11101.0 MONEY 1102.0 GOODS, SERVICES AND EQUIPMENT Nippon's economy is based on the rice crop. All finances are counted in terms of the "Koku," a measure of rice sufficient to feed While adventuring through Nippon, the characters will find one man for one year (at a subsistence level). This is about 5 bushels themselves in need of various goods, equipment and services from in Western measurement. time to time. The availability of such things will depend on the location. The exact availability and price may be decided arbitrarily Currency is in copper or bronze, silver, and gold. Gold is rarely by the Gamesmaster, or he may use the suggested base prices given seen outside of the coffers of Daimyo, and even they usually conduct here and determine availability and price modification using the their business in silver. Values of this coinage have shifted over the chart below. centuries, and there is no fixed way to set up a "historical" currency in the game. The following system is used to impose a uniform value To use the chart, cross-index the type of location in which the on currency in the campaign: characters find themselves with the class of goods desired. The A copper coin is the basic unit of money. We will refer to coppers, chart will yield two numbers. The first is the percentage chance of or copper pieces, in talking about them. A copper represents the cost finding the desired goods. The second is the percentage of the base of a bowl of rice and a cup of cha (tea), which is viewed as the bare price that is being asked for the goods. minimum needed to feed a man for one day. 30 of these coppers Class of Goods equal 1 silver piece. 12 silver pieces equal 1 gold piece. A gold piece Location A B C D is also equal to 1 Koku of rice. City (Class A) 100/100 100/100 100/150 100/200 The monetary system in BUSHIDO is thus based on the calendar. City (Class B) 80/150 90/100 100/125 100/150 Coppers are "days," silver pieces are "months," and a gold piece is a City (Class C) 40/200 80/125 100/100 100/100 "year." The Gamesmaster may also wish to introduce intermediate Town (Class D) 20/250 60/150 80/100 100/100 coins: a larger copper coin, worth 10 ordinary coppers, as the Village (Class E) 10/300 30/200 60/100 100/50 "week," and the silver "tael," a Chinese currency, worth 3 silver pieces, a "season" on the money calendar. A large gold coin, the If the Gamesmaster wishes to simulate the rarity of certain items, Koban, was irregularly minted by the greater Daimyo and by the he may require an availability check for each one of these items the Shoguns, with a value ranging from 3 to 5 Koku. Use of such coins characters seek to buy. Thus, the first rare book the characters look can cut down on the amount of clanking currency the characters for would have the base availability, the second would be at -20%, the must haul around with them. The Encumbrance on all coins, no third at -40%, etc. If the availability roll fails, it will at 1D6 weeks matter what their denomination, is .02, or 50 to the pound. before availability may be checked again. The Gamesmaster may f i n d that a randomly generated location, as 1101.1 PRECIOUS AND SEMI-PRECIOUS GEMS found in Book 2, will have altered probabilities of available goods, Gemstones are rated with a Value of 1 or more. When buying or and he should modify the percentages to reflect the situation as he selling stones, this Value is the number of D6 rolled to determine the sees it. Also, if he designs a particular location, the Gamesmaster exact price, for "Precious Stones," the result of the die roll is in gold may wish to have specific percentages for certain goods or entire pieces. For "Semi-Precious Stones," the die roll is the cost in silver. classes of goods that are at variance with the chart. If he feels that The usual range of the Gem's Value is 1 to6, but larger, ultra-valuable this will aid his campaign, he should feel free to do so. gems can be introduced by the Gamesmaster which have higher 1102.1 EQUIPMENT LIST Values. Gems are a favorite method of storing wealth, since they concentrate high value in a small package. A Gem has an Armor Cost, Weight, and Class all are Variable. See section 1103.6. Encumbrance of .01 times its Value. An opportunity to buy or sell Armorer's Kit: Cost 10s; Weight 3; Class B Gems counts as an A Class product. In buying the Gem, the This kit contains the basic tools needed for field repairs. character states the Value of stone he wishes, the appropriate, number of dice are rolled, and the result is his cost. In selling the Armorer's Workshop: Cost 10g; Weight 100; Class B stone, roll the same number of dice, and the result is what he receives This consists of the tools and materials needed for proper repairs for it. to armor. It does not include the rent or purchase of a place to work. 1101.2 TRADE GOODS Bandages: Cost 1s; Weight .5; Class B This is an abstract means of measuring the value of bulk goods: This is a package of 6 rice paper bandages that have been cloth, pottery, dry goods of all kinds, condiments and sweetmeats, impregnated with healing herbs. If applied immediately after a etc. Trade goods will rarely be bought by Player Characters, but can combat, a bandage will heal 1 point of Lethal damage. Only one may crop up as a less portable form of loot to be found in bandit hideouts, be used after a given combat. monster lairs, etc. Yakuza who engage in Burglary of merchant Belt Pouch: Cost 2c; Weight negligible; Class D shops and warehouses will often include this kind of prize in their This container will hold up to 4 pounds of small items. haul. 10 pounds of Trade Goods will be worth 1 die of some type in Books: Cost Variable; Weight 1 to 3; Class A money. The values are as follows: These can be on numerous subjects. Reference materials, used in Class of Good* Die Type Money Type building a library as described under Tasks, section 1123.0, cost A 1D3 Gold 2D6 gold pieces per "point" of value, and a given book, either a scroll B 1D6 Silver or pages pressed between wooden boards, contains 1D10 points. C 1D3 Silver Price on specific books will be set by the Gamesmaster according to D 1D6 Copper the value of the contents or their rarity for collectors. Thus, a heap of Trade Goods turns out to contain 50 pounds of Bowyer's Kit: Cost 10s; Weight 3; Class B Class A goods, 70 pounds of Class C, and 120 pounds of Class D. Its This kit contains the basic tools needed for field repair. total value is 5D3 gold, 7D3 silver, and 12D6 copper. A successful BCS roll on the Commerce Skill will identify the Class of Trade Bowyer's Workshop: Cost 10g; Weight 50; Class B Goods. If characters try and take only the good part of such a hoard This is the equipment for a full bowyer's workshop. With this and a without such knowledge, the Gamesmaster may impose an arbitrary place in which to work, a character using Bowyer Skill can make or mix of materials on them (for example, for every 10 pounds they take, repair bows and arrows. 6 will be of the best Class, and the other 4 will be less valuable). Trade Goods may also come in units of more than 10 pounds per piece. A Clothing: Cost, Weight and Class all Variable. See section 1103.0. shipment of painted screens (Class A or B) might run 15-20 pounds Diviner's Scrolls: Cost 1g to 10g; Weight 2; Class A each. These are required in the long form of the Divination Art. They 1101.3 MONEYLENDERS contain excerpts from the astrological almanacs and the I-Ching. Most wealthy merchants also acted as moneylenders. Interest Doctor's Kit: Cost 5g; Weight 3; Class B rates with collateral, were high. Unsecured loans were usurious. The This is a small case containing 10 Units of disposable medications interest on a loan for which the borrower can offer good security will and various reusable items (acupuncture needles, flasks, etc.). It be equal to 100% minus the borrower's social Status. For loans may be used by any character with a score in Physician (Igaku) Skill without collateral, assuming the borrower can get one, the interest to enhance healing. Units for the Kit, expended during use, cost 4 would be 100% PLUS 2D10%. silver pieces each, and are also Class B goods. A character with an outstanding debt at the beginning of a new calendar year will lose On equal to the amount of the debt in silver. Drugs: Cost Variable; Weight .5/Dose; Class A This includes interest due. See section 1095.5a for details on available Drugs. 53 Falcon: Cost 20s; Weight 10; Class A Watchdog: Cost 5s; Weight 60; Class B Used in both sporting and practical hunting. Training the bird is a Used as guards in many wealthy homes. They will attack intruders. Task. Pre-trained birds are more expensive.