Being Houseless

Juvis

I joined Ashtan thinking I could be houseless but it seems I have to join one. Is that the case for every city?
Why is joining a house so advantageous? I would much rather focus on working within the city and maybe join certain clans or even an Order later on... is this not feasible? :S I'd like to hear some of your thoughts/ advice on this. Thanks

Vadik

Houses aren't required in Cyrene, but I can't speak for other cities. That being said, I would urge you to absolutely join one. Nothing is permanently binding, you're always able to walk away and find a new house, city or class as you see fit, if you don't like the place you're at. However, they should be a great way to find a niche in the city, and for your character in general.

They're smaller groups of people that are generally same-minded and have structure in place to make sure you have the resources you need to feel your way around the game at large, which I can't emphasize enough. You may not stick with them forever, or even very long at all, but it's a good way to get some momentum behind you and introduce you to a lot of the core concepts and jump-start your Achaean career, so to speak.

Shayde

From my experience, Targossas and Hashan also do not require a house. Or maybe Hashan does, but quite a few of their members join "rogue" houses. 

Houses are great for getting started. It is easier to find a mentor & connections through them rather than in the city itself. Also conversation flows much more naturally on House channels as you're not as restricted.

However, this is coming from a very biased person. I've been in a house for a rl year. I've never joined a city (on this character) as I have never found the need to. I also do not think my gameplay is affected by the decision. 

Frederich

Targossas doesn't require a house.  However, if you do not join a house, you will have to take an aideship to compensate so you're doing something to aid the city.

Kayeil

I think Eleusis requires a House until HR5, then you have the option to quit House and remain Eleusian.

Aziik

Cyrene does not require a house however joining a house provides a few benefits..

• Immediate access to other players who share at least some enjoyment of the same aspects of Achaea (bringing combatants into one place for example).

• Provides structure and help throughout the time you would be learning the game, for true novices or returning players it can be rather helpful.

• Gives you a basic niche for your character, houses can provide a slight indication of mindset that your character may have, The Shield in Cyrene for example, gave Aziik the role of being a guard for his city.

• Provide relationships and the possibility to impact the gameplay of those within the organization.

• Orders while not something I have engaged in, to my knowledge, do not provide help for those learning the game in an established way as they typically require some effort and a connection (knowing someone in the Order or at least who to speak to) within the realms.

You are of course able to play in only clans, orders and a city but you'll face a harder climb to become established to any extent as you'll have no real binding reasons to talk to certain characters or open up those avenues of role play. ( This doesn't mean Rogues have no importance or rp some are well known!)

Reiloch

Juvis said:

I joined Ashtan thinking I could be houseless but it seems I have to join one. Is that the case for every city?
Why is joining a house so advantageous? I would much rather focus on working within the city and maybe join certain clans or even an Order later on... is this not feasible? :S I'd like to hear some of your thoughts/ advice on this. Thanks

In Ashtan the Houses are an extension of the city. Pretty much all of our communal efforts are divvied up and assigned to the Houses based off of their specialties. From what I gather, this is very different from the way that most other cities utilize Houses, and the significance of membership in one is likely a little different there than elsewhere as well. We require membership not only because we want our citizens to be able to participate in city efforts, but also because as an ideological city we need to be able to teach novices about what Chaos means in Achaea. The most notable benefit of joining our Houses as a novice is receiving an added support network who will help guide you through some of the more confusing aspects of the game and our faction's lore.

Amanu

Kayeil said:

I think Eleusis requires a House until HR5, then you have the option to quit House and remain Eleusian.

And have to be over 25 years of age and have council approval last time I checked. Most newcomers, even 25+ age, are urged to join a House.

Sarathai

Amanu said:

Kayeil said:

I think Eleusis requires a House until HR5, then you have the option to quit House and remain Eleusian.

And have to be over 25 years of age and have council approval last time I checked. Most newcomers, even 25+ age, are urged to join a House.

Correct, council approval or patron approval is required.

Kayeil

Thanks for the further clarification. I was pretty sure there was some chance at being a Houseless Eleusian somehow.

Anaria

Nothing makes me loathe a House more than being forced to join it just to stay in the city I have chosen. If a House can't entice me to chose it by offering something, then it is not going to get one single ounce of my energy or effort beyond what is absolutely required to stay in the city. I think this holds true for more than just me, because I have observed that a lot of these groups have a ton of members who basically don't participate or even show basic interest beyond the first couple ranks.

Asmodron

Anaria said:

Nothing makes me loathe a House more than being forced to join it just to stay in the city I have chosen. If a House can't entice me to chose it by offering something, then it is not going to get one single ounce of my energy or effort beyond what is absolutely required to stay in the city. I think this holds true for more than just me, because I have observed that a lot of these groups have a ton of members who basically don't participate or even show basic interest beyond the first couple ranks.

QFT

Kez

The only thing that separates houses from clans is credit income. They don't even get perks from icons anymore. People joined guilds for the class they could get from it and stayed for the guild's rp, I think, but houses are kind of a hollow and dated attempt at guilds at this point.

Minifie

I'm currently working on a system suggestion for the insidium to actually excite people to progress. One thing that frustrates me is how many houses have a checklist of tasks, and when you tick off enough you get a rank up. I'd love to have a few "teaching" ranks and then a slew that allows people to either dip their toes into many areas to promote, be good at a few or really devote to one or two. 

I think well rounding newbies is imperative, but some join and are absolutely driven to simply interact verbally, or explore and hunt, or yes, some people love writing (stories, rituals, designs, adventures, events etc). I think houses benefit from having players who want to be in them and excel where they choose, otherwise you end up with people who do the bare minimum and basically HNTOFF and almost never respond elsewhere except to HOUSE CREDITSALE BUY. 

Klendathu

Minifie said:

I'm currently working on a system suggestion for the insidium to actually excite people to progress. One thing that frustrates me is how many houses have a checklist of tasks, and when you tick off enough you get a rank up. I'd love to have a few "teaching" ranks and then a slew that allows people to either dip their toes into many areas to promote, be good at a few or really devote to one or two. 

I think well rounding newbies is imperative, but some join and are absolutely driven to simply interact verbally, or explore and hunt, or yes, some people love writing (stories, rituals, designs, adventures, events etc). I think houses benefit from having players who want to be in them and excel where they choose, otherwise you end up with people who do the bare minimum and basically HNTOFF and almost never respond elsewhere except to HOUSE CREDITSALE BUY. 

Good luck with it. I know from experience that even when you put your heart and soul into doing something like this, there will be one or two very vocal dissenters who will find flaw.

Trey

Klendathu said:

Minifie said:

I'm currently working on a system suggestion for the insidium to actually excite people to progress. One thing that frustrates me is how many houses have a checklist of tasks, and when you tick off enough you get a rank up. I'd love to have a few "teaching" ranks and then a slew that allows people to either dip their toes into many areas to promote, be good at a few or really devote to one or two. 

I think well rounding newbies is imperative, but some join and are absolutely driven to simply interact verbally, or explore and hunt, or yes, some people love writing (stories, rituals, designs, adventures, events etc). I think houses benefit from having players who want to be in them and excel where they choose, otherwise you end up with people who do the bare minimum and basically HNTOFF and almost never respond elsewhere except to HOUSE CREDITSALE BUY. 

Good luck with it. I know from experience that even when you put your heart and soul into doing something like this, there will be one or two very vocal dissenters who will find flaw.

I'm already planning on badmouthing it and I have no idea what it's about.

Minifie

Trey said:

Klendathu said:

Minifie said:

I'm currently working on a system suggestion for the insidium to actually excite people to progress. One thing that frustrates me is how many houses have a checklist of tasks, and when you tick off enough you get a rank up. I'd love to have a few "teaching" ranks and then a slew that allows people to either dip their toes into many areas to promote, be good at a few or really devote to one or two. 

I think well rounding newbies is imperative, but some join and are absolutely driven to simply interact verbally, or explore and hunt, or yes, some people love writing (stories, rituals, designs, adventures, events etc). I think houses benefit from having players who want to be in them and excel where they choose, otherwise you end up with people who do the bare minimum and basically HNTOFF and almost never respond elsewhere except to HOUSE CREDITSALE BUY. 

Good luck with it. I know from experience that even when you put your heart and soul into doing something like this, there will be one or two very vocal dissenters who will find flaw.

I'm already planning on badmouthing it and I have no idea what it's about.

Scrapping the sartanic orgies then. Thought that one would actually be the easiest to get in...

Antonius

Anaria said:

I think this holds true for more than just me, because I have observed that a lot of these groups have a ton of members who basically don't participate or even show basic interest beyond the first couple ranks.

This isn't exactly untrue of Houses in cities where membership isn't a requirement, though. Just have to accept that the majority of people in Achaea don't actually want to do much.

Krypton

Minifie said:

Scrapping the sartanic orgies then. Thought that one would actually be the easiest to get in...

You'll never replace Demian!!

Skye

Krypton said:

Minifie said:

Scrapping the sartanic orgies then. Thought that one would actually be the easiest to get in...

You'll never replace Demian Leda!!

ftfy