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Tributaries, Vassals, Protectorates and Trade Alliances; Node Diplomacy and you!
ArchivedUser
Guest
Hello! ♥
I'd like to throw out idea on how to expand the (kinda) non-combative diplomacy parts of the game. My suggestion is the game support relationships between nodes.
Everyone knows what a non-aggression pact is (it's pretty self explanatory) but there are other relationships that were prevalent during our medieval ages that would amazing for role-play and politician characters. Imagine elected officials being VIPs sending couriers, collecting taxes, making war plans and managing diplomatic ties (and hopefully marriages!) between numerous nodes in an alliance. If we want the most immersive feudal sandbox mmo we can get we need to at least have an understanding within the community of what those relationships can look like.
So lets start with tributaries!
The definition for tributary is " a person or state that pays tribute to another state or ruler."
Sounds easy enough, a larger node can demand tribute from a smaller node in exchange for a non-aggression guarantee. In-game this can be signed by both parties politicians who can ceremoniously meet at the larger nodes town or city hall to ratify along with all the other treaties and alliances the game would allow. If the larger node decides to end the arrangement they cannot attack the smaller one for an extended period of time. The smaller node wouldn't have to pay tribute anymore but probably should hire protection!!! The larger node does not have to protect the tributary but has an interest in doing so if it wants to continue to receive tribute. If tribute is not rendered the larger node can attack forcibly pillaging the smaller node.
Now for Vassals!
The definition for vassal is "a holder of land by feudal tenure on conditions of homage and allegiance to a greater power."
For Vassals the goal of the overlord is levy armies of their underlings or eventual integration. From what I know the game already will support alliances between guilds, so the overlord could be role-played as the strongest or leading guild in that alliance. Ultimately unless nodes can be integrated into a larger node this is basically an alliance with one guild recognized as the leader. Vassals are obligated by their overlord to support them in all military affairs including war just as the overlord is obligated to protect them from attack.
Protectorates are a bit more interesting!
The definition for protectorate is "a state that is controlled and protected by another."
This is basically newbie protection. The overlord is interested in protecting a lesser node until it can fight alongside them as a vassal. At the point when the overlord is satisfied with the protectorate's development they can declare them a vassal and adjust the terms of the underlings servitude as a vassal. In the event of the overlord going to war, a protectorate is not obligated to join them in the battle but the overlord is obligated to protect the protectorate if they are attacked.
Other ideas!
Guaranteeing independence is a way a node can protect other nodes unilaterally if the other node does not wish to be a part of an alliance or become a vassal or protectorate. A node can also guarantee independence of a tributary if it wishes to protect it's tributary from attack.
Trade Alliances can be something nodes use to encourage economic exchange between them by lowering taxes on certain items both of them specialize in and/or agree to refrain from tariffs.
Tariffs can be used by a node to reduce the economic influence of another node or as economic warfare without openly fighting. A corrupt politician can use tariffs to artificially inflate the price of something they brought in when the tariff wasn't in place adding crime as a fun risk vs reward in-game at the political elite level.
Hopefully something like this can be added to bring intrigue and a foundation for more world-building beyond murdering wolves to raise nodes! I'd love to see complicated relationships, cut-throat politics, assassinations, sabotage and political maneuvering to fight your foes in more ways than just the battlefield! Thanks for the read!!! Would love your thoughts and ideas so we can has a perfect sandbox game! ^^
I'd like to throw out idea on how to expand the (kinda) non-combative diplomacy parts of the game. My suggestion is the game support relationships between nodes.
Everyone knows what a non-aggression pact is (it's pretty self explanatory) but there are other relationships that were prevalent during our medieval ages that would amazing for role-play and politician characters. Imagine elected officials being VIPs sending couriers, collecting taxes, making war plans and managing diplomatic ties (and hopefully marriages!) between numerous nodes in an alliance. If we want the most immersive feudal sandbox mmo we can get we need to at least have an understanding within the community of what those relationships can look like.
So lets start with tributaries!
The definition for tributary is " a person or state that pays tribute to another state or ruler."
Sounds easy enough, a larger node can demand tribute from a smaller node in exchange for a non-aggression guarantee. In-game this can be signed by both parties politicians who can ceremoniously meet at the larger nodes town or city hall to ratify along with all the other treaties and alliances the game would allow. If the larger node decides to end the arrangement they cannot attack the smaller one for an extended period of time. The smaller node wouldn't have to pay tribute anymore but probably should hire protection!!! The larger node does not have to protect the tributary but has an interest in doing so if it wants to continue to receive tribute. If tribute is not rendered the larger node can attack forcibly pillaging the smaller node.
Now for Vassals!
The definition for vassal is "a holder of land by feudal tenure on conditions of homage and allegiance to a greater power."
For Vassals the goal of the overlord is levy armies of their underlings or eventual integration. From what I know the game already will support alliances between guilds, so the overlord could be role-played as the strongest or leading guild in that alliance. Ultimately unless nodes can be integrated into a larger node this is basically an alliance with one guild recognized as the leader. Vassals are obligated by their overlord to support them in all military affairs including war just as the overlord is obligated to protect them from attack.
Protectorates are a bit more interesting!
The definition for protectorate is "a state that is controlled and protected by another."
This is basically newbie protection. The overlord is interested in protecting a lesser node until it can fight alongside them as a vassal. At the point when the overlord is satisfied with the protectorate's development they can declare them a vassal and adjust the terms of the underlings servitude as a vassal. In the event of the overlord going to war, a protectorate is not obligated to join them in the battle but the overlord is obligated to protect the protectorate if they are attacked.
Other ideas!
Guaranteeing independence is a way a node can protect other nodes unilaterally if the other node does not wish to be a part of an alliance or become a vassal or protectorate. A node can also guarantee independence of a tributary if it wishes to protect it's tributary from attack.
Trade Alliances can be something nodes use to encourage economic exchange between them by lowering taxes on certain items both of them specialize in and/or agree to refrain from tariffs.
Tariffs can be used by a node to reduce the economic influence of another node or as economic warfare without openly fighting. A corrupt politician can use tariffs to artificially inflate the price of something they brought in when the tariff wasn't in place adding crime as a fun risk vs reward in-game at the political elite level.
Hopefully something like this can be added to bring intrigue and a foundation for more world-building beyond murdering wolves to raise nodes! I'd love to see complicated relationships, cut-throat politics, assassinations, sabotage and political maneuvering to fight your foes in more ways than just the battlefield! Thanks for the read!!! Would love your thoughts and ideas so we can has a perfect sandbox game! ^^
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Comments
How do you propose the overlord(s) will be chosen? Would it be something to the effect of a guild claiming a node after it is rebuilt (after being destroyed) and the guild leader becomes the node's overlord?
Or maybe the largest guild can be elected or hold enough power internally to sway node politics. Like if they hold a large part of the market or voting citizens or military defenders or w/e works for the science nodes (archaeologists?) etc they have an influence rating they can use to decide the node's direction. *shrug*
( Check out my post: A proposal: Guild feudalism )
I love the idea of advanced politics between nodes or guilds and I think, even though the game does not feature official factions, it could lead to the formation of atleast factionlike coalitions between guilds who want to strengthen their influence in nodes, which would make the world everchanging and interesting :D