HOMESTEADING

A Sedena 6.5 Supplement

Shannon Kalvar
Contents
Structures ................................................................................................ 3
The Core Structural Elements: Farms, Rooms, and Shops ................. 3
Structures: Combining Elements........................................................ 4
Upgrades: Improving Structures and Adding Functions .................... 5
Typical Structures: Farms, Fortresses, and Caravans ......................... 8
Settlements ........................................................................................... 10
Demographics: Some basic ratios .................................................... 10
Mechanical Note on Citizen Categories ........................................ 12
Villages: The Common Denominator ............................................... 13
Towns: Markets and Trade Centers ................................................. 14
Cities: Regional Centers ................................................................... 15
Metropoli: Cultural and Magical Icons ............................................. 17
Settlements of the Elder Races ......................................................... 17
Features: Boons from the Environment........................................... 18
Hazards: Threats and their Effects ................................................... 20
Prosperity and Fortunes: The passage of years ................................... 21
Prosperity .......................................................................................... 21
Prosperity Categories: Unskilled to Established Master Artisans 21
Basic Costs: Hearth and Meals ..................................................... 23
Lifestyles: Generic Costs for Generic Lifestyles ............................ 24
Sharing the Load: Economics of Couples and Extended Families 25
Fortunes: Good and Bad .................................................................. 26
The Year: One Roll to Rule Them All ............................................ 26
Prosperity and the Heroic Life .............................................................. 28
Earning Income as an Adventurer ..................................................... 28
 Long-term Employment and Piece-work ...................................... 29
Artisan Kits: Expanded and Revised ............................................. 29
Adept Tradesmen: Trades and Class Abilities .................................. 29
Adept Class Ability: Magical Tradesman ...................................... 30
Magical Trades .............................................................................. 30
Banks, Families, and Gangs: Borrowing What You Need ................. 31
Leader Paragon Class: Sovereign Wisdom ....................................... 32
Sovereign Wisdom ........................................................................ 32
Awards, Rewards, and Treasures .......................................................... 33
Generic Reward Information ............................................................ 33
Specific Rewards ............................................................................... 34
Artefacts: Valuable Objects .......................................................... 34
Certificates and Licenses: Valuable Relief ..................................... 34
Coin and Gems: Direct Income ..................................................... 34
Holdings: Fields, Rooms, and Stores ............................................ 34
Memberships: Access to Jobs and Resources .................................. 35
Positions: Reliable Income ........................................................... 35
Structures
Farms, villages, towns, cities, and manor houses are all “structures”
within the world of Sedena. They provide people with shelter from the
storm, resources with which to generate the prosperity they need to
feed their families, and defense in times of war. The later is more
common that anyone other than the Elder Gods themselves would like.

The Core Structural Elements: Farms, Rooms, and Shops

A bit of land. A roof over the head. A shop to build a life in. These
things, rather than magic swords or rings, are the stuff of which most
dreams are made. They are the foundation of prosperity, of the ability
raise a family and keep life together.

Systemically, fields, rooms, and shops are the basic building blocks of
all structures. Each unit provides the ability to perform specific
functions which improve the likelihood of a person being able to earn
an income or survive a year.

Fields, rooms, and shops can also be upgraded in a variety of ways.

These upgrades provide additional actions, boons, and blessings which
can improve their owner’s lives.

Basic Field (1500 silver to buy, 185 silver per year to maintain): A
basic field has enough land to allow one farmer to ply his trade.
Several fields can be placed together to represent larger farms or noble
holdings. A field may maintain a number of modifications equal to its
owner’s farmer craft rank (1 for apprentice, 2 for journeyman, 3 for
master, 4 for grandmaster, 5 for legendary). A basic field has DR 1/1
(p/e), 40 Health, and is living (it will heal over time if left alone).

Basic Room (2000 silver to buy, 185 silver per year to maintain): a
single room with a roof, sturdy walls, and basic furnishings. Up to two
people can sleep in a room without causing fatigue penalties with a
maximum of six being able to take rest in a room without recovering
fatigue. A room can be modified to provide additional protection,
inhabitants, or even magical boons. The maximum number of
modifications a room can hold is equal to the craft rank of the person
constructing it (1 for apprentice, 2 for journeyman, 3 for master, 4 for
grandmaster, and 5 for legendary). A basic room has DR 2/2 (p/e) and
20 Health.

Basic Shop (1500 silver to buy, 185 silver per year to maintain): a
simple shop (possibly in a flimsy building or even a tent/satchel) which
provides one craftsman with enough resources to ply his trade. A shop
may maintain a number of modifications equal to the trade rank of the
shopkeeper (1 for apprentice, 2 for journeyman, 3 for master, 4 for
grandmaster, and 5 for legendary). A basic shop has DR 2/2 (p/e) and
20 Health.

Structures: Combining Elements

A structure or holding consists of one or more fields, rooms, and/or
shops arranged in order. For example, a large house might have 5
rooms, while a small farm might have one field and one room
representing a field and one-room cottage where the family might live.

Examples include:

Merchant Stall (1 shop) – this is a single room, movable stall in which a

merchant might display basic wares. If upgraded, it might have a cot or
other place to sleep which cannot give boons but at least keeps the
rain off. The stall allows one merchant to ply his trade. Maintenance
cost is 185 silver per year.

Peasant Farm (1 room, 1 field) – this represents a small holding,

possibly existing as part of a larger holding. The “room” is a one-room
cottage with a small garden (upgrade) and the field surrounds the
cottage. Both a farmer and her husband can ply the farmer trade (1 for
the field, 1 for the garden) in order to generate prosperity.
Maintenance cost is 370 silver per year.

Village Inn (4 rooms, 1 shop) – has room for up to 2 semi-private

rooms for let, 1 room for the inn-keeper and his family, and one
“common” room providing flop-house like rest. The “shop” is the
kitchen and bar, which allows the innkeeper, his wife, and his daughter
to ply their trades. Total maintenance cost is 925 silver per year.

Upgrades: Improving Structures and Adding Functions

A skilled artisan can, with some effort, improve a field, room, or shop
beyond its basic function. These improvements provide the resident
with bonuses, allow the space to be used by more than one person, or
change the space in some other way for the better.

Upgrades are defined by what they can be applied too. Some upgrades
only work on a specific building element, while others are available
more broadly.

A building element can have upgrades built into it or added on later. In

either case, maintaining the upgrade is part of the general
maintenance cost. However, getting use out of upgrades requires
considerable skill. In effect, each “trade” rank increases the number of
useable upgrades by one.

Each upgrade costs 750 silver to install but does not add to the
element’s maintenance cost. If an upgrade is beyond the caretaker’s
skill to maintain, it does not provide its boon and can degrade over
time (1-4 on a d20 each year).

The upgrade categories are: field, general, magical, room, and shop.
General and magical upgrades may be applied to any structural
element. Field, room, and shop upgrades may only be applied to the
appropriate element.

Some possible upgrades include:

Barn (field) – the field can be used by a shepherd or other animal

husband in addition to its farming function

Bedding (room, cost 200 silver) – the room can sleep 2 additional
people without incurring fatigue penalties

Blessed (magic) – creates a 1 threshold barrier against spirits

Bountiful (field) – resistant to blight effects

Defensible (general) – reduces mass combat damage by 1d

Elfin Furnishings (room) – the room has running water, light, and heat
from crystals. Those who live within it are resistant to disease and
weather hazards.

Fecund (field)- can be worked by an additional farmer

Fortified (general) - +1 tactical advantage when in mass combat

fighting from the structure

Garden (room) – allows a farmer to ply her trade

Healing (room, garden required in structure) – grants those who rest

in the room restorative sleep

Hearth (room) – acts as a gathering place for a community, +1 to

challenges to respond to threats

Invigorating (room, garden required in structure) – grants those who

rest in the room tranquil sleep

Irrigated (field) – resistant to drought threats

Library (room) – enough resources to make a research roll on one

specific subject

Living (magical) – the structure is alive and regains structural Health at

a rate equal to its total number of elements per day

Loom and Spinning Wheel (room) – allows a weaver to ply her trade

Mill (field) – the field generates normal income during winter months
and cold threats

Reinforced (general) - +1 structural DR (physical)

Resistant (general) - +1 structural DR (energy)

Quiet (room) – resting in the room grants peaceful sleep

Secured (general) – creates a 1 threshold barrier which can be
overcome using assassin, engineer, or thief

Shrine to Cycle of Life (field, room) – +1 boon to trade income checks

Shrine to the Dragonrite (room) – resist one threat during the year

Shrine to the Judges of the Dead (room) – those who die here stay
dead

Shrine to the Lords of Light (room) – +1 threshold to blessed, secured,

or walled

Shrine to the Lords the Shadow (room) – reroll prosperity check on

the Day of the Last Battle

Shrine to the Weaver (shop) – +1 boon to trade income challenges

Storage Barn (field) – resistant to weather threats

Sturdy (general) – +10 structural Health

Versatile (shop) – the shop can be used to ply an additional trade

Walled (general) – creates a 1 threshold barrier which can be

overcome using Strength or Grace

Well Appointed (room) – resting in the room grants restful sleep

Well-Drained (field) – resistant to flood threats

Well-tended (field) – resistant to vermin threats

Workstations (shop) – one additional person can ply the shop’s trade
Typical Structures: Farms, Fortresses, and Caravans
The following examples expand on the basic structures listed above.

Well Appointed Inn

(4 rooms, living quarters (garden), well appointed & quiet rooms (2),
room sleeping 6 (2 bedding), shop with 2 workstations – kitchen/bar,
tables). Cost: 15,150 silver to buy, 925 silver to maintain; Income:
9,745 silver in a normal year

This well-appointed inn sits at a crossroads where weary travelers

often stop. It offers fine bedding for a steep price or moderately
comfortable common lodging after the fire is banked. It runs best with
three people to tend it – two relatively skilled innkeepers and a farmer
to work the garden.

Total Expenses (4210): 925 for maintaining the inn, 3285 for 3 meals a
day for the three family members.

Profit (9745 – 4210): 4535 silver per year profit on normal years. This
is enough to set aside a fair amount of coin for when there is a
downturn or to help support a moderately lavish lifestyle. Note this
assumes 2 master level and 1 journeyman level tradesmen – running
this inn alone is a terrifying proposition.

Red Oak Farm

20 well-tended irrigated fields (barn, storage barn), 15 family farm-
homes (1 room w/ garden and bedding), 10 element manor house
(defensible, sturdy) w/ 5 rooms (1 shrine to the cycle and loom and
spinning wheel, 3 rooms with 2x bedding, 1 garden and hearth) and 3
versatile shops (blacksmith/armorer, .carpenter/cooper,
cobbler/leatherworker with 2 workstations). Cost: 162,500 to buy,
8,325 to maintain; Income: 48,180 silver on a normal year

Red Oak Farm has grown from a small farm on the outskirts of
Marquette to a massive economic undertaking. Worked by 20 farm
hands, their wives, children, and several craftsmen, it generates
enough income to qualify as a small village. Lauren Redoak manages
the farm with a firm but gentle hand and would never dream of selling
the wonder her husband’s sacrifice has drawn from the earth.

Redoak has a reputation for being a wonderful place to live. Lauren

lends money at easy rates to those who need it, feeds the entire
community once per day in good times and bad, and does not request
a tax or income from the garden plots attached to each house. She is
constantly reinvesting the farms profits in new facilities and adding
fields to her husband’s lands.

Income (48,180): 20 fields * 6 silver rent * 365 days = 43800 + 6

craftsmen + 2 silver rent * 365 days = 4380

Total expenses (46,285): 8325 for maintenance, 8760 for feeding

Lauren and the children, 29,200 for feeding all the farm hands, their
wives, craftsmen, and children one meal a day

Profit (48,180 – 46,285): 1895 silver per year to allocate to purchases

above and beyond what the farm needs and produces. This is
supplemented by Maric’s wage of 2200 silver per year as a Knight.
Settlements
As impressive as an individual holding may become, all such things are
part of the greater pattern of civilization. Holdings gather into villages
which eventually feed into towns, leading in time to the creation of
great cities.

All of these cities are called ‘settlements”. Just like a structure, a

settlement may have specific upgrades, face hazards, and grow and
eventually die.

Demographics: Some basic ratios

The life and death of a community is in the people within it. Their
knowledge, skill, and labor are what makes it possible for a community
to exist at all.

Communities come in several sizes including: holdings, villages, towns,

cities, and central cities. Holdings are small groups of generally single
extended families. Villages contain multiple families with an average
population of around 300 individuals. Towns are somewhat larger,
averaging around 2500 individuals and as many as 500 families. Cities
are larger yet, with over 9000 individuals and represent a wonderful
opportunity for those who can survive there. The great central cities
are the largest collections of people, with Itmas, Peer, and Yomolo
each exceeding 100,000 souls.

Citizens are generally classified into four categories: unskilled,

tradesmen, artisans, and elders. The unskilled represent those who
cannot pursue their trade or who cannot work. Tradesmen are those
who can work, while artisans are those who excel at it. Elders are not
always the oldest members of the community, but they are the most
powerful and often wisest.

The ratios of citizens by class varies widely by country and settlement

type.
Eastern (per 100)

Unskilled Tradesman Artisan Elder

Village 20 70.5 7 2.5
Town 20 70.5 7 2.5
City 25.5 60 11 3.5

The East’s strong traditions of service, training, and assisting the

community provide most people with the opportunity to work if they
can just find it. Many nobles and the elders take it as their personal
responsibility to support those who wish to better their lot.

Central (per 100)

Unskilled Tradesman Artisan Elder

Village 27 60 10 2.5
Town 27 60 10 2.5
City 32.5 50 14 3.5

Lopan, Timro, and Han struggle against harsh environments and

occasional societal disruption. However they also have relatively
robust infrastructures and enough magic to deal with minor hazards as
they occur. This leads to relatively high rates of skilled labor and
tradesmen who generate considerable prosperity.

Western (per 100)

Unskilled Tradesman Artisan Elder

Village 40 50 7 2.5
Town 40 50 7 2.5
City 35.5 50 11 3.5

The West, ravaged by war and struggling to find its footing, has a large
number of displaced people who lack the skills to work the land. They
were a highly urbanized economy before the Grey and will take
decades to recover. Even the Ogre cannot reverse the tides of fate.
Mechanical Note on Citizen Categories
The four categories roughly correspond to the following character
level/class combinations. More information prosperity categories can
be found in the Prosperity section (below).

Unskilled: may be of any character level (roll 1d8) but do not have a
trade they can pursue to generate income. Humans may have
dedicated all their work to self-improvement (attributes). Alternatively
they may simply lack the tools or resources to pursue their chosen
trades. Some may also have been or currently be cursed either
practically or magically. They generally fall into the “unskilled”
prosperity category unless something happens to change their
circumstances.

Tradesmen: are generally between character levels 5 and 9 (1d4+5)

and have Journeyman rank in at least one trade which they have the
capability to pursue. They generally do not have a heroic vocation but
may be hedge magicians, thieves, scholars, or soldiers. Tradesmen
generally fall into the Journeyman or Master prosperity categories.

Artisans: are between character levels 5 to 9 (1d4+5) and have 5 or

more levels in the Artisan paragon class. They will typically have
Master or Grandmaster rank in one trade and may have an additional
trade as well. Hannish artisans tend to be spellbinders (druids);
Lopanese artisans tend to be witches (warlocks), and Timrovian
artisans tend to be binders (sorcerers). Artisans fall into the
Journeyman Artisan prosperity category.

Elders: are between character levels 10 and 15 (in general) with

exceptional individuals going as high as level 20 (1d6+9, roll a d10 and
on a 1 roll an additional d6). Some are artisans (the so called artisan
elders) and all have heroic vocations. Having a vocation and levels
does not necessarily indicate that they were adventurers in their
youth, but they have had a variety of extraordinary experiences. Elders
fall into the Elder or Elder artisan prosperity category.
Villages: The Common Denominator
Human civilizations are, in main, composed of dense networks of small
settlements called “villages”. These locations have between 20 and
1000 people in them, averaging somewhere between 200 and 300
hundred in the East and Han, 400 to 500 in Timro, and 100 to 300 in
Lopan and the West.

Villages occur where wells, roads, or other resources make it easy for
people to gather together. Local artisans, craftsmen, and merchants
gather there to engage in local trade and exchange news. On average,
a villages are no more than one mile from one another and may well
share holidays or festival preparations.

A village has seven “artisans” and three “elders” for every 100 people.
The artisans may be anything from skilled cobblers to a good
blacksmith or a tavern keeper. The elders (who may also be artisans)
act as the local leaders and provide guidance in times of trouble. They
may have a formal title (e.g. mayor, squire, headsman) but are just as
likely to hold informal authority.

Eastern and Western villages share a number of traits in common.

Both are governed by a formally acknowledged group of village elders
who act more as mediators than enforcers of the local laws. Most
individuals are farmers, with only a handful of people performing
specialized trades. The village proper is formed around a central
feature (in the East usually a village square or well, in the West a stone
pillar) with the majority of the population living near the village but not
directly in it.

Timrovian villages tend to be large, walled, and built on the most

defensible positions in the area. The fields lie in a tight, terraced ring
around the village proper, irrigated by bound water elementals and
tended only during the day. At night sentries take up vigil in hidden
blinds while most of the village retreat behind the walls.
Hannish villages nestle into the rolling countryside, sheltered by
thousands of years of agreements between the local fey and the
human natives. The people working the fields, serfs, are bound by
custom and law to their homes. Landowning nobles live in fortresses
or castles overlooking their holdings. Most have a corresponding fey
presence of some kind.

Villages in the lowlands of Lopan are rarely exceed one hundred souls
but are very numerous. The wood and reed houses stand on stilts,
with raised walkways leading between them. Every cluster of villages
has an attendant “shadow village” where the witches and their families
live, work, and play.

Highland Lopanese villages exhibit heavy fortifications and a trend

towards stone construction. Each house is built as part of the village
wall around a well or other natural resource. Farming the fields is a
dangerous business and they villagers tend to be well armed, well
armored, and suspicious of strangers.

Towns: Markets and Trade Centers

Towns the world over share some common features: larger markets,
access to more artisans, and greater wealth than the surrounding
villages. Towns contain between 1000 and 8000 souls, with Timrovian
towns averaging 3000 each and other cultures generally supporting
between 2000 and 3000.

Eastern towns follow a pattern very similar to their villages. Small

neighborhoods organize around local resources (often a well or shared
water-source) with artisans setting up shop around the “square” and
housing between. Broad, well-constructed roads connect the squares
and allies weave together into an elaborate maze between them.

Western towns proceed geometrically out from their central Tree.

Square corner-cut roads surround the central plaza connected by
formal roads travelling to each of the eight compass points. These
foundations were laid down thousands of years ago and are still in use
today. Towns have developed asymmetrically over time, however, and
may stretch within their framework in any number of odd ways. The
central square is contained within an old wall, usually incorporated into
the structures surrounding it.

Hannish and highland Lopanese towns share many similarities. Both

are built around strongholds. Both have strong stone walls
surrounding a relatively orderly “old town” with organically grown
“new towns” spilling out. A handful of Hannish towns have small
ghettos of dwarven craftsmen, while Lopanese towns play host to
witchfinder hostels or schools.

Lowland Lopanese towns sprawl, grown-up or grown-together villages

which can span up to a square mile. Witches and witchfinders live
alongside each other in these sprawls, shadows which are careful
never to touch.

The towns of Timro are larger versions of the villages, with strong
fortifications ringed in “the green”. Living out in the green is
dangerous; everything from vengeful spirits to roving Coyal bands can
bring death at a moment’s notice. Tall spires ring the city, with the
strongest sorcerer living in a central tower which overlooks everything.

Cities: Regional Centers

Cities represent great accumulations of people for commercial,
logistical, political, and ritual purpose. They house anywhere from
8,000 to 200,000 souls and are the centers of culture, economics, and
political power. Each city is a unique place, grown from the bones and
blood of the people who built it.

Eastern cities were built on the ruins of an older human culture which
vanished long before the Voyage. They have a dense inner core
formed of ruins and the construction of the first generations which
built on them. Expanding outward from the core, in fits and starts, are
newer sections using stone and timber construction. The cities were
founded by royal charter in Year 0; their nobles are called kings and
owe fealty to the High King who moved to Itmas from Balator before
the second Undead War.

Western cities grew into the concentric square configuration

underlying their towns, but on a much grander scale. The great cities
have dozens of “squares” and hundreds of ancient connecting streets
laid out in a logical pattern. Each ward (square) has its own leadership
and a seat on the informal council which runs the city’s affairs.
Dwarven ghettos, isolated from human control, often spring up in
unused wards.

The cities of Han are wonders of stonework, gifts from the fey courts to
their human partners. Thousands of souls live in close-packed
apartments linked together by soaring bridges and narrow allies.
Broad central streets lead to the public buildings and the great walls
which surround the “legacy”. Villages cluster around that wall, cruder
human crafted structures crouching at the feet of a monument to the
elder races.

The lowland Lopanese cities grew up around giant, fixed squares of

carved stone from long before even the eldest memories. These
“platforms” are of enormous ritual significance to the Lopanese both
as meeting places for their elders and as places of magical power.
Outsiders are not welcome.

Timrovian cities are wonders of the human world. Hundreds of gold-

tipped spires rise above cities of shining white stone surrounded by
ring upon ring of green raised from the barren stone. Great sewers
driven by water elementals and lights powered by the smokeless flame
are everywhere. Piled up under the sorcerers’ towers are thousands of
more ramshackle homes ranging from single room shacks and rickety
apartments to massive elemental stonework mansions.
Metropoli: Cultural and Magical Icons
Yomolo. Itmas. Peer. These great cities tower above all others,
housing over 100,000 souls each. They are the centers of human
civilization and the crown jewels of human achievement.

The great cities are where the greatest artisans, the most powerful
politicians, and the mightiest adepts gather together to determine the
fate of kingdoms. Any wonder can be found within their walls; every
horror as well.

Settlements of the Elder Races

Only the elves and the dwarves, of the five remaining elder races, have
significant populations and their own independent settlement
patterns. Gnomes and trollocs have almost entirely disappeared.
Ogres live in pastoral villages scattered across the world, linked
together by ancient clan ties and almost daily spiritual communion.

Elves in the diaspora live either directly among humans or in secluded

havens hidden by veils of magic. Havens are effectively villages built in
an elfin style, containing somewhere between 100 and 300 of the
nearly immortal elders. Elves of any age are generally 20th level (or
higher!) characters with legendary ranks in one or more trades.

Elves in Aranathrarin live in villages which resemble havens or in the

ruins of their once great cities. Nine great circular walls form rings
around the central plaza where the elves gather. Narbar, their greatest
city, plays host to almost 40,000 of the immortal elves and almost
twice that in humans and orkan.

Dwarves live either in ghettos attached to human cities or in their two

great remaining cities. Ghettos are heavily fortified villages with their
own fields, guild houses, and infrastructure which can operate
independently of the hosting city. They are considered to be dwarven
territory and operate under the command of the Guilds rather than
human law. The powers that be accept this arrangement in return for
the wealth and prosperity which the presence of the industrious elders
brings.

Features: Boons from the Environment

Features provide a settle with unique boons ranging from immunity to
hazards to the ability for a large population to use a specific trade.
Theses boons impact the entire community.

Some features include:

Deep Water: a deep source of water feeds the land. The settlement
does not suffer from the effects of a single year of drought, though
several years can cause distress.

Dwarven Ghetto: a settlement of dwarves, led by a Wisdom, is close

enough to trade. Anyone practicing a smith or merchant trade gains a
+2 boon to their trade income challenge limit.

Elven Haven: a settlement of elves has opened the veil hiding their
homes for a select few. Anyone practicing an entertainer (courtesan,
minstrel, street magician, etc) gains a +2 boon to their trade income
challenge limit.

Gnomish Colony: a small group of gnomes has revealed their presence.

The gnomes use their magic to protect their fellows, allowing one re-
roll on the chance for a hazard to appear in a year.

Mine (black): a mine containing copper, iron, or tin is discovered.

Miners can use the mine to generate income and a craftsman trying to
produce an item from those metals gains a +2 boon per dice to his
income rolls for creation.

Mine (white): a mine containing gold or silver is discovered. Miners

can use the mine to generate income and a craftsman trying to
produce an item from those metals gains a +2 boon per dice to his
income rolls for creation.
Pure Well: a well of magically pure water wells up from the earth. It’s
presence allows the settlement to ignore one year of a pestilence,
although they cannot escape the prosperity boon associated with it.

Verdant: fields in the settlement can support two farmers rather than
one.
Hazards: Threats and their Effects
Sometimes natural features or circumstances arise which cause
considerable danger to those near them. These hazards can crush a
settlement or at least destabilize it to the point where its population
needs to leave.

Some example hazards include:

Blight: something causes life itself to seep from the soil and air. Those
caught in a blight cannot heal more than 1 Health per day and suffer a -
2 bane to trade challenges.

Cursed: a malificar turns his gaze upon the settlement. Those

associated with the settlement suffer an additional -1 bane to all
prosperity income rolls until the malificar can be appeased or removed.

Drought: the rain ceases to fall. Fields suffer an additional -1d to

income rolls and may not be able to produce enough food to support
those who live on them.

Nightmares: those who cannot sleep, who cannot dream, are forced
to survive on will alone. Everyone in the settlement suffers from
nightmares which cannot be stopped. They gain a -2 fatigue bane to all
challenges.

Pestilence: a disease strikes the settlement. Unless something is

done, 1d4 x 10% of the settlement will pass away before the end of the
year.

Shadows: evil lurks in the shadows. Something wicked watches, waits,

and consumes the weak when it can. 1d6 x 10% of the children and
elderly in a settlement will die by the end of the year unless something
is done.

Uneasy Graves: the undead rise and stalk the night nearby. An uneasy
truce can be reached, but the people suffer a 1d threat every day.
Vermin: an infestation consumes any stores of food, forcing the
settlement to constantly spend silver to renew its stores or starve.

Prosperity and Fortunes: The passage of years

Life is hard, even in the good years. Hard work does not always pay
off, and prosperity quickly gathers to those who can afford it. However
the Pattern was created by a craftsman – although things are never
fair, they do tend to reward dedication, perseverance, and a
willingness to focus on the long-term.

Prosperity
The core concept of everything in Sedena is that of “prosperity”. Hard
work, good luck, and the focused application of one’s personal prowess
can provide for shelter, food, and luxuries. Those who focus on the
acquisition of such things can become wealthy. Of course, it is easier
to become wealthy if one starts out wealthy – wealth gives additional
opportunities to gather wealth.

On an individual level, a person’s prosperity is made up of four factors:

1) His individual trade rank

2) His associated attributes
3) His ability to pursue his trade
4) Boons and banes which impact his ability to work

His prosperity is reduced by the costs he incurs living and working

wherever he may be.

Prosperity Categories: Unskilled to Established Master Artisans

In general, individuals fall into one of the following prosperity
categories:

Unskilled: the character either cannot ply his trade or has no trade
which can generate income. These are generally displaced,
desperately poor, or otherwise disadvantaged.
Apprentice: the character can ply his trade but is not very good at it
yet. He has just begun his training and may not be able to survive on
his own. Most live in common quarters and make due with whatever
they can manage in terms of food for the day (roughly 2 meals per
day).

Journeyman: the character can work his trade and has some skill at it.
She is able to make ends meet so long as nothing goes terribly wrong.
They will typically live together in small groups in order to share
expenses and soften the blow of a run of bad luck. Most are roughly
5th character level. In an prosperous year a journeyman may break-
even; on a normal year he amasses between 400 and 600 silver in
debt.

Master: the character is adept in his trade and can practice it. He can
support himself and possibly a small family. Dwarves generally reach
this status by 5th character level due to their focused training, but
humans may take up to 7th or 9th level before they achieve this type of
prosperity.

Elder: the character is adept at her trade, a pillar in the community,

and reaps the benefits of long years of toil. She has the income to
support a small family by himself, or a larger family with the
contribution of a partner. Elders are generally between 10th and 15th
character level.

Journeyman Artisan: the character is a focused, paragon level artisan

of 5th level or higher. He can provide for a family in good times and
bad so long as he has trade materials and the ability to work.

Elder Artisan: the character is a focused, paragon level artisan

between 10th and 15th character level. She is a source of prosperity for
her community and likely one of its most influential members.
 Category Normal income per day in Silver
per Person
Unskilled 1.65
Apprentice 2.2
Journeyman 5.5
Master 10.725
Elder 19.8
Journeyman Artisan 26.775
Elder Artisan 39.9
Basic Costs: Hearth and Meals
The following basic costs hold true across the world.

Flop: 1 silver per day – gain access to basic shelter for the evening,
shared in common with many people. Under normal circumstances
this allows for the recovery of fatigue if and only if the character has
had at least 2 meals per day.

License and Materials: 2 silver per day – gain access to the licenses,
materials, and tools to execute on a trade.

Rent: 6 silver per day per room – gains access to a room which
provides normal rest. Can be shared with up to one other person
without penalty, but more than that reduces fatigue reduction per
night by 1.

Meal: 1 silver per meal – gain access to enough food for one meal. A
person can subsist on one meal per day, but suffers an additional +1
fatigue penalty for doing so. Two meals per day do not generate
additional fatigue but do prevent the application of one positive rest
condition.

Maintenance: 0.5 silver per room per day – a building, shop, or farm
costs roughly ½ silver per day to maintain. This is “paid” instead of
rent.
Lifestyles: Generic Costs for Generic Lifestyles
Although life should be about more than simple survival, many find
simply getting enough to eat a full-day’s job. Famine, poverty, and
pain are all regular parts of life even when magic could be used to raise
people from the dust.

Lifestyle Cost Description

Abject poverty 2 flop, one meal per day
Apprentice 3 flop, two meals per day
Established Craftsman 4 1 room (owned/shop), three
meals
Traveler 4 Shared room (flop), three
meals per day
Journeyman 7 shared room (1 other
person), two meals per day
Established Artisan 16.5 3 rooms (owned/shop),
family of 5
Wealthy Artisan 32 3 rooms (rented/shop),
family of 4

Abject Poverty (2 silver per day): the person sleeps in the streets or a
shelter (formal or informal). He can acquire enough resources to get
one meal a day in some fashion. If he is lucky, he wakes up less tired
than he was when he went to sleep.

Apprentice (3 silver per day): the person sleeps under a roof,

surrounded by people in similar circumstances. He receives or
somehow acquires two meals per day. His master covers any licenses
or fees he incurs as part of his trade. In general he can shed normal
fatigue but sickness or a slight change in fortune will result in things
going poorly.

Established Craftsman (4 silver per day): the craftsman owns a small

store which is also his home. He or a partner can use the shop to
generate income, ensuring that there is a steady stream of prosperity.
This prosperity can be traded or used to get as many as three meals a
day. The shelter is sturdy but otherwise unremarkable.

Traveler (4 silver per day): the person sleeps in a common room with
others, but his need to move means he cannot take short rations.
Sleeping in a semi-private room costs an additional 2 silver per day and
will generally allow for the restoration of more than 1 fatigue.

Journeyman (7 silver per day): the craftsman sleeps in a room he

shares with one other person. He can afford two meals per day, but
must find someplace to ply his trade. He will have to borrow roughly
700 silver per year to purchase access to his means of livelihood.

Established Wealthy Artisan (16.5 silver per day): the artisan owns a
shop and two additional rooms (generally a living space and a kitchen
or garden). The shop allows him to ply his trade and the house
provides basic shelter. At this income level he can support up to 5
family members without additional help.

Wealthy Artisan (32 silver per day): the artisan rents a shop plus two
additional rooms. The shop allows him to ply his trade and the house
provides basic shelter. At this income level he can support up to 4
family members without additional aid.

Sharing the Load: Economics of Couples and Extended Families

Many people find that it is easier to survive as a couple or as part of an
extended family. Having multiple people to share the load makes
things much, much easier.

In general, two people can rent a room together or share a normal

room (not modified for additional occupancy) without ill effects. Only
one person can work in a shop unless it is improved to allow for
multiple craftsmen.
Fortunes: Good and Bad
An individual may be affected by anything from a divine blessing to a
stroke of bad luck. These effects tend to balance out over time.
Sometimes, however, a whole year can turn sour or sweet and no one
quite seems to know why.

These is represented as a generic “fortunes” bonus which is rolled for

during the New Year. Good fortune tends to bring with it higher
prosperity while a string of bad years can destroy even a well-
established community.

The Year: One Roll to Rule Them All

On Milearas’ Day (2nd Planting, The Last Battle, 1st Dwarven) the
community leader rolls 1d20 and checks the result on the table below:

Roll Result
1 Great Fortune (+2 prosperity), roll 1d20 and gain a
chance for a new feature on 1-2
2 to 5 Good Fortune (+1 prosperity), roll 1d20 and gain a
chance for a new feature on 1
6 to 15 Typical Fortune (+0 prosperity)
16 to 19 Ill Fortune (-1 prosperity), roll 1d20 and gain a
hazard on 16 to 20
20 Disastrous Fortune (-2 prosperity), roll 1d20 and
gain a hazard on 12 to 20.
Great Fortune (+2 prosperity): things turn well for the community.
The weather is perfect, goods are easy to acquire, and health abounds.
Every established member of the community receives a +2 boon per
income dice. Great fortune attracts artisans and can allow the
impoverished to begin to lift themselves up.

Good Fortune (+1 prosperity): good weather and good health bless
the community this year. Every established member receives a +1
boon per income dice. Good years allow the wealthy and moderately
well off to build up reserves against the bad times which will surely
follow.

Typical Fortune (+0 prosperity): an average year, with at most one

major threat and generally nothing which causes any great disruption
in people’s lives.

Ill Fortune (-1 prosperity): a poor year marked by bad harvests,

spoilage, and hostile weather. At least one threat will emerge to
challenge the community. All established members of the community
suffer a -1 bane per income dice. The poor quickly find themselves
starving and even established craftsmen will have difficulty making
ends meet.

Disastrous Fortune (-2 prosperity): a blighted year marked by steadily

emerging threats, the destruction of crops, and wide-spread malaise.
All established members of the community suffer a -2 bane per income
dice. The poor must move or die; the wealth and artisans struggle to
maintain their fortunes and help the needy. At least 1d4 threats
emerge including floods, famine, undead, or disease.
Prosperity and the Heroic Life
Adventurers are not always the most adept tradesmen. Travelling
around the world, fighting evil and facing down the truth behind
legends is exciting but it doesn’t pay very well. Most turn to
mercenary work or merchant craft in an attempt to fund their
respective obsessions.

Earning Income as an Adventurer

Heroically facing monsters, fighting bandits, and opposing the elder
gods earns the thanks of the wise. Unfortunately their thanks comes in
the form of words, not the coins used to buy beans or pay rent.

Most trades, including farmer and weavers, require access to a shop or

field and associated materials. A traveler or journeyman can either
rent space for the cost of 2 silver per day (generally) in an existing shop
or spend his coin to purchase a shop of his own. He may also invest in
a “trade kit” which allows him to execute some number of trade
income challenges before it needs to be restocked. Some magical kits
do not require restocking.

Some trades (notably assassin, courtesan, gambler, guide, healer,

laborer, linguist, minstrel, ranger, sailor, scribe, storyteller,
streetwalker, and thief) may require specific tools for a job, but
generally can be plied wherever and whenever the hero chooses.
However, most towns and cities have existing organizations, guilds, or
laws which will require a contribution, tax, or license purchase equal to
2 silver per day the hero wishes to attempt to ply his trade.

Magistrates, mercenaries, soldiers and wisdoms may ply their trades

within certain limits. Magistrates and wisdoms receive specific
appointments by the local authorities to execute their duties and
generally a stipend to pay basic expenses. Soldiers must be associated
with a legitimate armed force (nobles guard, knightly order, etc) to find
work. Mercenaries are more flexible in their morals but can generally
find something to do.
Long-term Employment and Piece-work
Often times, a hero will find seasonal or yearly employment as part of
an adventure or reward. For as long as he holds that job, he earns 5.5
silver per dice of prosperity per day. Local fees, taxes, or other costs
may be taken from this value.

Occasionally, heroes will have the opportunity to work on a project.

The hero does not earn any income until he reaches a specific earning
threshold, representing completion of the work. If he can reach the
target before the end of the project duration he may earn a bonus
equal to 1d6 x 10% of the total value.

A character with grandmaster or higher in a trade may attempt a trade

income challenge to be paid part or fully in advance of a project.

Artisan Kits: Expanded and Revised

As mentioned above, a hero can only use some trades if he has
appropriate licensing, materials, and tools. These can be rented from
another person (for roughly 2 silver per day), purchased in the form of
a store, or be something the hero carries on his back.

A store the hero can carry is called a “kit”. Each kit costs 100 silver and
can be used for 30 days. Refilling the kit costs 50 silver. The kit counts
as a heavy item. Each 30 days of materials to work counts as an
additional heavy item.

Adept Tradesmen: Trades and Class Abilities

Magical talent is not a surety of wealth. In fact many “professional”
magicians, especially among humans, need patrons because they lack
the skills to fend for themselves. Some are more monetarily oriented,
able to make a good living from their skills.

This is represented in the game system through two mechanics. All

adepts have access to a “professional magician” class ability which
improves prosperity for one trade which they choose. Additionally,
some magicians take up magical trades which represent using their
talents for personal gain.
Adept Class Ability: Magical Tradesman
All adepts can select the following class ability on even levels.

Magical Tradesman
The adept selects one trade he possesses. He gains+2 to trade income
challenges with that trade. If he selects this ability twice it only costs
25 silver to refresh an artisan kit.

Magical Trades
Most adepts are magical tradesmen, weaving their magic into the
rhythm of life. A few attempt to make their way using solely their
magical talents. These individuals can make tremendous coin, but tend
to let their actual magical training slide in favor of turning a profit.

Court Wizard: works for nobles, providing amusements, diversions,

and divinations. He plies his trade pandering to those with coin. The
court wizard’s trade boon applies to challenges to assess wealth,
identify personal needs, and provide an amusing experience for others.

Emporium Shopkeeper: sells magical trinkets and toys for those with
the resources to purchase them. She plies her trade by setting out a
blanket, building a stall, or selling her wares in shops. The
shopkeeper’s trade boon applies to assessing the quality of wares,
identifying magical enhancements, and providing quality service in the
moment.

Hedge Magician: provides magical services focused on agricultural,

animal, and personal needs. A hedge magician plies his trade out in
the open fields or near the edge of the wilderness. His trade boon
applies to identifying enchantments, tracing down the source of
hazards or curses, and understanding how to use magic to help others.

Street Wizard: provides magical services focused on the needs of

urban environments. A street magician plies her trade everywhere
from shadowed cross-roads to the palaces of kings (in the servants’
chambers). Her trade boon applies to identifying enchantments and
making contacts in urban environments.
Banks, Families, and Gangs: Borrowing What You Need
Regardless of culture or country, irrespective of time or place, it is
difficult to get an independent life started. A person or a young family
starting out simply cannot earn enough money to make it on their
own. Large purchases, including homes and shops, are both expensive
and difficult to maintain.

Fortunately, in most cultures no one is truly alone. Extended families

and clans can provide resources for those who need a foothold. In the
West, fellow secret society members represent a group of people
willing to lend what is needed in return for loyalty. Nobles and other
land-owners, or the fey in Han, can provide resources in exchange for
fealty.

For those who do not have family or friends, or who need significant
amounts of coin, merchants and banks can provide large amounts of
silver on demand. In the East this function is taken up by the merchant
house, local nobles, and often an apprentice or journeyman’s master.
The long tradition of “paying it forward” and supporting one another
means that most journeymen and even struggling masters find help
from their communities when they need it.

In the West, supporting people during their starting years was a

function of the extended family, the Army through its two-year grant at
the end of successful service, and the elaborate system of guilds and
secret societies which held sway over the urban centers. Now things
are in considerable disarray and criminal gang vie for power in the
streets while the farmlands struggle.

In the central nations traditional clan ties, noble responsibilities, and

lineage become extremely important. Although Easterners are
horrified by the idea of Hannish serfdom, for example, a citizen of Han
cannot be denied land to work or a roof over his head. That he cannot
leave those things at a whim is the price he pays for surety.
Everywhere “street lenders” are willing to advance coin at ruinous
rates (up to 100% interest per year).

Leader Paragon Class: Sovereign Wisdom

The Leader Paragon class gains access to the following paragon ability
track:

Sovereign Wisdom
Not all leaders are either wise or just. However, those that are can
greatly increase the prosperity of the settlements they lead. Sovereign
Wisdom requires at least 10 total between any two of Charm, Craft,
Memory, and Will.

Rank Effect
1 Planning: If the leader is one of the elders of a
community, he increases the likelihood of a positive
feature emerging during the year by +1.
2 Preparation: If the leader is one of the elders of a
community, he decreases the likelihood of a hazard
emerging by +1.
3 Fair: If the leader is one of the elders of a community, he
rolls the prosperity check twice per year (midsummer
and midwinter).
4 Foresighted: If the leader is one of the elders of a
community, he knows what kind of hazard will arise
during the season before it arrives.
5 Wise: If the leader is one of the elders of a community,
he rolls the prosperity check four times per year
(midsummer, harvest, midwinter, planting)
Awards, Rewards, and Treasures
A chest of shining rubies. A certificate waiving weaver’s guild fees in
Itmas for life. A commission into the town guard. A battered sword
which grants good fortune to its owner. All of these are treasures, the
value of which may be best expressed in sentiment but can be
translated into cold, hard silver.

Generic Reward Information

In order to understand what a treasure or other reward is really worth,
it must be compared to what a normal craftsman might earn or spend
in a given time period. The following table compares the incomes of
various prosperity categories over a year with their average expenses:

Category Normal Year Expense Net

Unskilled 1.65 578 730 -152.5
Apprentice 2.2 770 1825 -1055
Journeyman 5.5 1925 2555 -630
Master 10.7 3754 2555 1199
Elder 19.8 6930 6022.5 908
Artisan Journeyman 26.8 9371 4015 5356
Artisan Master 40 13965 11680 2285

Beggars (the unskilled), apprentices, and journeymen just starting out

struggle to make ends meet. Their biggest expenses are renting a
room (1095 sp a year for a shared room) and renting access to a shop
(720 sp a year). In some cases, a journeyman’s master will give him
access to his shop space for free, a grace which allows the journeyman
to get on his feet.

In general, a reward of 2000 or more silver represents a significant

proportion of a young person’s income for a year. One thousand silver
is as much profit as an up and coming master of his trade will make in a
year. A man and his family can live well on 6000 silver for an entire
year.
Specific Rewards
The generic outlines above indicate what the weight of a specific
reward might be for an individual. However, it does not specify the
form in which that reward will take. Some suggestions are offered
below.

Artefacts: Valuable Objects

Artefacts, objects with intrinsic work, are in many ways the least
desirable of rewards. The Champions Blade of Amuld may well be a
jewel-encrusted masterwork but it cannot be sold easily. When
calculating the value of a treasure, treat an artefact as ½ its actual
“creation” or purchase value to represent the difficulty in converting it
into coin.

Some artefacts (those with worth of over 3000 silver) may be used as
collateral in and of themselves, if someone is willing to lend the coin.

Certificates and Licenses: Valuable Relief

Elders, nobles, and guilds can choose to waive, either for a period of
time or forever, any fees and taxes associated with licenses. These
waivers may only apply in specific locations or may cover entire
kingdoms.

Coin and Gems: Direct Income

Coin of the realm and precious stones, as well as small items of jewelry
which can be easily sold, are the most common form of reward. These
resources provide the receiver with an immediate source of prosperity
and limit the giver’s future obligations.

Holdings: Fields, Rooms, and Stores

A deed or leave to use a field, home, or place of business either
permanently or for a length of time can be a tremendous boon without
requiring much in the way of investment. Many places in the world
have fallow fields which cannot be tended or moderately damaged
buildings without clear ownership. The local nobles can lend the use of
these as a reward, assuming the adventurers can use them.
Memberships: Access to Jobs and Resources
Adepts of the Circle. Ashaman before the fall of the Temple. Priests of
any god who maintains temples. Courtesans and streetwalkers of the
Guild of Blood. These are all examples of individuals whose
membership in a specific group gives access to the opportunity and
resources to ply their trades.

Membership can be earned, given, or purchased. It typically carries

with it some level of personal and social responsibility as well.

Positions: Reliable Income

The gift of a position, be it as a member of a merchant house or a
nobles court, provides regular average income to the holder. This
income is based off the most appropriate trade the hero holds.
Generally room and board is taken from the profit before it arrives in
the hero’s hands, but he does not have to pay license or professional
fees or provide his own materials.

Some positions, usually referred to as titles, carry with them access to

the rents and fees paid by the people using a certain portion of the
land. These titles have a steady income set depending on the number
of fields and shops working within a given area.