Ever seen battle crusades where there is a fighting/thrusting unit and the supporting unit?

I remember seeing a movie 'Kingdom of Heaven', I think. After the war, the priests/clerics move around the battlefields and pray for the souls of the dying knights. Also they carry the injured back to the tents for healing and such.

Of course in CF, no one is going to let you walk away safely. But the roles of a Maran and Acolyte fit something to the like.

Don't think I'm far off.

As the line is a little blurred right now, I can see the distinction...but I'd have a hard time telling you exactly what that line was without a lengthy list of dos and don'ts. As such, us Fort imms are going to sit down in the very near future and really define Maran and Acolyte and the differences between them.

It's actually something I've been wanting to do for a long time, since Acolyte has always felt like the red-headed stepchild to me. I always kinda felt like I gave them the order 'go do good stuff but don't quite be Maran'....which isn't exactly the greatest cabal direction. Over the years a lot of people have done some cool stuff with the cabal...proving that there is a demand for the cabal, and that it serves a viable role. So, stay tuned kids...we'll see how well we can clear up that line.

Cool. I'm sure alot of folks look forward to having something like that to point to. Glad to see you're not dead or anything either. CF needs some of you golden aura folks in Immland.

There isn't an Acolyte currently existing who doesn't have less kills than I'd probably have with a 10 hour old fire warrior. Some of these guys have racked up as many as six kills in only a few hundred hours of play!

Heh. I hear so much Acolyte forum bitching lately, but when I compare it with effective statistics it just seems silly to me.

I'm not going to tell you that a clearer definition of the philosophical differences wouldn't be nice or wouldn't be forthcoming, but when there are a couple of Maran who have done more killing than the entire Acolyte/Scribe side of the Fort combined, it seems to me that these people are probably generally doing some different things with their time and have some different priorities.

They're trying real hard to be the serial-killer Acolyte type, only they suck. Which would actually be expected of someone who attempts the serial-killer Acolyte anyways.

But that's not the point. I was just wondering, since there's alot of question about it lately, if we could get a real distinction for the two so we can stop all the bickering.

That's the kind of answer you get from Shokai or Aarn. I just hand you the empirical evidence in a quasi-amusing fashion.

The hypothetical inept serial killer Acolyte would pile up dozens of losses, whereas the Acolytes in question really don't. A lot of them have PK numbers like "6 wins, 8 losses, 200 hours", which would indicate they're not often looking for random combat.

I think most of this still comes down to confusion between Acolytes and the now-defunct Dawn cabal, as well as the usual "I expect good-aligned foes to self-handicap themselves into oblivion so I can beat them down." mentality that's far too prevalent.

Aarn's already addressed the difference in subcabal priorities in other threads, but you're welcome to try to get him and Shok to elaborate more.

valguarnera@carrionfields.com

So, if I'm a Battlerager who gangs but doesn't land the kill I'm immune from being penalized?

Caradoc had 23 PKs, I usually hit that by rank 22, doesn't mean he wasn't acting like a Maran. Something to think about.

The following are the things that Acolytes are doing, but that Outsiders probably do not see on a daily basis. And these are personal examples. Other people might be doing additional things or only some of these.

1. Charity Work - You have probably seen the note in game about giving things to needy young Lightwalkers. The entire Fortress can do that, yes, but it's spearheaded by Acolytes.

1b. Charity Work Part Deux - I collect blankets, water skins, and money and pass it out to needy NPCs. These include the needy appearing citizens in Seantryn, the urchins in Voralian, and the beggars in Hamsah and Galadon. I also often leave piles of bread where lightwalking NPCs would be likely to visit in each city.

2. Fire Patrols - Recently, I spent at least a RL halfhour putting out fires that Outlanders had set in the cities. Fires in the cities could harm innocent NPCs and so, therefore, I spearheaded the efforts to see that they were put out in each and every city. Yes, Maran got involved as well, but Acolytes were the driving force.

3. Rescue Missions - Every time I log on I save at least one person from a death trap, starvation/thirst, et cetera. Whoever calls I answer, regardless of where I'm at and what I'm doing. I'm knee deep in an explore area and somebody calls for help? I sanctify the room, teleport out, and go to them to aid. No questions asked.

4. Lightwalking NPC Guard Duty - I have, on numerous occasions, helped Lightwalking NPCs who were being killed for learning. This most often occurs in Akan because they are my kin, but I've helped others as well. This often consists of healing/sancing while trying to talk the lowbie rankers into leaving. I'm a dwarf of Aarn, however, so I'm not making impassioned pleas I'm making stern warnings. When they don't leave, and they never do, I call in lowbie lightwalkers to chase them off.

5. Raiding - Yes, Acolytes can and will raid by themselves if necessary. This is IMM driven. Cytherea has, repeatedly, told us to raid for items we did not have. Usually she seems to locate them just after the village or outlanders lose the item in question so we catch grief for nothing, but she does expect the Acolytes to go get them back.

6. Ranking Assistance - You ever wonder why there are so many hero Fortress members? It's because people like myself, Ishranaye, and Qulenit are helping those below us in rank to learn. Ranking tends to be pretty quick when you're getting 1500 exp a mob.

7. Everything Else - These days, everything else typically involves journeys into hard areas like Yzekon, Aran'gird, Thar-Acacia, Whistlewood, et cetera. Boredom drives us to it.

Other things that typically fill my time, but aren't necessarily Acolyte-related. Fighting off Outlanders and Battleragers who camp outside waiting on me (Outlanders) or Qulenit (Battleragers) to walk through. And finally, finding evils to kill and/or help others kill.

On a side note, Acolytes/Scribes are currently closed to new applicants. We've enough already at present. Maran/Squires are still welcome to apply.

*** 5. Raiding - Yes, Acolytes can and will raid by themselves if necessary. This is IMM driven. Cytherea has, repeatedly, told us to raid for items we did not have. Usually she seems to locate them just after the village or outlanders lose the item in question so we catch grief for nothing, but she does expect the Acolytes to go get them back.

Now this I get a kick out of, since I was actually booted from the Acolytes when I refused to stand by and let Maran die within the other cabals as we were told we were not to raid and wouldn't back down on my stance! And it was she who did it!

It was also not my idea to step aside and let them. The reason why you were booted is because you flat out decided not to go along with the council. When Kalumgar got removed, I didn't see why acolytes couldn't raid as long as they were with Maran. And I have already been put into place about Acolytes raiding solo.

And personally, I didn't want to do it, but I couldn't have a scribe refusing to act by the words of the council. And Kalumgar was prophet longer then I was cardinal so I respected his wishes.

-Cyth

Well should have brought this up a while ago, but since the involved parties have either deleted or gone on to better things, a couple of things I wandered about. Please don't feel the need to answer these, just things that I myself wandered about after the incident and while I let the character auto-delete. And please, don't think of this as slander against you Cyth, I've intereacted with you with two other characters and still think you are an outstanding player and character.

1) When in that argument, you both told me that the Immortals agreed with the council in that matter and for me to go to them wouldn't have mattered. I took this to mean you guys had spoken to Shokai and Aarn about it, and they agreed, but then Kalumgar got removed for it, so how did you have their agreeement?

2) After I was uninducted, Kalumgar sent me a tell telling me that it was your idea and that since you were the one to do it, he was going to follow your call. And then we still continued the debate.

3) Why did you do it the way you did anyways? The removal honestly wouldn't have bothered me, but you used the trust system to basically send me away without a word and then uninducted me. That left the bad taste in my mouth. Why not just ask me to leave the fortress?

4) And the biggest question! Now that your an immortal, do you still feel the same way about the books in the library now as you did when this occured? IE: To be ignored by the council even when it goes against its practices?

>1) When in that argument, you both told me that the Immortals
>agreed with the council in that matter and for me to go to
>them wouldn't have mattered. I took this to mean you guys had
>spoken to Shokai and Aarn about it, and they agreed, but then
>Kalumgar got removed for it, so how did you have their
>agreeement?

Speaking for me, I just assumed the immortals trusted my judgement since I was made Cardinal. Big assumption there I know. And Kalumgar was removed because he argued with Aarn about something.

>2) After I was uninducted, Kalumgar sent me a tell telling me
>that it was your idea and that since you were the one to do
>it, he was going to follow your call. And then we still
>continued the debate.

I didn't even knew you two kept talking. But I knew he wasn't all that happy with it either.

>3) Why did you do it the way you did anyways? The removal
>honestly wouldn't have bothered me, but you used the trust
>system to basically send me away without a word and then
>uninducted me. That left the bad taste in my mouth. Why not
>just ask me to leave the fortress?

A very harsh way to do it, and after it was said and done, I wished I handled it VERY differently. For that, I do appolgize.

>4) And the biggest question! Now that your an immortal, do
>you still feel the same way about the books in the library now
>as you did when this occured? IE: To be ignored by the
>council even when it goes against its practices?

The library is full of ideas how to rp an acolyte. If you ever feel you are being told to do something that goes against the teachings I would bite my lip for now, and write a note to the Fortress IMMS. The mortal leaders run the show because we cannot be around 24/7.

In short, I really think it's important to the funness-level of the game to allow mortal leaders leeway in dictating cabal policy. Some Fort leaders have been strict on not letting Acolytes raid, some have gone the opposite direction. Unless they're doing something really wrong or against the set-in-stone Fort policies, we'll let them run with it. Even if we don't think it's all that hot of an idea ourselves. That's why they're the leaders.