SR - Let's get this started right.

Pug Bainter pug at pug.net
Fri Feb 20 06:19:12 PST 1998


Dennis and/or Dory Grace said something that sounded like:
> I can understand your wanting to keep the principality small and intimate,
> but I think we need to keep in mind that to function properly at a
> principality level, with all the bells and whistles and a  healthy, diverse
> stable of fighters to support strong, well-rounded coronet lists, we can't
> keep too tightly in upon ourselves.

One of the criteria that Corpora has is:

g. Sufficient fighters of such caliber as to provide appropriate
   competition for the Coronet.

Well we've got that in abundance in the small area defined. The problem,
from my point of view, is that it would be the same people over and over
again. Diversity is the key. We already hear grumblings about the Crown
only being from certain groups of people.

> I definitely like the idea of Raven's Fort coming along with us as well as
> Shadowlands.

As do I!

> (I gotta say I rather winced when you talked about "rejecting"
> groups. I think if a group in our region is interested in supporting a
> principality, then welcome and well met; we'll need all the hands we're
> offered.)

I agree whole heartedly. Once we start rejecting those people who are
already considered part of our group, we aren't trying to make it a
healthy Principality. We give them the chance to decide for themself.

> I've also heard a few folk weighing the idea of inviting the
> Western region to come along with us, and the more I think about it, that
> doesn't sound like that would be too bad a deal for us, and it would be a
> real boost for them

I am one who is definitely for this. Although I think we should ask them
if they *might* be interested, we shouldn't start seriously courting them
until we have *our* act together. (Unless they are more ready to do it
than we are.) Otherwise we have nothing to offer them and we look like a
bunch of unprepared yokels and they'll not give us a second thought. As
well, some of the fringe groups, such as Seawinds and La Marche Sauvage,
should be approached in my opinion. We've already had one person on the
Ansteorra list say he'd be for the Southern Principality if it included
Seawinds, but against it if it didn't. This might or might not be the
opinion of the entire group. Btw, I think we can't have Seawinds join
without La Marche Sauvage, but we can the other way.

I think our first and foremost goal when trying to create a Principality
is to make sure that the people want it. The next goal is to make sure
that the BoD will accept it. With this in mind, the suggestions I have
are:

1) Have the *entire* Southern Region join if they wish. I understand that
   Raven's Fort may not want to do this, but they have to be asked.

2) Make sure you have a border of the Kingdom. This will give everyone
   little complaint about donut holes.

3) Make sure you take enough cities, as well as groups, for good growth
   as well as a good population base. The 100 recommended by Corpora is
   stated as a minimal and they recommend you have much higher. If you
   just have the groups that Conor suggested, you only have 180
   countable members. (As of the end of '96.) If you have the entire
   region, you have 221, and adding the Western gets you to a total of
   334. These numbers only count sustaining members, since that is the
   requirement from Corpora. Yes, this number is "close" to Kingdom
   minimal, but see #5 below.

4) Remember to have enough quality fighters that could serve as the
   Coronet. We don't want it to be such an elite group that people get
   sick of seeing their faces. Remember: diversity is good.

5) Think if we want to be a Kingdom. If we never do, than setting it
   with Southern and Western is great. If we do, we probably should
   ask Coastal to join instead of Western. I doubt the BoD would approve
   any advancement to Kingdom that split the kingdom apart. (Doesn't
   Southern go to the Meridies border near Raven's Fort? I don't know
   how accurate the on-line map is.)

Personally, I'd rather have Southern and Western join together and
completely avoid the possibility of becoming a Kingdom until well
distant in the future. (One of the two sections around us would have
to go first.)

Btw, as for Conor's comment of:

  At the time I wanted a principality small enough that no one could
  accuse us of going off to play by ourselves.

Actually, that is exactly what I see with that small of a Principality.
People would see it as a small elitist group that wanted to keep the
boundaries very small and keep everyone else out.

Just my 2 cents. Do with it what you will.

Ciao,

-- 
Phelim "Pug" Gervase  | "I want to be called. COTTONTIPS. There is something 
Barony of Bryn Gwlad  |  graceful about that lady. A young woman bursting with 
House Flaming Dog     |  vigor. She blinked at the sudden light. She writes
pug at pug.net           |  beautiful poems. When ever shall we meet again?"
============================================================================
Go to http://www.ansteorra.org/lists.html to perform mailing list tasks.



More information about the Southern mailing list