Coin, Wealth & Encumbrance
Adventuring is a dangerous and expensive undertaking. In a world based off of our own medieval demographics, only about 5% of the population would have the monetary resources to even get started with such an undertaking. It is for this reason that many tales from our own history focus on the deeds of noble heroes and peasants or lower classes rarely enter into the picture.
Coinage
There are a variety of coin denominations that are used in order to help ensure fair and honorable trade. Most coins are based around the silver piece (sp), which is the most common coin and used by the vast majority of the population, albeit among the lower classes most of all.
Serfs, laborers, and peasants most often engage in bartering when they can, unable to afford most goods with the coins they have on hand. A peasant with chickens might gather a dozen eggs (1 sp) and bring them to market to trade for a gallon of milk. A laborer might trade a week in the field for a portion of the crops when it is harvested. Most often, however, the food people eat is gotten from their own garden, the nearby stream, or the rabbit traps they set up.
An adventurer coming through with coin to spend is a mixed blessing, as they might be generous, but generally cause disruption to the daily lives of folk who must work for their meals and ensure they have enough left over to pay their taxes when they are due.
While it is feasible that peasant classes could save their coin enough so that they might be able to afford to travel, they could not sustain this lifestyle without a ready source of income. Weapons are affordable enough with some scrimping, but quality armor would take years, perhaps a lifetime, to save for and a quality warhorse would be almost unimaginable.
Round any value to the nearest farthing. Nothing is worth less than 1 cf.
Coin Conversions
| Coin Type | CF | SH | SP | EP | SG | ST | SS | SF | SC | GN | GM | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper Farthing (CF) | 1 | 1/2 | 1/4 | 1/8 | 1/16 | 1/24 | 1/48 | 1/96 | 1/240 | 1/320 | 1/640 | 1/960 |
| Silver Halfpenny (SH) | 2 | 1 | 1/2 | 1/4 | 1/8 | 1/12 | 1/24 | 1/48 | 1/120 | 1/160 | 1/320 | 1/480 |
| Silver Penny (SP) | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1/2 | 1/4 | 1/6 | 1/12 | 1/24 | 1/60 | 1/80 | 1/160 | 1/240 |
| Electrum Penny (EP) | 8 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1/2 | 1/3 | 1/6 | 1/12 | 1/30 | 1/40 | 1/80 | 1/120 |
| Silver Groat (SG) | 16 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2/3 | 1/3 | 1/6 | 1/15 | 1/20 | 1/40 | 1/60 |
| Silver Tanner (ST) | 24 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 1 1/2 | 1 | 1/2 | 1/4 | 1/10 | 3/40 | 3/80 | 1/40 |
| Silver Shilling (SS) | 48 | 24 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1/2 | 1/5 | 3/20 | 3/40 | 1/20 |
| Silver Florin (SF) | 96 | 48 | 24 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2/5 | 3/10 | 3/20 | 1/10 |
| Silver Crown (SC) | 240 | 120 | 60 | 30 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 2 1/2 | 1 | 3/4 | 3/8 | 1/4 |
| Gold Noble (GN) | 320 | 160 | 80 | 40 | 20 | 13 1/3 | 6 2/3 | 3 1/3 | 1 1/3 | 1 | 1/2 | 1/3 |
| Gold Mark (GM) | 640 | 320 | 160 | 80 | 40 | 26 2/3 | 13 1/3 | 6 2/3 | 2 2/3 | 2 | 1 | 2/3 |
| Gold Sovereign (GS) | 960 | 480 | 240 | 120 | 60 | 40 | 20 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 1 1/2 | 1 |
Social Classes
It is useful to understand the value of coins to the poor and to the wealthy when considering how wealth is distributed among the population of a town, city, kingdom, and the world in general. A serf might expect to earn 20 silver shillings (ss) per year, but most if not all of that would be spent on necessary goods to keep them and their family healthy and fed. Having more than a few silver or even a silver shilling (ss) at once would be considered a notable nest egg. Rather, serfs deal primarily with bartering among each other or copper farthings (cf) or silver halfpennies (sh).
Even for a knight, who has considerably more wealth than even the most well-to-do craftsmen, the purchase of a warhorse would take a year or more in earnings. It is a cost not undertaken lightly, and only after much hemming and hawing. It is not until the wealthiest merchants, nobles, and royalty enter the picture that gold nobles (gn), gold marks (gm), and gold sovereigns (gs) enter into common dealings. It is from this wealth that court officers and wealthy burghers amass as much wealth as a non-noble could hope to dream.
Serf. Serfs are the lowest class of citizen. They are bound to the land they work, similar to renting, in which they owe dues to the landowner in exchange for living and working the land. While not slaves per se, they also cannot leave the land they are working without permission. Serfs comprise about 70% of the population.
Laborer. Laborers are generally unskilled peasants who do not own land to make a living through farming. They spend their lives performing hard labor and are free men, able to move from town to town, but rarely amass the means to do so. Laborers comprise about 15% of the population.
Peasant. Peasants either own enough land to support themselves and their family or work as skilled labor in trade crafts. Their skills are usually limited, such that only other peasants would generally be interested in their skills or goods. Peasants comprise about 10% of the population.
Expert. Experts are usually tradesmen or merchants who make a comfortable income. Masons, carpenters, weavers, and other necessary craftsmen who ply their trade. The value of their work varies such that the average craftsman might make a peasant's wage in a rural village while a skilled one in a royal city might make many times as much. Experts comprise about 4% of the population.
Knight. Knights earn much of their income from the serfs who work their land or the natural resources thereupon. They are generally beholden to a noble or royalty and called upon in times of war. They live comfortable lives, but cannot afford to be free with their wealth in the same way that nobles are. They almost never hold a place in the court of the monarch and are expected to provide dues to the noble they owe fealty to. Knights comprise about .4% of the population.
Burgher. Burghers are among the wealthiest free men who are not nobles. They tend to be prolific merchants who have usually amassed their wealth by trading to nobles in the form of spices, silks, and furs. Depending on their prowess, the most successful may amass more wealth than many lesser noble houses. Burghers comprise about .31% of the population.
Lesser Noble. Lesser nobles, like knights, earn much of their income from the serfs that work their lands or the natural resources thereupon. They simply have more of it, or have a wealthier class of citizen that pays more in taxes. They rarely hold a place in the court of the monarch, but are expected to provide dues to the crown from their holdings. Lesser Nobles comprise about .2% of the population.
Magnate / Officer. Magnates or Officers of the Court are free-men who spend their lives in service to nobles or to the crown. For instance, a royal cook would be well-rewarded for fine cuisine and highly trusted to make meals for the royal family. Such a lofty position is usually one that is inherited by their children and ensures both prestige and comfort in later years. Magnates / Officers comprise about .074% of the population.
Noble. Nobles are generally of the rank of Baron, who enjoy a life of notable wealth and ease. Like their lessers, they generate wealth from their populace. They hold a place in the court of the monarch and are expected to provide dues to the crown from their holdings. Nobles comprise about .01% of the population.
Wealthy Noble. Wealthy nobles are generally of the rank of Earl. They can amass a huge amount of wealth from their holdings and have a vast freedom to rule their lands as they see fit, depending on the laws of the monarch. They hold an honorable place in the court of the monarch and are expected to provide dues to the crown from their holdings. Wealthy Nobles comprise about .0055% of the population.
Royalty. Royalty can refer to the King, Queen, Emperor, Empress, or similar titles. Depending on the system of government, they can have an almost limitless authority to run their country as they choose and derive almost all of their wealth from their nobility. During times of peace, this can be a significant quantity, but during times of war when trade routes are in danger or closed off, it can drop precipitously. There is usually only one royal family, which could be as small as 1 or 2 people, or as large as 50 or so depending on extended family.
Wages by Social Class
| Income | SP | SS | GS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serf / Day | 1 SP | ||
| Serf / Week | 6 SP | ||
| Serf / Year | 240 SP | 20 SS | 1 GS |
| Laborer / Day | 2.5 SP | ||
| Laborer / Week | 15 SP | 1.25 SS | |
| Laborer / Year | 600 SP | 50 SS | 2.5 GS |
| Peasant / Day | 5 SP | ||
| Peasant / Week | 30 SP | 2.5 SS | |
| Peasant / Year | 1,200 SP | 100 SS | 5 GS |
| Expert / Day | 10 SP | ||
| Expert / Week | 60 SP | 5 SS | |
| Expert / Year | 2,400 SP | 200 SS | 10 GS |
| Knight / Day | 45 SP | 3.75 SS | |
| Knight / Week | 270 SP | 22.5 SS | |
| Knight / Year | 10,800 SP | 900 SS | 45 GS |
| Burgher / Day | 75 SP | 6.25 SS | |
| Burgher / Week | 450 SP | 37.5 SS | |
| Burgher / Year | 18,000 SP | 1,500 SS | 75 GS |
| Lesser Noble / Day | 150 SP | 12.5 SS | |
| Lesser Noble / Week | 900 SP | 75 SS | |
| Lesser Noble / Year | 36,000 SP | 3,000 SS | 150 GS |
| Magnate / Day | 300 SP | 25 SS | |
| Magnate / Week | 1,800 SP | 150 SS | |
| Magnate / Year | 72,000 SP | 6,000 SS | 300 GS |
| Noble / Day | 1,500 SP | 125 SS | |
| Noble / Week | 9,000 SP | 750 SS | |
| Noble / Year | 360,000 SP | 30,000 SS | 1,500 GS |
| Wealthy Noble / Day | 4,500 SP | 375 SS | |
| Wealthy Noble / Week | 27,000 SP | 2,250 SS | |
| Wealthy Noble / Year | 1,080,000 SP | 90,000 SS | 4,500 GS |
| Royalty / Day | 30,000 SP | 2,500 SS | |
| Royalty / Week | 180,000 SP | 15,000 SS | |
| Royalty / Year | 7,200,000 SP | 600,000 SS | 30,000 GS |
Availability
Most goods are simply for sale. When the GM isn't sure whether a market has something, they set the item's Social Class for that market, from the station it belongs to and how rare it is there, and roll the market's dice against its DC. Plate armor is a knight's armor, so it's usually Knight. In a poor region where plate is rare, the GM might call it Noble instead.
| Social Class | DC | Traveling merchant (2d2) | Roadhouse (2d3) | Hamlet (2d4) | Village (2d6) | Town (2d8) | City (2d10) | Metropolis (2d12) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serf | 3 | 75% | 89% | 94% | 97% | 98% | 99% | 99% |
| Peasant | 4 | 25% | 67% | 81% | 92% | 95% | 97% | 98% |
| Knight | 8 | — | — | 6% | 42% | 67% | 79% | 85% |
| Burgher | 10 | — | — | — | 17% | 44% | 64% | 75% |
| Magnate | 14 | — | — | — | — | 9% | 28% | 46% |
| Noble | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | 6% | 19% |
| Royal | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7% |
How often a search can be repeated, and how many items a character can look for at once, are up to the GM.
Starting Wealth
Depending on your class, you may have more or less starting wealth than other classes. Adventuring gear can be expensive, but in different ways. A Fighter's armor and weapon will likely consume most of their starting coin. Class features and skills don't come with the supplies to use them: a Thief with Thievery still needs thieves' picks to open a lock, and a Magus still needs a Grimoire to hold their spells. Ensure you are crossing off the necessary items before you start looking at items you might want rather than need.
Take the time to consider how your character came across such wealth, as even the average amount is equal to more than a year's wages for most of the population.
Before you roll your dice, consider whether you would like to roll for your starting wealth or take the amount in parentheses. Once you roll for your wealth, you will be limited to that amount even if it is less than you would prefer.
Starting Wealth by Class
| Class | Starting Wealth |
|---|---|
| Avenger | 2d6 × 100 + 450 sp (1,150 sp) |
| Bahador | 2d6 × 100 + 450 sp (1,150 sp) |
| Cleric | 2d6 × 50 + 200 sp (550 sp) |
| Cursed | 2d6 × 50 + 50 sp (400 sp) |
| Druid | 2d6 × 50 + 50 sp (400 sp) |
| Dwarf | 2d6 × 100 + 400 sp (1,100 sp) |
| Fighter | 2d6 × 100 + 400 sp (1,100 sp) |
| Fili | 2d6 × 50 + 50 sp (400 sp) |
| Gnome | 2d6 × 50 + 200 sp (550 sp) |
| Gray Elf | 2d6 × 50 + 50 sp (400 sp) |
| Halfling | 2d6 × 50 + 50 sp (400 sp) |
| Knight | 2d6 × 100 + 400 sp (1,100 sp) |
| Magus | 2d6 × 50 + 50 sp (400 sp) |
| Orc | 2d6 × 50 + 50 sp (400 sp) |
| Paladin | 2d6 × 100 + 450 sp (1,150 sp) |
| Ranger | 2d6 × 50 + 50 sp (400 sp) |
| Sylvan Elf | 2d6 × 50 + 50 sp (400 sp) |
| Thief | 2d6 × 50 + 50 sp (400 sp) |
Encumbrance
Your Strength score represents the maximum weight your character can carry unencumbered. Every 10 lbs. of weight equals 1 weight point. Items are categorized by weight for ease of tracking.
- Light items count as 1 weight
- Moderate items count as 2 weight
- Heavy items count as 4 weight
- Insignificant items are weighed by stack
- Containers always equal their weight
- Ignore weight of items in Containers
- Armor has its own weight value (see Worn Armor and Carried Armor)
- Worn clothing does not add to your weight
- Coins are carried in containers. One Light object of space holds 3,200 copper farthings, 3,200 sp of silver coins, 3,200 electrum pennies, or 160 gs of gold coins. Work out each metal's share, add them, and round up once. Example: 4,800 sp in silver, 1,600 farthings, and 80 gs in gold is 1½ + ½ + ½ = 2½, which rounds up to 3 Light objects. A handful of coins, up to 1 lb (about 320 sp, or 16 gold sovereigns), takes no space.
Worn Armor. Worn armor is less encumbering than carried armor. Every 15 lbs. of armor weight increases encumbrance by 1, rounded up.
Carried Armor. Carried armor is more encumbering than worn armor. Every 10 lbs. of armor weight increases encumbrance by 1, rounded up.
| Points | Encumbrance | Movement | Defense |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≤ STR | Unencumbered | Unchanged | Unchanged |
| STR +1-2 | Light Encumbrance | -1 | -1 |
| STR +3-6 | Moderate Encumbrance | -2 | -2 |
| STR +7-10 | Heavy Encumbrance | -4 | -4 |
| STR +11 or more | Severe Encumbrance | -8 | -8 |
Carrying Slots
Your body has eleven slots for carrying gear: Back, two Shoulders, two Hips, two Belt (front and small of the back), two Forearms, and two Legs. Each slot holds one item or one container.
- Weapons you are wielding, a shield on your arm, and worn armor, clothing, and jewelry do not take a slot.
- Items inside a container do not take a slot; the container does.
- Weapons use the slots for their Carry length. Containers list the slots they can use. Anything else goes where it reasonably fits, as the GM decides.
- Slots decide where your gear is carried. Your Strength decides how much you can carry.
Weapon Carry
Every weapon has a Carry length, shown in the weapon tables.
| Carry | Length | Slots |
|---|---|---|
| Short | up to about 2½ ft | Hip, Belt, Leg, Shoulder, Back |
| Standard | about 2½ to 4 ft | Hip, Shoulder, Back |
| Long | over 4 ft | Shoulder, Back, or lashed to a pack |
A weapon comes with a basic sheath, scabbard, frog, or strap to carry it. Kunai and ear daggers can also be carried in an Arm Sheath on the forearm. Up to 5 Light Thrown weapons of the same type can be carried together as a set, which takes one slot. Shields are carried on the Back or lashed to a pack.
Containers
A container takes one slot and counts as its own weight. Items inside it add no weight and take no slots. A container's capacity is given in Light objects: a Moderate object takes the space of 2, a Heavy object the space of 4, and a stack of insignificant items the space of 1.
Long weapons and shields don't fit inside a container. If something doesn't fit, lash it to a pack or carry it.
Outside Slots. A backpack has outside slots for gear lashed to it: a Traveler's Backpack has 2, and a Canvas Backpack has 1. Lashed gear is outside the pack, so it counts its own weight. It is drawn like a sheathed weapon.
Quick Items. Quick-item containers hold consumables: potions, material components, healing supplies, and scrolls. Each uses 1 quick slot; a scroll uses 2. A quick item can be found and used for 1 AP (see Combat, Interaction). The Arm Sheath is the one quick container for a weapon: its kunai or ear dagger is drawn as part of the attack. Quick-item containers are the Bandolier (6), Small Belt Pouch (4), Bracer Pouch (2), Shield Pouch (2), Scroll Case (3 scrolls), and Arm Sheath (1 kunai or ear dagger).
Held Containers. A filled sack, basket, or bucket is carried in your hands and takes no slot, but the hand holding it is in use. Chests and barrels need both hands, a mount, or a vehicle.
Creature Carrying Capacity
A creature's carrying capacity equals its Strength score multiplied by its footprint in squares. A creature uses its carrying capacity in place of STR when determining encumbrance thresholds.
Mount Encumbrance. A mount's total load is the sum of its rider weight, barding, and cargo.
Rider Weight. A rider weighs their body (Small 3, Average 6) plus their current encumbrance points. The rider still tracks their own encumbrance against their own Strength score. Example: an Average knight carrying 12 points of armor and gear weighs 18 to his mount.
Tack. Worn tack (saddle, bridle, saddle blanket, halter) does not count against a mount's capacity. Saddle bags and panniers count as containers: their own weight, with contents ignored.
Barding. Barding is armor worn by the mount. It counts its Worn encumbrance value against the mount's carrying capacity.
Dragging. A creature can drag up to three times its carrying capacity along the ground. Dragging at full capacity halves the creature's speed.
Pulling. A creature harnessed to a wheeled vehicle can pull up to ten times its carrying capacity over normal terrain. Pulling at full capacity halves the creature's speed.