Quote from: Windstorm on September 24, 2023, 12:46:13 PMIn my ideal world, competition would be very direct.
(et all)

In my opinion - I don't know how that would be sustainable. I think that would very quickly devolve into outright hostility and war. I love conflict but the GMH have a long-established history of avoiding head-on conflict with one another and for good reason: profits.

Quote from: Lotion on September 24, 2023, 01:23:12 PMThe only reason we can't have this is because literally everyone will outcompete nenyuk in the real estate market. If I was a kuraci gmh I would literally just build a shack in luir's and put lockable lockers in there that people can rent ala apartments.

I also don't think your Kuraci GMH would live very long if your junior nobody agent tried to start a war with the GMH that controls money. You'd be on a pile of bodies, bleached bones in the desert, or hanging out slack-jawed in an alley depending on where you were caught.

There's a living world to consider. If you step back and stop taking the world, theme, and in-game history into account then everything looks ridiculous.

In the world we have available to us, though, I agree with the notion and think that GMH have a lot of room for competition:

Short outbursts:
-bar fights, competitions, competing for contracts that touch on two GMH areas, violence between two hunters out on the desert sands, etc.
-Maybe Salarri crew know not to walk down dark alleys in Morin's, and Kadians are well aware that at night in Luir's it's smarter to stay in the well-lit taverns.
-Unaffiliated PCs or PCs that simply lean one way or another may join in - much like in real life
-want the best GMH things from your GMH? how public are you about how much you like them?

Longterm Plots:
-As mentioned above could include drives to change laws favorably or unfavorably for a house.
-I would like to see GMH pursue their own long-term RPTs:
    -ex. Salarr sends scouts out that find a village of tribals. They spend months starting a war between these people and another nearby tribe, then sell them both weapons. After the conflict, Salarr sells the location of the village to Allanak. Salarr informs the village and sells them new weapons, then sells better weapons to Allanak.
-I would then like to see other GMH given the opportunity to disrupt the long-term goals and RPTs of other GMH. This will involve multiple GMH PCs and PCs outside of those clans as conflict grows.
    -ex. Kadian-di-da is livid! They have been selling war spice in the boonies of the Vrun for a year now and their dealer comes back to tell them that some village is outfitted extremely well and threatening their economy.
    -ex. A-Kadian has no gortok in the fight at all but they like money. Their clever shadow artist spies found out about Salarr trying to profit off some village, and the Kadians selling drugs nearby. How can they profit?!?

tl;dr I think the GMH have a lot of opportunity for short-term and long-term competition- which could involve a lot of PCs in the game and help promote Tuluk vs Allanak conflict

The only reason we can't have this is because literally everyone will outcompete nenyuk in the real estate market. If I was a kuraci gmh I would literally just build a shack in luir's and put lockable lockers in there that people can rent ala apartments.

In my ideal world, competition would be very direct.

contact Salarr
"Salarr, make this sword for me."
"Nah I don't want to make that sword for you or it will take 3 months. I got this spice if you need it though smoke up 420 nine hours a day I get you HIGH brothamang."
"Yeah send that guy over with it."

cease
contact Kurac-di

"Kurac-di, make this sword for me."
"Yeah sure I got a swordsmith right here who can make bitchin' swords."
"Oh and make me a silk hat."
"You sure? You live in the Labyrinth so there's an upcharge and we might gotta do it on the low but I care about coin and making it. You don't think I give a shit about stepping on other merchants' toes do you? Fucking lol, you got the coin mate?"
"I got the coin, Kurac-di. If you can make the hat and sword I can pay you for it."
"I am a merchant, so coin is King and we need a lot of it because we have templars to bribe and mercenaries to hire, which since I'm in conflict with the other merchants, I need a lot of it. Silk hat and sword coming right up."
"High five. In Her Shadow."

An example of the competition you might want to see is possible, and happens. Perhaps this the thread where you illuminate the other types of arrows that players of GMH related chars can use in their healthy competition with each other.

Here's one I can offer. Any grey area inside of products can be debated, and the city-states can be petitioned to make it official and legal. For instance, ornamental swords? Are they purely decorative, or does their form define their function. After enough bribes, Allanak could have an official position after a Senate meeting. Is this the kind of competition you were talking about?

This is a tough one because while I agree in part with the notion that competition would lead to more interesting RP, from the IC world point of view it makes a lot of sense that they often cooperate.  That is -how- they got to be such a huge influence on the world.  They stick together through common interests to protect themselves from the power of Allanak and Tuluk.   A "United we stand, divided we fall kind" of thing.  And why each of the great 4 houses have their own area of influence (Nenyuk is considered a GMH too!).

That certainly doesn't always translate into the most compelling RP, though, I agree.

There is sometimes competition between them, but it's usually small and not terribly exciting.  I think that's what the multi-house Luir's was trying to accomplish - to push them into some competition at least with the outpost.  And they still do have that dynamic OOC'ly.

I'm not in this thread to offer anything beyond my personal thoughts and insight.

This role call has now concluded. Thank you to all who applied.

You used the word.

Quote from: Windstorm on September 23, 2023, 11:46:46 PMI agree with all this! It's unlikely to change and the players are great!

I still disagree with them not competing. Maybe not on the scale I suggest above, which was mostly just "making a case," but all the same: I think it could be more interesting and even Armageddony than it is.

I wasn't entirely clear. Getting -intense- over a crafter, that has happened. Ideally, the houses want to "compete" in a friendly way to expand their own influence, but also expand as a larger grouping. Some methods are louder than others. But the ones prevalent right now are what you might call...

... subtle. It makes a particular style of competition less relevant, of course, but that's the problem when one style becomes ascendant. You can't use every arrow in the quiver at once.

Quote from: Trevalyan on September 23, 2023, 11:39:16 PMI can't really get into this because it's mostly IC, but I don't think any of what you want is likely. The PC reps of the different GMHs have their own ideas, and the staff have been pretty clear about the role of Luir's in the world.

I suspect the PCs will mostly do their own thing. Rather successfully, from what I can see in current play.

I agree with all this! It's unlikely to change and the players are great!

I still disagree with them not competing. Maybe not on the scale I suggest above, which was mostly just "making a case," but all the same: I think it could be more interesting and even Armageddony than it is.

I can't really get into this because it's mostly IC, but I don't think any of what you want is likely. The PC reps of the different GMHs have their own ideas, and the staff have been pretty clear about the role of Luir's in the world.

I suspect the PCs will mostly do their own thing. Rather successfully, from what I can see in current play.