Crashing the Net
Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 9:50 pmI was hoping to start this contest in the morning (I've nothing to do for Mother's Day), but boredom kicked in early. My topic choice is fantasypunk because it presents an extra challenge, to make something that overlaps as little as possible with my current cyberpunk project. It was 10:30 pm when I started.
inspirations:
- high fantasy (my least favourite of all the fantasy subgenres!)
-
- mongol/chinese trade relations (ie generally unfriendly and lopsided)
Trade is a rooted in uncertainty. It isn't until a merchant arrives in a town that the demand for a good can truly be known. Or, at least, that was how it was before the network.
The network; a series of signal towers, able to relay messages faster than a bird flies. Ostensibly built to warn of invasion, the merchant houses paid good coin to use them, knowing every penny spent would be returned in reliable trade. It became folly to compete with them and the elves, humans and dwarves that headed the households grew prosperous beyond measure.
Beyond the network were the lands of the orcs and goblins. Their herds and their hunting provided them with all they needed, but a late spring freeze destroyed the grass, and the animals began to starve. The nomads travelled to the cities seeking trade, but the trade houses' iron control of the markets left the nomads unable to purchase what they needed.
Desperation met rage and cunning. This is the trade war that resulted.
inspirations:
- high fantasy (my least favourite of all the fantasy subgenres!)
-
- mongol/chinese trade relations (ie generally unfriendly and lopsided)
Trade is a rooted in uncertainty. It isn't until a merchant arrives in a town that the demand for a good can truly be known. Or, at least, that was how it was before the network.
The network; a series of signal towers, able to relay messages faster than a bird flies. Ostensibly built to warn of invasion, the merchant houses paid good coin to use them, knowing every penny spent would be returned in reliable trade. It became folly to compete with them and the elves, humans and dwarves that headed the households grew prosperous beyond measure.
Beyond the network were the lands of the orcs and goblins. Their herds and their hunting provided them with all they needed, but a late spring freeze destroyed the grass, and the animals began to starve. The nomads travelled to the cities seeking trade, but the trade houses' iron control of the markets left the nomads unable to purchase what they needed.
Desperation met rage and cunning. This is the trade war that resulted.
