Gorean trade and commerce

GOREAN TRADE AND COMMERCE - PROPOSAL
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This is a proposal to introduce alternate role playing to captures, regular raids and
such. Is a more peaceful side to the type of Gorean life that we have come to expect.
Please note it is an alternative, not a replacement - is designed to blend in with and
enhance what we already have.

If the plan is successful, there will be more shops, additional and increased levels of
activity with all citizens and a higher interest in the continued well being of the city.

As business grows, ports will be buzzing with all manner of new activity, there will be
new jobs, new faces. Taverns will see increases in their revenues and entertainers will
become common place.

More importantly, everyone will begin to learn where the items that they once took for
granted actually come from. They may even be directly involved in the processing or
production of many consumer items, perhaps even employed to ship the goods.

Trade and commerce will be accomplished by individual cities either trading their
domestically produced goods with one another, or by them purchasing other goods
and commodities from various independant merchants and dealers.

Below is a list of items commonly used throughout Gor, their availabilty once taken for
granted. Look the list over, it's only partial but a good starting point. Decide whether
to process various goods, be involved in production of such things as pottery or
furniture, perhaps throw out fish nets, manage groves of olives and apricots, mine
coal, produce charcoal, raise cash crops, maybe dabble in the exotics. Plenty of
opportunity for interesting role playing scenarios.

An important point to mention here is, do research of your particular area. Know what is
produced in your region and what cannot be. In other words, keep it as realistic as you can.

Also, understand that seasons will have an effect on trade. The fall months will see a
bounty of consummable goods, while the colder winter months may be rather bleak. It
would be a good idea to warehouse various items. All part of the role playing.

Suggest that you in intially choose only one or two items to start with - this will give you an
idea on how the program will be for you. As experience is gained, it is expected you may
add additional, pertinent products for your city.

Consumer Goods, Processed and Packaged:
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Animals: bosk, tabuk, tarsk, verr

Fish including shellfish and crustaceans: parsit, eel, grunt, shark
/ crab, lobster / clams, oysters, sorp, mullusks

Fowl: vulo, grunt, gant

Crops: sa-tarna, sul, kort, rence, olives, larma, berries, melons,
tospits, ta-grapes

Medicinal and Pharmaceutical: various herbs

Locally produced: ales, liquors, wines, dairy (butter, cheese, milk), honey,
eggs, clothing (fabric and leather)


Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Goods:
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Agricultural: live stock, fish, poultry

Commercial: pottery, furniture, textiles, leather , grist mill

Industrial : tools, weapons, machinery


Commodities:
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Blackwine beans, Coal, Lumber, Iron, Stone, Cacao, Salt, Sugar, Slaves


Exotic:
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Silks, Spices, Perfumes, Marble


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Cities subscribing to this plan must agree to be a reliable source of the products found
in their region, and which they choose to carry.
Stiff competition is expected, so the items intially chosen will be monitored to help
prevent a lop-sided market. Until the program is actually up and running, be prepared
to make changes in the types of products you wish to sell, it will setle down. All items in
the list will eventually be made available, naturally.

The list of products and suppliers( Certified Suppliers) will be maintained by me for
period of time until the program becomes established. The list will be forwarded to the
Head Merchant of each member city every other day or so until it is seen that the program
actually works and is acceptable to everyone.

A group has been established for further communications amongst members - it's called the Allied Trade Cooperative.

The list of Certified Suppliers is for all - the supplier, of course, to make sure the customer
sees his products and knows how to make contact, and for the customers to learn of
current market information and of any changes. It's a form of advertising, but it will be
directed solely at the membership, as opposed to the entire population. So, please get
your names in now to ensure you will begin receiving future notices. The use of this "public"
Group will soon be discontinued with all notices being sent on the new ATC group (above).

Only retailers , wholesalers and manufacturers are allowed access to the list. This program
is not a "direct to the consumer" program. It'll be up to the retailers to further promote their
products and services to the end consumers, if they wish.

It is ongoing, not necessarily fast and furious, but when an order is received, it must be filled.
Should the pace become too hectic, you, the suppliers, can slow it down to suit the tempo.

Remember, this is Gor-wide, and is not related to, or in favor of, any one particlar city. I see it
eventually being controlled or monitored by a small cooperative board with a chairman and an
assistant, so that everyone is fairly and reasonably represented.

Following is a guideline, not a set of rules, to what may happen in role playing. The unfolding
events in each situation will always be different.

To order, a customer contacts the supplier(s) and places the order. There are no prices at
this stage so there is no bidding, although there is nothing to prevent one from role playing.

All goods are on hand, so the shipment is made for whatever schedule suits each party.

Packaging must be adequate for the long journey. Each package in the shipment must bear
the name of the supplier, contents of the crate and the full name and address of the consignee.

In the case of livestock, well, you'll just have to use your own imagination. That will definitely
provide for some excellent role playing. Make sure stockyards exist at both ends.

Land shipments can be made via caravan, tarn or boat if the supplier is coastal. Shipments
to destinations accessible only by water are of course made only by boat.

All cities must provide adequate receiving and storage facilities and be properly staffed.
Example of staff positions > 􀀁

To make a shipment, a representative of the supplier's Merchants group teleports to the
destination (the consignee) - role play the method of transportation. On arrival, the
representative will require assistance from the wharf personnel to unload.

Shipments are not to be unloaded unless there is an authorized official on hand to sign.
(Call ahead to make sure someone will be there - the signature of a slave won't do).

Once the shipper has an authorized signature, ownership of the goods is transferred to
the consignee and the shipment can then be unloaded to a receiving area.

Now, the end customer - the person who actually placed the order - is notified by the
Wharf personnel that the shipment has been received and is ready for pickup. If the
shipment isnt claimed within three days, it could become subject to demurrage and
possible confiscation, depending on the local laws.

Note, facilities to feed live animals may not exist on most wharves, so if left standing after
20 ahns from the time of original receipt, ownership may be transferred to the city with
standing orders the animals will be slaughtered, and the bodies disposed of accordingly.

The Harbor, any of its facilities and any of its personnel should bear no liability toward
this treatment.

Interested ? Send me a notecard describing a few particulars of your city and desired products
and any comments you may have on this idea. If enough people respond favorably, then I'll
take it to the next level by creating a private Group and generating a Certified Supplier List.

Arrwyll Barzane