In the House management system, each domain generates two things: Wealth and Resources. Wealth is a measure of the financial power of the House and the spare funds it has available. Resources are a measure of the raw materials and trade goods the House has available. Wealth allows upkeep (maintaining what you have). Resources permit ventures (expanding what you have).

In reply to Shai Hulud (msg # 16):

I'm fine with it.

Re-proposing that our Primary Domain be Workers: traveling companies (performing companies)
This message was last edited by the player at 18:01, Thu 04 Apr.

I don't seek being theater kids will bring us much wealth, or prestige.

I reiterate the industrial suspensors, or go with being a House of arms dealers, as was suggested.

I'll offer this:

- I like Eklo's suggestion of Industrial (produce) via Holtzman Suspensors; it seems rich with potential narrative hooks into what I gather is a probably violent political conflict that is ensuing on the periphery
- There is a possible angle that interests me about Vidad's suggestion: travelling companies of performers serve a plausible secondary role as a spy/informant network (which I could imagine being quite lucrative in its own way)

Honestly I could go either way, but between possible shipping lane intrigue and conflicts on the horizon, I am slightly more drawn towards Industrial (produce).
This message was last edited by the player at 18:14, Thu 04 Apr.

I'm good with that.

Primary domain is what our House is best known for.
The following suggestions are our front-runners:

1. Artistic (Workers): Traveling Companies
   
2. Industrial (Produce): Consumer Suspensors
   
3. Military (Produce): Small Arms

Kindly indicate your preference via PM. Thank you.

And the winner is — Industrial (Produce): Consumer Suspensors (two votes plus tie-breaker)! Second was Artistic (Workers): Traveling Companies (two votes), third was Military (Produce): Small Arms (one vote).


Artistic (Workers): Traveling Companies could easily build off Industrial (Produce): Consumer Suspensors if we re-imagine them as, say, sponsored suspensor-sports competitions rather than theatrical performers. Swoop racing and hoverboard leagues, anyone?

Had Military (Produce): Small Arms won, you might have built off that as well with Military (Expertise): Weapons Trainers to truly be full-service arms dealers.

I mean, we don't have to have the same ones, diversification is a good thing.

I would suggest Science (Understanding): Suspensor R&D (at least officially...) and Military (Machinery): Thopters (or whatever uses suspensors I guess).

[Shai Hulud: Science (Understanding): Suspensor R&D is very specific, you could also opt for a broader Science (Understanding): Holtzman Effect Research.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:19, Thu 04 Apr.

My ideas:

Secondary Domain: Kanly - Expertise
(We might not have the sheer numbers and might of the more militaristic Houses, but our spies and assassins can prevent threats from ever fully rising to meet us)

Secondary Domain: Political - Produce
(We play the game, and we play it well)

[Shai Hulud: Again, specifics are required. Kanly (Expertise) is not a domain; Kanly (Expertise): Operation Planning is.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:12, Thu 04 Apr.

I second Kwyna: it would be nice to be able to open the field a little bit for secondary domains if we have settled on a primary domain.

That said, I'm a bit taken by the potential travelling performers angle here. A travelling team of aerial acrobats could give cover to specialized assassins (be they a sports team or otherwise). The sport angle is also interesting: there is potential for a cultural feedback loop with other houses whose fiefs practice (or spectate) the sport. [Shai Hulud: What I had in mind was equivalent to our competitive motorsports. Think about the fanbase for Formula One, NASCAR, motocross, road-rally, etc.]

I would also support Kanly (expertise) or Kanly (understanding), on the basis that our industrial technology has given birth to a companion assassination tradition that we export.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:31, Thu 04 Apr.

A terrific complement to Industrial (Produce): Consumer Suspensors would be Industrial (Machinery): Industrial Suspensors. That would put our House near to cornering the suspensor manufacturing market. Develop that domain to the point where it becomes primary too, and you would achieve that goal.

I like Science: Understanding or Science: Expertise as a complement as it may give an explanation to why our repulsor tech is better than other houses. [Shai Hulud: Our tech does not need to be superior, it may just have better market penetration or greater affordability.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:32, Thu 04 Apr.

One I've always loved is Political (Produce): Information, Secrets, And Favors. It encompasses things like Influence peddling (the use of position or political influence on someone's behalf in exchange for money or favors) and 'wheeling and dealing' (working as an intermediary to make a profit from buying and selling things or arrange contracts between parties). Another fun one is good old-fashioned Espionage (Produce): Propaganda.

What about a slight mixture?

Artistic (Workers): Traveling Companies for fun, unique flavor, and Secondary Domain: Political - Produce for pragmatic reasons?

My favorite suggestions for secondary domain so far have been (in no particular order):

- Artistic (Workers): Traveling Athletes
- Industrial (Machinery): Industrial Suspensors
- Political (Produce): Information, Secrets, And Favors

I could see an angle for Political (Produce) to be paired with either of the two others.

Here is one portrait, building off of Eklo's suggestion:

We have leveraged our suspensor expertise and related revenues towards popularizing a new high-stakes racing format (I'm picturing something like pod racers), and our leadership in that domain - and the fact that events will visit many locales - has brought us certain opportunities to act as information brokers or intermediaries. The events are a convenient Schelling point for political operators who are looking for a diversion or cover for wheeling and dealing.

[Shai Hulud: All this Holtzman tech has me thinking about the final scene of the film Dark Star. Games (Workers): Re-entry Surfing, anyone?  Games (Workers): Orbital Regatta? Just need a shield and a hoverboard. Our potential racing circuits need not be down a gravity well, either. Games (Expertise): Transplanetary Racing or Industrial (Machinery): Racing Pinnaces a la The Expanse.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:18, Fri 05 Apr.

We can always create a new area of expertise to better fit our conception of things. If we really want competitive spectacle to be part of our universe, we can call our new domain Games and run with it. After all, it has precedent in the canon Dune universe thanks to the Caladan tradition of bullfighting. Rome had its chariot racing and gladiatorial games. Greece and the modern world have their Olympics. The modern world has its automotive racing and sporting leagues. Our House could act as the official body that judges some event or circuit, or could sponsor a team or teams of athletes.

Oo, I like that. Not to mention the original book, which showcases gladiatorial games on Geidi Prime.

Heck, I could even argue in favor of a Tourism area of expertise. Maybe our homeworld is famous for its museums, annual events, theme parks, hospitality, or natural beauty. Tourism (Machinery): Swordfishing. Tourism (Produce): The Running Of The Salusan Bulls. Tourism (Expertise): Fox Hunts.

In reply to Shai Hulud (msg # 32):

Well, THAT is a reference I haven't heard in forever.

https://youtu.be/m9h8hxBY7pk?si=qETSwRWMakp2mUCY

What about Tourism (Produce): Suspensor games, races, and theater?

If you want floating car races, or gladiator games that change levels in a 3-D manner, or acrobatic theater with actual flying performers (unlike now) - https://youtu.be/06Ml-tSyNuk?si=Lgxy76Na7X1dup8F you come to our planet!

I'm a fan of

- Artistic (Workers): Traveling Athletes
- Political (Produce): Information, Secrets, And Favors

The aspect of travelling athletes where our games (whatever they are) traverse a circuit of locales (e.g., the fiefs of other houses) would be a compelling advantage for our information-brokering endeavors.

I admit I had pictured small, high-speed aerial vehicles like the one Duncan Idaho is flying in the scene that introduced his character in the more recent Dune: Part One.

That said, 3-D gladiatorial games makes me think of the zero-g battle school competitions in Ender's Game, which would also make for a great spectacle.

Should we do voting again?

I'm down to do a vote, but it seems like the table got quiet all of a sudden. We should pray...

Bless the Maker and His water.
Bless the coming and going of Him.
May His passage cleanse the world.
May He keep the world for His people

Weekends always tend to be slow on RPOL.

Vote for exactly two of the following:

1. Artistic (Workers): Traveling Theatre Companies
   
2. Espionage (Produce): Other Houses' Secrets
   
3. Games (Machinery): Racing Pinnaces/Speeder Bikes/Ground-Effect Racers
   
4. Games (Produce): Sporting Equipment
   
5. Games (Expertise): Orbital Regatta/Grand Prix Racing
   
6. Games (Workers): Traveling Sports Teams/Gladiators/
   
7. Industrial (Machinery): Industrial Suspensors
   
8. Industrial (Machinery): Ornithopters
   
9. Kanly (Machinery): Hunter-Seekers
   
10. Kanly (Expertise): Counter-Intelligence
    
11. Military (Machinery): Large-Scale Shields
    
12. Military (Produce): Small Arms
    
13. Political (Produce): Imperial Favors
    
14. Science (Understanding): Suspensor Research And Design/New Holtzman Effect Applications
    
15. Tourism (Produce): Safaris/Party Circuit/Botanical Gardens/Zoological Gardens