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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Reynard" data-source="post: 344080" data-attributes="member: 467">While mundane things like grain or metals would certainly work (and have the effect of rooting the conflicts firmly in "reality -- is this what you want?), and the basic magic oriented things (mana, components, etc...) has the advantage of tying it to something PCs care about (assuming there are wizards/sorcerers/bards in the party), I would go with something a little different, if for no other reason than to shake things up.Assume your empire came to be and into power before this dependance came to be (much like America and the oil dependance).  Put all these things together an what sort of fantasy analogue to oil do you get?  Well, my brain screams Verdant Waters.See, the Empire is a huge, populous place and its capital hosts over a million inhabitants.  The sheer land required to feed such a population is ridiculous, and the costs of caravans to bring the food to the city is just not economically feasible.  However, it is just this population that makes the Empire powerful -- after all, who would dare oppose the empire if it can raise and army of one hundred thousand?So how does the Empire maintain its size?There is an aquaduct that runs over a thousand miles, from the Verdant Springs of the far north (in the lands of the Treants and Dire Beasts and Fey) all the way to the Capital City.  Numerous other cities have sprung up along the aquaduct, and it is the lifeline of the Empire. Why?  The Verdant Waters make things grow.  Fast.  And well.  With the Verdant Waters, the great plantations around the Capital can bear three or four harvests a year, never tapping the soil of its natural health.Certainly, the Empire would diminish should the Aquaduct be broken or the Verdant Waters dry up.  Perhaps even a civil war, or starvation leading to plague.  So the Empire must be ever vigilant in defending the Springs.  But the Verdant Springs are untouched wilderness and raising even a single structure or cutting down a single tree in that place spoils the water (as the Empire found out much to its dismay during the Starving one century ago).  So, not only must the Empire defend the physical structure of its aquaduct, but it must also go against ever imperial instinct and leave protect this place from becoming depoiled.Does that help?</blockquote>

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