Saturday, February 21, 2015

Carousing, Philanthropy, and Research: Spending time in the free city of Tyr.


(These rules are subject to change, as they may be revised during play).

I'm currently running a dungeon crawl game set in Dark Sun; the only published setting I actively want to run and play in. Because I'm tracking time outside of the game as passing in game, I decided I need some carousal rules to fill the space.

Eventually I'll port these rules over to cities in Generica as well (Gran Remiel, Port Martel, Elfheim, etc).

Carousing, Philanthropy, and Research:

Rolling on these tables requires two things: At least 2 uninterrupted days/nights in game where your PC isn't incapacitated, cursed, imprisoned, etc, and an amount of gold pieces equal to what you put forward.

While in Tyr, roll 1d8 x a set amount of gold (25gp/50gp/100gp). You spend the amount of gold rolled for on sapwine, gambling, pleasurable company, and bets (carousing), charity, investments, and good deeds (philanthropy), or access to scholars, secret information, and spies (research). In return, you earn an amount of experience points equal to the gold spent.

If you don't have enough gold to cover what you rolled, others can chip in to help. You earn as much xp as you can afford, and players who helped you earn an amount of xp equal to the amount of gold they chipped in. If no one volunteers to help you, you earn the xp of whatever amount of gold you can spend, but must roll on the result table(s) below, but with a d10 instead of a d20.

If you spend 150gp or more on carousal, philanthropy, or research, you get to roll on the result table(s) below.

Carousing (d20):
1) You make a fool of yourself in front of everyone. You gain no XP. Make a Charisma save (moderate DC) or become known in Tyr as a drunk.
2-3) You run in deep while gambling, and now owe three times what you originally spent to a cabal of elven merchants. Refusal to pay is an invitation to being killed.
4) Your sexual dalliances have left you with a disease. Roll on the Athasian venereal disease table.
5) Your rowdiness gets you arrested by Templars. Pay five times what you spent in carousing or be held prisoner in 'The Hold' for a month (or plan to be broken out of prison).
6) You lose all your wealth gambling. Roll Wisdom check for each magic item/metal item in your possession. Failure indicates it’s gone.
7) You drunkenly sleep with a bitter rival/villain. He/she/they swear revenge on you, seeking you out in your weakest moments.
8) You get a bad tattoo. 45% chance that it's in a random language you cannot read, and is insulting to those who can.
9) Awful hangover. You take disadvantage on all Constitution checks and saves for the following 24 hours. Restoration spells and items can cure this.
10-15) No ill effects. Party hard!
16) You gamble and break even. You regain the amount of gold pieces you spent on carousing.
17) While drinking, you make friends with a valuable NPC who can become a hireling or a source of future patronage. She/he gifts you a random trinket.
18) You become romantically entangled with a noble or templar. She/he/they becomes a new bond for your character, and can offer you favour in the future. She/he/they gifts you a random trinket.
19) Incredible gamble! You win big at rot grubs or shell-fist, earning 1d4 x what you spent carousing back.
20) Spirit of partying! You lift the spirits of the women and men of Tyr. You make back what you spent carousing, and earn double the XP. You are remembered fondly by the common folk for a number of weeks equal to your level.
Philanthropy (d20):
1) Your hard work and money actually goes into funding an organization opposed to you. You gain no XP, and they use the money you put into philanthropy against you in the future.
2-3) Your generosity attracts the attention of thieves. Make a Dexterity saving throw (Hard DC) or lose all your wealth/possessions and start play with half of your hit dice.
4-5) Your altruism has made you an enemy of the Templars. You now have enemies of high standing who will try to thwart your future actions.
6) Your generosity insults the pride of those you are trying to help. You cannot perform Philanthropy in Tyr for 1d6 + your level sessions.
7) Your donations cause conflict among the lower class. Your reputation is now at stake. You cannot perform Philanthropy in Tyr for 1d4 sessions.
8) You garner the attention of a rival philanthropist (noble) who wants all the credit for your actions. You now have an enemy of moderate standing who will try to thwart your future actions.
9-15) No ill effects. How benevolent!
16) Your actions grant you a piece of information that may be useful to your current quest or future adventures.
17) You gain an ally of moderate standing who will try to assist you.
18) You gain an ally of high standing who will try to assist you.
19) You gain the attention of a secret organization working to better people's lives in Tyr. They grant you an amount of gold pieces (in favour) equal to what you spent on philanthropy.
20) Champion of Tyr! Your generosity and good-heartedness are becoming legend in Tyr. You earn double the XP. You are remembered fondly by the common folk for a number of weeks equal to your level. 
Research (d20):
1) The abyss gazes back! Your research leads to a horrifying discovery. You lose the amount of XP you stood to gain, but you are now aware of a vital (and shocking) piece of information.
2-4) Burn out! Staring at musty tomes and grilling old coots has left you mentally exhausted. Make a Wisdom save (Hard DC). Failure means you gain no XP.
5-6) Your curiosity draws the attention of an enemy. You now have an enemy of high standing who will try to thwart your future actions.
7-9) Dead end! Your research leads to nothing. You gain a quarter of the XP equal to how much you spent researching.
10-15) No ill effects! Highly logical!
16) You gain information that could be useful on your current quest or future adventures.
17) You gain information that grants you inspiration (advantage) in this session.
18) You learn a new Intelligence based skill or new language.
19) Cartography! You piece together a working map of a level of a dungeon you're currently exploring (or a lost treasure map to a different location).
20) Brain blast! Same result as 1, but you earn double the XP.

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