Trying to figure out caravan rules here

[Liam Warner]

Okay I've only been able to read the players guide so far so if these questions are answered elsewhere in the path just let me know where please. Anyway I'm trying to put together a "sample" caravan that depending on how the PC's and NPC's might be given to them as what Sandru has already in place but there's a number of things I can't find answers to and I would appreciate it if someone could tell me whether my assumptions are correct please.

1) Unrest: At the start of the path this will be 0.

2) Secondary Stats: There'll be no equip, wagon or mis mods for these.

3) Consumption: The total for the wagons (4) + travellers(6) = 10. Am I right in assuming this is 10 UNITS or 1 Cargo space of supplies a day? Because if that's so it means until they hire cooks or other reducing values e.g. scouts they'll only be able to travel 18 day's without needing to re-supply if they stock nothing but food.

4) This takes us to starting provisions are there statistics given anywhere or can I just freely assign 10 Cargo units: Stores, 8 Cargo units: trade goods. Giving him some trading capacity and enough supplies to travel for 10 days.

5) The special category in the travellers section I assume this is the benefit you get from having someone do that job for a day. Is that right or do certain npc's recruited in the path give other unique benefits.

6)Destruction of a carvan: In one section it says after a caravan is reduced to 0 hitpoints it becomes immobile and additional damage is applied to travellers instead (p.g. 17) but later it say's if a caravan is reduced to 0 hitpoints its destroyed and significant pc's and npc's regroup elsewhere with reduced hitpoints while the rest are all killed (p.g. 27). So which is it is 0 hitpoints a "caravan disolves" ending or are there rules elsewhere where travellers replace hitpoints e.g. you have 7 non-significant npc's once you hit 0 caravan hit points you can take an additional 7 damage with each point lost representing a dead non-signicant guard/cook/what have you when only significant pc's/npc's are left you jump to a different location with them badly injured and trying to escape?

7)Finally on the subject on minor characters the two extra drivers Bevelek and Vankor do they have stats anywhere or do you just assign them as commoner 3 since they're presumably Koya and Sandru's last remaining loyal hirelings and presumably would be roughly the same level as them in non-heroic classes. Similarly since they'd serve as drivers but aren't allies I'd assume they get paid 10GP a month?

[Mort the Cleverly Named]

Well, first, you don't need to guess at what Sandru starts with. It is explained in the first adventure. 1 Covered, 2 Supply, and 2000gp I believe?

Your understand of consumption and whatnot is correct. Although I'm not sure what you mean by #4. You can "freely assign" in that you could fill your caravan however you want, but obviously it isn't "freely assigned" in that you still have to pay for it. Also, don't hold out too much hope for trading. You are given a starting nest egg for the caravan, and any possible gains from training are utterly dwarfed by it.

Yes, those are the benefits you get from a PC or NPC performing that job for the day. While you can recruit other NPCs to help the caravan during the path, the benefits are mostly restricted to performing the jobs listed. Other, special bonuses, are very rare (I can only think of one, and it is a penalty).

The two sections on hit points do indeed contradict each other. I believe the second one, under Caravan Combat, is the intended system. However, be warned that Caravan Combat is severely bugged. Running it as written can be tedious and, more importantly, excessively deadly.

Commoner 3 seems reasonable. I wouldn't make you pay them, since they are Sandru's loyal comrades, but it isn't explicitly spelled out anywhere or anything. They are background characters, and not much attention is given to them either way.

[Liam Warner]

Thanks for the reply, So I assume in regards to your response to number 4 when I get to the bit where the PC's actually meet Sandru he wont have a caravan in existence and you need to spend money on supplies and equipment. The Playeres Guide explains what the makeup of his caravan is but doesn't give any details I can see on what its filled with. I worked out he has 18 cargo spaces but for all I know they could be empty.

[Urath DM]

The caravan exists, and, yes, I believe it is empty. The 2000 gp can be used to add wagons, repair wagon, and/or fill the cargo spaces as you wish.

[Kaushal Avan Spellfire]

OK, I think I can provide some answers.

Liam Warner wrote:

1) Unrest: At the start of the path this will be 0.

This is correct.

Liam Warner wrote:

2) Secondary Stats: There'll be no equip, wagon or mis mods for these.

Secondary stats are modified by certain professions. For example, scouts and guides can grant bonuses to Security checks, while entertainers can grant bonuses to resolve. The caravan begins with no wagons or items that boost these secondary statistics, but the Armored Wagon, Royal Carriage, and Prison Wagon all improve various secondary stats.

Liam Warner wrote:

3) Consumption: The total for the wagons (4) + travellers(6) = 10. Am I right in assuming this is 10 UNITS or 1 Cargo space of supplies a day? Because if that's so it means until they hire cooks or other reducing values e.g. scouts they'll only be able to travel 18 day's without needing to re-supply if they stock nothing but food.

Again, you are correct. 1 cargo unit of stores is equal to 10 units of provisions. Provisions are consumed at a rate equal to consumption. Also, a caravan's consumption cannot be reduced below the number of wagons it has.

Liam Warner wrote:

4) This takes us to starting provisions are there statistics given anywhere or can I just freely assign 10 Cargo units: Stores, 8 Cargo units: trade goods. Giving him some trading capacity and enough supplies to travel for 10 days.

I see no mention in the Player's Guide about starting cargo. The players do begin, however, with 2,000 gp to build up their caravan and purchase supplies with.

Liam Warner wrote:

5) The special category in the travelers section I assume this is the benefit you get from having someone do that job for a day. Is that right or do certain npc's recruited in the path give other unique benefits.

You're right, the traveler jobs grant benefits as long as somebody does that job. Bear in mind, there is a limit to bonus multiple travelers performing the same job can provide. As far as I know, there are no NPCs that provide special benefits outside their job description.

Spoiler:

Spivey the Lyrekien Azata Cleric does not count toward the caravan's traveler limit or consumption, however, due to her size and outsider nature.

Liam Warner wrote:

7)Finally on the subject on minor characters the two extra drivers Bevelek and Vankor do they have stats anywhere or do you just assign them as commoner 3 since they're presumably Koya and Sandru's last remaining loyal hirelings and presumably would be roughly the same level as them in non-heroic classes. Similarly since they'd serve as drivers but aren't allies I'd assume they get paid 10GP a month?

Travelers are all level 1 experts or level 1 warriors (Jade Regent Player's Guide pg. 19). That being said, if you want to bump Bevelek and Vankor's levels up to 3 expert, then feel free to do so. As to their wages, I can't really say (it's not spelled out anywhere), so use your best judgment.

Urath DM wrote:

The caravan exists, and, yes, I believe it is empty. The 2000 gp can be used to add wagons, repair wagon, and/or fill the cargo spaces as you wish.

I believe the clarification is given here.

Jade Regent Player's Guide wrote:

Sandru’s caravan begins with 1 covered wagon, 1 fortune-teller’s wagon, and 1 supply wagon. See the Wagon Statistics section below for the abilities of these three wagons.

-Page 18, under "Caravan Construction", Beginning Wagons.

Hope that helps.