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Ruling a Domain

A domain is a faction with at least one controlled hex and 100 citizens. Ruling a Domain is the procedure a player follows at the end of each in-game week to advance his domain's state. It runs the weekly encounter checks, tracks domain projects, updates the Domain Sheet, and invokes the monthly cycle when due.

Used by: the end of each in-game week, or DM judgment.
Uses: Domain Encounters for the weekly checks; Domain Project List for project advancement; Monthly Domain Refresh once per in-game month.
Goes back to: the campaign clock, once the Domain Sheet is updated.
Records to update: Activity Log (each event through the week); Domain Sheet (rolled up in Step 3).

Step 1: Roll encounter checks

An encounter check is a single 1d20. A roll of 18 or higher is positive (an encounter happens). Make the week's encounter checks, invoking Domain Encounters once per positive result.

  • One wilderness check.
  • One civilized check.
  • Two additional civilized checks if the domain has a trade road network, or for an island domain, a working port.

Other checks may be added for unusual conditions: a holy day, faction in turmoil, recent disaster, etc.

Log each result to the Domain Sheet.

Step 2: Advance projects

For each Domain Project currently underway on the Domain Sheet:

  • Apply this week's gold cost.
  • Reduce remaining duration by one week.
  • If a project completes, apply its effect and note it on the Domain Sheet.

Step 3: Update the Domain Sheet

Roll up the week's totals on the Domain Sheet. Treasury and Citizen Output are separate: Treasury is the running balance of windfall gold (encounter rewards, expenditures, sales); Citizen Output is the monthly project budget regenerated by Monthly Domain Refresh and does not enter Treasury.

  • Treasury (gold gained or spent)
  • Population (citizens gained or lost)
  • Standing forces (recruits gained, mercenaries hired, formations lost)
  • Active projects (one week's progress applied)
  • Open reports (unresolved wilderness encounters carried from past weeks)
  • Active quests (in progress, awarded, or expired)

Step 4: Monthly refresh

At the beginning of every month, additionally invoke Monthly Domain Refresh. The refresh handles longer-cadence accounting (Citizen Output, resources, food) and any escalation of unresolved reports.