Monthly Maintenance

I'm working on a set of rules for monthly expenses for characters and their underlings.  I've put the draft below, I also have a similar set for dogs and horses.  The idea is that the more money you spend on maintenance the better your hit points will be.  Each character or henchman re-rolls his hit point total at the beginning of each game month (the daily re-roll from Return of the Trolls got a bit cumbersome), and unless circumstances dictate otherwise, each game session begins a new month.   So for example, if you spend only 10sp for the month, and are a 5th level fighter, you would roll 6d10 three times, and take the worst of the three totals.  If the same guy spent 500gp, he would roll 6d10 three times and take the best of the three.


MONTHLY MAINTENANCE

Each month a character must pay maintenance for himself and each one of his underlings.  There are various levels of maintenance that he can choose from, and each level has a definite game effect.

1.    People

Level	Price	Hit Dice	Example
Minimal	10sp	Worst of 3	Prisoner, beggar
Lackey	3gp	Worse of 2	Servant, laborer
Standard	30gp	1 roll	Soldier, Craftsman
Exceptional	60gp	Better of 2	Merchant
High	100gp/exp level	Best of 3	Adventurer

Minimal:  includes a half ration (1 bushel per month) of grain and water.  Person will be dressed in rags and will be lean and starved.  Make a saving throw vs. poison or come down with a disease.  Lodging is on a pile of garbage.

Lackey:  includes a full ration (2 bushels) of grain per month and 1 mug of beer per day, a clothing allowance that ensures 1 set of clothes (tunic, cloak, clogs, hose or dress, clogs and cloak) per year and a 1d8 silvers for spending money. If this is paid to employees with weapons or armor, there is a 1 in 6 chance that each will be damaged due to lack of maintenance.  Lodging is a space on the common floor or stable.

Standard: includes 3 weeks of “standard rations” and 1 week of “iron rations”, 1 pint of ale or cheap wine per day, a clothing allowance that allows 2 full sets of clothes (trousers, shirt, jacket, cloak, boots, belt, pelt pouch) per year, maintenance and repair of weaponry or tools plus a 4d6 sp for spending money.  If called on to travel, the person will have 3 days of iron rations and a 2-quart skin of ale on hand.  Lodging is a shared multi-person room.

Exceptional: includes 3 merchant-quality meals per day, and 1 week of iron rations per month, 2 pints of average wine per day, a 1 gallon of good wine per month, also, a new set of clothes (riding boots, trousers, shirt, belt, jacket, cloak and hat of merchant quality) per month.  It also includes maintenance of equipment and arms.  Underling will have a 1d4 gold pieces for spending money. If called on to travel, the person will have 1 week of iron rations and a 2-quart skin of good wine on hand.  Lodging is half of a double room, unless he owns his own place.

High: includes 3 rich-quality meals per day, and 1 week of iron rations per month, 2 pints of good wine per day, a 1 gallon of excellent wine per month, also, a new set of clothes (riding boots, trousers, shirt, belt, jacket, cloak and hat of merchant quality) per month and one set of noble-quality clothes per year.  It also includes maintenance of equipment and arms.  If called on to travel, the person will have 1 week of iron rations and a 2-quart skin of excellent wine on hand.  Underling will have 5gp per level of spending money. Lodging is a private room, unless he owns his own place.

Special Note on Monks: monks are trained in ascetic discipline to such an extent that they can get the Hit Die benefits of “high” living while only spending the “minimal” amount.