The
Wonderful Alchemy of Old-School Dungeons & Dragons: Transmuting Gold into
Experience
The awarding of experience in early version Dungeons & Dragons game has been the
subject of much discussion since the OSR movement took hold
and one particularly controversial point is the awarding of experience points
for the acquisition of treasure. An experience award for treasure is made
fairly clear in the game’s earliest incarnation, but no experience system is
present, just an example of how one character is awarded for participating in the
defeat of a monster and liberation of the treasure. After many revisions,
supplements and author comments, it became reasonably clear that experience was
not awarded for the simple acquisition of treasure, but rather by heading into
the unknown areas of the world (dungeon or wilderness) overcoming the horrific
threats found therein, and returning stolen treasures and lost wonders to the
world of men, dwarves, elves, etc. Some experience was provided for the defeat
of monsters, but the bulk of the awards came from the value (in gold) of the
goods they’d acquired.
Although players could decide to rob and murder townsfolk, experience would not
be awarded for doing the work of the monsters! It was specifically the liberation of treasure for the good of
human (and demi-human) kind that yielded this highly desirable result.
As mentioned previously, Dave Arneson further refined this method of experience gain with the
release of The First Fantasy Campaign and his institution of interests and motivations for player characters
in the Blackmoor setting. Here, you gained experience (in small amounts)
for defeating the monsters, and then making use of the treasure you
returned to civilized hands. I’ve been fascinated with this concept since
becoming aware of it and was lucky enough to have the opportunity to review
this material thanks to a friend who, unlike myself, was alive when it was
published.
Unfortunately, as is the case with a great deal of early material for this, the
greatest of all hobbies, it was a delightful mess of tables, suggestions and
anecdotes with some referenced items omitted and others mislabeled. It did,
however, provide fantastic insight into the early days of the hobby when
wargaming still ruled tabletops, roleplaying was novel, and level advancement
was optional.
What follows is an
expanded interpretation of the rules Arneson presented. The appeal of including
these rules is that they tie a character’s ability to advance in level directly
to their goals. I recommend using them in a supplemental fashion along with
either a reduction of experience awarded in other ways or a higher experience
point threshold to advance from one level to the next. Note that these rules
should be used alongside any training system if one is used. Also, remember that
players must choose whether to spend their gold on adventuring gear and magic —or—
on motivations and that character should not gain experience for gold gained by
sale of used items. In any case, these rules should keep your player characters
poor and hungry for the next adventure.
Motivations
Each
character has a motivation which determines their areas of interest. The number
appearing after an area of interest is the percentage of experience points
gained per 100gp spent. Every motivation has one primary area of interest with
a value of 100 as well as additional interests of varying values. Although
advancing the additional interests may be less advantageous, there are
practical limits to the amount of wealth a character can devote to a given
interest. Advancing a character’s interests is not a mere transaction. Instead,
it is an active process and requires that characters also devote their time and
energy. For instance, although a philanthropist can give of their wealth
freely, actually making their donations beneficial requires thought and certain
activities. Perhaps even further adventures!
The
gamemaster is free to rule that despite throwing tons of money into a goal, no
experience is gained and should encourage the player to choose another activity
or find out why their efforts have failed to bear fruit. It could be that the
chief priestess of the Church of Shining Countenance is funneling donations
into her private coffers or that the Headmaster of Iligos’ Hall of Magery has
been replaced by an evil doppelganger and is selling ‘graduating’ students to
Underworld slavers.
For most characters, the furtherance of these goals will make up their chief
non-adventuring activities.
Motivation Descriptions
Beneficence
You are motivated to improve the lives of others.
Areas
of Interest: Choose one of Philanthropy
or Societal Betterment 100 and
the other 80. Choose one of Evangelism, Patriotism, Research/Revelation, Sacrificial Rites or Technological
Progress 80. Choose one of Cultural
Dominance (Lawful or Good cultures only) or Racial Advancement (Lawful or Good races only) 30.
Celebrity
You
are possessed of a desire for recognition.
Areas
of Interest: Fame 100, Hoarding of Wealth 75 and Hedonism 70. Choose one of
Sacrificial Rites, Philanthropy or Personal Obsession 85 and another 80.
Choose one of Evangelism or Research/Revelation
80. Choose one of Cultural Dominance, Patriotism, Racial Advancement, Societal
Betterment, Technological
Progress or Romance 50.
Clan/Family
Chauvinism
Your
efforts are directed towards improving the lot of your family or clan.
Areas
of Interest: Personal Obsession (advancement of family or clan) 100, Romance
80, Fame 50 and Hoarding of Wealth 30. Choose one of Sacrificial Rites (ancestors) or Philanthropy (expansion of or caring for
family or clan) 90.
Cultural Romanticism
You
venerate one culture over all others and seek to expand its influence.
Areas
of Interest: Cultural Dominance 100, Philanthropy
75, Fame 60, Research/Revelation
50, Personal Obsession 40, Hoarding of Wealth 30. Choose one of Hedonism
or Romance 50. Choose two of Evangelism, Patriotism, Racial Advancement, Societal
Betterment or Technological
Progress 15.
Emotionalism
Something
inspires you deeply and you are devoted to it, heart and soul.
Areas
of Interest: Hedonism 80, Fame
70 and Hoarding of Wealth 25. Choose one of Evangelism, Cultural Dominance,
Patriotism, Personal Obsession (art, fine culture), Racial Advancement, Romance
or Societal Betterment 100 and another 80.
Ethnocentricity
You
seek to improve the fortunes of a particular race.
Areas
of Interest: Racial Advancement 100, Cultural Dominance 75, Evangelism 70 and
Fame 60. Choose one of Societal
Betterment or Hoarding of Wealth
75. Choose one of Philanthropy or
Sacrificial Rites 50.
Idealism
You are steadfast in your support of something
greater than yourself.
Areas
of Interest: Philanthropy 90, Technological
Progress 80, and Romance 60. Choose one of Patriotism, Research/Revelation or Societal
Betterment 100 and another 70. Choose
one of Racial Advancement, Evangelism, or Cultural Dominance 50
Licentiousness
Worldly
pleasures are your great fascination.
Areas
of Interest: Hedonism 100, Personal
Obsession 90, Romance 80, Fame
50 and Hoarding of Wealth 20. Choose one of Sacrificial Rites or
Research/Revelation 10
Monomania
You
are recognized for your unique vision and you pursue it above all else.
Areas
of Interest: Personal Obsession 100 and Fame 80. Choose one of Hoarding of
Wealth, Research/Revelation,
Sacrificial Rites or Technological Progress 50.
Nationalism
You
are guided by your loyalty to your ruler or state.
Areas
of Interest: Patriotism 100, Cultural Dominance 90, Fame 60, Hoarding of Wealth 40. Choose one of Societal Betterment or Technological Progress 50. Choose
one of Philanthropy or Racial
Advancement 25.
Personal Advancement
You
seek to gather a fortune and be recognized for your achievements.
Areas
of Interest: Hoarding of Wealth 100, Fame 75, Romance 25 and Hedonism 20. Choose one Personal
Obsession 50 and another 30. Choose one
of Sacrificial Rites, Patriotism, Racial Advancement or Cultural
Dominance 25.
Piety
Devotion
to a higher power is your meat and drink.
Areas
of Interest: Sacrificial Rites
100. Choose one of Evangelism, Fame, Hoarding
of Wealth (relics and scripture), Philanthropy,
Research/Revelation or Societal Betterment 80, another 25, another 15 and another 10.
Scientific Development
For
science!
Areas
of Interest: Technological Progress 100, Personal Obsession (experimentation or
invention) 85, Research/Revelation 85,
Philanthropy 40 (centers of learning or
scientific study), Hoarding of Wealth 30 (books and devices) and Fame
25. Choose one of Cultural Dominance or Societal Betterment 20.
Self-Enlightenment
You desire the advancement of your own knowledge and
understanding. You may be entirely devoted to yourself or endeavor to guide
others along the path to wisdom.
Areas
of Interest: Choose one of Personal
Obsession or Research/Revelation 100.
Choose one of Fame or Sacrificial Rites 80. Choose one of Evangelism or Romance
60. Choose one of Hedonism or Philanthropy 50. Choose one of Hoarding of
Wealth or Societal Betterment 40.
Thrill Seeking
You
crave excitement.
Areas
of Interest: Personal Obsession (source of excitement) 100, Hedonism 90, Fame 85, Romance 80 and
Hoarding of Wealth 30. Choose one of Cultural Dominance, Evangelism,
Patriotism, Philanthropy, Racial
Advancement, Research/Revelation,
Sacrificial Rites or
Technological Progress 15
Zealotry
You have discovered the true way and are eager to
bring others into the fold.
Areas
of Interest: Evangelism 100, Sacrificial
Rites 95, Research/Revelation 85 and Philanthropy 75. Choose one of Patriotism,
Cultural Dominance, or Societal Betterment 60. Choose one of Hoarding of Wealth or Romance 35.
Areas of Interest
Each area of interest has guidelines and limitations.
With few exceptions, advancing an area of interest requires that you be engaged
in activities related to it and that you not benefit directly from that
activity. When returning from an adventure, each character must choose whether
to use their share of any treasure to resupply and purchase enhancements or to
make progress towards their goals. In addition, you must allocate funds to
interests individually even when they may overlap. If you are a loyal follower
of the Priest-King of Ust, using your resources to expand Ust’s borders into
heathen lands doesn’t count simultaneously towards Cultural Dominance,
Evangelism and Patriotism (and allow you to earn more experience points per
gold spent). You must devote your time and resources to one of these interests
or divide them amongst all three.
Experience Limitations on
Wealth
There are two restrictions on using wealth to
advance your goals; it must come to you as a result of your adventures and it
can’t come from the sale of items used during an adventure. The gamemaster will
determine the viability of potential resources on both counts. Although your thief
may consider it a great adventure to rob townsfolk, pilfer the guard barracks
or enjoy a “lucky” streak of cards, these activities probably don’t qualify.
You can do what you like with such earnings, but they can’t be used to gain
experience points.
Likewise, if you acquire the dagger of treacherous words +1 and use it to distract a troll guarding the Gallery of
the Unremembered Idols, you can’t sell the dagger and use the gold gained from
the transaction to fuel your personal enterprise of bringing about a new day of
technological marvels. Likewise, the resale of armor, chalk, pitons and 10-foot
poles taken on your latest expedition (even if unused) won’t count.
Cultural Dominance
You
earn experience by leveraging your wealth and accomplishments to enhance the
prestige or expand the authority of a certain social group (usual the one from
which you descend). This can take the form of producing art in a certain style,
exporting goods representative of your preferred culture into new markets, or
expanding traditional customs into a new social order. Depending on the culture
in question, spending gold on diplomacy, intrigue, or warfare may be
applicable.
Limits:
While there are few limits to the amount of gold that can be spent, remember
that wealth used to benefit your character directly doesn’t provide experience.
Therefore, hiring soldiers and leading them in the annexation of new territory
doesn’t provide you experience (outside of what you gain from your victories),
but adding an embassy to recently captured territory would.
Evangelism
You
can gain experience by converting others to a certain way of thinking; usually
your way. The gold is spent on drawing crowds, holding debates and producing
persuasive articles.
Limits:
The amount of wealth you can use is unrestricted but tends to draw attention,
not all of it friendly. Employing servants to eliminate rivals or stifle
opposing thought, while a useful tactic, doesn’t count towards advancing this
motivation.
Fame
You
can earn experience by achieving renown through great deeds. Gold is spent on
enhancing your public persona by hiring bards or scribes, commissioning busts
or portraits, holding banquets and so on. Most commonly, your actions while
adventuring form the basis for your celebrity, however you can also earn renown
through the creation of art or unique magic items and spells, founding a new
religion or sect, public works, social mobility and so forth. To benefit from
your actions, at least one other character must serve as your witness.
Limits:
Simply paying someone to complete mundane tasks does not count towards fulfilling
this motivation. For example, hiring a cleric or scribe to follow you and
record your deeds or a crier to announce your victories (while a likely necessity)
doesn’t itself provide experience. To earn experience, the monies must be spent
to transform a simple record into a romantic account with dramatic
characterizations or to design a story to arouse curiosity as to the
powers of items you’ve crafted. You could, however, earn experience by hiring
researchers to sift through local legends for ways to weave them into your own
saga or having your personal mythology translated into other tongues. If fellow adventurers or followers are
employed to enhance your reputation, experience earned is reduced by 50% due to
the connection they have with you. Henchman called upon to attest to your accomplishments
provide 75% of the normal experience point value, however their loyalty may
negatively impact public perception; very loyal henchmen may be overly fawning,
while disloyal ones may downplay your feats or even besmirch your character in
subtle ways such that you must carefully examine works for any subtext.
Hedonism
You earn experience by spending your wealth on carnal
excesses. This can involve the consumption of rich foods or spirits with a
relatively high alcoholic content, often to the limits of your capacity.
Otherwise, you may host events that cater to the desires of the senses or
purchase companionship in houses of ill-repute. Whatever your proclivity, you
must engage in the desirable behavior to the point of exhaustion before you can
proceed on another expedition. In any case, money stolen from you as a result
of your associations does not provide any benefit.
Limits: No more than 500 gp /level per night or half of
that (250 gp) if under 50% maximum hit points or recuperating from a previous
night of debauchery. Any character can resume their pleasure seeking without
fully recovering, however it’s possible to remain in a state of impairment for
only so long before the body rebels at being mistreated. In addition, locals
can become irritated by obnoxious revelry (particularly when not invited) even
when money is involved. In fact, it’s very easy to engender negative feelings
with such shows of extravagance, especially given that adventurers are
generally expected to make a mess, destabilize the economy and then stumble off
into some dungeon never to be seen again.
Hoarding of Wealth
You
can earn experience from the mere the stockpiling of gold, silver and other
valuables; it can’t be invested. Purchasing and owning extravagant real estate
counts, however selling results in a loss of the full value in experience
points immediately as does having any of your hoarded wealth stolen or
destroyed (experience point loss occurs upon discovery).
Limits:
While you may need to use a portion of your wealth protecting your hoard, doing
so results in no experience gain. Magic items provide full gold value in
experience if stored. If retained for use (even if not actually employed), the
item cannot provide experience in the future, nor can any valuables acquired by
the sale or trading of said item.
Patriotism
You
earn experience by expending wealth on the advancement of your ruler or nation.
Your expenditures must directly improve your nation’s standing in some way.
Typical examples include commissioning patriotic art, events, heraldry,
literature and music. Altering your adventuring accoutrements (or those of your
compatriots and followers) to show your allegiance also advances your
experience, however such items must be kept in good repair or you forfeit
experience equal to their original value plus any enhancements you’ve added.
Limits:
Simply paying taxes doesn’t provide you experience, nor does donating your
wealth which is handled with the Philanthropy motivation. Likewise, influencing
politics is considered Evangelism.
Personal Obsession
You
have a singular proclivity into which you pour your resources. Examples include
collecting a certain type of curio, creating life, defeating a worthy rival or
inventing. If you achieve your goal, you either gain a new obsession or you
exchange this motivation with another chosen by the gamemaster. If at all
possible, the motivation remains the same thematically. For example, if you
achieve your goal of challenging and defeating the master of the dragon wave
fist, your new goal could be to find yourself an opponent capable of offering
you a meaningful challenge. You could then go to great expense vetting and
testing fighters, operating a school, or hosting tournaments. In an extreme
case, you might even instigate warfare in the hopes of seeing a champion forged
in battle.
Limits:
Your obsession must be clearly defined so as to avoid overlap with other
motivations. As with other motivations, gold spent that helps you directly
doesn’t provide experience. If your obsession is discovering the secrets of
immortality, spending gold to experiment with an elixir in an effort to
understand or duplicate it counts towards this motivation, but consuming the
elixir (or giving it to an ally) to actually gain immortality (or any other effect
that is beneficial) provides no experience.
Philanthropy
You earn experience by donating your wealth to a
charity, government, religious organization or the like. You typically have one
favored cause or a small number of related ones. In some cases, you may be
required to donate assets of some kind, in which case you earn experience
points based on the purchase cost once the transfer is finalized.
Limits: None, other than your beneficiary’s ability
to make use of your contributions.
Racial Advancement
You
can spend your wealth to promote the rise of a certain race (usually your own).
The monies can be used to better understand the needs and history of your
chosen people or to improve their standing within a wider societal range.
Depending on the race in question, you might be able to pay for spells to shield
them from outside discovery; to liberate them from dominance by another group;
to locate items or places of ancestral significance; to purchase land for their
use; or to negotiate treaties on their behalf.
Limits:
The amount of wealth you can use has few limits, however using your resources
to reduce the influence of rival groups doesn’t provide experience in this
area, nor does the simple transfer of wealth (although characters with
Philanthropy may benefit from doing this).
Research/Revelation
You gain experience by using your resources to make
discoveries, often of a preternatural or supernatural nature. The knowledge
gained can simply be used for personal enlightenment, particularly in cases
where society at large may not be prepared to digest what has been unearthed,
or to benefit others. Unlike most other motivations, it is possible to earn
experience in this area in ways that are directly useful to you. Specifically,
wealth spent on spell research can provide experience, making this motivation
particularly desirable to spellcasters. But advancement may present dangers as
well. Perhaps some knowledge is being actively suppressed or protected by
fearsome guardians. In some cases, there are things that you would prefer to
remain ignorant of or information that the mortal mind reflexively, and
violently, rejects.
Limits:
You are limited to spending up to 250
gp/level per day in pursuing this motivation. Although, spell research provides
experience, item creation does not.
Romance
Experience is awarded to you when you spend wealth
on romantic affairs; buying gifts, making displays to impress potential
in-laws, paying hush money and so on. You can use your resources to court the
subject(s) of your affection, even when your efforts are rebuked. This can be
expressed in a fashion that is chaste or wanton, in public (depending on the
social mores and form of expression) or in private, and may represent courtly
affection, a desire for marriage or simple physical attraction. It is distinct
from some forms of Hedonism in that the relationship between the participants
is paramount (although such relationships may be fleeting). It is not necessary
to make your feelings explicit as your Romance(s) may be chaste or even
platonic, however you do need to indicate to the gamemaster the nature of your
feelings and specify how they are expressed.
Limits:
You must take care in defining your
Romance and must understand the subject(s) of your affection well to avoid
seeing your efforts backfire. If you are rejected in a way that is final, for
example if your love marries another or you see your lady tie her kerchief
about the lance of another knight, you either lose experience equal to all of
the wealth invested in that affair or subject yourself to emotional or mental
drawbacks as determined by the gamemaster. Depending on how you define your
character and your Romance, you may be able exit one relationship for another
without loses, however if it is clear that your character is ‘playing the
field’ you should only receive 50-75% experience from the value in gold that
you invest. The death of your romantic interest doesn’t penalize you (unless
you cause it!), but should cause a deep depression and possibly other neuroses.
In such a case, you may be allowed to exchange this motivation for another.
Sacrificial
Rites
You are awarded experience points by making sacrifices
to a supernatural force, most often a demon, god, or the like, but possibly
ghosts or other sorts of spirits or the representatives of such beings. In some
cases, the sacrifice must be performed in a very particular fashion and may
require a check to determine if the ritual is performed correctly. Other beings
are inscrutable and judge your sacrifices in seemingly arbitrary ways. Unlike
many other motivations, sacrifices can have additional value beyond the
awarding of experience points, particularly when you are in good standing with
your patron. Then again, failing to provide a proper sacrifice and at the
correct times can carry extremely negative consequences including, but not
limited to, the reclamation of experience points earned in this fashion.
Limits:
You are limited to spending up to 250
gp/level per day in pursuing this motivation. The simple giving of wealth to a
congregation or clergy-member does not count towards this motivation (but does
count towards Philanthropy).
Societal Betterment
You
earn experience points by using your wealth to improve society at large and
encourage cooperation between diverse groups towards that end. You must make
distinctive contributions towards this goal but may also gain experience from
spending your money on research to ascertain where your efforts will be most
beneficial. Providing a building or lot for public use doesn’t award you
experience, but converting an unused building into a hospital or providing a
community with a public park may. You earn experience as soon as others are
able to benefit from your contributions. You typically only lose experience if
one of your contributions is destroyed before having the opportunity to earn
recognition for the effort, however if you immediately commence to repair or
replace what was lost, you can avoid any penalty. Rebuilding is usually worth
experience points equal to 50-75% of the final cost of the restoration.
Limits:
Making grants of wealth doesn’t advance
this motivation (but does count towards Philanthropy). Although this motivation
can be quite broad in scope, it may narrow when combined with certain other
motivations. For example, if you also have Patriotism, your efforts must
primarily benefit the people of your own nation (while others can benefit
through association or assimilation).
Technological Progress
Your
goal is the advancement of scientific knowledge and practical application
thereof. You gain experience by allocating funds to institutions specializing
in chemistry, engineering, mathematics, medicine and the like as well as scientific
experimentation, technological expositions, and theoretic research. Experience
is awarded when the activities you’ve funded proves (or disproves) a theory,
provides other useful information, or solves a known problem.
Limits:
Making donations to technology-focused
institutes isn’t sufficient to gain experience points with this motivation (but
does count towards Philanthropy). Rather, you must actively direct your funds
and must achieve measurable results. Likewise, wealth spent convincing
people of the value of your studies and associated technologies provides earns
no experience through this motivation (but could through Evanglism).
Determining Motivations
When
introducing motivations to an ongoing campaign with established characters, the
gamemaster should brief the players on the rules associated with them and
discuss which motivations seem most appropriate based on the character’s previous
activities. To determine motivations for newly created characters, the
gamemaster should either assign motivations based on player input about their
character’s background and aspirations or have the player roll for a random
motivation if none seems particularly fitting.
From
a purely mechanical point of view, some motivations are more desirable than
others. The Celebrity motivation includes seven areas of interest with four
yielding 80% or more experience per gold point spent. Conversely, Monomania and
Piety have the lowest overall values, while Beneficence has only four areas of
interest and Monomania a mere three. Even though these statistics alone are not
necessarily indicative of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ motivations, players with complete
freedom to choose their motivation will likely select one with higher values,
and so allowing this is not recommended.
While
at least one of these motivations should suit most character types, the
gamemaster may wish to create custom motivations for certain characters or even
allow players to design their own. In this case, a simple randomized method
could use the following die roll: 200 + 3d12x10. Divide the result between the
desired interests with at least one at 100%, but no more than one at 90% and
one another 85%; all others must be 80% or lower.
Another
option to add variety to motivations after one is selected is to roll 2d10,
multiply the value for each area of interest and divide by 10. For example, a
character with Monomania has three interests at 100, 80 and 50. The player
rolls 2d10 three times and gets 5, 11 and 12. Therefore, the character’s
Personal Obsession only provides 50% of the value of gold spent in this area in
experience points, but gets 88% from Fame and 60% from their third interest.
Using this option, areas of interest can yield as little as 2% XP per gold
spent to as much as 200%.
Motivation/Class
|
Assassin
|
Barbarian
|
Bard
|
Battle Mage
|
Berserker
|
Cavalier
|
Cleric
|
Dark Knight
|
Druid
|
Fighter
|
Illusionist
|
Knight Errant
|
Magic-User
|
Monk
|
Paladin
|
Ranger
|
Thief
|
Beneficence
|
—
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
—
|
1-5
|
1-10
|
—
|
1-5
|
1-3
|
1
|
1-5
|
1
|
1-10
|
1-10
|
1-10
|
—
|
Celebrity
|
1-5
|
2-21
|
2-41
|
2-11
|
1-5
|
6-13
|
11-15
|
1-5
|
—
|
4-18
|
2-11
|
6-45
|
2-21
|
—
|
11-35
|
—
|
1-20
|
Clan/Family
Chauvinism
|
6
|
22-36
|
42
|
12-16
|
6-10
|
14-18
|
16
|
6-10
|
—
|
19-23
|
12
|
46-50
|
22
|
11-14
|
36
|
11-15
|
21-25
|
Cultural Romanticism
|
7
|
37-46
|
43
|
17-26
|
11
|
19-26
|
17-21
|
11-15
|
—
|
24-28
|
13
|
51-55
|
23
|
—
|
37
|
16-20
|
26-30
|
Emotionalism
|
8
|
47-56
|
44-58
|
27-31
|
12-21
|
29-53
|
22-26
|
16-20
|
—
|
29-38
|
14
|
56-60
|
24-25
|
—
|
38-47
|
21-25
|
31-35
|
Ethnocentricity
|
9
|
57-66
|
59
|
32-36
|
22-26
|
54-58
|
27
|
21-25
|
—
|
39-43
|
15
|
61
|
26
|
—
|
48
|
26-30
|
36-40
|
Idealism
|
10
|
67
|
60
|
37
|
27
|
59-73
|
28-32
|
—
|
6-15
|
44
|
16
|
62-66
|
27
|
15-29
|
49-58
|
31-55
|
—
|
Licentiousness
|
11-15
|
68-77
|
61-70
|
38-42
|
28-37
|
74
|
33
|
26-35
|
16-20
|
45-49
|
17-21
|
67-76
|
28-32
|
30-34
|
—
|
65-60
|
41-50
|
Monomania
|
16-55
|
—
|
71-75
|
43-52
|
38-47
|
—
|
34-38
|
36-45
|
21-35
|
50-54
|
22-71
|
77-81
|
33-82
|
35-39
|
59
|
61-65
|
51-55
|
Nationalism
|
56
|
—
|
76
|
53-67
|
48-53
|
75-79
|
39
|
46-55
|
—
|
55-59
|
72
|
82
|
83
|
—
|
60
|
—
|
—
|
Personal Advancement
|
57-91
|
78-87
|
77-86
|
66-72
|
54-59
|
80-84
|
40
|
56-75
|
—
|
60-79
|
73-82
|
83-87
|
84-93
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
56-85
|
Piety
|
92
|
88
|
87
|
73
|
60
|
85-89
|
41-60
|
76-85
|
36-55
|
80-84
|
83
|
88
|
94
|
40-44
|
61-90
|
66-75
|
—
|
Scientific Development
|
93
|
—
|
88
|
74
|
—
|
90
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
85
|
84
|
89
|
95
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
86-90
|
Self-Enlightenment
|
94
|
89
|
89
|
75
|
—
|
—
|
61-80
|
—
|
56-85
|
—
|
85-89
|
90-94
|
96-97
|
45-94
|
91-95
|
75-90
|
—
|
Thrill Seeking
|
95-99
|
90-99
|
90-99
|
76-95
|
61-95
|
91-95
|
—
|
86-95
|
86-90
|
86-95
|
90-99
|
95-99
|
98-99
|
99
|
—
|
91-95
|
91-100
|
Zealotry
|
100
|
100
|
100
|
96-100
|
96-100
|
96-100
|
81-100
|
96-100
|
91-100
|
96-100
|
100
|
100
|
100
|
100
|
96-100
|
96-100
|
—
|
Note:
This table uses classes from HackMaster (4E)
Motivations and Race
While
referencing character class is a sensible way for players and gamemasters to
determine motivations, some races lean strongly towards certain areas of
interest. Depending on racial qualities in the campaign world, the gamemaster
may wish to devise a way to take those traits into consideration when
determining each character’s interests. One option is to create additional
tables based on race. A simpler alternative is to allow characters of a certain
race to swap out one or more interests for more suitable ones for the race in
question. Doing this can change the motivation entirely (possibly requiring
that it be renamed) and the process should be completed with gamemaster oversight.
If
the gamemaster wishes, swapping out an interest may require that the new
interest receive a small penalty such as a 5% reduction. Consider a dwarf
character with the following interests; Research/Revelation
100, Fame 80, Evangelism 60, Hedonism 50, Societal Betterment 40. Dwarves in the campaign setting tend to
have a strong desire to take back ancestral territory lost to marauding giants
in the distant past. Invoking this, the player states that she would prefer to
add Personal Obsession (reclamation) and Racial Advancement to her
character’s interests and prefers that the former be her character’s primary
interest. The gamemaster agrees, but decides that the character will become
radically different as a result and chooses to assign a penalty of 5% to the
new primary area of interest. After further consideration, the dwarf
character’s new interests are as follows; Personal Obsession (reclamation) 95, Fame 80, Racial Advancement 60, Hedonism 50, and Societal Betterment 40.
Below
are a few common races and a few interests with which they are commonly
associated:
Dwarf Hedonism
(drink), Hording of Wealth, Personal Obsession (reclamation), Racial
Advancement, Technological Progress
Elf Cultural
Dominance, Racial Advancement, Research (magic)
Gnome Fame,
Personal Obsession (inventing), Personal Obsession (pranks), Research (magic),
Technological Progress
Half-Elf Fame,
Romance
Halfling Hedonism
(fine dining)
Half-Orc
Hedonism
Physical Description:
Dwarves are a smallish people who have diminished in body just as has their presence
and prominence in the world has. Most males stand about five feet tall and
weigh about 135 pounds while females average 2 inches shorter and 30 pounds
lighter. Male dwarves tend to grow their hair long and those with beards often
decorate them with a variety of clasps and intricate braids. They are
attractive by human standards, but tend to have hawk shaped noses and prominent
cheek bones. Female dwarves are rarely seen outside of their shadowed homes,
but possess a delicate allure eotent, halflings, and humans all find
captivating. There are many among the younger races who have spied a dwarf woman
and scorned their own kind thenceforth. It is said by poets that the rarest and greatest
treasure to be found in the whole of Vermgalaec is the smile of a dwarf maiden.
