A new set of thoughts on how to bring Midgard back

[FutureSojourner]

Ok here are all your NPC Bad Guys:

The list of "disorganized" factions: (are closed and setup as NPC only play, not for players)
- Bandits--------------------------------------- (Closed - Evil)
- Pirates---------------------------------------- (Closed - Evil)
- Heretics-------------------------------------- (Closed)
- Blood & Fire Religion ---------------------- (closed - Evil)
- Serkeanar Religion------------------------- (Closed - Evil)
- The Cult of the Dark One Religion------- (Closed - Evil)
- Barbarians (SeaKings)--------------------- (Closed - Evil)
- SOA ------------------------------------------ (Closed - Evil)
- Skelts (Celts/Pics)-------------------------- (Closed - Evil)
- Guilds---------------------------------------- (Closed)
- Brotherhood (Mob)------------------------ (Closed - Evil)

I don't see any particular reason why some of those "bad guys" can't be organized.  For instance, aren't B&F, Cult, and SOA, at least, organized into a formal structure?  Maybe some of the others are too and thus probably wouldn't be called disorganized even if evil.

If we did something like made organized evil factions for PCs, that could allow players to do many of the "bad guy" things you're asking for.  But I could still manage the disorganized groups (such as Bandits) as NPCs.  Does that sound like a possibility to consider?

If we did something like that, I'll need to add a flag to my factions so the "bad" ones are always marked as "hidden" (listed as Independent, Temples/Offices "underground", etc.).  If so, do you think that everyone in such factions would be willing to play as hidden associations?

As a scholar of religion (in the real world), I don't like the idea of lumping Heretics, Blood and Fire, Serkeanar, and maybe even the Cult of the Dark One into the "evil" category.  You can "spin" the 'theology' of any of these religions in such a way that they could paint the OTG as evil and place themselves in a righteous position.  Where I think "unplayability" comes into play is when a faction refuses to work with others -- that is what should make them NPC material.  If the goals of a faction is to be THE ONLY religion and destroy every other Religion and force every other faction to bend to their will that (in my opinion) makes them unplayable as a player faction -- the faction would be isolated and unable to play the "political game." But using a Good vs Evil dichotomy in the game with some factions being "Good" and others being "Evil" is too black and white ignores all the beautiful shades of grey.  

Also, many of the factions listed were very organized in other incarnations of Midgard.

Oliver