Being one of the Sons

Gward'ogan Miradomas · Being one of the Sons

Right, I think this needs to be raised, as it has been said a few times over the last year, and I want to make it blatantly clear, on the record so to speak.

If we say you are a Son, than you are, OOC we will have no problem with this, we like you and value your input. Sometimes IC this will not be evident, cos of IC stuff and conflict between characters.

Now we are on the inside of this looking out, so I would appreciate other peoples input, I don't want us to be an insular group, if any of you have had a drink with us after TO or at a meet I think this is clear, and I certainly don't want people to feel like outsiders, so how can we change improve this?

Amaunet

Perhaps a little more communication would help as very often people don't know what is going on or the reasons behind a sudden change of plan, they then feel let down , betrayed or whatever, and this can sometimes make them feel like an outsider or even mistrusted. I myself have sometimes felt a bit like that and I probably know you all better than some of the others, then again I can sometimes be over sensitive. I realise it is not always possible to tell people everything all the time but if people feel they are committing to you then they quite possibly expect you (not you personally) to be a little more forthcoming.
I don't know your reasons for this post I am just surmising and have probably got it completely wrong as usual Embarassed

This is in no way intended as a criticism it is just a suggestion, and anyway I don't like Coventry Laughing

selbbit

I thought you lived in Luton Laughing

Amaunet

Said I've probably got it wrong, OK what have I missed Exclamation

Gward'ogan Miradomas

Personally, I don't leave things off the boards for any other reason other than I don't remember, I have a great memory, but I forget to use it Smile

And if you think your being left out of any loop, shout, ask some one to explain, I know in the past things have moved so fast there was no time to explain, things needed to be sorted straight away, but things look like they might have calmed down a bit....(next event ahem Smile

)

To try and get the information about, do people want to have a 'muster' nothing serious as the 33rds, more like we will meet twice a day in the bar? at say noon (or just after) and dusk?

Guest

sounds like a good plan to me

Amaunet

I was refering to Selbbits comment....I'm getting more confused by the minute,nothing to do with old age Laughing

There's obviously some unrest somewhere (not with me as that was sorted ages ago) it just seems an odd post if there's not.Though it's strange no one else has commented.
Having meetings might be a good idea (circumstances permitting) then it's down to the individual to be there.

Gward'ogan Miradomas

Well there has been the odd comment, for example Cahool left to become Vengeance, cos he felt like an outsider, he had no idea what was going on, Remembrance brought it to a head, We were all really busy, trying to save our arses, wont go into details here it is a wide open thread. But I don't want this to ever happen again.

Amaunet

Obviously there are going to be moments when it's impossible to communicate with everyone at the time. You've now given them the opportunity to air their grievences I don't see what more you can do.The meetings would be a good idea though. I can see it now....as you come racing through the bar chased by the hoards and shouting "can't stop now rather busy" Laughing

Guest

yeah as amaunet said, the best we can do is try and keep everyone in the loop and when big important decisions are made like when we joined bakhana, make sure everyones involved. Speaking from my own point of view on that one it kinda happened without much in the way of discussion with most of the group, im not saying its a bad one or i would have disagreed at the time or anything its just an example off the top of my head.

Something else i would also suggest is that more responsibilty is dished out amongst more members. It makes sure people will actually personally and emotionally (if thats the right way to put it) invest in the colony. For example rather than have selbbit scrabbling around trying to organise the working and repair of all the mines and farms and everything else, why not delegate certain operations and assets out to one person. E.g. Blackberry is port master, fenis chief of agriculture etc. Of course who does what would be down to a group discussion and only members who are fully trusted can be given such responsibility. But selbbit retains his role and gets final say and coordinates with those people as to whether their decisions are viable. Another thing would be to put one person in charge of the money for example, so that people can go up to them and ask, 'how much we currently got' 'is there enough money in our budget for this...'. Likewise for mana, how much is there and who do we go to when we need it. Anyway im sure you get the idea. I know to an extent that some of these things have already been implemented but there is still confusion, so to have it clearly laid out would be nice.

Guest

from a personal point of view ive really enjoyed being in the sons. for purely IC reasons things seem to be getting a little fraught between us but form an OOC point of view ive always enjoyed roleplaying with you guys and never really felt left out that much. i must say if everything does go tits up and we end up going our seperate ways ill be sad that i miss out on all the intruige and fun that you guys bring to my game.

one point though is the idea of equipment distribution and suchlike. IC ive had many problems with where everythings going and whats going on with it all and seem to jsut lose items and money in the process causing things like my 2 and a half mark debt that im now in. like mallagroth said maybe some thinking on how to organise that side better would help.

Fenis De Gargrinal

I enjoy being in the SOS. It's lots of fun, especially when we've got a big project on the go like we have now.

I dont want anyone to take this badly, but despite this I dont consider us to be a particularly "newb friendly" group, and my efforts to recruit new people to Maelstrom have been tempered by the fact that I dont know if they will enjoy it being in the same group as me.

Its not anyones fault, its just a consequence of our group structure and tendency for everyone else to get on with their own thing, which I think is in part a survival mechanism since if we has SOS musters, SOS tea parties, SOS charity splat-the-rat stalls etc. it would at most events end up with us all being wiped out - safety in diffusion. Also being slightly dodgy is an essential part of the feel of the group and it would lose something if it became too fluffy and generic.

The problem is this could lead to new recruits who havent much LARP experience wandering round wondering what to do, and ending up joining other groups with more of an IC "sense of community" Smile

Its a bit different when we're hosting I think, like it was when the Gnolls hosted some time ago, and we can afford to have more of a visible structure, so this event might be a particularly good one to make a grab for new recruits (both OOC before the event and IC at the event).

At other events when we're not hosting and have to keep a low profile, I think the best thing is to try and get to know new members OOC and fill them in on what to expect at an event, so hopefully they wont look lost at the event itself but have super-covert agendas to keep themselves amused. Its a bit difficult since we seem to be a bit spread out (but originally based in Northampton?). At our last pub meet I brought my wife and brother along, hoping that they might get into the group, but mostly people were talking about their downtimes and it was hard to get them into the conversation - my brother joined the winter guard (mainly cos he knows most of them OOC) and Jessica has quit LARP for the forseeable future.

Anyway, I hope this helps and doesn't offend anyone. I know that you all put a lot of effort into the group, and I dont want to see the SOS eventually die out due to lack of new members + gradual attrition. Much better to go out in a heroic good - vs - evil battle.

Mark.

Olrich Von Skorzezny

If anyone wants stuff to do outside of core SOS business do come let me know.
I'm always crying out for more organised folks who want to do stuff.

Benedict Delano

William Burke

fie! fie! verily there art ways more subtle to pay court unto our fellows.

Danniel Steel

Heinrich