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Living a Life of Great Danger: The Fantasy Smuggler
Sunfire
CONTENTS
The Premise
While there are many people who take honest jobs like being a maid, blacksmith, or general store clerk, there are those who take an alternative route. These people see the world differently than the others and are willing to do things that most people wouldn’t ever do. One such is that of the fantasy smuggler, who brings in items that are considered illegal by the authorities.
The smuggler’s main purpose is to bring in illegal goods and there’s a lot more than you think. For example, there’s the classics such as drugs and weapons but there are others, depending on his employer and clients. There are different kinds of smugglers and each one of them specialize in dealing with a particular type of good.
Who is the employer of the fantasy smuggler? You have crime lords such as Jabba the Hutt from Star Wars who pays people to “import” goods while evading Imperial authorities or powerful criminal masterminds. Even people in high positions of power use smugglers to obtain rare and priceless artifacts that they can personally put on display, as if to emphasize their social position.
Being a smuggler isn’t for the faint-of-heart. He must constantly avoid being apprehended by the authorities and he goes to great lengths to conceal his cargo, hiding it in places only he knows about. Most of the time, he is in a time constraint since his employer expects him to deliver his cargo on time and woe beside him if he misses his scheduled delivery time.
This is article number fifteen in the fantasy character series. If you like this article and are interested in seeing our other articles, you can find them on our blog page!
The Fantasy Smuggler and His Items
Believe it or not, there is a smorgasbord of items the smuggler can bring in under the eyes of the law though he has to be careful as to not attract any unwanted attention. The type of items he transports vary from smuggler to smuggler, meaning if a potential client is interested in acquiring a particular item, he has to find the right one. Many are freelance, meaning they choose the jobs that they are interested in whereas others work for someone and they have to take their assignments regardless if they want to or not.
People associate the fantasy smuggler with dealing in nefarious goods such as drugs. Many criminal organizations manufacture and sell drugs at a premium price and they are a major moneymaker for them. In fantasy, the drugs vary from world to world but they nevertheless have a harmful effect upon society, leading to addiction and other similar issues.
Another top contraband item the smuggler brings in is alcohol. While many imaginary worlds have permissive laws when it comes to liquor, there are some that are too powerful for the average person to consume which is why they are outlawed. However, the smuggler nevertheless delivers the banned liquor to the customers who want them but cannot obtain them through any legitimate means.
Where the fantasy smuggler truly shines in terms of the merchandise he deals in is in rare items. They could be furniture, jewelry, or priceless artifacts. These rare items are a must for any would-be collector who desires to have the full set and he’s willing to pay a pretty penny to obtain them if he cannot get them through the legal way.
In some cases, the smuggler only brings in other humans. He is involved in a human trafficking ring where his job is to transport people from one place to another while avoiding law enforcement. Should he be apprehended, he is to not yield any information that could potentially endanger the trafficking ring lest he suffer the consequences.
Who the Fantasy Smuggler Works For
Of all of the occupations in an imaginary world, the smuggler is one of the most intriguing due to his constant effort to deliver the product while remaining out of trouble. Even more interesting is the person he is working for, the person who hired him specifically for his services which don’t come cheap due to the risks he takes in order to give his clients what they want.
Many a fantasy smuggler are heavily associated with criminal organizations. They become essentially runners, moving ill-gotten goods from one place to another. They get paid handsomely well for their services, becoming invaluable members of said organizations since they know where to go and which places to avoid.
Sometimes a smuggler will work for a renowned firm or a rich, powerful person. It could be a venerable institution beloved in the community, the king of the realm, or a mighty lord. He is duly contracted to retrieve the objects they so desire without drawing the eye of the law upon him. Some objects are owned by other people, meaning they have no choice but to steal them and give them to their customers!
While a large swath of smugglers are working for places and people, some choose to use their services for good. They become members of organizations seeking to help the world become better and they ‘obtain’ resources that help them increase their outreach. Other times, they’ll be tasked with retrieving information that will help them oust an evil person or destroy something valuable to the forces of darkness like a castle.
Every now and then, there’ll be a fantasy smuggler who works freelance. That is, he is not affiliated with anyone, leaving him free to take whatever jobs that catch his interest. As long as he judiciously completes them, he can pick up even more if he so desires since he is the only one keeping himself accountable.
The Perils of the Fantasy Smuggler
While the life of the smuggler is full of adventure, it comes with several key pitfalls that any aspiring one would be wise to ponder over. This career is not for those who are a stickler for following the law nor is it for people who believe in a world where everyone does the right thing all the time. People who are willing to circumvent the law to give their clients what they want are excellent candidates for this career.
One significant peril the fantasy smuggler must contend with is the potential of being apprehended by law enforcement. Not even the best ones are able to get away unscathed every time they cross paths with the authorities. He must have contingency plans should he be captured and to keep his cargo in a place where the officers of the law are unable to discover.
The smuggler is expected to deliver what his clients wants in a timely manner. However, circumstances will occasionally arise that make it difficult for him to complete it in the timeframe. His job is to minimize the chances of them occurring since the more delivery dates he misses, the less likely he’ll be able to persuade unwilling clients to choose him for a future job.
Another pitfall the fantasy smuggler must also think about is the cargo itself. Sometimes it winds up being more trouble than it’s worth. For example, should he be transporting a vicious creature, he has to ensure not just its safety but the people he’s working with lest it break out of its cell and go on a rampage that winds up killing them all. This also applies to highly sensitive materials that will be used for nefarious purposes.
Every now and then, the smuggler will have a client that refuses to pay him the full amount owed. Even if he does the job perfectly from beginning to end, the customer won’t give him everything he owes him. Sometimes the smuggler has to just take it despite his objections to the contrary though some resort to harsh measures to compel him to pony up the dough. These measures could be simply blackmail or threatening to bring in a third party to arbitrate the matter.
Tying it all Together
In short, the fantasy smuggler is part of a world that isn’t shown all too often. Though he may be part of the criminal underworld, that doesn’t make what he does worthless. On the opposite, he is the one that helps keep it going and he does so by moving resources and people in places where law enforcement aren’t looking.
There is no shortage of the different items the smuggler works with. The most common ones are drugs and weapons since those two are part-and-parcel of all criminal organizations. Uncommon ones consist of exotic goods and contraband items to be used to snooker unsuspecting people out of their hard-earned money.
The fantasy smuggler has his choice of employer to work for. Many opt to use their services for crime lords and kingpins since they know spots that they can use to funnel illegal goods without drawing the eyes of the law. Some use them for altruistic purposes, working for resistance movements where they get much-needed goods to keep them afloat.
It isn’t easy being a smuggler. Besides having to constantly keep his eyes out for the law, he must ensure that he delivers the items to his customers in the correct timeframe lest it makes potential clients leery of hiring him. And he must also keep the cargo in a safe place, especially if it can hurt people or wreak havoc upon his ship.
For stories that focus on other areas besides the eternal war between good and evil, the fantasy smuggler is an excellent way to explore a different aspect of the genre. Who knows, the smuggler character you create just might be a fantastic hit with your audience!
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Thanks for reading this and until the next time,
Sunfire
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