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Procedures for Populations

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Special Reference Work
A compiled volume of information for players of Classic Fantasy Role-Playing games,
Including: objective rules for downtime activities; systems for players to influence the political
landscape; construction guidelines for buildings, vehicles, and vat creatures; henchmen and
hirelings rules; pacifying the wilderness; and various timekeeping procedures.

By Courtney C. Campbell
Additional Tables by Mike Evans, Arnold Kemp, Chris Tamm,
Alexander Macris, and Bodie Hartley
Copyright 2019 - Hack & Slash Publishing
All Rights Reserved

Cover by Karl Stjernberg

Editing by Sándor Gebei
Illustrations by Courtney C. Campbell
 Contents
Places..........................................9
Civilization..................................................................10
Cities. ........................................................................ 11
––Basic Procedures.......................................................13
Navigation..................................................................15
––Navigation Procedures................................................16
City Random Encounters................................................17
––100 Obnoxious Peasants.............................................18
––100 Noble Patrons................................................... 32
Activities & Labor.........................49
Orgies Inc.................................................................. 50
––Adornment............................................................. 50
––Philanthropy.............................................................51
––Drinking/Orgies...................................................... 52
––Study/Research/Meditation........................................ 52
––Gourmandising........................................................ 53
Sacrifice.................................................................... 54
Rumors...................................................................... 55
Healing..................................................................... 55
Relaxation.................................................................. 55
Rodomontade............................................................. 55
Preparing and Scouting................................................. 56
Learning Talents.......................................................... 56
Skills. ....................................................................... 56
Training a Skill or Weapon Mastery................................. 57
Professional Income..................................................... 57
Crafting Items............................................................. 58
Raising Statistics.......................................................... 58
Collecting an Arcane Library.......................................... 59
Scribing a Scroll or Brewing a Potion.............................. 59
Creating Magical and Alchemical Items.............................60
 ––Researching Spells.....................................................60
––Researching New Spells...............................................61
Quests......................................................................62
Arena Fights............................................................... 63
Assassination..............................................................66
Theft.........................................................................66
Racketeering...............................................................67
Banditry....................................................................67
Gambling...................................................................67

Characters & People. ....................69

Hirelings, Henchmen, Mercenaries, Sidekicks, Pets, and Followers... 70
––Hiring Henchmen..................................................... 76
Morale & Loyalty......................................................... 77
Mercenaries and Cost in GP/Month................................ 78
Elite Mercenaries and Cost in GP/Month.......................... 79
Training Henchmen...................................................... 79
––Example Mercenaries & Companies................................. 80
Generating Henchmen.................................................. 86
Town Guards............................................................. 87
Protege..................................................................... 87
––Henchman & Hireling Problems.................................... 88
Inheritance.................................................................92
Acquiring Congregants................................................92
Sages........................................................................ 93
––Sages Procedures...................................................... 93
––Asking a Question.................................................... 94
Generating a sage........................................................97

Wealth & Prosperity................... 103

Markets....................................................................104
––Procedure: Locating a Buyer ......................................105
––Procedure: Haggling ...............................................105
Investments and Mercantile ventures................................106
Lifestyle. ...................................................................107
Clan Hoards ............................................................107
––Random Items for Sale at a Bazaar...............................108
––Strange Pet Stores ..................................................122
Crime.......................................................................134
––Mild Punishments. ...................................................136
––Punishments...........................................................136
––Severe Punishments................................................... 137
––Cruel and unusual punishments................................... 137
Mining..................................................................... 138
––Mines as a Resource................................................. 138
Clearing and Securing Terrain.......................................140
Expeditions.................................................................141
––Expedition Combat. ..................................................142
––Exploration Expedition Events. ....................................142
––Expedition Crises......................................................144
––Supplies..................................................................145
––Why Lairs?.............................................................145
––10 Goblin Mischiefs.................................................146
Construction............................ 149
Construction.............................................................151
Constructing/Purchasing Unique Vehicles.......................156
––Frame....................................................................156
––Material . ..............................................................157
––Calculate Variables..................................................157
––Modifications......................................................... 158
––Modules................................................................160
––Engines................................................................. 161
Vehicle Quirks............................................................162
––General Quirks:......................................................163
Engine Types.............................................................. 174

Influence...................................177
Influence.................................................................. 178
––Influence............................................................... 178
––Gaining Influence....................................................179
––Commercial/Economic.............................................180
––Military.................................................................180
––Aristocratic.............................................................181
––Arcane/Religious .....................................................181
––Factions.................................................................181
Integrating Rumors. ................... 183
Adventure Seeds and Local News....................................184
––Sandbox Emergent Game-play..................................... 188
––Sandbox Ideas.........................................................190
Appendices................................ 195
Vats, Golems, Crossbreeds, and other experiments. .............196
––Creating a Construct or Crossbreed............................196
Appendix A. Time and Calendars......................................198
––Unusual Seasonal Events. .........................................198
Appendix B. Inheritances............................................... 203
––Strange Inheritances. .............................................. 204
Appendix C. Timekeeping Aids......................................... 208
Appendix D. Trade Goods..............................................212
––Low value goods.....................................................212
––High value goods....................................................215
Appendix E. Generating Hex Contents..............................218
––Designing a Hex......................................................219
––Ruin seeds............................................................. 220
––10 Dungeon Doors. ............................................... 228
Appendix F. Example Villages.......................................... 230
––Sowton Port ........................................................ 230
––Carwyn's Gate...................................................... 234
––Sludgebridge.......................................................... 238
––Densay ................................................................ 242
––Strange Funeral Rites............................................... 246
Places
Civilization
This is the core conflict within Dungeons and Dragons.

The game has the quintessence of the eternal conflict between

the age of flame and the age of darkness, reality versus the
subconscious, Law versus Chaos.

There must be an unknown! Exploring this hostile space is the

primary focus of the game and rules. But it was never intended
as the entirety of the experience. Gygax provided rules for
acquiring and pacifying domains, envisioning the changing
arc of play at high levels.

Defining civilization as a background is a key component of

play. There are certain basic assumptions regarding civilization
in the rules. The first assumption is that Law, and the ideal of
human civilization, is actively at war with forces of Chaos. A
castle will be able to control and pacify lands up to nine miles
distant, or a radius of one six-mile hex.

Beyond that, Chaos actively presses in. Due to this influence,

national organization is cursory in nature. Castles may have an
official representative or two who are agents of a larger nation
state. Only near the stabilizing influence of castles can
civilization flourish! This is the meaning behind a ‘points of
light’ setting.

10
Cities
Dungeons and wilderness can be explained away with ancient
empires, ruined lands, and magic. But cities are built and lived in
by humanlike creatures. Someone a player can talk to has to be
there. This places guidelines on urban areas that don’t exist for
other adventure locations .
1

People have to eat.

Either a city must be entirely self-sustaining, or it must be near

enough to a place that produces food. This means that city/
hamlet placement is almost entirely dictated by the distance a
family can travel in a full day. A larger city or castle must be
supported by a smaller network of cities at one-half that
distance. This central city would support a market for hamlets
who could not produce enough to feed themselves. In medieval
times this distance was approximately 4 miles, and expanded
as roads and transportation improved.

Another option for adventures in civilized areas is a non-

agrarian society made up of hunter-gatherers or nomadic
people. Hunter-gathering societies can be static (although
small) in very resource rich environments, such as jungles. The
difference between the two population densities is pretty
significant. Hunter-gatherer or dry-farming societies have
.02-2 people per square mile. Settled agrarian lands will be
somewhere between 30 to 120 people per square mile. These
are minimums and maximums, the upper extreme is rarely
reached. Nearly all of these people will be located in population
centers a few miles from each other.

1. Ostensibly wilderness and dungeon ecologies should also make sense. However the purpose of dangerous
environments is to present threats and adventure to the players, and verisimilitude is secondary to the player
experience.
Contents of a civilized six-mile hex:

• usually 1 fortification or small castle

• a large village or town
• at least two smaller hamlets, up to 8, averaging about 4

Contents of an uncivilized six-mile hex:

• Several ruins
• one or two small population centers (up to about 50 people)
• up to 6 alpha predator monster lairs

This doesn’t necessarily mean that the cities must be human.

Non-humans, variant ancestries, or demi-humans might be
considered if there are enough natural resources. Fishing,
hunting, and wild plants could keep a bullywug village of a
fairly large size fed, considering the reduced calorie
requirements of 4 foot tall cold-blooded amphibians.
Uncivilized hexes could support much larger populations if
trade or sustainable agriculture were practiced.

Also, it’s a fantasy world. Access to the underdark, a cloning

machine, growing young from vats, interplanetary portals,
divine shepherding, axiomatic covenant, watery tarts living in
lakes handing out magic swords, wish spells, et al. all could
affect population density.

What are the procedures for interesting gameplay, and how

do cities provide those?

There are 5 city types (X54 in Cook Expert)

Hamlet ≤ 50

Village 51-1,000
Town 1,000-5,000
City 5,000-15,000
Metropolis 15,000+
12
What is the in-game purpose of a civilization center?

The answer to this question is dependent on the context. What

do players want to do in a city?

• Is there a shop?
• Is the town avoidable? Dangerous? How will our arrival be
received?
• Who of import lives in the town?
• What religions and languages are spoken in the town?
• What do the townspeople have?
• Where can we rest?
• What does the town have in the way of supplies?
• Are there any quests or adventure seeds?
• What does the town have to offer us?
• What’s the punishment for a crime?
• Why are we not bored? i.e. what is of interest, individual, or
unique about the village?

Basic Procedures
Because this is a designed game, we should have a ready
procedure for any attempt to take action in a city. This falls
back on very old advice. Say yes to player requests.

In general, the answer to “can we. . .” should be yes, to focus

more on the interesting parts of play. “Can I find a blacksmith
to equip my henchmen?” “Can we find a place to sleep?”
“Can I find a priest to bless us?”

This may seem trivial, but it is important to making the players

feel empowered. Perhaps in a hamlet the answer will be no,
because there won’t be a priest. But if the city can support the
request, say yes and move the game forward.

13
Only focus on interactions and choices that are interesting or
significant. Doing so increases the quality of play at the table.
Exploring a dungeon is interesting. Role-playing out shopping
for item after item is tedious. Developing a relationship with
local merchants is wonderful, but make sure table time is spent
on situations that are particularly interesting in the sense of a
game choice.

What is needed are procedures to cover the types of things

players organically decide to do in cities. If we have this, then
the players can have reasonable expectations of the outcomes
of where they choose to spend (ed. waste) their time and money.

These types of questions could be handled on the spot. It’s also

possible to wing combat results. In order to have the game
provide agency to players, concrete, objective, player-facing
procedures must be used. This informs the players what they
need to do when they want something.

Thorps (small hamlets of less than 20 people) are best either

ignored and narrated as characters approach, or mapped out
just like any small dungeon that the players can explore if there
is interest. This isn’t usually true at the village level, because
having 140 different homes and houses renders both creation
and presentation challenging.

14
Navigation
The first thing that happens when a new town is entered is that
everyone immediately gets distracted: looking in a store
window, petting a dog, talking to locals, reading a map. When
spending the night somewhere, in the morning someone will
want a bath. Breakfast will take twice as long. Someone will
be busy in their room. Anyone who’s been on a trip to a new
city with friends can understand.

At that arbitrary threshold (towns and larger) a game system

should come into play to determine how long it takes to reach
the desired destination.

Hamlets: Unknown hamlets should be presented as a small

dungeon or point crawl. They usually consist of 1d10 buildings and
0-2 larger structures such as a granary, stables, inn, or warehouse.

Villages: Unknown villages are small enough that it takes

about 1 hour to get oriented. After that hour, the environment
can be treated as a point crawl, identifying all significant
places via description or map. Villages contain between
100+10d10 buildings and 2d6 larger structures.

Towns: Unknown towns are large enough that they must be

navigated until characters have been residents of the town for a
month or longer. The number of buildings is too large to be relevant.

Cities: Unknown cities are large enough that they must be

navigated until characters have been residents for a year.

Metropolis: These huge population centers are exceptionally

rare. They are so large and have so many people that they
must always be navigated. After a year of residency, characters
know a borough (which are the size of towns) well enough.

15
Navigation Procedures
To navigate to a location:
Reaction roll (2d6) + Intelligence modifer + Charisma modifier
≤2 Failure Failure after looking a full day
3-5 Clueless 2d4 hours to find the location
6-8 Success 1d6 hours to find the location
9-11 Canny 1d4 hours to find the location
12+ Rover Finds the location in 1 hour
In particularly dangerous, alien, or hostile civilized areas
(burrows of the thri-kreen, city of the goblin king, forest realm
of the elves) or other unusual circumstances, such as not
speaking the language, the roll should be penalized.

Navigating involves reading maps, asking for directions, talking

to people, looking around, and getting to the character's
destination. It assumes stopping for food, using the rest room,
being wary against thieves, noting the local sights, fending off
beggars and commoners, and various other distractions and
mishaps. Random encounter checks are made each hour, and
the flavor of these encounter tables define the character of the city.

16
City Random Encounters
Most published city encounter charts are hopelessly
overcomplicated and require tons of work. They are generally
not used. If the campaign is entirely about a metropolis, it
would be a huge part of the campaign design, and should be
addressed with a complicated, multi-table reference, like the
legendary still-in-print Cities by Midkemia Press.

However, a normal pair of encounter tables, one for the day

and one for the night, should be plenty for spending a week or
two in a large city. Consider the following ideas when designing
the encounter table, and create a list of local characters.

Large dramatic events: fires, duels (fighter, wizard, or rogue),

structural collapse, traffic jam, public murder or mugging,
mobs, trials, executions, brawls, something falls, screams

Varieties and types of people: foreigner/"barbarian",

merchants, slavers, urchins, beggars, fighters, wizards, priests,
government officials, peasants, prophets, political activists,
thugs, youths, caravans, pilgrims, sailors, pirates, drunks, wild
animals, prisoners, work detail, madmen, prostitutes, carnies,
drifters, town guard, nobles, landed people, knights, demi or
non-human ancestry (lizard men, ocean elves, et al.), animals, pests

Supernatural encounters: dopplegangers, wererats/tigers/

wolves, demons, devils (succubi/incubi), mimics, vampires,
witches, gods/goddesses, lesser undead (zombies/skeletons),
greater undead (ghosts/wraiths/shadows), hags, rakshasa,
will-o-wisp

Events: seeking vengeance, harassing innocents, tracking a

criminal, planning a crime, raiding a building, fermenting a
revolution, shifting influence, escorting prisoners/magic items/
treasure/religious relics/ royalty/ et al., accosted to buy or sell
things/people, preaching, seeking enlistment/service
17
100 Obnoxious Peasants
01 Ralf Muckleman, gongfarmer and street cleaner always
covered in manure. Flings faeces at any uppity nobility who
dare splash him on road. Civic officials need him as he is only
one willing to do dreadful chores.

02 Pericule Brown, collects dead off streets in his waggon, likes

to cheerfully greet everyone, "seeing you shortly", everyone
fears touching him.

03 Hanna Gambalton, chops up fish scraps and makes cheap

stew she sells daily, chunks of fish fly everywhere in mornings.

04 Miriam Prule, helps criminals and prison inmates hoping to

reform them with charity and religion. She has been in stocks a
few times for mouthing off at her betters for injustices.

05 Jeremy Burlap, walks about collecting unwanted pets and

rats he sells for meat. Several times he has been wounded
trying to club wizard familiars.

06 Margot Hogshank, large woman selling pig trotters, snouts

and jowls. She can't believe anyone wouldn't eat them, and
screams abuse at passers by who don't buy any.

07 Siebert Rumhand, has a collection of mostly fake old maps

he tries to sell adventurers. Occasionally, he offers to come as
a baggage hauler or camp tender.

08 Bigly Pondlescow, a large man who eats constantly , and

misuses court system for gain. Looks for reasons to take to court
especially lesser village level ones.

18
09 Sharmana Dreamly, loves adventurers and wants to marry
one. She sells dolls of the dreamiest ones and other folk art of
dungeon invading heroes. Her father lurks near, ready to slap
paternity suits on her love interests

10 Korja Seramis, likes to follow adventurers and gossip about

them, like where they camp, how much loot they pull out of
dungeons, and what they spend money on. Several tax
collectors visit her weekly for tips.

11 Forrest Gribbly, is a crotchety old man who leases out carts

and donkeys. He is very suspicious of adventurers and demands
high deposits from them. He is the only such dealer in frontier
area with stock, which he loves more than people.

12 Passiona Roberts, a crazy girl who tells everyone how

adventurers sneak into her room each night to ravish her in painful
detail. Somehow she knows adventurer's scars and birthmarks.

13 Eckersly Fidgit, a landlord who has several abandoned

houses he rents out. Not very haunted and cheaper than an
inn. First night free if you evict homeless first.

14 Emil Cranston, lends adventurers money but wants pick of

best magic or jewelry from next dungeon. Often employs
urchins to spy on adventurers, preferably ones serving the party.

15 Elorna Plessora, pressures adventurers' servants to strike or

demand more pay and death benefits for loved ones. She has
had numerous servants give her money and leave her their death
benefits for helping them. She finds adventurers despicable.

16 Margerie Pullman, protests to church and sheriff if filthy

adventurers turn up in area. She's convinced they spread vice
and ruin local economies; she tries to form a lynch mob.

19
17 Barry Collerman, convinced adventurers are witches in
service of hell; spies on them and looks for evidence he can
convince locals with to call a witch hunter.

18 Kelly Reardon, believes adventurers carry the plague and

warns any love interests of adventurers away. Has charts and
medical diagrams in a book to terrorize people about dungeon
filth and disease.

19 Blacky Hillman, a old murderhobo who has a talent for

telling long-winded, exaggerated stories and knocking over
your beers. Tells many tales of gruesome local dungeon deaths.

20 Tamara Clag, wants to follow the party to cook up "dungeon

meat". She is not fussy and will offer their servants extra copper for
bringing her mystery dungeon kill. Some she sells to rich gourmets.

21 Billy Rabbitfoot, is convinced he is luckiest peasant alive.

Boasts dungeon traps and monsters are easy for him. Follows
adventurers around, belittling their achievements.

22 Korinda Marl, finds families of adventurers and sends them

letters to reunite broken families ruined by lust for dungeon gold.

23 Mimi Quertermelon, runs up to visiting adventurers to sell

them beer, lucky charms, and treasure maps. Whispers she
knows where all the best vice and depravity are. Won't stop
until she is chased off by a proper innkeeper or doorman.

24 Blarney Cormorant, tries to get adventurers to tell all the

depravity and vice they have seen, "nudge nudge wink wink".
Believes he is charming and not annoying.

25 Dottie Beaverpelt, tries to sell her trained dungeon beaver

in a box that will shore up mine shaft with wood, fight wooden
monsters, and, other miracles. There is a dead cat in the box.

20
26 Varty Smallman, offers special cures for diseases that
generally include injections of mercury. Convinced all
adventurers have terrible lice and worse afflictions he can treat.

27 Bonny Scuttle, likes to pry and spy and go through

adventurers' rubbish. She likes to gossip about heroes' flaws
and lives on the edge. Likes to speculate on adventurers'
weaknesses at the pub. Works selling fresh squid and seabugs.

28 Ziggermunt Polsquatch, strange old tinkerer and rag seller;

has a pushcart in street. Follows adventurers for scraps. If
confronted, he offers to trade and services as a guide. Knows
the hole the last party he stalked vanished into. He will try too
hard to get what adventurers want, even willing to stab and
rob someone.

29 Jimmeny Kracklet, the fastest kid in the orphanage. Wants

to become adventurer's apprentice. Won't take no for an
answer, will work for free and catch rats and steal scraps to eat.

30 Aubery Claymore, a large merchant who is a big deal

around here. Demands she gets first chance to buy any relics or
non-coin treasure if you know what's good for you.

31 Xar Screamingteeth is quite the expert on secret evil cults in

the area.

32 Zanny Preggle, puppeteer who worked a parody of

adventurers into his show. Now needs more fresh quality satire
of murderhobos so stalks the party for ideas of terrible conduct.

33 Galdon Ral, was an adventurer once but got religion. Now

he preaches how evil adventurers are and spreads horrible
slander and truths about them.

21
34 "Old Cappy" Vortis Laarg, wants to cadge drinks of
strangers and tell wild stories of deranged things adventurers
do when trapped in the deep. If he meets any he will ask
specific questions, like did you ever try cannibalism? How
many times did you sleep with orcs? Have you got any drugs?

35 Vulpena Grey, a friendly huntress who likes to drink.

Sometimes she takes a fella home and eats them as she is a
werewolf. Preferably loggers, trappers, and wolf hunters.

36 Ciri Lexa, a young literate girl, wants to be a scribe. Follows

around strangers asking them questions to document in her
journal for practice. She has a surprising collection of gossip
and what other adventurers have been up to.

37 John Shepherd, a sheep farmer. Found a dead sheep near

the adventurers and blames them for animal murder. At first
wants compensation, then tries accusations of witchcraft.
Keeps appealing to beadles, bailiffs, magistrates, farmers
council, village assembly, and local nobles to investigate the
party as a threat.

38 Barney Lankhome, found trails of a rust monster that

smashed into his store to eat stock. He blames adventurers for
this as monster followed them into town. Accuses any party he
can find.

39 Mindee Clawfoot, a backwood girl. Escaped her clan and

works as laborer in village as she is pretty tough. Befriends
adventurers or tries to join them. Hillbilly clan turns up to cause
trouble constantly.

40 Pardlew Zador, foreign scholar studying area and

investigating adventurers and ancient texts from dungeons.
Offers to translate and identify and buy scrolls first for service.

22
41 Ladek Krule, foreign laborer. Buys adventurers drinks and
declares friends. He will not mention his involvement in a secret
vigilante cult who murder and rob demi-humans. People
suspicious of his taint avoid him and assume adventurers
chummy with him are his friends.

42 Vespina Ymertz, foreign serving girl in bad contract. Tries to

get adventurer drunk so she can marry them for money and to
escape contract. Has a seedy friar and woodsman thug for
allies (q.v. use following two entries).

43 Torbert Gnor, huntsman, grim and serious, hates adventurers

stirring up trouble and stomping about. He will publicly
denounce adventurers and try to get crowd worked up in hopes
of a lynch mob.

44 Friar Thomas the wise, earthy healer and clever at many

things, and he does like to help adventurers for low rates if they
tithe to the church. He likes to blackmail adventurers to attend
church, hear sermons, and be given moral instructions like get
married and have babies. He spends days-on-end drunk
between his wanderings and services.

45 Blane Blair, convinced will be a mighty hero and demands

to join the party. Whether he stays or goes away to join a rival
party, he goes on to be lucky and grow in power and
achievement annoyingly fast. Will go on to be a hero but all
around him cursed to tragic doom.

46 Bardon Whiteflower, is forced to study but longs to join

adventurers or at least follow them about. His modest but large
family will hunt the party and set legal action for kidnapping
their property, or if they hear he is harmed will offer reward for
the death of the party.

23
47 Clarissa Gnash, with her friends are involved in a sex cult
and try to seduce strangers to visit a rite. 1. cannibals, 2. demon
worshippers, 3. witch cult, 4. secret chaos mutants.

48 Bannock Brandlethew, knows a secret passage under area,

and with some stout fellows could break into a wine cellar. He
is a idiot and just gets hopelessly lost. Tunnel inhabited by 1.
ghouls, 2. giant rats, 3. demonic cult, 4. wererat.

49 Squire Orlan Vangore, merchant and well off farmer;

employs many workers. Pretty sure adventurers up to no good
and starts investigating them for 1. treason, 2. witchcraft,
3. banditry, 4. murderhoboism.

50 Cathy "Northy" Nordstrom, good with a sling and hopes to

get arms and travel a bit, while her parents plan for her to
marry a goosefarmer. She tries to join adventurers and performs
errands in hope of getting a job. She even dresses as a boy to
get a better job.

51 Barnaby Thrush, offers free delicious baked treats to

adventurers for endorsements. As business grows he can put in
more and more parts of the worm-god's flesh into his cakes.

52 Zabor Grugnut, invites adventurers to a private drinking

men's club, and the club welcomes them with the promise of
making life easier for the party in local matters. Only a third of
them are practising human sacrifice, so mostly good guys.

53 Yabbar Mabbath, foreign merchant, stranded and looking

for work. He has a knack for finding cursed items while trying
to pocket stuff for himself. If he dies, a successions of kinsmen
come looking for dearest father heard to be in area.

24
54 Bramble Carter, a muscle man; invites adventurers to his
manly gym. If adventurers are not keen to join his club, he will
unite the whole club against the adventurers and will taunt
them for being weaklings and soft.

55 Blather Stromly, knows the dirty secrets adventurers have

and their hidden dungeon taint. So he spies on them to see for
himself what vile unspeakable things adventurers do in private.
When sure has seen enough will tell mob and then inquisition.

56 Noxul Savage, works as an inn porter. He likes to inform the

tax man of interesting matters for an occasional copper coin.
He will try to get close to adventurers and assess their net worth
and any secret bundles they are protective of.

57 Lainy Bannister, dear sweet woman. Offers adventurers to

stay for free in her tiny shack, and she will make them pie (rat
or apple or mix of both). She promptly settles them in, then tells
all the town gossips that the party are secretly her children and
if anyone messes with her they will get a bunch of angry
murderhobos visiting them. She will hug and kiss party members
in public when she meets them.

58 Sam Penright, ambitious junior bard; ran away from home

to follow adventurers and has picked up a few coins helping
people. He is very well dressed and mannered from a merchant
family. He will follow the party and try to compose poems
about them on the fly, narrating the party's actions aloud from
his privileged and entitled perspective. He is worth money, and
kidnappers will be eyeing him off.

59 Pepper Kruncle, miner's daughter; does laundry for living

while her father is away. Offers laundry and lodging (i.e. a
shed). She hopes to enlist villagers to scare off creeps following
her. She is worried about her father not coming home this time.

25
60 Sally Crunshaw, asks for locks of adventurers' hair to remind
her of how dreamy the party are. Once she has some hair
samples, she takes them to her coven leader to make witching
dolls with them. Her father is a magistrate and mother is a witch.

61 Red Cutter, a street hooligan who thinks adventurers are

cooler than his gang. He tries to join them, and if he fails, he
will bring them stolen trinkets, stolen food, or stab people who
disagree with the party as a lesson.

62 Bjorn Knutjarl, an old northern sea merchant. Opens his

home to adventurers ,where he has a small library and local
historic maps. He feeds them clues about local dungeons and
tries to get them to investigate the dungeon he serves. Informs
monster friends by messenger bat.

63 Patty Reardon, local bard and performer, worried about

getting old and has decided to marry an adventurer. She will
be friendly to investigate which character is most worthy. She
wants property, status, and nice things. If this fails, she will use
one of her grandmother's charm potions. Though very deceitful
and greedy, she can be nice.

64 Randal Galore, a jaunty lad in with local bandits, but comes

to town to swagger and meet women he can annoy with his
"seduction". If not bothering the party, he will harass women
folk near them. He might decide he should join the party as
they are a step up from bandits.

65 Gordy Chumley, local drunk and ex-adventurer; follows the

party, tries to sit with them, and brings up bits of horrible
deranged murderhobo stories of old. He often mentions the
crypt his party all died in, full of treasure and skeletons! He
mutters about shadows when asleep or passed out. He is actually
a quality fighting, man just unreliable and brain damaged.

26
66 Cynthia Netly, teacher and priestess; berates adventurers
for bad influence on orphans. She is hostile, but if adventurers
come and talk to children about how horrible their lives are,
she might forgive them, and treat them nicer.

67 Garvin Penant, a drunken old ex-squire, pawning off last of

his stuff for beer. He decides to join an adventuring party while
he still has clothes and a dagger. A drunken fighter/thief of the
worst kind used to waging guerilla warfare on humanoid tribes.

68 Pendal Yappersly, keen to join the party so he can be so

cool like them. If rejected he will become obsessed with
outdoing them and start own party to jump claims of adventurers.

69 Sebran Marshly, keen to find a lover so she can return to the

sea pregnant with her fish folk kin, while she still looks human.

70 Pendleton Archer, has a bow and looking for work. If

rejected, he will follow the party hoping to prove his worth by
shooting some enemy by surprise for them. Anyone the party
meets on the road is at risk.

71 Pardy Tardpar, a local baker; thinks kids today and their

dungeon adventures are silly. To prove it he forms a party of
other tradesfolk with clubs and treks to a local hole to show
everybody how easy dungeons are. Unless helped, they never
come back damaging the local economy.

72 Storbin Tweedpar, an old man in large well-kept house. He

offers adventurers a meal. He wants to make sculptures of
adventurers and to draw them. He feeds them for a day while
drawing them and making tests. After, he goes down to work
on wax golem duplicates in his laboratory given to him by
devils. He's always jolly to see them and have them visit.

27
73 Warren Prexley, wants to be a writer of new printed tabloid
press but has decided he needs to travel with adventurers to
see their lives, so he can write them up in lurid detail for profit.

74 Proffessor Malden Thwaarg, former teacher at wizard

school, happy to chat with adventurers over brandy in his
cottage with his familiar. He will show them his attractive flesh
golem and offer it as a plaything if he can watch. He also has
a charmed doppelganger servant and a mimic friend living in
the house.

75 Camwen Shaftwood, a well-dressed rakish bard asks if

adventurers would endorse him and come to a free dinner with
beer. He intends to run for a local office in ward assembly. At
the meeting he tries to blame all local problems on halflings
and convinces mob to help drive them out of region.

76 Tobin 'fishfeet' Foak, local minor official of local assembly;

invites adventurers to hall for drinks and to be entered into local
history. He has them registered as adventurers, then brings in a
tax agent.

77 Louis Fabwain, a bailiff; has two subordinate beadles come

to adventurers to bring them before local magistrate.
Adventurers are to be fined for non-registration of claims on
dungeons and possible spend a month in prison if unlicensed
and with no tax records.

78 Harper Goldthwain, attractive local widow; invites

adventurers to her posh cottage house and offers them a spare
room. It is her dead older sisters room Gloriam. Her spirit
returns to drain the living. Both practice witchcraft.

79 Paden Trowel, local shopkeeper and member of a fraternal

order.

28
80 Elon Drake, outsider and edgy poet; knows where there is a
cool party in the woods tonight. The party is for necromancers,
drinking wine in skull-decorated costumes making out with zombies.

81 Flamden Cordell, older gentleman bard; wants to hear

about adventurers' battles and treasures so he can tell city folk
of their heroics. He will spread the party's fame but will tip off
a thief gang too, then try wilder confrontations for his story.

82 Murmott Steeple, farmer, offers the party beer if they will

hear his tale of woe. Something is bothering his sheep, they
can't sleep and baa all night! One of his teenaged children is
a lycanthrope.

83 Calron Thune, wears makeup and the leather of exotic

foreign courier. He's studying wizardry and asks adventurers to
investigate a vault containing a spellbook. He carries a broach
that allows other wizards in homeland to watch for
entertainment. Calrom will serve the party loyally and pray to
his strange god as he narrates events to his viewers.

84 Fisher Muldownby, has a creek with a prehistoric eel trap,

and she sells eel pie and smoked eel and eel stew to inns and
locals. Bold and independent, she is happy to help the party
with a boat trip to a local dungeon or swamps. She is a druid
and won't tolerate disrespecting nature but does want certain
places cleansed of monsters.

85 Kandrid Thaple Moore, wife of local land owner; wants to

know how long adventurers will be in area lowering real estate
values.

86 Haffel Snellman, old man with blanket sneezing will wish to

be introduced to party and shake hands. Blows nose often and
carries the plague after meeting party, coughs up some blood.

29
87 Blaken Wolfdottr, granddaughter of vikings who settled
here. She has a coat of mail and a sword and an axe hidden.
She offers to fight party if they refuse her, which draws a crowd.
Eventually she joins a rival outfit if refused.

88 Kamen Snalthabber, grows skunk cabbages for market but

some big bug is eating them. She could pay party with
sauerkraut and cabbage wine. If they refuse, she pelts them or
their belongings with sauerkraut, which attracts flying giant
beetles for 1 in 6 chance per turn for a hour.

89 Kanewald Martermer, of a mining family; needs some

adventurers to clean undead miners out of a mine but tries to
spin it that workers are trapped inside and nobody will help
them. He offers 100 silver pieces to help. Actually, he locked
striking workers in mine with undead and thinks they must all
be dead. He can't pay back wages so he arranged all this.

90 Hensly Bingle, mature woman shopkeep; says her husband

was an adventurer who left old map in attic. Hopes to get adventures
visiting her to impress her neighbors or get some money.

91 Barkley Vestabule, is sure evil old women in the woods are

witches and needs help forming a mob to get them. Anyone
not joining the mob must be allies of the witches and used to
fuel paranoia of local mob.

92 Peasly Archibald Wilberforce, is looking for some washed

up murderhobo she can use the name of to write her books.
She doesn't expect they will live long or pose any problem.

93 Whimsly Adams, hopes if she can get prominent adventurers

to join the anti drinking crusade. It will get the ball rolling on
this issue to bad booze in town.

30
94 Prissy Willowbough, thinks an adventurer looks dreamy
and has her family try to approach them for marriage. They
will persist and offer bigger dowries. Eventually the clan quits
and becomes vengeful.

95 Soderguard Vlaburst, merchant; invites adventurers over to

see his magic item collection, teasing he might be convinced to
part with a few. Once in basement, he traps them inside prison
cell till they starve to harvest their magic items.

96 Lodrick Thimble, town clerk; needs extra executioners for

some big jobs coming up. 30 gold coins for a day's work and
you protect your ID with a hood. Only 3d4 executions each.

97 Sheriff Luton Callerberry, has list of escaped convicts and

hereby deputizes the adventurers to help find them. Many of
them pay bounties dead or alive.

98 Tallerton Quinby, town scribe, claims secret cults are

everywhere manipulating everyone. He is forming a secret
society to take back our town! Meeting tonight!

99 Ebert Ternard, surly old warrior. Buys strangers beer, tries to

get anyone to criticize state or church or say anything treasonous
or seditious. He is a secret policeman agent of nobility.

100 Eliza Pluck, orphan with her scruffy cat, asks if adventurers
will adopt her and follows them. The cat is a brownie that
protects her. Phucky the brownie rewards kindness with shiny
coins and good luck. other times he fires a few shots at a foe
while invisible.

31
100 Noble Patrons
01 Sir Conrad Biddlington, will sponsor dungeon explorers in
return for first option to buy magic items, religious paraphernalia,
and written documents. Seeks occult material and demonology
items to impress his cult friends. If he is exposed, inquisitors will
consider adventurers persons of interest.

02 Sir Damien Bartley, publicly rewards and celebrates

adventurers and sponsors public celebration of them with grog
and food. He uses it to leverage for local position on guilds and
banks, possibly uses celebrations for subterfuge and murder
through agents.

03 Dame Margaret Filbien, invites adventurers over for dinner

to hear their adventures. She offers them gifts and invitations to
return. She will use information gleaned to inform her own
adventuring party, who will try to beat the party to future treasure.

04 Lady Jane Carrington, invites adventurers to stay in her

manor so her vampire master can rob and murder them or
manipulate them to seek treasures.

05 Lord Jamie Talach, invites adventurers to join his club if they

complete a task to suit their talents. The club is a decadent club for
rakes who love vice, murder, and blasphemy. They frequently go
on murderous rampages in poor suburbs and villages for thrills.

06 Lord Melnor Canphert, a jolly knight who invites adventurers

to join him in feasts and revelries. Turns out he operates in other
territories as a robber knight famed as a kidnapper of women.
He has many enemies who assume party are his allies.

32
07 Sir Garfield Mortmont, will sponsor party with goods and
transport and peasant laborers if desired (debtors). After party
has name linked to him, he is exposed as a traitor to the crown
involved in a poison plot.

08 Lady Miranda Craymoore, a rich serial widow and famed

beauty is interested in wedding adventurers. She has many stunning
friends she helps find mates. She makes deadly poison and
murders her husbands and teaches other women to do the same.

09 Baroness Sophia Krakenschtitz, a kindly caregiver of

widows and orphans who approaches adventurers to find
homes and jobs for her orphans. Her palace is full of religious
objects of art. About 10% of the orphans she sacrifices to devils,
eats, and bathes in their blood. If killed she arises as a vampire
due to a wish she got from hell.

10 Lord Nimeon Falzer, offers good money for objects of art

from dungeons or ruins. He is also known as a loan shark who
has debtors beaten and tortured and families sold into slavery
abroad. As a buyer he seems reasonable and offers his aid or
loans to adventurers after a few deals "between friends".

11 Sir "Johnny" Joseph Ligor, bears a dragon on his shield and

offers drinking friends he meets to visit his castle and get a
reward for killing the lake monster nearby. The monster is
actually a prehistoric demon his clan worships and spectral
phantoms remain from the beasts soul-drained victims.

12 Lady Chrysopathia Torrence, sends gifts of clothes and gold

to visit her estate. Once inside doors are locked and monsters are
released into her house, really a magic murder maze and she
hides in the secret dungeon level watching with a crystal ball.

33
13 Sir Diggory Bladderwort, operates a home for deranged
war veterans and will pay the party to visit them with full
combat kit to cheer the poor insane fools. Unfortunately a few
flip believing the party to be old enemies and the old timers
attack hoping to join the gods in Valhalla.

14 Sir Kane Pureheart, paladin from a distant holy war has

heard of adventurers and asked to meet them. He judges them
as impure and seeks to kill them.

15 Lady Brianthia Cusperwell, seeks to meet the party only to

ask them to donate to various charities for the poor, seek lost
holy relics, and help rebuild churches. If they don't help, she
reports them to her cousin, a royal tax collector.

16 Sir Robert Ravenburn, a war-weary veteran, offers party his

magic blade in a public ceremony for the glory of his god. The
blade is mighty but cursed, and may only be given to a willing
recipient in a ritual.

17 Sir Mallard Cusperwell, seeks allies to fight an orc tribe and

promises a share of spoils. With his degenerate mercenaries, he
leads an attack on an unprotected village, intending to kill the
weak and take slaves to sell to a salt mine owned by an ally.

18 Sir Barnaby Clubmore, serves a faction of evil cults and

warlords who want the party dead. He invites them to an
isolated hunting lodge where various old enemies of the party
arrive to hunt and kill them.

19 Lady Roberta Culbert, invites adventurers to a monster hunt

in her gardens with lots of important locals. Except monsters
are peasants sewn into costumes.

34
20 Lady Elsie Valdern, offers to bring adventurers to court to
meet important nobles and royalty. She has started a court fad
of married nobles swinging with adventurers. After the party at
court, various scandals break out even if the party was innocent.

21 Lord Barnabus Malthorpe, invites adventurers to palace in

the country where rich gather for sex parties. Demons only
occasionally visit after a few days of increasing revelry.

22 Lady Lorna Lurpac, invites adventurers to an outdoor concert

for the well-to-do among colorful tents and spectacular feasts
during the 14-hour show. A servant lures adventurers out of sight
to give them a magic dagger. Upon their return a noble has been
discovered stabbed in the privy tent, and the party have the
murder weapon. The servant, secretly an assassin, is gone.

23 Lord Valen Korden, invites adventurers to house. By night he

uses magic mirror to create mirror duplicates of them (opposite
alignment). At dawn he equips them and sets them on the party
for a jape.

24 Baron Jasper Cathelon, invites party to estate to kill the horror

in the attic, who is his mother mutated by demonic blood rites.

25 Sir Bartly Horsefeather, asks adventurers to carry some

crates through customs for him for a reward. The crates are full
of evil idols, and the customs house calls clerics to investigate.
While the customw house is held up, he abuses market price
for big profits.

26 Lady Alicia Tattlethorpe, asks adventurers to stop nocturnal

coastal smugglers who refuse to surrender and fight to the
death. Their leader is her estranged husband, killing him gains
new pirate enmities and frees her to marry again.

35
27 Lady Astra Carnelian, is a noble fleeing her lands usurped
by religious riots and pogroms. She invites the party to
accompany her on the road, knowing she has killers after her.
She feeds them fancy treats and provides bards and comfortable
tents and accommodation. She might be romantic to a noble
adventurer to keep them close.

28 Sir Alex Tallander, chopped up some trolls into cubes and

now his estate is crawling with them, and all his household are
troll excrement now. He meets the characters by "coincidence"
and offers them use of his home for a month. He arrives after
the trolls are killed and thanks them and declares the troll
treasure is his.

29 Sir Archibald Gandersock, asks adventurers to take a child

to a location and offers a good sum of money. The child is
possessed by a witch and causes all kinds of terrible problems
before revealing her geriatric true form.

30 Dame Mary Gillpot, invites the party to attend her on her

pleasure barge for a moonlit cruise with an important royal heir.
Alas her fish folk ancestry emerges on the cruise, and fish folk
attack the boat, seeking lovers to carry to their undersea kingdom.

31 Duke Arron Cumberlance, is holding four days of jousts and

melee combat and invites party to help him judge winners of
events. No matter who wins, the losers will become party enemies
and seek violent revenge. Many fear the party might influence
the duke, and various factions seek to eliminate the party.

32 Lord Percy Blackshaft, invites the characters to join him on a

hunt. All goes well for a while as other guests arrive, including
several plotting against the king. When the plot fails, all who
attended the hunt will be watched by secret police unless they
publicly denounce Percy and his friends. Paying off the king
and swearing oaths might also help save the characters' necks.

36
33 Sir Jamie Curnwell, a jolly knight is actually a royal spy, who
seeks to befriend the party to assess their loyalty to the kingdom
and value for taxation purposes. The crown might also claim
certain magic items after Jamie's report.

34 Lady Cassie Mallader, invites the party to dine in her castle.

She does not know she is a were-panther and will try to ravage
and eat the most attractive guest. If killed she reverts to her
human form, and her servants cry murder!

35 Barron Ludvig Largerghast, invites adventurers to his castle.

He is actually sizing them up for parts of his flesh golems he
hopes to use to destroy his rivals.

36 Lady Fanny Underhill, offers party rights to charge a toll on

a bridge if they maintain it and give her 10% of the tithe.
Unfortunately, bandits, trolls, and were-goats keep trying to
claim it and will need to be eliminated to make any money. The
bridge has a gate-house with accommodation.

37 Lady Brianna Gollondor, offers party rights to an old manor

on her lands at a low price, but if it has squatters, they should
drive them off. It was home to a cousin burned for devil worship,
and a witch cult uses it now. Secret doors and rooms of cult
paraphernalia are common.

38 Sir Ludlam Vorpington, enjoys shrinking heads for his

collection and invites party to his home. Bugbear footmen serve
his household and are all garrote experts.

37
39 Lady Juniper Wintergate, offers the party a room and dinner
in her estate. She has a cursed bed in her home that turns the
sleeper into a host for her murderous grandfather's spirit. The
bed cannot be destroyed and appears in the room nightly even
if burned or removed. Every host killed becomes a gloomy
phantom that wanders the moors. Capturing the murderous host,
exorcising, then removing the curse will free her clan. Anyone in
the house mentioning the bed becomes a murder victim, and the
inhabitants turn a blind eye to everything and just clean up the
mess. She invites heroes in hopes of ending the curse.

40 Sir Alexander Gilliray, offers to travel with party as he is

cursed to attract wilderness encounters. He once jilted a witch.

41 Sir Corben Daggerfield, a friendly drunk; knows where you

can spy on a witch sabbat unseen with witches, imps and
animals cavorting lewdly. He assures the characters nothing
can go wrong.

42 Sir Maladus Glorion, seeks travelling companions. He

offended the elf king, and now whenever he travels elves
attack. Anyone helping him invokes the elf king's hated. He
might forgive those who pay weregeld fees for harming his minions.

43 Lady Catherine Valadius, seeks to bed as many adventurers

as possible to compete with her friends. She uses gifts, charm
spells, illusions, disguises, and any means to add notches to her
bed. A demon prince admirer already has plans for her to
become a succubus when she dies.

44 Lord Ashton Balangus, has decided to cash in on the latest

craze of dungeon-themed pornographic etchings and
commissions. Artists base the character likenesses on
adventurers and local famous monsters. The monsters, the
church, and the law are all outraged by the party. The prints
are banned, promptly increasing their value.

38
45 Lord Ebert Fernwall, befriends the party with gifts and uses
of his property and ships. Eventually, he is revealed as funding
an anti-demi-human movement. If they don't promptly
denounce him and prove they are not involved, they will have
dwarf, elf, gnome, and halfling assassins come after them.

46 Lady Jane Harringate, loves nothing more than watching

giant spiders suck the life out of people. She is always offering
adventurers to stay and visit and might wink at attractive ones.
Once inside, she enters a secret passage network, locks the
doors, and frees her beautiful spider friends. A spider demon
goddess has plans for her soul.

47 Sir Lorden Falrose, wants to be friends and hangs around

party too often. He turns up everywhere and has agents pry
into adventurers' pasts. He likes to help the party, unbidden by
surprise. He will pry too much and blab about the party to
anyone who listens.

48 Sir Henry Barrington, after meeting the party in a friendly

manner, gossips and wildly "speculates" about them in court.
Other nobles mistake these as fact.

49 Lady Hortense Blatherby, meets adventurers, then starts to

lobby rulers to have uncouth adventurers limited by law, pay
more tax, require more licensing and other restrictive policies to
protect the public from filthy murderhobos.

50 Lady Samantha Grimbleby, desperately wants fame and

will seek to be near adventurers whenever in civilization. No
gossip or rumors will be too scandalous for her. If shunned or
ignored, she becomes even more desperate.

51 Lord Gideon Stonewall, wants to provoke war with non-

humans using the party as pawns. He offers them maps with
strategic dungeons and holy places with descriptions of
treasures to be found.
39
52 Sir Randal Beasly, having heard of the adventurers'
reputations, lobbies to have them put in service to the king.
They are sent on frivolous missions to assuage the kings ego;
the king takes credit for all the party's deeds, but may grant the
characters entrance to the nobility.

53 Sir Conrad Bastow, everywhere he goes disaster follows.

He visits your castle and giants attack. He gets on a boat and
a kraken strikes. Part of his curse is to be a witness and survivor.

54 Lady Violet Moon, keen to sponsor adventurers and provide

them with ancient elvish maps. She has a dark elf lover and
hopes to be reincarnated as one when she dies. She provides
the party with shelter and information, and seeks pawns to
destroy their enemies.

55 Dame Melinda Castenbridge, collects pre-human artwork.

She will buy goods from the party, but as she translates elder
texts in stone she grows more insanely curious. Eventually, she
resurrects the mummy of an alien wizard who seeks to revive its
long dead race.

56 Lord Dunstan Glickman, has a magical painting with a

world inside and hopes to convince adventurers to explore it. He
claims there is no problem escaping but really does not know.

57 Lady Grace Lamply, will offer the party money to kill evil
cultists living in the woods on her land. They are homeless
people who have been camping here for several years. They
sometimes serve the Lady's father as cheap labor, but she
thinks they are revolting non-humans.

58 Sir Milton Payne, tells adventurers a giant rat nest in his

basement needs clearing out and offers good money to
exterminate them. In reality his brother Jules is a protoplasmic
horror that eats rats and any intruders. This is how Milton feeds
the horror.
40
59 Sir Clancy Borrington, offers free accommodation on his
estate or suggests he has a hidden treasure the adventurers
seek. The soul eating spirit of his grandfather needs sating so
that it can rest for a few years.

60 Sir Oswald Morgenstar, an alchemist; he offers to make the

party some cheap potions and magic items. It takes several
doses for addiction to start, and the prices increase after the
first few samples.

61 Sir Roger Magister, befriends the party at a feast and offers

them maps and old potions. Once alone and friendly with the
characters will offer to show them how to get wishes from devils
with a simple blood contract. He says, "You will never hear
anyone complain, don't believe the negative stories".

62 Lady Astra Pennington, she is a witch and seeks heroes to

father her children. She is attractive but somewhat intimidating,
and will resort to charms if necessary, then blackmail. If scorned,
she will summon monsters and send curses.

63 Sir Blake Mangonel, will turn up at the same dungeon as

the adventurers with a small army of servants and mercenaries.
Will build stockade, block exits, and pump smoke into the
dungeon, then shoot ballista at exiting monsters. He insists his
modern approach is the future. He may also consider open cut
mining or flooding dungeons and poisoning wells.

64 Dame Celarity Morgan, will meet adventurers in a civilized

social setting, then spy on them with divination magic and her
pets: intelligent ravens. Then she sells information to the party's
enemies, dungeon bosses, and rival parties.

41
65 Lady Veronica Casterliegh, has several brutish, secretly
part-demon sons, and she offers adventurers payment to apprentice
them for a period of time. The ogrish lads are born psychopaths
(or worse) and when in civilization barely restrain themselves.

66 Lord Russel Biddlington, offers the party a free stay in a

coastal village with a rumored lost treasure in area. The
villagers are vile cultists, and the last visitors were sacrificed to
their dark lord.

67 Dame Patricia Hobblington, is a crazed old lady. She offers

the party money if they can clear out the bugbears living in her
garden. They have cunningly burrowed everywhere and
planted plenty of traps. Possibly a deal could be made. . .

68 Duke Marodach Rupertson, controls a network of bards

who spread slander and gossip. He will try to meet the party in
a civilized social setting, and if they don't agree with his
financial interests, religious fundamentalism, and theories of
racial purity, he will destroy their reputations with the mob.

69 Lord Harry Bottersnike, has been breeding monsters for

sport, but they have escaped. He wants them captured and
returned before he has to pay any legal compensation from
damaging rich people's property.

70 Count Aubury Windslow, thinks uncouth adventurers are no

match for his hired duellist killers. In a public place will have
duelists provoke duels which will be highly public affairs even
if not strictly legal.

71 Lord Reginald Boulin, a cooking fanatic who likes to travel

with foppish friends, often hires adventurers as guards. He is
happy to go into the odd dungeon on the side. He is keen to try
outlandish dishes from dungeon beasts. Eventually, he sets up a
field kitchen outside the dungeon, awaiting the adventurers' return.

42
72 Countess Gringlemort, has built her own dungeon tomb
complex for her family, who have been grave robbed in the
past. She wants adventurers to test it. She has used non-lethal
poison for now, but the monsters and deadfalls are real.

73 Lord Carter Hamilton, is a cheery and generous patron of

adventurers, but he has many who seek to murder him for his
unconventional love life. Assassins and religious fanatics will
try to kill him with the party present and will include them as
enemies forever more.

74 Lady Melody Portsbury, invites adventurers to musical

concert garden party with many eligible young members of
society. She has captured sirens and various musical monsters
as a surprise, but they breah loose and cause chaos.

75 Lord Horatio Humbolt, reputed to put on the finest feats in

the land and giving licorice samples made in his castle to
people he meets. He has added addictive drugs to all his
candy to keep people coming back. You might witness beggars
pursuing him to be beaten by black truncheons of his guards.
He welcomes interesting guests to his castle so he can feed
them more drugs. In the dungeon candy golems guard his
magical factory.

76 Count Clarion Munroe, likes to dress in black and red silk

with capes. Decorates castle in a gloomy style with skulls,
creepy paintings and torture apparatuses like iron maidens. He
invites adventurers to quash the undead he had brought into
his dungeon as a sort of zoo that backfired when the undead
wrangling priest turned out to serve Orcus. A few have said the
silly noble will get staked one day over his foolish fashion
choices and mannerisms.

43
77 Sir Damon Carmandy, hires adventurers for gathering rare
ingredients for making potions. In fact, he is an immortal wizard
feigning his dynasty and is hoping to release an imprisoned
elder god beneath the castle he built. He may trick a party into
helping him open the seal.

78 Lord Michael Belfry, has a problem with undead templars

who besiege his castle by night seeking a relic hidden by an
ancestor he knows nothing about. The relic is mentioned in the
library and depicted in some paintings in the castle. He will
invite adventurers, or pay them to stay the night in hopes of
them destroying the cursed undead.

79 Dame Scarlett Hawkley, is a vampire wizard. She adopts

attractive young women to lure adventurers with magic treasure
to her home to rob and murder. The girls have many colorful
lies to lure in rescuers.

80 Sir David Poncenby-Stewart, hires adventurers to clean out

his dungeons. Actually, he has been breeding monsters and
wants to test them.

81 Lady Raven Highmount, complains of strange creatures

attacking her serfs and offers a reward. In a secret chamber
she has a fragment of an elder god she worships whose flesh
acts as a mutagen if fed to mortal creatures to make the
monsters. She is writing a book on the mutagen effects.

82 Sir Gordon Sommersby, has made a bet he can get

adventurers to murder innocent people with his wife. They
fabricate documents and plant them, implying locals are
cultists. If possible, he will contrive connections to the
adventurers' personal histories and enemies to entice them.

44
83 Sir Malardy Crosswell, an elderly knight roaming the land,
hunting giants. Nobody believes him, and they think him a
harmless but chivalric fool. He dares adventurers to travel
anywhere with him. He can see into the faerie world, and a
race of giants see him back and appear to stop his prying.
After being slain, they fade away.

84 Sir Steven Autumn, generous man who gives away food to

the poor and provides feasts for VIP guests and adventurers.
He is part ogre, and all the meat he serves is part human. He
hopes his curse will be spread and believes cannibalism makes
you stronger. Occasionally, he and regular guests break into
creepy uncontrolled laughter from eating brain tissue.

85 Sir Burian Haberfield, is a devil swine were-pig who likes to

make friends he can corrupt and charm into servitude. He offers
some scrolls and potions to entice visitors. Once charmed,
guests are degraded and humiliated for his pleasure.

86 Lady Margaret Palmer, hires bards to spy on adventurers.

She sends them gifts and attaches her name to theirs where
possible, often with public feasts to celebrate them. If they
cross her or do anything she disapproves of, she sends assassins
and bard slanderers instead.

87 Lady Velma Carrotine, believes an adventurer is the chosen

one ordained by prophecy. She sends them gifts including
strange robes and wants to show elaborate lineage charts
revealing they belong to a pre-human bloodline of rulers. She
will even offer to marry or adopt them. She takes great interest
in the chosen one's romances and offspring if any. In a secret
temple she has a statue of the chosen one and wants to crown
them ruler of the world. She is not sure if they are to be a host
of an elder god or will be used as a fleshy portal but hopes the
coronation will make all clear.

45
88 Lady Clarissa Cross, wants to make a deal with adventurers
to buy all humanoids they capture as slaves for her salt mine.
The children she keeps to train as servants. She claims to do this
in the name of mercy to atone for her deceased paladin father's
genocides.

89 Duke Michael Alderman, wants adventurers to take gifts to

local goblin and orc rulers to make peace and establish
embassies for them in his castle. Some time later he unites them
in an attack on the kingdom. He offers them return of ancient
holy places from before humans.

90 Sir Clayton Vestibule, wants adventurers to escort his

spokesman and servants to a dwarf stronghold for trade deals.
His agents are spies seeking to steal dwarf technology. If the
adventurers survive, dwarves will hate them forever.

91 Sir Barnaby Cuddington, needs humanoid slaves for his

plantations since his serfs all fled. Offers adventurers good money
to help round up some of the soulless creatures. Offers clerics a
chance to dictate a new faith to them. If they say no, he will send
killers to hunt them and tell other slavers the party must be stopped.

92 Sir Helmut Coggman, lived among gnomes for a few years

lost under the deeps of the earth. Now he seeks to destroy the
state and aristocracy. Wishes to recruit adventurers to aid his
doomed scheme. Will have them act against the foulest and
most corrupt rich at first to make it easier (most of them on this
table qualify). He will be branded a traitor, eventually forcing
him to raise an army.

93 Lady Alicia Penningham, has been growing monster plants

in her garden. Her druid lover has been spreading them over
the whole region. She is a bit embarrassed and asks adventurers
to find and destroy them but does not mention her involvement.
The druid has plenty of seeds and is in hiding, but she is reluctant
to mention him.
46
94 Sir Borris Khibor, known as a butcher and warmonger likes
to meet adventurers and plays down his reputation. He is
interested in dungeon adventures so he can murder humanoids
as he pleases and get a heroic reputation.

95 Sir Casper Cottingford, is a friendly but naive knight who

means well. Alas, he also befriends awful people and can't
understand why others hate his new friends. He publicly
defends them and gives them benefit of the doubt. Angry mobs
start to associate the party with Casper and his new friends.

96 Lady Sadina Vorting, is a visiting wizard to make trade

deals. She likes decadent celebrations. She is here to seek
relics and will hire adventurers to find them. She wants to
awaken her evil god. Local cults grow suspicious of her activity.
Trade guilds do their best to protect her in the name of profits.

97 Sir Lucretius Rutherford, writes creepy love poems dedicated

to adventurers which grow more obsessive. His published
works are promptly banned. Adventurers are implicated as
people believe the acts portrayed in poems are true.

98 Sir Laton Marnier, seeks to destroy the kingdom with chaos.

He has been spreading mutagenic spores to contaminate
mercenaries and adventurers, assuming they will join him as a
hideous mutant in his chaos warband. Once the inquisition is
onto him, he will take a massive spore dose and call upon his
dark masters for demonic power.

99 Lady Harkley Perindopril, seeks a husband as she is

pregnant to her demon lover. She offers the adventurers wealth
and status on the condition she has her autonomy.

100 Lord Bellamy Tallinslow, requests giant beetle grubs and

insect larvae and eggs offering good money. He worships an
insect god, and his dungeons and mine complexes are full of
them. Eventually, they swarm out and invade the kingdom.
47
Activities &
Labor
Orgies Inc.
Players have an abundance of money. The following are ways
to deal with financial inflation and excess cash.

Adornment
Characters may deck themselves out in fashionable duds to gain
status or experience. They do this by going shopping and buying
fancy clothes. They may exchange a maximum of 200 gp for 100
experience by purchasing fancy pants and other adornments.

A character cannot spend over 50 gp a day and must locate a

store that sells high quality clothes, shoes, or jewelry. If they don't
know such a store they can use the navigation procedure to
locate one. After spending 200 gp and 4 days, the character is
recognized and secretly thought of as a gadabout and cannot
use adornment to further gain experience until she returns from
another adventure.

Carousing
Characters can trade cash for experience. They roll 1d8 and
multiply it by 100. That is the amount of gold spent in one week.
The character engages in one of several activities.

Philanthropy: Characters spend gold on a worthy social

group. At the end of the week make a save versus spells.
Drinking/Orgies: Characters spend gold on vice and excess.
At the end of the week make a save versus poison/death.
Study/Research: Characters spend gold seeking ancient or
forgotten lore. At the end of the week make a save versus paralysis.
Gourmandising: Characters spend gold seeking new things
to eat, consume, or experience. At the end of the week make a
save versus rods, staves, and wands.

50
If characters lack the funds, they gain 1/2 the experience points
indicated by the die roll and spend all their funds. The save has
a penalty of -4 in this case.

On a failed save something interesting has happened. Roll on

the appropriate random table of effects. Feel free to add and
change these tables; they will help define the character of the
city. Note that characters can engage in these activities for as
many weeks as they have cash and the desire.

At the end of the week, unless contradicted by the entry,

characters gain experience equal to gold spent.

Philanthropy
1. The charity is a front for a vicious gang. Start the next
session with a broken arm (cannot use for 4-6 weeks) or
broken leg (-3" movement for 4-6 weeks).
2. The charity attracts thieves; lose 1d10×100 gp.
3. The charity attracts the enmity of a non-player character
who steals a magic item.
4. The charity attracts the enmity of a non-player character
who hunts the character.
5. The charity irks the pride of the receiving group; The
character's next philanthropy attempt costs double.
6. Donation gala the night before. The character is hung over;
-1 on all rolls next session.
7. The character gets lost in the manse of her latest fund raiser;
leave behind a random piece of significant gear this session.
8. During a toast, the character is pressured to give more
generously (spend 1d10×10 more gp).
9. The charity has a windfall and returns part of the character's
investment (1/2 gold cost).
10. The character has impressed a townsfolk; permanently
gain 1 free hireling for life (yours or theirs).

51
Drinking/Orgies
1. The character awakes, molested and robbed. Lose
1d10×100 gp and a random valuable item.
2. The character acquires a disease.
3. Brawl; start the next session with 1d8 points of damage.
4. Knife fight; start the next session with 1d8 points of damage.
5. Trouble with the authorities; pay 2d6×20 gp to get out.
6. Gain a "good time" reputation. Next carousing attempt
costs double.
7. New tattoo: 1. lame, 2. blasphemous, 3. on face, 4.
misspelled, 5. totally metal, 6. cool.
8. Horrible hangover. Start next adventure missing 1d4 hit points,
-2 to all rolls for 12 turns (2 hours) and -1 to all rolls after that.
9. The character invested all her cash in a scheme. Roll 1d6. On a
(1-4) lose money, (5-6) get 110%-160% return in 1d4+1 weeks!
10. Accidentally started a fire. Roll 1d6, on a (3+) party knows,
(5) blackmailer knows, (6) everybody knows.

Study/Research/Meditation
1. A bookshelf falls on the character. Start next session with
1d8 points of damage.
2. Book actually has razor edges. Roll 1d4. On a (1-3) the
character is that many hit points short at the start of the next
adventure. On a (4) lose 1 finger to the first knuckle.
3. Research blows your mind! Gain no experience. Lose the
same amount of experience the character would have gained.
4. The character's research disturbs a foe. she is hunted by a
(1-2) non-player character or (3-6) enemy.
5. The character discovers a (1-4) fake or (5-6) real treasure map.
6. The character stumbles onto a new insight! Gain a skill,
weapon mastery, or spell!
7. While fasting, the character's body is permanently
weakened. -1 Constitution.

52
8. The character's time out of the sun weakens her. Lose 1d4-1
hit points permanently.
9. The character read all of the common books. The character's
next research attempt costs double.
10. The character discovers a free rumor!

Gourmandising
1. Poisoned! Save versus death or take 1d6 damage.
2. Food poisoning! Take 2d4 temporary Constitution damage.
3. Terrible indigestion. The character must rest 1 turn in 3
during the next adventure.
4. The character offends a dinner companion who now hunts them.
5. Bacterial infection. Without one week of rest, the character
is nauseous on their next adventure, with -2 to all rolls.
6. Invigorating meal; gain 1d8 temporary hit points on the
character's next adventure.
7. Culinary bliss; the meal increases the character's health.
Gain 1d4 maximum hit points permanently.
8. Terrible nausea; the character has -1 on all rolls during the
next adventure.
9. Divine inspiration; roll a 1d6. Raise the character's (1-2)
Constitution, (3-4) Wisdom, (5-6) Charisma by one.
10. Parasite. Use unique parasite or -1 Constitution per month
with a +4 on poison saves.

Notice that the saving throws required drive certain classes to

certain activities. Fighters and dwarves will drink, mages will
research, clerics will engage in philanthropic enterprise.

53
Sacrifice
The character can sacrifice gold or creatures to a dark master.
The character must have a specific dark god to make a sacrifice
in service of.

The blood of an animal counts as 100 gp.

The blood of a sentient counts as 1,000 gp per hit die.

This is doubled if a child (less than 19 years of age or whatever

pre-adult is for the creature), doubled if a female, doubled if
willing, and doubled if a virgin.

On a successful Charisma check (9+ on 2d6) the dark master

has accepted the character's sacrifice and rewards the
character with the gold value of the sacrifice. The gold can
appear directly in front of the character or be given as a
windfall. For every 1,000 gp value of the sacrifice, the Charisma
check gains a +1 bonus.

Instead of receiving this gold, it can be exchanged 1:1 for

experience, 1:2 for the acquisition of a magic item, or the
services of a demonic, devilish, undead, or dire creature for
the length of 1 year and 1 day. The creature(s) can have one hit
die for each 1,000 gp spent.

On a failure the sacrifice is unsatisfactory and nothing happens.

All multipliers are cumulative. So a willing, young, virgin,

human female would grant 16,000 experience, a magic item
worth 32,000 gp, or the services of a creature of up to 16 HD.
This can be attempted only once per month on the appropriately
(un)holy day, usually the night of the new or full moon. Multiple
creatures can be sacrificed. Sacrificing gold or gold equivalent,
returns the same benefits.

54
Rumors
Spend 1d4×10 gp and make a reaction roll, modified by
Charisma. This takes 1 full day per attempt.

Check Effect
2 Failure, lose another 1d6×10 gp tracking a lead
3-5 Spend another 1d4×10 gp to hear one rumor
6-8 Hear one rumor
7-11 Pay another 2d10 gp to hear an extra rumor
12+ Hear two rumors
Rumors have to be designed around the local area and events.

Healing
Resting cures wounds. If the character relaxes in a safe place
and does nothing but rest, a full day will restore 1d3 hit points.
Interruptions will cause no healing to take place.

Relaxation
After being at full health, characters may simply spend their
time relaxing. If a week is spent resting, this grants them +1 hit
point per hit die on their next adventure.

Rodomontade
If the entire party (i.e. everyone who was on the adventure)
spends a week after their adventure bragging about their
shenanigans, singing songs, telling stories, engaging in self-
aggrandizement, and spreading the tale of their deeds of
derring-do, they gain an additional 5% experience from the
previous adventure. Certain classes with oration abilities
(bards, jesters) may increase this bonus to +10%. No other
activities may be performed during this time.

55
Preparing and Scouting
If characters spend seven days scouting a site, doing research,
training for their next adventure, and/or any other preparatory
activity, they gain a +1 bonus on saves for the duration of that
adventure.

Learning Talents
If the character can find someone who has mastered a talent or
skill, such as the ability to shoot into melee or fighting in the
dark, they can learn it! Talents cost 3,000 gold pieces to learn
and 3 months of training. Each extra talent beyond the first
costs twice that (6,000 gold pieces, 12,000 gold pieces, etc.)

Skills
Skills are part of game design. They indicate which ways the
players can mechanically interact with the Dungeon Master's
game. If the Dungeon Master has a skill in their game, it should
be there because it is related to one of the primary themes or
pillars of play. A simple way to track skills is to consider
everyone either unskilled, skilled, an expert, or a master.

It costs 1,000 gp and a month to gain a skill at skilled. It costs

3,000 gp and three months to become an expert at a skill. It
costs 12,000 gp and six months to become a master at a skill.
Skill levels cannot be skipped; characters must become skilled
before they become an expert.

Being skilled adds +15% (+3), being an expert adds +30% (+6)
and being a master adds +60% (+12). Alternately, roll a
1d6/1d8/1d10/1d12 against a static target number of 5. This
provides stable but diminishing returns.

56
Training a Skill or Weapon Mastery
Characters may spend time in a city with the appropriate
facilities and teachers training their skills or proficiency.

Characters unskilled in a weapon have a -4 penalty to hit and

deal 1/ 2 damage. Gaining basic proficiency in a weapon
costs 1,000 gold pieces and takes 1 week, allowing them to use
the weapon without penalty.

If characters have no background or training in an area, they

may spend 1,000 gp and 1 month to gain a general proficiency
in any craft or skill. For ability checks (“There’s always a chance”
B60) having this proficiency adds +4 to any relevant tasks.

Becoming an expert in an area or skill requires 3,000 gold

pieces and usually takes 3 months. The difficulty of the field can
adjust that time. This grants a +8 to any ability checks related
to the task. Character's can perform the task professionally.
(E.g. characters could train in armoring and perform the abilities
of an armorer specialists, just as one who might be hired.)

Becoming a master of a task requires locating a trainer,

spending 10,000 gold pieces, and takes at least 6 months, or
possibly even longer. This grants a +12 to any related ability
checks. Characters may train others at this level.

Professional Income
Characters can choose to practice a craft or a profession in a
city. This negates their living expenses and earns them an
appropriate salary in gold pieces per month. A bard or
prostitute could make a lot of money or maybe none, whereas
a scribe would earn less but have more assurance of getting
paid a decent rate.

57
Crafting Items
Making mundane items hardly ever comes up, excepting
games where armor takes damage. It takes 1 day per 5 gold
pieces of retail and they have to spend half the cost in raw
materials. Complex items require the appropriate skill or
background (e.g. characters must be a armorer to construct
armor, a bowyer to create a bow, a cobbler to make shoes, et al.)

Raising Statistics
This costs 2,000 gp and takes 1 month. Each additional time,
increase 2,000 gp to the power of the number of times its
already been raised. The second time characters raise a score
it costs 4,000 gp, the third, 8,000 gp, the fourth 16,000 gp,
etc. This cannot raise a statistic beyond 16.

Optionally, characters can remove the maximum, cap the cost

around 20,000 gp, and only raise the score if they roll higher
than the current score on a 4d6 drop the lowest, for more
steady gains. The gold is spent just the same even if no increase
actually occurs.

58
Collecting an Arcane Library
An arcane library is a collection of books, scrolls, and rare
tomes that serve as a reference to opaque and cryptic truths. It
is used in creating magical and alchemical items, researching
new spells, and creating constructs and crossbreeds. In order
to possess an arcane library, 800 square feet of space is
needed. A scribe must be hired full time to attend the library
and keep it in good condition. If no scribe is hired, the library
loses value over time as references are lost or destroyed. In
order to research new spells, characters need an arcane library
equal to 10,000 gp times the level of the spell or the research
costs are doubled.

Scribing a Scroll or Brewing a Potion

Clerics, magic-users, elves, and other spell-casting classes can
scribe scrolls and brew potions once they reach 5 level.
th

Creating a potion or spell scroll requires the formula for the

item. Characters can acquire a formula by either knowing the
spell for the scroll or breaking down an existing potion. If they
don’t have the formula, characters may research it following
the processes in Creating Magical and Alchemical Items (q.v.).

Scribing the scroll requires 500 gp and 1 week per spell level.
Brewing a potion usually costs 250 gp and requires 1 week to
brew and enchant. More powerful potions may cost much,
much more.

59
Creating Magical and Alchemical Items
Clerics, magic-users, and elves can create magic items once
they reach name (9 ) level. Spellcasting ability is not required
th

for creating alchemical items.

In order to craft magical and alchemical items, characters must

first have a formula. Characters may acquire a formula
automatically by breaking down an existing item, or by
researching. Researching an uncommon item formula costs 100
gp a week, a rare item formula costs 500 gp per week, and a
very rare item formula costs 1,000 gp per week. This requires
1d8 weeks of research, -1 if the character's Intelligence is 13+ or
-2 weeks if the character's Intelligence is 16+ and -1 for an
arcane library greater than 50,000 gp. Research always takes
a minimum of one week.

The formula will inform the player how much gold, and how
many rare materials the character will need in order to craft the
item. An alchemical item takes 1 day to craft per 50 gold pieces
of its cost. A magical item takes 1 day to craft for every 500
gold pieces of its cost.

Alchemical and magic items require a successful ability check

to craft. Magic items also require a skilled crafter to create the
item. On a failure it requires the expenditure of time again; on
a critical failure the materials are ruined.

Researching Spells
Spellcasting characters may purchase and scribe existing spells
within their purview by purchasing one from an appropriate
source for 1,000 gold pieces per spell level (i.e. double research
costs). A single fourth level spell would cost 4,000 gold pieces
to purchase.

60
Researching New Spells
Spellcasters may learn up to 12 spells of each level and no
more. These spells come from their specialization when gaining
levels, though they are free to perform spell research to create
new spells. Spell research assumes a laboratory, including an
arcane library equal to 10,000 gold pieces per the level of the
spell the character wishes to design. If this isn’t available, then
the weekly research cost the spell is doubled, and half that
value and expense can be placed towards a permanent
increase in the available arcane library. A character cannot
research spells of a higher level then she can cast. The player
must submit in writing the spell to the Dungeon Master and it
costs 1,000 gold pieces and two weeks per level to research.

61
Quests
There’s usually a posting or bounty board, a guard office, and
a thieves den, all of which may have a variety of tasks available.
This generally includes any number of the following.

• Return or kill an escaped animal/elemental/demon/

monster.
• Find a missing person/persons, finder's fees, skip-tracing
• Bounties for proof of killing a certain type of creature,
mapping a location, clearing a lair or dungeon (orcs/gnolls/
elves, etc.).
• Body parts or magical components retrieved.
• Garage sales, lost pets.
• Government-sponsored adventures.
• Bounties on dealing with nearby problems and issues (undead
streaming from nearby crypt, strange lights in swamp).
• Help moving.
• Need something stolen or destroyed.
• Strange sounds coming from basement.
• Events! Either announcements of plays, engagements,
religious ceremonies performed by cults/churches, wedding
announcements, festivals, fairs.
• Need someone killed.
• Need something smuggled.
• Retrieve or rescue a person alive for extraction or
interrogation.
• Announcement of public auctions.
• Announcement of local job openings.
• Specific requests made by local citizens, wizards, alchemists.
• Posting seeking people with unusual skills or requests.
• Find out who is killing my livestock/sheep.
• Raid or destroy a location/object.
• Free a prisoner.
• Caravan or escort guards.
• Locate or map a location.
• Defend a person or location.
62
Arena Fights
If there is an arena, characters can engage in (generally) non-
lethal fights with other combatants there. One fight may be
had per week. The purse for the fight is 1-6×100 gp, times the
character’s level. The opponent will be 1d6-2 levels higher
than the character. If the character wins, she receives the prize
money. She may, through intermediaries, bet on her own fight,
although this is generally frowned upon. Preparing for and
popularizing the fight takes the entire week (7 days). The
character receives experience points equal to 100 times the
levels of her opponent(s) if she wins.

The fight is played out normally to determine the outcome.

Certain arenas in large cities and secret mobile fight clubs filled
with collections of chimerical creatures by people of god-like
power, lords, and slavers have brutal pit fights for entertainment.
These purses are larger than normal, but the fights are much
more dangerous and deadly. When the entire party is downed,
being sold into slavery and forced to fight in an arena is an
alternative to dying.

Arena fights are usually not very tactically or strategically

interesting. They can quickly devolve into alternating attack
rolls. However, one thing is different from a dungeon fight in an
arena: the crowd. After a successful attack, the character can
use her turn to rile up the crowd, by making a reaction roll. On
a success (9+), she gains the crowd's favor. The attacker with
the crowd's favor gains a +2 bonus to hit, and they deal +4
damage when they hit. The person who does not have the
crowd's favor gains it if the attacker misses and they score a hit.
Any fighter gains the crowd's favor if they score a critical hit.

63
Other options to make fights more interesting include having
an arena filled with pits, flaming piles, wild animals, spike
traps, the crowd throwing things, different weapons lying
around the arena et al.

Most opponents will be normal fighters, using a variety of

weapons. But some arenas may have special battles available.
Choose from below:

1. “Necrourge” The arena has a master of the dark arts of

necrourgy, and routinely raises the dead to fight in the
arena. Often traitors or other severe criminals are forced to
fight here, and then their corpses are raised for more
amusement later.

2. “Beastmaster” The arena employs a beast-master, who

has a number of dire and primitive beasts. The arena
features fights against giant snakes, armored bears, and
tigers. Some are rumored to even feature more terrifying
creatures, such as giant scorpions or Tyrannosaurus Rex!

3. “Master-blaster” The champion of the ring is a veritable

giant, who fights while ridden by a strange little creature,
who lobs bubbling and hissing concoctions against
opponents. Tina Turner runs the arena.

4. “Elements will destroy you!” A druid is the champion of this

arena. He summons elementals for show matches against
gladiators. There is a prize offered to any warrior who can
defeat him. In the ring he is protected by elementals and
can even take the shape of them to protect himself.

64
5. “A Warrior Princess” In this arena, a captured princess
fights a resistance against her evil father. She’s been put in
this arena to die, yet little does she know her resistance
forces are making a move to free her. It is almost certain
she will, tied to a pole near dangerous monsters who are
trying to eat her, during whatever match the player
characters fight.

6. “A Precarious Pit” This “arena” is nothing more than a

rickety framework over the pit of a creature who will digest
victims for 1,000 years if they fall in. The fights have a
higher rate of fatalities. But the prizes are so much larger.

7. “The Sorcerer’s Glove” The master of this arena is a

nebbish, dark-haired, pale excuse of an effete man yet he
remains undefeated. Above the arena, he dons his glove
and reaches within his magic pool. His hand comes up
from the floor of the arena, a five headed hydra—each
head controlled by a finger. He scries through the pool and
crushes his opponents like the tiny flies they resemble. He
has many followers who fetishize his giant hand.

8. “The Delicate Fan” The top gladiators at this arena are all
powerful monks and ninjas. They are clad only in silk
ribbons and gain an additional bonus to their armor class
equal to their charisma divided by three, in addition to the
normal bonuses from their class.

65
Assassination
The thief may either play out the assassination, or it can be
simplified to the following procedure: To assassinate her target
she must succeed on a move silently skill check modified by the
precautions the target is taking. A completely unaware
unguarded target would grant a bonus. In general difficulty is
increased by 5% for every 2 hit dice of the target, by 5% for
guards up to 15% for elite guards, and additionally from
magical protections. Rings of protection increase difficulty by
5% per plus, invisibility or a displacer cloak gives +20%,
miscellaneous relevant magic items or special abilities increase
difficulty by +5%. If the check is successful, the target must
make a save versus poison with a penalty equal to the thief’s
level or die.

On a failed move silently roll, the character may be caught and

charged with a crime.

If successful, the thief gains the bounty which is usually 100-400

gold pieces per hit die of the target. The thief gains a normal
amount of experience for killing the target. Each attempt takes
1 week of acquirement of target, planning, and execution.

Theft
A thief can steal stuff.

On a successful pick pocket check, a thief can steal a shipment

of trade goods (1-4 parcels, +1 per level see Appendix C). The
thief can do the same for a specific type of good at a 10%
penalty to the pick pockets check. Each attempt takes 1 week to
try. On a failure the thief fails to steal the goods. On a badly failed
roll, the character may be caught and charged with a crime.

66
Racketeering
This allows the thief to engage in criminal enterprise to turn a
profit. The activity takes a month and earns the thief 100 gp a
level on a successful move silently roll. This includes extortion,
money laundering, loan sharking, kidnapping, smuggling,
obstruction of justice, and bribery. There is a small chance that
non-stop racketeering can get the thief in trouble with the local
authorities, as well as locals hiring mercenaries to disrupt the
racketeering operation.

Banditry
A thief may engage in banditry, harassing nobles and merchants
as they travel to and from a city. It takes a month to set up the
camp near a local roadway to a town or larger settlement. On
a successful open locks roll, the thief recovers 1d4+1 of type V
treasure (X43). This roll is improved by 5% for every 'bandit'
the thief brings along with her, but the treasure must be split
that many ways. Towns provide a -10% penalty to the open
locks roll. Metropolises provide a +25% bonus, and a +10%
chance for each individual category under the type V treasure.

Gambling
A thief may gamble. This takes one week. Have the character
determine her stake. On a successful find/remove traps roll,
the character increases her stake by 2d10%. On a failure it is
reduced by 5d20%.

67
Characters &
People
Hirelings, Henchmen, Mercenaries,
Sidekicks, Pets, and Followers
All of the following are generally considered to be human, with
a 5% chance of being of an unusual race. This may vary
depending on the area (if characters are recruiting in a swamp,
they are likely to get some lizard men). Henchmen may have a
higher percentage of non-humans because of their adventurous
nature (15%).

Hirelings: These are men-at-arms, thugs, villains, and

rambunctious youths. They have little intelligence and skills
beyond a basic heartbeat and the ability to carry a sword and
shield. They come with their own short sword or spear, and are
unarmored. They are undisciplined and incapable of acting
independently. They are 0 level with 1d4 hit points each.

They are frequently hired at an affordable rate to hold gear,

manage the animals, bear torches, or haul cargo. Basic
hirelings include porters, torch and shield bearers, laborers
(carpenters, masons, leather workers, general grunts), lackeys,
et al.

None of the hirelings will take dangerous actions such as going

first, checking for traps, or anything beyond being nearby and
serving their purpose. They will follow at a distance into
underground or dangerous areas.

Recruiting Hirelings: Up to 10% of a population can be

recruited as basic hirelings. It takes a full day to recruit as many
of them as the characters wish. They expect to be paid 1 gold
piece a month, paid in advance.

70
Specialists: These are people with expert skills.

Alchemist (1,000 gp/month) Alchemists can work independently,

crafting potions or alchemical items as described in Creating
Magical and Alchemical Items (q.v.)

Armorer/Blacksmith: (100 gp/month) For every 50 fighters in

the employ of the character, an armorer must be hired to
maintain their equipment. If not being used to maintain
equipment, an armorer can make non-magical weapons and
armor (one suit of armor, three shields, or five weapons a
month). An armorer may be provided with assistant smiths q.v.
(8 gp/month). Three assistants will double the output, six
assistants (the maximum per armorer) will triple the output.

Animal Trainer (500 gp/month) These are necessary to train and

control wild animals. Trainers have animal specialties; not all trainers
will be skilled in training griffons. These also mitigate dangers of
packs of animals. Domestication and the first trick will take a month;
after that, tricks may be taught at the rate of 2 per month. Highly
intelligent animals or the complexity of the training affects this rate.
The animals must be constantly trained, or they will become feral.

Engineer (750 gp/month) One engineer must be hired for

every 100,000 spent on construction, rounded up.

Gem-cutter (150 gp/month) Gemcutters can improve the value

of an uncut gem from -20% to +200%, depending on skill level
(roll 1d6×10%, untrained is -30%, trained gem cutters have no
modifier, expert gem cutters double the increase (20%-120%),
master gem cutters triple the increase (30%-180%) It takes 1
day per 100 gp of gem value.

Miner: (Master, 80 gp/month; expert, 20 gp/month; apprentice

8 gp/month); A team of 1 master, 2 experts, and 4 apprentices
as well as 10-12 unskilled assistance is required to produce a
mine-week of work. This totals 160 gp/month.
71
Sage: Sages work as they do (q.v.), but can be permanently
retained for a term of five years at 2,000 gp/month or by
meeting the requirements in the sage section.

Seamen: (Rower, 2 gp/month; Sailor, 10 gp/month; Captian,

250 gp/month; Navigator 150 gp/month). Rowers handle
oars on galleys and longships. Seamen are capable of sailing
vessels and fighting as light foot when the craft is attacked. A
captain is necessary for all larger ships and will be a skilled
sailor and have knowledge of nearby coastal waters. A
navigator is necessary for any long voyage; any ship without
one and out of sight of land is immediately lost.

Seneschal (2000 gp/month) This is a steward of a fortification.

A seneschal must be hired to oversee the castle if the owner is
gone for more than a week per month. If a fortification is not
managed, no revenue is gained from the surrounding land, the
fortress begins to take minor damage, and there is a 25%
monthly chance of banditry or uprising, (results 4 or 19 under
seasonal events in Appendix A).

Smith, Assistant: (8/gp month) A smith is required for every 50 horses,

mules, or other hoofed animals. Smiths may also assist armorers.

Spies (500+ gp/Mission) A spy is hired to engage in nefarious

activities for non-thieves (q.v. pg. 66-67).

Recruiting specialists: Specialists can be found by posting

notices. The specialists that respond to the ads are influenced
by the area, the reputation of the employer, and the amount of
money listed in the notice or any other bonuses offered. A
specialist, if one exists in town, can be hired on a reaction roll
of 9+.

72
Henchmen: Henchmen are leveled characters (wizards,
fighters, thieves, etc.) that accompany adventurers. 99% of
hired henchmen in town will be level 1 characters. It is possible
to find characters during adventures and offer to take them
along as henchmen on a successful hiring procedure. No more
.
than 1% of a population will be available as henchmen
(modified by area, e.g. in a frontier town, this might climb as
.
exceptionally high as 5% or even 1%!).

The number of henchmen who will follow a character is tied to

that character’s Charisma score (B7). The character’s behavior
and relationship with the henchmen will determine their loyalty.
Henchmen are lieutenants or assistants to the character and
lend their skills and knowledge to the benefit of the party,
taking all the same risks the party faces with them.

Henchmen earn a full share of experience just as players do.

However, their share of experience they receive is halved
because they were only following orders and not making their
own decisions. If at any time a henchman becomes equal in
level than the character that hired them, they move on to new
prospects.

Retainers or henchmen?

In Moldvay/Cook Retainers were "a person hired by a player

character to aid that character on an adventure". In the years
since, the word for leveled characters that adventured with
player characters most commonly used is henchman. In this
work, we use the more common terminology henchmen to refer
to what B/X called Retainers, but they are one and the same.

73
Sidekicks: After a character reaches second level, they may
activate their sidekick. This basically turns a single player
character into two—the character and his sidekick. The sidekick
always begins at level 1, and may never rise to the same level
as the main character. (A 5 level character has a sidekick
th

capped at 4 level.)
th

Characters may only have 1 sidekick during the life of their

character. The character and their sidekick get a single share of
treasure and experience, that is split 66/33 between the
character and her sidekick. Their loyalty is considered fanatical,
and the player has full control of both characters.

Mercenaries: These are military units available for hire. These

are archers, cavalry, crossbowmen, infantry, et al. They will
not, under most circumstances, follow characters into dungeons.
They will, however, engage with various overland tasks, such
as protecting caravans, routing bandit and bullywug camps,
exploring and clearing hexes, engaging in military
engagements, and staffing forts and castles. They require
leaders such as sergeants, lieutenants, and captains; one
sergeant per 10 men, one lieutenant per 30 men, and one
captain per 100 men. It should be noted that recruiting large
amounts of mercenaries will be of great concern to the local
population.

The costs are pay and upkeep for the mercenaries and do not
include support staff such as armorers and assistants. For
hazardous (wartime) duty, these costs are doubled. The morale
of the mercenaries is dependent on success, death rates,
payment, poor treatment, etc. Good treatment and success
may grant improved morale.

74
Pets: Players can purchase pets. Unless the player character
has the appropriate background or skill, then the pets (wild
animals) are considered hirelings, even if they are trained. Any
stressful situation, such as combat, requires a loyalty/morale
check at a penalty equal to the number of animals present. On
a failure they attack the party or flee. Employing an animal
trainer will eliminate the penalty for up to 10 animals.

If characters do have the appropriate background or skill, then

they may treat pets as henchmen, having full control over their
actions. They work identically to the way henchmen do, taking
full share of experience, of which they receive half, and limited
in maximum number by Charisma. The Dungeon Master will
develop an advancement chart for the animal.

Followers: These are spared or weak monsters, fans, weird

creatures, or other things that just follow the party around. The
characters can not get rid of them. These include both the
people that show up when characters reach name level, and
that annoying goblin that the cleric convinced the party to
interrogate and heal. Followers are not replaceable. Some
show up near the party's camp attempting to steal some of
their fame. Others are genuinely helpful. Killing or berating
followers causes permanent penalties on all future Charisma
checks as the word gets out that the heroic characters are
secretly jerks.

Note that for ease of play, let the players control everyone that
is attached to them including pets, henchmen, followers,
sidekicks, et al. But under no circumstances does the player
have final say over anything other than the actions her character
takes. All other creatures, excluding sidekicks, are in the final
analysis non-player characters and are under the auspices of
the Dungeon Master.

75
Hiring Henchmen
To hire henchmen, characters must first find people willing to
take the job. If they are not fortunate enough to meet someone
willing to follow them, characters can always put out the word
to interested non-player characters and then interview them
for the position. Each henchman will only adventure with the
character that hired them.

Characters may spend up to 50 gold pieces a day by going

around and spreading the word in bars and taverns. This takes
a full day. They can also hire an agent to seek out prospective
henchmen for a one time cost of 300 gold pieces; this takes 1
full week (7 days). They can also hire a crier for 10 gold pieces
a day. For every 10 gold pieces total they spend, they manage
to get in contact with 1%-4% of the henchmen available for hire
(usually .1% of the population, or 1 henchman per 1,000
population).

The player then interviews the henchman. During the interview

process, the player must offer a bid that includes a rate of pay
to the henchman. The character hiring the henchman is
expected to provide room and board in addition to pay. A
reaction roll is made to determine if the offer is accepted. The
roll can be adjusted for exceptional or poor pay, player
reputation, and frequent henchman deaths.
2 Offer refused and scorned, giving a -1 to all future
attempts to hire in town
3-5 Offer refused
6-8 Hmmmmm. Interesting. (Roll again)
9-11 Offer accepted
12+ Offer accepted with elan (+1 to henchman morale)

76
Morale & Loyalty

Goblins, Unorganized Folk 5 Mounted gives +1

Peasant Militia 6 Elite gives +1
Barbarian “Horde” 7 Fanatic gives +2
Men-at-arms, Viking Raiders 8 Green gives -1
Morale is an objective method to determine hireling, mercenary,
and henchman actions. This is affected by Charisma bonuses,
attitude, and treatment. It is checked by rolling 2d6. On a roll
greater than the morale, the hireling, mercenary, or henchman
flees or refuses to do the stated task.

Morale is checked whenever the tide in combat shifts (a

significant critical hit, reinforcements, etc.), when extraordinary
danger is encountered, or when extraordinary actions are requested.

Henchmen do not need to check morale during the game. They

possess loyalty instead. After each adventure (not game
session, but complete adventure) their loyalty is checked. If this
roll fails, the henchman leaves the adventurer. Unlike a death,
this does not reduce the maximum number of henchmen, the
slot opens up for a potential new henchmen. In the future, if
their paths cross, the player can make another offer to go on
future adventures with the henchman.

Henchmen loyalty is dependent on the Charisma of the player

character (see B7). If the offer for employment is accepted with
elan (12+), the loyalty is increased by 1. If the henchman is
treated well and given a full share of treasure, after several
adventures their loyalty may also permanently increase by one.

77
Mercenaries and Cost in GP/Month
Non-fighter (peasant): 1 gp
Sergeant (required per 10 men): 10×cost of troops
Lieutenant 2 to 3 level (required per 30 men): 100 gp/level
nd rd

Captain 4 to 6 level (required per 100 men): 100 gp/level

th th

Light Foot (Leather, Shield, Sword): 2 gp

Heavy Foot (Chain, Shield, Sword): 3 gp
Archer (Leather, Shortbow, Sword): 5 gp
Crossbowman (Chain, Heavy X-bow): 4 gp
Longbowman (Chain, Longbow and Sword): 10 gp
Light Horseman (Leather, Lance): 10 gp
Medium Horseman (Chain, Lance): 15 gp
Heavy Horseman (Plate, Sword, Lance): 20 gp
Mounted Bowman (Leather, Shortbow): 15 gp
Halfling Light Foot (Leather, Sword): 5 gp
Halfling Slingers (Leather, Short Sword, Sling): 7 gp
Elf Light Foot (Leather, Sword): 4 gp
Elf Medium Infantry (Chain, Sword): 6 gp
Elf Archer (Leather, Longbow): 10 gp
Elven Light Horse (Leather, Lance): 20 gp
Elven Mounted Bowmen (Leather Shortbow): 30 gp
Dwarf Infantry (Chain, Axe): 5 gp
Dwarven Heavy Crossbow (Chain, Heavy X-bow): 6 gp
Dwarf Cranequinier (Mule, Chain, Light X-bow): 15 gp
Hobgoblin Infantry (Chain, Sword): 5 gp
Hobgoblin Heavy Infantry (Plate, Shield, Axe) 8 gp
Goblin Skirmisher (Leather, Knife): .5 gp
Goblin Archer (Leather, Shortbow): 2 gp
Goblin Wolf Rider (Leather, Spear): 5 gp
Orc Infantry (Leather, Scimitar): 1 gp
Orc Raider (Chain, Shield, Sword): 1.5 gp
Orc Archer (Leather, Shortbows): 3 gp
Orc Crossbowman (Chain, Heavy X-bow) 2
Gnoll Raider (Chain, Flails): 8 gp
Gnoll Archer (Chain, Longbows): 14 gp
Lizard Man Raider (Spear): 4 gp
78
Elite Mercenaries and Cost in GP/Month
Bugbear (Morning Star): 12 gp
Dwarven Defender (Plate, Shield, Axe): 40 gp
Elite Halfling Slinger (Leather, Sling+1): 16 gp
Elite Elven Archer (Chain, Longbows): 20 gp
Elite Cavalry (Heavy Horse, Plate, Lance, Sword): 90 gp
Griffon Rider (Plate, Lance, Mace): 160 gp
Harpy: 50 gp
Hill Giant: 55 gp
Lizard Man Crocodile Rider (Spear): 20 gp
Ogre (Club): 18 gp
Troll: 75 gp
Rakasta Battle Dancers (Leather, Swords): 80 gp
Rakasta Tiger Riders (Chain, Swords): 140 gp

Training Henchmen
The character can spend a month training henchmen, of any
class, in the basics of adventuring, protection, and common
sense. This costs 300 gp per henchman and takes a month. At
the end of this period, the henchman gains experience equal to
the difference between their levels ×1d4×100. (e.g.f a 5 level
th

wizard trains a 1 level henchman, the henchman gains (5-1)

st

×1d4×100 experience). The character must pay for her own

living expenses during this time and receives no benefit from
this training herself.

The character can also take a number of untrained 0-level

humans, and in an emergency, turn them into 0-level warriors.
This grants them an additional hit point, proficiency with one
simple weapon, (spear, sword/shield, shortbow, et al.) and
allows them to wear light armor. A character can train 10
0-level humans per level/per month, or 4 in one week per
level in a "seven samurai situation".

79
Example Mercenaries & Companies
The Dismounted: A magical accident left these mercenaries
imprisoned in the body of their horses. In moments of extreme
terror, the horse-soul clambers back on top, and their human
souls are suppressed. They are ridden (but not led) by their
guilt-wracked peers, and a few unlucky wives. Led by Garlin
Tenpenny and his diminutive wife.

The Giant Hearts: Giant shirtless men wearing taxidermied

boar heads. They believe that they gain strength by eating the
hearts of their defeated foes, and never pass up an opportunity
to do so. They believe that size equates to goodness, and
worship giants by drinking water from their tracks. Led by
Biggest Olaf.

The Amulet Children: The entire company is composed of the

children of a (shockingly prolific) voudoun master. They cover
their bodies in amulets and protective tattoos. They believe in
all gods and all devils. They speak to spirits using a secret
patois of their own devising. They save vs spells at +4, but have
a bad habit of stopping to worship inanimate objects at
inopportune times. Led by Zagi the Rake.

The Deladine Leptant: They believe that they will learn the
moves of the divine dance by observing battles up close. The
Deladine Leptant are willing to fight alongside adventurers in
order to get a better look at combat. Capable mercenaries,
skilled with both spears and swords. They fight in tight leathers
in order that their movements will not be obscured. Led by
Banzi the Bird, a tanned woman with a powerfully aquiline nose.

The Dead Legion: Veterans of a dozen wars in half as many

countries. Bones are tattooed on their arms, and every face is
a painted skull. They believe that they are dead (in every sense
except biologically) and that this keeps them safe. They save
vs. fear at +4. Led by Gimlet and Galahain, twins.
80
Thunderbus and the Fabian Few: A group of dwarves that
dress like gothic Santa Clauses. Deadly efficient when drunk,
but incompetent when sober. Rarely sober. They can become a
liability because of their willingness to discuss (shout) politics.
Led by Thunderbus Wonderstein, an honorable psychopath.

Turtle John: Heavily armored fellow without any body hair.

Public rumor claims that he can withdraw his head into his
torso, but he denies it. Hates to be called "Turtle John", and
becomes enraged when accused of having turtles in his
bloodline. Destroys all testudines on sight. Spends a significant
chunk of his earnings on buying turtles, smashing the turtles
with his warhammer, and then cooking them.

Boxton the Claw: When young Ledra Boxton rescued a jinn,

she was given a wish. She used the opportunity to wish for a
magnificent lobster claw (Strength 20) of immense strength
and beauty. The claw can function as either a club or a sword.
Her only drawbacks are her desire to solve every problem with
her claw, and her requirement that everyone admire her claw
(which is quite impressive).

Shaffles: A spearman, who suffers from dandruff that falls to

the ground like snowfall. Through the clever and constant use
of love letters, there are several women who are in love with
him. None know the truth of his condition (and none would
care if they did). He is saving up money to fund a cure.

Goliad: A somber veteran, white-haired and one-eyed. Has

watched the deaths of his brothers, comrades, and families.
Will ruin every happy moment with a melancholy statement.
Stronger than the other veterans, but gets -4 to save vs Death.

81
Greystone Milok: A solemn orc that claims to be a deposed
king. He will only join the adventurers if they can convince him
that their cause is doomed. He is grim but at least he is cruel to
children. When he dies, his ring will pop off his finger and roll
to a hidden burial mound, where it will come to rest among the
sarcophagi of three orcish kings.

Thrimbulwin the Undefeated: Thrimbulwin was defeated

three years ago in a duel. As soon as Thrimbulwin died, his
opponent succumbed to a freak heart attack. Since then,
everyone agrees that Thrimbulwin actually won the duel. His
sister has been telling everyone that Thrimbulwin continues to
be a mercenary for hire, and that she is still accepting clients
on his behalf.

Once you "hire" Thrimbulwin, you can tell people that

Thrimbulwin is accompanying you, and they will make a
Morale check. Failure means that they will avoid combat with
you. In combat, whenever an enemy rolls a critical fumble, they
take 1d20-10 damage (min. 0) from some freak accident.

Shamshir the Bellicose: A sprite that will ride on your head.

You'll have to wear a special hat. Fights with poisoned darts,
and is capable of casting backbiter. Will pull your ears if you
ever say anything rude. Eats only flowers. Afraid of music.

Skrimdool the Obliterater: Addicted to a lot of drugs. Every

day, roll a d4 to see what substance Skrimdool is binging on: 1.
Fanged Milk (agressive, knows the rain of snakes spell), 2.
Vorpaline Snuff (teasing, knows the spell Bigby's giant head), 3.
Mudsucker Drops (barely awake, knows the spell haste), 4.
Necrojism (cheerful, knows the spell pouncing corpse).After
3d6 days, Skrimdool will run out of drugs and sober up:
trembling, confused, and useless in combat.

82
Pouncing Corpse

Level 1 Necromancy

A corpse that died in the last turn makes an attack against an

target of your choice, using whatever natural attacks it has
available. Unless the target is somehow expecting this, the
attack will be a surprise attack with +4 to hit, and dealing
double damage.

Flimmeous Page: A farmer's son and a runaway wizard's

apprentice, Flimmeous carries a chicken that can cast mind
blast by flicking a nail embedded in its skull. This causes the
chicken to pass out for 1d6 minutes. Flimmeous wants nothing
more than to be a real wizard, but he lacks the talent. All he
has is the chicken.

Dokum Goodbelly: A fat halfling with quick feet, Dokum wears

his pans for armor and his stewpot as a helmet. He's a passable
fighter, but his real talent lies in cooking. His breakfasts give
everyone an additional +2 HP per day, as long as his supplies
of spices hold out. He is cheerful, but lapses into sadness if his
food is refused.

Rolum the Skewed: A cursed woman. She would be tall and

beautiful if she was not bent nearly in half by extreme sciatica.
None of her bones appear perfectly straight. Anything that she
holds will slowly grow crooked. Armed with a bow and a
crooked spear. Can fire arrows around corners. Always seems
to be a shitty liar, even when she is telling the truth (which is
something she has learned to use to her advantage).

83
Mardram Maglady: A tall woman who wears a hat of living
orchids. She will not fight if hired. Instead, she will butcher the
corpses of those that the party kills, no questions asked. The
flesh can grant insight into the mind of the creature, and the
skins turn the wearer into a perfect facsimile of the creature.
Usable only once, and it lasts until daybreak or until sunlight
touches it (whichever comes first). Part of her contract is that
she gains the skins and flesh of any party member who dies.

Golimon the Red: He appears to be a young man in red livery,

and will truthfully identify himself as a capable spearman. In
truth, he is suffering from a curse that will rapidly youthen him
back to infancy. Part of his contract is that you are responsible
for him once he reaches this state. The curse can be instantly
broken by "the riddle of war", whatever that means.

Ellistra the Inimitable: A barbarian woman famous for her

magnificent hair. she fights with a variety of polearms. She will
steal credit for all of the parties accomplishments. This can only
be proven otherwise by a character whose hair (or headware)
exceeds hers in beauty.

84
85
Generating Henchmen
It is preferred to describe henchmen not as "1st level fighter",
but as their previous job or profession as part of their
characterization.

Some suggestions follow: Actor, Alchemist, Appraiser, Artist,

Astrologer, Author, Baker, Barber, Bandit, Banker, (10) Barrister,
Beggar, Blacksmith, Bodyguard, Bookbinder, Bounty Hunter,
Bureaucrat, Burglar, Butcher, Caravan Outrider, (20) Carpenter,
Cartographer, Cavalryman, Changeling, Charlatan, Carny,
Cheese Maker, Claviger, Clown, Coachman, (30) Cook,
Courier, Courtier, Cultist, Dancer, Dandy, Detective, Duelist,
Engineer, Eunuch, (40) Explorer, Farmer, Fence, Feral, Ferryman,
Fisherman, Forger, Fortune Teller, Furrier, Gambler, (50) Game
Warden, Gangster, Gladiator, Gong-Scourer (cleans Privies),
Grave Digger, Hatter, Herbalist, Hermit, Horse Trader, Hunter,
(60) Initiate, Inventor, Jester, Juggler, Knight, Laborer,
Mendicant, Merchant, Miner, Minstrel, (70) Musician, Mutant,
Mystic, Native, Noble, Notary, Occultist, Orphan, Outlaw,
Painter, (80) Pawnbroker, Peasant, Peddler, Physician,
Pickpocket, Pimp, Pirate, Poacher, Poet, Priest, (90) Prisoner,
Proprietor, Prostitute, Puppeteer, Rag Picker/Mudlark, Rat
Catcher, Reeve, Revolutionary, Ruffian, Sailor, (100) Savage,
Scavenger, Scholar, Scout, Scribe, Sell-sword, Servant,
Shepherd, Slave, Smuggler, (110) Soldier, Spiritualist, Spy,
Squire, Stevedore, Tailor, Tanner, Thug, Tinker, Tomb Raider,
(120) Trailblazer, Trapper, Troubadour, Tutor, Vagabond,
Undead Hunter, Witch Hunter, Wizard Apprentice, Woodsman.

Consider starting henchmen at 0-level and designing a custom

class for them after they achieve 500 experience points.

86
Town Guards
Most town guards consist of locals who have a vested interest in
keeping the peace. If they see a crime being committed, they
will raise a hue and cry. This will cause all the innocent lawful
locals to give chase and attempt to restrain the culprit. These are
0-level unencumbered men and women, either unarmed or
carrying a small hand weapon (1d4). The hue and cry will draw
2d6 local militia within a turn. Local militia are 1 level fighters
st

equipped with chain saps, swords, and crossbows.

In a city or metropolis, there will be a watch. These volunteers

are often subsidized by the local lord. They frequently consist
of both local military and veteran soldiers. The hue and cry will
draw 1d4 1 level fighters within a single round, in addition to
st

the 0-level people responding to the crime. At the end of a turn

2d6 local militia show up as above, except they are
accompanied by a 3 level sergeant. Mages and clerics are
rd

much too important to be a part of the watch or guard.

Protege
Characters can spend gold, up to their experience point total,
to create an experience point pool that future player characters
can draw from after the character's unfortunate sudden but
inevitable demise. This is gold spent in town by creating training
centers, giving speeches at local fairs, buying equipment for
teachers, and other civic works, which inspire the local
population and contribute to creating a higher level replacement
for when the character dies.

Note that although players can roll up a second character,

while the first is busy training for example, the experience
available from these funds can only be used in the event of a
permanent death of the character who spent these funds. The
current character receives no experience for spending the funds
in this way; it is the replacement character that benefits.
87
Henchman & Hireling Problems
1. The hireling owes quite a large sum of money (2d10x100 gp)
to a gangster who is quite eager for repayment.
When it Manifests: As the group is leaving town for an
adventure the gangster confronts the hireling and the group.
Other: The gangster will pressure the group to pay the hireling’s
debts. Has two thugs with him (2 HD Fighters).

2. The hireling sold their soul to a demon for riches and fame
when they were younger. The demon has come collecting.
When it Manifests: When the group is in the dungeon or in
camp at night.
Other: The demon cannot be killed, only banished to its realm. If
dropped to zero HP, it will “die” but reappear 1d4 days later. It will
now have a personal grudge against any who struck it in combat.

3. The hireling stole a magical scroll from a crazy old wizard,

thinking it would either be helpful on the mission or worth some
coin later.
When it Manifests: As the group is trying to leave town the
wizard will attack the hireling with a cantrip or 1 level spell as
st

a warning.
Other: The wizard will accept the apology of the group if they
attack the hireling—and then polymorph the hireling into a
chicken as he walks away (no save).

4. The hireling has contracted Weeping Boils.

When it Manifests: Two days after the group has been on the
road (most likely in a dungeon);
Other: Weeping Boils: boils that weep a sap-like pus that
smells like vinegar and cotton candy. Affected target loses 1d4
Constitution points per day. Targets that touch the sores must
save vs. poison or contract the disease. Only Cure Disease will
remove the affliction.

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5. The hireling owes a favor to an unreputable sort of individual.
The individual desires the help of the group now, otherwise
they’ll find themselves on the wrong side of the law by “sheer
happenstance”.
When it Manifests: At night before the group rests for adventure
the next day.
Other: The group will find themselves being hunted or pestered
by this individual should they refuse, and the individual will
spread lies to the constabulary that the adventurers are criminals.

6. The hireling murdered someone. Roll 1d6: 1. crime of passion,

2. premeditated, 3. occult/ritual, 4-5. accident, 6. serial killer.
When it Manifests: As the group is leaving town, the local
guard comes to arrest the hireling.
Other: The group will be arrested if they attempt to stop the
guard.

7. Hireling is wrongfully accused of murdering someone. Roll

1d6: 1. crime of passion, 2. premeditated, 3. occult/ritual, 4-5.
accident, 6. serial killer.
When it Manifests: As the group is leaving town, the local
guard comes to arrest the hireling. The hireling swears their
innocence and that they are being framed. Pleads for the
group’s help.
Other: The group will be arrested if they attempt stopping the guard.

8. Hireling is actually a body snatcher that killed and has been

posing as the hireling for several weeks. They need to go
assume a new form soon.
When it Manifests: The body snatcher will attempt to kill and assume
the form of another person in the group when they are sleeping.
Other: If the body snatcher succeeds, the player continues
playing their character for 1d4 weeks before the body snatcher
will need to assume another form.

89
9. Hireling wields a cursed magical sword called The Magic Eater.
When it Manifests: A spell is cast within 30´
Other: The Magic Eater +2 attack and damage. When an
arcane spell is cast within 30´ of the sword, the spell fizzles.
Roll 1d100, if the result is 25% or below, the caster is unable to
cast spells for 1d4 days. There is no flash or show that this sword
is the cause of this effect. The owner of the sword cannot get rid
of it and feels compelled to keep it near them at all times. Only
a cleric of a good-aligned god can use a ritual to separate the
owner from the sword with a Remove Curse spell.

10. The hireling has stolen a magic item, The Belt of Life from a
seasoned adventurer and is trying to get out of town with it
before being noticed.
When it Manifests: The victim of the theft (a 3 level ranger or
rd

fighter) will track and follow the group and set an ambush of
sorts to take them out so they can get their belt back.
Other: Belt of Life—The belt increases the hit points of the
wearer by 20 and once per day, when the target is reduced to
0 hit points, there is a 50% chance they will be healed for 2d6
hit points.

11. The hireling is accused of being a heretic of a religious

organization.
When it Manifests: At night prior to the group getting rest and
setting out. The religious organization will attempt to arrest/
seize the hireling and may attempt arrest the adventurers if
they defend the hireling or look “suspicious and evil”.
Other: The group will be put on trial for heretical crimes of
some asinine reason.

90
12. The hireling is host to Blood Worms that are crawling around
inside their gut.
When it Manifests: Three days after the group has left town,
the Blood Worms will emerge, bursting from the host’s stomach.
Each day the hireling will complain about stomachache or
feeling ill, etc. On the third day, they are clammy and pale.
Other: Blood Worms: 1 HD; AC 7; Saves as normal man; Bite:
1d6 damage plus Egg Implant (once per day and on the first
successful attack). A target bitten must make a save vs. poison
or be implanted with 4+1d6 Blood Worm eggs. These will
gestate for 7 +1d8 days. When there are 4 days left, the target
suffers 1d4 damage per day. On the last day, they suffer 1d6
damage per Blood Worm as the parasites burst from their gut.

Adult Blood Worms erupt out of a host after gestating for a

week (and eating the host's innards). There are 4+1d6 worms
that flow from the open wound in the host’s gut and writhe and
flail and flop onto the ground in a deluge of blood, mucous,
stomach acid, and feces. The worms will attack any target
within range in the hopes of implanting eggs in a new host.

91
Inheritance
A player may have her character name an heir to inherit all her
wealth and possessions. The process causes a loss of 10% of
the wealth to hire barristers, money-changers, and government
scribes and signatories. This heir must always be a newly
rolled-up first level character. (B13)

Acquiring Congregants
Characters who have a faith or religion can recruit congregants
by performing charitable deeds, sending out missionaries,
casting spells charitably on peasants, and constructing shrines
and temples. For every 1,000 gold pieces spent a month doing
these activities, 1d10 followers + 1 per 2 points of Charisma join
the character's religion.

If a month passes and no action is taken to gain new followers

and characters do not spend at least 1 week ministering to their
current congregation, then they will lose 1d4 followers.

Why would characters acquire followers? Each follower

provides spiritual energy equal to their hit dice in gold pieces
per month for any magical or construction activity the character
engages in. This lowers the cost of crafting magic items,
researching new spells, casting ritual spells, or creating
constructs. It can also lower the cost of any construction projects
characters take on in the interim, because the character's loyal
followers work and donate their time without recompenses.

92
Sages
Classically, the sage takes an obscene amount of money and time,
at the end of which they may give the character the right answer.

There is no player who will take that option with their money.

Instead sages always speak the truth to the player. If there is a

question about the stars, where a magic item is located, who
someone is, what someone is weak to, how to recharge a
magic item, a secret entrance to a lair, the blueprint of a
dungeon, how to acquire power, how the planes are organized,
what happens to people after death, or any kind of truth in the
setting, the sage will give the correct answer to the player.

It is a way for the players to force the Dungeon Master to tell them
anything. That's something players will pay out the nose for.

Sages Procedures
Sages are highbrow academics, peculiar and eccentric,
obsessed with their own fields of study. If the characters employ
these idiosyncratic and frequently abrasive scholars, they can
find out the true answers to any questions. These answers are
the guaranteed objective truths of the campaign world. The
sage is the in-game mechanism via which the players can force
the Dungeon Master to relay true information.

93
Locating a sage

There will be 1d3-1 sages for every 10,000 population in a city,

+1d4 for each school or university. Players can seek out the
names and major fields of the sages by using the rumors
procedure (q.v. p55), with one sage revealed per rumor. If the
sage with the appropriate major field is not located in the city,
there will be an additional 1d4 sages within 20 miles of the city
for every 25,000 people. These sages usually have been
evicted from the city limits for one reason or another.

There are three types of questions sages can answer: general

questions, specific questions, and exacting questions. Each
separate request for information counts as a question.

• General questions are questions of the yes or no type,

simple and broad.
• Specific questions are those that can be answered with a
single word or phrase.
• Exacting questions provide an answer in as much detail as
the players request.

Asking a Question
Characters may approach a sage and ask a question. A
reaction roll must be made. This affects both the sage's behavior
and price.

Check Reaction Price Modifier

2 Aversion +50%
3-5 Dislike +20%
6-8 Neutral —
9-11 Like -10%
12 Attraction -20%

94
It can take the sage some time to answer a question. The price
of each question depends on both the time it takes to find the
answer, and how well-versed the sage is in the topic or area.
The base cost to answer a question is 500 gold pieces.

If the question is a general question it can be answered in a

single turn, and costs 500 gold pieces. Specific and exacting
questions take longer, and have an additional cost per day. If
the sage is employed by the characters for longer than 1 week,
then he is unavailable after he finishes the current question for
the following month.

Additional cost
Specific Exacting per day
Out of fields of 2d12 days — 100 gp / day
expertise
Minor expertise 2d10 days 5d8 days 1,000 gp/day
Major expertise 1d12 days 3d10 days 500 gp / day
Specialization 1 day 2d6 days 200 gp / day
It costs a minimum of 500 gold pieces per question. If sage is
more than 4 miles away from a city with a population of 10,000
or more, prices are doubled.

In most cases, the sage just knows the answer to the question,
especially if within his specialty. If too many questions are asked,
we can have the sage not have all the answers. Use the following
table for success chances. The fee to ask the question must be
paid before the answer is checked. Note that the players can
always ask the sage to retry, paying the fee yet again.

95
If a sage is overworked, use the following percentages to
determine if the sage can discover the answer:

General Specific Exacting

Out of fields of expertise 50% 10% —
Minor expertise 75% 50% 25%
Major expertise 90% 75% 50%
Specialization 100% 90% 75%

Permanently retaining a sage

Rather than employing a sage on a question by question basis,
characters may choose to employ a sage over the long term. In
order to convince the sage to join, the minimum requirements must
be met.

• The sage must be provided with Living Quarters, a Study,

and a Library.
• The sage must be provided with 4 work rooms, none
smaller than 200 square feet each.
• The sage will request a salary and research grants of 4d6 ×
100 gp per month.

If all those requirements are met, the characters must install a

research library for the sage. Half the value of this library also
functions as an arcane library for wizards researching spells
(and conversely, half the value of the arcane library functions
as library for a sage). This library must be worth a minimum of
20,000 gp.

96
A library of 20,000 gp will give him 50% of his normal success
rates. This is increased by 1% for every 1,000 gp, until the library
is worth 60,000 with a 90% success rate. Increasing it beyond
this requires 4,000 per percentage point, until 100,000 gold is
paid, granting the sage his normal rates of success.

A sage employed by the player characters never charges them

additional fees. For every 3 days spent in research, the sage
must rest for 1 day.

Players may increase the skill of a sage in their employ.

• Spending 5,000 gold pieces and 1 month will increase their

success rate for questions outside their field by 1% up to a
maximum of +25%
• Spending 10,000 gold pieces and 1 month will increase
their success rate for a single minor field by 1% up to a
maximum of +10%
• Spending 100,000 gold and 2 years will give a new minor
field to the sage
• Spending 200,000 gold and 1 year will grant another
major field specialization to the sage

Generating a sage
In addition to their personality, race, and name, each sage will
have 1 major field of study. Most sages will often have some
magical ability, of a type related to his field of major study. In
general they have 4 hit dice, (4d6 hp) and fight as a 0-level
man. Do not fall into the trap of thinking sages must all be old
men with beards. Mad scientists, wild hunters, young mystics
and more can function as sages for players.

97
Roll on the following table to determine the number of major
field specializations and minor expertise.

2d6 roll Minor Expertise Major Specialization

2 1 1
3 1 2
4 1 3
5 1 4
6 2 2
7 2 3
8 2 4
9 3 2
10 3 3
11 3 4
12 3 5

Major & Minor Fields of Study

The items listed in this section are major and minor fields of study.
Roll once on the following list for the major field of study, and then
roll again on the same list for each minor field. E.g. if a 7 is rolled,
the Dungeon Master have generated a sage with 1 major field (with
3 specializations) and 2 minor fields. Roll 3 times on the following
table to generate the major field and the two minor fields:
1-3 Humans/Demi-humans
4 Humanoids
5 Flora
6 Fauna
7-8 Supernatural
9-10 Secular World
Each of the categories above has a certain number of sub-
specializations, listed below. These are only determined for
the major field of study. Taxonomy is really complicated. The
Dungeon Master is going to have to make judgement calls
about what belongs in each category, depending on the
nature of his campaign.
98
Major Specializations

Humans/Demihumans: This category covers civilized races

and cultures in the world. Usually this includes all the player
races available for selection. Specializations include:
1-3 Art & Music
4-5 Biology
6-7 History
8-10 Languages
11 Legends & Folklore
12 Law & Customs
13 Philosophy & Ethics
14-15 Politics & Genealogy
16 Psychology
17 Sociology
18-20 Theology, Religion, and Myth
Humanoids: This category covers all non-civilized
"monstrous" races in the campaign. Races which have a
culture, but are not considered civilized, like bullywugs,
kenku, or giants. This also includes any monsters not covered
by other categories. They have the same specializations as
Humans/Demihumans.

Flora: This category covers all plants, molds, fungi, etc.

1 Bushes & Shrubs

2 Flowers
3 Fungi
4 Grasses and Grains
5 Herbs
6 Mosses and Ferns
7 Trees
8 Weeds

99
Fauna: This category covers all living creatures, not covered
by the above categories. This includes both natural and
monstrous creatures (as opposed to races, covered above).
1 Amphibians
2 Arachnids
3 Avians
4 Cephalopods & Echinoderms
5 Crustaceans & Mollusks
6 Ichthyoids
7 Insects
8 Mammals
9 Marsupials
10 Reptiles
Supernatural: This category covers magic and non-natural
phenomena. Depending on the campaign and its metaphysics,
some categories could be removed or added to this list i.e.
Hedge Magic, Psionics, or Channeling.
1 Alchemy
2 Divination
3-4 Dweomercraft
5 Heraldry, Signs & Sigils
6 Medicine
7 Planes (Outer)
8 Planes (Inner)

100
Secular World: This covers the hard sciences, the basic
concrete levels of reality.
1-2 Engineering & Architecture
3 Astronomy
4 Business and Economics
5 Chemistry
6 Geography
7 Geology & Mineralogy
8 Mathematics
9 Meteorology & Climatology
10 Oceanography
11 Physics
12 Topography & Cartography

101
Wealth &
Prosperity
Markets
Early and pre-medieval economies ran on barter. Dungeons &
Dragons is assumed to run on a modern coin-based economy.
What do we do when the players want to buy or sell something?

In most cases, just use the book price and make the transaction
go quickly. If the player is buying or selling a valuable quantity
of goods, a buyer or seller must be located. It could be valuable
due to its rarity, such as a rare art object or gem, its legal status,
its quantity, or because of the skill required to make it.

Markets and auction houses in a metropolis can handle the

sale of rare goods, such as high-value objects of art or magic
items. Magic items or high-value art objects in a smaller city
will require locating a buyer first.

All of these require adjudication from the Dungeon Master. If it

costs more in gold than the population, they probably don't
have a buyer or seller and one must be located.

Since what they wish to sell may vary, the Dungeon Master will
need to decide if there is a market or individual to buy their
goods. What is available in the town is a different but similarly
important question. These are questions that can be answered
ahead of time.

• Is there a specific restriction or absence of types of goods?

• Are there any special craftspeople who can make items for
the players?
• What magic items are available to the players in town?

104
Procedure: Locating a Buyer
The character looking to sell items makes a reaction roll. The
size of the city and rarity of the items will modify the reaction
roll. A result of 9+ indicates success at locating a buyer.

The amount of time it takes to find a buyer varies on the value

of the item. An item worth tens of gp takes 1d4 days. Hundreds
of gp takes 1d6 days. Thousands of gp takes 1d10 days; tens of
thousands of gp takes 2d8 days. Hundreds of thousands of
gold gp 3d12 days. Once a buyer arrives, use the haggling
procedure to negotiate the sale price.

Procedure: Haggling
Each merchant has a multiplier, determined by fiat or rolling a
d4 and a d10 and reading them in order. These create a
decimal number between 1.0 and 4.9. This is the modifier the
merchant offers to sell or buy goods at.

E. g. Frank the merchant has a 2.5 modifier and is selling or

buying platemail to 2nd level fighter Dave. Plate mail normally
costs 60 gold pieces. Since Dave is only 2 level, plate mail is
nd

a significant enough purchase to be worth haggling over. Frank

will offer to buy a used set of plate mail for 60 / 2.5 = 24 gp.
Frank will offer to sell the plate mail for 60 x 2.5 = 150 gp. Players
state the desired price for purchase. Characters make a reaction
roll. Refer to the following chart to see the merchant's reaction.
2 The merchant becomes offended and refuses to sell
3-5 The merchant refuses to budge and ends the haggling
6-8 The merchant moves towards the players price by 10%.
9-11 The merchant moves towards the players price by 25%
12 The merchant agrees to the players price.

105
Each time the player rolls again, they must offer a new price,
and the Dungeon Master must find this price reasonable. A
player offering 50 for plate, and then offering 51 would not get
a new roll. What is a reasonable increase is subjective, but is
on par for the amount the merchant is moving on each of his
turns. Making a very low offer once (say, increasing by less
than 10% the cost of the good) might be passable, but it might
offend the merchant if done more than once.

It is, in point of literal fact, a negotiation. The whole table can

provide consensus on what is a reasonable haggle. This
procedure should only be used for high value items, due to the
time and granularity of resolution.

Investments and Mercantile ventures

The character spends a week looking for an investment
opportunity. This could be property or shipment. The specifics
of the investment are determined by the Dungeon Master and
the player. . The investment is either stable, risky, or volatile.
Stable investments have a 1d6-2% net return. Risky investments
provide a 1d20-11% net return. Volatile investments have a
50-1d100% net return. E.g. if characters invest 1,000 gp in a
stable investment, and roll a 4, they get a 2% net return (20
gp). The character receives a payout yearly and can withdraw
investment money then. Withdrawal outside this yearly period
carries stiff penalties (between 10-20%). Adventuring can
affect these return rates by securing the investment. A successful
adventure comparable to the risk of the investment can grant
the maximum return.

106
Lifestyle
The character is required to provide upkeep for those in their
employ, as well as themselves. There are three levels of upkeep:
meager, comfortable, and rich. Meager is the most affordable,
costing only 1 gp a month. This assumes begging, sleeping
outside, etc. Characters who have a meager lifestyle are
penalized when they adventure. They have -1 hit point per hit
die, and are at -2 on all saves. Hireling morale and henchman
loyalty checks are at -1. Comfortable is equal to character level
times ten in gold pieces per month. At this level characters are
comfortable, sleeping in a bed and eating well. No modifiers
apply. Luxurious living costs one hundred times character level
in gold per month. At this level, the character's life is indulgent.
They sleep on the richest linens and eat the best foods. On their
next adventure they get +1 on all saving throws. Hireling morale
and henchman loyalty checks are at +1

This is the foundation of all other downtime systems. As time

passes, money is owed. If a 3 level character wants to spend
rd

6 months engaging in downtime activities, it costs 180 gold for

housing and food. This constant drain is the limitation that
prevents endlessly engaging in downtime.

Clan Hoards
Certain demi-humans and other races, classes, or heritages
might share a clan hoard. All contributions to the hoard are
accepted, and return 10% of the gold spent on experience. The
player can use treasure donated to the clan hoard to call upon
mercenaries equal to 1/₁₀ the gold contributed for a single task.
At certain donation thresholds, other rewards might be earned,
titles, land, magic items, etc. decided by the Dungeon Master.

107
Random Items for Sale at a Bazaar
Sometimes the adventurers know what they want to buy. But
sometimes they just want to browse the bazaar for weird and
exotic items.

1. A bowl of wheat meal porridge (3 cp), warm and nourishing.

2. A pack of wheat biscuits drizzled with honey (5 cp). The
merchant claims the honey is extracted from hives of killer
bees and is highly nourishing.
3. A bowl of boiled greens with fish sauce (1 cp) served
steaming from a cauldron.
4. A bowl of boiled lentils with toasted almonds (3 cp) served cold.
5. A plate of baked grape leaves stuffed with mackerel and
cheese (3 cp) served cold.
6. A pair of hardboiled eggs with fish sauce (1 cp) served cold.
7. A plate of boiled mackerel fillet with leeks (5 cp) served hot
from a cauldron.
8. Fried mullet fish (5 cp) served hot from a portable stove.
9. A barrel of preserved white fish (5 gp, 80 lbs). Great for seafarers.
10. A carved walking stick of sturdy hickory (1 gp).
11. A carved oak chair with velvet upholstery (10 gp). It’s quite
comfortable.
12. A keepsake box of black walnut burl with a brass clasp (15
gp). There are some old water-stained letters inside.
Strangely, they’re written in code.
13. A cedar chest reinforced with iron and topped with a
sturdy lock (25 gp). It has a false bottom. Perfect for keeping
your ill-gotten gains smelling fresh.
14. A coop of 20 hens (2 gp). Cock not included.
15. A sheep (2 gp). He’s very cute. The merchant calls him
“Mutton” but you can name him.
16. A wolf pup (3 gp). His name is Rufus, and he has a shaggy
red coat with black points.
17. A hutch of 20 rabbits (6 gp). One of them is pure white and
has very large feet.

108
18. A trained hunting dog (10 gp). His name is Thorgrim. He
has large, sad jowls but a keen sense of smell.
19. A trained hawk (20 gp) named Subotai. He has been
taught to hunt wolves.
20. A trained war dog (75 gp) named Rexor. He’s a heavily
built mastiff with dark brown fur.
21. A barrel of fine apple cider (200 gp, 160 lb).
22. A barrel of cinnamon-spiced brandy (200 gp, 160 lb).
23. A glass of milk and honey (2 cp) served fresh from a large
amphora and mixed on the spot.
24. A cup of chilled and fermented mare’s milk (2 cp). It tastes
sour but gives a good buzz.
25. A mug of honey mead (3 cp). It’s thick and sweet. The
merchant’s teeth have all rotted from too much sugar.
26. A mug of dwarf-brewed ale (5 cp) served warm and frothy.
Elves must save vs. poison or vomit up the strong, bitter beer.
27. An amphora of cold-pressed olive oil (20 gp, 5 lb).
28. A huge jar of thickened animal fat. (20 gp, 60 lb). But what
animal? The merchant doesn’t answer.
29. A barrel of thick golden naphtha (200 gp, 60 lb). It could
be used to make highly flammable flasks of burning oil.
30. A large leather backpack on an oak frame (2 gp). It can
carry up to 60 lbs.
31. A blanket of thick long-haired wool (2 gp). It stays warm
wet or dry.
32. A fine linen tablecloth with matching napkins (5 gp). The
merchant will monogram them with gold thread for a 10 gp fee.
33. A 500’ coil of hemp rope (10 gp), carefully coiled. It’s
suitable for shipboard or mountaineering use.
34. 3d6 wool rugs dyed in a variety of colors (15 gp, 25 lbs
each).
35. 25 corded bundles of cowhide (15 gp, 30 lbs each). The
hide is ready for use in leather garments.

109
36. A large roll of soft white cotton (100 gp, 40 lb). The
merchant will introduce you to a great tailor and dyer just
down the alley…
37. 1d10 bundles of white rabbit pelts (15 gp, 30 lb/bundle). The
merchant claims they’ll bring good luck! (They don’t.)
38. A tawny mountain lion pelt (25 gp). The merchant will tailor
it to be worn as a cape strapped to the helmet for an
additional 50 gp.
39. A dire wolf (50 gp). The merchant will tailor it to be worn
as a cape strapped to the helmet for an additional 50 gp.
40. A lion pelt (50 gp). The merchant will tailor it to be worn as
a cape strapped to the helmet for an additional 50 gp.
41. A large bundle of healing herbs (10 gp) such as birthwort,
comfrey, goldenrod, or woundwort. If applied to a wound
(1/day), 1 hit point is regained.
42. A tincture of moon tea (10 gp). If made into a hot beverage
and drunk by a pregnant character, roll 1d20. On a 1 the
character begins bleeding from their nose and suffers 1
point of damage. Otherwise, the pregnancy is ended with
menstruation or stillbirth in 2d6+7 days.
43. A tincture of mother’s tea (10 gp). If brewed into a hot
beverage and drunk by a character giving birth, roll 1d20.
On a 1, the drinker suffers an allergic reaction and swells
up with boils. Otherwise, the drinker enjoys an analgesic
effect during the childbirth.
44. An herbal tincture that smells of garlic, ginger, honey, and
vinegar (10 gp). If made into a hot beverage and drunk by a
character with a minor acute illness (cold), the drinker can
make a save vs. Poison. On a 1, she gets food poisoning for
1d4 days. On a success, he recovers in half the usual time.
45. 1d3 50 lb bags of mountain tea (75gp). Each bag has
enough for 4,000 servings! A serving daily for 20 years
increase lifespan by 1d4 years.
46. 2d6 5 lb bricks of pink mountain salt (7 sp each).
47. A bowl of minced pork stew with apples (2 cp) served hot
from a portable stove.
48. A plate of blood sausage with egg, onion, and pepper (2 cp)
110
49. A plate of fresh-cooked spicy pork sausage (3 cp) served
hot from a portable stove.
50. A huge wheel of goat’s milk cheese (10 gp). The merchant
claims it comes from giant goats who roam on green slopes
herded by a cyclops.
51. A scarlet sash with black trim (5 gp). The merchant
compliments the buyer on their dashing appearance.
52. A black cassock adorned with glyphs stitched in golden
thread (15 gp). The glyphs have no magical meaning, but
it impresses the peasants.
53. A bottle of raisin wine (5 gp, 2 lb). It should be mixed with
honey for best taste.
54. A bottle of honeyed ambrosia (5 gp, 2 lb). It’s imported
from a distant elven kingdom.
55. A bottle of well-aged plum wine (5 gp, 2 lb). It should be
mixed with rose water for best taste.
56. A bottle of dry white wine flavored with wormwood and
saffron (10 gp, 2 lb).
57. A bottle of sweet white wine scented with rose petals (10 gp, 2 lb).
58. A bottle of finely aged apple brandy with almonds and
cinnamon (20 gp, 2 lb).
59. A blue-glazed pottery pitcher with a wide handle and lip
for easy pouring (2 gp, 2 lb).
60. A set of pottery dishes and bowls painted with red figure
illustrations of gods and heroes (10 gp, 5 lb).
61. A set of 2d10 small, fragile clay globes with stoppers that
can be filled with various interesting substances. If thrown,
they shatter on impact. 1 gp each.
62. A well-made sheepskin satchel with a pair of secret pockets
hidden on its interior (25 gp).
63. A set of brass theater masks (50 gp each). One mask has a
smiling face with raised eyebrows and the other a frowning
face with mock tears.
64. An articulated armor stand, suitable for displaying plate
armor (50 gp).
65. A ceremonial bronze war-gong, vividly painted with the
god of war’s holy symbol (200 gp and 20 lb).
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66. A brass lamp of exotic make (500 gp). Its sides are tarnished
from years of rubbing. The merchant claims there really is
a genie, he’s just unreliable.
67. 2d6 arrows set with silver tips and fletched with eagle
feathers (5 gp each).
68. A variety of 1d10 exotic weapons. They have the ordinary
mechanical effect of their type, but an unusual aesthetic
from a far-off country.
69. A massive bronze cauldron (50 gp). The merchant claims it
was specifically cast to pour boiling oil in sieges. It’s also
good for cooking stew.
70. A clay jar of pigment (50 gp). Roll for color (1d4): 1. iron
gall, 2. ochre, 3. sienna, 4. umber.
71. A clay jar of dye (50 gp). Roll for color (1d10): 1. blackwort,
2. cutch, 3. fustet, 4. kermes red, 5. madder, 6. marsh
marigold, 7. meadow rue, 8. vermillion, 9. weld, 10. woad.
72. A set of drinking glasses (10 gp) painted with holy symbols.
73. A glass lantern with stained red glass frames (25 gp). Its visibility
radius is halved, but the red light doesn’t spoil infravision.
74. A polished glass mirror with a silver frame engraved with
medusa heads. (75 gp) The owner gains +4 to save vs.
medusa gaze.
75. A hollow sphere of blown glass swirled with beautiful
colors. The merchant claims it provides protection against
witches when hung in a window.
76. A glass bottle with a murky liquid inside. Strangely, there’s
no apparent way to get the liquid out.
77. A grey donkey (8 gp). Its exceptionally stubborn but quite hardy.
The owner hasn’t named it because it wouldn’t listen anyway.
78. A large mule with a sorrel coat (20gp). It was actually
trained as a war-mount by a prior dwarven owner, but the
merchant doesn’t know this.
79. An ox (40gp). It has heavy scars on its flanks and shows
signs of having been mistreated. Characters who can
speak with animals hear it say “help me!”

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80. A medium draft horse with a dark bay coat and white
points (30 gp). It’s been recently gelded and is upset about
it, if anyone asks.
81. A medium riding horse with a buckskin coat (40 gp). The
horse is a mare, affectionately named Marigold by the
impoverished young woman selling it.
82. A heavy draft horse with a black coat and white star on its
muzzle (40 gp). An ungelded stallion but quite placid when
not around mares in heat.
83. A light riding horse with a red roan coat (75 gp). This mare
has a smooth, ambling gait that’s easy to ride.
84. A light warhorse with a palomino coat (150 gp). The owner
has left this stallion ungelded because of its beautiful coat.
85. A medium warhorse with a white coat and mane (250 gp).
Sword-cuts on its flank show the stallion has survived
several battles.
86. A heavy warhorse with a black coat and white star on its
muzzle (700 gp). A noble stallion, fit for a knight, named
Eventide.

87-100 Roll on Unusual Items sub-table

Unusual Items Sub-table

1. The bioluminescent organs of a fire beetle (15 gp). It will

glow for 1d6 days in 10´ radius.
2. The chitinous carapace of a giant tiger beetle (25 gp). It
could be a component in a magic helm.
3. A set of 12 dried rot grubs in a wooden case (60 gp). The
grubs could a component in any death magic.
4. The mandibles of an ankhegs (125 gp). They could be used
as reagents for a potion of resist acid.
5. The flight feathers of a giant hawk (150 gp). They could be
used as components for flight-related magic items.

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6. A vial of killer bee venom (250 gp). The venom takes effect in
1d10 turns and deals 1d10 damage to those who fail a save +2.
7. A jar of killer bee honey (250gp). It contains four doses,
each of which functions as a half-strength potion of healing.
8. The desiccated hand of a mummified necromancer (260
gp). It could be a component in any necromantic magic.
9. A bundle of manticore spikes (360 gp) wrapped in oilskin.
The spikes could be components in a wand of magic missiles.
10. A pair of stony basilisk eyes (500 gp each). They could be
used as reagents for a potion of stone to flesh.
11. The iron horns of a gorgon (540 gp). The horns could be a
component in creating magic weapons.
12. A giant crocodile skull with teeth the size of a man’s hand
(1,800 gp). The skull could be a component in growth-
related magic.
13. Five sticks of sandalwood incense (15 gp each). It burns
with a smooth and creamy wood scent with hints of milk.
14. Three sticks of agarwood incense (30 gp each). It carries a
woody scent with notes of fruit and florals and a sniff of
vanilla and musk.
15. Nine sticks of frankincense (50 gp each). It has a sweet
and warm aroma that smells of wood, spice, and fruit.
16. Three sticks of myrrh (60 gp each). It smells of earth with
hints of licorice.
17. A jar of kyphi temple incense (800 gp, 10 lb). The exquisite
ingredients include honey, raisins, myrrh, juniper, cinnamon,
saffron, and cassia.
18. A light ballista of cunning dwarven make (200 gp). It can
be disassembled into 5 pieces each weighing 15 lb and
reassembled in 1 turn.
19. The white pelt of an albino cave-ape (50 gp). The merchant
will make it into a cape attached to a helmet for an extra 50 gp.
20. The sable pelt of a giant weasel (115 gp). It’s the perfect
size for a scarf or wrap.
21. The shaggy pelt of a cave bear (160 gp). The merchant will
tailor it into a cloak for an additional 50 gp.

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22. The feathers and pelt of an owl bear (170 gp). It would
make an excellent robe for a cross-breeding mage.
23. The hide of a great white shark (175 gp). The merchant claims
he could have gotten more, but he needed a bigger boat.
24. The giant pelt of a grizzly bear of formidable strength and size
(225 gp). It’s large enough to serve as a rug for a dining room.
25. The tawny pelt of a manticore (265 gp). The merchant
recommends tailor it as a caparison for your horse.
26. The multi-textured pelt of a chimera (350 gp). It’s large
enough to be a rug in a wizard’s laboratory.
27. The steel-like scales of a giant sturgeon (2,000 gp). It could
be used to make scale armor with the protection of plate mail.
28. Molten slag formed melted copper, silver, and gold (300
gp, 20 lbs). The merchant claims the slag was melted by
the breath of the dragon he stole it from.
29. A stack of tumbaga ingots (750 gp and 50 lb). The ingots
carry the mark of a foreign mint that no one recognizes.
30. A tame giant python (325 gp) named Thulsa. It has been
trained to constrict humanoid victims on command.
31. A giant boar piglet (15 gp). It can be tamed in 2 months
and taught a trick every 2 months thereafter, 7 tricks max.
Matures in 4 years.
32. A dire wolf pup (60 gp). It can be tamed in 2 months and
a taught a trick every 2 months thereafter, 6 tricks max.
Matures in 2 years.
33. A rock baboon infant (110 gp). It can be tamed in a month
and taught a trick every month thereafter, 8 tricks max.
Matures in 4 years.
34. A giant centipede egg (110 gp). It can be tamed in 6 months
and taught a trick every 6 months thereafter, 2 tricks max.
35. A giant ant larva (150 gp). It can be tamed in 6 months and
taught a trick every 6 months thereafter, 5 tricks max.
Matures in a year.
36. A white ape infant (25 gp). It can be tamed in 1 month and
taught a trick every month thereafter, 8 tricks max. Matures
in 3 years.

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37. A giant ferret kit (325 gp). It can be tamed in 10 weeks and
taught a trick every 10 weeks thereafter, 5 tricks max.
Matures in 1 year.
38. A lion cub (350 gp). It can be tamed in 3.5 months and
taught a trick every 3.5 months thereafter, 6 tricks max.
Matures in 15 months.
39. A giant weasel kit (350 gp). It can be tamed in 3 months
and taught a trick every 3 months thereafter, 5 tricks max.
Matures in 15 months.
40. A tiger cub (400 gp). It can be tamed in 5.5 months and
taught a trick every 5.5 months thereafter, 6 tricks max.
Matures in 2 years.
41. A cave bear cub (425 gp). It can be tamed in 3 months and
taught a trick every 3 months thereafter, 5 tricks max.
Matures in 2 years.
42. A panther cub (545 gp). It can be tamed in 5.5 months and
taught a trick every 5.5 months thereafter, 6 tricks max.
Matures in 15 months.
43. A giant hawk fledgling (2,725 gp). It can be tamed in 2
months and taught a trick every 2 months thereafter, 6
tricks max. Matures in 4 years.
44. A trained riding camel (100 gp). The sturdy beast has been
trained to spit on people on command. It’s addicted to salt licks.
45. A trained draft elephant (1,500 gp). In its spare time, it likes
to paint expressionist art with its dung.
46. A trained war elephant (5,000 gp). If purchased, the
merchant will offer a complimentary howdah and barding.
47. A pair of taxidermy mice with fancy hats wielding tiny
swords and positioned on an oak mount to look like they
are dueling (100 gp).
48. A stuffed and mounted cougar (150 gp). It’s a bit beat-up
but still pretty eye-catching.
49. A mummified monkey’s head set on a cypress trophy mount
(250 gp). If mounted over your bed, expect to have
nightmares.

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50. A set of 10 shamanic fetishes made of engraved human
finger bones (10 gp each).
51. A set of nine bone figurines carved in the shape of jackals
(15 gp each). The merchant claims that under the full moon
they become live jackals.
52. A pair of great moose antlers (1 gp each). The merchant
will fit them to a helmet for a 5 gp fee.
53. A pair of giant boar tusks (2 gp each). The merchant will fit
them to a helmet for a 5 gp fee.
54. A pair of sabre-tooth tiger tusks (4 gp each). The merchant
will fit them to a helmet for a 5 gp fee.
55. A pair of giant-bone rune sticks carved with dwarven runes
(50 gp each).
56. A set of engraved crocodile teeth (70 gp).
57. A pair of elephant tusks (80 gp, 8 lbs each). The ivory is
yellowed with age.
58. A set of golden teeth with small runes carved in them (300
gp). A goldsmith can fit them to the mouth of a character
who's lost her teeth.
59. A fragment of narwhal horn (100 gp, 2 lb). The merchant swears
it broke off in a fight with the largest whale he’d ever seen.
60. The goat horns of a chimera (130 gp). They come with a
wall-mount of ebony.
61. A pair of enormous mastodon tusks (600 gp, 60 lb each).
They curve over 9’ in length and have razor sharp tips.
62. The slender white horn of a unicorn (1,000 gp). Any lawful character
who touches it feels the unicorn’s dying scream of anguish.
63. The huge horn of a venerable dragon (1,800 gp). The
merchant claims that the dragon was slain and its hoard
lies open for the taking.
64. A pouch of saffron (15 gp). It’s worth more than its weight in gold!
65. A vial of jasmine perfume (100 gp). A sweet, rich, and
feminine fragrance much prized by elves.
66. A jar of saffron (800 gp). The jar is carefully sealed and
kept in a locked chest with lots of padding.

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67. A large green pepper (5 gp). The merchant claims it’s the
spiciest in the known world. A character who eats it must
save vs. poison. On a failed save, the character dies as his
burned throat swells and chokes her. On a successful save,
she gains +1 Constitution for stomaching it .
68. A packet of imported kudzu seeds (5 gp). The merchant
just says they are for unkillable magic vines that grow
swiftly even as you watch. Planting these seeds in an elven
forest is a war crime.
69. A sealed jar of sacred lotus oil (800gp) intended for
decadent bathing by kings. Odalisque not included.
70. A stuffed porcelain doll (50gp). There’s something uncanny
about the face and it makes a disturbing rattles when
shaken. It’s actually a cursed doll.
71. Five chryselephantine statuettes of ancient hero-kings (300
gp, 5 lb each). One of the statuettes oddly resembles a
player character.
72. A very large tome written on heavy papyrus that contains
the ravings of a madman who claims that the gods play
dice with the universe for their own entertainment (150 gp).
73. A codex made up of copper plates bound with rings (150
gp). It contains religious hymns to a dead god written in an
esoteric tongue.
74. A crumbling and salt-stained mariner’s chart (500 gp). It
shows the location of an islet 11-20 hexes away from the
nearest coast. An annotation in Common reads “the
dragons here are still young and could be easily
vanquished.” The annotation is not dated.
75. A huge wood-bound codex of birch bark (1,500 gp). It
records the songs and stories of the great treants of old.
76. A silk parasol with a bamboo frame (100 gp). The merchant
claims the courtesans of the east use these devices to
protect their complexion.
77. A set of silk pajamas (25 gp). The pajamas are embroidered
with various fertility signs such as rabbits and hearts and
the monogram “H.H.”
78. A black silk scarf with beaded frills (50 gp).
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79. A chiton or sari dyed scarlet and stitched with golden
thread (100 gp). The merchant will tailor it to fit the buyer.
80. A set of silk drapes dyed gold and black (250 gp). The
merchant will install them for free in your stronghold or temple.
81. A silk wall hanging hand-painted with scenes of a heroic
victory by the forces of Law (500 gp).
82. 1d10 rolls of silk (400 gp, 40 lb ea.) dyed in wondrous hues.
83. A wide-brimmed leather hat, a whip, and an iron hand
crossbow (available as a set for 100 gp). The merchant
claims he found it on a skeleton in a snake pit.
84. A pair of bamboo sticks connected by a chain (25 gp). The
merchant claims they are actually a deadly weapon from
a distant land but has no idea how to use them.
85. A set of nine well-balanced throwing knives (15 gp each).
They are +1 to hit.
86. A strange suit of armor made of an alchemical resin with a
helm of strangely flexible glass (200 gp). It counts as chain
mail but offers immunity to gas attacks. It’s very bulky
though (-2 to initiative).
87. A spear with a silver head and cold iron butt spike (200
gp). The merchant is a one-armed one-eyed veteran who
claims to be an ex werewolf-hunter.
88. A long sword with a deep central fuller set on a silver-
plated hilt fashioned to resemble an eagle (600 gp). It’s
non-magical but +1 to damage.
89. A brass tube with a rotating cap and a lens on one end (60
gp). Peering into the tube reveals unusual patterns of
colorful crystal.
90. A bag of loose crystals with positive vibrations (100 gp).
Possibly useful as spell components for healing spells.
91. A collection of seven seashells carved with religious
iconography (120 gp each).
92. 12 tiny jade turtles (200 gp each). The turtles are molded to
stack one on top the other. The turtle at the top has a shell
painted like the known world.
93. A chess set with ivory and onyx squares and pieces (500 gp).

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94. A sphere of polished quartz set upon a brass stand (1,000
gp). Gazing into the sphere yields random images that
have no predictive power.
95. An opal brooch for fastening cloaks (1,000 gp). The pin on
the brooch carries a minor curse such that it always stabs
you when you fasten it. Ouch!
96. A gold ring set with a large and lustrous ruby (3,000 gp)
kept in a sealed glass case. A burly fighter stands guard.
97. A gold necklace adorned with a purple star sapphire
(4,000 gp) kept in a heavy iron chest. 2 war dogs guard
the merchant and his goods.
98. A gold wrist-cuff ornamented with tiny emeralds (5,000
gp). The merchant wears it on his person. He’s a mage of
respectable power.
99. A silver tiara set with crystals (500 gp). The crystals are
actually diamonds (20,000 gp value), but the dubious-
looking merchant is oblivious to this.
100. A miscellaneous magic item – roll on the appropriate
sub-table in your rulebook. The merchant doesn’t know
what it is and will sell it for 1/10th the real value.

Cursed Doll: The cursed doll resembles an ordinary children’s

toy, albeit with a slightly sinister mien. Over time, a cursed doll
brings misery and misfortune to any household it resides in. A
cursed doll could be given as gift to an unsuspecting child in
the household, or placed within a household by means of
stealth. In any case, once it has taken up residence in the
household, its magic begins to take hold. Each day, whoever
spent the most time near the cursed doll must make a saving
throw versus Spells. If the save succeeds, the character resists
the effect. If the save fails, the character suffers an affliction.

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The Judge should select one of the following effects:

• Bad body odor, unsightly skin condition, or similar blemish

causing a -1 penalty on reaction rolls
• Chronic body aches and pains causing a -1 penalty to
initiative rolls
• Misfortune at work causing a 5% decrease in the
character’s daily construction rate with one proficiency

The affliction thus bestowed lasts indefinitely and cannot be

dispelled, and there is no limit to the number of different
afflictions a character may receive from the cursed doll. Any
given affliction can be removed with a remove curse spell but
the only way to remove them all at once and restore good
fortune to the household is to destroy the doll.

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Strange Pet Stores
Roll Store
1 Floating Piranha Shop
2 Glow Worm Emporium
3 The Ant Farm
4 Small but Vicious Chickens
5 The Gallery of Goo
6 The Creature Curio Shop
7 It's "Fur"bidden
8 Grizzled Unwanted Pets
9 Not Quite Dead Yet
10 Abigail’s Balloon Animal Extravaganza

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1. Floating Piranha Shop

Description: A rickety house constructed of splintered boards

and rusted nails. The door is an eye-watering bright orange
and, aside from the giant air balloon, is the newest most intact
thing about the place. Atop the roof is an impossibly strong-
looking chimney that spews hot flames into the air. Tied to the
chimney are thick cables that lead to a huge hot air balloon in
the shape of a green smiling piranha which allows the house to
float lazily through the skies.

Proprietor: Abbrigard Dole—A strange-looking man, almost

more goblin than man with a large hook for a right hand (his
favorite piranha, Malcom, was super hungry, you see), square,
yellowed buck teeth, and tufty curly, orange hair that forms a
halo around his head. Abbrigard is obsessed with piranhas
and travels the world in his strange store looking for new
species. He will never sell a piranha if he only has one and
always seeks mating pairs. Abbrigard is a shrewd bidder and
cannot be coerced or intimidated to lessening the prices for his
beloved fish.

Plot Hook/Rumor: Abbrigard has heard rumors of fire-jewel

piranhas spawning in the fiery lake of Gabalgaba and is very
keen on acquiring them. He will pay 200 gp for each adult and
50 gp for each juvenile. The lake contains 1d8+2 adults and
2d10+10 juveniles. There are other terrible creatures in the
craggy fissures leading to the lake the group must contend with.

Unique Trinket: Murphy the Piranha Mascot (bobblehead

edition). This wacky cute bobblehead is a highly sought-after
collectible (people LOVE THEM!). Once per day this little
bauble will allow the holder to talk to a single piranha so long
as the head is wobbling.

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2. Glow Worm Emporium

Description: The entrance to the Glow Worm Emporium is an

unassuming hole in the ground, tucked away in a corner of the
city. Inside, the earthy aroma of moss and mushroom greets the
nose. The inside is lighter than expected. Bulbous, cute, and
comic-looking, glow worms line the walls in all manner of jars,
bowls, and dishes, or are suspended from soft silken strings in
cocoons. The strings of silk are covered in a thick mucus that softly
glows, which can be harvested and turned into a toxic nerve agent.

Proprietor: Unna Angdu—A quiet, mousey half-elf tends to her

glow worms, feeding them insects she has prechewed herself.
Her hair is lank and unkept, oftentimes filled with bits of the
mucous-covered silk webbing detritus. While Unna is quiet
and appears kind, she is vindictive and hold grudges.

Plot Hook/Rumor: Glow Worm Emporium was recently robbed

of the prized dire glow worm while Unna Angdu was off
collecting insects. She is willing to pay handsomely for the return
of Papu, the dire worm. She will pay even more if the adventurers
are willing to return the thieves to her so she can feed them some
of the toxic nerve agent potion and watch the light leave their
eyes after experiencing debilitating, agonizing pain.

Unique Trinket: Unna Angdu has created two strange potions from
the mucous that coats the silken strings of the glow worms. The first,
has an umami taste and is the consistency and texture of melted
butter. When drunk, the imbiber becomes coated in a slimy mucous
(-4 Charisma) and can see in the dark (up to 30´) and is healed for
1d6 hit points. Unna sells this for 200 gold pieces. Unna’s second
potion is a toxic nerve agent that causes wracking pain. The potion
tastes of sweet honey. Those that drink it must pass a save vs. poison
or suffer 2d6 Constitution damage and 3d8 damage to hit points.
Creating this potion takes 1 month and costs 500 gp.

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3. The Ant Farm

Description: This strange shop is shaped like an earthen

mound, found just outside the village limits. The smell of sand,
dust, and wet paper greets the nostrils. Working inside are
anthropomorphic ant-people, standing roughly 4 to 5 feet tall.
These ant-people sell… ants. The Ant Farm is known for having
a plethora of ant species from all over the known (and possibly
unknown) world. Additionally, the Ant Farm sells gorgeous
sculptures and art created by tiny ants—art collectors from all
over seek these wonderful pieces.

Proprietor: QB (A.K.A The Big Queen)—QB doesn’t interact

with customers much. Instead she prefers to sit on her bed of
comfy pillows and hum sweet songs that inspire her people to
work harder and the tiny ants to create more beautiful art.

Plot Hook/Rumor: Several ant-people have begun acting

strange. Each one that shows perverse symptoms eventually
disappears and is found days later, a few miles away, dead
with a strange horrific plant growing from its head. The ant-
people are terrified of these corpses and refuse to go near
them. What could be causing this problem?

Unique Trinket: A glob of sap from the Tree of Life. This massive
glob of sap has been harvested from a rare and elusive tree
that has restorative properties. The glob of sap is roughly 3´
long and 3´ in diameter. Those that eat a glob gain the effects
of Remove Curse, Cure Disease, Neutralise Poison, and Raise
Dead. QB and her loyal guards protect this prized possession
and only let those who have honored them sufficiently partake.

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4. Small But Vicious Chickens:

Description: The structure resembles an overlarge chicken coop.

Feathers constantly flutter through the air and the smell of chicken
droppings hangs thick. The beak-shaped entrance doorknob
will snap anyone who doesn’t open the door counterclockwise.
Throughout the coop are very strange and vicious looking
chickens! Some have horns, others have massive talons on their
feet, others have razor-sharp teeth, and some have all three!

Proprietor: Ma—Loves her chickens, takes great care of them,

and teaches them not to take shit from anyone. Ma is squat
and muscular with a distant, often cold, demeanor. She only
gets excited when talking about her beloved chickens.
Sometimes she will relate with glee how her husband perished
at the beak and claws of her prized attack chicken, Brutus.
A standard attack chicken has 1 HD, 1 method of attack of
chosen from beak, talons, horns, or teeth, dealing 1d4 damage
and costing 50 gp. A 2 HD attack chicken has 1 method of
attack, dealing 1d6 damage and costing 150 gp. A 3 HD attack
chicken has 2 methods of attack (as above), deals 1d8 damage,
makes two attacks per round, and costs 250 gp. The prized
attack chicken has four methods of attack, deals 1d8 damage,
makes three attacks per round, and costs 500 gp.

Plot Hook/Rumor: Ma is always looking to her attack chickens

heartier, feistier, and deadlier. She is looking to breed one of her
hens with other monsters, but she needs help getting them. She’ll
reward a group who is willing to catch strange creatures for her.
Unique Trinket: Spiked Choker Collar. Not only does this collar
look punk, it makes the chickens hit harder! An attack chicken
that wears this collar has their damaged increased by one level
(a d4 becomes a d6 etc.). Ma only has 1d4 of these on hand at
a time, is secretive about where she gets them, when they’ll be
back in stock, and she sells them for an unnegotiable 500 gp.

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5. The Gallery of Goo

Description: The building is constructed entirely of green glass

with white and lime green swirls and resembles a large glass
decanter. Colorful flags and tapestries depicting the silhouette
of a blob-like shape with two eyes (same color as the fabric) in
a fishbowl hang on each side of the door and line the interior
walls. The spherical room is lined with clear glass rectangular
displays, upon which are glass dishes/bowls of varying sizes
and shapes. Held within these containers are slimy substances,
much like molasses or snot, each a different color of the rainbow.

This substance is actually a “Goo”, and while it shares similar

characteristics as slimes, jellys, and molds, they aren’t as
deadly and are much cuter! Each “Goo” does something
unique (not dependent on color). Each Goo costs 200 gp and
the container (a fine crystal) costs an additional 100 gp.

Your Goo: Roll 1d10: 1. Bubbles in its jar when people are lying.
Picks up lies within 5´, 2. Can douse any small flame within 10´,
3. Communicate with birds within 10´, 4. Once per day creates
a piece of “slime toast” that heals a target for 1d6 hit points
when eaten, 5. Has an eye floating in it—you gain +2 to surprise
checks, 6. Can shapeshift in to a gelatin-looking frog and hop
around, 7. Prevents you from ever catching a common cold, 8.
Can be consumed and will instantly end the effect of any
poison, 9. Screeches loudly when you pass gas, 10. Add water
to it and watch small chia sprout and grow.

Proprietor: Germ—Doughy, hairless, and constantly sweating,

but always delightful and cheery. Germ is a connoisseur of the
finer things in life and that goes for their little Goos as well. If
Germ feels one of their little angels will be mistreated or
unappreciated, why the price triples! Germ may care, but they
aren’t stupid, gotta pay for those sugar-crystaled pineapple chunks!

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Plot Hook/Rumor: Something has snuck into the shop at night
and gobbled up all the blue Goos! Germ is beside themselves
and cannot bear to face another day without a blue Goo in
their shop. Germ will hire the group at 50 gp a day to
investigate, capture, and kill the culprit. If it is done before four
days pass, Germ will pay an additional 300 gp.

Unique Trinket: Petrified Goo Droppings in all colors of the

rainbow. Hard as rock, but somehow sweet and tasty. They
have no special properties, except they turn your tongue funny
colors and taste like the rainbow.

6. The Creature Curio Shop

Description: This adorable shop is constructed of fine wood

and resembles an upscale home. The red door is accented with
gold filigree that moves and changes in a serpentine fashion.
The window lattice is intricate, yet subtle and gorgeously done.

The interior matches that of a fine jewelry store rather than a

pet shop, and it shows they know who their clientele is; the
glass cases are trimmed in gold and designed to show all the
magical curiosities in this shop. The animals in here are
extremely unique; their source unknown.

Some of the Wonderment You’ll Find: A Faberge Egg that is

actually a hummingbird; a music box that is a hedgehog; an
ottoman that is a miniature pot-bellied pig; a snuff box that is a
tarantula; earrings that are a mating pair of butterflies; a
jewelry box that is a turtle; an ink bottle that is a tiny octopus;
and so much more!

The wealthy love displaying their little curiosity pets in their

homes as a display of their affluence. Each one costs 1,000 gp
or more.

128
Proprietor: Sasha Von Deel—A beautiful elf with jet black hair
and ice blue eyes. Her gentle smile belies her calulating
cunning. Sasha is known for her compassion, the ear she lends
to those in need, and her ability to separate the wealthy from
their coin in her shop.

What isn’t known is Sasha is also the infamous information

broker, “The Wolf”, who sells profitable info to the highest
bidder. It’s handy that the rich love to blather on to her and she
has learned to turn that to her advantage.

Plot Hook/Rumor: Sasha has heard that one of her clients has
a strange alchemical lab in their basement and believes it
contains many elixirs and potions that would fetch a handsome
price on the black market. She is looking for a group of
adventurers who would be willing to fetch the goods and bring
them to her. She will pay 100 gp and 10% of the value of each
potion (she will go no higher than 15% in bargaining).

Unique Trinket: The Fire Broach. An ornate red and orange

ruby attached to a double-stranded silver chain. This beautiful
necklace is actually a pseudodragon named “Hal” and is one
of Sasha’s favorite pets.

7. It’s “Fur”bidden

Description: Deep in the grossest part of the city, among the

slime, sleaze, and filth in a dingy basement shop, one will find
It’s “Fur”bidden. This shop specializes in the illegal practice of
splicing various animals (and sometimes even monsters)
together and attaching weird contraptions and machines to
their bodies. A thick choking blanket of sulfur and cinnamon
lingers in the constantly humid air while the whirring of unseen
machinery causes a dull discordant din.

129
Type of Monstrosity One Might Find: Hamster-gecko (body
of a hamster with legs and head of a gecko) with circular saw
nails; The Poodle-Puddle (half poodle, half black pudding)
with mechanical crab claws jutting out of its shoulder blades;
The Kittenfly (a kitten with butterfly wings- oooo watch it flutter)
with a poisonous proboscis for its tongue; The Piglin (body of a
pig and head of a gremlin or vice versa) with legs that are
spindly jagged pikes.

Proprietor: The Doctor—a crude, vile, and insane (yet brilliant)

magic-user. The Doctor enjoys pushing the boundaries of
magic and spits in the eye of the natural world order. Those
who balk at his creations are shown the door while those who
show appreciation are invited in for tea.

Plot Hook/Rumor: The Doctor’s prized creation, The

Boorangutan (an orangutan that was merged with the
ectoplasm of a ghost) has gone missing and a series of
gruesome deaths has occured. The Doctor is desperate to
reclaim his monstrosity and cover up any evidence that could
lead back to him.

Unique Trinket: The Singing Cactus. This small cactus comes

from a scorched desert of white sands and massive dunes.
They are extremely rare and their fruits and flowers are said to
have powerful alchemical properties. The Doctor coos over this
plant far more than any of the living creatures in his care.

130
8. Grizzled Unwanted Pets

Description: Oftentimes it’s not just adventurers who are

changed, corrupted, or affected by encountering the unknowns
of the world—it’s their animals as well. Sometimes these
afflictions are too much to handle and adventurers drop off
these faithful (yet deranged) companions at Grizzled Unwanted
Pets. This charming log cabin is decorated with rustic wood
furniture, calming paintings, and serene scent of lavender.

Proprietor: Bill is a ranger who retired from adventuring after

he lost his best friend and animal companion, Murkle the
Moose. Bill tries to rescue all the unwanted and afflicted pets
he can find. Bill tends to be quiet or gruff with anyone other
than the animals.

Animals You’ll Find: Chipzee (a chipmunk with tentacles for

teeth and acid spit), Rundo (a horse that swears and curses
when angry), Fren (a deer with the head of a chicken and
screeches when scared), Burble (a toad the size of a great
dane that has a hypnotic gaze), Bran (a wolf with blue fur,
always cold to the touch, and with icicles for teeth that chatter
constantly), Boa (a large python with millipede legs on its belly
and weird googly eyes), and many more!

Plot Hook/Rumor: A strange curse has befallen the town and

many of the villagers are accusing the animals at Grizzled
Unwanted Pets. Several drunken fools have attempted to torch
the place but have been thwarted by Bill. Bill needs help
discovering the real cause of the curse before people succeed
in destroying his store and his friends.

Unique Trinket: The Music Box. This box has a haunting yet
calming melody. When wound up and played any animal in a
30´ radius will relax and fall asleep. Bill uses this when any of
the animals get panicked and can’t be calmed down.

131
9. Not Quite Dead Yet

Description: People aren’t the only ones who can’t stay dead.
Sometimes pets don’t stay put in their graves either. This spooky
shop is decorated to resemble a pet cemetery and has cages
filled with zombie cats, dogs, and goldfish; skeletal birds,
hedgehogs, and snakes; and ghostly ferrets, hamsters, and
chickens. All for sale for those who want a pet that will never
leave them!

Proprietor: Fern was quite beautiful and lovely when she was
alive. . . then she went and died and somehow came back as
a sentient zombie. After getting chased out of a few villages by
torch and pitchfork, she knew she had to do something good
with her unlife and started Not Quite Dead Yet.

Plot Hook/Rumor: Not all are content or calm about having a

store filled with undead animals. The local clergy are riling up
their congregation to bring an end to this abomination! Fern is
looking for adventurers that will protector her and her pets.

Unique Trinket: Chunk of the Moon. This grey dusty rock is

said to have come from the moon itself and have celestial
powers, possibly even the power to reverse death. . .or it could
just be an old dusty rock.

10. Abigail’s Balloon Animal Extravaganza

Description: This colorful building has been decorated to

resemble a circus tent with colorful banners lining the walls and
silks fluttering down from the ceiling. In the center ring is a
wooden podium where Abigail stands, speaking of fantastic
adventures that thrill and titillate onlookers. Floating around
her are dozens of wonderful balloon animals, from dogs and
cats, to elephants, monkeys, bears, penguins, octopi, butterflies,
and even dinosaurs, displacer beasts, and dragons!

132
Proprietor: Abigail is a fae from a far realm and enjoys making
people laugh. Her blue skin, green hair, and grey eyes set her
apart from everyone else, yet despite her appearance she sets
people at ease. Her skills in storytelling and creating balloon
animals are second-to-none.

Her balloon animals are fantastic, hardny and should someone

pay a little extra (a paltry 200 gp), Abigail enchants them to
come alive and aid their owner. If they pay even more (just an
additional 200 gp), Abigail will imbue the balloon animal with
an extra power. Those who have irritated Abigail have
discovered, that the magical balloon animal they paid for isn’t
anything more than a regular balloon animal. These balloon
creatures have 2 HD and deal 1d6 damage. The extra power
is equal to a first level spell effect and can be used once per
day.

Plot Hook/Rumor: A vile fiend has cursed Abigail! Her hands

have swollen, and her fingers have become gnarled and
curled. She can’t make her beloved balloon animals. Children
are crying in the streets and parents must watch their own
children, it’s mass hysteria! Are there any brave adventurers
that can take up the charge to discover what has caused
Abigail’s affliction?

Unique Trinket: Silks of Climbing. The silks that hang from the
ceiling of Abigail’s Balloon Animal Extravaganza are enchanted
so that anyone who plays in them can behave like an expert
silks performer. This makes for entertaining (and free) floor
shows for the public to watch.

133
Crime
If someone is caught for a crime, consider the judgment. The
judge could be swayed to reduce the punishment by spending
money on an attorney or a bribe. The character's Charisma
also influences the crime roll. However, strong evidence,
previous criminal behavior, and character witnesses will
provide penalties for the opposing sides. The Dungeon Master
will set the total bonus considering all applicable factors. The
crime roll is a Charisma roll (2d6), and is modified by the
following factors:

• -6 to +3 for evidence (1d10-7)

• +1 to +3 for bribes (10 gp, 100 gp, or 1,000 gp)
• There is a penalty of -1 for every previous crime committed
• The severity of the crime provides a penalty of -1 to -6
• For every board of influence the player controls, the roll is
modified by +1 (q.v. p.177)
• Hiring legal representation provides a bonus of -1 (unskilled)
to +3 (Master skill level); cost should be proportionate to
the skill level

Fantasy worlds can have drastic differences in morality. The

Dungeon Master will have to design which categories of crime
are minor, major, and severe. Reference the following list of
crimes and determine the severity of them for the local society,
minor, major, or severe.

Roll for the result

2- Severe Punishment
3-5 Punishment
6-8 Mild Punishment
9-12+ Freed.

134
1. Assault & Battery 6. Religious Crimes
2. Civil Crimes I. Blasphemy
3. Homicide II. Heresy
I. Arson III. Magic Use
II. Murder 7. Sexual Crimes
III. Manslaughter I. Adultery
4. Larceny II. Bestiality
I. Burglary III. Incest
II. Banditry/Piracy IV. Polygamy
III. Counterfeiting/ V. Rape
Forgery VI. Sodomy
IV. Embezzlement
V. Extortion
VI. Kidnapping
VII. Fraud
VIII. Theft
5. Political Crimes
I. Bribery
II. Destruction of
Property
III. Impersonation
IV. Incitement to
Riot/Rioting
V. Perjury
VI. Sedition

135
Mild Punishments
Fines: This punishment is for crimes that are legal for the rich,
and illegal for the poor. If the criminal is unable to pay, they will
receive a more serious punishment.

Confinement: Mild punishment will be between 1-12 weeks.

Abasement: This includes demanding an apology or

recantation, censure, being forced to wear an odious item or
piece of clothing, a public procession of shame, public
defamation of the criminal by the wronged parties, restrictions
from public rights (ability to bear arms or heraldry), and public
service.

Torture: Being forced to watch people being tortured.

Punishments
Severe confinement: This includes magical stasis, such as
being magically entombed beneath the ground, petrification,
or temporal stasis, where the subject has no knowledge of time
passing.

Severe abasement: Includes burial denial, pillory, dunking,

and tarring and feathering.

Torture: Interrogation, torture, intermittent suspension or

exposure

Mutilation: Removal of fingers or ears, magical transformation

of a body part, e.g. donkey ears, a pig's nose.

Curses: Forced to stutter, bad luck, pox, warts, infestations,

shingles, aphasia, bad smell

136
Severe Punishments
Mutilation: blinding, removal of the hand or tongue. Permanant
transformation into another creature or being. Being slain and
reincarnated.

Banishment.

Slavery or Forced Labor.

Death by beheading, hanging, wheel, drowning, boiling,

burning, buried alive, impaling, immurement, and quartering.

Cruel and unusual punishments

Annihilation, destruction of both the body and the soul.

Slain and then raised as undead.

Mental surgery, involving personality replacement, mind wipes,

and feebleminding.

Imprisonment of the mind or soul, inside a crystal, sword, or

other object.

Dimensional banishment.

137
Mining
The volume mined through stone or rock to produce underground
corridors is dependent on the skill and strength of the miner. A
normal miner can clear very soft rock of 75 cubic feet in a day
(15 5'×5'×5' cubes), soft rock of 50' (10 5×5×5 cubes) cubic feet
a day, and hard rock of 25' (5 5×5×5 cubes) cubic feet a day.
A workday is eight hours. People cannot work more than one
eight hour day in twenty-four hours, but characters may pay
workers to work three separate shifts during a 24 hour period.

Dwarves, large creatures, and other skilled miners will increase

this amount to (100/75/50 cubic feet). Gigantic creatures
(Giants, et al.) can reach values of (500/350/175 cubic feet).
If a structure underground increases in size (over 500 cubic feet
/50 10×10×10 cubes), then an engineer must be employed or
the structure will collapse.

Mines as a Resource
Mines and quarries may be placed as resources in hexes.
Consider placing 1d4-1 mines/quarries in any given six mile
hex. Hills and mountainous terrain could contain up to 2d6
mines per hex.

Mines may produce copper, tin, lead, iron, silver, gold,

platinum, mithril, adamantine, or even more rare metals or
gemstones. Determine the mine production randomly or by fiat.
After determining the stone, roll a 1d10 to determine the richness
and purity of the mine. A mine will only produce 1d100 weeks
of mining profit before being exhausted, unless specifically
noted by the Dungeon Master.

A mine requires 18-20 people, including an expert or master

miner to produce one 'week' of work. This costs 160 gp/month
(See page 70 for hireling costs and rules)
138
 Roll Material 86-90 Silver
01-40 Copper 91-93 Gold
41-60 Tin 94-97 Platinum
61-75 Lead 98 Mithirl
76-85 Iron 99-100 Gemstones
This table shows how many pounds of material will be
extractable from the mine per week. See the goods appendix
for prices per pound of these materials in the open market.
Mine
Richness 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
copper/ 10 20 25 30 35 40 50 75 100 200
tin/lead
iron 20 30 50 70 90 120 160 200 300 400
silver 2.5 5 10 20 30 40 50 75 100 200
gold 1 2.5 5 10 20 30 40 50 75 100
platinum .5 1 2 4 8 10 25 40 80 100
mithril .01 .05 .1 .2 .4 .5 1 2 4 5
Characters may also find gemstones, uncut, inside a mine.
Reference the following table for the relevant gemstones and
the quality. These are uncut, see gem-cutter (q.v. p 71).
Gemstones are divided into five different categories:

• 10 gp gemstones (azurite, hematite, obsidian, et al.)

• 50 gp gemstones (bloodstone, onyx, , moonstone, et al.)
• 100 gp gemstones (amber, jade, jet, pearl, et al.)
• 500 gp gemstones (topaz, spinel, alexandrite, et al.)
• 1,000 gp gemstones (opal, emerald, sapphire, diamond, ruby)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
10 gp 1d8 1d101d12 2d6 2d8 2d10 2d12 3d8 3d10 3d12
50 gp 1d6 1d8 1d101d12 2d6 2d8 2d10 2d12 3d8 3d10
100 gp 1d4 1d6 1d8 1d10 1d12 2d6 2d8 2d10 2d12 3d8
500 gp 1d2 1d2 1d4 1d6 1d8 1d10 1d12 2d6 2d8 2d10
1,000 gp 1 1 1d2 1d2 1d4 1d4 1d6 1d8 1d10 1d12
Clearing and Securing Terrain
Before characters can construct anything lawfully, they must own
the land. This requires a deed or claim. Characters can be granted
this by the lord that ostensibly "owns" the land (see Influence
p.178), or they can kill anyone who challenges their claim.

The player makes a declaration on the type of land she seeks, such
as a hill overlooking a river, and the Dungeon Master will create a
location and map where it is, along with the six surrounding hexes.

The first procedure is that the land must be explored and mapped.
This follows standard rules for wilderness exploration. Note that
this is not travel: wilderness exploration and mapping takes
place at the rate of one 1320' hex per turn. It takes approximately
96 work-hours to fully explore and map a six-mile hex. This is
twelve days of exploration per hex. It requires approximately 84
days (3 months) of exploration and random encounter rolls to
map and clear seven six-mile hexes. One six-mile hex is the
minimum amount of land that must be cleared in order to begin
construction. Random monsters are considered to remain in the
hex until killed or driven off, unless they are flying or travelling
through. These random encounters are separate from the lairs.

If the land is wild, uncivilized, and chaotic, the hex must be

cleared of monster lairs. Each hex will possess 1d4+2 such lairs.
The untamed hexes may contain ruins, small towns and hamlets,
dungeons, and other strangeness. Only the lairs must be
cleared in order to begin construction. If the land is civilized,
construction can begin immediately.

After being cleared, once per day a wandering monster check

is made per adjacent wild hex to see if a monster has wandered
into a cleared hex. Once per week a check is made to determine
if a monster has wandered into a cleared hex surrounded by
cleared hexs. Actively patrolling will keep these checks from
being made.
140
Settlers can be attracted to cleared areas by the characters
spending money to construct improvements such as roads, inns,
mills, boat yards, and other facilities. The specifics of who arrives
and how many are related to the campaign world and remain in
the preview of the Dungeon Master. For every 100 gp the
characters spend, the characters attract one family of 5 people.
Each citizen will play about 2 gp in taxes (as profit) every year to
the owners to assist in the maintenance and control of the land.

Expeditions
Player characters are not required to clear the lairs themselves.
They can send a group of henchmen, and hirelings to clear the
land while they engage in other activities.

Add together all the levels in the expedition force. Mercenaries

count for 1 each. Each leveled fighter adds a +1. Magic weapons
and armor add +1 per point of magic bonus. The presence of a
druid or ranger increases the total by 20%, once. If a spellcaster
on the expedition has access to 4 level spells or higher, add 1
th

for each spell fourth level or higher. If a spellcaster on the expedition

has access to 6 level spells, add 2 for each spell of sixth level or
th

higher. This is the expedition value (EV). Other factors such as

animals, powerful magic items, magical beasts, or others may
increase this value at the Dungeon Master's discretion.

Each day of exploration/travel reduces expedition value by 8 (1

per hour exploring). This value is halved if two draft animals and
a large vehicle are used. The players cannot control the
expedition only state the completion goal. Rangers, Barbarians,
and Wilderness types will increase the expedition value by 1d4
daily. The expedition will automatically return if their expedition
value drops to 0 or the goal is complete. Anytime the expedition
value is at 0 or below, there is a risk to the members of the
expedition (see expedition crises pg. 144). Note that instead of
general exploration, players can have expeditions, complete
quests, clear lairs, protect villages, et al.
141
Expedition Combat
When combat occurs, total the hit dice of the monsters, adding
+2 for each special ability (poison, swallow whole, flame breath,
et al.) and add 1d6. This is the amount of expedition damage.
The characters roll a protection die depending on their current
expedition value and reduce the expedition damage by that
value. The expedition damage is then applied to the expedition
value. The total number of people on the expedition is added
to the value of the protection die, and monster hit dice is
reduced by that value. If either number is positive, repeat. At 0
hit dice the monsters are slain or flee. If the expedition value
drops to 0, the monsters have won the encounter and the
expedition flees. Roll on the expedition crises table.

Expedition Value (EV) Protection Die

<10 —
10-20 1d6
20-50 1d10
50+ 1d20

Exploration Expedition Events

Roll once per day.

01-40 Nothing happens.

41-50 An encounter with a random monster loitering
about in the hex! Randomly generate an encounter. Make a
reaction roll. If the encounter is lawful, the roll is at +4, if the
encounter is neutral the roll is at +2. (2-6) The encounter is
hostile and fights the expedition. (7-10) The encounter is
indifferent and can be avoided, unless the expedition has
instructions to clear. (11+) The encounter is friendly, and grants
expedition value equal to its hit dice before moving on.
51 A secret treasure is found! Randomly generate a
single piece of treasure.
142
52-70 A lair is found! The expedition can either clear the
lair or record the location of the lair, whichever they were
instructed to do by the player's characters.
71-81 A strange ruin, temple, or dungeon is located. The
expedition notes its location.
82-85 A hamlet is discovered. It is (1-4) abandoned, (5-7)
inhabited by monstrous or wild humanoids, or (8) inhabited
by humans, demi-humans, or people of civilized ancestry.
86-88 The expedition becomes lost! Roll 1d12 (minus the
level of any rangers, druids, or wilderness guides in the party)
this is the number of hours (minimum 1) it takes before the
quest can continue.
89-90 The expedition encounters a natural difficulty
(ravine, river, mudslide, stampede, stuck in the mire, et al.)
that reduces the expedition value by 3d6.
91 A random leveled character is discovered. On a successful
(9+) Charisma check they will join the expedition; on a 5 or
less they will attack.
92-95 The expedition meets a random encounter in a
precarious situation that gives them leverage. Roll 2d6. (2)
The encounter is hostile, fight it adding +5 to their protection
die roll. (3-6) Avoid the encounter. (7-11) They steal the encounter's
treasure and drive it away gaining 1d4 to their expedition value.
(12) The encounter is friendly; they join the expedition, add
their total hit dice to the expedition value, and the expedition
gains their treasure and adds 2d6 to the expedition value.
96-98 Check the current weather. If it's pleasant, add 1d6
to the expedition value. If it's inclement, subtract 1d6 instead.
99 The expedition finds an old secluded campsite, a magical
node, or a forest grove. They note the location on the map.
Spending the night here will refresh the expedition back to its
starting expedition value, once per expedition.
00 The expedition locates an inhabited area, either in the
form of a tower, temple, fort, outpost, dungeon, or hold.
Determine the inhabitants of the castle using (X59) under
castle encounters.

143
Expedition Crises
Roll when the expedition is reduced to 0 and every time the
expedition value would be reduced when it is at 0. Randomly
determine the target of the crisis from the expedition values.
After any of these events occurs, the expedition recovers 1d6
points of their expedition value.

1. A character receives a wound, such as a blow to the head,

a broken bone, or a twisted ankle. They must spend 4-6
weeks in order for the wound to heal.
2. A character has disappeared. On a 1-4, they return in 1d4
weeks, battered by the experience; on a 5-6 they are
never heard from again.
3. A character has died!
4. A character has lost all their gear!
5. 1d6 characters are being held for ransom or dinner.
6. The party gains resolve and recovers 1+1d4 expedition
value (plus the normal 1d6 points)

Expedition guidelines

Discretion must prevail at all times. E.g. if the expedition finishes

exploring an entire hex and all the lairs have not been
discovered, and the lairs are not of particularly stealthy
creatures such as gnolls or orcs, then assume the remaining lair
locations are also noted and discovered upon return. If an
event occurs that contradicts some previous event, fact, or
decision, discard it and choose one that the Dungeon Master
believes will suit it best. Common sense will serve. What terrain
is around and what creatures live nearby should guide the
Dungeon Master when populating discovered inhabited areas.

144
Supplies
Abstracting resources needed for travel is as follows. Supplies
are an abstraction of goods that must be consumed for survival.
Each supply includes liquid and food and weighs 200 coins
(20 pounds or approximately 1 stone).

Humanoids require 1 supply per day.

Quadrupeds require 4 supplies per day.

Some animals (camels, elephants) can store supplies internally.

Quadrupeds and animals can forgo half of their supplies if
there are grazing grasses or a fresh water source nearby. If
there are both, they may forego all their supplies.

Classes that hunt can produce enough supplies to feed

themselves. If they spend the full day hunting, they can produce
enough supplies to feed themselves and produce 2d4+2
supplies. Fishing can produce 1d10-2 supplies per day.

Purchasing one unit of supplies has a base cost of 3 cp in civilization.

Purchasing supplies that have been prepared and packed for travel
in hostile climates, like badlands or deserts, costs 5 sp per unit. This
is increased in resource-poor areas like deserts, oasis, and forts,
allowing characters to profit (or pay through the nose) for moving
supplies to forward bases, outposts, et al. It is recommended to only
track supplies in extremely resource poor areas (deserts, oceans, etc.)
and for normal play to assume them as part of lifestyle cost.

Why Lairs?
An examination of the monsters will show that even the most
powerful (purple worms, hydras) fall in 2 or 3 rounds to normal
men. Some (e.g. eye tyrants) can't even enter combat range
without being easily killed by arrow fire. They must lair and hide in
mazes which work to their strengths if they expect to survive.

145
10 Goblin Mischiefs
1. Horse heist: Six badly behaving goblins sneak into the
local stables and steal two horses. With three goblins on
each horse and zero clue how to control them, chaos
ensues as the goblins flail all over town trying to get away
with their equine treasures.
2. Baby sale: "Psst" you hear from the shadows, "Psst, you
like a fresh baby?". A serious-looking goblin gestures back
into the alleyway behind him, where a baby sits wriggling
around happily in a small wooden chest.
3. Regular human ham: An unusually wobbly figure sways
into the tavern with floppy, handless arms. A hooded robe
hides any identifying features as this odd patron exclaims
in broken common "I buy ham leg" before a handful of
copper pieces are tossed in a mess onto the counter. "And
wine" another voice squawks out from what would be the
figure's crotch.
4. Pantsed: Laundry has been disappearing from drying
lines. To understand the thefts, authorities followed the
goblins but were perplexed to find that the goblins are just
throwing the garments from a bridge into the river and
laughing hysterically.
5. Plantsed: Goblin pickpockets are disguising themselves as
potted plants, while also placing real potted plants around
the area to build up a sense of safety.
6. Tainted well: In response to recent expansion into goblin
territory, small raiding parties have been sneaking into villages
in the early morning to defecate into the drinking water.
7. Shop goblin: A large wooden crate has been modified
into a tiny shop front and placed on the road. Goblins will
try to sell stolen merchandise to passing travellers, an
encounter which turns into a robbery if refused.

146
8. Honey lovers: A single goblin can be heard screaming
from afar. As the screams become nearer, a goblin runs by
holding what appears to be the entirety of a beehive
dripping with honey. Hundreds of angry bees follow closely
behind, swarming the goblin and anyone else nearby.
9. Road scare: On especially bumpy sections of road, goblin
crews will jump out and chase trade carts menacingly until
they run out of breath, the hope being that the intense
hopping and tilting the cart is subjected to will throw some
special treasures out to waiting little hands.
10. The smokebox: After covering the chimney, goblins wait
for a building's occupants to run to the streets, coughing
and distracted. In a strange choice of tactic, the goblins
enter and exit through the same chimney; showing their
lack of ability to conceive of layered plans.

147
Construction
Construction
Once a piece of land is cleared (q.v. clearing and securing
terrain), construction may begin. The player draws up a plan,
an engineer is hired, and construction begins. Patrols must be
sent out to ensure that the hex and surrounding hexes remain
clear of monsters. The ruins and other features of the hex may
cause problems for adventurers down the line.

Settlers can be attracted to cleared areas by spending money on

improvements (inns, mills, boatyards) or advertising. The costs
and influx of settlers are up to the Dungeon Master, 1 person per
20 gp (100 gp per 5 person 'family') is average. The settlers will
pay taxes (10 gp per year, variable depending on land quality,
8 gp per year consumed by overhead and administration).

Dimensions
Walls Cost L×H×W
Palisade (Wooden) 10 gp 10'×10'×1'
Earthen Rampart 250 gp 10'×10'×15'
Wooden Walls 5 gp 10'×15'×1'
Stone/Bone Walls 50 gp 10'×15'×5'
Metal Fencing 100 gp 10'×6'×1'
Castle Walls 500 gp 10'×20'×10'
Metal Walls 1,000 gp 10'×10'×1'
Ice Walls 5,000* gp 10'×15'×5´

Dimensions
Earthen Works Cost L×H/D×W
Ditch 20 gp 10'×20'×5´
Moat** 40 gp 10'×20'×20'
Motte 10 gp 10'×5'×10'
Road, Dirt 50 gp 100'×-×10'
Road, Paved 150 gp 100'×-×10'
* 10% of cost in arctic climates, melts in temperate or warmer climes.
**Double the cost of the moat to have it filled with water.
150
 Dimensions
Buildings Cost L×W×H
Stone Building, Small 1,000 gp 20'×20'×15'
Stone Building Medium 1,500 gp 20'×40'×15'
Stone Building, Great 3,000 gp 20'×40'×30'
Stone Building, Grand 10,000 gp 40'×80'×45'
Wooden Building, Small 250 gp 20'×20'×15
Wooden Building, Medium 750 gp 20'×40'×15'
Wooden Building, Great 1,500 gp 20'×40'×30'
Wooden Building, Grand 3,500 gp 40'×80'×45'
Round Tower 15,000 gp 20' base, 30' high
Round Tower 30,000 gp 30' base, 45' high
Square keep 75,000 gp 60' base, 90' high
* +25% of the base costs will also furnish the construction.
** Small buildings will support 1 family (5 citizens)
Underground/Interior Cost Dimension
Stone Dungeon Corridor 500 gp 10'×10'×10'
Stairs, Wooden 20 gp 3'×10'×15
Stairs, Stone 60 gp 3'×10'×15
Door, Wooden 10 gp 3'×7'
Door, Sturdy 20 gp 3'×7'
Door Stone 50 gp 3'×7'
Door, Secret ×5 3'×7'
Door, Trap ×2 3'×4´
Roofing/Floor, Fine Wood 40 gp 10'×10'×1"
Roofing/Floor, 100 gp 10'×10'×1"
Stone Flagstone/Tile
Roofing/Floor, Marble 2,000 gp 10'×10'×1'
Window, Open 10 gp 3'×4'
Window, Shutters 15 gp 3'×4'
Window, Bars 20 gp 3'×4'
Window, Glass 200 gp 3'×4'
Note that all the items on the underground/interior section are
assumed furnishings of the other buildings and will be covered
by the +25% increase in cost to furnish interiors.+10% more
will cover internal plumbing
151
 Amenities Cost Size
Statue, Small 100+ gp 3'
Statue, Medium 200+ gp 6'
Statue, Large 500+ gp 9'
Statue, Gigantic 1,000+ gp 12'
Shifting/ 1,000 gp 10'×10'×10'
Mechanical Walls
Drawbridge 500 gp 10´×20´×6" thick
Catwalk, Wooden 10 gp 10' long
Battlements* 250 gp 10´×4'
Portcullis, Wooden 100 gp 15' high
Portcullis, Steel 500 gp 15' high
*Battlements provide 75% cover
Improvements Cost
Mill/Windmill ×2 Normal Building Cost
Bridge, Rope 5 gp per 10' Maximum 100'
Bridge, Wooden 10 gp per 10' Maximum 150'
Bridge, Stone 100 gp per 10' Maximum 300'
Shrine 1,000 gp
Fountains 500+ gp

Wooden and stone bridges cost a cumulative sum. Characters

pay the cost once for 10', three times for 20', six times for 30',
10 times for 40', etc.

Construction time for stone buildings is one day per 500 gp

spent. Construction time for wooden buildings is one day per
1,000 gp. Paying double will reduce the construction time by
half. Paying quadruple will reduce construction time by /3. For
2

every 100,000 gp construction costs, one engineer must be hired.

152
Wall cost is normal to 30', but costs double from 30'-60' in
height. 60' is usually the maximum height of a castle wall. If
there are master engineers involved, the height can rise to 90'
at quadruple the cost. Towers cannot be higher than double
their base width.

If a pre-existing structure (a conquered dungeon, moathouse,

or other structure) is being refurbished, then prices are reduced.
For every existing structure being refurbished without changing
the layout, prices are 10% of normal (90% reduction). If changing
the layout or redesigning areas over previous constructions, costs
are reduced by 50%. If new structures are built nearby (< 1
mile), the old construction will reduce prices by 10%.

In lieu of calculating time per gold spent, the following estimates

are suggested: Moat house, shell keep, or small castle is
12+2d4 months, a medium castle is 24+1d6 months, a large
castle is 36+2d4 months, and a concentric castle or walled
town is 60+1d12 months.

Mobile fortifications are beyond the scope of this work. For

mobile bases, see vehicle construction (q.v.)

Consider the following interiors for buildings: Bedrooms,

kitchens, magical and alchemical laboratories, barracks,
armories, bathrooms, chapels, public common areas, dining
halls, courtyards, guardrooms, libraries, prisons, tables,
storage, offices, and workplaces.

Note: These rules are not designed as a 'construction set' where

the players pour over them, trying to build the perfect structure.
These rules are provided as a guideline for the Dungeon Master
to estimate the price, cost, and in-game effects in line with
Dungeons and Dragons for structures and vehicles that the
players design and present to the Dungeon Master.

153
Constructing/Purchasing Unique Vehicles
Ton is an abstracted measure representing both size and weight
(capacity). A ton refers to about 100 cubic yards of volume.
This is a space approximately the size of a living room. That is,
100 cubes with 1 yard per side on each side. Assume a vehicle
can carry half its tonnage as cargo, adjusted for the various
modifications.

Frame
The first step in designing a vehicle is to determine the frame.
This is a combination of size (measured in abstract tons) and
materials. The player should construct the vehicle within the
dimension restraints that may take any reasonable shape and
form. An engineer is required to build per 20 tons of the vehicle.
The base construction time is 1 day per ton. Examples follow:

Frame Type Tonnage Dimensions

Fleet Flagship 100 70' Cube (343,000 cubic feet)
War Galley 80 60' Cube (216,000 cubic feet)
Troop Transport 60 55' Cube (166,375 cubic feet)
Galley, Large 50 50' Cube (125,000 cubic feet)
Longship 40 45' Cube (91,125 cubic feet)
Galley, Small 30 40' Cube (64,000 cubic feet)
Boat, River 20 35' Cube (42,875 cubic feet)
Boat, River 10 30' Cube (27,000 cubic feet)
Lifeboat/Shuttle 5 25' Cube (15,625 cubic feet)
Carriage/Chariot 3 20' Cube (8,000 cubic feet)
Wagon 1 15' Cube (3,375 cubic feet)

154
Material
It costs 300 gold pieces in man hours and labor per ton to build
the vehicle. In addition to this cost, there is the cost of the raw
material required to build the ship. The Armor Rating provides
the base AC of the vehicle.

Hull Point Armor

Material Cost Per Ton Modifier Rating
Thin Wood 75 gp 1 +1
Thick Wood 500 gp 2 +2
Metal* 3,000 gp 4 +4
Stone** 2,000 gp 3 +4
Ceramic 6,000 gp 2 +2
Bone 250 gp 1 +1
Other *** ? ?
* Iron and Steel; special and precious metals will vary by type.
** Obviously not suitable for sea vehicles.
*** Consult your Dungeon Master.

Calculate Variables
That's it, the vehicle is done. Time, cost, and final size for the
vehicle is determined. All that remains is to calculate the hull
points and select an engine.

Base Time: 1 day per ton

Base Cost: (300 gp in labor + Material cost) × Tonnage
Hull Points: Hull Point Modifier × Tonnage
Minimum Crew: 1 per 10 tons for minimum movement, 1 per 5
tons for half speed, 1 per 3 tons is fully crewed.

155
Modifications
These are common modifications. Other modifications are
encouraged to be designed by the Dungeon Master expanding
on the vehicle rules from X63 and X64.

Armored Hull

This provides armored plating covering the exterior of the ship.

This makes it more difficult to do damage to the hull by improving
the armor class. Characters can plate a ship with any material
superior in protection to the hull material. (e.g. a hull of thick
wood can be armored with metal, but not thin wood). This
modification can be repeated multiple times.
Cost: by material per ton
Space: 10% of tonnage value

Material Cost Per Ton AC Bonus

Thin Wood 5 gp +1
Thick Wood 50 gp +1
Metal 300 gp +2
Stone 200 gp +3
Ceramic 600 gp +2

Ram

The vehicle has a ram attached. Note that a variety of ram types
exist, all with different effects (blunt, grappling, piercing, etc.).
Cost: 100 gp per ton
Space: 5% of tonnage value

Rigging

Rigging allows a ship to draw power from the wind. Rigging

increases crew requirements by 1 crewman per ton of rigging.
Cost: 100 gp ton standard rigging/200 gp per ton topped out
Space: 10% for standard rigging, 20% for topped out rigging
156
Landing Gear

Vehicles are designed to work on one type of terrain. Air

vehicles for flight, water vehicles for sailing, land vehicles for
rolling. If a vehicle is able to rest (not move) on a different terrain
(an air vehicle being able to land on water or land, a sea
vehicle being able to rest on land, or a land vehicle being able
to rest on water), then add landing gear.
Cost: 50 gp per ton
Space: 10% of hull space for land landing gear, 5% of hull
space for water landing gear

Pneumatic Tubes

These are pneumatic tubes allowing communication across a

vehicle between different areas. Orders can be given across
the ship, without needing runners and gophers.
Cost: 100 gp per ton
Space: 15% of the hull space

Efficient Ship

This ship is designed to be maneuvered with fewer crew than

normal. This has a cost in both hull space and structural integrity.
If used, crew requirements drop by 50%.
Cost: 10 gp per ton
Space: 20% of hull space, and reduces hull points by 10%

Reinforced frame

This vehicle has a stable frame, increasing its hull points by 20%.
Cost 1,000 gp per ton
Space: Requires 20% of hull space

157
Modules
These are the internal modules of a ship. Any unused space is
considered cargo space. The module sizes include support
structures for the module (hallways, structural supports, etc.), so
they tend to be slightly smaller in size than the tonnage required.

Rooms Space Cost

Crew Quarters .25 tons per man 100 gp per man
Cramped Crew Quarters .15 tons per man 75 gp per man
Bunk Only .05 tons per 2 men 25 gp per man
Room .75 tons 125 gp
Spacious Room 1 ton 150 gp
Larder* 1 ton 100 gp per ton
Cargo 1 ton -
Hall (mess/recreation) .5 tons per 2 men 150 gp per ton
Docking Bay Tonnage + 10% 50 gp per ton
Internal, Specific Craft
Docking Bay Special** 100 gp per ton
Internal, General
External Passenger Dock 1 ton 200 gp
External Cargo Dock 2+ ton 200 gp per ton
Weapons*** As Weapon As Weapon
Turret 1 ton 500 gp per class
of the weapon****
*A fully stocked larder will feed 10 men for a month per ton. Poor
rations cost 30 gp a month per ton, Common rations cost 100 gp
a month per ton, Good rations cost 150 gp a month per ton.
** The tonnage of the craft characters wish to be able to dock,
+30%. E.g. If they wish to have space for any 10 ton vehicle
to dock, they must allocate 13 tons of space.
*** Weapons, of course, depend on the campaign. Anything
from catapults to greek fire throwers to submachine guns to
lasers is possible.
**** Light weapon turrets cost 500 gp. Heavy weapon turrets
cost 1,500, etc.
158
Engines
The vehicle must be propelled. Real engines are very
complicated. These simple engine guidelines are for how
players in a game get their vehicles to move.

These engines are measured in horsepower. A horse can carry

3000 cn (300 pounds) without a reduction in speed (240' or
48 miles a day) and 600 pounds at half speed (120' or 24
miles a day). Horses can pull up to 5× that value (1500
unencumbered or 3000 encumbered).

However, unlike riding a horse, when a vehicle is pulled, there

is the resistance of the surface (the coefficient of rolling
resistance). Wheels and the roads, reduce the effective weight
of the vehicle. On a good road this reduces the effective vehicle
weight by 60%, on a terrible road or terrain that is 'clear, city,
trail, grassland' it reduces the effective vehicle weight by 30%.
Vehicles generally can't travel on forest, hills, broken, mountains,
or jungle. Vehicles specifically designed to travel on sand or
swamp cannot travel on other terrain types. The engine types
are calculated for travel on terrible roads, and their speed is
increased (per the rules) to /2 on well-paved roads.
3

So a single horse can pull a single ton at "full speed" or two tons
at "half speed" (remember that "ton" here refers to an abstract
combination of weight and volume, see p.154).This horsepower
metric determines the minimum requirements for vehicle size
only (i.e. one horse cannot move a vehicle 3 tons in size).

Multiple draft animals sum their horsepower.

159
Engine Types
Equivalent Horsepower (Eqv. HP) determines the minimum and
maximum size vehicle the engine can drive. 1 horsepower is
needed per ton to move at full speed. 1 horsepower per 2 tons
provides half speed.

Speed is given in rounds/miles per day. This is the speed if

horsepower exceeds tonnage. Halve this if the horsepower is
between half the tonnage and full tonnage. If the horsepower
is less than /2 the tonnage, the vehicle can't move.
1

Tonnage size is how much space the engine consumes of the tonnage.
A — indicates that the engine doesn't consume internal space.
Flying creatures can only fly if the craft is specifically designed
to make use of flying creatures, and can only fly with a craft
where the horsepower available exceeds the tonnage.

These are completely abstracted for use during play—it's

designed to provide a usable, internally consistent model to
facilitate play. Real engines are complex and beyond the scope
of fantasy Dungeons & Dragons vehicles.
®

Eqv.
Engine HP Ton Size Speed Cost
Mule .6 — 120'/24 30 gp
Horse 1 — 240'/48 40 gp
War Horse 1.25 — 120'/24 75 gp
Draft Horse 1.5 — 90'/18 250 gp
Camel 1 — 150'/30 100 gp
1

Pegasus .8 — 240'/48 2,000 gp

10

Hippogriff 1.2 — 180'/60 2,000 gp

Griffon 2 — 120'/24 5,000 gp
Rower .2 .1 90'/18 2 gp/month
2

Rigging — 10% 360'/72 100 gp/ton

3

Rigging, Topped out — 20% 450'/90 200 gp/ton

3

160
 Steam Engine, Small4 2 1 120'/24 1,000 gp
Steam Engine 10 10 120'/24 10,000 gp
Steam Engine, Large 20 25 120'/24 100,000 gp
Steam Engine, Huge 50 60 120'/24 1,000,000 gp
Animated — — 60'/12 —
5

Golem, Wood 2 —/1 120'/24 —

6

Golem, Bone 4 —/2 120'/24 —

6

Golem, Amber 8 —/4 180'/36 —

6

Golem, Bronze 16 —/8 240'/48 —

6

Elemental, Staff 16 — 60'/12 —

7

Elemental, Device 24 — 60'/12 —

7

Elemental, Conjured 32 — 60'/12 —

7

Alchemical 10 15 240'/48 20,000 gp

Corporeal Undead .5 — 60'/12 —
7

Incorporeal Undead 10 — 240'/48 —

7

Magic Helm, Minor 25 1 1,000'/200 100,000 gp

Magic Helm, Major 50 2 1,000'/200 250,000 gp
Magic Item Furnace 25 1 500'/100 100,000 gp
8

Life-engine 50 1 80,000 gp
9
500'/100
1. Can internally carry 50 supplies.
2. Must provide crew space/food.
3. Rigging allows movement at wind speed. Note that using rigging requires dependence on variable wind speeds
(X64) and on land (due to increased resistance) has wind-power speed reduced to 30'/6 miles or 120'/24 miles
4. Steam engines can be pushed to travel at higher speeds, but leave themselves at risk of exploding. Consult your
Dungeon Master for specifics.
5. Requires Animate Object and Permanency (B/X Companion). Animate Object requires 5 castings per ton.
6. Golems may be separate or integrated into the vehicle (in which case use the tonnage size past the dash). They
are created as Golems. Needs 15th level caster, and costs 1,000 gp per hit point (B/X Companion).
7. Requires summoning and permanent servitude.
8. A scroll will power it for a day, a wand, 1 day per charge, an item powers the helm for 1 week, with one additional
week per +1 bonus or special ability. The item is destroyed.
9. One hit die will run the engine for one day. Anyone fed to the engine permanently loses that hit die.
10. These creatures are sentient with high intelligence, and experience pain and suffering.

161
Vehicle Quirks
Frame Type Chance of Quirks # of Quirks
Fleet Flagship 70% 1d10
War Galley 60% 1d8
Troop Transport 55% 1d6
Galley, Large 50% 1d6
Longship 45% 1d6
Galley, Small 40% 1d4
Boat, River 35% 1d4
Boat, River 30% 1d4
Lifeboat/Shuttle 25% 1d3
Carriage/Chariot 20% 1d2
Wagon 15% 1
Other Cubic Dimension % 1d(Tonnage0.5)
In the absence of mass production and precision engineering,
every vehicle is crafted by a particular team of wrights and
workers. Such artisanal labor creates the possibility of vehicles
possessing unintended quirks.

The percentage chance of quirks and the number of quirks are

determined by the type of the vehicle. Large, complex vehicles
are more likely to have many quirks.

At the completion of a vehicle’s construction, consult the

Random Vehicle Quirks table. Roll on the Chance of Quirks
column based on the vehicle type to see if it has any quirks. If
so, roll on the # of Quirks column to determine how many. For
each quirk, roll 1d100 on the List of Quirks table and any sub-
tables as directed. Apply the result of the quirks one at a time.
If the vehicle subsequently rolls a quirk that opposes a prior
quirk, remove both quirks, and then continue rolling. For
instance, if you roll Bulky Ram and then later Sleek Ram, remove
both quirks.

162
 Roll (1d100) List of Quirks
01-10 Shoddy Construction
11-20 Sturdy Construction
21-30 Inferior Materials
31-40 Quality Materials
41-45 Flawed Frame
46-50 Flawless Frame *
51-55 Ablative Armor *
56-60 High-Quality Armor *
61-100 Roll on Vehicle Type sub-table
*If this quirk is rolled again, re-roll.

General Quirks:
Shoddy Construction: Sloppy joinings and loose framing
impair the vehicle’s AC by 1 each time this quirk is rolled.

Sturdy Construction: Precision fitting with high-quality joinings

improve the vehicle’s AC by 1 each time this quirk is rolled.

Inferior Materials: Material purchased from the lowest bidder

is of inferior quality. Reduce the vehicle’s Hull Points by 10%
each time this quirk is rolled.

Quality Materials: Carefully chosen ores or timbers result in a

stronger vehicle. Increase the vehicle’s Hull Points by 10% each
time this quirk is rolled.

Flawed Frame: Some hidden flaw in the vehicle’s frame leaves

it vulnerable. Any attacks that score a natural 20 against the
vehicle do double damage. If this quirk is rolled again, increase
the crit range by 1 point each time (from 20 to 19, 18, etc.).

Flawless Frame: The vehicle’s frame is constructed with virtual

perfection. Any attacks against the vehicle deal 1 less point of
damage per die.
163
Ablative Armor: The vehicle’s armor tends to crack and flake
off when damaged. Each time the vehicle is hit by an attack
dealing 1 or more Hull Points damage, its AC is impaired by 1.
If the vehicle has no armor, re-roll.

High-Quality Armor: The vehicle’s armor is made of high-

quality materials, well fitted and carefully sloped. High-quality
wood armor grants resistance to attacks by artillery and sea
monsters. High-quality metal armor grants resistance to attacks
by artillery, fire, rams, and sea monsters. High-quality ceramic
and stone armor grants resistance to all attacks. The vehicle
suffers 1 less point of damage per die from attacks it is resistant
to. If the vehicle has no armor, re-roll.

Roll (1d100) Vehicle Type: Sea

01-08 Leaking Hull*
09-16 Solidly Seaworthy*
17-22 Hard to Maintain*
23-28 Easy to Maintain*
29-34 Bad Sight Lines*
35-40 Good Sight Lines*
41-46 Cumbersome Handling
47-52 Smooth Handling
43-58 Inefficient Rigging
59-64 Efficient Rigging
65-68 Bulky Ram*
69-72 Sleek Ram*
73-76 Loose Ram*
77-80 Sturdy Ram
81-84 Poor Field of Fire
85-88 Superior Field of Fire
89-92 Bad Weapon Placement
93-96 Superior Weapon Placement
97-98 Ill-Fortuned*
99-100 Lucky*
*If this quirk is rolled again, re-roll.

164
Leaking Hull: The vehicle is not as seaworthy as others of its
type. If reduced to 0 or fewer Hull Points, it sinks in 1d4 rounds.

Solidly Seaworthy: The vehicle is compartmentalized, heavily

reinforced, or otherwise hard to sink. It does not begin to sink
until reduced to negative Hull Points equal to its max.

Hard to Maintain: The vehicle is not easy to maintain or repair

without skilled labor. It takes 7 crewmembers 1 turn to repair 1
Hull Point.

Easy to Maintain: The vehicle has been constructed with multiple

redundancies and simple parts. It takes just 3 crewmembers 1
turn to repair 1 Hull Point. If this quirk is rolled again, re-roll.

Bad Sight Lines: The vehicle’s lookouts have an obstructed

view, perhaps due to a squat crow’s nest or cluttered rigging
and sails. Sea monsters can be spotted at just 3d6×10 yards
and other ships at 200 yards.

Good Sight Lines: The vehicle has a tall crow’s nest or otherwise
affords its lookouts a commanding view of the waters. Sea monsters
can be spotted at 5d6×10 yards and other ships at 400 yards.

Cumbersome Handling: In waterborne chases, the vehicle

decreases its chance of escaping pursuit by 5% and increases
the chance of escape from it by 5%. It decreases its chance of
boarding enemy ships by 5% and increases the chance of
being boarded by 5%. It suffers a -1 to hit with ram attacks. The
results are cumulative each time this quirk is rolled.

Smooth Handling: In waterborne chases, the vehicle increases

its chance of escaping pursuit by 5% and decreases the chance
of escape from it by 5%. It increases its chance of boarding
enemy ships by 5% and decreases the chance of being boarded
by 5%. It gains a +1 to hit with ram attacks. The results are
cumulative each time this quirk is rolled.
165
Inefficient Rigging: The vehicle’s masts and sails are poorly
placed, leading to overcomplicated rigging that weaves across
the vehicle like a spider web. Each time this quirk is rolled, the
number of crewmen per ton is increased by 0.25. If the vehicle
has no rigging, re-roll.

Efficient Rigging: The vehicle’s rigging is a masterwork of

nautical construction. Each time this quirk is rolled, the number
of crewmen per ton is decreased by 0.25, to a minimum of 0.5.
If the vehicle has no rigging, re-roll.

Bulky Ram: The vehicle’s ram is large and cumbersome. The

vehicle’s speed is reduced by /3. If the vehicle has no ram
1

re-roll.

Sleek Ram: The vehicle’s ram is sleek and easily penetrates

enemy hulls. It gains +2 to hit with ram attacks. If the vehicle
has no ram, re-roll.

Loose Ram: The vehicle’s ram was not joined to the frame
correctly. Each time the vehicle rams a target, the ram might
break off. The percentage chance of the ram breaking is equal
to the Hull Points of damage dealt by the ram. If the vehicle has
no ram re-roll.

Sturdy Ram: The vehicle’s ram is built to survive any impact.

When striking larger vessels, or monsters it deals 1d6+5×10
hull points or 6d6 hp; when striking smaller vessels or monsters
it deals 1d8+6×10 hull points or 8d6 hp.

Poor Field of Fire: One weapon suffers a reduced field of fire

from the sails, rigging, and decks. The poor field of fire imposes
a -2 penalty to hit. If the vehicle has no weapons, re-roll.

Superior Field of Fire: One weapon has been perfectly situated

to enjoy a superior field of fire. It gains a +2 bonus to hit. If the
vehicle has no weapons, re-roll.
166
Bad Weapon Placement: One weapon is situated in a
cramped section of the deck, making it difficult to properly
reload. The weapon’s rate of fire is worsened by one round. If
the vehicle has no weapons, re-roll.

Superior Artillery Placement: One weapon is situated with

ample space to service it. The weapon’s rate of fire is improved
by one round. If the vehicle has no weapons, re-roll.

Ill-Fortuned: The god of the sea was not properly praised with
sacrifice and libation when the vehicle was launched. The
vehicle has only half the chance of finding a safe place to hide
along the shore during a storm. Its probability of taking on
water is increased by 10%. If flung by fierce winds, it will always
travel in the worst possible direction. The crew consider the
vehicle cursed or haunted and suffer -2 to morale rolls. If this
quirk is rolled again, re-roll.

Lucky: The god of the sea was pleased by the sacrifices and
libation made when the vehicle was launched. The vehicle has
double the chance of finding a safe place to hide along the
shore during a storm. Its probability of taking on water is
decreased by 10%. If flung by fierce winds, it will always travel
in the right direction. The crew consider their vehicle blessed or
lucky and gain +2 to morale rolls. If this quirk is rolled again, re-roll.

167
 Roll (1d100) Vehicle Type: Land
01-19 Prone to Break Down
11-20 Easy to Repair
21-30 Loud*
31-40 Comfortable*
41-50 Oversized Wheels*
51-60 Lightweight Wheels*
61-70 Ill-Fitting Harness*
71-80 Well-Fitting Harness*
81-90 Inferior Firing Platform*
91-100 Superior Firing Platform*
*If this quirk is rolled again, re-roll.
Prone to Break Downs: The vehicle is prone to breaking
(slipped tread, cracked wheel, etc.). There is a 1 in 6 chance
each day of travel that the vehicle breaks down and must be
repaired. If the vehicle is used in a force march, it automatically
breaks down. A broken-down vehicle must be repaired by a
cartwright or similar specialist. It takes 8 hours to repair the
vehicle. Each time this quirk is rolled again, increase the chance
of break down by 1.

Easy to Repair: The vehicle has been constructed with multiple

redundancies and simple parts. If it breaks down or is damaged,
it can be repaired by an unskilled laborer in 4 hours. Each time
this quirk is rolled again, decrease the repair time by 1 hour.

Loud: The vehicle makes a loud clatter, due to squeaky

suspension, rattling wheels, etc. While riding the vehicle, the
characters cannot surprise monsters, and the chance of
encountering wandering monsters is increased by +1.

Comfortable: The vehicle has a smooth suspension and

ergonomic seating. Characters who force march in the vehicle
suffer no penalty the next day. The draft animals (if any) are still
penalized, however, and must be replaced in order to retain
pace.
168
Oversized Wheels: The vehicle’s wheels are considerably
larger and sturdier than normal for its type. It can move across
desert, hills, and wooded terrain without penalty. If the vehicle
has no wheels, re-roll.

Lightweight Wheels: The vehicle’s wheels are light and thin.

When traveling on paved roads, its movement is increased by
×2 rather than by ×3/2. When traveling on desert, hills, or
wooded terrain its movement is decreased by half. It cannot
move on jungle, swamp, or mountain terrain. If this quirk is
rolled again, or if the vehicle has no wheels, re-roll.

Ill-Fitting Harness: The harnesses which yoke the draft animals

to the vehicle are so poorly-fitted that the animals are choked,
blistered, or otherwise made miserable. Reduce the vehicle’s
wilderness movement rate by /3. If the vehicle does not use
1

draft animals, re-roll.

Well-Fitting Harness: The harnesses which yoke the draft

animals do an excellent job of distributing the vehicle’s weight.
The vehicle can carry an additional 25% of weight without
penalizing speed. (Note that space is not increased; the vehicle
can carry denser cargo but not necessarily a higher volume of
cargo.) If the vehicle does not use draft animals, re-roll.

Inferior Firing Platform: The vehicle is unstable at combat

speeds. Anytime the vehicle is moving, any missile attacks
made from the vehicle (by personal or vehicle weapons) suffer
-2 to hit.

Superior Firing Platform: The vehicle affords its occupants

with superior missile fire capability due to its height and stability.
Anytime the vehicle is stationary, missile attacks made from the
vehicle (by personal or vehicle weapons) gain +2 to hit.

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 Roll (1d100) Vehicle Type: Air
01-08 High-Altitude Flight Ceiling*
09-16 Low-Altitude Flight Ceiling*
17-24 Hard to Maintain*
25-32 Easy to Maintain*
33-40 Inferior Aerodynamics*
41-48 Superior Aerodynamics*
49-56 Fuel-Hungry Engines*
57-64 Efficient Engines*
65-68 Unsafe Seating
69-72 Bomb Lobby*
73-77 Poor Field of Fire
78-82 Superior Field of Fire
83-87 Bad Artillery Placement
89-92 Superior Artillery Placement
93-96 Wind Vulnerability
97-100 Camouflaged
*If this quirk is rolled again, re-roll.
High-Altitude Flight Ceiling: Due to excess lift or buoyancy, the
vehicle is capable of soaring over mountains. Its wilderness movement
rate is three times the movement rate of a ground vehicle
(instead of double). It cannot be attacked by creatures on land or sea.

Low-Altitude Flight Ceiling: Some structural flaw prevents the

vehicle from flying at higher than tall trees (~ 300´). Its wilderness
movement rate is just 1.5× the movement rate of a ground
vehicle (instead of double). Its movement rate is reduced /3
1

above hills and /2 above mountains. If rolled again, re-roll.

1

Hard to Maintain: The vehicle is not easy to maintain or repair

without skilled labor. It takes 7 crewmembers 1 turn to repair 1
Hull Point.

Easy to Maintain: The vehicle has been constructed with multiple

redundancies and simple parts. It takes just 3 crewmembers 1
turn to repair 1 Hull Point.
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Inferior Aerodynamics: The vehicle wasn’t properly
streamlined, and has cracks, crevices, and spurs that slow
down its flight. The vehicle’s air movement rate is decreased by /3.
1

Superior Aerodynamics: The vehicle’s engineer accidentally

stumbled upon a highly aerodynamic line. The vehicle’s air
movement rate is increased by /3.
1

Fuel-Hungry Engines: The vehicle’s engines were poorly

designed, such that they consume excess fuel. The effects
depend on the type of engine. If the vehicle has no fuel-using
engine, re-roll.

Steam Engine: The vehicle can only carry enough fuel in

the engine for 8 hours of travel. Additional fuel can be
carried by allocating tonnage from cargo. An extra 8
hours of travel time is gained per 0.5 tons of fuel for small
steam engines, per 5 tons for normal steam engines, per
12 tons for large steam engines, and per 30 tons for huge
steam engines.

Magic Item Furnace: A scroll will power it for a half-day;

a wand for 1 day per 2 charges; an item for 3 days, with 3
additional days per +1 bonus or ability.

Life-Engine: Two hit dice will run the engine for one day.

Efficient Engines: The engineers achieved a breakthrough in

engine efficiency. The effects depend on the type of engine. If
the vehicle has no appropriate engine, re-roll.

Steam Engine: The vehicle takes up less space because of

its efficiency, thereby freeing up cargo space. Add 0.5
tons of space from a small steam engine; 5 tons from a
normal steam engines; 12 tons from a large steam engine;
and 30 tons from a huge steam engine.

171
 Magic Item Furnace: A scroll will power it for two days;
a wand for 2 days per charges; an item for 2 weeks, with
2 additional weeks per +1 bonus or ability.

Life-Engine: One hit die will run the engine for two days.

Unsafe Seating: The seating must have been installed by the

lowest-cost bidder, because it is unsafe at any speed. Anytime
the vehicle loses 1 or more Hull Points, pick a random occupant.
That character must make a saving throw vs. death or be flung
from the vehicle. If this quirk is rolled again, double the number
of occupants at risk from each attack.

Bomb Lobby: The seating of the vehicle is such that the

passengers can easily drop heavy objects on victims below. The
base number needed to hit on these attacks is 16 to hit armor
class 0. Damage is variable based on the payload dropped.

Poor Field of Fire: One weapon suffers a reduced field of fire

from the vehicle’s superstructure. The poor field of fire imposes
a -2 penalty to hit. If the vehicle has no weapons, re-roll.

Superior Field of Fire: One weapon has been perfectly situated

to enjoy a superior field of fire. It gains a +2 bonus to hit. If the
vehicle has no weapons, re-roll.

Bad Artillery Placement: One weapon is situated in a cramped

section of the deck, making it difficult to properly reload. The
weapon’s rate of fire is worsened by one round. If the vehicle
has no weapons, re-roll.

Superior Artillery Placement: One weapon is situated with

ample space to service it. The weapon’s rate of fire is improved
by one round. If the vehicle has no weapons, re-roll.

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Wind Vulnerability: Whether due to a badly angled wing, a
misplaced airfoil, or a lightweight frame, the vehicle is highly
susceptible to the wind. Its movement rate must be adjusted by
the Wind Conditions table as if it were a ship. If the vehicle flies
into fierce winds, it must land within one turn (10 minutes). If it
does not, it loses 1d10 Hull Points each turn until it does.

Camouflaged: The lines of the vehicle resemble those of a bat,

bird, cloud, or other flying object, and/or its coloration is such
that it is hard to spot. It gains a +1 to surprise enemies while in
the sky. The distance at which the vehicle can be spotted is
reduced by /2.
1

173
Vats, Golems, Crossbreeds, and other
experiments
In order to create creatures, the character must research or
have access to a magical ritual that allows the creation of
animate servants. The player must possess or purchase a vat
and place it in a laboratory of at least 400 square feet.

Vat Size Cost

Small 10,000 gp
Man-sized 20,000 gp
Large 50,000 gp
Huge 100,000 gp

Creating a Construct or Crossbreed

It requires a magical formula or method to create life. This is
always a very rare formula from the research process under
Creating Magical and Alchemical Items. Researching a
construct creation formula takes an additional 4d6 weeks of
research, -1d6 for every point of Intelligence bonus the
characters has (minimum 4 weeks). Alternately, she can
dismantle, destroy, or dissect. a construct or crossbreed in
order to learn how to create it.

The player designs the construct or crossbreed. Creating a

construct or crossbreed requires 2,000 gold pieces per hit die,
plus an additional 5,000 gold pieces for each special ability.
Without an Arcane Library of a value greater than the cost to
create the construct or crossbreed, the prices and times are
doubled with 1% of the total cost contributing and increasing
the permanent value of the Arcane Library.

174
To grow or create such a creature, it takes 1 week, plus an
additional day for every 1,000 gold pieces. There is a 15%
chance of failure. Hiring an alchemist to oversee the procedure
will reduce the failure rate to 8%. Hiring two alchemists will
reduce the failure rate to 5%. Characters may only create one
creature per vat.

Examples of special abilities include, berserk, blood drain,

breath weapons, charms, constricting, damage reduction,
energy drain, fear, flying, rock hurling, immolation, magic
resistance, immunity to non-magical weapons, multi-headed,
paralysis, petrification via gaze or touch, poison, polymorph,
regeneration, rotting disease, see invisible. immunity to non-
silver weaponry, spells, swallowing whole, tail spikes. Other
B/X monster special abilities include summoning and
lycanthropy but are too powerful to grant to vatspawn. Other
abilities may be created. Some abilities (deadly poison,
petrification via touch) the Dungeon Master may require 10,000
gold pieces instead of 5,000. Some combinations (e.g. a
deadly area-affect attack combined with a deadly single
target ability) should be denied. If granting a creature immunity
to magic spells, the Dungeon Master should create some spell
vulnerabilities. As always, common sense must be followed
and the Dungeon Master is the final arbiter of the requirements
and costs.

Note that creating a life form from a vat does not mean that the
vat creature will obey its creator. Being a father does not make
one a dad.

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Influence
Influence
At what price influence? At what cost power?

At some point, characters may aspire to more than just the list
of activities given. They may wish to purchase a house or land,
raise troops, start a religion or a construction project. Such
activities may not be done on their own without attracting the
attention of rulers who will go to great lengths to stop such
activities. So how to accomplish them?

Get permission, of course!

Easier said than done. In order to acquire leverage, characters

may go the route of "find someone who wants a quest done,
and use the completion of that quest to get favor". But what
about a campaign in media res with many side quests already?
What if players want to change an existing structure instead of
building a new one? The following provides an objective
measure of the characters' social power and status that you
can easily track.

Influence
There are only a few areas of relevant influence. Commercial/
Economic, Military, Aristocratic, Arcane/Religious. For every
100 people in a city, there is a square of minor influence for
each of the above categories. For every 1,000 people in the
city, there is one square of major influence. Cities over 15,000
people are very rare, but if there is a larger city, for every
10,000 people, there is one square of grand influence.

Influence boards are limited to nine spaces, if there are more

than 9 squares of influence, there are multiple boards at that
level of influence.

178
Players cannot see the influence boards without in character
investigation. A player may spend one month, with a successful
relevant ability roll, to determine the status of one minor board,
which they can then see. One person devoted to the task each
month enables them to continue to keep abreast of what is
happening on the board.

Gaining Influence
A character may spend 1,000 gold, and 1 week gaining one
square of minor influence. If a character possesses at least one
point of minor leverage, they may spend 10,000 gold and 1
week to gain a square of major influence. This represents
politicking, meeting people, public works, intimidation,
advertising, etc. If more than 5 squares on a board are
acquired, two things happen: The character a point of leverage
for that level (minor, major, or grand), and she is granted one
square of influence on the next highest board.

Characters may also attempt to acquire support from other

actors already on the board. They do this by individual
negotiations with the person possessing the influence. Consider
that the possessor of that influence will expect or fear loss of
somewhere between 1,000-5,000 gold pieces of value per
point of minor influence lost/acquired. This isn't necessarily
money: blackmail, threats, completing tasks, etc. can all be
used. If the combined influence of the characters and their
allies reaches or exceeds 5 squares on the board, they are
granted a point of leverage as above.

If a community has no major or grand influence boards, then

minor leverage provides the benefits of major/grand leverage.
If there are no grand influence boards, then major leverage
provides the benefits of grand leverage.
179
At the end of each month, adjust the faction boards for the
changing game situation. There should be a small chance per
board that it is completely cleared or altered (due to a death,
random monthly event, or change in power structure).

Boards are, in general, filled before the player characters

arrive. The Dungeon Master do not have to play out every
actor in the city, though if the characters have an ally or a foil
or nemesis, they may work to block the character's progress.
Certain titles (harbormaster, noble, merchant, priest, captain,
general, etc.) automatically grant control of square of major
influence, as well as one point of minor leverage every month.

Or, the leverage may be spent. Note that for many of these, it
is required that individuals spend the leverage each month to
maintain the benefit.

Commercial/Economic
Minor Leverage: Own or run a business employing up to 10
people. Purchase or sell trade goods in bulk.
Major Leverage: Make large purchases (>100,000 gp). Own
a trading vessel. Own or run a business employing up to 100
people.
Grand Leverage: Own or run a business employing unlimited
people.

Military
Minor Leverage: Employ more than 10 hirelings. Have someone
arrested. Have someone freed.
Major Leverage: Employ mercenaries.
Grand Leverage: Request military aid.

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Aristocratic
Minor Leverage: Purchase existing property.
Major Leverage: Purchase land or build new property. Acquire a
standard for an informal group or company. Gain a minor title.
Grand Leverage: Form an official guild. Become a member of
the nobility.

Arcane/Religious
Minor Leverage: Practice magic in the city.
Major Leverage: Gain a license to employ magic commercially.
Gain a license to have a group of religious followers.
Grand Leverage: Be allowed to construct a school or church
(must also have nobility influence to be allowed to do so)

Factions
Power doesn't always corrupt. . . power always reveals —Rober Caro

Obviously such a system is both abstract and scalable. But in

the case of cities, this influence is almost always associated
with a faction. (The player character party, the thieves' guild,
some noble faction A, the traders' guild, etc.)

It is expected that players may be able to influence one or two

minor boards themselves, but it will be necessary to ally with
other major influencers in order to acquire leverage. That is to
say, the difference between the character having the influence
or having the people with the influence under the character's
sway is unrelated to their access to leverage.

Because power corrupts, society's demands for moral authority

and character increase as the importance of the position increases.
—John Adams
181
Integrating
Rumors
Adventure Seeds and Local News
There is some local conflict over humans denied promotion to
the elite guards. Several groups have gone on perilous missions
in an attempt to prove their worth. Cultists try to convert or
recruit the adventurers. At the end of every week lots are drawn
from the human and half-human population to see which
members become food; anyone capturing any outsiders may
use them to defer their next selection. Agralis Arymas is said to
be working on a powerful enchantment that will alter the
nearby landscape. He needs certain resources to complete the
enchantment; alternately, the enchantment has to be stopped
and the resource must be destroyed.

The world is dynamically foreshadowed in play. Much like

when players die and then realize their own poor decisions
could not have led to any other conclusion, whatever happens
during play should appear both completely logical and an
unknown surprise. This happening dynamically allows play to
surprise both parties, and yet remain coherent.

There are three components to this technique. The central idea

is that information about the adventure is transmitted to the
players before the players actually encounter the adventure.
The three components are staged rumors, wandering monsters,
and adventure design.

Wandering Monsters

The arrival of a wandering monster (i.e. one that is not located

somewhere on the dungeon key) can create a feeling of
atmosphere, but still often can appear 'random' in the sense
that there was no sign of the creatures that were wandering.

184
However, regularly letting the players encounter a monster's
spoor, tracks, or traces can both provide interest to the game
("Why is there chewed up silver everywhere?") and increase
the weight and meaning of the actual random encounter itself.
Either "That strange creature that is chewing on metal remains
at large!" or "Oh, an Aurumvorax, that must be what's leaving
that chewed metal all over the place!"

Adventure Design

The adventure is the best place to put the foreshadowing.

Designing the foreshadowing into the adventure assists your

ability to improvise; since you foreshadow the location, you
can plan for the ambiance, rather than being forced to scramble
for contents and atmosphere randomly.

Foreshadowing encounters can take many forms: a previous

victim, a trophy room, something mentioned in passing, a
public notice, a group of people hunting the creature, etc. Any
situation can foreshadow an encounter's presence.

Provide some pre-prepared sign of a later encounter or different

adventure within each scene of your game.

Rumors Basics

The rumor list contained in adventures such as Keep on the

Borderlands were a gold standard of this technique for years.
®

They both provided information about what to expect on the

adventure: "An Ogre sometimes helps the cave dwellers" and
sets up the players for entertaining misunderstandings "Bree-
yark is goblin-language for we surrender!"
185
But this too can be taken an additional step, into the realm of
'staged rumors'.

Generic rumors are a waste of time. "Kobolds raid from the

southern hills." Consider instead: "Lizard demons rise from the
earth in the southern hills and steal iron from the forges of men.
They know, because they've found scales near the dead bodies!"

Rumors that drive or suggest player actions are extremely

interesting. The above might encourage players to offer metal
to any 'lizard demons' they come across.

Staged Rumors

Staged rumors are interlaced ways of providing setting

information and background information without exposition.

Rumors gathered from graffiti, books, townsfolk, interrogation,

iconography, and architecture all combine to related
information about major threads within your campaign. This is
particularly effective at generating traditional "plot" elements
in a sandbox campaign.

E.g. A wizard (Savimal the Bleak) can only be killed by a magic

sword (Yaris Baneblade) once wielded by a hero (Urox the
Lunatic). Keep in mind the following rumors are interspersed
with other rumors, even other staged rumors. This rumor is
staged as follows:

186
In town:

• Night demons (goblins) haven't bothered our town in an age.

• Urox the madman walked north into the darkness never to return.
Surely he lairs there, surrounded by his wealth and treasure.
• "Savimal the Bleak was cast out of town for performing fell
experiments—that's code for skinning children as sacrifice,
but don't tell me wife I said so—and he's certainly the source
of the strange lights in the tower."

With research (gather information and library research):

• Urox was cursed with the weapon Yaris Baneblade, though

it was this sword that allowed him to eliminate the night
demon threat.
• "Aye, Savimal was run out of town, but only after we tried killing
him. No blade would pierce his skin. I saw it with me eyes."
• Night demons are called that because they gather their
energy from the darkness of night; where evil deeds are
done, they spring into being.

In discovery (graffiti in ruins, books at adventure sites - gathered

during play)

• Discover a statue of a man, being weighed down by a

giant sword. Emblem on the sword is of a full moon, set
with 3 stars.
• Graffiti: Savimal is lord of blackness!! Surrender, there is no hope!
• In a book titled "The curse of night": Jaris died while forging
the sword, and all who have ever held it gain great power
over darkness and the night, and yet become cursed by the
moon, becoming lunatics and madmen"

187
Consider that in additional to normal rumors there might be
two or three staged rumors going at any time, and the separate
staged rumors can be interconnected themselves.

Now when the players find a magic sword, it will not take them
long to realize what they have.

Design adventures from the perspectives and experiences of

the players, not from the perspective of "verisimilitude".

Sandbox Emergent Game-play

Rumors are one of the keys to emergent game-play. You can
take any idea and turn it into layered adventure for a sandbox.

A powerful good wizard is dying and is said to be seeking

information on lichedom.

Begin by adding specificity:

• The powerful good wizard is Orhartux the Purple-Born

• The death is from exposure to the magical plant, the Vacum Yerik.
• The specific information on lichdom he is seeking are "The
Rites of Rakye Foul".

Create three sets of rumors. One set of information you can

access by talking to people, one set that can be discovered by
research, and a final set that exists in the world.

188
Town Rumors:

• "Orhartux the Purple-Born is having an auction of many of

his magical treasures!"
• "Orhartux is called the purple-born because his hands are
stained purple from working with many magical plants."
• "The Vacum Yerik is a magical plant that grows outside of the
caves in the Ogre's Nail foothills. Careful though, the plant is
poisonous and the caves themselves are rarely empty."
• "Orhartux the Purple-Born has protected the city for many
years with his powerful enchantments."
• "Several groups of adventurers have been seen visiting the
tower of Orhartux the Purple-Born."
• "Orhartux the Purple-Born leaves his tower much more
rarely, and the last time he did, he appeared very ill.
• "Are you going to ask me about the Rites of Rakye Foul? Cause
I don't know anything more than the last time I was asked."

With Research:

• Rakye Foul was once a paladin who lost his wife. He took
revenge on her killers, and was never able to make peace
with his god after that.
• Rakye Foul was a powerful mage and a strong force for
good in the world.
• Rakye Foul devoted his last years to discovering a way to
extend his life. There are those that say he succeeded,
though nothing of his glory ever passed the foothills of
Dormik Kar ever again.
• Rakye Foul is said to be buried in Uriks Tomb.

Add all the sites, signs, and clues to the map or adventure sites
in the sandbox (The Foothills of Dormik Kar, Statues of Rakye
Foul, etc.)

189
Sandbox Ideas
1. A huge dire wolf, apparently immune to magic, is organizing
the wolves in the wood.
2. Evil mercenaries are constructing a fortress not far from the
community.
3. The tomb of a powerful wizard, filled with magic items, has
sunk into the swamp.
4. Mysterious groaning sounds come from a haunted wood.
5. Bugbears are demanding a toll on a well-traveled bridge.
6. A blackguard is organizing monsters in an area.
7. An emissary going into a hostile kingdom needs an escort.
8. A wizard needs a particularly rare spell component found
only in the deep jungle.
9. Gravediggers have discovered a huge, ghoul-filled
catacomb under the cemetery.
10. Evil clerics gather in secret to summon a monstrous god.
11. A wizard is buried in a trap-filled tomb with her powerful
magic items.
12. Lizardfolk riding dragon turtles sell their services as
mercenaries to the highest bidder.
13. Gargoyles are killing giant eagles in the mountains.
14. A druid needs help defending her grove against goblins.
15. All the dwarves in an underground city have disappeared.
16. A fire elemental has escaped from a wizard's lab.
17. Undead shadows vex a large library, especially an old
storeroom long left undisturbed.
18. A shapechanged mind flayer is gathering mentally
controlled servitors.
19. A lonely mountain pass is guarded by a powerful sphinx
denying all passage.
20. Burglars broke in to a wealthy merchant's shop, but
apparently didn't take anything.
21. The town is hiring mercenaries to augment the town guard.
22. A new inn is opening in town.
23. The duke has been acting strangely.
24. A rare plant has suddenly boomed on a local farm.
190
25. Various monsters have long preyed upon people from
within the sewers of a major city.
26. Local bandits have joined forces with a tribe of ogres.
27. An island at the center of the lake is actually the top of a
strange, submerged fortress.
28. An infestation of stirges drives yuan-ti closer to civilized lands.
29. People grow suspicious of half-orc merchants peddling
gold dragon parts in the market.
30. A strange green smoke billows out of a cave near a
mysterious ruin.
31. Mysterious merchants sell faulty magic items in town and
then attempt to slink away.
32. Cultists are kidnapping potential sacrifices.
33. A huge gemstone lies within an ancient ruined monastery.
34. Barge pirates have made a deal with a coven of hags and
exact a high toll to use the river.
35. Ogre magi have torn up a village in a violent rage.
36. A map showing the location of an ancient magic forge is
discovered.
37. Two orc tribes wage a bloody war.
38. A recently recovered artifact causes arcane powers to go awry.
39. An enchanter is compelling others to steal for him.
40. A gate to the Lower Planes brings more demons to the world.
41. A plague brought by wererats threatens a community.
42. Clerics who have resurrected a long-dead hero discovered
she's not what they thought.
43. Colossal vermin are straying out of the desert to attack
settlements.
44. The tomb of an old wizard has been discovered.
45. A clutch of wyverns is preying upon sheep as well as shepherds.
46. There is fierce fighting in the northlands.
47. A band of adventure's fled into a ruined fortress tower filled
with treasure and monsters.
48. The eastern witches have discovered a new type of magic.
49. An army of statues in the south has begun to move.
50. A mad witch has been found in the burned remains of her
abode, her servants all killed by her hand.
191
51. A powerful good wizard is dying and is said to be seeking
information on lichedom.
52. An alchemist has lost a shipment of supplies to hijackers. If
she doesn't get them back, she faces bankruptcy.
53. Cultists need to recover an artifact to summon a giant
sleeping demon.
54. A wizard in a manse to the north of town is flaunting guild laws.
55. Several daring thefts have been made upon towers in the city.
56. A group of dragons has banded together to increase their power.
57. Demons are possessing monsters and causing havoc.
58. A killer is loose and stuffing bodies into chimneys.
59. A large bridge to the east has been destroyed by unknown forces.
60. Something is preventing huge hordes of humanoids from
leaving the nearby mountains.
61. A mage's familiar has escaped and been said to have
summoned a demon.
62. Reports have come in of a living dungeon.
63. A group of liches has formed an eldrich pact with evil dragons.
64. Rumors of an ogre civil war have been filtering into town.
65. Undead scorpions have been accosting people and
robbing them without killing them in the south.
66. Lizard men have recently begun approaching human
settlements with envoys seeking peace.
67. A powerful angel is hiding in the city performing good
deeds unseen.
68. Demons have been taking the shape of men and hiding to
escape hell.
69. A new brothel is opening in town, and they are seeking talent.
70. A halfling wizard has discovered a new powerful school of magic.
71. A medusa is said to be the head of a merchant guild.
72. Basilisks have started appearing in the forest to the north.
73. The Witch Queen has been defeated by a band of adventurers.
74. The Witch Queen was in contact with the Mountain King in
the nearby mountains.
75. Dwarven immigrants are arriving in southern cities in droves.
76. The mountain pass is blocked.
77. A mage's experiment has caused a disaster in a tower.
192
78. Talking monkeys reside in the forest.
79. There is a witch in the swamp to the south who brews
potions of a legendary efficacy.
80. Primitive heathens are throwing parties in the woods.
81. A magical accident has opened a gate that has loosed
magic-eating monsters into the world.
82. An ancient evil cult banished long ago is said to be returning.
83. A great treasure was discovered by the dwarves in the mountains.
84. A vampire is seeking to release a great evil.
85. Man-eating ghouls prowl the swamp for food.
86. Obelisks stand in the mountains that hold the key to great
power. None who have sought these have returned.
87. A band of evil gnomlings lives in the forest.
88. There is a wolf pack to the north; they are the pets of a
mighty giant.
89. An ancient demonic evil has seized control of giants.
90. The Mountain King is possessed by an evil force.
91. Eye tyrants are arriving in huge numbers from the realms above.
92. Dragons can sense when their kin are harmed or killed.
93. When an eye tyrant is killed, a curse is bestowed that
causes all other eye tyrants to seek the killers.
94. There are many old ruins in the swamp. They are from a
previous Aeon.
95. Many of the old ruins in the swamp contain great and
ancient treasure.
96. A palace of pure gold and steel is hidden in the mountains.
97. A mighty pyramid tomb lies to the north; theft-proof, it still
contains ancient treasures.
98. A great dragon was slain, the witch queen banished, and
the spirit of the ancient barbarian king destroyed by beings
from another realm.
99. Darkness or evil emanates from a dark tower.
100. The nearby underdogs are preparing to rebel.

193
Appendices

195
Appendix A. Time and Calendars
In order to track these activities, Dungeon Masters need a way
to track time. They can use a standard calendar, or an optional
one (see Appendix C for optional calendars).

Unusual Seasonal Events

Once a month roll for an event. Roll on the following table a
month or two in advance to determine important campaign
events, and gain an upper hand when the players try to foretell
the future. These events should set in motion changes in the
campaign, and your foreknowledge can be used to foreshadow
future events, as well as find ways to get the characters involved.

The following table is intended to be a percentile table with a

variety of results, but since every campaign is different, the
numbers have been left off. A Dungeon Master can assign
numbers that match the specifics of his campaign world.

No Event: Nothing of note takes place during this month.

Accident: A terrible accident occurs. Perhaps lightning causes

a brush-fire, a ship crashes into the harbor, a road accident
occurs, a levee floods, or an important building collapses. In
dangerous cases, up to one hundred people could die. Perhaps
it only inconveniences the characters or perhaps they have
friends, retainers, or family in the disaster. Either way it will be
a frequent topic of gossip and rumor.

Bad Weather: The weather turns terrible. The effects vary

depending on the season (e.g. blizzard, heat wave), but they
may cause complete stoppage of work for 1d4 weeks. Travel
times are increased for the month, usually doubled, and there
is a chance no travel is possible at all.

196
Banditry and Brigandage: A group of bandits, brigands, or
buccaneers moves into the local area and begins robbing from
the peasantry, reducing the income available from the area by
1d6 gp monthly (cumulative). They begin construction of a
bandit stronghold. This increases suspicion of strangers, and
raises the demand for mercenary guards.

Birth: A new birth occurs. If any characters or their companions

engage in any sexual activity, then they are the ones blessed
with the new birth. Otherwise, it was a friend or family member
of the characters. If there's still no one, then it's a local noble or
magistrate who is blessed with the child.

Celebrity: A person of great fame is traveling to or through the

local area. He could be a painter, dancer, poet, philosopher,
or other person of prominence or note. The visitor seeks privacy,
but may be here for nefarious or opaque purposes. Rumors
and activity befall the area where the celebrity is staying.

Comet: A comet is visible in the night sky, bringing omens and

change, perhaps even to the laws of magic or the land.

Corruption: A small selection of nobles and rulers has become

corrupt and is extorting and terrorizing the local population.
They are well-organized and well-hidden. If not addressed,
the income and morale of the area drops.

Death: A death happens. None of the player characters are at

risk for this, but one member of their companions or retinue
perishes. It could be a friend, family member, or ally. If there is
no will or clear heir, it could cause a dispute over the estate or
possibly even end up in the player character's hand. See
Inheritances (q.v.).

Diplomatic Event: Officials from another political entity

(natives, city-states, countries, etc.) are visiting on official
business. They intend to speak to the local nobles, including the
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player characters if they qualify. They may be visiting for a
variety of reasons, to prevent a war, offers of tribute or trade,
cultural exchanges, or military alliances.

Famine: There is a shortage of food. Costs of food rise up to

10,000%, violence and banditry increases, and 2-12% of the
population dies due to starvation.

Festival: A festival is upcoming, and the player characters are

requested to be there. This could be a wedding, a new or
existing holiday, or perhaps a large social occasion like a ball.
Activity increases in the area for a month, making it easier for
thieves to work (+20% to all nefarious activities), as well as
increasing the taxes earned from the area by 10%-60%.

Feud: Two local families or clans have declared a blood feud

that is beginning to result in a loss of life. This casts a dark
shadow over the local area as people get drawn into the feud.

Fire: A large fire breaks out, destroying property indiscriminately.

This burns down 10%-80% of the buildings and causes 10% to
40% casualties. Prices for building materials skyrocket to 10×
their normal levels. Food doubles in price. Plague and famine
follow in the path of the fire.

Haunting: A location has become beset by dark omens and

rumors of dark supernatural powers. Perhaps people have
fled, or remain yet continue to suffer. The veracity of the
haunting remains in the Dungeon Master's purview.

Magical Events: A strange magical phenomenon manifests. A

portal or gateway opens, or rain falls up into the sky, the sun
shines purple, strange things fall from the heavens, a magical
fog is produced, or the clouds burn with magical energy or
other magical effects.

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Marriage: A notable social occasion is occurring, and the
characters are somehow involved. This could cause a shift or
change in the local power structure or could be the result of a
political alliance.

Monsters: A new monster or group of monsters has appeared

and begins terrorizing the surrounding area. The lair is secluded,
but the general location is known to the terrorized locals. If not
defeated, the locals may be corrupted by it and fall into the
monster's service.

Natural Disaster: Depending on terrain, this may include

earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, tornadoes, floods,
landslides, and other great shifts of earth. Mystical disasters
could be a rain of fire or magic, magical portals opening, or
even rocks breaking free and floating as an island, or the
reverse, one falling to earth. Buildings could be damaged or
destroyed, and prices on local goods could increase.

Notable Personage: An infamous or influential person is

rumored to be nearby. They could be a notable outlaw, perhaps
a banished general, a writer of subversive literature, or other
ne'er-do-well.

Plague or Illness: A disease sweeps across the area. It kills 5%

of the population per month and lasts for 2d6 months. Traders
cease visiting and the cost of local goods doubles, while
imported goods are five times as expensive. People have
heightened suspicions during the plague.

Raiders and Raiding: This is the intrusion of a military force

into an area, without a declaration of war. It could be monstrous
humanoids, or a unmarked military force from a nearby
kingdom. They could be probing the area, securing a border
fort, or even just raiding for fun.

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Religion: A new religion, pyramid scheme, or esoteric hobby
appears, and their worshipers begin spreading throughout the
population.

Refugees: A group of creatures, men, or humanoids shows up

in the territory. This is usually caused by environmental pressures
elsewhere. These may be barbarian hordes, orcs or goblins
expanding their territory, an acting troupe, possibly spies, a
group of exiles or men driven from other lands. They maintain
their culture, which will almost certainly bring them into conflict
with the locals.

Uprising or Rebellion: A group of peasants rises up and

creates a peasant militia in the territory. They protest and try to
spread their message to other rural regions. This negatively
affects any territory they operate in, disrupting normal
operations. They arm themselves with anything they have, farm
implements, etc. They can present a serious threat if a local
hero arrives and can militarize them. A rebellion is identical to
an uprising but is well-armed and funded by a powerful king,
religion, army commander, or secret society.

Visitation: One of the many deities or divine servants appears

granting a vision or prophecy. Pilgrims begin to visit the site,
much more frequently for years to follow. Those present are
granted great prestige.

War: War never changes. Young men take up arms to die for
lords ensconced within war rooms. Money, ambition, power,
and survival are all motives for war. This creates ripple effects
through society, from the price of metal and arms increasing to
devastated homesteads, large mobilizations of men, death,
and things worse than death.

200
Appendix B. Inheritances
1 Personal Weapon 13 Transportation Business
2 Ancestral Weapon 14 Debt
3 Shield 15 Enmity with Relatives
4 Helm 16 Small (1-100 gp)
5 Armor 17 Medium (300-1,800 gp)
6 Mount or Pet 18 Large (100-1,000 pp)
1

7 Land Deed, Uninhabited 19 Fortune (10,000 gp+)

8 Land Deed, Manor 20 Vehicle
9 Land Deed, Castle 21 Servant
10 Mercantile Business 22 Military Contract
2

11 Town House 23 A Magic Item

12 City Building 24 Strange Inheritance (q.v)
1. Mounts can also include family pets and unusual mounts. This
includes bats, bears, beetles, blink dogs, boars, bulls, camel,
cats, chickens, cows, dogs, donkeys, elephants, fish, flightless
birds, flighted birds, griffons, goats, hippogriffs, lizards, llama,
mules, owls, ox, pegasi, pigs, raptors/roc, sharks, snakes,
wolves, or yaks.

2. Such as the services or responsibilities of a mercenary

company.

The Dungeon Master should use the inheritance as an

opportunity to tie the character to both events and the world.

201
Strange Inheritances
1. A black egg, icy cold to the touch. It contains the bones of
several juvenile serpents of various species. If carried close
to the body and allowed to incubate against your skin, the
egg will "hatch". A monstrous serpentine tattoo will appear
on your body and you will gain a poisonous bite. Snakes
will begin arriving with small missives, inviting you to visit
your true ancestors.
2. The deed to a prison hulk, the Argentium, along with
ownership of all 20 madmen imprisoned inside. They are
the despondent remains of a doomsday cult.
3. The deed and the key to the Galimoor windmill. Inside are
millions of tiny, pale spiders. Upon entry the pig bones on
the floor will ask you what you desire, and tell you that "it
must be paid in flesh". They will speak no other phrases. In
exchange for the gift of a live pig, the spiders can craft
wondrous gowns, ropes, lightweight armors that resist
arrows, and other such things. In exchange for the gift of a
live human, the spiders can craft simulacra that have been
imbued with the sacrifice's soul.
4. A huge black hound that carries a pipe around its neck. It
enjoys only tobacco, and fights as a fourth-level Fighter.
5. A massage manual. It seems to be filled with mundane
massages, but a full reading will reveal that it contains both
the forbidden orgasm massage and the massage of death.
6. A grey bird containing the soul of the relative that you
thought was deceased. This is their fail-safe: in the event
of their murder, their soul would enter this bird, which
would then be gifted to you, according to instructions in
their will. Your dead relative will attempt to get you to solve
their own murder, but this will be complicated by the fact
that they have lost all understanding of language (since it
is incompatible with their bird mind).

202
7. A massive bastard sword, along with a note that explains
it. The sword must behead one king every year, or else the
current royal family will fall and something terrible will
happen to the nation. The sword gains a +3 bonus to hit
and damage vs. kings.
8. A filthy shack in the outskirts of town. In the basement is
several thousand feet of rope, several protoypes of auto-
belays and ascenders, and a bottomless pit. The voices
start at about 1000' and increase with depth.
9. An anvil. Every night, hundreds of rats come to worship it.
As long as you take good care of the anvil (cleaning it,
using it to make things) rats will love you and will protect
you. If you neglect the anvil, rats will become more
aggressive towards you, and eventually a massive rat-
ogre and his friends will come steal the anvil away. The
anvil contains the soul of an evil cat god.
10. Possession of the family tomb. Oddly enough, one of the
rooms contains a comfortable bed. Sleeping there will give
you dreams where you stand before your ancestors. If you
don't mind kowtowing to their generational prejudices, and
marrying per their instructions, they give you excellent
advice and directions to treasure caches. Although you may
also just wish to collapse the whole nest of ancient racists.
11. Flawed Ring of Soul Possession. Carries the soul of your
grandfather, Osto. If you put it on, he will possess your
body, figure out what has happened, and apologize. This
was never part of the plan. Where is the cruel baroness
Vikta? The ring was meant for her. Osto cannot possess
anyone who doesn't put the ring on willingly.
12. Legendary Ship of Five Ages. It is currently locked in solid
stone. You need several thousand labor hours to dig it out,
but once you do, it is a land-ship capable of sailing across
both land and sea. (Although sailing uphill may require
some pretty severe tacking.)

203
13. A favor from a succubus. The letter only promises a favor to
your father, but your father has attached a letter explicitly
passing the favor on to you. Her listed names are Isreta,
Shevala, or Sava. She is a shape changer, and it will be a
challenge to find her. There is no way to find her, and no
easy way to draw her out without simultaneously attracting
the (extremely dangerous) attention of a serpent demon
named Vilebrand. Investigating the history of Isreta,
Shevala, and Sava will reveal that all three women were
lovers of an uncommon card game called Tower Garden
(among the extraneous details) and that all three were
uncommonly beautiful. Host a high-profile evening of
Tower Garden, and a beautiful woman will be in
attendance. There are other ways to find her, but this is the
easiest.
14. Necklace of Decapitation. Bequeathed to you by a known
enemy along with a note "Death has a way of humbling a
fellow. I give you my lucky necklace, in the hopes that you
may be richly adorned for the rest of your days. No hard
feelings."
15. Two thousand pounds of opium. One pound of opium is
enough to get you executed. This is far, far more opium
than you can quietly sell illegally. Many people would kill
you for a tiny fraction of this amount. The safest thing to do
would be to throw the whole thing in the ocean.
16. A purple worm, currently held by a rancher who helped
your ancestor raise it from a wormling. It is non-agressive,
but isn't trained well enough to do any task. It will eat a live
cow (worth 10 gp) every three days, which is why the
rancher is eager to get rid of the thing. Containing it is
possible, but remember that it can burrow through stone.
17. A dwarven tomb, in one of the oldest mountains around.
Worth a fortune. Entirely non-transferrable. The dwarves
have already carved your name on it. There is no higher
honor in their culture. The tomb comes with a tomb-minder,
who is a small dwarf entirely dedicated to making sure that
you end up in your tomb once you die. He will ask questions,
204
 check itineraries, and taste your urine in order to more
closely ascertain when you will die. If asked for advice, he
will answer honestly, but will subtly urge you towards
courses of action that are more likely to result in your swift
death. He has a young wife at home that he wants to get
back to.
18. Fancy cat. You can live in this huge house as long as you
personally serve Sir Snapdragon all of his meals. If you
falter in this very reasonable duty, you are out. If Sir
Snapdragon dies while in your care, your life is similarly
forfeit. For this service, you will be paid a handsome sum.
19. Mayorhood. It is located a week's travel from here. If you
are interested in fleecing the town for all its worth, you can
make about 200 gp of immediate embezzlements. If you
want to merely tax it, you can make between 50 and 100
gp a year, depending on how brutal you want to be. The
towns biggest exports are apple brandy and eel sausages.
20. A surprise. The conditions are given: you must enter this
dungeon naked. You can enter this dungeon with your
friends, if you wish. If you make it out the other side alive,
you will get your inheritance. You do not know it yet, but
waiting for you at the far side is the entire Palatine
mercenary company kneeling to you. Your father wanted
you to inherit, but the Meritas, the second in command,
was allowed to devise a test.
21. An invitation from beyond the grave. Basically a free pass
to heaven. But you have to die now. A place is already
prepared. Takes the form of a dove that can disassemble
into a tapestry of carefully painted feathers.

205
Appendix C. Timekeeping Aids
Classic Dungeons & Dragons by Gygax used the Gregorian
Calendar, and had one day pass in the game as one day
passed in the real world. But Gygax and co. ran their games
much like a tabletop massively mutiplayer role-playing game.
Modern players are much more likely to have weeks of
downtime pass in a few minutes.

Dungeon Masters might want to use a more fantastic calendar,

one with space to note player activities during downtime. Two
such examples follow.

The first is the Merwish calendar developed in 1978, the second

is a calendar developed in the late 90's.

The months in the Merwish calendar are, Coolrest, Crispfrost,

Swiftwind, Softrain, Brightsun, Highsun, Heathaze, Chillbreak,
Harvestwind, Sharpcold, and Deepice.

The Merwish calendar is also used on Perdition, but the months

are Titafas, Tarafas, Damfas, Krafas, Drafas, Levifas, Hyfas,
and Jofas.

206
 Merwish Calandar Month Year

1st Week 2nd Week 3rd week

1st of Toil

2nd of Toil

3rd of Toil

4th of Toil

Halfrest

6th of Toil

7th of Toil

8th of Toil

Counting

Rest
Latia Tetradia
Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Florian Joves
Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Adulla Carus
Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Opilian Zeno
Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Dynames Narci
Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Satabu V anes
Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Pardi Zipher
Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
 Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Latia

Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Florian

Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Adulla
Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Opillian

Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Dynames
Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Satabu
Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Pardi
Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Tetradia

Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Joves

Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Carus

Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Zeno

Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Narci

Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Vanes

Rising 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Falling 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Zipher
Appendix D. Trade Goods
Low Value Goods High Value Goods
01-08 Cotton/Wool/Flax 01-12 Armor/Weapons
09-18 Furs/Hides/Skins 13-16 Coffee/Tea
19-22 Ingots: Iron/Copper/Lead/Tin 17-20 Exotic Fruits
23-26 Lumber 21-30 Leathers/Silks/Fabrics
27-35 Wine/Ale/Beer/Liquor 31-33 Gold/Silver/Electrum/Platinum Bars
36-48 Grain/Foodstuffs 34- 37 Ivory
49-52 Livestock/Slaves 38-40 Narcotics/Medicine
53-65 Sugar/Spices/Hemp/Jute/ 41-46 Perfumes
Pipeweed/Herbs/Salt* 47-48 Ingots, Rare Metals
66-69 Dressed Stone 49-50 Rare Woods
70-73 Cloth/Fabric* 51-63 Religious Artifacts
74-79 Leather Goods 64-85 Scrolls/Books
80-87 Pewter/Bronze/Copperware/ 86-90 Ingots: Electrum/Silver/Gold/
Ceramics Platinum
88-95 Wooden Items 91-98 Laboratory Items
96-00 Steel Bar Stock 99-00 Magical Components

Low value goods

Cotton/Wool/Flax: Cotton is 1 gp per pound, Wool is 3 cp per

pound, Flax is worth 5 sp a pound.

Furs/Hides/Skins: Depending on the animal and the quality of

the fur, the value of these varies wildly. Small common animals
have furs valued between 3-10 sp per pound. Larger common
animals have furs valued at 1-2 gp per pound. Rare animals
have skins valued at 3-5 gp per pound. Exotic animals and
monsters have hides valued at 10 - 500 gp per pound.

210
Ingots Iron/Copper/Bronze/Lead/Tin: An ingot is a pound.
Iron is 2 cp per pound, Copper is 1 silver pieces per pound,
Bronze is 6 cp per pound, Lead is 6 cp per pound, and Tin is 1
gp per pound.

Lumber: Lumber is found in cords. A full cord measures 4 feet

high by 4 feet wide by 8 feet long (4'×4'×8') and has a volume
of 128 cubic feet. It has a value of 10 gp a cord, and weighs
between 2000 and 4000 pounds a cord. It takes up
approximately /4 a ton of space in a ship. It can be used to
1

offset building costs of wooden structures.

Wine/Ale/Beer/Liquor: A gallon of liquid will weigh between

8 and 10 pounds. Wine and Liquor will be in bottles or casks,
Beer and will be in casks or barrels. Barrels and casks are found
in a variety of sizes. From the gallon (1 gallon) to the barrel (32
Gallons) to the hogshead (48-63 Gallons) to the tun (252
Gallons). The liquid inside will be valued at 1 cp to 300 gp a
pound (or 10 cp to 3000 gp a gallon) based on the rarity and
difficulty of manufacture. Wine made from grapes crushed by
the feet of young elven virgins, or beer made by a dwarf over
one thousand years old might be more difficult to procure and
more expensive as a result.

Grain/Foodstuffs: Foodstuffs and grain vary wildly in cost and

weight. Their worth starts at 1 cp per pound and increases to a
maximum of 10 gp per pound.

Livestock/Slaves: Assuming slavery is legal, the value of a

slave depends on the local market and the slave's condition. If
they are skilled, young, talented, healthy, or of an unusual race
they are worth much more. They are usually sold for the
approximate value to rent their services for 2 years. This value
varies from 2 gp to 500 gp or more. Livestock varies by the
beast. Cows will sell for 10 gp, whereas a Chicken is worth a cp.

211
Sugar/Spices/Hemp/Jute/Pipeweed/Herbs/Salt: Sugar
and Salt are 1 gp per pound. (Sugar may be found in cane form
which cuts its value by /2 per pound). Spices and herbs range
1

from 1 cp to 20 gp a pound. Hemp and jute run approximately

2 sp a pound. Pipeweed goes for 20-500 gp a pound (and is
usually found in ounce and quarter-ounce quantities).

Dressed Stone: This is worth between 2-5 sp a cubic foot. Each

cubic foot of stone weighs 100 pounds. (Good luck)

Cloth/Fabric: This also varies in price. 1 pound of material is

approximately 2 square yards. It varies in price between 1 gp
and 30 gp per pound. There are literally dozens of different
types of fabric. The most common are cotton and wool,
followed by cloth made from the soft fur of animals.

Leather Goods: These can vary in price depending on the

actual source of leather. 1 pound of material is approximately
2 square yards. It has a value of 10 gp per pound for cow
leather. The value can range from 5-100 gp per pound for
more exotic leathers.

Pewter/Bronze/Copperware/Ceramics: These functional items

fetch approximately 1 sp to 2 gp a pound.

Wooden Items: These items average approximately 1 gp a

pound.

Steel Bar Stock: Standard bars are 400 ounces, equal to 25

pounds. Each pound of steel is equivalent to 10 gp. A Steel Bar
is worth 250 gp.

212
High value goods

Armor/Weapons: Refer to the costs and weights of armor and

weapons.

Coffee/Tea: Coffees and teas vary between 1 gp and 5 gp a

pound.

Exotic Fruits: Fruits vary between 1 sp and 10 gp a pound.

Leathers/Silks/Fabrics: These refer to expensive or rare fabrics,

or embroidered or enhanced leathers and fabrics. Again 1 pound
is equal to 2 square yards of material. The prices on these items
range from 20-40 gp a pound.

Gold/Silver/Electrum/Platinum Bars: Each bar is 400

ounces, weighing approximately 25 pounds. A gold bar is
worth 250 gp, a silver bar is worth 25 gp, an Electrum bar is
worth 125 gp, and a Platinum Bar is worth 1,250 gp.

Ivory: has a value of 5-25 gp per pound depending on

availability. The value of ivory increases as the size of the piece
increases; large pieces may double, triple, or quadruple the
price per pound. The source of the ivory may also be a factor.
Ivory from fantastic creatures is most valuable, followed by that
from elephants. Ivory from hippos, walruses, and such is less so.

Narcotics/Medicine: Narcotics vary wildly in price. They are

worth between 50 and 5,000 gp a pound. They may be
illegal, and it may be difficult to procure a purchaser. Some
examples include vitamins, fertility drugs, antibacterials,
depressants, euphoriants, hallucinogens, hypnotics/sedatives,
and stimulants.

Perfume: Perfumes are priced by the ounce. They are worth

between 2 sp and 20 gp an ounce.

213
Ingots, Rare Metals: An ingot is a pound. Mithral is 75 gp per
pound, Adamantine is 750 gp per pound, Dwarven Iron, is 10
gp per pound, Fine steel is worth 15 gp a pound (or as it is more
likely to be found, 375 gp per steel bar), Alchemical Silver is 15
gp a pound, Cold Iron is 1 gp a pound, Orichalcum is 500 gp
a pound.

Rare Woods: These are 2×-10× the cost of normal wooden

items. Assume a cord of rare wood has a value between
20-100 gp Items made from rare woods are 10 gp to the
pound. Many of these can be used to make magical weapons
and armors.

Religious Artifacts: These include a variety of items, such as

altars, altar cloths, bells, braziers, candelabras, candles, candlestick
holders, cassocks, censers, chalices, chimes, drums, fonts, holy/
unholy symbols, holy relics (bones, vials of blood, bloodstained
cloths), idols, incense, incense burners, kneeling benches, lamps,
lecterns, mosaics, offertory containers, reliquaries, screens, shrines,
snuffing bells, thuribles, tripods, vestments, votive lights, and whistles.
These items can be made from or covered by linen, velvet, silk,
gold brocade, dyed cloth, bronze, iron, silver, gold, platinum, brass,
wood, or granite. Most of these items weigh a few pounds or
less, except for Altars (10-2000 pounds), Braziers (5-200
pounds), Kneeling Benches (3-20 pounds), Lecterns (20-150
pounds), and Reliquaries (5-50 pounds).

Scrolls /Books: Scrolls and books vary wildly in value as well

as interest from buyers. 1 cp to 1 gp per pound. Old, rare, or
ancient books will increase this value by 1-1,000 times.

214
Ingots Electrum/Silver/Gold/Platinum: An ingot is a pound.
Electrum is 5 gp per pound, Silver is 1 gp per pound, Gold is 10
gp per pound, Platinum is 50 gp per pound.

Laboratory Items: These include a wide variety of items, such

as adhesives, alembics, astrolabes, balances and weights, beakers,
bellows, bladders, bottles, bowls, boxes, braziers, cages, caldrons,
candles, candlesticks, carafes, chalk, crucibles, cruets, crystal balls,
decanters, desks, dishes, flasks, funnels, furnaces, horns, hourglasses,
ink, inkwells, jars, jugs, kettles, ladles, lamps, lenses, maps, mortar
and pestle, pans, paper, parchments, papyrus, pentacles,
pentagrams, phials, pipettes, pots, prisms, quills, retorts, stirring or
mixing rods, scroll tubes, sheets, skins, skulls, spatulas, measuring
spoons, stands, stools, stuffed animals, tanks, tongs, tripods, tubes,
tweezers, vellum, vials, waterclocks, wax, wires, and workbenches.
These items are usually made of glass, iron, and steel. There
may well be alchemical materials, poisons, and potions among
the supplies.

Magical Components: These are magical components, useful

in creating scrolls, crafting magic items, and researching spells.
Specifics are left to the Dungeon Master. Their cost (increased
by the lack of a need to kill the monster to retrieve them) varies
greatly. Obviously goblin blood is a little more common than a
dozen basilisk eyes. This also includes poisons, alchemical
materials, and potions, as well as spell components.

215
Appendix E. Generating Hex Contents
A single 6 mile hex contains

• 0-1 Fortifications
• 0-2 population centers
• 2-8 hamlets
• 2-5 ruins
• 3-6 monster lairs
• 0-5 landmarks or features

Fortifications refer to castles. Castle Encounters on X59 provides

information on determining the inhabitants of castles. An
alternate table with usable detail has been provided in this
appendix. Use either according to whim.

Population centers includes towns and large villages. These

occur most frequently near intersections, resources, and water
sources. See the village generation table.

Hamlets at a minimum refer to gatherings of a single family.

Large hamlets may be groups of up to 4 families. The inhabitants
do not need to be human, and likely, if found in the wild, will
not be. Bullywugs, centaurses, cyclops, devil swines, lesser
djinni, efreeti, giants, gnolls, orcs, goblins, mermen, nixies,
bandits, doppelgangers, dwarves, elves, goblins, halflings,
harpies, lizard men, werebears, kobolds, hobgoblins,
bugbears, elves, gnomes, minotaurs, neanderthals, nobles,
pixies, rock baboons, sprites, traders, troglodytes, and veterans
all need someplace to live. Bullywugs are not on the official
B/X monster list, but they should be. All of the other entries are.

Ruins can be temples, towers, dungeons, forts, abandoned

cities, abandoned mines, antediluvian walls, crumbling statues,
dilapidated palaces, crumbling citadels, et al.

Landmarks and features are just unusual locations in the hex.

216
Designing a Hex
This is a step by step method for designing a hex.

A. Choose a primary terrain type

The primary terrain types include clear, city, trail, grasslands,
forest, hills, desert, broken, mountains, jungle, swamp, road.
There will be a combination of terrain types in a hex. Forested
hills, trails through deserts, hills in grasslands, grasslands in
swamps, et al.

B. Determine the contents of the hex

Decide by fiat or randomly what each hex contains. It either
has a fortification or not, 1d3-1 population centers, 2d4 hamlets,
1d4+1 ruins, 1d4+2 monster lairs. and 1d6-1 landmarks.

C. Determine the contents of the lairs

Roll for random encounters under the terrain type to determine
what monsters have lairs in the primary terrain of the hex.

D. Determine what ruins exist in the hex

These are often sites of adventure. There is a ruin seed
generation table in this appendix you can use for reference.
These sites could also be modules, one page dungeons, or
short encounters, as you wish.

E. Determine the inhabitants of the hamlets

In non-human lands, use the Subtable: Humanoid tables for
the appropriate terrain to determine who inhabits the hamlet.

F. Determine the castle and population center inhabitants

Use the castle table from X59, or the table of castle seeds here in
this appendix to determine castle inhabitants. Then select the
relevant information and traits for a town or village.

G. Draw all the sites on a map of the hex

217
Ruin seeds

Ruin Type
1-2 Temple 8 Fort
3-4 Tower 9 Abandoned city
5-7 Dungeon 0 Abandoned mine
Temple Seeds

1. Worshipers of a specific deity have built this temple to

represent the spheres of influence of the deity as closely as
possible. A god of law would have rigid schedules and
architecture, a god of plants would have a temple grown
from a tree.
2. This temple has fallen for many years, and now only the
dead remain. They continue their worship in a dark parody.
3. The temple contains worshipers that are actively trying to
raise their god or return it to life/power.
4. No person in this temple speaks, they go about their
business silently.
5. The people in this temple all have strange powers of flight,
energy generation, and supernatural toughness.
6. This temple flourishes due to a cottage industry, producing
baskets, flower arrangements, weapons, dream catchers, etc.
7. A monstrous race has become religious. They built this
temple and worship in peace.
8. This temple is in a lake or river, being mostly underwater. The
inhabitants are aquatic or have a means of breathing underwater.
9. This temple is overseen by a holy archon, a literal
representation of holy power, and unsurprisingly he's a bit of
a dick. The temple worshipers may be unhappy with him.
10. This temple is actually a base for an astral, ethereal,
extraplanar, or extraterrestrial group of creatures.
11. This is a snake cult temple of inequity, orgies, and cannibalism.
12. A monster has set itself up as the leader of a group of
ignorant peasants and is spreading hate and terror.

218
Tower Seeds

1. An elemental mage hides at the top of this elemental-

themed tower.
2. This is a mirrored tower, run by an illusionist who focuses on
travel in the mirror dimension.
3. This tower is a "governmental" building for monstrous
humanoids. They are blasé about the arrival of humans.
4. This is a vampire's tower, filled with gothic architecture and
the undead.
5. This is a spectral tower and is filled with ghosts of the
people who once inhabited it.
6. This tower is only on this plane for a short period of time
before it shifts to another realm.
7. This tower is one in a long-decayed series of teleport
towers, several of which are now decrepit. Who knows
which ones still work?
8. This is a powerful druid's tower, grown from a single tree
and filled with fearsome beasts.
9. This is the tower of a classed character, determine
inhabitants per the procedure on X53.
10. This is a hangman's tower with tortures, carrion birds and
warlocks. Bodies hang in cages suspended outside the tower.
11. This is a mad scientist's tower, filled with experiments, and
with a tesla coil atop the peak.
12. This is a volcanic tower filled with evil orbs and eye tyrants.
13. This is a tower of a despotic barbarian warlord.
14. This is a demon tower containing a portal which allows hell
creatures into the land.
15. This tower is a forward base for a monstrous humanoid, and
is thick with their influence. (See list, page 216)
16. This is the tower of a noble retired knight, who may be a
little out of touch.
17. This is a wizard's tower, and woe betide anyone who bothers him.
18. This is a tower of witches, warlocks, hags and seers.
19. This is a clock-tower filled with clockwork makers and monsters.
20. A vivisector lives here creating fleshy monstrosities.
219
Fort Seeds

1. This is an old dwarven fortress, with few if any surviving

dwarves. Monsters have begun to infest it.
2. This is the fort of a noble paladin who challenges any
interlopers, though there is some doubt his kingdom still
exists.
3. This is an outpost of an evil cult they will invite interlopers in
to join their scheme. A sacrifice is planned soon.
4. This is an elven steadfast and reacts with hostility to any
non-elf parties, or coldness and indifference to any parties
containing elves.
5. This is a monstrous humanoid fort (orc or hobgoblin)
containing a working engine of war and expansion
6. This fort is the fast of a dark priest, and his cult of slaves
and leather clad barbarians
7. This fort is the home of a lamia or succubus, and appears
at first to be a place where all pleasures can be had.
8. This is the fort of a beast-lord or animal-king, and his
servants include those who can shift between animal and
human form.
9. This is a fort of an elder god of madness and all who follow
him bear his alien traits.
10. This is the hold of a powerful necromancer, served by his
undead servants.
11. This is a fort designed to hold an evil artifact. Inhabitants
are stressed by this and are wary of interlopers
12. This fort is run as a giant casino by a maniacal wizard
who's as interested in profit as he is by magic.

Reasons for Abandonment

1. Plague 6. Magical disaster

2. Infestation 7. Monster destruction
3. Fire 8. Divine wrath
4. Famine 9. Underdark horror
5. Invasion 10. Rebellion
220
Landmarks and features

1. Mounds, grown over with grass. Excavation may reveal

mysteries.
2. Ancient stone carvings, weathered and barely visible.
3. A circle of standing stones.
4. A mysterious dome rising from the surface. Perhaps it is
earth, or perhaps it covers something more strange.
5. A chunk of earth, several hundred feet to several miles, floats
above the surface.
6. Remnants of an ancient graveyard.
7. An obelisk rising from the surface, containing an ancient
script.
8. A space of rich earth, dark, freshly turned, with no vegetation
or stones.
9. An ancient skeleton of some gigantic creature.
10. Rubble made from giant stones, the remains of an ancient
stone building.
11. A cliff covered in unrecognizable marks and graffiti.
12. A small garden filled with web-covered, ancient, weathered,
statues
13. An ancient overgrown pool.
14. Crumbled remains of an ancient wall.
15. Broken remains of an ancient roadway.
16. A strange metal rod, unmovable, towering hundreds of feet
in the air.
17. An archaic overgrown shrine.
18. Piles of round, cylindrical stones.
19. A strange shallow pit that produces some rare substance
or material.
20. A gigantic stone head.

221
City/Village Generation

Description
Village Name, "Community Motto"
Descriptive Phrase: Bustling, Chaotic, Decadent, Decrepit, Empty,
Established, Growing, Loud, Meltingpot, Metropolitan, Modest, Prosperous,
Sprawling, Thriving, Vast

Districts

Shops, Inns/Locations:

Locations/Interesting Features: Agricultural (Granary) Ancestral homelands;

Animals/Zoo (Stable, Aviary); Castle/Fortification (Walls); Civic Virtue
(Forum, Senate House); College/School (Spells, Alchemy, Medicine, Library);
Districts (Neighborhoods, Wards, Burroughs, Cantons, Diocese, Precincts,
Quarters, Sectors, Turf, Zones); District Capitals (Multi-story building,
Underground Hangar or Cavern, Warehouse, Palace, Castle, Tower, Sewer
Section, Intersection, Open Square, Park, Maze, Church, Guild Hall, Section of
Docks, Cemetery, Hidden Area, Special Inn, Restaurant, Tavern); Holy (Religious,
Missionary, Convent, Monastery, Sacrificial Altar); Holy Site (Necropolis, Old
Ruins); Industry (Old, Current); Infrastructure (Roads, Aqueduct, Housing,
Markets, Services, Canals, Inns); Isolationist; Infamous (Criminals, Outcasts,
Rebels, Prisoners); Landmarks; Ley Line Nexus; Military; Port (Harbor, Docks,
Lighthouse); Prejudice; Royalty; Strategic/Defensible Location (Constructed
on Hills); Sports Center (Colosseum); Superstitious; Thieves Guild; Trade City;
Tourist Trap (Theater); Wealthy (Craft, Guild, Banks); Undercity; Unusual type
(Cloud, Subterranean, Treetop, Cliffside, Floating)

Resources: Animals (Elephants, Furs, Horses, Ivory, Whales); Climate Type

(Arctic, Sub-Arctic, Temperate, Moderate, Sub-Tropical, Tropical); Coast-land,
Fertile Farmland (Bananas, Corn, Rice, Wheat); Fishing (Clam, Crab, Fish);
Geography (High Mountains, Moderate Mountains, Low Mountains, Foothills,
Rolling Hills, Plains, Jungle, Dense Forest, Light Forest, Scrub, Grasslands, Barren,
Desert, Swamp) Hunting, Game (Deer); Medicinal/Alchemical Plants/Herbs
(Dye, Incense, Silk, Spices, Sugar, Wine); Mines (Iron, Gold, Silver, Gems, Copper,
Coal); Pasture (Cows, Sheep, Goats); Quarry (Marble, Stone); River, Timber;
Natural Industry (Quarry, Mill, Smelters, Magical Workshops); Magical
Resources (Ley Lines);

222
Demographics
Governments: Autocracy, Band Society, Bureaucracy, Chiefdom (Tribal),
Confederacy, Council, Democracy, Dictatorship, Feudalism, Geniocracy,
Gerontocracy, Gynarchy, Hierarchy, Kratocracy, Magocracy, Manorialism,
Matriarchy/Patriarchy, Meritocracy, Militocracy, Monarchy, Oligarchy,
Pedocracy, Plutocracy, Republic, Satrapy, Syndicracy, Theocracy, Timocracy,
Town Meeting
Population breakdown: Human, Elf, Dwarf, Gnome, Other
Languages Spoken*: B/X languages: Bugbear, Doppelganger, Dragon,
Dwarvish, Elvish, Gargoyle, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Halfling, Harpy,
Hobgoblin, Kobold, Lizard Man, Medusa, Minotaur, Ogre, Orc, Pixie,
Human

Optional Campaign Languages: Common (trade language), Fay, Dialects—

High/Grey/Wild (pixie-Farie, elf, grey), Lilliputian (gnome, halfling, burrowing
mammals), Hellion (goblinoid, orc), Montus (dwarven, undercommon), Canis
(gnoll/gnarl-ron/wolf-men), Homonid (ape), Jotnar (trolls/giants), Suidae
(boar-men), Ophidian (reptile/lizard-men), Arachnidia (spider), Chordata
(kuo-Toa, troglodites, bullywugs), Sign, Black Speech, High Ancient
Local Religions, Notable Non-Player Characters

Diversions

Obstacles: Anarchy; Barren; Black Wizardry; Civil Warfare (Class Warfare,

Racism, Civil Disunity); Corruption (Leaders, Bureaucracy, Secret Society,
Mercenary Populous, Cartels and Cabals, Noble Houses, Gangs);
Contaminated Land (Salt, Toxin, Supernatural, Ancient damage); Cursed;
Harsh Conditions (Brutal Cold, Rock slides, Volcanoes, Isolated, Near Large
Monster Lair); Hazardous Resource (Wasted Production); Hunted (Supernatural,
Human Raiders, Banditry, Monster Infested); Impoverished (Starvation);
Infamous; Natural Disasters (Tornadoes, Hurricanes, Flooding); Plague
(Magical, Natural, Curse); Population (No Workers, Unskilled Labor, Broken
Spirit, Unhappy Subjects, Shanty Town, Xenophobic population) Religious
Zealotry; Rebels (Exiled Lords); Ruinous Customs; Uncertain Ownership;
Undeveloped Land; Unquiet Dead;
Adventure seeds and local news

223
Castles

Castle Size
1-3 Four-walled open keep
4-6 Four-walled covered keep
7-8 Five to eight-walled covered keep
9 Small walled castle, two to four defensive towers
10 Medium walled castle, five to eight defensive towers
11 Large walled castle, nine to twelve defensive towers
12 Citadel
Castle Owner

Owner Level Patrol Pursue Ignore Friendly

Abandoned — — — — —
Monstrous * * * * *
Men * * * * *
Fighter 9-14 2d6 Heavy 1-3 4-5 6
Horsemen
Magic-User 11-14 2d6 Heavy 1 2-5 6
Footmen
Cleric 7-14 2d6 Medium 1-2 3-4 5-6
Horsemen

224
Monstrous inhabitants

Owner Level Patrol Pursue Ignore Friendly

Dwarf 9-12 None — 1-4 5-6
Elf 9-10 2d6 Elven Elk
Mounted Bowmen
Hill Giant — 1d4+1 Giants, 1-4 5 6
1d2 Mastadons
Gnome 4 2d6 Gnomes 1-2 3-5 6
Gnoll 3 3d6 Gnolls 1-4 5-6 —
Goblin 1 6d10 Goblins, 1-4 5 6
3d6 Wolf-rider
Halfling 8 3d6 Halflings 1 2 3-6
Hobgoblin 5 4d8 1-4 5-6 —
Hobgoblins
Ogre 4 2d6 Ogres 1-4 5 6
Orc 1 1d6×10 Orcs 1-4 5 6
Pixie* 1 — — 1-6 —
Sprite* 1 — — 1-6 —
*Pixies and Sprites inhabit abandoned human castles, and do
not reveal themselves to visitors

Men

Owner Level Patrol Pursue Ignore Friendly

Brigand 9-11 1d4×10 1-4 5 6
Brigands
Bandit 9-10 3d10 Bandits 1-3 4-5 6
Merchants 5 1d20 1 level
st
1 2-3 4-6
Fighters
Berserker 1 3d10 Berserkers 1-2 3-4 5-6
Dervish 10 (1d6+1)×10 1-3 4-5 6
Dervishes

225
10 Dungeon Doors
1. The raising classic A classic wooden door which refuses
to open conventionally and resists an unexpected amount
of force. The secret is that this door slides upward instead
of opening on hinges, the wood planks extending down
and up into the surrounding structure, giving that extra
strength.
2. The lyin’ maiden This iron door is covered with nasty
spikes on the inside and leads through to a small space
also littered with dangerous spikes. As the door is almost
fully closed, the spikes quickly retract, revealing another
door to continue through.
3. Cavity column What appears to be just a regular column
will, with a bit of effort, spin around in place, eventually
revealing a narrow opening. Inside the opening sits a stone
carved ladder leading downward into darkness.
4. Member’s entry An inviting finger-sized hole is the
only feature in this hard-to spot door. Only a poking finger
wearing a very particular ring into the mysterious hole will
gain you entry to this door; all others will find themselves
short a finger.
5. The Spinner An unmoving handle sits in the center of a
round door. Those familiar with the door know that the
body of the door must be rotated three full turns before it
will swing open.
6. Mutual entry This reinforced wooden door has a small
grate in the center, which can be spoken but not seen
through, and will only open when the handle is turned on
both sides simultaneously.

226
7. Krull the ancient Once Krull was the most advanced
dwarven technology around. Now Krull is a forgetful door
blessed with what is questionably sentience. Krull is usually
given some entry conditions to go by but can fairly easily
be tricked into opening up.
8. Leather ribbons Hanging from the top of the doorway
are a series of long leather strips dangling all the way to
the ground. This allows for easy hands-free passage
without letting the flies in or the warmth out.
9. World door A hefty door which appears older than the
world itself. In a vertical line from top to bottom are keyholes
with distinct designs for each of the world’s races.
10. Winter wall A magical force keeps icy water from
freezing as it cascades in a flat sheet out of the top of an
arched passage. Where the water has escaped on either
side, it has frozen into a hard and lumpy protective sheet of
ice.

227
Appendix F. Example Villages

Sowton Port
Sowton port is a village of 216 people far past its prime. Once
a larger port city, changing conditions and political pressures
have relegated it to a small secondary port. Sowton is known
for its many fountains, now fallen into disrepair, and brickwork
that is tinted and stained yellow due to sulfuic impurities in the
clay. There is a consistent odor of rotten eggs that hangs over
the city, but people quickly acclimate.

Description: A sleepy Chaotic port village, filled with decayed

fountains and broken yellow brick.

"Ex Aqua Veritas" - In water, truth

Demographics

Government: The government is effectively a syndicracy, run

by a guild of smugglers. There is little menace in their rule, they
have as much interest in keeping the peace as any citizen. No
exorbitant fees are charged standard merchants and the docks
are safe. However, shipments of illegal goods and highly
dubious practices are performed without concern for the law.

Population: The population is primarily human, mostly single

men between 20-40. There is a substantial (~20%) proportion
of non-humans, primarily elves, half-elves, and lizard men.

Languages Spoken: Human regional dialect, Ophidian, Elven,

Common

228
Local Religions: Enoasor is venerated. He is portrayed as a
short elderly man who is a patron of music. His outfit often
encompasses musical note designs. He is also known to steal
and exact vengeance secretly. His worshipers often shave the
sides and back of their heads

Noteable NPCs: Ichabob Barney is the town leader. He holds

no office, but is recognized as the person to get things done.
He is missing an eye, and his voice often goes out. He views
himself as very honorable.

Jon Rundig runs the local record house, which acts as the official
leadership for the town. His hair is styled into a pompadour
and he has a large beard. He is one of the few married people
in town, his husband Lake is the owner of the Hook and Pole, a
local general store.

Districts

Shops: The Hook and Pole, a general goods store run by Lake
Rundig.

Swamp Leathers, a clothing store specializing in leather goods,

run by Aelfar, a half-elf with a goatee who is crisp and taciturn.

Inns: The Bailiff's Arms, usually has good pork and ale available.
Owned by a lizard-man named Lithid, but run by a bald skinny
human named Ralpon Wund. It offers two "common rooms"
upstairs at the price of 4 cp to sleep among however many
people stay.

Features: There are over 40 fountains in town, in various state

of disrepair, including a half-dozen that extend out over the
water. They are made from granite and marble, and most are
coated in heavy algae.

229
Constricted Pillars are 4 15´-18´ pillars that stand near the
center of town. They are frequently used to post messages, as
well as dares among any youth to climb. The view of the top
grants vision out to a distance of 6 miles.

There is a belltower (Green Belltower) that has a quite spacious

ground floor that is used for meetings and other official
functions.

Men for Hire: Shalin Dade, a half-elf who has his sights set on
greater riches. He's quite agile and fancies being an acrobat.
He has poor mastery of the bow.

Philum Wendt is a dirty man with dirty pockets he carries a knife,

a jewel worth 30 gp, and has two very obedient pet ferrets.

Oriana Yun is a half-elf huntress. She dislikes people, being

taciturn in her manner, but mildly autistic in her relations with
people. She is very attractive but is usually covered in mud and
dirt and doesn't like to smile.

Saul, a rogue with a wide grin.

Aol, an old blind man who's looking for somewhere more

pleasant to die.

Resources: Animals (leather bearing) Coastland, Fishing,

Medicinal Plants

230
Diversions

Obstacles: Smugglers, thieves.

Adventure Seeds and Local News: Recently, the local lord has
sent troops into town to arrest Bili Rogvald, under suspicion of
illegal activity. Various factions would like to make sure he
doesn't talk, free him from prison, or find out what he was
arrested for.

The party hears a rumor that swamp leather workers have

been selling human skin. Is it true?

Ichabob has heard about the adventures of the party and

invites them to a dinner party at the Green Belltower. He wants
to offer them a job. Is it a setup, or is the job legitimate?

Names: Naiara, Ion, Jaabir, Kanika, Samihah, Ballentun

231
Carwyn's Gate
The town of Carwyn's Gate is a bustling city of 3,669 people.
It is in the center of several smaller villages and hamlets and
serves as a local meeting place and landmark. Most
construction in the city is of wood, including its distinctive triple
external walls and its somewhat advanced and imposing
aqueduct.

Description: Bustling Lawful town, known for its wooden walls

and construction

"Tellus Nos Defendit"—The Earth Protects Us.

Demographics

Government: Feudal, town is managed by a council of city

elders, nominally subservient to the nearby Duke Deniel Paol.

Population: There are around 682 human households (average

slightly more than 5 people per household) and assorted
humans (3,416 humans total). There are about 200 half-elves
who make their home in the city, along with 2 extended halfling
families (133 total halflings). There are somewhere around 120
gnomes and dwarves who live in the city, but no family groups.
The city has a floating population of somewhere between an
additional 500-2,000 people depending on the day, bursting
upwards of 5,000 people on market fair days.

Languages Spoken: Common, Human regional dialect

232
Local Gods & Religions: Adea is the goddess of fortune and
travel. She is a young maiden with large hips and a round
belly, and golden hair with dark skin. Her eyes are the color of
rubies, and what little clothing she has is golden plates with the
forms of various animals upon them. Many shrines of hers
abound in the city, filled with fresh water. Coins and small gifts
are left at the base for the destitute and needy travelers.

Rame is a short, fat, rotund deity of summer and earth. His skin
is a wooden bronze, and his eyes are pupilless and white. He
wears the skin of a stag, and its antlers protrude over his head.
He is otherwise naked and well endowed. There are no shrines
to Rame, but his mark of an angle and a line arranged like an
axe is carved into any wooden structure built by his worshipers.
On weekly holy days sacrifices of blood are made near the
roots of trees.

Notable NPCs: Celeste Adebola is a very talented halfling

jeweler, whose work is said to rival that of the dwarves.

Districts

Inns: The Castle, known for its roasted meats, particularly elk. It
is run by Vahagn Jarrett and his wife. Vahagn is 63, grizzled,
with braided hair and a low-pitched voice, and has a hook for
a left hand. He is grouchy and kind. His wife is plump and
astoundingly beautiful.

The Druid's Lute, known for meals free of animal products, with
convincing imitations. Few actually know that the baked beef
doesn't actually have any beef in it. It's run by Sky Riverride, a
well-groomed, pock-marked half-elf. He is 34 and owns the
building and frequently comes out and leers at the guests.

233
Locations: Baroque Hill of the Holy Lady. A weatherworn statue
of a hooded woman sits atop this hill, the inscription worn
away by time.

Prince Bel's Park, an old battle site, overgrown and decrepit.

Lonely Gate is the smallest entry into the city, barely large
enough for a horse and rider. It is always manned, day and
night.

The undersewers are ignored and maligned, but are actually

connected to the ruins of an ancient civilization.

Men for Hire: Gayla Caitlin is a noble woman who is unwilling

to agree to an arranged marriage and has settled for exile
instead.

Rodolph, a reptilian man, who wields a large greatsword. Says

little. Probably has psychic powers.

Nyree Timaios, an albino sorceress in white gossamer robes.

Wears a collar of gold. Her teeth are sharpened, and her
mucus membranes are dark black.

Theodosia Marlee, a religious squire. Red hair, happy, bright

and brave.

Georgiana, a beteran and polearm specialist. Disheveled.

Possibly a little crazy.

Bertha, thin halfling with a large head. Sneaky, has many

delusional beliefs that she is reluctant to share. Looking for a
golden dagger.

Plus up to 2d8 more people per week, due to the transient

population.

234
Resources: Moderate, Fertile Farmland (wheat), Geography
(plains/light forest), Hunting/Game, Pastures (cows/sheep),
Timber

Diversions

Obstacles: Transient populations, drinkers, thieves

Adventure Seeds & Local News: A local physickers guild has

ejected Eugenia Melanthios for unsavory practices and
violating the guild rules and standards of practices. Rumor has
it that she swore revenge and disappeared.

The old weaver house, long used as a guildhall for the rugmaker
guild, has been boarded up and closed down, due to reports
of a curse involving miniature demons.

There's a new scam being perpetrated against the wives of

law officers while they are on duty, and Archimedes Rhode
Barrister for the Carriage Maker's Coalition has been
imprisoned for it, but he protests his innocence.

Names: Yasur, Ralin, Phuad, Danar, Ptolemaios, Bion Andreas,

Mael Diodotus, Ligeia, Charissa, Jordan, Kallie, Xander, Gyles
Winter

235
Sludgebridge
This is the hamlet of Sludgebridge, a small community near a
bridge and a swamp. The settlement's foundation was unstable,
and the elaborate three walls that once protected it are now
fallen into semi-ruin. It has a series of fountains in the center
built long ago when the hamlet was more prosperous. In spite
of its out of the way location, the bridge crossing a nearby river
makes for a bustling local scene. There are usually swamp
natives, lizard men, or other denizens crossing near this hamlet.

Description: Chaotic, small swamp hamlet, known for

protecting a bridge crossing.

"Nature, Progress, Trickery"

Demographics

Government: Sludgebridge ruled by a Awnalper Moorqray, a

human tribal chieftain. He is a swamp native, now returned
from wider travels. He takes the counsel of his immediate family
regarding issues in the community.

Population: Sludgebridge has a population of 57. This includes

two extended human families (one of 18 members, the other
having 7), 14 half-orcs, 12 lizardfolk, and 6 other creatures.
There is a good deal of intermixing of family members. There is
also a fair amount of traffic across the bridge from nearby
denizens and local fauna. The two largest families are the
Moorqrays and the Guilberts

Languages Spoken: Common, Lizardfolk, Orcish, and a

smattering of Sylvan

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Local Religions: Kralar, a local swamp and nature deity, is
worshiped. She is believed to protect the town, and appears
as a woman with sallow skin and a painted body, who wears
a large straw hat that hides her face with silks that drape from
it, obscuring her lithe form. Her skin is said to be covered in
scales, and she can walk upon water as if it were dry land.

There are many small shrines around the hamlet devoted to

her, and she is the centerpiece of the three fountains in the
center of town.

Noteable NPC': Awnalper Moorqray, who is both head of his

clan and the city's leader.

Zenusk Guilbert, who is the head of the other clan in the hamlet.

Districts

Shops: Cottage of the Traveler's Halberd: Run by Ernest

Guilbert. He is a winemaker and seller with a large common
room, and often rents out a small cottage nearby to travelers
who need to stay the night.

The Butcher's: An unnamed "shop"; this is Karsskt, a local lizard

man who will butcher anything, but keeps and specializes in
chicken.

Alain's Pastries: A shop run by Alain Grassleaf, a halfling pastry

chef who attempts to bake decent bread products in the humid
swampland.

Borsht's: This is a cobbler's shop run by Borsht, a half-orc.

Although he specializes in shoes, it's also the only place to
purchase supplies or other gear in limited numbers at exorbitant
prices. He is in a relationship with Lisstz.

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Inns: There are no inns, the place is too small to support them.
There is a "common house" used as both a town hall and for
worship that visitors can sleep in for shelter from the elements.
Sometimes Ernest Guilbert will rent out his cottage to travelers.

Features: The settlement is unsurprisingly somewhat insular

and mildly hostile to outsiders. The people ask for top coin for
services that they will give to locals for free.

The Bellgroveridge Catacomb has been closed off for years.

The hamlet was once protected by a strong triple wall, but

being built on the unstable swamp, the wall has shifted and is
in partial collapse. It is not very high at this point, six feet at its
peak, but once it stood twice that high. There is more than one
area where the wall is nothing more than a mound of rubble.

There are three fountains in the center of the hamlet. The middle
one has a representation of Kralar, and she is said to bless all
those who donate money to the god by throwing coins in the
pond. These are collected by Awnalper's children at night
under cover of darkness, and they bring home the coins which
mostly go to the hamlet's budget.

Jackal Steps, a nearby tor has a fantastic view of the surrounding

countryside.

The bridge over the river is wide, stable, and made of stone. It
is titled the Stoic Stygian bridge, as noted by the brass plaque
embedded in the stonework. Locals often congregate to fish off
the bridge.

Men for Hire: Morrakkim, a fat human clockmaker. He is brave.

Rothvorer, a corpulent half-orc cleric. She is coy and is very

focused on money. She has some financial interest in the form
of a loan, she's looking to recover.
238
Alexandre Moorquay, a grizzled mercenary spellsword who's
willing to act as a swamp guide. He is proficient in no less than
three instruments and desires mastery of the violin.

Filizz, a dwarf-sized bee person. She speaks Common poorly

and can fly for short periods. She is very depressed and seeks
friendship, but is shy and introverted.

Resources: Fishing, Geography (swamp/marsh), Hunting/

Game (elk), Medicinal/Alchemical Plants/Herbs, River

Diversions

Obstacles: Harsh conditions, natural disasters (flooding)

Adventure Seeds and Local News: Serenia Guilbert has

recently married Aaron Moorqray and everyone has an opinion
about their union.

While they are in town, a large force of bullywugs stage a raid.

Jurzzzst, a lizard man is in the town square trying to sell a hydra

egg.

Locals often take bets on contests at night in the common house,

on locals fighting wild swamp beasts

Names:

Lizard men: Blud, Kalard, Hee'la, Scarl, Sensiss

Men: Marcel, Abel, Hugues, Julien, Leon

Women: Lucille, Orianne, Ambre, Anais, Charlotte

239
Densay
Densay is a small town of 1,182 people and is a town on the
fringes of civilized lands near a swamp. There are a large
number of wizards in the town and it is ruled harshly by a
Rakshasa named Ori. The town is extremely orderly and clean
with a golden and bejeweled public square, whose beauty in
the marshland is only marred by the torture of those who are
about to be eaten.

Most of the population has near fanatical support for Ori,

because those that show doubt, despair or apathy are the first
to die. Many people view this as a wonderful place to live.
Taxes are non-existent, people are extremely safe, the town is
beautiful, and as long as you capture someone to take your
place when your lot is called or you have an essential job, you
don't have anything to worry about. You aren't oppressed!
Someday you'll be in charge.

Description: Chaotic, A frontier swamp town with wizards

ruled by a despotic monster.

"Splendorem, et immortalitatis"; in splendor lies immortality.

The town is exquisitely designed, which does nothing to
camouflage the plight of the people.

Demographics

Government: Dictatorship of a Rakshasa named Ori, enforced

by his elite lizard man and bullywug guards.

Population: There are 320 human households (average less

than 3 people) and assorted humans. (934 humans total), and
40 elven households (1.47 average) and assorted elves (59
elves total). Half-elves count 35 in number and half-orcs count
24. There are 118 lizard men of the Snapper Reed clan in the
town, and 12 odd bullywugs who work exclusively for Ori.
240
Languages Spoken: Common, Human regional dialect,
Ophidian. A few townmembers and the bullywugs speak
Chordata.

Local Religions: Worship is solely of a goddess of destruction.

All other worship is officially outlawed. She is an aspect of
Shiva (Bhaal in the Forgotten Realms, Nerull in Greyhawk). The
followers are called "The Faithful of the Transcendent Worm".
Solemn daily prayers are required, and having a family and
children are discouraged. Apathy and despair in the face of
this plight are viewed as the highest sin. Children come of age
at 9 and are separated from their parents and perform
distasteful religious service before reentering society.
Cannibalism is frequently performed, and outsiders are
eventually converted or killed.

There is a small rebel sect worshiping Pamora, a goddess of

hope (Sune in the Forgotten Realms, Ehlonna in Greyhawk)/

Notable NPCs: Ori is the mayor of the town. He is a Rakshasa

and is creepy and adventurous. He regularly terrorizes the
townsfolk, who are his primary food source.

Otnief Zaro, a suave wizard who speaks out against the rule of
Ori. She has had bad experiences, so she refuses to associate
with new people.

Amubas is a wealthy trader who recently survived a poisoning

attempt. Although this lizard man is grossly fat, he aspires to be
a mighty warrior.

241
Districts

Shops: Domma Portia's Secret Shop sells small charms and

trinkets. Run by Domma Portia's daughter, Wynna. Domia is
old, but lives.

Nottingmoor Ranges is a bower with some selection of leather

items. The proprietor is a grizzled half-elf, Gwindili, who's
drunk more than half the time, yet holds his liquor well and
keeps it close to the chest. He is a middling shot, though believes
his skill is much greater.

Bodhouse Mason contains a small forge, where metal weapons

are produced. It's run by a human smith named Exas Goodwe
and his lizard man apprentices Sumadea and Apingin.

Inns: Guantlet's Bar, famous for breaded goose. This bar is

probably the most exciting place in town at night; most people
gather here because of long-ago enchantments that prevent
overhearing other people's conversations

The Sign of the White Ogre is an inn named after a nearby

swamp legend. It is clean inside and has a quiet calm nightly
demeanor.

Features: The Green Spire is the home of Valor Enlor, a powerful

wizard.

The Stalker Bell Campus is a small area of study of sorcerous

pursuits.

The Scarster Bastion is the central keep of Densay and the well-
fortified domain of Ori

The Quartal Square is a place of astounding beauty, offset only

by the public displays of punishments of the guilty.

242
Men for Hire: Mr. Higgens, a quiet, stout, bald man who picks
at his fingers with a knife.

Furi Malhammer a bombastic dwarven female who is in a

wheelchair.

Blopti Virison is an ex-viking, who's looking to become a

wizard.

Kurabu is a lizard man who has better places to be. This only
partially has to do with the people who want his hide.

Vanka Zleska is a bigoted gypsy. She tells jokes and presents a

helpful front, but is a perennial procrastinator and obstructs
others. She carries a bloodstained net.

Resources: Climate (sub-tropical), Fishing, Geography

(swamp), Medicinal/Alchemical Plants/Herbs, Natural Industry
(magical workshops), Magical Resources (ley lines)

Diversions

Obstacles: Harsh conditions (isolated, near large monster lair),

corruption of leaders, black wizardry, unhappy and xenophobic
population, religious zealotry

243
Strange Funeral Rites
1. Rite of the Weeping Moon: This rite is done under the light of
the crescent moon. Those at the funeral dance and sing songs
as if they are in reverse, while the priest kills a bird of paradise
and rubs the blood all over the body of the deceased. Once
completed, a bereaved family member stuffs the corpse’s
mouth full of moth pupas. It is believed this ritual keeps the spirit
trapped in the body.

2. Presence of Sculpture: Rods are placed in the appendages,

head, back, and neck of the deceased allowing the body to be
manipulated into a desired pose (not always dignified, to be
honest). Once the pose is chosen the corpse is dipped in a pool
of molten metal, turning the corpse into a sculpture. Richer
and/or more important individuals are dipped in valuable
metals rather than just bronze or steel. Their faces, clothing,
and other details are painstakingly recreated so the sculpture
looks as close to the individual as possible. Finally, the sculpture
is adorned in gems. The poor are often faceless and dipped in
tin and criminals are dipped in lead.

3. The Dance of Ash: A jar of holy elemental fireflies are

released over the body. These creatures flutter about before
landing on the body and setting it alight. The body burns to ash
as the on-lookers cry, weep, and thrash in a melodramatic
manner. Once the body has been consumed, participants
spread the ash on themselves and all form a line and begin to
dance and sing in unison. Their movements are twitchy and
indecent; the song is droning, almost monotone. Once finished
the participants wander off home, not speaking a word to
anyone until the sun rises.

4. The Consumption: This rite arose during a time of blight and

extreme famine and is still practiced to this day. The body of
the deceased is buried in a roasting pit (think of a pig roast)
and cooked with special herbs and spices for 12 hours. Once
244
the body is cooked the family consumes it in a feast of the ages.
This rite is to recognize the importance of no food going to
waste. Guests of honor will be invited to eat as well. Refusal is
a horrible offense.

5. The Withering: When a person is near death, they are taken

to the village witch, who rubs their body in oils and herbs.
Once ready, the person is lowered down into the Hallowed
Hovel where the Great Spider lies. Within minutes the Great
Spider goes to work, wrapping the person in a thick cocoon of
webbing while it drains their blood, creating a mummified
husk. The body is brought back up and displayed in the family’s
house for 10 years before being moved to an underground
mausoleum where bodies are stacked high.

6. The Feast: Bodies of the deceased are placed in a large vat

that is two stories tall filled with worms. These worms consume
the bodies, releasing a nutrient-rich excrement that is used to
fertilize village crops. At the bottom of the vat is a lever; when
pulled the fertilizer is released in globs (like thick curdled frozen
yogurt) into a trough to be collected for use.

7. Final Grievances: The body is posed in a chair while wearing

bright clown clothing and paint. All the townsfolk are given thin
clubs and form a line in front of the body. One by one each
person stands in front of the corpse, stating a grievance they
had with the person when alive and strikes the body with the
club. A person can list as many grievances as they desire. If the
club breaks, they are done. Once all townsfolk have aired their
grievances, the body is tossed into a pit.

8. The Glass Coffin: A row of glass coffins adorned with silver

filigree sits on a bare hill above the cemetery, called The Death
Watch. The bodies of the recently departed are placed naked
in one of these coffins and are observed by their family as they
decompose. The purpose of the Death Watch is to assure the
corpse does not rise as the undead. The family is required sit at
245
the Death Watch each day for an hour over the course of a
month. After that time, the body is removed from the coffin and
buried in the cemetery.

9 The Witness: When a crime against someone results in their

death, the dead are given a final moment to profess their killer.
The head of the corpse is removed and taken to the Wax Witch
at the outskirts of town. The Wax Witch places the head in her
cauldron, working her magic and boiling the head down to a
pulpy wax. Once complete, the Wax Witch takes the wax and
creates a black candle. This candle is placed in the neck of the
corpse and lit; a cold blue flame flickers and dances and the
voice of the deceased is heard. This enchantment allows the
victim to speak to their killer a final time (oftentimes unmasking
the mystery of their death, etc.). There is a 25% chance that the
deceased will also share some secret from the world beyond.

10 Secrets of the Dead: The dead tell stories that no living

creature can. The town sage employs Moss-sprites who strip
off the flesh of the deceased and tan it under the moonlight for
two months while the sage rubs it in scented lavender oil. Once
the skin is cured, written messages begin to appear. These
words form secrets, myths, and stories about the dead and the
world beyond. This ever-growing book of the dead is highly
sought after by magic-users, other sages, and collectors.

246
 Activity Procedure Page
Navigation 2d6+Int mod+Cha mod 16
Adornment 2 gp for 1 xp, 200 gp max 50
Carousing Spend 1 week and 1d8×100 gp 50
Philanthropy Save vs. spells
Orgies Save vs. poison
Study Save vs. paralysis
Gourmandizing Save vs. rods, staves, and wands
Sacrifice Sacrifice living or spend gold for rewards 54
Rumors 1d4×10 gp + reaction roll 55
Healing 1 day of rest to restore 1d3 hp 55
Relaxation 1 week for +1 hit point per Hit Die 55
Rodomontade 1 week bragging, +5% XP 55
Scouting 1 week planning, +1 on saves 56
Talents 3000 gp + 3 months 56
Learning Skills 1000 gp + 1 month 56
Proficiency 1000 gp + 1 week 57
Income Work 1 month, no expenses + gp 57
Crafting Items 5 gp per day, pay /2 price for mats 58
1

Raising Statistic 2,000 gp and 1 month, max 16 58

Arcane Library 10,000 gp per spell level/
50,000 gp research bonus
Scribing Scroll 5 level, 500 gp & 1 week per spell level 59
th

Brew Potion 5 level, minimum 250 gp and 1 week 59

th

Magic Items 9 level, 1 day per 500 gp 60

th

Alchemical Item 3 level, 1 day per 60 gp 60

rd

Spell Research 1,000 gp and 2 weeks per level 61

Arena Fights Purse: 1d6×100 gp×character level 63
Assassination Use move silently to assassinate target 66
Theft Use pick pockets to steal goods 66
Racketeering Use move silently to racketeer 67
Banditry Use open locks to rob a trade passage 67
Gambling Use find/remove traps to gamble 67
Recruit Hireling 1 gp / month 70
Recruit Specialist Cost varies, Reaction roll 9+ 72
Recruit Henchmen 1%-4% of henchmen per 10 gp spent 76

247
 Activity Procedure Page
Protege Spend gp for xp boost on new PC 87
Congregants 1,000 gp for 1d10+ 1/2 Cha followers 92
Locate Buyer Reaction roll 9+, time based on value 105
Haggling Reaction roll + offer, 6+ 105
Investment Yearly payout. Stable 1d6-2%, Risky 106
1d20-11%, Volatile 50-1d100%
Lifestyle Required payment monthly 107
Clan Hoard Gain 10% of gold spent in XP, access 107
to clan or guild rewards

248
 Seasonal Events
- No Event
- Accident
- Bad Weather
- Banditry and Brigandage
- Birth
- Celebrity
- Comet
- Corruption
- Death
- Diplomatic Event
- Famine
- Festival
- Feud
- Fire
- Haunting
- Magical Events
- Marriage
- Monsters
- Natural Disaster
- Notable Personage
- Plague or Illness
- Raiders and Raiding
- Religion
- Refugees
- Uprising or Rebellion
- Visitation
- War
* Events occur at variable rates, create your own d100 table
with percentages appropriate to your campaign

249
Bibliography
The definitive Medieval Demographics Made Easy, by S. John
Ross

Hamilton, Marcus J., Milne, Bruce T. Walker, Robert S. and

Brown, James H. 2007. Nonlinear scaling of space use in
human hunter-gatherers. Proceedings of the National Academy
of Sciences 104(11): 4765-4769. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0611197104

Medieval Demographics Made Broader, Forum Post: http://

www.thecbg.org/index.php?topic=209514.0

Food and Nutrition Facts http://www.pensee.com/dunham/

facts/food.html

Raggi, J. 2013. Lamentations of the Flame Princess: Weird

Fantasy Role-Playing: Player Core Book, Rules & Magic. Art-
free Complimentary Version https://www.drivethrurpg.com/
product/115059/LotFP-Rules--Magic-Free-Version

Macris, Alex. Allison, Tavis. Tito, Greg. 2011. Adventurer

Conqueror King System. https://www.drivethrurpg.com/
product/99123/Adventurer-Conqueror-King-System

250
"Call it spreadsheets and sorcery again
and I'll have your tongue!"

Adventurer
Conqueror
King System
"Epic-scale world construction rules... in the sandbox spirit of the
hobby's earliest campaigns" - Allen Varney
Available now at DriveThruRPG
252
About the Author
Courtney lives in the Ozarks
with his wonderful daughter and
loving cat. He never thought he
would be described that way in
the back of a book just like all
the authors he read growing up.
He plays Dungeons and Dragons
since he got a player's handbook
with his father back in 1982. After 20 years of public service,
he now writes and illustrates fantasy gaming materials full time.
He is three feet long and covered with fur.

253
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