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Simutronics sells a whole lot of things (Simu runs Gemstone, Dragonrealms, and a few others).
1) Monthly fee, which is paying for the privilege of playing the game at all. It isn't a "right" since people can be banned if they violate policy.
2) A higher monthly fee than #1, granting them access to merchants and "events" that lower-paying members aren't entitled to, and discounts on assorted things including their yearly convention.
3) Game weddings - characters can get married in the game, but if you want one hosted by a staff member, it costs extra. And for even MORE money, you can have a honeymoon in an area created just for the purpose (translation: if you want mudsex with atmosphere, it costs more).
4) Semi-canned quests. Meaning, the areas and mobs for these quests are already coded in, but a staff member (or a few) run the quest rather than having an NPC spout out a script.
5) "Customized" equipment and fluff. Called alterations, you might be able to turn your "steel dagger" into a "wickedly edged green steel blade of grass with a bejewelled pommel surrounded by a crown of thorny vines." Yes, you have to pay extra if you want to be tacky.
6) The Convention, known as SimuCon. I'm told this year it's cancelled, but basically you pay several hundred dollars, -plus- airfare and hotel. You go to St. Louis, get a tour of the Simutronics headquarters, attend seminars where the staff members tell you about all the things that are coming "real soon now" (translation: if the staff member who came up with this idea doesn't keel over from old age first, we MIGHT think about implementing this idea within the next 2 decades). You get to attend a dinner at the hotel, wear costumes, hear David Whatley tell you how much he loves you (Whatley is the founder and president of Simutronics), see a couple of skits performed by some of the players, and drink. Lots of drinking. People falling down in the hallways and just staying there all night drinking.
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