Posted by:
Carl
on
7/30/2010 12:36:39 PM
After the (un)death of two key characters in the game, the remaining two (plus one) made their way back to Rome to evaluate what had happened and what their next moves would be.
The appearance of a pair of well-muscled brothers from Cisapline Gaul in the Collegium was unexpected, but not unwelcome.
The characters now are in a state of flux. They're between jobs, so to speak, and floundering a bit in their attempts to find employment. Day labor is always an option. You probably won't starve as a laborer, but you'll certainly never get rich making 3 As per day.
Crime, obviously, is one way to make money quickly, and the gang is clearly eying that career option, but without much direction. Collections, enforcement, bodyguard work -- these are all options, but finding an employer is proving difficult.
What's next for our heroes?
On the campaign development side of things, I've found some new information on the Roman economy that looks to be exactly what I needed to get to the next step in defining the Macro Economy of Italia.
The question of the Talent of Silver acquired by one Gnaeus Cenaeus of Etruria has been plaguing me for the last couple of sessions. My DM instincts tell me that this was probably too much money to hand out for even the rare and expensive fish he traded for it, but that bridge has been crossed and burned. Retroactive continuity is not an option in this game (because I think it's stupid) and so I've been trying to come up with a fair market value for this 57 pound unit of silver.
First, I opted for the Attic talent, not because it is smaller than the Roman talent, but because it's much more likely that if a talent were to exist in Rome, it would be Greek. You see, at this point in history, Rome didn't have much silver or gold. That wouldn't happen until the conquest of Hispania, some 40 years in the future.
The value of an Attic talent is 6000 drachma. The Drachma (and Tetradrachma) is the coin of the Aegean. It is the coin of Aegyptus (the current economic powerhouse of the world) and lucky for us, it's exchange rate with the Denarius is very nearly 1 to 1.
That means that Gnaeus Cenaeus has gone from dirt-poor to modestly well-off with one fishing trip, and I'm OK with this. I don't really have any choice, but it's still OK. However, there will be some in-game specifics we'll deal with on Sunday.
The good news is this. Gnaeus Cenaeus has managed to acquire approximately 6000 denarii and bank it. That means that he has also acquired 6000 experience points, and is entitled to more experience points as that money was deposited into the Roman Treasury (AKA The Temple of Saturn) and is now collecting interest.
Before you get all excited, I should clarify that since he is not a citizen, he is not entitled to the 10% per annum simple interest that (most) citizen depositors are entitled to. Had he gone with a private banker he might have done better than the 2% he's being paid, but at least his money is working for him.
I'll see you Sunday.
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