On Wed, 24 Feb 1999, Morg wrote:

> This brings up a question that I have been tossing around trying to sort out.
> Has anyone come up with a system in which a guilds 'merchandise' is a relevant
> part of the game?
>
> I like the rules in the TotHW for the varsk guilds of Rovninodensk, and am
> wondering if anyone has made rules for other goods? How much does a load of
> grain cost? How about timber? Quarried stone? Leather goods? etc.etc. etc.
>
> In a RL campaign, the players can obviously handle this aspect through role
> playing, but what about all the NPC guilders? What about for PBeM?
>
> If a guilder gets GBs from sales (as the varsk guild does), then should the
> seasonal GB income be reduced? Trashed altogether? This would cause the guild
> regent to become more concerned with selling his wares, and finding new victi
> ... I mean customers, and a little less time trying to oust the Regent and score
> some lands for himself.
>
> Any ideas out there?

One option I've thought of (but never used) is to use the "Build Monument"
action to create a "Famous Guild" that gives you a GB bonus to trade
routes or something. For example, famous weaponsmiths, famous glassblower
guilds, famous textile works, all would fit into the late medieval flavor
of the game (think Flanders and its wool trade).

Also, Solmyr's PBeM game has a domain action called "Develop Resource"
that essentially allows the regent to spend a Build action and build a
bonus of some kind into the province/guild.

Both of these could fairly easily be dropped into NPC domains by DM's.
"Everyone knows the best gems can be found in the Chimaeron, if you can
afford the price."
"The best weaponsmiths have congregated in the City of Ghiest to take
advantage of the renouned stell that is smeltered there. And the
smelters are there because of the cheap iron that is floated down by
barge over the Maesil and the Tuor from mines in the Stonecrowns and the
Iron Hills (in Ghoere)."
"There are no horses like the horses born and bred in the Plains of
Coeranys. They always command the top prices."
"The Glassblowers of Ansien are renouned for their intricate decorative
work and their astonishing use of color. No one knows the secrets of their
delicate rose-colored and cerulian glassware. And no self-respecting
noblewoman would prepare a table for guests without a set!"

Mark VanderMeulen
vander+@pitt.edu