I think what would really add to the playability of factions/clans, and the leaders of those clans, would be if they are 'created' by where you choose to locate.
Clans and factions would have to have a 'town' where NPCs can work in shops and farms they build, within some distance of each other. So to be a member of a clan, you have to build at least one claimable location within some set distance of other clan members. The idea of city states, both realistic and feudal.
Then when clans and alliances would form 'city states' they would have to guard the ever expanding boarders with hired guards(Clan Maintenance fee) and walls(auto built and maintained over time from fee), making larger clans more expensive. Those guards would also stop any civil war.
It also would make the leadership of the clan better and more playable, since if some didn't pay clan fee, others could still make up the difference in cost. Although if the cost was not paid by the clan, the entire clan could lose its perimeter security and be easier to 'raid' by other clans, and more importantly, it would make legal inside clan fighting between members properties.
When a wall is up, someone can be expelled and forced to leave the area by leaders(loss of protection, and attack able by other members), but only with the wall down can players raid other players in a city state, including attacks on leaders farms, and that would lead to a high rate of NPC peasant defections
People could of coarse pick up and move, and there loyal(contented) NPC peasants and packed buildings would go with them, either to there own single place, or to some other clan. (moving castles and tunnels would be a magic function)
Then if the clan or faction has a bad leader, first people would stop paying taxes to that group, then when it falls below a level, a civil war would be created.
That makes the entire 'clan order' based on if the fee can be maintained to hire 'special guards'. And if the leader is an ass, he won't be able to raise the fees, and that will put the clan in a state of civil war. (note this is the current 'money feudal system many are using in society today, where they argue against government of democracy)
It makes the 'noble' of a city state have to keep his members happy enough to be willing to be taxed, for mutual protection by hiring guards to maintain security. That includes the clan outer perimeter(military), and that also determines having enough enforcement inside city that make PVP against other clan property by clan member difficult(police) or only night thievery not actual plundering.
Of coarse the leadership could put any member on 'non protected' status'(after a warning time), to 'then plunder them'.
The leadership, and those set as 'protected' could not be plundered, and only if the leadership did not have enough to pay security daily fee as a game mechanism, would then everybody including them be able to be plundered.
No fee paid to keep clan running, anyone can be plundered.
Fee paid for everyone, (even those on non protected list) and leader can set who is safe, and who can be plundered in clan, to collect taxes for clan fee if someone isn't paying and isn't moving.
It would really match the autocratic form of feudal systems, and would require a just form of leadership to keep players in the clan, and paying taxes.
(That current system today is often referred to as The Umbrella System, where keeping someone out of the rain(hardship) is protection from a feudal lord, although it is really a feudal system)
So the balance of 'tax collecting' including plundering someone that has not paid fees to collect a tax or to get them to move from clan, would be part of the management of a clan/faction.
It is both realistic, feudal, and much of the current processes used in many feudal system in the world today.
Zathurus
And clans and guilds are not actually the same thing.
A guild is a group of members with like minded goals, not geographic location.
And a clan or faction is a group of people in the same area, with mutual protection.
They actually are different ideas, and you acutually could have both in a game.
A guild is joining an idea that only needs a guild hall (free masons, elks, eagles, various political groups, vfw, and various other groups.) and have no actual geographic center.
A faction or alliance is administrating a local area for protection, and various services. Town District, sector, City, State, all fit into that idea.
Also guilds often are secret and reputation is only important among fellow members, since then they don't need protection in guild versus guild issues since nobody knows if they are in a guild or not, thieving guilds is a classic example.
And factions are mostly public, since they have to actually protect land based on some area. And need to present there reputation as part of there defense.
So you could have both clans/city states and guilds. Then you would have the mechanism of secret guilds, taking over city state administrative functions in secret, by trying to get leadership roles.
And on a personal note, if they try to set you as unprotected because you refuse to go on some silly crusade(a guild function not a state function) You can then get the rest of the clan to side with you, and when there treasury is empty, reform the clan by plundering civil war against the former leaders.
Note idea of guilds and City states being different is idea of separation of church and state, since religions match the guild format also.
Highlander Forever Young
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWFMHj60OvY
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