Kevin's Watch

There is more to leadership than sheer power. Making our choice based on DRP alone would ignore all other qualifications. I suggest we stay away from making any one aspect the sole qualifying factor. Start with who wants the position, and let voting take care of the matter.

However, if no one comes forth as wishing to lead, then choosing Master based on DRP is fine by me. But as a last resort only.

I also agree with re-choosing every year. This insures that we need not take the Master out of power by force, simply wait till the term is up.

As for who volunteers? I put myself forth, and leave it in the hands of the court.

Bah humbug. Darn Sunsetters, with your group large enough to need such guidelines.

Murrin wrote:Bah humbug. Darn Sunsetters, with your group large enough to need such guidelines.

Yes, we do need such guidelines. However, rather than elect, why don't we just take turns. After all, we are all equal. None of us is stronger or better than the others at this point in the game. We could each take a turn being the leader say perhaps for a term of six months (two turns) to one year (four turns). That way, no one gets too comfortable being in power and we all can get a feel for each individual's strengths and weaknesses - who would be a good leader and who would be a poor leader. Begin alphabetically.

BTW, has Xar actually said how long each turn will be this time?

No, I haven't. I kept the seasonal and monthly rules though, so I think it'll still be a season per turn.

As for who the leader in each Court is... please avoid deciding before the game starts and all deities are final (otherwise some latecomers or deities who decided to join the Court at the last moment before the game starts would not be able to vote). You can deliberate the very moment the game starts, if you want - but if you don't, the default leader is always the stronger deity in the Court.

Xar wrote:No, I haven't. I kept the seasonal and monthly rules though, so I think it'll still be a season per turn.

As for who the leader in each Court is... please avoid deciding before the game starts and all deities are final (otherwise some latecomers or deities who decided to join the Court at the last moment before the game starts would not be able to vote). You can deliberate the very moment the game starts, if you want - but if you don't, the default leader is always the stronger deity in the Court.

No problem. I think we all just want to start talking IC, so we can get a feel.

Heh. True--I've chatted a little over PM with one of the gods, and I think I'm settling into Bel's persona quite well.

Calais wrote:Yes, we do need such guidelines. However, rather than elect, why don't we just take turns. After all, we are all equal. None of us is stronger or better than the others at this point in the game. We could each take a turn being the leader say perhaps for a term of six months (two turns) to one year (four turns). That way, no one gets too comfortable being in power and we all can get a feel for each individual's strengths and weaknesses - who would be a good leader and who would be a poor leader. Begin alphabetically.

Letting each person take a term of service, would be a good way to see who would fit best as the Master. However, it is a position of leadership. I do not relish the idea of having a different leader every two seasons. Perhaps one season a piece, and then nominations and voting? I would like a set leader as soon as possible.

Xar, I suggest we debate the Master selection process so we are ready to select as soon as we start! Don't want the Sunrisers to get a jump on us!

Xar, I suggest we debate the Master selection process so we are ready to select as soon as we start! Don't want the Sunrisers to get a jump on us!

Yes, those damn, dirty Sunrisers. That was funny.

Tawahiri, yes one season would work as well.

Xar, I am assuming that you would be the one to determine the strongest god of the courts to begin with. We are all equal starting out, correct?

Hmm.. did Xar mean that literally, or more metaphorically. Like, does the Master actually recive a boost in power for being the Master? Or is it more common sense that the most "powerfull" (in DRP, tactics, etc...) would naturally BE the Master.

Well, yes, but to begin with we are all on the same level.

Calais wrote:Well, yes, but to begin with we are all on the same level.

Umm...

"yes" to what?

Tawhiri-matea wrote:Hmm.. did Xar mean that literally, or more metaphorically. Like, does the Master actually recive a boost in power for being the Master? Or is it more common sense that the most "powerfull" (in DRP, tactics, etc...) would naturally BE the Master.

The Master does not receive a boost of power in terms of worshipers or DRP - although he does receive power in the form of being able to choose the criteria for other gods to access the Divine Right, being able to consult the Oracle, and being able to deny access to the Court to those who wish to join it.

In regards to the Oracle, only the Master can consult it; in regards to Divine Right, though the Master can choose the criteria, there must be criteria that other deities can meet (i.e. he cannot hoard the Divine Right to himself, but he must set rules that should allow others to access it too - even if the rules are just "I'll allow access only to those who please me").

Ahhh. Got it. Thanks Xar.

There is more difficulty to these matters than I care to deal with.

On the one hand, who is more qualified to lead than the one who has proven most capable of achieving success? If that one wants the job, I think I would probably not have a problem. If that one is the same one all the time, and does well by all of us, then I don't think I would complain. If that one is the same one all the time, and does not do well by all of us, then we will likely come up with a different method of choosing.

On the other hand, Might Makes Right is not, in my opinion, a good rule for most things, so why should it be for choosing a Master? And perhaps we would miss out on many things if we don't let all have a chance? One might reveal unknown strengths when put into the position. So voting among all who want the job would be good, also.

In any case, we will have no way of knowing if another choice would have worked out better for any given period of time. The circumstances each Master faces will be different. X did much better than Y. But did the Oracle give X better information? Did other deities act up more when Y was Master? Were there more Acts of Xar during Y's time? Just too many variables.

So, when all is said and done, I'm not sure I care how we choose a Master. Perhaps by the time we vote on a method of choosing, I'll have found a reason to prefer one over the rest.

That is good thinking, Zephyr. After all everything has it's own uses depending of the circumstances. Sunlight let's plants grow. Rainstorms renew parched ground, lightning can cause firestorms that thin out overcrowded forests.

I am in favor of letting each member of our court take a term of Master, and we will move on from there. Perhaps, if we have enough members, a council would be a better choice? An election of three members so that there will always be a majority decision?

i'm content to do as i please until a master makes him or herself apparent.

then we shall see what we shall see, eh? capo di'tutti capo.

Is there any chance someone who is organised could post a list of who is in each court and their domains?

Also, will each court have to debate by PM? is there any way a thread can be started that youy need a password to get into?