So, your player characters have quickly accumulated tens or hundreds of thousands of gold pieces.
How do you figure out ways to creatively make use of this money?
How can they spend it in a way that neither turns them into unstoppable supermen (ie the buying of magic items) nor makes them feel like you're cheating them (ie. "the kingdom has a 90% tax" or "you got robbed by bandits who then immediately spent all your winnings on booze and whores")?
RPGPundit
The old school way.
They're given a lordship, and now they have a castle, and all these servants to feed, and fortifications to repair, and trade missions to fund, and ...
I'd second J Arcane's suggestion: go all old-school-end-game and let them impact the setting through the acquisition of property. Let them obtain land grants from local nobles to build castles, and staff them. Let them hire mercenaries or soldiers, and initiate mass combat battles against threats or rivals, if they choose.
From a player's standpoint, I think there's some satisfaction to be had in making a mark on a campaign - especially a long-term campaign - through PC-constructed properties/domains.
P.S. I hate, hate, a magic shop economy in any fantasy RPG.
EDIT: Also, I should add that some skill-based fantasy RPGs - like the various editions of RuneQuest - use acquired wealth as a means to purchase skill or magic spell training. In the earliest editions of RQ, you could actually get training credit from guilds and cults - with starting PCs already in debt and with a clear motive to adventure and seek out treasure.
IME it's usually inevitable for groups to want to at least go into business for themselves after a certain level of wealth.
They shouldn't be wasting their money buying shit from a magic shop.
They should be RUNNING the magic shop.
Put a hard limit on what kind of magic items can be bought. Set a gold piece or Caster Level limit. Healing potions can be bought, but no so with Holy Avengers. For 3rd Edition D&D, I usually put the limit at 15,000 gp.
Allow them to spend the money on castles, property, hirelings, etc. In order to avoid paperwork, I'd simply use "lifestyle" costs (gold pieces per month) to maintain, with a tax/income revenue based upon PC skill level. A Fighter who's a baron, or a thief in charge of a guild, receives gold from services and goods sold by his underlings, who in turn expect protection and lodging from him. A PC can invest the revenue back into his land/business (in turn getting more skilled help and potentially more profit), on items for personal use, or give it away to causes they support.
This also opens up more adventure opportunities, as with power comes responsibility and expectation. The Fighter Baron must safeguard his farmers from bandits and wandering monsters, a Thief guildmaster must maintain respect among the criminal underworld and prevent rivals from edging in on his turf.
Depends on the setting and campaign style.
Money works in such a bizarre way in typical (post WotC?) fantasy campaigns I've been in that it's hard to give a relevant answer. It's so... video game rpg-esque. You get parties traveling around with zillions in loot (like a credit card!), there's no currency exchanges or taxation or anything, sometimes there's a bank storing your money that's universally recognized -- even in the middle of lost ruins or forgotten empires, and there's just about zero incentive to invest in anything ('cuz you're on a quest, duh!) except better magic gear.
In such a style, I don't think you can deviate without the play base staring at you blankly. There's been several decades of training to accept that as normal (even though a cursory look at history and current society around would show that it's a bizarre expectation). You'd have to be explicit from the beginning that those video game rpg tropes do not exist in your setting, and then I fear Living or RPGA will come around and invalidate that...
But personally I like old school, where the setting is grounded in some cohesive reality. So investing in a region through titles, businesses, etc., instead of a walking dragon hoard, makes more sense to me. It also gives the party a chance to invest in the setting more specifically, helping world-in-motion develop regional depth now that the party isn't moving around so much.
That and it rips the rug out from under most power creep. When the scale becomes civilization, and the cooperation and delegation and negotiation within it, suddenly extra magic gear doesn't mean so much as a talented retinue. Further class leveling sounds nice, but one man against a thousand plus is still in trouble, thus reliable friends (or at least cowed servants) becomes a greater concern. It just turns the arms race treadmill 'off' and suddenly turns 'on' a dynamic world to run where you like, where power is expressed in new and different ways.
It depends on the campaign style and ruleset being used. In any case, I'm not afraid of PC wealth and frankly ubiquitous magic shops selling powerful artifacts always seemed stupid to me so that's not even a concern. I'm also not afraid of PCs having high power, either.
In fact, I'm not sure what specific problems anyone perceives in wealth existing that need to be handled in the first place. It seems to me carrying around tons of loot presents plenty of obvious problems of its own.
Oh, I didn't really add alternative solutions! OK.
- In kind contributions, corvée labor, or favors as a form of payment to PCs
- Charities (or charity cases, a.k.a. sponsorship or patronage of an NPC)
- Hiring help to delegate a smaller task (paying for hirelings to clear out the local goblin lair while you do something more important for the locale)
- Develop alternate social system of measuring privilege and access, like honor, prestige, piety, etc. -- and in a decadent society make it purchasable.
- Patronage of the arts, hospitals, or similar philanthropy, as an oblique but non-decadent method of purchasing "social virtue" for the above social system
- Hirelings and Followers being your PC fallbacks if your character dies w/o possible resurrection. Protecting and gearing them well becomes important then.
- Delegate plots: assassins, market crashes, rabble rousing riots, etc.
Better?
Its a complicated question, and I was thinking of starting a thread on the topic myself recently. The stupendous amounts of wealth created by slaying your average dragon aren't easily disposed of. I mean sure, in the modern day you can invest the cash in stocks and bonds, conservative government bonds and property portfolios, but back then? It would depend on how advanced the investment infrastructure had become, but of course you'd need to be careful who you were investing with.
The application of wealth is similar to the application of force, and the local medieval warlords are NOT going to take some unconnected upstarts running around with a large mercenary army in their wagon lightly. Rich people back then had deep family ties with one another which provided a measure of security. Maybe within the cities and their merchant guilds potential might be found, by purchasing chairs or simple funding.
Here's your problem: PCs probably picked up this wealth by being gung ho dangerous men and women of action; you can't just try to force them into being accountants and managers thereafter. Politics and rulership are for the most part exceptionally tedious, and most PCs didn't sign up for that, so you need to find a reasonable route for them to either reasonably protect and grow their wealth without any hassle, or convince them that they don't need wealth to keep enjoying the game. Land grants and armies are bollocks for most players, that's not why they signed up.
Quote from: RPGPundit;610876So, your player characters have quickly accumulated tens or hundreds of thousands of gold pieces.
How do you figure out ways to creatively make use of this money?
How can they spend it in a way that neither turns them into unstoppable supermen (ie the buying of magic items) nor makes them feel like you're cheating them (ie. "the kingdom has a 90% tax" or "you got robbed by bandits who then immediately spent all your winnings on booze and whores")?
RPGPundit
I let them spend the money however they see fit. In my campaigns they have to do it in game. No showing up the next sessions with 10,000 GP written down. They have to find the shop or the seller and roleplay the acquisition. This is the not particularly involved in terms of session time unless they want something that is rare like a +5 sword.
I fine this makes the expenditure of wealth a natural part of the campaign.
Finally as for superpowered fantasy characters, by the time they get to such power level the problems with the scope to interest them can't be resolved just by killing everything in reach.
Superpower character is only a problem if the campaign is run the same way as before except with all the number boosted. To make high level work the very nature of what the players are trying to deal has to change.
I few putative "taxation" and other similar measure to be a dick move by a referee. I never did that in my campaigns and never will.
I have had some success with rich pc's spending wealth when the need is there. Looming threat of a Fleet of hostile warships on the way to sack their favorite temple. Pc's look into buying warships of their own, and discove rthe price is quite high. Best if the pc's want to spend the wealth instead of the gm forcing it too obviously.
I don't have thieves rob pc, generally. if they piss off a thieves guild, that can work.
Make them pay for training, so they only get 1xp per gold if they blow it on sword lessons, or spells or whatever.
I think the Barbarians of Lemuria game has something along these lines, except with booze and whores. I can think of worse ways to lose all your cash.
Quote from: RPGPundit;610876So, your player characters have quickly accumulated tens or hundreds of thousands of gold pieces.
How do you figure out ways to creatively make use of this money?
How can they spend it in a way that neither turns them into unstoppable supermen (ie the buying of magic items) nor makes them feel like you're cheating them (ie. "the kingdom has a 90% tax" or "you got robbed by bandits who then immediately spent all your winnings on booze and whores")?
RPGPundit
Well, first off, no magic shops. Unless we're talking about something like Leiber's Bazar of the Bizarre, I find them artificial and video-gamey.
Next, I won't arbitrarily have my players get robbed, but if they advertise they have a lot of money (going on spending sprees in a village), word travels fast and they are going to find themselves frequent targets. But my main approach to this is : mo' money, mo' problems, in that the PCs will suddenly find themselves constantly surrounded by suspicious and devious yes-men looking for a handout, rich merchants and lords will suddenly see them as "close to equals" (read: threats), people will begin coming to the PCs with their problems, charitable organizations will pester them for donations, and they'll very quickly get a Reputation, and all the annoyance that fame implies. Basically I'd just look at it as a plot-generator as needed. Otherwise, I wouldn't consider it much different than players ascending to higher levels.
J Arcane wins the thread.
There's a reason I'm infatuated with the old school endgame. It allows me to conceive of D&D as a game of Civilization vs. Barbarism, Man vs. The World, Law vs. Chaos. You take that money and that name-level land-grant and build a castle and a town around it and name it after yourself. Hire a bunch of mercs and clear out the monster-infested woods, hang the brigands, hell, maybe even fix the old roads and bridges while you're at it. Turn the monster-haunted wilderness into towns and farmlands and castles. Pass into legend along with the threats to Civilization you've done away with.
That's what feels "epic" to me.
But I suppose killing the Tarrasque is okay too.
Quote from: RPGPundit;610876So, your player characters have quickly accumulated tens or hundreds of thousands of gold pieces.
How do you figure out ways to creatively make use of this money?
How can they spend it in a way that neither turns them into unstoppable supermen (ie the buying of magic items) nor makes them feel like you're cheating them (ie. "the kingdom has a 90% tax" or "you got robbed by bandits who then immediately spent all your winnings on booze and whores")?
RPGPundit
I go for the investment route. As J Arcane said, I give them responsibilities or opportunities. I really don't want to strip them of the cash - if they legitimately earned it through good adventuring, then I am not going to be the Jerk-GM that just strips them of it. After all, it was my decisions that ultimately let them have it...
I can run something in a Border Kingdoms/River Kingdoms area and suddenly give them a small fiefdom to run, giving them all sorts of opportunities to conquer their neighbors and build fortifications and stuff. The diplomats of the group could negotiate with their rivals or their fighters could sweep down and thrash the bandits that have been harassing our trade routes. Out maneuvering the other kingdoms and defending against rampaging centaurs could be the start of a new campaign.
Quote from: TristramEvans;611096Well, first off, no magic shops. Unless we're talking about something like Leiber's Bazar of the Bizarre, I find them artificial and video-gamey.
I might have a few magic shops in major cities where there are low level charms and whatnot - the cast-offs from old adventurers and where budding wizards make some money on the side.
Certainly no `50% off Vorpal Swords until Saturday` kind of shops. Getting that sort of stuff on the open market would involve some interesting auctions in secret (and likely dangerous) locations...just don`t as where they got the stuff...
Well first off reduce the level of magic and gold. If Pc have colelcted less magic items they will expect less magic and won't go looking for magic shops. Don't give them lots of gold change the paradigm becuase its illogical.
If you are going to go the old D&D route and have lots and lots of both gold and magic you need to enforce the reality. Now I don't mean enforce the rather daft D&D rules round training and so on cos they are stupid I do mean the reality of having a cart load of old coins. What would you do if your wages each month were given to you in coins.
The PCs have a number of choices -
- Hide or bury it somewhere
- Find some sort of 'bank' to put it in if such things exist
- Buy something of great value - a castle, farm, etc
- Donate it
- Spend it on whores and coke
now buying something of great value for a lot of PCs is a pain in the arse. If you were the sort of guy that at 16 took your dad's old longsword/spell book/holy symbol and went out into the world seeking adventure you are probably not the sort of person that wants to settle down at 23 and worry about the kitchens, the leaking drains, the supply of corn for the winter... you can of course hire people to do that for you.
most PCs in our games use their coin to buy gems as a portable currency. we have had guys setting up companies and trading places even inns but always passing the running over to NPC henchmen.
If you get rid of the 'gold standard' and give PCs xp for other actions, killing stuff using skills, completing personal objectives (my prefered option) and plot related stuff if that fits wth your game play, then the issue goes away and the economy starts to make a lot more sense.
I agree with the procuring of land grants and building a keep or whatnot. There is a book that goes into minute detail in what is needed or required for such an undrtaking, and it will not only drain the PCs of much of their wealth it will also infuse the local economy.
Check out Lord Flataroys' Guild to Fortifications (http://www.amazon.com/Lord-Flataroys-Guide-Fortifications-HackMaster/dp/1594590176). It has gone under the radar of most gamers because it was a splatbook of the "mocking parody" HackMaster 4th edition. However, there is absolutley nothing humorous when it comes to builing your keep, and I find this book priceless when it comes to setting up a church, keep, estate or even a mage tower.
Quote from: griffonwing;611189Check out Lord Flataroys' Guild to Fortifications (http://www.amazon.com/Lord-Flataroys-Guide-Fortifications-HackMaster/dp/1594590176). It has gone under the radar of most gamers because it was a splatbook of the "mocking parody" HackMaster 4th edition. However, there is absolutley nothing humorous when it comes to builing your keep, and I find this book priceless when it comes to setting up a church, keep, estate or even a mage tower.
HackMaster 4e has a stronghold-and-domain endgame sourcebook? Mind=blown :eek:
Seriously, if it wasn't for the cutesy jokesy tone, these guys could've invented the OSR a few years in advance.
Quote from: The Butcher;611228HackMaster 4e has a stronghold-and-domain endgame sourcebook? Mind=blown :eek:
Seriously, if it wasn't for the cutesy jokesy tone, these guys could've invented the OSR a few years in advance.
Unfortunately, the "over the top" humor was mandated by contract with WotC. The new HackMaster, which you can get the Basic PDF (http://www.kenzerco.com/index.php?cPath=25_94) book for free, retains some of the humor, but the over-the-top parody is gone. I have read other reviews that have called it a "true" update to DnD 2e, what 3e should have been, and I can't find a reason to disagree with them.
OK, sales pitch over. As for the Fortifications book, there arent many reviews, but you can get it fairly cheaply on ebay. Also, it should be mostly system agnostic.
Quote from: griffonwing;611236Unfortunately, the "over the top" humor was mandated by contract with WotC. The new HackMaster, which you can get the Basic PDF (http://www.kenzerco.com/index.php?cPath=25_94) book for free, retains some of the humor, but the over-the-top parody is gone. I have read other reviews that have called it a "true" update to DnD 2e, what 3e should have been, and I can't find a reason to disagree with them.
OK, sales pitch over. As for the Fortifications book, there arent many reviews, but you can get it fairly cheaply on ebay. Also, it should be mostly system agnostic.
I am Hackmaster illiterate.
The stuff I like about 2E are specialist wizards, allocatble thief skills.
But 2E is missing classes like Monks.
So does hackmaster have all of that, and hopefully cleric domains?
Quote from: Bill;611239I am Hackmaster illiterate.
The stuff I like about 2E are specialist wizards, allocatble thief skills.
But 2E is missing classes like Monks.
So does hackmaster have all of that, and hopefully cleric domains?
Well, for starters, there is no cleric class. No monk class, No druid class.
Before you say anything, there is a whole
chapter devoted to clerics. There are 43 gods in the Tellene pantheon, and as such, there are 43 clerics. No domains, and no cleric spell levels. Every cleric class is different, based upon the god they worship. Different spell lists, different abilities. One cleric might gain a weak healing spell at 1st level, while others gain access to that spell at level 7 or 8..or never. No more cookie-cutter clerics.
The new PHB has 14 clerics listed, enough to cover all 9 alignments (which also have been reworked/reworded). There are 2 that follow hunting/beast gods and have animal shape powers (aka druids). There is a cleric thief (akin to the god Risk), and the future splatbook will fill out the remaining gods, which should also include a cleric of the Powermaster, aka, your monkish class.
These classes (druid and monk) are basiclaly followers of a specific belief system, and so having them as clerics just feels right to me anyway.
Also, there are 3 dual classes. Fighter-Mage, Mage-Thief, and Fighter-Thief, all else are individual classes. A future splatbook should also be coming to expand on the mage classes, ie specific schools of training.
Quote from: RPGPundit;610876How do you figure out ways to creatively make use of this money?
I don't.
I like it when the adventurers are wealthy and influential. The more powerful they become, the more powerful the rivals who are likely to take notice.
Quote from: Black Vulmea;611254I don't.
I like it when the adventurers are wealthy and influential. The more powerful they become, the more powerful the rivals who are likely to take notice.
That, in itself, makes for a good campaign. Being rich and influential and confronting the movers and shakers of the game world will make for campaign that is long-remembered.
Quote from: J Arcane;610882IME it's usually inevitable for groups to want to at least go into business for themselves after a certain level of wealth.
Yes, well, this is something that compounds the problem. Players will often want their characters to invest in things that will ultimately make them more money; it doesn't get rid of PC wealth, it has to increase it.
Dominions and the like are things that some players will only want if it makes them either richer or more powerful; barring that, they won't bother, they'd rather just sit on their 1 million gp.
They can understand that there's risk involved in investment, but that means they'll want to micromanage it, causing lengthy periods of downtime in the actual play where you have to deal with a single player's vast business empire while everyone else sits there bored.
They have the expectation too, that landowning is something that should make you a lot of money, when historically that wasn't really the case, or the point.
Let me note here, that I'm playing devil's advocate. I also have a lot of players who are great at getting that money is there to spend and not always on things that will make you more mechanically powerful, and that there's a lot of benefits money can get you besides either stat bonuses or profits.
RPGPundit
Quote from: griffonwing;611236Unfortunately, the "over the top" humor was mandated by contract with WotC. The new HackMaster, which you can get the Basic PDF (http://www.kenzerco.com/index.php?cPath=25_94) book for free, retains some of the humor, but the over-the-top parody is gone.
Unfortunately, so is the mechanical relationship to D&D. They got it wrong both times, for different reasons.
RPGPundit
Quote from: griffonwing;611248Well, for starters, there is no cleric class. No monk class, No druid class.
Before you say anything, there is a whole chapter devoted to clerics. There are 43 gods in the Tellene pantheon, and as such, there are 43 clerics. No domains, and no cleric spell levels. Every cleric class is different, based upon the god they worship. Different spell lists, different abilities. One cleric might gain a weak healing spell at 1st level, while others gain access to that spell at level 7 or 8..or never. No more cookie-cutter clerics.
The new PHB has 14 clerics listed, enough to cover all 9 alignments (which also have been reworked/reworded). There are 2 that follow hunting/beast gods and have animal shape powers (aka druids). There is a cleric thief (akin to the god Risk), and the future splatbook will fill out the remaining gods, which should also include a cleric of the Powermaster, aka, your monkish class.
These classes (druid and monk) are basiclaly followers of a specific belief system, and so having them as clerics just feels right to me anyway.
Also, there are 3 dual classes. Fighter-Mage, Mage-Thief, and Fighter-Thief, all else are individual classes. A future splatbook should also be coming to expand on the mage classes, ie specific schools of training.
That actually sounds good.
Now this is based on 1E/2E right? I ask because I read somewhere that there is a version of Hackmaster that does not use dnd as a base?
Would you say Hackmaster could replace 1/2E but retains the flavor?
Quote from: Bill;611542That actually sounds good.
Now this is based on 1E/2E right? I ask because I read somewhere that there is a version of Hackmaster that does not use dnd as a base?
Would you say Hackmaster could replace 1/2E but retains the flavor?
It has nothing at all to do with 1/2e. That was HackMaster 4th, parody of dnd using a licenced 1/2e system. This is simply HackMaster (although its nicknamed 5th or advanced) and uses its own system.
But could it replace 1/2e or other old-school games? Most certainly. It has the same feel of old-school hacking. True 3d6 die rolls straight down the line, and there are no dump stats. INT and DEX determine your attack, CHA and Looks determine your starting honor, etc.. For those used to DnD, it does take a couple sessions to get used to. No rounds or turns in combat, its all second by second using weapon reach to determine first attack and weapon speed from then on, opposed combat rolls, dice penetration (explosion) for most rolls (combat and skills), armor and shields make you easier to hit but offer damage reduction and much more.
Some reviews by me and others can be found on RPGGeek (http://rpggeek.com/collection/items/rpgitem/122666?comment=1) and RPGnet (http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/15/15568.phtml), RPGnet (http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/15/15732.phtml), RPGnet (http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/15/15546.phtml) that go into much more detail. But regardless of of the reviews, the Basic pdf can be downloaded for free so you can have a chance to read through and play some included pregens to get a feel of whether you want to buy the game or not.
Or, you can head over to the HackMaster forums (http://www.kenzerco.com/forums/forum.php) and ask any questions. The developers (Dave kenzer, Brian Jelke, Jolly Blackburn, and Steve Johannson) are constantly posting, so you can get information straight from the source.
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Another way to handle rich PCs. Relatives. Cousins, aunts, and others who find out about the wealth and come to mooch or scam some of the money. Family can be the worst.
This may not be the most popular bit of advice, but I'll go ahead and say it regardless -
start entirely from scratch. Have an honest talk with your players about the abusive amount of coin in the game, dump it and start over with a better economic model. Put on your big boy/girl GM pants and get creative.
You don't necessarily need to go full-bore Middle Age/Renaissance economics, but here are several books that may help bridge a better model into your tabletop game:
- A Magical Medieval Society
- Grain Into Gold
- HARN
- GURPS Low Tech
- GURPS Fantasy
But, if you wanted to take the low road you could have a high-level party simply teleport in, delayed blast fireball their hoard and teleport out. Or, scry to find the player's hoard and rob them blind. Use the same tactics players employ to evade carefully-lain plots and subvert plans with creative spell utilization.
Quote from: Bill;611542That actually sounds good.
Now this is based on 1E/2E right? I ask because I read somewhere that there is a version of Hackmaster that does not use dnd as a base?
Would you say Hackmaster could replace 1/2E but retains the flavor?
I posted a reply yesterday that answered your questions, but it was flagged as requiring mod approval. I assume it was because of links to reviews and other websites. Anyway, I sent the same reply to your inbox.
I stopped being bothered by "OH NOES! MOUNTAINS OF GOLD PIECES!" a long time ago. First of all, if you don't like the idea of huge piles of cash ending up in the PCs' hands, just don't give out so much. Or convert a percentage of it into goods. For example, a band of outlaws might have some gold/gems/jewels they stole, but a large percentage of their loot could consist of just about anything that can be carried off: livestock (esp. horses!), weapons, armor, food, drink, household goods, etc.
More importantly, all those coins, gems and jewels are only valuable (aside from XP) if there's something to spend it on, and that is entirely up to the DM. So what if Falco the Fighter has 500,000 g.p.? Can he buy magic items? Only if the campaign has a magic store. Can he hire a shitload of mercenaries and try to take over the kingdom? Only if there are a shitload of mercenaries to be hired. Can he build a castle? Buy a fleet of warships? Hire craftsmen to build his own?
In other words, there's no way for a big pile of loot to unbalance a campaign without the DM's connivance. Once XPs are doled out and expenses paid, the rest can be used as ballast or dumped in a lake or blown on fast women and slow horses. It doesn't really matter.
First of all, where are they keeping the money? Is it secure? Dozens of money hungry adventuring parties head out to slay a dragon just to get it's treasure, how many groups are going to try to take on a rag-tag party (the players) who probably just got lucky and stumbled into their money.
Would the local ruler really stand around and let some PCs flaunt more wealth than he has? Every con man or burglar in the area is going to be out to grab a piece of that treasure.
If the PCs build a stronghold or hire out a bank and security, that's going to cost money. They are going to be charged exorbitant fees for almost anything because people know they have money.
The logistics of having that much money seems a bit tough. If they're not carrying it around with them (which is highly impractical), then they're going to need to spend a lot of money and find some very trustworthy people to look after it.
Quote from: GoOrange;612201First of all, where are they keeping the money? Is it secure? Dozens of money hungry adventuring parties head out to slay a dragon just to get it's treasure, how many groups are going to try to take on a rag-tag party (the players) who probably just got lucky and stumbled into their money.
Would the local ruler really stand around and let some PCs flaunt more wealth than he has? Every con man or burglar in the area is going to be out to grab a piece of that treasure.
If the PCs build a stronghold or hire out a bank and security, that's going to cost money. They are going to be charged exorbitant fees for almost anything because people know they have money.
The logistics of having that much money seems a bit tough. If they're not carrying it around with them (which is highly impractical), then they're going to need to spend a lot of money and find some very trustworthy people to look after it.
Another way to handle rich PCs.
Relatives.
Cousins, aunts, and others who find out about the wealth and come to mooch or scam some of the money. Family can be the absolute worst when it comes to 'family fortune" or perceived inheritance. Some would even kill for it.
Quote from: TristramEvans;611096I won't arbitrarily have my players get robbed, but if they advertise they have a lot of money (going on spending sprees in a village), word travels fast and they are going to find themselves frequent targets. But my main approach to this is : mo' money, mo' problems, in that the PCs will suddenly find themselves constantly surrounded by suspicious and devious yes-men looking for a handout, rich merchants and lords will suddenly see them as "close to equals" (read: threats), people will begin coming to the PCs with their problems, charitable organizations will pester them for donations, and they'll very quickly get a Reputation, and all the annoyance that fame implies. Basically I'd just look at it as a plot-generator as needed.
YOUR LORDSHIP,
You may be surprised to be receiving a letter to a personage unknown to you, asking a favour of you, but I am a Prince of an ancient Empire in Timbuktu, only recently deposed. I am requesting aid in retrieving family heirlooms and personal wealth seized by the usurper government.
Unfortunately my current position means I do not have the means to properly fund either an expedition to retrieve these assets or the army to regain my rightful position. This is why I beseech your aid, having learned your reputation for goodness and heroic nature. I estimate the sum of 50,000 gold pieces will be immediately necessary to supply my supporters, bribe the local authorities and Thieves' Guild, and other miscellaneous expenses necessary to regain my full treasury. I estimate that estate to be equivalent to 20 million gold pieces, enough to finance your own King's government for decades.
I am willing to part with one million gold pieces from my Imperial Treasury, if you are willing to make the minor investment of the 50,000 indicated. Please deposit the gold in a strongbox at The Black Rat tavern, 419 Skullduggery Lane in the wharf district of Greyport, within one week of receiving this missive. I will respond within six months of that time.
PLEASE DO NOT SEND PROFESSIONAL ADVENTURERS. I HAVE MY OWN.
Yours Sincerely,
PRINCE GALLIBYL
an undisclosed location
Sorry about the "pending mod approval" thing; its an automated response when a low-postcount user makes a post with a lot of links. The post should be visible now.
RPGPundit
Quote from: RPGPundit;612549Sorry about the "pending mod approval" thing; its an automated response when a low-postcount user makes a post with a lot of links. The post should be visible now.
RPGPundit
No worries. I assumed it was something of the like. I know that I wouldnt tolerate someone linking to scame/virus sites, or even trying to draw users to another forum site without due cause.
Quote from: James GillenYOUR LORDSHIP,
You may be surprised to be receiving a letter to a personage unknown to you, asking a favour of you, but I am a Prince of an ancient Empire in Timbuktu, only recently deposed. I am requesting aid in retrieving family heirlooms and personal wealth seized by the usurper government.
Unfortunately my current position means I do not have the means to properly fund either an expedition to retrieve these assets or the army to regain my rightful position. This is why I beseech your aid, having learned your reputation for goodness and heroic nature. I estimate the sum of 50,000 gold pieces will be immediately necessary to supply my supporters, bribe the local authorities and Thieves' Guild, and other miscellaneous expenses necessary to regain my full treasury. I estimate that estate to be equivalent to 20 million gold pieces, enough to finance your own King's government for decades.
I am willing to part with one million gold pieces from my Imperial Treasury, if you are willing to make the minor investment of the 50,000 indicated. Please deposit the gold in a strongbox at The Black Rat tavern, 419 Skullduggery Lane in the wharf district of Greyport, within one week of receiving this missive. I will respond within six months of that time.
PLEASE DO NOT SEND PROFESSIONAL ADVENTURERS. I HAVE MY OWN.
Yours Sincerely,
PRINCE GALLIBYL
an undisclosed location
Very nice. I might have to copy this and store it away until the time is ripe.
One thing a lot of my players have been starting to get in Albion is the idea of "social investments"; that is to say, things they spend money on, not to make more money or get powerful stuff, but to buy prestige and influence in their level of society. They've started to see that the PCs who have done this are ultimately able to get much further in public relations and networking than those who don't.
RPGPundit
Quote from: RPGPundit;612786One thing a lot of my players have been starting to get in Albion is the idea of "social investments"; that is to say, things they spend money on, not to make more money or get powerful stuff, but to buy prestige and influence in their level of society. They've started to see that the PCs who have done this are ultimately able to get much further in public relations and networking than those who don't.
RPGPundit
In my group, a couple of guys have run the FASA STAR TREK game with Klingon PCs and in those campaigns we got "Empire Points" to buy connections with important Admirals, Governors, and the like. Which, given that this was movie-era, pre-Next Generation Klingon Empire, and the Klingons are depicted as somewhere between the Soviet Union and a Mexican biker gang in space, means prestige and influence are very useful. :D
JG