LIEGE - A Domain Governance Expansion for Sam Sorensen's CATAPHRACT

Very much a rough first draft, not yet tested at all. Designed with the Tower Lands in mind, but should be pretty generic.

Original CATAPHRACT rules by Sam Sorensen.

Domain play proceeds by season, with seasonal events occurring in fall, winter, spring, and summer. Players are free to act as they wish throughout the year--sending messages, issuing orders to vassals, working on personal projects, etc. NPC rulers will typically perform certain actions at certain times of year based on the season; players may do likewise or break with tradition.

Fall: Planting season. If domain play first begins in fall, the first fall is assumed to pass uneventfully. Each fall thereafter, food supplies from the end of the last year are tallied; population growth or decline is determined for inhabited regions; and unrest is checked to determine whether any revolts occur.

Winter: Growing season. At the start of winter, roll for weather conditions for the season. These will influence the coming harvest; based on winter weather, rulers can make predictions about the coming year, and use these to strategize. Traditionally, diplomacy is conducted during winter, with marriages arranged, alliances and bargains struck, and campaigns planned. Winter is also when plagues tend to break out, due to the cold, damp conditions.

Spring: Harvest season. The results of the harvest are rolled for, influenced by the winter's weather, to determine food production for the year. Traditionally, spring is also campaign season, with rulers sending their armies to disrupt their enemies' harvests. Houses sending their scions to marry or representatives to seal agreements will send the parties to their destinations accompanied by their retinues; the waiting period while retinues visit until summer, when pacts are sealed, serves as a trust-building exercise for both sides, the host demonstrating their good intentions by treating the guests well and the guests showing theirs by not moving against the hosts.

Summer: Winnowing season. By tradition, marriages and pacts arranged during the winter are carried out in summer. Because of the risk of revolts during fall, warriors will usually expect to be home from campaign by the end of the summer, to keep their peasantry in line.

Weather

Roll 2d6 at the start of winter and announce the result.

2: Severe drought. Roll 1d6 for harvest.
3-5: Drought. Roll 1d6+1 for harvest.
6-8: Average winter. Roll 2d6 for harvest.
9-11: Good rainfall. Roll 2d6+2 for harvest.
12: Excellent rainfall. Roll 2d6+4 for harvest.

Keep in mind that players and NPC rulers are aware of weather conditions and should plan for the year ahead accordingly.

Plagues

After rolling for weather at the start of each winter, roll 1d6 for each region. On a 6, a plague breaks out; place a plague marker on that region. Roll 1d6 again; on another 6, add another plague marker and the plague spreads to another random region nearby, which also takes a plague marker. Keep rolling again for each region infected until it does not roll another 6; each time a 6 is rolled, add a plague marker and spread the plague to another nearby region.

Harvest

Roll at the start of spring based on winter weather.

1-2: Famine. Roll 1d6 for population.
3-5: Poor harvest. Roll 1d6+2 for population.
6-8: Average harvest. Roll 2d6 for population.
9-11: Good harvest. Roll 2d6+4 for population.
12+: Bountiful harvest. Roll 2d6+6 for population.

Population

Roll 2d6 at the start of fall, applying modifiers from the harvest, with a further penalty for each of the following.

• Each time the region was foraged this year, -1
• Each time the region was recruited from this year, -1
• If the region was torched, -4

1-2: Catastrophic decline. -5% population for each hex.
3-5: Decline. -1% population for each hex.
6-8: Stable. No change.
9-11: Growth. +1% population for each hex.
12+: Major growth. +2% population for each hex.

Then reduce population by 2% for each plague marker on the region and roll 1d6. Remove plague markers equal to the roll from the region. When all plague markers are removed, the plague abates.

Unrest

Each time you forage or recruit from a region, add 1 unrest to it. In regions you hold securely, you may forage and recruit once each per year without causing unrest. When you torch a region, add 2 unrest to it. (This replaces the chance of triggering revolts for these actions in the base CATAPHRACT rules.)

When a region's population declines, add unrest equal to the percent of decline. When a region's population grows, reduce its unrest by the percentage of growth.

You may impose a quarantine on a plague-afflicted region you hold securely. This increases unrest by 1 every year it continues, but prevents the plague from spreading.

Each fall, after resolving population changes, roll 1d10. On a roll equal to or under the region's unrest, a revolt occurs. (In the Tower Lands, revolts will probably produce smaller armies than in base CATAPHRACT given the overall lower assumed population; figure this out later.)

When a revolt is suppressed, reduce unrest in the region by half, rounding down.

Policy

The above procedures all assume an agrarian feudal mode of governance. Players are free to implement other systems of government in lands they control; how these affect the procedures described, if at all, is left to the ref's discretion. For example, if a player wants their government to not have the right to conscript soldiers from local households or appropriate food supplies for military use, they might make it a law that they have to pay soldiers wages and purchase supplies with treasure. This might allow them to avoid creating unrest by recruiting and foraging. Of course, assuming the player currently holds their territory by having a monopoly on violence within it, it's up to them to enforce those rules upon themselves.

The Unusual Hoon

A legendary beast of the Tower Lands. It has the head and back legs of a vorn, the body of a horse, a long, serpentine neck, the forelegs of a zoat, and two tails with short, sleek fur all over. It can never be found by a person who has heard of it or seen it before, but only encountered accidentally by those who do not know what it is. This fact is not widely known; many hunters seek the Unusual Hoon eagerly, some throwing their whole lives away on the chase.

It's said that if you eat the flesh of the Unusual Hoon, your own flesh becomes halfway the stuff of legend. Any power or skill attributed to you in a story not of your own telling becomes yours in reality. However, there is a danger: if your legend is entirely forgotten, with no living soul remembering you, you will cease to exist.

The Unusual Hoon is a shy creature, usually fleeing when seen and only fighting when exhausted or cornered. It never truly dies. Even after being slain by one party, it may be encountered by others if they fulfil the conditions.

HD 5, speed 120', AC as leather, bite 1d8/kick 1d6, morale 4.

Manuals

Manuals allow characters who can read them to learn new skills and techniques. If a manual is present in a hoard, roll 1d100 on the MANUALS table.

Roll	Item
1-4	Apothecary	I
5-7		II
8-9		III
10-13	Engineering	I
14-16		II
17-18		III
19-22	Fieldcraft	I
23-25		II
26-27		III
28-31	Locksmithing	I
32-34		II
35-36		III
37-40	Navigation	I
41-43		II
44-45		III
46-49	Physic	I
50-52		II
53-54		III
55-56	Language	Iolan
57-58		Kyrian
59-60		Ancaric
61-62		Tauruh
63		Koha'u
64		Tainish
65-69		barbaric
70-74	High Art
75-79	Tuning	I
80-82		II
83-84		III
85		IV
86-90	Daemonology	I
91-94		II
95-96		III
97		IV
98-99	Ignifer Mixing
100	Lightning Evasion

Apothecary I: Contains instructions for working with chemicals and mixing various substances, including cosmetics, drugs, acids, and poisons. Allows a character unskilled in apothecary to become skilled with a month’s uninterrupted study or a season’s regular reading while adventuring.

Apothecary II: Contains instructions for working with chemicals and mixing various substances, including cosmetics, drugs, acids, and poisons. Allows a skilled apothecary to become an expert with a month’s uninterrupted study or a season’s regular reading while adventuring.

Apothecary III: Contains instructions for working with chemicals and mixing various substances, including cosmetics, drugs, acids, and poisons. Allows an expert apothecary to become a master with a season’s uninterrupted study or a year’s regular reading while adventuring.

Engineering I: Contains instructions for building, maintaining, and operating machines. Allows a character unskilled in engineering to become skilled with a month’s uninterrupted study or a season’s regular reading while adventuring.

Engineering II: Contains instructions for building, maintaining, and operating machines. Allows a skilled engineer to become an expert with a month’s uninterrupted study or a season’s regular reading while adventuring.

Engineering III: Contains instructions for building, maintaining, and operating machines. Allows an expert engineer to become a master with a season’s uninterrupted study or a year’s regular reading while adventuring.

Fieldcraft I: Contains information about edible plants and fungi, advice on hunting and finding shelter, and instructions for purifying food and water in the wilderness. Allows a character unskilled in fieldcraft to become skilled with a month’s uninterrupted study or a season’s regular reading while adventuring.

Fieldcraft II: Contains information about edible plants and fungi, advice on hunting and finding shelter, and instructions for purifying food and water in the wilderness. Allows a skilled survivalist to become an expert with a month’s uninterrupted study or a season’s regular reading while adventuring.

Fieldcraft III: Contains information about edible plants and fungi, advice on hunting and finding shelter, and instructions for purifying food and water in the wilderness. Allows an expert survivalist to become a master with a month’s uninterrupted study or a season’s regular reading while adventuring.

Locksmithing I: Contains instructions for crafting and opening various types of locks. Allows a character unskilled in locksmithing to become skilled with a month’s uninterrupted study or a season’s regular reading while adventuring.

Locksmithing II: Contains instructions for crafting and opening various types of locks. Allows a skilled locksmith to become an expert with a month’s uninterrupted study or a season’s regular reading while adventuring.

Locksmithing III: Contains instructions for crafting and opening various types of locks. Allows an expert locksmith to become a master with a month’s uninterrupted study or a season’s regular reading while adventuring.

Navigation I: Contains information about the movements of celestial bodies. Allows a character unskilled in navigation to become skilled with a month’s uninterrupted study or a season’s regular reading while adventuring.

Navigation II: Contains information about the movements of celestial bodies. Allows a skilled navigator to become an expert with a month’s uninterrupted study or a season’s regular reading while adventuring.

Navigation III: Contains information about the movements of celestial bodies. Allows an expert navigator to become a master with a month’s uninterrupted study or a season’s regular reading while adventuring.

Physic I: Contains information about human and raun anatomy and instructions for treating various injuries and ailments. Allows a character unskilled in physic to become skilled with a month’s uninterrupted study or a season’s regular reading while adventuring.

Physic II: Contains information about human and raun anatomy and instructions for treating various injuries and ailments. Allows a skilled physician to become an expert with a month’s uninterrupted study or a season’s regular reading while adventuring.

Physic III: Contains information about human and raun anatomy and instructions for treating various injuries and ailments. Allows an expert physician to become a master with a season’s uninterrupted study or a year’s regular reading while adventuring.

Language: A primer on a language. Allows a character to become half-fluent in that language with a month’s uninterrupted study or a season’s regular reading while adventuring. For dead languages, uninterrupted study takes a season and regular reading takes a year, and instruction is only for translating the language’s script into modern tongues.

High Art: Contains instructions for performing techniques of the High Arts of War. Allows a character to gain a Hit Die, up to a maximum of 4 Hit Dice, by studying it uninterrupted for a season or regularly for a year while adventuring. After absorbing the manual’s contents, the reader must undertake a perilous adventure described within it to solidify their understanding. If they fail or do not attempt the task promptly, they lose the Hit Die gained and can never learn this manual’s techniques.

Tuning: Contains instructions for casting spells, which a Tuner can learn by reading. The different tiers of Tuning manuals are classified by the number and power of the spells within, as shown.

1. 1d4 spells of the 1st Circle.
2. 1d6 spells of the 1st Circle, 1d4 spells of the 2nd Circle.
3. 2d6 spells of the 1st Circle, 1d6 spells of the 2nd Circle, 1d4 spells of the 3rd Circle.
4. 2d6 spells of the 1st Circle, 1d10 spells of the 2nd Circle, 1d6 spells of the 3rd Circle, 1d4 spells of the 4th Circle.

Daemonology: Contains descriptions and summoning names of daemons, which a Tuner can summon and bind using the appropriate spells. The different tiers of daemonology manuals are classified by the number and type of daemons they describe.

1. 1d4 sprites.
2. 1d6 sprites, 1d4 sandestins.
3. 1d6 sprites, 1d6 sandestins, 1d4 espers.
4. 1d8 sprites, 1d6 sandestins, 1d6 espers, 1d4 aeons.

Ignifer Mixing: Contains instructions for a skilled apothecary to make the potent chemical incendiary weapon known as ignifer. Combine one bottle of naphtha with resin, saltpeter, and powdered sparkskipper carapace (proscribed). Mix and distill using the process described within. Make a skill check with apothecary or similar. On a failure, the mixture explodes; save vs. flame. On a success, one bottle of ignifer is created. A thrown bottle of ignifer creates a pool of flame with a 5’ radius. All creatures caught in the initial spray or entering the pool must save vs. flame.

Lightning Evasion: Describes a technique for dodging lightning attacks. The name is technically a misnomer—lightning itself cannot be dodged by any known being. However, when Tuners conjure lightning, they do not merely unleash it to do as it wills, but rather channel it along invisible tethers of Dust that conduct it to the intended target. Through precise movement patterns, a warrior can sometimes throw off these tethers before they take hold, preventing the lightning that follows from finding its mark. A character who has studied this manual for a month uninterrupted or regularly for a season while adventuring suffers no damage on a successful save vs. lightning.

Trade Goods and Artifacts

Trade Goods

If a treasure hoard includes trade goods, 1d6 types of goods are present. Roll 1d100 for each type. Values given are averages when sold to an interested buyer; actual prices will vary. The goods listed are those most likely to be valuable enough to interest relic hunters. More common goods, like grain and textiles, may also be present.

Values for most goods are given per item slot. A character normally has 5 item slots on their belt and 10 more in their pack. A pack with 6 or more slots filled is heavy and contributes to encumbrance. A small sack has 6 slots, can be carried in one hand when full, and adds to encumbrance. A large sack has 12 slots, takes both hands, and adds significant encumbrance. Dust, used by the upper classes of the Tower Lands as standard currency, can be carried 100 Đ to an item slot.

Roll	Item	Description	Price
1-2	Gold	-	1,000 Đ per slot
3-5	Silver	-	100 Đ per slot
6-9	Copper	-	10 Đ per slot
10-12	Tin	-	10 Đ per slot
13-16	Iron	Rusts.	10 Đ per slot
17-18	Gemstones	-	1d100*50 Đ per stone, 100 stones per slot
19-20	Silk	Ruined by moisture.	50 Đ per slot
21-23	Furs	-	1d10*10 Đ per pelt, 1 slot per 10 Đ
24-26	Leather	-	10 Đ per slot
27-28	Sparkskipper powder	Flammable, proscribed.	100 Đ per slot
29	Ivory	-	1,000 per slot
30-31	Incense	Pungent, perishable.	50 Đ per slot
32-33	Rare wood	-	50 Đ per slot
34-37	Salt	-	5 Đ per slot
38-39	Spice, powdered semmec	Earthy, savory. Perishable.	25 Đ per slot
40-41	Spice, ghel salt	Smoky flavor, mild stimulant effects.	100 Đ per slot
42-43	Spice, ground cazin	Hot and spicy. Perishable.	50 Đ per slot
44-46	Mellsap sugar	Made from the sap of the mellsap tree.	50 Đ per slot
47-49	Anath bark	A key ingredient in Halish medicines. Perishable.	15 Đ per slot
50-53	Wine	Fragile, perishable.	3 Đ per jar, 1 jar per slot
54-55	Spirits	Fragile.	10 Đ per jar, 1 jar per slot
56	Naphtha	Black oil that bubbles up from beneath the earth. Fragile, highly flammable if broken.	50 Đ per jar, 1 jar per slot
57-58	Hagga root	Cheap drug, dried and pressed for smoking or snorted as powder. Hallucinogenic, often causes bad trips, addictive. Proscribed, pungent, perishable.	10 Đ per dose, 10 doses per slot
59	Black lotus powder	Expensive foreign drug, traditionally smoked with long pipes. Induces euphoric hallucinations. Proscribed, perishable.	100 Đ per dose, 10 doses per slot
60-61	Makeup	Fragile, perishable.	50 Đ per slot
62-64	Perfume	Fragile, pungent if broken, perishable.	100 Đ per bottle, 1 bottle per slot
65-66	Musical instruments	Fragile.	100 Đ per instrument
67-68	Historical texts	Ruined by moisture.	100 Đ per book or scroll
69-70	Poetry	Ruined by moisture.	100 Đ per book or scroll
71-72	Heretical scriptures	Ruined by moisture, proscribed.	100 Đ per book or scroll
73	Seashells	Fragile.	10 Đ per slot
74	Preserved flowers	Fragile.	10 Đ per slot
75-77	Weapons	-	See equipment
78-80	Armor	-	See equipment
81-83	Ammunition	-	See equipment
84-87	Preserved meats	Pungent, perishable, attracts predators.	2 Đ per slot
88-91	Fine cheeses	Pungent, perishable, attracts predators.	2 Đ per slot
92-95	Preserved fruits and vegetables	Fragile, perishable.	2 Đ per slot
96-98	Ceramics	Fragile.	5 Đ per piece, 1 piece per slot
99-100	Dyes	Fragile.	20 Đ per jar, 1 jar per slot

Artifacts

If an artifact is indicated in a hoard, roll 1d20, or 1d10+10 for divine-type hoards.

Roll	Item	Description	Value
1	Skull of a hero	Broken by the wound that ended them in legend.	1d4*100 Đ as an antiquity,1d10*100 Đ to descendants or worshipers.
2	Thunder beast horn	Touching it makes one's hair stand on end.	1d10*100 Đ as an antiquity.
3	Gilded war prosthesis	Awarded to one who gave of their own flesh for their liege.	1d6*100 Đ as an antiquity, 1d4*100 Đ for materials.
4	Jasper bull idol	A legendary beast symbolizing strength and virility.	1d6*100 Đ as an antiquity, 200 Đ for material.
5	Divine Beast mask	Elders of barbarian raun tribes are said to treasure these masks above all.	1d4*100 Đ as an antiquity, 1d6*1,000 Đ to raun traditionalists.
6	Iron Circle collar	When Sariel led her rebellion, she sought to shatter every one of these shackles. This one survived.	1d4*100 Đ as an antiquity, 3,000 Đ to the Beast Court.
7	Gravestone	Glows with the blue phosphorescence of the Dark Moon.	1d6*1,000 Đ to Grave cultists.
8	Petrified egg	A promise of new life, never to be fulfilled.	1d6*50 Đ as an antiquity.
9	Dessicated Kindred	Eyeless, insectlike, the size of a spread hand. Said to be sacred to the Zoah and their Black Blades.	1d4*100 Đ as an antiquity, 1d10*100 Đ to Zoah sympathizers.
10	Treason bell	A brass hand bell, cracked down the middle and bereft of tongue. All that remains of an ill-fated plot.	1d10×100 Đ as an antiquity, double to heretics.
11	Sentry top	Small black top. Always stands upright.	1d10*100 Đ as an antiquity.
12	Prattlemouths	Pair of green funnels. Noise in either one will be emitted from the other if within 100’.	1d10*100 Đ as an antiquity.
13	Maiden's friend	Silky pink ovoid. When squeezed, vibrates steadily until squeezed again.	1d10*100 Đ as an antiquity.
14	Meditation stone	Smooth, pale blue disc. Induces calm when rubbed.	1d10*100 Đ as an antiquity.
15	Divine songbird	Small metal songbird sculpture, incredibly lifelike. When shaken, flies in circles singing sweet melodies.	1d10*100 Đ as an antiquity.
16	Rainbow tablet	Dark palm-sized mirror. Swiping on the surface draws colorful shapes, cleared by shaking.	1d10*100 Đ as an antiquity.
17	Lover stones	Pair of stone orbs, one red, one blue. When clicked together twice, attract one another strongly within 50’ until clicked twice again.	1d10*100 Đ as an antiquity.
18	King's riddle	Pyramidal golden puzzle box. Each time it is solved, it reconfigures, somehow never the same way twice.	1d10*100 Đ as an antiquity.
19	Cloudbreather	Jade-green bowl. Produces sweet-smelling steam when water is poured in.	1d10*100 Đ as an antiquity.
20	Archon Heart	Though made of no natural flesh, it is warm to the touch, and seems to beat.	1d10×100 Đ as an antiquity. Priceless to Archon Aspirants—they will kill to take it.

Equipment for the Tower Lands

A lot of people have said a setting's equipment list is one of its most important worldbuilding tools. It instantly communicates a lot to players about the world while being one of the parts of the game they interact with most directly. I thought I'd share my setting's current equipment list (not including magic items, though I posted some stuff about that a while back). It's mostly pretty standard D&D fare--the Tower Lands are meant to be as approachable as possible for players at first blush, with the unique stuff only becoming apparent further in--but there are a few standouts.

Trade and Prices

Common folk trade with their neighbors on barter and credit. Travelers and the wealthy measure value in Dust. This shimmering powder, found in ruins of the old world or refined from rare minerals at the holiest of shrines, is recognizable by its soft blue-green glow and the way it gathers and moves on its own when undisturbed. The smallest amount of Dust that will gather is called a Mote, noted as Đ. A free wage laborer typically earns about 5 Đ per day.

Weapons

Type	Properties	Price
Axe	Throwable	18 Đ
Battleaxe	Two-handed	120 Đ
Bow	Range 150'	60 Đ
Club	Small	7 Đ
Crossbow	Range 180', slow to load	150 Đ
Dagger	Small, throwable	7 Đ
Javelins (2)	Range 120'	80 Đ
Mace	-	30 Đ
Maul	Two-handed	120 Đ
Polearm	Two-handed, reach	150 Đ
Sling	Small, range 300'	5 Đ
Spear	Throwable, reach	30 Đ
Staff	-	12 Đ
Sword	-	60 Đ
War sword	Two-handed	150 Đ

Ammunition

Type	Price
Arrows, quiver of 20	30 Đ
Bullets, pouch of 20	10 Đ
Quarrels, case of 20	30 Đ

Armor

Type	Price
Light	150 Đ
Medium	600 Đ
Heavy	2,000 Đ
Shield	120 Đ

Tools and Provisions

Item	Description	Price
Alembic, portable	Enough for basic apothecary work in the field.	375 Đ
Backpack	The mark of soldiers and relic hunters.	40 Đ
Bottle, pint	-	2 Đ
Caltrops, bag	Sharp metal spikes used to deter pursuers. Restricted by law in most places.	50 Đ
Candles (4)	-	2 Đ
Case, map or scroll	-	12 Đ
Clothing, common	Linen or woolen tunic, belt, sandals, cloak.	40 Đ
Clothing, warm	Thick woolen shirt and tunic, gloves, leggings, fur boots, heavy cloak.	120 Đ
Clothing, extravagant	Fine embroidered tunic or gown, expensive furs and silks, jewelry.	400+ Đ
Compass	-	250 Đ
Cosmetics set	A box containing makeup, brushes, perfumes, tweezers, etc. Common among the wealthy, often lavishly decorated.	100+ Đ
Costume	Suitable for a theatrical performance (or a disguise).	120 Đ
Crowbar	-	12 Đ
Dust phial	A reinforced bottle with a dropper built into the lid for measuring out Dust by the mote. Often ornate. Holds up to 100 Đ.	20+ Đ
Flint and steel	-	1 Đ
Gaming set	A board game and pieces, set of dice, or deck of cards.	30 Đ
Grappling hook	-	25 Đ
Inhaler mask	Has a socket for a Dust phial, allowing quick inhalation by a Tuner. Each is a unique likeness, embodying its user’s reputation. Restricted by law in most places.	500+ Đ
Lantern	-	18 Đ
Lockpicks	Also includes a set of skeleton keys. Restricted by law in most places.	100 Đ
Map	Regional, provincial, or realm-wide.	80 Đ
Medical supplies	-	25 Đ
Mirror, hand	-	30 Đ
Naphtha, jar	Highly flammable	50 Đ
Net	-	25 Đ
Oad	Five-stringed musical instrument, plucked with the fingers.	100 Đ
Oil, flask, 1 pint	Macca or other vegetable oil. Not flammable without a wick.	12 Đ
Pickaxe	-	12 Đ
Rations, fresh, 1 day	Spoil in 1 week.	2 Đ
Rations, preserved, 1 day	-	4 Đ
		Đ
Rope, 50'	-	12 Đ
Sack, small	-	1 Đ
Sack, large	-	2 Đ
Shovel	-	12 Đ
Spikes, iron (10)	-	10 Đ
Tinderbox	-	2 Đ
Torch	-	1 Đ
Water or wineskin	Holds 3 days' worth.	10 Đ

Animals and Vehicles

Item	Description	Price
Barding	-	300 Đ
Cart, beast-drawn	-	80 Đ
Cart, hand		35 Đ
Dog, hunting	-	50 Đ
Feed grain, common, 1 day	-	2 Đ
Feed grain, fine, 1 day	Suitable for feeding a warhorse.	4 Đ
Gyne	Small flying hunters, cousins to the wild valit. Kept by the rich for small game.	60 Đ
Horse, riding	-	150 Đ
Horse, war	Must be fed fine grain to remain in fighting shape	375 Đ
Kelbi	Small, hopping herd grazers with curling horns. Kept for wool, meat, and milk.	12 Đ
Mol	Furry, waist-high burrowers sometimes raised for meat. Easy to feed, but foul-tempered and sharp of tooth.	10 Đ
Mule	-	120 Đ
Nog	Knee-high, round-bodied scavengers with dark blue skin and short trunks. Kept for meat and food waste disposal.	20 Đ
Phen	Small, flightless winged beasts. Poor eating themselves, but lay tasty soft-shelled eggs.	1 Đ
Rox	Powerful, shoulder-high grazers with plated heads. Kept as dairy and draft beasts, slaughtered for leather and expensive meat.	80 Đ
Saddle, riding	-	120 Đ
Saddle, war	-	250 Đ
Saddlebags	-	20 Đ

Services

Item	Price
Carriage, local, per trip	2 Đ
Carriage, long-distance, per day	15 Đ
Meal, cheap	2 Đ
Meal, excellent	5 Đ
Drink, cheap	1 Đ
Drink, excellent	3 Đ
Freight, per barrel, per day	2 Đ
Inn, common room, per night	2 Đ
Inn, private room, per night	5 Đ
Messenger, local	1 Đ
Messenger, long-distance	20 Đ
Rent, cheap apartments, per month	100 Đ
Rent, luxurious apartments, per month	500 Đ
Ship's passage, per person, per day	18 Đ
Ship's charter, per day	100 Đ
Stabling, common animal, per day	1 Đ
Stabling and grooming, warhorse, per day	3 Đ
Wage, common laborer, per day	5 Đ
Wage, expert retainer, per day	15 Đ
Wage, mercenary, per day*	20 Đ

*: Base wage per fighting member of the company. For leaders, multiply by renown. Expenses must also be paid, and plunder will be expected when engaging in battle.

A Note on Slavery

Slavery is a ubiquitous and essential part of the Tower Lands’ economy. Halish slavery is not the chattel slavery of Earth’s Atlantic slave trade, but it is nevertheless a deeply cruel and inhumane practice. Slaves are routinely forced to work in brutal conditions and abused in countless ways.

It is assumed that players won’t want to play as slave owners or slave traders. However, they may want to do things like buying the freedom of slaves. For such cases, a typical commoner in decent health without any specialized skills can usually be bought out of slavery for about 300 Đ. People with specialized skills may cost as much as double, and those of formerly high birth, triple or more.

Some Gods

These are but a few of the innumerable gods worshiped in the Tower Lands--some of the most important, invoked by various names throughout the realm by common folk and high lords alike.

Toth

The sun, one of the higher beings. One of the most important gods, worshiped throughout the realm. Involved in harvest rites, husband to Rohesia.

Caina

The bright moon, known more commonly as Cradle in this age--the relation between the two names is unclear. A maiden sacrificed to Leviathan who Toth pitied and placed in the heavens to spare her. Leviathan reaches for her still, causing the tides.

Mal Maial

God of night, stars, and sleep, one of the higher beings. Husband of Caina, who married her to keep her safe from Leviathan and give her comfort in her grief. His embrace causes her phases.

Rohesia

Goddess of rain, fertility, and plants, one of the higher beings, wife of Toth. The main harvest god, probably the most popular in the realm.

Arai

Dour, secretive god of stone and metal, one of the higher beings. Invoked with libations and blood offerings for blessings of wealth.

Leviathan

God of the sea and bringer of ocean storms, parent of the countless sea beasts who bear its name. One of the higher beings, fierce and destructive, placated by sailors with offerings before voyages.

Ragahur

God of beasts, one of the higher beings. Placated by herders with offerings from the flock; invoked by hunters and haruspices, who seek omens in the wounds of savaged prey animals. One of the gods most likely to have been absorbed from old raun religion, to the point that even most Halish priests will admit it.

Rune

Goddess of knowledge, one of the higher beings. Said to know everything that has ever happened, but content to observe the world rather than rule. Mostly invoked by scholars and sorcerers.

Scarlet Vash

Dual-aspected god, said to change freely between masculine and feminine. Sometimes said to be a higher being, other times a revered ancestor. Capricious god of sex and bloodshed, bringer of passion to mortals, whether lustful desire or murderous rage.

The Crow

Collector of the dead, who guides souls to their final destinations and conducts offerings by the living to their revered ancestors. One of the higher beings, said to appear in the shape of a legendary winged beast with black feathers.

Old Beleg

A revered ancestor who watches over travelers. He is said to have walked every path in every realm and been to the very edge of the world. His symbol is a knotted cord, representing the links between all places and the bonds between all people.

Fevered Lodra

A revered ancestor, said to be the first inheritor of medicine among the Halish and patron of all doctors. Invoked to banish impurity with fire, strong liquor, and the bark of the anath tree, which serves as her talisman.

Demara the Compassionate

A revered ancestor, a highborn lady who gave up everything to comfort and care for the outcast and the cursed. Patron of those unfortunate souls, and goddess of mercy and charity, which makes her an unsavory figure to the nobility.

Joda the Burnt

A revered ancestor, credited as the first inheritor of the smithing arts. She stole the secret of iron from Arai, and was punished with fire. Ever since, those who seek to master smithing must suffer the heat of the flames as recompense.

Starchaser Rendil

A revered ancestor, believed to have first inherited the art of shipbuilding. As a child, he fell in love with a star and sought to build a vessel to carry him to where the night sky met the distant water. None know whether he ever reached his distant love, for he never returned from his final voyage. Even now, he is invoked both by shipwrights and those who long to be with someone far away.

Aigon, the First Master

A revered ancestor, founder of the earliest traditions that would become the basis of the High Arts of war, and still honored as patron of them all. While Joda is usually invoked as the bringer of smithing to mortals, some credit Aigon with first obtaining the art of swordmaking, which he bargained for from a higher being whose name is now lost.

Foes of the Tower Lands: Weapons

Cauldronborn

Gather the dead. Render them down until body mixes with body. Pour and press the mixture into shape; armor and bone help provide structure.

The proper spells render them pliable. They make for an obedient and utterly fearless fighting force, though limited in application by their lack of intellect. They will march tirelessly, day and night. Supply is little concern while they have fresh meat within reach. Putting them onto ships is ill-advised; they cannot sail, and crews transporting them are liable to become food.

Kalis the Afflictor is famous for using them as a backbone of his armies. Beneath the Weeping Cities, the vats of the Unseen Tower churn ceaselessly. After battles, his Charnel Maidens stalk the bloody fields, choosing from among the slain. In lands beyond, his black-shrouded corpse merchants are known by their carts pulled by night steeds. Selling to them is forbidden, but they offer prices to tempt the desperate.

Strength d8 [HD 2], speed 30', AC 2 [as chain], spear or blade, morale 12.

Chimera

No two are alike. Claw, fang, beak, tail, wing, stinger--flesh is as clay to shape with the power of the gods.

Sariel breeds them with loving care, deep in the untouched places of Elys, her favored children. Others are less lucky, their makers not so kind.

Start with: horse-sized quadruped, strength d8 [HD 4], speed 40', unarmored, slam [as mace], morale 7.

Roll 1d4 exploding. Roll 1d20 that many times. Unless otherwise noted, duplicates stack.

1. Small. -1 step strength [-2 HD], +10' speed.

2. Large. +1 step strength [+2 HD].

3. Sharp teeth in 1 mouth. Bite [as sword].

4. Claws on 1 limb [as sword].

5. Thick hide. +1 AC. Doesn't stack.

6. Scales. +2 AC. Doesn't stack.

7. Extra leg. +5' speed.

8. Arm with grasping hand. For each arm after the second, 1 extra melee attack action per round.

9. One less leg. -5' speed.

10. Slithering tail. Can't be knocked off-balance.

11. Prehensile tail.

12. Stinging tail. As dagger, poisoned on 5-in-6 [save vs. poison], dead in 1 round.

13. Gills.

14. Fins. Swim speed twice movement speed.

15. Vestigial wings. Jump up to twice movement speed.

16. Functional wings. -1 step strength, fly speed twice movement speed.

17. Chameleonic. Can turn invisible while motionless.

18. Breath weapon, poison gas. As Cloudkill once per day.

19. Extra head. 1 extra action per round.

20. Intelligent, speaks.

Hekatonkhier

Among the Storm Knights who partake of the gift of Interface, few dare to tread beyond the Path of Vitra, to attempt the most radical departures from the human form. Most cannot bear the burden of existing in a body so reshaped, their minds breaking under the strain. Hungering for more, they prey on their own, tearing their brethren limb from limb for new steel to add to their hulking forms.

Though it drives them mad, they find the strength they seek. They are knights still, and so their brethren prefer to capture them alive, releasing them on the battlefield to find honorable deaths.

Strength d10 [HD 6], speed 40', AC 3 [as plate], large blade [as greatsword], morale 12. Attacks twice per round.

Jade Blight

No one remembers what mad sorcerer first unleashed it.

In shaded caves, damp ruins, and polluted battlefields, green mass spreads, feeding on rot. Those thinking themselves safely out of reach will find themselves pursued, grasping pseudopods reaching for every ounce of organic matter. What it cannot eat, it takes, filling discarded armor to walk with speed it cannot achieve on its own, taking up weapons to cripple its prey beyond fleeing.

They say if it touches you, your only hope is swift amputation.

Strength d4 [HD 1], speed 10', unarmored, touch attack, morale 12. Immune to normal weapons. Creatures touched must amputate or dissolve into more Jade Blight in 1 minute.

Blightwalker: Strength d6 [HD 2], speed 30', AC 1 [as leather], sword or touch attack, morale 12. On destruction, collapse back into Jade Blight.

Juggernaut

Engines of war from some long-forgotten past age, ramming heads formed in the likeness of great beasts atop crushing wheels. The secrets of their making are lost, but those that remain are prized. Led to battle in chains, they are turned toward the enemy and released. Their own caretakers offer prayer before them, throwing prisoners or, when desperate, their own comrades under the wheels to placate the wrathful gods within.

Under layers of iron plating, they are said to bleed.

Strength d10 [HD 6], speed 60', AC 3 [as plate], ram [as giant's weapon], morale 12.

Mimic

No one knows how they are born. They are weak at first. Small, fragile things of little intelligence, taking shape of inanimate objects for camouflage. They hunt opportunistically, snatching small animals that pass near and digesting them slowly.

As they eat, they grow, in size and in intellect. Camouflage among rocks and old pottery is abandoned to hunt in animal shape. Some, the oldest, are lucky enough to devour a human. Only then do they begin to reach their adult stage. When full grown, none can distinguish them from the real thing until they drop the mask.

The powerful will kill to acquire a young one alive, for it is said they can be made into perfectly obedient spies and assassins--provided one has enough truly loyal servants to offer as food.

Infant: Strength d4 [HD 1-1], speed 10', AC 1 [as leather], bite [as dagger], morale 4. Can assume the forms of inanimate objects. Anything that touches them becomes stuck fast and is slowly digested, 1 wound [1d6 damage] per turn.

Young: Strength d6 [HD 1], speed 30', AC 1 [as leather], bite [as dagger], morale 6. Can assume the forms of animals up to human size. Digesting prey leaves them motionless and vulnerable.

Adult: Strength d8 [HD 3], speed 30', AC 1 [as leather], weapon or unarmed strike, morale 7. Can assume any human or raun form. Digesting prey leaves them motionless and vulnerable.

Rust Beast

They have long escaped the cells of whatever laboratory first produced them, and now roam wild. Sages theorize that they were created from skrik stock. Where the bite of their ancestors paralyzed flesh, however, theirs dissolves metal, breaking it down into a form they can consume.

They are little threat to the living unless cornered. Nevertheless, armies live in fear of an infestation turned loose in their camps.

According to legend, those that manage to consume relic blades take on the ancient prowess and bloodlust of their food.

Strength d6 [HD 1], speed 30', AC 1 [as leather], bite [as dagger] or antenna, morale 5. On antenna hit, held and worn metal items dissolve into rust. Magical items resist on 5-in-6.

Singing Stone

Their name comes from the humming that surrounds them when awake, ringing ears and vibrating ribs.

There have been but a handful discovered, every one hoarded jealously by the Lords. One alone, when deployed, can turn the tide of a battle.

Strength d12 [HD 10], fly 60', AC 3 [as plate], starfire [as Fireball], morale 12. Attacks 3 times per round.