Economy
This page consolidates all economic information for OSwR—what things cost, what adventurers earn, and how gold flows through the game.
Currency
Standard: 1 gold piece (gp) is the default unit.
| Coin | Value |
|---|---|
| Copper (cp) | 1/100 gp |
| Silver (sp) | 1/10 gp |
| Gold (gp) | 1 gp |
| Platinum (pp) | 10 gp |
Wages baseline: 1 gp/day for unskilled labor. This anchors all other prices.
Encumbrance: 100 coins = 1 slot. Carrying wealth is a logistical problem.
XP & Treasure
1 XP per 1 GP of treasure recovered from dangerous locations.
This is the primary advancement engine. See Advancement for full XP rules.
Banking & Storage
Temples, guilds, and money-changers will store gold securely. Depositing is free. Withdrawing costs a fee.
| Institution | Withdrawal Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Temple bank | 10% | Excellent security. Divine protection. |
| Guild bank | 10% | Good security. May require membership. |
| Money-changer | 10% | Also exchanges gems and foreign coin. |
Long-term storage: If gold is left for at least one month, withdrawal is free. This encourages adventurers to deposit and go adventuring rather than constantly dipping in.
Loans: Available at 10% interest per month. Loans over 5 gp require collateral worth twice the loan value.
Hidden caches: You can bury or hide treasure yourself. No fee, but the Referee may roll for discovery if enemies learn of it or significant time passes.
Training Costs
Levelling grants capacity. Unlocking abilities costs gold and time.
| Training | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Feat (any) | 1 week | 500 gp |
| Ability increase | — | Free |
Magic-User Costs
The 100 gp/day principle: Arcane work costs 100 gp per day.
| Activity | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Copy spell from source | 1 day/tier | 100 gp/tier |
| Learn from mentor | 1 day/tier | 100 gp/tier + quest |
| Research spell | 1 week/tier | 700 gp/week |
| Backup own spell | 1 hr/tier | 50 gp/tier |
| Spellbook (blank, 20 capacity) | — | 200 gp |
See Spellbooks & Research for full rules.
Cleric Costs
Clerics don’t use spellbooks - they receive spells through divine connection. But maintaining that connection requires ongoing sacrifice.
Tithes (Required)
Clerics must give 10% of all treasure to maintain divine favor. This is not optional - a Cleric who fails to tithe will find their spells no longer function until the debt is paid.
| Cleric Type | Tithe To | Form |
|---|---|---|
| Hallowed | Temple | Donations to temple works, charity |
| Druidic | Nature | Offerings at sacred sites, releasing animals, sacrifices, community feasts |
Hallowed Clerics give to their temple institution. The gold supports the faith’s works.
Druidic Clerics return wealth to nature. Gold is consumed, scattered, or given away - offerings at standing stones and sacred groves, releasing captive animals, burning goods as sacrifice, feasting the local community. The treasure goes back rather than to an institution.
Pious Offerings (XP)
Clerics may give beyond their tithe to gain XP, as an alternative to carousing.
| Cleric Type | Where | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Hallowed | Temple/Cathedral | Settlement limit |
| Druidic | Sacred site | Referee discretion |
Spend gold on offerings, gain equal XP. No mishap roll - the divine accepts your sacrifice.
Settlement limits: Village 100 gp, Town 500 gp, City 2,000 gp.
Non-Clerics may donate to temples, but don’t gain XP - they’re patrons, not faithful.
Equipment
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Holy symbol (wooden) | 1 gp |
| Holy symbol (silver) | 25 gp |
| Holy symbol (gold) | 100 gp |
| Consecrated water (flask) | 25 gp |
| Prayer book / scriptures | 50 gp |
| Vestments (simple) | 10 gp |
| Vestments (ceremonial) | 100 gp |
Temple Services
Temples offer healing and other services—for a price. Divine magic isn’t free; these costs support the temple and its works.
| Tier | Base Cost | Example Services |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 gp | Cure Light Wounds, Bless, Detect Evil |
| 2 | 200 gp | Hold Person, Resist Elements, Silence |
| 3 | 500 gp | Cure Disease, Remove Curse, Dispel Magic |
| 4 | 1,000 gp | Cure Serious Wounds, Neutralize Poison |
| 5 | 2,500 gp | Raise Dead, Commune, True Seeing |
| 6 | 5,000 gp | Heal, Regenerate, Restoration |
Prices vary. These are base costs. Actual prices depend on temple relationships, local demand, the recipient’s standing with the faith, and circumstances. Faithful members, those who have done service, or adventurers pursuing the temple’s goals may receive discounts. Strangers or those of opposing faiths may pay more—or be refused entirely.
Unavailable: Not all temples offer all services. Small village shrines may only provide Tier 1-2 spells. Higher-tier magic requires a major temple and a high-level priest—if the temple permits it at all.
Hirelings & Retainers
| Type | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Unskilled hireling | 1 gp/day | Torchbearer, porter. Won’t fight. |
| Skilled hireling | 2-5 gp/day | Craftsman, guide, healer. |
| Mercenary | 3-5 gp/day | Armed guard. Won’t enter dungeons. |
| Retainer | 2-5 gp/day + half share | Adventuring companion. Shares risk. |
Wergild: 50 gp per level of the deceased retainer, paid to their kin if they die in service.
Services
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| Inn (common room) | 5 sp/night |
| Inn (private room) | 2 gp/night |
| Meal (common) | 1 sp |
| Meal (good) | 5 sp |
| Stabling | 5 sp/night |
| Bath house | 3 sp |
| Laundry | 1 sp |
| Sage consultation | 20-100 gp |
| Scribe (letter) | 1 gp |
| Scribe (contract) | 5 gp |
| Ship passage (per day) | 1-5 gp |
| Coach travel (per day) | 2 sp |
| River ferry | 1 sp |
| Guide (wilderness) | 5 gp/day |
Equipment Summary
See individual equipment pages for full lists.
| Category | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Common gear | 1-10 gp |
| Weapons | 1-60 gp |
| Armor (leather) | 20 gp |
| Armor (chain) | 60 gp |
| Armor (plate) | 300 gp |
| Kits | 25 gp |
| Mount (riding horse) | 75 gp |
| Mount (warhorse) | 400 gp |
Treasure
See Treasure in the Referee’s Guide for treasure generation tables and magic item tiers.
Strongholds & Domain Play
See Domain Play in the Referee’s Guide for rules on strongholds, retainer armies, and domain income.