On Spells, Mules, Canoes, Carts and Coin

If you check the sidebar to the left, you might have noticed that I list Basic Fantasy RPG as my poison of choice. Settling at this system as a chasis for any significant campaign play in the OSR style of gaming!

Anyways, my regular group of The Calaveras, where we jump on and off short games, story-games, etc. I'm currently running a campaign stitched from published adventures that were in my backlog, one page dungeons, and other materials. Now they are tackling The Sky-Blind Spire by Michael Prescott (Trilemma). Given the stitched nature of the campaign and our busy lives, the World and the base town of Amniposita have only been sketched out.

The characters stand at the moment at level 2 (had to enforce the rule of "can't gain two levels from one adventure" for the Dwarf Thief, so close to 3rd). They have a good change of coin! These vast amounts of wealth gained from previous adventuring are staggering. They throw off the local economy, bringing in throves of wealth.

So, how were those coins utilized and drained?

1. The Elf Magic-User wanted to inscribe a spell scroll into their spellbook (Shield). 500gp
2. After bribing some students at the Universarium in Amniposita, where the local Sage resides, the group found out that the Spire was in the middle of a lake. And potentially guarded by Undead? Total: 100gp
   
3. Given the above (nautical nature of the location), they purchased two mules (40gp each), two carts (50gp each), two canoes (50gp each), and feeding for two beasts of burden for a week (1.4gp). Total: 281.4gp
4. Given 2. they decided to hire two retainers, including a Human Cleric. Each requested, and was granted, 50gp upfront, plus a full share of treasure. Total: 100gp

This is only a dip on their wealth, but almost 1000gp evaporated just like that.

And I don't want to get into full accountant mode:

• Taxing treasure brought back to town (I should, 10-25% seems plausible)
• Or charging for upkeep costs (I hear 1% of current XP thrown around)
• Or charging for a banker
  

I suppose there is no point to this post. Just wanted to get this in writing to remind myself that adventurer coin is there to be spent. Missing any carousing rules, or enforcing gold spent equals XP (not just recovered), there are still several avenues for wealth to be spent.

Also, Equipment Emporium is a great supplement, regardless if Basic Fantasy is your poison. Snatch it!

OSR: How much is a potion of healing in OSE?

Inevitably, players will sooner or later inquire about purchasing or selling magic items in the safety of town. A lot of common advice dictates to leave such discoveries to adventuring, and ban mercantile activities of this sort. Otherwise, why risk the dungeoneering?

These are just my random notes for OSE (or your B/X scoop or choice). Giving my inability to grok the game at first, and doing a cursory reading of the text I landed on something that wasn't obvious to me from the beginning.

Enter the Alchemist

An alchemist costs 1000gp/month in wages and they bring the following to the table if hired:

Recreating potions: Based on a sample or recipe, an alchemist can produce a potion at twice the normal speed and for half the normal cost (see Magical Research).

Researching potions: An alchemist may also research new potions, but this takes twice as long and costs twice as much as normal.

A potion of healing is nothing more than a 1st level clerical Cure Light Wounds spell. And the magical research estimates the cost to make them a week of labor and 500gp/level in costs by a Cleric of 2nd level or higher. Assuming they have the recipe, the Cleric is no longer needed.

N: number of weeks in a month

Potion of healing Price = (N * 500 + 1000) / (N * 2)

This yields 2 potions available per week, and no Cleric PC has to assist (this is my reading).

Alchemists, I would reckon, are rare enough in most settings to be only present in larger towns and cities.

The Calendar

So, turns out that, as in many open games and the overused Gygax-attributed credo goes, a calendar is important for potions. The alchemist specialty gives wages in gp per month. But magical research is on a per week basis. How many weeks are a month in this world?

Only with that answer we can get the price of healing potions.

With an alchemist:

Simplifying a month having 4 weeks -> 375gp/potion, 2 available per week

Simplifying a month having 5 weeks -> 350gp/potion, 2 available per week

Without an alchemist:

Regardless of how many weeks are in a month -> 500gp/potion, 1 potion available per week (per PC Cleric actively working on it)

Gustav Doré

What Do?

This is of course an abstraction, but an interesting guideline nonetheless. More than one alchemist could be hired? Magic might not be readily available in your world. What about the formula for the potion, is it common enough? Etc.

In my OSE Stonehell open table game I settled to 300gp/potion cost, with only 50% chance of availability each week. With an upfront (one-time) cost of 1000gp to attract the alchemist to town.

Appendix

1. Consider also this article as a good resource on how to price potions of healing in games.

2. Also, while flipping through Electric Bastionland this morning, I found the general advice that TREASURE FOR XP should be bulky, expensive to the right person, and useless. On the other hand, TREASURE FOR GEAR, meaning items that will boost the PCs capabilities, should be useful for adventurers, but have otherwise little value. This is awfully untrue for potions of healing. They are both expensive and tremendously useful for everybody. Taking a magical vial to recover illness and wounds sounds too good to be true, and would be highly sought after by anyone with enough coin. Right?

Passing Time in Town

Some important considerations:

• This is for my Castle Nowhere game using a mash of Into the Dungeon and GLOG rules.
• We decided to not use a gold=XP system, and instead advance characters based on the number of sessions played, as Into the Dungeon prescribes. I can see this working nicely in such an advancement system though.
• Some of the entries are shamelessly lifted from the Jeff Rients article on Carousing.
• Note that sp are the common currency, and that a simple weapon costs 1sp, a meal+bed at an ok inn are 2sp.

Characters can opt to spend their time back in town doing some mildly constructive activities. This involves spending hefty amounts of Silver, of course, and assumes characters start the session at a mid-sized town or city.

Players who choose this option have to spend at least 50sp. Their character spends 1 week in the activity based on their archetype. Spend 50sp to roll 1D6, plus one for each additional 50sp spent on top (for instance spending 150sp amounts to a 1D6+2 roll). The roll gets resolved at the beginning of the session, and is completely optional.

A player that narrates and recaps their past Adventure gets an additional +1 to the roll.

Carousing (Thieves)

Night got out of hand, lad?

 

Carousing is a default downtime activity for many unsavory characters. Between adventures, who doesn’t want to relax with a few pints and a group of friends at a tavern?

1. Major misunderstanding with local authorities. Imprisoned until fines and bribes totaling 2D6 x 10 sp paid. All your weapons, armor, and magic items confiscated.
2. Hangover from hell. First day of adventuring is at -1 Damage and Saves. Casters must roll WIS Save with each spell to avoid Mishap.
3. You are banned from a tavern after some obnoxious behavior. Hirelings have double cost until you clean your name.
4. You got pretty hammered. D6: 1-3 Everyone is calling you by some weird, embarrassing nickname, like Puddle Drinker or Bench Slayer, and no one will say why, 4-6 A pickpocket lifted D10 x 5 sp from you.
5. New tattoo! D6: 1-3 it’s actually pretty cool/intimidating 4 it’s lame 5 it could have been badass, but something is goofed up or misspelled 6 it says something insulting, crude or stupid in an unknown language.
6. After some whiskey, you swore in the town square to pursue a dangerous quest. Get a free Rumor.
7. One of us! One of us! You’re not sure how it happened, but you’ve been initiated into some sort of secret society or weird cult. Did you really make out with an emu of was that just the drugs? Roll WIL Save to remember the signs and passes.
8. Wake up stark naked in a random local temple. D6: 1-2 the clerics are majorly pissed off (will refuse to heal you); 3-6 they smile and thank you for stopping by, giving you an unguent that heals a Score Loss (D8 uses).
9. You scored some top notch opium! Do a STR Save. On a fail, start the adventure with D4 STR Score loss. On a success, you have advantage on STR Saves for the next Adventure or 1 week (whatever’s lowest).
10. Gambling high, gambling won. Your week of cards and dice yields 2D6 x 50sp profits, plus two Fancy Items of your choice. And a bottle of exotic whiskey.
11. Surprise! You’re married! You have a wedding band worth 10sp on your hand. Your spouse is loyal to you, and will follow you on your adventures if you so choose. They are a 1-2 Artisan; 3-4 Guide; 5 Armsman; 6 Specialist.
12. Choose your poison. Pick the entry you like.

Jousting (Fighters)

Jousting, by Michael C Hayes

 

Jousting includes boxing, wrestling, parrying, and other nonlethal forms of combat training in an organized setting with predetermined matches. Your money goes into finding and paying for the best tutors and sparring partners in town, buying and restocking weapons and training equipment, and other costs.

1. You accidentally injure a petty noble, drawing the wrath of their house. They convince the guard to imprison you to show you what's what. All your weapons, armor, and magic items confiscated, and you have to sit out the next Adventure unless your name is cleared.
2. Battered and Bruised. First day of adventuring is at -2 Damage. STR Saves to do physical activities (climbing, swimming,...) are at Disadvantage.
3. The fighting pits ban you! They did say no knives allowed… No Armsman will join you or your companions on your next Adventure.
4. Fury of the looser. D6: 1-3 Everyone knows your latest strike and calls you Soft Punch, Pudding Sword or something humiliating until you clean your name 4-6: You smashed your best weapon against the ground in anger. It’s now utterly destroyed.
5. New hairstyle! D6: 1 mohawk 2 dreadlocks 3 braids 4 clean shave 5 mullet 6 top knot. Pick a color; you dyed it too!
6. An exotic wrestling partner with a thick accent shows up. They constantly brag about their home, and can’t keep their mouth shut. Get a free Rumor.
7. It wasn’t easy, but you got to join the local branch of the Fight Club. Don’t talk about it.
8. You get knocked out unconscious in your last sparring session. Wake up.. D6: 1-2 ... with leeches on your arms and chest, and the local physician is pissed at you and claims you owe them for their service; 3-6 ...completely recovered. The local physician is in awe at you as a specimen of physical prowess, and treats you as a superior being.
9. You accidentally kill your parrying partner. Do a WIL Save. On a fail, start the Adventure with D4 WIL Score loss, as you mentally recover from losing a partner. On a success, you have advantage on WIL Saves for the next Adventure or 1 week (whatever’s lowest).
10. Some brawly dwarves rolled into town and thought they could out-wrestle you. You lifted 1D10 x 50sp in profits against the beaded ones, plus a Martial Melee/Ranged Weapon (your choice) and a Shield. Plus you got the uttermost respect from their clan now.
11. Born on the saddle! You impress in a local jousting tournament. Win a fancy Shield worth 10sp and gain a 1 Mule; 2-4 Travel Horse; 5-6 War Horse.
12. Weapon of choice. Pick the entry you like.

Lecturing (Wizards)

City library

This activity helps a character to delve into lore concerning a monster, location, relic, spell, or similar topics. You might as well be a brain in a jar. Your funds are invested in stocking (or donating to) a library, lending expertise in diverse projects in town (accounting, architecture, etc), lecturing aspiring wizards, and purchasing rare ingredients.

1. Funding esoteric tomes to be brought into the library, one of them sucks you in upon examination! You’re stranded into a demiplane, whilst your students spend a week figuring out how to bring you back. They’ve spent D6 x 10sp on rare materials that they expect you to pay back.
2. The transmutation lecture goes awfully wrong! One of your students polymorphs you, and you’re transformed for the next Adventure. You can still talk. 1 Goose 2-3 Donkey 4-5 Hound 6 Ape.
3. Using ziziphus wax in the lab was not the brightest idea after all… D6: 1-3 you smell of rotten milk, and no amount of water washes it off; 4-6 your skin glows with dim orange light.
4. What was that cantrip again…? D6: 1-3 Everyone at the library knows that your memory is not the same and starts naming you Cloud-Yeller, or something humiliating until you demonstrate your skill again 4-6: You left your spellbook near the stove and someone snatched it!
5. New flashy tunic! The motif has... D6: 1 stars of an unknown universe 2 spirals that daze 3 zebra-like stripes 4-5 monocolor birds, lame! 6 a blend of colors that are offensively reminiscent of an old oppressive civilization’s flag.
6. A visiting lecturer brings some goodies with them. New exotic Spell available at the library for you to transcribe on your spellbook (costs still apply).
7. The Silver Sages made you an honorary member. No idea what benefits or obligations this entails.
8. Smelling the interplanar roses knocks you out. Wake up D6: 1-2 ...with a random supernatural mutation; 3-6 … in the middle of a dungeon stark naked. The local cult is impressed by your withstanding of the mutation. They immediately confer to you the rank of High Illuminee, and your have their admiration.
9. Whilst explaining the properties of different reagents, one of your students explodes in front! Do a DEX Save. On a fail, start the Adventure with D4 DEX Score loss, as your hands get burnt. On a success, you have advantage on DEX Saves for the next Adventure or 1 week (whatever’s lowest).
10. An anonymous donor funds your next Adventures in the name of discovery. Gain 2D6 x 50sp and a random spell Scroll.
11. Graduating student! One of your pupils shows some capabilities. They gift you their latest project as a thank you (roll 3d100 on this table, and the Referee chooses entry). Your pupil will join you in any Adventure (D6 HP, Ability Scores 10, D4 random spells from this list).
12. Clear tea leaf reading. Pick the entry you like.

Proselytizing (Priests)

Church errands

 

Priests, monks, religious figures of all kinds. You can spend your time attending or oficing rites or by proselytizing in the community. Your hard earned silver can be spent strengthening your faith to everyone’s betterment: aiding orphanages, paying for funerary services to those who can’t afford them, funding new church buildings (or renovations to existing ones), etc.

1. Your God(s) call you to attend a chess tournament against rivaling deities. Gods take slow turns. You’re gone for a week.
2. You go on a rampage, partying with your rogue companions. Breaking all your vows; disgracing your faith. For your next Adventure your MD for holy prayers return on a 1 only.
3. Some fanatics wearing your faith’s symbols turn berserker, and start burning “heretics” alive. Did they steal a loaf of bread now? Word spread around the outskirts of town, and you have to lay low and be discreet. Travel hooded and at night only.
4. Blasphemy is still blasphemy, even if you did it by accident! 1-3 You owe a favor to the High Priest; 4-6 You have to donate D10 x 5 sp to placate your Church's complaints.
5. New holy implement! D6: 1 reliquary 2 praying beads 3 goat’s bones 4 wooden effigy 5 silver fork 6 golden chain
6. Your efforts pleased the one(s) high up. Once in the following adventure, you can spend a turn (10 minutes) communing. Ask a question to them that can be answered with “Yes/No”. You know the answer will be truthful.
7. A secret order of Knights within your order recruited you. They do the dirty work within your Church.
8. Misty dream visions are a revelation. Wake up D6 1-2 … from your worst nightmares (lost 2 WIL Score) 4-6 your wildest existential conversation with a deceased Saint of your faith from past times. They owe you one now for your articulated arguments (and the company.. they get lonely).
9. Your faith is challenged in an existential crisis. This time around, you try to solve it via internal reflection and meditation. Do a WIL Save. On a fail, start the Adventure with D4 WIL Score loss, as your faith and wits are just not right. On a success, your faith is restored have Advantage on WIL Saves for the next Adventure or 1 week (whatever’s lowest).
10. The faith is spread, and stronger than ever in town. You personally get 2d6 x 25sp in donations, as well as a previously thought lost tome of your faith.
11. You’re becoming a living Saint! 2D4 pilgrims (Torchbearers) start following you, including to your adventures, as long as you follow the holy faith.
12. Prayer wheel. Pick the entry you like.