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Author
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Comment
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N1njato
Ebon Hand Cultist
(3/9/04 9:46 am)
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The PC's in my game expect free services! HELP!
Ok here's the issue. The townsfolk of Hommlet want the Temple and cultists taken care of, but my players are constantly asking for free handouts from the church and others. Their argument is "well, we're HELPING you out by doing this, so we want you to give us (insert items/potions/scrolls/free spell castings here)".
How do I make the PC's *pay* for what they're getting. They have been (because the NPC's refuse to give out free stuff), but the issue keeps coming up with them and I'm running out of ideas as to why the townsfolk aren't about to give them all free stuff. For example, they expected to have a dead PC raised practically for free, when it costs 5,000 GP for Raise Dead to be cast for free. How do I stop them from expecting everything to be free just because they're helping the town?
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Knowe Remorse 
Staj
(3/9/04 10:44 am)
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cheapskate pc's
I'm there with ya, my pc's are the same.
If the pc's have high enough diplomacy, I have lowered a few prices for them and had the NPC tell em "well, because your helping the town...." I would lower the price anyway due to a high diplomacy skill, but I told them the NPC lowered it because they were helping the town. Or When Chat butchered the party cleric, I let Y'dey sell them the raise dead scroll by trading in a magical mace and owing her 2500 gp when they get money to repay her. Will she do this again? Unlikely.
Resources in a town like Hommlett are limited, and people have to eat. A couple deals here or there are fine, but a merchant has a family to feed as well.
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 Infiniti2000
Night Beast
(3/9/04 10:50 am)
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ezSupporter
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Re: cheapskate pc's
First question, is your party good, neutral, or evil?
Other points:
- They have only be asked to help, not forced to help. If they don't want to help out, sacrificing a little on their own, no problem. Don't. Don't also ask 'us' for help when you need it.
- They are certainly not the most important thing going on. If a PC dies, oh well. The town, and especially the church, is not going to spend 5K to raise a PC. They could easily find another adventurer (Questin Himmble, Nierethi, etc.)
- They might just not have the help to give. I don't see a 5000gp diamond in Y'Dey's items.
- Is the party even worth supporting? Are they extremely successful, or is the town merely flushing any help down the toilet when they toss it towards the party?
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Grushnak23
Staj
(3/9/04 2:26 pm)
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Freeloading ain't that popular . . .
That can be a problem. The townsfolk are trying to earn a living just like the adventurers. The merchants would go broke if they gave everything for free to anyone who happened to come through town on a “quest”. The priests are no different. They have to provide for their congregations, building maintenance and other such things. They aren’t in it for the money, but they do require donations to their church.
This is just how things are, and the players must realize it. If it persists, I would certainly make the townsfolk less than gracious to them. Freeloaders are not welcome. Of course the adventurers are trying to save the town, but if every merchant, priest or wizard gave away free goods and services the town would go broke and fall apart anyway.
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SirJalore
Ebon Hand Cultist
(3/9/04 2:51 pm)
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Re: Freeloading ain't that popular . . .
I2K had a good question. Are the PCs good?
I might give them this scenario:
I'd probably let the NPC merchant give them an earful and they would get a look of 'are you kidding me?' "It's you adventurers that get all the loot and magic items and then expect to have the town supply you with things!? If you're such 'heroes', you wouldn't be trying to shake down honest work'n folk! How do we know that you're going to not just take the things and skip town? Show us some results first and then maybe a grateful town will show you some gratitude! But until then... Don't be pestering the good folk of this town with demands for handouts you don't deserve and shouldn't expect! Now if you're not buying... get out of my shop!"
If they didn't get the hint:
If they persisted I'd have someone in authority from the town make them aware of a provision that any adventuring group would need to register itself with the town and then pay a tax on all acquired loot/magic items. Otherwise they may spend some time in the local jail as drifters and ruffians...till they shaped up. (Beauracracy is everywhere...  )
Or to have something else in the bag of tricks, I might say there is a reward for certain services accomplished in helping the town and point to that as the reward for their help. (Reward would be taxed of course.. )
Makes for some good RP situations and gets the point across. The ain't no such thing as a free lunch...
Well that's my 2 cp anyways....
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Mr Kaze
Staj
(3/9/04 4:39 pm)
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They're Adventurers. So What?
If you're running anything remotely close to the default campaign, then the town doesn't really care about adventurers. The town has seen gross excesses of its share of adventure. Levelling the moathouse banditos and/or temple bugbears is like the initiation ritual to join an adventurer fraternity -- it's just there. Rufus, Burne, Elmo, et all -- they've probably all done it once or thrice. How'd you think they got their levels and gear?
So now another band of shoddy mis-matched adventurers shows up, claims that a great evil from yesteryear with names like Lareth and Hedrack and Thrommel and other folks who are dead and gone is up to their old shennanigans at the same time they're asking for handouts because they got beat up by a ghoul. To which anybody with more than 4HD would probably reply...
"Look, I'm sorry that you skinned your knee. Really I am. But honestly: Go home, kid. This is the real world and it's for adults only. You will get hurt out there."
Of course, if you're playing with an evil party featuring cultists, assassins and trolls, you don't have to worry about them slumming around in town for days on end... 
::Kaze
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Cordo Crowfoot
(3/9/04 6:57 pm)
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some good advice above...
Basically most everything that needs to be said has been said.
But one other point. Generally small towns don't enjoy having adventurers travel through, especially Hommlet who has had more than their share. They are tough, yeah, but they are a rough bunch which are commonly known to be trouble makers, and who knows who might have hired them to do this or that nefarious deed.
The modern equivalent would be if a group of Hell's Angels rides into a small town.
Law enforcement can't arrest them just for being there, but they'll let them know they have their eye on them and they aren't really welcome.
Especially if they hit the town with some sort of entitlement mentality. Even if the moathouse is cleared out, it isn't as if that has any apparent affect for the vast majority of the town folk, if they even believe the PCs story.
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JRedGiant
Staj
(3/9/04 7:30 pm)
Reply
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Temple Opportunity
This is a perfect opportunity for the Temple forces to stir up ill will towards the characters. Jaroo can have tea with Y'Day and Yether, as the local religous leaders, and bring up a conversation about the new adventurers. After that he can pretty much let them discuss for themselves their arrogance and greed, with a touch of "in my day!" from Y'Day. Maridosen can do the same in her bar. Before you know it, rumors about them can travel to Rastor and Verbobonc from passing merchants.
To some degree, adventuring is a business, and all businesses depend on having a good reputation in the community.
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N1njato
Ebon Hand Cultist
(3/10/04 12:54 am)
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Re: Temple Opportunity
Wow. Some fantastic responses here. I particularly like the idea that adventurers aren't 'that' special in Hommlet. I also very much like the perspective of 'real heroes' wouldn't ask for handouts. They're a good aligned party, so I can manipulate that aspect of their conscience. The idea of the Doppleganger'ed Jaroo is a very sweet idea. If they continue to be greedy, I'm sure the cultists could use their selfishness against them... heheh I like it...
Thanks a lot for the advice here. It really helped!
Edited by: N1njato at: 3/10/04 12:57 am
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Amethysst 
Ebon Hand Cultist
(3/10/04 5:53 am)
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Re: Temple Opportunity
for me the best way to deal with "Freebees" is to treat the adventurers as business partners if they expect to recieve free raises the should in the same breath consider doing what they are for free - after all the town could simply pay hired men-at-arms to raid the temple/moathouse
If they ask too much from the townsfolk make them aware that their greed is being noticed by all - have the tavern put up their room rent or charge them more than the other guests for food and drink.
Everquest:Drakh Darkscale < Europa > Druzzil Ro
Everquest:Amethysst Rage < Ex-Europa > Tallon Zek
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Angelalex242
Ghoul Worm
(3/10/04 11:29 pm)
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Re: Temple Opportunity
I would also point out greed is a sin.
If a good aligned cleric or any paladin shows signs of greed...don't wait. Make 'em lose their powers. Make 'em require an atonement spell. Immediately. Do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars. Greed is a major sin to the good deities.
Other characters? Everyone else spoke already 
Heaven's wish to destroy all minds! Holy Explosion! |
N1njato
Staj
(3/13/04 12:56 am)
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Re: Temple Opportunity
Great ideas guys. Thanks. They ain't gettin any more free stuff! 
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