Is there some reason why it is necessary to make a LoM harder to get?
None that I can think of.
My main thought here is that the prize is level-dependent and only goes up throughout the game regardless of anything else.
That doesn't sound right to me.
Your solution sounds pretty good and I'd like to see that implemented, but that would require a bit more development time too.
That is why I proposed a single fixed price. That may be an oversimplification, but at least isn't as strange as the current situation.
At "Wary" you're definitely on his "naughty" list and he's going to want to be able to make a much more persuasive argument to his superiors, and beyond that you're hostile and you can forget it. (If the relation is "Wary" then you might have been hostile up until you bought forgiveness about 5 seconds ago, with all that implies about your loyalty to his nation.)
Should we allow getting a LoM if you're Wary at all? Now you can indeed crave forgiveness and then buy a LoM 5 seconds later.
Here is an alternate suggestion:
- Buying amnesty sets your relation to Wary (-45)
- Only allow buying a LoM if your relation is Neutral or above (-30)
- Gain relation points with a nation upon completing a Governor Ship Hunting quest
- Sinking/capturing enemies from Governor Ship Hunting quests should NEVER be considered an "Unrespectable Act"; after all, you're doing it
for a specific governor
The above would allow you to buy amnesty, then legally gain the trust of the nation you wish to serve through Governor Ship Hunting quests,
then be able to buy a LoM for a reasonable price and get points for your actions
without the governor telling you what to do.
If you keep doing those type of quests until you reach relation Friendly (0), then you can get a LoM for the current minimum of 500 gold, so really cheap.
Doing these quests will NOT give you additional points above 0, so you MUST buy that LoM if you do want to proceed.