ATA: Ask Them Anything

Sobriquet

As someone who is keen on assisting as an admin in some way, being it mortal builder or potentially even Celani application again.. but may have burnt some bridges behaviour wise in the past.. what would be you advice to them going forward? Forget it, or push it?

Rhivona

Ashai said:

• What was the most challenging part of getting through your Celani/Demi requirements?

• The most challenging part of the requirements for me, echoing Sartan here, was most definitely the creative writing - I think my group of celani started to call this phase "The Big Red Pen of Doom".
  On second place, for me personally, was deciding which actual god role to go for (something that, obviously, I in the end decided against and went for a coder role instead - apparently this was a fairly unique decision)

Mathonwy said:

Alright folks, I hope you brought your blue books 'cause it's essay time!

Without giving anything away about your mortal characters, was there a moment when you were first playing Achaea that got you hooked, and can you describe (again, as vaguely as need be) what that experience was like for you?

For me this was quite literally when I first started playing, managed to create my character just as a pretty big event was finishing up - I remember being very intimidated by everything going on, and a few mentors going out of their way to explain things to a shy newbie. While the intimidation did chase me away for a bit, I eventually returned fondly remembering this sense of community in the face of adversity.

Similarly, without giving anything away and please be as vague as needed, was there a moment where you realized you wanted to step into a Godrole? How difficult was that decision? 

I had always been interested in what happened behind the curtain, so when the call for new celani came and happened to coincide with a sense of "Eh, this character's story is at an end", decided to go for it.
It was a fairly easy decision for me, as was the decision to leave any chance at a mortal character behind and swap to a coder role (see answer to Ashai's question).

What has been the most unexpectedly rewarding part of your tenure in the Garden? What was one aspect you imagined you might do more often than you actually do?

Honestly the most unexpectedly rewarding part of my tenure in the Garden is twofold:
   1. The sense of family, when I came up it was with the impression that the Garden was plagued with infighting and bickering - I was pleasantly surprised to find a sense of collaboration and "we have your back".
   2. The introduction to the psuedo-code language that makes denizens react the way they do actually got me interested in programming in general, and lead to me pretty much starting a journey as professional programmer, a path I never really envisioned myself taking.

What is your favorite moment of Garden collaboration you've experienced since taking on the role? 

There's many of these, owing to the sense of collaboration, but quite frankly my absolute favorite moments are, and will always be, a new God finishing their introduction event. Nothing really beats witnessing the planning, creation and execution of what is for many the stressful end of their training - and observe, while silently cheering them on, them telling the world "I am here".

Phaestus

Jurixe said:

How do you deal with interactions and relationships that the person who played the godrole before you established? I've seen some gods do a blank slate, and others try to continue. Similarly, how often do you write notes on interactions - is it every single interaction with a mortal, or do you only write down the important things?

Varies wildly depending on the person, really depends on the ex-volunteer, really depends on the context. For the most part, it's not very well-documented, but it's relatively easy to tell by how people set up expectations. We usually come in with a general sense of the order and previous relations, but a lot of it is inferred based on the person's expectations and how they're treated by their peers in the order. For some folks this isn't the case at all, as their relationships were well-known, or well-documented for one reason or another, but in the general sense.

How do you guys handle the stress of dealing with player feedback, both IG and OOC? 

We do a bit of venting back and forth, but for the most part it's just taking a step back and remembering that the players are here to play, and that most of the negative feedback is either a) something we can fix or address directly b) emotions flared by a particular situation that will fade in the near future, or c) born of ignorance of other circumstances or factors. It can be frustrating, but we're careful not to let it fester into personal distaste.

It's really nice to have an avenue to talk to you guys as admin to player and vice versa! I hope discussions like these can happen more often.

Mindshell said:

Is the smiting over shouts exasperation or are you guys having fun with it too?

Depends on the person, depends on the situation. For the most part, we love (good) shouting matches. When it devolves into semi-OOC or just unimaginative ranting back and forth (especially for extended periods of time), someone may decide to step in and shut it down before it continues for another ten minutes.

Lyndee said:

For no one in particular: is mortal war extremely boring to watch from on high? What about combat in general? day-to-day roleplay?

Most of us enjoy it to different degrees, but personally I think it's lovely when people are enjoying themselves, be it war or skirmishing or roleplay. It gets very tiresome when people put themselves in these situations but don't enjoy it, or feel forced into it. It really comes down to players making the most of it.

Do you prefer roleplaying as your god character or animating denizens more? Why?

No preference, really. Each has its ups and downs. There are certain expectations of gods that just aren't applicable to denizens, and vice versa.

If you're a patron, what sorts of traits make mortal org leaders good to work with versus terrible? Do you think of mortal leaders (oocly) as volunteers, too, or no difference to the rest of the playerbase?

A good leader is one who can a) make their organization attractive to potential members and b) encourage engagement in their current members with the rest of the game and other members of the org. Good leaders are the people who give other people reasons to play the game, and to enjoy being a part of the world of Achaea, be it through stories, community, activities, or whathaveyou.

They're not typically considered volunteers in our eyes, certainly not in the way that celani, guides, or mortal builders are. Some of them put in a lot of effort in leading and shaping their organizations, and some don't, but there are a lot of perks that come along with leadership, and leadership is an entirely in-character role, even if it puts players in the position to make OOC requests of their patron via the requests system. I think it's less due to the work they do and more due to the lack of any sort of requirements, training, or real oversight that leaders face in many cases, especially in smaller or more inactive organizations.

Phaestus

Sobriquet said:

As someone who is keen on assisting as an admin in some way, being it mortal builder or potentially even Celani application again.. but may have burnt some bridges behaviour wise in the past.. what would be you advice to them going forward? Forget it, or push it?

This is general advice, given with absolutely zero knowledge of your (or whomever's) personal situation:

I think there are very very very few players who are on the "literally never" list for celani in any of our minds, and they're not the players you'd guess, nor for the typical problem behaviours you'd expect.

On the other hand, it usually takes a consistent, visible effort from players over a decent period of time (this is generally true of all applicants, not just those with murky pasts). I don't want to get too deep into the applications, but one of the most attractive things to see in any sort of volunteer is a genuine interest in interacting with Achaea and the world around them. Players who put themselves out there, who are genuinely invested in the world and its stories, who come up with new and intriguing ideas, who are engaging with content and the players around them, whatever way floats your boat. Showing that you actually care about Achaea, and that you're invested, is a step in the right direction.

Oceana

Are there any common reasons why Gods would disappear? I imagine there are all sorts of personal reasons, but if there are also game-related reasons, is there anything players can do to avoid the loss? Or rather, what are the things players should not do if they want to keep their Gods alive and kicking/zapping?

(This is a very roundabout way in saying I love You Gods and thank You for Your work! It matters so much).

Reyson

What do you see the role of 'recurring NPCs' as? How far can you see them furthering a faction's story, and how far do you want them to further a faction's story? 

There seem to be a few instances where NPCs have a flurry of activity for a while, but then fall quiet for a while, which is totally understandable given the workload and the comings and goings of Celani, but how do you suggest we guide ourselves as to the effort and time we put in where NPC-driven stories are concerned? (Some of these can he super fun, so I think people almost universally love them, especially when they're not uber epic stories, but more 'mundane' in their focus)

Atalkez

@Aurora How difficult was it to decide to take the role, knowing the history of the previous volunteer and unfortunately the most recent news? Similar to a previous question, were you given some/a lot/no notes to give you an idea of how to get into it?

Archaeon

how to get into Rory RP:

Step 1: Smack Atalkez around

Stheno

@Sartan

I appreciate how closely you cleave to your God role, even when it might upset or disappoint people. How do you balance Mhaldor's many narrative restrictions with the more free-form roleplay of the other factions, or is that beyond your scope? War has brought up a few comments I've heard repeated during my time in Mhaldor, namely that Mhaldorians "sign up" for the Dark Souls NG+ experience and so should be used to everything being harder and less immediately rewarding.

When it comes to a competitive event like the Reckoning, where two or more cities allying greatly skews the odds, does it make you feel differently about Mhaldor's history of keeping no allies? Is it something that comes with the territory, knowing that Mhaldor will go for it anyway?

What's the cheekiest thing a player/character has gotten away with, because it was just too good to punish?

Aegis

Morthif said:

@Aegis

How much do you love me?

You are My prime bouldering target. That speaks volumes already, I think.

Aegis

Krizal said:

What made you pick the godrole you play?

Do you ever wish you could undo parts of your godrole's past? Anything in particular?

What's the most frustrating thing about players?

What would you do differently as a player after having played a god?

Do you miss PK?

I will answer two questions.

1) Getting to play a neutral Divine has always been a highly alluring aspect of Aegis. It is also a stance highly difficult to maintain especially in Achaea's landscape, where everything has become highly factionalised. I wanted to become a third option for people who don't want to subscribe to the faith of a Divine tethered to their side, yet desire a higher purpose that could push their characters forward in a different way. War is a rather aggressive (ambition-striving) realm that I thought might appeal more to those who lean that way, as opposed to people more inclined to the softer nuances of character development (like Pandora, or.. Lorielan, I suppose).

2) I wish I never attended @Pandora's turning-of-age ceremony. What a belligerent daughter! (I kid.)

5) ... Anyway, I do miss PK. Fortunately (or unfortunately!), I meet those fixes sometimes by secretly stalking or spying on my Aegeans as they get involved in PK shenanigans. And if you're up to any raids, I may or may not come down to stand with your raid team to see what you're up to.

Kaios

This thread is incredibly illuminating, especially with replies like these:

Sartan said:

The amount of restraint I have to show with various situations so as not to remove player choice.  Also, due to the role I do not have the freedom that other roles have.  Not complaining, but there are times when I just want to twist the heads off of players because of it.

Pandora said:

It bears pointing out that Orders are one of the few places where volunteers can essentially do what they want and how they want it, versus the player-run organisations they Patron. While this can make it frustrating for players, the alternative is likely to have volunteers burn out at a much higher frequency when they cannot cater their inner circle to be just how they like it. This is not to say volunteers hate doing the other things, but it is nice to have your own little playground where you are beholden to no one!

Could be answered by any of you, but what are you expecting players to get out of God interactions? What is your goal during those interactions yourself? Using Aurora as an example, the majority of the time Aurora has interacted with Targossas since I've been around has mostly just been to punish someone or complain about something we did that she dislikes or kill someone for asking her a question, the list goes on. Of course, this is only what I see from the perspective of outside looking in but if the goal is not to add things that contribute positively, or provide interest or intrigue... then what is the goal? I can say with all honesty that if my interactions with any Divine were to be limited to getting killed or insulted by them only, I don't think it would matter to me whether or not they were active.

Sartan

Woke up to many questions! @Jurixe

Jurixe said:

On the subject of rituals, I have always stayed away from these because I just don't know what to do with them when I can't guarantee an outcome. If we wanted to create a ritual and leave the outcome to Someone to decide whether it succeeds or fails, is there any way we can give you guys up there some advance warning? Maybe by talking to a denizen? Or in situations where no one is around, is it okay for us to roleplay results ourselves, or should we always lean towards failure?

I would refer to Pandora's reply about patron requests if it is going to be a really elaborate thing that will need more than just minor support. Otherwise (and this is really just my preference) doing the discussions in-game with others is the best way to get it noticed. It does not hurt to ask a denizen for advice which will bring it to our attention also.

For truly small things, like summoning a gremlin, or making pretty colors, I do not think anyone would have an issue with it being successful. It is when they become bigger, more elaborate and/or attempting to create some massive personal success is when they become a problem.

How do you deal with interactions and relationships that the person who played the godrole before you established? I've seen some gods do a blank slate, and others try to continue. Similarly, how often do you write notes on interactions - is it every single interaction with a mortal, or do you only write down the important things?

Previous interactions really depend on if there is any notes on the history between the god and the player that we can call on. In some situations, the rest of the garden may know some of the history, or know where we can look for hints, but we generally are going in semi blind.

It can be a mixture of fun and frustrating though, as some players go for gotcha questions, while others tend to be more informative on their relationship with the previous person, which then gives us a basis to go back and investigate.

How do you guys handle the stress of dealing with player feedback, both IG and OOC?

Lots of alcohol.

No, we are really good at supporting each other during the stressful and not so stressful times. It is one of the main things that makes being part of the garden team great.

It's really nice to have an avenue to talk to you guys as admin to player and vice versa! I hope discussions like these can happen more often.

I agree. I hope everyone is enjoying this as much as we are!

@Mathowny

Without giving anything away about your mortal characters, was there a moment when you were first playing Achaea that got you hooked, and can you describe (again, as vaguely as need be) what that experience was like for you?

This is a really difficult question for me because when I started playing, I was just instantly hooked. I was already looking for a MUD to replace my previous game and Achaea was like going from EQ to WoW, where things were similar but better. The people playing at the time also helped a ton, as they were all great in their own ways, whether they were allies or enemies.

Similarly, without giving anything away and please be as vague as needed, was there a moment where you realized you wanted to step into a Godrole? How difficult was that decision?

It seemed like the next logical step for me. I had reached the pinnacle of player power so to speak, and stepping up to help out in a Godrole was just the next challenge and was also a no brainer for me.

What has been the most unexpectedly rewarding part of your tenure in the Garden?

I am going to echo Twilight's comment that it is beyond rewarding when something you have done elicits a good/bad reaction from a player.

What was one aspect you imagined you might do more often than you actually do?

A couple things actually - Issue handling was a big one initially, but the Producers have gone to extreme lengths to take a lot of those things off of our plates which allows us to focus more on doing more roleplay things.

Another is pure storytelling - Events, no matter how small are not easy to put together. Some are just spur of the moment, or we wing it (I am a bit infamous for just going in with half an idea and letting it build itself), but actually telling an engaging story where players can participate versus just standing and watching? That takes a TON of planning.

For example, Mhaldor's event with Sylcine took about 3 weeks to plan. It was rewritten at least 4 times, we talked about it almost constantly every day, but the event itself was roughly 15 minutes of script, with the remainder being players asking questions and doing things.

What is your favorite moment of Garden collaboration you've experienced since taking on the role?

The event I just mentioned above brought me the most sadistic glee, though there are a few others involving the order and city that have also been an absolute blast.

@Mindshell

Mindshell said:

Is the smiting over shouts exasperation or are you guys having fun with it too?

If we are shouting, we are having a BLAST!

More to come!

Twilight

Jurixe said:

How do you deal with interactions and relationships that the person who played the godrole before you established? I've seen some gods do a blank slate, and others try to continue. Similarly, how often do you write notes on interactions - is it every single interaction with a mortal, or do you only write down the important things?

How do you guys handle the stress of dealing with player feedback, both IG and OOC? 

Past interactions and relationships are difficult. Most people are willing to forgive a minor inconsistency with something in the past if it makes for a more smooth present, though there's always the risk of having missed something in your research that leads to a 'gotcha' moment. Remaining above those and moving forward confidently is how I try to handle it ICly. 

I keep a lot of notes which enables me to refer back to almost any given moment of importance during my tenure. This helps a lot with consistency but also enables me to file some offhanded comment away for later use, or most prominently, keep all of the Twilight plates spinning at once (of which there may sometimes be many, given the nature of my role).

We talk through a lot of feedback as a team. My personal stance is that I would rather not be influenced by OOC opinions and while some aspect of that is inevitable due to us being part of an admin team, it certainly helps to immerse yourself and make decisions from a purely IC standpoint.

Sartan

Getting that last post to be that pretty was a ton of work, so I think I will go in reverse order now.

Stheno said:

@Sartan

I appreciate how closely you cleave to your God role, even when it might upset or disappoint people. How do you balance Mhaldor's many narrative restrictions with the more free-form roleplay of the other factions, or is that beyond your scope? War has brought up a few comments I've heard repeated during my time in Mhaldor, namely that Mhaldorians "sign up" for the Dark Souls NG+ experience and so should be used to everything being harder and less immediately rewarding.

This is a really good, but also really difficult question to answer.  The easy way out would be to say that it is beyond my scope, but that would not be true. Almost every interaction, bit of advice, either through a denizen, or directly from Sartan I give is weighted with knowing Mhaldor has a different playing field than everyone else.  Thing is, I pride myself on that and 95% of the time, I feel like everyone in Mhaldor does too. A lot of the time, I try to only softly guide and not get involved unless things are blatantly going off the rails. The last Blackwave is an example of that, and I know it sucked at first, but I think we can all agree how great it felt to basically win the TT assault on Mhaldor knowing you all did it solo.

Also, There is a saying that we have among the RP gods that we try to apply to everything we say and do, especially when it comes to difficult decisions. That saying is "It's all about the RP." Mhaldor's RP is very strict in comparison to a lot, if not all of the other cities and can seem unfair from a player perspective.

Why does Mhaldor always have to go it alone?

Because it is all about the RP.

Why does Mhaldor have these hard imposed standards, when no one else?

Because it is all about the RP.

If the move you, or anyone is making falls within the city/evil RP, then I will wholeheartedly be there to support it and understand that in the background, we are almost always discussing how to hold other organizations to their RP, even if it will garner us much hate for doing so. Again, because it is all about the RP.

When it comes to a competitive event like the Reckoning, where two or more cities allying greatly skews the odds, does it make you feel differently about Mhaldor's history of keeping no allies? Is it something that comes with the territory, knowing that Mhaldor will go for it anyway?

Does it make me feel differently to the point that I want to change Mhaldor's role to allow them to do the same? No. Never. Does it suck when something like that can happen? Yes, totally.  Does it make me SUPER proud when Mhaldor still manages to come out on top or damn near on top in these situations? HELL YES!

Second is not good enough in-character, but when the smallest community in the game manages to keep two or more other communities on their heels at almost all times, can you really complain or be mad at it? Yes, we all want to win all the time, but we cannot. 

Trust me, I have spent many a day ranting to the other gods about these very restrictions, but again - It is all about the RP.

What's the cheekiest thing a player/character has gotten away with, because it was just too good to punish?

The main one that comes to mind is @Alrena was having a conversation with Sartan while she was Tyrannus and said something very bluntly that normally would get someone splatted. Problem was she was right, so all I could do as a player was sit and smirk while wanting to murder her but knowing I should not.

Also most of the order has each had at least one moment in my time where they should have died, but I was too busy laughing to actually kill them.

Twilight

Krizal said:

What made you pick the godrole you play?

I saw the potential for a lot of conflict of various kinds and the Twilight role is one of the most multi-faceted ones in all of Achaea with endless opportunities. Sartan also talked me into it.

Do you ever wish you could undo parts of your godrole's past? Anything in particular?

I wouldn't undo any specific events or stories, rather I would go back and course-correct when it comes to those brief periods in recent history (3-4 years ago) where it seemed the role was shifting more towards being social and making friends. That is something I wanted to (and have) worked on since becoming Twilight, hopefully for the better!

What's the most frustrating thing about players?

Being unwilling to take risks and try new things regardless of consequences.

What would you do differently as a player after having played a god?

I would be much more conscious of having as many conversations IC as possible. Exclusion is a common feeling among players and there is nothing worse than an organisation conducting business on clans or Discord servers more than with its people.

Do you miss PK?


Yes.

Sartan

Reyson said:

What do you see the role of 'recurring NPCs' as? How far can you see them furthering a faction's story, and how far do you want them to further a faction's story?

There seem to be a few instances where NPCs have a flurry of activity for a while, but then fall quiet for a while, which is totally understandable given the workload and the comings and goings of Celani, but how do you suggest we guide ourselves as to the effort and time we put in where NPC-driven stories are concerned? (Some of these can he super fun, so I think people almost universally love them, especially when they're not uber epic stories, but more 'mundane' in their focus)

It depends on the NPC and their story. Some have specific roles, some get picked up at random, and some have a loose story planned for them, but time and other responsibilities slow that down a bit. I have a couple in particular that I have a really good time with, but I do not always have the time or have a real idea what I want to do to move them forward.

I think the best route though is to just try and engage those various denizens when you can. If we are free, we will engage you back and things can go from there. 

Also, Props to Telaan for leading the way on this front!

Side note: I think I know which one you are talking about and I will hopefully be able to continue that bit of story soon. It's a fun string to pull on, and I do have some fun plans attached to those strings.  Well, at least fun for me, which I hope will be fun for everyone else!

Sartan

Twilight said:

Krizal said:

What would you do differently as a player after having played a god?

I would be much more conscious of having as many conversations IC as possible. Exclusion is a common feeling among players and there is nothing worse than an organisation conducting business on clans or Discord servers more than with its people.

This. ALL day this.

Twilight

Lyndee said:

For no one in particular: is mortal war extremely boring to watch from on high? What about combat in general? day-to-day roleplay?

It is not boring to watch at all. We have turned war, raiding, and PK into a spectator sport in the Garden. 

Do you prefer roleplaying as your god character or animating denizens more? Why?

I spend a lot more time animating denizens (one or two in particular) than being visible as Twilight but I wouldn't say I prefer one over the other. They're two different sides of the same coin and both are very rewarding. If I had to pick one, I'd lean towards animating denizens for the sole reason that it's less intimidating for players and more likely to generate organic reactions. Playing multiple characters via denizens is also a good way to push myself out of the comfort zone.

If you're a patron, what sorts of traits make mortal org leaders good to work with versus terrible? Do you think of mortal leaders (oocly) as volunteers, too, or no difference to the rest of the playerbase?


I don't think any of us view mortal leaders as volunteers in quite the same way, if at all. As far as traits, good leaders have ideas, good leaders share those ideas, and good leaders involve people in helping to make those ideas into a reality. As Pandora's touched on in earlier answers, the quality of your leadership isn't measured (at least by us) in how many shiny new items or rooms you had added to your city, but by how much you helped develop that city's story thematically. 

By far the most important trait of a leader though is recognising that it is in part their responsibility to maintain the integrity of the city's roleplay and uphold the themes and story that are associated with the faction. Sometimes this means doing things that upset people OOCly and sometimes it results in difficult confrontations with friends, but the best leaders put the faction's integrity over their own personal popularity.

Sartan

Lyndee said:

For no one in particular: is mortal war extremely boring to watch from on high? What about combat in general? day-to-day roleplay?

Not to me. It is more like a sporting event and I am a fan and a commentator at the same time. Combat in general depends on the fight, but it is also entertaining.  Roleplay is the lifeblood of being a god, so things are VERY boring without it.

Do you prefer roleplaying as your god character or animating denizens more? Why?

I am sure my answer will be slightly different from the others. I enjoy it immensely when I get to do things as my god role, but because my role is not a god who is constantly visible or prone to idle chit chat, I have to supplement those urges with denizens. So short answer is both. Denizens allow me to be less "OMG God of Evil" and more "Asshole Prelate" or "Amazingly Charming Tsol'aa."

Basically, while the denizens give me more freedom, I enjoy both pretty equally.

If you're a patron, what sorts of traits make mortal org leaders good to work with versus terrible? Do you think of mortal leaders (oocly) as volunteers, too, or no difference to the rest of the playerbase?

I was going to answer this, but @Twilight covered everything I was going to say!

Kog

What sort of things do you feel drives quality players towards a city or organization?

What's the most common way you see orgs drive away their good players?

What single quality in a city leader do you value most, and why?

Sartan

Krizal said:

What made you pick the godrole you play?

I personally wanted a change of pace, while at the same time being a factional god. I also wanted an established role, and Sartan is about as established as you can get!

Do you ever wish you could undo parts of your godrole's past? Anything in particular?

I agree with Twilight here in that there is nothing I wish I could undo, but instead I wish there were things I could redirect. Sartan holding onto S&O after returning is an example of that, but I also understand the logic behind it.

What's the most frustrating thing about players?

Players either spending all their time chatting in clans/discord versus doing IC things.

Players wanting confirmation that some action they are going to take will be rewarded, versus just taking the risk to see what happens.

What would you do differently as a player after having played a god?

See my reply to this above.

Do you miss PK?

Yes

Aegis

Oceana said:

Are there any common reasons why Gods would disappear? I imagine there are all sorts of personal reasons, but if there are also game-related reasons, is there anything players can do to avoid the loss? Or rather, what are the things players should not do if they want to keep their Gods alive and kicking/zapping?

(This is a very roundabout way in saying I love You Gods and thank You for Your work! It matters so much).

Sometimes, we can burnout on playing the role or decide to take a step back when we start to feel upset about things happening in the game. Some never really recover from this and eventually step down; others do recover from it and return after some time. There are also other reasons too, of course. Real life has its own place in all of us, and it takes a lot of time from being able to delve into Achaea as much as I'd love to. Work in particular (I'm an essential worker) is kicking my butt on this front.

All that being said - and I can only speak for myself - I feel that the things that keep me coming back are the little sparks of appreciation I get from my orgs when I interact with them and show them attention. It makes me want to do more and do better for them.

Eril

@Aegis When Aegis finally returned after the extremely long time gap between volunteers, was it difficult to play him due to the extended lack of content created due to no volunteers having taken him?  Or did you take the break gap as an opportunity to make him your own and do things the way you wanted to rather then your predecessors.

Eril

@Sartan would you say it is easier, or harder to Patron Mhaldor with you being the only real option they have for a Patron.  Most other cities have another God option (if that other god ever wakes), would you prefer Mhaldor to have one as well?

Aegis

Eril said:

@Aegis When Aegis finally returned after the extremely long time gap between volunteers, was it difficult to play him due to the extended lack of content created due to no volunteers having taken him?  Or did you take the break gap as an opportunity to make him your own and do things the way you wanted to rather then your predecessors.

Twelve years is an extremely long time gap between volunteers. I admit it has taken me a lot of research to scrape up the lore iterations of previous Aegis, from trawling through google, to rummaging through all the news posts on the public, events, order boards, to order library books, clans, progs, so on and so forth. There are a lot of good ideas and intent from what those who came before me did, and I've taken a lot of inspiration as to where they've gone with him. Some, I have kept. Others, I have discarded - everyone knows how overused Sun Tzu's Art of War has become, right? >_>

Sartan

Eril said:

@Sartan would you say it is easier, or harder to Patron Mhaldor with you being the only real option they have for a Patron.  Most other cities have another God option (if that other god ever wakes), would you prefer Mhaldor to have one as well?

I would say it is a bit easier. Mhaldor and Sartan are so intertwined that it is difficult in my opinion for another godrole to flourish in the city without it diminishing the the whole.  Would it make the workload easier? Totally, but I prefer things as they are because it really just makes sense.

Shirszae

Inspired by the response about Orders being in a sense the Divine's playground, I am curious. Is there anything you wish your Order did more of in particular? Whether because the chance does not often comes or is not seized, or whatever other reason there might be? I know the question is perhaps a bit personal in a sense, but I am curious. 

Reyson

I understand if you can't answer because of ongoing story reasons and whatnot, but apart from the Third Black Wave, which we kinda all know went off the rails a bit, what's a moment you watched unfold and kinda went 'noooo, they missed the point/story hook/chance to move the org forward!'?

Kinilan

What other types of games do you enjoy playing?

Have you learned anything in your time as Gods that made you reconsider a previously held opinion about something in game?