Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Molokh
Dr. Kromm, could you please clarify how to calculate the cash value of the stuff granted by Status?
|
Debating with the GM as a player, dickering with NPCs as a PC, and using a little common sense. There is no algorithm, nor do we ever plan to provide one. This is the place where roleplaying meets the wealth system. It
isn't a fudge -- we intended it this way.
Edit: But if some player in
my campaign insisted, I'd estimate the value of these things at (50 × Cost of Living). For instance, consulting pp. B265, B517: A Status 4 lord needs to be Filthy Rich to support his Status, earns about $70,000/month at TL3, and has to pay out $60,000/month to maintain his home, servants, etc. His starting money would be $100,000 at TL3, reduced to $20,000 by the 80/20 rule for settled characters (which a landed lord is, by definition). In lieu of $80,000 in cash, he would get
$3 million in holdings, most of that being equal parts the manor and lands that earn him his $70,000/month, and the nominal cash value of the contracts/loyalty of the human resources included. The basic assumption is that most of that
cannot be turned into cash -- it's part of the title and actually the king's property, consists of servants whose cash value is nominal and who cannot be sold as slaves, includes a warhorse that would be a hazard to any other rider, etc. If a PC insisted on liquidating it hastily, he'd get at most $80,000. If he wanted more, I'd let him trade the 20 points in Status 4 to raise Filthy Rich to Multimillionaire, and cover the outstanding 5 points by sticking him with Social Stigma (Disowned), since he's given up his birthright and sold out his family's good name for gold.