Goblin Squad Member
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TEO was founded in April of 2014 under the name of Great Legionnaires.
It was not a collaborative effort but my sole creation. I was it's only original member and defined it's purpose and made it's first alliance (To The Seventh Veil) before the 2nd member was ever brought on board.
Great Legionnaires was not a new concept. It had existed in other games before, under the same name, most notably a five year run in Freelancer and during the last year of the original Darkfall.
The concept was always the same. It existed as a group that took a primary purpose of helping others and put that before all other issues. Even the good of it's own members. It was a grouped formed for those who wanted to make it their tireless task to put their time, passion, wealth, and necks on the line to stick up for those weaker than themselves.
By the time I reached Pathfinder Online I was already well versed in the culture of these games. Our Freelancer server had no restriction on who you could attack or why, and Darkfall was probably about the most brutal game on the market. Infact I heard about Pathfinder Online while playing Mortal Online. A title extremely similar to Darkfall.
The usual mode of operation for a veteran group in titles like Mortal and Darkfall was to go off and claim some territory out where they wouldn't get bothered and focus entirely on building their own operations and making their own group strong. Most groups would offer help if you signed on to their group and came to live in their cities.
If you did not sign on to a group and come to live with them you would receive extremely little in the way of veteran help. New groups who attempted to go their own way were generally beset upon by griefer factions who would wage war upon them until they disbanded. Non-griefer veteran groups were generally too absorbed in their own self interests to spend much time in the newb areas or help these newb clans. It was actually from the ruins of such a group the Great Legionnaires was formed in Darkfall.
Like in Darkfall Great Legionnaires was formed with the express intent of being everything your typical veteran faction was not. For one the aim was to be highly involved in the starter areas, making the plights of the groups and players there "our business", and offering them a helping hand in both learning the skills they need to succeed as well as fighting any griefer factions that came against them.
If you read through the materials of the Great Legionnaires you will see this intent was expressed quite clearly. It is flat out stated:
First and foremost the Great Legionnaires are a military force. We aim to be be the vanguard of the forces against good, riding out to meet it [evil] on whatever field it takes.
March 28, 2012: Great Legionnaires was formed. At that point it was a one man operation.
~March 28, 2012: An alliance with TSV was formed. While we intended to help TSV establish an academy for newer players in a safe location it was made clear GL itself wanted to close proximity to the starter zones go give easiest access to those it intended to serve.
March 28, 2012: December 18th 2012: Great Legionnaires swells in membership to become what I believed at the time to be the 3rd largest group behind Pax Aeturnum and The Seventh Viel. We took our first two council members Valinar and Jak Blitz, and ran a series of meetings to help iron out some of the structure. While there are some contributions from different members noteably Valinar hosting the site, Solemor Farmen really streamlining our meeting structure, and Keovar editing our official documents it quickly became apparent that the majority of the burden would rest solely on my shoulders. A huge burden given I was working heavy overtime for most of this time period. For the most part meetings did not happen unless I lead them, I had to write nearly every document we ever released, and even to this day if you look at any major structure within TEO their foundations were forumulated by me.
December 2012: It became increasingly apparent Great Legionnaires was to play a major role in Pathfinder Online, and on a larger scale than any group previously bearing the Great Legionnaire's name. As such I proposed a name change, recognizing that this group had far outgrown the simple name I came up with in middle school while playing Age of Empires, and later applied to my group in Dungeon Siege in the 7th grade. Recognizing that our group was attracting a large number of less combat focused players we changed our document a bit to reflect our more well rounded group. However, our primary purpose of being a group that makes sacrifices to enhance the experience of others did not change. And when we released our new recruitment thread we made that plain. "Role: Player Nation with a Guardian/Peacekeeper focus." We still intended to have a large military, we still intended to make ourselves accessible to those who needed our help, and our Guardian/Peacekeeper mission was still our primary focus. Not the profit our membership.
January 2013: The kickstarter hits and the original landrush goes live. At this point I was regularly working four 24 hour shifts a week but I still found time to put a ton of effort into our recruitment drive. My life at this time basically consisted of working, and going home to get on Teamspeak to talk strategy with Solemor, address the concerns of TEO members, and meet with leadership of various groups we hoped to work with.
Spring 2013: I continued to work 96 hours a week (As I would through the entire year of 2013.) while focusing almost all of my attention on TEO during my time off work, and frequenting the forums while at work. Various officers and leadership in allied groups were even given my cell phone number so we could communicate via text while I worked. However after a break-up with my girlfriend at the time I decided TEO was ruling my life to an unhealthy degree. Solemor had given me the advice the groups on the scale of TEO needed to be lead by someone who would treat it as a full-time job, and I wasn't prepared to let it dominate my time like that any longer. I informed Jak Blitz I would be leaving, created a position that would grant him my authority, and then spent the next few months focusing on my personal life.
Late Summer 2013 - Spring 2014: Hearing Jak Blitz had a close family member struggling with a terminal illness I decided to return to TEO. When I arrived back I found that activity had fallen off to the point that the group was for all practical purposes dead. Infact while probing for information on an undercover alias I had several people tell me TEO was dead. Hearing this I began a campaign to revive TEO's activity. New meetings were held. New activity promotion initiatives were pushed. I began seeking like minded communities from other games to affiliate ourselves with and I was looking to find someone to fill in the role of Grand Master for me. As before, pretty much everything that was to get done ended up getting done by me with the exception of Ixolander approving recruitment applications. Eventually my efforts seemed to pay off with a huge resurgence in activity, a merger into CotP community, and a new Grand Master.
When I made Lifedragn Grand Master is was pretty much an act of desperation to accomplish the objective of keeping TEO alive while giving me time to have a personal life outside TEO and my 96 hour work schedule. Lifedragn's contributions to TEO had been pretty light. He had DMed a play by post campaign and not much else. He also had no leadership experience in any previous title. However he had respect among the membership and the community, and he seemed willing to take the job if given support. While his lack of experience was concerning he gave me the impression through our conversations that he would seek my council and leave me in charge of the military/strategic decisions.
It was a very pleasing arrangement to me as the military/strategic decisions were the ones I primarily wanted to be in charge of, and reducing my role to just them would leave me time to work, take part in TEO, and have a personal life.
In order to give Lifedragn some credibility / name recognition among the community I started allowing him to take credit for ideas that were actually mine, and mostly developed by me. Primarily I created the idea for Brighthaven, did most of the work on the OP, but allowed him to make the announcement, and created the new TEO recruitment thread which he only made light edits to before posting.
Not long after it came time to choose our settlement location. We were initially looking at the location currently occupied by Pax Aeturnum. It seemed like we had decided on that as our spot but then there was another meeting in which most people seemed to have turned their eyes to the south-east mountains. I was in favor of that until Avari proposed the idea of K. K immediately intrigued me as a location that was both centrally located between the 3 starter settlements because of the implications that would have on our recruitment, our trade potential, and our ability to fulfill TEO's primary objective.
As I looked back at the south east I realized it was actually, frankly, a piss poor location for our groups. Highly isolated from both potential recruits and the players we aimed to serve, the south-east was not only an insanely weak play for the largest alliance in the game, but an ultimately undefendable one given the inevitable build up of chaotic groups around Thornkeep and evil groups around Fort Inevitable that will take place, and the sure placement of the major good-aligned settlements toward Riverwatch to the North as can already be seen starting to happen with both Talongaurd and Ozem's Vigil.
However at this point we had a lot of active members who had contributed little to nothing to the group thus far, first and foremost among them Cheatle who had been with us less than a week at the time, coming in and freaking out that taking K would be seen as too aggressive of a move and turn the server against us. (BTW. Notice how everyone has turned on Talonguard? Neither have I.) And insisting the the South East was not only defensible but an extremely safe location.
While I spelled out the extreme travel time between K and our primary recruiting grounds, how it isolated us from the rest of the community, and that it flat out would doom our groups. A great many of our members seemed convinced that it was perfectly safe, and that TEO's new role was to isolate itself and have people come out to live with us if they sought our protection. Thoughtless remarks like that we could pull most of our recruits from the forums, or that the Green Cloaks or Seraphic Commission would regularly make the hour+ trek from the SE to Riverwatch were quoted to me as if they were reasonable arguments. The whole situation absolutely enraged me.
1. I felt it was incredibly disrespectful for people who sat back and let me do all the work for 2 years to come in and feel they had a right to equal say in such a major decision. TEO was never promoted as a democracy, and it was not intended to be a group where a week old member could come walking in and start acting like the owned the place.
2. Their act turned our primary role from protecting others, to protecting ourselves. If that's what they wanted they should have never joined TEO in the first place. TEO was formed as a direct counter to the self-interested mentalities strongly exerted by it's current membership who now beg for mechanics to protect themselves rather than looking to protect others. TEO's primary purpose was never set forth as negotiable or something that was subject to change. Members who dissented with our primary purpose should have joined The Seventh Veil or made their own group rather than turning the group I spend so much effort building as a group focused on other's before itself, and planting it's military between all who need our aid and those seeking to oppress them into a group of self interested isolationists who make no more meaningful effort to promote our core values of "Community betterment, protection of the weak, and promotion of justice" than any other non-caring veteran group clinging to the edges of the map.
Their decision not only left me with no interest in staying to help TEO promote their self-interested objectives but the thought of working alongside Cheatle and the others who voted in favor of destroying everything I spent so long building after they did next to squat themselves utterly disgusted me.
While unable to contain my outrage and disgust with the complete 180 of purpose within TEO by people who did nothing to put it where it is today, and without even a basic understanding of these games and the strategies needed to succeed in them, I had decided to leave it at words and go build a new group to accomplish TEO's original objective. To even offer them a place to go after their inevitable failure in the SE.
That was until all the continued assertions that I was a quitter for walking out on a TEO I no longer found recognizable, people who did nothing to put TEO where it is today claiming credit for the fruits of my labors, and in general the complete lack of any gratefulness/recognition for the immense amount of work I did to put that group where it is. TEO didn't build itself up to where it is today. I did that.
That is why I bear the resentment to them I do today.
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Goblin Squad Member
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I doubt anyone who was around in the early days doubts that TEO was your creation or that you were the driving force that generated TEO's current stature.
Lifedragn was an excellent choice to lead the organization for the sake of the organization.
It is unfortunate that you regret doing what was best for your organization. It was a good decision you made, not a bad one.
I recommend that it is always difficult for a creator to give away their creation.
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Goblin Squad Member
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The beginning of a saga?!
Tbh, I liked this post for the concept at it's core:
The concept was always the same. It existed as a group that took a primary purpose of helping others and put that before all other issues. Even the good of it's own members. It was a grouped formed for those who wanted to make it their tireless task to put their time, passion, wealth, and necks on the line to stick up for those weaker than themselves.
This is what excites me most about PFO, that different groups will form according to different visions they wish to express in the River Kingdoms.
Be what it may.
As to TEO/GL then and now... I am merely a fly on the wall. It reminds me very much of political movements however, with a visionary founder who forms the initial group around a specific ideology. The group grows, the group goes through weak times, then somehow grows again and at that point the schism occurs from either or both the original founder and the original motivating principle, perhaps certain practicalities of the present have to come into play? I know not, as I say, I am just a fly on the wall, with respect.
Putting on my strategy hat however, the corners of the EE map day 1 appear to be very good choices. One of the considerations is to maximize resource capture and ability to grow the group. During EE maybe there will be significant upheavals and different starter settlement locations may be better of changing/moving?
What seems however to be a good move:-
1. Corners
2. Friendly Neighbours
Bzzz... /the fly buzzes off.
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Goblin Squad Member
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It was an interesting read Andius. I wish you could have been as 'articulate' when you were part of TEO toward the end. People might have listened to you more.
But saying that. I would like to hear what the other side has to say too. A one sided 'history' is often not as grey as it should be.
Goblinworks Executive Founder
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While unable to contain my outrage and disgust with the complete 180 of purpose within TEO by people who did nothing to put it where it is today, and without even a basic understanding of these games and the strategies needed to succeed in them, I had decided to leave it at words and go build a new group to accomplish TEO's original objective. To even offer them a place to go after their inevitable failure in the SE.
That was until all the continued assertions that I was a quitter for walking out on a TEO I no longer found recognizable, people who did nothing to put TEO where it is today claiming credit for the fruits of my labors, and in general the complete lack of any gratefulness/recognition for the immense amount of work I did to put that group where it is. TEO didn't build itself up to where it is today. I did that.
Er, so, you didn't create your new project, because TEO wasn't grateful ?
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Goblin Squad Member
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TEO was one of the winners of the first landrush, the location they have picked is fixed and they can neither displace others nor be displaced themselves during the current landrush.
Not True!
They were given the option, as were the other two, that if they desired to participate in the 2nd landrush, they would put their position up for grabs, and take a new spot.
I don't know where the post is, but it is out there... someone like Nihimon or Guurzak might link it. They have superior link skills above my current ability (or desire).
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Goblin Squad Member
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Muahaha ! If you miscast "Summon Nihimon", a Guurzak might appear!
The quote is in the War of Towers blog post itself, here, at the bottom:
Because this new feature may affect the choices that the winners of Phase I of the Land Rush made about siting their Settlements, we've extended the option to them to relinquish their pre-selected locations and enter the Leaderboard like all the other Guilds. If any choose to accept that offer, we'll let everyone know immediately.
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Goblin Squad Member
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Er, so, you didn't create your new project, because TEO wasn't grateful ?
No. I created my new project but changed it from one that focused solely on building our strength to the North to one that would have the option of a feud with TEO and TSV. I also switched up the policies a bit as well to leave it so that TEO/TSV have no option of meaningful retaliation if I do pursue that course of action. In short, there is nothing The Sentinels really have, or ever will acquire, that I care if we lose. Even the membership is intentionally selected to be the players like myself that will welcome hundreds of people trying to kill them. And if they aren't that type then I don't want them, thus our "surrender is treason" policy. This is echoed in Aragon as a whole with a stance that they don't really care if they keep their settlement or not.
It frees me up to focus wholly on seeking my objectives whether they be protecting newbs or slaughtering TEO/TSV's recruits. It's the same tactic I used in Freelancer.
Really the ball is in your court on which objectives I decide to pursue. I generally lose interest in vengeance pretty fast if my anger isn't being constantly stoked but you've been doing a great job of ensuring that happens.
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Goblin Squad Member
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While I'd like to rip you to shreds here for beating your chest, this post is very personally revealing and I respect that. You've laid yourself naked to the community here and despite everything else, that is brave.
As for the actual map debate that started it all, I don't want enter to more specifics than: I hated the H-I area Pax is at, I really liked K, but at the end of the day I voted for the SE and am happier every day with that choice.
It is a shame that you left over that Andius, your military prowess appears to be hampered by your inability to understand politics and work with people. You won't get far in this game if you don't have both.
Good luck with Aragon, and I mean that, but don't expect much mercy in game. We do not appreciate being called out repeatedly. This isn't our first rodeo buddy. Some of us have literally been playing strategy games since before you were born.
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Goblin Squad Member
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It was an interesting read Andius. I wish you could have been as 'articulate' when you were part of TEO toward the end. People might have listened to you more.
But saying that. I would like to hear what the other side has to say too. A one sided 'history' is often not as grey as it should be.
Because it was requested.
Andius made his arguments for K. His arguments at the time were that K was far more favorable for trade and recruitment and that the mountain passes around the Southeast would be used by opponents as a stranglehold against us. He also advocated that such a location could be used to influence the game across the whole server. Due to community backlash, we were intending to carve out spheres of influence. Going back to a 'world police' model is the aggressive move that was brought up as a point of concern for the location. He then threatened to give up his post if we ended up South of V. For all of the special privilege I had hoped to give his preference out of sheer respect for the work he has done, I could no longer do so without looking like I was susceptible to being bullied by influential leaders. Despite that, the worst move that Andius made, regarding the decision making, was to leave the conversation after his points had been made and not join in on the many, many hours of discussion that occurred with not only our ally at the time, but friendly groups we were trying to earn the favor of as well.
Nevertheless, I had my own strong concerns against K. But I did find favor in the middle-north region and began campaigning for that location. My own campaign was a failure, as it did not draw much support, especially among our allies in the Veil who had done internal member polling and came out overwhelmingly in favor of the southeast. We did our own polling and came out around a 50/50 split with a slight lean to the southeast. However, there was strong sentiment to remain close to our allies.
After our polling, we circled around and began doing a point by point strategic analysis of every location on the map. Here are some basic points. But
We decided pretty straight-away to not locate next to Fort Inevitable, as it was an evil homeland.
The merit of locations in the north was limited by the number of favorable locations compared to the number of groups we were trying to co-locate. Regarding 'K' specifically, it would have been a question of "Who gets stuck with K?" - that was a big indicator that it wasn't the right spot.
We determined that being NRDS meant that we wanted to avoid a lot of unnecessary foot-traffic. This reduced desire for roads and being right next to Thornkeep. The reasoning behind this was in trying to avoid wanderers who would strip our hexes bare of resources.
We also had very little interest among our members for being a trade hub, but a lot of interest in being a source for crafted goods. This doubled-down on our desire to reduce neutral foot-traffic from being a resource drain.
The comments from developers that travel time would be developed to be "fun" rather than realistic eased our concerns about distance from the starting location. Further, we also had to take into account that a majority of players would make the trip one time.
At the end of the day, I was going to be more than happy to rely on Andius for military decisions. The core of our disagreement was that settlement location should have been a military decision. Settlement location is a thing that will define the play-style for the whole group. K felt like a trade hub location. We had very little interest in playing out the trade hub role. It also put a settlement being built as a safe-haven for PvP-averse players in a location where we felt that PvP might be reaching a high-point. In addition, allies would have been either more distant, or locked into the same resource types. K was much more of a play-style location choice to us than it was a military decision.
I still have a lot of respect for everything Andius built up. Unfortunately, the sheer hostility shown over making a single choice that he did not agree with has made continuing to work together a nigh-impossible task. I have chosen to respect his declaration of hostility and wish to keep any animosity from my end towards his end purely in game, regardless of whether that wish is reciprocated or not. As for our members stoking his anger, we sadly have too many members that fall into being baited into such. Very few go out of their way to initiate provocation. But there are several who are frequently giving into provocation and keeping the fire burning.
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Goblin Squad Member
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Despite that, the worst move that Andius made, regarding the decision making, was to leave the conversation after his points had been made and not join in on the many, many hours of discussion that occurred with not only our ally at the time, but friendly groups we were trying to earn the favor of as well.
My relationship with Amora was new enough at the time that any time spent with you was being robbed from her. Especially since I was going to class for a huge part of the day during those discussions.
I tried to include Amora in the meetings as she wants to play PFO herself but she quickly tired of the way the people in the meetings talked in circles without making any real progress and the way you ignored my experience, so she had no interest in listening in on the latter meetings.
I tend to agree with her. The fact the discussions took hours in itself excluded everyone who had a life from giving meaningful input that wouldn't be drowned out by the sheer volume of prattling from those without. Unfortunately in this case one of the people with a life is your founder, the person who built your group, and your most experienced Open World PvPer. The ones with the least life were some guy who joined the week before and... Forencith...
Ultimately I'm now in a great relationship, and feel I made the best decision regarding my time usage.
On a side note, to clear something up, the reason people got silenced when I talked is Solemor set all admins up as a priority speaker on the Teamspeak to assist with order during formally structured meetings. I was unsure of how to disable it.
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Goblin Squad Member
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My relationship with Amora was new enough at the time that any time spent with you was being robbed from her.
I can understand and respect this. I just wanted to point out that your ear and your voice was absent for 90% or more of the conversation.
Ultimately I'm now in a great relationship, and feel I made the best decision regarding my time usage.
Congratulations. Sincerely meant. As involved a game as this is, it is still a game and your personal life is always much more important.
On a side note, to clear something up, the reason people got silenced when I talked is Solemor set all admins up as a priority speaker on the Teamspeak to assist with order during formally structured meetings. I was unsure of how to disable it.
Thank you for clearing that up. I think most assumed you were doing it purposefully. I knew it was still on from the last meeting, and you did not realize to think to look into turning it off until people were already mad about it. Personally, I think there were some overreactions on that front.
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Goblinworks Executive Founder
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My relationship with Amora was new enough at the time that any time spent with you was being robbed from her. Especially since I was going to class for a huge part of the day during those discussions.
I tried to include Amora in the meetings as she wants to play PFO herself but she quickly tired of the way the people in the meetings talked in circles without making any real progress and the way you ignored my experience, so she had no interest in listening in on the latter meetings.
I tend to agree with her. The fact the discussions took hours in itself excluded everyone who had a life from giving meaningful input that wouldn't be drowned out by the sheer volume of prattling from those without. Unfortunately in this case one of the people with a life is your founder, the person who built your group, and your most experienced Open World PvPer. The ones with the least life were some guy who joined the week before and... Forencith...
Ultimately I'm now in a great relationship, and feel I made the best decision regarding my time usage.
On a side note, to clear something up, the reason people got silenced when I talked is Solemor set all admins up as a priority speaker on the Teamspeak to assist with order during formally structured meetings. I was unsure of how to disable it.
A love story WAS missing, in this drama. Thanks.
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Goblin Squad Member
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Or maybe this whole conflict was fabricated in order to position TEO assets inside Aragon.
Not saying that is the most likely explanation, but you can't take anything at face value in a pvp game.
Lol, this is funny.
I will add this to the thread:
I wish Andius luck with his new venture "The Sentinels of Echo Wood". Even though I initially conceived of them to conform to the River Freedoms (ie Anti Slavery) and be anti exploitation of nature (ie setting outposts to strip mining levels), the company is fully his and Amara's to take in whatever direction they choose.
I'm hopeful that they keep it in line with the River Freedoms, and therefore in line with what Aragon stands for. But, if they choose to go their own way, they have my "Good Luck / Fair Winds" blessing.
The truism that Andius had lost sight of while with TEO:
1. You are never safe
2. Don't fly what you can't afford to lose
3. It is all about the isk
Applying to this circumstance it would read:
1. When you are a leader, your position is never safe from usurpers.
2. Do not give up the control, that you might later regret having lost
3. It is all about self interest and power
Infiltrating either the UNC or Aragon will not duplicate what happened in TEO. We are not a democracy, and not only recognize that self interests exists, but we expect it and support it. This is why we are an oligarchy, and our council has the final say in all things. But if it came down to it, "ownership" of the key supports of what we have is held in just 3 or 4 different hands.
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Goblin Squad Member
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1. When you are a leader, your position is never safe from usurpers.
2. Do not give up the control, that you might later regret having lost
3. It is all about self interest and power.
Eh the first two are very true but I don't think I'll ever fully follow the 3rd. It's just not who I am.
Regardless I'm glad to live in a place like Aragon where I am free to pursue my own goals and ambitions without having too much oversight and restriction from the settlement as whole.
We're quite content with Aragon as home right now, and so long as Aragon is our home we will work to further it's interests, and do nothing to harm it.
To those who would question this I'd like to point out, if we were still loyal to TEO would I say half the things I say about it? Even if I were faking it some of what I say has the potential to do real damage.
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Goblin Squad Member
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To those who would question this I'd like to point out, if we were still loyal to TEO would I say half the things I say about it?
That's exactly what a sincerely angry expatriate would say.
But it's also exactly what a very good deep cover agent would say.
We have no way to know for sure.
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Goblin Squad Member
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Andius,
I say this only as a private player, not as a member of TEO... I'm just a grunt there anyway.
One of the lessons I've learned over the years, in life...not just gaming, is that once you give up control (authority) over something you have to be perpared to accept the fact that you'll vehemently disagree with some of the decisions concerning it. That's just the way it works.
Real life, is WAY more important then gaming... so you made the right decision there. I've had to walk away from things I had invested alot of effort into before, so I know how tough that is... but sometimes time and life just don't allow for it. Frankly, that's why I don't WANT to be anything more then a grunt in most of the games I look at playing... too many other things that I want and enjoy doing in my life to get sucked into a vortex of commitments in a game.
I'm saddened that you feel so bitter but take it as a lesson learned (for more important things then just a game - which is what PFO is). Don't give up control over anything that you feel so invested in that you can't accept going a way you don't want. If you can't do that then you need to find a way to make sure that you can delegate responsability for most of the decisions but retain veto power when you really need to excersize it.... and you've got to make sure those relationships are clearly spelled out and understood. "Power Sharing" arrangements VERY often fall apart even with the best intentions of everyone involved.
In the end, I hope you have fun and enjoy PFO (and life). Don't get stuck in the past and let any residual bitterness get in the way of that.
P.S. I didn't really like the location we picked but that matters FAR less then the people you play with. There are alot of good people in TEO...and I know Lifedragn spends a ton of time trying to accomodate everyones input.
P.P.S. Player run organizations are more like herding cats then anything else. Even when they are "dictatorships", they really aren't because people are just there voluntarly to have fun. Most players have a pretty limited tolerance for being told what to do, especialy if they are going to make significant investments of effort themselves.
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Goblin Squad Member
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To those who would question this I'd like to point out, if we were still loyal to TEO would I say half the things I say about it?That's exactly what a sincerely angry expatriate would say.
But it's also exactly what a very good deep cover agent would say.
We have no way to know for sure.
"Yes. Yes..." ::rubs hands together gleefully:: "Just as I have planned. Soon Aragon will be mine as well..." Maniacal Laughter
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Goblin Squad Member
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I'm saddened that you feel so bitter but take it as a lesson learned (for more important things then just a game - which is what PFO is). Don't give up control over anything that you feel so invested in that you can't accept going a way you don't want.
In retrospect I realized you are right. At the time I believed that what I was doing by giving control of TEO to Lifedragn was putting TEO as a whole under a more diplomatic less aggressive leader which I was fine with as I thought I was retaining power over the military and strategic decisions.
I assumed that if any matters of strategy (such as me labeling the SE as indefensible) came up that Lifedragn would defer to my greater experience in the matter because I had two years of investment and proven loyalty.
In the end "Oh yeah but this guy who joined last week and claims to have lead this huge group in Darkfall that he won't name or say how long it lasted and he say's we'll be fine." Was too great of an insult to bear. At the time I halfway suspected Cheatle was a spy who had come to spread misinformation in order to run our group into the ground.
I still suspect that when the advice he gave runs TEO into the ground he'll just quietly disappear into another group and bear no responsibility for what he's done. TEO will be just another nameless group he embellishes his involvement in and adds to his resume next time he joins a group in a new sandbox that won't last any longer than the last one did or TEO will if they put their trust in him.
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Goblin Squad Member
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...began doing a point by point strategic analysis of every location on the map.
Thank you for the write-up, Lifedragn. I was there for eight hours or so of that discussion, but I missed I-don't-know-how-much before and after; you've covered the highlights excellently, to my memory.