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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Manbearcat" data-source="post: 6373202" data-attributes="member: 6696971">You've been given a lot of great ideas on how to handle this within the framework of 4e infrastructure and outside of it.  My advice would firmly be to handle it within 4e established infrastructure and make sure that your players understand how this all works at the metagame level.  Be transparent.  One question I would want clarified with your players is:  "Are they expecting to break the established wealth by level framework with their entrepreneurial efforts?"  If the answer is yes, then I would definitely suggest that you guys pursue a different system that (a) supports that goal and (b) works toward a play framework that is more about sim merchants and artisans because 4e is all about big action and big adventure.If the answer is no, then what they're telling you is "we want this to be the primary medium and feedback mechanism that supports our action and adventure."So here is probably what I would do:1)  Come up with a stable of 3 relevant hireling NPCs for each market the PCs are looking to tap into.  Assign Skill training and a primary ability score modifier to one hireling, and no training but a primary ability score modifier for the other two.  Each will represent those NPCs' specialty and their immediate subordinates.  Here are a few examples below:Mining and prospecting:  Athletics (U), Dungeoneering (T), Endurance (U)Trailblazing and road prospecting:  Athletics (U), Nature (T), Perception (U)Inn and tavern proprieting:  Diplmacy (U), Insight (U), Streetwise (T)Building and engineering:  Endurance (U), History (T), Nature (U)etc, etc.You can have Jack the Geologist, Tamara the Tavern Winch, Sam the Scout (etc).  The players can establish relationships with these folks (and relevant members of their crews/sub-contractors) throughout the course of play.2)  Let the PCs establish their own Minor or Major Quests that correspond to each goal they wish to accomplish.  For instance, "Establish a thriving Mine in McBobberton and a route to move supplies and goods to and from Bobville to the Mines of McBobberton."  Each of these should require two or more successful Skill Challenges to accomplish.3)  The conflict of each exploration of a project or the weekly routine business operations/upkeep is placed in a Skill Challenge framework, complexity at your discretion.  Whatever is at stake and the goal of the conflict is defined at the outset.4)  Each Extended Rest for the PCs, roll a Goup Check at whatever DC it calls for (within the RC guidelines of SCs) for each conflict that is currently underway.For instance, for the above Quest outlined in 2, we would have two concurrent, discreet conflicts; The trailblazing and establishment of the route and the prospecting and running of the mine.  Each fot these would be their own discrete Skill Challenge.  Let us focus on the former.The PCs would roll a Group Check for the trailblazing and road prospecting (Athletics, Nature, Perception).  If 2 or more succeed in the Group Check, they would earn a success in their challenge and the effort would progress with a fitting narrative.  On day 2, if they earn a failure (2 or more failures in the Group Check), complications would ensue.  Perhaps the PCs would need to involve themsleves?  Perhaps successful PC intervention is the equivalent of a Secondary Skill expenditure (+ 2 to following Primary Check).  Ultimate success in the challenge would lead to fitting rewards (XP from Quests, alternate advancement treasure, coin for Rituals, etc).  Ultimate failure would earn appropriate fallout that could be either a temporary setback (such as a trailblazing group getting lost) or something that has more longevity (such as a protracted war with a thieves guild or bandits) or even permanence (such as the death of a prospecting squad).  Failure and Fallout is your natural feedback for the game as it would inherently lead to PC intervention and further Minor and Major Quests.I personally wouldn't waste the mental overhead and table handling time on trying to sort out the cut for each contractor/specialist/laborer.  Just assume they're getting their cut out of whatever profit is earned and the PCs are getting their own cut that maps to the wealth/level expectations built into the system.  Again, you're looking for Big Action and Big Adventure that is spurred on by the feedback of mercantilism that the players have expressed that they want to be central to play.  If the players are looking for an economy simulator, my advice would be to look at other systems.</blockquote>

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