The Fate of Westcliff

[Apothys]

So,

A while ago there was a big build up to the new fortress city of Guldorand being built. There were multiple Dms involved, many arcing storylines as old Guldorand(Westcliff) was threatened by the powers of the skull crags (Talossians, Vampires releasing Dracolichs - with the aid of some nefarious pirates, Druids and the spirits of the land itself - or so it seemed.)

It climaxed in a massive battle in the logging camp and in its aftermath it was given until a certain time to vacate before it was destroyed. So all waited with baited breath until the Fortress City was created.

Now nothing seems to have happened, the logging camp is still there and the threats, battles and plans on both sides of the conflict dont seem to have meant anything.

Did something happen that saved Westcliff or is this plotline of imminent doom still something that hangs over Westlcliff? Or is it something to find out in game? I have a lot of people asking the same question and it just feels odd none wants to talk about it or even knows.

Thanks for reading.

[Irongron]

It was never my intention to remove the logging camp, only to reduce it. While Soulhaven has gone, along with msny settlement functions, much still remains, likely too much, but I wanted to monitor server population before making further reductions.

[Edens_Fall]

Personally I feel there is a clear divide in Guldorand. That of those who wish to remain in Westcliff and those that moved to the new city. So much push back and hangers on caused IG settlement politics to adapt and appoint a mayor to the village.

While I'm not saying this is bad nor good, it clearly doesn't help either location to keep the already small population of Guldorand split between the old and new.

But that's just my thoughts.

[UilliamNebel]

Can see a lot of the points. But, maybe that is Guldorand's purpose, to be decentralized, and fractured, a loose Republic barely over being a frontier? That more or less is how I see it's identity forming from where my character is. The Fortress city a boom town of sorts, with a strange multitude of influences from the Founder's makeup, that desperately needs some, but minimal, druidic intervention as outside pushback of sorts.

Ideally, I'd like to personally see Guldorand become the 'Wild' hub of Arelith, with the Weatherstone stone circle becoming the main hub of druids, uncivilized rangers, and shamans. The three groves are great places to visit in character, and work with, but sort of play to various expectations. It be nice to see the Weatherstone become the place where varying druid circles, shamans, and rangers of all types had the occasional moot on the state of Toril about Arelith more to help foster more druid and wilderness RP (Especially Grey or Under Druid RP).

That all said, rather tricky to develop a decentralized settlement given what settlements are baked in to be on Arelith. I'd say let the Fortress City be the civil face, that which matters most to the places outside of Guldorand. Does it matter if the High Sheriff speaks truly for all of Guldorand, or just the percentage that lives in the main city? If someone is playing a nature character, but as a player feels cheated out of settlement representation, I think that is on them for missing the trade off of being a wilderness character. Besides, it's not like anyone would in Guldorand under the Founder's Charter bar them from voting or living in the city if they really wanted to, or even participate in the politics.

An additional point is, Westcliff is really just a more PC active Grey Hammer. I don't think Grey Hammer takes anything away from Bendir Dale's population. And I don't think over time that Westcliff will either. Neither did developing Mayfield more seem to take away from Cordor.

For Westcliff in particular, I'd think it be cool to see it transitioning to a 'greening' of sorts, with some signs of 'civilized atrophy' showing with time. Such as roads showing signs of less upkeep. Civil services like the gailhouse boarding up, possibly to burn down with a lightning strike and just not be re-built. It should lose more services, with perhaps the Logjam, Winters, and Crag Hollow just remaining as the core of a gradually yielding back to the wilds ghost town.