Teleportation and creating a Maffia organization

[Degwerks]

So I have a fairly strong chance of acquiring a Helm of Teleportation and becoming the lord of a town in our campaign. All I know so far is that this town has a fighters guild, who I've successfully negotiated with before.

What I would like to do is build up my reputation and loyalty there. Ideas on how to go about this will be greatly welcomed.

I plan on using the town to fence ill gotten wares that I'll steal and teleport there and split the money with the merchants. Besides getting cheap booze for the town, what items would enhance my reputation and maybe love from the townsfolk? All residents will receive discounts on the fenced stuff but others would pay a normal price.

Also with the spells at my disposal, like Seeming, members of the fighters guild could rob, hi-jack and perform other disguised actions to garner more wealth. Plus being able to pass info on to me from regular contracts they're hired for.

Its kinda a kingdom builder campaign and I'll be keeping this aspect secret from other players, which we are supposed to be building up another city. I plan to directly compete on getting my new town to grow in prosperity faster through illicit means. Most of this will be done through times of opportunity in game, notes passed during a smoke break in game or email outside of game. This way I won't take gametime from the rest of group.

[UberMagus]

I'd say to focus on QOL, if you want the townsfolk happy. Offer discounts on food/shelter as well as luxuries, and use some ill-gotten gains to subsidize.

Also, realize that this town is gonna draw VERY unsavory people. If you want the people happy, you'll have to keep them safe. You're going to need a hell of a town guard, and it's going to have to be a really odd one, since you want them to be reliable and trustworthy, but still ok with the fact that the entire town's economy is based on illegal trade. Good luck on that.

On the other hand, you could go full despot, and just crush the populace in an iron fist, but that opens up all sorts of other negative consequences. Perhaps you could try to pass off the ill-gotten gains as legit dungeon-treasure, but I'd make sure you have Deception proficiency. :smallbiggrin:

[JackPhoenix]

Also, realize that this town is gonna draw VERY unsavory people. If you want the people happy, you'll have to keep them safe. You're going to need a hell of a town guard, and it's going to have to be a really odd one, since you want them to be reliable and trustworthy, but still ok with the fact that the entire town's economy is based on illegal trade. Good luck on that.

The obvious solution would be using the mafia enforcers as a guards...you won't fight crime, you'll organize it and keep the competition from your turf. If you can get the fighters' guild's loyalty, just make them part of your organisation. How viable the transfer to crime-based economy is depends on the size of the town, trade routes and laws of the neighboring lands...if you openly control the town already, there won't be much profit to be made there...you'll use it as a base of operation, while conducting the business...smuggling, mercenary services, kidnaping, blackmailing and theft...elsewhere

[UberMagus]

The obvious solution would be using the mafia enforcers as a guards...you won't fight crime, you'll organize it and keep the competition from your turf. If you can get the fighters' guild's loyalty, just make them part of your organisation. How viable the transfer to crime-based economy is depends on the size of the town, trade routes and laws of the neighboring lands...if you openly control the town already, there won't be much profit to be made there...you'll use it as a base of operation, while conducting the business...smuggling, mercenary services, kidnaping, blackmailing and theft...elsewhere

And this isn't a bad plan, but it WILL, most likely, lead to unhappy non-criminal citizenry. It's similar to my "iron fist" analogy. If you want to run the city as a purely criminal endeavor, you will get a different set of problems, not the least of which is that criminals tend to be disloyal, and may try to overthrow you.

[eastmabl]

How do you propose that you keep your position as the Lord of Criminal Town secret from the rest of your party? If they're building up Mercantile Town that competes with Criminal Town, eventually they'll hear about you.

[Segev]

And this isn't a bad plan, but it WILL, most likely, lead to unhappy non-criminal citizenry. It's similar to my "iron fist" analogy. If you want to run the city as a purely criminal endeavor, you will get a different set of problems, not the least of which is that criminals tend to be disloyal, and may try to overthrow you.

This is viewed from a very modern, western cultural standpoint. Consider that the Vikings ran on a very similar economy, but without any shame or secrecy: they would raid and pillage and bring the wealth home, and their people called the warrior-thieves "heroes" for the bounty with which they returned. And they would also trade what they pillaged for other things they wanted and needed.

Running a "mafia-style" city-state would not have the mafiosos as criminals, locally. There's nothing illegal about it; the law is what the guy in charge says it is. The enforcement is, in fact, keeping competition out. The "protection racket" is actually taxation in this case: you collect money from your town's businesses and you literally provide protection...and you'll arrest or otherwise punish them for unauthorized business practice if they don't pay their taxes.

When the government is the mafia, it actually acts a lot like a government. At least locally. The "crime" is a hostile stance towards foreigners and a cultural and political willingness to engage in banditry and theft externally.

So, locally, your "non-criminal" populace (i.e., those who aren't actively part of the banditry) are not going to hate you for running a criminal empire; they're going to view you as their lord, and if you're a good ruler who keeps the peace and really does return prosperity for the protection money/taxes they pay, they'll be as happy as if you weren't engaging in foreign banditry.

[Degwerks]

Hopefully I can just keep the majority of my nefarious deeds a secret from all but a few dozen followers. Keep the guilds well paid in coin/vices, merchants with greater profit margins and normal folk with a safe higher quality of life.

I'll need to build some secure warehouses to teleport stuff to. Can't have things just popping up in the town square.

[Addaran]

Hopefully I can just keep the majority of my nefarious deeds a secret from all but a few dozen followers. Keep the guilds well paid in coin/vices, merchants with greater profit margins and normal folk with a safe higher quality of life.

I'll need to build some secure warehouses to teleport stuff to. Can't have things just popping up in the town square.

You could use a second identity in your city. If your groups hear of a Lord with a different name then yours and your physic isn't too unusual, then probably won't know it's you unless they do go to the city.

[Segev]

You could use a second identity in your city. If your groups hear of a Lord with a different name then yours and your physic isn't too unusual, then probably won't know it's you unless they do go to the city.

"Come, Degwerks! We here that Lord Skrewged of the next town over is up to no good! We must investigate!"

[Degwerks]

How do you propose that you keep your position as the Lord of Criminal Town secret from the rest of your party? If they're building up Mercantile Town that competes with Criminal Town, eventually they'll hear about you.

I'll just leave "mercantile" town alone except for petty theft, maybe rob caravans coming into that town, but I'll still try to trade with it as normal. Luxury items & building materials & weapons/armor will be on a won't trade list. I need to surpass its growth rate quickly.

I will have to use Seeming spells on sanctioned raids and Teleport. Also leaving false trails & evidence of a BBEG organization which we have been encountering anyway. Point fingers and mislead and such. A lot of thievery will be done by me anyway when nobody is around.

Ideas are welcome again.

[Degwerks]

"Come, Degwerks! We here that Lord Skrewged of the next town over is up to no good! We must investigate!"

That's very funny. It will come up at some point I'm sure.

[Segev]

I'll just leave "mercantile" town alone except for petty theft, maybe rob caravans coming into that town, but I'll still try to trade with it as normal. Luxury items & building materials & weapons/armor will be on a won't trade list. I need to surpass its growth rate quickly.

I will have to use Seeming spells on sanctioned raids and Teleport. Also leaving false trails & evidence of a BBEG organization which we have been encountering anyway. Point fingers and mislead and such. A lot of thievery will be done by me anyway when nobody is around.

Ideas are welcome again.

You can also have emissaries from Criminal Town seek out an alliance. Arrange trade deals. Use Mercantile Town as a second money laundering operation, without their knowledge. If they figure it out, don't be ashamed; your emissary just explains that that's part of Criminal Town's economy, and emphasize the benefits of cheap goods. Point out that the trade alliance means it's not in Criminal Town's interest to ever pillage Mercantile Town's trade. "We don't crap where we eat" is a useful and true phrase. Since Criminal Town is also a mafia-like enterprise which disapproves of competition, you're probably proactive in keeping other bandits out. This increases the safety of Mercantile Town's caravans and the like, because the only bandits in the area are Criminal Town's, and they expressly leave Mercantile Town's people alone!

[Degwerks]

You can also have emissaries from Criminal Town seek out an alliance. Arrange trade deals. Use Mercantile Town as a second money laundering operation, without their knowledge. If they figure it out, don't be ashamed; your emissary just explains that that's part of Criminal Town's economy, and emphasize the benefits of cheap goods. Point out that the trade alliance means it's not in Criminal Town's interest to ever pillage Mercantile Town's trade. "We don't crap where we eat" is a useful and true phrase. Since Criminal Town is also a mafia-like enterprise which disapproves of competition, you're probably proactive in keeping other bandits out. This increases the safety of Mercantile Town's caravans and the like, because the only bandits in the area are Criminal Town's, and they expressly leave Mercantile Town's people alone!

Not a bad idea.