Community:PaxLair



NOTE: This page contains a lot of ideas for PaxLair. It is still being drafted and subject to changes.

PaxLair is a full-spectrum, role-played player owned town in Novia of Metropolis size and an additional Holdfast. It is governed and operated by the players and consists of many guilds, citizens, allies, and friends. It follows the tenets of peace, neutrality, and role-playing. The town government and societies offer many opportunities for people to enjoy their specific interests and participate with many other people.

PaxLair is:
 * a town of many people and guilds
 * a vibrant cross-roads on the landscape
 * a market of great taverns, halls, and establishments
 * a cornerstone of prosperity and opportunity
 * a crafting center for products and goods
 * a pathway to culture and knowledge
 * a place to be defended and to launch the offensive
 * a chorus of actors, writers, librarians, and story-tellers
 * a band of adventurers and questers
 * a great group of friends
 * and of course a place anyone can call home!

History

 * ''See also: PaxLair Timeline

PaxLair was established in Ultima Online on the Chesapeake Shard on January 19, 1998, and is possibly the oldest continuously operated Player Town. In UO, PaxLair is a full statehood, consisting of 4 citizen cities (PaxLair City, Dragons Watch, PaxOku, and Nidaros) and two allied cities (Gyldenfeld and Pitmuck).

PaxLair was established in during pre-Alpha Release 5 on April 24, 2014 with the first PaxLair town hall and a visit by Lord British. Lord British declared PaxLair as the first player town in New Britannia.

During the Pre-Alpha Releases, PaxLair settled in the town of Valemark. See: Building PaxLair in Pre-Alpha Releases

Culture
PaxLair is a vibrant town of many diverse peoples, groups, guilds, and establishments. The culture is based primarily on its old long-standing tenets of Peace, Neutrality, and Role-playing. The attitude in PaxLair among the citizenry is easy-going, helpful, and open-minded.

Building PaxLair
PaxLair is destined to be built in ways that give it stability, continual freshness, adaptability, and help people have fun doing things they might not normally do in their real lives or other games. An example might be putting on a theatrical play or leading an alliance to outsmart the enemy and win the day in an epic campaign.

Residing in PaxLair may provide a very fluid opportunity for people, particularly for travelers across Novia and new Outlanders entering Novia. Guest houses are planned along with lots that are re-usable by traveling faires and groups. So people can wander around Novia and live in PaxLair for a few days, weeks, months or longer, then get up and move somewhere else if they desire.

Prior to Episode One
PaxLair is using the pre-Episode One period to learn, test, and help developers develop the game. PaxLair is also involved in community-building and discussion as neutral people working with many people, guilds, and groups.

Also, PaxLair is not entering any formal agreements, treaties, alliances, or structures prior to Episode One launch. These will be done in Episode One when the game mechanics are stable, the realm's communities are launched and operating in earnest, and PaxLair has more new people to consider and consult.

The Settler Period in Episode One
PaxLair is planning to start its development with a settler period in Episode 1. During that time, PaxLair veterans and various people met during the pre-alpha releases will start building the town. There will be structures and houses created, settler-oriented events, stories written and news reported, trade agreements made, allies and enemies found, and whatever else is done to build a realistic town.

Government
Many people may become involved in and help lead PaxLair. The government is set up to involve as many people as possible and interested in realistically helping operate and build PaxLair as a town. Positions and roles are being defined and may change as the town is built.

Since PaxLair is in Novia which has a world-wide audience, PaxLair will seek to have leaders and establishments who can be around at multiple times and multiple day.

Diplomacy
PaxLair will have many diplomatic relations in Episode 1 and beyond. However, prior to Episode 1, here is our approach to alliances, treaties and relations:


 * Our vision for PaxLair diplomacy is pretty simple right now. We want to support everyone we encounter, we want to get to know each other, and then we want to discover the people, towns, and communities in Novia in a natural way during Episode 1. We will start as settlers and our scenes will likely be less than 33% filled with housing on Day 1. We want to find old friends and new friends in Episode 1. We want plenty of room for embassies and opportunities to work together with other towns and communities as we "discover" each other in Episode 1.


 * We've been treating pre-Alpha as experimentation and getting to know a lot of people and groups. How that transforms into in-game role-playing and relations, we don't know yet.  We will leverage our pre-Alpha relations of course as we meet "for real" in Episode 1.

Geography
PaxLair is a player owned town with 9 boroughs (other Player Owned Towns):
 * Dragons Watch
 * Golden Cove
 * Islands of Wonders
 * Knowhere
 * Lockbrier
 * Parlay Island
 * Sea Nymph Grotto
 * Serenity Isle
 * Tenakill

Features
''This is notional information based on pre-alpha release using Valemark. This will change upon Public Release.''

PaxLair's geography consists of wooded areas with three open meadows named the lower, middle, and central meadows. Each meadow is surrounded by buildings facing the center of each meadow. The meadows tend to attract house owners of similar interests, such as the PaxLair government in the upper meadow. At one time, many large landholders built several tall towers and keeps in the middle meadow, and then naming the meadow as the "Nobles Meadow".

The meadows are connected by dirt roads and also have more roads leading out of PaxLair or dead-ends. The entrance to PaxLair is the western entrance where a town crier tells people how many house lots are available.

Near the center of PaxLair is a notable rock called the "Sunset Rock". It has become a popular place to view the sunset to the west and the tavern to the east.

Buildings
PaxLair buildings are not fully established yet since New Britannia is still in pre-public release. However, the following buildings are being designed, tested and used in different pre-Alpha releases. These are town buildings for public use, not private residences. Placing and decorating houses with a theme helps us decide what lots sizes and lot deeds are needed for the town. Several people will likely operate each building as an establishment.

See the housing List and Layouts in the following releases:
 * Community:PaxLair/Release 6 - built in Valemark
 * Community:PaxLair/Release 7 - built in Valemark
 * Community:PaxLair/Release 8 - built in Valemark
 * Community:PaxLair/Release 9 - built in Valemark
 * Community:PaxLair/Release 10 - built in Valemark
 * Community:PaxLair/Release 11 - built in Valemark
 * Community:PaxLair/Release 12 - built in Valemark

Attractions
PaxLair is filled with special attractions. Some are buildings. Others are geographical marvels.


 * Sunset Rock

People
People are vital to PaxLair's activity and prosperity. While PaxLair is a role-played town, not everyone needs to be a role-player.

PaxLair's citizenship is mainly based on a person living in or working in PaxLair. The person does not need to own a house to be a citizen. The person may also be a citizen if they belong to a guild that is declared as a citizen guild. Citizens may serve on the town council. Citizens usually fill the various government and community positions. Citizenship is declared by the Mayor of PaxLair.

PaxLair's alliances are still being defined. Alliances can exist due to different reasons (e.g., military, economic, cultural) and PaxLair may have more than one alliance that it leads. PaxLair may also be a member of other towns' or community alliances.

Citizen guilds
Citizen Guilds (these are guilds where the entire guild has citizen status in PaxLair):
 * PaxLair Citizens - a general guild for citizens
 * PaxLair Guards - focused on military aspects of PaxLair (additional guards may be enlisted for short periods during times of war)
 * PaxLair Reporters - focused on news reporting in PaxLair and throughout Novia (some reporters may be hired and not need to be citizens)
 * PaxLair Knights - protects the leadership, participates in ceremonies and tournaments, and perform chivalrous acts.
 * PaxLair Bandits - a rogue group mainly out for self-interests while having fair respect for PaxLair laws and justice.

Alliance guilds and towns
Alliance Guilds (these guilds have treaties and special relations with PaxLair):
 * Military
 * a guild or town
 * Economic
 * a guild or town
 * Cultural
 * a guild or town

Combat in and by PaxLair
The town of PaxLair physical location has not been defined as a combat area yet. More details are needed on how combat can affect the player owned town, visitors, citizens, events, and establishments.

PaxLair is neutral to good and evil, knights and assassins, but is not neutral to griefers. Multiple PaxLair combat forces (and probably their allies) will put aside any differences to combat griefers. PaxLair's goal regarding combat is realism and immersion (and no drama).

PaxLair may have the following combat groups (PVP and PVE):


 * PaxLair Guards will engage in combat as needed wherever and against whoever it makes sense. They are entrusted to protect PaxLair's citizens, property, and interests.  The Guards are not considered PK or Anti-PK.  They are just a combat force.  Therefore, it does not matter if they are good or evil in their actions as long as they execute and complete the combat missions assigned.


 * NOTE FOR PRE-ALPHA RELEASES: The PaxLair Guards will be testing all aspects of PVP, so they are not honor-bound to their oaths to only attack in the interests of PaxLair. Please don't take offense to being killed by a PaxLair Guard in an open combat situation.


 * PaxLair Knights will engage in combat to protect the town's leadership, perform acts of heroism, participate in royal tournaments, and attend to various ceremonies and chivalrous activities.


 * PaxLair Bandits will take on combat as rogues and evil-doers. They are mainly out for their own self-interests while having fair respect for PaxLair laws and justice.  They may tend to attack the town guards with discretion and venture outside PaxLair on their own to fight others who are willing to fight.

Joining PaxLair
PaxLair is not actively recruiting new people at this time. As the SotA public release approaches, more defined ways to join PaxLair will be stated.

Interested people should get involved with PaxLair during the pre-alpha releases and keep an eye on the main SotA Forum PaxLair thread. That thread also links to each "Building PaxLair Player Town - Release XX" thread. Doing things with PaxLair during these releases does not commit anyone to joining PaxLair.

PaxLair is always dedicated to meeting people, getting fresh ideas, and finding out who is interested and what they want to do in and around PaxLair. A person does not need to own a house in PaxLair to be a citizen or friend in order to participate. People may also have their houses in other towns and still be a part of PaxLair in some manner.

People wanting to be part of the PaxLair town should think about a few things:
 * Why do you want to be a resident, citizen, shop-worker, knight, ally (or even enemy), ... of PaxLair? What interests you?
 * What type of "avatar" are you?
 * How can PaxLair help you meet your goals?
 * What can you contribute to the town?
 * Are you a role-player? If so, in what manner?
 * If you want to place a house, what will you do with it? Set up a shop? Have a private home? Kindred several people to live in your house?

Town development
PaxLair is a player owned town of metropolis size. Lots are not allocated yet for the public release of Episode 1. Town development is in progress and focused on:
 * participating in the pre-alpha releases
 * designing the PaxLair town government, guilds, societies, and cultural opportunities
 * working with our PaxLair veterans from Old Britannia
 * meeting new people who may be interested in becoming future citizens or friends of PaxLair
 * getting to know other towns and many guilds
 * creating and lot decoration designs and concepts
 * experimenting with various types of events
 * working on publicity and news reporting techniques
 * developing concepts for a player-owned town to design its scene
 * designing the PaxLair scene and defining lot sizes to best match all of the above

Also see PaxLair Building Plan - a listing of lots approved

Building PaxLair in pre-alpha releases
PaxLair uses the Pre-Alpha Releases to experiment with player town concepts and meet many people, guilds, and towns. Each Release, PaxLair attempts to do something new and different. It might be a new type of event, creating a new type of house with decorations, or working with many people in new ways. Here are some of PaxLair's past developments and participation with others in the Pre-Alpha Releases:


 * Get to know many people
 * Hold some gatherings and meetings
 * Interact with other towns
 * Create Avatars Radio news
 * Build some Mazes
 * Royal Tour by Lord British, DarkStarr, and Lady FireLotus
 * Help create and participate in the Welcome Quest
 * Document the houses people build
 * Build a Town Hall and meet with citizens and towns (role-playing)
 * Run gatherings 3x per day for world-wide audience (US, Europe, Australia)
 * Build a Stage and hold a play (role-playing)
 * Form the PaxLair Guards and test combat situations
 * Combine three lots together and decorate a market, pub, and grand theater
 * Participate in PVP testing and PVP tournaments
 * Start Explore Novia! event series

During the pre-Alpha releases, PaxLair experimented with building the town in the open player-run town of Valemark.



Specific Information about PaxLair each Pre-Alpha Release:
 * Community:PaxLair/Release 12 - November 20-??, 2014 - See SotA Forum discussion thread: Building PaxLair Player Town - Release 12
 * Community:PaxLair/Release 11 - October 23-??, 2014 - See SotA Forum discussion thread: Building PaxLair Player Town - Release 11
 * R11 Ardoris Duke Keep Fully Decorated and Stargazing Party
 * Explore Novia! Ghost of Braemar
 * Community:PaxLair/Release 10 - September 25-28, 2014 - See SotA Forum discussion thread: Building PaxLair Player Town - Release 10
 * R10 - All Player Towns Gathering invitation
 * Community:PaxLair/Release 9 - August 21-14, 2014 and August 29 - September 1, 2014 - See SotA Forum discussion thread: Building PaxLair in Release 9.
 * Community:PaxLair/Release 8 - July 24-27, 2014 - See SotA Forum discussion thread: Building PaxLair in Release 8.
 * Community:PaxLair/Release 7 - June 26-29, 2014 and July 4-6, 2014 (RTX2014) - See SotA Forum discussion thread: Building PaxLair in Release 7.
 * Community:PaxLair/Release 6 - May 22-26, 2014 and June 9-13, 2014 (E3) - See SotA Forum discussion thread: Building PaxLair in Release 6.

In the news
Tour of PaxLair in Release 6 with Lord British, DarkStarr, and FireLotus

Tour of Duke Tower in Ardoris, commissioned by Governor Winfield, decorated by Gaelis Trajan, Duke Keep provided by Spero Gottskraft  - Professional video created by TheMadHermit


 * April 29, 2014 - A Royal Illumination on Release 5, by Richard Garriott (Lord British).
 * "We turned on persistent housing that would not roll-over every hour and added quite a few new player towns, and you ran with it! The RP’ers and homesteaders could finally begin to dig in, and what they created was outstanding! We even saw the 1st player town, Pax Lair, which was also the 1st player town in Ultima Online."


 * May 28, 2014 - Darkstarr's Release 6 Impressions, by Starr Long (DarkStarr).
 * I continue to be stunned by the power of this community. One of the most compelling examples of this was the building of Pax Lair in the player town of Valemark. Lord British and I took a tour on Sunday and the sheer creativity on display with the simple tools we provided really showed what is possible with our housing system. Of course my personal highlight was Amberraine’s Church of Darkstarr in Valemark where I was able to ascend to the podium and pontificate about the benefits of Chaos!


 * June 9, 2014 - Community Spotlight - PaxLair Player Town, by Portalarium, Inc.
 * During R6, we saw our very first, fully realized player town, PaxLair. The PaxLair community spent many hours scoping out a place to call home, laying their claims and building homes of all shapes and sizes, and crafting together in order for the whole community to be able to decorate their mantles in New Britannia. And when they were done, Lord British, Lord Darkstarr and I had the happy privilege of receiving a Royal Tour! (more)


 * June 12, 2014 - Lord British keeps fans updated on the progress of his Shroud of the Avatar (interview), GamesBeat.
 * Garriott: Player towns have already begun to pop up. There’s a place called PaxLair, which was the first town in any online game. It was built in the beta of Ultima Online and it still exists to this day. PaxLair is already now in Shroud of the Avatar. They’ll have a continuity to the first virtual city in the history of gaming. It’s the same people building their same general floor plans. We consider this a spiritual successor to Ultima. It’s New Britannia instead of Britannia. They feel, and we agree, that there’s a continuity of purpose here.


 * July 3, 2014 - A Royal Impression of Release 7, by Richard Garriott (Lord British).
 * What a great community we have! The growth of guilds and townships has already begun, and I look forward to seeing how they continue to shape the world of New Britannia. The City of Pax Lair completed even more creative and astounding construction in Valemark, but we also had the chance to see other great cities emerge (including the Celtic Holdfast which was a personal favorite of mine). I was also able to participate in a delightful community run quest, as well as orate onstage about the history of the Fauns and Satyrs of New Britannia. While participating in those activities I had the chance to brainstorm with the community about player run quests and how we can best support them.


 * July 18, 2014 - Richard "Lord British" Garriott takes us deep into the world of Shroud of the Avatar, by Gordon Cameron, Plugged In, Yahoo blogs.
 * And so for example I was in on this last play session. There was a group -- two groups, two new towns were forming. One was the Celtic town -- I don't know if they're going to have a more formal name in the future, but they called themselves the Celtic town for this round -- and PaxLair, got together to run some quests.


 * July 18, 2014 - Hangout of the Avatar ~ Player Towns (YouTube), by Portalarium Austin. PaxLair is mentioned a few times in the video:  12:30, 24:30, 27:15, 39:00.


 * July 24, 2014 - MMORPG.COM R8 Tour with DarkStarr (Twitch TV), by MMORPG.COM. PaxLair town tour in the video at 33:00 minutes.


 * October 13, 2014 - Winfield interviewed by Fireangel at SotA Role Players. Good information about PaxLair and ideas.

PaxLair in social media services

 * Google+
 * Facebook
 * Twitter
 * YouTube

PaxLair official sites

 * PaxLair website
 * PaxLair Times News Service
 * PaxLair Portal