Bugbear
First Post
What specifically do you find dissatisfying about the Apocalypse Pact?Guilt Puppy said:Also, regarding the ABCD spell or whatever ("overpowered thing"), I'm actually going against my initial response, and suggesting we don't ban it.
Why?
Because, out of dissatisfaction with the terms of Nyrond's Apocalypse Pact, the Scarlet Brotherhood would like to invite delegates from the following powers to Kro Kerlep to discuss the terms of an alternative agreement, to be known as the Apocalypse Accord:
- The Bakluni Empire
- The Collective Overminds
- The Cult of Ashardalon
- The Empire of Eclavdor
- The Empire of the Wolf God
- The Kabalim
- The Triumvirate Rebellious
These powers have been selected based on a careful assessment of their magical capacity as well as their vulnerability to an attack of this nature. Other powers interested in participating in the formation of this accord are welcome to request invitation, and should structure their argument with regard to these criteria. Once the terms of the Accord have been reached, of course, all nations great and small will be welcome to sign into it.
The goals of the Accord, as it differs from Nyrond's Pact, are as follows:
- First, to make the restrictions of the agreement more general, to protect the powers involved from not only this specific spell, but other means of mass destruction, as well, be they magical, biological, or otherwise.
- Second, to make the process of retribution and retaliation more specific, and to provide a mechanism for ensuring full participation in any retaliatory strike, that such threat of retribution may be a more convincing and effective deterrent.
- Third, to address the issue of proliferation, and establish a methodology by which it can be limited and controlled.
- Finally, to establish a means of amendment, such that unforeseen threats of a massively destructive nature can be unquestionably included in its terms as they arise; otherwise, there is a significant risk of fragmentation between members of the Accord that will ultimately weaken our collective ability to deter any such threat.
The Brotherhood requests to be notified by the invited powers as soon as possible of their intent or refusal to participate in this delegation. Given the prospective urgency of this issue, we wish to have terms finalized by the end of Turn One.
Also by what means did you determine your selection of powers for your proposal? I notice that many powers have been excluded from the discussion (including my own which could potentially cast Four AFTS spells at this very moment). This policy of exclusion seems very unfair to me as the AFTS effects us all.
As for the goals of your proposed accord, they seem very vague and would unlikely accomplish more than The terms of the Apocalypse Pact already do.
- First, to make the restrictions of the agreement more general, to protect the powers involved from not only this specific spell, but other means of mass destruction, as well, be they magical, biological, or otherwise.
The matter in question at the moment is AFTS, not contagion, or high Magick, or nuclear weapons. Certainly these could be included under the rules of the Pact if the members so choose (by majority). Contagion may or may not be a threatening issue, as I stated in my post about the effects of remove disease no longer being readily available, the diseases it creates may or may not be contagious. I will await Serpenteyes ruling on the matter. High Magick and Nukes and whatever other nasty things we may think of as the game progresses are not an issue, as they do not exist yet.
- Second, to make the process of retribution and retaliation more specific, and to provide a mechanism for ensuring full participation in any retaliatory strike, that such threat of retribution may be a more convincing and effective deterrent.
How could it be anymore specific? If a enity uses AFTS against a pact member it is considered an attack against all pact members. If a person or nation attacks you are you not likely to respond in some way? The nature of the response of course will depend on one's capabilities at the time. Since it is impossible to determine what any one nations abilities will be at any given time, legislating a response would be impossible.
- Third, to address the issue of proliferation, and establish a methodology by which it can be limited and controlled.
In terms of the Game Rules, proliferation is not an issue. Powers cannot share knowledge of technology or high magic. Since AFTS is not high magic, then every player would have access to it at the beginning of the game. I did not address the issue in the pact because it is an agreement between players not factions.
- Finally, to establish a means of amendment, such that unforeseen threats of a massively destructive nature can be unquestionably included in its terms as they arise; otherwise, there is a significant risk of fragmentation between members of the Accord that will ultimately weaken our collective ability to deter any such threat.
This is addressed in my response to your first goal. As to the matter of Fragmentation between Pact members, I think this may be inevitable once powers start to gain High Magick.
In conclusion, Your offer brings nothing to the table. I suspect it is mearly a means for you gain influence and to manipulate the agreement to your own ends. Nice try though
