Unblockable by shield too...

You know better then to make this argument, Narsrim. Bob doesn't sell a fraction of the crap we need, and instead of being -10 sips (a la Seasone) they are possibly the WORST vials ever brewed. It never amazes me how unwilling you all are to admit this alchemy thing is absurdly unbalanced.

As despicable as blaming the players themselves for it.

How dare you heathens try to slay our moondancer lords?!

Actually, it would be 'how dare you heathens slay our faeling lords'

Oh I see:

The fact that we have alembic and no one else does should govern our sense of RP? That is, we should not enforce trade bans?

So, should we supply the health vials before or after you kill us?

We have an alembic. Yes, it is unfair that no one else does, but that is not our fault. It would be stupid of us and totally implausible for us to not use the advantages we have. That would be like me telling Tuek not to use his uber-transed skills because it's totally unfair that I can't afford to buy credits.

As for spores, there are ways to stop them. It has been said many times. We - Moondancers, again - are not going to supply our skills to people we do not want using them and the only way we have to enforce that law is to use the weight of our Commune in enforcing fines and bans.

Why? Instead of admitting it's unfair, YOU try to justify it, YOU are proud of it, YOUR characters abuse it, so I blame, you guessed it, YOU!

How is he trying to justify it? He just said it was unfair.

Also, if we were so badly "abusing" (i.e. using) it, why haven't the gods said anything? They seem perfectly content to wait for Glomdoring or some other commune to break our monopoly, even if it was unintentional on their part, so it can't be the game-breaking abuse you claim it is.

Since you are quoting me, let me just say: I do, I don't, I'm not, and they don't. Thus, you shouldn't.

Here's a question, Thorgal: What do you think the alchemists of Serenwilde should do? I don't want a smartass answer that avoids the question. Provide a sensible idea for the rest of us, so we know.

Sell elixirs to everyone, enemied or not, -untill- Glomdoring or another source of full-ranged elixirs shows up. It makes exactly as much sense as you having the only monopoly, thus it's viable.

And no internal crap like..."You're allowed to sell elixirs, but don't expect any promotions, guild/city credits or guild/city favours, if you do so..."

...why would we sell to enemies? It doesn't make sense, nor does it make as much sense as having the only monopoly, the causes of which are completely unrelated to our usage of it. I want to see you offering your trade to me whenever I request it, then, Thorgal. I don't care if I can get enchantments or whatever it is you do from Celest, because I might be enemied from them too.

Shiri, you miss the point of whichever post you reply to, over and over, and not just from me...is it so hard to accept that your trade monopoly is not fair and should not exist? This is a fact, not an opinion, backed by the divine, the ONLY ways to solve it, is either have a mobile sell ALL refills, at 50 sips a refill and double prices than normal alchemy (which will rightfully kill your alchemic profits by some amount), or sell alchemy to -everyone- not regarding their status with the commune.

Actually, you're the one missing the point, Thorgal. Our trade monopoly is not fair. Nor, arguably, is the city one. You didn't respond to that part. To have a mobile do the exact same thing as the trade, not worse, COMPLETELY KILLS THE TRADE. What tradeskill are you, say, tailoring (just a random example, eh, maybe if I knew your one it'd drive home my point a bit more)? What if there was a mobile in an easily accessible place that sold all the same stuff as you, but didn't have to do any work for it? When you already weren't making any money because of horrible undercutting? Yes, the alchemy thing needs changing. But it does NOT need changing in the exact way you suggested, because that is just unfair to the people who do have the trade. You're going from one end of the spectrum to the other rather than settling in the middle.

Oh I agree that it'll kill your trade, but since it'd only be untill Glomdoring comes around, temporarily and only partially killing ONE of your trades isn't nearly as bad as killing our entire ability to fight the moment we raise a hand towards Serenwilde, while they happily raid our villages and steal our miners, without us having a chance to get revenge or get our miners back... and to respond to one of those weird points of yours, NO ONE ELSE but Serenwilde has a monopoly, and once Glomdoring comes around, no one will have a monopoly, but god knows when that'll be, maybe in two real years.

If putting in a mobile that sells elixirs will 'kill' alchemy... Why the hell is it still profitable in other realms, where they ALL have a mobile that sells all refills? Your view of 'kills' the trade, is it stops you being able to price it so high. And saying the cities have a monopoly is a frigging joke. You've admitted that glomdoring will break YOUR monopoly, so the fact there are two cities also breaks theres. You can't have it both ways.

Prices it so high? But the alchemists are in such a state of undercutting they can barely afford herbs anyway. They don't make a profit at all, just ask any one of them. (Try Tuek, for example.) And they all have a mobile that sells all refills, but not at as high quality, and at higher prices. (I mean, Seasone sold for ridiculous amounts in Achaea compared to the Druids, and that was both as my Druid character (duh) and my dawnstrider, and all.)

EDIT: Um, and just to clarify, second point conceded, before anyone accuses me of ignoring it.

EDITEDIT: Another reason the alchemists don't make so much money here is because they buy herbs, not harvest them, just to make that clear.

I'm glad we finally agree.

Seasone in Achaea doesn't sell most of the refills, actually. Her prices are still well above what the forestals can charge and walk away with a profit. Of course, in the other realms the folks who make the elixirs ALSO harvest the herbs, thus cutting their costs drastically. If they're willing to put the time into their trade, they make a pure profit. Alchemists in Lusternia don't have that luxury.

Should they ever decide to have a denizen that refills vials, they'll be very high priced and not of the best quality.

My personal opinion (though I know no one cares) is that those who are enemied to organizations will face punishments. Punishment does not necessarily mean violence. If you want your vials refilled at a fair price, you'll work on getting yourself unenemied (at least for a while). Otherwise, you're free to purchase them from shops or get a buddy to get them filled for you. Honestly, did you even think about that option?

Adding a mob that sells alchemy products will not instantly destroy the market. It will add a price floor to the market. If the price floor is higher than the free market, then the price floor will have zero influence on the market price.

Some of you people really spew a lot of hot air with nothing to back it up. Don't they teach basic economics in high school where you're from?

\\/ \\/ yes, I meant higher.

...don't you mean if the price floor is HIGHER than the free market, it will have no influence? If it's lower, then people have to undercut it to sell their goods. Maybe you just misphrased that, or maybe I'm just misunderstanding, though, since I'm only studying basic business & economics as we speak. But the way you put it doesn't make any sense.