Who Needs a Kick in the Ass Most?

[Pantoufle]

Nothing pisses me off more than someone who has too much power.  It just gets boring real quick.  I used to hate Allanak more than anything, back when they owned the Known World.  I was all pro-Tuluk (during the time Tuluk was nothing more than a set of ghostly ruins) and wanted nothing more than to spit in Allanak's eye and kick them off my homeland.  Well, lo and behold when the Occupation ended and Tuluk rose to power I got bored of that and went down south to the slightly diminished Allanaki empire.  Suddenly I loved the place.  Weakness and defeat really gives someone/something character.  Anything that is "invincible" is boring, regardless of how realistic it may be.  I guess I'm like the true neutral druid who joins the losing side, only to turn tail and join their enemy once they are getting too powerful.  You know, keep the balance.

So, if you had to decide, who would you give a black eye?  Who do you think NEEDS a black eye?  I'm not saying let's destroy Clan X or City B, I'm just saying there are some groups out there who are too powerful for their own good and need a little asskicking to put them in their place.  So here's my list of options.

Allanak

As already stated, they've had their kick in the ass.  But maybe you think they need more?  I wouldn't complain.

Tuluk

One could argue these sorry fucks need to be put down.  And this time for good.  Hah hah, just joking.  But serious, maybe you vote they need an(other) asskicking?  I wouldn't shed a tear, that's for sure.

The Tan Muark

As if it isn't enough they have their own lush and very likely impenetrable kingdom, nobody seems to really dislike these guys.  Sure, some IC board post pops up now and again saying people are whispering about the death of SoAndSo, putting the blame on the gypsies (just because).  But by and large everyone thinks they're a "cool" bunch, and I can't think of anyone offhand truly at odds with them.  Before you argue against that statement, I'm saying TRULY at odds.  What, Allanak doesn't like them you say?  Tough shit, they go there whenever the fuck they please and they aren't really given much hassle beyond a few whisperings.  Big whoop.  If you think that it's high time someone give these pansy jackasses a pummeling, click here and help burn Tyn Dashra to the ground.

House Kurac

I'm sorry.  I really am.  They've long been one of my favorite clans and I'd definately have to say they are probably the coolest of the merchant houses.  But for chrissake!  Someone kick these fuckers around a bit for once, will ya?  Wait, what?  Allanak gives them shit you say?  Gimme a break.  Ban spice all you want, they're still allowed in the city and have their own estate.  They were kicked out for like, what?  2 days.  I say we push these sumsabitches out for good!  What's this you say?  They lost their Outpost?  Aww, boohoo.  Yeah, tough shit.  They got it right back again -- as if that was a surprise!  Someone needs to strip these fuckers of a little power, I say.  PERMANENTLY.  Now who's with me!?

These are really the only groups I think which may have too much power for their own good.  I'm obviously not going to put groups like Red Storm up here, or the Akei'ta Var, because they're small and they know it.  I've put an "other" option here, though, in case someone thinks of someone I didn't mention.  Just post who they are and why.

And of course, arguably there will always be super powers, but that's what makes them so annoying.  And every once in a while, it's nice when the power shifts.

[Bestatte]

I voted for Allanak. They have no right to exist. All them filthy gemmers, and that Tek guy and his STEEL dragon statue..I mean jeez - melt the fucker down and give me a REAL katana for chrissakes! Not to mention the oppression - and where the hell are they keeping the plantlife? Behind walls, where only nobles can see them? And the nobles' aides, and guards, and best buddies, and slaves, and anyone else who manages to suck up to Lord Fancypants..just open the thing to anyone, or better yet, tear the whole city down and send the population scattering to the four winds. You wanna see a pretty flower? Get off your ass and ride to a place that grows them, you lazy sumbiches.

Lazy good for nothing slackers, the bunch of'em! Why when I was a kid, knee-high to a halfling, we had to walk to the nearest watering hole, which was a good 80 leagues away, over 40 dunes, through 33 packs of gith and mantises, and fight tooth and nail with our fists to get that ONE sip of murky piss-laden water.

Kill'em all and let Muk Utep sort them all out, I say!

[Seeker]

Nobody needs a can of whop-ass opened on them like the fekkin' gypsies.

Seeker

[SpyGuy]

Fek the gypsies, Kurac needs a serious whoppin'.  Like dragged into the streets, American History X bite the curb style whoopin'.  All a bunch of prissy spiced out coniving little pricks.  Yeah, you heard me!  Watch your back Mr. -da.

[Krath]

I think everyone needs an asswhooping..However, I do also believe getting beat up
once in a while will toughen you up....Mansa, I'm coming for you at the APM!!!

[Pantoufle]

But serious, guys (and girls).  Just make sure when you vote it's who you OOCly think needs a beating, not because you play in Tuluk now and in your present incarnation you are raised to believe Allanak is the enemy, or whatever.

I voted for House Kurac, for example, and that doesn't mean I wouldn't ever play in the clan again, on the contrary.  Nor does it mean my present character necessarily hates them.  I (the player, not the character) just think that clan might be cooler if they had some clearer enemies, a group of people who pose a serious threat to their well being (and not some group of now defeated, sorcerer-led mantis who have had a PC population of 0).  You know, even superman has his weakness, it's only fair.

I think Tuluk and Allanak are relatively on equal footing these days, and that's cool with me.  I just didn't like Allanak during the Occupation because that city was the MUD.  It was like, Allanak = Armageddon MUD and vice versa.  If you wanted to play a cutpurse rogue, you had only one option: Allanak, because all other locales had a death sentance for those who are caught, and you don't learn how to steal without failing.  Everywhere you went it was Allanak, Allanak, Allanak.  I'm not opposed to one group being more powerful than the other, but not so obscenely so that it suffocates the rest of the gameworld.

As for the gypsies, I probably could have voted for them instead, though I've never played one to know the whole scoop.  But I'd still like to see them beat into submission and have it apparent that they, too, have enemies (enemies that pose a serious threat, for that matter).

[sarahjc]

Kurac, someone take down Kurac! Yeah, so they can't sell spice in Allanak. Boo Hoo..

But here, we will make that up to you, have Luirs Outpost, Your own F@cking city, and here, have Ten'surak, Shops in the north and a Major Tavern. They practically run Red Storm. Someone take those bitches out!

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

You people do drugs. I used to play in Kurac a long time ago, and I'll tell you now, they only have one weakness...

...dammit, and I forgot what it was. I vote for Allanak.

[WhiteRanger]

I absolutely posatively love Kurac....and one day...you mark my words, they will rise to power and over throw one if not both of the city states. But as for who I want to see take a whoopin the most....everyone, I want to see all city states and cultures crumble into the sand. I want to see the feking lord of lords, the Dragon himself come back and make us beg as we spread into a widely dispersed culture of nomadic tribes once more...FUCK YEA! I want to see the nobility beg and plead when all of the dune hopping half-breed wild men are the truely powerful ones once again.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

I agree with White Ranger.

[Seeker]

If the Dragon comes back, it will be because the Gypsies sold us all out.


Seeker

[Bestatte]

If the Dragon comes back, it will be because the Gypsies sold us all out.


Seeker

Which is why it's a good idea to make nice with the Gypsies.

[EvilRoeSlade]

And a better idea to SMITE THEM ALL

I voted for Tuluk though.  I couldn't help myself, it was like a primal instinct.

[Pantoufle]

I want to see all city states and cultures crumble into the sand. I want to see the feking lord of lords, the Dragon himself come back and make us beg as we spread into a widely dispersed culture of nomadic tribes once more

Well, the problem with that sentiment is that it would ruin the game.  This MUD requires versatility.  Nuking all the city-states effectively ruins the possibility of any socialite roles.  It's nice that I can go from being an extreme socialite in one incarnation to a rugged outdoorsman in the next and back again (with other possibilities along the way).  Completely wiping out the cities removes not only socialites (including the leaders AND their sycophants), but it removes all manner of rogues except desert raiders -- and I don't know about you, but I rather enjoy city slicker cutpurses myself.  There are so many city based roles that you would lose.  So yeah, it removes a lot from the game and narrows it down to only one possibility: tribal, outdoors, ranger types.

Speaking only for myself, I'd just like to see certain groups get beat into submission, not wiped out entirely.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

I'd like to see the world degenerate in VNPC leadership, and rely more on PC leaders ... IE: Tribal bands, small civilizations, etc...

[EvilRoeSlade]

That isn't correct.  Just because you're a socialite doesn't mean you aren't allowed to have any ability to defend yourself or survive in the desert.  A setting in which the Dragon had returned to sink his claws in the known world would just require a different kind of socialite, one who travels through the harsh wastelands to the encampment of another tribe in order to seek crucial alliances.

Being a pickpocket, assassin, or burglar would also be possible.  All that they require is for the city/wilderness flag to be removed so that they can hide in both areas.  Now you have a trio of classes that are capable of sneaking into enemy encampments (or even the domain of The Dragon), to cause mayhem, steal crucial supplies, and spy on their foes.

I think that nearly any role would be possible under some variant or another, as long as you use your imagination.

[Mekeda]

Man, Kurac just GOT their ass kicked. Memories are certainly short.  No one remembers the fact that Tan'Sarak sprang into existance because of the fact that Mantis took Luirs from Kurac for 7 Game years?

Mekeda

[Krath]

SHHH! Imms cant Vote on this poll nor do they have a say! Talking privlidges REVOKED!!! J/k

[Forest Junkie]

Man, Kurac just GOT their ass kicked. Memories are certainly short.  No one remembers the fact that Tan'Sarak sprang into existance because of the fact that Mantis took Luirs from Kurac for 7 Game years?

Then they got it right back.  :wink:

Damned mantis, I say we kill them all. Oh yeah...And destroy Tan Muark.

[Anonymous]

I think it's funny to see the 'Kill Kurac' posts considering that if Kurac was given center stage (or at least shared it) on a third HRPT in a row people would probably complain about how Kurac gets all the fun.

Who hasn't gotten their ass kicked in a while?  The gypsies.  Holed up in their precious little land wanking each other off.  Bastards.

[X-D]

That was not an ASS KICKING Mekeda, that was a simple punch in the face. They lost very little overall, were basicly just displaced temperarily.

Now, if half the family would have died, and if they would have lost 2/3 of assets and 90% of employee's/guards and if Luirs would have been razed and somebody would have taken over the spice trade in the meantime, now, THAT'S an ASS KICKING:)

[Pantoufle]

Man, Kurac just GOT their ass kicked. Memories are certainly short. No one remembers the fact that Tan'Sarak sprang into existance because of the fact that Mantis took Luirs from Kurac for 7 Game years?

Fair enough, you're right.  But here are the facts:

Everything they've lost they got right back again.  

(I don't know if this is IC info or not, I don't even know the answer to this, but doesn't Ten'Sarak still exist as a secondary outpost of sorts?  It sounds to me like they got major hookups for having TEMPORARILY lost their outpost.  If I were Mr. Kurac, himself, and I had to decide if I wanted to go through that whole imbroglio all over again, I'd say "Sure, why not!" knowing that the end result will be more property!  In other words, "Yes, I will gladly have my ass kicked if it means getting MORE hookups, please.  Kick my ass.  I am waiting!")

They dominate Red Storm.

They own an entire lush estate relatively comparable to a noble estate, in fact, in Allanak.

They own an entire lush estate relatively comparable to a noble estate, in fact, in Tuluk.

They own their own little mini city-state where all the -di's and -da's serve as a templarate of sorts.  Well, okay, yeah, it's vastly different, but still, they call the shots.  They own whomever enters their little (or not so little) piece of land.

[Edited a bit out just because] The point is they have everything and, from my vantage point, seem to be omnipotent all-seeing entities.  The age old adage is, "Nobody fucks with Kurac!"  Why?  What, they can't have enemies?  I bet you ten fucking dollars I could never ever infiltrate House Kurac because they'd lay the smack down on my ass before I could blink.  I also bet you another ten on top of that that I could infiltrate House Kadius or House Salarr without too much trouble.

One more (possible) fact.  All the shit that's been thrown at them, I'm willing to bet (gosh, I could lose a lot of money here), were entirely NPC ran.   This whole mantis invasion sure sounded like it wasn't any band of PCs working to overthrow House Kurac.  Nobody recruited MY character to sign up for the mantis army (and he would of joined!).  When it was Nak vs. Tuluk there were PCs on both sides, see what I mean?  So where is the *PC* threat against House Kurac?  It ain't there.

Now, please Please PLEASE bear in mind, I ain't dissing Kurac.  If I had to rattle off my top favorite 5 clans Kurac'd be one of the top 2 or 3 (even though I haven't played in it in many moons).   Kurac's concept is cool as shit.  Like I said before, I hated Allanak then grew to like it -- AFTER they got their ass kicked.  I just want to see Kurac get the piss beat out of them and for them to stay a little crippled, not get right back up and be all the more powerful for it.  Like, if they had lost Luir's permanently, that would of been so neat, I think.  And look, it's just my opinion.  I recognize the fact that I maybe haven't looked at the entire picture (or don't know the entire picture enough to judge).  It's just a fun little poll, besides.

[Agent_137]

It's just a fun little poll, besides.

Good point, after your treatise.

: -P

[wizturbo]

The Gypsies are not loved by everyone.

[Armaddict]

I say the gypsies.

Someone should take that lush land, it's probably the -best- land in the known world, rivaled maybe by one other area.

It's got all sorts of unique, useable wildlife, it's a defensible place...I think one of the sorcerer-kings would want it, and they have the power and manpower to take it.

Rar!  Make gypsies nomads between all the cities!