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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DM_Blake" data-source="post: 4119015" data-attributes="member: 57267">Oh, now you've opened a can of bees...Why isn't everyone taking a sword and armor and going out to make fantastic amounts of money?1. It's very dangerous. Most such people are never seen or heard from again. Monster treasure hoards are full of loot from dead adventurers. Ergo, many people choose to be merchants, farmers, inn keepers, etc. They make less money, but probably live long and die of old age.2. The best adventurers are not special because they have a mystical destiny. They're unusually strong, or brilliant, or dextrous. They have unusual physical and mental aptitudes that make them elite compared to John Q. Average. Sure, Fred the Farmer might sire a child who grows up to have an 18 STR, 16 CON, 16 DEX, and this child might be cut out to be an adventurer. But this is rare. Much more common is the farmer's son with ability scores of all 10, or close to it - not adventurer material.3. It takes training. Just grabbing a sword and some armor doesn't make you a fighter. Grabbing a staff and pointy hat won't make you a wizard. Most adventurers come from somoene who was connected, or just lucky enough, so that they were able to receive the necessary training early in life to become an adventuring class.4. It takes a certain mindset to trapse off into uncharted wilderness, suffering hardships and danger at every turn, facing the unknown, risking your life daily, for the hope of wealth and glory. Not everyone values wealth and glory enough to choose that way of life. Some will place family values over weath and glory. Others will become militia or watch commanders, finding a decent paycheck and occasional chances to prove themselves to be adequate adventure. Still others find loyalty to their king, country, city, religion, etc., to be sufficient reason to stay home and apply themselves locally.Put that all together, and rephrase your question:If all you needed was a sword and armor, elite physical and mental abilities, the right circumstance and training, and the kind of mindset to risk it all for weath and glory, and you could go out and make fantastic amounts of money, why isn't everyone doing that?Answer: Most people who fit that bill are doing exactly that.Good question.My governments do.You head out of your city, slay a dragon, come back and start flashing your wealth, you will get a visit from the tax collectors. And you'll get a visit from the ruling class who have assignments for you. Assignments that come with titles (sir, lord, maybe even baron) - these titles don't do much for you but pile on obligations to king and country (at least at first).Another good question.My dragons, and other monsters and bad guys, do.Many good guys do this, and neutral guys, so why not evil guys or monstrous guys?Dragons are fond of polymorphing and visiting society. And smart enough to know the value of concepts like diversification and compound interest. Many of my wealthy monsters become "power behind the throne" kind of manipulators - not always literally behind the king's throne, but sometimes referring to "silent partnerships" or "anonymous investors" for merchants, guilds, other powerful organizations, some of which are secretly financed and operated, or manipulated, by the kinds of monsters who get into this sort of thing. Fiends, illithids, dragons, beholders, vampires, liches, etc.These kinds of monsters are more than willing to invest the coin in their lair to build an organization of business and other enterprises that accrue more wealth for the monster's coffers.And some businessmen and organization leaders are corrupt and wicked enough to join forces with the vilest and most despicable monsters, as long as it benefits their organzation.I think it is.I don't see why monsters have to be hidden in their lairs out in the trackless wastes. Well, not all monsters, anyway.This kind of stuff lets the PCs use some of their skills in city environments from time to time, without having to make it about another romp to find the thieves in the sewers.</blockquote>

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