New HR Director?

[Ginger]

I'll pick up the slack in the HR department now that Ross has gone to Pelor. We have a few issues to work out:
1. What are the different membership tiers? The Company has 6 full members: Raven, Winthrop, Al, Serrin, Rook, and Remo. Our hangers-on are Frank and Dell. Do they get half memberships? How do provisional/associate members comapare to henchmen? I think that we should try to scale it according to character level. As long as the full members are so much stronger than anyone else, I think we should stop offering henchmen full shares.


2. How is voting going to work? For example, when we decide to keep the house, who gets to vote? Does Frank's vote count as much as Dell's vote?


3. How do we share loot? A one size fits all rule might not be possible. For example, I'll probably never need to train again. Neither will Al. And even if we do, we can train eachother in weapon proficiencies for free. I also don't need to buy anything but arrows, which are very cheap. Same with the other fighters. However, my armor (once I get it back) is by far the most expensive item we have (or at least that we've identified). My magical armor, two magical longswords (Yes Dell, I said two), and magical shield probably cost a fortune, but it's hard to say, since they haven't been identified. It's very hard to explain this to NPCs, so we need to come up with a better way to do it. I have some ideas, but this post is too long already.

[Ginger]

I think we should grant membership based on levels gained in the company. This would favor PCs, since they gain XP much faster and are guaranteed to fight with us every week and start at level 1.
My other idea is to base it more purely on character level. The tougher characters pull more weight in the company and should get more of the loot and more of a say in the Company of the Blue Sun's business (Am I the only one who thinks it's funny that our acronym is CBS?). This shouldn't be terribly hard to communicate to henchmen. Except for healers, who really do fill a niche we need, any of us could crush anyone who might join the party.

[Dell]

If there's anyone that has a claim to that second magical sword, it's Al or Frank - you know, the fighters that don't have magical weapons? The ones that do spend their time on the front lines, unlike Raven? But since Dell grabbed it first...

Frank at least has magical armor - Al doesn't have a damn thing. (I know the smith in Saltmarch has a set of magical chainmail that's dwarf sized... because Ross sold it to him. Maybe you can buy it back next time the party's over there.)

Basing the division on character level seems a bit too meta-game for me... I say either assign a percentage to each person before we head out, or you pay a high flat rate (100 gold a day, say) with the understanding that they don't get a share of the loot (if indeed there is any loot.) A bonus would be given for excessive bravery, and if they run from a battle (before anyone else does) then they forfeit all payment.

Since Raven won't need the money as much, he'll probably end up loaning (giving) his money to Winthop and Dell to buy spell components and spellbooks and such. This puts them in his debt, making him the president and CEO of CBS. Or he can just save up to build his stronghold...

[Ginger]

I like the idea of a high, flat, daily rate. I can't imagine any NPC balking at the prospect of 75 GP a day. Dell, however, should get the standard 6 silver per diem rate we give theives in the party.

[Dead Greyhawk]

Dell's Vote
Just to clarify Dell's place in the Company.

The Story So Far, Week 30, Part C

Winthrop and Raven take the Company funds and use them to purchase ink for Winthrop’s scribing and to contract alterations to a set of platemail armor for Al. While Winthrop sits and scribes his spells, Elmo and he discuss the state of the Company. Elmo realizes that the Company could likely use additional hands and seizes the opportunity. As he is currently acting as guildmaster for the city of Monmurg, the apprentices of the slain mages have defaulted to his care. One of his apprentices, Dell, is certainly capable of leaving training, and he suggest that the Company of the Blue Sun might find advantage in having another mage within their ranks. Winthrop and Elmo hammer out an arrangement for Dell’s acceptance into the Company, including a six week trial period and conversion to full status at the end of this period. After the agreement is shook upon, Elmo offhandedly comments that Winthrop should keep an eye on Dell, because he has quick hands.

Dell is ushered into the room and introduced to Winthrop. Dell is a half elf of interesting manner. Most notably, his hair is a striking shade of orange. Dell seems personable and quite knowledgeable, in an academic sense. As Elmo escorts Dell out, Winthrop overhears Elmo say to Dell, “And remember, two minor magic items, at least one potion, and copies of all the spells. Don’t forget!”

Company Shares
Al wants a wage to compliment his equity in the Company's value. The more he thinks about it, the people equity is not clear to him and represents a poor investment in his shareholder value because, 1. You could leave the Company (in a pine box even) taking a greater proportion of Company equity than would be your share and 2. The Company equity doesn't seem to have a clear gold coin value. Al would prefer, in addition to the current method of reinvestment into the Company, that everyone in the Company receive a fixed wage. That way he could send money home to his poor sick grandmother.

Contracting Out
On the topic of hiring NPCs, I am certain that no competent NPC that I run would enter into an agreement with the following clause:

A bonus would be given for excessive bravery, and if they run from a battle (before anyone else does) then they forfeit all payment.

It would be too simple to get screwed by the Company and lose all payment by them claiming the NPC ran from a battle.

I like the idea of a high, flat, daily rate. I can't imagine any NPC balking at the prospect of 75 GP a day

This is likely so, but has some perverse incentives in it. Also, you'll be dragging the bottom of the barrel with this approach. The quality adventurers are the gambling type, who would prefer to go in for a share.

[Dell]

So how long has it been since Dell joined? It seems like at least five weeks... there was all that island hopping, and the trip up the river, and we spent a week in jail, about a week looking for the merchant guy, and about a week waiting for Winthrop to recover...

Anyway, Dell agrees with Al's wage idea, as he's tired of having no money.

[Mr. Trommer]

I am also tired of having no money. My debt-to-equity ration isn't that great right now.