Common Wages– Table 65 (Dungeon Master Guide)
Table 65:
Common Wages
| Weekly
| Monthly
|
Profession
| Wage
| Wage
|
Clerk
| 2 gp
| 8 gp
|
Stonemason
| 1 gp
| 4 gp
|
Laborer
| 1 sp
| 1 gp
|
Carpenter
| 1 gp
| 5 gp
|
Groom
| 2 sp
| 1 gp
|
Huntsman
| 2 gp
| 10 gp
|
Ambassador or official
| 50-150 gp
| 200-600 gp
|
Architect
| 50 gp
| 200 gp
|
These amounts may seem low, but most employers provide other benefits to their
hirelings. Appropriate room and board is expected for all but common laborers
and higher officials. Those falling in the middle range expect this to be taken
care of. Traveling expenses must come out of the PC’s pocket, as must any
exceptional items of equipment or dress.
Important hirelings will also expect gifts and perhaps offices to supplement
their income. Soldiers expect to be ransomed if captured, to have their
equipment replaced as needed, and to receive new mounts for those lost in combat. All
of these extra benefits add up quickly. Furthermore, most activities are much
more labor-intensive when compared to modern standards. More workers are needed
to perform a given job. More workers means greater overall expenses and lower
wages for each individual laborer.
For example, consider Targash at his castle. He has assembled the officials,
craftsmen, and soldiers he feels he needs to maintain his standing and protect
his small fief. These break down as follows:
250 light infantry
| 250 gp
|
50 heavy infantry
| 100 gp
|
100 longbowmen
| 800 gp
|
75 light cavalry
| 300 gp
|
25 heavy cavalry
| 250 gp
|
1 master artillerist
| 50 gp
|
10 artillerists
| 40 gp
|
1 master engineer
| 150 gp
|
1 master armorer
| 100 gp
|
5 armorers
| 50 gp
|
1 master bladesmith
| 100 gp
|
5 bladesmiths
| 50 gp
|
1 master bowyer
| 50 gp
|
1 bowyer
| 10 gp
|
1 master fletcher
| 30 gp
|
1 master of the hunt
| 10 gp
|
8 huntsmen
| 40 gp
|
10 grooms
| 10 gp
|
20 skilled servants
(baker, cook, etc.) | 40 gp
|
40 household servants
| 40 gp
|
1 herald
| 200 gp
|
1 castellan
| 300 gp
|
|
|
Total
| 2,970 gp per month
|
These costs cover only the wages paid these nonplayer characters. It does not
include the funds necessary to provide provisions, maintain equipment, or
expand Targash’s realm (a desire of many player characters). Over the course of a
year, Targash mush bring in at least 35,640 gp just to pay his hirelings.
Considering a reasonable tax to be one gold piece for each person and one or
two silver for each head of livestock, Targash must have a considerable number
of people or animals within the borders of his fief or go into debt!
Supplementing one’s income thus becomes a good reason for adventuring. However, even
powerful, adventuring lords often find themselves forced to borrow to maintain their
households.
And these costs don’t even begin to cover the salaries demanded by any
extremely rare hirelings Targash may need. Spies and assassins normally demand
exorbitant wages–5,000 to 10,000 gold pieces or more. And they are in a position to
get away with it. Aside from the fact that not many can do their job, they can
also force an employer to pay through blackmail. The act of hiring must be
secret, not only to succeed, but to prevent the character from being embarrassed,
disgraced, or worse. Woe to the employer who attempts to cheat his assassin!
Others can also resort to such blackmail. Mercenaries may refuse to go on
campaign until they are properly paid (a tactic used by the condottieri in Italy).
Peasants have been known to revolt. Guilds may withdraw their support.
Merchants can always trade elsewhere. All of these serve as checks and balances on the
uncontrolled power of any ruler from local lord to powerful emperor.
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