Treasure Maps for adventurers

[Thunthorn]

One way to make life less of a daily rut for our adventurers could be something like this:

Introduce treasure maps as items that can be found on alpha monsters and undead champions. Perhaps even as extremely rare items that can be gathered in Cities and Townslands. Perhaps sages could rarely offer to sell them for gold to rich adventurers.

Each treasure map would be keyed to a specific region determined at random at the creation of the map and tradable between adventurers like ordinary items.

Description would something like: "A map that seemingly shows the way to hidden treasure and riches in xxxxxxx."  Where xxxxxxx is the region the map leads to.

An adventurer carrying the map would be given another option under quests when in the region the map leads to namely: "Search for hidden treasure".

When doing this one of a list of thing would possible happen in one or more steps. This could possibly be made dependent on terrain type.

Some ideas:

"You cannot find any location remotely reminiscent of the location described in the map. It is obviously a fake made to trick gold from the gullible."

"Your map leads you to a strangely shaped rock out on a field and you start to dig holes in the ground around it. You manage to find a large treasure chest but alas someone has gotten here before you and apart from a few silver the previous finder didn't bother to carry with them the chest is empty."

"Your map leads you to a strangely shaped rock out on a field and you start to dig holes in the ground around it. After some time you dig up a large chest and smash up the lock. You find (insert proper treasure here) in the chest."

"Your map leads you to a strangely shaped rock out on a field and you start to dig holes in the ground around it. After some digging you are approached by an angry looking Farmer and his two menacing looking guard dogs who is wondering why you are digging up his field." Options: FIGHT Win: lose some honour but get the treasure, Lose get wounded and end up in prison. FLEE: "You bravely run away and do not stop until the hounds barking has silenced in the distance." REASON: "You explain about the treasure and the Farmer thanks you for finding his treasure. To show his gratitude he gives you a finders fee of 5 gold." or "The farmer is not placated and sets his dogs on you. " As FIGHT above except with no honour losses.

"Your map leads you to an abandoned well that seems to have dried out ages ago. You will need a rope to get down into the well. " If the adventurer has a rope he can get down into the well where he may or may not find treasure as above.

"You find a pitch black cave in the mountains that leads into the darkness. You turn on your lantern and move into the depths of the mountain. After some exploring you find a large cavern where the floor to your delight is covered with gold and treasure. Unfortunately there is a Dragon sleeping upon the treasure as well." Options: LEAVE : "You decide that Dragons are creatures better left alone and silently move out the way you came. SNEAK: If succesfull "You cautiously gather as much of the treasure as you are confident you can carry with you silently and move out without waking the dragon." If unsuccesful "As you do you your best to gather treasure silently you accidently drop a few golp pieces on the floor. Suddenly you stare into the yellow eyes  of the Dragon. You run for it dropping all but a few goldpieces but the dragon is hot on your trail." Either the dragon catches up and a dragon battle follows or the adventurer gets away but have awoken a dragon.ATTACK: "You sneak up on the sleeping dragon and attempts to slay it in its sleep. A terrible battle ensues!" Very tough battle with large chance of killing off the adventurer. Bonus should be given for wearing unique weapons or armour. Huge treasure if the adventurer wins though. Even if the adventurer survives a lost battle he will have awoken a dragon.

An awoken angry dragon could be treated as a monsterspawn in the area. If the devs do not want to implement a separate monstertype for them they could be treated as a normal monsterhorde but with anNPC commander. It should be tough to beat down. (The dragon quickly subjugates and take command of the local monsters.) Put an automatic bounty on the dragon that would represent its hoard.

This is only samples of what can happen. The list could be made as long as possible with little likelihood of having the same experience twice for any given adventurer and make theadventurer experience less grindy...

[Jens Namtrah]

I like   

[JPierreD]

Looks very cool. Giving adventurers adventures sounds extremely fun, though I suspect if approved it would take quite a while in being implemented, given the amount of code and stories needed to be made. Not that it is a problem, if the devs agree to this I'd be firing fireworks.

[Bael]

It does sound pretty good. Unless one can work up a strategy for the adventurer (where to travel, what to look for, etc), playing an adventurer can get quite stale at times.

Anything that livens it up is welcome.

[egamma]

Yes, I like this, and the options are well thought-out. Providing a use for the rope and lamp are great.

[Shizzle]

I like it, or at least most of it.

For instance, I dislike the Honour loss when confronting a mere farmer. I agree that he could prevent you from grabbing treasure, but losing H/P?

Also, I think the Dragon-thing is cool (though I don't think we really need/want dragons), but it is vulnerable to abuse. For instance, I could create an adventurer and set off a dragon in enemy territory...

I also think the treasure maps should be linked with the lack of maps we currently have for adventurers (which is a good thing). I think the Advy, even with a map, should require help from others to find the location.

Lastly, I think there should be a chance to find those treasures even without a map. It goes without saying that high Adventuring skill would be required, as well as a (very) large portion of luck.

[Norrel]

Also, I think the Dragon-thing is cool (though I don't think we really need/want dragons), but it is vulnerable to abuse. For instance, I could create an adventurer and set off a dragon in enemy territory...

I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing.

One suggestion to add, making dragons only killable with a group of highly skilled advies would be cool, as it would encourage teamwork.

[Draco Tanos]

For instance, I dislike the Honour loss when confronting a mere farmer. I agree that he could prevent you from grabbing treasure, but losing H/P?

You only lose honor for simply stabbing the farmer without trying to talk to him.  If he attacks you first (after a failed reasoning attempt), you don't lose honor.  That's a perfectly fair trade off. 

[Nosferatus]

great idea!
I do not think it will be too hard to code once the devs finish up the new code form.

I do think that you should replace dragon by (alpha)alpha monster or undead champion king for example.
There is no place for dragons in BM, or more acurate, there are already dragons: the daimons.
But for most characters, dragons are just myths.

[Thunthorn]

If you make the maps unpredictable enough they shouldn't be too abusable. Outcomes that produces the largest payoffs - like the dragon - would probably have to be pretty rare (and the maps themselves should be pretty rare to begin with) or the rewards would begin to affect the general economy in more than a marginal way.

Again the scenarios presented are more suggestions, ideas and an illustration of how I see the system working. They would probably need to be tweeked to fit the gameworld both flavorwise and economywise. Most of all they would need to be added to...

About honorloss for attacking the Farmer: What would be acceptable behaviour for a Knight is not necessarily that for a common adventurer. Knights have the duty to dispence low justice to the commonborn which includes treating them the way they want if the commoner looks at them the wrong way. Commoners should not kill each other unprovoked unless it is on the order of a nobleman. I definetly think a honorloss is in order if the adventurer attacks first.

[Nosferatus]

I definetly think a honorloss is in order if the adventurer attacks first.

Yes but who would know you did it? a farmer on a field and a few dogs, no witnesses, your gone in a blink.
I'd rather just go for a good chance of getting wounded with low sword fighting skill as penalty when facing the farmer.

[Draco Tanos]

How would the adventurer know that no one saw them?  Would he or she go looking for witnesses after a murder, when the witness very well may be calling for the militia/guard to hang the advy for his/her crimes?

[Bael]

How would the adventurer know that no one saw them?  Would he or she go looking for witnesses after a murder, when the witness very well may be calling for the militia/guard to hang the advy for his/her crimes?

The H/P is how others view you, not how you view yourself. In truth, the system can be a bit iffy. After all, who would know how many monsters you had slaughtered to get that extra honour point. So it appears to happen without witnesses.

The system is mainly for nobles, where they are witnessed fighting. So it is an ill-fit for adventurer.

[Draco Tanos]

True, but Advies can be bumped up to knights.  An raised advy known for murder wouldn't necessarily be looked on all to keenly.

[egamma]

True, but Advies can be bumped up to knights.  An raised advy known for murder wouldn't necessarily be looked on all to keenly.

You do realize that harsh courts, hangings, takeovers, even battles against peasant militias, all kill peasants?