So Raggi's axe was sold to fund his return from death.
What he lost was this:
• Dwarven Fine Greataxe (Accuracy +2, Puissance +2, Shatterproof), $49,400, 8 lbs.
It was sold for $19,760, and Resurrection cost $15,000. He has $4,760 plus around some loot money. Not enough for an enchanted axe, but plenty enough to order a pretty good one:
• Balanced Dwarven Fine Ornate Silvered Greataxe, $2,100, 8 lbs.
"Ornate" isn't strictly necessary, but it's only $100 (+1 CF) for a +1, and it'll look nice.
He doesn't have the $10,600 it would cost for a giant spider silk cloth shirt, but he probably needs it for the 2 additional DR. Getting Puissance +1 on his axe for $5,000 is more of a priority.
It's really a shame his magic greataxe is gone. That - like the treasure horde and monster that guarded it - was an exact clone of an encounter from my version of the Forgotten Realms "Dungeon of Death" from my long-running GURPS 1e-converted-to-3e-revised game. It's even the inspiration for a magic item in GURPS Dungeon Fantasy Denizens: Barbarians!
Oh well, it's gone now. Perhaps this new axe can carve its own legend.
The new owner of his axe has to turn up at some point.
ReplyDeleteActually I like that idea enough to track the high value loot my PCs sell for no other reason than it isnt their ideal loadout. Theyve sold $20,000 weapons etc
A quarterstaff wielding, halfling sized magic armour wearing opponent with a magic crossbow needs to show up.
Actually, it's pretty certain it will never show up. I want people to have to make real choices about what to keep and what to sell, not treat Stericksburg as a high-end magic item pawnshop.
DeleteBesides, to "show up" it would need to be in the hands of a monster (and thus able to be re-looted, despite being sold) or in the hands of an NPC henchman, which means it could be salvaged off a corpse.
It would fit a different game, but not this one. The cool and weird stuff they sold? The Razor, the golden fish, this axe, Sterick's personal baton, etc. - they're gone. When you leave town in Wizardry, Balto doesn't have the stuff you sold anymore. Same here.
I'm talking about a hostile party snapping up the bargain basement items they've sold
DeleteThat would be "hands of a monster (and thus able to be re-looted, despite being sold)" - and I really don't want to do that. Why should the PCs sell things for 40% of value and then get 100% of the value back again? They could even more freely sell things they don't need now, knowing they'll probably show up later as loot.
DeleteLook it's as you like for your game.
DeleteI like the enemy party as the really dangerous opponents. These parties ARE going to have high value magic items. Giving them a 100k magic battle axe the PCs sold is no different from giving them a 100k magic battle axe the PCs didnt sell.
Just a story.
Ofcourse selling magic keys, maps or the like is a great reason for other parties to pre loot treasure.
I won't use this often. Just an exuse for some the weird but cool gear the PCs sold without thinking about actually show up.
DeleteAnother way to go would be, every time there's a good reason like a merchant caravan coming into Town, that rumors of some wild amazing stories involving the sold-of items come with it. Far enough away that there's no way to get it, but enough frequency to make the stories carry some bite.
DeleteI just don't have enemy parties, really.
Delete"Giving them a 100k magic battle axe the PCs sold is no different from giving them a 100k magic battle axe the PCs didnt sell."
To me that's a big difference. One is a new item, one is a second chance at an item. I like the former and don't like the implications of the latter.
I like the idea of a powerful *cursed* item that always finds it way back into the dungeon. After a while townies won't buy it anymore either, because they've caught on.
DeleteOh, well, yeah. Bad pennies are bad pennies - they keep coming back. Until you stop trying to cash in on them and use Remove Curse.
DeleteHow do you avoid it being a death spiral? If Raggi died with his axe he would seem to die even better without it
ReplyDeleteI don't really even try to avoid a death spiral. If it happens, it happens, and the PCs will need to find a way to avoid it. There are plenty of places less lethal - but less rewarding - than the area they've been going to. They can do that if they are concerned people will keep dying.
Delete