Swashbucklers Companion 1

Copyright  1991 By Paul C. Pinkosh. All Rights Reserved





The Swashbuckler's companion
a Compendium of Useful Information


Part 1: Money and Prices







By Paul C. Pinkosh


















Copyright  1991 By Paul C. Pinkosh. All Rights Reserved

Money in the Swashbucklers Campaign
Starting Wealth for the Swashbuckler Campaign

Average Starting Wealth for the Swashbuckler campaign is $1000 in Gurps dollars.  The English equivalent is 10 pounds (10) or 200 shillings (200 s).  Wealth and poverty levels for the campaign are as follows:

Starting Wealth:	In Pounds	In Shillings	In Gurps $
Dead Broke	0	0 s	$0
Poor	2	40 s	$200
Struggling	5	100 s	$500
Average	10	200 s	$1000
Comfortable	20	400 s	$2000
Wealthy	50	1000 s	$5000
Very Wealthy	200	4000 s	$20,000
Filthy Rich	1000	20,000 s	$100,000
Multiple monetary systems
English Money
English money used to be very interesting, if a trifle difficult for the uninitiated.  The key to remembering the English money system (as it was before it was decimalized) is L.S.D.  The L., or as it is traditionally written, , is the symbol for the British pound ( stands for the Latin word for pound). S similarly stands for shillings.  The dits used lower casestands for denarius or denariithe Greek words for penny and pence.  Thus, ң3/4s/6d means three pounds, four shillings, and sixpence, or 774 pence or sixty-four and a half shillings.
Just how much are a shilling or a pound?  There are twelve pence in a shilling, and twenty shillings in a pound.  Its easy to see that there are 240 pence in a pound.
But it gets a little weirder.  There was, during the period of the campaign, no such thing as a pound unit of coin or currency; the pound was an accountants unit only.  There were gold coins, guineas, that were worth 21 shillings (252 pence) but that was as close as any coin came to a pound.  There was also a coin called a crown worth 5 shillings or sixty pence or one-fourth of a pound.  There were also half-crowns, half-pence and quarter-pence (called farthings), but too much detail just gets confusing.
Heres a table to make the main coins clearer.

	Guinea	Pound	Crown	Shilling	Penny	GURPS
	(Gold)	(Acct)	(Silver)	(Silver)	(Copper)	$
1 Guinea	1			21	252	$105
1 Pound		1	4	20	240	$100
1 Crown			1	5	60	$25
1 Shilling				1	12	$5
1 Penny					1	40

	(Source: Gurps Swashbucklers)

Spanish Money
Spanish money was very important because it was the only minted money that was present in any significant amounts in the New World.  Thus, it became the main medium of exchange in the Caribbean and a great deal of the rest of the swashbucklers world.  Certainly, if one plans to plunder Spanish gold, one should have an idea what the stuff is worth.
The key units of Spanish coinage were the silver real  and the peso de ocho, or piece of eight (the term peso is still in use in many former Spanish colonies).  There were eight reals to the pesoas one might guessbut the really interesting thing was that they actually would cut up the peso into eight edges, or bits as change.  Even today, two bits is a quarter of a dollar.  There was also the gold doblon, or doubloon, and so on and so forth.  Heres another table:

	Doblon	Peso	Real	Maravedi	GURPS
	(Gold)	(Silver)	(Silver)	(Copper)	$
1 Doblon or Doubloon	1	4	32	1088	$80
1 Peso or Piece of Eight		1	8	272	$20
1 Real or Bit			1	34	$2
1 Maravedi				1	10

	(Source: Gurps Swashbucklers)
Miscellaneous Notes
Modern American Equivalents
Modern American equivalents in so-called Gurps dollars to money values and prices have been given in this guide to help facilitate comparison and to allow estimation of prices of items not listed.  If one is able to divide or multiply at all, one will see that the Gurps dollar equivalents are only estimates, rounded off.  
If a player wishes, she may ignore pounds, shillings,  and doubloons and simply keep track of her money in Gurps dollars.  This is less romantic, but much simpler.  Better yet, keep track of both.  For simple transactions use your Gurps dollars, but in some situations it may be important how much of what kind of money you have.  Thirty Guineas and 3 reals in your pocket may be equivalent to $3162, but in a Spanish port you would only have $12 you could spendsafely, that is.
Money: Pounds and Ounces
As an arbitrary rule, let $1000 worth of silverin coins of any nationweigh 1 pound, and $32,000 in gold weigh 1 pound.  The same applies to bullion.  Carrying a fortune in silver can require a strong back.
Letters of Credit
Paper money as we understand it is non-existent, but letters of credit are available.  Issued by a bank or other financial institution, they are the forerunners of paper money, but are more like a cashiers check.  They are not legal tender, and the average shopkeeper wont accept them (well, sometimes) but another lending house, bank, or major merchant will.  Most such people wish to do only legitimate business with respectable merchants, but some are not so picky; the governor of Tortuga, for example, was not a government official, but an official of the French West Indies Company.  He frequently issued letters of credit on the company to people who came in with ships loaded with Spanish gold and goods.  If you don't believe me, see Rafael Sabatinis Captain Blood.
Colonial Confusion
As one might expect, the New World ports can be a confusing mish-mash of mixed coinage.  A shilling is roughly equivalent to two reals, but some places you can get three reals for a shilling, while in othersSpanish ports, for exampleshillings wont be taken except on the black market.  Supply and demand, as ever, play a big role in determining the relative value of coinage.
Swashbucklers Campaign: Goods and Services

The items below include, in most cases, listings for the prices in English money and Gurps dollars, weight, and other notes.  please note that the English column is in shillings and pence only.  This was for purposes of neatness and simplicity only.  Convert larger sums into pounds by dividing by twenty.  The prices below are approximate.  Location, supply and demand, and need all help determine prices.  Television has not yet replaced haggling as everyones favorite pastimefeel free to negotiate.

Price Tables
Adventurers Equipment
Armor
Item	English	Gurps$	Weight	Note
Breastplate	100 s	$500	25 lbs	PD 4; DR 5.  Covers torso
Buff Coat	30 s	$150	15 lbs	PD 2; DR 2.  Covers torso and arms
Chausses	5 s	$25	4 lbs	PD 3; DR4.  Covers legs.
Gauntlets	20 s	$100	2 lbs	PD 3; DR4.  Covers hands
Gloves, Leather	5 s	$25		PD 2; DR 2.  Covers hands
Helm	18 s	$90	3 lbs	PD 3; DR4.  Covers head
Full Plate Suit	1000 s	$5000	85 lbs	PD 4; DR 5.  Rare.  Only worn by nobles in formal battle. Impractical.
Clothing
Item	English	Gurps$	Weight	Notes	
Boots	16 s	$80	3 lbs	PD 2; DR 2	
Cloak, light	5 s	$25	2 lbs.	Can be used with Cloak skill: PD 1	
Cloak, heavy	10 s	$50	5 lbs.	Can be used with Cloak skill: PD 2	
Coat	10.s	$50	5-9 lbs.	DR 1 Added to clothes or armor beneath.	
Gloves, cloth	2 s	$10	.5 lb.	PD 1; DR 1	
Hat	3 s	$15	1 lb.	PD 1; DR 1	
Pants	2 s	$10	1-2 lbs.
Sandals/slippers	2 s	$10		no PD or DR	
Shirt	2 s	$10	1 lb.	
Shoes	8 s	$40	2 lbs.	PD 1; DR 1	
Clothing sets:				Clothes below  are PD 0; DR 0	
Peasant rags	5 p	$2	1 lb.	Random, dirty scraps.	
Lower-class clothes	2 s	$10	1 lb.	Tunic & pants. Indifferently clean.	
Middle-class clothes	8 s	$40	1 lb.	Tunic & pants or robe, decorated.	
Upper-class clothes	40 s	$200	1 lb.	Various types, elaborately decorated.	
Noble dress	200 s+	$1000+	1 lb.	Various types, elaborately decorated & jeweled.	

General Equipment
Item	English	Gurps$	Weight	Note	
Backpack	4 s	$20	2-3 lbs.	Holds 20 lbs. 1 cu. ft.  PD 2; DR 2 against attacks from the back.	
Basics, group	10 s	$50	20 lbs.	Pots, rope, hatchet and the like.  Ordinary gearnothing rare allowed	
Basics, personal	1 s	$5		Very basic personal necessities	
Bedroll (heavy)	5 s	$25	8 lbs.	Wool/Fur blanket	
Bedroll (light)	2 s	$10	5 lbs.	Wool blanket	
Belt Pouch	2 s	$10	1 lb.	
Bucket	2 s	$10	2 lbs.	Holds 3 gallons	
Candle	3 p	$1	.25 lb.	Burns 2 hours.  Lights 20 diameter.	
Case	20 s	$100	1 lb.	Water resistant 12x6x3	
Cask	10 s	$50	5 lbs.	Holds 4 gallons	
Chain	3 s	$15	8 lbs.	10 foot iron chain	
Charcoal	1 s	$5	1 lb.	Makes hot 4-hour fire	
Chisel	4 s	$20	1 lb.	
Climbing Pick	14 s	$70	2 lbs.	
Compass	10 s	$50	.25 lb.	
Flint & Steel	6 p	$2.50	 lbs.	
Frame Pack	6 s	$30	4 lbs.	Holds 45 lbs. 2 cubic feet.
				PD 2; DR 2 against attacks from the back.	
Hammer	5 s	$25	1 lb.	
Hammock	1 s	$5	3 lbs.	
Harness	10 s	$5	4 lbs.	Includes bit and bridle	
Ink	6 p	$2.50	.4 lbs	
Ladder	2 s	$10	15 lbs.	Perfect for eloping	
Lantern	6 s	$30	2 lbs.	Lights 50 foot diameter	
Lockpick Set	5 s	$25	.5 lb.	
Logarithmic Tables	10 s	$50	.5 lb.	
Nails	1 p	$.40	.5 lb.	20 nails.  Different sizes available.	
Navigation Instruments	20 s	$100	30 lbs.	Adequate Instruments for Navigation	
Navigation Instruments	100 s	$500	30 lbs.	Fine Instruments: +1 on Navigation roll	
Oar	6 p	$2.50	5 lbs.	Wood. 6-8 feet.	
Oil Flask	2 s	$10	1 lb.	1 pint.  6 hour lantern refill	
Padlock	15 s	$75	1 lb.	Comes with 2 keys	
Paper	6 s	$30	.25 lb.	20 sheets	
Parchment	6 s	$30	.25 lb.	20 sheets	
Pegs	6 p	$2.50	2 lbs.	10 wooden pegs	
Pitons	1 s	$5	3 lbs.	10 iron pitons	
Plank	5 p	$2	12 lbs.	10 foot wooden plank	
Pole	3 p	$1.25	5 lbs.	10 foot wooden pole	
Pot (cooking)	4 s	$20	3 lbs.	Holds 2 gallons	
Quill Pens	3 p	$1.25	.25 lb.	10 Goose quills	
Rope	2 s	$10	5 lbs.	50 feet.  Hemp	
Rutter	125 s	$625	1 lb.	 Book of tables and charts for navigators	
Sack	6 p	$2.50	2 lbs.	3 cubic feet. Holds 50 lbs.	
Saddle	25 s	$125	10 lbs.	Includes stirrups and blanket	
Saddle bag	4 s	$20	5 lbs.	1.5 cubic feet. Holds 15 lbs.	
Saw	10 s	$50	3 lbs.	Two-foot blade	
Slide Rule	15 s	$75	1 lb.	Speeds calculations ten times	
Spade	8 s	$40	3 lbs.	
Surgical Kit	20 s	$100	2 lbs.	Gives +1 to TL 4 Surgery roll	
Surveying Equipment	60 s	$300	300 lbs.	
Tarp	6 p	$2.50	5 lbs.	5 x 8 feet.  Canvas	
Telescope	20 s	$100	5 lbs.	Brass.  8-power.  3 feet long, extended.	
Tent	10 s	$50	10 lbs.	5 x 8 feet.  Holds two people.  Canvas	
Tinderbox	2 p	$.80	.25 lb.	Holds tinder to start 7 fires.	
Torch	6 p	$2.50	1 lb.	lights 20 foot diameter.  Lasts 3 hours.	
Vial	1 s	$5	.25 lb.	Glass.  Holds half a pint	
Waterskin	1 s	$5	.25 lb.	Holds 1 quart	
Wedge, splitting	1 s	$5	3 lbs.	One iron wedge	
Wedge, wooden	1 s	$5	1 lb.	Five hardwood wedges	
Whistle	10 s	$50	.5 lb.	Range over 1 mile.	
Wire	5 s	$25	3 lbs.	100 feet.  10 gauge	


Food and Lodging
Item	English	Gurps$	Amount	Note
Beer/Ale	1 p	$ .40	Pint	
Brandy	6 p	$2.50	Half-pint	
Cider	1 p	$ .40	Pint	
Mead	3 p	$1.25	Pint	
Wine	4 p	$1.60	Pint	
Cheap Meal	6 p	$2.50		Could either be small or of low quality
Average Meal	1 s	$5.00
Expensive Meal	2 s +	$10.00+		Could be large or of better quality.  Prices can 
				go up from this.	
Weeks Rations	3 s	$15.00	14 lbs.	Basic food for 1 person for a week.  Normal 
				spoilage rate	
Trail Rations	6 s	$30.00	14 lbs.	Basic preserved food for a week.
Lodging (poor)	6 p	$2.50		Communal sleeping
Lodging (average)	1 s	$5.00		Separate bedding
Lodging (fine)	2 s+	$10.00+		Own room.  Can be more expensive with extras
Stable	1 s	$5.00		Care and food for one horse for one night.  
				Weekly cost 10 s	
Fodder for Horse	1 p	$ .40		Weekly cost 6 p
Grain for Horse	2 p	$1.00		Weekly cost 1 s
Hospitalization	2 s	$10.00		Food, bedding, basic care.  Doctoring extra
Library Access	5 s	$25.00		When available	
Livestock
Item	English	Gurps$	Move	Wt  (lbs)	Note	
Bull	1000 s	$5000	8	3,000		
Calf	50 s	$250	8	150		
Camel	300 s	$1,500	10	1400	Drinks little, foul tempered	
Cow	200 s	$1000	8	2,000		
Donkey	200 s	$1,000	8	500	Pack animal; too small to ride	
Elephant	2000 s	$10,000	8	12,000+	PD 1, DR 1.  Shipping not included.	
Fowl	1 s	$5	4	3		
Goat	50 s	$250	8	80		
Heavy warhorse	1000 s	$5000	15	1,900	Usually vicious	
Horse, cavalry	800 s	$4,000	16	1,400	Light  warhorse	
Horse, draft	400 s	$2,000	12	2,000		
Horse, racing	800 s+	$4,000+	18	1,100	Can be even faster	
Horse, saddle	240 s	$1,200	12	1,200	Ordinary riding horse	
Mule, large	400 s	$2,000	9	1,400		
Mule, small	200 s	$1,000	8	800	Pack animal; too small to ride	
Ox	300 s	$1,500	8	2,500		
Pig	50 s	$250	7	400		
Pony	300 s	$1,500	13	800		
Sheep	50 s	$250	6	80		
Transportation
Vehicles
Vehicle	English	Gurps $	Weight	Note
Boat, large	200 s	$3000	2000 lbs.	30 foot boat.  7000 lbs. capacity
Boat, medium	200 s	$1,000	800 lbs.	20 foot boat.  4000 lbs. capacity.
Boat, small	100 s	$500	200 lbs.	10 foot boat.  1000 lbs. capacity.
Canoe	150 s	$750	130 lbs.	15 foot boat.  700 lbs. capacity.
Gentlemans carriage	300 s	$1,500	350 lbs.	Carries 4 people (max) plus driver.
Gentlemans coach	500 s+	$2,500+	1000 lbs.	Carries 6 comfortably plus driver, 
				footman.  Two can ride on top.
Handcart	45 s	$225	100 lbs.	4.5 feet long.  1300 lbs. capacity
Horse cart, open	150 s	$750	450 lbs.	6 feet long.  1300 lbs. capacity
Ship, brig, large	20,000 s	$100,000		500-1500 tons capacity
Ship, merchant brig	15,000 s	$75,000+		150-400 tons capacity
Ship, merchant, small	40,000 s	$200,000		600-900 tons capacity
Ship, sloop, large	15,000 s	$75,000+		50-100 tons capacity
Ship, sloop, small	8000 s	$40,000+		80-200 tons capacity
Ship, war brig	40,000 s	$200,000		150-400 tons capacity
Ship, war, large	160,000 s	$800,000		1000-2000 tons capacity
Wagon, closed	400 s	$2,000	850 lbs.	9 feet long.  1300 lbs. capacity
Wagon, open	250 s	$1,250	600 lbs.	8 feet long.  1200 lbs. capacity
Transportation Services
Item	English	Gurps$	Note
Coach Service	1 s + 1 p/mi.	$5 + 40 /mi.	
Ferry Service	1 s + 2 p/mi.	$5 + 80 /mi.	
Ship Passage	5 s + 2 p/mi.	$25 + 80 /mi.	
Toll (general)	1 p	80 	


Weapons
Firearms
Weapon	English	Gurps $	Note
Blunderbuss	40 s	$200
Boarding Pistol	100 s	$500
Musket	50 s	$250
Pocket Pistol	100 s	$500
Rifle	200 s	$1000

Melee Weapons
Weapon	English	Gurps $	Notes
Boarding Axe 	10 s	$50	Cut   Swing +2
Boarding Pike	8 s	$40	Imp  Thrust +3
Cavalry Saber	100 s	$500	Imp  Thrust +1.  Cut   Swing +1
Claymore	150 s	$750	Cut   Swing+1.  Imp  Thrust+2
Cutlass	60 s	$300	Imp  Thrust.  Cut   Swing
Dagger	4 s	$20	Imp  Thrust -1
Dress Smallsword	60 s	$300	Imp  Thrust 
Fencing Saber	80 s	$400	Imp  Thrust +1.  Cut   Swing -1
Knife	8 s	$40	Cut   Swing-2.  Imp  Thrust
Main Gauche	60 s	$300	Imp  Thrust
Rapier	100 s	$500	Imp  Thrust +1
Scimitar	100 s	$500	Imp Thrust+1.  Cut   Swing+1
Smallsword	80 s	$400	Imp  Thrust +1
Truncheon or Belaying Pin			Cr    Thrust

Weapon Accessories
Equipment	English	Gurps $	Notes
Bandolier	5 s	$25	12 Apostles.  Holds 12 paper cartridges with powder & shot
Cartridge Pouch	2 s	$10	Holds 50 palls and 1 cleaning kit
Cleaning Kit	2 s	$10	One size does not fit all.
Firearm Pouch	3 s	$15	Water resistant
Powder (20 charges)	2 s	$10	
Powder Horn	2 s	$10	Waterproof, holds powder for 40 shots.
Scabbard (Belt)	10 s	$50	
Scabbard (Shoulder)	15 s	$75	
Shot (20 balls)	1 s	$5	Varies in size depending on gun.
Weapon Belt	3 s	$15	Can hold two scabbards, 3 belt pouches

