Supplement Four
Mongoose
In a couple of places in the Conan RPG it states that the price of goods listed is just a rule of thumb to indicate the average price of the item where the item can be readily obtained. Outside of this area, prices can be five, ten, even twenty times more expensive. I think this is mentioned in the equipment section of the Core rulebook, but I know this is discussed in Across Thunder River.
I need a rule of thumb for my game. Of course I'm using the bartar system for my barbarians, but I need a way of comparing value. How much should I multiply the goods for barbarians trading in Cimmeria?
I'm thinking five times for normal items and ten times for hard-to-get items. But, I may be off.
What's your thoughts?
I'll give you an example of what I'm thinking.
The Cimmerians are practical people, thus is there outlook on the value of goods.
A 150 sp silver pendant would be worth 150 sp in trade goods in Cimmeria. Same price. It's pretty. Cimmerians recognize it's trade value with outsiders. But, it's really not worth much among themselves because it isn't practical.
A good steel broadsword and oiled leather scabbard, listed at 625 sp, would barter for 6250 sp in Cimmeria.
A 400 sp mail shirt, though recognized as useful, is frowned upon among the barbarians. Nevertheless, it would barter for 2000 sp (5x). A well made targe, though, normally valued at 3 sp, would barter for 60 sp in Cimmeria.
A leathern drinking jack, normally a 1/4 sp item, is practical and valuable in the eyes of any Cimmerian, and it trades for 2 sp in Cimmeria. The less common flint and steel combination, normally trading for 1/2 sp, trades for 5 sp among the Cimmerians.
See where I'm headed?
I need a rule of thumb for my game. Of course I'm using the bartar system for my barbarians, but I need a way of comparing value. How much should I multiply the goods for barbarians trading in Cimmeria?
I'm thinking five times for normal items and ten times for hard-to-get items. But, I may be off.
What's your thoughts?
I'll give you an example of what I'm thinking.
The Cimmerians are practical people, thus is there outlook on the value of goods.
A 150 sp silver pendant would be worth 150 sp in trade goods in Cimmeria. Same price. It's pretty. Cimmerians recognize it's trade value with outsiders. But, it's really not worth much among themselves because it isn't practical.
A good steel broadsword and oiled leather scabbard, listed at 625 sp, would barter for 6250 sp in Cimmeria.
A 400 sp mail shirt, though recognized as useful, is frowned upon among the barbarians. Nevertheless, it would barter for 2000 sp (5x). A well made targe, though, normally valued at 3 sp, would barter for 60 sp in Cimmeria.
A leathern drinking jack, normally a 1/4 sp item, is practical and valuable in the eyes of any Cimmerian, and it trades for 2 sp in Cimmeria. The less common flint and steel combination, normally trading for 1/2 sp, trades for 5 sp among the Cimmerians.
See where I'm headed?
