Baron vs. Baron Challenges - 2024 Spring Cycle Update

[PrlUnicorn]

They would not.

They won't be given a new token ever again or just for the cycle in which they vacate a title?
As someone who currently has a character with a title, the distinction is important to me.

Sorry, I may have misunderstood the context in which the question was asked. Tokens are given out to Baronies at the start of each cycle, and then to any new Baron who wins a Barony during the cycle. So in the case of one Baron dethroning another and choosing to vacate the title they challenged for, there is no token awarded.

So example:
Alasdair is Baron of New Haven and challenges for Seaside.
Alasdair wins.
Alasdair chooses to vacate Seaside rather than hold it.
Alasdair does not receive a token.

This means that Alasdair would only receive another token if he was Baron of New Haven at the start of the next cycle, or if he lost the Barony of New Haven and won another during that same cycle.

I think we might need to revisit the second portion of this to make it a little more simple to track and offer less possibility of abuse and instead state that once an individual issues challenge using the Right of Conquest, they aren't able to issue another one until the following cycle. Thinking on it, I believe this was probably talked about in the early stages and got lost somewhere, so that might be something that's updated before this coming cycle.

I think were getting to an understanding here. Let me expand your example to explain this:

If someone were to time things right, theoretically, they could challenge and defeat a fellow Baron in the last week of one cycle then do it again the next month (which would be in the following cycle) after vacating one of the two titles (as the tokens last a full cycle and Barons are given a new one at the beginning of the next.) Since the ARTs are generally two weeks before the end of the cycle, that one Baron alone could create two vacancies in a cycle.

Alasdair is Baron of New Haven and challenges for Seaside.
Alasdair wins.
Alasdair chooses to vacate Seaside rather than hold it.
Alasdair does not receive a token after that loss.
Suppose Seaside is vacated after that cycle's (let's say Spring) ART, that means it wouldn't be able to placed into an ART as a prize until the Summer ART.
Alasdair, still Baron of New Haven, gets a new token at beginning of the Summer Cycle.
Alasdair, still Baron of New Haven, elects to challenge for Dockside, early in the Summer cycle then and opts to vacate that title a short time later.
Unless other arrangements are made, that would put both Seaside and Dockside out of play until the next ART.
Suppose Alasdair and another character do that same thing, that's four of eight titles out of play until a decision of some kind is made.

I hope that explains that concern a bit better.

You did mention the possibility of titles going back into circulation before the cycle's ART and that's encouraging.

[Tippletoe]

Just want to loop back to something Alasdair said and support it.

it would depend on how long they'd be vacant. There may be other factors in place like if there are other events happening, staff availability, etc., but we'd do our best to not have them sit for a whole cycle.

Dealing with vacant baronies is always a case by case basis depending on how long it is until the next ART, what the staff's availability/capacity is at that time, and what other events are happening (Madness, IFL, DoM events, DoF events, etc.). If you're looking for us to codify when baronies would go back into circulation we can't do that as a rule set -- there are just too many factors.

We can guarantee that all vacant baronies will be available as prizes in an All Ranks Tournament.

We can promise to do our best to not have them sit for a whole cycle (e.g. if a barony went vacant in the first half of a cycle we'd look at options to put it back into circulation). That might look like another one-night tournament, it might look like a two-week round-robin event, it might look like making them challengeable and having the Baron's council elect people to defend the Barony on behalf of the sport, it might look like a four-week quest where the participant with the most points gets the barony. We appreciate having some flexibility to adapt to the needs and capacity of both the staff and the community.

[Delahada]

it might look like making them challengeable and having the Baron's council elect people to defend the Barony on behalf of the sport

Please, please, please, please do this. Maybe even name it something else like a "Petition to Claim" or "Right of Occupation". Could give it the same parameters of the petitioner/challenger only being allowed a single duel format to lay claim to the empty barony. Only Warlords can challenge for them; no grants can be used. Stuff like that. Just please do not allow Baronies to remain vacant and locked out of circulation.

[PrlUnicorn]

We can promise to do our best to not have them sit for a whole cycle (e.g. if a barony went vacant in the first half of a cycle we'd look at options to put it back into circulation). That might look like another one-night tournament, it might look like a two-week round-robin event, it might look like making them challengeable and having the Baron's council elect people to defend the Barony on behalf of the sport, it might look like a four-week quest where the participant with the most points gets the barony. We appreciate having some flexibility to adapt to the needs and capacity of both the staff and the community.

I support these possibilities! DoM had a number of events/quests to encourage people to try for vacated towers.

Two things:
The fact that the tournament with two titles as prizes had such a large turn out shows there is a demand for the titles.
Second, how can people that aren't currently staff or on the caller's list be of help with this kind of event?

[G]

As a plus, it makes it real easy for you guys to get the All Title Holder badges. Less work to do.

[Ebon Ilnaren]

The fact that the tournament with two titles as prizes had such a large turn out shows there is a demand for the titles.

This fact is not lost on anyone.

Second, how can people that aren't currently staff or on the caller's list be of help with this kind of event?

Feedback and ideas are always welcome, either here on the boards or privately via Discord or forum DM. We will listen and weigh all comments fairly, and even when we don't act on a request, it is never ignored.

[PrlUnicorn]

Feedback and ideas are always welcome, either here on the boards or privately via Discord or forum DM. We will listen and weigh all comments fairly, and even when we don't act on a request, it is never ignored.

Could we have an announcement posted in IC area, please, regarding the tokens being sent out and that Baron vs. Baron is currently an option?

I think we might need to revisit the second portion of this to make it a little more simple to track and offer less possibility of abuse and instead state that once an individual issues challenge using the Right of Conquest, they aren't able to issue another one until the following cycle. Thinking on it, I believe this was probably talked about in the early stages and got lost somewhere, so that might be something that's updated before this coming cycle.

Alasdair mentioned the possibility of amending the rules that were in the first post. Has that been done and, if so, what changes were made? I'm asking because changes, if not specifically noted, in a post can be missed as many, if not all, staff members have the ability to edit posts without a edit marker with date and time showing.

[Ebon Ilnaren]

Feedback and ideas are always welcome, either here on the boards or privately via Discord or forum DM. We will listen and weigh all comments fairly, and even when we don't act on a request, it is never ignored.

Could we have an announcement posted in IC area, please, regarding the tokens being sent out and that Baron vs. Baron is currently an option?

Request granted! https://www.rhydin.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=35670

[Alasdair Galloway]

Item 6 was added a week or so ago before the new cycle to clarify only allowing an individual to issue a Right of Conquest challenge once per cycle.