So most are already aware of the things of which I am bringing up here. However, lets get the easy one out of the way. I am hoping that when people quit the game it still drops an Emissary flag. Otherwise this just feels like a tool to combat log a reward they would have otherwise have given.
The second thing I am bringing up pertains to what I see as much more of combat logging. What I mean is when people are being chased and will slam on the anchor and rush to remove their flag just to avoid sinking the ship 30 seconds behind them. Now many would argue that this isn't much different than a ship rushing to cash out that Athena chest, I would argue that his is different. That chests value lies in a physical chest. Once its cashed it disappears. The Emissaries value lies in a physical ship floating on the water. While a cashed in chest is wisked away the Emissary ship still floats there. It remains the only item that one physically doesn't have to carry in order to cash it out. This leads to people fleeing only to drop flag out of spite for not losing it to another crew.
Just the other day we were pursuing a ship only for them to drop the flag regardless of them not actually turning in their loot. We were able to sink them to steal the rest, but it just seems silly they can just combat log part of their value with little to no effort. So with all that being said, I have a few propositions to suggest that might alleviate this combat logging.
First, a crew cannot drop emissary immediately. Dropping their Emissary status requires an amount of time to pass depending on their grade. Maximum time for grade 5 would be around 2 minutes. I don't wish to make it an absurd amount of time so that it still allows players who have made a clean escape from pursuit the option to cash out. I don't want to remove fleeing as a tactic, but I think someone needs a larger gap than what it takes to rush to a voting station.
Second, rather than have a delay, make the Emissary value tied to an item that can be collected and turned in by its own crew. I am aware that sinking a ship leaves a flag, but what I am asking for is that if they vote to close Emissary, an item appears on their ship to physically turn in. This would make it near identical to any other chest in the game by making it a physical item to turn in. It meets a middle ground of mine by still causing players to take more time to turn in that value.
Third option, is more of a throwaway idea. Just make it a permanent pick-able item that can be stolen. Its would be just a physical flag that can be removed. Its like option two where it requires to be turned in, but it makes it so players aren't required to physically sink the ship in order to take it. This option has problems, because it would be easy for your own crew to mess with it by removing it prematurely.
In conclusion, I don't want to remove running as an option, but for it to so easily remove seems to create issues of people removing it out of plain spite. I'm not intending to sound bitter here, but I hope something can be done about this. Yes I am aware that pirates aren't known for ethics, but in the context of a video game we can still strive for sportsmanlike behavior. Just because someone can do something doesn't mean they should. Reaper's bones already has issues of leveling by relying on the presence of other Emissaries, by removing this type of combat logging we help alleviate that. When people sign up for Emissaries, they accept the risks of being targeted. To remove that risk with a simple quick vote seems way too easy.
