> From: Topi Pitkanen <tzpitkan_at_mappi.helsinki.fi>
> Subject: Dwarf Run Paper
>
> Firstly I'm from Finland - that is to say I live in a country where
> paper-industry has been and still is nationally important. That partially
> explains why I would like there to be a paperfactory in Glorantha.
> I'd want the paperfactory to be a small devilish detail, nothing major.
> I'm grateful for the feedback.
>
> Secondly I appriciated Peter Larsens original writing-in-glorantha-posting.
> And I do agree with the suggestion that Kralori are probably the ones that
> actually use paper, (except at least IMG the provincial bureocracy).
>
> Thirdly expressing myself in english is a actually a new thing to me.
> I can read and understand english fine. Why is my writing so insecure and
> slow?
>
> Andrew E. Larsen:
>> Hmm, if paper is a Mostali product, it's presumably quite expensive
>> for the Lunars to buy it. Why would they want expensive paper is parchment
>> or vellum is more readily available and presumably somewhat cheaper.
>
> My thought was that Dragon Pass Dwarf Mine would be the source of mostali made
> paper. Now we are talking about Isilidian the Wise's trading practises - I've
> gathered he's one of the most openhandist mostali under lozenge, certainly not
> one of the astronomers of Bad Deal.
>
> I had never thought the paper to be expensive for the provincial goverment.
> If the paper was nevertheless expensive to everybody else, some rumours could
> begin to circulate. There must be several good explanations, why it would be
> thus. Perhaps it is because of political reasons. Anyone with a good idea?
>
> I presume turning wood into paper and stuff costs next to nothing to the
> dwarves. The only costs come from getting the wood. (Since we're talking about
> mostali: "labour" does not coun't among costs;)
Costs wouldn't be limited just to getting the paper. Presumably there
would also be costs for building, running, and maintaining the machines
which produce the paper.
But I think the real price-raiser comes from the fact that the dwarves
have a complete monopoly on the paper market. They're the only ones who can
produce it, so they completely control the supply. This means that they can
charge any price they choose for it. Now, I'm not that familiar with the
openhandism theory, but unless it's pretty darn radical or the dwarves have
no real concept of supply and demand issues, then there's no way that the
dwarves are going to just give the stuff away at cost. They're going to
charge an arm and a leg to generate the revenue to buy the goods they want
and/or need.
Given that the Etyries cult emphasizes equal exchange, this could be
quite a serious conflict, with the Etyrians demanding lower prices and the
dwarves refusing to come down. What leverage do the Lunars have in this
exchange? What human goods do the dwarves want or need in exchange?
Andrew E. Larsen