Kenash's Comments Questions & Suggestions Thread

[Banickle]

Actually, to keep things a bit more organized, post all location posts - businesses or plantations (if you're helping with those) - here! That way we can keep them all together, but also keep the discussion flowing here without getting lost between massive location posts. I should have a sample plantation up within the next few hours. I may also try to get my PCs business location up, too! Long live Kenash, Nick

[Banickle]

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR ALL (soon-to-be) BUSINESS OWNERS OF KENASH! The loan for Dynasty members has been changed from 3,000 mizas to 5,000 mizas! The loan still needs to be paid back, in full, but within two years - instead of one - of opening said business. Again, that's 5,000 mizas and two years to pay it back! Woot! The loan for Freeborns is still 3,000 mizas and it needs to be paid back, in full, to the family that has backed the business, within one year of opening said business. Again, that's 3,000 mizas and one year to pay it back! That is all. We now return you to your regularly scheduled threading, which is already in progress. Happy writing! Banickle

[Gossamer]

IMPORTANT NOTICE In going through the business plans, Gillar has noticed that some businesses are relying almost elusively on slave labor to run and then the people who are profiting are getting all the profits without any sort of maintenance of slaves. And truthfully, I didn't think this would come up because I figured everyone would be reasonable about this and realize the inherent flaws in this course of action. Here's the cold hard truth. You can't do this. It's not even realistic. You have to feed, clothe, house, and educate these NPC slaves. And sure, you can say they are owned by the family, but then anyone game wide can look at Kenash and bust out laughing at how ridiculous that is that someone is utilizing labor they aren't paying for to see a profit. So here's the ruling on this. This ruling supersedes any permissions or statements made before this point in time. If you are utilizing slave labor, you must TAKE INTO ACCOUNT that slave's cost of living. Most of Mizahar exists on a poor level, and that is fine for slaves that are out of the limelight. This means the dishwashers, grooms, and midden pit diggers of the world. However, if you are utilizing slaves that are in public service, they need to be clean, very well fed, educated in a way that befits their position, and that means they should be maintained at a COMMON cost of living. So, if you have a dozen slaves running your business where they mingle with Kenash' elite, you'd better be able to pay for it. Its a matter of personal integrity and game fairness. This means you, not mommy and daddy or big brother/sister etc. Why? Because you are benefiting from them - not mommy and daddy. You are far better off designing something around one NPC slave or hired PC than you are utilizing a small army of NPCs. If you can't scale your business down to suit this issue, then you need to change your business. Remember, slaves are subject to the NPC rules in terms of skills. Thanks for the read! Goss

[Banickle]

Hello, One and All! Gossamer, I just sent you a PM about the above notice; however, I also just came across Gillar's note, in one of the business plans he reviewed, stating that slave NPCs need HD approval. I thought we had decided not to go that route for slaves, only Freeborn NPCs and higher. I'm probably wrong. There's been so much going on, it's sometimes hard to keep track of it all. Also, to all of the players who have to update and/or change their Business Plans because I may have given you misinformation, I am sincerely and truly sorry. That was not my intention. Regards, Banickle

[Gossamer]

Hey Banickle- Good question. What Gillar means is that rather than leaving it up to the PC for any NPCs they control, as per the NPC rules, you need a nod from someone topside on the mod staff that your NPC is suitable for you. Its not so much HD approval but he wants NPC slaves ran through an ST with SS access to keep things realistic. Any generic NPCs you'll utilize from the Plantation you are affiliated with in casual ways definitely don't need approval and if you want to keep a record of them, throw them in the NPC Submission Thread.. which just lets us catalog them. You don't have to do this, but it adds color and flavor to the city. Any slaves you interact with in town you can do so freely, because they are brief encounters like barmaids, nanny's on the street, shopkeepers, etc. Gillar was rather ... shocked... last night at some of the forwardness and advantages PCs were taking in business plans to reap profits without actually having a lot of involvement in their businesses... which was not our intent in Kenash at all. These families want to see their offspring make it in the business world and be involved in their business, not some absentee owners leaving the entirety of the business to be ran by slaves with no supervision, no education, and probably lacking a lot of other things too. There were also some really well thought out business plans too. Hes going to do another huge approval chunk tonight. He told me there were some that were top shelf quality and that PCs within those plans really understood the Kenash system well. Again, this is not Banickle's fault. This is Gillar putting his foot down because he read quite a few last night and found a lot of advantage being taken of free labor with no support on it which is not something we've ever allowed in Mizahar. One thing I always tell PCs who are facing either having slaves or being slaves is that the level the master of the slave maintains the slave at has a great deal to do with the longevity of a slave. Slaves, in many cases, are more expensive than horses. Yet if you don't feed your horse, give it good foot care, teeth care, and let it rest then you are going to kill it fast and loose your investment. The same goes with people. And frankly its not easy to get slaves at times. Look at how often the Zith have to raid for them and how the Ravokians often breed for them. Eth, for example, are present on Mizahar, but incredibly rare. Prices and availability should reflect that. The whole point is, utilize a little gamer's common sense. If you've ever experienced tabletop where a group of your friends are sitting around a table gaming and the DM is just sitting there scratching his head while two hours is wasted debating how to break into a safe in a dungeon, then you know how all aspects need to be thought through. Mizahar's whole design reflects this thought. We don't pull things out of thin air, we utilize fantasy realism and try to do things realistically. If you aren't sure what realistic is, then you can always open a debate in chat, post a thread, or just ask one of us storytellers. But like anything else, opinion will differ from ST to ST or chatter to chatter, or even from poster to poster, so you have to pick and choose, sift through the available information, and make a decision. Ultimately that decision might have to be justified or pass inspection like say if it is posted in a business plan and needs Gillar's approval. But be patient. It's going to be worth it in the end. I promise you that. Goss

[Gossamer]

And also, you guys should all give Banickle hugs and slaps on the back and shoulders to cry on. He has to deal with me 24/7 in getting this city open, and I'm not the easiest person in the world to work with especially under stress or when I have no free time irl. I know I've told him conflicting things, changed my mind and made announcements when hes not around to consult, and have been in general a huge pain in his ass. Really, we should have had a thread somewhere in the ST Realms that listed all the decisions we made about the city and all the assumptions we were under to better manage things. So don't go blaming him for last minute changes. It absolutely 100% is not his fault. I know hes got a thick luxurious head of hair, but by the time this whole city opening is over and done with, he might have pulled it all out. So you know... show him lots of love, because most of these last minute announcements aren't his fault. And I know hes busting his tail to help everyone get ready to go.

[Opal Draer]

*slaps Banickle* Wait.. I may have interpreted Gossamer's last post wrong..

Actually, though, having been on the admin end of things once or twice, you all have my utmost respect for the organizational detail you use to get things up and running. It shows RL character to admit when wires get crossed and mistakes or misunderstandings happen, and to shove onward anyway. Rah rah, good vibes, and hoorays all around.

[Banickle]

Thank you for the kind words, Goss, but this is a team effort, therefore, the blame is shared, but, thankfully, so are the rewards! As I told you in my PM, I'd be worried if things went off without a hitch. Long live Kenash, Nick

[Wrenmae]

Whoooo! Loan increases! More debt!


Seriously though, a shoutout to Banickle for being so awesome getting stuff organized and everyone who has thrown in their lot for support in getting this city up and running.

You're all awesome.

[Banickle]

I second this shout out! You couldn't be more correct, Wren. This has certainly been - and, I hope, continues to be - a team effort. Well done, everyone, well done. Long live Kenash! Banickle