CIVILIZATIONS: THE GUTS

GM BULLETS: THE CLOCKWORK CITY

Cities and Towns designed with the Grizzly Encounter CIVILIZATIONS System are built with modularity in mind first, utilizing the Room Design principles of ICRPG CORE. The intent is to have smooth, intentional downtime while simultaneously experiencing the constant tension of the Timer and its potential Danger and Threat as in JOURNEYS, also by GM Grizzly Products. The secondary intent is to make creating a town for a Game Master simpler than an adventure or dungeon, a near “city-in-a-box.” With the addition of Grizzly Encounter ORIGINS, City Quest editions, it will be.

• Towns and Cities are comprised of variousBuildings, each with one or more CHUNKS.Each CHUNK has one Heart and Function.Sample list provided. Target is usually 10,use EASY/HARD to adjust.

• Time is in DAYS; each ROUND is one Day.

• Players can take between 1-2 Actions in asingle Turn.

• Turn COIN requirements are up to the GM.There are no hard rules here. Suggestionsare in WORLDS. Be open to player barteringand haggling with CHA.

• Actions at the beginning of the Turnrequiring a Check are still completed on aFailure but use the whole ROUND. If failedin the second half of a Turn, the PC mustAttempt again “tomorrow.”

• A random City Event is rolled every 1D4rounds. If the Event is an Encounter, timereverts to Moments.

• Locations and distances between Buildingsand locations of specific PCs becomesimportant in these Events.

CHUNKS: BUILDINGS & FUNCTIONS

A great concept in ICRPG CORE is that of CHUNKS, the idea of creating vehicles out of smaller “bits” or CHUNKS that have Hearts and one function apiece. That way, vehicles can be created, modified, and destroyed much in the same way as normal LOOT. I’ve applied the concept to Buildings in Towns. Buildings are composed of CHUNKS, each consisting of one Heart and one Function they provide players on their turn, for the price of Time, COIN, and Checks. The more Functions, the more CHUNKS and Hearts it has. This is important for certain Events which may occur in town.

CITY LIFE: BEYOND MECHANICS

CIVILIZATIONS applies ICRPG Room Design to towns and cities. As such, it follows the basic principles of the TTT’s, L.O.G., D.D.D., and D.E.W. to all aspects in civilization. The Timeris a 1D4 countdown to a random City Event.Treats are the CHUNKS of Buildings, andThreats are anything, event or otherwise, thatthreatens the Town. Danger, Energy and Wonder are preserved through the constant tension of the Timer, the thriving life of the city, and the veryreal chance of not being prepared for the dangers of the next adventure.

There are many things to do in town beyond the purely practical: get in a Drinking Competition or Gamble in the Tavern, fight for Fame and COIN in the Gladiatorius, study thine enemies in the Mage Tower, or “get swoll” at the Barracks.

While CIVILIZATIONS provides a framework for GMs and Players for towns and downtime, it is still precisely that: downtime. Players should have creative freedom within the city. Who knows? They might just create the next Adventure right here!

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CIVILIZATIONS: BUILDINGS

BUILDINGS, FUNCTIONS, AND COSTS

BUILDING FUNCTION COST 1 Inn Recover Full Hearts Full Turn

Learn one Item/SPELL/POWER Full Turn Crafting/Repair (requires Tools/Supplies)

Half Turn, appropriate Check

2 Tavern Gather Rumors/Information Half Turn + CHA or COIN Perform (Earn 2D10 COIN) Half Turn + CHA Gamble (Bet with GM) Half Turn, Dice or Cards

3 Merchant Quarter Shop Full Turn + COIN/Trade Repair/Improve Item Full Turn + COIN Per Modifier Store Loot Half Turn + COIN Per day stored

4 Warehouse Black Market (Roll on Loot Tables)

Full Turn ++COIN

Recover/sell Stolen Loot Full Turn + HARD CHA Hire NPCs Half Turn + COIN/CHA

5 Gladiatorius Fight Monsters (Earn 50 COIN per wave)

Full Turn, Encounter

6 Palace City Quests N/A, Encounter Garrison Troop Spawner N/A Gain +1 Physical Stat, Effort or Armor

N+1 Turns + COIN, where N is the current base stat. Must remain in Building until complete.

7 Mage Tower Purchase Spells Half Turn + COIN Create Spells Days + COIN, GM’s call. Must

remain in Building until complete.

Research Specific Information/Lore

Half Turn + INT per Subject

Gain +1 Mental Stat or Effort N+1 Turns + COIN, where N is the current base stat. Must remain in Building until complete.

8 Temple Regain Full HP Half Turn + COIN Regain Sanity Full Turn + HARD WIS Create WIS Power Days, GM’s call. Must remain in

Building until complete. Remove Curse/Effect Full Turn + COIN

Walls +3 Armor when Garrisoned *SpecialNOTE

The buildings laid out here are only a sample used at my own personal table based on the needs and desires at the time. I wanted things for the party to do that were fun, useful, interesting, vital, Roleplay intensive, risky, and different. Be ready to improvise beyond the designed functions, especially when a random Event happens. Experiment and create your own buildings. Have fun with it!

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CIVILIZATIONS: LAYOUTS

CITIES

Cities, particularly large ones, are likely to contain all buildings listed above and then some. At least one CHUNK to repair Buildings should be added. The Palace may or may not include the Barracks but should have a Prison. Total CHUNKS should equal approximately 50, through Walls, Townhouses, and the addition of a Wharf.

TOWNS

Towns are much smaller than cities, but still large enough to perhaps have a Wall, maybe even a Barracks. The heart of a Town is a Town Hall, with fewer CHUNKS than the Palace. PC’s are not likely to find Buildings like Temples, Mage Towers or the Gladiatorius, but a prosperous Town may have one of them. Total CHUNKS should be approximately 25, with Walls and Houses primarily making up the difference.

VILLAGES

Ah, the quaint, homey village, hamlet, or homestead. These are small. They have no Walls, no Barracks, no prisons, and no “special” buildings. In fact, one might pass them by mistake if they weren’t so darn desperate for your help! They will have the necessities like the Merchant Quarter, Tavern, Inn and Chief’s Hut, and a total of around 15 CHUNKS. Some City EVENTS may need to be omitted or modified to make sense in this environment.

ROADSTOP

The classic Tavern and Inn by the side of the road. This simple pit-stop consists of these two buildings plus a domicile CHUNK for the owners. Random EVENTS are a combination of City EVENTS and JOURNEY Events where it makes sense. Total: 7 CHUNKS.

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CIVILIZATIONS: EVENTS

CITY EVENT

Roll on this table for the town or city EVENT. Next, roll on the nested table for the specific event. Below is an example D6 roll table. Repeat EVENTS to get the desired flavor for a D10-D20 EVENT table, depending on how large the town is. The number of each type of EVENT may be determined by a combination of ICRPG CORE, WORLDS, and GM Intuition. Make your own!

1. Rejoice! Let the good times roll! (FESTIVAL) 2. Did you hear the news? (CITY LIFE)3. A crime has been committed! (CRIME)4. Sound the alarm! We’re under attack!

(ASSAULT)5. The end is nigh! (DISASTER)6. We need your help… (QUEST)

TABLES:

FESTIVAL TABLE

Festival, a happy time for player and NPC alike. Games, FOOD, prizes… it’s the best thing that can happen to a town. Amicable and prosperous areas may have 2 or more FESTIVALS. But be careful, lest ye become the fool.

1. Festival of Pigs! All players CHA to gainone Ire Bacon. Fail, gain one Moldy Buns.

2. Festival of Gar! Party selects one PC torepresent them all in DRINKINGCOMPETITION. Win, gain Gar (roll fortype!). Lose, gain a HANGOVER!

3. Festival of Gods! All players WIS for a free action their next Turn. Fail, roll CURSED.

4. Festival of Chance! All players play The Measure (WORLDS) with GM. Win, rollEpic. Lose, GM picks an item from eachplayer; it is lost.

CITY LIFE TABLE

Not everything is a life-and-death situation. Sometimes it’s the everyday struggle that is most important. Life goes on. Peaceful areas might have 2 or more in a Table.

1. Starving! You come across the gaunt faces of street urchins. They haven’t eaten indays. What do you do?

2. Poverty! A blind beggar-woman holds out a hand, a simple plea. What do you do?

3. Sickness! A lame man covered in sores laysin the street before you. Passerby’s ignorehim, many seem concerned. What do youdo?

4. Imprisoned! A woman is bound in stocksand chains in the town square. Amidst thejeering and pelting of the mob, you hearsobs and cries of “Innocent! She’s innocent!” What do you do?

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CIVILIZATIONS: TABLES

When Thrush and Hawk are nesting And children do walk while sleeping

In Doomvault depths, the OGDRU waits; Writhing, hating, and seething. Of three kings’ deaths it dreams

Of Norburg’s end it sings For Iradrum, it lies in wait To claim again a god-king

CRIME TABLE

Even the most law-abiding city contains a seedy underbelly. Lawful towns and cities might have only one CRIME on the Event table. Lawless towns and cities may have 2 or more…

1. Pickpocketed! All players WIS or lose onerandom Gear from Inventory. CanINVESTIGATE on normal Turns to retrieve.

2. Murder! 1 in 4 chance of being the owner ofa building, removing its Function(s) until anew owner takes over (2D12 Days). Eitherhelp Authorities’ INVESTIGATION orleave alone. Each Turn, 1 in 4 chance ofbeing Accused and IMPRISONED until theINVESTIGATION is complete.

3. Robbery! A Building has been looted! All its Functions lost and higher City costs until the INVESTIGATION is complete.INVESTIGATION as in Murder!, includingchance of being Accused.

4. Kidnapping! One of the VIP’s in town iskidnapped. If a Building owner, loss of allits Functions until found. INVESTIGATION must be completed before next EVENT, elsehostage dies.

ASSAULT TABLE

Even in peacetime, enemies are always waiting for a chance to strike. Particularly volatile areas have 2 or more ASSAULT events in the main table.

1. Siege at the Gate! Even small towns havewalls. (ENCOUNTERS)

2. Infiltrators! They slipped past the defenses.(ENCOUNTERS)

3. Insurrection! Sometimes, the danger comesfrom within. (ENCOUNTERS)

4. Surprise! Scrupulous enemies strike at anunknown day and hour. This time, it’spersonal. (ENCOUNTERS)

DISASTER TABLE

Acts of God, Murphy’s Law, or just plain bad luck, but these things happen. Areas of harsh climate/terrain may have 2 or more. PC location at the end of the Turn before this EVENT is important!

1. Fire! A random Building has caught fire.Time reverts to Moments until resolved.

2. Earthquake! A random Building collapses.All inside are buried under the CHUNKS ofthe Building and make STR or takeULTIMATE. All outside make DEX or takeBASIC and next Turn HARD.

3. Tornado! A Tornado touches down in townand will move randomly through itspreading destruction.

4. Storm! A Storm will descend on the town(Ice, Lightning, Wind, or Fire).

QUEST TABLE

At day’s end, you are Heroes. The city requires your aid. Generally, EVENT tables should have only one as players should be able to “stumble” upon or start these on their own. Starter session sets may be available for certain regions from Grizzly Encounter ORIGINS Volumes.

1. City Quest 1 (ORIGINS, CORE or WORLDS)2. City Quest 2 (ORIGINS, CORE or WORLDS)3. City Quest 3 (ORIGINS, CORE or WORLDS)4. City Quest 4 (ORIGINS, CORE or WORLDS)

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CIVILIZATIONS: BITS

DRINKING COMPETITION

Whether in the Tavern, a Dwarven Mead Hall or the Festival of Gar, PCs may engage NPCs in a bout of drinking. The goal of such competition can be a bet, reward, or fame.

Once a challenge is issued, the GM and PC set a D6 between them set to the number 3, GM’s advantage. This is the “Pass out” counter.

Now, the PC and GM have CON (Dwarves should have at least a +2) roll-offs. Each time the GM wins, the counter ticks down. Each time the PC wins, it ticks up. If it reaches 1, the GM wins. If it reaches 6, the PC wins. Winner gains the Prize, loser passes out and wakes up with a HANGOVER.

HANGOVER

After a serious bout of drinking, a PC (or NPC) may experience a HANGOVER when they wake up. That’s right; they must sleep it off first. Make a HARD CON check each morning after passing out. Fail, and you continue sleeping that day. Succeed, and you wake up with a HANGOVER, which simply make all Attempts HARD that day from the pain. Failed Attempts have a 1 in 4 chance of causing Confusion: make a CON check or bump into things clumsily for a Turn.

CHARISMA RELATION METER

When dealing with NPCs, or even Monsters to some extent, a PC’s RELATION with the target should impact their interactions, especially where CHA is involved. This can be randomly decided before interaction begins by a D4, or chosen by the GM. Failing CHA may escalate the meter by one (Not always EASY/HARD rules):

1. Friendly - Demoralized No CHA (or EASY).2. Indifferent - Cowardly. EASY CHA.3. Cautious - Stalwart. Normal CHA.4. HOSTILE - Courageous. HARD CHA.

DISASTERS AS MONSTERS

The DISASTER Table has many different calamities which may befall a people. Rather than make general or simple mechanics for a series of checks, Disasters such as Wildfire, Tornadoes, Storms and the like are fully-functioning monsters in the Grizzly Encounter MONSTERS series.

COMMERCE

A commerce system has been presented in ICRPG WORLDS, and I highly suggest you use it. I also encourage the allowance of bartering, trade, and haggling using item equivalence (are they from the same Loot table?) and CHA.

RUMORS

True or false, that’s up to the GM. What town doesn’t have its share of gossip? Use, modify, or add more! Perhaps even add to the City Life table...

1. Tim the Digger swears he saw Ol’ Agatha walkin’ ‘round the graveyard. She’s been dead ten years! 2. Folks don’t go near the Forest no more. They don’t tend to come back. 3. Dark have been folks’ dreams of late and some are vanishing in the dead of night! 4. There have been some odd rumors comin’ from the palace maids. Somethin’ ‘bout the Undead? 5. Don’t much care for the Warehouse district. Hear some… unsavory business goes on there. 6. Wild tales comin’ in from the docks of pirates off the coast. Claim them to be monsters, not men! 7. Wolves, bears, even t’ damn trees are changin’ t’ somethin’ fierce. Druids, I tell ye! Hang t’ lot of ‘em! 8. I ‘ear the guard cap’tn be lookin’ for a right challenge in the Gladiatorius. Even put up a Prize…

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CIVILIZATIONS: BITS

INVESTIGATIONS

Crimes, gut-feelings, and curiosity. All often result in PCs investigating the issue. If you, as the GM, don’t have the time (or it’s just not your thing) to create a mystery, then consider a mechanical approach:

Assign several Hearts to an INVESTIGATION. Each Heart reveals a Clue to solve the mystery. Either improvise a narrative Clue as Effort is completed or keep it mechanical. Attempts depend on what PCs do, but Effort is BASIC. To spice up an INVESTIGATION, consider making every other Heart a “Chapter” with a brief Encounter; a Chase, Escape or Surprise! (see ENCOUNTERS). This could turn a simple Crime into a mini Adventure! Interrogating suspects relies on the CHA RELATION Meter for CHA check difficulty. Particularly difficult Interrogations might require a Heart of BASIC Effort to complete.

As mentioned in CRIME, each round an INVESTIGATION remains open a random PC has a 1 in 4 chance of being Accused of committing the Crime. It is up to the GM on how or even if a trial occurs before IMPRISONMENT, which is an ENCOUNTER. If they resist arrest, then there is a fight, complete with Re-spawning troops from Barracks, until the party is subdued, or they escape and become fugitives. Proving Innocence works much like an INVESTIGATION. The severity of the Crime they are Accused of may impact the IMPRISONMENT and act of Proving Innocence.

A full Crime, Mystery, Investigation, and Criminal Underground system with Encounters, mechanics and tables will be available in Grizzly Encounter MYSTERIES, an ICRPG CORE and WORLDS Supplement, coming Fall 2018.

CRIME AND INFAMY

PCs, either through their actions or false Accusations, may find themselves thrown into Prison. IMPRISONMENT is an Encounter in CIVILIZATIONS, but the Encounter is partly determined by the Crime a PC(s) is Accused of:

1. Petty Crime: Things like pickpocketing,personal assault, disturbing the peace.

2. Major Crime: Things like larceny,kidnapping, libel, smuggling, bribery,trafficking, arson.

3. Heinous Crime: Things like Murder,Necromancy, Eldritch worship.

Escaping capture or imprisonment results in INFAMY until your Innocence is proven, if possible. INFAMY is tracked on a D4, begins on a one and maxes on a 4. It increases based on the Crime and number of sightings since Escape.

1. Guards are searching for you each Round,but only in one random Building of the Townyou have INFAMY. HARD DEX to hide.

2. Guards search 1D4 Buildings each Round.HARD DEX to hide.

3. Guards search 1D4 Buildings each playerTurn. HARD DEX to hide. A local bounty isplaced on your head.

4. Even NPCs can’t ignore you. Each playerTurn in Town, HARD DEX to hide. 1 in 4chance of being detected in region ofINFAMY.

PROVING INNOCENCE

A PC’s Innocence can only be proven if:

1. They are innocent;2. The Party assists in or completes the

INVESTIGATION.

In general, free members of a party Prove Innocence.

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CIVILIZATIONS: ENCOUNTERS KEY

BARRIER

ENEMY DOOR FRIENDLY PATH

LOCK

ENEMY ALLY

PROVOKED ENEMY

COIN

TREAT/SECRET SPAWNER PATROL ELEVATION

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CIVILIZATIONS: ENCOUNTERS

IMPRISONED

Location: City prison.

Obstacle: No gear/Confinement/Guards.

Goal: Freedom.

TIMER: “PATROL.” 1D4 Timer. Roll D6 on entry. 1-3, simply walks past cages in Patrol. 4-6, dragsrandom Prisoner off to PUNISHMENT.

THREAT: “PUNISHMENT.” Depends on Crime. Petty Crime: Torture (the Rack). Major Crime: Trial by Combat (Gladiatorius without Gear) Heinous Crime: Execution (Pit of Monsters).

TREAT: RUSTY LOCKS/GUARD KEYS. HARD STR, 1 Heart challenge to break a lock, or a HARD DEX can steal KEYS from a GUARD if CLOSE. Locks can be picked, but something is needed for a lockpick. Some Gear in locker.

Damage: 4. No multipliers, but PC(s) are vulnerable and weak without Gear. Execution is Instant Death. Trial by Combat is almost certain death. Torture is near permanent damage (Sanity loss, risk of Death).

Disruption: 3. PCs begin locked up. Freeing themselves is difficult.

Duration: 4. The length of a PC’s IMPRISONMENT is variable. It could be 1D4 rounds before immediate PUNISHMENT, or it could be several Timers before it happens. PUNISHMENT is severe, dangerous

Danger: From insanity to death, failure to escape or for the party to Prove Innocence in time may end this character.

Energy: Timer/the question of “is my time up?”

Wonder: The stench of rotting flesh; the rusting lock; the jangling of too many keys, heavy with “justice,”

NOTES:

The different forms of punishment are all terrible: • The Rack: the next 4 rounds, HARD CHA or lose 1 Sanity, BASIC damage. See ICRPG CORE for more. • Trial by Combat: Taken to the Gladiatorius to face a wave of Monsters with no Gear. ENCOUNTERS. • Execution: Dragged to the edge of the cell block and thrown into the pit of Monsters below, devoured.

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CIVILIZATIONS: ENCOUNTERS

GLADIATORIUS

Location: Gladiatorius.

Obstacle: Wave(s) of Monsters

Goal: Victory.

TIMER: Wave Spawner, 1D4 Rounds before Spawn. PC’s choose how many “Doors” to fight.

THREAT: 1D4 random Monsters spawn from each active “Door.”

TREAT: 50 COIN per Door fought, a L.O.S. barrier, options to have a “shifting arena” for more COIN.

Damage: Depends on the game Mode (see Notes). Monster HORDE mode: 1, no multipliers. Duels: 2, enemy is x2 Effort.

Disruption: Depends on game. 1-5, the floor of the Gladiatorius can change to various substances: Water, Quicksand, Ice, Stone. The L.O.S. barriers can also shift, either disappearing on Timers or changing configuration.

Duration: Depends on game. If on a “Door” timeframe, Encounter ends once all Spawns are destroyed. If on a “Survival” mode, Encounter ends on a Timer, all Doors active on continuous mode.

Danger: Death, and the end of your story.

Energy: The possibility of glory and COIN in the ring

Wonder: The onslaught of the foe; the slavering jaws of half-starved monsters; the roaring of bloodthirsty crowds.

NOTES

The Gladiatorius can be used as an instrument of Fame and Fortune or as capital punishment, depending on the tone of your game.

The different “game modes” mentioned:

1. Horde Mode: 50 COIN per Active Door. Single Spawn.

2. Survival Mode: All Doors active, continuousspawn. Survive the Encounter Timer (2D4,throw out one’s).

3. Mechanical Nightmare: +50 COIN per addition - a. L.O.S. Barriers change every 1D4 Rounds b. Floor changes every 1D4 Rounds

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