Discussion of Player-Created Clan Progression

[Nyr]

Is this only for Allanak and Tuluk, or would it be possible to do this in Red Storm or Luir's Outpost?

Only for Allanak and Tuluk.  There are no warehouses in Red Storm or Luir's Outpost, there is no political rivalry to influence to proceed in status, there is no ruling body that one can put a proposal before with the backing of a larger group.

Is the progression from one level to the next automated or is this handled on a case by case basis by staff through the request tool?

The only levels requiring explicit staff oversight for attaining are Trading Company and Minor House.  At that level one would have the same sorts of powers as a sponsored role and would thus need to meet the same kind of requirements we'd expect out of sponsored roles, save the "maverick" clause.

[Nyr]

Will player shops sell to VNPCs similarly to how other shops can?

Will this solely operate on PC sales or will there be also vNPC sales as well?

Your shopkeeper NPC won't be selling to the virtual masses. The income that you get from that NPC will be based on PC sales only.

[Nyr]

Once again the staff have hit for six! Wonderful addition.

My questions:

1. I have had to rewrite twice to get this question put properly. Seeing as some human and elven tribal clans already have shops in the major urban centers, does this mean that human and d elf tribals can become registered merchants in either city state (an possibly the Dun)? As opposed to only having a merchants token?

If you have a clan or tribe with actual holdings, you do not really fit the bill at this time.

2. Are there any race/class restrictions on progressing up the ranks from registered merchant? For example how far up the ladder could a gemmed mage go?

The world is mostly a human, mundane as far as social status is concerned.  Feel free to try.  Expect to fail.

Sticking to the docs as they presently are, this would be limited. Even if you could create a gemmed equivalent to the Byn for southland escorts..not many would want to use it if they played close to the docs. Will there be hard ceilings or will it be left up to player discretion and what the market will bear?

Feel free to try.  Expect to fail.

[Nyr]

Looks really cool. Daunting though!

Are there any planned alternatives to the warehouse step? Just to piggyback off prior examples, it doesn't seem like burgeoning mercenary groups/brothels/whatever will get much use out of it besides proving they can pay their bills.

You can store business-related material there, expecting that it will be secured better than a typical apartment.  You can train there, knowing that it is large enough to do this.

Whorehouse is only two letters from warehouse.

[Nyr]

For example -- If this entrepreneur is running a brothel, it could be 'the waiting room for the whorehouse' and 'the whore house'. The main descriptions for the generic warehouse are saved, and if this entrepreneur runs out of dough, the place gets redecorated back to what it was before.

If the entrepreneur is a mercenary running Byn Lite, maybe the first room is a waiting room/contract office, while the back-room is a barracks.

If the entrepreneur is a craft-brewer, maybe the first room is a selling-floor, while the back room is a distillery.

In a Nutshell (tl;dr), when people hit the 'Warehouse Phase', can the rooms/descriptions be up for debate based on IC resources spent to re-decorate and re-purpose?

Seeing as how you can hit the warehouse phase with only a few RL weeks of investment, I wouldn't expect to see your warehouse change in terms of how it looks. 

Redecorate, sure, but at least at this time, it doesn't look like the front area of a warehouse is secured--just the warehouse itself.

[DANCE COMMANDER]

[Delusion]

At the earlier levels (registered merchant / warehouse lease holder), we recognize that PCs may have to sell things to NPCs in order to make ends meet if they are selling goods.  However, from Shopkeeper up, goods and services should be geared towards fulfilling PC needs.  Spamcrafting or flooding NPC merchant shops may face an OOC/IC response (blacklisting at merchants, for instance).  Use common sense.

Since most PC-made items are essentially worthless to other PCs, this seems needlessly restrictive.

[Nyr]

Looks really cool. Daunting though!

Actually, we based some of this on work done in 2006 by Halaster, which itself was based on the plot of a southern PC that went through these same motions to create a minor house.  If it is a daunting process, understand that the daunting process resulted in lasting achievement by a player at least once before--and that was without any layout on how it could proceed.

[Nyr]

At the earlier levels (registered merchant / warehouse lease holder), we recognize that PCs may have to sell things to NPCs in order to make ends meet if they are selling goods.  However, from Shopkeeper up, goods and services should be geared towards fulfilling PC needs.  Spamcrafting or flooding NPC merchant shops may face an OOC/IC response (blacklisting at merchants, for instance).  Use common sense.

Since most PC-made items are essentially worthless to other PCs, this seems needlessly restrictive.

Then it would behoove one to mastercraft items that PCs want.

[MeTekillot]

Vibrating magickal dildos

[valeria]

I'm super excited about this.

[Kol]

Houses are coming.

[Nyr]

Seeing as how you can hit the warehouse phase with only a few RL weeks of investment, I wouldn't expect to see your warehouse change in terms of how it looks. 

Redecorate, sure, but at least at this time, it doesn't look like the front area of a warehouse is secured--just the warehouse itself.

Odd, that is only the case in the Tuluki warehouses.  That can be fixed.  In Allanak at least, the front office is also locked.  So yes, what you are suggesting should indeed be possible.

[Delirium]

Can you create a clan without the aim of it becoming a "family" clan - i.e. something like the T'zai Byn, rather than House Terash?

Or is babby-making required RP for anyone who wants to establish a clan?

[Adhira]

You can, but part of the requirements for becoming a 'Minor Merchant House' or essentially, a Service provider recognized by the city state is having a 2nd generation. This does not necessarily have to mean a child, blood relative etc, what it means is that you must have a clear line of succession for the business. This could be contractual, it could be a business partner and so on.

[Delirium]

You can, but part of the requirements for becoming a 'Minor Merchant House' or essentially, a Service provider recognized by the city state is having a 2nd generation. This does not necessarily have to mean a child, blood relative etc, what it means is that you must have a clear line of succession for the business. This could be contractual, it could be a business partner and so on.

Awesome. I was a little confused by the wording, so this is great to know.

[Mook]

I'm sure you can think of a few ways to acquire babies without making them yourself  .

[Pale Horse]

I'm sure you can think of a few ways to acquire babies without making them yourself  .

...Magick?

[Patuk]

Will people be allowed to adopt others into their families, much like the GMH also sometimes do?

[Nyr]

Can you create a clan without the aim of it becoming a "family" clan - i.e. something like the T'zai Byn, rather than House Terash?

Or is babby-making required RP for anyone who wants to establish a clan?

Adhira touched on this already, which is great.  

I'll explain why the announcement only mentions family for becoming a minor house. This is really the only player example we've had to follow, and it seemed like a good way to ground things for the announcement.  You've got a kid and they're growing up to do the same thing.  Your question is a good one though and it points out where it needs to be made more clear.

If it is instead a different sort of business that makes it to that stage, then a clear system of succession (not just the next person named, but how things pass on from there in the future) must be established.  This isn't exactly entirely a "good" thing, either--it means all debts and obligations also pass to that new person.  The founder might be entirely too business-savvy and they may have all sorts of contacts.  The heir (whomever it might be) may not have any of that, and could run it into the ground.

[Adhira]

Awesome. I was a little confused by the wording, so this is great to know.

Yeah, we need to tweak that wording. Thanks for bringing this up, this is what we were hoping with having this discussion before launch, it'll help us refine things as best we can.  

[X-D]

My question.
I see nothing in the staff post about non-product IE, clans that do not make items for sale or provide items for sale.

Does that mean they are not allowed or simply that the system as stated will be adapted to them as well?

[MeTekillot]

It said they can provide services.

[Nyr]

My question.
I see nothing in the staff post about non-product IE, clans that do not make items for sale or provide items for sale.

1)  Registered Merchant

A registered merchant is someone that is an independent merchant or trader.  They are not affiliated with an existing organization, and at this point, they are only starting out with this official venture.

Requirements:

• Must be selling something.  This can be a good or a service.

If you are selling a service instead, you may work with clan staff to set up a "hawker" that can "advertise" for your business venture, and be utilized for limited communication purposes in-game.

Yep, you can.

[creeper386]

I'm thinking with the drop code, as long as the warehouse is all save rooms can leave plenty of room for redecorating without the need for any changing to descriptions.


A pile of rags sits in a corner, partially obscured by a curtain.

Bam, whorehouse. Etc. Be imaginative! I could see more need for variety of furniture with this sort of thing.