Outer World is a pretty lively place. The settlements from the previous entry all already have something going on, but what if you want to further complicate things, or figure out what's happening in a village that's currently pretty peaceful?
The below Settlement Circumstances table is best used to inspire inspiration when preparing a Settlement, but you can also use it if you need a quick idea for a session as well.
Settlement Circumstance (d20 Roll)
This settlement is...
- 1-2: Menace
- Terrorized by a terrible adversary. Whatever the specifics, the townsfolk won't be shy asking the adventure team for help.
- Roll or choose to find out what menace the settlement is dealing with:
- (1-5) Monstrich - rampaging the roads around town, chasing away travelers and being a general nuisance to the locals.
- (6-10) Charmpa - chomping on crops, doing lots of property damage, starting random fires.
- (11-15) Mushdoom and Funguys - setting up shop in an abandoned home in the settlement, attempting to take over the place.
- (16-20) Magibin - hangs out in some nearby ruins, only to occasionally appear in town to jinx locals for its own amusement.
- 3-6: Harmful Terrain
- Built on or around harmful terrain. Select one appropriate for the settlement's region and themes.
- The locals have some manner of protective equipment to deal with the issues caused by the terrain. Alternatively, they may be immune (maybe due to being undead or mechanical) or simply acclimated to the offending conditions depending on how severe they are.
- 7-10: Event
- Gripped in a community wide celebration or event. This can be one of your own devising, chosen or rolled from the list below:
- (1-10) A Famed Performance
- (11-20) A market event, like Radiket
- 11-13: Gaggle of Followers
- Crowded by a bunch of recently unemployed companions. They were working for another adventure team that met a tragic/comical end at a nearby adventure site.
- Roll or choose 3 companions from this entry on followers. They are currently looking for work and the player characters have an Edge on any rolls to recruit them permanently.
- 14-16: Haunting
- Beset by a vengeful spirit. Locals and travelers and the like are safe within the settlement's buildings, but risk a chance of haunting if traveling outside without some sort of ward or protection. The people might have destroyed an ancient shrine or were unable to prevent someone important's demise - whatever the cause, the manifesting rite attached to putting them to rest will tie into it.
- 17-20: Whimsy Effect
- Currently afflicted with an effect from a Whimsy Stone. The stone is some place in town the locals have been unable to get to (perhaps inside a prized sculpture made of magical material, or buried in some secret place within the settlement) and people are dealing with it as best they can.
