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[Hahayeah]

I am keeping the backstory as it is and neblime said it can be the same people if you want, I'm keeping Zargoth the same as in gorgedadmired.

[kero42]

Oh, I know that, that is why I said that is what I was thinking before you posted. I suppose it is more accurate to say I was pointing out the bit about the old nobles deeming it a failure and making a new expedition for a new fort, though I suppose that's cause I figured something else happened. If Zargoth left by himself to tag along with the new group, then I suppose it is unnecessary to mention what happened to the others. Like I said, not really a problem~

[kero42]

what's the default starting influence? (so i can add that to the player list) or is that not agreed on yet?

Well, according to the OP,

10 influence is created as a player enters our fortress. This influence is immidiately added to the said player as personal influence.
1 influence is added to the shared influence for each NPC in the fort. (and substructed if said NPC dies or otherwise leaves the fort)
1 influence is added to the shared influence for each 50k of generated wealth.
2 shared influence is added...

So 10 influence per person, I suppose.

So, assuming no more players join, the total influence to be thrown around until shared influence is generated would be 60? Though if a seventh person does not sign up then we would probably have an NPC in the 7, so we would have 1 shared influence.

[TeleDwarf]

All those values are up for discussion, but yes, it looks like that with current numbers, except for wealth from our posessions.
As of number of NPC dwarves we take - it is discussable too. We can take none or we can take any number of serfs. We can also discuss what kind of stuff we would like to take. As it currently stands we will be eating vermin before the winter comes.

[neblime]

well just because we have all these other ambitions doesn't mean we can't be farmer for a little while if we need to.  bring some cats or dogs or something that breeds without food

[kero42]

For some reason I remember thinking pigs were a good livestock to have, though I can't for the life of me remember why.

[neblime]

they need to graze, so they can't be better than cats or dogs

[sal880612m]

I might only be available over the next month or so but if that is okay I would like to join.

Name: Either sal or Rigor Gazcubor
Backstory: Last month I was called into the manager's office and duly informed that the mountain home had reach the largest size it could expand to and would no longer need my services as a miner. Further it seemed that in order to continue employing more skilled miners I was no longer needed for that. After this I became somewhat dismayed and became aimless puttering back and forth between gathering some crops and dabbling in other trades. A friend told me of a new expedition that was being planned and low on prospects here I decided to sign up. To give myself motivation and to prevent second guessing I sold all my world possession and purchased a pick and a bag of my favourite seeds to enjoy on the journey.

Along the journey I would like to come across an escaped/wild blue peahen that I share some seeds with and sort of adopt.

Skills:
Skilled Miner
Competent Engraver
Novice Potter, Novice Glassmaker, or Novice Leatherworker *
Novice Grower
Novice Herbalist

Items
Most expensive pick available on embark
If possible a bag of seeds of the dwarfs seed/plant preference. If no preference or not available plump helmet spawn.
A blue peahen.

*I would like this to be based on materials available on the embark area if possible with Potter being preferred to Glassmaker and Glassmaker being preferred to Leatherworker. If this sort of conditional skill is not okay I would like to be a Novice Leatherworker. If I am a Leather worker I would also like to drop Engraver to Adequate and become a Novice Tanner.

@neblime: Pigs are non-grazers. http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/v0.34:Pig

[neblime]

oh well they must be pretty good then..
added you to player list!

[Cain12]

Keroe could bring pigs or goats or other small animal for breeding, so he can have food and offerings to the gods. Another dog would let us breed them. I could add a dog to my character if you guys want.

[RabidAnubis]

I am interested in joining.  But I would like to make sure that this is what I think it is.

So rather than having the overseer mine, instead I would (if I was a mason) make a deal with a miner to dig out my rooms and the stone inside of it.  Then in return I'd give him XY and Z.  The person playing the fort would then attempt to get all contracts fulfilled in the name of the players.

How do we spend influence.  How do we hire peasants?  Do I pay the fort with goods in return for the service?

And is it just me or are coins going to be very useful for maintaining value?

What happens if two PC dwarfs get married?  Do we team up?

[TeleDwarf]

I am interested in joining.  But I would like to make sure that this is what I think it is.

Welcome aboard.

So rather than having the overseer mine, instead I would (if I was a mason) make a deal with a miner to dig out my rooms and the stone inside of it.  Then in return I'd give him XY and Z.  The person playing the fort would then attempt to get all contracts fulfilled in the name of the players.

Exactly. And manages peasant workforce to make enough food, booze and clothes for everyone. However he cannot just dig a room/build a tower without consent of the players who can do that. Unowned peasant are very limited in their available jobs, while owned (employed) peasants do only what their owners order, and products of their labor belong to the owners.

How do we spend influence.  How do we hire peasants?  Do I pay the fort with goods in return for the service?

To force someone else. I have just updated OP with shenanigans of influence.

And is it just me or are coins going to be very useful for maintaining value?

You are very correct. Usurping stuff from one another can only be effective when used with caution. And barter has a great flaw of measuring apples against oranges. While coins are not the most effective use of metal - they are easily made in great quantities and of the uniform value, which makes them ideal currency in our case.
There are rich consequences to this idea: emergence of accounting jobs, banking, pricing, etc...

What happens if two PC dwarfs get married?  Do we team up?

Ideally - yes. First of all a spouse of any kind is a great boon because it allows you to have natural heirs. A Player-spouse is also a natural ally because it is interested in development of your house (as it is shared in dwarven family). However spouse can also be a rival over a skilled/influential child or can even try to kill you off in order to gain your house.
We do not have particular laws of marriage in this game yet. I think we can work them out now if you have ideas.

[RabidAnubis]

Thanks for answering my questions!  I decided to make an info graphic of influence in return. (It's summer and I'm bored)

(Correction beneath)

Also, in regards to titles, you say the government gets to set the rules for title requirements it provides.  What happens if someone is temporarily unable to fulfill those obligations.  What if they are unable for an extended period of time?  If I make a title using my own influence (no government) then does the title lose influence if I add requirements or is it still government decided (So for instance, head of house X.  Obviously you have to be part of that family, making the title harder to take.  Does it cost me influence to add that requirement)?  Can I add influence to a title already made and upgrade it?

I'm assuming the benefit of a title over wealth is that a title has to be taken in one piece while wealth can be broken up over time?

[TeleDwarf]

cool infographic. We definitely need more of those, aspecially seeing how our rules become more and more complicated.
Some notes:
1. creating your own title does not move your influence to shared pool. It just freezes part of your influence into a title, which you can give to someone else, use to qualify for something, pass to your offspring.
2. When government forces individual to do stuff - individual also receives influence from the pool (1/2 of value)
3. There are some ways for government to act even with zero-negative pool: passing a law only takes personal influence to accomplish, so as long as the laws are not tyranical(not removing someone's freedoms) - government can still act(in more subtle ways).

Also, in regards to titles, you say the government gets to set the rules for title requirements it provides.  What happens if someone is temporarily unable to fulfill those obligations.  What if they are unable for an extended period of time?  If I make a title using my own influence (no government) then does the title lose influence if I add requirements or is it still government decided (So for instance, head of house X.  Obviously you have to be part of that family, making the title harder to take.  Does it cost me influence to add that requirement)?

A bit of misconception here regarding the initial idea (not that we cannot change the idea to your vision though. everything is up for a discussion.)
Few points regarding original plan:
It should work more or less like in the real life: If there is some Ebenezer X, head of house X - it earns little awe in the souls of those who here about him. "Head of house X" is not so much a title as a situation in which Ebenezer X found himself. Ebenezer X, CEO of X Industries, however, makes much more sense and awe, but obviously this "CEO of X Industries" title can be usurped.

Titles are gateways to actions/abilities/privileges. and you can tie those privileges/abilities/action to titles. some are naturally bound(you need to be a military captain to command a squad), others need describing(you need to be "Miniter of Finance" to mandate additional minting).

Titles can be usurped regardless of the ideas put behind them. Like King of England. You kind of need to be from around England to qualify(or at least be somehow related to the previous kings), but even if you are a norman duke - you can usurp it regardless, as long as you have enough goonies with you.

We do not need an awful lot of titles around until we have an awful lot of laws and traditions around. Most titles will actually be used to qualify for governmental freebies(as title-influence qualifications are one of the most efficient ways government can control who gets the stimuli) and as an additional currency for political intrigue (as the only way to pass influence directly from one person to another).
Sooner or later government will start conserving shared influence for real emergencies, thus indirect control will become much more important. For example government wishes to perform a large-scale stone construction in the future. So it can mandate certain miner to mine 10k boulders and certain mason to cut 10k boulders into 40k blocks, which will taake a ton of influence and very pissed miner and mason. Not very good.
Government could instead mandate minting a ton of gold coins and try to pay with those coins to the miner and mason. That would most likely result in minting even more coins as prices would rise with the inflation. Not good either.
If, on the other hand, government would start by introducing a taxation plan and then allowing for tax exemption for freemasons(5 influence title, who is required to make at least 100 blocks per year). This would fill coffers with taxation money, train masons, deflate stone block prices, increase stone block stockpiles. All at the same time, with only unpopular law - taxation.
Why is title important here? Because it is a long-term investment. if one have created a title that requires to make blocks - one will make blocks for some time, instead of only when he is low on cash to pay taxes.
sure, this example is far-fetched for our game, but you get the idea.

Title obligations(stuff one is expected to do while holding a title) though is an important part of the game. If a title has certain mandatory rules - there can be consequences. Or not. Traditions framework allows us to set pretty heavy fines for ignoring one's duties (up to -3 influence per period). Also particularly furious government can issue criminal laws forbidding posession of a title one do not fulfil service requirements for over certain period of time (who needs a broker who do not trade? who need a captain who do not fight?).

So in conclusion: creating a title "head of house X" is ok, but you may end up with a foreign head if some influential conman makes everyone believe he is actually a head of house X

Can I add influence to a title already made and upgrade it?

I personally do not see any problems with that, as long as mandatory functions are not changed. I think it can be discussed and added to the initial rules. Any thoughts?

I'm assuming the benefit of a title over wealth is that a title has to be taken in one piece while wealth can be broken up over time?

Titles are not exactly comparable vs. wealth. Title is a popular recognition of certain social role you perform, as opposed to wealth that you just have.

[RabidAnubis]

Corrected Version

Spoiler: Infographic (click to show/hide)

Thanks and thank you for the clarification!