character seems to be an integral piece of the whole. In this unity of community, we rejoice in our differences, for our diversity makes us stronger, but as different as we may be, we stand shoulder to shoulder not only in times of fun, in accomplishing great feats that no individual can hope to achieve alone, but in times of challenge and hardship, when the deciding factor of success or victory is the quality of the person standing to either side of you.
This depth of community and this strength of unity is seldom stumbled upon. Rather, it takes organization birthed from experience, desire and tenacity tempered by patience and time tested judgment, and finally, it takes a love for the game and the people with whom you play it. We of the Empire of Xeilias have been planning for over a year. We clearly love what we have seen thus far of PFO and hope to love it even more as we move forward into EE. As for the second part - as for the people with whom we shall play...as for you - we hope everything you have read here helps you to make the best decision about your future in PFO. We've waited over a year to meet you. Let's not wait any longer. Let's start building our nation and our PFO dreams together.
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Goblin Squad Member
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The Empire of Xeilias is actively looking for individuals, Charter Companies, and whole settlements that see the wisdom in being associated with an experienced, well organized, growing nation. We offer two settlements, Lawful Evil Golgotha and Lawful Neutral Calambea, as well as membership in the Northern Coalition. For the wide range of possible ways you and yours might interact with the Empire of Xeilias, scroll back up the thread or PM me, Hobs, the Imperial Ambassador of the Empire of Xeilias.
One change to note since our initial post, we have said fond farewell to Lawful Good Fidelis and wish them well in Ozem's Vigil. This was not only an amicable split, it was a pairing that we, the remaining Empire members, helped them to broker. We care that much for our members.
For those seeking to play LN, TN, LE, NE, and even LG (it's mechanically possible if you're up to the challenge), we plan to create a lawful bastion of profit and military strength. Come build it with us!
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Goblin Squad Member
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Currently, in that the Empire is no longer needing to spread its training all the way from Lawful Good to Lawful Evil, if you are seeking a highly focused, experienced, seasoned, mean, lean, fightin' machine of a nation, I cordially invite you to read back through this thread and see how you, your CC, or even your settlement can greatly benefit from it's inclusion or alliance with the Empire of Xeilias.
Before hitting poast, let me focus for a moment on the "fighting machine" part of my above statement. I am currently offering, especially for new players, a series of short articles about how PFO will tackle a sandbox. You can view this thread (here). I have yet to post the PvP article, but I think this would be a great spot for it, since there may still be lingering the belief that PvP only means killing each other and that those who enjoy PvP are somehow less "nice" or less "community-minded". I can tell you firsthand, nothing in the Empire of Xeilias could be further from the truth.
Open World Competition
Not all sandbox games have open world competition or PvP, nor is every decent PvP game a sandbox. However, when you put the two together, you get a level of realism and dynamism that stands out among games where competition and PvP are isolated to certain zones, limited to only predetermined opponents, etc. Certainly, competitive play is not everyone's cup of tea, but competitive play does not strictly mean that participants must be the ones slugging it out in traditional PvP fashion. In a territorial control based, settlement vs. settlement competition, the harvester gathering valuable resources, the crafter helping build a new settlement structure, or the merchant opening new markets for his goods are all involved in competitive play. Of course, there will also be plenty of opportunities for PvP, since the struggle for territory and resources are at the very heart of PFO.
Benefits:
As mentioned above, there will be many forms of competition in PFO, but given that most people unfamiliar with the game will have questions/concerns focusing on traditional PvP, let us focus on those considerations.
In my mind, the benefit to open world competition in a territorial control, settlement vs. settlement game is that there will be a meaningful context for most of the PvP occurring in PFO. Unlike free-for-all PvP venues, where everyone is a target for little more reason than the thrill of the kill and what the winner can strip off the loser's corpse, the vast majority of PFO's competition will revolve around controlling territory, controlling that territory's resources, and defending your own holdings. To this end, Goblin Works has taken a rather layered approach by providing a range of PvP opportunities depending on the scale of the competition, from individual character to entire settlements and even nations. Below is a list outlining some of the proposed forms of conflict with links provided to the Paizo board discussion threads and the link to the Developer's blog for each:
•Feuds - used by units as small as individual companies to engage in "sanctioned" PvP (i.e. PvP that will not affect reputation or alignment).
•Raids - used to attack and plunder outposts.
•SAD (Stand and Deliver) - used by bandits to attempt to demand goods/coin from travelers.
•Bounties - contracts allowing you to hunt down and dispatch individuals for profit.
•Guard Contracts - for hiring on to guard caravans and the like.
•Factions - though still being fleshed out, warfare based on membership to NPC factions.
•War - settlement vs. settlement or greater PvP.
This list does not include "sanctioned" PvP stemming from enforcing a settlement's laws against those flagged as criminals, attacking trespassers, or defending against anyone flagged as hostile due to their aggressive behavior, etc.
Considerations:
Certainly, the hope is that if PFO provides this many opportunities for PvP minded players to scratch their competitive itch, that they will be less likely to bother those who don't have that itch at all. Does this mean that if you are not engaging in any of the PvP activities listed above that you will be safe? No. Open world conflict means that the conflict can reach any part of the world, including where you might be peacefully doing your nonviolent business. Of course, some places will be far more dangerous, and conversely, far safer than others, but even with all these opportunities for what we might call constructive or "meaningful" PvP, nothing will stop a player from attacking you if they desire to do so. This is part of living in a sandbox game - some players' idea of player-made objectives may include some rather unseemly activities.
However, there are two things to keep in mind. First, as with so much of PFO, working in groups can alleviate much of this concern. The most passive traveler, harvester, or merchant will likely have settlement members more than willing to act as guards. In fact, any settlement worth its salt will devote whole companies of well seasoned PvPers to acting as guards, sentries, home defense, etc., so as to protect their members who are less skilled in combat. This will certainly be the case in the Xeilian Empire. Our harvesters and crafters are well cared for and we protect them and enable them to enjoy their game fun while our PvPers enjoy theirs by defending them with their lives
Second, PFO will contain a number of mechanics that provide consequences for PvP outside the methods outlined above, including a reputation and alignment system that will, in part, control access to skill training and settlement membership. The practitioner of repeated poor behavior might quickly find themselves out of a home, out of access to the skills they desire, and onto multiple groups' kill on sight lists.
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I have been a Pax member for several years now and played with many of the Aeternum guys in various different Games. Pax is always a strong cohesive presence and i expect EoX to be precisely that as it gathers in like minded companies from across PFO
If you are looking for a strong alliance where you can carry out your business whether assassin or merchant, scout or tavern owner, soldier or crafter and do so without some paladin looking over your shoulder pressing their morals upon you EoX is the place to be
EoX will be a force to be reckoned with, respected by our friends and allies and feared by our enemies!!
See you all in EE
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Goblin Squad Member
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Playing with the only announced Evil settlement? You must be crazy... or crazy confident. :)
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Goblin Squad Member
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As more settlement guilds appear on the PFO Land Rush boards, the Empire of Xeilias would like to extend it's offer of nation building together. Only in nations will players eventually realize the highest tiers of training, and much sooner than that, only strong, PvP experienced nations can guarantee your safety and prosperity when the map fills up, resources become more scarce, and neighbors grow less friendly.
With our Lawful Neutral alignment, your Lawful Neutral, True Neutral, Lawful Evil, and even Lawful Good settlement can apply for membership. If you would rather leave the settlement building to those more interested while you enjoy all the other aspects of the game, your Charter Companies can find safe and prosperous lodging within either of our existing settlements - LN Collambea or LE Golgotha.
Finally, the Empire of Xeilias provides an even larger umbrella of security through membership in the Northern Coalition. If a strong Empire helps to ensure success, nonaggression pacts (at the very least) with our neighbors does that one better.
For your reading pleasure, and to better educate yourself on all that we offer, we invite you to visit the following links:
The Original Empire of Xeilias Post
Please Note - Lawful Good Fidelis now resides outside the Empire in Ozem's Vigil. So great was our care for their intended game play style, that we happily helped them seek a more fitting home with our friends in the Full Metal Syndicate. We wish them well.
Insomnia isn't a bad thing, you get more done lol
