Village

Villages are communities of 100 to 1,000, with rustic culture and a small economy. A village is a few hundred yards across, with fields and pastures extending beyond.

A basic village

Every village has the following.

Creatures	Features	Locations
Rulers: Council or Steward or Commander Military: Militia Households: Commoner Households Criminal: Smugglers	Defense: Palisade, Watch Bell, Watch Fire Infrastructure: Water Well	Government: Council Lodge or Office Hospitality: Tavern Sacred: Shrine Commerce: Common Shops

Wards

Villages also have 1 to 5 unique wards.

Theme	Description	Creatures	Features	Locations
Farming	Fields and barns beyond the housing; straw thatch and cooking smoke.	—	—	Village Green, Village Fields, Grain Store, Windmill
Fishing	Stilt houses along a river or bay; drying racks, salt, smoke, and old rope.	—	—	Wharf, Wharf Warehouse
Mining	Rough housing at a mine mouth; slag heaps, timber props, dust in the air.	1 Steward, 1 Merchant	—	Mine
Quarry	Workers' huts at the lip of an open pit; the steady ring of hammer and chisel.	1 Steward, 1 Merchant	—	Quarry
Logging	Clearing hacked from the forest edge; log piles beside a sawmill.	1 Merchant	—	Sawmill
Trade	Grown around a crossroads or a river ford; passing traffic more than the land.	1-2 Shopkeepers, 1 Merchant Caravan	—	Small Market Square, Inn, Depot
Herding	Pastoral village on open land; sheep, cattle, or goats grazing beyond.	1 Merchant	—	Cattle Barn, Corral, Pastures
Crossing	Grown around a ferry, bridge, chasm span, marsh path, or mountain pass.	1 Crossing Master, 1-2 Shopkeepers	—	Crossing, Toll House, Stables
Craft	Specialty craft village: pottery, weaving, glassmaking, brewing, ironwork.	1 Artisan, 1 Merchant	—	Craft Hall, Craft Workshops, Storehouse
Religious	Grown around a hermitage of monks or nuns.	1 Head Monk, 2-6 Monks	—	Religious Hermitage
Arcane	Grown around a wizard's tower or scholar's retreat.	1 Hedge Wizard, 1-3 Apprentice Wizards	—	Arcane Hermitage
Military	Standing garrison; drills in the parade ground, uniforms, muster horn.	Garrison, Commander	Stockade (replaces Palisade)	Barracks, Watchtower

Details

Creatures

Apprentice Wizard. Junior mage in a Hedge Wizard's household. Uses the Apprentice Wizard stat block. See also Arcane: Arcane Hermitage (theme).

Artisan. The expert known as the best in the craft in the settlement. May be an elderly master with apprentices, or a widely respected figure who represents the craft to outsiders. May also be the Guildmaster. See Traders: Artisan (theme).

Commander. Officer in charge of the village's Garrison. Appointed by a distant lord or by the domain's ruler. Runs drills, sets watches, adjudicates the garrison's affairs. See Military: Garrison (theme, village).

Commoner Households. The families of the village. What they do depends on the theme of the ward they live in: farmers, fishers, miners, quarriers, loggers, traders, herders, crossing-tenders, craftsmen, laypeople of a hermitage, or soldiers. See Households: Common Household (theme).

Council. Three to five Council Elders who meet at the Council Lodge. They set harvesting rotations or planting schedules, resolve disputes, and pull the bell rope in the village's name. Older, well regarded. See Rulers: Council (theme, village).

Crossing Master. Runs the crossing operation, collects tolls. Professional, or Noble for a wealthy or heavily traveled crossing. His office is at the Toll House. Loot: signet, the charter, ledger of tolls, 1d10 gp coin purse.

Garrison. Standing military unit of professional soldiers stationed at the village. Rotates on drill and watch. See Military: Garrison (theme, village).

Head Monk. Leader of a religious hermitage. Uses the Priest stat block. See Faithful: Head Monk.

Hedge Wizard. A mage in isolated residence with apprentices. Uses the Hedge Wizard stat block. See also Arcane: Arcane Hermitage (theme).

Merchant. General goods merchant who buys the ward's output and sells local necessities. Runs a Trade Booth at the ward's productive site (mine, quarry, forest, pasture, craft hall). Keeps a scale, a ledger, and a strongbox. See Traders: Merchant (theme, village).

Merchant Caravan. A small caravan based at the village. One or two Wagon Teams and a Caravan Master; runs a short route between the village and larger markets. Based at the village Depot. See Caravans: Merchant Caravan (theme, village).

Militia. Citizen levy called up when the horn blows or the bell rings. Farmers and villagers muster with old armor, workmen's weapons, and whatever the Council Lodge armory holds. Not a standing force. Every village fields one. See Military: Militia (theme, village).

Monk. Member of a religious hermitage. Lives simply, works in the garden and the temple, welcomes pilgrims. Uses the Acolyte stat block. See Faithful: Monk.

Shopkeeper. Trader who runs a small shop, a stall, or a business such as a Tavern, Stables, or Storehouse. See Traders: Shopkeeper (theme).

Smugglers. They run goods using a local business as a front. If raiders come, the smugglers may fight beside the locals. See Criminals: Smugglers (theme).

Steward. Appointed by the mine's or quarry's owner or a distant lord. Runs shift schedules, sets wages, arbitrates worker disputes, and keeps the workings supplied. See Rulers: Steward (theme).

Features

Palisade. A short fence of rough wooden uprights, meant more to keep wolves and wandering herds out than to stop raiders. A DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check to climb.

Stockade. A high fence of heavy upright timbers, sharpened at the top, with a walkway on the inside for defenders. A DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check to climb.

Watch Bell. Heavy bell in a wooden frame near the village center. Rung at storms, fires, raids, and gatherings.

Watch Fire. Raised iron brazier on the palisade or a knoll, kept lit.

Locations

Arcane Hermitage. See Arcane: Arcane Hermitage (theme).

Barracks. Long low building housing the Garrison. Bunks, arms locker, mess hall. See Fortifications: Barracks.

Cattle Barn. Covered shed for housing of cattle. Straw bedding, feed troughs, water. Loot: tools; stored fleece or hides (10 gp).

Common Shops. Includes: blacksmith (general ironwork), general store (rations, torches, oil, rope, etc.), bowyer/fletcher, and leatherworker. There are also bakers, butchers, brewers, tailors, etc. Individual proprietors are Commoners or Professionals. For each shop see Traders: Shopkeeper (theme).

Corral. Enclosure where the village gathers animals for shearing, driving to market, etc. Loot: livestock in the pen.

Council Lodge. The Council's chamber; also the village's court and emergency shelter. See Rulers: Council (theme, village).

Craft Hall. Communal work space. Kiln, forge, loom, or vats. Meetings of the crafters happen here. Loot: raw materials in stock (50 gp); shared tools; the day's finished goods.

Craft Workshops. Household workspaces. Typically the family home with a shop attached, containing equipment, tools, and materials. Loot: as a Basic Workshop.

Crossing. Depends on the terrain: a ferry boat and landing on a river, a bridge, a chasm span of cables and planks, a marked path over marsh, or a mountain pass.

Depot. The Merchant Caravan's home base. See Caravans: Depot.

Grain Store. Communal granary, raised on stone piers to protect from vermin and rot. Door with a chain and a standard lock. Sacks of wheat, barley, or oats. Loot: stored grain.

Inn. See Hospitality: Inn.

Windmill. See Industrial Facilities: Windmill.

Mine. See Industrial Facilities: Mine.

Office. A small building where the village's appointed ruler works. Ledger, correspondence, roll of the household, pay chest. Serves the Steward or Constable when either stands in place of the Council.

Pastures. Grazing land around the village. Boundary stones or streams mark the edges. Cattle or sheep spread out during the day. Loot: grazing livestock (10 gp per beast).

Quarry. See Industrial Facilities: Quarry.

Religious Hermitage. See Faithful: Religious Hermitage (theme).

Sawmill. See Industrial Facilities: Sawmill.

Shrine. See Faithful: Shrine (theme, village).

Small Market Square. The village's central market: a paved or packed clearing where traders set up stalls on market days. Awnings, tables, weights, and coins changing hands. A public well may be here. Typical market day sees 4 to 8 stallholders. For a specific stall use Traders: Shopkeeper (theme). Loot: cash and small goods.

Stables. Long low building with stalls for horses. Straw, tack, feed. Loot: horses (50 gp per riding horse); tack (5 gp per set).

Storehouse. General storage for goods. Barrels, crates, sacks. Locked door with a chain. Loot: goods (100 gp); the storekeeper's ledger.

Tavern. See Hospitality: Tavern.

Toll House. Small building at the crossing where fees are collected. A counter with a ledger and a locked strongbox. Guards may be present at busier crossings. Loot: the day's tolls (2d20 gp); ledger of who crossed and when.

Village Fields. Fields for crops and herds on the edges of the village. See Households: Common Household (theme).

Village Green. Central common where the village gathers. A firepit for festivals.

Watchtower. 20- to 30-foot wooden or stone tower on the settlement's outer wall or standing alone. Manned in shifts. Signal fire at the top; horn for alarm. A DC 18 Strength (Athletics) check to climb the exterior.

Water Well. See Civic Facilities: Well.

Wharf. Plank wharf along the shore with barrels, coiled rope, drying nets, and a few open boats.

Wharf Warehouse. Large plank shed at the water's edge. Fish crates, salt sacks, drying frames.

Local Troubles

d100	Trouble
01-02	A trader was found dead on the road with his purse untouched. Did someone want to keep him quiet?
03-05	The harvest has failed this year. The Council is calling a village meeting to ration the storehouse.
06-07	Another farmer has been spotted with a prized animal that went missing from here a month ago. The owner wants his animal back and someone to answer.
08-10	A symbol was painted on the granary door in the night. Nobody knows what it means and nobody wants to touch it.
11-12	The Well ran dry three days ago. Someone must find out why.
13-15	A villager has not come home. Two nights gone. His family are asking questions, but nobody has an answer.
16-17	A body was found in the village well. It is not from here.
18-20	Three villagers have vanished from the same stretch of the road in a month. Nothing found but tracks that lead nowhere.
21-22	The Priest has been missing from morning service for three days. The shrine is locked from the inside.
23-25	Someone stole from the common storehouse. Half the households have picked a suspect.
26-27	Livestock have been killed in the north field and drained of blood. No tracks the shepherds recognize.
28-30	A trade partner arrived, refused to pay the agreed price, and drew a blade before backing down.
31-32	A grave was disturbed last night. Someone dug down and took something out, or put something in.
33-35	Bandits have been picking off travelers on the north road. Three losses this month. The Watch is too small and the road is the only way in.
36-37	A wanted man from another village is hiding here. The other village's Watch is expected tomorrow.
38-40	A stranger has taken a room at the inn. He does not eat with the other guests, speaks only when addressed, and pays in coin older than the village. The innkeeper's dog refuses to enter his room.
41-42	A Council Elder is dying and two households are quietly preparing to fight over the seat.
43-45	A midwife has been accused of witchcraft after a child was born wrong. Half the village wants her burned. The Priest has not spoken.
46-47	Three children have had the same dream about a black door in the woods.
48-50	A gift for a distant lord went missing on the road. His steward is expected within the week.
51-52	A distant Lord is paying a Councilor coin to bend the village to his will. Someone in the Councilor's household knows and hasn't spoken.
53-55	A butchered animal was left at the crossroads. The village is uneasy about what it means.
56-57	The shrine's altar was found broken and its relic missing. The Priest is quiet.
58-60	A hunting party of nobles is expected to pass through this week. Last time, they ruined some property.
61-62	A villager's grown son has come home with a bounty on his head. His mother has hidden him in the loft; his father does not yet know.
63-65	A traveler arrived asking after a name no living villager remembers, and left before answering questions.
66-67	The village dogs have started avoiding a specific house.
68-70	Two of the village's oldest households have refused to attend Council. The seats are empty and votes are stalled.
71-72	A survivor from a raided farm has stumbled into the village half mad, saying names of neighbors no one recognizes.
73-75	Three villagers have started refusing to eat with their families and speak only in whispers among themselves.
76-77	A drunkard has been claiming for weeks that he saw someone burying a chest by moonlight. Yesterday he was found beaten in a ditch.
78-80	A cold spot has appeared in a Council Elder's house that no fire can warm. His wife will not sleep in the room.
81-82	A villager owes a dangerous man in the next town. The debt is due this week. He does not have it and is asking neighbors for help he cannot repay.
83-85	Smoke was seen on the horizon last night. No messenger has come from the nearest village.
86-87	The Watch caught a stranger reading a Council Elder's private correspondence in the Council Lodge. He will not say who sent him.
88-90	A pilgrim has arrived preaching a doctrine no one has heard before. A few villagers are listening intently.
91-92	The forest's edge has crept closer over recent months.
93-95	A courier died on the doorstep of the inn, clutching a sealed letter. The seal is not from any local lord.
96-97	A wandering child arrived at the village alone, dirty, exhausted, and speaks a language nobody recognizes.
98-100	A scout from an outside band was captured and is being held in a barn. He will not speak but wears a strange charm at his throat.