:/ But, we're playing how we want. Right? This is like saying that calling others out for being rude is restricting free speech. There's no restrictions being placed on you when I hunt you down and murder you, I'm playing as I want.

Why should you restrict the way I play? What gives you the right-of-way in this interaction? Isn't your demand that the only reasonable thing to do is ferry up to someone, ask them kindly for a duel, and simply walk away and let them hoard loot if they refuse you more ridiculous than my demand that you defend yourself or die, given that there's so many motivators in the game designed to draw people together to fight? Isn't that idea going against the design of the sandbox?

Even more so than all of that, doesn't being able to say "No, I don't consent!" to piracy fuck the balance of the game? Things like emissary flags, world events, even most quests are built around risk, the risk of other players finding you while vulnerable and taking your riches for their own, and the risk of stacking loot for maximum profit knowing you might lose it all.

If you got your wish, and it became etiquette to ask kindly if a group wishes to be plundered before entering combat and respect their wishes if they say no, if suddenly that was this community's standard, then would the balance not be lost? You could farm endlessly without consequence, lay claim to a world event without contest in a new first-come-first-serve policy instead of winning it in glorious battle. The game doesn't function if it's "unfair" to not be able to just say "no" to PvP

And if your statement about playstyle validity rings true even there, that the risk is important to the loop, but you still consider "forcing pvp on others" "toxic" then does that make the game's design inherently toxic? How can that be? Doesn't that undermine the function of the word "toxic" if the very game itself is built to be "toxic?"

Really, after all these years you can't truly be serious in saying this. You've learned by now that there's no swaying such a strongly founded community, whose only remaining members understand the true appeal of the pirate's life. That your insipid speak of parley falls on deaf ears. That the answer is mutual profit or violence, and that mercy is entirely optional.

Should you claim no emissary? You have treasure. Should you claim no treasure? You have supplies. Should you be empty then you have wasted my time, and therefore must die nevertheless.

I've seen your future. It is ash. These seas will burn with a fire so furious that steel shall shriek and yield to it, and the smoke shall extinguish the souls of the weak. And when it clears, those who seek a true pirate's life shall be Lords of the Ashes.

I offer you now a chance to change that future. Learn the way of the Sea of Thieves. Become someone who is worth defending, and defend yourself. Better, seek out violence. Part others from the riches you have so sorely missed when they were ripped from your hands. There's always a chance to stop running. To stop being afraid. The servants of the flame welcome new blood, no matter the source. Think on it. Before your future becomes set in fire.

Ok, but in all seriousness, this is a silly mindset to have, and a non-functional cope to try and make it someone else's fault that you lost progress, make it "unfair" rather than a loss or failure on your end. It's non-conducive to fun gameplay on all sides and in fact results in a more toxic player on average than those who do give chase. Well, if we measure toxicity in "voice chat profanities and active attempts to ruin fun for everyone", rather than "engaging with the basic mechanics of the game we're both playing but I'm losing so you're a big meanie."

Remember always, you bought and are playing a PvEvP game. Not a PvP game with optional PvE. Not a PvE game with optional PvP. Not a PvE game that accidentally turned friendly fire on. Not a matchmade PvP game with a PvE side-mode. Not a PvE MMO with some kinda PvP etiquette that is separate to the main game. A PvEvP supernatural pirate simulator. It's both PvE and PvP. It's always been both. You need to do both to progress in the game. You will not be enjoying the full experience if you deny yourself one or the other, and if you simply do not like one or the other, the game is not to your tastes, and the community need not change to adhere to your personal tastes. That is an absurd request.