How reasonable is this bit of an adventure idea?

I'm writing up ideas for an adventure for 1st-3rd level characters. The party's ultimate adversary is a little unusual. He's a human Rogue 1/Expert 5 with a Charisma of 18. He has the Leadership feat and a leadership score of 13 (6 for his character level, 4 for his Charisma modifier, 1 for having a reputation for generosity and 2 for having a power base - he's the mayor of a large village). This grants him one 4th level cohort and eleven followers (ten 1st level and one 2nd level). One of the class skills I gave him as an Expert is Knowledge (Arcana). Nine ranks of that and Skill Focus brings him up to +12 (he's only got an Intelligence of 11). That and +13 UMD make him about as serious about arcane magic as any non-caster could be, for his level.

His 4th level cohort is going to be a wizard with Scribe Scroll and Craft Wondrous Item. Given that the cohort can make wondrous items for half their market price, do you think it's reasonable that he would make those items available at cost to his ever-so-charismatic patron? Because, if he does, the boss's 5600 gp will go a lot further. Or am I being naughty?

Edit: Thanks for moving this thread, Mr Mod.

Sure, he could give items to his followers as part of good service, its one of the way he maintains power.

The question here is, what in the cohorts background ties him to this mayor that he's willing to drain his xp for him?

Yes, the cohort needs motivation and he needs to be rewarded in other ways than money. What do all wizards want? Power. What does the mayor know more than he should about? The arcane.

The mayor has a secret. He knows something that he believes will make him much more powerful than he is currently. He's using his considerable knowledge and persuasiveness to convince his avaricious cohort that an investment in protecting him will pay off for both of them fairly soon.

I'm not ready to go into specifics on that yet but I have given it consideration. But if we can, for the sake of argument, agree that the wizard is being indulged and protected by his patron, is it okay to grant the patron access to such wondrous items as the wizard can create at half their market value?

yes

Just keep in mind any extra gear you give the NPCs very likely will end up in the PCs hands. The biggest problem I've seen in my games is when the characters are too wealthy.

The 5600 gp is character wealth, not money. I wouldn't let him do it.

I'd give him extra gp, though, for in-character reasons, though.

Free Tower built by endentured adventurers

Sure, the 5.6 kg (kilogold - /groan) is total wealth. I'm not justified in converting that into items at cost. Bad phrasing on my part. I'm thinking that about 1k is what the mayor has available to actually spend in this situation.

Any other thoughts?

Targos said:

Just keep in mind any extra gear you give the NPCs very likely will end up in the PCs hands. The biggest problem I've seen in my games is when the characters are too wealthy.

Click to expand...

That is why evil villains have a self-destruct all PC usable possesion Quaal's Feather token with them at all times.