I'm still planning my entry into this world. Before I jump to any decisions, I wanted to get some general information about who is in control right now? I hear that magnagora is perhaps the most powerful city at the moment, which is discouraging for me. I truely want to go Nihilist, but I will not do so if it means being a part of the most overwhelmingly powerful city in the basin. I enjoy a good challenge, and would much rather be on the side that is struggling the most.

So my question is, just how much control does magnagora exude, and how long have the held it? Does the power struggle often shift, or is magnagora going to continue dominating for many years to come? What is the situation with glomdoring at the moment? Any general info would be great!

I'd recommend you go to Celest and/or Glomdoring. Magnagora is still the strongest, and has been for about 20 years, Serenwilde in a not-particularly-close second. Can't tell you how long it'll last, but I can't see it changing any time in the near future.

Glomdoring's at (more or less) peace with Serenwilde, right now, thanks to a treaty between the two places.

Magnagora has been regarded as the most powerful organization since day one, but it's not an undisputed title. Celest actually just had a short-lived period of widespread power.

Serenwilde was once the second most powerful organization, but they seem to have fallen into disrepair. They'd probably just edge out Glomdoring to stay in third place.

Celest had a short lived period of widespread power due to Serenwilde's support, not due to its own strength.

Serenwilde in disrepair? Where do you get this impression from? I still think in terms of strength we're far above Glomdoring. Villages aren't a good judge.

when you mention wide spread power, does that mean village influence?

Magnagora is pretty well dominating but not as much as they used to, before it was without question but now its been a little more harder for them, but as Glomdoring gets more and more on the ball and improves everyday the tide is shifting more again so that its no longer Serenwilde/Celest vs Magnagora but becoming a more equal 2v2 battle.

Villages (economy) and top ranked combatants (military might).

If that is your basis, then Celest would have no power without SW having been there to bail them out.

As for Military might, you have(had)... Amaru? If you count Military might on one finger, and in regards to Amaru I generaly think one finger works well *shifty* then sure you had Military might.

Celest has bailed Serenwilde out on plenty occasions too. I remember popping up on the ethereal to help out when one geomancers was killing off all of your people.

I also do not remember Gregori actually contributing to anything when it comes to defense. Perhaps I am wrong, but your name never seems to pop up when there is fighting going on.

Then you either need to log on more, as I think I have actually seen you around twice. Or pay more attention.

I am usually always involved in any fighting the SW gets drawn into. You can ask nearly any Magnagoran that.

As for one geomancer. You are quite correct it was only Kaervas there. You left out the other two Magnagorans, and the few Glomdoritos though. I also think, the entire defense mounted by SW possible at the time was 3 fresh out of novice hood people plus Laysus, Nejii, and myself.

Magnagora have always had the most number of good fighters than any other organizations. But since many of them have either gone dormant or left for other organizations (Narsrim left for Serenwilde, Thorgal left for Celest and Glomdoring, Morslade is inactive) and also since other organizations have been getting more fighters, Magnagora isn't as strong as it once was.

That being said, Celest probably has the least number of exceptional fighters on its side right now and needs a bit more help.

And me, I was there too! I have the fighting ability of a Novice though, so meh.

From a purely disinterested perspective :

You need to choose the organisation that suits your roleplay best. It really is that simple - if you don't, then you'll be largely unhappy. As for the relative strengths of the organisations, it varies.

There is a certain element of chance (you require your key influencers to be present) involved in taking villages, so I would not regard them as a good measure of power or strength. Villages also can be taken based on morale - as I recall it, Glomdoring won Dairuchi after roughly five hours of effort, after the next closest competitor had simply given up and gone home, for whatever reason.

As I've said, choose the organisation that suits your roleplay and what you think you will do with your character. There is no point in joining Celest, for instance, if you want an evil character, even if they are the underdogs.

Join Glomdoring.

We have candy.






(Well, not really. But I'm sure it can be arranged.)

I think Serenwilde and Magnagora are about equal in power. However those powers express themselves in various ways, making the whole argument mostly one of propganda and politics.

Celest, being around longer than Glomdoring is more powerfull than glomdoring and I wouldn't knock Celest. However I think Glomdoring is about to rise in power, so take your pick.

Daganev has it about right in my opinion.

Serenwilde and Celest will triumph over Magnagora at one point, this is a fact, it's only a matter of time, it could be a while though. Shikari is right, there's no point in joining what seems to underdog now, because it will change, you have to pick the organization that fits best your your character's, or even your own personality.

Also, Gregori shows up in combat a lot, I'd even go as far as saying there's few Serenwilders at all showing up in battle as much as he does, even though he isn't very devastating.

The same can be said of Rhysus, who is/was/will be again, just like Gregori, the leader of the organization he's part of. Both of them show up in combat, and die for their city, more than most others of their respective organization. Daevos as well of course, but that's pretty damn obvious.