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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Reynard" data-source="post: 6543662" data-attributes="member: 467">Someone has to have the liquid assets to make that exchange, though, and if the PCs operate outside the regular economy, it sure isn't anyone who lives in a village near a dungeon. So either the PCs will have to seek out a buyer, or find a broker. once you add the broker, now you are building a specialized sub economy built around the looting of ancient tombs and dragon lairs. And once you have done that, you have the basis for taxes and fees that make sense.For example, let's say the PCs find an ancient tablet worth 10000gp -- far more than the coffers of the local lord with his village of serfs. Otherwise, though, the PCs are down to their last few local coins. At the inn, they meet a treasure broker, who works for aristocrats, wizards and maybe even other treasure hoarding monsters. He offers to find a buyer for the PCs, but it will cost 10% of the value as a fee, and take a couple months to work out. If the PCs can't wait, he is willing to buy it for half value in the hope that he can find a buyer. Now, at the same time, that local lord, by virtue of owning the land, is a little off put by vagabonds making 10K gp deals in his land without getting his leave or paying tribute. The lord demands a tax on the treasure found, and he isn't going to take old rocks with ancient scribbles on them. Remember, he is a mundane ruler. He needs cash to pay his bodyguard. The broker, wishing to continue to operate in the area, is motivated to obey the law and not make any enemies for the PCs' sake. Of course, the PCs could refuse to pay their tax, which could lead to a fight with the lord's soldiers -- a fight the PCs are likely to win in the short term but ultimately leads to their status as wanted criminals.  And on top of it all, local bandits would know that those adventurers that do survive the dungeon often come out not only laden with treasure but at the end of their resources and are known to shakedown or even attack said adventurers.Adding this kind of layer of complexity to the usual, "You find 1000 gold," paradigm adds a lot to the game IMO -- certainly far more than the magic item economy of the 3.x era.</blockquote>

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