Its also pretty much how I write.
>
> 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).
>
Bastis is far and away the best-off of the surviving Houses. They are really the only ones that are conducting 'business as usual' but based on the literature, they have also begun to see themselves as feudal overlords in addition (or instead of) their obligations. Case in point is that the head of the House styles himself "Count Bastis"
> 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.
>
This was probably the case. I think it may be the case now too. But the Trader Princes's Safelesterian origins are only a pretense these days, shown in antique fashion and the badly accented Safelestran dialect most of them still speak... somewhat.
> > 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?
>
Prince Barthol is the villian of the piece (Blood over Gold). He is convinced that the old ways are so badly damaged that he can pretty much do as he likes so long as appearances are met.
Niccollo is a boogyman. A collection of folk tales and parables about how to do things the "wrong" way. He isn't real. Though I suppose he may have taken on a mythic life of his own.
>
> 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.
>
All good hooks. The important thing to remember is that the Trader Princes do not exist in a vaccuum - and that sort of thinking is what is slowly destroying them. They are dependent on the surrounding peoples and their kin in the other Houses. However, the whole chain falls appart if there's no reason for them to exist which, originally, was trade.
And a Church must fill a need. I am not sure if the Ashara Church would suffice or something else would fill that void. Such as the Rokari or the Aeoleans who have a more robust mythology and purpose.
> 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?
>
Jubal Town is a fun place. Very wild and wooly shoot-em-up sort of spot. Of course, if they weren't so virulently anti-Trader Prince, the Prince of Joral would have snapped them up and the whole Fay Jee situation would never have happened. The Nimistor Valley would be unified under Prince Barthol's benevolent (?) rule from the mountains to the sea.
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