Merchant House Rees - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Merchant House Rees

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
bertman4
Sep 27, 2010 11:27:05
Is the merchant house Rees from Balic new to 4E or does it have a rich 2E history? Can people point me to some source material? We are starting up a Dark Sun campaign and the unifying theme is going to be House Rees in Altaruk. Anything to enrich that experience would be much apreciated.
Thanks!
Bertman
#2
Pennarin
Sep 27, 2010 12:44:39 Rees, Tomblador, and the third partner in Altaruk, might be briefly described in the 2e Revised Campaign Setting, and probably with more info in Dune Trader.

I would imagine the three houses have been kept purposefuly without much info in past releases since they form a consortium of sorts in their Altaruk enterprise, and it's the only way for them to compete with the big merchant houses. So you can do what you want with them, on purpose.
#3
talid
Oct 11, 2010 10:00:21 I've got 2E Dune Trader and there isn't much on House Rees in that book. However, I did notice that the 4E campaign book mentions that Rees isn't all that chummy with House Wavir, which is strange considering that they co-own Altaruk with Wavir and Tomblador.
#4
Pennarin
Oct 11, 2010 14:19:27 I have just reread the relevant 4e sections that mention Wavir and Rees, no mention of enmity between the two houses.
#5
mad_typist
Oct 12, 2010 7:54:08 From what I've read from other online resources (there are several great pages out there that specialize in Balic), there are three major trading houses based out of Balic: Wavir, Rees and Tomblador.

Wavir is the "good" house made up of former slaves, etc. Tomblador is the typical "evil" house that raids other caravans, trades in slaves and other such things, etc etc. Rees is sort of the "neutral" house in the setting. They're pretty much ruthless capitalists - their focus is on making money, plain and simple, and how you choose to go about doing so is up to you (so they are definitely flexible when it comes to doing evil acts to make a buck).

In one future timeline I saw, the three houses seized control of the city after Androponis disappeared and they rule the city as a 3 headed council. So there's definitely tension, but not open warfare between Rees and Wavir.

I'd start here: www.wunderhund.com/darksun/merRees1.asp
#6
Kye_Tyrad
Oct 12, 2010 9:32:58 Wunderhund web site is a great site for Balic. He has detailed Balic very well and given quite a bit of thought to the characters and overall made Balic a very robust city-state.
#7
talid
Oct 12, 2010 22:58:18
I have just reread the relevant 4e sections that mention Wavir and Rees, no mention of enmity between the two houses.

House Tomblador is what I meant to say, "the sworn enemy of house Wavir." Still interesting that it co-owns a client village with its sworn enemy.
#8
big_goon
Oct 13, 2010 15:51:52
"the sworn enemy of house Wavir." Still interesting that it co-owns a client village with its sworn enemy.

I don't know if "co-own" is the right word there. I get the feeling that if the Balicite Templarate and House Rees decided they didn't care about Alturak, House Tomblador and House Wavir would probably have it at each other with swords drawn and mekillot rams charging. The winner would take the profitable trading port, while the loser would... eat dust for breakfast. Instead, Balic and House Rees benefit from the healthy compatition.

I've always played House Rees as if they were a cross between the Swiss and gangster loansharks (like Sicilian Mafia). I don't have any references to support this... it's just my interpratation from the material.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 bertman4 Sep 27, 2010 11:27:05	Is the merchant house Rees from Balic new to 4E or does it have a rich 2E history? Can people point me to some source material? We are starting up a Dark Sun campaign and the unifying theme is going to be House Rees in Altaruk. Anything to enrich that experience would be much apreciated. Thanks! Bertman
#2 Pennarin Sep 27, 2010 12:44:39	Rees, Tomblador, and the third partner in Altaruk, might be briefly described in the 2e Revised Campaign Setting, and probably with more info in Dune Trader. I would imagine the three houses have been kept purposefuly without much info in past releases since they form a consortium of sorts in their Altaruk enterprise, and it's the only way for them to compete with the big merchant houses. So you can do what you want with them, on purpose.
#3 talid Oct 11, 2010 10:00:21	I've got 2E Dune Trader and there isn't much on House Rees in that book. However, I did notice that the 4E campaign book mentions that Rees isn't all that chummy with House Wavir, which is strange considering that they co-own Altaruk with Wavir and Tomblador.
#4 Pennarin Oct 11, 2010 14:19:27	I have just reread the relevant 4e sections that mention Wavir and Rees, no mention of enmity between the two houses.
#5 mad_typist Oct 12, 2010 7:54:08	From what I've read from other online resources (there are several great pages out there that specialize in Balic), there are three major trading houses based out of Balic: Wavir, Rees and Tomblador. Wavir is the "good" house made up of former slaves, etc. Tomblador is the typical "evil" house that raids other caravans, trades in slaves and other such things, etc etc. Rees is sort of the "neutral" house in the setting. They're pretty much ruthless capitalists - their focus is on making money, plain and simple, and how you choose to go about doing so is up to you (so they are definitely flexible when it comes to doing evil acts to make a buck). In one future timeline I saw, the three houses seized control of the city after Androponis disappeared and they rule the city as a 3 headed council. So there's definitely tension, but not open warfare between Rees and Wavir. I'd start here: www.wunderhund.com/darksun/merRees1.asp
#6 Kye_Tyrad Oct 12, 2010 9:32:58	Wunderhund web site is a great site for Balic. He has detailed Balic very well and given quite a bit of thought to the characters and overall made Balic a very robust city-state.
#7 talid Oct 12, 2010 22:58:18	I have just reread the relevant 4e sections that mention Wavir and Rees, no mention of enmity between the two houses. House Tomblador is what I meant to say, "the sworn enemy of house Wavir." Still interesting that it co-owns a client village with its sworn enemy.
#8 big_goon Oct 13, 2010 15:51:52	"the sworn enemy of house Wavir." Still interesting that it co-owns a client village with its sworn enemy. I don't know if "co-own" is the right word there. I get the feeling that if the Balicite Templarate and House Rees decided they didn't care about Alturak, House Tomblador and House Wavir would probably have it at each other with swords drawn and mekillot rams charging. The winner would take the profitable trading port, while the loser would... eat dust for breakfast. Instead, Balic and House Rees benefit from the healthy compatition. I've always played House Rees as if they were a cross between the Swiss and gangster loansharks (like Sicilian Mafia). I don't have any references to support this... it's just my interpratation from the material.