Paul Farquhar
Legend
Running a keep is a management sim minigame. It has to generate wealth and pay for itself.
D&D 5E Tier 2 treasure troves - Not enough gold!
FreeTheSlaves
Adventurer
Yeah, but we decided that 'running a business' is the downtime activity to earn gold (needing improvement!). Just kind of assumed that the peasants working the land around the stronghold helped it pay for itself, and gradual improvements.
I might need to present a case where heads are taxed per month, or certain places (mill, mine, vineyard) generate surplus gold. It'd have to be simple enough and focused on benefiting the stronghold. Something like:
Westgard
- Population 87; tax 87gp per mth
- Includes, 1 teaming lake, 1 mill, 1 mine (at half output); tax 250gp per mth
PCs personally outfitting troops seems too expensive, I'll talk about having new retainers come with decent equipment. Paying gold to outfit and train additional levies seems fair enough.
I might need to present a case where heads are taxed per month, or certain places (mill, mine, vineyard) generate surplus gold. It'd have to be simple enough and focused on benefiting the stronghold. Something like:
Westgard
- Population 87; tax 87gp per mth
- Includes, 1 teaming lake, 1 mill, 1 mine (at half output); tax 250gp per mth
PCs personally outfitting troops seems too expensive, I'll talk about having new retainers come with decent equipment. Paying gold to outfit and train additional levies seems fair enough.
Knowing that you want to establish strongholds, why isn't your DM increasing the gold?
FreeTheSlaves
Adventurer
Well, we have a round robin DM set-up, so we need to reach a consensus on something like that. Guess we assumed there was enough gold in the published game for the downtime activities presented.
And there was, initially. Saved for a stronghold, was rewarded a parcel of land, convinced patrons to help finance a border fort protecting their lands. Then along came extra expenses...
Tier 3 troves are great! Problem resolving itself with those. It's just the tier 2 troves.
It's not like we're slaves to the rules, but a DMG generated trove is a starting point. It gets fiddled with, extra scrolls and potions pleases one guy, and double troves for dragons. But adding extra 0's? Hmm, I think that's moving a bit too far from the baseline.
And there was, initially. Saved for a stronghold, was rewarded a parcel of land, convinced patrons to help finance a border fort protecting their lands. Then along came extra expenses...
Tier 3 troves are great! Problem resolving itself with those. It's just the tier 2 troves.
It's not like we're slaves to the rules, but a DMG generated trove is a starting point. It gets fiddled with, extra scrolls and potions pleases one guy, and double troves for dragons. But adding extra 0's? Hmm, I think that's moving a bit too far from the baseline.
that's what cohorts are for. they stay and run the "business" While you go adventure. Outfitting troops initially may just be spears and wooden shields. When you get more money then maybe you can afford chain shirts. Could be you hire an armorsmith, provide the forge and a bit of land or house for him, then he works for you armor shouldn't cost book value. But even landholders are limited by thier wealth. In feudal cultures some lords could only afford to send food, some sent troops, some could afford to send expensive things like knights and warhorses. don't assume you should have everything at once. It's really like wack a mole. Get em shelter, get em fed, get this get em that. it never ends. Depending on resources you may have to go find more treasure to fill the holes, but if your DM isn't going to let you come up with some revenue streams even if it's taxes and investments in merchant houses, or makeing money selling natural resources, your screwed. Every Lord needs income to fund his duties and if he's out adventuring all the time everything will fall apart unless you have a trustworthy Cohort behind keeping it going.
Well, look at it this way--it's realistic and gives you a strong motivation to continue adventuring instead of just retiring to your strongholds.
Also, if you do this with other characters, you'll know to wait until you've saved up a bit more before you start building, and it will be easier next time.
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