What does a good sword and sorcery hero spend all that stolen money on? "Ale and whores", but it's hard to make people feel excited about imaginary examples of those. I need concrete, specific, attractive descriptions of expensive luxuries a fantasy hero could want. Stuff the players themselves would feel excited to get the money for, even if it's not something truly "useful" like a better magical weapon. Stuff they would feel really good about their characters having obtained.
>>44017472
Whores. Ale. Drugs. Novelty shop crap. An increasingly large house/mansion/doom fort with secret passages and shit in it.
>>44017472
Take your gaming group camping, no cabin, no bathroom, just the wilderness and them, for 3-5 days.
Then see how happy they are to see food they don't have to catch, a warm bath and bed, and their significant others if they have any.
That aside, in sword and sorcery (as opposed to fantasy) the reward is geared towards living the good life until out of money. Creature comforts. Good food, obsequious toadies, npcs treat them with fawning adoration. Perhaps a triumph or party in their honour.
>>44017500
I know, but I need more specific descriptions than that. Like how D&D (or dwarf fortress) likes to meticulously detail every expensive treasure the heroes find. It makes finding it feel like more of an achievement. You didn't just get "50 GP in precious stones", you get a whole variety of beatifully cut, large, shining rubies and emeralds and sparkling diamonds and golden rings...
"Ale and whores" might be great in theory but to hear the description isn't by itself very exciting.
>>44017541
First of all, you must create contrast.
Describe the adventures a oppressively hot, bitingly cold, describe the gnaw of hunger, the foul taste and texture of rations. Make sure they feel the suck.
Then, put on pleasant music while they are spending. Go into detail about the warm cozy bed, the delicious, got food (props if you wait until reward time to let them eat out of game). Describe the aromas. The absence of human stank now that they have bathed, ect.
If you don't describe how bad roughing it is, no amount of talking up the reward will help. Contrast is key.
>>44017541
Its your setting.
You want me to describe a house in a setting you have made? That's your job. Find real life examples of what you want. Then describe them.
I can't do that for you because its not my setting or one I'm familiar with.
>>44017472
In AD&D, it was expected that adventurers got increasingly higher expenses as they got in level: a warrior needed to cover the cost of a castle and the land, a wizard got incredibly costly arcane components to buy, a rogue the cost of a thief guild. Basically, as you go higher in level, you became somebody, and that was always costly.
Ale and whores are for level 3 characters. Even in Bilbo the Hobbit, when they became successful, the dwarves used their money to rebuild their race.
This is the logical idea that gives the most agency to the players, and players love agency. If your high level adventurers find themselves without a reason to spend money, then you took a wrong turn somewhere somehow.
Even a 'small' castle can have a really big upkeep. What about the cost of a lavish manor in the countryside? The cost of magical amenities for it? The cost of a small guild of warriors under your orders? And what about a barony? A wizard tower? Wizard guild's fees? Reagents?
>>44017472
Magical cosmetic surgery. Get rid of unseemly scars (the unsexy type), fix up damaged limbs, straighten out crooked noses, that sort of thing. Make sure that you're not a deformed, broken mass of splintered bone and scar tissue at the age of 30 (or equivalent)
>>44017472
If we assume that the group wants to move up in the world they need to impress people with their new status. The best way to do so is to indulge in latest fashions and do it as extravagantly as possible.
Clothes are a starting point. They signal wealth to everyone who sees them, and players can have fun describing the elaborate attire they invest in.
Public spending, like gambling, charity and hosting expensive social events can also be a way to spend a lot of hard earned cash. And open up for lots of good hooks. A murder can happen during a ball, prize money stolen fromthe gamblers, a hard pressed orphanage a playr patrons can be threatend by organízed mobsters etc.
Land, spices, silks, exotic goods from afar, that black chultan wine that makes you feel so good and never drunk.
I always think about the chapter where Dumas introduces Haydée and her accouterments and accommodations in the Count of Monte Cristo when I think about this sort of fancy stuff, OP.
Dick size increasing potions. Then ale and whores.
>>44017985
Holy shit, yes.
Literally every book Dumas père wrote should be mandatory reading for DMs for various reasons.
>>44017472
Describe the whores. In detail.
>>44017472
what do you spend your money on when you have too much of it? Stupid shit, whores and ale at least are some fun, look at the shit we buy today, not that diferent than whores and ale
>>44017535
Hahahahahahahaha kek'd really hard there...
Our Group IS in the wilderness but because were Epic Lvl we couldnt give a flying fuck!
>>44018870
He means in real life, dumbass
Fine clothes, fine dining, homes/hideouts, furnishings, drugs, books, obscure magic tomes, weapon collections, antiques, fossils/bones, rare gems, exotic pets, servants, high society parties, local bribery, etc. All depends on the character I imagine
>>44018669
This is one of those things nobody asks for, but really appreciates.
>>44017472
This depends mostly on what the DM describes existing. Ale and whores are the only luxuries which are a downright given, everything else is setting dependent.
If you're a player, try to force your DM to expand on what options are available. If you're a DM, ask yourself: what do the civvies do for fun? Are there arenas? Horse races? Illegal dogfights? Legal dogfights? Do the wealthy buy the church's favor by setting up elaborate stage plays in the honor of gods and saints? Are there theaters and opera houses? Is there a market square where every kind of luxury from the known world and beyond are for sale? Does the gruff and grumpy innkeeper organize bingo night for the elderly?
Simply by asking yourself what the locals do for fun, you can already greatly expand your setting. It can also create local cultures. For example, a certain kingdom may consist of devout followers of Kord, and it may encourage friendly and non-lethal competition in combat. On the other hand, a kingdom that worships a more pacifistic deity like Pelor may look down on such things and prefer more peaceful arts such as opera or stage plays.
And of course, every tavern should have some guys with a deck of cards or boardgames.
>>44017472
Things that make adventuring easier to start with
>huge bag of holding
>a golem programmed to perform delicate tasks such as repairing socks, setting up shelter and cooking dinner
>combat golems to take care of little shit you don't want to bother with
>a repair golem to keep all the other golems functional and a second to keep the repair golems functional
>a rare legendary wand of cast fireball to make cooking fires
>a box containing a small pocket dimension to build a comfy room in
Basically become a walking golem village
>>44017472
Serving ale and being a whore.
>>44019899
>Skill focus (Under the table handjob)
>>44020005
What happens if you roll 1?
>>44020021
You start moaning loudly as you squeeze his thigh, failing to stay quiet, failing to provide pleasure AND even failing to locate his fucking penis.
Good job, moron.
