Re: Disc: Philosopher's Stone

[Dave Montuori <damont@wolfstar.com>]

Poster: Dave Montuori <damont@wolfstar.com>


> F> [...] sell your process to the highest bidder and start buying precious
> F> metals other than gold.  When the process becomes widely known, the gold
> F> market will be unstable and not worth investing in because if the risk.
> 
> C>  Watch the known world's currency basis change really quickly....
> 
> K> I do not agree with the premise of a fluctuating gold market.  After all,
> K> the same amount of gold will be there.  It just won't be YOURS! ;>
> 
> Indeed, this mere translation of gold from one location to another would
> be LESS destabilizing than the transmutation of gold which the alchemist
> was trying for.

I do not agree. Gold would become much less valuable as a stable currency
if one has no idea when it might turn to lead. The original intent would
have the effect of increasing the gold supply, which would *devalue* the
stuff, but predictably so. Auric translation is much more chaotic.

> A> Sell the process to the Duponts, invest in out-Kingdom certificates of
> A> deposit and send checks to your neighbours after you move off-shore. . .
> 
> P> License it, and sell it...for land.
> 
> For centuries, mankind has known of several processes whereby individuals
> or groups could take from their neighbors gold, other precious metals, and
> even land.  (And, as with this new process, many hold that such methods
> can be ethically used against enemies in war.)  If gold, land, etc, are
> still valued despite these old processes, why should one more process
> destabilize things.

Because there is a known defense against these old processes. This new
process is FAR more difficult to defend against -- all gold must be kept
more than a mile from all alchemists at all times.

Eventually the process will be refined to increase the radius of effect,
too. Time to start developing ways to make your gold translation-proof.
In the meantime this will be very destabilizing.

Being basically translation-proof is one reason why LAND is so valuable.
(And why the taxman likes it so much.)

Evan


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