Nation Building Diadochi Dialogues

[MrThe]

why buy when you can steal from the invaders also what is buying?

It's when you give people your sandworm carpets and they give you pointy sticks so you can steal more stuff!

 

[Karcen]

ah, well, you see, if you try that you'll bring down the poseidon wrath thing; better to just trade

the sun goddess will evaporate your evil water trying to make the tribes weak with it they see your game

 

[Albion]

yeah, i mean, i doubt the scorpion people have much by way of durable goods beyond what they've stolen, much of which is likely damaged. maybe i'll institute a policy of setting fire to the goods if my merchants are attacked. if i'm taking a loss so will you

 

[Karcen]

It's when you give people your sandworm carpets and they give you pointy sticks so you can steal more stuff!

and you say this can be done with invaders?

 

[MrThe]

and you say this can be done with invaders?

Yes!

 

[Karcen]

yeah, i mean, i doubt the scorpion people have much by way of durable goods beyond what they've stolen, much of which is likely damaged. maybe i'll institute a policy of setting fire to the goods if my merchants are attacked. if i'm taking a loss so will you

i just imagine your traders on a ship
" Captain we are off course"
"what makes you say that?"
"we are in a desert not the water"

 

[Kent]

Kent Maybe you could have a big Oligarchy/Small republic where you invited the local nobility to counterbalance the Atlantean Generals and you play them off each other? Where the local nobility control the loyalty of the people and the Generals control the loyalty of the Army? I mean that's the only way I can see this going honestly. The Satraps and the Generals. Does that make sense?

I was thinking the same thing. Three factions: Military Power, Political Power, Economic Power. The three factions counterbalance each other and then amongst the factions, there is a rivalry that counterbalances the individuals within it.

The simple explanation I had was. The ruler controls the Surface while the Shadow Leader rules the Shadows and then the surface from within the shadows.

 

[Albion]

why do you assume my traders are relegated to only the seas? we're tenacious traders and you're a functionally untapped market

 

[Karcen]

Yes!

now that is just crazy talk

 

[Karcen]

why do you assume my traders are relegated to only the seas? we're tenacious traders and you're a functionally untapped market

yes i corner the sand market

 

[Albion]

actually, you corner the sandsilk market, which is much more interesting to us. really, you're only handicapping us if you refuse trade and murder the traders, since trade is the lifeblood of ancient empires and the source of vast wealth.

 

[Karcen]

actually, you corner the sandsilk market, which is much more interesting to us. really, you're only handicapping us if you refuse trade and murder the traders, since trade is the lifeblood of ancient empires and the source of vast wealth.

yeah they kind of are but well they are just that kind of territorial crazy and fanatics

also they have yet to figure out money they barter

 

[Kent]

Just assassinate each other. Death solves most problems.

 

[MrThe]

I was thinking the same thing. Three factions: Military Power, Political Power, Economic Power. The three factions counterbalance each other and then amongst the factions, there is a rivalry that counterbalances the individuals within it.

The simple explanation I had was. The ruler controls the Surface while the Shadow Leader rules the Shadows and then the surface from within the shadows.

That doesn't seem simple to me. To simplify it for my smoothbrained self just list your spymaster as the functional leader of the Nation in the Character Sheet and instead of 3 arbitrary factions that don't actually exist in the real world (mostly because those 3 forces don't separate so nicely in the real world) just have him play the Generals off of the Satraps. The specifics of who is in charge of what can be listed under Notable Figures.

 

[Karcen]

this is all subject to change in RP but right now they are flat out hostile

 

[Albion]

not really in this scenario, money is used as a medium of exchange if one party doesnt want what the other has to offer, but i want sandsilk and i'll just find the goods you want for it.

 

[Kent]

That doesn't seem simple to me. To simplify it for my smoothbrained self just list your spymaster as the functional leader of the Nation in the Character Sheet and instead of 3 arbitrary factions that don't actually exist in the real world (mostly because those 3 forces don't separate so nicely in the real world) just have him play the Generals off of the Satraps. The specifics of who is in charge of what can be listed under Notable Figures.

Basically a ruler puppet and a puppet master.

 

[Karcen]

not really in this scenario, money is used as a medium of exchange if one party doesnt want what the other has to offer, but i want sandsilk and i'll just find the goods you want for it.

well you are going to end up with quite a few dead traders before they start to figure out this whole trade thing

 

[MrThe]

Basically a puppet ruler and a puppet master.

Got it. Can't wait to see your character sheet.

 

[Albion]

man, what part of tenacious traders don't you understand? untapped markets are like a holy site to the Eutropians. they'll go even if there's danger

 

[MrThe]

man, what part of tenacious traders don't you understand? untapped markets are like a holy site to the Eutropians. they'll go even if there's danger

Gotta beat the language barrier first. But even so, good luck to you guys.

 

[Karcen]

man, what part of tenacious traders don't you understand? untapped markets are like a holy site to the Eutropians. they'll go even if there's danger

well then i wish them the best of luck

 

[Albion]

surely there's some sort of instrument that can account for the trader's lack of scorpion legs. nothing good comes without effort, and all that

 

[Karcen]

surely there's some sort of instrument that can account for the trader's lack of scorpion legs. nothing good comes without effort, and all that

maybe they will find it i just see them wearing children's costume type pincers

 

[Albion]

i'm sure some combination of wood and maybe metal or ceramic can get the crisp snap i need.