Kaiser's Bazaar Books "D" and up release dates?

[The Mad Kaiser]

New Topic: Future Bazaar Content

My current campaign is based in a large city, so I was mainly interested in two things: flavorful descriptions of market locations from which to steal ideas (or use as-is), and lists of interesting items. I bought Book B first, since it focuses on the more exotic markets. After reading it and liking it, I went back and picked up Book A to see what you'd done with the more mundane stuff.

I try to pack something "fantastic" in all the books, Book C is no exception. (You'll find a dozen or so weird timbers and dozens of strange metals) But yes, I can see where fans of Book B would find the "Nightmarket" more attractive.

Hrm. Neither, although I'm not 100% sure I understand what either of your suggestions mean.

I thought you wanted a more "light on fantasy/heavy on history" version of the Bazaar. I had one customer comment on the 'homongenous' mix of history and fantasy, and figured you were doing the same. When the word 'medieval' enters my mind, the idea of Tolkien-style D&D usually takes a break To me, they are two very different themes.

What I was getting at was a look at how traditional D&D elements -- particularly magic and adventurers -- influence the way a market like the Kaiser's Bazaar works. Who are you going to be rubbing shoulders with when you're at the exotic fish pet store? How do the merchants use magic in their businesses, and how are businesses in general affected by it? (Etc.)

Well, I thought I addressed that pretty well. :\ The Archbishop loves Pequlens, the Vintners use spell-protected vaults, the Alchemists sell cheap wards against Charm spells to pay for their unbreakable Denmore Glass, the Coopers have trouble with pick-pockets, the Wizards use dimensional pockets to make stores larger inside, young warriors frequent the tattoo hut. Can you give me an example of what you have done in your own game to address this issue to better illustrate? I would also love to hear which shops and/or items you liked best. My ego is a ravenous beast, and always requires feedings!

 

[haiiro]

Well, I thought I addressed that pretty well. :\ The Archbishop loves Pequlens, the Vintners use spell-protected vaults, the Alchemists sell cheap wards against Charm spells to pay for their unbreakable Denmore Glass, the Coopers have trouble with pick-pockets, the Wizards use dimensional pockets to make stores larger inside, young warriors frequent the tattoo hut.

You're right: all of this is done quite well. I'm not sure I can articulate exactly what I'm getting at, except to say that I'm thinking of more macro-scale ideas -- and that I'm not sure my thoughts on this are spelled out well enough in my own head to explain them here.

I'm working on a simple, abstract system for selling magic items for my campaign, and doing so has made me think about all sorts of things -- what kind of market is there for magic items? Who buys them? How much are people willing to pay? How can I evaluate a published world to answer these qustions about that world?

That's the mindset I was in when I answered your initial question. In terms of what interests me most in the Bazaar series, at the moment it's the more fantastical stuff -- the odd cloths in Weaver Hall, the Laceratory, the bevy of alchemical items, etc.

As for the shops I enjoyed most:

Book A - Southend Livestock Yards (and their sub-markets)
Book B - Kakukuk Tattoos, Ademmorosden the Scrivener, the Most Meticulous of Workings, and Dissecian's Laceratory

Switching gears -- did you feel that my review was a fair one?

 

[The Mad Kaiser]

I'm working on a simple, abstract system for selling magic items for my campaign, and doing so has made me think about all sorts of things -- what kind of market is there for magic items? Who buys them? How much are people willing to pay? How can I evaluate a published world to answer these questions about that world?

That's a good post for the DM's board. Experience has taught me to make Magic Items hard to buy, sell, and produce, and make Alchemical Items easy to buy and produce and hard to sell. A wooden match is a convenience that doesn't unbalance a game horribly, like a Fireball Wand can, but good luck convincing anybody to give you hard-earned silver for your handful of sticks.

To me, wizards/sorcerers are the selfish, secretive types that crave power, not money, and alchemists crave the material gain (lead to gold and all that). I personally add anywhere from 30% to 200% to the price of the few magic items available to encourage players to spend precious time and resources making their own. That in turn creates adventure opportunity when the craftsman requires that one exotic component, and a reluctance to carelessly part with the item.

The real industry of magic items isn't the items produced, it's the equipment and raw & exotic materials that spell-casters need to produce them. Kind of like art & craft supply stores; the end result of the "artist" may or may not be valuable or desirable to others, but someone made coin off the desire to create the item. A snuff-box that plays a perfect reproduction of "Zargetto O Fe'Kuchella in D Major, as performed by the Underdark Children's Choir" will be costly to produce, and desired by someone, but how valuable is it really to an adventurer or even a magic item dealer? Even items that are useful are hard for my players to sell; "A Ring of Featherfall, eh stranger? If it's so great, why are you selling it? So you jumped of a roof with it, while your pet wizard stood 10 steps away, casting Featherfall no doubt! You crooks, I'm fetching the sergeant!"

Switching gears -- did you feel that my review was a fair one?

You sold yourself WAY TOO SHORT! If I were you, I would apply to be a pdf reviewer to help out poor old Crothian. I'm sure any publisher would love to receive one of your thorough and eloquent reviews!