Update

[Arage Bao]

Hi there Fringe,

I think this has been long coming, most here already know what I am talking about. The Fringe as a faction isn’t what it used to be and you know what? That is okay. I firmly believe that every faction has an expiration date, the Fringe passed that a long time ago and kept on churning along with the help of all of us.

But I think it’s time to let go, time to give new factions and writers a place to shine. The Unknown Regions is a beautiful space full of opportunities and it doesn’t seem right to keep hoarding that space just for the sake of it.

Which is why I have been strongly considering doing a merger with another major faction, but I want your guys’ opinion, before I make any final decision on it.

So tell me where you stand and I will do my best to come up with the best solution.

Andrew/Ovmar

 

[Ashin Varanin]

After watching the patterns of Fringe activity in the last year and a half or thereabouts, and having personally spearheaded pretty much every resurgence of activity in the better part of a year alongside a small handful of people (most of whom don't have time for the board right now), I agree. Fringe passed its expiration date a long time ago. I'd recommend a merge with the Techno Union or the Primeval.

 

[Coren Starchaser]

I support a merge either direction.

 

[Shinju]

As much as I would love to say we shouldn't merge... I haven't been the most active here either. Aside from threads with Dharma. Joining with the techno union might be good and interesting. Would help them out as well.

 

[Lucien Cordel]

I'm sad to admit we have run our course , I feel a merge would be best but I don't know who to suggest we merge with

 

[Bourne Cavanagh]

After watching the patterns of Fringe activity in the last year and a half or thereabouts, and having personally spearheaded pretty much every resurgence of activity in the better part of a year alongside a small handful of people (most of whom don't have time for the board right now), I agree. Fringe passed its expiration date a long time ago. I'd recommend a merge with the Techno Union or the Primeval.

Either of these two are good.

So for the sake of q&a:

How about a run through on how the merge would go?

- what does this mean icly as a faction?
- what does that mean for ic leadership?
- what does this mean for ooc leadership?
- what does this mean in regards to future endeavors?
- how does this affect our interactions with other factions?
- what are we losing?
- what are we gaining?
- what is the identity of us as a faction going to be if we do merge into Primeval? Into techno Union?
- how does this affect businesses that were in fringe space?

[member="Vheissu Ireles"]

 

[Asher]

There is always the choice to fade into the halls of history, but I could see it working with a Techno Union Merge.

Not saying it's a good choice, but this whole situation is reminding me of that thing that people discussed during the Netherworld event. People are afraid to let their factions die and to lose territory. All that work would feel like it'd be for nothing in most cases, but is that really so?

We began a story about how the council was in disarray and how the Fringe was being reclaimed by pirates and the monsters or freaks that we killed. Not that it took off, but we started it. So why say we finished that? The Fringe fell apart from the inside and never recuperated. Beaten and defeated the Fringe instead turned into an idea that one day they might be back to reclaim the Fringes of space and let their people do what they do best: Kill monsters.

The Confederacy (since the Empire never happened) faded into obscurity as members took up residence under other banners. Companies moved base to secure their interests, warriors looked for battles elsewhere.

What I am trying to say is that if we do merge with a faction we don't make it because of OOC reasons but IC reasons. It would make everything look a lot better, but maybe that's just my opinion?

Admitting defeat is tough, but if done right it can make one hell of a story.

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Bourne Cavanagh"]

I will do a tally up a little bit later, good points though.

[member="Elias Truden"]

And yeah, I do not have any problems with doing such a thing. It would be an interesting story development and would entirely fit with the Fringe's attitude towards these kind of things. We were never afraid to be unorthodox in our approaches before, why start now?

 

[Nimue Stormson]

[member="Vheissu Ireles"]

If we're going to merge I say we do it with a strong faction, at least then we can pool resources and hopefully come up with a larger force. Hopefully one that will have the other factions shaking lol.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

I have unfortunately not been particularly active as of late, aside from during the Event, but I think I'll weigh in. Fringe had a very good run, very fun plots that I was glad to be part of and made a definite impact on the galactic scene (e.g. O'reen),


As for possible merger, there are a number of options, as has been said, depending on how we want to go forward. If Fringe does not want lots of territory to be lost in the merger, I'd say the OS is the best option. We or OS would have to dom a planet in between Phu and Khomm to merge territory, but in any other option all of Fringe's territory goes neutral.


For one, as I understand it the OS and Fringe are allies, several Fringers have supported OS in invasions and have IC ties (e.g. Kaine being both the ruler of a Fringe member state and a Voice of the OS Dark Lord etc.). A combined Sith Empire would be a very strong player, no doubt.


Otherwise I'd suggest Techno Union. After all, for most of their existence Fringe and the CIS under its various incarnations were on good terms. The ideological disparity also does not seem to be that big. Both are oligarchies, though Fringe has been less dominated by corporations, both accept force-users of all dogmas. However, that means all of Fringe's territory goes poof and with that all the work put into it.

 

[Coren Starchaser]

The only trick with merging with the TU (and believe me, I was always pro Fringe-TU relations) is the latter is so far away, we have that Vitae... thing and the Rebels between us and them. TU allies with OS and Primeval, but how would we be able to get the two federations to merge?

 

[Bourne Cavanagh]

The only trick with merging with the TU (and believe me, I was always pro Fringe-TU relations) is the latter is so far away, we have that Vitae... thing and the Rebels between us and them. TU allies with OS and Primeval, but how would we be able to get the two federations to merge?

Any mergers with prime and tu will result in a loss of the territory.
Much like moross crusade when they merged with us.

 

[Ereza]

^ This is true.

It's also more than likely that even a merger with OS will result in no gained territory for OS, even if either faction dominions a planet inbetween. I doubt Tef will award a gain of a tentacle for a merger.

At this point, no matter who you choose to merge with, you're looking at Fringe going poof. A merger, at least, would transfer any major ships to whatever faction you choose.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Totes merge with the OS.

No bias from me.

*Angelic halo*

 

[Reverance]

While it has always been claimed that our alliance was shaky, I've never seen it that way. We even dominioned a planet with the sole purpose of being the ambassador planet between the Fringe and the OS (Lujo). Just food for thought, I've always enjoyed writing with you all and support whichever way you all go.

 

[Coren Starchaser]

*puts on his TU FO hat*
Bouncing off what Lord [member="Reverance"] The Mighty is saying
As the Techno Union has always had shared characters and an alliance, we're also allied with the One Sith as the TU, so ... wherever Fringe writers bounce to, it'll be great and the galaxy will probably quake in fear.

At least thats the plan.

 

[Lucianus Adair]

I'm fine with whatever way this ends up going.

 

[Sargon Vynea]

*Super Sad Face* whichever way this goes I see myself stepping away from the Merger... I really wouldn't have a place in the OS at all and the TU I'm not seeing.... as such I wish you all well in the future

 

[Nimue Stormson]

[member="Sargon Vynea"]

[member="Reverance"]

Same. I already have a Sith character and I don't think Effekt being under Sith rule is the best option for Nimue. The TU.....maybe. But not the OS.

 

[Arage Bao]

I have weighed the options, pondered on the questions asked and the consequences that could arrive of the decision made.

In the end this is how I see it roughly, the Techno Union is what the Fringe could have been had we gone the more Imperial direction, its a nation that is governed by corporate interest and laws. It has global surveillance over its citizens and freedom only exists for the men and women with deep pockets and even bigger ambitions.

Then we have the One Sith, a faction which has been allied with us for a time, and it has been a good alliance too. We have helped each other and together shaped the map that few other factions can really claim. It’s a faction that has the Dark Lord and the Sith as a dominant factor in every sense of the word, with imperial influences all around.

At last… we have the Primeval. I will immediately come out and say it: The Primeval is my choice for the merger, I was on the fence about it before, but after conversations and having some time to ponder it? It makes the most sense in terms of faction background and structuring.

So, the Primeval. It is a fledgling nation in Wild Space, might makes right and any person can take power, as long as they are capable and strong enough to do it. It’s a faction with a theme of strangeness and the occult, monsters preying in the night and a Crusade trying to cut their own piece of civilization and make it their home. Sounds familiar? Because it does to me. It sounds like the Fringe, it sounds like the old core values that made up our faction and made it great in the first place.

As said before, I have pondered it and read through all your opinions, weighed which factions are in the game and it seems clear to me that the Primeval is the way to go. It fits with the common theme of the Fringe, it fits with what we were trying to build here and it allows us to draw a line with few skips in the beat.

What does this mean?

Territory: As mentioned before, any merger will cause territory loss.

Leadership: Anja has offered me a spot on the Primeval Faction Admin Team, which means I will still represent you guys in all the matters.

The story specifics on how the merger comes around is currently in the progress of being discussed with the Primeval leadership, but trust me when I say that it’s gonna be fun.