Laurefindel
Legend
The Adventurer’s Emporium
Welcome to the Adventurer’s Emporium ™ my friend. Come inside and let us fix you up for your next adventure!
Here at Adventurer’s Emporium ™, we believe that encumbrance can be a thing without having to minutely compute the weight of all your equipment and compare it to an overly-generous carrying capacity. Instead, here at Adventurer’s Emporium ™, the encumbrance of an item is indicated by its load: an abstracted measure of the item’s weight, inconvenience, fragility, and attention that you must provide for its care.
So have a look at our merchandise and remember, the load of each item is indicated on the back of the price tag.
[sblock=The Rules]
Your carrying capacity is represented by a number of “equipment slots” equal to your Strength score. Each item uses a number of equipment slots according to its load.
If you carry load in excess of your Strength score, you are encumbered, which means your speed drops by 10 feet.
If you carry load in excess of twice your Strength score, you are instead heavily encumbered, which means your speed drops by 20 feet and you have disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws that use Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution.
You cannot carry load in excess of three times your Strength score.
[/sblock]
A Purse for your Coins (1 equipment slot)
Money does not weight so much in pounds, but it’s heavy on the mind. Either you’re worried about not having enough, or you have so much that you’re afraid to be a target in town. You fall asleep to the dreams of your next treasure hoard, but not before hiding your purse from the party’s rogue. Money is a stressful business when you’re about, and weights heavier than it should.
Food and Water for a Day (1 equipment slot)
It’s hard to realize how heavy food can be until you take a 5-day hike dodging wolves and goblins, or until your grocery bag rips at the top of the stairs of your 9-story wizard tower. Cheaper than road rations for sure, but unpractical for long travels.
Rations for a Week (2 equipment slots)
Ahh, that’s the good stuff; cured meat, dried fruits, nourishing roadbread, and perhaps a small flask of spirits; all of it packaged in a small waxed basket that fits snuggly at the top of your pack to keep your sandwiches dry from the rain. Assuming you can get water on the way, a single waterskin will do. Otherwise, each extra day worth of water uses 1 additional equipment slot.
A Simple or Martial Weapon (1 equipment slot)
The kind you to kill bad guys with, not just a knife for shaving or a hatchet for kindling. It comes in a sheath of some sort, perhaps with a whetstone and a small flask of oil. It’s altogether pretty light, but you must constantly have it ready and always keep it within reach when you go pee. Combat breaks in the worse times I tell you…
Special: Daggers do not count against your encumbrance and every respectable adventurer is assumed to carry one or two. A bandolier full of throwing knives uses 1 equipment slot.
Special: The encumbrance of a shortbow or light crossbow includes a quiver of 20 arrows or bolts. Each extra quiver uses 1 additional equipment slot.
A Heavy Weapon (3 equipment slots)
Now you really mean business. It’s heavy compared to simpler weapons, and it is often cumbersome in tight passages and overgrown terrains. Plus, it doesn’t pack well if you want to keep it handy, and often occupies one of your hands. Unlike a staff or a spear, you can’t even use it as a walking prop. At least you look badass!
Special: The encumbrance of a longbow or heavy crossbow includes a quiver of 20 arrows or bolts. Each extra quiver uses 1 additional equipment slot.
A Shield (2 equipment slots)
Something to hide behind when arrows are rainin’ and blows are stormin’. Many warriors would prefer going to battle without clothes than without a shield (the Adventurer’s Emporium ™ is not responsible for injuries incurred by going into battle without clothes on). There are worse things to lug around but still, those wizards have it easy!
A Suit of Armour (special, see below)
Only barbarians are crazy enough to fly into battle almost naked. Well, them and those monk blokes from the monasteries. And wizards too I guess... The point is, sensible people wear a minimum of protection when adventuring, if only a snazzy-looking leather vest and greaves. Heavier armours are, well, heavier, and higher maintenance too (you ain’t gonna leave that scratch on your brand-new plate will you?) They’re hot in the summer, cold in the winter, and take forever to don. Even the elf is ready before you finish putting your plate on, but you’ll be thankful for all that steel once the orcs come.
Special: A suit of armour uses 1 equipment slot per point of AC above 10. For example, a chainmail (AC 16) uses 6 equipment slots.
A Potion Box (1 equipment slot)
Don’t you hate it when all your healing potions break in your pack, or when your vial of acid corrodes all your spare underwear? I heard of a few mishaps with alchemist’s fire too… The solution lies right before you in this convenient rigid leather pouch assuring the accessibility and protection of all your flasks, bottles, and vials.
A Lantern or a Bundle of Torches (1 equipment slot)
Not everyone should be so lucky to be an elf, or half-elf, or dwarf, or gnome, or half-orc, or tiefling, or you know, half the entries in the Monstrous Manual. Normal people are rubbish in darkness and appreciate a bit of light when exploring a dark dungeon or venturing on a starless night (so do dwarves but don’t tell them that; they’re sensitive). Torches are affordable, handy, relatively safe, and easily crafted. A single bundle will last you for a quiet week, or provide your whole party for a day-long dungeon crawl.
Those with fancier tastes might prefer a lantern instead. Lanterns come in “bullseye” (60-foot cone) or “hooded” (30-foot radius) varieties. Both are beautiful and reusable objects, lighter than a whole bundle of torches but a bit on the fragile side. You can easily set it down without snuffing out the flame, but it is likely to go out and break if dropped. If you’re unlucky (or lucky), the lantern will spill its content, fire will spread all over, and the innkeeper will be mad again.
A Spell Focus (1 equipment slot)
A holy symbol or one of those glass orbs you find in esoteric magic shops. Spell foci comes in all kinds of forms and shape but although most are small and light, all are important items deserving good care and respect. For this reason, a spell focus uses one equipment slot on its own (unless the spell focus is an item, or etched on an item, that already uses one or more equipment slots).
A 50-foot Hemp Rope (2 equipment slots)
“What about a bit of rope?” my friend Sam used to say. Part of your complete adventurer’s kit since 1974 (right next to the 10-foot pole, which we no longer sell incidentally). A 50-foot coil makes for a good size bundle, and despite the fact that you’re always short 5 feet regardless of the length you carry, carrying more than 150 feet would be unpractical. Those fancy elves also make rope out of silk that weights only half the load of a hemp cable (for ten times the price, of course).
A Tent (3 equipment slots)
A somewhat waterproof canvas propped by one or two poles and fixed to the ground with wooden spikes. Most common models include the two-post wedge tent or the single-mast pavilion. It provides a decent shelter against rain and dew, but unfortunately not against the dwarf’s snoring. A tent comfortably fits two with a small brazier, or up to four crammed travellers. Bigger models can accommodate larger parties (or bigger egos) and use 10 equipment slots instead.
A Music Instrument (2 equipment slots)
The reason why your party loves (or hates) you so much, and one of your most prized possessions. Small instruments such as a reed flute do not count against your encumbrance, but larger yet portable instruments such as a lute or a small harp, a shawm or trumpet, a tambourine or organetto, etc. take a little bit of room and a great deal of care.
A Mundane or Magic Item (1 equipment slot)
If an item is not among those listed above but is still worth noting on your character sheet, it takes one equipment slot. Otherwise, it is assumed to be part of one of your packs, kits, or supplies (see the next room down the stairs). This seems unnecessarily encumbering for a magic ring or a necklace, but it represents the care you take to keep the item safe, handy, and clean, because it is precious to you (just ask Frodo and that Gollum bloke). Your teammates might even say that you’re being a bit obsessive over these items. Pfff, they’re just jealous...
Kits and Supplies
Wise merchants know that newly rolled adventurers have no time for shopping before their first adventure, and so they make convenient thematic packages ready-made for adventuring! All come with their own backpack or cases and all. It’s pretty neat really. Let me take you to our collections of adventurer’s supplies! This way please.
A Tool Kit (2 equipment slots)
Here at the Adventurer’s Emporium ™, se have a wide selection of tool kits allowing you to exercise your trade on the field, stitch-up the dwarf who insists it is « only a flesh wound », disarm the nasty kobold trap, get your rogue in (or out) of trouble with the law (if you get my drift), climb to the summit of Mount Highpeak, or use any tool proficiency described in the PHB. Each tool proficiency uses its own kit, stored in a small wooden box or tight leather pouch – some plain and practical, others intricate or fancy – to prevent their content from getting mixed-up or spilling all over your stuff. Still, we do recommend that you store your poisoner’s kit far away from your elven wafers. One can never be too prudent!
Traveller’s supplies (2 equipment slot)
The adventurer’s basics; a nice backpack to put your lucky blanket in, a few warm socks, a small fur to use as a pillow, and your favourite teddy bear. Typical travelling gears includes a tin cup or small wooden tankard, a plate, bowl and few utensils, a knife to cut something else than orc bellies (are you about to spread butter on your toast with that!?!), a flint-and-steel, a small oil lamp and a few candles, some fragrant oil that repels mosquitoes, lip balm, and other necessities for travelling. That lump over there is a bar of soap by the way, don’t be shy to use it!
Special: During the colder months or far up north, a traveller’s supplies kit uses 4 equipment slots.
Wizard Supplies (2 equipment slots)
Admit it, you’re a nerd and you love your booky stuff, but those “special inks” and spellbooks of yours won’t carry themselves you know (unless you enchant them to do just that. Hum, there’s an idea…) Spellbooks are made to be sturdy – they get roughen up quite a bit during adventuring and quickly lose their mint-condition value – but you still need to take exceptional care of your spellbook and stack it deep in your backpack. Your whole career literally depends on it after all.
Your spell component pouch on the other hand needs to be readily available and well-kept at all time. Nothing looks more unprofessional than a wizard rummaging for a ball of guano and sulfur in the middle of combat. It gives the whole class a bad name really.
What’s that? You’re a sorcerer and just need a few spell components? Well, get yourself an arcane focus already!
Burglar Supplies (2 equipment slots)
Everything you need for all your dodgy shenanigans. Includes all sorts of things like a pouch of ball bearings, glass marbles, a length of string or metal wire, a small crowbar, a bag of chalk powder, a small mirror, caltrops etc. If you get caught with this, you didn’t get it from here, ok?
Diplomat Supplies (2 equipment slots)
Because adventure also takes you to civilised lands, you need to look clean and smart sometimes. These supplies includes things such as a pen and ink, a handful of paper sheets, sealing wax and a signet ring, a set of fine clothes and a few spare shirts, a silk handkerchief, a vial of perfume, scented soap, and a bottle of bubble bath. Everything you need to fit in high society.
Dungeoneer Supplies (2 equipment slots)
The trappings of a true adventurer… or of a tomb robber. Includes things such as a crowbar, a small shovel, 100 feet of fine rope (which you should double-up to support a person), a few sticks of chalk, even more torches, and all the necessary equipment to set a few booby-traps.
Entertainer Supplies (2 equipment slots)
If you need to be noticed in a crowd, this one will do the trick. It includes a few colorful costumes, juggling balls, devil sticks, tambourines, small music instruments, a selection of props, and all the proverbial bells and whistles you need to entertain a crowd. Most importantly, this supplies kit includes a hat or bowl to collect donations. You’d need to pay me many coins to put *those* pants on, that’s for sure.
Explorer Supplies (2 equipment slots)
A somewhat better voyager’s kit that, when added to standard traveller supplies, allow a bit more comfort over long treks. Includes a light cooking pot and mess kit, a waterproof tarp, a spyglass, a lodestone, a few maps – both complete and incomplete – and a selection of sturdy cases.
Priest Supplies (2 equipment slots)
So you’re the religious type eh? This pack includes all the necessary material for the performance of rituals including candles, incense, a censer, an alms box, ceremonial vestments, blessed water or oil etc. (By the way, I would be grateful for a little lesser restoration to cure a disease, ahem, of the type you don’t want to tell your regular cleric, if you know what I mean).
Scholar Supplies (2 equipment slots)
Not all characters who take the scholar background are wizards (I know, weird eh?) and some need scholarly supplies without all the wizardly bits. This pack includes all sorts of inks and pens, plain paper, gilded parchments, and a blank book to use as a personal diary or field notebook; all sheathed in protective wooden casings and reinforced leather carrycases.
*Disclaimer: I don't claim the invention of this houserule which has been used since OD&D (and has even seen official iteration in a few games like Lamentations of the Flame Princess IIRC)
Welcome to the Adventurer’s Emporium ™ my friend. Come inside and let us fix you up for your next adventure!
Here at Adventurer’s Emporium ™, we believe that encumbrance can be a thing without having to minutely compute the weight of all your equipment and compare it to an overly-generous carrying capacity. Instead, here at Adventurer’s Emporium ™, the encumbrance of an item is indicated by its load: an abstracted measure of the item’s weight, inconvenience, fragility, and attention that you must provide for its care.
So have a look at our merchandise and remember, the load of each item is indicated on the back of the price tag.
[sblock=The Rules]
Your carrying capacity is represented by a number of “equipment slots” equal to your Strength score. Each item uses a number of equipment slots according to its load.
If you carry load in excess of your Strength score, you are encumbered, which means your speed drops by 10 feet.
If you carry load in excess of twice your Strength score, you are instead heavily encumbered, which means your speed drops by 20 feet and you have disadvantage on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws that use Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution.
You cannot carry load in excess of three times your Strength score.
[/sblock]
A Purse for your Coins (1 equipment slot)
Money does not weight so much in pounds, but it’s heavy on the mind. Either you’re worried about not having enough, or you have so much that you’re afraid to be a target in town. You fall asleep to the dreams of your next treasure hoard, but not before hiding your purse from the party’s rogue. Money is a stressful business when you’re about, and weights heavier than it should.
Food and Water for a Day (1 equipment slot)
It’s hard to realize how heavy food can be until you take a 5-day hike dodging wolves and goblins, or until your grocery bag rips at the top of the stairs of your 9-story wizard tower. Cheaper than road rations for sure, but unpractical for long travels.
Rations for a Week (2 equipment slots)
Ahh, that’s the good stuff; cured meat, dried fruits, nourishing roadbread, and perhaps a small flask of spirits; all of it packaged in a small waxed basket that fits snuggly at the top of your pack to keep your sandwiches dry from the rain. Assuming you can get water on the way, a single waterskin will do. Otherwise, each extra day worth of water uses 1 additional equipment slot.
A Simple or Martial Weapon (1 equipment slot)
The kind you to kill bad guys with, not just a knife for shaving or a hatchet for kindling. It comes in a sheath of some sort, perhaps with a whetstone and a small flask of oil. It’s altogether pretty light, but you must constantly have it ready and always keep it within reach when you go pee. Combat breaks in the worse times I tell you…
Special: Daggers do not count against your encumbrance and every respectable adventurer is assumed to carry one or two. A bandolier full of throwing knives uses 1 equipment slot.
Special: The encumbrance of a shortbow or light crossbow includes a quiver of 20 arrows or bolts. Each extra quiver uses 1 additional equipment slot.
A Heavy Weapon (3 equipment slots)
Now you really mean business. It’s heavy compared to simpler weapons, and it is often cumbersome in tight passages and overgrown terrains. Plus, it doesn’t pack well if you want to keep it handy, and often occupies one of your hands. Unlike a staff or a spear, you can’t even use it as a walking prop. At least you look badass!
Special: The encumbrance of a longbow or heavy crossbow includes a quiver of 20 arrows or bolts. Each extra quiver uses 1 additional equipment slot.
A Shield (2 equipment slots)
Something to hide behind when arrows are rainin’ and blows are stormin’. Many warriors would prefer going to battle without clothes than without a shield (the Adventurer’s Emporium ™ is not responsible for injuries incurred by going into battle without clothes on). There are worse things to lug around but still, those wizards have it easy!
A Suit of Armour (special, see below)
Only barbarians are crazy enough to fly into battle almost naked. Well, them and those monk blokes from the monasteries. And wizards too I guess... The point is, sensible people wear a minimum of protection when adventuring, if only a snazzy-looking leather vest and greaves. Heavier armours are, well, heavier, and higher maintenance too (you ain’t gonna leave that scratch on your brand-new plate will you?) They’re hot in the summer, cold in the winter, and take forever to don. Even the elf is ready before you finish putting your plate on, but you’ll be thankful for all that steel once the orcs come.
Special: A suit of armour uses 1 equipment slot per point of AC above 10. For example, a chainmail (AC 16) uses 6 equipment slots.
A Potion Box (1 equipment slot)
Don’t you hate it when all your healing potions break in your pack, or when your vial of acid corrodes all your spare underwear? I heard of a few mishaps with alchemist’s fire too… The solution lies right before you in this convenient rigid leather pouch assuring the accessibility and protection of all your flasks, bottles, and vials.
A Lantern or a Bundle of Torches (1 equipment slot)
Not everyone should be so lucky to be an elf, or half-elf, or dwarf, or gnome, or half-orc, or tiefling, or you know, half the entries in the Monstrous Manual. Normal people are rubbish in darkness and appreciate a bit of light when exploring a dark dungeon or venturing on a starless night (so do dwarves but don’t tell them that; they’re sensitive). Torches are affordable, handy, relatively safe, and easily crafted. A single bundle will last you for a quiet week, or provide your whole party for a day-long dungeon crawl.
Those with fancier tastes might prefer a lantern instead. Lanterns come in “bullseye” (60-foot cone) or “hooded” (30-foot radius) varieties. Both are beautiful and reusable objects, lighter than a whole bundle of torches but a bit on the fragile side. You can easily set it down without snuffing out the flame, but it is likely to go out and break if dropped. If you’re unlucky (or lucky), the lantern will spill its content, fire will spread all over, and the innkeeper will be mad again.
A Spell Focus (1 equipment slot)
A holy symbol or one of those glass orbs you find in esoteric magic shops. Spell foci comes in all kinds of forms and shape but although most are small and light, all are important items deserving good care and respect. For this reason, a spell focus uses one equipment slot on its own (unless the spell focus is an item, or etched on an item, that already uses one or more equipment slots).
A 50-foot Hemp Rope (2 equipment slots)
“What about a bit of rope?” my friend Sam used to say. Part of your complete adventurer’s kit since 1974 (right next to the 10-foot pole, which we no longer sell incidentally). A 50-foot coil makes for a good size bundle, and despite the fact that you’re always short 5 feet regardless of the length you carry, carrying more than 150 feet would be unpractical. Those fancy elves also make rope out of silk that weights only half the load of a hemp cable (for ten times the price, of course).
A Tent (3 equipment slots)
A somewhat waterproof canvas propped by one or two poles and fixed to the ground with wooden spikes. Most common models include the two-post wedge tent or the single-mast pavilion. It provides a decent shelter against rain and dew, but unfortunately not against the dwarf’s snoring. A tent comfortably fits two with a small brazier, or up to four crammed travellers. Bigger models can accommodate larger parties (or bigger egos) and use 10 equipment slots instead.
A Music Instrument (2 equipment slots)
The reason why your party loves (or hates) you so much, and one of your most prized possessions. Small instruments such as a reed flute do not count against your encumbrance, but larger yet portable instruments such as a lute or a small harp, a shawm or trumpet, a tambourine or organetto, etc. take a little bit of room and a great deal of care.
A Mundane or Magic Item (1 equipment slot)
If an item is not among those listed above but is still worth noting on your character sheet, it takes one equipment slot. Otherwise, it is assumed to be part of one of your packs, kits, or supplies (see the next room down the stairs). This seems unnecessarily encumbering for a magic ring or a necklace, but it represents the care you take to keep the item safe, handy, and clean, because it is precious to you (just ask Frodo and that Gollum bloke). Your teammates might even say that you’re being a bit obsessive over these items. Pfff, they’re just jealous...
Kits and Supplies
Wise merchants know that newly rolled adventurers have no time for shopping before their first adventure, and so they make convenient thematic packages ready-made for adventuring! All come with their own backpack or cases and all. It’s pretty neat really. Let me take you to our collections of adventurer’s supplies! This way please.
A Tool Kit (2 equipment slots)
Here at the Adventurer’s Emporium ™, se have a wide selection of tool kits allowing you to exercise your trade on the field, stitch-up the dwarf who insists it is « only a flesh wound », disarm the nasty kobold trap, get your rogue in (or out) of trouble with the law (if you get my drift), climb to the summit of Mount Highpeak, or use any tool proficiency described in the PHB. Each tool proficiency uses its own kit, stored in a small wooden box or tight leather pouch – some plain and practical, others intricate or fancy – to prevent their content from getting mixed-up or spilling all over your stuff. Still, we do recommend that you store your poisoner’s kit far away from your elven wafers. One can never be too prudent!
Traveller’s supplies (2 equipment slot)
The adventurer’s basics; a nice backpack to put your lucky blanket in, a few warm socks, a small fur to use as a pillow, and your favourite teddy bear. Typical travelling gears includes a tin cup or small wooden tankard, a plate, bowl and few utensils, a knife to cut something else than orc bellies (are you about to spread butter on your toast with that!?!), a flint-and-steel, a small oil lamp and a few candles, some fragrant oil that repels mosquitoes, lip balm, and other necessities for travelling. That lump over there is a bar of soap by the way, don’t be shy to use it!
Special: During the colder months or far up north, a traveller’s supplies kit uses 4 equipment slots.
Wizard Supplies (2 equipment slots)
Admit it, you’re a nerd and you love your booky stuff, but those “special inks” and spellbooks of yours won’t carry themselves you know (unless you enchant them to do just that. Hum, there’s an idea…) Spellbooks are made to be sturdy – they get roughen up quite a bit during adventuring and quickly lose their mint-condition value – but you still need to take exceptional care of your spellbook and stack it deep in your backpack. Your whole career literally depends on it after all.
Your spell component pouch on the other hand needs to be readily available and well-kept at all time. Nothing looks more unprofessional than a wizard rummaging for a ball of guano and sulfur in the middle of combat. It gives the whole class a bad name really.
What’s that? You’re a sorcerer and just need a few spell components? Well, get yourself an arcane focus already!
Burglar Supplies (2 equipment slots)
Everything you need for all your dodgy shenanigans. Includes all sorts of things like a pouch of ball bearings, glass marbles, a length of string or metal wire, a small crowbar, a bag of chalk powder, a small mirror, caltrops etc. If you get caught with this, you didn’t get it from here, ok?
Diplomat Supplies (2 equipment slots)
Because adventure also takes you to civilised lands, you need to look clean and smart sometimes. These supplies includes things such as a pen and ink, a handful of paper sheets, sealing wax and a signet ring, a set of fine clothes and a few spare shirts, a silk handkerchief, a vial of perfume, scented soap, and a bottle of bubble bath. Everything you need to fit in high society.
Dungeoneer Supplies (2 equipment slots)
The trappings of a true adventurer… or of a tomb robber. Includes things such as a crowbar, a small shovel, 100 feet of fine rope (which you should double-up to support a person), a few sticks of chalk, even more torches, and all the necessary equipment to set a few booby-traps.
Entertainer Supplies (2 equipment slots)
If you need to be noticed in a crowd, this one will do the trick. It includes a few colorful costumes, juggling balls, devil sticks, tambourines, small music instruments, a selection of props, and all the proverbial bells and whistles you need to entertain a crowd. Most importantly, this supplies kit includes a hat or bowl to collect donations. You’d need to pay me many coins to put *those* pants on, that’s for sure.
Explorer Supplies (2 equipment slots)
A somewhat better voyager’s kit that, when added to standard traveller supplies, allow a bit more comfort over long treks. Includes a light cooking pot and mess kit, a waterproof tarp, a spyglass, a lodestone, a few maps – both complete and incomplete – and a selection of sturdy cases.
Priest Supplies (2 equipment slots)
So you’re the religious type eh? This pack includes all the necessary material for the performance of rituals including candles, incense, a censer, an alms box, ceremonial vestments, blessed water or oil etc. (By the way, I would be grateful for a little lesser restoration to cure a disease, ahem, of the type you don’t want to tell your regular cleric, if you know what I mean).
Scholar Supplies (2 equipment slots)
Not all characters who take the scholar background are wizards (I know, weird eh?) and some need scholarly supplies without all the wizardly bits. This pack includes all sorts of inks and pens, plain paper, gilded parchments, and a blank book to use as a personal diary or field notebook; all sheathed in protective wooden casings and reinforced leather carrycases.
*Disclaimer: I don't claim the invention of this houserule which has been used since OD&D (and has even seen official iteration in a few games like Lamentations of the Flame Princess IIRC)
Last edited:
