What do adventurers do with wealth?

So despite the undead half-dragon storm giant and his band of crossbow herbomancers, the protagonists successfully survived the adventure and raided the legendary horde for every last copper and questionably valuable armoire. The protagonists now need to figure out how to spend the loot.

Normally, the gang spends all their money on carousing, but sometimes the magic user wants to research a spell, or the fighter wants to build a keep. As a DM, this usually gives me pause. I think to myself, “What a great hook! I don’t have any rules for that.” Outside of Kingdom and ACKS, where do you see rules for what happens after the adventure?

What happens outside the adventure is worth investigating. I wrote this document as a game aid for any DM to encourage their players to think outside the box when it comes to wealth. I write about inspiring players to seek these other forms of wealth, the relative expenses of these forms of wealth, and the nature of specific kinds of wealth. It starts with a dream.

Wealth and Dreams

I’ve broken the dreams of wealth down into 13 categories:

1. Luxury (Live surrounded in comfort)
2. Health (Live a strong, lengthy life)
3. Art (Live surrounded by splendor)
4. Knowledge (Reach enlightenment)
5. Power (Rule the world)
6. Future development (Make a better future)
7. Philanthropy (Make a better now)
8. Entertainment (Never be bored)
9. People (Share my wealth or acquire fame)
10. Conveyances (Have a sweet ride)
11. Lodging (Have a sweet house)
12. Travel (See the world)
13. Pets (Care for animals)

luxury (My dream is to live in comfort)

1. accessories $$$
2. clothes $$
3. furniture $$$
4. carousing $$
5. food $
6. drink $$
7. spices $$$
8. plants $$
9. smoking $$
10. masseuse $$

health (My dream is to live a strong life for a long time)

1. medicine $$$
2. spa $$
3. exercise equipment $$$$
4. personal physician $$
5. incense $$
6. plants $$$
7. minerals $$$

philanthropy (My dream is to make a difference in the world)

1. donations $$
2. grants $$$$
3. construction $$$$
4. infrastructure $$$$ 

future development (My dream is to make the world a better place for our descendants)

1. invention $$$$
2. research $$$
3. investing $$$
4. teaching $$
5. proselytizing $$

entertainment (My dream is to never be bored)

1. games $
2. toys $
3. hobbies $$
4. collections $$$
5. sports $$
6. shows $$
7. books $$$
8. music $$$$

people (My dream is to share my wealth or make people notice my greatness)

1. hired help $$
2. friends $
3. family $
4. locals $$$
5. garden hobo $

power (My dream is to have the world wrapped around my finger)

1. politics $$$$
2. bribes $$$
3. private military $$$$
4. advertising $$

conveyances (My dream is to have a sweet ride)

1. water based transport $$$$
2. air based transport $$$$
3. ground based transport $$
4. teleportation $$$$

lodging (My dream is to have a sweet house)

1. housing $$$
2. defensive fortification $$$$
3. logistics structures (aqueduct, trash dump, elevators) $$$$

knowledge (My dream is to be the smartest person ever)

1. books $$$
2. education $$
3. research $$$
4. astronomy $$$$
5. sage advice $$$
6. cadavers $$
7. Preserved specimens $$
8. Interviews with knowledgeable people $$$

travel (My dream is to see the world)

1. thrill seeking $$$
2. safari $$$$
3. mission trips $$

pets (My dream is to take care of animals)

1. Zoo $$$$
2. Personal $
3. Rehabilitation $$$
4. Pet housing $$$

art (My dream is to live surrounded by splendor)

1. display pieces $$$$
2. furniture $$$
3. architecture $$$$
4. landscaping $$$
5. plants $$
6. appearance surgery $$$$
7. tattoos $$

Specific Examples

luxury (My dream is to live in comfort)

1. Accessories
1. Opaline necklace with jade filigree
2. Onyx navel ring engraved with a coarse rune
2. clothes $$
1. Rich velvet green doublet with embroidered hem
2. Royal blue cape of silver stars, each trimmed in the finest silk
3. furniture $$$
1. Huge patterned sofa dressed in lambskin and lace
2. Avant-Garde iron throne reminiscent of a leering rat