Pricing a Crystal

[Bohemond]

How does one set a price on a crystal? The RQG doesn't seem to offer any guidance on this matter. 

You could say that they generally aren't sold, but in a magic-rich culture like Glorantha that doesn't seem likely. If they're brought out of the Rubble, the Lunars at least will demand their 10%, and temples will probably expect a 10% cut as well. 

For POW crystals, one might say 100 L a point. Since they are reusable and can also house a spirit, that seems reasonable. But what about crystals with abilities--Spell Reinforcing, Senstitivity, Healing, and so on. What about those with more than one ability? 

[kalidor]

I would use 20L per point for pow storage crystal, and 100L per point for abilities crystal

[kalidor]

Just now, kalidor said:

I would use 20L per point for pow storage crystal, and 100L per point for abilities crystal. It is a lot of money, you live with 60L a year.

 

[Shiningbrow]

Sorry, no definitive or official answer to this. However, previous discussions have said - based on RQ2 prices, and thus converting from those - that you'd be looking at 200-300/point for an 'ordinary' POWered crystal.

I'd be inclined to making it a rising scale, rather than linear.  (not sure it should be exponential... that would be getting very steep - but, hey, maybe that's legit! An 8 point POW Enhancing maybe is worth 6400L)

 

I'd also think that the price of 'dead' crystals should have a higher base rate, and then a lower per MP value - to reflect that even a 1 Point POW Storage crystal can hold a 20 POW point spirit.

[Akhôrahil]

The going rate for a point of POW is 200L. This can give you a 1d10 MP Matrix, which is only slightly weaker than a storing crystal of the same size. This would suggest 40L per point of MP in the crystal.

[Squaredeal Sten]

2 hours ago, Akhôrahil said:

The going rate for a point of POW is 200L. This can give you a 1d10 MP Matrix, which is only slightly weaker than a storing crystal of the same size. This would suggest 40L per point of MP in the crystal.

Or more.  After all the crystals are gids' blood, and they aren't making any more.

Though an enterprising person could prospect the spot where Harrek fought and killed Jar-Eel, just in case the line between superheroes and gods is blurred a little bit.

Now when Argrath brings the Red Moo down, that would be a place to prospect.  

 

[Shiningbrow]

9 hours ago, Squaredeal Sten said:

Or more.  After all the crystals are gids' blood, and they aren't making any more.

Though an enterprising person could prospect the spot where Harrek fought and killed Jar-Eel, just in case the line between superheroes and gods is blurred a little bit.

Now when Argrath brings the Red Moo down, that would be a place to prospect.  

 

But, we could say that about the bones of the gods as well, and they're still finding those...

And, yes, you can actually get more... go to the Godtime!

It's also said that some of the Earth Goddesses live in Esrolia. And, Thunderbrothers are still quite available. (has there been a discussion on the blood of lesser deities? Such as local river gods, or city gods?)

[Shiningbrow]

12 hours ago, Akhôrahil said:

The going rate for a point of POW is 200L. This can give you a 1d10 MP Matrix, which is only slightly weaker than a storing crystal of the same size. This would suggest 40L per point of MP in the crystal.

This would lead to an obvious question - if that one point of POW gives the maximum casting of 10 points, would you have to pay only for the 1 POW (200L), or the 10MP storage (400L)?

[Shiningbrow]

I just thought I'd add, on P256 of GtG, there's a pic of the Market in Nochet, with a description that specifically lists "exotic goods such as crystalized shards of gods’ blood" - so they're fairly readily available there.... but is that at the prices quoted above? Or higher (due to being a richer city)? Or lower (due to being more available)?

[Akhôrahil]

6 hours ago, Shiningbrow said:

This would lead to an obvious question - if that one point of POW gives the maximum casting of 10 points, would you have to pay only for the 1 POW (200L), or the 10MP storage (400L)?

Depends on whether you're paying for the POW or for the item.

[Akhôrahil]

5 hours ago, Shiningbrow said:

I just thought I'd add, on P256 of GtG, there's a pic of the Market in Nochet, with a description that specifically lists "exotic goods such as crystalized shards of gods’ blood" - so they're fairly readily available there.... but is that at the prices quoted above? Or higher (due to being a richer city)? Or lower (due to being more available)?

More even and precdictable, at least - there are enough buyers and sellers to have a proper market for them, and you can go to someone else if the price isn't right. Meanwhile in Boldhome, there might not be anything to buy, or else, maybe no-one who wants to.

Edited February 8 by Akhôrahil

[French Desperate WindChild]

On 2/6/2024 at 9:11 PM, Bohemond said:

but in a magic-rich culture like Glorantha that doesn't seem likely.

Crystal is magic but not all magic is crystal. So you can't conclude that because magic is everywhere in Glorantha, crystal is everywhere in Glorantha (or conclude the opposite)

Now the only hint I have is based on the holy country supplement (decades ago) There is one rune lord npc who has a living crystal. It is said that he gained it during an heroquest, BUT the crystal is not his own. The crystal is just lent by the cult. The rune lord can use it but will have to give it back to the cult one day.

 

Then, my conclusion (but our glorantha may vary, depends on a lot of things and taste  🙂 ) :

Based on the fact that -in holy country at least- one rune lord needs a heroquest to obtain a crystal and even after this heroic journey, he is not the real owner.

my Glorantha says he had no opportunity to buy a crystal in a market, even in Pavis market.

my Glorantha says, in most cases, crystal are clan or temple treasure and would be ransomed in case of raid or other struggle. As it is a living part of a god, the point is not only it is a +2 bonus. It is a sacred object, a divine relic. It is most most most valuable than the "equivalent" spirit spell

my Glorantha says, if a community lose a crystal from its own pantheo, the community is cursed and must do a lot of things to get back the relic.

 

my Glorantha says, pc may obtain a crystal by several ways:

 

1)  plunder (or buying the result of a plunder - black market, ... etc - ). Fine, but pc should expect to meet one day or another some "hunters" from the plundered community, or from any temple looking for this kind of relic (the cult of the god's crystal, but why not some ennemy cult)

2) heroquesting for their clan/temple/community. As they get the support of the community, what they get back is for the community. But, as our Yelmalio rune lord example, it coud be fair that the community loan the crystal for a decade or two

3) heroquesting for themselves. If they are able to visit the heroplan without any support *, the crystal they get back is them... except if their leaders (if they have) enjoyed to have the crystal for their community of course...(or for them but they are their community, right ? 😛 )

4) from their community to help them to succeed a mission. Once the mission is successful (what ? do you believe pc could fail !)  the crystal should return to the community treasure.

5) randomly. But that's not because you find something lost in a cave or in a wood that there is no rightful owner (or people claiming they are the rightful owners) so back to 1) and 3)

 

 

* HQ without support : I Don't know if it is possible or not from an official perspective --> no published rule = no confirmation