On the note of adventures a week, probably 2 or 3 depending on what they are doing.
[ 06-23-2003: Message edited by: Kekvit Irae ]
EDIT: Obviously, the economy of the town/city they are stationed in also comes into play. They will only get a fraction if they are in a small village with no outside links, but they will get the full amount if they are in a big city with full support from the Army or Militia
quote:
Kekvit Irae is a big idiot for thinking:
incouraging
What's incouraging?
Ok, whats the strikeout code? [ 06-23-2003: Message edited by: Y.O.T.G. ]
It's just the word 'strike' instead out of strikeout.
As for the amount of the reward, you said they're mercenaries. If that's true, have them negotiate the reward with whoever's hiring them for each mission.
Your typical craftsman will be able to make standard non-magical items, and maybe some masterwork items. In order to obtain magic items in a city, your players will need to commission the services of specialized wizards and expert smithies. Again, they should describe the steps taken at the least, and roleplay the process if possible. Armor, whether magical or non-magical, must be made to order, so they shouldn't be able to walk out with it in the same session they order it.
The adventures themselves should still offer rewards beyond the basic salary. Rare finds, such as unusual scrolls, magic oddities, etc., should show up in the possession of people other than those for whom your character works. They would likely need to combat opponents with resources comparable to their own, so a dark sorcerer may use an enchanted staff against them. Defeat the wizard, and they get the staff. That sort of thing.
How difficult is the task? Can it be done by a larger group of less skilled solders? Will all the PC's skills actually be needed? Will the PCs need to employ hirelings? Will the kingdom hire anyone else to join the PCs on their mission?
Is there any competition for the PC's services? This works both ways. First, are there any other groups of mercenaries with comparable skill to the PCs? If so, it will create competition, leading to lower wages. Are other kingdoms trying to hire the PCs? If so, they can use that to negotiate better pay. ("I'm sure King XYZ will pay what I'm asking.")
How much has the kingdom paid them for their services in the past? How much have private interests (other nobles, trading companies, etc) paid for their services? Compare the difficulty to prior missions, and try to figure out an average payment relative to difficulty.
What expenses will the group likely incur during their mission? Are they likely to need armor & weapon repairs? Specialized equipment (such as a spyglass, or enchanted weapons to strike a magical opponent)? Hirelings (as mentioned above)? Figure out the bare minimum they'd need for the mission, but don't tell your players. Then ask them to come up with what they think will be the bare minimum expense of the mission, and explain why. If they justify their expenses decently, then their fee should be at least double the lower of the two estimates, and at least 10% over the higher estimate.
Consider the risk factors involved. Delivering a message tends to pose less risk than taking control of an enemy stronghold. However, if they have to destroy an enemy stronghold to deliver the message, that increases the risk. Their pay should calibrate itself accordingly.
How important is the service the PCs are asked to perform? Something which saves the kingdom is typically worth more than something that brings glory to the kingdom (provided someone knows it's saving the kingdom). [ 06-24-2003: Message edited by: Ford Prefect ]
