Re: (TFT) seeking improved component list for potions/items.

["David Michael Grouchy II" <david_michael_grouchy_ii@hotmail.com>]

    To: tft@brainiac.com
Subject: (TFT) Economics of Monsters
  From: "David Michael Grouchy II" <david_michael_grouchy_ii@hotmail.com>
  Date: Thu, 06 Jan 2000 01:13:20 CST

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    All this talk about the ecologies of monsters has stimulated
my interest.  I would really like to see a copy of the Chivalry &
Sorcery article "Monsters are people too."  I was suprised to notice
how many creatures have evironmental and/or behavioral coments in
their description.  The categories I found in ITL, are listed here
with a few notes.    The only contribution I can make at this time
is about the economics of monster.

    Humanoid Races:  Hired off the Job table, or gathered with New
Followers
    Inteligent Monsters:  IQ 6-24, May be wizards, gathered with
Monster Followers
    Magical Creatures:  Earth, air, fire, water, apep, zombie, skeleton
    Riding Animals:  "Going price" (STx10 + DXsqr + MAx3)x1 for IQ5,
x5 for IQ6, or x10 for IQ7
    Beasts:  Dragonet egg $1,500, May be trained
    Trained Animals:  "Going price"+ $100, per week training by animal
handler
    Giant Insects:  And other crawlies, note snakes appear here
    Water Creatures:  I imagine some of these are trainable
    Nusance Creatures:  Two types, either weak or clumbsy

    The first point of interest is that the only category that
is actualy called monsters is also the only category that is smart
enough to enchant magic items.  I wonder if there is any connection.
Of course all the humanoid races can own and operate a wizard's lab.
    The second point of interest is that only humanoid races hold
jobs.  As tempting as it may be, no one hires a Demon, or a Troll,
as a police recruit, or a Dragon as an apprentist.  It could almost
be said that by definition a monster is an inteligent creature that
can't hold a job.
    The third and final point of interest are the beings that show
up as material components.  A suprising number of items require
dragons dung.  This became such a dificult component to get that one
player (Shawn Doucet) started druging sheep with reptile poison and leaving 
the flock on dragon island.  This way he could collect dung
unmolested.  Listed here are the potions that require dragon dung.
This is an impressive list.  It also gives dragons a huge advantage
as enchanters, chemist, and alchemist.  They provide their own most
important ingrediant.

    Gun powder
    Universal solvent
    Pyrotic ability
    Youth (needs 4 dragon hearts)

    By extension the following items need the poitions listed above.

    Shock sheild
    Fireball
    Amulet vs. Disease
    Hammertouch
    Cleansing
    Flaming weapon
    Fireball rod
    Iron flesh (needs 1/20th 14 hex dragon skin)

    The second most comonly used ingredient is the Garygoyle
gallblader.  Poor gargoyles.  No wonder they are suspicious of
strangers intentions.

    Increase St
    Flight
    Fireproofing

 the other creatures used as components are...

    Ambush twigs
    Giant wasps
    Living poisonous snake
    Living red slime
    Octopus eye
    Heart of bloodtrees
    Teeth from Uncle teeth (a reptialan water creature)
    Brain of wolf
    Bear heart
    Ambush leaves
    Giant hair
    Fresh human brain
    Prootwadle hair
    Fresh human eyes
    Sabertooth tusk
    Bats
    Brain of any large feline beast
    More or less complete hymenopteran
    elves toenails
    Centaur hoves
    Hawk eyes
    Fresh basilisk brain & eyes
    Pickled dragonet
    Live silver slime
    Snakes' backbone
    Well rotted zombie eye

    In conclusion, out of all the creatures that provide
ingredients, almost none are Inteligent Monsters.  The obvious
exception being dragons.  The rest of them can be chemist,
alchemist and enchanters with impunity.

Here is the list of Inteligent Monsters.
    Dragons
    Demons
    Sasquatch
    Wyverns
    Wraith ?
    Troll
    Octopus
    Vampire
    Werewolf
    Ghouls
    Shadow wights
    Hydra
    Basilisk
    Ghost, wights, & revenants ?
    Mnoren
    Gods & demi-gods

          David Michael Grouchy II


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