Grunt in Merchant/Noble Clan

[Seeker]

How many characters are currently in a Merchant or Noble House clan as a peon?  Not a leader, not a special app something cool, just a classic, recruited grunt?

Feel free to comment in your responses.

[mansa]

It depends on what kind of enjoyment I want to get out of the game.  Once in a while, I want to relax, sit back, and enjoy a show put on by someone else.  I've planned it all, and I watch it go down in their hands.  If we fail, so what?  We've had fun.  If we succeed, then it's a story for another day.

Othertimes, I like to be on the edge of my seat, in the middle of combat, not having to think about anything other than what the next step the boss is going to say.  I like to be the one that doesn't have to think at all, and goes and becomes that generic human warrior A.

[Mook]

I love having the heavy hand of a House behind me, but frankly, solo rp bores me to death, so schedules are a no-no in my playability book.  The same goes for 'stay within the walls' rules.  I -like- doing the dangerous dirty work for a clan, but not if it will restrict me from other rp opportunities.  Thus, IMHO, secret/unofficial aliances with Houses plus the independant's ability to look anywhere you want for rp brings out the best of both worlds.  Yay!

[Seeker]

Keep in mind that with five noble Houses (each seeking to draw and retain three to five PCs for guards, aides, entertainers, artisans, spies and peons) and four active Mechant Houses (who will usually, on the average, seek four to nine PCs because they need a presence in -both- major cities) we are speaking about thirty to sixty players required to support these clan structures.  This is in addition to the Leaders, Family Members and Nobility themselves.


Seeker

[Cuusardo]

Sometimes it really sucks to be in charge.

[JollyGreenGiant]

I would certainly play the part of a peon in a big House; it's just another experience in the game, really, and I'm all about trying a bunch of different things (although not with the same character necessarily).  I too would like to see the clans differentiate somewhat, and at least in some areas of the game, there seems to be a push to do so.  I think if people agreed on a few basic conventions, then there wouldn't be these "clans are boring" "no they aren't" wars.  For example, let's take combat characters.

If you want to play a mostly combat role but want the advantage of people who train frequently, join the T'zai Byn.

If you want to play a role that allows frequent outdoor ventures, join one of the merchant Houses.

If you want to play a role that trades a lot of its combat orientation for social and political play, then join a noble House as a Guard.

If you decide what kind of things you want to do with your character and choose where you end up based on that, you'll probably find the role a lot more fulfilling and enjoyable.  If you don't like playing social/political roles with a bit of combat thrown in for spice, don't play a Guard, for example.  You can even change over time with a long-lived character; maybe you start out in a more combative role such as the Byn or a hunting House, and eventually move on into service as a Guard.  Which brings up the second half of the convention, from the clan's point of view.

If you're a recruiter, don't mislead potential recruits about the restrictions and requirements of a role.

Don't hire people that don't fit, fire people that don't fit, or trade them off somehow.

Reserve lifelong committments to your clan for higher ranks, like Lieutenant.  Be willing to let people go if they don't fit, and give people a chance at some mobility in life.  Most PCs aren't slaves, and should be able to terminate a contract with a House.  Or...

Trade contracts with other Houses.  Got a Guard who keeps acting like a hunter?  Flog the guy and and trade him to a merchant House for someone looking to move into a more political role.  I'd love to see the high-powered, big Houses wheel and deal a bit on people, trade them off (maybe without even the consent of the employee!)  Kind of like sports teams, y'know?

[Delirium]

Trade contracts with other Houses.  Got a Guard who keeps acting like a hunter?  Flog the guy and and trade him to a merchant House for someone looking to move into a more political role.  I'd love to see the high-powered, big Houses wheel and deal a bit on people, trade them off (maybe without even the consent of the employee!)  Kind of like sports teams, y'know?

I like that.

[Seeker]

Me too.  What are commoners to Noble Houses, or employees to the Great Merchant Houses?  Chattel.  Commodities.  Interesting suggestion.

Seeker

[Mr.Camel]

Trading employees? I like the idea itself. Sure, it would make an employee's life more enjoyable, but would houses do it? I don't see how they would, it does raise more than a few questions about loyality.

[InsertCleverNameHere]

Trading isn'ta bad idea. -Except.. With the 'supposed' rivals between some houses, and the often-known snobbery of some nobles thinking.. Or just high sense of pride.. Who's gonna want to say they took -blank's- outcast guard? If they weren't good enough for House A, why would House B want to take them for any reason, when House B is sure they're better than House A anyway? I haven't played a noble (yet) or anyone with any kind of power, but it strikes me that might be a problem with that. Not to mention, I've had a character who said something about wanting to get training from House X, because they heard they have the best, but not sure if they wanted to remain working for that house.. And having CorporalLieutenant Mr. Man hear me say that tell me don't expect anyone else to take you on after that.. Doesn't give much hope of trading happening. But *shrug* It isn't a bad idea, and maybe that was an isolated kinda thing.

[Alcatraz]

It could work like trading anything else.  For instance:

Joe Kadius wants a new guard, but doesn't want to go through the trouble of training one, so he sees one he likes, but that one already has a life contract with house Salarr.  So, he offers house Salarr 15% off all Kadius orders for the next few years or something in exchange for the employee.

Like Tony Soprano when he got Furio.

[Teleri]

The whole trading thing would probably have to be done early in the training/recruitment process, or else you're stuck with that member.  After all, the longer someone is with a House, the more they are supposedly trusted and the more they are told.  I wouldn't want to trade away somebody who knows something valuable or or critical secrecy, just because they seem more like a guard than a spy, or whatever.

[Angela Christine]

The whole trading thing would probably have to be done early in the training/recruitment process, or else you're stuck with that member.  After all, the longer someone is with a House, the more they are supposedly trusted and the more they are told.  I wouldn't want to trade away somebody who knows something valuable or or critical secrecy, just because they seem more like a guard than a spy, or whatever.

True, but if someone isn't "fitting in" then they probably haven't been with your organization for 20 years anyway.  I doubt this would happen with characters that have been with the organization for more than a year or two.  After all, two years IC is three months of real time, and a "bad fit" PC whose player isn't having fun is unlikely to hang around that long.


AC

[tortall]

Well, see, I'm kinda inbetween. I'm the grunt that sticks around and ends up being a leader. I don't TRY to be a leader, it just kinda happens... So I am, and will again!

[Xan]

Trading is doubtful, who is really going to risk the chance of spies by taking in another persons trash?