Settlement Rules

Only approved clans can apply for settlement status. Request a claim in the #clan-sheet-and-land-claims channel on Discord. Claims need to be approved by the staff and will be updated on the political map in the #arvandor-map channel.

Claims are built off of the initial clan build. Your initial claim is of the map region your build it located in.

### Settlement Stages

#### Settlement Stage 1 - Initial Land Claim and Settlement Type

First initial land claim of 1 region is free. To make this land claim a settlement must be build and be marked on the map and the settlement type must be announced. This base is considered uncontestable by PvP, though it may still be attacked by raids.

#### Settlement Stage 2 - City-state

To become a City-State requires preparation and RP driven expansion. The clan will need to build an expansion in the new territory adjacent to their first they wish to claim and have RP establishing what the expansion is, must show ability to protect that expansion and should be working to show that intent is to be a true city and not just a simple settlement. At this time, clans should post their intents in this Discord channel and await a RP task given by staff to move forward. When staff is satisfied, the new area will be claimed on the map and a second settlement type can be selected.

Further, this is where Upkeep begins. Upkeep will be paid in Jade Coins, see the Upkeep section below for details. Upkeep will be paid on a bimonthly basis on the 1st and 15th of the month. Clans may make a claim like this twice (for a total of three regions claimed). The clan also gains +4 to their Thrall limit in order to RP setting up personnel to secure their areas.

At this stage, staff expects a set of general laws to be established for the area claimed. DISCLAIMER- Laws are expected to make sense and to be taken seriously. Troll laws, laws intended to trick casual visitors into confrontation, or laws that tread upon character consent sheets may earn you staff ire. Finally these regions and any additional beyond them are considered open for PvP contest and can be won and lost via PvP conflict.

#### Settlement Stage 3 - Fiefdom

To become a Fiefdom (stage 3), a clan is setting up to control a sizable area. For each region above 3 claimed, you will need to follow the steps outlined for expanding the settlement in state 2, plus be ready to take RP steps to secure your areas. These claims are for a maximum of 6 map regions in total. A third, and final, Settlement type is allowed to be selected at this time.

Clans must place intent to pursue this in the Discord (channel to be determined) channel and again will be given tasks by staff that will be challenging. You will be required to have an outpost at the furthest extent of the holdings and may be asked to have small homesteads up to make the area actually look populated. Yes, this means budgeting building pieces as this is part of the challenge of claiming so much land. Depending on size, staff tasks may be asking clans to be able to show they can "fund" a standing army . Yes, this is part of thrall counts, and again, part of the RP challenge of making larger land claims. Upkeep on these land claims are now high enough that most will need multiple people working to pay for the larger claims.

#### Stage 4 - Nation

To become a Nation (stage 4), multiple clans will be expected to work together to control a large area of BORDERING land. A governing council will have to be ICly established after posting intent here in this Discord channel. The laws will need to be adjusted, the lands within all under one flag. Clans may elect to put embassies within the area previously held by their neighboring allies. Clans will have to work together to afford this and may be expected to show staff that they can work together to defeat possible threats.

### Upkeep

To keep it easy, each additional region claimed beyond the first will have an upkeep cost of 1 Jade Coin paid on the 1st and 15th of the month. Taxes are collected by an NPC in the Bank of Oasis Port.

Upkeep is meant to simulate the continual cost of maintaining a settlement over large areas. Be it food for slaves, coin for soldiers, expensive and rare magical reagents for the undead, or other general maintenance and upkeep on buildings, the continued cost of these things is what the bimonthly upkeep charge is meant to represent.

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### Settlement Types

There are three types of settlements that Clan can establish themselves as, each with specific benefits different benefits. At each tier of settlement 1 to 3 the clan may select ONE settlement type to gain the benefit from. They cannot take the same settlement type multiple times, though certain benefits may be expanded with staff agreement based upon RP and increased upkeep costs.

The settlements types are:

#### Martial

Martial settlements are the home of mercenaries and knightly orders, raiders and monster hunters. A martial settlement is expected to be well defended and fortress-like and be home to those seeking power and prestige via strength of arms.

The benefits for a Martial settlement is getting an EEWA Bounty Board and NPC merchants selling specialty weapons.

#### Merchant

Merchant settlements are all about trade and commerce. Home to the merchant, the nomad, the wheeler and the dealer, these settlements are usually built around taverns and marketplaces, and seek to bring as much traffic to their location as possible to enable trade and commerce.

The benefits for a Merchant settlement is being connected to the waypoint system, a coin exchange, 2 deco vendors (like in Oasis Port) of their choice, and a monthly stipend of 5 Gold Coin.

#### Miscreant

Shady deals, secret passages, and hidden treasures, Miscreant settlements are the home to bandits, slavers, and ner'do'wells. Often hidden or built around areas of sin and vice, they tend to be more selective of their clientele providing goods and services that the more morally upright would find distasteful.

The benefits for a Miscreant settlement are having an Exotic Dancer as well as merchants that sell specialty goods useful for roguish work.

### Settlement Upgrades

In addition to expanding land claims and the reoccurring costs those entail, settlements can also make one time purchased upgrades. To purchase these a request must be posted in the Clan's Clan sheet thread. These upgrades are as follows:

 +4 to Total Thrall Limit
 (BS) T1 Volcanic Forge