Saturday, December 21, 2013

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, 8th level dwarf fighter
3-2: 700, bowyers and horse dealers, 4th level Fighter
4-5: 300, barrels and charcoal, 8th level thief
5-4: 600, Brewers and Amber miners (there’s amber in the swamps), 6th level cleric, 5 1st level clerics, 5th level MU
7-3: 500, Vineyards(wine) and Waterwheels providing a semi-mechanized lumber-mill, 6th level Fighter
8-3: 400, Barley and Beer, 2nd level thief
8-4: 500, Copper Mine and an Astrologer, 4th level MU (not the astrologer)
9-1: 400, Cow-herders and Turnips, 3rd 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, 9th levek Cleric, 8th level cleric, 2- 3rd level and 12- 1st level clerics
9-4: 600, Redsmith and sheep herders, 3rd level fighter
10-2: 400, Fishers and an oracle, 6th level thief (retired pirate)

The Castles
9-2: Castle of the Overlord.  The Overlord 11th level Fighter, 6h level fighter, 4th level MU, 5th level cleric, 10- 2nd  level fighters (all fight as knights), 30- 1st 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, 10th level MU. 3rd level MU. 12 1st 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 3rd level fighter rules here as hereditary ruler he resent the overlord but lacks power to deal with him.  6 3rd 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 9th levelfighter, 5- 3rd level knights, 12- 2nd level fighters, 20- 1st 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.

Friday, December 20, 2013

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 1st 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 1st level MU or Cleric  1-100 sp per consult
56.   Poverty Stricken Knight, 2nd 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,1st ot 2nd 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
 

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

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)

Sunday, December 15, 2013

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.