Re: The Cartel

----         rupert smith <radsmith.geo@?????.com> wrote:
>
take a high level fighter mage, prepare a few delayed blast fireballs
> to
>
deal with the minions, cast antimagic shell, and chew the fat gimp
> up
>
with your trusty sword. it's amazing how quickly a high level fighter
>
can do 90 damage..
>

Yeah, this is true.  For me its a more philosophical thing.  I have seen
a real trend in D&D gaming (spelljammer included) towards more and more
power.  Me personally, I prefer more socially/role-play oriented tactics
to keep players in line than in creating NPC traders that take a determined
high-level character to "off."

For example, if the Garese were "ordinary" humanoids (in the sci-fi sense,
not goblinoids) with access to better "technology" there defenses could
be just as formidable, but without having to be "godlike."  Let me try
to explain.

1) Instead of a Crystal Sphere that is 100% impregnable to an invading
fleet, have it be hard to find.  Then if the Garese have effectively
an sphere-spanning empire with lots of resources, an invasion would be
very costly for the invaders, which could explain why they are left alone.
 However, it still could happen.

2) Instead of making *every* Garese a giant super-mage, come up with
stats for "ordinary" Garese.  I personally dislike the sheer volume of
10th+ level characters that are floating around.  Admittedly magic is
more common in Spelljammer, but I still think the *vast* majority of
character-types (or equivilents) should be less than even 5th level,
with 6th-10th being rare, and 11th+ being very rare.

3) As for the defenses of the "average" Garese trader, the DM should
just imagine what a similarly equipped PC would do to defend their possesions
from thieves and assasins.  Don't forget the possibility of good old-fashioned
hired mercenaries as guards.  Its also likely that they would work on
a by-order basis and only keep a small stock of commonly purchased items
on hand.  PC's pay in advance, and receive delivery of their order at
some later date and place.

4) Now, if the players are actually *stupid* enough to kill one of these
guys, what happens then?  Well, the local authorities might come under
some pressure from the Cartel to find/capture/kill the perpetrators.
 The Cartel itself could use magic to determine the identities of the
killers (such a divination shouldn't be too hard for them to manage)
and then post a reward for their capture everywhere the Cartel has influence.
 Net result: players get nifty stash of magic items, and become hunted
in every single known sphere.  Live and learn.

None of this requires the Garese to have any powers/abilities beyond
that of your average 5th-10th level character.  In all likelihood, the
average Garese could be even lower level than that, and simply be brokers
for their higher-level brethren back home.  Equipped with some simple
defensive magics (to prevent charming and what-not) they should be able
to handle/escape from nearly any trouble.

Scott M.


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