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Old 08-20-2017, 05:17 AM   #19
Bruno
 
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Canada
Default Re: brainstorming noncombat encounters for my mega dungeon

Quote:
Originally Posted by simply Nathan View Post
(he was surprised when the players skinned the wolves, as he was not expecting them to find a way to monetize such encounters)
My players will try to break down just about any monster that doesn't talk [1] into steaks, leather/hide/fur, bones, teeth, talons, severed head trophy, etc and sell all of it (minus what they eat or decide to take for their own trophy cabinet/costumes/monster-claw knives/etc). They also check to make sure it didn't swallow some jewlery with it's last victim.

If it isn't polite enough to bring it's own treasure, and they aren't under time pressure, the PCs will make it into treasure. I've learned to adjust the value of rewards appropriately.

With that kind of PC, an amusing non-combat encounter is anyone civilized enough [2] for the PCs to try to sell them whatever bizarre trophies and rations they've manufactured.

The pile of random-monster-steaks are also useful for turning combat encounters into non-combat encounters: distracting carnivores and negotiating with hungry ogres (stuff them full of "free" gryphon-burgers until they're not hungry, now try to negotiate).

[1] Usually that's the rule. Sometimes it gets stretched to "doesn't speak the 'civilized languages'". And then there was one incident with a nigh-cannibalistic elf ranger making orc-hide tents and orc jerky.

[2] Or un-civilized enough, depending on what they're trying to sell.
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