Settlement Founding — Why This Place Exists
Every settlement begins with geography and purpose. The terrain explains why people would settle here, and the founding resource explains what keeps them here.
Geographic Foundation (Major Terrain)
Roll on the Terrain–Geography table (Ex Novo p. 36) or choose based on regional context:
| 2d6 | Terrain Type | Character |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Mountains | Defensible, isolated, harsh climate |
| 3 | Plateau | Elevated, wide vistas, exposed |
| 4 | Valley | Hidden, sheltered, fertile |
| 5 | Deep Forests | Mysterious, resource-rich, dangerous |
| 6 | Hills | Rolling terrain, varied resources |
| 7 | Plains | Open, vast, vulnerable |
| 8 | Riverland | Trade routes, fertile, flood risk |
| 9 | Coastal | Trade hub, weather extremes |
| 10 | Peninsula | Isolated but accessible, strategic |
| 11 | Island | Truly isolated, self-sufficient |
| 12 | Special | Underground, floating, unusual |
Draw the Terrain Shape
Sketch the major terrain feature covering about a quarter to a third of the map. For rivers, draw the water; for mountains, sketch peaks; for coasts, show the shoreline. This isn’t about art—it’s about establishing spatial relationships.
Terrain Features
Roll 4 times on the Terrain–Features table (Ex Novo p. 37) to add topographic detail. For each feature: roll/choose type → draw on map → name it → ask “What makes this feature significant?”
Example: Rolling “river” → Draw winding river → Name it “The Serpent’s Flow” → “It changes course during spring floods, leaving abandoned channels like shed skin.”
Founding Location (The Key Resource)
Why did people settle here? Roll on Purpose–Location table (Ex Novo p. 38):
| 2d6 | Resource | Adventure Hook Potential |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Ruins of former settlement | What happened to them? What’s still buried? |
| 3 | Travel route | Who else travels here? Border conflicts? |
| 4 | Trade route | Bandits, tolls, exotic goods, smuggling |
| 5 | Valuable natural resources | Gold, gems—greed and danger |
| 6 | Useful natural resources | Timber, ore—who controls extraction? |
| 7 | Abundant edible plants | Farmland—who was displaced? |
| 8 | Abundant edible animals | Hunting grounds—territorial conflicts |
| 9 | Defensible location | What threats does it defend against? |
| 10 | Strategic location | Chokepoint—military importance |
| 11 | Favorable climate | Who wants to preserve it? What threatens it? |
| 12 | Culturally important location | Holy site—competing faiths |
Place it on the map, name it specifically (not just “gold mine” but “The Deepvein Shaft”), mark with 2 power tokens.
Resources Create Conflict
The founding resource isn’t just background—it’s the original source of power in the settlement. Factions will compete to control it. Historical events will threaten or enhance it. It’s the economic engine that justifies the settlement’s existence.
Settlement Decision (Who Founded This Place?)
Roll on Purpose–Decision table (Ex Novo p. 39):
| 2d6 | Decision | Implications |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Accident | Stranded travelers—scrappy, adaptive culture |
| 3 | Exile | Outcasts, refugees—suspicious of outsiders |
| 4 | Escape | Fleeing oppression—valuing freedom |
| 5 | Individual vision | Founder-hero worship, descendants still prominent |
| 6 | Group consensus | Democratic traditions, town meetings |
| 7 | Economic opportunity | Gold rush mentality, wealth disparity |
| 8 | Noble decree | Planned settlement, class hierarchy |
| 9 | Military orders | Fortress origins, martial culture |
| 10 | Cultural expansion | Colonial outpost, identity tension |
| 11 | Sacred duty | Temple origins, pilgrimage site |
| 12 | Divine command | Prophetic founding, theocratic leanings |
Then create the first district: draw it filling roughly one region, name it (often reflects the founding), mark with 1 citizen token, note its character.
Quick Founding (5 Minutes)
For background settlements:
- Geography: Pick terrain type (or roll 2d6)
- Resource: Pick founding resource (or roll 2d6)
- Name: Combine terrain + resource + suffix (Rivertown, Deepvein Hold, Thorngate)
- Note: One-sentence description
Example: “Ironhearth (Village, Tier 1): Mountain settlement founded by exiled miners around rich iron deposits. Defensive, insular culture.”
Expand Later
Quick-founded settlements can be fleshed out with full Ex Novo generation if players express interest in visiting.