Equipment for the Tower Lands

A lot of people have said a setting's equipment list is one of its most important worldbuilding tools. It instantly communicates a lot to players about the world while being one of the parts of the game they interact with most directly. I thought I'd share my setting's current equipment list (not including magic items, though I posted some stuff about that a while back). It's mostly pretty standard D&D fare--the Tower Lands are meant to be as approachable as possible for players at first blush, with the unique stuff only becoming apparent further in--but there are a few standouts.

Trade and Prices

Common folk trade with their neighbors on barter and credit. Travelers and the wealthy measure value in Dust. This shimmering powder, found in ruins of the old world or refined from rare minerals at the holiest of shrines, is recognizable by its soft blue-green glow and the way it gathers and moves on its own when undisturbed. The smallest amount of Dust that will gather is called a Mote, noted as Đ. A free wage laborer typically earns about 5 Đ per day.

Weapons

Type	Properties	Price
Axe	Throwable	18 Đ
Battleaxe	Two-handed	120 Đ
Bow	Range 150'	60 Đ
Club	Small	7 Đ
Crossbow	Range 180', slow to load	150 Đ
Dagger	Small, throwable	7 Đ
Javelins (2)	Range 120'	80 Đ
Mace	-	30 Đ
Maul	Two-handed	120 Đ
Polearm	Two-handed, reach	150 Đ
Sling	Small, range 300'	5 Đ
Spear	Throwable, reach	30 Đ
Staff	-	12 Đ
Sword	-	60 Đ
War sword	Two-handed	150 Đ

Ammunition

Type	Price
Arrows, quiver of 20	30 Đ
Bullets, pouch of 20	10 Đ
Quarrels, case of 20	30 Đ

Armor

Type	Price
Light	150 Đ
Medium	600 Đ
Heavy	2,000 Đ
Shield	120 Đ

Tools and Provisions

Item	Description	Price
Alembic, portable	Enough for basic apothecary work in the field.	375 Đ
Backpack	The mark of soldiers and relic hunters.	40 Đ
Bottle, pint	-	2 Đ
Caltrops, bag	Sharp metal spikes used to deter pursuers. Restricted by law in most places.	50 Đ
Candles (4)	-	2 Đ
Case, map or scroll	-	12 Đ
Clothing, common	Linen or woolen tunic, belt, sandals, cloak.	40 Đ
Clothing, warm	Thick woolen shirt and tunic, gloves, leggings, fur boots, heavy cloak.	120 Đ
Clothing, extravagant	Fine embroidered tunic or gown, expensive furs and silks, jewelry.	400+ Đ
Compass	-	250 Đ
Cosmetics set	A box containing makeup, brushes, perfumes, tweezers, etc. Common among the wealthy, often lavishly decorated.	100+ Đ
Costume	Suitable for a theatrical performance (or a disguise).	120 Đ
Crowbar	-	12 Đ
Dust phial	A reinforced bottle with a dropper built into the lid for measuring out Dust by the mote. Often ornate. Holds up to 100 Đ.	20+ Đ
Flint and steel	-	1 Đ
Gaming set	A board game and pieces, set of dice, or deck of cards.	30 Đ
Grappling hook	-	25 Đ
Inhaler mask	Has a socket for a Dust phial, allowing quick inhalation by a Tuner. Each is a unique likeness, embodying its user’s reputation. Restricted by law in most places.	500+ Đ
Lantern	-	18 Đ
Lockpicks	Also includes a set of skeleton keys. Restricted by law in most places.	100 Đ
Map	Regional, provincial, or realm-wide.	80 Đ
Medical supplies	-	25 Đ
Mirror, hand	-	30 Đ
Naphtha, jar	Highly flammable	50 Đ
Net	-	25 Đ
Oad	Five-stringed musical instrument, plucked with the fingers.	100 Đ
Oil, flask, 1 pint	Macca or other vegetable oil. Not flammable without a wick.	12 Đ
Pickaxe	-	12 Đ
Rations, fresh, 1 day	Spoil in 1 week.	2 Đ
Rations, preserved, 1 day	-	4 Đ
		Đ
Rope, 50'	-	12 Đ
Sack, small	-	1 Đ
Sack, large	-	2 Đ
Shovel	-	12 Đ
Spikes, iron (10)	-	10 Đ
Tinderbox	-	2 Đ
Torch	-	1 Đ
Water or wineskin	Holds 3 days' worth.	10 Đ

Animals and Vehicles

Item	Description	Price
Barding	-	300 Đ
Cart, beast-drawn	-	80 Đ
Cart, hand		35 Đ
Dog, hunting	-	50 Đ
Feed grain, common, 1 day	-	2 Đ
Feed grain, fine, 1 day	Suitable for feeding a warhorse.	4 Đ
Gyne	Small flying hunters, cousins to the wild valit. Kept by the rich for small game.	60 Đ
Horse, riding	-	150 Đ
Horse, war	Must be fed fine grain to remain in fighting shape	375 Đ
Kelbi	Small, hopping herd grazers with curling horns. Kept for wool, meat, and milk.	12 Đ
Mol	Furry, waist-high burrowers sometimes raised for meat. Easy to feed, but foul-tempered and sharp of tooth.	10 Đ
Mule	-	120 Đ
Nog	Knee-high, round-bodied scavengers with dark blue skin and short trunks. Kept for meat and food waste disposal.	20 Đ
Phen	Small, flightless winged beasts. Poor eating themselves, but lay tasty soft-shelled eggs.	1 Đ
Rox	Powerful, shoulder-high grazers with plated heads. Kept as dairy and draft beasts, slaughtered for leather and expensive meat.	80 Đ
Saddle, riding	-	120 Đ
Saddle, war	-	250 Đ
Saddlebags	-	20 Đ

Services

Item	Price
Carriage, local, per trip	2 Đ
Carriage, long-distance, per day	15 Đ
Meal, cheap	2 Đ
Meal, excellent	5 Đ
Drink, cheap	1 Đ
Drink, excellent	3 Đ
Freight, per barrel, per day	2 Đ
Inn, common room, per night	2 Đ
Inn, private room, per night	5 Đ
Messenger, local	1 Đ
Messenger, long-distance	20 Đ
Rent, cheap apartments, per month	100 Đ
Rent, luxurious apartments, per month	500 Đ
Ship's passage, per person, per day	18 Đ
Ship's charter, per day	100 Đ
Stabling, common animal, per day	1 Đ
Stabling and grooming, warhorse, per day	3 Đ
Wage, common laborer, per day	5 Đ
Wage, expert retainer, per day	15 Đ
Wage, mercenary, per day*	20 Đ

*: Base wage per fighting member of the company. For leaders, multiply by renown. Expenses must also be paid, and plunder will be expected when engaging in battle.

A Note on Slavery

Slavery is a ubiquitous and essential part of the Tower Lands’ economy. Halish slavery is not the chattel slavery of Earth’s Atlantic slave trade, but it is nevertheless a deeply cruel and inhumane practice. Slaves are routinely forced to work in brutal conditions and abused in countless ways.

It is assumed that players won’t want to play as slave owners or slave traders. However, they may want to do things like buying the freedom of slaves. For such cases, a typical commoner in decent health without any specialized skills can usually be bought out of slavery for about 300 Đ. People with specialized skills may cost as much as double, and those of formerly high birth, triple or more.

Some Gods

These are but a few of the innumerable gods worshiped in the Tower Lands--some of the most important, invoked by various names throughout the realm by common folk and high lords alike.

Toth

The sun, one of the higher beings. One of the most important gods, worshiped throughout the realm. Involved in harvest rites, husband to Rohesia.

Caina

The bright moon, known more commonly as Cradle in this age--the relation between the two names is unclear. A maiden sacrificed to Leviathan who Toth pitied and placed in the heavens to spare her. Leviathan reaches for her still, causing the tides.

Mal Maial

God of night, stars, and sleep, one of the higher beings. Husband of Caina, who married her to keep her safe from Leviathan and give her comfort in her grief. His embrace causes her phases.

Rohesia

Goddess of rain, fertility, and plants, one of the higher beings, wife of Toth. The main harvest god, probably the most popular in the realm.

Arai

Dour, secretive god of stone and metal, one of the higher beings. Invoked with libations and blood offerings for blessings of wealth.

Leviathan

God of the sea and bringer of ocean storms, parent of the countless sea beasts who bear its name. One of the higher beings, fierce and destructive, placated by sailors with offerings before voyages.

Ragahur

God of beasts, one of the higher beings. Placated by herders with offerings from the flock; invoked by hunters and haruspices, who seek omens in the wounds of savaged prey animals. One of the gods most likely to have been absorbed from old raun religion, to the point that even most Halish priests will admit it.

Rune

Goddess of knowledge, one of the higher beings. Said to know everything that has ever happened, but content to observe the world rather than rule. Mostly invoked by scholars and sorcerers.

Scarlet Vash

Dual-aspected god, said to change freely between masculine and feminine. Sometimes said to be a higher being, other times a revered ancestor. Capricious god of sex and bloodshed, bringer of passion to mortals, whether lustful desire or murderous rage.

The Crow

Collector of the dead, who guides souls to their final destinations and conducts offerings by the living to their revered ancestors. One of the higher beings, said to appear in the shape of a legendary winged beast with black feathers.

Old Beleg

A revered ancestor who watches over travelers. He is said to have walked every path in every realm and been to the very edge of the world. His symbol is a knotted cord, representing the links between all places and the bonds between all people.

Fevered Lodra

A revered ancestor, said to be the first inheritor of medicine among the Halish and patron of all doctors. Invoked to banish impurity with fire, strong liquor, and the bark of the anath tree, which serves as her talisman.

Demara the Compassionate

A revered ancestor, a highborn lady who gave up everything to comfort and care for the outcast and the cursed. Patron of those unfortunate souls, and goddess of mercy and charity, which makes her an unsavory figure to the nobility.

Joda the Burnt

A revered ancestor, credited as the first inheritor of the smithing arts. She stole the secret of iron from Arai, and was punished with fire. Ever since, those who seek to master smithing must suffer the heat of the flames as recompense.

Starchaser Rendil

A revered ancestor, believed to have first inherited the art of shipbuilding. As a child, he fell in love with a star and sought to build a vessel to carry him to where the night sky met the distant water. None know whether he ever reached his distant love, for he never returned from his final voyage. Even now, he is invoked both by shipwrights and those who long to be with someone far away.

Aigon, the First Master

A revered ancestor, founder of the earliest traditions that would become the basis of the High Arts of war, and still honored as patron of them all. While Joda is usually invoked as the bringer of smithing to mortals, some credit Aigon with first obtaining the art of swordmaking, which he bargained for from a higher being whose name is now lost.