If the adventurers fare well they will accumulate fame, wealth, and power over many adventures. Eventually they will seek to put a permanent mark on their world. Some may pursue spiritual leadership, creating throngs of zealous worshippers, or magical power, plumbing the depths of lost lore to learn new spells, craft mighty golems, or even become undead. Others may seek temporal power by establishing a stronghold and ruling a domain, or material riches by pursuing mercantile trade and other ventures.
| Level | Magic Research |
|---|---|
| 0* | 18+ |
| 1* | 16+ |
| 2* | 15+ |
| 3* | 14+ |
| 4* | 13+ |
| 5 | 12+ |
| 6 | 11+ |
| 7 | 10+ |
| 8 | 9+ |
| 9 | 8+ |
| 10 | 7+ |
| 11 | 6+ |
| 12 | 5+ |
| 13 | 4+ |
| 14 | 3+ |
*May only assist higher level casters
Up until 4th level, spellcasters cannot engage in magic research except by serving as assistants for more powerful casters (as described later). Starting at 5th level, spellcasters may begin to independently research spells, scribe scrolls, and brew potions. When a spellcaster reaches 9th level, he is able to create more powerful magic items such as weapons, rings, and staffs. At 11th level, spellcasters may learn and cast ritual spells of great power and craft magical constructs such as golems and animated statues. If chaotic, the spellcaster will be able to create necromantic servants and even become undead himself. These options are described in detail below.
All magical research requires a magic research throw to succeed. A result that is greater than or equal to the magical research target value listed for the spellcaster’s level indicates the task has been a success. The spellcaster adds his Intelligence bonus to the die roll, and if he has the Magical Engineering proficiency he may add his proficiency rank. An unmodified die roll of 1-3 is always a failure when conducting magical research, however.
When a magic research throw fails, the time and money spent on the research is lost. In addition, any precious materials or special components (described below) are consumed.
A spellcaster of 5th level or higher may use spell research to gain access to spells that he does not have access to from scrolls, spell books, or (if a divine spellcaster) his deity. Spell research costs 1,000gp, and takes two weeks of research, per level of the spell. Spell research requires a magic research throw. The target value for this throw is increased by 1/2 the level of the spell, rounded down, being researched. Example: Quintus is an 11th level mage researching a 4th level spell. It will take 8 weeks and cost 4,000gp, and require a magic research throw of 8+ to succeed.
A spellcaster may also use spell research to create a new spell. The spellcaster must describe in detail the kind of spell he wants to create, and the effects it will have. The Judge will then determine if the spell can be created, and if so what the spell level will be. The spellcaster must be capable of casting spells of the spell level the potential new spell will be; otherwise he must wait until he attains a high enough level to research and cast the spell. When throwing to create a new spell, the target value is increased by the level of the spell rather than 1/2 the level.
Spell research can also identify the properties of a magic item. It takes 1,000gp and two weeks of research to identify a magic item, and a magic research throw is required. Note that potions and common magic items can be quickly identified with the Alchemy and Magical Engineering proficiencies, described in Chapter 4.
A mage or other arcane caster can only research a spell if he can still learn spells of that level. A cleric or other divine caster can only research a spell with the permission of his deity (Judge’s discretion). The deity will usually remove a spell of the same level from the cleric’s spell list in exchange for granting the new spell.
To research a spell, a spellcaster must have access to a library. Wizard’s guilds and major temples often will provide their mages and clerics access to such a library. If a spellcaster wishes to compile his own library, a minimum of 4,000gp must be invested to allow research on 1st level spells. For each subsequent spell level to be researched, another 2,000gp must be invested. Having an exceptionally large library aids research. For every 10,000gp of value above the minimum required for the spell, the spellcaster receives a +1 bonus on his magic research throw (up to a maximum +3 bonus).
Every time a wizard successfully researches a spell, 10% of the gold spent for that effect is added to his library value, reflecting the value of notes and annotations made during research. Authoritative tomes or rare books found as treasure might provide an additional bonus to research specific spells or types of spells.
Starting at 5th level, spellcasters may begin to scribe scrolls and brew potions. At 9th level, they may begin to make other types of magic items, such as rods, rings, swords, and other items. An arcane spellcaster may never create magic items that are exclusive to divine spellcasters. A divine spellcaster may make any item his class is eligible to use. For instance, a 9th level bladedancer could create a sword +1, leather armor +1, or staff of healing, but not a bow +1 or wand of illusion.
In order to create a magic item, the spellcaster must know the spell(s) that replicate the magic item’s effect, or must find a sample or formula of the item. If a magic item’s effect does not compare to any existing spell, the spellcaster must either research a new spell that will produce the desired effect, or he must find a sample or formula of the item.
The base cost and time required to create a magic item is listed on the Magic Item Creation table.
Creating a magic item requires a magic research throw. The target value for this throw is increased by the level of the spell being enchanted into the item. If multiple effects are being enchanted, each must be rolled separately. A +1 item bonus is considered a 1st level spell, a +2 item bonus is considered a single 3rd level spell, and a +3 item bonus is considered a single 6th level spell.
A formula is a magical “recipe” for the creation of an item. A spellcaster automatically has a formula for any magic item he has previously created. Formulas may also be found as treasure. A sample is simply an existing magic item that is available to the spellcaster while he is working.
There are three advantages to having a formula or sample:
It enables the spellcaster to create a magic item without having to learn or invent the spells imbued in the item.
It reduces the cost and time to make the item by 50%.
The target value for the magic research throw is only increased by 1/2 the level of the spell being imbued in the item, rather than the full level.
Rare woods, noble metals, such as silver, gold, and platinum, and precious gems, such as rubies and diamonds, retain magic better than common woods, crude metals, or simple stone. Using precious materials can thus improve the chances of success of creating a magic item. For every 10,000gp of value in gems, jewelry, precious metals, and rare or elaborately carved woods added, the spellcaster receives a +1 bonus on his magic research throw. A character may not spend more on precious materials than the base cost of the item.
Creating magic items requires special components for each spell effect in the item. Components are usually organs or blood from one or more monsters with a total XP value equal to the gp cost of the research. The cost of any special components is in addition to the base cost of the research. If a character does not have a formula when he begins creating the item, he will not learn the special components until the work is 50% complete. The Judge will determine the specific components required for each item. Different formulas for the same item may require different components. For instance, one formula for a wand of fireball might require the fangs of 20 hellhounds, while another formula for a wand of fireball might require the ichor of four efreeti.
Just as a spellcaster needs a library to research spells, he needs a workshop in order to create magic items. Wizard’s guilds and major temples often will provide their mages and clerics access to a workshop. If a spellcaster wishes to build his own workshop, a minimum of 4,000gp must be invested to allow creation of 1st level spell effects or item bonuses. For each subsequent spell level or bonus, another 2,000gp must be invested. Having an exceptionally valuable workshop aids item creation. For every 10,000gp of value above the minimum required for the spell, the spellcaster receives a +1 bonus on his magic research throw (up to a maximum +3 bonus).
An assistant is a mage or other arcane spellcaster of at least 1st level that is under the employ of a 9th level or higher arcane spellcaster. 0th level characters with two ranks in Alchemy may function as assistants in the creation of potions. A spellcaster of 9th level or higher may supervise one assistant, plus an additional assistant for each point of his Intelligence bonus. Whenever the spellcaster works on item creation, each assistant can be assigned an additional magical item creation task. The assistant must have a formula or sample to work from. The assistant’s chance of successfully creating the item is based on the assistant’s level. Assistants enable a spellcaster to focus his attention on the most challenging magic item creation tasks, leaving less critical tasks to his apprentices and minions.
| Item Type | Base Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|
| One Use Effect | 500gp x spell level | 1 week x spell level |
| Charged Effect | 500gp x spell level x charges* | 2 days x spell level x charges |
| Permanent Effect, Unlimited Use | 500gp x spell level x 50 | 100 days x spell level |
| Permanent Effect, Use 1/turn | 500gp x spell level x 33 | 80 days x spell level |
| Permanent Effect, Use 1/3 turns | 500gp x spell level x 25 | 70 days x spell level |
| Permanent Effect, Use 1/hour | 500gp x spell level x 16 | 60 days x spell level |
| Permanent Effect, Use 3/day | 500gp x spell level x 12 | 50 days x spell level |
| Permanent Effect, Use 1/day | 500gp x spell level x 10 | 40 days x spell level |
| Permanent Effect, Use 1/week | 500gp x spell level x 6 | 30 days x spell level |
| Magical Weapon +1 | 5,000gp** | 1 month x weapon base cost / 10*** |
| - Increase bonus from +1 to +2 | +10,000gp** | +1 month x weapon base cost / 10*** |
| - Increase bonus from +2 to +3 | +20,000gp** | +1 month x weapon base cost / 10*** |
| Magical Armor +1 | 5,000gp** | 1 month x Armor Class |
| - Increase bonus from +1 to +2 | +10,000gp** | +1 month |
| - Increase bonus from +2 to +3 | +20,000gp** | +1 month |
*If a charged item has multiple spell effects powered by the same charges, use the base cost and time for the highest level spell effect, plus half the base cost and time for each other spell effect. The minimum time to create a charged item is never less than 1 week per spell level of the highest level effect.
**If the weapon or armor has a bonus that is restricted to a particular class or type of opponents, the extra bonus is half price. If the weapon or armor is enchanted with spell-like effects, the spell-like effects are enchanted separately using the cost and time for charged or permanent effects.
***Arrows, bolts, and slingstones are enchanted in bundles of 20 at a base cost of 10gp.
| Item Type | Base Cost | Time | Possible Special Components |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potion of Healing | 500gp | 1 week | Blood of 1 troll |
| Scroll of Fly | 1,500gp | 3 weeks | Feathers of 3 griffons |
| Wand of Fireball (20 charges) | 30,000gp | 120 days | Fangs of 37 greater hellhounds |
| Ring of Invisibility (1/turn) | 33,000gp | 160 days | Ichor of 30 invisible stalkers |
| Sword +1 | 5,000gp | 1 month | Skulls of 36 ogres or heroes |
| Sword +2 | 15,000gp | 2 months | Skulls of 107 ogres or heroes |
| Sword +1, +2 v. spellcasters | 10,000gp | 1.5 months | Skulls of 36 ogres and 36 spellcasters |
| Plate Armor +1 | 5,000gp | 6 months | Iron hides of 3 gorgons |
Arcane and divine spellcasters who reach 11th level or higher may learn to cast very powerful enchantments known as ritual spells. Ritual spells include arcane spells of the 7th, 8th, and 9th spell level, and divine spells of the 6th and 7th level spell levels. Learning one of these mighty dweomers resembles spell research, while actually casting the ritual resembles creating a magic item with one charge.
Each ritual spell must be learned separately. A spellcaster may only know a total number of rituals of each spell level equal to his ability score bonus in his prime requisite (INT or WIS). Example: Quintus, an 11th level mage with 16 Intelligence, could learn 2 arcane ritual spells of 7th, 8th, and 9th level. Balbus, an 11th level cleric with 14 Wisdom, could learn 1 divine ritual spell of 6th and 7th level.
Learning a ritual spell costs 1,000gp, and takes two weeks of research, per spell level. Learning a ritual requires a magic research throw. The target value for this throw is increased by the level of the spell being researched. Learning a ritual requires a library, as described under Spell Research, and the spellcaster can gain a bonus on his magic research throw from using a large library.
Casting a ritual spell costs 500gp, and takes one week, per spell level. Casting a ritual requires another magic research throw, with the target value for this throw increased by the level of the spell being cast. Casting a ritual requires a workshop, as described under Magic Item Creation, and the spellcaster can gain a bonus on his throw from using a valuable workshop. Casting a ritual spell also requires special components, as with magic items. The spellcaster learns the special components required when he learns to cast the ritual. By using precious materials, the spellcaster can gain a bonus on his magic research throw, as described above.
When a ritual spell is cast, the spellcaster may choose to have the ritual take effect immediately, or he may store the spell effect on a scroll or as a charge in a ring (like a ring of wishes). Storing the spell effect does not have an additional cost - the act of casting a ritual spell is identical to that of creating a single charge of a magic item with the spell effect.
A short list of ritual spells is included below. The Judge could make available additional rituals spells from a variety of other compatible fantasy games or develop a list of ritual spells unique to his campaign.
| Divine Ritual | 6 |
|---|---|
| Range: | 500 square miles (1 24-mile hex) |
| Duration: | 12 months |
Harvest enables the caster to channel divine energy into the land around him, blessing it with fertile soil and bountiful harvests. Harvest increases the Land Value of the domain the caster is in by 2gp per peasant family for the next 12 months. See Collecting Revenue in the Strongholds and Domains section for details on Land Value.
Ravage, the reverse of harvest, decreases by 2gp per peasant family the Land Value of the domain the caster is in at the time of casting. A ravage spell expires after 12 months. It can also be undone by a remove curse cast by a spellcaster of equal or greater level, or by a harvest spell.
| Divine Ritual | 7 |
|---|---|
| Range: | touch |
| Duration: | permanent |
This spell functions like restore life and limb, except that upon completion of the spell, the creature is immediately restored to full hit points, vigor, and health, with no side effects or lingering exhaustion. The condition of the creature’s remains is not a factor. So long as some small portion of the creature’s body still exists, it can be resurrected. The creature can have been dead no longer than 10 years per caster level.
Destruction, the reverse of resurrection, causes the victim touched by the caster to die immediately and fall to dust with no saving throw.
| Arcane Ritual | 7 |
|---|---|
| Range: | touch |
| Duration: | 1 passage per 2 levels |
This spell creates an ethereal passage through wooden, plaster, or stone walls, but not other materials. This passage is 10’ deep with a 5’ diameter. The phase door is invisible and inaccessible to all creatures except the caster, and only the caster can use the passage. The caster disappears when entering the phase door and reappears when exiting. If the caster desires, he can take one other creature (human-sized or smaller) through the door. This counts as two uses of the door. The door does not allow light, sound, or spell effects through it, nor can it be seen through. A phase door is subject to dispel magic. If anyone is within the passage when it is dispelled, he is harmlessly ejected just as if he were inside a passwall effect.
| Arcane Ritual | 8 |
|---|---|
| Range: | 10’ |
| Duration: | permanent |
Using a permanency spell, the spellcaster can make permanent another arcane spell effect of lower level. Spells can be made permanent on creatures, items, or areas. Some spells commonly made permanent on creatures are detect magic, protection from evil, read languages, detect invisible, and fly. Some spells commonly made permanent on areas are light, magic mouth, phantasmal force, hallucinatory terrain, confusion, and cloudkill.
This is not an exclusive list, and other spells can also be made permanent. However, permanency cannot not make permanent any spell which has an “instantaneous” or “permanent” duration (such as dispel magic, fireball, or lightning bolt) and divine spells can only be made permanent with the permission of the deity (Judge’s discretion). The Judge can also declare that the permanency will not work with any other specific spell that may damage game balance.
An area can receive any number of permanency spells. An item can receive up to five permanency spells, at increasing risk. There is a cumulative 20% chance of failure for each permanency after the first, and if the permanence fails, it destroys the item completely. A creature can receive one permanency without risk. If the creature receives further permanency spells, it will begin to suffer side effects (roll on the Tampering with Mortality table).
A permanency spell lasts until it is dispelled by either the caster or a higher-level spellcaster. When the permanency is dispelled, the other spell effect vanishes immediately. Using a permanency to bind a spell to an item is not the same as creating a magic item, which uses a different process. True magic items cannot be dispelled, making them far more durable than items which have merely had spells permanently placed upon them.
| Arcane Ritual | 9 |
|---|---|
| Range: | unlimited |
| Duration: | see below |
Wish is the mightiest spell that can be cast. By simply speaking aloud, the caster can alter reality. This spell can accomplish any the effects of any other spell, or create comparable effects. Events can be reversed; the dead can be brought back to life; or an entire army might be healed of damage. An entire group could be teleported to any location with no chance of error. Unique powers or ability bonuses may be wished for at the Judge’s discretion, and these might be permanent or temporary depending on the scope of the request. Although another character may be wished dead, such an act disrupts balance and the wish may be fulfilled in a way that the character wished dead is unaffected. For instance, if a character is wished dead, the caster may be transported through time to a point where the victim has already died of natural causes. Wishes will be fulfilled according to the letter of the request, and the Judge can exercise some regulation of wishes based on this strict enforcement. Ultimately, the Judge will have to decide the limits of a wish spell.
Arcane and divine spellcasters who reach 11th level or higher may create and design magical constructs such as animated statues, gargoyles, and golems. Because of their proficiency with crafts, dwarven craftpriests can create and design magical constructs starting at 9th level.
Creating a construct requires 2,000gp per Hit Die of the construct, plus an additional 5,000gp for each special ability the construct possesses. The spellcaster is limited to creating constructs with HD no more than twice his class level (e.g. a 12th level mage can create constructs of up to 24 HD). The caster must have a formula or sample of the type of construct he wishes to create. Formula can be found as treasure in rare manuals, or developed by the spellcaster (see below). The remains of a construct destroyed in battle can serve as a sample.
The construction takes one week, plus one day per 1,000gp of cost. Creating a construct requires a magic research throw. The target value for this throw is increased by +1 for every 5,000gp of construct cost.
To build a construct, the spellcaster must have access to a workshop (as above) at least equal in value to the cost of the construct throughout the construction. For every 10,000gp of value above the minimum required for the construct, the spellcaster receives a +1 bonus on his magic research throw. By using precious materials, the spellcaster can gain a bonus on his magic research throw, as described above.
Spellcasters may design new, previously unknown constructs. Constructs must have a minimum of 1 HD. The spellcaster is limited to designing constructs with HD no more than twice his class level.
Constructs have a default Armor Class equal to 1/2 their Hit Dice. Most constructs are immune to poison, gas, charm, hold, and sleep spells. These collectively count as one special ability. The construct can be given additional immunities, such as immunity to non-magical weapons, with each extra immunity counting as another special ability.
Constructs may have from one to four attacks per round. Their attacks may inflict up to three times their HD in maximum damage per round. This damage may be divided among all their attacks as desired. Any special attacks or powers count as special abilities.
Designing a construct requires 2,000gp per Hit Die of the construct, plus an additional 5,000gp for each special ability the construct possesses. The design process takes one week, plus one day per 1,000gp of cost. Designing a construct requires a magic research throw. The target value for this throw is increased by +1 for every 5,000gp of construct cost.
To design a construct, the spellcaster must have access to a library (as above) at least equal in value to the cost of the construct throughout the construction. For every 10,000gp of value above the minimum required for the construct, the spellcaster receives a +1 bonus on his magic research throw. A successful design creates a formula that the spellcaster can use to create the construct.
Example: Quintus, an 11th level mage with 16 INT, is designing a golem. He chooses to design it with 10 HD. This gives the construct a base cost of 2,000gp x 10 or 20,000gp. He wants it to be immune to fire in addition to its standard construct immunities. This means his construct has 2 special abilities, costing an additional 10,000gp, making its total price 30,000gp. At 10 HD, it has a default AC of 5. The construct can inflict a maximum of 30 damage per round, so Quintus decides to give his construct 3 attacks, each doing 1d10 points of damage (3x10 = 30). It will take 37 days to design the construct (1 week + 30,000/1,000). He is using a guild library with a value of 40,000gp. The magic research throw value to design the construct is 12+ (base 6+ plus 30,000/5,000) but Quintus gets a bonus of +2 for his INT bonus and +1 for the library quality [(40,000-30,000)/(10,000)]. Quintus will therefore need to throw 9+ to succeed.
Arcane spellcasters who reach 11th level or higher may create crossbreeds by magically blending different progenitor creatures together.
The progenitor creatures must not have HD greater than the arcane spellcaster’s class level, and may not have more than one special ability plus one special ability per point of the spellcaster’s ability score bonus from Intelligence. Example: Quintus, an 11th level mage with 16 INT, can crossbreed from 11 HD progenitors with 3 special abilities each.
The creator of a magical crossbreed will imbue it with various features and abilities drawn from their progenitors, as explained below.
Alignment: If either progenitor is Chaotic, the crossbreed is Chaotic. If both progenitors are Lawful, the crossbreed is Lawful. Otherwise the crossbreed is Neutral.
Movement: The spellcaster may assign his crossbreed the movement capabilities of either or both progenitors. If it has the movement of both, this counts as a special ability.
Armor Class: The crossbreed will have the AC of the progenitor from which it was assigned its movement capabilities. If it has the movement of both, it will have whichever AC is better.
Hit Dice: The spellcaster may assign his crossbreed the HD of either progenitor, or any amount in between.
Attacks: A crossbreed may be assigned the attacks of either or both progenitors. If it has the attacks of both, this counts as a special ability. If the crossbreed is of greater HD than the progenitor from which it draws its attacks, the damage inflicted by the attacks may be scaled up proportionate to the increase in Hit Dice.
Morale: A crossbreed has the better morale of the two progenitors.
Special Abilities: A crossbreed may have the special abilities of one, both, or none of its progenitors. Each special ability makes the crossbreed more expensive and difficult to create, so the spellcaster may opt to drop some abilities.
Type: All crossbreeds are fantastic creatures. They may also be beastmen, enchanted creatures, giant humanoids, humanoids, oozes, or vermin, depending on their progenitors (Judge’s discretion). Whatever their type, crossbreeds heal naturally, and may reproduce with others of their breed. If they still closely resemble one of their progenitors, they may breed with them as well.
The spellcaster must decide on the form his crossbreed will take before beginning the actual process of creating the crossbreed.
The actual process of creating the crossbreed costs 2,000gp per Hit Die of the crossbreed, plus an additional 5,000gp per special ability it possesses. The process takes one week plus one day per 1,000gp of cost. Creating a crossbreed requires a magic research throw. The target value for this throw is increased by +1 for every 5,000gp the crossbreeding costs.
Creating a crossbreed does not require any special components beyond the progenitor creatures themselves (which are killed in the process). However, the spellcaster must have access to a special crossbreeding laboratory at least equal in value to the cost of the crossbreed. For every 10,000gp of value above the minimum required for the crossbreed, the spellcaster receives a +1 bonus on his magic research throw. By using precious materials, the spellcaster can gain a bonus on his magic research throw, as described above.
A magical crossbreed is not automatically under the control of the caster. If the more intelligent progenitor was an intelligent and willing participant in the crossbreeding, the magical crossbreed will have the same relationship with the caster as the progenitor did. Otherwise, the Judge should make a reaction roll to determine the crossbreed’s reaction to the caster. If the crossbreed is unfriendly or hostile, the caster could try to tame, train, or charm it using specialists or spells; imprison it in his dungeon; or just unleash it onto the world.
Chaotic spellcasters who reach 11th level or higher may transform creatures into intelligent undead through the black arts of necromancy. The undead must not have HD greater than the spellcaster’s class level, and may not have more than one special ability plus one special ability per point of the spellcaster’s ability score bonus from Intelligence. Example: Quintus, an 11th level mage with 16 INT, can transform creatures into undead with up to 11 HD with 3 special abilities each.
It requires 2,000gp per Hit Die plus an additional 5,000gp per special ability to grant unlife. The process takes one day per 1,000gp of cost. The creature to be transformed must be dead when the ritual is completed, but it can only have been dead for 1 day per HD, so it is often best if preparations are begun before the creature is killed. A spellcaster may transform himself into an intelligent undead using necromancy if desired, by killing himself at the conclusion of the ritual.
Granting unlife requires a magic research throw. If the creature is willing, the target value for this throw is increased by +1 for every 5,000gp of necromancy costs. If the creature is unwilling, the target value for the throw is increased by +2 for every 5,000gp. Using precious materials can affect chances of success of granting unlife, as above. The success or failure of the necromancy will not be known until the creature is dead.
To perform necromancy, a necromancer must have access to a private mortuary and embalming chamber at least equal in value to the cost of the necromancy. For every 10,000gp of value above the minimum required for the necromancy, the spellcaster receives a +1 bonus on his magic research throw. By using precious materials, the spellcaster can gain a bonus on his magic research throw, as described above.
Transforming a creature into an undead monster also requires special components. Components are usually organs or blood from one or more monsters with a total XP value equal to the cost of the research. If the undead has special abilities the creature providing the components must have at least as many special abilities. The Judge will determine the specific components based on the necromancy involved. If the undead has particular needs (a phylactery, coffin, etc.) these must also be provided. If a character doesn’t know the components at the outset of the necromancy, he learns them when the necromancy is 50% complete.
An undead monster created through necromancy is not automatically under the control of the caster. If the subject creature was a willing participant in the necromancy, it will retain its relationship with the caster when it becomes undead. Otherwise, the Judge should make a reaction roll to determine the undead monster’s reaction to the caster. If the undead monster is unfriendly or hostile, the caster could try to control it using spells, or imprison it in his dungeon, or simply unleash it onto the world.
Divine spellcasters such as clerics, bladedancers, and craftpriests, can draw on the divine power of their deity to further their magical research. Divine power is measured in gp value equivalent, and can be used in two ways:
The gp value of divine power can be substituted for an equivalent value of some or all of the special components required to create a magic item or perform a ritual spell.
The gp value of divine power can be substituted for an equivalent value of precious materials used to create a magic item, perform a ritual spell, create a construct, or grant undeath.
Divine power can only be applied to magical research projects that are in furtherance of the goals of the divine spellcaster’s patron deity (Judge’s discretion). Divine power is ephemeral and cannot be stored. It is only accumulated while the divine spellcaster is actively working on an eligible magical research project, and must be spent during the project. Any divine power remaining when the magical research is finished is lost.
Lawful divine spellcasters earn divine power drawn by building congregations of faithful worshippers. Every fifty congregants earns the caster 10gp worth of divine power per week of faithful worship.
To qualify as congregants, characters must be of the same alignment as the divine spellcaster, worship his deity, and consider the divine spellcaster to be their spiritual advisor. A divine spellcaster’s party members, henchmen and followers may form the core of his congregants. Divine spellcasters can recruit additional congregants by performing charitable deeds, sending out missionaries, and constructing temples. Each month, calculate the value of the spellcaster’s proselytizing:
The gp value of all spells charitably cast on behalf of peasants by the spellcaster or his henchmen or followers (using the costs for spells from the Spell Availability by Market table in the Hirelings, Henchmen, Mercenaries, and Specialists section);
The gp value of any hirelings deployed as missionaries in the realm by the spellcaster; and
The gp value of any religious structures erected in the realm by the spellcaster (using the Stronghold Structure Costs in the Strongholds and Domains section).
For every full 1,000gp value, the divine spellcaster gains a number of congregants equal to 1d10 + CHA bonus. The divine spellcaster cannot acquire more congregants than exist in the realm that he is proselytizing within.
Example: Balbus, a 4th level cleric, seeks congregants in the village he and his party are based in. He erects a wooden chapel to his god costing 300gp, and spends a week casting spells for the peasants. As a 4th level cleric, he can cast 2 1st level spells (each worth 25gp) and 1 2nd level spell (worth 75gp) each day. Over the course of a week, Balbus casts 875gp worth of spells for the peasants. The gp value of his proselytizing is 1,175gp, so he gains a number of congregants equal to a roll of 1d10+CHA bonus.
Once acquired, the divine spellcaster must maintain the congregation or they will begin to lose faith. The monthly cost of maintaining a congregation is 1gp per congregant. If this amount is not paid, the divine spellcaster loses 1d10 congregants per 1,000. On a die roll of 10, roll again and add the result to total lost (repeating the process if a subsequent 10 is rolled.) This represents counter-missionary work, abandonment of faith, or other spiritual challenges.
More powerful divine spellcasters can amass congregants by assuming rulership of a domain, or becoming the spiritual advisor of a domain ruler. A ruler can simply command his subjects to worship his god, creating vast congregations within his domain. Of course, not every subject in a domain will faithfully worship on command - the domain’s morale will make a large difference. The Domain Worship table lists the value of spiritual essence a ruler can extract from the peasant families in his domain. This amount is always less than the full 10gp per fifty congregants, as no domain will be 100% faithful to the character’s god.
Example: Balbus, now a 9th level Cleric, rules Ammantavus, a domain of 2,500 peasant families (12,500 people) with a domain morale score of 0. Each week, Balbus gains 4gp worth of spiritual essence per 10 families (50 people), or 1,000gp value total, from his domain. If Balbus’s subjects were more loyal to him, he could gain much more spiritual essence from his domain.
To become the spiritual advisor of a domain ruler, the divine spellcaster will generally have to be the highest level divine spellcaster with whom the ruler has Friendly relations (as per the Monster Reaction table).
A ruler who asks his subjects to worship a god or religion foreign to them will suffer large penalties to domain morale. Rulers will often address this by throwing festivals in the new faith or taking other steps to increase domain morale. For rules on establishing domains, peasant families, and domain morale, see Strongholds and Domains later in this section.
| Domain Morale | Divine Power per 10 Families per Week |
|---|---|
| -4 | 0 |
| -3 | 1 |
| -2 | 2 |
| -1 | 3 |
| 0 | 4 |
| +1 | 5 |
| +2 | 6 |
| +3 | 7 |
| +4 | 8 |
While chaotic divine spellcasters may earn divine power from gaining congregants, a darker path is also available to them: Blood sacrifice of living creatures to their deity.
A spellcaster can conduct no more than one blood sacrifice per class level per day. Conducting a blood sacrifice must be performed in a chaotic temple, graveyard, or other sinkhole of evil (see Chapter 10, Secrets, for additional rules on sinkholes of evil). Each blood sacrifice takes one turn and requires a magical research throw. If the magical research throw succeeds, the chaotic divine spellcaster earns divine power equal to the XP value of the creature sacrificed. Sacrificing unwilling chaotic creatures provides no divine power, as the dark gods see little merit in the slaughter of their own worshippers. The sacrifice of a willing chaotic creature does earn divine power, however.
Example: Mentu the Death Priest, a 12th level chaotic cleric, is sacrificing a beautiful white unicorn to his patron deity, the Doombringer. If Mentu succeeds on his magical research throw of 5+, he will earn divine power equal to the unicorn’s XP value (135xp). Unfortunately, he rolls a 2 and the unicorn’s spirit escapes to a holier place. In a rage, Mentu sacrifices the 8 orcs who had captured the unicorn. As these are unwilling chaotic sacrifices, he gains no value from doing so (apart from sating his blood lust!).
At particular milestones in their career, adventurers can begin to attract followers by establishing a stronghold. The type of stronghold, the level required, and the number and type of followers attracted is defined by the character’s class. The Strongholds by Class table summarizes the different possibilities.
To establish a stronghold, the adventurer must first secure an area of land, known as a domain. The minimum size of a domain is a 1-square mile area of land. An average domain size is a 32-square mile area of land (1 6-mile hex on a standard wilderness map) while the maximum size of a domain is 500 square miles (1 24-mile hex on a large scale map, or 16 contiguous 6-mile hexes on a standard map).
Domains of land are classified as either civilized, borderlands, or wilderness areas. A newly secured domain will be civilized if it is with 50 miles (8 6-mile hexes) of a city or large town. A newly secured domain will be borderlands if it is within 25 miles (4 6-mile hexes) of civilized areas. All other newly secured domains are wilderness. Explorers must have borderlands or wilderness domains. Fastnesses and vaults may only be built in wilderness areas, or civilized or borderlands areas of their race.
If the adventurer is securing a civilized domain, the adventurer will need to get a land grant from the local ruler (usually in exchange for a pledge of fealty or the performance of some great quest). If the character simply wishes to buy civilized land, he will find it very expensive; an acre of good land costs about 50gp, so a 1-mile domain containing 640 acres would cost 32,000gp and a 32-square mile hex containing 19,200 acres would cost 1,216,000gp. (There’s a reason land was synonymous with wealth throughout human history). For this reason, most adventurers will secure unclaimed borderland or wilderness domains. This requires entering the area with other adventurers or mercenaries, and dealing with any lairs and wandering monsters present there. The larger the domain, the more challenging to clear it.
When the domain is first secured, roll 3d3. The total rolled should be noted as the domain’s land revenue in gp per peasant family per month. Not all land is equally valuable. High land revenue means the domain is rich in farm produce, timber, furs, stone, or even minerals. Low land revenue represents barren, infertile soil with limited natural resources. The Judge and player can determine the exact reason for the land’s value (or lack thereof) based on the roll.
The adventurer must now decide whether or not he wishes to establish a stronghold on the domain he has secured. If the domain’s land revenue is very low, the adventurer may decide not to proceed, and instead work to secure a different domain. If the adventurer does wish to establish a stronghold, he can do so by claiming an existing stronghold or by constructing a new one. If there is an existing structure that’s suitable for use as a stronghold on the domain, this structure can be claimed. This structure might be a castle granted with the land, or a tunnel complex cleared of its prior inhabitants in the process of securing the domain, and so on. Normally, however, the adventurer will need to construct his own stronghold on his newly secured land. The player should design a plan for the stronghold and calculate the costs based on the prices listed in the next section.
The stronghold and any freestanding buildings in or around the stronghold can be built using the following tables.
| Class | Stronghold | Followers | Special Rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assassin | Hideout | 2d6 1st level assassins | see Hideouts and Hijinks section |
| Bard | Hall | 1d4+1x10 0th level mercenaries, 1d6 1st-3rd level bards | - |
| Bladedancer | Temple | 5d6x10 0th level mercenaries, 1d6 1st-3rd level bl. dancers | cost of building stronghold reduced by 50%, followers never need to check morale |
| Cleric | Fortified Church | 5d6x10 0th level mercenaries, 1d6 1st-3rd level clerics | cost of building stronghold reduced by 50%, followers never need to check morale |
| Dwarven Craftpriest | Vault | 3d6x10 1st level dwarves | must be underground, may not be in human or elven civilized or borderlands area |
| Dwarven Vaultguard | Vault | 3d6x10 1st level dwarves | must be underground, may not be in human or elven, civilized or borderland area |
| Elf Nightblade | Hideout | 2d6 1st level nightblades | see Hideouts and Hijinks section |
| Elf Spellsword | Fastness | 3d6x10 1st level elves | may not be in human or dwarven civilized or borderland area, all animals within 3 miles of fastness become friendly |
| Explorer | Border Fort | 1d4+1x10 0th level mercenaries, 1d6 1st-3rd level explorers | must be in borderlands or wilderness |
| Fighter | Castle | 1d4+1x10 0th level mercenaries, 1d6 1st-3rd level fighters | - |
| Mage | Sanctum | 2d6 0th level apprentices, 1d6 1st level mages | see Sanctums and Dungeons section |
| Thief | Hideout | 2d6 1st level thieves | see Hideouts and Hijinks section |
| Structure | Cost |
|---|---|
| Barbican (gatehouse, 2 small towers, and a drawbridge) | 38,000gp |
| Battlement (100’ long, crenellated parapets) | 500gp |
| Building, stone (20’ high, 30’ square, wood doors, floors, roof, stairs)* | 3,000gp |
| Building, wood (20’ high, 30’ square, wood doors, floors, roof, stairs)* | 1,500gp |
| Corridor, dungeon (10’x10’x10’, hewn stone walls, flagstone floor) | 500gp |
| Drawbridge, wood (10’ x 20’) | 250gp |
| Gatehouse (20’ high, 30’ x 20’, metal portcullis, wood doors, floors, stairs) | 6,500gp |
| Keep, square (80’ high, 60’ square, wood doors, floors, stairs)* | 75,000gp |
| Moat, unfilled (100’ x 20’ x 10’ deep)* | 400gp |
| Moat, filled (100’ x 20’ x 10’ deep)* | 800gp |
| Palisade, wood (10’ high, 100’ long, 1” thick) | 125gp |
| Rampart, earthen (10’ high, 100’ long, 15’ thick) | 2,500gp |
| Tower, small round (30’ high, 20’ diameter, wood doors, floors, stairs) | 15,000gp |
| Tower, medium round (40’ high, 20’ diameter, wood doors, floors, stairs) | 22,500gp |
| Tower, large round (40’ high, 30’ diameter, wood doors, floors, roof, stairs) | 30,000gp |
| Tower, huge round (60’ high, 30’ diameter, wood doors, floors, roof, stairs) | 54,000gp |
| Wall, stone castle (20’ high, 100’ long, 10’ thick) | 5,000gp |
| Wall, stone castle (30’ high, 100’ long, 10’ thick) | 7,500gp |
| Wall, stone castle (40’ high, 100’ long, 10’ thick) | 12,500gp |
| Wall, stone castle (50’ high, 100’ long, 10’ thick) | 17,500gp |
| Wall, stone castle (60’ high, 100’ long, 10’ thick) | 22,500gp |
*The dimensions of these constructions can be altered as long as the square footage remains the same.
| Structure | Cost |
|---|---|
| Cottage, wood (20’ high, 30’ square, thatched roof, wood stairs, earthen floor)* | 300gp |
| Hut, pit (8’ high, 8’ square, thatched roof, sunken earthen floor)* | 15gp |
| Hut, sod or wattle (10’ high, 10’ square, thatched roof, earthen floor)* | 25gp |
| Hut, mudbrick or wood (10’ high, 10’ square, thatched roof, earthen floor)* | 50gp |
| Longhouse, wood (15’ high, 30’ long, 15’ wide, thatched roof, earthen floor)* | 300gp |
| Roundhouse, wood (15’ high, 15’ diameter, thatched roof, earthen floor)* | 125gp |
| Townhouse, stone (20’ high, 30’ square, thatched roof, wood floor and stairs)* | 1,200gp |
*The dimensions of these constructions can be altered as long as the square footage remains the same.
| Accessory | Cost |
|---|---|
| Arrow Slit/Window* | 10gp |
| Door, wood (3’ x 7’)* | 10gp |
| Door, reinforced wood (3’ x 7’)* | 20gp |
| Door, iron/stone (3’ x 7’)* | 50gp |
| Door, secret (3’ x 7’)* | By material x5 |
| Floor/Roof, flagstone or tile (10’ x 10’)* | 40gp |
| Floor/Roof, wood (10’ x 10’)* | 10gp |
| Shutters (window)* | 5gp |
| Shifting Wall (10’ x 10’)* | 1000gp |
| Stairs, wood (one flight, 3’ x 10’)* | 20gp |
| Stairs, stone (one flight, 3’ x 10’)* | 60gp |
*Upgrade a structure to include these at time of construction for 25% of the accessories’ base cost
When drawing up plans for a stronghold, note that different kinds of structures will have different thicknesses of stone. Most buildings have walls 1-2’ feet thick, while towers and similar outposts have 5’ thick walls. Keeps have the thickest walls of all, at 10’ thick.
In addition to the building costs, the adventurer will need to hire at least one engineer (250gp/month) per 100,000gp cost of the stronghold. The time required to construct a stronghold depends entirely on its total price. For every 500gp it will take one day of game time. The construction time can be reduced by 25% by paying 50% additional construction costs, or reduced by 50% by paying 100% additional construction costs. The construct time cannot be reduced by more than 50%.
Strongholds have a minimum cost, based on the size and classification of the domain to be secured. The Minimum Stronghold Value table shows the minimum value required to secure each square mile, 6-mile hex, and 24-mile hex in a domain. Small domains in civilized realms can be controlled with a stone home or tower, but large tracts of wilderness can only be settled with a formidable stronghold. A stronghold of insufficient value will limit the size of the domain, and therefore its maximum peasant population. See Limits of Growth, below.
| Classification | Minimum Value |
|---|---|
| Civilized | 15,000gp per 6-mile hex |
| Borderlands | 22,500gp per 6-mile hex |
| Wilderness | 30,000gp per 6-mile hex |
While the adventurer’s stronghold is under construction, the domain around his stronghold will slowly become settled by the workers and their families. In addition, peasants and laborers seeking the adventurer’s protection will settle near the stronghold. These peasant families become permanent inhabitants of the adventurer’s domain. The number of peasant families that will inhabit the domain when the stronghold is complete is determined on the Domain Population table. Each peasant family is assumed to have an average of 5 peasants. Families will be of the same race as the adventurer, e.g. elven fastnesses are settled by elven peasants. Once the stronghold is of sufficient value to control the domain in which it is located, the peasant families will begin generating income for the character, and begin to incur costs (see Collecting Revenue and Paying Expenses below). Until then, the domain will not generate money, nor grow.
The character’s followers will also begin arriving during stronghold construction. One half of the character’s followers (rounded up) will arrive when the stronghold is halfway completed. An additional one quarter of the character’s followers (rounded up) will have arrived by the time the stronghold is finished. The remainder of the followers will arrive within the first month following the completion of the stronghold.
Use the Followers Type and Equipment by Class table, below, to determine the arms and equipment of the arriving followers. Roll once for every 10 followers.
| Classification | Starting Families |
|---|---|
| Civilized | 8d6 x 10 per 6-mile hex |
| Borderlands | 3d6 x 10 per 6-mile hex |
| Wilderness | 1d4+1 x 10 per 6-mile hex |
| Die Roll (1d100) | Type and Equipment |
|---|---|
| 01-10 | Heavy Cavalry (lance, sword, shield, plate armor, chain barded medium warhorse) |
| 11-20 | Medium Cavalry (lance, shield, lamellar armor, and medium warhorse) |
| 21-35 | Light Cavalry (3 javelins, 2 swords, leather armor, light warhorse) |
| 36-55 | Heavy Infantry (pole arm, sword, shield, banded plate armor) |
| 56-80 | Light Infantry (2 swords, dagger, leather armor) |
| 81-90 | Archers (short bow, sword, leather armor) |
| 91-100 | Slingers (sling, short sword, shield, leather armor) |
| Die Roll (1d100) | Type and Equipment |
|---|---|
| 01-05 | Cataphract Cavalry (composite bow, sword, shield, plate armor, chain barded medium warhorse) |
| 06-15 | Heavy Cavalry (lance, sword, shield, plate armor, chain barded medium warhorse) |
| 16-25 | Medium Cavalry (lance, shield, lamellar armor, and medium warhorse) |
| 26-35 | Light Cavalry (3 javelins, sword, shield, leather armor, light warhorse) |
| 36-60 | Heavy Infantry (pole arm, sword, shield, banded plate armor) |
| 61-80 | Light Infantry (spear, short sword, shield, leather armor) |
| 81-90 | Archers (short bow, short sword, leather armor) |
| 91-100 | Slingers (sling, short sword, shield, leather armor) |
| Die Roll (1d100) | Type and Equipment |
|---|---|
| 01-20 | Dwarven Heavy Infantry (great axe, plate armor) |
| 21-40 | Dwarven Heavy Infantry (war hammer, shield, banded plate armor) |
| 41-60 | Dwarven Heavy Infantry (battle axe, shield, chainmail) |
| 61-80 | Dwarven Crossbowman (arbalest, dagger, chainmail) |
| 81-100 | Dwarven Mounted Crossbowmen (crossbow, chainmail, mule) |
| Die Roll (1d100) | Type and Equipment |
|---|---|
| 01-15 | Elven Horse Archers (composite bow, scimitar, leather armor, light warhorse) |
| 16-30 | Elven Light Cavalry (lance, shield, leather armor, light warhorse) |
| 31-45 | Elven Light Infantry (spear, short sword, shield, leather armor) |
| 46-60 | Elven Heavy Infantry (spear, sword, shield, chainmail) |
| 61-75 | Elven Archers (short bow, dagger, leather armor) |
| 76-100 | Elven Longbowmen (long bow, sword, chainmail) |
| Die Roll (1d100) | Type and Equipment |
|---|---|
| 01-10 | Medium Cavalry (lance, shield, lamellar armor, and medium warhorse) |
| 11-25 | Light Cavalry (3 javelins, 2 swords, leather armor, light warhorse) |
| 26-40 | Horse Archers (composite bow, scimitar, leather armor, light warhorse) |
| 41-60 | Light Infantry (spear, hand axe, shield, leather armor) |
| 61-70 | Longbowmen (long bow, sword, chainmail armor) |
| 71-80 | Archers (short bow, short sword, leather armor) |
| 81-90 | Slingers (sling, short sword, shield, leather armor) |
| 91-100 | Hunters (bola, net, 3 javelins, hand axe, leather armor) |
Apprentices (such as 1st level assassins, elven nightblades, mages, and thieves) and leader types (such as 1st-3rd level bards, bladedancers, clerics, explorers, or fighters) can be quickly created using the pre-generated templates for their class, or the Judge may allow the adventurer to generate and equip them using the Character Creation rules in Chapter 2.
If the adventurer is fortunate, birth and immigration may increase the population of a domain. If he is unlucky, fire, disease, and emigration will decrease it. Each month, the adventurer will make two die rolls of 1d10 per 1,000 families in the domain (rounded up). These rolls will determine the change in his domain’s population. The first roll determines the increase in the domain’s number of families, and the second roll determines the decrease in the domain’s number of families. Any die that rolls a 10 should be rolled again, with the new result added to the total (repeating the process if a subsequent 10 is rolled).
Example: Marcus’s domain has a population of 1,200 families. He will make two die rolls of 2d10. Marcus first rolls 2d10 for increase and gets a 3 and an 8. His domain gains 11 families. He then rolls 2d10 for decrease and gets a 10 and a 7. Since one of the dice rolled a “10”, he must roll that die again and add it to the total. This roll results in another 10! Marcus has to roll yet again, this time getting a 4. His total is 10+7+10+4, or 31. Marcus’s domain loses 31 families. Having gained 11 and lost 31, Marcus’s domain ends up down 20 families.
When rolling for small domains of under 100 families, ignore results of 9 or less. Any roll of 10 results in the domain gaining or losing one family, and rolling again.
An adventurer can increase the population of his domain by making agricultural investments into the area. For every 1,000gp spent on investments in a month, the domain will attract 1d10 new peasant families.
Adventurers who are rising in power and fame will attract additional peasants to move to their domains. Provided a character actively adventures at least once per month and keeps his domain secure from threats, his domain’s population will grow by an additional amount each month, determined by the number of families already present.
| Population (Families) | Increase |
|---|---|
| 1-100 | +25% |
| 301-400 | +10% |
| 101-200 | +20% |
| 401-500 | +5% |
| 201-300 | +15% |
| 500+ | +1% |
Elven domains always increase in population as if they were two population categories larger. Dwarven domains increase in population as if they were one population category larger. Example: An elven domain of 1-100 families increases in population as if it were 201-300 families in population, at 15% per month.
Note that if a domain ruler is not actively adventuring, does not make agricultural investments, and does not have very high domain morale, the gain and loss in population each month will tend to equalize and domain population will be flat.
The classification and size of a domain determine its maximum population. A wilderness domain cannot exceed 4 families per square mile, or 125 families per 6-mile hex. A borderlands domain cannot exceed 8 families per square mile, or 250 families per 6-mile hex. A civilized domain cannot exceed 25 families per square mile, or 780 families per 6-mile hex. For the domain to grow past this limit, the adventurer must secure an additional area of land (such as an adjacent 6-mile hex) to permit the population to grow. No domain can be larger than its stronghold can secure. The maximum domain size is 1 24-mile hex, consisting of 16 contiguous 6-mile hexes. If a wilderness domain ever reaches the maximum of 125 families x 16 6-mile hexes (2,000 families), it becomes a borderlands domain. If a borderlands domain ever reaches the maximum of 250 families x 16 6-mile hexes (4,000 families), it becomes a civilized domain. No domain can normally have more than 12,500 families (780 families x 16 6-mile hexes), as this is the upper limit the land can support (roughly 120 people per square mile).
An adventurer can exceed his domain’s limits of growth by establishing an urban settlement within the domain. See the Villages, Towns, and Cities rules below.
Each month, the adventurer collects revenue from each peasant family in his domain. There are four sources of income: land revenue, service revenue, tax revenue, and vassal revenue. The first three types of revenue are generated by the domain’s peasant families, while the last is only generated if the adventurer has one or more vassal domains (described below).
| Source | Monthly Revenue |
|---|---|
| Land | 3-9gp / family |
| Services | 4gp / family |
| Taxes | 2gp / family |
| Vassals | Varies |
As noted under Securing the Domain (above), land revenue derives from labor on the domain’s lands. It includes wheat, barley, and other grains; cheese, milk, meat, bee honey, and other animal products; and clay, stone, coal, and metals. The average domain produces 6gp of land revenue per peasant, but not all land is equally valuable. The domain’s land revenue will have been determined with a roll of 3d3 when the domain was first secured - this value is the monthly land revenue per peasant family.
Example: Marcus has secured a domain in the wilderness across the Mirmen River. He rolls 3d3 to determine what his land revenue will be. He rolled a 3, 2, 3, for a total of 8. Each peasant family that settles there will generate 8gp of land revenue per month. The Judge determines the land is so valuable because of an abundance of timber and fur.
Services revenue derives from the services of skilled tradesmen, such as baking, carpentry, lumbering, milling, and smithing. Most of these services are provided by freemen who offer a portion of their labor to the adventurer in exchange for the right to practice their trade on his domain. Monthly service revenue is 4gp per family.
Tax revenue is coin paid directly to the adventurer by his peasants. As ruler of the domain, the adventurer has the right to collect fees upon marriage, inheritance, birth and death, harvest, and other occasions; to levy fines and fees for administering justice; to charge tolls for the roads; to charge a duty on merchants in his markets; and to levy a rent and tax on those working the land. The sum of these constitutes the domain’s monthly tax revenue of 2gp per family. Tax revenue can be increased above this amount, but doing so damages the peasant’s loyalty. Lower taxes, on the other hand, can improve the domain’s morale.
Vassal revenue is income received from vassal domains controlled by the adventurer but managed on his behalf by henchmen. Vassal revenue is generally 20% of the monthly income of the vassal domain. See Realms and Vassals, below.
Garrison: In order to maintain the security of his domain, the adventurer must have a large enough garrison of troops. Depending on the classification of the domain, this can cost 2-4gp per family per month. The adventurer should specify the exact make-up of the garrison, hiring an appropriate number of mercenaries (see Chapter 3, Equipment, for details on mercenaries).
| Classification | Garrison Cost |
|---|---|
| Civilized | 2gp / family |
| Borderlands | 3gp / family |
| Wilderness | 4gp / family |
The gold piece value of a cleric’s or bladedancer’s followers can be applied against the garrison cost of their domain, even though the cleric or bladedancer does not actually have to pay their faithful followers for their services.
Stronghold Upkeep: In addition to maintaining a garrison, the adventurer must pay for the upkeep of his stronghold. Strongholds cost 0.5% of their total value in upkeep each month. For example, a 75,000gp keep costs 375gp per month to maintain.
Taxes: If the adventurer has established his stronghold in a civilized realm, he will owe a tax of 20% of his domain’s gross monthly income to the lord who granted him the domain. In borderlands, this tax might be reduced if the adventurer is spending money to defend the borders of the realm. Adventurers who have established their stronghold in the wilderness owe no taxes unless they have chosen to become vassals to the ruler of a civilized realm.
Tithes: The adventurer will owe a tithe of 10% of his domain’s gross monthly income to the church of the domain’s dominant religion. If the domain ruler is a bladedancer or cleric, the domain’s dominant religion is the ruler’s. Otherwise, the domain’s dominant religion is the prevailing religion of the region (Judge’s discretion). If the tithe is not paid, the loyalty of the population to the adventurer will be reduced, and the adventurer may be declared a heretic or excommunicated by the church. The domain ruler may change the domain’s religion, but doing so causes substantial penalties to domain morale.
Festivals: At least four times per year (the date will vary based on the culture, but one per season is common), the adventurer will be expected to hold a festival for the domain’s peasant families. The cost of a festival is 5gp per peasant family. If this tradition is not honored, the loyalty of the population to the adventurer will be reduced. If more than the requisite number of holidays is held, the population’s loyalty will increase.
An adventurer may control more than one domain. Multiple domains under the control of one ruler are called a realm. The additional domains of a realm may be established by securing land and constructing additional strongholds, or they may be conquered, or granted in a treaty. However, an adventurer can only directly manage one domain, known as his personal domain. Other domains in the realm are considered vassal domains, and must be assigned to a henchman, called a vassal, to manage. The henchman is responsible for collecting the revenue and paying the expenses of the vassal domain, and will pay 20% of the vassal domain’s monthly income to the adventurer.
Since the number of henchmen any character may employ is limited to between 1 and 7 (depending on his Charisma), very powerful characters may find that they have more domains under their control than can be managed even with all of their henchmen. In this case, multiple vassal domains will be assigned to trusted henchmen, who will themselves have to sub-assign vassal domains to their own henchmen. A group of domains ruled by a vassal is called a vassal realm. An adventurer may himself be a sub-vassal, either to another adventurer, or to an NPC that he has sworn fealty to (usually the lord who granted him the land to build his domain).
Example: Quintus rules a realm of thirteen domains. He has six henchmen. He manages one domain directly, and assigns two vassal domains to each of his six henchmen. Each of his six henchmen thus has a vassal realm of two domains. Each manages one of their domains directly, and sub-assigns the other as a vassal domain to one of their own henchmen
Detailed rules for developing the complete structure of all of a campaign’s realms and vassals can be found under Constructing the Campaign Setting in Chapter 10.
In addition to owing taxes to his lord (as described above), a vassal ruler must roll once per month on the Favors and Duties table to see what favors are granted or asked by his lord. These events can serve the Judge as the basis for adventures for the player character. Adventurers with vassals may choose to offer favors and demand duties to their own vassals, either in response to favors and duties they receive, or independently.
During any month, each vassal can be safely asked to perform one ongoing duty, plus an additional ongoing duty for each ongoing favor given. If an adventurer demands duties in excess of this total, the vassal’s loyalty must be checked on the Henchman Loyalty table for each extra duty. An irrevocable favor only offsets a duty during the month it is first given (such gifts are quickly taken for granted…) Charters of monopoly count as one favor, even if granted to cover multiple types of merchandise.
Example: Marcus demands that his henchman Cadom Wynn pay a special tax of 1gp per each of his 500 peasant families (one duty). No roll on the Henchman Loyalty table is required. The next month, Marcus maintains the tax (one duty), and calls Cadom to arms (a second duty). To avoid a roll on the Henchman Loyalty table, he offers Cadom his niece in marriage (an irrevocable favor). The next month he maintains both the tax and the call to arms, but offers no favors. Cadom must roll on the Henchman Loyalty table.
| Roll (2d6) | Favor / Duty |
|---|---|
| 2 | Build Additional Stronghold: The adventurer is ordered to construct a stronghold somewhere within his realm. The stronghold must have a minimum value of 15,000gp per 6-mile hex the adventurer controls. |
| 3 | Call to Arms: The adventurer is called to provide military service to his lord. He must muster a force at least equal to 1/2 the garrison of his realm and go on campaign for a duration of 1d4 months (or until the duty is revoked). On a roll of 4 months duration, roll again and add the subsequent roll to the total. Repeated rolls of 4 can yield very long campaigns. |
| 4 | Call to Council: The adventure is called to provide judicial and managerial council to his lord. He must travel to his lord’s domain to provide this service. Duration of service is the same as for a Call to Arms. |
| 5 | Tax Demanded: The lord demands the adventure pay 1gp monthly per peasant family in the adventurer’s realm as a special tax. The special tax continues until the duty is revoked. |
| 6 | Loan Demanded: The lord demands a loan of 1gp per peasant family in the adventurer’s realm. The loan is repaid when the duty is revoked. Otherwise, the probability of repayment is equal to the adventurer’s CHA stated as a percentage, rolled monthly. No interest will be paid in either case. |
| 7 | Previous duty/favor revoked: The adventurer loses his most recently granted favor (1) or duty (2-6). |
| 8 | Festival: The lord celebrates a wedding, birth, military victory, or other event by holding a festival in all of the adventurer’s domains. (This favor cannot be revoked). |
| 9 | Gift: The lord gives the adventurer a gift with a value of 1gp per peasant family in the adventurer’s realm. The gift may be treasure, warhorses, slaves, merchandise, magical items, etc. (Judge’s discretion). (This favor cannot be revoked.) |
| 10 | Charter of Monopoly: The adventurer is granted a monopoly on a randomly determined type of merchandise on the Common Merchandise table. He gains a +4 on the die roll to find buyers or sellers of that merchandise, merchants will buy or sell twice the normal number of loads of that type from him, and prices are adjusted by 1 point (10%) in his favor. See Arbitrage Trading, below. |
| 11 | Grant of Title: The adventurer is formally granted a noble title appropriate to his land holdings. If this would make the character equal in title to his lord, then the lord offers a family member in marriage to the character or character’s heirs instead. (A marriage cannot be revoked, but a title can be.) |
| 12 | Grant of Land: The adventurer is granted a new domain consisting of 1 6-mile hex on the border of one of his existing domains. Generate the new domain normally, as per the rules above. |
Adventurers and other domain rulers may claim or be awarded a title of nobility. If the adventurer secures his domain within an existing realm, his title will be awarded based on the heraldry of that realm. The more domains the adventurer controls (including assigned and sub-assigned vassal domains), the higher the title he will hold. An adventurer who establishes a new realm can claim any title he wishes, of course, but other realms will not necessarily treat him as such.
Three factors determine a ruler’s title - the size of his personal domain, the number of vassal domains he has, and the overall size of the realm he rules. The Titles of Nobility table shows the common titles of nobility used based on these criteria. A common title is provided for each tier, plus examples for titles that might be used by various empires.
| Personal Domain (families) | Number of Domains Ruled | Overall Realm (families) | Common | Southern | Elven | Eastern | Northern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12,500 | 5,461-55,987 | 1.5M - 11.6M+ | Emperor | Tarkaun | Ard-r’i | Maharaja | High King |
| 12,500 | 1,365-9,331 | 364K - 2,000K | King | Exarch | R’i-ruirech | Raja | King |
| 7,500 | 341-1,555 | 87K - 322K | Prince | Prefect | R’i | Deshmukh | Prince |
| 1,500 | 85-259 | 20,000 - 52,000 | Duke | Palatine | Diuc | Zammin | Duke |
| 780 | 21-43 | 4,600 - 8,500 | Count | Legate | Iarla | Mansab | Jarl |
| 320 | 5-7 | 960 - 1,280 | Marquis | Tribune | Ard-tiarna | Sardar | Reeve |
| 160 | 1 | 160 | Baron | Castellan | Tiarna | Jagir | Thane |
All domains have a morale score which represent their populations’ trust and faith in their ruler. Morale scores vary from -4 to +4. Domains begin with a morale score of 0 plus or minus their ruler’s Charisma adjustment, known as their base morale score. Morale scores affect the functioning of the domain, as described below.
| Morale Score | Morale Level |
|---|---|
| -4 | Rebellious |
| -3 | Defiant |
| -2 | Turbulent |
| -1 | Demoralized |
| 0 | Apathetic |
| +1 | Loyal |
| +2 | Dedicated |
| +3 | Steadfast |
| +4 | Stalwart |
Rebellious means that the domain is revolting against their ruler. There is no population growth, and an extra 4d10 families per thousand are lost to illness, casualties, and emigration each month. Tax, land, and service income drop to zero. The able-bodied men (one per peasant family) become bandits, and begin to attack officials, trade caravans, troops, and travelers in the domain. If these bandits are slain, the population of the domain is reduced accordingly. For every 200 peasant families in the domain, there is a cumulative 10% chance of a village hero (4th - 7th level fighter) emerging to challenge the character’s rule.
Defiant means that the domain’s inhabitants have become violently unhappy with their ruler. This unhappiness manifests in banditry, tax evasion, and disloyalty. An extra 3d10 families per thousand are lost to illness, casualties, and emigration each month. Tax, land and service income is reduced to half. One able-bodied man per two peasant families becomes a bandit, as above.
Turbulent means that the domain is in a state of dissatisfaction and unrest. An extra 2d10 families per thousand are lost to illness, casualties, and emigration each month. Tax, land, and service income is reduced by one quarter (rounded down). One able-bodied man per five peasant families becomes as a bandit, as above.
Demoralized means that the domain’s populace sees their ruler as worse than average. An extra 1d10 families per thousand are lost to illness, casualties, and immigration each month.
Apathetic means that the domain’s populace sees their ruler as just another petty noble. They work the land, pay their taxes, and do their duty, but have no special love for their ruler.
Loyal means that the domain’s ruler is respected and popular with his subjects. Spies and thieves operating against the domain suffer a -1 penalty to their proficiency throws (see Hijinks, below). The population grows by an extra 1d10 families per thousand each month.
Dedicated means that the domain’s populace has been inspired to strong loyalist sentiment by their ruler. Spies and thieves operating against the domain suffer a -2 penalty to their proficiency throws. The population grows by an extra 2d10 families per thousand each month.
Steadfast means that the domain’s inhabitants hail their ruler as great leader deserving of strident support. The population grows by an extra 3d10 families per thousand each month. Spies and thieves operating against the domain suffer a -3 penalty to their proficiency throws. Service income is increased by 1gp per peasant family.
Stalwart means that the domain’s populace acclaims their ruler as a beloved and righteous sovereign. The population grows by an extra 4d10 families per thousand each month. Spies and thieves operating against the domain suffer a -4 penalty to their proficiency throws. Land and service income are increased by 1gp per peasant family each.
Every season (three month interval), the Judge will roll 2d6 on the Domain Morale table, applying any relevant adjustments to the roll, to determine whether the domain’s morale has changed as a result of recent events.
| Adjusted Die Roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 2- | Morale reduced by 2 (min -4) |
| 3-5 | Morale reduced by 1 (min -4) |
| 6-8 | Morale shifts by 1 towards base |
| 9-11 | Morale increased by 1 (max +4) |
| 12+ | Morale increased by 2 (max +4) |
| Seasonal Events | Morale Roll Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Ruler is of different alignment | -2 |
| Garrison below normal last season | -1/gp/family increase |
| Garrison above normal last season | +1/gp/family decrease |
| No festivals last season | -1 |
| Extra festivals last season | +1/extra festival |
| Population grew 5+% last season | +1/5% increase |
| Population shrank 5%+ last season | -2/5% decrease |
| Taxes below normal last season | +1/gp decrease |
| Taxes above normal last season | -1/gp increase |
| Tithes not paid last season | -2 |
| New religion introduced last season | -4 |
Example: Marcus, a 9th level fighter, is ruler of a borderlands domain with a morale score of +1 (Loyal). But after accidentally donning a helm of alignment change, Marcus becomes chaotic (-2) and starts running his domain with an iron fist. He offers no festivals (-1), and raises taxes from 2gp to 4gp per peasant (-2), while increasing his garrison troops from 3gp/family to 4gp/family (+1). The dominion’s population grows only 2.5% (no modifier). At the end of the season, he rolls 2d6-5+1 for his domain’s loyalty and scores a 2. That means his domain morale drops by 2 point, from +1 to -1. His domain has become Demoralized, as his peasants lose their confidence in their ruler. If he continues in his tyrannical ways, Marcus may find that the tighter he grips, the more peasants slip away…
As indicated on the Domain Morale Roll Adjustments above, the size of a domain’s garrison has a dramatic effect on the domain’s morale. Normally the mere existence of the garrison is enough to count for morale purposes. The garrison does not need to be physically in the domain. A ruler who takes his entire 2gp/family garrison on raid into an enemy’s domain still counts as having a 2gp/family garrison for purposes of his domain’s morale. From the peasants’ perspective, it’s better to have the war waged somewhere else!
However, this benefit only lasts while the ruler’s domain is actually safe. If the domain is attacked while part of the garrison is absent, then only that portion of the garrison that is physically present in the domain counts for morale purposes.
Example: Marcus’ domain has 1,200 families with a garrison cost of 2,400gp per month. Marcus’ garrison consists of 40 heavy cavalry (60gp/month x 60 = 2,400gp). When Marcus receives a call to arms from his lord, he sends 20 heavy cavalry to join his lord in fighting in a distant realm. This does not have any immediate morale implications. The next month, however, beastmen begin raiding his domain. Because the domain is being attacked, only that portion of its garrison which is physically present counts for morale purposes. 20 heavy cavalry are worth 1,200gp, so Marcus will suffer the -1gp/family decrease adjustment on his next morale roll. To avoid this, Marcus petitions his lord to allow him to bring his forces force.
When a domain reaches its limit of growth, its ruler will normally secure an additional area of land to permit the population to grow. Instead of (or in addition to) doing so, he may choose to found an urban settlement within his domain. To found an urban settlement, the adventurer makes an initial investment of 10,000gp and then moves between 75 to 250 peasant families into the urban settlement.
Once established, an urban settlement functions much like a separate domain, except that the adventurer can directly manage both his domain and the urban settlement within the domain. An adventurer cannot directly manage a domain and an urban settlement located in a different domain, however.
As with a domain, the adventurer will make two die rolls of 1d10 per 1,000 families in the urban settlement each month to determine the change in the settlement’s population. So long as the character actively adventures at least once per month and keeps his urban settlement secure from threats, the settlement’s population will grow by an additional amount each month from immigration, using the Domain Population Growth table.
Unlike domains, the limits of an urban settlement’s growth are not based the available land. Instead, the limits are based on the extent of urban investment. Initially, the urban settlement is limited to less than 250 families. When the Total Investment shown on the table below is reached, the urban settlement expands to accommodate a greater maximum.
By spending more gold pieces on roads, aqueducts, sewers, marketplaces, walls, and other infrastructure, the adventurer can increase the maximum population size of the urban settlement. In addition to increasing the maximum population, urban investment also attracts new residents. For every 1,000gp spent on investments in a month, the settlement will attract 1d10 new urban families.
| Total Investment (gp) | Maximum Population (families) |
|---|---|
| 10,000 | 249 |
| 25,000 | 624 |
| 75,000 | 2,499 |
| 200,000 | 4,999 |
| 625,000 | 19,999 |
| 2,500,000 | 100,000 |
Each month, the adventurer will collect revenue from each urban family in his domain. Urban families pay urban revenue, representing tolls, duties, tariffs, rent, and other fees paid by the residents to the adventurer. Urban revenue begins at 7gp per family per month and increases with the size of the settlement. Rulers may also profit from taking advantage of the urban settlement as a market. Each urban settlement has a market class based on its size. See Mercantile Ventures for more details on markets.
| Settlement Population (families) | Urban Revenue (gp/family) | Market Class |
|---|---|---|
| 75-249 | 7 | Class VI |
| 250-624 | 7.5 | Class V |
| 626-2,499 | 7.5 | Class IV |
| 2,500-4,999 | 7.5 | Class III |
| 5,000-19,999 | 8 | Class II |
| 20,000-100,000 | 8.5 | Class I |
Settlement expenses are similar to domain expenses. Each month, an urban settlement must pay a garrison cost of 2gp/family. In addition to maintaining the garrison, the adventurer must pay for the upkeep of the urban communities. Upkeep of urban settlements cost 1gp/family each month.
If the adventurer has established his urban settlement in a civilized realm, he will owe the usual 20% tax on his settlement’s gross monthly income. He will also owe a tithe of 10% of the settlement’s gross monthly income to the church of the domain’s dominant religion. And, as with a domain, four times per year (the date will vary based on the culture, but one per season is common), the adventurer will be expected to hold a festival for the settlement’s urban families, costing 5gp per family.
The Villages, Towns, and Cities table, below, shows the average monthly income, after expenses, of urban settlements of various sizes. This table can be used to quickly determine the value of an urban settlement located within a domain. Detailed rules for developing the complete urban demographics of all of a campaign’s realms can be found under Constructing the Campaign Setting in Chapter 10.
| Expense | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| Garrison | 2gp/family |
| Upkeep | 1gp/family |
| Taxes | 20% of urban revenue |
| Tithes | 10% of urban revenue |
| Festival | 5gp/family/season |
| Urban Settlement (families) | Monthly Income | Market Class |
|---|---|---|
| Hamlets (74-) | 0gp | Class VI* |
| Small Village (75-99) | 18-24gp | Class VI |
| Village (100-159) | 25-39gp | Class VI |
| Village (160-249) | 40-60gp | Class VI |
| Large village (250-449) | 150-264gp | Class V |
| Small town (450-624) | 265-369gp | Class V |
| Large town (625-1,249) | 370-739gp | Class IV |
| Small city (1,250-2,499) | 740-1,474gp | Class IV |
| City (2,500-4,999) | 1,475-2,950gp | Class III |
| Large city (5,000-9,999) | 4,700-9,399gp | Class II |
| Large city (10,000-14,999) | 9,400-14,099gp | Class II |
| Large city (15,000-19,999) | 14,100-18,799gp | Class II |
| Metropolis (20,000-39,999) | 25,800-51,599gp | Class I |
| Metropolis (40,000+) | 51,600gp+ | Class I |
*Class VI market at domain’s stronghold only
Like domains, all settlements have a morale score which represent its population’s trust and faith in their ruler. A newly-established urban settlement begins with the morale score of the domain within which it was founded. Settlement morale is checked every season on the Domain Morale table. It may vary over time from the morale of the domain it is within.
For purposes of applying morale effects to settlements, treat all modifications to revenue as if they applied to urban revenue. For example, land and service income are increased by 1gp per peasant family each in a Stalwart domain. This translates to a 2gp increase to urban revenue in a Stalwart settlement (e.g., 1gp from land and 1gp from service, applied to urban income as a total of 2gp per family).
Through good luck or careful play, adventurers may sometimes acquire or build a stronghold before they are eligible to gain followers. If this occurs, the adventurer does not gain any automatic followers, families, or other benefits of possessing the stronghold until he reaches the appropriate class level. This does not prevent him from hiring mercenaries to defend his holdings, or making investments to attract peasants, should he desire to, or from managing peasant families that already live on the domain. If he does reach the appropriate class level he will be able to attract his followers and peasant families at that time.
The adventurer will be responsible for the upkeep of the stronghold and security of any families present. Because of his relatively low level, an adventurer might have to defend his stronghold from NPCs who consider him too weak to maintain his grip on his domain. Swearing fealty to a high-level NPC lord is very helpful in preventing this!
Chaotic adventurers may establish chaotic domains of beastmen rather than humans or demi-humans. The decision to establish a chaotic domain is made when the domain is secured. Rather than clear any beastmen present from the area, the chaotic adventurer must successfully hire at least one chieftain in the area as a henchman. Should a chieftain prove recalcitrant, he can be eliminated in favor of a more pliable sub-chieftain, of course. Once the leadership of any beastmen lairs in the domain has been brought into service, the chaotic adventurer is established as a chaotic domain ruler.
Chaotic domains are managed like other domains, with the following exceptions:
The ruler can hire any beastmen in the area as mercenaries. He may only employ human and demi-human mercenaries and specialists of neutral or chaotic alignment, however.
The ruler will attract beastmen followers and families in lieu of normal men. Beastmen families will be of the weaker varieties, e.g. kobolds, goblins, or orcs, consisting of noncombatant women, elderly, and young.
Beastmen domains always increase in population as if they were two population categories smaller.
Beastmen provide only 1/2 the land revenue of normal men as they are poor farmers and herders. The population limits per hex are reduced to 1/2 their standard values for the same reason.
Beastmen in urban settlements produce only 1/2 the urban revenue of normal men.
The domain morale modifiers for garrisons and festivals are doubled.
Lawful domain rulers will only become vassals of the chaotic ruler if their domain is conquered and annexed. All such domains will have a -2 morale penalty due to the difference in alignment.
A dwarven vault may not be built in the civilized or borderland area of a human or elven realm, only in a dwarven realm, or wilderness area. Additionally, a dwarven vault must be an underground structure. While it may include above-ground gates, walls, or structures as necessary for defense or commerce, these cannot constitute more than 25% of the gp value of the stronghold. Any above-ground structures must be of earth or stone.
Dwarves usually live in clans, so dwarves of the vault builder’s clan will be the first to live under his roof, but dwarves from other clans will also come and live nearby to be ruled by the character. A total of 3d6x10 1st level NPCs of the same race will move in to help maintain and defend the vault at no cost to the character. If additional defenders are needed, a dwarven ruler is expected to employ only soldiers of dwarven descent. He may hire members of other races for other tasks.
Dwarven vaults are otherwise maintained like human domains.
An elven fastness may not be built in the civilized or borderland area of a human or dwarven realm. Only areas within an elven realm, or wilderness areas, will serve. Additionally, a fastness must be built harmoniously within a site of natural majesty. Fastnesses might be erected at the summit of a great peak, in the branches of a might tree, or behind a towering waterfall. Building in such locations is very expensive, so the structure will cost as much as similar work in stone, even though it is not.
Once the fastness is completed, a total of 3d6x10 1st level elven NPCs will move in to help with it and defend the fastness at no cost to the character. If additional defenders are needed, elven spellswords may hire elven mercenaries only. Non-elven beings may be hired as specialists and henchmen, but not as mercenaries.
Because of the elven connection to nature, all ordinary animals within 3 miles of the fastness will be friendly to the elves. The elves will be able to communicate with the animals as per the spell speak with animals, and the animals will warn of approaching strangers, carry news of events, deliver short messages to nearby places, etc. As a result, spies and thieves operating against the domain suffer a -2 penalty to their proficiency throws (see Hijinks, below). However, in exchange for this assistance, an elven ruler must always defend the animals within this territory.
Elven fastnesses are otherwise maintained like human domains.
Assassins, elven nightblades, and thieves can build a secret stronghold called a hideout. Being secret, hideouts do not secure domains and do not attract peasant families. However, when an adventurer has established a hideout, he will become the boss of a syndicate of 2d6 1st level followers of his own class. Each time the adventurer gains a level thereafter, he will attract an additional 1d6 1st level followers to his syndicate. All followers must be paid standard rates for ruffians. In addition, the syndicate boss may hire ruffians to increase the size of his syndicate (similar to how a fighter hires mercenaries to increase the size of his garrison). See the Hirelings, Henchmen, Mercenaries, and Specialists rules in Chapter 3 for details on ruffians.
| Market Class | Max. Syndicate Membership | Minimum Hideout Value (gp) |
|---|---|---|
| Class VI | 25 | 5,000 |
| Class V | 50 | 10,000 |
| Class IV | 100 | 20,000 |
| Class III | 375 | 75,000 |
| Class II | 750 | 150,000 |
| Class I | 3,000 | 600,000 |
Hideouts must be built within 6 miles of an urban settlement, which becomes the syndicate’s base of operations. The market class of the urban settlement determines the maximum size of the syndicate. Large ports and cosmopolitan cities can sustain much larger criminal gangs than small towns and agrarian villages. However, in order to reach its maximum size, a syndicate’s boss must construct a sufficiently large hideout. The Hideout Size and Cost table shows the maximum syndicate membership by settlement class, as well as the required hideout cost to reach that size of membership.
Example: Joanna establishes a hideout in a class IV market. Initially, she spends 10,000gp on her hideout. Based on the value of her hideout, the maximum membership of her syndicate is 50. Later, she spends another 10,000gp on her hideout, increasing its value to 20,000gp. The maximum membership of her syndicate rises to 100. The year following, she expands her hideout to a 75,000gp mansion. However, the maximum membership of her syndicate does not increase, because a Class IV market can only sustain a 100-member syndicate.
Once an adventurer has established a syndicate, its members can be deployed on various hijinks within its base of operations. If an adventurer has henchmen of an appropriate class (assassin, elven nightblade, or thief) these may also be assigned hijinks. Each month, each member of the syndicate (whether a follower, henchman or ruffian) on the boss’s payroll can be assigned a hijink from one of six available options. The boss who controls the syndicate gets the benefit of any successful hijinks he orders. The available hijinks, required rolls, and outcome of a successful hijink are summarized below.
| Hijink | Requirement | Successful Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Assassinating | Hide in Shadows | Victim dies; bounty of 1,000gp per level of victim to boss |
| Carousing | Hear Noise | Learn one rumor worth 3d12x5gp per level of perpetrator to boss |
| Smuggling | Move Silently | Smuggle 10 loads per level of perpetrator, payout of 12% of value of goods to boss |
| Spying | Hide in Shadows | Learn one secret worth 2d12x100gp per level of perpetrator to boss |
| Stealing | Pick Pockets | Steal 2 loads per level of perpetrator, payout of 60% of value of goods to boss |
| Treasure Hunting | Find Traps | Find treasure map to hoard worth 1d6x1,000gp per level of perpetrator to boss |
Assassination is the murder of unsuspecting NPC targets for pay. (Assassinating a PC or suspicious NPC victim is an adventure, not a hijink.) Only assassins and elven nightblades can be assigned assassination hijinks. An adventurer may assign an assassination against a particular target for personal reasons if desired. Otherwise, an assassination hijink is murder-for-hire on a victim within 1d2 levels of the perpetrator’s level.
For an assassination to succeed, the perpetrator must first make a successful Hide in Shadows throw. There is a -1 penalty on the proficiency throw per each level the perpetrator is lower than the victim. If the victim is slain, the boss collects a bounty equal to 1,000gp per level of the victim from whomever hired the guild. A victim assassinated for the boss’s personal reasons does not generate a bounty for the boss. 0th level victims count as 1/2 level for purposes of bounties (500gp).
If the proficiency throw fails, the assassination attempt failed. If the proficiency throw fails by 14 or more or is an unmodified 1, the perpetrator has been caught. If caught, determine the charges with a 1d6 roll: assault (1-3), mayhem (4-5), or murder (6).
Carousing includes all manner of consortium with harlots, gossips, and other unsavory characters in unseemly inns and taverns. Any character (including 0th level characters) can be assigned to a carousing hijink, but thieves and characters with Eavesdropping proficiency make the best carousers.
For carousing to succeed, the perpetrator must make a successful Hear Noise throw. If the throw is successful, the perpetrator learns one valuable rumor appropriate to the perpetrator’s location. The boss earns 3d12x5gp per level of the perpetrator exploiting the rumor through blackmail, insider trading, etc. (Alternatively, the Judge may provide a specific rumor valuable within the ongoing campaign in lieu of money.)
If the proficiency throw fails, the perpetrator learns nothing. If the proficiency throw fails by 14 or more or is an unmodified 1, the perpetrator has been caught. If caught, determine the charges with a 1d6 roll: drunkenness (1-3), gambling (4-5), or vandalism (6).
Smuggling is the illicit movement of goods in order to avoid tolls, customs duties, labor fees, and monopolies. Only thieves can be assigned a smuggling hijink. For smuggling to succeed, the perpetrator must make a successful Move Silently throw. If the throw is successful, the perpetrator smuggles ten loads of merchandise per class level. The type of merchandise smuggled is determined by a random roll on the Common Merchandise Table (see Mercantile Ventures). The perpetrator can smuggle extra loads of merchandise by taking a -1 penalty on the proficiency throw per 10 extra loads. When smuggling succeeds, the boss collects a fee equal to 12% of the market value of the merchandise smuggled.
If the proficiency throw fails, the perpetrator was not able to move the merchandise. If the proficiency throw fails by 14 or more or is an unmodified 1, the perpetrator has been caught and the merchandise confiscated. If caught, determine charges with a 1d6 roll: contraband (1-3), smuggling (4-5), racketeering (6).
Spying is the clandestine retrieval of secrets from powerful and influential figures. Assassins, nightblades, and thieves can be assigned a spying hijink.
For spying to succeed, the perpetrator must make a successful Hide in Shadows throw. If the throw is successful, the perpetrator learns advance intelligence, secret facts, or other highly valuable information from the perpetrator’s area of operation. The boss earns 2d12x100gp per level of the perpetrator exploiting the valuable secret. (If desired, the Judge can provide specific secrets valuable within the ongoing campaign in lieu of money).
If the proficiency throw fails, the perpetrator learns nothing. If the proficiency throw fails by 14 or more or is an unmodified 1, the perpetrator has been caught. If caught, determine charges with a 1d6 roll: eavesdropping (1-3), sedition (4-5), or treason (6).
Stealing includes all manner of burglary, robbery, and theft. Only thieves can be assigned a stealing hijink. For stealing to succeed, the perpetrator must make a successful Pick Pocket throw. If the throw is successful, the perpetrator steals two loads of merchandise per class level. The type of merchandise stolen is determined by a random roll on the Common Merchandise Table (see Mercantile Ventures, below). The perpetrator can attempt to steal a particular type of merchandise by taking a -4 penalty on the proficiency throw. The perpetrator can steal extra loads of merchandise by taking a -1 penalty on the proficiency throw per extra load. When stealing succeeds, the boss receives 60% of the market value of the stolen merchandise.
If the proficiency throw fails, the perpetrator was not able to steal anything. If the proficiency throw fails by 14 or more or is an unmodified 1, the perpetrator has been caught. If caught, determine charges with a 1d6 roll: theft (1-3), burglary (4-5) or robbery (6).
Treasure-hunting covers all manner of skulking and scavenging for treasure maps and rumors of hidden wealth. Only thieves can be assigned a treasure-hunting hijink. For treasure-hunting to succeed, the perpetrator must make a successful Find Traps throw. If the throw is successful, the perpetrator finds a treasure map to a random hoard worth 1d6 x 1,000gp per level of the perpetrator. The Judge determines the exact location of the hoard; hoards will generally be 6 miles away from the boss’s hideout for each 1,000gp value.
If the proficiency throw fails, the perpetrator finds nothing. If the proficiency throw fails by 14 or more or is an unmodified 1, the perpetrator has been caught. If caught, determine charges with a 1d6 roll: trespassing (1-3), theft (4-5), or burglary (6).
Whenever the proficiency throw fails by 14 or more or is an unmodified 1, the perpetrator has been caught. Any perpetrator caught is subject to legal penalties for his deeds. The Judge may determine appropriate punishments, or have the player roll on the Crime and Punishment table.
| Adjusted Die Roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 2- | Punitive Conviction |
| 3-5 | Conviction |
| 6-8 | Conviction on Lesser Charge |
| 9-11 | Acquittal |
| 12+ | Acquittal with Damages |
To roll on the Crime and Punishment table, roll 2d6. Adjust the die roll by the perpetrator’s Charisma modifier and any appropriate proficiency modifiers (from Diplomacy, Mystic Aura, or Seduction). Other circumstances that will apply are listed below.
Attorney: Add the perpetrator’s rank in Profession (attorney), if any. Otherwise, an attorney can be hired by the syndicate. A rank 1 attorney costs 25gp, a rank 2 attorney costs 50gp, and a rank 3 attorney costs 100gp.
Bribery: If the syndicate has a member with the Bribery proficiency, it can attempt to corrupt the courts. A +1 bonus costs 50gp, a +2 bonus costs 350gp and a +3 bonus costs 1,500gp.
Evidence: Roll 1d4 to represent evidence favorable to the perpetrator (alibis, good character, etc.). Roll 1d8 to determine the penalty from unfavorable evidence (witnesses to the crime, caught with stolen goods, etc.)
Interpleader: If the syndicate has ties with a domain ruler, the ruler could plead on the perpetrator’s behalf. Add the Charisma modifier of the domain ruler, plus an additional +2 if the interpleader has Diplomacy, Intimidation, or Mystic Aura. Note that if the domain ruler controls the domain where the crime happened, he may free the perpetrator without resorting to trial at all.
Prior Crimes: -1 if perpetrator is branded; -2 if perpetrator has been maimed (loss of tongue or hands); -3 if perpetrator has been proscribed.
Severity of Crime: The worse the crime, the worse the penalty. Breach of peace, drunkenness, outrage of decency 0; eavesdropping, gambling, or trespassing -1; assault, bribery, contraband extortion, theft, or vandalism -2; battery, burglary, kidnapping, rioting, or smuggling -3; manslaughter, mayhem, racketeering, rape, robbery, or sedition -4; arson, desertion, murder, or piracy -5; heresy, high treason, or regicide -6.
The result of the table indicates the fate of the perpetrator. A punitive conviction means that the perpetrator has been made an example of. He will be punished out of proportion to his charges. A conviction means that the perpetrator has been found guilty of the charges and will be punished appropriately. Conviction on lesser charge means that the perpetrator has been found guilty, but will not be punished as severely. Acquittal means the perpetrator has been found innocent. Acquittal with damages means that the perpetrator has been found so innocent that the court awards monetary damages for the offense to his reputation. Damages are always equal to what the fine would have been for the charges.
The Retribution by Crime table can be used to find an appropriate punishment for various charges. Punishments can include various forms of fines, humiliation, torture, mutilation, enslavement, exile, and execution. A perpetrator who cannot pay a fine is indentured to work off the fine. Perpetrators work off fines at a rate of 3gp per month. A perpetrator who can pay three times the amount of a fine can avoid other associated punishments.
Example: Reingo the Ruthless, a 1st level thief, is caught stealing a bundle of rare furs (500gp) and charged with theft (-2). Reingo is quite uncharismatic (-2) and the evidence looks bad (the 1d4 roll scores +1, while the 1d8 roll scores -5, for a -4 penalty). Since Reingo has been a loyal follower, his boss Joanna hires the best available attorney (+3) for 100gp and spends 350gp on bribes (+2). Reingo’s will roll on the Crime and Punishment table with a -3 on the die roll. He rolls an 8, reduced by 3, for a score of 5, resulting in a Conviction. Reingo will be whipped and fined 500gp.
| Crime | Punitive Punishment | Standard Punishment | Lesser Punishment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drunkenness, Outrage | Fined 5gp | Fined 2gp | Fined 1gp |
| Eavesdropping | Ear cut off (-1 to reaction rolls, -1 to hear noise, -1 to surprise rolls) and fined 25gp | Fined 10gp | Fined 5gp |
| Trespassing, Gambling | Placed in stocks 2d6 days(save v. Death or lose 1d6 teeth, -2 to reaction rolls) and fined 50gp | Fined 25gp | Fined 10gp |
| Bribery | Tongue cut off (cannot speak, cast spells, or use magic items or proficiencies involving speech; -4 to rolls) and fined 150gp | Placed in stocks 2d6 days (save v. Death or lose 1d6 teeth, -2 to reaction rolls) and fined 50gp | Fined 25gp |
| Theft,Contraband | Hand amputated (cannot dual wield or use two-handed weapons) and fined 450gp | Whipped (save v. Death or permanent scarring, -2 to reaction rolls) and fined 300gp value | Placed in stocks 2d6 days and fined 150gp |
| Assault,Vandalism | Tortured (save v. Death or suffer permanent wound from row 11-15 of Mortal Wounds table) and fined 600gp | Whipped (save v. Death or permanent scarring, -2 to reaction rolls) and fined 450gp | Whipped (save v. Death or permanent scarring, -2 to reaction rolls) and fined 300gp |
| Burglary, Smuggling | Both hands amputated (cannot climb, use weapons or items, open locks, remove traps, or any other similar actions) and fined 900gp | Branded (-2 to all reaction rolls) and fined 600gp | Whipped (as above) and fined 450gp |
| Kidnapping, Manslaughter, Mayhem | Tortured and proscribed (lose all property and rights, permanently exiled) | Tortured (save v. Death or suffer permanent wound from row 11-15 of Mortal Wounds table) and 750gp | Whipped (as above) and fined 600gp |
| Robbery, Racketeering | Execution (beheaded or hung) and fined 1,200gp | Hand amputated (cannot dual wield or use two-handed weapons) and fined 900gp | Branded (-2 to all reaction rolls) and fined 750gp |
| Arson, Desertion, Murder, Sedition | Agonizing execution (burned, crucified, drawn and quartered, or devoured by wild beasts) | Execution (beheaded or hung) | Proscribed (lose all property and rights, permanently exiled) |
| Heresy, High Treason, Regicide | Fate worse than death (cross-bred into monstrous creature, transformed into undead, etc.) | Agonizing execution (burned, crucified, drawn and quartered, devoured by wild beasts) | Execution (beheaded or hung) |
The syndicate boss is expected to pay for the attorneys, bribes, fines, and healing of members who get caught while assigned hijinks. If the boss regularly abandons his members to their fate, the Judge may roll on the Henchmen Loyalty table to see if the remaining syndicate members attack or betray their boss.
A criminal guild is a group of multiple syndicates under the control of one boss. Criminal guilds are commonly named for the class of their boss, e.g. a thieves’ guild or assassin’s guild. There are four general ways an adventurer may create a criminal guild:
An adventurer whose syndicate has reached its maximum size in its current base of operations may decide to establish a new syndicate in a new base of operations by building a hideout there and relocating some of his membership. The new syndicate in the new base of operations becomes part of the adventurer’s criminal guild.
Example: Joanna’s syndicate, based in a Class IV settlement, has reached its maximum size of 100 members. In order to keep her criminal enterprise growing, Joanna builds a new hideout in a Class III settlement and moves 20 of her members there.
If one of the adventurer’s assassin, thief, or nightblade henchmen reaches 9th level, the adventurer may fund a hideout for the henchman. The henchman will attract followers into a syndicate as per the rules above, and the henchman’s syndicate becomes part of the adventurer’s criminal guild.
An adventurer may recruit an NPC who already controls a syndicate to be a henchman. The new henchman’s syndicate becomes part of the adventurer’s criminal guild.
An adventurer may exile, imprison, or kill an NPC who already controls a syndicate. He may then claim the syndicate and its members as his own. The Judge should roll on the Change in Management table for each of the NPC’s former henchmen and followers to see if they are successfully recruited by the adventurer. For very large syndicates, the Judge may roll in batches of 5, 10, 25, or even 100 where appropriate.
The adventurer’s CHA modifier is applied as a die roll modifier, along with any bonuses for Diplomacy, Intimidation, or other proficiencies. If the adventurer is higher level than the previous leader, add a +1 bonus per level difference; apply a -1 penalty per level difference if the converse is true. Apply the previous leader’s CHA bonus (if any) as a penalty to the recruitment roll. The Judge may apply an additional modifier between -2 to +2 reflecting the adventurer’s reputation, gifts, and other attributes.
| Adjusted Die Roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 2- | Immediate Attack |
| 3-5 | Betray |
| 6-8 | Hesitate |
| 9-11 | Accept |
| 12+ | Accept with elan |
Immediate attack means that the follower seeks immediate revenge against the adventurer and will attack him at the first available opportunity. Betray means that the follower will pretend to be loyal to adventurer, but will betray him if an opportunity to do so presents itself. Hesitate means that the follower feels conflicting loyalties. He will betray the adventurer if a plurality of his fellows do so, but remain loyal if not. Accept means that the follower becomes loyal to the character. Accept with ‘elan means the offer is accepted with very good spirit, and the follower’s morale rolls receive a bonus of +1.
Example: Joanna, a 14th level thief with CHA 13, assassinates Rollio, a 12th level thief with CHA 16 and four followers. Joanna claims Rollio’s four followers for herself, so the Judge secretly rolls to see how Rollio’s followers respond to the change in management. Each die roll will be at +2 (because Joanna is two levels higher than Rollio) +1 (from Joanna’s CHA) -2 (from Rollio’s CHA), for a total of +1. The Judge rolls incredibly badly - an adjusted 3, 5, 8, and 9. Only one follower is loyal to Joanna. One is hesitant, and two plan to betray Joanna. Since the two betrayers are a plurality, the hesitant follower will join their attempt.
An adventurer can only directly manage one syndicate at a time. Other syndicates in the criminal guild must be assigned to a henchman to manage, either the henchman who established the syndicate or one appointed by the adventurer. A henchman who manages a syndicate is called an underboss.
An adventurer may assign hijinks to his own syndicate members, and to the members of any syndicates controlled by his underbosses. However, underbosses expect to be given wide latitude in running their part of the syndicate. If the adventurer assigns hijinks to more than 20% of the followers that any underboss controls, this causes the underboss to roll on the Henchman Loyalty table, with a -1 penalty per each additional 10% of the followers that the adventurer is ordering around. A henchman who resigns or becomes hostile takes his syndicate with him.
Underbosses may themselves have underbosses beneath them. In this way very large criminal guilds spread across multiple bases of operation can be formed. For purposes of assigning hijinks, each underboss can be assumed to have direct control over 20% of the followers one rank below him on the chain.
Example: Joanna manages a syndicate with 80 followers in her hometown. Her underboss, Anzio, manages a syndicate with 20 followers in a nearby city. Anzio himself has an underboss with 10 followers in a small villiage. Anzio directly manages his own 20 followers plus 20% of his underboss’s 10, for a total of 22 followers. Joanna directly manages her own 80 followers plus 20% of Anzio’s 22, for a total of 84 followers. If Joanna assigns hijinks to greater than 20% of Anzio’s followers, this will cause Anzio to roll on the Henchman Loyalty table.
| Syndicate Member Level | Monthly Income (gp) |
|---|---|
| 0 | 1 |
| 1 | 5 |
| 2 | 30 |
| 3 | 200 |
| 4 | 425 |
| 5 | 650 |
| 6 | 835 |
| 7 | 1,500 |
| 8 | 2,000 |
When managing a large criminal guild, it can be time-consuming to roll for every member of the guild. The Monthly Hijink Income table can be used to summarize the outcomes of a large number of hijinks by characters of 1st to 8th level. (Hijinks by 9th level or above character should always be rolled.) The Monthly Hijink Income table factors in the costs of wages as well as attorneys, bribes, fines, and healing for syndicate members who get caught.
A mage who builds a sanctum attracts 1d6 apprentices of 1st-3rd level each, plus 2d6 normal men seeking to become mages. The intelligence scores of the normal men will be above average (discard any rolls of 8 or less), but many will become discouraged before they become mages. At the end of 1d6 months, each normal man must make a proficiency throw of 14+, adding their Intelligence modifier to the die roll. Those who succeed become 1st level mages; those who fail become discouraged and leave the tower. Each year the mage dwells in his sanctum, he can attract an additional 1d6 normal men, until he has a maximum of 6 apprentices (of any level) and 12 normal men studying at any one time.
Many mages devote their later careers to magical research. This vocation demands a constant supply of rare components, generally monster parts, such as the fangs of 20 hellhounds or skulls of 50 ogres. Rather than squander their time hunting beasts for these components, many mages build dungeons within their domain with the aim of luring monsters to lair within. There they can be harvested at the mage’s leisure. The following rules govern the creation of such dungeons.
A dungeon is constructed using the Stronghold Structure Costs listed under Establishing the Stronghold. There are no restrictions on the dungeon’s size (other than what the mage can afford) or location, but dungeons do best when they are in wilderness domains with terrain favorable to monsters, such as forests, swamps, and mountains.
A mage may construct multiple dungeons within their domain if desired. A mage’s dungeon(s) need not be in the same hex as his stronghold. The value of a dungeon does not count towards Minimum Stronghold Value unless it is used to secure a chaotic domain.
After the dungeon is completed, the Judge will begin checking to determine whether any wandering monsters have arrived at the dungeon, using the Wandering Monster tables in the Secrets chapter. The Judge will make an encounter throw daily if the dungeon is in a wilderness domain, weekly if in a borderlands domain, and monthly if in a civilized domain. Any wandering monsters that arrive have a percentage chance of establishing a lair in the dungeon equal to their % In Lair entry.
If desired, the mage may seed the dungeon with treasure to help entice the monsters to stay. If a monster finds unclaimed treasure equal to or greater than the average for its Treasure Type (as explained in the Treasure chapter), the monster’s chance of making its lair within the dungeon is doubled. Monsters without a Treasure Type simply do not care about treasure, so it has no effect on them. Wandering monsters do not normally have any treasure of their own.
Wandering monsters who establish a lair will choose the best available room or area within the dungeon appropriate for their size, displacing any less powerful monsters already in that area (and taking their excess treasure, if any). Monsters generally prefer to be deeper in dungeons where possible, as the depth gives added security. As a result, the more powerful monsters with the most treasure will generally be deep within the dungeon, with progressively weaker monsters closer to the entrance.
When 1/3 of the areas in the dungeon have monsters lairing within them, the dungeon becomes full. The remaining rooms will be buffer zones between the different creatures. Any future monsters that arrive will displace weaker creatures out of the dungeon entirely, unless they are the sort of creature which would prefer to subjugate the current denizens (Judge’s discretion). For instance, a dragon might enslave kobolds rather than displace them.
Some results on the Wandering Monster table will indicate that NPC men, dwarves, or elves have arrived. These results mean that adventuring parties have come to clear the dungeon! Such encounters are best resolved by having the player whose mage owns the dungeon run a one-off session with the rest of the group playing as the wandering adventurers. The dungeon-owning mage may, of course, intervene personally when his dungeon is invaded.
It is up to the mage how he harvests the monsters within his dungeon. Some mages prefer to hire low-level adventurers to enter their dungeons to gather particular components. For instance, a mage might offer 140gp per ogre skull to adventurers exploring the maze he has created. Other mages may charm the monsters, stage gladiatorial battles among them, or simply kill the old and weak. Some Chaotic mages harvest adventurers…
Note that a mage receives no experience for seizing his own treasure back from monsters, but wandering adventurers who seize treasure from the mage’s dungeon receive experience points normally.
Like fighters, clerics, and most other classes (but unlike thieves), the domain around the mage’s stronghold may become settled by peasant families seeking his protection and leadership. These families can be demoralized if the mage builds a dungeon and does not protect the peasants from the monsters therein.
If maintaining a secure peasant population is important to him, the mage may increase his monthly garrison expenditure of gold pieces. Total the experience point value of the monsters in the dungeon and divide that total by the number of peasant families (round to the nearest whole number). The quotient represents the required increase in monthly garrison. If the mage fails to pay this, his domain morale will decrease by 1 per gp/family.
Example: Quintus’ domain has 1,100 peasant families. It also is home to a sinister dungeon with a cyclops (2,400xp), 6 ogres (1,290xp), and 60 orcs (600xp), for 4,290xp total. 4,290xp/1,100 families is 3.9, rounded to 4, so Quintus’ garrison cost is increased by 4gp per peasant. Being a stingy archmage, Quintus opts to only spend an extra 3gp per peasant (3,300gp). His domain morale decreases by 1.
If desired, mages may actually hire the monsters in their dungeon to serve as the garrison. This will cause a -2 domain morale penalty if the monsters are Chaotic and the peasants are not. Mages with beastmen peasant families (see Chaotic Domains) do not need to increase their garrison because of dungeons, unless the dungeon’s inhabitants are Lawful.
In their youth, adventurers are wont to squander their treasures on wine, women, and song. But older, wiser adventurers, who have faced death one time too often for a bare handful of coin, may find that their favorite type of venture is mercantile.
The riskiest, but most lucrative, form of mercantile trade is arbitrage: The movement of goods across long distances from markets where they are cheap to markets where they are expensive. Arbitrage traders must identify an opportunity, front the cost of purchasing large quantities of merchandise, safely transport it across long distances to distant markets by ship, and then find a buyer willing to pay enough of a premium to earn the trader a profit. Because it requires large sums of treasure and risky travel across the wilderness, arbitrage is a common choice for merchant-adventurers. Follow the steps below to adjudicate arbitrage trading.
In order to buy and sell goods, the adventurer must first travel to a market. A market can be anything from a humble county fair to a city-state’s outdoor bazaar to the ports of a major metropolis, but each has different characteristics. Each domain (as described under Strongholds and Domains) generally has its own separate market. Markets are rated by market class from I to VI, which rate their size and importance. The vast mercantile hubs of empires, with urban populations of 20,000 families or more, constitute Class I. Major ports, national capitals, and other large cities of 5,000 or more families constitute Class II. Provincial capitals and medium-sized cities of 1,750 to 5,000 families make up Class III. Small cities and large towns of 600 to 1,750 families make up Class IV. Small towns and large villages of 250 to 600 families are Class V. Any village of 250 families or less is Class VI.
Each market will have a unique set of demand modifiers, determined by the Judge, for different types of merchandise. The demand modifier modifies the availability and price for merchandise in the market. A low demand modifier indicates that there is a surplus of that type of merchandise available, usually because the market is a producer of that merchandise. A high demand modifier indicates that the merchandise is hard to get and very expensive. (See Generating Demand Modifiers, below, if the demand modifiers are unknown).
Example: The border capital of a rural Southern kingdom is a Class III market. Its demand modifiers are: Common Wood -2, Hides -2, Common Metals -2, Ivory -2, Rare Furs -2, Gems -2, Grain +1, Pottery +1, Dye +2, Cloth +1, Glassware +1, Tools +2, Armor +2, Spices +1, Silk +1. This capital is a great place to buy timber, furs and hides, ivory, and gems, and a good place to sell dyes, tools, armor, spices, silk, and similar manufactured or luxury goods.
Each time adventurers enter a market to buy or sell goods, they must pay a toll (unless they sneak in). The cost of the toll is listed below on the Market and Merchant Table. For characters entering to sell, the minimum toll is always 1gp per load. This represents harbor fees paid to the harbormaster of a port, guild tolls at the city gate for caravans, etc.
Once a market is selected, roll on the Merchants column of the Market and Merchant table below to find the number of merchants interested in transactions with the adventurers. For each merchant, roll on the Loads of Merchandise column to determine the volume of goods each merchant can handle. A “load” is a generic unit - the exact nature of a load varies depending on the merchandise (see the Common Merchandise and Precious Merchandise Tables, below).
| Market Class | Toll | Merchants | Loads of Merchandise |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | 1d6+15gp | 2d6+2 | 6d8 loads |
| II | 1d10+10gp | 2d4+1 | 4d6 loads |
| III | 1d8+5gp | 2d4 | 3d4 loads |
| IV | 1d6+3gp | 1d4 | 2d4 loads |
| V | 1d6gp | 1d4-1 | 1d4 loads |
| VI | 1d3gp | 1d3-1 | 1d2 loads |
If the adventurers are buying, the Loads of Merchandise result shows how many loads the adventurers can purchase from that merchant. If the adventurers are selling, the Loads of Merchandise result shows many of their loads that merchant will be willing to purchase from them.
One half of the merchants (rounded up) become interested in transactions within the first week the adventurers enter the market. One quarter of the merchants (rounded down, minimum 1) become interested during the second week. The remainder of the merchants will become interested in transactions in the third week. Additional efforts to locate more merchants in the market may be made at the end of this time, but the dice roll takes a modifier of -2 for each week that the adventurers have been in the market.
Example: Farlaghn leads a caravan into a Class III market. There are 7 merchants available. 4 merchants express interest in doing business in the first week his caravan is in town. 2 more merchants become interested in doing business in the second week. The last merchant becomes interested in the third week. As this is a class III market, each of these merchants will buy up to 3d4 loads of merchandise. What exactly they want to buy or sell has not yet been determined.
As long as they have a caravan or vessel at a market, adventurers will have to pay moorage or stabling fees. Moorage fees for ships are 1gp per 10 structural hit points per day. Stabling fees are 2sp per mule, 5sp per horse, 1gp per cart, and 2gp per wagon per day. For instance, a merchant with 2 wagons drawn by 4 horses each will have to pay 6gp per day.
An adventurer buying and selling in a domain he controls (see Strongholds and Domains, above) always has access to the maximum number of merchants available, and need not pay moorage, stabling fees, or tolls.
Each merchant will buy and sell only one type of merchandise. Roll on the Common Merchandise table to see the merchandise each merchant is interested in buying and selling. The specific results can be customized where appropriate. For instance, “hides, furs” might be bear and wolf furs in a northern Viking town or camel hide in a trading outpost on the steppes.
If the adventurers are trying to buy or sell a particular type of merchandise, a reaction roll of 9+ is required to persuade a merchant to transact in a particular type of Common Merchandise, or 12+ for Precious Merchandise. Add the demand modifier to the die roll when trying to find buyers of goods, and subtract it from the die roll when trying to find sellers of goods. If an adventurer has a monopoly over a particular type of merchandise, he gains a +3 on the die roll, and merchants will buy or sell twice the normal number of loads of that type from him. Only one roll per merchant is permitted, and on a failed roll, the merchant will not transact with the adventurer at all; another trader has met his needs.
Example: Farlaghn’s caravan is carrying 20 loads of dyes and pigments when it arrives in the city. Farlaghn wants to see if any of the 7 available merchants will buy this specific merchandise from him. Dyes and pigments are common merchandise, for which the city has a demand modifier of +2. For each merchant, he makes a reaction roll of 9+. Since he is trying to find buyers, he will add the demand modifier of +2 to his roll, so he will only need a natural die roll of 7 or more. He rolls 9, 3, 7, 3, 4, 8, and 2; 3 of the 7 merchants are persuaded to buy dyes and pigments. Rolling 3d4 for each merchant, Farlaghn discovers they will buy 8, 8, and 9 loads of dyes and pigments respectively, for a total of 25. Farlaghn will be able to unload all the dyes and pigments in his caravan!
Once the nature of a load of merchandise has been determined, its market price must be calculated. Each type of merchandise has a base price which represents an average value of the commodity given its utility and scarcity. The base price is then adjusted for the economic and political factors of the market where the transaction is occurring. These factors are modeled randomly using die rolls and situational adjustments.
The market price is the prevailing price for that market, and should only be calculated once for each type of merchandise for each visit to the market. Different merchants in the same market will not buy and sell the same type of goods at different prices.
To determine market price:
Find the merchandise’s base price on the Common or Precious Merchandise Table.
Roll 4d4. Add the demand modifier, if any, for this type of merchandise in this market. Add 1 if the market is a Class I or Class II. Subtract 1 if the market is Class V or VI. Modify by 1 in the adventurer’s favor if he has a monopoly in that type of merchandise. The Judge may apply any special modifiers (from war, calamity, etc.) he deems appropriate.
Multiply the result by 10 and apply it as a percentage of the base price. This is the market price for the merchandise.
Example: Having lined up some interested merchants, Farlaghn sells his dyes and pigments. The base price for dyes and pigments is 250gp. Rolling 4d4, Farlaghn scores a 9. The city is a major consumer of dyes and pigments, so the demand modifier is +2, increasing the result to 11. Dyes and pigments in the city have a market price of (11x10) 110% of the base price, or 275gp per load. Farlaghn’s 20 loads of dyes and pigments are worth 5,500gp.
The market price is calculated once when merchandise is bought, and again when it is sold in a different market. If the adventurers wait in the same market hoping for the price to change, there will be a 10% cumulative chance of a price change (re-roll) for each type of merchandise each month.
If the adventurers find a merchant buying or selling merchandise at a market price acceptable to the adventurers, a transaction may occur. Adventurers may transact with any or all available merchants, but each merchant will never buy or sell more than the number of loads rolled for that merchant in step 2.
When adventurers buy goods, they must pay a labor fee to cover the cost of loading the goods onto their ship or caravan. When they sell goods at their destination, they must pay another labor fee to unload the goods. The labor fee is 1gp per 200 stone of merchandise. Adventurers selling goods will also have to pay a customs duty equal to 2d10% of their market price. Player characters disinclined to pay such fees can, of course, attempt to smuggle goods into the market.
Example: 20 loads of dyes and pigments weigh 500 stone, so Farlaghn’s labor fees will be 3gp. The city has an 11% customs duty, so Farlaghn will have to pay a fee of 605gp when he sells his goods for 5,500gp.
If the adventurers have purchased merchandise, they will need to transport their goods to a new market for sale. Transporting goods should be handled as a wilderness adventure, as described in Chapter 6 under Wilderness Adventures. When the adventurers reach a new market, they may sell their merchandise, starting with step 1, above.
If an adventurer is operating a vessel or caravan, he may transport passengers between markets. The number of passengers available is determined on the Passengers and Shipping Contracts table. Roll on a 1d20 to determine the destination of each passenger. On 19+, the passenger wants to hire a caravan or vessel to travel to a distant market of his choice, 2d20 x 100 miles away. Otherwise, the passenger simply wants to be transported to the closest market within one size class along the way towards the adventurer’s destination.
| Market Class | Passengers | Shipping Contracts | Cargo to be Shipped |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | 2d4+1 | 2d6+2 | 6d8 loads |
| II | 2d4 | 2d4+1 | 4d6 loads |
| III | 1d4 | 2d4 | 3d4 loads |
| IV | 1d4-1 | 1d4 | 2d4 loads |
| V | 1d3-1 | 1d4-1 | 1d4 loads |
| VI | 1d2-1 | 1d3-1 | 1d2 loads |
Passengers will not accept transport from adventurers they deem untrustworthy. The adventurer must make a Reaction Roll for each passenger (see Reactions in Chapter 6). Only on an adjusted Reaction Roll of 9+ will the passenger voyage with the adventurer. Charisma, Bribery, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Mystic Aura, Seduction, and other modifiers apply normally.
Each passenger counts as 200 stone of cargo, not including any food or water required for their passage. The standard fee for passengers is 20gp per 500 miles by sea or 20gp per 150 miles by road (rounded up). However, passengers that hire a vessel or caravan to go to a particular designation must pay as if they shipped enough to fill the cargo hold. This fee is 1gp per 10 stone of cargo space per 500 miles of distance by sea or 1gp per 10 stone per 150 miles by road. A round-trip fee may be charged if the destination is at least 2 market classes smaller than the originating market. Passengers will generally pay half in advance and the remainder upon safely reaching their destination.
An adventurer operating a vessel or caravan may also solicit shipping contracts to move cargo for other merchants. The number and size of the shipping contracts available is determined on the Passengers and Shipping Contracts Table. The destination of shipping contracts is determined as per passengers, above. Like passengers, shippers will not accept transport from adventures they deem untrustworthy. A Reaction Roll of 9+ is required to secure each shipping contract.
A shipping contract pays 1gp per 10 stone of cargo space per 500 miles by sea or 1gp per 10 stone of cargo per 150 miles by road (rounded up). Shippers will not generally disclose the merchandise they are shipping. The Judge may roll on the Common Merchandise table to determine the precise weight of the cargo to be shipped, or simply assume it is a mixed shipment weighing 70 stone per load. Adventurers will be expected to offer free passage for one merchant representative who takes care of the goods and tax payments. Shippers will generally pay half in advance and the remainder (through an agent) upon their cargo safely reaching its destination.
Characters may both accept passengers and shipping contracts and buy their own merchandise to fill out cargo space. As with merchants, one half of the passengers and shipping contracts (rounded up) become interested in a transaction during the first week the adventurers enter the market. One quarter (rounded down, minimum 1) become interested during the second week. The remainder becomes interested in transactions in the third week.
Use the following table to quickly determine the costs, profits, or treasure of merchant ships or caravans. The table values were determined based on the average values for number of passengers, shipping contracts, merchants, and merchandise given in these rules. Large sailing ships and huge 30-40 wagon caravans are assumed to ply trade routes between Class I and II markets, while small sailing ships and caravans ply the secondary trade routes between Class II and III markets.
| Ship/Caravan | Upfront Cost | Ship Crew / Caravaneers | Average Cargo Weight Carried | Average Cargo Value Carried (Treasure Type) | Average Monthly Costs | Average Monthly Profits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small sailing ship | 10,000gp | 10 sailors, 1 navigator, 1 captain | 10,000 stone | 20,000gp (Q) | 325gp | 875gp |
| Large sailing ship | 20,000gp | 17 sailors, 2 navigators, 1 captain | 30,000 stone | 64,000gp (R+Q) | 525gp | 2,600gp |
| 10 wagons | 3,600gp | 20 guards, 2 sergeants, 1 leader | 6,400 stone | 15,000gp (N+L) | 515gp | 120gp |
| 20 wagons | 7,200gp | 40 guards, 4 sergeants, 1 leader | 12,800 stone | 25,000gp (Q+H) | 825gp | 600gp |
| 30 wagons | 10,800gp | 60 guards, 6 sergeants, 1 leader | 19,200 stone | 40,000gp (Q+P) | 1,150gp | 1,050gp |
| 40 wagons | 14,500gp | 80 guards, 8 sergeants, 1 leader | 25,600 stone | 55,000gp (R+N) | 1,450gp | 1,475gp |
| Roll | Merchandise | 1 Load | Enc. per Load (stone) | Base Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01-04 | Grain, vegetables | 20 bags | 80 | 10gp |
| 05-08 | Fish, preserved | 10 barrels | 80 | 50gp |
| 09-12 | Wood, common | 1 cord of logs | 80 | 50gp |
| 13-16 | Animals | (Roll 1d6 on Animals) | By Animal | By Animal |
| 17-20 | Salt | 150 bricks | 80 | 100gp |
| 21-25 | Beer, ale | 10 barrels | 80 | 100gp |
| 26-30 | Oil, lamp | 5 jars | 30 | 100gp |
| 31-35 | Textiles | 4 bags | 20 | 100gp |
| 36-39 | Hides, furs | 10 bundles | 30 | 150gp |
| 40-43 | Tea or coffee | 2 bags | 10 | 150gp |
| 44-47 | Metals, common | 200 ingots | 100 | 200gp |
| 48-51 | Meats, preserved | 10 barrels | 80 | 200gp |
| 52-54 | Cloth | 20 rolls | 80 | 200gp |
| 55-60 | Wine, spirits | 1 barrel | 16 | 200gp |
| 61-63 | Pottery | 2 crates | 10 | 200gp |
| 64-68 | Tools | 1 crate | 10 | 200gp |
| 69-73 | Armor, weapons | 1 crate | 10 | 225gp |
| 74-75 | Dye & pigments | 5 jars | 25 | 250gp |
| 76-80 | Glassware | 2 crates | 10 | 400gp |
| 81-85 | Mounts | (Roll 1d4+4 on Animals) | By Animal | By Animal |
| 86-100 | Roll on | Precious Merchandise | - | - |
| Roll | Merchandise | 1 Load | Enc. per Load (stone) | Base Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01-10 | Monster parts* | 1 crate | 5 | 300gp |
| 11-25 | Wood, rare | 1 cord | 16 | 500gp |
| 26-35 | Furs, rare | 1 bundle | 5 | 500gp |
| 36-45 | Metals, precious | 2 ingots | 4 | 600gp |
| 46-60 | Ivory | 1 tusk | 8 | 800gp |
| 61-65 | Spices | 1 jar | 1 | 800gp |
| 66-70 | Porcelain, fine | 2 crates | 10 | 1,000gp |
| 71-75 | Books, rare | 1 box | 3 | 1,000gp |
| 76-90 | Silk | 5 rolls | 20 | 2,000gp |
| 91-95 | Semiprecious stones | 1 box | 1 | 1,000gp |
| 96-100 | Gems | 1 box | 1 | 3,000gp |
*Roll on the wandering monster table for the region to determine specific monster. Each monster’s parts have a gp value equal to the monster’s XP value$
| Roll | Animal | Encumbrance per Animal | Animals per Load | Fodder Cost per Load (10 stone) | Price per Load |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rabbit, hen | 1 stone per 2 | 200 (100 stone) | 5gp/wk | 60gp |
| 2 | Sheep | 6 stone | 30 (180 stone) | 5gp/wk | 60gp |
| 3 | Pig, goat | 12 stone | 20 (240 stone) | 5gp/wk | 60gp |
| 4 | Cattle | 50 stone | 5 (250 stone) | 5gp/wk | 50gp |
| 5-6 | Horse, yak | 150 stone | 2 (300 stone) | 5gp/wk | 80gp |
| 7 | Warhorse | 200 stone | 2 (400 stone) | 7gp/wk | 500gp |
| 8 | Elephant | 1,000 stone | 1 (1,000 stone) | 20gp/wk | 1,500gp |
Note: When quickly calculating average hauls, merchandise has an average base price of 300gp and an encumbrance of 70 stone per load. Common merchandise averages 180gp and 80 stone per load. Precious merchandise averages 1,000gp and 10 stone per load.
Characters that undertake campaign activities can earn experience points (XP) from their activities. As with XP earned from adventuring, characters receive XP bonuses or penalties based on their score in their class prime requisites, as detailed in Chapter 2, Characters. Characters can never earn enough campaign XP to advance 2 levels or more in one month.
A character receives 1 XP per 2gp spent constructing a stronghold (castle, sanctum, etc.) used to secure a domain. The XP is earned when the stronghold is completed. If the character ever loses the stronghold, however, the character loses the XP earned from its construction. This may result in the loss of class levels. The character can regain the lost XP by re-taking the stronghold intact. If the stronghold is partially destroyed when re-captured, the character re-gains XP equal to its reduced value.
Mages do not gain XP from gp spent to construct dungeons, but do gain XP for harvesting monsters in them. A stronghold constructed by a follower or henchman of an appropriate level earns the follower or henchman 1 XP per 4gp (e.g. 50%).
A character may earn XP from his domain and mercantile income. In order to earn XP, the character’s activities must meet two criteria. First, the activity must have been managed by the character personally. The character does not earn XP from domains managed by vassals, or from mercantile expeditions risked by others. Second, the income earned in any month must exceed the character’s monthly gold piece threshold. The gp threshold is based on the character’s level, and represents the monthly income that a character of that stature should be able to earn with little risk or effort.
Domain income is the total of the ruler’s land, service, tax, and vassal revenue, less his garrison cost, stronghold upkeep, taxes, and tithes. If domain income exceeds the character’s gp threshold, he earns XP equal to the difference. Domain income is earned monthly. A follower or henchman managing a domain earns 50% of the normal domain XP.
Example: Marcus is a 9th level fighter who has become a Palatine of the Empire. His domain of 1,500 families generates 9,000gp of land income, 6,000gp of service income, and 2,000gp of tax income. His 5 vassals pay him an additional 8,000gp each month in total, making his domain revenue 25,000gp. However, his garrison costs 4,500gp; stronghold upkeep costs 1,000gp; taxes cost 5,000gp; and tithes cost 2,500gp each month. His domain income is 12,000gp per month. Marcus earns no domain XP, as his gp threshold is 12,000gp. Marcus contemplates raising taxes… or conquering a larger domain.
| Class Level | Gp Threshold |
|---|---|
| 1 | 25 |
| 2 | 75 |
| 3 | 150 |
| 4 | 300 |
| 5 | 650 |
| 6 | 1,250 |
| 7 | 2,500 |
| 8 | 5,000 |
| 9 | 12,000 |
| 10 | 18,000 |
| 11 | 40,000 |
| 12 | 60,000 |
| 13 | 150,000 |
| 14 | 425,000 |
Mercantile income is the total of gp earned from selling goods and transporting cargo and passengers, less the cost of goods sold, wages, rations, tolls, custom duties, moorage and stabling, and labor fees. Mercantile income from arbitrage and transport expeditions is calculated when the character reaches his final destination (usually by returning to his point of origin). Divide the total revenue from the expedition by the number of months that have elapsed since the expedition began to determine monthly income. If monthly mercantile income exceeds the character’s gp threshold, he earns XP equal to the difference per month of the expedition.
Example: Farlaghn, a 7th level elven spellsword, leads a fleet of six small sailing ships from his home port to an exotic island port and back, a two-month expedition. At the conclusion of the expedition, his mercantile income (after all expenses) is 7,200gp. Since the expedition took two months, his monthly mercantile income is 3,600gp. His gp threshold is 3,000gp, so he earns 600XP for each month, or 1,200XP total.
A follower or henchman earns 50% of the normal XP from mercantile activities. If multiple characters join a mercantile expedition, the total gp value should be divided among all surviving player characters and henchmen evenly, with henchmen receiving a 1/2 share each.
In cases where a character has both domain and mercantile income, the totals should be calculated separately.
A character may earn XP from magical research he conducts personally, if its cost exceeds his gp threshold. The XP is earned when the research is completed. Divide the cost of the research by the number of months required to complete it (always divide by at least one). If this monthly cost exceeds the character’s gp threshold, the character earns XP equal to the difference per month of research. Both the base cost of the magical research and any precious materials apply, but the cost for libraries, workshops, or special components is excluded. Failing at magical research does not earn XP.
Example: Quintus, a 5th level mage, creates a scroll of sleep. This takes one week and 500gp. 500gp divided by one (the minimum) is 500gp, which is less than his gp threshold of 650gp, so he earns no XP. He then creates a scroll of fireball. This takes three weeks and 1,500gp. 1,500gp divided by one (the minimum) is 1,500gp, which is greater than his gp threshold of 650gp, so he earns the difference. Quintus has earned 850XP. Years later, at 9th level, Quintus creates a sword +2, which takes two months and 15,000gp. He also uses 15,000gp in precious materials, so the cost is 30,000gp. 30,000gp divided by two months is 15,000gp. Quintus’ gp threshold is 12,000gp, so he earns 3,000XP for each month, or 6,000XP total.
Followers or henchmen conducting magical research earn 50% of the normal XP from magical research. An assistant gains 50% of the magical research XP he would earn if he conducted the research independently. (A follower or henchman acting as an assistant thus gains 25% of the normal XP.) Characters do not receive XP for magical research conducted by their assistants.
Example: Quintus, a 5th level mage, decides to focus on creating scrolls of fireball. He gives his assistant, Rigan, a 1st level mage henchman, a sample scroll of sleep and supervises him in the creation of more. With a sample, Rigan can make one scroll every half-week at a cost of 250gp. Each time Rigan succeeds, he will earn 56XP (250gp less his gp threshold of 25gp, multiplied by 25%). With a magic research throw of 16+, Rigan will succeed about twice per month. Should Rigan be so fortunate as to have Quintus’ close supervision (and resources) for about two years, he’ll earn around 2,700XP, enough to reach 2nd level.
A syndicate boss may earn XP from his monthly hijink income. Monthly hijink income is the total gp value earned from hijinks by the boss, less the cost of wages, attorneys, bribes, fines, and magical healing for his members. (Income can be rolled and calculated manually, or the Monthly Hijink Income table in the Managing Criminal Guilds section can be used for faster calculation.) If monthly hijink income exceeds the character’s gp threshold, he earns XP equal to the difference.
Syndicate members earn XP equal to 50% of the gp value of hijinks they perpetrate successfully. On average, 1st level followers will earn 50XP per month from hijinks. Assuming that their leader manages to bail them out of trouble every time they get caught, followers will reach 2nd level in about 25 months (two years). Most ruffians do not, in practice, live that long.
A 0th level character may earn experience points from campaign activities. If the 0th level character earns 100 XP from campaign activities, he may advance to become a 1st level character. 0th level characters are always considered to be followers or henchmen and earn 1/2 XP.
Magical Research: 0th level characters who study under an arcane spellcaster of 9th level or higher may become 1st level mages. To qualify they must first possess the Alchemy, Collegiate Wizardry, Magical Engineering, or related proficiency (Judge’s discretion). They must then study for 1d6 months and make a proficiency throw of 14+, modified by their INT bonus or penalty. Success means the character advances to 1st level. Failure means the character has no gift for magic.
Domain and Mercantile Income: A 0th level character may earn XP from domain and mercantile income. They are treated as if they had a Gp Threshold of 25gp. The character will advance into a type of class appropriate to the domain managed. For instance, a petty noble’s son (0th level character) who inherits his father’s small domain (125gp per month) will earn 50 XP per month [(125gp - 25gp) x 1/2], advancing to become a 1st level fighter after 2 months as serving as baron (if bandits don’t kill him first).
Hijinks: A 0th level character may earn XP from perpetrating hijinks. In most cases, the only hijink available to 0th level characters is carousing (Hear Noises 18+). When the 0th level character earns 100xp from carousing, he may become a 1st level assassin, nightblade, or thief. Which class will depend on his race (only elves may be nightblades) and the sort of company the character is keeping. On average, it takes 0th level characters 6 months of consorting with unsavory sorts in dimly-lit taverns to advance.
When a 0th level character advances to 1st level, he gains the Adventuring proficiency and his new class’s proficiency, powers, attack throws, and saving throws. The character re-rolls his hit points using his new class’s Hit Die, keeping either his new hp total or his prior hp total if it was higher. The new 1st level character retains any general proficiencies he already knew. Each time he becomes eligible to learn a new general proficiency by advancing in class level, he may replace one of these existing general proficiencies with a new general proficiency better suited to his new class.