Scaling Rules
On Demographics and Provinces:
One of the problems with creating consistent conversions of most Wotc Geographic sourcebooks into 'Fields of Blood' terms is that there is not clear statement in the latter about exactly what size and type of population a governed province is suppossed to represent. The easiest one to make is that the population center is in fact the only relevant one within the province. The problem this presents is that, given the size of most populations listed, the number of governed provinces derived would be unworkably large and, given the resource model in FoB, would produce unrealisticaly large armies.
But FoB iteself alludes to the fact that the population center is not suppossed to neccessarily be the only settlement in a province, but rather only the largest and perhaps the government/market center.
Taking that into account, I used the following method:
I started with Table 2.5 on page 15 of FoB. There, each population center is given an optional maximum for the number of units that the province it governs can contribute to its realm. A province with a Thorpe can produce a maximum of 5 martial units, or 500 hundred men. Clearly a thorpe doesn't have that many men, so we can assume that they come from the other settlements in the province, be they other thorpes or individual farms. If we assume that a total of 10% of any given population are males of military age, then a province that can produce 500 fighting men has a rough total population of 5000. Applying this to the other population center sizes, we get total province populations of:
Thorpe - 5000
Hamlet - 8000
Village - 12000
Small Town - 16000
Large Town - 24000
Small City - 36000
Large City - 50000
Metropolis - 100000
If a population center has a stated population larger than one of these values, as is possible for a metropolis (Sharn for example) the larger value is used when extrapolating the existence of population centers/governed provinces not listed on the map.
With these numbers, the demographic entry and a close reading of the flavor text is used to break down a total listed population by numbers of different sizes of a population, their predominate races, any improvments that might exist, level of civilization, etc.
Population Growth
Once a literal population is assigned to a province with a certain sized population center, population growth becomes an issue, as FoB's resource model could lead to extreme levels of growth on maps of the scales seen in Eberron, where only 1% of hexes are actually governed. To that end, I am introducing a population mechanic: Population Points (PP).
Each population center is valued in term of PPs. In addition, PPs are required in order to establish new governed provinces and upgrade old ones. In other words, they are prerequisites for the Build Thorpe and Upgrade Population Center actions. The table below gives both the PP worth of population centers as well as the cost in PPs to upgrade, formatted as Total PPs/PPs to upgrade:
Thorpe 1/1
Hamlet 2/1
Village 3/1
Small Town 4/2
Large Town 6/3
Small city 9/3
Large City 12/20
Metropolis 22/-
At the beginning of each spring season, the DM adds up the pp values of every governed province from every realm in play. He or she then adds up the Total Production from every realm in play. Dividing the Total 'world' Production by the PPs, a ratio of RPs/PPs is aquired. A number of surplus PPs (rounded down) is generated equal to a percentage of the totals PPs of the 'world'; the percentage is equal to .25% for every 100RPs/PP in the ratios, with a minimum of 1%. These surplus PPs are placed in a common pull from which each Realm draws when taking the Build Thorpe or Upgrade Population Center actions and carry over from season to season.
If, after all realm action are declared, there are not enough surplus PPs to fulfill all stated actions, the realms are prioritized based upon the result of the Realm Morale Check held at the beginning of the season. The realm with the highest check result gets as much PPs as it requires, followed by that with the second highest check, etc. If a realm is denied the PPs it needs to complete all its declared actions, it need not pay the cost of the action and can redeclare those actions. If two or more realms get the same result on the morale check, then the realm with the largest number of governed provinces gets priority; if there is still a tie, then the realm with the largest total PP value gets priority. If there is still a tie, then priority is determined randomly.
A player/npc must declare the race of a newly founded province. Depending on the attitude that the predominate race of the the province is being built or upgraded has towards a realm's regents, some modifiers might apply towards the realm morale check when determining priority: -1 for Neutral, -2 for Unfriendly, and -4 for Hostile. If the regent attempt to improve or build provinces of different races, it might have a higher priority for the different actions.
Not all population center upgrades have a pp requirement, but rather only those that result from an action. Increases in the size of population centers that result from a high Realm Morale Check do not require PPs, but are figured into total PP value. The same applies to any upgrade resulting from a random event.
Population decreases have an effect on the PP surplus pool depending on what caused the decrease. If a population center decreases owing to an occupation by a race unfriendly to the conquering regent, the difference in pp values between the province before and after conquest goes back into the surplus. If the decrease comes as a result of famine, the PP value is simply lost. If a population center downgrades owing to an inability of the realm to pay upkeep, the lost rp value goes into the surplus pool. If a governed province is razed, half the lost PPs go into surplus and other half is lost, with priority given to lost with odd numbers of lost PPs.
Regents without any governed provinces (one of which if produced every twenty springs per population pool) get automatic first priority on their initial Build Thorpe action.
It is possible for a campaign to have more than one population pool, either through a realm closing its borders (see below) or through a lack of contact between two landmasses. The latter can be the result of a lack of an open port (closed borders), on one such landmass connecting it to the other.
Realm Size:
Fields of Blood assumes that most realms will not exceed 10 or so provinces, because doing so would entail large diseconomies of scale as governing style cost takes up a progressivly larger percentage of realm income. That is bound to be construed by some as to small for the kingdoms that inhabit their campaign setting of choice. While the book itself suggests that the values in the Governing Style Upkeep chart can be changed, doing so will only result in a new higher equilibriam size (assuming a large enough map) in which explosive growth through either conquest or settlment is quickly followed by campaigns that amount to razing a rival realm's provinces until one, likely damaged realm remains; same game, the numbers simply get larger. To remedy this, the rules below seek to slow down a rise in the average size of realms, providing a good deal of risk versus reward as a regent decides whether to take a gamble on expansion.
Improve Government Efficiency (Regent Action)
Type: Standard (Can only be taken once per season.)
Cost: 20% of total realm production, or 1000 RPs, whichever is higher. The cost is payed from income.
Effect: The regent attempts to reduce waste and ensure a larger share of his realm's production flows into his coffers; the methods used vary from the intimidation and bribery of his servants, through appeals to the self interest of the different factions of his realm, or any number of other methods.
Each time this action is taken, the realm gains a Government Efficiency Level (GEL). The maximum level is ten. For each GEL, the percentage of realm production that has to go to government style upkeep is reduced by 5 to a minimum of 0%(see page. 34).
For example, a Despotic realm which has 10 governed provinces pays 35% of its realm production in government style upkeep. The regent, a cruel man with many ambitions and many more enemies, finds himself with little income and a lot of provinces. To rectify this, he hangs one out of every 10 of those responsible for tax collection. Their surviving comrades, having got the message, start squeezing the peasents for just a bit extra, so they can keep their own pockets lined and their master happy; thus, over the long run, the regent can expect a larger take in taxes to make up for the cost of replacing the men he had killed. He now pays only 30% in Governing Style Upkeep.
Government Efficiency Levels bring other benefits. At levels 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10, the regent gains bonus sets (1 Full round, 2 standard) of Regent Actions. The actual number of bonus sets gained depends on Government Scale (see below); One for Communal, five for Feudal, and ten for Beuracratic. As the realm's Governing Scale increases, the number of bonus regent action derived from Government Efficiency increase automatically. (For example, if a Communal government with two GELs adopts a Feudal governing structure, it goes from having two total regent action sets (1+1) to 6 (1+5).
In addition to the above, Beuracratic Realms recieve a +1 bonus to the percentage of interest they recieve on Banked Income at levels five and ten.
Government Efficiency Levels can be lost (to a minimum of 0), though they can be regained by taking this action again (paying the normal price). The circumstances that cause the loss of GELs include the following (number of lost levels listed in parenthesis):
- Recieving a result of less than zero (Very Poor) on a Realm Morale Check (- 1, see page 33)
- Organized Rebellion (see below) breaking out ( -2 for every Rebel Realm)
- Revolution (see below)
Improve Administration (Regent Action)
Type: Full Season (Can only be taken once per year)
Cost: 50% of Total Realm Production or 100,000 RPs for Communal Realms and 1,000,000 RPs for Feudal, whichever is greater, all paid from income.
Effect: The regent attempts to make long lasting reforms to his government, making it more proffessional, specialized, and directly beholdent to him. Technques used for tax collection, militare recruitment, and day to day administration progress from one based upon the tribute payed by provincial notables (Communal), to one based upon special duties performed on behalf of the regent by powerful noble families (Feudal), to a system based around specialized beuracrats chosen on a competitive and meritocratic basis (Beuracratic).
Each time this action is taken, a Realm Morale check must be made (DC 15 Communal, DC 20 Feudal) with the Regent's charisma bonus added to the check. If the check is succesfull, a realm's Government Scale is upgraded by one step; Realms with a Communal scale become Feudal, and Feudal reamls become Beuracratic. If the check fails, the realm fails to upgrade its adminstration, the resource points are lost, and, if the result of the check feel short by more than 10 of the DC, the realm goes into Open Revolt (see below).
Government Scale determines a number of a realm's features, most notably the number of governed provinces it can possess before incuring the different Government Style Upkeep requirement layed out on Table 3.9 on page 34 of 'Fields of Blood'. The standard table listed there applies to realms with the Communal Scale, but the 'Provinces Governed' column along the left side of the table is different for Feudal and Beuracratic Realms. Replace the values in the 'Provinces Governed' column with the following values, formatted as Communal/Feudal/Beuracratic:
1/1-5/1-25
2-3/6-15/26-75
4-6/16-30/76-150
7-8/31-40/151-200
9/41-45/201-250
10/46-50/251-275
+1/+1-5/+1-25
As can be seen from the above, the net revenue maximizing number of governed provinces is much greater, the higher the realm's Government Scale, as the regent is able to adminster larger and larger regions as he brings his realm's elites more directly under his control.
The scale of government has other benefits. Feudal realms recieve a +2 administration bonus to all Realm Morale checks (pg. 33), while Beuracratic realms recieve a +5 adminstration bonus to all Realm Morale Checks.
Government Scale can degrade. If a realm begins a season with a GEL 0, a Realm Morale check is made (DC 15) with the Regent's Charismal Bonus added to the check. If the check is successful, the realm retains its current government scale; if it is failed, Government scale immediatly drops down one step (to a minimum of Communal), before realm production, upkeep, declared action, etc. are determined. If, in the next season, a Feudal or Beuracratic realm is still at GEL 0, the check is made again, with the same consequences ensuing upon failure.
Each time a realm conquers a province from a rival realm, a discount is earned on the cost payed the next time this action is taken. The base amount varies depending on the Government Scale of the realm the province is conquered from; 1,000 RPs for Communal, 5,000 for Feudal, and 10,000 for Beuracratic. The value is then multiplied by the production modifier of the province's population center. This represents the innovation in adminstration that rulers usually attempt over newly conquered territory as well as the new techniques they learn from the conquered. The realm that has a province conquered in turn looses the same amount in discount (to a minimum of zero).
To take this action, a realm must have a Government Efficiency Level of 10. For Feudal Realms to take this action, they must be Civilized. Realms without a centralized government cannot take this action and are always considered Communal. All new realms also default to Communal.
