Lets Talk about: Artifacts and Xeno Relics

[Vulkhard Muller]

Trying something new using brighter happier colors, let me know how this works for everyone.

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Ladies and Gentlemen it is time for another episode of "Lets Talk" with Vulkhard Muller today's topic Artifacts and Xeno Relics!

Ah Artifacts, everyone's favorite alien trinket, whether a tinker toy to you or a fabulous show piece they are one of the most valuable non-drug commodities on the market in Sirius mostly among the upper classes, which is where you can pretty well draw the line. The upper classes want Artifacts and XRelics to show off their wealth where as the lower classes tend to get hooked on Cardi (Reminiscent of the real world Heroin epidemic however do not want to go there so cutting this talk off here).

First, what are artifacts?
Based on the infocard:

Artifacts

Remnants of an alien civilization that existed long before humanity crawled from the ocean. The particulars of each individual Artifact vary, but archeologists and scientists have been unable to determine their function; for all intents and purposes they appear to be inert chunks of crystal and metal inscribed with decorative patterns. A thriving market for Artifacts has sprung up over the years among art collectors and the social elite looking for a new status symbol.

and Xeno Relics for good measure:

Xeno Relics

As the Corsair Imperium continued to explore the vast Malvadas Cloud, the artifacts that were returned to Crete for processing and export were researched by the curious. Cretan scientists determined that the artifacts extracted from a particular partition of the nebula were perhaps either of a different "era", "style", or "function" compared to the typical artifacts that the Empire had exported to the colonies for many years beforehand.

This in turn created a renewed binge amongst collectors of the often-illegal items, with additionally renewed outlandish claims of their capabilities; a particularly common "ability" claim amongst collectors brave enough to boast refers to the scanner-inhibiting effects of the black rocks that the artifacts often appear to be hewn from.

So with these being all the rage among both the rich and the sleazier of salesmen why haven't we seen a surge of interest in Gallia? Gallia, unless I am mistaken, is a vast and wealthy nation. Surely the elite of the elite would want Artifacts and Xeno relics to decorate places in their halls or show pieces on their mantels. Not to mention by doing this, it could spur activity in Gallia of smugglers running to New Paris, currently the only sell point in Gallia is actually worse then Manhattan.

To get to Manhattan from Crete the Suggested path (Per Companion is as follows: (Approx Time: 22 Minutes 16 Seconds)
Gamma>41>5->9>Cambridge>New London>Manchester>Cortez>California>New York

For The Brigand base in Picardy(Approx Time: 30 Minutes 51 Seconds)
Gamma>Theta>17>19>Honshu>Hokkaido>Rishir>Lyonais>Lorraine>Burgundy>IDF>Picardy

First off, this not only seems kinda ridiculous that the Capital planet doesn't even buy it at all(all the the capitals buy to one extent tor another) I mean Melun Research Institution buy's it but even that is less then New York and further.

So my idea is that how about standardize the sell points for them? Keep the miscellaneous bases around sirius but each capital and their quasi/Unlawful Lawful station buy it for some variation of each others price example:

Proposed New Potential sell points

New Tokyo:
Points: Planet New Tokyo and Kabukuchiko Depot

New Berlin:
Points: Planet New Berlin and Kreuzberg Depot

New York:
Points: Manhattan( as always) and Rochester(As always)

New London:
Points: New London and Trafalgar base

IDF:
Points: New Paris(Saint-Germaine) and Beaumont Base

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This way we have a Lawful and a less then lawful sell point for them.

My Logic: Currently other then Ore routes nothing really goes to Gallia, a handful of commodities here and there but nothing Big. So why not have basic restarts start neutral to Brigands (Who I just realized own Beaumont) and have the Artifact sell point go there? Let them see thats a thing and Go there, which will lead to people smuggling there which will then give GRP a reason to Log. Thus the basis of the cycle is generated. For far too long the main smuggling point as been Manhattan everything goes to Manhattan. Why not Gallia? Surely Gallia's wealth class would want these trinkets.

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So Idea for Discussion:
Would the community at large want to see Contraband moving into Gallia? Would people be interested in a high sell point for artifacts in Gallia? How about Blood Diamonds? and Why not move the Gallic Smuggling commodities back into Sirius? I am sure some Manhattan teens are demanding Hypnotainment bands I am sure the night life of Manhattan would be interested in Nox for sure. Also, Rheinland has both of these commodities legal which means smugglers like Junkers, have very little to worry about, since you leave Gallia(Hostile) Go through Kusari(Hostile) into Rheinland (Legal) Literally no risk.

At this risk of this becoming me ranting about all smuggling commodities as it already has begun too, I will end it here.

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This has been another episode of "Let's Talk about"

Next time on "Lets Talk about" We go into the deep dark underworld of Smuggling.

(Thanks to @Karst for allowing me to use KarstPink™)

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Sent me (Nemesis/Junker Congress a Comm? haven't received a reply in a week or more? Sorry! Post here and I'll get back to you asap!