Brazen NPCs [Archive] - Wizards Community

Brazen NPCs [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Enmarnacu
10-19-07, 03:34 PM Imagine this scenario:

A small town has been besieged numerous times by a young green dragon. A group of adventurers passing through town is stopped by the mayor to fix the problem. Several days later the group returns; A huge black warforged, a shifter covered in dried dragon's blood and a shifty looking gnome followed by a dragon skeleton. They seek out a tracker.

The tracker will be helping them find the dragon's hoard, since they slaughtered it without finding out where it's lair was.

The tracker asks for a cut, an entire fourth of the hoard. He fails to find it. So they hire two different trackers, both level 1 experts (since the wilderness rogue wouldn't be able to find it herself). They both ask for a cut, although they're willing to split a fourth.

Is that just a DM being upset because we shredded his plans, destroyed his challenge with barely a scratch and made a dragon our pet? Or something else?
_________

I'm not mad, we got a good amount since the warforged is an NPC and refused his cut, but still, I maintain that a common peasant, when negotiating price with three ninth level heroes would have to have a lot of gall to ask for an equal share. Especially when several hundred gold would be a fortune.
Phrennzy
10-19-07, 04:03 PM Imagine this scenario:

A small town has been besieged numerous times by a young green dragon. A group of adventurers passing through town is stopped by the mayor to fix the problem. Several days later the group returns; A huge black warforged, a shifter covered in dried dragon's blood and a shifty looking gnome followed by a dragon skeleton. They seek out a tracker.

The tracker will be helping them find the dragon's hoard, since they slaughtered it without finding out where it's lair was.

The tracker asks for a cut, an entire fourth of the hoard. He fails to find it. So they hire two different trackers, both level 1 experts (since the wilderness rogue wouldn't be able to find it herself). They both ask for a cut, although they're willing to split a fourth.

Is that just a DM being upset because we shredded his plans, destroyed his challenge with barely a scratch and made a dragon our pet? Or something else?
_________

I'm not mad, we got a good amount since the warforged is an NPC and refused his cut, but still, I maintain that a common peasant, when negotiating price with three ninth level heroes would have to have a lot of gall to ask for an equal share. Especially when several hundred gold would be a fortune.

Why not ask for a share?

If some guys came to your door, and asked you to help them track down 100 million dollars, how much would you ask for?

Now, how much would you be willing to take?

Laugh at the trackers when they ask for a full share, and offer them either a flat amount or a very small percentage - like 1 or 2%.
PhaedrusXY
10-19-07, 04:04 PM Or maybe he thinks that an entire dragon's horde would give you too much wealth for your levels. How are we supposed to know, anyway? We don't even know your DM...
Enmarnacu
10-19-07, 04:24 PM Why not ask for a share?

If some guys came to your door, and asked you to help them track down 100 million dollars, how much would you ask for?

Now, how much would you be willing to take?

Laugh at the trackers when they ask for a full share, and offer them either a flat amount or a very small percentage - like 1 or 2%.
Ask for a share, yes. But don't look a blood-drenched warrior in the face and ask for an equal amount. If those guys who came to my door looked like they could kill me with a flick of their wrists, I wouldn't ask for an equal amount. I'd humbly seek payment for my services and appeal to their generosity. The DM wanted to take it to intimidate checks, but given my low charisma I figured we'd be laughed it.

Or maybe he thinks that an entire dragon's horde would give you too much wealth for your levels. How are we supposed to know, anyway? We don't even know your DM...
He's not overly concerned with too much wealth, methinks. CRs are already hard to gauge with us, since we're a nonstandard party. If we get overpowered the easiest thing he can do is block the gnome's illusions and my sneak attacks.

I thought this might be a fun discussion for the boards, trying to get into the community, etc. So don't take it too seriously and feel free to assume. Like I said, I'm not mad about it and we're still rich. I've got over 10k laying on my sheet because I have no idea what to buy, so I'm set. I just maintain that when faced with experienced warriors the peasants would stutter a little when making ridiculous demands.
Prator_The_Golden
10-19-07, 06:07 PM Maybe it just so happens that the only trackers in town have a collective wisdom score of 3?
Voran
10-19-07, 06:39 PM *Teehee* I'd also be concerned that the 1st tracked actually found the trail but SAID he didn't find the trail.

In a weird way, I'd also be more concerned about the guy who asks for a minor share, than one who asks for a full one. I'd be concerned the dude asking for a minor share intends to just whack you.
branmakmuffin
10-19-07, 08:15 PM Ask for a share, yes. But don't look a blood-drenched warrior in the face and ask for an equal amount. If those guys who came to my door looked like they could kill me with a flick of their wrists, I wouldn't ask for an equal amount. I'd humbly seek payment for my services and appeal to their generosity. The DM wanted to take it to intimidate checks, but given my low charisma I figured we'd be laughed it.
Sounds like there's a little PC brazen-ness to go along with the NPC variety.

What have they got to lose by asking you for 1 share, or even half of the entire treasure? Heck, I'm surprised they aren't out looking for it already. The whole area knows you just killed a dragon. If I were DMing, the whole area would be crawling with treasure hunters (assuming we're not talking about the depopulated wilds, here). If I were you, I'd get to finding that treasure pretty pronto. Agree to the share and if you aren't happy later, prove to them that you can kill them with a flick of your wrist.

In short, I don't think the DM was being unreasonable (nor the party, for that matter).
1red13
10-19-07, 10:55 PM Sounds a touch on the high side but with no pcs that track their services suddenly are a whole lot more valuable. If not for the trackers there wouldn't be anything to split up and npcs can be greedy too. I think you might be doing well if the trackers don't just take off without you. Choosing between giving up a chunk of the treasure or no treasure at all, I would choose to hire the trackers.
1red13
10-19-07, 10:59 PM Further yet if i was confronted with blood drenched adventurers who could kill me with the flick of their wrist? I would politely decline. Firstly because their unsanitary and secondly because they seem a bit on the violent side. Business with them might be fatal.
Mejdrich
10-20-07, 12:23 AM Hmm.. get someone to cast "speak with dead". Where is your treasure?
metalmayhem80110
10-20-07, 09:22 AM I have to know what alignment you are before I can answer this question :P
Mejdrich
10-20-07, 11:11 AM Get a Cleric of Hextor to cast it, and your dead green dragon doesn't even get a will save. To bad it doesn't work on undead.
WHW4
10-20-07, 01:30 PM This gives the DM a perfect opportunity to test your ability to roleplay your alignments (or change them, if you decide to go ape on him).

A group of treasure hunters, very low-level, get to the hoarde ahead of your group of friggin' superheroes (and I'm assuming you guys are good-aligned). The PC's walk in to the chamber where the gold and goodies are at, and find an exultant halfing swimming and cavorting in his new-found wealth, a human ranger trying on a resplendant crown with rubies and sapphires adorning it, and a half-orc in banded-mail making a pile of shiny new weapons and drooling over the gems and platinum pieces he finds.

Your group, "What the...? Hey guys, hate to burst your bubble, but we slew the dragon, so we have dibs on this booty. You can have 1% because we followed your trail here."

Them, "Come off it! You've been eating those red and black mushrooms that grow all over if you think we're going to just accept your ridiculous story. We found it, and it's ours. Finder's keepers. How about WE give YOU 1% for helping us haul it out of here."

Your group, "No dice! It's ours, how about you leave before this gets uglier than your friend there." (points to the half-orc)

Them, "Defend yourselves, thieves!"

Combat ensues, your group easily defeats them, and you drink your newfound wealth away to soothe the crushing guilt you feel at seeing the wedding ring on the halfling's itty bitty finger after you slew him for some gold, and realize his little halfling wife and tiny halfling mcnuggets are going to never know what happened to their daddy.

Mwahahaha!

Alignment Shift!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Enmarnacu 10-19-07, 03:34 PM	Imagine this scenario: A small town has been besieged numerous times by a young green dragon. A group of adventurers passing through town is stopped by the mayor to fix the problem. Several days later the group returns; A huge black warforged, a shifter covered in dried dragon's blood and a shifty looking gnome followed by a dragon skeleton. They seek out a tracker. The tracker will be helping them find the dragon's hoard, since they slaughtered it without finding out where it's lair was. The tracker asks for a cut, an entire fourth of the hoard. He fails to find it. So they hire two different trackers, both level 1 experts (since the wilderness rogue wouldn't be able to find it herself). They both ask for a cut, although they're willing to split a fourth. Is that just a DM being upset because we shredded his plans, destroyed his challenge with barely a scratch and made a dragon our pet? Or something else? _________ I'm not mad, we got a good amount since the warforged is an NPC and refused his cut, but still, I maintain that a common peasant, when negotiating price with three ninth level heroes would have to have a lot of gall to ask for an equal share. Especially when several hundred gold would be a fortune.
Phrennzy 10-19-07, 04:03 PM	Imagine this scenario: A small town has been besieged numerous times by a young green dragon. A group of adventurers passing through town is stopped by the mayor to fix the problem. Several days later the group returns; A huge black warforged, a shifter covered in dried dragon's blood and a shifty looking gnome followed by a dragon skeleton. They seek out a tracker. The tracker will be helping them find the dragon's hoard, since they slaughtered it without finding out where it's lair was. The tracker asks for a cut, an entire fourth of the hoard. He fails to find it. So they hire two different trackers, both level 1 experts (since the wilderness rogue wouldn't be able to find it herself). They both ask for a cut, although they're willing to split a fourth. Is that just a DM being upset because we shredded his plans, destroyed his challenge with barely a scratch and made a dragon our pet? Or something else? _________ I'm not mad, we got a good amount since the warforged is an NPC and refused his cut, but still, I maintain that a common peasant, when negotiating price with three ninth level heroes would have to have a lot of gall to ask for an equal share. Especially when several hundred gold would be a fortune. Why not ask for a share? If some guys came to your door, and asked you to help them track down 100 million dollars, how much would you ask for? Now, how much would you be willing to take? Laugh at the trackers when they ask for a full share, and offer them either a flat amount or a very small percentage - like 1 or 2%.
PhaedrusXY 10-19-07, 04:04 PM	Or maybe he thinks that an entire dragon's horde would give you too much wealth for your levels. How are we supposed to know, anyway? We don't even know your DM...
Enmarnacu 10-19-07, 04:24 PM	Why not ask for a share? If some guys came to your door, and asked you to help them track down 100 million dollars, how much would you ask for? Now, how much would you be willing to take? Laugh at the trackers when they ask for a full share, and offer them either a flat amount or a very small percentage - like 1 or 2%. Ask for a share, yes. But don't look a blood-drenched warrior in the face and ask for an equal amount. If those guys who came to my door looked like they could kill me with a flick of their wrists, I wouldn't ask for an equal amount. I'd humbly seek payment for my services and appeal to their generosity. The DM wanted to take it to intimidate checks, but given my low charisma I figured we'd be laughed it. Or maybe he thinks that an entire dragon's horde would give you too much wealth for your levels. How are we supposed to know, anyway? We don't even know your DM... He's not overly concerned with too much wealth, methinks. CRs are already hard to gauge with us, since we're a nonstandard party. If we get overpowered the easiest thing he can do is block the gnome's illusions and my sneak attacks. I thought this might be a fun discussion for the boards, trying to get into the community, etc. So don't take it too seriously and feel free to assume. Like I said, I'm not mad about it and we're still rich. I've got over 10k laying on my sheet because I have no idea what to buy, so I'm set. I just maintain that when faced with experienced warriors the peasants would stutter a little when making ridiculous demands.
Prator_The_Golden 10-19-07, 06:07 PM	Maybe it just so happens that the only trackers in town have a collective wisdom score of 3?
Voran 10-19-07, 06:39 PM	Teehee I'd also be concerned that the 1st tracked actually found the trail but SAID he didn't find the trail. In a weird way, I'd also be more concerned about the guy who asks for a minor share, than one who asks for a full one. I'd be concerned the dude asking for a minor share intends to just whack you.
branmakmuffin 10-19-07, 08:15 PM	Ask for a share, yes. But don't look a blood-drenched warrior in the face and ask for an equal amount. If those guys who came to my door looked like they could kill me with a flick of their wrists, I wouldn't ask for an equal amount. I'd humbly seek payment for my services and appeal to their generosity. The DM wanted to take it to intimidate checks, but given my low charisma I figured we'd be laughed it. Sounds like there's a little PC brazen-ness to go along with the NPC variety. What have they got to lose by asking you for 1 share, or even half of the entire treasure? Heck, I'm surprised they aren't out looking for it already. The whole area knows you just killed a dragon. If I were DMing, the whole area would be crawling with treasure hunters (assuming we're not talking about the depopulated wilds, here). If I were you, I'd get to finding that treasure pretty pronto. Agree to the share and if you aren't happy later, prove to them that you can kill them with a flick of your wrist. In short, I don't think the DM was being unreasonable (nor the party, for that matter).
1red13 10-19-07, 10:55 PM	Sounds a touch on the high side but with no pcs that track their services suddenly are a whole lot more valuable. If not for the trackers there wouldn't be anything to split up and npcs can be greedy too. I think you might be doing well if the trackers don't just take off without you. Choosing between giving up a chunk of the treasure or no treasure at all, I would choose to hire the trackers.
1red13 10-19-07, 10:59 PM	Further yet if i was confronted with blood drenched adventurers who could kill me with the flick of their wrist? I would politely decline. Firstly because their unsanitary and secondly because they seem a bit on the violent side. Business with them might be fatal.
Mejdrich 10-20-07, 12:23 AM	Hmm.. get someone to cast "speak with dead". Where is your treasure?
metalmayhem80110 10-20-07, 09:22 AM	I have to know what alignment you are before I can answer this question :P
Mejdrich 10-20-07, 11:11 AM	Get a Cleric of Hextor to cast it, and your dead green dragon doesn't even get a will save. To bad it doesn't work on undead.
WHW4 10-20-07, 01:30 PM	This gives the DM a perfect opportunity to test your ability to roleplay your alignments (or change them, if you decide to go ape on him). A group of treasure hunters, very low-level, get to the hoarde ahead of your group of friggin' superheroes (and I'm assuming you guys are good-aligned). The PC's walk in to the chamber where the gold and goodies are at, and find an exultant halfing swimming and cavorting in his new-found wealth, a human ranger trying on a resplendant crown with rubies and sapphires adorning it, and a half-orc in banded-mail making a pile of shiny new weapons and drooling over the gems and platinum pieces he finds. Your group, "What the...? Hey guys, hate to burst your bubble, but we slew the dragon, so we have dibs on this booty. You can have 1% because we followed your trail here." Them, "Come off it! You've been eating those red and black mushrooms that grow all over if you think we're going to just accept your ridiculous story. We found it, and it's ours. Finder's keepers. How about WE give YOU 1% for helping us haul it out of here." Your group, "No dice! It's ours, how about you leave before this gets uglier than your friend there." (points to the half-orc) Them, "Defend yourselves, thieves!" Combat ensues, your group easily defeats them, and you drink your newfound wealth away to soothe the crushing guilt you feel at seeing the wedding ring on the halfling's itty bitty finger after you slew him for some gold, and realize his little halfling wife and tiny halfling mcnuggets are going to never know what happened to their daddy. Mwahahaha! Alignment Shift!