Does it disappear into the ether? Does it stays with them? This question came up recently.
I ruled it disappears, to be done with by the henchmen what they will,on the basis they expect their employers to pay all their costs. But disappearing money doesn’t seem to gel with ACKS consistent economy rules.
So how do people run this?
My assumption was that, since henchmen have a monthly salary as well as their share of loot, they are not necessarily provided with living arrangements outside of adventuring.
So their salary goes towards their room and board, entertainment, etc, when they’re in town. Of course, their share means they have more money than that too, and for me, what they spend it on would be determined by the personality of the henchman. (A studious wizard henchman might collect rare books, a rowdy fighter henchman might spend it carousing.)
39% drinks
10% room and board
20% sex
10% tithe
10% protection money to the thief's guild
10% back home
1% random people on the street, mostly beggars
I didn't expect a henchman spending breakdown that didn't contain an entry for "Fancy Hats" to be personal canon, but it is now.
[quote="Jard"]
I didn't expect a henchman spending breakdown that didn't contain an entry for "Fancy Hats" to be personal canon, but it is now.
[/quote]
He's not going to BUY fancy hats when he knows there's a Helmet of Cats lurking in the next dungeon
Headwear of Infinite Resplendence
When found unworn, this headwear seems unremarkable at first glance, though always appears as if constructed in a classic and timeless fashion for whatever region or culture it is currently residing in.
When donned, however, it always appears as the perfect hat for the occasion, whether atop the head of male, female, or other. It will coordinate with and greatly enhance whatever other clothing the creature is wearing. In fact, the headwear goes several steps beyond perfect, and will cause such reaction as to set hat styles for the next two years in the region of whatever event it appeared at; much to the delight of milliners everywhere. (treat masters of Craft(Milliner) as twice as likely to be available in any settlement of Class III or above for the time period)
When worn at social functions, the hat grants the wearer the effects of the Mystic Aura proficiency.; and the wearer gains a +2 bonus to attempts to impress or intimidate. Reaction rolls of 12+ cause the subjects to act as if charmed in the wearer's presence.
The headwear has passed through many hands in it's storied history; and has for the past several decades been said to be in the possession of Elizabeth the Second, House of Windsor; of the Isle of Albion.
I believe Alex said somewhere around here that henchmen blow their extra money on their reserve XP fund so they can come back as higher level henchmen. :)
HE FRAGGING WELL WOULD TOO!!!! Augh. Alex you are out of control
I'm pretty sure when he said that it was meant as a joke. The exact specifics of how henchman spend their money and what qualifies for reserve XP is not known and not relevant because you'd have no guarantee that the next henchman you were hiring was the reserve XP character of your last hench. Hence it's sort of a silly way to suggest that the reserve XP system is actually part of the world's inner workings and not a gamist trope.
Heh. Yea, tongue-in-cheek:
http://www.autarch.co/forum/henchmen-earnings-question-0
One could assume they're already doing that, and that's why there's a table for Henchman Availability By Market Class.....
In fact, perhaps one could take that availability per month, backtrack that to what amount of reserve XP would produce that availability of that number of henchmen per month, and from there deduce the adventuring income and death rate of henchmen across the realms, and then take it up a level with an assumed # of henchmen per PC/PCs per party and get the total treasure gain per adventurer per month worldwide.
I knew that. It's just a very potent joke.
EVERYTHING FITS TOGETHER
IT'S FRACTALS ALL THE WAY DOWN
Just a note, I was the one who asked about Henchmen pay. I was just wondering if they did things like 'reserve the cash required for a Restore Life & Limb' maybe having a pact with other henches to bring their body back and use the money they set aside.
Also, given our most recent kerfuffle caused a henchman to basically have his balls cut off (made infertile) I was actually quite curious if they'd try and save for a Restore Life & Limb in those circumstances, as the -3 reaction penalty makes it quite clear that this would be a major problem for someone in this world. You've noted that they spend it on things that interest them that have no game relevant uses, but surely *that* would be one of the most relevant things to them now. Also I am aware that rolling on that table would likely be *far* worse game wise, but I get the feeling that the henchman might not care under these circumstances.