Good Aligned DM Faction

[gab1]

This isn't meant to be a complaint really, just a question and a suggestion.

I've played and met through some of the DM factions, Stygians, Sons, Order, Conclave, but there really isn't any powerful, (or at least meagerly NPC supported) good aligned faction.

I know this is probably how you guys designed the setting, and i just think that maybe a little NPC supported Goodness could spice things up.

It seems to be almost 100% favored on the side of evil (though i know you enjoy boundaries being drawn more on ideas and less on alignment, as far as i have read).

There are various NPC faction groups who are just all to happy to murder any good aligned person who gets in their way with no remorse.

Is there a single NPC Paladin, or band of Paladins, or even lowly peoples avenger type group in the docks, who could stand up against the atrocities, at least once in a while.

I know i love the PC driven conflict and etc, but i've noticed goodly folks being wildly taken advantage of IC. I think it would be realistic that some goodly folks from the Isle, whoever they are, would be cognisant of what is going on. (or perhaps i've never encountered them, or a similar group IC) I also agree that the evil balance of the server makes it challenging, and interesting, and would like to see it stay that way, but it just feels a bit too balanced on the side of evil doers, etc...

Anyway, just my suggestion, all the best.

[Listen in Silence]

The Order is based around an Ymphan version of the Triad and Helm, four of the more prominent Good aligned deities.

In action though, they are rather 'Grey knight' Good, fighting evil and the like with methods a Paladin, for instance, would not use.

In the same way, both the Sons of Sabuth and the Conclave would work well with Good aligned PC's-- The problem isn't the factions, it's that people are always playing Evil characters.

[Egon the Monkey]

It's something I've noticed on the server since the end of the Seekers, and then the end of the First Bolt and the Pallid Mask. The Order is ostensibly LG (this is on the word of Dan himself) but it's pretty heavily slanted to law and their end justifying any means they take. Not to mention being religious zealots only open to PCs of their own faith.

We did have the Black Harpers, but Howland ran out of time for it. Really I miss the Fleet of the First Bolt, which got shut down the week or so after it got a whole six new members at once. Mostly CG-aligned anti-pirate raiders. Really, we're missing a Good-aligned settlement of some kind, where such a faction could prosper, although Fellhammer Hold comes close. The loss of the Colony from Sharboneth to the Armada also ruled out the "law" faction for Good.

I know we'll get a lot of "Make a PC faction and get attention" comments, but I've found them rather hard to run as people tend to miss concentrating on the benefits of Good (We won't stab you in the back, principally) as a way to recruit non-good PCs into the faction for selfish ends like profit, then work on making them better people.  Just saying "yo let's be righteous" is the flip side of "let's make Cyricists and kill stuff", a bit flat and limiting. On the other hand, "Let's try and gain personal power in order to start turning Duchy Law away from being a shield for evil/use Conclave influence to declare infernalists renegade" has conspiracy, involvement, lots of reasons to get in. Also, Good factions have tended a lot towards ignoring institutional Evil and then getting jaded or psycho-smitey, rather than politically undermining them.

My suggestion would be make overtures to Lord Durjure, he's the "good" lord. My suggestion to the DMs would be to add something to the setting where you can be sure that clearly supporting Good can get you rewarded with power/RP in the same way that backing up the Dominion can get you Lordship etc. An inroad for players to say "hey, I should totally make a PC to try and become am Ilmateri Agent" or whatever. There's a lot of threats to Good PCs, but few roads to power.

Finally, Good doesn't have to be nice or honourable. Good PCs can be spies, they can lie, they can cheat, they can shoot first. If I'd been in the Bastion of Light I'd have spent half my time looking to catch Evil PCs doing something illegal, or even frame them for it since the law's so corrupt anyway. Be devious, and find ways to recruit people that don't involve being selfless champions. Look at how Evil factions suck in members.

[gab1]

Aye, it's very interesting to me as well.

In my personal opinion/philosophy though, and i don't want to get to spoilerish, that anyone involved with murdering Paladins (for whatever reason, lawful or otherwise) or other paragons of goodness should be instantly alignment turned to evil.

I know there's alot of aspects, that i've only partially learned IC, about this specific instance, but just my two cents. (for all i know, this could have already happened)

[Disco]

Join the society of the ordered mind.

[Iron Oligarch]

The factions we have aren't Evil, per se. They're morally neutral, and can (and do) appeal to a wide spectrum of PCs. This is intentional, and I personally like to believe that a faction that allows for a large number of concepts is much better than a generic "crusader" faction that pidgonholes its membership.

If you're interested in making a crusader faction, you might consider making a player faction, gathering members, and getting some stuff done. We're always on the lookout for these concepts, especially actively Good PCs, because it's true that the EfU:A setting is hard on them.

[Listen in Silence]

There was no issue of Paladins being 'murdered'.

I won't divulge the explanation to the events here, but suffice to say the Order is both Good and Lawul.

Additionally, Paladins have agendas too. Agendas conflict, decisions, perspectives and ideas conflict. Actions by someone, even though this person is acting believing his cause righteous, can on this island mean horrible things for others. Good characters can in many situations justify attacking or fighting Paladins.

Being Lawful Good with the twist of having detect evil does not make one infallible.

[Porkolt]

The Order is based around an Ymphan version of the Triad and Helm, four of the more prominent Good aligned deities.
 
In action though, they are rather 'Grey knight' Good, fighting evil and the like with methods a Paladin, for instance, would not use.
 
In the same way, both the Sons of Sabuth and the Conclave would work well with Good aligned PC's-- The problem isn't the factions, it's that people are always playing Evil characters.

Helm is LN.
 
This further proves your point, but just saying. The fact that Helm is LN is what makes him so interesting.

[Nightshadow]

The Order is a TN faction, leaning toward LN. The Sons are CN, very rarely does a CG one pop up, and more often they're evil. For good characters, the best you can hope for is to be one of the few good guys among an army of neutral and evil characters. As for murdering paladins... Yeah, that's generally an evil act, but there was a lot more to said paladin's death. (though overall, in my opinion, it was an evil act, an evil act in the cause of a greater good)

The Pallid Mask used to be the haven for good guys, but they're gone. Fleet of the First Bolt used to be a great CG faction, too. Unfortunately, they're gone now. Some good aligned faction would be great, in my opinion, but for now we'll have to work with PC factions that are good aligned. Maybe one day one of the PC factions will be good enough to be a DM faction, I recommend working toward that if you really want to see this.

[Porkolt]

(though overall, in my opinion, it was an evil act, an evil act in the cause of a greater good)

Hence, grey.

[gab1]

There was no issue of Paladins being 'murdered'.

I won't divulge the explanation to the events here, but suffice to say the Order is both Good and Lawul.

Additionally, Paladins have agendas too. Agendas conflict, decisions, perspectives and ideas conflict. Actions by someone, even though this person is acting believing his cause righteous, can on this island mean horrible things for others. Good characters can in many situations justify attacking or fighting Paladins.

Being Lawful Good with the twist of having detect evil does not make one infallible.

Whether he was 'murdered' or 'legally killed' is a subject up for debate IC i believe. Aye, they have agendas, but they're also some of the few people who have, never robbed someone, never murdered anyone, having the pure heart of a child, if i may rephrase what has been talked about IC.

Regardless, it's like killing a child. (in my opinion, which i think is based on rules)

[Yalta]

Why not app to be a Retainer of Lord Dujure?

[Mort]

In my personal opinion/philosophy though, and i don't want to get to spoilerish, that anyone involved with murdering Paladins (for whatever reason, lawful or otherwise) or other paragons of goodness should be instantly alignment turned to evil.

You're wrong there, Paladins =/= Celestials. They are men and they are faillible. If they are faillible, then they can make mistake like everyone and if such a mistake leads to their death, it doesn't mean other people who punish one for that mistake are 'evil'. They're simply 'lawful' as in following a code very closely.

There are various NPC faction groups who are just all to happy to murder any good aligned person who gets in their way with no remorse.

This whole topic smells of OOC grievances over IC events. Since you didn't assist to their death or the events that led up to them, you may not be the best judge of our faction's alignments based only on rumors. Our factions contain many NPCs each with their own profile and agenda.

[Porkolt]

Whether he was 'murdered' or 'legally killed' is a subject up for debate IC i believe. Aye, they have agendas, but they're also some of the few people who have, never robbed someone, never murdered anyone, having the pure heart of a child, if i may rephrase what has been talked about IC.
 
Regardless, it's like killing a child. (in my opinion, which i think is based on rules)

From what I can read here you have no idea what was going on between the Order and these PCs.

[gab1]

Why not app to be a Retainer of Lord Dujure?

Heh, maybe one day, thanks for the suggestions. I've never actually encountered or heard of this character/NPC IC or OOC but hey, maybe one day. It is indeed very interesting to hear.