Trading Posts 2 - Community - Balance Of Powers: A5E

# Resident Population How large is the population that lives there? This usually has a relationship with the **size** of the trading post, but in some cases they may be disproportionate. Perhaps the trading post was once thriving but, after some time (or for some reason), its population started leaving. Perhaps there are few permanent structures but many people are trying to stay, perhaps making camp outside the settlement. Why might this be? Seasonal traffic? A large refuge population? Aspects that initially appear to be at odds can lead to interesting opportunities for storytelling. | 1d20 | Resident Population | | ----- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | 1-2 | **Nearly Deserted.** There are many empty houses and businesses. (+2 to *Crime* roll) | | 3-6 | **Sparse.** There are some empty houses and businesses. (+1 to *Crime* roll) | | 7-14 | **Appropriate.** Homes and businesses are comfortably populated. (+0 to *Crime* roll) | | 15-18 | **Congested.** Movement is difficult. Homes and common buildings are often at capacity. (-1 to *Crime* roll) | | 19-20 | **Overwhelmed.** The trading post cannot support this many people. Movement is extremely difficult. Tent and shanty towns have cropped up along the outskirts of the settlement. (-2 to *Crime* roll) | ^cecf9a # Demographics Who lives in the trading post? Depending on where it is, the residents may be a single race, such as a mountain trading post populated only by dwarves, or many, such as in a bustling port. These distributions are meant to be adapted to wherever you decide the settlement will be. Base what races you choose to use on the surrounding **environment** and/or **politics**. | 1d20 | Demographics | | ----- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1-5 | **Only One.** 100% primary race. | | 6-10 | **Only Two.** 60% primary race, 40% secondary race. | | 11-14 | **Normal Distribution.** 50% primary race, 25% secondary race, 15% tertiary race, 10% other. | | 15-17 | **Wide Distribution.** 20% primary race. All others reasonably well represented. | | 18-19 | **High and Low.** 80% primary race, 20% secondary race. | | 20 | **Ever-Changing.** No discernible distribution. Racial representation lacks any sense of numerical dominance. | ^d8a891 # Disposition The residents of a trading post will typically have a prevailing opinion of visitors, which will affect their disposition towards them. The table below will suggest an overall attitude that visitors might experience when arriving. This does not mean all residents hold this perspective, but it will simply be the most common. Trading posts live and die based on **visitor traffic**, so you may feel a particular disposition does not make sense. A trading post hostile toward visitors should have a very good reason, as their prosperity requires the business of visitors. | 1d20 | Disposition | | ----- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1-2 | **Hostile.** Locals seem very unfriendly toward visitors, and would likely make out-of-towners feel unwelcome. This could manifest as coldness, passive-aggressiveness, or even violence. | | 3-6 | **Unfriendly.** Locals don’t care much for visitors, looking upon them with contempt, fear, or suspicion. | | 7-14 | **Neutral.** Locals are standoffish, or perhaps hard on the outside, but can be friendly, if you get to know them. | | 15-18 | **Friendly.** Locals are generally friendly, welcoming, and slow to take offense. | | 19-20 | **Open.** The locals actively enjoy visitors, and their culture incorporates this. Just about anyone is welcome. | ^ade85c # Law Enforcement Does the trading post have a law enforcement presence? Who oversees it? Is it enough to affect the chances of being assaulted on the streets, in a tavern, or in a back alley? How close should a traveler hold onto their coin purse? How might this affect the behavior of party members who are prone to pick a pocket from time to time? | 1d20 | Law Enforcement | | ----- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1-2 | **None.** This could be good or bad, depending on one’s point of view. Good, if the folk here are just that. Bad when mob justice is carried out on a petty thief. (-8 to *Crime* roll) | | 3-6 | **Sheriff.** A single sheriff and a deputy keep things civil. (-4 to *Crime* roll) | | 7-14 | **Small Local Watch.** A sheriff, a deputy, and a handful of volunteer residents make up a token watch presence. (+0 to *Crime* roll) | | 15-18 | **Well-Equipped.** Law enforcement is very common. (+4 to *Crime* roll) | | 19-20 | **Overwhelming Presence.** Law enforcement is always around in public, no matter what. (+8 to *Crime* roll) | ^0caa92 # Leadership Separate from law enforcement, who guides the trading post? Sometimes this could be one person, or a group. Most successful settlements will naturally require a hand of leadership to make important decisions relating to the overall direction it will take. | 1d20 | Leadership | | ----- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1 | **No Leader.** The trading post operates with no leadership, which could lead to unresolved disputes. | | 2-4 | **Hereditary.** A non-elected leader is in power, by virtue of their bloodline. | | 5-7 | **Merchant Monarch.** The wealthiest shop owner in the trading post leads by default. | | 8-10 | **Underworld or Criminal Enterprise.** A criminal, or group of criminals, either publicly, or privately, controls the trading post. | | 11-13 | **Oligarchy.** A few individuals hold sway, collectively, over the trading post. [Roll1d4]: 1: merchants (plutocracy); 2: mages (magocracy); 3: priests (theocracy); 4: other small group. | | 14-16 | **Local Council.** Prominent members of the community were chosen to lead the trading post collectively. | | 17-19 | **Single, elected leader.** The locals democratically voted for their current leader. | | 20 | **Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune.** The members of the trading post take turns as a sort of executive officer for the week. | ^88c846 # Population Wealth How wealthy is the population in general? How does this affect the happiness of the general population and the prices for goods and services? The wealth of the population could have an effect on **crime**. The motivations for crime have a lot to do with two ends of a spectrum: desperation and greed. Imagine a trading post which is destitute. The thieves there are, most likely, stealing out of desperation, rather than greed. On the other hand, in an affluent trading post, it is more likely to be the other way round. A trading post that is destitute or impoverished could mean that the majority of crimes are perpetrated by residents, trying to survive. One that is wealthy or affluent could lead to more crime carried out by visitors, drawn in by talk of the riches of residents. **Modified by: [[Journeys-DM/Settlements/Trading Posts/Trading Posts 1 - Basic Information#Condition|Condition]]** | 1d20 | Population Wealth | | ----- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1-2 | **Destitute.** Most of the population consistently lacks the barest essentials of what they need to survive. (-4 to *Crime* roll) (-2 to *Quality* rolls) | | 3-6 | **Impoverished.** Around half of the population struggles to carve out even a meager existence. (-2 to *Crime* roll) (-1 to *Quality* rolls) | | 7-14 | **Average.** Most of the population have enough to live a modest life. (+0 to *Crime* roll) (+0 to *Quality* rolls) | | 15-17 | **Prosperous.** Most of the population has enough to live a good life and, of them, a fair amount can even live comfortably. (-1 to *Crime* roll) (+0 to *Quality* rolls) | | 18-19 | **Wealthy.** Nearly everyone has what they need to live comfortably, many are able to live well, and some are very prosperous. (-2 to *Crime* roll) (+2 to *Quality* rolls) | | 20 | **Affluent.** Nearly everyone is able to live comfortably, with a significant portion living in luxury. (-4 to *Crime* roll) (+3 to *Quality* rolls) | ^e893c9 >[!question] All Minuses? > The minuses to crime on this table represent reasons why there might be more crime, based on population wealth. If wealth is low, crime is likely due to desperation. If wealth is high, it’s likely due to greed. # Crime Crime encompasses activities such as robbery, confidence games, and muggings, sometimes even murder. How likely are these kinds of things to happen in the trading post? Do coin purses and trinkets go missing often? Are there grifters running cons on the street? How frequently are people being assaulted while walking home at night? **Modified by: [[Journeys-DM/Settlements/Trading Posts/Trading Posts 2 - Community#Resident Population|Resident Population]], [[Journeys-DM/Settlements/Trading Posts/Trading Posts 1 - Basic Information#Visitor Traffic|Visitor Traffic]], [[Journeys-DM/Settlements/Trading Posts/Trading Posts 2 - Community#Law Enforcement|Law Enforcement]], [[Journeys-DM/Settlements/Trading Posts/Trading Posts 2 - Community#Population Wealth|Population Wealth]]** | 1d20 | Crime | | ----- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1-2 | **Regular.** The streets are crawling with criminals, and a purse unstowed is almost sure to be snatched. (+4 to *[[Urban Encounters]]* rolls) | | 3-6 | **Common.** Most are used to hearing about trouble every day or two. Everyone knows someone who’s been a victim of crime. (+3 to *[[Urban Encounters]]* rolls) | | 7-14 | **Average.** Theft or mild violence can happen from time to time. Best to keep an eye out. (+2 to *[[Urban Encounters]]* rolls) | | 15-18 | **Uncommon.** Some in the trading post have run into a pickpocket or heard about a robbery but, when they do, it’s a noteworthy occurrence. (+1 to *[[Urban Encounters]]* rolls) | | 19-20 | **Rare.** Most in the trading post have had no personal experience of crime, and know few people that have. (+0 to *[[Urban Encounters]]* rolls) | ^837a28