1) How to get the player to the island. A messenger arrives and give you a missive sealed with your family crest, which you haven't seen since you left your parents years ago. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is __________ and I am the hereditary count of ____(land)_____. I had heard rumors of a distant (nephew/niece) that still carries the family name. Believe my surprise when I found it was you! The Champion of Cyrodil! Well, I am much relieved as I have a task to lay upon you. My days on this plane are growing short and I have no heir of my own. In fact, I doubt I shall still be alive whilst you read this missive. I have need of you here, to rule this land. Truth be told, my rule is one of birthright only in title. The people have chosen to allow my line to remain in control because we've done well by them. In the last few years however, times have been tough. Men of my land have left for war and not returned. Many of the farms here are fallen into disarray because, of the women and children left, too few are able to mind the fields. Our traders left shortly after the army. Even the beggars and thieves left to find more profitable customers! Help the people to plant the fields, hear their arguments and grievances, be just and above all else lead them. New peoples must be brought as well to the island. Not enough of our old land holders and workers remain. Too many have left or died. I have faith in you, your deeds and virtue are well known through out the Empire. Speak to __adviser__ once you arrive. __adviser__ will give you the rest of my writings that I leave to you. I pray they may be of use to you in ruling this once fare land. Come to this, the home of our shared family name for many generations, take up our title and bring life back to this land!" (because of the mention of champion of cyrodil, this would have to be a quest activated only after the main quest line is completed. So either edit that line or just make it after the main quest! ;p) 2) Requirements for this colony/town to grow: PC will have to preform actions like planting fields, purchasing new equipment (rakes, hoes, shovels, scythes) to equip the peasants. Some truly forgotten fields may have to be plowed (create work horses & plows). Homes will have to be repaired or built. Silos for grain storage. Town square will need to be renovated (later task, after farms are manned and skilled tradesmen wish to move in.) A militia will need to be raised to protect the settlement (either find your own people or pay Ocato to station a legion detachment there). Dock will need to be repaired and enlarged (repaired first, later enlarged to handle bigger shipments). A local mine will need to be cleared to allow workers in, eventually this will attract blacksmiths and later artisan weapon/armor smiths. Mine could be infested with goblins/vampires/undead/necro Lich King/whatever. (If you use the Lich King, that could be an additional reason for the crop failures. Lich poisoned the land with it taint, so in addition to defeating him the PC must undergo some quest to restore life to the earth) 3) Additional thoughts: Certain crops will be required for certain items: make fruits and veggies (at certain quantities) able to be morphed into 'shipments' ready for sail at the docks. Wheat will be required to create either flour or cloth bolts (unless you want to make a cotton plant, either way). Cloth bolts can either be sold at the dock or ,once the craftspeople show up, sold to them as materials for clothing production (cause auto spawn after shipment received). Same process/idea can be applied to the mine. Ore to blacksmiths make tools,plates,cups; or to artisans to make armor, weapons. Herders would be required to care for sheep, deer, or boar. Animals then go to vendors to be sold as mutton, venison or ham. Berries could be sent to vintners for ale, mead and wine. Problems will come up, who gets what fields, what kind of persons are allowed onto the island, what punishment does the thief receive after being caught. These decisions will then affect the residents and how they react/work/produce. The home for the PC could begin as a somewhat dilapidated mansion or large plantation house. After each successive growth level, the people decide to come together and improve a portion of the estate. (yep, i'm stealing this from Civilization!) This will also act as a good indicator of the peoples feelings towards the PC. Perhaps there could be a Popularity indicator of some sort. An adviser to the PC that tells what still needs to be done, who is asking for help and if the people are behind him? Money could be an eventual reward. Weekly income based on the production of the settlement, in the form of taxes levied on merchant/shipment sales. Allow PC to alter these taxes to affect popularity/growth. Additional rewards could be special weapons or potions given by the artisans/subjects in gratitude to good leadership. Disgruntled citizens may occasionally request a challenge of arms with the PC in an effort to find redress. (perhaps the PC could elect a 'champion' to fight in his place? Could also be used as a reason to have regular matches within the community, the winners receiving a prize purse from the settlement coffers.) Oh, and as far as a name goes.... rachat? or estinzione? or rescate? Abzahlung? afkoop? that's 'redemption' in french/italian/spanish/german/dutch
