Different forms of treasure

[LostSoul]

What other types of treasures have you used in your games? Gold and silver, gems and magic items can get boring after a while (well, maybe not magic items ).

In my game, I've given the PCs a deed to an estate, several small homes and farms, and a share cargo profits on a merchant ship (payable each quarter in the Fuller's League guildhouse).

After watching an episode of Band of Brothers, I think that silverware, paintings, and vast wine holdings would make good treasures as well.

What new and interesting treasures have you used in your game?

 

[Crothian]

I like unique items, not nessicarily magic. I also do quarky magical items, it's amizing what the rich spend money on. Another good thing and in the other direction is slaves. Always good to through the party for a loop when the king gives the PCs three of his favorite concubines.

 

[Khorod]

A little less concrete, but don't forget patents of nobility, the right to marry a noble/royal, and the privelege of conquering and ruling whatever you can carve out of the country next door with the support of the army...

Abandoned animals & vehicles are nice too, particularly second-rate ones.

 

[LostSoul]

Always good to through the party for a loop when the king gives the PCs three of his favorite concubines.

That is a great idea! Usually when a society has legal slave owning, there are also a lot of rules about the ethical treatment about said slaves. In a situation like this, where the slaves are probably above most common "free" folk, the PCs would have to house, clothe, and feed the concubines. And if they don't "indulge", I'm sure the concubines would be upset - that the PCs don't feel them worthy to bear their young.

 

[LostSoul]

Back in the day, old school style, land was wealth and wealth was land. A grant of acres of land (in the borderlands for our enterprising PCs) would be considered a great gift to most people. Maybe not the PCs, considering their "disposable cash now!" ways, but it would make them part of the upper class. Nouveau riche.

 

[Crothian]

That is a great idea! Usually when a society has legal slave owning, there are also a lot of rules about the ethical treatment about said slaves. In a situation like this, where the slaves are probably above most common "free" folk, the PCs would have to house, clothe, and feed the concubines. And if they don't "indulge", I'm sure the concubines would be upset - that the PCs don't feel them worthy to bear their young.

Plus, if it comes from the King they have to accept it or they will insult him.

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.

 

[Bhaal]

Whenever the party does something for a very powerful being that's magic-oriented (high level spellcaster, agent of a deity, etc), instead of a great reward, sometimes I'll give them something similar to a beeper. Basically if they're ever in a bind, no matter what type, they activate this beeper and that being will be there to help them out. Acts sort of a get-out-of-jail-free card from the DM. I limit the use of course, often by making the activation destroy the 'beeper'. It can be a lot of different things, eg. an ornamental leaf which you break in half, given a powerful fey after the party helps her, but it usually gets a name other than "beeper".

Also I don't really make it an instant save-your-hide effect either, as the powerful being probably has their own idea of what extent of help the party needs, and of course their own way of going about it. All in all though it's highly beneficial, and without exception tied into the plot. I've seen them used over the years in different ways like a large battle that really wasn't looking good, and when they were stuck with a profound conundrum that needed to be solved. It's good for handing out when you need to reward them big time, but are afraid of the amount of money and magic items the reward would translate into. Keep it mysterous, have the being only give them what details about the devise that they need, and they'll treasure it.

It's also great for keeping a plot hook handy. Suppose one ordinary day out of the blue the token they never used suddenly beings to pulse a bright light, pulsing a rythmic pattern 24 hours a day non stop. A couple days later it pulses faster and brighter, obviously something is going on. Almost as if a beacon, or maybe alarm? Perhaps the being is calling in everyone they consider 'agents' for a task, or for help. Great segue into a new campaign (and perhaps revisit an old one at the same time).

 

[Number47]

Although I've given out different kinds of treasure aplenty, I'm often amazed by what players will take and consider treasure. A horse and cart captured from bandits was the prize possession once. An occasional table from a dead wizard's private rooms. Said wizards diaries, all 173 of them (he was an elf). There are the gory trophies some people seem to like, I try to discourage that. There have been enough animals adopted or liberated by groups. Casks of wine. Obviously failed magical experiments.

 

[Comert]

You could try handing out mundane magical items. I once got a mindflayerbane, returning dart. Never got to use it tho. The king could give them some lands and the right to train soldiers so he can call on them in a time of war. You could make them diplomats of th state, give them right to spend a portion of royal budget on royal missions..

 

[jdavis]

We once got the head of a black dragon, we actually left gold behind to carry it out, it was mounted to the front of our ship eventually, but we drug it around in a sack for months. I guess it was more of a trophy than a treasure but we actually left treasure behind to take it. When I DM I have a tendency to give out magic items nobody can actually use, it adds to the roleplaying later as they try to get merchants to trade them stuff for their +1 Ranseur.