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Kyrel
Learned Scribe
151 Posts |
 Posted - 27 Aug 2012 : 20:25:55
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I'd like your oppinion on something. I'm currently engaged in a merchant centered game based out of Waterdeep. We're currently 4-5 lvl. 9 characters, and my character is a wizard who grew up in Thay, but left to avoid political fallout when his master was killed.
Due to the background of the character, I've been debating with the GM about having us get involved with Red Enclave in Waterdeep. We're running a merchant company with fair success, and currently own three ships. My argument with the GM is that there is no reason why our company shouldn't be able to establish a working business relationship with Red Enclave, without having them try and take over our business "because they are evil, and that's what they would do...". Personally I don't see why the devil Red Enclave should want to do that.
What's your oppinion? Would it be a resonable assumption, based on the canon fluff, that it would be possible for a waterhevian merchant company to establish good business relationships with Red Enclave, without running afoul of the Red Wizards and end up having to fight them on some level?
I know, ultimately it's an issue that's down to the GM to decide, but that's why I ask you to considder the issue based on the existing canon concerning the Red Wizards and their enclaves.
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4686 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2012 : 20:32:43
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| *shrugs* Evil people do trade with good people all the time, Evil only comes up when they see a chance to take advantage for a one time profit, as opposed to a stream of mutual profit over time. Just do not have too much wealth and in my opinion all would be safe. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36782 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2012 : 22:20:48
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As long as there are no conflicting interests, I don't see the Red Wal-Mart trying to buy out/merge with/compete against your characters.
It takes a lot of time, money, and people to dominate all aspects of trade. It's much easier to dominate a single aspect of trade, which is what the Reds do. |
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Varl
Learned Scribe
USA
284 Posts |
Posted - 28 Aug 2012 : 02:33:31
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Yeah, what Wooly said. Plus, if you do end up choosing certain trade goods to move that ends up stepping on the toes of the Reds, I'm sure they'll let you all know.  |
I'm on a permanent vacation to the soul. -Tash Sultana |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36782 Posts |
Posted - 28 Aug 2012 : 04:29:37
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| Another point to consider: the canon lack of the Red Wal-Marts behaving like that. |
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xedrick
Seeker
82 Posts |
Posted - 28 Aug 2012 : 15:18:11
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I don't see why I wouldn't let my players do something like that.
If I thought that the RW's would take over your business, I would still let you do it. That would make for a very interesting twist on your merchant games; after all, all merchants have rivals.
Admittedly, they would be a powerful enemy to have, but that doesn't mean that your DM has to overwhelm you...I believe in always giving my players a sporting chance.
Why don't you tell me a bit about your game? Whereabouts in Waterdeep are you located? What are you trading? Who are the important characters? I'm always looking for new flavor to add into my game, and waterdeep is their next destination, which you already know. :) |
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Kyrel
Learned Scribe
151 Posts |
Posted - 30 Aug 2012 : 00:07:17
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Allright Xedrick, I'll bite.
The company is called The Sea Rose Trading Company. The company was originally started by some former adventurers (four as I recall, who happen to be the parents of most of our characters) who ran the company for about 10-15 years using a Pinnace (The Orca) to primarily run various trade goods to and from the Whalebone Islands, where they brought back whaleoil and whalebone crafts. These adventurers finally acquired enough of a surplus to acquire a Caravel and expand the business. On their first voyage the ship and most of the family is lost, and the remaining family is left pretty much with nothing, once the outstanding debts have been paid off. This is where our characters started out. A dockside storage building with a bit if office space, and an old Pinnace. And a full hull load of cabbage (of all things...).
The characters subsequently found the missing family members out amid the Whalebone Islands, where they had been captured and caught up in a local powerstruggle. Anyway, long story short, the old family members decided to turn over the running of the company to our characters, and set us up with 10k worth of gold. They kept the new Caravel.
Having come back, we've subsequently visited Luskan, in order to pick up some dwarf weapons, and along with these a crapload of glass ware and headed for Athkatla. (A fabricator mage pissed off the local glassblowers guild in Waterdeep, when he flodded the market with cheap quality glass. We discovered that he was being kept prisoner by the guild, and struck a deal with them. We'd take him on a one-way trip to Athkatla, and in return we got a warehouse full of all the glass the mage had created. Only caveat being that we could only sell it outside of Waterdeep.). On the way there we fouled a pirate ("Red Beard") attack on a small fishing village a little north of Baldur's Gate. This left us with a "used" caravel, which we decided to have refurbished and renamed in Baldur's Gate (new name: The Sailing Hydra). Plan being to pick it up later, and hire some crew in Baldur's Gate to run it. The remains of the pirates also left us with an interesting plot though, because apparently the attack on the village had had the main purpose of acquiring a ring held by one of the villagers, on behalf of some individual calling himself "Lord Black". This ring turned out to be a Ring of Elemental Command (Air), and is apparently on in a set of four, which somehow are connected, and are essential to locate some ancient wizard tower, which is supposedly defended by all of the four elements. The pirate ship contained information to Red Beard about acquiring the other three rings as well. One was to be bought from a Lady Sylvia in Baldur's Gate, using about 200K worth of rubies. (We subsequently contacted the lady, but let her keep her ring, and kept the rubies for future investments...). Another ring was supposed to be in the possession of some member of the Watch in Waterdeep, and the last one is supposedly in someone's possession in the Mintarn area. For the moment we are watching over the Air ring on behalf of it's official owner (a girl in the fishing village).
One of the family's females (Jessa Ziss) happen to live in waterdeep, where she married into the Ziss family (a merchant family in Athkatla). Through them and their contacts, we sold off the glass and weapons, and in return invested in a variety of exotic stuff to fill the hull with. The plan is to have a regular trading route going between Luskan-Athkatla-Waterdeep-Luskan. Dwarf weapons from Luskan will be sold in Athkatla, and exotic goods will be brought back from Athkatla and sold in Waterdeep.
On the way back from Athkatla, we tried to assist a ship that appeared to be going aground. It turned out that they were about to enter a portal. This led our characters to suddenly find themselves in Cormyr, and having to make their way back from there. We had a bit of fun with that, and registred as an adventurer group ("The Sea Rose Company"...inspired. I know...). Digging around for some news of possible adventure and lost treasure (since we were there anyway) led us to uncover the hidden location of an old pirate treasure. As it turned out, the goods apparently contain a crapload of things with a history associated with it. The most interesting so far, has been two "tun" worth of old elven wine, which caused quite a stir, when it turned out to be a lost shipment that had been brewed especially for the wedding ceremony of the queen of Evermeet. Before even reaching Baldur's Gate again, we had suddenly become very popular with all sorts of people looking to acquire some of this wine. One of these a wizard of significant power (he didn't identify himself), who arranged to have both of these giant barrels magically transported to our warehouse in Waterdeep, from their cave location in Cormyr. The initially most interesting of these individuals being a Drow Matron...Right up until Khelben Blackstaff showed up and informed us that it would be appreciated if we could come back to Waterdeep NOW and resolve an annoying situation. As it turned out, the Elven navy had shown up and was basically blockading the city and causing all sorts of obstructions of the daily goings in the city. We got a "lift" back to Waterdeep by the nich archmage (who was getting rather tired of being desturbed by the commotion...). Long story short, we ended up selling the wine back to the Elves of Evermeet, and in return got to visit the island and participate in the ritual the wine was to be used in (left us with +1 INT, WIS, and CHA). We have now come back, and is currently in Luskan, picking up a new supply of Dwarf Weapons that will go to Athkatla. On the way we will be picking up the Caravel in Baldur's Gate, and we have now taken possession of a 2nd Caravel (The Ramfish), which we had put in an order for in Waterdeep, before setting course for Athkatla.
Basically the company currently has a traderoute going to The Whalebone Islands, where we have an agreement rgd. the purchase and sale of whaleoil, which is being sold in Waterdeep. We have a ship sailing on the above mentioned route of Waterdeep-Luskan-Athkatla-Waterdeep hauling mainly Beer to Luskan (we invested in a brewery by the way), dwarf weapons for Athkatla, and exotic goods to Waterdeep.
The third ship will be used for whatever we will see fit. Essentially we'll trade in anything that there is money in. Company cashflow is currently a little over 300.000gp + whatever value out historical artefacts might have in terms of value.
Characters are:
(Me) Venn Shaelin - Former Wizard of Thay. Left Thay to avoid political fallout following the murder of his master. Married into the family in Waterdeep. Wife is Chantreth Shaelin, merchant/bard. Venn looks more like "Jack Sparrow" than a wizard. He's neutral, and not your typical Thayan Wizard. He loves the sea and specializes in transmutation and lightning spells. Has a lot of utility spells suitable to the life as a ships wizard and merchant.
Viktoria Thinolryn - Cleric of Akadi. Big woman (envision Helga from the "Hägar the Horrible" cartoon). Normally the ship's Captain.
Matheus Klaenn - Fighter/Rogue. Dual wielder mainly, but also carries a Small Darkwood Shield, and a large two-handed maul.
Gorm Ziss - Fighter from Athkatla. He joined the group in Athkatla, in order to cement the business partnership with the House of Ziss downthere. Mainly a heavily armoured great weapon fighter.
The Sea Rose Company is located in Spices Street, not too far from Dock Street, down by the docks.
Venn, Viktoria, and Matheus all have a permanent blessing of Akadi, which allows them to cast Haste on themselves as a supernatural ability, once per day, as if cast on caster level 5.
The Company currently owns three ships. Two Caravels (The Ramfish & The Sailing Hydra), and a Pinnace (The Orca).
Hope you can use that for something, and as it's a little after 1am, I'd better find my bed now. |
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What's your oppinion on this...
