Resource Guide

What Are Resources?

Generally speaking in terms of IC theme, resources are a nebulous representation of goods, services, and favors that can be used in the spheres of influence that they represent - economic, military, and social. An economic resource might represent discounts on tariffs when transferred to one character, and the same resources could represent a temporary labor force when transferred to another. Military resources might represent a shipment of weapons and armor for footsoldiers one day, and lumber for building ships the next. There's never really any need to specifically define what the resources are granularly representing when they're being used.

A note on resources: Some players refer to resources as "writs." Staff discourages this usage as the word "writ" has a specific connotation within Arx's IC lore, and using "writs" to refer to resources creates unnecessary thematic confusion.

Earning Resources

Work

Generally the most lucrative way to earn resources is through the work command.

Random Scenes and Votes

Receiving votes and using the @randomscene command will also give you a small number of resources of each type.

Haggling

You can buy (and sell!) resources at City Center from NPCs using the haggle command.

Broker

You can buy and sell resources at City Center from other PCs using the broker commands.

Using Resources

All Types

There are certain functions that all three resource types can be used for.

Investigation Difficulty

Any resource can be used to lower difficulty in an investigation. Check out the Investigation Guide for more info.

Retainers

Each resource type can be used to create and upgrade specific retainers. Check out the Retainer Guide for more info, and see below for what each resource type can be used for.

Actions

Resources can be invested into Actions to represent additional investment that the GMs will take into consideration when setting roll difficulties and determining outcomes.

Dominion Skills

While not fully implemented yet, resources will be the method for increasing Dominion Skills (Population, Income, Farming, Productivity, Upkeep, Loyalty, and Warfare) for the large-scale Dominion system.

Economic Resources

Building

Economic resources are the currency used to build rooms starting at a rate of 100 per room. Check out the official Housing and Shops Guide for a run-through.

Assistant Retainers

Economic resources are used to create and upgrade retainers of the assistant type. More information is available at the Retainer Guide.

Social Resources

Starting Investigations

Starting an investigation requires 25 social resources (minus five resources for every point of the Investigation skill a character has). More info at the Investigation Guide.

Spy and Small Animal Retainers

Social resources are used to create and upgrade retainers of the spy and small animal type. More information is available at the Retainer Guide.

Military Resources

Armies

Military resources are used to hire units with the @army commands.

Champion, Animal, and Guard Retainers

Military resources are used to create and upgrade retainers of the champion, animal, and guard type. More information is available at the Retainer Guide.