The Cartel's Identiy

[Bee]

I'll be honest, I didn't read 99% of this thread. But I'm pretty sure the point of the Cartel is to make money. And give people something to do other than get involved with the Jedi/Sith/Rebellion thing.

 

[Toska]

Does no one else have an opinion?

 

[Kiro]

I do, but not part of the Cartel.

 

[Toska]

Does that particularly matter?

The various main factions are the major players in this timeline's story, which affects everyone across the site. I don't see why not being immediately affiliated with a faction should prevent one from sharing an opinion.

 

[Kiro]

Alright, then here goes.

Frankly, I find the Rebellion (or the Jedi) being friendly with the Hutts as utterly ridiculous. The Hutts are the greatest threat and source of evil in the galaxy at the moment. The Hutts deal in narcotics, deathsticks, slavery, support pirate rings, etc. And without an interstellar government capable of combatting these interstellar illegal groups, they will grow stronger and fill the pockets of the Hutts, while making the residents of 'Indie Space' suffer.

The Hutts earn money from that suffering. The very same money the Rebels are hoping to grow by. The best thing the Rebellion can do would be to be hostile to the Hutts. It would show the people of Indie space that there's someone willing to fight for them. To defend them from slavers, pirates, and gangs of hooligans just doing what they want. Someone to stop individual planets to go at war against one another. Someone to represent what the Alliance once stood for.

It might make sense for the Hutts to wanna grease the Rebellion. But not for the Rebellion.

 

[Nor'baal]

The Rebellion in the films worked with the Hutts....

 

[Brandon Rhea]

Rebels work with who they have to work with. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. If the Rebels were hostile to the Hutts, then the two major galactic powers are against them. That's insane. Eventually the Rebels could be against the Hutts, but now? That would be ludicrous. They are not the Alliance. They are trying to stop the Sith at all costs.

Besides, the consequences of that kind of desperate choice makes for really great story opportunities.

 

[Toska]

Alright, then here goes.

Frankly, I find the Rebellion (or the Jedi) being friendly with the Hutts as utterly ridiculous. The Hutts are the greatest threat and source of evil in the galaxy at the moment. The Hutts deal in narcotics, deathsticks, slavery, support pirate rings, etc. And without an interstellar government capable of combatting these interstellar illegal groups, they will grow stronger and fill the pockets of the Hutts, while making the residents of 'Indie Space' suffer.

The Hutts earn money from that suffering. The very same money the Rebels are hoping to grow by. The best thing the Rebellion can do would be to be hostile to the Hutts. It would show the people of Indie space that there's someone willing to fight for them. To defend them from slavers, pirates, and gangs of hooligans just doing what they want. Someone to stop individual planets to go at war against one another. Someone to represent what the Alliance once stood for.

It might make sense for the Hutts to wanna grease the Rebellion. But not for the Rebellion.

I agree that the Jedi and rebellion's ideology conflict with the Cartel's, but doesn't that add to the fun? If over the course of the story the rebellion is forced to accept Cartel aid in order to combat the Empire, the individual characters don't have to like it. I believe that in-character tensions and hostility between allies would serve to enhance the role-playing experience.

 

[Brandon Rhea]

I agree that the Jedi and rebellion's ideology conflict with the Cartel's, but doesn't that add to the fun? If over the course of the story the rebellion is forced to accept Cartel aid in order to combat the Empire, the individual characters don't have to like it. I believe that in-character tensions and hostility between allies would serve to enhance the role-playing experience.

Agreed. I mentioned part of that, but I like what you said about the in-character tensions as well. Something like that should be present in such a rag tag group anyway.

 

[Insoulent]

Kiro, that would be great inter-character conflict between the factions. Like many members of the rebellion being quite hesitant to work with tough criminal types, etc, and it being a major point of focus, the money and muscle the Hutts provide, vs a moral conflict in times of War. The Hutts getting too big for their britches and expanding more through Indie space and basically being no better than Indie space being left alone. Maybe that could help the Jedi could come from hiding saying "well, we're better than the Hutts", or something like that, once the Rebellion is grown. Or at least give the Jedi some more stuff to do, by challenging the Hutt's criminal aspect. Who knows. Either way, I understand the importance of the Hutts, just don't think this talk will do much as we'll probably won't have to worry about any of this for months, until the Rebels really get something going, which from the looks of it is actually starting now.

 

[Butler]

I simply look at the Cartel as opportunity. Which is how I'm using it. It's the easiest form of gaining riches, and I plan to do a lot with those riches. One of which is helping a certain indie faction get bigger and stronger, and eventually combat a big-bad group a bit north of our Galactic position. The next is gaining control of a company, produce some stuff, move up the ladder of the Cartel. Another, is gaining a lot of friends and contacts with some big-time criminals, since they most likely got a lot of money too and be a good help. Anything further than that, well, I'll just roll with the punches and see what happens.

I think this is a perfect example of what Toska is getting at. Here you listed a number of specific catalysts to which you will strive for personal expansion. While you suggest that the Cartel simply is what it is for the sake of money, there lacks that personal touch of greed in a specific way that flavors the faction uniquely and drives story. Any and every corporation always has its eye on the next deal, and the deal after that, and the deal after that -all at the same time. There is no good enough, no "let the machine turn itself" no matter how well its greased. Not for those who create such empires.

I'm not affiliated with the Hutts really. But imho I think its a waste to wait for the Rebels to become a full fledged Alliance before they start moving their pieces on the board. I think there's plenty to do that doesn't involve inciting war with the Sith, like creating false demand of another substance and galvanizing its supply for just one example. Creating false rebellions, then squashing them "for the Imperium" -and saying "You're welcome" "you owe me now" while using those battles as cover stories for real trade and theft of planetary commerce. Starting a slave trade that supplies the Sith with FS recruits for a fine price. And I'm not well versed on all the Indie Factions going on, since I just got back, but Id recommend secretly targeting a couple to pit against each other with the ulterior motive of getting cities caught in the middle of their fights to blockade Sith expansion routes in the future when they start pushing for territory - making specific climates of chaos where the Sith will inevitably need to fight to get past. The Cartel can make use of affiliates in their fold that won't be traced back to the Hutts, setting up hospices for Sith operations and selling information to rebels and mercs to target those undisclosed locations. They can negotiate mining operations in Indie space that sell to the Sith, then pay smaller chain bounties(anonymous bounties through a series of accounts) to mercenaries who raid the convoys and bring back the merchandise, thus turning a profit. The idea, I think, is to build on Hutt/Sith relations while simultaneously outmaneuvering the Sith with a more expedient expansion of wealth and influence.

I, for one, completely see the Hutt/Rebellion association as immediately rational and in no way in need of time to pass. They can act right now. They could even start a piece of the rebellion if they wanted, in secret. And I think that if the site is already geared up for the Rebellion to reach the point of full fledged battle ready, on its own, before the story can begin or before any other faction can start -then I think we're wasting a golden opportunity with what we have.

Not making any accusations or trying to step on any toes. Just my opinion. (: