Populating the Mini Campaign Civilization

Last post on the mini-campaign I nailed down where the ruins, dungeons, and other dangerous places were. Let’s now return to civilization and get to “populating” civilization.

Back in post #3 some of the details of the civilization on the map were loosely laid out, we really aren’t going in too much deeper but a few things should get a little attention. The Castle in hex 9-2 is occupied by The Overlord, the castle in 9-4 is occuipied by the wizard Allazar (a former adventuring buddy of The Overlord), in the city we can find a clerical ally of The Overlord, and somewhere out west a thief buddy/henchman hides from the attention of his former allies.

Most of the villages are going to be okay sized places to be worth visiting but not huge. I’m going to go random again and have these villages populated by 200-800 folk.

Each town is going to need 1 or 2  trades as well to make it stand out.

Populations: (pops, trades, high level NPCs)

2-4: 400, miners and goat-herders, 8^th level dwarf fighter

3-2: 700, bowyers and horse dealers, 4^th level Fighter

4-5: 300, barrels and charcoal, 8^th level thief

5-4: 600, Brewers and Amber miners (there’s amber in the swamps), 6^th level cleric, 5 1^st level clerics, 5^th level MU

7-3: 500, Vineyards(wine) and Waterwheels providing a semi-mechanized lumber-mill, 6^th level Fighter

8-3: 400, Barley and Beer, 2^nd level thief

8-4: 500, Copper Mine and an Astrologer, 4^th level MU (not the astrologer)

9-1: 400, Cow-herders and Turnips, 3^rd level fighter

9-3: 2300 (it’s the big town I set it to half the size of the total of all the other villages), Shipyard, Churches, Taverns, 9^th levek Cleric, 8^th level cleric, 2- 3^rd level and 12- 1^st level clerics

9-4: 600, Redsmith and sheep herders, 3^rd level fighter

10-2: 400, Fishers and an oracle, 6^th level thief (retired pirate)

The Castles

9-2: Castle of the Overlord.  The Overlord 11^th level Fighter, 6h level fighter, 4^th level MU, 5^th level cleric, 10- 2^nd  level fighters (all fight as knights), 30- 1^st level fighters (half have crossbows), 100 peasant levy (a draft to keep young dangerous guys in check). The overlord and his knights ride griffons (there are 2 griffons for each knight living here). 144,000 gp worth of loot.

9-4: Allazar’s Keep, 10^th level MU. 3^rd level MU. 12 1^st level fighters (half archers), 20 Hobgoblins, 2 Ogres, and a small red dragon. Allazar has a Roc as his mount. 96,000 gp worth of loot

7-5: The Dark spire, a 6/6 fighter/MU, 30 dark elves, 50 kobolds and other possible monsters. 45,000 gp worth of loot.

5-5: Chateau De’Verde, a 3^rd level fighter rules here as hereditary ruler he resent the overlord but lacks power to deal with him.  6 3^rd level Fighters (knights), 30 0-level archers. 36,000 gp in loot.

1-3:  Morden’s hill fort. A remote outpost ruled by a dangerous 9^th levelfighter, 5- 3^rd level knights, 12- 2^nd level fighters, 20- 1^st level fighters. The master of the fort has a tamed red-dragon that serves as his mount. 68,000 gp in loot.

1-5: Elf Hall, here dwell 100 Elves and their Lady. 20 Pegasus riders among the elves. 40,000 gp in loot.

The castles hold over 400,000 gp in loot. They are  a prime target for thieves and those seeking power. From castle dwellers alone with exp awarded at 100 exp per hd and 1 exp per gp we are looking at a setting with about a half million exp up for grabs and we haven’t gotten to the dungeons yet.

Goods for sale in remote Villages

Goods for sale in remote Villages

Roll 2-7 goods/services for a village

1.      Grub Skewer 1/2 cp

2.      Turnip Gruel 1 cp/bowl

3.      Barley Gruel 1 cp/bowl

4.      Peas Porridge 2 cp/bowl

5.      Chicken Pottage 3 cp/bowl

6.      Oxtail  Soup 4 cp/bowl

7.      Meat pie 5 cp/small pie

8.      Sausages and Tubers 4 cp/plate

9.      Roast Fowl  8 cp/ each

10.   Venison Stew 5 cp/bowl

11.   Day-Old Rye Bread  2 cp/loaf

12.   Salted Fish  3 sp/lb

13.   Salt Pork  4 sp/lb

14.   Clay jar of pickled vegetables  1 sp

15.   Hard Sausage/Salami  5 sp/lb

16.   Journey Cakes 3cp/dozen

17.   Way-Bread 70 sp/loaf

18.   Hard Cheese 3 sp/lb

19.   Beef Jerky  10 sp/lb

20.   Twice-baked Bread 5 cp/loaf

21.   Boiled Bark Tea 1 cp/pot

22.   Stale Beer 1 cp/quart

23.   Spiced Cider 2 cp/quart

24.   Sour Wine 3 cp/quart

25.   Sweetened Wine 5 cp/pint

26.   Ale  3 cp/quart

27.   Imported Wine  4 sp/pint

28.   Poteen 5 sp/pint

29.   Brandy 25 sp/pint

30.   Elfin Wine 75 sp/quart

31.   Bandages 2cp each

32.   Trippy Herbs, induces serious LSD-like “trip”. 20 sp/dose

33.   Burn Salve, restores 1-3 hp of burn/acid damage. 200 sp/dose

34.   Antidote, provides seconds save at +4 vs poisons of same intensity or lower 250 sp/intensity

35.   Healing Plaster, takes 20 minutes to apply, restores 2-7 hp after sleep. 300 sp/dose

36.   Healing Poultice takes 20 minutes to prepare, instantly restores 1-3 hp after application. 500 sp/dose

37.   Herb Wraps, restores 1-3 hp after a day of bandaging. 100 sp/wrap

38.   Jitter Tea, +2 to save vs sleep for next 4 hours. 2 sp/dose

39.   Hero’s wort, +2 to morale and fear saves for next hour after chewed. 400 sp/dose

40.   Minor Ward, +2 to save vs specific 1^st level spell (works once, must be worn). 500 sp

41.   Blade Venom, suffer 1d6 a round per intensity level unless save made. 250 sp/intensity

42.   Gushing Wound Venom, suffer 1 pt per wound for  intensity level # of turns. 100 sp/intensity

43.   Blinding Dust, blinded for intensity level # of hours (new save each hour). 100 sp/intensity

44.   Feeble Powder, -2 to all physical actions (and damage) for intensity level # of hours if ingested. 100 sp/intensity

45.   Rat poison, vermin suffer 1d6 per intensity level if ingested. 5 sp/intensity

46.   Feeble Venom, 10% chance of spell failure per intensity level until dawn. 300 sp/intensity

47.   Soporific powder, fall asleep for intensity level # of days if ingested (new save allowed each day)

48.   Fumble Dust, 50% chance to drop anything in hand for intensity level # of full turns. Also -2 to saves and tasks related to agility and coordination. 100 sp/intensity

49.   Dementia Dust, target confused and unable to focus, 10% chance of doing something contrary per intensity level for # of turns.  100 sp/intensity

50.   Slow Death, incapacitated and suffer 1d6 per intensity level for intensity level # of turns. After injection.  1000 sp/intensity

51.   1-8 Uncouth Herdsmen willing to serve as guides or bearers for up to 7 days 2 sp/day

52.   2-5 Desperate Urchins willing to serve as linkboys and menials. 2 sp/wk

53.   Old Codger willing to serve as cook and watch camp. 4 sp/wk

54.   2-12 Deserters from local lord’s garrison willing to serve as long as they can get out of area. 10 sp/wk

55.   Snag-toothed Crone, 50% chance a 1^st level MU or Cleric  1-100 sp per consult

56.   Poverty Stricken Knight, 2^nd level fighter seeking a patron  20 sp/wk

57.  2-5 Burly Yeoman willing to serve for up to 2 weeks. 2 sp/day

58.   Scarred Swordsman willing to serve for up to 6 weeks,1^st ot 2^nd level fighter, 25 sp/wk

59.   Slovenly Trollop willing to spend a few minutes behind a barn for just 3 cp

60.   Quant Old Leech, 50% chance of curing a disease or restoring 1-3 hp.  75 sp/treatment

61.   Sharpened sickle  50 sp

62.   Rune-carved Cudgel  8 sp

63.   Rusty Hurlbat  50 sp

64.   Waxed Linen Jack, AC as leather.  180 sp

65.   Hide-covered Wicker Shield, +1 to AC. Save vs break if bearer hit for 5+ pts damage.  75 sp

66.   Ancient Xiphos, -2 vs chain or heavier armor 60 sp

67.   Quiver of Arrows 12 for 8 sp

68.   Patched Brigandine Cotte, same ac as chainmail but heavier. 400 sp

69.   Brass Greaves and Bracers, +1 to AC if chain or worse. 150 sp

70.   Re-forged Sword, save vs break on hit roll of 1 or 20.  70 sp

71.   Tallow Candles 6 for 3 sp

72.   Brass Lamp  50 sp

73.   Shuttered Lantern 100 sp

74.   Bundle of Torches 6 for 5 sp

75.   Glass Flask of Glow-grubs  12 sp

76.   Lamp Oil  6 sp/quart

77.   Leather Pouch 2 sp

78.   Water-Gourd  5 cp

79.    Half-quart jug  10 sp

80.   Small Wooden Chest  40 sp

81.   Wool Blanket  6 cp

82.   Load of Charcoal  3 cp

83.   Rope (20+2d10 stone) 3 sp/50’ length

84.   Fishing Kit  10 sp

85.   Hammer  15 sp

86.   Tarp (enough to cover 2 men)  6 sp

87.   Manacles 50 sp

88.   Shovel  30 sp

89.   Pitchfork 20- sp

90.   Sewing kit 6 sp

91.   Milk Goat 60 sp

92.   Dog 50 sp

93.   Donkey 120 sp

94.   Sheep 40 sp

95.   Horse, Nag  200 sp

96.   Horse, Draft 500 sp

97.   Horse- Courser

98.   Ox 150 sp

99.   Old Polished Barding 600 sp

100.                    Riding Tack 60 sp

 

Reality Intrudes

had the first big snow of the year this weekend. the wife is in the hospital. its in the negatives outside and its going to snow beforen duringn and after the weekly game session so no game tonight as driving will be awful. my wife is doing fine but she is still in a hospital bed about 2 hours north of here.

(EDIT: the title and message were typed on my phone... no uppercase for blogger when I do that)

Placing Dungeons, Lairs, and Ruins (mini campaign post #4)

Last post villages and castles were placed on the mini-campaign map and a little deduction was used to make them meaningful for the campaign. I want to populate the castles and the villages but we need to know what evil lurks out there also. Time to place dungeons, lairs, and ruins. I’m going to do them as one thing for now and decide what they will become as I go.

So far in 60 hexes we have 10 villages, a city, and six castles.  

In placing lairs, ruins, and dungeons I’m going to do things differently from before. I’m going to check every hex with a d6 roll, on a 1 or a 2 we have a lair,ruin, or dungeon. What the location becomes will depend on what is nearby.

Now for a little quick deduction based on location.

1-3 is in the same hex as a castle, this one will be a ruin.

1-6 if off in a forest, prime placement for a lair.

2-2 is out in the open, a ruin.

2-5 is Is in the woods, some walking to, it shall be a dungeon.

3-3 is a good spot for a dungeon

3-6 shall be a lair.

4-3 is a good spot for a ruin, this will be a big one I think maybe a city of the ancient occupants of the region, mostly looted but with some remaining secrets.

4-4 is a cool spot for a lair even better as a bandit camp, so it shall be.

4-5 has  village in the same hex, let’s make this a ruin, maybe an old burial site.

5-2 is out of the way , some hills and forest, we’ve got an intact dungeon.

5-3 we’ve got a neighboring dungeon and ruin, this shall be a lair.

6-1 a lair or maybe a rebel camp…yes it shall be a rebel camp.

6-4 is a mostly looted dungeon, pillaged years back.

7-1 is just begging to be a dungeon, looted years ago by the overlord and his companions but is being slowly repopulated by goblins and worse.

7-3  A ruined castle of the old regime.

7-4 a dragon sleeps here.

7-5 a  forested mountain with a castle is here and so is a classical dungeon under the castle.

8-2 an empty dungeon sometimes used by thieves, smugglers, or cultists

8-3 a buried treasure is secreted in this forgotten tower of the old regime.

9-6 a remote ruin, sacked years back by the overlord but still has some goodies to grab and curious residents.

The campaign map so far.