pink corner piece The Drones

The Readies

What might be expected of, or be representative of, someone at that level of affluence

10 King of England, Aga Khan etc.
9 Prince or similar.
8 Earls, Dukes etc. Money no object.
7 Minor royalty, landed gentry with country estate and multiple town houses, millionaire.
6 Landed gentry with country estate and town house. Drones with this sort of affluence are very rare indeed.
5 Landed gentry with a country estate or large town house.
4 Can afford a good town house or substantial country mansion.
3 Can afford a superior central London apartment. Can always lay his hands on two fivers or afford to take a friend to dinner at a really good restaurant.
2 Can afford to live in a good town apartment or suite in a good hotel. Usually has enough cash in his pocket to pay for meals out, rounds of drinks, large tips etc.
1 Can afford a town apartment or a room in a good hotel to live in. Might be short of ready cash towards the end of the month if dependent on an allowance.
0 Typical Drone. Can afford club bills but probably in debt to the tailor. Doesn't need to work for a living.
-1 Probably works for a living e.g. prosperous doctor, lawyer or industrialist. Minimum wealth for entry to the Drones Club. A Drone at this level can usually settle a debt of honour.
-2 Works for a living; senior professional or owns a good business. A Drone at this level can probably buy a meal for his lady-friend at the Lyon's Corner House but not at a good restaurant.
-3 Works for a living; professional, bank manager, very superior servant. A Drone at this level probably avoids buying a round of drinks if he can.
-4 Has a reasonably well-paid job or owns a profitable small business. A Drone can buy a birthday gift for a favourite nephew but has to be careful with money.
-5 Earns just enough to own a small house and probably travels 2nd class. A Drone at this level requires a loan to pay the bar bill but can afford cigarettes.
-6 Has little spare money and probably lives in accommodation that goes with the job. Basic subsistence level for a Drone; has to wash his own socks.
-7 Skilled worker; probably rents a home. Visits from debtors (e.g. bookies) are a serious possibility for a Drone at this level.
-8 Unskilled labourer. A Drone at this level requires a loan for a bus ticket and is in debt to most tradesmen.
-9 Casual worker, street sweeper, paper vendor etc.
10 Breadline for ordinary people.

Normal levels for a starting Drone are in Bold.

See also the Starting cash table and the Purchases table.

Buying something that is a constant drain on resources (e.g. servant, car) drops The Readies by 1 point per item as long as the character still has it.

E.g. Bertie has a The Readies rating of 3 but he employs a gentleman's gentleman, who requires a regular salary, he also runs a flashy sports car so his effective Readies is reduced to 1 when considering his ability to buy expensive things and the likelihood of him having five or ten pounds in his pocket.

The Drones front page | Character generation | Combat | Sample scenarios


Copyright Ian Crowther, Sheila Thomas, Victoria Uren 1995-1996