Let's talk about AoD Clerks

[QuillDipper]

I'm pretty sure there's already a medic accolade for AoD.

If there is it isn't in circulation nor is it common knowledge

[QuillDipper]

While clerks in the AoD would be cool, I'm in the camp of multi talented soldiers. It's no stretch of the mind to realize a Sarge or Corporal will choose to recruit a cook/soldier over buff mcfighty. It gives the PC unit more personality and gives people things to do when the yard is empty.

[MeTekillot]

I would personally never choose a cook over buff mcfighty because that cook means jack shit when my unit of soldiers comes face to face with a unit of Legion.

[MeTekillot]

Mind, I'm taking clan employee caps into account when I say that.

[Fujikoma]

Fill the ranks with elf merchants! It gives the unit personality, and gives it a LOT to do.

[wizturbo]

I would personally never choose a cook over buff mcfighty because that cook means jack shit when my unit of soldiers comes face to face with a unit of Legion.

With the new subguilds, you can have your cake and eat it too!  Warrior/MasterChef ftw!

[Voular]

Also yes to more patches/sashes/pins/medals, even for people not directly associated. You have no idea what people would do to wear a jade green sash signifying they helped in some way in some campaign or whatever. That'd really tie into the 'nationalism' of Allanak. I mean, didn't Napoleon say he'd take over the world if he had enough sashes and ribbons for his soldiers? Or maybe someone else.. Whatever. Still true!

[CodeMaster]

I agree with Beethoven's original sentiment that a clan populated by sparring characters can appear one-dimensional.

Fortunately, it sounds like staff are saying this doesn't have to be the case; clan leaders, this might be a good opportunity to e-mail your clan admins and ask if you can assign a couple subrankings to your crew ("clerk", "cook", "medic", "liaison to X", "quartermaster in charge of Y", etc., maybe with custom trinkets/patches/tattoos/bandanas to designate these positions, and slightly modified clan schedules.

People eat these kinds of customizations up like candy, because it gives them an opportunity to explicitly roleplay out a facet of their character (rather than feeling like they're just "filling in" as the guy who has the high cook skill, or the girl who has the bandage skill).

[Saellyn]

Look all you gotta do is go to your local boss and be like "Sir/Lord/Lady Templar, I'd like to have the unit do more materials gathering. I can work with some of the materials, turn them into processed goods that I can then sell and help to fund the soldiers for better armor and such. How do you feel about this?"

[bcw81]

I agree with Beethoven's original sentiment that a clan populated by sparring characters can appear one-dimensional.

Fortunately, it sounds like staff are saying this doesn't have to be the case; clan leaders, this might be a good opportunity to e-mail your clan admins and ask if you can assign a couple subrankings to your crew ("clerk", "cook", "medic", "liaison to X", "quartermaster in charge of Y", etc., maybe with custom trinkets/patches/tattoos/bandanas to designate these positions, and slightly modified clan schedules.

People eat these kinds of customizations up like candy, because it gives them an opportunity to explicitly roleplay out a facet of their character (rather than feeling like they're just "filling in" as the guy who has the high cook skill, or the girl who has the bandage skill).

Just to add my point of view to this - and I freely admit I haven't really been following this thread - but that's always been the case.

I've played a few leaders in the past few years, and I was never called out by staff for hiring for odd jobs. The real problem with this kind of thing is that no one really comes to you saying, "Hey, I want to be your shit-cleaner in your stables." (Outside of the Byn, of course.) When people come to you, they expect to be your aide or your trusted trusttwat or generic soldier. So I implore you - if you want to try to get these flavor roles, ask for them! I'm not going to force people into roles that have the possibility of being very outside their wants and desires just because, this is a game and you're meant to have fun.

[Saellyn]

Barracks sweeper? Soldier who hires on to get some occasional training, but primarily... Hold on, let me bump a thread here.

[Fujikoma]

Look all you gotta do is go to your local boss and be like "Sir/Lord/Lady Templar, I'd like to have the unit do more materials gathering. I can work with some of the materials, turn them into processed goods that I can then sell and help to fund the soldiers for better armor and such. How do you feel about this?"

say (sneering down at ~saellyn as he unbuckles his belt) How DARE you suggest to me, Lord Templar Whoopass, what my troops should be doing! Prepare for punishment!

[bcw81]

Look all you gotta do is go to your local boss and be like "Sir/Lord/Lady Templar, I'd like to have the unit do more materials gathering. I can work with some of the materials, turn them into processed goods that I can then sell and help to fund the soldiers for better armor and such. How do you feel about this?"

From experience, I can say that this particular line doesn't work so well. Normally I'll say sure, go ahead, but you aren't getting a fancy title for something like that.

Ask to be a quartermaster, or something like that. Give yourself the title. Say, "Boss, this is what I want to be. Can I be it?" I know -I'll- normally say yes, unless you've pissed me off in the past.

*Me being my character at the time.

[Talia]

Also yes to more patches/sashes/pins/medals, even for people not directly associated. You have no idea what people would do to wear a jade green sash signifying they helped in some way in some campaign or whatever. That'd really tie into the 'nationalism' of Allanak. I mean, didn't Napoleon say he'd take over the world if he had enough sashes and ribbons for his soldiers? Or maybe someone else.. Whatever. Still true!

This is already something that we do and historically has been done when there's been a campaign. E.g., after the gith invasion, there was a thingy that got rewarded to soldiers and others who participated.

As has been suggested, if a player wants to play a flavor role in the AoD (or probably any other clan), that's possible, and they should talk to their IC superiors and/or send a clan request to staff. However, to be honest, I'm not going to spend a lot of time setting up new ranks, patches, pins, schedules etc etc in anticipation that someone, someday, might want to play a flavor role in the clan. This is definitely a case of "be the change you want to see rather than waiting for staff to do something for you."

[solera]

I've played a few leaders in the past few years, and I was never called out by staff for hiring for odd jobs. The real problem with this kind of thing is that no one really comes to you saying, "Hey, I want to be your shit-cleaner in your stables." (Outside of the Byn, of course.)

I've seen it often over the years. One of my PC's even, though after a few RL months they got Ambition.

[deskoft]

Clerk & Aides are quite fun to role-play, but it depends a lot on the lord, IMHO. Probably, role-playing a clerk isn't as fun as role-playing an aide, but I've done it and I can picture clerking being fun. There's a certain type of player that will accept to do these jobs, because, let's face it, not everyone wants to be a servant, just as not everyone wants to be a huge warmonger. In my case, I'd never role-play a warmonger. I think we should allow clerks to exist. Temporarily filling them with VNPCs or NPCs -- but, if required and role-played, a PC could be hired to perform that kind of jobs.

[Brytta Léofa]

I was really disappointed when I first realized clerks were gone (as a playable role), but I think it's for the best.  It creates good tension to have that work divided between two competing characters: the aides of the (typically) two active blue-robed templars.

[Bogre]

Not going to say I'm the authority on this role or anything....

But I played the original 'clerk' role, as Junior Adjunct Otikus (Jal). The initial role as it was set out was to perform sort of clerkly duties for the AoD - administrative assistance for Templars, selling crap, piloting the wagon, etc, paying soldiers back when you actually had to slug the coins out of the bank. (Doing that for almost 3 years, guys, is -painful-.) Given that he could read and write, and speak multiple languages, he was sort of more advanced in the role and could function as interpreter/diplomat. Then progressing through the ranks, he eventually made Magistrate, which technically meant being the administrative and financial head flunky of the Red Robe.

Obviously, not much of the financial / administrative bits were coded. But it was certainly unique in that his role, much like the clerks, were outside the direct responsibility of a sole Templar - meaning a -lot- of times I was playing diplomat between the competing blue-robes. And given his eventual seniority, it became an interesting sort of military advisory role. Beyond that, he had a high income and more social credibility than a soldier, which I could use discretionally to do all sorts of things myself. What though, would separate a lower ranked clerk from a soldier? It's hard to carve out a role like that without making them aides-in-disguise.

I definitely enjoyed that role, though - I can certainly see a place for a similar job filled by a PC, although as mentioned before I think it depends entirely on the clan staff and whatever they would need at the time.