(IR) Setting up for the IR

[LordMelkor{Talos}]

Kalanyr, aren`t you aware of the fact that remmants of Netherese Shade are part of Shadow Empire and Prince Rivalen Tanthul is one of Shadowlords?, so not need to worry about Arcane Age! But we won`t give both technology and magic for free, we request the majority of lands that will be conquered by our Alliance, not that we a are greedy: Celene, Veluna, Furyondy, Shield Lands, Urnst and Bandit Kingdoms will be enough for the beginning, then you can take everything between Crystalmil MTS., Lotrmil Mountains and Azure Sea, if Pomarj Empire joins us, Ulek will be their reward.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

Zelda, this is Edena.
The first thread was completely lost due to computer trouble on the site.
Because it was, we are starting over.

The IR has not yet started, Zelda.

Zelda, I have listed all of the powers in the Flanaess, what manner of people live in them, and how strong they are in war.
The complete list is the first post in this thread.
You have a claim on Ratik, and the Frost/Snow/Ice Barbarians.
Would you like to expand your claim?

You need a higher Power Level so that when you talk, people listen. Diplomacy needs strength behind it.

Now, if more people would join this thread, there would be a more even distribution of power, and I wouldn't be asking you to choose additional powers to speak for, but there aren't.
And I don't know how to convince people to join the IR.
That is one magic I do not have IRL. They will join, or not join, as they choose.

But, as of the moment, Zelda, nothing has happened.
Well, almost nothing.
The Church of Shade (the call themselves the Shadow Empire now) is trying to subvert the Free City of Greyhawk, and if nobody claims it besides them, they will succeed.
The Lortmil Technomancy continues to receive help from the UC.

The Wanderer has not voiced his Sending.

Kas has emerged from the past into the present with his legions, and moved to take sides with Aerdi.
Vecna has not yet arrived in the present.

Also, the IR isn't starting until the 20th.
Which gives you 17 days to decide what people or power you wish to represent.

I cannot e-mail you, or I would have sent this message that way.
I hope you will stick with the IR.
I am working hard to establish a solid ground on which to run it, avoiding some mistakes I have made.

Edena_of_Neith

 

[Alyx]

All right, it's time for me to open this issue to general debate (newcomers welcome!).

Throughout the aborted thread, but especially now as we prepare for the real thing, a disturbing (IMHO, that's why this is a debate and not a ruling) trend has emerged.

Ask yourselves this; why did the drow not openly and unconditionally throw in their lot with Vecna or Kas, or the humanoids, or a dozen other evil forces on the world of Oerth, in official canon? Why didn't the nations of the good and just come together to crush their enemies during the Greyhawk Wars? Celene stood aside as their good aligned neighbors came under assault by outside forces, refusing to help to its own risk; why was that?

Thus, we all have a mighty task in the days ahead. Place yourselves in the shoes of not one, but many leaders; the men and women who currently lead your factions. Look carefully and thoroughly at the countries you represent. Remember that in medieval times on our own planet, and certainly in Greyhawk canon, almost all neighboring nations have at some point has cause to be at conflict in one way or another. Think on this question; "Why are these nations distinct and separate? Why haven't they come together in a closer alliance previously, or even just merged into one giant country?"

As always, there are the rare exceptions. Yet it is important to distinguish between, say, a mutual defense pact and a complete alliance.

Once the Great War begins, that may all change. In fact, it must. Look at the world wars in our own past, and how those alliances formed (and more importantly, why they did so). But until then, think on this. We are playing nations like we play PCs in D&D, in character, and that must be remembered. Think very carefully before making pre-emptive alliances.

There we go, I've had my say. The floor is open for any and all responses!

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

Alyx, under ANY other circumstances I would love to discuss that very topic.
I am sorta infamous for such posts (such as the post Elves Should Be Good.)

However, I have my hands full with restarting the IR, with establishing who is running what, with explaining how I am going to handle certain concepts, and with establishing the ground rules and making sure everyone knows them, before the IR starts.
Not to mention keeping the whole thing from disintegrating.
Zelda, I hope you stay with us.

We need more people to join us. If only there was a way ...

 

[Alyx]

I understand that; have no fear, I'm not going to ask for any official rulings from the mighty DM! Let's keep this a simple, quiet debate amongst players for Edena's sake, please.

If you want me to open a new, seperate thread for this topic, to reduce clutter here, I will do so Edena; just say the word .

 

[Kalanyr]

Melkor- We of the drow could not care less what you do with the surface, conquer it or burn it, we just wan't the underground regions of the territory we conquer. The humanoids of the Bone Marsh and Medigia need breeding grounds but I'm sure your mighty empire could spare a small area of sufficient size to let them breed. (Besides if you do, some of them will be supplied to you as "assistants" for your experiments.)

Alyx- The drow do not in general unconditionally or openly do anything. Vecna was a target for everything & everyone allying with him would have been stupid (though if the thread was still up you could see I checked first). We had covert alliances or I attempted to make covert alliances with nearly every other evil power upon Oerth & at least 1 good one.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

I wish I could claim to be the mighty DM.
If I was so mighty, Reprisal would not have left (looks down, very sad.)

No, I am just like you.
If 100 new posts are posted between the time I log off, then log back on, I see 100 new posts (and 20 e-mails) just like you.
And I am expected to read them all, and rule what happened based on them all, as of 10 minutes into the reading ... and as I post, they put up 2 new posts for every one I put up.

(chuckles wryly)

If it wasn't fun, I would never try anything so insane.
But it has been fun.
I don't know if it will be fun now, but why not give it a try?
I will.

 

[Maudlin]

I'd be happy to argue that point in Edena's place, except that I agree completely with Alyx

I'm playing the Scarlet Brotherhood, an organization of fascists with an agenda of racial purification, and Acererak, an archlich several millenia old who seeks to attain a new level of existence.

Obviously, where they share a goal, they will cooperate, where they don't, they'll oppose each other. Just adding up the numbers is missing out on a lot of fun, especially in Greyhawk, where each nation usually has some very distinct interests.

Right now, nobody knows about Vecna yet, but the ancient warlord Kas has reemerged with millions of fanatical followers and is forging an evil nation in the east, and nothing less than a full-scale planar invasion is occuring from the Plane of Shadow.

Oh, and there's a bunch of weird outworlders gating in with odd gadgets, but who cares.

(BTW, if we get enough people to join, someone else can pick up the Scarlet Brotherhood if they like, it was just a shame to leave them unrepresented)

 

[Turrosh Mak]

there was also a lot of plotting going on behind the scenes.

 

[Maudlin]

As a possible suggestion to help keep things managable for Edena, maybe we could put all text adressed to him in a specific colour, like bright green or something?