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Teleportation is one of the most impressive and useful powers that wizards possess. Many not schooled in the magical arts wonder why mages who possess this power do not use it to make themselves rich. All they would have to do, so the theory goes, is teleport from one port of call to another delivering goods much faster and without the myriad costs and risks involved in transporting goods the conventional way. In truth, there are many reasons why they don't do so. This treasie shall examine each teleportation spell in turn and explain why it is an impractical tool for trade.
The simple Teleport spell is the first -- and thus most common -- spell wizards gain that whould allow him to cross distances suitable for a trading venture. Unfortunatly, the spell also has two severe disadvantages. The first such disadvantage is that the spell is not completely reliable. Even a wizard intimately familiar with his destination takes a risk that the spell will malfunction. The spell has been known to go "off target" and send the wizard somewhere "near" his destination or even to a place that might be nowhere near his destination, but which closely resembles it. Worse for the aspiring merchant-mage is the fact that the error for being "off target" is proportional to the distance between the point of departure and the desired destination. Thats a definate disadvantage for someone seeking to bypass long distance trade routes. The other disadvantage to the spell is that it transports the caster instantaneously with whatever he can carry. This rather severe weight limit prevents the wizard from engaging in any sort of bulk trade. Even the use of strength spells and extradimensional storage devices such as Bags of Holding will not begin to approach the carrying capacity of a cargo ship or a trade caravan. It is still be possible for a wizard to engage in trade in high value, low bulk luxury goods if he wishes to take the risk of error every time he uses the spell. Indeed, there are those who have been known to trade in gems, spices and other luxury goods in this way, but those willing to do so are few.
Having read all about the risks of teleporting, the Teleport without Error spell must seem to be the ideal answer. It eliminates the chance of error and its associated risk entirely. Unfortunatly, it still has the associate weight limit and carries with it another disadvantage. That disadvantage lies in simple numbers. If wizards who can cast teleport are uncommon, those who can cast the much more difficult teleport without error spell are that much rarer. The sheer bulk of goods compared to the number of wizards who can cast the spell dictates that it will never replace conventional transport for most goods.
Teleportation Circle must seem the perfect tool for the aspiring merchant-mage. After all, it lacks the potential error of teleport and gives a much greater weight limit due to its duration. Unfortunatly, it has its own problems that make it impractical for most mercantile activity. The first problem with using a teleportation circle for mercantile activity is cost. The spell has a duration of almost three hours for even the weakest mage capable of casting it. However, it costs 1,000gp just to open one up. Since only living beings can pass through a teleport circle, one must use porters to carry goods through. At a rate of ten porters every minute, about 1700 porters could pass through during the duration of the spell. At a generous carrying capacity of 100 pounds each, that's about 85 tons of cargo. Even assuming one can find that many porters and that one doesn't have to arrange for a return trip, the day wages of these porters is 170gp. That alone amounts to transportation costs of 1,170gp in transportation costs without taking into account the wizard's fee for casting the spell in the first place if the merchant himself is not one of the rare wizards capable of casting the spell. That would cost the wizard another 170gp for the least powerful wizard capable of casting the spell. That brings the total transport cost to 1,340gp. Even then, this assumes sufficient porters are available, that they do not need to be returned to their point of origin, and that the goods they are to transport can be moved at the rate assumed. Returning the porters to their point of origin could double the cost of moving goods (unless there is a return cargo of sufficient size). Fewer porters reduces cargo capacity or increases cost (by requiring a second teleport circle so porters can return and make multiple trips). Especially large, bulky or heavy goods could reduce the cargo capacity significantly. When one compares the costs and transportation capability of a teleport circle to conventional means of transport, one finds that one single casting costs several times what it does to operate an average cargo ship and moves only about half of the cargo it does. The disparity only grows when one considers the giant grain haulers that operate out of Brigantium and Nicopolis. The cost of the porters alone is comparable to a months wages for the ships crew. The 1,000gp for the spell is several times what it costs to maintain a ship for a similar period. The cost of moving goods by land is roughly three times what it costs to move goods by sea for a month and, thus, still cannot be replaced by a teleportation circle in a cost-effective manner. For sea travel, the break even point is roughly 4500 miles and for land travel, around 1500 miles. For routes shorter than that, the travel costs of conventional transport are cheaper. Only the longest routes can be replaced with teleportation circles in a cost effective manner. For most routes, the only advantages a teleport circle has over conventional means of moving goods are speed, which is nearly instantaneous, and security. The use of a teleport allows cargos to bypass potential dangers along the route, such as pirates or hazardous seas. While these are significant advantages, most cargos are not that time sensitive and most routes are not that dangeous. Furthermore, Wizards capable of casting such spells are rare and often have better things to do with their time. A final problem is that teleport circles bypass all of the destinations along the way, which are often important markets for ships and caravans. For these reasons, teleport circles are not feasable as a replacement for more conventional means of moving goods.
The ideal solution to the cost of a teleportation circle is to establish a permanent one. After the initial investment, even if it is higher, it's all profit. Unfortunatly, permanent teleport effects are a very bad idea. The reason why its a bad idea lies with the way a teleport spell functions. Most people never think beyond the fact that you are taken instantly from one place to another. The mechanism through which this is accomplished is the astral plane. When a teleportation spell is cast, a connection between the origin and destination points is established on the astral plane. The connection takes the form of a long cord running between the two points. Any being on the astral who comes across this cord can follow it to either of its ends and enter the prime material plane. While all teleportation spells create such a connection, it is only momentary in the case of teleport and teleport without error. In the case of teleportation circle, it lasts as long as the circle is open. If that circle is made permanent, the connection is also permanent. Since the astral plane is a large place, it is virtually impossible that a being will encounter one of the momentary connections created by either of the first two spells. Even in the case of a teleportation circle the chances the cord will be found by an astral being in the short time the spell is active is very small. Even so, most wizards who create such a circle end it as soon as possible for safety. In the case of a permanent circle, however, it is only a matter of time before some astral being finds the cord and follows it to either origin or destination. There are many horrible beings wandering the astral and a visit by one can be terrible. Among the worst are the githyanki. They are a race of evil but intelligent beings who live on the astral. If they find such a cord, it can lead to an outright invasion. Additionally, beings from the prime material can travel to the astral and use these cords. That allows enemies of the teleport circle's owner to travel to either of its ends without actually controlling either of them. Since such circles are often placed in otherwise secure locations, they can serve as the perfect back door into the holder's inner sanctum. The dangers permanent portals pose make even the most daring merchant unwilling to take the risk. Furthermore, most governments have laws against permanent teleportation circles because they can provide such a ready route of invasion, either from the astral or by control of the orgin circle, The logical solution to the problem would be to block the outgoing and incoming circles to prevent travel. Spells that block astral travel would be too effective. They would break the connection and destroy the circle.
Last Updated:
Saturday, 21-Jun-2003 23:49:46 CDT
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