Gate stabilisation

[Sinanju]

Originally Posted by JLV

Personally, I really like that gates aren't some kind of perpetual motion machine that let people flit around the world faster than boarding an SST.

Even with an Eastgate/Westgate kind of situation, I think maintaining the gate SHOULD be expensive and difficult. The cities make up the costs by charging every groat the traffic will bear to use the gates (though why they don't just build a riverboat or two complete with Mechanician's Guild patented primitive steam engines -- ah HAH! Suddenly the Mechanician's Guild gets some love from the official authorities -- I couldn't really say...).

Well, my original idea was that Eastgate and Westgate's gates were Ancient artifacts, and beyond the capability of current mages to duplicate. This was before I decided to put them in my TFT campaign, where gates are still a thing. So, at least in this case, they will probably remain an artifact, and as such require little or no maintenance (as gates created by current mages would).

As for riverboats--or even sailboats or ferries--yes, they may exist. But they can't begin to compete with the throughput of the gate. Traffic can flow in both directions as fast as it can be organized. Which is why there is a sophisticated queueing system on each side, to maximize efficiency. Yes, the cities charge thru the nose to use the gate, but it makes crossing the river quick and easy.

[philreed]

Originally Posted by Sinanju

Well, my original idea was that Eastgate and Westgate's gates were Ancient artifacts, and beyond the capability of current mages to duplicate.

I like this idea. Personally, I _never_ try to make things fit exactly within an RPG's rules; story comes first. Just because the rules limit what the PCs can do, that doesn't mean that the rest of the world has to operate under the same limitations. The rules are for the players; the GM does what is best for the adventure.