To upgrade each of your three runners to the best weapon and best armour would cost a total of 42,000 gold by my calculations.
For the first sword it's 1000 gold, the second is 2000 gold, and the third is 4000 gold. That's 7000 gold. Times that by the three runners and you have so far spent 21000 gold giving your three runners the best swords each.
Same again for the armour, first is 1000, then 2000, then 4000 = 7000, again times three and you have another 21000. 42000 gold all up. But I'ts worth it.
For each armour upgrade you give them, they have more chance of returning with hands full of goodies, also meaning you don't have to pay for them to heal. For every sword upgrade they bring back more of the item you are after, at least that was my experience. I went from getting 1 diamond to 12 every run...
There is also no way to give them your own stockpile that I have found, Although i keep EVERYTHING in my battle chest, swords, shields, books, my first tooth... Just in case.
Hope some of that helped..
Tinman21
