Money[]
Metal coins—copper, silver, electrum, gold, and platinum pieces-are unknown in barbarian societies. In many remote areas of the world, these metals aren't available. Where the ores do exist, barbarians lack the technology to process the metal and manufacture coins.
Still, most barbarian societies engage in commerce, albeit on a limited scale. Often, they employ a standard of exchange to measure the relative worth of goods and facilitate transactions. Whereas gold pieces are the accepted standard in most outworld economies, a barbarian economy may be based on animal pelts, lumps of salt, or physical labor.
Following are five economic systems typical of barbarian cultures. The advantages and disadvantages of each system are discussed, along with probable consequences when a barbarian attempts to use that system in the outworld.
Simple Barter[]
In this system, barbarians exchange handcrafted, harvested, and discovered objects as the need arises. One with a surplus of blueberries may trade some to his neighbor for a spear. A dozen apples may be exchanged for a chicken, a stone axe swapped for a raft. An object's value fluiauates according to its availability In summer, when the trees are filled with fruit, an apple may be esseniially worthless. But in winter, when fruit is scarce, an apple may be worth a blanket or a short bow. During a drought, a village's most valuable commodity may be fresh water.
Advantages. Transactions m straightforward and uncomplicated. Assuming the availability of resources, a barbarian can usually find or make an object needed by someone else. Simple barter flourishes where the populace neither ne@ nor quires a lot of goods.
Disadvantages. A barbarian may be stuck with an excess of a particular commodity if he can't find interested traders. Flowers must be traded %re they wilt, fruit before it spoils. A barbarian who trades a horse for a rare crimson seashell may find the value of his treasure evaporate if hundreds of such shells abruptly wash ashore.
Outworld consequences. A barbarian may trade commodities from his homeland with any outworlder intmted in them. The trade must be for merchandise of equivalent value, negotiated upward or downward as the situation dictates. Use the price lists in Chapter 6 of the Player's Handbook to determine the value of common objects. For example, a barbarian might trade two pounds of salt (worth 1 sp per pound) with an outworld merchant for two pounds of raisins (worth 1 sp per pound). He might trade a riding hose (worth 75 gp) for a bull (20 gp), a calf (5 gp), and two guard dogs (25 gp each). If the values aren't equivalent, and the barbarian still wants to make a trade, round the values in favor of the outworld trader (a blanket valued at 5 sp will cost the barbarian two arrows worth 4 sp each).
Values may be rounded in favor of the barbarian if he intimidates or impresses the outworld trader (as determined by the DM), or the outworld trader badly wants to make the deal. The bartering proficiency (see Chapter 4) may also help the barbarian make a good deal.
Handmade items from barbarian cultures are rarely worth more than half of their standard value. An outworld short bow has a value of 30 gp, but a barbarian short bow is probably wortl no more than 15 gp. However, if a barbariai item is well-crafted (an intricately painted clay bowl), made of rare materials (a canoe line; with mink pelts), or sought by collectors (a cere monial mask), it may be worth many times it outworld equivalent.
Animal Products Barter[]
A more refined version of simple barter, this system uses animal products-furs, pelts, teeth, feathers, meat-as a medium of exchange. A bundle of kindling may be worth one squirrel hide or two rabbit carcasses. The fur of a wolf may be exchanged for a spear, an ostrich plume for a blanket, two shark's teeth for a bunch of bananas. Values tend to be measured in terms of animal products, even if animal products aren't actually exchanged. In a village where raccoon pelts are traded, a husband may proudly announce to his wife that he gathered "a pelt of strawbemes."
Advantages. Although there is no universal medium of exchange among barbarians, animal products come close. Meat is a dietary staple. Nearly every barbarian uses hides and furs for clothing, blankets, and shelter. The less practical products-feathers, teeth, and claws-are valued as decorations. And animals can be found most everywhere, even in the outworld.
Disadvantages. An animal's availability may depend on the season. Bears hibernate in the winter; birds may migrate to distant nesting grounds in the spring. Meat may spoil, and untreated hides may rot.
Outworld Consequences. When bartering with animal products, use the same guidelines as the simple barter system described above. The appendix of this book lists the values for commonly traded animal products. In most campaign worlds, a barbarian receives full value for these products-that is, a black bear pelt is always worth 6 gp, an elephant tusk is always worth 300 gp-though values may fluctuate from region to region, as determined by the DM.
Service Barter[]
Some societies barter with personal services instead of goods. A barbarian "pays" for a desired item with an act of physical labor. A woman may offer to help her neighbor carry stones to build a new shelter in exchange for a deer carcass. If a man wants one of his sister's axes, he may offer to cook her meals for a week. A fighter who kills a cleric's enemy may be compensated with a speak with dead spell so he can converse with his deceased wife.
Advantages. A barbarian needs only a healthy body and a willingness to work to use this system. Barbarian and outworld societies alike require laborers.
Disadvantages. The system favors the powerful and the proficient at the expense of the weak and the unskilled. The elderly, the sick, and the wounded may have to rely on the generosity of others to obtain goods. Outworld merchants may not accept labor as payment.
Outworld Consequences. Unskilled laborers - street cleaners, ditch diggers, weed pullers-earn no more than 1-2 sp per day in the outworld (paid in food or other goods). A barbarian with modest skills, such as animal skinning, may earn 2-5 sp per day in goods. Dangerous jobs-hunter, warrior, bodyguard are worth as much as 1 gp in goods per day, depending on the risk involved.
Crude Currency[]
As an alternative to pure barter, a few advanced barbarian societies have experimented with crude currency. The currency can take any form that the society agrees to accept as payment for services or goods. Some examples:
- Stone disk. The size of the disk determines its value, but all tend to be large and cumbersome to prevent theft. An average disk, which might buy a weasel carcass or a loin cloth, may be 3 4 feet in diameter. It may take a disk as big a man to purchase a canoe or a horse. Rather than carry their money, barbarians roll it from place to place. They sometimes stack their disks in front of their dwellings to show off their wealth.
- Seashells. 'Money' commonly used among islander or tropical coastal cultures, these are cowrie shells or their equivalent. The size and pattern of the shell (and its rarity) determines its value. Some shells are used as personal ornament, while other shells might yield pigments or be used as spell components.
- Copper ornaments. A culture that has developed copper working often uses copper trinkets for barter. The workmanship is secondary to the usefulness of the metal itself. Bracelets, bangles, chains, and strings of copper disks are worked so that individual pieces can be easily twisted off and traded.
- Miniature weapons. The society chooses a particular weapon-knife, spear, arrow-to represent a unit of currency. limy replicas, seldom more than a few inches long, are carved from wood. A society might opt for shapes (rings, crosses, cubes) or miniature tools (shovels, hammers, fish hooks).
- Gems and minerals. Pearls, turquoise chips, or any other uncommon gem or mineral may serve as currency. The leader may control the amount of money in the economy by claiming it all for himself, then doling it out as he sees fit. Alternately, the people may be free to keep all of the currency they find in the wilderness. If a particular type of currency is easy to find, it may have much less value in the barbarian's culture than in the outworld. A pearl, for instance, may only buy a single fish in a barbarian culture. A black diamond may only be good for a tortoise shell shield.
Advantages. Most currency tends to be durable. A miniature wooden spear lasts longer than an untreated beaver pelt, and a stone disk lasts indefinitely. It's easy for traders to make change; if a clay ring buys two pumpkins but the buver only wants one, the seller breaks the ring down the middle and gives half back to the buyer.
Disadvantages. Most barbarian currency worthless in the outworld. Though gems and minerals retain their value, stone disks, miniatture weapons, and seashells won't buy much of anything.
Outworld consequences. Gems and miner are worth their listed values in the appendix the Dungeon Master Guide. (A barbarian may be pleasantly surprised to discover tha pearl that buys a single fish in his homeland is worth a couple of horses in the outworld.) Other forms of barbarian currency have little or no value. Examples of exotic currencies, such as miniature weapons or stained leaves, may be worth 1 gp or so each, but only to collectors.
Trade-free Economy[]
Small, exceptionally primitive societies may have no need for an economic system of any kind. Whatever a barbarian wants, he takes. If he needs food, he hunts or fishes; if his efforts fail, he goes hungry. If he wants a spear, he makes it himself or does without. A barbarian may share surplus food or goods with his neighbor, but he's under no obligation to do so. Barter is is unknown. No form of currency is recognized
Advantages. The system requires no bookkeeping or haggling. People don't have to fuss with currency or accumulate excess goods for trade.
Disadvantages. For the society to survi there must be a surplus of essential goo including food, water, and raw materials f shelter and weapons. The system may fo brutality,with the strong thriving at the ex of the weak.
Outworld consequences. Though a barbarian may feel morally justified in taking what he wants (see the alignment section elsewhere in this chapter), he soon learns that outworlders see things differently. A barbarian who insists on using this system will probably be treated like a criminal or taken advantage of by more commercially minded outsiders.
Campaign Economics[]
As part of the character creation process, the barbarian will have one of the above economic systems. (Any two or all three of the barter systems—simple, animal products, and service might be combined into a single system). Base the choice on the character's background, the player's personal preference, and the DMs recommendation.
A barbarian should stick with the same system throughout his career, or at least as long as it‘s practically feasible. If in doubt, choose a barter system. They're the easiest to use and make the smoothest transition into the outworld. The animal products barter system is the most common.
| D20 | Roll System |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | Simple barter |
| 4-12 | Animal products barter |
| 13 | Service barter |
| 14-15 | Animal products barter combined with simple barter or service barter (DMs choice) |
| 16-17 | Animal products, simple, and service barter (combination of all three) |
| 18-19 | Crude cumncy (DM chooses form) |
| 20 | Trade-free economy |
Starling Equipmenk Regadless of his economic background, a barbarian character begins his career with his primary weapon (chosen by the player, approved by the DM), the clothing on his back (which may also serve as armor; see Chapter 5), and a few useful non-weapon items from his homeland (a typical selection includes a blanket, some dried meat, and a sack). With the DMs permission, the barbarian may also have a second weapon. All of this equipment comes free of charge.
Whether the barbarian receives any starting funds depends on his economic system:
Simple or animal products barter. A barbarian who comes from a society that uses simple barter, animal products barter, or a combination of both begins with the following:
- Fighter: 3d4 gp worth of tradable goods
- Cleric: 2d4 gp worth of tradable goods
For the value of goods, see Chapter 6 of the Player's Handbook and the appendix of this book. The goods must be common to the barbarian's homeland (no polar bear pelts for desert barbarians ) and easily portable. For example, a fighter eligible for 10 gp worth of goods might begin with two raccoon pelts (1 gp each) and one cocka!xice feather (8 gp). A cleric eligible for 5 gp of goods might have a pound of pepper (2 gp) and a wolf pelt (3 gp).
Service barter. This barbarian begins with no starting funds. If he has a rough time in the outworld obtaining provisions and equipment he needs to survive, the DM may allow him to barter with animal products or other goods. However, he'll have to come up with his own tradable goods (probably by hunting, trapping or foraging).
Crude currency. The DM must first determine the outworld value of the barbarian's homeland currency. Currency adapted from natural materials, such as rocks and seashells, is worthless. Currency that involves a modest level of craftsmanship, such as miniature weapons, may be worth a few copper pieces to traders or merchants, 1 gp or so to collectors.
A barbarian begins with a handful or pouchful of his homeland currency. If the currency is unwieldy, such as stone disks, he begins with an amount he can comfortably roll or carry on his back. The total value of the currency may not exceed 3d4 gp for fighters and 2d4 gp for clerics. It most cases, the value is considerably less, perhaps no more than a few copper pieces.
Barbarians who use crude currency may be forced to shift to another economic system in order to survive in the outworld. With the DM's permission, they may eventually learn to barter with animal products or other goods.
If the barbarian uses gems or minerals as currency, the DM must first determine the smallest unit commonly traded in his homeland. For example, the smallest unit may be a turquoise pebble (outworld value: 1 gp), an azurite chip (5 gp), or a single pearl (100 gp). He begins with the following:
- Fighter: 1d6 units
- Shaman: 1d4 units
Clearly, a barbarian using this system can start his career with a small fortune. To protect game balance, the DM can l i t th e maximum starting value. Because of his attitudes about wealth, even a wealthy barbarian may have little interest in taking full advantage of his homeland currency (see Wealth and Treasure below).
Trade-free economy. A barbarian from a trade-free culture begins with no money or tradable goods. Unless he's skilled at stealing or has generous friends, his long-term prospects for survival in the outworld aren't good. After he's suffered a few run-ins with the law or a string of beatings from victimized merchants, the DM may allow him to use a barter system.
Wealth and Treasure[]
As a barbarian spends time in the outworld, he'll likely be exposed to treasures that exceeds his wildest dreams. How will he react? Will he begin to covet fancy clothes, lust after emerald rings, and hoard gold pieces?
Put simply, a barbarian has little interest in accumulating wealth. He does not covet material possessions. While his outworlder companions busy themselves with building their fortunes and acquiring treasures, the barbarian contents himself with filling his belly, keeping his spear sharp ened, and enjoying the afternoon sun.
Most NPC barbarians never spend enough time in outworlder society to make the change over to a gold piece-based society. A PC barbarian usually clings to the traditions of his homeland but can slowly begin to adapt to the outworld as he progresses in level. It is a long and arduous journey for the barbarian, but he will slowly change to survive.
Fair trade. Despite his indifference to outworlder economics, a barbarian expects to be treated fairly. If he trades a raccoon pelt worth 1 gp, he wants 1 gp of goods in return. If he trades a pelt for a basket of corn, then discovers that half the corn is rotten, he'll track down the merchant and demand satisfaction. Should the merchant fail to comply, the barbarian may use a club to reason with him.
At the same time, if a barbarian is used to trading a pearl for a fish in his homeland, he'll probably accept the same arrangement in the outworld. If an honest merchant tries to give him full value for the pearl -say, he gives him a boatload of fish instead of one, or offers him 99 gp in change barbarian may refuse to accept the extra merchandise or the gold. As far as the barbarian's concerned, the merchant has made a fair deal. If ashady merchant keeps the pearl and sells him jus a single fish, the barbarian will walk away satisfied (probably to the chagrin of his companions) Whether the barbarian learns to demand full value for his pearls is up to the player and the DM. Just b m e outworlders hold pearls in such high esteem doesn't mean the barbarian has to succumb to such craziness.
Undesirable merchandise. GeneraJly, a barbarian only trades for goods similar to those availablf in his homeland. Among the items useless to barians are paper and ink (they can't write), armor (they don't wear it), and perfumes hate the smell). Desirable items include meats, weapons (similar to those they currently use), sacks, and torches. A barbarian may develop an interest in unfamiliar items providing they're made of common materials, they aren't intimidating, and an outworlder friend shows him how they work; examples include fishhooks, rope, buckets, and pots.
Acquiring coins. A barbarian won't automatically divest himself of every coin that comes his way. He may keep a few as good luck charms, to use as lures for traps, or just because he likes the sound they make when they clink together. After he gets the hang of the outworld economy he may keep a few for emergencies. A barbarian won't jeopardize his own well-being just to mnain philosophically pure; if he has no goods to trade, he willingly buys a slab of meat for a couple of copper pieces rather than go hungry.
Unwanted treasure. A barbarian has no more interest in treasure than in coins. Ruby rings, turquoise bracelets, and silver necklaces are meaningless trinkets, interesting, perhaps, for their unusual colors and smooth surfaces but certainly not worth coveting. On occasion, he may hang on to an item for sentimental reasons; for instance, he might be fond of an emerald pendant because it reminds him of a necklace his sister made from a green stone. Or he might keep a diamond ring because he likes the way it sparkles in the moonlight. But rarely does he retain an item for its monetary value alone. (However, if the optional rule in Chapter 8 of the DMG is used, he still receives all experience pints associated with the discovery or acquisition of treasurr, regardless of whether he keeps it.)
If a barbarian acquires treasure he doesn't want-a reward from a grateful monarch, an inheritance from a deceased companion, a share of a discovered fortunehe probably gets rid of it as quickly as possible so he doesn't have to haul it around. He might give his treasure to a friend or allow his party to split it among themselves. Alternately, he may return it to whoever gave it to him, hand it over to the first stranger he encounters, or leave it alongside a road. If he's superstitious or has a cultural taboo against carrying metals or gems, he may dispose of his treasure by tossing it into a crevasse, burying it in a pit, or dumping it in an ocean.
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