Shattered Kingdoms

Some very good changes in the recent updates indeed, now if you can just get rid of the 1-2 lingering sociopaths that play
with the whole purpose of ruining other people's fun, ruining the game itself, you can actually see some growth in the player-base.

I'm assuming that by saying "1-2 lingering sociopaths" you mean the couple of very efficient PK'rs that we are still blessed with. If you wish to avoid getting ganked and jlooted, there is a very nice forum titled something along the lines of "how to avoid Pk." This post speaks of picking your aura, avoiding certain races, and staying out of tribunals/cabals.
Sk does not owe you anything and we shouldn't be banning skilled players, that are efficient at what they do, to provide you a "safe place."
Not sayin, just sayin. You're just not doing it right.

Storm, do let us know if you encounter anyone in the game that is grief-ing you. We recently updated the rules to be more direct and to the point. SK is a game that allows (and encourages) PK. But only within the bounds of RP and the player behind each character must behave within the bounds of good sportsmanship.

I have to agree with Trosis. There are a few guys who just really know how to gank. Do they go out and make sure it's an even fight? Of course not. But they do only go after targets with whom they're at war with. Do they make it a pain for those people. Definitely. But that's PK for you.

Perhaps you should put some pressure on your leaders if you are finding yourself being targeted by certain groups.

SK is a game where your characters' actions can get him/her killed without realizing it until it's too late. This most certainly applies to interactions with other players as well. While there's no way to guarantee that you will never be PKed, I do not believe you'll find any players left who are willing to PK you so heavily to the point where it could be considered close to griefing.

There are RP avenues in place for avoiding PK and negotiating truces, unless you chose a race/class combination that's hard-lined to have conflict with opposites, like a paladin or necromancer. That's always the best avenue to go down before jumping out of character and arguing that the other person is solely out to ruin other people's fun. Unless you've attempted to go down the avenue of peace (and potentially change your character's stance in doing so) you can't legitimately argue that the other person is just trying to ruin the game.

You all know who I am talking about, the player of Taran, "oh look you joined the peacekeepers", "you are an elf", "you are a paladin", "you are a griffon", "you looked at me wrong".
"That is reason enough, I will attack you without warning even while you are training and junk loot you whenever I please..."
Without any rp before and sometimes after the pk. "Oh and good luck finding a priest to resurrect you."

This is both from personal experience in game and from the logs posted in the other forums.
Seems the guys' opinion posted above is that you need to play an unaffiliated grey aura character to be left alone, mine is that players like that need to go do something else with their time.

To be honest, the most surefire way to avoid PK is essentially that, play an unaffiliated grey character. It's been a long existing understanding in SK that you will be a target by some other characters if you roll an elf, deep-elf, hellion, necromancer, paladin, etc.. Playing a polarized character in a world where PK is encouraged, will always make you a target for someone.

Also joining a tribunal, particularly one at war with other groups (which is nearly always the case), will make you a target. If you feel that someone is acting outside the bounds of acceptable PK or causing you grief by repeatedly killing you while training in a short timespan, etc, please feel free to contact the staff. The best way to do this is by email [immortal name]@shatteredkingdoms.org or through private messages.

The follow up comment is with out antagonists SK is a lot less interesting. You dont enjoy it when someone kills and full junk loots you but it does give you something to do afterwards. Any "standard" class is perfectly fine for PE content with store bought armor and one good weapon/shield as required.

I have followed both the letter and spirit of the rules with every PK has Taran has been involved with. The only characters Taran has killed or engaged in PK against are members of factions that either he has declared war against or that have declared war against him.

If you joined a faction at war with my character and you either didn't understand the risks of joining a faction or they were not explained to you by your faction leader - that is really unfortunate. However, I would go as far as to say that I have used kid gloves with Taran and that your complaints are very close to what the new rules describe as bad sportsmanship - i.e. throwing a tantrum after being defeated.