The new money
class in Grunburg are dubbed the tech lords. They are the new wealthy of
Asterland. While they lack the family name association of the old money,
they quickly climb the social ladder making up in importance to the economy
of Asterland what they lack in connections.
After trying
in vain to keep up with the affairs of the new magitech, the Grunburg
city council has appointed seven industry giants to special posts in
the government. Named "barons", they each represent a piece of the
magitech pie. The following is a list of the barons, the company that
they own, and what their firm produces.
| Name |
Company |
Company
Product |
| Mai'tron
Kaipher |
Mai'tron
Magitech Inc. |
Elemental
Appliances, Low-cost Magimotive Carts, Landships |
| Wesley
Dragonfire |
Primal
Force |
Focal
Amulets |
| Ophirra
Winewood |
Archemage |
Magma
Archemage Consortium |
| Sendell
III |
Society
for Freedom |
Beneficial
Mutation Potions |
| Samal
Friendsman |
Eagles
Wings Shipyards |
Airships,
Spelljammers, Hoverboards |
| Phimar
Karie |
New
Physics Company |
Cloud
Cities |
| Magnus
Venturia |
Venturia
Magimotive |
Fine
Magimotive Carts, Velocipedes |
While the
barons have not been long in their governmental capacities, they are
quickly learning what power they now have. On their advise the council
makes many of their decisions concerning magitech, something most of
them have little to no understanding of, furthur than "my cart gets
me to work."
Recently
the Grunburg council acted on the advise of the barons to allow private
military-style units to patrol their factories and act as bodyguards. >From
the time of the decision, the techlords are surrounded by their company
thugs that carry out their orders, be they moral or questionable. The
forces are allowed to enforce their wills upon their company. They
do so often with mob-type tactics and procedures. They are allowed
by law to punish businessmen internally for crimes related to the business,
such as misappropriation, a nice word for theft. The big companies
gain more power by the day. Their only opposition is the Society for
Freedom, which still tries to cling to its original ideal of maintaining
the rights of the individual, but even they seem halfhearted in their
efforts. Rumor is that they have been bought off by the other tech
lords. This is in fact true. The Society sees it as a "you scratch
my back, I'll scratch yours" affair, where if they want to push through
their own adgendas, they need to back the other barons in what they
want.
With everyone
gaining power except for the common man, many have felt powerless,
while others are fueled by the incorruption to the point of rebellion.
Many former company employees have turned terrorist to a greater or
lesser degree. >From trying to block construction of new plants through
petitions and such to the more direct and their magical explosions,
the revolutionaries fight a futile battle against big money and government
corruption.
 
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