Shadow Government

[Charles]

Bankers can manipulate the books in regions and steal gold (or recover gold that would otherwise be lost).  I would like to see a similar thing in place with food. 
Just manipulate the books at the granary office and have x food brought to y region.  Make it cost z gold for a bribe. 
Perhaps this should have been mentioned before the big trading overhaul.  Or maybe it will be useless by the time the overhaul takes effect.

[Indirik]

Oooh! And we could call it the "Black market"!

Edit: Sorry, I let my sarcasm get away with me there... We already do have a black market that traders can access to buy/sell food without the lord's permission. I'm fairly certain it will be ported over to the new system in some way or other.

[Tom]

Yes, but I've not yet decided how. But there will be a black market... some time later. After the update it'll be gone initially, because I've not yet decided how the new one will look like. But I have some ideas.

[Charles]

I guess my request would then be that the banker have access to it despite not being a trader or in the region.

[egamma]

Yes, but I've not yet decided how. But there will be a black market... some time later. After the update it'll be gone initially, because I've not yet decided how the new one will look like. But I have some ideas.

Present the possibility of bribing the officially appointed food-seller of the region to accept a lower payment?

[Indirik]

I was thinking that maybe black marketers could create fictitious trade offers. They could leave them there for unsuspecting traders to fill, and then get blamed for black marketing. Maybe with an increasing chance each turn that the false order is discovered. Oh, and maybe your trade skill could help you detect these fake orders, too! Oh man, this could be a whole minigame all by itself.

[songqu88@gmail.com]

...Yay(?) because we totally want people to trade food and gain money instead of battling.

Not being sarcastic. There have been so many bells and whistles added, and stuff for things other than pure out battling that we might as well call a shift in what we do in this game.

[egamma]

...Yay(?) because we totally want people to trade food and gain money instead of battling.

Because someone stealing your food on the black market is a reason for battle?

[songqu88@gmail.com]

Yeah, sure..........

[Bedwyr]

Yeah, sure..........

I know of two continent-changing wars that got started over just that, and I'm sure there have been lesser ones.

[songqu88@gmail.com]

Wow, who knew that BM actually saw such wars? Care to name which realms so I know where to send my chicken frier and monkey?

[Bedwyr]

Wow, who knew that BM actually saw such wars? Care to name which realms so I know where to send my chicken frier and monkey?

The war that had most of the continent attack Abington and saw it lose the Isles (second to last major war Abington fought) started over accusations of black marketeering, as most of the island had trade embargo'd Abington.

The current war between Arcaea and Arcachon started over a number of things, but the trigger event that started the main slide to hostilities was accusations that an Arcaean Trader had stolen food from Arcachon.

[Zakilevo]

And now Arcachon is paying for falsely accusing Arcaea?

[Bedwyr]

And now Arcachon is paying for falsely accusing Arcaea?

Now, yes.  Almost went the other way.  I freely admit I was more than a little worried when Zonasa, Kindara, and Aenilia all attacked at the same time Cathay decided to stay out of it.

Not to mention that I'm not entirely certain it was a false accusation.

[De-Legro]

Now, yes.  Almost went the other way.  I freely admit I was more than a little worried when Zonasa, Kindara, and Aenilia all attacked at the same time Cathay decided to stay out of it.

Not to mention that I'm not entirely certain it was a false accusation.

Lies lies all lies. Well sort of, so far as I know the trader bought the food on the regular market, just she never asked the lord before doing so.