Tav_Behemoth
First Post
Woaz, I think you don't need to describe anything except the swords-and-sorcery situation itself (unclothed struggling maiden is strapped to altar; all-powerful mistress of a decadent empire brings her prisoners to her boudoir to relish their helpless captivity) and be confident that your players' imaginations are painting an appropriately lurid pulp-cover image.
In this post at the New York Red Box site, I summarized the rules Jon Pickens wrote in "Orgies, Inc." Those of you who are looking for less-random caps on treasure for XP may find this inspirational; the original article also describes the rationale (explicitly referencing Fafhrd & the Mouser) & considers some other alternatives for getting rid of excess PC gold. "Letting them spend it on magic items to become more powerful" isn't even considered, although it would probably meet the same objection as making them pay for information and services: "All the bookwork tends to turn the players into a bunch of calculating money grabbers." (True, you could make that objection about spending gp for XP, but in my experience the perspective that what the PCs are really doing - XP aside - is blowing money on parties and obsessions tends to encourage a more easy-come, easy-go attitude than if you're saving for a new & potentially life-saving magic item.)
In this post at the New York Red Box site, I summarized the rules Jon Pickens wrote in "Orgies, Inc." Those of you who are looking for less-random caps on treasure for XP may find this inspirational; the original article also describes the rationale (explicitly referencing Fafhrd & the Mouser) & considers some other alternatives for getting rid of excess PC gold. "Letting them spend it on magic items to become more powerful" isn't even considered, although it would probably meet the same objection as making them pay for information and services: "All the bookwork tends to turn the players into a bunch of calculating money grabbers." (True, you could make that objection about spending gp for XP, but in my experience the perspective that what the PCs are really doing - XP aside - is blowing money on parties and obsessions tends to encourage a more easy-come, easy-go attitude than if you're saving for a new & potentially life-saving magic item.)
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