Random Settlement Behaviour, or Automated Settings pt. 1

So, I was thinking about running an OD&D viking campaign. Strapped for ideas, I stumbled upon a forum thread where people were talking about running a hexcrawl like the Vinland Saga: the tales of Viking exploration in North America. So, I came up with this system.

You will need: lots of d6s, a hexmap of the region, a bunch of very small miniatures of at least 2 or 3 types and enough colors to differentiate the factions, pen and paper. I used Risk pieces for the miniatures.


USING THE SYSTEM

Give each settlement a population: I used 6 infantry chits and 2 cavalry chits for each. This is what all groups are drawn from. Each day, roll on the Settlement Behaviour Table for each settlement. Then, for each group out roll direction of travel. Each group type has different behaviour. There are two types of chit on the board: Cavalry and Infantry. When two groups meet and fight, roll a die for each chit. Every 5 or 6 indicates a removed enemy chit. Groups solely consisting of cavalry move two hexes per turn. 

When two groups meet, roll a die. This contact determines the relationship between the two groups. If this is the first time they meet, a 1 means open war, 6 means an alliance between the two, a 2 or 3 means hostility (-1 to all future rolls), and a 4 or 5 means friendship (+1 to all future rolls.) If this is the second or later time, do not roll if there was a 1 or 6 previously, but do roll and apply modifiers if there was a 2,3,4, or 5.

If two groups are in adjacent hexes, there is a 50% chance that they will each move into the other group's hex. Similarly, if a group is next to a village, they will

1. Set up a patrol (moves around the village and any farmland. Roll 1d6 for numbers: 1-4 means infantry equal to the number shown, 5-6 means 1 cavalry)
2. Send out a hunting party (move at random. Roll 1d6 for numbers: 1-4 means infantry equal to the number shown, 5-6 means 1 cavalry)
3. Send out Settlers (Roll d8. 1-6 move,7-8 create new settlement. Consists of 1-3 infantry.)
4. Grow: gain 1 infantry chit if under 10 total chits, if 10 chits expand into adjacent hex and move 1/2 population.
5. Shrink: Lose 1 chit if there is more than 2 chits in the village, otherwise lose a random expansion. If there is noone in the village and no expansions, village collapses and is removed
6. Investigate: Moves on the 1-3 hexes that go toward a random town within 5 hexes.

ADVICE

This system works best in small, dense areas. I also recommend you put a small paper tag under each group stating origin and purpose. Additionally, you should probably name each village.

Temple of Death (30 minute dungeon)

Taking inspiration from the 30-minute dungeon post from this guy's blog, I've made my own. It's technically not the same as his formula (12 rooms, less traps than he's got), but I made it in slightly under 30 minutes so it's all good.



Map

Hook:

1. The doorway in is giant. It must be winched open, with a pair of cranks inside (white squares). These cranks can be easily turned, but the door cannot be opened from outside by normal means. The air is heavy with incense smoke. Secret door to 12 is hidden by a massive painting 5’ up the wall. If the painting is removed, a passage is obvious, and leads into the pit in 12. Painting is worthless.
2. A temple with a huge statue of a raven. The raven’s eyes are rubies which allow anyone who implants one in the place of their eye to pacify undead as an evil cleric.
3. An ossuary. 1d6 skeletons will climb out of the walls each round, up to a maximum of 36. Each skeleton may heal 1 HP each round instead of attacking by removing a bone from the wall and placing it into their bodies
4. A small chamber for penitent priests. Empty.
5. A chamber filled with coffins of the honoured dead. 8 animate skeletons. Each has a longsword.
6. A room with a giant silver tree with ruby fruits. The rubies will drop off and shatter, becoming worthless. Every ruby that is taken off will turn into a tiny scorpion-like construct (1 HD, AC 6/16, 1d8 damage, save vs. poison or convulse on the floor for 3 minutes.) If a ruby scorpion is killed being destroyed, it is worth 50 GP. Alive, they are worth 100 GP. Only 3 will drop off each day.
7. A room with construction equipment on the floor.
8. Stairs lead up into a secret passage which leads into a forest near the village. The room and passage are tagged with the names of children
9. 20 kobolds. 1d6 will venture out to investigate loud sounds or light outside the door.
10. A group of 12 kobold eggs guarded by 8 kobolds with maximum HP, each equipped with a longsword wielded two-handed and plate armour. They will fight to the death in defense of the eggs.
11. Window to 12. Window is normal glass, but too small for medium creatures to go through. Floor has candle stub.
12. Pit surrounds a platform. Anyone who stands on platform rolls on whatever your favorite mutation table is, or the following table:
1. Gain 1d6 max HP
2. Lose 1d6 max HP. Characters killed this way cannot be raised short of a wish or resurrection
3. Gain one point in a random stat
4. Lose one point from a random stat
5. You can now cast a single magic-user spell at will
6. All effects from this table are negated
7. You gain 1d3 tentacles growing from your back. They can be controlled
8. Roll twice.
13. A pit filled with lava bisects this room.