Beholder Bob
First Post
I'm about to run a early steam era / fantasy world with firearms and have thought of a possible problem. Most folks seem to suggest that the firearms should be 400-4000 GP, which I would say is fine since they are the new technology and so very valuable. This opens the door though. Forget the treasure, strip the pistols and rifles off of the dead bodies! Now there is the real treasure.
The solution I'm thinking of is that firearms are magical, but not to the same degree as a +x weapon. Firearms are allied with family bloodlines, using pacts made in the family past (with fire elementals???) to power these firearms. Anyone of the "johkster" blood line can fire the pistol, but no one else can. The firearms MUST have the family crest in relief/marked on the weapon. A peasant can have a firearm (he came from a family that has slid down on hardtimes, had a member in a royal military position and so earned a firearm, what have you) - but it is not an immediate treasure item. Family lines become important, and perhaps I could have your family line have other effects as well. Also, if an alliance/deal with fire element is possible, then what of the other elements? Perhaps a steam engine is the result of a water elemental?
What do you think? Is it too hokey an excuse to keep firearms from being the majority of treasure value? Suggestions?
The solution I'm thinking of is that firearms are magical, but not to the same degree as a +x weapon. Firearms are allied with family bloodlines, using pacts made in the family past (with fire elementals???) to power these firearms. Anyone of the "johkster" blood line can fire the pistol, but no one else can. The firearms MUST have the family crest in relief/marked on the weapon. A peasant can have a firearm (he came from a family that has slid down on hardtimes, had a member in a royal military position and so earned a firearm, what have you) - but it is not an immediate treasure item. Family lines become important, and perhaps I could have your family line have other effects as well. Also, if an alliance/deal with fire element is possible, then what of the other elements? Perhaps a steam engine is the result of a water elemental?
What do you think? Is it too hokey an excuse to keep firearms from being the majority of treasure value? Suggestions?