Re: [DL] CALLING ALL MARSHALL Need some help! - Town Maker

[Munch Wolf <munchwolf@yahoo.com>]

--- Dirk <darklord@dark-sky.net> wrote:
> Hey all, looking for a little help here.  In
> preparation for an
> adventure I am getting ready to run, my posse will
> be traveling to
> anywhere between 5 - 25 towns... this is where I
> need some help.  I am
> looking for NPC descriptions of towns folk.  I'm not
> looking for stats
> for all the towns folk just descriptions of them and
> their rolls in
> town, and maybe a bit on their mannerisms.  I'm
> looking for priests,
> bartenders, sheriffs, marshals, serving girls...
> anything you've got
> will be  a great help, 25 towns is a lot to come up
> with and the time is
> fast approaching when I will need them.


Well, this isn't exactly town folk, but it could be
used for such.  Driving back from Indianapolis this
weekend I was thinking up a table for making random
towns in the weird west.  I haven't tested this idea,
and don't know how accurate it is.  Mostly I'm roughly
basing it off of some statistics from Tombstone from
around 1880.  In a book I read the population of
Tombstone went from a few hundred to around 6,000 in
just a few months.  During 1880 Tombstone had "twelve
large general merchandise stores, four hotels, nine
restaurants, two drug stores, ten cigar stores, one
candy factory, one photograph gallery, two
watchmakers, two saddle and harness makers, two
tinware and stove stores, two bakeries, one ice cream
saloon, two furniture stores, several boot and shoe
stores, four dry goods and millinery stores, one large
store for furnishing goods, two banking houses (The
Pima County Bank and Safford, Hudson and Company),
five assay offices and several saloons"
(http://www.cityoftombstone.com/tshistory.htm). 
Here's the idea I had in mind:

Random Town Creation Table:

Different sized settlements were scattered throughout
the west.  Some had been around for a considerable
amount of time, while others appeared or disappeared
in just a few scant months.  There was an assortment
of reasons why people settled an area.  This table is
designed to give you an idea of how large a settlement
is, who populates it, how long it's been around, and
what it's major resources are.  This is also just a
rough guide.   Feel free to modify the results to
match your adventure.

How it works:

First roll a d6 for the size of the settlement. 
Alternatively you can roll a d4 and add 2 for more
Eastern towns (giving a result of 3-6), and add 1 for
more Western towns (giving a result of 2-5).  This
roll determines the rough size of the settlement and
the major products of the settlement.

Size 1 - These are small settlements.  They only have
one main product.  This could be a lone cabin in the
woods, a small farming community at a crossroads, or a
mining camp.  There most likely won't be any permanent
government buildings in this area (Law enforcement,
City Hall, mayors, etc) 
Size 2 - These are large settlements.  They have two
major products.
Size 3 - These are small towns.  They have three major
products, and are guaranteed at least one special. 
This area may have some permanent government buildings
(Law enforcement, City Hall, mayors, etc)
Size 4 - These are large towns.  These have four major
products, and are guaranteed at least one special.
Size 5 - These are small cities.  These have five
major products, and are guaranteed at least two
specials.  This area will have several permanent
government buildings and should have some groups from
all categories below in the area.
Size 6 - These are large cities.  These have six major
products, and are guaranteed at least two specials.

Next determine the major products.  For each size
level of the area pick a card.  The value of the card
determines the type of major product, while the suit
of the card determines the level of that product.  A
Club is level 1, a Diamond is Level 2, a Heart is
Level 3, and a Spade is Level 4.  Jokers are a special
case.  Draw again and apply a supernatural or unusual
twist to that card.  Examples are listed with each
product.

2 - Farming (wheat, cotton, corn) w/joker - Opium
growers
3 - Hunting (fur trappers, fishermen, buffalo hunters)
w/joker - Mojave Rattler hunters
4 - Rancher (cattle, sheep, horses) w/joker -
Abomination herders (mutant chickens?)
5 - Mining (ore, coal, silver, gold, bauxite) w/joker
- Ghost Rock Miners
6 - Resource Gathering (lumber, stone, clay) w/joker -
Collects Maze Dragon Ambergris
7 - Religious (abbey, nunnery, cathedral) w/joker -
Fragment of the One Cross in the Church
8 - Military (forts) w/joker - Roswell or Fort 51 type
base
9 - Basic service (Hotels, restaurants, schools,
libraries, hospitals) w/joker - Frankenstein Doctor
10 - Trade items (general stores, bakeries, cigars
stores, farmers market) w/joker - Alchemist Snake-Oil
Salesman
Jack - Entertainment  (brothels, theaters, gambling,
saloons) w/joker - Vampire brothel
Queen - Artsy Luxuries (glass blowers, blacksmiths,
sculptures, painters) w/joker - Black Magic artifact
maker
King - Finance (banks, stock houses, loan/lien
offices, property assessors, lawyers) w/joker - 
Ace - Factory (industries) w/joker - Mad Scientist
organization

Level 1 - Family operation.  This represents a mom and
pop operation.
Level 2 - Small operation.  This represents several
families working together in the area on one product,
or a few smaller family operations.
Level 3 - Medium operation.  This represents a large
amount of people in the area working on one product,
or a combination of many smaller groups.
Level 4 - Major operation.  This represents a
significant amount of people in the area working on
one product, or a combination of several smaller
groups.  Example: A level 4 religious might just be
one big cathedral, or it could represent 4 different
churches in the area.

Note: Not all of the above choices are actual
products.  This table is meant to show services or
organizations in the area as well (like the religious
and military structures).  Specifically this chart is
designed to show the key features of the area, but
other types of businesses will still be in the area,
just in smaller amounts (So in a city, even if you
didn't draw any hotels, add a few in).

Specials

For each Spade or Face Card (Jack to Ace) drawn the
area gets one special.  Towns get an additional
special, and cities get two extra.  Specials include a
telegraph station, a rail line that only enters the
town (spur line that dead ends into area), a small
harbor (only small ships), or a stage coach line.  For
two specials the area can upgrade to a large harbor
(all ships), or a full rail line (passes through
town), or it could be a junction point where two rail
lines meet.  Example, a town gets 4 specials.  You
select a telegraph station, a stage coach line, and a
Union Blue rail line which passes through the area.

Population

Quick and easy method:  This will give you a rough
estimate of the local population.  Add up the product
levels and multiply it by the area's factor. 
 Settlements have an area factor of 5, multiplied by
the product levels (anywhere from 1 to 8) yields a
population between 5 and 40.  Small settlements would
average about 10 people.  Large settlements would
average around 25 people.
Towns have an area factor of 50, multiplied by the
product levels (anywhere from 3 to 16) yields a
population between 150 and 800.  Small towns would
average 350 people, while large towns would average
around 500 people.
Cities have an area factor of 500, multiplied by the
product levels (anywhere between 5 and 24) yields a
population between 2,500 and 12,500.  Small cities
would average 6,000 people, while large cities would
average 7,500 people.

The more complex method:  Roll a d10 for each card
(with 0's being 10's).  Multiply the die by that
card's product level.  Add the results of all the
cards/dice together.  
For settlements roll an extra d10 (with 0's being 0's
this time), and add the die to the above result.  For
small settlements this gives a result between 1 and 49
people, with an average around 15 people.  For large
settlements this gives a result between 2 and 89
people, with an average around 30 people
For towns multiply the above number by 10, and then
add an extra d10 (with 0's being 0's) to the result. 
For small towns this gives a result between 30 and
1209, with an average around 355 people.  For large
towns this gives a result between 40 and 1609, with an
average around 505 people.
For cities multiply the above number by 100, and then
add an extra d100 (with 00's being 0's) to the result.
 For small cities this gives a result between 500 and
20,099, with an average of 6,050.  For large cities
this gives a result between 600 and 24,099, with an
average around 7,550.

If you feel these results are to high, replace the
d10's with d8's or d6's.  Note this isn't meant as a
reflection of how many people work in each product
group, although you could roughly assume ½ the
population gained from any product group result works
on that product.  Example, a small town that has Mines
at level 3, rolled a 4, so (3 x 4 x 10)/2 = about 60
miners out of the 355 some people.  Assume the rest of
the towns folk are farmers or ranchers.  Dodge was
reported as only having about 400 miners when it had
about 6,000 people.

Now that you know the rough make up of the town,
there's one last thing to do.  Roll a d6 and consult
the following chart.

1 - This area has recently been settled within the
past year.  Although people might have been in this
area for much longer, the area only recently jumped to
its level of population (so maybe before it was a
small town, and within the past 6 months became a
small city due to a gold rush).  Almost all buildings
in this area are temporary structures or tents.  The
population in this area almost entirely comprised of
adults, between 20 and 40 years old.
2 - This area is still relatively new and has only
been around 1d6 +1 years (2 to 7 years ago).  About
80% of the building will be temporary structures or
tents, with a few solid structures existing.  The
population of this area is mostly adults between 20 to
40 years old, with about 5% of the population as
children (anyone under 20) or older folks (anyone over
40).
3 - This area is still post-reckoning, and has only
been around 2d6 +2 years (4 to 14 years ago).  About
60% of the buildings are temporary structures or
tents, with several solid structures existing.  The
population of the area is still mostly adults between
20 to 40 years old, but there are more families in the
area.  About 10% of the population is children (anyone
under 20) or older folks (anyone over 40).
4 - This area was founded about the time of the
reckoning or about 3d6 +3 years (6 to 21 years ago). 
About 60% of the buildings are permanent structures,
with the rest being tents or temporary.  The
population of the area is beginning to balance out
with the influx of more families.  About 20% of the
population is children (anyone under 20) or older
folks (anyone over 40).
5 - This area has been around for a while, and is
usually pre-reckoning, about 4d6 +4 years (8 to 28
years ago).  About 80% of the buildings are permanent
structures, with the rest being tents or temporary. 
The population of the area mostly comprises of
families.  About 40% of the population is children
(anyone under 20) or older folks (anyone over 40).
6 - This area was founded a while ago, about 5d6 +5
years (10 to 35 years ago).  Almost all the buildings
are permanent structures with very few tents existing.
 People have been in this area for a while, and most
of the population is families.  There's an even spread
of people with about 40% being under 20, 40% between
20 and 40, and 20% over 40.

Alternative Size Chart:

Roll a d8 for the size of the settlement. 
Alternatively you can roll a d6 and add 2 for more
Eastern towns (giving a result of 3-8), add 1 for more
mid-western towns (giving a result of 2-7), or keep
the d6 as is for Western towns (giving a result of
1-6).  This roll determines the rough size of the
settlement and the major products of the settlement.

Size 1 - These are small settlements.  They only have
one main product.  This could be a lone cabin in the
woods, a small farming community at a crossroads, or a
mining camp.  There most likely won't be any permanent
government buildings in this area (Law enforcement,
City Hall, mayors, etc).  Population would average
between 1 and 49.
Size 2 - These are medium settlements.  They have two
major products.  Population would average between 2
and 89.
Size 3 - These are large settlements.  They have three
major products.  Population would average between 3
and 129.
Size 4 - These are small towns.  They have four major
products, and are guaranteed at least one special. 
This area may have some permanent government buildings
(Law enforcement, City Hall, mayors, etc).  Population
would average between 40 and 1,609.
Size 5 - These are medium towns.  These have five
major products, and are guaranteed at least one
special.  Population would average between 50 and
2,009.
Size 6 - These are large towns.  These have six major
products, and are guaranteed at least one special. 
Population would average between 60 and 2,409.
Size 7 - These are small cities.  These have seven
major products, and are guaranteed at least two
specials.  This area will have several permanent
government buildings and should have some groups from
all categories below in the area.  Population would
average between 700 and 28,099.
Size 8 - These are medium cities.  These have eight
major products, and are guaranteed at least two
specials.  Population would average between 800 and
32,099.
Size 9 - These are large cities.  They have nine major
products.  Note, using this method you cannot roll any
large cities, that is because this represents areas
like Chicago, New York, etc, and should not randomly
be placed.  Population would average between 900 and
36,099.


-Munch "The king of useless tables" Wolf

BTW, don't forget to check out the Fear Effects table
at
http://freespace.virgin.net/max.trebilcock/deadlands/ddindex.htm




__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere!
http://mail.yahoo.com/