Different forms of treasure

[LostSoul]

The odd thing is when I hand female slaves to male players, they seem to have problems. But when I hand male slaves to females, they really get good use of their gift.

Male concubines to male characters would not be out of place in many campaigns, especially if you are basing it on ancient Rome or Greece. It might make for an interesting scenario if the kick-ass Barbarian type is given a male concubine for his efforts.

 

[Fenes 2]

In one campaign, the PCs (or rather one of them) got a villa in the big city and the monopoly on slave imports to said city, which they leased out for a part of the profit.

 

[Jolly Giant]

If I feel my players are getting too wealthy, or just need to add some spice, I sometimes use books as treasure. NO, not spellbooks! Mundane, non-magical books. If the players take the time to study them, I often let them gain a rank in some obscure knowledge or craft skill they otherwise wouldn't dream of wasteing their hard-earned skillpoints on. Or maybe a competance bonus on certain uses of a skill. Also, a persons choice of reading material says a lot about who he/she is.
Example: After chasing off the geekiest, most nerdy, yellow wizard in the history of RPGs, the PCs found these books in his quarters:

The Big Book of Bugs (1 rank of Knowledge: Vermin)
Spot That Spell! (+1 competance bonus on spellcraft-checks to identify a spell as it is being cast)
Giant Ants and Formians - What's the Difference? (one rank in both Knowledge 'Vermin' and 'Outsiders')
The Beguinners Guide to Planeswalking (one rank Knowledge 'The Planes')

There were lots more, but this is what I recall off the top of my head.

 

[LiVeWiRe]

If I feel my players are getting too wealthy, or just need to add some spice, I sometimes use books as treasure. NO, not spellbooks! Mundane, non-magical books. If the players take the time to study them, I often let them gain a rank in some obscure knowledge or craft skill they otherwise wouldn't dream of wasteing their hard-earned skillpoints on. Or maybe a competance bonus on certain uses of a skill. Also, a persons choice of reading material says a lot about who he/she is.
Example: After chasing off the geekiest, most nerdy, yellow wizard in the history of RPGs, the PCs found these books in his quarters:

I've used books as treasure as well, although not in the same way as Jolly Giant...

(BTW, the way Jolly Giant uses them is a great idea!)

I've used books as 'treasure' in that if the players take the time to read them (or sometimes even just glance through them), they discover clues to another place of adventure--ruined tower, abandoned monastery, etc. or a map of some kind that they may or may not be able to translate...

I usually use these to set up either side adventures or major encounters that could aid them in their future journeys...

You could do some similar things with paintings, such as having a map or some important picture/object hidden within the painting or something vital sketched on the back of the canvas of the painting...

Hope these help!

 

[JoeGKushner]

The book 101 Mundane Treasures has well, 101 Mundane Treasures and adds a lot of depth to the game. 101 Spellbooks does the same as many of the books aren't necessarily spellbooks.

 

[Rel]

In my campaigns, Magic Ink (the kind that you use to scribe scrolls and copy new spells into your spellbook) as well as Potion Ingredients and Alchemical Reagents are common treasure. I don't let Wizards just spin gold into scrolls (or potions or tanglefoot bags) and if they are low on ink while far from a town, finding magic ink is cause for great joy.

 

[Moe Ronalds]

One time my half-orc wannabe paladin took the head of an ogre he fought in a battle (it was first level so it was the first ogre he'd ever slain (well, he didn't kill it on his OWN...)) and made a mask out of it. My poohead of a DM wouldn't let me keep it.

Another time one of my less-mature less-intelligent players took the rotted genetalia from a dead body that was being used as a decoration in a necromancer's lair.

 

[roytheodd]

Hmm... I've created various currencies and used coins from all over in some stashes. I've created ancient coins that hold a high value. I've used rugs and paintings, silverware, vases, tapestries, and fancy clothes. I've used bolts of cloth, spices, gems, perfumes, and carved bones or tusks. I've used magic items and their mundane counterparts. I've used teeth, eggs, eyes, and glands from various creatures. I've used weapons and armors, maps and map cases, scrolls and books. Hmm, that's all I got for now. I think that's pretty exhaustive though.

 

[Khorod]

uh huh. I hope that was a roleplaying award situation...

 

[FireLance]

I once gave my players 10 doses of a magic dust that, when sprinkled on food, would change its flavour to anything the user wanted. It was a condiment of the rich and powerful, as it cost 25gp per dose (I based the cost off a use-activated 0-level prestigidation spell).

I didn't want to leave 250gp lying around, and I wanted to give them an idea of what you could find in a wizard's larder.