Xarkly

LET'S TALK ABOUT REALMS

This one’s been cooking over the last few days.

The topic of ‘Realms’ (which are now synonymous with Nations) and ‘Realm Bloat’ have recently been in contention ever since players started noticing the exorbitant rate of growing Realms on Aevos, largely thanks to the Admin’s approval of nearly all new Realm Applications. It’s been discussed a lot in Moderation Discord, and Tree made a post on it recently that you should check out here, but the issue boils down to the fact that LotC currently hosts a grand total of 21 unique Realms, with more Applications pending and on the way.

This is going to be my own take on the issue, which will try to explain (1) what the current process is, (2) which it’s bad, (3) why players don’t have the current tools to realistically deal with the problem, and (4) what a better solution might be.

I: CURRENT REALM APPLICATIONS

To understand this issue, it’s important to look at the current process of creating new Realms.

If you want to make a new Realm, there’s four components to the process:

1. Submit a Realm Application: You can find the template for these here, but you’ve probably seen them often enough by now. Basically, you answer some straightforward questions about your Realm, its lore, its structure, etc. As we’ll see in a minute, these questions (and ergo the majority of the application) are entirely useless. 
    
2. Collect 15 Signatures: For those of you who played on Axios, you might remember the signature process for applying for old land charters -- this is basically the same thing. 15 people have to comment on your Realm Application as an indicator that “yep, I am going to roleplay in this place”. For the same reason this system was abolished on Axios, this is very one-dimensional and very silly. It’s not at all a difficult thing to get 15 people to comment on anything, and, even if these signatures are given with the best intent of roleplaying there (which all of them won’t be), intention doesn’t always translate into action. Starting activity from scratch is an enormous undertaking and usually requires leaders to be unreasonably active to drive RP until their settlement kicks off, which rarely happens. We’ve known signatures are not an accurate indicator of activity for over seven years since the system failed in Axios.
    
3. Pay 5,000 Mina: This is simple enough, it’s just a deterrent from spamming Realm Applications (which is undermined by the issues discussed in this post), but, when paired with the costs of buildings etc., this is a reasonable aspect of the application. 5,000 isn’t a small number by any means, but it’s not colossal, either.
    
4. Soft-Approval: This is one of the bigger problems of the application process, since there is actually no review of the contents of the application. The Admins say as much in the rules: “although all fields [of the application] are required, the application is mostly just for tracking purposes and collecting signatures”. This firstly begs the question of why bother getting people to fill out the application at all if it doesn’t matter, and it’s especially nonsense that the application mandates a 1,000-word minimum submission for your Realm’s lore. In the same vein, there’s evidently no qualitative review of the merits of the application and why, as asked in the application, this applicant can’t fit inside of the many pre-existing Realms.

So, long story short, the current Realm Application process will let you make a new nation from scratch by: (1) submitting an application form, the contents of which are not reviewed nor relevant; (2) getting 15 people to comment on your application; and, (3) paying 5,000 mina. Staff do not conduct any kind of review on the content of the application or its impact on the server, which is what gets the problem going.

Tldr; Realms are very easy to create.

II: WHY THIS IS A PROBLEM

Okay, so, Realms can be made with minimal barriers - why is that actually a problem?

Like I mentioned earlier, one of the main criticisms this system is getting is enabling Nation/Realm ‘Bloat’ to a far worse degree than in previous maps. Before we talk in detail about what bloat actually is, it’s worth mentioning the two competing ideals when it comes to deciding how Realms should be created.

Micro v. Macro: LotC is a server that tries to market itself as a very sandbox experience where you can forge your own story in a world populated by hundreds of other players -- the server’s advertising mantra of “become a king, an emperor, a wizard, or a warrior. Your path is your own; what will you choose?” is on our website’s homepage. While this has been memed on from time to time, it is true that one of LotC’s strengths is player agency. It is a major appeal for the server to say “you can make your own nation and become a king!”, and this is some of the agency that the Realm Applications are (admirably) trying to realize.

But, when you’re playing on a server with lots of other people, your agency is naturally limited by the agency of the other players. In a nutshell, it’s a balancing act between letting players pursue their ideal fantasy experience (such as wanting to become a warlord or king), and making sure this pursuit doesn’t harm the experience of other players.

So, does being easily able to create a Realm harm the experience of other players?

My answer is yes, and this is where we get to unpacking the issue of Realm Bloat.

Realm Bloat: So, what exactly does this mean? The term is pretty self-explanatory in that it describes a state of affairs where there’s a lot of Nations/Realms existing at once (like there is right now). But why is this a bad thing? If it lets players pursue their idea of fun and make their own kingdom, what’s the big deal?

Like I mentioned earlier, LotC currently has 21 Realms (as of the annexation of Stassion yesterday), which is far higher than it has been in years past (previous maps would usually regard an excess of 10 as too many). Let’s say LotC has a population of 200 on a given night; while some nations will always be hubs with a large activity percentage, the Bloat issue largely comes from the balkanization of the smaller Realms. This could mean that 100~ players are split up and scattered across their various Realms, trying to keep them active and relevant.

So, put simply, Realm Bloat represents the dilution of activity.

There’s not necessarily less people playing, but it can sometimes feel like that if there’s enclaves of 5~ players spread out across the map. I’ll put it like this, and you can tell which sounds better for the overall health of the server:

1. 50+ players regularly active inside a single Realms; or,
2. 5 players spread out across 10 Realms.

When you have a highly-populated Realm, this facilitates stuff like guilds, armies, government, knights, magic, religion, courts, vassals, conflict, and dozens of other niches. These are good, because they, in turn, drive activity within that nation without any particular people having to ‘grind’ activity. Put simply, roleplay breeds more roleplay.

In a community limited by tiny numbers, the same isn’t true. Instead, it typically devolves into a few individuals breaking their backs to grind activity, or, as we often see, the Realm falling inactive. It would be a different story if there was potential for these Realms to grow, but in a climate where we have 21 of these Realms and several applications pending & on-the-way, it’s hard to argue that there is room for meaningful growth.

Even then, you could set aside all this is not for another problem …

Isolation: So much of the server’s history and memorable periods have come from roleplay between nations, whether that’s from fighting wars, building empires, etc. The main boon from Realm-to-Realm interaction is a sense of dynamism and the immersion of a wider world, with a wider story. Conflict is the mother of all stories, but in a server where most communities are conflict-averse, this leads to stagnation.

In other words, one of the main issues current Realm Bloat has is that the majority of Realms are isolated and inwards-focus. In other words, there’s a commitment to avoiding other Realms. To be fair, this is a natural instinct while building up a new community, but the consequence is still that a new Realm with this policy (i.e., nearly all of them) don’t drive any Realm-to-Realm roleplay.

I don’t bring this point up with a view to identifying a solution per se (since, like I said, preservation is a natural instinct when starting up), but to further highlight that the benefits of Realm Bloat definitely do not outweigh the issues.

III: INSUFFICIENT TOOLS

A problem might not always be a problem if methods exist to deal with it.

In the case of Realm Bloat, Staff have taken the position that the issue is one for players to solve themselves. There are tools to deal with this problem -- chief among them are diplomacy (i.e., convincing a fledgling Realm to vassalize under a stronger, pre-existing Realm), and warclaiming (i.e., conquering a weaker Realm).

But, while these tools do exist on paper, in reality they’re not really feasible solutions to Realm Bloat.

Part of the problem is the culture that easy Realm creation has made. For lack of a better word, this does feel something like a sense of entitlement to unburdened land. What I mean by this is that it’s not exactly an easy sell for a strong Realm to convince a weaker one to join them, because … well, why would they? As an independent Realm with few barriers to creation, you don’t don’t have to answer to anyone either IRP or OOC. Your culture and niche is unfettered by that wider Realm, and you yourself can do whatever you like. Even if your sandcastle is tiny, you’re still the King of it -- for many of our players (especially younger ones), this is a decisive factor.

The most obvious reason why a small Realm would merge with a bigger one is for protection, but, again, the reality is that this is an uncompelling factor. While raids can and do happen outside of war, they don’t happen to the extent where a small Realm feels the need for protection (in fact, even big Realms struggle to fight raids by PvP-centric groups). The end result is that there’s no real reason for a small Realm leader to give up their independence for a diplomatic union.

This leaves us with a big Realm warclaiming a small one to take it over. Again, this sounds fine in theory, but it doesn’t compute with the way the server and its culture operate. This simply boils down to a balance of costs -- is it worth a Realm spending the mina to warclaim and annex a smaller one? If we consider that some new Realms do appear to be placing themselves in out-of-the-way tiles, this can make warclaims fairly pricey. For pure example’s sake, if we look at Ravenswood’s Realm Application, it looks as if it would cost close to a minimum for a minimum of 50-mina per player for the nearest Elven tile (I’m not sure if Talarnorr is still a thing, but we’ll use that as an example) to reach Ravenswood for a warclaim, so 500 mina for every 10 players.

That cost alone isn’t wild, but this is before accounting for the subsequent Enclave upkeep and the general complications of having new land that can be an enormous distance away from your actual Realm. Paired with the general headaches of organising war, frequent accusations of harassment when targeting a small community, and gear costs, it’s easy to see why most Realm leaders would decide that it’s not worth trying to absorb a small Realm (absent any other factors).

Even if they did, the ease with which new Realms can be created again is further undermining -- there is a 2-month cooldown on a group from re-making their Realm if it’s conquered, from the point of view of tackling Realm Bloat as a whole, warclaiming is definitely not worthwhile.

IV: TOWARDS A SOLUTION

How, then, should this issue be tackled?

It’s a difficult problem to solve when we’re in this deep and have 21 Realms and more on the way. You can’t realistically roll-back these newer Realms or create conditions where they’ll be forced to vassalize, so any solution will take time to have an effect, anyway.

That said, I think that solution already lies in Realm Applications. While Admins for some reason have taken the stance that the content of these Applications don’t matter (again, all that matters is your 15 buddies and your 5,000 mina), the answers applicants put in these forms is the handle Staff need to judge the actual merits of a Realm Application.

The Niche Standard: There’s one particular question on the Realm Application that should serve as the handle on this issue, and it’s this one: “How does your settlement offer a unique niche not already found in an existing polity on the server?”.

When we say “niche”, we normally mean a particular flavour of roleplay that every Realm tends to have as a general guide for their culture and style - this can range from high-fantasy Gondorian-esque (like Numendil), to low-fantasy Slavic mediaeval (like Haense), and everything else in between. These niches shape a nation from its architecture to the different kinds of roleplay you can experience within them, and the diversity of Realms with different niches is a big selling point for LotC -- there’s something for everybody.

Multiple Realms inhabiting the same niche, though, is a problem.

A Gondor nation is great for attracting like-minded classical fantasy enjoyers to build something together, but if there’s two Realms with that same niche, then surely that only serves to dilute the niche - instead of a large body working together to build that niche, it’s pointlessly divided. When a niche is already occupied, Admins should definitely be denying a Realm Application that wants to fill the same niche and encourage them to go under the existing Realm.

But why be a Baron when you can be a King?: Obviously, the issue the above solution would run into is Realm Applicants arguing something along the line of “well, I could do a better job at this niche …”, “I don’t like the Nation Leader of the Realm filling this niche” … etc. While these concerns will sometimes be valid, this ties back into what I mentioned already about a certain entitlement to Realms - since they’re handed out so freely - and there’s no compelling reason to ever go under another Realm. Why would you give up your independence to answer to someone else?

This will be a natural and perpetual complaint, and, in dealing with it, we have to remember the balance between the Realm Applicant and the rest of the server. Limiting player agency in this regard is definitely a good thing, and I’ll list a couple of reasons as to why:

1. Making Groups Work Together is Dynamic: A large reason why a lot of Realms feel so internally stale these days is because of a lack of dynamism and conflict. Stable Realms these days so often struggle with stagnation because of this, paired with an apparent void of ambition within its non-leading players, because, again, anyone with ambition can just go create their own Realm with ease. However, in a situation like I mentioned above where a group that would have made their own Gondor realm instead works under an existing Realm, it not only boosts numbers but can create dynamism and competition as the former group might try to work their way to the top of that Realm themselves, so that they can be the big dogs. A system like this is ideal because it allows new ideas to surface, and the best ones to come out on top to keep niches fresh, rather than everyone doing their own thing without any contest and stagnating.
    
2. Nation Status should be Inherited, not Created: This is a big one in preventing Realm Bloat. In an ideal world, I don’t think there should be Realm Applications at all (though I will list some exceptions a bit later); instead, if you want to be a Realm, then you and your group should have to achieve that status in roleplay.
   
   How?
   
   Again, this boils down to a product of dynamic interaction. Realms are difficult to run, and so it doesn’t make sense that they’re not difficult to achieve. Having a group work their way up within an existing Realm not only vindicates that group’s activity, but also their ability to run and maintain a Realm to begin with. Whether that’s being affirmed as heir through peaceful means, or usurping a throne in a coup, these are far more organic means of Realm creation and self-regulating means of keeping your nation fresh and active.
   
   It is a valid point to make that this may not always lead to OOC good faith, but I think we as a server do need to move more in a direction of dynamism and energy instead of stagnation, towards which something like this is a necessary step.
    
3. “But I can’t get land :(“: This isn’t a reason for limiting player agency, but it is an important argument to address for this system. It is true that some existing Realms are quite stingy when it comes to giving groups land within their nation, usually from the perspective of stability, but it’s not accurate to say that this is the case for all Realms. Smaller Realms that grow often do so because they let various groups settle in their land and bolster their overall strength, and this remains true to this day. I often find that this argument is better interpreted as “but I can’t get land in the place that I want it”.
   
   But even if it was true that no Realm was willing to hand out land from the get-go to an aspiring junior Realm, this shouldn’t be a huge deterrent, either. Particularly in human circles, so many factions (i.e, Noble Houses) have risen to prominence simply by getting a manor in a city and conducting an active family through it. This is another example of a self-affirmation of activity that a group does actually have the tools to grow as an eventual Realm, and, in cases like these, they’ll often be awarded with a keep and tracts of land in time.

With the above understanding of niches in mind, let’s look at some Realm Applications currently pending and some accepted over the last few months. I apologise to any Realm leaders if this comes off as criticism; it’s not aimed at you, but the Realm system:

-          Gotrek Union: A Dwarven industrial settlement with a focus on lore like Golemancy/alchemy. Its only attempt to differentiate its niche from Urguan is “... the settlement offers a more unique style of roleplay - that being one not governed by leaders or kings, but instead one led by its head of operations”. This not only doesn’t make sense (head of operations is a leader), but it’s not a niche.
 

-          Ravenmire (not sure if this still exists): A magical settlement that cites the incorporation of alchemy and clockwork as its standout features. Its niche is difficult to define, but it has repeated mentions of “progress” and “evolution”. This is no discernable reason why this niche could not be filled in an existing Realm.
 

-          Vikela: This appears to represent the current “Sutica” niche, which is, in essence, the lack of a niche and defines itself as a gathering place for characters that don’t fit in elsewhere. On its merits, it is difficult to see how the Application’s answer it’s niche being populated by tradesmen warrants a new niche (economics is inherent in any city). A self-proclaimed desire for freedom in a monarchy does just seem to be a product of every player wanting their own sandcastle.
 

-          Aeltarys: A settlement with extreme Targaryen/Game of Thrones inspirations. The unique class structure cited as its niche isn’t elaborated to feature any practical distinctions from nobility in any existing human nation, and while it’s dragon-based religion is notable, there exists non-religious nations wherein it could be practised, and even then it could be adapted to fit within existing religions (i.e., folklore-based spins and sects).

-          Vlachia: This one is notable for its actual history on the server, but fails to say why it could not exist within an existing Realm. It’s puzzling why this didn’t vassalize under Veletz, which it lists as a nation in which it previously participated.
 

-          Ravenswood: This defines itself as a “true melting pot of people … we welcome everyone and remain neutral”. This appears to mimic the niche of Vikela precisely, while also adhering to the tenets of isolation which this post discusses as problematic.

Of the above six Realms examined, there is no identifiable reason why any of them could not exist within a current Realm and serve to bolster that playerbase, create dynamism, and nurture themselves in an environment where there’s not a risk of going inactive and populating the map with dead builds reminiscent of the free-build era. This is not to say that each of these should be doomed to stay as vassals - instead, it should be part of the road to becoming a realm. It would be much healthier, for instance, to see Ravenswood work together with Vikela for their niche, for Veletz to sponsor Vlachia’s conquest of Haense, etc.

The point I am trying to make by this is that this is the kind of critical thinking Admins need to engage in for the wellbeing of their own server. With that in mind, I will say I think there’s two instances where Admins should consider approving a Realm Application with the above withstanding:

1. An Actual New Niche: This speaks for itself, but Realm Applications should be a tool for new niches that are actually new and unique. While I will always advocate for new groups to grow themselves within an existing Realm and either take over that Realm or expand from there, I do think there could be a place for some new Realms via Application. An example doesn’t immediately come to mind because I do personally believe most niches can be facilitated in the vast network of existing Realms, but Farfolk cultures is probably a vague indicator.
    
2. Roleplay Events: What I mean by this is when a roleplay event leads to a new Realm being made. A good example of this is a successful rebellion, or a vassal being granted independence. More loosely, I also think cases where it makes roleplay sense for a Realm to form at alright - think Balian, where a huge chunk of Oren went into exodus after the Brothers’ War.

I'll bring this ramble to an end at this point.

It's a difficult issue to manage, mainly because of that balance of facilitating players looking for the freedom to do what their want with roleplay and preserving the overall wellbeing of the server. That said, I feel like I've gone into pretty explicit detail as to why the wellbeing of the server isn't served through Realm Bloat. Ultimately, I'd hope that Admins will reflect on their policy and the kind of server they're looking to foster, and change their approach to Realm creation accordingly.

Have a good Sunday folks.

IN THE NAME OF THE QUEEN

The hooves of Villorik’s mare crunched against the frosted earth.

The wind stirred the warpriest’s greying, raven locks as he trot down the Heartlands road. He had long since left behind him the ruined pearly stones of Breakwater, the gaping craters of Brasca, and the trodden expanse of Westmark the night before. Now, as the spring sun peeked its head over the tree-lined horizon and cast long, golden shadows across the land, he entered the borders of Veletz proper. 

He gave his mare’s neck an idle path as he kept his narrowed eyes fixed on the road ahead. His grey-black cloak shifted in the wind whenever it gusted, and, as the sun’s golden rays grew longer and brighter, the light flashed against the hilt of his platemail, his the daemonsteel sabre belted to his waist, and the silverworked Hussariyan cross around his neck. He passed a few serfs about their morning work,who eyed him with scepticism from afar as they tried to discern whether he was a lone raider, but he passed them without a second glance.

By the time the sun had reared its head in full, he came to the first hamlet some hours south of Brasca. When they noticed the mailed horseman, the roughspun-clad serfs gripped their pitchworks, hoes, and hammers as they huddled together near the hamlet’s well, and wives ushered their children inside in frantic voices as the men stared Villorik down.

The Friar brought his mare to heel some thirty feet for them, and for a moment he only watched their grim-set faces. Finally, he reached to his waist, but it was not his sword he drew.

“I require a message delivered,” he said calmly, and the sun sparkled on the mina in Villorik’s hand.

By midday, that message reached Winhburg.

_____________________

“You who are taken by the Shadow,

I am the Friar Villorik. I come in the name of Amaya of Venzia, Queen of Haense, White Flame of Valdev.

I come alone. Send unto the field a son of Horen to duel in your name, and the Light shall favour the righteous victor. 

I will come at the tolling of the Terces bell tomorrow.”

[!] A letter is sent by messenger pigeon to the author. The hand is plain and jagged, but concise.

"May God bless you. 

I am Friar Villorik, a warpriest who partaking in the conquest of Veletz on command of the Vicar of God. I have further undertaken the duty to expunge the taint of the Deceiver from the lost souls of Veletz.

I duly pray that the Deceiver's taint has not grown so heavy as to obscure the cause of this war from your mind. If this is, however, the case, then heed me so: the League of Veletz forsook piety and morality when they conspired with the brigands of Stassion to murder King Edmund of Aaun, who was a stalwart ally of Veletz at the time. The League of Veletz forsook honour and integrity when they tried to force the Commonwealth of the Petra's diplomatic affairs, and sent assassins to murder the girl-queen Catherine when she resisted their vice. The League of Veletz forsook peace and dignity when they kidnapped a Princess of Balian without provocation, and attacked the Haeseni capital after they escorted the Pontiff to Veletz to negotiate her release. 

The Grand Covenant has undertaken this war to destroy a tyrannical state before it can wreak further havoc.

Your children can flee to peace. The lands of Canondom will, adherent to their standing faith, welcome all refugees fleeing the war. There is nothing keeping you in Veletz but the blindness cast upon you by the Deceiver, and it is for you alone to shirk this and return to the light. That there is nowhere for you to go is a lie.

You need not to fall. There is naught that compels you to defend the lands rightfully besieged in response to the tyranny of Veletz but pride wrought by the Deceiver. If it is true that you wish to protect your children, as any mother should, then you should flee your home without question and seek sanctuary in the lands of the Covenant. You endanger yourself, your children, and your home by fighting for the Anathema. That you are destined to leave your children orphaned is a lie.

The Captain General is Anathema. That he offered you hearth and home does not undo this truth, as any warmongerer would gather allies. That you vouch for their warmth while simultaneously ignoring the grievous offences committed unto the nations of the Covenant is surely a mark of the Deceiver's spell upon you, which you must resist. That these are good and godly people is a lie.

If you wish to live, fair lady, then live - abscond the lands of Veletz for their crimes innumerable. None seek the blood of you nor your children, for your only crime is succumbing to tyranny. Leave, and all will be saved, and the land may well be suitable to be returned to once the shadow that lies heavy upon it is expunged.

If you stay, lady, then know it is out of pride. It is out of ignorance. It is out of evil.

If you stay, and if you fall, the fault will be purely your own, but none will bar your refuge.

If your children fall, the fault will be purely your own.

Seek me out and partake in the sacrament of confession, so that you and your children might be saved.

May God save you."

"Lady de Vilain,

May God bless and illuminate you. I am Friar Villorik, a warpriest of the Holy Mother Church who has taken up arms at the command of the Vicar of God to expunge the anathema. 

Though our kin may cross in battle, we need not be enemies of spirit, for circumstance draws our blades more often our own hands in life. All the same, God would not forgive me if no effort was made to enlighten you on the Deceiver's touch on this war.

We can look into the depths of history at this conflict, but in truth there is no need - the recent past is amply illustrative. It is undeniable that Veletz did once stand for progress; it stood for a united heartlands, capable and strong, who wielded the respect and influence of Aaun, Petra, and Numendil. With deft diplomacy, the Canonist League was dismantled, and thousands of troops would draw steel in the name of your Captain General. With this might, the realms of Balian, Urguan, and Haense would have been felled.

Why did this not transpire?

The Heartland Accord is not gone. It stands against you wholeheartedly with greater resolve than ever Haense nor Balian had mustered.

This was not the doing of your enemies, but your own.

You lost Petra when you held Queen Renilde captive and forced her to sign a treaty she had no wish to. Much worse, when the child Queen Catherine likewise refused, you sicced mercenaries to slay this young child. 

Is this your progress?

You lost Numendil when you played host to Darkspawn within your halls, and unapologetically set churches ablaze in retaliation for Petra wishing to conduct their own diplomacy free from your vice. 

Is this your progress?

You lost Aaun, your greatest and truest ally who, despite having warred against you in the past, stood at your side unfaltering in recent decades. And yet Veletz partook in murder of the Aaunish King, and the army of Veletz was smashed in the streets of Whitespire when they came to protect King Edmund's murderers.

Is this your progress?

The world you preach for is one of tyranny and fear, in which any who fail to abide by your whims are subject to murder. God weeps at your evil, or your delusion, as do all mankind.

For it is not Haense nor Balian that was poisoned your allies. It is not they who have defeated you in battle. It is not they who have led us to where we now stand.

It is yourself.

You have betrayed and murdered your own allies. Your progress is tyranny. Your progress is nothing. 

The beacons you would light now have been burned to cinders long ago. Repent, Lady de Vilain; seek me out and partake in the sacrament of confession, and you might yet be saved.

- Friar Villorik."