Taxes
Taxes have been the bane of mankind since the dawn of civilization. Taxes can take many forms in a medieval milieu. Taxes that only apply to the citizens of a city-state are not covered here.

Tolls: Tolls are charged on most rural roads by the communities tasked with maintaining said road. These tolls will usually amount to about a single silver piece if traversing the domain of a city-state. Entering a city-state’s walls will cost about 1 gp per foot or 2 gp per wheel. Thus a man riding a horse that is pulling a wagon would have to a toll of 12 gp.

Tithes: The medieval church expected everyone to pay one tenth of their income to the church. For players who draw some or all of their power from the divine, this be more like 10 gp per level per month in sacrifices. For other adventurers, you might require they pay a tithe in order to enjoy the benefits of divine spells (i.e. pay up or no healing).

Money Changing: This is not technically a tax, since it isn’t levied by the government. None-the-less, changing from one metal to another or from metal to gem will usually carry with it a 10% surcharge.

Civic Organizations

Colleges
A college is an association of priests under the leadership of a high priest or pontiff. The college, with the monarch’s blessing, appoints the heads of the city-state’s temples and enforces ecclesiastic law. These concepts may seem more appropriate to a monotheistic faith based on the medieval Christian church than to a fantasy polytheistic system, but they are based on the system used in pagan Rome that was later adopted by the early Christian church.

The Roman college of priests had several responsibilities, including regulation of the divine spell casting, consecration of temples and sacred places, regulation of the calendar, administration of the law relating to burials and adoptions, superintendence of marriages and maintenance of historic archives and keeping a list of judges and recording the minutes of their courts.

Rome had a greater college of 13 priests of local gods and a lesser college of 15 priests of foreign gods.

Towns have one or two temples, each staffed by a priest and 20 to 30 clergy. Cities have from 8 to 12 temples representing the chief deities of the local pantheon. A metropolis has 30 to 40 temples dedicated to major and minor members of the local pantheon and popular deities of foreign pantheons.

The largest temple in a city-state is dedicated to its patron deity. The city’s high priest (a cleric or druid of level 5 to 8 or a sage with the same spell casting ability) is a devotee of the city’s patron deity and a former adventurer elevated to his position by the city-state’s college of priests. Lawful and neutral temples sell holy water, but not potions.

Most city-states also have one or more cults dedicated to demon princes, arch-devils or elder gods. A cult consists of a level 3 to 12 cleric, 1d4 level 1 clerics and several lay members (peasants, artisans, nobles, etc).

Companies
Merchants are organized into chartered companies. They get the right to trade in return for their monarch getting a percentage of their earnings. Merchant companies have many investors that never leave the city-state, as well as merchant-adventurers who venture out on ship or caravan to actually trade (see traders above). Merchant companies consist of 2d6 merchant adventurers of level 3 to 12.

Merchant companies provide their members with a strong box for the storage of valuables for free and to non-members for a fee. They maintain alms-houses, fund vocational schools and support churches dedicated to their patron deity. They are usually granted monopolies by the crown; this may be a monopoly on a particular trade or a particular geographic area. Many colonial companies mint their own coinage. They are usually required to fly their city-state’s flag, use only ships built in their city-state and pay a percentage on each shipment to the crown. Company rules might dictate that members may not belong to other companies, members must pay a fee to join (upwards of 10 gp) and members will not break the rules under which the company is chartered.

Notable merchant companies include the Merchants of the Staple, Mystery and Company of Merchant Adventurers for the Discovery of Regions, Dominions, Islands and Places Unknown, Society of Merchant Venturers, Fellowship of English Merchants for the Discovery of New Trades and the Honorable East India Company.

Guilds
City-states organize their artisans into chartered guilds (also called mysteries or livery companies). Guilds are led by an elected guildmaster and a council of masters. Every profession has its own guild and guild house with an attached chapel dedicated to a deity associated with the guild’s profession. Guildhouses provide a strong box for the storage of valuables to guild members for free and to non-members for a fee.

The chief spokesman of the guilds is the lord mayor of the city-state. The leading delegates of the guilds are the city-state’s aldermen. The other guild members are burghers.

Guilds are ordered in prestige according to the time of their founding and occupy rotating seats on a guild council in this order. A town has a single guild house for all of its guilds, while cities have a single guild house for the smaller guilds and separate houses for the larger guilds. Guildsmen swear oaths to the guild and to the crown. Each guild has the right to display a coat-of-arms.

Mercenary Bands
Mercenary bands often camp outside a city-state’s walls while their captains look for employment. Assume a 1 in 6 chance during spring and summer and a 4 in 6 chance during autumn and winter. Mercenaries are willing to work for adventurers, but they will not enter a dungeon, lair or ruin until it has been cleared of monsters.

A mercenary company is commanded by a captain (1 in 6 chance of being a level 5 to 8 fighting-man). The captain is assisted by a sergeant. The company consists of 1d4+1 units, each consisting of 12 men-at-arms under the command of a sergeant. The type of warrior in each unit can be rolled randomly.

1. Archers: Leather armor and shield, bow, sword
2. Archers, Elf: Leather armor, longbow, longsword
3. Archers, Mounted: Leather armor, bow, sword
4. Crossbowmen: Studded leather, crossbow, sword
5. Crossbowmen, Mounted: Studded leather, crossbow
6. Heavy Infantry: Chainmail and shield, halberd, sword
7. Heavy Infantry, Dwarf: Platemail, shield, warhammer
8. Light Infantry: Studded leather, shield, spear, dagger
9. Heavy Cavalry: Platemail and shield, heavy lance, axe
10. Light Cavalry: Chainmail and shield, light lance, mace
11. Slinger: Padded armor, sling, club
12. Slinger, Halfling: Leather armor, sling, short sword

Mounted archers and crossbowmen ride normal horses and do not fight on horseback. Cavalry ride warhorses.

Historic mercenary band include the Dove Company, Ventura Companies, Company of St. George, Star’s Company, the White Company of John Hawkwood, the Little Hat Company and the Company of the Rose.

Thieves’ Dens
A thieves’ den is led by a thief of level 9 to 12. This makes the master of the den one of the most powerful adventurers in the city-state, which goes a long way to explaining the corrupt nature of most cities. Assassins, bards and illusionists can be in spy rings of similar organization.

The den consists of 2d6 level 1 thieves, 1d6 level 2 thieves, 1d3 level 3 thieves and 1d2 level 4 thieves. The den has a lieutenant of half its leader’s level. Towns have a single den of thieves. Cities may have several competing gangs.

Universities
A university is a guild for sages. Universities need not occupy a physical space. Classes might be taught wherever there is room. Some universities rent space (like the modern University of Phoenix ) and eventually some are granted buildings by generous aristocrats. Universities are found only in big cities.

Universities come in three types, depending on who pays tuition. In the first model the teachers are paid by the students, thus putting the students in control. These universities generally specialize in the study of law.

In the second model, the teachers are paid by the local temple. Naturally, theology is the main course of study in such universities and teachers have complete control over their students. Students in theological universities are afforded legal protection by the clergy, in effect being considered junior clergy and thus immune to secular laws.

In the third model, the teachers are paid by the state and given the protection of the crown.

Students enter university at age fifteen. They live in rented rooms or houses provided by benefactors. These houses are organized on the basis of one’s nationality. It takes six years for students to complete their studies in the faculty of arts (arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, music theory, grammar, logic and rhetoric).

Once a Bachelor of Arts has been obtained, students choose one of four faculties (law, medicine, theology, or science, i.e. lawyer, healer, priest or alchemist) in which to pursue their master’s degree and doctorate degree. Each degree takes six years to complete.

Classes are taught around single books, not subjects. Classes are not elective – all students must complete the same classes. Classes begin at 5:00 AM. Students will make up approximately 1 percent of a city-state’s population. There is one sage for every ten students.

Inns & Taverns
The average town has one inn and six taverns. Cities have 5 inns and 25 taverns. A metropolis has 25 inns and as many as 125 taverns. For the Referee’s purposes only a few of these places need be described.

Rate these places as being poor (1 gp per night), middling (5 gp per night) or good (10 gp per night). The quality of meals and number of services will depend on the quality of the inn. Most guests sleep in the common room downstairs. Individual rooms can be purchased at triple the normal price. These rooms rarely have locks on their doors and the cleanliness is always questionable.

When designing taverns, do not limit yourself to the tried and true alehouse. A tavern might also be an upper class club, a coffee house frequented by wealthy merchants, a tea house or even an opium den.

Notable Citizens
The only citizens you really need to develop are those that will be sought out by the adventurers or that will come into conflict with the them. This list includes alchemists for potions, armorers for armor and weapons, barbers for gossip and healing, priests for healing and holy water, sages for information, moneylenders for high interest loans, the captain of the guard after the inevitable tavern fight and the city-state’s aristocrats for high-level missions. It is best to detail only one or two of each, since reoccurring characters are more engaging to the players and less work for you.

Alchemists
Alchemists are proto-scientists specializing in the creation of special items. In reality, the world’s greatest alchemists, the Moslems, invented, discovered or improved acid, flaming oil, perfumes, soap, distilled spirits (i.e. alcohol), distilled water, glue (made from cheese), syrups, sherbet, gunpowder, artificial pearls and gemstones, fire-proof clothing and many medicines. They also advanced the arts of ceramics and glassblowing, including the grinding of lenses and perfection of mirrors. In Nod, alchemists are also the source of lodestones, poisons and antitoxins. Alchemists can be hired by magic-users to help in the creation of magic items. A hired alchemist will cut in half the time it takes a magic-user to craft a magic item.

One alchemist in six (and all gnome alchemists) can manufacturing potions and know one alchemical secret:

1. The manufacture of homonculi and other vat-grown creatures
2. The manufacture of alkahest, the universal solvent
3. The manufacture of sovereign glue.
4. The manufacture of aqua vitae (a potion that heals all damage, neutralizes all poisons, cures all diseases and restores lost ability score points)

One alchemist in twenty is actually a low-level* magic-user. Because they work with dangerous substances, 1 in 100 alchemists is insane. Alchemists carry daggers and 1d4 vials of acid and fight as normal men with 1d4 hit points.

Animal Trainers
Animal trainers are capable of teaching animals one trick each week. One in six animal trainers (and all halfling animal trainers) can train monsters and dragons at the rate of one trick per month (with one month of training before the creature is willing to be taught). One animal trainer in twenty is actually a low-level ranger. Animal trainers carry clubs, whips and sacks of treats favored by their pupils and fight as normal men with 1d6 hit points.

Armorers
Armorers are smiths that specialize in crafting, maintaining and repairing armor and weapons. An armorer can craft 25 gp worth of an item per month or repair 25 gp worth of an item per day. Lords must employ one armorer for every 100 men-at-arms they employ and provide for them a forge and living quarters. One in twenty armorers is a level low-level fighting-man. Armorers carry light hammers and other tools and fight as normal men with 1d6 hit points.

All armorers can make leather, ring, chainmail, shields and all weapons. One armorer in six (and all dwarf armorers) can manufacture platemail and masterwork items. Masterwork weapons and armor cost 300 gp more than normal. Masterwork weapons are +1 to hit (but are not magical) and masterwork armor grants an additional +1 to armor class. Elf armorers know how to make elven chainmail.

Barber
Barbers are the medieval equivalent of dentists, surgeons and hair stylists, all wrapped into one. They tend to be talkative and well informed about their community and its surroundings, knowing 1d6 rumors. Additionally, barber’s can provide medical care (i.e. double natural rate of healing) for wounded characters. One in twenty barbers is a low-level bard. Barbers charge 100 gp for medical care, 5 gp per rumor and 1 gp for a hair cut (or 10 gp for the works). Barbers carry shears, jars of leeches and bandages and fight as normal men with 1d6 hit points.

Beggar
Beggars are peasants who have bought their freedom or been thrown off their lord’s estate and forced to make their living in a town or city. Characters may wish to hire a beggar to do some spying (with a 2 in 6 chance of success) or they may buy rumors from them. Each beggar has 1d3 rumors he is willing to sell at the cost of 1 gp per rumor. A beggar’s rumors may not be true and could be a ruse to lure the unwary into an ambush. One in twenty beggars is actually a low-level thief, and 1 in 100 beggars is insane. Beggars carry begging bowls and crutches and fight as normal humans with 1d6 hit points.

Blacksmith
Blacksmiths make and repair metal goods other than armor, weapons and precious metals. Blacksmiths craft metallic objects at the same rate as armorers. In fact, there are a wide variety of smiths, each specializing in working a different metal, with blacksmiths specializing in iron. For simplicity’s sake, we’ll pretend that blacksmiths work with all metals. One blacksmith in twenty is a low-level fighting-man. Black-smiths fight as normal men with 1d6 hp.

Bowyer
Bowyers are craftsmen that specialize in making bows, crossbows, slings, bolts and arrows. Bowyers can produce 25 gp worth of goods per week. About 1 in 6 bowyers (and all elf bowyers) can make masterwork bows that are +1 to hit. One bowyer in twenty is a low-level fighting-man or ranger. Bowyers carry tools, longbows and 20 arrows and fight as normal men with 1d6 hit points.

Engineer
Engineers are learned in mathematics, carpentry, masonry and mining. They are essential for building or besieging a castle, for they alone understand how to build and operate siege engines (catapults, ballistae, etc). One engineer in 6 can build clocks and clockwork creatures. One engineer in twenty is a low-level magic-user. Engineers have charts, maps, sextants, tools and daggers and fight as normal men with 1d4 hit points.

Fence
A fence can find and dispose of stolen goods, including magic items. They have a 5 in 6 chance to properly appraise the value of an item, and a 2 in 6 chance to identify a magic item (per the spell identify), hide in shadows and move silently. Finding magic items for adventurers is difficult, time-consuming and costly, and costs 100 gp per month of searching with a 1 in 6 chance per month of success. One fence in ten is a low-level thief. Fences have hooded cloaks, daggers and have a 5% chance of carrying a magic item. Fences fight as normal men with 1d6 hp.

Guide
Guides know their way around wilderness areas. For adventure groups without rangers, guides are a must. They know about all set encounter areas within 30 miles (5 hexes) of their home. They always know what sort of gear one needs to survive in their wilderness and can use all ranger skills successfully on a roll of 1-3 on a 1d6. One guide in twenty is a low-level ranger. Guides have padded armor, hand axes, longbows, 20 arrows and survival gear. They fight as men-at-arms.

Healers
Healers are capable of providing care that double’s their patient’s normal healing rate and provides them a +1 bonus on saving throws against poison and disease. One healer in twenty is a low-level cleric of a healing deity such as Apollo Helios. Healers have staffs, silver daggers and surgeon’s tools. They are assisted by apprentices (treat as students). Healers fight as normal men with 1d4 hit points.

Herbalist
Herbalists deal in herbs and herbal concoctions. In Nod, they are equivalent to apothecaries. Besides local herbs and imported herbs, herbalists can prepare herbal remedies for poisons and diseases common to the local are at the cost of 30 gp. Each of these preparations (elixirs, poultices, etc.) grants a +1d4-1 bonus to saves vs. disease or poison. Several types of flora are useful to spell casters as potion ingredients. Most herbalists fight as normal men with 1d4 hit points, but about one in twenty is a low-level druid. Herbalists carry sickles and sacks of herbs.

Innkeepers and Landlords
Innkeepers own and operate inns, while landlords own and operate taverns. For our purposes, we’ll define an inn as a building in which adventurers can sleep, drink and eat, while a tavern is a building in which adventurers can drink and eat. Some medieval inns were as many as four stories tall and offered a variety of services including stables and hot baths. Most innkeepers and landlords fight as normal men with 1d6 hit points, but one in twenty is a low-level fighting-man or thief.

Jewelers
Jewelers are smiths that work with precious metals and stones. They work at the same rate as armorers (25 gp per week). Jewelers are also likely customers for precious metals and stones found by adventurers, and they can appraise such items as well as a fence. Most jewelers fight as normal men with 1d6 hit points, but one in twenty is actually a low-level thief.

Lawyer
Lawyers are a must for adventurers charged with crimes in a city-state (unless one wishes to go the bribery route). They are knowledgeable about the laws of their city-state and the personality and quirks of the local ruler, who presides over court cases. Many cases take 1d6 days to come to trial. A skilled lawyer can cut this time in half and has a 1 in 6 chance of getting the adventurer off without a fine, imprisonment or mutilation. Most lawyers fight as normal men with 1d4 hit points, but one in twenty is a low-level bard. Lawyers carry walking sticks (treat as clubs).

Merchant
Merchants own or finance ships, caravans and voyages of discovery. They are among the wealthiest non-noble members of society and are often resented by craftsmen (from whom they have taken power in most city-states) and nobles (who they are rapidly eclipsing in wealth). Merchants are ostentatious in their display of wealth and worldly in their tastes and habits. A merchant’s silver tongue gives her a +1 bonus to reactions. Most merchants fight as normal men with 1d6 hit points, but one in twenty is a low-level bard. Merchants are usually accompanied by a low-level bodyguard and a scribe. Merchants carry long swords (rapiers) and daggers. Merchants can also play the role of moneylender, providing loans for collateral and at a 10% interest rate (compounded monthly).

Nobles
Nobles are born into positions of wealth and authority. They are loyal (at least outwardly) to the monarch of their city-state and are assigned by him to positions at court. Nobles are knowledgeable about courtesy, singing, dancing, diplomacy and law. Most are educated in history and rhetoric. Nobles are usually accompanied by bodyguards (or rakes) and servants. Most nobles fight as sergeants with 3d8 hit points, but one in twenty is a low-level fighting-man. Nobles have platemail (worn on the battlefield), shields, long swords and daggers. Assume that a city-state has one noble family per one-thousand citizens.

Prostitute
Prostitutes are men and women who provide a night’s comfort and entertainment in exchange for coins. Their charisma should be rolled on a 3d6, with their fee being 10 gp per point of charisma. Most prostitutes fight as normal men with 1d6 hit points, but one in twenty is a low-level thief or assassin. There is a 4 in 6 chance that a prostitute works for and is protected by a rake, and thus charges double her normal fee. Prostitutes carry hidden daggers.

Rake
Rakes are professional duelists, hired by the wealthy to humiliate or kill their enemies. When not on the job, they are drunkards and louts, picking fights to show off and test their skill. Rakes fight with long sword and dagger, gaining a cumulative +1 bonus to hit each round (the Referee may want to set a maximum bonus, or may not). They have a base Armor Class of 4 [15] from their long experience at fighting unarmored. Young nobles often surround themselves with rakes, who demand a wage of 200 gp per month. Most rakes fight as sergeants with 3d8 hit points, but about one in ten is a level 4 to 6 fighting-man. Rakes carry long swords, daggers and bucklers.

Sage
The sage is a polymath scholar, a “renaissance man” who dabbles in all manner of scholastics. He is not a practicing scientist; that role is left to the alchemist. A sage spends his time teaching (to pay the bills) and writing. Sages can be consulted to answer questions. Essentially, this works as a legend lore spell and takes 1d4 weeks to accomplish (there is research to be done, books to borrow from other sages, tests to be made, etc). Sages are often accompanied by students (see below). Elf sages can answer questions in half the normal time, but charge triple the normal wage.

Sages demand a wage of 50 gp per week. Most sages fight as normal men with 1d4 hit points, but about one in twenty is a low-level cleric, druid, illusionist or magic-user. Normal sages have a 5% chance of having a spell book in their library, and a 1% chance of having a magical tome (i.e. tome of gainful exercise) in their library.

Sailor
Sailors are necessary to operate a ship. Sailors have a 3 in 6 chance to climb and they have a natural Armor Class of 6 [13] due to their practice at fighting unarmored. Gangs of sailors encountered at night may be press gangs under the command of a sergeant (mate). Sailors are paid 2 gp per month. Most sailors fight as bandits, but about one in ten is a low-level barbarian. Sailors carry hand axes or clubs.

Scribe
Scribes are literate men and women capable of writing. About 1 in 6 scribes is a master who can read and write in several languages, has a 4 in 6 chance to decipher scripts, and is capable of helping magic-users prepare magic scrolls (see alchemist). Scribes might be hired to read or write a message at a rate of 10 gp per page, or hired as secretaries and clerks. Most scribes fight as normal humans with 1d4 hit points, but one in twenty is a low level bard or cleric. Scribes carry writing kits.

Spy
Spies come in every shape and size. They have a 3 in 6 chance of performing the functions of an assassin. To simulate an information gathering mission, assume a chance in twenty of success equal to fifteen minus the level or hit dice of the target. To simulate an assassination mission, assume a chance in twelve of success equal to twelve minus the level or hit dice of the target. Spies charge 500 gp per mission. Most spies fight as sergeants with 3d8 hit points, but one in twenty is a level 4 to 6 assassin. Spies have padded armor, daggers, vials of poison, invisible ink, disguises and false papers.

Student
Students are the children of wealthy merchants and craftsmen sent to study under one or more sages, usually to acquire basic knowledge in reading, writing, history and arithmetic, but sometimes on their way to becoming alchemists, lawyers, priests or sages. Students have a reputation for boorish, even criminal, behavior, spending more time fencing and carousing than studying. Their masters don’t care, so long as their parents kept paying their tuition. Students fight as normal humans with 1d6 hit points. They have rapiers, daggers and writing kits.

Tax Collector
Employed by lords to collect taxes, tithes and other fees, tax collectors are usually accompanied by a band of men-at-arms. A tax collector’s salary is 10 gp per month and 1% of all taxes collected. Tax collectors have a 4 in 6 chance of discerning lies and an uncanny ability to detect the presence of valuables. One tax collector in twenty is a low-level fighting-man or thief. Tax collectors have ring armor, light maces, daggers and writing kits and fight as normal men with 1d6 hit points.

Torchbearers
These poor folk are desperate enough for money to accompany adventurers into the underworld holding nothing but luggage. If their employers so desire, they can be equipped with padded or leather armor and simple weapons like clubs. Torchbearers fight as normal humans with 1d6 hit points.

Traders
Traders are sellers of foodstuffs, dry goods and used armor and weapons. Used armor has an armor class one point lower than new armor, and used weapons are -1 to hit. They sell for one-tenth the price of new items. There is a 5 in 6 chance that a trader has in stock an item that costs less than 10 gp and a 2 in 6 chance of having in stock more expensive items. Traders never have alchemical items or masterwork armor and weapons. Traders fight as sergeants with 3d8 hit points, but one in twenty is a low-level fighting-man or thief. Traders can be found in souks, bazaars, marketplaces and emporiums.

* Low-level corresponds to levels 1 to 3.

Next post will cover taxes, organizations, inns and taverns and temples.

Civilization in Nod is composed of settlements called city-states. City-states are defined by their alignment and their size, among other factors. City-states are surrounded by settled lands in a 5 to 15 mile radius, and separated by vast tracts of monster-infested wilderness. The key factors to consider when creating a city-state include its overall alignment,

Alignment
A city-state’s alignment gives the Referee a quick snapshot of the social life of its citizens. In true medieval fashion, the alignment of a society can be seen in the physical character of the settlement and its citizens.

Lawful city-states have a dominant ruling class and a large bureaucratic class. Law enforcement is strict (i.e. bribery is expensive). Adventurers are given more scrutiny in a lawful city-state, and they stand a higher chance of being harassed by guardsmen. Lawful city-states fit easily into the feudal system. Unlike true medieval cities, lawful city-states are neat and tidy. Right angles and straight streets are the norm. Lawful citizens are sober, well-mannered and tidy. They are considered in their speech and cautious in their actions. Once they make a decision, though, they are stubborn and resolute in seeing it through.

Neutral city-states put a high value on personal freedom and initiative. They are as likely as lawful city-states to be ruled by a monarch, but often have a mayor as well (see guilds below), or the monarch may be elected by (and from) noble families. Neutral city-states fit well into the scheme of the mercantile renaissance city-state. They are crowded, manic and vital. The streets and buildings are crooked and jumbled. The citizens are flashy, loud and brash, and are known for their powerful passions.

Chaotic societies put a premium on power and survival. Murdering one’s way to the top is not unknown and ruthlessness in politics and business is expected. A chaotic society may pay lip service to benevolent deities, but in the end acquisition of power trumps all other concerns. Chaotic city-states look dangerous. They are shadowy even in the daytime. Chaotic cities are corrupt and crime-ridden. Their citizens are sharp, suspicious, violent and greedy.

Population
City-states can be categorized as towns, cities or metropoli based on their population. Towns have from 1,000 to 8,000 people, but average 2,500 citizens. Cities have from 8,000 to 12,000 citizens, averaging 10,000. Metropoli have 12,000 to 200,000 citizens, averaging 50,000. Cities of more than one million people existed in medieval times, but were quite rare.

Each city-state is ruled by a monarch or by a lord mayor and his council of aldermen. The city-state is surrounded by manorial villages and a rural population much larger than the urban population (more on the rural population later).

City-states are rarely home to high level adventurers, since those folk prefer the freedom and power of wilderness strongholds they have established. In truth, a monarch has no desire for powerful rivals close to home, preferring to put them on the borderlands where they can fight monsters and extend his rule! Low to mid-level adventurers may settle in city-states, taking jobs with the government, opening taverns or investing in (or leading) merchant companies. In practice, this means that one will rarely find NPC’s higher than level 6 in a city-state. Consequently, arcane and divine spells higher than level 3 are difficult to come by in city-states. If adventurers seek powerful spells or magic items, they must venture into the wilderness.

Theme & Vistas
A city-state’s theme refers to a a quick thumb-nail sketch of the kind of genre into which it best fits. This could be a specific time and place (i.e. renaissance Italian city-state), a literary genre (i.e. gothic romance) or a reference to one or more literary works.

Vistas are a sketch of the sights, sounds and smells of the city-state. One can assume that all city-states will be crowded and stinking, with pigs and chickens roaming the streets, beggars, peddlers and urchins everywhere one turns, nobles in carriages or sedan chairs, etc. But beyond the things common to every city-state, each settlement in the game should have a character and style that makes it distinctive, and thus memorable.

Citizens
City dwellers are usually normal humans without levels in any adventuring class. The only high-level NPC’s common to city-states are its high priest and the leader of its criminal underworld, with high-level bards (if such a class is used in your game) a distinct possibility.

The rest of the citizens are either peasants, burghers (usually artisans) or aristocrats. The artisans that adventurers deal with are masters that own their own shops. A master might be assisted by a journeyman and one or two apprentices. A few artisans are classed as “grand masters” capable of manufacturing items of extraordinary quality. Masters and grand masters always belong to a guild (more on guilds and other organizations later).

It is important for players to understand how a medieval artisan worked. Medieval artisans generally did not produce surpluses (i.e. they didn’t work when they weren’t being paid) and thus did not have shops where goods can be purchased “off the rack”. While the apprentices and journeymen might spend their day making cheap items (less than a gold piece in value), masters make more valuable items to order. Assume that most goods can be completed in 1d20 days. If the players don’t like this, they’d better invent capitalism.

Social Classes
For our purposes, there are three social classes: Aristocrat, burgher and peasant.

Aristocrats are 1 to 2 percent of the population. This class includes royalty, nobility, knights and dames. Maybe 1 in 100 aristocrats have levels in a PC class, typically cleric, fighting-man, magic-user or paladin. Aristocrats earn anywhere from 600 gp to 10,000 gp a year (i.e. d20 gp per day).

Burghers, or townsmen, are the middle class. They make up about 10 to 20 percent of the population and include merchants, guild masters, officials, abbots, priests, lawyers, scholars, explorers, officers, inn and tavern keepers and artisans. Burghers earn about 30 gp to 200 gp per year (i.e. d100 sp per day). Maybe 1 in 100 burghers have levels in a PC class, typically cleric, druid, fighting-man, illusionist or monk.

Peasants represent most of the remainder of a city-state’s population. They include servants, tutors, farmers, herdsmen, fishermen, men-at-arms and apprentices. These folk earn from 10 to 20 gp per year (i.e. 1d6 cp per day). About 1 in 100 peasants has levels in a PC class, typically bard, fighting-man, ranger or thief.

The underclass includes actors, assassins, beggars, gypsies, outlaws, peddlers, prisoners, rebels, runaways, strolling minstrels, thieves, tinkers and vagabonds. They represent about 10 percent of the population and their earnings can vary widely. Typical classes of these people are assassin, barbarian, bard and thief.

Next installment – the notable citizens your players will want to visit.