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msherman
Here for a while
(4/23/03 6:51 am)
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Potion of Glibness in Verbobonc stores?
The party in my game is currently in Verbobonc, selling off a big pile of loot, including Krebbich's Potion of Glibness. It's occurred to them to use the potion while selling off goods, in an attempt to bluff a better price for the goods.
What would the fallout be, both short and long term? I've detailed a few stores for them to trade their accumulated wealth at, and I've asked them to specify which shop they'll be using their potion at. I'm thinking I'll give them a boost in the value of the goods, maybe 5% per margin they succeed with a Bluff vs. an opposed Appraise? However, the shopkeep would soon discover he's been cheated. How would a Verbobonc shopkeep (with access to a fair bit of magic) deal with that situation? Would they just put up sketches on the Banned For Life wall, or would they take a more active approach to tracking down the perpetrators?
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 Infiniti2000
Still here? Wow.
(4/23/03 6:58 am)
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ezSupporter
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Re: Potion of Glibness in Verbobonc stores?
I'd let them get up to 150% of the value of the item as they've convinced the shopkeeper that the items are much better than normal. However, such tactics should be illegal and once they have been found out, the party will be in trouble. I don't suggest jail time, but perhaps refunding the money without getting back the item(s) would be sufficient punishment, plus 10%, say, to the city as a "tax". The key point is that one should not screw around like that with the economic system. Too many occurrences like this would wreak havoc in the city and then shortly in the nation and the people in charge would take immediate notice.
Stealing is one thing. Blindsiding the economic system with magic is another. Of course, a few incidents is probably not important, a large number of these would be seriously harmful, though, to the foundation of the city.
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Cordo Crowfoot
Here to stay
(4/23/03 7:32 am)
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Re: Potion of Glibness in Verbobonc stores?
So they are actually going to cheat the merchants?
If they are just trying to negotiate the optimal pricing Bluff isn't the right skill. If they are going to tell lies and/or con the merchant, it's the right skill, but you might want to warn them that they will have to face any potential negative repercussions arising from their actions.
IMC at least, selling a magic item is a multi step process, it has to be identified by the local guild, to get the "stamp of authenticity" so to speak. Usually the cost of the identify is included in the 50% loss the party takes, but still this makes it a 2 day deal at a minimum, longer than a Potion of Glibness can last.
Remember that a 2000gp magic item is equivalent to the value of US$10,000 to US$100,000 in our world, and a merchant is going to be very very careful with that amount of money, even if someone turns up claiming to be a long lost family member in need of help for an emergency cure disease at the temple.
It's a good idea on the player's behalf though, so maybe you can nudge them towards using disguise and playing con games on rich nobles instead.
"They were immediately and absolutely recognizable as adventurers. They were hardy and dangerous, lawless, stripped of allegiance or morality, living off their wits, stealing and killing, hiring themselves out to whoever and whatever came... They were scum who died violent deaths, hanging on to a certain cachet among the impressionable through their undeniable bravery and their occasionally impressive exploits" China Mieville, Perdido Street Station |
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