The religions have lost their identity and they mostly gather together for occasional sieges anymore, Tekstone being a sidekick for Imperial's cause, Nature being a sidekick for Law's cause. I think it's our responsibility as a supervisors of the shard to speeden up the process and get the religions on their track again. Most of the players are in favor of changing the direction (poll was made on each religion forum) and personally I think it was mistake from the beginning to go to the road of allowing or supporting the alliances and now I think it's time to fix that. Religions can stand on their own, they are powerful and balanced enough and they were designed to be unique and each with own guidelines and aim. Let's try to go back there. It might be a struggle at first for some of the religions, but in the end I'm positive this change will be for good when the religions learn to stand on their own and stand on what the religion is for, not what the alliances are for.
STEPS TO THE FIX
- 1. Make veritas, blessed peace, altar damage and emissaries hurt all other religions but your own
Reason: Religions are own unique devotions who defy all other devotions. Each devotion than your own is dishonoring yours and the gods should consider those punishable and a threat. Emissaries are a protectors of the faith and devotion, thus attacking all but your own.
2. Make it impossible to ally other religions from the altar
Reason: Pretty much same as above
3. Each religion will have one arch enemy. Tekstone vs. Nature / Imperial vs. Law and joining restrictions lowered
Reason and explanation: Arch enemies are automatically in war with each other and players are restricted having chars only in two arch enemy religions, otherwise it's a free game and players can decide themself if they want to let in players who are already in other religions. This will make it more simple, straightforward, fair and helps to identify the religions purpose.
4. Religion guards will not attack other devotions by default, only those who you are in war with (guild or religion)
Reason: Guards are not protectors of the faith (like emissaries are) but protectors of the people, therefore they only attack those who are a threat to the people.
Staff won't force anyone to attack or not to attack anyone but hope the situation will fix itself together with the changes made above. Players are free to play the politics and agreements themselves but we no longer support the alliances (by the rites or guard/emissary behaviour) and the arch enemies stays in war at the altar.
The changes are completed.