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Tyranthraxus
Senior Scribe
Netherlands
423 Posts |
 Posted - 11 Jan 2013 : 06:37:54
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I'm currently running Ruins of Adventure. After having conquered/liberated a good part of Phlan, the characters have decided to form a trading company and invested their hard earned loot to buy a small warehouse, wagons, and horses, and plan on sending caravans to the west to Zhentil Keep, the Dales, and Sembia.
I'm preparing an adventure for the characters to help a group of dwarves reclaim a gem mine in the Dragonspine Mountains, which would be an interesting opportunity for the group. They also made arrangements with Cadorna once they help him secure his textile house.
Besides gems/precious metals and textile/clothing, what other goods could they export? And what sort of goods could they bring back to Phlan? I was thinking of weapons and armor, and maybe troops, but what else?
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Lord Bane
Senior Scribe
Germany
479 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2013 : 10:58:47
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It depends what alignment your group is, if they are not so good and out for profit, go for slaves and drugs.
If they shy away from those options, how about poisons or if they are more of the good sort, spices or other items that have been the "last hit" in Amn or Waterdeep? |
The driving force in the multiverse is evil, for it forces good to act. |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2013 : 12:45:54
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Lumber is an exceedingly rare material on the north coast of the Moonsea. The Quivering Forest is a quickly regenerating source of lumber.
Cut stone would also be something to consider for construction in Phlan...though not a great deal of profit in it.
Salted Fish, artifacts (not magical ones...but collections of history), pottery, pig-iron, horses (from the Ride), wild animals, furs, and other things can all be had in and around Phlan. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2013 : 13:23:04
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| Pine trees from the Quivering Forest are a preferred choice for the making of ship masts, straight and tall, with the perfect balance of strength and flexibility. A valuable commodity during times of peace or of war, but they are usually only transported by ship or barge, a few at a time to cities with shipyards. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2013 : 14:35:51
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I think you've hit on the area's major exports: mineral wealth, furs, cut stone, lumber. Raw materials, basically.
For imports, think of anything "the wild frontier" wouldn't have: any fabric material other than wool (ie: cotton, linen, silk), food (especially fruit [luxury] or grains [staple]), finished goods that they don't have the skilled crafters to complete (ie: furniture, jewelry). Luxury items like spices, incense to disguise body odors, glass, fine china, are also good.
Since your characters don't have a ship, that eliminates much of the bulk shipping of raw materials. They would probably be better off working as "fast carters" transporting either lightweight (ie: gems) or extremely valuable (ie: gold bars or magic) goods out of Phlan and using their above-average speed and group strength to get them through. For the return journey they'd probably want to stick with the lightweight luxury items above (silk, glass, incense, china, spices).
Assuming there's enough of a "rich element" in settled Phlan to support the trade (which I think there is, from what I can remember of Ruins of Adventure), such characters could get very rich very quickly. On the other hand, all it takes is losing that one wagon, or those few mules, and it's all gone. High stakes indeed. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2013 : 15:08:39
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Liquors, spices, messages, and information from distant lands are always valuable, the farther they need to travel the more exotic and profitable they become. Profits can be multiplied by involving other commodities beyond simple "two corner" barter and transport. Much extra gold can be earned by maintaining a regular caravan schedule, and by demonstrating that it is secure against predations. Discretion is always valuable, but perhaps impossible in a small city like Phlan.
But then there's choices to make. Profits and losses are multiplied by choosing the faster but riskier routes. Competing with other merchants can create profits and can create problems. Cooperating with other merchants can erode profit and creates friends. Larger caravans are stronger than smaller caravans, and generally make for more pleasant travelling and more profits ... but also a larger target for larger and more organized attackers. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Jakuta Khan
Senior Scribe
496 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2013 : 09:47:11
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Aahh, how I love these old styled adventures / mini campaigns.
Just a basic outline, and loads of adventurous options thrown at the party, leaving most of the stuff to their own decision. Not like in (many, not all) the 3 and 3.5 ones, where literally the Dm takes the party at their hands, and carefully guides them from one frickingly tough bashing to the next one until either they or the module are worn out ;) hehe. |
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Moonsea trading company
