Wages, Salaries, and Earnings

[fenriswolf456]

I have to agree with others in that money in itself isn't going to be much of a motivating factor, at least not for long. This is supposing your players aren't already in a similar mindset as you are. If they're all for a side game of Papers & Paychecks, great! Though I think having a more personal stake in things will be a better motivator.

You'll also have to look into toning down treasure from any potential encounters and ruin-clearing. Even half a parcel is still worth 2 hexes per player. Why wouldn't the PCs risk the ruins if an hour's adventuring gives them ~4 days pay? They'll just catch the paymaster next visit.

Even at 2nd level, the mapping will soon become secondary if all it means is finding the next encounter, unless there's more to it than a simple paycheck for work done.

It mostly comes down to expectations. For this to really work, the players will have to get into the correct mindset. It also seems unlikely that a lot of characters/classes will endeavour on this out of the box. Are the characters being created with wilderness scouting in mind?

Othewise, it's your world. If 12 gold a hex is what you consider appropriate for the pace you want, then that works fine. You could tell the party that the usual rate is around 10 gold, so they are getting quite the offer for the work. PCs will work more if they perceive the value of the work being higher than normal.

 

[Ferghis]

How about giving them a small per-diem and then giving them bonuses for returning (verified?) maps to the "employers?" That way, they don't start out with too much money, but can get money when they have leveled up and are back in town.

 

[Nytmare]

I have to agree with others in that money in itself isn't going to be much of a motivating factor, at least not for long. This is supposing your players aren't already in a similar mindset as you are. If they're all for a side game of Papers & Paychecks, great! Though I think having a more personal stake in things will be a better motivator.

I'm trying to figure out the best way though to make sure that money stays a motivating factor. We are trying to play a game where the characters initial motivations are to explore to get money so that they can explore better so that they can get more money. It isn't a side game of Papers and Paychecks, that's the underlying "game" part of this particular game.

They want to explore, and then, once the exploration is done, they conquer the wilderness, and put in a road, and build up a town, and protect the trade route, and run a city. The players will grow to have personal stakes in things, they just aren't starting the game with them.

"You'll also have to look into toning down treasure from any potential encounters and ruin-clearing. Even half a parcel is still worth 2 hexes per player. Why wouldn't the PCs risk the ruins if an hour's adventuring gives them ~4 days pay? They'll just catch the paymaster next visit.

Parcels will be smaller because the levels are longer, and because money is coming in from other places. Risking the ruins doesn't guarantee payment, and not catching the paymaster would mean that they go without the 2 weeks they've earned since they last saw him, and go another 2 weeks before they see him again. What's the point in gambling 4 days of pay against 4 weeks of being flat broke?

It mostly comes down to expectations. For this to really work, the players will have to get into the correct mindset. It also seems unlikely that a lot of characters/classes will endeavour on this out of the box. Are the characters being created with wilderness scouting in mind?

They are. They're a rough and tumble group of wet behind the ears scouts and cartographers. We always build with the starting point of the story in mind, and make the characters as a group first, not as random individuals thrown in together by fate.

 

[Nytmare]

How about giving them a small per-diem and then giving them bonuses for returning (verified?) maps to the "employers?" That way, they don't start out with too much money, but can get money when they have leveled up and are back in town.

I don't think I understand. Are you just saying to, in essence, give them a daily wage so that they still have access to money even if they don't do any mapping?

 

[Ferghis]

I don't think I understand. Are you just saying to, in essence, give them a daily wage so that they still have access to money even if they don't do any mapping?

I imagine they'd need some cash to prepare some food & water and maybe hire a donkey. Advance them that much if they negotiate for it. I mean, what kind of idiot would just set out on a trek in the wilderness with only a few days food and one day's worth of water? If I was a player, I'd look to get at least that out of the employer. It's not a lot, but it would mean that the employer is actually looking for a successful venture, instead of just looking for suckers.

I wouldn't expect the employer to pre-pay the whole service. Just the expenses, since I wouldn't know if I could get them out there.

 

[Nytmare]

I imagine they'd need some cash to prepare some food & water and maybe hire a donkey.

The group was given an advance of 200 gold.

 

[Ferghis]

Under what I'm proposing, this employer would basically be an investor they would have to get rid of when they get rich. Maybe turns out to be the ultimate bad guy.

 

[Nytmare]

Under what I'm proposing, this employer would basically be an investor they would have to get rid of when they get rich. Maybe turns out to be the ultimate bad guy.

Nah, the employers are the only real bastion of hope in this corner of the world.

 

[LostSoul]

I have a bunch of stuff about settlements if you're interested.

Let's see... how big they are, what's in a settlement, what the settlement needs to grow, how they react to the PCs, how fast NPCs/PCs can build constructions, how much you can tax a settlement, blah blah blah...

Let me know if you're interested.

 

[RoboCheney]

That's a cool campaign idea! Two quick thoughts:

-Early on, let the players discover a stash of residium / rare incense so they can cast a Tensor's Floating Disk without setting their expedition back 2 weeks. Or give them an alternate way to cast rituals without burning through their gp.

-Gold isn't intrinsically valuable . . . make sure the players have stuff they want to buy that's just out of reach, so it can act as a goal. Running a low-magic game, maybe recruiting henchmen, building settlements, or gaining alternative rewards could act as that carrot. Or re-flavor some existing magic items to be more mundane (healing potions could be herbal salves, or a masterwork weapon could provide some subtle bonus or power).

Good luck with the game!