When running my games I always want to give the feeling of a world in constant motion and change. The characters can start in a settlement, go on an adventure and when they come back, something must have happened. The world continues without them, and they have to notice it somehow. This will give them the impression that the campaign world is real, even when they are not around!
To aid me in this task, I came up with this simple d30 table. It gives you a general idea you can interpret and create more elaborate events in pretty much any kind of settlement. So, whenever you feel like enough time has passed and some sort of change should happen to a place in your campaign world, roll on the table below and adjust the result to the settlement in question!
Settlement Changes (d30)
1. Lost person: A person the PCs trusted and provided them with information or favor has disappeared without traces.2. Lies: Some one has been spreading lies about the PCs and they now have a bad reputation.
3. False fame: For some unknown reason, the PCs are receiving credit for something they did not do and now have a good reputation.
4. Plague: A plague has stricken the settlement, killing a lot of people.
5. Authoritarianism: New authorities rose to power and created more severe laws, leaving people afraid and oppressed.
6. Criminals: A band of criminals has been attacking the community and demanding money for "protection".
7. Fire: A recent fire occurred in the settlement, destroying many buildings and killing many people.
8. Migration: A lot of families are leaving the settlement in search for a better live elsewhere.
9. Cult: A new and strange cult has appeared in the settlement, influencing the daily lives of the inhabitants.
10. Poor harvest: The harvest was poor this year. The villagers are starving while the elite is living in luxury.
11. Innocent: A person the PCs have a good relationship with is being falsely accused of a crime and he/she seeks the help of the PCs.
12. Corrupt guard: The new chief of the guard is corrupt, accepting bribes, making alliances with criminals and terrorizing the population.
13. Earthquake: A recent tremor altered the topography and leveled many buildings.
14. Rivals: A group of adventurers arrived in the settlement and is stealing all the jobs for themselves.
15. Debt: A friend of the PCs owes money to a crime lord and had been receiving threats.
16. Taxes: The local lord raised the taxes to a unbearable level and the tax collectors are rejoicing.
17. Immigrants: A lot of families from a distant place has moved into the settlement, forming a segregated community.
18. Pilgrims: A great number of pilgrims is passing through the settlement and consuming its resources.
19. Out of minerals: A shortage on the supply is making all the metal objects cost a lot more.
20. Siege: An army is outside the settlement gates, ready to attack it.
21. Battle: A terrible battle occurred, with many causalities and a path of destruction.
22. Doom priest: A holy man has been scaring the inhabitants with his visions of a doom soon to come.
23. Bazaar: A great bazaar has installed itself in the middle of the settlement with merchants from exotic lands.
24. Watched: The PCs are being tailed by a group of thugs hired by someone who see them as a threat.
25. Treason: A person whom the PCs trusted has betrayed them.
26. Growth: New buildings has been constructed over the old ones the PCs knew and had a connection to.
27. Drugs: A new drug or herb has arrived in the settlement. It's very addictive and many inhabitants are having problems because of it.
28. Crises: The main source of income in the settlement is suffering from a crises, causing hunger, and making people leave the place for a better life elsewhere.
29. Monster: A strange monster is attacking the settlement and the locals are very afraid.
30. Curse: A sorcerer has cursed someone or something the PCs care for in the settlement.
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