Aersalus Season 1, Session 7 Bargains Made

 

The Cast of B-Team (Aersalus)

Listens to Ocean aka Osprey (Rory) Halfling Magistrate, mage, healer, priest, historian.

Rhum Kaldalsson (Curtis) Minotaur artist.

Trapper (Chris D) Gremian, artificer, hunter, Armsmaster.

Unit 7 (Brice) A Cog, magical construct golem.

NPC's

Altan ru Chuulaii the tax collector

Raito

Tesseikai Watersinger, healer

Murk the Lurk, spirit crab

Relic Recovery

(Day after the bandit fight)

The group heads out in the late morning after doing some local and personal errands. Rhum struck a deal with a young bandit to get a crystal stolen by them from a farmers widow and a shrine on her farm. It is a good cause, though one that may complicate things legally. Listens wants Trapper to scout ahead but Rhum is impatient to recover the artifact as the deal he struck with the spirit gives him a lingering wound until he returns the crystal.

Listens talked with Murk earlier, who seemingly feels almost rejected that Listens didn't immediately agree to a partnership. Listens is a little surprised given the power of the spirit and that since it is a land crab it would typically be more averse to traveling. Hence the getting to know each other stage. Murk really does seem bored here though and looking for some excitement and new sights.

He invites Murk along, given they are looking for a spirit crystal and he knows the area his advice may be helpful. At the least its more time getting to know each other and they engage in minor chitchat along the way.

Pretty Snake

Near the cave entrance we encounter the bandits guardian, a giant 5 headed snake.

Trapper and Listens are still wounded from the previous days fight. Trapper is off in the thickets scouting the cave so feels safe in sniping the besatie but it can see him and tries to kill him with laser beam eyes! Thankfully the thicket provides a lot of cover. Listens calls up his now signature mist as a defensive measure and the two bruisers go up to the snake. Rhum pretty much decapitates 4 out of 5 heads, the other killed by Unit 7 with two spears stabbed through the eyes.

We head into the cave and find loot hidden by the bandits. The kid does not find what he was seeking, wont tell anyone what it was though. We do get the crystal so our primary goal was met.

Trapper finds a secret door and asks Rhum to open it, pretty much breaking the stone door in the process. We explore a winding staircase down deep and find another door, this one with a combination puzzle lock which Listens figures out. (its related to the theology of spirits, his bailiwick).

.Inside are 3 large treasure chests, 3 smaller ones, misc scattered and mostly rotten items, and a central pedestal with a glowing crystal.

Listens cautiously examines it and with the help of Murk figures its a spirit related relic and the room is shielded from prying eyes. Carefully checking it out it appears to be a scrying device that can look anywhere (at least within the ranges checked) the user can clearly visualize and has seen. It wont see areas described by distance.

Listens is trying to decide if it should remain and is tied to the room or spirits here when Rhum picks it up and runs his own tests. Not having shattered or depowered we decide to leave with it as we cant re-secure the room.

Bargain Complete

We head back to town but stop at the farmhouse as its almost on the way. Listens holds onto the crystal for safekeeping in case we encounter more combat along the way.

We meet the widow and Rhum and Listens approach the shrine, Listens a pace behind Rhum as he is the one who made the deal but he wants to witness the completion in case anything comes up. He hands the crystal to Rhum who places it into he tree (shrine) and the local forest and farm suddenly come alive with new growth.

The grateful widow thanks us and offers shelter and food for the night. Listens pays her even though she tries to refuse. He tells her that she is going to need money to quickly get back on her feet, even with the spirits blessing. The group spends the night and everyone awakes healthy and refreshed, even the wounded.

We head back to town, putting the chests into our celler and leaving the rest for the next session.

Aersalus Season 1, Session 5 & 6

 

The Cast of B-Team (Aersalus)

Listens to Ocean aka Osprey (Rory) Halfling Magistrate, mage, healer, priest, historian.

Rhum Kaldalsson (Curtis) Minotaur artist.

Trapper (Chris D) Gremian, artificer, hunter, Armsmaster.

Unit 7 (Brice) A Cog, magical construct golem.

NPC's

Altan ru Chuulaii the tax collector

Raito

Tesseikai Watersinger, healer

Murk the Lurk, spirit crab

Two short sessions combined.

Marching Home

On our way back from the farm the group is ambushed by bandits. They start off by almost killing Listens with a crossbow bolt (Major Wound). Listens managed to recover enough to call a protective mist to make the group harder to hit. Trapper moves to the edge and snipes a few, Unit 7 goes to the edge and tanks the incoming fire, and Rhum goes out and starts cutting bandits into pieces.

We grab some prisoners and continue on to town.

Next session we get to town, lock the prisoners in our half rebuilt jailhouse.

Rhum scares most of them unconscious in an effort to question them and takes one kid downstairs to make a deal with.

Unit 7 takes a well deserved nap (Player gone)

Listens communes with the spirits, meets a new one

It whispers something into Listens ear that he almost understands but sounds familiar.

Listens goes back to base campo, finds out about the deal and is displeased with the minotaur who seems keen on doing his own thing, even when it may interfere with others or the mission.

The real center of attention though was Trapper who brokered a deal over some eggs he found and makes a fair amount of coin and a crystal knife.

Looking at Wealth in GURPS

 

Having more money is an advantage and less a disadvantage as it affects your starting capabilities. However, access to wealth is more complicated and will be very campaign specific. For instance, after the campaign begins how do you continue to get income? Jobs, passive income, or adventuring?

There are a number of options, but they have been expanded upon in supplements so here is an overall look.

Starting Wealth

see p. B25

You start off with a base amount of money and goods assigned by the GM, typically based on Tech Level (p. B27). Then pick your Wealth level which can be a disadvantage or advantage and modifies that base starting amount. Partial Multi-Millionaire (GURPS Spaceships 2: Traders, Liners, and Transports; p. 26) offers additional fine tuning.

This can get very expensive, but fair is fair, starting with a lot of money is a huge advantage.

Additional fine tuning can be done using one or more of the following.

Signature Gear (p. B85) gives 50% of the average (not your own) campaign starting wealth per point. There are a couple of caveats that come with this too.

Signature Assets (GURPS Spaceships 2, p. 27) I an enhancement to Wealth that multiplies starting wealth by 5% per +1% but only towards SM+2 assets, say a starship. It is capped at +20% for +100% of starting wealth (yours not the campaign average as it’s applied to the Wealth advantage).

You can also trade points for money (p. B26).

Finally, you could apply Potential Advantage (p. B33) Heir to Wealth, meaning you pay half cost but get half the starting wealth at the beginning. This one can be abusive though so GMs should be wary as Wealth increases multiplicativity you can get more than you paid for.

All of this affects how much you start the campaign with, not how much you earn on a regular basis. Though certain levels of Wealth may be a prerequisite for certain jobs.

Income During Play

Generally, you get money from working or adventuring. Independent Income and Debt (p. B26) can represent passive income or regular expenses. This is limited to 20% of your starting wealth. But unlike Trading Points for Money or Signature Gear this is affected by your Wealth level.

Ongoing Expenses

This includes Debt, Cost of Living (p. B265), and whatever comes up.

 

That it?

For most campaigns the above is probably just fine. You know how much you start with and have ways to get more money during the game, even a base line cost of living.

But there should be some other options, so here are some ideas.

Patrons and Benefactors

A Patron (p. B72) is a government, organization, or person who helps you out. Make the Appearance Roll and they offer some aid or advice. The Equipment modifier (+50% or +100%) means they will give you gear.

Hmm, asking for a loan you don’t have to pay back is rather like income, isn’t it?

So Patron (Sponsor, Fans, etc.) with Equipment, +50% can give you campaign average starting wealth. More for the +100% level! This could just as easily be a reliable supplier of goods for you to sell.

Not as dependable as Independent Income but it is another possible source of income or goods. Minimal Intervention is also an obvious limitation.

But what about say the scientist looking for help to cover inventing costs or a captain looking for a new ship?

Patron (Bank/Investor)

You have a good track record of borrowing money and paying it back. Banks or investors are willing to loan you money because they are confident, they will get it back with interest or another bonus. How much you can get is limited by the Patrons’ assets.

Equipment (+50%) gives you up to campaign starting wealth. Failing the Appearance roll means you couldn’t reach them, or they just did not want or could not offer you the money.

Minimal Intervention (-50%) You get what they think you need is a fair way to price the Patron choosing if the loan is appropriate or not.

Temporary Disadvantage (Duty or Debt) lasts until you pay them back. Debt is easy, just pay that amount each month. Duty might mean you get sent on jobs for them to pay them off, or perhaps just to cover the interest till you pay back what you borrowed.

Signature Assets (+1% and up) if it were allowed can give you +5% more money per +1%. +50% would be +250% of your Starting Wealth (up to the Patrons resource limit). Since Equipment (+100%) does not mention a limit this seems weaker or less valuable. However, I like the idea of it being tied to your Wealth advantage (normally minimally useful after the campaign start) and an actual cap the player and GM both already know rather than an arbitrary limit the GM applies if just using Equipment (+100%).

 

Lets wrap this all into a new modifier to keep things simple and avoid confusion with how the modifiers may normally work.

Enhanced Credit

This modifier to Patron (usually a bank but might be anyone willing to lend) represents your value to them as a reputable borrower. When you want to ask for equipment or money from a Patron make its Appearance roll and submit the request. Administration or other skills may help, and the Patron decides what is appropriate and reasonable as far as the loan is concerned. Success allows you to borrow up to 50% of your Starting Wealth (not the campaign average). The value of the loan should be limited to what can reasonably be expected to be paid back or written off. Resource Value (GURPS Boardroom and Curia, p. 10) is a good cap on what can be written off. Repayments should include interest or other benefits to the Patron. GURPS Spaceships 2: Traders, Liners, and Transports (p. 27) has suggestions for a space campaign, otherwise use what is appropriate for the setting.

Statistics: Enhanced Credit is a metatrait consisting of the following. Equipment, +50%; Minimal Intervention, -50%; Signature Assets, +10%; and Temporary Disadvantage, Duty, -10%. +0%.

Edited

While I like the Patron who can give equipment as an idea, the Enhanced Credit and Patron as lender just isn't good enough. I was thinking about how PCs could afford something unusually expensive but I don't see anyone wanting to pay points for this kind of thing. Not after a night sleep anyhow.

I'll leave it up for posterity and there is some decent stuff here, but this will need more pondering.