Or, I don't know, the destruction and immigration of people from Antioch could evolve the storyline in Ithaqua and make it less isolationist. The lore has always been better in Ithaqua. Antioch has usually had the largest number of players, but that's not necessarily reflective of how enjoyable it has been to be a PART of Antioch, nor has it necessarily been good for the game. Antioch's lore has also not been well supported either by its population OR by the game's events (how many times has Antioch been screwed by the divine they supported? Also the Horde nonsense)
Khandava is not the magic circle council any longer. The nature versus civilization conflict was basically murdered dead by the admin, ask the players in Celidon that tried to run with it and got consistently shut down before Celidon drifted completely into obscurity.
I mean, it's relatively pointless to discuss because they are going to off whatever orgs they feel like offing, probably based on relative activity at the time they decide to kill something else of, but hey.
The real issue for population is that once one has a few extra mechanical benefits, everyone drifts that direction. A few magnet players can make a big difference with regard to that. It wouldn't matter as much if we had the population or structure to support 2 orgs per faction, but you can't base the value to the game or enjoyment of the lore/atmosphere by the players of an org based on population alone.
I mean, it's relatively pointless to discuss because they are going to off whatever orgs they feel like offing, probably based on relative activity at the time they decide to kill something else of, but hey.
This came up in ingame ring ooc discussion, or rather I brought it up, and its something that didn't sit well with me. You can have a whole body of work that people find interesting but for whatever reason interest wanes and BAM, gone forever and ever. I don't neccesarialy think its a bad thing to let inactive orgs die, but I think my misgiving about this was put to words well earlier in this thread "it was the second fiddle in an event that should have been about it" Moreover to feel like you have so little control over it makes people reticient to put their time and effort into creating something new for the game of their own.
I wouldn't be averse to both Antioch and Ithaqua being exploded and a new city/council/other formed in their stead. Antioch has no direction since the Gods exploded and firm circle lines got smudged quite a lot - i.e. we are definitely not "anti-magick" anymore, which was Antioch's whole deal back in the day. At least the Horde thing was some sort of RP stuff - e.g. we want power no matter what. I've griped about this heaps, and I can't speak for the other cities, but Antioch has no real personality anymore. From an RP perspective, I don't know what Antioch stands for, what the goals are, what ideals Antioch holds... Currently the goals and ideals seem to be "let's raid and stop other raiders from taking our things", which is really a bit boring for me.
And I guess I could try to make my own goals and etc, but I really don't think that'd fly given the apathy of the general player-base.
Actually, I'll be honest - despite finding it weird and more than a little disappointing, it's also a little exciting. At the very least: it creates purpose.
A perhaps impotent purpose whose success depends less upon quality roleplaying, writing, and IC skill and more upon Imperian's marketing strategy, but purpose none-the-less. At least that's my take on it. Was mostly just trying to wax nostalgic is all.
A little necromancy on my behalf but I have to say that I was very sad to see the demise of Stavenn on my return. There was an awful lot of history and memories attached to that city and it was ever the Nemesis for a large part of my active playing time.
Khandava just doesn't conjure up that imagery for me in the same way, because I'll always still see it as a forestal council.
There was little more powerful than when I first started out than having someone like Jagara or Koh chasing me around Aetherius, knowing that I had absolutely no chance if he caught me. It's funny how that changes through the evolution of the years.
So, story time. I actually started playing Imperian as a priest, I was interested in combat, but never really got big into it. I fought a few times, but never was any good.
Then I made a new character, I was a Runeguard. I had a lot of fun, had some people tell me about combat and help it make sense to me. Even got to fight in groups a lot, but never anything more than that honestly... and then the greatest thing ever happened to me.
I made Arcann and became a Defiler. You can tell me how bad it is all you want, you can tell me how there are better classes. I don't care. I love Defiler. So much so that I refuse to multiclass because I don't care enough about the other classes to play them.
@Caelya became my mentor, she was always there to answer questions, she would go hunting with me from time to time. When she wasn't hunting with me I was running around killing everything I could with her artifacts. In truth, without her I probably wouldn't have obtained Aspect, honestly. She would complain about me not hunting, and always urge me to keep killing stuff so that I can get to really enjoy what combat has to hold.
Then @Sevhn, @Kabaal, and a few others happened. Mind you, Arcann has always been apart of Khandava, yet the people I met in Staveen were willing to help me learn and get better at combat. Always encouraging me, and at times giving me good RP that helped define who my charcter is today.
I didn't play for to long before life got busy and I had to stop. I didn't get to witness its fall or to help protect it... but it will be missed and I wish Arcann would have been there.
I could sit here and write up a massive epic on how Stavenn was an integral part of my life. I could write about how the very foundations of my Imperian experience started in a rough, callous, and chaotic city which was full of life, bristling with endless roleplay and as much combat as your could seek your teeth into. I wont do that. Instead, I'm going to tell you something very important for everyone who is grieving the passing of our great Empire. Stavenn is not gone. I know, I know, you're saying "Drozo, you're on drugs, Its gone, let it go." But no, its not. While the rooms have changed and the city shrunk, all of our beloved guilds and areas have all been nulled, I fight to say that Stavenn lives on. It lives in the hearts and minds of those who once sought shelter within her grand and glorious walls. Every Stavennite took an oath before they could call this land their home. Every Stavennite deserved their honor, for they were slaves to the service of their Empire until they earned their place. Through multiple characters, Stavenn was always my home, and while I feel her deletion was a poor choice, I don't claim to have the knowledge to make executive decisions for the path of Imperian. I just hope that @Jeremy Saunders might entertain the notion of rebuilding Stavenn, should the playerbase ever rise again. I remember the high-pop era where we had players in the 100's. I returned to Imperian once again not only for my personal enjoyment; but also to try and revitalize Imperian and get the message out there that we're still here, and still hungry. I'm voting every day to help make this possible. Stavenn, you will always be with me.
Comments
Khandava is not the magic circle council any longer. The nature versus civilization conflict was basically murdered dead by the admin, ask the players in Celidon that tried to run with it and got consistently shut down before Celidon drifted completely into obscurity.
I mean, it's relatively pointless to discuss because they are going to off whatever orgs they feel like offing, probably based on relative activity at the time they decide to kill something else of, but hey.
And I guess I could try to make my own goals and etc, but I really don't think that'd fly given the apathy of the general player-base.
A perhaps impotent purpose whose success depends less upon quality roleplaying, writing, and IC skill and more upon Imperian's marketing strategy, but purpose none-the-less. At least that's my take on it. Was mostly just trying to wax nostalgic is all.
You were really mean.
/digress
(Also, Khandava was a mistake.)
Khandava just doesn't conjure up that imagery for me in the same way, because I'll always still see it as a forestal council.
There was little more powerful than when I first started out than having someone like Jagara or Koh chasing me around Aetherius, knowing that I had absolutely no chance if he caught me. It's funny how that changes through the evolution of the years.
Then I made a new character, I was a Runeguard. I had a lot of fun, had some people tell me about combat and help it make sense to me. Even got to fight in groups a lot, but never anything more than that honestly... and then the greatest thing ever happened to me.
I made Arcann and became a Defiler. You can tell me how bad it is all you want, you can tell me how there are better classes. I don't care. I love Defiler. So much so that I refuse to multiclass because I don't care enough about the other classes to play them.
@Caelya became my mentor, she was always there to answer questions, she would go hunting with me from time to time. When she wasn't hunting with me I was running around killing everything I could with her artifacts. In truth, without her I probably wouldn't have obtained Aspect, honestly. She would complain about me not hunting, and always urge me to keep killing stuff so that I can get to really enjoy what combat has to hold.
Then @Sevhn, @Kabaal, and a few others happened. Mind you, Arcann has always been apart of Khandava, yet the people I met in Staveen were willing to help me learn and get better at combat. Always encouraging me, and at times giving me good RP that helped define who my charcter is today.
I didn't play for to long before life got busy and I had to stop. I didn't get to witness its fall or to help protect it... but it will be missed and I wish Arcann would have been there.
R.I.P. Staveen.
-Malignist Cabal Headmaster, Drozogoth