Distributing goodies

Discussion on game mastering Earthdawn. May contain spoilers; caution is recommended!
User avatar
Avantio
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2011 7:59 am
[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1266: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable

Re: Distributing goodies

Postby Avantio » Wed Aug 22, 2012 4:05 am

Yeah of course - I mean that I don't encourage them to do so by giving obvious hint. And I'm a little off now since right now I am gamamestering for 3 Trolls (brothers) Beastmaster, Cavalaryman and Scout. So no magician here :) Turns out really fun!

evil
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2013 8:49 pm
[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1266: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable

Re: Distributing goodies

Postby evil » Tue Jan 22, 2013 11:28 pm

Depends on the kind of game you run. Loot doesn't have to be a bag of gold or jewelry, could just as easily be last chance salve (600 sp) or healing potions (300 sp) or some booster potions (50 sp) all stuff your players will need, slightly used charms might be another option.

keep in mind in ED (any) healing is limited to a hand full of magic items, a questor's power (which most PCs will probably not be able to get themselves) and rather pricy one shot healing potions. Basic amount of healing is a rather small amount of times per day your characters can heal in a day. Also the wounds add up and take a while to get rid of, penalties can stack.

Travel time is something you should consider as well. From Bartertown to Parlainth is about 3 months walking (about 120 sp in food a little extra staying at inns when you can) just to get their. Random monster encounters for that kind of walk(horse ride) could easily bleed your characters dry (money wise) and have little to show for it.

So in a first or second circle adventure (where they need to spend a month or two getting there) is it unrealistic to use a death cheat, last chance salve, 2 healing potions, and 3 booster potions? 1700 ish sp in costs. Else they will do one or two fights then have to use an item, drink a potion or rest up an hour or so. One bad fight and half the characters might want to take the rest of the day off (cause they might not make enough to pay for used healing aids or replace the death cheat charm). I don't see what the issue is with giving the characters the means to gear themselves up with useful things. if a small group of cadaver men get some armor defeating hits and roll well for damage (which will happen from time to time) and they blew all their cash on some kick ass swords and armor and forgot to get potions so be it, I just found it works better when it is their choose.

As for an Air Ship something smaller than a small drakker but larger than a life boat. Something to help get the characters around the province within a few weeks time (about one day travel in an Air Ship is 10 days walking). Even a Small Drakker isn't going to do much by it self in a fight vrs anything but a small drakker (crew size and all) so pirating isn't a real option. Crew costs? some cargo space and a cut of the treasure the PC's get adventuring (crew watches the boat) If they want to collect True Air kernels then you make the rolls for fling in a storm and have to worry about repairing the damage to the ship.

Muthare
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2013 9:25 am
[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1266: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable

Re: Distributing goodies

Postby Muthare » Thu Jan 24, 2013 5:56 am

If you dont beat SD then u still see item has stronger imprint than paper, but again a pattern item could look like thread item :)

I think you can say that 100 sp for a few days job for groups of adepts is almost a custom.

User avatar
slayride
Site Admin
Posts: 174
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2011 1:25 pm
[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1266: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable

Re: Distributing goodies

Postby slayride » Thu Jan 24, 2013 1:00 pm

I always use the Session Legend Award Table for the amount of silver for quests per Circle as a guide. So Circle 1 is 100-300 LP for a session, so 100-300 silver per adept for quests is sensible. The thing to keep in mind is a week of rations is 10 silver, 2 silver for a waterskin (I count that for a week to align it with the rations, but realistically it should be 7 x 2 14 silver for a week of water), so every week of travel is about 12 silver (24 for realistic water by the book). That eats into the bottom line of any quest. Keep in mind the training cost of adepts to the next circle is 200 at First Circle to get to Second Circle, so adepts need to save up at least that much before they can advance. At a 200 circle average, it'll take 2 adventures (400 silver) for that to happen in terms of silver - the logistics cost in food and water to adventure plus extra stuff like 50 silver for booster potions, kelix's poultice, etc. and other gear to survive the quests.

User avatar
The_Gun_Nut
Posts: 76
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2011 1:34 pm
[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1266: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable

Re: Distributing goodies

Postby The_Gun_Nut » Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:25 pm

Since airships were mentioned, I'll put in some things that my group learned about them regarding cost.

First off, my players attacked and captured a grounded Theran stone airship. It was pretty epic, too. Amazing work from all of them (even with the two spellcasters getting dropped in one round by an enemy archer). They decided to keep it and hire a crew.

The airship has a crew size of 40. This means that it can be run with fewer than 40, but it is much safer to get the max crew size and run in shifts. One hindrance was the fact that the ship used slave rowers to power it. The crew rotated often, but it still tired them out severely (another reason to use the full crew size). As an aside, about a third of the crew were given personalities a la Pirates of the Carribean. Fun stuff.

Remember the cost for food and water posted previously? Multiply that by crew size and it gets pricey, really fast. In my example, the group managed to get discounts on bulk water, and the Elementalist of the group managed to enchant some nice items (pure water stuff, a duari that created fine dwarfen stout, etc.) to make the going easier. It still ate 400 silver a week just for food. Water, even with discounts and what-not, increased that to 600 silver per week. And that is just the food. Each air sailor got something like 5 to 10 silver a day as pay (don't recall what was settled upon). That's another 200 to 400 silver each day. Monthly expenses were calculated to the 8000 silver range.

At 5th circle, the group was struggling to make ends meet, even with extensive treasure hunting and piracy against the Therans (who came after them...a lot). As they advanced, it became easier and easier to make ends meet. It was especially helpful that the party had a Weaponsmith PC. He made gear and Haggled his way through the rough spots. (Hence, the introduction of my Haggle Mini-game elsewhere in the forums.)

By 8th circle, with all the fame, connections, and investments the group had made, they could afford almost everything they wanted and still take care of the vedette. The group worked at it, and have made a serious name for themselves with the colorful and be-ribboned stone airship (did I mention that the Elementalist is a t'skrang?). Now that they are 10th circle, they are headed to Cathay to make even more money...and get out of sight of the Theran Empire for a while.

Now, for the BIG DOWNSIDE to the airship (what, money wasn't enough?): The players bypassed huge sections of the countryside. Which means that months, no, YEARS of stories never got told, simply because the group could easily evade or overpower the opposition. It dramatically changed the tone of the game. Be very careful when introducing one into the game.
There is no overkill.

Only "open fire" and "I need to reload."

User avatar
ArcadianRefugee
Posts: 84
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2012 7:51 pm
[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1266: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable

Re: Distributing goodies

Postby ArcadianRefugee » Sat Jan 26, 2013 5:19 pm


User avatar
Anunnaki
Posts: 344
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2011 8:27 pm
Location: Ohio, USA
[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1266: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable

Re: Distributing goodies

Postby Anunnaki » Sat Jan 26, 2013 6:23 pm

Hiya,

Likely just a math error.

It's 22 days walking from Bartertown to Parlainth, thanks to the navigation power of Shantaya's sextant (not allowing for weather, creatures, scorchers, or GM whimsy). 8-)

Take kaer, James

User avatar
Mataxes
Site Admin
Posts: 907
Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2011 10:51 pm
[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1266: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable

Re: Distributing goodies

Postby Mataxes » Sun Jan 27, 2013 11:12 am

Yeah, looks like about 3 weeks, not 3 months.
Josh Harrison --
Troubadour and Magic Theorist
Line Developer: Earthdawn

evil
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2013 8:49 pm
[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1266: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable

Re: Distributing goodies

Postby evil » Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:39 pm

The map I was using the scale is a bit off, but as the crow flies would be over three mountain ranges, and two major rivers, I assume those would slow you down. Going North to Parlanth is more wilderness(slower traveling) for the most part, Still need to cross The Serpent River and pass near Scytha Mountains and the two cities they warred with (which didn't appear to survive the Scourge either). I based it on the Southern Route because their are more cities and towns in the area (to resupply and less likely scorchers or other dangers). But it should be closer to two months not three.

Parlanth to Jerris is 64 days as the crow flies.
My players ( I GM ED) hate that stuff, That is one of the things I always enjoyed about RPGs problem solving with the routes you take to get places, supplies, small items to trade along the way, what the going rate is for things in different areas.


[phpBB Debug] PHP Warning: in file [ROOT]/vendor/twig/twig/lib/Twig/Extension/Core.php on line 1266: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable

Return to “For Game Masters”



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 9 guests