Association feedback

[tropic]

we're just there to protect, not hunt down and arrest

Do it anyway and see what happens... :D

[Talir]

It's been months with new developments, our major factions are in, all have tested the water and found it either likeable or not. With more experience, is there something to add regarding:

[INDENT]What do you like and what do you think should be done better?

 Is there something missing you feel would help you realize your agenda within the association?

 Is there something you dislike about it all?

 Other thoughts?[/INDENT]

[HaveLuteWillTravel]

The main thing with associations, and specifically the clans, is I feel it would be helpful if more of their history was known. I feel that they need more background into what has passed over the years so that people better understand the feud, as well as each clan's part in the formation and building of Mistlocke.

[TakenByVisions]

The two houses appear rather stagnant to me, at least in terms of conflict between them. I'd say that they need the things Capricious suggested but could also do with some greater agenda and goals that cause competition with their rivals or enemies.

The largest impact I have noticed from associations is a negative one that comes in the form of recruitment. They seem to swallow up players that could perhaps belong to player factions instead, yet offer instant incentives that player factions typically cannot.

I really feel that they need to be expanded upon lore wise, offer a better hierarchy above the base that has positions players apply for, and compete with one another a lot more in general.

[Blue41]

Another note on recruitment, in my limited experience with associations. I would guess they hold a great deal of appeal with players because it is possible to become a part of something primarily player-driven, make an impact on the server, etc. etc...without (emphasis here) needing to write an app. For a faction that is out there, pushing its agenda and goals, it's a convenience to be able to find a PC and get rolling with the crew right away. But if all of the players in an association are in different timezones, busy with RL issues or what have you...it becomes pretty difficult to learn about the group, much less get inducted. You can always bug DMs to get keys/wanded, yes, but that seems to be missing the point of associations.
 
Not exactly helpful, I know, because there's no real solution for something like that.
 
I'd also love if a little more information could be made available on the Wyrm Watchers, as I know very little about what they're about besides king, crown,???, profit. Perhaps the lore and other core goals of the group are easier to learn once you're on the inside, or maybe they're for the players themselves to push. I really couldn't guess.

[Kinslayer988]

One of the negatives I saw was the fact that the Mayor's Muster feels absolutely powerless at times. It is meant to be they are suppose to be village militia, protect people, etc, but they dont have arrest wands, authority, or any respect by the populace. It was said before even in the information that the Mayor's Muster has little sway. Mayor's Muster should have the most sway of all the factions.
And to be added everyone in Mistlocke is usually a village militia (as everyone goes out and fights scripted raids, solve troubles, and do it all without even batting an eye at the Muster.

[Testy McTryoutshirt]

One of the negatives I saw was the fact that the Mayor's Muster feels  absolutely powerless at times. It is meant to be they are suppose to be  village militia, protect people, etc, but they dont have arrest wands,  authority, or any respect by the populace. It was said before even in  the information that the Mayor's Muster has little sway. Mayor's Muster  should have the most sway of all the factions.
And to be added everyone in Mistlocke is usually a village militia (as  everyone goes out and fights scripted raids, solve troubles, and do it  all without even batting an eye at the Muster.

I do not agree with you.

* Being part of the Muster grants you power and authority. Requests of aid and assistance are almost always answered by Lawful or Good PCs (sometimes by others, too!). True, I would like more ways to efficiently enforce your authority, but the important part here is to remember that the Muster is a village militia. They are a local entity, trusted and respected by those who live in the village over larger periods of time, and this should be reflected in the attitude of people (NPCs and PCs) around them. They are a persistant force, they know all the names of the kids in the village and what Joe Blogs on the street corner likes to drink at the inn. That familiarity in itself can command a certain respect, and usually, it means that there doesn't need to be any laws. Disobey the Muster, and you might not get a fine, but everybody else sure as hell aren't going to like you better for it.

* Being part of the Muster means that the population counts on the fact that you, and nobody else, shows up to defend the village (at a minimum this includes the NPCs guarding the town). Nobody else has that kind of presence, with the possible exception of the two Houses, in Mistlocke. Sure, adventurers do have a tendency to show up, but are not a homogenous group. No adventurer faction is, like the Muster through It's PC and NPC population, present for every single invasion attempt and attack.

* The Muster is also the only trained military force in Mistlocke. While there are other paramilitary associations (the Houses), factions outside Mistlocke (the Order) of this orientation, the Muster are the only group in Mistlocke to fall entirely under the headline. "Herding cats" is an expression often used in trying to get PCs from other factions to do as they are told and act in an efficient, military manner. It would, however, be very nice to see some genuine changes in attitude from NPCs and PCs to reflect this - and for the Muster to be more efficiently able to execute their military role. That said, I feel much of the latter part of this is something to be pursued IG. Another thing to bear in mind is that, although with all the above, it still is little more than a village militia.

I think the Muster has come a long way, but at the end of the day it is little more than the PCs in it. Since it is an Association, it is very fleeting and open, and since it's small it is also very dependant on those very same individuals. Personally, I think the feel of the Faction is excellent. But it wouldn't hurt that the prime characteristics that I feel best describe the Muster - reliability, loyalty, discipline, but also a certain beaurocracy, slow-movingness, and lack of subtletly - be recognized to a larger extent in Mistlocke.

I am sure someone will disagree with me, and given that most of the above are only impressions I have given little thought there are bound to be errors contained within. But I think it gives a generally good picture of the Muster, at present - a good Association, with excellent DM support, but without the teeth of a more organized and formal Faction (which it is not).

[Paha]

I recall this one line that "Mayor's Muster is MAYOR'S Muster" I was always under the impression that it's not like stygians, it's not law enforcement in it's default sense. They are ragged group of men and women working to uphold current Mayor's word and enforce it.

Though I take it as I see it to be. I don't assume them to be the police.

[Sternhund]

Granted I only skimmed the topics regarding the Muster...

I think a large segment of the Mayor's Muster's personality and feel comes from the players. If a future mayor invests in the Muster, maybe they'll receive better equipment. If a character in the Muster instills fear or respect in the population, maybe people would treat them differently. They're a rag-tag group, and definitely not the most "professional" or well-equipped in terms of guarding, but they also open themselves to being flavored by particularly excellent players on all fronts. Lately it seems to me that flavor is unpopularity with many villagers for being perceived as weak, and I think it's a fair judgment to say that's a result of player actions.

I like the criticism about the Houses needing more flavor. Perhaps if I have time later I'll try to run some small events to elaborate some on their history, which is actually quite rich!