Thursday 20 November 2014

Underland Citadels - Celebrating Post #600

Celebrating 600 posts here on the blog that time forgot. When I did my Psychon citadels I considered they would be possible in a fantasy setting and my Underland came to mind as a way to use them. I had my first visions of a post fantasy apocalypse setting I have finally began to use and develop. Sauron a bit to blame too. Found a bunch of Barlow art that really looks like my Underland (only a bit more colourful as I envisaged ash as main colour and since i started using design markers my palette has become softer). Perhaps some kind wonderful person will automate this set of tables for me. Ill write a d100 on anything for person who does (though a d100 inalienable rights of women's agency in Gor setting - might be too hard unfortunately).

Original citadels for psychon - please ignore sentence that reads "muscle or steak powered elevators"
http://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/complete-guide-to-psychonian-citadels.html
Second set of extra stuff tables
http://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/extra-citadel-stuff.html
Auto Psychonian Citadel generator
http://www.random-generator.com/index.php?title=Psychon_Citadels


These are Psychon Citadel Silhouettes - I will do some Underland ones - also good spaceships
http://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/psychon-citadel-silhouettes.html

This was also first attempt at making a fantasy citadel with what i had in tables already
Also for Psychon fans lots of public holidays next year so will do a few days of Psychon play. Might try and revise the Psychon PDF this hols too.

The main difference is removal of references to technology, psionics, androids, morlocks and automation. The power plant section was removed entirely. Surface and crowning features have been changed most.

Monster murder machines post has lots of things that could be useful to include in a citadel elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com.au/2014/09/1d100-magic-monster-machines-for-your.html

Citadel Generation
These are to help you generate citadels which should inspire plenty of adventure for many sessions of play. In the underland citadels, ruins, horrible wastelands and remnants of great monster machines of ancient wars are the most dramatic features. Citadels in Underland tend to be semi abandoned with mostly bottom floors inhabited and unaware of upper floors or life there. Exploring citadels is a common quest. References to habitation in random locations can be referring to original function and now could be abandoned.

Locations in citadels
You could allocate locations you think your citadel needs first and roll extra or roll them all. Location sub tables are merely standout features of otherwise typical features in citadel planning. Sub levels and ground floor may have multiple section per level but most others equal a floor or story. Low tech citadels use muscle or steam or magic powered elevators or stairs with elevators and even gravity tubes for more advanced. Not all locations are as specialised as sub tables show so feel free to use more generic areas or develop your own or hybrid results.


Citadel Habitation 1 (1d4) this indicates how inhabited by any semblance of civilisation
Citadel surrounds 1d3 this is the surrounding countryside
Citadel Surface 1d3 this is the actual skin of the citadel
Additional Features 1d3 these are other interesting local phenomena and adventure ideas
Event 1 this is something to happen when adventurers turn up to get adventure rolling


Sub levels 1d4+1 You may assume catacombs, cisterns or storage and roll rest
Ground floors 1d4+2 You may assume a gatehouse and roll rest
Mid levels 6d6 You may assume a ghetto or middle housing and roll rest
Upper levels 1d12 You may assume a palace for rulers and roll rest
Crowning feature 1 is a object on top for some function

Basic details of a citadel:
Surface and surrounding area features



d12 Citadel Habitation
Use this to populate a citadel. If you want one defiantly inhabited roll other dice like d8+4 d6+6. You could alternatively roll for different sections of the citadel like lower or mid levels by rolling a d4 times on he below table to generate areas ruled by a faction or many or none.

1 Like a ghost citadel, with silent dusty corridors and lonely hallways, often actually haunted by dead

2 A blasted ruin with a few hermits, bandits, explorers and some tribal monster factions
3 A hidden faction try to avoid detection are sealed away and try not to interact with outside
4 Nomadic tribal factions come here seasonally for cultural reasons or to hunt relics
5 A number of hamlets in the ruins possibly competing or related, scrounge for resources
6 A town, fortified and wary but willing to trade but other hostile outlaws and other groups in ruins
7 Several competing factions d4+1, possibly of different racial stock, religion or formerly united
8 A fortress of a military order or force or warlord guards the citadel from anauthorised explorers
9 A religious community or sect or cult with hermits and relic hunters searching the ruins
10 A large comunity with criminal and cult factions within and on fringes dominate multiple floors
11 A densely populated citadel with some abandoned and haunted or uninhabitable floors
12 A thriving civilisation is contained in citadel but still run down and with buried secrets of the past

d12 Citadel surroundings
Many citadels abruptly stand in open but many more have surrounding countryside with some of these features.

1 Fortifications including sharpened stakes, tank traps, mines, trenches and walls
2 Farmland with farmers shacks and barns, people retreat in citadel in emergencies
3 Sprawling slum with crudely made dwellings with population usually not allowed inside
4 Water features with moats, ponds, lakes stocked with fish and aquatic creatures
5 Geological formations like boiling mud, calcium structures, alkaline pools, lava
6 Garden earthworks with fungus, strange follies, shrines and statues
7 Ruins of ancient city or abandoned town sprawl around city with unwelcome residents
8 Tents and wagons of foreign travellers and nomads who seasonally visit for trade
9 Pits of garbage, polluted discoloured pools, pits, mounds of dirt and other crap
10 Dense fungal growth for food and defence including magic and toxic toadstools
11 Biological slime lake of gelatinous goop, fungi or shoggoth matter used for food and defence
12 Open mine pits, factories, mills and other industrial structures possibly abandoned


d12 Citadel surface
Most citadels are highly ornamental with spires, towers, statues, gargoyles and and other ornaments. Here are some common variations. Many seem to merge with the ceiling of great chasms but this might be an illusion.

1 Defences bristling with battlements, turrets, guns, towers, observation posts and guards
2 Fungus and algae and slime coated with dripping water and stagnant pools, attracts many creatures
3 Dripping with lava, boiling mud, steam geysers, burning gas or other geothermal horror
4 Illusion covers the tower making it pristine or nightmarish or invisible or on fire or haunted
5 Magical aurora such as fear or damaging wall of flame/cold/lightning or visible but in other dimension
6 Scared pitted ruined appearance from battle and environmental damage
7 Organic coral or flesh or fungus coating giving citadel organic appearance
8 Rocky coating resembling natural stone formation possibly keeps hidden
9 Covered in unholy shrines and statues of forgotten elder gods and horrors, things lurk among them
10 Crystalline or obsidian solid sheathe coating highly impervious and beautiful
11 Shambling huts, shacks and tents of impoverished class
12 Dripping calcium growths, alkaline pools, acid pools and mineral salts

D100 Additional Features 

These are to add colour to local communities or factions among inhabitants.

1 A species of guard beast is used throughout the citadel like mutant dog or watch plant
2 A major faction employ scrying magic to spy on inhabitants
3 Many doors are very well made with spy holes and even magic locks
4 Massive gatehouses can divide floors or section off districts in emergency
5 Areas can be flooded with gas in an emergency
6 Has fire prevention crews,
fighting automatons, buckets of sand and water near doors and stairs
7 Warning gongs or drums sound during emergencies or when guards hunt criminals
8 Air vents circulate air around citadel and allow unauthorized passage
9 Feral kids or kobolds or goblins dwell in the drains stealing stuff
10 Drug plants or mushrooms common, many population in drugged stupor
11 Cannibalism endemic among many citizens, some develop laughing sickness
12 Dueling common within and between factions but diminishes elites constantly
13 Many who die become undead within an hour of death, mostly zombies but some worse
14 A horrible lich dwells in depths or secret chamber plotting citadels fall
15 Lycanthropy problem in lower parts of city, investigators search for culprits
16 Mad witch hunters persecute innocents with paranoia
17 Covens of witches causing problems with curses and charms
18 Patches of horrible corrosive slime and jelly grow if dank places
19 Horrible corrosion and decay run rife in some sections spreading slowly
20 Mutations among populations of some sections and are marginalized by unchanged
21 Criminal clans battle for control of city and infiltrate the citadel factions
22 Battle damage has created outside openings and opened long sealed sections
23 Hidden sect seek lost sections of citadel for secret to gain power
24 Plague and pollution have reduced life span and birth rate, immigration keeps city going
25 Burned out closed sections have attracted unauthorised squatters
26 Flooded abandoned level has unwelcome inhabitants
27 Cult of magic casters in populace secretly trying to take control
28 Cult serving demon or devil or other evil being from a lower planes weakening city from within
29 Parasitic infection through city slowing many citizens to lethargy
30 Army from other
citadel or barbarians of wastes siege citadel regularly
31 Serial killer problem in most districts public in terror
32 Arson and fire problems plague several districts
33 Assassin cult trying to bring down social order
34 Repressed religion or magic school fighting to survive
35 Leaking sewerage problems spread disease and contaminate food
36 Insects crawling everywhere spoiling food, biting babies and pets, eating old people
37 Symbiotic bugs keep everything clean, locals barley notice them everywhere
38 Gangs of robbers in run down areas and outside citadel
39 Thief guilds thrive and even elite ones among ruling castes
40 Public bath houses very popular centres of recreation
41 Cruel games and blood sports commonplace in streets among all classes
42 Something in city preying upon children concerning populace
43 Citadel gambling mad and bet on anything with different possible outcomes
44 Citadel full of sex trade, pornography and lewd behavior
45 Plague commonplace with high death rate, some districts decayed and corpse strewn
46 Homeless war veterans everywhere begging on streets tolerated by officials
47 Highly militarised paranoid population in fear of invasion, demagogues rally people to war
48 Highly superstitious and interested in occultism and magic, symbolism everywhere
49 Locals all keep pets and love animals of all kinds, critters running everywhere
50 Highly developed operational public transport including elevators, light rail and minicars
51 Ancient goods in high circulation here, locals very enthused by ancients
52 Citadel is alive and assists city rulers, has a local cult also among populace
53 Swarms of flying animals around city like owls, bats, pigeons or weird hybrids
54 Crazy dangerous action sports all the rage like paragliding, rappelling, monster taunting
55 Doppelgangers or shape shifters infiltrating city serve evil beings
56 Other planar beings trying to infiltrate citadel elites, some locals suspicious
57 Citadel celebrates adventurers like great heroes with parades and cults
58 Citadel produces colonist caravans to spread to other regions
59 Desperate for raw materials, pay high prices, days possibly numbered as viable
60 Unstable structure, some areas collapsing, some substandard repairs
61 Visitors subject to lengthy quarantine or ritual purification procedures
62 Visitors welcomed with floral wreathes, feasts and concubines
63 Species of monster strangely passive and commonplace, local dont seem worried
64 Regular festivals and carnivals in party town, drunken revelry is commonplace
65 Golems, Gargoyles and statues disguised as architectural features defend citadel
66 Gremlins run amok eating food stores and sabotaging everything to torment dweller
67 Built from materials or charmed to block astral or ethereal beings or scrying devices
68 Building dampens magic from operating inside its walls, preventing i or making it go wild
69 Fungi growing out of control in sections with toxic spores and mobile fungus creatures
70 Care takers and servants (undead or spirits or golems or other) kill mess makers 
71 Minute doll size humans live in secret spaces in the city hiding from the giants
72 Pits of monsters used to punish criminals and blood sports everywhere
73 Locals practice monster breeding as a art, some escape into wilds or abandoned districts
74 Non corporeal spirits haunt many areas, abandoned sections and corridors by night
75 Musical citadel with wind chimes, whistling walls, drums, gongs and trumpets used constantly
76 Takes on haunted demeanor by night with storms and howling  beasts
77 Whole complex is living and aware, possible responsible for disappearances
78 Refrigerated chilled complex with ice and frozen stalactites in coolest sections
79 Hot house dripping with condensation, sweaty, stuffy and sultry
80 Covered in
possibly pre human murals of heroic warriors, mighty leaders and ancient times
81 Spectacular mosaics with even semiprecious stones in richest areas depicting history
82 Morbid gloomy residents display skulls and remains of ancestors and funerary art
83 Citizens wear carnival or cult masks when dealing with outsiders or when in ritual occasions
84 Caste system with different dress, makeup and possibly race or species
85 City decorated with trash of the ancients, citizens convinced they live as before apocalypse
86 Rulers are virtually immortal due to alchemical or necromatic or magical wonder
87 Famed for a magical spring kept secure in temple, healing or oracle possible
88 Class of aristocratic bullies pick on strangers and visitors and locals
89 People are highly accomplished fighters who have weekly battle drills
90 Citizens pay tribute to a great monster (demons or elder god?) bringing great shame to citadel
91 A horrible beast lurks the corridors by night slaying those who breach the curfew
92 A monster lurks the lands around the citadel by night eating any foolish enough to be outdoors
93 Locals are mad for sport competition such as ball game, track events, racing or fighting
94 Sacrifices to gods regular from daily to mass sacrifices on special occasions
95 Gods demand citadel citizens sacrificed by being forced into sealed sections every so often
96 Great beast under city imprisoned and used as natural resource by citizens
97 Some bizarre currency such as soul contracts, human hearts, live goblin babies, etc
98 Covered in gang graffiti, some from earliest post apocalypse times, changes often
99 Famous oracle attracts travellers from distant lands for poetic divination
100 Huge vault unopened from ancient days has famous puzzle or riddle to open


D100 Citadel Events 

This is to be used by adventurers staying in the citadel foreign and mercantile quarters. I have done this in a way to be usable in other settings too. Handy to have a event ready for visitors. Citadel events imply a faction operates as a community like a town but if all ruined use dungeon tables. Often citadels have many factions separated by ruins, some are unaware of each other.

1 Thief tries to rob party
2 Organised crime spy on party for profit opportunity
3 Organised crime try to infiltrate party with sob story or offer of service
4 Criminal gang wary of power balance of land try assassination of party
5 Faction plant evidence on party to pin a crime on them
6 Eyes spy on party through air ducts
7 Feral children take a interest in party
8 Local vermin menace party
9 Local beast follows party
10 Scruffy beggar offers to tell party secret or story of treasure
11 Local scholars seek knowledge of distant lands
12 Local scholars and magicians seek knowledge of foreign magical arts
13 Local bards sing of heroes virtues and deeds
14 local bards sing mocking dirty stories of party
15 Local magician wishes to talk with party and possibly accompany them a while
16 Local seeks to duel foreigners to assess fighting arts
17 Local magician seeks to challenge foreign magicians
18 Local seducer seeks romantic entanglement with exotic stranger
19 Local slaver thinks party hot property tries trickery or ambush
20 Local healer seeks to learn on foreign medical practices
21 Local zealot cries for with hunt against parties
22 Disease outbreak, foreigners blamed
23 Murder outbreak, strangers blamed as killers
24 Horrible local parasite or fungal infection breaks out
25 Building collapses on party
26 Floor collapses into forgotten catacomb
27 Fire outbreak endangers party
28 Flood of water, possibly damages property and drowning
29 Strange weather or fumes from deeps affects where party staying
30 Local party animals seek strangers for good times
31 Moral crusaders preach about interacting with outsiders
32 Local foodstuff spreads disease or poison to strangers unused to it
33 Strange noises heard from drains and air vents
34 Secret society seek to spy on and kill strangers
35 Hidden cult seek foreign sacrifices nobody will miss
36 Hidden monster living in bowels of city want a party member or possession
37 Ghost seeks help or revenge from strangers so it can rest
38 Poltergeist or spirit angered by strangers
39 Doppelganger in disguise tries to infiltrate party
40 Rival adventurers constantly challenge party to eating, drinking or dancing or music contests
41 Rival party boast they can perform greater deeds of glory
42 Rival party arrested for doing similar deeds to party
43 Rival party has old friend or family member of party member
44 Rival party has old enemy of party member
45 Rival party hostile and seek to kill and rob party
46 Bounty hunters seek party from past deeds
47 Shape shifting monster seeks to rob party
48 Priest and cult assassins pose as adventurers seek party sent by wicked gods
49 Undead horror from crypts below interested in party
50 Dormant artifact awakens in presence of a party member
51 Innkeeper offers cheap priced crap left by adventurers
52 Innkeeper has some funny old potions for sale
53 Innkeeper has a thing in the basement causing trouble
54 Innkeeper has a troubling customer he wants help removing
55 Innkeeper offers reward for recovering debt from bad customer
56 Creature or local tries to charm party member with spell
57 Creature or local tries to curse party member
58 Creature tries to infect party member with it’s horrible offspring
59 Creature lays eggs in party baggage
60 Local secretes something valuable in party baggage
61 Local leaders have quest for adventurers
62 Local leaders have a fugitive that needs hunting
63 Local leaders have problem in citadel and cannot use locals
64 Local leaders put out warrant for party fir upsetting status quo
65 Local leaders need heroes to slay a creature disrupting local citizens
66 Parents offer adventurers their children as apprentices for discount
67 Parents offer adventurers their children for marriage for discount
68 Slave broker offers cheap slaves for crazy discount low low prices
69 Mercenary broker offers discount rates for local missions
70 Local bard offers to accompany party for a while for inspirations
71 Faction tax collectors claim % of party cash
72
Faction demands license fees for weapons, adventuring, looting rights, etc
73
Faction customs officials inspect party baggage for unwelcome imports
74
Faction agents interrogate party looking for spies or security threats
75
Faction law enforcers interrogate party looking for criminals and fugitives troublemakers
76 Child or pet falls down drain or well
77 Something from drain or well grabs child or pet or attractive youth and drags to depths
78 Floor collapses into catacombs where creatures lurk
79 Creatures dwell in secret using secret doors and air vents to spy and kidnap people
80 Secret cult enclave kidnaps victims for cannibalism and slavery target party
81 Secret lycanthrope sect seek to blame party for murder sprees
82 Serial killer plants evidence of party on murder victim
83 Diseased or parasite animal bites party member
84 Party exposed to diseased waste or sewerage
85 Gang targets party with abuse looking for a rumble
86 Local festival of food and drink and wild parties
87 Solemn religious parades and prayer, business closed
88 Statues of gods led through streets, feasting and festivities
89 Day of mourning, funeral rites and feasts
90 Gift giving festival, visitors expected to be involved in local customs
91 Find strange unrecognised relic of the past in market place for sale
92 Find ancient text and art and maps on walls in form of relief artwork detailing lost loot
93 Find ancient manuscript in market or library describing local ancient ruins
94 Find ancient map of sub-world on back of recycled document or artwork
95 Find scrolls stuffed inside mattress or pillow
96 Cursed items for sale in market place
97 Riot breaks out in market place due to local tensions, party caught in middle
98 Shortages or food or lodging or water make prices and availability steep
99 Beggar offers to show secret subterranean catacombs under the citadel
100 Clue discovered to open ancient gateway hidden in citadel


Citadel Locations

D12 Citadel  Zones - Lower Level
These levels deal with the outside world the most and are bristling with arrow slits, gunports, turrets, gates, battlements and weapons. The heavy fortress defences are heavily patrolled and separate gates for locals and foreigners are normal.

1-3 Defence
4-5 Merchant
6-7 Foreign
8-9 Craft
10-12 Ghetto


D12 Citadel  Zones - Mid Level
These levels are the basic living areas of the bulk of the population and industry that keep citadel alive. Less accessible to outsiders some citizens never leave this area.

1 Merchant
2 Church
3 Library
4-5 Farm
6-7 Craft
8 Ghetto
9-11 Middle Housing
12 Stadium


D12 Citadel  Zones - Upper Level 
These levels are for the elites and rulers of the citadel often forbidden to lower residence. Foriegn diplomats or great heroes or merchants may be welcomed.

1-2 Middle Housing
3-4 Church
5 Library
6 University
7 Museum
8 Stadium
9 Garden
10 Merchant
11-12 Palace

 
D12 Citadel  Zones - Sub Level
Underworld levels are hidden areas often with dangerous or unappealing places best kept out of sight. They are prone to being forgotten and even may have other populations or creatures dwelling in them. Most citizens think sub levels are dangerous and unpleasant.

1 Cistern
2 Mine
3-4 Catacombs
5 Garden
6 Farm
7 Shelter
8 Storage
9 Ghetto
10 Transit Tunnels
11-12 Dungeon

 
d12 Catacombs
These ancient tunnels have had various uses and are a maze of mostly roughly hewn and seldom used. Storage of the dead and occasional hiding place is what most locals think. Usually spooky, dank and unwelcoming. May be far more ancient than citadel or apocalypse. 


1 Niches with skeletons
2 Niches with coffins
3 Piles of bones often arranged in macabre stacks
4 Bundles of human remains
5 Mummified bodies in niches
6 Artwork depicting gloomy afterlife
7 Graffiti some very ancient
8 Insignia and shrines of long lost or hidden cult
9 Signs of habitation by criminal gang
10 lair of some kind of monster that has found a home here
11 Signs of a sweatshop
12 Stone sarcophagi

 
d12 Church
Temples are used but people to worship gods in most cases but could include shrines to ancestors, the state, the rulers, abstract philosophical concepts. Some may have specific roles and clientele. The popular faiths are part of the civilization but fringe, foriegn and forbidden ones possible too.

1 A tiny shrine with idols, simple stone slab altar or artwork in a niche or small room
2 A small church with room for a dozen worshipers and accommodation for holy teacher
3 A temple with room for up to a hundred worshipers and several staff
4 A cathedral with room for up to a thousand with many chambers, staff and artworks
5 An abandoned shrine to a long lost cult mostly dust covered
6 A hidden shrine with disguised entrance to secret cult chamber
7 A shrine which acts as a place of healing
8 A mausoleum with hundreds of interred dead and a chapel
9 A monumental scale work of devotional artwork such as a huge statue or stained glass
10 An oracle where locals come for divination, prophecy and advice
11 Monastery or nunnery where devotees live lives of simplicity and contemplation
12 A fully functional temple where holy folk commune with a god with holy guardians


d12 Cistern
This is usually simply for water storage but also includes waste and sewerage possibilities. Most have water stores or wells and sewerage but these represent larger more efficient functioning examples.

1 Huge vaulted water supply of good water with many chambers connected by arched tunnels
2 A maze of sub canals with dock with boats used for transport
3 Huge wells going deep into subterranean water filled caverns and waterways
4 Chambers with underground springs and crystal deposits
5 Spectacular ancient bathhouse with steam rooms and swimming pools
6 Fungus garden of exotic narcotic and edible stuff lit by dim phosphorescent glow
7 Huge cisterns full of sewerage, possibly flammable gas and unwelcome creatures
8 Sewer tunnel complex like a nightmare maze crawling with critters
9 Water treatment area where contaminated water stored and filtered
10 Slime encrusted grotto overgrown with strange growths from tainted water
11 Garbage filled cistern filled with citadel trash and drain water and sewerage
12 Lair of someone or something uses water for secret movement beneath citadel


d12 Craft
A centre for making goods and refining materials. Provide work as well as luxury, trade goods and weapons. More industry equals more work.

1 Huge sweatshops where workers sleep and work for life
2 Industrial factory with rows of workers tending machines in unison
3 Automaton assembly lines with golem workers in sealed system
4 Great guild halls of specialist craftsmen trade and meet to discuss trade restrictions and licenses
5 Huge smelting facility with workers toiling in horrendous heat
6 Huge workshop with separate cottage craftsmen skilfully making goods
7 Docile subhumans bred or lobotomized or charmed for compliant labour in sweatshop
8 Shoggoths imprisoned in great vaults working on all manner of goods
9 Huge mills with children scuttling among deadly spinning apparatus
10 Animals or slaves turning huge wheels powering mills
11 Gremlins, gnomes, dwarves or goblins bound in sweatshop with enchantment
12 Steaming factory powered by
torture apparatus with prisoners screaming in pain
 

d12 Defence
These are to defend city from invaders and often manned by soldiers, police, agents or militia. They are usually serious places and unwelcome to visitors. Most citadels have most of these especially a front gate but subtable results equal far more examples than needed.

1 Guardhouses everywhere to police area, often with view of outside and alarm device.
2 Gatehouses with massive doorways and mechanisms possibly murder holes and traps
3 Lockup or stocks where vagrants and miscreants and enemies are temporarily detained
4 Observation towers with view of outside or a district with communications of some kind
5 Recruiting centres where new troops are trained and drilled and drafted from populace
6 Barracks where troops eat, sleep when not on duty
7 Armoury is a guarded store house of armaments and weapons and repair facilities
8 Drill hall or square where troops march and perform drill in large open area
9 Secret police HQ is well defended complex where spies, assassins and other agents work
10 Martial art school where some specialist school of fighters train under a master
11 Training area with firing range, commando course, test dummies and other aids
12 Stables for mobile defence forces


d12 Dungeon
Intended as a grim place of imprisonment may include areas abandoned to unwelcome creatures and persons having overtaken abandoned areas. Most regard with fear and trepidation. Most have at least some cells if not dedicated high population facility. Banishment or execution is a lot less effort and cheaper.

1 A huge prison with cells, work yards and security gates and barracks
2 A huge maze of torture equipment and cells with imprisoned victims in appalling conditions
3 A mental hospital where mentally ill are kept in despairing conditions
4 A hospital where deformed, disfigured, disabled and mutants are kept in horrible conditions
5 A sweatshop of imprisoned labourers usually chained at workbenches
6 A workhouse for orphans, single mothers, delinquents and other unwanted youths
7 Slave yard where slaves work and are sold and bred, possibly of a different race or faction
8 A cursed series of catacombs overrun by undead and supernatural evil
9 Overrun by creatures and monsters of all sorts and long abandoned by citadel residents
10 A hidden complex of cultist kidnappers sacrificing citizens in secret
11 Humanoids like goblins or kobolds have taken over area as a homeland
12 Heavily sealed and trapped, something sealed in here best forgotten long ago


d12 Farm
These areas provide food, requiring natural light, artificial life or crops that do not require light like fungi. Citadel may have outside crops too if terrain not harsh, indoor farms do better. Without these food is more costly, boring and scarce. Trade can provide some food in bad cases but food shortages tend to shrink the population.

1 Monoculture of single crop with specialized tools and chemicals and labour
2 Mixed gardens with many variety of crops and animals
3 Eco garden which appears wild and unkept but is a thriving ecosystem
4 Hydro garden with crops grown in water on rafts, possibly aquaculture like fish underneath
5 Aquaculture farm with fish, insect larvae, frogs, eels, lampreys and shellfish grown in tanks
6 Bug farm with insect and larvae farming, often low maintenance
7 Wild greenhouse of savage ecology mobile plants or fungi
8 Colossal sleeping beast (or many) are drained of blood and flesh hacked off by workers
9 Often secret facility where intelligent slaves are bred or kept for giant abattoir
10 Overgrown with toxic slimes and fungus and inhabited by unwelcome creatures
11 Culture farm where huge vats of bacteria and yeast and algae bubble constantly
12 Cattle or livestock or other animals graze on fungus or vegetation under artificial lights

 
d12 Foreign
This is where outsiders who visit for trade and diplomacy come to do business with citadel occupants without the citadel being contaminated. Aliens are usually documented and given passports for duration of stay and are often unwelcome outside this area or given limited access beyond. Only local merchants and brave locals mingle with foreigners. Some cities are more tolerant of foreigners living among them, others dont even let them inside. Dedicated foreign districts mean more trade and tolerance.

1 Embassy where a foreign power officials dwell for international affairs
2 Enclave where outsider culture practice own way of life, microcosm of foreign culture
3 Inns where foreigners stay while visiting often in groups for guests of varied status
4 Taverns where foreigners and locals mingle over food and drink
5 Brothels where exotic prostitutes cater to tastes of many lands
6 Custom house where foreigners are registered and taxed
7 Quarantine hospice where diseased or those suspected of disease are kept
8 Schoolhouse where languages and customs of citadel or other lands are taught
9 Zoo where foreign beasts are kept for amusement or out of suspicion
10 Fairgrounds where travelling carny and circuses set up their seedy excuses for fun
11 Slavemarkets where foreigners can be bought and sold
12 Warehouses of foreign goods are stored


d12 Garden
A place of recreation, beauty and education to be enjoyed by better class of citizens. Some places prefer fungus gardens, especially if underground. Gardens are for recreation and science rather than feeding a whole community.

1 Pleasure garden with scented edible plants, narcotics and roaming prostitutes
2 Herbalist garden where scholars, cooks, pharmacists and herbalists grow exotic supplies
3 Drug crops often guarded and exclusive to elites or sect
4 Sporting green for games and competitions of all kinds with snack stalls
5 Children’s park where kids and carers frolic with harmless creatures and gentle trees
6 Botanical park where plants of many lands are kept for educational purposes
7 Zoological park where beasts many lands are kept for educational purposes
8 Lovers park where youths come for holding hands and other liaisons
9 Fairground park with extravagant entertainment, rides, stalls, clowns and other fun
10 Abandoned park gone feral with unwelcome beasts and gangland fights
11 Royal park where elites only frolic amidst tasteful decor and artwork
12 Water park with streams, ponds, thermal springs and exotic fish in tanks 


d12 Ghetto
These areas are dwellings of poorest, often overcrowded, dangerous, polluted and miserable. Some are a different race or ethnic group to typical citizens. Some citadels have no poor classes. In others the poor are expendable slaves.

1 Orderly worker barracks where dwellers shuffle of despairing to workshops daily
2 Cottage crafters where dwellers operate light industry and sleep among workbenches
3 Crime filled gang turf neighborhood where lawmen and other services avoid
4 Horrible area with decaying buildings and disease ridden starving inhabitants
5 Old neighborhood with mostly geriatric population few young desperate to escape from
6 Open gang war with kidnapping, murder, extortion and frequent brawls
7 Controlled by local gang who charge tax and act as officials and run best black markets
8 Powder keg of dissent with revolutionaries and demagogues driving people to boiling point
9 Cruel police suppress this area due to constant riots. Brutality drive resistance underground
10 Fire trap frequently redeveloped and rebuilt with new fires common
11 Rebuilt by well meaning officials but flawed and already in decay
12 Strong folk community who take care of own live charming idyllic cultured lives


d12 Library
A depository of wisdom, learning and culture for citizens and scholars to access data. All literate cities have small ones at least and some bookshops. Some restrict who is able to read and use books. Some censor books stockpiling some but burning most.

1 Huge collection of dusty tomes in a maze of enormous shelving
2 Scrolls kept in tubes in collections in huge shelves
3 Scriptorium where documents are copied by hand by scribes
4 Tablet collection in huge shelves, tablets of clay, stone, jade and wood
5 A school for youths to learn basics of writing and technical trades
6 A monastery of holy folk rote learning lineages and poems handed down through time
7 Citadel records of citizens birth, death, marriages, and other administrative records
8 Collection of relief art carved in stone or painted on walls or stele in galleries
9 Crumbling mess of damaged books, rotting shelves with no organisation and vermin
10 Locked vaults of forbidden lore guarded my magic beings and magically locked
11 Magical being or holy sage dispenses wisdom with scribes recording every utterance
12 Strange alien tablets or metal perforated plates nobody can read
anymore, stacked in shelves

d12 Merchant
This is principle area of commerce and trade where citizens obtain basic food and goods. Otherwise corner shops in housing estates are common.

1 Market square filled with barrows, pushcarts and wagons with small stalls
2 Warehouse district with huge stockpile of bulk goods available
3 Redlight district of taverns, restaurants, and clubs specializing in depraved vices of the rich
4 Streets of specialty craftsmen named for the trades that operate on them
5 Rows of tiny specialist shops in a mall with street vendor food and drinks
6 Rows of vending machines, actually with gremlins or goblins inside
7 Great arcade with shops selling prestige goods with vice for sale on the side in secret
8  A sprawling goblin market selling peculiar goods of questionable value at low low prices
9  Magic market where magicians, alchemists and others sell charms, potions and magical goodies

10 General stores with clutters of goods and crotchety old shopkeepers
11 Shifty blackmarket with goods sold off back of carts, no questions asked
12 Huge junk heap and plies of goods tended by crazy old man with big dog


d12 Middle Housing
Housing of middle classes including merchants, civil servants, officers and other skilled and educated persons. Most have private rooms, kitchens and many have courtyards and servants. Functional toilets and running water might be common. Privacy and leisure spaces are common for middle dwellers.

1 Rows of apartment blocks with doormen controlling access
2 Large courts with fine houses separated with gatehouses and gatekeepers who limit access 
3 Rows of multi story shared houses with nosy neighbors and patrolmen militia
4 Well to do large houses with courtyards with large families including students
5 Huge towers with automated elevators, laundry services heating and lighting
6 Decrepit high rise apartment with decaying walls and failing infrastructure
7 Large organic shaped open living areas with gardens and communal living space
8 Living giant mushroom or flesh housing with food growing from walls with ecology of cleaning critters
9 Quaint cottages and landscaped gardens, pools and features of a charming village recreated
10 Family and extended clan communes with shared enclosed spaces
11 Subdivided decrepit old palaces size of city blocks turned into hundreds of units
12 Mega village of sprawling houses stacked on each other and interconnected with no status variation


d12 Mine
Tunnel complexes deep in earth seeking precious resources. Many are long abandoned after construction of a citadel and over run by monsters. Working mines enrich a nation with resources and trade as well as provide jobs.

1 Winding hand carved labyrinth in stone following ancient veins
2 Mine shafts deep into earth and into natural cavern system
3 Even wooden beamed tunnel complexes winding methodically into the earth
4 Incredible maze of tunnels with remnants of rail systems, pipes, beams and miner housing
5 Concrete supported tunnels with remains of mining machines
6 Buzzing with activity complex full of kobolds, goblins or gnomes or dwarves
7 Active mine pit with clockwork bronze automatons or golems
8 Otherworldly beings like elementals or devils toiling earth resentful of human spies
9 Slaves possibly bred morons or of other race working selves to death
10 Long abandoned mine system overgrown with fungus and crawling with subterranean life
11 Colossal cavern with giant machines or giants or cyclopses working at seams
12 Tunnel complex dug by titanic worms burrowing deep into earth


d12 Museum
Museums house collections of cultural and educational artifacts of interest to public and scholars alike. Some are popular thriving cultural landmarks that tell the story of a people. Others are dusty, musty and forgotten shambles. Some hold forbidden works kept hidden. Some cities have no cultural facilities and are impoverished culturally.

1 Historic artifacts telling story of the citadel and its denizens through the ages
2 Apocalypse museum telling story of the fall of the ancients containing strange constructs and weapons
3 Museum telling what local experts believe ancients lived like before apocalypse
4 Art museum of paintings, sculpture and fine design of citadel and other lands
5 War museum of cities battles and struggles of the past, statues of mighty heroes
6 Heroes museum of leaders, scholars, magicians, athletes, warriors and holy folk
7 Black museum of hidden lore, well guarded and filled with alien relics of the elder gods
8 Natural history museum of stuffed animals, meteors, fossils, bottled creatures and insect displays
9 Museum of erotic culture with displays on sex from many cultures and species
10 Religious museum with shrines and statues dedicated to thousands of beings
11 Industrial museum with displays of tools and technical progress
12 Propaganda museum of how citadel superior to other civilizations


d12 Palace

These are habitats for leaders and social elites. Most are luxurious and glamorous but a bit tacky. Some are run down and decayed and even have unwelcome tenants. Most citadels have some flash pad for elites of some kind.

1 Fabulous throne room for leaders to impress the common citizens with processional stairs
2 Private royal palace for ruling clan with gilded furnishings and hundreds of paintings
3 Fabulous crystal palace of special grown crystal and fabulous illusions
4 Harem palace for consorts of elites and their children heavily guarded
5 Palace of justice with courthouses, execution facilities and holding cells
6 Hotel for foreign dignitaries, rich merchants and locals wishing a taste of luxury
7 Casino where locals lose money in opulent setting
8 Run down palace for older retired dignitaries and officials
9 Assembly hall for leaders to debate law and public policy
10 Palace for elites with hundreds of secret passages and rooms hiding some awful secret
11 Palace for religious or spiritual leaders filled with art and symbolic designs
12 Ruined ancient palace long sealed with unwelcome animals and monsters

 

d12 Shelter
Shelters are to keep population safe from conditions on surface in the event of war or a new apocalypse or severe weather. Most have oxygen filters and some serve specific purposes. Citadels are inherently a shelter but even they need back up plans.

1 Long ago citizens fled here then overcome by necromancy, a lich rules a community of the undead
2 Huge chambers for general population for a week or so
3 Bunker where elites can survive for hundreds of years
4 Bunker for elites has been forgotten and overrun by unwelcome creatures or entities
5 Magically sealed vault containing a elder god or monster imprisoned since pre human times
6 Bunker has been forgotten with former citadel folk in hibernation
7 Bunker overrun with organised crime gangs
8 Shelter used by secret cult for forbidden rites of evil
9 Doppelgangers or goblinoids or mutants dwell in secret preying on citadel population
10 Undead, mutants or worse ready to arise
11 Used by political faction to prepare secret army of terrorist or revolutionary thugs
12 Past population came down during disaster now in hiding or unaware of outside


d12 Stadium
Public spaces for entertainment and leisure and contests of various types provide residents with social opportunities. Without these a city is much duller but most citadels have at least a square or meeting hall for gatherings.

1 Huge square for rulers to address public rallies with podiums
2 Huge gladiatorial arena for blood sports with men and beasts
3 Race track for races with chariots or beasts
4 Fighting pit for lowbrow dirty blood sports many illegal
5 Green sports field for athletic contests
6 Waterpark with pools for leisure,  racing and aquatic games
7 Stage for operas and staged spectacles for royalty and elite
8 Speakers square where public can hear various debates and talkers on soapboxes
9 Theatrical arena for dramatic and comedy performances
10 Public gymnasium with equipment 
11 Rings for wrestlers, martial artists and duelists for training and public sport
12 Exhibition halls for craft competitions and trade shows


d12 Storage
Citadels have many storage needs and this area provides space for long term use. Most have warehouses. Some are so long forgotten new inhabitants or fabulous lost treasures await within. Some are well guarded by personal or technology.

1 Huge silos for citadel food supplies in long term storage
2 Cold store with huge magical frozen food warehouses
3 Huge warehouses for city trade goods and supplies
4 Storage lockers rented for citizens personal storage needs
5 Powder keg vault where barrels of gunpowder are stored, often lined with copper sheeting
6 Shantytown of storage lockers where poor citizens live if can’t afford ghettos
7
Ossuary deposit vault for citadel skeletons in thousands often arranged in art objects
8 Run down forgotten warehouse squatted by youth gangs or criminals or cults
9 Huge warehouse housing  building supplies overrun by goblins or kobolds
10 Armoury for weapons decommissioned by treaties or out dated
11 Huge cellars filled with bottles and barrels of wine and alcohol
12 Forgotten warehouse occupied by rat folk, mutants or monsters


d12 Transit tunnels
Tunnels used for transport of goods often remain from ancient times. Many are partially collapsed or forgotten. Some become habitats for creatures or secret places for hidden gatherings. A few tunnels for secret entry and exit or emergencies is standard.

1 Tunnels for religious processions now collapsed and haunted by unclean spirits
2 Station connecting rail system to distant land or even other citadel or nearby resources, mostly ruined
3 Long forgotten pipelines for gas or fluids many now occupied by unwelcome creatures
4 Entry to natural caverns now crawling with life in dynamic ecology
5 Secret tunnels for military and government agents
6 Emergency tunnels for evacuations sometimes used by unauthorised persons
7 Tunnel complex for farmers to bring food and goods into the citadel
8 Long collapsed sub roadway now occupied by wild creatures
9 Tunnel complex dug by goblins or kobolds or gnomes or some other race
10 Tunnels used by locals but dug by giant creatures like worms or  moles
11 Tunnels to long forgotten wild cavern or ancient city
12 Tunnels to small subterranean cavern kingdom with artificial sun

 

d12 University
Most civilized people have schools for young and at least apprenticeships for adults. Universities are self contained micro communities often with own housing, libraries, council chambers, mess halls and even security. Many impose strictures like celibacy on students or make them wear uniforms. Some are exempt from military service some are able to be incorporated into units rapidly and perform cadet drills. Students may operate own councils, secret societies, publishing, clubs and sports separate from wider community. Some are recruiting grounds for elites, cults or crime or military. Some provide public services like hospitals or conduct research or maintain museums and libraries and children’s schools.

1 School for middle class residents to learn literate and technical trades
2 School for elites to learn sciences, arts and magical skills
3 School is a front for teaching forbidden black arts
4 District with clusters of private schools and tutors
5 Military school teaching elite troops and officers
6 Trade school teaching basics of industry and agriculture
7 Philosopher schools teaching debate and what passes for logic around here
8 Monastic school teaching with strict discipline
9 Research school with mammoth library and dedicated to advancement
10 Mad wizard facility with research into weapons and doomsday devices
11 Hospital providing healing for masses and teaching of healers
12 Arcane school teaching secrets of science and sorcery



D12 Crowning Features
The topmost special features of a citadel. Quite often they don’t work requiring some missing components or skills to operate. When they do work they are an important part of a citadels prosperity.

 

1 A great eye shaped corona of energy that acts as a beacon lighting the land
2 A engine that allows the citadel to move to other locations, leaves trail of destruction
3 A great temple where th spirit of the citadel may be communed with and provide miracles
4 A great apocalyptic engine unused since the wars of the ancients for seige or defence
5 Magic amplifier crystal array expands magic powers of ruler, possibly causes madness
6 Great observatory with telescope or scrying device to spy on distant lands
8 Landing area for aerial troops like griffon riders or dragons possibly beasts still use as a roost
9  Landing area for air ships like dirigibles or magical vessels
10 A imprisoned or sleeping god awaiting the end times
11 A gateway to another world, often the domain of some other planar ruler
12 A great tower connected to the cavern ceiling and beyond
or magical skyland above citadel 

D12 Crown Feature Condition
1 damaged beyond repair
2 damaged requires repairs to reactivate
3 damaged requires missing component to reactivate
4 damaged requires awful price to reactivate
5 damaged and inhabitants attempting repairs
6 damaged requires summoning a horrible god to repair and restore
7 functional but controlled by a god and not by inhabitants
8 functional but no one understands the operation anymore, secrets lost
9 functional but requires souls or gems or other difficult fuel to operate
10 functional but only those of lost bloodline may activate
11 functional but a god is displeased and withholds great power till apeased
12 functional but control room is lost or sealed

Harald Wagener made idea of table for condition of device, this is a update
Id like to thank Zak for helping get the automated generation stuff happening and getting people to have a look

6 comments:

  1. Congrats on #600. And what a post it is!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Now that's a 600th post, 8 thumbs up!

    ReplyDelete
  3. What an amazing post! Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  4. "Perhaps some kind wonderful person will automate this set of tables for me."

    Do you have Inspiration Pad Pro 3 from NBOS software? I've already created several tables using tables from other posts of yours. If you want a copy of the tables for the software let me know.

    This one is more involved than the others I've created so I'm not sure long it will take me. But I'll be doing it for my use anyway.

    And thanks for all these wonderful tables.

    ReplyDelete
  5. "Id like to thank Zak for helping get the automated generation stuff happening..."

    Well apparently never mind.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Harald Wagener made this awesome awesome citadel generator based on all these tables, zac made a murder machine table based on my stuff too, Dave Younce and Oliof contributed too. I used to write stuff like this in basic in 80s but i have 3 books to layout, two written art projects and games to run - i prefer just writing stuff fast and getting on with next project - everything i edit heavily stops another 3-5 ideas from escaping my skull but i do appreciate ppl making auto generators from my work or German translations. Id hapily start a tables section with links if there were more
    http://www.random-generator.com/index.php?title=Psychon_Citadels

    ReplyDelete

I love and welcome feedback but not spambots
Good feedback and suggestions inspire me to write more