Re: packing the yawl

>Spelljamming Commodities:
>Wood/Timber
>Grain
>Wine and other such beverages
>Salt
>Food animals
>Fresh water
>Wool
>Cotton
>Leather
>Cloth of all varieties
>Furs
>Fruit
>Material spell components
>Hides
>Reeds for bedding

Considering the expense of spelljamming (costs of buying and operating the
ships), the only commodities likely to be transported between planets are
things that have a high value to volume/weight ratio.  Reeds for bedding can
be obtained locally for much cheaper than it would cost to ship them by
spelljammer.  Interplanetary commodities need to be able to survive the
trip.  Fruits might not be very fresh after long trips and live animals will
essentially increase the effective "crew/passengers" of the ship.  Animals
have to breathe, drink, and eat for the whole trip.  Dried or preserved meat
is more easily transported.

The most valuable commodities are the ones which are cheap and plentiful on
one planet and rare on another.  That's how most merchants make their money.
  They set up trade routes like the old "triangles" of Earth's Caribbean.
Trade manufactured goods from Europe for African slaves, trade African
slaves for Caribbean rum, trade Rum for European manufactured goods.
Merchants could make a profit on each leg of the journey.

In the campaign I ran for example, one planet had plentiful timber and red
meat but were short on minerals.  Another had plentiful minerals and fish
but had a desperate need for wood for their sailing fleets.

Brian

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