Your proverbial bump my dear fellow ^_^
My initial pitch for a county was a little half-hearted and soon abandoned since at the time I expected all the free county slots to go to people just trading tokens for EP. However, over the last couple of weeks I've come to think I was unduly pessimistic, and there's now a reasonable chance of getting one of the counties. Partly the change is due to support from a couple of people, and partly due to getting the impression that token-trading-for-EP wasn't turning out to be quite as pronounced as I'd expected.
So, on that basis, this is my pitch to you, seeking your support for ...
Carabas will be in one of the Xeilian duchies of the Kingdom of Alesia. We will be mostly concerned with industry and research, with the research being mainly concentrated in those areas where it is of greatest practical benefit, improving the industry & economy in those areas, with the increased tax revenue fuelling further research, which in turn will lead to further improvements...
The concept of Praxis - the application of theory - lies at the heart of creating this virtuous circle in which industry funds research which strengthens industry. While there is value in all knowledge, the ability to apply that knowledge and thereby realise its value is essential. As such, the county seat will itself be named Praxis - the physical embodiment of the domain's philosophy.
I expect specific laws to be relatively few, and predominantly inherited from higher up the feudal chain of command. If additional laws are needed, whether at launch or later on, I'd expect them to be both high-level and clearly aimed at either encouraging positive actions or discouraging negative ones.
However, there are two rules to keep in mind both now and once live...
Rule 0 - all this is subject to change The details of almost all aspects of the game are still unknown. Any plans at this stage are based on expectations of how the game will work, and intentions of how I want the county to function. Even once live, things may change, and plans will need to adapt to accommodate those changes.
Other rule 0 - don't be a dick
Carabas is a part of Xeilias, and will be part of one of the Xeilian duchies -- which is tbd, but I'd prefer to pick one I can pronounce the name of! By virtue of being part of Xeilias we will also support & be part of the Kingdom of Alesia.
Choice of biome and tribe will to some extent be out of our hands, but as far as it will be possible I'd favour temperate regions with both good natural resources and strong defensive potential (sure, like almost everyone else...) and it's quite possible I'd pick a county in a transitional region between two biomes.
Although from a personal aesthetic preference I might prefer an alpine or montane forest, I'll probably pick a county based more on the location & resources in general, and to avoid any particularly problematic (extreme) biomes/tribes.
As for the location more generally, Carabas will lie in a high-traffic area, for example along the main route between two capitals or other major cities, or between our capital and main port. I almost certainly won't pick somewhere on the coast -- not to question the value & potential of seafaring, but rather recognising that our ability to concentrate on industry & research will depend on focusing on those most beneficial to us. Seafaring would likely require significant resources that likely wouldn't directly complement the overland transport, infrastructure, architecture, and resource exploitation we'd want to focus on (and which may already be too broad a range!).
Defence isn't just the responsibility of the Dukes and Barons, it's everyone's. In particular, (i) you're always the best-placed person to defend yourself, and (ii) each Mayor is responsible for understanding the security needs of his settlement, and acting to ensure they get met.
That dosn't mean necessarily doing it themselves (though I'd expect each mayor to take the defence EP kit, or make a comparable other level of defence investment), but rather they work with the Barons, Count, and potentially even the Duke, to ensure that their community's security needs are understood and met, their vulnerabilities identified and fixed. This goes beyond more guard patrols and higher walls; for example, it could include provision of trainers in the town to teach combat skills, stockpiling consumables or other resources the settlement is dependent on, etc.
Although not a combat-focused domain, Carabas has the same military obligations as any other part of Xeilias - in particular, during time of war the economy will shift to a war-footing and everyone will contribute to our survival and our enemies destruction in whatever way they're best able.
The exact nature of Carabas's economy and industry will depend on the location we get and the resources available, and it's likely that the County's location will be chosen on the basis of the best available resources.
As far as practical I would like Carabas as a whole, and each settlement individually to be self-sufficient while still focusing on those areas they're strongest in. That's not to say every settlement needs to be entirely self sufficient, but rather if a community is able to do something it needs without unduly impacting on its most important activities then it's better they do that than depending on someone else - as a result it's almost certain that the vast majority of roles, skills, and professions will be in demand somewhere in the county.
As with defence, I'll expect Mayors to either take the settlement EP kit, or to make a comparable investment in their town's economy & infrastructure. I intend to both take the standard infrastructure kit, and also to buy enough of the equivalent a la carte items to support all the major types of resources present in the county. The greater the potential benefit of the resource, the more investment it's likely to attract.
At the heart of the City of Praxis will lie the Academy which, although one of our foremost current institutes of learning, will be but a shadow of a memory of the legendary Academy of Xeilias from the ancient days of the empire.
Research at the Academy will focus on that which is most applicable to the county's needs & resources, and so the benefits of the research will accrue to those industries fuelling the economy that funds the research. In addition to those topics of direct economic/industrial value, research subjects will also include matters of transport, infrastructure, architecture, and defence -- all essential to ensuring an effective, efficient, and prosperous domain.
The academy-based research will be complemented by promoting exploration & archaeology driven by a desire to rediscover Xeilias's lost heritage (PVE & story). The Academy's expeditionary archaeology department will also strive to be at the forefront of investigating the ancient mysteries of Elyria which affect us all; keeping dark secrets away from those too weak-willed to withstand them; saving other lands from the burden of investigating their ancient ruins; and reclaiming our nation's relics, technology, and knowledge from any who currently occupy portions of the traditional Xeilian homelands, or which have looted the same from us (sadly, from time to time, PvP may be necessary to help liberate our people/heritage/territory/money).