Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Setherial 04-18-05, 04:51 AM	Hey guys I'm working out a first level miniadventure/encounter for fresh unexperienced adventurers just arriving in Sharn. Captain Tokinan Delkaine (LN Male Human Fighter 2) has been authorized to hire mercenaries for guard duty at some gate in some district during the night shift. Most of his own men have been relocated to the Graywall Mountains to hold back the Droaam Hordes (see Sharn Inquisitive: Droaam Hordes Press Graywall Defenders). My question is how much money to offer 1st level adventurers for night duty standing guard. The location they are posted at is ofcourse one of the more dangerous places to be at night (they don't hire mercenaries to take the easy jobs and it's a location they usually put 4 elite guards of their own (level 2 Warriors)) and it is expected that the guards run into some minor trouble every couple of nights (mostly smugglers). What does the Captain offer as payment per week (is it like 2 Galifar (gold) per pc per week, or more ?), do they get mundane equipment from the guards armoury for the time they are in service, do they get a bonus for arrests they make ? any more ideas ? cheers SeTh
Setherial 04-18-05, 07:42 AM	Next to what they would get payed for a job like this I could use some help visualizing the entire thing. Since Sharn is a vertical city just climbing over a wall might not be an option. The gate they guard could be a very large opening in the wall of a huge tower. This forces anyone who needs to get into the district to use this Gate, unless they want to climb the tower and get in at a higher level which is possible if you don't have to carry much unless they are using a mount. Also I'm looking for random encounters that might occur during the night shift. Things like : 1. 2 drunken sailors on their way home, singing and yelling approach the Gate 2. A thief tries to slip past you, he carries a bag with stuff he stole that night 3. Another party of adventurers returns from their last quest 4. A cloaked rider on a pale horse appraoches the gate, when he gets closer you notice (Spot 15) his cloack around his waist area is wet and darker in color. The rider is bleeding heavily and is to weak to even speak, he will fall off his horse any moment now. 5. you hear screams and shortly after a man comes running down the street towerds the gate, behind him are 3 dark figurs follow (could be monsters, Boromar, Daask, ...) 6. a cart pulled by two mules approaches. It's filled with barrels of wine and the driver of the cart tells you he must make his delivery before morning to the -name of a well known tavern-. One of the barrels has a false bottom and holds Dreamlilli (or some other drug) . If the party finds out he offers them a bribe. 7. 2 men in Sharn city guard outfit approach from inside the tower and tell the party they can take the rest of the night off, Captain Delkains orders. They are indeed of the city watch but are corrupt and work for the Borormars. A deal will go down that night and they have been bribed to make sure the gate is free.
Setherial 04-20-05, 02:04 AM	:bump: comon guys, no replies at all, this is most disappointing !
stembolt 04-20-05, 02:57 AM	1 GP per day per level. More for hazard pay and with the possibility for bonuses. Hazard pay would be like if there was a riot. Bonuses would be going above and beyond the call for duty. Ultimately you would want to consider the wealth by level guidelines to determine how much the PCs should end up with. Mercenaries would typically supply their own weapons and armor (also they get 1 gp per level per day instead of 1 or 2 SP per level per day for common guards).
Setherial 04-20-05, 03:48 AM	thanks, 1GP a day seems fine. The idea of letting them use the armoury comes from the idea that I want them to be really poorly equipped when they take the job, they should arrive in sharn with little more then a walking stick so that the need for money is high. I want them to feel what it is to take a regular job that doesn't pay 100 or 1000 gold just like that. This way they can really start at the bottom and work they way up, discover how different sharn is when you are poor compared to when you are rich.
Just another user 04-20-05, 05:29 AM	Not exactly poor, 1gp/day is about ten times the pay of a commoner. I thin you should give even the equipment but nothing too fancy, just standard weapons (shortswords probably) and armor (leather or, at best, studded) and maybe shields.
JohnnyONeal 04-20-05, 09:59 AM	Base their pay on their encounter levels. If you're going to throw tough enemies at them, add up the value of anything they can loot, then subtract that from the recommended treasure for facing challenges of that EL. The remaining amount (which shouldn't be more than a few gold if you want to keep things realistic), is what they should earn. If you want to increase the pay, start with a low base salary and give them a "bonus" for encounters tougher than the guard would usually face.
CzarGarrett 04-20-05, 10:01 AM	I'd go either 50/sp night OR 15/sp night with room and board in the barracks included.
Setherial 04-21-05, 02:09 AM	I'd go either 50/sp night OR 15/sp night with room and board in the barracks included. hmm I like this, though 50 silver is too much compared with what regular soldiers would make. I think I'll go for the 15 you suggest and provide them with room and board, they'll need it ! ;) thanks guys any more encounter ideas ? (both mundane and more extraordinary)
Beleriphon 04-21-05, 02:37 AM	hmm I like this, though 50 silver is too much compared with what regular soldiers would make. I think I'll go for the 15 you suggest and provide them with room and board, they'll need it ! ;) thanks guys any more encounter ideas ? (both mundane and more extraordinary) An unruly ogre worker that has a a bit too much to drink. He's violent, and ill tempered at the moment but otherwise a likeable sort. For an ogre. The newly minted guards have to subdue the brute without killing him. Give fully XP for the encounter, he's big and stupid, but also a CR 3. Creativity should be encouraged.
Setherial 04-21-05, 04:11 AM	hehe cool, keep 'm comin' here is one of mine A secret prison transport arrives at the gate led by a Redcloak commander (question: is it possible the players would not know about the RedCloaks, or does any Brelander and possibly those of other nations know of this organization) who demands the party stand aside and forget he ever came through here. They might be transporting a war criminal, who they actually have no right holding. Or maybe a more exotic prisonar from the continent of Xen'Drik, maybe a Drow girl who was abducted by pirates and ended up in Breland stealing food and roughing up some farmers before she was captured by the Kings Citadel. Now they try to cover up the entire thing, or hope to learn some dark secrets from her about Xen'Drik. Maybe they have a dangerous magical being trapped in their wagon, a creature that could spread panic if people knew about it's presence. A last option could be that they captured a dangerous spy, not knowing she is actually an inspired from the DD. She is the most beautiful woman the players have ever seen and she uses her charm and some telepathy to persuade the party to help her. cheers SeTh