Which FfH leader would run the most/least pleasent empire to live in?

[Monkeyfinger]

If Alpha Centauri subforums can have big threads on this topic, we can too.

The Amurites, Elohim, and Kandros Fir's Khazad all seem well off. Lots of cool magic runs through Amurite society, making for a more convenient lifestyle and some spectacular shows (namely executions.) The Elohim are the standard "nice guy" faction you find in any setting with splintered factions like this. Kandros Fir, unlike his more distrustful, isolationist counterpart Thorne, runs a wealthy, open empire.

Calabim and Bannor are no brainers for worst, of course. There are some happy Calabim, the ones at the top, but most of the population is used as food and slave labor. The Bannor are a heavily religious society, the bane of anyone smart enough not to choke to death on their own drool. On top of that, they're a dangerous military dictatorship.

 

[Ur_Vile_Wedge]

IMO, the Grigori would be the one nicest to live in. It's a society that's very open, industrious, and seems pretty well off, financially and militarily.


I can't think of anyone worse to be under than Hyborem.................

 

[Mewtarthio]

The Grigori have the advantage of living under an ex-arcangle who refuses to follow a religion. Freedom of religion's a nice thing to have, of course, but the real reason the Grigori come out ahead is that, quite frankly, religions in FfH are pretty bad things to live under. Additionally, there's clearly plenty of room for advancement, given that most civs only churn out one or two heroes (and those guys are often born special) while the Grigori pop Adventurers on a regular basis.

Still, if I had to choose, I'd shy away from the Grigori in the end. Freedom of religion (or rather, freedom from religion, since this is a world in which the ultimate Good is an oppressive, soul-crushing despotism) is a good thing, true, but I'd rather live under the Kuriotate. Those guys know how to live in a fantasy world. Just pick one of the massive, sprawling metropolises, stroll the streets alongside a variety of races, shop for clothes and jewelry, just wander around and sample the wide variety of cultures Cardith Lorda accepts... and, to top it off, you're ruled by the pseudo-reincarnation of Eurabates, the Gold Dragon.

Of course, if you're Evil, the Sheiam make a nice choice. As far as accepting cultures go, they look to be like an Evil Opposite of the Kuriotate. Plus they're all for freedom of research, so you'd have a wonderful scientific haven to research all the things that those fools kept hidden from you. Up until they destroy the world, anyway.

Worst off? I wouldn't say Bannor, since anyone living in a Bannor society would have been brought up with those fanatical ideals. By the same token, the Infernals at least give you the hope that some day you will rend the flesh of mortals and damn the world along with you (plus, I'm not sure if afterlives count for this question). No, the Calabim are clearly the worst off. For a Calabim peasant (which means everyone), you exist solely as a source of food. There is little hope for advancement, and what advancement exists is just a promotion to "mobile food source" or, if you're really lucky, "expendable suicide infantry." Your life is pointless: Nothing you do will have any chance of mattering, nor can you pray for escape. You're just working the fields and breeding until your lord invites you over for dinner.

While we're at it, can we expand the question to include religions?

 

[xienwolf]

Worst: Balseraph. You have ABSOLUTELY no idea what tomorrow will bring. Sometimes the worst case scenario is that you DO live to see it. And the fact that it is occasionally something GOOD that happens is worse, because you become hooked on hope.

Best: I think I'll have to go with Kuriotates. Big, open-minded cities, with a POWERFUL ruler.

 

[Nikis-Knight]

The ELohim would be great until the Balseraphs invaded and enslaved you all.

 

[Monkeyfinger]

While we're at it, can we expand the question to include religions?

Sure thing. Don't expect much discussion from me on that subject though. I'm familiar with the civilization and leader lore, but not the religious lore.

The ELohim would be great until the Balseraphs invaded and enslaved you all.

*sanctuary*

At the very worst, you are given 30 years to pick a good empire to relocate to.

 

[xienwolf]

Wouldn't the spell kick you out if you weren't planning to stay though? Or put you under House Arrest the moment you REALLY decided to defect?

 

[TheJopa]

Actually Bannor isn't so bad. I figure that they have developed law so that everyone is equally protected. It is unimaginable that you will get tricked, cheated or exploited by your superior in Bannor society, whereas it's pretty common in other places. Corruption is unheard about. Your life is just as worth as governors, it is equally protected. Also I think that taxes are also reasonable, no one will be overtaxed so much that they will go broke or starve, as protecting citizens is vital in keeping stability.
In harsh times as these, peasants are much more content to have that level of security than liberty. Surely Banors aren't best, but definitely not worst.

 

[Mewtarthio]

Plus, you have to bear in mind that these people have a really good reason to be religious fanatics: An arcangel personally led them out of Hell itself and is said to even now advise their leaders directly.

 

[TheJopa]

And people are generally safe from bandits pillaging the countryside, robbing travelers, stealing in the markets, breaking into houses...

 

[Eldric IV]

Xienwolf pegged it. He and I seem to be on the same wavelength whenever the Belseraphs are involved.

If I lived in the Calabim empire, I would be food. I know I would be food. I would expect to be food. I would live dreading the day I stop working the fields and feed the jerk vampire who owns me.

If I lived in the Belseraph empire, I would go insane. I have no idea what would happen. I have no idea what to expect. As soon as you think you figure something out, the Belseraph reality would come crushing it. It is not "everything you know is wrong; black is white, up is down, short is long." That is contrariness and easy to grasp. Rather, it is "everything you know is flapjack; purple gravity, bird is employment, cthulhu fhtagn." (And yes, I found OO every time I play Belseraph.)

As for the best, I am torn between the Kuriotates and Elohim.

 

[MalkutX]

If I lived in the Belseraph empire, I would go insane. I have no idea what would happen. I have no idea what to expect. As soon as you think you figure something out, the Belseraph reality would come crushing it. It is not "everything you know is wrong; black is white, up is down, short is long." That is contrariness and easy to grasp. Rather, it is "everything you know is flapjack; purple gravity, bird is employment, cthulhu fhtagn."

. . . so, it's just like being a Scientologist?

 

[Rod]

you can not really easily answer that question. Every Civ in FfH has its own distinctive pro and cons. Given that all empires would be in a balance I would find it hard to choose where to live.

In a Kuriotates City I would certainly find a variety of goods and life will be quite open to explore, but otherwise it will be a very dirty, stinking place and a lot of strange people life in my neighborhood .

In a Calabim City I can be doomed and be eaten tomorrow, but on the other hand the society is deeply corrupted so if I am a high borne or if I can accumulate quite a substantial amount of money or I become a celebrity than I have the chance to receive the dark gift - joining the high society and receiving my own personal immortality with all the leisure at my hand.

In a Balseraph society I would certainly be well off if I am an artist, because this society loves entertainment.

The Bannor are my choice if I love clean, well run and orderly places. As long as I do not step over the line I would be well off and I would feel very safe. Occassionally our leaders rally us for military training and even when I have passed the age then my sons have to join the ranks, but thanks to overall propaganda I would be proud to serve my country, even to die for it or to sacrifice my sons for the noble course.

As a scholar I naturally would flock to a Amurites or Sheaim City. They simply will held me in high esteem and there is no morale or stuff to hinder my experiments.

Similiar things can certainly be said about every Civ.

I would say the worst choices are certainly only the Clan, the Doviello, the Malakim and the Infernals. Life has simply to many hardships in these societies moreover as these civs life in inhospitable areas.

 

[Mewtarthio]

Xienwolf pegged it. He and I seem to be on the same wavelength whenever the Belseraphs are involved.

If I lived in the Calabim empire, I would be food. I know I would be food. I would expect to be food. I would live dreading the day I stop working the fields and feed the jerk vampire who owns me.

If I lived in the Belseraph empire, I would go insane. I have no idea what would happen. I have no idea what to expect. As soon as you think you figure something out, the Belseraph reality would come crushing it. It is not "everything you know is wrong; black is white, up is down, short is long." That is contrariness and easy to grasp. Rather, it is "everything you know is flapjack; purple gravity, bird is employment, cthulhu fhtagn." (And yes, I found OO every time I play Belseraph.)

Perpentach may be insane, but his advisors are good about keeping his really wild propositions from getting too far out of hand. You're safe unless you happen to come to his attention. Granted, you've no guarantee that a wandering Freak will drag you off and mutilate you, but stuff like that's always a risk in a fantasy world. I still say it's preferable to being crammed into a city, forced to work until you get eaten.

you can not really easily answer that question. Every Civ in FfH has its own distinctive pro and cons. Given that all empires would be in a balance I would find it hard to choose where to live.

Sure you can! Imagine that you died tonight, and were told that you would be reincarnated onto the world of Erebus. If they gave you a choice, which would you choose?

 

[Cuteunit]

Kuriotates for the best. EXCEPT that due to the ridiculous mechanics of the state religions, you'd be living in a city dedicated to the octopus overlords and all the terrible that comes with that. Oh, but cardith lorda had to have that tower of complacency..

need more good stuff for the religions that arent evil and/or insane.

I'd like to live with the Sidar myself. Loss of base feelings is a small price to pay to be an eternal and truly cerebral being.

 

[Kael]

I like to live among the Luchuirp during the height of their power. Golems doing all the hard work for you while you tinker away in your workshop sounds like the perfect life for a wanna-be modder like me.

The Amurites would be cool too, but Valledia scares me.

 

[jimi12]

best: svartalfar. faeryl is hot.

 

[it-ogo]

The game(lore) is good if you are able to find something enough good for yourself in each of the sides. For the well-made world we need something like Devil's advocates to balance opinions.

Calabim. Powerful elite. You can (and you will) be one of them if you will reach 6-th level. You speak about corruption? But it is your quality, your advances, not your money make you the best. No? Fear is not enough to keep civilization. An order is needed (C has law mana and Flauros is organized): you are sure that if you worth something you will never be a food. And you will try to do your best to become strong and useful to become something more then food. That should be a society of equal opportunities with very strong stimulus to self-perfecting.

Infernals. That is not really people as population is not alive. So we can not speak of their comfort... Who knows what is best for them?

Balseraphs. Stability and flexibility are contradictory. In all my games for B from 0.25 I was able to build command posts everywhere. If you are enough flexible, mobile, communicative, open-minded and smart then you will have more use from such instability then discomfort. And permanent joy and inspiration is perfect for your creativity.

Sheaim. You know that human nature is wicked and the world is doomed so use your knowledge to get as much as possible for yourself. That is what science for: to find the course of nature and to use it for your profit. Learn much and you will make demons fight for you. One of few civs (with Luchuirp) who does not make your life spent in the war with neighbours.

Doviello. Wild and strong. You like vikings or Conan the Barbarian?

etc.

 

[Ekolite]

It really depends what position you were in society.

If I was an Erebus noble, I'd pick Calabim any day. You get immortality, hordes of slaves all trying to prove to you that they are worth more to you then their blood is, most likely some sort of huge palace and awesomeness in general.

But... If I had to be a peasant then the Lurchip are the obvious choice, like Kael said you get Golems to actually do the work you should be doing so you wouldn't really *be* a peasant. I mean, who wants to be a peasant anyway.

 

[Rod]

See if you are a noble than you can live happily ever after in any land and if you are a peasant than you are f** ehh not-so-well-off in any land as well.

A peasant in a Calabim City gets hunted for Royal Sport and the 'Greater Good' , in a Bannor City he gets drafted for Royal Ambition and the 'Greater Good' and in a Kuriotates City he lives in a Slum next to who-ever (actually what-ever) for Royal 'Good Doing' and the 'Greater Good'. In either way he is f** .. not so well off.

So the real question is where would your average Middle-Class Citizen having the best chances to turn his life into something worthwhile ?

And then it is really about your skill sets.. If you are an Engineer then naturally you rush to the Luchuirp, if you are an Academic then to the Amurites, if you are the Salesman type then Khazad would be the place to learn one thing or the other and if you are a young aspiring artist then certainly the Balseraph would provide you a great audience. Last but not least, if you are just huge and bully or in general being gifted with a good physique then of course the Bannor Land would be your heaven.

So finally if I really could not avoid being born in Erebus, then I think I would try to study in the Amurites Land and then maybe to stay there for good. For vacation I would like to see the Halls of the Dwarves, as well as the Mechanical Wonders of the Luchuirp, the Forests of the Elves as well as the Bazaars of the Kuriotates. I would certainly not travel to the Clan or to the Infernals, nor to the Doviello.