mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
Should a factor be able to receive some sort of ship benefit?
New Career - Factor
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mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
Should a factor be able to receive some sort of ship benefit?
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
One thought: the absence of Liaison is a bit jarring. Since Liaison gives benefits of both Admin and Streetwise less one, that seems to me to be an obvious choice - it also reflects the need for a megacorp's or noble's advance agents to deal with different species of sophonts and diverse cultures.</font>[/QUOTE]Liaison's not a skill that's in basic character generation though
The idea of a factor is something that has intrigued me for a while.
The idea keeps repeating itself, but there is no specific mention of a factor the way I envisage them.
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
One thought: the absence of Liaison is a bit jarring. Since Liaison gives benefits of both Admin and Streetwise less one, that seems to me to be an obvious choice - it also reflects the need for a megacorp's or noble's advance agents to deal with different species of sophonts and diverse cultures.</font>[/QUOTE]Liaison's not a skill that's in basic character generation though
The idea of a factor is something that has intrigued me for a while.
The idea keeps repeating itself, but there is no specific mention of a factor the way I envisage them.
B
Black Globe Generator
Guest
Fair enough, but then again, neither is Broker.Originally posted by Sigg Oddra:
Liaison's not a skill that's in basic character generation though
A factor is generally an agent who buys and sells on behalf of another in exchange for a commission, but I really like the idea of an individual who represents a megacorp or noble in everything from brokerage to negotiation to industrial espionage - unfortunately I'm at a loss to come up with another word that describes the latter concept succinctly...
B
Black Globe Generator
Guest
Fair enough, but then again, neither is Broker.Originally posted by Sigg Oddra:
Liaison's not a skill that's in basic character generation though
A factor is generally an agent who buys and sells on behalf of another in exchange for a commission, but I really like the idea of an individual who represents a megacorp or noble in everything from brokerage to negotiation to industrial espionage - unfortunately I'm at a loss to come up with another word that describes the latter concept succinctly...
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
But it is in LBB2Originally posted by Black Globe Generator:
Fair enough, but then again, neither is Broker.
Which is the reason for calling the career Factor - until someone can come up with a better title.A factor is generally an agent who buys and sells on behalf of another in exchange for a commission, but I really like the idea of an individual who represents a megacorp or noble in everything from brokerage to negotiation to industrial espionage - unfortunately I'm at a loss to come up with another word that describes the latter concept succinctly...
As you say, it's difficult to think of another term, but I am going to use
if I may?
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
But it is in LBB2Originally posted by Black Globe Generator:
Fair enough, but then again, neither is Broker.
Which is the reason for calling the career Factor - until someone can come up with a better title.A factor is generally an agent who buys and sells on behalf of another in exchange for a commission, but I really like the idea of an individual who represents a megacorp or noble in everything from brokerage to negotiation to industrial espionage - unfortunately I'm at a loss to come up with another word that describes the latter concept succinctly...
As you say, it's difficult to think of another term, but I am going to use
if I may?
B
Black Globe Generator
Guest
if I may? </font>[/QUOTE]By all means!
B
Black Globe Generator
Guest
if I may? </font>[/QUOTE]By all means!
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
Thanks.
Edited accordingly.
Edited accordingly.
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
Thanks.
Edited accordingly.
Edited accordingly.
Ranger,
Bingo! Give the man a cigar!
That's exactly what I've been scratching my head about since reading Sigg's first post. This career reminds me very much of the Agent chargen in T4.
Waddling over to the dictionary, one definition of factor is: One who acts for someone else; an agent. A person or firm that accepts accounts receivable as security for short-term loans. Please note the use of the term 'agent'.
From canon we know merchant lines and megacorps use factors for a variety of purposes. HOw those factors are used and what they do are probably just as varied as the Imperium itself.
IMTU factors are an important part of merchantile life within the Imperium and beyond. They're locals who know their world and its business climate intimately. They know who to contact for this, where to go to get that, how do deal with local red tape, which banks are sound, who is trustworthy, and what's the most likely source of trouble. In short, they're native 'business' guides for long-term hire.
On larger worlds, they usually specialise in certain parts of the local economy because there is just too much to know. This upper limit on "Information & Contacts" means factors IMTU rarely cover more than one world, although factros specialising in certain commodities will be aware of the markets and forces effecting those commodities on neighboring worlds.
In some cases, a factor may work for more than one off-world organization. However, if a world is big enough and there is enough money flowing through it's port, the many off-world organizations interested in that money will most likely want their own factors. (Small firms may have to do with a factor who wears many corporate hats as they cannot afford a full-time one.)
The 'secret' of the success for Grote-based trading clans of MTU are local factors. The clans operate small, jump2, 300dTon ships along carefully planned 'trade' loops through backwater regions. Their areas of operation range from Corridor to the Far Frontiers and Gvurrdon to the Jump5 Rift Route. The clan's make business arrangements with local businessmen or other 'movers & shakers'. With a Clan trader visiting maybe 2 or 3 times a standard year, the local factors a critical part of any speculative trading venture.
Because of the local nature of factors IMTU, they are most likely sources for adventure instead of adventurers themselves. They're patrons or employers. The people they dispatch on various jobs and errands are agents and those agents are usually the players!
YMMV.
Have fun,
Bill
P.S. D'oh! Almost forgot! Great stuff Sigg, consider it stolen!
Ranger,
Bingo! Give the man a cigar!
That's exactly what I've been scratching my head about since reading Sigg's first post. This career reminds me very much of the Agent chargen in T4.
Waddling over to the dictionary, one definition of factor is: One who acts for someone else; an agent. A person or firm that accepts accounts receivable as security for short-term loans. Please note the use of the term 'agent'.
From canon we know merchant lines and megacorps use factors for a variety of purposes. HOw those factors are used and what they do are probably just as varied as the Imperium itself.
IMTU factors are an important part of merchantile life within the Imperium and beyond. They're locals who know their world and its business climate intimately. They know who to contact for this, where to go to get that, how do deal with local red tape, which banks are sound, who is trustworthy, and what's the most likely source of trouble. In short, they're native 'business' guides for long-term hire.
On larger worlds, they usually specialise in certain parts of the local economy because there is just too much to know. This upper limit on "Information & Contacts" means factors IMTU rarely cover more than one world, although factros specialising in certain commodities will be aware of the markets and forces effecting those commodities on neighboring worlds.
In some cases, a factor may work for more than one off-world organization. However, if a world is big enough and there is enough money flowing through it's port, the many off-world organizations interested in that money will most likely want their own factors. (Small firms may have to do with a factor who wears many corporate hats as they cannot afford a full-time one.)
The 'secret' of the success for Grote-based trading clans of MTU are local factors. The clans operate small, jump2, 300dTon ships along carefully planned 'trade' loops through backwater regions. Their areas of operation range from Corridor to the Far Frontiers and Gvurrdon to the Jump5 Rift Route. The clan's make business arrangements with local businessmen or other 'movers & shakers'. With a Clan trader visiting maybe 2 or 3 times a standard year, the local factors a critical part of any speculative trading venture.
Because of the local nature of factors IMTU, they are most likely sources for adventure instead of adventurers themselves. They're patrons or employers. The people they dispatch on various jobs and errands are agents and those agents are usually the players!
YMMV.
Have fun,
Bill
P.S. D'oh! Almost forgot! Great stuff Sigg, consider it stolen!
The Oz
SOC-14 1K
Looking in the thesarus, other words are:
proctor, advocate, proxy, syndic, factotum, comprador.
Any or all of these could be used as ranks. I like "syndic" because I know it's been used in SF literature more than once.
I would put something else on the Mustering Out table. If these "factors" are serving as agents of larger powers (which I will call "Patrons", whether they are nobles or megacorps or local star system governments) they would have some proof of their status. Perhaps the result for a roll of "7" on the Material Benefits table should be,
"Patron's Letter"
This would be like an "Imperial Warrant" but on a lesser scale; the Letter would signify that the PC (and it would have the PC's name on it) has the full confidence of the Patron and is empowered to make agreements that would be binding on that Patron. Such a Letter wouldn't give the same command authority as an Imperial Warrant but it would make a nice adventure hook.
proctor, advocate, proxy, syndic, factotum, comprador.
Any or all of these could be used as ranks. I like "syndic" because I know it's been used in SF literature more than once.
I would put something else on the Mustering Out table. If these "factors" are serving as agents of larger powers (which I will call "Patrons", whether they are nobles or megacorps or local star system governments) they would have some proof of their status. Perhaps the result for a roll of "7" on the Material Benefits table should be,
"Patron's Letter"
This would be like an "Imperial Warrant" but on a lesser scale; the Letter would signify that the PC (and it would have the PC's name on it) has the full confidence of the Patron and is empowered to make agreements that would be binding on that Patron. Such a Letter wouldn't give the same command authority as an Imperial Warrant but it would make a nice adventure hook.
The Oz
SOC-14 1K
Looking in the thesarus, other words are:
proctor, advocate, proxy, syndic, factotum, comprador.
Any or all of these could be used as ranks. I like "syndic" because I know it's been used in SF literature more than once.
I would put something else on the Mustering Out table. If these "factors" are serving as agents of larger powers (which I will call "Patrons", whether they are nobles or megacorps or local star system governments) they would have some proof of their status. Perhaps the result for a roll of "7" on the Material Benefits table should be,
"Patron's Letter"
This would be like an "Imperial Warrant" but on a lesser scale; the Letter would signify that the PC (and it would have the PC's name on it) has the full confidence of the Patron and is empowered to make agreements that would be binding on that Patron. Such a Letter wouldn't give the same command authority as an Imperial Warrant but it would make a nice adventure hook.
proctor, advocate, proxy, syndic, factotum, comprador.
Any or all of these could be used as ranks. I like "syndic" because I know it's been used in SF literature more than once.
I would put something else on the Mustering Out table. If these "factors" are serving as agents of larger powers (which I will call "Patrons", whether they are nobles or megacorps or local star system governments) they would have some proof of their status. Perhaps the result for a roll of "7" on the Material Benefits table should be,
"Patron's Letter"
This would be like an "Imperial Warrant" but on a lesser scale; the Letter would signify that the PC (and it would have the PC's name on it) has the full confidence of the Patron and is empowered to make agreements that would be binding on that Patron. Such a Letter wouldn't give the same command authority as an Imperial Warrant but it would make a nice adventure hook.
The T4 idea of an Agent is the 'secret agent' type: law-enforcer, investigative reporter, bounty hunter. The Generic Operative. Your idea takes that generic operative and seems to add in the Merchant or Noble slant. I like the idea!
The T4 idea of an Agent is the 'secret agent' type: law-enforcer, investigative reporter, bounty hunter. The Generic Operative. Your idea takes that generic operative and seems to add in the Merchant or Noble slant. I like the idea!
