Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 innuit Jan 13, 2009 20:26:29	In my campaign, I am a PC elven fighter who got on the good graces of the Thain Cardanas and the Silvershield dwarves in the Thunderspire Labyrinth. We had a small skirmish because our SM made fun of Thain. I had to good fortune of beating him and his friends down (rolled a ton of crits) and became his clan's ambassador. Since we cleared out the Horned Hold prior to meeting Thain, I recommending that he and his buddies set up shop over there. He's going to hire some mercenaries and hold down the fort while we deal with the Blackfang Gnolls. After that, we are going to organize a strike against the former Duegar owners to waylay their attempts to reacquire the Hold. So after that longwinded intro I'm finally at my question. How should the Silvershields and my group establish an economic power in the region. My DM has said that the there isn't much manufacturing in the 7 Pillar Hall, that mostly goods are imported and sold on the market. The other types of businesses are hospitality in nature. What good is the Horned Hold? I was thinking we should have a toll/tax for people moving through the Hold's passages. We could turn it into a warehouse. The Silvershields can negotiate some trade agreements to have Underdark groups being their goods to the Hold and they could sell them. Another idea is to attempt to overthrow the Mages who run the place (in the future) and establish control of the trading market, and provide protection and collect taxes on the sales of goods. Anyone else got any good ideas?
#2 innuit Jan 14, 2009 12:19:04	Nothing? Someone has to have a few good ideas.
#3 Shiftkitty Jan 14, 2009 14:42:23	Wow, one PC requested ownership of the Horned Hold to set up his own house. He's a drow, and I had changed one of the captives to be a disgraced drow female who escaped Lloth's clutches. They're turning it into a drow house and the party has turned the Grimmerzhul general store into a joint venture in partnership with the drow who runs the other shop (I made him an old ally of the PC drow). The Horned Hold has forges, the Seven Pillared Hall has no manufacturing and must import everything. You could tip some economic power your way by making and selling your own metal goods. You may have trouble in the future from the rest of the Grimmerzhul clan, but that's for a later adventure (and you seem to have taken that into consideration). The mages may not like you having so much power... and there's another adventure as they try to make sure you don't usurp their power (naaaah, you wouldn't do that, would you? ;)). The Hold is also set up to be a good interface between the denizens of the Underdark and the denizens of the Hall and other more surface-y people. It could potentially become a very powerful place.
#4 innuit Jan 14, 2009 15:21:27	Thanks! Good ideas. I'll have to bounce some around with my group, but there are a plethra of different ideas.
#5 etarnon Jan 15, 2009 18:41:26	what you want to do is pretty much covered by Birthright for 2e. Good luck.
#6 Vatras Jan 16, 2009 17:35:01	The Horned Hold sits on the lane towards the duergar city (and domain) below Thunderspire. The only people passing through would be the former owners, the duergar. Which makes me think that they won't be happy about it, that someone else lives in their control post. Even if you and the dwarves can hold the fort, you can still not make use of the underdark passage, which remains in the hands of the duergar, who are probably not eager to trade with the enemy. The place has therefore as much economic potential as a fort of the foreign legion in the Sahara, if you ask me.