There are countless items for sale in fantasy worlds. Rather than having pages and pages of lists to have to flip through, I present four general categories of things one could buy in any given village, town, or city. If the syllable-based rules here sometimes create odd prices for items, it's more than likely because you've come across Marlon Blacktooth, the stingy, greasy-fingered merchant! Every town has one. Remember, characters have a Charisma ability. Use it to try bartering for a better price. Things like magic items, weapons, and armor should be priced specifically, however - as they generally are in almost every rpg rulebook.
Item Categories
1gp Items: Things a commoner might buy in an average day - a simple meal or two, a few drinks, a torch. These cost 1gp each. "A meal and a few pints of ale at the inn" = 1gp
5gp Items: Things an adventurer might buy - a rope, a hammer, a lantern. These items cost 5gp per syllable. "lantern" = 10gp.
10gp Items: Things a specialist might buy only once or a few times - a chair, navigation tools, thieves tools. These items cost 10 gp per syllable. "wooden table" = 40gp.
25gp Items: Luxury items - a fancy necklace, a beautiful diamond ring, a blue silk dress. These items cost 25gp per syllable. "string of pearls" =75gp
100gp Items: Items which are dangerous all by themselves - drugs, animals, poisons. These items cost 100gp per syllable. "warhorse" = 200gp
Optional Rule #1: “Quality-Reducing Words” Words, normally adjectives or adverbs, that reduce the quality of an item lower the corresponding per-syllable price for each quality-reducing word given to an item. For example, a “lantern” ( a 5gp-per-syllable item) would normally cost 10gp (2 syllables). A “used lantern” would only cost 5gp. Each word used this way also equates to one chance in six (1d6) for the item to break when activated, to a maximum of five such words for an item. For example, a “used” lantern has a one-in-six chance (1d6) becoming useless each time it is lit. Another example might be an “old, tired” warhorse. This would be essentially free, as the two quality-reducing words cancel out the 100gp-per-syllable cost (warhorse = 2 syllables). However, if a 1 or a 2 is ever rolled on 1d6 when mounting the horse, the horse just dies right then and there. Yes, it’s very sad. Don’t barter for an old, tired horse.
Optional Rule #2: “Quality-Enhancing Words” Astute readers coming from the previous optional rule will most likely have already predicted this rule. Words, normally adjectives or adverbs, that enhance the quality of an item increase the corresponding per-syllable price for each such word given to an item. For example, a “lantern” ( a 5gp-per-syllable item) would cost 10gp (2 syllables). A “big lantern” would thus cost 15gp. Here the GM should get creative with what kinds of bonuses would apply to items with quality-enhancing words. One solution would be to give a +1 to skill checks related to using the item. A “big lantern” might grant a +1 on Perception checks, for example. A “really big lantern” might grant a +2, etc.
