(02-09-2020, 04:50 AM)DreamWeaver Wrote:

Davin Wrote:Let me hit you with this comparison with D&D...  If we have assorted pockets of evil/bad beasties in D&D that players need to contend with, they need to be able to wipe out (or otherwise dispose of) these little bands without dying out themselves, otherwise there wouldn't be any fun in playing for an adventure or two before dying.  Consequently, parties are traditionally more powerful (in one way or another) than the enemies they take on.  If a player decided to play a family of Bugbears (for instance), behaving as Bugbears behave, how long will it be before another party of adventurers comes along to (successfully) kill them and rid the area of their disruptions?

Likewise, let's say there's a group of Bandits (or similar) harassing trade near a city.  The city wants them gone and arranges for one or more clans (PC or NPC) to go get rid of them.  How long is that group going to last?  And if you're actually a player playing that group, how long will you live?  Isn't that going to be really anti-fun?

This I think sums it up …The Answer to Davin's question:

(02-09-2020, 11:52 AM)FutureSojourner Wrote: The "fun" in laying a Cult of the Dark One would be in devious manipulation.  Perhaps have all Dark One clans listed as "Independent," or as a Family/Imperial clan that secretely declares for the Dark One and holds dual affiliation.  Have all Dark One temples as underground dwellings not seen on a City Report.  There are things that you can do to make it fun... but it would require some creativity and should be reserved for experienced players.  I wouldn't let new players start out as Dark One -- make it an "unlock" or something similar.

(02-10-2020, 02:10 AM)Dark Shadows Wrote: Ok having them show up as "Independent" clans on scouting reports would I think work extremely effective, and this would counter one of Davin's fears that everyone would hunt them down.  so the benefits could be rewritten to be:

Benefits:
1)The Cult can Ambush other clans. This would make them Shadows in the Dark and extremely dangerous. Fear would make people do what is asked of them, or else be killed. Remember this faction is called: The Cult of the Dark One. This faction wouldn't be combat army types, but within a city, they would be feared to be in every shadow. 
2)They would appear as an Independent clan when encountered on a scouting report.
3) Within a city they could appear hidden, thus not being located or seen on a scouting report within a city, if the clan's size is less than 20% of what the city population actually is. Example 20,000 pop city, would mean if the Cult clan is less than 2,000 retainers they would remain hidden to anyone coming to the city and not know that they are even within the city.

I also feel that a Cult Shrine would be hidden within any city it is built within. I like the note on the back of the CVR, of "Rumor is said that there is a Hidden Cult Shrine within the city". This all words to add a sense of mystery and intrigue to the whole faction and character that fits with the faction.

(02-10-2020, 06:20 PM)TheDarkSide Wrote: Ahhh if you make them appear as Independent to others on Scouting reports, and allowing them to hide in cities altogether I think I could have a great time as a Cult player.  Plus the Ambush bonus would be great as well too. Just think of the Chaios that could be had with that, I think by best buddies the Bandits, Pirates, and SOA would be awesome allies.

Davin Wrote:

Dark Shadows Wrote:Ok having them show up as "Independent" clans on scouting reports would I think work extremely effective, and this would counter one of Davin's fears that everyone would hunt them down.  so the benefits could be rewritten to be:

Benefits:
1)The Cult can Ambush other clans. This would make them Shadows in the Dark and extremely dangerous. Fear would make people do what is asked of them, or else be killed. Remember this faction is called: The Cult of the Dark One. This faction wouldn't be combat army types, but within a city, they would be feared to be in every shadow. 
2)They would appear as an Independent clan when encountered on a scouting report.
3) Within a city they could appear hidden, thus not being located or seen on a scouting report within a city, if the clan's size is less than 20% of what the city population actually is. Example 20,000 pop city, would mean if the Cult clan is less than 2,000 retainers they would remain hidden to anyone coming to the city and not know that they are even within the city.

I also feel that a Cult Shrine would be hidden within any city it is built within. I like the note on the back of the CVR, of "Rumor is said that there is a Hidden Cult Shrine within the city". This all words to add a sense of mystery and intrigue to the whole faction and character that fits with the faction.

Or what if the Cult was a hidden organized faction, but remained NPC, and Independent players could just work their way into the Cult's good graces (role-playing opportunities here) and do "jobs" for them?  In that way they could support one or more "evil" factions without actually being members.

Somewhere in the reports (I forget where) we designed a section for rumors to show up, which would be a fine place for this kind of information.