Are we in W5's Dark Age?

[Galthon]

Evening, folks. I'm not generally much of a talker or a storyteller, usually being more concerned with just getting by, one day to the next. But as I find myself with little to do today, I find some thoughts running through my mind.

Now, mind you, I'm rather new to the Hearthlands. But I pay attention to things, and read history, and know that things were not always such as they are now. The great powers, such as they are, seem to be semi-mythical entities. If they still exist, they have seemingly withdrawn to within their own borders, and rarely take interest in anything outside their immediate lands. I have read great tales of wars between various factions, yet these all seem to be relegated to history. There are no more savage hordes hellbent on destroying all that they can't control, nor are there glorious empires staunchly enforcing their own order upon the lands.
Instead, we have a world of robber barons, pillaging and taking what they will, and retiring nightly to effectively impenetrable fortresses. Scattered among the lands, we have a great many freeholds attempting to eke out a living from the poor resources left untouched and the ruins of abandoned cities, those leavings not being worth the time of the great empires or the roving brigands.
What then, for those of us who wish to live as free men? Even did we wish to join with the so-called superpowers, they have little need and less interest for those us lacking connections to their social web. Perhaps we could indenture ourselves to the brigands, and hope that their whims will not lead them to instead butcher us for amusement. We can attempt to defend ourselves, aye, but lacking the training and equipment of warriors, we often find ourselves unable to defeat any but the weakest and most desperate of raiders.

This is not meant as a complaint about the world being rough, or other people being evil, or the elite needing to give handouts to the weak. Instead, I seek only to discover other folks who feel the same about the state of the world, and worry about what to do about it later.

[rendozoom]

Aye, I feel the same way. Every night I pray that the next morning I wont be dead, or looted.

[Bladex1200]

Perhaps just a bit of wishful thinking on my part, but I think that it would make life a whole lot easier for hermits, freeholds, and new people if an independent coalition was created in the vein of "Neighborhood Watch" that we see in many modern cities. The idea is simple: everyone would retain their own independent lands, and patrols would be set up to monitor each person's claims every few days. No doubt that this would not be a perfect solution - because you're only monitored every few days, raiders can easily slip in between patrols and then leave without being caught - but at least some sort of organized resistance would provide a deterrent to raiders and griefers seeking easy targets in the form of lone wolf survivalists, traders, and farmers.

[Valten21]

Or raiders can just get caught anyways, now most people might assume from this point on, you will track back to a vault and not be able to do anything, but we (Ainran) don't put any points into stealth so it's not much of a burden to track us! You can even track us online while we are out killing and raiding other defensless hermits and farmers, and try and kill us, that would be fun.

[Kaios]

Not really a "Dark Age."

The stuff you're talking about is just the only shit that gets posted in Congress which is pretty normal anyways. Just follow the "How to protect ones village" guide in How Do I, try not to leave any scents if you can help it and patrol your BRICK wall daily and you'll probably be left alone for the most part.

[borka]

Ha Valten - i hear bottles clicking and " Warriors come out and playheyey"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDH9Jq5AWkQ

Oh and Kaios forgot: never ever go out with a (main) char with keys in Inventary to help poor noobs that knock at your walls

[Galthon]

It's not really about the posts here, but then again, when was the last time there was any other kind of post here?
Security-wise, my place is about as secure as it can be. Brickwalled, and the only way in is by HF/idol. Wasn't really my point, either.
And as for Ainran, sure I could find you guys... but it mostly seems like I'd just be saving you travel time. I'm under no illusions about my combat prowess. Maybe you should make a drill instructor character, train up some militia minded types, might make things more interesting for you guys.

Bladex, the idea has some merit. All of us small-timers might not be able to field an army, or even a decent squad, ourselves... but perhaps, enough of us who could field a soldier each, well, it's worth thinking about.

[Kaios]

I re-read your original post and still stand by what I said. Safety, caution and a brick wall are your best defense.

I mentioned the posts because the only thing that has been posted lately in Congress is the raiding threads but that doesn't mean it's rampant and every player is being raided/pillaged/looted/raped/killed.

The only thing even remotely close to making it a "Dark Age" is the fact that Jorb and Loftar are too busy with Salem for the game right now.

Who gives a shit about some raiders.

[TheTylerLee]

Aye, I feel the same way. Every night I pray that the next morning I wont be dead, or looted.

when i look at the character selection screen, i never expect to see my main

[Grable]

and try and kill us, that would be fun for us