Carousing

One of my favorite things about Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser tales are how, at the end of nearly every adventure, they're flush with their winnings- but, by the beginning of the next, they've pissed away all of their cash in some frivolous manner- usually involving debauchery and drink.  Even later, when they're running a thieves' guild or mercenary company, they're beset by the winds of fate, and turn to a life of adventure to shore up their diminished purses.

My friend Brent ran DCC RPG with a spend-gold-for-XP system (I love gold for xp), and his rule was that you could spend gold Carousing, in 50 GP increments, and earn a better XP return from your money.  It was great- and I think it came from the excellent posts over here, on Balthazar's Bloviations.

So, with inspiration from Brent and Balthazar's Bloviations, here's my d30 Carousing table.

A few notes on some oddness you'll see here:

• XP Cost to Level: 
• I'm multiplying XP requirements for DCC by 10: Level 1 costs 100gp, not 10.  Level 2 costs 500gp, not 50, etc.
• Gaining XP: 
• You gain 1xp per 1gp you spend, in any way.
• Killing a monster gives 10xp per HD, divided amongst the (surviving) party.  
• Unless the result declares otherwise, Carousing results give a 1.5x xp bonus on the amount of money you spend: 50gp => 75xp, 100gp => 150xp, etc.
• Debts: 
• You may gain a Debt from carousing.  Other carousing results can either cash in your debt (pay up or suffer badness), or erase your debt.
• You can always pay your debt at any time, at a cost of 100gp per level.  This earns you XP, one for one.
• Favour: 
• Some carousing results allow you to increase your Favour with an NPC.  This tracks how much this NPC feels like they're indebted to you.  It's only worth tracking on important NPCs.
• When you want to cash in a Favour, roll 2d6+Favour.  On a 10+, they're gonna come to you for help later, but (if they can provide it) they give you what you're asking for.  On a 7-9, they need collateral from you right now.  On a 6-, you're out of luck.
• If you have positive Favour, you can burn 1 Favour with this NPC to turn a 6- result into a 7-9 result.  You put the squeeze on them; they're not happy with it, but they'll see what they can do.

Without further ado....

Carousing

Roll 1d30	Result
1-3	A Really Bad Night Suffer the following, but Karma smiles on you.  Gain 1 Luck upon awakening. Cleric: You wake up with a wicked hangover, and look down to see the symbol of a rival god tattooed on your forearm!  Gain 1 disapproval permanently.  Maybe once you get rid of the tattoo you can make amends with your god. Fighter or Dwarf: In a drunken rage, you threw your equipment into the water.  Make a luck check against every piece of weaponry and armour you have- for magic items, add their bonus to this check (minimum +1).  For each one that fails, you threw it away. Thief or Halfling: You got caught with light fingers and heavy pockets.  Lose all your coin and valuables (earning xp), and gain a Debt- someone paid your bail. Wizard or Elf: Your otherworldly experimentations are best performed sober.  Roll 1d10 minus your level, plus your Luck modifier on the appropriate Corruption chart: (1-3) Minor (4-5) Major (6) Greater.
4	Bruisers Jack-booted thugs accosted you as you stumbled through the bad part of town. If you have a Debt, they're here to collect.  Pay up now, or get beaten up.  Roll 3 times: (1) -1 Strength (2) -1 Agility (3) -1 Stamina (4) -1 Personality (5) -1 Intelligence (6) -1 Luck (7) Broken Limb (8) Organ Damage.  Your Debt is paid. If you don't have any Debts, they just don't like the look of you.  Pay up to 20gp per level (earning xp).  If you fall short, they rough you up- take damage equal to the amount you fell short by.  Don't worry, they leave you alive.
5	A Powerful Enemy Someone’s enforcers surrounded you as you relieved yourself.  You were escorted to an audience with someone wearing a masquerade mask and velvets. If you have a Debt, it's time to settle.  Pay up now, or generously give over your most valuable item- magic, if you have it.  Your Debt is paid. If you don't have a Debt, sounds like you ran afoul of some obscure local tariff.  Pay up to 40gp per level (earning xp).  If you fall short, they also take your most valuable non-magical item.  No they don't give you change.
6	Traitorous Dice You gambled hard all night.  It was going so well until you decided to go double or nothing on a single roll of the dice!  It was all downhill from there…  You owe a Debt.
7	Get Rich Quick Your new friends were so generous, throwing money around all evening!  When you asked about their windfall they told you about such an affordable investment, and guaranteed to make a quick return….  You won't see them again, but you owe a Debt.
8	An Over-stayed Welcome You make a fool of yourself with your drunken and disorderly conduct- crashing parties, streaking through the town square, bathing in fountains, vomiting on someone wealthy.  Take a permanent -2 to Personality tests with citizens of this town, but gain 1 Luck.
9-11	Showing Off Roll 1d5 and suffer the consequences. (1) Drunk on wine and victory, you boasted of your prodigious strength.  You have broken memories of various trials- wrestling an ox, carrying an anvil, or swinging some massive warhammer.  Make a Strength check.  (20) An ox follows you wherever you go, now.  (Success) You came out looking good.  (Fail) You looked a bit soft.  The group’s strongest retainer, hireling, or follower tests their morale.  (1) You tore something.  Lose 1 Strength permanently. (2) You wake up someplace very high- a bell tower or a wall or an old tree- with no recollection of how you got up there.  There’s no obvious way down.  Make an Agility check (or Climbing, if you are a thief).  (20) Some kid runs up to you exclaiming he didn't believe you could do it.  He hands you his “shiny stone,” which actually is worth 1gp x your level.  (Success) Your head hurts, but you make it down fine.  (Fail) It’s a bit of a hard landing.  Take 1d6 falling damage- you’ll live.  (1) You twist your ankle as you land.  Lose 1 Agility permanently. (3) You gorged yourself, guzzled wine like water, and smoked strange substances all night.  Make a Stamina check.  (20) Your pouch contains just enough fine herb to share with one companion.  Take a +2 Personality bonus to checks made while you share it with someone.  (Success) You're hung over and your mouth is cottony, but you’re fine.  (Fail) For the next day, make a fortitude save once per hour (and when you roll initiative) or vomit uncontrollably for 1d3 rounds.  (1) You feel absolutely terrible.  Lose 1 point of Stamina permanently. (4) You met someone incredible and spent the entire night discussing your futures together.  Only, now that you've woken up… you can't remember a thing about them.  Make a Personality check.  (20) Your pocket contains a tiny gem stone worth 10gp x your level, and a note: “for our ring, my love.”  It’s not signed.  (Success) Well… there's plenty of fish in the sea, right?  (Fail) You bought a ring.  Spend up to 50gp (earning xp).  If you spend 50, it's solid gold and worth that amount.  Any less and it's a fake.  (1) You’re heartbroken.  They were the one.  Lose 1 point of Personality permanently. (5) You hazily recall challenging someone to a drinking game of riddles- the loser takes a shot.  Make an Intelligence check.  (20) Your prowess is the talk of the town.  Gain a permanent +2 to Personality checks against the citizens of this town.  (Success) You feel bright eyed and well rested, if slightly sorry for your opponent’s morning.  (Fail) You have a wicked hangover.  Take 2d4 points of Stamina damage (not permanent).  (1) You’ve never been so drunk in your life.  Lose 1 point of Intelligence permanently.
12	Some Fresh Ink You got a tattoo!  Roll 1d8.  It shows… (1) Your most epic victory since you last caroused. (2) Your most embarrassing moment since you last caroused.  (3) MOM over a heart with an arrow through it.  (4) A symbol of some god- yours, if you keep one.  (5) A dagger through a human heart.  (6) MRDR HOBO knuckle tat.  (7) In Memoriam for someone you've seen die.  (8) The name of some bar you've never heard of, with beer steins.
13	Keeping Up With The Smiths You bought some cheap clothing in the most outlandishly fashionable style you could find.  Roll 1d8.  You’re wearing… (1) An old perruque. (2) a puffy white pirate shirt.  (3) Shoes with outlandishly curled toes.  (4) A beat up hat, sporting the largest feather you've ever seen.  (5) A cloak of many colours- actually just strips of about 50 cloaks.  (6) A ring across 3 fingers that reads TINO.  (7) The brightest green pants.  (8) A mole, glued to your cheek.  It will fall off in 1d5 weeks.
14	A Question of Class The following: Cleric: You engaged in esoteric discussions of faith with a shadowy, robed figure.  You dreamt of tendrils sliding across each other in the dark. Dwarf: At last, someone who appreciates good ale!  You met some fellow dwarfs and sang songs of the old mountain home and striking the earth.  You dreamt of your uncle, seized by the madness when the old mountainhome couldn't give him a bonecrafting workstation. Elf: You spent the night out under the stars, clear headed and solitary.  You thought you heard faint music, once, but you didn't.  You dreamt of a lost love, sailing away, away forever. Halfling: After a few cups, you barged into the kitchen.  The staff were dumbfounded but quickly adapted to your instructions.  The patrons cheered your cooking at the end of the night!  You dreamt of your great-uncle-twice-removed’s 111th birthday, and his strange disappearance that night. Thief: You gambled all night, winning and losing in equal measure.  When your opponent finally left at the end of the night, you noticed her drink spilled in the shape of a skull, struck through: “well played,” in the cant.  You dreamt of someone you owed something to, and never repaid. Warrior: You drank, arm-wrestling all takers.  Late in the evening you had to take a sore loser outside.  You took a few punches, but they were far worse off.  The tavern cheered when they limped away- they’d been bullying the clients for weeks.  You dreamt of breaking an old sword down and reforging it, quenching the hot steel in some dark liquid. Wizard: You scrawled mystical symbols on a tabletop for hours!  While you were gone buying more ale, someone erased a key part of your formula and replaced it with a lewd swear.  You didn't see who it was.  You dreamt of driving an obsidian dagger into your breast, and offering your beating heart into a huge, six-fingered hand.
15	Kindred Spirits The following: Law: A group of town guards took a liking to you.  You stayed drinking with them for hours.  Gain +2 to Personality checks with guards and upstanding citizens for the next session. Neutral: A group of merchants was very interested in your tales, and you were happy to oblige them.  Gain a 10% discount on purchases made for the next session. Chaos: You went on a roaring bar crawl, gaining a large crowd of musicians and hangers-on.  Gain a +2 to Personality checks with artists and riff-raff for the next session.
16	With A Little Help from my Friends You ran into someone important, and they opened up to you about their financial problems.  If you feel generous, here's the chance to make a good impression… Spend cash to increase their Favour with you by 1: (Favour 0) 25gp.  (Favour 1) 50gp.  (Favour 2) 150gp.  (Favour 3) 300gp.
17	Schmoozing and Boozing You ran into someone important and convinced them to join you.  You had a fantastic time together.  Increase their Favour with you by 1, up to a maximum of 3.
18	A Bad Influence You caroused royally, and some young townsfolk was inspired by your tales and lifestyle.  Roll up a level 0 character- you've gained a follower!
19	You're Scaring the Children You told tales all evening of your most terrifying moments of adventure!  Some poor adventurer-hopeful heard every word and decided to hang up their sword.  Strike one Level 0 character of your choice off the Roster.
20	Derring Do You told tales all evening of your most glorious moments of adventure!  Some wide eyed listener has decided this is the life for them.  Roll up a random Level 0 character and add them to the Roster.
21-25	Heroic Carousing! The tale of this night will be sung for weeks.  You hit every bar.  The bards sang all your favorite tunes.  You bought a round for all your friends, and a round for all your enemies.  You arm-wrestled the strong, riddled with the quick, and romanced the beautiful.  You were the life of the party: gain 2x xp instead of 1.5x.
26	My Specialty As Heroic Carousing!, plus: Cleric: While regaling some passers by with wisdom of your god, you were struck by divine inspiration!  Roll a random Cleric spell of your level.  You may replace one of your currently known spells with it. Dwarf or Warrior: A strapping young person is inspired by your personal skill.  Roll up a Level 0 character- you've gained a follower! Elf or Wizard: Your sharp ears and clever inquiries have paid off.  Roll once on the spell chart: you’ve heard rumor of this spell, and can attempt to learn it when you level up. Thief: For whatever reason, people are just honest with you.  Choose between learning a new rumor about somewhere you already know, or somewhere you don't; both will be true.  Then learn a helpful hint for how you can pursue this rumor.
27	Legendary Gambling As Heroic Carousing!, plus Lady Luck was on your side!  Your gambling gave you great rewards.  You can choose to reduce your Luck, earning 10x your level in gold pieces per point you reduce it by.  If your luck is greater than 18, you are gripped by the fates: You automatically reduce down to 10 Luck, gaining 10 x your level gp per point, as appropriate.
28	I Owe You One As Heroic Carousing!, plus your head is pounding but you have faint and broken memories of high stakes battling and epic heroism across the rooftops and down the alleyways.  You find a note pinned to your chest.  It reads: "The (roll 2d6) _____ _____ thanks you for your service."  If you had any Debts, they've all been erased.  If you don't have any Debts, you've earned a temporary 3 Favour with a shadowy figure, good for a single request. 1: Ivory.  2: Ebony.  3: Jade.  4: Umbral.  5: Velvet.  6: Silk. 1: Rat.  2: Mouse.  3: Falcon.  4: Panther.  5: Serpent.  6: Lion.
29	A Night to Remember As Heroic Carousing!, plus your revelry is the talk of the town.  Gain a permanent +2 to Personality checks with the citizenry of this town.
30+	It's All Clearer Now As Heroic Carousing!, plus your truly epic night of debauchery was just what you needed to unwind.  The lessons of your adventures have solidified in your mind unusually strongly. Roll: (1) Roll your hit dice again.  If the total is higher than your current HP, this is your new HP value.  (2) Gain 1 Strength.  (3) Gain 1 Agility.  (4) Gain 1 Stamina.  (5) Gain 1 Personality.  (6) Gain Intelligence.  (7) Gain 1 Luck.  (8) Roll twice, ignoring further 8s.