Campaign 15: First Frolic Scenario 00: First Frolic Dawning Episode 08: Brokeristics, Page 4
	Date: 12562-02-10, Time: 1100 Location: Desert Port, Lewawan, The Gorvij Lands Default Language: Gorvij

Player Characters Present

Character	Player	Sex	Species/Race	Description
Alijar Ilarik	Weston	M	Hyuumin/Waujak	Thief
Arberiks Kroonit	Christine	F	Hyuumin/Gorvij	Sharpster
Bernee Spam	Kevin	M	Dargaolhuun/Vordin	Thaumaturge
"Cat"	Melissa	F	Dargaolhuun/Vordin	Fighter
Kootayu Ranshee	Wood	M	Hyuumin/Nildrer	Thaumaturge
Laeris Seelfaroo	Don	M	Hyuumin/Relt	Sharpster
Liraan	Corinna	F	Fl;ajessav/Challit	Scrapper
Markuutril	Cassidy	M	Hyuumin/Gorvij	Hieruirge
Niijel Buzelstumper	Bob	M	Dargaolhuun/Vordin	Sharpster
Waun Chuu	Brad	M	Hyuumin/Nildrer	Thaumaturge
Wilnachet	Dennis	M	Hyuumin/Rinker	Fighter

Local Characters

Character	Sex	Species/Race	Description
Ankarev	M	Gorvij	Constable
Ashdor	M	Waujak	Alchemist
Braatrin	F	Gorvij	Public Witness
Bronderet	F	Gorvij	Weaver
Fergus Urkhart	M	Vordin	Baker
Frotheringhaa Urkhart	M	Shougild	Carter
Galeger Throkmorton	M	Vordin	Head Vordin
Ghravnokh	F	Braksont	Tinkerer/Cook
Gremaan Artrening	M	Gorvij	Chief Constable
Kleris	F	Gorvij	Constable
Plimsool Urkhart	F	Shougild	Carter
Reridav	F	Gorvij	Tavern Owner
Tiireen	F	Gorvij	Entertainer

The first thing the chiefs did was to declare that money must always
be metal. And the metal was not to be tested or weighed, it was to
be divided into little pieces called coins.

The chiefs said "we have these pieces of metal that everyone can
see, you can trust their value". But that was a lie, you CAN'T see
what is in a coin, unless you are an expert. The chiefs and the
cheaters told people what the metal was worth and the people pretty
much had to believe them.

Look at your coins. Really, if you weren't taught to believe that a
piece of metal with the face of a ruler on it is special, what would
you think? Don't they look like counters issued for some game? In
fact, that's what they are. And the game is rigged.

As the chiefs and the cheaters worked together, they were able to
steal from the people, both through their manipulation of trade, and
through the new institution of taxes, whereby they took back some of
the very coins they'd foisted on the people to begin with!

What of the brokers? The chiefs began to make rules concerning
trade: when, where, who and how. They claimed the rules were to
protect people, but in reality they were intended to marginalize the
brokers and bring trade into their own hands.

Of course, criminals don't just prey on the innocent, they also
steal from each other. Chiefs quarreled, and fought. They made
ordinary people fight for them, against other ordinary people they
had no disputes of their own with. War became another way to grab
resources. The cheaters took over all trade and built little empires
of their own. Some of them even called themselves brokers, ruining
the formerly high esteem of the real ones. Of course the cheaters
didn't use brokeristics. In time the very word fell into disuse.

Chiefs came to rule over other chiefs. People came to be divided
into countries. The intercommunal bonds built up by the brokers were
broken. People were taught to distrust each other. The cheaters who
helped the chiefs were rewarded in turn with some of the spoils.

The brokers opposed this process, but the cheaters and the rulers,
who had nearly become one by then, were too strong. They even went
so far as to accuse good honest brokers of doing what they
themselves were doing, calling them frauds and robbers.

After neutralizing the brokers, the cheaters were able to control
the people's actions as if they were just so many puff pigeons.
Direct trade was eliminated. For ordinary people that is. Because
the cheaters could never deny the value of direct trade and
maintained a form of it for themselves. You may have heard of it,
it's called commodities trading. But it's not for you, it's reserved
only to people who are both rich, ie cheaters, and who have obtained
proper licenses from the chiefs.

Notes:

Puff pigeons: known for their plump, succulent meat, lovely pearl
gray feathers, and proverbial stupidity.