Running a business
A PC may spend, at least, 500gp to establish a self-sustaining business, that operates while he or she is away on adventures, with the company’s employees handling the local and mundane trade on behalf of the character. This investment involves buying shops, inns, ships or other profit-making ventures. Rather than running the business themselves, the property is rented out to NPCs. In effect, you become a commercial landlord. You can benefit from this in two ways.
You collect a fixed sum in rent every time you go up a level. Depending on the business, and your investment, you will earn somewhere between 2.5% and 10% of the investment, every time you go up a level. However, there are ways to increase that income slightly. See the Business Investments page, which lists how much rent is returned for each different business category.
You may also benefit from variations in the Property Market, and how well your business has been run. When the PC attains a new level, they make a Property Market Check and compare it to the Property Market Table to determine how well their business has done. After the Property Market Check, the PC’s business may gain (or lose) value. The value gained, may be invested in a new property, or spent on improving the current properties (both of which increase future incomes). However, on an unlucky roll, the business may lose value and will reduce your potential market gains for the next Property Market Table roll. If the business’s value falls below 500gp, it folds, and all investments are lost, unless the deficit is reinvested immediately.
A character may only run one business at a time, however, the business may be active in several different areas – ie you could own an inn, a farm and a blacksmith - but you only make one Market Table check.
Property Market Table
Property Market Checks - D20 + Profession Merchant. You make this roll every time a character goes up a level - You may not Take-10 or Take-20, and the roll is not affected by spells, bard performances etc.
| DC | Result |
| Fail | Disaster! The Hand of Fate is turned against you. Ten percent of the money currently invested in the business is lost! We have no Fate but the Fate which we are given! |
| 10 | A slow season, nothing to panic about, but five percent of all money invested is lost. |
| 15 | Business is as business always is, with a regular turnover of funds but little advancement. The value of your business does not change. |
| 20 | Business is livelier. The funds invested in the company increase by five percent. |
| 25 | Business is quite good. The funds invested in the company increase by ten percent. |
| 30 | Business is good. The funds invested in the company increase by fifteen percent. |
| 40 | Business is excellent! The gods smile upon your endeavour, and your business is booming! Money invested in the company increases by twenty percent! We have no Fate but the Fate which we are given! |
Deductions to covers the normal taxes, tariffs, fees for paperwork, permits, and the like are already accounted for in the table. However, draconian, corrupt or suspicious governments may add extra tariffs and fees that need to be paid, before the final income for the trading period is finalised.