Classic Play

Strongholds & Dynasties

Adrian Bott

Contents Credits
Introduction 2
Editor
Strongholds: An Overview 3 Richard Neale
Before Construction Begins 18
Developer
Basic Buildings in Earth and Wood 30
Paul Tucker
Intermediate Buildings 43
Fortifications 66 Cover Art
Ralph Horsley
Extraordinary Strongholds 76
Additional Stronghold Features 83 Interior Illustrations
Reynaldo Batista, Eric Bergeron, Anthea Dilly,
Offensive and Defensive Features 108
David Esbiri, Marcio Fiorito, Reynato Guedes, Drew
Underground Strongholds 120 Langstrom, Eric Lofgren, Rich Longmore, David
Powered Strongholds 125 Molinas, Danilo Moreti, Rick Otey, Tony Parker,
Philip Renne, Stephen Shepherd, Anne Stokes,
The Mechanics of Government 129 Alejandro Villen and Nathan Webb
Resources and Goods 135
The Power Structure 153 Production Manager
Alexander Fennell
The Art of Governing 174
The Seedtime and the Harvest 211 Proof Reading
Ben Hesketh
Trade and Taxation 215
Warfare 221
The Open Mass Combat System (v2) 228
Designer’s Notes 247

Open Game Content & Copyright Information

Classic Play - Strongholds & Dynasties ©2003 Mongoose Publishing. All rights reserved. Reproduction of non-
Open Game Content of this work by any means without the written permission of the publisher is expressly
forbidden. Classic Play - Strongholds & Dynasties is presented under the Open Game and D20 Licences.
See page 256 for the text of these licences. All text paragraphs and tables containing game mechanics and
statistics derivative of Open Game Content and the System Reference Document are considered to be Open
Game Content. All other significant characters, names, places, items, art and text herein are copyrighted by
Mongoose Publishing. All rights reserved. If you have questions about the Open Game Content status of any
material herein, please contact Mongoose Publishing for clarification. ‘d20 System’ and the ‘d20 System’ logo
are Trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast and are used according to the terms of the d20 System Licence
version 3.0. A copy of this Licence can be found at www.wizards.com. The mention of or reference to any
company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned. Dungeons &
Dragons and Wizards of the Coast are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. in the United States and other
countries and are used with permission. Printed in China.
Mongoose Publishing
Mongoose Publishing, PO Box 1018, Swindon, SN3 1DG, United Kingdom

[email protected]

Visit the Mongoose Publishing website at www.mongoosepublishing.com for additional rules and news
INTRODUCTION

Introduction of transmitted force can do much of the same work for

you?

T
his is not just another book about castles. All Most exciting of all, in the second part of this book
too often, the word ‘stronghold’ means only one we unveil the Open Governmental System. This set
thing, namely the typical stone keep on top of a of game mechanics allows player characters to set
hill, complete with crenellations and arrow slits in its themselves up as kings, princes, potentates, dictators,
walls. It is an enduring image from fantasy literature generals, theocrats and governors. Once you have made
and cinema, from Excalibur to Monty Python. As such, your fortune as an adventurer, you can now try your
it is not often explored in depth. Thought is rarely hand as a monarch or as a politician. Learn to wield
given to what the stronghold is for, how it achieves its new kinds of power as your various ministers offer
intended purpose or how it could be improved. you their services; face new kinds of challenge as the
people demand satisfaction, or hungry empires eye your
Here, we intend to change all that. We are looking land jealously, craving it for themselves. Be a despot,
not just at the stronghold but at the whole process of governing with force, a plutocrat using your wealth to
building, quite literally from the ground up. You will buy your way to power or a High King uniting the tribal
be able to choose the level of detail that suits you, warlords of a battle-ravaged country with nothing but
depending on how immersive you want your game to your powers of leadership.
be. Either supervise the laying of every flagstone and
the siting of every spiral staircase or have a package deal Finally, we close with the Open Mass Combat System
stronghold assembled for you and simply pay the bill. version II, an expanded and updated version of the
original. After all, we could not give you rules for
Here you will find not only the castles of lore, but building strongholds without some rules to help you
dozens of other strongholds and other buildings, enough smash them down again!
to build all the major features of a city. Everything
from the humblest farmhouse to the mightiest palace is
covered between these covers. Classic Play
The Book of Strongholds and Dynasties is the first in the
The materials you use are detailed, as well as the places new ‘Classic Play’ series from Mongoose Publishing,
they come from and the way in which you establish your which will all cover one field of central importance to
supply. Harvest the resources yourself or have them any d20 game in unprecedented depth and detail. With
delivered to you by professional builders’ guilds. Build this series, we intend to produce the definitive works on
anything from a log cabin of wood to a towering fortress subjects relevant to any Games Master.
in crystal; turn an ordinary manor house into
a fortified tower or set up your home in the
skull of a dead god. If tastes err towards
the more mundane a base of operations
high in the boughs of a tree or located deep
underground in some cavernous sanctuary
can also serve as the true heart of your power.

Once your stronghold is built, there are a

multitude of fantastic features that you can
add on to it. From the basics of low fantasy
such as stained glass windows and simple
secret compartments to the lofty magic of
trundling juggernauts, levitating platforms
and magical cannons.

The truly adventurous can even create

power sources within their strongholds.
Expand your trap building, feature planning
and gadgeteering horizons by giving your
stronghold a lightning-powered engine,
a central treadmill powered by untiring
golems or even an old fashioned coal-fired
boiler. Why rely on magic, when the power

2
 STRONGHOLDS: AN OVERVIEW

Strongholds: is really only the logical extension of the clan

chieftain and the palatial fortress in which he lives
is the equivalent of the long house, only wrought

An Overview in stone rather than in timbers. Royal castles will

always be found in the capital city of any kingdom
that has a monarchical government, as the castle

T
he simplest conception of a stronghold is marks the seat of power within that kingdom.
a fortification or similar structure enabling Palaces, being the official residences of the ruler or
you to keep a strong hold upon the land. A rulers, are often nothing more than castles that have
similar concept is the ‘power base’. Whenever a been built to a very high budget and which have
given point needs to be fortified, whether to maintain a great many fancy adornments. Some kingdoms
a border, house provisions or offer a place of retreat, have palaces that are intended more for show than
a stronghold can be built there. Even an ordinary defensibility, with a castle to retreat to should this
house is a stronghold of sorts, a place to keep a prove necessary.
family’s possessions secure and offer shelter to
family members. A stronghold can be as simple as The primary purpose of a royal castle is to defend
a walled hill or as elaborate as a mountain fortress the king and his household. A monarch who does
honeycombed with chambers. not have a proper castle or fortress from which he
can govern his kingdom is leaving himself open to
In this book, we will be showing you how to build assault. The stronghold at the kingdom’s heart is
all of them, as well as giving guidance regarding the often a national symbol, as it is the place from which
use of strongholds. Nobody builds a castle just to sit the protection of the whole land is supervised. It
in it and admire the scenery. Strongholds are seats can house the most part of the kingdom’s treasury, in
of power, places from which one can rule the land the form of tax revenue and other bullion, as well as
below. Governing is an art in itself; one to which we the heirlooms and artefacts owned by the royal line.
will be devoting many pages in the chapters to come. It also serves to protect the future of a given royal
family, as the enemies of a given crowned head are as
likely to go after the young heirs as they are to seek
Who Needs a to topple the ruler himself.

Stronghold? Royal castles are often spectacularly grand, with the

Strongholds are almost always built with a firm wealth of the kingdom expended lavishly to give
purpose in mind, though sometimes there will arise a visiting ambassadors the impression that the host
maniac mage or an eccentric tycoon who will build a nation is prosperous. For all their gold and velvet
crazy structure on a whim. In general, though, there they are still fortified emplacements and although
are as many motives for establishing a stronghold they may be comfortable and splendid to the eye, no
as there are types of power and people to wield royal castle worth the name is without an armoury
them. Whenever authority needs the support of a and proper siege defences.
firm foundation and good thick walls, a stronghold is
called for. As they have often been the seat of power for many
generations, whether the power has stayed within the
The key to understanding strongholds is to think same family or not, royal castles are often ancient and
in terms of power. Those who already have some sprawling. They also are likely to have been built on
measure of power and want to hang on to it or who to several times over. The likeliest scenario is that the
want more build strongholds to protect their stake. castle began as a simple fort in a highly defensible
The following are some instances of individuals who position, growing to become a permanent defensive
could commission the building of a stronghold or emplacement large enough to accommodate a family
seek to acquire one through other means. and all its retainers. Sieges and natural disasters
in the past will have destroyed towers, walls and
Kings, Queens and sometimes whole wings, necessitating rebuilding on
a grand scale. The fashions and requirements of the
Emperors times will also influence what is built on to a castle.
It might, for example, be the height of fashion to
One cannot think of castles without thinking of
crowned heads. Huge castles and monarchical have a ballroom with glass walls, a games room or a
government go naturally together, since the monarch

3
STRONGHOLDS: AN OVERVIEW

royal conservatory; the fad being past, the rooms will With stewardship of the land comes many dangers,
probably be used for something else. from revolting peasants to raiding barbarians or even
tribes of militaristic humanoids attempting to ruin
There may be several royal castles in a given the place. For all of these reasons, a noble is well
kingdom. Common practice is for the ruling family advised to invest in a stronghold, if the king has not
to keep one summer castle and one winter, moving already given him one along with the land he handed
from one to the other in the appropriate season. out.
Other, smaller castles may be used to house family
members, shelter the children of an extended royal There is another, more sinister reason why nobles
family or provide hospitality. It is not uncommon build strongholds, sometimes constructing private
for the more wealthy royal families to have small power bases of their own in addition to that which the
strongholds in well-defended wooded land so that king has given them. Feuds between noble houses
the royals can go hunting without fear of ambush or are very common and sometimes the intercession of a
assassination. mediator (such as the king or one of his counsellors)
is not enough to prevent major hostilities from
Individual members of a royal family may also have breaking out. Civil wars are also a gloomy reality of
strongholds of their own, sometimes considered their life under the feudal system. It only takes one landed
‘official residence’ whether they actually live there noble to assemble a crew of cronies with enough
or not. These are not necessarily as grand or fine as money to spare and pretty soon a privately owned
the central castle. Problematic princes are sometimes army can be hammering at the door, demanding
saddled with decaying piles out in the wilderness service to the cause or suffer the consequences.
marking now-obsolete national boundaries, in order
to get them out of the way. As for problematic Without a stronghold, any claim to the land is
princesses, they are as likely to be locked up inside a tenuous. Land is always won by some kind of force
small castle as they are to be given charge of one. and by force it must be kept. The enemies faced by a
land-owning noble are legion. Large families can be
Royal castles are often large enough to encompass a bane as well as a boon, as alienated sons or spiteful
a miniature town in themselves. Some are part of a daughters may gather support from foreign forces or
larger defensive arrangement in which the outer walls even from the local peasantry and try to wrest control
of the castle encompass the whole city. At times of the land.
of war, or in the case of a major breach, the city’s
populace will retreat behind the castle’s walls. As the family’s fortunes rise and fall, the
maintenance of the castle will mirror their path in the
Heads of Noble Houses world. A prosperous family whose land is yielding
The royal family of a given nation is only one noble rich resources and who sit high in the favours of
line among many. It may happen that other noble royalty will enjoy a clean and well-heated castle with
houses have, in their time, been wealthy enough to a well stocked wine cellar, whereas those who have
rival the ruling dynasty; indeed, rival claims upon the fallen from grace or have had a run of bad luck are
throne are more likely to originate from other nobles more likely to be found sitting in dismal, crumbling
than from anywhere else. piles of masonry. Some families living under these
circumstances will barricade off whole parts of the
Nobles are often in charge of land as a local fiefdom. castle that they cannot afford to maintain or which
(Those who own land are referred to as the ‘landed have become unsafe and live in only one suite of
gentry’ to distinguish them from their peers who have rooms.
only titles and honour to adorn their noble name.) It
is standard practice in the feudal system for the ruler Some noble castles keep a small military force
to allocate land to his various loyal nobles, so that for security within the castle itself and to ensure
they may govern it in his name and profit from it. the tenants on their land do not become unruly.
This is not the act of generosity that it might appear, Bodyguards hired to protect vulnerable members of
for a noble who governs in a ruler’s name is expected the household are also common. These will often
to keep the local peasants from rising in rebellion be trusted retainers who have been with the family
and force them to work hard in order to generate rent for generations, living within the castle itself and
money and tax revenue, which may then be passed on knowing every inch of it.
to the king.

4
 STRONGHOLDS: AN OVERVIEW

Military Forces
Without a doubt, the single most common use of
a stronghold is for military purposes. Castles in
particular are designed for soldiers to defend; there
is not much point in an arrow slit if the person
on the other side of it cannot aim and fire a bow
properly. The standing army of a nation, as well
as various privately funded armies or independent
military forces, needs strongholds as vital
fortifications at spots it intends to defend on a long-
term basis.

These strongholds vary greatly in size and

complexity, ranging from ad hoc structures like
bunkers, barricades, ditches and earth walls through
more permanent stone constructions such as the
small border forts found spaced regularly along a
kingdom’s frontiers, all the way to the castle keeps.
These house the military garrison for an entire
region and allow their courtyards to be used to train
the local peasantry in the arts of archery and basic
martial practices, so that they may form militia
groups.

Purely military strongholds tend to be spartan

and functional. There is little to no decorative
architecture and few if any windows, as arrow
slits and armoured shutters are more efficient.
Drills are kept on a daily basis to ensure the place
can close itself up in moments if required. At
times of war, particularly at times of invasion, it fight for it, such as the wild lands of the barbarians,
is not unknown for the castles and palaces of local the tribal clan system is commonly used. Clan
nobles to be requisitioned (seized by the crown for families are at each other’s throats more commonly
military use) and staffed with soldiers. Conversely, than noble families are and with more direct and
abandoned military fortifications are sometimes bloodthirsty results.
used as accommodation, though given the state an
abandoned fort usually ends up in, unless the place A clan chieftain’s stronghold is his family home, the
is expensively refitted it is more likely to house place where he and his people live and where the
squatters or brigands than nobility. trophies of previous battles are kept. It is usually
also the place where his most trusted warriors
Military strongholds are not always intended to be dwell, with everyone sleeping and eating under one
permanent. Soldiers are often trained to build basic roof. Even animals are sometimes brought into the
emplacements from the materials to hand, such as stronghold and kept there for food, companionship
sentinel towers or stockades. This enables a troop or even simply for warmth. The stronghold is often
division to fortify its position in the field without little more than a large house or bothy that has
requiring additional supplies from home. Military been specially fortified. An additional wall or ditch
settlements can develop into more permanent surrounding the place is a common sight.
strongholds, particularly if the invaders successfully
take the surrounding land and the settlement is made Clan strongholds will vary in type depending on
into the new staging point for further incursions. the size of the clan, but wood is a common building
material, with some powerful and well-established
Clan Chieftains clans having small stone forts to themselves.
In lands where central government by king or Territory is clearly divided between the clans with
politicians is not a constant and the one who holds rough stone walls or fences, as the only wealth clan
the land for longest is the one who is prepared to

5
STRONGHOLDS: AN OVERVIEW

people own is often in the form of livestock and it is religion allows for it, those who come and seek
vital to keep hold of what you have. sanctuary.

The types of building employed by clan chieftains Sanctuary is an important function of religious
will vary depending on race. Those of the wild elves strongholds. They need to be capable of standing
are likely to be wooden houses and forts high in the firm and holding off enemies both tangible and
trees, whereas those of the dwarves are more likely intangible. The robust construction of a church or
to be squat stone buildings or even underground temple can often make it the most well-constructed
strongholds whose only sign on the surface is a well- building in the area, especially in the case of small
hidden grille or set of reinforced gates. rural towns where most of the buildings are made
from wood and only the temple is made from stone.
High Priests When the community is of one faith, as small
Temples, believe it or not, are a form of stronghold settlements so often are, they will take refuge in the
too. Only the most humble roadside shrines are not church or temple when danger threatens, whether
built with defence in mind. In a world where religion from monsters, supernatural threats or human
involves definite supernatural forces whose existence ravagers.
is incontestable and clerics go clad in armour and
armed with hefty weapons, defence of the faith is as Religious strongholds sometimes grow up around
much a matter of hard fighting as it is of theological sites of special significance to the faith. The place
argument. The high priest or priestess of a given where a noted saint was martyred is likely to become
religion or its elders or scholars, or whoever holds a popular spot for pilgrimages, leading to a demand
final responsibility in an area, invest in strongholds for a proper temple at the site where the faithful
primarily to keep the holy place of the religion safe can worship properly as well as buying suitable
from those who would seek to defile it. Secondarily relics and holy symbols. Sites where miracles have
they also provide a safe taken place also need to be defended and turned
haven for the persecuted, into temples. If a statue spontaneously began to
whether these be of their weep or a spring developed magical healing powers,
own religion or, if the the representatives of the religion would be very
likely to fortify the place, building walls around it
and controlling access. This would be done both to
prevent desecration of the holy site and to prevent
it being eroded by the devout attentions of the
faithful, who would be desperate to carry away some
memento or relic of the place. If access to a holy
site is properly regulated, it can be a benefit to all
members of the faith.

The religious can also establish strongholds in

places where a holy war is being conducted; while
the temple stands, the faith is strong. If the fight
goes badly for the members of the religion, they can
take shelter within the temple’s strong walls and
receive healing. If it goes well, there are bound to be
converts and these will need a place wherein to enact
their conversions and begin worship. Missionary
strongholds are also found, mostly in places where
established faiths have yet to reach and where
the local inhabitants are still holding to primitive
religions.

The size of the temple stronghold will be directly

related to the wealth of the religion in the area. When
clerics exhort their congregations to make donations
for the good of the faith, the most common plea (after
support of the needy) is for money to improve the

6
 STRONGHOLDS: AN OVERVIEW

temple. A rich religion can afford marble columns the purposes of law enforcement, to explosives or
and statues, worked stone walls, mosaics and stained more lethal weaponry for use in extremis.
glass; a poor one often has to get by with a single
floor in a bare brick building, the walls covered with The city watch in a given area will often have several
cloth to make the place look less bare and help to strongholds. More of a constabulary than a military
keep out the cold. force, they have need of small watch towers, fortified
gates and patrol houses, so that they can look down
If the priest is in charge of one of the lawful good upon the streets they are sworn to protect. Watch
faiths, he is likely to be working in close concert with towers and the like will often be incorporated into
paladins of his religion, providing them with a secure the general city plan, such as by being built into
base of operations while they in turn lend their sword the city walls and are funded from the public purse.
arms to the defence of the stronghold. Any temple Depending on the degree of local corruption and the
that also has the function of a consistory will be well extent to which tax money is spent where it should
stocked with arms, armour and healing provisions. be spent, the buildings of the city watch may be in a
good or a poor state of repair.
Institutions
There are countless different institutions, here defined The placing of strongholds used by law-keepers
as ‘groups of people banded together by common is not usually up to the law-keepers themselves,
interest or contract’, which consider a stronghold an though their views will be taken into account. It
essential investment. Most obvious are the various often happens that a streetwise city watchman will
different trade guilds. A guild needs a guild house, insist that a new watch house should be built in a
as somewhere for the members to meet, discuss particularly troublesome area of the city, only to be
business and receive training. Such strongholds are rebuffed time and time again by bureaucrats who
secure but not always especially fortified, though they claim the budget will not stretch that far.
are as well-built as the members can make them. To
have a good guild house is a point of pride for guild Law-keeper strongholds generally resemble police
members, who would see it as dishonour upon their stations or sentry towers; in larger cities, the latter
craft if the house were not the best that they could will usually have a raised, crenulated walkway
afford. enabling the guardsmen, often armed with crossbows
or other missile weapons, to make a patrol of an area
The thieves’ guild house is something of a case apart. without descending to ground level.
These are often fortified, if discreetly. It would be
the height of irony for a den of thieves to be robbed. Warlords
Such institutions also employ a great many traps and Some are appointed to positions of power, some earn
concealed doors, all of which have to be paid for by it and some seize it when they have the chance. The
outside traders or installed by competent craftsmen warlord resembles a clan chieftain in many respects,
who can be trusted to keep a secret, such as family with the main difference being that he has more
members. money and forces under his command who are not
composed of extended family members. Warlords
Other institutions that invest in strongholds are most commonly rise from obscure backgrounds,
merchants, who need secure buildings in which to having nothing to show for themselves but an
store their goods and their earnings and banks. These aptitude for fighting and taking what they want.
more than any other institution know the importance Unlike the clan chieftains, who are most commonly
of a thick wall and a strong well-crafted lock. content to occupy the same land they have farmed
for generations, so long as the neighbouring clans
Law-Keepers stay in their place, the warlord tends to be more of
Those into whose hands the responsibility for an expansionist. He intends to take what he can and
keeping public order has been placed cannot do their keep what he has taken.
job without a fortified base of operations. Even the
sheriff in a small hamlet needs the local lock-up to Warlords do not have a place in an organised, well-
be securely built or it will be impossible to keep run kingdom with a central government. They are
prisoners safely incarcerated. Often the keeper of the a symptom of countries that are descending into
law in a region will also be entrusted with all sorts of anarchy or which are already fallen to barbarism.
dangerous equipment. This can range from ordinary Under these social conditions, the important thing is
weapons, confiscated from street ruffians or kept for to be the strongest, the one with the most muscle and

7
STRONGHOLDS: AN OVERVIEW

the highest walls. Without the protection of law, the that was always felt they should be living in can be
strong freely exploit the weak. Only a fool builds up built, complete with gardens and scenic features.
his strength without a secure place to keep it. Some such strongholds are elaborate ‘follies’ or
imitations of established castle types, while others are
Many of the threats faced by more orderly states eccentrically designed buildings filled with curious
come from independent warlords who are simply oddly shaped rooms, secret passageways and other
after whatever they can take. Raids over the borders peculiar architectural quirks. When money is no
are common, as are sea-borne invasions staged object, the strangest visions can be given shape.
in order to carry home plunder in the form of
womenfolk, livestock and treasure. Some of these Some rich independents are simply reclusive and
warlord raiders achieve so much power and wealth wish to live where the world cannot bother them.
that they set themselves up as kings in miniature, These will choose to have their strongholds (which
becoming the ‘brigand king’ or the ‘pirate queen’. need not necessarily be of castle size and may be
fortified manors or tower houses) built in isolated
Warlords need strongholds in order to consolidate places, such as highland hills or islands in the middle
their strength and subdue the surrounding region. of lakes or off the coast.
The castles and forts they hold will often have been
taken from others who were not strong enough to Persons not of noble birth who have come into
resist the warlord’s attack. As they specialise in money, whether through good fortune or hard
fighting, they do not often have the technical acumen work, often attempt to emulate the nobles who have
to build proper strongholds. A warlord stronghold lorded it over them for years by buying or building
will therefore usually be a partial ruin, shored up and a stronghold. The truly noble look upon these
fortified by hewn logs, timber frameworks, jerry-built newcomers with amused contempt, considering them
masonry and whatever else comes to hand. ‘nouveau-riche’. They might have the bricks and
mortar, but they do not have the proper refinement of
Some of the more thoughtful and cautious warlords breed that makes a noble; or so the reasoning goes.
have been known to invest their wealth in the
building of a commissioned castle, sending scouts out Wizards and Sorcerers
to find experts with the necessary talents for castle- Neither wizards nor sorcerers are known for being
building. Such purpose-built fortresses always have a gregarious types. Though they can be friendly
daunting, intimidating look to them, as they are built enough, they are not generally the sort to become the
in order to strike terror and awe into the locals and head of a household. Isolation is important to them.
anyone who is thinking of invading. Spiked towers, Some prize it because they do not enjoy human
execution cages hung from the walls and skull- company, but most consider it an asset because it
shaped fittings are often seen on these conquerors’ means they are at less risk of disturbance. Magic
residences. is a complicated science in which concentration
is essential and to concentrate one needs peace
Some less ambitious warlord strongholds are built and quiet. This is the principal reason why arcane
from scratch out of local materials. As warlords have spellcasters build or purchase strongholds. When
often had some degree of military training (and those a mage is in his castle or tower, he can experiment
that have not have usually grown up in barbarian-like and conduct research to his heart’s content without
communities where everyone built his own house or worrying about how the neighbours will react. This
tent) these resemble the temporary constructions built is usually a perfectly acceptable arrangement to the
by an expeditionary force. The use of slave labour folk in the mage’s town or village, who would rather
is very common among chaotic or evil warlords. the spellcasting went on in an isolated tower than
They see the conquered land and its inhabitants as a amongst the houses of ordinary folk. Everybody
resource, for them to use as they will. knows that arcane spellcasting is dangerous,
involving the evocation and manipulation of huge
Rich Independents amounts of energy, so it makes sense to place a
Strongholds are a status symbol as well as a practical mage’s home somewhere away from civilisation.
measure. For an entrepreneur who has made a
fortune, there is no better way to spend money than The typical stronghold of a solitary mage is the tower,
to build a huge house or castle that will preserve for several reasons. Firstly, towers appeal to solitary
his memory beyond the term of his natural life. wizards and sorcerers because they can look down
When enough gold has been gathered the palace upon ordinary folk, as so many of them love to do.

8
 STRONGHOLDS: AN OVERVIEW

The height and insularity of a tower, separate from engineering, the stronghold will have to be cobbled
other buildings and taller than they are, can serve together as a fairly basic structure.
to remind a sociopathic wizard of his own superior,
independent state. Secondly, towers can have a The stronghold at the heart of the colony then serves
practical function in as much as they enable the mage as town hall, watch house, refuge, supplies store
to give his spells greater range. (See Encyclopaedia and ammunition dump. It will usually be built as
Arcane: Sovereign Magic by Mongoose Publishing a wooden stockade at first, with a more permanent
for more details.) Towers are also small enough on structure being constructed as the colonists become
the inside for a mage to manage with a minimum of settled and locate sources of stone with which to
staff. Lastly, they are very defensible. Any flightless build.
foe trying to enter from the bottom must work his
way up through all the floors in turn, giving the mage This kind of structure is also characteristic of the
a chance to set up magical defences and summoned more isolated kind of border fort, the sort that marks
creatures to slow the invaders down. the limit of territory beyond which there is only
wilderness rather than a neighbour nation. Such
Those mages who choose larger strongholds may do a ‘wild frontier’ is found when a relatively young
so because they have aspirations towards conquest nation is expanding into new land, often encountering
or because they require lots of room to house their barbarian tribes, giant creatures and monstrous
magical experiments. The more powerful the humanoids as it does so. The state of repair of such
magician, the more likely it is that he will be able a stronghold is directly derived from the military
to use magic to alter his home. The strongholds budget of the nation that owns it.
of spellcasters are much more hazardous than a
mundane castle, being fitted with magical traps and
other safety measures such as illusions or moving
platforms. The Path to Power
So, you have left the old dungeon days behind you,
Some eccentric, reclusive mages just enjoy the vain you have made a pile of money and now you have
glory of having a huge mansion or castle to play aspirations to rulership. You want it all – you want
with; those who are especially evil or just plain the stronghold, the land, the subjects, the court, the
malicious will capture unwary travellers and set politics, the chance to see how you would fare as
them to run the gauntlet of hazards, just so the mage a head of state. How are you going to go about it?
can have an evening’s entertainment. Rather than Even if you are right up there in the experience level
invite fellow humans or humanoids into their abodes, stakes, how are you going to establish yourself as a
reclusive mages will fill the chambers and corridors king, potentate, dictator or whatever kind of ruler you
with creatures of their own devising, with golems aspire to be?
and other constructs to take care of the guard duty,
invisible servants to do the cleaning and tidying and There are a great many ways up the ladder to the
summoned entities to provide company, conversation pinnacles of power. It must be first understood that
or information about the world beyond. The local your own powers as an individual are only half of
community always views such strongholds with awe the issue. Consider the boy king, crowned at the age
and frequently with fear. of eight, probably destined for an arranged marriage
with someone he has never even met. You could
Colonists and Frontiersmen paste the floor with him if it came to a fight; but it is
The last group of people for whom a stronghold not likely to, because he has something that is more
is indispensable is the band of colonists, making a important than mere strength or magical prowess.
new home in an environment that is often hostile He has the attribute of kings and generals. He has
and dangerous. When a colony is first established, authority.
it is important to give the community a defensible
centre. Thus, a stronghold will be built from local Without authority, which can be summed up as ‘the
materials, usually nothing grander than wood or recognised right to give orders to another within an
earth. Colonists cannot bring much in the way established system’, you are limited to what you and
of construction materials with them. Even nails your associates can manage through your abilities
and saws are a luxury. Unless a member of the alone. You could set yourself up as a warlord or
community is especially skilled at architecture and solitary magician, but it would take a very long time
for anyone to take you seriously as an authority
in your own right. Moreover, there is the country

9
STRONGHOLDS: AN OVERVIEW

around you to consider. If there is an established the best interests of all concerned that the system run
kingdom or other dominion in place, it will smoothly. A disruptive force is a headache for all
undoubtedly consider your power play to be a threat those involved. If you set yourself against the system
to the establishment and dispatch troops to wipe you and make it plain that you are not playing by the
out. Even fortification is viewed with suspicion. In rules, you are likely to unite all the participants in the
mediaeval England, you could not even fortify your system against you, whereas if you play by the rules
manor house without a license from the king! Within or make it look as if this is what you are doing, then
the borders of a settled kingdom, power has to be you can amass both power and security.
established legitimately or not at all.
So, what are the various means of acquiring
The matter of authority cannot easily be settled legitimate authority, in such a way that nobody within
simply by setting up your power base far away from an established kingdom will contest it for long?
civilisation, either. In the kinds of places where
there is no stable government and those who rule Conquest
are those who have the strongest arms, you may set Although he now sits on his throne surrounded by
yourself up as one warlord among many but you bejewelled and largely symbolic instruments of
will be hard pressed on all sides by those who would war, the king’s own claim to ownership of the land
challenge you for your lands and holdings. Besides, is always based upon conquest, even if the original
you would be missing out on a great deal of what battle was generations away in the past. It might
a settled, stable country has to offer, such as exotic even be said that in taking the land away from the
trade goods, a greater level of local skills for hire, a people, he is continuing a policy of rulership through
measure of peace and calm and a culture built around conquest; but let us leave such speculations for later
more than warfare and weaponry alone. chapters. Even such governing systems as that of
the republic still acknowledge that claims to land
Authority, let us not forget, is also dependent upon are always made through force of arms in the first
being recognised, which is what makes it such a instance, whatever type of government may be set up
slippery concept to deal with. After all, what makes in later years.
a king a king, or a noble a noble? It is nothing more
than the agreement of other kings or other nobles to If you are thinking in terms of the right to ownership
regard him as such. There is no such thing as ‘real’ by conquest, you are probably already in command
authority, when it comes down to it. There is only of quite a powerful martial force. Perhaps you have
authority that is recognised by so many important a large retinue of followers or a group of former
people that it is as good as real. Although it might adventuring cohorts with a sizeable collection of
seem like a trivial point, this is in fact the primary magic weapons and artillery. Unless your forces are
reason why you cannot simply bludgeon your way to already the size of an army, you had best not consider
the top and take over. You might decide to announce taking over an established nation, though we will
yourself as the new Duke of Hollisbury; you might be looking at that option below. The easiest way to
even kill the old Duke of Hollisbury in order to accomplish the goal of independent rulership is to
cement your claim; but unless you can show that you start small and work up. Using the forces at your
have the right as well as the power to give yourself command, subdue the indigenous population of a
that title, it will not be taken seriously and you will wild region to which no nation is currently laying
be ousted. If, for example, you could present papers claim, establish law and order and encourage settlers
that showed you were a distant heir to the Duchy of to come and live in your new kingdom.
Hollisbury or even something so outlandish as an
IOU or debt receipt that proved the former Duke had At this point we must sidetrack for a moment; we
owed you so much money that you were now entitled will return to the subject of the right to ownership
to seize his lands as forfeit, then that would probably by conquest presently, but first we must address the
be good grounds for allowing your claim. issue of available land. The above strategy takes for
granted that there are tracts of land in the campaign
Ultimately, the reason for seeking legitimate world that are infested by monsters and which no
and recognised authority is that it is very much kingdom counts as part of its established territory. In
easier to work within the system than to try to set practice, especially in older worlds when a good deal
yourself against it. Established systems, especially of expansion, colonisation, invasion and re-invasion
monarchical ones, operate because a great many has taken place, such wild land is less common.
people have a good deal invested in them and it is in

10
 STRONGHOLDS: AN OVERVIEW

It is of course not always easy to find unclaimed wild to need help. You make a formal appointment to see
land, as the rulers of kingdoms are prone to claiming the ruler or rulers and when admitted to audience
ownership of all the country they can, stopping you offer to buy the region from them. This way,
only when they encounter the sea or the border of the kingdom loses a region that it was making no use
another established nation. Even if a region of land of, while the treasury is given a very welcome cash
is absolutely useless to a king or other ruler, he is injection.
not likely to treat it lightly. The only circumstances
under which a kingdom will not claim land that lies You then take your remaining riches and head into
upon its landmass are when it does not wish to take the region you now own and proceed to clear it of all
responsibility for some problem or danger arising of the local monsters and so forth. If a few thousand
from that land. refugee orcs, kobolds and hobgoblins come flooding
into the kingdom from whom you bought the land, it
However, given that you have your eye on land that is no problem of yours, though it will not endear you
is currently too dangerous for the governing power to them. That done, you may proclaim yourself as
to make any use of it, you have two strategies to try. King or Queen of your newly formed kingdom. After
Each one will involve making a formal proposal to that it is just a matter of encouraging subjects into
the governing power of the land. The first approach your land.
is to offer to clear the land of monsters in exchange
for a title and the right to govern the region in the Note that from this position, further conquest is much
name of the ruler of the kingdom. This is a popular easier. You are no longer some former adventurer
proposal for a governing power to receive, because with a big sword and an attitude. You are a sovereign
they have nothing to lose; the region is already inert power in your own right. The neighbour nation
and unproductive. If you should get killed, then they cannot refuse to recognise you as a rightful ruler,
are none the worse; if you succeed in clearing out because you are the owner of the land, having bought
the region, then they have gained themselves a local it fair and square. You may, if you are confident,
noble. You get a title and stewardship of the land and proceed to declare war against the adjoining country
the kingdom becomes a more pleasant place to live. and attempt to conquer the lot. Although other
This strategy has the advantage of being attractive to kingdoms may not recognise your right to do this,
the governing power, but the disadvantage that it is they are far less likely to intervene if you are a
only going to net you a title and the right to govern King in your own right than if you are a self-made
land. You will not be a ruler in your own right, but adventurer.
only the agent of the governing power in the area.
Still, it is better than nothing and a title is a title.

The second strategy is more dangerous all round but

is intended to leave you in command of your own
sovereign state. It is particularly likely to
succeed in times of war, when the
kingdom whose ruler you are
approaching is likely

11
STRONGHOLDS: AN OVERVIEW

Irrespective of how you come by the land, then, Marriage

there are three stages involved in taking it over. If you are looking for a short cut to a position of
First, you must clear the area entirely of monsters, power, then they do not come much shorter than
humanoids, ravening beasts and all the other local marrying into it. Marriage has been used for
hazards that doubtless inhabit the place. After all, if centuries as a means of avoiding wars and cementing
it was already a safe place to live, somebody would allegiances between nations. When the heads of two
already have settled it. Secondly, as you cannot monarchies unite their bloodlines, the lands over
organise everything yourself, you must put together which they rule are likewise united, coming under
an administration, composed of people you trust. It one overall rulership.
is also a very good idea to create a constitution or
code of fundamental laws for your kingdom, so that Depending on the system in use in the lands in
the people know what to expect. Finally, you have question, a marriage between nobles may result in
to encourage people to come and settle in your land. the male or the female partner assuming right and
If you are offering something that a nearby nation is title over the property of the other. Matriarchies keep
not, such as religious freedom or express tolerance property in the female side, whereas patriarchies
for unpopular racial groups (such as half-orcs) or keep it with the male. Therefore, if you were male
even something so basic as low taxes, you will find and you were marrying a female noble who ruled
yourself with plenty of subjects to govern. All of land, you could expect as a matter of procedure to be
these subjects will be covered in much greater detail granted authority over her dominions. At the very
in the Governing sections of this book. least, marriage usually entitles one to joint authority
over one’s spouse’s possessions and holdings, just
Lands that are already settled by civilised races as they have authority over yours. You just have to
are not good options for conquest, unless you are make sure that you will gain what you expect to gain
playing for the highest stakes of all and attempting to before any contracts are signed or vows made.
overcome the governing power within the kingdom.
If this is your plan, then you would be best advised to There are some drawbacks when marrying into
find a country where the government is either deeply power. The most difficult one to overcome is the
unpopular or is ruled from afar by some foreign problem of noble birth. Those who have right and
empire or dictator. By taking on a hated governing title to the land are usually concerned to keep it in
power, you have a chance to earn the support of the the control of the ruling classes, rather than letting
people. If they believe in you, you may even be able the hoi palloi get hold of it. They also are smart
to provoke an uprising, which you can then lead. enough to keep out of arrangements in which they
do not stand to gain anything. When nobles marry,
Dictatorial governments usually wipe out all other they can be assured that both sides are bringing
more legitimate claimants to the throne within the something to the table, even if it is only a grand
first year of rule, so if you can destroy their power family name. Marriage with commoners would not
base, you do not have to worry about the people only be unthinkable and, however romantic, would
putting forth their own choice of king. Sometimes almost certainly lead to the wayward scion being
the land’s original rulers are exiled rather than disinherited but unprofitable to boot.
annihilated, in which case it would be your choice
whether to restore the exiled ruler who would This problem is not insoluble. One can earn the right
doubtless be very grateful, or keep the kingdom for to a noble title, such as by conquest, this method
yourself. having been outlined above, marrying into power
is an excellent way of expanding your borders
The biggest danger when taking on a regional after your kingdom is established or, as is more
governor who is ruling on behalf of an international common, by distinguishing yourself in the eyes of
empire is that while a dictator has only his immediate a monarch. Those who have served their king or
personal resources to draw upon, a representative queen with unflagging loyalty may earn themselves
governor can call upon backup from the parent a knighthood. This might even entitle them to land,
empire. It is therefore tactically advisable to break though it often does not. It does, however, raise them
the hold an empire has over a small, remote kingdom above the ranks of the commoners.
where reinforcements cannot easily be sent out.
One also, obviously, requires the permission of the
family in the form of its head, though one does not

12
 STRONGHOLDS: AN OVERVIEW

whimsy. It is far
more of a cunning
manoeuvre than
it appears. For
example, if the task
is to slay a ravening
dragon and some
anonymous hero
somehow pulls it
off, the king has not
only rid himself of
a major nuisance
in the form of a
dragon, he has
guaranteed the
survival of his line
by marrying off his
unwed child.

Moreover, he
has ensured that
the person who
succeeds him will
necessarily require the agreement of the intended
be a folk hero, renowned in song and story as the
spouse. Noble marriages are very rarely blessed with
one who slew the dragon, which will come in very
mutual consent on the part of the participants. Love
useful if any peasants need to be won over or foreign
is not a factor that figures highly in the arrangement
diplomats need to be put in their place. A hero who
and is more of a lucky happenstance than a
has come out of nowhere and accomplished great
prerequisite. They are entered into with the principal
deeds finds it easy to inspire awe in his subjects and
aim of producing legitimate heirs for the family,
awe is a very appropriate emotion for the governed.
whose blood will be no less blue than that of their
He is liable to find legends springing up about him
sires. When one or both of the families controls land,
that he had no part in creating. It is all part of the job.
noble marriage is also a form of treaty, a guarantee
against hostilities that, by joining two families
Service
together, ensures, or seeks to ensure, that neither will
Possibly the least hazardous way to gain yourself
raise up arms against the other.
a dominion is to earn it. Loyal service to a crown
or other ruling power, such as by serving as a
The other major drawback is that noble marriage
commander of their forces in wartime, can earn you
does not guarantee an immediate acquisition of
a minor title and a tract of land to go with it. Such
land and the power that goes with it. Title remains
dominions tend to be small, as kingdoms do not
with the current holder until his or her death, which
always have much in the way of spare land to give
usually means waiting for your spouse’s parent to die.
away; however, a monarch can always withdraw
In the least fortunate situations, you can enter into
land from any noble who has failed to collect his
an unhappy noble marriage and be sitting around for
dependents’ taxes adequately or who has proved
decades before the in-laws have the decency to die
corrupt. High-level characters who are sent on
and leave you the land and the title to it. Those who
dangerous missions by the rulers of kingdoms may
are truly unscrupulous will probably have disposed of
be offered payment in land and noble rank rather than
said in-laws and probably the spouse to boot within a
in gold, as royal treasuries are notoriously limited
few years of the marriage.
in what they can offer, whereas giving land away to
people who have served you ensures that it will be
The most famous kind of marriage into power is
governed by someone trustworthy.
that in which the ruler of a realm, who is usually
old, desperate and lacking in heirs of the appropriate
The obligations upon one who holds land for a liege
gender promises the hand in marriage of one of
lord are threefold. You are expected to provide
his children to the hero who can accomplish some
revenue to your lord in the form of taxes and ground
Herculean task. This is not just some fairytale

13
STRONGHOLDS: AN OVERVIEW

rent, an agreed portion of which you may keep for the maintained roads. It is in fact standard practice
maintenance of your own estate and for your personal to give the holder of this inglorious position a
use. You are likewise expected to protect the tenants fancy sounding title, such as ‘Warden of the Royal
upon the land and ensure that they have a decent Marches’ or ‘Keeper of the Northern Sword’.
standard of living, according to what is normal for
the kingdom as a whole, or at least what your liege Industry
lord considers normal. Finally, you must be able to This path to power involves very little bloodshed, but
supply soldiers on demand to your liege lord. is also not guaranteed to work and is best attempted
in countries that tend towards lawful good alignment
If a kingdom is aggressive and expansionistic, as these are the most inclined to recognise the virtue
expanding its borders by conquering other nations, and honesty inherent in hard work. Taking this route
it may well award the first share of conquered land involves working land that nobody else is using and
to those who expended the most effort and blood petitioning to be given formal title to it. This, of
to take it. This is a reliable motivating factor when course, assumes that you have your eye on land that
recruiting commanders and soldiers. If a man already counts as part of a kingdom.
who is fighting natives on their own ground and
risking his life can see himself ruling over that same By taking the industrial route, you go into wild land
ground once the battle is one, he will fight all the or wasteland as a settler rather than a conqueror,
harder, especially if he owns little back at home. intending to bring other settlers with you and turn
Sometimes a general will divide up land before a the area into a community of labourers. Unless
battle is even fought, promising some sections to you have some kind of prior agreement with the
chosen commanders of renown and some to those governing power, they will not look kindly upon this,
who distinguish themselves in the field, making such as ownership of land and the right to profit from it is
assurances as ‘whoever lays the head of Arzmund usually restricted to the nobility and if you have no
the Grunter at my feet may claim all of the farmland noble blood, you are being extremely presumptuous
between that oak tree and that elm.’

It is not only the generals, knightly commanders

and other military offices who are given land.
Some courtly positions have a land benefit
attached to them as well. It is traditional for the
advisors who serve closest to the crown to be
rewarded with land and a stronghold of some
sort; it is also likely that the land and its property
will be transferred on to the new incumbent if the
holder of the office ever changes. For example,
if a king is in the habit of keeping a wizardly
advisor on hand, there will be an ‘official
residence’ for him in the form of a tower or house
keep, with grounds.

Presenting a loyal retainer with land can be a

two-edged gift, depending on what governing
the land entails. Some provinces and regions
are as good as gold mines, producing reliable
crops or other marketable goods such as wine
or oil; others are poison chalices, containing an
unruly population or land that will grow nothing
but thistles and nettles. Anyone intending to
accept land as a reward for service would be well
advised to investigate it first. The temptation to
own land and be gifted with a noble name has led
some adventurers to end up with responsibility
for keeping law and order in desolate border
regions full of half-orcs, hill brigands and badly

14
 STRONGHOLDS: AN OVERVIEW

to set yourself up in this way. You will also run into only each other to fear. A colony of rogues would
trouble if your working ethos is profoundly different be slightly less practical, as rogues mostly live on
from theirs, such as the case of a community devoted the back of everyday society and would rather steal
to a deity that the kingdom does not honour or from it than start a new society of their own, but so
recognise. long as they could conduct thieving missions and
return home, they could be persuaded to give it a go.
Kingdoms that do not operate on this restrictive basis Instead of having a safe house, they could have a city
may even grant automatic right of ownership to the or even a safe land. Pirate utopias have even been
claimant of a given piece of land, so long as he can attempted, being island colonies where everyone
show that he is making good use of it. It is also involved is a buccaneer and helps to defend the place
customary to grant ownership only if the landholder against the vengeance of raided kingdoms.
can prove that he has occupied the land for over five
years without anyone else laying a claim to it or Religion
seeking to dispute his holding. In the final analysis, Colonies founded upon religion are very common,
governments prefer to have land functional rather both within established kingdoms and in new land.
than going to waste, as worked land can raise tax and There is possibly no greater motivating factor that
rent money. will mobilise a whole group of people than the
promise of religious freedom. Give people a chance
If you want to start completely from scratch, then to worship the gods they want to worship and they
the thing to do is to colonise. Find yourself a region will follow you to the new colony. Religion often
where there are few natural hazards, fill a boat dictates a whole way of life to the believer, which
with skilled people and set off. Once the colony is may not be lived to the fullest degree while the
established, there is nothing to stop you from giving believer is forced to compromise by living with
yourself whatever title you see fit. Some colonies others who do not share his beliefs. The more fervent
have grown to become whole kingdoms in their own a believer is, the more likely he is to wish for a land
right, in time; others have been razed to the ground, in which he can live what he thinks is the right kind
their dreams of colonial independence shattered by of life, the way his gods want it to be.
hostile natives or indigenous monsters.
In this way, monotheistic and lawful kingdoms have
In order to motivate your colonists to leave the lives found small islands off their coast, which have been
they know and come with you to a new home, you populated entirely by pagans practicing a religion
will need to offer them something better than what of old gods. Followers of deities of justice have
they already have. This is where your reputation been motivated to found settlements in which all is
comes into force. If you are a charismatic individual regulated by strict law, with all the buildings made
with quite a few ranks in Diplomacy and Bluff, you to the same specifications and everything run by the
will probably be able to sell the idea on rhetoric clock. Worshippers of the gods of chaos have sacked
alone. This will be even more effective if you islands on which clerical communities dwelled,
are commonly known to be a trustworthy, heroic turning the isle into a burning shrine to disorder.
or responsible individual. However, good sales
technique is not enough on its own. Your colony will As the gods are real in the fantasy milieu, it is
need a theme or prevailing ethos that the colonists possible that a character could have land promised to
can identify with. The problem you will face is that him or her by a god. The god’s motivation for doing
those who have least to lose by moving to your new this may be to reward you for years of devotion to
colony are also likely to be those with the least to the faith or the more common motivation of giving
offer it – convicted criminals, indentured servants, his followers a homeland of their own. The deity
those with large debts, those with assassination promises to aid the faithful, to make them strong in
contracts hanging over them. To attract the skilled war, smite their enemies and keep their land fertile,
and the industrious, you must appeal to their ideals. whereas the faithful are expected to live in exactly
the way that the deity prescribes, without breaking
For this reason, new colonies are often formed upon a the codes of the religion. As a player, this ‘divine
basis of politics, alignment or religion. It is perfectly appointment’ option is not one that you can choose.
feasible that a band of evil aligned characters should The Games Master would have to inflict it upon you.
seek to found a colony of their own where those However, you could always fake appointment by a
who are as evil as them could live, free from the deity, if you thought you could get away with it!
incursions of do-gooders upon their lives and with

15
STRONGHOLDS: AN OVERVIEW

Interaction with an established government is a for hundreds of years; until the gods settle their
thorny business when your claim to the land is a differences or one nation prevails over the other once
religious one. The heads of other governments and for all, there can be no hope of reconciliation.
cannot very well deny the title of one who is backed
up by a deity; if a god has proclaimed you the Prophecy
rightful holder of a given piece of land and you This path to power is entirely dependent upon certain
can prove it, they may not agree with your god but prerequisites existing in the campaign. Prophecies
they cannot dismiss your claim out of hand. Even of rightful rulers to come are usually made in times
ordinary monarchies exist on the presumption that when the current rulership is inadequate or when
the king governs with the consent or the approval of there is no single undisputed rule. A land fought over
the kingdom’s god or gods. by contesting warlords or clan chieftains may also
have a prophecy of one who is to come, who will
If you have followers, the situation becomes even unite all of the land under their rule. The prophecy
more complicated. A lone prophet is not much of is always made in such a way as to leave no room for
a nuisance, but a prophet in command of an army doubt and may appeal to the memory of a folk hero
and who is causing citizens of the kingdom to or legendary ruler of times past.
join his cause is a force to be reckoned with. No
ruler is eager to send his own troops in to crush an The other situation in which prophecies are always
uprising that has been formed with a god’s approval, made is that of an oppressed people. Those who
especially since religious zealots are, as a rule, bitterly remember the freedom or sovereignty they
quite happy to fight to the death, even undertaking used to enjoy and who now suffer under the rule
suicide missions to inflict maximum damage on their of despised tyrants may keep the flame of hope
oppressors. burning. Their prophecies of a goodly ruler who will
eventually come and either kick the oppressors out or
Most tangled of all is the situation in which two lead the displaced people to a home of their own are
different deities have promised the same land to two their sole source of hope.
different groups of people. In this case, the earth
becomes the ground on which the representatives Ancient wizards, druids or clerics, who are able to
of the gods play out their dispute by proxy. War in set up magical contingencies or challenges that will
heaven becomes war in the world of men. Such a filter out all but a suitable claimant, usually make
dispute can cause empires to war with one another prophecies concerning the king to come. As magic

16
 STRONGHOLDS: AN OVERVIEW

works in the fantasy world and prophecies are real of tenant farmers and artisans who probably see you
things, a player must satisfy all of a prophecy’s as landlord, sheriff, benefactor and tyrant all at once.
conditions in order for the people to accept him as The immediate priority is to establish your authority,
the one who was spoken of. To fulfil the prophecy, as your tenants are naturally self-interested and will
a player must usually perform some difficult task, want to see what they can squeeze out of you. It is
such as pulling a magical sword from a stone, killing best to take a firm hand early on, just to show them
a monster or fulfil a peculiar set of conditions, such who they are dealing with.
as riding a horse backwards through a town square
while wearing only one sandal. The major difficulty with inherited land is one of
transferred culpability. Your link of inheritance
The difficulty with the former kind of prophecy is with your predecessor also places an obligation
that the Games Master must decide whether or not upon you to take responsibility for any unfinished
the player is to be the coming King; either he can business he might have left behind him. The sins of
pull the sword from the stone or he cannot and only the fathers are always visited upon the sons in this
one person will ever be able to do it. Of course, if kind of a system. On your first tour of your land,
the challenge of the prophecy is to do something that be prepared for confrontations with young women
anyone might achieve if he were capable enough but brandishing babies that they claim are the fruit of
few people could manage, such as slaying a purple your predecessor’s loins, who must now be taken up
worm, then there is less of a problem. The difficulty to the castle and kept under your roof. All sorts of
with the latter kind of prophecy is that the authorities suffering will be paraded before you, some of it real,
will be aware of the conditions to be fulfilled and will some of it staged; the net result is that you will be
have seen to it that it is illegal to go anywhere with bombarded by pleas for lordly largesse and it is up to
less than two sandals or to ride a horse backwards, so you how you deal with it.
even if one wanted to achieve it and claim the rights
of the prophesied ruler, one would find it hard to get Inherited strongholds are not always well maintained
the opportunity to do so. and may have more wrong with them than meets the
eye. There are many tales of young warriors who
Ultimately, the prophecy option is left in the hands of have undertaken a move to a fondly remembered
the Games Master. If he feels that the player would family castle following an uncle’s death, only to
enjoy the chance to be the ‘one who is to come’ then find a decaying and partly toppled pile staffed with
the player can find himself fulfilling prophecies all a few desultory servants. If the Games Master
over the place without knowing he is doing so. wants to introduce an element of the Gothic into the
campaign, the stronghold may hold more sinister
Inheritance secrets, such as sealed-off lower levels that played
This final option is for the Games Master to use at his host to strange rites or a recurrent haunting resulting
discretion. If the players want a short-track route to from some ancestral misdeed.
land and independent noble status, a distant relative
or associate could leave it to them as a legacy. It is If you were not the obvious successor and have
usually quite permissible by the laws of the land for been chosen in preference to them, you will almost
a noble to do this, even if the person to whom he certainly have to deal with jealous rivals to your
bequeaths his land is not a part of the family. If a claim. The typical scenario here is one in which the
noble is likely to die without heirs or if all possible only son of an aged noble is a rampaging drunkard
heirs have proven to be dissolute, untrustworthy or or incurable gambler, who has been looking to his
despised by the people, such a noble could choose a inheritance as a way to pay off debts or otherwise
player as beneficiary as a better option than having subsidise his dissolute life. Presented with the player
the land revert to the Crown. This is a plausible way as an alternative, the noble disinherits the son and
for the Games Master to allow a player to inherit leaves everything to the player. This leaves the son
land and a title without having to perform a deus out in the cold, with a serious grudge to settle, as
ex machina and decide that the player was of noble well as the knowledge of his arguable right to claim
blood all along and just did not know it. the property as the last surviving blood relative if the
player dies. The player can therefore expect to have
Inheriting land places you right in the thick of things. to fend off attacks both stealthy and blatant. Bear in
You suddenly find yourself with a stronghold, which mind also that disinherited sons are likely to know
usually comes with a staff of retainers who keep it the layout of the stronghold and any little secrets it
in order, an estate to manage and a local population may hold much better than the player will.

17
BEFORE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

Before You may wish to modify your design slightly once

you have visited the construction site in person. For
instance, you might like to include larger windows

Construction to take in a view of nearby mountains, or take

advantage of a river to incorporate a moat into the
design. Once you have settled on a final design, a

Begins character with the minimum Knowledge (architecture

and engineering) skill for the size and complexity of
building must draw up the blueprint. The architect

T
o begin with, let us look at the essentials must have one rank in the skill per 20,000 gold pieces
required in the building of strongholds. Many involved in the building’s construction. Specific
fantasy campaigns seem to assume that types of stronghold also require minimum skill rank
strongholds spring into being fully formed. Players levels to undertake the design; for more information
are always coming across them, exploring them, on the minimum skill requirement for buildings, see
sometimes knocking them down and sometimes the examples in later chapters.
taking them over, but what is rarely ever found is
any indication of how the castle was built in the first Preparing the blueprint will take one day per 5000
place, or what the purpose of its building was. gold pieces involved in the labour cost (not the
materials cost) of the building. An expert hired for
We will look into the large-scale strategic and tactical the purpose will cost an average of 20 gold pieces
issues regarding the building of strongholds later on. per day of work. Once the blueprint is ready, any
For now, we will concern ourselves only with the stonemason may work from it. Note that it is not
bricks and mortar of the job. In order to build any the architect’s job to provide a quote for how much
kind of structure, we need four elements. We need a the project will cost. His role is only to prepare a
plan, we need a site, we need resources and we need document that a labour team can use in their work.
labour.

Finding a Site
The Plan The site comes joint first in the list of priorities.
If you already have an idea of the kind of stronghold Choosing a site to build on is the most important
you want, then all you need to do is to draw up a choice of all, because you will not be able to
rough sketch of the proposed map and pass it to dismantle your stronghold and move it somewhere
the Games Master to ratify. Alternatively, you may else if you decide that you would rather live
choose any of the pre-designed strongholds from elsewhere.
the later chapters of this book. Your map is for your
own reference and the Games Master’s; it does not The choice of site should be made after consulting
represent an actual blueprint. the best and most recently drawn maps available. In
this way, you can assure yourself that your stronghold
Not all structures require blueprints. Only those will not accidentally be sited in anyone else’s
that incorporate worked stone and require ranks in territory. It is also completely vital to scout out your
Knowledge (architecture & engineering) to construct intended site in person.
need them. This blueprint has to be drawn up by
a qualified architect, who can only do so once he
or she has had a chance to examine the proposed Accessibility
site for the stronghold and been told about any land The first concern when picking your ideal site is
stability issues. Having done this, your stronghold to evaluate how easy it is to reach. Proximity to
concept can then be turned into a plan from which the roads and towns is a major concern. If you want
foreman and the labourers can work. your stronghold to be easy to reach, place it beside a
river, next to a thoroughfare or close to a settlement.
If your stronghold idea incorporates an underground Alternatively, build a road out from an established
section and there are more than a few simple cellar highway to the construction site. You could also
rooms involved, you should consult the section on build a dock at the river and run the road to your
underground strongholds in Chapter 7. There are set stronghold from that.
rules regarding how underground chambers may be
built. If you would rather your stronghold were hard
to reach, site it on top of a hill far from any other

18
 BEFORE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

settlement, in the depths of a forest or on the side of create water by magical means but a stronghold with
a mountain. You will end up taking longer to build it, a large staff to keep cannot afford to be dependent
but you are also likely to be left in peace. upon such things; were the spellcaster to die or
become incapacitated, the water supply would be
The more isolated your stronghold is from the lost.
rest of civilisation, the more difficult it will be for
invaders to get to you and the less disturbance you The use of a decanter of endless water can eliminate
are likely to encounter. However, it will also be the need for a natural water supply altogether.
harder to build the stronghold in the first place, as the For a relatively insignificant 9,000 gold pieces,
difficulty of transporting materials over wilderness the stronghold constructor can have an artificial
terrain will slow the job down massively. A careful water supply that will keep the entire household
balance needs to be struck between defensibility and replenished. A decanter commissioned for this
accessibility. purpose will be embedded in a specially crafted
heavy stone block in order to prevent theft. Doing
Remember that you may have to leave your away with the reliance on natural water sources
stronghold to conduct reconnaissance and make enables strongholds to be erected in hostile
military strikes from time to time. This is particularly environments such as the deep desert or high
important when your stronghold has been built as a mountains.
defensive emplacement, or when you have tenants
whose welfare is your concern. If you make your Food Supply
stronghold too hard to access, you will be slowed Next, consider what the occupants of the stronghold
down when you need to mobilise your forces and are going to live on. The provisioning for a
move them out quickly. stronghold must either come from a regular supply
route or from local farmland whose tenants are
associated with the stronghold. This is not a problem
Defensibility for strongholds that are constructed near to roads,
Strongholds are built to be defensive; it is their by waterways or beside towns and only becomes
primary purpose. Your choice of land should an issue in times of siege or when the stronghold
maximise the defensive potential of the stronghold. is geographically isolated. The usual solution in
Choose high land over low, as it is always harder the latter case is to arrange for regular cartloads
for an invader to attack uphill and the high vantage of supplies to be brought to the stronghold at a
point will give you a good view of the surrounding prearranged time.
region. Nearby forests provide cover for any archer
units you control and provide materials for building Food is not such an urgent concern as water is,
and fuel for winter heating. Water is your friend, since supplies can be stockpiled. The issue is one
being a splendid barrier to invasion and a useful route of perishability. Vegetables and grains can be kept
whereby you can bring supplies to the stronghold. If for a long time, but meat and fish do not last so
you site your stronghold near a river, you will be able well. To get around this concern, some of the larger
to divert it so as to flood a moat. Alternatively, place strongholds contain their own stockyards in which
the stronghold in the bend of a river, where the water animals are bred and kept, ensuring a supply of fresh
will form a natural moat and leave you with only one meat and eggs. The preservative effects of magical
side to defend. cold are employed in some fortresses, in which a
resident magician will cast wall of ice in a cool room
Water Supply once per day in order to keep food preserved.
An independent water supply is essential for
a stronghold. Without a source of water, the Fuel Supply
inhabitants would not be able to withstand more Access to a source of fuel, for heating and cooking,
than a few days of siege conditions. Food can be is extremely important. The three options are wood,
stockpiled and kept for months, but water is much coal and peat. Wood is usually cut down and sawn
harder to keep; barrelled water is only ever taken into easily transportable logs in the forest, coal is
on ships and is not adequate to keep a castle’s staff extracted from underground mines or open-face
properly hydrated. The ground plan must either mining and peat is cut from marshes in slabs or
include a well to be bored on the site or some other ‘turves’, which are then burnt. Those strongholds
means whereby water can be reliably accessed, such that are situated close to centres of civilisation
as a pipe run from a nearby river. It is possible to usually rely upon fuel brought into town by rural

19
 BEFORE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS
Problems With Land Stability
Roll on
d100 Hazard Cause Remedy If Undiscovered Remediable?
01-30 Badly irregular Plant growth, Additional Foundations are No
ground buried boulders, preliminary labour weak; whole structure
variant earth types flattening the ground is built with only
in area out and removing 90% of total structure
obstacles points
31-35 Frequent Region Reinforce with 10% chance of earth No
earthquakes tectonically additional buttresses tremor striking region
unstable and thick walls in any given month,
causing 2d8 points of
structural damage
36-45 Ground prone to River or sea Build dykes and 30% chance for Yes
flooding nearby, high drainage ditches cellars to flood for
rainfall, land is on 1d3 days in a given
a flood plain month (always after
rain)
46-50 Ground boggy River or sea Build dykes and Structure steadily No
nearby, land is drainage ditches crumbles,
marshy automatically
sustaining 1d6
structural damage per
month
51-65 Minor subsidence Small caves Additional Structure has 30% No
and fissures buttressing chance of suffering
underground 1d4 structural
damage per month
66-75 Soft ground Earth underfoot Deep foundations Structure has 50% No
is mostly clay or chance of sinking 5
crumbly rock inches in a month
76-86 Medium-sized Natural geological Enter caves, fill in or Stronghold has 50% Yes
underground caves action or previous reinforce with braces chance of suffering
and tunnels burrower activity and props 1d8 points of damage
per month
86-95 As above, plus Area is their Do not start work As above: monster Yes
individual or few hunting or until monster(s) eventually breaks in
large burrowing breeding ground found and killed; through foundations
monsters beneath this done, proceed as in search of food
site, e.g. bullette, above
umber hulk, purple
worm
96-99 Large underground Natural geological Enter caves, fill in or Stronghold has 50% Yes
caves action or previous reinforce with braces chance of suffering
burrower activity and props 1d12 points of
damage per month
00 As above, plus Creatures already Either abandon Raiding parties sent Yes
subterranean established in area site altogether or during construction
infestation attempt to wipe and once structure
of humanoid out humanoids; complete, if it ever is
burrowing if humanoids
creatures, e.g. slaughtered or driven
duergar, derro off, proceed as above

20
 BEFORE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

traders; those that are out in the wild are usually built underground engineering. Four hours of searching
within easy reach of woodland or marshland, so that and probing are needed to make each check. Even
logging expeditions can be sent out to bring fuel back if a player is attempting the skill check, the Games
home. Master should make this roll in private. Failure
means that the character conducting the search has
Fuel is needed for other purposes than heating. failed to notice a hazard. Failure by more than 5
Military fortresses will need a local source of points means that they have identified a hazard that is
timber in order to make structural repairs to any not actually present.
wooden structures within the stronghold. Coal is
also required for use in forges, if the stronghold The Cost of Fixing Problems: Each hazard has
has one. A forge can be run on wood alone, but a specific remedy that will take additional labour
coal or charcoal are preferred fuels, as they burn and therefore additional money and sometimes
at higher temperatures. Military strongholds will materials to solve. Flattening the ground thoroughly
almost always have a forge in their chambers, as it before commencing work, as opposed to the usual
is impossible to use the Craft (armoursmith) or Craft digging out that is done, simply adds 1d3 extra
(weaponsmith) skill to make or repair metal armour days to the digging out time, from which labour can
or weapons without the use of a forge. be calculated as usual. Additional buttresses and
thick walls are calculated according to their cost
as modular extras; they have their usual effect of
Stability adding to the stronghold’s structure points as well
Once you have settled all the important geographical as eliminating the hazard. Drainage ditches and
matters, the deciding concern is whether the ground dykes cost as much to construct as a bailey and must
will support your proposed structure. This is only surround the stronghold: see Earthworks for more
an issue for structures made from worked stone. details. Deep foundations are dealt with later in this
Wooden buildings are light enough and temporary chapter, when we come to laying the foundations.
enough that they do not need to take ground stability
into account. Caves underneath the construction site may be a
boon or a curse. Their depth below ground in feet
In order to assess whether a site is suitable for may be ascertained by rolling 8d12 if the ground
building on, you need the services of a qualified is rocky and 8d12+30 if it is soft earth. (Caves are
surveyor who can tell you more about the land than always found in layers of rock beneath the upper
a surface examination alone will reveal. Surveyors soil.) This information will be needed when we
specialise in identifying underground phenomena consider the digging out of the site and laying
by evidence appearing on the surface. They are foundations, for which see below. They may be filled
generally experts with many ranks in Knowledge in permanently if the user of the site does not want
(architecture & engineering). Those characters who them there. The standard way to do this is by hauling
spend a good deal of time out in the wild, such as large amounts of shale and using it as landfill. To do
rangers and barbarians, are also sufficiently in tune this requires 1d6 weeks of additional labour in the
with the land and how its surface appearance reveals case of medium-sized caves and 3d6 weeks in the
what is happening underneath to attempt to survey a case of large caves. The process can be accelerated
region. massively by the use of a move earth spell, which
fills the caves in with earth according to the ordinary
The Games Master may, at his discretion, include any parameters of the spell, or a transmute rock to mud
of the land features below as aspects of the intended spell followed by a transmute mud to rock spell. In
site, or roll randomly to a maximum of two rolls. this latter case, large blocks of worked or unworked
Results inappropriate to the land type should be stone are set near the cave entrances and are turned
ignored; for example, a mountain pass is not going to into mud, flooding the caves with mud that may then
be soggy. be turned back into rock.

A Knowledge (architecture & engineering) check Alternatively, the caves may be kept. Reinforcing
at DC 10 or a Wilderness Lore check at DC 15 is caves with braces and props is a time-consuming
required to notice each one of the land stability business, being equivalent for construction purposes
hazards in a two thousand foot square region. If the to the building of a cellar system of the dimensions of
character is a dwarf, they gain a +2 circumstance the caves (which must be determined by the Games
bonus to the check, due to their familiarity with Master). As the cavities are there already and all

21
BEFORE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

that needs doing is reinforcement of the roofs so that One way to avoid this problem is to have a camp
the weight of the stronghold above does not collapse of armed guards within the construction site who
them, the cost in labour and materials is only one- can keep watch for danger and protect the workers.
half of the usual. However, the irregular shape of The usual rate that a building firm will demand is
the caverns and tunnels requires that the foreman one competent guard (a fighter or warrior of at least
overseeing the fitting of the props must make a 3rd level) for every 10 workers, which works out as
successful Profession (Builder) check at DC 15 or one guard per 100 gp in the labour pool. It is also
the props will only be partially effective, meaning common practice to construct any basic outlying
that the structure above will still be at risk of taking defences that will be part of the stronghold first, so
damage from subsidence but will not take any more that they can protect the construction team.
than 50 points in total.
Alternatively, to prevent threats from arising in the
Having caverns underneath your stronghold is not first place, you may clear an area of at least 25 square
necessarily a bad thing. There is a certain classic miles around the planned site for the stronghold of
appeal to such features. Most designs for strongholds monsters and other hostile locals. To do this, you
will incorporate underground caves into the plan must destroy, drive out or come to peaceable terms
rather than filling them in, using them as storage with the existing inhabitants of the region. The
rooms or dungeon cells. Games Master should determine who and what
these actually are using the encounter tables in Core
Remediable: This refers to the possibility of sorting Rulebook II as a basis. Once an area of this size has
out a land hazard after the structure has been built been cleared out, the construction team can proceed
rather than before. As is evident, this is not often with its work unmolested.
achievable. It is therefore critically important to
employ a reliable surveyor who can find and point It is not enough, however, to purge the surrounding
out problems with the land before construction region in one fell swoop; regional security must be
commences. maintained once it has been established if further
monsters are not to become established in the area.
Monsters and Other Hostile Locals The way to do this is to set regular patrols, which
Unless you are building your stronghold deep within may be hired mercenaries or followers, in place to
civilised land that has been settled for a long time, keep the region free of encroaching enemies. At
it is inevitable that hostile or hungry creatures will least two patrols comprising 10 warriors each should
come across your building project. To some of the be travelling the area at any one time. The Games
larger ones, a hundred or more unarmed workmen Master should adjudicate as to the success of these
gathered together in one place just looks like a feast patrols and of which, if any, creatures will attempt to
there for the taking. A hired work gang will refuse take back the land by attacking the patrols, as well
to do any more work on a site that is not known to as the effect of an increase being made to the size
be safe. As soon as one workman is injured or killed and regularity of the patrols, or their withdrawal after
by a wandering monster passing through the area, heavy losses.
they will down tools. A Diplomacy check (DC 15)
is necessary to persuade them to go back to work,
with failure indicating that the work gang abandons Building in Cities
the project as too dangerous and heads home. If you are simply adding one more building to a city,
Every injury sustained by the workforce gives a –1 you will have far fewer problems. Cities already
circumstance penalty to this check and every death have established supplies of food and water and are
gives a –3 penalty. Doubling their wages gives the both accessible and defensible. All you have to do
check a +2 circumstance bonus, as does the presence is to secure the permission of the city authorities to
of a defensive military force. If the defensive force build your proposed structure in the site you have in
has proven incapable of withstanding the monsters, mind for it.
the check receives a –4 circumstance penalty;
doubling the number of guards gives the check a This can be a complicated business. The first
+2 circumstance bonus. The bonuses induced by problem is found in the terms under which the land is
increasing wages or the number of guards can be rented. City authorities make a distinction between
multiplied and stack, so tripling the workers’ wages ownership of a building and ownership of the land
gives a +4 circumstance bonus. it stands on. So, even if your uncle left you his old

22
 BEFORE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

tavern in his will and you now want to demolish it by bribery, blackmail, coercion or some other subtle
and build a mage’s tower on the ground where it used method such as a magical charm effect.
to stand, you do not necessarily have the right to do
this. The land on which a building stands is almost
always the property of the lord or other figure who Resources
owns the city, held in trust for the ruler of the land. Next, we must work out which resources are needed,
It is rarely sold, but is rented on a long-term basis, where they are going to come from and whether we
usually for periods of a hundred years at a time and will need to buy anything. Resources are covered
for a very low rent. A typical ‘ground rent’, as this in depth in Chapter 8, Resources. These are those
sum is called, would be five gold pieces a year. This materials that a region or kingdom produces.
is an important concern, as the rented nature of city
land means that the owner may set limits on what Each given stronghold has a labour cost and a
you can build there. It is not as if you had conquered materials cost. Each of these is given in gold pieces,
virgin territory on which you can now build what you whether the constructor is actually paying for them
like; if the owner of the land does not want anything or not. This represents the net worth of the resources
but private housing to be built there, then there is consumed in the building. It does not mean that the
nothing you can do about it. resources have to be paid for if there is another way
to get hold of them.
The second problem is that cities often have long-
established rules regarding the size of building that For instance, a stockade requires 50 gp. of logs per
may be built in a given area. For example, it is often 10 feet of wooden wall. If you are building your
illegal to build a structure more than two storeys stockade on an uncharted island, there is nowhere to
high in a residential district, for the simple reason go and buy logs from. However, if your uncharted
that the shadow cast by the structure would block out island has forests, then these count as exploitable
the light. Before undertaking any building project resources for that province. You can therefore tap
in a city, check the local bylaws and make sure your these resources by paying 1 gp in labour for every
project does not infringe them. 2 gp of resource you wish to harvest. See Chapter
13, Resources and Goods, for more on resource
The third and final problem is that city overlords have harvesting.
a keen interest in maintaining law and order in their
cities and insist on viewing any building proposal Most beginning stronghold constructors will be
before the foundations are even so much as dug. paying for the whole project out of their own purse.
If the authorities are of lawful or good alignment, This is the recommended method when one is just
they are not likely to allow the construction of a starting out. Later, if players wish to set themselves
building that looks like it has a torture chamber in up as rulers of a region and embroil themselves
the basement. It is standard practice for a blueprint in resource management, using home-produced
of the proposed construction to be submitted to the resources to build strongholds with becomes a much
city’s planning department, where the city councillors more economical option.
will look over it and debate its merits before
either allowing the structure to be built or refusing
permission. Recycling Resources
One way to build your stronghold cheaply is to draw
There are a couple of ways round this final hurdle. upon the remains of previous buildings. Depending
You can always disguise the way the structure on the state of the building, some of the material
appears on the blueprint, claiming that one thing is that went into its construction may be salvaged and
in fact another. So, the marble trough in the secret used again. It is never possible to reclaim all of
basement that you are intending to fill with acid the materials, as some of them are destroyed in the
could be described on the blueprint as an ‘ornamental dismantling process.
pond’, whereas a torture chamber could be passed
off as a ‘gymnasium’ or even a ‘recreation area’. So If the building is mostly or entirely undamaged, you
long as your architect and your foreman are not likely may reclaim 80% of its component material. If it is
to betray you, it is possible to bamboozle the city partially ruined, neglected or has suffered some siege
authorities by passing off one thing as another. Your weapon damage, from 50% to 60% of its material
other option is to influence the planning department may be salvaged. If it collapsed completely or was
destroyed by fire, only 20% to 30% of its material

23
BEFORE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

may be salvaged and in this instance no wooden When constructing a building, or giving ongoing
materials may be recovered. instruction for the management of a region, you will
need to refer to your labour pool. This represents
It is not only stone structures that may be broken the entirety of the labour available to you after all
down and built into new projects. You can derive ordinary, insignificant daily tasks have been taken
about 500 gp of sawn timber from a large wrecked care of. The workers in a given labour pool are not
sailing ship. It is in fact very common for old houses always specialists. You can, for example, assign
to contain roofbeams made from ships’ timbers. them to gather resources, clear land, make elementary
buildings or dig into the earth. This is more relevant
in later chapters, when the labour pool of an entire
Buying Resources region will determine what products and structures
Buying the resources you need to build with is only that region can make. When building a single
advisable when you have no more economical way stronghold, the labour pool is likely to concern itself
to get your materials. It is much better to pay a only with the job of construction.
group of workers to harvest the resources for you,
or to buy resources at cost from a province as a The only workman who you must personally hire
form of taxation (see Chapter 12, Governmental is your foreman, who may be of any class but must
Game Mechanics). If you have to buy the resources, have at least 3 ranks in Knowledge: Architecture
someone else will be making a profit – usually an & Engineering. Some projects of greater technical
independent merchant or entrepreneur. complexity require a foreman with more ranks
than this; consult the individual descriptions of the
If you are buying the necessary resources, you must strongholds in later chapters for more information.
pay 150% of the stated materials cost (unless you He or she will assemble a construction team for you
can find a cheap supplier) plus a delivery cost of and make sure that the work is done according to
1% of the total cost of materials per 10 miles your your specifications. His services will cost you 100
construction site is away from the nearest town or gp per month per rank in Knowledge: Architecture
city. If there is a transport route, such as water with a & Engineering, above and beyond any other
loading bay or a road in good condition, the delivery financial considerations. You need one foreman per
cost is halved. If there are intervening hazards such construction project in the area, so if you are building
as a swamp or bandit country, the delivery cost is a castle on a hill and a ditch around it, you need two
doubled. The resources are assumed to arrive one foremen if you want both projects to be worked on
week from the date of ordering. Obviously, they do simultaneously.
not arrive at once and will be delivered to the site
at a rate of 2d6x1,000 gp of materials per week. At Choosing your foreman is a task that requires
the Games Master’s discretion, some shipments may judgement and caution. Some foremen are little
be lost entirely, as may happen if there are rough more than slavedrivers, despised by the men who
seas, pirates abroad or raiding parties of humanoids work under them. Others consider themselves to be
nearby. Such losses are the resource seller’s labourers at heart and will join in with the hard work
responsibility to replace, so you will not have to pay as well as directing it. It is sometimes necessary to
for them, but they do hold up construction. replace an unpopular foreman once construction is
underway. If this is not done, you will find yourself
losing labourers, as your workers walk out on you.
Labour
A good-sized labour gang of approximately 100 A standard construction team provides you with a
workers, each with at least 2 ranks in the Profession: labour pool of 1,000 gp. To retain the pool and its
Builder skill, can build 1000 gold pieces’ worth of services, you must pay this amount at the start of
scheduled construction in one week. One worker every week. If you do not pay your labour pool, it
can thus produce 10 gp of labour in a week. This will not start to disperse immediately, especially if
is the basic formula used in building. Wages for the project is clearly unfinished, but will hang around
stonemasons and building labourers are assumed in the hope of being paid. If two or more weeks go
to be constant throughout the world. Labour is by without the workers engaging in paid work, the
therefore always presented as a cost in gold pieces, labour pool will drop to half its size the next week
irrespective of whether paid workers, slaves, soldiers and dissipate completely the week after.
or willing colonists do the work.

24
 BEFORE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

Lyres of Building in the same area, it is not worth your while to hire a
larger labour pool than this. It is also not possible to
A lyre of building is the single most potent magical
item available for a stronghold constructor. In terms recruit a larger labour pool than 1,000 gp unless you
of the construction rules given here, thirty minutes are building within 10 miles of a town, nor will you
of lyre play is equivalent to a labour pool of 430 gp be able to recruit more than 3,000 gp worth of labour
applied immediately rather than as the result of a unless you are building within 10 miles of a city. It is
week’s work. This labour pool may be expended simply not worth a labourer’s while to travel further
on any task that a work gang on a construction site than that, as half the day is eaten up in travelling to
would undertake, from clearing the land to digging to the site.
laying stone on stone. So long as the lyre player can
continue playing, the work will continue to get done.
(See Core Rulebook II for rules on lyres of building.)
Unpaid Labour
When the labour is unpaid, as in the case of colonists,
Even if he or she has to stop, the use of the lyre may slaves, volunteers or soldiers building temporary
be resumed after a week has elapsed, meaning that military strongholds, there is still a labour pool
elaborate projects can be completed in next to no of 10 gp per labourer, but no need to pay them
time. anything. A foreman is, however, still required for
some projects. For this reason, knowledge of how
What this remarkably powerful item cannot do is to to build shelters is critical when colonists are setting
conjure building materials out of nothing. In order up camp, as without a foreman to guide them they
to use a lyre of building to assist with a construction can build only the most basic constructions. Military
project, the necessary materials must be ready and strongholds are also overseen by a foreman, who may
within 50 feet of the construction site. A lyre of sometimes substitute Profession: Siege Engineer for
building may not add any master building features Knowledge: Architecture & Engineering, as when
(for which see later chapters) or special features such such constructions as siege towers or undermining
as secret doors. It may carry out building work that tunnels are being built.
does not require material, such as the digging of
trenches or the raising of embankments. Who Does the Building?
Construction workers are assumed to come from
Even so, it is still a very potent item and has more the surrounding towns, being skilled or semi-skilled
potential to unbalance a game than is immediately labourers who are in need of the extra cash. The
obvious. For this reason, the Games Master may foreman does the job of recruiting them, as he is
choose to limit the powers of a lyre of building, familiar with the business of canvassing for labour
deeming that it may only construct buildings that and knows who to talk to. The construction team
require 2 or fewer ranks in Knowledge (architecture takes 1 week to assemble for every 1000 gp in the
& engineering) to make. labour pool.
Building labourers, especially dwarves, hate lyres The stronghold constructor may, if he wishes,
of building with the passion of any worker who is contract with a firm of builders instead, if the country
robbed of a job by a device that can do it for less is one in which such enterprises exist. You must
money. They will frequently refuse to work on have a blueprint ready to present to them; they are
a project if it is known that the builder intends to not interested in ideas and suggestions, though
use a lyre. Dwarves consider them a travesty, an they will often have an architect affiliated to the
easy dodge that insults any true practitioner of the company to whom they will send you so you can
builder’s craft. It is a point of pride among members have a proper plan drawn up. Building firms may
of stonemasons’ guilds to smash them, while wizards be contacted in cities and in larger towns. Using a
and sorcerers who construct them are targeted with firm is a more reliable way of getting the work done
hate mail and sometimes with physical violence. It but works out more expensively in the long run. A
is no small thing for a man to lose his livelihood to a building firm will supply you with a labour pool of
gadget, however wondrous that gadget may be. any size to anywhere within what they consider to be
a reasonable travelling range. They will survey the
You may, if you wish, hire additional workers in site, automatically detecting any land hazards and
order to increase your labour pool. However, a recommending to you the best ways of dealing with
maximum of 5,000 gp of labour may be expended them. They will also take care of the job of finding
on any one construction project in any given week, the materials you need, meaning that you only have
so unless you have multiple constructions to build

25
BEFORE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

to pay them the cost of the materials and they will are far harder to spot, with +2 being bestowed to the
arrange for their delivery. The foremen are always DC to notice them.
of sufficient rank to undertake the task and are of
proven trustworthiness, meaning that there will be no This genius with stonework comes at a price.
problems with worker morale. Dwarven labour cannot be mixed with that of other
races to form a single labour pool. Though they
However, they will insist upon payment in advance will assist their friends and their friends’ families,
for all materials along with a non-refundable deposit the dwarves will not work on a construction job
of 10% of the overall labour cost for the project. with anyone who is not also a dwarf. (They will,
They will also demand that their workers be paid for however, work under a gnomish foreman.) This is
their labour whether they are allocated any work to only partly down to intolerance of other races; the
do in a given week or not. If the resources ordered real reason for their refusal is that a person who has
are delayed or construction is held up because of bad the stonecunning ability finds it extremely frustrating
weather, the workers are still entitled to a wage. You to work alongside another person who does not.
will have to pay them the standard amount per week Stonecunning is like a sixth sense. A dwarven
even if they have no work to do. Failure to pay will stonemason needs to know that his colleagues will
cause them to down tools and refuse to do another understand him when he speaks of the ‘feel’ of a
week’s work until all outstanding wages are paid. given piece of rock. To put such a worker into a team
A refusal or inability to pay on your part will be with humans or elves is like placing a person with
deemed a breach of contract, losing you your deposit colour vision in charge of a group of colourblind
and forfeiting your right to have the remaining people. He will have difficulty making himself
materials delivered. understood; and dwarves do not handle frustration
particularly well.
In civilised countries, building firms are almost
always part of the Guild of Masons, a trading The Dwarven Building Consortium seeks to keep
body which keeps wages constant, maintains high dwarven labour, which is universally acknowledged
standards and ensures that a contract that one client as the best kind for construction purposes, only
has failed to honour will not be taken up by another within the reach of the right kind of people. Any
firm. Stonemasons are renowned for being absolutely construction project submitted to them for approval
immovable when it comes to loyalty to their brothers will be mulled over for a minimum of one month by
in the craft. If you break a contract with one building a council of twelve master builders, who will then
firm, you will not be able to persuade another
to take up where they left off.

Specialist
Dwarven Builders
The Guild of Masons is an exclusive body,
but it does not include dwarven stonemasons,
who have their own organisation. The name
given to it varies from country to country but
the common title is the Dwarven Building
Consortium. The stonecunning ability of the
dwarves gives them a rare gift for construction
in stone; dwarf-built strongholds are just about
the best one can have. They are able to work
with large blocks of masonry in an intuitive
and empathic way, causing slab to join with
slab with almost seamless precision and
inducing one section of masonry to reinforce
others in brilliantly planned, synergetic
ways. Any stronghold or part thereof that is
built entirely by dwarven hands increases its
hardness by 1. Secret doors installed into a
stone surface by a dwarven construction gang

26
 BEFORE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

decide whether to accept or reject it and how much of fifty feet on each side. This additional space is
to ask for if it is accepted. The council’s decision is needed to construct scaffolding, store materials,
final. No haggling will be permitted. build temporary accommodation for workers and
defend the site while construction is ongoing. It also
If you are yourself a dwarf of good standing and makes sure that any tree roots, which might damage
reputation, the Consortium will generally agree to foundations as they grew, are far out of range of the
build your stronghold for you at the standard rate; structure.
proceed as above as if you had hired a building firm.
Others are not given such an easy ride. It is the firm
belief of the council that dwarven workmanship If there are already foundations, or there are buildings
is worth paying for, since it is unquestionably the on one or more sides of the region (such as in a
best available. Those that cannot pay good gold for city) this additional clearing is not necessary. When
it do not deserve to benefit from it. Accordingly, building in towns cities on top of the remains of
the labour costs of a work gang supplied by the a former building, it is only necessary to clear the
Consortium are between 20% to 100% higher than rubble of the previous structure away.
usual. The labour pool still does the same amount of
gold pieces’ worth of work per week, but at the start When building in the wild, is also necessary to
of the week you must pay the inflated asking price. clear land in order to provide access to the site. If
the stronghold is being built in an overgrown area,
For example, a wealthy elven nobleman is seeking to a trailway at least 20 feet wide must be cleared to
build a palace beside a lake for his eldest daughter to the site to allow for materials to be brought in. You
live in and decides that it must be made to dwarven may also wish to clear away land past the minimum
standards. He approaches the Consortium with a clearance zone for purposes of your own, such as to
proposal that would cost 150,000 gp in labour alone. prepare the way for outbuildings, or just to improve
The council takes its customary month to debate the visibility, an important concern when building a
issue and decides that since the noble can afford it defensive emplacement.
and he has never done dwarvenkind any favours, he
can pay 70% additional labour costs. The consortium Clearing grassland out in ten-foot square regions
sends a letter back offering to supply a work gang requires 1gp of labour per region per week. A
that will be equivalent to a labour pool of 5,000 gp standard labour gang can therefore clear out 1,000
and states how much this will cost. Every week, ten-foot square regions in one week, or one square
assuming he accepts the offer, the nobleman must region 100 feet on a side, which is enough for most
pay the workers 8,500 gp to keep them on the job. structures of small size.

Clearing more overgrown territory, such as an

Clearing the Area overgrown garden, the floor of a widely spaced forest
This refers to the preliminary work of cutting back or marshland is a more exhausting business, requiring
undergrowth, uprooting plants, moving boulders and 3 gp of labour per region per week to cut back the
otherwise emptying the region to be worked on of vegetation, following which the land counts as
obstacles before construction work can begin. The grassland, for which see above. Clearing extremely
removal of monsters and similar hazards is a separate densely overgrown territory such as jungle, deep
concern and will be addressed later. Only structures forest or thicket requires 5 gp of labour per region per
that require foundations need to have the area cleared week to cut back the vegetation.
thoroughly before they are built. Wooden structures
and temporary constructions can be built on grassland Cutting away the plant life in the area is only half
or territory that has been cleared down to the level of of the clearing process. The ground also has to
grassland (see below). be levelled, which involves a lot of work with
shovels and picks. Ground that is rocky adds 2 gp
to the labour cost of clearing, while ground that is
A region is not properly cleared out until it has been composed mostly or entirely of solid rock adds 5 gp
reduced to bare earth or rock and levelled off, so that to the labour cost of clearing in places where the rock
the foundations can be sunk in. In order to build is uneven or slopes and 2 gp in other places. Note
a structure, the area it will occupy – its ‘footprint’ that solid rock does not need to be flattened down
- must be cleared out. If the structure is the size entirely, just flattened off in places where masonry
of a fort or larger, additional land surrounding this will be placed. It is highly unlikely that ground will
area must be cleared out to a minimum distance be both overgrown and rocky.

27
BEFORE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

Staking Out and built from the bottom up. The level to which you
The next step after the land has been cleared and dig may vary from place to place on your floor plan;
flattened is to stake out the outline of the structure. if you intend to have a deep chamber underneath the
This process involves driving stakes into the ground general level of the foundations or you need to sink
and connecting them with string or white ribbon, thus a shaft down to caverns that you intend to use, you
marking out the places where foundations must be only need to dig out the foundation level to five feet
dug. Staking out a structure requires access to the below the largest area on the floor plan.
blueprint and a successful Knowledge (architecture
& engineering) skill check at a DC of 10 plus the Instead of laying foundations, you may dig down
minimum number of skill ranks in this skill required until you hit solid rock and then level that, using it
to undertake the building. The foreman usually as your foundation. This is a sensible option if you
undertakes this job. One hour is required per are planning to include a large underground section
required skill rank, with the check being made at the in your stronghold. A layer of rock is found beneath
end of this period. Failure by more than 5 means an most land types, varying in depth: roll 3d12x10 to
error is made but is not noticed; failure by less than ascertain the depth of the bedrock. If you already
5 means that an error is made but is noticed in time, know that you have caves beneath your construction
allowing the character performing the stake-out to try site, ignore the previous rule and assume that the
again. bedrock begins 1d3x10 feet above their level, as
caves can only exist in rock. Bear in mind that if
While it may not sound like much, the staked-out you do tunnel down to the caves, you will have to dig
boundary is crucial to the project. If it is sabotaged through a minimum of 10 feet of rock to reach them.
or wrongly constructed, the whole structure will be
built skew-wise and weakened, suffering a loss of Digging out earth in 5-foot cubes costs 5 gp in labour
1d10% of its overall structure points and adding an per cube per week, whereas digging out rock in 5-
additional 2d6x1000 in labour costs to the project to foot cubes costs 10 gp in labour per cube per week.
compensate for the fault. This vulnerability makes Excavated soil must be piled up somewhere while the
a good watch essential at this stage of the project. construction is taking place. A common procedure is
Once the foundations are laid, the stakes and marker to use the excavated earth to create embankments.
cord can be removed, as there is now a permanent
indicator of where the structure will lie. An additional concern when creating underground
rooms is the golden rule of roof support, for which
Sabotage or errors can be detected with a successful see Chapter 10, Underground Strongholds. You
Spot roll at DC 30, so long as the character making cannot simply carve out great hollows in the rock and
the roll saw the outline before it was tampered with expect them to stay upright without support. When
or has access to the blueprint. If the character has digging through solid rock, support pillars are usually
more than 3 ranks in Knowledge (architecture & cut out of the rock and then decoratively carved.
engineering) or Profession (builder), he receives a +2 They are not later additions.
circumstance bonus to the Spot check.
If you have natural caves beneath your construction
Digging Out site, you must leave a distance in intervening earth
The last stage is to dig the site down to the required or rock no less than one half of the height of your
level, after which construction proper begins with the structure between the lowest point of your digging
laying of foundations. If the structure is being set and the depth of the caves, even after the caves have
directly on to rock, foundations are not a necessity, been reinforced. For example, if you are planning to
but it is standard practice to dig out any underground build a castle sixty feet high and you have caves forty
sections first before building the stronghold on top. feet below it, you can only dig down to a depth of ten
If you are building directly next to water, any areas feet before the site is in danger of caving in. To gain
where you build stone wharf (see Chapter 5) do not access to the caverns, narrow shafts may be excavated
need to be dug out and may be built on directly. but these must be a maximum of 10 feet across and
spaced at least 50 feet away from each other.
To prepare for the laying of foundations, the site
must be dug out as far down as the level of the lowest
intended floor plus five feet. Structures with no
underground rooms thus need to be dug out to a five-
foot depth only. The whole site is thus hollowed out

28
 BEFORE CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

Magical and Other † Magical acid can also be used to scorch an area,
operating as fire does (see above) but without the
Assistance risk of a fire spreading. Acid is however a poison
As it can be an expensive business to clear and dig hazard and the fumes emitted are an inhalant
out the area, some inventive and unusual ways have poison (see Core Rulebook II) meaning that the
been found to assist with the work. region must be left for at least one week for the
fumes to clear before construction can begin.
† Any intelligent creature of Large size, such as an Ground that has been scorched by acid will also
ogre, that has a Strength ability score of greater fail to support plant or animal life and will have an
than 16 can supply 50 gp of labour per week on unpleasant smell. The breath of an acid-breathing
its own, so long as it is given extremely basic dragon can be used to scorch an area.
tasks to do. It cannot assist with building. A
similar creature of Huge size can supply 100 gp † A fire elemental of Medium size or greater can
of labour on its own. Most labour gangs will be scorch one 10-foot square region per minute,
uncomfortable working close to monsters and making fire elementals the assistants of choice
vice versa, so it is a good idea to give the creature when clearing ground. The region is still liable to
the night shift and let the regular workers work the spread of fire, however, if a protective border
through the day, so that the two sides do not come has not been dug. Fire elementals can only do
into contact. this in areas where there is little moisture in the
air. In more damp areas, they can scorch one 10
† An earth elemental of Large size or greater can foot square region per five minutes. Large fire
supply 100 gp of labour per day, so long as the elementals may scorch twice the standard amount
labour is entirely concerned with the movement of land, and Huge fire elementals may scorch
of earth or breaking stone. This includes clearing three times the standard amount.
land and digging trenches.
† A disintegrate spell, carefully placed, can be used
† The spell diminish plants reduces the labour cost to clear and level a region of land equal to its area
of clearing land by 2 gp per region, to a minimum of effect, or to remove whole sections of rock.
of 1 gp, within the area of effect. The plants in an This is especially useful in rocky areas or when
area may only be diminished once. This is a very tunnelling.
popular spell when clearing land.
† Using a transmute rock to mud spell followed by a
† Controlled fire can be used to burn away plant transmute mud to rock spell levels a region of rock
growth in an area, making it easier to clear. This equal to the area of effect. A barrier must however
fire must be of greater than usual heat, as green be built first in order to contain the flowing mud.
vegetation cannot easily be set on fire, especially Alternatively, transmute rock to mud can be used
in damp climates such as rainforest or jungle. on its own on a region of rocky soil to remove the
Scorching an area reduces it to the equivalent of additional 2 gp labour cost of clearing the region,
grassland for clearing purposes, meaning that it or to make excavation of rock a messier but much
only requires 1 gp of labour per region per week easier job. Removing mud from a region can be
to clear thoroughly. Scorching alone can never done at a cost of 5 gp of labour per 10-foot cube
clear land, as the burned stumps of plants still of mud per week.
need to be pulled up and the ground levelled.
Such spells as fireball, flame strike and fire storm † A creature of Large size or greater who is armed
scorch an area according to their area of effect. with a mattock of the titans (see Core Rulebook
The breath of a fire-breathing dragon can also be II) may, as per the description of that item, dig out
used to scorch an area, should there be a helpful a 10-foot cube of earth every 10 minutes or a 10-
dragon to hand. It is standard practice to clear foot cube of rock every hour.
a border strip (or, better still, to dig a trench)
around a region intended for scorching, so as to
prevent fire from spreading to other regions. If a
protective border of some kind is not dug, fire has
a 1% chance to spread per 10 foot square region
that has been scorched; this chance is increased by
10% in moderate winds and 20% in high winds.

29
BASIC BUILDINGS IN EARTH AND WOOD

Basic created quickly, with all the necessary statistics for

their use. This is especially needful when working
with the Open Mass Combat System (see Chapter 19)

Buildings in when such considerations as the structure points of

buildings in the region become a pressing concern.

Earth and Structure Listings

Each of these sections gives step by step instructions
on how to build each feature, providing labour costs

Wood for each structure or modular section and costs for

materials including options for using other kinds of
material for a better (or worse but cheaper) effect.

W
e begin the selection of building plans The following designation is used to describe the
with the very basics of construction; the various structures.
kind of feature that can be assembled by
a group of dedicated characters with picks, shovels Type: Structures described as ‘modular’ can be
and saws but no experience in building. It does not extended end to end and join up with one another,
take any especial skill to dig a pit or pile loose rocks such as ditches or walls. Each such structure is
on top of one another. Anyone may form the labour a segment rather than a full construction in itself.
pool to build these structures, whereas only workers Structures described as ‘stand-alone’ are intended
with skill in building may undertake the building to do just that, being complete in their own right
of structures after this point. Some basic structures and cannot be built adjacent to one another. Some
require a foreman or overseer with minimum skill structures may be built several times at a minimum
qualifications, but the bulk of the workforce can still distance from one another, such as sentry towers.
be unskilled. The foreman tells them what to do and
where to do it. Skill: Gives the minimum number of skill ranks in
Knowledge (architecture & engineering) (or other
skill as specified) needed to undertake the project.
How To Use The Plans The necessary skill must be possessed by the
The following sections are provided so that you can foreman or overseer, but need not be possessed by the
build exactly the stronghold you want, right down workers. Any structure with a rating of more than 3
to the last detail. We have deliberately widened requires a properly drawn up blueprint before it can
the definition of ‘stronghold’ to include such things be constructed.
as villages, towns and even cities, as later chapters
will be addressing the art of nation-building and Labour Cost: Gives the cost in labour to build the
governing extremely wide areas of land. If you structure.
want to micromanage the building work, then you
can make your own floor plans with every wall Maximum Labour Per Week: Indicates the maximum
and paving stone in place and work out the pricing amount of work that may be done on the structure in
yourself. Alternatively, you may select one or more a given week by ordinary workers. (Small modular
building templates and work with those. structures are exempt from this.) This reflects the
impossibility of hiring thousands of labourers to
The basic buildings section is especially useful for work on a single building and get it finished in an
players who are out in an uncivilised area and need hour; there simply is not enough room for all of them
to make some form of permanent camp. There is a to do anything useful. Some very large structures
great deal of fun to be had in planning out a primitive have no upper limit in labour per week.
stronghold, dividing up the party into materials
gatherers and builders and watching the structures Materials: Indicates the quantity of materials needed
take shape day by day, eventually putting them to to build the structure. Also gives alternate choices of
the test with the inevitable confrontation with hostile material together with the effects these materials have
forces. on the structure’s hardiness.

The other principal use for the listings given here is Optional Extras: Gives special features that may be
more for the Games Master’s benefit. By reference built into the structure for an additional labour and
to these templates, villages and hamlets may be materials cost.

30
 BASIC BUILDINGS IN EARTH AND WOOD

Hardness: Gives the base hardness of the structure. The defenders will usually have a portable bridge of
some kind on their side of the ditch, so that they can
Structure Points: Gives the total structure points of leave the threatened area later on, once the invaders
the finished structure, if appropriate. have left. More advanced structures incorporate
drawbridges that may be raised or lowered from
Stability: Gives the total bonus the structure receives inside the stronghold, allowing very broad ditches to
to its Stability saving throws. As structures do not be built.
simply hang in the air while chunks are knocked out
of them until they reach zero structure points, they Ditches may be joined with a river or lake and
must periodically make Stability saving throws in flooded to create a moat. A moat may be fortified
order not to crumble or collapse altogether. This is before it is flooded by building a simple stone wall on
detailed extensively in Chapter 18, Warfare. each of its vertical surfaces and paving its base. In
the absence of a natural water source, magical ones
Footprint: Describes or illustrates the amount and may be used, such as a decanter of endless water or a
shape of ground that the structure will occupy. control weather spell.

Special: Describes any special rules or features Stakes: As an additional defence, wood may be
associated with the structure. chopped into sharp stakes and sunk into the base of
the ditch. As the wood is being hacked into shape,
Earthworks it does not matter whether rough-cut logs or sawn
These structures are the simplest ones going. All you timbers are used to make the stakes. Falling into a
need to build an earthwork is an idea of where you spiked ditch causes the victim to suffer attacks from
want it to be and a gang of labourers with shovels. 1d4 spikes, with a Reflex saving throw at DC 20
Earthworks can be constructed quickly and cheaply being allowed to avoid each successive one. The
but are not especially hard to breach. They are, spikes inflict 1d4 damage +1 for every 10 feet of
however, the only option available if you have to the ditch’s depth, to a maximum of 1d4+5. This is
set up defences a long way away from civilisation. in addition to any falling damage suffered by the
Many creatures of animal intelligence will not bother character.
to expend the effort to cross a well-dug ditch.
Wall crumbling risk: The walls of unfortified
Ditch/Moat ditches are unstable, as they are nothing more than
Type: Modular, may be extended downwards up to sheer earth. If there is heavy fighting (more than 5
50 ft. deep depending on earth type creatures engaged in melee) or traffic heavier than
Skill: None a single horse and rider within 5 feet of the edge of
Labour Cost: 5 gp if digging through a ditch, the structure must make a Stability saving
earth, 15 gp if digging through rock throw against a DC of 5 or collapse. This DC is
Materials: None needed raised by +2 if the ground is wet (such as from
Optional Extras: Stakes: +1gp labour, recent rain) and raised by a further +1 for every 10
+1gp logs or sawn timber feet of the ditch’s depth. Characters on the edge of
Hardness: - a collapsing ditch may make a Reflex saving throw
Structure Points: - at DC 15 to jump clear of the area. Creatures buried
Stability: -1 by a collapsing ditch are treated as if they were in
Special: Wall crumbling risk the slide zone of a landslide, for which see Core
Footprint: 10 ft. cube dug out of ground Rulebook II, page 85.

Ditches are a simple form of defence, acting as a Embankment

deterrent to invaders. It is impossible to mount a Type: Modular
concerted assault by dropping down a vertical earth Skill: None
wall, crossing the floor of the ditch and trying to Labour Cost: 5 gp
scramble up to the defended position. Ditches will Materials: None needed
usually be dug at least thirty feet deep, meaning that Optional Extras: Vitrification
an average person who falls into one will be at risk Hardness: 3
of his life. They are dug broadly enough for them to Structure Points: 800
be impossible to jump over, but not so broadly that Stability: Cannot be toppled
it would be impossible to lay a bridge across them. Special: Increased height, ditch synergy

31
BASIC BUILDINGS IN EARTH AND WOOD

Footprint: 20 ft. thick by 10 ft. wide

region rising to 10 ft. high in centre

An embankment is a simple earthen

mound built in a linear pattern. It
cannot properly be described as a wall
because its sides are not sheer enough;
they rise at an angle of forty-five
degrees. Its primary purpose is to slow
invaders down. Defenders situated at
the top of the embankment have the
advantage of the high ground and have
better visibility and a measure of cover
when using missile fire. Embankments
are usually built so as to join up at the
ends, forming a defensive ring around
an area.

Vitrification: An embankment that is

topped with piled-up rough stones (at
an additional labour cost of 3 gp per
section) may be blasted with intense
heat in order to melt the rocks and
create what is known as a vitrified
fort. The resulting embankment is
then treated as if it were topped with a to invading enemies. Alternatively, to cause even
rough stone wall 10 feet in height with a hardness of greater inconvenience, make your ditch quite broad
12, a Stability saving throw of +4 and 150 structure and have an embankment on either side.
points.
Mound (Motte)
Stability: An embankment may not be toppled, as Type: Stand-alone: may have embankments joined to
no part of it is poised or balanced upon any other sides, forming a ‘motte and bailey’
part. It may, however, be knocked away in chunks Skill: None
by a massive impact or smashed through by such Labour Cost: 1,500 gp
creatures as an earth elemental. Maximum Labour Per Week: 2,000 gp
Materials: None needed
Increased Height: Embankments may be built Optional Extras: None
up beyond 5 feet in height, but an additional one Hardness: -
on the row beneath must support every additional Structure Points: Not subject to structural damage
embankment layer added on top. For example, a Stability: Cannot be toppled
section of embankment 10 feet wide and 30 feet high Special: Increased height
would be 60 feet thick at the base and contain 6 total Footprint: Flat-topped cone 100 ft. across at base,
embankment sections, giving a total labour cost of 30 rising to 50 feet in height
gp per section. Embankment sections built side by
side always join up at the top. A mound is s simple heap of earth, used as the base
for an additional structure such as a fort or tower
Ditch Synergy: It is less strenuous to build an and enabling them to be built higher up than ground
embankment if you are building a ditch right next level. It is built so as to dominate a region, giving
to it, as the earth you displace while digging can be good visibility and missile range. As it is essentially
shifted up to form the embankment. To build a ditch an artificial hill, it does not have any vulnerability to
and an embankment at the same time costs a total structural damage.
of 6 gp of labour; however, the ditch must be at the
base of the embankment. If this is done, it is simple Increased Height: A mound may be built to double
common sense to have the ditch on the outside of the stated dimensions for 4000 gp in labour, or three
the defended area, to cause added inconvenience times the stated dimensions for 10,000 gp in labour.

32
 BASIC BUILDINGS IN EARTH AND WOOD

Basic Wooden name given to the substance worked into the gaps
that closes them and makes the structure easier to
Structures heat. In order to fit a log or rough stone structure
The following represent the simplest of the free- with chinking, 1 gp of extra labour and 1 gp of
standing structures available. While cheap and quick clay must be used for every 10 gp of logs. The
to build, they are not especially resilient to sustained effects of sheltering in a structure that has not been
damage and are vulnerable to fire. All wooden insulated against the cold are left to the Games
structures suffer double damage from fire. Master to determine but should at least include
interrupted rest and a lack of the necessary calm
When an area is first settled, wooden structures and security required when preparing spells. Help
earthworks are usually built in order to secure the with determining environmental effects may be
area, with replacements in stone being constructed found in Core Rulebook II. Chinking also has the
later on as the settlers become more established. effect of increasing the structure’s Stability saving
throw bonus by +1 in the case of a rough stone
Wooden structures may be made from logs or from construction, as the clay helps the uneven stones to
sawn timber. (The exception is the palisade, which sit comfortably against one another.
is always made from logs alone.) The latter option
is always cheaper, as sawn timber is far easier to fit Druids and Wooden Structures
together than unworked logs and to use whole logs The presence of a druid is a boon when building
in building results in a lot of wastage of wood and structures out of wood. The use of the druid spell
time as the logs are hacked into shape and split into wood shape may convert 5 gp of logs to sawn timber,
planks before fitting. As a rule, any structure will as the druid can flatten out and straighten logs into
need half as much material if sawn timber is being the equivalent of large sturdy planks. Wood shape
used rather than logs. The main reason for using may not be used as a substitute for labour, as the
logs at all is that sawn timber is not readily available work mostly consists of moving wooden pieces into
and it is much simpler to gather logs from a nearby place and fixing them there, but it may be used to
wood and use those than it is to arrange for timber bond the parts of a wooden structure together more
to be delivered to the site. Turning logs into sawn securely. By using wood shape on a construction,
timber efficiently requires a proper sawmill to be the druid may grant it a permanent +1 circumstance
constructed, and there may not be one in the region. bonus to its Stability saving throw as the edges of the
wood gnarl and knot together. To benefit from this,
All of the following structures assume that the wood shape must be used on the structure once for
construction team has access to basic building every 50 gp. of logs or 25 gp. of sawn timber used in
supplies, such as hammers, nails and saws. If these its construction. The other use of wood shape is to
are not available for any reason, such as the players hollow out living trees from within and shape them
having been shipwrecked on a desert island, then into architecturally useful forms. This does not form
these structures may be built with a hatchet or axe a part of conventional structure building but is useful
as the absolute bare minimum of working tools. when adding extra features, such as the ‘trunk access’
Wooden wedges may be used instead of nails and option in the Tree Fort below.
creepers or vines may be employed to lash timbers
together instead of hemp rope or metal fixtures. (In At times of battle, druids will sometimes use
the event of shipwreck, remember that a ship may be ironwood spells to fortify wooden structures,
broken up for a source of sawn timber, which is more temporarily transforming parts of them into iron-hard
economical to use than logs are!) Structures that are flame-resistant material. Attacking druids can cause
built in this primitive way require double the labour massive damage to wooden defences with the repel
cost, have only 60% of their total structure points and wood spell.
have a –3 penalty to their Stability saving throws.
Their Hardness rating remains unaffected. Palisade
Type: Modular
Chinking Skill: Knowledge (architecture & engineering) 1
Building with logs or rough stone leaves tiny gaps rank, Craft (carpenter) 1 rank, Profession (siege
in the walls through which chill draughts can blow. engineer) 1 rank or Wilderness Lore 2 ranks
This is not an issue when the structure is a simple Labour Cost: 3 gp
wall but is an important concern when it is intended Materials: 6 gp logs
to house warm-blooded creatures. Chinking is the Optional Extras: Reinforcement, Walkway, Gate
Hardness: 5

33
BASIC BUILDINGS IN EARTH AND WOOD

Structure Points: 10 per section section of gateway running across the top of the door)
Stability: +4 and is secured to the palisade on either side by being
Special: Pointed tops lashed in place, rather than with hinges. A more
Footprint: Wooden wall 10 ft. across, 10 ft. high robust option for creating a doorway in a palisade is
and 1 ft. thick the palisade gatehouse, for which see below. Gates
may not be reinforced nor fitted with walkways.
A palisade is a wooden wall made from thick logs
that have been sharpened to a point at the top and Pointed Tops: The top of the palisade is a jagged
driven into the ground side by side. They are lashed barrier of fire-hardened spikes, offering a greater
together with ropes and reinforced by props to deterrent than the thickness of the wall alone. Any
give them extra strength. Palisades are frequently character who attempts to scale the wall and climb
set on top of embankments, as it is much easier to over the top, or who engages in combat while part
bury the ends of the logs in earth which is being of his body is directly over the spikes must make a
brought to the point of fixture than it is to shove a Balance skill check (DC 15) or suffer 1d3 attacks
sharpened log into the ground. Embankments are from the spikes, which attack at a base attack bonus
not a very effective defence on their own, whereas an of +10 and inflict 1d4+1 damage per spike. The
embankment with a palisade on top of it is the best same skill check must be made by any character who
modular defence available without using stone. falls on to the spikes or is knocked on to them.

Reinforcement: This option requires 2 ranks Palisade Gatehouse

in Knowledge (architecture & engineering) or Type: Stand-alone; may
Profession (siege engineer) or 1 rank in Craft be joined with palisade on
(carpenter). It braces the palisade with additional either side
materials, stopping up cracks and adding diagonal Skill: Knowledge
braces. Reinforced palisade sections have 40 (architecture &
structure points and a Stability saving throw of +6. engineering) 3 ranks,
Reinforcement adds +1 gp to labour costs and +2 gp Craft (carpenter) 3 ranks, Profession (siege engineer)
in logs to materials costs. 3 ranks or Wilderness Lore 5 ranks
Labour Cost: 600 gp
Walkway: This option requires 2 ranks in Materials: 100 gp logs or 50 gp sawn timber
Knowledge (architecture & engineering) or Optional Extras: Raised sentry platform
Profession (siege engineer) or 1 rank in Craft Hardness: 5
(carpenter). It adds a platform six feet up the Structure Points: 30
palisade, with ladder access and props underneath Stability: +6
to keep it stable. Sentries may use the platform Special: None
to watch from or to fire missile weapons from. A Footprint: Wooden gatehouse 15 ft. high, 30 ft.
medium-size character standing on the platform has across and 10 ft. thick
one-quarter cover; kneeling, he has one-half cover.
Building a walkway adds +2 gp to labour costs and The palisade gatehouse is a large reinforced box-like
+4 gp in logs (or +2 gp in sawn timber) to materials structure intended to house the main gateway into the
costs. defended area. It is shaped like a square archway,
with 10 ft. of gatepost on either side of two adjoining
As the same space behind the palisade is taken up doors each 5 ft. across. This double door has 25
by each option, a palisade may not have both the structure points and a Stability saving throw bonus
reinforcement and the walkway options applied to it. of +4. Instead of a double door, the end section
of a bridge may be used, for which see the bridge
Gate: Any section of the palisade that has an structure below.
ordinary palisade section on either side of it may be
fitted with a gate, which here refers to a single or The gateposts are hollow and may be used for storage
double door (builder’s choice) of hardened wood. or to house ladders whereby the arch may be reached.
It has the same hardness as an ordinary section of The arch consists of a flat platform above the gates
palisade but has a Stability saving throw of +2 and with a short palisade barrier surrounding it to a height
only 20 structure points. It does not have any pointed of four feet, so that archers and sentries may take
tops to the doors, as these are simple panels of nailed- cover behind it. They benefit from one-quarter cover
together planking. The gate has no architrave (a when standing and one-half cover when kneeling.

34
 BASIC BUILDINGS IN EARTH AND WOOD

This platform is intended for use as a sentry post, so arc, after which it would be pointed back at the main
that those approaching the gate may be challenged body of the tower. This option does not cost any
before the gates are opened to them. more but does take up room on the sentry platform.

Raised Sentry Platform: To increase visibility, Ballista Mount: A heavy siege crossbow may be
the height of the whole gatehouse may be increased mounted in the sentry tower. It has an effective arc
to 25 ft. A sentry on such a platform has a better of 270 degrees. See Chapter 19: The Open Mass
view of his surroundings than one at a lower vantage Combat System for the statistics and use of a ballista.
point; he may add a +2 circumstance bonus to any A ballista mounted on a sentry tower cannot be used
Spot rolls made in this position. He has half cover to target anything that is closer to it than 100 ft. as it
against opponents at ground level when standing cannot easily be tilted downwards past a given point.
and three-quarters cover when kneeling, so long as
these opponents are within 25 ft. of the base of the Enclosure: Instead of a simple flat platform at the top
gatehouse, as it is harder for opponents to attack of the tower with the ladder poking through it, you
upwards from beneath. This structure requires an can opt to have a central roofed enclosure, as if the
additional 300 gp in labour plus an additional 50 tower had been thrust through the platform and then
gp in logs or 25 gp in sawn timber. The resulting been walled off. This enclosure can be used as a safe
structure has 50 extra structure points. place for harassed sentries to retreat to and find cover,
or as a store of ammunition or food. This addition
Sentry Tower costs an extra 100 gp in labour and 30 gp in logs or
Type: Stand-alone 15 gp in sawn timber.
Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
engineering) 3 ranks, Craft (carpenter) Only one modification, lantern or ballista mount or
3 ranks, Profession (siege engineer) 3 enclosure, may be fitted in a sentry tower.
ranks or Wilderness Lore 5 ranks
Labour Cost: 300 gp Wooden Screen
Materials: 100 gp logs or 50 gp sawn timber Type: Stand-alone
Optional Extras: Lantern Mount, Ballista Mount, Skill: Knowledge (architecture & engineering) 1
Enclosure rank, Craft (carpenter) 1 rank, Profession (siege
Hardness: 5 engineer) 1 rank or Wilderness Lore 2 ranks
Structure Points: 15 Labour Cost: 2 gp
Stability: +0 Materials: 4 gp logs or 2 gp sawn timber
Special: None Optional Extras: None
Footprint: Tapering wooden square tower 20 ft. Hardness: 5
square at base and 50 ft. in height, surmounted by Structure Points: 5
platform Stability: -2
Special: None
Sentry towers are built to allow surveillance of Footprint: Portable wooden screen 8 ft. across at
a broad area. They are usually placed within a base and 8 ft. high, sloped so as to provide cover
palisade and may be set on top of a mound. They
consist of a simple framework with a wooden or A wooden screen is an extremely basic slanting wall
rope ladder running up the centre, giving access to made from timber, used by archers to hide behind.
a platform surrounded by a four-foot high wooden Two people with a total Strength of at least 20 can
wall. Most sentries prefer rope ladders, as they may carry a wooden screen between them. The invading
be withdrawn, making it much harder for enemies side will often create wooden screens during a siege,
to reach the platform at the top. A sentry on top advancing slowly behind them and leaning out from
of a tower receives a +2 circumstance bonus to all behind them to fire arrows. A slit can be cut in the
Spot checks, because of the ease with which he may front of a wooden screen, enabling the archer or
survey the area. crossbowman to fire from behind cover, though their
effective zone of fire is limited to a 20-degree arc in
Lantern Mount: A bright lantern in a reflective dish front of the screen.
may be mounted in the tower, causing a ‘spotlight’
effect. This beam lights up a cone 120 feet long Wooden Fort
and 40 feet wide at the far end. As it is mounted at Type: Stand-alone
a fixed point, it may rotate only within a 270 degree Skill: Knowledge (architecture & engineering) 5

35
BASIC BUILDINGS IN EARTH AND WOOD

ranks, Craft (carpenter) 5 ranks, Profession (siege

engineer) 5 ranks or Wilderness Lore 7 ranks
Wooden Bridge or Jetty
Type: Modular
Labour Cost: 1,000 gp Skill: Knowledge (architecture & engineering) 2
Maximum Labour per Week: 600 gp ranks, Craft (carpenter) 1 rank, Profession (siege
Materials: 800 gp logs or 400 gp sawn timber engineer) 2 ranks or Wilderness Lore 3 ranks
Optional Extras: Interior Walls, Multiple Buildings Labour Cost: 10 gp
Hardness: 5 Materials: 20 gp logs or 10 gp sawn
Structure Points: 200 timber
Stability: +8 Optional Extras: Rails, Hinged
Special: None Section
Footprint: Large rectangular two-storey tower 100 Hardness: 5
ft. by 70 ft. at base, 40 ft. in height Structure Points: 5 per section
Stability: +2
The wooden fort is the strongest, most robust Special: Collision Damage, Storm Damage
building that can be constructed using wood and Footprint: Section of wooden bridge 10 ft. square
elementary building techniques alone. It forms the and up to 20 ft. above the ground
central defensive point in the ‘motte and bailey’ style
of defensive layout. A second circular palisade This is a flat wooden bridge for spanning ditches,
usually surrounds it. During a siege, the bulk of the rivers and moats. To build it, long piles (wooden
settlement’s population will retreat to the fort so as columns) are sunk into specially dug holes in the land
to stay out of the way of the fighting. The fort is not underneath, buried up to a set distance and reinforced
customarily used for anything but defence; the seat of with crossbeams. Finally, planks are laid across the
authority in this kind of settlement is usually found in top. While it will sustain everyday use and loads as
the longhouse, for which see below. heavy as a single horse and cart, such a bridge is not
particularly sturdy, nor can it be used to span a drop
The roofs of the fort are slanted and the windows of more than 20 feet.
may be closed with wooden shutters. A smoke-hole
may be added at no extra cost, allowing a fire to be The same techniques are used to build a dock or jetty
built within the structure. The upper storey, to which as are employed to build a bridge. Piles are sunk and
access is granted by a retractable wooden ladder, is planks nailed in place on top. Such a construction
usually used to fire arrows and other missiles from, cannot be extended out to a water depth of greater
such as offensive spells. than 20 feet. By building a dock out from a riverbank
or a beach, a place can be provided for ships or
A gate in the front wall gives access to the fort. The boats to be moored, so long as their hulls are no
doors have 20 structure points, a hardness of 5 and a deeper than 20 feet. This is extremely useful when
Stability saving throw bonus of +2. additional building supplies are going to need to be
brought to the site by boat.
Interior Walls: Internal walls may be added to
divide the fort up into separate rooms. Each 10-foot Rails: The bridge may be fitted with a rail on either
section of internal partition wall costs 2 gp in labour side for additional safety. This avoids the danger of
and requires 2 gp in logs or 1 gp in sawn timber. wheeled traffic tipping over the edge or travellers
being knocked into the river by burly men with
Multiple Buildings: A longhouse or log cabin may quarterstaffs. The rail is four feet high and costs an
be built on to the fort at ground level. Treat this extra 2 gp in labour and 2 gp in logs or 1 gp in sawn
as if the additional structure had been constructed timber to construct.
separately. However, the longhouse or log cabin
is built at only 80% of its usual cost in labour and Hinged Section: A 10-foot section at the end of the
materials, as it shares part of its structure with the bridge may be constructed so as to be raised upwards
fort. While it may seem like a fine idea to extend a to an angle of 90 degrees by chains or ropes, thus
wooden fort until it resembles a small castle, this is forming a basic drawbridge. The hinged section
not usually done because of the risk of fire spreading has no props beneath it at has a total of 25 structure
rapidly through the whole building. It is much easier points and a stability saving throw bonus of +2,
to contain a fire if the building is at least thirty feet whether it is functioning as a bridge or as a door.
away from its neighbours, which is how settlements (Even if the whole bridge is only 10 feet long in total,
of wooden buildings are typically laid out. it must still be built as a bridge at full cost, because

36
 BASIC BUILDINGS IN EARTH AND WOOD

the far end must rest on properly built props.) This Special: None
modification costs an extra 10gp in labour but incurs Footprint: Building 20 ft. by 40 ft. with walls 8 ft.
no extra material costs. It is usual to build a bridge high and sloping roof reaching a point 18 ft. above
across any ditch used in defence, so that friendly floor
traffic can still enter and leave the compound, but
make the last ten feet hinged so as to deny access to The log cabin is the simplest form of wooden
enemies. Bridges are sometimes made with hinged dwelling. It may be used for many purposes,
sections for other reasons, such as to allow the including accommodation for people or animals, food
passage of boats. or weapon storage or strategic defence. When used
as a living space, the floor is usually covered with
Collision Damage: A bridge or jetty struck by a ship rushes and a fire pit may be dug in the centre of the
travelling at speed suffers 1d4 points of structural room. A part of the log cabin is usually provided
damage if the ship is between 10 and 30 feet in with a ceiling, on top of which sleeping places are
length and 1d6 points of structural damage if the ship located. A cabin built wholly from logs is sturdier
is over 40 feet in length. than one built from sawn timber and has 25 structure
points instead of 20.
Storm Damage: A wooden bridge or jetty set
close to the sea or to a river must make a Stability By building sections of bridge and then placing a
saving throw during extremely severe storms (such log cabin on top of them, it is possible to create
as a tornado) against DC 15 or suffer 1d6 points of a structure that sits on stilts. This is the standard
structural damage per hour of the storm. method of constructing dwellings among boat people,
whose houses are thus a few feet above water level
and who can fish from their own doorways.
Wooden Shack or Log Cabin (Wooden
Outbuilding) Second storey: Another storey may be added
Type: Stand-alone above the first, to a maximum of two storeys, for an
Skill: Knowledge (architecture & engineering) 2 additional 200 gp in labour costs and 150 gp in logs
ranks, Craft (carpenter) 1 rank, Profession (siege or 75 gp in sawn timber. Access is usually by ladder,
engineer) 2 ranks or Wilderness Lore 4 ranks though a simple staircase may be built if preferred.
Labour Cost: 300 gp Adding a second storey gives the building a total of
Materials: 200 gp logs or 100 gp sawn timber 30 structure points but reduces the Stability saving
Optional Extras: Second Storey, Interior Walls, throw bonus to +4.
Outbuilding
Hardness: 5 Interior walls: Although it is not common, the
Structure Points: 20 builder may subdivide the interior of the log cabin
Stability: +6 by adding partition walls. Each 10-foot section

37
BASIC BUILDINGS IN EARTH AND WOOD

of internal partition wall costs 2 gp in labour and Footprint: Square or circular platform surrounding
requires 2 gp in logs or 1 gp in sawn timber. tree trunk or other secure structure to distance of 5 ft.

Outbuilding: If desired, the wooden shack can be A tree platform is a flat wooden construction that
used as an outbuilding – a structure not intended for must be attached to a tree trunk at least 5 ft. across
human habitation. As the shack is such a simple or to an arboreal building. It serves as a sentry post
structure, this makes no difference to the labour or or drop-off point for building materials, ammunition,
materials cost. More information on outbuildings gathered foodstuffs and the like. It may be fitted
and their use is given in the next chapter. Typical with a ballista mount or a lantern mount in the same
wooden outbuildings of this size are a boathouse, way as a sentry tower (see above) for the same cost.
a tool shed, a communal privy, a fuel store or a Access to the tree platform is usually by rope ladder
henhouse. from the ground and by rope bridge from other
treetop structures.
Longhouse
Type: Stand-alone Unlike most wooden structures, which are not
Skill: Knowledge (architecture & engineering) 2 intended to be permanent and will eventually be
ranks, Craft (carpenter) 1 rank, Profession (siege replaced with stone buildings, tree platforms and
engineer) 2 ranks or Wilderness Lore 4 ranks similar treetop structures are usually built by forest
Labour Cost: 800 gp dwellers who intend to stay there for a long time.
Materials: 500 gp logs or 250 gp sawn timber They are a favourite habitation among wood elves
Optional Extras: Outbuilding and human outlaws.
Hardness: 5
Structure Points: 30 Lift: A rudimentary lift system may be built into the
Stability: +6 platform to assist in raising heavy loads from a lower
Special: None level. Turning a crank that pulls the lift upwards
Footprint: Building 80 ft. by 40 ft. with walls 8 ft. on a rope via a pulley system operates the lift. If
high and sloping roof reaching a point 28 ft. above the crank is released, the mechanism locks in place,
floor preventing accidents. To build a lift with a winch
system requires 4 ranks in Knowledge: Architecture
A longhouse, of which only one will usually be & Engineering, 3 ranks in Craft (carpenter) or 4 ranks
constructed, is the central building in the typical in Profession: Siege Engineer. A more primitive
earthwork and wooden structure kind of settlement. lift system, in which the person working the lift
It is used as a barracks for the warriors, as a village simply pulls a rope attached to a pulley above, can
hall, as a council chamber and as a feasting area. be constructed using only the same skill ranks as are
Additional stories are considered to be impractical. needed to build the tree platform. However, should
the person pulling the rope lose his grip while the lift
Outbuilding: A longhouse may be built as an is off the ground, it will plummet.
outbuilding (see above); outbuildings of this size are
usually used as cattle sheds or stables. Wall: The tree platform may be fitted with a four-
foot high wall. Most platforms are not so equipped,
Tree Platform but those that are used as defensive emplacements
Type: Stand-alone usually are. The wall gives cover to any archer or
Skill: Knowledge (architecture & engineering) 5 sentry standing or crouching behind it. Adding a wall
ranks, Craft (carpenter) 5 ranks, Profession (siege costs 4 gp in labour plus 4 gp in logs or 2 gp in sawn
engineer) 5 ranks or Wilderness Lore 8 ranks timber per 10 ft. of wall. Remember to leave gaps
Labour Cost: 200 gp in the wall if the platform is to be attached to a rope
Materials: 30 gp logs bridge!
or 15 gp sawn timber
Optional Extras: Rope Bridge
Ballista Mount, Type: Modular
Lantern Mount, Lift, Skill: Knowledge (architecture & engineering) 4
Wall ranks, Craft (carpenter) 2 ranks, Profession (siege
Hardness: 5 engineer) 3 ranks or Wilderness Lore 4 ranks
Structure Points: 10 Labour Cost: 4 gp
Stability: +2 Materials: 4 gp logs or 2 gp sawn timber
Special: None

38
 BASIC BUILDINGS IN EARTH AND WOOD

Optional Extras: Quick Release check at DC 25. Characters caught on the bridge as
Hardness: 5 it collapses are allowed a Reflex saving throw (DC
Structure Points: 3 per section 20) to grab and cling to a rope handrail as the bridge
Stability: +0 gives way beneath them.
Special: Swaying
Footprint: Section of wooden bridge 5 ft. square Tree House
Type: Stand-alone
A rope bridge is a series of wooden slats lashed Skill: Knowledge (architecture & engineering) 5
together over a space of empty air, with rope ranks, Craft (carpenter) 5 ranks, Profession (siege
‘handrails’ strung on either side for a better grip. engineer) 5 ranks or Wilderness Lore 8 ranks
The bridge is firmly secured at either end by wooden Labour Cost: 400 gp
piles driven deep into the ground and sometimes by Materials: 200 gp logs or 100 gp sawn timber
being fastened to existing anchors such as a large Optional Extras: Balcony, Lift, Trunk Inclusion
tree. Rope bridges are usually found strung across Hardness: 5
crevasses that are much too large for a conventional Structure Points: 20
stone or wooden bridge to span. They are also Stability: +2
the standard bridge from structure to structure in Special: None
tree villages. They are intended only for use by Footprint: 30 ft. square structure adjoining tree
pedestrian traffic and cannot be crossed by vehicles. trunk of at least 10 ft. diameter

In order to make one, ropes are first fired across the This building is far from being the children’s play
gap or carried over by a laborious (not to mention area implied by the title. A tree house is the typical
dangerous) process of climbing down one side and up residence of arboreal humanoids such as wood elves.
the other. A building team must have some method They are built to last; a single structure can house
of getting ropes slung across the gap before it can successive generations of occupants. They will
erect a rope bridge. sometimes be the best construction option available
in jungles and forests that are plagued at night by
Swaying: Rope bridges undulate in strong winds or wild beasts, as they are very easy to defend against
if they are agitated by anyone deliberately attempting creatures that cannot climb trees. A tree house may
to do so, either at the end or at any point along the be built with multiple doors; typically, there will be
length. A character on an undulating rope bridge a trap door in the floor to allow a rope ladder to be
must make a Balance check at DC 10 in order to dropped down and at least two doors giving access to
move at all and even then may only move his normal rope bridges that lead in turn to other structures. Tree
movement rate; if he takes a double move the check villages are made from interconnected tree houses,
is at DC 15 and if he runs it is made at DC 20. He strung like a web between the highest boughs.
may take a single five-foot step per round and remain
safe so long as he holds on to the handrail with one Balcony: It is common for a tree platform (see
hand. He may also stay still and hold on with no risk above) to be built directly adjacent to a tree house,
of falling. A failed check means that the character giving a point from which the ground below may be
has fallen from the bridge. surveyed. Rope bridges are often attached to these
porches instead of being secured directly to the tree
Quick Release: If the builder has 4 ranks in house.
Knowledge: Architecture & Engineering, 2 ranks
in Craft (carpenter) or 5 ranks in Profession (siege Lift: The floor of a tree house may be fitted with
engineer) or Wilderness Lore, at an additional cost a lift, exactly the same as that provided for a tree
of 4 gp in labour and 2 gp in sawn timber (logs will platform (see above). This is most usually done
not do) he may construct a quick release mechanism in the case of storehouses, so that game and fruits
at one end of the bridge. This gives the whole bridge collected from the forest below can be hauled up to
a Stability saving throw modifier of –1. It enables the storehouse with relative ease.
a character who is standing next to the mechanism
to release the end of the bridge by pulling a lever (a Trunk Inclusion: Instead of being built next to a tree
standard action) causing the whole bridge’s length trunk, the tree house can instead be built around it.
to collapse. A rope attached to the loose end enables This is a more difficult arrangement, requiring one
the bridge to be drawn back up and reattached, a more skill rank than those listed but it does make
task requiring a successful Strength ability score the structure far more secure, increasing its structure

39
BASIC BUILDINGS IN EARTH AND WOOD

Footprint: Square or circular fort

80 ft. across surrounding tree trunk
at least 20 ft. wide

To build a tree fort requires a huge,

sturdy tree and a considerably
advanced degree of craftsmanship
on the part of the foreman. It is the
largest and most robust building
that can be made up among the
branches. The trunk of the tree
forms the central pillar of the fort,
entering through the floor and
exiting through the ceiling. As
those who build tree forts are often
concerned for the welfare of the host
tree, the boughs and branches are
usually incorporated into the design,
with the result that the fort has a
misshapen, organic appearance as if
it had grown out of the tree.

The roof of a tree fort is flat and

surrounded by a crenulated barrier
four feet high, behind which archers
are usually placed. The upper
branches of the host tree provide
a screening defence against attack
from above.

Balcony: The fort may be fitted with

a balcony, which is essentially the
same as adding two tree platforms
(see above) to the construction.

points to 25 and increasing its Stability saving throw Interior Walls: Internal walls may
to +6. In such an arrangement, the tree trunk rises be added to divide the fort up into separate rooms.
through the floor like a central pillar, occupying the Each 10-foot section of internal partition wall costs 2
middle part of the house. gp in labour and requires 2 gp in logs or 1 gp in sawn
timber.
Tree Fort
Type: Stand-alone Lift: The fort may be fitted with one or more lifts as
Skill: Knowledge (architecture & engineering) 9 with a tree platform (see above) though this is not
ranks, Craft (carpenter) 9 ranks, Profession (siege often done as to do so weakens the floor as well as
engineer) 10 ranks taking up valuable room on the floor of the fort.
Labour Cost: 1,000 gp
Maximum Labour per Week: 600 gp Trunk Access: If the trunk of the host tree is 40 ft.
Materials: 800 gp logs or 400 gp sawn timber or more across, it is sometimes possible to create a
Optional Extras: Balcony, Interior Walls, Lift, tunnel up the inside of the trunk that gives ladder
Trunk Access access to the fort. A heavy wooden door that may
Hardness: 5 be barred from within seals the bottom end of the
Structure Points: 200 tunnel; it is also known for the inhabitants to keep
Stability: +4 a barrel of rocks near the top end, which they will
Special: None dump down the shaft to seal off the passage. This
is most commonly fitted as a means of emergency

40
 BASIC BUILDINGS IN EARTH AND WOOD

makes a rough stone structure

much more sturdy, as the
irregular gaps between the
rocks are plugged with strong
fixative. Preparing mortar
properly requires 1 skill rank
in Knowledge (architecture
& engineering) or Craft:
Stonemason. Rough stone walls
made with mortar may be built
to half thickness; these and all
other raw stone structures made
with mortar have +20% structure
points and a Stability saving
throw of +1. To build a rough
stone structure with mortar
requires 1 gp of labour and 2 gp
of mortar per 5 gp of raw stone
used, rounded down.

Mortar is much more commonly

used when building with worked
stone, but some prefer to use it
as an adhesive for rough stones.
There are several reasons for
this. One is that it is cheaper
to bring mortar to a site and
then make buildings with local
raw stone than it is to transport
worked stone to the site. This is
why the walls of many outlying
villages are made from raw
stone and mortar alone. Another
reason is that some people
access, for when those members of the community simply prefer the rustic feel
who are out foraging or at ground level for another of raw stone structures. Gnomes in particular are
reason need to be brought up to the fort quickly. To noted for their love of simple rough stone cottages.
create trunk access for a tree fort without killing the Dwarves sometimes feel the same, though they
host tree requires the permission and presence of a are only content to live in raw stone dwellings on
druid of at least 6th level, along with 8 ranks in Craft an individual basis; anything involving the whole
(carpenter) or 10 ranks in Knowledge: Architecture & dwarven clan or extended family warrants the honour
Engineering. of worked stone. Some dwarven settlements are
comprised of several low, small raw stone huts and
Rough Stone a single painstakingly worked hall in worked stone
Structures where council gatherings, public speeches and the
like will take place.
The following structures are built entirely or mostly
from raw stone, being rocks and boulders simply
collected from the surrounding area and moved into Rough Stone Wall
place. While it is much cheaper than worked stone, Type: Modular
raw stone still has an associated value in gold pieces, Skill: None required: minimum Intelligence ability
representing the cost in labour time necessary to score 8
collect it up. Labour Cost: 8 gp
Materials: 6 gp raw stone
Mortar: This option may be applied to any rough Optional Extras: Extra Height, Gate, Mortar
stone structure. The use of a simple form of mortar Hardness: 8

41
BASIC BUILDINGS IN EARTH AND WOOD

Structure Points: 5 per section

Stability: +0
Stone Cottage/Outbuilding
Type: Stand-alone
Special: Collapse Skill: Craft (carpenter) 1 rank plus any one of the
Footprint: Stone wall 10 ft. long, 5 ft. high and 2 ft. following: Knowledge (architecture & engineering)
thick 1 rank, Craft: Stonemason 1 rank, Profession (siege
engineer) 1 ranks or Wilderness Lore 2 ranks
Structure building is rarely more straightforward Labour Cost: 300 gp
than this. To build the rough stone wall, all a group Materials: 60 gp raw stone plus 10 gp logs or 5 gp
of creatures needs to do is to set rocks on top of one sawn timber
another in such a way as to form a barrier, with the Optional Extras: Fireplace & Chimney
rocks fitting together as closely as possible. If the Hardness: 8
rocks are too small, the wall will not be sturdy; if Structure Points: 40
they are too big, the wall will have too many gaps Stability: +2
in it. Rough stone walls are commonly used by Special: None
humanoid creatures in the wilder parts of the world Footprint: Raw stone
as well as by tribal or peasant peoples who use them rectangular building 20 ft. by
to enclose livestock and mark territorial boundaries. 30 ft. with 6 ft. walls; each
As it is fairly easy to climb over a rough stone wall, wall is 2 ft. thick
they are more use as a pen for unintelligent animals
than as a defence against invaders. This structure template covers any simple
freestanding raw stone structure, such as a cottage,
Some do use rough stone walls defensively, usually a pigsty, a food store or game smoking hut, or even
because there is absolutely nothing else in the area a sweat lodge. The walls are made from gathered
that they can make defences from. They are useful stones piled one on top of the other, reinforced
as cover and are hard for unaided human opponents with wooden bracing posts. The roof is made from
to knock down, though they cannot stand up to a wooden beams on which a coating of thatch, turf,
pounding from siege machinery or such creatures as brushwood or large leaves is placed, according to
giants for more than a few moments. whatever is available locally. If the building is to be
used for living in, a wooden platform will usually be
Extra Height: A rough stone wall may be built up built under the eaves for bed pallets. In extremely
to 10 feet high but must be thickened to 4 feet for poor communities, animals will share living space
the structure to be stable. Multiply all labour and with the regular residents, taking the colder part at
material costs by four if this option is chosen. The the bottom of the house with the people sleeping
resulting wall has 20 structure points and a Stability above them.
saving throw of +2. This option is usually only
chosen by relatively unintelligent creatures who are Fireplace & Chimney: In order to build a fire
building primitive defences. inside the structure without smoking the place out, a
fireplace with attached chimney may be added. This
Gate: For a cost of 4 gp in labour, 4 gp in logs or adds 30 gp in labour and 5 gp in raw stone
2 gp in sawn timber, a swinging wooden gate up to to the overall cost of the construction. Raw
10 feet across may be added in the stone wall. It stone buildings that do not have fireplaces
has a hardness of 5, Stability of -3 and 1 structure are usually heated with freestanding
point. Such gates are built to keep cattle in, not to braziers.
keep invaders out. A higher wall may have a taller
gate: for double the gate cost, a more sturdy gate
may be added, with a hardness of 5, stability of
+0 and 5 structure points. Adding a gate requires
one skill rank in either Knowledge (architecture &
engineering), Craft (carpenter), Profession (siege
engineer) or Wilderness Lore.

Collapse: Anyone caught under a collapsing stone

wall that is higher than he is should be treated as if
he were in the slide zone of a landslide; see Core
Rulebook II.

42
 INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

Intermediate Road, Average

Type: Modular

Buildings
Foreman Skill:
Knowledge (architecture &
engineering)) 2 ranks

T
he buildings in this section are beyond the Builder Skill: Craft
competence of amateur builders, imaginative (builder) 1 rank
colonists or military engineers. They require Labour Cost: 10 gp
experience in the trade. There is a minimum skill Materials: 3 gp raw stone
requirement not only for the foreman of the project Footprint: 20 ft. square of road
but for the work gang that does the lifting and Ordinary roads are dug out of the ground and filled
placing. These buildings are the bread and butter of in with a depth of stone and gravel between two
the professional builder, who earns his living making raised banks. If this is not done properly, the road
structures that others cannot. is liable to become rutted and boggy. Average
roads are adequate for foot traffic but will require
annual maintenance after the first year of use by
Building Against wheeled traffic. See pages 134 and 206 for the cost
Natural Stone of maintaining and improving roads. They are not
commonly found near cities, where the roads are
Most of the buildings included here depend on
of better quality, nor in remote outlying rural areas
worked stone, which is rock cut from a quarry and
where a ‘road’ is often no more than a dirt track.
fashioned into regular blocks. Any worked stone
structure may be blended into a mass of natural stone
such as a cliff or hillside if the stone is sufficiently Road, Superior
strong; sandstone or chalk, for example, would not Type: Modular
do. Modular constructions such as walls receive Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
a +1 circumstance bonus to their Stability saving engineering)) 4 ranks
throws if they are built into a natural stone wall. Builder Skill: Craft (builder)
Stand-alone constructions may be built out from 2 ranks
a natural stone wall in such a way as to substitute Labour Cost: 18 gp
one of the structure’s walls for the natural stone Materials: 4 gp raw stone,
surface; for example, you might build a keep out 6 gp lime
from a mountainside. This reduces the worked stone Footprint: 20 ft. square of
materials cost of the structure by 10% and gives the road
construction a +1 circumstance bonus to its Stability
saving throw. The superior road uses multiple layers of stones and
mortar to make a level, hard surface. It can sustain
wheeled traffic easily, making maintenance cheaper.
Surfacing Superior roads are the most common to find in and
Surfacing is the art of placing a permanent surface around cities; if found within a city, they usually have
upon dug-out earth. It is the name given to all pavement to either side.
techniques of treating the ground so as to make it
more durable. Applying surfacing is dealt with as if When building roads of whatever kind across large
any other structure were being built; the ground must distances, you may multiply all costs by 265 to
first be cleared and levelled, though it does not need calculate the cost for a mile of road 20 feet across.
to have foundations dug. These building formulae
are provided for the use of those players who want to
attend to every detail of land management, including Paving
the building and maintenance of roads between their Type: Modular
towns and cities. The cost of surfacing is already Foreman Skill: Knowledge (Knowledge
factored in to structures with paved floors and such (architecture & engineering)) 2 ranks
like and does not need to be calculated separately. Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 1 rank
Labour Cost: 10 gp
Materials: 5 gp worked stone
Footprint: 10 ft. square of paving

43
INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

Paving is the art of laying thick stone Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 1 rank or Craft
slabs down upon the ground so as (carpenter) 1 rank
to make a smooth, hard, enduring Labour Cost: 5 gp
surface. This is usually done to create Materials: 2 gp sawn timber
a walkway for pedestrian traffic, though Optional Extras: Door, Panelling, Secret Door
it can be done for other reasons, such as to level the Hardness: 4
floor of a building. A ditch that has been paved at Structure Points: 2
the bottom and walled at the sides can be flooded to Stability: +2
create a fortified moat. Special: None
Footprint: Interior wall up to 10 ft. long by 10 ft.
high and ½ ft. thick
Worked Stone
Partition walls are used to divide up the interior of
Structures a worked stone building into separate rooms. They
The craft of the stonemason is, ultimately, what are made from a simple timber framework; the gaps
makes the difference between a village and a city. are either filled with wattle and daub, which is a
Until a culture develops the art of building with mixture of twigs, straw and mud, or panelled across
worked stone, its constructions will never rise beyond with wooden strips and skimmed over with plaster.
a limited height, nor will they be robust enough They are not intended to be especially strong and will
to survive the centuries. The simple expedient of not hold up a ceiling on their own, though portraits
cutting stone into regular sized blocks with straight and shelves can be hung from them without any
edges enables all of the most impressive and difficulties. In between the timbers, they are weak
imposing constructions to be built, from a simple enough to be smashed through after a couple of
dwelling to a full-sized castle. rounds of resolute hammering; it is also possible to
drive a fist or a head right through one.
Stone is usually cut into shape at the point of
quarrying. The different shapes and sizes of the The gaps between the timbers in a partition wall, over
blocks will determine the stone’s eventual use. As which the mud or plaster is then laid, are convenient
worked stone is a second-generation product and places for storing valuables or anything else that you
is not found in nature, it must either be shipped in do not want a person searching the room to find.
specially or salvaged from the remains of a previous There are many tales of items having been sealed up
building. Full rules for salvaging are given in in partition walls, from skulls to talismans to ancient
Chapter 8, Resources. books to the last will and testament of a previous
occupant. An item concealed inside a partition wall
All worked stone structures involve the use of when the wall is built is impossible to find without
mortar as a bonding agent between the blocks unless smashing the wall open. A wall that has been broken
otherwise stated. It is not common for worked open to conceal something and then had the hole
stone structures to be built by laying block on block plastered over or re-daubed may give up its secrets:
without anything to stick them together, though some the DC of a Search or Spot roll to find a resealed
older structures such as ancient temples are built in patch in a wall is 20 plus one for every ten years
this way. since the tampering was done, to a maximum of 30.
Any worked stone structure may be made to a larger Some builders like to place partition walls just inside
size than that which is given here. Doubling any the exterior stone wall, running parallel to them and
dimension (height, width or length) will double leaving a gap of a few feet. This not only makes for
the cost of the construction both in labour and in better insulation, it creates the ‘rat run’ kind of secret
materials. Tripling any dimension will similarly passageway, which allows covert access to any rooms
triple the cost. Structure points increase in proportion that it lies adjacent to. Instead of secret doors, spy
to the increase in cost. holes can be fitted. The major disadvantage of this
arrangement is that it is harder to build windows into
such a wall; a tunnel-like structure has to be built to
Wall, Partition connect the inner wall with the outer and this blocks
Type: Modular off the narrow wall cavity beyond, making it less use
Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture & as a secret passage. Partition walls are never used
engineering) 1 rank or Craft (carpenter) 1 rank outside a building, as they are not water resistant.

44
 INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

Door: An ordinary door or serving hatch may be engineering)), Craft (builder) or Craft (carpenter);
added in a partition wall at no extra labour cost and the builder must have at least 3 ranks in Craft
at a materials cost of 3 gp in sawn timber per door. A (builder) or Craft (carpenter) in any case. There is
standard interior door has a Hardness of 5, a Stability no extra materials cost, but there is a 20 gp labour
saving throw of +2 and 2 structure points per door. cost as secret doors are very tricky to make and fit.
For other door options, see Chapter 7, Extras & The trigger mechanism for the secret door must be
Additions. specified when it is built. It is next to impossible
to fit a secret door so that it is concealed from both
Panelling: For a more tasteful effect, wood sides. When this needs to be done, it is much more
panelling may be added to a partition wall. (It may straightforward to build a short passageway and place
also be added to the inside of a standard wall, for a secret door at each end.
which see below). Panelling helps with the insulation
of a stronghold and adds +2 to the wall’s structure The most usual way to conceal a secret door in a
points. A secret door or compartment concealed partition wall is to leave the timbers of the wall
among panelling receives a +1 to the DC of the check exposed, a common feature of rustic dwellings and to
needed to detect it, as the multiple edges involved in have one of the intervening areas be a hinged wooden
a panelling surface are ideal for concealing a movable block that can be pushed out of place. A knot in
section. Wood panelling costs an extra +1 gp in the timber is the most popular catch by which such
labour and +2 gp in sawn timber per side of a section doors are fastened. For other secret door options, see
panelled. Note that a partition wall may be panelled Chapter 8, Additional Features.
on one side and not the other.

A partition wall may be treated with moulded

panelling to make it look like a worked stone Wall, Standard
wall. The most common reason for this is one of Type: Modular
subterfuge; secret rooms are created in the space Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
between an interior and exterior wall and, as we will engineering) 1 rank
discover below, it is much easier to fit a secret door in Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 1 rank
a partition wall than in a worked stone wall. Labour Cost: 10 gp
Materials: 3 gp worked stone, 1 gp mortar
Secret Door: Secret doors are much more easy to Optional Extras: Door, Secret Door, Window
fit in a partition wall than in a standard wall, as the Hardness: 8
materials employed in building a partition wall are Structure Points: 8
lighter and easier to rearrange, while the hollow Stability: +4
space between the wall’s timbers allows hidden Special: None
locking or unlocking mechanisms to be set in place. Footprint: Simple exterior stone wall 10 ft. wide, 10
A partition wall is also relatively thin, so a single ft. tall and 1 ft. thick.
swinging panel can be used rather than a double-
ended passageway as is necessary in standard walls The worked stone wall is the backbone of all other
(see below). The other great advantage of partition structures of this kind. Though sturdy, it is not
walls as bearers of secret doors is their speed and intended for long-term defence. Stone walls are used
ease of construction. So long as there is nobody else to form the shells of most permanent buildings, with
about when the wall is built and the constructor is interior partition walls being most commonly made
someone you can trust to keep your secrets, nobody from wood and plaster (see above).
else is likely to find out about it. It is harder to keep
a secret door secret if it requires the work of five men Interior walls may be built in stone if the builder
over as many days. Foremen and builders alike know prefers. However, if there are upper storeys to the
that the most likely fate for a labour gang enlisted to building, there may not be a stone interior wall on
build a large, impressive secret feature is to end up one storey without another stone wall of the same
murdered so that the secret will never be leaked. dimensions being built on the floor immediately
below. Stone walls are heavy and need to be
To fit a secret door in a partition wall requires supported by more stone wall beneath them, not by
the foreman or builder to have 3 ranks in floorboards alone!
either Knowledge (Knowledge (architecture &
Other uses of this kind of wall are to enclose gardens
or other private areas such as cemeteries, to divide

45
INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

one person’s land from another’s or to close off Ordinary glass windows cost 2 gp in labour and 5
tunnels or doorways permanently. gp in glass per window. Stained glass windows are
covered in Chapter 8, Additional Features.
Door: A single or double door may be placed in a
standard wall at no extra labour cost and at a cost of
3 gp in sawn timber per door. A standard exterior Metal Fence
door has a Hardness of 5, a Stability saving throw of Type: Modular
+4 and 5 structure points per door. For other door Foreman Skill: Craft (builder) 1 rank
options, see Chapter 7, Extras & Additions. Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 1 rank
Labour Cost: 8 gp
Secret Door: It is possible, though difficult, to fit Materials: 20 gp worked metal, 4 gp worked stone
a secret door in a worked stone wall. The sheer Optional Extras: Gate, Ornamentation, Spikes,
weight of the stone involved makes the undertaking Hardness: 10
a complicated one, as it is not easy to build a section Structure Points: 8
of stone blocks in such a way that they will swing Stability: +5
aside when required. To do this, the blocks would Special: Squeeze through
have to sit in a hinged cradle of some kind, which is Footprint: Barrier of cross-linked vertical metal
an impractical solution. What is often done instead bars, 10 ft. wide by 10 ft. high, ½ ft. thick
is the construction of a light wooden panel fronted
to look like stone, which is then cemented into place This type of metal fence often surrounds expensive
in a gap in the wall. Moulding plaster and treating housing or private gardens. It is made from tall metal
it with pigments, or fixing a very thin layer of real bars approximately six to eight inches apart, secured
stone to the wooden backing are both popular ways by crossbars welded in place. The end bars of each
to create the fake stone effect. Leaving a gap large section are secured in heavy stone slabs, which may
enough to include a secret door is bound to attract be left partly uncovered or buried in the soil, or
the notice of the workers, so their silence must affixed to worked stone pillars which are placed at
somehow be assured if the secret is not to become regular intervals to provide a bracing point, which
widely known before the stronghold has even is the more popular option. Metal fencing is widely
been completed. Including a secret door by this considered to be a more picturesque kind of barrier
method requires 5 ranks in Knowledge (Knowledge than a simple stone wall. It is certainly easier to
(architecture & engineering)) or 5 ranks in Craft see through. Metal fences are usually made out of
(builder) on the part of the foreman or builder. wrought iron, coated with enamel as a proof against
rust. Bending the bars requires a Strength ability
A secret door that is made of stone is the hardest kind score check against a DC of 24.
of all to install. It must be placed at some point in the
building where the blocks of masonry are sufficiently The fence does not have to be laid in straight lines.
large that if one were removed, the gap could admit The path of a metal fence can curve in and out as the
a person. This is done because the cracks showing builder desires.
the outline of the secret door would stand out a
mile if they ran through the centre of the block, so Gate: A single or double-doored gate (the more
instead it is best to use a single block as the secret common style) may be placed anywhere in a metal
panel. One of the blocks in the wall is replaced with fence. This requires a worked stone gate post on
a shortened stone facing, mounted upon a previously any side where a hinge is to be placed; so, a double-
manufactured swivel or axle so that it can be pushed doored gate requires two gate posts, whereas a single
open easily. door requires but one. A metal gate has 10 structure
points, a hardness of 10 and a Stability saving throw
Dwarven ingenuity can create stone secret doors so of +7. It may be fitted with a lock if the builder so
subtle that they are made full-sized, with the outline desires. For additional security, or as a substitute for
of the door tracing through the centre of the wall’s a lock worked into the gate, a chain wrapped around
blocks and vanishing completely when the door is the bars and fastened with a padlock may be used to
closed. This and other secret door options are given hold the doors shut. Adding a gate to a metal fence
in Chapter 8, Additional Features. costs 10 gp in labour, 25 gp in worked metal and 4 gp
in worked stone per gate post.
Window: A shuttered, glassless window can be
fitted in any worked stone wall at no extra cost. A metal gate may be used instead of a wooden one
in a worked stone wall or in a fortified wall. If this

46
 INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

is done, the gate has no worked stone materials cost, Optional Extras: Extra Storey, Cellar, Fireplace &
as its hinges are fastened to the stone of the wall on Chimney, Glass Windows, Interior Walls, Outbuilding
either side. Hardness: 8
Structure Points: 45
Ornamentation: As a display of wealth and Stability: +5
power, a metal fence may be ornamented. To do Special: None
this, a builder will usually incorporate scrollwork, Footprint: Worked stone rectangular building 30 ft.
decorative ironwork and the like into the metal parts, by 40 ft. with 8 ft. high walls; each wall is 1 ft. thick
paint the spikes (if there are any) gold or silver and
place stone sculptures on the worked stone posts. This modest house is the kind of dwelling referred to
Dragons, griffins and lions are popular choices here. in the equipment lists in Core Rulebook II as ‘House:
Ornamentation incurs no additional labour costs, Simple’. Its retail cost of 1,000 gp gives some idea
as the decoration is incorporated into the materials of the profits to be made in the building trade, as the
before they are assembled, but it does incur an overall cost to build a small house with privately
additional cost of 5 gp in worked metal and 3 gp in hired labour and materials is a mere 477 gp. It is
worked stone. a basic foursquare house with a peaked roof made
from timbers over which a rainproof surface of tiles
Spikes: The tops of the bars on a metal fence may or lead may be laid; tiles are much more common
be, and usually are, tipped with wrought iron spikes. in cities, as lead tends to be stolen, being pulled off
This feature is partly ornamental but is mainly surprisingly often for use as impromptu sling bullets!
intended to dissuade intruders from trying to climb The ‘loft’ or space beneath the roof is usually used
over the fence. It is not always successful, as a for storage and is reached by a trapdoor and ladder.
blatant display of defensiveness may give would-be
thieves the impression that there must be something Although such details are not customarily mentioned
worth stealing behind such an imposing barrier. in fantasy roleplay, it behoves us to mention that the
small house has no interior privy, nor does it have
Any character who attempts to scale the fence and a washroom. An indoor lavatory is very much a
climb over the top, or who engages in combat while modern convenience; one assumes that in a fantasy
part of his body is directly over the spikes must make setting, the pseudo-mediaeval custom of having a
a Balance skill check (DC 15) or suffer 1d3 attacks shared outdoor privy for a row of houses would be
from the spikes, which attack at +10 melee and inflict commonplace. Baths are usually taken either in a
1d4+1 damage per spike. The same skill check must public bathhouse or in a portable tin bath brought
be made by any character who falls on to the spikes into the living room, with the water being heated over
or is knocked on to them. Adding spikes to a section the fire.
of metal fence costs an extra 5 gp in worked metal.
The exterior door in a house of any size is equivalent
Squeeze Through: The gaps in a metal fence are to that detailed in Wall: Standard (see above).
too narrow to allow a creature of Medium size to fit
through, unless its body is extremely pliable. Any Cellar: One or more cellars may be included
creature of Medium size attempting this must make beneath the property. Cellars may be no bigger than
an Escape Artist check at DC 30. A Small creature, the property’s overall footprint and no deeper than
such as a halfling, may attempt to squeeze through
the bars with an Escape Artist check at DC 20. The
use of oil, grease or similar lubricants adds a +2
circumstance bonus to this skill check.

House, Small
Type: Stand-alone
Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
engineering) 2 ranks
Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 3 ranks
Labour Cost: 400 gp
Maximum Labour per Week: 300 gp
Materials: 50 gp worked stone and 12 gp mortar,
plus 10 gp logs or 5 gp sawn timber

47
INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

one floor down; the foundations must be dug deep intended as places for the kind of work that needs
enough to allow for any planned cellars. Access to be done away from residences, for storage and
to the cellar may be given by a staircase or by a for animal berthing. The primary difference from
trapdoor through which a ladder is inserted. ordinary construction when making an outbuilding is
that foundations only have to be dug directly beneath
Every 10-foot square of cellar space costs 15 gp the walls.
in labour and 8 gp in worked stone. If desired, the
builder may divide up the cellar using partition or Outbuildings with more than one storey may either
worked stone walls. Cellars are used to store goods have a floor to the upper storeys or not, as the builder
that must be kept cool or in darkness; the most chooses; he may build a floor part way across the
common items found in cellars are wine, hanging building, as is done in some barns. Outbuildings
game and old furniture. may also have a larger doorway than usual at no extra
cost. This is a common option when the outbuilding
Extra Storey: Up to two additional floors may be is used for such purposes as sawn timber storage,
added to the house, access to the upper floors being since long pieces of wood have to be gotten in and
provided by staircase. The upper storey of a building out of the building.
does not have to be accessible from the bottom
storey; it is quite common in cities for each floor of a The floor in an outbuilding is usually bare earth or
building to be a separate flat, accessed by a staircase a layer of rough stones and the walls do not have
common to all levels. Each extra floor has the same windows; a grille or two to let in the light is usually
ground area as the bottom layer and costs three- sufficient. They are not supposed to be habitable,
quarters of the original price in labour and materials. but can be slept in overnight without too much
discomfort so long as the sleeper brings plenty of
Fireplace and Chimney: It is very unusual for a bedding. Outbuildings cannot be converted into
worked stone house not to have these features, but houses without expending the additional labour cost.
they are included as optional extras because some
small houses are built in climes too warm to need Typical outbuildings of equivalent size to a small
them. A fireplace and chimney costs 10 gp in labour house are a smithy or forge, a feed store, a tack
and 5 gp in worked stone to include. In heavily store (a place where saddles, spurs, reins and other
populated areas of the city, where houses are built equipment for horse riding are kept) or a storehouse
side by side sharing common walls – ‘terraced’ for agricultural implements such as scythes and
housing as it is known – it is usual for adjoining rakes.
houses to share a common chimney.

Glass Windows: Houses are not built with glass House, Medium or Shop
windows as standard. Windows are simple openings Type: Stand-alone
in the wall, closed with wooden shutters. If the Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
builder wishes to substitute glass windows for these, engineering) 3 ranks
which is a sensible option in cold climates, he may Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 3 ranks
do so; the costs for fitting windows are given in the Labour Cost: 700 gp
entry on Worked Stone Wall above. Maximum Labour per Week: 300 gp
Materials: 80 gp worked stone and 20 gp mortar,
Interior Walls: The interior of the house may be plus 16 gp logs or 8 gp sawn timber
divided up with partition walls or with standard Optional Extras: As House: Small, plus Frontage
walls, for which see above. Remember that any Conversion
storey on which a standard wall is built must have Hardness: 8
a standard wall beneath it in the same position, for Structure Points: 60
support. Stability: +5
Special: None
Outbuilding: Any size of house may be built as an Footprint: Worked stone rectangular building, 40
outbuilding instead of a dwelling, which reduces the ft. by 60 ft. with 18 ft. high walls; each wall is 1 ft.
labour and materials cost to half the stated value. thick; see floor plan
Outbuildings are hollow shells, with only a roof and
no partition walls; if any internal walls are needed, This structure is the default standard accommodation
they are made from worked stone. Outbuildings are for most areas of a prosperous city and for the central
parts of major towns. It can be occupied comfortably

48
 INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

by a family or used for other purposes such as the Unlike the example shop given above, taverns have
office of a business, a bordello, a gambling house or to be built as such, serving no other purpose. The
the meeting place of a small guild. In order to make ground floor must contain at least one spacious room
the place easier to keep warm, floorboards are laid for communal drinking and room for a bar, the cellar
over the space between ground level and the bottom must have enough room to store barrels, the kitchen
of the foundations. must be large enough to cook for several dozen diners
and the upper storey must have enough space for
Frontage Conversion: This option converts the whole temporary residents to sleep. A house cannot easily
ground floor front wall of the house into a large be used as a tavern, though enterprising minds will
window display area, enabling the building to be certainly do so if there is no other option available.
used as a shop. Most shops are similar in their needs,
requiring nothing more ambitious than storage space The dimensions and the floor plan of the tavern may
and a sales point, so they do not need to be built to a be changed to fit specific design requirements but
specific plan. must include room for a bar, a cellar and a kitchen.

A building of this kind used as a shop rather than as Extra Storey: Up to two additional floors may be
a house will usually have a ground floor divided into added to the tavern (which comes with one extra
two equal sections, the one at the front being used for floor as standard), access to the upper floors being
display and sales, while the one at the back is used provided by staircase. Each floor has the same
for storing stock. Many shops have additional storeys ground area as the bottom layer and costs 400 gp in
above them that are used for living accommodation, labour, 100 gp in worked stone and 20 gp in mortar
either by the owner of the shop or by a private tenant. to build.

Extra Storey: One extra storey may be added to the Single Storey: Instead of having the guest rooms
large house; this costs half the labour and materials above the ground floor, the builder may opt to extend
costs again to build. the ground floor to serve this purpose. If this option
is chosen, relocate the upper storey rooms, placing
Outbuilding: This structure may be built as them on a level with the ground floor and changing
an outbuilding, like the small house. Typical the floor plan accordingly, joining them with a
outbuildings of this size are stables and cow byres. doorway instead of a staircase.
Stone outbuildings are preferred when housing
animals, as they are much more stable and strong and
less prone to fire. House, Large
Type: Stand-alone
Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
Tavern engineering) 3 ranks
Type: Stand-alone Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 3 ranks
Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture & Labour Cost: 1,200 gp
engineering) 3 ranks
Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 3
ranks
Labour Cost: 1,200 gp
Maximum Labour per Week: 500
gp
Materials: 200 gp worked stone
and 40 gp mortar, plus 24 gp logs or
16 gp sawn timber
Optional Extras: Extra Storey,
Single Storey
Hardness: 8
Structure Points: 100
Stability: +5
Special: None
Footprint: Two-
storey building with
cellar, 60 ft. by 80 ft.

49
INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

Maximum Labour per

Week: 500 gp
Materials: 300 gp worked
stone and 40 gp mortar, plus
24 gp logs or 16 gp sawn
timber
Optional Extras: As House:
Medium plus Conservatory,
Extra Storey, Gardens
Hardness: 8
Structure Points: 100
Stability: +5
Special: None
Footprint: Two-storey
building with cellar, 80 ft. by
100 ft.

Houses of this stature are

restricted to the gentry,
who pass them down from
generation to generation
and the wealthy merchant
classes who can afford to
have them built to their
own specifications. A large
house is always of at least
two storeys, the upper storey
being given over to the large
bedrooms of the family while
one wing of the lower is used
for servant accommodation
and the other for dining and professional potion brewers and other such worthies
parlour space. The design of a large house of this find a conservatory very useful, as they can use it
kind always assumes the occupying family or coterie to cultivate their herbs and exotic plants in without
will have servants. The large house template may having to trust to erratic or usurious suppliers. To
also be used to represent a guesthouse or small hotel. make a conservatory, both foreman and builders must
have at least 2 ranks in Craft (carpenter).
It sometimes happens that an investor will buy a large
house and divide up the large rooms into smaller A freestanding conservatory can be used as a
ones using partition walls, creating several small flats summerhouse, or as it is sometimes called, a gazebo.
under one roof. This often happens in cities where This should not be confused with the enigmatic
the general level of prosperity has gone down and monster of the same name.
huge houses with servants’ quarters are no longer
needed, but many more small families need to be Extra Storey: One extra storey may be added to the
housed. The nobility frown upon this practice, as it large house; this costs half the labour and materials
turns grand houses into rabbit warrens for the poorer costs again to build.
classes, but it is extremely profitable for those who
undertake it. Gardens: If there is room enough around the house,
an ornamental garden may be cultivated there. This
Conservatory: For the price of 100 gp in labour, is a popular feature among the extremely rich, who
100 gp in glass and 10 gp in sawn timber, the builder are thus provided with their own microcosm of
may add a conservatory to the property. This is a nature in the midst of the city. Every 10 ft. square of
greenhouse-like room measuring no more than 30 ft. gardens costs 15 gp in labour to prepare and contains
square that is used for propagating plants and having such features as flowerbeds, arboretums, rose walks,
tea in on sunny days. Mages, alchemists, herbalists, sculpted hedges, rock gardens and hedgerow mazes.

50
 INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

Outbuilding: Outbuildings of this size are almost You will note that all industrial building uses require
always hay barns or granaries, though they could be the advice of an expert on the kind of craft to be
used to store extremely large animals if these were a performed in the building. This is because the
part of rural life in the fantasy world. equipment required and its proper arrangement are
highly technical matters. It may not even be possible
for a kingdom or region to build a given industrial
Industrial Building building because a consultant of suitable rank cannot
Type: Stand-alone be found.
Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
engineering) 5 ranks plus consultation from Craft As industrial developments were, historically
skill (see below) speaking, often guarded as state secrets, you may
Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 3 ranks wish to extend similar treatment to industrial
Labour Cost: 1,600 gp processes in your campaign world. If one kingdom
Maximum Labour per Week: 300 gp knows how to smelt copper while another does not,
Materials: 150 gp worked stone and 40 gp mortar, the first kingdom will not simply hand over the
plus 30 gp logs or 15 gp sawn timber information. A proper deal with mutual benefits
Optional Extras: By industry type must be struck. (This is exactly what happened in
Hardness: 8 Elizabethan England. The art of copper smelting had
Structure Points: 200 been lost and a deal had to be made whereby German
Stability: +6 experts would be sent over to teach the English how
Special: Construction allows production of worked to do it.) Optional rules are given in later chapters for
resources ‘technology trees’ and for determining the available
Footprint: Worked stone rectangular building with industrial techniques in a given nation.
two storeys, 80 ft. by 60 ft. with 30 ft. high walls;
each wall is 2 ft. thick Industrial buildings are frequently found on the
outskirts of the town or city, on the sides of rivers.
A single template is provided for all industrial Water is useful to industry for many reasons; the
buildings, though their layout and contents will vary flow of the river can power the machinery inside
according to the purpose to which they are set. As the building, large quantities of water are needed
a rule, they are blocky, robust, inelegant structures, to cool down hot metals and the river can serve to
designed to be functional rather than ornamental. transport fuel and raw materials to the building and
City ordinances usually require industrial buildings to carry produce away. A nearby source of water is also
be situated a minimum distance (usually half a mile) useful for lowering the risk of fire, an all too common
from residential areas. occurrence in industrial areas.
Although the fantasy game
setting does not allow
for industry in the fully
mechanised sense, there are
nonetheless refining and
manufacturing processes that
require an enclosed building
with lots of empty space, even
in a pre-industrial world, and it
is these that this building type
is based upon. The following
list gives an indication of
the kind of uses to which the
builder may put an industrial
building. Most of them have
the goal of converting one
kind of resource into another;
further information on the use
of industrial buildings can be
found in Chapter 13, Resources
and Goods

51
INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

All machinery within an industrial building is on hand during the building process to make sure the
assumed to be manually powered, animal powered components are fitted properly.
or water powered unless otherwise stated. These
power sources represent the very lowest forms of Foundry: Foundries are used to cast metal items
technology available and would be suitable for a low of unusual size, too big for an ordinary forge to
fantasy campaign, or for the less magically advanced handle. At the level of technology available in most
parts of the world in a high fantasy campaign. They fantasy-based campaigns, foundries will be extremely
would also be found in young, recently colonised uncommon. They will be used to make such items as
countries that as yet have few high-level mages and ships’ anchors, girders, bronze statues, cathedral bells
clerics among the population, or in places where and war machine parts. If cannons are allowed in
magic is viewed with superstition and is forbidden. your campaign, they too will be made in foundries.
A later chapter addresses more advanced and
thaumaturgic sources of power for machinery, such as Outfitting a foundry requires 2,000 gp in labour,
the dragon-driven steam engine and golem labour. 3,000 gp in worked metal, 300 gp in worked stone,
30 gp in mortar and 200 gp in sawn timber. The
Within an industrial building, the lower floor is architect and foreman for the project must receive
usually used for manufacturing while the upper the advice of a person with at least 5 ranks in
floor is used to store the product and any ingredients Craft: Blacksmith, Craft: Weaponsmith or Craft:
that are used to prepare it. For ease in loading and Armoursmith.
unloading, some industrial buildings have hatches
in the walls of their upper storeys, with winches Glassworks: In a glassworks, white sand and lime
immediately above them so that goods may be hauled are melted down to produce glass. The white-
up or lowered down. hot molten blobs are then turned into products
immediately, as the glass cannot be reworked once
If no worked stone is available, such as in an early it has cooled down. A portion of the glass is made
colony, the industrial building may instead be made into panes by being rolled out and spun on a disc to
from 1,000 gp in sawn timber, in which case it has spread it out thinly. The remainder is blown, shaping
130 structure points, a hardness of 5 and a Stability it into vases, alembics, bottles and the familiar phials
saving throw of +4. in which potions are stored.

Brewery: Breweries turn hops, water and other Outfitting a glassworks requires 1,500 gp in labour,
ingredients into beer. The central feature of a 2,000 gp in worked metal, 300 gp in worked stone,
brewery is the group of huge oak vats in which the 30 gp in mortar and 200 gp in sawn timber. The
fermentation takes place. Not all brewing takes place architect and foreman for the project must receive the
in industrial buildings; dedicated family brewers advice of a consultant with at least 5 ranks in Craft:
make their beer at home and the cottage industry will Glassmaking or Alchemy.
always provide part of the alcohol consumed in the
world’s taverns, but such is the demand for the stuff Laundry: Industrial laundry buildings are popular
that brewing operations on a large scale have been in large cities, where access to washing water can be
established for many decades in most kingdoms. difficult. Many professionals do not have time to see
Some breweries produce wine instead of beer; these to their own laundering and choose instead to have it
are fitted with special presses in which grapes can taken care of by a laundry service. A laundry facility
be trodden down and their juice extracted. Others in the fantasy milieu is a dangerous array of tubs of
are distilleries rather than breweries, keeping the boiling water and soapy lather, clattering conveyors
processes going which turn such ordinary foodstuffs and grinding mangles. It is a hazardous place to fight
as grain and corn into spirits. or explore, as the machinery intended to wring water
from wet clothes can do damage to limbs as well.
Outfitting a brewery requires 500 gp in labour and Any character whose clothing comes near a working
250 gp in sawn timber. The architect must receive mangle must make a Reflex saving throw at DC 15
guidance from a person with at least 5 ranks in or suffer a Grapple attack from the mangle, which
Craft: Brewer in order to make the plan properly, attacks at +5 melee. If the character is caught, they
as his field is limited to making buildings stand and suffer 1d4+3 crushing damage on every round that
he is not assumed to have the technical knowledge they fail to pull themselves free.
necessary to make a brewing plant. This person, or
another with the same degree of skill, must also be

52
 INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

Outfitting a laundry requires 1,500 gp in labour, 500 in kitchens, to serve food and to eat and drink from.
gp in worked metal, 500 gp in pottery, 300 gp in Pottery is by far the most common substance to make
worked stone, 30 gp in mortar and 600 gp in sawn mugs, bottles and plates from in a fantasy milieu;
timber. The architect and foreman for the project glass is relatively expensive, as is metal.
must receive the advice of a consultant with at least
5 ranks in Profession: Launderer or Profession: The central feature of a pottery is the huge kiln in
Inventor. which earthenware items are fired. An industrial
pottery will only make items too large for a smaller
Loom: Mechanical looms weave cloth more quickly domestic kiln to cope with, like life-size statues or
and in greater quantities than hand looms. They are storage bins. Potteries are also used to make kiln-
extremely unpopular in rural settlements, as they take fired items en masse, such as tiles or bricks.
the weaving work away from the cottage industries.
Some rural people in areas that have no truck with Outfitting a pottery requires 1,500 gp in labour,
magic are suspicious of loom-woven cloth, thinking 500 gp in worked metal, 2,000 gp in worked stone,
it to be too fine to be of mortal manufacture and will 100 gp in mortar and 200 gp in sawn timber. The
not tolerate its presence. architect and foreman for the project must receive the
advice of a consultant with at least 5 ranks in Craft:
Outfitting a loom requires 1,500 gp in labour, 1,000 Pottery.
gp in worked metal, 300 gp in worked stone, 30 gp in
mortar and 600 gp in sawn timber. The architect and Printing Press: It is entirely up to the Games Master
foreman for the project must receive the advice of a whether he wishes there to be mechanised printing in
consultant with at least 5 ranks in Craft: Tailoring or the campaign world. We suggest that the prevalence
Profession: Inventor. of written material in the average campaign is so
great that there is likely to be some printing taking
Oil Press/Refinery: Oil is found all over the place place, even if it is not as widespread as it would have
in fantasy gaming and has many different uses, from been in (for example) seventeenth century Europe.
keeping weapons free from rust to setting enemies
on fire, but nobody spares much thought for where The average printing press is a cumbersome
it comes from. The oil press is used for extracting contraption, more suited to producing single page
oil from olives or other sources of vegetable oil such documents such as handbills, religious tracts or
as corn. It can also be used to refine whale oil, a ‘wanted’ posters than compact books. It must be
necessary process as a good deal of oil comes from fed with paper, as parchment is too uneven (and too
sea creatures. As a rule, mineral oils are not used expensive) to use in mass printing.
in the fantasy environment, which represents a pre-
industrial society in which magic makes up for a lot To install one requires 1,500 gp in labour, 2,000
of what industry and technology supply in the real gp in worked metal and 200 gp in worked stone.
world. The architect and foreman must also be advised by
a consultant with at least 10 ranks in Knowledge
Outfitting an oil press or refinery requires 1,500 gp in (Knowledge (architecture & engineering)),
labour, 2,000 gp in pottery, 300 gp in worked stone, Profession: Printer or Profession: Inventor.
30 gp in mortar and 400 gp in sawn timber. The
architect and foreman for the project must receive Sawmill: Sawmills are not huge mechanised
the advice of a consultant with at least 5 ranks in factories with whizzing circular blades, but large
Alchemy. workshops where many workers can cut large
pieces of wood into shape more easily, with one
Pottery: Potteries are vital to the economy of all team standing in a pit holding one end of their saws
nations, both the primitive and the advanced. The while the other team cuts from above. This method
fired clay pot is the cheapest means of storing represents the crudest, most labour-intensive method
produce of many different kinds, whether it us solid of cutting logs in to lumber and is called the ‘saw-pit’
like grain, sugar or corn or liquid like oil, vinegar type of sawmill.
or honey. Wooden barrels or sacks are sometimes
used to transport produce but pottery is still the Some cultures employ powered saws to cut the
best substance to store perishables in. Earthenware wood, the sources of power varying according
containers can be as large as a man-sized gourd or as to the region. When they are mechanised at all,
small as an ointment pot. Pottery items are also used

53
INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

sawmills are usually worked by water power. Some Outfitting a tannery requires 1,500 gp in labour,
civilisations have developed wind-powered sawmills, 2,000 gp in pottery, 300 gp in worked stone, 30 gp
which are more efficient in terms of labour but less in mortar and 400 gp in sawn timber. The architect
able to produce large amounts of sawn timber at and foreman for the project must receive the advice
once. (Wind-powered sawmills are covered under of a consultant with at least 6 ranks in Craft:
Windmills: see below.) Sawn timber is primarily Leatherworking.
used for making buildings. Its other important use is
in the shipbuilding industry, as regularly sawn planks Warehouse: The most straightforward use of an
are crucial when putting a sound ship together. industrial building is as a simple storage facility.
Space within the warehouse is rented to merchants
Outfitting a saw-pit style of sawmill costs only 300 who use it to store their stock. Warehouses are often
gp in labour and 200 gp in sawn timber. No special close to other industrial buildings, as it is helpful for
qualifications are needed. Building a water-powered their owners to have storage space nearby. A typical
sawmill requires the building to be set next to a warehouse will have several levels of shelving up the
strong river. It costs 800 gp in labour and 600 gp in walls, with movable ladders for access and a winch
sawn timber; the architect and foreman must receive system so that cargo can be raised and lowered. They
the advice of a consultant with at least 10 ranks can be dangerous places, especially if they are in
in Knowledge (architecture & engineering), Craft a bad state of repair, as there are a great many full
(carpenter) or Profession: Inventor if he does not packing crates and bales piled up on the walls that
have this qualification himself. can easily be sent crashing down on one’s head by an
enemy or simply by carelessness.
Smelter: Smelters extract metal from ore, a far from
straightforward process which involves large amounts Outfitting a warehouse requires 800 gp in labour and
of heat and separate furnace chambers. A given 800 gp in sawn timber. No special qualifications are
smelter must be dedicated to the production of one needed.
kind of metal only, as different ores require different
kinds of treatment to extract the purest quality of Water Mill: This is the kind of mill used to grind
metal. A smelter can be built to extract tin, lead, grain into flour or corn into meal. The mechanism is
iron, copper, silver or gold. This is of course a severe essentially very simple. A rotating wheel, powered
oversimplification of the extraction process but we by the force of the current, drives a set of granite
trust the reader will forgive our stretching of the laws grindstones, with the material to be ground being
of chemistry to better serve the interests of what is, poured in from a hopper at the top. Water mills are
after all, a game! very popular in country communities as they save a
good deal of labour, the alternative being a tedious
Outfitting a smelter requires 2,000 gp in labour, 3,000 process of hand-grinding.
gp in worked metal, 300 gp in worked stone, 30 gp
in mortar and 200 gp in sawn timber. The architect Adapting an industrial building as a water mill
and foreman for the project must receive the advice costs 800 gp in labour and 600 gp in sawn timber;
of a person with at least 8 ranks in Alchemy, Craft: the architect and foreman must receive the advice
Blacksmith or Knowledge: Metallurgy. of a consultant with at least 7 ranks in Knowledge
(architecture & engineering), Craft (carpenter)
Tannery: Tanneries are foul-smelling buildings in or Profession: Inventor if he does not have this
which piles of animal pelts are treated with various qualification himself.
solutions to turn them into workable leather. It is
common for a tannery to be built on a stream or
river, to take advantage of the current. This is used Wharf (Stone)
to power the simple machines that scrape the fat, Type: Modular
hair and other residue from the pelts. Manually Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
powered tanneries do exist but are less common than engineering) 5 ranks
water-powered ones. Workers at home do some of Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 3 ranks
the tanning, but there is simply too much leather in Labour Cost: 100 gp
the world for it to be entirely home-made. Tanneries Materials: 40 gp worked stone, 10
produce softened hides, not finished leather products. gp mortar
Optional Extras: None
Hardness: 8
Structure Points: 20 per section

54
 INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

Stability: +8 (Knowledge (architecture & engineering)), as basic

Special: Storm Damage techniques do not work across greater distances.
Footprint: 10 ft. square section of riverbank or coast
Aqueduct: An aqueduct functions like a bridge
A wooden jetty can bear only relatively light loads for water, or a suspended canal. It is used to bring
and is in danger of being washed away by storms or water across uneven ground to towns and cities that
floods. Converting a section of riverbank or coast need a bigger supply and to broaden the country’s
to a stone wharf provides a secure, long-lasting waterway system. An aqueduct has the same labour
platform for ships to load and unload cargo and and materials cost as a bridge but the architect must
passengers. The wharf section as given here is 10 have at least 6 ranks in Knowledge (Knowledge
feet deep; extending the wharf to a further 10 feet of (architecture & engineering)).
depth doubles the cost, extending it a further 10 feet
triples it, and so on. Building a firm stone base under Storm Damage: A stone bridge that is more than 50
the waterline is a complicated and messy process, years old or which has suffered structural damage in
requiring a relatively high degree of engineering any part without being repaired must make a Stability
ability. saving throw during extremely severe storms (such
as a tornado) against DC 15 or suffer 1d6 points of
Sections of stone wharf may have mooring posts or structural damage per hour of the storm.
rings added at regular intervals at no extra cost;
these are for docked ships to tie themselves to. A
section of stone wharf may also be used as a base for Bathhouse
other structures that you wish to build next to water, Type: Stand-alone
such as a fortified wall or a tower. Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
engineering) 3 ranks
Storm Damage: An exposed stone wharf that Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 3 ranks
is more than 50 years old or which has suffered Labour Cost: 2,000 gp
structural damage in any part without being repaired Maximum Labour per Week: 300 gp
must make a Stability saving throw during extremely Materials: 600 gp worked stone and 40 gp mortar,
severe storms (such as a tornado) against DC 15 or plus 15 gp sawn timber
suffer 1d6 points of structural damage per hour of the Optional Extras: Ornamentation, Steam Room
storm. Hardness: 8
Structure Points: 200
Stability: +6
Bridge Special: None
Type: Modular Footprint: See floor plan
Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
engineering) 5 ranks Public and private bathhouses are a common feature
Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 3 in many cultures, customarily made from costly
ranks marble when the money is there and from tiled
Labour Cost: 100 gp quarry stone when it is not. In the fantasy setting,
Materials: 40 gp worked stone, 10 plumbing is not usually sufficiently advanced to pipe
gp mortar water into homes; water for drinking and bathing
Optional Extras: Aqueduct alike is usually taken from a communal pump or
Hardness: 8 from a nearby river. The citizens of a city would use
Structure Points: 20 the example bathhouse given here to take a weekly
Stability: +8 or bi-weekly dip. Bathhouses are dens of gossip
Special: Storm Damage and vice; it is common to find bathhouses used as
Footprint: 10 ft. square section of stone bridge, alternative brothels, especially when the laws of the
rising up to 10 ft. above ground level city disallow the running of houses of ill repute.

This represents a permanent stone bridge of the A bathhouse must be built on or near to a source of
kind used to span rivers and other depressions in the water. This does not have to be a river; if the city
land. To build a bridge across a gap more than 400 has an artificial water supply, such as an aqueduct
feet wide or more than 200 feet above ground, the or piped-in water from a reservoir, this can be used
architect must have at least 8 ranks in Knowledge instead. The water in the baths is heated by an

55
INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

underground furnace system called a hypocaust, natural healing rate. Public steam rooms are tacitly
which can be fed with logs or coal. acknowledged as places to do business, whether
the businessmen in question are city officials,
Ornamentation: The most luxurious bathhouses merchants or rogues. They are also likely places for
are decorated with mosaics of rampant gods, tritons, assassinations, as the steam obscures vision (making
scenes of underwater life and other such artistic it easier to conceal the assassin’s identity) and a man
endeavours. The fittings are of precious metal and who is wearing only a towel is not well equipped to
the baths lined in fine marble. Ornamentation has no defend himself.
practical purpose, but is guaranteed to impress any
visitor. To ornament a bathhouse costs up to 3,000 gp
in labour and 3,000 gp in costly decorative materials Windmill
such as gold, silver and precious stones. Type: Stand-alone
Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
Steam Room: This is a special sauna facility. engineering) 4 ranks
Sweating is good for the constitution and at the Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 3 ranks
Games Master’s discretion may help to purge Labour Cost: 800 gp
poisons, stave off disease or supplement a character’s Maximum Labour per Week: 300 gp

56
 INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

Materials: 200 gp worked stone and 20 gp mortar, with the water they need to survive and maintain
plus 200 gp sawn timber and 50 gp worked metal basic standards of hygiene. Finding a suitable site
Optional Extras: Sawmill adaptation for a well is a difficult matter; often the only thing
Hardness: 8 (base) 5 (turret) that can be done is to drill down and see what you
Structure Points: 10 find. The skill of finding underground water by
Stability: +2 instinctive means, a practice known as dowsing, can
Special: Round structure be attempted by making a Wilderness Lore check
Footprint: See floor plan against a DC of 15. The depth of a well will depend
on how deep down the groundwater is, but will
The windmill is an ingenious and widely used usually be at least eighty feet.
structure that taps the power of the wind to work
machinery. Windmills are, of necessity, composed Pump: A well may be fitted with a pump instead
of worked stone at the base and wood at the top. The of the more typical bucket, winch and rope
design given here is a tower mill, in which the upper arrangement. To install a pump requires at least 6
turret (made from wood) swings round to catch the ranks in Knowledge (Knowledge (architecture &
wind, while the lower tower section (made from engineering)). The main benefit of a pump is that the
stone) remains static and fixed. The bottom floors of well can be largely covered over, reducing the risk of
the tower are used as accommodation for the miller anything or anyone falling in and injuring themselves
and his family. The primary purpose of a windmill is or contaminating the water supply.
to grind grain or corn, though they can be adapted for
other purposes. Well-house: A well-house may be built around a
well in order to control access. This is not a popular
Sawmill adaptation: Building a windmill as a wind- move and is usually done when the owner of the well
powered sawmill costs an extra 50 gp in worked wishes to charge a fee for using it, a quick and easy
metal but reduces the worked stone cost to 50 gp. It way to make money out of people’s need. The well-
cannot be used for living in, as all the space inside house is a 20 ft. square structure with a wooden roof
the mill is taken up with machinery. and a single door. It costs 20 gp in labour, 30 gp in
worked stone, 8 gp in mortar and 8 gp in sawn timber
Round structure: The circular cross-section of to build, has 4 structure points, a Stability saving
the windmill means that catapult boulders and throw of +4 and a hardness of 8.
other roughly spherical missiles bounce off it. The
structure suffers only half damage from attacks from Contamination: The threat of a contaminated well
boulders and similar projectiles, whether thrown by a is a source of great horror to a community, as the
creature or a war machine. well is such an important lifeline. Contaminating a
well by neglect or on purpose exposes its dependents
to the risk of disease and usually carries a sentence
Well of death or life imprisonment in most law-abiding
Type: Stand-alone communities. If a freshly dead body or piece of
Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture & meat is dropped into a well, it has a cumulative
engineering) 4 ranks +20% chance per day to contaminate the water. The
Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 3 ranks corruption in the water may be smelled or tasted
Labour Cost: 300 gp (whether or not the water is fully contaminated) by
Maximum Labour per Week: 100 gp making a successful Spot check at a DC of 20 or a
Materials: 80 gp worked stone and 10 Wilderness Lore check at a DC of 10. Removing the
gp mortar contaminant before the water is tainted removes any
Optional Extras: Pump, Well-house further risk.
Hardness: 8
Structure Points: 5 If the water has become contaminated, anyone who
Stability: +4 drinks from it must make a Fortitude saving throw
Special: Contamination against DC 16 or contract blinding sickness (see Core
Footprint: Circular well shaft 10 ft. across, rising 10 Rulebook II, page 74). It is possible to poison the
ft. above ground level. water in a well deliberately. The poison must be of
the ingested type and five times the usual dose must
A well house is in many ways the heart of a whole be dropped into the water for the full effects of the
settlement. Usually found at the centre of the poison to take hold on a drinker. If an inadequate
village, town or city district, it supplies the citizens

57
INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

amount of poison is added, the DC of the saving Materials: 20,000 gp worked stone and 2,000 gp
throw is reduced by 5 and the effects are halved. mortar, plus 3,000 gp sawn timber and 8,000 gp glass
Optional Extras: As House: Large
Hardness: 8
Watch Station Structure Points: 400
Type: Stand-alone Stability: +5
Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture & Special: None
engineering) 5 ranks Footprint: See floor plan
Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 3 ranks
Labour Cost: 700 gp This place of residence is in a class apart from
Maximum Labour per Week: 300 gp ordinary town or city houses, however large they may
Materials: 100 gp worked stone and 20 gp mortar be. A mansion is always located in the countryside
plus 30 gp worked metal or on a large stretch of private land within the city
Optional Extras: Jail Cells borders, as it is a vast and palatial place needing a lot
Hardness: 8 of space to build and must be surrounded by a garden
Structure Points: 60 estate to be properly termed a mansion. Only the
Stability: +5 richest citizens can afford to buy or commission such
Special: None a property as this. The architecture itself is styled so
Footprint: See floor plan as to be beautiful, with classic regional or cultural
styles being emulated as the builder decides; one
The watch station is the police station of the fantasy might have a mansion in elven style, with decorative
setting. It is used as a base of operations for city leaves in the ironwork, pastel interiors and delicate
watchmen; a place where they can question prisoners, fluted columns in the porch, or in the dwarven,
rest, re-equip themselves and keep an eye on the city with robust and stocky buttresses, polished granite
below. A typical watch station will include sleeping surfaces underfoot and all the doors in dark, thick
rooms for the watch officers, a briefing room with a wood.
map of the city showing where recent crimes have
been committed, a filing room where records of There are dozens of rooms in an average mansion,
criminals and their activities are kept, a mess for or ‘stately home’ as they are sometimes called when
dining in and a lounge where the watchmen can owned by a noble family of long standing. It is
relax. The place may be well or poorly outfitted, highly unlikely that any of these rooms will be in
depending on how much the city officials choose to use at any one time; the family in residence will
invest in their defenders’ welfare. All windows in a use barely one tenth of the mansion’s overall room.
watch station are securely barred. Mansions are built to show off wealth and to host
extravagant parties, not to accommodate as many
Jail Cells: Not all watch stations are equipped to people as possible. Most of the guest rooms will
incarcerate prisoners; it will usually only be the not be used unless there is a ball or similar social
larger stations that have this facility. If the builder function being held, in which case they will be
wishes to add a jail cell, it will cost 10 gp in worked allocated to the guests according to who is most in
stone, 3 gp in mortar and 10 gp in worked metal favour with the hosts, with the most spacious and
per 10-foot cubical cell. Each cell is a basic block opulent rooms being given over to the hosts’ best
of worked stone with one wall composed entirely friends of the moment.
of bars in the centre of which is a lockable metal
door. There is usually one glassless window fitted Noble or merchant families typically occupy
with bars. The walls and roof of a jail cell have mansions but private interest groups will occasionally
30 structure points and a hardness of 8; the barred buy them up. A particularly prosperous magician’s
section has 10 structure points and a hardness of 10. guild or cabal might make its home in a mansion,
which would offer plenty of experimenting space as
Mansion well as enviable seclusion. Religious cults, which
Type: Stand-alone can generate staggering amounts of money in a short
Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture & space of time simply by converting the right people,
engineering) 8 ranks also buy mansions from gentry who have fallen on
Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 5 ranks hard times and use the vast buildings to house their
Labour Cost: 400,000 gp acolytes and carry out strange ceremonies.
Maximum Labour per Week: 4,000 gp

58
 INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

Mansions are very expensive to maintain and staff government from the longhouse or other similar
and it is a sad fact that most players are likely to central structure. Small towns are not likely to have
encounter a mansion in a ruined state than in a law courts of their own. They will send criminals to
prosperous one. Dilapidated mansions are a classic the law courts of the nearest city for trial.
adventure setting, with the precarious architecture
offering additional challenge on top of whatever The civic building template above must be adapted
monstrous creatures or undead horrors have made according to the purpose of the building, with
their homes in the place while it lay in a state of additional costs as follows:
neglect.
Town Hall: This is where the city’s governors meet
to discuss business, such as the level of crime in the
Civic Building city (or town) and what can be done about it, the state
Type: Stand-alone of repair of the roads, the local tax rate and whether
Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture & there should be a local byelaw passed forbidding
engineering) 6 ranks the use of magic in public places. Even if the city is
Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 4 ranks ruled over by a single individual, he or she is likely
Labour Cost: 3,000 gp to have advisors, or lackeys at the very least. Other
Maximum Labour per Week: 300 gp concepts equivalent to that of the town hall are the
Materials: 300 gp worked stone and 70 gp mortar, Forum, where senators debate in a republic, or the
plus 50 gp logs or 25 gp sawn timber Council Chambers where town elders meet. To
Optional Extras: By function (see below) outfit a civic building as a town hall requires that
Hardness: 8 the main room is turned into an audience chamber
Structure Points: 90 (or debating room) at a cost of 300 gp in labour, 100
Stability: +8 gp in worked stone and 100 gp in sawn timber. The
Special: None audience chamber is fitted with comfortable chairs,
Footprint: See floor plan a podium and a seat of office. One of the auxiliary
rooms is converted into a clerk’s office, the other into
Civic buildings are the centrepieces of a city or a chamber of records.
town’s administration. They are used for purposes of
local government. Funds to build them come from Law Court: Those accused of crimes against the
the city authorities, who will usually make use of laws of the land are brought here for trial. This
locally raised tax revenue to build and maintain the process will of course depend on the beliefs prevalent
civic buildings; on occasion, a local philanthropist in the region; some cultures do not have law courts at
will donate money to the upkeep of civic buildings or all, giving the whole process over to the clerics, while
even give over a building of his own for public use, as others give single individuals the power of judge,
this act of generosity benefits everyone in the region. jury and executioner in one person. In the standard
‘stock fantasy’ model, the law court involves a secure
The residents of a conurbation will invest a good chamber (sometimes with a public gallery) with a
deal of pride in their civic buildings (if they are on place for the judge to sit, a place for the accused to be
good terms with the government, that is) and it is a held and a witness box for witnesses to testify. One
source of shame if they fall into disrepair. As they of the auxiliary rooms is made into a holding cell,
are intended to persist from generation to generation, a featureless stone box with a wall of bars identical
they are built to last; the civic buildings are often to the jail cell from the Watch Station template (see
the oldest ones in a given area. The architect of a below) and the other is designated as the office of
given civic building will be expected to make it and the clerk of court. To fit a civic building out as a law
its features somehow emblematic of the region and court costs 400 gp in labour, 200 gp in sawn timber
of the principles for which the building stands. For and 50 gp in worked metal.
example, a town hall might have the city’s crest
above the doorway, or a statue of the city’s alleged Public Library: A relatively uncommon sight
founder in the entrance hall. A figure of the local god owing to the scarcity of printed material in many
or goddess of justice could surmount a court of law. campaign worlds and the minimal level of literacy
in the population, public libraries are nonetheless
Not every settlement will have any civic buildings in found in some major cities, where they are seen as
it. Small or primitive settlements are more likely to valuable resources. For more information on public
leave everything up to the local chieftain or religious libraries and libraries in general, we refer you to
figure to sort out; these will address the matters of

59
INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

Encyclopaedia Arcane: Tomes and Libraries also by on every day of the week; on some days, at the
Mongoose Publishing. The main room in a public Games Master’s discretion, it can be used as a more
library is converted to the library itself, being lined conventional indoor marketplace.
with shelves that are then stacked with books, while
the two auxiliary rooms are made into a filing room All that is required to make a civic building into
and a reference room. This costs 50 gp in labour and a produce exchange is the building of trade stalls
10 gp in sawn timber. around the periphery of the central room, a process
that costs 100 gp in labour and 30 gp in sawn timber.
Registry Office: The registry in a city or town is One of the auxiliary rooms is used as an office to
where its written records are kept. This building also arrange the allocation of stalls and the other is used
often doubles as the city’s treasury, the storehouse to store trestle tables, chairs and other temporary
of goods and tax monies from which a portion is furniture.
forwarded on to the overall ruler of the area. A
registry will contain records of all births, marriages Theatre: Though not strictly a civic building, the
and deaths within the catchment area, maps showing theatre is usually a source of civic pride for any
territorial boundaries, lists of properties and who city that possesses one. Theatres are only found in
the owners are and an account of all shipping that cities that prize the arts and appreciate performance.
has been manufactured in the region or is currently Those cities that are not so inclined leave public
docked there. The central room of a registry office entertainment to the taverns, which are a more
is a maze of cabinets, shelves and bookcases, while conventional venue for performances. The kind
the auxiliary rooms are used for filing and public of event staged in a theatre will depend upon the
inquiries. To outfit a civic building as a registry aesthetic sensibilities of the population. Some cities
office costs 50 gp in labour and 10 gp in sawn timber. will encourage high operas, others heroic drama,
The registry office, when there is one, is usually built while others allow commoners into the place to listen
adjacent to the town hall. to a popular comedian.

Produce Exchange: Found only in cities and Adapting a civic building as a theatre requires the
large towns, a produce exchange is a sanctioned placement of a stage and associated machinery (such
marketplace where traders (usually farmers) come as flying harnesses, a minstrels’ pit and trap doors)
to sell their wares. Cultivated produce is sold here; at one end of the central room and providing seats
this can be anything one could grow in a field, such for the paying public. One of the auxiliary rooms
as grain, corn, tobacco, vegetables, fruit or even hay. is made into a dressing room, the other into a ticket
However, no produce actually changes hands within office. This costs 220 gp in labour and 50 gp in sawn
the exchange. Everything is done on an advance timber.
order basis. Each trader is allocated a booth, to
which they bring a sample of their produce, such as
a bag of corn, a trestle table full of leeks or a sack Lighthouse
of potatoes. Merchants then make an order in bulk, Type: Stand-alone
basing their offered price upon their assessment of Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
the quality of the sample. Naturally, the farmers engineering) 5 ranks
are at pains to provide the best possible samples Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 3 ranks
from their crops that they can; to cheat by providing Labour Cost: 800 gp
sample produce that is not from your crop is a serious Maximum Labour per Week: 300 gp
offence. Materials: 200 gp worked stone and 20 gp mortar,
plus 50 gp glass and 50 gp worked metal
The exchange is a noisy place, full of furious Optional Extras: Rotating lantern
haggling and shouted offers and is in a sense the Hardness: 8 (base) 1 (turret)
place where the city meets the country, with all the Structure Points: 8 (base) 1 (turret)
friction you could expect from such a meeting. A Stability: +2
good deal of marketplace gossip is traded along Special: Round structure
with the goods, making the produce exchange Footprint: See floor plan
an informative place to hang around for the day.
Produce exchanges make money for the local Lighthouses are towers on coastal cliffs that shine
government, as the traders pay a daily rent for use bright light out to sea, warning ships of hazardous
of the stalls. The produce exchange does not open rocks nearby and giving them a landmark by which
to navigate. Some lighthouse lamps burn oil, but

60
 INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

most have a central reflective dish in which are Hardness: 8

several crystal spheres on to which a cleric, wizard or Structure Points: 45
sorcerer has cast continual flame. Lighthouse lamps Stability: +5
are more efficient if they rotate, as this makes them Special: None
easier to identify and lights up a greater area. Footprint: Worked stone rectangular building 30 ft.
by 40 ft. with 8 ft. high walls; each wall is 2 ft. thick
The light from a lighthouse is projected in a
strong beam 50 ft wide at the base and 200 ft long. Mausoleums are monumental stone buildings
Anything within this area is brightly lit. The light intended to house several coffins. They are
may be seen from up to two miles away on a clear effectively tombs for a whole family rather than one
night, one mile away if the weather is rainy, half a individual. A family mausoleum will usually be
mile away if there is heavy rain or sleet and 500 ft. situated in the grounds of a large house or mansion,
away if there is fog. though they will sometimes be found in parts of
a cemetery set aside as private burial plots. Their
Rotating Lantern: A clockwork mechanism can purpose is threefold: to provide an impressive
be used to make the lantern rotate. The lighthouse memorial to the dead, to store several bodies in one
keeper must wind the device once per day to prevent place for the sake of convenience and to keep the
it running down. To install such a mechanism remains of family members (and any valuables they
requires 5 gp of labour, 20 gp of worked metal were buried with) secure.
and the intervention of an engineer with at least 8
ranks in Knowledge (Knowledge (architecture & Unlike tombs, which are closed by stone slabs and
engineering)). not opened again once used unless to bury a husband,
wife or child alongside the deceased, mausoleums
Round structure: The circular cross-section of have doors. They are opened every time a family
the lighthouse means that catapult boulders and member needs to be interred. Within the mausoleum,
other roughly spherical missiles bounce off it. The stone shelves on the walls support the coffins. The
lighthouse suffers only half damage from attacks door of a mausoleum is robust and thick, with 15
from boulders and similar projectiles, whether thrown structure points, a hardness of 5 and a Stability
by a creature or a war machine. saving throw of +6.

Marble: Ordinary mausoleums are made from

Mausoleum whatever stone comes to hand, but the most
Type: Stand-alone impressive ones are fashioned from marble, with
Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture & black marble being the
engineering) 3 ranks most prestigious material
Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 4 ranks to use; this is usually
Labour Cost: 800 gp reserved for the nobility. If
Maximum Labour per Week: 300 gp marble is used to make a
Materials: 50 gp worked stone and 12 gp mortar mausoleum, the cost of the
Optional Extras: Marble, Statuary worked stone increases to
400 gp.

61
INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

Statuary: The mausoleum is a memorial as well the service of a given deity or deities. The building
as a repository. They are usually fitted with statues instructions given here will suffice for several
of a suitably sombre demeanour, such as grave- different designs of temple. The different floor
faced sentinel lions, griffins, angels in attitudes of plans from which you may choose are given below.
mourning, heraldic beasts, robed figures and images Temples are usually arranged around a focal point,
of the Grim Reaper. The cost of statuary should be most commonly an altar, where the ceremonies of the
negotiated with an artisan; it is not an inherent part of religion are carried out. It is likely for statues of the
the building process, but is included here because the deity or deities concerned to be present. Depending
architect needs to know where the statues’ bases will on the nature of the faith, these images may be
be and what will hold them in position. objects of worship in their own right (as is usually
the case with more basic or pagan faiths) or holy
icons that remind the congregation of aspects of their
Shot Tower religion but do not receive adoration.
Type: Stand-alone
Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture & In temples to good-aligned deities, there is almost
engineering) 3 ranks always a font or similar water receptacle, which is
Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 2 ranks used in the production of holy water. This will then
Labour Cost: 300 gp be sold to the general public at cost, as it can only be
Materials: 150 gp worked stone and used for purposes the temple approves of, such as the
10 gp mortar destruction of undead.
Optional Extras: None
Hardness: 8 Even if a temple has been built for use as such, it
Structure Points: 4 is not considered to be a temple proper until it has
Stability: +2 been ceremonially consecrated by a cleric of the
Special: Round structure religion. This ritual involves a special use of the
Footprint: Round tower 20 ft. across and 50 ft high consecrate spell in which the image or symbol of the
deity upon the altar is formally blessed and his or her
This structure will only be found in campaigns where favour beseeched. (Evil temples will of course use a
gunpowder weapons are prevalent. A shot tower is a desecrate spell instead.) If the followers of a religion
hollow cylinder used for making lead shot. Molten
lead is poured in dribbles from the top of the tower
into a basin full of water at the bottom. As the lead
falls through the air, it forms into small spheres that
are then quenched in the water. A shot tower is the
most economical and rapid method of producing lead
shot, short of using magic.

Church/Temple
Type: Stand-alone
Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
engineering) 5 ranks
Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 4 ranks
Labour Cost: 1,200 gp
Maximum Labour per Week: 500 gp
Materials: 300 gp worked stone and 40 gp mortar,
plus 24 gp logs or 16 gp sawn timber
Optional Extras: Crypt, Steeple
Hardness: 8
Structure Points: 120
Stability: +5
Special: Consecration
Footprint: See floor plan

Churches and other temples are buildings specially

made for the purpose of worship and consecrated to

62
 INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

wish to cease using the building for any reason, the An ossuary is a particularly spectacular kind of crypt
place is ritually deconsecrated, which is not the same in which bones, and only bones, are stored; piles of
thing as desecration. Deconsecration only returns femurs, pelvises and skulls are heaped up the walls
the temple to the status of a mundane building in and sometimes even made into decoration. Ossuaries
the eyes of the religion’s adherents. A temple may are usually only found beneath long-established
be consecrated to the service of more than one deity temples, as there are not many religions who can
from the same pantheon, but not to gods of different boast enough dead among their faithful to fill an
pantheons or to contending deities within the same ossuary. Necromancers are known to raid ossuaries
pantheon unless this is a specific feature of the to gather skeletons for their animate dead spells.
religion.
Consecration: At the Games Master’s discretion,
As the temple is usually a material symbol of the a temple or church may be considered to have a
faith, it is built as strongly and stably as possible, for permanent consecrate (or desecrate) effect operative
the weakness of the gods’ house would be seen as an within its precincts. This makes the local church the
indictment upon the religion. Some religions observe logical refuge for characters who are being assailed
special taboos concerning the building of temples; by undead. If this rule is adopted, the consecration
some will not permit anyone who is not a member of lasts only as long as the place is kept clean and holy
the faith to have any part in the design or construction (or unholy, in the case of evil temples). Unlike the
of the building, but these are relatively rare. The consecrate spell, any purposeful act of defilement of
fantasy world environment is usually a cosmopolitan the temple or church breaks the effect.
one. Some pragmatic cities even have a collection
of generic temples that may be rented out to any
religion willing to pay the asking price. Once hired, Cathedral
the temple may then be fitted out as its new tenants Type: Stand-alone
see fit and duly consecrated. Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
engineering) 10 ranks
Bell Tower: It is common for places of worship in Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 7 ranks
rural areas to have a bell tower, so that the ringing of Labour Cost: 200,000 gp
the bells can call the faithful to worship. The bells
may also be rung in other circumstances, such as to
celebrate an important event or sound a warning to
the settlement. Bell towers are not so common in
cities, as the noise they make is undesirable to many
of the city’s residents, who may not even be followers
of the religion. In some cultures, the bell tower is
unknown and a minaret is used instead, this being a
tower from which a high priest or his assistant calls
the faithful to prayer with his voice alone. Adding a
bell tower to a church or temple costs 70 gp in labour,
30 gp in worked stone, 5 gp in mortar and 10 gp in
worked metal.

Crypt: A temple or church may have a crypt

installed beneath it. Crypts are used to store the
bodies of venerated individuals such as saints or
heroes of the religion. It is also customary to bury
former high priests (or other significant clergy as
appropriate) in the crypt when they die. The crypt
is built as if it were a cellar; however, the need for
berths on which to rest coffins, sarcophagi, urns of
ashes and other stone burial emplacements increases
the cost in materials for every 10 ft. square section by
3 gp in worked stone. Some necromantic religions
see nothing unusual about holding rituals of worship
in the temple’s crypt.

63
INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

Maximum Labour per Week: 4,000 gp attempting to overcome a creature’s spell resistance
Materials: 10,000 gp worked stone and 1,000 gp with a sonic spell gain a +2 circumstance bonus to
mortar, plus 3,000 gp sawn timber and 8,000 gp glass their opposed caster level check.
Optional Extras: As Church/Temple
Hardness: 8 Consecration: If the Games Master wishes to
Structure Points: 300 have the cathedral act as a focus of divine force, the
Stability: +6 following rule is suggested. The cathedral’s energies
Special: Reverberation, Consecration amplify all divine spells cast by clerics (or other
Footprint: See floor plan followers) of the deity, if these spells are of one of
the deity’s domains. Amplified spells are treated as if
The cathedral is the most grandiose, immense and they had been empowered as per the Empower Spell
splendid religious structure available from the metamagic feat.
standard structures list. Several different floor plans
are provided below to give an indication of the
kind of design that is used. Cathedrals are built at Prison
a towering height, with a huge echoing expanse of Type: Stand-alone
open space between floor and ceiling. This is partly Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
done to display the impressive architecture beneath engineering) 8 ranks
the eaves and partly for acoustic reasons. Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 6 ranks
Labour Cost: 10,000 gp
Reverberation: The acoustic space within a cathedral Maximum Labour per Week: 1,000 gp
enhances sonic effects, causing vibrations to build Materials: 2,000 gp worked stone and 900 gp
and reinforce one another. Any sonic effect produced mortar, plus 2,000 gp worked metal
within a cathedral has the DC of the saving throw Optional Extras:
to resist its effects increased by +2; spellcasters Hardness: 8
Structure Points: 400
Stability: +6
Special: Escape Attempts
Footprint: See floor plan

Prisons are built to hold large numbers of

felons as securely as possible. Although
they are thick-walled structures, they
do not count as fortifications. All of the
windows in a prison are barred. In order
to prevent any escapees from getting very
far even if they do somehow manage to
escape, builders usually surround prisons
with standard walls, metal fences or
ditches. They are not often built within
the bounds of cities, as the residents do
not like being made to share their city with
such a depressing structure as a prison;
it is more common to find them on the
outskirts of the city. The most efficient
prisons are built on islands, as these are
nigh-on impossible to escape without
magical assistance.

Escape Attempts: On the off chance that

an imprisoned character wishes to attempt
to dig his way out of his cell by scraping
at the mortar with an improvised tool of
some sort, the following rule is suggested.
The tool used must be metallic and of a
suitable shape. Every day of surreptitious

64
 INTERMEDIATE BUILDINGS

chiselling and scraping inflicts 1 hit point of damage are entitled to a Listen check at a DC of 15 minus the
plus the character’s Strength ability score bonus upon amount by which the Dexterity check failed.
the mortar around a single stone block in the cell.
Characters with the stonecunning racial ability may
add +2 to the amount of damage done. Depending on Amphitheatre
the age of the prison, this mortar may have between Type: Stand-alone
20 and 100 hit points. (Hardness is not taken into Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
account, as the act of chipping is one of steady engineering) 8 ranks
abrasion rather than sudden damage.) Once all the Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 6 ranks
mortar around a block has been chipped away, an Labour Cost: 500,000 gp
attempt may be made to remove it, which requires a Maximum Labour per Week: 5,000 gp
Strength check against a DC of 20. If the character Materials: 80,000 gp worked stone and 9,000 gp
has any ranks in Craft: Stonemason, he may add mortar, plus 3,000 gp sawn timber
these ranks to the amount of damage he inflicts. Optional Extras: None
Hardness: 8
Filing through metal bars is handled in the same Structure Points: 500
way, if the imprisoned character is able to get hold of Stability: +5
an abrasive item such as a file. Any ranks in Craft: Special: None
Blacksmith, Craft: Armourer or Craft: Weaponsmith Footprint: See floor plan
may be added to the damage dealt. Wooden
obstructions, such as may be found in cheaper prisons An amphitheatre is a large public stadium arranged
or less secure cells, may be filed or sawn away in a in several descending tiers. The Coliseum of ancient
similar manner, with the character’s ranks in Craft Rome is the most well known example. The city’s
(carpenter) being added to the damage done. governors almost always pay for amphitheatres,
drawing upon tax money to do so; this is a wise
These attempts make noise and may possibly attract investment, as the public are guaranteed to flock to
attention. For every day of tunnelling, the character them to watch their favourite gladiators, clowns or
must attempt a Dexterity check at DC 10 in order to open-air dramas. The city’s coffers are replenished
go about his work without causing the chisel to crack adequately from ticket sales. Depending on the
the mortar too loudly or the file to screech against prevailing culture, amphitheatres are sometimes used
the metal bars. Failure means that any nearby guards for the performance of important religious rituals or
the execution of notorious criminals.

The shock of water being dashed across his face brought Herutio back from the depths of unconsciousness, although he was
still far from fully alert as a heavy door slammed in front of him.

He leant across to wipe the water away, but found that he could not. His arms remained uncomfortably extended on either
side, forming the shape of a raised crucifix. Behind him, Herutio could feel another kind of dampness – in this case that of a
damp wall pressing into his back.

Confusion filled his mind. Where was he? He searched his memory for his last thoughts, and remembered the duke’s
reception. He had been drinking sweetened wine, unwatered because it had been a celebration. After all, it wasn’t every day
that one completed building the largest castle in the land, placing the King’s own seigniory to shame.

The architect’s eyes were slowly becoming used to the light now and he realised that he was indeed within a prison cell. How
bizarre! Presumably this was some sort of joke on the part of his duke? Some witty party game that would end with the
guests bursting in laughing.

* * *

Two hours later it was clear that this was no game. Herutio knew his location well. After all, he had conceived and built it.
The duke’s new castle had two dungeons – one transparent one, where run-of-the-mill prisoners would be kept, and a second,
secret crypt, deep below the castle, where the duke could hold those who he might wish to deny knowledge of.

It was in one of these cells that Herutio now found himself. He hollered, relatively calmly at first, but soon with an air of
gruelling desperation. His calls went unanswered.

Herutio knew then that he was never leaving this place. He cursed himself for his own arrogance, and for not understanding
the real meaning of ‘secret’

65
FORTIFICATIONS

Fortifications What Counts As ‘Fortification’?

A given ruler will have his or her own ideas of

U
what may or may not be built, depending upon
p to this point, we have dealt with those stone
how paranoid he or she is and how widely accepted
structures that may be fairly robust when
and welcomed the current regime is. The more
compared to wooden ones and may offer
the regime in power has to fear, the tighter the
shelter from attacks but are not intended to fulfil
restrictions on building will be.
a primarily defensive role. In this second section,
we will address the use of worked stone to build
The Games Master may wish to adjust the definitions
freestanding defences and structures intended to
of ‘fortification’ to fit in with the campaign world.
withstand invasion.
The basic idea is that building fortified emplacements
will be seen as a threat to the current governing
Building fortifications is understood in all civilised
power of the land, while building ordinary structures
countries to be a preparation for war. For this reason,
will not. In the history of the real world, the
the governing power in the land will generally be
identifying mark of a fortification was crenulation,
very careful to regulate the building of fortifications.
the distinctive up-and-down appearance of the top of
You cannot simply raise a tower on a piece of land
a castle’s wall. This works well as a rule of thumb
and expect this to be accepted, any more than you
for low fantasy campaigns, too.
could raise a private army and expect the local lord to
have nothing to say about it. If you are the absolute
In a higher fantasy campaign, structures counting as
sovereign of the land , then you may of course build
‘fortification’ could be:
what you like, but if you are not, then you will have
to approach the proper authorities for permission to
† Any structure built using constructor’s crystal (see
build any fortification. This is true even if you are
Chapter 7, Extraordinary Strongholds)
holding a piece of land as a noble on behalf of the
† Any building incorporating war machines, magical
Crown.
or mundane
† Any structure whose construction involves or
The standard procedure by which fortification
necessitates the use of magic
building is handled is the issuing of a license to
† Anything built to a height of over 40 feet, or with
fortify by the governing power concerned. This will
walls more than three feet in thickness
only cover the building of specific structures and is
† A structure not intended to be occupied by
not a carte blanche to fortify as you will. In general,
humans (e.g. built to giant proportions or staffed
governing powers are happy to approve fortification
with constructs)
plans as they lead to greater security for the kingdom
† Any wall with arrow slits instead of windows
as a whole. However, if they have reason to be
† All above-ground buildings of dwarven
suspicious of your motives, they may think you
manufacture that are larger than a medium-sized
are building a power base and will disallow your
house
application.
built in the public interest are very likely to be
Building fortifications without a license is a very approved, as they are of clear benefit to the kingdom
serious crime and in some lands is equivalent to and it is unlikely that an attempt to build a power
treason. On the part of a titled noble, it is adequate base to rival the land’s current ruler would involve
grounds to have your title stripped from you and your civilians. Fortifications built to serve private interest
lands given to another. On the part of a commoner, it are much less likely to be approved; the usual
is grounds for execution. Bear in mind that only the argument advanced is that one’s property is in danger
structures listed in this section count as fortifications. from brigands or monsters, or that the local populace
Unless you are building in a city, in which case you are rebellious troublemakers. Some applicants even
will have to secure planning permission, you can attempt to pass off proposed fortifications as mere
generally build what you like, so long as it is not a ‘structural improvements’ or ‘landscape features’.
fortification. Others try to claim that a private fortification is in
fact in the public interest, offering such arguments
Fortifications may be built in the public interest, such as ‘battlements around my gardens would give the
as the wall placed around a city, or in someone’s people of the town a safe place to retreat to in the
private interest, such as the fortification of a lord’s event of siege’. Military fortifications are usually
manor house, or in service to a military plan built in response to instructions originating from the
authorised by the governor of the land, such as when land’s governor and passed down through the chain
a fortress is built in border territory. Fortifications of command; these do not require approval as they

66
 FORTIFICATIONS

are already authorised, being built on the initiative of the limitations upon the arc of fire are seen as an
the overall ruler rather than the occupant of the land. acceptable trade-off, given the amount of cover
available to the archer. Any section of wall that
contains arrow slits has its structure points reduced
Wall, Fortified by 3 per arrow slit, as the V-shaped chunk taken out
Type: Modular of the wall weakens the structure slightly.
Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
engineering) 5 ranks, Profession (siege engineer) 8 Bastion: A bastion is only included in a fortified
ranks wall if it already includes an internal passage. The
Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 3 ranks bastion is a square or round outward bulge in the
Labour Cost: 400 gp wall, extending 10 ft. forwards and with the same
Materials: 300 gp worked stone, 50 statistics as an ordinary section of wall. Bastions
gp raw stone, 100 gp mortar are fitted in order to eliminate blind spots in the
Optional Extras: Arrow Slits, wall’s defence and set up a field of crossfire. A
Buttress, Internal Passage bastion costs the same in labour and materials as an
Hardness: 8 additional section of fortified wall. No more than one
Structure Points: 60 bastion may be built for every 100 ft. of wall length.
Stability: +8
Special: Cover Buttress: A buttress is a broad-based stone brace
Footprint: Exterior stone wall 20 ft. wide, 20 ft. tall built up the side of a wall in order to strengthen
and 20 ft. thick. it. To fit a wall with buttresses costs 120 gp in
labour and 10 gp in worked stone and increases the
Fortified walls are what you will be building around structure points of the section of wall by 20%. If the
cities and castles. They are not intended to act as the wall is built to greater than usual height or breadth,
walls of structures but rather as a major defensive the buttress must also be increased in size for the
barrier, built so as to enclose other buildings. Single increase in structure points to apply.
isolated blocks of fortified wall (resembling worked
stone cubes) with internal passageways and arrow Internal Passage: For no extra cost, a five-foot wide
slits are sometimes built as bunkers or missile fire passageway may be built inside the wall to allow
stations for guard posts. They are not built entirely archers and other defenders to move under cover and
from worked stone blocks but are instead made from use arrow slits. This passage may be from eight to
a core of rubble and mortar around which a surfacing sixteen feet high as the builder wishes. The presence
of worked stone or ‘ashlar’ is fitted. of an internal passage lowers the Stability saving
throw of the fortified wall to +6, as a hollow structure
The top of the fortified wall is called a wall walk, is less inherently stable than a solid one, and reduces
as it is used as a thoroughfare by the defenders. its overall structure points to 50.
The wall walk has a parapet on the outside of it.
A parapet is a stone wall four feet high, for the Cover: A character standing behind an arrow slit
protection of the soldiers. receives the benefits of nine-tenths cover, namely
a +10 cover bonus to AC and a +4 cover bonus to
Arrow Slits: These are narrow gaps in the fortified Reflex saving throws, taking only half damage in the
wall intended for archers and crossbowmen to case of failure and none at all if successful.
fire through. They must, of course, be used in
conjunction with an internal passage. They must
be at least five feet apart. The builder must decide Gatehouse
whether to make these slits horizontal or vertical. Type: Stand-alone (intended to be placed in a stretch
A vertical slit limits the arc of fire to 30 degrees of fortified wall)
directly ahead of the slit in the horizontal plane and Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
140 degrees in the vertical, whereas a horizontal slit engineering) 5 ranks, Profession (siege engineer) 8
reverses these attributions. It is most common for a ranks
horizontal slit to be placed in a wall near the ground, Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 3 ranks
where the ability to target opponents on a level plane Labour Cost: 800 gp
is most important, whereas vertical slits are placed in Max. Labour Per Week: 400 gp
higher walls and towers so that archers may fire down Materials: 600 gp worked stone, 100 gp mortar, 50
on to approaching enemies. gp logs or 25 gp sawn timber
Optional Extras: Additional Storey, Barbican,
Arrow slits are a very popular way to allow missile Drawbridge, Portcullis
fire against invaders from a defensive emplacement;

67
FORTIFICATIONS

Hardness: 8 Drawbridge: If the gatehouse is situated next to a

Structure ditch or moat, a drawbridge can be substituted for
Points: 100 the wooden double doors. It has the same hardness
Stability: +8 and structure points and may be raised or lowered
Special: None from inside the gatehouse. Installing a drawbridge
Footprint: adds 100 gp in labour to the cost of the gatehouse,
Exterior stone but no material costs. A character in the path of
wall with double wooden gate, 50 ft. wide, 20 ft. tall a descending drawbridge that has been lowered
and 20 ft. thick; see floor plan suddenly must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC
15) or take 3d6 points of crushing damage.
The gatehouse is the most basic variety of opening
within a fortified wall. The focus of the fighting in Portcullis: For extra defence, a portcullis (a metal
a siege is almost always at the gatehouse, as it is the grille with a spiked base) may be included behind the
single most vulnerable part of the stronghold. The gate or drawbridge. This has a hardness of 10 and 10
wooden gates are made from reinforced wood and structure points. The portcullis is raised or lowered
have a hardness of 6 and 30 structure points. by a wheel in the room directly above or directly
behind, with a locking bar that may be pushed into
A common custom design when building strongholds place to hold the portcullis shut. It may only be lifted
is to have a gatehouse flanked with towers, so that if the locking bar is removed. One portcullis may
extra missile weapon support can be provided and be fitted per 10 feet of passageway; if the gatehouse
more soldiers accommodated to keep guard. If this has a barbican, portcullises may be fitted there too.
is done, the towers must be of the same dimensions. Fitting a portcullis requires 3 ranks in Knowledge:
When a gatehouse is fitted with a barbican, the Knowledge (architecture & engineering), 200 gp in
towers are placed at the front of the structure. labour and 100 gp in worked metal.

Additional Storey: For an additional 600 gp in Any character directly underneath the portcullis
worked stone and 100 gp in mortar, a guardroom can when it is dropped must make a Reflex saving throw
be added above the gatehouse. This is a very useful (DC 15) or be pinned by the descending spikes. The
feature, as the machinery to work the drawbridge spikes ‘attack’ at +10 melee; the character suffers 2d4
or the portcullis can be located on the upper level spike attacks and each one inflicts 1d6+1 damage.
instead of on the ground floor, making it harder for In addition, the character is pinned. It requires a
invaders to reach it. For no extra cost, machiolations Strength check at DC 20 to lift the portcullis off him
or ‘murder holes’ can be opened in the floor between if it has not been locked in place, or an Escape Artist
the upper and lower storeys, allowing the defenders skill check at DC 25 to wriggle free of the bars.
to pour boiling water, acid, alchemist’s fire or Creatures of Small size receive a +2 circumstance
similar offensive liquids down upon invaders, or to bonus to such an Escape Artist check.
fire arrows or cast spells at them. Murder holes are
made with a metal lid, so that they can be sealed and The portcullis cannot be lifted if the locking bar is in
protect the occupants of the upper room from blast place. All that can be done is to find and remove it or
effects. to apply violent force in the hope of breaking the bar
altogether. This requires a successful Strength check
Barbican: This is a walled forward extension to the at a DC of 30.
gatehouse, effectively a substructure in its own right.
It is intended to control access to the gatehouse,
forcing attackers into a narrow area where they can Fortified Manor
be picked off more easily. If a barbican is fitted to Type: Stand-alone
the front of a gatehouse, the drawbridge option may Foreman Skill: As original structure plus one rank in
be fitted to the front of the barbican but may not be Knowledge (architecture & engineering)
fitted to the gatehouse as there will be no space. A Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 5 ranks
barbican costs the same amount as a gatehouse. Labour Cost: Double that of original structure
Barbicans are often fitted on the inside with standard Max. Labour Per Week: As original structure
walls in a labyrinthine pattern, so as to confuse and Materials: As original structure, with double
disorient the invaders. If the gatehouse has been built worked stone costs
with two storeys, the barbican can be too, creating a Optional Extras: Arrow Slits
deadly maze where the invaders may be bombarded Hardness: 8
from above as they try to find their way through to Structure Points: As original structure plus 50%
the gatehouse. Stability: +8

68
 FORTIFICATIONS

Special: None and domestic residence, popular in outlying and

Footprint: As original structure, with outer walls undeveloped regions where they are the favourite
thickened by 3 ft. accommodation of the more wealthy clan chieftains.
They combine a relatively high degree of domestic
A fortified manor is a private dwelling that has been comfort with excellent defensibility. Their principal
specially reinforced to withstand attack. The walls disadvantage is their small size, which prevents them
are thickened and stabilised with buttresses, windows from being able to house or support a large number
are filled in and (if desired) the roof is flattened of defenders.
and made into an upper platform with a crenellated
perimeter. A completed fortified manor resembles Arrow Slits: Arrow slits may be placed in the walls
a small castle, though it is weaker than a fort of at no extra cost; see the Fortified Wall above for rules
equivalent size. The pricing given above assumes covering arrow slits. In the case of the tower house,
that the fortified manor is made from scratch. An arrow slits do not reduce the building’s structure
existing building may be turned into a fortified manor points, as the building template takes arrow slits into
by deducting the costs to make the original building account.
from the costs above.
Sealed Roof: Most tower houses have a roof like
Only small, medium or large houses and mansions that of a tower, with crenellations and a flat floor.
may be turned into fortified manors. All doorways in Access is usually through a trapdoor via a ladder.
the manor’s exterior walls are fortified along with the Some tower houses are built with a peaked roof of
walls: wood and thatch, which is less defensible (though
harder to scale) but makes the dwelling easier to heat.
Arrow Slits: Arrow slits may be placed in the walls The builder may choose either option as desired.
at no extra cost; see the Fortified Wall above for
rules covering arrow slits. In the case of the fortified
manor, arrow slits do not reduce the building’s Tower, Square
structure points unless they are placed somewhere Type: Modular (Stacking)
in the wall that did not formerly hold a window, in Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
which case each arrow slit reduces the building’s engineering) 6 ranks
overall structure points by 1. Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 4
ranks
Labour Cost: 4,000 gp
Tower House Maximum Labour per Week:
Type: Stand-alone 1,000 gp
Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture & Materials: 1,500 gp worked
engineering) 3 ranks stone and 200 gp mortar, plus 10
Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 2 ranks gp logs or 5 gp sawn timber
Labour Cost: 10,000 gp Optional Extras: Arrow Slits, Internal Walls,
Maximum Labour per Week: 300 gp Ladder Access, Sealed Roof
Materials: 2,000 gp worked stone and 300 gp Hardness: 8
mortar, plus 16 gp logs or 8 gp sawn timber Structure Points: 200
Optional Extras: As House: Small without Extra Stability: +4
Storey, plus Arrow Slits, Sealed Roof Special: Instability
Hardness: 8 Footprint: Square tower section 20 ft. by 20 ft. and
Structure Points: 300 10 ft. high; see floor plan
Stability: +5
Special: None The square tower is a familiar sight in any fantasy
Footprint: Worked campaign. Whether it stands alone atop a hill or
stone rectangular on a cliff, or securely at the corner of a castle wall
building with three supported by other buildings, it is an archetype of
storeys, 40 ft. by 40 stronghold building. Towers are used as readily
ft. with 50 ft. high defensible residences by individuals who do not want
walls; each wall is to be disturbed, such as wizards and sorcerers of high
3 ft. thick; see floor level and as military emplacements by fighters who
plan wish to dominate an area. Their great advantage is
their height and the ease of defending them. The key
A tower house is a to success in battle is to have the high ground and a
hybrid of stone tower

69
FORTIFICATIONS

defender who can retreat to a tower is guaranteed to becoming unstable. (This rule applies only to the
have that. parts of the tower that extend above any supporting
structure on either side, such as a fortified wall.)
Square towers may be built adjacent to sections of Every ten feet added to the tower past the safe point
fortified or standard wall but not to any other stone reduces the structure’s Stability saving throw by
construction. They are sometimes called ‘wall forts’ 2. So, a tower measuring 20 ft. by 20 ft. at the base
when they are built into fortified walls. They are not could be built to a height of up to 60 ft. safely. If this
so stable as round towers and are more vulnerable to tower were built up to a height of 120 feet, it would
siege weaponry but are easier to build. then have a total Stability saving throw of –8, a very
dangerous structure to walk beneath.
Arrow Slits: Arrow slits may be placed in the walls
at no extra cost; see the Fortified Wall above for rules
covering arrow slits. In the case of the tower, arrow Tower, Round
slits do not reduce the building’s structure points, as Type: Modular (Stacking)
the building template takes windows and arrow slits Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
into account. engineering) 9 ranks
Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 4 ranks
Internal Walls: Although it is not usually done in Labour Cost: 6,000 gp
the narrower towers, the builder may divide up the Maximum Labour per Week: 1,000 gp
inside of a tower with partition or standard walls, for Materials: 1,500 gp worked stone and 200 gp
which see above. mortar, plus 10 gp logs or 5 gp sawn timber
Optional Extras: As Tower: Square plus Spiral
Ladder Access: Square towers are assumed to Staircase Variants
have wooden staircases connecting the floors, as Hardness: 8
this allows easier movement up and down when Structure Points: 260
defending the tower. If the builder wishes, he may Stability: +8
discard the staircase and create more space on each Special: Defensible, Instability,
floor by connecting the floors with a single ladder Round Structure
instead. This reduces the cost of each tower section Footprint: Circular tower section 20
by 200 gp in labour. ft. in diameter and 10 ft. high

Sealed Roof: Towers either culminate in open Round towers are stable and strong, but not easy
battlements or in a room with a roof. The builder to engineer. They represent an advanced stage of
may decide which option to choose. A four-foot nonmagical castle building. As with square towers,
high crenellated wall surrounds a flat roof in the they may be integrated with fortified or standard
battlements option, while the sealed roof option walls. This chapter deals only with freestanding
shelters the room below with a peaked roof of thatch, towers and those towers that are part of a curtain
tiles or lead-covered wood. A tower topped with a wall. Towers that form part of a central construction,
sealed roof is less easy to defend with archers but is such as the corner towers of a keep, or a cluster of
easier to heat and harder for invaders to break into if other buildings are dealt with in the next chapter.
they manage to scale the walls.
Spiral Staircase Variants: Round towers are built
Neither battlements nor thatch cost anything extra; with a single spiral staircase running around the
tiles cost 10 gp in labour and 10 gp in worked stone, outside. It is up to the builder to decide how to
while leaded timber costs 10 gp in labour, 2 gp in integrate this into the tower’s design. Narrow towers
sawn timber and 10 gp in lead. The advantage of are often nothing but staircase until the topmost room
lead and tiles is that they are far harder to set on fire. is reached, with a central pillar taking up the space
that would otherwise be filled with a dangerous drop.
Instability: Towers are built as modular The tower may be given a floor at regular intervals,
constructions, with each 10-foot high floor being with the staircase emerging through the floor and
stacked on top of the others. Building a tower too carrying on up through the ceiling; alternatively, the
high is impractical and dangerous. The more weight tower may be completely hollow, with an empty shaft
is piled on top, the easier it is to overbalance the all the way up to the topmost room. Such towers are
whole thing. very unpopular with mortal defenders, who are just
as likely to be sent screaming down the shaft as an
A tower cannot be built up to more than three times invader is.
its shortest dimension (length or breadth) without

70
 FORTIFICATIONS

Wall Towers Small Stone Fort (Border Fort)

Both square and round towers may be built into Type: Stand-alone
fortified walls, so long as the height of the tower is Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
at least equal to that of the wall. If this is done, three engineering) 7 ranks or Profession (siege engineer) 9
kinds of wall tower may result. ranks
Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 3 ranks
Open Tower: To save on building costs, or to fit in Labour Cost: 30,000 gp
with a particular defensive strategy, the builder may Maximum Labour per Week: 3,000 gp
leave one side of the tower completely open. This Materials: 8,000 gp worked stone and 900 gp
reduces the labour cost and worked stone materials mortar, plus 60 gp logs or 30 gp sawn timber
cost by 30%. The tower’s structure points are Optional Extras: Stables
reduced by 20%. Hardness: 8
Structure Points: 500
Closed Tower: This kind of tower is enclosed on Stability: +6
either side, the standard form of manufacture. Special: None
Footprint: See floor plan
Open-gorged Tower: This kind of tower is closed
up to the level of the wall walk, opening at the The standard small multi-purpose stronghold of a
parapet. It is most often found on fortified walls built military force, stone forts are primarily built for
around towns. The labour cost and worked stone border defence. The customary practice is to build
materials cost are both reduced by 15%. The tower’s a series of them along the border one’s kingdom
structure points are reduced by 10%. shares with another nation, close enough together
for messengers or reinforcements to be able to travel
Defensible: Spiral staircases with central columns from one fort to another in the space of a few hours.
wind to the right, making them easier to defend than Stone forts are often built to replace wooden ones,
to attack, if you are right-handed as the majority of when the kingdom’s power in an area has become
sword-wielders are. The central column interferes more entrenched and the defences may be upgraded.
with an attacker’s aim, acting like a shield for the
defender; the attacker is forced to reach around it to Unlike keeps or castles, forts are not intended to
make a strike. Accordingly, any character making defend large numbers of civilians; they are first and
an attack with a one-handed melee weapon in his foremost a military emplacement and are constructed
right hand against a target that is above him on a to act as a base of military operations in the area. A
spiral staircase of this kind suffers a –1 circumstance stone fort will have room to store food reserves but
penalty to his attack roll. By the same token, left- will not have any associated farmland or stockyards.
handed characters suffer the same penalty when Forts are dependent upon provisioning as arranged by
attacking downwards on a spiral staircase. Do not the military chain of command.
forget, though, that a character attacking downwards
from higher ground is always entitled to a +1 It is standard military practice to surround a fort with
circumstance bonus to his attack roll when making a a second line of defence, such as a palisade, a moat,
melee attack. a standard wall or a fortified wall. The longer the
fort has been in place, the more likely it is to have
Instability: Round towers suffer from the same worked stone fortifications. Some forts in especially
limitations to their optimum height as square towers dangerous areas may be equipped with war machines;
do (see above). see Chapter 18, Warfare.

Round Structure: A round tower can shrug off The other typical function of a small fort is as a
projectile damage much more easily than a square garrison. Small stone forts of this kind are large
tower can. A catapult projectile slamming into a enough to garrison up to five hundred soldiers in
square tower delivers all its force to an even surface, conditions of relative comfort, or up to a thousand
but if it strikes a round tower it is much more likely soldiers in cramped conditions.
to be deflected away. The round tower suffers
only half damage from attacks from boulders and The interior of a fort is martial and businesslike.
similar projectiles, whether thrown by a creature or They are not constructed to be dwelling places. Forts
a war machine. All Stability saving throws caused are often used as training institutions and military
by damage from such projectiles are made at a +3 academies and to this end are equipped with archery
circumstance bonus. ranges, practice targets, sword fighting dummies and
other such accoutrements. It is essential to the proper

71
FORTIFICATIONS

running of a fort that it have a well stocked armoury Keeps are

at all times. customarily
built as the seat
The occupants of a border fort are responsible for of power of the
keeping the area secure and peaceful. They are ruler of a given
expected to send out patrols at regular intervals. As region and the
well as dealing with any immediate threats on their central military
own initiative (such as monsters wandering into the command
region) these report back any developments, troubles station of that
or unusual occurrences in the region to the fort’s region. They
commander, who can then relay the information back are a symbol of
to his superior officer or decide what to do himself as authority as well
protocol dictates. as a practical
defence. This leads many rulers to have their keeps
Stables: So that the scouts can go about their built with splendid and ostentatious architecture,
missions as efficiently as possible, forts will usually combining defensive might with visual majesty.
have a stables facility with several horses (both When you are trying to cow all potential opposition
common and warhorse) kept in readiness. The horses to your rule, it does not hurt to show off your wealth
are also necessary when messengers arrive with news and power.
and need a fresh horse for the return journey. The
stables are built as a wooden or stone outbuilding, for The keep is almost a microcosm in its own right, a
which see the entry for House: Small in Chapter 5. miniature world with its own society, customs and
daily routine. Sufficiently large to store sufficient
food reserves to last for months and (invariably)
Keep (Square) with an independent water supply in the basement,
Type: Stand-alone it can close itself off to the outside world and keep
Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture & its inhabitants alive for long periods of time. This
engineering) 8 ranks is exactly what often happens in a protracted siege,
Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 4 ranks when the attackers abandon physical assault and
Labour Cost: 65,000 gp instead try to starve the defenders out.
Maximum Labour per Week: 5,000 gp
Materials: 10,000 gp worked stone and 1,000 gp The typical arrangement within a keep is to use the
mortar, plus 100 gp logs or 50 gp sawn timber ground floor as a stable for the horses and any other
Optional Extras: Corner Towers, Interior Walls livestock, with the guard rooms on the floor above,
Hardness: 8 the great hall, throne room or audience chamber on
Structure Points: 1,000 the next floor up (where the commoners would bed
Stability: +6 down in the event of siege) and the private chambers
Special: None of the castle’s nobility on the topmost floor. An
Footprint: Square keep 50 ft. by 50 ft. by 80 ft in external staircase running up the side of the building
height; see floor plan to a small door leading into the guardroom gives
access to the keep. There are double doors on the
A keep or donjon is the heart of a conventional stable level below but these are usually barricaded
stone castle. In shape it resembles an enlarged from within and are not used as an egress. When
tower, containing several floors. A keep does not the keep is built in savage lands or is under frequent
have to be built with other defences surrounding it attack, it is common practice to have the upper floors
but in practice this is the way almost all keeps are accessible by a removable wooden ladder rather than
constructed. Square keeps are relatively easy to by a staircase.
build, being only a tower built to large proportions,
but are vulnerable to attack from catapults and Corner Towers: A keep will sometimes have
similar siege machinery. They are also especially additional towers or ‘turrets’ built up from the top
vulnerable to sappers, as the corner of a square keep floor, to act as lookout posts. When this option is
can be undermined to devastating effect. See Chapter selected, a small tower is set at each corner of the
19, Warfare, for more details on tunnelling. The keep keep, with internal access between the floors. (The
design given here has four storeys, with a basement walls of the corner towers run down through the
beneath and the battlements on top. entire keep.) The corner towers are 10 ft. square at
the base and rise to a height of 15 ft.

72
 FORTIFICATIONS

Keep (Round) centre of the castle is left open and the rooms are
built against the outer wall. Three storeys of rooms
Type: Stand-alone
Foreman Skill: are built in this way, with the top floor giving access
Knowledge to the wall walk. Access to the castle is given via a
(architecture & gatehouse in the wall, which counts as a structure
engineering) 10 ranks in its own right and may be fitted with any of the
Builder Skill: Craft optional extras appropriate to that feature. (The cost
(builder) 4 ranks of the gatehouse is included in the enclosure castle.)
Labour Cost: The gatehouse is the most strategically important
110,000 gp point in an enclosure castle, as it is the weakest part
Maximum Labour of the castle and thus the most likely to be attacked.
per Week: 4,000 gp
Materials: 10,000 gp worked stone and 1,000 gp The buildings set into the wall are used for the
mortar, plus 100 gp logs or 50 gp sawn timber various different purposes of castle life, with one
Optional Extras: Interior Walls of them being designated as the great hall, one as
Hardness: 8 a kitchen and one as a stable. As with the keep
Structure Points: 1,250 layout, the upper rooms are used for accommodation,
Stability: +8 with the highest floors being reserved for the most
Special: Round structure noble or important people. The open courtyard in
Footprint: Round keep 50 ft. across by 80 ft in the centre is used to keep animals and for weapons
height; see floor plan practice.

The round keep is more complicated to build than An enclosure castle is a good one to start with when
the square equivalent but is far more stable and building your first stronghold, as it is something of
has the familiar advantages of a round structure. a package deal. By paying one sum, you can have
Unlike the square keep, round keeps do not usually a whole stronghold built, complete with gatehouse,
have additional towers built into them. In all other defensive towers and internal buildings. An
respects, they are organised in the same way as the enclosure castle can be used straight from the book
square keep. ‘as is’; while it may have additional structures placed
around it, it does not need any modification. This
Round Structure: A round keep has the same makes it a good default option for Games Masters to
resistance to damage that a round tower (see above) use if they need a castle in a hurry.
does.
Stone Dome
Castle, Enclosure Type: Stand-alone
Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
Type: Stand-alone
Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture & engineering) 12 ranks
engineering) 8 ranks Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 6 ranks
Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 4 ranks Labour Cost: 110,000 gp
Labour Cost: 300,000 gp Maximum Labour per Week: 4,000 gp
Maximum Labour per Week: 6,000 gp Materials: 6,000 gp worked stone and 700 gp
Materials: 40,000 gp worked stone and 8,000 gp mortar, plus 100 gp logs or 50 gp sawn timber
mortar, plus 2,000 gp logs or 1,000 gp sawn timber Optional Extras: Interior Walls
Optional Extras: Exterior wall may have any of the Hardness: 8
extras of a Fortified Wall Structure Points: 1,400
Hardness: 8 Stability: +10
Structure Points: 2,000 Special: Round structure, Vulnerability
Stability: +6 Footprint: Circular dome 50 ft. across by 30 ft in
Special: None height; see floor plan
Footprint: See floor plan
Domes are architectural marvels, the arrangement
The accepted wisdom in setting up defences is to of rectilinear blocks of stone into an arching curved
have a central keep surrounded by successive lines form. The statistics above refer to a freestanding
of defence, but a different approach to stronghold dome; they may be built on top of other structures if
building is found with the enclosure castle. Instead there is space for this. The top of a circular keep can,
of surrounding central buildings with a wall, the at considerable expense, be fitted with a dome. If

73
FORTIFICATIONS

this is done, the owner Some castles have narrow towers, 10 feet across,
should keep track of half-imbedded in their outer walls for no other
the structure points purpose than to provide stair access between the
for both buildings floors; these are generally called ‘stair towers’ and
separately, though if are topped with a turret to give them a defensive role
there is a collapse in as well.
the walls below then
the dome above will Merging one structure with another does not reduce
of course be affected. the labour or materials costs of either structure.
The highest skill requirement involved for any
Domes are extremely component part of the whole structure is deemed
robust and resilient to be that required to build the whole construction.
to attack by siege weapons. The purpose to which a For example, if you were merging two round towers
dome is put is up to the builder. Some build them as with a square keep, the minimum skill requirement
religious structures, adding decorative spires; some would be 6 ranks in Knowledge (architecture &
use them as sports arenas or ampitheatres; some engineering), as this is what is required to build a
construct them purely for defensive purposes. round tower.

Round Structure: A dome has the same resistance Once you have your finished stronghold plan, you
to damage that a round tower (see above) does. only need to consult the following chapters to add in
any extra features you may wish to employ.
Vulnerability: The exceptional stability of a dome,
depending as it does on its parts mutually reinforcing
one another, lasts only so long as the structure is not Sample Stronghold:
seriously disrupted. While it stands, it stands strong,
but if one part should be breached then the whole The Harbour
is in grave danger. Any breach created in the dome
lowers its Stability saving throw by 2; these effects Guardian
stack. We have now covered all of the structures that do
not require magic in their construction. These
will, in most game worlds, be the most common
Constructing structures found. The following example is intended
to illustrate the use of several of these structures,
Strongholds combined together to make one stronghold.

Freestyle The Harbour Guardian

A player who wishes to construct his or her own
unique stronghold plan from the elements given here A stronghold intended to defend a sea or river port
may do so. All that needs to be borne in mind are the city, this involves one square keep overlooking
rules governing how structures are integrated. the harbour to the west and one smaller subsidiary
tower (40 ft. high) to the east. The whole region at
Any of the structures given above may be built into the water’s edge is stone wharf, upon which other
another. The golden rule is that an incorporated structures have been built in places. Fortified walls
structure must have at least 50% of its volume run to the west and east for two hundred feet in each
merged with the parent structure if it is built into a direction. The keep is equipped with a pair of heavy
wall and at least 25% of its volume merged in if it is catapults, with which it can bombard any unfriendly
built into a corner. Towers may be built inside keeps, shipping approaching the area; the smaller tower has
with the full height of the tower rising higher than a ballista for use against targets at closer range.
the keep’s own height. In this instance, the walls
of the tower must go all the way down through the Total Cost: 150,000 gp
keep, as if the tower had been built first and the keep Total Build Time: 82 weeks
constructed around it. The only exception to this rule
is when a small tower or ‘turret’ is built out of the top
of a larger structure. Such a tower does not need to
have its walls run all the way down through the lower
structure, but it cannot be larger than 10 feet across
nor higher than 20 feet.

74
 FORTIFICATIONS

75
EXTRAORDINARY STRONGHOLDS

Extraordinary immortals and beings who live and breathe magic.

They are found in the most distant and inaccessible
places, in the holy sanctuaries of elvenkind, hidden
Strongholds among the dunes of endless deserts and on islands
beyond mortal shores. Some of them have stood

T
since the time before humanoid races came. They
he strongholds in this section are all
are breathtakingly beautiful and seemingly ageless,
unusual, unorthodox or bizarre. They may
suffering no erosion from the elements.
involve complicated building techniques
but do not necessarily require magic, though magic
These poetic impressions lull one away from
may be used to augment them. The Games Master
the architectural facts. Building a crystal castle
is free to disallow their use if they do not fit into
is, on the face of it, a straightforward enough
the game world. They are suited to a medium to
process. All that you have to do is to secure a
high fantasy campaign. An example is provided
sufficient quantity of constructors’ crystal, find an
for each kind of stronghold, which can be used
alchemist who is able to make transparent mortar
straight from the book.
and construction can begin. It is not possible
to make a crystal castle out of ordinary crystal
Strongholds Built deposits. They are not found in sufficient size to
make building blocks. Instead, a type of stone
From Unusual called ‘constructors’ crystal’ is employed, which
is tough, clear, prismatic and grows naturally in
Materials vast geometric columns. This substance is found
Sometimes the stronghold builder will wish to
in great quantities on the Elemental Plane of
preserve the design of a structure while rendering
Earth, where it is often used to make rudimentary
it in a different material to that most commonly
dwellings and is chewed upon by xorns and other
used. Strongholds are built in an endless variety
stone-eating creatures. When it is found on the
of places, both on the prime material plane and
prime material plane, it is usually deep under the
on other more exotic planes and it makes sense to
ground; dwarven mines occasionally encounter
suppose that those who make their homes there
lodes of it while they are mining for metals. To
would use the materials to hand.
them this is a misfortune, as the crystal is very
tough and hard to tunnel through.
In each of the strongholds that follow, a substitute
for worked stone is given, which will alter the cost,
Cutting constructors’ crystal into blocks
structure points and Stability saving throw of the
for building with is an art. Conventional
building. In all other respects, the structure is the
stonemasonry is not adequate for the task. The
same as the conventional version. Any structure
blocks have to be sheared and polished, so that
from Chapters 5 or 6 can be built with the stone
they will retain their clarity; the transparency
component substituted for the alternative material.
of the walls of a crystal castle is one of its most
appealing features. The blocks used to build
The higher prices of alternative building materials
with are roughly three times the size of normal
are due to the additional work it takes to prepare
ashlar. It is in fact easier to work with crystal
them. There is no difference in volume between
than with conventional stone once it has been cut
a thousand gold pieces’ worth of constructors’
as the crystal is relatively light, but far harder to
crystal and a hundred gold pieces’ worth of worked
carve it free from the crystal deposit in the first
stone. It simply costs ten times as much for the
place. Crystal intended for building interior walls
former material to be cut into pieces and finished
is sheared off in large flat panes. In appearance,
for use than the latter, due to the exceptional
constructors’ crystal matches that of transparent
hardness of the crystal.
minerals, varying in colour according to the type
of deposit and the nearby salts in the soil. It is thus
Crystal Castle available in a variety of colours, such as sapphire,
These are the stuff of the most fanciful legends; amber, amethyst or obsidian.
translucent sun-gleaming edifices whose walls and
towers shine with internal rainbows, the haunt of

76
 EXTRAORDINARY STRONGHOLDS

Transparent mortar is made by an alchemical Building with constructors’ crystal multiplies the
process involving the boiling up of fragments of cost of the worked stone component of a building
constructors’ crystal with various corrosive fluids by 10. The resultant structure has three times the
and natural resins. It bonds blocks of constructors’ usual number of structure points. In order to plan
crystal better than conventional mortar does and for the use of crystal or work with it, the architect
has the advantage of allowing light through. and foreman must have 10 ranks in Knowledge
Ordinary mortar may be used to build with (architecture & engineering). Crystal is a rare and
crystal, but the effect is ugly and the beauty of the exotic building material and few know the secrets
crystal is spoiled. If transparent mortar is applied of working with it.
properly, it has a blending effect on the crystal
blocks, so that the walls and floors seem to have
been sculpted from one whole piece. Only close
Citadel of Ice
This option is only available in sub-zero climates.
inspection can reveal that they are made from
While it is not the easiest of substances to work
carved blocks bound together with an adhesive.
with if you have not grown up around it, ice is a
resilient and strong building material, more brittle
Constructors’ crystal is lighter and stronger than
than stone but able to stand up to similar amounts
conventional building materials. It is possible to
of pressure. It is sawn and chipped in blocks from
build supporting archways and pinions with less
frozen lakes, glaciers and icebergs. Ice does not
material and build thinner walls with no loss of
need mortar to hold the blocks together. They are
structural integrity. Tall, delicate spindle towers
instead sprayed with water, which freezes quickly
are often seen rising from crystal castles. In the
and fuses the blocks in place. Most structures
rules governing loss of tower stability if they are
made from ice are crude and lumpen, as shelter
built above a given height, crystal towers may
rather than ornamentation is the highest priority
be built to twice the usual limit before becoming
in arctic conditions and is not customary to spend
unstable and only suffer a -1 penalty to their
valuable time carving the ice. Even so, there
Stability saving throw for every 10 feet they go
are some dwellers in the eternal snow (such as
over the limit. It is also not necessary to have
sovereign mages of the ice wastes) who turn their
supporting walls underneath a wall on a given
ice dwellings into the frozen equivalent of a crystal
floor, all the way to the ground, as is necessary
castle, fashioning the ice into graceful spires and
with internal stone walls; crystal floors are strong
minarets.
enough to bear the weight of a wall without a
supporting wall underneath. This allows much
Smaller ice structures such as igloos can be lived
greater versatility when arranging the interior of a
in comfortably by ordinary people, so long as
crystal castle.
they have the cultural experience and technical
competence to survive, but ice citadels are larger,
When crystal is used for building, other materials
draughtier structures through which freezing winds
are not mixed into the construction as they ruin
blow. They cannot be lived in by creatures who
the overall effect. Such, anyway, is the code of
are not resistant to environmental cold. If they are
practice among those rare architects who know
built in regions where snow regularly falls, they
how to build with crystal. Players who have the
tend to build up a crust of snow and ice, making
necessary qualifications may of course mix and
them hard to locate against a background of icy
match as they see fit. The usual limitation to
mountains. Unless the citadel is built on a mound,
building with crystal is the huge expense involved
mountain, glacier or other structure that places it
and the scarcity of the material.
against a background of open sky, it cannot be seen
at distances of over 300 ft. unless a successful Spot
Crystal fortifications are especially resistant to
roll is made at a DC of 25.
energy attacks. They suffer only half damage
from any electrical, fire, cold or acid effect.
Citadels of ice take half damage from electrical or
Sonic attacks inflict double normal damage, as
acid attacks and double damage from fire attacks.
the vibrations disrupt the crystalline matrix like
Sonic attacks inflict normal damage but have a
a pitched note shattering glass. An observer can
destabilising effect, causing all Stability saving
look through any wall of a crystal castle as if it
throws made as a result of a sonic attack to be
were a window.

77
EXTRAORDINARY STRONGHOLDS

made at a -2 circumstance penalty. Cold effects metal that can be made into walls of suitable size
repair structural damage at a rate of 1 structure and iron is prone to rust. However, at the Games
point per 10 points of ‘damage’ though they cannot Master’s discretion, the iron clad stronghold may
rebuild a collapsed wall or close a breach. The be allowed.
use of a wall of ice spell can either repair 3d6
structure points from a single attack (if the caster The iron clad stronghold is much like any other in
can reach the crater, which is not always possible shape but is far harder to breach, as its stone walls
from the inside) or close a single breach, repairing are fitted with six-inch thick plates of alchemically
1d6 structure points in the process. It may also be treated iron. (The coating is to proof the metal
shaped as a wall brace so as to shore up an existing against rust and gives it a curious crimson sheen.)
ice structure, adding +2 to its Stabilty saving throw Metal rather than stone is the key component in
without improving its structure points, or simply the fortress’s construction. Spiral staircases are
to thicken a wall, adding 3 structure points to any made from wrought iron, walls are metal-clad or
section covered per foot of ice added. made from solid iron (see Chapter 8, Additional
Features, for all of these) and even furniture is
To build with ice, use one fifth of the value of made mostly from metal, with some dark wood
worked stone in ice blocks. (Ice blocks can be also employed. The atmosphere of the place is
gathered from the local environment like any sombre, cold and martial.
other building material; see Chapter 13, Resources
and Goods.) Ice structures have half as many This kind of stronghold is a warlord’s dream come
structure points as their worked stone equivalents true. It compares to an ordinary stone castle as
and their Stability saving throws are lowered by a man in full plate armour compares to one in
–2. The instability of ice structures, in particular leather. An iron clad stronghold has a hardness
the difficulty of supporting a roof, makes the dome rating of 10 throughout and double the usual
a popular choice of central structure for an ice amount of structure points. As the stone walls
palace complex. are encased in metal, they are not vulnerable
to passwall spells, the bane of many a fortress
Any worked stone structure that requires only one builder.
rank in Knowledge (architecture & engineering)
to build may be built in ice by a foreman who has To build an iron clad stronghold, triple all labour
at least four ranks in Wilderness Lore; the work costs (those iron plates are heavy) and add a
team does not need any special qualifications. Ice worked metal materials cost equal to five times
structures more elaborate than this need the same the cost in worked stone. This worked metal
qualifications as
their worked stone
equivalents.

Iron Clad
Stronghold
Some strongholds
feature internal
metal walls, which
are kept safe
from rust and the
elements by being
indoors. Using
metal walls on
the exterior of
a stronghold is
inadvisable, as iron
is about the only

78
 EXTRAORDINARY STRONGHOLDS

must come from a foundry, as conventional there will always be light to see by; though it
forges cannot create pieces of the necessary size. compromises on defensibility, illumination and
Three more ranks in Knowledge: Architecture ventilation shafts are sometimes cut upwards
& Engineering are needed than what is listed, as from the caverns, opening in the ground above.
the metal plates and girders are heavy and their If the tribe building the village is competent with
placing must be meticulously worked out. The metalwork, a grille can be set into the shaft to keep
specially treated metal must also be made with the intruders from using it to break in.
help of an expert with at least 8 ranks in Alchemy.
Clockwork Castle
Structures Built in Not all of the wonders of the fantasy world are
magical or even supernatural in their origin. The
Unusual Ways clockwork castle is a miracle of engineering to
These buildings take advantage of the features rival any high-level arcane spell. Its design uses a
of the environment to increase defensibility and single source of power, such as steam created by
to make the work of construction easier, or base nearby volcanic lava or the force of a waterfall, to
their design upon a single unconventional feature. drive a central shaft whose rotation in turn works
They cannot be built without a specific prerequisite the castle’s various gadgets and fittings. Within
being met, such as the finding of the right the clockwork castle, doors open for you and close
environment or the possession of the necessary behind you with a steady ticking sound, automated
technical secrets. servants trundle from the kitchen to the grand hall
and back on rails, mechanised suits of armour
patrol the battlements and a hundred different traps
Cliff Village lie in wait for the unwary thief.
One of the easiest ways to make a defensible
stronghold is to dig it out of solid rock; to make it
The chains, pulleys, gears and other mechanisms
even more defensible, choose rock that is halfway
that operate the various features of the clockwork
up a cliff. A cliff village usually starts out as a
castle are all cleverly concealed within the walls.
natural cave that is steadily dug into and extended
For this reason, all the walls within the castle are
until a whole complex of rooms is created. The
especially thick. Each feature is connected to
slope of the cliff into which the caves are dug
the walls or to the floor in some way and is not
is very sheer, often being completely vertical.
capable of independent action. For example, an
Rope ladders for the higher openings and wooden
automated kitchen servant could not detach itself
ladders for the lower ones grant access to the
from the floor and pursue a character.
caves. Cliff villages are most commonly used by
primitive tribes and bands of humanoid monsters
Though they are intimidating, the castle’s
but are also built by more sophisticated wilderness
mechanical occupants are not intelligent; they are
dwellers such as wild elves.
not even conscious. They are designed to scare
off intruders and to wait on desired guests. Some
The water supply for a cliff village is usually a
of the mechanical contraptions may be operated
river at the cliff’s base, so unless an internal supply
manually from secret control chambers hidden in
is also secured somehow, the village will be hard
the walls and be made to seem to speak by means
pressed to supply itself with drinking water if there
of a speaking tube. By such means, a stranger in
is a siege. One way around this problem is to dig
the castle may be convinced that the robotic guard
runnel pipes down from the river’s bed under the
to whom he is talking is actually sentient and able
cliff, to a water chamber where a pump can draw
to hold a conversation.
river water when required.
Clockwork castles are usually only occupied by
Light, heating and fresh air are also in short
the brilliant, the misanthropic or the insane, or
supply in the caverns. Heating is not so much
those who embody all three tendencies at once.
of a problem, as furs and wooden panels on the
With the castle’s automatic systems to enhance
walls may be used to insulate the caves, but light
their lives, they can live alone in comfortable
is harder to come by. Tubs of oil to fuel lamps are
seclusion. They can even defend the place on their
part of the village’s reserves, so in an emergency

79
EXTRAORDINARY STRONGHOLDS

own using ‘Wizard of Oz’ stunts to frighten off Cloud castles may have tunnels beneath them,
would-be intruders and taking manual control of dug out of the magical cloud-stuff. It is therefore
clockwork guards if necessary. possible to construct oubliettes and shafts that
drop the unfortunate victim several thousand feet
The singular advantage of a clockwork castle’s out of the bottom of the cloud. Cloud castles
traps is that they are self-resetting. Even an arrow are sometimes mobile, but those that are cannot
trap can be supplied with a store of ammunition usually be steered voluntarily. The cloud is blown
and left to run its course, loading up a new missile hither and thither by the wind and the castle goes
every time one is loosed. It takes a simple trap with it.
(one that does not involve the movement of large
objects) three rounds to reset itself. Any other trap The cloud moves with the wind, at a speed equal to
resets itself in ten rounds. Metallic clicks, pings half that of the wind, to a maximum of 50 feet per
and chimes can be heard from behind the walls round. Cloud-stuff has a hardness of 8 and 90 hit
with a successful Listen roll (DC 18) while this points per foot. It is translucent enough to allow
resetting process is going on. The builder may light to shine through a thickness of up to 20 ft.
also install sliding blocks that close off passages, Though it is hard to break through, it is more like
descending portcullises and even sections of wall a honeycomb than a solid lump; within a floating
that slowly rumble together like a trash compactor cloud, natural cells of open space are found up
if he desires. These features are given in the next to 20 feet across. It is therefore relatively easy
chapter. to hollow out a set of rooms inside the cloud. It
is formed from a peculiar frothy, buoyant crystal
As the clockwork castle’s most vulnerable point found on the Elemental Plane of Air. As such, it
is the central engine house, this is kept behind is not especially vulnerable to spells that would
thick walls and is accessible only through secret ordinarily burn away mist or fog, such as fireball.
and well-locked doors. Sabotaging this facility,
or shutting off the power somehow, can cause the A cloud castle is likely to be the home of an aerial
whole edifice to (literally) grind to a halt. Should wizard or a member of such a race as the titans. It
it be necessary to match the strength of the castle’s is a very secure stronghold to have, as only flying
engines against those of a character, for example if creatures can easily come near enough to attack
a chain were dragging a character in one direction it. Its main disadvantage is that owing to the
and he wished to pull in the other direction, the castle’s distance from the ground, it is hard to keep
castle has an effective Strength ability score of 25. it provisioned. Flying expeditions to the ground
below to gather supplies are the usual way of doing
Although the clockwork castle is not a magical this, though this is hard to achieve during a siege.
structure, a spellcasting character may use magical
means to power it, such as a team of golems There are accounts on record of extremely daring
marching around a windlass or a continually individuals who have captured cloud castles. This
burning furnace that contains a captive fire has been done by snaring them with titanic iron
elemental. grapples and then dragging them down to ground
level using the strength of a team of dragons to
overcome the cloud’s natural tendency to rise.
Cloud Castle Once the castle was brought down to earth, it was
A more common sight on the elemental plane of
kept in place by enormous chains. Other legends
air than upon the prime material, the cloud castle
speak of magical clouds so large they were able
is an otherwise ordinary fortress that has been
to bear entire cities, but these have never been
built upon a magical cloud for its foundation. This
confirmed.
cloud is capable of bearing just about any amount
of weight without losing altitude. Although it
appears to be puffy and soft from a distance, much Tree Fortress
like any other cloud, it is in fact a hard crystalline As we have seen in earlier chapters, it is possible
substance as hard and strong as rock. to build small strongholds in the branches of trees,
with the tree fort being the largest structure that
may be built. Instead of being made on a wooden

80
 EXTRAORDINARY STRONGHOLDS

platform supported by the tree, the tree fortress keep, but with a hardness of 6, 5,000 structure
is constructed in the body of the tree itself. The points and a stability saving throw of +16. (There
flora of the game world determines the availability is little quite so stable as a tree whose roots go
of a suitable tree, as the building of a tree fortress half a mile into the ground.) The arrangement of
requires the tree in question to be of Colossal size; internal rooms is left up to the builder, but in order
it must be at least one hundred feet in diameter. to keep the tree alive, at least 50% of its internal
Typically, such incredible plants are found in deep mass must be left intact on each level.
and inaccessible jungle or in the hearts of forests
as old as the world itself.
Skull Fortress
This macabre stronghold is built from the
The tree fortress is built in such a way as to
enormous skull of some creature of legend who
keep the tree alive. It is up to the Games Master
perished countless aeons ago. It is particularly
whether the tree has any kind of sentience or not;
suited to a necromancer or solitary wizard of evil
if it does, it will only permit its body to be partially
alignment. There are few lairs more intimidating
hollowed out and used as a stronghold if it
to behold than the skull fortress, which dominates
sympathises with the potential tenants. Druids and
the land all around with its hollow gaze, brooding
sylvan elves are the most likely to be allowed to do
monstrously as if it were about to haul an entire
this. Fashioning the tree fortress requires that all
skeletal body up out of the ground at any moment
the builders involved have at least 5 ranks in Craft:
and go ravaging about.
Carpenter, as only an able woodworker can make
the necessary cuts and gouges without causing
As the main framework has to be found rather
irreparable harm to the wood. The use of the wood
than constructed, it is up to the Games Master
shape spell (see Chapter 4, Basic Buildings) is
to decide whether there is a skull of suitable
greatly preferred by the trees and those who care
dimensions available. It might be possible to bring
for them.
one across from another plane, given sufficient
magical assistance. The ambitious builder is more
In order to build a tree fortress, at least 8 ranks in
likely to find a colossal skull lying on one of the
Knowledge: Nature or 10 ranks in Wilderness Lore
layers of the Abyss or among the murky depths
are required. Treat the tree as if it were a round
of the elemental plane of water than on the Prime
Material.

The skull fortress is, perhaps surprisingly, not a

magical structure. It requires no spells to build,
just a lot of hard work. Converting a skull into a
fortress does not require any prior clearing of the
land or digging of foundations, though as most
builders like to add an underground section under a
skull fortress, this excavation should be taken care
of first. Once this is done, the builders must work
their way through the cranium, cracking through
any layers of bone that are not needed, chiselling
holes for joists and stopping up gaps with mortar.
Windows are created either by scraping away at
the bone until it is thin enough to allow dim light
through or by cutting a hole or arrow slit right
through the bone.

The skull fortress has several remarkable structural

advantages. As it is not made of rock, it is not
susceptible to passwall spells, the bane of any
castle builder. It is not vulnerable to fire, either,
as bone is very hard to set alight. The bone of

81
EXTRAORDINARY STRONGHOLDS

which its outer casing is made is strong enough size but complete immobility (as the skull has no
to withstand sustained battering from siege moving parts left.) The spirit of the entity that
machinery. See the entry on bone barriers in formerly owned the skull may communicate in
Chapter 9, Offensive and Defensive Systems, for a halting way with the new tenants, giving them
the statistics for bone as a barrier material. messages either telepathically or during their
hours of sleep. Depending on the entity’s original
As it is a single piece grown organically rather alignment, it may be allied with its occupiers
than built brick on brick, it is the most stable or despise them; allies will be given counsel or
structure of all, being next to impossible to topple. direction according to the entity’s own agenda,
Its main disadvantage is its relatively small size; while enemies will be haunted, whispered to and
there is not a lot of living space in the braincase slowly driven mad.
of an elder demon, compared to other keeps
and fortresses, which is why there is usually an A person who is allied with the skull may
underground section accessed through the hole at communicate with it once per day in order to
the base of the skull. It is also difficult to move gain insight and information. This is treated as
the skull into a more advantageous position before a contact other plane spell in which the caster
building your fortress, because of its vast size. You has contacted an entity of the negative material
are rather obliged to build it where you find it. plane. The roll to avoid Intelligence and Charisma
decrease must still be made.
A skull fortress is always built without the lower
jaw in place if the skull is a humanoid one. Those Necromantic Spells: The skull is richly imbued
that have experimented with a skull fortress in with necromantic energy. Any necromantic
which the jaw opened and closed, thus controlling spell cast within its bounds automatically has a
access to the fortress, have discovered that it is caster level one higher than usual and any undead
the upper jaw that ought to be retractable; moving generated within it are created with maximum hit
the lower jaw down levers the whole fortress up, points for the creature type.
a completely impractical arrangement. Skulls of
creatures that have sideways-opening jaws are If the skull is ruled to be an undead creature, even
much more useful in this respect. if it is not sentient, structural damage inflicted
upon it may be healed with negative energy (from
Socket Weaponry: The skull’s empty eye sockets inflict wounds spells) at the rate of one structure
are ideal places to mount sentry points equipped point per 10 hit points. Channelling negative
with siege machinery. Catapults are impractical energy into it, as if one were rebuking undead,
as the socket is a tunnel, without enough vertical has the effect of increasing its hardness rating
room to allow the arm to fling up and over. A temporarily. The hardness of the undead bone
socket emplacement has to be a missile weapon increases by one point for every hit die of turning
or projecting war machine of some kind, such as a damage; one 5 ft. cube of bone may be affected
ballista, disintegration lance or energy cannon. For per level of the character. The effects last for one
greater security, the siege weapon may be mounted round per level of the character performing the
in a spherical swivel, shielding the operator from energy channelling. Multiple channellings do not
harm. It is possible to fit similar siege weapons in stack.
the nasal openings but as these do not have much
room to move from side to side, they can only fire The skull may not be turned or destroyed by a
directly ahead. A more common tactic is to use the turning attempt, but a cleric channelling positive
nasal openings to pour boiling water, acid, flaming energy into the skull may weaken the bone of
oil or other dangerous liquids down upon invaders, which it is made. This functions exactly as above
or to put gas ducts there and have the skull snort for negative energy, except that every hit die of
out poison clouds. turning damage reduces the bone’s hardness by
one point. Positive energy may be used to strip
Dead Whispers: At the Games Master’s away additional hardness granted by negative
discretion, the skull may still retain some vestige energy and vice versa.
of life, or be an undead creature of gargantuan

82
 ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

Additional are large magical items, with their powers deriving

from one or more spell effects. Magically powered
features are more versatile and operate independently,

Stronghold but they may be shut down temporarily with dispel

magic or antimagic field, whereas mechanically
powered features may not.

Features This section allows you to detail the stronghold’s

internal workings to an unprecedented level of

H
ere we present a selection of add-ons, detail. As a player, you may not wish to be bothered
optional extras, tweaks and alternative with every single pipe or chimney; however, Games
construction choices that may be Masters are advised to try putting a stronghold
incorporated into a building or stronghold or used together in this manner, as there is a very different
to flesh it out once it has been built. Each one has atmosphere when one feels one is exploring
a minimum requirement to create in terms of the somewhere that has its own internal consistence.
necessary Craft skill and a set price in gold pieces. Any rogue knows the joy of finding and disabling
an alarm system, climbing into a drainage pipe or
As nearly all of these features represent the work of sabotaging machinery in order to create a diversion.
an expert in some field or other, you must secure the
services of the craftsman before your construction is These features are only those that add convenient or
built; these features are non-standard and cannot be useful functions to a stronghold. Strictly offensive or
obtained simply by paying an additional price. If no defensive features are given in the next chapter.
expert is available in the region, the option cannot be
selected. It may happen that the person you need to
do the work you want done is in the exclusive employ Alarm Systems
of someone else. This happens with the best artisans, Any stronghold that depends upon sentient creatures
as the wealthy and powerful want to reserve such for its defence is going to have an alarm system of
talent for their use alone. some sort. These may range from something as
primitive as walloping a large drum to a sophisticated
There are no materials costs given for these items, magical network activated by triggers.
as the manufacturer supplies the material. If the
resources are not available within the region, you Manually Powered Alarm: This type of alarm
may not select the option. For example, you cannot has to be physically approached and sounded. It is
order a glass wall if the kingdom has no glassmaking readily audible (no Listen check required) to anyone
facilities, nor can you order an iron wall if there are who has nothing but empty air between himself and
no foundries. the alarm device, to a maximum distance of 100 feet
away. So, anyone at the end of a corridor 100 feet
Some of these features may seem more long at the other end of which was a sounded alarm
technologically advanced than a typical campaign would be able to hear it without a Listen check.
world will bear. They do not actually add to the The base DC of the Listen check for anyone else to
available technologies, but represent combinations hear the alarm is 5, with +2 added for every wall or
of fantasy elements and mechanisms that are already floor that is between them and the alarm device and
extant, the idea being that someone with enough time +2 added for every 20 feet over 100 by which the
to think on the matter would surely have realised the listener is separated from the bell. An interposing
potential of (say) a golem-powered treadmill. It is wall or floor that is over 1 foot thick adds +2 to the
entirely up to the Games Master to decide which if DC of the Listen check for every foot of thickness.
any of them are allowed. In any case, there is usually In order to make the alarm as audible as possible,
a magical alternative provided for any powered the noisemaking device is often set in an open-sided
feature. tower above the stronghold, so that it can be heard
through open arrow slits and windows.
Mechanically powered features are those that
depend on the stronghold’s having a source of power The mechanism to activate the alarm does not have
accessible through transmission cables. Sources to be in the same place as the bell, gong, klaxon or
of mechanical power are addressed in Chapter 11, other device that actually makes the noise, though it
Powered Strongholds. Magically powered features does have to be connected to it by a simple pull-rope.

83
ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

For example, an alarm bell might be set in the top through the stronghold every time one of your alarms
of a tower, with the rope that sounds it dropping to a is triggered. You can of course also set a magical
guard room 20 feet below. trigger so that the sounding of an alarm in its area of
operation will seal the room’s doors with stone slabs,
Manually powered alarms are not guaranteed to deactivate nearby teleport pads and activate a magical
alert everyone in the stronghold, as there is a limit gas trap, if you choose. Triggers are versatile and
to the amount of noise you can make with one such may be used to create multiple effects.
device. This is a particular concern in underground
strongholds, which cannot have bell towers. To
compensate for this, multiple guard stations with Armoury
manually powered alarms are used. As soon as one A stronghold’s armoury is where the reserves of
station hears the alarm go off, it sounds its own weapons and armour are kept. The armoury also
alarm, which alerts another station further down the contains essentials such as a grinding wheel to keep
line and so on. swords sharp, metal polish, oil, crates of arrows and
bolts, boxes of spare links for chain and ring mail and
Manually powered alarms cost 90 gp and require 2 any grenade-like weapons; these last are usually kept
levels in Craft (blacksmith) to make. locked in a secure cupboard. Outfitting an armoury
costs 50 gp per type of weapon or make of armour
Mechanically Powered Alarm: This has two you intend to store and maintain. For example,
advantages over a manual alarm. Firstly, a lever or an armoury set up to store and maintain simple
switch trigger may be used to activate it, which takes weapons, martial melee weapons and light armour
a lot less effort than physical pulling and means that would cost 150 gp. One 10 foot square of armoury
the alarm may be sounded from up to fifty feet away space is required for every 50 gp you spend on it.
if a lever is used. Secondly, a powered alarm is a lot
louder and continues to sound until deactivated. (The Wheeler’s Everfull Armoury: This magical item
switch or lever to deactivate the alarm machinery resembles a huge wooden cabinet, ten feet high,
is inevitably kept in a locked room to which only
the senior guard has the key.) The audibility of a
powered alarm is determined as for a manual alarm,
with a maximum distance of 200 feet and a base
Listen check DC of 2.

The type of alarm will depend upon the power system

used in the stronghold. Steam powered strongholds
use shrill whistles like those of a steam locomotive,
kinetic strongholds use a constantly jangling bell,
lightning powered strongholds use violent buzzers
and flashing lights and other strongholds use
screeching klaxons or horns.

Magical Alarm: A magical alarm is simply a

permanent version of the alarm spell, placed upon
a focus object. It may be set to deliver a mental
or audible alarm, as in the spell and has the same
operative radius. The password may be changed
by speaking a command word and then the new
password. In strongholds, the captain of the guard
usually does this on a daily or weekly basis. The
same command word is needed to shut down the
alarm once it has been set ringing. The command
word for an alarm is a closely guarded secret.

You may place a magical trigger so that the sounding

of one magical alarm will trigger another. By linking
alarms in this way, you can cause bells to ring all

84
 ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

ten feet across and three feet deep, with numerous Carpeting and
shelves, compartments and drawers. Up to five
times per day, it may be opened and one simple or Coverings
martial weapon taken from it; alternatively, a bushel A good carpet is not just for decoration, though this
of 20 arrows or 10 crossbow bolts of any nonmagical is admittedly often its primary purpose. Carpeting
kind may be drawn. If the person extracting the makes a stronghold much easier to heat. It may
item knows which compartment holds what, he may also cover up trapdoors, pressure pads, ritual circles
choose what kind of item is drawn, otherwise this or anything else on the floor that you do not want
is determined randomly. The everfull armoury will visitors to see too easily. Carpets are not produced
never contain any composite, masterwork or magical in homogenous and continuous rolls, but are woven
items. It is built into a specific stronghold’s armoury; individually. The maximum size of a single carpet is
if removed, it becomes a mundane cabinet with 30 feet in any one direction.
nothing inside.
A standard carpet provides a +1 circumstance bonus
Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous to any Move Silently skill checks made upon it, so
Item, fabricate; Market Price: 30,000 gp. long as the character does not step on anything but
a carpeted surface. A luxurious carpet provides a
+2 circumstance bonus to the same check. Standard
Beacon carpet costs 1 gp per 5 foot square, while luxurious
This is a signal flare set high in the stronghold. carpet costs 30 gp for the same amount.
When lit or activated, it shines a brilliant light that
clearly illuminates a 150-foot radius and can be seen Tapestries: Tapestries are a traditional way to
for up to 3 miles. Beacons are lit to warn of enemy decorate a stronghold and provide important
presence. They are a typical feature of sea forts and insulation for the walls. They are sometimes used to
border strongholds. A society that depends upon conceal secret doors, though they can be moved aside
primitive technology rather than magic for urgent or torn down with ease. Tapestries may be simple or
communications is likely to use a series of beacon luxurious and cost the same as carpets do.
emplacements set a mile or so apart, so that the
lighting of one will lead to the lighting of others. Engulfing Carpet: A carpet or tapestry can be
enchanted to come to life when stepped on or when
Nonmagical beacons are simply bonfire platforms, a anyone approaches within a set distance, turning it
curved dish 10 feet across set on metal legs, stationed into an animated object of Medium to Large size.
on top of a tower or other high point. They require This is a startling and effective hazard to use against
firewood to use (the room below is usually filled with thieves, who like to keep to the carpets to avoid
lumber and brushwood for this purpose) and cost 120 making noise. Carpets may wrap themselves around
gp, requiring 3 ranks in Craft (blacksmith) to make. targets and blind them; see Core Rulebook III.

A magical beacon is similar in shape but holds a Caster Level: 11th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous
quantity of metal rods on which continuous flame Item, animate objects; Market Price: 29,000 gp.
has been cast; this is covered over with a tarpaulin or
wooden lid when not in use. A more brilliant beacon,
producing light equivalent to daylight within 500 Clocks
feet and visible from up to 10 miles away, resembles Clocks are only found in those parts of the campaign
a glass orb on a metal support. This is activated world where clockwork mechanisms are common
and deactivated by a command word. The magical and life is regulated by the hours rather than by the
daylight produced by this device damages undead stations of the sun. Often, the only clock to be had
creatures who are vulnerable to ordinary daylight. is the pyramidal water clock, which is regarded as
a novelty; the mechanical clock assumes a slightly
Brilliant Beacon: Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: post-mediaeval level of technology.
Craft Wondrous Item, searing light; Market Price:
20,000 gp. In strongholds, they are useful for making sure the
various different occupants do their jobs at the right
time, an important consideration when there is a
whole household to manage. The clock given here is
large, between five and ten feet in diameter. It may

85
ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

be mounted on an interior or exterior wall. Clocks the opportunity for the audience to take pot shots at
must be wound every day and often run fast or slow either side.
according to the surrounding temperature.
Arena of Hazards: This mechanically powered
A clock that is built as a mechanically powered feature is a circular wooden platform 20 feet across
feature needs no winding and is more likely to tell the and covered with small holes. It must have a block
accurate time. To build such a clock, place a block of of machinery placed directly beneath it. The disk
machinery immediately behind it. is used as the arena for one-on-one fights. To
prevent the combatants escaping, the disk is either
Clocks of this size cost 1,500 gp and require 9 ranks surrounded by a low wall with the spectators
in Craft (locksmith) or Profession (inventor) to watching from above, or it is built on top of a column
create. rising from a pit, so as to surround the disk with
a sheer drop on all sides. In this case, the fighters
Time Switch: This is a form of trigger for enter by means of a plank or bridge, which is then
mechanically powered features, which activates removed.
and deactivates them at certain times of day. Its
most common use is to lock and unlock vault doors, Activation of one powered effect causes the disk to
meaning that the area may only be accessed at all at tilt from side to side in an erratic fashion, threatening
prearranged times; the night hours are usually the the balance of the duellists. A second effect extends
ones during which the region is sealed. A vampire and withdraws metal spikes at random across the
stronghold owner might use a time switch to keep disk’s surface, while a third discharges plumes of
his crypt sealed during the hours of daylight. A time flame randomly from the holes. While the wobbling
switch costs the same as a clock, but does not have to effect is ongoing, any character on the disk must
involve a clock face; just the mechanism is enough. make a Balance check at DC 5, 10 or 15 (depending
on the setting) each round or trip and fall. A
character who remains stationary that round receives
Combat Room a +2 circumstance bonus to this check.
A combat room is any space that has been specially
prepared for fighting or training in. Combat rooms The floor spikes are treated as caltrops (see Core
must have ceilings at least 10 feet high, to allow the Rulebook I) that inflict 1d4 points of damage rather
free wielding of large weapons. They are fitted out than the usual 1. They have a 1 in 4 chance per
with practice dummies, punching balls, straw targets, round of being extended in any given quarter of the
racks of wooden weapons for sparring and sometimes disk. If a character trips and falls while the spikes are
soft mats so that unarmed combat techniques can extended, he suffers an ‘attack’ from them.
be practiced safely. Combat rooms are essential for
keeping soldiers at peak efficiency. If they do not see The flame spouts inflict 2d4 points of fire damage,
any combat action and are not given regular training with a Reflex saving throw against DC 15 allowed
exercises to compensate, they will get out of practice to take half damage. However, any character who
and become inefficient. attempts a Reflex saving throw against the flames
while the disk is tilting must make a Balance check
Another kind of combat room is that in which or trip and fall, as this saving throw implies reflexive
fights are arranged for the benefit of an audience. movement.
Sometimes the audience will be there to judge,
such as in duels of honour or trial by combat; at
other times they will be there to enjoy the fight. Door, Wooden
Fights laid on for the audience’s pleasure may be A typical interior door in an above-ground structure
gladiatorial combats, prize fights between equals such as a house is made from thin wooden panels and
or – as is common in evil strongholds - unequal a frame of thicker wood. Such a door costs 2gp and
combats between intruders and monsters. Rooms requires 2 skill ranks in Craft (carpenter) to make.
built to host such combats are fitted with props to It is the ‘simple wooden door’ on page 136 of Core
make the combat more ‘interesting’. For example, if Rulebook I. Exterior doors are made from solid
combatants are lured into a room to fight a dragon, wooden planking and are more robust. They cost
there will be plenty of cover available to hide from its 4 gp and require the same skill as an interior door.
breath weapon, so that the fight will not be over too Such a door is the ‘good door’ referred to on page
easily. There will also be traps, tripping hazards and 136 of Core Rulebook I. A strong exterior door, such

86
 ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

as would be found on a civic building or a cathedral, surface fitted with spikes has its structure points or
costs 8 gp. Extremely strong, heavy-duty doors hit points reduced by 10%, as the holes made in the
such as are found in castle gatehouses have structure wood weaken the structure slightly.
points and Stability ratings instead of hit points and
are included in the descriptions of fortifications in
Chapter 6 of this book. The Games Master may find Fire Escape
these prices useful when calculating the size of bill In order to provide a quick exit in the event of the
that the players are presented with after a typical building catching fire, some structures are equipped
tavern brawl. with fire escapes. These are worked metal ladders or
narrow stairs affixed to the outside of the building,
Angled: A common feature of the heavy external accessible from a window. They are viewed as a
doors on older strongholds, the door is angled so that mixed blessing in some of the more lawless cities,
if it is broken off its hinges it will collapse outwards as they offer thieves an ideal way into a building as
rather than inwards. An angled door that is broken well as offering potential fire victims a way out. If
off its hinges by a ram or charge attack falls on the the fire escape involves ladders, the bottom section
attackers, who must make a Reflex saving throw to may be made retractable so as to allow a person
get out of the way or suffer 3d6 points of crushing climbing down from above to escape the building,
damage. A character who succeeds in his saving while making it harder for an intruder to break in
throw is moved to the perimeter of the effect, which from below.
may mean having to jump into the moat.
A fire escape costs 50 gp per storey of the building
Bracing: The doors on the outside or inside of a and requires 4 ranks in Craft (blacksmith) to make.
stronghold may be fitted with metal braces to hold
the timbers together more securely. Reinforcing a
door in this manner increases its structure points or Fire Feature
hit points by 20% and doubles the cost of the door. Fire is commonplace inside strongholds, being used
for everyday purposes like cooking and heating
Crossbeam: Any door or gate may be fitted with a as well as for more experimental work like potion
crossbeam (wooden) or crossbar (metal) to hold it in distilling or alchemy. Any nonmagical fire feature
place. This is either slid into place or dropped down must be fitted with a smoke vent leading out of
from above into sockets. This does not add to the the stronghold, either through the wall or out of
hit points or structure points of the door. A wooden a chimney. Should this become blocked while
crossbeam increases the door’s Stability saving throw the feature is lit, smoke will quickly fill the room,
by +3 if it is a fortification and the DC to break it obscuring visibility and threatening creatures in the
open with a Strength check by +6 whatever kind of area with suffocation. Smoke hazard rules are found
door it is. A metal crossbar increases the Stability in Core Rulebook II, page 89.
saving throw by +5 and the Strength check DC by
+9. It takes only one rank in Craft (carpenter) to Fireplace: This is a simple stone emplacement for
make a crossbeam and one rank in Craft (blacksmith) burning fuel. It may be made from metal or stone
to make a crossbar. A wooden bar costs 2 gp, a metal and costs 10 gp to install. Fireplaces may be fitted
one 10 gp. with heatstones instead of having wood burned in
them.
Spikes: There is nothing quite so effective at
discouraging a shoulder charge than an array of Forge: Equipping your stronghold with its own
sharp metal spikes sticking out of a door. Any forge is a good way to ensure weapons and armour
character propelled against a spiked surface, such stay in good repair. A forge is, in essence, a trough of
as by a bull rush attack, is ‘attacked’ by one spike hot coals blown alight by a bellows and supplied with
for every foot of his height. These attack at +10 an anvil, hammers, pincers and other metalworking
melee and inflict 1d4+1 piercing damage plus the tools. A fully equipped forge costs 1,000 gp to install
Strength ability score modifier of the person (or and must occupy at least a 5 foot square of floor
force) that pushed the victim on to the spikes. Fitting space.
a surface with spikes costs 4 gp per five-foot square
of surface covered and requires one skill rank in Craft Incinerator: An incinerator is a metal cube, 5 feet
(blacksmith) if the surface is metallic and one skill on a side, which is used for burning waste. A heavy
rank in Craft (carpenter) if it is wooden. A wooden lever may be pulled to lock the door shut. If your
stronghold is powered, you can add machinery to the

87
ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

incinerator to circulate hot air through the stronghold, possible to smash them with a single blow, but they
thus keeping it warm. (Use stone pipes for this, can stand up to significant amounts of pressure;
as described in the Water Features entry.) The for example, they may be walked on safely by a
same process may be used to heat the stronghold’s character carrying up to 300 lb of gear. They are
water. Incinerators may be fed with ordinary fuel or occasionally placed in the floors of rooms, so that the
magically powered. An incinerator may double as a events below can be seen from a safe vantage point.
kiln for firing pottery with.
Glass Wall: Multiple sheets of thick glass may
Magical Incinerator: This resembles the ordinary be joined together to form walls. This is done by
variety but has no coals within it. It has two modes, slotting them into a metal framework and sealing
ember and blast, that are activated by command the edges either with putty or a rubbery alchemical
words. Ember is the incinerator’s default mode, in residue similar to that which is used in the making
which the contents are filled with lapping magical of Tanglefoot bags. Such a wall costs 200 gp per
flames that give off equivalent heat to a stove full 10 foot square section and requires the work of one
of coals. Blast increases the temperature within the person with 3 ranks in Alchemy and another with 3
incinerator to that of a blast furnace for five minutes. ranks in Craft (blacksmith). These walls may be built
The blast effect may be used three times per day around corners.
and is intended for reducing down material that is
difficult to burn, such as bone. Glass Tank: A visually impressive use of glass
walls, this feature involves the creation of a glass-
Caster Level: 13th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous walled area that is used to house living creatures. It
Item, fireball or flame strike; Market Price: 20,000 may be used dry, as a vivarium, or filled with water.
gp. You may then go on to add sand, gravel, aquatic
plants and other such features to it before populating
it with piranhas, dire sharks, pet octopi or whatever
Glass Feature else you choose to include.
The relative fragility of glass features makes them
a poor choice for strongholds that are not built with It is best to reinforce the glass walls magically before
magic, as they are easily broken if they have not been introducing large, strong creatures to the tank, as
magically reinforced. In most strongholds, glass is their thrashing about can easily crack or break the
kept to a minimum, being used to create windows glass. A classic use of this option for evil stronghold
only. Strongholds that are built for splendour rather builders is to have a trapdoor through which you
than defensibility tend to have more glass features, can drop your foes into the tank; you may then head
especially large windows, as they are a way of downstairs and watch through the walls as they
bringing beauty and light into the place. attempt to fight off whatever creatures you have
placed there.
Stained Glass Window: The familiar coloured glass
windows found in churches, cathedrals and state Mirror: A simple wall-mounted glass mirror costs
buildings are made by connecting pieces of coloured 20 gp for 5 square feet.
glass with lengths of soft lead. It is a laborious
process, but the result can be quite spectacular. One-Way Mirror: The one-way mirror is a product
Stained glass windows cost 250 gp per 5-foot square of alchemical rather than magical ingenuity. Prized
section. More elaborate designs could be created by those who like to observe others without being
for a higher price, at the discretion of the Games observed themselves, it is an ordinary mirror from
Master. A stained glass window cannot be made to one side and a slightly dark yet transparent sheet of
a thickness of greater than half an inch, because of glass from the other. One-way mirrors are especially
the limitations of the process by which the pieces are beloved of some inventive spellcasters, as they allow
joined together. them to see (and therefore target spells on) creatures
who have no idea that they are there.
Glass Panel: Using alchemical formulas, it is
possible to produce a type of glass that is thick One-way mirrors cost 40 gp per square foot and
enough to be built into a wall or installed in a floor. require 6 ranks in Alchemy or Craft (glassblower) to
Such pieces of glass are 5 feet square and five inches make. They may be made up to a 5 foot square in
thick; they have a hardness of 1 and 5 hit points per size.
section. Glass walls are brittle but resilient. It is

88
 ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

Heatstone Local illusions are magical effects placed upon an

A stronghold builder who does not wish to be item, effectively a magical item with a permanent
bothered with chimneys or fuel sources for heating image effect bound to it. As such, they can only
can use a heatstone instead. This is not actually ever make one thing seem like another thing, or fill a
made of stone; it is a ten-inch iron sphere mounted region adjacent to the item with a consistent illusory
on a three-foot high stand, rather like a pyramidal substance or effect. They could therefore make a
brazier. Pronouncement of a command word causes column seem to be a golem holding up the ceiling, or
the iron sphere to heat up to just the point of red a stone floor slab appear to be emitting flames. They
heat, producing enough warmth to heat a small room could not, however, cause illusory guards to appear
comfortably or to boil a kettle in about five minutes. out of nothing, or illusory dragons to come around
A tipped-over heatstone will cause organic material the corner and attack.
to smoulder, scorch and eventually catch fire.
Multiple heatstones set beneath a boiler are one way Characters who interact with the illusion are allowed
of producing steam power for a stronghold. a Will save to realise its unreal nature. This does not
end the effect for anyone other than the character
Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous concerned. A local illusion is continuous, but anyone
Item, heat metal; Market Price: 11,000 gp. who has successfully made a Will save to disbelieve
it does not need to do so again.

Ice Room Several different varieties of local illusion are

Ice rooms are stone or metal-lined chambers, one or available, according to the type and dimensions of
more of whose walls are freezing cold to the touch the effect. At the Games Master’s discretion, item
and covered with a build-up of frost. They are used crafters may produce less expensive versions by
to store food that would otherwise putrefy or to using different image spells instead of permanent
provide comfortable living space for ice-dwelling image and leaving out unnecessary sensory effects.
monsters. One 10-foot section of freezing wall is For example, a local illusion might use silent image
required for every three 10-foot cubes of space to be alone if it were intended to occupy a ceiling and give
kept below zero. The room must be kept closed for a distant, purely visual effect.
the effect to work and the walls must be at least a
foot thick. Once the focus object is enchanted, the illusion
stored within it cannot be changed.
Freezing Wall: Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: Craft
Wondrous Item, wall of ice; Market Price: 20,000 gp. Projected Image: This is an illusion created as per
a permanent image spell, identical to it in all respects
but size; the image may not be any larger than 9
Illusion, Local conjoined 10 ft. cubes. The magic is placed upon a
A luxury only available to those stronghold builders part of the floor or the wall – the focus object, which
who have plenty of gold or who are themselves is the magical item - and the image or part thereof
advanced magicians, a local illusion is an image must remain in constant contact with it. It may not
effect operating within a fixed area. Some stronghold move any part of itself more than 50 ft. away from
builders use local illusions purely for decoration, the focus object.
such as by creating the effect of a grand hall with its
ceiling open to the night sky, or for dramatic effect The focus object itself may not be more than 10
such as surrounding a throne with leaping flames ft. across in any dimension and must either be a
in which tormented figures writhe. It is however single item (such as a floorboard) or composed of
the more practical illusions which are favoured by multiple similar items, such as a brick wall. You
the majority of stronghold builders. Illusory guards could therefore create a floor slab 5 ft. square on
or monsters are a popular choice, though there are which stood an illusory troll guard who never moved
those who consider these to be worse than a waste of from his position, or a stone in the wall to which an
money, saying that an intruder only has to disbelieve illusory dragon was bound by an illusory chain. The
one such illusion to be suspicious of anything else he advantage of the latter arrangement is that the image
meets in the stronghold, lessening the effect of any can move convincingly while retaining its connection
other illusions you might have placed. Illusions work with the focus object.
best when used sparingly and cautiously.
Caster Level: 11th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous
Item, permanent image; Market Price: 30,000 gp

89
ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

Reactive Projected Image: This functions as an may only be up to 10 ft. by 1 ft. in size and the wall
ordinary projected image, but the illusion may be produced may be no more than 10 ft. in height. This
called into being or change its state in response to a effect is identical to that produced by the spell of the
specified event. You might, for example, program same name. Multiple permanent illusory walls may
a stone causeway so that it seems to collapse once be arranged side by side and produce a single overall
a character has crossed it, make an illusory bridge effect, so long as the same person manufactures
extend across a chasm when a command word is them. The only way to create a permanent illusory
spoken, or cause illusory flames to burst from the wall effect higher than 10 ft. is to place a second
floor ahead. The same triggers may be applied as for focus object in the ceiling and have two 10 ft. walls
a magic mouth spell. meet in the middle; even this method cannot create a
wall more than 20 ft. high overall.
Caster Level: 11th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous
Item, permanent image, programmed image; Market One may, of course, have ordinary illusory wall spells
Price: 50,000 gp cast in one’s stronghold to much the same effect. The
only advantage that a local illusion variety of illusory
Altered Surface: This kind of image is restricted to wall has over the ordinary kind is that this sort is the
the surface of the item that it is altering. Otherwise, product of a magic item and will thus reassert itself
it has all the sensory aspects of a permanent image even if a dispel magic effect is used to dampen it
spell. The surface, which is the focus object for the temporarily. An ordinary illusory wall, by contrast, is
spell, is subject to the same restrictions as above. destroyed altogether if dispelled.
An altered surface may make wood appear to be
iron or stone appear to be water, but it cannot make Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous
a solid floor appear to be air or create any kind of Item, illusory wall; Market Price: 12,000 gp
protuberance or creature emerging from the surface.
It is also impossible to create an altered surface that
depends on new environmental information, such as Invisible Fixture
a mirror that reflects a character’s appearance or a By use of this feature, a part of your stronghold is
window that provides an up to date view of an area. enchanted so that it becomes a permanently invisible
It is possible to create multiple altered surfaces side magical item. The object so treated must be of a
by side and create a unified effect, if the same person single type (so you could enchant a wooden bridge or
creates each item. a metal bar, but not a wooden platform with a siege
machine on it) and may weigh no more than 1,000 lb
Caster Level: 11th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous in total.
Item, permanent image; Market Price: 20,000 gp
This effect is most commonly used to make bridges
Reactive Altered Surface: This functions as an invisible, so that only those who know they are there
altered surface, with the contingency effect that the will have the confidence to step out into the void.
image may be changed or activated by a trigger, Slightly less common is the practice of fitting metal
as with a reactive projected image. You may only bars, wooden beams, wires or even sharpened blades
program in two states for the image, though there across a corridor and making them invisible, bringing
may be a smooth transition between them. So, you an abrupt halt to the progress of anyone running
could create the illusion of a metal floor rolling back down the corridor who does not know they are
to reveal water underneath, or program a ceiling to there. An invisible fixture that becomes covered with
change its appearance from sun and clouds to moon material that reveals its outline, such as paint, dust or
and stars. flour, may easily be seen. For this reason, invisible
bridges have to be swept clean of dust and debris
Caster Level: 11th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous every week or so.
Item, permanent image, programmed image; Market
Price: 30,000 gp Some eccentric stronghold builders use invisible
fixtures to solve the problem of giving rooms
Permanent Illusory Wall: The illusion here is adequate lighting while keeping them secure from
placed upon a stretch of floor, ceiling or wall, from intrusion and minimising heat loss. Instead of fitting
which an illusory wall effect emerges. The stretch windows, simply make an area of wall invisible. This
of surface is the focus object and is subject to the allows the passage of light but lets the wall retain
same restrictions of composition as above, though it its full structural strength. It is rumoured that there

90
 ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

is at least one sorcerer who has an entire tower with powered door but only one that can open it, or three
invisible walls, a place said to be so torturous to the levers that can start an alarm bell ringing but only one
eye that nobody has yet been able to bring himself to that can shut it off.
besiege it.
A lever trigger costs 10 gp to make and requires 1
Caster Level: 6th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous rank in Craft (blacksmith).
Item, invisibility; Market Price: 36,000 gp.

Lighting
Ladder, Fixed Lighting may seem, on the face of it, to be a trivial
A wooden or metal ladder may be fixed permanently issue, but it is a highly important one. The kind of
in place where there is no room for a staircase or lighting you employ affects how far your guards can
where the expense of building stairs is unjustifiable, see, how frequently your lights need to be changed
such as in an outbuilding. A wooden ladder costs 2 and how susceptible your stronghold is to fire. It
gp and a metal one 5 gp; the wooden ladder requires only takes one person to grab a torch from a sconce
1 ranks in Craft (carpenter) to build while the metal and thrust it into a curtain to turn your palace of
one requires 1 rank in Craft (blacksmith). seclusion into an inferno.

Retractable: For double the price, the ladder can be Torch Sconce: Torches in sconces are the
made retractable. The bottom section may be slid customarily light source for the rugged, military
upward, halving the length of the ladder. Retractable type of stronghold. The most primitive strongholds
ladders are also often hinged where they join the edge and those with the least money to invest are likely
on which they rest, meaning that a retracted ladder to use this method of illumination. A torch sconce
may be lain back against the floor and the opening is a simple metal bracket fixed to the wall, costing 3
closed. This arrangement is sometimes found in loft gp. Candle sconces are similar, smaller brackets for
rooms and in secret retreats above the rafters of a holding candles. Some torch sconces are placed next
building. to dark areas (such as wine cellars) so that anyone
who needs to enter the area can grab a lit torch from
the sconce and return it when they come back.
Lever Trigger
A lever trigger is used to activate mechanically Torches are relatively easy to douse, present a fire
powered features or to slide back a bolt holding hazard and do not burn for very long. The torches
something in place. Working a lever requires a used to light castles are more heavy-duty than the
Strength ability score check at a DC of 10. The hand held sort, lasting for three hours rather than one
lever must be at least a foot long, though it may be but still lighting up a 20 foot radius.
disguised as something else; torch sconces, chair
legs and standing lamps are typical choices. A Instead of a combustible torch, a stick on which
lever trigger may be placed anywhere along the continual flame has been cast may be used. This is
transmission cable that runs into the machinery, or a much safer option, as such flames do not emit heat
on the machinery itself, though it may not be more and cannot ignite flammable objects.
than 50 feet of cable length away from the machinery
it operates. You may, if you wish, extend a length Hand-Held Lamp: This is the ‘Aladdin’ variety
of cable from the machinery that serves no other of oil lamp described in Core Rulebook I as ‘Lamp:
purpose than connecting up the lever, so that the Common’. When used to light strongholds, they are
lever can be somewhere else entirely, as is done when placed upon pedestals or on shelves protruding from
guard rooms high above the stronghold gates house the wall.
the levers to operate gates, drawbridge and portcullis.
This cable may be run behind a wall or under a floor. Hanging Lamp: A slightly less hazardous option
is the oil lamp suspended from chains, hanging from
A single powered feature may have up to four lever a bracket in the wall or a hook in the ceiling. These
triggers in different parts of the stronghold. This clearly illuminate a 30-foot radius (though they
is especially useful when creating a powered alarm may be dimmed if desired, clearly illuminating a
system (see below). You may choose to limit the minimum 5-foot radius) and burn for 6 hours on a
lever’s function so that it can only cause the powered pint of oil. The glass or metal reservoir holds 3 pints
feature to perform half of its potential action. For of oil; the oil in the lamps is usually refreshed in the
example, you could have three levers that can close a

91
ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

morning, to make them ready for overnight use. This triggers have a 100-foot range, meaning that they
option is also available in a tabletop version, which may be set to activate any feature within this distance
sits on a broad base. Lamps of this kind are too in response to an event occurring anywhere within
hefty and fragile to pick up and carry with you if you this distance. Events that may be used to fire a
intend to do anything requiring exertion. They cost trigger are given in the description of the magic
13 gp each. A hanging lamp with a metal reservoir mouth spell in Core Rulebook I. Magical triggers
is less visually appealing than a glass one but is less may be deceived by the same spells as are there
likely to be targeted by enemy archers wishing to described. If there is a need to adjudicate whether or
cause chaos. not a trigger ‘heard’ or ‘saw’ something on the limits
of perception, assume that it has effective Spot and
Chandelier: The chandelier offers a visually Listen skills of 12.
impressive way to light a room. Chandeliers are
made from several circular tiers of metal with an For example, you could set a magical trigger to
array of candles around each tier, so that the whole activate a local illusion of a demon emerging from
arrangement produces a bright yet mellow light. the floor when a particular book was opened in the
Chandeliers are sometimes ornamented with crystals vicinity, or set a teleportation pad to activate only
on wires, to make them appear to shimmer and to when the user was wearing a particular item of
look more opulent. They are attached to the ceiling jewellery.
with a rope or chain. In order that the candles in
the chandelier may be changed, the rope or chain A regular magical trigger may respond to only one
can be unfastened and the chandelier lowered. event with one feature activation. Additional trigger
Swinging on chandeliers is common practice among effects may be added to the same item simply by
debauched aristocrats and swashbuckling adventurers adding the base cost again. So, for three times the
alike; the most pressing consideration under such cost of a basic trigger, you could have a trigger that
circumstances is whether the fixtures can bear the responded to the approach within 100 ft. of anyone
weight. A silk rope can support a total weight of dressed in black by lowering the drawbridge and
300lb. without breaking, whereas a chain can support raising the portcullis, but responded to anyone
520 lb. The chandelier itself weighs 50 lb and clearly dressed in white by sounding an alarm.
illuminates a 40-foot radius.
It is important to remember that it is not the feature
In lands where magic is commonplace, nobody will but the trigger that responds to events within the area.
bother to fill a chandelier with ordinary candles. If the trigger is covered or muffled, it may not be able
Instead, they are filled with small metal cylinders on to sense the events it needs to; if it is suppressed with
which a continual flame spell has been cast. This dispel magic or destroyed outright, it cannot trigger
procedure is so simple that it does not even count as its linked features at all. It is therefore wise to make
creating a magic item. Six such cylinders are needed the trigger out of something strong or inconspicuous.
to create a chandelier with equivalent brightness to
the candle-powered version. A chandelier in simple Optional Rule: At the Games Master’s discretion,
iron costs 50 gp to make and requires 3 ranks in Craft magical triggers could simply be placed on to powered
(blacksmith). features as an extra level of enchantment, obviating the
need for a separate item enchanted as a trigger. If this
is done, just add the cost of the trigger to the cost of the
Magical Trigger feature.
Magical triggers may be used to activate any magical
or powered feature. They allow greater versatility Standard Magical Trigger: Caster Level: 7th;
than command words alone and make a stronghold’s Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, magic mouth;
features capable of reacting independently. Any Market Price: 25,000 gp.
feature that can be activated by a command word,
such as moving masonry, may be set to be activated Magical Trigger To Activate Mechanically Powered
by a magical trigger instead. (If the feature is not Feature: Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft
itself magical, the trigger costs slightly more and Wondrous Item, magic mouth, telekinesis; Market
requires additional spells to make.) The focus object Price: 55,000 gp.
for the magical trigger can be any single item. Its
location is important, as it must be able to ‘see’ or
‘hear’ the event that will trigger the effect. Magical
Mausoleum of Safe Repose
As mausoleums are very tempting places for

92
 ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

necromancers to visit, some families have them Consult Core Rulebook I, page 142, to find out how
specially enchanted so that they will not be used as much weight a given piece of machinery can lift as
zombie or skeleton repositories. The mausoleum determined by its Strength rating. (Moving masonry
is counted as a magical item and benefits from the effects may move or lift up to 400 lb. of material and
effects of a hallow spell. In addition, corpses placed exert an effective Strength of 24.) Sample powered
within it do not decay. They remain unaffected by feature applications are given below, but feel free to
the ravages of time, allowing the family to come create your own, with the Games Master’s consent.
and look on the faces of their loved ones once again. It helps to visualise the machinery as pulling, pushing
Mausoleums of safe repose are sometimes created to or turning. These three effects are the limit of what
house the bodies of saints, who remain uncorrupted can be achieved by a powered feature. They may not
and are prayed to by the faithful. be combined.

Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous The cost of a powered feature is only that of the
Item, gentle repose, hallow; Market Price: 80,000 gp. block of machinery needed to produce the effect.
This costs 1,000 gp per 6 points of Strength that
the machinery will be able to exert. No machine
Mechanically or may exert a greater Strength than 24, as this would
begin to damage the metal components. The
Magically Powered manufacture and installation of this machinery
Feature requires the combined skills of at least 8 ranks in
Knowledge: Architecture & Engineering and 5 ranks
Powered features are those stylish, flashy touches
that make a stronghold special, bringing the fantasy in Craft (blacksmith). All other components, such
stronghold out of the limits set by real-world as portcullises and stone blocks, must be bought up
mediaeval history. They allow the occupier to separately.
manipulate large parts of the stronghold with magic
or machinery. Their primary use is to control access Machinery that can lift a certain weight of material
to the different parts of the stronghold by such means may turn three times this amount, or push three
as closing off passageways and retracting bridges; times this amount if the feature has been fitted with
they may also be used as a way to destroy or drive off runners, bearings, gears or a similar way of lessening
intruders, though they are a slow means of achieving friction. It is much easier to move material along
this. the ground than it is to lift it off the ground. So, a
block of machinery that has a strength of 12 can lift
Any powered feature may be created either as only 200 lb. of material; it could be used to raise one
a moving masonry effect or connected to the 200 lb. metal grating or extend one 600 lb. bridge on
stronghold’s central power source via a transmission bearings.
cable (see below). If the feature is powered by
moving masonry¸ it is activated with a command Powered features are not held in place by locks
word. If it is mechanically powered, a lever (the chance of an accidental activation, leading to
trigger or a switch trigger must be used to activate the shattering of the lock or the jamming of the
it. Alternatively, it may be powered by a local machinery, is too great) but by the static machinery
mechanism, though this is uncommon. See the entry affixed to them or by their own weight. Characters
on powered secret doors for examples of these. may therefore not bypass them with the Open Locks
skill but they may be forced open with a successful
Any powered feature that works by being connected Strength check with a DC of 24, or lifted out of the
up to a power system must have a block of machinery way with a Strength check appropriate to the weight
directly next to it. This must contain 1 cubic foot of of the feature. Forcing a powered feature open has a
machinery for every 8 points of Strength that will go flat 50% chance of disabling the machinery.
into powering the feature, to a maximum Strength
determined by the type of power source: see Chapter Opening/Closing Door: For the grandiose or lazy
11 for more on power sources. This machinery may stronghold owner, or he whose doors are too hefty
be fitted into the ceiling, the wall or the floor, or just and cumbersome to open without a throng of servants
be left freestanding. When blocks of machinery are heaving at them, the gates may be mechanised. A
left out in the open, they are usually encased in wood, system may be installed to open and close a single
brick or metal to prevent sabotage. door or set of double doors or raise and lower a
portcullis or drawbridge. In the former case the

93
ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

doors are pulled open by hinged rods; in the latter, a adding an extending bridge to your design. A
turning spindle winds a chain. single block of machinery can extend a wooden,
stone or metal bridge out from its housing to a set
Heavy Vertical Door: The simplest use of this distance. The distance covered depends on the type
feature is to make the ‘Open Sesame’ variety of door, of material used. Wood and metal bridges may be
in which a heavy slab is set to open itself when the extended out to 30 feet as wood is light and metal is
word is pronounced or the lever pulled. As it is much strong; stone, however, may not be extended past 10
harder for an ordinary person to lift a slab rather than feet by machinery alone as it is too heavy to hang
push it, the effect is usually applied in such a way unsupported. If you want a stone extending bridge,
as to make the slab rise rather than push open on a you are better off using a moving masonry magical
hinge. The door may be a stone slab or a metal wall; effect, as this is telekinetic in nature and does not
see above. place stress upon the stone. The above limits assume
that your bridge is 10 feet wide. You may extend the
Garbage Crusher: A stronghold owner who needs maximum distance by half again by creating a 5-foot
to dispose of large amounts of refuse, such as the wide bridge instead.
bodies of adversaries or the remains of monsters,
may make his life easier by installing a garbage To make an extending bridge, add the costs of a
crusher. This is a small featureless room, with wooden bridge, stone slab or metal wall the size of
whatever inward and outward running pipes or your intended bridge to the costs of the machinery
passageways are most convenient for the castle’s needed to extend it.
design, sometimes with an observation window. The
walls are usually made from metal. Activation of Lift: If the traditional winding staircases of fantasy
the feature causes one of the walls to move slowly strongholds do not appeal to you, why not equip
across the room, pressing inwards with an effective your new home with a powered lift? The mechanical
Strength equal to that which the machinery can exert principles behind this feature are simple. A metal
Everything in its path that offers no resistance is or wooden cage, or platform if you want a more
moved with it. If any item is pressed against a fixed worrying trip, is suspended from a chain, which
surface, such as the other wall, the moving wall is is attached to the block of machinery at the top of
allowed to make a Strength check once per round the lift shaft. Activation of the machinery winds
to crush it as if it had been a person attempting to or unwinds the chain, causing the lift to be raised
break the object. A character who is trapped by the or lowered. The lever or switch trigger for the
wall must make a Fortitude saving throw each round machinery is placed within the lift carriage. If a lift
at a DC of 20. Failure means that the character is is laden with more weight than the machinery can
pinned (see Core Rulebook I) and suffers 1d4 points lift and the machinery is activated or it is overloaded
of crushing damage per round plus the machinery’s while the machinery is running, there is a chance that
Strength ability score bonus. the machinery will jam (if the lift is on the bottom
floor) or give way (if it is on any other floor). The
An even more unpleasant variant of this feature is machinery must make a Strength check against a DC
the ‘double whammy’ crusher, which involves a of 24 for each round that it is under strain, or jam or
powered wall on each side pressing inwards. This give way as appropriate.
feature exerts an effective Strength of the operating
machinery +2 upon items it crushes. Any character Rotating Bridge: Rotating bridges are of two kinds.
unfortunate enough to be trapped between these A column on which the bridge stands either supports
converging surfaces must make his Fortitude saving them from below, or the bridge hangs from an axle
throw against a DC of 25 and suffers 1d4 points of above by chains. The former method is much more
crushing damage per round plus damage equal to the elaborate, though stable. It is best handled by using
ability score bonus of the machinery’s Strength +2 if moving masonry. The latter is easier to bring off
the save is failed. The total effective Strength is not with mundane machinery. In either case, the bridge
doubled, because it is still the overall ‘strength’ of the is customarily made of wood as it is light and easy
stronghold’s power source that is being resisted, even to move. There is nothing to secure a suspended
if it is channelled through two sets of machinery. rotating bridge in position, so caution is necessary
when climbing on as the ends of the bridge tend to
Extending Bridge: If your stronghold has steep wobble. To make a rotating bridge, add the cost
drops in it and you want to make sure that nobody of the wooden bridge to the cost of the machinery,
crosses them without your say-so, you could consider remembering not to build a bridge heavier than the

94
 ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

machinery can bear. A bridge supported from below heat, such as a tame dragon or a patient wizard with
by a column must be powered by machinery strong a great many fire spells, it is impossible to weld
enough to move both the column and the bridge. sections of metal wall into place.

Automated Metal Shutter: To combine the Metal walls cost 300 gp per 10-foot square section.
convenience of glass windows with the defensive They require 7 ranks in Craft (blacksmith) to create.
advantage of a strong covering, fit automated metal
shutters to your windows. These can be made of Enamelling: A metal feature may be coated with a
jointed plates, thus rolling back into a cylindrical thick layer of enamel. This has two main purposes;
housing, or of a single flat sheet. Activating the it is decorative, which is useful for those who find
machinery brings the shutters down over your iron a sombre material to live with, and it prevents
windows at a rate of 20 feet per round. The cost of anything with a rust-inducing touch, such as a rust
fitting this feature is that of the machinery plus the monster or a druid using rusting grasp, from being
shutter; a jointed shutter that can fit into a smaller able to corrode the metal. This process costs 5 gp
space will cost you 20 gold pieces extra. The per square foot of metal surface treated. It is not
shutter must have room to retract above or below the a failsafe treatment, as the enamel may be scraped
window. away, but it is better than nothing. The enamel layer
has a hardness of 9 and 2 hit points.
Winch: A winch is used to lift heavy loads up to
a high point. High towers occupied by paranoid Metal Door: A metal door (iron is the usual
or suspicious people sometimes have winches that material) does not have to be set into a metal wall;
are used to lift food and provisions up to the living they are commonly placed within magically treated
quarters, so the occupants do not have to descend to walls of stone or at the end of natural rock tunnels to
the front gate. A winch is no more than a windlass protect areas of prime importance. Metal doors cost
(see below) with machinery powering it. 400 gp for a 7 foot by 3 foot door and require 7 ranks
in Craft (blacksmith) to create. Statistics are as given
for the iron door in Core Rulebook II.
Metal Features
Metal is the strongest of the commonly available Metal Bars: More economical than a solid wall and
building materials. Iron is the metal most commonly nearly as effective for keeping out mundane foes are
worked with, with bronze coming a close second. iron bars from floor to ceiling. These are used to
The difficulty of working with large amounts of create prison areas or cages for captive beasts. Metal
metal means that a foundry is needed to build any bars cost 5 gp per 5-foot square section and require 1
metal feature that is larger than 10 feet in any one rank in Craft (blacksmith) to make. The bars are one
direction. inch thick and usually spaced between six and eight
inches apart, depending on what is being kept in or
Metal Wall: Solid metal walls are not common, out. Metal bars may be placed in windows to prevent
but some strongholds feature them. A single section thieves from breaking in or prisoners from breaking
of metal wall can be made no larger than 10 feet out.
wide, 10 feet high and 3 inches thick. Iron is the
most common material for making metal walls. The The bars have a hardness of 10 and 30 hit points
statistics for an iron wall are given in Core Rulebook each. They may be bent with a Strength check at a
II. DC of 24.

You may place a metal wall anywhere in the Metal Grate: A grate is made from bars or strips of
stronghold you wish, so long as it is supported from metal laid in a criss-cross fashion and fused together.
below and on both sides by a masonry wall or a solid They are usually employed to cover the ends of
floor. Metal walls may be placed over ordinary walls drains or other vulnerable openings, allow visibility
in order to reinforce them. If there is enough support, without allowing access through walls or floors, or to
sections of metal wall may be joined at the corners barricade a window. A grate has a hardness of 10 and
to create cubical rooms or at the edges to create 30 hit points per 5-foot square section. Unlike bars,
larger walls. The standard method is to bolt or rivet grates may not be bent open.
the sections of wall together. Unless the stronghold
builder has access to a local and intense source of Metal Shutter: For added security, these hinged
sheets of metal may be fitted instead of, or as well as,

95
ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

the glass in a window. They are closed and fastened is room. A portcullis must have at least 8 feet of
from within when the stronghold is under threat. The available space directly above, so that it has a place
metal in the shutters is half an inch thick. Each one into which to retract. See the Gatehouse entry in
costs 5 gp, requires 1 rank in Craft (blacksmith) to Chapter 6, Fortifications, for the statistics and use of
make, has a hardness of 10 and has 20 hit points. a portcullis.

Metal Spiral Staircase: This feature is a very useful

way to move between floors without going to the Moving Masonry
trouble of building a stone or wooden staircase, as it
takes up much less room. It also has the advantage (Magical)
of being more secure than a simple ladder. The stairs By investing large amounts of money or magical
are welded to a central column, which is secured to energy, a stronghold may be equipped with heavy
the floor and ceiling. Spiral stairs are usually found stone, wood or metal features that move under their
in large open rooms, leading up to balconies or own power. Each feature so enchanted has to be
platforms. They are a common feature of industrial given a ‘path’, which is the route it follows once
buildings. Some stronghold builders install them in activated. The path must either loop round to rejoin
the centre of hollow towers in preference to a stone itself or be a simple line. On pronouncement of
staircase around the circumference of the tower. the command word, the feature completes half the
circuit if the path is a loop, or moves to the end of the
A spiral staircase is only as strong as its end fixtures. line; a second pronouncement of the command word
If the building in which it is installed suffers causes the feature to complete the circuit or move
structural damage (in the case of a large building, back along the line. Either way, it must finish where
this must be within 30 feet of the staircase) the it started. Alternatively, instead of having a path,
staircase has a cumulative 2% chance of breaking the feature may rotate about a fixed point, such as a
loose at the top per 10 points of structural damage static axle upon which a heavy door turns. No more
inflicted, causing the whole arrangement to fall. If sophisticated manoeuvres than these are possible.
this happens, it will tilt slowly over in a random Features moved by this effect are pushed with an
direction, like a felled tree, stopping when it strikes a effective Strength of 24 and move at a maximum
solid surface. speed of 20 feet per round.

This can be very dangerous for anyone on the stairs There are countless applications for this simple
at the time, who must make a Reflex saving throw at system. It is substantially more expensive than
DC 10 or fall from the stairs. If the staircase has no mechanical power, but is far more versatile and
handrail, the DC of the saving throw is 20. Holding takes up less space. Moreover, it may be activated
on to the stairs is only useful in any case if the stairs by a command word, which is both more secure and
fall against a wall or ledge. If they have room to fall more convenient. Moving masonry may be used
all the way down to the floor, any character hanging to extend and retract bridges, raise and lower lifts,
on to them suffers half the falling damage he would seal off corridors or even send trundling juggernauts
have taken if he had fallen from the height he was at down narrow passageways to crush intruders to jelly
before the stairs collapsed. beneath their stone rollers. The cost of a moving
masonry effect depends upon the weight of the
Inflicting damage on the mooring bracket at the top feature that is being moved, as this will determine the
of the staircase can also cause the staircase to break. caster level for the telekinesis spell used to achieve
The bracket has a hardness of 10 and 40 hit points. the effect.
Rust damage is a quick and lethal way to destroy the
bracket; for this reason, iron spiral staircases may be As a telekinesis effect is used to make this work,
enamelled as metal doors can be (see above.) the features may be programmed to move in any
direction including up into the air. However, no
A wrought-iron staircase costs 400 gp per 10 feet feature may be held unsupported by a moving
of stair. It requires 5 ranks in Craft (blacksmith) to masonry effect for longer than one hour per day.
construct and 3 levels in Craft (builder) to install. This time need not be used up consecutively.

Portcullis: Portcullises are most usually found in Most powered features (see below) can be powered
castle gatehouses and barbicans but smaller ones by a moving masonry effect instead of a central
may be fitted anywhere inside a building where there power source.

96
 ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

Default Moving Masonry: This option may be used sliding puzzle needing to be assembled into a picture
for any generic effect that the stronghold builder or even a combination lock with rotating barrels
may have in mind. With it, you can program a single that must be set to the right number. The cost of a
object weighing up to 400 lbs. to follow a simple puzzle trigger depends on its complexity; the Games
path up to 200 feet long. Unless the surface over Master’s discretion is called into play here. The skill
which the feature will travel has been prepared with involved to make one is Craft (locksmith). A simple
runners, rails or bearings (or the feature is equipped puzzle costs 200 gp and requires 3 skill ranks, a
with rollers or wheels) the masonry will grate noisily moderately difficult one 500 gp and 6 skill ranks, a
and unpleasantly as it moves along its course. Such difficult one 1,200 gp and 9 skill ranks and a next to
preparation has to be laid all along the feature’s path, impossible one 3,000 gp and 12 skill ranks.
unless of course it moves through the air at any point.
It needs to be fitted by a character with at least 2 Mechanical puzzle triggers may be used anywhere
ranks in Craft (builder) and costs 40 gp per 10 feet of a switch trigger could be. It is however common
railing. Many stronghold builders do not bother with sense to place them directly over the machinery
rails, as they prefer their moving masonry to take or the locking catch that they affect, because any
people by surprise. character that can pry their way in to the connecting
mechanism between the puzzle trigger and the
Caster Level: 20th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous machinery could ‘hotwire’ the feature or lock and not
Item, telekinesis; Market Price: 80,000 gp. have to bother solving the puzzle!

Magical: A magical puzzle trigger has the physical

Portrait form of any single mundane object; the shape of
Large portraits are a common feature of strongholds. the item does not matter. Paving slabs, blocks of
They are often placed above the central fireplace in masonry or statues are commonly used. Magical
a great hall and commemorate the lord of the land puzzle triggers are used to activate features in the
in a suitably flattering light. Their practical value same way that ordinary magical triggers are.
lies largely in their size, as it makes them useful for
concealing other things. A portrait may be used to Upon occurrence of a set event within a range
conceal a wall safe or even a secret passageway in the specified by the item creator (no further than 100
walls. The stock cliché of a portrait whose eyes may feet away) a magic mouth effect activates, speaking
be looked through is in fact an efficient way of spying a set message. This will usually be in the form of a
on people in the stronghold without them noticing, riddle or challenge, such as ‘Who dost thou serve?’
as even something as subtle as a Scry spell can be If the correct response is given within the set range,
detected without even trying. A commissioned the trigger activates the effect. The response need
portrait costs 20 gp per square foot of canvas painted not be verbal; it may be any triggering action, as
on and requires at least 3 ranks in Craft (painting). given in the description of the magic mouth spell
The excellence of the work may be determined by the in Core Rulebook I. The magic mouth might, for
Games Master, who can roll a Craft (painting) skill example, command that those entering the room
check and multiply the result by 10 to determine the show humility, whereupon all characters would need
inherent value of the piece. to kneel in order for the effect to activate. Note that
there are two triggers implicit here. One causes
the magic mouth to appear in the first place, while
Puzzle Trigger another activates the effect.
A puzzle trigger is an unusual way to control the
activation of a powered feature or the release of Magical puzzle triggers have the same requirements
a locking catch. Eccentric magicians, stronghold as ordinary magical triggers but cost twice as much.
builders who like to challenge their foes and those The creator of the puzzle trigger may, if desired, add
who wish to make sure that only the right kind of further activation effects keyed in to other events
person can get access to an area are all likely to use taking place in the operative area, each one adding
puzzle triggers. the cost of a regular magical trigger to the cost of
creation.
Mechanical: This is a device that involves the
manipulation of moving parts into a variety of For example, Grizz the Enigmatic, a stronghold
possible configurations. When the configuration is builder of avowedly evil alignment, creates a puzzle
correct, the effect is triggered. An example would trigger in the form of a hideous talking statue in
be a clock face that had to be set to a given time, a

97
ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

the centre of a room. Entering the room causes the the machinery will not be able to open it without
statue to ask ‘Stranger, what time of day are you?’ using force. Breaking such a door open requires a
Answering ‘dawn’ causes a moving masonry effect Strength check against a DC of 24. Knock spells and
to open ducts in the ceiling, pouring in water from the like do not work, as the door is held shut not by a
above and flooding the room, while answering lock but by a large metal bar and gears.
‘midnight’ causes a similar effect to open the exit on
the other side of the room. As there are two possible Powered secret doors are not hindered by the
outcomes, this trigger would cost three times the weight of the material used to make the wall, as the
regular amount for an ordinary magical trigger. machinery does all the work. They may therefore be
installed in any wall that is over two feet thick. It is
impossible to install them in thinner walls than this,
Secret Door as there is not room for the machinery. Partition
walls are too flimsy to bear powered secret doors.
(Mundane)
Rare is the stronghold that does not have a secret If you are creating a powered secret door as an
doorway somewhere in its corridors. The basic ordinary powered feature, all you have to do is
designs of secret door have already been covered connect up the door to a transmission cable. Most
in the sections on partition walls and worked stone powered secret doors are, however, independently
walls, but there are other more advanced options driven, because it is not difficult for an intruder to
available. trace the path of a transmission cable to find a secret
door at the end of it.
Secret door making is an art. The trick to concealing
a secret door is to make its outline look like a regular The most important thing to remember when fitting
part of the wall. Secret doors in uniform surfaces an independently powered secret door is where the
are as easy to spot as a crack in plaster, whereas one machinery is going to go. It only takes an intruder to
hinged wooden panel in a room full of wooden panels passwall his way into your secret door’s machinery
is like a leaf hidden in a forest. and the hidden door to your sanctum sanctorum is
compromised. A powered secret door needs to be set
Pivoted Secret Door: This kind of door requires next to a shaft at least 1 ft square across and twice the
only pressure to open it; it is a rotating slab mounted height of the moving section deep, which contains
on pivots in the door’s centre both above and below. the machinery. This may be embedded in the wall,
(For more information on pivots, see Core Rulebook but remember that the shaft may run through the floor
II, Doors.) Pivoted secret doors may be placed in or ceiling and have to be disguised as a column on
any wall and may be up to 1 ft. thick. A pivoted other floors.
wooden secret door costs 20 gp and requires 5 ranks
in Craft (carpenter) to build, while a pivoted stone The driving force behind the machinery is usually a
secret door costs 400 gp and requires 7 ranks in Craft counterweight system. Pressing the trigger releases
(stonemason) to build. a heavy weight, whose descent turns a gear and
works the mechanism. The disadvantage with such
For additional security, some pivoted doors are a system is there is no way to reset it without hand-
held shut by a locking catch so that they will not cranking the secret door back into position, a slow
be pushed open by accident. This can be released and difficult process requiring three consecutive
either by a switch trigger or a lever trigger. A classic Strength checks at DC 10. A wheel or winding
example is the bookcase affixed to the wall, which is handle is usually provided for this purpose on the
really a pivoted secret door and which is released by hidden side of the door. Castles with power sources
pulling on one of the books. do not have this problem; their powered secret doors
may be reset by a second use of the switch, or by the
Powered Secret Door: A powered secret door is use of a similar switch on the other side.
hidden from view and worked by a hidden switch
trigger or a disguised lever trigger (see below). The most common variety of powered secret door
When the switch is activated, the mechanisms behind is the ‘rotating axle’ sort. This works by turning a
the door open it automatically. This arrangement drive shaft, which then moves the door attached to it
is much harder to bypass than a conventional secret in a partial circle. The familiar arrangement whereby
door, as discovery of the door does not imply a torch sconce is pulled and a thick section of wall
discovery of the operating switch. Even if the door grinds inwards like a swinging door is worked by just
is found, a character who does not know how to work

98
 ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

such a mechanism. More ambitious versions of this that you do not need to enter through a physical door
secret door involve whole sections of wall rotating any more because you have the ability to teleport or
through 180 degrees on pivots. Sometimes a fixture become ethereal.
such as a fireplace or bookcase will be affixed to the
rotating wall, to make it less easy to detect. Concealed secret doors are undetectable by a visual
search, as they are no more visible than any other
More complicated is the ‘gear and teeth’ variety, object that is behind a brick wall or a layer of plaster.
which uses a rotating gear to slide an object in They can be detected by the detect secret doors spell
a straight line. This mechanism is used to slide but as this spell may be blocked by the application
sections of wall back, revealing additional corridor of a thin sheet of lead, any constructor worth his salt
behind – a common tactic when the passageway has will work lead sheet into the covering-up process.
apparently come to a dead end - or to cause a part of The most reliable way to detect a concealed secret
the wall to sink inwards or downwards. door is by tapping at the wall and listening. A
successful Listen check at DC 20 is required to detect
Sections of wall may be made to rise upwards by use a door concealed behind plaster and a similar check
of a pulley system. This requires more machinery at DC 25 is required to find a door behind bricks.
space, as lifting sections of wall is much harder than If the character has the stonecunning racial ability,
pulling or rotating them. A rising powered secret he may add a +2 insight bonus to his skill check.
door needs a shaft 4 feet square by three times the Breaking down the concealing layer is an easy matter
height of the raised section. The advantage of secret if only plaster is involved, as it may be smashed off
doors that rise is that it is an unusual direction for a in chunks with any heavy object. Breaking through a
door to open, meaning that people tend to waste time stone wall is a little harder; see Chapter 4 for details
finding another way to gain access and the weight of of wall hardness and hit points.
the blocks makes the door even harder to open than
usual. Forcing such a door open requires a Strength The cost of concealing a secret door is the same as if
check with a DC of 28. a partition or standard wall had been built across it.

Powered secret doors cost 2,000 gp to make and Ceiling Secret Door: Fitting a secret trapdoor in the
install if they are independently powered and 1,200 ceiling of a room is not quite so difficult as fitting
gp if they are linked in to a power system. Designing it in a wall, as floors are usually made of wooden
and making them requires the following skills, which planks laid across rafters and wood is easier to work
may be used in collaboration between different than stone. The difficult part is concealing it from
individuals: 6 ranks in Knowledge: Architecture & the other side. If the ceiling is open, so that an
Engineering; 5 ranks in Craft (blacksmith). Fitting observer below can see the exposed beams and the
the contraption requires the fitter to have 3 ranks in floorboards running across them, there is no problem;
Craft (builder). Installation takes a week. if the ceiling has been covered over with boards and
plastered, one door must be created in the lower
Concealed Secret Door: If you do not intend to boards and one on the upper. Most constructors
make use of a secret door very often and you want concern themselves with hiding the door on the
to make completely sure nobody will find it with a side that an observer would be searching and not
visual search alone, you may have it covered over bothering with the area beyond the door, as someone
with a layer of bricks, mortar or plaster, to fit in who knows how to find and open the secret door will
with the look of the rest of the room. Such a door never see it.
need not involve any kind of intricate mechanism,
as its covering provides it with all the secrecy it Secret doors in the ceiling are, in the case of an open
needs and you will only be using it in exceptional ceiling, usually opened by simple pressure if the door
circumstances. The kinds of room that one might opens upwards; if it opens downwards, a discreet
seal up behind a concealed secret door are rooms catch is fitted. If the ceiling is closed, the constructor
containing artefacts of dangerous power, rooms may fit a trigger that releases the door’s clasp from up
containing the remains of enemies that you do not to twenty feet away, with the wires and pulleys being
wish to see all the time (but who you enjoy having hidden in the spaces between the rafters.
as permanent guests in your stronghold), prisons
for powerful outsiders, sources of renewed life such The usual way to conceal a secret door in an open
as a fountain of youth (which you could tap every ceiling is to make it look like a section of ordinary
twenty years or so and then have resealed) or rooms floorboards. As it is far away from the observers

99
ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

below, it is harder for them to search for it and Framed Secret Door: An ingenious way to conceal
accumulated spiderwebs make the job even harder. a secret passageway is to build your wall with a hole
Secret doors in closed ceilings are usually made into in it leading through to the area you wish to protect,
part of a design, such as a mural or pattern. then place a specially prepared framed item over
the hole and have it securely fixed to the wall. The
Secret Trapdoor (Wooden): Hiding a trapdoor in frame’s ornate decoration is an ideal place to conceal
an ordinary wooden floor is a lot more difficult than the catch that releases the door. A painting on wood
it sounds, as wooden floors are customarily made out (rather than canvas) is suitable for this purpose but
of single planks laid side by side and a rectangle cut the best option of all is a mirror, especially if the
out of such a surface is immediately obvious. Secret mirror is itself backed with wood. Even if an intruder
trapdoors are therefore usually laid in areas that have throws something at the mirror, hoping to smash it
been treated with wooden flooring (see below). They and reveal a room behind, the mirror will break and
are difficult to make, as stepping on the wood makes seem to reveal nothing significant. The specially
a hollow sound quite different from a solid floor; it prepared frame costs 30 gp and requires 5 ranks in
is therefore necessary to treat the underside of the Craft (carpenter) to make.
trapdoor so that it sounds solid. They are usually
rigged so that they have to be lifted out (a process Column Secret Door: This exercise in deception
that requires the insertion of a sharp object and a is very hard to detect unless the searcher knows
good deal of levering) as hinges and handles both something about architecture. Column secret doors
make the door obvious. Alternatively, they can be set are usually found in strongholds where the floor and
to drop open downwards and be operated by a trigger the ceiling are both of stone, such as underground
up to 20 feet away or by a voice-operated lock (see sanctuaries. To fit a secret door in a column, you first
below). need to create a tunnel in the floor or ceiling (or both)
according to the usual rules for digging out an area.
Secret wooden trapdoors cost 55 gp to make and If you have built either the floor or ceiling yourself,
require 6 ranks in the Craft (carpenter) skill. you may leave a hole in the proper place at no extra
cost. You then need to have a hollow column built, in
Secret Trapdoor (Stone): It is remarkably easy the side of which your secret door will be set. This
to hide a stone trapdoor, as all it consists of is a column cannot be one of those that holds the roof up,
regular flooring slab with a space or tunnel under it, as it will not bear the weight if it is hollow.
with nothing else to show that it is capable of being
opened. The surrounding slabs are built slightly Any character with one or more ranks in Knowledge:
larger than usual, with a narrow ledge cut out of their Architecture & Engineering receives a +2 synergy
edges, while the trapdoor slab has a runnel cut out of bonus to his check to find a column secret door when
its edge enabling it to slot down into place over the searching for secret doors, as he may notice that
hole and rest on the edges of the surrounding stones. the column is not there for any architectural reason.
The difficult part is opening and closing the trapdoor. Fitting a column secret door costs 1,200 gp and
It can be pushed open from below (if you are strong requires 4 ranks in Craft (builder) to achieve. It may
enough) and closed from below quite easily but be activated by a trigger up to 20 feet away from the
opening it from above requires leverage, which door, so long as the trigger is located somewhere on
will eventually leave marks on the stone and make the column.
it obvious that it is moveable. Fitting a permanent
handle defeats the object of the secrecy. Statue Secret Door: A statue is an elegant way to
conceal a passageway. The most straightforward way
One way round this is to make the stone into to do this is to create a hole in the floor as above and
weightless masonry, thus making it much easier to place a statue on top with a square hollow pedestal
pry the trapdoor open. Another is to leave a tiny in the side of which is an opening panel. Even if
metal socket in the slab, into which a handle can be the whole thing is made from marble, the pedestal
screwed. This method makes the trapdoor far easier will be strong enough to support the statue’s weight.
to open but also easier to spot; the searcher receives a Alternatively, for a far less subtle solution (and if you
+1 circumstance bonus to their Spot or Search check. are strong enough) just place the statue on top of the
hole and hope that nobody but you thinks to move it.
A secret stone trapdoor costs 10 gp to make and Fitting a statue with a trick pedestal as described adds
requires 2 ranks in the Craft (stonemason) skill. an extra 300 gp to the cost of the statue.

100
 ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

Staircase Secret Door: Most people expect secret Statue

doors to be on a level with the other doors in a Very few strongholds have no statues in them.
building, so rigging the stairs with a secret door can Statues are built for decoration, to show off wealth, to
bamboozle them very effectively. To fit a wooden glorify the owner of the stronghold, to commemorate
staircase with a secret door, the craftsman prepares a famous heroes, to honour the Gods or to conceal
block of three steps so that they can be lifted out of secrets. The majority of statues are life-sized
place and slotted back in again. The space beneath representations of people or creatures, often on
the stairs is then used as a secret area, which may ornamental plinths for additional stability. Statues
then give access to other rooms or passages. If may be made in stone (such as marble or alabaster)
desired, the block of steps can be hinged. A trigger or metal (such as bronze). The price depends on the
may be fitted to unlock the steps at range, so long as quality of the workmanship, but as a general rule
it is somewhere on the staircase within 20 feet of the assume that a Medium size statue of average quality
secret door. will cost 200 gp in stone and 300 gp in bronze.

Stairs are usually rigged to lift out rather than drop Statues of up to Colossal size may be built from
in, as there is less of a risk of accidental discovery stone or from hollow metal, so long as the parts
(or broken necks) this way, but some stronghold are fashioned separately and then lifted into place.
builders insist on having the stairs drop inwards as it Statues of this size are usually found only in royal
means they can work the trigger to drop unsuspecting palaces, chief temples or tombs of exceptional
individuals through the stairs on to prepared spikes importance.
and similar unpleasantness. This modification costs
50 gp and requires the skill of a worker with 5 ranks
in Craft (carpenter). Stone Features
Ordinary stone walls have already been covered in
Adding a secret door to a stone staircase is more previous chapters. The following modifications may
difficult. A single step is altered so that it can be be made to an interior or exterior wall. The price
removed. First the edge is pulled straight upwards to given is in addition to the listed labour costs of fitting
release it from the mooring pegs, then the stone step the wall.
is pulled free. As stone steps are on average twice as
broad as wooden ones, there is room enough to climb Finished Stone Wall: This kind of wall is finished
through and into the space below the stairs. Such off with a layer of smooth stone facing, such as
a secret door cannot be operated by a trigger and is marble blocks, or ceramic tiles. It is exactly the same
difficult to close behind you. It costs 20 gp to fit and as an ordinary stone wall in terms of its structure
requires the manufacturer to have 3 ranks in Craft points, hardness and stability, but is much harder
(stonemason) or Craft (builder). to climb because there are fewer crevices in the
masonry. Finishing a stone surface costs 10 gp per
10 ft. section of wall and requires 3 skill ranks in
Sliding Pole Craft (builder) or Craft (stonemason).
In order to allow personnel to move from an upper
to a lower floor of the stronghold quickly, sliding Dwarven Quality Wall/Door: To be built to
poles may be installed between floors. These allow dwarven standards, a stone feature must have been
an individual carrying a light or medium load to assembled by dwarves from the start; they must
slide safely down to a distance of up to 15 feet. A have measured the stones, cut the stones and fitted
character with a heavy load must make a successful the stones. The price they charge for their work
Climb or Tumble skill check at a DC of 10 to avoid is dependent upon who the buyer is; see Chapter
taking falling damage as if he had fallen from the 3, Before Construction Starts, for information on
height when he grasped the pole. dwarven work gangs. Structures built by dwarves
receive +2 to their Stability saving throws, where
Sliding poles are usually six inches across and made appropriate. In addition, dwarves may create nested
from metal. They cost 3 gp per 5-foot section and hinges (see below). Stone secret doors built by
require 1 rank in Craft (blacksmith) to make and dwarves are blended into the surrounding masonry
install. with consummate skill, adding +2 to the difficulty of
Search or Spot rolls to discover them.

101
ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

Stone Door: Stone doors are detailed in Core The destination point for a teleportation pad is
Rulebook II. They cost 150 gp to create and subject to the usual rules of a teleportation circle
the maker must have at least 4 ranks in Craft spell. Within strongholds, they are used as internal
(stonemason). transport systems to secure regions and sometimes
as emergency escape routes. Occasionally, they are
Solid Block: Simple blocks of carven stone may be used as sadistic traps, teleporting the user of the pad
placed anywhere you like in the stronghold, so long underwater, over a chasm or into a sealed stone room
as the floor will bear the weight. The cost is 50 gp with walls fifty feet thick.
per 100 cubic feet of stone, e.g. one 10 foot by 10
foot slab a foot thick. The relatively high cost is due The costs given below are for a teleportation pad with
to the difficulty of carving and moving the block a single destination point. If the creator chooses to
all in one piece. The most common use for a single give the pad command word activation, up to three
stone block is as an altar. Stone blocks are also used destinations, each with its own unique command
as the main components of moving masonry effects. word, may be programmed in to one pad. Every
A single stone block may not measure more than 30 extra destination costs the same as the original pad
feet in any one direction, as it is simply impossible to and must be added as part of the same creation
quarry out the stone in greater sizes unless magic is process.
used.
Caster Level: 18th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous
Item, teleportation circle; Market Price: 75,000 gp.
Switch Trigger
A switch trigger is a smaller, more discreet version
of the lever trigger. Unlike levers, switches require ‘Terracing’
no Strength check to operate. They may only be The transmute rock to mud spell was once the bane
used to release a small catch, such as that holding of stronghold builders. Irrespective of the strength
a secret door shut, or to activate a powered feature. of the stronghold’s walls, if some wizard or sorcerer
They are operated by turning, pressing or sliding as was able to cast transmute rock to mud on the
the constructor chooses. The trigger for a powered surrounding bedrock from which the castle rose, it
feature may not be further away than 5 ft from the was an easy matter to undermine the walls – if indeed
machinery, as the mechanism depends on wires and they had not collapsed already. It took the simple
springs inside the wall cavity and triggers set further discovery that transmute rock to mud is effective only
away tend to jam too easily. The same limitation on unworked stone to institute the practice commonly
applies to switches that operate locking catches. known as ‘terracing’. This process involves one or
more stonemasons using a hammer and chisel to
An obvious switch trigger costs 10 gp and requires smooth off all of the rock whose liquefaction could
2 ranks in Craft (blacksmith) or Craft (carpenter) possibly threaten the stronghold. Once the surface
to make, according to whether it will be set into a of the rock has been worked, it becomes immune
wooden or a metal background, while a disguised one to transmute rock to mud. The practice is called
(such as would be used with a secret door) costs 50 ‘terracing’ because it usually creates a series of stone
gp. levels like steps rather than a smooth diagonal slope.
Terracing requires the skills of a worker with at least
one rank in Craft (stonemason) and costs 10 gp per
Teleportation Pad 10 ft. section of rock treated.
This ostentatiously powerful transport device is a
worked stone circular plinth, five feet across. If it
is stepped on (or simply touched) a teleport effect Torture Chamber
is activated, sending the character and anyone else A feature only included in the castles of evil builders,
touching the pad to a set destination point with at the torture chamber’s appearance alone is enough to
least as much space surrounding it as the pad had. intimidate many potential victims. It is nothing less
It is commonplace for the destination point to be a than a room full of implements dedicated to causing
similar pad, which will send the occupant back to drawn-out suffering. Torture chambers are used to
the first location. If the constructor wishes, the pad attempt to break the will of recalcitrant characters,
may be activated by a command word rather than by whether to make them confess to crimes, divulge
contact. secret information or simply to punish them for
whatever reason. They are also sometimes a source

102
 ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

of sadistic entertainment, built for no better reason that point, they inflict the same damage, but it is
than to satisfy the appetites of evil. permanent. A rack costs 800 gp and requires 5 ranks
in Craft (carpenter) to make. The same restrictions
The use of torture chambers is left to the Games apply as above; carpenters are no more inclined to
Master’s discretion. Torture is morally abhorrent make torture instruments than blacksmiths are.
and some may feel it should be left out of the game
altogether; however, others may find it useful to Thumbscrew: This is a smaller device that fits over
the plausible depiction of evil in the game. Evil the hands. Tightening a screw steadily crushes the
characters must do evil deeds in order to fulfil the thumbs of the victim. This inflicts one hit point of
requirements of their alignment; they cannot merely damage per round and is agonisingly painful. Each
hatch plots and gloat. hit point of damage also gives a competence penalty
of –1 per point to all checks and rolls requiring
Outfitting a torture chamber costs 60 gp per 10- manual dexterity, such as combat with a hand-held
foot square section. Each section includes a set of weapon, Open Locks skill checks and so on. Arcane
manacles attached to the wall or floor. They are also spells with somatic components have a 5% failure
customarily fitted with stocks, pillories, chaining chance per point of damage, owing to the difficulty
poles and similar methods of forcible restraint. Use of making gestures. This penalty is not removed
(actual or threatened) of a torture chamber adds a +1 when the damage is healed and must be specifically
circumstance bonus to Intimidate checks, so long as cured with a heal or regenerate spell. A character
the potential victim can see what is in store for him. cannot be brought to less than zero hit points by a
thumbscrew (you cannot kill someone by crushing
Iron Maiden: This contraption resembles a vertical their thumbs) but they may become unconscious. A
standing sarcophagus or mummy-case. From the thumbscrew costs 50 gp and requires 4 ranks in Craft
inside of the lid protrude long, sharp iron spikes. The (blacksmith) or Craft (carpenter) to make.
iron maiden may be used as an instrument of torture
or of execution. Slowly closing the doors upon a Agony Machine (Mechanical): This powered
victim causes an attack by 1d4 spikes as if the target feature is the centrepiece of the most sophisticated
were a helpless defender. In addition to the usual torture chambers. It is a horrendous device
penalties for being helpless, armour and deflection resembling a cradle of wood and metal, covered
bonuses do not count against these attacks. The in rotating armatures, whirling blades, screws and
spikes attack at +10 melee and inflict 1d4+1 damage plungers, with room enough inside it for a person.
each. Depending upon the size of the target, the The machine occupies a 10-foot cube.
doors may be steadily closed over a period between
4 to 8 rounds before the final slam. Closing the When the agony machine is in use, the unfortunate
doors all the way counts as a coup de grace upon the victim is assailed on all sides by sensations ranging
victim. An iron maiden costs 1,200 gp and requires 6 from suction and unbearable tickling to searing and
ranks in Craft (blacksmith) to make. Most reputable grating. The machine may be set to inflict from 1d6
blacksmiths will refuse to make torture implements to 6d6 damage per round, with a Fortitude saving
on principle, so you will have to make it yourself or throw against DC 25 allowed for half damage. The
approach a smith you know to be evil; races such as operator of the machine may choose whether this is
the duergar would be useful here. piercing, crushing, slashing or fire damage.

Rack: A rack is a long table with spindles at either While the torture is going on, the victim suffers
end attached to turning wheels. The victim is bound a –4 circumstance penalty to all rolls and checks
in place, with hands and feet tied to the spindles with except checks based on Strength or saving throws.
ropes or bound with chains. Torture begins when the Spells without somatic components may be cast but
rack is turned. The victim is stretched, with bones a Concentration check has to be made to overcome
being pulled out of joint and muscles and ligaments the pain. The machine is operated by a lever or
torn. Operating a rack is a strenuous business, as wheel with variable settings. A block of machinery
the sturdiness of some victims makes it hard to turn connected to a transmission cable must be placed
the wheel at all, even with the transmission gears adjacent to the machine, with at least 18 points of
helping. To turn a rack, a Strength check must be effective Strength.
made, opposed to the victim’s Constitution. The
first four turns of the rack inflict one point each of This device costs 5,000 gp and must be made by
temporary Strength and Constitution damage. Past a true specialist in the art. No specific skills are

103
ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

provided for its manufacture, as only a few know how (blacksmith) and at least 8 ranks in Knowledge:
to build such an abomination. Architecture & Engineering.

Agony Machine (Magical): Less space-filling than Transmission cables are fitted in 10 ft. lengths and
the magical variety but far more devastating in its are cylinders 1 ft. across. They may either run openly
effects, the magical agony machine seems to be a across surfaces with brackets holding them in place
translucent coffin or sarcophagus with dark veins in (which makes them vulnerable to tampering) or be
its material. When the doors are closed on a victim, placed inside any architectural feature that is at least
they are magically locked; the device has a hardness 2 feet thick. They may thus be placed inside some
of 12 and 300 hit points and receives a saving throw standard walls, but not partition walls. (You may just
against spell effects as is usual for a magic item. lay the cable first and then build a wall on either side,
though this makes for thick interior walls.) They may
The agony machine drains away life, a horrible be run through columns and under floors.
process for the victim who can feel his vitality
being sucked out of his body. The material of A transmission cable of any kind is encased in metal
the machine glows red while this effect is taking and has a hardness of 10 and 20 hit points per 10 ft.
place. A crackling black ray is fired at the target, section. Severing a transmission cable causes all the
who is attacked at +10 (effectively ranged) as if he features powered by it to shut down. A successful
were helpless. The impact of this ray inflicts 1d4 Disable Device skill check (DC 25) can block the
temporary negative levels as per the enervation cable’s effect temporarily without destroying it
spell, with no saving throw. (These levels are not altogether. Repairing a disabled cable requires a
permanent, but they will kill the victim if the number Disable Device skill check at DC 15 or a Knowledge
of levels equals or exceeds his HD at any point.) The (architecture & engineering) skill check at DC 10.
machine may be used three times per day. As its Mending a broken cable requires the same skill check
effects last for 12 hours, judicious timing can cause as repairing a disabled one, plus a successful Craft
the victim to suffer from a fresh set of uses before he (blacksmith) skill check at DC 15. The same person
has recovered from the last ones. need not make both of these two checks.

Magical agony machines are usually employed to Standard Cable: Standard cable has no special
‘soften up’ victims before they are transferred to features and resembles strong steel rope that is fed
other devices, as the negative levels accumulated through pulleys and wheels to transmit force.
reduce saving throws and make victims easier to push
around. It is however far from unusual for a torturer Hydraulic Channel: As water cannot be
to become overenthusiastic or angry and kill the compressed, it is a useful medium for transmitting
victim outright with an excess of negative energy. force. A hydraulic channel is essentially a very
tough water pipe used as if it were a piston. Lengths
Caster Level: 12th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous of hydraulic channel are cheap, costing only 50 gp
Item, enervation; Market Price: 40,000 gp to make. They may however not be used in cold
climates, as they ice up and expand, causing the pipes
to burst. Rupturing a hydraulic channel by dealing
Transmission Cable even a single point of damage to it (once hardness is
When a stronghold has a central power source, all bypassed) is enough to cripple the machinery driven
of its powered features must be connected to the by it, as the pressurized water will simply spray out
power source by transmission cables. ‘Cable’ is a of the breach.
generic term covering any linear means of conducting
power. The stronghold builder (at the Games Steam Pipe: Steam-powered strongholds usually
Master’s discretion) may choose whether to employ transmit the power of their furnace cores through
standard ‘cable’ in the building or to use the variant their walls in the form of steam pressure. This is a
type particular to his own power source. This will noisy system, but it has the advantage of keeping
usually depend upon the type of power employed; the stronghold toasty warm in cold months. Valves
suggestions are given below. Irrespective of the at the end of the pipes turn this pressure into kinetic
type of power source used, transmission cables cost force. Tampering with a steam pipe is a reckless
200 gp per 10 feet through which they are required undertaking. It requires the infliction of only 5
to run. Making them requires the participation of a points of damage to knock out a steam pipe variety
character or characters with at least 5 ranks in Craft of transmission cable; however, if even one point of

104
 ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

damage is inflicted, a cone of steam 10 ft. wide at the Trapdoor

base bursts from the fracture, inflicting 1d6 points of Trapdoors are simple square doors set into a wood
fire damage upon anyone within the area per round or stone floor or ceiling. When placing a trapdoor,
for every point of damage that has been inflicted remember to state in which direction it opens. Unless
upon that part of the pipe. So, if a hammer blow the door is to be a secret one, trapdoors are always
overcame the pipe’s hardness and dealt 3 points of made of wood or metal. Trapdoors are usually
damage to it, a cone would burst out immediately and secured with bolts rather than locks. The cost of
inflict 3d6 steam damage. A Reflex saving throw at installing a trapdoor is the same as that incurred to fit
DC 15 is allowed; those who save successfully take a normal door. A lever trigger may be used to work a
half damage. trapdoor, but a switch trigger may not.

Lightning Conduit: Those bold enough to have a

lightning powered stronghold must perforce employ Turnstile
lightning conduits to carry the power where it is A turnstile is a metal gate designed to allow one-way
needed. A lightning conduit resembles a hawser- traffic, one person at a time. The gate is made of four
like cluster of thick metal wires that crackles and flanges on a central axle. One side of the mechanism
hums. This is wrapped in a layer of rags and encased is fitted into a hollow in the wall, while the other
within a metal tube. Anyone who overcomes the extends across a narrow passageway. The axle is
hardness of a lightning conduit and does damage geared to rotate in one direction only, so as one
to it with an metal weapon that is not insulated person pushes a flange forwards and moves through,
(such as by the wielder’s wearing leather gauntlets) another moves into position and prevents retreat. A
is instantly subjected to 6d6 points of electrical guard booth is often stationed next to a turnstile, to
damage as the lightning’s force travels up the metal prevent attempts to smash up the gate. Turnstiles are
and into his body. He is allowed a Reflex saving used to control admission to buildings such as prisons
throw at DC 20 for half damage. Handling the wires or amphitheatres.
with unprotected fingers has the same effect, so any
character attempting to disable the conduit must wear A turnstile costs 300 gp and requires 5 ranks in Craft
gloves or have some form of electrical resistance. (blacksmith) to make.

Axles and Gears: The most straightforward

form of transmission cable, the one most often Voice Activated Lock
used in manually powered strongholds, involves a This simple but highly effective little device is
linked array of turning axles, cables, pulleys and incorporated in many secret doors within wizards’
interlocking gears, which conduct kinetic force from strongholds. It can be added to any door that would
the stronghold’s power source to the point of use. ordinarily have a locking mechanism. Instead of a
These may, for an extra 50 gold pieces per section, physical key, a command word is used to activate
be reinforced to a total of 30 hit points, making them a telekinesis effect within the lock casing, sliding
hard for intruders to sabotage. the bolts back as if they had been turned by hand.
A second word causes the bolts to move back into
place.
Trap
Any of the traps from Core Rulebook II may be As there is no key and therefore no keyhole, the
incorporated into a stronghold. If the castle has a whole lock is encased in metal plating for extra
power source, the trap may be modified so as to be security. There is no way to use the Open Lock skill
self-resetting. See Chapter 11, Powered Strongholds, on a voice-activated lock, as there is no keyhole or
for more details. Making a trap self-resetting other gap through which lockpicks could be inserted.
requires the placement of a block of machinery A knock spell would, however, be effective, so long
with sufficient effective Strength to move the parts as it was known that the door was there in the first
involved; see the powered feature entry above. Rules place.
for trap making are found in The Quintessential
Rogue by Mongoose Publishing. Adapting a trap to Voice-activated locks have many more applications
be self-resetting adds +3 to the DC of making the than the securing of doors. A single word may
trap. release the catch on a trapdoor, sending an unwary
opponent plunging to his doom. A lock may secure
the chain holding a portcullis open, so that speaking
the word will bring it suddenly down. Boulders or

105
ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

sand could be piled on top of a trapdoor above a main use pipes to transport water in your stronghold. If
corridor, with an unwisely uttered word bringing your water is stored above in a cistern, pipes must
them down on the heads of those below and causing run downwards from it to the point of use; if you
an unpleasant death by crushing or suffocation. A have a powered stronghold, you may place a block
valve holding a tank full of water or acid closed could of machinery within your regular water supply and
be fitted with a voice-activated lock; by this means, run the pipes from that. Pipes that direct water into
you could utter the word from a safe upper gallery a feature need only be two inches across, but a pipe
and watch as the intruders in your realm steadily at least a foot in diameter must be used for drainage.
become immersed, drowning or dissolving at your Drainage pipes must have somewhere to run to. They
pleasure. may either empty their contents into a sewerage
system and thence out of the area, or into a midden in
Voice activated locks are created from ordinary the stronghold grounds.
masterwork locks. As they cannot be picked, the
strength of the lock is of more import than the Metal water pipes cost 1 sp per 5-foot length. Stone
complexity of the engineering. It is therefore more or metal drainage pipes cost 1 gp per 5-foot length.
sensible to select a strong and simple lock than a Sewer pipes should be dug as arched stone tunnels;
complicated one. If the plates covering a voice- see the section on Underground Strongholds in
activated lock are prised off, it is a simple matter to Chapter 7.
pull back the bolt.
Pool: You may create a pool to keep fish or
Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous other aquatic creatures in, for bathing or just for
Item, telekinesis; Market Price: 30,000 gp above and ornamentation. Some strongholds have deep pools
beyond cost of original lock. called cisterns that are used to store water in the
event of fire or siege. To create a pool, first build a
Single Word Lock: In this cheaper version of the recess, either by digging down into solid material or
voice activated lock, the same word is used to lock building up walls from the floor level, then cover the
and unlock the door, as an ingenious rotating barrel area over with tiles (see the rules for creating superior
mechanism moves the bolts in and out like a piston, masonry). Lastly, fill the region with water.
always turning in the same direction.
Fountain: This option is only available as a powered
Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous feature. Fountains are almost always built just for
Item, telekinesis; Market Price: 15,000 gp above and the sheer beauty and splendour they bring to a hall or
beyond cost of original lock. garden. They may be abstract in design or created to
represent some appropriate creature, such as a triton
Water Feature spouting water from its mouth or a whale jetting
The role played by the stronghold’s water supply from its blow-hole. A fountain costs 20% more
depends on how much is available and what uses to build than a statue of the same dimensions (see
you have in mind for it. In most martial strongholds, Stone Features) and may be constructed of the same
water is used purely for drinking purposes and materials. If the fountain is built as a mechanically
sometimes for washing; fresh water is also needed for powered feature, the machinery must either be close
healing and tending to the sick. A stronghold where by and connected to the water pipe, or machinery at
water is plentiful or that draws upon magical effects the source of the water must be employed to force the
can afford to put it to other uses. water up and through the fountain.

It is entirely up to the stronghold builder whether to The magical variety is created by the simple
include the positioning of all water pipes and other expedient of installing a decanter of endless water
such items in the stronghold. While some players in the statue. This is a good way to ensure that the
might find this an unnecessary level of detail, to stronghold’s water supply is central, accessible and
others it is part of the pleasure of design. Draining difficult to steal.
and sewage systems are in fact very frequent settings
for dungeon adventure, particularly in an urban
setting. Gaining access to the pipework is the most Weightless Masonry
typical way to break out of a prison or into a fortified By means of this magical effect, an architectural
building. feature may be rendered weightless on
pronouncement of a command word and be given
Water Pipe: Larger pipes tend to be made of stone, back its weight on pronouncement of a second
while smaller ones are made of metal. You must command word. A levitate effect is used to achieve

106
 ADDITIONAL STRONGHOLD FEATURES

this. The most common application of this feature tops of towers and keeps, on which defenders stand
is given in the section on magical secret doors (see to fight, are made from a layer of stone over wood.)
above). Weightless features must be physically Upper floors are much more likely to be made from
pushed around if they are to be moved at all. They do planks laid across long pieces of timber. Wood is
not continue to move under their own inertia if they also used to make roof beams.
are pushed.
Furniture: Simple items of wooden furniture
It is also an extremely effective way to hide your require one rank in Craft (carpenter) to build, while
treasury. Place your wealth under a single stone complicated items require 4 ranks.
slab that you can render weightless with a word and
you practically guarantee that nobody else will find Small, simple items like chairs, stools and blanket
it. Another popular use for weightless masonry is in boxes cost 2 gp each. Large, simple items like
emergency siege defence. Large blocks of stone are tables, settles, wardrobes and truckle beds cost 20 gp.
set up next to the stronghold’s main entranceways, so Small, complicated items like ornately carved coffers,
that if the place comes under serious attack, they can puzzle boxes or detailed carvings cost 30 gp. Large,
be turned weightless for long enough to move them complicated items such as a four-poster bed with
across the entranceway. decorative ivy carved around it or a tall armoire with
a secret drawer cost 100 gp.
A far more devastating effect may be achieved by
having a block of weightless masonry in place above Panelling: Wooden panelling improves the look
the stronghold’s entrance, so that it can be rendered of a room, soundproofs it to a limited degree (-2
weightless, pushed out over the heads of the invaders circumstance penalty on any Listen check to hear
and then given weight again. what is happening outside when you are within and
vice versa), insulates it against the cold and provides
A single piece of weightless masonry counts as a plenty of potential places to locate secret doors and
magical item. The feature must be a single block hidden compartments. Panelling costs 25 gp per five-
of stone or piece of worked metal, or made from foot square of wall or ceiling panelled and requires 2
the same (for example, a stone statue or bronze bust ranks in Craft (carpenter).
would be usable.) A piece of weightless masonry
may weigh up to 600 lb. and measure no more than Wooden Flooring: This is a decorative surface made
20 ft. in any one direction. from small interlocked pieces of wood cut to regular
sizes. It is used to cover over planks or a stone floor
Caster Level: 6th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous in the same way in which tiles or stone facing are
Item, levitate; Market Price: 22,000 gp. used to make a rough stone wall smooth and visually
appealing. Wooden flooring costs 25 gp per five-foot
square of floor covered and requires 2 ranks in Craft
Windlass (carpenter).
A windlass is a hand-turned crank, most commonly
used to wind a chain and lift an object. Portcullises Fighting, running and moving more than 30 feet
and drawbridges are raised by windlasses and are in a round on a freshly polished wooden floor are
fitted with them as standard. They have a locking dangerous. Those doing so must, unless they are
tooth that falls into place, so that a partly raised wearing spike-soled boots or similar footwear, make
load does not drop back down. By the use of a a Reflex saving throw each round against a DC of
windlass, a character may raise twice the maximum 8 or slip, skid and fall as if they had fallen foul of a
load allowed by his Strength ability score, at a rate grease spell. This effect lasts for 20 minutes after the
of 5 feet per round. They may be made in turning floor is polished.
handle or capstan wheel forms, as the builder prefers.
Windlasses cost 30 gp and require 2 ranks in Craft
(blacksmith) to make.

Wooden Features
Wood is used as a building material in many
strongholds, despite its flammability and relative lack
of strength compared to stone or metal. It is usually
only the ground floor and any underground floors
of a stronghold that are made from stone. (The flat

107
OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE FEATURES

Offensive melee weapon, so long as the weapons are all the

same. They attack as small, medium-sized or large
animated objects (see Core Rulebook III) and can fly

and through the air with good manoeuvrability. Despite

being animated, they are not magical weapons; they
do not have any enhancement bonus to hit or damage.

Defensive However, they must be masterwork weapons in order

to be enchanted in the first place, so they receive a +1
bonus to attack rolls.

Features Animated weapons are not especially efficient

at bringing down competent foes, but they are

T
he familiar mediaeval castle, picturesque devastating against spellcasters (who have trouble
and evocative though it is, is the product fending them off while casting) and they are excellent
of a world without magic. Though the for keeping intruders occupied while a more
strongholds we have covered in the first few chapters damaging offensive force is brought into play. They
are adequate to repel mundane enemies and are ideal will attempt to use the aid another combat action if
for low fantasy environments, it only takes one flying they are in concerted attack against a small number
opponent to make your high battlements useless, or of opponents.
a single passwall to undo all the hard work that went
into your barbican. How, then, should the designer Sets of animated weapons must either be triggered
of a stronghold arm and defend the place? What by a magical trigger (see Chapter 8) or commanded
precautions can be taken against the kind of siege to attack by a person who knows the word to activate
common in the fantasy world, where magic is more them. If activated by a trigger, they must have some
of a threat than metal alone? means of identifying who they are supposed to attack.
‘Slay anyone who does not speak the password
The section following gives some options, mostly within 10 seconds’ or ‘defend Lord Blackbane’ is
magical in nature, which can be added on to any acceptable, but ‘kill all hostile forces’ is not, as the
stronghold. The low-grade mechanical power weapons cannot judge, they can only perceive.
detailed in the last chapter is not very useful for
offensive or defensive systems; it does however have Caster Level: 11th; Prerequisites: Craft Magic Arms
some applications that augment ordinary defences, and Armour, fly, animate objects; Price: 50,000 gp
such as the autoload option available for catapults, per set of six
for which see Chapter 18, Warfare.

Antimagic Zone
Static Offensive and One of the most powerful enchantments that can
be placed on an area is its transformation to an
Defensive Features antimagic zone. To create such a zone, a 10-foot
All of these options are permanent features of the square section of wall or floor is selected as the focus
stronghold, created as magic items or otherwise object, which then becomes the magic item that will
built in a single set location and impossible to move emit the field. This field is ten feet on a side and
without destroying the feature. Unlike war machines, is identical in its operation to an antimagic field as
they may not be moved from place to place, though created by the spell of the same name. The field is
they may have some capacity for motion (such as permanent.
swivelling upon a mount).
Unlike an ordinary antimagic field, the field
Animated Weapons created by the focus object may be suppressed by
Swords and axes mounted upon the walls of an antimagic field or by dispel magic, because the
strongholds are a common sight, so it is startling object is magically generating the field. However,
to say the least when they fly off their mounts and the section of wall or floor must be accessed from the
begin attacking. Animated weapons may fight opposite side to that in which the field lies. A dispel
for only 10 rounds per day before dropping to the magic spell cannot be cast through an antimagic zone
floor or returning to their mounts. They are made in order to shut the zone down. This would have to
in batches of six and may be any simple or martial be done by tunnelling under the focus object for the

108
 OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE FEATURES

antimagic zone and using dispel magic or antimagic

field from beneath.
Diffusion Prism
A diffusion prism is a hemispherical piece of cut
crystal 5 feet across on a stone pedestal, glittering
Antimagic zones are most commonly placed in with interior lights. It functions as an energy sink,
the entrance halls of strongholds, where invisible, drawing in energy from the surrounding region
blurred, flying or otherwise magically enhanced and absorbing it harmlessly. (The energy is in fact
intruders find themselves abruptly visible and without funnelled through to the negative plane.) Whenever
protection. Scarcely less common is their use as the fire, cold, electrical or sonic energy is present within
basis of a prison facility for spellcasting characters. 100 feet of the diffusion prism with empty space
The tiny cell in which a powerful sorcerer is kept is between it and the energy (i.e. there can be no walls
bound to be an antimagic zone, since if it were not he in the way) beyond a minimal level, the diffusion
could use his powers to escape as easily as blinking. prism will attempt to draw it in and absorb it. There
can be no more fire energy in one place than that of a
An antimagic zone does not block interplanar single candle (multiple candles would be acceptable,
movement in the same way that a dimensional but a single torch would not); there can be no more
anchor zone does. A character may teleport or cold energy than a single one-inch cube of ice; no
ethereally jaunt into an antimagic zone, but not out more electrical energy than a spark and no more
of one unless he has some nonmagical means of sonic energy than ordinary conversation.
teleportation.
Mundane sources of energy that exceed the
Antimagic zones may not be combined with other maximum amount are sucked into the prism instantly.
zone effects. A scream would go unheard, the flame of a torch
would be whirled away and dragged into the prism’s
Caster Level: 11th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous heart, a freezing blast of wind would soften to a
Item, antimagic field; Market Price: 120,000 gp. breeze and a bolt of lightning would fizzle away to
nothing when it entered the prism’s effective range.
Bone Barrier The prism does not affect acidic forms of energy at
A bone barrier is a macabre yet very efficient way all.
to create an obstacle. With sufficient raw materials
and use of the right alchemical bonding agents, Energy produced by magical means has a chance to
bones can be made into jagged and resilient walls. resist the prism’s devouring effects. A spellcaster
Bone barriers count as spiked surfaces, because of may make an opposed caster level check against
the profusion of pointy and jagged bone fragments the prism’s caster level in order to prevent energy
protruding from them. The alchemical agents used from being sucked away and devoured. This level
in making the wall melt the bones into one another check must be made on every round during which
rather than gluing them together, making the barrier a the energy is present, so spells like wall of fire are
grotesque single form that looks like a mass of plastic vulnerable to the prism’s pull round after round.
bones that have been melted into rough blocks. A There is no limit to the amount of energy that the
wall made from bone measures 10 feet across by 8 prism can absorb.
feet high and is 3 feet thick. It has a hardness of 7
and 500 hit points. Energy produced by magical items has a chance of
being sucked away on any given round, though if the
The great advantage of a bone barrier is that it is energy effect is a permanent part of the item (such
structurally tough while being resistant to most of the as the flame that is emitted from a flame tongue
spells used to gain entry to strongholds. Passwall is weapon) it will of course return with each passing
ineffective against it, as are warp wood, stone shape round. The item and the prism must make opposed
and rusting grasp. Bone barriers suffer only half caster level checks. If the item is successful, the
damage from slashing or piercing weapons. energy emanation takes place as normal; if the prism
wins the opposed check, the emanation is sucked
A single bone barrier costs 300 gp in alchemical away for that round. When energy is drawn into the
ingredients to make and requires 10 ranks in prism, faint tendrils can clearly be seen snaking from
Alchemy. Needless to say, the manufacturer also the source of energy into the prism, so it is obvious
needs enough loose bones to fill the dimensions of where the energy is going.
the proposed barrier.

109
OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE FEATURES

Diffusion prisms are used to protect valuable items it. A single stroke from a disintegration lance can
against fire and to provide defence against destructive turn the tide of a whole battle; watching one’s heroic
magic. commander glow briefly and then blow away as a fine
ash is very, very bad for morale.
Caster Level: 18th; Prequisites: Craft Wondrous
Item, gate, protection from elements; Market Price: Caster Level: 18th; Prerequisites: Craft wand, Craft
130,000 gp. Wondrous Item, empower spell, disintegrate, true
strike; Price: 80,000 gp
Dimensionally Anchored Zone
Stronghold builders are often very concerned to Electrified Object or Surface
prevent astral intruders from manifesting within Many strongholds feature metal surfaces within their
their walls, such as when a platoon of armed bounds, from the occasional iron door to whole walls
warriors bypasses the guards at the gate and merrily and floors made from solid metal. This effect makes
teleports in to your private chambers. To avoid this a single metal item no larger than a 10-foot cube or
embarrassment, you may create a dimensionally a single metal surface (whose area may be no more
anchored zone. This zone is a 10-foot cube, one than 10 ten-foot squares) permanently electrified. A
of whose faces must be a section of wall or floor, single command word may be spoken to activate or
the focus object. Within this cube, no interplanar deactivate the effect.
travel of any sort is possible. All creatures in the
area are treated as if they were under the effects of a When touched, electrified objects deliver 1d8+8
dimensional anchor spell, irrespective of which plane points of electrical damage, as if the creature or
they are on. object coming into contact with them had been on
the receiving end of a shocking grasp spell. A Reflex
This does not prevent astral or ethereal creatures saving throw against DC 15 is however allowed to
from moving through the area. It simply keeps the take half damage. Electrocution can cause muscles
planes utterly separate. You could become ethereal to lock; a saving throw failed by more than 5 means
on one side of a dimensionally anchored zone, walk that the character is effectively paralysed and may
through the zone and then manifest physically again not release the electrified item or move away from it.
on the other side without difficulty, but you could not He suffers the same damage on the next round and is
manifest physically in the zone. allowed to make another Reflex saving throw at a –4
circumstance penalty to break free. If the creature
Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous made contact with the electrified surface with a metal
Item, dimensional anchor; Market Price: 50,000 gp item, such as a lockpick or steel gauntlet, or if the
creature is wet, the Reflex saving throw is made at
a –3 circumstance penalty. A dry, non-conductive
Disintegration Lance barrier such as a leather gauntlet or the sole of a boot
The disintegration lance resembles an energy cannon, allows the safe handling of electrified objects.
but it is heftier and has more of a twisted, unpleasant
look to it. It has the same hardness, hit points, Stepping into or coming into contact with water
targeting system, arc of effect and blast shield feature or other conductive fluid that is in contact with the
as an energy cannon, but wands do not power it. A electrified object (to a maximum distance of 10 feet
disintegration lance is limited to three uses per day away) has the same effect as coming into contact
and may not be used again for at least a round once with the object directly, but a successful Reflex
fired, as the internal matrices need to cool down and saving throw in this case lets the creature take no
realign. damage.
When used, it projects a pulsing green ray that has Electrified objects are used to provide nasty surprises
a disintegrate effect upon anything it strikes, as per for intruders and to incapacitate large numbers of
the spell. Disintegration lances are used to take out people at once. A popular trick is to douse intruders
single large threats, such as giants or dragons, to with water, which is not in itself harmful, then
scythe out chunks of enemy siege machinery or to activate an electrified surface beneath them. Other
annihilate enemy leaders, so long as they can be seen popular uses of this effect are the electrified lock
and targeted. It is primarily a weapon of terror used (intended to fry rogues who poke lockpicks around
to demoralise the enemy, because the average foot inside them) and the electrified ladder rung, which
soldier does not even have a fighting chance against looks like any other until it is grabbed.

110
 OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE FEATURES

Caster Level: 8th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous cannon drains one charge from the wand. Replacing
Item, shocking grasp; Market Price: 8,000 gp the wand in an energy cannon is a full-round action.
A cannon may use any type of wand, so long as it
has been crafted for that purpose. The caster level of
Energy Cannon the spellcaster who crafted the wand in the first place
These thaumaturgic engines of destruction resemble determines the range and damage of the effect.
metal cylinders festooned with runes and arcane
designs, with a conical or pyramidal crystal at the Even if the spell effect does not trace a connection
tip and a pair of operating handles at the end and between the point of the effect and the source (as
mounted on a fixed pivot. They have a blast shield with order’s wrath and similar spells) the crystal
to give the operator some cover; he benefits from glows when the cannon is used, giving a subtle
one-half cover while he is using the device. Energy indication of from whence the effect has come.
cannons are large, some five feet in length. They
have an effective arc of 120 degrees. They have a The energy cannon uses the same spell trigger
hardness of 10 and 150 hit points and are entitled to activation method that the wand powering it does
saving throws against magical effects as is usual for (see Magic Items, Core Rulebook II), so a character
magic items. of a class who does not have the spell on his or her
spell list cannot use the energy cannon. A rogue can
Energy cannons are specially constructed to accept of course attempt to use the Use Magic Device skill
a magical wand of a given type as a ‘battery’. The with it.
energy of the wand is then projected through the
cannon. The operator does not need to utter a Overload: At the Games Master’s discretion, the
command word, as pulling the trigger is enough. following rule for energy cannons may be employed.
The cannon may only use wands that have been By building up a charge in the cannon’s crystal, the
specially prepared for use with it. Those who make operator may use up charges from the wand and
such wands are careful not to make them able to be discharge multiple effects simultaneously. This
activated by any other means, as they could be useful may be done for a maximum of three rounds, with
to invaders who got their hands on them. the discharge taking place on the fourth round. So,
if you spent three rounds building up a charge with
The targeting magic built into the cannon gives the a wand of fireball, you could fire three fireballs at
user a +2 enhancement bonus to his attack roll with the same point on the fourth round, using up three
the ray (if appropriate) and/or +2 to the DC of the charges in total. All energy discharged must be at the
saving throw to take half damage from the effect, same target point. The advantage of this is that you
while the focusing crystal adds +2 to the caster level can prepare a single massive attack against one spot
check to overcome a creature’s spell resistance. The that gives the opponent no time to react.
level of the creator of the energy cannon is used in
such a check, not that of the creator of the wand that Overloading is dangerous. There is a cumulative 5%
powers it. If the effect is a ray, the operator uses chance per round of charge buildup that the crystal
his ranged attack bonus to determine whether or not will explode, discharging all the stored effects so far
the ray hits. He may add any bonuses derived from from the cannon, destroying it in the process. As
weapon specialisation in the use of rays and similar well as the damage from the stored charges going off,
sources. the exploding crystal inflicts 4d6 damage within a 10-
foot diameter, with a Reflex saving throw allowed for
If the cannon is drawing upon a wand that produces half damage. The operator of the cannon is entitled
a ray effect, such as searing light, the operator may to the Reflex saving throw bonus derived from the
spend an extra round activating the full targeting cover of the blast shield.
system, which uses a true strike effect to add +20 to
the attack roll when the ray is fired. This effect must Caster Level: 18th; Prerequisites: Craft Wand, Craft
be used the next round and may not be used for any Wondrous Item, spell penetration, true strike; Price:
other attack than a ray fired from the energy cannon. 50,000 gp
The following types of wand may be used as the
power source for an energy cannon: magic missile, Energy Resistant Wall or Door
searing light, melf’s acid arrow, fireball, lightning You may make a permanent, material (not force or
bolt, holy smite, ray of enfeeblement, chaos hammer, energy) wall or door resistant to various different
unholy blight and order’s wrath. Each use of the types of energy, as per the endure elements spell. The

111
OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE FEATURES

Fortress Mind
This mighty conjuration creates nothing less than
an artificial brain for a stronghold. When it is
completed, the stronghold becomes a sentient
creature with an effective Intelligence ability
score of 12, a Charisma ability score of 10 and a
Wisdom score of 10. It is able to communicate
telepathically with its master (if it has one) and
may be given independent authority to activate any
magical features within the stronghold at will. It
may therefore open magically powered doors, trigger
magical traps, reprogram juggernauts and so on. It
may also attempt to deliver a telepathic message
to anyone within the stronghold; the intended
communicant may make a Will saving throw at a DC
of 15 to shut out the message. This ability is used to
alert guards and tell them where intruders are.

Only the brain itself counts as a construct. The

remainder of the stronghold is not considered to be
a monster as such, but is instead a region with which
the brain is in symbiosis, which it can sense and
which it thinks of as itself. Damaging stronghold
walls, floors and so forth has no effect upon the brain
other than to anger it.

The stronghold can ‘feel’ with its surfaces and from

this can form an impression of what is happening
within its rooms and corridors. It is allowed a
special ‘touch’ sensory skill, which it possesses
at an equivalent skill level of +10. This skill is
used in opposed skill checks, usually against uses
of Dexterity based skills, when individuals are
attempting to do something without the stronghold
wall or door may be up to 10 feet wide, 10 feet high
feeling it, such as walk carefully and lightly down a
and 5 feet thick. You must select one specific type of
corridor or pick the lock in a door. The limit of the
energy – fire, cold, acid, electrical or sonic – to which
stronghold’s ‘body’ is the limit of the worked stone,
the feature will be resistant. A wall or door may only
wood or metal portion of it. Bedrock, natural caverns
be resistant to one kind of energy.
and surrounding land do not count as part of the
stronghold.
An energy resistant wall or door ignores a certain
amount of points of damage from its given energy
As this sense of touch is limited to the worked
type. Two degrees of energy resistance, major
surfaces of the stronghold, tapestries and carpets are
and minor, are available. Only one of these may
not often found in such places, since they interfere
be applied to any one wall or door. At the Games
with the mind’s ability to feel what is happening.
Master’s discretion, energy resistance may be
The mind may generate up to three arcane eyes at
combined with other resistance effects, such as
will in order to observe events in various parts of
specific spell resistance.
itself. It has, however, no equivalent to a hearing
sense.
Minor energy resistance (15 points): Caster Level:
5th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, protection
The fortress mind resembles a human brain, twice
from elements; Market Price: 16,000 gp.
the usual size and with a stony tinge to it. It must
be kept suspended in some kind of fluid; if it dries
Major energy resistance (30 points): Caster Level:
out, it is likely to die. Removal from the stronghold
7th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, protection
kills it. The death of a stronghold’s mind does
from elements; Market Price: 24,000 gp.

112
 OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE FEATURES

not have any effect on the stronghold itself, which the presence of gargoyles on their battlements
remains standing. However, some fortress minds are and towertops. Though they are savage and not
created with a contingency effect so that the death of particularly intelligent, they may be induced into
the brain causes a localized earthquake, this being service by repeated feedings and patient negotiation.
intended to help persuade intruders that to attempt to While some stronghold owners prefer to capture
kill the stronghold’s mind would be a very bad idea their own gargoyles, others resort to the convenience
indeed. of a gargoyle feeder. This is a magic item that
resembles a stone platform five feet across, which
The brain in its unprotected state is of Large size, has may be mounted on a pillar or incorporated into any
10 hit points and is completely unable to defend itself external flat surface such as a courtyard. When fresh
other than by calling for help. Stronghold owners meat is placed upon it, it attracts gargoyles from the
will typically keep the fortress mind in a container surrounding countryside. Such is the power of the
of magically reinforced material within in a secure, device that gargoyles will arrive even if they are not
sealed room, such as a chamber that can only be ordinarily indigenous to the location. The gargoyles
accessed by teleportation. called by the gargoyle feeder are instinctively
friendly to the person who places meat on it for them.
Caster Level: 18th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous They are not, however, his servants. They will avoid
Item, wish, sending, polymorph any object, arcane attacking anyone they are told not to eat; anyone else
eye; Market Price: 250,000 gp is, as far as they are concerned, fair game.

A gargoyle feeder attracts 2d8 gargoyles per day that

Gas Pipes it is kept stocked with meat, to a maximum of 20
Gas pipes are small metal openings within a block of creatures. The meat used must be fresh, slaughtered
stone, which may in turn be worked into a floor, wall no longer than 24 hours previously. If the feeder is
or ceiling. They are not connected to any system of not kept stocked, 1d4 gargoyles per day fly off to find
plumbing or piping within the stronghold; they rather better pickings elsewhere. The gargoyles must be fed
generate their gases spontaneously by magical means. from the feeder if they are to retain their magically
When activated, a set of gas pipes pumps out noxious induced friendliness towards the device’s owner. It is
greenish-yellow clouds. These may either induce therefore possible to undermine the user’s intentions
nausea, in which case the cloud and the effects are as by luring the gargoyles off and feeding them with
per a stinking cloud spell, or death, in which case the other meat.
vapours have the effects of a cloudkill spell. They
may be activated up to three times per day. Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous
Item, summon monster IV, charm monster; Market
Stinking cloud gas pipes are a popular choice in Price: 30,000 gp.
bottleneck areas with upper balconies, where archers
can pick off those below as they convulse helplessly.
They may also form the first part of a one-two Magic Circle or Barrier
automatic defence system, incapacitating invaders This feature is commonly found in temples and in
with gas so that they cannot run before a juggernaut magicians’ towers. It inscribes a magic circle against
or sliding wall crushes them to death. The cloudkill good, evil, law or chaos upon a circle of floor 10
variety are usually used in conjunction with some feet in diameter. This section of floor is henceforth
other effect that cuts off the means of retreat, such as treated as if it were a magic item.
a moving masonry effect that seals the room.
When a permanent magic circle is set up in
Stinking Cloud Gas Pipes: Caster Level: 5th; strongholds used by clerics, it is used to protect
Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, stinking cloud; the holiest items in the building and taken to as
Market Price: 20,000 gp a place of sanctuary should danger threaten from
hostile outsiders. This form of magic circle is
Cloudkill Gas Pipes: Caster Level: 9th; the conventional barrier variety, made to keep the
Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Item, cloudkill; creature on the outside. Wizards and sorcerers have
Market Price: 60,000 gp permanent versions of the other variety of magic
circle in their summoning rooms, to spare them the
effort of casting a new circle every time they need
Gargoyle Feeder one. The type of magic circle they use is the kind
Evil owners of strongholds frequently cultivate that keeps the outsider within the circle.

113
OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE FEATURES

Sometimes, linear barriers that are the equivalent of A magically reinforced wall that is suppressed by an
permanent magic circles are drawn in the entrance antimagic field or similar effect is treated as a normal
ways of strongholds. These linear barriers may be up wall for the duration of the effect. The reinforcement
to 20 feet long and a foot wide and resemble a magic is purely magical and makes no difference to the
circle that has been straightened out. wall’s underlying structure.

Creatures of the affected type may not cross the circle Wooden Wall: Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites:
or barrier unless it fails to overcome their SR. A Craft Wondrous Item, wood shape; Market Price:
creature that is kept at bay may make a fresh attempt 2,500 gp.
to cross the circle or barrier every hour. Wooden Door: Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: Craft
Wondrous Item, wood shape; Market Price: 2,500
Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous gp.
Item, magic circle against good, evil, law or chaos; Stone Wall: Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft
Market Price: 27,000 gp Wondrous Item, wall of stone; Market Price: 20,000
gp.
Iron Wall: Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft
Magically Reinforced Wall or Door Wondrous Item, wall of iron; Market Price: 20,000
This kind of wall is described briefly in Core gp.
Rulebook II. A normal mineral-based wall of Stone Door: Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft
whatever kind (rough stone, worked stone or metal) Wondrous Item, wall of stone, stone shape; Market
is imbued with magical energy that interlaces its Price: 30,000 gp.
component pieces, binding them together more Iron Door: Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: Craft
strongly. Magical reinforcement does not necessarily Wondrous Item, wall of iron, polymorph any object;
confer any additional resistance to spell effects such Market Price: 40,000 gp.
as passwall or disintegrate; however, as the section
of wall now counts as a ‘magic item’, it is entitled to
a saving throw where it would not previously have Mist Ducts
had one. For example, a wall that has been magically A mist duct is a small block with a grille on the front,
reinforced at a caster level of 6 is entitled to a saving fitted inconspicuously into a wall or floor. When
throw against destructive spell effects, with a bonus activated, it pours forth opaque vapours, quickly
of +5. The term ‘wall’ is used to refer to the most filling the area and obscuring vision. These are
common use of this reinforcing technique. Stone and exactly the same as those found in the obscuring mist
iron doors may also be reinforced, though the process spell. Mist ducts are often placed in barbicans and
is more elaborate and costly. entrance hallways to confuse attackers and disrupt
concerted attempts to enter the stronghold. They may
Ordinary magical reinforcement merely increases the even be placed on outer walls, so that the base of the
hit points or structure points of the wall and provides whole stronghold becomes screened by mist, a tactic
a bonus to its Stability saving throw. Stability saving likely to hamper any ground-based invasion plan.
throws are not handled in the same way as saving Mist ducts are also an ideal way to cover an escape.
throws against spell effects. They are augmented
according to the degree of reinforcement that has As with any stronghold magical feature, they may be
been placed. activated by a command word or by a magical trigger.

Magically reinforced walls measure 10 feet in height Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous
and breadth and are as thick as a standard wall of Item, obscuring mist; Market Price: 2,000 gp
the kind reinforced, to a maximum thickness of 5
feet. As detailed in Core Rulebook II, their hit points
and hardness are both doubled and their break DC Quake Tower
increases by +20. If the wall has structure points This magical device is placed in strongholds as a
instead of hit points, then those too are doubled. deterrent against invading armies. It is probably
the single most devastating weapon available to a
If doors (secret or otherwise) are placed in a stronghold owner, excelling against massed ranks of
magically reinforced wall, they must be separately creatures. In form it resembles a short stubby tower
reinforced. The wall does not confer any additional of interlaced metalwork, on top of which is a riveted
strength on adjoining architectural features. iron sphere that spins when the structure is in use.

114
 OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE FEATURES

The quake tower is activated on a spell trigger basis the air, such as obscuring mist. Only the designated
and is thus usable only by characters whose spell point is affected. The space up to the point and the
lists contain the earthquake spell. Its function is space after it only become warm.
to produce an earthquake effect as per the spell,
focused on any point within a 1,000 foot range and Focusing the sun lens upon a point causes a 10-
affecting an area 75 feet across. It may produce such foot circular region centred upon that point to be
an effect three times per day. A quake tower may subjected to a sunbeam effect. All creatures within
be fitted with a ‘failsafe’ that prevents it from being the area of effect must save appropriately or take
used within a given radius, thus keeping it from being damage and suffer blindness as per the spell. In
used to topple the stronghold on which it stands. The addition, from the second round of focused sunlight
failsafe may be overridden by winning an opposed onwards, the accumulated heat generated is enough
caster level check against the caster level of the to ignite flammable materials is if a flaming torch
tower. had been held to them. This makes the sun lens
very dangerous to wooden war machines such as
Earthquake effects used against large crowds are catapults and fire projectors. The damage from the
very damaging. Each individual caught in the area focused energy is also doubled on the second round,
of effect has a 25% chance to be swallowed up by so ordinary creatures suffer 6d6 points of damage
a crack in the ground, with a Reflex saving throw and undead creatures suffer 20d6 points. Refocusing
against DC 20 to avoid the crack. The usual effect of the lens so that it targets a new point is a full-round
a quake tower discharging its energy upon a massed action.
army is that up to a quarter of its numbers are lost
in one round, with most of the remainder unable to Caster Level: 13th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous
move or act during that round, leaving them as sitting Item, sunbeam; Market Price: 100,000 gp.
ducks for missile or spell attack.

Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Spell Resistant Wall or Door
Item, earthquake; Market Price: 210,000 gp. A spellcaster who can Craft Wondrous Items can
also enchant a section of wall or a single door so
that it will be especially resistant against a given
Sun Lens spell, or resistant against all spells. The maximum
One of the more eccentric magical weapons to adorn dimensions of this wall or door are 10 feet high,
a stronghold’s walls, yet undoubtedly one of the most 10 feet broad and up to 5 feet thick. The wall is
devastating under the right circumstances, the sun only considered resistant to the spell itself and not
lens is an eight-foot diameter disc of clear crystal to the knock-on effects. For example, a wall that
set in a swivelling mount, like a gigantic magnifying was resistant to telekinesis effects would still be
glass. Two concentric rings of metal with pivots vulnerable to damage from objects hurled against it
above and below and on either side allow the disc by telekinesis.
to be rotated in any direction. It is most commonly
found in crystal castles and outposts of good forces Spell Specific: To create a spell resistant wall that
that are opposed to undead, as it is an especially resists a specific spell, the caster must know the spell
potent weapon against undead legions. against which the wall is to be proofed. The logic
of the effect is that a form of partial counterspell is
The sun lens uses amplificatory magic to gather the built into the wall, thus boosting its chances to save
sun’s rays and focus them to a point on the ground successfully against the spell concerned. The wall’s
below. It cannot be used to affect an area closer than saving throw against that spell effect is calculated as
30 feet or more distant than 200 feet away and the the caster level plus four, rather than 2 plus half the
target point must be in direct line of sight. It does caster level rounded down. Only solid walls may be
not use up charges or have a limited number of uses made spell resistant; walls made from force, fire or
per day, but it is dependent upon sunlight. Unless similar energies may not.
there is natural sunlight entering the lens, it will not
function. It cannot be powered by light spells or any The caster level to create a spell resistant wall is the
similar incantation. A cloud passing across the sun minimum level required to cast the spell concerned
momentarily is enough to obstruct the lens’s power. and the market price is equal to the caster level
The rays emitted by the sun lens pass straight through multiplied by the spell level multiplied by 500. For
magical darkness and out of the other side, but are example, a wall that had been specially proofed
blocked by solid obstacles or by clouds or vapour in against passwall spells would have a caster level of

115
OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE FEATURES

9 and a cost of 22,500 gp. Its saving throw against resistance. A spell resistant wall or door has an
passwall effects would be +13. effective SR of 21. This is in addition to the saving
throws it is allowed to make by virtue of being a
You can proof a wall against dispel magic as well as magic item.
any one other effect. This is highly advisable, as any
spellcaster worth his salt is going to try to suppress Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous
the magic of the wall with a dispel magic effect Item, spell resistance; Market Price: 65,000 gp.
before he starts flinging spells at it. You may not,
however, proof a wall against antimagic field. At the
Games Master’s discretion, spell resistance against Telekinetic Accelerator
multiple separate spell effects might be allowed. The telekinetic accelerator is a formidable weapon,
You could thus, for example, create a single door the centrepiece of any stronghold that can afford it.
which was proofed against dispel magic, disintegrate, In form it resembles a metal pipe ten feet long and
shatter and knock spells. three feet in diameter, mounted upon a bracket that
allows it to be raised and lowered. This bracket is in
It is left up to individual Games Masters whether turn bolted to a rotating disk, allowing the accelerator
they allow a magically reinforced wall to be given to be pointed in any direction.
resistance to spells or to energies as well as its greater
structural strength. A hatch at one end allows the insertion of a
projectile. This may be any item that will fit into the
General Resistance: A wall or door with general accelerator and weighs up to 450 pounds, including
spell resistance is treated exactly as if it were a living creature. When the command word is
a creature possessing that special ability. (The pronounced, the item is hurled along the cylinder
maximum dimensions of the wall or door affected and out of the open end. Iron and stone spheres
are the same as for a spell specific wall or door.) A are usually used as ammunition. Items that are not
caster level check must be made by any character especially structurally sound, such as a barrel, a crate
attempting to cast a spell at the wall or door. General or the contents of the midden inflict 1 point per 25
resistance cannot be combined with specific spell pounds of weight. Items that are more robust, such
as human beings, barrels full of gravel or livestock

116
 OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE FEATURES

inflict 1d4 points of damage per 25 pounds of weight, Turret wires are laid across areas in batches of 10 and
while solid heavy masses such as stone balls inflict cost 20 gp per batch. Each set is sufficient to cover
1d6 points of damage per 25 pounds of weight. The an area of open air 10 feet by 80 feet. They must
accelerator can thus inflict a maximum of 18d6 be secured to some form of mount in order to work.
points of damage. Creatures placed inside the Fitting them takes 30 minutes per batch and requires
accelerator are allowed a Will saving throw to resist at least two people.
the telekinetic thrust.
Turret wires can be made more lethal by enchanting
Though it is a magic item, the accelerator is operated them as electrified objects (see above).
as if it were a siege engine. It is fired as if it was a
heavy catapult (see Core Rulebook II) but may be
reloaded or reaimed in three rounds. The accelerator Undead Generation Plinth
has a range increment of 200 feet and a crew of 3. It When you are co-ordinating the defence of a fortress
may be used indefinitely, having neither charges nor a of evil, you do not always have time to animate
limited number of uses per day. and instruct the legions of undead that you need
to act as cannon fodder for your better troops.
Caster Level: 18th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous Subordinate clerics can always be employed, but
Item, telekinesis; Market Price: 200,000 gp. they are generally needed elsewhere too and are an
annoyingly vulnerable target. By using an undead
generation plinth, you can have your mortal agents
Turret Wires recycle the bodies of fallen foes and turn them into
The one form of assailant that the traditional kind soldiers for your own side.
of castle keep is most at risk from is the kind that
can fly. The use of turret wires cuts down on this An undead generation plinth is a flat square slab of
risk quite considerably. They are lengths of sharp, matt black stone 10 feet on a side. When corpses
tough and very thin wire, that are strung between the are thrown on to it, it animates them as zombies or
turrets and across the battlements of a stronghold. skeletons. These arise with the purpose in mind
They are hard to see; a successful Spot check at DC that is programmed into the plinth, such as ‘defend
20 is required to notice the wires from further away the castle gate’ or ‘obey the man in the black helm’.
than 10 feet. (The Games Master may modify this Only one purpose may be set at once and all undead
difficulty to take account of the background to the generated by the plinth abide by it as best they can.
wires; for example, wires against empty sky would be The purpose may be changed by anyone who knows
easier to see, while wires against a dark background the command word for the plinth.
would be next to invisible.) They have a hardness
rating of 10 and 3 hit points each. Breaking one A plinth may animate up to 60 hit dice of undead
requires a Strength ability score check at DC 18. (zombies or skeletons only) per day in total, but no
more than 36 hit dice of undead generated may be
A flying creature who collides with a set of turret active at any one time, owing to the limited amount
wires must make a Reflex saving throw. Success of undead that the plinth may ‘control’.
means that his aerial progress is simply halted at
the wires, as he bounces off them. (Alternatively, Instead of animating new undead creatures, the
the creature may attempt to plough straight through plinth may be used to restore damaged ones. If a
them; he may attempt a Strength ability score at DC damaged undead creature stands on the plinth and the
18 to do this, but if he fails he becomes entangled appropriate command word is spoken, it may receive
as detailed henceforth.) Failure means that he has the benefits of an inflict light wounds spell at the
become entangled by 1d4 lengths of wire, suffering expense of one hit dice of animation potential from
1 point of slashing damage from each one that the plinth for that day.
has become wrapped around him. Creatures that
depend upon wing beats for flight are immobilised Caster Level: 18th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous
and cannot fly, either hanging in the air ensnared in Item, animate dead, inflict light wounds; Market
wire (if they weigh less than 300 lb) or plummeting Price: 100,000 gp.
down with the loose wires tangled around them. The
creature must make a separate Strength ability score
check to break each entangling wire and takes 1 point
of damage when attempting each check as the wires
cut into his flesh.

117
OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE FEATURES

Mobile Offensive and space and is at least 10 feet in height. It weighs

2,000 lb. (one ton), a deliberately overstacked weight,
Defensive Features as it deals damage by crushing the opposition under
These features are not bound to any one stronghold. its rollers. Its great weight means that it cannot be
They may be packed up and transported to the point used on any surface that does not have solid ground
where they are needed, or used in the open in a battle. or solid wall (as wide as the juggernaut itself)
Some of these features are portable in as much as beneath it to a depth of at least twenty feet; it can
they may be carried from place to place and then therefore not be used on the upper levels of most
activated or assembled at the point of use, as in the strongholds.
case of force screen generators and lightning fields,
while others are wheeled and capable of being moved Juggernauts are usually carved to resemble grotesque
about by a crew, as with a war machine, or under elephants, grossly obese people, or laughing demons.
their own power, as with the juggernaut. Their prime purpose is to sweep areas clean, forcing
invaders to the end of a passage and crushing them
to death. They are also sometimes set to trundle
Force Screen Generator around the wall walk on top of a fortified wall, as this
These useful devices resemble a trumpet-like cone dissuades enemies from attempting to swarm across.
of coppery metal, set upon a folding tripod. When When used as part of an interior defence system, they
they are set in place and the activation word spoken, are usually the second wave to go in after some effect
they project a wall of force exactly as per the spell has been used to incapacitate the foe, such as a sleep,
effect. This wall must be flat and may occupy up to entangle or stinking cloud effect. There is nothing
10 ten-foot squares, though it can be made smaller like a juggernaut for destroying a whole group of
if necessary. It cannot be projected as a sphere or helpless or immobile foes.
hemisphere. The wall remains in position indefinitely
until deactivated. A juggernaut must be set to follow a programmed
path. Its memory can hold up to 10 instructions.
It takes three rounds for the wall to come into The allowed instructions are: advance (distance in
existence from the moment of speaking the command feet), move backwards (distance in feet), turn 90
word. A second command word deactivates the degrees to the left, turn 90 degrees to the right, turn
wall of force. It has the same resistances and around. A person who knows the command words
vulnerabilities as a wall of force created by a spell. If may halt the juggernaut, wipe its memory and give
the wall is destroyed by a disintegrate spell or similar it new instructions. The juggernaut is not capable
effect, it returns in 3 rounds. The wall may not be of reacting to changes in circumstance and can only
destroyed by dispel magic, but if the generator itself trundle along its allotted course. It will therefore fall
is successfully targeted by dispel magic then the wall into pits and smash into objects if they are created
disappears for the duration of the dispel effect. in its path. If the juggernaut is somehow moved off
course, it will continue according to its programming
Force screen generators are used as portable as if it had not been moved even if this means
stronghold defences. They are activated to seal off crashing through walls or toppling into the moat.
areas that are under threat and to seal up breaches
made in the walls. Multiple force screen generators A juggernaut moves at a speed of 20 feet per round.
may be used to seal off a whole area. Turning through 90 degrees takes it a full round.
It has an effective Strength of 28. Any creature
Caster Level: 10th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous of Large size or smaller who is moved over by a
Item, wall of force; Market Price: 45,000 gp. juggernaut must make a Reflex saving throw at
DC 15 or be caught under the rollers; those who
Juggernaut save successfully are pushed along by it rather than
A juggernaut is a grim stone idol on broad rollers, trapped beneath it. Those who are unfortunate
which trundles from place to place on a prearranged enough to be caught beneath the rollers suffer 10d6
course. It is usually placed so that its width takes crushing damage and are pinned. On the next round,
up all the available space in a passageway, leaving if they are still trapped beneath the rollers and the
no room to dodge to either side. The core of the juggernaut is still moving over them, they must make
juggernaut is magically weighted metal. It is a a Fortitude saving throw at DC 20 or be crushed
special variety of animated object, as mindless as it to jelly and killed outright. Even if they make
is untiring. A juggernaut occupies a 10-foot square

118
 OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE FEATURES

the saving throw, they still suffer a further 8d6+7 impact drains one charge from the lightning rod
crushing damage. nearest to the point of entry. The ordinary running of
the field drains one charge from each rod per hour. If
A juggernaut is hard to destroy. As well as the saving a lightning rod is discharged completely, it becomes
throw benefits allotted to all magic items, juggernauts inert and any arc lines that are connected to it drop
have a hardness of 8 and a total of 2,000 hit points. immediately. This may result in the loss of more than
It is treated as an object, not as a creature. It moves one plane of the lightning field.
on an initiative count of 1. There are rumoured to be
other, more elaborate juggernauts in existence that Lightning Rod: Caster Level: 15th; Prerequisites:
are capable of independent action, but these are not Craft Wondrous Item, chain lightning, wall of force;
addressed here. Market Price: 50,000 gp each.

Caster Level: 18th; Prerequisites: Craft Wondrous

Item, telekinesis, animate object; Market Price: Liquid Projector
180,000 gp. A liquid projector looks like a barrel strapped to a
handcart with two wheels. It has a brass T-shaped
pump at the rear and a short hose and nozzle at the
Lightning Field front. It requires a crew of three to operate. The
A lightning field is a defensive energy grid primarily crew wheel the liquid projector to the point where it
used to defend the upper areas of a stronghold is to be deployed, then two of them work the pump
against flying opponents and projectiles. (It does while the other directs the flow of fluid. The pipe
not obstruct spells at all.) It is composed primarily may be spooled out up to 10 feet from the barrel.
of electrical energy, but also has a force component.
Three or more lightning rods are used to create the Any liquid that can be barrelled may be used in a
field. A lightning rod is a thick metal point like a liquid projector. If flammable oil is used, the device
javelin, two feet long and with spherical protrusions, becomes a primitive flamethrower or ‘fire projector’,
designed so that it can be tied or clamped to a surface so long as there is a naked flame to hand to light the
or to a pole. It has 50 charges when first created. oil stream with.

When the rods are activated, which requires a A liquid projector may also be used for exactly the
command word, the field comes into being, filling opposite purpose. Some strongholds have a fire crew
the plane that connects the tips of the activated rods. operating a liquid projector; their job is to bring it to
Bright arcs of constant lightning connect the rods in any point where fire has broken out and pump water
lines, with a shimmering surface of electrical ripples over the flames. Other liquids that may be used
forming the field between the lines. Additional are acid (if the liquid projector is made of suitably
lightning rods may be used to add greater area to the resistant material) or even holy water. Though this is
field. They usually come in sets of four, so that a a slightly irreverent use of a sacred substance, it is a
simple pyramidal field may be set up. A rod may be very efficient way to deliver large amounts of it at a
no further than 500 feet from the two other rods to target.
which it will be connected in order to be included in
the field. The rod will not activate if there is anything A liquid projector’s nozzle may be set to spray or to
but empty space where the connecting arcs and the jet. Changing the settings is a full-round action. If
field will lie when it is active. The field is extruded the nozzle is set to spray, the liquid is projected in a
from a point six inches from the tip of the lightning cone 15 feet long and 15 feet wide at the far end; if it
rod, so the rod itself is fully shielded by the field. is set to jet, the liquid is projected in a 25-foot line.

Once the lightning field is operative, any creature

or object coming into contact with it must make a
Reflex saving throw or suffer 10d6 points of electrical
damage; success means that only half damage is
taken. (If they chance to contact the lightning arc
between the rods rather than the field, the damage is
15d6, as the electrical force is more intense there.)
It must also succeed in an opposed Strength check
to force its way through the field and out the other
side. The field has an effective Strength of 20. Each

119
UNDERGROUND STRONGHOLDS

Underground underground feature is ever attacked from the ‘outside’,

such as by a burrowing creature slamming into a
stone wall, resolve the attack by referring to the wall’s

Strongholds hardness and hit points rather than treating it as an issue

of structure points. Some of the largest features, such as
columns, have been allocated structure points but they

B
uilding your stronghold beneath the ground are rarely going to be used; siege machinery is just not
avoids a great many of the weaknesses of a commonly seen underground.
tower or keep. As many creatures in the fantasy
world (including people with the right equipment An underground feature needs to make a Stability
or abilities) can fly, tall walls are not so much of a saving throw when the integrity of its walls or supports
hindrance as they would be in a more mundane setting. is threatened. The use of an earthquake spell, for
For this reason, dungeons and similar underground example, or the detonation of an explosive device
retreats are much more common in the game world than would call for a Stability saving throw from the
they are in the real world. Those who have wondered affected regions. As with above-ground structures, the
why there always seem to be so many dungeons to collapse of one feature has a knock-on effect, causing
explore should consider their prodigious defensive neighbouring features to have to save as well. (See
advantages. It is much easier to knock a brick-on-brick Chapter 19, The Open Mass Combat System, for the use
structure down to ground level than it is to smash your of Stability saving throws.)
way into a well-defended dungeon.
The Stability saving throw of an underground passage
may be reduced considerably by destroying part of the
Building an wall or ceiling supports, as detailed in each entry. To
do this precipitates an immediate Stability saving throw,
Underground with failure indicating collapse. For example, smashing
Stronghold out the pit props on a section of crude tunnel reduces
its Stability saving throw to –2, so to do this is likely to
Digging out an underground stronghold is, on the face bring the roof down on your head; you would be better
of it, a straightforward affair. All you have to do is to off tying a rope around the props and hauling them out
mark out the areas to be dug and send the excavation at a distance! Destroying supporting columns is even
team in. The main concern with underground work is more dangerous and is handled in the section below.
how to keep the roof from caving in. During excavation,
this is achieved with pit props and similar temporary
bracing structures. The final structure will however
need the hand of an experienced architect.
Underground Walls
Building a wall underground is no different to building
it above ground. The most common variety of wall
Some underground strongholds are isolated, composed used is the basic worked stone wall given in Chapter 5.
of nothing but a subterranean complex. This is This can be used as a roof support. It is more efficient
how dwarven homesteads and the classic ‘dungeon’ to create one large stone chamber, give it a vaulted roof
lair are usually built. However, there is nothing to and then divide the space up with stone walls than it is
stop a stronghold builder from having an extensive to create multiple stone chambers. Partition walls may
underground section beneath a castle or fortress. Just be built underground, but they are not common because
bear in mind the golden rule of roof support (see of their frailty and because damp conditions weaken
below) and you can build whatever you like under your them.
stronghold. Tactically speaking it is advisable to have
an underground section, as if a battle above ground goes
badly for you, you can retreat to the tunnels below. A The Golden Rule of Roof Support
truly prudent stronghold builder may even choose to There is one overriding rule that applies to all artificial
invest in an escape tunnel for his own use, just in case. underground spaces, which has to do with ensuring
their stability. There may be no point in empty space
Underground strongholds are composed of tunnels, anywhere on the floor plan that is not within 10 feet
passageways and chambers, in much the same way as of a wall or support; if there is such a space, a support
above ground strongholds are composed of walls and of some kind must be placed to hold the roof up or the
floors. Each underground feature has a Stability saving room will eventually collapse. See the diagram below.
throw bonus, reflecting the quality of workmanship If the roof of the area is vaulted (made arched for
and the soundness of the props and columns keeping greater structural strength) or domed then this limit is
the walls and roof up, but no structure points, because extended to 50 feet. The great majority of underground
they are hollow spaces rather than solid objects. If an chambers have vaulted roofs.

120
 UNDERGROUND STRONGHOLDS

If a support column is destroyed or knocked free

somehow, the area left behind is unstable. Its Stability
immediately drops to +0. Find the longest distance
there between the remaining support points. For every
10 feet that this distance is over the limit (10 feet for
flat roofs, 50 feet for vaulted roofs), the Stability saving
throw of the remaining area is reduced by a further –1.
So, if a column 50 feet into a chamber 100 feet wide
with a vaulted roof was destroyed, the remaining area
would have a Stability saving throw of –5. Note that
this lessened Stability saving throw applies only to the
region bounded by a line connecting the remaining
support points.

Knocking down a support column causes the remaining

area to make an immediate Stability saving throw
as modified above. If the area caves in, the support
columns bordering it must also make Stability saving
throws at no modifier. It sometimes happens that a
falling column will crash into another column, which
is very likely to dislodge it and cause even greater
structural damage.
See Chapter 19, The Open Mass Combat System, for
more information on knock-on effects of failed Stability
saving throws and on the effects of toppling masonry
Supports are almost always placed at a middle point striking another structure.
between the walls; when there are multiple supports,
they are spaced out evenly. So, if you have a chamber
eighty feet wide with a vaulted roof, you may place a Using Natural Caverns
single supporting column forty feet into the room (at Naturally formed underground spaces are assumed
the halfway point) or, if you prefer, two columns each to have a Stability saving throw from +0 to +3 at the
twenty feet in. It would be very unusual to have a single Games Master’s discretion, depending on the extent of
column fifty feet from one wall and thirty feet from the the space, the number of natural supports (such as rock
other. Symmetry is important in architecture, more for columns or stalagmites joining the ceiling to the floor)
aesthetic reasons than practical ones. and the hardness of the rock. Chalk or sandstone caves
would have a Stability saving throw of –1, whereas
When placing supports for the roof, you have the choice granite caves would have a Stability saving throw of +3.
of using wooden, stone or metal supports. Wooden This assumes that they would very rarely have to make a
supports may not be used to support a roof that is more Stability saving throw. It is usually mortal interference
than 10 feet high, as they are simply not strong enough. that challenges the stability of a natural cavern, such as
Stone supports, in the shape of pillars and columns, are by use of earthquake spells or transmute rock to mud.
by far the commonest supports and are detailed in the
section on Stone Passage or Chamber below. Metal
supports are very rare, as it is next to impossible to Simple Tunnel, Earth
produce metal items of appropriate size in a fantasy Type: Modular
world setting; at the Games Master’s discretion, a Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
column made from metal could be used in place of a engineering) 1 rank, Craft (builder) 1 rank or Profession
stone one, but need only be half as wide. (siege engineer) 1 rank
Builder Skill: None needed
Remember that an opening in the side of the chamber or Labour Cost: 4 gp
passageway counts as a gap in which unsupported points Materials: 4 gp logs or 2 gp sawn timber
may exist. For example, if you created two eighty-foot Optional Extras: Extra Width
square stone chambers side by side with a gap of thirty Stability: +2
feet between them, that gap would be unstable unless Special: Supports
one or the other of the chambers had a vaulted roof. Footprint: Earth-walled tunnel 5 ft. across, 8 ft. high
(The gap would then become an arched entrance way and 5 ft. long
rather than a flat topped one.) Only one of the rooms
bordered by the opening need have a vaulted roof in This is the most basic kind of underground passage that
such cases. may be built. It is nothing but a hollow hacked out of

121
UNDERGROUND STRONGHOLDS

the earth, with wooden posts and architraves holding the Optional Extras: Modularity, Unsupported
ceiling up. Such tunnels are usually only constructed Stability: +4
as initial excavations that will be fitted with stone Special: Supports
walls later on, as exploratory delvings such as in an Footprint: Rock-walled tunnel 5 ft. across, 8 ft. high
archaeological dig, or as emergency entrenchments. and 5 ft. long

The labour cost is only that of the reinforcement of the The rock-walled tunnel is very much like the earthen
tunnel with wooden props. It does not include the cost variety, but is more stable and can be left as a permanent
of digging out; for the sake of convenience, all digging fixture. Again, the cost of digging out is not included
out is priced at once, whether it involves placement in the labour costs; the total labour cost of digging and
of foundations or tunnelling. The total labour cost of reinforcing a rock tunnel as given above is 26 gp.
digging and reinforcing a section of tunnel as given
above is 14 gp. Modularity: Rock-walled tunnel sections may be set
next to one another to create a space up to twenty feet
You may have as many earth-walled tunnels under your wide, but they may not be made any higher than 8 feet.
stronghold as you choose, but they may not be set too The golden rule of support features applies.
close together; at least 10 feet of earth must lie between
any one section of tunnel and any other separate section. Unsupported: It is possible, though extremely
They are easy and cheap to create but they may not be inadvisable for most builders, to construct a tunnel
dug very deep, as you will eventually hit bedrock; the through rock without placing wooden supports. Such a
Games Master’s discretion is advised as to where this tunnel may be built up to 5 feet high and 5 feet wide and
layer of rock lies. See Chapter 3 for more information has a Stability saving throw of +0. A tunnel between
on bedrock. 5 and 10 feet high or up to 10 feet across, such as a
channel freshly dug by a mattock of the titans, has a
Each earth-walled tunnel requires the digging out of Stability saving throw of –1. If a tunnel dug through
a section of earth 5 feet wide by 10 feet high (the top raw rock was of dwarven make, it benefits from the +2
two feet are lost when the tunnel is built, as they are bonus to its Stability saving throw.
filled with wooden props). The tunnel must be built and
reinforced as the digging takes place, or the excavated These statistics assumes that the unsupported tunnel has
space will simply fall in sooner or later. been dug. A tunnel that is melted through rock, such as
by a large thoqqua (see Core Rulebook III) or otherwise
Extra Width: A tunnel may be built up to 10 feet wide created by a method that does not involve hitting the
for double the cost. You may use this method to create rock with hammers and picks, such as a series of
small earth-walled rooms. An earth tunnel may not be disintegrate spells, has a Stability saving throw of +1.
made any wider than this. If you want wider tunnels, Very wide unsupported tunnels, such as those burrowed
they will have to be lined with masonry. by purple worms, tend to collapse shortly after these
creatures have moved on, which is one of the reasons
Supports: The entire structural strength of an earth why they are such a hazard to structures on the surface.
tunnel is in its wooden supports. These are an average
of eight inches thick and made from wood. They have Supports: The rock-walled tunnel has the same
a hardness of 5 and 80 hit points. Ripping a support supports as does an earthen tunnel. Destroying or
beam from its moorings requires a Strength check removing a wall support reduces the Stability saving
at DC 18. (The Games Master may modify this DC throw of the section to +1, while destroying a ceiling
downwards if the tunnel is damp, leaky, old or otherwise crossbeam reduces it to –3. Destroying a freestanding
ill-maintained.) If a support is destroyed or ripped out, support of the kind created to hold up the ceiling has
the Stability saving throw of the feature drops to –2 and the effect described in the section above on the golden
it must immediately make a Stability saving throw or rule. In each case, removal of a support precipitates an
collapse. immediate Stability saving throw.

Simple Tunnel, Rock Arched Stone Tunnel

Type: Modular Type: Modular
Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture & Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture &
engineering) 1 rank, Craft (builder) 1 rank or Profession engineering) 2 ranks, Craft (builder) 2 ranks
(siege engineer) 1 rank Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 1 rank
Builder Skill: None needed Labour Cost: 90 gp
Labour Cost: 6 gp Materials: 15 gp worked stone, 4 gp mortar
Materials: 4 gp logs or 2 gp sawn timber Optional Extras: Altered Size, Circular, Ledge

122
 UNDERGROUND STRONGHOLDS

Stability: +6 Special: Supports

Special: Keystone Footprint: Simple stone-lined passageway 10 ft. wide,
Footprint: Stone-walled semicircular tunnel 10 ft. 10 ft. long and 8 ft. high
across at base, 10 ft. high and 10 ft. long
No adventurer needs an introduction to the basic stone
The arched stone tunnel deals with the problem of passage. Thousands just like it are tromped through
holding up the roof by making the walls and the ceiling every single day. The precise details of its construction
into one continuous arch. Round structures in which have however rarely been looked into; quite an
the blocks of masonry mutually reinforce one another omission, as it pays to know the weak spots of any
are much more supportive than stone ones. This method structure and what materials go to make up what parts.
of construction is most commonly used to create sewer The default stone passage has flat, vertical walls and
systems and outdoor tunnels, such as those that are dug a flat ceiling of earth or rock held in place by wooden
through hills or mountainsides. While they are stable, planks or flat stones, which are in turn supported by
requiring no props or roofbeams, arched tunnels of this wooden crossbeams that are placed into sockets in the
kind are not often used in underground strongholds, as top of the wall. The floor is covered with flagstones.
they are not very efficient in terms of space.
The labour cost given above does not include the cost
The labour cost given does not include the cost of of digging out the earth before construction. A 10-foot
digging out the space into which the masonry will be cube of earth must be cleared for this
placed, which is the equivalent of 6 5-foot cubes of earth
or rock. This costs 30 gp if the tunnel is being placed in Stone-walled passages may be fitted with a myriad of
earth (the most common option) and 60 gp if it is being optional extras, from secret doors to alcoves to hidden
placed in rock. traps. They may be magically modified to resist damage
or spells. Many of these alterations are detailed in the
Altered Size: The arched stone tunnel may be made chapters following or in Core Rulebook II.
twice as large in height and breadth for three times the
cost in labour and materials, or three times as large for Increased Size: You may increase the size of the
five times the cost. Alternatively, it may be extended passage by 10 feet in either width or height by
in height alone; the arched stone tunnel is usually built increasing all costs by 50%. Remember that a stone
as a semicircle but is sometimes constructed with a passageway more than 10 feet wide is going to need
short section of straight wall below the arch, so that supports or a vaulted roof.
it resembles an inverted U. This option adds 5 feet
of straight vertical wall below the arched section and Vaulted Roof: The danger of a cave-in may be reduced
doubles labour and material costs. considerably by giving the passageway a vaulted roof.
Instead of relying on flat horizontal supports, the vaulted
Circular: By doubling all costs, the tunnel may be roof uses carved stone to bring the roof to an arch or
made entirely circular. This is occasionally done when curved point, which is a far more stable geometric form.
the tunnel is intended to convey water or other liquids The vaulted section of the passageway adds additional
from place to place. height to the passage equal to half its width. As the
vaulted roof uses the stone of the passageway’s walls as
Ledge: At a cost of 3 gp in labour and 3 gp in worked its support, it does not have vulnerable beams or props.
stone, a narrow ledge up to 2 feet wide and up to 5 feet For this reason it is the typical ceiling to find in an
above the tunnel floor (assuming there is room) may be underground stronghold.
placed on one or both sides of the arched stone tunnel.
This is customary practice if the tunnel is to serve as a The disadvantage of a vaulted roof is that it is very
sewer. The ledge allows for access and inspection. difficult to make. It requires that the foreman have at
least 4 ranks in Knowledge (architecture & engineering)
and the work force have at least 2 ranks in Craft
Stone Passage (builder).
Type: Modular
Foreman Skill: : Knowledge (architecture & Building a stone passageway with a vaulted roof
engineering) 1 rank doubles the cost in labour, worked stone and mortar but
Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 1 rank dispenses with the cost in logs or sawn timber.
Labour Cost: 40 gp
Materials: 12 gp worked stone and 4 gp mortar plus 6 Supports: The easiest way to destabilise a stone
gp logs or 3 gp sawn timber passage is to sabotage the roof beams with fire or
Optional Extras: Increased Size, Vaulted Roof physical battering. There are three of these beams
Stability: +4 per 10-foot section if the ceiling is made from planks,

123
UNDERGROUND STRONGHOLDS

and five if it is made from flat stones. Each beam is

six inches thick, has a hardness of 5 and 60 hit points.
Column
Type: Modular
Pulling them out of their masonry sockets is impossible
Foreman Skill: Architecture & Engineering 2 ranks
without breaking them, an action that requires a
Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 2 ranks
Strength check at a DC 23. Removing supports reduces
Labour Cost: 8 gp
the structure’s Stability saving throw by –4 per support
Materials: 4 gp worked stone
removed. Roof beams are very stable, so long as
Optional Extras: Natural Column, Ornamentation,
they are not tampered with; if they are assaulted, the
Solidity
passageway is almost certain to cave in.
Stability: +1 per 2 feet of diameter
Structure Points: 8 per 2 feet in diameter
Stone Chamber Special: None
Type: Modular Footprint: Section of circular stone column at least 2
Foreman Skill: Knowledge (architecture & ft. diameter and 10 ft. high
engineering) 1 rank (but see below)
Builder Skill: Craft (builder) 2 ranks Columns are the best way to support a ceiling when you
Labour Cost: Variable want to keep a room open instead of dividing it up with
Materials: Variable interior walls. They are sometimes placed on either
Optional Extras: Increased Size, Vaulted/Domed Roof side of an entrance arch, as they are an ornamental and
Stability: +4 practical way of providing support and are sturdier than
Special: Supports walls alone because of their additional thickness.
Footprint: Variable
Support columns are made from cylindrical sections of
You may build a stone chamber to any size, so long stone stacked one on top of the other. So long as they
as you remember the golden rule of roof support (see only receive pressure from directly above and not from
above). It is also not easy to build high chambers the side, they are very stable. A column must be 1 foot
as it is long ones. One extra rank in Architecture & in width for every 10 feet of height that it is to have, so a
Engineering is needed for every 20 feet in height that 100-foot high column would need to be 10 feet thick.
you seek to build past the first 20. So, a chamber 80 feet
high would require 4 ranks. This rule only applies to Natural Column: If you have dug the chamber out
chambers more than 10 feet across; stone-lined shafts of of solid rock, you can dig around sections of rock in
any height or depth require only 2 ranks in Knowledge appropriate places and carve it into support columns
(architecture & engineering). instead of bringing the stone in from outside. This
dispenses with all materials costs and lowers the labour
Constructing a stone chamber has a variable cost, cost to 4 gp per section. Dwarves are masters of this art,
depending on how extensive the room is. Work it out using it to create their famous, gigantic high-ceilinged
by calculating the approximate surface area of the walls chambers filled with row after regimented row of huge
and floor and assuming a labour cost of 10 gp plus pillars. Natural columns have an additional +2 to their
a materials cost of 6 gp in worked stone and 2 gp in Stability saving throws, as they are of one continuous
mortar for each 10-foot square of surface. If the roof is substance with the rock of the ceiling and the floor.
flat and made from wooden beams, add 5 gp in labour
and 6 gp in logs (or 3 gp in sawn timber) for each 10- Ornamentation: Columns are often made into a visual
foot square of roof. feature. By the stonemason’s art they are wreathed
around with ivy and grapes, engraved with stylised
Vaulted/Domed Roof: As with the stone passage, linear designs or fitted with ornate pedestals and
this modification allows rooms up to 50 feet square cornices. Instead of a circular pillar, you can have a
to dispense with the need for supports altogether and statue of your choosing holding up the roof, so long
allows rooms beyond this size to need fewer supports. as the necessary breath of stone is in contact with both
If the chamber is larger than fifty feet in any given floor and ceiling, i.e. 1 foot of width for every 10 foot of
direction, the arch of the vault tracks from wall to height.
column or from column to column, thus forming a series
of archways. The arch of the vault must rise to a point
at least half as high as the width that it is spanning.
Each 10 foot square of vaulted roof costs 20 gp in
labour, 12 gp in worked stone and 2 gp in mortar.

124
 POWERED STRONGHOLDS

Powered but least reliable engines are dependent upon living

creatures to work them.

Strongholds There are three basic types of power that an engine

can provide, being Current, Kinetic and Steam. This
power is transmitted down the cables of the stronghold

A
typical stronghold is made from nothing more and turned into mechanical motion by the blocks of
than bricks and mortar. Its moving parts are machinery that they feed into.
minimal; doors open and close, locks fasten and
in some strongholds a drawbridge or portcullis might Current is usually electricity, though other similar
raise and lower. That is all the mechanical art most energies could be employed if the Games Master
strongholds ever know. wished. Its source is almost always magical, though
some strongholds are placed in such electrically charged
There are those builders, however, who are more areas that they can rely upon regular lightning bolts.
ambitious. They apply their intelligence and creativity The disadvantages of using current are that it is an
(sometimes with more than a touch of insanity) to create unpredictable, erratic force; you may lose your power
strongholds in which a single central power source at any moment and it is hard to get it back on line. It is
provides energy to work many different features in the also something of a fire hazard. The advantages are that
stronghold, from something as simple as artificial light it is a strong power to use and it is difficult to interfere
to ingenious mechanical traps. These are the powered with the transmission cables without injuring yourself.
strongholds.
Kinetic power is simple mechanical motion, such as
A powered stronghold must have a single engine room might be had from a person turning a crank or pulling
in which the ‘power’ is generated. In this context, a rope. Its source is motion of some sort, whether
‘power’ can be in the form of energy (as with a lightning this originates with creatures doing work or from a
powered stronghold) or simple mechanical motion. The natural feature in constant motion. Its disadvantage is
machinery at the heart of the stronghold is referred to that the available power is limited by the strength of
as the engine. An engine has a Strength rating; this is the creature(s) or feature that is providing the energy
the maximum amount of effective Strength that can be and can not easily be increased; its advantages are that
exerted by any feature powered by the engine. This is a system powered by creatures can be set up almost
an important consideration, as a garbage crusher with a anywhere, while a system powered by a natural feature
Strength of only 12 is going to be hard pressed to crush requires no fuel and can be left to run indefinitely.
anything more than a few old wooden barrels, while an
engine with a Strength of 6 is not even going to be able Steam power is pressure exerted by steam expanding
to lift a drawbridge. within pipes. It is only ever generated by large amounts
of heat. This heat may be produced in a furnace or by a
An engine room has to be within the stronghold or less mundane means. Its disadvantage is that it requires
attached to it. Transmission cables cannot send power constant attention and maintenance, so that the fires do
of any kind more than 1,000 feet from the engine, so not go out. Its advantage is that the stronghold has an
the more central the engine room is, the more efficient inbuilt source of heating and that the available strength
it can be. can be boosted if necessary. In the real world, steam
engines are means of generating kinetic power; in the
Any mechanically powered feature in the stronghold game world, steam itself is driven down the pipes.
must be connected to the engine by transmission cables.
See Chapter 8, Additional Stronghold Features, for All of the following engines are suggested means of
information on powered features and on the types of generating one of the three types of power. No engine
cable used to connect them up. The stronghold builder can generate more than one kind of power at once.
must show on a map where his transmission cables are.
Breakage of a cable renders the features ‘downstream’
of the breach useless. Cables may not be laid in a loop Boiler Power (Steam)
or circuit. This is one of the simplest kinds of engine you can
build. In order to build a boiler, you must first have a
ready source of water. The boiler itself is a huge metal
Types of Engine canister or set of canisters, cylindrical in shape and
occupying a 20 foot square. A fire of some sort must
The engines available to the stronghold builder depend
greatly upon the environment. The easiest engines to heat this boiler from beneath. A fire powerful enough
build are those that tap into a natural power source, such to keep the boiler running with an effective Strength of
as a flowing river or waterfall. Other types of engine 12 would consume 50 gp of logs or 30 gp of coal per
need magic in order to work; some of the strongest day. The boiler needs to be fed every hour. It is made

125
POWERED STRONGHOLDS

from shaped metal plates that have been riveted together

in situ. The engine room where a boiler is running is
Elemental Power (Steam, Kinetic)
Bound elementals may be used to drive engines.
constantly hot and humid, with steam venting from
Fire elementals may be used to heat boilers,
ducts and rivulets of condensation flowing down the
earth elementals may be used to work
walls.
treadmills, air elementals can drive
turbines (treat
The operator of a boiler may stoke it up by doubling
these like a
its fuel consumption and pumping up the fire with
treadmill, as
bellows. This increases the boiler’s effective Strength
wind power
to 18. Constant attention is necessary to keep the boiler
is not used in
running at this level and there is a chance of explosion
strongholds)
(see below). The effective Strength may be increased to
and water
24 by tripling the fuel consumption. All boilers have an
elementals
emergency shut-down valve, which may be opened to
can power
vent all the steam within the boiler if it is in danger of
water wheels.
exploding.
The suitable
elemental is
If you are able to create a constant source of heat by
substituted
magical means, this may compensate for the boiler’s
for whatever
high fuel consumption. Multiple heatstones (see
original
Chapter 8) can power a boiler and 20 of them are
system
needed to make a boiler completely independent of fuel.
powered the
However, such a boiler can never be stoked up.
engine. The
amount of
The boiler has a hardness of 10; it is necessary to inflict
effective
90 hit points of damage in order to break the canister.
Strength
Making a boiler requires that the builder(s) have 10
produced by
ranks in Craft (blacksmith) and access to several tons of
the elemental
workable metal. The overall cost is 90,000 gp
powered
engine
Hazard: Boilers have an unfortunate tendency to
depends on
explode. If they are stoked too high or their vents are
the number
blocked off, the pressure building up inside can cause
of Hit Dice
the metal casing to rupture. A boiler that is suffering
of elementals
strains from internal pressure greater than it was
involved. Eight hit dice of elementals are needed for
designed to bear (i.e. producing more effective Strength
every 6 points of effective Strength provided by the
than 12) has a 5% chance per hour of exploding. If it
engine. This level is constant; it cannot be stoked up or
has been damaged in any part, the total number of hit
otherwise increased.
points of damage dealt in any one 5 foot area is added to
the chance of a boiler explosion; so, if one of the plates
If an enslaved elemental bound into an engine ever
has been struck repeatedly for a total of 14 points of
escapes, it will be furious with its captor and attempt to
damage, the hourly chance of an explosion is increased
take revenge. This is the primary disadvantage of using
to 19%.
elementals for power.
An exploding boiler inflicts 6d8 points of fire damage
in a 40 foot radius; a Reflex saving throw against Dragon Power (Steam, Current)
DC 20 is allowed to take half damage from this. In Some dragons can be used to power engines. They
addition, all creatures in this area suffer 1d4 ranged do not often consent willingly to do this, as in many
attacks from flying shrapnel. These attacks are made at cases it is beneath their dignity. However, it is not
a base attack bonus of +12 and inflict 2d4 damage with inconceivable that a dragon might make a deal with a
each successful hit, plus the additional damage from stronghold builder, whereby the dragon was provided
whatever the boiler’s effective Strength ability score was with food and defence and the stronghold was supplied
at the time of the explosion. with power. This deal could be especially attractive to
the dragon if all it had to do was breathe into the engine
Rust monsters must be kept out of a boiler room at all a few times each hour to keep it running.
costs.
Dragon-powered engines run on the force of the
dragon’s breath. This is not always a full use of the

126
 POWERED STRONGHOLDS

breath weapon, but a low-key and frequent use, akin highly unusual to find naturally occurring water in the
to a person blowing on a fire from time to time. The same area as a lava flow. The stronghold builder is
only kinds of dragon that are useful for this purpose are advised to look into magical sources of water, such as a
those that can produce fire or electricity. The amount decanter of endless water, to supply this need.
of Strength that can be produced by a dragon-powered
engine that runs on fire is equal to the amount of dice
of damage that the dragon’s breath weapon can inflict Lightning Power (Current)
(up to the maximum for the type of engine, if any) A lightning powered system works in a different way
irrespective of the type of die involved. A fire-breathing from the other types of engine. Instead of a source
dragon can stoke up a boiler by breathing on it more of power keeping the engine in constant motion, a
often, but the same risk of explosion applies. An lightning engine stores up electrical power and releases
electricity-breathing dragon can keep a lightning engine it gradually. A single bolt of natural lightning is enough
constantly running at 24 Strength, simply by breathing to keep the engine running for a day, with an output
on it several times per day. Strength of 12.

A lightning powered engine resembles an enormous

Golem Power (Kinetic) copper cylinder surrounded by a spring-like metal
Many wizards and clerics use golem power in their coil, ten feet wide and five feet across. It is topped
powered strongholds. The mindless constructs never by a V-shaped metal device, up which fizzing lines of
complain and have plenty of strength to bend to the task. electricity crawl when the engine is in use. The outsides
It is something of a waste of a complicated construct to of the engine shimmer with electric ripples. In order
set it a constant and tedious task but if there are golems to be charged up, it must either be struck by lightning
to spare, then setting them to work on a treadmill has a (or similar electrical effect) itself, or be connected by a
great many advantages. transmission cable to a lightning rod on the outside of
the stronghold which then receives the stroke.
Golem power is employed by setting the golems to work
on a treadmill or spindle (see below). Stone and iron The amount of effective Strength provided by the
golems are too cumbersome to work on a treadmill, lightning engine is set in advance. (The setting may
as their heavy feet would splinter the wood; they must be changed by means of a dial, but the engine will not
be set around a spindle. As golems cannot run, they be able to output at the new Strength level until it has
cannot be commanded to increase their speed. A golem- been charged.) To provide that much Strength for one
powered treadmill or spindle is thus only capable of day, the engine must receive three times that many hit
producing a single constant amount of Strength. dice in energy damage from an electrical source. For
example, a lightning engine set to provide 6 effective
Golems kept constantly on the go do tend to fall to Strength must be powered by 18 hit dice of electrical
pieces, like any other machine. For every week spent energy per day. The electricity may be either natural or
working constantly on the treadmill or spindle, a golem produced by magical or monstrous sources. A lever or
must make a Fortitude saving throw against DC 15 or switch trigger (situated more than 10 feet away from the
suffers 1d4 points of damage. It is customary to shut engine for safety reasons) is provided that shuts down
down golem-powered engines for maintenance, which the system when pulled.
includes repairing the golems, for one day in every
month. The engine has a hardness of 10; if it suffers more
than 200 hit points of damage, it is disabled. Striking
the engine has the same effect as striking a lightning
Lava Power (Steam) conduit variant of transmission cable, with the principal
For the truly daring, a stronghold may be built on or difference that the electrical damage dealt is 1d6 per
near a site of volcanic activity. In the fantasy game point of Strength that the engine is currently set to emit.
world, rivers of lava sometimes run through the
underground chambers beneath a stronghold; it makes Throwing water on to a lightning engine is guaranteed
sense to use this constant source of heat as the power to cause a short-out. Sparks fly everywhere and a nasty
for a boiler system. To use lava power, build a boiler smell of burning fills the engine room. Any creature
as normal, with the tank suspended over the lava. (It coming into contact with the water must make a Reflex
cannot be immersed in the lava as this would weaken saving throw at DC 15 or suffer electrical damage
and possibly melt the metal.) As the heat source is equal to half the effective Strength of the engine in d6;
constant, the boiler cannot be stoked to provide more a successful save halves the damage. The engine has
effective Strength. On the positive side, it requires no a flat 25% chance of breaking down completely. If
fuel and little maintenance. it remains functional, its effective Strength output is
reduced by 1d6 until it can be shut down, taken apart
The main difficulty with lava power is finding a source and dried out. If the Strength output has been reduced,
of water that the lava can then turn into steam. It is

127
POWERED STRONGHOLDS

it may not be set to produce a higher Strength until minus 6, or minus 8 in the case of a spindle, as they
repaired. are less efficient. No one creature may be kept on the
treadmill for more than six hours without becoming
Hazard: Lightning engines are not at all safe to be fatigued. The effective Strength of the treadmill may
around. Any person standing within 10 feet of the be increased by 6 (to a maximum of 24) by having the
engine’s surface has a 1 in 6 chance per round to be creatures work harder but this extra effort may only
struck by a stray arc of electricity, inflicting 4d6 damage be sustained for a maximum of ten rounds; continuing
(Reflex saving throw against DC 15 halves). Anybody past this point inflicts 1d6 points of subdual damage on
carrying more than 2 lb. of uninsulated metal, such as the creatures for every round and they will be instantly
plate armour or a sword, or who is soaking wet has a 4 fatigued when they stop. Also, every ten rounds of extra
in 6 chance to be struck. effort reduces the time before the creatures will need to
rest by one hour.
Sun Power (Steam) Treadmills are customarily powered by slaves. These
Solar power is an unreliable but extremely cheap source are kept for no other purpose than to keep the wheels
of energy. In order to use it, the stronghold builder constantly in motion. They are kept on the wheel for
must buy or build a sun lens (see Chapter 9, Magical between eight to twelve hours a day, are fed on bland
Offensive and Defensive Systems). The sun lens is mush and allowed to sleep only so they can get up and
then trained upon a boiler, which in turn produces carry on working. Slaves who are physically robust and
steam power for the stronghold. The boiler produces a used to hard work, such as dwarves and half-orcs, are
maximum of 12 effective Strength and cannot be stoked. preferred for this job.
Obviously, this method can only produce power during
the day while the sun is out. The boiler tank must also
be situated somewhere where the rays can be focused Water Power (Kinetic)
upon it and the lens itself must be steadily rotated as Watermills are used in rural parts of the fantasy world
the day passes and the sunlight changes direction. to grind corn and saw wood; far greater watermills
The advantage of this method is the low fuel cost; the may be employed to power the various features within
disadvantage is the ease with which the power could be a stronghold. In order to generate enough strength to
cut off. Some stronghold builders simply use the boiler drive even the simplest of features, the force of a strong
in a conventional fashion at night, with a coal or log river is needed. It is impossible for a water powered
fuelled fire beneath it, while using solar power during engine to generate more than 6 effective Strength unless
the daylight hours. it is driven by a waterfall. The falls of a strong river
would generate 12 Strength, those of a mighty river
would generate 18 and a waterfall the size of Niagara
Treadmill (Kinetic) Falls in the real world would be able to generate 24.
This is the very simplest form of engine there is. A
captive creature, or set of creatures, keeps a great wheel A truly ambitious stronghold builder can build a dam
in constant motion and the power of this wheel works across a river and thus generate an artificial source of
the other machinery within the stronghold. Treadmills water power by regulating the flow through. This can be
are usually made from wood and cost 7,000 gp to make; done by building a fortified wall (see Chapter 5) across
they require 10 ranks in Craft (carpenter) to build and a large river valley, to the width and height necessary
install. to create a reservoir; the Games Master should set the
dimensions, but as a general rule it needs to be at least
A treadmill proper is like a gigantic hamster wheel 10 200 feet across and 50 feet high. This action spells
feet thick and 40 feet high. It is kept rotating by the doom for the surrounding countryside, as it floods the
creatures in it trudging forwards, walking endlessly day land to a depth of at least 40 feet. For an evil stronghold
after day. Other variants include the capstan, which is a builder, this is not a concern and may even solve two
huge spindle in the centre of the room that is rotated by problems at once, disposing of an unwanted local
creatures walking around and around it and the climbing population while providing a convenient power source.
wheel, which is much the same as a treadmill but with
the creatures on the outside. To build a watermill, simply create a treadmill (see
above) that is placed with its paddles in the water flow.
Operating a treadmill requires a minimum of 30 hit Water power is clean, efficient and the cheapest of all
dice of creatures to turn it; it does not matter if this is systems to run. The amount of effective Strength it may
a collection of multiple creatures or just one or two generate is constant; there is no way to increase or lower
larger ones. They must, however, be able to fit into the it. The one exception to this rule is in the case of a dam,
treadmill or around the spindle. The effective Strength which may have the sluice gates opened to generate
that may be exerted by the treadmill is equal to the more Strength if necessary, always to a maximum of 24.
average Strength of the creatures that are turning it Opening the sluice gates too wide for too long runs the
risk of draining the dammed reserves of water.

128
 THE MECHANICS OF GOVERNMENT

The policy, pass on information, formulate changes to the

law and issue edicts. In most kingdoms, the base of
operations will be a large stronghold in or near the

Mechanics of kingdom’s capital city. Some kingdoms will have

council chambers or even private manor houses as
their bases of operations. There is often a formal and

Government an informal power base, the formal one being a grand

building and the informal one being a more downbeat
establishment. For example, a ruler may do his day-

T
his volume introduces a large-scale system for to-day governing in the marble halls of a lofty palace,
the governing of provinces, kingdoms and whole but entertain heads of state on a private estate in more
empires. By use of this system, you can quantify tranquil surroundings.
the player characters’ impact on the politics of the
region, enable them to participate in intrigue both local Council Members: These are those individuals
and international and even simulate the power struggles closest to the head of the regime. They may be given
between separate kingdoms, including the raising of titles appropriate to their responsibilities. The rules
armies and the toppling of whole governments. governing council members and what they may do are
given in the next chapter. Those players who have taken
There are two types of record sheet in the Open Land to governing after a life of adventuring will find that
Management System (OLMS). These are the regime their former colleagues are the most suited to take on the
sheet and the province sheet. If you ever become the positions of the council members, as they are generally
ruler of a kingdom, the regime sheet is what you will trustworthy and in possession of suitable experience.
use to manage your domains. For more on councils and how they work, see Chapter
14, The Power Structure.

The Regime Sheet Government Type: This details the kind of

The regime sheet is the record of the government that government that the regime is, which may be either a
is officially in power, whether that is operated by a Dictatorship, Monarchy, Ard Ri, Republic, Theocracy,
player or a non-player character. On this sheet are kept Magocracy or Plutocracy. The type of government will
records of the people in command, the system they use, affect the relationship that various different factions
the resources that they may call upon and the reserves have with your regime and will set limits on what the
currently available in the treasury. The regime’s ruler is allowed to do independently. For example,
military might is also listed, though this is liable to in a dictatorship the ruler may change the laws as he
change rapidly. sees fit, whereas in a republic any change in law has to
be debated in the Senate. See Chapter 15, The Art of
The regime sheet is updated at the start of every month Governing, for more on the various types of government
and is held by the player who is in overall charge of available.
the regime, or by the Games Master if this person is a
non-player character. Some factions (see below) may in Intimidation Bonus: When a regime is known to be
time become so powerful that they have regime sheets especially brutal, all of its representatives are viewed
of their own. In this case, the Games Master manages with fear. Often the terror of reprisal is all that keeps
them. the populace from taking up arms, arising in strength
and throwing down a despised regime.
Head of Regime: This is the person at the very top
of the pyramid of power, the king or emperor in a Sometimes, however, a regime earns respect by being
monarchical system, the president in a republic, the high especially resistant to coercion and by having no
priest or priestess in a theocracy and so on. tolerance for crime, thus earning an intimidate bonus
without having to be despotic. The intimidate bonus is
Official Residence: This is where the head of the a circumstance bonus to any Intimidate skill check made
regime officially lives, whether or not he actually spends by a representative of the regime. This includes those
any time there. It is usually a well-defended residence, who are acting under the regime’s orders, such as a
at least the size of a large house and often as big as a military force. The bonus will rise and fall according to
small keep. The official residence is where visiting the regime’s actions. For example, if the regime ordered
ambassadors and other dignitaries will be entertained the execution of anyone who spoke out against the ruler,
and private summit meetings held. the intimidation bonus would be very high, whereas a
regime that tolerated dissent or whose ruler had recently
Base of Operations: This gives the building and the been publicly humiliated would have a zero bonus or
location where the heads of the regime meet to discuss possibly even a penalty.

129
THE MECHANICS OF GOVERNMENT

The base intimidation bonus of a regime is determined The corruption figure is a straight percentage. It
by the alignment of its head. Evil or chaotic regime indicates how likely it is that any member of the regime
heads have an intimidation bonus of +2, while all others or duly appointed representative thereof will be willing
have an intimidation bonus of +1. The Games Master to accept bribes or favours in exchange for an abuse of
may adjust this bonus up and down as the campaign his official duty. For example, if corruption stands at
proceeds, based on the actions the players take as 15%, you would have a straight 15% chance of being
governors. able to bribe your way out of an arrest. The corruption
figure essentially indicates what proportion of the
Diplomacy Bonus: When a regime has had plenty of regime’s members are of evil alignment, or are tending
chances to prove its trustworthiness and has not acted that way. You have a chance to encounter an honest soul
hypocritically, its neighbours notice. Some regimes even in a corrupt regime, but the more corrupt it is the
have a reputation for honour, fairness and wisdom, less chance you have of doing so.
which induces people to listen when they speak. The
diplomacy bonus is a circumstance bonus applied to all The level of bribe or the size of the favour are
Diplomacy skill checks made by a member or appointed determined by the Games Master, but should always
representative of the regime. Irrespective of how reflect the rank of the official concerned. A city guard
competent the individual is, he benefits from the positive might only want a few gold pieces to let you go, while
reputation of the regime in whose name he is acting. a judge who is about to hang you would probably be
Diplomacy bonuses do not appear overnight. Nations looking for a sum closer to a thousand, or possibly a
earn them over time, by going for many years without little assassination job on the side.
making unprovoked attacks or having insurrection in
their own land. The Games Master should determine the corruption
rating of a regime if the regime is already established.
Some regimes will have a diplomacy penalty instead If it is being built from the ground up, assume a starting
of a bonus. These are those regimes that are viewed corruption rating as given in Chapter 15, The Art of
with distrust the world over. As they are quite aware Governing.
of their reputation (however much they might deny
it) they are much more likely to resort to intimidation Control: This figure shows how much of a sustained
than to use diplomacy. A history of untrustworthiness, grip the regime has upon its citizens. It shows how
shady dealing or repressive actions is likely to gain a much power the regime has to direct their lives and how
regime a diplomacy penalty. Representatives of such much respect they give it. In regions where control is
countries tend to be silver-tongued, making up for their high, the populace are obedient and peaceful and do the
country’s bad reputation with their own oratory skills jobs that they are told to do, irrespective of whether they
and persuasive techniques. enjoy them or not; high control can lead to resentment
and a desire for freedom. Where control is low, there
The base diplomacy bonus of a regime is determined by is a greater risk of crime, disorder and disrespect for
the alignment of its head. Lawful or good regime heads authority, but more anarchic spirits are generally much
have a +2 diplomacy bonus, while all others have a happier.
diplomacy bonus of +1. The Games Master may adjust
this bonus up and down as the campaign proceeds, Control is expressed as a percentage figure. It indicates
based on the actions the players take as governors. how likely a citizen of the regime is to co-operate with a
member or representative of the regime if he has a good
Corruption: This figure is an indication of how reason not to do so. For example, a control check would
hypocritical and corrupt the regime is and how much have to be made if a man was being asked to testify
proper procedure (including the course of justice) may honestly in a case in which his own brother was being
be overridden by the interests of a powerful individual tried for an assault against an officer of the regime,
or group. Corruption does not necessarily mean the or if an official needed to commandeer a peasant’s
regime does overtly evil deeds. It is best summed up as horse when it was the only one the peasant owned.
‘one law for the rich, another for the poor’. It indicates Control is not a matter of fear (which is covered by the
how easy it is to bypass the legal system by paying intimidation bonus) but a matter of authority, respect
bribes or doing favours for people. A corrupt system and habitual obedience. It also rests upon the proven
will have a facade of lawfulness, but will operate behind rewards of co-operation. People allow themselves to
the scenes on a basis of privilege, bribery and nepotism. be governed if they know that submission has in the
Those regimes that make the most noise about respect past brought them prosperity and gain. If they have had
for the law and obedience to authority are in fact the little reward from their lords and masters, they are more
ones most likely to be corrupt behind the scenes. likely to be rebellious.

130
 THE MECHANICS OF GOVERNMENT

Some events can cause your control to increase, while geographical or political boundaries of a province, as
some events lessen it. You can take governing actions the province will have had its area defined by long-
(see Chapter 15, The Art of Governing) to attempt standing tradition. Provinces have no set size and are
to increase your level of control. Other regimes can divided according to game management convenience.
attempt to lower your control level from outside, by
sponsoring insurrection, assassinating functionaries or The province sheet shows such details as the available
causing sabotage. labour in the area (a measure of how many able-bodied
adults there are), the maximum number of natural
The primary effect of your control rating is in taxation. resources that may be extracted from the area in a given
If you have little control over your people, you will find month, the key structures that have been built in the
it hard to bring in the taxes you are owed. For more province and the various factions that exist there. The
information on this, see Chapter 17, Trade and Taxation. province sheet is updated at the start of every month.

If your control percentage ever drops below 30%,

your regime falls. The people no longer acknowledge Population
your rule and place a new ruler in your stead. There is This is an indication of the numbers of able-bodied
nothing to do but pack up your belongings and head for adults living in the province and is given as a simple
a safe retreat. number. It is liable to increase and decrease with each
passing month, as environmental factors cause the
The Games Master should determine the corruption numbers to alter.
rating of a regime if the regime is already established.
If it is being built from the ground up, assume a starting These people are allocated to specific jobs according to
corruption rating as given in Chapter 15, The Art of the available work in the region. The default activity of
Governing. the population is ‘farming’. Obviously, not every single
member of the population will be a farmer; this activity
Taxation: This details the tax schemes currently in simply reflects the everyday work the populace does
place. There are different kinds of taxes that may be to stay alive. Farming produces food according to the
placed; these are detailed in Chapter 17, Trade and quality of the land
Taxation. Each tax currently enacted adds to the
percentage of the region’s wealth that is taken by your The population of an area will be reflected in the
tax collectors and added to the regime’s treasury every number of towns and cities found in the province. (If
month. you are adapting an existing campaign map for use in
the OLMS, then you can work backwards and convert
The amount of money that can be drawn from a the number of towns and cities into a total population
given province in taxes is calculated by reference to figure.) Try to make the allocation realistic, with a ratio
its productivity. Areas that produce crude, common of about three villages to each small town and about
goods tend to be poor, while areas that produce fine or three small towns for each large one and so on up the
otherwise rare goods are richer. Any resources that you scale. Referring to page 155 of Core Rulebook II, either
do not seize or buy at cost are assumed to be sold on the calculate the population based on how many settlements
open market. The workers do not keep them in reserve. there are, or allocate the population to suitable
The one exception to this is ‘stored food’. Any province settlements. Rather than detailing every last thorp and
that has the facility to store food reserves will usually hamlet, allocate about 1,000 – 2,000 members of the
do so; for the mechanics of food storage and the effects population to ‘unmapped rural dwellings’. Not every
of poor harvests, see Chapter 16, The Seedtime and the member of society can live in a town, or wants to.
Harvest.
As more people move into the province, the towns and
Treasury: The goods and money currently in the cities will grow. Sometimes, whole new villages arise,
treasury are listed, along with their place of storage. growing into towns; the Games Master will indicate
Resources, especially perishable ones like food, have when a previously unknown hamlet has become large
to be kept in a suitable storage facility. The treasury of enough to count as a village and be marked on the map.
a regime must be kept careful track of, as rival regimes The number of settlements in the province is important,
will be keen to get their hands on it. as some actions that you can take can only be done once
per settlement. For example, the Minister of Health’s
ability to take precautions against the plague has to be
The Province Sheet applied to individual settlements.
The province sheet details one of the regions within
a kingdom. A single kingdom may consist of one or
more provinces. The Games Master usually sets the

131
THE MECHANICS OF GOVERNMENT

Available Soldiery † Every stage in the resource refinement process

multiplies the value of resources by an increasing
This shows how much of the population also has
amount. So, processed resources count for twice
military training and could take up arms in defence of
the base value, worked resources for three times and
the province or to form part of an army per month. It fine resources for four. Therefore, a province that
is not a reflection of how many troops are currently produces only cattle has produced a resource at the
stationed in the province. If you want a large amount of base value, whereas a province that produces worked
soldiery available from month to month, you must invest metal items has produced an item of three times the
in military training for your people. See the Military base value for metal and a province that produces
Actions section of Chapter 15 for more information. fine precious metal items has effectively produced
Ordinarily, this figure is a percentage of the population goods of four times the base value.
equal to your Control rating, divided by 20.
† The scarcer a resource is, the more it is worth.
Under certain circumstances, some of them deliberate Common resources have a base value of 1,000 gp
such as the issue of a conscription notice and some of per unit. Uncommon resources have a base value of
them spontaneous such as the invasion of the province 3,000 gp per unit, Rare resources have a base value
by a foreign power, part or all of the available soldiery of 7,000 gp per unit and Very Rare resources have a
can be turned into a fighting force. The military base value of 10,000 gp per unit.
strength of the governing power is listed on a separate
sheet. For the purposes of calculating the region’s wealth,
resources are only considered to be a given type at a
given stage. ‘Metal armour’ is not considered to be a
Resources separate resource from ‘tools’; they are both ‘worked
The different types of resources are listed in Chapter metal goods’. However, for the purposes of making
13, Resources. Resources are either raw materials, such trade arrangements with other kingdoms, the exact type
as stone or timber, or the result of work done on these of product in which the region specialises is relevant.
materials, such as leather armour or wooden furniture. The province must therefore keep a record of the kinds
There are four levels of resource; crude, processed, of goods it makes. Each resource has a ‘typical item’.
worked and fine, representing the differences between Suggested typical items are given in the Resource Table
the finished product from the raw material. An area in Chapter 13, Resources. For example, some typical
can have any number of resources. The more it has, items of worked wood and paper goods are furniture,
the more rich and desirable the area is likely to be. small boats, wooden weapons and books.
Resources are sold by the members of the province to
earn money. The controller of the province may also The limits set on what a province may make are up to
make trading arrangements with other kingdoms to the Games Master, who may (for example) rule that a
supply them with resources they want; see Chapter 17, given province cannot produce metal weapons because
Trade and Taxation. it has seen so little war that it does not know the proper
procedures, or that it cannot produce glassware because
Resources produced count towards the region’s trade. its craftsmen have never been taught the secrets of doing
They are either sold on the open market or collected in so. For more suggestions on these points, see Chapter
lieu of taxes by the governing power. Some resources 15, The Art of Governing.
are finite, such as coal, oil, gold or silver; you can
only take so much of them from the land before the The total wealth of the province is of course not
supply is exhausted. Others, such as logs or fish, have accessible all at once. It represents the region’s
a maximum safe yield. You can take more than the safe prosperity in an abstract sense, being the net result of a
amount, but doing so will leave less for future years. month’s buying, selling and haggling. The regime may,
however, tax the province’s wealth. The tax rate is set
The region’s financial wealth is calculated by adding as a simple percentage; that amount of money flows into
together the total number of resources produced in the your treasury, or that of your regional governor, every
area. The following modifiers apply: month.

† Minimal production produces one unit of resources, There are other advantages to being a controlling
scant production produces two, moderate production regime. The controller of the province (or the overall
produces three, prolific production four and abundant head of the regime) may, in any given month, buy
production five. Rare resources are usually scantily resources made in that province at half price. He
produced, whereas common resources are more
essentially creams off part of the region’s productivity
likely to be prolific or abundant. For this reason, a
for his own use. This is extremely useful if you are
single goldmine in a province can be less lucrative
planning to build a castle or outfit an army. As the
than a well-established and productive trade in
head of a regime, you may buy at half price any of the
horseflesh and cattle.

132
 THE MECHANICS OF GOVERNMENT

units of the resource that your province has produced, are considered to be the ultimate owner of all natural
but these must be used immediately; they may not be resources. Anyone working the land, setting up a
stockpiled and sold later. For example, you may buy a mine or cutting logs is doing so with your permission
single unit of worked metal items (such as swords and and the right to benefit from the land’s riches is yours
armour) that was worth 9,000 gp for only 4,500 gp, alone. If you are operating a system that allows regional
which would provide you with plenty of armour and sovereignty, then the resources may belong to a private
weapons for your troops. Alternatively, you could buy claimant, such as a local merchant or to a village.
a unit of worked stone, costing 1,000 gp on the open
market, for only 500 gp and use it to build part of your
stronghold with. Factions
The faction relationship grid is the most important
Units bought at cost do not count towards the region’s feature of the province sheet. A faction is a group
total wealth for tax purposes. You may not tax a wielding significant power within the province. The
province’s resource and buy it at cost in any given governing regime detailed on the regime sheet is in fact
month. You may either take the tax on it, or buy a only one of these factions; it is a local manifestation of a
quantity of it cheaply, but not both. national power.

For more tyrannical regimes, there is another way to get In all cases, the factions will include the three classes of
your hands on the region’s resources. The province’s society: upper, middle and lower. Provinces will usually
controller may simply seize the resources he wants have several other factions as well, depending upon the
without paying for them, as a special tax; if done at a density of the population and the political climate. For
time of war, this is called ‘sequestering’. It is extremely instance, an outlying rural area in old pagan country will
probable that the denizens of the province who make a probably have the druids and the outlaws as factions
living out of producing the resources will be extremely in addition to the three classes. A province containing
angry at the confiscation of their work. In order to keep several large towns is more likely to have the priests
the angry voices quiet, many rulers issue promissory of the local deity, the mages’ guild and the main city’s
notes to the resource makers, pledging to pay them back rogues as additional factions.
in full once the battle is won. Sometimes, when your
treasury is empty, you have little choice but to go to war Factions are often but not always linked to a given class
in an attempt to fill them again... of society. This means that whenever that class gains
or loses goodwill towards the regime, the faction gains
Since the Games Master keeps the province sheet or loses it too, though it still keeps its own separate
private, the governing power does not necessarily goodwill rating. For example, the Salingate Guild
know which resources are available in the region, nor of Merchant Captains would be linked to the middle
how many months they will last before the supply runs classes, as it would be a mercantile faction.
out. The amount of resources produced can drop from
‘abundant’ to ‘scant’ in a matter of months. It is quite Some secret factions exist to represent the interests
possible for a player to conquer an area that has large of a given class. In the real world, one could draw
precious metal reserves that nobody knows about. on examples like the Luddites, who were a group of
Finding new resources is handled by prospecting. Your working class men who sabotaged industrial machinery
citizens also have a chance to discover hidden resources that was taking away the jobs of the common people.
at random, simply by happening across them. Whether Other secret factions exist purely to serve their own
they tell you about them or not is another matter. interests, such as a conspiracy of noblemen who want
to place their own favourite into power. The Games
The Games Master decides what resources a region can Master can detail as many of these secret factions as will
produce. If the ruler of the regime wishes to add a new be manageable in the campaign.
resource to the province’s output, the Games Master
In order to be a faction, a group must wield significant
may stipulate the achievements that are necessary for
power in the province. A good rule of thumb is to
this to happen. For example, if a player has just taken
give faction status to any group that has at least 100
a ship full of colonists and founded a new country, it is
experience levels among its members. So, one hundred
not going to be capable of producing many resources.
and fifty first-level warriors of a given clan, twenty fifth-
The Games Master may rule that it can start to produce
level priests of a deity or ten tenth-level rogues would
sugar after the first six months, once the settlers have
all be sufficient to count as a faction. This rule is not
had a chance to clear some ground and plant sugar cane.
absolute, however. A single powerful individual can
count as a ‘faction’ in his own right, if enough people
Sometimes a natural resource has an owner listed.
have heard of him and if he has political influence. For
If your regime is based upon the feudal system, as
instance, a popular folk hero who robbed from the rich
many in the fantasy game environment are, then you

133
THE MECHANICS OF GOVERNMENT

will resent those who are content with it. If you need
Default Factions to calculate the goodwill a given class of society or
There are several default factions that will be present faction holds towards another, assume that the score is
in any province. These are the upper, middle and positive if the factions are both positive or both negative,
lower classes in the society. The upper class are or negative if one is tending one way and the other is
usually the nobles. These are the landowners who of the opposite opinion. (Treat neutrality as positive.)
have control over the region, on whose territory
Apply the average of the figures as the goodwill rating.
the commoners live and to whom rent is paid. The
For example, if the nobles had +2 goodwill towards
middle classes are the merchants and traders, who
the regime and the commoners –4, the attitude of the
achieve social standing by accumulating wealth. The
lower classes are the commoners. These often have commoners to the nobles and vice versa would be –3
nothing to sell but their labour, or the products they goodwill.
have made with their own hands.
The regime sheet is kept by the governing player or
What kind of person falls into the upper, middle players, while the province sheet is kept by the Games
and lower class brackets will depend on the type of Master. The factions listed will therefore include any
regime you are running, the prevailing culture and that the player is not aware of. The governing power
the nature of the society. For example, in a monarchy of the region is never allowed to know the exact figures
run along standard fantasy lines, the upper classes listed on the faction relationship grid. Intelligence
would be the ermine-clad nobility and the perfumed agents can make reports that give an idea of where the
courtiers, the middle classes would be the fat different relationships stand with a successful Glean
merchants with their warehouses full of produce and check (see Chapter 15, The Art of Governing) but these
the working classes would be the peasants, grubbing are never definitive.
out a living in the fields of potatoes and turnips. By
contrast, in a republic the upper classes would be Discovering a hidden faction is also a matter of intrigue
more likely to be wealthy landowners of good family, and spycraft. The more paranoid a ruler is, the more
while the middle classes would be entrepreneurs and likely he is to see hidden factions wherever he turns.
traders and the lower classes would be the plebians The Head of Intelligence in a given regime may attempt
or ordinary citizens. Some regimes may also have a to root out hidden factions; see Chapter 15 for the
fourth class of slaves or untouchables. The point to appropriate abilities to use.
remember is that the upper classes always hold most
of the land, the middle classes do most of the trading
and the lower classes do most of the work. Roads
This indicates the general state of repair of the roads in
and gave to the poor would have good relations with the province. It is expressed as a positive or negative
the commoners and poor ones with the nobles, while an figure. It is primarily an indicator of their physical
independent wizard who was known to pay handsomely state, though frequent instances of highway robbery or
for arcane spell components would probably have good monster attack will lower a province’s Roads rating.
relations with the merchants and poor relations with This figure is applied as a circumstance bonus to certain
everyone else. checks, such as the roll to see how effective famine
relief is. If the roads are in disrepair, it takes much
On the province sheet is a grid showing the relations of longer for goods to reach their destination. A province
the different factions to the governing regime. This is with poor roads will find itself with less trade from
expressed as a positive or a negative figure, as zero or as merchants, as they are not enthusiastic about taking their
a dash. The figure acts as a circumstance modifier to all cargoes to far-off places when the roads are unreliable.
Charisma-based checks, such as Diplomacy, made when
a member of one faction interacts with a member of the
other that they recognise to be such. It is quite possible
Civic Structures
This section is a record of the state of public facilities
for one faction to think better of another than the second
in the province, such as roads, and lists any buildings
faction thinks of them; they may have their own private
that the regime has constructed since coming to power
reasons for this. Faction relations are adjusted up and
along with the effects that these buildings have, such as
down as the campaign proceeds. New factions enter the
prisons or town halls.
scene and others disappear from it.

A zero score on the relationship grid indicates neutrality. Military Structures

The relationships of the various classes and factions to Listed here are the military emplacements that have
each other will vary and should be adjudicated by the been built, such as border forts and troop barracks and
Games Master; however, as a general rule of thumb, the cost to maintain them in good order.
those that are happy with the regime will also be happy
with each other, while those that are dissatisfied with it

134
 RESOURCES & GOODS

Resources Resources are produced in units. A single province

may produce up to five units of a given kind of
resource. What a ‘unit’ is may vary wildly depending

and Goods on the resource; it could signify enough wheat to feed

several villages, or enough gold to fill a large chest.
It is an abstract term, used to quantify production in a

R
esources are consumed in the fantasy simple way.
environment all the time. Weapons and
equipment are bought, used and discarded
without a second thought. Yet, if it were not for a Maximum Different
multi-layered process of extraction and production,
those resources would never have come to exist. Types of Resource
A province may only produce three different types
Take the humble flask of oil, for example. It costs a of resource plus one per 3,000 people living in the
mere silver piece and yet it has been assembled from province. So, a province with 7,000 people could
many diverse elements, having their origins in many (for example) produce grain, stone, furs, livestock
different places and each requiring a specialised kind and whale products. If you discover a new resource
of work. The clay from which the flask is made had that you wish to exploit instead of one that you are
to be dug out of the ground, probably by a peasant currently using, you must first cease production of the
who did so for a few meagre coppers a week, then old resource. You may change what you produce once
shaped and fired in a kiln. If it is a glass flask, its per month. This limit does not apply to resources
origins are even more arcane; glass has to be made by brought in by trading with other nations.
fusing sand, soda and lime into a searing hot blob of
molten stuff, which then has to be blown into shape
by a professional craftsman who has spent years
Resource Conversion
If you have the wherewithal to convert one form of
learning the art. As for the oil, it was not simply
resource into another – for instance, if your province
found lying in the road. It was either taken from
can produce worked metal goods from raw metal
a natural oil deposit in the earth and refined into a
– you may turn one unit of resource of one kind into
substance that would burn without choking clouds of
the next resource along. For example, if you were
smoke, or it was produced by pressing the oil out of a
producing three units of metal per month, you could
vegetable crop (such as olives) and refining it down.
turn them into three units of worked metal. Turning
It may even have come from the carcass of a whale.
basic resources into more processed ones is almost
always the wisest thing to do, as resources that have
Resources are important to the governor of a
been refined or worked on are worth much more
kingdom or region, because they more than any other
money.
factor determine the region’s inherent wealth. A
region that is rich can be taxed, whether for money
You may only ever produce one unit of any Fine
or for goods bought at cost. The more resources
resource per province. This is because the production
there are coming out of a region, the more different
of Fine resources requires highly qualified artisans or
items you can help yourself to. As governor, you can
special ingredients that are just not all that easy to get
acquire large amounts of equipment at cost price,
hold of.
so long as it is made in the region. If you balance
the tax books properly, you can find yourself with a
stronghold full of quality weapons, trained mounts Cottage Industry
and enough food to keep you and your company alive Cottage industries are the work that is carried out
for many weeks. by the commoners in their own homes, with very
simple working equipment. Any province you
Resources also allow you to trade with other nations. control may turn one unit of raw materials into one
It is assumed that there are already merchants doing unit of processed materials per month by means of
the same thing, but you can take charge of some cottage industry; you may add one further unit to
of your kingdom’s trade personally, allowing other this quantity for every 2,000 people there are in the
regimes to benefit from the productivity of your province. So, if you had 11,000 people in a province,
provinces and making money out of the deal for you could turn 6 units of raw material into processed
yourself. resources by means of cottage industry.

135
RESOURCES & GOODS

This is essentially a ‘free’ processing activity that For example, if your province was producing 3
requires no special facilities. If you wish to process units of logs per month, you could deforest the area
your raw materials in greater quantity than one unit completely (no future production at all) and gain 15
per month, you must build appropriate facilities; see units of logs in addition to the normal yield.
Processed Resources below. Cottage industry is only
used to turn raw materials into processed materials.
It does not need to be used to turn processed Circumstantial Resource Harvesting
materials into crafted or fine materials. If you simply want to gather resources of a given
kind for a project of your own (such as the building
of a stronghold), a deposit of the resource lies close
Seasonal Resources at hand and you have a labour pool to draw upon,
Seasonal resources increase at certain times of the then you may use 1 gp of labour to gather 1 gp worth
year and not at all during the other times. of the resource, so long as the province has a deposit
of the resource in question and the labourers have the
Any resource that is taken from a plant is, by relevant skill. For example, if you have a group of 50
definition, a seasonal resource, with the exception colonists, each one can do 10 gp of labour in a week,
of wood. (There are some others, such as Hive so in one week they could gather 500 gp of logs -
Products, which are also seasonal.) Such resources enough to build a longhouse. This, however, would
as grain, fruits, spices and flax are all therefore only work if there was a forest nearby and if the
seasonal. The general rule regarding seasonal labourers had at least one rank in Craft (carpenter) or
resources is that they are not collected all year round. Profession (lumberjack).
They are not available in the winter months, these
being the game world equivalents of November,
December, January and Feburary. Typical Resources
This is a list of the different resources that may be
Many seasonal resources may be stored for later use. extracted from the land and the goods that may be
This is vitally important, as if the resources were not produced by doing work with them.
stored, there would often be no food in the months in
which the resources were not available. Crude Resources
Any region may produce the crude variety of
Excessive Resource Extraction resource if it has large quantities of the appropriate
raw material or the appropriate environment. For
The system as it stands assumes that resources that
are not finite and replenish themselves naturally, example, a province that has grassland may produce
such as wood, livestock, fish and horseflesh, depend cattle or sheep and a province that has an abundance
on a core amount of the resource from which a little of orchards may produce fruit. It is left to the Games
is taken at a time. Ordinarily, they will not have Master, as creator of the campaign world, to decide
more taken out of them than will be restored over the which crude materials may be produced in an area.
available time. For example, a province that yields 3 Civilised provinces will already have their resource
units of logs per month is not cutting down the same production in hand by the time a player gains control
grove of trees again and again. Instead, the province of them; wholly new countries, founded and explored
has forests that can comfortably produce 3 units of by players, will produce resources according to the
logs per month indefinitely. By contrast, a silver kind of natural deposits found in the area and the
mine can only produce a certain amount of silver ore decisions the colonists make as to what to plant or to
before it is exhausted. When a province produces 3 breed.
units of silver ore per month, that is a reflection of the
quality of the ore, the relative ease of extraction and Processed Resources
other similar factors. Processed resources are the result of working on
the raw material. Sometimes, the process is simple
In cases of urgent need, or if for whatever reason you and requires no extensive facilities. Cattle can be
do not care about ransacking the land, it is possible slaughtered and turned into meat, fruit can be dried
to overwork non-finite resources so that their future out and sheep can be shorn. The process does not
productivity is damaged for a greater gain in the short always involve treating the material; it can involve
term. For every point of permanent productivity that training and breeding over time, as when ordinary
you remove from the province’s resource, you may horses are broken to the bridle and thus ‘processed’
produce 5 extra units of that resource that month. into trained mounts.

136
 RESOURCES & GOODS

Other processed resources are what you get when a The amount of fine resources available reflects the
simple and usually laborious process has had to be number of master craftsmen and women in the area.
applied to the raw material in order to turn it into For example, a region might produce a plenitude of
something readily usable. This often involves a crafted metal goods but only minimal quantities of
process of purification or refinement. Iron ore needs fine metal goods.
to be smelted to turn it into iron, cotton needs to be
spun into thread, crude oil needs to be refined into Masterwork arms and armour, expertly crafted
usable oil and logs need to be sawn into timbers. jewellery and wines of legendary quality are all fine
Even the most primitive provinces can carry out a resources. There is also likely to be a great degree
small amount of resource processing (see Cottage of secrecy involved in the techniques by which some
Industries above); however, in order to produce fine resources are produced. Scarcity alone can never
processed resources in sufficient quantity for more make a resource fine. Gold and gems are valuable
than one unit to be made, you will need appropriate because they are rare, but they are made even more
facilities. The exact details of this are left to the valuable by being worked by an expert hand.
Games Master, but as a rule of thumb we would
suggest that no fewer than two industrial buildings A fine resource stands out from the background of
(see Chapter 4) of the appropriate kind should be general commerce. It is usually associated with the
constructed in various parts of the province in order region that it comes from, because the quality of the
to convert one extra unit of raw material to one unit resource is so good that it makes the region famous.
of processed material. For example, you will need In the real world, fine resources would be famous
four tanneries in order to be able to turn two extra products like ‘a good Toledo blade’ or ‘best Devon
units of cattle into leather. cream’. Similar associations are entirely appropriate
for a fantasy realm.
Processed resources rarely fall into the category of
finished items. They are almost always components
for a finished item or the material that will go to Resource Descriptions
make it. The various resources are detailed here, along with
the processes that are employed to make them into
finer versions. The Games Master may adapt or
Crafted Resources change these resources as the campaign requires.
These are those resources whose manufacture For example, the farming communities of a Drow
requires the application of skill (almost always a settlement in the caverns beneath the earth would be
Craft skill) to a processed material. A solitary crafter likely to produce a great many types of fungus crop,
in his or her own home or workshop is almost always from which wines, medicines and poisons could be
the source of crafted resources. Brewers make beer extracted as second-stage resources. These are all
from malt, leatherworkers make leather armour from detailed on the resource table, but they alone would
tanned skins, potters make dishes and vases from clay not account for the requirements of an underground
and blacksmiths make swords and breastplates from community. So, in addition to this, spiders could be
metal ingots. kept as livestock, with meat, spider silk, venom and
fur being typical second-stage resources. Other giant
What crafted resources can be made in your regime vermin such as stag beetles could be farmed for their
depends on the Craft skills of your population, not meat.
upon any industrial buildings or other facilities that
you may have built. The Games Master is, again, the
arbiter of what crafted resources can be made in the Bean Products
province. It is possible that a province might be able Coffee and cocoa beans are found mostly in hot
to make some goods but not others, owing to a lack climates. Both their end products, coffee and
of expertise. chocolate, are favourites with just about any culture
that discovers them. It is up to the Games Master
whether they are delicacies available only to the
Fine Resources rich, or more popular indulgences. Coffee is popular
Resources in the ‘fine’ category can only be made among fighters who need to stay awake at their posts
in places where there is a very high level of the and spellcasters who like to study late into the night,
appropriate Craft skill. They are produced in while chocolate is considered a mark of high living
addition to crafted resources, not instead of them, and along with fine clothing and exotic wines and is thus
may never be produced in more than scant quantity. prized by the nobility. A pound of ground coffee

137
RESOURCES & GOODS

Resource Table
Resource
Class Frequency Crude Processed Crafted Fine
Bean Uncommon to Coffee or Cocoa Roast Coffee Ground Coffee, Specialty Coffee
Products Rare Beans Beans, Ground Cocoa Powder and Cocoa,
Cocoa Beans Chocolates
Ceramic Common Clay Potter’s Clay, Pottery Goods, Urns, Porcelain Vases,
Products Bricks Vases, Crockery, Clay Ceramic Art
Lamps, Ceramic Tiles
Corn Common Corn Ground Corn, Food (Bread, Grits), Quality Spirits
Products Corn Oil Animal Food, Corn
Whiskey
Cotton Common Cotton Cloth, Thread Clothing, Canvas, Fine Clothing
Products Sheets
Fish Common Fish Food (Dried Fish, Fish Oil, Ink Fine Sauces
Products Smoked Fish)
Flax Common Flax Spun Flax, Linen Linen Clothing, Quality Linens
Products Cloth, Flaxseed Canvas
Oil
Fruits Common Food (Fruits) Stored Food Juice, Wine Preserves, Fine
(Dried Fruit) Wines, Spirits
Fungus Common Food (Edible Stored Mushroom Wine Medicinal
Products Fungi) Food (Dried Preparations,
Mushrooms) Poisons
Furs Uncommon Raw Pelts Tanned Furs Fur Garments Fine Furs
Gemstones Very Rare Rough Gems Graded Rough Cut Gemstones & Quality Gemstones
and Jewels Gems Jewels & Jewels
Grain Common Wheat, Barley, Threshed Grain, Food, Beer, Brandy, Pastries,
Products Rye Malted Barley Flour Delicacies, Fine
Spirits
Hempen Common Hemp Hemp Fibres Hempen Cloth, -
Products Rope, Nets, Rigging,
Narcotics
Hive Uncommon Raw Honeycomb Wax, Honey Mead, Candles, Metheglins, Fine
Products Sealing Wax Mead
Hops Common Hops Dried Hops Beer Fine Ales
Horseflesh Common Horses Trained Mounts Shire Horses, Thoroughbreds
Warhorses
Lime and Uncommon Lime Mortar, Glass Glass Containers, Fine Glassware,
Glass (requires Soda Bottles, Windows, Spectacles, Lenses,
Products Ash) Lanterns Optical Instruments
Livestock Common Cattle, Pigs, Leather, Food Leather Clothing Vellum Parchment,
Products Goats (Meat) and Armour, Stored Fine Leather Goods
Food (Cheeses),
Stored Food (Salted
Meat, requires salt),
Regular Parchment,
Horn Goods

138
 RESOURCES & GOODS

Metal Uncommon Metal Ore Metal Ingots, Worked Metal, Tools, Masterwork Metal
Products Blanks Studs, Spikes, Nails, Items, Thieves’
Small Metal Goods, Tools, Scientific
Farming Equipment, Instruments
Weapons, Armour
Narcotics Rare Narcotic Plants Narcotic resins, Ingestible narcotics High quality
oils and leaf narcotics
mass
Nut Uncommon Food (Nuts), Nut Oil - -
Products may be stored
Oil Uncommon Crude Oil Oil Fine Oil Alchemical
Products Products
Precious Rare to Very Precious Metal Precious Metal Coinage, Jewelry, Masterwork
Metal Rare Ore Ingots Ornaments, Precious Jewelry
Products Metal Items
Rice Common Picked Rice Food (Threshed Rice Wine, Rice -
Products Rice), may be Paper
stored
Salt Uncommon Rough Salt Fine Salt - -
Resources
Sheep and Common Sheep Food (Meat), Stored Food (salted Luxury Woollen
Wool Tallow, Wool meat, requires salt), Clothing
Woollen Clothing
Silk Rare Raw Silk Silk Rough Silk Clothing, Fine Silken
Products Silk Rope Clothing
Slaves Uncommon Unexceptional Trained Slaves Specialist Slaves Exotic Slaves,
Slaves Quality Slaves
Soda Ash Rare Soda Ash - - -
Spice Rare to Very Spice Leaves Ground Spice Incenses and Oils, Fine Perfumes
Products Rare Resins
Stone Common Rough Ashlar Worked Stone, Carvings Fine Statuary
Products Roofing Slates
Sugar Uncommon Sugar Cane Molasses Rum, Sugar Quality Rum,
Products Sweetmeats,
Delicacies
Tobacco Uncommon Tobacco Leaves Chopped Pipe Tobacco, Fine Cigars
Products Tobacco Chewing Tobacco
Vegetable Common Food Vegetable Oil - -
Products (Vegetables),
may be stored
Whale Uncommon Whale Carcasses Food (Meat), Stored Food (salted Ambergris Perfume
Products Whale Oil, Crude meat, requires salt),
Ambergris Whalebone Items,
Fine Oil, Cosmetics,
Soap

139
RESOURCES & GOODS

can cost between 3 and 5 gold pieces, while a pound

of cocoa powder can fetch the same amount; solid
Cotton Products
Most affordable clothing in the fantasy milieu is
blocks of chocolate, which requires other ingredients either made from wool or cotton. Cotton is picked
as well as cocoa, cost between 8 and 10 gold pieces in bales and must be spun into thread before it can
per pound. be woven into cloth. Cotton cloth is used to make
garments, wrappings, hangings and canvas sheets
Ceramic Products such as those used to make the walls of tents or the
Ceramics are wares that are made from clay of sails of ships. It is more lightweight and plentiful
whatever kind. The most basic use of ceramics is than wool, but is not as warm nor as pleasant to wear.
when clay is dug from the ground and fashioned into Cotton sells for 2 gp per half pound, approximately
earthenware pots, a practice that has been carried one square yard.
on for as long as there have been humanoid races
walking on the world’s surface. Ceramic pots are
used as storage for just about any kind of substance.
Fish Products
Island dwellers and coastal villagers all over the
More exotic ceramics, such as porcelain, are made world consume fish on a regular basis. Fish do not
to a specific recipe that is a closely guarded secret of keep well unless salted or smoked, so the price of
the manufacturers. There are some extremely strong fish tends to rise the further inland you travel. Some
ceramics that are used as arrowheads or even as second-stage products can be extracted from fish,
cutting edges. such as ink and oil. A barrel of salted fish costs
between 3 and 6 gp.
Fired clay is the default material for making bottles,
tankards, flasks and similar containers; glass is not
available in sufficient quantity to make vessels from. Flax Products
A bottle of wine, such as that listed in Core Rulebook Flax is the plant whose fibres are woven to make
I, would be made from clay and stoppered with wax linen, the basis of more costly garments. Linen
rather than the more costly cork. cloth is usually reserved for sacred offices (such as
priests or kings) or special occasions. It is not so
A clay pot of average size would sell for a few luxurious as silk, but it is more lavish than hemp
coppers. A large urn in which several gallons of wine or cotton. Linen is prized for sail making, as it is
could be stored and which had been ornamented with three times stronger than cotton; linen sails are thus
decorative glaze would fetch 10 or 15 gold pieces, more expensive but are less likely to split in a savage
while a porcelain figurine of a unicorn made by a gale, especially since linen becomes stronger if it is
master craftsman would sell for between 75 and 100 wet. It is commonly used to make ritual vestments,
gold pieces. altar cloths and burial shrouds. Linen costs 4 gp per
pound, approximately one square yard.
Potter’s clay is clay of a suitable quality for pot-
making; it is dug from the earth. It costs a couple
of copper pieces for a pound. Bricks are made from Fruits
a special preparation of clay baked in blocks. They Fruits are cultivated primarily as a source of
are not widely used in building in the fantasy milieu, food, with their secondary application being the
as stone is more robust and the kiln requirements to preparation of alcoholic beverages. Grapes in
produce bricks in bulk are impractically large. particular are cultivated more for wine-making than
for any other purpose. Apples are used to make cider
and applejack, popular in temperate southern regions
Corn Products and in rustic communities where there are plenty of
Corn warrants a section to itself, as it is a orchards.
multipurpose crop. Commonly used as food for
humans and animals, it is also used to make alcoholic Fruits do not keep well unless they are dried
beverages. Corn is the staple diet of many tribal out first, owing to the amount of liquid in their
peoples, as it is relatively easy to grow; though it can constitution. As fruits are seasonal, their value
be ground down into meal, it can also be stripped increases depending on how hard they are to get hold
from the cob and eaten that way, meaning that there of. Anyone who can cultivate strawberries in winter
is less preparation time involved. A ten-pound sack (perhaps through magical means) can make a good
of cornmeal would sell for 3 silver pieces. deal of money selling his produce to those who can

140
 RESOURCES & GOODS

afford it. Fresh fruits out of season can fetch up to 5 immediately after they are killed and their hides
gold pieces a pound. taken to a trading post, from whence they are taken
to be turned into properly washed and prepared
furs. Like leather, furs need to be tanned before they
Fungus Products can be used. Some barbarian tribes and monstrous
Mushrooms and similar fungi are mostly used as humanoids wear the skins untanned; though these are
foodstuffs. They can be dried and kept in reserve for stiff, malodorous and uncomfortable, it is preferable
winter. to freezing to death.
Most fungus products come from above ground, Furs are mainly used for making clothes, though they
from the forest floor. They are not produced in can be used for making bed coverings, wall hangings
more than one or two units, as a rule. However, and floor rugs. A fireside rug made from a single
there is a part of the world in which four or five animal skin such as a wolf or bear is a common sight
units of fungus production is commonplace. In the in the houses of a hunting community.
sunless caverns below the earth, a whole variety
of fungal species grows. Some are small, bunched It is usually the colder provinces that produce the
and phosphorescent, like glowing toadstools; some most sought-after furs; animals that have adapted to
are like puffballs, bloated and pale; a few are even live in icy conditions, such as seals and arctic foxes,
hazardous, like the shrieker mushroom or yellow are the ones with the most luxurious coats. Furs
mould. Of these various strains of fungus, some are are expensive; even readily available furs like rabbit
selected for their nutritional and commercial value can double the price of a garment when added as a
and cultivated in special sprouting troughs. Fungus trim or lining. Rare furs like ermine or mink are, in
flesh is highly nutritious, despite its lack of contact many countries, the exclusive possessions of royalty.
with sunlight and helps the young grow to maturity Ermine sells for 50 gold pieces a pound.
with the vitamins they most need to develop a strong
intellect. It is part of the reason why the Drow, who
subsist on the stuff, are a strong-willed and ingenious Gemstones and Jewels
race. Other fungi are grown purely because of their The deposits of rock in which these precious stones
venomous qualities. Their liquors, fatal to most are found can occur just about anywhere. Mining
creatures if eaten in their natural state and even more for gemstones is a matter of knowing which kind
lethal when collected and processed, are bottled and of seam you are looking for and recognising the
used by the various denizens of the world below. humble-looking raw stone when you see it. Dwarves,
Sometimes, they are traded with those above ground with their stonecunning instinct, are masters at the art
who have use for such things; there are tales of of ‘sniffing out’ jewels and ore from the surrounding
the criminal underworld in this or that city making rock. Gems are only found in a particular channel of
trade agreements with the literal underworld many the rock called a ‘lode’, which is like a river running
hundreds of yards below. through the rock; it may have smaller, subsidiary
branches, which are usually the first to be found. The
Underground fungus products are only available to main body of the stream is called the ‘mother lode’,
regimes that have access to extensive cave systems as it is the source of all the lesser streams.
and the ability to set up farming communities inside
them. This will certainly mean drawing upon a force Digging out the rough jewels is often harsh, difficult
of labourers who do not object to spending the great work, as the surrounding rock is frequently very hard.
majority of their days out of sight of the sun. Unless Assume a hardness of 14 and a hit point rating of 20
drow, duergar, gnomes, dwarves or suchlike races per inch of thickness for any rock in which rough
form a major part of the population, there will be gems are found. Diamonds in particular are found
problems finding such a force. in profusion in a tough pick-blunting rock called
‘the blue’ which has to be hacked out in slabs and
brought into the sunlight, as the rays of the sun cause
Furs it to change in composition and become easier to dig
Provinces produce furs when they have a well- through.
established system of hunting and trapping. Animals
are not often farmed for their fur. Instead, trappers Winning the rough gems from the earth is only half
set up home close to woods and other places where of the process. The full value of the stones can
fur-bearing creatures live, setting snares and hunting only be tapped by cutting them properly, a process
with ranged weapons. The animals are skinned that requires complete concentration, appropriate

141
RESOURCES & GOODS

instruments and years of experience. A botched gem- silvers. The magic of druids and clerics inclined to
cutting job can wreck the value of a stone, causing its the path of nature can help to keep famine at bay, but
potential value to drop by anything between 50% and there is only so much that they can do; when a whole
90% according to the severity of the flaw. Gnomish province is affected by drought or an infestation
craftsmen excel at gem-cutting; it is common practice such as a plague of locusts, only the mightiest
to send the rough gems produced in once province enchantments (such as those of a sovereign mage)
over to a nation where gnome gemcutters live, so that can prevail.
the resources may reach their full potential value.
This is an instance of overseas processing, for which Barley is the most common grain used for making
see Chapter 17, Taxation and Trade. beer. Before it is used to brew with, it must first be
malted, a process that involves steeping it in water
and then drying it out. Most brewers use hops to
Grain Products make beer as well as malted grain (see below).
Grains are primarily wheat and barley. They are
used in the making of flour, which is then turned
into bread, a foodstuff so basic and universal that Hempen Products
it is called ‘the staff of life’. Almost all provinces Hemp is a hardy plant with a bewildering variety of
that contain flat land will have a goodly amount uses. It grows in all but the most cold of climates,
of it given over to the cultivation of grains. providing vegetable mass and seeds for use in human
Grain is especially important to the province’s and animal food. Its main use is found in the strong
welfare because it can be kept for months without fibres it yields. These are woven into coarse cloth,
deteriorating. So long as the granaries are kept cool, which is prickly and resilient and commonly used
are not raided by rats and remain free from damp and for making sacks rather than clothing. They are also
similar hazards, grain can be kept for years without used for making other fibrous products such as paper
perishing. The largest granaries tend to be in the and rope. Hemp rope is the commonest variety of
province’s main cities, where the nobles and the all, being particularly valued by sailors as it is the
merchants can get easy access to them. strength of the ship’s rigging that keeps her sails
from flying loose. Hempen skeins are used as the
In practice, grain is frequently substandard, especially commonest and cheapest variety of lamp wick.
in poorer countries where the best of the crop is
reserved for the privileged and the spoiled portion is Some cultures cultivate hemp for its narcotic
given to the peasantry. Some grains are susceptible properties. When smoked on its own or with tobacco,
to moulds that are not immediately detectable. Rye it is an inhalant drug. It has to be inhaled in quantity
can become infested with ergot, a hallucinogenic to have any effect; passive smoking does not make
fungus that causes nightmarish visions, cramps and any difference to a character. Inhaling quantities of
vomiting; treat this as an ingestive poison with a hemp smoke has the effect of temporarily reducing
saving throw DC of 17, with an initial loss of 1d6 the imbiber’s Intelligence and Charisma by 1 point;
points of temporary Intelligence and a secondary they must also make a Will saving throw against a
damage of 2d6 points of temporary Intelligence. DC of 10 in order to remember any events that took
Some moulds are, however, beneficial. When used place since they began smoking the hemp. Increasing
in the treatment of wounds or disease, scraped bread the dose is liable to cause the smoker to collapse in
mould (penicillin) gives a +2 circumstance bonus to a fits of giggling akin to a tascha’s hideous laughter
Heal skill check. spell. At the Games Master’s discretion, the effects
of hemp smoke inhalation may increase the smoker’s
Grain has to be ground into flour before it can be creativity and receptivity to ideas, giving him a
used in food preparation. Most cultures in a fantasy circumstance bonus to Craft, Scrying and Spellcraft
milieu will use watermills or windmills to do this; skill checks.
some may use oxen or even slaves tied to wooden
poles that rotate huge stone grinding wheels. As Hempen cloth sells for two silver pieces per pound,
grain is so commonplace a resource, it is very cheap, which equates to about a square yard of material.
costing only one or two silver pieces for a sixteen- Hemp rope sells for one silver piece per pound,
pound sack of grain and approximately twice that for which equates to 10 feet of rope.
the same amount of ground flour. This cheapness is
of course dependent upon availability. Grain prices
rocket in times of famine, with the same sixteen- Hive Products
pound sack of flour costing as much as seven or eight Beekeeping is a challenging but rewarding industry,

142
 RESOURCES & GOODS

far more widespread than is generally recognised.

The demand for quality beeswax, for document
Horseflesh
Horses are essential to life in the fantasy world
sealing, candle making and magical purposes is environment. They are the standard mode of
immense. Beehives are an extremely common sight transport over long distances and are the basis of
in monastic communities and rural farms. Beeswax cavalry divisions, the heaviest unit of any army.
is the best wax available for candle making, as it is Whole cultures evolve around the breaking and
sweet-smelling and gives a good steady light. Many training of horses, with the young of the tribe being
religious orders will only permit the use of beeswax set on horseback from their very earliest years.
candles in their services, as candles made from
lesser materials would profane the holiness of the Horses are either bred and raised in captivity, which
place. Tallow candles are much more common and is the standard method in populated regions, or
cheap but they have a lower melting point, so they captured from the wild and broken to the bridle.
liquefy more readily than beeswax candles do. A Captive breeding produces stable and strong animals
pound of beeswax, enough to make ten good-sized who take to the bit more readily than a creature
altar candles, can be sold for 1 gold piece. Scented with the wilderness still in him. A province cannot
beeswax, which has been melted and mixed with produce ‘worked’ or ‘crafted’ horses unless it uses
perfume oils, can sell for twice as much. the captive breeding method, as the shire horse and
warhorse are special breeds produced for their heft
Honey is the other product of the hive industry. In and muscle power. Thoroughbreds are horses of
provinces where there is no sugar cultivation, which exceptional quality; these rare mounts have a +1
includes most places outside of a warm environment, racial bonus to their Strength and Constitution ability
honey is the only sweet substance available. As with scores and a +20 racial bonus to their running speed.
so many rare dainties, it is a luxury that only the
wealthy can afford to enjoy, as a pound of honey can A thoroughbred can sell for between 800 and 1,000
cost from six to nine gold pieces, depending on how gold pieces. Descendants of a named horse are more
scarce it is in the region. likely to sell for a higher price, as the sire’s fame is
taken as a guarantee of the quality. As thoroughbred
Honey is used to make mead, a strong and delicious horses are so valuable, horse theft is a serious
alcoholic beverage particularly beloved of barbarian problem and adventurers are often hired to guard
tribes and other fighting men. Hill and stone giants against rustlers.
are also said to have a taste for it and will raid
caravans just to get at the barrels, which they will
smash and lick clean once they are drained, relishing Lime and Glass Products
the sugary sediments. A more concentrated alcoholic Lime, a whitish powder, is extracted from limestone
drink called metheglin is produced in a similar way to dug from inland quarries or from burned oyster
mead, with the addition of spices to enhance and vary shells. It is sometimes used in warfare, as the fine
the flavour. Mead costs from eight to ten gold pieces powder is strongly alkaline and has the double effect
per bottle and metheglin twice that amount. of burning the skin and choking the victim. A pound
of lime thrown as a grenade-like weapon bursts in
a cloud 5 feet wide; those caught in the cloud must
Hops & Beer make Reflex saving throws at DC 15 or be blinded
If there is one trade that is assured of never running and suffer 2d4 points of acid damage. The cloud
out of customers, it is the brewing trade. Wine is lasts for 3 rounds before dissipating and may be
all very well for the rulers of the land and their ilk, blown away by a strong breeze such as that produced
such as priests and scholars, but beer has always by a gust of wind spell.
been the drink of the field labourer and the common
soldier alike. Beer can be made from many different Lime is used for making mortar, an essential part
substances, with barley or wheat being the main of the construction of permanent structures. It is
ingredients, but most brewing in civilized provinces also used to lower soil acidity, making more of a
done with hops being added to the process, to give province’s farmland fertile. See Chapter 16, The
the beer its distinctive bitter flavour and hoppy nose. Seedtime and the Harvest, for more details on soil
A province that produces hops cannot go on to fertility. It has one other use that all criminals and
produce beer unless it also produces grain in at least soldiers are familiar with, namely the hastening of
moderate quantity or has a trade source for it. decomposition. The bodies of those who have been
killed within the walls of a prison or who have been

143
RESOURCES & GOODS

executed in public are usually thrown into pits of Meat is the staple diet of most of the population. It
lime. This causes the body to rot down very quickly, does not keep very well under ordinary conditions,
allowing the bones to be taken away and disposed especially if the weather is hot. It can be kept
of elsewhere. The lime pit is sometimes called the indefinitely in freezing cold conditions, though it is
pauper’s grave, as those who are too poor to afford a sometimes difficult to cook! The problem of meat
burial plot are often thrown into lime pits when they storage can be partially overcome by using salt. Up
die. At times of plague, lime is in massive demand as to three units of meat can be converted to salted meat
it is one of the only ways to get rid of so many dead by using up one unit of salt.
bodies at once.
Livestock units may be processed twice, yielding one
A body that is buried in lime powder decays to unit of leather and one unit of meat for every unit
a skeleton in one week. Every day spent in lime of livestock processed, so long as the province has
deducts five days from the allowable time after which the ability to tan leather. This must take place in the
raise dead may not be cast on the corpse, so if a same month; you cannot process the unit once in one
comrade has been buried in a lime pit it is essential month and once in another.
to find and retrieve him before raising becomes
impossible. Lime pit burial cancels the effects of Livestock animals are usually kept in large fenced-off
gentle repose, as that spell only protects against the enclosures to graze, where they are watched over by
natural decay of the body, not the alkaline corrosion a herdsman who guards them against theft or loss.
of lime. In cold weather they are kept in a byre, a prepared
sleeping area floored with straw. Some cultures do
A province that produces soda ash (see Soda Ash not look after the herds at all, choosing instead to
below) can use lime, soda ash and sand to make hunt them when they pass close by. Such cultures
glass. One unit of lime plus one unit of soda will be intimately familiar with the migratory routes
ash equals two units of glass. Glass is a rare and taken by the herds and will be ready to ride out and
desirable product, not found in the more humble meet them when the time comes.
dwellings, which seal off their windows with wooden The hides from slaughtered animals can be used to
or metal shutters. Containers made from glass are make crude hide armour or carrying sacks but are
far less common than those made from ceramics. A not much use for anything else. Unless the hides
pane of glass 3 feet square (average window size) are properly scraped and tanned, they will be stiff,
costs 5 gp, which is useful to know given the amount thick and stinking. Hides can be tanned as a cottage
of times players end up breaking them. A glass flask industry (see above) or tanned en masse in a tannery.
costs 1 gp, a bottle 2 gp. Tanned leather becomes soft and workable, though its
quality will still vary depending upon its source.
Some expert artisans can use gem-cutting skills to
grind glass into lenses, a process which requires Different kinds of leather are used for different
complicated technical equipment and absolute purposes. Cowhide and buckskin are used to make
precision. Among other applications, lenses are clothing, leather armour, whips and thongs for tying,
used to make magnifying glasses, telescopes and while goatskin and calfskin are used to bind books
spectacles. Lenses are expensive, costing 100 gp with. The hides of more exotic beasts (such as
for a lens 4 inches across; a pair of spectacles costs dragons or wyverns) can be used for these purposes,
between 130 and 200 gp, depending on the quality. but they are usually too dangerous to farm! A square
yard of cowhide leather costs 5 silver pieces. The
same amount of calfskin costs 1 gold piece.
Livestock Products
Herding, feeding, milking and slaughtering livestock As well as being used to make leather, animal skins
is probably the oldest form of agriculture known. are stretched until they are thin and translucent,
The term ‘livestock’ here includes any herd animal dried out and cut into pages to create parchment.
(other than sheep) but is particularly geared around Ordinary parchment is fairly coarse but is adequate
cattle, who are the most useful animals to a peasant for most purposes. The best quality parchment is
community. Cows provide milk (which may be vellum, which is creamy white and is made from
turned into cheeses) while alive and beef and hides sheep or calf hide. Vellum is most commonly used
after they are slaughtered. Other products, such as for inscribing magical scrolls or holy texts. A square
bone meal, are used to fertilise fields. yard of ordinary parchment costs 1 gp; a square yard
of vellum costs 5 gp.

144
 RESOURCES & GOODS

The horns of livestock beasts are an important source would include shovel heads, ploughshares, barrel
of material; horn is in many ways the equivalent hoops, butchers’ hooks, reaping scythes, rakes, hoes
of plastic in the fantasy game world. Carved horn and iron stakes.
fittings, trimmings and plates are part of the workings
of most mechanisms, in particular the firing triggers Smaller metal items that have more than one moving
of crossbows. Horn is also used decoratively and piece, such as a mousetrap, require more refined
is carved into elaborate drinking vessels that are levels of skill than those of the typical village
sometimes fitted with silver or gold. Unworked horn blacksmith, who works with large pieces of metal
costs 2 copper pieces a pound, while a smoothed out and heavy tools. Metalwork of this kind involves
and polished horn ready for drinking from costs 5 small tools like needle files and fretsaws; if the
silver pieces. Games Master so wishes, it may be categorised
as ‘locksmithing’ rather than ‘blacksmithing’ and
require a separate investment of Skill ranks. The
Metal Products Craft: Locksmithing skill can thus be expanded
Metal is ubiquitous in the fantasy environment. to include the manufacture of any complicated
Everywhere you look, armour clanks, swords clash, metal device. Typical metal goods of this kind
mail jingles and coins clink. All metal goods begin would include gimbals (a rotating spherical cage
their life as unrefined ore within the earth, which has used to keep candles upright when aboard ship),
to be dug out in open-face or tunnel mines. The ore puzzle boxes, thieves’ tools, surgical equipment,
is then smelted to release the metal, a process that simple clockwork devices, compasses, sextants and
requires great heat and creates clouds of smoke. The astrolabes. Such items increase in value as they
metal is stored in bars or ingots, each one weighing increase in complexity; you can reckon on selling an
approximately 10 pounds. This is the form in which astrolabe for 200 gp and a mechanical clock for 1,200
the metal remains until the various blacksmiths gp.
of the region melt it down and recast it into new
shapes, such as horseshoes, sword blades or shield
bosses. Sometimes the smelter will have a selection Narcotic Products
of moulds or ‘blanks’ in commonly requested Narcotics are generally produced from specific parts
shapes, such as a bar or a flat plate, which can then of flowers, shrubs or other plants, or are the harvested
be shipped out to the smiths who only need to make plant mass in an ingestible or smokeable form. They
a few adjustments to the item’s shape to create the are treated in the same way as spices in terms of their
finished object. cultivation, collection and storage but are given their
own category because they all have an effect upon
Every village of more than 40 inhabitants has a the imbiber that is addictive and ultimately antisocial.
resident blacksmith. On the local scale, it is more Incenses and food additives are not controlled
economical to make goods to order from raw substances, because they do not compel the user to
material, or to repair broken ones, than it is to have purchase more; traffic in narcotics, by contrast, is
a stock of manufactured items available. If someone often prohibited in lawful kingdoms because they are
needs a new ploughshare, he has the local smith make addictive or otherwise harmful to the individual.
one from scratch, as any smith worthy of the name
will be able to do. Only in the larger cities are there Narcotic trade is often a major source of income
shops specialising in weapons and other metal goods. for lawless and highly corrupt regimes. Lawful
Characters who want metal items in rural areas are nations form coalitions to assist each other to
therefore often obliged to place an order and then prevent narcotics from entering their countries.
wait until the blacksmith has finished making them. Unfortunately, this prohibition has the effect of
(Of course, the advantage of this approach is that you pushing up prices. Narcotic smuggling is big
can have the item made to your exact specifications.) business for all involved, as the producer, the
In more heavily populated areas, where shops have smuggler and the distributor all stand to make
stock in anticipation of the demand, a selection may a large amount of money; narcotics traders can
be made from several stock items on offer. usually afford to hire quality security, making them
dangerous people to oppose.
There is too much of a variety of metal goods to give
prices for all of them; Core Rulebook I has prices
listed for most of the common goods that a party Nut Products
might desire; common items that would be made Nuts are harvested from trees and usually require a
from metal but not count as ‘adventuring equipment’ hot climate. They are greatly valued as shipboard

145
RESOURCES & GOODS

food and as provisions for the cold months, as they a ‘mint’, which is always kept under high security
keep extremely well. The nut’s shell provides it to prevent forgers getting their hands on the moulds.
with a measure of inherent protection against decay Precious metals are also used to make the jewellery
and staleness. Some ground nuts produce nut oil, items so familiar to adventurers. Adamantium is
a substance used in cooking and to season wooden considered a precious metal, as there are so few
items. Walnut oil in particular is a favourite for sources for it. Provinces that produce adamantium
preserving wood. can count on the interest of militaristic regimes, as
there is no material better for making armour.
Oil Products
Oil has hundreds of different applications in the Rice Products
fantasy milieu and is always in great demand. When Rice is a grain and as such may be used to make beer
quality oil cannot be acquired, inferior substitutes are and wine as well as serving as a foodstuff. It forms
used rather than do without. Oil of organic origin the staple diet of peasants and monks in more Asian
is used in food preparation, to give light, to keep campaign settings. Rice growing requires a mild and
metal armour and weapons from rusting, to season humid climate with a lot of moisture in the ground,
wood, to treat metal in blacksmithing and to make so there are some countries where it will not grow at
cloth waterproof. Its resistance to water makes it all. In such places, rice is not a bland staple but an
an important substance in cultures that have not exotic foodstuff.
yet discovered rubber and other similar means of
waterproofing. Wooden items that are exposed to the As with other grains, rice needs to be threshed to
elements or which suffer frequent manual use, such remove the chaff. The market price of threshed rice
as bows, need to be treated with oil regularly to keep varies from province to province. In places where
the wood in good condition. rice is readily available, a sixteen-pound sack costs
two silver pieces; it can be sold for six or seven
The great majority of oil comes from organic sources; in places where it is scarcer. Rice wine is clear
mineral oil is unpleasant smelling and inedible and and strong and usually served warm. Rice paper
is only used for preserving and lubricating metal. is semitranslucent and has the advantage of being
All oils may be refined, a process which involves quickly edible. A spy who is carrying a message
reducing the quantity while increasing the quality. written on rice paper can quickly devour it if there is
Alchemy uses many substances that are extracted a chance of it falling into enemy hands. Rice paper
from oil and many alchemical products are made costs 1 silver piece per sheet; though it is cheap to
from oil derivatives. Alchemists’ Fire and Tanglefoot produce, it is not made in very many places.
Bags are two products that may not be made without
access to substantial qualities of refined oil. Oil of
especially high quality, such as the ‘virgin’ olive oil Salt Resources
that comes from the first pressing of the olives, sells Salt is a rare and treasured luxury in the fantasy game
for three times the price of a regular flask of oil. world, easily fetching 5 gold pieces per pound. It
has to be extracted by a boiling process in which
salt water is evaporated away and the crystals of
Precious Metal Products salt collected. The salt water must of course be
Any province whose land includes deposits of gold or accessible first; seawater is one possible source, but
silver is rich indeed. Veins of these precious metals the best salt comes from inland salty springs. Salt
are found running through common rock; tunnelling may also be mined straight out of the hillsides if there
races, most commonly the dwarves, are often the first is a natural deposit nearby.
to encounter it. In a province where there are many
dwarven settlements, it is very unlikely that a source Crystals of rough salt are reduced to the fine salt
of precious metal will have been mined by any other preferred by the nobility by simple grinding. Many
race. Dwarves have a nose for gold and will often merchants use small bags of salt as currency, finding
set up mining communities literally overnight when a it easier to trade in goods than in coin. In some
new deposit is found. cultures, salt is so precious that soldiers prefer to be
paid in blocks of salt than in gold. Salt can be sold
The most common use of precious metals is in for 5 gold pieces per pound.
coinage. The gold and silver in gold and silver pieces
has to come from somewhere. Ingots of metal are
turned into stamped coins in a special facility called

146
 RESOURCES & GOODS

Sheep and Wool spooled out from the casing. These threads are then
twisted together to make yarn, which is in turn used
Sheep are relatively easy to cultivate but are
renowned for being stupid. All the herder has to do to weave silk clothes. Only a very few places have
is to make sure they stay where they are supposed the proper conditions to produce silk, which is why it
to, rather than wandering off. Sheep can survive in is so expensive. Silk is used to make clothing, thread
quite cold climates and can live on scant vegetation, and rope. The prices of silk items are given in Core
making them ideal animals for northern barbarians Rulebook I.
and hill-dwellers to keep. The wool that they yield
goes to make thick, cosy garments and blankets, Slaves
which together with their fatty mutton is the best The abhorrent practice of slave trading is not
way to keep out the winter cold. Most clothing and uncommon in many parts of the fantasy world. As
bedding intended for use in cold conditions will be there is always a good deal of manual work to be
made from wool, guaranteeing a steady demand for done, buying a person who can do the work makes
sheep products in regions where the weather is harsh. sense to the kind of person who has money to do so
and no scruples. The attitude towards slavery varies
Sheep units may be processed twice, yielding one from culture to culture. Some nations consider it an
unit of meat and one unit of wool for every unit of inherently evil practice, while others tolerate slave
sheep. This must take place in the same month; you ownership so long as the slave’s elementary rights
cannot process the unit once in one month and once (such as they are) are protected. In evil regimes,
in another. slaves are nothing more than property. You do not
interfere with or damage another person’s property,
Sheep are sheared once or twice a year, the fleeces but you may dispose of your own as you will,
being combed out before being woven into woollen meaning that it is quite normal to work a slave to
yarn and thence into cloth. An uncombed fleece can death or to beat them senseless for any infraction.
be sold for between 5 sp and 1 gp, depending on the
quality of the wool. Woven woollen cloth costs 3 gp Slaves are handled differently from other ‘products’.
per pound, which covers approximately one square The ‘raw material’ slave represents a captive
yard. Sheepskin from slaughtered sheep is used to individual who is completely unused to his state and
make overcoats and other hardwearing garments. has not been broken in. Slaves of this kind are not
When the wool is removed, it is stretched and used as in the least resigned to their role and are likely to be
parchment. rebellious. ‘Processed’ slaves have had their spirit
broken by prior ownership or by harsh treatment
The fat from sheep is used to make tallow, the single prior to their sale. They are not likely to have been
most common substance used in candle making. trained in any craft and are used as manual labour.
Tallow candles are cheap, smell slightly unpleasant This kind of slave is most commonly employed in
(though the best tallow is nearly scentless) and have building large structures or labouring in the fields.
a low melting point, giving them a tendency to wilt ‘Worked’ slaves are qualified to practice a Craft or
on hot days and necessitating their storage in cool Profession skill. They are more akin to indentured
dark places. Tallow candles cost 3 copper pieces for servants than slaves and are generally treated with
half a dozen. An average household can easily get less contempt, as they are more useful. Slaves of
through six to eight tallow candles in the course of an this kind are habitually employed in service to large
evening. families, where they will cook, care for the family’s
children and perform domestic duties.
Silk Products Exotic slaves are selected for their beauty, grace or
Some silk can be harvested from wild silkworms that
feed upon scrub oak. The silk produced from this similar distinctive feature. They are owned by people
source is called wild silk and is of a lower quality who keep them like pets; humanoids and the like
than the home-bred variety. The majority of silk is who have something unearthly about them, such as
produced by home cultivation. The process of silk tieflings, are sometimes kept as exotic slaves. They
cultivation is very delicate and labour intensive. The are used as concubines, private dancers, entertainers
silk is spun in threads by silkworms, which have to or simply as domestic ornaments, presented to
be kept in a quiet clean place and carefully fed upon emphasise the host’s wealth and taste. Quality slaves
the proper leaves. Once the silkworm has woven are either especially robust examples of ordinary
its cocoon, it is suffocated and the silk threads are slave stock (such as the hardest workers from a
particular village) or slaves who have been trained

147
RESOURCES & GOODS

to a high degree of fidelity of service and quality of which are probably the most expensive spices on the
workmanship. Such slaves are considered almost the market.
equals of their owners; their status as property is not
brought up in conversation, though both parties are Many spices cannot be cultivated voluntarily as the
always aware of it. conditions for producing them are so geographically
specific; all that you can do is to find a source and
There are a great many markets for slaves in which carry on harvesting it. This is one reason why spices
a hard-minded slave trader can make a fortune. are so rare. The yield of usable spice from the plant
Unexceptional slaves can always be sold to a is also extremely small, with only a few tens of
gladiatorial arena, where they can provide a few pounds of useful material coming from a whole field
hours’ entertainment for the rich by being slaughtered of spice plants. Most spices will only grow in very
in reconstructions of historical battles or hopelessly hot countries, so they have to be shipped out to the
unequal fights with savage beasts. Stronger slaves other nations that are waiting for them, with the risk
are bought to do menial work on plantations or in of piracy pushing up the price still further. Spice
mines; mine work is extremely punishing and a fleets are guarded as vigilantly as treasure fleets; their
few years of it without let-up is enough to kill most cargo is not much less valuable than one of gold and
labourers, so it makes sense to use slaves whose silver, weight for weight.
life is worth little anyway and who can always be
replaced. Wealthy families buy those slaves whose Spices may be reduced down to essential oils, which
work skills are more sophisticated. Depending on are used in medicine, magic and perfume making.
the culture, even poor families or institutions may Some spices are resinous, meaning that their gum
have one or two slaves, usually to take care of the can be extracted and crystallised out into chunks.
work that nobody else wants to do. Exotic slaves are Resins are a common form for narcotics and incenses
most likely to be bought by tyrants, merchants, crime to take. Resin incense, such as frankincense and
lords and high-level wizards and sorcerers, who are myrrh, is used in a great many religious rituals and in
renowned for their interest in curious life forms. some clerical spells. A pound of frankincense costs
approximately 30 gp.
The prices asked for slaves vary greatly, as the health,
strength, gender and aptitudes of the slave can push
the price up or down. Slaves are customarily sold Stone Products
on an auction block rather than having a set price Good strong stone for building with is highly prized,
attached to them. By way of example, a healthy so much so that builders are quite prepared to pay the
slave with a Constitution ability score of around 11 price to have stone blocks delivered from a reliable
and a Strength ability score of around 13 is worth quarry more than a hundred miles away. Granite
30 gold pieces, while a captive half-dragon with an is the rock of choice for building fortresses with,
astounding singing voice and silver eyes could easily with marble being preferred for more ornamental
fetch over 20,000 gold pieces. structures. As stone is heavy, it tends not to be a
substance traded with other nations. Distribution is
more usually kept within the province. At the quarry,
Soda Ash stone is quarried out in large blocks called ‘rough
This is a naturally occurring mineral that is used in ashlar’ that are approximately the shape and size of
glassmaking and is also often used to make soaps and the finished piece. These are then chiselled down
dyes. It sells for 2 silver pieces per pound. into rectilinear pieces by a team of stonemasons. All
of this work is customarily done at the quarry site;
the stone is not shipped out until it is ready to be
Spice Products used.
The term ‘spice’ in this context refers to any herb,
spice or plant that is grown for its flavour or for its The heaviness of stone means that overland transport
botanical properties. It thus includes medicinal herbs is avoided if at all possible. In provinces where
and toxic plants as well as ginger, cinnamon, pepper magic is common, an unemployed mage can find
and other commonly recognised spices. They are himself ready work casting tenser’s floating disk
gathered in a variety of ways; some are plucked from spells for companies of stonemasons so that they can
the ground or from shrubs, some are scraped from the haul their loads over the land more easily. Canals
boughs of trees and some are a single small part of and rivers are the most popular means of transport
a plant, as in the case of cloves, which are the dried, for quarried stone. No especial storage facilities
unopened flower buds of a species of myrtle tree and

148
 RESOURCES & GOODS

are needed for quarried stone, as it is resilient to the As white sugar involves several extra processes
elements and difficult to steal. that bleach the colour and smokey flavour out of
it, including bleaching with bonemeal, it is not
Slate quarries are used to produce slabs of flat stone produced in very many places. Products that are not
for tiling floors or roofs. Slate is the most desired naturally white, like sugar and flour, are sometimes
material for roofing in cities. Peasant villages are processed to the point of whiteness in order to satisfy
almost always roofed in thatch, but that is impractical the nobility (or other elite groups) that what they are
for a larger city, as well as being a fire hazard. Slate eating is ‘purer’ than the common stuff available to
roofing tiles are cut to a regular shape and then nailed the peasants. It is easier for them to believe this if
in place over the roofing timbers. Good slate can the stuff on their table is satisfyingly white and clean-
fetch upwards of 2 silver pieces per pound. It is not looking rather than brown and murky.
uncommon for thieves to steal slate off the rooftops
of the rich, selling it on to unscrupulous building Molasses is also used to make that most well-beloved
merchants. Many a rogue with no fear of heights has of beverages in the fantasy game world, rum. Dark
made a good living that way, avoiding the hazards of rum is coarse and strong, while white rum is less
picking pockets in the street. harsh to drink but has more of an intoxicating effect.
Rum that has been treated with spices is a favourite
When a province produces stone carvings or statues, among mariners, who find it bracing and warming; as
it must bear in mind the eventual destination of the communities that grow sugar cane often have a spice
merchandise. Statues of the Gods of one nation crop as well, the warm climate being conducive to
are hardly likely to sell to a nation that honours a both, spiced rum is a common sight there.
different pantheon, irrespective of the quality of the
workmanship. The manufacturing province must Molasses costs 8 silver pieces per pound and is
state what its typical statue output will be. At the usually shipped in the same kind of large barrels used
Games Master’s discretion, some images will sell to store beer. Brown sugar costs 10 gold pieces per
better than others; it is always a safe bet to make pound and white sugar costs 20. Rum costs 3 gold
marble busts of heroes of the nation or the current pieces per bottle, with spiced rum costing 6.
monarch, but it can be embarrassing (and costly) to
be stuck with a warehouse full of unsold images of a
gladiator whose fame only lasted a few weeks. Tobacco Products
Tobacco is a leafy crop that has to be cut, chopped
A good artisan can produce generic figures of and stored with the greatest care, as it can easily dry
warriors, maidens with amphorae or bunches of out and become stale and unsmokable. Different
grapes and heraldic lions and pay the bills that way, areas produce tobacco of different strengths, from the
but the real money is in private commission work. golden mild variety to the black and oily kind that
A province renowned for its sculptors in stone will can only be smoked by a seasoned practitioner. If
attract many dignitaries and worthies seeking to a culture is not used to smoking tobacco, it will be
have their images immortalised in the form of a hesitant to introduce it; this should be borne in mind
statue. For statue prices, see Chapter 9, Additional when making international trade agreements (see
Stronghold Features. Chapter 17). Even fine tobacco products will not
be desired by nations that find the idea of smoking
burning weed to be strange. Once they are used to it,
Sugar Products however, they will be keen to keep supply lines open.
Molasses is produced from the juices of the sugar A land of tobacco smokers that is deprived of its
cane, a crop grown in warm climates. It is usually supply is likely to become very truculent indeed.
much more readily available than honey and easier to
extract. Molasses can be refined down into sugar, but In the fantasy game world, tobacco is smoked in
most civilizations will not use granulated sugar and pipes and occasionally in the form of cigars. Pipe-
will use molasses instead as their principal sweetener, smoking is extremely common among women as
as there is less effort necessary to produce it. Where well as men, with aged wizards, halflings and rogues
sugar exists at all, it is likely to be brown and have a being the most likely individuals to indulge in a
flavour of treacle; white sugar is a luxury even more pleasant bowl. Cigars, being expensive, are more an
precious than salt and is rarely seen outside of the affectation of merchants and other individuals who
houses of the richest merchants. wish to make a point of their wealth, such as the
heads of rogues’ guilds or retired sea captains.

149
RESOURCES & GOODS

used for a variety of purposes including ointments,

candlemaking and the manufacture of cosmetics.
Other resources might be available from sea beasts
at the discretion of the Games Master, depending on
what kind of creatures live in the seas of the game
world. For example, juvenile dragon turtles might
yield a tough and beautiful shell, while giant oysters
could provide nacre and vast pearls.

Whales are of course not cultivated, but hunted. A

province that produces whale resources must be on
the coast, with sufficient shipping to make whale
hunting a regular trade rather than an occasional
activity. In order to hunt whales at all, the province
must have seagoing vessels strong enough to
withstand assault from an angry cetacean and
Tobacco is often mixed with weaponry powerful enough to kill one. A freshly
other substances in order to add killed whale’s carcass is worth between 100 and 300
flavour and vary the smoking experience. Certain gold pieces, depending on the size and the species.
strains of tobacco may have mildly narcotic effects, The oil and blubber must be taken from it quickly
as the Games Master decides. Halflings are said to avoid spoiling. To this end, some ships have
to be especially fond of a brand of pipeweed that small extraction facilities and refineries built on to
induces drowsiness and dreamy reverie. their decks; these are those vessels that will spend
months at sea, returning with barrels full of whale
A pound of tobacco of ordinary quality can be sold oil. Coastal whaling industries do their processing
for 5 silver pieces, whereas a pound of exceptional on shore and haul the slain whales back in from sea,
tobacco could go for 2 to 3 gold. A box of 20 quality a more laborious process but one which reduces the
cigars is priced at 10 gold pieces. risk of losing one’s accumulated shipboard resources
in one calamitous moment.
Vegetable Products Ambergris is a substance found in the stomachs of
This section encompasses all the various root
some whales and dolphins; it is sometimes found
vegetables that are cultivated by peasants the world
floating on the surface of the water. A stinking mess
over, such as potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips,
in its raw state, it is used in perfume-making as a
beet and radishes and also those that are cultivated
fixative. It is extremely valuable, selling for 35 gold
above ground such as olives, peas, green beans and
pieces a pound.
marrows. Vegetables are the bulk of a peasant’s diet,
as they are usually too poor to afford meat or fish
except on one day of the week. Vegetables are most Wood and Paper Products
often consumed at the point of growing. They do not Wood for building with is a necessity that just about
store well and are unlikely to be shipped outside the any above-ground community cannot live without.
region. When food is transported out of the province, There will always be a demand for logs, both as
it is usually in the form of grain. building material and as fuel. It is common for
whole villages to grow up around a logging industry,
Vegetables are, appropriately, dirt-cheap. Unless with the local sawmill being the place of work for the
a province has very little fertile soil to go around, community’s labourers. Logs are relatively cheap,
vegetables are going to be extremely common fare. with a single ten-foot tree trunk a foot and a half
A pound of ordinary vegetables costs a couple of thick selling for five silver pieces. This assumes the
copper pieces at most. wood would be for building with, in which case it
is likely to be of oak or yellow deal. Logs that are
intended for burning are more commonly made of
Whale Products ash.
Whales are sometimes considered the cattle of the
sea. Their bodies yield many resources that are
Paper is a relatively uncommon sight in the fantasy
taken for granted on the land, with quality lamp oil
milieu, as parchment is more plentiful and does the
being the most commonly used. Whale blubber is
same job. Those provinces that do produce paper

150
 RESOURCES & GOODS

make it from wood pulp and rags. Paper is very

expensive, costing four silver pieces for a single sheet
Hills
Craggy hillsides are ideally suited to raising sheep,
(high quality) and two silver pieces for a more rough which are hardy animals and will rove up and down
make. For more information on paper and books, exposed lands without complaint. Owing to their
consult Encyclopaedia Arcane: Tomes and Libraries gradient, hills are not best suited to crop-raising,
from Mongoose Publishing. though some civilizations have been known to cut
their hills into flat terraces and cultivate crops there.
Land and What It May Hills are more easily cut into than other types of
land, making them ideal for mining and quarrying.
Provide Practically all stone quarries are set into hillsides, as
The resources that you may extract or cultivate are coal mines, metal mines and limestone diggings.
are dependent largely upon the land types in the Depending on the kind of ground, hills may also
province. The Games Master may use this section yield clay or rock salt.
as a guide to placing resources that are yet to be
discovered; it is also worth consulting as a player,
to determine which resources you should attempt to
Ice Waste
Ice wastes are barely more productive than deserts.
cultivate in a newly conquered or colonised region. About the only resources available are livestock in
the form of seals, fish and seabirds and the occasional
Desert mineral deposit. If there are forests on the periphery
Very little will grow in a desert and most living of the ice waste, they are likely to yield furs.
creatures shun the place. Deserts are, in terms
of resources, possibly the poorest type of land
there is. Mineral deposits are sometimes found
Mountains
So long as there is grazing land available, mountains
there. Chemicals and oil are the most likely type may be used to herd sheep and goats. Other livestock
of resource to be found in a desert. As there is no may be raised on mountain land, though cattle do not
internal combustion engine, mineral oil is not the take well to the height. Mountains are likely to yield
source of wealth it is in the everyday world. It is a stone, metal, precious metals and sometimes gems
more unpleasant alternative to organic oils and does but not clay or lime.
not burn especially well in lamps unless refined. It
is, however, an excellent lubricant and is used to
keep siege machines and moving metal parts in good Plains
working order. Plains and grasslands, being level, may be used
to cultivate almost any crop and graze almost any
livestock. Plains land is thus the breadbasket of the
Forest province. The most common arrangement is for
Obviously, the most abundant product of a forest is outlying villages and towns, who see to the farming,
going to be wood, with fruits coming a close second. to supply the city with agricultural produce; the city’s
Fungus resources, when they are in season, are more occupants pay for this in coin and in fine goods,
likely to be found growing on the forest’s floor than which are not commonly available in the surrounding
anywhere else above ground. Hive products are towns.
easier to cultivate near forests, as bees nest there.
Some forests yield rare plants and other produce What will flourish on plains land depends on the
that comes under the general heading of ‘spices’, prevailing climate. Fruits in particular are very
i.e. exotic foodstuffs or condiments. These are such hard to grow outside of the climate where they are
dainties as truffles, a wildly expensive fungus desired naturally found. Oranges and bananas, for example,
by the nobility, or certain rare medicinal herbs. are not often found outside of tropical regions, while
Forests contain many wild animals, so some livestock apples prefer warm climates but will grow in a far
resources might be garnered from them. They are wider range of places.
not suitable places for cultivation, so they will not
produce crops such as wheat, barley or tobacco. Settled farmland, with properly dug fields, an
Forests of the right kind can harbour silkworms, irrigation system and knowledge of farming (manifest
allowing silk production. in such things as knowledge of crop rotation and
planting times) is necessary to cultivate a crop
beyond the ‘scant’ level in a province. Until a new

151
RESOURCES & GOODS

colony has become established in this way, which but so many of the sea’s riches are consumed by
may take between six and eight months, it will have the undersea dwellers (such as merfolk, tritons and
to forage and hunt for its food. Some vegetable locathahs) that there is little left for the surface folk.
crops, such as rice, are dependent upon large amounts Provinces where the coast’s fauna include a large
of water in the ground to grow properly. See Chapter number of shellfish may produce pearls, which are
16, The Seedtime and the Harvest, for more details treated as gemstones and jewels on the resource table.
on growing crops.
Coastal settlements may also produce salt. The
Large amounts of wide open land are ideal for raising process of extracting salt from sea water is fairly
herd animals, with cattle and oxen being the obvious laborious and does not produce much of a yield;
choice. Those provinces that breed horses are usually this is one of the reasons why salt is scarce. Mining
places with a lot of plains land available, as this is it straight out of the ground is a more profitable
where the wild breeds are captured and broken to the venture, if you can find a deposit.
bit.
The deep sea is where whales may be found and
hunted, along with other sea-beasts such as squid,
River / Lake octopi and kraken, with the leviathan being the
Rivers do not contain many resources in themselves, greatest prize of all if one were able to hunt and kill
producing only fish, but they have a pronounced it. Whale hunting in some seas can be especially
effect on the territory around them. Rivers are the hazardous, as there may be other sentient
guarantee of fertility to the surrounding plains races in the area who consider the
and grassland. The gift of the river’s life- whales to be friends and allies, such as
giving waters causes them to be seen as the tritons, or who consider them to
sacred in many pagan cultures. Rivers be their own tribal resource, such as
are also necessary for the building of sahuagin.
water-powered structures such as
mills, without which granary crops Some delicacies, such as caviar,
cannot easily be ground; the are taken from the deep sea.
alternative to water power is to These may be treated as
turn a grinding stone by hand. ‘spices’ for the purposes of
resource cultivation.
Sea Coast /
Deep Sea
The most common
product of the seas
is food; shoals of
fish and scuttling
creatures of the
ocean floor form
part of the staple
diet of almost all
surface dwellers.
The amount of
food that may be
taken from any
given coastal
fishing region is
entirely up to the
Games Master.
Some regions are
only fruitful in
certain seasons,
while others are
naturally abundant

152
 THE POWER STRUCTURE

The Power cat, the form taken by a polymorphed cross-class

rogue-sorcerer. Some rulers have secret rooms built
in their strongholds purely for the purpose of calling

Structure meetings of the inner circle, with secret passageways

in the walls so that each individual member can make
their way inside. There may even be secret ways into

S
o, you have taken over a country, or founded and out of the stronghold from outside.
a new one. Your stronghold is built, the
people hold you in regard (or awe) and your The role played by the inner circle will vary
work from here on in will be that of a governor. At depending on how the ruler came to power. The
this stage, it is time to consider what form your following kinds of inner circle are the most
administration is going to take. You may wish to be commonly found:
a despot, giving all the orders and punishing others
for your mistakes; you may prefer to share the power,
giving autonomy to those best suited to do a given Private Interest
job; you may even want to allow the people some A ruler of noble origin who was elevated to the
kind of a say in how the country is run. What is throne by a coalition of fellow nobles is likely to find
certain is this: without a power structure, you will that his inner circle consists of the heads of the noble
have no power. families, representing the coalition’s private interests
and expecting them to be given priority. An inner
circle of this kind exists to keep the ruler in power
The Inner Circle by keeping him informed of the various courtly
Every power structure begins with the inner circle. intrigues, while simultaneously making sure that he
These are those people who you know personally does what is expected of him. A similar arrangement
and trust to give you advice. The inner circle is not would be found where the ruler came to power by an
the same as a council, because the members of the arrangement with various wealthy merchants.
council are publicly known, while your inner circle is
kept confidential. When a player comes to power, his
inner circle is usually made up of those people who Trust
knew him before he was famous and who he can trust An inner circle composed of former comrades
to tell him what he is doing wrong. or trusted associates has no vested interest in
compelling the ruler to act in a given way, but will
Inner circles often have a supernatural or magical help him retain a moral perspective and ensure (or
element to them. An evil tyrant might have the attempt to ensure) that he is not corrupted by power.
cleric of a patron deity in his inner circle, who could Inner circles of this kind are valued greatly by rulers,
provide him with auguries and divinations to tell him as they can be counted upon to give their honest
whether he was in the deity’s favour or not. A benign opinion, while the atmosphere of the royal court is
King might have an inner circle composed of fey likely to be one of flattery and lies. The members of
creatures and powerful wizards. A ruler might even a trust-based inner circle are also more likely to do
have an inner circle who controlled him, rather than the ruler favours that an ordinary council would not
giving him advice. The common people are given consider for a moment. For example, if the crown
to whispering and tale-telling and there are many jewels had been stolen and the ruler wanted to keep
rulers who are said to have been placed in power the news quiet, he could ask a member of his inner
(or removed from it) by some shadowy conspiracy circle to arrange the preparation of duplicates until
behind the scenes. Some of these rumours may even the originals were recovered. In regimes that are evil
be true. and corrupt, the inner circle consists of the ruler’s
favourite lackeys and partners in crime.
Your inner circle should also comprise those
specialists who you trust to do unofficial or
technically illegal work for your regime. This will Magic
include your spymaster if you have one and any An inner circle of spellcasters, diviners and prophets
assassins who work for you. In order to maintain could be turned to by the ruler for frequent updates
secrecy, such persons can be given a cover identity on the progress of his great destiny. Such people
to explain their presence at court. For example, your would have not only magical levels of insight but the
chief assassin could also be your court jester, or your power to use magic in the ruler’s interest. This is an
most accomplished personal spy could be the kitchen

153
THE POWER STRUCTURE

especially likely arrangement in nations where magic Every member of the council is assumed to have
is rare or viewed with superstition. a staff of assistants, appropriate to his or her role.
Generals, with years of command experience and
scouts, bearing messages to and from the various
Monstrous Puppet different emplacements, will attend the Captain of
Armies. The Private Secretary will have a selection
Masters of scribes and clerks to assist him, while a network
The inner circle might be composed of evil outsiders, of spies, rogues and secret agents reports to the Chief
shapeshifters (such as rakshasas or doppelgangers) of Intelligence. These assistants are not detailed;
or even undead. A mortal ruler with a hunger for simply assume that they are doing their jobs unless
power could easily make a pact with infernal powers the situation prevents them from doing so. Their job
in exchange for a fast route to the government of a is to get on with the business assigned to them so that
country. Such a ruler would have to consult with his you do not have to concern yourself with it and only
dark masters frequently and in private. This is an disturb you when there is something requiring your
excellent basis for a series of adventures, with the attention. It does not make for an interesting game if
corruption in a kingdom being traceable from the the players are bothering themselves over the minor
local authorities all the way to the throne and beyond, details of running the country. The assistants to the
to the Abyss or the Nine Hells. council can be assumed to take care of the majority
of the day-to-day business.
The Council
The inner circle is secret and does not officially exist, Council Member Special Abilities
while the council is the group of people to whom Irrespective of character class or level, each member
authority over the various different branches of the of the council has one or more special abilities,
regime is given. The council is not always called by virtue of his occupancy of the office, the staff
that. Some regimes refer to a cabinet, a circle or a working under him and his access to the office’s
court rather than a council. In a campaign where resources. The staff of assistants, more than any
one of the players is the head of the regime, the other resource, is what gives him the special abilities.
other players may find it rewarding to take on the He does not magically become able to do new things
roles of council members. Suggested minimum skill just because he now has a fancy title.
ranks and class levels are given in most cases; this
is intended more as a guide for the Games Master, These abilities may be used as and when the Games
should any of the council roles be taken by non- Master deems them appropriate; as they usually
player characters. require time and concentration, most of them they
cannot be used more than once in a day and some
In most regimes, the head of the regime personally of them require at least a day to get results. For
appoints the council. Each council member must example, the Glean ability of the Head of Intelligence
have an agreed salary, which you will pay him or her can return information about events in the city on
out of the kingdom’s coffers. It is up to you who you the same day but would take several days to find out
have in your council; in most games, they will be about events in a village one hundred miles away.
non-player characters. If you do not have a person Use of the ability ‘ties up’ the council member.
in a given council position, you will not be able to While he is using it, he cannot easily concentrate on
take governmental actions that require that office; see other things. For this reason, council member special
Chapter 15, The Art of Governing. The following abilities are best used in downtime, between the
are some important council positions. You are free to sessions of actual roleplaying.
create your own (after consultation with the Games
Master) to suit the nature of the campaign. Do not be Some of these abilities have a cost price attached to
concerned if the title of the office sounds too modern; them, as their use necessitates the purchase and use
offices with similar titles have been found in late of equipment, paying travel and accommodation
mediaeval historical periods! However, if the titles costs, bribing people and so on. The money must be
do not suit the campaign, then they may of course be supplied in advance. If it is not available, the ability
changed. For example, the Minister of Health could may not be used.
be known as the Senior Healer or the Provider for the
People. The Games Master should certainly allocate
circumstance bonuses or penalties to the use of
special office abilities according to the state of the

154
 THE POWER STRUCTURE

official’s resources. A Head of Intelligence who is preparations in a city (as per the Plague Precautions
trying to work from a chaotic, bombed-out office special ability in the repertoire of the Minister of
should receive a significant penalty to his Glean Health) to the extent of giving the Games Master
checks, while a Head of Intelligence who has several a clear description of what was being done and
sorcerors on his staff (who can use Invisibility spells how, the resultant circumstance bonus to the Resist
and such like to enhance their spying abilities) is Contamination check should be +3 or even +4 and no
entitled to a bonus. skill check need be made.

Whenever a special ability calls for the use of a skill, A special ability should never be used if to do so
such as the making of Bluff and Disguise skill checks would override events that are being or have been
when attempting to Infiltrate, only the base skill roleplayed out ‘in game’. For example, if a player
ranks and ability modifier of the council member are is taking the part of a rogue infiltrating a secretive
used. Bonuses from magical items do not apply, with religious cult, the Head of Intelligence should not
the sole exception of enhancement bonuses to ability resolve any of his attempts to find out information by
scores. This is because the skill is employed by making Glean checks. Special abilities represent a
proxy rather than by the council member in person. ‘macro’ level of task resolution, which should not be
Other people are carrying out their instructions. mixed with the ‘micro’ level of player involvement.

Roleplayed sessions may take the place of the use

of special abilities; for example, a player might Captain of Armies
infiltrate a foreign government and learn important This person should have at least 6 levels as a fighter
information about invasion plans in the course of and possess the Leadership feat, in order to have
one or more game sessions. The same effect might the confidence of the troops over whom he is set.
be had just as easily (but with less of an enjoyable His job is to oversee military campaigns, deploying
game) simply by having the Head of Intelligence use troops as necessary, receiving messages from the
the Infiltrate special ability followed by the Gleaning front and seeing to it that maps are updated. He has
special ability. The special abilities are really there to overall responsibility for the strategic arrangement of
simulate large-scale operations that take place in the military forces. He is also responsible for the state
background and which cannot all be roleplayed out. of the kingdom’s troops. If they are not battle-ready,
If a player decides to do the job personally, the results or if they are equipped with substandard weapons or
should definitely be much more detailed than if a armour, the captain of armies is the one accountable
special ability had been for it.
used. For example,
if a player He is not necessarily the overall commander of the
personally regime’s military forces, as the head of the regime
saw to the usually takes that role. However, he is the one the
plague generals and the soldiery look to for their orders. He
is one of the most dangerous officers of the council,
because the head of the regime is often only in power
thanks to the backing of the military.
Should the military choose to
take power for themselves

155
THE POWER STRUCTURE

in what is known as a ‘military coup d’etat’ then engineers and architects to the job of building these
the regime will find it next to impossible to resist. structures and ensuring that they are completed on
The reason why troops do not rebel more often is time. Such structures as garrisons, border forts and
that they are better off when they do not have to run city walls are his responsibility. He is expected to
the nation themselves; the option of coup d’etat is be expert in siege warfare tactics and strategy and is
reserved for those times when the nation has become called upon to give his advice should any city in the
so badly run or corrupt that seizing power by force is realm be besieged. Ideally he should have at least six
the only way to save it. levels as a fighter, with at least 8 ranks in Profession:
Siege Engineer and a further 8 ranks in Knowledge:
Architecture and Engineering.
Special Ability: Military Strategy
The captain of armies can draw upon the information
relayed to him by his advisors in order to deploy Special Ability: Consolidate Defence
troops with maximum efficiency. During any battle The Chief of Defence may allocate troops in a
in which the Captain of Armies is giving the orders, defensive situation so that they make maximum use
he may make a Wisdom ability check at DC 10 of the available cover and mutually complement
to gain a strategic overview of the situation. If he each other. During any battle in which he is giving
succeeds, all troops under his overall command the orders, he make a Wisdom ability check at DC
receive a +2 circumstance bonus to their Initiative 10 in order to gain a strategic overview and assess
checks for the first five rounds of combat. The battle the likely plans of the invaders. If he succeeds, all
must begin within two hours of the successful check friendly troops who are taking part in defensive
and the attackers must not significantly alter their actions receive a +1 circumstance bonus to armour
position. If either of these conditions is broken, the class for the first five rounds of the battle. The battle
bonus does not apply and the check may not be made must begin within two hours of the successful check
again until the next day. and the defenders must not significantly alter their

Special Ability: Inspire Troops

Having the Captain of Armies on the field alongside
you is a powerful boost to the morale of a fighting
man. So long as his colours can be seen on the field,
the Captain of Armies grants all friendly troops a +2
morale bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls and saving
throws. It is a gamble, however, to have him on the
field at all. Should he be seen to fall, friendly troops
suffer a –2 morale penalty to the same rolls. Bear in
mind that this ability is based upon the perceptions
of the troops, so a person who had been magically
altered to resemble the Captain of Armies and who
fought on the field would also inspire the same
bonus, while a convincing illusion of the Captain’s
death would also inspire the penalty.

Chief of Defence
The job of this official is to see to the defensive
emplacements within the kingdom. He works closely
with the Captain of Armies; in some regimes, the
same person holds both of the two offices, but in
most regimes the Captain of Armies sees to the
offensive military engagements and the Chief of
Defence to the domestic defences.

The Chief of Defence also has the authority to

recommend to the ruler where military structures
should be built. He is responsible for allocating

156
 THE POWER STRUCTURE

position. If either of these conditions are broken, the rounded down. So, if he tried to embezzle 6,000
bonus does not apply and the check may not be made gold pieces, the DC of his Intelligence check would
again until the next day. be 12+6, or 18. (If he has 4 or more ranks in the
Forgery skill, he may add a +2 synergy bonus to his
Intelligence check.) Success means that the desired
Special Ability: Hold Breach sum is withdrawn from the treasury without any
If a breach is created in a wall, the Chief of Defence evidence being left behind.
may give orders that assist the defenders to repel any
invaders attempting to enter through it. To do this, If the Treasurer fails an embezzlement check, an
he must have the breach in his line of sight and be error is left in the books indicating that someone has
able to shout orders to the troops. His help lends a been removing money. He does not notice this error
+1 morale bonus to the defenders’ attack and damage on his part, though he may check his work the next
rolls for the next five rounds; he may use this ability day (and not until then) by making a Spot skill check
once per breach. Should they attempt to patch up at a DC of 20; success means that he notices his
the breach, a barricade made on the instruction of the mistake and he then only has to pray that nobody else
Chief of Defence has +1 to its Stability saving throw. has checked the books since he made it. Any other
person checking the books is also entitled to the same
Treasurer Spot skill check. They may only make this check if
they are specifically looking for anomalies; it is not
The Treasurer is responsible for all financial matters
in the regime. He notifies the various different tax something that would be noticed if the books were
collectors and excise men in the cities and towns of just glanced through.
changes to the tax rate, oversees the collection of
taxes and handles the regime’s accounts. He must be The Treasurer is not always an embezzler for his own
able at all times to explain where the regime’s money sake. In corrupt regimes, the head of the regime will
is and what it has been spent on. This can, in some sometimes expect the Treasurer to skim off money to
regimes, involve a great deal of creative accounting. line the head’s own pockets, while keeping the books
balanced so that the other council members do not
The Treasurer’s job is something of a double-edged suspect anything. This is usually done when the head
sword, as it involves a great deal of trust on the of the regime is planning to flee a crumbling nation
ruler’s part to place you in that position and always and wants to make sure that he has enough money to
brings in a good rate of pay, but presents you with survive.
a horrible amount of responsibility. If the treasury
should ever go missing or be short of a significant Special Ability: Detect Anomaly
sum, the Treasurer would be the first person called to As part of his responsibility for keeping track of
account. A treasurer should have at
least 8 ranks in Appraise.

Special Ability: Embezzle

This ability is a very risky one to
use. The Treasurer, or any other
person with access to the treasury
and the books, may skim off funds
from the regime’s treasury and doctor
the books so that nothing appears
to be amiss. So long as the treasury
contains no less than 10,000 gold
pieces, he may siphon off up to 100
gold pieces a week without attracting
notice. To garner more than this, he
must make an embezzlement check.
This takes the form of an Intelligence
check (made in private by the Games
Master) with a DC equal to 12 plus
the sum desired divided by 1,000,

157
THE POWER STRUCTURE

monies, the Treasurer must develop

a keen sense for missing funds.
If anything has been taken that
shouldn’t have, he needs to know
about it. He may make a Spot check
at a DC of 15 while searching the
treasury and checking the books
(a process that takes an hour) to
detect tampering or theft. Many
honest, parsimonious Treasurers
make such a check part of their
daily routine. If the Treasurer has
any levels in Rogue, he may add a
+2 circumstance bonus to his Spot
check, as he will have a better idea
of the actions a thief would take to
cover his tracks; the old adage that
you have to set a thief to catch a
thief holds true here.
Private Secretary
Special Ability: Investments The private secretary takes care of the regime’s
So long as the Treasurer is allowed access to local administrative records. He calls the various council
merchants and other independent traders, he can members to meetings, records the proceedings and
attempt to use business acumen to increase the stock arranges for the writing of any necessary letters.
of gold in the treasury. He makes loans, charges It is also his duty to attend to matters of protocol;
interest and trades in goods ‘on the side’ using he makes it his business to ensure that foreign
the regime’s money, with the intent of making a dignitaries are addressed by the proper titles and to
profit. This is in addition to any revenue earned advise the ruler of what subjects of conversation are
from taxation or trading. The relevant portion of the guaranteed to offend a guest from a different culture.
treasury’s wealth must be in the form of coin for this
ability to be used. As he is expected to be literate and intelligent, the
private secretary is often called upon to consult the
To capitalise on a part of the treasury’s wealth, a sum regime’s libraries. Written history is very important
must be set aside and not used for anything else that in international diplomacy. For example, the private
month. The Treasurer may make an Appraise skill secretary may be called upon to provide instances
check at a DC of 20; this is not exactly a standard of precedent in order to justify actions the regime
use of the skill but it represents his ability to tell a intends to take. If a kingdom needed to find an
good investment from a bad one. Success means that excuse for making war upon a neighbour, the private
he has managed to turn a profit on his investments, secretary would be the one to sift through the history
increasing the amount of gold by 1d10+5%. Failure books and find some past insult that had not yet been
means that he has made losses, reducing the amount adequately answered. The private secretary should
of gold by the same amount. A roll of 1 means that have the ability to speak and write as many languages
the investment was a catastrophic loss and is halved as possible and have at least 8 ranks in Knowledge:
in value, while a natural 20 increases the investment’s Nobility and Royalty. This would be a good position
value by half. This calculation is only applied to that for a bard to take. The private secretary is often the
part of the treasury that was set aside for investments, same person as the Minister of Information, as the
not to the whole lot. This ability may only be used two sets of responsibilities are closely akin.
once a month, during which the Treasurer may not
spend more than two days in a row away from the Special Ability: Historical Lore
treasury; if he does, the Appraise skill check fails The private secretary must have access to the
automatically. regime’s records or to a properly furnished library to
use this skill. He may make an Intelligence check
in order to find out recondite facts about subjects
that the head of the regime orders him to research.

158
 THE POWER STRUCTURE

The DC of this check is set by the Games Master; involved, only one persuasive letter or impressive
we recommend a DC of 10 for readily ascertainable speech may be written per day.
facts, such as the birthday of a local Count, a DC of
15 for more obscure facts, such as the name of a ship
that was docked in the harbour last month, a DC of Chief of Police
20 for difficult facts such as the true parentage of Many regimes do not have a centralised police force,
an illegitimate noble and a DC of 25 or 30 for very having instead a system of city watchmen who know
obscure facts, such as the details of a conspiracy from their city well and are expert at defending it. The
100 years ago. police force system keeps this arrangement but places
all city watches in the kingdom under the overall
If you use the research rules system from command of a chief of police. This person ensures
Encyclopedia Arcane: Tomes and Libraries by that all local watches are notified of important events,
Mongoose Publishing, this Special Ability gives the such as the escape of a criminal. He has the job
Private Secretary a +2 circumstance bonus to all of ensuring that the various watch divisions work
rolls made when conducting deep research or asking together and share information and the privilege of
simple questions in the regime’s library. demanding all information relating to any incident in
which the local watch were involved. For example,
if the ruler wanted to know more about a cult that a
Special Ability: Write Persuasive Letter / city’s watch had successfully broken up, the chief
Write Impressive Speech of police could demand all the relevant files and any
items claimed and kept in safe custody from the raid.
The private secretary is the scribe for the regime.
When official communications need to be sent or
public addresses written, the private secretary takes
care of it. He may use his resources to prepare a
letter or speech that is phrased in such a way as to
sound very persuasive to the listener or reader. Even
if he himself is not a particularly articulate individual,
his staff will have had enough collective experience
to make the composition suitably impressive.

Successful composition of the letter or speech

requires a Diplomacy skill check at DC 12. A +2
synergy bonus may be added if the Private Secretary
has more than 4 levels in Craft: Calligraphy (in the
case of a letter) or more than 4 levels in Perform
(in the case of a speech). When read or delivered,
the letter or speech allows the head of the regime,
or the individual for whom the service is being
performed, to make a second Diplomacy skill check
using his skill (not the Private Secretary’s) at a +2
circumstance bonus, even if he is not there in person,
in order to persuade the recipient(s) that the point of
view expressed in the letter is right.

For example, an allied nation might be about to go

to war with another ally of the regime; a persuasive
letter could therefore be written urging the first nation
to show restraint in the name of common interests.
A speech could be given in order to persuade angry
citizens that the execution of a popular criminal was
necessary and right. The audience, or the reader of
the letter, are allowed to make Sense Motive skill
checks in opposition to the original Diplomacy check
in order to ‘read between the lines’ and ascertain the
writer’s true motives. Owing to the amount of work

159
THE POWER STRUCTURE

The Chief of Police is often something of a bruiser, finger on’. It may be used in order to drop hints to a
who has respect on the streets. A wise ruler will not group of completely stuck players, which can often
appoint anyone to this office unless the candidate has be better than waiting all night for them to figure out
himself had experience of life in the city watch, as what is going on.
the local officers will not be inclined to trust someone
who does not come from the same background as
they do. The Chief of Police has to make sure that Foreign Secretary
the regime is not undermined from within by criminal All but the most isolated regimes will have some
elements. In corrupt regimes, the Chief of Police is kind of contact with their neighbours. Staying on
often the most hated official in the regime (with the top of international relations is the job of the foreign
exception of the ruler) because he is the one charged secretary. It is his task to organise meetings with
with investigating dissension against the state. As foreign ambassadors, look into potential areas of
such, he will often be expected to torture suspected future co-operation, assess the value of current
dissenters or threaten their families in order to get allegiances and suggest new ones, propose trade
information out of them. In some regimes, the Chief deals and provide intelligence on what other nations
of Police is nothing more than the head of an official are planning. When the head of the regime asks
brute squad, with no interest in justice whatsoever; ‘What do we know about this nation’ it is the job of
such people are only concerned to keep disruption the foreign secretary to have an answer ready.
to a minimum by terrifying the general public into
obedience. As the head of the regime cannot travel abroad for
very long (having interests at home to protect) it is
A Chief of Police should have a base attack bonus the foreign secretary’s job to act as an ambassador
of at least +6/+1, 8 ranks in Intimidate and 8 ranks and represent the regime’s interests overseas. The
in Knowledge: Local. His reputation amongst the regime may have other ambassadors in permanent
common people is very important, so he should residence in other countries. These report to the
ideally be a person who is already famous for being foreign secretary, who in turn reports to the head
just or for being savage. of the regime. The foreign secretary is also kept
informed of the reports that come back from spies,
scryings and other unofficial sources of intelligence,
Special Ability: Interrogate so that foreign policy can be formed in full
The status enjoyed by the Chief of Police gives knowledge of what the other nations are up to.
him a degree of charismatic power when a guilty
person, or someone with something to hide, is in his A foreign secretary’s most important ability is the
presence. By working with his assistants, who are skill of Diplomacy, in which he should have at least 8
likely to be other guards and watchmen, he can use a ranks. A good number of ranks in Bluff and in Sense
combination of mind games, intimidation and tricks Motive are also useful, as the ambassadors of foreign
to soften a subject up and make them talk. For every nations can be slippery people to deal with. This
hour of interrogation, the Chief of Police may make would be a good position for a bard, as it involves a
an Intimidate check; success causes the subject to great deal of travelling and a charming, persuasive
blurt out something they were trying to keep secret. manner can do wonders for improving relations
If the first Intimidate check fails, another one may not between regimes.
be made until the next day.

Special Ability: Smooth/Ruffle Feathers

Special Ability: Intuitive Leap Foreign Secretaries are constantly being called upon
The Chief of Police can examine all the evidence to soothe tensions between the regime and other
relating to a case and let his intuition (and that of nations, or between nations allied to the regime. A
his assistants) work on it. On any day on which good Foreign Secretary knows how to appeal to a
significant new evidence has been presented or nation’s sense of national character and use rhetoric
details have been uncovered, he may make a Wisdom to prevent hostilities from progressing any further.
check at DC 15 in order to receive a ‘hunch’ or flash When in conversation with the representative of a
of insight prompting him to research in a particular regime that is irate over something (this may be the
direction or question a specific person. The Games ambassador of the regime, or even a council member
Master should be cautious when a player uses this of the head of the regime itself) the Foreign Secretary
ability. It does not confer answers, just a vague sense may attempt a Diplomacy skill check to calm the
of something important that the player ‘cannot put his troubled waters. This does not solve the situation;

160
 THE POWER STRUCTURE

it only persuades the representative of the angry feathers’ use of the ability, but with the events
nation to overlook temporarily the cause of the anger reversed. So, a successful check against a DC of 12
and proceed with negotiations. It is most usually would cause one nation to be mildly irritated with
employed as a means to buy time while the council another for 10 days, while one made against a DC of
decides what to do next. 30 would cause intense fury for 24 hours. Stirring
up trouble between nations is a risky business. The
The difficulty of the Diplomacy skill check and the subject of the Diplomacy check may oppose it with a
amount of time that the angry nation will allow to Sense Motive check to find out your true intentions;
elapse before bringing the subject up again depends if it is discovered that you were deliberately trying
on the severity of the problem and the degree of to cause an international incident, your own regime’s
anger in the irate nation. For example, a nation that reputation will undoubtedly suffer for it.
believes its athletes have not been given a fair chance
to compete at an international games event held in
your regime’s amphitheatre would have a DC of 12 to Special Ability: Thorough Briefing
placate and would leave the matter for 10 days before It is the Foreign Secretary’s business to make
mentioning it again, while a nation whose Minister of sure that any representative of the regime who
Public Works has just been assassinated by someone is heading into a foreign nation on official (or
who admitted under torture that he had been sent to unofficial) business is completely prepared for the
do the job by you personally would require a DC of cultural differences that he may encounter. If a
30 to placate and would be calm for 24 hours at the representative knows the correct protocols for the
most. other nation and can provide the appropriate gifts,
courtesies and suchlike niceties for the occasion, he
A Foreign Secretary knows how to cause trouble as can expect to be treated much more warmly than if
well as smooth it over. With a successful Diplomacy he had shown up without having done any research.
check, he can persuade the representative of one Advance preparation is especially necessary when
nation that he has reason to be angry or suspicious the representative is meeting people of the other
of another nation. The DC of the Diplomacy check nation for the first time. It is very easy for an
depends upon the severity of the rift he intends to isolated community of elves to conclude that your
cause (or exploit) and the amount of time for which ambassador is a graceless bore, or a dwarven prince
he intends it to last. Proceed as with the ‘smoothing to jump to the conclusion that he is an effete snob, if
you do not give him some advance warning of how

161
THE POWER STRUCTURE

also has to travel and assess the requirements of each

individual village, town and city, according to the
needs of the people and the economic advantages of
processing or tapping resources. The regime may
need to build a bigger granary in one town, or invest
in a series of windmills in another. The Minister of
Public Works has the job of sending out prospectors
who seek out as yet untapped resources that the
regime may exploit. For example, he has to tell the
head of the regime where any new mines should be
dug; if they fail to produce a decent yield, his job is
on the line.

The Minister of Public Works also has the

general responsibility of acting as a go-between
for the regime and the general public. When an
announcement needs to be made, a festival held, a
political wedding celebrated or a hero honoured,
the Minister of Public Works takes care of it. He
sees to the work that is done just to keep the people
happy, such as the building of statues and parks or
he will be expected to conduct himself. In some
the issuing of licenses to gaming houses. He should
circles, it is a grave offence to belch loudly after a
ideally have 8 ranks in Knowledge: Architecture and
meal; in others, it is a grave offence not to.
Engineering. Regimes that have several races on the
council would be well advised to have a dwarf or
With a day’s hard work, the Foreign Secretary and
a gnome in this office, as they have a good deal of
his assistants can brief a person on the customs,
experience with civil engineering.
etiquettes and social habits of a people. This gives
the individual a circumstance bonus to all Charisma-
based ability score checks when interacting with Special Ability: Locate New Resources
those people of +1 to +3, according to the Games By visiting an area with his team of assistants or
Master’s assessment of how well the Foreign by sending them on ahead, the Minister of Public
Secretary and his staff know the people in question Works can scout an area (the size of one province
and how much store they set by social airs and in the kingdom) for suitable new mining sites,
graces. This circumstance bonus only lasts for quarrying points or open-air resource deposits such
the first three days of the representative’s visit and as oil seepings. Every month he is in office, the
cannot be bestowed twice upon the same person. The Minister may make a Wilderness Lore skill check
Games Master should be aware that this bonus is in at a DC of 20 as if he himself was scouting the area
fact intended to compensate for the increased DC for in person. Obviously, he cannot always do this, but
Charisma based skill checks when dealing with an it is his Wisdom ability modifier and his perceptive
unfamiliar culture. It does not make the individual abilities that are being called into use, even if he is
supernaturally charismatic; it merely aids him in only looking at a map and listening to the reports
getting over the problems presented by cultural of the scouting parties. He may add a +2 synergy
differences. bonus to this check if he has more than 4 ranks
in Knowledge: Nature, Knowledge: Geology or
Knowledge: Geography. Success means that a new
Minister of Public resource has been found. Of course, it is up to the
Works Games Master what resources are latent in the area,
so new resources may only be found while there are
The regime is responsible for seeing to the
still any left.
maintenance of structures that have already been
built in the public interest and for building new ones
This ability costs 1,000 gp to use.
where there is need. It is the duty of the Minister of
Public Works to advise the head of the regime as to
how much needs to be spent on keeping the roads Special Ability: Assess Local Needs
and waterways within the kingdom navigable. He This ability is used in response to the request of

162
 THE POWER STRUCTURE

Success means that the Games Master informs the

minister of any sources of local dissatisfaction and
what is required to remedy them. For example, the
population of a village may be unruly out of sheer
boredom and a desire for excitement, in which case
a local games day or fair could be organised; or they
could be depressed at the lack of available work,
meaning that money could be invested in suitable
industrial buildings. Up to four settlements may be
investigated per month.

This ability costs 1,000 gp to use per settlement.

Minister of
Agriculture
This official is in charge of the crop-growing, animal
husbandry and fishing that take place within the
kingdom. The vast majority of the actual farming is
of course done by the common people, who get on
with it without any kind of supervision from above,
so the minister of agriculture does not often have
to involve himself in the business of food-growing.
Where he is active is in providing for the needs of
farmers. It is the job of the Minister of Agriculture
to collect information on pests, hazards to livestock,
disruptive creatures like ankhegs and bullettes and
similar impediments to successful farming and make
sure that the kingdom’s farmers are forewarned. He
also makes sure that in provinces where there are
druids active, they know which crops are most in
need of an increase plants spell at seedtime. Lastly,
the Minister of Agriculture is responsible for finding
out who is growing what and what is happening to
the produce. He passes on agricultural policy to the
farmers; if it has been decided that a given crop (such
as narcotic spice) is forbidden, it is his job to let the
farmers know.

A Minister of Agriculture should have at least 8 ranks

in Knowledge: Nature or Profession: Farmer and 8
the head of the regime to look into a given village, ranks in Knowledge: Geography. It is an ideal office
town or city and find out what they most need to for a druid or pastoral cleric to hold.
prosper, so that the regime’s funds can be used to
provide such buildings or public works as may be
necessary. This ability is mainly used when there
Special Emergency Ability: Rationing
The Minister of Agriculture can attempt to lessen the
are problems in a region, such as a low tax yield, effect of famines and starvation. His familiarity with
frequent uprisings, public disorder and the like. The the land means that he can anticipate which places
minister of public works can visit the area (in person are likely to be hit worst. By working with his team
or by proxy) and make a Search skill check; if he is to draw up systems of collection and distribution, he
not there in person, there is a –2 circumstance penalty can make sure that such food as is available is passed
to the Search check. (If his assistants visit the area on to those that need it with optimum efficiency.
instead of him, he still makes the roll, as he is telling He may make a Knowledge: Nature or Knowledge:
them what to look for and where.) The DC of the Geography skill check with a DC of 15; success
check is 15.

163
THE POWER STRUCTURE

means that money from the treasury may be invested

in order to lessen the population loss incurred by
Special Ability: Sustain Citizens
Every month, the Minister of Health may attempt to
starvation. See Chapter 16, The Seedtime and use his influence and the expertise of his staff to keep
the Harvest, for rules on population loss due to the population healthy. He does this by applying
insufficient food in any given month. The province’s his wisdom as a healer, making sure that the various
Roads rating is applied as a circumstance bonus or different settlements in the kingdom all have the right
penalty to the relevant Knowledge check; if the roads foods to eat and access to medicinal herbs. This
are in disrepair, the minister’s advice cannot reach the results in an effective population increase, as more
affected settlements in time. children survive into adulthood.
This ability costs 1,000 gp to use for every 100 He must make a Heal skill check with a DC of 20;
deaths prevented in a month of starvation, to a success adds a +1 circumstance bonus to the d4
maximum of 400 deaths prevented. multiplier used in the population growth checks for

Minister of Health
Not all regimes will have a Minister of Health. The
very existence of the office implies that the regime
is concerned about the health of its citizens. Many
regimes are not. To them, the common people
live the lives they were born to lead and their state
of health is between them and their Gods. Other
regimes, such as those in largely elven countries, do
not bother with a Minister of Health simply because
everyone is so long-lived anyway. Nonetheless,
some regimes have an office that is dedicated to
extending the natural life of each citizen where
possible and its occupant is the Minister of Health.

His duty is to ensure that the standard of healing

shrines, hospices and facilities for the sick is
properly maintained. This duty places him into
contact with a great many clerics and other healers;
as the presence of a cleric with healing powers or a
temple that provides healing services in a settlement
is largely a matter of chance, he tries to negotiate
with the various religious orders so that they will
provide a resident healer. The usual arrangement
is that the regime makes a donation to the religious
order in exchange for a resident cleric taking up
practice in the village, town or city desired. The
Minister of Health is also expected to have the
contacts necessary to deal with outbreaks of
disease, contaminated water supplies and even such
supernatural plagues as vampirism or lycanthropy.

The Minister of Health’s responsibilities mean that

he must either be a cleric or have several very close
allies who are clerics. The office of Archbishop for
the kingdom (if it has an official religion) is often
combined with that of the Minister of Health, so
that the same person is ultimately responsible for
the physical and spiritual health of the subjects. At
the very least, he should have 8 ranks in Heal.

164
 THE POWER STRUCTURE

all provinces in the kingdom. Success by more than

5 adds a +2 circumstance bonus to the d4 multiplier.
Special Emergency Ability: Plague
See Chapter 16, The Seedtime and the Harvest, for Precautions
information on population growth checks. When plague breaks out, it rapidly spreads from
settlement to settlement. By use of this ability,
This ability may be used once per month. It can be the Minister of Health can issue instructions to the
used on provinces not governed by the regime, so citizens as to how to keep the plague at bay. They
long as the Minister of Health is allowed to study will be taught how to make herbal sachets, masks
plenty of information concerning the population of to breathe through, elementary herbal infusions to
the province and their staple diet. In this case, it make and so forth. If this is done, the settlement
may only be used in a single province, not a whole need not be sealed off altogether, though it is still the
kingdom. safest course of action to do so. For each province
treated, he must make a Heal skill check with a DC
This ability costs 20,000 gp to use per province of 15; success adds a +2 circumstance bonus to the
affected. settlement’s check to resist contamination. Even
failure adds a +1 circumstance bonus; it just means
that the Minister’s efforts have not been especially
Special Ability: Public Health effective, but that the investment has not gone to
The Minister of Health may investigate a settlement waste. The province’s Roads rating is applied as a
(in person or by proxy) and assess the likeliest circumstance bonus or penalty to the Heal check; if
sources of disease. Having done this, he may the roads are in disrepair, the minister’s advice cannot
prescribe any action that needs to be taken to reduce reach the affected settlements in time.
the risk of disease in the settlement. This may
include such measures as building water filtration This ability costs 1,000 gp to use on a village, 4,000
tanks, allocating a cleric to the area who can cast cure gp to use on a town and 10,000 gp to use on a city.
disease when required, planting regime-sponsored
crops of healing herbs or even arranging for fresh
water to be piped to the area. The net effect of
this attention is that all those who are resident in
the settlement (including travellers) receive a +1
circumstance bonus to all saving throws made to
resist the onset of disease from natural sources (i.e.
not magically induced diseases). All Heal skill
checks made to help a character through a disease are
also made at a +1 circumstance bonus. The effect is
permanent. It only applies if the character making
the saving throw or the Heal check has ready access
to the settlement’s water and other resources; if he is
locked up or otherwise isolated, it does not apply.

Settlements that have been treated with the public

health special ability are less vulnerable to plague.
They only lose one sixth of their population (rather
than one third) if plague should chance to strike the
settlement and they receive a +1 circumstance bonus
to their check to resist contamination from plague in
the first place. See Chapter 16 for more information
on plagues and how they spread.

This ability costs 10,000 gp to use on a village,

40,000 gp to use on a town and 100,000 gp to use on
a city.

165
THE POWER STRUCTURE

Head of Intelligence to the same province, the answer is returned in 1d4

When you are running a country, knowledge is a days. If it relates to another province within the
vital asset. A ruler has to be kept informed of what is same kingdom, the answer is returned in 3d4 days
going on in his kingdom, especially if he is so feared and if it relates to an overseas province it is returned
or revered that nobody will tell him the truth for fear in 1d4 weeks. Naturally, this time delay implies
of incurring his wrath. The Head of Intelligence that the agents are not giving exceptional priority
sits in the centre of a web of agents who use all of to the research. The amount of time taken to get
their skills in disguise, intrigue and investigation to the answer back can be halved by doubling the cost
find out facts that others do not want the regime to of the ability’s use; if the Head of Intelligence has
know. By consulting with his Head of Intelligence, some means of communicating with his agents over
a ruler can expect to find out what the people really distance by magic, or has an assistant who has this
think of him, root out troublemakers who are plotting ability, the default time to get an answer back is 1d4
against the Crown and find out what the strengths and hours.
weaknesses of foreign empires are.
Half the province’s Roads rating (rounded down)
The Head of Intelligence should be used to a life is applied as a circumstance bonus or penalty to
in the shadows. Unless he himself knows the ways the Gather Information check, to represent the
of intrigue and stealth, he will be ill prepared to ease or difficulty with which agents communicate.
command a group of spies and undercover agents. Intelligence agents use messenger birds, magical
It is therefore best, assuming the regime takes the spells and similar means to communicate, so they
traditional route, if the Head of Intelligence has at are not wholly dependent upon roads, but they do
least 8 levels as a rogue or an assassin. He should occasionally have to travel. If information is being
also have at least 8 ranks in Gather Information, received from a province in another kingdom, then
Diplomacy, Bluff and Innuendo. Alternatively, the the Roads rating of that province is applied.
regime may be more inclined to magical methods
of information-gathering, in which case the Head of Information of a secret nature, such as the planned
Intelligence is more likely to be a wizard or sorcerer activities of a cult or the military plans of a foreign
with expertise in Divination spells and a flair for government, may be gleaned by use of this ability if
scrying. (and only if) the regime has succeeded in infiltrating
the group in question. Owing to the need to maintain
cover, it is more difficult for the infiltrating agent to
Special Ability: Glean Information acquire the information and get the response back to
The Head of Intelligence thrives on information. He the Head of Intelligence and more time is taken in so
has a finger on every pulse and a contact in every doing. Gather Information checks to gather secret
settlement. When requested by the Head of the information are made at a DC of +2 and the time
Regime, he may set his staff to work investigating taken is rolled on a d6 instead of a d4. A counterspy
any issue within the province, or in any other country operation (see below) may increase the DC of a glean
where there are agents. The ability may not be used attempt yet further.
in a province where there are no agents present, or
where the lines of communication are cut. A failure by more than 5 on the Gather Information
check means that false or misleading information
The Head of Intelligence may make a Gather has been gleaned. A failure by more than 10 on the
Information check as per the usual rules for the Gather Information check means that the inquirer has
use of that skill in order to find out the information messed up badly. If he was an agent in an undercover
desired. This must, of course, be information that the position who had infiltrated an organization (see
agents could realistically access. Suitable questions below) he has blown his cover. If he is in a hostile
would be ‘How well defended is the capital city of nation, this will almost certainly mean capture and
the nation next door?’ or ‘How do the residents of the interrogation.
village of Garm feel about the King?’
This ability costs 400 gp to use per question when
The time it takes to find out the information depends gathering ordinary information and 1,000 gp when
on how far the subject of the inquiry is from the attempting to gather secret information. Up to five
office or other headquarters occupied by the Head questions may be researched at once; a new line of
of Intelligence. If the inquiry relates to the same inquiry may not be started until an answer has been
city, the answer is returned in 1d4 hours. If it relates received or the inquiry cancelled.

166
 THE POWER STRUCTURE

Special Ability: Counterspy allocate a suitable circumstance bonus to the check.

If the organization is especially vigilant with regard
The Head of Intelligence may set up a system
of secondary agents whose special agenda is the to security (for example, by using magic as a means
dissemination of misinformation and the capture of checking whether people are telling the truth,
of enemy operatives. This is specifically to thwart or by frequent uses of know alignment spells) then
attempts to infiltrate the regime. Every level of the DC of the check should be raised accordingly.
counter-espionage set in place by the Head of Counterspy measures (see above) always increase the
Intelligence adds +1 to the DC of an Infiltrate check, DC of an Infiltrate check.
to a maximum of +5. In addition, if counterspy
measures are in place, every time an enemy agent Once an agent has successfully infiltrated an
who has successfully infiltrated the regime is used in organization, he or she is relatively safe, so long
the attempting of a Gleaning check (or makes use of as no further action is taken. It is only when the
the Gather Information skill on his own behalf) the agent attempts to gather information that they are
Head of Intelligence is allowed to oppose the check placed at risk. If a Glean check involving an agent
with his own Sense Motive skill. If the agent wins fails especially badly, the agent is exposed and the
the opposed skill check, the information is gleaned organization no longer counts as infiltrated. You
as usual. If the Head of Intelligence wins, the cannot go on to make further Glean checks regarding
information is not gleaned; if he wins by more than the organization unless you have other agents still in
5, the agent is discovered and no longer counts as place.
having infiltrated the regime.
Placing an agent into a closed or secret organization
Counterspy measures cost 3,000 gp per level and with an Infiltrate check costs 6,000 gold pieces;
must be maintained every month. the same sum must be paid every month
thereafter to keep them operative. Agents may be
decommissioned at any time.
Special Ability: Infiltrate
This ability allows the Head of Intelligence to The Head of Intelligence may only control a total
attempt to place an agent into a secret or well- number of infiltrated agents equal to half his total
defended environment, such as the power structure of experience level, rounded down.
a foreign regime, a powerful religious institution or
a secret organization such as a rogues’ guild. More
than one agent may be placed, but the Games Master Chief Justice
may rule that the organization’s size prohibits more The Chief Justice, an office found mostly in non-
than a set number of agents from operating safely in chaotic regimes, is responsible for the judicial branch
the same institution. When an agent has successfully of the government. It is his responsibility to maintain
infiltrated the organization, the Head of Intelligence the laws of the regime and ensure that those who are
may use the Glean special ability to find out desired appointed as judges are trustworthy.
information.
The Chief Justice has a very different role from the
To make an Infiltrate check, the Head of Intelligence Chief of Police. While it is the job of the Chief
must make a successful Bluff check at a DC of 20 of Police to maintain law and order on the streets
and a Disguise check at a DC of 20. Although it and arrest suspected criminals, the Chief Justice
is the agents rather than the Head of Intelligence is responsible for saying who is a criminal and
who are doing the actual infiltrating, it is the Head who is not. The city watchmen who arrest you are
of Intelligence’s expertise and instructions that are answerable to the Chief of Police, while the judge
drawn upon to achieve this and so it is appropriate who tries your case is answerable to the Chief
that he makes the roll on their behalf. The agents do Justice.
not need to be detailed individually, though this may
be done if the player or the Games Master so wish it. Different cultures will of course have different
concepts of the Chief Justice. In a profoundly
Circumstantial factors may influence the Infiltrate religious society, the Chief Justice would instead
check. If the agent has been detailed and is have a title like Grand Inquisitor, while the Chief of
especially competent, or is particularly qualified to Police in such society would be the Captain of the
carry out the job (such as a drow agent infiltrating Knights Martial.
a ring of drow assassins) the Games Master may

167
THE POWER STRUCTURE

A Chief Justice should ideally be of lawful alignment

and have at least 8 ranks in Knowledge (law). He
will be called upon to debate persuasively and
eloquently, so at least 8 ranks in Diplomacy would
also be appropriate.

Special Ability: Influence Verdict/Sentence

The Chief Justice may take a personal interest in any
trial taking place anywhere in the kingdom, so long
as he knows about it. He may use his position, his
knowledge of the law and the expertise of his staff
to influence the verdict that the presiding judge will
reach. In practice, he achieves this by a combination
of providing instances of historical precedent,
exerting pressure and convincing argument. The
Chief Justice must make a Diplomacy check with a
DC of 20; success means that the verdict given is the
one which the Chief Justice would have wished. If
the trial is particularly notorious and the Chief Justice
is pressing for a verdict that is against the public’s
wishes, the DC of the Diplomacy check may be
raised to 25 or even to 30 in the case of a nationally
hated individual.

Alternatively, the Chief Justice may attempt to

influence the sentence of an individual should they
A regime may choose who it wishes to act as judges. be found guilty. This is a much less controversial
In many regimes, a local magistrate does the judging ability to use. By virtue of his position, he may at
if the crime involves mere civil disruption (such as any time simply overrule the judge in question and
the breach of a city’s byelaws or a charge of being decide for himself what the sentence should be;
drunk and disorderly) while a judge based in the however, this will be perceived as blatant interference
largest settlement in the area deals with criminal and may bring the regime into disfavour. By using
cases, those which involve such crimes as serious the Influence Sentence ability, the Chief Justice may
theft, treason, arson or the taking of life. Magistrates adjust the sentence while appearing to be fair, just
are selected from the nobility or from those members and right. To use this ability, the same Diplomacy
of society who are best regarded by the common check is required as above. If the check fails, the
people, having a reputation for honour and fairness. sentence is still influenced but the opinions of the
(In a corrupt society, it is easy to bribe your way majority are not necessarily swayed.
into a position as magistrate.) Judges are usually
appointed directly by the Chief Justice. The Games Master should note that this ability
does not represent corruption, or an attempt to
The Chief Justice, as the keeper of the laws of the buck the system. It is not entirely fair, inasmuch
regime, usually amends them at the behest of the as it represents a bending of justice to the service
head of the regime. The head decides what he wants of political expedience, but it is a feature of many
to be made legal or illegal and the Chief Justice lawful systems. The Chief Justice’s own alignment
incorporates that into the law books. Other than that, is of crucial importance here. If he were to use his
his duties are few but he does have one extraordinary influence to condemn an innocent man to death when
responsibility; he acts as the final court of appeal. If the man would otherwise have been set free, then this
a case is difficult, or if there is a good deal of public is an evil act even if others
interest (or some other reason to hear an appeal) the
Chief Justice can personally intervene, abnegating
any previous verdict, hearing the evidence from both Admiral of the Fleet
sides and pronouncing his own absolute and final An office that only exists in regimes that have a
judgement on the case. standing navy, the Admiral of the Fleet is to the
regime’s ships what the Captain of Armies is to its

168
 THE POWER STRUCTURE

to their Initiative checks for the first five rounds of

combat. The sea battle must begin within two hours
of the successful check and the attackers must not
significantly alter their configuration or depart from
the battle plan laid down by the Admiral. If any of
these conditions is broken, or if the wind speed in the
region of the sea battle alters by more than 10 mph,
the bonus does not apply and the check may not be
made again until the next day.

Information Minister
The role of the information minister is to pass on
news from the regime to the general public. He
may do this by relaying reports from the halls
of government to the local governors for their
distribution, or by using a network of town criers,
bardic messengers or similar conveyors of news. See
the sidebar on communications within the regime for
more information.

military forces. The Admiral’s job is to relay orders The Information Minister is the official spokesperson
to the various shipboard captains and assign them for the regime. The public may expect an answer
their duties as part of an overall strategy worked out from him, but not necessarily from any other official.
by the head of the regime. He keeps the records of It is his job to make announcements on the regime’s
what ships the regime has, where they are docked and behalf, letting the people know of the decisions that
what their current state of readiness is. He also has have been made, the plans that have been laid and the
a role in intelligence; the ships under his command state of relations with other regimes. For example,
relay information back to the Head of Intelligence he would make sure that the population knew about
concerning the state of the coastal waters. If a an impending political marriage or the danger of
strange or foreign craft is sighted where it has no invasion by a hostile power.
right to be, or a sea monster surfaces close to the
shore of the nation, the Head of Intelligence finds out The Information Minister should ideally be a bard,
about it via the Admiral. as the job calls for a lot of public speaking and canny
rhetoric. Bards are also used to passing information
Some regimes allow the Admiral of the Fleet to issue along from person to person.
requisition notices to merchants, seizing their ships
for use by the regime. This is done in times of war, Special Ability: Influence Belief
when the regime needs every ship that it can get. In many of the more corrupt regimes, the Information
The Admiral must have had experience of shipboard Minister is relied upon to keep the population
combat and should have at least 8 ranks in Profession believing what the regime wants them to believe.
(sailor) or a similar maritime occupation. The Information Minister might play down the threat
posed by a plague raging in the heart of one of the
Special Ability: Marine Strategy provinces, imply that the regime is wealthy when
it is in fact flat broke, or suggest that an invading
The Admiral of the Fleet can draw upon his
experience at sea, the advice of his staff and enemy is nowhere near the regime’s capital when it is
his knowledge of ship-to-ship (or ship to shore) battering down the gates.
combat in order to deploy and manoeuvre ships
with maximum efficiency. During any sea battle To use this ability, the Information Minister must
in which the Admiral is giving the orders, he may make a successful Bluff check at a DC of 10 and also
make a Wisdom ability check at DC 10 to gain a succeed at a Control check. If either the Bluff or the
strategic overview of the situation. If he succeeds, Control check fails, the regime loses 1d4 percentiles
all ship captains and shipboard troops under his of Control immediately and the ability may not be
overall command receive a +2 circumstance bonus used again that month. If both actions are successful,
then the majority of the population believes what the

169
THE POWER STRUCTURE

Information Minister tells them. Anyone who has given mine is haunted, that the ships of a given nation
believed the Information Minister’s account may, if are carrying plague rats, or that a sleeping dragon is
confronted by a persuasive argument or compelling about to reawaken. The majority of the population
evidence that the Information Minister is lying, make does not necessarily believe rumours but those who
a Sense Motive check to see through the whitewash. do believe in them do so completely.
The DC of this check is the result of the Information
Minister’s initial Bluff check. To instigate a rumour, the Information Minister
must make a successful Diplomacy check at a DC of
The ability can also be used to influence goodwill between 10 and 25, depending on how outrageous or
levels. The Information Minister may use his implausible the rumour is. For example, the rumour
Influence Belief ability to remove 1 point of negative that Lord Mumford is ill would have a DC of 10 if
goodwill per month from a given class of society. In nobody had seen him lately, while the rumour that
this case, however, the DC of the Bluff check is 20 a passing sorcerer had turned Lord Mumford into a
+1 per point of negative goodwill. ferret would have a DC of 25.

Special Ability: Rumourmonger Minister of Magic

Less all-pervasive than the Influence Belief ability
is the Information Minister’s ability to introduce (Archmage)
rumours into the general talk of the population. This In regimes where wizardry and sorcery are
works on a much more subtle basis, as the rumours commonplace, it is usual to have a Minister of Magic
enter common discussion as ‘leaks’ or ‘unofficial who deals with those governmental matters relating
information’ passed on from the same sources that to the use of magic. His prime responsibility is
distribute official information. By use of this ability, to propose legislation covering the use of arcane
the Information Minister can spread rumours that a spells and the manufacture of magical items. The
severity of the restriction will depend on the nature
of the regime. For example, it might be illegal to
cast fire spells within the limits of a village, city or
town, owing to the danger to property. Similarly,
the manufacture of wands of fireball could be
made illegal, as they could be classed as dangerous
weapons. An especially paranoid regime might make
magical invisibility illegal, with a death penalty for
those who are caught using it.

The other main responsibility of the minister of

magic is to liase between the various magical orders
in the kingdom and the government. Wizards
and sorcerers are often aloof from society; their
considerable personal power can often give them
the idea that they are above the law. It is therefore
necessary for the Minister of Magic to be able to
assure the Head of the Regime that none of the
kingdom’s magical orders are acting against the
national interest. Orders that do not submit regular
reports on their activities or allow inspections by the
ministry are likely to find themselves subjected to
close investigation.

The Minister of Magic may recommend that a given

phenomenon be investigated by the regime. It is
his job to advise the regime on magical matters;
his role in the Council is very much like that of the
wizard or sorcerer in an adventuring party. He is
therefore expected to provide explanations of strange
or supernatural occurrences that are brought to the

170
 THE POWER STRUCTURE

special ability skill check deriving from poorly

maintained roads is ignored and a +1 circumstance
bonus is added instead. This ability only applies to
checks that relate to events within a radius of one
mile per level of the Minister of Magic, centred
on his office. It only applies to abilities used by
members of the Council who are in the same place
as the Minister of Magic and can communicate with
him, or who have their own magical means of getting
in touch with him.

The second level requires the Minister of Magic to

have access to the sending or dream spells; it has
the same effect as the first level but does not have a
minimum range of operation.

Minister of Religion
(High Priest,
Archbishop)
With so many different faiths to choose from and so
many different Gods conferring the power of divine
magic upon their representatives, it is very useful
for the regime to have a minister of religion. This
official is always the high priest or priestess of the
attention of the Head of Intelligence or other member regime’s national religion, if it has one; otherwise,
of the Council, or at the very least advice regarding he or she is ideally a cleric of high level and good
them. The Minister of Magic should be a wizard or standing.
sorcerer; the higher his level the better. Those who
work as his assistants are, for the most part, similarly The relationship between the church (or churches)
qualified. All but a few secretaries will be arcane and the state in a regime is always a close one. The
spellcasters too. head of the regime may be subject to the religious
authority of his church, but the church is in turn
The Minister of Magic will often work closely subject to the political power of the regime. This can
with the Head of Intelligence. It is of tremendous make for a strenuous and sometimes frustrating tug
advantage to both if the Minister of Magic is able to of war, as the reins of power pass from a secular to a
communicate with the intelligence agents via magical religious source and back again.
means or scry them to check on their status. To make
scrying easier, the Minister of Magic will (where In many cases, even when there is no official religion,
possible) meet and form a clear mental image of the the presence of a high-ranking cleric of a certain
agents. If this is not possible, they will provide hair deity within the Council is sufficient to grant that
clippings and such like personal items in order to religion extra status in the eyes of the people.
lower the DC of the scrying.
The prime duty of the Minister of Religion is
Special Ability: Optimise Communications much like that of the Minister of Magic, only with
The Minister of Magic may use his spells to relay respect to religious affairs. He is expected to act as
messages between council members, their staff a consultant, to propose legislation concerning the
and their agents and representatives in other areas. use of divine magic and the level of acceptability
This ability has two levels of use. The basic form of the various different deities and to liase between
requires that the Minister of Magic have access to the different faiths and the regime. For example,
the whispering wind spell. So long as the Minister if the priests and adherents of a given religion
of Magic spends three hours per day sending and were being persecuted by the local peasantry (who
receiving messages, any penalty to any governmental considered them heretics) it would be the Minister
of Religion’s job to look into this and try to find a

171
THE POWER STRUCTURE

solution. Similarly, if one religion appeared to be or for the blessing of a suitable deity if there is no
gaining a great many followers and was unbalancing official religion. He must make a Charisma ability
the distribution of believers, this would be cause score check with a DC of 20 to attract the deity’s
for concern and the Minister of Religion would be attention. At the Games Master’s discretion, the
required to find out what was going on. amount of expensive incenses and suitable sacrifices
could add a circumstance bonus to this check of +1
In a fundamentalist theocracy, where only one to +5. If the check is successful, the deity deigns to
religion is allowed, the Minister of Religion is a bless the kingdom in an appropriate manner. For the
redundant office. In such regimes, the Head of the remainder of the month, the general citizenry receive
Regime is usually the head of the Church as well. a +1 sacred (or profane, if appropriate) bonus to skill
Some governments, such as most magocracies, checks or saving throws made when they are engaged
are wholly secular and do not have a Minister of in activity appropriate to the deity’s sphere. For
Religion, as they prefer to leave such issues to the example, if a god of war were being propitiated, he
people to resolve for themselves. could confer a +1 divine bonus to all Fortitude saving
throws made by citizens of the regime that month.
Special Ability: Public Ceremony Irrespective of the intention, the ceremony must be at
The status of the Minister of Religion allows him to least one hour in length and use up 1,000 gp worth of
perform religious ceremonies on behalf of the regime incenses, oils and fumigants. These ingredients are
as a whole. This may include such rituals as public used up whether the prayers are answered or not.
sacrifices to ensure a good harvest, civil occasions
like the blessing of a new building or even the
coronation of the head of the regime himself. Special Ability: Mass Belief
The Minister of Religion may draw upon the
In most cases, this does not have a discernible in- collective prayers of the various religions in the
game effect, as it is a social formality. However, if kingdom to cast divine spells to greater effect. To
the Minister of Religion chooses, the event can be do this, he must arrange for the different faiths to
made into an enhanced bless spell. All creatures of be sent a notice requesting them to pray for a given
the same alignment as the Minister of Religion that end. For example, if the King were stricken with a
can see the proceedings (irrespective of distance) magical disease, he could request that all churches in
receive the benefits of a bless spell, with no limit on the kingdom (irrespective of affiliation) pray ‘for the
the numbers; he must actually cast bless for this to health of the King.’ The prayers of the population
occur and can only perform such a function once per would then augment his casting of cure disease.
day. No check is necessary to achieve this.
For every thousand people that are praying for a
The Minister of Religion may also petition for the successful outcome, the Minister of Religion’s
blessing of the regime’s official deity, if it has one, caster level for a given spell is increased by one, to a

172
 THE POWER STRUCTURE

maximum of four levels. The prayers must take place

at the same time as the casting of the spell and they
must be for an outcome that is specifically covered
by a given spell; for example, the aforementioned
prayers for the health of the King could not be used
to increase the caster level of a flame strike, though
prayers ‘to smite the heathen’ could be. If any
people are aware of the intended outcome and are
deliberately and specifically praying against it, these
people count against the total contributing. Adverse
prayers may never lower the Minister of Religion’s
effective caster level below his actual caster level.
This ability may be used once per day and can only
be used to augment one divine spell.

Naturally, not all the faiths within a given nation

are necessarily going to want to participate in a
communal effort towards a given end. For this
reason, the Minister of Religion will sometimes call
upon only the members of his own faith to contribute
their prayers, as they can be relied upon to do so
while other religions cannot.

Communications Within The Regime

Communications are very important when running a regime. The time taken for a message to reach its destination
and for a reply to be issued can vary wildly from place to place. Factors such as the state of the roads, the speed
of the messenger, the presence of hostile forces and the amount of magic in common use in the campaign can all
make a difference. It is therefore necessary to make some suggestions as to the typical time taken for a message
to reach its destination.

Typically, messages are written on parchment, with an official seal holding them closed. This seal is elaborate
and hard to forge, so the recipient can be reasonably sure that the message does in fact come from the stated
source. Other methods of ensuring the authenticity of the message, such as an arcane mark, are often used.

In most provinces, important messages are taken by a messenger service, which usually amounts to one man on a
fast horse, carrying a bag full of scrolls. If this kind of message relaying system is in use, assume that a message
can be sent 40 miles in a day. Every negative point of Roads rating in the province reduces this distance by 5
miles and every positive point increases it by 5 miles. If the message must cross the sea, then assume that one
day is added to the delivery time for every 30 miles of ocean that must be crossed. If the Games Master wants to
be brutally realistic, then a 5% loss chance may be included, representing the possibility that the message will be
delivered to the wrong address or the messenger waylaid. This loss chance might be increased to as much as 25%
in dangerous country.

Other regimes use carrier birds to take messages from person to person. This is a swift method, as obstacles on
the ground do not hinder the bird. Assume that a message sent by this means can cover 60 miles in a day, with
the same loss chance as before. The same bird cannot however be used to send a message back to the source, as it
is only trained to find its way ‘home’, not to a delivery address.

Magical methods are the single most reliable way to send a message, as well as being the fastest. A network of
wizards or sorcerers who convene at set times of the day (usually at dawn, noon, dusk and midnight) can use
whispering wind spells to pass messages from one end of the country to the other. If such a network exists, it is
almost always kept for the exclusive use of the regime and kept secret so that it cannot be sabotaged. A magical
communications network can send a message and have a response delivered within the same day, anywhere
within the kingdom where the network is established. Such networks are very costly to set up and maintain,
costing 60,000 gp per month to cover an area 200 miles across.

173
THE ART OF GOVERNING

The Art of Before the Regime

In some cases, you will be taking over from an

Governing
established regime; in others, you will be starting
completely from scratch, bringing a colony to a
previously unpopulated area. In either case, setting

A
campaign in which one or more of the up your regime is not complicated. In the former
players is in a governing position is not instance, the system is already established. In the
run entirely like a normal game. Ordinary latter, you have no precedents, so you may create
adventuring and pursuit of personal goals can what you wish.
continue as normal; there is no reason why small
quests should not be undergone by a player who also The difficult kind of province to take over is one
has a kingdom to run, so long as there is somebody in which there is an occupying population but no
dependable left in charge and the quest does not take central government. Tribal leaders or warlords
the ruler out of the country. usually rule these provinces. In order to establish a
governing regime, you must unite the current leaders
However, for the great majority of time, running behind you. Setting up a ruling government in a
the nation as the head of a regime (or one of province without strong regional chieftains leads to
the members) constitutes an adventure in itself. a monarchy; setting one up in a province with strong
Important decisions have to be made, dignitaries have regional chieftains leads to an Ard Ri system.
to be spoken to, advisors need to be consulted and
a careful balancing act has to be performed in order
to keep the various factions in the kingdom from Despotism
becoming too disenchanted with the player’s rule. Despotism is government by sheer force. Despots are
In this chapter, we are assuming that the reader is often military commanders who have seized power
intending to set himself or herself up as the head of a after a coup. As a despot, you have power simply
regime. because people are intimidated by you. There is no
question of your having any right to government;
conquest is the only right that matters in despotism.
Governmental Religious backing is unnecessary for a despot.
Whatever the gods may wish is irrelevant; the despot
Systems wields power for his own ends, not necessarily for
You already know who is going to run the country; those of a deity.
that is going to be yourself and your allies.
Following on from the last chapter, it is assumed that Despotisms are usually found in nations where
you have your power structure in place, with your one individual has overturned the previous system
Inner Circle and your Council duly appointed. The of government by sheer strength, for example one
next issue to tackle is the kind of government that noble backed by mercenaries and evil Outsiders
yours is going to be. casting down the monarch, or in provinces that have
been invaded and are now occupied by a foreign
Of course, you do not always have a choice in this. force. Despotism is the most common system of
Depending on how you came to power, you may government for humanoid monsters, who live by the
be stuck with a given governmental system, at least law of brute strength.
at first. Changing the governmental system so that
it suits you better is an age-old ploy. You can take Establishing a Despotism: All that one needs
the route that confers more power to you and less to set up as a despot is an army, a territory to take
to anyone else; for example, you could manipulate over and some allies to do other jobs. If there is no
events in a republic to the degree that the Senate government currently in operation, then your route
was eventually disbanded and you were left as the is much simpler. Announce yourself to the locals,
sole dictator. Alternatively, you could start out as if you are not already known and make it very clear
a despot and end up as a monarch, by converting to that compliance will be rewarded but resistance
the majority religion of the country and making an will be crushed. If there is already an established
alliance with the Church. Unfortunately, it is always government, then you will have to overthrow it.
hard to make a system more democratic, while it is This overthrow must be as visible as possible, so the
chillingly easy to make it less so. populace know who the new ruler is. It is best if the
old governors are publicly executed; this helps to

174
 THE ART OF GOVERNING

A freshly founded despotism begins with a default

Control rating of 95% and a default Corruption rating
of 5%. The initially low Corruption rating is due to
the feeling amongst the members of the regime that
they must not attempt to buck the system. The lower
classes have a goodwill rating of –1 and the upper
classes have +1.

System: The despot gives the orders and they are

obeyed. Disobedience is punished.

Chain of Command: In a despotism, the chain of

command is a military one. The head of the regime
is also the commander of the military forces. Orders
are relayed from the head, through the generals
and commanders, down to local governors who are
also military personnel. Settlements are overseen
by a local military governor, though the day to day
administration of the place may be entrusted to a
civilian. It is the local governor’s job to impose law
and order on the settlements in the name of the head
of the regime, by any means necessary.

Pros and Cons: The advantage of a despotism

is that there is nobody who can tell you not to do
something. If you want to give an order, you can
give it and never mind the consequences. Unlike
a monarchy, in which the power of the monarch is
keep resistance down and quashes rumours that the sanctioned by religion, or an Ard Ri system in which
old guard might be returning. the High King is supported by the land’s chieftains,
there is nobody to whom you are answerable. The
You do not have to overthrow the old government by great disadvantage of a despotism is that your
direct confrontation. You can always arrange for a power needs to be shored up constantly and people
mass assassination to take place, leaving you in sole with grudges will always be plotting against you.
charge of the regime; if you are exceptionally good Government by force is guaranteed to create rebels.
at playing politics, you can even change a regime’s It is a given that they will exist, so you will have to
nature steadily over time. The fairest of republics busy yourself constantly finding and eliminating
can be turned into a despotism over the years, if you them. You will never be quite sure who is on your
know the right palms to grease and the right spells side and who is not, because people will be in the
to cast. Just make sure that when the hour comes to habit of telling you whatever they think you want
take overt command, you do so firmly, decisively and to hear. Many despots, for all their power, become
with a great display of power. extremely paranoid and some are not altogether sane.

The best position from which to establish your Council: As a despot, your council members are
despotism is from within. If you are the Commander mere functionaries. You give them instructions
of Armies in an established regime, you have half of and they obey them, if they know what is good for
your work done for you; the military already obey them. Their only function is to concern themselves
you and it is likely that they respect you, too. All with work that you are too busy to do yourself. The
it takes is for enough evidence to be amassed to council attending a despot is usually so afraid to give
discredit the ruling body, such as evidence of scandal bad news that if the nation’s affairs are going badly,
and corruption, and you can stage your coup ‘for the they will alter reports and forge documents to make
good of the nation’. The people will be grateful to the situation look better than it is.
you for bringing an end to a decadent regime – at
first. Player Involvement: A player who sets himself
up as the conquering lord of a country will find

175
THE ART OF GOVERNING

despotism to be an ideal system of government. It is

particularly suited to the kind of character, usually a
fighter, who has risen in experience levels by hacking
and slashing his way through the landscape. Ruling
as a despot offers a new level of challenge after one
tires of massacres and monster-bashing. Having
slaughtered commoners, destroyed fortifications and
smashed his way into the throne room to decapitate
the king, staying on as the head of a despotism is an
obvious progression.

There are other ways to rise to the status of despot.

An especially powerful mage, such as a sovereign
mage (see Encyclopaedia Arcane: Sovereign Magic
from Mongoose Publishing) can come to wield so
much power that he takes over as despot. It is an
idea familiar in fantasy for the court wizard or grand
vizier, previously in service to a goodly monarch, to
do away with him and take over in his stead.

Monarchy
This is one of the simplest systems to run. The head
of the regime is the King or Queen. He or she is the
owner of the kingdom, having right and title to the
land. In a monarchy, the right to govern is almost
always conferred by linear succession down the
family line. The only way to become a monarch is to
be the child of one who was a monarch before you, or
marry into the family.
Monarchies are typically established as continuations
Religion is an essential part of monarchy. All of despotisms. The despot has the power already;
monarchies are operated with the consent of a the crown he receives sets the seal of divine approval
particular deity or pantheon of deities. (A monarchy upon his reign. Despotisms that turn into monarchies
that loses this religious backing becomes a despotism are usually more pleasant places to live thereafter,
by default.) This elevates that deity’s worship to as the power of the King is held in check by the
the status of an official religion for the kingdom, strictures of the church. This is not always the case,
though other religions are usually tolerated. In however, as there are monarchies that hold to evil
monarchies of this kind, the king is always of the religions as well as those which are good.
religion appropriate to the deity; he and his Minister
of Religion are closely allied. You do not have to have a despotism first in order to
have a monarchy. If enough of the people support
Establishing a Monarchy: Monarchies are usually you and the church to which you belong gives its
taken over, rather than being established from blessing, then you can simply declare yourself
scratch. The hereditary chain of kingship runs so monarch and proceed from there. So long as the
far back into the distant past that nobody can easily people are of the same faith as you, they are not
remember (with the exception, perhaps, of some likely to contest the coronation; their God has
learned heralds) how the monarchy began. If you evidently blessed the appointment, so they will
wish to start up a new royal line, then you must accept it.
combine your personal power with the sanction of
the church. This will involve coming to a mutually A freshly founded monarchy begins with a default
beneficial arrangement. The church cannot produce Control rating of 90% and a default Corruption rating
a King, though it can crown one; no matter how of 10%. The upper classes have +1 starting goodwill
much power you have, you cannot become a King in towards your regime.
a monarchical system without the assistance of the
church.

176
 THE ART OF GOVERNING

System: The monarch gives the orders but may put up and shut up irrespective of how the country is
not go against what the church rules to be right and run. Monarchies that are popular are exceptionally
proper. strong, but monarchies that are unpopular are
despised. As neither the common people nor the
Chain of Command: In a monarchy, those who nobility have any way to remove you from power
govern are those who are born to it. So, the monarch peacefully, they will have to do so forcefully if at all.
himself holds a hereditary office and so do those The only way you can be removed from power is by
who act on his orders locally. These are the landed being killed.
nobles, each one of whom governs a given area in the
monarch’s name. The local nobles collect the taxes, Council: As a monarch, your council members
enforce the laws and make any necessary judgements. are advisors as well as assistants. Their job is
to provide you with the best information and the
Sometimes, nobility will be conferred upon one who wisest guidance possible, so that you can make your
was not of noble birth. The most common way to do decisions from a properly informed perspective. You
this is by knighthood, in which the monarch elevates do not have to act on their advice but you are obliged
the person’s status by way of a ceremony and makes to let them have their say. The art of surviving as
them a direct envoy of the throne. Knights as well a monarch is in knowing when to trust your own
as nobles may be given areas to rule; they also act as judgement and when to act as your council members
the monarch’s agents, being sent on missions for the suggest you should.
crown.
Player Involvement: The easiest way for a player
Pros and Cons: The main advantage of a monarchy character to become a monarch is by recourse to
is that it is uncomplicated and direct. You give the the age-old tradition of the fairy tale. When the
orders and other people carry them out. You can currently reigning monarch is aged and infirm and
choose how much independence of action your has no heirs, it is customary to guarantee the standard
various council members are allowed to have. The of future kingship by setting tests in which anyone
buck stops with you; you are ultimately responsible in the kingdom can participate. This may involve
for every single action your regime takes. Your performing a heroic deed, answering a riddle or
people know your religion and usually share it, so otherwise proving your worth. By this means, a
they know they can expect you to act in a given way. complete outsider can inherit the title of monarch and
all the power that goes with it.
The only person to whom you are answerable is
your deity, usually through the ministrations of your
Minister of Religion or High Priest. As monarch, Ard Ri (High King)
you are bound by the same religious codes as anyone Ard Ri is a Celtic term, used to designate a monarch
else of your faith. You cannot change them to suit who has authority over other rulers in the nation.
yourself. In a monarchy, the Church does not often When a nation includes several different provinces
tell the monarch what to do, though it does set all under the dominion of different lords, or a
limits on what the monarch may do. For example, province has multiple clan chieftains or warlords in
the ministers of the religion to which the monarch it who each control their own part of the land, they
belongs may advise him that he cannot marry a may agree to appoint an Ard Ri. This is a different
person who is not of the same religion, that a war he system from a monarchy in two important respects.
is proposing against another nation is unjust because Firstly, the Ard Ri is chosen by the various chieftains,
that nation follows the same faith, or that the holy site meeting together in council. He is almost always a
of the religion is under threat and must be protected. person who is a chieftain or warlord in his own right.

The disadvantage of a monarchy is that there is The Ard Ri is thus ‘first among equals’. He may
no check on your power other than that provided be removed from office if the people who placed
by your religious affiliation. The people have no him there decide to do so. In some cultures, an Ard
formally authorised way to depose you if you prove Ri has a set time in office that cannot be extended.
to be a poor ruler. This may not seem like much of a The kinds of cultures that produce an Ard Ri system
problem to you as the ruler; after all, you do not want are passionate about their own independence and
to be removed from office! However, bear in mind sovereignty. They do not wish to leave on person
that people who have a say in the governing of the in power for more than a set amount of time, even
nation are often more content than people who must if that person is doing a good job; the risks of
corruption and tyranny are just too great. Secondly,

177
THE ART OF GOVERNING

Ri, especially if people think that you are proposing

yourself for that role.

The easiest way to compel the various local chieftains

and warlords to agree that there should be an Ard Ri
at all is to highlight the threat of a common enemy.
The argument to make is that clans united can assist
each other to make a common stand, while clans
divided will undoubtedly fall, one after the other.

A freshly founded Ard Ri system begins with

a default Control rating of 95% and a default
Corruption rating of 0%. The upper classes have a
goodwill rating of –1, as they lose a measure of their
independence and the lower classes a goodwill rating
of +1 as the Ard Ri system places a temporary stop
on many feuds.

System: The Ard Ri gives the orders in times of war.

In times of peace, the assembly of clan chieftains
forms policy by discussion and debate; though the
Ard Ri may still overrule them, he does this at risk of
being deposed.

Chain of Command: The Ard Ri gives orders to

the various different clan chieftains, who in turn
instruct their own kinsmen and sub-commanders to
carry them out. For a clan chieftain to disobey an
the various local rulers retain much more of their own
order of the Ard Ri would be tantamount to treason,
independence than they would under a monarchy.
irrespective of the chieftain’s authority.
In a monarchy, the King or Queen grants local
potentates the authority to rule their areas, whereas
Pros and Cons: The advantage to an Ard Ri system
in an Ard Ri system, the local chieftains already have
is that the High King governs with the consent of the
that authority in their own right.
other rulers of the land, who in turn can represent
their people’s interests. As he is chosen rather than
Establishing an Ard Ri: If there is not already an
born to the role, there is a failsafe in place. A bad
Ard Ri system in place, the only way to establish one
Ard Ri can be deposed and replaced with a new one.
(short of fulfilling prophecy, for which see below) is
The main disadvantage, which often brings about the
to call the leaders of the various clans together and
downfall of this kind of system, is that leaving the
propose that an Ard Ri be elected. This is usually
government of the various regions in the hands of the
a very difficult, if not suicidal, task. It is safe to
local chieftains allows them to retain a lot of power
assume that if the clans had wanted to unite, they
and the most common use they find for this power
would have done so by now. You will find that the
is to make war on one another. The great majority
initial difficulty lies in getting the various clan chiefs
of the Ard Ri’s work is spent in resolving disputes
to sit around the same table in the first place without
between the various local chieftains and warlords. If
attempting to bury axes in each other’s heads, let
a local chieftain is angry enough or feels that he has
alone come to an agreement on who the Ard Ri
had his authority overruled, he may withdraw from
should be.
the Ard Ri system and go back to being ruler of his
own regime. The temptation to do this is often very
If there are several generations of warfare behind the
strong and it takes careful negotiation to prevent civil
situation, you may find there are those who wish to
war from breaking out.
have an Ard Ri for the sake of peace; this, however,
must be balanced against the wishes of those who
Council: The council of the Ard Ri is often
will not gladly join under common rule with those
composed of tribal elders and other wise men and
they consider to be blood enemies. You will have
women from the various different clans united under
to be extremely diplomatic when proposing an Ard

178
 THE ART OF GOVERNING

his rule. As with a monarchy, their role is as much to

advise as to carry out their own tasks.

Player Involvement: Sometimes, an Ard Ri will

arise from out of nowhere, rather than being one of
the established chieftains, simply by being in the
right place at the right time. In this way, lands that
have no central regime can be made into powerful,
co-ordinated nations. It is not unheard of, in lands
that have known civil war and strive between feuding
landholders for many years, for prophesies to be
made of a High King who will unite the land under
his rule. Sometimes, this hope of a High King to
come is bolstered by belief in a High King of times
past, when the nation knew unity and had not yet
fallen into civil war.

This kind of governing role is especially suitable

for a player character, as they do not have to have
any background in the land’s politics at all. If they In this case, the monarch has delegated the majority
manage to fulfil the appropriate prophecies or satisfy of his ruling powers to the Senate for the greater
the relevant authorities, they can become High King good of the people. As in the first kind of republic,
practically overnight; though there still remains the the head of the regime must still allow the Senate to
job of uniting the land, a daunting task for any who have the deciding vote on all matters other than those
would attempt it. during a time of war or a national emergency. He
cannot overrule the Senate without disbanding them
Republic altogether, in which case the regime is by definition
no longer a republic but a monarchy or a despotism.
In a republic, a collective, usually called the Senate,
rules the nation. The philosophy behind the republic
is that the best minds available should run the country In stark contrast to monarchies, republics very rarely
together, as this can only lead to the greater good have a formal relationship with the various religions
of all. The members of the Senate, called senators, of the nation. The head of the regime may still be
are appointed from different social strata. Some a monarch and thus the one appointed by the gods
rare republics allow commoners to be on the Senate, to rule the nation, but if he chooses to devolve his
others restrict Senate membership to the nobility or power to the Senate, he may do so. Republics, as a
the wealthy. Senators are elected locally by those rule, believe in the separation of church and state.
entitled to vote. There will usually be a choice Some are even completely atheist. The Minister
of candidates, each one representing a particular of Religion in a republic is only a functionary who
alignment or political stance. Usually, each region advises the government on matters of religion; he has
within a given province provides two Senators; the no High Priest function, nor is he the minister of any
typical size of a Senate is fifty people. one official religion.

In some republics, it is the Senate that appoints and Establishing a Republic: The most common
authorises the head of the regime, who in this case circumstances in which a republic is founded is the
is more of a figurehead than a king. He governs transfer of power from a despot or monarch to the
only by their say-so and may be removed if they feel Senate. This may be done because the most recent
he is performing badly. The role of the head of the occupant of the throne wishes to give more of his
regime in such a republic is largely a military one. power across to a more democratic body voluntarily,
He is responsible for protecting the nation and co- or alternatively because the various other factions
ordinating its military endeavours, which will usually are demanding it. Republics frequently arise as the
involve the expansion of the nation’s frontiers and result of a revolution, during which the old ruling
conquest or absorption of weaker nations. elites are cast down and a new, ostensibly more just
system set up in the aftermath. The common line
In other republics, the Senate governs by the will of of thought is to see the centralization of power in a
a hereditary monarch, who is the head of the regime. monarchy or despotism as the cause of all the woes

179
THE ART OF GOVERNING

that the previous regime brought; sharing the power It is also often found that those who can give the best
out among the various senators is thus believed to be performances in the Senate are those who gain the
the best way forward. most support for their point of view. Skill in rhetoric
is more useful than wisdom.
It is possible to form a republic from a standing
start, though this almost never happens. To have a Republics can become corrupt or immoral. Though
Senate, you need the kind of established system that they are essentially lawful, it is possible for them to
produces people of learning, accomplishment and become technically lawful evil. This is what will
wisdom, which does not happen without some kind happen if the Senate consistently places the interests
of government. Republics are thus more likely to be of an elite above those of the common people, or
a second stage of government rather than the first one allows corruption to run unchecked. Evil republics
a nation knows. are potent principalities of darkness, combining
an utter disregard for individual freedom with a
Establishing a Republic increases the regime’s systematic, considered approach to government. An
current Control rating by 20%, to a maximum of evil republic can work far more harm than an evil
90%. It increases the goodwill of the lower classes despotism, because the despotism is run by the will
by +1. of one person and as such can only expand so far,
while an evil republic is institutionalised evil; it is
System: The head of the regime is obliged to consult coldly, mercilessly efficient. Evil republics are seen
the Senate before he makes any command decision, at their worst at times of war, when they will use
except in times of war or national emergency, in the most inhumane tactics in order to terrorize their
which case he may act with autonomy. opponents into surrendering for their own good. The
most commonly heard phrase at the earliest stages of
Chain of Command: The local governors in a a republic’s descent into evil is ‘The end justifies the
republic are usually called proconsuls. They may means.’
be nobles, merchants or wealthy landowners. They
keep the peace in their part of the nation and are The most common fate for a corrupted republic is
answerable to the Senate. The Senate appoints that money becomes the deciding factor in who has a
them to their position; there is usually a great deal say and who does not. The Senate becomes closed to
of competition to gain the office of proconsul for a all but the wealthiest citizens and the regime becomes
given area, as the position brings privilege, power effectively a plutocracy, for which see below. If
and rank. the republic is corrupted and does not become a
plutocracy, it is likely to be overtaken by a single
Pros and Cons: The advantage of a republic is its individual. The most common way for this to happen
high standard of civilisation. Republics place great is for the head of the regime, or a similar powerful
emphasis on wisdom, experience and thinking things individual such as the Commander of Armies, to trick
through rather than taking rash ill-considered action. the Senate into granting him ‘emergency powers’
The citizens in a republic often have a greater degree to stave off this or that threat to the republic. These
of enfranchisement than in other systems. Even if emergency powers are then pushed to the limit and
somebody is choosing the rulers on their behalf, the used to gain what amounts to individual control
rulers are at least being chosen. Ideally, the citizens over the republic’s affairs. The Senate is pruned
chosen to make up the Senate are the ones of greatest of troublemakers, who meet with ‘unfortunate
merit, so (in theory at least) the people most qualified accidents’ or are bought off. Eventually, the Senate
to govern are the ones who run the country. becomes either a puppet show of yes-men with no
real power, or is swept away altogether, leaving the
The disadvantages of a republic are multiple. The new potentate as head of a despotism or monarchy.
worst is that it is very easy for decisive action to
become bogged down in endless debate. Sometimes, Council: In a republic, the council are administrative
what is needed is a firm decision, but it is hard to staff attached to the office of the head of the regime.
get one of those out of a Senate. The Senate system Even if the head of the regime should be changed, the
itself is also liable to corruption. Unless careful council members will usually stay on. The Senate
watch is kept on the voting and selection process, elects them to their positions.
strings can be pulled behind the scenes. It only takes
a wealthy person to buy enough votes to end up on Player Involvement: There are many ways in
the Senate for the system to have become corrupted. which a player can become part of the governing

180
 THE ART OF GOVERNING

structure of a republic, which makes this one of the More mundane theocracies elect the head of their
most interesting governments to run. The player can regime from among the priesthood. Upon the death,
become head of the regime by being elected to that indisposition or abdication of the head of the regime,
position by the Senate, if it is that kind of republic. the highest-ranking clerics in the nation come
To achieve this, he must have done sterling work together and choose who the new head is to be.
in the service of the nation and drawn attention to
himself by worthy deeds, or have paid the appropriate Evil theocracies function similarly to despotisms.
bribes into the appropriate pockets, depending on The religion in this case is not a social regulator,
whether the republic is corrupt or not. A player could ensuring a measure of justice to all, but a means of
also be born into the royal line and thus find himself deciding who is strong enough to have power and
as the hereditary ruler in a similar way to that found who is not. Often in an evil theocracy, the religion
in a monarchy, with the Senate balancing out his rewards those who die in its name with a reward in
kingly authority. Finally, a player who is already in the afterlife, especially if they have caused a good
power as a despot or monarch could always choose deal of carnage on the way.
to limit his own power voluntarily, by setting up a
Senate and making the regime a republic instead. Establishing a Theocracy: There are two principal
Such actions are not without historical precedent and ways in which a theocracy can be established. The
are seen by many historians as the most civilising first is the confrontational method. You may set up
gesture the head of a regime can make. your regime forcibly, exactly as a despot would, with
the difference that you are the head of the church;
instead of threatening the locals with the penalties
Theocracy for non-compliance with your laws, you can forcibly
In a theocracy, the head of the church is also the head convert them, with similar penalties for apostasy
of the state. Religious law is the same thing as civil or refusal to adopt the new religion. This approach
law. The whole nation is governed according to the does not work unless you already have an army of
dictates of one faith; the head of this faith is also the devoted followers, willing to die in the name of
head of the regime. Theocracies are not tolerant of the faith. Some theocracies arise less violently;
other religions, unless tolerance is expressly built you could simply be the head of a religious cult,
into the tenets of the faith. The head of the regime originally a small faction, which gained power and
in a theocracy is also the Minister of Religion. In momentum until it was effectively a regime in itself.
a theocracy, the head of the regime always has Such theocracies expand like amoebas, absorbing one
a religious title, such as ‘Most Holy’, ‘Supreme settlement after another as the leaders are won over
Pontiff’ or ‘Earthly Messenger’. and converted.
Theocracies are essentially regimes governed by a The other method is the religious revolution. If you
given deity, through that deity’s representative on already have some degree of power within the system
earth. The head of the regime is considered to be (such as the office of Minister of Religion, or the
the deity’s mouthpiece; to disobey his command is status of High Priest of the nation’s official religion)
to disobey the deity itself. In many theocracies in a and enough followers, you may set the church in
high fantasy game world, the head of the regime is a direct opposition to the state in the hope of winning
blood descendant of the deity, who came to earth in the throne for the church. To do this, you loudly
mortal form and gave birth to semi-divine children. decry the current regime as ‘godless’ and declare that
The office of head of the regime in these cases is thus it is time for the True and the Faithful to seize the
hereditary; only those with divine blood may rule. reins of power, so that the regime can be pulled back
from the brink of damnation. So long as the current
Other theocracies come even closer to the other regime is sufficiently despised by the common
planes. The head of the regime is (in belief or in people, who must share the same faith as you in
fact) the earthly avatar of the deity. They are a God order for this to work, you should be able to have the
incarnate on earth and must be obeyed as such. Some former regime thrown down and set up your own.
theocracies only come fully into being when a ‘divine
child’ is found, who is the new earthly avatar of the This approach is much more efficient if the
God and who takes control of the regime; in the population have recently experienced considerable
interim time, while the avatar is searched for, the high hardship, such as famine or plague. This can be
priest or priestess of the religion heads the regime. interpreted as a sign of divine wrath, which can only
be have been caused by the weakness, corruption

181
THE ART OF GOVERNING

and godless ways of those in power. If the general per head of population is very high, so there are
population already looks on the ruling classes as plenty of healing and curative divine spells available.
decadent parasites, they will be ready to believe such Theocracies also tend to produce very dedicated
stuff and will flock to your banners. fighters, with more of the population being available
for military service than in other governmental
Establishing a Theocracy increases the regime’s systems. This is due to the inspirational influence of
Control rating by 40% to a maximum of 100 and the religion; if the citizens are promised rewards after
lowers its Corruption rating by 20%, to a minimum death and are certain that their cause is right, they are
of zero corruption. It increases goodwill by +1 more likely to fight fearlessly in life.
among the upper and lower classes, who are the most
influenced by religion, but decreases it by –1 among The disadvantages of a theocracy lie in its tendency
the middle classes. to see the world in black and white. To a theocracy,
you are either part of the solution, or part of the
System: The head of the regime makes all the problem. Their attitude is isolationist. Their strict
decisions. He must, however, abide completely by following of religious code inhibits the actions
the tenets of the religion to which he belongs. He is theocracies may take. A theocratic regime will not
also expected to make direct contact with the deity engage in trade with other regimes unless it considers
and ask its guidance before making any important them to be ‘clean’. It will not willingly ally itself to
decision. another nation unless that nation follows the same
faith, or unless a precedent can be found in holy
Chain of Command: All members of the chain teachings. If the head of a theocratic regime violates
of command are practitioners of the religion. The these principles, there will certainly be a sign of
official local governors are the highest-ranking divine wrath (such as a plague, or a lightning bolt
priests and priestesses of the faith (often called from above) and he will be either struck down by
‘archbishops’, ‘bishops’ or ‘pontiffs’) who keep the deity in person or removed from office by his
law and order from their churches and cathedrals; archbishops.
they receive their instructions from the head of the
theocracy. However, as these clerics have so much Council: In a theocracy, all members of the Council
work to do performing the rites and rituals of their are clerics or paladins (or druids, if the theocracy is a
religion and tending to the people’s spiritual needs, druidic one). They follow the dictates of the head of
civil officials (such as mayors or burgomasters) are the regime without question, so long as he is seen to
sometimes appointed to do the work of running consult the deity before making important decisions.
the settlements. Such people must of course have
a sound record of belief in the religion. A military Player Involvement: Making yourself into the
force of Knights Martial (or similar religious leader of a nation of religious fanatics can be a
warriors) assists them in the work of
maintaining the peace.

Pros and Cons: The great

power of a theocracy is that
all of its citizens, both rich
and poor, are united in one
faith. Everybody’s place
in society is laid down by
the religion. People may
not like their lot in life,
but they at least have an
explanation for it and in
many religions of good and
neutral alignment there is
an obligation upon the rich
to provide for the poor.
Theocracies also tend to
be healthy and prosperous,
as the number of clerics

182
 THE ART OF GOVERNING

challenging job, one which we do not recommend government. There has to be a long-established
to the novice. Although it might seem difficult for a acceptance of mage rule for a magocracy to exist.
player who is not a high-level cleric to become the This means that magocracies are commonest among
head of a theocracy, it is in fact far from impossible. races that are especially long-lived, such as elves.
The head of a theocracy only needs to be the chosen They are especially compatible with social systems
one of the deity; he does not, strictly speaking, even that accord great honour to the learned.
need to be a cleric. Therefore, if a player is deemed
to be the chosen of a given deity, he has a chance of Although magocracies can be established and held by
ascending to the throne of the theocracy. All he has force, the non-magical classes still have the majority
to do is demonstrate his divine patronage (perhaps of the muscle and it is almost inevitable that forcibly
by calling upon the deity to show its favour with a established magocracies will be overthrown in time.
couple of miracles) and the office is as good as his. Wizards and sorcerers are simply too dependent
upon the support of the physically strong for them
It is also possible that a synod of archbishops, to act as a dominant class without the consent of the
meeting to elect a new head of the regime after the dominated.
death of the last one, could (perhaps at the prompting
of the deity) choose a player as the new head. This Sometimes, mages (usually sorcerors, in this
can be an exceptional roleplaying experience, instance) enlist the assistance of the strong, such
as it is quite a shock for the party cleric to find as an army of mercenaries, in order to establish
himself suddenly in the position of Pope. This is dominion over an area. The mage or mages gains
not as strange as it may sound. Sometimes, what a the benefit of a physically capable fighting force,
theocracy needs is a complete newcomer in power, while the fighters gain the benefit of intelligent
someone who is known to be simple and honest and leadership and magical assistance. So long as the
most importantly unused to government, therefore arrangement lasts, such regimes can be extremely
uncorrupted by it. The Games Master has complete effective; they are the stock fantasy arrangement in
license to decide what the Gods may have in store for which a spellcasting tyrant holds the throne, assisted
the players. by a burly commander. They are, however, not
true magocracies, inasmuch as only one mage or a
A theocracy can be a hard system to play as it places coalition of mages is in the governing position. They
more events in the hands of the Games Master than come under the heading of despotism (see above).
any other system of government. The Gods are Magocracies practice government by mages on
capricious, never more so than when they make plans principle, not because a given mage happens to have
for a person’s fate, so it can be easy for a player to come to power.
feel powerless in such an instance; it takes careful
balancing to give a player freedom of choice in his Setting up a Magocracy: It is extremely difficult
new office while making it clear that he is there by to establish a magocracy from a standing start. It
divine assent. does not come naturally to people to let the mages
lead; though many rulers have a mage on hand to
give advice, the actual commanding is much more
Magocracy commonly the business of the fighting classes.
In a magocracy, casters of arcane spells are the ruling Mages tend to stop and think instead of acting and
elite. The head of the regime is always a wizard (or are usually weak in combat. This makes them
occasionally a sorcerer) who is his own Minister of ideal for the sedentary kind of government, which
Magic and local governing power is in the hands of is based around speech and debate, but rules them
mages. Magocracies differ from other regimes in out of earlier, more military styles of government
that they restrict executive power and the ability to completely. Society must have progressed at least to
wield it to a certain class of person. Irrespective of the level of a despotism, monarchy or republic before
how good a governor a druid or ranger might be in a magocracy can be established.
essence, they will never be allowed to hold a position
of command authority. Magocracies usually take over from despotisms or
monarchies following a historical period of lengthy
There is thus always a social ethos in place that states war or oppression. The people become sick of the
the superiority of mages, to which the rulers and the kind of rule that is represented by strength, armour
ruled both assent. Magocracies cannot exist in the and weapons. The call goes up for men and women
long term unless the vast majority of the populace of intelligence, rather than brute strength, to rule
believes that they are a natural and right system of

183
THE ART OF GOVERNING

sometimes elects the Archmage by a simple vote,

though he is more usually admitted to the position
following rigorous testing of multiple eligible
applicants. This testing customarily involves solving
puzzles and moral conundrums as well as displaying
ability in magic. The Archmage need not be of
especially high level in order to pass these tests.

Chain of Command: Mages automatically outrank

other members of society. Within the magocracy,
there is a complex system of rankings and offices;
orders are passed from the Collegium Arcane to the
local governors and thence to the common people.
Some non-magical classes who are of singular value
to the regime have special authority. For example,
the armed forces are answerable to the Wizards’
Council, but may outrank individual mages.

Pros and Cons: The high saturation of magic means

that magocracies can be exotic, stimulating societies
the land instead. In the revolution that follows, in which to live. Spells are cast in open view, strange
the commoners and soldiers bring the regime to its creatures are led about through the streets on leashes,
end, but they call upon the mages to rule once the illusions and wonders abound and buildings are often
revolution has served its purpose. The mages are lit by psychedelic magical flames or powered by
pushed to the fore, out of respect for their learning silent laborious golems. The life expectancy of the
and their magical powers. Often unwilling at citizens is much higher than average, as the prevalent
first, they find they are well adapted to the job of magic helps to prevent accidents and keep fights to a
governing, so long as they do so in concert. A group minimum.
of mages working together is a much more powerful
force than a single one. When there is a firm relationship of trust between
the ruling magical elite and the armed forces, they
When they do not arise following a revolution against are the most secure society imaginable. Mages and
the traditional kinds of leadership, magocracies fighters work together to defend the boundaries of
usually come about in a similar way to plutocracies; the kingdom and magical surveillance ensures that
they are a variant on the standard republic. It is often there is advance warning of any major threat. The
found that those who are most fit to serve on the high average level of intelligence among the ruling
Senate of a regular republic are also mages, so it is elite ensures that the regime is run thoughtfully and
only a matter of time before this tendency becomes with full attention to detail. Magocracies are stable,
established as a law and nobody is allowed to serve enlightened societies that attract the learned and
as a Senator unless he is also a wizard or a sorcerer. the capable, meaning that the regime has access to
This method is not quite so popular with the common levels of craftsmanship and professional competence
people as that in which the mages are asked to unknown in other countries.
govern, but mages are usually held in such awe
that their ascension to overall power is not actively The major disadvantage of a magocracy is the
opposed. rigidity of its social system. You are expected to
accept your lot and not to question the rule of your
The establishment of a magocracy increases the betters. To some, this is a blessing, as they prefer
regime’s Control rating by 30% and lowers its life to be predictable, but to those of an adventurous
Corruption rating by 20%. There is no effect upon spirit it can be stifling. A society in which there are
goodwill. clear ‘superiors’ and ‘inferiors’ and in which nobody
seems to have any ambition beyond keeping the place
System: In practice, a magocracy functions as a allotted to them can drive a person crazy.
republic. Instead of a Senate, there is a ‘Collegium
Arcane’ or similar body, overseen by an Archmage, Ironically, since wizards (taken individually)
the head of the regime. The Collegium Arcane prize new learning, magocracies are not fond of

184
 THE ART OF GOVERNING

accommodating new ideas. They are no more a prophecy might be made concerning the new
progressive than the most fundamentalist of Archmage which one of the players could just happen
theocracies. They have a reputation for being to fulfil.
stuffy and set in their ways, believing themselves
superior to other forms of government who they
see as backward, since they do not recognise the Plutocracy
simple common sense of putting mages in charge. Plutocracy is government by the wealthy. It usually
Magocracies often make very poor political allies, takes root in countries that have an abundance of
as they are not inclined to budge from their position natural resources and that have made themselves
of aloof neutrality. Their attitude is very much the rich by trading extensively with other nations. It is
‘I’m all right, Jack’ school of thought. Persuading not a true governing system as such, inasmuch as it
a magocracy to acknowledge a common threat to is not based around a prevailing philosophy, ethic
several different nations is a Herculean task for an or command structure. Instead, it declares that only
emissary. It is often said that magocracies would those whose annual income is higher than a given
not bestir themselves to take positive action until amount are entitled to hold governing positions, in
the barbarian hordes were knocking on the doors of this way ensuring that the decisions made in the halls
their ivory towers. When the magocracy is also an of government will naturally benefit the wealthy.
elven nation, the stubborn entrenchment and political Plutocracy usually grows out of other systems; it
aloofness are much, much worse. is a common result of a republic falling prey to
corruption. It favours merchants more highly than
Council: It is customary in a magocracy for the other classes, as those with the money are also those
members of the Council to be multiclassed mages, who get to say how much of it they may keep and
rather than specialists with nothing but wizard or how much should be taken in taxes.
sorcerer levels, to ensure representation from the
other sectors of society. It is especially important Strange though it may seem, plutocracies are not
that the Commander of Armies have enough fighter always beloved by the nobility. The nobles are
levels to command the respect of his underlings, who holders of land and property; though they may
will mostly be simple fighters and warriors. The technically own large amounts of real estate, they
exception to this is the Minister of Religion, who are not guaranteed to have any money in their
is, as usual, a cleric. The Council serve the whole pockets. By contrast, merchants are often working
Collegium Arcane, not just the Archmage. They are class people who have prospered. It galls the nobles
expected to present reports and give opinions when considerably to have mere peasants with mere wealth
asked. take political power; they are not born to it, there
is not a drop of royal blood in their veins, they are
Player Involvement: It is not altogether easy not even accustomed to the art of governing! To the
to involve players in a magocracy, unless they nobility, plutocracies allow the middle classes to gain
are involved in setting them up in the first place. ground over the upper classes and this is intolerable.
Magocracies are so formal and so well organised that The only reason they allow plutocracies to continue is
the standard way to come to power is to start right at that they often find the merchants, who are not fools
the bottom as an apprentice mage and work your way and wish to keep the nobility as sweet as they can,
up through all the years of your life. It is therefore prioritise the nobles’ interests, such as by allowing
difficult to come to power in a magocracy unless you them to charge high rents for their estates or selling
have always lived in one. them fancy goods for low prices.

It is still possible to find inroads to the corridors of Establishing a Plutocracy: Much like magocracies,
power. The most likely way for a player to become plutocracies do not arise in a vacuum. They may
Archmage is by passing the gruelling tests to find a either arise out of monarchies or (more commonly)
successor after the death of the old Archmage. As republics. When a monarchy turns into a plutocracy,
the rank of Archmage is a measure of command it is for one reason alone; the monarch’s dependence
authority and respect rather than of magical power, a upon the merchants progresses to such a degree
player wizard or sorcerer of middling level (probably that he is effectively answerable to them. This can
no lower than 12th) could theoretically attain to this happen because of enormous war debts; it is not
position. Magocracies, being more full of diviners unknown for a coalition of merchants and bankers
than any other kind of regime, are also prone to to lend a regime a large sum of money to pay for
prophecy. At the Games Master’s discretion, mercenaries and other war expenses, only for the
regime to find that it cannot afford to pay its creditors

185
THE ART OF GOVERNING

tobacco and a bag of delicious-smelling ground

coffee.

The establishment of a plutocracy increases the

regime’s Control rating by 50% and increases its
Corruption rating by 40%. Goodwill among the
lower classes is lowered by –1, but it is raised by +2
among the middle classes and +1 among the upper
classes.

System: Plutocracies function exactly as republics

do, with the exception that nobody is allowed to serve
as a member of the Senate or as a local governor
unless his annual income exceeds a certain amount.
Properly audited accounts are necessary to prove
this in the case of doubt. The head of the regime is
not necessarily the richest person in the nation but
he must be one of the richest. Everything done in
a plutocracy, from pouring a pint to assassinating
a rival, has an additional fee attached; this is, to all
intents and purposes, a bribe, though it customarily
has a misleading title such as ‘discretionary payment’
or ‘goodwill charge’.
in the aftermath of the war. It may also happen Chain of Command: The chain of command in a
because the nation is accustomed to receiving vast plutocracy is from client to agent. The bonds that
amounts of goods in trade, to the degree that the hold the government together are those of hire and
economy is dependent upon this and the monarch’s salary. The head of the regime, in consultation with
system would collapse if the merchants withdrew the Senate, gives the orders; these then pass to the
their favour. In such cases, a bloodless revolution local governors, who pass them on to an appropriate
occurs. The merchants set themselves up as a hired force. Hired mercenaries carry out the military
conclave, which then acts as the Senate in the new actions and hired professionals carry out the civic
republic. The monarch remains titular head of the ones.
regime for the moment, but is reduced to the role of a
figurehead. Pros and Cons: In a plutocracy, the rich get richer
and the poor get poorer. Plutocratic regimes are
The other way in which a plutocracy can arise is masters of trade. Whatever resources they do not
through the descent of an ordinary republic into produce themselves, they buy on the cheap; they then
corruption. This does not happen overnight, nor does hire specialists to work with the resources, increasing
it happen by accident. Merchants are naturally drawn their value several times over. It is much easier to
to republics, as they are often prosperous and have a find paid employment in a plutocracy than in other
civilised system of laws for the trader’s protection. regimes and the standard of pay is much higher.
The more money there is in circulation, the more the Since everybody is out to protect their own, anyone
system is liable to crumble from within. Merchants who can provide a strong arm, a ready weapon and
also have the privilege of being able to offer goods good references is guaranteed a job.
and favours, rather than mere gold, as a bribe or
payment for a favour. Such goods are often sent as The single worst feature of a plutocracy, from
‘presents’ as the initial overture by which a merchant a governor’s point of view, is the corruption.
makes himself known to someone whose favours he Everybody is out for himself and nobody trusts
wishes to curry. When a barrel of fine wine and a anyone else not to stab him or her in the back. In
punnet of out-of-season strawberries arrive at your a system where wealth is prized, it is impossible
house with a ‘compliments of’ slip attached, you for a more ethical or religious point of view to gain
know what is going on. Even the most hard-bitten ground. Everybody has his or her price. Individual
captain of the watch would find it hard to resist the life and liberty are rarely valued at all. Those people
temptation presented by a five-pound pack of rich who are no longer profitable, be they tenants who

186
 THE ART OF GOVERNING

cannot afford their rent or people too old to work, to do with. Every gaming group is familiar with
are thrown on the scrap heap. As trade is the most the ‘mountains of gold’ syndrome, where there is a
important factor in the regime, anything on which a ridiculous abundance of wealth built up after years
profit can be made is traded, with no exceptions made of adventuring. If you are at a loss as to what to do
for narcotics, slaves or vice. with a dragon’s hoard or the booty from a lifetime’s
dungeon-crawling, you could move into politics with
Plutocracies are ideal regimes for those of evil consummate ease in a plutocracy. It is an elegant
alignment to gain power and influence. Unlike change of career to hang up your adventuring gear
despotisms, they do not depend on brute strength and take up a seat in the Senate, duly paid for out of
alone but offer opportunities to the guileful and your own personal treasury.
treacherous. One need not even be lawful evil to fit
in; neutral evil and chaotic evil characters can pursue Players have a massive advantage over ordinary
their lifestyles in a plutocracy, so long as they have merchants, as they have levels in player character
enough money to buy their way out of trouble. In classes, while merchants are usually no more than
most plutocracies, the law is a sham. One might be experts. The freedom of action in a plutocracy, while
technically under arrest, but to the right type of felon, you can afford it, will also appeal to many players
the ‘prison’ is a hotel and the ‘sentence’ a fine that of a more chaotic bent. Those who love evil and
it is mutually understood will be easily affordable. corruption will find that they are in their element.
While the majority prize money over morals, there High-level rogues are in high demand in a plutocracy,
is nothing that can be done about this. Attempts at as the wisest and wealthiest merchants understand
reform are swiftly crushed, as those who have the that one must ‘set a thief to catch a thief’. Perhaps
money can always pay others to act as brute squads surprisingly, rogues’ guilds in plutocracies are the
or assassins. Besides, few people in a plutocracy most efficiently run anywhere; most of the merchants
want the system to change. Those who do are usually are, if not exactly happy, certainly content to pay a
the exploited underclass or the occasional person stipend as insurance against burglary and go to bed
with a social conscience. knowing that unlicensed thievery will be punished
by the rogues’ guild. These merchants feel that it is
Plutocracies tend to have very stringent laws better to pay an affordable amount to get the rogues
prohibiting the casting of spells, whether arcane or on your side than to snub them and have to invest in
divine. The reason for this is easily understood. In excessive levels of anti-thief protection.
an environment where material wealth is paramount
and treachery is the great risk, nobody wants a
spellcaster messing with his perception. One of The Effect of
those tricksy wizards could turn invisible and steal
everything out from under your nose, or a cleric Corruption
could cast hold person and paralyse you so you could Corruption does not interfere with your governing,
only watch while your possessions were ransacked. so long as it stays at relatively low levels. If your
Merchants are not, in themselves, especially Corruption ever exceeds your Control, the greed and
powerful, so they have to protect their interests any nepotism in your regime has begun to erode your
way they can. power to make your commands heard. For every
percentile point by which your Corruption exceeds
Council: The council members in a plutocracy your Control, you must pay an additional 500 gp
are all hirelings, paid a salary by the ruling regime; to execute any governing action whatsoever. This
usually a very comfortable salary at that. They are represents the need to grease palms and pay little
allowed a measure of independent action but are extras all the way down the chain of command.
expected to do what they are told, which is after all
what they are paid for. Plutocracies may hire more Should corruption ever rise above 80%, you will lose
than one treasurer. Such is the paranoia regarding one point of Control every month until corruption
money that the members of the ruling elite are returns to manageable levels.
prepared to hire one treasurer to check the figures
presented by the others. The main effect of corruption is found within the
game, on a day to day basis. Any representative of
Player Involvement: Becoming involved with a the regime or a friend or ally of the same, which
plutocracy is an excellent option for players who includes yourself and such cohorts as you have
have more wealth and plunder than they know what chosen to rule alongside you, may make a Corruption
check to exempt yourself from the rules that you have

187
THE ART OF GOVERNING

set down to govern everyone else. For example, if Games Master should decide which settlement is
one of your friends was arrested for murder and was rebelling based on the history of the campaign to
about to be hanged according to the laws that you had date and what the consequences of this rebellion are.
laid down, you could make a Corruption check (roll A settlement in uproar is likely to burn government
d100 under your current Corruption rating) in order property, barricade the streets of the city so that the
to have him freed and get away with it. Corruption is government’s police force cannot get in, loot the local
essentially licensed hypocrisy. tax collector’s office (costing you money) and so on.

Optional Rule: Realistic Control Range

Staying in Control If, for the sake of greater realism, you wish to
Having control of the reins of power from month simulate the effects of control over range, then
to month is a vital part of your job as head of the assume that control is greatest towards the heart
regime. So long as your citizens are happy, they will of the regime and slackens off towards its outmost
be obedient. If they are unhappy with you, they will extremities. All Control checks applying to events
find ways to make trouble. A single angry peasant within 100 miles of the seat of government should be
armed with a flaming torch can cause a lot of damage made at +20% Control, those 200 miles away at 10%
without being discovered; a whole mob of them can and so on, to a maximum Control reduction of 20%
be even more damaging. for those colonies out on the fringes. This means
that overseas colonies are more at risk of insurrection
Every month, you must make a Control check. If any than ones closer to the heart of the regime, which is
one of your three classes of society, upper, middle or the way events appear to work in the real world.
lower, has a negative goodwill rating, then roll d100.
If the result exceeds your current Control rating, then
reduce your Control by one plus a number equal to Governing Actions
the total negative goodwill. If the total goodwill is a A governing action is what happens when the head
positive figure, only deduct the one point. of the regime, or his duly appointed substitute,
makes a decision and tells people to act on it. In
For example, if the goodwill of your lower class order to take a governing action, you must give an
citizens stood at –4, the middle class at +3 and the instruction to the appropriate person. For this reason,
upper class at +2, then a failed Control check would all governing actions are phrased as commands.
only reduce your overall Control by one point. Unless the instruction is given to somebody who is
able and willing to carry it out, the governing action
This represents the fraying of your chain of has not taken place. For example, ‘invade Xerovia’
command, as the hatred people feel for your regime is a governing action if it is given to the Captain of
overcomes their wish for self-preservation. The Armies. If the message fails to reach the appropriate
more control you lose, the more you stand to lose person, or if he flatly refuses to do it, then the action
next month. The different sectors of society interfere will not be executed. The appropriate person to
with your regime’s operations in different ways. whom to give the instruction is included in the
Commoners cause problems by acts of vandalism and description of the action.
by hiding away their money out of reach of the tax
collector, merchants set up smuggling rings to avoid So that all of your governing actions can be given at
customs charges and nobles plot conspiracies in the once, it is common practice to assemble your Council
shadows. once per day. You can then listen to what they have
to say and give them any necessary instructions. A
There are two main routes to keeping control. If you governing action is still valid if it is given outside
do not care about upsetting your citizens, then you of such a meeting; it is simply more convenient
can take repeated governing actions to keep your to have everybody present at once, so that your
control levels high while letting resentment fester. administration knows what its other members are
(Beware if you do take this route. You can lose a lot doing.
of control all at once if resentment has built up to
double figures.) Alternatively, you can invest money Some governing actions are limited by alignment.
in keeping your citizens contented, so they will For example, a good regime may not pass a law
accept the yoke of your control without protest. instigating extreme levels of punishment for common
infractions. The alignment of the head of the regime
If you lose more than three points of Control in one is considered to be the alignment of the whole
month, one of your settlements is in uproar. The

188
 THE ART OF GOVERNING

regime for these purposes. You may therefore not may need to make up its mind. Therefore, if you
take any governing action that goes against your have taken an action that requires another regime to
alignment without suffering the consequences. More make a reply (such as a proposed alliance) you must
importantly, any governing action taken by another give the other regime time to respond. Sometimes,
with your knowledge and consent counts as an action they will not respond at all and you will have to
taken by you. You cannot evade the moral impact decide how to interpret their silence!
of your decisions simply by having someone else
carry out your dirty work. If you have your Chief of It takes a whole week to change or cancel a
Justice implement a law, or your Senate passes a law governing action once it has been given (i.e. once
on your behalf, it is the same as if you had done it the message has gone out from the council chamber
yourself. to officers in other parts of the province). For
example, if you announce a change in the tax rate
Many governing actions have direct and quantifiable and then try to change it again the next day, the new
‘in game’ consequences, such as the alteration of a change will not take effect until a week has passed.
faction’s attitude to the regime or an increase in the Some actions, such as a declaration of war, cannot
population. Some, however, do not; their effects be cancelled once the message has reached its final
are for the Games Master to determine, not that this destination.
should be a difficult task. They are included to give
the players and the Games Master alike an idea of the In some forms of government, governing actions will
kind of decision that a regime can make and the kind not be acted upon until other people than the head
of typical actions that can be taken in the regime’s of the regime have had their say. For example, in
interest. a republic you cannot make any changes to the law
unless the Senate votes to accept them. This may
You may instruct your Council members to use their cause your governing actions to be delayed while
special abilities as a governing action. various committee meetings are held to discuss their
merits.
As with special abilities, governing actions should
never be used if to do so would override events that In the section that follows, a variety of different
are being or have been roleplayed out ‘in game’. For governing actions are given. As with special
example, if a player is running an assassin character abilities, many of these have a monetary cost. The
who is attempting to murder a foreign official, or is money must be provided upfront, from the regime’s
playing a member of the council who is about to be treasury or other readily accessible funds. If it is not
the subject of a foreign assassination attempt, you available, then the action cannot be taken.
should never use the game mechanics of governing
action to resolve what happened; events should be
handled in-game instead. Governing actions, like Diplomatic Actions
special abilities, represent a ‘macro’ level of task Diplomatic actions have to do with your regime’s
resolution, which should not be mixed with the relations with other regimes and may also involve the
‘micro’ level of player involvement. various classes of your society and smaller, private
factions. They are the thrust and parry of politics,
whereby a clever and well-run nation may get the
Maximum Number of Governing Actions better of larger or wealthier nations. When relations
You may make as many governing actions per day between nations are strained, diplomacy is seen as the
as you wish but the branch of your regime (or the alternative to war. It is possible to put pressure upon
council member) that deals with the relevant kind of another regime through purely diplomatic means,
work can only implement one action per day. If the without a single sword being unsheathed.
moment at which an action is actually carried out is
relevant, assume that the action is fully implemented Diplomatic actions are usually handled through the
within 1d6 days of being given. Subtract the foreign secretary when they involve other nations
province’s Roads rating from this time if it is positive and the private secretary when they involve domestic
(to a minimum of one day) and add it if the rating is affairs. All diplomatic actions cost a flat fee of 200
negative. gp to enact; this cost includes the paying of officials,
the sending of messengers, any necessary travel or
This time period is only that needed for a message to shipping costs and other similar expenses.
reach its destination or a group of people to do a job.
It does not take into account the time another nation

189
THE ART OF GOVERNING

Break Off Diplomatic Relations With This Threaten This Regime

This action speaks for itself. There are many
Regime different fearful outcomes with which you can
This action is usually the immediate response to threaten a given regime. The most usual one is to
hostilities breaking out. It sends a message that the threaten to break off trade, which many regimes
time for talking is over. When diplomatic relations will find hurts them where they can least afford it.
are broken, your ambassador or other representative Of course, this only works if you have an ongoing
is recalled to his home nation, while you expel (or, trade arrangement with the other regime and if you
if you want to cause massive outrage, execute) the are prepared to face the consequences to your own
ambassador of the other nation. You may no longer economy of loss of trade.
take diplomatic actions that affect the kingdom
with whom you have broken off relations. The only More common and more drastic is the threat to go to
diplomatic action possible is to send an ambassador war. If another nation is coming close to breaking the
to recommence diplomatic relations. letter or the spirit of a treaty, or is causing problems
with an ally, then a threat of violence may be the only
This action is used to show you no longer view way to make them back down.
the other nation as worth talking to. It emphasises
that you consider them dangerous, or beneath your Making formal diplomatic threats allows you to
dignity to deal with. In interpersonal terms, it make an Intimidate skill check against the head of
equates to ‘not speaking to’ the other person. If you the other regime. (Suitable circumstance modifiers
believe another kingdom may be bluffing you by should apply, based on the severity of the threat
making threats that it does not have the power or the and the strength of the threatened nation’s armed
will to carry out, breaking off diplomatic relations forces.) Apply your regime’s Intimidation bonus to
may shock them into approaching you and attempting this check. If you are successful, the other regime
a rapprochement. is compliant for the moment. Failure means that
the other regime is not swayed by the force of your
Send An Ambassador To This Regime threats, though it still may reconsider its actions.
This action is used to establish formal diplomatic
contact with another regime, following which you If the other regime defies you and you do not proceed
may take further diplomatic actions and without to do what you threatened to do, your regime’s
which you may take none. It is used to make initial Intimidation bonus is lowered by 1. If you do
contact with regimes that your people have not yet follow through on your threats, it is raised by 1, to
met, or to re-establish relations after a period of war. a maximum of 5. As intimidation is essentially the
Your ambassador will reside with the foreign regime art of scaring people with the thought of what you
on arrival and act as your agent. could do, the only way a regime can increase its
Intimidation bonus is by proving that it is as good as
The excellence of your ambassador will play a large its word.
part in the negotiations between your regime and
theirs. So long as all communications from your
regime are passed to the foreign regime through
Declare A Trade Embargo On This
the ambassador, you may make written Diplomacy Regime
checks using his Charisma ability score modifier A trade embargo is a standing refusal to allow
instead of your own, or have him make Charisma another nation to trade with yours. When the
checks to alter the attitude of members of the foreign embargo is placed, all trade agreements currently
regime. For example, if you are proposing an in place with the target nation are annulled. If you
alliance that the other regime is uncertain about and have allies, you can persuade them to join you in the
you write a letter to persuade the other regime of embargo, effectively cutting off the target nation from
the benefits, your ambassador’s Charisma modifier trade with a whole group of nations. This method
can be applied in a subsequent Diplomacy check to is commonly used to punish a nation that has been
persuade the head of the foreign regime to take up causing problems or acting unacceptably. Conditions
your offer. are usually set for the lifting of the embargo. For
example, a nation that trades in slaves might be
targeted with an embargo by your nation, with the
condition that if it gives up the practice of slave
trading, you will lift the embargo.

190
 THE ART OF GOVERNING

Propose An Alliance country, for political reasons) then the people may
well object. The Games Master’s discretion is
An alliance is a solemn and momentous occasion, on
which two regimes agree to act in concert. The exact required here. If the nation with which the alliance
terms of the alliance are spelled out in a document is proposed is thought well of by a particular level
called a treaty. Allied nations typically agree to of society, adjust goodwill upwards by one for that
allow each other free movement of military forces level; if it is especially hated, reduce goodwill by
across controlled land, mutual support in the event one.
of war breaking out with another nation, aid in time
of famine or other national crisis and mutual defence It may turn out that an allied regime causes an
against common threats. increase in goodwill in one level of society and
a decrease in another. For example, if you were
Alliances in the fantasy game environment are running a republic that was lenient with the
usually cemented by allying one person to another; commoners and taxed nobles heavily and allied your
that is, a political marriage. This approach is only regime with another that had a similar approach, the
appropriate in regimes that are headed by a person goodwill of your nobles would drop even further,
with hereditary authority. It works especially well while that of the commoners would rise on finding
for despotisms and monarchies. The marriage of themselves allied with another emancipated nation.
the king of one nation to the queen of another, or the
marriage of suitable spouses, seals the alliance of the Demand Tribute
countries in a stronger manner than the bonds of ink Tribute is the name given to goods, money or other
and parchment on a treaty. benefits sent from one regime to another, by way of
which the first regime recognises the superior power
Alliances are almost always greeted with joy by of the second. The mutual understanding is that the
the people, as they mean lasting peace with another stronger regime could come and help itself to the
nation and the possibility of prosperity in the weaker regime’s goods if it wished, so the weaker
future. However, if the regime allies itself with a regime provides a token amount per month and in
hated nation in order to pursue common interests or return is allowed to carry on unmolested. A regime
in order to placate that nation (for instance, in the that receives tribute from another regime will usually
classic scenario where the princess of one country is protect it, as it is a source of wealth and there is no
forced to marry the despised king of another, stronger sense in letting some other power destroy it or seize
its resources.

Tribute can take many forms. The most common

form is money. You arrange for the foreign regime to
supply you with a certain amount of gold pieces per
month, in exchange for which you will not invade,
nor will you allow anyone else to. The second most
common form is resource. A regime that is too poor
to defend itself against you will probably not have
very much money to spare, either, so it will be more
inclined to send you the goods it produces in order to
stay your wrath. Spices, precious metals and slaves
are typical forms of tribute.

You may also make a special tribute arrangement that

benefits you personally rather than your regime. For
example, you could demand the seven finest warriors
of the other regime as food for your pet dragon, or
have the fairest woman in their lands sent to you
every year to be added to your personal harem. Such
arrangements will cause your regime to be hated, but
so long as they are still offering tribute, they will be
too afraid of you to do anything about it.

191
THE ART OF GOVERNING

You may also make a one-off demand for tribute. a chance at a new life in your own regime. Some
For example, you could demand that the armour migration between regimes is assumed to take place
and sword of a legendary hero (which you know automatically but if you have actively invited them,
the other regime has) be brought to you, or that the response will be much greater.
the head of a particularly troublesome monster be
provided. Magocracies in particular are renowned for Immigrants will not enter your country if they are
demanding tribute in the form of rare or exotic items, already content. Compare the goodwill ratings of
which usually require lengthy quests to acquire. the three levels of society in the target country with
those in your regime. If the goodwill rating in the
It is for the other nation to decide whether they are target country is lower, then 1d10x10 people from
willing to send you tribute or not. If they are not that sector of society leave their old regime for yours.
willing, you may proceed to threaten them (see They are deducted from the population of their home
above), with the usual cautions attendant upon this; province and added on to the population of one of
you must always be prepared to back up your threats, your provinces.
or they will ring hollow.
Immigration is a very efficient way to raise your
population quickly, which can be useful after a war
Send A Gift To The Head Of This or similar disaster, but it can cause social disquiet
Regime as people used to a different way of life attempt
Politics is as much a matter of sweetening individuals to integrate with a new set of neighbours. If your
as it is of pleasing groups. It often pays to remember population is naturally xenophobic, they will cause
that the head of a foreign regime is a person, just trouble for immigrants whether this is justified or not.
like you, with his own tastes, needs and desires. Every month on which you have immigrants coming
This is especially true in governmental systems in into your regime’s territory, make a Control check.
which one person carries most of the power, such as If you fail, reduce your Control by 1d4 and reduce
a despotism or a monarchy. If you wish to make a the goodwill of one of your sectors of society by
good impression, it is an excellent idea to pave the one, determined randomly. If a theocracy is bringing
way ahead with a well-chosen gift. in immigrants from a nation that does not share its
religious beliefs, it automatically fails its Control
At the Games Master’s discretion, a gift sent in check, unless charity and tolerance are specifically
advance of a visit or diplomatic action can lend a advocated by the religion.
one-off circumstance bonus to any necessary checks
made in association with said visit or diplomatic
action (such as Diplomacy checks, or Charisma
Allow Refugees To Seek Asylum Here
This ruling makes it permissible for those who are
checks to alter attitude) of up to +3. As a rule of fleeing wars or persecution in other nations to come
thumb, every 10,000 gp of the gift’s value should and live in yours. It is not quite the same as inviting
add +1 to this circumstance bonus. A gift sent as a immigrants in (see above) as it specifically applies to
political sweetener must be unique. It cannot, for those foreign citizens who need to live in a friendly
example, simply be a beautifully made sword; it country. Allowing asylum seekers into your regime’s
must be a beautifully made sword that was fashioned territory results in an influx of 1d10x10 people from
solely for the purpose of being presented to the head any nearby country where there is an ongoing war or
of the other regime, with his family crest engraved in a tyrannous regime. If the country shares a border
it as proof of this, or a family heirloom that formerly with yours, this figure is doubled. The same Control
belonged to the head of the regime that is making the check applies as when you are inviting immigrants
gift. into the country; if you have both immigration and
asylum, you only need to make the check once per
Invite Immigrants From This Regime To month.

Live And Work Here

This is a controversial decision for the head of a Arrange A Summit Meeting
regime to make, but it can make the difference This action simply sets the date for a face-to-face
between a nation struggling to rise from its feet and a meeting with the head or heads of one or more
nation making full use of its resources. By opening other regimes. At a summit meeting, you may
the doors to immigrants, you allow those who are take multiple diplomatic governing actions on the
unhappy with their current standard of living to have same day, as you and your opposite number are

192
 THE ART OF GOVERNING

communicating directly instead of going through circumstance modifiers should apply to this roll;
clerks, officials and other middlemen. Such for example, if he has already become drunk at the
decisions may (at the Games Master’s discretion) diplomatic reception, a circumstance penalty of –2
be implemented instantly. For example, a proposed should be applied, while if he has been especially
alliance can be agreed on the spot if both parties are warned not to attend any private functions he should
amenable, rather than taking a week to process. be allowed a circumstance bonus of +2.

A summit meeting is not always what it appears. The effects of a private diplomatic party are several:
Some evil or corrupt regimes use the pretext of a
summit meeting to stage assassinations of foreign † The atmosphere of decadence, trust and lowered
rulers. There are even tales of a desert queen who guard provides a circumstance bonus (+1 per
invited several neighbouring kings to a summit 2,000 gp spent) to any Gather Information check
meeting in a stone chamber below the level of a river, made by the Head of Intelligence in the course of
sealed them in the chamber and flooded it, killing using his Glean ability to find out facts about one
them all. of the regimes represented.

You may proceed from a summit meeting to a private † Assassination attempts made on individuals at a
diplomatic party (see below) but only if the other private diplomatic party have a +2 circumstance
regime heads agree to accompany you. bonus to the assassin’s death attack roll.

† The Head of Intelligence is granted a +1

Give A Diplomatic Reception circumstance bonus to his Intrigue check when
A diplomatic reception is a lavish event hosted attempting to embroil any attendant at the party in
by one regime, to which the ambassadors of other scandal, for which see below.
regimes are invited. It is used as an excuse to show
off wealth, make deals, discuss business and hatch
plots. It may also be used to trade intelligence Give Money To This Private Faction
information. Diplomatic receptions cost between 500 Though it is emblematic of a degree of corruption in
and 3,000 gp to organise on top of the usual cost for a your regime, you may attempt to buy the goodwill
governing action, as they are expected to be opulent. of a faction. This must be a private faction, such
as a collective of specific nobles or a guild of
A diplomatic reception allows you to enact multiple merchants and may not be a whole class of people,
governing actions that concern other regimes. The such as the upper classes or middle classes. You
time taken to implement these actions is cut to zero must make a donation of at least 10,000 gold pieces
but the other regime must still take its time to give a and make a Corruption check (roll d100 under your
reply. Unless the ambassador has been briefed with current Corruption rating). If the Corruption check
the answers to give to set proposals (for example, is successful, the faction’s goodwill towards your
‘refuse any offer of an alliance unless they promise regime increases by 1 for every 10,000 gold pieces
us the island of Maravia’) he will have to contact his donated. This method cannot raise goodwill higher
home regime and find out what the answer is. than 10.

This method is extremely useful if the majority of

Give A Private Diplomatic Party members of a given class is turned against you. By
Private parties are understood to be ‘unofficial’ sponsoring one of the factions within that class, you
diplomatic receptions, to which only the favoured can make sure you have an ally in that camp. For
few are invited. The atmosphere is one of mutual example, if the middle classes have negative goodwill
confidence. Those ambassadors and other towards you and a league of merchants (a faction in
functionaries lucky enough to be invited are provided its own right) is making trouble, you could choose to
with delicacies, concubines and narcotics if they are increase the goodwill of that particular group, so as
available. Private diplomatic parties cost between to have an inroad with the middle classes. You would
2,000 and 6,000 gp to organise. use the Spread Propaganda governing action to do
this, for which see below.
The promise of hedonistic enjoyment is a hard one
for an ambassador (or head of another regime) to
resist. He must make a Will saving throw against
DC 10 to refuse to attend such a gathering. Suitable

193
THE ART OF GOVERNING

Economic Actions you cannot access it easily. Any actions that you
Economic actions have to do with your treasury and need to pay for out of the reserved portion of the
how money flows in and out of it. You give these treasury are delayed by 1d4 days while you arrange
instructions to your treasurer. All economic actions for access to the reserves. There is also a flat 1%
cost 500 gp to enact per province you control. chance per month that your secret reserves will be
found and stolen.

Alter The Tax Rate Securing part of the treasury is a typical tactic of
With this action, you change the percentage of tax despots who believe that their country is about to
charged by any one tax you currently have operative. be invaded. When tyrants have fallen in the past,
For example, if you had a poll tax active at 4%, you there has often been speculation that they stored the
could use this action to raise it to 10%. Tax changes majority of their gold somewhere safe, as in these
take effect from the start of the next month, when the instances the treasury building is often found to be
new governing turn begins. Remember that changing largely empty. Rumours easily build up of enormous
taxes affects the goodwill of the various classes and stashes of treasure, horded away before the invading
factions. armies could get to it by a despot who then fell
(along with his treasurer) and thus never came back
Proclaim A New Tax to collect his riches.
With this action, you can announce a wholly new tax
in addition to those you already have. For example,
if you currently had only a sales tax operating, you
Legislative Actions
Legislative actions involve your regime’s code of
could add a road tax. You must set the percentage laws. You do not have to draw up a thorough legal
that the tax will take from the province’s wealth when system for your regime unless you want to; while that
you announce it. The new tax takes effect from the kind of depth of detail can enrich a game, it cannot
start of the next month, when the new governing turn easily be applied on the ‘macro’ level addressed by
begins. Remember that proclaiming a new tax affects this game system. Instead, the focus here is on the
the goodwill of the various classes and factions. specific points of law that are most likely to cause
controversy, affect goodwill, alter Corruption or
Secure This Much Of The Treasury Control ratings, or otherwise alter the dynamics of
With this action, you have a certain amount of the the regime.
treasury’s cash reserves placed in a secure holding
area, such as a vault or the bottom of a deep dungeon. Your Chief Justice handles legislative actions. They
While it is there, anybody attempting to embezzle cost 500 gp to enact per province that you control.
from the treasury or ransack your cash reserves in
search of gold cannot get at it. Only you and your
treasurer know where it is. The disadvantage is that
Ban The Worship Of This Deity
By taking this action, you effectively make a given
religion illegal within your regime. Theocracies
are the most likely regimes to do this, as they do
not often tolerate religious diversity within their
boundaries. Good regimes often ban the worship of
evil deities, so that evil cults cannot get a foothold
in the land. Though this often drives such cults
underground, this is considered better than having
them able to advertise their presence and celebrate
their rites openly.

When taking this action, you may list any number of

deities whose worship is forbidden. It is a good idea
to do this immediately upon taking power, as it sends
a message to the citizens of the kind of rule you
intend to enact.

Some regimes set up specific areas where the

worship of the deity is tolerated, though it is

194
 THE ART OF GOVERNING

banned elsewhere. These ghetto regions become default effect upon goodwill. The effects of banning
concentrated communities made up of members a particular character class are largely left to the
of the faith, who can thus be kept under careful Games Master, as they will vary from regime to
surveillance. regime. However, we suggest the following.

If you ban the worship of a deity whose alignment † Banning rogues is a somewhat pointless action,
is opposite to that of the majority of your citizens, as any good rogue is not going to give himself or
then raise the goodwill of all classes by 1; if the deity herself away as such. Nonetheless, many regimes
whose worship you are banning is the same as that of do this, even if they know they cannot easily enact
the majority of your citizens, reduce the goodwill of the legislation. If a felon is caught, charging him
all classes by 1. This action is only effective to raise or her with being a ‘professional rogue’ is one
or lower goodwill if the deities whose worship you more charge to add to the list, which is useful,
are banning have a significant following among your especially if it carries a heavier penalty than
nation’s people, as determined by the Games Master. whatever act the felon was caught committing.
You gain no benefit from banning the worship of a Simply stealing can carry a light penalty, but being
deity of whom none of your people have heard, nor a dedicated, trained and professional rogue is
may you gain further goodwill by taking this action likely to get you hung in many regimes. Banning
again, though you may lose further goodwill by rogues from the regime gains you +1 goodwill
doing so. from the middle classes; though all classes are
grateful, it is the merchants who have most to fear.
Making a given deity’s worship illegal gives the
police and the military authority to interfere in † Banning wizards is a surprisingly common act for
religious matters. You can therefore stamp down a regime to perform, especially for theocracies,
hard upon any potential illicit worship without having which often look upon the wizards’ reliance upon
to consider the rights and wrongs of repressing the written word as a parody of holy scripture.
another person’s religion. Other regimes may ban them because their
spellcasting powers make it easier for them to
This governing action is often undertaken in order to evade the laws that they feel ought to be equally
allow the regime to gain access to people’s private binding upon everyone, or most commonly simply
homes. If your regime has banned the worship of because they are feared. It is relatively easy
an evil deity, you have the perfect excuse to have to ban wizards from your regime, because the
just about anyone investigated; you can do so under presence of spellbooks makes them easy to detect.
the banner of a search for evidence of unlawful If your populace are especially superstitious,
rituals. Theocracies often have a standing policy banning wizards can gain you +1 goodwill from
of Inquisition, in which the police and the military the lower classes.
investigate settlements and look for practitioners of
banned or heretical faiths. † Banning sorcerers is much harder than banning
wizards, though it is, if anything, more common.
Wizards are at least identifiable as such, but
Ban This Character Class sorcerers look just like anybody else. You often
This is one of the most radical legislative actions do not know someone is a sorcerer until it is too
you can take. You effectively declare that one of late. Therefore, banning sorcerers is both difficult
the possible character classes, such as paladins or to do and largely expected by the community,
sorcerers, will not be tolerated within the regime. who are not known for their tolerance of those
If character class titles are not used in the common who are different. Rumours of dragon blood run
parlance in your campaign, then the legislation rampant and adolescents who manifest strange
will be phrased as the banning of a particular powers are often hounded from the community.
‘occupation’, ‘calling’ or ‘profession’. Banning sorcerers gains the same goodwill benefit
as banning wizards. You may derive goodwill
You may lift a ban that you have placed by taking a from doing both; however superstitious they
governing action to do so; the cost is the same as any might be about magic, the general public know
other legislative action. the difference between a wizard and a sorcerer. If
sorcerers are banned, raise your Control by 3%
As the vast majority of the population will not be of as well as applying the goodwill increase, as you
a player character class (being instead commoners, have gotten rid of a typically chaotic force that
experts, nobles and so forth) this action has no

195
THE ART OF GOVERNING

are banned, they usually retreat to the wilderness

where the forces persecuting them are not willing
to follow. If rangers are banned, raise your
overall Control by 5% as there are now fewer
uncontrollable elements in your regime.

† Banning clerics is most uncommon. It is usually

undertaken only by magocracies, who wish the
rule of arcane magic to be unchallenged by the
divine, or by republics that thrive in intellectual
ideals and consider religion to be outdated
superstition. Despots can also ban clerics, in
order to sap the will of the common people.
Clerics often represent hope and the expectation
that one will be able to recover from illness or
heal a wound. If clerics are banned, the comfort
of religion and the healing power of divine magic
goes with them. Banning clerics causes the loss
of 1 point of goodwill from the lower classes but
raises your overall Control by 5%, as the people
are demoralised.

† Banning druids is the act of a regime that seeks to

dominate the very spirit of the land as well as the
earth on which the buildings stand. Druids do not
tend to involve themselves in the governments of
men, as these are centred on cities and civilisation,
usually serves no other purpose than its own. instead remaining in their beloved wilderness.
Druids tend to be more popular with the common
† Banning fighters is next to impossible. Regimes people than with the privileged elite, as the
will ban weapons, ban fighting in the streets and commoners are closest to the earth. Banning
ban the public wearing of armour but they rarely druids from the land reduces the goodwill of the
ban the fighter class outright. If it is ever done, lower classes by 1 and raises that of the upper
then it is only those freelance fighters who are classes by 1. It also increases your overall Control
not authorised by the regime who will be banned. by 3%, as the druids are an ungovernable force
This means that unless you are officially hired as and rarely take the side of the official government.
a representative of the regime, an enlisted soldier
or a member of the police force, you will be † Monks are banned by a great many regimes.
considered a ‘free blade’ and made unwelcome. A The most likely regime to ban the studies and
fighter will often be allowed a certain number of discipline of the monk is one in which the upper
days to enlist with a respected authority before he classes are firmly in control of military matters
is obliged to leave the country. and do not want their might to be challenged.
Monks are, like many other character classes, a
† Banning paladins is an act usually only carried out law unto themselves. Though they are of lawful
by evil regimes, who do not want supernaturally alignment, they are not necessarily supporters
enhanced do-gooders ruining things for everyone of the regime. The abilities of the monk to fight
else. As paladins are not generally noted for their without weapons and their proximity to the
covert approach to combat, being more inclined to peasant classes (since monks are often very poor,
confront evil where they find it, banning them is they rely on the charity of peasants and protect
not especially difficult. them) make them a manifest danger to the ruling
elite. Monks are sometimes a product of an
† Banning rangers is similar to banning fighters, excessively dominant society as well as rebels
in that it is not often done. Rangers are usually against it; this is why so many of their weapons
banned because they represent power that the are simple and of humble origin. Even if you
state cannot control. In regimes where rangers restrict swords to one class of society, a monk

196
 THE ART OF GOVERNING
needs only his hands to defend himself and others. Making a relatively unpopular weapon illegal, such
Banning monks grants you 3% extra overall as some of the monkish weapons, has no effect
Control. on goodwill or control as their influence is minor.
Simple weapons cannot be banned, as they are
† Barbarians are usually banned by cities that too easy to improvise. Banning martial or ranged
pride themselves on their civilisation and weapons from use by anyone at all causes the loss of
culture. Magocracies are the most likely kinds one point of goodwill from all sectors of society but
of regime to ban barbarians, with theocracies increases your overall control by 10% per class of
and republics coming a close second. The very weapon banned. Restricting the weapon’s use to one
concept of barbarism is enough to make many or two given levels of society increases their goodwill
senators shudder; they represent a celebration and by one but reduces the goodwill of the level of
entrenchment of all that is uncivilised. Banning society that cannot use the weapon by one. Control
barbarians from your regime grants you +1 in this case is increased by 5% per class of weapon
goodwill from the upper classes. banned. So, if you banned martial weapons from use
by the lower classes, they would drop their goodwill
† Banning assassins is not only common, it is towards you by one, while that of the middle and
expected in just about all regimes. Even corrupt upper classes would increase by one.
plutocracies have a technical ban on trained
assassins, though assassination is a fact of life in Banning martial weapons from use by the lower
such regimes; there is always someone who can classes has a devastating effect upon attempts to train
be bribed to let your favourite assassin off the the peasantry, for which see Military Actions below.
hook. To be trained in the arts of assassination is
to be a living embodiment of what the population
most fears; death, from a source that cannot be Ban All Members Of This Race
seen coming and which can wear many faces. Racial tolerance is not a given in the fantasy milieu
Accordingly, banning assassins gains you no any more than it is in the real world. Some regimes
goodwill, because your regime is assumed to are sufficiently xenophobic to forbid all members
have banned them already. If you lift the ban on of a given race access to the province. Depending
assassins, the goodwill of each of the three classes on the nature of the regime, the punishment should
drops by 1, as they no longer feel quite so safe in a member of a forbidden race be caught on the
their beds at night. regime’s territory may vary from polite but firm
expulsion to public execution. Only races that are
locally known and exist in numbers may be banned.
Make These Weapons Illegal They must also be inclined to participate in society
When swords are outlawed, only outlaws have to the extent that they would do so if they were not
swords – well, outlaws and people officially licensed banned from it. For example, if minotaurs are wild
to carry swords in the regime’s interest. Many creatures in your campaign, then there would be no
regimes outlaw certain weapons, especially ones benefit in banning them, whereas if they were a race
that could be concealed easily or used against the who engaged in trade and offered their services as
representatives of law and order. It is common for bodyguards, they could be banned.
exotic weapons, such as the spiked chain or the whip,
to be outlawed in civilised societies, while regimes The Games Master’s discretion is required here, as
of an asian flavour will often outlaw those weapons race relations can vary from campaign to campaign.
associated with the ninja’s craft. Poison, here As a general rule, banning the members of a race will
counted as a weapon, is illegal in almost all regimes. increase the goodwill of all sectors of society by one
if that race is one that the majority of the populace
Some weapons, such as swords or crossbows, are find objectionable. For example, barring Drow from
rarely outlawed completely. Instead, their use is a city close to an entry into the Drow realms would
restricted to a set sector of society. For example, raise goodwill if the majority of the citizens were
you could ban the common peasantry from owning elves of good alignment, but not if the city was run
swords, restricting their use to nobles and merchants by a plutocracy and the humans did not care with
only. This would not only strip the common hordes whom they traded.
of their weapons (leaving them with only pitchforks,
torches and other characteristic mob armaments) but Some regimes will allow a few select members of the
empower the other classes to fend them off. You have forbidden race ambassadorial status. These members
thus achieved an overall lessening of social disorder. have diplomatic immunity from the blanket ban. For
example, a dwarven nation that has banned all elves

197
THE ART OF GOVERNING

might allow a visit from an elven ambassador to Citizens are careful with their words, knowing that
discuss border issues. if someone else overhears them and relays them to
the authorities, there could be trouble. The penalty
for speaking against the government is heavy and
Tolerate Dissent usually corporal. A typical punishment would be the
This is an indication of how absolute your branding of the offender, the removal of his tongue
government seeks to be in its hold over its citizens’ or his removal to a slave labour camp This law may
lives and thoughts. Your dissent tolerance is a direct not be passed by a regime headed by an individual of
measure of how much freedom of speech your good alignment, though it may be passed if the ruler’s
citizens enjoy. Dissent is the free expression of a alignment is neutral or evil.
point of view different to that of the regime, even
to the point of outright criticism or condemnation. Severe punishment of dissent increases your overall
Those regimes that tolerate dissent have a reputation Control by 10%, but lowers the goodwill of the lower
for fairness, justice and even-handedness. They are and middle classes by 1. The upper classes are more
however less well-respected by other regimes, as it prepared to accept the severe punishment of dissent,
is felt that they allow others to dishonour the dignity as they have least to fear from it. The ruling regime
of rule by speaking against it. By contrast, those keeps them in their privileged position, so they often
regimes that do not allow dissent are absolutist and have little to say against it.
repressive but well co-ordinated and feared by others.

By passing laws that tolerate dissent, you increase Punish Dissent Severely
the goodwill of all classes of society by one but lower A regime that passes this law is tyrannous indeed.
your overall Control by 10. The people become more The most trifling act of subversion is taken as
content, knowing that they may speak their minds grounds for arrest, interrogation and subsequent
freely but the lack of restriction upon open criticism execution or lifelong imprisonment. Citizens are
means that the government may easily be brought constantly afraid and on their guard. Raids by the
into contempt. This lessens the people’s willingness police force are a fact of life. Some corrupt souls
to co-operate. inform on their friends and families for monetary
reward; some do so because it is the only way to be
granted a stay of execution. The only regimes to pass
Punish Dissent Mildly this law are evil ones, as there is no way to justify a
A common choice, this option allows a good deal of law like this in terms of a good alignment.
freedom of speech but insists that the line is drawn
where the ruling regime is concerned. You may Having a severe sentence for dissent increases your
believe what you wish and speak as you like; you Control by 20% but also increases your Corruption
may mock the King in private to your heart’s content; by 10%, as citizens attempt to bribe and influence
but you must not speak out against the ruling regime each other to escape your draconian laws. The
in public or in print. Even if you do, the results are goodwill of the lower classes is reduced by 2 and that
not fatal and will usually consist of a fine or a few of the middle classes by 1.
nights of imprisonment. This level of tolerance is
generally felt to be fair by most citizens of a fantasy If this law is passed by a magocracy or theocracy, the
game world. The rulers are, after all, doing a job and Control gain is 30%, as the citizenry knows that the
it is not the place of the common man to condemn governing mages or clerics have the power to look
them openly. inside their minds and read their very thoughts by
using spells. Such absolute surveillance keeps the
Passing laws that punish dissent mildly has no effect citizenry completely repressed. Even their dreams
upon your goodwill ratings or your overall Control, may give their rebellious thoughts away.
as it is the norm for most governments.

Punish Dissent Moderately Make Unlicensed Magic Illegal

Rather than ban sorcerers, wizards, clerics and other
Marked intolerance for dissent is characteristic spellcasting classes outright, some regimes choose
of totalitarian regimes. Freedom of speech is instead to set limits on who can operate magic. The
permitted but criticism of the ruling regime is not regime issues a ‘license to cast’ to those persons
allowed, neither in public nor in private. There is who it considers fit to hold one. These licenses may
a climate of fear and suspicion in such regimes. be as difficult or as easy to get as the head of the

198
 THE ART OF GOVERNING

regime seeks to make them. They may also be issued Trading in unethical goods raises goodwill among the
for a fee, adding an additional source of income to middle and upper classes by 1 for every commodity
the regime’s treasury. Magocracies often pass this that you allow into (or out of) your ports. It also
law, as they insist on bringing order to the practice reduces corruption by 3%, as the making lawful of
of magic; since spellcasting ability is synonymous unethical trade results in a formerly black market
with inherent authority to govern, those who cast becoming regular.
spells should be made to do so in accordance with
government policy. Other regimes who may have
this ruling are those that have a fear of magic or who Set Punishments as Mild (Punitive Public
are most at risk from it, such as a plutocracy. Humiliation)
The following describe the typical punishments
There are three separate applications of this law, for crimes. They are by no means the standard
which may be passed once for each application. You punishment for all crimes. Treason is still likely
may make arcane spells, divine spells or magical to be punishable by death and insurrection by
items illegal without license. The effects of each imprisonment, even in a regime that is otherwise
application stack with one another. If magical items fairly mild.
are illegal without license, a separate license may
be needed for each item or a single license may As a general rule, assume that the punishment
allow the bearer to carry and use such items, at your described is that which would be inflicted on a youth
discretion. who had stolen a loaf of bread and been caught.
In this instance, there is no question of inflicting
Making unlicensed magic of any of the three permanent damage on the youth’s body or depriving
kinds illegal raises your overall Control by 5% but him of his liberty or life. Punishment consists of
increases your Corruption by the same amount, as humiliation and announcement to the general public
those who cannot get a magic license by fair means of the felon’s deeds. The bread thief would spend the
will attempt to buck the system by bribery or have next day in the stocks or the pillory, so that the public
one forged for them. It increases goodwill among the could throw rotten vegetables at him.
middle classes by 1. If you have a magic licensing
system in place, your regime benefits from an influx A regime whose punishments for infractions
of 1d6+4x100 gold pieces per month per class of are typically mild is often thought of as lax or
magic banned (arcane, divine or item). If there are sentimental. Mild punishment raises goodwill among
a large number of spellcasters in your regime, this the lower classes by two, lowers it by one among
figure might be doubled or tripled, at the Games the upper classes and reduces the regime’s overall
Master’s discretion. Control by 10%.

Allow The Trade Of Unethical Goods Set Punishments as Moderate (Corporal

This action, which may not be taken by a good
regime, allows trade in slaves, poisons or narcotics. Punishment)
Each counts as a separate application of this action. Moderate levels of punishment involve serious
Trade in unethical goods is considered to be banned repercussions for the wrongdoer. The thief of a
by default. A regime that wishes to opt out of this loaf of bread would in this case be stripped to the
may do so by passing this action. waist and flogged, whether in public or in private.
He would be likely to lose many temporary hit
A regime that openly trades in unethical goods is points and probably suffer some actual damage, too.
announcing its moral bankruptcy to the rest of the Moderate punishment is the default for all regimes,
world. Though it can expect to gain substantially unless they state otherwise. It has no effect upon
in merchant goodwill and in increased tax revenue, goodwill or control.
it is likely to be cut off from trading with regimes
that forbid trade in these commodities. It is in fact
a willingness to trade in commodities which other
Set Punishments as Harsh (Imprisonment,
regimes find objectionable that leads to alliances Maiming, Deportation)
between evil nations and coalitions of good nations to Harsh punishment stops just short of taking the
stand against them. miscreant’s life. Various different punishment
methods are used. Excessive prison terms may be
imposed if there is room enough in the gaols. If

199
THE ART OF GOVERNING

the regime employs slave labour or has a colony (such as a magical sword or suit of armour) to an
overseas, the prisoner could be sent to do hard labour acknowledged hero, or the raising of a statue to
for a period of several years. Commonest of all and the memory of an individual. To take this action
easiest to carry out is disfigurement of the body, in a manner spectacular enough to influence your
which serves the double purpose of handicapping the population’s opinion requires the expenditure of
perpetrator thereafter and marking them out for all to between 3,000 and 9,000 gp.
see as a lawbreaker. The bread thief would probably
lose one or both of his hands, or at the very least a If the person honoured by you was a hero of a
finger or two. particular class of society, then you may gain a
total of 1 temporary point of goodwill per 3,000
Harsh punishments increase the regime’s overall gold pieces spent on honouring him. Temporary
Control by 10%, while lowering goodwill among goodwill lasts only for that month and is lost again
the lower classes by 1. A good-aligned regime may once the month is over. You cannot honour the same
not pass a law allowing harsh punishments, as it is individual twice.
contrary to the spirit of a good alignment, though a
neutral one may.
Spread Propaganda
This is the standard method used by regimes to
Set Punishments as Severe (Capital bolster their authority. You employ bards, portrait
painters, signwriters and composers to spread the
Punishment) message of your power across the nation. Your
Those regimes to whom the law and the will of praises are sung, portraits of you are painted on
the governors are everything are quite prepared the sides of buildings, institutions are named after
to institute the death penalty for the most mild of you and all of this is designed to keep your citizens
infractions. A lad who had stolen a loaf of bread aware of who is in charge and what the penalty for
could expect to find himself hanging from a hempen disobedience is. Every 5,000 gold pieces you invest
rope within hours, the life choked out of him. Severe in propaganda grants you 1% extra Control for that
punishments keep the population in line but are none month alone, to a maximum of 15% for any given
too popular among the ordinary people, who feel month.
they are risking their lives just by being too poor to
afford food all the time. This law cannot be passed If any sector of society has negative goodwill towards
by a good regime, as it represents an inhumane and you, the maximum amount of Control that may be
disproportionate level of punishment. derived from propaganda is reduced by 1% for every
point of negative goodwill. This represents the
Severe punishments raise the regime’s Control by difficulty of swaying the emotions of a public that
20% and its Corruption by 10%, as the extremity of already despises you.
the punishment leads people to look for ways around
it. The goodwill of the lower classes is lowered by 2.
Have A Council Reshuffle
By means of this action, you may remove members
Executive Actions of the council from their positions and put new
Executive actions are those having to do with your incumbents in their places. This governing action
personal power and repute as head of the regime and costs no money to enact and may be undertaken
how you wield it. They are miscellaneous actions, without reference to any council member or minister.
not clearly the province of any one council member
but essential to the running of a regime. They are
usually relayed through your Information Minister or Give This Person A Position Of Power
your Captain of Armies. By means of this action, you make a given person
a member of your regime, so long as they accept
your offer. By doing so, they immediately gain
Have This Person Publicly Honoured the benefits (and the difficulties) derived from the
You use this governing action to confer privilege, goodwill that the various levels of society hold
status and renown upon a person who deserves towards your regime. The most common use of this
it. Typical uses of this ability are the knighting of action is to appoint a local governor in a province,
a soldier or noble who has served you faithfully, sub-region of a province or settlement. For example,
the presenting of a medal or similar honorific item you might make a local noble or even a local

200
 THE ART OF GOVERNING

can now run the town in the best interests of his

associates and himself. Four points of goodwill are
garnered and the negative goodwill that the faction
had previously held towards you becomes positive.
They use the money that they had been saving up to
pay for a professional assassin to buy you a nice gold
clock instead.

As head of the regime, you will often be given

messages from people who would very much like to
be given positions of power. Many of them would
love to be local governors; an ambitious few would
like seats on the Council. All of them will be willing
to make some kind of a deal with you in exchange
for the power they crave. You will be offered money,
favours, the patronage of powerful demons, fine
goods, even property and proposals of marriage
from your various would-be representatives. Some
of them may even make threats, depending on how
confident they are. Get used to messages that read
‘If you would like your trade ships to be repaired in
time for them to avoid sinking from the several dozen
holes that are about to appear below the waterline,
then support Breschi for Mayor of Dunport.’
merchant into your governor for a given area. This
While it is entirely up to you how many of these
brings them into the command structure and allows
offers (if any) you take up, there is a knock-on effect.
you to give them appropriate instructions.
If you ever accept money or other favour for giving a
person a position of power, your Corruption goes up
If you place a particularly loved or hated person
by 1%.
into a position of power, then the goodwill of the
appropriate sector of society is adjusted up or down
by one. For example, if you make a notoriously nasty Give This Land or Property To This
local crime lord into the governor of a province, then
the goodwill of the lower and middle classes will Person
drop by one. This action is often used in conjunction with the
above, Give This Person A Position Of Power. If
Bestowing power on individuals is a well-known way the two are combined, only one need be paid for.
of sweetening hostile factions. If the person to whom By use of this action, you place land that belongs
you are giving power is a member of a private faction to you under the control of a given individual. You
(rather than a specific class of society) and you are are most likely to use this if you have conquered a
understood to be giving them power as a placatory stretch of land, in which case you can divide it up
measure, the goodwill which that faction holds among various different commanders, or if you have
towards you is raised by a factor of 1 to 5, depending colonised a new nation and staked a claim, in which
on how much power you have given them. As a case you can allocate land to the various colonists
rough guide, the government of a small town would who came with you.
be good for an increase of 1, government of a whole
province would yield 3 and a seat on the Council This action is primarily one that has campaign
would yield 5. effects, not game mechanic effects. However, as
with the bestowal of power above, it can be used
For example, a cabal of merchants has been plotting as a means of manipulating goodwill. By giving
for some time to do away with you, because of land or property to individuals who are prominent
your high sales tax and your refusal to allow trade members of private factions, from one to three points
in slaves or narcotics. Their goodwill is at –2. of goodwill may be garnered. The Games Master
You make the leader of the merchant cabal into should decide how much goodwill is appropriate,
the governor of a major port city, meaning that he based on the size of the donation.

201
THE ART OF GOVERNING

You may enlist the help of your Minister of

Remove This Person From Power Intelligence in this Purge check. He may add his skill
Use this governing action to make a person who is ranks in Bluff or Diplomacy (whichever is higher) to
currently a member of your regime and in the chain the number under which you must roll d100. So, in
of command into a civilian once again. Essentially, the above example, if your Minister of Intelligence
the person is sacked from their position and loses all had 10 skill ranks in Bluff, you would only have to
privileges, power and influence they previously held. roll under 25 on d100 to make the check successfully.
Use this ability to get rid of a person who has failed
you, who is despised by your people or who is too
corrupt to be trusted to do their job. Confiscate or Reclaim This Land Or
This action may generate positive or negative Property
goodwill. Consult the Give This Person A Position By use of this action, you seize privately owned land
Of Power action to find out what kind of goodwill or property. This cannot be done indiscriminately.
may be generated and simply apply it in reverse. For You must either have some right and title to the land,
example, if a given governor was hated by the lower or the former owner must be deemed to have forfeited
classes and you removed him from office, you would it somehow. For example, if you had given land to a
gain as much goodwill as you would have lost by noble who then governed a region badly, you could
appointing him to the position in the first place. take the land back from him. Alternatively, if a noble
who earned land already was found guilty of treason
Sometimes, those in power do not give up their or could not pay his taxes, you could claim his lands
position without a fight. Your authority is tested to and castle as yours. Many corrupt regimes will frame
the utmost when commanding a person to step down. minor nobles on charges of treason in order to take
If they are doing so against their will, make a Control over their lands; see the Have This Person Framed
check. If you fail, the person rebels. He forms his For A Crime action below.
own faction (if he is not already a member of one)
and sets up in civil war against you. Some regimes In order to claim land from someone who does not
allow known tyrants and bully-boys to stay in power want to give it up and who is capable of resistance
in a given region because it is the only way to keep (i.e. not in prison on a treason charge and awaiting
them under control. execution) you must make a Control check at +10%.
If the property that you are trying to reclaim is a
fortification, the Control check is made at –5%.
Tighten Up On Corruption People are much less likely to give up lands that
Once corruption has set in, it is very difficult to they can entrench and defend. If you have enough
clean out. To do so requires a full and ongoing military might, such resistance will soon be crushed
investigation into which officials are prepared to take but it will not be without cost to you.
bribes or otherwise pervert the due fulfilment of their
duties, following which these officials are summarily As might be expected, taking land or property away
removed from their posts. Since the very nature of from a person can have an effect on faction goodwill.
corruption means that you cannot trust the individuals Consult the Give This Land Or Property To This
you set to do the clean-up job not to be corrupt Person action to ascertain under what circumstances
themselves, this can be a long, hard, costly process. goodwill would be removed and how much would be
You may make one Purge check per month, which appropriate.
costs 1,000 gold pieces for every percentile point of
Corruption you currently have.
Sequester This Property
A Purge check is a special type of Control check. Sequestering is only done in times of war. It is a
You most roll d100 below the difference between particular kind of confiscation, whereby the regime
your Control and your Corruption scores, or 5%, effectively borrows a property for the duration of a
whichever is greater. So, if your Control was 65% conflict and gives it back afterwards. The modern
and your Corruption 50%, you would have to roll equivalent is ‘commandeering’. For example, if
under 15 on d100 to make the check successfully. If a noble family owns a large manor house near a
the check is made, your Corruption score is lowered contested area, the regime may sequester it for use as
by d10 percentiles. If it is not made, the money a soldiers’ barracks.
expended is wasted.

202
 THE ART OF GOVERNING

Most property owners are annoyed by sequestering If the check fails, however, you lose 1d10 points of
and would rather not give up their property but Control and may not institute another inquisition for
the promise of the property’s return is a mitigating 3 months, owing to the backlash, confusion and loss
factor. A Control check must still be made to claim of credibility suffered by the regime.
the property but it is made at +30%; failure means
that the occupants or owners decide to go it alone
and rebel. This is a dangerous course of action, as a Advertise For Heroes And Promise
refusal to let your property be sequestered at time of Reward
war is tantamount to treason. Though sequestering is Many adventurers are familiar with this governing
unpopular it is still an important and accepted feature action from the opposite side. It is the recognised
of politics and warfare. and accepted means of getting an important job
done that cannot be undertaken by any normal
Any form of property may be sequestered, from a governmental office. For example, if there is a
fortress to a magical item to a ship. Those whose dragon ravaging the farmsteads on the outskirts of
property is destroyed or extensively damaged while one of your provinces, the regular soldiery cannot
it was sequestered are entitled to claim compensation be expected to deal with it. The abilities of a dragon
from the head of the regime, who is expected to are such that several high-level characters are much
provide it if he can. Failure to compensate a person better equipped to tackle it than a hundred low-level
or faction whose property has suffered or been lost characters.
altogether under your care is likely to cause severe
loss of goodwill and probably a bid at revolution. The amount of reward you offer will of course
depend upon the nature of the task and the calibre of
Institute An Inquisition the adventurers you seek to hire. The exact effects of
this action are left to the Games Master to determine,
This action may only be taken by regimes that have a
single official religion and do not tolerate others. It as they are campaign-related rather than mechanistic,
is particularly appropriate to theocracies, who often but we would recommend that a task of moderate
have an inquisition running as a standard institution difficulty should be rewarded by no less than 1,000
of government. While the inquisition is running, all gold pieces per character per experience level. The
instances of suspected heresy, worship of forbidden adventurers can always haggle for more, when they
gods, practise of witchcraft and suchlike taboo begin to arrive at your gates seeking work...
practices are relentlessly investigated and punished.
Whether such things are actually taking place within If the task is a popular one for which you have
the country or not, the effect of an inquisition is to offered a grand reward, you may find yourself
terrify the general populace into submission. snowed under with applicants. The best thing to
do in these circumstances is to arrange a set of
On any month on which you have an inquisition contests or trials by means of which you can weed
running, roll 1d20. On a roll of 1, an atrocity is out the less competent applicants and arrive at a final
committed and an evidently innocent person is shortlist from which you can select. If you make
consigned to the flames; one of your classes of these contests public, as any clever ruler would,
society, rolled randomly, loses a point of goodwill you can kill two birds with one stone and stage a
towards your regime. (The inquisition is capable public entertainment, for which see below. This
of burning innocent nobles at the stake as well as is especially useful if you are trying to take your
innocent peasants.) On a roll of natural 20, increase citizens’ minds off the problem that you are hiring the
your overall Control by 1d4; on any other result, adventurers to deal with in the first place.
increase your overall Control by 1%, to a maximum
of 95%. The inquisition costs 4,000 gp per month to You do not have to promise money, of course. As
maintain. head of the regime, you can add to the incentive by
promising power (see above), land, property or even
If your regime is sufficiently corrupt, you may the hand of some suitable person in marriage. In
attempt to have political enemies removed by the fact, the promise of marriage to a given individual is
inquisition on trumped-up charges of heresy. To almost always the promise of power in another guise;
do so is a governing action in itself. If you make a the lucky suitor is not just gaining a spouse, but the
successful Corruption check and expend 2,000 gold rank and title that goes with him or her.
pieces per level of the intended victim, you may have
him arrested by the inquisition and tried accordingly. By expending an extra 1,000 gold pieces on covert

203
THE ART OF GOVERNING

messages and recruitment, you can assemble a group

of adventurers for work more suited to the darker
side. These adventurers are not heroes performing
great works obviously for the public good but
are instead hired rogues, assassins and other such
scoundrels enlisted to do the head of the regime’s
dirty work for him. It is mutually understood that
no questions will be asked, nor will anything be
put down in writing. This is the option to take if
you want something stolen, burned to the ground or
kidnapped. Assassinations can also be handled in
this way, though it is easier to perform these through
your Chief of Intelligence as a covert governing
action, for which see below.

Overturn The Current Government

This action declares the former governmental system
null and void and establishes a new one. You may
use this action to change from a despotism into
a republic, from a monarchy to a magocracy, or
whatever other change you prefer. The transition
takes effect over the course of the next month, during
which time all Control checks are made at –20%
owing to the bureaucratic chaos that accompanies a
regime change.
are dealt with by legislative actions, for which see
In order to take this action, you must be in a position
above.
to do so and must take any additional actions that the
new regime would require. For example, if you are
changing from a monarchy to a despotism, you must Release These Prisoners
reject the established religion of the land, or at the Often done as a gesture of goodwill towards the
very least reject the Church that promotes it. If you common people by a strictly authoritarian regime,
are abolishing a republic and establishing some other such as an occupying power, this action orders the
form of government, you must deal somehow with release of one or more prisoners, usually those who
the Senate. In the latter case, various methods have have been arrested for insurrection or other political
been attempted in the past, including barricading activity. Each prisoner you release earns you one
them all into the building where they were meeting point of goodwill from the lower classes, at the cost
and declaring a military coup, buying them all off, of five points of Control and one point of negative
assassinating those that would not resign and (most goodwill from the upper classes. Once you take
cunning of all) persuading them to vote for their own this action, it cannot be taken again for six months,
‘temporary’ abolition on the grounds that a single because it has to be seen as an act of exceptional
powerful leader would be best for the regime right mercy in order to be effective; you may release
now. further prisoners if you like, but you receive only the
negative effects from doing so.
Police Actions
Police actions are operated through your Chief of Give The Police More Powers
Police or equivalent office; if the regime does not Ordinarily, the police force or city watchmen in a
have an established police force, the various watch given regime have limited powers. They cannot
patrols of the settlements and cities are employed simply break into a property and search it or detain a
instead. Police actions have to do with crime and suspected criminal without telling him with what he
its prevention and with the maintenance of public is being charged. By taking this governing action,
order. They also have to do with the incarceration you may increase the powers of the police, until they
of criminals, though they are not involved with the are essentially judge, jury and executioner all in one
making of the law, only its enforcement. Legal issues figure.

204
 THE ART OF GOVERNING

comes into contact with the individual depicted on

Giving the police moderate additional powers (e.g. the posters to make a Spot check at DC 15 in order to
freedom to detain prisoners without charge, the right recognise him as a wanted criminal. (If the artwork
to enter a property at will) increases your Control by on the Wanted posters is especially good, the Games
5% and lowers the goodwill of the lower classes by Master might allow them a circumstance bonus of
1. Giving them extensive additional powers (the right +2.)
to judge and execute a suspected criminal on the spot,
immunity from prosecution for actions committed in The person on the posters also suffers from a –2
the line of duty) increases Control by 10%, lowers circumstance penalty to any Disguise check he
the goodwill of the lower classes by 2 and lowers that attempts while in the region where the posters
of the middle classes by 1. have been distributed, as his image is all over the
place. Note that you must be able to commission an
accurate drawing of the person in order to use this
Issue An Amnesty Notice governing action at all. You cannot issue a Most
Amnesties are mainly to do with ownership and trade Wanted notice for someone whose appearance is
of illegal items. By proclaiming an amnesty, you unknown.
acknowledge the lawbreaking that is going on but
agree not to prosecute so long as the illegal items
are given up. For example, if you had banned the Civic Actions
lower classes from owning swords, you could have Civic actions are those that deal directly with
an amnesty in which illegal swords were handed in to the people and their environment. The officials
the police but their owners would not face arrest. responsible for carrying them out are your Minister
of Information, your Minister of Civic Works or your
An amnesty may only be carried out once every Minister of Religion. Civic actions are among the
year; if carried out more often than this, the amnesty most expensive, because they affect a large number
loses its force, because the citizens become used to of people at once and often require investment in
thinking of the items as less illegal than they actually permanent structures.
are.

To carry out an amnesty, make a Control check. If Hold A Public Festival

you fail, the amnesty is ignored; the people would It is an old, old adage of governing that if you give
rather keep to their lawless ways than co-operate with the people bread and circuses, they will be content
your regime. If you succeed, you gain 1d6 points of and you will be able to keep power over them
Control, plus one for every point of positive goodwill indefinitely. The bread has been covered in Chapter
held by any class of society in your regime. You 16, The Seedtime and the Harvest; this governing
may not raise your Control higher than 80% with an action takes care of the circuses.
amnesty.
A public festival can be held for any reason but
must have a centrepiece. Typical festivals are the
Issue ‘Most Wanted’ Notices birthday of the head of the regime, a crucial clash
This police action is your regime’s way of defining between rival sports teams or gladiatorial schools,
who its enemies are for the benefit of the public. You the appointed feast day of a God, the official holiday
may have ‘Wanted’ posters put up of anyone you of tradesmen, a celebration of the seasons, a feast to
wish. These will usually be common criminals who honour the bringing in of the harvest, the celebration
are especially notorious (such as a repeat burglar of the marriage of an important royal figure and a
or murderer) but may include political enemies as celebration in honour of a general’s achievements in
well, such as an exiled rival ruler who is rumoured the field. The essence of a festival is that the people
to have returned to your country, or a rabble-rousing can stop work for the day and celebrate, knowing that
cleric who is gathering members for a new cult to entertainments, food and intoxicants will be provided
undermine your leadership. by the regime.

‘Wanted’ posters are either copied out by hand or Holding a public festival costs a varying amount,
printed (if your regime has developed the technology depending on how much fun you want the population
of the printing press). They cost 1,000 gp per to have. You can spend from 100,000 gold pieces
individual per province covered. The effect of this to 500,000 gold pieces on festivals. Every 100,000
is to allow any person in any major settlement who gold pieces spent on a public festival grants you

205
THE ART OF GOVERNING

2 points of temporary goodwill from the lower and bring you success in an appropriate field. For
classes and 1 point of temporary goodwill from the example, you might choose to promote the worship
middle and upper classes. This goodwill only lasts of a war goddess shortly before leading your people
as long as the month in which the festival occurs. into a war, or the worship of a god of healing during
Many regimes that would otherwise suffer massive a time of recovery after a conflict.
insurrections at the hands of the oppressed people,
such as the majority of plutocracies, are able to stay Every 10,000 gold pieces you invest results in
in power by holding festival after festival, pouring the gain of one point of goodwill from a faction
the gold garnered by their unethical trade into public representing the followers of the deity in question. If
celebrations. the Games Master chooses, the deity itself may also
bless your kingdom in an appropriate manner. There
You may, at your own discretion, allow another are no set rules for calculating this, as the deities
person or faction to fund and organise a public are capricious and wont to act as they will, but a
festival. The goodwill generated is directed both good general rule is to allow members of the regime
towards your regime and their faction. This is a +1 sacred (or profane, if appropriate) bonus to
common practice in republics; some of the most skill checks made when they are engaged in activity
popular senators have no political or oratory ability, appropriate to the deity’s sphere. For example, if
but enjoy the love of the people because they have the a god of healing were being propitiated, he could
reputation for giving magnificent parties. confer a +1 divine bonus to all Heal checks made by
members of the regime that month. This is similar
to the Minister of Religion’s Public Ceremony
Promote The Worship Of This Deity ability but this action affects only the members and
This governing action can only be undertaken in a representatives of the regime, while Public Ceremony
regime that has no official religion; Monarchies and usually affects all citizens.
Theocracies cannot therefore use it. In promoting the
worship of a given deity, you sponsor the followers
of a particular religion in order that they might Invest In The Preservation Of Nature
gain more followers. You also seek to curry favour In the fantasy milieu, which is so similar to
with that deity, so that it will bless your kingdom mediaeval life so many ways, it is difficult to imagine
a need to preserve nature, yet from the point of view
of the druidic orders, any large town or city is too
much of an imbalance toward the artificial. Some
rulers have no particular regard for the balance,
tearing down what they need and burning it or
building with it as they see fit, laying waste to the
natural order in their expansionistic greed. Others
are more circumspect, if only to curry favour with the
druidic factions.

Investing in the preservation of nature is costly

but pays dividends if druids are a major part of the
campaign or a significant power in the province.
For every 15,000 gp you spend on city parks, tree
planting and other similar activities, you may
increase the goodwill of any druidic faction towards
your regime by one, to a maximum of five points of
goodwill.

Improve The Roads

The roads in your provinces will steadily deteriorate
if they are not kept maintained. See Chapter 12,
Governmental Game Mechanics. Poor quality roads
mean that your regime’s standards of communication
are substandard, your Council members function less
efficiently and that your military units travel slowly.

206
 THE ART OF GOVERNING

Regular maintenance is therefore an essential and

repairs can be made to undo the results of previous
Give A Public Address
For ordinary occasions, the Information Minister will
neglect. By expending 3,000 gp per province per handle communications between yourself and your
month, you can prevent the deterioration of the roads; public. There may however be some days on which
by spending 100,000 gp, you may raise the Roads it is appropriate for a more direct communication to
rating of a province by 1. You may raise your Roads be made; the eve of a battle, a moment of crisis, the
rating to its maximum of 3 all at once by expending anniversary of a great victory or disaster, the first day
enough money; however, this work takes six months of a new term in office or the midst of a riot. If you
to complete even if it is all paid for at once. are sufficiently brave and confident, you may address
your people directly rather than have other people do
Build A Structure For The People’s Use it for you. This is known as a public address.
As head of the regime, you have the executive power
to order the construction of buildings. Unlike the A public address has three possible applications. The
majority of stronghold builders in precedent chapters, first concerns the manipulation of goodwill. You
you only need to give the orders and the Minister may attempt to win support from a hostile crowd,
of Civic Works will take care of the remainder of or to bolster the support you already know is there.
the work for you, from planning the site and hiring This approach seeks to increase the goodwill of the
labourers to arranging the delivery of materials. people to whom you are speaking; such is the power
Simply withdraw the total cost of the construction of a public address that the increase in goodwill is
(labour and materials) from your treasury. considered to affect the whole regime in time, rather
than just the masses there assembled.
You may lower the cost of any structure by using
materials that you have bought at a lower price. See Alternatively, you may attempt to persuade your
Chapter 17, Trade and Taxation, for details on how to public that a certain point of view is right. This
claim cheap materials. does not have any bearing on goodwill but may shift
public opinion concerning third parties. For example,
There is no limit on the number of structures you you might address your public in order to persuade
may order to be built in a given month. However, them that a given historical figure was in fact a
these structures can only be completed at a maximum misunderstood saint rather than a villain.
rate of 1 week per 5,000 gold pieces in labour costs,
as this represents the optimum in available labour. Finally, you may use your public address to fire your
people’s spirits, giving them courage and loyalty in
At the Games Master’s discretion, building a the days to come. You may only use this last option
structure can have an influence upon your Control, if the people who you are addressing have zero or
corruption or goodwill ratings under suitable positive goodwill towards your regime.
circumstances. For example, you should not
automatically benefit from an increased Control To make a public address, you must succeed at a
rating just by building an empty fort in the middle Perform (oratory) or Diplomacy check. The DC is
of nowhere, but a fully staffed fort in a dangerous 15, plus the total negative goodwill towards your
border area could certainly have such an effect. regime of the crowd you are facing. The Games
Master should adjust this accordingly if you are
You may also gain goodwill by building a structure attempting to persuade the crowd that something
that the people of a given class want. Again, the they currently believe is wrong, such as an attempt to
Games Master must arbitrate this, but we recommend talk them out of thinking of the assassination of the
that at least a point of goodwill should result from former head of the regime as a good thing.
any action taken specifically to please a given faction.
This should apply to private factions as a rule and The crowd you address will almost always be made
very rarely to the whole class; influencing a whole up of the lower classes, though you may address a
class should only be possible if many such structures crowd made up of the middle or upper classes under
are built. For example, you could build a theatre in suitable circumstances, such as a demonstration
order to win the support of a group of disenchanted by angry merchants or a ball held in a nobleman’s
nobles, a set of stone wharves to allow a guild of mansion. If you fail the check by more than 10, you
merchants to dock their ships more safely, or a lose a point of goodwill from the appropriate class of
series of taverns across the land to bring cheer to the society and a riot immediately breaks out. Success
common people. means that the intended result takes place. This

207
THE ART OF GOVERNING

action may be used in conjunction with the Private people who formerly worked in your fields and farms
Secretary’s Write Impressive Speech ability. are now enlisted in your army, so be careful not to
depopulate your land. It costs you nothing to recruit
If you are aiming to gain goodwill, you have the new units, but you must pay their maintenance costs
option of going for permanent or temporary goodwill; for that month (see Chapter 18, Warfare) as soon as
you may garner one point of permanent, or a number they are created.
of points of temporary (lasting only for that month)
equal to your Charisma modifier.
Institute Mandatory Military Training
If you are attempting to talk the crowd around to This order institutes a programme of military practice
a particular point of view, success means they are for all able-bodied adults above a certain age. It
swayed; success by more than 10 means they are ensures that your population will produce as many
swayed with considerable force and may attempt warriors as possible. By spending 10,000 gold pieces
to act on what they have heard immediately. For a month, you can double the amount of warriors you
example, if you have persuaded them that the can recruit from your population in that month.
followers of a given god are in fact plotting against
the public good, an exceptional result will cause Lower The Age Of Conscription
the people to form lynch mobs and go rampaging This governing action lowers your working definition
through the streets looking for worshippers of the of what an able bodied adult warrior’s age is. Instead
hated god so that they can hang them. of young adults, you are recruiting warriors who are
barely into their teens, in order to swell your ranks.
If an attempt to boost the morale of the crowd is This allows you to recruit an additional number
successful, your rhetorical prowess confers upon of warriors equal to one twentieth of your Control
every person addressed (so long as they are on your rating; however, the heartbreak and loss caused by
side, of course) a morale bonus to all saving throws these actions lowers goodwill by 1 in the lower and
against fear effects for the next 24 hours equal to the middle classes.
Charisma modifier of the head of the regime. You
may use this ability to inspire troops on the field.
Decommission Units
If you decide that a unit of warriors or commoners
Military and Naval is no longer needed, you can dissolve the unit back
into the population. The number of men in the unit is
Actions added on to your current population for the province
These actions are passed down through your Captain in which they now find a home.
of Armies or Admiral of the Fleet. They cover all
of the strategic (as opposed to the tactical) decisions
that you, as the ultimate commander of your military Allow The Troops To Pillage A Region
forces, could be expected to make. The military This action may only be taken when you have forces
serve not only as the protectors of your land but as in enemy territory. The army is allowed to run amok,
your own governmental muscle. If you need to stamp treating the local population with complete contempt
down hard upon rebels or intervene in a situation and ransacking their houses and shops. This action
that has gone beyond the powers of the city watch to can not be taken by a regime head of good alignment.
handle, the army should be called in. The advantages of allowing pillaging are twofold.
You do not need to pay a maintenance cost for
any troops that are allowed to pillage, as they feed
Recruit New Units themselves and take plunder in lieu of pay. You also
This is the action used to swell the ranks of your have a flat 50% chance to give the enemy a –1 morale
armies with its most basic units, namely groups of penalty to all their morale checks in nearby combats,
warriors. On any given month, you may recruit into as rumours of your ruthlessness will have reached
your army a quantity of the population equal to one them. However, if they do not roll a morale penalty,
twentieth of your Control rating as warriors and a they will instead gain a morale bonus of +1 to their
number equal to your Control rating as commoners. morale checks, as they are filled with thoughts of
So, if you had a population of 2,000 and a Control revenge for their abused kinsmen.
rating of 60%, you could recruit 3% of 2,000 people
as warriors, a total of 60 warriors, in one month. This
sum is deducted from your population, as the same

208
 THE ART OF GOVERNING

the troops are keeping insurrection at bay, they are

not available for any other military activity.

Whether your attempt to curb insurrection is

successful or not, you lose 1 goodwill from the lower
classes purely for making the attempt in the first
place.

Deal With Monsters

If you are having trouble with single beasts or tribes
of monstrous humanoids ravaging the fringes of your
settlements, you can always send the army in to sort
the matter out. Any number of troops may be sent.
Such combats are either resolved privately by the
Games Master or played out using the Open Mass
Combat System, for which see Chapter 19. Units
that are sent to deal with monstrous threats are not
available to fight in other battles.

Commission War Machine

By means of this action, you order one or more
war machines to be built. You may either buy them
Close Off This Village/Town/City outright for the listed cost, or reduce the cost by
By means of this action, you effectively seal off a supplying part of the material for them yourself.
given settlement from the rest of the world. You Your regime must have experts of the appropriate
might do this to contain a plague, to prevent a level of skill in order to build them; otherwise, you
criminal from escaping who you knew to be in the will have to approach another regime and borrow an
settlement, or to contain a rebellion. expert of theirs, or buy the machine from them. See
Chapter 18, Warfare, for the building requirements of
To close off a city, you must send 100 troops for each war machine and Chapter 19, The Open Mass
every 1,000 people living in the settlement. While Combat System, for the battle statistics of the various
the city is sealed off, nobody can enter or leave by the war machines.
usual routes without encountering a patrol.

Curb Insurrection Covert Actions

Covert actions are your regime’s dirty work. They
If you have just failed your monthly Control check
involve bucking the law completely. A regime
and lost more than three points of your Control
may not take covert actions unless it already has a
rating, so that you now have a settlement in uproar on
Corruption rating of at least 15%, as covert actions
your hands, you may attempt to regain it by sending
depend upon the ability to buy people off and thus
in the troops. You may dispatch any number of
cover your tracks. They are usually relayed through
your troops to keep order in a given settlement. You
your Minister of Intelligence. Covert actions cost a
may attempt a second Control check at your current
base of 1,000 gp to enact; individual actions may cost
rating plus 1% for every 100 troops you send in, to a
more.
maximum additional Control of 20%. Success means
that the Control you just lost is regained; failure
means that you lose a further 1d4 points of control, Have This Person Assassinated
which may lead to other settlements rebelling. If the Political assassination is a very common tool of
city has been closed off (see above) as well as having the dictator. If someone is causing you difficulties,
had troops sent in to curb insurrection, any additional why bother to spend money in bribes or take the
lost Control from the failure of this check does not trouble to placate him when you could have him
lead to more rebellious settlements. quietly removed? With this action, you may target
anyone within your provinces. If your Minister of
You may attempt to curb insurrection again with the Intelligence has gotten agents in place overseas in
same troops (or send more) once per week. While other regimes by means of his infiltration ability, you

209
THE ART OF GOVERNING

may attempt to have people over there assassinated by more than 5 means that the agent was captured,
as well. which almost certainly means interrogation and the
discovery of who the paymaster was.
This action should never be used to dispose of a
player character. If the assassination of a player is Suitable circumstance modifiers should definitely
ordered either by another player or by the non-player apply when making the check. The competence of
character head of a regime, the assassination attempt the assassin, the accessibility of the victim and the
should be played out in real time. The same applies availability of poisons should all influence the roll.
if someone attempts to assassinate a figure under the The Games Master must arbitrate this as necessary.
players’ protection. If the assassination is taking place in territory other
than your own, a circumstance penalty of –4 applies
Political assassination checks are made as follows. automatically, as it is much harder to arrange an
Make an opposed check, setting the total rogue assassination on foreign land.
and assassin levels of the person masterminding
the assassination (almost always the Minister of If your assassination attempt uses any character
Intelligence) plus his Intelligence modifier against the class that cannot make a death attack, then the
overall level of the intended victim plus his Wisdom assassination check is made at a –4 circumstance
modifier. penalty. In this way, you may avoid using assassins.

Success by more than 5 means that the assassination Assassination orders using the assassin character
is carried out, leaving no trace. Success by less class may not be given by good regime heads, nor by
than 5 means that the assassination was successful neutral ones unless the Games Master rules that the
but some clue to the party responsible was left; the situation justifies it, such as in the assassination of a
assassin was seen, evidence was left at the site, or a hated oppressor. An assassination costs 1,000 gold
trail was left. The Games Master should determine pieces per level of the target up to 5th level, 2,000
the facts appropriately. gold pieces per level up to 10th level and 3,000 gold
pieces per level beyond that. This sum must be paid
Failure by less than 5 means that the assassination whether or not the attempt is successful.
failed but the agent was not discovered. Failure
Have This Person Embroiled In Scandal
This action is usually used when you want to
destroy someone’s reputation and standing in society
without actually landing them in trouble with the
law. Scandals are outrages against common morality
and standards of decency, not against the regime’s
code of laws. By means of this action, you might
arrange for a pious cleric to be caught in bed with a
prostitute, a stalwart general to be seen as a corruptor
of young cadets or a public hero to suddenly have the
reputation of being a drunkard and wife-beater.

You may also use this action to have someone framed

for a crime. This is much more serious, as it could
lead to them being imprisoned or even executed.
Again, suitable circumstance modifiers should
apply; it should be much more difficult to make an
accusation of corruption stick to a cleric of a good
deity than to a merchant trading in foreign goods.

Scandal checks are made in exactly the same way as

assassination checks. They cost less, with a fee of
1,000 gold pieces per level of the target character.

210
 THE SEEDTIME & THE HARVEST

The Seedtime or producing raw foodstuffs, such as by sowing a

field of wheat or tending to the livestock. Processing
materials is more lucrative, but not by much. Millers

and the grind the corn that farmers grow, tanners turn hides
into leather and charcoal burners smoke the wood
down into charcoal.

Harvest Those that use their Craft skills to produce

crafted resources are usually the most well-off of

I
n this section, we look at those people whose commoners. They are producing finished goods
hard work provides you with a kingdom to rule for sale, which means that they reap the full value
over, namely the population of your kingdom; of the materials that others have worked hard to
we focus especially on the work they do to fill the provide. However, a commoner with a Craft skill
stomachs of everyone in the land, from the poorest to that is not in demand is the least fortunate of all.
the richest. The people have to be protected, watched Many commoners spend their whole lives developing
over and kept happy if your power over them is to a single Craft skill. If the source of materials dries
last. Your population provide you with resources, pay up, or the governing regime decides that it no longer
you tax money and some of them act as your soldiery wants to produce a given kind of resource, then the
in times of war. Without them, your nation is nothing labouring men and women are left without useful
but earth and rocks. work to do.

The Common People Population Growth

The population of a province includes all sectors of The population of your province will naturally
society. The vast majority of the population will be grow over time, slowly and steadily. Every year,
‘commoners’, these being tradesmen, labourers and a population growth roll must be made. Your
other workers. Commoners do not usually own the population increases by its current amount divided
land on which they live. They pay rent to a local by 20 (rounded down) and multiplied by 1d4. So,
lord. They may, however, own the houses in which if you had a population of 2,000 and rolled 2, your
they live. Commoners can spend their whole lives in population would increase by 200. This assumes
one area, never travelling further afield than the next human levels of reproduction. Provinces with a high
town along; maybe once in their life they visit a large level of elven population would make a population
city, just to say that they have been. growth check every ten years instead of every year.
Halflings, if rumours are to be believed, would need
Commoners may own their own dwelling places, to make a population growth check every six months.
passing them down from parent to child. In some
regimes, they are not even considered to be the This population growth check represents the net
owners of their houses. increase to your population. It assumes that deaths
from natural causes will have taken place. Some
Depending on the wealth of the region, commoners events can cause accelerated population loss, such as
may be better or worse off. If a region produces starvation, warfare and plague. All of these are dealt
many resources of a worked or fine quality and with later in this chapter.
is thus rich, the commoners may be healthy and
prosperous. However, if the tax rate is set at a
high level, the region may still be wealthy but the Food Production
commoners will not see any of it, as the rich see to Food production works slightly differently from other
it that the taxes come out of the pockets of the poor resources. Most resources used in food production
before the rich have to produce anything. are seasonal. Crops that are seasonal resources must
be harvested at a given time of year. The net effect
Most commoners are used to their lot and are content of this is that in the winter months, no seasonal
so long as they are fairly treated. They perform the resources are available, so food must be found
bulk of the work in the province, according to their in other ways. Winter counts as the game world
Profession or Craft skills. The closer to the earth equivalent of November, December, January and
you are, the poorer you are likely to be. The lowest February.
paid work is that which involves extracting raw
materials from the land, such as mining or quarrying,

211
THE SEEDTIME & THE HARVEST

Some resources count as ‘food’ in their raw state, one seasonal resource in the province by one,
such as nuts and fruits. They can be consumed as permanently.
soon as they are gathered. Others, such as grain
or livestock, have to be processed before they are † Careful weather management, from weekly
considered ‘food’. Grain has to be threshed and control weather spells cast all across the province,
cattle slaughtered before either can be eaten. can optimise crop growth. If a province is
fortunate enough to have sufficient spellcasters
to achieve this, the result is an increase of +2 to
Variations in Food Production the amount of seasonal resources of all kinds
There are many variables that can influence the produced in the province in a given month. This
quantity of food that a province produces in a given can carry on from month to month, so long as the
month. The following are some of the most common spells are still being cast.
influences and their consequences.
† Land that has been pillaged and burned by an
† If druids or rangers have an arrangement to cast invading army has its crop productivity reduced
plant growth upon the majority of the fields in by a percentage equal to 1d6+4 multiplied by 10,
a province for one month of the year, then the rounding down. Invaders will often destroy crops
number of units of seasonal resource of all kinds in order to starve those inside strongholds into
produced in the province is increased by one for surrendering.
the remainder of the year, though the seasonal
resources are still unavailable in winter. Similarly,
if for any reason diminish plants is being cast Food Storage
upon the majority of the fields, the number of If the population has the wherewithal to produce
units of seasonal resource is reduced by one. ‘stored food’ units, such as dried fruit, or if it
produces resources that may be stored and then
† If the Games Master wishes to determine harvests turned into food, such as grain, then it may store food
randomly, then roll 1d6 at the start of the year. On up against lean times. Food must be converted into
a roll of 1, the yield is especially poor that year, ‘stored food’ that same month, be sold or be eaten, or
producing one less unit of food than usual every it will go to waste.
month. On a roll of 6, the yield is particularly
rich, yielding one extra unit of food every month Storing food requires the proper facilities. Most
for the whole year. stored food is kept in the houses of the people who
will be consuming it; 2 units of stored food may be
† Long periods without rain during the spring and kept in this way per 1,000 people in the province.
summer months reduce the productivity of a Every granary in the kingdom (see Chapter 5) can
province. A drought lasting one month halves store two units of grain. A stronghold with large
the number of seasonal resources produced storerooms can store up to 8 units of food. If a
that month, while a drought lasting two months kingdom has sold all its food earlier in the year, it
reduces the number to one quarter, rounded will be in trouble when the winter months come.
down and reduces the number of animal
resources (such as livestock and sheep)
produced that month to half, as animals
begin to die. A drought that lasts longer
than two months reduces the region’s
productivity of seasonal resources to one,
and then to zero on the next month; if the
rains come, the region’s productivity is
restored back to its original level at the
rate of one point per month in which rain
falls.

† Proper irrigation and land management

techniques can increase the fertility
of a region’s fields. Every 50,000 gp
invested by the regime in improving the
region’s farmland increases the yield of

212
 THE SEEDTIME & THE HARVEST

Stored foods cannot all be kept indefinitely. Meat-

based stored foods (salted meat) can be kept for
Starvation
If the population of the province do not have enough
a maximum of four months before they become food to eat, they begin to starve. At the start of any
inedible. It is therefore important to keep some month in which the population has insufficient food,
animals as a food supply and not slaughter them for roll 1d4 plus 1 for every unit of food by which the
salted meat until the winter months are almost upon population is short of the required amount. The
you. result multiplied by 100 is the number of people who
die from starvation in that month. On subsequent
Deprecation of Food Reserves months, if there is still insufficient food, add 2 to the
Even stored-up food may be lost to rats, damp, and roll for every month that there has been insufficient
monstrous pests such as oozes or giant vermin. Grain food, as the long-term and secondary effects of
kept in proper granaries is safe, as is food stored in malnutrition catch up with the populace. Dwarves
strongholds. However, food stored domestically and gnomes are naturally more hardy than other
is at risk. Every month, roll 1d6 to check for food races, having a racial bonus to their Constitution
deterioration; on a roll of 1, reduce the number ability scores and a large amount of fat stored under
of stored food resources of a given kind by 10%, their skin. Provinces in which the majority of the
rounding down. population are dwarves or gnomes therefore deduct
1 from the roll to find out how many die from
starvation.
Emergency Slaughtering
If food is urgently needed, animal resources like
sheep or livestock may have more of their number Fire
culled than would ordinarily be permitted by the If a settlement is devastated by fire, whether this is
principles of farming. For every unit of permanent from arson, dragon breath or from a natural hazard,
production that is removed from the province’s then reduce its overall population by 5d10 per cent
resources, five units of animal resource may be added and deduct this from the province’s total population.
to the province’s yield for that month. For example, If the settlement is situated next to the sea or is on
if your province ordinarily produced 4 units of sheep a river, then reduce the population by only 3d10 per
per month, you could gain five extra units of sheep cent, to take account of the availability of water for
that month by reducing your productivity to 3 units fighting the fire. Sometimes, invading armies will put
of sheep per month thereafter. This represents the settlements to the torch, as an act of terror or simply
slaughter of the core stock for short-term gain. because they do not have the manpower to plunder it.

Food Consumption Plague

A province requires one unit of food per 1,000 people Plague strikes one settlement at a time, causing
per month. This is the minimum amount necessary agony and death. It is usually brought into a province
to keep everybody in the region alive and healthy. from overseas. A settlement is at risk from plague
Resources that are turned into food and eaten are not either when the Games Master, by an act of fiat,
counted towards the region’s wealth for tax purposes. decides that it is, or when enemy forces deliberately
Surplus food may either be sold (i.e. counted as part introduce plague into the nation. Some monsters
of the region’s wealth for tax purposes) or, where can cause plagues by getting into the food or water
applicable, turned into stored food and packed away supply. Otyughs in the sewers or zombies in the
against time of want. drinking water pipes are very likely causes of plague.

Plague begins when one settlement becomes

Causes of Population infected. An infected settlement loses one third of its
population in the course of the month, after which the
Loss plague is burned out. Those who were going to die
So long as they are kept fed, the population will have died, while those who are naturally immune will
increase steadily. Unfortunately, life is rarely as have survived and others will have fled the area, to
simple as that. There are several kinds of disaster return once the plague has gone. A cleric able to cast
that may befall a province, some natural, some cure disease may prevent the loss of one life per day
engineered. Each of them erodes the population in a per cure disease spell he is able to cast in a day, so
different way. long as he does nothing else.

213
THE SEEDTIME & THE HARVEST

All other settlements within 20 miles

of the infected settlement must make
resistance checks to avoid succumbing to
the plague themselves; if they fail, they
contract the plague at the start of the next
month. A resistance check is made by
rolling a single d20 against a DC of 12;
this is effectively a communal Fortitude
saving throw made in order to resist
contracting the plague. Settlements where
the majority of the population has a racial
bonus or penalty to their Constitution
ability score apply the appropriate modifier
to their resistance check. In addition,
any settlement that has a source of fresh
drinking water, such as a mountain spring,
receives a +2 bonus to its resistance check.
months. If a raid takes place, roll 1d6 again. On
Sealing the infected settlement off as soon as the any other roll than a 1, assume that raids reduce the
news of its infection reaches the regime may contain settlement’s population by 2d8 that month. A roll
the plague. It has a straight 50% chance of nipping of 1 indicates that the humanoids have attempted
the plague in the bud, preventing any further outbreak an invasion. Roll 10d6; if the result is greater than
in nearby settlements. However, this action has the total remaining population of the settlement,
a terrible cost. Instead of losing one third of its then it has been overrun and obliterated completely.
population to the plague, the settlement loses nine- Otherwise, divide the result by half and reduce the
tenths of its population, as citizens cannot escape (a population by that much.
sealed off settlement allows nobody in or out) and are
much more likely to become infected. A settlement that suffers repeated attacks from
monsters may be abandoned by the inhabitants.
The Minister of Health can take precautions to avoid Assume a flat 20% chance every month that the
the onset of plague; see Chapter 14, The Power inhabitants will simply pack up and leave rather
Structure. than suffering continued attacks, increasing to 40%
if repeated monster attacks reduce the settlement’s
population to less than half what it originally was. If
Wartime the settlement is abandoned, divide up its population
Invading armies often ransack the land in order to among the nearby towns and villages.
cow the local population. Massacres are sadly all
too common. If an invading army has been given A settlement besieged by monsters can be relieved if
permission to terrorize the locals, assume that the adventurers or warriors are sent to enter the badlands
total population of the province drops by 5d20 every and wipe the monsters out. This is best resolved
month in addition to any other population erosion using the Open Mass Combat System (see Chapter
from other activities (such as fire). This represents 19, Warfare).
the slaughter of commoners who resist, starvation
from the invaders’ taking the food stores and A single large monster, such as a dragon, attacks
prisoners taken captive and forced to serve as slaves in much the same way as a band of humanoids;
or concubines. however, it will not attempt an invasion. In the case
of dragons, those that can breathe fire will often
Monsters incinerate settlements (see Fire above) and their
Settlements built close to bad lands, where monstrous Frightful Presence ability means that the settlement’s
humanoids dwell, are at risk from attack if they are occupants are 30% more likely to abandon the place
not defended by a border fort, keep, city wall or rather than face destruction. Single creatures will,
similar fortification. A band of such creatures (orcs however, not attempt invasion, as they are interested
or hobgoblins, for example) has a 1 in 6 chance in occasional feedings and creating carnage rather
of raiding such a settlement in any given month; than taking land for themselves.
this goes up to a 2 in 6 chance during the summer

214
 TRADE & TAXATION

Trade and If you are buying resources, you may factor in

their value as part of the province’s wealth, but the
amount that you pay for them is deducted from the

Taxation province’s wealth for that round. You may also pay
for them out of your regime’s treasury if the province
has no money left. The best way to make a profit

A
ll regimes need money. Without cash in the on resources that you have bought is to increase
treasury, you cannot pay your armed forces, their value by working on them. For example, if
maintain your buildings or improve the you buy three units of worked metal (ingots) from a
quality of your land. There are two principal ways neighbouring country and you have the wherewithal
of making more money. You can use your land’s to produce worked metal goods, you can increase
resources as bartering chips, selling them to other their value from 18,000 gp to 27,000 gp by working
nations for coin or trading like for like; or you can on them, meaning that you could turn a profit and
take the money out of your citizens’ hands with a tax thus increase the wealth of the province even if you
system. paid thousands more in gold than the metal was
worth. You may purchase resources that you have
Trading With Other bought from another nation at half price for your own
use, but if you do so then you may not count their
Regimes value towards the region’s wealth.
Resources are not distributed across the game world
in an orderly manner. It frequently happens that There are no rules governing what the other regime
one regime has control of what another regime should offer you for your goods. You may make
needs. Provinces with a good deal of marshland whatever arrangement you wish. Similarly, when a
are not likely to produce any stone, meaning that all foreign regime approaches you and offers to sell you
buildings will be made of wood unless a source of goods, you are not obliged to accept. International
stone can be found from a neighbouring nation. A haggling is part of the way politics work.
regime with food reserves can make a fortune selling
them to a regime that cannot feed its own citizens. Most regimes prefer to trade in goods rather than in
coin. This way, one nation does not necessarily profit
The procedure for trading resources is very simple. at the expense of another. Again, there are no rules
You make an agreement with the other nation that to govern what should be offered. You may trade
you will supply it with a certain number of units multiple units of one item for single units of another;
of resource per month. The other nation agrees to you may even make ongoing deals in which several
give you something in exchange. This will either be different items are thrown in as a package. Some
money or a number of units of a different resource. primitive nations can be gulled for generations by
The trading does not take effect until the next month, larger ones into supplying valuable leather, furs or
as resources take some time to mobilise. horseflesh in exchange for wondrous-seeming metal
weapons.
If you are paid with money, then the amount that you
are paid (rather than the inherent value) is treated Trade Routes and Hazards
as the value of the traded units for purposes of As soon as you have made a trade agreement with
calculating the region’s wealth. It is therefore part of another nation, you must specify the trade route that
the philosophy of trade that the other nation should the resources will follow to reach you. There are
pay you more than the goods would be worth if they some basic rules governing this. The trade route
stayed at home. For example, if you were selling one must link one of your settlements with one of the
unit of worked hive products to a neighbour nation other nation’s settlements. It must pass through areas
for 15,000 gp, then that is the sum you would add in where travel is possible, avoiding such obstacles
to find the region’s wealth, rather than its base value as marshland, forest and mountains. (If there is a
of 12,000 gp. The proceeds from the resource’s sale clear route cut through any of these, then the trade
do not go into the regime’s treasury. The advantage route may pass through them.) It cannot pass over
of this method is that the wealth of the region is sea unless one of the nations has ships available
increased, meaning that there is more money for you and the trade route passes through sea ports. Once
to tax. You may not buy units of resource already established, all shipments of resources follow the
pledged for trade for half price; they are already trade route. You may have multiple trade routes for
spoken for. the different resources you supply, if it would make

215
TRADE & TAXATION

logical sense to do so and the Games

Master gives assent.

Trade routes are a vulnerable area for both

nations. Enemy forces can learn where
they are and mount attacks upon caravans
and shipping convoys; brigands and pirates
can make raids by land and sea to carry off
your precious merchandise. The better the
condition of your road network, the more
secure your shipments will be.

Every month, you must make a piracy

check, handled as follows. Roll 1d20 per
established trade route to find out whether
there has been any disruption to trade. On
a roll of 3 or lower, there has been a raid.
The cargo being transported from the other
nation to yours or vice versa has been
stolen. Roll 1d6 to find out which direction
the cargo was heading in: on a 1-3, it was
your contribution and on a 4-6 it was that
of the other nation.

Loss of a cargo can cause furious

altercations. The other nation has no way
of ensuring the money that you claim
you sent in exchange for their resources
was ever really there. Such disputes
are exacerbated if one nation has taken
precautions to ensure the safety of the trade
route that the other nation has not. Unless
you have a system in place that allocates
if your nation had a Roads rating of +1 and the
responsibility to either one side or the other, you
other nation had a Roads rating of –2, you would
are going to find yourself losing friends quickly if
subtract 1 from the roll.
cargoes go missing too often.
† If the trade route passes directly from your nation
Politicians being what they are, dirty schemes do
into the other nation, i.e. there is only a political
take place. It is not uncommon for an alleged ‘pirate’
border dividing the two territories, then add 4 to
to be in the pay of a bent official, who is profiting
the roll.
from staged raids on outgoing ships. In such an
arrangement, the resources received are paid for (or
† War is no respecter of private property. If the
the reciprocal resources sent) but the ships never
trade route passes through territory where war is
reach their destination. They are captured, sailed
being waged, subtract 2 from the roll.
to a nearby cove and their cargoes returned to the
point of origin. The witnesses tell a tale of piracy
† You must ensure that your trade routes pass over
and the other nation is left empty-handed, robbed by
as much friendly territory as possible. If the trade
an unknown adversary that nobody can do anything
route passes over land controlled by a regime to
about.
which you are not allied, subtract 2 from the roll;
if the regime is actively hostile, subtract 4.
The following modifiers apply to the piracy check:
† Precautions can be taken if there are soldiers or
† The Roads rating of each nation is added to
escort ships to spare. If either nation has assigned
the d20 roll, representing the ease with which
ships or soldiers to protect the trade routes (see
inland transportation can operate. For example,
Chapter 15, The Art of Governing) then make the

216
 TRADE & TAXATION

appropriate modifiers to the roll as dictated by the † If all the settlements through which the trade route
governing action. passes have city walls or similar fortifications, add
2.
† If the trade route runs over sea and an enemy
nation is actively preying on your shipping, such † It is safer if a trading caravan can rest overnight in
as by issuing letters of marque and allowing a settlement. Add 1 for every settlement through
privateers to harass you, deduct 4. which the trade route passes.

† If the trade route passes through bad lands, such

as borderlands where humanoid monsters dwell, Taxes
subtract 4 unless there are border forts in place, in As head of the regime, you may set the taxes that will
which case subtract 1. be collected. Whenever you change the tax rate, the
change will take effect at the start of the next month.
† Deserts take a harsh toll on beasts of burden Tax is inevitable; nobody likes it but everyone
and on people. If the trade route passes through accepts that it has to happen if there is going to be
desert, subtract 1. any kind of a centralised government at all. There
is no such thing as a popular tax, though if you keep
your taxes low they will not arouse quite so much
ire as otherwise. Of course, low taxes means less
in the treasury to stave off invaders when they come
calling...

Any tax that you place will inconvenience

some members of your society more than
others. There is no such thing as a single
socially fair tax, nor are there any taxes
that everyone will be happy about. As a
very wise man once said, you cannot please
all of the people all of the time. You must
therefore be very careful when placing new
taxes or raising the rate of old ones that you
do not alienate those on whose goodwill you
depend. As with other actions that influence
relationships between factions, goodwill
reductions applying to one class affect all
factions that count themselves as part of that
class. For example, if you impose a property
tax, the Noble Knights of Chrysanthia (a
faction belonging to the noble class) will be
just as furious about it as those less influential
nobles who do little more than drink wine,
play chess and exploit the peasants.

It is possible to avoid alienating too many people by

placing several different taxes, each one intended to
squeeze one sector of society slightly. This is a more
fair and just method than exploiting one particular
class.

Every tax has a percentage rating. When all of your

taxes are in place, you add the ratings together; the
result is the percentage of each province’s wealth
that is taken and placed in your coffers. No one tax
may ever be set higher than 20%, as it is assumed
that there is not the money available to cover it.

217
TRADE & TAXATION

The amount of tax money you actually receive is

dependent upon your degree of Control. If your
Sales Tax
Sales tax is a means of extracting money from the
regime’s control is not absolute, which it can never sale of goods over the counter. For example, instead
be, then it is impossible to avoid some amount of tax of paying ten gold pieces for a flask of acid, you
money going missing. See the section on Lost Tax could end up paying twelve; ten for the acid and two
Revenue below. in sales tax. It is the merchant’s responsibility to pass
all collected sales tax on to the tax collectors at the
Lost Tax Revenue due date. Sales tax at low levels is barely noticed. At
Not all of your tax revenue will make it back to the high levels it causes serious economic problems. If
treasury. Some will inevitably be lost. It may have nobody wants to buy goods because the sales tax has
been stolen by your appointed tax collectors, refused pushed the price too high, merchants cannot cover
at the point of collection or intercepted by brigands their costs and so have to put prices up even more
and redistributed. The only way to cut back on this is just to break even.
to tighten the grip your regime has over the populace.
Sales tax is a headache for merchants, because
Every month, you only receive a quantity of money it makes their goods less appealing. It is also
in taxes equal to your Control percentage rating unpopular with the commoners, because goods that
multiplied by the amount you should be receiving. they need to survive are more expensive. It is said
So, if you had a Control percentage of 89% and your that sales tax ‘takes the bread out of the children’s
tax revenue was 100,000 gp, you would only receive mouths’.
89,000 gp that month. Corruption does not affect the
amount of tax revenue you receive. Placing a sales tax at all lowers the goodwill of the
middle classes by one. For every 5% of sales tax
Note that any goodwill modifiers applied to the placed, lower the goodwill of the middle classes and
factions are still valid, even if you do not receive the associated factions by a further one point; lower the
full amount of money you ought to be getting. If goodwill of the lower classes by one point for every
your regime begins to spiral out of control, you may 10% placed. So, a sales tax of 15% would lower the
find that your commoners are revolting because of goodwill of the middle classes by four and that of the
oppressively high taxes, yet precious few of these working classes by one.
taxes are finding their way into the regime’s treasury!
Customs Duty
Poll Tax Customs duty is a form of tax imposed upon goods
A poll tax is a very unpopular measure, usually brought in from overseas. It is placed in order to
enacted in order to raise funds fast. Every single make money out of those who buy cheap goods
person in the regime is required to pay the same elsewhere and sell them in the home regime at a
amount. This may seem fair enough on the face profit. This tax can only be imposed upon a province
of it but the problem is the variant abilities of the that has trading relations with other nations. It
different classes to pay such a sum. A poll tax of cannot be raised higher than 10%, as overseas trade is
five gold pieces is a trifling amount to any noble and not a major source of income.
to most merchants, but could feed a peasant family
for a month. Enacting a poll tax can be fatal for a Customs duty is unpopular with all classes of society.
government, depending on how demoralised the The poor cannot get their cheap foreign ale and
lower classes are. If the common people are kept in tobacco, the merchants lose their profits and the
their place and are suitably cowed, you can raise a nobles have to pay extra for their luxuries, which are
goodly sum with a poll tax. rare enough at the best of times. The unpopularity of
customs duty is such that special smuggling rings are
Placing a poll tax at all lowers the goodwill of the set up purely to circumvent it.
lower classes by one. For every 5% of poll tax
placed, lower the goodwill of the lower classes and For every 3% of customs duty placed, lower the
associated factions by a further point. goodwill of upper, middle and lower classes by one.
If there is a faction of sailors or merchant seamen in
the province, apply the same lowering of goodwill
to them, as customs duty cuts directly into their
earnings.

218
 TRADE & TAXATION

Property Tax the goodwill of the upper classes by four and that of
the middle classes by one.
Property tax affects only those who own buildings.
The larger the building, the more tax the owner is
obliged to pay. There are various ways of calculating Rent Duty
how the size of building relates to the amount, the All landowners charge tenants rent, whether they
most workable being the ‘window tax’ which charges own the land by inheritance (as in the case of most
a set amount for each window in the property. nobles) or by personal effort (as in the case of most
merchants). Rent duty is the amount taken from the
Since the majority of commoners are tenant farmers rent that a landowner charges a tenant. In societies
who do not own their own homes, or who own in which the head of the regime is the overall owner
only very small buildings if they own any, it does of the land, it is understood that all rent is the
not affect them very much. Merchants may own rightful property of the regime head but that the local
their business premises and a home, so they are governors may keep some of it for their own use.
tangentially affected; but it is the nobles who are Rent duty is the commonest form of tax in simple
most outraged by property tax. Nobles, as a rule, live monarchies and in despotisms.
in large estates and their houses have many windows.
Asking a noble to pay property taxes is essentially Rent duty of up to 5% incurs no ill will, as it
asking him to pay money to live in the home that was is expected. If it is increased beyond that, the
his father’s and his grandfather’s before him. landowners will simply increase the rent paid by the
tenants in order to make up the extra. This makes for
Placing a property tax at all lowers the goodwill of angry tenants, which in turn causes problems for the
the upper classes by one. For every 5% of property landowner. Every 5% of rent duty imposed past the
tax placed, lower the goodwill of the upper classes first 5% lowers the goodwill of the lower classes by
and associated factions by a further one point; lower one.
the goodwill of the middle classes by one for every
10% placed. So, a property tax of 15% would lower

219
TRADE & TAXATION

Road Tax ongoing taxes but one-off charges, levelled in order

to pay for a given thing. This can be anything from
It is commonplace to charge a tax for the use of the
roads, the money from which is intended to keep the monarch’s gambling debts to the ransom of a
them in good repair. Road tax is usually collected much-loved public figure to the protection money
by means of toll gates. Upon reaching a toll gate demanded by a powerful sorcerer who will invade if
that can bar your progress, such as the bridge across he does not receive it.
a river, you are obliged to pay a toll if you wish
to travel on. This toll applies irrespective of your A special levy generates 1 automatic point of ill will
personal wealth, so it is more inconvenient for the (taken from the goodwill rating of the appropriate
poorer classes than the richer ones. It cannot be faction) plus an additional one point per 3% of
raised above 6%, as the roads can generate only so taxation imposed. This is a lasting loss; the goodwill
much revenue per month. is not recovered in the subsequent months. You must
apply the ill will to one class of society, to represent
Every 3% of road tax imposed lowers the goodwill of the people you are taxing with your special levy. It is
the lower and middle classes and associated factions up to you who you target with your special levy.
by one. If there are any bardic factions in the
province, the same applies to their goodwill rating, as Treasure Tax
their free wandering ways are opposed in principle to Treasure taxes work on a completely different
the tollbooth system. basis to all other taxes. They do not contribute a
percentage to the overall tax rate. Instead, a levy is
Luxury Tax charged on all money, jewels, magic items and other
objects of value that are discovered in underground
An effective way to raise tax money is to charge
people extra for items that are not considered to be locations, dungeons, tombs, caves or similar
essentials of life. In this way, you can always tell environments. The treasure tax applies whether the
your critics that you are leaving people with the finder has won the treasure from a dragon or simply
important things in life, such as food and shelter, found it buried in your back yard. As head of the
untouched. (Some of the more austere religious regime, you must stipulate what percentage of the
regimes also make a case for luxury taxes being good value of a given haul is to be given up as tax. Anyone
for the soul, as they make it harder for people to buy who takes part in a conventional dungeon adventure
the appurtenances of a life of hedonism.) Luxury and comes out with any treasure will be expected to
items also tend to be relatively expensive, so there is give over the required amount or face the penalty you
a lot of money there that can be taxed. have laid down.

A luxury tax is a special kind of sales tax paid only The effects of a treasure tax are to be determined by
on certain kinds of product. Usually, only one or the Games Master, based on the amount of treasure-
two products are designated as luxuries; these will hunting and questing that goes on in the province.
typically be such things as tobacco, wine, beer, We recommend that the treasure tax simply yield
narcotics or chocolate. You may have luxury taxes 1d6x100 gold pieces per percentage of tax rate, with
and sales taxes in place simultaneously. the negative consequences being the enmity of just
about every adventuring party that passes through the
Rich and poor alike hate luxury taxes. The poor are area. Most adventurers will be naturally reluctant to
denied some of their few pleasures in life, such as a give up anything in tax, so a regime that insists upon
stoup of wine and a pipe of tobacco, the merchants collecting a treasure tax is likely to be extremely
consider luxury taxes to be almost as bad as sales unpopular with the members of that profession. It
taxes, while the upper classes are forced to pay extra does, however, make sense for such a tax to be in
for their dainties. Every 5% of luxury tax lowers place. The governor of a province and the head of
goodwill by one for upper, middle and lower classes. the regime above him do have a rightful claim on
riches found in their territory and they would be
stupid to ignore such an important source of revenue.
Special Levy
Sometimes, you will need to raise money just by
demanding it in the public interest. A special levy
is only resorted to as an extreme measure. It is
the closest thing to an ‘income tax’ known in the
fantasy game environment. Special levies are not

220
 WARFARE

Warfare If you wish to send it into battle, you must move it

appropriately.

W
aging war is an inevitable consequence of Your regime can only produce a limited amount of
holding territory. Almost all lands were able-bodied warriors from amongst its own ranks.
won by the sword at some distant time If you have no further potential warriors available,
in the past and it is by the sword that they must be you may only recruit commoner units. To do this,
kept. Some regimes defend themselves by keeping deduct as many people from the population as you
standing armies, while others rely upon mercenary wish and form them into a unit. Bear in mind that
warriors or trust to the common people to act as a commoners are not efficient combatants. This tactic
defensive force. should be used only as a last resort.

This chapter does not deal with the business of

combat; for that, turn to Chapter 19, The Open Unit Class and Level
Mass Combat System. Here we will be looking into All units recruited are assumed to be 1st level warriors
the business of recruiting, training and deploying armed with a single short sword and owning no
soldiers, as well as the politics of declaring war and armour. It is up to you as head of the regime to
suing for peace. improve their competence and the quality of their
equipment, should you so choose. Training and
combat experience can both raise the level of a unit;
Types of Unit see the Advancement section below. Equipment may
A unit is simply an organized group of soldiers of a be paid for out of the treasury. Remember that if
given type. It could be composed of simple warriors your regime makes or trades in appropriate goods,
of whatever level, of mounted archers, cavalrymen, such as metal weapons or horses, you may buy these
peasants armed with pitchforks or knights in plate at reduced cost.
armour. Units are formed from multiple counters,
each counter representing a set number (usually Commoner units use a variety of weapons, usually
10) of the type of soldier in question. Sometimes, grabbed from the barn, tool shed or kitchen table.
counters represent a smaller number of soldiers, such (Human commoners will all have the Simple Weapon
as monstrous beings who are larger than humans; Proficiency feat, enabling them to use more than
a single counter could represent five trolls or one just the one simple weapon with which they are
dragon. automatically proficient.) As there is no consistency
to this, assume that the default damage dealt by a
Player characters are always represented by single commoner unit is 1d4.
counters, as are most leaders and important non-
player characters. They may never become part of You may recruit units of other classes than just
a unit, nor may they be trained up and gain levels warriors, but this costs money. These units are
in the same way as non-player character soldiers. not mere mercenaries; they are residents within
They may however gain experience from defeating your own regime’s lands and the money expended
enemies in the field. represents the cost of finding and enlisting them. It
is assumed that there will always be an itinerant
population of members of a given class, who will be
Recruitment prepared to sign up with you for a suitable fee. You
Regular recruitment is a simple matter. On the will not usually be able to recruit units made up of
province sheet, a figure is given for the number of characters of higher than 4th level by this method.
citizens currently making up your population. By Such characters are more usually treated as individual
taking the Recruit New Units action (see Chapter ‘units’ in their own right.
15) and deducting the appropriate number from your
current population, you may create one or more new Recruiting units of this kind from your own
units. These units come into being at any structure provinces is more costly than hiring mercenaries but
within your province that is equipped for training and the units are more inherently loyal and are fighting
that is not cut off from access. Recruiting a new unit in the interests of their home, a factor which counts
takes 7 days, minus your Roads rating if it is positive significantly when working out morale. The table
and plus that rating if it is negative. Once your new below shows which units you can recruit and for how
unit is formed, you must keep track of its location. much. This is a one-off payment; you do not hire

221
WARFARE

Recruiting Units Other Than The Citizenry

Unit 1st level 2nd level 3rd level 4th level
Barbarian 3,000 gp 4,000 gp 6,000 gp 9,000 gp
Bard 4,000 gp 5,000 gp 7,000 gp 10,000 gp
Cleric 4,000 gp 5,000 gp 7,000 gp 10,000 gp
Druid 4,000 gp 5,000 gp 7,000 gp 10,000 gp
Fighter 3,000 gp 4,000 gp 6,000 gp 9,000 gp
Monk 4,000 gp 5,000 gp 7,000 gp 10,000 gp
Paladin 3,000 gp 4,000 gp 6,000 gp 9,000 gp
Ranger 3,000 gp 4,000 gp 6,000 gp 9,000 gp
Rogue 4,000 gp 5,000 gp 7,000 gp 10,000 gp
Sorcerer 5,000 gp 6,000 gp 8,000 gp 11,000 gp
Warrior 1,000 gp 1,500 gp 3,000 gp 5,000 gp
Wizard 5,000 gp 6,000 gp 8,000 gp 11,000 gp

these units by the month, as you do with mercenaries. barbarians to your standing army; permanent
Once paid, they are yours. affiliation at an effective cost of 300 gold pieces per
man is not a bad deal by anyone’s standards.
The Games Master must give consent for you to do
this and may (and should) set limits on the number Units recruited by means of the table below are
of units of a given class you can recruit. The reason assumed to come equipped with their own armour
for this is simply the likelihood of their availability. and weapons as appropriate. Their abilities,
You could easily recruit multiple units of barbarians skills, feats and so on are those of the non-player
if you were a plains lord or of clerics if you were a characters listed in Core Rulebook II. As you have
theocrat but it is fair to assume that barbarians would not personally trained them, you may not alter these.
be in short supply in a civilised republic. As a rule You may, however, decide how they advance if you
of thumb, assume that no more than 1 counter (10 train them up after they have joined your army,
people) of a given class may be recruited per 1,000
population in a given province in any given month.
Higher levels should be even rarer.

The prices shown are for a single

‘counter’ of 10 men, so for the cost
of 3,000 gold pieces you could
add 10
first
level

222
 WARFARE

or if they gain experience through combat. Note

that the warriors in the table below are not trained Equipping Units
commoners like the great majority of warriors in your If you have the resources available, then a unit may
army, but free-roaming warriors looking for work. be equipped with suitable weapons, armour and gear
at the moment of its formation. Otherwise, giving
You may hire multiclassed characters; simply pay new equipment to a unit within the province takes
for the total number of levels as if it pertained to the one week, modified appropriately by your Roads
highest priced class. For example, if you wished to rating. Giving new equipment to units outside your
recruit a unit of 2nd level rangers / 2nd level wizards, province takes this amount of time plus one day for
you would pay 11,000 gp, the same as the cost of a every 30 miles of distance between your borders
unit of 4th level wizards. and the location of the unit to be equipped. At the
Games Master’s discretion, this time delay could be
You may also negotiate with other nations for the shortened by magical means such as teleport.
loan or hire of their military units. For example,
if your regime has good relations with a nearby The following combinations of weapons, armour and
kingdom of elves, you might ask for the loan of a equipment are suggested; all units are assumed to
couple of divisions of elven bowmen to help stave off have a short sword as a second weapon if no other
a common threat. The success of such an approach is sword type is listed. By reference to this table and
dependent upon the impressiveness of your plea and the use of suitable resources, you may create different
the reimbursal you offer. kinds of unit with which to populate your armies.
The base character class here is the warrior, though
The only other time when you can recruit other you could substitute any other character class that
classes than warriors to your cause without hiring had the appropriate skills and proficiencies. You may
mercenaries is when a given faction has positive create your own combinations as you wish, so long
goodwill towards you and is willing to support as you can provide the necessary resources and your
your efforts. For example, if the local druids are soldiers have the skills and proficiencies necessary to
favourably inclined towards your regime, they use them. Units armed with certain types of weapon
might supply you with a unit or two of druids to may not fight effectively when in some formations;
assist your campaigning, especially if the forests see Chapter 18 for more details.
were threatened. Similarly, a noble house allied to
you could send some of its private retinue, who are Maintenance
likely to be experienced fighters; the ministers of a Keeping an army ready to go to battle is expensive.
religion whose priests you have treated kindly could You cannot simply carry on recruiting more and more
be prepared to spare some units of clerics to aid the warriors and amassing military strength indefinitely.
wounded on the battlefield. This kind of arrangement Each non-mercenary military unit costs you 5 gold
should be roleplayed out if possible, but if the Games pieces per month for every counter in the unit. This
Master decides to settle it with dice rolls, then a accounts for their feeding, accommodation, basic
Diplomacy check would be appropriate, with a training and exercise. If your troops are not kept
circumstance bonus equal to the goodwill rating felt properly maintained, they become flabby and listless.
by the faction towards you and a DC of 15 plus the In game terms, any unit whose members have missed
number of units you are trying to borrow.
Typical Warrior Units
Unit Type Weapon Armour Shield Other Gear
Scouts Spear Leather None Horse
Light Infantry Longsword Leather Small, Wooden None
Medium Infantry Longsword Chainmail Large, Wooden None
Heavy Infantry Longsword Half Plate Tower None
Pikemen Halberd Half Plate None None
Light Cavalry Lance, Longsword Leather Small, Metal Horse
Heavy Cavalry Lance, Longsword Half Plate Large, Metal Warhorse
Archers Longbow Leather None Extra Arrows
Crossbowmen Crossbow Leather None Extra Arrows

223
WARFARE

a month or more of maintenance

suffer from a –1 circumstance
penalty to all Initiative checks and
attack rolls made when in combat.

Mercenaries
Instead of recruiting your
own warriors from among
your citizenry, you may hire a
professional fighting force to do
your work for you. Mercenaries
are something of a mixed blessing
in battle. They are generally
considered to be expendable,
whereas the lives of your own
warriors are more precious;
however, since they know this as
well as you do, their loyalties are
not strong. They are paid to do
a job and if someone else offers kept maintained, it should advance in level after a
more, or if they resent the work, they will pack up period of six months for every level it currently has,
and leave. up to a maximum of fourth level; every battle in
which the unit is involved (and which it survives)
Nonetheless, mercenary forces can often be a useful counts for a month. For example, a unit of first level
addition to your side, especially if they can contribute infantrymen will go up to second level if it is kept
weapon proficiencies or similar aptitudes that your in training for six months, or after three months
own forces do not have. For example, you could and three battles. Similarly, a unit of third level
hire a unit of dwarven Urgrosh wielders for the sake cavalrymen will go up to fourth level after sixteen
of the damage they are able to inflict, or a unit of months, or ten months and six battles. For the
roaming barbarians whose ability to rage is extremely purposes of level advancement, a battle is any conflict
useful on the battlefield. in which the unit faces a number of enemies at least
three times its own size, irrespective of how many are
Mercenaries are paid at the start of every month. If fighting on the unit’s own side. Therefore, a unit of
you ever neglect to pay them, they leave your service. 100 infantrymen mowing down 20 goblins does not
The cost to hire a unit of mercenaries is one-tenth count as a ‘battle’.
the amount needed to recruit the same unit from
your own population. For example, a unit of 3rd level Mercenaries should not be allowed to advance
mercenary barbarians would cost you 600 gp per in experience level. If you want higher-level
month. mercenaries fighting under your command, you will
have to pay to enlist them.
Advancement
Advancement for military units is a difficult matter Building War
to calculate; if a unit of crossbowmen participated
in the slaughtering of a dragon alongside a team of Machines
adventurers, they would undoubtedly go up in level; The following additional rules are provided for
but how many mundane battles would they have to those players who would rather build their own war
see before the same thing happened? Moreover, machines than purchase them from others. It can
training surely counts for something; all those hours often be much more practical to arrive at a siege site
of archery practice on the village green have to make and build your offensive machinery there, rather than
the archers better shots, or else the practice would be lugging it with you. Full statistics for each one are
without merit. given in the War Machine Unit Roster in the next
chapter.
We suggest the following rule for advancement in
level for military units. So long as a unit has been

224
 WARFARE

Any war machine that is fixed to a set position in a from missile fire. To encase a siege tower costs an
stronghold, such as a ballista being bolted on to the extra 100 gp in labour, 50 gp in logs or 25 gp in sawn
battlements, receives an extra hit point per structure timber and increases the tower’s structure points to
die. This is to allow for its greater robustness. 15. Soldiers within the tower are considered to have
complete cover. An enclosed tower is however much
more heavy than a standard skeletal one and moves at
Siege Tower (or ‘Belfry’) half the regular rates.
Skill: Knowledge (architecture & engineering) 10
ranks, Craft (carpenter) 8 ranks or Profession (siege
engineer) 6 ranks Ballista
Labour Cost: 400 gp Skill: Craft (carpenter) 8 ranks or Profession (siege
Materials: 150 gp logs or 70 gp sawn timber engineer) 6 ranks
Optional Extras: Bridge, Enclosed Labour Cost: 350 gp
Special: None Materials: 100 gp logs or 50 gp sawn timber
Footprint: Wheeled, slanting wooden square tower Optional Extras: Heavy, Wheeled
20 ft. square at base and 50 ft. in height, surmounted Special: None
by platform Footprint: Crossbow-like device 5 feet across
mounted upon wheeled wooden base or fixed in
A siege tower is like a wheeled, lopsided version of a position on an emplacement
sentry tower. One of its sides rises straight up, while
the other slopes diagonally. When in use, the vertical The ballista is a standard antipersonnel weapon,
side is driven up against the wall of a besieged resembling a monstrous crossbow. It is most useful
structure, such as a castle, so that invading troops can against single large targets. It inflicts no damage
swarm over the walls and into the enemy stronghold. upon structures made from stone or harder materials
In order to compensate for the varying heights of but causes 1 structure point of damage to wooden
castle walls, the siege tower has a platform at every structures.
10-foot interval. A ladder that runs up the sloping
side gives access to these. Heavy: For no extra cost, the ballista may be
braced and reinforced to inflict additional damage.
Siege towers are usually built on the spot from local Bolts now inflict 4d6 hit points or 2 structure points
materials, though they will sometimes be brought (against wooden structures). However, the rate of fire
along with an invading army. They are wholly an increases to 5 and a crew of 2 is now required.
offensive structure and are useless for defence.
Unlike other structures, they are only ever made out Wheeled: For an additional cost of 10 gp in logs or
of wood, as they have to be easily movable. 5 gp in sawn timber and 40 gp in labour, the ballista
can be mounted upon a wheeled platform. It requires
Moving the siege tower requires a combined total a combined Strength of 14 to move. It can be moved
Strength ability of at least 30. It moves at a total at up to half the movement rate of the creatures
speed of 10 ft. per round, or 20 ft. if moved by a total pushing it, who may not take a run action when so
Strength ability score of 50 or more. An unladen doing. It must however follow a course suitable for
siege tower (one that is carrying no troops) moves at a wheeled object, so it can turn but it may not move
twice this rate. sideways.

Bridge: The topmost section of the tower may be

fitted with a 10 ft. square forward-facing wall that can Light Catapult
be lowered on to enemy battlements, forming a ramp Skill: Craft (carpenter) 9 ranks or Profession (siege
over which invading soldiers may scramble. This is engineer) 7 ranks
a popular addition as the siege towers are frequently Labour Cost: 400 gp
pushed back from the walls by the defenders and the Materials: 100 gp logs or 50 gp sawn timber
presence of a bridge means the invaders do not have Optional Extras: Wheeled, Autoload
to leap the intervening gap. To fit the top of a tower Special: None
with a bridge costs an extra 20 gp in labour costs but Footprint: 5 ft. by 10 ft. siege device, fixed in
no more in materials. position

Enclosed: The outside of the tower may be covered The light catapult (properly called a mangonel or an
with wooden planks to provide greater protection onager) is the smallest device capable of inflicting

225
WARFARE

structural damage upon a target. It consists of an Wheeled: A combined Strength of 25 is required to

arm with a cylinder of tightly twisted sinew on one move the medium catapult.
end and a sling-like arrangement on the other, with
a cushioned beam in the centre that has a cup-like
depression in it. The sling end is winched down, Heavy Catapult
pulling against the strain of the sinew and is fastened Skill: Profession (siege engineer) 9 ranks
in place while the payload is set into the sling; when Labour Cost: 600 gp
the order is given to fire, the rope is cut or the catch Materials: 250 gp logs or 125 gp sawn timber
released and the arm, flying up and whacking into Optional Extras: Wheeled, Autoload
the cushioned beam, throws the projectile further in Special: None
an overarm flinging action. Some more complicated Footprint: 10ft. by 20 ft. siege device, fixed in
catapults, including the experimental ones produced position
by gnomes, use large metal springs instead of twisted
sinews. Wheeled: A combined Strength of 30 is required to
move the heavy catapult.
Medium and heavy catapults are simply larger
versions of the same contraption. Arrow Catapult
Skill: Craft (carpenter) 9 ranks or Profession (siege
A catapult is loaded with boulders or iron spheres engineer) 7 ranks
made for the purpose. Using properly prepared Labour Cost: 500 gp
iron spheres confers a +1 circumstance bonus on Materials: 200 gp logs or 100 gp sawn timber
the catapult’s chance to hit a target, as they fly more Optional Extras: Wheeled
truly. Special: None
Footprint: 10ft. by 15 ft. siege device, fixed in
Wheeled: For an additional cost of 20 gp in logs position
or 10 gp in sawn timber and 80 gp in labour, the
catapult can be mounted upon a wheeled platform The arrow catapult is a variant upon the standard
instead of being fixed in position on a stronghold model. Instead of rocks or metal spheres, it hurls
or freestanding though immobile. It requires a multiple arrows into the air, causing horrible carnage
combined Strength of 20 to move. It can be moved at as dozens of feathered shafts rain down upon the
up to half the movement rate of the creatures pushing enemy. A normal medium catapult can be converted
it, who may not take a run action when so doing. It into an arrow catapult (or vice versa) at the cost of
must however follow a course suitable for a wheeled 100 gp in labour.
object, so it can turn but it may not move sideways.
Wheeled: A combined Strength of 25 is required to
Autoload: If a catapult is set in a fixed position move the arrow catapult.
within a powered stronghold, a block of machinery
may be placed beside it, connected as always to the
central power source via transmission cables. This Trebuchet
machinery acts as an automatic winch, making the Skill: Profession (siege engineer) 10 ranks
winding back of the catapult arms far easier. A Labour Cost: 700 gp
catapult fitted with an autoload feature has its fire rate Materials: 300 gp logs or 150 gp sawn timber
halved, rounding up. Optional Extras: Hanging Counterweight
Special: Instability
Footprint: 20 ft. by 20 ft. siege device, 30 feet in
Medium Catapult height
Skill: Craft (carpenter) 9 ranks or Profession (siege
engineer) 7 ranks The trebuchet is a monstrous engine of devastation,
Labour Cost: 500 gp so formidable that many people will surrender
Materials: 200 gp logs or 100 gp sawn timber immediately rather than have their stronghold suffer
Optional Extras: Wheeled, Autoload the pounding it can give. It is essentially a vast
Special: None catapult working on a different basis. Instead of
Footprint: 10ft. by 15 ft. siege device, fixed in being propelled by twisted sinews, the trebuchet uses
position a counterweight system. The hanging weight pulls
the end of the arm down forcibly when the sling end

226
 WARFARE

the fortress at a maximum movement rate of 30

feet per round. If their number drops below 30, the
fortress’s movement rate is halved. If it drops below
10, the fortress may no longer move, nor may it make
attacks with its scythed wheels.

The fortress is usually employed to smash through

the gates of an enemy stronghold, following which
the unit of gnome warriors within leaps out and
attacks whatever defenders are still present.

Ram: For an additional 100 gp in logs or 50 gp in

sawn timber and 200 gp in labour, a ram may be
fitted to the prow of the fortress. Equipped with
this, the fortress may ram a stationary target. (This
is released, sending the payload soaring in an arc and includes gates, walls and other war machines but not
down upon the target. units of living creatures.) It must move at least 30
feet in a straight line in order to do so. It makes an
Instability: The mighty trebuchet is, however, attack roll as normal. The rammed structure must
vulnerable. The framework is unstable and has a make a Stability saving throw against DC 15 or
tendency to fall over if struck hard enough; the word suffer 1d6 points of structural damage. Structures
‘trebuchet’ in fact comes from an old French term made from stone or harder materials receive a +6
meaning ‘to fall over’. The trebuchet must make a circumstance bonus to this saving throw.
Stability saving throw against a DC of 10 every time
it suffers more than a point of structural damage. If it Structure: The fortress suffers attacks from war
fails, it topples over. machines as if it were a structure; it may be breached,
must make Stability saving throws at suitable
Hanging Counterweight: A trebuchet fitted with moments and is vulnerable to catastrophic damage.
a hanging counterweight as opposed to a fixed one It has a Stability saving throw of +4.
can hurl its projectiles further, as more weight can
be added. The range increment is increased to 300 Cannon
ft. This modification makes the trebuchet even less Skill: Craft (blacksmith) 10 ranks; must have plans
stable, giving it a –2 Stability save. Labour Cost: 1,000 gp
Materials: 700 gp worked metal
Gnomish Mobile Battle Fortress Optional Extras: None
Special: Explosion
Skill: Profession (siege engineer) 12 ranks; must be
gnomish or have gnome advice Footprint: Metal cylinder 10 ft. long, mounted on
Labour Cost: 1,000 gp wheels or fixed in position
Materials: 400 gp logs or 200 gp sawn timber
Optional Extras: Ram Cannon may only be used in campaigns where
Special: Structure gunpowder is allowed. They are the single most
Footprint: 20 ft. by 40 ft. siege device, 30 feet in powerful war machine on the field, able to smash
height holes in the sturdiest of defences.

There are few sights as daunting nor as insane as that Explosion: A cannon that is damaged may misfire.
of the gnomish mobile battle fortress wobbling over On a roll of 1, the projectile jams and the charge
the horizon. It resembles a gigantic woodlouse or bursts the barrel, causing 8d6 damage (2d6 structural
bug of some sort, its enormous wheels grinding the damage) within a 20-foot radius. A Reflex saving
foe beneath to bloody ruin, their scythe blades cutting throw at DC 15 is allowed for half damage.
a swath through the enemy ranks. The ballista is
mounted upon the ‘head’ in a form of turret. The
whole monstrosity is powered from within by the
gnomish crew of 40, frantically pedalling away at the
machinery that drives the great wheels. These propel

227
THE OPEN MASS COMBAT SYSTEM (Version II)

The Open The Unit Roster is used as a matter of convenience

throughout these rules, from launching a devastating
charge at an enemy to recording casualties when

Mass Combat being pounded by fiery catapults. There are many

circumstances in a game where the Games Master
will prefer to use standard rules from Core Rulebook

System (Version II) I to resolve combat and skill checks – the Unit Roster
is used when large numbers of unit members need to
perform one task at the same time.

W
e here present the latest revision of
Mongoose’s Open Mass Combat System. A typical Unit Roster Sheet, detailing the newly
While it is not our intention to produce recruited Fighting Men of Urusk, is shown below;
a full wargame (there are enough of those on the
market already) we have expanded and fleshed out Race: Human
the original Open Mass Combat System rules to add Class: Warrior
even more options, now allowing for multiple units, Level: 1
special moves and enhanced siege tactics. Unit Size: 8
Creatures Per Counter: 10
Whereas the former versions of the OCMS2 have Unit Type: Infantry
been narrative, this version can be used with Counter Hit Points: 11 (+10% Constitution 12)
miniatures or counters. We recommend that this is Initiative: +4 (+4 Improved Initiative)
done, as it is easier to keep track of variables like Attacks: Short sword +2
missile range, formation and possible movement. Damage: Short sword 1d6+1
AC: 12 (leather armour)
Ability Scores: Str 13, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 9, Wis
Units 11, Cha 8
A unit is a group of individuals banded together to a Saves: Fort: +3; Ref: +0; Will: +0
common purpose on the battlefield. For the purposes Feats: Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (short
of this system, every person within the unit has the sword).
same function, the same weapons and the same
abilities. Units can be disciplined and orderly, with As can be readily seen, the Unit Roster has much in
a history of their own, such as the Royal 16th Cavalry common with the monster entries of Core Rulebook
Regiment of Ta’harn, or they can be thrown together III, as do the unit combat rules detailed below.
on the morning of the battle, as with the Mob Of
Angry Peasants Fresh From The Burning Village of
Muckmere. Race, Class & Level
Unit race and class are determined by simple
A unit consists of one or more counters. Each majority – if a unit has 3 ogre warriors and 27 human
counter represents a certain number of individuals, fighters, then the unit will be noted as being human
with the default being 10. Most units will contain warriors. The level of any unit is considered to be
between 5 and 20 counters. formed by the average of every member of that unit,
rounded down.
Units are the ‘characters’ of the OCMS2. They
receive orders, move, fight and react as if they were
individuals. They may assume different formations, Unit Size
in which the counters of which the unit is composed This records the number of counters that go to make
are rearranged in a specific way. up the unit. A single unit may not contain more than
30 counters, though an army may contain as many
units as you wish.
The Unit Roster
A Unit Roster Sheet is used to record the details and
abilities of every fighting unit within an army. This Unit Type
sheet allows players and Games Masters alike to This is a reflection of how a unit operates upon the
judge the effectiveness of any unit at a glance, and battlefield and what its especial competencies are.
greatly aids combat resolution during mass combat. Types of unit may be found in the previous chapter,
Warfare.

228
 THE OPEN MASS COMBAT SYSTEM (Version II)

Counter Hit Points Improved Armour Use, Improved Bull Rush,

Improved Called Shot, Improved Disarm, Improved
Counter Hit Points are used to measure the damage a
unit may sustain in combat before being defeated or Dodge, Improved Trip, Mobility, Rest in Armour,
even wiped out. Whenever a unit receives damage in Side by Side, Spring Attack, Sunder, Sure Aim, Team
excess of its counter hit points, one or more counters Flanking, Whirlwind Attack.
are removed and the overall size of the unit drops
accordingly. Excess damage is recorded on the unit
roster. For example, if a unit with 8 counters and
Ability Score & Saves
Once again, the ability scores and saves of the
10 counter hit points received 20 points of damage, majority of the unit are noted down on the Unit
it would lose two counters; if it received 14 points Roster.
of damage, it would lose only one counter but the 4
surplus points would be recorded on the unit roster, Formations
so it would only need to sustain 6 points of damage The formation of a unit is the pattern made by the
on the next round to lose a further counter. counters, viewed from the top down. Formation is
important on the battlefield because it affects how
Counter hit points are determined simply by working vulnerable your units are and how many of them may
out the average Hit Dice of every unit member and attack a given target. A unit may change formation
multiplying this by the number of creatures per as a move-equivalent action.
counter, modified as follows;
Units in open or close formation have one or more
Majority of Unit has... Modifier ‘faces’. The face of a unit is one of its edges on
Constitution modifier +/-10% per Con modifier which the combatants are braced for battle. The front
of a unit, the direction in which it moves, is always a
3 hp or less -25% face. The sides and the rear of the unit are not faces.

Initiative Creating A Face

A face is defined as any edge of a unit where the
This is the Initiative modifier (calculated in the
normal d20 system way, using Dexterity modifiers, soldiers are turned outwards and on guard. A unit
etc. . .) of the majority of the unit. may take a move-equivalent action to turn one or
more of its edges into a face. For example, soldiers
at the rear of a unit turn around and ready their
Attacks, Damage & Armour Class weapons to meet oncoming opponents. A unit that
These are determined by simple majority – the has established more faces than just the front may not
weapons and armour the majority of the unit are move again without taking a move-equivalent action
armed with are assumed to be carried by all for the to abolish all the faces but one, which is now the
purposes of the Unit Roster and unit combat. The unit’s new front face.
majority of the unit are also used to determine base
attack bonus and any modifiers for Strength for attack The importance of faces is their reduction of the
and damage, and modifiers for Dexterity with respect unit’s vulnerability. Attacking a face is much harder
to Armour Class. than attacking the sides or rear of a unit. Any unit
may freely surge into another unit’s space (see the
surge attack below) if there is no face established.
Feats
Any unit that has a majority of members with one Skirmish
or more identical feats will have such feats listed on Skirmish formation is open and loose. Counters
their Unit Roster. However, the following feats have must be at least ten feet away from each other but
no effect upon mass combat and so are never listed, there is no other restriction upon their movement.
no matter how many unit members possess them. This formation is used by scouts, snipers and other
However, they may still use such feats individually free-roaming units. It offers good defence against
when not using the OMCS2 rules. missile fire but is very bad for attacking or defending
in melee combat, as it is very easy for enemy units
Cleave, Combat Caster Defence, Combat Reflexes, in closer formation to outnumber you. Units in
Combat Rotation, Defensive Fighter, Deflect Arrows, skirmish formation suffer only half damage from
Distract, Donning Armour, Expert Grappler, Expert ranged attacks.
Marksman, Fearsome Display, Great Cleave,

229
THE OPEN MASS COMBAT SYSTEM (Version II)

Open may form shield walls on the other faces but may not
Open formation is orderly, with room to manoeuvre. move without abolishing the faces and disrupting the
Units must be arranged in a linear or rectangular wall; see the section on faces above.
formation. There is room enough to swing any size
of weapon but open ranks prevent the battle line Units in close formation may not add a Dexterity
from being easily defensible. While you are in open modifier to armour class, as the units are packed
formation, you may arrange the counters in a unit as together too densely for dodging to be a feasible
you wish, so long as no unit is more than five feet option. All Reflex saving throws are made at a –2
away from any other unit and the whole arrangement circumstance penalty. Close formation is usually
is a simple block or line with no angles or bends in it. employed by heavily armoured units with shields.
You may therefore create lines, columns or squares as
you see fit. Changing from one such arrangement to Units in close formation may be rearranged, as with
another uses up a number of feet of the unit’s Move units in open formation, but every counter must be
allowance equal to the furthest distance moved by adjacent to at least one other counter. Units in close
any one counter. formation may not run nor charge, though they may
‘quick march’ to take a double move. Cavalry units
Close may not enter close formation.
Close formation is tightly packed. As with open
formation, units must be arranged in a linear or Merged
rectangular pattern. While in this formation, units This is the formation taken by two or more units
may not fight with Large melee weapons that need to who are merged on the field. It is not a formation
be swung to inflict damage; there simply is not room that is taken voluntarily but is the result of one unit
to swing them without hurting an ally. They may moving into another’s space, usually by means of a
however use weapons with reach. They suffer double surge attack. The combat between units in a merged
damage from ranged attacks, as the high density of formation is referred to as a ‘fray’. It is a frantic
unit members makes multiple hits more likely. free-for-all in which targets are hacked at whenever a
chance presents itself.
Units in close formation who have large or tower
shields may take a move-equivalent action to form All participants in a merged formation suffer a -2
a shield wall on their front face, which increases the circumstance penalty to armour class, because the
shield bonus to the unit’s armour class by +3. If the chaos and confusion makes it much easier for the
unit is stationary and has established other faces, they various combatants to take attacks of opportunity,
strike at opponents’
backs, flank
enemies and
otherwise take
advantage of the
general melee.

Ranged weapons
may not be used
by units in merged
formation; if a unit
of archers is ever
surged into, they
will resort to back-
up weapons. Any
weapon with reach,
such as a ranseur or
longspear, cannot
be used in merged
formation, as
these weapons are
intended to be used
at a distance, not

230
 THE OPEN MASS COMBAT SYSTEM (Version II)

in a close-up fracas. Other weapons may be used as other unit’s battle line. Surges can be attempted and
normal. repulsed several times before one line finally gives
way and an attacking unit spills into the defenders’
When two or more units are fighting in merged space, the attackers laying about them with mad
formation, all damage received is applied to the abandon while the defenders struggle to regain their
whole unit, with counters being removed accordingly. footing.
There are no counters that are out of harm’s way, as
there are in regular combat. Surges place units into merged formation. While
units are merged, every counter in the unit contributes
Movement to the damage done with a successful hit and every
Units in skirmish formation may move in any enemy counter is liable to take damage. Large forces
direction up to their normal movement rate, so long are therefore keen to surge into smaller forces, as the
as they remain within the minimum distance of each ensuing mayhem enables the larger force to slaughter
other. the smaller one more quickly. A well entrenched
defensive force can, if it is skilled and fortunate, repel
Units on the field in open or close formation move multiple surge attempts and in doing so whittle down
at their normal movement rate, so long as they are the attackers’ numbers.
progressing in a dead straight line. They may move
backwards in a straight line at half their movement A surge may only be attempted when one unit’s face
rate. is in contact (or brought into contact) with another
unit. This will usually mean being in contact with the
If a unit has to turn or ‘wheel’ around, the furthest second unit’s face, though not always. This may be
distance crossed by any one counter in the unit counts in the course of movement or from a standing start.
as used-up movement for the round. For example, A surge may be combined with a charge attack and in
a line of 10 counters with a move of 40 ft. that practice often is.
remained fixed at one end and moved the over end
through 40 feet, thus rotating the line about a point, The attackers must have enough remaining movement
would count as having used up its movement. in the round to move at least 10 feet into the mass of
the defenders. An opposed Strength check is then
A unit that comes up against another unit must made between the average Strength ability score of
stop. A unit may not continue moving into another the attackers and that of the defenders. The following
unit’s space without making a surge attack (see modifiers apply.
below). Most combat on the field is between lines
of opponents facing one another and trading blows † If either side is mounted, the Strength ability score
over their shields, until a surge occurs and breaks the of the mount is used instead of that of the rider.
battle lines.
† Units armed with weapons that have reach may
Units in merged formation do not generally move not attempt to surge.
at all, as to do so is to provoke a mass attack of † If the defenders have readied suitable weapons
opportunity, one of the only instances in which this against a charge, they may use them against a
can happen in the OCMS2. They are more likely to surge. In this case, the defenders are allowed an
stand their ground and fight. They may not change attack of opportunity against the surging attackers.
formation while they are merged and the only If the attack of opportunity removes more than
movement they may take without provoking an attack half the counters from the attacking face, the surge
of opportunity is a five-foot step. (Any individual automatically fails.
counter may take such as step; the unit does not have
to move as one.) They may move in any direction † If the defenders are in close formation, they
at their full movement rate in an attempt to escape receive a +2 circumstance bonus to their Strength
the fracas, though doing so provokes an attack of check.
opportunity. Units emerging from merged formation
are always in skirmish formation by default. † If the defenders have a shield wall in place, they
receive a +2 circumstance bonus to their Strength
Special Attack: Surge check.
In a mass battle, a surge is the moment when one unit † If the attacking side’s face extends further in width
presses forwards with a roar, attempting to break the than the defender’s, the attacker receives a +1

231
THE OPEN MASS COMBAT SYSTEM (Version II)

circumstance bonus to its Strength check. Two formation are already made at a -2 circumstance
such bonuses may be earned if the attacker’s face penalty to the defender’s armour class.
exceeds the defender’s on each side.
If the attacking unit was charging as well as surging,
† If one side’s members are of larger size than it receives the appropriate bonuses and penalties on
the other (such as a unit of ogres attempting its first attack. The charge bonuses and penalties
to defend against a surging unit of humans) a apply even if the surge is resisted.
+1 circumstance bonus is applied to that side’s
Strength check for every size category that the one Breaking Up A Face Before A Surge
side is larger than the other. If a face has been broken up by having counters
† If it is able to move into the other unit’s space removed and the defender does not have enough
without encountering a face, such as by attacking counters (or the opportunity) to reform the face, then
suddenly from the flank or the rear, the attacking it no longer counts as a face and attackers may surge
unit may surge into the defending unit’s space freely into the defenders.
without needing to make an opposed Strength
check. Multiple Merged Units
A unit may voluntarily merge with two or more units
† It is much easier to let gravity help you when who are already merged simply by moving into their
you are attempting a surge, so running downhill space, so long as the total number of counters in the
into a mass of enemies is the best way to do it; fray does not exceed 60 following the merging. In
conversely, those who hold the high ground are in this instance, when it is your turn to attack you must
the best defensive position. A unit making a surge allocate at least one of your counters to fight each
attack downhill receives a +2 circumstance bonus enemy counter and allocate the remainder how you
to its Strength check, while a unit attempting to will if there are any left over. Separate attack and
surge uphill receives a –2 circumstance penalty to damage rolls must be made for each combat in the
the same check. fray.

† If either side is in open or close formation, every Bear in mind that in referring to the outmatching
rank of counters behind the front line adds a +1 table, the total number of counters fighting on
circumstance bonus to the Strength check of each side is what counts, rather than the size of the
that side, to a maximum bonus of +4. So, a unit individual units involved.
three deep has a much better chance to resist an
oncoming surge than a single line of defenders. For example: Horgrik’s Hobgoblins have surged into
the ranks of the Fighting Men of Urusk, merging the
If the surge attack fails, the attackers stop at the two units on the field. Horgrik has 30 counters and
defending unit’s face without advancing any further, after the first round of combat, the Fighting Men of
where they may make an ordinary attack with a –2 Urusk have 8 – a dismal situation for the humans.
circumstance penalty on their chance to hit. If the The hobgoblins outnumber them by more than three
defenders were using reach weapons, the attackers to one and will probably chop them to mincemeat on
stop at the limit of the weapons’ reach. the next round.

If the attack succeeds, the attacking unit moves Just as all seems lost, the dwarven regiment of
forward into the defending unit’s space and the two Thunderhaven arrive over the prow of a nearby hill,
units are now considered merged. They remain so hurling themselves into the fray. The Thunderhaven
until one side is slain or withdraws. dwarves have added 20 more counters to the merged
units. This levels the field somewhat; the hobgoblins
The attacking unit may now make an immediate will no longer gain any outmatching benefits.
melee attack against the defenders, who may not
use any Dexterity modifiers to armour class for the Horgrik must now allocate 8 of his counters to fight
space of this attack and who suffer a –1 circumstance the humans and 20 to the dwarves, with 2 counters
penalty to armour class on account of the disarray left over. He assigns these to fight the humans,
that follows the smashing of their battle line. These hoping to whittle them down quickly.
penalties only apply for the duration of the single
attack that immediately follows a successful surge.
Remember that all attacks made by units in a merged

232
 THE OPEN MASS COMBAT SYSTEM (Version II)

Resolving Unit Combat Ranged Attack Roll: 1d20 + base attack bonus +
Dexterity modifier + size modifier
The OMCS2 follows many of the rules creatures do
when they fight using the core d20 system. Unless
otherwise stated below, all combat rules detailed Note that size modifiers refer to creature size
in Core Rulebook I apply equally to units, the Unit as normal, not to the overall Unit Size. Ranged
Roster making this transition relatively easy. Unit penalties are never used in the OMCS, due to the ease
combat occurs whenever two units meet in battle and of hitting large units of fighting men at any range,
engage in combat. A full summary of unit combat, howwever, the absolute maximum range for any
together with the changes required to the rules in ranged attack is six times that listed in Core Rulebook
Core Rulebook I is presented here. I.

Rounds Damage
Unit combat is broken up into 6 second rounds as The majority of attacks in the d20 system deal
usual. damage in hit points. However, units receive damage
in terms of Counter Hit Points, which are effectively
the number of Hit Dice of each entire counter in the
Initiative unit.
Before the first round of unit combat begins, each
unit involved makes an Initiative check. An Initiative To calculate damage, roll the unit’s base damage a
check is a Dexterity check (1d20 + unit’s Dexterity number of times equal to the number of counters
modifier). If the unit’s leader has the Leadership feat, that were involved in the attack and apply it across
a +2 competence bonus is applied to their Initiative the defending counters. For example, if there were
check. 8 counters attacking at a base damage of 1d6+1,
you would roll 8d6+8 to find the damage. It will be
immediately apparent that a large force attacking a
Attacks small one from all sides will quickly cut the smaller
Units may make a melee attack on every round in force to ribbons.
which one of their faces is in contact with the enemy,
or in which they are merged with an enemy unit. If
the unit is using a weapon that allows it a long reach, Armour Class
then ‘in contact’ means within weapon range. They A unit’s Armour Class is the result needed for an
may make a ranged attack on any round in which an enemy unit to successfully make an attack roll.
enemy of which the unit is aware is within range of
their weapons. Armour Class: 10 + armour bonus + shield bonus +
Dexterity modifier + size modifier
If a unit is in any formation other than merged,
only those counters who are in contact with enemy
counters are included in the attack. If the unit is
Counter Hit Points
Counter Hit Points represent how much damage the
merged with another unit following a surge, then all counters in a unit can take before they are considered
the counters in the merged units are considered to be to be wiped out.
in contact with one another.

When resolving ranged attacks, only those counters

who have direct line of sight to the enemy may
attack. If archers are in ranks, only those units on an
established face may fire, as the bodies of the soldiers
in front make missile fire from counters behind them
impossible.

Attack Roll
To score a hit that deals damage, a unit must roll the
target’s Armour Class or better.

Melee Attack Roll: 1d20 + base attack bonus +

Strength modifier + size modifier

233
THE OPEN MASS COMBAT SYSTEM (Version II)

Attack Options defender’s turn, counters may be moved into position

to reform the face of the unit.
When attacking, a unit has four basic options;

Charge: A unit not currently engaged in melee Counters that are removed are placed into the dead
combat may charge any enemy with this option. pile, or if you are not using physical counters or
miniatures, kept tally of in the dead column. There
Surge: A unit whose face is currently in contact with is more than one kind of pile, as there are various
an enemy unit may attempt to surge into that unit’s different ways of becoming hors de combat. The
space. Units may also move until they are in contact number of counters in each pile will affect your
with an enemy unit and then surge, so long as they ability to recover units after the battle is over.
have at least 10 feet of movement left after the move.
A charge may be combined with a surge. The Three Counter Conditions
These are the three possible conditions in which any
Attack: A unit may make either melee or ranged lost counter may end up. Effects other than simple
attacks. Units that can strike more than once each death are usually produced by spells or special
round may do so with this attack option. abilities.

Withdraw: If involved in melee combat, a unit may Dead: The creatures are mostly slaughtered. This is
attempt to withdraw. the pile into which counters are placed if they fall in
melee or ranged combat, if they are struck by magic
Individual Unit Members that causes damage or if death magic is used against
them.
Any unit member not actively engaged in unit combat
may act as normal, following all the combat rules
in Core Rulebook I. This includes making attacks Crippled: The creatures are not necessarily dead
of their own, casting spells or any other action but are useless for combat. They may or may not
permissible. recover. They are removed from the battle.

Incapacitated: The creatures are useless for a

Attacks of Opportunity portion of the battle, but may well recover and
Attacks of opportunity are only used in unit combat will probably survive to fight again another day.
when one unit attempts to withdraw from melee Incapacitated counters may not be given orders. The
combat with another or when an attacker is charging Games Master decides what they are most likely to
a defender who has readied weapons against the do, given their condition.
charge. The act of withdrawing from combat
generates an attack of opportunity. Units that are
merged with other units may attempt to withdraw. Other Considerations
If the majority of the unit have a special ability (the
Barbarian Rage, for example), then this too applies to
Taking Damage unit combat. Bonuses to attack, damage and related
The Counter Hit Points are a representation of rolls are easy to apply to the unit combat system
how much damage a unit can take before they are portrayed here. Feats are the only special abilities
completely slaughtered or routed. A counter reduced never used, no matter how many of the unit possess
to 0 Counter Hit Points is considered vanquished, the same one.
though not all of its members are necessarily slain; a
unit reduced to zero counters is similarly vanquished. The rules for flat-footed combatants are not used in
Rules for determining how many survive unit combat unit combat.
are covered on pg. 236.
In addition, the following rules from Core Rulebook I
Following an attack in which counters are lost, the are never used in unit combat;
attacker decides which of the defender’s counters to
remove. He may only remove those counters that Magic Actions, Miscellaneous Actions, Injury and
were in range of the attack. If more damage has Death, Flanking, Aid Another, Bull Rush, Disarm
been inflicted than there were counters in range to Grapple, Mounted Combat, Overrun, Trip.
receive it, the additional damage is wasted. On the

234
 THE OPEN MASS COMBAT SYSTEM (Version II)

Assume that any counter that can attack does

attack. Next, compare the number of attackers
to the number of defenders and adjust the attack
rolls accordingly. For example, if ten attackers
are facing ten defenders, there will be no
modifier, but if one side has surged over another
so that there are three times as many attackers
able to reach the enemy as there are enemy
units, apply the suitable modifiers.

Outmatching does not take into account

counters in the unit who are not able to reach
the fray. This is why surging is so often the
attack that signals the start of the real chaos, as
merged units fight as if all counters in the unit
were in contact.

Unit Charge Option Formation also makes a considerable

difference, as a unit in close formation attacking a
Any unit not currently engaged in melee combat may
charge an enemy unit. In doing so, the unit gains the unit in open formation can easily have their attacking
normal +2 charge bonus to its attack roll. However, counters outnumber the defending counters.
the unit will also suffer a –2 penalty to its Armour Outmatching
Class for one round. The charge option or an attempt
Attack Roll Morale
to surge are the only ways in which a unit may
Group Size is. . . Modifier Modifier
initiate melee combat with another.
Ten times or more
If the opponent is armed with weapons that have enemy’s +5 +5
reach, the charge must be combined with a surge Five times enemy’s +3 +3
attack in order to have any effect; the only hope in
Three times enemy’s +2 +2
such a situation is to break through the opponent’s
lines all at once. If the surge is unsuccessful, the Twice enemy’s +1 +1
attacking force remains at a 10 foot distance from 50% of enemy’s -1 -1
the defenders and may not close without making a
33% of enemy’s -2 -2
second surge attempt.
20% of enemy’s -3 -3
10% or less of
Unit Attack Option enemy’s -5 -5
Unit combat is treated in the same way as combats
between creatures in that Initiative checks are made, The morale modifier is handled differently. To
followed by attack and damage rolls. There are, calculate morale, compare the sizes of each army
however, some important differences to be aware of. involved in the battle, i.e. the size of every single unit
on the field.
Outmatching
When one unit heavily outmatches another, either in Flank and Rear Attacks
terms of number or ability, they will soon find they If part or all of a unit’s face is attacking the side of a
are able to cause an incredible amount of damage unit, it receives a +1 circumstance bonus to its attack
upon their enemies whilst suffering very little in roll. If part or all of a unit’s face is attacking the rear
return. The table below is used to grant attack and of a unit, it receives a +2 circumstance bonus. In
morale modifiers to units who heavily outmatch their either case, the defenders may not add a Dexterity
enemies, or are outmatched in return. modifier to armour class.

To calculate the outmatching modifier for a given

combat, look at how many counters from each side Unit Ranged Attacks
are within melee combat range of the other side. Many units equip a large proportion of their units
with bows, crossbows and other missile weapons.

235
THE OPEN MASS COMBAT SYSTEM (Version II)

The effect
of an entire
unit firing or
hurling missile
weapons can be
devastating for
whilst soldiers
are not always
renowned for
being accurate
marksmen, a
huge wave of
arrows directed
onto a packed
enemy unit
can cause utter
carnage. The
use of ballistae Units with less than 10 creatures in them do not use
on the battlefield takes this kind of warfare to a new this system – use the normal combat rules described
level – huge, spear-sized bolts are launched straight in Core Rulebook I instead.
into the packed mass of an enemy unit, creating
absolute terror as several unit members may be
impaled by each bolt. Saving Throws
You may need to use saving throws in the OCMS2
for various different purposes, most commonly
Firing Ranged Weapons the avoidance of spell effects but also to dodge the
Ranged attackers make a normal attack roll against spray from fire projectors and such like horrendous
their target’s Armour Class, as described in Core devices. Saving throws work as follows: subtract the
Rulebook I. If they are attacking the flank or rear of a appropriate saving throw modifier from the DC of the
unit rather than one of its faces, they benefit from the saving throw and multiply by five. (If subtracting the
same bonuses as they would if they were making a one from the other gives a result of zero or less, then
melee attack against those edges. all but 5% of the creatures automatically make their
saving throws.) The result is how many per cent of
Recording Damage the counters in the area of effect failed their saving
throws. If this would result in fractions of counters
If a hit is scored, a damage roll is made for normally,
with the result being deducted from the target’s being affected, round up or down as appropriate.
Counter Hit Points.
Magical Attacks
If sufficient damage is caused to remove a counter Huge explosive spells such as fireball can have a
from the unit, the attacker chooses which counters to devastating effect on the tightly packed mass of a
remove. These counters must be only those that are unit, and even a lightning bolt is likely to slay several
within line of sight of the ranged attackers; you may warriors as it rips through their ranks. Magic is a
not create gaps in an enemy’s front face if you cannot powerful force on the battlefield and spellcasters
see and shoot at it. are much sought after by generals who delight in
both their attack spells, as well as arcane and divine
Ranged attacks always inflict double damage upon defences.
units in close formation, as the closely huddled
warriors are much easier to hit with a shower of Spellcasters on the field are always treated as
arrows. This double damage is in addition to any individuals, never as units. You cannot have a team
further modifiers that may apply. of ten sorcerers hurling ten fireballs at once. If you
recruit a ‘unit’ of a spellcasting class (see Chapter 18)
A minimum of 1 point of damage will always be then you have 10 members of that class to deploy on
caused, even if the dice roll is modified to 0 or less. the battlefield.

236
 THE OPEN MASS COMBAT SYSTEM (Version II)

Spell Range warriors have a Reflex saving throw of 1; subtracting

this from the saving throw DC and multiplying by
Spells listed as having a range of touch or close may
only be used against an enemy unit with whom the 5 gives the result that 75% of the warriors fail their
spellcaster is currently engaged in melee combat. saving throws. The full damage of the fireball is
Otherwise, the ranges of spells are measured out in therefore applied to 8 out of 10 of the counters, while
feet as usual. the lucky 2 who saved receive only half damage.

Melmoth rolls 25 points of damage. This inflicts

Spells Targeting Single Creatures a total of 200 points (25x8) for those who did not
Resolve the use of spells that target single creatures save and 24 points (half of 25 rounded down and
as if the spellcaster was fighting one member of the multiplied by 2) for those who did, for a grand total
unit; see the section on Player Characters below. of 224 counter hit points. The warrior counters each
A roll to hit must be made as normal if the spell have 33 counter hit points, so Melmoth’s fireball
requires a ranged touch attack to succeed. If the incinerates 7 out of the 10 counters completely and
single creature is killed or incapacitated, deduct its hit 23 points are carried over.
dice from the total counter hit points. If it is reduced
to half its hit points, deduct half its hit dice (and any If the creatures in the unit have damage reduction,
extra points from Constitution modifiers) from the deduct this from the initial damage, not the total.
total counter hit points, rounding up. Otherwise, In the above example, if the warriors had been
ignore the result. buttressed with resist elements, the damage from the
fireball would have been reduced to 13, leading to
For example, Ship’s Mage Cadfannan hurls a flame a total damage (after saves) of 116, only enough to
arrow spell at one of the armoured trolls in the enemy char 3 of the 10 counters and leave 17 damage over.
battle line, hoping to create a break in the line and
allow his side to surge forwards. He rolls to hit with
a ranged touch attack and succeeds; fiery bolts zip Spell Resistance
from his pointing finger into the troll warrior’s body. If the creatures in the unit have spell resistance, then
He is over 8th level, so can produce multiple bolts. discount a number of affected counters before you
He scores 36 points of fire damage, which is over half proceed to factor in the saving throws. This number
the standard hit points for a troll. A troll has 6 hit is calculated as follows: subtract the spellcaster’s
dice and a Constutution modifier of +6, meaning that caster level from the Spell Resistance of the affected
an individual troll has 9.6 unit hit points; the flame creatures and multiply the result by 5. (If deducting
arrow thus reduces the counter hit points by 3.3, the one figure from the other gives a result of less
rounded up to 4. than zero, then only 5% of the targeted counters
successfully resist.) The result is the percentage of
counters that successfully resist the spell. If this
Area Effect Spells would result in fractions of counters resisting, round
When calculating the effect of a damage-inflicting up or down as appropriate, exactly as with the saving
area spell or effect, such as fireball, upon a unit, map throw system above.
the spell’s effect area on to the units concerned to
find out which counters are affected. Next, consult For example, the halfling cleric Bethany Entwhistle
the saving throw section below to find out how many attempts to smite a legion of kytons with a holy word.
counters are discounted. She is in the midst of the fray, the kytons having
successfully surged into the ranks of her forces, so
For a damage-inflicting spell, the amount of hit casting at all provokes attacks of opportunity, which
points of damage dealt by the spell multiplied by the (for the sake of example) she survives. The kytons
number of counters affected is the amount of counter have Spell Resistance of 17 and Bethany is casting
hit points that are lost from the counters in this area. at 13th level; subtracting one from the other gives 5,
Otherwise, the spell effect is applied to all those which multiplied by 5 gives a total percentage of 25.
counters that did not save.
So, 25% of the kyton counters in the area of effect
For example, Melmoth Duranir throws a fireball at a successfully resist and the remainder are paralyzed,
massed group of third level warriors. There are 10 blinded and deafened. As this has taken place in the
counters in the affected area. Fireball is a 3rd level middle of a fray, they are treated as dead rather than
spell, and Melmoth’s Intelligence ability modifier is crippled.
+3, so the DC of the saving throw would be 16. The

237
THE OPEN MASS COMBAT SYSTEM (Version II)

It is important to remember that in the case of saving

throws, the percentage figure represents those who
Attacks Of Opportunity Against
did not save successfully, whereas in the case of spell Spellcasters
resistance it represents those who did mange to resist. Assume that any spellcaster who begins to cast when
in the threatened area of any counter in an enemy unit
suffers an attack of opportunity from 1d4-1 members
Optional Rule: Random Variance of the unit. Resolve this as per the normal combat
The rules as presented here adhere strictly to rules from Core Rulebook I. Casting in the middle
statistical average, for the sake of speedy resolution. of a fray (two or more units in merged formation) is
If you wish to introduce a greater degree of a more vulnerable situation and attracts attacks of
situational variance, bringing the mass combats opportunity from 1d4 creatures.
closer to the way saving throws and spell resistance
work in ordinary combat, then the following rule is The Games Master is the final arbitrator as to the
suggested. Every time you need to calculate saving ultimate effectiveness of any spell, though the rules
throws or spell resistance, roll 1d6 and 1d10. If the provided here will allow him to handle the vast
d6 shows a result of 1 to 3, then subtract five times majority of spells available quickly and easily.
the result on the d10 from the percentage; otherwise,
add five times the result to the percentage. A result
of more than 100% is treated as 100% and a result of Other Magicks in the OMCS
less than 0% is treated as 0%. Spells that cause affects other than damage (such
as bless or bane) will only provide their bonus or
For example, if this rule had been used in the Spell penalty to a unit if the majority of its members can be
Resistance demonstration above, a roll of –3 would affected. If only a minority are affected by the spell,
have meant that only 10% of the kytons resisted. If it it provides no benefit or penalty in unit combat.
had been used in the saving throw example, a roll of
-10 would have meant that only 25% of the warriors Spells that produce effects other than damage can
failed their Reflex saving throws. place a single unit member or a group of counters in
the unit into a given condition. The following is how
these conditions are applied on the battlefield.

238
 THE OPEN MASS COMBAT SYSTEM (Version II)

Any spell that causes mass death, such as cloudkill or

power word: kill, sends affected creatures to the dead
Morale
There are very few units who will truly fight to the
pile. death. As the enemy swarms over barricades and
defences, long time comrades start to fall beneath
Any spell that renders the victims unable to defend their weapons and swarms of arrows rain down, many
themselves, such as sleep or stinking cloud, places warriors may choose to throw down their weapons
the affected counters into the Crippled pile. (The rather than risk a cruel death.
exception is if they are so affected in the middle
of a fray, in which case they count as dead.) They Morale checks are made in unit combat whenever the
are likely to have suffered fatalities, but most of circumstances listed on the table below are met. The
them remain alive; in the carnage of the battlefield, DC required to be rolled for each circumstance is
they are more likely to be left that way, as they do also given.
not represent an immediate threat. At the Games
Master’s discretion, for added realism crippled
counters may be left on the battlefield, but turned Morale Circumstance DC
upside down or otherwise marked; a unit may take Enemy surge successful against unit 15
a standard action to perform a coup de grace on any Unit Size reduced to half of original
incapacitated counters within reach, adding them to score 15
the dead pile.
Unit Size reduced to one quarter of
original score 20
Any spell that interferes with the victims’ ability to
fight but does not leave them defenceless, such as Unit Size reduced to one third of current
entangle, confusion or power word: blind, causes score in a single round 10
the affected counters to become incapacitated for Unit suffers more damage in a round than
the duration of the spell. The Games Master should enemy in melee combat 15
adjudicate these effects but a circumstance bonus
Unit is hit by enemy of three times or
of +2 to any attacks made against the incapacitated
greater Unit Size 15
counters is a good rule of thumb. Incapacitated
counters are not able to resist a surge attack.
The following modifiers apply to Morale checks;
Fear effects, as well as causing the affected counters
to flee, prompt an immediate morale check from any Morale Modifier
members of the same unit. Unit Leader + Leader’s Charisma
modifier
Turning Undead Morale modifier* +/- Morale modifier
Clerics may attempt to turn and rebuke undead units, Unit Leader with + Leader’s
despite the far greater numbers than might normally Leadership feat Character Level
be faced. The rules for turning detailed in Core
Player Character actions See pg. 242
Rulebook I are used to determine how many Hit
Dice of undead are affected as normal, and this total Mercenary unit -1
is deducted directly from the undead’s Counter Hit Enslaved unit -4
Points. * Morale modifiers may come from any source, not
just those listed on the outmatching table above. For
example, the bless spell grants a +1 morale bonus
Unit Withdraw Option to attack rolls – however, in unit combat, it will also
A unit may choose to withdraw if the fight runs grant a bonus to Morale checks.
against them, either to regroup before launching
another attack or to attempt to break off from combat + Includes any unit whose members have been forced
altogether. into combat against their will and without any form
of pay or reward.
A unit attempting to withdraw instead of attacking
in a round immediately provokes an attack of If a Morale check is failed, the unit automatically
opportunity from any enemy in melee combat with makes a withdraw option in its next round and will
them. continue to leave the battlefield at the fastest possible

239
THE OPEN MASS COMBAT SYSTEM (Version II)

speed. A unit must pass a Morale check at DC 20 Unit Types

in order to rally and make another attack option in There are four different unit types used in the
the following round. Player characters are under OMCS2 to reflect differing capabilities and special
no obligation to flee but from this point, they will skills upon the battlefield. The proper use of such
be fighting on their own! There is also, however, units can ensure victory for a general, even in the
no guarantee that an enemy will necessarily allow face of overwhelming opposition.
an enemy to escape and will mercilessly charge
them again and again, causing great carnage and
destruction. Infantry
Infantry units form the core of most forces and
comprise of any unit that does not meet the
Recovering requirements of archers, cavalry or skirmishers. Such
units receive no special bonuses or penalties within
Casualties the OMCS.
The loss of counters does not track actual deaths
amongst a unit, though there are certainly likely to
be plenty of those. Instead it demonstrates a unit’s Archers
ability to continue fighting through individual death, Any unit armed with a ranged weapon with a range
injury and surrender as the number of men left increment of at least 60 ft. and not wearing heavy
standing is whittled down. armour is designated as an archer unit. Archer units
are able to keep their distance from the main line
At the end of every battle, whether involving ranged of battle and rain missile weapons down upon their
or melee attacks, a percentage of the counters lost by enemies from a distance.
each unit may be automatically recovered as those
injured are helped, those who ran come out of hiding
and the death toll is finally totalled.
Cavalry
Any unit riding any kind of mount into battle is
designated as cavalry. Cavalry units are fast moving
Ranged Combat: At the end of any combat forces in the battlefield, able to attack enemy units
involving purely ranged weapons, 50% rounding almost at will. To calculate the counter hit points
down, of lost counters may be recovered from the of cavalry units, compare the hit dice of the mount
dead pile. and the rider and add half of the lower rating to the
higher. For example, a 2nd level warrior mounted on
Winning Melee Combat: At the end of any melee, a heavy warhorse would add half of the warrior’s hit
the victor of the combat may recover 50% rounding dice to those of the horse, as the horse has 4 hit dice.
down, of lost counters from the dead pile, 75% from The counter hit points would therefore be a base of 4
the crippled pile and 75% from the incapacitated pile. for the horse’s hit dice plus 30% for its Constitution
modifier (i.e. +1.2) plus 2 points for the warrior’s hit
Losing Melee Combat: At the end of any melee, dice, then multiplied by 10 for the number of units in
the defeated side may recover 25% rounding down, the counter, for a total of 72 counter hit points.
of lost counters from the dead pile, 50% from the
crippled pile and 75% from the incapacitated pile.
Skirmishers
These percentages are further modified as follows; Any unit wearing no or light armour may be
designated as a skirmish unit, taking to the field in a
Additional Casualties small dispersed formation that allows them to operate
Army Includes Recovered with great flexibility. Skirmish units must remain in
skirmish formation at all times. A skirmisher unit
Cleric with healing +2% per level per cleric
gains a +2 competence bonus on all Initiative checks.
spells (max. +10%)
However, no skirmisher unit may have more than 4
Character with at least +1% per character (max. counters at any one time. Cavalry units with light
rank 4 in Heal skill +10%) horses or warhorses wearing no barding may also be
Unit being recovered designated as skirmisher units and gain these bonuses
withdrew in melee -20% and penalties. Such units are known as skirmishing
cavalry.

240
 THE OPEN MASS COMBAT SYSTEM (Version II)

War Machines structure point of damage to a war machine. Any

Upon the battlefield, a general may find himself lesser amount is ignored and disregarded, the attack
facing an enemy force comprising of far more than simply bouncing off the side of the war machine.
mere infantry, cavalry and archers. Arrayed against
his own units may be dreaded ballistae, catapults Some war machine weapons are listed as causing
and awesome mobile fortresses. These are the war structural damage. These weapons deal damage
machines, giant constructions that can dominate any directly to the structure points of another building or
battlefield with their firepower and sheer strength. war machine. Hardness is never applied to structural
damage, except in the case of a threatened breach
War machines are treated as if each were a unit in its (see below) as such attacks are simply too powerful.
own right within the OMCS2. However, to reflect Attacks by units in the OMCS2 automatically cause
their increased capabilities, war machines have a structural damage to war machines, due to the large
slightly different profile to regular units as well as numbers of fighting men attacking together.
some special rules which give them the capability
to crush hordes of enemy warriors with their great Note that whilst part of the OMCS2 rules, structural
weaponry. damage is also used when characters attack larger
constructions, such as ships in Seas of Blood or
strongholds on in the first half of this book as part of
The War Machine Roster their normal adventuring.
A War Machine Roster Sheet is used to record the
details and abilities of every war machine within an
army. This sheet allows players and Games Masters Hardness
alike to judge the effectiveness of any war machine War machines only use their hardness score when
at a glance, and greatly aids combat resolution within attacked by single characters, never when attacked by
the OMCS. units.

A typical War Machine Roster Sheet, detailing a

medium-sized catapult, is shown below;
Size
This lists how large the war machine is in relation to
creatures.
Medium Catapult
Structure Dice: 1d10 (5 sp)
Hardness: 5
AC
This is the Armour Class of the war machine, used to
Size: Large defend itself against all attacks it may face.
AC: 12 (-1 large, +3 natural)
Attacks: 1 Catapult shot
Damage: Catapult shot 4d6/2d6 Attacks
Rate of Fire: 6 War machines have devastating weapons, enabling
Crew: 3 them to slaughter huge numbers of warriors with
Special Qualities: None each attack. Detailed here is each attack a war
Cost: 675 gp machine possesses.

As can be readily seen, the War Machine Roster has

much in common with the monster entries of Core Damage
Rulebook III, as do the unit combat rules detailed Many war machines are capable of causing structural
below. damage to other war machines and structures. If a
war machine is listed as having two types of damage
for a single weapon, the latter will reflect structural
Structure Dice damage, the former the damage caused to single
The majority of attacks in the d20 system deal characters and units alike.
damage in hit points, whilst units in the OMCS2
deal damage in Counter Hit Points. However, war
machines receive damage in terms of structure points. Range Increment
This is the figure used to calculate the range penalty
An attack by a single character or creature must to any attack by a war machine. Ballistas and similar
cause ten full hit points worth of damage to deal one weapons that work by bow-like action can fire up
to ten increments. Catapults and similar weapons

241
THE OPEN MASS COMBAT SYSTEM (Version II)

that work by throwing action can fire up to six † Ballistae within the OMCS2 attack all units as if
increments. Range increments for war machines they had an Armour Class of 10, and any resulting
work exactly as for normal ranged combat, with a damage is deducted straight from the Unit’s
–2 range penalty to the attack roll for each range Hit Points as the power of the huge bolts used
increment over the first one. allow a single one to skewer many fighting men.
However, other war machines are attacked as if
the ballista were a single character – the ballista
Breach Range will need to deal 10 points of damage after it has
This is the amount that must be rolled on a d20 to overcome the target’s hardness in order to deal 1
threaten an immediate breach when the war machine point of structural damage.
is fired at a structure. It is the war machine’s
equivalent of a critical hit range. † Catapults and trebuchets within the OMCS2 hit
all targets, both war machines and units, as if
Rate of Fire they had an Armour Class of 10. The amount of
Despite having a many crewmen, most war machines damage they cause is deducted from the Unit’s
are incredibly slow to reload, aim and fire. Listed Hit Points as they are fully capable smashing
here is how many full-round actions the crew must several warriors to a pulp with each shot. Against
expend to fire and reload the war machine’s weapons. war machines or structures, they cause structural
damage, as detailed in their descriptions below.

Crew † Catapults and trebuchets within the OCMS2

This is simply the number of crew required to cannot attack a target within one hundred feet
maintain the war machine at peak efficiency in battle. unless it is over fifteen feet tall.
Each weapon may lose up to a quarter of its crew,
rounding down, before its rate of fire is affected. † No war machine can ever make an attack of
Each crewman lost after this point will cause the opportunity.
rate of fire to be doubled. The crew on a war
machine must all have Profession (siege engineer) There are many different types of war machine that
skill. For every 3 ranks (rounded down) they have may be taken to the battlefield, from small ballistae
in this skill, a +1 competence bonus is added to the to huge trebuchets and mobile fortresses. Players and
war machine’s attack roll. (If there is variation in Games Masters are encouraged to create their own,
skill ranks among the crew, apply the rank held by using the examples detailed in the previous chapter as
the majority.) If for any reason a war machine is a guideline to cost and effectiveness.
operated by a crew lacking in this skill, apply the –4
penalty for attacking with a weapon in which one is
not proficient to the war machine’s attack roll. Player Characters
In the centre of the action of any role-playing
scenario are the player characters and in the OMCS,
Cost they truly have the opportunity to act as heroes. As
Simply a guide as to how much a general must pay to their unit crashes into the enemy, the fighters lead
own this war machine and have it within his army. their men forward, seeking to engage the opposing
unit leaders as their unit fight a desperate combat
War Machines in Battle against their own counterparts. Rogues nimbly
In most respects, war machines are handled within dodge poorly aimed sword swings as wizards cast
the OMCS2 and, indeed, the normal d20 combat awesome magicks, pummelling both the enemy into
system in the same way as any other creature submission.
or object, taking into account new rules such
as structural damage. However, there are some The rules presented in this chapter are designed to
exceptions within the OMCS2 that reflect ponderous allow the easy integration of player characters into
nature of war machines upon the battlefield. the OMCS, with as little work as possible required
on the part of either Games Masters or players. The
† All war machines suffer a –4 circumstance penalty length of a combat round, be it featuring the actions
to their Initiative checks. of characters or entire unit is always six seconds.
Thus, whatever a character could normally attempt
in a normal combat round will apply equally in the
OMCS.

242
 THE OPEN MASS COMBAT SYSTEM (Version II)

If two units are in combat with one another, player

characters may choose to aid one side. To do so, they
engage in combat with one or more members of the
enemy unit, using the normal combat rules presented
in Core Rulebook I. Everyone involved in the combat
acts in Initiative order, so the player characters
may have the chance to act before anyone else.
However, if they manage to slay or subdue any of
their enemies, then the Hit Dice of the creatures they
overcome is immediately deducted from the Unit Hit
Point score. For example;

Whilst leading his heroic unit to attack the mercenary

ogre unit Blood Hammerers in a desperate charge,
Torgrim the Fighter, rolling the highest initiative
of the combat, attacks a big ogre as the rest of his
men engage the rest of the enemy. The Unit Hit
Points of the ogres is 87, a combination of ogres and
hobgoblins. Kurvak dispatches his ogre foe in one
round of combat – a normal ogre has 4 HD, and thus
the mercenaries lose 4 Unit Hit Points immediately,
bringing them down to a total of 83. The units now
Attacking and Damaging War Machines fight, in remaining initiative order.
When attempting to hit a war machine with a ranged
attack, the normal d20 system rules are used. War
It should be noted that some spells, such as fireball,
machines, however, tend to be very large and so can
may be particularly destructive in such engagements
be very difficult for a character to actually miss! The
when fighting men are crowded together in a unit. In
equivalent creature size of each war machine is listed
such cases, the spell is handled as detailed in Core
in their entries. When a character attempts to hit a
Rulebook I and the Games Master should use his own
war machine with a close combat weapon, assume
judgement as to the ultimate effectiveness of it, based
the war machine has an Armour Class of 0 – even a
upon its listed area of effect
cross-eyed fighter will have a great deal of difficulty
in missing a such a large object whilst standing next
to it. . . Unit Morale
Player characters are immune to the effects of unit
Situations may arise whereby a player wishes to morale, as detailed on pg. 239, though units are likely
attack a war machine in a direct and specific manner to take a dim view of players who continue to fight
– firing a flaming arrow into an arrow slit, for as they try to surrender. However, many of a player
instance, or hacking apart a wooden wheel to stop it character’s actions in combat may have a direct
moving. In such circumstances, the Games Mater influence on how their unit fights. The table below
should determine the outcome of such actions using lists some of the more common actions a player
the rules given in the Core Rulebooks, using the war character may attempt to boost the morale of his unit,
machine’s hardness score as a base line with which to though the Games Master is welcome to add others
work out damage. as the need arises – basically, a player should always
be awarded for bravery and will certainly earn the
respect of the unit. The morale bonus earned applies
Unit Combats to the unit’s attack and damage rolls for the rest of
Player characters are never counted as part of the unit
the combat, as well as to morale rolls made on the
when calculating the Unit Roster – they always act
table on pg. 239.
independently, even if they are mere foot soldiers,
thus allowing them to do all sorts of heroic (or
cowardly) things. Under normal circumstances,
combat for player characters in melee combat is
handled in exactly the same way as presented in Core
Rulebook I. They are, however, permitted to attack
enemy units.

243
THE OPEN MASS COMBAT SYSTEM (Version II)

Player Character Action Morale Bonus to Unit

Slaying enemy unit leader +2
Slaying enemy officer/ +1
sergeant
Destroying enemy war +1
machine
Fleeing battle -4
Slaying 10% or more of +1
enemy unit in one attack

Gaining Experience
Experience point awards can be incredibly difficult
to calculate in mass battles unless the Games Master
is prepared to be very flexible. The sheer amount of
variables involved in unit size, type and armament
make a mockery of any simple award system without
having to resort pages and pages of cross-referencing
tables. So, a far quicker and easier system is
required;

Player characters will always gain experience as

normal for the creatures they themselves defeat. For their units through, Games Masters may discover that
example, if they personally lead a unit and end up the majority do, in fact, survive encounters.
slaying the enemy leader and six of his unit, they
receive an experience award as normal based on the As with player characters themselves, there are
leader and six men, even if their own unit butchered no hard and fast rules for units to gain experience
everyone else in the unit. themselves, but the Games Master is welcome to
periodically raise the quality of a unit, perhaps every
Story awards are given by the Games Master to six months during a military campaign, so long as the
player characters who lead entire units or armies and majority survive each battle. In this way, slave and
are victorious. The actual size of the story award militia units may become solid soldiers and veterans
will vary greatly between units, as well as with may actually start to rise in character level.
relative type and armament, not to mention the player
character’s own level. Guidelines on how to present Non-Player Characters
story awards are provided in Core Rulebook II. It is strongly recommended that these rules for player
characters also be adopted for important non-player
As a last word, it should be noted that defeating a unit characters, be they allies to the party or enemies.
does not necessarily mean slaying every last member In this way, even a lowly goblin tribe should not
– capturing a unit without a single weapon being have its warlord subsumed into the Unit Roster – he
used will earn a story award, as will outsmarting or will act as an independent character, encouraging
sneaking round an enemy. The Games Master should his unit and attacking the player characters at their
be flexible in granting experience point and reward weakest points. He can even earn the morale bonuses
players for all the achievements of their characters. presented above.

Unit Experience Siege Warfare:

In our playtesting, we tended to find the actions of
player characters pretty much guaranteed a high
turn over of men in a unit, due to casualties, so that
Attacking Structures
War machines can be used to batter down structures.
soldiers were ever likely to be in the position to gain Repeated poundings from catapult stones and iron
experience themselves. However, if players are balls flung from trebuchets can steadily batter away
taking a great amount of care over the risks they put at the strongest wall until it is reduced to rubble; a
lucky or well-aimed shot can punch a hole straight

244
 THE OPEN MASS COMBAT SYSTEM (Version II)

through a wall, causing collapse or creating an egress only applies to attacks made against areas that
for invading troops. have already suffered damage; you cannot take
advantage of this rule to batter the front of a
structure, then wheel the catapult round to the
Attacking A Structure back and create a breach there.
To attack a structure with a war machine, simply
roll to hit as usual. You must specify the spot on the † If a single attack inflicts more than 30 points of
structure that you are attacking, as some structures structural damage in a round, whether or not the
have multiple components. If you hit successfully, roll to hit resulted in a breach threat, the structure
roll for damage and deduct this from the building’s must make a Stability saving throw against DC 15
structure points. When a building reaches zero or suffer a breach. Again, the damage is deducted
structure points, it collapses completely. as usual.
Obviously, buildings do not simply stand there while
their fabric is battered to powder and then suddenly Stability And Collapse
crumble all at once. There are varying degrees of All structures in the OCMS2 have a Stability saving
destruction to which a structure may be subjected. throw bonus; see the first half of this book for some
A structure may have one or more breaches and still typical scores. The better built a structure is, the
remain standing. more snugly its components fit together, the more
stable it is.
Breaches Structures are called upon to make Stability saving
A breach is created when part, but not all, of a throws many times in the course of attacks made
structure has been broken through. Often in siege against them. Sometimes this will be to resist the
warfare the intention is not to smash down the whole formation of breaches, sometimes to avoid the
wall or the whole castle but instead to create a hole in collapse of the whole edifice.
the defences large enough for troops to invade.

A breach is, by default, an irregular and roughly Catastrophic Damage

circular hole 5 feet deep and 5 feet across. If a There are three ways in which catastrophic damage
breach is created in a structure of approximately the can occur.
same dimensions as this (such as a door) then it is
completely destroyed. Some exceptionally thick † When a structure has been reduced to lower than
structures (such as fortified walls) must be breached 25% of its total structure points, it must make a
more than once in roughly the same place in order to Stability saving throw at DC 15 every time it takes
create catastrophic damage (see below) and smash structural damage. Failure means that catastrophic
through to the other side, which is why invading damage ensues.
forces prefer to assault the gate than the walls.
† Every time a fresh breach is created within 30
There are three ways in which a breach may be feet of an existing breach on the same wall of a
created in a structure. building, it must make a Stability saving throw at
DC 15 or suffer catastrophic damage.
† If an attacking war machine scores a successful
breach threat by rolling within the breach range on † If a breach is created in a tower on any level below
its roll to hit and the damage scored overcomes the the top floor, it must make a Stability saving throw
hardness rating of the structure, then the structure at DC 20 or collapse down to the point of the
must make an immediate Stability saving throw. breach.
The DC is 10 plus one for every point of damage
in excess of the structure’s hardness rating. If Any modular structure that fails its Stability saving
the stability saving throw is failed, a breach is throw and suffers catastrophic damage collapses
created. The damage inflicted is deducted from outright. Any neighbouring structure connected to
the structure’s total SP as usual. the collapsing one (such as another section of wall)
must also make an immediate Stability saving throw,
† If a structure has been reduced to half its total adjusted according to the amount of damage it has
structure points or lower, every successful hit taken; the DC is 5 if it has suffered no damage, 10
is counted as a breach threat as above. This if it has lost fewer than 50% of its structure points

245
THE OPEN MASS COMBAT SYSTEM (Version II)

and 15 if it has fewer than 50% of its structure points may avoid taking damage from the building’s
remaining. Failure means that that structure also collapse, they will still begin to suffocate if they
collapses and the structures attached to it must also are not dug out. See Core Rulebook II for rules on
save; and so on. suffocation.

A stand-alone structure that fails its stability save † Those who do not manage to avoid the destruction
suffers partial collapse. A collapse effect eats away of the building are treated as if they were trapped
at the building, as if a chunk had been taken out of it. in a cave-in. See Core Rulebook II for cave-in
The extent of collapse depends on the arrangement rules.
of the structure. First, determine the point of impact.
If the attack was aimed, the point of impact is set by † If one structure collapses on to another, such as
the character aiming it; otherwise, it is determined a tall tower falling down on to the top of a keep,
randomly. The structure crumbles in a wave that 1d8 structure points of damage are inflicted for
spreads out in a sphere from the point of impact. The every 10 feet that the toppling structure was in
radius of the sphere is 1d6x10 feet. If the spreading height above the level to which it is collapsing.
wave encounters a breach, a new wave of crumbling This assumes the structure was made of stone.
begins, centred on the breach. In this way, a badly A collapsing wooden structure inflicts the same
damaged structure may be destroyed altogether with amount in d4.
a single impact.

Once this initial phase of damage has been resolved,

Closing Breaches
The defenders of a structure may attempt to close up
a second Stability saving throw must be made at -4 to a breach using loose furniture, rags, rubble, planks
the roll, but only if there is still intact structure above and any other detritus they can find. This is primarily
the area of effect. If the saving throw succeeds, no to stop invaders getting in and secondly to provide
further damage is sustained. If it fails, all levels of some support for the compromised wall. There must
the structure directly above the area of effect fall be sufficient material to hand in order to achieve this.
down.
For every five rounds of barricading, one breach may
Any tower that the wave encounters must
be closed. Soldiers cannot enter it and it no longer
immediately make a Stability saving throw at DC 15,
counts as a breach for catastrophic damage purposes.
or DC 20 if it is below 50% of its structure points. If
it succeeds, it does not take any damage and remains
standing; if it fails, it collapses at the level where the Tunnelling
wave hit it. Tunnellers, or ‘sappers’ as they are sometimes called,
are able to bring down many walls and structures
A collapsing structure falls down in the opposite without a single shot being fired. Their method
direction to that from which the damage came. If is to dig down beneath the wall, propping up their
the collapse was not the result of an impact, roll excavation with wooden props. Once a sufficient
randomly to see in which direction the structure falls. area has been hollowed out, the props are set on fire
and burn away, leaving a gaping hole beneath the
Damage From Falling Debris wall; in a matter of moments, the wall usually caves
As a building crumbles, it can cause terrible damage in.
to those trapped in the path of the wreckage.
Any creature or group of creatures attempting
† Anyone who is inside a building when it collapses to tunnel must dig down below the level of the
and who is within 10 feet of an exit may make a foundations in order to be effective; see Chapter
Reflex saving throw at DC 20 to dive out of the 3. As a rough rule, it takes 5 properly equipped
building before it comes down. This may mean creatures a total of 5 hours to clear and prop a 10-
leaping out of the window but in some cases foot cube of earth. A sapper’s tunnel may not be dug
this is preferable to being squashed by tumbling any larger than this. Every tunnel fired causes the
masonry. structure above to make a Stability saving throw at
DC 20. Failure means that a breach is automatically
† Anyone in the same circumstances who is close created directly above the collapsed tunnel, while
to a point of potential shelter, such as a natural 3d6 structure points of damage are inflicted upon the
cave or a strongroom, may make the same Reflex structure. Failure by more than 10 causes the whole
saving throw to dive under cover. Though they wall to collapse to a distance of 15 feet to either side
of the location of the tunnel.

246
 DESIGNER'S NOTES

Designer’s whose ‘High Society’ is an absolute must for anyone

intending to introduce more sophisticated politics
into a world of hack and slash.

Notes It is an honour to have been asked to write the Open

Mass Combat System version 2, especially since

T
here was only going to be one way to write the rules for attacking structures have been brewing
this book, as far as I was concerned. Detail in my brain since my own (unpublished) attempt
everything. If there were players out there to put a ship combat system together. It has never
who didn’t want to know exactly how much building made sense to me that a structure should either be
a stronghold would cost – or how much it would there and on one or more hit points or not there at
cost if you fetched some bits yourself, got enslaved all. All I need now is to persuade Mongoose to let
workers to do the building and then made a few me introduce the breach creation rules into Seas of
modifications – then at least they would have my Blood, so that ships can be holed and sunk....
work to go on as a guideline. So, my apologies if
you think I’ve been a bit, erm, excessively zealous. The man to man combat part of the revised OMCS
I’ve just tried to pre-empt what you, the players, has, I hope, retained the flavour of the old system
might want to do. while adding a bit more structure. The old system
should still be used if you ever need to have a purely
The system for building as it stands is intricate narrative battle. As soon as the battle lines break
and as realistic as I could make it. There’s a lot to and one force surges into another, you are pretty
remember and a lot of stages to work through. Could much back to the meat of the old OMCS anyway.
I not have made it simpler? Possibly, but I didn’t Incidentally, the feel of the OMCS2, in which battle
feel I could do that without oversimplifying it. I felt lines meet, trade blows over their shields and attempt
that dumbing down the process, so to speak, would to surge into each other’s ranks are based on my
have been a loss. Strongholds are complex, involved experiences of what it is actually like to be on the
things. The more involvement a player can have, the battlefield. As a long-term live action roleplayer, I
more real the finished structure will seem. have had plenty of opportunity to observe exactly
how people behave when a shield wall advances or a
The special features and magical accoutrements line caves in thanks to a well-flung spell (most of the
sections wrote themselves. I am indebted to time, I would have been the one flinging it) so I hope
several commentators on the Usenet newsgroup this comes out in your use of it.
rec.games.frp.dnd, who observed that all the books
on strongholds seemed to be churning out the I must give a swift thankyou to all those who
standard mediaeval castle again – a totally pointless provided useful suggestions while I was in the thick
structure in a fantasy milieu with so many flying of writing the governing rules (they saw far too many
opponents. I tried to take their comments to heart redrafts for my comfort!) with particular shout-outs
when writing this book. It is frustrating in the to Will Isenhour and Chris Rapier out there in LJ
extreme when those who are writing for a games land.
system do not pay attention to what the gamers in
the front lines say they want. Now that I’m on the Lastly, this whole work is dedicated with love,
writing side of the fence, I’m happy to listen to the respect and admiration to PeeJee Shou. If you don’t
people who, at the end of the day, are going to be know who she is, go to www.somethingpositive.net at
using the material. the next available opportunity.

As for the governmental system, I am especially ‘Rocks fall! Everybody dies!’

pleased with that. I may be wrong, and I am sure
I will be corrected several times over on the Net Adrian Bott
if I am, but I don’t think anyone’s ever produced
a thorough and detailed system like this one for
handling political matters in the good old d20 world.
I confess to having a great love for political and
governmental issues in the fantasy context. To those
who are looking for inspiration, I can recommend
no one artist and writer more highly than Dave Sim,

247
 INDEX

Index Building an Underground Stronghold 120

Building in Cities 22
Building War Machines 224
Build A Structure For The People’s Use 207

A Buying Resources 24

C
Ability Score & Saves 229
Accessibility 18
Admiral of the Fleet 168
Special Ability: Marine Strategy 169 Cannon 227
Advancement 224 Captain of Armies 155
Advertise For Heroes And Promise Reward 203 Special Ability: Inspire Troops 156
Alarm Systems 83 Special Ability: Military Strategy 156
Allow Refugees To Seek Asylum Here 192 Carpeting and Coverings 85
Allow The Trade Of Unethical Goods 199 Catapult, Heavy 226
Allow The Troops To Pillage A Region 208 Catapult, Light 225
Alter The Tax Rate 194 Catapult, Medium 226
Animated Weapons 108 Catastrophic Damage 245
Antimagic Zone 108 Cathedral 63
Amphitheatre 65 Causes of Population Loss 213
Arched Stone Tunnel 122 Castle, Enclosure 73
Ard Ri (High King) 177 Ceramic Products 140
Area Effect Spells 237 Chief Justice 167
Armoury 84 Special Ability: Influence Verdict/Sentence 168
Armour Class 233 Chief of Defence 156
Arrange A Summit Meeting 192 Special Ability: Consolidate Defence 156
Arrow Catapult 226 Special Ability: Hold Breach 157
Attacks 233 Chief of Police 159
Attacks of Opportunity 234 Special Ability: Interrogate 160
Attacks Of Opportunity Against Spellcasters 238 Special Ability: Intuitive Leap 160
Attack Options 234 Chinking 33
Attack Roll 233 Church/Temple 62
Attacking A Structure 245 Circumstantial Resource Harvesting 136
Attacking and Damaging War Machines 243 Citadel of Ice 77
Available Soldiery 132 Civic Actions 205
Civic Building 59
Civic Structures 134

B Clan Chieftains 5
Clearing the Area 27
Ban All Members Of This Race 197 Cliff Village 79
Ban The Worship Of This Deity 194 Clocks 85
Ban This Character Class 195 Clockwork Castle 79
Basic Wooden Structures 33 Cloud Castle 80
Ballista 225 Close 230
Bathhouse 55 Close Off This Village/Town/City 209
Beacon 85 Closing Breaches 246
Bean Products 137 Colonists and Frontiersmen 9
Before the Regime 174 Column 124
Boiler Power (Steam) 125 Combat Room 86
Bone Barrier 109 Commission War Machine 209
Breaches 245 Common People 211
Break Off Diplomatic Relations With This Regime 190 Communications Within The Regime 173
Breaking Up A Face Before A Surge 232 Confiscate or Reclaim This Land Or Property 202
Bridge 55 Conquest 10
Building Against Natural Stone 43 Constructing Strongholds Freestyle 74

248
 INDEX

Corn Products 140

Cost of Fixing Problems 21
Cottage Industry 135
F
Factions 133
Cotton Products 140 Feats 229
Council 154 Finding a Site 18
Council Member Special Abilities 154 Fine Resources 137
Counter Hit Points 233 Fire Escape 87
Covert Actions 209 Fire 213
Crafted Resources 137 Fire Feature 87
Creating A Face 229 Fish Products 140
Crystal Castle 76 Flax Products 140
Crude Resources 136 Food Consumption 213
Curb Insurrection 209 Food Production 211
Customs Duty 218 Food Storage 212
Food Supply 19
Force Screen Generator 118

D Foreign Secretary 160

Special Ability: Smooth/Ruffle Feathers 160
Special Ability: Thorough Briefing 161
Damage 233
Damage From Falling Debris 246 Forest 151
Deal With Monsters 209 Formations 229
Declare A Trade Embargo On This Regime 190 Fortifications 66
Decommission Units 208 Fortified Manor 68
Default Factions 134 Fortress Mind 112
Defensibility 19 Fruits 140
Demand Tribute 191 Fuel Supply 19
Deprecation of Food Reserves 213 Fungus Products 141
Desert 151 Furs 141
Despotism 174
Diffusion Prism 109
Digging Out 28
Dimensionally Anchored Zone 110
G
Diplomatic Actions 189 Gargoyle Feeder 113
Disintegration Lance 110 Gas Pipes 113
Ditch/Moat 31 Gatehouse 67
Door, Wooden 86 Gaining Experience 244
Dragon Power (Steam, Current) 126 Gemstones and Jewels 141
Druids and Wooden Structures 33 Give A Diplomatic Reception 193
Give A Private Diplomatic Party 193
Give A Public Address 207

E Give Money To This Private Faction 193

Give The Police More Powers 204
Give This Land or Property To This Person 201
Earthworks 31
Economic Actions 193 Give This Person A Position Of Power 200
Effect of Corruption 187 Glass Feature 88
Electrified Object or Surface 110 Gnomish Mobile Battle Fortress 227
Elemental Power (Steam, Kinetic) 126 Golden Rule of Roof Support 120
Embankment 31 Golem Power (Kinetic) 127
Emergency Slaughtering 213 Governing Actions 188
Energy Cannon 111 Governmental Systems 174
Energy Resistant Wall or Door 111 Grain Products 142
Excessive Resource Extraction 136
Executive Actions 200

249
 INDEX

H K
Have A Council Reshuffle 200 Kings, Queens and Emperors 3
Have This Person Assassinated 209 Keep (Round) 73
Have This Person Embroiled In Scandal 210 Keep (Square) 72
Have This Person Publicly Honoured 200
Head of Intelligence 165
Special Ability: Counterspy 166
Special Ability: Glean Information 166 L
Special Ability: Infiltrate 167 Labour 24
Heads of Noble Houses 4 Ladder, Fixed 91
Heatstone 89 Land and What It May Provide 151
Hempen Products 142 Lava Power (Steam) 127
High Priests 6 Law-Keepers 7
Hills 151 Rich Independents 8Legislative Actions 194
Hive Products 143 Lever Trigger 91
Hold A Public Festival 205 Lighting 91
Hops & Beer 143 Lightning Field 119
Horseflesh 143 Lightning Power (Current) 127
House, Large 50 Lighthouse 60
House, Medium or Shop 48 Lime and Glass Products 143
House, Small 47 Livestock Products 144
Liquid Projector 119

I
Longhouse 38
Lost Tax Revenue 218
Lower The Age Of Conscription 208
Ice Room 89 Luxury Tax 220
Ice Waste 151
Illusion, Local 89
Improve The Roads 206
Individual Unit Members 234 M
Industry 14 Magic 153
Industrial Building 51 Magic Circle or Barrier 113
Initiative 233 Magical and Other Assistance 29
Information Minister 169 Magical Attacks 236
Special Ability: Influence Belief 169 Magical Trigger 92
Special Ability: Rumourmonger 170 Magically Reinforced Wall or Door 114
Inheritance 17 Magocracy 183
Inner Circle 153 Make These Weapons Illegal 197
Invest In The Preservation Of Nature 206 Make Unlicensed Magic Illegal 198
Institute An Inquisition 203 Mansion 58
Institute Mandatory Military Training 208 Marriage 12
Institutions 7 Mausoleum 61
Invisible Fixture 90 Maximum Different Types of Resource 135
Invite Immigrants From This Regime To Live And Work Maximum Number of Governing Actions 189
Here 192 Mercenaries 224
Improve The Roads 206 Metal Features 95
Iron Clad Stronghold 78 Metal Fence 46
Issue ‘Most Wanted’ Notices 205 Metal Products 145
Issue An Amnesty Notice 205 Merged 230
Military and Naval Actions 208

J
Minister of Agriculture 163
Special Emergency Ability: Rationing 163
Minister of Health 164
Juggernaut 118

250
 INDEX

Special Ability: Public Health 165 Population 131

Special Ability: Sustain Citizens 164 Population Growth 211
Special Emergency Ability: Plague Precautions 165 Portrait 97
Minister of Magic (Archmage) 170 Precious Metal Products 146
Special Ability: Optimise Communications 171 Proclaim A New Tax 194
Minister of Public Works 162 Propose An Alliance 191
Special Ability: Assess Local Needs 162 Property Tax 219
Special Ability: Locate New Resources 162 Province Sheet 131
Minister of Religion (High Priest, Archbishop) 171 Prison 64
Special Ability: Mass Belief 172 Private Interest 153
Special Ability: Public Ceremony 172 Private Secretary 158
Military Forces 5 Special Ability: Historical Lore 158
Military Structures 134 Special Ability: Write Persuasive Letter / Write Im-
Mist Ducts 114 pressive Speech 159
Mobile Offensive and Defensive Features 118 Processed Resources 136
Monarchy 176 Promote The Worship Of This Deity 206
Monsters 214 Prophecy 16
Monsters and Other Hostile Locals 22 Punish Dissent Mildly 198
Monstrous Puppet Masters 154 Punish Dissent Moderately 198
Morale 239 Punish Dissent Severely 198
Mound (Motte) 32 Puzzle Trigger 97
Mountains 151
Movement 231
Multiple Merged Units 232
Q
N
Quake Tower 114

Narcotic Products 145

Non-Player Characters 244 R
Nut Products 146 Random Variance 238
Recovering Casualties 240

O
Recruitment 221
Recruit New Units 208
Recycling Resources 23
Oil Products 146 Regime Sheet 129
Open 230 Release These Prisoners 204
Other Considerations 234 Religion 15
Other Magicks in the OMCS 238 Remediable 22
Overturn The Current Government 204 Remove This Person From Power 202
Rent Duty 219
Republic 179
P Resolving Unit Combat 233
Resources 23, 132
Palisade 33 Resource Conversion 135
Palisade Gatehouse 34 Resource Descriptions 137
Paving 43 Rice Products 146
Path to Power 9 River / Lake 152
Plague 213 Roads 134
Plains 151 Road, Average 43
Plan, The 18 Road, Superior 43
Player Characters 242 Road Tax 220
Plutocracy 185 Rope Bridge 38
Police Actions 204 Rough Stone Structures 41
Poll Tax 218

251
 INDEX

Rough Stone Wall 41 Stone Features 101

Rounds 233 Stone Products 148
Stone Passage 123
Strongholds Built From Unusual Materials 76
S Structures Built in Unusual Ways 79
Structure Listings 30
Sales Tax 218 Sun Lens 115
Salt Resources 146 Sugar Products 149
Sample Stronghold: The Harbour Guardian 74 Sun Power (Steam) 128
Saving Throws 236 Surfacing 43
Seasonal Resources 136 Switch Trigger 102
Sea Coast / Deep Sea 152

T
Secret Door (Mundane) 98
Secure This Much Of The Treasury 194
Sentry Tower 35
Send An Ambassador To This Regime 190 Taking Damage 234
Send A Gift To The Head Of This Regime 192 Tavern 49
Sequester This Property 202 Taxes 217
Service 13 Telekinetic Accelerator 116
Set Punishments as Harsh 199 Teleportation Pad 102
Set Punishments as Mild 199 ‘Terracing’ 102
Set Punishments as Moderate 199 Theocracy 181
Set Punishments as Severe 200 Threaten This Regime 190
Sheep and Wool 147 Three Counter Conditions 234
Shot Tower 62 Tighten Up On Corruption 202
Siege Warfare: Attacking Structures 244 Tobacco Products 149
Siege Tower 225 Tolerate Dissent 198
Silk Products 147 Torture Chamber 102
Simple Tunnel, Earth 121 Tower, Round 70
Simple Tunnel, Rock 122 Tower, Square 69
Skirmish 229 Tower House 69
Skull Fortress 81 Trade Routes and Hazards 215
Slaves 147 Trading With Other Regimes 215
Sliding Pole 101 Trap 105
Small Stone Fort (Border Fort) 71 Treadmill (Kinetic) 128
Soda Ash 148 Treasure Tax 220
Special Attack: Surge 231 Treasurer 157
Special Levy 220 Special Ability: Detect Anomaly 157
Specialist Dwarven Builders 26 Special Ability: Embezzle 157
Spell Resistant Wall or Door 115 Special Ability: Investments 158
Spells Targeting Single Creatures 237 Trebuchet 226
Spell Range 237 Tree Fort 40
Spell Resistance 237 Tree Fortress 80
Spice Products 148 Tree House 39
Spread Propaganda 200 Tree Platform 38
Stability 21 Trust 153
Stability And Collapse 245 Tunnelling 246
Staking Out 28 Turnstile 105
Starvation 213 Turning Undead 239
Static Offensive and Defensive Features 108 Turret Wires 117
Statue 101 Types of Engine 125
Staying in Control 188 Types of Unit 221
Stone Cottage/Outbuilding 42 Typical Resources 136
Stone Chamber 124
Stone Dome 73

252
 INDEX

U Damage 241
Hardness 241
Range Increment 241
Underground Walls 120
Undead Generation Plinth 117 Rate of Fire 242
Units 228 Size 241
Attacks, Damage & Armour Class 229 Structure Dice 241
Counter Hit Points 229 War Machines in Battle 242
Initiative 229 Watch Station 58
Race, Class & Level 228 Water Supply 19
The Unit Roster 228 Water Power (Kinetic) 128
Unit Size 228 Well 57
Unit Type 228 Whale Products 150
Unit Attack Option 235 Wharf (Stone) 54
Firing Ranged Weapons 236 What Counts As ‘Fortification’? 66
Flank and Rear Attacks 235 Who Needs a Stronghold? 3
Outmatching 235 Who Does the Building? 25
Recording Damage 236 Windlass 107
Unit Ranged Attacks 235 Windmill 56
Unit Charge Option 235 Wizards and Sorcerers 8
Unit Class and Level 221 Wooden Features 107
Unit Combats 243 Wooden Bridge or Jetty 36
Unit Experience 244 Wooden Fort 36
Unit Morale 243 Wooden Screen 35
Equipping Units 223 Wooden Shack or Log Cabin (Wooden Outbuilding) 37
Maintenance 223 Wood and Paper Products 150
Unit Types 240 Worked Stone Structures 44
Archers 240
Cavalry 240
Infantry 240
Skirmishers 240
Unit Withdraw Option 239
Unpaid Labour 25
Using Natural Caverns 121

V
Variations in Food Production 212
Vegetable Products 150

W
Wall, Fortified 67
Wall, Partition 44
Wall, Standard 45
Warlords 7
Wartime 214
War Machines 241
AC 241
Attacks 241
Breach Range 242
Cost 242
Crew 242

253
REGIME SHEET

Regime Sheet
Regime Name:
Head of Regime:
Official Residence:
Base of Operations:

Council Members
Position Character Name
Admiral of the Fleet
Captain of Armies
Chief Justice
Chief of Defence
Chief of Police
Foreign Secretary
Head of Intelligence
Information Minister
Minister of Agriculture
Minister of Health
Minister of Public Works
Minister of Religion
Minister of Magic
Private Secretary
Treasurer

Government Type:
Intimidate Bonus:
Diplomacy Bonus:
Control:
Corruption:

Taxes
Tax In Effect Rate Goodwill Effect

Treasury

254
 PROVINCE SHEET

Province Sheet
Province Name:
Appointed Ruler:
Centre of Government:
Population:
Available Soldiery:

Roads:

Resources
Resource Units Produced Refinement Typical Items Value Per Unit Value

Structures Built
Structure Location Effect

Factions: Classes
Class Goodwill
Upper
Middle
Lower

Factions: Other
Faction Associated Class (If Any) Goodwill

255
 LICENCES

Open Game License 6.Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT
THIS LICENSE IS APPROVED FOR GENERAL USE. NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the
PERMISSION TO DISTRIBUTE THIS LICENSE IS MADE BY COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying,
WIZARDS OF THE COAST! modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a date, and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE
of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.
The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and
is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights 7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product
Reserved. Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as
expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the
1. Definitions: (a)”Contributors” means the copyright and/or
owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to
trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content;
indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or
(b)”Derivative Material” means copyrighted material including
Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open
derivative works and translations (including into other computer
Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent
languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension,
Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered
upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in
Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content
which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c)
does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product
“Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast,
Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game
publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)”Open Game
Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product
Content” means the game mechanic and includes the methods,
Identity.
procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does
not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the
8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must
prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game
clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing
Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this
are Open Game Content.
License, including translations and derivative works under copyright
law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) “Product Identity”
9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may
means product and product line names, logos and identifying
publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized
marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories,
version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open
storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language,
Game Content originally distributed under any version of this
artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses,
License.
concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or
audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells,
10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License
enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special
with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute.
abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment,
magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or
11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the
graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark
Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You
clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product
have written permission from the Contributor to do so.
Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content;
(f) “Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs
12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with
that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the
any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the
associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the
Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental
Contributor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute,
regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so
copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative
affected.
Material of Open Game Content. (h) “You” or “Your” means the
licensee in terms of this agreement.
13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail
2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30
contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive
be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a the termination of this License.
notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be
added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the 14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be
License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent
Open Game Content distributed using this License. necessary to make it enforceable.

3.Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You 15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License. Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast,
4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this Inc.
License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-
free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards of the
Use, the Open Game Content. Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams,
Rich baker, Andy Collins, David noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R.
5.Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing Cordell, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave
original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Arneson.
Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient
Open game content from Classic Play - Strongholds & Dynasties is
rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License. copyright 2003, Mongoose Publishing Ltd.

256