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 Fabulous Undermountain Treasure
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader

USA
4211 Posts

Posted - 11 Dec 2019 :  01:31:10  Show Profile Send Dalor Darden a Private Message  Reply with Quote  Delete Topic
I won't say which location, but there is a treasure in Undermountain that I missed for several years that I just now read again...how I forgot about it (or missed it?) I have no idea.

But there is a treasure worth 6,800,000 GP in gems in Undermountain.

HELLS that is a lot of coin...and experience.

Anyone ever have their party get this massive hoard of gems?

Any DM ever allow it?

Thoughts welcome...

The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me!

TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore

USA
1289 Posts

Posted - 11 Dec 2019 :  02:10:24  Show Profile Send TheIriaeban a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I think the problem would be carrying it out. THAT much value in gems sounds like it would have to be a lot of them and you can't just fit that in a few large bags.

"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."

My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader

USA
4211 Posts

Posted - 11 Dec 2019 :  02:51:14  Show Profile Send Dalor Darden a Private Message  Reply with Quote
It is 1,332 5,000 gp gems and a single giant one the size of a man's head worth 200,000gp

The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me!
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore

USA
1289 Posts

Posted - 11 Dec 2019 :  20:01:57  Show Profile Send TheIriaeban a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Wow, that is a local economy destroyer. I could see maybe doing an auction for the 200k one in Waterdeep (you may actually get more than 200k, then). The others, I don't know. Not everyone is going to be able to afford that and it isn't like you can use ones that big for everyday expenses. The group may have to go into the gem business to be able to unload them. If they don't and just head to someone to buy it, the gem may be worth 5k but I don't see a merchant giving someone that much. Otherwise, there is no profit in it for them. If they are lucky, it would be 4k each for a few of them at a time and then the merchant will resell each one for 5k (that is only a 25% markup for them).

Plus, if it gets out that they have that many high-value, easily portable items, every thief in a 100 miles is going to be heading for their door.

"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."

My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore

USA
1289 Posts

Posted - 12 Dec 2019 :  15:10:20  Show Profile Send TheIriaeban a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Going back to your original question about allowing it, I am of two minds on it:

1. Allow it but only award the experience as they are able to sell them as mentioned above. That way, they don't get a HUGE amount of experience all at once and instead are earning it via roleplaying the selling of the gems. That gives them incentive to actually do the roleplay and lets them decide when they would like a quick burst of some extra experience gain. Of course, storing them securely would be a problem while they are off doing something else. Hardbuckler would come to mind as a storage option.

2. Change the value of all the gems except the big one (that would probably have some kind of backstory). I had written a tool a while back that will get the value of gems using the tables in the Forgotten Realms Adventures book (if I remember right). It is still quite a bit of money but it isn't as bad as the original value and gives the group more options on getting rid of it as desired. This is what I got:

Get-Gems 1332
Gems found are:
321 ornamental gems (10gp)
320 semi-precious gems (50gp)
274 fancy gems (100gp)
260 precious gems (500gp)
146 gems (1,000gp)
11 jewels (5,000gp)

The total value of gems is 377610 gps

"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."

My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader

USA
4211 Posts

Posted - 12 Dec 2019 :  16:24:10  Show Profile Send Dalor Darden a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I thought about changing the 200,000 gp emerald into a "gem of scrying" like a crystal ball.

The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me!
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Gareth
Seeker

United Kingdom
55 Posts

Posted - 12 Dec 2019 :  23:35:39  Show Profile Send Gareth a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Allowed it if they found it.

Has happened several times.

Dealt with it as follows:
- In editions where GP=XP, they gained sufficient XP to advance one full level, plus enough XP to be 1XP less than needed to advance a second level.
- Unless they are clever in how and where they sell the gems, the market price drops.
- Suddenly wealthy, they experience all kinds of intrigue based around other folks wanting "their cut".
- That big 200K Emerald basically becomes a "big rob me" target. Twice the party donated it to Dwarven related causes including the Church of Dumathoin, and ended up with a hell of a lot of goodwill from them. Once, a party mage who collected Emeralds kept it as part of his share of treasure.
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader

USA
2420 Posts

Posted - 14 Dec 2019 :  19:23:42  Show Profile Send The Masked Mage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
It really shouldn't be that big of a problem... AND its a room that is not easy to find.

One thing you can do is provide some simple "magic for sale" events. Useful but not game-breaking magic that can help survive the halls. Another path is property in Waterdeep, like Mirt and Durnaan did with their wealth.

The one time I ever was in a campaign that had the room in question, the gold was used to hire mercenaries and workers and create a carnelian mine elsewhere in undermountain (I forget the room). Buying enough muscle to deter the heavies of undermountain (including the nearby Eye) Was pricey. In the end, every party member became rich and a lord or lady (one set up a business in Skullport) in and around Waterdeep.
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Rymac
Learned Scribe

USA
315 Posts

Posted - 15 Dec 2019 :  03:02:43  Show Profile  Visit Rymac's Homepage Send Rymac a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Isn't this room the hidden dwarven shrine to either Abbathor or Dumathoin? I remember that room.

- Ryan
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader

USA
4211 Posts

Posted - 15 Dec 2019 :  03:14:14  Show Profile Send Dalor Darden a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Rymac

Isn't this room the hidden dwarven shrine to either Abbathor or Dumathoin? I remember that room.



Yes, to Big D

It really isn’t that hard to figure out how to get into it.

The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me!
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader

USA
2420 Posts

Posted - 27 Dec 2019 :  09:32:41  Show Profile Send The Masked Mage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Dalor Darden

quote:
Originally posted by Rymac

Isn't this room the hidden dwarven shrine to either Abbathor or Dumathoin? I remember that room.



Yes, to Big D

It really isn’t that hard to figure out how to get into it.



That depends entirely on your DM. If its someone that tells you every clue in every room and every passage in a labyrinth, then it would be easy to find. If you're cheating and looking for a room you should not even know exists, then its easy to find.

However, if you do Undermountain correctly, then the maps are not correct - remember that Halaster changes them regularly. Also, unless you are actively searching (which takes time and is incredibly dangerous right there, then you will miss all the clues. The only way to find that room should be over a pile of dead random encounters stacked ceiling high.
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Nilus Reynard
Learned Scribe

Canada
137 Posts

Posted - 01 Jan 2020 :  02:51:17  Show Profile Send Nilus Reynard a Private Message  Reply with Quote
We found it on a campaign years ago, but the DM would only allow us to take what we could carry in a non-magical belt pouch. We were told by an NPC that the largest of the gems was cursed, so we all avoided it. Whether this was true or not, no one took the chance. But I did leave with 11k+ in gemstones.

Nilus Reynard
Doom Master of Beshaba, Hand of Despair.
P24 Hm CN
(2nd Edition AD&D)
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Hoondatha
Great Reader

USA
2449 Posts

Posted - 01 Jan 2020 :  04:19:19  Show Profile  Visit Hoondatha's Homepage Send Hoondatha a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Considering how huge Waterdeep's economy is, and how rich the noble families are, I don't see it as an economy destroyer. Yes, if you tried to sell all of the gems at once it would depress the price a bit, but Waterdeep is easily big enough to absorb the sale if you parceled it out over a year or two.

I wouldn't have any problem with my players getting some or all of that money. More money just means more ways I can have fun with them. :)

Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well.
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