Columbian Weapons/Armor in Arzno

[slade2501]

I have made Columbian (South America WB) rocket weapons and power armor (bots OCCASIONALLY) fairly available in the Arzno area. It makes sense, due to proximity, price and anti-vampire prowess. They are great for people and mercs with no magic ability. They could be resold at a decent mark up and still be affordable. Players could be hired as muscle/protection for a bi-weekly trade shipping to fend off monsters/pirates. Since the ocean = death to vampires, this would really allow the average person of NA to interact with SA, and would build some ties to a group of humans/dbees that wanna fight vampires and share some values (more than the CS I think, as they hate techno-wizards and magic, and Arzno is all about that).

[dragonfett]

I just want to put this out there, just because the ocean = death to vampires doesn't equate to ocean = death to any of the vampire's non-vampire minions. Also, there are much bigger threats than vampires on the open seas. Splugorth, pirates, Splugorth Pirates, various sea monsters, etc. There is a reason South America is cut off from North America, even by water routes.

[Khanibal]

Well, Arzno has 2 pyramids, and Manoa has 5. I'm sure they can work something out.

[slade2501]

Well, Arzno has 2 pyramids, and Manoa has 5. I'm sure they can work something out.

good god your a frickin genius! I just checked the stone magic rules, and you can teleport from pyramid to pyramid anywhere on rifts earth and haul up to 50 TONS while doing it. Trans-American Portal Services Inc, open for business!

50 tons for 100 PPE (paid by the pyramid even!) and instant transmission to any pyramid on earth. You have to know where it is first, but that would be an adventure in itself and imagine the MONEY you could make. Hell, imagine the money you could make just taking people around with you to show them the pyramids so they can move stuff or show people where pyramids are. A magical Copy/paste of teleportation!

[eliakon]

Well, Arzno has 2 pyramids, and Manoa has 5. I'm sure they can work something out.

good god your a frickin genius! I just checked the stone magic rules, and you can teleport from pyramid to pyramid anywhere on rifts earth and haul up to 50 TONS while doing it. Trans-American Portal Services Inc, open for business!

50 tons for 100 PPE (paid by the pyramid even!) and instant transmission to any pyramid on earth. You have to know where it is first, but that would be an adventure in itself and imagine the MONEY you could make. Hell, imagine the money you could make just taking people around with you to show them the pyramids so they can move stuff or show people where pyramids are. A magical Copy/paste of teleportation!

The down side is that they can do that to you too...
Which makes Arzno one of the prime spots for invasion in the Minion War due to the fact that it has set out a welcome mat saying "Anyone with a Pyramid invade here"

[Colonel_Tetsuya]

Well, Arzno has 2 pyramids, and Manoa has 5. I'm sure they can work something out.

good god your a frickin genius! I just checked the stone magic rules, and you can teleport from pyramid to pyramid anywhere on rifts earth and haul up to 50 TONS while doing it. Trans-American Portal Services Inc, open for business!

50 tons for 100 PPE (paid by the pyramid even!) and instant transmission to any pyramid on earth. You have to know where it is first, but that would be an adventure in itself and imagine the MONEY you could make. Hell, imagine the money you could make just taking people around with you to show them the pyramids so they can move stuff or show people where pyramids are. A magical Copy/paste of teleportation!

... im surprised how many people dont realize how awesome Pyramids are and how accessible they make travel to far-away locations. In Arzno? Need to be in Free Quebec tomorrow? Pyramid to Alexandria. Poof.

Now, i would say that Manoa may have an issue, as they are somewhat secretive, but with an Atlantean having founded/running Arzno, something could probably be worked out.

[glitterboy2098]

I have made Columbian (South America WB) rocket weapons and power armor (bots OCCASIONALLY) fairly available in the Arzno area. It makes sense, due to proximity, price and anti-vampire prowess. They are great for people and mercs with no magic ability. They could be resold at a decent mark up and still be affordable. Players could be hired as muscle/protection for a bi-weekly trade shipping to fend off monsters/pirates. Since the ocean = death to vampires, this would really allow the average person of NA to interact with SA, and would build some ties to a group of humans/dbees that wanna fight vampires and share some values (more than the CS I think, as they hate techno-wizards and magic, and Arzno is all about that).

Proximity? they are over 3000 miles apart and separated by at least a dozen vampire filled kingdoms. and Arzno is landlocked so they can't go the sea route.

[Nightmartree]

Proximity? they are over 3000 miles apart and separated by at least a dozen vampire filled kingdoms. and Arzno is landlocked so they can't go the sea route.

ONLY 3000 miles and a dozen vampire kingdoms!? kids these days, why in my time the quest was 3000 GALAXIES away! and we fought empires where Vampire Intelligences were foot soldiers! Robots the size of moons! Dwarves bigger than the robots! And we did it all armed with water guns and DIRT! yes dirt was the secret weapon capable of saving the world, there was a WHOLE 10% chance they didn't blink in time and took a -2 to hit!

Now that that's said, they really have to have some kind of security measure for pyramids, some way to shut them down or something. At the least have the inside built to withstand attacks from within and without. Do they have any requirements for the internals of a pyramid? I didn't think they did so depending on how they are built....

[taalismn]

[

Now that that's said, they really have to have some kind of security measure for pyramids, some way to shut them down or something. At the least have the inside built to withstand attacks from within and without. Do they have any requirements for the internals of a pyramid? I didn't think they did so depending on how they are built....

Secrets of the Atlanteans has some floorplans for pyramids, though I imagine there can be a lot of variation, depending on the builder.

Defending a pyramid chokepoint is, I imagine, about how quickly you can ID an incoming threat and how quickly and forcefully you can respond to it(such as meeting the newcomers with a wall of bullets to the watch officer letting go of the deadman switch on the armed tactical nuclear weapon in the gateroom) vs how much force the invaders can instantly bring to bear on defenses they may know little about.

[Nightmartree]

[

Now that that's said, they really have to have some kind of security measure for pyramids, some way to shut them down or something. At the least have the inside built to withstand attacks from within and without. Do they have any requirements for the internals of a pyramid? I didn't think they did so depending on how they are built....

Secrets of the Atlanteans has some floorplans for pyramids, though I imagine there can be a lot of variation, depending on the builder.

Defending a pyramid chokepoint is, I imagine, about how quickly you can ID an incoming threat and how quickly and forcefully you can respond to it(such as meeting the newcomers with a wall of bullets to the watch officer letting go of the deadman switch on the armed tactical nuclear weapon in the gateroom) vs how much force the invaders can instantly bring to bear on defenses they may know little about.

well...i may have just had a "simple solution to a complex problem moment" Fire immune room, seal the door, activate the lava font. Anything gateing in does so into lava, maybe layer some death magic for the fire immune beings. Or any similar teleport in and die scenarios, can they open a gate if the room is solid? if not just fill the room with dirt or stone till its all over

[eliakon]

[

Now that that's said, they really have to have some kind of security measure for pyramids, some way to shut them down or something. At the least have the inside built to withstand attacks from within and without. Do they have any requirements for the internals of a pyramid? I didn't think they did so depending on how they are built....

Secrets of the Atlanteans has some floorplans for pyramids, though I imagine there can be a lot of variation, depending on the builder.

Defending a pyramid chokepoint is, I imagine, about how quickly you can ID an incoming threat and how quickly and forcefully you can respond to it(such as meeting the newcomers with a wall of bullets to the watch officer letting go of the deadman switch on the armed tactical nuclear weapon in the gateroom) vs how much force the invaders can instantly bring to bear on defenses they may know little about.

well...i may have just had a "simple solution to a complex problem moment" Fire immune room, seal the door, activate the lava font. Anything gateing in does so into lava, maybe layer some death magic for the fire immune beings. Or any similar teleport in and die scenarios, can they open a gate if the room is solid? if not just fill the room with dirt or stone till its all over

The problem is that there isn't specifically a 'gate room'
You can arrive at the outside of the pyramid or the outside.
So unless your Pyramid is inside a shell that you can then instantly fill with lava....

[Nightmartree]

The problem is that there isn't specifically a 'gate room'
You can arrive at the outside of the pyramid or the outside.
So unless your Pyramid is inside a shell that you can then instantly fill with lava....

That really feels like an oversight, pyramids need either a gate room for specific targeting. Or to have another way to provide oversight.

Not saying it has to exist but man the problems that exist if they don't...we may need that shell eliakon, can you provide me with one? just in case

[eliakon]

The problem is that there isn't specifically a 'gate room'
You can arrive at the outside of the pyramid or the outside.
So unless your Pyramid is inside a shell that you can then instantly fill with lava....

That really feels like an oversight, pyramids need either a gate room for specific targeting. Or to have another way to provide oversight.

Not saying it has to exist but man the problems that exist if they don't...we may need that shell eliakon, can you provide me with one? just in case

Sure. It'll cost but my engineers are always standing by to fix what ever plot holes you might need repaired. 1-800-ELI-AKON.

Seriously the entire Pyramid thing is one of the biggest cases of plot hole blindness in the game.
Atlantis makes it abundantly clear how dangerous they are, and how vulnerable they make everyone...
...and yet everyone and their dog keeps on having them. And 'secret' ones at that. When in reality anyone with a Pyramid is basically just begging to be invaded and taken over by the Splugorth.
And considering how much the Splugorth hate the Atlantians the idea that the Atlantians would build pyramids these days is absurd. They wouldn't want anything to do with Pyramids anymore. All they do is make it so that the entire race should have been enslaved in ohhh, a week.
Seriously, an OPEN DOOR TO YOUR BIGGEST FOE in every town and colony?
SERIOUSLY PEOPLE?
[/rant]
Sorry.
This is one of my biggest pet peeves in the entire game. The fact that everyone looks at the "cool PPE" and doesnt bother to read any of the rest of the stuff or spend two seconds thinking about the consiquences.

[Nightmartree]

This is one of my biggest pet peeves in the entire game. The fact that everyone looks at the "cool PPE" and doesnt bother to read any of the rest of the stuff or spend two seconds thinking about the consiquences.

Its understandable, I know that not every loop hole can be addressed by the designers, and most get filled in without us noticing by "oh they probably just do this" but a plot hole without an easy answer can quickly get out of hand.

That said we do have an easy fix, security measures for the pyramids. Things like "gate keys" or "attunement" so you can only go to pyramids if you have their "frequency" or a key. Armed forces and a designated arrival room, which brings up the question of can your robots and giants even fit in the receiving area? Use a ritual to bind a pyramid to a being or provide a control room that allows a "Pyramid Master" aka whoever owns and runs the thing to deny portals or use the PPE from the ley line to cast spells/use abilities in defense of the pyramid, probably remotely. Can you imagine popping into a pyramid triggering a magical alarm and then the pyramid master in his control room starts bombarding you with super charged magical spells while the statues around animate, reinforcements swarming the area, a magical barrier arising to keep you trapped inside...

[glitterboy2098]

well, the Pyramid abilities write up does specify that you have to know the location of the pyramid to make it work. which i'd assume requires a more precise knowledge than "well Arzno's in Arizona"

[eliakon]

well, the Pyramid abilities write up does specify that you have to know the location of the pyramid to make it work. which i'd assume requires a more precise knowledge than "well Arzno's in Arizona"

Well there is some mention in one of the books about 'scanning the pyramid network' or some such.
But its not like this is something that is a secret.
Arzno is pretty open, and their defenses are a joke.
They should have been eaten years ago.

[Shark_Force]

Sure. It'll cost but my engineers are always standing by to fix what ever plot holes you might need repaired. 1-800-ELI-AKON.

Seriously the entire Pyramid thing is one of the biggest cases of plot hole blindness in the game.
Atlantis makes it abundantly clear how dangerous they are, and how vulnerable they make everyone...
...and yet everyone and their dog keeps on having them. And 'secret' ones at that. When in reality anyone with a Pyramid is basically just begging to be invaded and taken over by the Splugorth.
And considering how much the Splugorth hate the Atlantians the idea that the Atlantians would build pyramids these days is absurd. They wouldn't want anything to do with Pyramids anymore. All they do is make it so that the entire race should have been enslaved in ohhh, a week.
Seriously, an OPEN DOOR TO YOUR BIGGEST FOE in every town and colony?
SERIOUSLY PEOPLE?
[/rant]
Sorry.
This is one of my biggest pet peeves in the entire game. The fact that everyone looks at the "cool PPE" and doesnt bother to read any of the rest of the stuff or spend two seconds thinking about the consiquences.

just think of the progress that's been made though. for the first time in years, over a decade i think, it is my understanding that the PPE is no longer less than a random level 1 ley line walker standing on a ley line could generate in under an hour (and let's face it, when it first came out even then the PPE was less than you could get with a small group of magicians of some variety meeting twice per day, so it was never genuinely that impressive in the first place).

or at least, that's what i'm told. i don't own secrets of the atlanteans, but i believe i'd heard that particular issue was resolved.

[Mlp7029]

I read the pyramid info in Secrets and my interpretation is you show up in a specific incoming area/room if the pyramid was designed that way.

[pad300]

Eliakon is right that pyramids as written really make very little sense. They certainly can't conform to the flavor text, that suggests the Splugorth use them to do most of their transportation/ shipping. Splynn for example is a huge city. Assume the big pyramid there is doing nothing else. Teleportation shipping - 3000 PPE pts/ 6 hrs is the written maximum generation = 12000 pts/day. Divide by 100 pts/ trip = 120 trips/day. Times 50 tons = 6000 tons of goods (or as the book suggests, "can take as many as 2 dozen people, ..., along with him." [WB2, pg 105] = 25 *120 = 3000 people). Think how much stuff Splynn sells every day... In human terms, a major shipping center - say Rotterdam, biggest port in Europe - moves approximately 500 million tons of cargo annually - over a 1.5 million tons a day. And that with all the pyramids resources dedicated to in-dimension transport, never mind inter-dimensional travel or anything else.

Also, there needs to be some sort of control on who/what rifts in to your pyramid. Otherwise, someone will ask the question : "How big of a nuke/antimatter warhead can I fit into a 50 ton container? What does this do to "ALL the major splugorthian cities ares built around a gigantic pyramid" (WB2, pg 104)?"

[ShadowLogan]

This is one of my biggest pet peeves in the entire game. The fact that everyone looks at the "cool PPE" and doesnt bother to read any of the rest of the stuff or spend two seconds thinking about the consiquences.

There might be several ways to prevent/manage this (even as far back as WB2):
-1. The description of the ability itself leaves open a counter loop hole: "can teleport from one pyramid to another on the same grid." If the Grid is formed by Ley Lines, and not all Ley Lines are connected to form a single grid on the planet, you wouldn't be able to teleport in.
-2. You could be teleported right out of the pyramid by someone there right after you appear (one person can take two dozen people with them) as there is no save available (per the entry).
-3. Available PPE, one Pyramid can only hold so much PPE which is used to power the ability. That can limit how large a force you can teleport in this way (5-30 groups of 25 each = 125-750). Granted you could have multiple pyramids involved in an attack to increase your attack force
-4. An unwritten/stated Gentleman's agreement that such activities are not to be done (sort of like Atlantis has), or maybe something inherit accomplishes the same thing
-5. I can't remember where and can't seem to find it atm, but I thought there was a spell/ability that allowed someone to alter Rift/Teleport destinations
-6. You can shut down a Ley Line temporarily (spell), closing off teleport access

[slade2501]

House Rule (I just invented) each pyramid has an attuned master that can deny incoming teleports like a busy signal. He will be able to feel the intentions of the intended teleporter (such as violence, anger, greed, etc). The master must be a stone master and would have to spend 4 days out of seven at the pyramid to remain attuned. Only one attuned master at a time, while others can use the typical pyramid powers as well.

[Library Ogre]

If you don't go the pyramid route (since that would require you to get to Manoa), you might also consider a mixed land/sea route... across the Gulf to Houstown, then overland to Arzno through the Pecos Empire. That skips a lot of vampire activity.

[The Beast]

well, the Pyramid abilities write up does specify that you have to know the location of the pyramid to make it work. which i'd assume requires a more precise knowledge than "well Arzno's in Arizona"

Well Spynncryth did fund a bunch of spies to pose as a merc company in North America. Unless Arzno's taking some extra steps to hide it there's no reason Spynncryth either can't find out about it, or doesn't already know about it.

[Nightmartree]

well, the Pyramid abilities write up does specify that you have to know the location of the pyramid to make it work. which i'd assume requires a more precise knowledge than "well Arzno's in Arizona"

Well Spynncryth did fund a bunch of spies to pose as a merc company in North America. Unless Arzno's taking some extra steps to hide it there's no reason Spynncryth either can't find out about it, or doesn't already know about it.

Then the question is what would he do with it?

[Colonel_Tetsuya]

Eliakon is right that pyramids as written really make very little sense. They certainly can't conform to the flavor text, that suggests the Splugorth use them to do most of their transportation/ shipping. Splynn for example is a huge city. Assume the big pyramid there is doing nothing else. Teleportation shipping - 3000 PPE pts/ 6 hrs is the written maximum generation = 12000 pts/day. Divide by 100 pts/ trip = 120 trips/day. Times 50 tons = 6000 tons of goods (or as the book suggests, "can take as many as 2 dozen people, ..., along with him." [WB2, pg 105] = 25 *120 = 3000 people). Think how much stuff Splynn sells every day... In human terms, a major shipping center - say Rotterdam, biggest port in Europe - moves approximately 500 million tons of cargo annually - over a 1.5 million tons a day. And that with all the pyramids resources dedicated to in-dimension transport, never mind inter-dimensional travel or anything else.

Also, there needs to be some sort of control on who/what rifts in to your pyramid. Otherwise, someone will ask the question : "How big of a nuke/antimatter warhead can I fit into a 50 ton container? What does this do to "ALL the major splugorthian cities ares built around a gigantic pyramid" (WB2, pg 104)?"

The pyramid itself can be used as written because High Lords have a LOT of PPE of their own.

They can simply open "normal" Rifts, using the Pyramid as a stable point. He does, after all, have a few MILLION High Lords on Atlantis.

[Khanibal]

Not to mention the Coalition runs a Death's head between Chi-Town and Columbia regularly. Imp prozak (sic) and "President for Life" borgia (sic) are pen-pals and correspond quite often. It's conceivable the P.C.s could fly a NG Skybunker down there, or maybe a black market knock-off of NGR's Mosquito.

[slade2501]

I like the idea that the Splugorth would clandestinely aid any shipments in order to combat the vampire menace, who they see as rivals and a danger. Providing security for shipping lanes from SA to New Mexico way would go a long way to help hurt the vampire kingdoms.

[Khanibal]

If you don't go the pyramid route (since that would require you to get to Manoa), you might also consider a mixed land/sea route... across the Gulf to Houstown, then overland to Arzno through the Pecos Empire. That skips a lot of vampire activity.

Leaves you at the mercy of CS patrols though, and Horune, and that 1/2 demon dude with his black ships.

[taalismn]

As they say about travel: "Getting there's half the fun."

[The Beast]

well, the Pyramid abilities write up does specify that you have to know the location of the pyramid to make it work. which i'd assume requires a more precise knowledge than "well Arzno's in Arizona"

Well Spynncryth did fund a bunch of spies to pose as a merc company in North America. Unless Arzno's taking some extra steps to hide it there's no reason Spynncryth either can't find out about it, or doesn't already know about it.

Then the question is what would he do with it?

My only guess is that he just takes note of its location and leaves it alone unless Arnzo severely messes with Atlantis (the continent, not any of his operations in North America). At which point he sends in enough troops to crush the city and either take it over or raze it (including the pyramid). This would be done to serve as an example to other areas that decide to mess with him. His message: "I know where you are, and I can destroy you whenever it suits my whims. You leave me alone, I'll leave you alone."

[ShadowLogan]

Eliakon is right that pyramids as written really make very little sense. They certainly can't conform to the flavor text, that suggests the Splugorth use them to do most of their transportation/ shipping. Splynn for example is a huge city. Assume the big pyramid there is doing nothing else. Teleportation shipping - 3000 PPE pts/ 6 hrs is the written maximum generation = 12000 pts/day. Divide by 100 pts/ trip = 120 trips/day. Times 50 tons = 6000 tons of goods (or as the book suggests, "can take as many as 2 dozen people, ..., along with him." [WB2, pg 105] = 25 *120 = 3000 people). Think how much stuff Splynn sells every day... In human terms, a major shipping center - say Rotterdam, biggest port in Europe - moves approximately 500 million tons of cargo annually - over a 1.5 million tons a day. And that with all the pyramids resources dedicated to in-dimension transport, never mind inter-dimensional travel or anything else.

Also, there needs to be some sort of control on who/what rifts in to your pyramid. Otherwise, someone will ask the question : "How big of a nuke/antimatter warhead can I fit into a 50 ton container? What does this do to "ALL the major splugorthian cities ares built around a gigantic pyramid" (WB2, pg 104)?"

The pyramid itself can be used as written because High Lords have a LOT of PPE of their own.

They can simply open "normal" Rifts, using the Pyramid as a stable point. He does, after all, have a few MILLION High Lords on Atlantis.

Actually yes and no. Via the Pyramid's abilities: #10 Teleportation via pyramid, #11 Dimensional Teleportation via pyramids, #12 Dimensional Portal/Rift. Teleportation #10 is on the same world and has restrictions. Dimensional T-port can only be used for INTER-dimensional travel, not INTRA-dimensional travel. Pyramid generated Rifts are also limited to INTER-dimensional travel, and can not be used for INTRA-Dimensional travel per text. Now nothing stops the Highlords or anyone else from tapping the PPE of the pyramid to use Spell/Ritual T-port/Rift, but the Pyramid's ability is pretty limited for direct contact. Alternatively nothing also stops the Highlords in Atlantis from using the Dimensional aspects to hit Dimension X before returning to a different pyramid.

Under #7 Storage of PPE it notes "Insufficient PPE may make teleportation or rifting impossible). This suggests that the Pyramid abilities of #10-12 can only be fueled by the Pyramid's PPE reserve, though #12 does allow it.

Leaves you at the mercy of CS patrols though, and Horune, and that 1/2 demon dude with his black ships.

Columbia and the CS are "allies", so the CS might be obligated to help Columbian flagged ships. Given the Altantis connection to the Horune, the Horune might also not interfere with trade designated for anti-vampire work.

My only guess is that he just takes note of its location and leaves it alone unless Arnzo severely messes with Atlantis (the continent, not any of his operations in North America). At which point he sends in enough troops to crush the city and either take it over or raze it (including the pyramid). This would be done to serve as an example to other areas that decide to mess with him. His message: "I know where you are, and I can destroy you whenever it suits my whims. You leave me alone, I'll leave you alone."

Well Atlantis is somewhat hemmed in on how it can respond due to (essentially) treaty. At best Splyn could crush/hammer Arnzo, at least if he doesn't want to **** off other powers that supposedly keep him in check (per WB2), and even then he probably has to be careful that these powers don't react to his attack Arnzo.

[Khanibal]

Leaves you at the mercy of CS patrols though, and Horune, and that 1/2 demon dude with his black ships.

Columbia and the CS are "allies", so the CS might be obligated to help Columbian flagged ships.

I was interpreting the OP as meaning the PCs as the merchants. I'm not sure Columbia would do business with the magic-using, d-bee loving sons of mothers at Arzno, nor do I believe the CS would look favorably at them shipping crates of ATL-7s to anyone other than a Coalition State government.

As far as Atlantis goes, Splynny would happily turn a blind eye or even extend a hidden hand to anyone going against the vampires. As long as he doesn't get caught. Remember he's taking a "pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered" approach to his Earth holdings.

[slade2501]

Leaves you at the mercy of CS patrols though, and Horune, and that 1/2 demon dude with his black ships.

Columbia and the CS are "allies", so the CS might be obligated to help Columbian flagged ships.

I was interpreting the OP as meaning the PCs as the merchants. I'm not sure Columbia would do business with the magic-using, d-bee loving sons of mothers at Arzno, nor do I believe the CS would look favorably at them shipping crates of ATL-7s to anyone other than a Coalition State government.

As far as Atlantis goes, Splynny would happily turn a blind eye or even extend a hidden hand to anyone going against the vampires. As long as he doesn't get caught. Remember he's taking a "pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered" approach to his Earth holdings.

thats what I was thinking. If someone (npc) heard about atlanteans living in south america, and wanted to expand the True Atlantean network of friends by linking pyramids, with the side of importing some very good and inexpensive weapons and or anti-vampire technologies (rocket rifles are the hella good). They could travel down there the hard way, which would easilt be a few weeks worth of adventure sessions, and then reap a fine reward after teleporting back/brining people through to have knowledge of the location and expand teh pyramid network.

After destroying Hell-pits, hunting down the Mechanoids, fighting the Coalition War-machine, surviving the Vampire incursion, traveling to south America to perform a teleport should be a reasonable job, right?

[ShadowLogan]

Leaves you at the mercy of CS patrols though, and Horune, and that 1/2 demon dude with his black ships.

Columbia and the CS are "allies", so the CS might be obligated to help Columbian flagged ships.

I was interpreting the OP as meaning the PCs as the merchants. I'm not sure Columbia would do business with the magic-using, d-bee loving sons of mothers at Arzno, nor do I believe the CS would look favorably at them shipping crates of ATL-7s to anyone other than a Coalition State government.

As far as Atlantis goes, Splynny would happily turn a blind eye or even extend a hidden hand to anyone going against the vampires. As long as he doesn't get caught. Remember he's taking a "pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered" approach to his Earth holdings.

ALT-7s though aren't Columbian in origin IINM, but rather Silver Republic (who Columbia trades with).

Arzno's D- Bee and Magic using population though isn't a deal breaker for Columbian trade given Manga Island (jungle elves and biomancy) along with Bahia (magic using) trades with Columbia (they even have battlion of magical users, pg21-WB6). Columbia might also be interested in trade with Arzno if they think it could lead to a second front in the Vampire Wars (albeit not the VK on their boarder), or for Techno-wizard products (which Columbia uses per text).

The CS might not like it, but they do have a track record of looking the other way: Columbia (Dwarves have equal status, they also use TW and have a battlion of mages), Manistique (per RMB they had a magic using population), NGR (D-Bee general), allowing their "enemies" to fight among themselves (like Lazlo taking the lead on the Bugs, or Shems dealing with Splugorth).

[Khanibal]

thats what I was thinking. If someone (npc) heard about atlanteans living in south america, and wanted to expand the True Atlantean network of friends by linking pyramids,

LOL

Call 1-900-ATLANTIS and join the True Atlantean friends chat line. Just 3.99cr/min.

[slade2501]

thats what I was thinking. If someone (npc) heard about atlanteans living in south america, and wanted to expand the True Atlantean network of friends by linking pyramids,

LOL

Call 1-900-ATLANTIS and join the True Atlantean friends chat line. Just 3.99cr/min.

god I love it. Also like a true Atlantean underground railroad. They could sneak or trade for slaves and send them to North America, for freedom and to take up the fight against vampires.

[Khanibal]

Not to mention the Coalition runs a Death's head between Chi-Town and Columbia regularly. Imp prozak (sic) and "President for Life" borgia (sic) are pen-pals and correspond quite often. It's conceivable the P.C.s could fly a NG Skybunker down there, or maybe a black market knock-off of NGR's Mosquito.

Ahem, allow me to retract that. What I ascribed to Columbia, is actually Cordoba. Rampant human supremacy, president Borges, pen-pals, etc.

[pad300]

The pyramid itself can be used as written because High Lords have a LOT of PPE of their own.

They can simply open "normal" Rifts, using the Pyramid as a stable point. He does, after all, have a few MILLION High Lords on Atlantis.

So High Lords major social function is to be Truck Drivers? Maybe it's me, but I just don't see it...

[pad300]

Not to mention the Coalition runs a Death's head between Chi-Town and Columbia regularly. Imp prozak (sic) and "President for Life" borgia (sic) are pen-pals and correspond quite often. It's conceivable the P.C.s could fly a NG Skybunker down there, or maybe a black market knock-off of NGR's Mosquito.

Ahem, allow me to retract that. What I ascribed to Columbia, is actually Cordoba. Rampant human supremacy, president Borges, pen-pals, etc.

Yes, you are conflating the 2. Columbia does have a CS Embassy and "Talks regarding trade and a possible military agreement are currently underway...If nothing else, limited trade will begin after the talks are over", in roughly Pa 105. Cordoba meanwhile has an embassy in Chi-town, Prosek and Borges are pen-pals, but "Beyond these diplomatic exchanges, ... , there is little contact. Travel between the two nations, even using nuclear powered aircraft, is to risky to become commonplace. A formal military alliance is in the works, although it will have little if any military value."

[Khanibal]

Not to mention that while Cordoba is very human supremacist, and anti-magic, Columbia tolerates human looking d-bees and magic. They have the premier TW borg serving in their forces after all.

[eliakon]

The pyramid itself can be used as written because High Lords have a LOT of PPE of their own.

They can simply open "normal" Rifts, using the Pyramid as a stable point. He does, after all, have a few MILLION High Lords on Atlantis.

So High Lords major social function is to be Truck Drivers? Maybe it's me, but I just don't see it...

One of their many, many jobs.
They oversee this critical task because the Splugorth only want reliable minions controlling dimensional portals. Unrelaiable ones could use this to escape, to steal, to let in enemies... all sorts of problems.
Therefore some of the truly absurd number of High Lords that they possess have as their particular job "dimensional transfer reglulator' or what ever.
Remember once open a Rift can be used to move a lot of cargo...
and that they have so many High Lords that finding jobs for them all is going to be an issue.

Also remember that they can get their PPE repleanished from donations, batteries, ley lines, sacrifices, minions and the like.

[Jason Richards]

What a great conversation!

For the record, my assumption for the sake of Arzno is that because the pyramid essentially exerts some control over the ley lines it's connected to, that control includes some coming and going.

The idea that any pyramid allows teleportation to any other pyramid, regardless of what ley lines they are on or who built them or when or why, doesn't seem that well thought through. You can seriously go crazy trying to account for every rule and tidbit in 100 sourcebooks produced over decades.

[Khanibal]

You know, Columbia is plagued with random rifts due to all the ley lines and nexuses in the area. They also are somewhat accepting of human-looking d-bees and they're comfortable enough with magic to use the Anti-Monster TW borgs.

I'd be willing to say that if the military were approached by a group of True Atlantean Stone Masters about building some pyramids and getting the mess under control, they'd be willing to listen.

[eliakon]

What a great conversation!

For the record, my assumption for the sake of Arzno is that because the pyramid essentially exerts some control over the ley lines it's connected to, that control includes some coming and going.

The idea that any pyramid allows teleportation to any other pyramid, regardless of what ley lines they are on or who built them or when or why, doesn't seem that well thought through. You can seriously go crazy trying to account for every rule and tidbit in 100 sourcebooks produced over decades.

They HAVE to ignore ley line networks though.
Ley lines don't connect dimensions after all.
Not to mention the fact that most ley lines on planets are small isolated networks meaning that if you can only contact adjacent lines they become useless.
The idea WAS perfectly well thought through when it was introduced.
What was NOT thought through was the following on authors who didn't seem to have actually read what the item they were using DID.
Because the main, core function of the Pyramid. The power that they were explicitly created for? Yeah that doesn't sound like a 'tidbit' that is easily overlooked. It sounds more like instead additional authors simply didn't bother to account for it, or worse assumed that their personal house rule that they play with to fix it was in play (I see this a lot in books where it is glaringly obvious that the author in question has forgotten that they use a house rule instead of canon)
This then gets magnified by each follow on author seeming to want to top the last one.
As a result we are now to absurdities like the Lemurian Flying Pyramids that carry their own ley lines with them!
(Why is it that authors wont create new things, and instead take old material, discard the canon on it and try and make it fit something that it was obviously never intended to do? Like Lemuria? It would have been simple to simply state that the cities used a hitherto unknown form of stone magic to fly... but instead they some how have fully functional pyramids... with out the need for ley lines!)

THAT said I would not be adverse to an actual, published, canonical rules change that says something like "pyramids when constructed need to be 'attuned' to each other. Only pyramids that are attuned to one another can connect. Or something of that nature.