So I’ve been looking at the factions list and I have question.
Why are the Skovlander War Refugees tier IV?
I understand that a group of outsiders can be so tight-knit that they can wield their collective resources to a greater extent than other groups. It just seems to be a bit of an oversight that a starting crew can’t have a relationship, positive or negative with them.
Perhaps it’s a gated community?
I would imagine that it’s because they’re being modeled on the Italian Mafia and Irish Gangs that popped up in early 1900s US following the massive wave of Italian and Irish immigrants.
Basic definition is that people within the immigrant communities started smuggling rings to create black markets to get goods and necessities for their fellow immigrants. Over time, criminal operations expanded to pretty much everything.
But that’s not the point. The reason the organizations have survived from the early 1900s even to today is because they are very tight-knit. Outsiders don’t get in until they’ve earned the trust. And newbies fresh on the street who haven’t even really earned their stripes do not earn trust.
Several of the faction tiers seem a bit off. For example, the Spirit Wardens, for all their authority, are only Tier III. So the Skovlander Refugees outrank them, and have generally better gear, facilities, and expertise? I’d imagine the Skovlander Refugees are the larger faction, but not necessarily higher tier.
Will Scott Tier is an abstraction used to save time. Use it when you’re doing quick estimates and need to save time. When you need to zoom in and it matters, use your best judgement. Factions aren’t monolithic unless you want them to be.
Perhaps it’s also breadth of versatility? The Wardens, while influential, are narrowly focused while the refugees are more diverse. Alex Woodard made a very good point with how difficult the refugees would be to befriend. They’re the losing side living in the shadow of the winners, so-to-speak. I can see them being extremely protective of what scraps they’ve taken and desperately holding on to their identity.
I see the wardens as sort of a new industry, so they’re still getting their legs underneath them in some ways. The biggest reason for the tier 3 is probably to put them under the Bluecoats who are the biggest face of the legal system.