From: Sandy Petersen (sandyp@idgecko.idsoftware.com)
Date: Sat 11 Nov 1995 - 22:04:53 EET
>What's the various prices could you expect to pay for different herd
>beasts in Prax? In RQII the only animal listed for sale was horses
>at around 100L. Would a bison actually cost the same as a zebra
I
>think not?
Okay. First off you must remember that hardly any Praxians
have any money at all, nor all that much use for it, so you're going
to have to do most of your trading in the form of barter and
payment in kind. The Praxians, of course, have a very keen eye for
the qualities of each beast. Think of an amerind, gypsy, cowboy, or
cossack going out to horse-trade. It's as much entertainment as it
is an attempt to make a profit.
Note that a bison would cost far less than a zebra, all
things considered. The zebras have to be specially-bred (they're
sterile) from different dams and studs, and they're hard to train
for riding. Bison are common as dirt.
If you're buying a riding animal, a food animal, or a war
animal, the prices will differ colossally.
Let's put it this way. A typical "middle-class" nomad warrior
requires a herd of approximately 50 sables (mostly cows) to support
his family in reasonable style, plus produce sufficient beasts for
riding and warfare. Based on the "5-year rule" (a property can
normally be sold for about as much money as it brings in in 5
years), a typical untrained cow sable, suitable for breeding and
milking only, is going to cost 5/50 (i.e., 10%) of the rider's
yearly upkeep, which is 100-200 pennies or the equivalent.
A riding beast, which takes 2+ seasons to train, would cost
enormously more, depending on age and health. A young, fit beast,
trained to be ridden, would probably cost at least 25% more than the
training costs. Figure 100-200p for the basic beast's price, plus
training cost for one man spending 1/5 a year = another 300 or so,
plus 25% more to make it 350-400, makes a total of 400-700p or
thereabouts.
A warbeast costs even more, of course. Probably takes at
least a year to train, which adds another 500-600 training cost,
plus 25% for another 150 or so. Then you have to add in costs for
the animal's skills in fighting and experience. If we assume the
animal just has its base chances, but at least will attack on
command when ridden, then it woudl cost the same as a riding beast
plus another 500-800 pennies -- total cost 900-1500 pennies for a
war sable.
Impalas, which breed fast and don't need as much war
training (they need some, but you don't need to teach them to head
butt, etc.) would be cheaper. A high llama, which takes longer to
mature, would cost a little more, but the training prices would be
similar, so the overall cost isn't that much more for a warbeast.
Ditto rhinos.
And few Praxians would sell a riding or warbeast to a
person who wasn't a member of their tribe. They might sell a riding
beast to someone who was a foreigner (i.e., not Praxian).
>Herd men the same price as zebras
Herd men cost more because they take _forever_ to mature. A
herd woman can have a calf every year, and they're not limited to a
particular rutting season, so that's an advantage, but since it
takes 14 or more years to mature, high prices are charged. They're
worth it, though, since they also live much longer useful lives than
most other beasts. A well-kept herd man generally outlives its
master (Morocanth are not as long-lived as humans).
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