My PCs have just crawled out of Sodden Hold, having lost their Kord-honouring fighter to the invisible stalkers. The party Cleric, a faithful servant of Wee-jas , has planned a large and impressive public funeral for their hero. I’m stumped on what to charge for it, as I don’t have a very good handle on urban economics in D&D.
First a bit of background. The fighter died a hero, trying to save two others from near death. The party elf wizard had been absconded by the dopplegangers and was out of the picture. The Rogue, Cleric, Fighter and doppleganger elf-wiz had just come back from a very serious entanglement with the giant octopus. The ‘elfs’ spells had ‘failed’ during the octopus fight, and the party asked him to try it out a simple detect magic in the Stalker’s room, which they had not yet been in. The tricky doppleganger muttered the password and failed the spell. The cleric came in and managed to get off the detect magic before being thumped hard by the Invisible Stalkers. A round of attacks ensued with the Stalkers only attacking the rogue and cleric at first. At last, the conspiring dop-elf-wizard turned on the party, sneak attacking the rogue, doing serious damage. Everyone was completely surprised. A massive battle followed, with the rogue and fighter dropping completely dead and the cleric, below 10 HP and almost out of spells, doing a very hasty, invisible, flying retreat out of Sodden Hold. He was not followed. He had, fortunately taken bits from each player early in the Campaign and was able to borrow from Pollard (Eligos’ assistant) the funds for a resurrection for the rogue (who he always spars with, but hopes to redeem). Alas, there were not enough funds for the fighter, so he was lost in battle. The party regrouped, went in and saved the real elf wizard and got thoroughly spooked by the mind flayer foreshadow experience.
Now, before going to search for the mind flayer, the cleric has the idea to sell the 19,000 GP assets of the fighter and hold a big public funeral. He’s contacted some performers from the Blueberry theatre (detailed in the Dragon wormfood article, with which they had a very funny bardic lore experience sorting out Ilthane’s tainted dark vial potions) to re-enact the scenes of the fighter’s life. He contacted the church of Heironeous to organize a big public funeral march procession, and the church of Kord to obtain appropriate miliary-like funerary goods (monuments, tombstone, coffin drapery, etc). Of course, there are also his own diety's interests in death he has long respected. Because they had made contacts with city officials, handing Telekin over with all the revealing papers, there is expected quite a crowd of public officials and others. All of this is in the heavy backdrop of whipping up the public for a new set of potential heros for the champion games.
So, for the big public funeral, with actors, city guards, appropriate donations to both Kord, Heironeous and Wee-jas temples, and the logistics of a Greyhawk festival, does anyone know where I might turn for guiance on costs. I’m thinking it might be appropriately in the 10,000GP range, but I’m really not sure. Advice would be appreciated. Game night is Wednesday.
... Unless I'm doing the math wrong (entirely possible), that should be more than enough.
The non-game reason: The player with the figher was also playing the rogue and was getting a bit overwhelmed at this level and wanted to drop a character. Luckily, a new player was joining us with a monk rolled up and waiting in quiet contemplation for a consultation with Eligos about some strange unkillable zombies he had encountered in a far away land. Pollard made the introduction with the almost-dead cleric and a new party powerhouse was installed.
The funeral was held for our hero last night. The streets of Midnight Muddle started to fill, with the members of the Blueberry Theatre moving through the quarter telling people to watch for the parade of a great fallen fighter. The city guard kept close watch on the crowds, providing assurance and assistance to the procession that was assembling. While fellow fighters and old associates from the temple of Kord made the final preparations and adornments of the caskets, dawning their finest armour and marching with polished swords, acolytes of Heironeous, always vocal and popular with the public, made preparations for lively, praiseful services. Quietly in the background, the party cleric, a solitary follower of Wee Jas felt satisfied. This was to be a signal of unity of gods in honour of a mysterious death.
The funeral procession began, and as it did, on-lookers were surprised to find that not just the local crowd were assembled. In their ranks city official, prominent business people, minor nobles, were all standing in tribute. The actors of the Blueberry Theatre recounted on a street stage the major strokes of the fallen fighters life, drawing applause and awe at the feats of a life of just under 40 years. Then, after the body was laid to rest with the crisp traditions of Kord striking contrast with the effervescent sermons of Heironeous, a spontaneous series of speeches ensued. A few of the prominent city folks used the forum to clear their names from the deceit of the dopplegangers. More however, focussed on the Champion Games, inciting the crowd to see and experience heros like this one life and fall by their skill, resources and temperament. By the end, many gathered built intense anticipation for the games (others spat cynically, quietly at the whole foolish games-loving lot). On the lips of everyone was the idea of hoping to see the fallen heros comrades compete in the games.
Then the debts were called in. Kord Temple officials detailed 1300gp of finery and services. The city administrators required 900gp for closing the streets and providing the safety of the city guard . Heironeous acolytes took the cleric quietly aside, demanding a shocking 5000gp for their part of the event. And the actors troop, having done an impressive work which really glued the event together, did not leave before collecting their 4586gp fee.
Back to my question, I suspect this was too much, but it is what came to mind. The PC hosting the funeral wanted something monumental. A similar cost to paying the magic to have the fighter restored seemed on par. If anyone has suggestions for economies at this scale, I would be interested and perhaps be able to find some appropriate value to refund the party if need be.
Amazing!
Great idea, I like this. Thanks for sharing.
I don't have any feedback on the economics of it, but rather just wanted to take my hat off to such an inspirational event. Unless you (or your player) minds, I'm tempted to let your funeral procession continue onto the streets of my Free City as well - my boys recently finished off sodden hold, to steer away on a sidetrek to root out any doppelgangers in the Starmane family afterwards. The timing is right, and a heroes' funeral with a troupe reenacting his triumphs could make for some cool background spice!
In the old days (in just about every culture), holding an elaborate funeral was in part a way of displaying wealth. One could spend just about however much money on a funeral one wanted. Some of the prices quoted seem a bit steep, though--hiring an acting troup for a day might cost several hundred gp, clerics could be hired for the price of a few spells one might cast on such a body as part of a ritual (bless, peaceful repose, etc.) Was he cremated or buried? Either way, money for a large gravesite and an impressive monument might be quite expensive, especially near a big city. You might also have considered hiring professional mourners (i.e. people paid to wail and cry on the deceased's behalf), having them buy a coffin made out of some special (even magical) wood that takes a long time to decompose and is said to prevent the corpse from rising as an undead creature, hiring a fine, elaborate hearse, fees to the city for conducting the funeral procession, etc.
I see Kordite funerals as events to honor the dead with displays of physical might, such as wrestling for who gets the honor of delivering the eulogy, or contests of strength for the pallbearers.
If you want to get really bizarre, animate the corpse & have part of the ceremony being to wrestle it & force it into the grave!
I see Kordite funerals as events to honor the dead with displays of physical might, such as wrestling for who gets the honor of delivering the eulogy, or contests of strength for the pallbearers.
If you want to get really bizarre, animate the corpse & have part of the ceremony being to wrestle it & force it into the grave!
That is the greatest idea I have ever heard!
*Ganks*