Hauling a chest of money and spiked wagons

[tylermo]

Yep. Me again. Just finished A0 recently. The players still found a couple of cattle(that ended up in their possession-one with animal friend cast on it)outside Baleon Knakt(can't remember the spelling)when they killed off everything. They found hundreds(amount escapes me)of gold and silver in a chest, along with 7,000 copper. Between the cattle, and newly-added character's horse(and some ropes)they were able to get this back to Malforten. Maybe a bad call on my part? Anyway, the party returned to the Empty Flagon in Malforten with Gritznak's head on a spear(what better way to say "proof of the kill"). The elven assassin eventually sought to barter with town's folk, trying to trade gems, etc. for a wagon and two Ox. I relented, but made them pay a fair price. Seems unlikely, given that Gritznak had put pressure on this town for tribute. To get them on the path for A1, I had a travelling merchant from Botkinburg, witness their return and plea for help with goblin raids in that community. The assassin began asking about blacksmiths and ways to put spikes on the wagon, and the like. I nipped the A-team and Macgyver bit in the bud. It was funny for them to try. I guess he thought they might need a battle wagon against those goblins. All of these players, ranging from 19-34 are great, but two of my guys sometimes get these lofty ideas. I don't like to shoot em' down, but what're you going to do? They don't get mad about it at least.

[Cardinal Thor]

I don't mean to be antagonistic, but why would you veto that wagon idea?

[alcyone]

I think everyone seems to be in the spirit of things. If you expect a different tone to be set, be sure and let them know, but actually, as useless as spikes on the wagon probably is, I'd welcome them spending the money. Especially if you don't have Ye Olde Magick Item Shoppe, a cash drain on the party is something I always welcome.

[Lord Dynel]

My only advice would be don't nip too many idea in the bud. You said it - they get lofty ideas. Stop the game breakers, but allow the rest. It'll keep them engaged and allow them to have fun. As the others said, I probably would have allowed them the wagon spikes - makes them happy, sounds like (from my limited knowledge) a rather harmless idea, and it seperates the characters from a little coin (which, IMO, is not a bad idea). But, ultimately, it's your game and you should take this (and other) advice for what it's worth...in other words, your milage may vary! As long as everyone's having fun, game on!

[Traveller]

Were I you, I would have let them spend all the money they had. Then of course I'd make them tithe a fair amount to the local religious establishment and then pay for their training to the next level. After that, they go adventuring once more because they're poor sons of b***hes who have fairly large bar tabs they can't afford to pay, not just for mead but for the upkeep of the bar slaves they used in the alcoves in the back of the bar. :twisted evil:

[Arduin]

Yes, to the above. I'm SURE that the local blacksmith would gladly make all kinds of spiky things for them (while taking their gold and privately snickering)

[Ruarigh]

Rather than vetoing the spikes, I would probably have made them cause problems for the players when they tried to drive the wagon down the main street of the town. I like to go with medieval towns with narrow streets and lots of crowds. Mix that with a spiky wagon and you have a recipe for complaints to the local sheriff/lord, encounters with the town guard, hefty fines and perhaps even community service penalties (local law sends them off on a mission for the town as punishment for causing a ruck in town). I like player input into games but their actions can have unforeseen consequences if they do not think things through enough.

[Rikitiki]

Hell, a spiky wagon is easy: the local blacksmith would simply take
4-tined caltrops and hammer one tine into the wood of the wagon leaving the other three spiking out.
Of course, as they rode this wagon further and further out of town, the bumping and movement
of the wagon would dislodge the hammered in tine and one after
the other caltrops would fall out...pity those riding or walking
behind that wagon, especially if that happens in the dark - Ouch!
If they follow an established road or path, someone else might
hit those caltrops...or they will on their way back from an
adventure.
See, spiky wagons can be fun!

[SaveVsFail]

They are a relatively inexperienced band of nobodies, traveling several hundred miles overland through bandit and humanoid infested borderlands with a box of loot that they have made VERY public and are calling attention to which "merchant wagon" they are by adorning it with spiky bits.

What could possibly go wrong?

[gideon_thorne]

A truly practical adventure party would take those 7000 copper coins and make them into scale armour.

[Rikitiki]

"A truly practical adventure party would take those 7000 copper coins and make them into scale armour."

Nah, a truly practical party would turn it into wire, mine some magnets, and make a generator so they'd have light underground...

[CKDad]

"A truly practical adventure party would take those 7000 copper coins and make them into scale armour."

Nah, a truly practical party would turn it into wire, mine some magnets, and make a generator so they'd have light underground...

My players would try to figure out a way to create a giant squirt gun that shoots molten copper using medieval tech.