A final shove on the sword, and the exhausted party members slumped to the ground, panting heavily. After a tremendous fight, the shy, demure dragon was at last safe from the evil, wretched princess (why not?) Wiping their collective brow, the party looked up and smiled at their reptilian beneficiary, which sat quietly on its mountainous heap of gold, gems, magical items and certified cheques. Each character rejoiced inwardly, in gleeful anticipation of what would certainly be a generous reward for their heroism. With a gentle cough that filled the lair with the acrid smell of sulphur, the dragon smiled at the party. "You have done me an inestimable service, the value of which is beyond the measure of any monetary sum." On the faces of several characters, smiles began to fade. The dragon continued. "As my way of showing my boundless gratitude for the help you have given me, please permit me to grant you this..." digging between two of its scales with a claw, the giant beast extracted a small gem that had been lodged there. Looking over the marble-sized ruby lovingly, the dragon flicked it towards the party leader. "If ever you should yourselves be in need, and wish for an ally, just hold the gem and call my name. I shall be there at once, and fight to the end beside you." John stood up, scattering his dice and almost spilling his cola. "What? We went through all that, and all we get is one lousy gem! It's worth what, two, three hundred gold, and Big Red Fatso there is sitting on millions! What a rip-off! " Just as every bad deed deserves a punishment, every good deed deserves a reward. But let's face it, gifts of money and magical items have been done before. In fact, such gifts have been handed out so often that sometimes they become expected! There must be something else a thankful NPC can give a party or a character as a reward; something that doesn't make the recipient more powerful than a speeding locomotive or rich enough to buy half the campaign world. That 'something else' is what this article is all about. There are a great number of things that NPCs can grant characters or parties that mean a great deal in terms of role- playing value, but have less weight when it comes to the numeric power of the character. just as variety is the spice of life, so too can variety and imagination add volumes to the flavour and feeling of the campaign world, perhaps even leading to new adventures. Let's take a look at three groups of gift ideas: Honors, Favors and Responsibilities. Honors The Imperial Throne Room fell silent as the God-Emperor stood up from his throne and descended the steps to stand before the kneeling paladin Vivian. The hallowed halls of the Grand Palace resonated with the deity's deep voice. "Vivian Justblade, you have saved myself and my dynasty from the grasp of Evil Incarnate. The Empire owes you an incalculable debt of gratitude for defeating the demon armies, and I owe you a personal debt of honor for leading my rescue. Arise now, Archduke Justblade, Defender Of The Empire, and let your name be spoken with honor and reverence from the four corners of the Empire, now and for all time." For a grateful lord, the easiest way to show someone your appreciation is to grant them some form of honor. It involves little outlay of money or commitment, but confers considerable prestige to the heroic character, with a title, badge of honor or coat Of arms; instant recognition through, out the realm. 1. Titles The classic symbol of honor is the title, which can take several forms. The most recognizable is the dubbing of the character into knighthood or making the character a member of the nobility. They could become, in a Brittanic-style nobility, a knight, a baron, viscount, marquess, earl or duke. Special or exotic titles could be used to give your own campaign world flavor, like pasha, markgraf, freiheff, sultan, vizier, nabob, castellan, or chancellor. The title could also be in the form of an epithet, which is like a formalized reputation. Coming after the character's normal name, epithets could include "the Mighty," "the Gallant," "the Pious," "the Brave," and of course "the Not Quite So Brave." Epithets such as "the Great" are reserved for the truly heroic character, while less pleasant epithets like "the Mad" or "the Impaler" give the bearer their own certain style, perfect for infamous NPCs. When giving a title, the GM should consider whether or not a fiefdom comes with it. If so, the direction of the character's career suddenly takes a considerable shift. New responsibilities such as taxation of the peasants, construction of the stronghold and diplomacy with the neighbours enter the picture. Remember as well that some feudal systems required those with specific titles to provide specified numbers of infantry, archers, knights and equipment to their liege lord in the event of war. 2. Symbols The title, especially that associated with knighthood, is a useful way to tell a character "well done," but it is sometimes over-used to the point of becoming a cliche. Another way to reward a character for a deed well done might be to bestow some form of symbol or badge of honor upon them, much like a soldier of today would earn a medal. For your own campaign world, you can create a complete range of colourful honors and awards, giving the world its own flavor. You could use what we today would recognize as 'medals' along with such symbols as capes, sashes, sacred carvings in wood or rock, feathers from mythical birds, jeweled rings or even tattoos. Symbols could come in different degrees of prestige, topping out with legendary tokens of honor on a par with the Congressional Medal of Honor or the Victoria Cross. Or symbols could come in a range, wherein each variant symbolizes the specific virtue of the recipient. One example set might be the Sarils, dyed eagle feathers braided into the hair of heroes in my own campaign world (see sidebar). 3. Coats of Arms The ultimate symbol, a coat of arms, immortalizes a character in your campaign world, even if they should never attain the heights of knighthood or nobility. A coat of arms might be passed down from generation to generation, evolving as it merges with the arms of other houses by marriage. In the Middle Ages, the rules for heraldry were largely standardized. As a result, it was possible for heraldry specialists ("heralds") to take a look at an oncoming horseman's shield and figure out who the person was by 'reading' the person's family tree. Usually starting with a symbol that rep, resents the bearer or some achievement of that person, the coat of arms can be added to endlessly with wreaths, mantling, helms, supporters and so on, gradually evolving into an intricate and artistic pictorial story of the bearer's family and accomplishments. For more information and examples of heraldry, stop in at your library or book, store. Titles and epithets, badges of honor and coats of arms grant considerable prestige to player characters, as well as a strong sense of belonging. They also help the ordinary people of the campaign world immediately realize where the character lies in The Grand Scheme Of Things. Of course, this includes ordinary people of competing or hostile realms, which can lead to uncomfortable or downright dangerous situations for the titled character. Favors Gruel the Half-Orc looked again at the small gem in his hand, then peered skeptically at the thankful dragon, still sitting quietly on its giant mountain of cash in easy- to-carry bags. "Lemmesee if I get this straight. We saved your behind from Princess Buffy the Cruel, and you're really thankful. But you're so thankful, you're not going to give us gold or magical objects. " The huge drake blinked and nodded slowly. "Correct, friend. Some things cannot be measured in gold and silver. " Gruel started nodding himself, "Riiiiight.; so instead you're gonna give us this itty bitty gem, which we can use to call you if we need help." "Correct again, friend." "And you will come and help us? We're just a bunch of blades for hire." "You might be blades, but you're the blades who saved my life. I will help." "You would fight for us?" "To the death, friend. I owe you that much." Gruel and his friends looked again at the gem. They were rich after all! Gruel's reptilian friend makes an important point: some kinds of help are valuable beyond measure. The dragon in this case feels he cannot put a monetary value on his debt to the party, and the GM would be frightened to try! When the relieved dragon or king says, "I don't have enough to pay you," how many parties would quickly say, "Oh sure you do. Just take us to the vault and repeat after me: 'Help yourself!'" Trying to reward a party monetarily for every great deed they perform is a dreadful trap. To make the next reward seem like a real bounty, the temptation is strong to just add a couple of zeroes. Pretty soon the party is buying powerful magical items to go along with their shiny new plate armor, fast horses and gigantic keeps. And heaven help the GM who tries to placate the party's calls for treasure with magic items! Often we hear the lament of GMs whose campaign worlds have been overrun by hopelessly powerful adventuring parties. The road to that situation begins with the first attempt by the GM to 'wow' the party with the number of zeroes he can add to a sum of gold. True, it is necessary to impress the party, to give them a reward for a well, done adventure that gives them the pleasant taste of accomplishment and success. But gold translates directly into power, and should be handled with care. Magic especially should remain rare, for it is the rarity of magic that makes it special. Titles and tokens of honor might not be appropriate, for the grateful being might not be in a position to bestow 'official' rewards of that sort. However, there is one thing that every single grateful being has the authority to give: itself. Consider Gruel's revelation in the lair of the grateful dragon. The party leaves the lair no wealthier, with no great magical items to weigh them down or titles or medals to trumpet their deeds, but they do exit the lair a great deal richer than they entered. They have an ace up their sleeve, and that ace is Big and Red and Scaly. The best part is, of course, that no one knows but them. The long-term implications for the campaign are wonderful; the characters continue their adventuring career with slightly more confidence, knowing that they have something very rare in any campaign world: an ally. And, somewhere down the line, when Gruel and his friends get in more trouble than they can handle, that ace can be played to really stack the deck in their favor. The experience I've had with giving people allies has been positive. It gives them a healthier outlook on the campaign world, for they can see it's not just Us Against Everything. There is also incentive to keep gaming, in the hopes of seeing the looks on the bad guys' faces when All Our Friends show up. . The concept of the Favor can be applied to a great many creatures, large and small. Ideas could include: dragons, arch, mages, priests or temples, lords and ladies, those who operate 'above the law' and wandering heroes or creatures of myth and legend. Even the 'little guys' of the campaign world can take part; a small creature like an ordinary bird could someday prove a useful ally when he performs reconnais. sance for the party or even makes a deposit (as only birds can) on the enemy spellcaster at the Dramatically Appropriate Moment. The possibilities are only limited by the GM's imagination. Responsibility Marquess Ageem leaned far back in his throne, pressing his pudgy fingertips together while deep in thought. After what seemed an eternity to the assembled audience, he took a heavy breadt and sighed, then spoke. "Sir Jerrold, you have rid my lands of the 'Burning Elf kobold tribe, and have restored the Sacred Commode of S'Pleen to its proper resting place in the Temple of Colon. In fact, you have done a truly remarkable job of bringing law and order to what were, until now, wild and untamed lands." Jerrold the knight bowed deeply. "I seek only to serve, my lord." "And so you shall," blurted the Portly noble, "indeed, you have shown a singular ability to serve and to create law and order. I have a new way in which you could continue to serve." "You need but name it, my lord." "Oh, but I shall, I shall. The southern districts of my lands are savage, filled with wilderness and depravity, inhabited only by fierce tribes of orcs, ogres and goblins. I hereby appoint you Lord Provost for my realms, and I set you the task of sweeping these southern areas of all the disreputable scum, finally bringing law and order to all my lands. " The knight's face flushed as his mind raced. Whatt the hell? I only tricked the kobold chief into leaving ... his eyes darted about the room as he stammered, "My ... my lord, this is a most unusual appointment. 1, er, uh ... am unworthy of such an important and generous task. Um, there must be someone more worthy of this honor than myself." Marquess Ageem dismissed the knight's protests with a wave of his hand. "Oh, posh, Jerrold. You have shown what you can do! Your modesty won't get you out of the honor you deserve. A hundred of my best men await you outside; you leave at once! Keep me informed of your progress, and may the gods go with you as they always have!" The look on the lord's face signaled the end of the discussion, so Sir Jerrold stood to leave, his mind still swimming in the magnitude of his predicament. Unsteadily, he made his way towards the throne room doors, when the Marquess's voice came floating from behind him. "Oh, and Sir Jerrold, I happened to mention your spectacular skills to the Imperial House. His Highness is most interested in seeing your progress when He passes through next month. Ta ta, Jerrold!" With the sound of a thousand pots and pans being thrown down a flight of stairs, the knight fainted and fell to the floor. Heroic characters, through their initiative, daring and (most often) blind luck, do heroic things; it's their job. Well, when a character shows particular ability at his calling, be it ridding the world of undead, creating new and violent spells, or good old fashioned orc-punting, a grateful (and prudent) leader might begin to see the benefits in having the hero 'do their thing' full time. For the GM, this makes the granting of important duties or responsibilities a double- edged sword in terms of honors and rewards. For instance, a knight like Sir Jerrold who demonstrates the ability to 'tame the wilderness' might get a job to do precisely that. Or he could be given command of a prestigious company of crack cavalry, commandos, archers or line infantry. Wizards could be given a post heading up an important arcane guild or school, while clerics might be similarly appointed the high priest for an area. As well as being important honors, these jobs bring that most dreaded of words with them: Responsibility. The character suddenly becomes accountable for the conduct and well being of their troop of cavalry, their school of mages, or their priests and priestesses. Furthermore, the character's boss is going to expect results, adding a challenging new dimension to the character's career. The cavalry unit is going to be expected to win a few battles; the arcane school is going to expect marks to improve, and the priests are going to expect more converts. Another wonderful situation that bears a sharp edge to it is the noble who decides the character was so useful, he or she ought to be around all the time ... literally. Those who prove themselves especially useful and trusted to a noble might find themselves made an official Advisor to the noble household. When Archduke Whitehawk becomes Imperial Advisor, he is going to have the Emperor's ear... and he is going to have to produce results. If he gives good advice, he will become more and more trusted, and greater and greater honors will be heaped upon him. One bad recommendation that gets a thousand of the Imperial Guard slaughtered, however, and the Imperial Advisor could very well become Imperial Dungeon Resident. Apart from the expectation to produce results, the other nasty part of receiving such an honorable and prestigious appointment is that the character's adventuring career is more or less over. instead, they will be spending most of their time hanging around the throne room, listening to speeches from long-winded ambassadors, and delivering keynote addresses at various Imperial functions. Fun, wheee. As a result, this particular form of torture, er, honor is often best saved until the character is powerful enough that the GM would prefer they spent less time laying waste to the campaign world. It's a form of semi-retirement, where the heroic character would still be able to venture forth on rare occasions, to personally fulfill some special mission for his lord or Emperor (like finding some dumb kid named Skywalker, for instance ... ) Conclusion Money and magic translate directly into more powerful characters, and not only make the next adventure less challenging, but can actually create the expectation of more money or more powerful magical items the next time out. GMs need more non-monetary and non-magical rewards and treasures to bestow upon characters, or run the risk of losing their campaign in a wash of gold. There are countless examples of rewards and honors to that cost little to the person bestowing the honor, but confer incredible levels of prestige to those who receive them. Titles can be used either straight from history or made specific to a campaign world, and can come with or without fiefdoms. The character becomes an integral part of the campaign world itself, earning a sense of belonging and of being 'in on' the Grand Scheme of Things. Being recognised by the ordinary people of the campaign world gives a player a special feeling above and beyond the medals and symbols that invariably accompany such a title. Creatures that have either no authority, no ability or no need to bestow titles or symbols can make the most sincere gift of all: themselves. When a given NPC makes a commitment to the character, the player gains a feeling of no longer 'being alone' in the campaign world. An ally they can call on is a powerful reason for characters to continue in the campaign world, not just with increased confidence but with the desire to feel the satisfaction when they cash in their favors. Later on in their careers, characters often become so powerful that they have the ability to fundamentally alter the structure of the campaign world. As a result, the GM might wish to see them take a less direct role in the flow of things; a form of semi- retirement. Granting the character a special duty or responsibility in the structure of the campaign shows that they have at last 'arrived'. Although not yet fully retired, the character's direct influence is limited to a few special, memorable events as they slowly pass into the GM's hands as an important and remembered NPC in the world. GMs have the capacity to create a truly enormous amount of color and flavor for their campaign world through the inventive use of some of the above ideas. Special titles, impressive and inspiring symbols of honor, interesting allies and a dignified end to a glorious career are all wonderful opportunities for the GM to lavishly reward the characters for good deeds well done - without making them hopelessly powerful. Over time, the campaign world can develop a backdrop of fascinating customs, prestigious symbols and most importantly of all, inspiring and memorable characters that the players fondly remember from days gone past. Back to Shadis #20 Table of Contents Back to Shadis List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master List of Magazines © Copyright 1995 by Alderac Entertainment Group This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com