THE SETTLEMENT’s EVENTS
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Fine. We’ve seen the actions and some of them may be under construcion at the time you are reading this article.
The next planned step is to brew some events.
We should consider the Events as if they were encounters and we want to include the possibility that the Game Master may homebrew custom events.
First, some considerations.
- Events are something that is triggered under certain circumstances, in other words it means that the when is not in the Game Master power.
- The Game Master may roll the what on pre-made tables or make a custom events on her own.
- An event is something connected to a primary stat, that means events come in categories related to Military, Flexibility, Resistance, Technology, Culture, Influence. This is much more complicated because we need to create a coherent list of events.
- Events are usually harmful or potentially dangerous, however we don’t want to exclude some neutral events that can be turned into something not harmful provided a succeful roll is made.
So, with these considerations in mind, we can now go on.
About the “when”
a) As a general rule an event is triggered whenever a primary stat roll is a critical failure or a natural 1.
b) Every week there is a 5% cumulative chance that an event may occur.
Now, the Game Master may decide to change or expand a) and b). He or she may decide to add a helpful (instead of a harmful) table of events whenver a critical success is rolled. He or she may decide to increase or decrease the cumulative chance of an event to occurr. We may even do it, but that is not something we are going to do now. We just leave the door open.
Long story short, when an event is triggered due to a critical situation (a natural 1 is rolled), just roll an event related to that specific primary stat.
Example: A settlement is performing an invade action (military roll) against a target.
The player roll a natural 1.
The invade action is successful even if a natural 1 is rolled because target’s defense score is low and the player can add some bonuses – keep in mind that a critical failure doesn’t mean the attack failed, it means it just triggered a military event.
The table of events presented in this article contains a limited amout of events, however the Game Master – as we said previously – may expand the list and elaborate custom events coherent with the ongoing course of actions.
Being this article and all the articles related to this topic a sketch of what is about to come, we will expand and modify every table of events – military, flexibility, resistance, technology, culture and influence – from time to time.
Feel free, as reader, to propose your own events.
As a general rule, when you craft an event, just consider that the event should be related to the nature of the primary stat involved in the roll, or should affect the performance of the primary stat.
Some events will be temporary, others permanents but removable, or permanents and not removables.
In the paragraph below we present a list of seventeen military events. You will notice immediately how each event affect one (or more) elements of the core mechanics.
TABLE 9.2 – MILITARY EVENTS
Rust Monster!
Rust monster infiltrate the settlement and devour goods made of iron. Any invade action and raid action suffer -4 damage for one month. The settlement gains 100xp.
Swords & Gold!
The most experienced warriors demand to be paid or they will leave. The settlement must pay 100gp*settlement’s tier or the warriors will leave. If the settlement can’t pay or don’t want to pay, then it will permanently lose 1 point of military.
Hard Training…too hard!
During a training session some rookies got injured and some of them died. The settlement loses 1d4 population and gains 50xp.
Bad Maintenance!
Keeping weapons to the state of art is boring and your militia prefers to do something else. The next invade action suffers -1 damage rolls.
Umber Hulks!
You miners dug where it was better not. A small band of umber hulks is now rampaging the mines. Make a military roll against DC 10. If the roll fails then any mining activity has to stop. You can repeat the roll every week. The umber hulks remain until defeated. Award the settlement 100xp once the umber hulks are defeated.
Goblin Bands!
A small band of goblins wanders the area. They attack unaware miners with surprise assaults. They have offense score +2 and deal 1d4-1 damage. Make an attack roll every week. The band leave the area after 1d4 weeks.
Blood & Glory!
A group of fanatics among the militia decide it’s time to settle matters by spilling the blood of an ancient enemy. A party of marauders launche a raid action against the closest target as a free action. after the raid the diplomatic relationship toward the target turns to hostile. If the settlement suppresses the marauders it permanently loses 1 point of military.
War & Politic!
Veteran soldiers decide it’s time to bring their voice into the council. They manage to elect one of their representative thus moving the settlement’s policy toward a more militaristic actitude. The settlement gains 1 point of military and loses 1 point of influence.
New Uniforms!
The militia wants better uniforms to show off prestige and might. The settlement has to pay 10gp*population to comply their request. If the settlement doesn’t comply then any invade, raid or defend action will suffer a -2 penalty.
Training is good…but beer is better!
Before performing any invade or raid action the dwarves demand beer. Anytime the settlement perform any of the above mentioned actions it has to pay 1gp*population to reflect the beer supply. The effect is permanent until the settlement fails an invade or raid action.
We want weapons!
The militia refuses to enter the battlefield if not properly equipped. The settlement must provide tier I weapons to every soldier. If the settlement doesn’t comply with the request then any invade action can’t be performed.
Training and more training!
Officers demand the council an extra training session for the militia. The next action the settlement performs must be a train action. You can employ military in place of culture to perform this train action.
Warmongers!
The council’s policy opts for a more militaristic regime. Once every month the settlement must perform a raid action against a target. The settlement may end this effect by making a DC 15 culture roll.
Swords for hire!
The best warriors accept to work as swords for hire in a small military campaign. The settlement can’t perform the invade action for 1d4 weeks. After 1d4 weeks have passed the warriors return and the settlement gains 1d4*100xp.
We need barracks!
The soldiers demand quarters and equipment for their basic training. The settlement must perform a build action every week until the barracks(*) are completed. To avoid this event the settlement has to make a DC 15 culture roll.
*We have not yet compiled a list of buildings, but something is already available in the next articles.
Orcs Warband!
Orcs make campment in the vicinity. They ‘ve heard that dwarves have found gold in the mines. The orcs campment is a tier I(*) enemy.
*By stating tier I we are opening the doors to standard enemy settlement’s, something like a bestiary or monstrous compendium.
Smugglers!
Some officers are smuggling ores and goods that belong to the settlement. Make a spy action against DC 10 to catch the smugglers, if successful the settlement gains 50xp and loses 1d4 population.
TABLE 9.3 – FLEXIBILITY EVENTS
Traitors!
A group of traitors were hiding among you. They passed vital informations to a neighbouring settlement. If the settlement is target of an invade action or raid action within a month from now, then the settlement suffers a -2 penalty on defense score.
Saboteurs!
Someone sabotages the settlement’s infrastructures(*). the saboteurs target your railway, acqueduct or ventilation system. The infrastructure ceases to work. To restore the infrastructure make a DC 15 flexibility roll. If the above mentioned infrastructures have not been built yet then ignore this event.
*We talk about infrastructure, which are something different than buildings. More details will come when we’ll talk about buildings, equipment, infrastructures and trade goods.
Counterspy!
Enemy counterespionage detects your agents you sent into a terget settlement. Any effect related to a spy action in that settlement ceases.
Kidnapped!
One of your officers has been kidnapped by bandits. the kidnapper demand a ransom of 100gp. If you fail to comply the settlement permanently loses 1 population.
Mine collapse!
An accident strikes the mines. A group of miners suffer severe injuries and production is affected. The settlement suffers 1d4 damage to population and mine output is halved for one week.
TABLE 9.4 – RESISTANCE EVENTS
Under construction
TABLE 9.5 – TECHNOLOGY EVENTS
Under construction
TABLE 9.6 – CULTURE EVENTS
Under construction
TABLE 9.7 – INFLUENCE EVENTS
Under construction
See you soon for the next article of this serie!