Tuesday 8 March 2022

Priceless

This Bastionland Editorial was originally sent as a reward to all Patreon supporters, and is released freely on this site a week after its original publication.

If you want to support my blog, podcasts, and video content then head over to my Patreon.

-----------------------------

Into the Odd, and especially Electric Bastionland, hold personal wealth in high regard. Your debt looms over you, and you're explicitly told to go and hunt treasure to get rich quick. Buying fancier weapons and armour is one of the main ways to improve your survivability, and I wrote the Luxuries section of the equipment list to tempt players into increasingly avaricious ventures.

Playing around with a more mythic-medievally-thing on the same chassis has made me rethink the position of money. Not quite one of those barter systems where people trade rabbits for halberds, but definitely something that would force players to take on a different relationship with money. That is to say I wanted to get rid of it.

As a side note, I want to put some weight on the mythic part of my description above. I love exploring medieval history, but sometimes the legends are even more interesting than the truth. Take Le Mort d'Arthur. It's a book published in the 15th Century, set around the 5th Century, drawing on stories originating from anywhere in between those points. That's before you even get into the various cultures that have thrown their own twists into the tale.  Sub-Romain Britain is fascinating, but Arthurian Britain is enthralling

So what value would this sort of world put on a longsword? You'd better track down a fine blacksmith, there's no call for such an artisan in this sleepy village, so off to a distant castle. Perhaps their liege already has them busy with work, so why should they make a sword for you? Do you try to appease the liege, or strongarm the smith? Maybe you're better off finding a barrow mound rumoured to hold the fine arms from a long-dead warlord.

You don't just go to the shop.

I need to work on this guidance, but I have the seeds of a procedure in place and, for now at least, have removed all references to monetary valuations. 

TRADE Only the rich deal in coins. Most trade in this primeval land is focused on:

  • Finding somebody who can supply the item or service.
  • Making sure they have what they need to provide it.
  • Providing them with one of their needs or wants, or making a firm or implied promise. 

The value of any given item depends entirely on the bargaining positions of the person holding it, and the person desiring it. Long-standing trade agreements often form into pledges of ongoing service or protection.

Naturally, more effective arms and luxurious goods are more difficult to find in supply, and demand more in return.

COMMON ARMS 

Crude Weapon: d6 bulky, pitchfork, staff, etc.
Blade: 2d4, dagger, dirk, etc.
Hand Weapon: d6, axe, spear, etc.
Field Weapon: d8 bulky, pike, bill, etc.
Niche Weapon: d6, bulky, +d8  in a specific situation, torniehook, thistlepole, etc.
Javelin: d6 ranged
Bow: d6 bulky, ranged
Light Shield: +1 Armour in melee
Heavy Shield: +1 Armour, bulky
Field Armour: Armour 1, bulky

RARE ARMS 

Hefty Weapon: d8, waraxe, morningstar, etc
Longsword: 2d6
Greatsword: 2d8 bulky
Greatbow: d8 bulky, ranged
Kite Shield: +1 Armour
Fitted Armour: Armour 1

Note: Weapons listing multiple dice roll and keep the single highest die.

4 comments:

  1. Oh wow. This looks fascinating! I'll have to consider a similar approach for a future campaign. This idea is too good to pass up.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hell yeah, Arthurian inspiration! I'm excited!
    Btw u wrote 2d4 damage for blades, check it

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 2d4 is correct, you'd roll both and take the highest

      Delete
  3. Hey Chris, if you haven't read it, you might enjoy David Graeber's book Debt: The First 5000 Years. It covers a lot of ground around of monetary economics. Of particular interest is the absence of evidence for the existence of barter, and the importance of, as you imply, longstanding social relations. The world can be a tricky place to equip yourself if you're a stranger... or an adventurer.

    ReplyDelete