Up front: I'm recommending this as an "OPTION". I'm not saying implement this and make it permanent. Make it an option. That said... here we go.
My post only pertains to playing the game when you are not affiliated with any Kingdom. Right now, other than bandits, the only way that a Kingdom or minor clan will ever attack the player, is if the player attacks them first. So, if I don't want to be harassed, robbed, waylaid, or bamboozled, I can just avoid messing with anybody. If I want I could spend "game decades" building up wealth and never have to worry about anybody touching me. On a war torn continent like Calradia I think that's hardly realistic. Some warlord is going to see some rich dude running around with all these resources and decide those resources would be better used supporting that warlord's war effort. So that brings me to the recommendation...
Create an option in the difficulty settings that allows Clans and minor clans to attack the player without provocation or a war declaration. Base the whole thing on relationship. If my relationship with Clan X is at 20 or below (just throwing out a number), then there should be a probability calculation that if I come within scouting range of any member of that clan, they will attack me. If my relationship level with Clan X is above 20, that probability goes away and I can rest assured that I can barter and trade with that clan without having to worry about them attacking me.
This should not be tied to any war declaration. So, say for example that Vlandia is NOT at war with me, Clan X from Vlandia can still attack me just based on the relationship. I don't think it's too far fetched to imagine a warlord attacking a wealthy caravan just to take their stuff from them. And it's not too far fetched to say they would do this without a declaration of war assuming the caravan isn't affiliated to any sovereign political entity.
I think it would be an interesting option for players to be able to turn on. I think at the beginning of the game, the player would potentially find themselves starting out in a hornets nest. That's great; take your one horse show to a part of the map where they don't hate you to start out. Maybe everybody hates you. It'll be a random start. You never know until you see Garios make a right oblique turn towards your party. And you'll be wondering why is Garios marching straight towards me. And you start the first 5 to 10 days of the game as Garios's prisoner.
My post only pertains to playing the game when you are not affiliated with any Kingdom. Right now, other than bandits, the only way that a Kingdom or minor clan will ever attack the player, is if the player attacks them first. So, if I don't want to be harassed, robbed, waylaid, or bamboozled, I can just avoid messing with anybody. If I want I could spend "game decades" building up wealth and never have to worry about anybody touching me. On a war torn continent like Calradia I think that's hardly realistic. Some warlord is going to see some rich dude running around with all these resources and decide those resources would be better used supporting that warlord's war effort. So that brings me to the recommendation...
Create an option in the difficulty settings that allows Clans and minor clans to attack the player without provocation or a war declaration. Base the whole thing on relationship. If my relationship with Clan X is at 20 or below (just throwing out a number), then there should be a probability calculation that if I come within scouting range of any member of that clan, they will attack me. If my relationship level with Clan X is above 20, that probability goes away and I can rest assured that I can barter and trade with that clan without having to worry about them attacking me.
This should not be tied to any war declaration. So, say for example that Vlandia is NOT at war with me, Clan X from Vlandia can still attack me just based on the relationship. I don't think it's too far fetched to imagine a warlord attacking a wealthy caravan just to take their stuff from them. And it's not too far fetched to say they would do this without a declaration of war assuming the caravan isn't affiliated to any sovereign political entity.
I think it would be an interesting option for players to be able to turn on. I think at the beginning of the game, the player would potentially find themselves starting out in a hornets nest. That's great; take your one horse show to a part of the map where they don't hate you to start out. Maybe everybody hates you. It'll be a random start. You never know until you see Garios make a right oblique turn towards your party. And you'll be wondering why is Garios marching straight towards me. And you start the first 5 to 10 days of the game as Garios's prisoner.