A letter of recommendation is worth only as much as
the person who wrote it and offer no benefit in places
where its writer holds no sway.MEDALS
Although they are often fashioned from gold and
other precious materials, me dals have an even greater
symbolic value to those who award and r eceive them.
Medals are typically awarded by powerful political
figures for acts of heroism, and wearing a medal
is usually enough to earn the respect of those who
understand its significance.
Different acts of heroism can warrant different
kinds of medals. The King of Breland (in the Eberron
campaign setting) might award a Royal Badge of Valor
(shaped like a shield and made of ruby and electrum)
to adventurers for defending Brei ish citizens, while
the Golden Bear of Breland (a medal made of gold and
shaped in a likeness of a bear's head, with gems for
eyes) might be reserved for adventurers who prove their
allegiance to the Brelish Crown by uncovering and
defeating a plot to end the Treaty of Thronehold and
reignite the Last War.
A medal doesn't offer a specific in-game benefit to one
who wears it, but it can affect dealings with NPCs. For
example, a character who proudly displays the Golden
Bear of Breland will be regarded as a hero of the people
within the kingdom of Breland. Outside Breland, the
medal carries far less weight, except among allies of
Breland's king.
PARCELS OF LAND
A parcel of land is just that, and usually comes with a
royal letter affirming that the land has been granted as a
reward for some service. Such land usually remains the
property of the local ruler or ruling body, but is leased
to a character with the understanding that it can be
taken away, e specially if his or her loyalty is ever called
into question.
A parcel of land, if sufficiently large, might have one or
more farms or villages on it already, in which case the
recipient is pronounced lord or lady of the land and is
expected to collect taxes, along with any other duties.
A character who receives a parcel of land is free to
build on it and is expected to safeguard it. He or she may
yield the land as part of an inheritance, but can't sell
or trade it without permission from the local ruler or
ruling body.
Parcels of land make fine rewards for adventurers
who are looking for a place to settle or who have family
or some kind of personal investment in the region where
the land is located.
SPECIAL FAVORS
A reward might come in the form of a favor that the
characters can call on at some future date. Special
favors work best when the individual granting them is
trustworthy. A lawful good or lawful neutral NPC will
do whatever can be done to fulfill an obligation when
the time comes, short of breaking laws. A lawful evil
NPC does the same, but only because a deal is a deal.
A neutral good or neutral PC might pay off favors to
protect his or her r eputation. A chaotic good NPC is
CHAPTER 7 I TREASURE