Industries for a Sword and Sorcery/Magic Punk game?

[Tanuki Tales]

So, I'm starting to put together a setting (not a world, just more of a greater region to play in), where you've got one central governing body ruling over everything, but more or less gives the reigns to several monopolistic companies as long as they play nice with one another, follow the government's rules mostly and don't do anything too corrupt or too upsetting of the status quo (I'm taking a Business Ethics class this semester and it's inspired some things). My problem at the moment is coming up with the varying industry leaders/monopolies that function in the setting.

So far, I've got this:

• A company that has a total monopoly over natural resources (except magic, though elementals and other similar creatures fall under their purview as they're made of pure natural resources).
• A company that has a total monopoly over transportation (so ships, road construction, carriages, etc. I'm thinking of there being either some kind of magic train or teleportation pad system, but still working that out).
• A company that has a total monopoly over arcane magic (so your old school greybeards, sitting in their towers, running their colleges of magic).
• A company that has a total monopoly over divine magic (basically just a council of the various religious leaders).
• A company that has a total monopoly over food production.
• A company that has a total monopoly over metal working (horse shoes, mundane arms and armor, nails, etc).
• A company that has a total monopoly over construction (bridges, homes, the creation of the transportation systems the other company regulates, etc).
• A company that has a total monopoly over currency (they're the middlemen between every other company and are the ones who keep the economy stable and afloat).
• A company that has a total monopoly over manufacturing of goods (includes everything not explicitly covered by one of the other companies).
• A company that has a total monopoly over entertainment.

And that's all I've gotten so far. Is there anything else I need or did I cover all my bases?

Edit:

• Ventures Limited - Natural resources monopoly
• Transcross United - Transportation monopoly
• Grayford University - Arcane magic monopoly
• Council of Guidance - Divine magic monopoly
• Bounty Incorporated - Food production monopoly
• Mithril Research - Metalworking/weapon production monopoly
• The Baylon Group - Construction monopoly
• Teller, Hall and Bride - Banking monopoly
• Adams-Bower - Manufacturing monopoly
• Expression Associated - Entertainment monopoly

• At the top, you have the "home office", which is located in the nation's capital city. It's the controlling head for everything the entire "company" does and is where the wealth aggregates.
• Below the "home office", you have "official projects". These are the locations where a monopoly takes a direct hand in their interests, rather than simply profit off a licensed entity (such as the natural resources monopoly building a mining site that is worked by their men specifically).
• Below the "official projects", you have "satellite offices". These are small, usually one story locations that are found either where a current interest of the "company" can be found and requires direct oversight from "company men" (or one of the other monopolies has a satellite office there and thus all the others need to build one to keep an eye on what each other is doing). The "satellite offices" are the ones who hand out the licenses, certifications, do the rounds and audits to local communities, etc.
• Then, at the bottom, is everyone else who doesn't work for the "company", but has to pay for licensing, certification, fees, dues, etc.

[Slipperychicken]

1. Monopolies like this tend to be quite corrupt and inefficient, especially if they're backed by the government and lack competition.

2. I can see a lot of conflicts coming up between the agriculture/mining and magic companies, especially regarding material components.

3. "Food" and "Natural Resources" are not mutually exclusive, so you could expect some weirdness and redundancy where they intersect. Kind of like with the agriculture department and the FDA.

4. "Construction" and "Transportation" are probably going to have lots of problems when building bridges and such. This can result in some amusing and costly decisions (for a real-life example: the Tappan Zee bridge in New York, which was built far from the city, along the widest part of the Hudson river to divert its toll-revenue to the Thruway Authority, because the Port Authority would take its tolls if it was built any farther south).

5. Btw, what is the central government?

• A company that has a total monopoly over currency (they're the middlemen between every other company and are the ones who keep the economy stable and afloat).

That's called a central bank.

[Ninjadeadbeard]

I like this so far. Seems interesting, with enough conflicts between the companies for good stories to develop. Shadowrun might be interesting to use with this setting.

Just a thought on the Currency Company: Make them the actual Government, and in their place you could put some sort of corrupt regulation company. As an example, in the Mistborn Books, the Lord Ruler's government involves Noble Houses, in the place of companies, cutting deals with each other. The trouble is, you absolutely needed to have one of the Lord Ruler's Priest-Regulators (real-name escapes me) sit in on every meeting and take the minutes. Otherwise, it wasn't legal.

tl;dr - Have a Regulator Company built on a Stamp Tax, where the mark that makes a document legal requires a fee.

[Tanuki Tales]

5. Btw, what is the central government?

A Demi-god of Civilization and his enforcers/police force/military/etc.

That's called a central bank.

Central banks don't also act as brokers for commerce though.

Edit:

@Ninjadeadbeard: I was thinking of something kind of like the presence that J.P. Morgan had.

Edit Edit:

Came up with a 9th one.

Edit Edit Edit:

Came up with a 10th one.

[Alchemyst]

What's keeping the companies from joining forces and basically enslaving the peoples under the proverbial thumb of a powerful few?

[Tanuki Tales]

What's keeping the companies from joining forces and basically enslaving the peoples under the proverbial thumb of a powerful few?

A Demi-god of Civilization and his enforcers/police force/military/etc.

Though a very valid question and potential plot material if the "CEO"s decide to Morpheus-away their deific sovereign.

[Ceiling_Squid]

You stated that the military is under control of the government, but who makes the military's equipment? Is it your generic "manufacturing" company, or maybe another company who holds a monopoly in the military/industrial complex?

[Tanuki Tales]

You stated that the military is under control of the government, but who makes the military's equipment? Is it your generic "manufacturing" company, or maybe another company who holds a monopoly in the military/industrial complex?

"Metalworking company" has a monopoly over weaponry and armor, even those not explicitly made of metal. Said company makes said weaponry for said government, but keeping up the status quo is what lets them stay living as rich mini-kings. That and each "company" is ultimately most interested in its own continued survival (and opulence) and offering up whoever tries to screw over the government and simply replacing them is usually in their best interests.

[QuidEst]

"Total" monopolies feel unrealistic. You can add a heck of a lot of realism if you allow a little wiggle room. Entertainment, for instance. Minor entertainers are allowed to perform since regulating that would be impossible, but if you want to perform outside your home town (or section of the city for large cities), you need to be licensed. Similarly, arcane magic of any substantial power is regulated, but the first-level stuff can be bought from smaller companies which eke out a living. (It may be unregulated and risky to use, though.) And so on, and so on.

Deific support is probably going to be necessary to avoid corruption in a case like this.

Consider not playing entirely to stereotypes. An arcane magic monopoly doesn't necessarily lead to dusty old wizards in towers. It could just as easily produce crafting-factories for magic items. Or, if you want to do more of collegiate feel, it could be more like a law school where wizards are trained in a high-demand service industry. (There might be a military aspect, since wizards would be needed in war.)

You might need a meta-company, one that runs periodic investigation. Capture theory being what it is, they would need deific investigation or something.

[Slipperychicken]

each "company" is ultimately most interested in its own continued survival (and opulence) and offering up whoever tries to screw over the government and simply replacing them is usually in their best interests.

The problem here comes when both government officials and company management (who, due to their stable and enduring relationship, simply cannot help being a little too cozy with each other) conspire to fatten their own pockets at the taxpayers' expense, and give a cut to whoever is supposed to hold them accountable. Then as a bonus, most large organizations can do a good job of covering for their own or hushing them up as needed, even when they do discover wrongdoing.

So you're most likely going to wind up with sketchy accounting, equipment and jobs which only exist on paper, cronyism, embezzlement, and all manner of corruption.

This does sound awesome however, with rampant corruption opening up all sorts of adventures and opportunities as the PCs try to finesse their way through the system.

[The Oni]

Almighty corporations empowered by a demigod and given mostly free reign over the masses? Sounds like magipunk by way of cyberpunk.

A company with a monopoly on entertainment is a recipe for disaster (which I assume is the point, in which case it's a great idea). The black market will abound, and one can only imagine what sort of plothooky entertainments exist in a realm with mechanized industry plus arcane magic.

Also, what do you mean by "monopoly on magic?" Are they the only ones allowed to use it, or just the only ones allowed to sell it? Do you have to have a license or a certificate to do magic a la Harry Potter's Wizarding London? And do they have mage-killing (or if you're being less grimdark, just mage-whacking) enforcer squads to crack down on illegal magic?

[Tanuki Tales]

"Total" monopolies feel unrealistic. You can add a heck of a lot of realism if you allow a little wiggle room.

How so? They've historically existed.

Entertainment, for instance. Minor entertainers are allowed to perform since regulating that would be impossible, but if you want to perform outside your home town (or section of the city for large cities), you need to be licensed. Similarly, arcane magic of any substantial power is regulated, but the first-level stuff can be bought from smaller companies which eke out a living. (It may be unregulated and risky to use, though.) And so on, and so on.

Well, the idea wasn't that they're these omnipresent, omnipotent entities. They're not going to give direct oversight and there could be people who perform services that fall under their purview that manage to fall through the cracks, either because they live somewhere unimportant enough or just go without notice. But if they are noticed, you can bet they'll have "company men" at their doors, asking for licensing fees and certificate fees and such, unless the individuals would prefer a healthy "lesson" on what working outside "the rules" gets you.

Deific support is probably going to be necessary to avoid corruption in a case like this.

Corruption isn't intended to be avoided. Corruption that upsets the status quo and leads the people to think about revolting and thus upsetting the leader of this whole mess' line of juice is something that brings the hammer down.

Consider not playing entirely to stereotypes. An arcane magic monopoly doesn't necessarily lead to dusty old wizards in towers. It could just as easily produce crafting-factories for magic items.

I meant that more as a joke.

Or, if you want to do more of collegiate feel, it could be more like a law school where wizards are trained in a high-demand service industry. (There might be a military aspect, since wizards would be needed in war.)

This was kind of the idea, along with required licensing for "freelancers".

You might need a meta-company, one that runs periodic investigation. Capture theory being what it is, they would need deific investigation or something.

Corruption isn't so much an issue and it's a carrot and stick model similar to the one Havelock Vetinari set up in Ankh-Morpok with the guilds in the Discworld series. The (and I'll be referring to him from now on as such) Godhead gives these "CEOs" riches, comforts and power. In exchange, they make sure the wheels of civilization keep turning and that the people are complacent enough to not think that overthrowing the whole system, and thus robbing the Godhead of his low hanging fruit, is a good idea.

If they can't make sure that wheel turns, they have underlings and outsiders who are more than willing to.

The problem here comes when both government officials and company management (who, due to their stable and enduring relationship, simply cannot help being a little too cozy with each other) conspire to fatten their own pockets at the taxpayers' expense, and give a cut to whoever is supposed to hold them accountable. Then as a bonus, most large organizations can do a good job of covering for their own or hushing them up as needed, even when they do discover wrongdoing.

This is fine and intended. As long as it doesn't upset the status quo.

So you're most likely going to wind up with sketchy accounting, equipment and jobs which only exist on paper, cronyism, embezzlement, and all manner of corruption.

Excellent.

This does sound awesome however, with rampant corruption opening up all sorts of adventures and opportunities as the PCs try to finesse their way through the system.

I am looking forward to it. The PCs this is intended for will be doing a "dirty dozen"-esque game, where they're initially trying to earn their freedom for their crimes but will end up getting wrapped up in all the intrigue. Which is part of the reason the "Band 3" criminals exist in the first place.

Almighty corporations empowered by a demigod and given mostly free reign over the masses? Sounds like magipunk by way of cyberpunk.

I'll admit that this idea was one part my Business Ethics, one part Shadowrun.

A company with a monopoly on entertainment is a recipe for disaster (which I assume is the point, in which case it's a great idea). The black market will abound, and one can only imagine what sort of plothooky entertainments exist in a realm with mechanized industry plus arcane magic.

I am really looking forward to coming up with more of this stuff.

Also, what do you mean by "monopoly on magic?" Are they the only ones allowed to use it, or just the only ones allowed to sell it? Do you have to have a license or a certificate to do magic a la Harry Potter's Wizarding London? And do they have mage-killing (or if you're being less grimdark, just mage-whacking) enforcer squads to crack down on illegal magic?

The way all of these monopolies work are kind of like John Jacob Astor's American Fur Trading company, mixed with how franchising works in modern economics.

Except the money/broker ones, which kind of play all the sides against one another and also tries to get them to play nice enough to keep the Godhead happy.

[The Oni]

So it's less a matter of "God says we have a magic monopoly" and more "we're so big that you either gotta play magicball with us, or you don't play magicball at all." Their power is just through sheer size and market saturation rather than law enforcement, like real life - you *could* compete against them, but they'd just undercut or buy you out within weeks. Gotcha.

Speaking of dusty old wizards in comparison to less dusty types of magic, have you considered playing the Old Dusty Wizards against the Nouveau Arcane? Perhaps there's an ironic rebellion of powerful but inefficient greybeard wizards vs. the commoditized, fashionable magic of the establishment. "Don't trust anyone under sixty!" That could culminate...explosively.

[Ravens_cry]

Material component farms. Sure, you could go out on a mighty quest to pluck a single from a wild couatl or kill a dragon to harvest its blood or scales, but, really, why do that, and deplete already endangered creatures' populations, not to mention the risk of getting killed yourself, when you can have trained professional monster farmers do it for you. Some say such material components lack potency compared to the wild variety, but the convenience is worth it.

[The Oni]

Material component farms. Sure, you could go out on a mighty quest to pluck a single from a wild couatl or kill a dragon to harvest its blood or scales, but, really, why do that, and deplete already endangered creatures' populations, not to mention the risk of getting killed yourself, when you can have trained professional monster farmers do it for you. Some say such material components lack potency compared to the wild variety, but the convenience is worth it.

Dragon farms? You try keeping not one, but multiple full-grown, sexually mature, absurdly intelligent, innately magical D&D dragons in a cage for any length of time; we'll see how long that lasts before you're rolling a new character and your party is keeping your old one in a matchbox. Even the white dragons would tear you a new one (they just wouldn't bother to hide the evidence).

[Ravens_cry]

Dragon farms? You try keeping not one, but multiple full-grown, sexually mature, absurdly intelligent, innately magical D&D dragons in a cage for any length of time; we'll see how long that lasts before you're rolling a new character and your party is keeping your old one in a matchbox. Even the white dragons would tear you a new one (they just wouldn't bother to hide the evidence).

Didn't AD&D have orbs that let you subdue different colours of dragons? Raise them from eggs, and I am sure you could find ways to keep them docile and stupid, through a mix of mundane and magical measures. Dangerous? Sure, but that's why it's a job for the pros.

[The Oni]

It'd be unethical as hell in any case and the Demigod of Civilization would probably object to it.

That said, if you had a lot of really powerful caster types running the place and didn't care much for Business Ethics at all I guess what you could do is True Mind Switch with the Dragon, and then as the Dragon, True Mind Switch with a Chicken or something, then as the Chicken True Mind Switch back to your own body. Make KFC out of the dragon-minded chicken, keep the chicken-minded dragon around for the material components and repeat for all the dragon's kids.

[Tanuki Tales]

Yeah, starting a potential Dragon War is something that definitely falls under "messing with the status quo".

Also, let's keep out the mechanics if we can. This is mostly a fluff discussion that can be applied to a lot of different system for the time being. Otherwise it'll get moved and lost in one of the subforums.

So it's less a matter of "God says we have a magic monopoly" and more "we're so big that you either gotta play magicball with us, or you don't play magicball at all." Their power is just through sheer size and market saturation rather than law enforcement, like real life - you *could* compete against them, but they'd just undercut or buy you out within weeks. Gotcha.

It's a bit of column A and a bit of column B. It works, for the most part with the latter, but its the former that makes sure that these monopolies exist in some way, shape or form.

One of these guys could rip themselves apart, start an intra-monopoly civil war and then have the winner recreate the whole industry from the ground up, and the Godhead wouldn't care (as long as it didn't mess with the status quo).

[Ravens_cry]

It'd be unethical as hell in any case and the Demigod of Civilization would probably object to it.

That said, if you had a lot of really powerful caster types running the place and didn't care much for Business Ethics at all I guess what you could do is True Mind Switch with the Dragon, and then as the Dragon, True Mind Switch with a Chicken or something, then as the Chicken True Mind Switch back to your own body. Make KFC out of the dragon-minded chicken, keep the chicken-minded dragon around for the material components and repeat for all the dragon's kids.

Sounds like a plan. I am not saying it's not unethical, it is, but it also could be immensely profitable.

[Eric Tolle]

Don't forget what could be done using magic to enhance industrial process, as long as the monopolies were willing to work together. Even simple things,, like crashing wind to turn windmills, or enchanting a wheel to turn itself would be highly useful. Possibly an enchantment to pump water out of mines (the first use for stream engines inrour world), refining metals, or increasing the heat of smelters and forges. Possibly animated looms to spark a Luddite style rebellion?

[Tanuki Tales]

Don't forget what could be done using magic to enhance industrial process, as long as the monopolies were willing to work together. Even simple things,, like crashing wind to turn windmills, or enchanting a wheel to turn itself would be highly useful. Possibly an enchantment to pump water out of mines (the first use for stream engines inrour world), refining metals, or increasing the heat of smelters and forges. Possibly animated looms to spark a Luddite style rebellion?

I was so wrapped up in which monopolies would exist, that I didn't think too far into the ramifications of their compliant existence past either have a magic train system or a teleportation pad system.

Which, speaking of, I was thinking of some kind of "train" that hovers only slightly off the ground and needs to get a charge from a large crystalline structure imbedded in the ground every few miles or so. It'd have free form movement otherwise, as long as it didn't stray too far from certain optimal courses. Thoughts?

I question a Luddite style rebellion happening though. Any artisans or similar workers and guilds would fall under the heavy licensing requirements and forced coercion by the specific monopoly they are beheld to. And if they were able to resist the personal forces of the monopoly in question (and other affected monopolies or those who felt it prudent to not let things flit back to the Godhead), they would be put down by either central government forces or the personal elite of the Godhead.

So, while a rebellion could potentially occur, it'd definitely be on a smaller scale than the actual Luddite revolt and it wouldn't last anywhere near 6 years, unless some major players were behind it (and by major players, I mean forces outside the civilization).

[GungHo]

Rather than monopolies in fact, you may want to go with monopoly by guild, as that's a little easier to spin for things that aren't natural monopolies.

While I understand what you're going for with the corruption and control of a true monopoly, you have to consider why certain monopolies came into existence. They weren't only created just to corner the market and maximize profits. They also came into existence when there were sufficent barriers to entry or exit for common competition.

For your list:

• A natural resource needs to be rare, easily controlled, or difficult to work with for a monopoly to form. So, something like tin would be strange to have a monopoly around. But, mithril and adamantine... that may make sense. I could see guilds around metalworking or stoneworking, but not a real monopoly.
• A method of transportation needs to have some sort of economy of scale behind it that makes the firm useful. The teleportation pads make sense. Large ships make sense. Carts and horses or rowboats not so much. You're better off controlling the union of the folks that build carts or perform shipping (teamsters/stevedores/livery).
• Arcane and Divine magic would need to be controlled legally or rather rare. Dragonlance's Towers of High Sorcery are a model to consider.
• Food production is similar to transportation... farming and slaughtering your own animals is too simple to control. However, if you try to sell your spoils, you could run into regulators like the FDA or USDA, and that introduces the potential for some organization. The idea of a medieval Tyson Farms is kind of entertaining.
• Metalworking is too common a skill unless you're dealing with rare metals. Needing guild membership, however, if you produce/sell over x pounds of iron could make sense, as would controlling the markets where the goods were sold.
• Construction would depend on what's being constructed, but a mason guild would work for this. When it comes to large civil engineering projects though, that you could monopolize on because then you really hit economies of scale.
• Currency sounds like a governmental function unless minting is a private function, in which case monopoly by regulation makes perfect sense.
• Manufacturing depends on the good. Sounds strange for simple clothing. Regulate the market as a whole. Doesn't sound so strange if manufacturing arms requires licensure, tracking, and membership/franchisement, though.
• Entertainment guilds could work, but generally "you're not allowed to tell jokes or play a lute or we'll break your face" is bizarre. Controlling public performances does work.

[Tanuki Tales]

Rather than monopolies in fact, you may want to go with monopoly by guild, as that's a little easier to spin for things that aren't natural monopolies.

I'm not sure of the distinction you're trying to make here.

While I understand what you're going for with the corruption and control of a true monopoly, you have to consider why certain monopolies came into existence. They weren't only created just to corner the market and maximize profits. They also came into existence when there were sufficent barriers to entry or exit for common competition.

Barriers that historically, at least in the case of American ones, the monopolies had a hand in creating.

A natural resource needs to be rare, easily controlled, or difficult to work with for a monopoly to form. So, something like tin would be strange to have a monopoly around. But, mithril and adamantine... that may make sense. I could see guilds around metalworking or stoneworking, but not a real monopoly.

Why does it need to be rare? If you're a lumber camp, a mining site, a water bottling operation, etc. you have to have the proper licenses and certifications to operate and need to pay the proper fees and dues.

A method of transportation needs to have some sort of economy of scale behind it that makes the firm useful. The teleportation pads make sense. Large ships make sense. Carts and horses or rowboats not so much. You're better off controlling the union of the folks that build carts or perform shipping (teamsters/stevedores/livery).

I'm leaning more towards the hover trains, if only because it lends more to storytelling. Otherwise, you've more or less stated what was already my intentions. That and toll roads and other taxes to support maintenance of those lines of travel.

Arcane and Divine magic would need to be controlled legally or rather rare. Dragonlance's Towers of High Sorcery are a model to consider.

Though I tend to loathe Dragonlance as a setting, I'll look into it.

Food production is similar to transportation... farming and slaughtering your own animals is too simple to control. However, if you try to sell your spoils, you could run into regulators like the FDA or USDA, and that introduces the potential for some organization. The idea of a medieval Tyson Farms is kind of entertaining.

You can also impose fines and fees on those who produce their own food, citing that they're hurting the interests of the monopoly by either not purchasing it from their licensed merchants or by not selling it and thus paying for the licensing, fees, etc.

Metalworking is too common a skill unless you're dealing with rare metals. Needing guild membership, however, if you produce/sell over x pounds of iron could make sense, as would controlling the markets where the goods were sold.

The metalworking monopoly also covers weaponry, armor and other tools of warfare and violence in general. You not only need the proper licenses and certifications to produce worked metal products, but you need licensing and certification to own and carry weaponry and armor.

Construction would depend on what's being constructed, but a mason guild would work for this. When it comes to large civil engineering projects though, that you could monopolize on because then you really hit economies of scale.

Already commented on a similar topic further up this post.

Currency sounds like a governmental function unless minting is a private function, in which case monopoly by regulation makes perfect sense.

Like I said, modelling it somewhat on J.P. Morgan. The government has privatized both banking and minting of the nation's monetary system.

Manufacturing depends on the good. Sounds strange for simple clothing. Regulate the market as a whole. Doesn't sound so strange if manufacturing arms requires licensure, tracking, and membership/franchisement, though.

Being a broken record now with my talk of everything requiring a license. And I mentioned about owning arms earlier up.

Entertainment guilds could work, but generally "you're not allowed to tell jokes or play a lute or we'll break your face" is bizarre. Controlling public performances does work.

The monopoly's efforts would be more around music halls, music academies, brothels, comedy schools/clubs, etc. I don't see how its bizarre for these institutions to use coercion against those who are performing for a profit without paying the proper dues (and thus getting the goons from the monopoly breathing down their backs).


Basically each monopoly's structure is thus:

• At the top, you have the "home office", which is located in the nation's capital city. It's the controlling head for everything the entire "company" does and is where the wealth aggregates.
• Below the "home office", you have "official projects". These are the locations where a monopoly takes a direct hand in their interests, rather than simply profit off a licensed entity (such as the natural resources monopoly building a mining site that is worked by their men specifically).
• Below the "official projects", you have "satellite offices". These are small, usually one story locations that are found either where a current interest of the "company" can be found and requires direct oversight from "company men" (or one of the other monopolies has a satellite office there and thus all the others need to build one to keep an eye on what each other is doing). The "satellite offices" are the ones who hand out the licenses, certifications, do the rounds and audits to local communities, etc.
• Then, at the bottom, is everyone else who doesn't work for the "company", but has to pay for licensing, certification, fees, dues, etc.

[SamBurke]

So, what's the main goal of the setting: what do you want it to feel like for the players?

[Tanuki Tales]

So, what's the main goal of the setting: what do you want it to feel like for the players?

I want them to feel like there's always something for them to do:

If they want to just kick in doors and kill things, well, there's always wetwork employment by the monopolies or monopoly wetwork teams to oppose.

If they want to be heroes to the weak and oppressed, there's always nefarious monopoly interests to oppose.

If they want to be corrupt, evil hearted gits, the monopolies always have a use for them.

If they want social/political intrigue, this setting is ripe with it.

[SamBurke]

I want them to feel like there's always something for them to do:

If they want to just kick in doors and kill things, well, there's always wetwork employment by the monopolies or monopoly wetwork teams to oppose.

If they want to be heroes to the weak and oppressed, there's always nefarious monopoly interests to oppose.

If they want to be corrupt, evil hearted gits, the monopolies always have a use for them.

If they want social/political intrigue, this setting is ripe with it.

OOoooh. So what you want is a setting that's a bunch of powderkegs, drenched in gasoline? That seems doable.

[Tanuki Tales]

OOoooh. So what you want is a setting that's a bunch of powderkegs, drenched in gasoline? That seems doable.

If you want to word it like that.

I look at it as there's always a plot hook around every corner and you don't need to go to some primeval, forgotten forest or forbidden tomb to find "monsters" to fight.

[Slipperychicken]

I want them to feel like there's always something for them to do:

If they want to just kick in doors and kill things, well, there's always wetwork employment by the monopolies or monopoly wetwork teams to oppose.

If they want to be heroes to the weak and oppressed, there's always nefarious monopoly interests to oppose.

If they want to be corrupt, evil hearted gits, the monopolies always have a use for them.

If they want social/political intrigue, this setting is ripe with it.

So basically low-tech Shadowrun?

[SamBurke]

If you want to word it like that.

I look at it as there's always a plot hook around every corner and you don't need to go to some primeval, forgotten forest or forbidden tomb to find "monsters" to fight.

Hmmm... Well, your original post asks if you've covered all the bases, and I think the general descriptions do. However, I think you need to fluff up all the companies: how do they do it? Perhaps the divine magic-opoly goes in with Zones of Truth and Marks of Justice, forces you to give up all your money, waving a contract to make you obey.

Contrast that with the less up-front tones of the currency men, who will gently massage the inflation rates to steal your house out from under you, create a massive housing bubble in your city. Then they begin a massive debt-recall campaign, flip the houses, and make fantastical profit re-selling them to the now displaced former home owners. Those home owners are now in roughly the same houses, only paying more on a worse market for buyers, and thus in more debt. Now that's ****ing scary. And it's fluffy, too. Gives you a ton of plot hooks:

• Sad homeowner needs home back, PCs must steal the deed or, alternately, serve the company a favor.
• Lots of the new houses are getting cursed by their former owners, but it turns out that the evil intent has summoned something far more evil...
• The company sends you to investigate a group who simply will NOT move out of their houses, even though you've served them with the paperwork. Turns out that they're possessed. Wonder what the going price on souls is?
• One house simply will not sell... perhaps it has something to do with the rumors about its basement?

And that's about five minutes worth of thought.

Then you've got the resources, who'd probably introduce crop pests or let monsters loose. You've got the miners, who'll put golems out to kill your non-union works. Then there's transportation, who'll offer kickbacks to large contracts, and strand unimportant towns without service for weeks or months, then charges them "road clearing fees" so that they get their now-stale food supply.

So is that the sort of thing you're looking for?

[Tanuki Tales]

So basically low-tech Shadowrun?

I've never played or read any of Shadowrun, but I'm aware enough of it to see the similarities, so yes.

Hmmm... Well, your original post asks if you've covered all the bases, and I think the general descriptions do. However, I think you need to fluff up all the companies: how do they do it? Perhaps the divine magic-opoly goes in with Zones of Truth and Marks of Justice, forces you to give up all your money, waving a contract to make you obey.

As in how they maintain the monopoly or how do they screw with everyone?

Contrast that with the less up-front tones of the currency men, who will gently massage the inflation rates to steal your house out from under you, create a massive housing bubble in your city. Then they begin a massive debt-recall campaign, flip the houses, and make fantastical profit re-selling them to the now displaced former home owners. Those home owners are now in roughly the same houses, only paying more on a worse market for buyers, and thus in more debt. Now that's ****ing scary. And it's fluffy, too. Gives you a ton of plot hooks:

• Sad homeowner needs home back, PCs must steal the deed or, alternately, serve the company a favor.
• Lots of the new houses are getting cursed by their former owners, but it turns out that the evil intent has summoned something far more evil...
• The company sends you to investigate a group who simply will NOT move out of their houses, even though you've served them with the paperwork. Turns out that they're possessed. Wonder what the going price on souls is?
• One house simply will not sell... perhaps it has something to do with the rumors about its basement?

And that's about five minutes worth of thought.

That's actually pretty great. I had planned to work the "money-men" as the minters and the bankers for the nation, but I don't know why I didn't think about them pulling usury and contract shenanigans. Shame on me.

Then you've got the resources, who'd probably introduce crop pests or let monsters loose.

The former sounds more like something the food producers would do, to be honest. And even then, they'd probably only do that if you kept making your own crops and weren't meeting the fines for doing so.

You've got the miners, who'll put golems out to kill your non-union works. Then there's transportation, who'll offer kickbacks to large contracts, and strand unimportant towns without service for weeks or months, then charges them "road clearing fees" so that they get their now-stale food supply.

Two pretty great ideas!

So is that the sort of thing you're looking for?

Yup, along with whatever inter-monopoly warfare is going on over price negotiations and such.


Now I just need to come up with names for these businesses.