At 02:27 PM 8/28/97 -0400, you wrote:

>This brings up an interesting question which has come up from time to time
>in my campaign. If one GB=2000 gp, then numerous problems seem to arise.
>The first is unit muster costs. For example, regular infantry cost 2GB to
>muster. Assuming there are 200 soldiers per unit, and that the only
>cost is to equip them (no pay, training, etc.) and that they are armed
>only with broadsword and chainmail, then the cost per unit should be much
>higher. (200 broadswords @ 10gp each=2000gp, 200 suits of chainmail @ 75gp
>each=15,000gp, for a total of 17,000gp or 8 1/2GB.

In the transition from personal to realm wealth and actions a bit of fudging
has to take place. I rationalize it as saying that soldiers are often
expected to provide much of their own gear in this epoch (you want to join
the heavy foot, repair grandpa's chain suit and get dad's sword, then you
have your chance to earn glory).

On the subject of elven chain etc. and looting battlefields:

(1) It was often a custom in different times to permit both sides to
retrieve bodies etc. from a field of battle. In a world where restless
spirits can haunt their slayers and those who deny them peace or neglect
their funeral duties, perhaps there are even better reasons for not
mass-looting a bunch of recently dead people who you helped kill or leaving
your comrades bodies to rot (can you say 'revenant', 'haunted armour',
'cursed units' [shades of the 9th Legion]).

Related to this there could well be legends of such things, true or not,
that discourage it (everyone knows the spirits of dead elven warrriors hunt
down and haunt anyone who disgraces them by stealing their arms).

(2) Much of the gear would be damaged, broken etc. After all, if the elf's
dead there's a good chance his armour isn't in such good shape.

(3) Most importantly, not all elven chainmail is Elven Chainmail of the
quasi-magical sort. The Fighters Handbook states that Quality Elven
Chainmail, a special racial armour, (i.e. exceptionally well-made) is
half-weight and of elven steel (cf DMG p.38). This suggests that elves don't
use elven steel for all armours, only those very well made - the Fighterbook
suggests 10% of all armour.

True Elven Chain is only worn by elven fighter/wizards, so they can cast
spells (per the PHB - they can't wear any armour and cast, only the rare
Elven Chain, I don't give every elf such a suit automatically, they have to
earn it - I think this is an area alot of DM's give elves a free ride in).
There would be little sense to going to the expense of making such suits for
non-spell using soldiers who can make do with a regular suit of chain.


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| We ask ourselves if there is a God, how can this happen? |
| Better to ask, if there is a God, must it be sane? |
| |
| Lucien LaCroix |
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