First attempt at a Settlement Description generator

I'm looking for feedback at my first attempt at a settlement generator using OGRE, the Quick Fantasy Settlement.

I'm attempting to keep the generator description-based (so it can be plugged into other generators) but give enough detail so that a GM has enough information to use it.

I've started off with tables from the D&D 5E DMG already in OGRE from Jinashi's Settlements generator

Example settlement is..



- What else would you like to see in a settlement description?
- What would you change?

Looks good so far. Check your numbers, since one of my cities had up to 25,0000 people. Better yet, create a more precise number so there's no range, just an amount rounded to the nearest...10 people?

I'd like to see how the settlement operates politically and economically. You know, is it aristocratic, oligarchic, or democratic? Is it capitalist, feudal, tribal, totalitarian?

The Known For part is nice, but I'd like to see a primary industry to go with it. They wouldn't have to match...

And it should go without saying...grammar grammar grammar check. I know, really hard to do in a random generator. Now if you could tie it together with your Quick Dungeon and my Random Dungeon Room Generator...I think you'd really have something

In this, I'd love to see some influencial guilds/organizations. "The glassblowers guild is holds much sway but they have a rivalry with the merchant council".

I'm really liking the "currently beset", and would love to see that complemented with an "ongoing tensions" - like "farmers vs. artisans" or "guilds warring for political power" or "dwarf racial tensions".

PieAndDragon said:

I'm looking for feedback at my first attempt at a settlement generator using OGRE, the Quick Fantasy Settlement.

I'm attempting to keep the generator description-based (so it can be plugged into other generators) but give enough detail so that a GM has enough information to use it.

I've started off with tables from the D&D 5E DMG already in OGRE from Jinashi's Settlements generator

Example settlement is..

View attachment 94210

- What else would you like to see in a settlement description?
- What would you change?

Click to expand...

The thing that stuck out to me is that a small town has both a monarch and is a major trade center. Neither of those things really match up. Perhaps limit the 'known fors' to generated size, so you don't end up with small villages having both a king and being a major trade center. You maybe could build it so that the categories are more generic with a sub-selection in that category that calls back to the determined size? Like "Hereditary Leader" would be generated and point to a new subtable that picks a results based on the generated settlement size -- village = Mayor; town = Lord; large town/city = Baron; Large city/citystate = King. Same for other forms of government.

Another neat feature would be to insert a toggle in the generator that would allow the user to select certain larger facets of the area, such as prevailing government (monarchy or theology) and then have that selection in the generator be more heavily weighted so that most settlements will generate a government structure that fits that general category but you can still generate exceptions for interest. So a monarchy toggle will generate mostly towns with hereditary leaders (lords) but will occasionally spit out a settlement that's a theocracy (church town) or anarchy or democracy or what-have-you. Maybe also a predominate terrain setting so you don't get towns that have logging industry references in the middle of a desert. Although. that can be easily avoided by just generating a new town or changing that detail. Huh, maybe just keep the 'known fors' vaguish, like 'known for trade' and 'known for industry' and 'known for agriculture' and 'known for arts'. That allows maximum tailoring.