So I am getting ready to start my 4e Eberron campaign, and I feel like I have some great plot hooks and encounters planned. I've even been toiling away my free time making the cardstock terrain from WorldWorks.
That intro went a little long so I will get to my idea. With people complaining about the 4e economy and trying not to have "Ye Olde Magic Shop", I came up with Sirius Industries. Now this is a conglomerate of different people that feel that the Dragonmarked houses have a stranglehold on the circulation of money. This is pretty much a "small business vs. big business" sub-plot I would like to run in the game.
The name is a play on words, obviously, as the man that runs the show is named Cid Sirius, and the shops or inns that are part of his conglomerate have a motto on their signs that say "This is a Sirius business". Fairly early in the game they will meet someone that can find buyers for items they are trying to sell, or find things for them they would like to buy.
If you have comments, or would like me to tell you more about my idea let me know.
One thing though. How would Cid Sirius engender public trust to his brand? What makes him such a viable alternative to a House or Guild store? Most Dragonmarked Houses do liscence small businesses, allowing them to display the House emblem as a sign of legitimacy. What did Mr Sirius do to make his name equally trusted in the public eye?
Since I hadn't really thought of that, here is my off the cuff response.
Cid Sirius has a charisma that has endeared him to the people. Cid is a half-elf that grew up on hard times in Metrol. His father and mother were magewrights that worked for a Cannith Artificer. Cid's parents raised him with the good ideals of hard work and responsibility.
Cid grew up and had started his own curio shop in Metrol. He was never happy with how House Cannith had treated his parents, so he made a point of helping out as many up and coming artificers or magewrights. He started with consigning there work, and once that picked up he began funding people, helping them to get started. Cid's business grew exponentially and now encompasses many facets of commerce.
His story has been told many times through newspaper articles and whatnot. That is all I have right now.
(No, I have nothing useful to add, just wanted to get that in.)
Great question.
Since I hadn't really thought of that, here is my off the cuff response.
Cid Sirius has a charisma that has endeared him to the people. Cid is a half-elf that grew up on hard times in Metrol. His father and mother were magewrights that worked for a Cannith Artificer. Cid's parents raised him with the good ideals of hard work and responsibility.
Cid grew up and had started his own curio shop in Metrol. He was never happy with how House Cannith had treated his parents, so he made a point of helping out as many up and coming artificers or magewrights. He started with consigning there work, and once that picked up he began funding people, helping them to get started. Cid's business grew exponentially and now encompasses many facets of commerce.
His story has been told many times through newspaper articles and whatnot. That is all I have right now.
That could work really well. I'd probably give him some underlying political motive to endear him to the populace. Maybe he represnted an opposition to Cannith's war profiteering by refusing to make weapons and calling for an end to war or something.
This view would probably less popular amongst certain cities like Sharn or the 5 Nation's respective capitols, due to a relative lack of facing war's hardships and rampant patriotism. However in smaller rural communities, where the able bodied were sent off to war and very often never came back, the people were likely hoping for the war to end to get back to a peaceful life.
Oh yeah. If he was in Metrol, what're you going to do about the Mourning?
I had already thought of him taking a political stance that the Houses could have found a way to unite the warring countries, but took the War as a chance to make a load of money. Cid doesn't like ANY of the houses, and he has actually made quite a few enemies with them. People excommunicated from their House often come to Cid for work, or a fresh start. Sirius Industries is a blanket operation that covers a lot. It also has a pyramid scheme aspect to it as well, and so Cid spends most of his time attending parties or ship coronations.
I would like to tie him to many of the things that the Houses deem bad. Sirius Industries has helped lovers of different houses find safety and new identities. I can't think of any other examples right now.
What it comes down to is he helps the little man, and in turn the little man helps him.
Afterall, Abberant Dragonmarked people are crazies! The Lady of Plague still haunt's Sharn's depths! My cousin told me so! etc. etc. etc.