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<blockquote data-quote="Umbran" data-source="post: 8171852" data-attributes="member: 177">No, I don't think it is exaggerated at all.&nbsp; Look:THINK about this for a moment.&nbsp; You are a refugee.&nbsp; You have lost everything.&nbsp; War and destruction are behind you along with the Overlord that took your world and life. In front of you is a someone that says that you must swear yourself into servitude or go back to the destruction. That is totally coerced and under duress.&nbsp; Which is totally realistic - in our real world, refugees get treated this way too. But... you realize that this entire setup is incredibly unstable.&nbsp; All these Gari... every one of them should be earning XP adventuring, becoming powerful.&nbsp; &quot;Hey, let us give our slave class a route to significant power, but make them grovel and live in hovels around us!&nbsp; That'll be great!&quot;I suggest, with this scenario, the idea that the Overlord is not aware of, and not actively seeking, The Well is not realistic.&nbsp; For one thing, &quot;secret trade hub&quot; isn't plausible except in the short term.&nbsp; Every time the Overlord takes a world, there are people who will use the knowledge of that hub as a bargaining chip for better treatment under the Overlord.&nbsp; Similarly the Gari - some of them will eventually decide that making their enslavers and the Overlord fight is a good idea.&nbsp; &quot;If I tell the Overlord about this, surely they'll have a way to break this bond and then reward me handsomely for telling all I know!&quot;&nbsp; Three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead, and all that.I daresay, since The Well is sending out people they've forced into servitude to adventure -&nbsp; that makes them ideal candidates for recruitment by the Overlord.&nbsp; The Overlord offers them wine, women, and song if they will only work for him instead of them!&nbsp; Double agents should abound!And, I guess I have to ask - you said that this (kinda baroque) setup exists to make sure the PCs have a reason to hunt for treasure?&nbsp; Has that really been a problem for you - getting players to seek treasure is a problem that needs a solution?Have you considered removing the servitude? Replace it with, &quot;Look, you can live here, but it is expensive as heck to maintain this safe place.&nbsp; Rent, food, and water costs are through the roof.&nbsp; Some of our people choose to pay the rent by being treasure hunters.&nbsp; Here's your tattoo that lets you come and go through our portals, but won't let the Overlord's people through...&quot; and what happens?</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Umbran, post: 8171852, member: 177"] No, I don't think it is exaggerated at all. Look: [I]THINK[/I] about this for a moment. You are a refugee. You have lost everything. War and destruction are behind you along with the Overlord that took your world and life. In front of you is a someone that says that you must [I]swear yourself into servitude[/I] or go back to the destruction. That is totally coerced and under duress. Which is totally realistic - in our real world, refugees get treated this way too. But... you realize that this entire setup is incredibly unstable. All these Gari... every one of them should be earning XP adventuring, becoming powerful. "Hey, let us give our slave class a route to significant power, but make them grovel and live in hovels around us! That'll be [I]great[/I]!" I suggest, with this scenario, the idea that the Overlord is not aware of, and not actively seeking, The Well is not realistic. For one thing, "secret trade hub" isn't plausible except in the short term. Every time the Overlord takes a world, there are people who will use the knowledge of that hub as a bargaining chip for better treatment under the Overlord. Similarly the Gari - some of them will eventually decide that making their enslavers and the Overlord fight is a good idea. "If I tell the Overlord about this, surely they'll have a way to break this bond and then reward me handsomely for telling all I know!" Three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead, and all that. I daresay, since The Well is sending out people they've forced into servitude to adventure - that makes them [I]ideal[/I] candidates for recruitment by the Overlord. The Overlord offers them wine, women, and song if they will only work for him instead of them! Double agents should abound! And, I guess I have to ask - you said that this (kinda baroque) setup exists to make sure the PCs have a reason to hunt for treasure? Has that really been a problem for you - getting players to seek treasure is a problem that needs a solution? Have you considered removing the servitude? Replace it with, "Look, you can live here, but it is expensive as heck to maintain this safe place. Rent, food, and water costs are through the roof. Some of our people choose to pay the rent by being treasure hunters. Here's your tattoo that lets you come and go through our portals, but won't let the Overlord's people through..." and what happens? [/QUOTE]

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