The cost of high living

[Voltumna]

Do you often apply the cost of high living rule? My players stole a great deal of silver pieces, and they are not spending it. Soon after they did, they went on to hide in the wilderness, because they were wanted men where they stole it any way. Their wanderings took them to other nation, where they have just arrived, and where they have spent relatively very little. In the wilderness they couldn't have spend the money, but now in the city, they gave themselves to wenching and drinking for a few days, but are now keeping a low profile. Any way, by the cost of things listed in the rule book, it seems to me they could very well go on like this for a long time. Attempts to steal the money from them with NPCs have failed, and they have this big stash conveniently saved. I just discovered the high cost of living rule, which seems a good way to deplete their wealth, to force them to push for money.

 

[SableWyvern]

I most certainly plan to enforce the high living rule. Additionally, since I plan on running an episodic campaign, I will be indiscriminantly adding or removing items and wealth at various intervals.

 

[Hyborian]

Do you often apply the cost of high living rule? My players stole a great deal of silver pieces, and they are not spending it. Soon after they did, they went on to hide in the wilderness, because they were wanted men where they stole it any way.

This rule matches the "classic" structure of Conan stories (adventure - down time - adventure - downtime ...) and is intented to simulate the fact that the PCs spend most of their money during down time (i. e. between sessions). If you don't use that technique and prefer that each new adventure begins where the last one ended, the High Living rule is certainly more difficult to apply.

 

[Mythos]

I try to apply the living costs rules whenever I can. Normally this is done by putting several months "downtime" between adventures.
If your running a straight linier story here's something to think about.
Have their silver stolen from them. Remember, your players are not the only adventures in the world. Having a group of NPC's that are as skilled and clever as the player characters can make for an interesting adventure in itself. Now they have to go out and take back what they have rightfully stolen.

 

[argo]

My campaign is structured with downtime in between each adventure so what I usually do is quickly review each character's equipment/wealth before each session and tell them what they have lost and what they might have gained since the last session. Which basically ammounts to the same thing. Cost of High Living is a great rule and really helps to drive home the difference between a Conan game and a DnD game.

Do be carefull though to take some time and talk with your players to explain to them why you are doing this. DnD players often have the "gathering and hoarding" mentailty so deeply ingrained in them that it becomes almost a reflex. Be sure to explain to them that in a Conan game it is not their equipment that matters but their characters. Besides, there are no +5 swords to save up for so what does it matter anyway?

 

[The King]

Indeed, the cost of High living rule is excellent because where would the PCs put their money when they go on adventures? Thesaurisation is good for sedentary people and even that is not always practical due to thiefs and greedy soldiers alike.

 

[Conan]

Just because they are hiding out and keeping a low profile doesn't mean they'd have or even want to go without the luxuries wealth brings. If anything they would simply cost more when having to bribe people to look the other way.

Also if they have that much money when they attempt to spend any of it they will attract the attention of theives and murderers. Having to constantly kill people to defend ones property is hardly keeping a low profile.

 

[Voltumna]

Thanks for the input. The hoarding and gathering mentality is deeply set in our group, coming from a DnD background, so I have been thinking how to make up for the diminished value -relatively speaking- of treasure, or it's non existence, in the case of the magical kind.

I belive that in Conan money should be scarce, reflecting the non settled nature of the adventurers, and that specially so, at the lower character levels. Most of the time the young Conan is portrayed as an unencumbered wanderer, that when he gets his hands on some money, will give himself to drinking and wenching until he throws it all away in htis manner, so finding himself in need of more money to continue to indulge himself. I also think it should not be all important for characters with a barbaric background, and as the RPG book points out, adventuring characters live for the day, so there is no point in amassing wealth. I caught this also from the few Howard stories I have read, and some comics, where even when Conan manages to get his hands on some legendary item he wants to steal, he just gives it away in an act of compassion, as in the Tower of the Elephant, or grief, when he cremates the body of Belit with all the treasure in the Tigress, at the end of Queen of the Black Coast.

I think this is one of the rules that bring the game closer to the spirit of the material detachment fo the adventurer type, and that they are not the masters of their lives, as portrayed in Howard's Conan. Thanks again for the comments.

 

[sbarrie]

Thanks for the input. The hoarding and gathering mentality is deeply set in our group, coming from a DnD background, so I have been thinking how to make up for the diminished value -relatively speaking- of treasure, or it's non existence, in the case of the magical kind.

I weaned my players off hoarding by giving experience for high living. Whatever they spent on high living gave xp equal to the number of silver pieces spent divided by their level.

Not I just give bonus xp when they steal/earn lots of money.