This may be a Wenelian motto on par with "Violence is always an option."
> Bastis is a fun place. Probably the one of the places where the
> Trader Princes have drifted into holding into full on feudal
> lordship. The continued (and increased) revenues from the Haranda
> trade are probably to blame.
I suspect suspect Bastis may fair a bit better than the other Trader Prince city-states. It's got the ability to shift to river trade, plus it doesn't have to deal with the threat of war as much (Wolf Pirates won't go that far inland, Esrolia is far away, and Graymane has bigger fish to fry).
> I'm not sure of the early history of that church or what really
> went on in the Safelester basin around the time of the Closing. In
> Wenelia, he's "The wise man from far away who helped make things
> better".
My current thinking is that The Recovery Churches of The Latest Action are probably a dime a dozen in Safelster, and despite their founders' claims, the end up filling very similar niches. Even if Caselein didn't found the Church of Ashara exactly, his Great Trek created an opportunity for it to differentiate itself, as well as giving it a place to expand into.
> Yes. I really should find my notes on Niccolo the Manipulator who
> is sort of the flip side of Saint Caselain. Some embrace him as the
> doer of the necessary but they may just be deluding themselves.
> Every culture has its own evils. Prince Barthol, of course, is a
> firm believer in Niccolo.
Is he a political figure, or a Wizard/sorcerer as well?
> The problem with Dizbos is that it is in a war zone. I am not sure
> how the Ashara Church would thrive there until Graymane is dealt
> with and the border war between the Western Barbarians and the Holy
> Country is put to an end...
>
> ..which might require the founding of an Azharan state. (I think we
> just "Passed Go" please Collect 200 Falangian Diamonds)
Heh. I never said anything about thriving, just that the political structures the Trader Prince dominate could collapse in eastern Wenelia under the weight of war (and the Gotti's continued exodus to Dragon Pass). If that happens, I could imagine some people turning to the Church to fill the void. I'm extremely dubious this would work out well in the long run, but it would make for some interesting adventure hooks.
I could also imagine the Church gaining power in some independent or satellite city as Trader Prince power wanes. Jubal Town, Donali, or Staton are all fit this description, and who knows what will happen as all things get increasingly unstable for the Trader Princes?
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