The Failed Harvest (OOC ideas and discussion thread)

[Lexgrad]

A post for ooc infomation and ideas to be discussed and presented.))

[Lexgrad]

I was thinking about this, there doesnt seem to be too much of a focused idea of what we want out of this yet. So my idea is as the famine progresses use it as a way to set ic challanges to the SW guilds. Maybe at the end of the week depending on how everyone does in acheving the goals that will influance how the story plays out.

Any thoughts and other ideas please

[Geneviève]

I think civil strife, aswell as the ideological arguments between charity and military nessecity should be the focus. I can imagine a great deal of public outrage at planned campaigns in the North when people are starving at home. The counter argument would be that when the troops are away in the North they're partly fed by the Alliance's Northern provinces aswell as foraging/looting.

If that can be tied into a system of challenges and weekly reports I'd be overjoyed.

[Lexgrad]

Just when you get the thing under control, the troops return! more to feed.

[Lorainne/Bridlington]

Ah, brilliant!

I have been thinking about stirring up the crowds on Lorainne.
Perhaps, with the blessing of the community, I could get this going.

Full scale uprising?

Ideas, comments, suggestions please!

[Lexgrad]

Agree with Tsu! Works with Gene's idea too. Have some food riots and im sure all manner of people will try to gain influance and lobby for their causes.

Maybe then have as well as a general challance have a forces of order/revolutionaries thing going too.

[Gahalla]

The big question is how fast it should happen and how long it should go on. Thematically it should be quite some time. But I wonder if people want to stick by all through autumn, winter and/or spring.

[Lexgrad]

I would like to play it slow, see how it goes. Once the pinch hits home things should happen quick.

[Geneviève]

I'd really like to see it go on for a long time. Realistically (I ma ybe wrong, this is just my common sense talking) it should go on until this time next year and the next harvest, right?

Now, that is too long. But I think a couple of months is a reasonable length of time. Sure it may lost momentum and it will slip peoples minds, but I think that's a more organic and realistic ending than an abrupt and arbitrary date.

[Lexgrad]

Next harvist is spring/early summer. We can end it in other means ofc ie. find food XD.

I have a few ideas of events. The nobles could be asked for a tithe. An exibition could be sent to STV for meat/exotic food - Try to set up a supply line/plantation. Send criminals to work it \o/. Can always raid the horde

And trade with other nations. Stromgarde and Theremore could be asked nicely

Later on rationing/bans on booze as the grain is needed for bread.

[Aleric]

As a PnP roleplayer I have a sort of knee-jerk reflex against things that create more book keeping and these 'challenges' sound like it'd mean more book keeping.

It is just a kernal of an idea though. I can't comment further on it without it being elaborated on.

re: duration
Without dedicated, to this specific task, people (Storytellers) who are in charge of keeping things on track, keep an overview of everything and move things forward when appropriate, it risks running out into the sand. People lose interest, something else comes up and sidetracks or any number of other reasons.

I see two ways this can be avoided - with storytellers or by an outline that provides structure so everyone knows where things are going and when the big changes are coming.

Option one means massive amounts of work for a few individuals.
Option two means a lot of work for a few individuals in the beginning.

[Gahalla]

If we want to keep it going as long as realistically then it would be mitigated first in May/June and completely end next September. After May/June it wouldn't really be noticeable anymore though.
Unless we get an influx of food from somewhere, then we could end it sooner.

With a realistic span though, the "true" famine would probably not start until November or so. Prices would be ramping up until then and only hit unafordable levels about then. That's when people start abandoning their jobs.

I think "challanges" and "events" are a good idea though. Rather than just an atmosphere. But as Aleric said, it would require some people keeping an eye on it. So I volounteer

[Lorainne/Bridlington]

I also volunteer to get the 'rebellious' side of this going, in a more civilised way, of course.

If we want to keep it going as long as realistically then it would be mitigated first in May/June and completely end next September. After May/June it wouldn't really be noticeable anymore though.
Unless we get an influx of food from somewhere, then we could end it sooner.

With a realistic span though, the "true" famine would probably not start until November or so. Prices would be ramping up until then and only hit unafordable levels about then. That's when people start abandoning their jobs.

Yikes! That is a long, long time, Gahalla!

[Gahalla]

Indeed. Probably too long. But perhaps we could go start of November - end of February ish... continuing on for as long as we feel like after that?

[Lorainne/Bridlington]

After having read about several revolutions I have decided that the this upcoming revolution will most likely resemble much of the French revolution. With this I mean that it will be based mainly on poverty, hunger and malnutrition, and in general the unjust and unequal society.
This will result in more radical ideas to pop up, such as the church's influence on the state, the tariffs on import and export, the taxation of goods and food, the inheritated power of the nobles and whatnot, the enormous debts the Kingdom has due to three decennia of warfare and the struggle for political, religious and ecomomical equalty and liberty.

Many things could happen, like the aristocrats' influence partially disolving, a more secularised state, the seperation of powers and perhaps even a parliament, filled with 'corrupt' nobles or the simple plebs from the streets. Yes, this is me simply rambling...

If people like the idea, I'll be sure to write up some posters, and an agenda for 'secret meetings'.

[Geneviève]

That's exactly what I'd like to see, Tsurana.

[Gahalla]

It's true that radical ideas are bred in times of difficulty, and famines are the greatest difficulty of them all. It's usually due to idealists and demagogues pushing a believeable agenda. What that agenda is differs. There have been instances when aristocratic decadence is blamed (usually followed by anti-aristocratic movements), others when small groups in society are and others when people blame that the king took power from Nobility (yes, peasants have many times in history rioted to protect the nobility's privileges from the king).

I suggest that if you wish to push for a radical protest, then you decide what you "want to change in society" and then think up believable arguments for it. Then use the span of the event to make posters, preach in the streets, get followers and hold secret meetings. But doing it all IC and not fixing it ooc beforehand.
Sure, some things... like deposing the king and establishing a republic can't be done. But taht shouldn't stop a movement for it.

Things I could imagine being believeable causes:

Spoiler:

I'd suggest pushing for no more than one or at most two initially. And then let it expand, change and radicalise organically.

Oh... and let it take time. Don't riot on day 2.

[Aleric]

"It's the Seals' fault! Their magical tinkering in Westfall caused the harvest to fail!"

I like your idea, Tsurana. It feels like it would be an integral part of this.

Edit: While realistically this would drag out for a year, I don't think that is in the best interest of the server. It is hard enough to maintain interest for something a few months. I think a few months is plenty of time for people to get to experience the different aspects of this.

As for harvesting times, we should not forget Stormwind's geographical location. From what I have read in the RPG books it seems more like mediterreanan climate than anything.

[Lorainne/Bridlington]

I completely understand what you are saying, Gahalla, and will be sure to not bloat and exploit it too soon.

On the note of 'starting it up', I will be opening "Gray's Kettle" this evening, and will have the event up in an hour max.
Then for tomorrow, I will put up an 'secret meeting' for the radical thinking to come and drink tea, to talk about the society they live in. This mainly to get the revolutionairy juices flowing and to prepare for more meetings in the weeks to come.

The revolution would start with:
1) It's the Nobles Fault.
2) It's the King's fault.

From there, expand towards the King's foreign policy, his army and his Church. And the hatred of the Nobles will soon also include the rich and corrupt Merchants as time progresses and they 'link' the two.
It might prove to be a tad complicated to get it worked out IC, but I believe that Lorainne is more than capable!

EDIT:
Are there others that wish to be the 'Storytellers' and help organise all of this?

[Gahalla]

Might I suggest that instead of planning an expansion, you only add to it if either:
1) That faction steps in and officially opposes yours.
2) Someone brings it into the movement IC.

I'd be up for storytelling services. But I couldn't do it on my own.

While realistically this would drag out for a year, I don't think that is in the best interest of the server. It is hard enough to maintain interest for something a few months. I think a few months is plenty of time for people to get to experience the different aspects of this.

As for harvesting times, we should not forget Stormwind's geographical location. From what I have read in the RPG books it seems more like mediterreanan climate than anything.

Shall we aim for the November - February span then? Around 4 months in total?

[Lorainne/Bridlington]

*Nods.* It will be done.

EDIT:
As stated, realistically, such revolutions are built upon years of oppression and then several more years to revolt, but we do simply not have the time and patience on this game.
Therefore, I would suggest that we stick to two months, as to keep the people interested.

[Aleric]

I think 3-4 months would be better suited. If we have a few "milestones" along the way, critical story advancements, people will need time to include the happenings in their own story arcs and they should have 1-3 weeks for that. And as Gahalla said, it will be far more rewarding if we allow the tension to build slowly.


So far only a few have commented here out of the many, many people involved in the SW community. Make your voice heard! Comment here. This is for all of us after all.

[Lexgrad]

I will help storytell with Gah and Tsu.

"It's the dwarves/gnomes fault/worgen's fault. Throw them out of our city!" This was going to be a likely Jarric PoV. :p

It will need one person from each guild to assist in this. So ooc each guild has a contact and a leader, to make the guild aware of the situation and push the guilds into partisipation.

Also might I suggest we start/end each week of this tuesday in the council.

[Gahalla]

Hmm... weekly updates in the council? Could work

[Lexgrad]

Indeed, can sum up the previous week and start the next week. Interest in the council is high at the moment so it will be good to use it. It is a good time for the guilds to all be "we did this", then the next being "yeah great but we managed to to this" ect. Set up some friendly compitition for political points.

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