Attention all players!

[Rance]

Alright, guys, it's crunch-time!

I'm going to put it out flat and plain-and-simple. Sometimes, I look at the Broken Dagger and I think, 'Wow, it just isn't what it used to be.' Then again, I've only been here for going on three years, so I'm not really sure what that means the way some of you might. If you agree, read on. If you don't agree, keep reading.

I think we could all agree that despite some of the amazing plots that're going on right now (The 'Nightmare Sky' plot, for example, which is just plain bad-ass), there really isn't much happening lately that is developing much of an interest in play here. I cannot whatsoever pinpoint it to anything in particular, but I do know that, at least to me, The Broken Dagger's felt a little stagnant and off-base lately. Even worse, I can't express what really seems to be the problem. It just does. So it's time to pull out the big-guns if you guys are feeling the same.

You guys are what makes this place roll. Everyone who plays, everyone who facilitates play. You, the guy next to you, me, the woman a continent away, the guy who shows up every few months to throw down a few paragraphs to clear his mental constipiation, *everyone*. You're the reason this place is still around and hasn't been lost to being just a memory of binary code and nicknames we can't, for the life of us, remember.

So it's time to ask you -- what do you think the Broken Dagger could use? What do you think could rejuvinate this place, and get it rolling top-notch again? Any suggestion, however miniscule, however great, it doesn't matter -- let's just let it be heard. What needs to improve? What needs to go? Mind you, if you put up a suggestion, it'd be helpful to put up a potential course of action for that suggestion (like, "I think it would be great if _________. To do that, I think we should _______.") ... Now, I can't say what will happen and what won't -- but we can try to breathe a little bit of heartbeat into this place again. ^ ^

The website is looking towards a fresh, brand-new overhaul, for one, and if you guys think it could use anything, or if something in particular on it should go, let that be heard, too!

So, if you guys have any ideas, feel free to spin'em. I remember having conversations with people where I've said things and heard things said like, "Wow, do you remember when so-and-so was here? Yeah, man, that plot with the such-and-such was *AWESOME*." Let's try to get it back to that. Let's try to make it everyday. Let's have some FUN!

What do you guys think we could do? Have at!

--Rance

[channe]

I think having an active governmental/social fabric will go a long way. There isn't one right now -- there are names on the website, sure, but I haven't seen many of those names in play.

My following remarks will be really scattered, so bear with me...

One of the common observations about a place I used to play -- the Silver Blade -- was that it was always, and I mean always, getting overrun by demonic nasties, set on fire, enchanted, bombed, etc. But it was a nexus of sorts, a center of chaos, a traveller's rest in the middle of fifteen thousand different planes of existence without a very large local base or real social integration. There was no government. There *could* be no government Thus, the many editions of tavern-blammo.

The Broken Dagger is a very different place. It is located near Myrkentown, and the folks who patronize it, primarily, live in Myrken Wood and hire Myrken-based lawyers and gossip about Myrken-based neighbors. And, if you don't, you at least rob people on Myrken roads and pursue your blood enemies around the Broken Dagger, etc., etc. It's a different kind of nexus. It's a snake that needs a head.

I think that having the folks around who have a major role in that Myrken fabric -- the Council, Straka soldiers, local whoozeywhatevers, ad infinitum -- will go a long way. It helps establish a sense of place, and -- well, I think it'll spark a lot of plots, because politics is so incredibly ingrained with war, evil, good, intrigue, death, betrayal, loyalty, friendship, and economics, which are the basic things that make any RP channel tick.

I mean, look at America: people are arguing that one man with a grudge started a war we can't win that's consuming our resources and our national pride. That may or may not be true here, but in BD? I can see it. I can see it very well.

I think that'll contribute to jump-starting things.

So. If you have a character who plays that kind of role, bring him or her around. Commit to playing him or her, and if you won't or can't, that's completely cool, but shuffle that character off on someone who will. Folks with that kind of role, you have the opportunity to stir things up -- get people playing councilmembers who are good GMs, or characters on the Council who have a million different connections with things good and evil.

We've already seen the effect of this lack of government with one particular storyline involving a former Strakan employee named Curin. Think of the %$&@ that could fly, folks -- I know I am.

And I think this would be fun, 'cause I'm fascinated with this kind of thing. So. Ok. My two cents have been spent. Toodles!

[Carnath-Emory]

Two things about Government stuff:

Most of the Council members don't get play-time in the channel, ordinarily, on grounds of plausability ("The fantastically wealthy and magnificently-loathed Giscard stepped into the most dangerous tavern this side of Heath, and ordered a beer -- "). Treadwell is an exception to that, but then he's an exception to most everything else, as well. *G* So was Bromn, in the past, and those were some wonderful weeks. What we do usually have -- or used to, at least -- is regular Council meetings, in a different channel, but well-advertised ahead of time, mentioned in the BD topic when they're happening, and absolutely open to all. That hasn't been the case recently, mostly because the Governor's player has been horrendously busy with RL.. *winces* However, with Giscard assuming Governorship in Bromn's place, it's something that can potentially be revived in the new future.

And lord knows we need it, what with blackened skies and the recent decimation of certain portions of Thessilane. And oh yeah, that Big Wall that's about to cut Myrken off from the rest of the world...

I can't comment on the Curin matter, mostly because while I loved the story, there was no way I could see to involve my Councilor in it. There's been some bad blood between Straka and Council in the past, and while he might leap at the chance to meddle with Straka, the chances of him hearing anything of Curin from Duval or Killborn are very, very slight.

But I do agree with you, Channe: I adore the politics here, and look forward to working them back into things. *G* I'd also love to start writing those old weekly summary 'State of Myrken' thingies again. I'd really love to see some more Straka personnel showing up in the tavern -- or outside -- but I fully understand how difficult that can be. But if anyone's up to a challenge, there's few greater than playing a force of law and order, in a tavern where no-one much supports that sort of thing. *grins*

[channe]

Yeah, Lex -- most of the time I drag Arryngton into the place, it's on some fantastically contrived circumstance... but there are ways of getting around that, including this bulletin board.

I think the fact that I've been roleplaying regularly here for about six months now and still know basically nothing about Giscard, demon babies, workings -- etc., etc., is pretty telling, especially since all of my characters "live here." It seems to have been such an integral part of the channel in the past, and just doesn't seem to be active any longer, and maybe that's part of the issue.

And communication.

Right now I couldn't tell you about any of the plots going on in the tavern. Any of them. (Ok, 'cept Nightmare Sky, which rocks -- but I think I just got lost, ack!)

[Treadwell]

Communication. . . pretty well hits it on the head. One problem, though, is that folks are getting pulled away not just by real life (aka work, school, whatever) but by other games and such. How can we contact them other than hoping they're watching this forum post?

[Carnath-Emory]

Again, I agree, Channe: while I'm clear on what's happening with Curin and the Nightmare Sky, pretty much everything else is a blank to me.

Giscard has been sending letters about in the recent past: you'll find those in, I think, the Myrkenwood Meetinghouse section. In fact, that's where almost all the Council stuff of months ago remains. Hmm. Do you think a brief character outline of them all would help? I can certainly see how the 'new' faces would... well, make no sense, unless one has the context of months ago.


Right now, though, I can do this much: if folks have a plotline (or just an occurence) they'd like to see feature in a weekly, forum summary -- go ahead and let me know what's going on with it? I'm always findable at synaesthet @yahoo.com (take that, spam-bots!).

[Rattrap]

I still, believe it or not, run that plots page, too. All folks have to do is send me something to post, and it'll get there hopefully with little lag.

Its lack of updates comes only from a lack of submissions.

...also, I have to agree with Lex with the plausability in bringing most of the councilors in the channel, set in a tavern. O'Cynen certainly wouldn't go there; he's got no reason to.

A fix, maybe? Perhaps we could shift the setting away from a tavern to a more...outside, everywhere-esk area. A town square. Something that has a tavern and other little shops immediately around, so it makes sense for people to be playing inside/outside/across the street, together (as opposed, to, say, an entire #Myrkentown room, in which there would be much confusion as to who was where, doing what, and how person A could possibly see person B...of course, it'd still be there, but smaller). This would allow for, logically, much more guard/councilor/everything else play.

At any rate, once my computer's back up and runnin' at my new house, I'll resume my normal bi-daily attempts to get the room going...

[Carnath-Emory]

The problem with a seperate channel is ensuring that it's used. Technically, we already have #BD_Outside for exactly that use, but no-one uses it because no-one's ever there, because no-one uses it, because no-one's there...

It's a vicious cycle. *g*

My discomfort with the idea of expanding the setting is an absolutely OOC one: from past experience, I remember it being very frustrating to establish your character on one side of town, then see something on the other side of town which would interest them and is highly relevant to them -- but be confronted by the fact that it's going to take a half hour to walk all that way, at which point the activity has concluded. Going by past experience alone, this can be very frustrating in the long-term.

[Jirai]

On the Straka subject, I'd be more than willing to create a Straka-guard character if it's wanted. It'd give me someone to play when I can't think of a logical (or even illogical) reason for Jirai to be around!

Besides...being on the side of the law will be a change and a challenge!

[Rattrap]

Well...right now, scarecely ANY room is being used.

And distance would be a problem in a broadened setting, but what I'm proposing would only really be, say, half a track field surrounded by various buildings (Tready's toy shop, a tavern, Harold's smithy, etc.).

It could literally be Person A stands outside Building A and sees something interesting across the square through a window of Building B and makes a quick dash towards it. Person A sits inside Building A, looks out window, sees Person B through Building B window, etc...

Of course, there's problems. There is, now; there always will be. But it would add much plausability to a myriad of characters not normally played in a tavern setting; it would be more likely for standoffs to happen in a town squarish setting, more likely for epic battles, more like for councilors and theives and guards to stroll through/by - and hell. You can always say there's a tavern facing the square.

In any case, it's just an idea. I know I could get a lot more play out of it, but I won't speak for anybody else.

[Madel_H]

I agree with that last bit Rattrap put up there. Moving the Dagger to a place where people have reasons to be would be a great start. Strictly from an IC standpoint, why build a tavern out on the far edges of town when you could put it next to the blacksmith's. Waiting for your horse's shoe to get fixed? Well, kill some time at the inn next door. Wife dragged you along to the town square while she shops? Pop into the tavern for a bit while she looks at shirts and things.

People would have real reasons to step into the Dagger other than "/me steps out of the trees and up onto the porch."

Also, I would be more than happy to create a Straka or government character if it would help m,ove things along. I often overplay my character and get burnt out on him, so having a third or fourth -main- character (not another of those three-times in the channel floozies I love to throw out) would give me reason to be around more.

Just my thoughts.

[Treadwell]

Good points, Madel. I dig.

[Rance]

I'm so glad to see that so many people are really already bringing up their concerns -- that's awesome, and it's really ingratiating to see that people have so many potentials to put forth. Let me try to sum up what's been said already. By what's been said so far, here's what it looks like we might want to start working on:

- Defining a map of the local territory around the Dagger (shops, farms, etc. that're all within distance so we know what's there)

- Bringing those governmental characters back in full-force, and trying to play them out as being as influencial and important as they're cracked up to be

- Playing some semblance of order-keeping people (Order of Straka, for example) who aren't just random do-gooder renegades to really define the atmosphere itself of the Broken Dagger, as well as to instill a reminder of the fact that, yeah, there are some people around whose job it is to make sure good gets done, people get arrested, and things get resolved.

Have I pretty much hit it on the head? I want to start making a list of all these things so we can start working on them as they come to us.

Another thing I've always been curious about ... what exactly *makes* Myrken this melting-pot of destruction? Obviously, we're tons of players that play in a common area the size of a town, so anything bad that happens happens to this particular small society. So that means every year, there are a number of superiorly evil attempts at destroying/occupying/converting/taking over Myrken Wood. THIS IS NOT BAD. This is plot! But why does it happen to Myrken in particular? Is it cursed? Is it because it's the common territory between most of the countries, and it's sort've like the bridge-point? Is there something buried underneath Myrken that no one knows about? In the process of working on the site update, it might be something we could consider to give a bit of credence to the fact that this place is so chaotic, and why it's so acceptingly chaotic.

Keep on suggesting, guys. I'll have more to give out as I realize them too!!

--Rance

[Treadwell]

It's all about Tready, Rance. Every woman in Myrken Wood but the one he married and maybe a couple others seems to hate him. That's a lotta love he ain't feelin', so the Wood's gotta be getting affected somehow. Poor Father Winter.



Or, more seriously, I'd say it's possibly the result of Myrken being one danged unlucky joint that some cosmic dude's trying to smoke.

[aisu]

Corbin's reason was revenge for her.. ah.. Father. Yeah. Her.. Faaaather. XD .. ahem. But yes. A reason as to why Evil comes to Myrken at every turn needs to be given. Or maybe it's just a run-around? Heros arrive, evil comes to kill them, which brings more heros and so on?