Tranquil Territory - Data File - Feudal System

This document has been compiled to examine the proposed system in Elder Tales for the Feudal Lord subclass as envisaged for use in the Tranquil Territory Fanfic. The purpose of this system (from the fanfic's perspective) is to significantly emphasize on local community involvement and a platform to investigate changes in social framework, examine the relationship between those with power and those without and to allow the group to establish a base of operations.

Also, providing this document allows readers to determine what I am talking about in the Tranquil Territory fanfic, without becoming frustrated that I am making it up as I go along (since I am putting it out at the start).

Proposed Elder Tales Purpose:

Encourages role-playing and social interaction – also creates a basis for competition between groups over limited zone ownership.

Terminology:

Fealty Event - When a local NPC declares loyalty or fealty, securing that NPC's support and their influence

Home Zone - Zone where the Feudal Territory is based and Feudal Lord subclass functions can be performed without penalty.

Territory Challenge - A state of war between the Zone controller and a challenger

Zone Controller: the individual (Feudal Lord, NPC Nobility, Area Boss etc) who is assigned dominion over the zone.

Character Requirements:

Feudal Lord is a subclass that must be unlocked by:

Retrieval of the bind on pickup very rare drop 'Proof of Nobility' (found in level 80+ zones with a library); or

Becoming a vassal of a Feudal Lord and swearing fealty, then being bestowed the title (breaking fealty in this case results in the subclass level being lowered by 10 levels and a permanent reduction in the rate at which loyalty to you increases but a boost at the rate which it decreases).

Territory Requirements:

To set up a seat of power, the territory of every Feudal Lord requires a home zone in which the majority of the administrative functions of the system can be accessed (accessing these from elsewhere incurs a penalty). Only certain zones can be secured as the Feudal Home zone, they must have a central humanoid structure (such as a castle or fortress) pre-Apocalypse there were only twenty-one of these on the Japanese server (mainly in the Ezzo Empire and the Ninetails Dominion).

The Home Zone can be changed to any controlled potential home zone, but only if the Feudal Lord is present at the destination.

The skill Call to Home can be used to travel to the Feudal Home zone.

Territory Challenge and Expansion

Certain NPCs and Boss level creatures as well as Feudal Lords can declare a 'Territory Challenge ' against a Zone Controller, allowing entry and skill use in zones owned by any member of that Feudal System (in return for the same) this can only be cancelled with the agreement of both parties.

It is possible to seize control of the zone by force, defeating the current ruler and their minions within the zone; however this does not alter the loyalty of the inhabitants of the zone (if there are any). Because loyalty does not alter instantly, it is possible for subjects to retain their loyalty towards a supplanted lord (though this may wane in time). If the locals were discontent with the previous government, overthrowing them will result in a temporary increase in contentment and loyalty – however if they were content the reverse will occur.

Territory Challenge also allows fealty events to be accepted without penalty; accepting a fealty event without being in a territory event provides the opposing faction an additional buff and commences a Territory Challenge.

Even without a Territory Challenge , any zone which is able to act as a Feudal Home, has high levels of discontent or extremely low loyalty; or is adjacent to a controlled zone and does not have a current Zone Controller be expanded into and loyalty can begin to be accrued.

When sufficient loyalty has been obtained by a Feudal Lord, this can trigger 'fealty events', where important local individuals (including mayors) swear loyalty to the Feudal Lord – if sufficient influence is obtained with such individuals (about 1/3) supporting the challenger it will trigger an official change in zone control to disputed, effectively negating defender's buffs and halving the effectiveness of efforts by the Zone Controller to gain loyalty. If this support becomes substantial (2/3) then official zone control will be transferred to the former challenger.

Administering Feudal Zones:

Local populations in a zone require many things of their lords, the general classifications include: Defence, Infrastructure, Justice and Disaster Relief. More advanced needs include economic policies, social services, health and education, the amount of skill to provide these services requires a high subclass level and because of their cost (which can potentially exceed income) many Feudal Lords avoid these even when the option is available.

Events and quests about these will arise randomly depending on population and size of zones controlled. Completing quests alters contentment and loyalty levels, this is particularly true where it concerns requests that a vassal be held to account for their perceived actions.

To do their duties, a Feudal Lord may:

Accept Vassals, reward/discipline them, fire them, delegate authority to them

Commission buildings and public works as well as staff them

Train and Equip a militia

Establish the Law

Efficiency and effectiveness of these efforts are limited by the subclass level of the Feudal Lord and the degree of loyalty in the zone that the event will occur. It is also reduced if either the Feudal Lord or the Event are not in the home zone and reduced further if not in one of the feudal system's zones. They were also required to give help to local groups (often requiring donations or labour) and to hold hearings and uphold the law (occasionally involving allegations against player characters) – these were more event based and highly time sensitive.

Task complexity has greatly increased post-Apocalypse, for example the Law was one of six sets of legal frameworks, it is now however possible for a sufficiently skilled Feudal Lord to customise.

Subclass Effects

Provides Major buff/de-buff to Feudal Lord; Moderate buff/de-buff to Vassals; Slight to Subjects. - The size of this buff/de-buff depends on the level of loyalty of the Feudal Zones (in particular the current zone) and is limited based on the Feudal Lord's subclass level.

Provides Buffs to Zone Defenders - Any faction in combat in a feudal controlled zone obtains a bonus based on the unpopularity of their opponents. If Fealty Events were accepted before the Territory Challenge , this buff is increased.

Subordinate Openness - A Zone owned by a member of a Feudal System cannot restrict entry or skill use by a superior.