[tshiggins]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

Speaking of that, they started the Solar Queen series with an auction for a temporary monopoly of a newly discovered planet. That was one of the more interesting parts.

Auctions would go well in a Free Trader campaign. You can jazz it up by using colorful tradtions like using a candle as a timer(that is an old tradition but I think it is still used for coffee merchants).

Other types of negotiation are just as interesting. Managing a diplomatic conference. Or soliciting a spy. And there is plenty of traditional chrome that goes with such transactions.

Maybe a worked example would help the OP see how Bill's Social Engineering works, and he can use that to discuss what he wants to do, differently?

Suggestion: the dinner scene in the book, Dune.