Tavern Notice Board Lists 47 Active Quests, Zero of Which Pay a Living Wage

The notice board at the Rusty Flagon Tavern in Thornkeep currently displays 47 active quest postings, none of which offer compensation that the Adventurers' Union considers a living wage for the risk involved, prompting a formal complaint and an ongoing boycott of what union officials are calling 'exploitative hero-gig work.' The postings range from a request to clear a goblin camp ('Reward: 50 silver and the village's eternal gratitude') to a contract to slay an adult black dragon ('Reward: whatever you find in its hoard, minus a 40 percent administrative fee'). 'Fifty silver to clear a goblin camp,' said union steward Bron Axegrind, gesturing at the board with visible contempt. 'A goblin camp has, on average, thirty combatants. That's less than two silver per goblin. A healing potion costs 50 gold. One hit from a goblin scimitar, and you've spent your entire reward on not dying from the reward.' The dragon-slaying contract has drawn particular criticism. 'They want us to fight a dragon for a percentage of our own loot,' said ranger Elara Woodfall. 'We do the fighting. We take the risk. We supply our own weapons, armor, and resurrection insurance. And the questgiver takes 40 percent of whatever we find. For what? For writing a notice and pinning it to a board.' Several postings offer non-monetary compensation. One, from a village elder, promises 'a home-cooked meal and a warm hearth' in exchange for defeating a troll that has been terrorizing the village for six months. Another offers 'a good word put in with the king,' which the poster clarifies 'is not a guarantee of any specific outcome but is generally considered favorable.' The lowest-paying posting offers 'the satisfaction of knowing you've made a difference' as the sole reward for retrieving a cursed artifact from an abandoned temple. 'I can't pay rent with satisfaction,' said fighter Dorek Hammerfist. 'My landlord doesn't accept gratitude. My blacksmith doesn't sharpen swords for exposure. I have a skillset that includes killing things that want to kill everyone. That has value. The market says otherwise, apparently.' The Adventurers' Union has posted its own notice on the board, outlining minimum compensation standards for various quest types. The notice has been pinned over the dragon contract. Someone has already pinned the dragon contract back over it.