Most minor settlements aren't shown on the main map, but can be generated and placed anywhere as necessary. This allows a storyteller freedom to create new locations for travelers. The following tables may be helpful in laying down the basics of any randomly-encountered town. Unless outwardly-influenced, all community alignments reflect those of the main inhabiting race.
Minor Structures: 1d4x50+1d10
Major structures include keeps, towers, inns, temples, shipyards, and so forth. These are often visible from a greater distance, and may be of more interest to traverlers than the average minor structure. These minor structures include farmhouses, townhouses, small shops, barns, stables, and so forth. The average population of a major structure is 3d6. The average population of a minor structure is 1d6-1 (maybe nobody's home).
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Conditions (Quality)
01-20: Poor
21-40: Humble
41-60: Fair
61-80: Prosperous
81-95: Wealthy
96-00: Opulent
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Main Exports
01-20: Crops
21-40: Livestock/Fishing
41-60: Textiles
61-80: Lumber
81-95: Base Metal/Mineral
96-00: Precious Metal
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Main Attraction
01-20: Famous Inn
21-40: Marketplace
41-60: Keep or Town Hall
61-80: Famous Local
81-95: Monument
96-00: Creator Relic
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CONDITIONS
Poor: Good words to describe towns or villages like this include squalid, pathetic, delapitated, run-down, and armpit. Some are simply located in unfortunate places. Others are just under bad management. In any case, these communities have little to offer in the way of comforts, just basic supplies, food, and shelter of the most rudimentary, barn-like sort. Problems encountered in towns like these starvation, disease, and a lack of education. Not all poor towns are foul, however, and a good number are composed of honest, hard-working fok currently going through bad times (drought, war, etc.). The locals are often unable to make change for heavy coin, and the entire local economy can be shifted by wealthy outsiders. Lifestyle: 1d4 coin/day.
Humble: This is your classic peasant village, complete with curious (occasionally suspicious) locals and artisans. Most villages of this kind subsist on a single crop or resource, and quickly fall into poor conditions if it becomes unavailable. Humble towns also tend to have an unusual number of promising young adventurers, mostly local kids who are so bored with farming or whatnot that they run away from home. The town center will often contain a smithy, a general goods store, and perhaps a hostler or some sort (beasts of burden vary from place to place). There may also be an inn or tavern. Most folk here are more interesting in trading effort than gold - hard work keeps most of these communitie honest, though some are ruled by petty evil, be they local raiders who extort the defenseless community, or a town of fanatics following some bizarre dogma. Lifestyle: 2d4 coin/day
Fair: Communities of this kind are typically older and more deeply rooted than the average village. Stone buildings are more common, and there may be some artistic architecture such as monuments or statuary. Some are supported by old money or multiple imports, a famous ale, a local hero, and so forth. There may be more taxes, but the quality of life is noticeably better as a result, with paid town guardsmen, a wider availability of goods, and more clout within the politic of the region. People still work hard, but reap a greater reward for their efforts. These towns may also be located close to a richer-than-usual resource of some kind. Some are supported by trade with a larger city nearby, forming a network of outlying communities which process raw resources for the cosmopolitan hub. Lifestyle: 2d6 coin/day
Prosperous: Towns of this sort (there are few truly prosperous villages) are generally well-established and of significant importance to the local kindom. They may be trading posts along very popular caravan routes, situated close to some sort of mineral rush, or build on the backs of slaves. Some are just average towns experiencing a great year, but most are consistently successful, at least for years on end. Prosperous towns may be actively defended by the regional militia, as they are a major source of tax revenue and production. Artisans are more common in these communities, as less physical labor is required to keep the town going. Prosperous towns often have a number of reputable taverns and/or inns, a constabulary of some sort, a marketplace, perhaps even a small thieve's guild. Lifestyle: 4d6 coin/day
Wealthy: This covers the broad spectrum of elitist communities found throughout the Tamaran Empire, and some of the Erdani baronies. Many exist only at the expense of others, be it slavery, arenas or some illicit trade such as chith and awsil. Some are funded by people of great importance and/or wealth, such as a local lord, or by powerful trade guilds. These towns are full of money, or its equivalent in goods and services, and few people commit to manual labor. There are more shops, more artists and entertainers, and an abundance of low-lifes prepared to take advantage of the naive. Where there's money, there's usually crime. People have a lot of free time, and spend a good portion of it on entertainment. This often creates an arrogance that can be irritating to those who actually work for a living. A rare few are genuinely fortunate, and charitable, but times have changed. Lifestyle: 6d6 coin/day
Opulent: Filthy rich is the only way to truly describe these communities, which stretch the boundries of luxury at every opportunity. A gorg's private island villa, or an exclusive Tamaran beach community are good examples. Most exist purely on outside revenue, such as taxation, gambling, arenas, tourism, and so forth. Some are even theme towns; tacky examples of overspending and wastefulness. Towns of this sort almost always have a slave class to do all the work, allowing the citizens to laze about in little social circles, gosssiping or endulging hedonistic habits. Most opulent towns have highly artistic architecture and landscaping, designed around outlandish themes or impractical concepts. On the other hand, staying a single night may be a lifelong memory for those who can afford it. Nearly anything is available through special channels, and money flows like wine, which also flows a hell of a lot. Lifestyle: 10d6 coin/day
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Civilized Day (Roll 1d4 encouters per day)
01-11: Rain/Snow (1d6 hours)
12-22: Working Villagers (2d4)
23-33: Curious Children (1d4)
34-44: Suspicious Locals (1d4)
45-55: Beggar (1)
56-66: Town Guards or Soldiers (1d4)
67-70: Herder/Farmer and 2d6 domestic animals
71-74: Romantic Interest (1)
75-78: Obscure Local Celebration (1d8 hours)
79-82: Gorg Merchant Wagon
83-86: Town Drunk or Fool (1)
87-89: Pickpocket (1)
90-92: Town Crazy Lady (1)
93-95: Performers (1d4)
96-98: Town Constable (1)
99-00: Local Legend (1)
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Civilized Night (Roll 1d4 encounters per night)
01-11: Rain/Snow (1d4 hours)
12-22: Suspicious Locals (2d4)
23-33: Friendly Locals (2d4)
34-44: Random Domestic Animals (1d4)
45-55: Town Bully (1)
56-66: Guard Patrol (1d4)
67-70: Performer (1)
71-74: Street Urchins (1d4)
75-78: Beggars (1d4)
79-82: Gorg Merchant Wagon (1)
83-86: Pickpockets (1d4)
87-89: Drunken Oafs (1d4)
90-92: Large Guard Patrol (2d4)
93-95: Rogues (1d4+1)
96-98: Roll Again (Demon(s) in disguise) (1)
99-00: Roll Again (Celestial(s) in disguise) (1)
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Villagers: Most inhabitants of the civilized nature are 1st level commoners. They typically carry coin equal to their daily lifestyle cost, basic regional clothing, and occasionally a tool relating to their occupation. Some are curious and friendly, others suspicious and discriminative, all depending on the circumstances. Diplomacy check DC 10 is usually enough to get along with the locals, or 15 if another race.
Town Guards: These are most often reserves, or independant units in charge of keeping the peace in any given town. Town guards are usually 1st level warriors in light or medium armor, armed with cudgels, short swords, and/or crossbows. They may be genuinely interested in protecting the innocent, or responsible for enforcing a dictatorship, depending on the local alignment. Average guards have Spot, Search, and Sense Motive 5.
Performers: Most performers are wandering bards, storytellers, or petty magicians. This category would also cover a slave dancer, a medicine-selling quack, or even a trained exotic beast. Most of these backwater entertainers have big aspirations, but lack the skill necessary to make it in any of the big cities. The average performer is a 1st level bard, with Perform 5, 3d6 coin, and accessories related to their performance (musical instruments, smoke powder, stilts, etc.).
Rogues: Be they burglars, pickpockets, or bandits passing through, rogues are uncommon but expected in most small towns. Rarely organized to the guild level, small town thieves are usually just desperate, and rarely kill. The average thief of this kind is a 1st level rogue, with 5 ranks in Pick Pockets, Move Silently, Hide in Shadows, and Open Locks, along with the occasional pouch of loot or bribe money (5d6 coin). They are frequently armed, favoring daggers, crossbows, and/or cudgels, and may wear leather armor.
Gorg Merchant Wagon: Small-time gorg traders often pass through a circuit of towns as they wend their way from city to city. Most of these vendors lack the funding to set up a permanent base of operations, and make use of immense wagons to transport their shops from place to place (see vehicles). A gorg wagon will typically contain the owner, the cache (level 7 treasure) and 1d4 slaves, along with an entourage of 2d4 guards.
Crazy Lady: For some inexplicable reason, many small towns have a resident crazy lady. There are several kinds. Some are cackling old hags who have useful information if some bizarre condition is met. Others are just raving crones who accuse strangers of conspiring with pumpkins, or deranged widows looking for husband number seven. The average crazy lady is a 1st level commoner, carries no coin, and has 5 ranks in one obscure Knowledge.
Local Legend: Just about every small town has a local legend of some kind. It could be a noble warrior, a wizard, a small-town gladiator, or just some big guy who can drink a lot. In some cases, it could be a rarely-glimpsed ghost or mystical animal known to haunt the area. The average local legend is CR 2d4, and may be good or evil. They often have a tavern that bears their namesake. NPC legends are level 2d4 and may be of any class (fighters and wizards are most common).
Demons and Celestials: These are the scattered survivors of the Twilight War, now forced to hide among mortals, alone or in small groups. Most have fled their fading ancestral realms for fear of utter destruction, and have been humbled somewhat by centuries of 'mortal' life under the shadow of Nigh. They still have many of their old habits, however, and favor small towns like this so that their odd ways won't attract too much attention. They may take the form of almost any living thing, from the local town drunk, to the mayor's cat. Most are lesser types such as archons, succubi, imps, and so forth.
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