Victory Through Execution Should Not Be So Easy

[Foefaller]

With Assassins and Vendettas, I would think players of low renown/Clan Rank/hypothetical RtR should see a much harsher and deadlier response to executions, including potentially from members of major factions that don't even have a direct grievance against you for the act, as they aren't simply a murderer, but a "commoner" whose defiance of the natural order could upset the norms the established clans rely on for power. Those who come after you don't need to bring you alive... they just need to bring your head.

On top of new clans being generated to fill in some of the holes left by your murder spree, they could also be used as a means to force even someone whose goal is to burn the world to have at least some token concern to politics within their kingdom. After taking direct control of a certain number of fiefs, there could be a chance that an influential member of the populace ends up becoming the de-facto holder of the fief in question as your vassal since you aren't able to pay enough attention to the people's greviences with all that new land you're getting from executing everyone. It should be something that can happen even if the town in question is well-off and genuinely likes you (as it isn't so much a "they hate you for your negligence" thing as a "so-and-so has been dealing with matters that normally the feudal lord dealt with so things keep working smoothly, and it has gotten to the point people just go straight to them instead of trying to reach you" thing) so that beyond a certain size, you are pretty much guaranteed to have vassals who can get disgusted enough with your actions to rebel.

Finally, a particularly infamous player (or anyone fighting a particularly desparate faction) hoping to conquer or raid fiefs for recruits and food might find that the village is abandoned, everything of value missing, the livestock slaughtered, the crops burned and the land salted. Always harder to murder your way to success if you starve before you can finish the murdering.

 

[Morbo513]

I agree with most of these, not sure what "Neutral towns and castles to eliminate automatic fief acquisition when faction nobles are eliminated" means exactly - My interpretation is that an executed lord's fief is turned neutral and is then taken/claimed by a(?) faction? Sounds janky if so

But yeah, executions should realistically turn a lot of powerful people against you - even many who might benefit from the lord being killed, I doubt they'd like it in principle - especially if they're on neutral or worse standing with you, and especially if to them, you're just some commoner. It'd certainly make sense and be cool for their familiy/clan/kingdom, depending on their influence and relationships, to retaliate. I especially like the idea of heirs carrying on that grudge.

On a slightly different subject, I'd like for there to be a chance of lords dying in combat (and same with player companions/vassals). Depending on the context of the battle, if it was the player who slew them, it might not incur any penalty, or it might as well have been an execution.

I'd also love to see "hero" characters of a particularly bastardised nature decide to execute particularly hated captive lords.

All these things would add much depth to player-NPC interactions, depth that's needed if Bannerlord is to truly expand on Warband.

 

[Kipsta]

This will change anyways once Kingdoms can get new lords from birth and wanderer recruitment, so there is no point to balancing it yet.