Villages 1 - Basic Information - Balance Of Powers: A5E

# Age | 1d20 | Age | | ----- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1-5 | **Recent.** The village was established within the past year. Those within the village are newly settled. (-5 to *Population Density* roll) (-4 to *Hardship Likelihood* roll) | | 6-10 | **Established.** The village has been settled for a few years. They have been able to successfully sustain themselves, and the families have started to grow. (-2 to *Population Density* roll) (-2 to *Hardship Likelihood* roll) | | 11-14 | **Mature.** The village has been around close to a decade or so. Production has been honed, and practices are optimized. Children born in the settlement may be old enough to start to lend a hand. (+0 to *Population Density* roll) (+0 to *Hardship Likelihood* roll) | | 15-18 | **Old.** The village was founded decades ago. Production has reached peak performance, with the elder members of the community being old hands at the work. There are many adults in the village who were born there. (+0 to *Population Density* roll) (+2 to *Hardship Likelihood* roll) | | 19-20 | **Ancient.** The village was established near to, or more than, a century ago. (+0 to *Population Density* roll) (+4 to *Hardship Likelihood* roll) | ^f397ac # Hardship #### Hardship Likelihood | 1d20 | Hardship Likelihood | | ----- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1-2 | **No Hardship.** The village has been lucky, and nothing has troubled it so far. | | 3-6 | **One Hardship.** The village has experienced one notable time of difficulty. | | 7-14 | **Two Hardships.** The village has gone through a couple of hardships. | | 15-18 | **Three Hardships.** The village has experienced three difficult situations. | | 19-20 | **Four Hardships.** The village has been beset by four trying times. | ^da2f13 #### Hardship Type | 1d8 | Hardship Type | | --- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1 | **Plague.** The community fell victim to disease. *Hardship Outcome* will modify: *Population Density* | | 2 | **Bandits on the Road.** On the way to or from market, the village’s caravan was set upon by bandits. *Hardship Outcome* will modify: *Population Wealth* | | 3 | **Raid.** The village was raided by marauders. *Hardship Outcome* will modify: *Population Density* | | 4 | **Famine / Food Shortage.** If the village normally produces some kind of food, it did not produce. If they typically get their food from the market, they had difficulties doing so for a time. *Hardship Outcome* will modify: *Population Density* | | 5 | **Harsh Weather.** The region was beset by nature’s wrath. *Hardship Outcome* will modify: *Condition* and *Size* | | 6 | **Inter-Community Confict/Violence.** A conflict between members of the community broke out and split the village, with dire consequences. *Hardship Outcome* will modify: *Population Density* and *Disposition* | | 7 | **Loss of Community Leader.** A key member of the community died or went missing. *Hardship Outcome* will modify: *Disposition* | | 8 | **Victim of War.** The village was struck by the ravages of war (passing or foraging armies, collateral battle damage, disease from war-related issues such as camp hygiene or illness from dead bodies). *Hardship Outcome* will modify: *Condition*, *Size*, and *Population Density* | ^cb296f #### Hardship Outcome | 1d10 | Hardship Outcome | | ---- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1-2 | **Catastrophic Losses.** The village’s losses were brutal, and excruciatingly difficult, or even impossible, to recover from. -5 modifier to attributes listed in *Hardship Type*. | | 3-4 | **Terrible Losses.** The village’s losses were crushing, and incredibly difficult to recover from. -4 modifier to attributes listed in *Hardship Type*. | | 5-6 | **Heavy Losses.** The village’s losses were awful, and recovery is proving difficult. -3 modifier to attributes listed in *Hardship Type*. | | 7-8 | **Moderate Losses.** The village’s losses were rough but recovery is likely, though may be tough. -2 modifier to attributes listed in *Hardship Type*. | | 9-10 | **Minimal Losses.** The village’s losses were as little as could have been hoped for, and recovery should be very possible, or even inevitable. -1 modifier to attributes listed in *Hardship Type*. | ^635139 # Size The size of a village is the number of currently standing structures. This means that you could have a village that was previously very large, but experienced an event that destroyed half of its buildings, reducing its present-day size to ‘medium’. Think about your roll on this table as the village’s original or natural size. Once you apply any modifers from previous tables to that roll, imagine the village changed from its original size to the one the modifer(s) adjust it to. Wherever they came from is what caused the change. | 1d20 | Size | | ----- | -------------------------------------------------- | | 1-2 | **Very Small.** Up to a dozen standing structures. | | 3-6 | **Small.** Up to 30 standing structures. | | 7-14 | **Medium.** Up to 60 standing structures. | | 15-18 | **Large.** Up to 90 standing structures. | | 19-20 | **Very Large.** Up to 120 standing structures. | ^6253e2 # Condition The condition is, perhaps, the key feature that gives your village a real visual identity. This paints a picture of what one would immediately notice when they walk in. Are things falling apart, or are they well-maintained and built to last? Is the current condition the normal state of the village, or has something happened to alter it? | 1d20 | Condition | | ----- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1-2 | **Ruined.** The village is little but rubble and debris with, perhaps, a few exceptions. This could have been the result of a war, raid, earthquake, or storm. (-6 to *Population Wealth* roll) | | 3-6 | **Dilapidated.** The village is in a state of disrepair. Some buildings may be coming down, or may have been built in a shoddy fashion. Cleanliness is not a priority (-3 to *Population Wealth* roll) | | 7-14 | **Simple.** Most buildings are organized and seem sturdy enough, though there is nothing remarkable. The streets are clear enough to move through, but may be uneven and rutted. (+0 to *Population Wealth* roll) | | 15-18 | **Hearty.** Everything here appears to be well-built and robust. The village seems mindful of cleanliness and the settlement’s upkeep. Roads and paths are well-groomed and fattened. (+3 to *Population Wealth* roll) | | 19-20 | **Immaculate.** The village is very well organized, and there is clearly a concerted effort to keep the village in the best shape possible. Cleanliness is a priority, as is maintenance. Roads and paths are plainly surfaced and clean. (+6 to *Population Wealth* roll) | ^4757c0 # Environment Villages tend to be rural by their very nature. As established settlements attract more and more traffic, they grow and become towns and cities, so it would make sense that small villages would be in places without that kind of traffic. When placing a village in its environment, start thinking about how that village would survive, or even thrive, there. This can help to color what your village will ultimately be. The tables and options available in this book are designed to allow settlements to be placed anywhere, regardless of environment. If you have an environment in mind for your settlement already, feel free to skip, or manually select from, this table. **Suggested Resources.** Later in this step you will determine resources for your village. While you are not restricted in any way, keep in mind that certain environments may lend themselves better to certain resources. For example, coastal environments are more likely to have fishing as a resource, while underground environments are more suited to mining. | 1d10 | Environment | | ---- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1 | **Coastal.** The village is near a large body of water, such as a lake or ocean. | | 2 | **Forest.** The village is nestled among the trees. | | 3 | **Mountains.** The village is found on a stony pass or soaring peak. | | 4 | **Plains.** The village is in the wide, open fields. | | 5 | **River.** The village is near a steadily flowing stream, or other watercourse. | | 6 | **Swamp.** The village is in, or near, a vast area of stagnant water. | | 7 | **Underground.** The village is within a large network of caves. | | 8 | **Valley.** The village is found within, or on the edge of, an area of recessed elevation in relation to the landscape around it. | | 9 | **Tundra.** The village is in a very cold environment. | | 10 | **Desert.** The village is in a dry and arid environment, likely covered with vast sand dunes. | ^1675f5 # Specialty A village’s specialty is likely the reason it exists in the frst place and is, potentially, the main thing, that the village is known for, such as a particular crop, or the craft of a certain item. It may even simply be an aspect of the place itself, such as being a place where one can do or see something. Roll on the following table, and note the specialty. Once you add points of interest to the village, make sure to have an appropriate place for your facet (i.e. if you’re known for good drinks, you need a place to get a decent pint). | 1d6 | Specialty | | --- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | 1 | **None.** The village is unremarkable, or not widely known for any particular thing. | | 2 | **Food or Drink.** Someone in the village makes a particular food or drink (such as bread, stew, produce, ale, wine, etc.) that has gained some notoriety. They may own an establishment, but could easily just sell it out of their home. | | 3 | **Location Proximity.** The village itself may not be very special, but it is near somewhere that is, such as a stunning vista, or a site of historical significance. | | 4 | **Livestock.** The village is known for breeding strong and healthy (perhaps, even pedigree) animals, such as horses, cattle, sheep, etc. | | 5 | **Crop.** The village is known for a particularly notable crop. This could mean rare, high-quality, plentiful, or a mix of the three. | | 6 | **Crafted Goods.** The village is known for the craft of a certain item, or type of goods, widely liked and highly valued, such as hand-crafted furniture, a category of clothing item, etc. | ^847471 # Recent History | 1d12 | History | | ---- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1 | **Animal Issues.** Livestock, or pets, may have been ravaged by local wildlife, or monsters, or animals may have been struck by sickness or pestilence. | | 2 | **Attacks.** Members of the community have been attacked, either by briggands or, perhaps, monsters. | | 3 | **Bumper Production.** A staple resource of the village has yielded very well, recently. | | 4 | **Out of Favor.** The village has been subject to the ire of a nearby ruler, or entity. | | 5 | **Entertainment.** A certain form of entertainment is proving popular, whether a game or pastime, the arrival of a storyteller or musician, or something else. | | 6 | **Fear.** Something unnerving, or frightening, has happened recently. | | 7 | **Good Fortune.** The village has received favorable notice from a nearby ruler, or entity of note. | | 8 | **Infestation.** Some form of vermin, or pest, has recently beset the village, and has become an ongoing issue. | | 9 | **Poor Production.** A staple resource of the village has yielded poorly of late. | | 10 | **Power Vacuum.** The death, or absence, of a local leadership fgure, or fgures, has led to internal strife within the community. | | 11 | **Safe Haven.** The village has become a sanctuary for refugees, or those in need. | | 12 | **Wartorn.** The village was occupied by military forces, and sufered damages, during wartime in the recent past. | ^a46950 # Resources | 1d10 | Resources | | ---- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 1 | **Crops.** The village is surrounded by felds or orchards that produce wheat, barley, grapes, vegetables, fruit, etc. These are harvested in their raw forms, and the excess is sold or traded. **Location(s):** farm(s), mill(s) and/or storage locations (silos or barns). | | 2 | **Dairy.** Pastures contain cows, goats, or sheep for milk, or chickens (or similar) for eggs. Additional animals may also be bred for sale. Due to milk’s tendency to spoil quickly, it might only be sold at nearby towns or markets. If the produce needs to travel longer distances, perhaps the village makes butter, cream, or cheese instead. **Location(s):** cellar, creamery, feld/barn/coop | | 3 | **Herbs.** Herbs grown in the village are used for alchemy, medicine or, simply, cooking, and are typically tended by an individual, due to their more specialized, and potentially dangerous, nature. The individual may have had some degree of medical, or arcane, training. **Note:** Unless the village is extremely small, it is unlikely that herbs are a village’s sole focus. **Location:** herbalist’s hut and gardens | | 4 | **Fishing.** The villagers utilize the bounty of the nearest stream, river, lake, or ocean. The village’s proximity to neighboring settlements dictates how the fsh can be sold. If remote, the fish might be dried and salted; if nearby, they could be sold fresh. **Location(s):** fisherman’s stand, wharf/pier | | 5 | **Livestock (Labor).** Animals are bred here to perform a particular job. These include plough and war horses, donkeys, cattle, and oxen. The breeding and raising of these animals can be a long process, so trade is likely seasonal, and the animals expensive. **Location(s):** stable or barn | | 6 | **Livestock (Meat and Hides).** Animals are raised to be slaughtered for meat, including cattle, pigs, and sheep. Some may be kept to feed the village, but excess animals (live or butchered) would be sold or traded. **Location(s):** barn or pens, small butcher’s shop | | 7 | **Livestock (Shearing):** Llamas, sheep, goats, and/or yaks are shorn in the village, the wool bundled and taken to market. The village may also produce its own woolen goods for sale. **Location(s):** shearing shed, storage, felds/barn, small stall/shop | | 8 | **Logging and Lumber.** Trees are planted and harvested, sustainably. Harvested trees are handtrimmed of branches, and logs are used, traded, and sold. Villagers may also process wood to craf wooden goods. **Location(s):** logging camp, carpenters workshop | | 9 | **Mining.** Raw metal ores are excavated from the ground, cleaned and sorted, and then used, traded, or sold. It is possible the mine is owned by a noble or kingdom, who sends transport to pick up excavated materials. Ores may be processed in the village and turned into metal goods. **Location(s):** foreman’s station, mine, smithy | | 10 | **Quarrying and Masonry.** Stone is removed from the landscape in either raw, unrefned pieces, or cut into blocks for various purposes. It is possible the quarry is owned by a noble or kingdom, who sends transport to pick up excavated materials. A local mason may build using the excavated stone. **Location(s):** mason or foreman’s station | ^7842ae