Okay, that's it, I've had enough. Adventurers, STAND UP FOR YOURSELVES!!

[Lela]

First off, bare with me while I allow for some context. This, as of the time of this posting, is the most recent update in the "In Hextor's Name" Story Hour. Kull, a LN take on Hextor's preists, is writing a report to his superiors.

When I recovered consciousness, I found myself in one of the ship's cabins. I was unsure of how much time had passed, but it was obviously several hours, for daylight flooded the room from the portholes in the walls. Hearing the sound of voices from the deck, I arose and went forth to discover what had occurred.

In short order, it emerged that the battle against the smugglers had been won. Then, despite the fact that they were the only ones left standing, Zalich and the druid had decided to explore the rest of the vessel. This despite the fact that the druid was already badly injured. Apparently they had assumed that the noise of battle would have attracted anyone on the ship, and it would thus be safe to continue.

This assumption proved incorrect. The very first chamber they entered proved to belong to three lizardfolk, which promptly attacked them. Somehow, Zalich survived the resulting melee, but the druid was killed. A fitting result for his recklessness. Why the lizardfolk would be aboard, and why they had not emerged during the battle, was not yet known, though Zalich theorised that - due to their distinctive appearance - they must have been told to stay hidden until one of the crew came for them.

After reprimanding Zalich for his reckless action - I had expected him to show more sense - I learned more of events that had passed while I was unconscious. Having realised the folly of exploring further on his own, the Halfling had signalled for the village excisemen to come alongside, then sent them back to the village for supplies and assistance in bringing the vessel to port. This process was now well underway, some twelve hours after our battle.

As Julianne and Troilan were now also awake, it was reasonable to resume the aborted search, and I began a thorough examination of the ship. This search uncovered a sea-elf, imprisoned in a concealed cell near the front of the vessel, as well as several chests of valuables that doubtless belonged to the smuggler leaders. We stockpiled the valuables for appraisal and sale, and released the elf, once I was sure he was not a threat to the village. Additionally, there proved to be a large cache of weapons, liquor and other high-value goods in the hold. I claimed these as spoils of battle, and made arrangements to pay the required customs charge to bring the goods ashore for sale. Zalich also claimed the vessel itself, which was ours by right of capture, but had to agree to pay the value of a share in the ship to the villagers who were bringing it into port. It seemed that - rather than being grateful for our assistance in ending the smuggling - Saltmarsh viewed our actions as simply an opportunity to make profit.

My final discovery, however, soon turned this complacent greed into fear and concern: a scroll penned by the leader of a lizardfolk clan, arranging 'more shipments of weapons' for his people, and a map showing the camp of the creatures as being located only a day's travel from the village.

An entire army of lizardfolk, stockpiling weapons within twenty miles of the village, and they had not a clue of what was occurring. I have said it before, but it bears repeating: the inefficiency and ineptitude of the sheriff of Saltmarsh knows no bounds.

Upon my return to the village itself, I wasted no time in presenting the evidence I had found to the council, and making it clear what I thought of their lack of watchfulness and care for security, as well as the flagrant inability of their sheriff. Incredibly, the council did not dismiss the sheriff for his failure, but instead appealed for us to eliminate the lizardfolk on their behalf.

Naturally, I refused.

This, after many other stupid and greedy aspects of these villiagers, finally got to me. I replyed thusly:

Honestly, I was even starting to get annoyed by this village. Kull's made several excellent points. Besides which, what right does this village think they have to the ship? They didn't do anything to secure it. At worst they had several civilians get cold sitting on a ship one night. If those guys want a hot drink and 10 gp each (more than they've ever seen, I'm sure) fine. Greedy buggers but fine.

Then, after the group has risked they're lives to help the town (too the point of actually loosing one of their own members), discovered a plot to destroy said town, and been financially screwed in the process, they not only ignore the concerns brought up by the party (whom they claim to hold in high regard) but ask them to bail them out again.

Okay adventurers, enough's enough. These towns have become complacent because of us. Whenever something bad happens, a band of good guys shows up and stops it. They used to pay well for it. Free room and board, some cash, maybe a few weapons (if we needed it), and free healing form the local cleric. It slowly turned into some cash for our services. We can buy our own rooms and food. Weapons? Pah, if we needed weapons we could buy our own. And free healing (from a supposed Cleric of a goodly god)? Forget that, it's your job to rid the world of evil. I just get you to pay me.

Who would have thought it would (or even could) get worse? Of course it did, though many didn't expect it. The money paid started to disappear. Less and less came from the town and more "We're just poor people who need help" speeches came form town councils (the members of which just don't happen to have any calluses on their hands). After all, we can always get the funding we need from the evil guys we kill, right? And we'll earn the respect of the town too. Of course, being the good guys, we agree.

But, as we've seen, the pesents in those towns are filled with more greed than you'd expect. Even the respect they promised is starting to fade away. And with it the capital gathered from the evil guys we protect them from. "Importation" taxes applied only to us. The town starts claiming some of the profits. We get 90%. No, make that 75. Wait, a 50/50 split sounds better. On second thought, we should get 75 and you can take 25. After all, the smugglers were defiling our land, the money really is rightfully ours. . .

It won't end unless we do something. Stand up to these towns, remind them that we're here to help them. To do that, we can't be working all day in the fields in order to simply eat. What happens when something bigger and badder comes along? When that dragon shows up and we can't afford to even buy a sword that will cut through its armor or fund the material components needed for our spells, what happens then?

Adventurers have money for a reason. It's there to help them help the innocents more. It's there to allow them to fight for the lives of others without having to worry about digging wells to feed our families.

If everyone could do this job, you wouldn't need us. Help us out a little. Remember, without us, you probably wouldn't be here.

So, Tallarn and I were wondering if anyone's had similar experiences. What happened? What did you do about it?

Thanks,

 

[ThoughtBubble]

Nope. Never had an expierence like it.

But now I'm going to spring one on my players. Thanks for bringing it up.

 

[Fenes 2]

I don't play "classic" adventuring parties anymore, where the PCs live from adventuring. IMC, adventuring pays as much (or little) as mercenary work, and adventurers have roughly the same social standing as mercenaries as well.

Although the social class an adventurer belongs to (Noble, Clergy, Commoner) vastly surpercedes this. You wouldn't find peasants trying to pull one over a knight or even lord in my games, and forget about anyone whos not a member of the clergy showing disrespect to a priestess of Isis in Mulhorand.

As far as respect goes, I play it by reputation, and act accordingly.

In your case, villagers could try such a stunt in my game, but the players would have many options open. Either the law was clear on the salvage rights - and in that case my parties would just follow it - or the town belonged to a country/province, whose leader the PCs could appeal to, or had an agreement with already. If it was an independent town, and acted like that I fully expected my PCs to leave the citizens to their fates - even the paladin in my campaign, bound to help and fight the good fight, could very well enforce some class consciousness if the villagers did not respect nobility, with the sword if they tried to rob her of the right to a vanquished foe's loot that nobles generally have. No 20th century views here.

 

[Avarice]

It certainly does seem that the villagers see you more as easily fleeced out-of-towners than as potential saviours. Maybe they need a little reminder that adventurers can be dangerous, eh? Maybe someone in the group with a few ranks of intimidate could have a few private words with one of the council members? If that doesn't work out, I suppose you could always throw in with the lizardfolk.

You know, I've always thought the term 'adventurer' was probably just a polite euphemism those in the trade use in place of 'tomb robbing mercenary scum'....

 

[Steverooo]

Yeah, I've read The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh. The idea presented is that "lawful PCs should jump at the chance to pay the tax". Heh! Riiiiiiight! Like THAT ever happens! Watch that Lawful alignment, now!

Yes, I've also had similar experiences... I once walked into a town at the beginning of an adventure, and was asked to describe my character as others would see him. I did, right down to the heavily-laden pack, the handaxe and longknife on his broad leather girdle, and the claws on the backs of his hands...

The next thing I know, my Elf is being harrassed by a very obnoxious Dwarf Captain, accused of being an Assassin (because only Assassins use weapons like that!), and he and some Elf girl are whispering about my PC...

So I make my read lips roll, and "see" what they're saying, and learn that it's all bad, naturally. At that point, I E-mail the GM.

I ask him if HE'S mad at me, or is he just playing the NPCs that way. I point out to him that, since coming to this town, NO ONE has spoken kindly to me, and EVERYONE that I have met has been nothing but hostile. I point out the "ridiculosity" of setting up such a situation, when we all KNOW that the town is about to need help, and the PCs are going to be called upon to "save" them. I pointed out to him that my PC was being motivated to laugh in their faces, and go about his merry way!...

Boy! You shoulda seen the back-peddling! All of a sudden, Miss L'il Elf-girl wants to talk to me... She finds out I'm a Ranger instead of an Assassin, and *POOF!* she wants to be my girlyfriend! Then the town's Mayor and Captain of the guard want to see me (and all the other adventurers in town), and ask us how to defend the place from all of the Orcs that are about to invade... Oh, and by the way, would we undertake a mission for them?

Anyway, back to Saltmarsh... You know your PCs can't sail that ship, don't you? Anyone have Profession (Sailor), at all? Probably not, huh?

Better have someone check the law, and SEE what the lawful tax on it might be... You're going to need the goodwill of the town. You're going to need a Captain, sailors, etc.... In general (Assuming they have one Rank in Profession (Sailor)), you'll have to pay the crew 1 GP/day, more for the First Mate, Captain, and any other officers, and probably more for "Hazardous Duty". If no one is willing to help you, then leave the ship (which you can't use, anyway) in lieu of treasure, and get outta there. Saltmarsh is set up as kind of a "Test of Lawfulness", as I recall. Not the best of modules, as I remember it. YMMV.

[EDIT: Well, 1 GP/day is an estimate, and maybe a bit high or low... but somewhere in that range. Anyway, 1D20+1 GP/week, according to the Profession rules!]

 

[Shallown]

I played in a game once were the set up was pretty cool. We worked for the government as explorer's. Basically the island on the coast had been domesticated and two forward bases/wood forts had been created on the main land. We had a map of the coast and a little bit up the two rivers and that was it. Our group was suppose to explore inwards. Fine sounds like fun... was until we found out we didn't work directly for the government but was free lancing. And we didn't get paid... and we had to pay for training and all our own supplies out of the measliy money /stuff we found. I think the not getting paid part po'ed me the most. After a while I started refusing to give over map and my journals to them unless they gave me something in return. The GM said "well that's why your here" And I said "But we don't get anything for risking our lives not even reduced pricing we get everything at frontier inflated cost" Hell I stood a better chance surviving out in the woods than with these theiving SOB's but of course I would never level without training.

Realize I would have been willing to hand over all treasure and request supplies and training. But having to pay for them and turn over my hard work that I risked my life for NO I finally just refused and they started paying me. I could just have easily stayed in the fort safe and made boats (My Proficiencies in 2ed). They needed those as well.

And on a final note the reason I left this group. I spent a year of weeklygaming as a mgae to go from 1st to second level to lose a level on the first encounter after making second never getting to cast a spell. I must have spent most the campaign unconscious from going into negative hit points and the conscious half with the paladin trying to make me go fighter since I would fire off my one daily spell then enter combat with him using a dagger. And this GM was ahead of his time becuase you got no bonuses for being at the creatures back like 2ed (Since the creature was wheeling around like 3rd ed) but was behind the times becuase you didn't get flanking bonuses. I basically would attract the creatures attention and get nocked out to have the paladin hopefully clean up. And At times the Paladin and Ranger were down and I was left to kill the bad guy. Yea once this was an Owlbear. But that is a whole another rant. sorry for getting off track.

Sad thing was I liked the group and the GM just nothis style.

later

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

As I say this, understand that I consider myself deeply Lawful Good. I have a strong preference for consistent law and order, and I believe that such strong law and order serves as the basis of a benevolent society. Respect for just authority figures helps support the law and order that provides for the public good.

In the first posted example, I would pay the villagers a generous wage for helping moor the ship-- it's always better to pay well and generously and spread the wealth. It pays dividends in goodwill. However, I would not pay nearly the amount of a share in the vessel, and any attempt to force me to pay more money than I decided was fair would be met in a very hostile fashion.

I would generally be willing to hero without pay, especially in dire need cases-- however, if I am not being paid for services I provide, I should at very least have full salvage rights and should not be taxed on that salvage. People that are asking me to risk my life out of the goodness of my heart had best not take advantage of me, and I'd expect every possible assistance with anything I'd need to protect them from whatever threat was looming. This is only fair, especially if I am not being paid.

As for adventuring and mercenary work... they are essentially synonymous, both historically and in the modern day. However, good adventuring heroes have softened their mercenary instincts considerably, and often undertake heroic actions instead of being motivated purely by profit. However, mercenaries happen to be expensive, well-paid professionals; if they are providing their services for free, they deserve considerable assistance and respect, much as lawyers and doctors who do extensive pro bono work.

 

[Mark Chance]

Back in the day, when I actually got to play, this would be time for payback. Hurtful payback. Of course, very few of my characters have ever been law-abiding nice-guys. Most can be accurately described as "tomb robbing mercenary scum."

My primary character, from 1E days, Korbok the Rogue Prince of Ironspyre, would teach the town the truth of the proverb: "If you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas."

I recall one adventure, forget which one (think its was White Plume Mountain) where the Duke and Duchness of Urnst tried to fleece the party out agreed-upon payment for retrieving desired items. Our characters took immediate exception. The party laid waste to the ducal guard in the audience chamber, kidnapped the Duke and Duchess, fled the Duchy of Urnst with retrieved items, and sold the foolish nobles to a gang of bandits near the Pomarj.

And a good time was had by all.

 

[clark411]

In terms of commoners and other townsfolk becoming greedy in the repeated presence of adventurers.. I say absolutely. It makes perfect sense that they would consider guys walking around in thousands of gold worth of items to be a source of income for themselves. I've done math for one 7000 population town, and the spending power per day for the commoners (who aren't PC classed or aristocrats) comes out to about 9100 g / day with 86% or so making about 1 sp a day...

In walks a guy with a glowing +2 sword worth more than that 1st level commoner could make in 80000 days... about 220 years, and you'd like free this and that? Heh, no- a drop in the bucket for your average adventurer could feed a commoner for a month, or more importantly, save a noble or official or cleric who makes far less still while being safe, the trouble of doing it.

 

[The Blue Elf]

That depends on problem sometimes, I had problems with players who thought my character was weaker, they always joked around how much I would died in the process of the game.We were facing a Lolth Demon Goddess out of all people they depended on Fighter/Wizard/Arcain Archer who had depended on a Longbow that can do 230 points of damage which I think he was cheating.

Most of the players didn't want anything to do with my character in the process or bother to listen to me because we had a wizard and a Psion in the party and I asked as many times that we need to rest they said no and to find out we were trap and lost the Psion, the Fighter/Wizard/Arcain Archer, and Ranger.


The Wizard and me escaped the wizard on the other hand left period with out me. Luckly, I was a Fighter/Spell-caster that manage to learn the spell teleport and got away as far as I can from Lolth who manage to kill Fighter/Wizard/Arcain Archer, and Ranger by using a Anti-Magic Field that protected her from all the Magical attacks bonuses that our Fighter/Wizard/Arcain Archer try to use I told the Fighter/Wizard/Arcain Archer to uses his sword but he didn't want to listen to me he die in the process of battling lolth, and I lived so did the wizard because, I wasn't stupid try to fight lolth just because it was Epic adventure the team work was the main issue they didn't think that I was useful too them I was just Canonfire for Lolth they always joked around how will I die when Lolth kills me because I was 20th level mostly everyone was Epic I manage to put a trick to save my ass they didn't realize it was going to happen but it did I show them never always judge a player by words alone because I manage to show them that I also have tricks too to helped me live through it.