SETTLE-PLAY 1 – EVENTS

This is the first instalment of a series of articles attempting to frame settlement generation as part of a bigger environment.
I like when my Players find a place they like and decide to retire their character. I used to update here and then the party about what happened to the settlement in their absence and how the character impacted its faith. Keeping ties with settlements helps making the world alive.

FIRST OF ALL THE CONTROL CLOCK (CC).

Every community has a Control clock which keep track of how much the Districts and Citadels are closing in.
The CONTROL CLOCK influence the COMMUNITY REACTION TABLE.
Draw a card: HEARTS: 0 o’clock. DIAMONDS: 3 o’clocks. CLUBS: 6 o’clock SPADES: 9 o’clock.

• 0 and 3 o’clock: SAFE AND SOUND. The usual highs and lows, no external interferences.
• at 6 o’clock: EVIL EYE the nearest District has en eye on the community and is actively trying to gather intel (there might be a job over there!). Spies, maybe a Transpol camp not too far away, maybe PSY-OPS or attempts to infiltrate the community and spread discontent.
• at 9 o’clock: PASSIVE AGGRESSION. Hostile gangs paid by the District might be trying to infiltrate or overrun the community, major roads are patrolled by the Transpol. Possible road blocks. Main Trade routes are disrupted.
• 10 o’clock: SHIT HIT THE FUN:  The Transpol is trying to make Scorched Earth around the settlement and close the connections to other communities. The area around the settlement isn’t safe anymore.
• 11 o’clock: CLOSING IN: Enemy forces are amassing around the settlement. Gangs are torching farms and houses for fun. Resources are occupied. It’s question of days, maybe hours.
• 12 o’clock: TOWERS OPEN FIRE. All trade routes disrupted. The community is under attack or under siege.

The PCs can influence the clock by helping the community or speeding it up by creating Mayhem or helping the Transpol. When the CONTROL clock strike 9, the enemy forces are actively trying to escalate the conflict.

 

“SETTLEMENT EVENT” TABLE

(Thanks to Evlyn Moreau for the starting inspiration)

When the characters first arrive in a place, check what’s going on.
Each township start with its own Settlement Events table.

• 2-3 CONTROL EVENT. All Citadels Are Bastards. Add 1 tick to the clock. Draw a Spades monthly Event
  4-6 PROBLEM! SPADES/CLUBS MONTHLY EVENT
  7-10 MONTHLY EVENT
  J JUST CHILLIN’
  Q Hearts/Diamonds MONTHLY EVENT
  K COMMUNITY EVENT 
  A COMMUNITY EVENT BUT BIGGER

MODIFIERS:
CC:0-3 +1 Settlement Event
CC6: -1 CONNECTIONS, Draw only Spades and Clubs for the Monthly Event
CC9: -1 HAPPINESS -1 RESOURCES -2 CONNECTIONS, Draw only Spades for the Monthly Event
If HAPPINESS is lower than STABILITY: a PROBLEM might become a RIOT, the minority Faction is trying to get the upper hand.
If RESOURCES is lower than STABILITY: a PROBLEM might become SCARCITY.

 

MONTHLY EVENTS:

If the characters spend some time in the community, you can draw monthly events.

• 2-9: NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS. Apply only the (MAIN EFFECT)

♥HEARTS♥GOOD TIMES♥
(-1 CONTROL CLOCK)

• ♥10 INTERNAL DISSENT (-1 STABILITY)
  ♥J  STAKHANOVITE SURGE (A PROJECT IS FINISHED)
  ♥Q INFED CONVOY TOOLS, DOCTOR, MEDIA LIBRARY)
  ♥K OUTSTANDING ART PIECE (+1 HAPPINESS)
  ♥A DISCOVERY PRE-REVOLUTION ARTIFACT, BUNKER, CAVE SYSTEM, CITADEL TECH

♦DIAMONDS♦surplus♦
(+DRAW 1 COMMUNITY EVENT)

• ♦10 A PERSONALITY IS IN TOWN (interesting NPC)
  ♦J NEW CONNECTION (+1 CONNECTIONS)
  ♦Q TECHNICAL BREAKTHROUGH
  ♦K TRAVELING FAIR, EXOTIC GOODS (source: Slum, Districts, Concrete Jungle, Citadel, the Faraway)
  ♦A ECONOMIC BOOM (+1 RESOURCES)

♣CLUBS♣BAD TIMES♣
(NOTHING ELSE HAPPENS)

• ♣10 SHORTAGE (add 1 SCARCITY -1 Resource) 
  ♣J SICKNESS 
  ♣Q FAMINE (FOOD =0) TS VS STABILITY or LOSE 1c10 inhabitants. 
  ♣K NATURAL DISASTER (1 building destroyed)
  ♣A ENTROPY RISING (+1 on the Entropy Clock)

♠ SPADES♠CONTROL♠
(+1 on CONTROL CLOCK)

• ♠10 HOSTILE COMMUNITY (new enemy)
  ♠J HOSTILE ROAMING GANG (new enemy)
  ♠Q INTERNAL UNREST. VANDALISM (the building under construction is destroyed)
  ♠K TRANSPOL PATROL (-1 CONNECTIONS)
  ♠A CITADEL PSY-OP

COMMUNITY EVENTS

• 2 DANCING IN THE STREETS
  3 A PERSONALITY IS IN TOWN
  4 OUTSIDERS IN THE AREA
  5 HOBO PARTY AT THE EDGE OF TOWN
  6 NEW TRADE ROUTE
  7 TRAVELLING CIRCUS
  8 TRADING CONVOY
  9 INFED CONVOY
  10 RITE OF PASSAGE
  J HELPFUL REFUGEES
  Q BUSINESS IS BLOOMING
  K POTLATCH! (all surplus is burnt, scarcities are mitigated)
  A REGIONAL POTLATCH