Faction "Bugs" in Heavy Quotes

[Phantom Lamb]

I'm receiving a lot of reports on "bugs" with the faction system that turn out not to be bugs. I believe there's a lack of communication or information on these join quests and faction stores, and I want to nip that in the bud. I spend a lot of time hunting down problems that don't exist just to confirm what works and doesn't.

I'd like to update the Wiki with information about factions, join quests, faction stores, reputation, and ANYTHING ELSE you find confusing about factions. I could use some help from the community. What topics would you like to see clarified in the Wiki section on factions?

[BedlamX]

Personally, I would like to see the faction pre-reqs laid out. It is very annoying to make a character with the hopes of joining a particular faction (mainly to be in the same one as friends you planned on running with as a group) only to find you have to have some certain trait/ability/alignment/whatever to get in. A fairly vague note about where to find the join quest giver would also be nice and might cut down a lot on the PMs and tells asking such questions.

A better description of what each actually is would help a lot, too. I had a DM explain the difference between the Cartel and the Eboncoin (at least regarding basic structure and attitude) to me in a way that I would never had guessed from reading the wiki.

[Vai]

Hi, I would like to suggest just a little improvement. I know, that some of the "Join Quests" start with conversation, which does not look like the start of such a thing. For example:

{Veritas} Hello, how are you ...

I would suggest, for not so clever persons like me, to start the possible "Join Quest" conversation with the warning written in red color:

{JOIN FACTION QUEST - Veritas} Hello, how are you ...

Thanks.

[Phantom Lamb]

Yeah, the rogue faction roles have somewhat shifted over time. Eboncoin is like the mafia; Cartel is smugglers / pirates.

Keep in mind: just because you don't meet the join quest pre-requisites does not mean you can't join the subfaction! You can still ask a DM for help if you don't meet them, and they can set up an event. For example, the Hands of Mundus would focus heavily on wizard recruitment, but a sorcerer could join if he put in extra effort, through a DM event, to show he's a true scholar. Just be sure you are level 5 before asking a DM for help with this.

I likely won't be listing the individual pre-reqs. They are mostly intuitive pending on the subfaction, and the DM events offer a way around it. Good thought though.

[Phantom Lamb]

They all say the name of the faction [In Brackets]. I may improve this slightly, but I'm more likely to put this back on the user, not the development. As players, we tend to spam through all and any quests just because they are available to us. Read the text -- it's pretty clear what the intentions are in the statement. It's usually something like:

[Veritas Syndicate] I'd like to join the rebellion.

In the end, if it creates more work for the DM team because of the confusion / lack of reading, I will make a change to clarify further.



Let's focus on what I can detail in the Wiki. What pre-reading can folks do to better understand how things work?

[Spacedog]

Well, speaking for myself, the biggest problem I've found with factions is just downright inconsistencies of 'spirit', so to speak. Just as a for-instance, the Corps is described as "Originally a secular organization, the Reptile War proved the group needed to strengthen its moral fiber," and "Now, the milita is ... reputable once more," yet I've also been told that the militia is composed largely of bitter patriots from the war who are essentially amoral, and the Corps store itself sells items that are downright immoral. So, I would think a faction outline should look something like this:

First, there would be in character knowledge. This is what the average person, with just a bit of asking around or visiting their local library, would find out. It would most likely be what the guild presents itself as to the public, be it the Temple of the Trium being an upstanding organization standing for the pinnacle of righteous morality, or the Veritas as the true inheritors of Sundren. It would likely also include how the faction is perceived by an average Sundren citizen. For example, just how many Sundren citizens really believe the Veritas are in the right?

Second, a brief explanation of the truth. What is the organization actually like. What they're actually trying to accomplish. This might include what their actual practices are, their tenets, their history. Some of this might seem unnecessary or even meta-gamey, but it really would clear up a lot. It would essentially give the player an idea of what they're getting into. For instance, is the Veritas a loose organization of rebels, or would the player be expected to take orders regularly and follow them to the letter?

And third, a list of NPCs associated with the faction and a few brief suggestions on how to contact the organization. Some factions are very obvious, like the Trium. On the other hand, when one of my characters joined the Black Hand, there was no quest, no event, not even any roleplay. I was just suddenly a member. So a bit of a hint and nudge as to how a player should go about joining the more nefarious organizations in an in character manner might help.



Those would solve some the problems I've run into, honestly. But then, I've had no problems with rep or stores.

[GodBeastX]

Blackhand join quest is at the camp outside of Sharahan Hills and has only the requirement you worship Bane.

* And that you are level 5 -- standard for all join quests. -PL

[Urithrand]

Second, a brief explanation of the truth. What is the organization actually like. What they're actually trying to accomplish. This might include what their actual practices are, their tenets, their history. Some of this might seem unnecessary or even meta-gamey, but it really would clear up a lot.

Even the best RPers can't always avoid metagaming, it's best if people only know as much as their characters do. Besides, all these things can (and imo should) be found out ICly.