City¶

An urban community of 6,000 to 20,000 souls or more. City leadership is a Lord ruling through a Court.

A city sits several miles across. At its center is a Grand Market Square with a Palace (the Court's seat), a Great Temple, many Taverns and Inns, and extensive Common Shops. Walls encircle the city, defended by a standing Watch and a Militia. An Aqueduct brings water from distant sources; Public Baths are fed by it; a Sewer System runs beneath. Organized crime runs deep: Thieves' Guild, Assassins' Guild, Smugglers.

Around the city center are 5 to 7 Quarters: large specialized zones. Each quarter carries one of the twelve themes shared across settlements (farming, fishing, mines, mills, markets, crafts, etc.), at city scale.

How to build a city¶

Pick or roll the number of quarters in the city (d6: 1-2 = 5, 3-4 = 6, 5-6 = 7).
Pick or roll that many quarters from the City Parts table below.
Combine the parts from the City Center row and the selected quarter rows into one stat block.
Name the city and add or change any other pieces or details desired.

City Parts¶

d12	Name	Description	Creatures	Features	Locations
—	City Center	An urban community of 6,000 to 20,000. Seat of a Lord's Court.	Lord and Court (see Court (city)); Royal Guard (see Royal Guard (city)); Watch (see Watch (city)); Militia (see Militia (city)); Commoner Households; Thieves' Guild and Assassins' Guild	Walls (DC 20 to climb); Watch Fires at the gatehouses; Sewer System (runs beneath the streets; useful and dangerous)	Grand Market Square (central public, paved, stalls, public well, alarm bell); Palace (Lord's seat and Court chamber; see Grand Palace); Great Temple (see Faithful); Taverns (many, one per neighborhood); Inns (several); Common Shops (full specialty set: blacksmith, general store, bowyer, leatherworker, baker, butcher, brewer, tailor, chandler, cordwainer, apothecary, jeweler, glassblower, bookbinder); Aqueduct (brings water into the city from distant sources); Public Baths (fed by the Aqueduct)
1	Farming Quarter	Vast fields beyond the walls. Mill row, granary complex, grain exchange.	—	Growing Season (spring sowing, summer tending, autumn harvest, winter idle)	City Fields (vast acreage beyond the walls, see Households: Common Household); Mill Row (many mills in series); Granary Complex (large communal storage); Grain Exchange (central grain market where regional trade is settled)
2	Fishing Quarter	A harbor with multiple docks and a working fleet. Fish, salt, smoke.	—	Tide and Season (daily tides and seasonal runs)	Harbor (multiple docks; see Industrial Facilities); Warehouse Row (fish crates, salt sacks, drying frames); Fishing Fleet (open boats and deep-water boats); Fishmongers' Market (daily catch sold)
3	Mining Quarter	Deep mines beyond the walls. Ore depots and smelters inside.	Ore Merchant (Noble; wealthy from the mines)	Shifts (day and night)	Deep Mines (multiple operations, far from the city; see Industrial Facilities); Ore Market (traded in bulk); Smelters (open furnaces at the city edge)
4	Quarry Quarter	Multiple quarries and the masons' guild.	Stone Merchant	Shifts (day)	Great Quarry (one or several large pits; see Industrial Facilities); Masons' Guild Hall (chartered guild); Stone Yard (massive stock, cut and dressed)
5	Logging Quarter	Lumber from the forests. Sawmill row and timber yards.	Timber Merchant	Felling Season (autumn and winter peak; spring thaw mills the backlog; summer slow)	Sawmill Row (several mills; see Industrial Facilities); Timber Yard (massive stock); Lumber Market
6	Herding Quarter	Vast pastures beyond the walls. Central stock markets and tanneries.	Livestock Merchant (buys wool, hides, cheese)	Shearing and Driving (spring shearing; autumn drive to market)	Pastures (vast grazing beyond the walls); Livestock Market (daily trade); Butchers' Row (butcher stalls); Hide Market; Tannery (acrid work on the city's edge)
7	Trade Quarter	The heart of commerce. Caravan yards, counting houses, guild of merchants.	Merchant Houses (several great houses); Merchants' Guild (chartered)	Market Day (daily)	Grand Bazaar (paved, permanent, with shop fronts; see Traders: Shopkeeper); Caravan Yards (several, each merchant house's); Merchants' Guild Hall; Counting Houses (several); Inns Row (travelers' lodgings); Depots (one per merchant house; see Caravans)
8	Crossing Quarter	A grand crossing — bridge, harbor gate, or pass. The city lives in part on the toll.	Crossing Master (Noble; carries royal charter)	Toll (crossing charges a fee)	Grand Bridge or Harbor Gate or Pass Gate (varies by terrain); Toll Hall (chartered office, counters, ledgers, vault); Stables Row (for travelers' horses)
9	Craft Quarter	Many guilds, each with Guild Hall, workshops, and showrooms.	Artisans' Guilds (several, each chartered); Trade Goods Merchants (several)	Craft Specialty (pick or roll d6: 1 Pottery, 2 Weaving, 3 Glassmaking, 4 Brewing, 5 Ironwork, 6 Masonry)	Guild Halls (one per represented guild); Workshops Row (household workspaces, lined); Showrooms Row (public shop fronts); Craft Market (daily trade in finished goods)
10	Religious Quarter	Multiple temples and a Great Monastery. Pilgrim traffic.	High Priest (see Faithful); Priests and Acolytes (many)	Domain (pick or roll d6: 1 Knowledge, 2 Life, 3 Light, 4 Nature, 5 Tempest, 6 War)	Great Monastery (upgraded; see Faithful); Secondary Temples (shrines to minor domains); Pilgrim Hostels (lodgings for visiting faithful); Priests' Residences
11	Arcane Quarter	A Wizards' Academy. Masters, journeymen, apprentices.	Archmage or Master Wizard; Journeymen (several); Apprentices (many; see Apprentice Wizard)	Tradition (pick: Wizard, Sorcerer, or Warlock)	Wizards' Academy (upgraded; see Arcane); Scriptorium (manuscripts and spellbooks copied); Spell Component Shops (specialty market); Masters' Residences
12	Military Quarter	A great garrison. Multiple barracks, armories, parade grounds.	Garrison (city-scale, see Military)	Drill (morning and evening)	Great Garrison (massive barracks complex; see Fortifications); Armories (several); Parade Grounds (plural); Watchtowers Row (on the walls)

Optional additions¶

Any of these may be added:

Shrine. Satellite shrine devoted to a specific deity or spirit, separate from the Great Temple.
Scribe. A literate commoner who writes letters for a few coppers.
Dovecote. Message-carrying birds.
Hired Hall. A rented large room for weddings, feasts, or meetings.
Hedge Doctor. Nonmagical healing.
Oracle. Charms, fortune-telling, folk magic.
Charitable House. Church- or Council-run poorhouse or orphanage.
Pillory. Public punishment at the Grand Market Square.
Mint. The crown's or city's coin minter.
Public Library. Open to literate citizens.
Amphitheatre. Public spectacle; occasional games or concerts.
Foreign Compound. Ambassadorial quarters for a foreign power.

Example: Castle Grey¶

A capital city at the upper reaches of the Marchwater, 60 miles west of Marchford and 80 miles west of Hollowfen. Lord Edrick Grey rules the Marchlands through his Court.

Castle Grey¶

Large civilian settlement
Alignment typically Lawful Neutral | Population 15,000

A stone-built capital on the Marchwater's headwaters. Trade and craft at its heart; the Lord's Court at its summit; the Great Garrison on its walls.

Creatures¶

Lord and Court. Lord Edrick Grey (Noble) and his Court meet at the Palace. See Court (city).

Royal Guard. The Lord's personal guard under Captain of the Guard Thomas Vale. See Royal Guard (city).

Watch. The city's standing law enforcement under Watch Commander Agnes Mear. See Watch (city).

Militia. Fifteen Companies across the city's five Quarters. See Militia (city).

Commoner Households. 3,000 families spread across the city and its quarters.

Thieves' Guild and Assassins' Guild. The Thieves' Guild operates out of the Craft Quarter; the Assassins' Guild from a townhouse near the Palace that Lord Grey knows about and permits. For now.

Features¶

Defenses. Walls encircle the city (DC 20 to climb). Watch Fires on every gatehouse and corner tower.

Sewer System. Runs beneath every street. Useful for drainage; dangerous below. Something has been seen moving in the deeper sections.

Craft Specialty. Masonry. Castle Grey's masons raise walls, bridges, and halls across the Marchlands.

Tradition. Wizard. The Lord retains an Academy of court-aligned wizards.

Locations¶

Grand Market Square. Paved central square. Public well under a stone arch; Alarm Bell at the Palace.

Palace. Lord Grey's seat and the Court's chamber. See Grand Palace.

Great Temple. Devoted to the god of order and the river. A stone cathedral with a dome of grey slate.

Taverns. The Grey Stone, the Fallen King, the Mason's Reach, the Shipwright, among many.

Inns. The Lord's Hearth, the Marcher's Rest, the River Gate Inn.

Common Shops. Specialty shops in rows along the Market Streets.

Aqueduct. Stone-arched Aqueduct bringing mountain water from forty miles west.

Public Baths. Three Baths across the city, fed by the Aqueduct.

Grand Bazaar. The Trade Quarter's permanent market; stalls, shop fronts, counting houses.

Caravan Yards. Three major yards, each a merchant house's.

Merchants' Guild Hall. Chartered. Guildmasters meet weekly.

Counting Houses. Three banks of the city.

Great Garrison. The Marchland Army's barracks and parade ground.

Armories. Two state armories; weapons for ten thousand.

Watchtowers Row. On every stretch of the walls.

Guild Halls. Masons', Smiths', Carpenters', Cordwainers', Glassmakers', Potters'.

Workshops Row. Household workspaces lined along the Craft Streets.

Showrooms Row. Public shop fronts for the Guilds.

Craft Market. Daily trade in finished goods.

Secondary Temples. Shrines to lesser domains throughout the city.

Pilgrim Hostels. Lodgings for the faithful visiting the Great Temple.

Wizards' Academy. The Marchland Academy; Masters, Journeymen, Apprentices.

Scriptorium. Where manuscripts and spellbooks are copied.

Spell Component Shops. Specialty market in the Arcane Quarter.

Local Troubles¶

Cities often have problems. Pick or roll.

d100	Trouble
01-02	A Merchant Ship's cargo arrived with the seal broken. The manifest is wrong and the captain is missing.
03	An auction house is preparing to sell a Great House's heirloom collection, but some of the staff have gone missing.
04-05	A relic bound for the Temple was quietly diverted at the Harbor last night. The ledger has been altered and the crate is gone.
06	The Chancellor has not been seen for three days. His private study has been sealed.
07	A rider from the crown has arrived with a writ recalling the city's Constable to answer charges at Court. The Constable will not open the gates.
08	A Councilor has been found dead in the Baths.
09	There are rumors that the Assassins Guild has been given a contract for a sitting Councilor.
10	The Thieves' Guild was robbed. They say it was an inside job.
11	A Gang war has begun in one of the quarters. Bodies are turning up in alleys and inns.
12	A Ringleader of the Smugglers has turned informant. The Thieves' Guild has put a contract out on him.
13	A body was left on the steps of a building. Word is it's the Assassins' Guild and the body is one of their own.
14	Someone is trying to sell a stolen artifact, but no fence will touch it.
15-16	A Thieves' Guild lieutenant has been found in the Sewers alive but with his tongue removed.
17-18	A gang of children has begun thieving. They vanish into the Sewers.
19	The Grand High Priest has been struck ill. The lower priests have already begun a succession contest.
20-21	The Temple's holiest relic was quietly replaced with a copy. The High Priest knows and cannot say so publicly.
22	A rival sect raised its own shrine near the Temple. Fights have broken out at the shared well.
23	A Priest of the Temple is rumored to taking bribes to reveal what is confessed at the altar.
24	A famous heretic thought executed a decade ago has been seen preaching in an outer quarter.
25	The Temple's offerings have been stolen.
26-27	The Great Academy's Reliquary has been broken into. The Headmaster doesn't want to name what is missing.
28	A Master has died in his tower under strange circumstances. The Headmaster has assigned a novice to sort his effects.
29	An apprentice at the Great Academy has been speaking a language nobody has taught him. He recites in his sleep and cannot be woken.
30-31	A Master of the Great Academy has fled in the night, leaving his workroom sealed with three separate arcane protections.
32	A magical duel between two Masters damaged the Baths and killed three people. Both duelists are in hiding.
33-34	A cursed item confiscated by the Great Academy may be killing the guards posted around it.
35	A prominent Master will offer a public lecture that a rival has publicly sworn to prevent.
36	A visiting Master from a distant Academy has been assassinated in his room.
37	The head of one of the city's oldest Great Houses died. Three heirs have produced three different wills, each in the deceased's hand.
38	A Great House matron has been quietly arming her retainers. The house across the square has done the same.
39-40	A Great House's private cemetery has been disturbed. The keeper found a coffin opened. Possibly from the inside.
41	A specific bell tower has been ringing after midnight for a week. The bellrope was removed, but the ringing continues.
42	A statue in the Library reading hall has been found looking a different direction each morning for three days. Today its head is turned toward the Palace.
43-44	A door has appeared overnight in the wall of a well-known Baths chamber. It is locked. The attendants say the wall was smooth yesterday.
45-46	A Foreign Compound's gates have been locked and nobody has come in or out for three days. The smoke from its chimneys has not stopped.
47	A distant king's daughter has arrived unannounced, with her own household and no ambassador to receive her. She will not say why she has come.
48	A Foreign Compound's granary was searched. Weapons, not grain, were found beneath the sacks. The ambassador denies knowledge.
49-50	The Aqueduct has run dry for the first time in a generation. A crew sent up the line has not returned.
51-52	A section of street has collapsed to reveal the sewers below, but there are no record that the sewer was dug there. Something is rising through the break at night.
53	Rats have begun to infest the town. The wharf seems to be at the center.
54	A ship has arrived in the Harbor flying no colors but a yellow jack to show the crew is under quarantine.
55-56	The city's oldest well has begun rising. The water tastes of blood.
57-58	A Sewer worker returned to daylight after two days below with white hair and no memory of what he saw.
59	The Arena's sand has been turning red with blood on rainy nights when no combats were held.
60	Names have begun appearing scratched into the walls of the Baths. Some are recently dead. Some have died since. Others fear they are next.
61	A famous general dead a hundred years has been seen walking the parapets of the Palace at dawn.
62	Reflections in the Aqueduct's public fountain show a different city: same buildings, wrong signs, wrong flags. Only some can see it.
63	A district has aged in a single night, plaster crumbled, timbers grayed, ivy climbed to the second story.
64	A body was pulled from the Harbor with wounds from an unknown creature or weapon. The Harbor Master doesn't want the Priests to see.
65	A statue has moved on the Temple's roof. It has moved twice since. It is now facing a Councilor's townhouse.
66-67	Livestock at the outer market pens have been found drained of blood. Tracks lead to the Sewers.
68	Something has begun climbing the outside of the city Walls at night. The Watch has lit fires along the parapet and no one has slept there since.
69	A creature of a savage race was captured trying to enter the Great Academy. He carries a token bearing a Master's private seal.
70-71	The keepers at the Arena are missing. The gate is intact, but something inside seems to have gotten loose.
72-73	Every night at the same hour a scream comes from beneath the Amphitheatre.
74	An army is marching towards the city.
75	A convoy of exiled nobles has arrived. They ask sanctuary, but three separate powers demand their return.
76	A hooded traveler arrived at the Palace gate and was admitted without challenge. The Palace has been on lockdown since.
77-78	The crown has issued a call to arms against a distant power. The city's militia is being raised; the Great Houses are haggling over exemptions.
79-80	The crown's fleet has failed to return from an expedition.
81-82	A famous general out on the border has stopped answering the crown's dispatches. A trusted envoy is being prepared to ride out and confirm his loyalty.
83-84	The neighboring kingdom's heir has been assassinated on their own soil and rumor names a hand from this city.
85-86	A maritime trade route to a distant locale has been cut by a foreign navy. Half the city's merchants face ruin; they seek a captain willing to run the blockade.
87-88	A man of a foreign faith has begun preaching at the Temple's own gates. His followers grow by the day. Word is that his home realm is watching.
89-90	A treaty signed is about to lapse. Both sides are quietly moving troops; the Court wants eyes on the enemy.
91-92	A state prisoner held at the Palace has escaped or been freed. He knows secrets about some members of foreign courts and might use them.
93-94	A distant crown has sent a formal marriage offer to a Great House's daughter. Accepting draws the city to their next war; refusing insults them.
95-96	A cipher was stolen from the Chancellor's study. Every letter the crown sent this year may now be deciphered. The Chancellor needs it recovered.
97-98	A holy relic from a foreign shrine has appeared for sale in the city. The foreign realm has demanded its return, but the city's High Priest wants it enshrined here.
99-100	A foreign tyrant's famed magical artifact has been rumored moved to a fortress at his border. A cabal at the Great Academy is quietly seeking people willing to go and retrieve it.