Eldritch Fields

These are powerful, perhaps potentially setting-changing artifacts which cannot be used – yet!

1. Stash of discharged but functional energy weapons, enough to arm a squad
2. Giant metal bird with broken wings, large enough to carry 20 men
3. Weapon of mass destruction, lacking its trigger mechanism
4. Recipes and formulae of miracle cures, written in undeciphered language
5. A portal of instantaneous travel to other realms, but the coordinates are unknown
6. Two dozen giant eggs, unhatched, but full of life
7. Treasure map engraved on basalt slab, vital fragment missing
8. Great sage or warrior in suspended animation on the verge of death from incurable disease
9. Air-generator or Water-purifier, sealed by mad curse
10. Satellite array and radar complex that, due to a malfunction, kills anybody who interfaces with it

Bonus: The local community’s relationship with the artifact:

1. Secretly researched by a small group
2. Actively and openly researched by all
3. Worshipped by all as a divine effigy
4. Feared, shunned and quarantined
5. Buried and hidden, unbeknownst to all (but rumors exists…)
6. Buried and hidden, guarded by a small group (but rumors exists…)

This is a set of house rules for generating a small ancient Greek group of colonists. I wrote it for our Mazes & Minotaurs campaign that takes place during the era of Greek colonization. It can be used to quickly generate the small community the adventurers are leading to a new land, like we did at the beginning of our first session.

The colony

The size of the colony depends on the average Personal Charisma of the adventurers: it shows how many people they managed to attract to join the undertaking.

Avg. Personal Charisma	Population	Warriors	Specialists
6 or less	40	8	1
7-8	60	12	2
9 or more	80	16	3

The colony is made up of 60% men, 40% women, mostly young to middle-aged. There is a small number of children (5%) who can only do light work. All members of the colony can farm, hunt, fish, trap. Most members know a common trade like pottery, tannery, woodworking and can provide everyday materials and tools. The colony also includes a non-adventuring 2^nd level Priest of the colony’s patron god.

Specialists

Highly skilled non-adventuring retainers. They can be used as back-up characters.

1	Master artisan. Creator of exquisite goods, and capable of organizing a workshop for the production of rare, valuable objects (jewelry, fine wares, painted pottery, carved ivory, sculpture).
2	Blacksmith. A tradesman skilled in smelting ores and producing high-quality metal tools and weaponry.
3	Rhapsode. Composes epic poems about the adventurers’ exploits, granting a 5% bonus to experience awards. A zero-level Lyrist with 4 Power points (regenerate over a full week).
4	Engineer or Architect. Skilled in construction, and perhaps even invention, of complex tools, machines, buildings, the organization of labor.
5	Symposiarch. The Master of Ceremonies… knows all the rules and nuances of feasting, how to select wine and how to dilute it, what games to play, how to bring people together over drinks. Useful for diplomatic events; also opens up the option of carousing for bonus experience points (and complications).
6	Herbalist. This specialist can provide non-magical healing to the colonists, and also brew various potions & poisons!

 

The colony at war

The colony has a number of trained warriors (see table above), who can be taken out to adventures. Losing too many meatshields henchmen will lower the overall morale of the community. As a last resort, up to 70% of the colony can be mobilized to fight (as zero level fighters) – either to defend the settlement, or to achieve an important cause.

More random tables for colony customization after the jump!