Change the requirements for Conclave

[Egon the Monkey]

So, I've been trying to get into the Conclave for a couple of weeks, but keep coming up against the following roadblock. There's no Caliphars my PC would trust and be accepted by enough to join with, and he'd only just got confident one (Oisin) might be suitable, when he then got wiped out. I'm definitely not saying that the 'bonding' concept of the Conclave is a bad thing. I really think it used to differentiate the Conclave from other factions and keep a balance between mages and non-mages in it. However, since Caliphars are no longer required to have a Consort, it's become a lot harder to get in without being a Wizard or Sorc. This has made the faction IMO a bit fragmented, with the Badass Dual Concepts getting to high levels and then a few Caliphars at the bottom with no low-rank Consorts around.

A mage PC can get in without a Consort, and has no pressure to recruit one, so they can take their time. A non-mage on the other hand, cannot get into the Conclave without a Caliphar, and so needs to take the first one available, unless they're unsuitable due to massively opposing alignments, time zones, goals etc. This tends to lead to a lot of pre-made dual concepts to make sure you have suitable PCs for each other, but in my case this failed because the mage's app was declined. It's a big obstacle compared to joining the Stygians or Order.

I suggest a small but significant change to the Conclave recruiting policy.

Any class can app for Consort or Caliphar and be accepted without a counterpart. However, no Conclave PC can ever advance in rank if they are not currently bonded to another conclave member. Unbound members' rank is suspended if they do not find a new counterpart within the month.

This would mean that it's possible to get your foot in the door without having another PC as your Conclave BFF, but not to advance beyond the basic Caliphar or Consort grades. The bonding ritual would be a commitment to promotion, rather than the price of entry.

 It would also mean that if your counterpart died, you'd need to find another or be unable to advance in status. For example, after Drayden died, Devlin would have had to find another Consort or be demoted to Acting Caliphar until she did. This would mean there's be a pressure to find a new Consort or Caliphar if your PC was ambitious, but if you were patient you could still afford to be picky.

[Random_White_Guy]

To be quite honest that's how it is now anyway. Most Calpihar cannot get above first degree without a Consort.

The problem is the Conclave isn't exactly friendly or keen on the idea of Calipharless Consorts. Or at least from my experiences with them. After all, mage guild and such.

That said I honestly think it'd be a very cool addition to open it up more if it fits the concept. It would bring in more unique members as they are non-magi, and allow for a lot more PC diversity and depth. Wizards are -hounded- usually to join.

Non-wizards are more or less trash. That's cool, but the trash that wants to get in should be able to without a Caliphar.

Clerics of Azuth or Mystra? That's just the blatantly obvious ways in which a Calipharless Consort could contribute massively to the DM faction both ICly and OOCly. Rogue politician looking to restore PR in return for magical perks? Sure, that could fit. Then if a schemy Mage or a more Blunt Force mage comes along they can team up and all is well.

There's a lot of depth that can be added by Non Wiz/Soc, and there can still be pressures to get "A Caliphar" like how Caliphars have to be on a constant hunt for a Consort.

[tddbrprncss]

Yeah, I was trying to become a consort but had the problem of never having playing time anyway.  Now, I'm kind of glad I didn't since my computer went down.  I'm working on it today, but my character only heard of the conclave as the barest mention.  She was "curious", but the only actual caliphar she knew was extremely popular and is now dead. XD

[Egon the Monkey]

My character, for those of you who haven't met him, is a very academically minded PC whose original concept was to be one half of a thug sorcerer/intellectual warrior Conclave pairing, and the brains behind the operation (yes, the sorc Eq made had less INT than my guy). I was seriously considering taking a single level of Sorcerer just to meet Caliphar requirements, as he doesn't want to join for "Personal Buffbot Power" but to gain access to the faction's big-ass library and research reputation.

Compare this to the Archaeological Society, a faction devoted to unlocking mysteries of the city and which accepted anyone. The Conclave these days seems to be mostly about laying down the law on treaties, rather than actual magical/historical research plots. As I recall, it was supposed to have evolved from a gathering of mages and scholars wanting to research the ruins of Nebezzdos and unlock the power of ancient Netherese lore.

[xXCrystal_Rose]

Hehe I've always had a similar problem from the other side of the spectrum. My wizard was definatley hounded to join, though has to have a consort first before being allowed to, but just can't seem to find anyone that she can trust well enough for it. It does go both ways, not just a problem for consorts to find a partner!

[Kinslayer988]

I agree with egon about the fact that conclavists have not focused on learning more on nebuzzos and isles.

[AKMatt]

Just because they aren't sharing the knowledge doesn't mean they aren't acquiring it.

[Thegoldflows]

You can't really expect them to be lore seeking librarian types when the faction was driven into their silly position of creating or enforcing treaties while at the same time being required to be law abiding. They are also rather bound to the Dominion at this point, due to the previously mentioned treaties and whatnot, which draws them into open conflict with some of the more aggressive forces many times.

As for the original post I'll only say that I was far more interested in the faction when they made Caliphars renegades when a consort was lost and not replaced. I think the addition of a lesser rank where abandoned consorts, caliphars, and solo recruits would sit until they paired up and made advances would be a fine idea.

[MrGrendel]

If only there were some way to abide by the law and seek lore at the same time. :???:

[Thegoldflows]

While not being drawn into the automatic conflict, if only there was a way.

[Egon the Monkey]

Just because they aren't sharing the knowledge doesn't mean they aren't acquiring it.

True, but there seems to be a lot less involvement from the faction these days in actually recruiting and involving players on that basis, and more on playing lawyer. My point is that even though I'm running a PC perfectly suited to the "unlock mysteries of the Island" goals, I need a suitable mage to come along before I can get going on the faction.

@CrystalRose:
Caliphars don't need a Consort in order to join any more. Oisin Felwind and Charlie Larkamn both joined without one. This suggestion is about giving that same option to Consorts who would lead plots on the "research and expeditions" side like a Caliphar would. This seems a perfectly IC response to trouble in recruiting non-mages to the faction.

@thegoldflows
Yeah, the idea would be that PCs can have the benefits of the faction and a chance to involve with other members and start working on goals, without being OOCly blocked from entry by a lack of suitable partners in their own time zone. You can't defend a PC who's never on when you are, and nor does it make IC sense to bond with a char your PC doesn't trust. Predictably, a lot of Consorts have been power>principles types, or OOCly organised.