Looting a Villiage

[Illithilich]

Right, in a campaign im running I had the players come across a deserted village. I described it to them as if everyone had simply dissappeared one night, everything was still there and intact. What happened is that the vampire lord the had unwittingly freed got here ahead of them and killed the villagers one by one in the night as they slept. The corpses were then animated and brought with him. What I did not expect was their reaction to this deserted village. "We loot the town." So... is there a good or easy way to determine what loot a village of about 100ish should have in it?

[Righteous Doggy]

Well, it depends what sort of village it is doesn't it? Are you going to let them individually search each house for valuable items and do they even have enough supplies and the capability to carry the whole towns loot somwhere willing to take it?

[mattie_p]

The information you are looking for can be found on page 137 of the DMG. In brief, population of 100 means a hamlet. Hamlets have a gp limit of 100, meaning that no single item found there will cost more than 100gp. To determine the amount of ready cash (gold/silver/copper) available, multiply half the gp limit by 1/10th of its population. 50 * 10 = 500gp in coins (although most of that will be silver and copper).

EDIT: Oh - if you really want to get fancy, roll on the tables found on page 139 to determine the character classes found in the hamlet. I rolled randomly and determined the following:

1st level aristocrat, 4th level adept, 2x 2nd level adepts, 1x 3rd level bard, 2x 1st level bards, 1st level barbarian, 1st level cleric, 11th level commoner, 2x 5th level commoners, 4x 2nd level commoners, 60x 1st level commoners, 2nd level druid, 2x 1st level druids, 3x 1st level expert, 5th level fighter, 2x 2nd level fighters, 2nd level monk, 2x 1st level monks, 1st level paladin, 1st level ranger, 6th level rogue, 2x 3rd level rogues, 1st level sorcerer, 6th level warrior, 2x 3rd level warriors, 3x 1st level warriors, 1st level wizard. Whew

Total WBL will be kinda high, but remember that for most residents, the wealth is buying them their house, clothes, furniture (even if primitive) etc. Only generate items for the personnel above 1st level, and then use the guidelines in pages 113-126 of the DMG.

[gbprime]

PC's will loot anything they come across. Plan for it. :smallwink:

In this case, they should have to search the place completely and at length to find where all those villagers are stashing their precious copper and silver pieces. They should also have a large amount of tools and mundane items.

In fact, most of the wealth of the village should be tied up in things like iron pots, fishing nets, rope, and non-masterwork tools.

[Igneel]

Well I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that the majority if not the entirety of the population were Commoners, meaning they wouldn't have much to their name outside of tools for their trade food, and other basic needs.
Maybe there were some adepts and experts with slightly better items like spell components or some finished products of their work such as weapons? Honestly a population of ~100 doesn't have that good of an economy so I wouldn't guess too many magic items and stuff the players are more then likely hoping for.

[Telonius]

Are we assuming that the vampire didn't order his new minions to take their possessions with them?

[gbprime]

Are we assuming that the vampire didn't order his new minions to take their possessions with them?

If he just animated the corpses as the OP stated, only the obvious stuff would have gone with (weapons, armor, finery). It's not like you can tell a zombie to bring along the hidden jar of coins from under your floorboard, because it doesn't know that anymore.

[Voyager_I]

If he just animated the corpses as the OP stated, only the obvious stuff would have gone with (weapons, armor, finery). It's not like you can tell a zombie to bring along the hidden jar of coins from under your floorboard, because it doesn't know that anymore.

The obvious is probably also the stuff that PCs will be most interested in. Unless they're extremely low level, prying up floorboards looking for hidden pouches of silver isn't likely to be worth their time.

[nedz]

1st level aristocrat, 4th level adept, 2x 2nd level adepts, 1x 3rd level bard, 2x 1st level bards, 1st level barbarian, 1st level cleric, 11th level commoner, 2x 5th level commoners, 4x 2nd level commoners, 60x 1st level commoners, 2nd level druid, 2x 1st level druids, 3x 1st level expert, 5th level fighter, 2x 2nd level fighters, 2nd level monk, 2x 1st level monks, 1st level paladin, 1st level ranger, 6th level rogue, 2x 3rd level rogues, 1st level sorcerer, 6th level warrior, 2x 3rd level warriors, 3x 1st level warriors, 1st level wizard. Whew
.

Wow - that was a lot of rolling.
I'm curious what you would do with the 11th level commoner though, and the two 5th level ones too?

[Hand_of_Vecna]

To be honest not much. About 100gp in silver and copper, 100gp in tools and 100gp in drygoods.

[Ravens_cry]

To be honest not much. About 100gp in silver and copper, 100gp in tools and 100gp in drygoods.
I agree. To be honest, most wealth in a village is in a not very transportable form. I suppose a party could take slaves, but transporting live cargo so it will remain in a sellable condition, while preventing escapes, would be a real hassle.

[mattie_p]

Wow - that was a lot of rolling.
I'm curious what you would do with the 11th level commoner though, and the two 5th level ones too?

11th level commoner is the defacto mayor and boss. He's been there since the town was a thorp. 1st level aristocrat is his son who thinks he is boss because his dad is. One 5th level commoner is the town blacksmith: despite the class and lack of skill points they can make almost anything out of metal.

The other 5th level commoner is the wife of the town drunk. Everytime he comes home drunk (every day) he tries to beat her - but she wins - every single time. PCs and NPCs get exp for defeating their foes (they don't have to kill them). So she defeats her husband, lover, and foe, every single night, and keeps gaining exp. Nobody who isn't drunk messes with her.

Yeah, so this is life in the hamlet. Good luck

[Slipperychicken]

You could say Count Chocula already took list of the good stuff, since he needs funds for his evil plans, then leave them a few metaphorical gems that he missed (a masterwork toolset for Profession: Butcher, some gold dropped in the confusion), but mostly a bunch of garbage like 8lb rakes that cost a silver each, 2cp/gallon ale (maybe throw in a bottle or three of fancy wine, if the Count didn't already take it), a dagger, some slings, some veggies and other foodstuffs (mechanically functioning as tastier rations), and maybe a bunch of chickens and pigs. Have a cow or two there to see if they actually go for it (cows are 1 gold each I think).


They might also be arrested if word gets around that a village was slaughtered and looted, and the PCs just happened to unload a bunch of farm equipment and familiar-looking animals at Neighbouring Townsville.

But yeah, read down the Goods and Services section of the SRD, and throw in all kinds of near-worthless, heavy miscellaney.

[JadePhoenix]

Alignment shifting in 1, 2, 3...

[Morph Bark]

Alignment shifting in 1, 2, 3...

You're assuming they weren't already non-good. :smallamused: