I know this subject has been touched on in various threads, but from a few observations I've made over the past few months, I have a few specific things I'd like to suggest to easily increase the potential for PC-driven danger/conflict (the best kind) in the world.

It would seem that the mighty trinity of Salarr/Kadius/Kurac, having rubbed out/intimidated/absorbed most of their competition basically have a pretty solid truce worked out amongst themselves.  Obviously, this truce is necessary as open war amongst the merchant houses constantly would be unrealistic.  However, I think more plotting/vying between these houses (and the noble houses) would be beneficial.

Now hear me out... I know there's already such plotting/vying going on, to a small scale, often driven by individual PC's who have their own motives and prejudices.  But I'm thinking larger-scale, like things that are at least partly Imm-driven (assuming most of the highest-ranked NPCs are going to be Imm-played).

Blur the lines between the houses a bit more.  Or make it so that the overlapping of spheres is more distasteful than it already is to each respective house.  Why does Salarr put up with Kurac selling weapons and arms?  Why does Kurac allow Salarr to control most of the weapons trade at all?  Etc.

Given the large number of sneaky character classes that are open to new players, urge the noble/merchant houses to more actively seek out these sneaky sorts to spy on each other and wreak havoc.  Not open war, mind you, as that's usually bad for business... but make subterfuge and espionage the name of the game.  Hit each other in the pocketbooks, if not the face.  Loosen the built-in security on house compounds so that there is always the chance of theft or at the least spying and sneaking.

The great merchant houses already do a good job of trying to keep the "little guys" down, I think.  But I wish they'd spend more time trying to keep each other down.  Have the great houses ready and eager to recruit underlings to pit against each other.

Feel free to enlighten me if a lot of this is already in place and I'm just missing it.  (Just say Halfbreed you Big Idiot, quit embarassing yourself already!)  :lol:  I understand Zalanthas has always had the capacity to be very subtle, so I may just be missing a lot of this.  But to my characters eyes so far, the three great houses, and most the noble houses in turn almost seem to be holding hands, basically afraid to cross each other in the slightest because they don't want to make anyone mad.  That leaves the majority of the danger in the world to mindless mobs, rather than sneaky, underhanded, mischevious PCs.

Halfbreed you Big Idiot, quit embarassing yourself already!

Sorry couldn't resist.

I agree with you, though perhaps I'm missing most of that cause I am not playing a noble for any of the great houses.  Maybe in my next incarnation I will try to take on a role like that with the house imms approval. :twisted:

-DW

Its a good point in some ways but it also sounds like you want to start open war , However as true as that is houses like Salarr dont want to be known as underhanded and sneaky, they want to be known as the best arms and armour dealers because they are. Not because they have to steal and underhandedly cause havok on other houses. That bieng said someone like Kurac already has the shady Rep. So for them I'd think it  would be a much more likely move to try.

Otherwise I know how you feel. Ive often wished as a cadet/recruit/runner etc. that my superiors had more for me to do. Like Halfbreed said though there have been many PC spawned activities that are generally behind the scenes but I think that some more Imm involvement would be nice. It sure makes your char perk up when da big boss tell you to do somthing. Even if it is fetch him a skin slave  :wink:

Well, I think a lot of the non agression between the three major merchant houses, is that they all have thier specific niche, and they don't stray out of that, or move into the others territory.

House Kurac, _does_ tend to dip a lot more into the 'grey area' of what is 'thier merchandise' I think this is generally overlooked by the other houses for a few reasons, 1) They don't manufacture anything that the other houses would make, IE fancy clothes (kadius) or weapons and armor (salaar) They do make desert gear, which they have done by assimilating house Delann, which does include some specilized armors, but this is a very small and specific market so its not really stepping on the other houses toes. 2) Luirs outpost.. with all three of the main merchant houses doing buisiness in both the north and the south, Luir's outpost is a key stopover point for travel between both of them. 3) House Kurac has the largest wagon fleet in the world, and also the largest military of any of the three houses. 4) The whole sneaky underhanded reputation that Kurac has gotten is well earned..

Thier really isn't a lot of direct competition between the houses for business, and i don't really think its a terribly viable source for conflict, however, I do think that conflict on a more personal level, between individuals within the different houses, is more than proper... and more of it is needed.

Another thing that can make it difficult, is the turnaround rate of PC's which in the past few years has lessened quite al ot, but its hard to carry a grudge against a house when a new representative of that house comes in, and doesn't have any idea of the past conflicts with another house.

-Moe the Schmoe
:twisted:  :evil:

Thats why it seems to me that either the conflict would benifit from being Imm run, or at the least Imm directed. Maybe they do allready (never played a noble) but when they are approved the sponsoring Imm for the house should give light to who needs to be treated like what. Since ICly the char would have been with the house for thier lifetime or years at least and would know that Lord So-and-so Tried to kill one of your houses reps last month, etc.

Quote from: "Moe"They do make desert gear, which they have done by assimilating house Delann, which does include some specilized armors, but this is a very small and specific market so its not really stepping on the other houses toes.

Quote from: "House Delann Helpfile"When the once-wealthy merchant house of Kohmar fell, it was purchased by several free-lance merchants who, after renaming it, attempted to carry on its lucrative trade in hunting supplies. Their efforts were largely unsuccessful, and Delann's only remaining holdings are a small stall in Luir's Outpost and the former Reynolte Vineyard.

House Delann is still its own house, albeit a smaller one, and has not been 'assimilated'.  House Delann also exclusively dealt in hunting gear and has nothing at all to do with Kurac's production of desert gear.  Also, desert gear on a desert world is hardly a small market heh, at least in my opinion

I meant house Deuring... not Delann... i didn't check my info before i posted
-Moe the Schmoe

I think the main thing that's lacking up North is not necessarily conflict between the merchant houses, but conflict between the Noble Houses. It will rarely, if ever (about as often as seeing the Dragon, probably) be out in the open conflict, but it does create subtle rifts of tension and plenty of chances for the PC servants of those Houses to choose sides, spy, switch alliances, subtly insult, etc. Lots of fun.
Unfortunately with House Tenneshi's closing there's not going to be much of that for a while. There's always complications in opening a House - Available Imms, quality players to keep it up and running, all the work that goes into actually building the clan, and those problems can be hard to resolve but I'm definitely hoping we see more Noble Houses up North, if not Tenneshi, then another. The North needs political conflict.

While I'm at it, two thumbs way way up to that certain moody Templar that's been making people sweat in sometimes subtle and always very appropriate ways.

Oh, and Tuluk could also use a good band of daring PC raiders to make the North Road a more dangerous prospect for those unwitting travellers who dare the pass alone. Or maybe I'm still stuck on that whole Robin Hood thing.

I know your totally wrong about the conflict of merchant houses. There is spying going on even thought it may not be PC driven. There is conflict all over up north. You just may not be trusted enough to participate in it.

Uh, I didn't say there was any conflict lacking between the merchant Houses.. just that we needed more Noble vs Noble conflict. ;)

increasing conflict shouldn't be too tricky, all you need to do is start off with small things, like rumors(Lord Snapple insulted Lady Jimbob's family line!), and hope that higher-up people take notice and choose to act...

Of course, you could always get more directly involved.

You'd be surprised what a few 'sids can get done for you, if you offer them to the right people.

Try it out, why doncha?

Or maybe i'll beat you to the punch! WraaAAaa!