Gates, Gate keys, and Gate locks

[Skarg]

Originally Posted by zot

More gates means fewer wizards need to know the spells because those that do, the ones that build and maintain the redundant gate network, can use it to move around and leverage the network effect to get to the gates they need to maintain.

Yes, in theory.

When a gate starts to flicker somewhere, that means there is one minute from then to go alert the repair crew (minimum IQ 15 and 50 ST available to use somehow, probably Aid spells which require additional turns and DX rolls) - in this case maybe involving more using of gates and get them to come back and do it. That team needs to be very responsive and not on a bathroom break, and the distant Wizards Guild branches with the gates need to trust each other to allow the maintenance crew to rush through and cast spells in their gate room. (They probably do, if they trust each other enough to have mutual gate rooms, though it's another interesting situation for possible backstabbing and/or covert operations...)

Originally Posted by zot

After reading the OP, we realized that an ancient, Dune-like Transport Guild must have arisen that would control the knowledge of Gate, Control Gate, and Long Distance Teleport, assassinating competitors, controlling prices, and influencing governments.

Yet another very cool/interesting idea arising from gates and breaking up and tracking who knows what spells and what that implies for power politics.