Marketplace
Marketplace
GURPS
Generic Universal RolePlaying System
A complete guide to buying and selling goods and services in GURPS Saduria.
GURPS Saduria
By Mike Cubbin
Last edited 26th July 2007
www.Saduria.co.uk
Mike Cubbin has been playing RPGs since 1979, starting with the 2nd ed.
AD&D and quickly moving to Runequest 2ed. A lifetime wasted buying and
playing RPGs has led to the development of GURPS Saduria.
Mike is married with two young children. He lives in the UK and works full time
to pay for his hobby.
GURPS
Generic Universal RolePlaying System
This aid is drawn from various sources, including SJ Games GURPS material
(using the 4th edition rules). With a bit of luck, players and referees alike will
find it both useful and stimulating. Note that items here may not correspond to
what SJ Games have published in official GURPS material.
In it, I have covered buying and selling most of the goods and services likely
to be required by characters and referees, along with any associated
additional rules. Some areas have been heavily abstracted, but I have
included plenty of detail where I believe it is justified.
Not everything listed here will be of equal use in all campaigns; it is firmly
rooted in my own GURPS game world of Saduria, a western-European style
empire set in a non-gunpowder late Medieval/early Renaissance era (TL4).
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CONTENTS
Artistic value 21
BASICS 6 Statues 22
MONEY 6 Intrinsic value 22
Coinage 6 Artistic value 23
Clipping, Forging and Magical Tapestries 24
Fraud 6 Intrinsic value 24
The Exchange Rate; Metals 6 Artistic value 24
COST OF LIVING 7 Books 25
Cost of Living by Social Level 7 Intrinsic value 25
Where Your Money Goes 7 Desirability 26
AVAILABILITY AND PRICE 9 GOODS 27
The Market Economy and
Monopolies 9
ARMS AND ARMOUR 27
Steel and Blade Quality 27
Availability 9
WEAPONS 27
HAGGLING 10
Weapon Care 27
The Bargaining Roll 10
Barter and Exchange 12
Hand Weapons 28
Axe/Mace 28
SELLING 12 Brawling 29
Second-hand Equipment 12 Broadsword 30
Fences 12 Fencing 31
Getting a Price 13 Flail 33
Base price 13 Knife 33
Modifiers 13 Lance 34
Reaction and final price 13 Polearm 35
ARTWORK 14 Shortsword 36
Intrinsic Value 14 Spear 37
Artistic Value 14 Staff 38
Pricing Artwork 15 Two-Handed Axe/Mace 39
Gems 16 Two-Handed Flail 40
Intrinsic value 16 Two-Handed Sword 40
Artistic value 17 Whip 42
Jewellery 18 Missile Weapons 43
Intrinsic value 18 Bow 43
Examples of the Intrinsic value of Bracers 43
common pieces 18 Bowstrings 43
Gems and Hangers 19 Bow Case 43
Artistic value 20 Crossbow 45
Paintings 20 Reloading 46
Intrinsic value 20 Bowstrings 47
Frames 21 Net 48
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BASICS
MONEY
The chest was full of coins of all denominations and value. The party had never before
seen the strange coins bearing the twisted dragon design, but they knew they were
gold, and would pay for the mounts they so desperately needed.
Coinage
To simplify coinage over the world’s economy, the
basic GURPS $ is used as the standard exchange
measure. In Saduria, the $ is equivalent to a silver
shilling, also known as a silver piece (sp). Where
other countries use different currency, they will
generally be allocated a value based on the $ or sp.
In Saduria, the coins commonly used are the
copper penny, silver shilling, gold ducat (also
known as florins) and sovereign (also gold). Most
people are likely to buy their day-to-day items with
coppers, and their more pricey items with silver.
The rich will deal in silver and gold. Sovereigns are
only seen in large merchant deals and horse and
armour trading, most common people will have never
even seen a sovereign. Easy Conversions.
To convert a price
Coins are minted from the relevant base metal. Should a expressed as a decimal
person happen to have a piece of (for example) silver into a fraction of 25 (e.g.
that is exactly the same weight and purity as a silver 2.2 shillings into shillings
shilling, they will be able to sell it for that value. Coins are and pennies), multiply
much valued as a means of exchange because the the decimal part by 25.
minting is supposedly a guarantee that the coin is of a (0.2 is 0.2x25=5, so 0.2
set purity and weight. The Emperor’s image on the shillings is 5 copper
pennies).
reverse of the coin shows that the coin is worth (for
example) a shilling by Imperial guarantee.
gd/gf/
Gold ducat/florin 0.16 4.5 100 625 25 1 0.2
gp
sov Sovereign 0.79 22.5 25 3125 125 5 1
* This is useful if you want to calculate how much a sack of coins actually weighs, but it may be
a little tedious to insist that players calculate their loose change to find their encumbrance. I
recommend that coin weight is only brought into play where characters routinely carry bags of
hundred of coins.
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To better envisage the value of coins, imagine copper coins as the sort of loose
change an average TL8 person (that’s you and I) would routinely carry upon his or her
person. A larger purchase would perhaps require withdrawing additional money from
the bank (silver coins), but an even larger purchase might need a cheque or bankers
draft (gold coins).
Value Value
Metal compared to Metal compared to
silver silver
Gold 25 Silver 1
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COST OF LIVING
Johann strolled into the inn. He was the son of a fishmonger, a simple commoner, yet
his fine clothes and the arrogant way he threw down his heavy purse and demanded
the best room in the place and a bottle of the finest wine deceived the onlookers into
thinking that Johann was a man of status and means.
Monthly Cost of
Social Level Example
Living
8 Emperor 50 000+
7 Rank 4 priest, independent king, prince, duke 20 000+
6 Count 10 000
Baron, viscount, major of provincial capital,
5 5 000
merchant prince, rank 3 priest
4 Knight bannerette, city mayor, guildmaster 2 500
3 Landed knight, large town mayor, rank 2 priest 1 500
Household (bachelor) knight, provincial town
2 800
mayor, wealthy guild merchant
Squire, village reeve, master artisan, rank 1
1 400
priest
Yeoman, guildsman, artisan, high servant, farm
0 200
labourer
-1 Apprentice, Low servant 100
-2 Bonded labourer 50
-3 Slave 50
-4 Street beggar 50
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Total 200
Additional or alternative costs ought to be used where a player (or referee) cannot
justify the expenses as listed above; for example where a character maintains his own
weapons and only eats what he catches himself! Be creative, it can actually be fun
coming up with costs and helps define the character. The player might even squeeze a
justifiable Quirk out of it!
At higher Social Levels, the Cost of Living covers servants, guards, additional homes,
regular parties and so on.
As can be surmised from the above list, it is not hard to see where the cost of living
goes. When presented with this list, most players ought to realise that their characters
are actually getting a bargain by paying the set amount!
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Availability
Most trade will be undertaken at a town or city, or possibly from a temporary market or
peddler. Villages are generally too small to support traders, though yeomen or their
wives may follow a practical trade as a second income. Unprocessed food, of course,
is usually plentifully available at villages.
For the purposes of the game, availability is divided into four broad categories:
Price
Category Description
modifier
Not available. Where goods are unavailable at any price. -
Where goods can be had, but in limited
Scarce. 150%
quantities and therefore at a higher price.
Where there are enough goods that the price is
Normal. 100%
as listed in the price lists.
Where the goods are so easy to come by that
Plentiful. 50%
the price has dropped.
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HAGGLING
Helen smugly placed the bag of food in front of the party. They had been resigned to
half rations once they had realised how broke they really were, but Helen had smiled
her winning smile, expertly countered the arguments of the various stallholders, and
managed to spot the food that the sellers would be pleased to shift quickly. The end
result was that the party could eat until they were full, and they still had enough copper
left for a couple of drinks! Helen was going to make sure that at least one of those
drinks was hers….
As reaction table
Personal charm or influence Reaction roll*
B(4th)560.
* Any final modifiers for business acumen and product knowledge are added to
Reaction roll.
Bargaining Example.
Harold the tailor has his eye on a bolt of red velvet for sale in the market. The asking price is
a reasonable 375 shillings. This represents a considerable outlay and Harold tries to
bargain with the mercer (cloth retailer). He is a decent businessman with a Merchant of 15
and rolls 11; the mercer has Merchant 19 (he has a specialism in cloth) and rolls 12. Harold
knows his velvet, and makes his Professional skill-Tailoring roll by 6. The mercer also
makes his own Professional skill-Tailoring roll, but only by 1 (he is not a full-time tailor like
Harold).
Harold’s normal reaction modifier is +1 (he is a jovial, likeable fellow) but he has a -2
modifier (he lost the contest of Merchant by 3, but won the contest of Tailoring). He needs to
get a 16 (Very Good) or better reaction for the mercer to reduce the price to 300 shillings
(80%).
With a roll of 14, Harold makes a bargaining of 13 (a Good reaction on the reaction table),
and the mercer apologetically explains that he cannot possibly reduce the price, but will
throw in a free 100 yards of matching thread instead. Had Harold not managed at least a
Good reaction, the mercer would not even have made this goodwill offer.
Note that, in reality bargaining is not a quick business but is actually expected by
merchants, who will be surprised, suspicious and possibly offended if someone pays
the first asking price (“this bloke won’t haggle!”).
However, the mechanic detailed above is only intended for use in important purchases,
or if the players decide to add some interest to their usual visit to the market. In normal
circumstances you can assume that the haggling has been done and the final price
agreed is the one listed.
It is important that the time taken in purchasing from a market is taken into
consideration. Sadurian markets are not TL8 supermarkets, they are crowded,
confusing and full of potential distractions like entertainers and arguments. Bargaining
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takes time and often involves a heated discussion. Do not allow characters to bargain
at one stall but then decide not to buy when they roll badly, move on to the next stall to
attempt a better price but reject the goods again, then move on again and so on until
they find the merchant willing to sell for 50% list price (the dice are eventually
generous sometimes, believe it or not). This is not realistic in terms of a character’s
time and nor is it good role-playing (unless
Buying Wholesale perhaps the character is Greedy or has similar
Properly accredited merchants (i.e. guilded) psychological limitations). If the characters can
may buy goods from suppliers at wholesale decide to reject the deal because it does not
prices. This reduces the price of most goods favour them, then so can the merchants who
by 20%, in addition to any reduction for would otherwise suddenly feel obliged to hand
haggling, representing the guild’s trade tax over goods at half price.
saved by dealing within the guild.
As a reasonable limit; allow a maximum of two
To be properly accredited, a merchant must attempts at bargaining for the same item (at
have bought at least one level of Rank with
the Merchant Guild. Most suppliers will
different stalls) per day. After two days (i.e. four
refuse to supply goods wholesale unless attempts) bargaining for the same goods, the
they are bought in reasonably large local merchants will start recognising the
quantities! characters as time-wasters and not deal with
them.
Barter and exchange is a little more complex than buying for currency, but it is unlikely
to occur very often.
This can be an area ripe for power-gaming, as players may decide to continually
exchange for goods 10% more valuable each time until they have actually made a
large profit. If this starts happening, it is easy enough to have others start cheating
them with shoddy goods and bad exchanges. Alternatively, they might gain a bad
reputation as cheats and swindlers.
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SELLING
“No purses!” cried Hans. He was obsessed with collecting the meagre coins many
brigands carried on their belts. “I hate a fight without a profit”. Otto and Helen shared a
glance as they collected up a dozen good swords and eight valuable steel helmets.
Hans had much to learn about being an adventurer.
Second-hand Equipment
There are several legitimate ways that characters might come across second-hand
equipment; they might find it abandoned, be gifted it, or even just want to get rid of
surplus equipment after upgrading.
However, far and away the most common way that characters obtain goods is by
taking them from their legitimate (or not-so legitimate) owners, often killing them in the
process. It is not at all rare for a band of adventurers to troop off to the weapon stall to
trade in the half-dozen axes they have just liberated from would-be bandits.
In the big picture, this form of trade is important for the local economy but a town’s
market only has so many people wanting to buy second-hand weapons. Eventually,
the stallholder(s) will not want to buy anymore, or be forced to offer an unrealistically
low price. If the market becomes flooded, the goods will be less easy to sell on, and
the merchant will either offer a much reduced price or refuse to buy. Business-savvy
characters (and players, but hopefully only when playing within their character’s own
skills and background) can use this to their advantage....
Fences
One particular class of “merchant”, of
course, specialises in buying equipment
with a shady past. The fence is a useful
contact for characters, especially those
who make a habit of stealing (tut-tut).
The same principle of over-supply
applies to fences as it does to any other
merchant, but not to the same extent. A
good fence will have a network of
contacts in different towns, and will likely
try to regulate supply to maximise his
personal profit. What he tells the person
he is buying from, of course, is another
matter.
The major difference between fences
and regular merchants, apart from one
being legitimate and the other a criminal,
is that fences can justifiably pay well
under the odds for goods brought to
them. Few thieves have so many
contacts that they can afford to “shop around”, and they really have nobody to
complain to if they feel that they have been fleeced.
Note that a successful fence may well be a powerful underworld figure. He may
possibly even regulate crime in his district by directing what is stolen at any particular
time (to maximise profits, naturally). With contacts in the neighbouring towns, the fence
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may be able to blacken a name, dissuading others from dealing with any thief who has
crossed him. Cheating or robbing a fence could be a dangerous business.
Getting a Price
So, the characters have goods to sell and have found a merchant to deal with. The
next step is to get the best price they can, in order to make it all worthwhile.
1. Base price
The selling value of goods starts at a base percentage of the list price, and then rises
according to circumstances.
Base % of
Buyer Will buy
list
Buyer is a ‘legitimate’ merchant Legitimate goods 30
Stolen or otherwise illegal
Buyer is a fence 10
goods
2. Modifiers
* This is a referee decision based on how much in demand the goods in question are
likely to be. Obviously, a peaceful rural village will not have a demand for 20 lances,
but a town readying for a battle will!
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ARTWORK
The statue was basic and crude, sculpted by someone with no flair for the human form.
Yet Hans was still prepared to brave the intricate network of traps protecting it,
because he knew that it was cast in solid copper and therefore worth a fortune.
Artwork covers a range of goods that are produced mainly, or purely, for show rather
than for function. This list includes (but is not exclusively composed of) jewellery,
paintings, statues, tapestries, and ornaments. Art is produced using an appropriate
Artist skill (M/H, defaults to IQ-6).
The problem with valuing artwork is that everyone has a different view on what
constitutes “good art”. As an example; in our TL7 world, one man may pay millions for
a cubist sculpture by Picasso, whereas another may hate the sight of it. To reflect this,
artworks have two factors that require taking into account when valuing them; their
intrinsic value and their artistic value. The intrinsic value (i.e. the value of the raw
materials) will remain the same no matter who is buying them, but the artistic value
(how drawn the viewer is to the piece) will vary from buyer to buyer.
Intrinsic Value
The intrinsic value is the price of the raw materials used in the manufacture of the
piece. This will always be the same, and might even represent the only price the seller
can get for it, especially if it is stolen piece that is easily recognised or simply badly
made or very ugly or disturbing (statuette of Great Cthulhu anyone?).
Artistic Value
The artistic value of a piece is all about what the buyer feels about it. This is treated as
a reaction roll, with some special modifiers and results:
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Pricing Artwork
By the nature of artistic interpretation, the artistic value of a piece will vary. Therefore,
pricing is a little different to the normal system.
Art is spoken of as having “value”. That is, the value is the monetary price that any
particular person is willing to pay for it, i.e. what they value it as. This may not be the
same value as the seller puts on it, and may not even be the final price paid, but it is
simply the worth the person in question places upon that piece. The value of a piece is
found using the Artistic Value roll as above, but it is rolled for both potential buyer and
seller separately.
Artwork is priced: xx(mod), where xx is the intrinsic value, and (mod) is the reaction
modifier, e.g. 25(+2) for 25 shillings intrinsic value and reaction mod+2.
Commissions
A patron and artist commissioned to create a piece will assume a roll of “10“ to
determine how much the artist expects to be paid for it. This price is then fixed, and
may turn out to be bargain or a waste of money once the piece is finished.
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GEMS
Helen was spellbound as the trickle of gems fell through her fingers and back into the
box. Rubies, sapphires, emeralds and many stones that she did not know sat in their
padded rosewood container. Even as she closed the box lid she was wondering how
many she could conceal in the seams of her clothing.
Intrinsic value
The intrinsic value of a gemstone is actually the value Real vs. Game
of the uncut stone. Gemstones may be valued for their The weights and measures
colour or ability to reflect light, or simply their curiosity given here are not exact in
value. the real world, but are
simplified for game
Gemstones are weighed in carats. A carat (written ct.) purposes.
is (for game purposes) 1/2000lb, so gems are
For those who are curious,
generally very light and easy to conceal. This, of there are actually 2 267.95
course, makes them valuable as a form of currency. carats to the lb, and size per
When being sold as second-hand (or stolen) goods, carat will vary according to
gems always count as new and in high demand. In density of the gem in
other words, they automatically have that +20% question.
modifier to their base price.
As a (very) rough guide, a 1ct. rounded gem is about 5-6mm in diameter, a 10mm
diameter gem is about 3½ct. Big gems (20mm+) are of 30ct. and up. The vast majority
of gems encountered should be in the 1-5ct. weight bracket. Larger gemstones are
more valuable than their weight would suggest due to their rarity, as it is unusual to
find a large, flawless piece of raw gemstone and they are thus in high demand.
Diamond 7 10 14 17 20 25 30
Ruby 5 8 12 14 17 20 25
Emerald 4 6 10 12 15 17 20
Sapphire 4 6 8 10 12 15 17
Garnet 2 3 4 8 10 12 15
Opal (black) 4 5 8 10 12 15 17
Pearl (black) 4 5 8 10 12 14 15
Opal 2 3 4 6 8 10 12
Pearl 2 3 4 6 8 9 10
Topaz and others 1 2 2 3 5 8 9
Onyx 0.8 1 1.5 2 4 6 8
Aquamarine 0.3 0.5 1 1.5 2.5 4 5
Cornelian 0.3 0.5 1 1.5 2 3 4
Semi-precious stones 0.3 0.5 0.6 1 1.5 2 3
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Price per
Other Precious Substances
0.1lb
Amber 0.6
Coral 0.1
Ivory 0.5
Jade 0.8
Although in the gems section because they are sometimes used as such, most
precious substances will be found sculpted into small ornaments and so on, or possibly
as inlays in larger pieces.
Artistic value
The artistic value of a gem is in the cutting,
requiring Artist-Gemsmith skill (M/H default to
Jeweller-4). Where an uncut gemstone can look
dull and lifeless (as
the illustration to the
right shows), a
skilled gem cutter
adds the facets that
reflect light to make
the gem sparkle.
The better the cut
and polish; the greater the sparkle and the more
valuable the final gem.
In practical terms, it is safe to assume that most gems found are cut to an acceptable,
but not great, standard (no modifier for artistic craftsmanship). In addition, there will
usually be no modifiers for subject matter or artist’s reputation (you cannot sign a
gem!). This gives a +0 modifier for the craftsmanship, meaning a;
Standard (Intrinsic value x10) value for cut gems.
This will save a lot of time and calculation if the characters discover a pile of hundreds
of gems! Of course, for the famous Fire Ruby of Al-Khanour cut by the master
gemsmith, Mohammed Al-Kirah, it is worth putting a little more work into determining
the artistic value.
Pearls. Pearls are not cut by a gemsmith. Rather, the artistic modifier
for craftsmanship represents the random natural shape into which they
have formed. Most are round, of course, but oval, pear-shaped and
amorphous masses can also be found. These unusual shapes are
much prized (as they were historically) and whilst you would not make
an Artist-Gemsmith roll for the oyster as such (!), rolling against a base
10 for nature’s own artistic talent skill will give an equivalent result.
Therefore, a high Artist-Gemsmith roll for the oyster will suggest that
the pearl has been naturally shaped into one of these more sought
after shapes, even though the oyster has had little consciously to do
with it.
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JEWELLERY
Johann greeted the Rusic chieftain as he emerged from the longhouse. The clan’s
goodwill was essential if the local barrows were to be explored. As he went through the
required ritual speeches, Johann’s eyes were locked on the gold necklace hanging
around the chief’s neck. It was the stolen chain of office for the Master of the Guild of
Messelberg’s merchants, and was probably worth significantly more than anything they
might find in the barrows. Johann mused that the mission might just have changed.
Intrinsic value
Jewellery generally has the highest intrinsic value of all artworks. Although gold is seen
used for jewellery, it is actually uncommon apart from in rings, largely thanks to its high
base cost. Chunky solid gold necklaces are worth a fortune, and rarely seen outside
the top nobility or high civic offices.
Silver is a popular setting for displaying gems, and
may be found worked into all sorts of more valuable
pieces. Copper is often used for rings, amulets or
bangles. Finally, pewter is a good alternative to the
more expensive metals and is a very common
material for jewellery. Sometimes, the pewter may be
silver-plated (x5 intrinsic value) or even gold-plated
(x20 intrinsic value). All metals used are assumed to
be of high purity (24ct. gold, .999 silver and so on).
Enamelling is a common way to add interest to a
piece of jewellery. It can add a little to the intrinsic value (add 5%-10%, depending on
the extent of the enamelling), but its main function is decorative.
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Remember that the artistic modifier will usually increase the value by at least x10.
Artistic value
Aside from the skill of the jeweller, few modifiers are usually applicable in determining
the artistic value of a piece of jewellery. There are one or two fashionable jewellers in
Saduria, but, in general the jeweller is anonymous and the subject too abstract to invite
a modifier.
PAINTINGS
Although the general opinion of artists is improving, many still look upon painters as
little better than artisans. Only more well-known, or more fashionable, painters have
even a chance of becoming wealthy for their work. As a rough guide; a famous artist
usually needs at least a +3 reputation reaction modifier to earn a month’s wages from
a single commission painting.
Time to Create Paintings
Few artists will work solidly on one painting at a time; art is not just a case of
mechanically painting each day but also involves attempting to find the inspiration and
“vision”. Days of work may be wasted, but short intense periods spanning days and
nights might produce wonders.
Assume an artist can work on a maximum of two paintings per month with the artist
“working” full time. More paintings may be attempted in this time, but assess –1 Artist-
Painting skill per painting worked on if three or more are worked on in a single month.
Normally, a painting will take two weeks per size level (see below), though the second
picture (or more, if the artist wishes to take the penalty to his skill) may also be worked
on within this time.
Intrinsic value
The intrinsic value of paintings is usually that of the canvas. Of course, paint is also
used (as well as the various other substances used in painting), but that value is not
taken into account. The final part of the value of paintings is in the frame, but this is
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figured separately to the painting itself as it is really not a physical part of the picture
and may easily be changed.
Canvas is not particularly cheap, and is frequently reused by artists, especially by the
struggling ones. It has to be properly prepared (“sized”) and stretched before use; this
is usually done by the artist himself (or by his assistant if he has one).
Paintings may also be done on wooden panels or other flat surfaces (including walls-
creating murals or frescos). If the painted surface is fixed (as with a fresco or mural on
a wall), the painting is only valuable as expensive decoration as it cannot really be
taken down and sold. In such cases, only the commission value need be calculated,
with the intrinsic cost taken as (size level x 10) and not the value of the wall! Screens
of painted wooden panels are common as temporary walls in large houses, and
religious devotional scenes are often painted on mobile screens to act as travelling
personal “altars”.
Material prices, by size (in convenient “standard” picture sizes), in shillings.
0.5.Tiny 1.Small 2.Normal 3.Large 4.Huge 5.Enormous
0.5’x1’ 1’x2’ 2’x3’ 3’x4’ 4’x5’ 5’x6’
Canvas 1 3 10 20 30 50
Wood 0.25 1 3 6 10 15
Frames.
Picture frames can add considerably to the final value of a painting, and, if well carved,
sometimes form the most valuable part of it!
The intrinsic value of a frame depends on it size and construction. Most are of painted
wood, often painted gold, or even covered with gold leaf. All-metal frames are highly
unusual, and almost unheard of in larger sizes.
Frame prices, in shillings.
Tiny Small Normal Large Huge Enormous
0.5’x1’ 1’x2’ 2’x3’ 3’x4’ 4’x5’ 5’x6’
Wood 0.2 0.8 2.4 4.8 8 12
Gold-leaf covered 5 20 60 120 200 300
Solid silver* 200 800 2 400 _ _ _
*Use the metals exchange rates table (p.6) to find the price of a frame made from other metals.
Artistic value
More than any other art form, paintings rely on artistic
value. Without the skill (and reputation) of the artist, or
the attraction of the subject matter, a painting is just a
dirty canvas. Painters use Artist-Painting skill (M/H,
defaults to IQ-6) and may specialise in portraits,
landscapes, animals, seascapes, religious imagery,
nudes and so on.
Frames, too, have to have artistic value to avoid simply
being sawn and shaped pieces of wood. The artistic
value of the frame, however, depends on the carpenter or
woodcarver and is a separate entity to the painting itself.
In most cases, an assumption that the frame elicits a
Neutral reaction (for x10 artistic value) should suffice. Of
course, if the referee is feeling mischievous, the
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STATUES
Intrinsic value
Statues may be of a wide variety of materials, from limestone through to
gold. Usually, the size of the piece will determine the material used. Large
metal statues are almost always hollow-cast, and the prices reflect this.
The following weights and values assume a statue of very approximately
human proportions, which uses half of the original block weight. Most
animal shapes will roughly share these proportions.
Statues are intrinsically valued by the cubic foot, or fraction thereof. The following table
gives some convenient “standard” sizes.
Costs are in silver shillings and include a 25% reduction for buying in bulk, which also
represents some alloying in the case of precious metals. Weight is in pounds. The
weight is based on that of a finished statue (about half the original block); double
weight and cost for a solid block (i.e. the block before any carving has taken place).
Example "standard" sizes.
Statuette Half-size
Per cubic foot 1' tall x4" x4" 3' tall x1' x1'
Material Cost/lb Cost Weight. Cost Weight. Cost Weight.
Bronze* 3 7728 2576.0 35.9 12.0 186.5 62.2
Copper* 3 8118 2706.0 36.8 12.3 191.1 63.7
Clay, fired* 0.6 247.8 413.0 2.9 4.8 14.9 24.9
Gold* 1875 10978125 5855.0 33816.5 18.0 175715.6 93.7
Ivory 3.75 2092.5 558.0 116.3 31.0 3138.8 837.0
Jade 6 4692 782.0 260.7 43.4 7038.0 1173.0
Limestone 0.5 395.5 791.0 22.0 43.9 593.3 1186.5
Marble 0.6 466.2 777.0 25.9 43.2 699.3 1165.5
Plaster 0.03 7.71 257.0 0.4 14.3 11.6 385.5
Sandstone 0.45 316.8 704.0 17.6 39.1 475.2 1056.0
Silver* 75 238425 3179.0 996.7 13.3 5179.1 69.1
Stone, other 0.4 304.8 762.0 16.9 42.3 457.2 1143.0
Wood, oak 0.08 16.96 212.0 0.9 11.8 25.4 318.0
Wood, pine 0.04 6.68 167.0 0.4 9.3 10.0 250.5
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* Assumed to be hollow-cast. Weight (and therefore value) can vary +/- 10% according to the
thickness of the cast. For solid statues use the above weight and value squared (multiply by a
power of 2).
Many blocks of raw materials are highly valuable in their own right; a
solid 6’x4’x4’ block of marble, for example, can fetch about 11 600
shillings, the equivalent of about three year’s salary for the average
bureaucrat. Most blocks are not perfect all the way through, however,
and the inevitable waste generated by sculpting is often taken into
account by the sculptor when negotiating to buying raw materials.
Most sculptors will try to recoup the value of the wasted material
through the piece’s artistic merit. In addition, smaller chunks cut from larger ones may
find themselves being made into small statues in their own right, especially if they are
made of one of the more valuable raw materials. Even so, sculptors often insist that a
patron pays up front for the raw material!
Artistic value
Sculptors use Artist-Sculpting skill (M/H, defaults to IQ-6).
Creating a sculpture is a long process; assume that it takes a
month of work for each foot of the statue’s longest edge (so a
human-sized statue standing 6’ tall will take 6 months). A
critical success means that a month may be taken off the time
required; a roll of 18 means that the whole block is ruined,
leaving the sculptor with only half the remaining block usable.
Sadly for sculptors, sculpting in Saduria is still not seen as
being a true art. Most people view sculptors as skilled
craftsmen rather than artists, possibly because they do most
their work as part of buildings.
Because of this, the normal artistic modifier is not used for
sculptures. Instead, use the following table, which is a modification of the normal one.
Reaction modifiers are unchanged.
Modifier to
Reaction roll Buyer’s view
Intrinsic value.
0 or less: Disastrous x0.5 Will break the piece down for scrap.
1 to 3: Very Bad x1 Values the piece only as raw materials.
4 to 6: Bad x1 Values the piece only as raw materials.
7 to 9: Poor x1.5 Useful to fill up a bare corner.
10 to 12: Neutral x2 Quite a pleasant piece.
13 to 15: Good x2 Quite a pleasant piece.
16 to 18: Very Good x2.5 Impressed, will display the piece prominently.
Wonderful. At this rate sculpture will become
19 or better: Excellent x2.5 an art form!
Most large sculptures are created for specific buildings or areas, and so only the
commission value need be calculated. Smaller statues (statuettes) are more portable,
and are the most commonly traded pieces of sculpture.
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TAPESTRIES
A tapestry is first and foremost a means of keeping out draughts. As building
techniques have improved, however, they have become increasingly seen as artworks
rather than simple domestic furniture.
Intrinsic value
Tapestries are simply linen sheets with extensive wool embroidery. In effect, they are
woollen “paintings” and have a relatively low
intrinsic value.
The cost of the wool and linen in a tapestry
obviously depends on the size of the tapestry;
use the following table as a rough guide to pricing
different sized tapestries.
The values given assume a mix of coloured
wools. As always, value is in silver shillings and
weight is in pounds.
Size Weight Value
6’x6’ 8 30
12’x12’ 32 120
12’x15’ 40 150
15’x15’ 50 190
15’x21’ 70 260
Halve the above weights and value for simple linen sheets with no wool.
Artistic value
To produce a tapestry, use
Artist-Embroidery skill (M/H,
defaults to IQ-6). This is a
long and laborious task and
several embroiderers usually
work on large tapestries at
the same time. It takes 1
man-day to fully embroider
one square foot of tapestry,
so a 6’x6’ tapestry will take
6x6x1=36 man-days to
complete. More that with
painters, tapestry-makers are
seen as valued artists.
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BOOKS
Helen browsed the battered tome as her companions continued ripping the silver
fittings from the furniture. The treatise was a rare interpretation of The Old God’s
origins. She wondered just how much Father Irwin would pay for the single surviving
book that would complete his lifetime collection.
Often overlooked as an artwork, books nevertheless
share many characteristics of more conventional art.
The biggest difference between books and “normal”
artwork is that the “artistic value” is replaced by
“desirability”. The desirability of a book is simply the
buyer’s desire to own that particular book. This is
explained later, but is functionally identical to an
artistic modifier.
Intrinsic value
Books are not as valuable as they were historically, largely thanks to Saduria’s modern
and efficient methods of printing and making paper. Where once the paper was
laboriously pressed by hand, engineering advances now mean that much of the
process can be mechanised and made far easier and quicker and thus the price for
books is far lower. It has to be said, however, that this more modern paper is largely
thinner and of poorer quality than the traditionally hand crafted paper.
A second major factor in determining the intrinsic value of a book is deciding on what it
is bound in. Just about anything can theoretically be used to bind a book, but the most
commonly encountered bindings are hide, usually hide-covered wood, and metal..
The following table uses examples with pages grouped into fifty-page segments; there
may possibly be books with fewer than fifty pages, but these really class as pamphlets
rather than true books. In this case, either value the pamphlet as having fifty pages or
use a suitable fraction of the cost.
Intrinsic Value by book size
Page size. Value. Weight.
15” x 20”, per 50 pages: 15 shillings. 2lbs
8.5” x 12” (approximately A4 size), per 50 pages: 10 shillings. 1lbs
5” x 8”, per 50 pages: 5 shillings. 0.5lbs
Add 20% to the above prices for high quality, hand crafted paper.
Double the above prices for vellum pages.
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Desirability
Books are not true artworks (though they may contain
illustrations or engravings). In this respect, they do not have
an Artistic Value. Rather, they have Desirability. Desirability
is a measure of how much value a buyer places on the
book. This may be a measure of any or all of the following:
Desirable book content, whether because of the
subject or because it contains a particular set of
facts.
If the book is part of an incomplete collection, which
the buyer is trying to complete.
Book is by a famous author.
Modifier to
Reaction roll
Intrinsic value.
0 or less: Disastrous x0
1 to 3: Very Bad x1
4 to 6: Bad x2
7 to 9: Poor x5
10 to 12: Neutral x10
13 to 15: Good x20
16 to 18: Very Good x50
19 or better: Excellent x100
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GOODS
ARMS AND ARMOUR
With the emphasis of many RPG games on combat,
the Arms and Armour section has received more
attention than any other. I hope that this has the
added advantage of giving the game setting some
“historical” atmosphere.
Please note that many changes have been made to
the “official” GURPS material in order to better reflect
my own (informed) interpretation of historical
precedent. Where changes have been made, they are
deliberate and researched, but not binding.
In the main, the changes have been to better reflect
the variety of weapon and armour available at this
time in history, in a time of transition from medieval
warfare to the new age.
Steel and Blade Quality
The Sadurian Empire has good trading links with
dwarves, and the dwarves in Saduria are expert
metallurgists and armourers using exceptionally high quality steel. It is only right,
therefore, to assume that the Empire has purchased some of this expertise and much of
this good steel. Better steel is used for making blades and some plate armour, making
Sadurian swords the best in the known world. For this reason, I have decided it is
reasonable to class most of Saduria’s swords as fine quality at no extra cost, with very
fine costing x4. Munition-quality blades (mass-produced quickly from standard steel to
equip large forces) count as good quality and cost half.
WEAPONS
Weapon Care
As he carefully drew the whetstone down the blade, Otto glanced at Hans using his knife
to chip away mineral deposits from the gemstone. Otto shook his head. No matter how
many times he warned Hans that a blunt and dented blade would be no good against
even the lightest armour, he still treated his weapons like cheap tools.
Weapons, with the exception of the crudest blunt weapons, cannot simply be used time
and again without maintenance and still be expected to perform at their best.
Realistically, a blade ought to be sharpened after every time it is used, and
professionally reground every month or so (assuming regular use). Daily care can be
assumed if the players remember to buy a whetstone and oil (5 shillings, weighs 1lb),
and if they make it part of their regular camp routine. Professional weapon care costs
1
/10th of the weapon’s original value and is generally assumed as part of the basic
monthly cost of living.
To reflect the blunting and denting caused by combat, any bladed or pointed weapon
causes -1 damage the next and subsequent days if not maintained after combat. If it is
left for a week the weapon is at –2, and at –3 if left for a full month. At this point only a
professional armourer can restore it.
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HAND WEAPONS
Axe/Mace
With the heaviest armour all-but impenetrable by a sword, a mace or axe
is a good option to hurt an armoured man-at-arms with a single-handed
weapon.
Axe. Together with the mace, the single-handed
axe is a favourite secondary weapon for
mounted warriors. Any woodsman’s axe
used as a weapon attacks at –1 skill.
Heavy Club. Not just a heavy piece of wood, this is either deliberately
shaped with a large lump on the end, or is reinforced with
metal bands or knobs. Naturally occurring lengths of wood
of the correct shape (i.e. with a lump at one end) can be
used as a heavy club but at –1 skill.
Throwing Axe. Not a serious melee weapon, but one used in melee in
extremis.
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AXE/MACE
(DX-5, Flail-4, other Axe/Mace-3 or Two-Handed Axe/Mace-3)
May not attack and parry in the same turn.
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
Brawling
Blackjack A small, padded leather bag weighted at one end with
sand or lead shot and swung from the other. The blackjack
is a unique weapon design, which is encountered solely in
use by the criminal underworld and by those who hunt
them. It cannot be used except in close combat or when
adjacent to an unaware foe. A blackjack is only really
effective when used against the head for a knockout.
Boots Not formal weapons, boots are included here because they
add to damage from a kick. Only boots with hardened
toecaps (infantry or work boots) are included, soft leather
or felt adds no damage.
+1 kick damage.
BRAWLING
(DX-4)
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
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Broadsword
True broadswords are the ancestors of modern Sadurian blades. They are simple
parallel-edged blades. Although still seen in less developed cultures than Saduria, they
are now viewed as somewhat antiquated weapons in the Empire.
Modern Sadurian sword blades are amongst the finest edges in the world. Most current
Sadurian swords count as fine quality due to Sadurian metallurgists’ and armourers’
technological skill (assuming a skill of 16+). Swords made in Saduria from Southern
Steel (actually from the dwarves) can count as very fine but are quite rare except
amongst the wealthy and well-connected.
Count fine quality automatically (at list price), very fine costs 4x list price. The exception
is munition-quality swords; mass-produced weapons forged cheaply to equip large
forces. These are of good quality but cost only 50% list price.
Basket Hilt. Protection for the sword hand, a basket hilt also gives an
additional offensive option for the swordsman. May be
designed into any single-handed sword.
+2 DR to sword hand. Adds +1 to punch damage.
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BROADSWORD
(DX-5, Rapier-4, Sidesword-2, Shortsword-2 or Two-Handed sword-4)
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
Fencing
Fencing is an art brought about by the increasing appeal of
duelling between men of honour. As heavy cutting swords
decline in military value on the battlefield, their lighter civilian
cousins are becoming increasingly popular in towns and
cities.
Just as a soldier can be out-manoeuvred by a faster
opponent using a fencing weapon, a duellist might find his
sophisticated technique rather less effective in the confused
melee of a battle.
Sadurian blades are amongst the finest edges seen in the
world. Most current swords count as fine quality due to
Sadurian metallurgists’ and armourers’ technological skill (assuming a skill of 12+).
Those made in Saduria from Southern Steel (actually from the dwarves) can count as
very fine but are rare except amongst the wealthy and well-connected.
Very fine blades cost 4x list price.
Basket Hilt. Protection for the sword hand, a basket hilt also gives an
additional offensive option for the swordsman. May be
designed into any sword.
+1 DR to sword hand. Adds +1 to punch damage.
Main-Gauche. Although any knife or dagger may be used with the main-
gauche skill, this is the true main-gauche. It is designed for
use in the left hand (hence the name) in combination with
a rapier or sidesword, and allows the user to parry as well
as attack.
The blade is stronger than a regular dagger, and the hand
guard is treated as a basket hilt without having to buy one.
There is no penalty for “off-hand” parrying or for parrying
with a knife.
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FENCING WEAPONS
Each weapon uses a separate skill (listed below).
See B(4th)208 for fencing rules.
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
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Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
Flail
As shields become less common on the battlefield, so do flails.
Parrying a flail is at –4, blocks with a shield are at –2. Fencing
weapons cannot parry flails.
FLAIL
(DX-6, Axe/Mace-4, or Two-Handed Flail-3)
May not attack and parry in the same turn.
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
Knife
Everyone, from the simple farmer in his field to the noblewoman in her study, carries a
knife. It is an everyday tool, as well as a weapon of personal defence.
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Small knife. Where the large knife is either a weapon or tool, the
small knife is primarily just a utility item. Everyone
eats with a small knife, and most people carry a
personal one around with them purely for this
purpose, and they are also used for a myriad of minor
domestic tasks.
KNIFE
(DX-4, Main gauche-3, or Shortsword-3)
–1 to parry with a knife.
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
Lance
Lance. Still the primary weapon of the mounted knight and man-
at-arms, the lance can deliver one of the few blows
sufficient to punch through modern plate armour.
Tourney Lance. The joust at the tourney is still a big event for any knight.
The tourney lance is designed to shatter when it hits, and it
has a special blunt head to avoid “unnecessary” injury to
the opponent.
Shatters if it inflicts 15+ damage, so causing a maximum of
15 points of crushing damage.
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LANCE
(DX-5 or Spear-3)
Must have at least one point in Riding skill. Must have saddle and stirrups
to use a couched lance.
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
2
Lance imp thr+3 4 60 6lbs 12 May not parry. See B(4th)397.
Tourney Lance cr thr+32 4 May not parry. See B(4th)397.
2
Damage is based on horse’s ST and velocity.
Work out collision damage between mount and target: (Mount ST) x (Distance moved last
turn) /100 dice of damage, rounded down.
Add lance thrust/impaling bonus of +3.
Polearm
With the rise of the plate-armoured
knight, the polearm has become one
of the few ways a soldier can deal with
him. From town militia to mercenary
regiments and knights on foot, the
polearm is a very common weapon in
Saduria. Most polearms have a
reinforced haft to stop opponents
simply chopping the head off.
Although there are more variations on
the polearm than are listed (including
the bill, partisan, voulge, guisarme,
bec-de-corbin, etc.), hopefully the following list covers the most important features of the
different styles.
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POLEARM
(DX-5, Spear-4, Staff-4, or Two-Handed Axe/Mace-4)
All polearms require two hands. All except pollaxe become unready after
an attack, but not after a parry.
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
Shortsword
Shortswords themselves are no longer used in Saduria, but there are other weapons for
which the Shortsword skill is used.
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SHORTSWORD
(DX-5, Broadsword-2, Knife-4, Sabre-4 or Smallsword-4)
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
Spear
Merely a long pole with a metal point at one end, the spear is a cheap, classic, simple,
weapon that has never lost its popularity. With the advent of massed troops the use of
the spear, and more particularly the pike, has grown.
Boar Spear. As its name suggests, the boar spear is popular with
hunters, the cross-piece under the spike prevents the
angry speared boar from struggling up the spear and
attacking the hunter!
Cannot be thrown.
Long spear. Longer than the normal spear, the two-handed long spear
is almost as long as the pike and used in the same way. It
is unsuited for either individual combat or throwing.
May be thrown at –2 skill.
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Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
Staff
Though a quarterstaff is the most common weapon using the staff skill, a true walking
staff might be required as a weapon in extremis. Spears (but not long spears or pikes)
may also be used as quarterstaffs when inflicting subdual damage is preferred to lethal
force.
Walking Staff. A staff of between four and six feet in length. It is lighter
and thinner than a true quarterstaff, and will therefore
break much more easily when parrying. Walking staffs are
not considered weapons.
STAFF
(DX-5, Polearm-4 or Spear-2)
Requires two hands. Parry is +2.
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
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Two-Handed Axe/Mace
Great axe. A heavy battleaxe that requires
two hands. It may have a
double-headed axe blade or just
a single one. Large civilian axes
may be used as great axes but
are at –1.
Double-sided axe blades weigh
more, but may attack (not parry)
each turn without requiring to be readied, as the wielder
simply swings the head in a continuous arc. This, however,
is extremely tiring (+1 Fatigue loss) and requires
considerable strength to achieve.
TWO-HANDED AXE/MACE
(DX-5, Axe/Mace-3, Polearm –4 or Two-Handed Flail -4)
Require two hands. Cannot attack and parry in the same turn. Becomes
unready after attack or parry (unless 1.5x min ST).
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
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Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
1
Maul cr sw+4 1, 2 40 12lbs 14
Scythe cut sw+2 1 12
imp sw 1 8 5lbs 6 -2 to hit when impaling.
1
Must be readied for one turn to change reach.
Two-Handed Flail
As shields become less common on the battlefield, so do flails. Parrying a flail is at –4,
blocks with a shield are at –2. Fencing weapons cannot parry flails.
TWO-HANDED FLAIL
(DX-6, Flail –3, or Two-Handed Axe/Mace-4)
May not attack and parry in the same turn. Requires two hands unless 1.5x
Min ST.
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
Two-Handed Sword
Bastard Sword. The Sadurian hand-and-a-half sword is called the
longsword; see the description under that entry.
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Whip
Whip. Not a common weapon, but occasionally used in brawls
between wagon drivers or teamsters. Also handy to
subdue or disarm opponents.
Most civilian whips will not be classed as weapons by the
authorities, though carrying one in some social situations
might raise a few eyebrows.
See B(4th)406 for more information on whips.
WHIP
(No default)
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
Whip cr sw-2 1-7 10/yd 2lbs/yd 10 Armour divisor (0.5). See B(4th)406.
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MISSILE WEAPONS
Bow
From the composite bow and longbow (made from several layers of materials) to the
simple self bow (a bow made by shaping a single piece of wood), the bow is an ancient
but effective missile weapon, which has remained fundamentally unchanged since pre-
history.
The resistance to flexing of bows may be increased during crafting for a stronger user,
known as increasing the “draw”. Its effect is to increase the power of the bow. This is
only done for longbows and composite bows.
Bracers
To protect the inner forearm from the snap of the bowstring, a light leather bracer is
worn. With a ‘hit yourself`’ critical miss (a roll of 5 or 6 on the critical miss table), the
bracer gives DR2 against any self-inflicted damage. It gives no protection apart from
against self-inflicted critical misses causes by bows (not crossbows).
Bowstrings
Bowstrings wear out over time and with use. Spare bowstrings are essential for an
archer, they are often kept wound inside the archer’s hat to keep the rain off them.
Assume that the string may break on any ‘weapon breaks’ critical miss (a roll of 3, 4, 17
and 18). Make a second roll if ‘weapon breaks’ is indicated; the string breaks if the
second roll is not ‘weapon breaks’. If the second roll is also ‘weapon breaks’ the bow
itself has cracked.
Restringing a bow requires a Quick Contest of ST against the Min ST of the bow. It takes
a total of four ready manoeuvres to restring a bow; one to ready the spare string, one to
remove the old string, one to ready the bow and one to actually string the bow.
Bow Case
To protect a bow against being weakened by weather, most archers store their weapon
in a waterproof case when not being used.
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Bow. A basic self bow, the bow falls into an odd category. Those
wanting a cheap and simple weapon will prefer the
portability of the short bow, while those wanting more
range and power will tend towards longbows, composite
bows or crossbows. In Saduria, the bow is most popular for
hunters or those who have to make their own bow, and
with village militias who lack the funds to buy more
expensive bows.
Composite Bow. Though developed in the countries far to the east, the
composite bow is now in use by mounted archers in the
Empire. Expensive and complex to make, the composite
bow is nevertheless easier to use on horseback than the
longbow.
Short Bow. The Sadurian short bow is a self bow. The ease of
construction and use make the short bow popular for those
not requiring the range or power of more complex and
expensive bows. It is a favourite of bandits and outlaws,
largely thanks to the ease of construction and
maintenance.
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BOW
(DX-5)
2 hands to fire, 2 turns to ready (1 with Fast Draw-Arrow).
Damage Ranges
Weapon Type Amt Acc ½ Dam Max Wt. Cost Min ST Bulk Special Notes
Short bow thr 1 X10 X15 2lbs 50 7 -6
Regular bow thr+1 2 X15 X20 2lbs 100 10 -7
Longbow thr+2 3 X15 X25 3lbs 200 11 -8
Composite bow thr+3 3 X20 X25 4lbs 900 10 -7
Arrow, Barbed imp 2oz 3 Damage by bow
Arrow, Broad imp 2oz 2 Damage by bow
Arrow, Blunt cr 2oz 2 Damage by bow
Arrow, Bodkin pi (2) 2oz 2 Damage by bow
Arrow, Forked cut (0.5) 3oz 2 Damage by bow
Bow case 1lb 10
Bowstrings neg. 5
Bracer 5oz 8
Quiver ½lb 3 Holds 10 arrows
Crossbow
More expensive and considerably slower to reload than the longbow, the crossbow has
the advantages of being easier to use and (potentially) having a longer range and
greater damage.
Crossbows are rated as having a ST score, which is independent of that of their user.
This score is used to determine their range and the damage they do, as well as how long
it takes to reload them. The ST of a crossbow usually starts at 5 (for a pistol crossbow)
to a practical maximum of 25! Although stronger crossbows are possible, they are too
large and heavy to be handled by one man, and thus count as siege weapons.
Modern Sadurian crossbows use a steel bow, wood being less able to take the strain of
the higher ST.
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Reloading
Reloading a crossbow is a long process, and this prevents Crossbow Reloading Time
them from completely subverting the bow as a missile
weapon. Heavy crossbows are painfully slow
to reload if the user has a significantly
The goat’s foot lever hooks onto the crossbow and uses lower strength than the bow’s.
simple leverage to cock the bow. It takes some time to
If the referee wishes, a higher skill
hook the lever into place, but it is still faster than using the
might reduce the loading time when
winch. using a winch, the justification being
A winch employs winding gears to haul back the string that attaching the winch becomes
and reload even enormously powerful crossbows. Because second nature with greater familiarity.
of the complexity in attaching the winch, even low ST Using this option, a Crossbow skill of
crossbows take a long time to ready. Once attached, the 12+ counts as having +1ST for
user begins winding the winch, and the slow nature of the reloading purposes only, skill 16+
low gears means that the higher ST crossbows require an counts as +2 ST (not cumulative).
eternity to ready, even though the user will probably be
winding away furiously!
Once the crossbow is readied, of course, the bolt must still be readied and loaded before
firing. Fast draw-arrow will reduce the time to ready the bolt to 0, leaving 1 turn to load.
After an age to load, the user is well advised to take careful aim to avoid wasting the
shot!
Difference between
Crossbow ST and Turns to ready with Turns to ready, Turns to ready,
User ST no mechanical aid using goat’s foot using winch
-5 or less 2 5 10
0 to -4 4 6 10
+1 6 6 10
+2 no 8 15
+3 no 10 20
+4 no 12 25
+5 no no 30
+6 no no 35
+7 no no 40
+8 no no 45
+9 no no 50
+10 no no 55
+11 no no 60
+12 no no 65
+13 no no 70
+14 no no 75
+15 no no 80
+16 no no 85
+17 no no 90
+18 no no 95
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Bowstrings
Bowstrings wear out over time and use. Spare bowstrings are essential for an
crossbowman, they are often kept wound inside the crossbowman’s hat to keep the rain
off them.
Assume that the string may break on any ‘weapon breaks’ critical miss (a roll of 3, 4, 17
and 18). Make a second roll if ‘weapon breaks’ is indicated; the string breaks if the
second roll is not ‘weapon breaks’. If the second roll is also ‘weapon breaks’ the
crossbow itself has cracked.
Restringing a crossbow requires a Quick Contest of ST against the Min ST of the bow. It
takes a total of four ready manoeuvres to restring a crossbow; one to ready the spare
string, one to remove the old string, one to ready the crossbow and one to actually string
the bow.
Prodd. Normally used only for hunting game. The prodd fires small
lead bullets. The notes for crossbows apply equally to the
prodd, but a prodd cannot fire bolts, and a crossbow
cannot fire lead bullets. The prodd might also be used by
enterprising users to fire alchemical pastilles or small vials.
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CROSSBOW
(DX-4)
2 hands to fire (except pistol crossbow).
Damage Ranges
Weapon Type Amt Acc ½ Dam Max Wt. Cost Min ST Bulk Special Notes
Net
Not a common weapon, and certainly not used on the battlefield, the net might
nevertheless be used to capture opponents or animals. It also occasionally makes an
appearance in the gladiatorial arena. See B(4th)411 for more information on nets in
combat.
Small Net. Small nets are often made specifically for combat, almost
certainly for the arena or by bounty hunters. It may also
represent a smaller fishing net.
NET
(Cloak-5)
See B(4th)411 for full rules on nets.
Damage Ranges
Weapon Type Amt Acc Max Wt. Cost Min ST Bulk Special Notes
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Sling
Sling. Slings are used by yeoman to drive away pests. Suitable
stones are not hard to find, and weigh 0.5-1oz each, lead
bullets cost 5cp each and give +1 damage and double
range.
SLING
(DX-6)
Damage Range
Weapon Type Amt Acc ½ Dam Max Wt. Cost Min ST Bulk Special Notes
Thrown Axe
Hatchet. Bored woodworkers and endangered lumberjacks have
developed the art of throwing this civilian tool.
THROWN AXE
(DX-4)
Damage Ranges
Weapon Type Amt Acc ½ Dam Max Wt. Cost Min ST Bulk Special Notes
Thrown Knife
Most Sadurian knives and daggers are actually unsuited for throwing, having heavy hilts
and therefore being unbalanced. Unless specifically designed for throwing, assess a –2
effective skill when throwing knives. Add at least 25% cost to any knife or dagger that is
made balanced enough to throw.
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THROWN KNIFE
(DX-4)
-2 attack unless specifically made to be thrown.
Damage Ranges
Weapon Type Amt Acc ½ Dam Max Wt. Cost Min ST Bulk Special Notes
Thrown Spear
Modern Sadurian spears are not designed for throwing. The javelin is a lighter spear
made purely for throwing, and only used by light mounted troops in Saduria.
Javelin. A lightly-made spear designed to be thrown.
Long Spear. The long spear can be thrown, but only just.
-2 skill when thrown.
Spear. This is the basic (shorter) spear, which is only thrown when
no other option presents itself.
THROWN SPEAR
(DX-4)
Damage Ranges
Weapon Type Amt Acc ½ Dam Max Wt. Cost Min ST Bulk Special Notes
Throwing Skill
This skill is a catch-all that covers throwing anything not already described. Beer-mugs,
stools, small animals and any weapon not designed for throwing will use the throwing
skill. If the object being thrown is particularly unbalanced, assess a –2 skill.
Rock. This is an example of the fist-sized rock that might be
snatched up in combat. For larger (or smaller) rocks see
B(4th)355.
Flask. Also covers flasks of acid or other chemicals. See
B(4th)411 for full details.
THROWING
(DX-3)
Damage Ranges
Weapon Type Amt Acc ½ Dam Max Wt. Cost Min ST Bulk Special Notes
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AXE/MACE
(DX-5, Flail-4, other Axe/Mace-3 or Two-Handed Axe/Mace-3)
May not attack and parry in the same turn.
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
BRAWLING
(DX-4)
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
BROADSWORD
(DX-5, Rapier-4, Sidesword-2, Shortsword-2 or Two-Handed sword-4)
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
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FENCING WEAPONS
Each weapon uses a separate skill (listed below).
See B(4th)208 for fencing rules.
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
FLAIL
(DX-6, Axe/Mace-4, or Two-Handed Flail-3)
May not attack and parry in the same turn.
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
KNIFE
(DX-4, Main gauche-3, or Shortsword-3)
–1 to parry with a knife.
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
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LANCE
(DX-5 or Spear-3)
Must have at least one point in Riding skill. Must have saddle and stirrups
to use a couched lance.
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
2 th
Lance imp thr+3 4 60 6lbs 12 May not parry. See B(4 )397.
2 th
Tourney Lance cr thr+3 4 May not parry. See B(4 )397.
POLEARM
(DX-5, Spear-4, Staff-4, or Two-Handed Axe/Mace-4)
All polearms require two hands. All except pollaxe become unready after
an attack, but not after a parry.
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
1
Glaive cut sw+3 2, 3 100 8lbs 11
1
imp thr+3 1-3
Halberd cut sw+5 2, 31 150 12lbs 13
1 th
imp sw+4 2, 3 May get stuck, see B(4 )405.
imp thr+3 1-31
Lucerne hammer cr sw+4 2, 31 120 10lbs 12
1
imp sw+4 2, 3 May get stuck, see B(4th)405.
imp thr+3 1-31
Pollaxe cut sw+3 1, 21 120 8lbs 12 Balanced weapon; does not
1
cr sw+3 1, 2 become Unready after attacking.
imp thr+2 1-21
SHORTSWORD
(DX-5, Broadsword-2, Knife-4, Sabre-4 or Smallsword-4)
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
SPEAR
(DX-5, Polearm-4 or Staff-2)
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
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STAFF
(DX-5, Polearm-4 or Spear-2)
Requires two hands. Parry is +2.
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
TWO-HANDED AXE/MACE
(DX-5, Axe/Mace-3, Polearm –4 or Two-Handed Flail -4)
Require two hands. Cannot attack and parry in the same turn. Becomes
unready after attack or parry (unless 1.5x min ST).
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
1
Great axe cut sw+3 1, 2 50 8lbs 13
Double-headed great axe. Remains
cut sw+3 1, 21 100 15lbs 15
ready to attack each turn.
1
Great hammer cr sw+4 1, 2 60 7lbs 13
1 th
imp sw+3 1, 2 May get stuck B(4 )405
1
Maul cr sw+4 1, 2 40 12lbs 14
Scythe cut sw+2 1 12
imp sw 1 8 5lbs 6 -2 to hit when impaling.
TWO-HANDED FLAIL
(DX-6, Flail –3, or Two-Handed Axe/Mace-4)
May not attack and parry in the same turn. Requires two hands unless 1.5x
Min ST.
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
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TWO-HANDED SWORD
(DX-5, Broadsword-4)
Requires two hands unless 15x Min ST.
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
WHIP
(No default)
Damage
Weapon Type Amt Reach Cost Wt. Min ST Special Notes
Whip cr sw-2 1-7 10/yd 2lbs/yd 10 Armour divisor (0.5). See B(4th)406.
1
Must be readied for one turn to change effective reach.
2
Damage is based on horse’s ST and velocity.
Work out collision damage between mount and target: (Mount ST) x (Distance moved last
turn) /100 dice of damage, rounded down.
Add lance thrust/impaling bonus of +3.
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BOW
(DX-5)
2 hands to fire, 2 turns to ready (1 with Fast Draw-Arrow).
Damage Ranges
Weapon Type Amt Acc ½ Dam Max Wt. Cost Min ST Bulk Special Notes
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CROSSBOW
(DX-4)
2 hands to fire (except pistol crossbow).
Damage Ranges
Weapon Type Amt Acc ½ Dam Max Wt. Cost Min ST Bulk Special Notes
NET
(Cloak-5)
See B(4th)411 for full rules on nets.
Damage Ranges
Weapon Type Amt Acc Max Wt. Cost Min ST Bulk Special Notes
THROWN AXE
(DX-4)
Damage Ranges
Weapon Type Amt Acc ½ Dam Max Wt. Cost Min ST Bulk Special Notes
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THROWN KNIFE
(DX-4)
-2 attack unless specifically made to be thrown.
Damage Ranges
Weapon Type Amt Acc ½ Dam Max Wt. Cost Min ST Bulk Special Notes
THROWN SPEAR
(DX-4)
Damage Ranges
Weapon Type Amt Acc ½ Dam Max Wt. Cost Min ST Bulk Special Notes
THROWING
(DX-3)
Damage Ranges
Weapon Type Amt Acc ½ Dam Max Wt. Cost Min ST Bulk Special Notes
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ARMOUR
Otto cursed as his sidesword once more glanced off his opponent’s breastplate. The
mercenary leader was wearing a field plate cuirass, probably looted in some long-past
battlefield. As his blade rang against the armour again and again failed to even scratch
his foe, Otto thought longingly of the pollaxe he had decided against buying at the last
town.
Armour Availability
If you are not using the rules for Availability (p.9), this section can be ignored.
The armour of Saduria is early TL4, though non-metal armour, mail and brigandine may
be made by TL3 societies. Non-metal armour is also available in TL2, as well as an early
form of mail. Mail is always x3 cost from TL2 armourers, and weighs 20% more.
Tailors make padded armour, leatherworkers make all forms of leather armour, and
armourers make metal armour. Brigandine, having both metal and cloth or leather,
requires an armourer and either a tailor or leatherworker.
Most towns and larger villages have a tailor and leatherworker, and they are plentiful in
large towns and cities. Armourers are normally available only in large towns and cities,
and are scarce in normal towns.
Armour and Fashion
Yes, even your armour is important in the race to
be fashionable. Although not quite in the same
league as clothing, the style of armour that you
wear tells others a lot about your wealth. Despite
its likely fate on the receiving end of a large
weapon, most people of substance will strive to
buy the latest designs of armour to avoid social
stigma.
Naturally, if you are of Social Level 0 or below, you
are less worried about what people think of your
helmet than if you are an aspiring baron. Hardened
mercenaries and grizzled adventurers are also
more likely to buy (or steal) armour for its
protection-to-weight properties than because the
Duke happens to own a set, although, as fashion
generally equates to wealth, a mercenary captain
will want his band to at least look successful and
therefore fashionable.
So, think carefully about what others might think of
your armour before buying that battered kettle hat and mail hauberk “because it is
cheap”.
Armour Care
Armour of all types requires regular maintenance if it is to function properly.
Unsurprisingly, armour takes a great deal of damage in the course of its working life, and
this damage will eventually render it useless for its purpose. Without maintenance,
armour that sees action (including being exposed to extreme climate) loses 1 DR per
month, representing lost pieces, unrepaired holes and weakening through corrosion.
Professional armour care costs 1/10th of the original cost. Note that repair and
maintenance of metal armour is not covered by the monthly cost of living. If the extra
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cost is regularly added to the cost of living, armour maintenance can be ignored if
characters visit towns or cities throughout the month.
Otherwise, maintenance is up to their own skills, or those
of the people they encounter.
Care of non-metal armour (padding, fur and leather)
requires the attentions of a tailor or leatherworker as
appropriate, whereas metal armour (mail and plate)
requires an armourer. Brigandine armour requires both. A
tailoring, leatherworking or armourer roll of 10- and a few
hours are sufficient to make the routine repairs required.
Repairing Armour
When severely damaged, armour needs a little more care
and attention. Several days’ work may be required, with an
appropriate skill roll of 12-. Pieces may have to be replaced
or remade, and so raw materials need to be available. This
sort of repair requires a forge and/or workshop.
Shields
Advanced armour and increasing use of two-handed weapons means that shields are far
less common for knights and men at arms, but lighter-armoured soldiers still
occasionally use them, and bucklers are common even for well-off civilians (for duelling,
of course).
Shields are usually made from 1” thick wood with tight
leather or hide covers (the leather/hide acts to give the
wood strength). Better shields are built from wood that is
cut a little thinner, but are reinforced or faced with metal
(usually steel). Smaller shields may even be entirely
metal (usually 1/8” steel) which makes them heavy but
far more durable. Uncovered wooden shields (with no
hide or metal) are easily damaged. They should
realistically be seen as disposable.
Damage to Shields
This is restating the optional Damage to Shields rule, B(4th)484.
A defence roll made by the number of points of your shield’s DB (Defence Bonus)
means that the blow has hit the shield. Assess damage to your shield as normal for the
weapon, including taking the DR of the shield into account.
Damage over the shield’s HP/4 (after DR) penetrates the shield; a crushing or slashing
blow effectively destroys the shield with no other effect, but an impaling blow comes
through to deal its remaining damage to you. If the damage the shield takes equals or
exceeds the shield’s HP, it destroys the shield. An armourer may repair damage to
shields with the right tools and materials using the Repairing Armour rule above.
Note that without using this rule some of the available shields, notably the metal-
reinforced and all-steel ones, become redundant.
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Types of Shield
Buckler. Historically referring to any smallish shield, in Saduria a
buckler is a small, agile, usually round, shield of between
9” and 18” diameter. It is gripped with a single handle or
strapped tightly to the forearm (leaving the hand free)
rather than being loosely strapped to the user’s shoulder,
as are most shields.
Bucklers may be wood, metal-trimmed wood or solid steel.
A short boss spike, or even a longer, thinner, dagger spike
may be added to inflict more damage with a shield bash,
but only when being held in the hand.
Boss spike adds +1 crush damage to shield bash, the long
dagger spike adds Thrust-2 impaling (but not if strapped to
the forearm) but inflicts a –2 penalty to Shield skill due to
unbalancing.
Small. May be wooden, wood with metal trim or solid steel. Larger
than bucklers but lighter than medium shields, small
shields (especially the mainly wooden ones) may also be
known as targes or targets. They are most commonly used
by light troops, and by some militia where utility and weight
concerns are perhaps more important than protection.
May have boss spike adding +1 crush damage to shield
bash.
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SHIELDS
Description Material DB DR Hits Weight Cost Notes
Clothing as armour
Although not recommended as armour, occasionally the clothes you are wearing may
just offer enough protection to save your life. Note that any form of damage to clothing
will probably ruin them. Unlike true armour, normal clothing is just not designed to take
hits.
Any damage taken by clothing will effectively ruin the piece of clothing. A competent
tailor (or leatherworker) will be able to make repairs, but unless the repair is
exceptionally well done the clothes will always bear the marks of having been damaged.
See the section on clothing, p.97, for more information on clothes.
Normal clothing. Cloth offers no protection at all.
Winter clothing. Properly padded, or particularly thick, clothes will give
some protection from blows. Once any hits are absorbed,
however, the clothing must usually be repaired if it is to
function as cold-weather protection again. Winter clothing
is not designed for combat, and is consequently restrictive.
See clothing section (p98) for penalties to physical
activities whilst wearing winter clothing. Wearing winter
clothing in warm weather is hot and uncomfortable – add 1
to effective encumbrance level for fatigue loss only.
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CLOTHING
Description Material Covers DR Weight Cost Notes
* The cost of clothing reflects the social level of its wearer. See clothing section, p.97, for more
details of clothing prices. The individual pieces of clothing detailed above may be included in a
suitable outfit at the referee’s option.
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Padded refers to the thickly quilted strong cotton that is usually worn underneath metal
armour. Padding may be worn under heavier armour, when it is often referred to as an
arming doublet.
Lt Leather Gloves. May also be made of thick canvas or similar. May have
reinforced knuckles. Usually worn under mail mittens or
plate gauntlets.
Fur Waistcoat. Worn only by those living rough or those who wish to be
stared at. Uncomfortable in warm weather, smells feral and
attracts dirt and fleas.
Padded Cuisses. Thigh and groin armour that straps to the belt or aketon.
They are separate pieces and are not joined at the groin.
Full Aketon. A longer aketon that also covers the thighs. Commonly
found as padding under mail hauberks.
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Heavy leather
Heavy leather refers either to multiple layers of soft leather sewn together or hide from a
creature with an exceptionally thick natural skin. Alternatively, it may be leather
reinforced by substantial augmentation using small plates or studs. The plates and studs
are mostly ornamental, but may help to protect against slashes and impacts. Heavy
leather (but not reinforced leather) can be worn under metal armour, but the weight will
be substantial.
Hvy Leather Jack. A sleeveless jacket. Most commonly made in reinforced
leather.
Hvy Leather Jacket. Sleeved jacket reaching to waist or mid-thigh. Popular as
padding when weight is not seen as a problem, heavy
leather is also used by duellists or those practicing their
fencing.
Hvy Leather Coat. Sleeved coat reaching to the knee. Sometimes called a
buff coat when buff-leather is used.
Hvy Leather Cuisse. Thigh and groin armour that straps to the torso armour or
belt.
Hvy Leather Gloves. Open palmed to allow manipulation. The knuckles are
commonly reinforced with studs and count as brass
knuckles in close combat.
+1 to punch damage.
Infantry Boots. Heavy studded boots with shin protection. Infantry boots
are sturdier and longer than domestic work boots.
+1 kick damage.
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Cavalry Boots. Thigh length soft leather boots. They are unsuitable for
walking any distance in, but ideal to protect the legs of
someone spending time in the saddle. Cavalry boots are
usually awkward to put on or take off, especially alone.
–1 max movement when on foot.
HEAVY LEATHER
Description Material Covers DR Weight Cost Notes
1
Jack Thick leather Torso 2 8lbs 65
1
Jacket Thick leather Arms, torso 2 10lbs 100
Coat Thick leather Arms, torso, groin 21 12lbs 140
1
Cuisse Thick leather Groin, legs 2 3lbs. 40
1
Cavalry boots Thick leather Legs, feet 2 5lbs 100
Jack Reinforced leather Torso 2 10lbs 100
Jacket Reinforced leather Arms, torso 2 12bs 150
Coat Reinforced leather Arms, torso, groin 2 14lbs 210
Cuisse Reinforced leather Groin, legs 2 4lbs. 60
Gloves Reinforced leather Hands 2 1lb 30
Infantry boots Reinforced leather Feet 2 3lbs 80
1
DR2 against cutting, piercing and impaling attacks, DR1 against crushing attacks.
Rigid leather
Rigid leather is the cuirbouilli armour known since ancient times. Leather, hardened by
boiling in water or oil, is moulded to shape as it dries. In many ways, rigid leather can be
treated as non-metallic plate armour. It is a rare material for modern Sadurian armour
but can still be found where wearing or maintaining metal armour is inconvenient.
Cuirbolli is easily decorated with metal plates and edging, and may be embossed with
ornamental designs.
Rigid leather cannot be hammered back into shape like metal, and nor can it be sewn.
The usual way to “maintain” such armour is to add patches or replace pieces as needed.
Rigid Leather Cuirass. A rigid leather breastplate and backplate that strap
together. The cuirass can be worn without padding as long
as some reasonably thick clothing is worn underneath (this
is purely for comfort rather than protection). Sometimes,
the cuirass has pauldrons (shoulder armour) attached but
this has no effect on the protection given.
Rigid Leather Cuisse. Plates of rigid leather for the thighs and groin, they require
strapping to torso armour or to the belt.
Rigid Leather Greaves. Now uncommon but still occasionally found among
duellers and light troops, greaves protect the knees and
lower legs.
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RIGID LEATHER
Description Material Covers DR Weight Cost Notes
Fine-mesh Mail
Still in development is an advanced form of mail, fine-mesh mail. Requiring excellent and
consistent quality steel plus an expert armourer, this mail is so fine that it may be
concealed under clothing. It only requires minimal padding (a decently thick cotton shirt
is adequate) and its close-mesh protects well against both impaling and cutting attacks,
at the expense of protection against crushing attacks. Don’t expect to be able to get hold
of fine-mesh mail without money, connections and being in the right place. Fine-mesh
mail always counts as being scarce except in Sadur City.
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Brigandine Surcoat. Longer than the jack, the surcoat reaches to the knees.
Mail Byrnie. An old design of mail shirt, the byrnie has short sleeves
and ends mid-thigh. Despite the advanced age of the
design, modern byrnies are still good, basic, protection for
the torso.
Mail Haubergeon. The most common form of mail shirt, the haubergeon is a
sleeved mail shirt that ends mid-thigh (often with a dagged
edge). A popular variant has mail mittens (called mufflers)
to protect the hands.
Mail Hauberk. A slightly older design than the haubergeon, the hauberk is
longer (ending at the knee) and has mail mittens (called
mufflers) to cover the hands.
Mail Chausses. Mail leggings (individual pieces, they are not joined at the
groin) that are tied or strapped to the belt. They also
protect the feet, and have leather-reinforced soles.
Shirt/Haubergeon Fine mesh mail Torso, arms 4/12 20lb 900 Concealable
2
DR4 against cutting, impaling and piercing attacks; lower number against crushing attacks.
Halve this DR if worn without any padding.
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Plate
The ultimate in armour protection, plate armour consists of shaped plates of high quality
steel, fitted to the individual wearer to form a mobile covering of rigid metal. Only areas
such as the armpits and groin have chain (generally sewn onto the torso padding - the
arming doublet), and even these are shielded by jutting plates. Full plate is tailored much
like a suit of clothing, with regular fittings and adjustments. It is never available “off the
peg”.
Padding is essential when wearing plate; nobody in their right mind wants to wear
moving steel components next to their skin. An appropriate layer of padding is assumed
to come as standard with plate armour. Note that mail can be worn under plate, adding 2
DR, but the plate armour must have originally been designed to be worn with mail. This
plate-and-mail combination is considered antiquated in modern Saduria and it is very
heavy, but it does offer good protection when full plate cannot be afforded. Plate
designed in this way is less wearer-specific than full plate.
Full suits of plate armour take a considerable amount time to put on (10+ minutes), and
are nearly impossible to don without help thanks to the strapping (hence the role of the
squire).
A fully-fitted suit of plate, made to fit a given wearer, protects against attacks
made to the “chinks” in other armour (-8 to attack). This protection does not apply
when the wearer is helpless and the attacker can deliberately undo straps or lift plates.
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Field/Heavy Plate. Heavier armour and better steel let this armour offer better
protection at the expense of weight.
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3
Maximillian plate gives a +1 Defence Bonus due to the deflecting flutes.
4
The cost of Maximillian plate is double that of the equivalent piece of Hardened Plate.
5
For the weight of each piece of Jousting plate, add 35% to the weight of equivalent piece of
plate.
6
The cost of Jousting plate is five times that of equivalent plate.
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Helmets
Types of Helmet
Armet. The armet is a close-fitting, visored helmet, which is both lighter
and more protective than its predecessor, the bascinet. It has
hinged cheek pieces, which allows it to be closed around the
face. Now, in turn, being superceded by the close-helmet, the
armet is still a common piece of armour among mercenaries,
professional soldiers, and knights.
Covers neck and also protects against attacks against “chinks”
in armour (but not eyeslit attacks). All IQ rolls to see, hear and
smell are at –2 and it gives No Peripheral Vision.
Close helmet. The close helmet is the successor to the armet, and currently
the most sophisticated form of helmet available. Close fitting,
relatively lightweight and mobile, the close helmet is the helmet
of choice for the wealthy knight or man-at-arms. It has a hinged
visor and excellent breathing holes for added comfort.
Covers neck and also protects against attacks against “chinks”
in armour (but not eyeslit attacks). IQ rolls to sight, hearing and
smell are all at –1 and gives No Peripheral Vision.
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Coif. A hood made from cloth, leather or mail (which includes a thin
layer of padding like a long arming cap), protecting the head and
neck. Often worn under older-style helmets such as the bascinet
or kettle hat. More up-to-date, close-fitting, helmets are
unsuitable for wearing with coifs. The coif can be drawn back
(like the hood of a cloak) for more comfort when not in combat.
Covers neck. A penalty of –1 hearing when worn up over the
head.
Sallet. The sallet is a very common modern design of helmet for both
foot and mounted soldiers. Usually, sallets are solid-fronted,
though versions with hinged visors are also found.
–2 to vision and hearing and No Peripheral Vision when worn.
Skull Cap. A very simple bowl-shaped helmet covering just the top of the
head. The skull cap may be worn under a hat and is essential
for use under a great helm.
Though basic and offering little protection, the skull cap is light,
cheap and discrete.
Helmet Accessories.
Aventail/Camail A curtain of mail that attaches to the bottom of a helmet
(typically but not exclusively a bascinet), to protect the throat
and neck. In this, it fulfils much the same role as the bevor.
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Gorget. A close-fitting plate which protects the neck and throat. May be
combined with helmets that otherwise offer no neck protection.
The close-helmet, armet and jousting helm are made to fit to a
gorget and they are assumed to automatically come with one.
Most full suits of plate armour are automatically equipped with
gorgets.
Plumes/Device. This is a catch-all term for the decoration still sometimes found
on helmets, especially at tournament. Mainly these will be
constructed from lightweight materials such as feathers and
papier-mâché. Simple plumes are currently in fashion, but some
elaborate tourneys call for enormous and magnificent
constructions which may only be worn for the parades and then
removed for the actual fighting.
If more substantial materials are used (real horns and so on),
assess the additional weight on a case-by-case basis.
HELMETS. All metal helmets and coifs come with an arming cap.
Description Material Covers DR Weight Cost Notes
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Head, face,
Armet Plate neck
6 7lbs 420
Head, face,
Armet Field plate neck 7 9lbs 600
Head, face,
Armet Hardened plate neck 7 7lbs 1 800
Head, face,
Close helmet Plate neck 7 6lbs 500
Head, face,
Close helmet Field plate neck 7 8lbs 750
Head, face,
Close helmet Hardened plate neck 7 6lbs 2 250
Head, face,
Close helmet Maximillian plate neck 7 6lbs 4 500
Head, face, Includes padding and
Great helm Jousting plate neck 9 12lbs 1 500 a skull cap.
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CLOTHING
Arms, torso, groin,
Winter clothing Padded cloth
legs
1 3lbs x2
HEAVY LEATHER
Jack Thick leather Torso 21 8lbs 65
1
Jacket Thick leather Arms, torso 2 10lbs 100
1
Coat Thick leather Arms, torso, groin 2 12lbs 140
1
Cuisse Thick leather Groin, legs 2 3lbs. 40
Cavalry boots Thick leather Legs, feet 21 5lbs 100
Jack Reinforced leather Torso 2 10lbs 100
Jacket Reinforced leather Arms, torso 2 12bs 150
Coat Reinforced leather Arms, torso, groin 2 14lbs 210
Cuisse Reinforced leather Groin, legs 2 4lbs. 60
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RIGID LEATHER
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HELMETS. All metal helmets and coifs come with an arming cap.
Arming cap Padded Head 1 neg. 2
Coif Padded Head 1 neg. 5
Coif Lt Leather Head 1 1lb 6
2
Coif Mail Head 4/2 4lbs 55 Includes padding
Aimed attacks
against the face
Bevor Plate Face, neck 5 2lbs 50 can bypass the
bevor by taking an
additional -2 to hit
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TRANSPORT
HORSES AND OTHER RIDING MOUNTS
Johann checked the horse’s teeth and was
satisfied that this mount was the bargain he
believed it to be. The merchant evidently didn’t
know the quality of the horse and was selling it for
several hundred shillings under its real value.
Trying to keep his excitement under control,
Johann finalised the deal and led his new bargain
away, he had already decided to call it “Folly”
after the merchant’s misfortune.
The dealer smiled as he watched the horse
trotting away. He wondered how long it would be
before Johann discovered the animal’s poor
eyesight and overwhelming fear of dogs.
Purchasing Procedure
In times past, it was only the gentry, nobles and soldiers who were allowed to ride
horses. Everyone else made do with a mule, donkey or cart.
In modern Saduria, however, the social restraints have all-but disappeared. Now the
only thing that prevents most commoners from riding a horse is the cost, not only
purchasing the horse but also looking after it.
The following rules are deliberately far more detailed than any used when buying
anything else. This is because a mount should be far more than just a piece of
equipment; it is almost an NPC in its own right and should be treated as such.
Note that the usual haggling rules are not used. When buying a mount, use the following
procedure. Bear in mind that the term “horse-trading” is not for nothing used to describe
a risky transaction….
1. Decide what animal is required. Often, a mule is as good as, or better than, a
horse. Ponies have the advantage of being small enough to go underground (if
so trained). Warhorses, however, are still best for combat situations.
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2. Roll to see whether or not the animal is available at that location. Villages
are not likely to have a stable full of warhorses, and even riding horses are liable
to be scarce.
3. Decide what the purchaser is willing to spend, or what quality he is looking
for. This is where the purchaser takes his first risk. Despite looking for (and
paying for) a high quality animal, he may still end up with something worse. On
the other hand, paying for a broken-down nag may occasionally result in
something with hidden value. Mount quality is classed as Low, Medium and High,
with some variation within those classes.
4. Referee rolls for quality of mount. Mounts may have merits and drawbacks
just like people, and not all of these are obvious when the mount is bought.
Rolling for the quality of the mount at this point determines whether the animal is
as good as it was advertised.
5. Purchaser examines mount. This is the final chance to spot hidden flaws or
virtues. Now that the mount’s actual quality is known, a purchaser with
appropriate skills can examine it and evaluate which of the quality categories
(Low, Medium or High) it actually falls into.
The following skills are appropriate to discover a mount’s characteristics; roll
once to find each Advantage, Disadvantage and for the final quality roll. It may be
better for the GM to make these rolls to avoid giving away the fact that the animal
has any special characteristics:
Animal Handling (Equines).
Merchant (only if specialised in horse-dealing).
Packing (only for pack animals).
Riding (Horse) (roll at –2).
Teamster (Equines) (only for evaluating draft animals).
Veterinary.
6. Finalise deal. Once the deal is finalised, the purchaser is left to find out what
they have actually bought!
Availability by Location
Most Sadurian villages are highly unlikely to have spare mounts for sale; even mules
and donkeys will be rare. Only those that specialise in horse breeding or have large
horse markets are likely to have horses available. Towns are more likely to have mounts
for sale, and will usually have more available than cities.
A common source of horses, especially warhorses, is the manors that have specialised
in breeding them. The lord of a manor will usually not involve his villagers in this
program, and it is often a hobby of the lord himself. In the following table, there are two
entries for villages; the first is the chance that a village has a mount for sale and the
second is the chance that the lord of the manor has a horse-breeding program of his
own. Many lords will not sell to commoners unless the buyer can demonstrate some
worthy merits.
The amount by which the roll is made determines how many of that animal is available. If
the roll is made exactly, one animal is available but it will prove to have been acquired
illegally.
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Horse
Sought Mount Village Town City Market* Market*
Pony 20% 25% 65% 55%
* Markets and Horse Markets are mutually exclusive (use one modifier only).
** Dogs are obviously not mounts, but their purchase follows the same rules.
Animal Descriptions
These are copied from the section on Pets and Trained Animals in B(4th)458.
Pony
ST 18 DX 10 IQ 3 HT 11
Will 11 Per 12 Speed 5.25 Dodge 8 Move 7
SM+1 (3 hexes); 800lbs.
Traits: Domestic Animal; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 14); Hooves; Peripheral Vision;
Quadruped; Weak Bite.
Donkey
ST 15 DX 10 IQ 3 HT 11
Will 11 Per 12 Speed 5.25 Dodge 8 Move 5
SM+1 (2 hexes); 500lbs.
Traits: Domestic Animal; Enhanced Move ½ (Ground Speed 8); Hooves; Quadruped; Weak Bite.
Mule
ST 22 DX 10 IQ 3 HT 12
Will 12 Per 12 Speed 5.5 Dodge 8 Move 6
SM+1 (2 hexes); 1 400lbs.
Traits: Domestic Animal; Enhanced Move ½ (Ground Speed 9); Hooves; Quadruped; Weak Bite;
Sterile.
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Draft Horse
Relatively rare as draft oxen are hardier, easier to keep and cheaper.
ST 25 DX 9 IQ 3 HT 12
Will 10 Per 11 Speed 5.25 Dodge 8 Move 6
SM+1 (3 hexes); 2 000lbs.
Traits: Domestic Animal; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 12); Hooves; Peripheral Vision;
Quadruped; Weak Bite.
Saddle Horse
Also called a palfrey.
ST 21 DX 9 IQ 3 HT 11
Will 10 Per 12 Speed 5 Dodge 8 Move 6
SM+1 (3 hexes); 1 200lbs.
Traits: Domestic Animal; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 12); Hooves; Peripheral Vision;
Quadruped; Weak Bite.
Courser
Would be called a racehorse in later TLs. Used for hunting by the nobility.
ST 20 DX 9 IQ 3 HT 11
Will 11 Per 11 Speed 5 Dodge 8 Move 9
SM+1 (3 hexes); 1 100lbs.
Traits: Domestic Animal; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 18); Hooves; Peripheral Vision;
Quadruped; Weak Bite.
Cavalry Horse
Also sometimes called a light warhorse.
ST 22 DX 9 IQ 3 HT 11
Will 11 Per 12 Speed 5 Dodge 9 Move 8
SM+1 (3 hexes); 1 400lbs.
Traits: Combat Reflexes; Domestic Animal; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 16); Hooves;
Peripheral Vision; Quadruped; Weak Bite.
Skills: Brawling 10; Mount 12*.
*May be increased with extra training; +1 per additional year of training.
Warhorse
Also known as a heavy warhorse.
ST 24 DX 9 IQ 3 HT 12
Will 11 Per 12 Speed 5.25 Dodge 9 Move 7
SM+1 (3 hexes); 1 900lbs.
Traits: Bad Temper (12); Combat Reflexes; Domestic Animal; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed
14); Hooves; Peripheral Vision; Quadruped; Weak Bite.
Skills: Brawling 12; Mount 13*.
*May be increased with extra training; +1 per additional year of training.
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Dog
Obviously not a mount (not even for halflings), dogs are nevertheless animal companions worthy
of a little extra detailing. Prices are for IQ3-trained dogs. Mutts are usually free but untrained.
ST 7-9 DX 11 IQ 4 HT 12
Will 10 Per 12 Speed 5.75 Dodge 8 Move 10
SM-1 to 0; 40-90lbs.
Traits: Chummy, Discriminatory Smell, Domestic Animal; Quadruped; Sharp Teeth.
Roll d6 twice for random personality traits. Duplicates reinforce that trait. Roll against the owner’s
Will for a trained animal to act contrary to its personality:
1. Disobedient. -2 Animal Handling to train, and -2 owner’s Will roll to make it obey.
2. Loyal. Will hardly ever leave its master in need. +2 owner’s Will to make it obey.
3. Aggressive. Puts up a fierce show of barking and snarling (though it may be all front).
4. Coward. Will run away rather than face threats.
5. Friendly. Always reacts to people at +2.
6. Curious. Will investigate anything new and chase whatever runs away from it.
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Obvious Modifiers
These are modifiers that are obvious to anyone buying the mounts. Generally these
modifiers will only be used for horses, though they can easily apply to other mounts:
+10% for a pure colour.
+10% for black or white colour.
-10 to 20% for an obvious but harmless physical imperfection.
+10 or -10% for every +1 or –1 Reaction modifier from Attractiveness.
+10% for each +1 ST, DX, HT (max +5) or IQ (max +1), where known before
rolling for Quality.
+100% for +1 Basic Move, +300% for maximum +2 Basic Move.
2-3 Despite its appearance the animal is broken down. Roll on Low
Quality table.
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Horse Care
Horses require at least an hour of care per day: 15 minutes to saddle and at least 45
minutes of care after being ridden. During the day it requires a two to three hour break to
rest and forage, and must be well fed to stay in top condition.
Horses require between 70 and 80 lbs of fodder per day, and without at least 10lbs grain
per day, the animal will not have the energy to operate at peak efficiency: double Fatigue
losses if on an all grass diet.
Barding
Only warhorses are usually trained to wear metal
barding, though cavalry horses may be trained to accept
leather and cloth. To train any other mount (or other
animal) to wear barding takes an Animal Handling
(appropriate animal) roll, usually at –5! Reduce this
penalty to –2 for leather or cloth.
Bear in mind the enormous weight of barding. You
cannot simply load a warhorse up with full plate barding,
and then expect it to happily trot around all day.
As a rough example of what a mount may be expected to
carry:
Full plate barding (as illustrated above right)
weighs in at 159lbs.
Bit and bridle, horseshoes, a war saddle plus stirrups weighs 3+4+35=42bs.
An average warhorse has a ST of 24, and so a Basic Lift of 115lbs.
Therefore, a fully barded warhorse, one of the strongest mounts available, will be Lightly
Encumbered with 201lbs, and therefore at –1 Move and Dodge, before even taking a
rider and his equipment:
A man-at-arms weighing 180lbs wearing full plate armour (64lbs) with plate armet
helmet (7lbs), carrying a sidesword (2 ¾lbs), large knife (1lb), longsword (5lbs),
lance (6lbs) and mace (5lbs), adds 270 ¾ lbs to the horse’s burden.
The final weight being carried by the warhorse is therefore 471 ¾lbs. This means that
the mount is Heavily Encumbered, and is at 0.4 Move and –3 Dodge, not to mention the
additional Fatigue being used if the horse is used to travel long distance or in combat.
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Trappings
Bit and Bridle. +2 to Riding skill to control mount, or +3 if using both hands. Both
bonuses are only ever used to cancel out skill penalties.
Horseshoes. Shod horses get +2 HT on any rolls for stamina on long rides. They also
give some protection to the hoof if crossing caltrops; 50% chance that the hoof receives
4 DR.
Saddle and Tack. Riding a mount without a saddle is at –2 to all skills unless a
bareback Technique is learnt. Combat from bareback is at –4, or –2 with the bareback
Technique. A Lance cannot be used without a saddle. Tack is required to keep the
saddle on!
Saddlebags. Maximum of four bags can be accommodated (two slung forward of the
rider and two to the rear). Sold in matching pairs, price and weight is for two connected
bags.
Sidesaddle. Wearing skirts or a dress on a regular saddle imposes a penalty to Riding
skill (as detailed in the clothing section).
Spurs. +1 to control a mount, only against Riding skill penalties.
Stirrups. The development of stirrups led directly to effective mounted combat with
couched lance. Mounted combat is at –2 without the use of stirrups, and lances cannot
be used at the charge without stirrups. Saddles are assumed to come with stirrups.
War Saddle. A war saddle is uncomfortable because it is restrictive. It is designed to
hold the rider tightly. +1 to Riding skill to remain seated (only against penalties), 50%
chance of staying in the saddle even if unconscious. Add 1 to fatigue penalties for long-
distance travel if travelling long distance in a war saddle. Most travelling mounted
warriors ride a palfrey with a standard saddle, only mounting the warhorse when combat
looms.
Yoke. This is required to connect a draft animal to a cart or wagon. Yokes may be
designed for either one or two animals.
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OTHER TRANSPORT
To travel with heavy equipment, it is usually easier to buy a cart or wagon than a string
of pack animals. This has its downside when travelling into areas without roads, and is
certainly unsuited to underground exploration. The effective encumbrance from the
weight of a vehicle and its load is divided by 10 for two-wheeled carts, or by 20 for four-
wheeled wagons or coaches.
The prices given are for very basic models
of the vehicles. Extra money may mean
extra features, but sadly there is no way to
make the vehicles ride more comfortably:
+10% price for each +10% HP, up
to a maximum +50%.
+10% to +30% price for a better
cosmetic finish.
+50% price for +1 Basic Move (better axles and wheels), +1 maximum.
All the details for the following vehicles follow the Vehicle rules B(4th)462. No engines
exist in Saduria so all vehicles are unpowered (and so ST is 0). All unpowered vehicles
have Injury Tolerance (Homogenous).
Hnd/ LWt Load Cost in
Vehicle HP SR HT Move tons lbs in lbs SM Occ DR shillings
Handcart* 20 0/2 10c * 0.29 580 400 +1 1 2 250
Sedan Chair** 15 0/1 10c ** 0.08 160 400 0 1 1 300
Teamster
Cart (2-wheel) 25 -3/4 11c 4/7 0.5 1000 800 +1 1 2 400
Wagon 35 -3/4 12c 4/8 0.84 1680 1000 +2 1 2 680
Wagon, large 55 -3/4 12c 3/6 3 6000 4500 +3 1 2 1200
Coach 53 -2/3 12c 4/9 2.4 4800 2400 +3 1+9 2 11000
Boating (unpowered)
Rowing boat 30 +1/3 12c ½ 0.5 1000 800 +1 1+4 2 500
Boating (sailboat)
Small riverboat ‡ 55 -1/2 12c 1/3 1.5 3000 2400 +2 2+8 2 2000
Large riverboat ‡ 100 -2/3 12c 0.5/3 4 8000 4800 +4 3+20 3 5000
Fishing boat 110 -2/3 12c 0.2/4 4 8000 4000 +4 3+3 4 8000
Shiphandling (ship)
Caravel 147 -2/3 12c 0.2/5 85 170000 120000 +7 30 5 23000
Carrack 850 -4/4 14c 0.1/3 1500 3000000 2400000 +10 100 5 90000
*The handcart is pushed (or pulled) by a single person, sometimes two. The speed of the
handcart is determined by the speed of the operator(s).
** The sedan chair holds a single person and is carried by two or more people. Determine
encumbrance as normal. Sedan chairs can move off-road! Add the Basic Lift (not ST)
capacity together if two (or more) people are cooperating in carrying the chair.
† Covered, or boxed, sedan chairs weigh an extra 40lbs (0.02 tons) and cost an additional
100 shillings or more. Some are luxuriously appointed inside, and gloriously painted outside.
‡ Riverboats are not designed for the rigours of the open sea. Assess –3 to Boating skill if on
the sea in anything but calm weather.
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MARKETPLACE
FOOD AND DRINK
Hans regretted having chosen to buy the soft fruits. They had looked so tempting on the
stall, and he had laughed when his companions had bought the grey-looking dry fish and
dusty hardtack bread. Now, however, his fruit was a mouldering mess and the others
were laughing at him. He grinned ruefully, and nodded gratefully to Helen as she passed
him a piece of dry fish. They were right and he had learnt yet another hard lesson.
Dietary Requirements
The following rules add a touch of realism to a game, but will become unnecessarily
tiresome if applied all the time. It is enough to know the rules, so that they can be
applied in times when it becomes important (such as when characters are lost in the
wilderness or shipwrecked).
The average person is assumed to need between 5 to 8 lbs of mixed food, or 3 to
4 lbs of meat, or 2 to 3 lbs of field rations (preserved food) each day.
These requirements are increased by 25% when engaged in strenuous activity such as
travelling or heavy work, and by 50% when engaged in extreme activity such as warfare
or adventuring!
Missing these requirements once or twice a week will not have any adverse effects, and
a person may go without the above dietary intake for a few days without any ill effects
(apart from hunger), but any longer than this means that the person is starving:
• A point of Fatigue per day is lost if:
o Under half the above daily requirements are eaten in a day.
o Under the full quota, but over half, is eaten daily for a full week.
• Lost fatigue from starvation cannot be recovered unless the full quota of food is
eaten for that day.
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Food
The food you eat will very
much depend on your
wealth. The poor will see
meat very rarely, and the
meat they see will mostly
be pork, rabbit or fowl. Beef
is rare because cattle are
raised mainly for milk and
to draw ploughs, and
sheep are primarily for
wool. Only animals that die
of old age or injury are
likely to end up on a
yeoman’s dinner table.
Preserving meat is possible
through drying, salting and
smoking. Magic is sometimes used, but it is not common enough to make any sort of
impact on the lives of the vast majority of the populace.
Vegetables are almost always boiled because the fields are often fertilised with human
excrement! The end result is that both green and root vegetables are usually combined
in a “pottage”, sometimes with barley or other pulses. Fresh salads are almost unheard
of, though basic fruit is common enough. Note that even salad vegetables are well
boiled. Bread is the most common staple; potatoes, rice and pasta are unknown in
Saduria.
At the other end of the scale, the wealthy will try almost any combination of foods and
spices, the more bizarre and rich the better. The term “conspicuous consumption” refers
to the practice of the very wealthy of deliberately laying out more food than can be eaten
in order to flaunt their money. The food that is left over is usually eaten by servants or
handed out to the poor. Queues of the needy are often seen at the back of mansions
awaiting the daily ‘broken meats’
In general, people will eat two meals a day: dinner at midday, and supper in the evening.
Breakfast is simply a
matter of having a little
bread or cold leftovers
when you rise, and it is
not considered a formal
meal. Snack foods are
the domain of the
wealthy; various nuts,
sweets, fruit pies and
sweet cakes are
fashionable, and will be
offered to guests when
they call. Marzipan
shapes and
gingerbread are both
very popular in Saduria.
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Field Rations
“Field rations” is a catch-all term for preserved food which may stay edible for a month or
more. Usually, the food is preserved by smoking, drying or salting, but magic may play
its part as well. However it is preserved, the food in field rations is very nutritious for its
weight. It does not, however, completely take the edge of hunger, and anyone with
Gluttony will find living on field rations hard work. Field rations also make you very
thirsty!
The actual contents of a packet of field rations will vary depending on where it is
produced, but it will likely include preserved meat or fish, dried fruit, hard cheese and
hardtack bread (normal bread, twice baked to make it last longer).
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Drink
In Saduria, drink usually means something alcoholic or milk. Water, unless direct from a
spring or somehow purified (by magic, for example), is simply too dirty to drink. Rivers
are a means of transport, a sewer and a bath, and even ill educated people know that
the water is usually less than pure.
What you drink is probably determined by your wealth. The rich prefer wine whereas the
poor drink beer or cider. This is not set in stone, however, and yeomen may well develop
a taste for wine while nobles may drink beer when not in formal settings.
Unadulterated wine is heavy and sweet, with a lot of solid residue that will require
decanting or straining before the wine is drunk. Wine may be flavoured with sugar or
spices, or may be watered down to make a less potent drink.
Beer is flat and made with barley flavoured with hops or other plants, small beer is
weaker and may well be homemade. Beer may also be flavoured with exotic spices.
Cider is made from both apples and pears (when it is correctly termed perry), and
ranges from weak to eye-wateringly potent.
Finally, distillation is known is Saduria, and alcoholic spirits are becoming more common
amongst the wealthy. Strong spirits are sometimes referred to as “aqua vitae” (not to be
confused with the alchemical term).
Drinking and Intoxication
The following notes refer to the Drinking and Intoxication rules, B(4th)439.
“Standard size” is the measure that the drink is served in. A mug is a pint mug or
tankard, a glass is a 4-5oz glass or goblet, a shot is a 1½oz cup.
The “Strength” refers to the relative alcoholic strength of the drink. Use this when
calculating how many drinks the person has drunk (so 4 mugs of strength 0.5 means 2
drinks for intoxication purposes).
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Larger measures. A barrel (hogshead) holds 63 gallons, a tun holds 252 gallons.
There are approximately 8 mugs to the gallon, or 32 glasses, or very approximately 100
shots. If buying larger measures, a 20% discount can be expected.
LIVESTOCK
Whilst it is not expected that adventuring parties will
lumber themselves with small herds of pigs of flocks of
chickens, livestock are a staple of the rural economy and
it is therefore important to know their value to the farmer.
It is more realistic for small villages to reward
benefactors with livestock than with cash, and they will
feel that they are doing the recipient a favour in doing so.
After all, livestock is the gift that keeps on giving!
Livestock is relatively expensive. Before wondering why
a pig-breeder isn’t rolling in money, bear in mind that
disease and predators claim a proportion of animals,
feed needs to be purchased and grazing land rented, and once the animal is sold there
is no more income until the next generation is old enough to be sold. And all this
assumes a fertile breeding animal!
Animals
The following animals are commonly kept as domestic livestock. The weight of edible
meat is the amount a trained butcher can extract from an animal; reduce by a quarter for
an untrained butcher. Some of the livestock listed is not regularly raised for food, but
may be eaten in emergencies or if dying of injury.
Grain costs around 1cp per lb. Fodder is usually grass, hay or similar, sometimes
supplemented with grain for optimum conditioning. Pigs are happy with leftovers (if there
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are any), but are usually let loose to forage in orchards or woodland. Fowl eat grain and
insects, and will graze on weeds.
Livestock (but not mounts) can be considered plentiful at livestock markets, but scarce
within urban environments otherwise.
CLOTHING
Everyone wears clothes, and the clothes that you wear state both who you are and what
you are. The accoutrements of your trade are worn proudly to declare how you make
your living, and it is as unthinkable to wear the garments of a different trade as it is to
wear clothing of the opposite sex.
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Male clothing
• Hose. These join at the crotch (like trousers) and include a
DR1 leather codpiece, often of a considerably generous fit!
• Breeches (Optional). At the cutting edge of fashion and
ending just below the hip or reaching to the knee, depending
on fashion.
• Shirt (chemise).
• Tunic (bliaut). The sleeves may be ‘slashed’ at higher social
levels to show the expensive material of the lining
underneath.
• Hat. Fashionable as well as practical. No fashionable male
Sadurian goes without a hat.
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Female clothing
• Stockings. Knee length and secured with garters.
• Undershirt or chemise, also called the camicia.
• Petticoat/Underskirts. These add volume to the skirt or dress, and
may be as full as the wearer can afford.
• Bumroll and farthingale. The bumroll is a padded “horseshoe” worn
around the back of the hips and tied at the front, designed to make
the hips look wider and therefore the waist look smaller. The
farthingale is a reinforced underskirt that gives the fashionable “bell”
shape to the skirts. Neither of these are particularly practical or common for
working women.
• Corset. Mainly still limited to the nobility. From simple stiff linen to whalebone
reinforced. Formal reinforced corsets may give DR1 to the torso. Corsets require
help to put on as they lace up at the back, front lacing (a sure sign of common
birth and no maid) is a development for the future.
• Sleeves. These are worn laced to the dress or tunic.
• either Dress. All-in one. Full skirted dresses are the latest fashion.
or Tunic. Worn with a skirt, not with a dress.
Skirt. Worn with tunic. Full but strait “A-line” skirts are in fashion.
Outfits
Outfit Description Weight Cost (shillings)
“Court” ‘Sunday best’ or for appearing at the local social
3lb 100x(SocLev+1)*
clothes. high spot. Not seen below SL0.
Town clothes. Standard day wear for most people. 2lb 40x(SocLev+1)*
The most common outfit for adventurers, sailors
Travelling
and travellers. Clothing is tough, weatherproof, 2lb 60x(SocLev+1)*
clothes.
and designed for more freedom of movement.
Winter clothes. Cold-weather clothing. 3lb 60x(SocLev+1)*
Working May include a DR1 leather apron. Rarely seen
2lb 60x(SocLev+1)*
clothes. above SL1.
Cloak Description Weight Cost (shillings)
Light cape. A light cloak, rarely worn by women. 2lb 10x(SocLev+1)*
Cloak. A heavy cloak. Generally has a hood. 5lb 20x(SocLev+1)*
* Where (Social Level+1) is less than 1, treat as 0.5.
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OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT
Whilst it is just about possible to get by living off the land if you know Survival skill,
without proper equipment the Survival roll is at –2 (for improvised tools).
Cost
Equipment Description Weight
(shillings)
Backpack, large Can hold 100lb of gear. 8lb 25
Backpack, small Can hold up to 40lb of gear. 3lb 10
Blanket Warm woollen blanket. 4lb 20
Canteen, 1 pint Often wood or horn. Weight empty 1lb. 3lb 10
Eating utensils Pewter bowl, mug, and spoon. 1.5lb 8
Fishhooks and line Can be used with or without a pole. Neg. 5
Includes a 5-gallon cooking pot, 30 yards of
Group basics light rope, hatchet, large knife, hammer, 33lb 180
tinderbox, and 10 yards of cord.
Throws its light up to 50 feet; penalties for no
Lantern light increase by 1 for each 5 foot from the 3lb 20
lantern to maximum -10.
Keeps a lantern lit for 24 hours. Will catch
Lantern oil, 1 pint 2lb 2
light in 3 seconds but is not explosive.
May be closed to partially conceal the light,
Lantern, shuttered 5lb 50
or be opened only on one side.
Pole, 6’ wooden Walking staff or tent pole. 2lb 1
Pole. 10’ wooden A tent pole, raft pole or trap detector! 4lb 1
3
Rope, /16” cord Supports 90lbs. Per 10 yards. 0.5lb 1
3
Rope, /4 “ Heavy rope, supports 1100lb. Per 10 yards. 5lb 10
3
Rope, /8” Light rope, supports 300lb. Per 10 yards. 1.5lb 5
Sleeping furs Still the warmest way to sleep. 8lb 15+
Low ceiling. Often pitched up against
Tent, 1-man 5lb 30
something to provide additional space.
The typical pavilion tent. High ceiling.
Tent, 20-man 100lb 400
Requires 16 10-foot poles.
Requires a 6 foot pole or equivalent, often a
Tent, 2-man 12lb 50
spear is used on military campaigns.
Tent, 4-man Requires two 6 foot poles. 30lb 100
A flint and steel with a small box of
Tinderbox smouldering tinder, ready for almost Neg. 4
immediate use.
Has pitch-soaked material at one end.
Throws its light up to almost 20 feet;
penalties for no light increase by 1 for each 2
Torch foot from the lantern (max-10). Burns for 1 1lb 10 copper
hour. An improvised torch (untreated cloth
wrapped around a stick) burns for only 15
minutes.
Waterskin, 1 gallon Weight empty 0.25lb. 8.25lb 5
Page 99 of 154
GURPS Marketplace
CONTAINERS
In some cases, the container a substance is carried in may be valuable in its own right.
Game assumptions
For ease of play, the following (slightly inaccurate) conversions are used:
• 1 pint weighs 1lb.
• 1 gallon = 8 pints = 8lb.
• 1 “dose” (for potions etc.) = 1/10th pint = 0.1lb. (usually neg. weight).
Bowl or plate, wooden The most common personal dish. 0.5lb 10 copper
Cost
Equipment Description Weight
(shillings)
Serving dish, silver plate Used for special occasions. 2lb 150+
TOOLS
Cost
Equipment Description Weight
(shillings)
Requires blacksmith’s tools in addition to
Armourer’s tools 10lb 200
armourer’s tools.
Brushes, paints, charcoal and coloured
Artist’s tools 5lb 20
chalks. Also needed for drawing maps.
Axe, woodsmans Classes as a cheap quality military axe. 6lbs 20
Balance and weights For assaying and evaluating. 3lb 70
Blacksmith’s tools Hammers, tongs, anvil and ‘portable’ forge. 200lb 400
Carpentry tools Mallet, chisels, planes and so forth. 20lb 300
Cleaning tools Broom, mop and cleaning rags. 5lb 1
A 3-foot iron crowbar. Doubles BL for
Crowbar 3lb 20
forcing doors, windows and chests, etc.
Cooking tools (to cook 5-gallon iron cauldron, 1-gallon iron
for a group of up to 10 cauldron, utensils and a small selection of 50lb 150
people) herbs and spices.
Disguise tools Putty, makeup and wigs. 10lb 50
First Aid kit Bandages and a few medicinal salves. 3lb 20
Fishhooks and line Can be used with or without a pole. Neg. 5
Gemsmith’s glass Essential to properly evaluate gems. Neg. 75
Hatchet Classes as a cheap quality weapon. 2lb 6
Small precision hammer, chisels and tongs.
Jeweller’s tools 4lb 300
Includes the gemsmith’s glass.
Leatherworker’s tools Knives, hooks, needles and thread. 5lb 150
Makeup, actor’s Tools for the Makeup skill. 2lb+ 15
Medical tools Essential for Surgery skill 5lb 300
Pickaxe Can be used as a cheap quality weapon. 8lb 15
Plough, iron Requires a draft animal and yoke. 120lb 220
Saw Large, two-handed lumberjack saw. 3lb 150
Needles, thread and so on. Good for
Sewing kit Neg. 2
Housekeeping skill but no more.
th
Spade, iron blade The default for digging speed in B(4 )350. 6lb 20
Spade, wooden blade Very common tool. Half digging speed. 5lb 5
Partially corrects bad sight. Halve all Bad
Spectacles Neg. 250
Sight penalties while worn.
Spin wool into yarn. Includes carding combs
Spinning wheel 40lb 100
and knitting needles.
Scissors, measuring tape, needles and
Tailoring tools. 2lb 80
thread.
Holds 350lb. The effective weight of the
Wheelbarrow 18lb 60
load is divided by 5 for encumbrance.
Whetstone and oil Essential to maintain bladed weapons. 1lb 5
Quills, pens, sharpeners and inks. Includes
Writing tools 1lb 50
a few sheets of paper.
Although they do the same job no matter where they are placed, locks are not the same
shape, size or complexity the world over. These rules redress the balance and add a bit
more interest to campaigns where breaking and entering feature heavily. They do add a
little more detail to the game, and may be ignored if the GM and players wish.
Locks are classified with a 3-digit code, which identifies the lock’s type, size and
complexity, for example D3.2 for an average door or chest lock.
Lock Type
Locks are designed to fit doors and chests, or as padlocks to secure hasps or chains.
Therefore, these two types are coded:
• D Door and chest locks, set within the body of the door or chest.
• P Padlock, external to whatever is to be secured.
Lock Size
The size of the lock really depends on what is to be secured; a vault door obviously
requires a larger lock than a jewellery case.
• Lock size expressed as a number from 0+.
The number roughly equates to the lock’s edge size in inches (0 being a fraction of an
inch), and the lock’s weight in pounds is equal to half its size (0 being negligible weight).
Lock Intricacy
The intricacy of a lock is determined by how difficult it is to pick. Use the intricacy
number as a penalty to Lockpicking skill.
• Lock complexity expressed as a number from 0+.
The vast majority of Sadurian locks fall within the 0-5 range of intricacy.
Prices
Locks are not cheap, especially at high complexities and at smaller sizes.
Lock Complexity
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Crime boss. Has influence either over all crime within a town, or
3 15 possibly over a particular type of crime within a network of towns or
within a city.
Crime lord. Has influence over all crime within a network of towns or
4 20
within a city.
Naturally, criminal ranking does not endow the criminal with any social status, and has
no effect outside of the criminal organisation.
Availability of the following is considered scarce anywhere but in a town, and the items
marked * are scarce unless the buyer is in a city and has (or knows someone with) at
least Criminal Rank 1.
Cost
Equipment Description Weight
(shillings)
A 3-foot iron crowbar. Doubles BL for
Crowbar 3lb 20
forcing doors, windows and chests, etc.
Disguise tools Putty, makeup and wigs. 10lb 50
Goose grease For oiling hinges (normal availability). 1lb 5 copper
Iron, three-pronged grapnel. Supports up
Grappling hook 5lb 20
to 500lb.
Steel, three-pronged grapnel. Supports up
Grappling hook, light 1lb 200
to 300lb.
Lockpicks, basic Basic equipment for Lockpicking skill. Neg. 50
Lockpicks, good quality Adds +1 to Lockpicking skill. Neg. 250
Lockpicks, fine quality* Adds +2 to Lockpicking skill. Neg. 1000*
3
Rope, /8” Light rope, supports 300lb. Per 10 yards. 1.5lb 5
3
Rope, /16” cord Supports 90lbs. Per 10 yards. 0.5lb 1
3
Rope, /16” human hair* Supports 200lb. Per 10 yards. 0.5lb 50*
Stethoscope, brass Adds +2 to listening through doors etc. 1lb 50
* Availability always scarce unless in a city and with at least Criminal Rank 1, or knowing
someone with such rank (and who is willing to acquire the goods).
Poisons
For more information on poisons see B(4th)437.
Poisons are both well known and widely used in Saduria. One reason that everyone with
a blade does not use poison is the social view that only assassins and criminals stoop to
use such underhand methods. Another reason is that they are not particularly practical.
They do, however, remain a popular means to assassinate society and political
opponents. Most people of any importance have defences against poison, ranging from
magical detection and neutralisation to food tasters. Many nobles have small vials with
antidotes to common poisons handy.
The art of poisoning is highly developed in Saduria, and alchemists and assassins alike
have developed extremely virulent poisons to supplement natural toxins. Anyone found
with this artificial or enhanced poison will be charged with poisoning, even if they have
not actually killed anyone!
Administration of Poison
Poisons may be administered in any one of four main ways:
Types of Poison
Mineral Poisons
Arsenic. A very common poison for killing both rats and people! Only a
small amount is required to achieve lethality, and it is a very
popular assassin’s tool. Symptoms include cold, clammy skin,
collapse, convulsions, vomiting and colic.
Digestive agent. 1-hour delay and a HT-2 roll to resist. 1d
damage, repeating hourly for eight hours.
Lead. A low toxicity but nasty poison as even surviving the effects may
leave a victim with mental damage and chronic pains.
Symptoms include vomiting, a metallic taste in the mouth, and
bodily collapse.
Digestive agent. 24-hour delay and HT roll to resist, 1d damage,
repeated weekly for ten weeks. Any failed rolls also inflict a
cumulative point towards a mental disadvantage.
Long exposure (HT in months) of small doses will cause mental
instability and vague chronic pain in addition to any other
symptoms. Roll HT each month; failure inflicts a cumulative point
towards a mental disadvantage.
Mineral Acids. Acids are less poisonous than they are corrosive, but the
difference is academic if you swallow them. Acids come in
different strengths, rate them from 1 to 4. These strengths are
then used to determine the damage the acid causes. Vomiting,
usually a way to lessen a poison’s effects, works slightly
differently with acids, it lessens future effects as normal, but also
causes another cycle of damage as the gullet is exposed to the
acid again.
A related ‘poison’ is finely ground glass. A digestive agent only,
its effects are as a strength 2 acid.
Digestive agent. No delay and no HT roll to resist. 1dxstrength
damage.
Contact agent. No delay and no HT roll to resist. (1dxstength)/2
damage. Leaves permanent scars.
Respiratory agent (gas). No delay and HT-2 to resist.
(1dxstength)/2 damage.
Quicksilver. Symptoms include a metallic taste in the mouth, thirst, colic and
vomiting.
Blood agent. 1-hour delay and a HT roll to resist. 1d damage,
repeating daily for two weeks.
Plant Poisons
Croton Seed Oil. Commonly used as a blade venom as it is not volatile (doesn’t
evaporate easily). It is also highly dangerous as a simple contact
poison. Symptoms include burning pain in the affected area and
in the bowels and groin, vomiting, pallor and collapse.
Blood agent. No delay and a HT-2 roll to resist. 1d damage,
repeated hourly for 24 hours.
Contact agent. No delay and a HT-2 roll to resist. 1d-2 damage,
repeated half-hourly for two hours.
Digestive agent. No delay and a HT-2 roll to resist. 1d damage,
repeated hourly for 24 hours.
Deadly Nightshade. Symptoms include hot, dry skin, delirium and hallucinations,
followed by stiffness, fever and convulsions.
Blood agent. 15 minute delay and a HT roll to resist. 1d –2
damage, repeated hourly for 6 hours.
Digestive agent. 1-hour delay and a HT roll to resist. 1d –1
damage, repeated hourly for 12 hours.
Ergot. A fungus that grows on rye and is sometimes found in rye flour,
used to make rye bread. The fungus can be used on weapons.
Repeated exposure may lead to gangrene.
Blood agent. 2-hour delay and a HT+1 roll to resist. 1d-1
damage, repeated hourly for 12 hours. Any critical failures mean
gangrene in the affected location (as the Infection rules
B(4th)444).
Digestive agent. 3-hour delay and a HT roll to resist. 1d damage,
repeated daily for 7 days.
Foxglove. Not a particularly potent poison, but one relatively easy to find.
Symptoms include headache, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision,
delirium and loss of colour vision.
Digestive agent. 2-hour delay and a HT+1 roll to resist. 1d
damage, repeated 6-hourly for one day.
Opium. Made from the seeds of the opium poppy. Symptoms include
vivid hallucinations, slow breathing, cold sweat and
unconsciousness.
Blood agent. Half-hour delay and a HT roll to resist. 1d damage,
repeated hourly for 6 hours.
Respiratory agent. 1-minute delay and a HT-2 roll to resist. 1d-2
damage, repeated half-hourly for 4 hours.
Poison Ivy. It is highly unusual to find poison ivy used as a poison in all but
very minor attacks (perhaps as a warning). Symptoms are
itching, rash, weakness and fever.
Contact agent. 1-day delay and a HT+1 roll to resist. 1d –2
damage, repeated daily for one week.
Respiratory agent. 12-hour delay and a HT roll to resist. 1d –2
damage, repeated daily for one week.
Strychnine. Another very popular poison, though one that is easily identified,
both before and after death! Symptoms include stiffness and
spasms. Following death, rigor mortis is almost immediate.
Digestive agent. 15-minute delay and a HT-1 roll to resist. 3d
damage, repeated after 2 hours.
Animal Poisons
Many of these poisons can also be prepared as blade venoms. Snake venom is very
popular with assassins as it is relatively simple to prepare as blade venom. Note that
monster venoms are hardly ever found commercially available, and nor do such venoms
find their way onto the blades of assassins.
Scorpion. The south of Saduria has a few scorpions, but they are relatively
harmless (HT+2 to resist, 1d-2 damage). This scorpion venom is
from more dangerous examples, usually found in Salta but often
imported by Saduria assassins.
There is a slight tingling or burning sensation at the site of the
sting. In severe cases there may be pain in the throat, cramps,
convulsions, incontinence and difficulty breathing.
Blood agent. 1-minute delay and HT to resist. 1d damage,
repeated hourly for six hours.
Doses
The listed damage and resistance rolls assume a single dose of poison. It is possible to
administer a larger or smaller dose, but the damage and victim’s resistance will be
similarly affected. It is also easier to detect larger doses of digestive poison before they
are consumed.
Bonus to
Dose Damage HT roll
Detect
Half x½ +2 -1
Standard Normal Normal 0
Double x 1.5 -1 +1
Triple x2 -2 +2
Detection
It is only poisons with a digestive agent that can be identified. Contact and many blood
agents will be obvious as a paste, powder or similar substance, but this requires no
special observation, simply a suitable Perception roll.
Most digestive poisons have a taste that identifies them, and may be used to detect
them in food and drink before a fatal dose is consumed. The bonus to detect these
poisons is based on the strength or distinctiveness of the taste and the size of the
standard required dose.
Bonus to
Poison Notes
Detect
Mineral Poisons
Arsenic. -1 Tiny dose required.
Cyanide. 0
Lead. +1 Metallic taste.
Mineral Acids. +3 Includes ground glass.
Phosphorous. -1 Tiny dose required.
Plant Poisons
Croton Seed Oil. 0
Deadly Nightshade. -1 Tiny dose required.
Ergot. +2 Fungus, gives a ‘mouldy’ taste.
False Hellebore. +1
Foxglove. +1
Fruit Seeds. +2 Large dose required.
Hemlock. 0
Mushrooms. +1 -1 to detect if hidden in a mushroom dish.
Strychnine. +2 Distinctive bitter taste.
General modifiers
Alchemical Elixirs +2
In strong-tasting food -1 Strong taste or smell masks the poison.
In unfamiliar food -2 It is more difficult to detect a strange taste.
In wine 0
In spiced wine -1 Mulled wine is always a favourite of poisoners.
In beer 0
In spirit -1
Poisoner’s Poison skill roll when attempting to administer digestive poison
Made by 10+ -2
Made by 5-9 -1
Made by 0-4 0
Failed by 0-4 +2
Failed by 5-9 +4
Failed by 10+ automatic
Herb Lore and Naturalist will be able to identify whether a plant is poisonous or not,
and may (-2) recognise symptoms as from a particular toxic plant.
Poisons skill allows both recognition of the symptoms of a particular poison and the
ability to produce an appropriate antidote (if possible).
Antidotes
Administering an antidote adds 1d+2 to all HT resistance rolls to avoid the damage from
a poison, however it is delivered. Obviously, the poison in question requires identification
before the correct antidote is administered. Anyone able to make or prepare poison will
be able to create the antidote.
Page 116 has some examples of medicinal herbs that are used as general purpose
antidotes to poisons.
Mushrooms 5 +2 No Yes 10
Opium 100 0 No No 50
Poison Ivy 5 -2 No Yes 10
Strychnine 100 -1 Yes No 150
Animal Poisons
Type 1 Snake 50 0 No Yes 150
Type 2 Snake 20 0 No Yes 60
Type 3 Snake 30 0 No Yes 90
Scorpion 50 0 No Yes 150
Spider 50 0 No Yes 150
ALCHEMICAL SUPPLIES
HERBS
Herbs have a wide variety of uses in Saduria, from culinary to healing and alchemical.
Some may even have symbolic significance, like our TL7 use of mistletoe at Christmas.
The skills of Herb Lore and Naturalist, together with Pharmacy-herbal (and Cooking for
culinary herbs) are the skills of most use when dealing with herbs.
Healing
With little in the way of refined or artificial medicines, herbs in all their forms are the
staple of mundane healing in Saduria. Preparing and processing medicinal herbs may
mean a more effective result, but the benefit is essentially the same as using the natural
form.
Both Herb Lore and Pharmacy-herbal will allow a healer to properly use herbs for
healing, and both Herb Lore and Naturalist may be used to actually find the herb in the
first place. The penalty listed below is applied to the chance of finding the herb in the
wild.
The herbs count as required equipment for performing healing. They do not add to
recovery rolls, but if they are not available then a physician has a –5 penalty to their
Pharmacy-herbal roll, and Herb Lore cannot be employed at all.
Preparing Medicinal Herbs for Use
Herbs may be used fresh, dried, boiled in teas or decoctions, combined into poultices, or
distilled and used in a concentrated form.
Distilled. Distilling involves chopping and grinding the fresh herb up, and
then subjecting it to boiling and reducing, possibly in a neutral
suspension (such as vegetable oil or goose grease). The
process greatly reduces the amount of herb left, but it both
concentrates the active ingredients (reducing the quantity
required) and somewhat extends the duration of the herb’s
potency.
Potency is full. Distilled herbs retain potency for 1 week for every
point by which the Herb Lore or Pharmacy-herbal roll is made.
Dried Herbs. The most obvious benefit of drying herbs is extending their
useful life. Herbs are dried for two weeks in a well-ventilated
area. The dried herbs may be used to make tea, added to food
or ground to a powder and sprinkled directly onto open injuries
or wounds.
Potency is halved so two doses of fresh herb are required to
produce one of dried. Dried herbs retain potency for 1 year for
every point the Herb Lore or Pharmacy-herbal was made by.
Fresh Herbs. Fresh herbs are usually the best, but it is inconvenient to go
hunting for the correct herb when a patient requires immediate
attention. Although listed for sale, it is unusual to be able to buy
fresh medicinal herbs thanks to their limited effective life.
Fresh herbs are either eaten (for digestive complaints) or
applied as a poultice.
Potency is full. Fresh herbs retain their potency for one day only
following picking. Using fresh herbs adds +1 to the physician’s
Pharmacy-herbal roll.
Alchemical
Alchemy is, by its nature, an experimental affair. In addition, most alchemists tend to
keep their new discoveries to themselves, and so the herbs used by alchemists are
enormously varied. This variety makes any list of little use, and so herbs (and other
ingredients) used by alchemists are somewhat compounded into abstract units, and
priced as the ingredients required for making potions.
Full Alchemy rules are found in M(4th)210.
Types of Elixirs
A potion is a liquid made to be drunk. Potions affect a man-sized creature instantly they
reach the stomach. If left unsealed or contaminated, the potion only lasts a day.
A powder must be eaten in food or dissolved and drunk. If left open to the air, the
powder will last for 1 year per point the Alchemy roll was may by. Takes effect in 2d
minutes. Powders already mixed with food or drink last a month only.
A pastille should be burnt. It may be a thumbnail-sized tablet or in the form of a stick of
incense. Once a pastille is burnt (it should ignite immediately), the smoke must be
inhaled, it takes 2d seconds to take effect. The smoke of a pastille will fill a hex and the
adjacent six hexes to a height of 8 feet. It lingers for a minute indoors and with no
breeze, for 10 seconds without wind outside. An unburned pastille lasts a month if
exposed to air, but is destroyed immediately if it gets wet. Pastilles take twice the usual
time and cost to create.
An unguent is a cream or jelly, which is rubbed into the skin and takes immediate effect.
Note that the unguent must be in contact with bare flesh. If left on an object, it will affect
the first person to touch it. Lasts a week if exposed to air, but is neutralised by being
washed with water or alcohol.
Material Retail Time to
Name Effect
cost cost produce
Animal Control
Subject may speak with animals, as the
Beast Speech 300 1350 3 weeks
spell, for 2d minutes.
Subject may control birds as the spell,
Bird Control 200 900 2 weeks
for 3dx5 minutes.
Pastille only. The smoke does 5d 100 +
damage to any to any reptile. It will dragon
Dragonslaying affect dragons but only if ignited by heart 2000 4 weeks
dragon breath. This elixir requires a blood
drop of dragon’s heart-blood. (500+)
Combat Abilities
Health Cures all and any diseases, and 200 1200 4 weeks,
restores 2 Hit Points. Only one dose per
Mental Abilities
Mental Control
th
Drunkenness Subject is drunk, B(4 )428, for 1d hours. 100 300 3 days
+3 Reaction Roll towards all others for
Friendship the next 1d hours. Pastille only lasts 3d 300 1000 2 weeks
minutes.
Subject falls in love with the next-seen
member of the opposite sex (or same
sex, depending on subject’s own
preference). Effect is permanent unless 3 weeks,
Love Potion 600 2000
countered with an Antidote, Remove -2 skill
Curse, or another Love Potion causing
the subject to fall in love with someone
else.
SERVICES
VISITING THE TAVERN
The difference between a tavern and an inn is
one of services offered. In many fantasy games
the two words are used interchangeably, and
most people would do so without any problems.
Correctly, however, an inn offers accommodation
as well as food and drink, whereas a tavern only
offers food and drink (mainly drink). The term
‘pub’, from ‘public house’ is a much later
development.
It is usual for taverns to exist in conjunction with
inns, possibly serving a different type of
customer.
Taverns may allow customers to sleep overnight
on the floor in the main room (taproom), but
more usually people are kicked out when the
landlord decides to close up.
The Tavern’s Responsibilities
Saduria law recognises that many public order offences are committed as a result of
visiting a tavern. As one means to reduce such crime, all tavern-keepers are held
responsible for the good behaviour of their customers. Any public order offences, such
as brawling, murder or the meeting of illegal societies, are deemed to hold the tavern-
keeper equally as guilty as those actively involved.
Along with such responsibility, however, comes the power to deal with potential trouble-
makers. A tavern-keeper’s word is law within his own establishment, and he is pretty
much free to deal out whatever force he feels is justified to prevent trouble. This does
not extend to murder or serious assault, but a rowdy customer may be beaten up and
thrown onto the street with little redress to the authorities.
concerts and plays; there are no formal playhouses and the yards are the most common
alternative venue. All sorts of entertainer, from fire-eaters to performing animals may use
the yards to perform for the crowds.
The main attraction of the tavern, though, is the social interaction. In the evening people
get together to play dice, cards or boardgames, discuss current affairs and sing songs to
music supplied by buskers or professional musicians. Societies of like-minded people,
not all of them legal, also use taverns to meet and plot, and criminal gangs may base
themselves at a particular tavern if they can find a sympathetic tavern-keeper.
Finally, prostitutes often work taverns, though they are usually those at the lower end of
the professional scale, the tavern offering no place in which to physically ply their trade
except the surrounding yards and alleys.
Assume any moderate tavern costs are met by the monthly Cost of Living.
Drink Price
Service offered
Strength (copper)
Beer. Jug (8 mugs) of strong beer. 1 45
Beer. Mug of strong beer. 1 6
Cider. Mug of strong cider 1 5
Cider. Mug of vicious cider (where available). 2 8
Food. Cheap meal, such as a 2lb bowl of pottage plus 1lb bread. 10
Food. Good meal, such as 3lb of mixed meat, fruit and bread. 30
Stabling for a horse for the evening (no feed). 5
Spirits. Shot of spirit. 1 15
Wine. Glass of brandywine. 2 10
Wine. Glass of good wine. 1 10+
Wine. Glass of sack. 1.5 15
Wine. Glass of wine. 1 6
Wine. Jug (12 glasses) of wine. 1 65
The following refer to the Drinking and Intoxication rules, B(4th)439.
A mug is a pint mug or tankard, a glass is a 4-5oz glass or goblet, a shot is a 1½oz cup.
The “Drink Strength” refers to the relative strength of the drink. Use this when calculating
how many equivalent drinks the person has drunk (so 4 glasses of strength 1.5 means 6
drinks for intoxication purposes).
Dietary Requirements
These are restated from the Food section to give an idea of what the above meals mean
in terms of daily requirements.
The average person is assumed to need between 5 to 8 lbs of mixed food, or 3 to
4 lbs of meat, or 2 to 3 lbs of field rations (preserved food) each day.
These requirements are increased by 25% when engaged in strenuous activity such as
travelling or heavy work, and by 50% when engaged in extreme activity such as warfare
or adventuring!
Missing these requirements once or twice a week will not have any adverse effects, and
a person may go without the above dietary intake for a few days without any ill effects
(apart from hunger), but any longer than this means that the person is starving:
• A point of Fatigue per day is lost if:
o Under half the above daily requirements are eaten in a day.
o Under the full quota, but over half, is eaten daily for a full week.
• Lost fatigue from starvation cannot be recovered unless the full quota of food is
eaten for that day.
ACCOMMODATION
STAYING AT THE INN
The inn offers most the same services
as a tavern, but also has
accommodation available and a
correspondingly larger stable.
Many inns exist as ‘halfway houses’
along major routes. Travellers stay at
the inn to break their journey, and
these coaching inns can be found
scattered along routes in otherwise
sparsely populated areas, or sited a
mile or so outside of towns and cities
to allow travellers to rest up if they
arrive after the gates have shut.
As well as responsibility for keeping
good order within his inn, an innkeeper
also has a responsibility for his guests. Any thefts or harm that befalls an inn’s guest is
partly the responsibility of the innkeeper, so most inns have at least one guard or
watchman.
Guests should not expect to have a room to themselves; the best will offer a room with
two beds, but most rooms will have about four people sharing. Men and women will not
be allowed to share rooms unless they are married (or prostitutes…). Of course, paying
for all beds in a room ensures privacy.
Use the Tavern pricelist for those services shared by tavern and inn, and add the
following services. Again, moderate inn costs will be covered by the monthly Cost of
Living.
Price
Service offered
(copper)
Room for the night. Bedroll on the taproom floor. 10
Room for the night. Common room, sharing with 1d others. 25
Room for the night. Good room, sharing with 1 other. 75
Stabling and feed for the night. Horse, mule, pony or donkey. 10
Stabling and feed for the night. Warhorse (receives extra attention). 20
Stabling for the night. Parking up a coach, cart or wagon. 10
Dietary Requirements
The average person is assumed to need between 5 to 8 lbs of mixed food, or 3 to
4 lbs of meat, or 2 to 3 lbs of field rations (preserved food) each day.
These requirements are increased by 25% when engaged in strenuous activity such as
travelling or heavy work, and by 50% when engaged in extreme activity such as warfare
or adventuring!
Missing these requirements once or twice a week will not have any adverse effects, and
a person may go without the above dietary intake for a few days without any ill effects
(apart from hunger), but any longer than this means that the person is starving:
• A point of Fatigue per day is lost if:
o Under half the above daily requirements are eaten in a day.
o Under the full quota, but over half, is eaten daily for a full week.
• Lost fatigue from starvation cannot be recovered unless the full quota of food is
eaten for that day.
Mansion The mansion is the only building that has some formal garden,
though this is usually used for formal flowerbeds, rather than
growing crops. A small herb garden might be planted near to the
kitchens.
Mansions may have two or three stories, and are often built entirely
of stone, though extensions may be half-timbered. There are plenty
of rooms, including ballrooms and great halls, and the attic and
cellars have room for many servants.
Some, though not all, urban mansions are set back from the street
and are surrounded by walls. Though there are no overt military
structures (and these would be viewed as threatening by the local
lord), mansion walls often incorporate many defensive features
disguised as decoration such as spiked railings and carved
crossbow ports.
As they are always located in exclusive areas, renting a mansion is
not just a question of having the right money. The would-be tenant
will also require at least gentry status, and more often, noble blood.
Even if the renter allows lesser mortals to rent the mansion, the new
neighbours will certainly make their views known!
Suitable for Social Level 6+.
Room only 30 50 75
* Stabling is at a commercial stables and is only required if the accommodation does not
include such facilities. Prices are monthly.
ENTERTAINMENT
Johann bowed as the crowd raucously applauded his recital. He had judged the mood
correctly, and the bawdy verse had struck just the right note for the tavern’s clientele. As
he soothed his throat with another mug of beer, he kept an eye on the back room where
Otto was entertaining his own crowd with his skill at bare-knuckle boxing. No doubt Hans
would be collecting a fee from the unsuspecting crowds and Johann hoped he would be
a little less daring than last time: the watch captain had been about to buy a round of
drinks when he noticed the loss of his purse. Helen, of course, was at the gaming table.
Johann was constantly amazed at the number of gamblers who automatically thought
that an innocent young woman could not play cards for serious money. Johann guessed
that a few of these urban sophisticates were in for an expensive shock.
Bear Pit
The bear pit is a popular and common entertainment. Even many villages have a pole
that fulfils the same function. Essentially, bear pits are the small-town equivalent of the
gladiatorial arena.
Bear-baiting consists of confining a bear, or other dangerous wild animal, and then
letting loose several trained dogs on it. The entertainment, apart from the excitement of
watching blood and violence, is in betting on whether dog or bear will remain standing at
the end. Popular dogs or bears will attract more bets and a larger crowd.
Usually, only coppers are placed as bets, not least because only limited results are
possible and so the stakes are not large.
The limitations of a wooden pit or chained stake means that the most dangerous animals
are unsuited to fighting in the bear pit, but bears (obviously), wild boar and badgers are
commonly used, with numbers and abilities of the dogs matched to the creature being
baited.
Dancing
Dancing socially is not just the domain of the rich. Although ballroom dancing is essential
for any social climber, rural communities also set great store by their folk dancing.
Learning to dance is something that starts with your family and friends, but professional
dance instructors are seen as adding additional polish to your social skills. In addition,
new steps and dances are being invented all the time, and instruction is the only way to
keep up with the new fashions.
Dancing instructors usually charge 10 shillings per hour of instruction. More fashionable
instructors (not necessarily better) may charge up to twice this amount, and are
exclusive in addition.
Dancing socially is a great way to make yourself known on the ‘scene’, whether as a
gypsy dancing girl touring a province, or as a dashing beau flirting with the daughters of
the nobility.
Fencing
Carrying a sword (either a rapier or smallsword) is not only socially acceptable, but is
often seen as a badge of courage for its wearer. Unfortunately, it also means that others
expect that the wearer is prepared to use that sword. Wearing a sword demonstrates
that the wearer lives by the rules of duelling, and that he is prepared to pick and accept
duels where others may resort to different means. Fashionable though duels are, they
are also dangerous, especially if the duellist is not a skilled fencer.
Impromptu duels break out in the streets of most cities and towns, the inevitable result of
bored and aggressive young men wearing weapons roaming the streets, anxious to
make names to themselves. These duels are illegal, but the duellists’ high status makes
any arrests extremely rare.
Fencing practice is therefore both fashionable and essential for the gentry and nobility
(commoners not being bound by the same rules).
A fencing master may teach any of the fencing weapons, either as true weapon skills or
as Combat Arts or Sports. Many also teach Boxing (bare knuckle only), Staff skill and/or
Two-handed Sword skill.
Most fencing masters charge 20 shillings or more per hour, depending on their
fashionability or skill.
Gambling
Sadurians will bet on anything, and the urban Sadurians regularly gamble as recreation.
Boardgames, cards and dice are popular in taverns and noble households alike. Bare-
knuckle boxing, bear baiting, ratting, dogfights and cockfights are seen in taverns and in
the streets, and attract bets from people of all social status. The arena attracts
organised betting, and those running the books are very protective of their monopolies.
If required, determine the odds and use this number as a penalty to the gambler’s
Gambling skill roll. A successful roll wins the original stake, plus the stake times the
odds. E.g. odds of 5-1 give –5 to gambling skill, but a winner will receive a total of
6xoriginal stake. Remember that the other gamblers may have a limited budget. If
someone places a stake of 1000 silver in a rural tavern game, the stake will almost
certainly not be accepted as the other players will be unable to meet it.
Roll against Gambling skill, either a straight roll or in
a contest against the other players’ Gambling rolls.
Making this roll, or winning the contest, means:
• Winning a boardgame or game of cards.
• Spotting the likely winner in a fight or similar
contest, including identifying any ‘ringers’.
• Winning overall at dice (over a period of time,
such as an evening’s play).
Games
Those citizens with the wealth to have free time enjoy gaming. Most of these games
involve gambling (see above) and even social games will sometimes involve large sums.
The idle rich, especially, regularly win and lose sums that represent several years’
income for commoners. Dinner parties are a popular venue for playing fashionable
games, balls and other such parties usually have some rooms set aside for those who
wish to play. Those who are not invited to these high-status functions play their games
in taverns.
Popular and fashionable games are:
♠ Cards (Primero, Taroccho, Trumps and so on).
♠ Board or table games (mainly backgammon).
♠ Drafts, (also known as checkers).
♠ Chess.
‘Personal Services’
Prostitution is widespread and socially
accepted, if not completely acceptable.
Whores may be male or female, young or
old, attractive or ugly.
Whores are part and parcel of the Sadurian
social scene and may be a useful source of
information. They may also be used as
unskilled help by enterprising characters.
Many will be willing to indulge in petty crime
to supplement their income, expect at least
a passing acquaintance with the Pickpocket
skill, some at DX or better.
Whores usually work out of a tavern or inn,
though organised brothels exist in towns
and cities. Those at the lower end of the
scale may simply hang about local
alleyways and yards for their business. The
highest quality prostitutes (known as
courtesans) may have their own extensive
rooms but usually expect their client to
provide accommodation.
The Yellow Sash
By Imperial decree, all prostitutes in Saduria must wear a yellow sash. This acts as an
advertisement to their customers, and prevents respectable women from being mistaken
for prostitutes. It has been known, however, for bored ‘respectable’ women to wear a
yellow sash in search of an evening’s excitement…!
A woman working as a prostitute without the yellow sash displayed is guilty of the petty
offence of public indecency and usually punished by a night in the stocks or pillory.
Courtesans
A courtesan is somewhat different from a common whore, and certainly does not
consider herself to be one. Courtesans are more ‘companions’, accompanying wealthy
men (or women) to social events in lieu of wives (or husbands). They are hired for a full
day or night, and expect both good food and drink and to be treated like a "lady". They
attract a better social class of client and often have exceptional talents and beauty.
There is little or no stigma attached to hiring a courtesan and it may even denote great
wealth. Courtesans may wield considerable political power! Courtesans prefer to be paid
in "gifts" rather than in cash, to maintain a respectable veneer.
* Private rooms only cost extra at inns, and the supplement is usually paid to the
innkeeper. Without this supplement, there is a 2-in-6 chance of being disturbed by
another prostitute and client; most regular clients accept this. Courtesans automatically
provide privacy.
Social Disease
The chances of catching a "social disease" are loosely based on the quality of service
offered. Assume a base 50% chance per "encounter", minus (the level of service x 10).
A straight HT roll is required to avoid developing anything uncomfortable and highly
embarrassing.
The Tavern
The most obvious reason to
visit the tavern is for food and
drink. Many urban Sadurians
regularly take their main meal
(dinner, at around midday) at a
tavern. Some also eat their
supper (about 6pm) there,
although most eat at home with
their family. Prices for food and
drink are listed on pages
p.124.
The tavern, however, provides
many other services than just
food and drink. It is a meeting
place for friends or
conspirators, a place to watch
theatre or listen to music, a
place to game, and a place to meet prostitutes.
Many taverns have a back room with either a pit or a wooden ring, in which
entertainment such as bare-knuckle boxing, ratting, dog fighting and cockfighting may be
held. Ratting involves setting a terrier loose on a pack of rats, and betting on how many
rats the dog will kill within a given time. Dog and cock fighting both involve setting two
matched animals against each other, usually resulting in death or serious injury to the
loser while bets are placed on which will win. These forms of entertainment are not
confined to the common folk; members of the nobility are known to attend regularly, and
even enter their own animals in contests.
Theatre, music and other entertainment take place in inn yards, or inside if the inn is
large enough. There are no playhouses, and most entertainers have no other option but
to perform at inns. They do not charge a fee, but rather have a collection at the end of
the performance.
Gaming is usually cards, boardgames or dice, with betting on all three. Serious money
may be won and lost, though most landlords are wise to the problems this can cause,
and may limit the stake unless the gamblers are well known or wealthy. Gambling
causes many duels and brawls and the tavern’s owner is held as responsible as the
fighters!
THE ARENA
Pit fighters are an ancient form of blood sport and training. Two warriors were placed in
a small pit or arena and allowed to fight to the death (or incapacity). This brutal
entertainment died out as civilisation took a hold on the various kingdoms.
A century ago, as a way to bring together his large and disparate Imperial population,
and to go some way to channelling their natural bloodlust into a harmless form, the
Emperor Wilhelm IV revived the entertainment of the arena. In deference to new
technology and the larger population, the arena space was increased and new
attractions were introduced.
Not only gladiatorial combat goes on in the arena, however. Some sporting events are
also held; knights and energetic nobles joust, and important announcements are made
to the population. The arena is a convenient large space in a town where an audience is
required. Some have suggested using the arenas for holding plays or musical recitals,
but few such performances are likely to attract enough audience to warrant using such a
huge venue.
Arenas are found in every city, and most large towns in Saduria. Smaller provincial
towns build them where they can, and they are seen as major civic buildings and
sources of local pride.
Prices depend on where the audience sits, prices are charged for entry. The customer
may stay as long as they wish, though the Arena is cleared at the end of the day:
Seating Price
Gladiators
Gladiators combat a variety of opponents in the Arena. The most popular fights involve
two gladiators battling each other with real weapons, but these are relatively unusual
and may only be staged once a week or even less. More common are staged combats
with either blunted weapons or wooden ones. Blood is still spilt, and deaths occasionally
occur, but the combats are supposed to be more of a demonstration of the combatants’
skills than a bloodsport.
Other common opponents are animals and even monsters. Naturally, the more
dangerous the creature involved, the more popular the fights. Supplying animals for the
Arena is a lucrative, if hazardous, occupation (about 1 silver per character point the
creature has). When creatures have abilities that require them, safety features are
constructed within the Arena to protect the audience. Mesh screens are an example, put
into place where a creature has a ranged attack or is able to leap from the arena floor
into the crowd. Injuries to spectators still happen, but the front rows are still the most
popular seats at such events.
Gladiators may be freemen, professional fighters who may turn to the Arena to raise
money for a few months, or might even fight until they retire. Well-known professional
fighters may become highly paid in rewards and gifts from fans, and they become
household names. If not freemen, gladiators will be criminals. Sentences for capital
crimes include being sent to the Arena, either for life or a set length of time. This is seen
as little more than a death sentence, as criminal gladiators are often used as opponents
for particularly dangerous creatures, often to emphasise the creature’s power before it is
pitted against a professional.
Animal Fights
As well as being pitted against gladiators, animals and monsters may be set against
each other in the Arena. Intelligent animals or monsters (including such creatures as
beastmen, ogres and even orcs) might be treated almost like a gladiator, with opponents
chosen to demonstrate particular skills or talents, but mainly the Arena operators just
throw together animals that they hope will spill a lot of blood before falling.
If a creature starts to win regularly, it might acquire fame as if it were a gladiator. When
the creature fights it will attract a crowd of regular supporters, and souvenirs bearing the
creature’s likeness start appearing.
seen as the highlight of the event and is usually held at the end. Before the joust may be
individual displays of combat, either real or staged, archery contests, displays of
horsemanship and other such demonstrations of martial prowess.
Very rarely, the tourney may become an excuse to play out vendettas and rivalries. In
this case, the combats will often be fought with real weapons (though usually only to
submission rather than death), and all the contests take on a new intensity. In effect, the
whole tourney becomes a huge duel between nobles, using their retinue as weapons.
HEALING
The full rules for Healing are found on B(4th)424.
In Saduria, there are four options open to the sick (five if you just
wait to heal naturally):
i. Magical healing.
ii. Professional Doctors/Surgeons.
iii. Barber Surgeons.
iv. Herbalists and other traditional healers.
Magical healing includes that from priests, mages and witches.
It is reliable, fast and potent but not necessarily freely available.
Professional doctors and surgeons have been trained in the
Sadurian universities, learning modern techniques and using good or better equipment
(see equipment modifiers B(4th)345). Most surgeons are also doctors, though they do
not have the Physician skill, and are trained to Diagnose as well as operate.
Professional doctors and surgeons operate (pun intended) at TL4.
Barber Surgeons are the self-trained surgeons that are a carry-over from an earlier
age. They are cheaper and more widely available than professional surgeons, may have
Diagnosis but are rarely Pharmacy-trained, and usually have only basic equipment.
Barber surgeons still use TL3 techniques, and many leave their patients in a worse
condition than they started in.
Herbalists are the wise men and women who create healing potions and lotions in rural
areas. They are very rarely Surgery trained, and limit their healing to administering their
herb-based remedies.
MAGICAL HEALING
Mages
Mages who have studied the Healing College may heal as well as anyone. They do not
necessarily need any mundane training, relying on the spell to diagnose the problems as
well as actually heal.
Most mages, however, are loath to heal on a regular basis. Firstly, they believe that their
powers are for higher things than caring for mundanes, and secondly they realise that
offering magical healing is inviting a queue of ill people knocking at their door and
interrupting their research. Where a mage agrees to heal, he will normally request
payment in kind. Quests to find needed ingredients or books are the usual fee. The
difficulty in securing such components may not necessarily appear to be in proportion to
the amount of healing performed, but it will rather reflect what the mage needs at that
time.
Mages may be willing to use spells that priests would class as heretical. Priests of Death
gods, especially, see the use of resurrection-type spells to be the worst form of
necromancy, whereas mages may just find it fascinating!
Hedge Magic
Hedge wizards with healing skills can perform acts of almost miraculous effect. They
tread a difficult path between being useful members of the community and being tried as
witches, and are often secretive about their power.
Priests
Religious magic is fast, effective and available to all…at a price.
Religions that provide healing are always on the lookout for money to fund missions to
care for the poor. This means that divine healing is very expensive, although the cost
may be reduced if the person is in desperate need and cannot afford the fee. In many
cases, some other service may be taken as part payment. Usually this involves working
for a time as a missionary.
Mundane healing is also available, and is a popular alternative for those with fewer
funds, but the time it takes up means that priests are not always available to act as
mundane healers.
Service Offered Cost
Mundane (60% chance of being available each day)
First Aid (80% chance of being available) 25
Surgery (always have good or better equipment) 250
Ongoing medical care 10/day
Diagnosis/routine consultation (1 hour) 50
Magical
Awaken 100
Body Reading 150
Cleansing 100
Cure Addiction 500
Cure Dehydration 200
Cure Disease 350
Cure Insanity 500
Cure Starvation 200
Detect Poison 150
Healing. Per Hit Point healed. 50
Instant Neutralize Poison 500
Instant Regeneration 5000
Neutralize Poison 350
Regeneration 2500
Restoration 1000
Restore Hearing 500
Restore Memory 500
Restore Sight 500
Restore Speech 500
Sterilize 150
Stop Bleeding 100
Stop Paralysis 500
Suspended Animation 300
Youth (only to counter unnatural aging) 1000
Witches
Witches are often antisocial and (understandably) suspicious souls, but may agree to
heal a person if the price is right. Witches, not usually having much need for silver, will
generally want a service in return for the healing they provide. If the healed person is
lucky, this will simply be to find and recover ingredients. If the witch is of a blacker
disposition, or in a vengeful mood, the task may be far, far more dangerous. In many
cases, more healing will be required afterwards! Not all witches are selfish. Some may
ask for a service on behalf of someone else, possibly a local community or natural site of
power.
Many witches are also skilled herbalists, and may sell herbal preparations as well as, or
instead of, using their magical powers.
MUNDANE HEALING
Professionals
Saduria has a recently established guild of Doctors and Surgeons, and is training new
doctors and surgeons at universities in cities throughout the empire. These new
professionals go a long way to becoming a reliable and safe avenue of healing, far
surpassing the old barber-surgeons and wisemen and women that used to fulfil the
function in times past.
Sadurian university-educated doctors and surgeons operate at TL4.
Doctors
Doctors are capable of diagnosing medical problems, and treating all non-surgical
complaints. Although the skill of Physician does not yet exist, using Pharmacy-herbal the
doctor can mix together pills and potions that help relieve the symptoms of most
diseases. A decent First Aid skill helps when treating breaks, sprains and abrasions, and
the Diagnosis skill allows better understanding of the problem being presented.
Some doctors may have skills such as Physiology and Biology, but this is not required of
them to become a doctor.
Pharmacy-herbal Use this whenever a Physician roll is normally called for, as it
replaces that skill. Medicinal herbs are required, examples are
listed on p116. Without herbs, the roll is at -5.
Diagnosis The ability to actually tell what is wrong. This is often the reason
people visit a doctor in the first place.
First Aid Enables the doctor to patch up injuries minor enough not to
require surgery. The doctor normally has good or even fine
equipment for First Aid, adding +2 to the skill roll.
Doctors charge by the hour, their prices normally reflect their clientele and are
thus multiplied by the Social Level of their patients. Naturally, a patient would not
dream of using a doctor who treats lower status patients. All negative social levels
class as SL0.
10 silver x (Social Level+1) for the first hour (will usually include the diagnosis).
5 silver x (Social Level +1) per hour for ongoing care. Any expenses incurred will
be added to the bill.
Surgeons
Some, but not all, surgeons are also trained as doctors.
Note that, as there is no such thing as Physician skill in Saduria, all Sadurian surgeons
are at –5 if attempting anything but very basic surgery (no heart bypasses or kidney
transplants). Other possible modifiers are:
• -9 for improvised equipment! This would only happen in an emergency.
• -4 for basic equipment.
• -3 for good equipment. Most university-trained surgeons acquire good or better
equipment.
• -2 for fine equipment. Well-connected or wealthy surgeons may have fine
equipment.
Surgeons can stabilise mortal wounds if the patient can be taken to them, at –2 if the
patient is at –3xHP or worse, and at –4 if he’s at –4xHP or worse. Failed rolls allow
further attempts at cumulative –2 per repeat attempt. There is no resuscitation in
Saduria. A standard operation takes 1dx10 minutes per attempt; with no anaesthetic and
a risk of infection, speed is considered a good thing!
Lasting crippling injuries (but not permanent ones) can also be healed by surgery in a
2dx10 minute procedure. A successful roll shortens recovery time to weeks rather than
months. A critical failure makes the injury permanent.
Remember that there is no anaesthetic in Saduria, and no antiseptic. Check for infection
after any surgery: a HT+3 roll is required. See B(4th)444.
Surgeons charge 100 silver per operation. If repeated attempts are required for
the same result, the surgeon only charges once, so long as the attempts are all
made at the same ‘session’. Unlike a doctor, surgeons charge the same price no
matter who the patient is (all bodies are the same to them).
Barber Surgeons
Barber surgeons are relics of the past, where the local barber performed the surgery.
They are still numerous in Saduria despite the new breed of professional surgeons, not
least because they are considerably cheaper.
Sadly, most barber surgeons, whatever their skill and experience, have not had the
benefit of Sadurian university training, and are thus unaware of the newest techniques
and procedures. This means that all barber surgeons operate at TL3. In addition, most
have fairly basic equipment and the end result is that they have a larger penalty to their
Surgery skill than most professional surgeons, although this may not be a problem for a
simple procedure (such as pulling a tooth or resetting a dislocation).
Very few barber surgeons have any complimentary medical skills.
• -10 for improvised equipment!
• -5 for basic equipment
• -2 to rolls to resist infection from the surgery, as hygiene and barber surgeons do
not usually go together.
Barber surgeons charge 50 silver per operation. If repeated attempts are required
for the same result, the surgeon only charges once, so long as the attempts are
all made at the same ‘session’.
Herbalists
An herbalist uses Herb Lore to manufacture drugs and herbal balms. Most herbalists live
in rural communities, often running a precarious line between being a valued local healer
and accusations of witchcraft.
Most herbal balms are non-magical in nature, conferring the equivalent of a First Aid roll
at a skill equal to the Herb Lore skill of the herbalist. Anyone can apply the balm, and
they should make the roll upon application. The effects are exactly as an appropriate TL
First Aid roll. A failed roll means that the balm was badly made or incorrectly applied,
and the dose is wasted.
Some skilled herbalists may produce potent semi-magical balms and potions, with
effects the same as alchemical preparations. Most semi-magical herbal balms take 1d
hours to work, possibly as much as a week. This means that herbalists are best
approached for curing long-term problems rather than as emergency healers. Herbalists
gather their ingredients from nature, and there is therefore no cost for ingredients. The
list of herbal preparations is far more limited than the list of alchemical elixirs as herbs do
not lend themselves to magical effects as do the exotica of alchemical ingredients.
Time to
Name Description Price
make
Subject will be exceptional fertile/potent for 1 hour. 20 weeks,
Fertility Excepting physical deficiency (not medical) or racial 5000
incompatibility, any union will result in offspring. -4 to skill
Many herbalists also have First Aid skill or even Pharmacy-herbal to aid them in
preparing medicinal preparations.
Bounty
Level Bounty Criminal’s Circumstances
Modifier
Petty 20 Known killer x2
Minor 50 Difficult to reach or find x1.5
Major 100 Notorious xReputation
Capital 200 Religious criminal x0.5
Bounty hunters are paid by results, not by the hour. It is part of the skill of the successful
bounty hunter to pick and choose what contracts he takes. If the job is too easy the
reward will not be worthwhile, too hard and the bounty hunter may not succeed, or
spend so long in pursuing the contract that the bounty becomes less attractive.
TRAVEL
The party relaxed and watched the world drift by. The riverboat was quiet and gently
rocking as the waves lapped soothingly against its hull, almost purpose-made to send
them to sleep. They all decided that the boat had been the right decision; slower than
the coach, but without the bumps, stops and bandits.
Short Distance and Urban Travel
Realistically, short distances are limited to a few miles. Urban travel is within a single
town or city.
Price per
Mode of Travel Notes
mile
More common in rural areas, or to move to and from
towns. Passenger carts have 2 benches, laid out
Cart 2
lengthwise along the sides. Holds a driver and up to six
people, plus a small amount of hand luggage.
Similar in concept to the eastern rickshaw, the handcart
Handcart 1
carries two people and a small amount of hand luggage.
A chair, often boxed in, and carried by two or more people
using poles run lengthwise along the chair. A chair carried
Sedan chair by two men holds a single person; one carried by four can 5
hold two people. The most common form of transport in
urban areas.
ARTISANS
The armourer sucked his teeth and shook his head. “That’s a serious crack and I’m up to
my neck with making this suit of plate for the Baron”. Johann resisted the temptation to
make a smart reply. He knew the crossbow was seriously broken at present. It had cost
him just short of 900 shillings but all its fancy carving and inlays had not been able to
cope with being used to block the ogre’s club. With luck, though, this man could repair it.
With luck and a hefty bribe, anyway….
All manner of artisan may be required by
adventurers, and the adventurers may
have skills of their own that they can use
to bring in some silver. It is obvious that
listing every possible variation of artisan
and task would be impossible, but
hopefully the following list should be
representative.
Note that many mundane services offered
by the artisan can be assumed under the
Cost of Living, notably those of the tailor
and blacksmith.
As most of the following services are
priced by the hour, it might be helpful to
decide how long it will take an artisan to
finish a task. If in doubt use the time-
honoured method of rolling randomly.
After all, who is to say that a task didn’t
take longer due to an unforeseen
problem?
Artisan Rank
Artisans are almost exclusively members of craft guilds. Within
their ranks are:
• Apprentices.
• Artisan’s assistants (non-guild qualified artisans).
• Artisans.
• Master artisans.
Prices reflect the rank of the artisan, and should also reflect
the quality of the finished article.
Services
Hours
Service required
Required
Armourer
Armoury skill (with appropriate specialism).
3 shillings per hour.
Repair metal armour, per point of armour’s DR. 2
Repair composite bow. 8
Repair crossbow. 6
Repair longbow. 4
Repair other weapon. 1
Repair self bow. 2
Repair sword of fine quality, 2
Repair sword of poor or average quality. 1
Repair sword of very fine quality (Master Artisan only). 4
Blacksmith
Smith skill (with appropriate specialism).
1.5 shillings per hour.
Shoe a horse (per shoe). 15 minutes
Repair cooking pot. 30 minutes
Carpenter
Carpentry skill.
1.5 shillings per hour.
Repair or replace wooden weapon shaft. 1
Repair wagon or cart. 4
Repair wooden shield. 1
Cook
Cook skill.
1 shilling per hour.
Simple meal. 1
Large meal. 2
Banquet. 4
Special or ‘unusual’ meal. x150% cost
Hours
Service required
Required
Leatherworker
Leatherworking skill.
1.5 shilling per hour.
Repair leather armour, per point of armour’s DR. 1
Repair saddlery. 2
Tailor
Professional skill (Tailor) P/A, default DX-5.
1 shilling per hour.
Repair or adjust elaborate item, such as SL2+ dress. 5
Repair or adjust cloak or gown. 3
Repair cloth armour. 1
Repair or adjust shirt, leggings, etc. 2
Repair or adjust small item. 1
Materials
The costs quoted above assume that only a minimal outlay on materials is required.
Naturally, any additional cost will be passed on to the client. An artisan’s monthly income
is quoted as net income, after all expenses for materials are taken into consideration.
Apprentices and Artisan’s Assistants
Apprentices are trainees who are accepted for training by guild
artisans. They live in their master’s house and usually perform
routine tasks until considered skilled enough to tackle ‘real’
work. The term ’masterpiece’ originally referred to the piece of
work that the apprentice was required to make to be accepted
to qualify as an artisan for the guild. Any money paid to an
apprentice will almost certainly be passed on to their master.
Assistants also work for the artisan but are not as closely
dependent upon him as are apprentices, and may even be
skilled craftsmen in their own right. Assistants who are
freemen will be trained artisans who, for some reason, cannot
join the guild. Without guild membership they are not allowed
to set up their own business, and so are forced to work for a
fee under a guildsman. They may also be bonded labourers (see below), whose bond
has been bought by the artisan.
Note that a client will be charged for the time of an assistant where a job requires his
help.
Maintenance Costs
The cost of keeping a bonded labourer or slave is their cost of living, rated usually at
Social Rank -4, but sometimes higher. This will normally be 50 silver per month. Housing
costs can be ignored where appropriate (the owner will presumably house them within
his own home), bringing costs down to about 25 silver per month covering cheap and
barely adequate food and drink, and very basic clothing costs and repairs.
Purchase Costs
Slaves and bonded labourers are valued according to their primary skills or attributes.
These traits are only applicable where they affect the job that they are being bought to
perform; a stunningly beautiful poet is equal to an ugly simpleton when working in a
mine. These prices are not fixed, as most are sold at auction.
Bonded Labourers
As most are only sentenced to limited bonded labour, prices to buy the bond are usually
10%x number of years of sentence left to run.
Bonded labourers that cannot be sold at auction work at hard labour for the state. If
particularly unlucky, they may find themselves being sold as gladiators.
INDEX
Subject Page
ACCOMMODATION 126
ALCHEMICAL SUPPLIES 115
ALCHEMY AND HERB LORE 117
Animal Descriptions 82
Animal Fights 136
Animals 95
Announcements and Proclamations 137
Apprentices and Artisan’s Assistants 147
Arena, Events at the Arena 136
Armour (combined) 77
Armour and Fashion 59
Armour Availability 59
Armour Care 59
ARMOUR 59
Armour, Clothing as armour 62
Armour, Heavy leather 65
Armour, Light leather, fur and padding 63
Armour, Mail and brigandine 67
Armour, Plate 69
Armour, Rigid leather 66
ARMS AND ARMOUR 27
Artisan Rank 145
Artisan Services 146
ARTISANS 145
ARTWORK 14
AVAILABILITY AND PRICE 9
Axe/Mace 28
Barding 87
Barter and Exchange 12
BASICS 6
Bear Pit 130
Subject Page
Bonded Labourers 148
Books 25
Bow Case 43
Bow 43
Bowstrings (bow) 43
Bowstrings (crossbow) 47
Bracers 43
Brawling 29
Broadsword 30
Buying and Preparing Poisons 114
Clothing and Status 97
CLOTHING 96
Clothing, Female clothing 98
Clothing, Male clothing 97
Clothing, Outfits 98
Clothing, Wear and Tear 96
Coinage 6
COMBINED ARMOUR PRICE LIST 76
COMBINED WEAPONS PRICE LIST 51
CONTAINERS 100
COOKING AND EATING 101
Cost of Living by Social Level 7
COST OF LIVING 7
Courtesans 132
Crime Levels 143
Crossbow 45
Dancing 130
Dietary Requirements 91, 124 & 126
Drink and Intoxication 94
Drink 94
Elixirs, Types of Elixirs 117
Entertainment skills 134
ENTERTAINMENT 130
Exchange Rate; Metals 6
Fences 12
Fencing 130
Subject Page
Fencing weapons 31
Flail 33
FOOD AND DRINK 91
Food 92
Forging, Clipping, and MagicalFraud 6
Gambling 131
Games 131
Gems 16
Gladiators 136
GOODS 27
HAGGLING 10
Hand Weapons 28
HEALING 138
Healing, Barber Surgeons 141
Healing, Doctors 140
Healing, Hedge Wizards 138
Healing, Herbalists 142
Healing, Mages 138
Healing, Priests 139
Healing, Professionals 140
Healing, Surgeons 141
Healing, Witches 140
Helmet Accessories. 73
Helmets 72
Helmets, Types of Helmet 72
HERBS 115
Herbs, Alchemical 117
Herbs, Healing Herbs 115
Herbs, Preparing Medicinal Herbs for Use 115
Horse Care 87
HORSES AND OTHER RIDING MOUNTS 80
HOUSEHOLD AND DOMESTIC 103
Jewellery 18
Jousts and Tourneys 136
Knife 33
Lance 34
Subject Page
LIVESTOCK 95
Lock Intricacy 105
Lock Prices 105
Lock Size 105
Lock Type 105
Locks and Lockpicking 105
LONG TERM ACCOMMODATION 127
MAGICAL HEALING 138
Mail, Fine-mesh Mail 67
MARKETPLACE 91
Melee Weapons (combined) 51
Missile Weapons (combined) 56
Missile Weapons 43
MONEY 6
MUNDANE HEALING 140
Munition Armour 69
Net 48
OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT 99
Paintings 20
Poison, Administration of Poison 107
Poison, Animal Poisons 110
Poison, Antidotes 114
Poison, Detection 112
Poison, Detection, Identification and Treatment 112
Poison, Doses 112
Poison, Identification and Treatment 113
Poison, Mineral Poisons 107
Poison, Plant Poisons 109
Poison, Treating Poison 115
Poison, Types of Poison 107
Poisons 107
Polearm 35
Prostitutes, ‘Levels’ of Service 132
Prostitutes, ‘Personal Services’ 132
Quality, Steel and Blade Quality 27
Subject Page
Rations, Field Rations 93
Reloading crossbows 46
Repairing Armour 60
SELLING 12
SERVICES 123
Shields (combined) 76
Shields 60
Shields, Damage to Shields 60
Shields, Types of Shield 61
Shortsword 36
Subject Page
TRANSPORT, OTHER 90
Trappings 89
TRAVEL 144
Travel, Long Distance Travel 144
Travel, Short Distance and Urban Travel 144
Two-Handed Axe/Mace 39
Two-Handed Flail 40
Two-Handed Sword 40
Weapon Care 27
WEAPONS 27
Whip 42
Yellow Sash 132