Okay,
My group has just finished the Whispering Cairn adventure and already, we're having issues with the financial backdrop of the adventure. Diamond Lake has a limit of 900gp - does this mean that the town (as a whole) can only purchase up to 900gp worth of goods before they are out of coin? That doesn't seem to make much sense.
Then again, if you can purchase anything up to 900gp in value, that seems to make the town too wealthy for it's supposed status as an out-of-the-way smudge on the map.
As a result, I have gone to the idea that each shop has a 900gp purchase power, meaning anything above and beyond that amount has to be given in vouchers that can be used at any other shop in town. Problem with THAT is that there is no stock market and all anyone of these individuals has to do is go to one of the other merchants and claim their amount IMMEDIATELY after the party has done their purchasing, and you have bankruptcies closing down town. I've heard of merchants holding off just to keep each other in business, and I'm sure they'd do that sort of thing, but so long as the adventurers are in town, bringing back 3,000 - 5,000gp worth of treasure in a trip, you've got serious economic problems going to happen soon.
So far, the troupe has dealt with this by using their connection with Allustan and giving him their shopping list (and their vouchers) and having him send off one of his lackeys to do the purchasing in the City of Greyhawk (I'm running it in Greyhawk, obviously). Such things result in the party having to wait a week or more for their items, and I've not had the heart to take some of their hard-earned treasure away by having bandits hit the caravan...
What are you guys doing for treasure dispersal, or am I totally misreading this?
Syrinx
Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
|
This is completely from memory, and thus effectively pulled out of my ass, but I believe the 900gp limit is the max value of a particular item that can be bought or sold in town. The full amount that the local economy can absorb is a function of the population and the size modifier. Check the DMG section about towns - you should find something there.
I use the method of a safe place to stash things. In your case Alustan would be willing to look after the treasure until the PCs are ready to move out of Diamond Lake, then they have to take it with them. Random encounters with itinerant merchants can also prove useful.
Ooh, I like the itinerant merchant idea... *steals that one*
I came t the realization last night that the 900gp limit is the highest amount of any one item you can purchase in Diamond Lake - NOT the maximum amount any one merchant can purchase. The Assets of Diamond Lake are listed at around 40,000gp, making the whole idea of letters of marque pointless. They still, however, have to send off to Greyhawk for items over that limit, and they had sent off for a couple of items (a mithral shirt and a Heward's Handy Haversack), so it wasn't entirely wasted.
Syrinx