TEXT:  
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  2 
   
   
  Published in the U.S.A. 
  First American edition, June 2016 
  (C) 2016 Kent David Kelly 
  Wonderland Imprints 
  Aurora, Colorado 
  Only the Finest Works of Fantasy 
   
  Document Version 1.01 – September 2016 
   
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, the 
  dragon ampersand, and all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their 
  respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other 
  countries.  This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast.  
  Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement 
  for Dungeon Masters Guild. 
  All other original material in this work is copyright 2016 by Kent David Kelly 
  and published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters 
  Guild. 
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  3 
   
   
  ~ UNOFFICIAL OLD SCHOOL MODULE ~ 
  ELD2 
   
   
  SAGA 
  OF THE 
  ELDER CITY 
  ~ BOOK TWO ~ 
   
   
  CITY STATE 
  CREATOR 
  I 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  OSR 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  4 
   
   
  ~ BY ~ 
  KENT DAVID KELLY 
   
   
  Author Of 
  SPAWNING POOL OF THE ELDER THINGS 
  CASTLE OLDSKULL 
  HAWK & MOOR 
   
  ELD2, ELD3, and ELD4 
  Are Collectively Illustrated By 
  JOHN D. BATTEN, W. G. COLLINGWOOD, 
  JASPER FRANCES COPSEY, GUSTAVE DORÉ, 
  ADOLF EHRHARDT, MARY HALLOCK FOOTE, 
  EDMUND HENRY GARRETT, JAN VAN GOYEN, 
  CARL GUSTAF HELLQUIST, WENCESLAUS HOLLAR, 
  CLAUDIUS JACQUAND, TONY JOHANNOT, 
  GERALD FENWICK METCALF, JOHN MILFORD, 
  HOWARD PYLE, ALBERT ROBIDA, SIDNEY SIME, 
  LANCELOT SPEED & VIKTOR VASNETSOV 
   
  WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  MMXVI 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  5 
   
   
  Is there not honor among thieves? 
  Is not the strength of injustice 
  Only a remnant of justice? 
  Is not absolute injustice 
  Absolute weakness also? 
   
  
   
  A house that is divided 
  Against itself cannot stand; 
  Two men who quarrel 
  Detract from one another’s strength, 
  And he who is at war with himself 
  Is the enemy of himself and the gods. 
   
  
   
  Not wickedness therefore, but semi-wickedness 
  Flourishes in [city] states. 
  A remnant of good is needed 
  in order to make union in action possible. 
  There is no kingdom of evil in this world. 
   
  — Socrates, 
  as discussed by Plato in The Republic, 
  tr. Jowett 
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  6 
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  7 
   
   
  I 
  DESCRIPTION 
   
   
  Envision the ultimate City State of your dreams.  And then, guided from 
  the very beginning, create it ... 
   
  
   
  Have you ever wondered why there are so few supplements available that 
  teach you how to design your own city state for urban adventures?  How do you 
  even begin?  Who should be the ruler?  What are the fundamental aspects that 
  lead to an urban campaign’s success, or its failure?  How can you create a cool 
  and dangerous city like the ones in Howard’s Conan tales, or Lovecraft’s 
  Dreamlands, or Leiber’s Lankhmar, or the Free City of Greyhawk?  And, perhaps 
  the most dreaded question of all:  Why are most fantasy cities these days so 
  politically correct and boring? 
   
  These topics are not easy to address ... and that is why city development 
  guidebooks tend to be rare.  This volume, ELD2:  City State Creator I, is the 
  first in a trilogy that will show you how to take your vague design concepts and 
  turn them into an unforgettable city filled with danger, intrigue, and most of all 
  adventure.  This book will get you started, and books 2 and 3 will complete the 
  design process and serve as adventure guides for your campaign. 
   
  In this book you will find helpful inspirations drawn from my own gaming 
  materials, and details on how to create your own city’s basic systems with a 
  minimum of effort.  Specifically, this book includes:  The fundamental principles 
  of city state design; inspirational principles we can derive from the masters 
  (Dunsany, Lovecraft, Howard, Leiber, Arneson, and Gygax); a profile of a city 
  state’s ruling Overlord; an overview of the powerful nobles (Hierarchs) who can 
  rule the temple wards, and their assembly of the Grand Council; descriptions of 
  an Overlord’s minions, including the Inquisitors, Soldiers, Guardsmen, 
  Watchmen, and Vigiles; and a detailed look at social standing, honor castes, and 
  tiers of peerage that has been specifically designed to encourage your players to 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  8 
   
  get interested in the city state and its endless machinations.  The following 
  volumes in this series (ELD3 and ELD4) will develop the urban realm even 
  further (districts, shops, streets, adventure locales, and so forth), as your players 
  begin to express an interest in urban exploration and adventures. 
   
  You will also find lots of old school artwork, some beautiful full-color picture 
  maps (scaled to fit the text, of course, not as posters!), and lots of advice.  101 
  pages, 16,700 words.  From Kent David Kelly and Wonderland Imprints ... Only 
  the Finest Works of Fantasy. 
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  9 
   
   
  II 
  TABLE 
  OF 
  CONTENTS 
   
  Cover 
  Title Page 
  Inscription 
   
  
   
  I:  Description 
  II:  Table of Contents 
  III:  Welcome to Chaos 
   
  
   
  IV:  City State Design:  The Fundamental Principles 
  V:  City State Design:  The Thematic Principles 
   
  
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  10 
   
   
  VI:  The Powers That Be 
  VII:  Minions of the Overlord 
  VIII:  Social Standing and Honor Castes 
   
  
   
  IX:  An End to ELD2 
  About the Author 
  Available from Wonderland Imprints 
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  11 
   
   
  III 
  WELCOME 
  TO 
  CHAOS 
   
   
  Hello, Game Masters, and welcome to another installment in the Wonderland 
  Imprints line of exclusive old school FRPG accessories offered through the DM’s 
  Guild.  This is module ELD2, Saga of the Elder City, Book Two:  City State Creator.  
  This volume is the first of a trilogy, which will also include ELD2 and ELD3.  
  Each volume will show you how to create your city state, beginning with an 
  unformed concept and a willingness to create an inspiration design. 
  The specific goal of this supplement trilogy is to assist you in the rapid 
  creation of a basic fantasy city state.  The city state will serve as the one 
  superior base for all of the campaign’s heroes and adventuring characters.  Every 
  GM wants a quality and urban environment in their game, and if you cannot 
  create your own there are expensive ones you can buy that are ready-made; but 
  there are very few guides in existence that tell you exactly how to create a city 
  state of your own. 
  And what GM worth his or her salt can ever resist the allure of creating 
  something that your players will love and appreciate for many shared years of 
  play? 
   
  
   
  This is a general guide.  Its purpose is to teach you the basics through 
  example, and to give you so many time-saving options and unique arrays of tools 
  that you will not be able to help yourself. 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  12 
   
  It is your destiny to create the finest city state you have ever beheld.  Embrace 
  it! ;) 
  Book ELD2 (the one you are reading now) will assist you in getting the 
  groundwork into place.  The topics covered herein include:  fundamental 
  principles of design; inspirational principles we can derive from the masters 
  (Dunsany, Lovecraft, Howard, Leiber, Arneson, and Gygax); a profile of the city 
  state’s ruling Overlord; an overview of the Hierarchs who rule the temple wards, 
  and their assembly of the Grand Council; descriptions of the Overlord’s minions, 
  including the Inquisitors, Soldiers, Guardsmen, Watchmen, and Vigiles; and a 
  detailed look at social standing, honor castes, and tiers of peerage that is 
  specifically designed to encourage your players to get interested in the city state 
  and its endless machinations. 
  The following volumes in this series (ELD3 and ELD4) will develop the urban 
  realm even further as your players begin to express an interest in urban 
  exploration and adventures.  ELD3 will show you how to create ideas for the 
  populace, shops, inns, streets, guilds, and more.  ELD4 will show you how to 
  begin moving these pieces into place, with encounter ideas, adventure hooks, 
  ways to get the classic motivators (monsters, spells, and treasures) in front of 
  the Player Characters, and much more. 
   
  
   
  There is a lot of material out there that can provide you with inspiration … so 
  much so, in fact, that it can be an overwhelming task to sift through and distill 
  it all into something unique and usable.  I have done that for you here. 
  For those who are curious, the parameters and ideas featured within this 
  guide are in part inspired by:  [1] David Lance Arneson’s Blackmoor campaign 
  (c. 1971-1975 in particular); [2] the Judges Guild’s City State of the Invincible 
  Overlord (most especially the original version c. 1976-1977); [3] E. Gary Gygax’s 
  Free City of Greyhawk (pre-1986); [4] the city state of Lankhmar, as portrayed in 
  the Fafhrd and Gray Mouser tales by Fritz Leiber; [5] various cities described in 
  the Conan tales by Robert E. Howard, e.g. the City of Thieves and Xuchotil; [6] 
  several exotic urban locations featured in (and hinted at) in the Dreamer’s Tales 
  series by the incomparable Lord Dunsany; and, [7] the Dreamlands cities 
  envisioned by H. P. Lovecraft, particularly Celephaïs, Dylath-Leen, Sarnath, and 
  Ulthar. 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  13 
   
  All of those places have been unified in spirit here under the banner of 5E.  
  So if you are looking for a way to translate these classic old school influences 
  quickly into a Fifth Edition context, you’ve come to the right place. 
  Please note that (especially at this introductory point!) this is not a 
  comprehensive guide.  It never will be and was never intended to be.  This starter 
  book touches on many major topics briefly, with the goal of cramming as much 
  advice and at-the-play-table tools as I possibly can into 70 pages.  This book 
  could easily surpass 1,000 pages if I were to add in all of the detail on the subject 
  that I could manage.  But then again:  The problem with most of the city state 
  materials out there is that they are overwhelming.  Why would I want to scare 
  you away from the concept, instead of inviting you in? 
  If readers demonstrate further interest in the idea of the old school city state, 
  I will provide further and more comprehensive guidance on various topics in 
  future volumes of the Saga of the Elder City series.  Such topics might include 
  (for instance) [1] subterranean undercity design; [2] social class and prestige 
  ranking for ambitious urban PCs; [3] holy days and epic events, to guide and 
  empower a city state campaign with adventure hooks; and/or [4] combat 
  scenarios and epic foes designed for use in the city’s notorious gladiatorial 
  monster arenas. 
  As always, please let me know what you would want to see. 
   
  
   
  So what kind of content will you find between these covers?  This book is filled 
  with the best quick advice I can give you from over 30 years of play in the urban 
  fantasy setting.  To create an evocative pulp feel which maximizes the 
  atmosphere, adventure scenario opportunities, and potential conflicts that 
  collectively define the urban setting, I have made some narrow and specific 
  assumptions that might be at odds with your own conception of what a city state 
  should be. 
  For example, I feel that the setting must involve a powerful ruler, a 
  representation of every alignment in the game, unpredictable politics and 
  plotting, a mix of aggressive policing and runaway crime, and most 
  importantly a vast chaotic urban landscape that is heavily influenced by the 
  interplay of magic, poverty, corruption, wealth, waste, capricious demigods, 
  cultists, factionalism, and intrigue.  You can either discard or modify my 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  14 
   
  preconceptions and suggestions as you will.  I present the material here as I do, 
  and as a cohesive whole, simply because [1] these systems work well in my own 
  campaign, [2] they honor the great creators of the past who gave us the role-
  playing hobby in its more primordial forms, and [3] together these ideas 
  maximize the opportunities for new and surprising adventure hooks to flourish 
  in your game. 
  To be forthright, the city state is portrayed herein as a vast and unruly place 
  because players tend to quickly become bored with cities.  Players who seek 
  action and violence are often determined to simply avoid them.  Many others see 
  the city only as a necessary rest stop, a lackadaisical healing station plopped in 
  between dungeon adventures.  Using this guide, you should be able to make 
  your players interested and invested in the city state, on a personal level, to 
  the eventual point that they prefer the vibrant and exotic city to the dungeons or 
  the wilderness.  Getting to that point however will require you to demolish many 
  comfortable preconceptions regarding a fantasy city’s rulership, safety, 
  organization, legal system, ethics, services, urban design, populace, and overall 
  sense of harmony.  All of those things are great for us to experience in the real 
  world, but they are a caustic bane to the exciting urban adventure. 
  Don’t plan for a Utopia.  You never want the city state to be safe.  Quite the 
  opposite.  You want it to be dangerous, exciting, unpredictable and rewarding!  
  This is not a polite Renaissance Faire “towne” amusement park, where crucial 
  aspects of the game (dungeons, monsters, magic, fighting, exploration, gaining 
  treasure) are destined to be left out; no.  This is where all of those aspects will 
  intermingle in a new setting, and in unexpected ways. 
  Lost already?  Are these pulpy things just not “supposed to be” featured in 
  abundance throughout a good fantasy city?  Are they supposed to stay down in 
  the dungeon like good and sordid little game concepts, far away from the 
  Marriott-esque ivory halls where they remain forever uninvited?  Heh heh! 
  Reorient your preconceptions with some 20th-century source material.  Get 
  yourself a stack of Lancer Conan novels and Leiber anthologies.  Add in some 
  old school comics, too.  Throw in a few 70s-80s issues of Heavy Metal for the 
  extra spice.  Turn your PG-13 dial up to a soft and politically incorrect R.  Read, 
  dream, commingle, and remember these basic precepts to guide your way:  Clean 
  is bad.  Good is bad.  Peace is very, very bad.  Don’t get me started on the concept 
  of suburbs.  Transportation?  Pfaugh! 
  If you don’t own a trusty flying carpet or a war griffon, then you’ll be crawling 
  through the alleys from shadow to shadow, avoiding the agents of your powerful 
  enemies.  “Legal” is a pretty boring and terrible concept too, now that we’re 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  15 
   
  thinking about it.  Because you see, “legal” is just the opposite side of the golden 
  coin, the obverse of “opportunity.”  And when one side of that coin is watching 
  you, then the other side is watching your less daring rivals and your public-
  minded enemies. 
  Let that concept sink in for a little while.  The concept of “good” becomes 
  Machiavellian under such circumstances.  Which is more evil:  you stealing the 
  overpowered treasure that can summon or banish a demigod, or the chaotic evil 
  cultists getting to use it first? 
  Whenever necessary, keep in mind that the end justifies the means, as long 
  as the end is good.  (Just don’t get caught.  And if you do, have a bribe and a 
  clever cantrip at the ready.) 
  Some of this advice is not going to sit well with the unicorn people who prefer 
  their fantasy clean, shiny, binary black and white, and Lysol-disinfected.  Be 
  sure to tell your players who have lawful good characters, and who balk at the 
  idea of a morally ambiguous heist scenario, to stop playing like uptight little 
  bitches and to have some fun with this damn thing.  (I kid.  Actually, I don’t.) 
  So bring your players along a surge of your enthusiasm.  It needs to be 
  infectious.  Fun forever trumps propriety in this domain.  So realign your 
  expectations, summon up some creative shadows, and be ready to get your 
  hands dirty! 
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  16 
   
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  17 
   
   
  IV 
  CITY STATE DESIGN: 
  THE 
  FUNDAMENTAL 
  PRINCIPLES 
   
   
  To get into the proper state of mind that will allow you to quickly conceive a 
  fantasy city state, you will first need some brief background material.  This 
  overview (I promise I will keep it interesting!) will provide some reasonably pliant 
  confines for your brainstorming. 
  The most important rule here is what I call the Urban Rule of Pulp Swords & 
  Sorcery, which I must stress again:  The city is not safe.  Only parts of it are, and 
  those heavily secured parts are reserved for the boring, the paranoid, and the 
  rich.  Everyone wants the treasures those people hold, by the way.  Money brings 
  security, and a host of greedy interlopers too.  The city as a result is a place of 
  want, envy, fear, and desire, ripe for conflict and adventure. 
  But urban adventures are special:  the rules are different, the locales are 
  different, and killing someone can have grave repercussions.  The undercity, the 
  sewers, and the slums outside the walls tend to be the lawless places where “kill 
  missions” can take place with relative frequency.  And there are always ways 
  around the laws, of course.  For example, if your party is on an assassination 
  mission to kill an evil Hierarch’s minions, and you have the top secret favor of 
  the Overlord himself, then a little murder and mayhem are simply part of the 
  plan.  But you will need to learn how to hide the bodies! 
   
  
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  18 
   
   
  Here are some of the other concepts that you will need to consider while you 
  begin to envision your future city state: 
   
  
   
  FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE I 
   
  This will be the heart of the campaign. 
   
  One of the things that can always drag down a GM’s urban aspirations is 
  actually quite sad:  you can never know if the PCs (meaning, their players) are 
  going to want to hang around.  The way to change that is to make this one and 
  only city, demonstrably, the most glorious, dark, and exciting locale in the entire 
  campaign.  All of the best treasures, the finest role-playing opportunities, the 
  most exciting action scenes, and the most intriguing powerful NPCs are all here 
  … at least some of the time.  Your dungeons are now the epic sideshow to the 
  main adventure:  the city state itself.  Everything else in the campaign is going 
  to radiate around this city.  All of the adventure hooks to the far wilderness, the 
  deepest dungeons, the netherworld, and even the planar realms are going to 
  begin here as rumors. 
  By contrast, all of the other cities in your campaign will merely be hazy 
  interludes.  When you make one city that is everything you have wanted a fantasy 
  city to be, and plunk it down in the middle of your world map, it will become the 
  heart of the campaign.  You won’t even need to work at it.  It will just happen.  
  Begin every session of the game (when the adventurers’ location is not 
  predetermined by the previous session) here.  When an adventure ends, the next 
  one begins here in the inns, the alleys, and in the halls of power. 
   
  
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  19 
   
   
  FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE II 
   
  The city state is free and independent. 
   
  The Overlord is by necessity one of the most powerful, mysterious, and 
  unpredictable NPCs in your campaign.  If he was not, the city state would have 
  been conquered by one of the surrounding kingdoms long ago.  But instead, he 
  and his Exarchs have masterfully played the greater powers off of one another 
  for decades.  And all of the exiles, untouchables, heretics, and outcasts of the 
  kingdoms are welcome here … provided they follow the laws, or hide in the 
  shadows, and don’t create too much of a mess.  All of these individuals lend the 
  city its rumors, its espionage, and its intrigue. 
  The city state is surrounded by these kingdoms, and it controls the one great 
  river mouth which leads between the inland sea and the outer sea.  (You may 
  need to get creative to fit these details into your world, but once you do, you will 
  find that the world map naturally develops around this crucial travel conduit 
  with the city state at its center.)  Basically, the city state is a combination of 
  Venice and Byzantium, with a heavy dose of fantasy to keep things interesting. 
   
  
   
  FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE III 
   
  This will be a city state, not just a city. 
   
  Crucially, the city you are going to develop is not just the walled urban area 
  itself.  It also consists of controlled land between the great river’s tributaries, 
  where farming villages, mining towns, and perhaps even an armada harbor 
  citadel reside.  The city state, as opposed to the city proper, is a small nation 
  ruled by the Overlord.  The villages are filled with spies, double agents, 
  impostors, runaways, and plain ol’ simple folk, who accidentally create a perfect 
  backdrop setting for the sneaky and desperate people to blend right in. 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  20 
   
  For classic inspirational examples, you can consider the city states of ancient 
  Sumeria, the squabbling nomes of Egypt (when the Pharaoh was weak), classical 
  Athens, classical Sparta, and the cities of the Maya. 
  You might also be tempted to think of Rome, because that is the epic city of 
  our past.  But I urge you to borrow only some of Rome, and not to build your 
  independent city state in its image.  The problem with Rome is that it became an 
  enormous power which ruled everything outside of it, which is not quite the 
  approach you want.  A conquering city implies that law is the ultimate ruler.  
  That’s fine in the real world, but in the fantasy world law tends to stifle other 
  beliefs (i.e., alignments).  Law also develops a powerful bureaucracy, which 
  means more authority, more oversight, more punishment, less mayhem, and 
  fewer adventure opportunities.  That is exactly the opposite of what you want. 
  In my opinion, Rome might be considered Lawful Good under Augustus, 
  Lawful Neutral under Caesar, and Lawful Evil by the time of the late Imperium.  
  You can go there if you want, but when you decide upon that level of power and 
  solidarity, you are reducing the power of the kingdoms surrounding the city 
  state.  That means that you sacrifice a lot of the intrigue, acceptance of good and 
  evil side by side, and the exiles’ adventure hooks as well.  If that is the path that 
  you want to take, you have probably purchased the wrong book. 
   
  
   
  FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE IV 
   
  All alignments are embraced. 
   
  Lots of Game Masters tend to think of the game’s dungeons as the places of 
  ultimate evil, and the cities as the places of ultimate good.  This is fine, but only 
  if you want your city to be an uninteresting sanctuary.  Purely good cities are 
  perfect as quiet, boring interlude scenes between adventures. 
  But let’s try something completely different, shall we?  Let’s go with Robert E. 
  Howard’s basic premise for the Conan stories:  All of civilization, with its 
  decadence and comforts, is emasculating and corrupt.  That is a much more 
  interesting idea to start with when you’re designing a city. 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  21 
   
  When you have that many shades of gray, you end up with good, neutral, and 
  evil people living and working side by side.  They’re each in their own little worlds, 
  but sometimes those worlds clash.  And sometimes, those worlds meet and work 
  together in surprising ways.  (Yet, in that way it is exactly like real life.) 
  We will discuss this “all alignments” concept a bit further on in this book, 
  when we look at the concepts of walled quarters, temple wards, and squabbling 
  Hierarchs held in check by the Overlord and his whims. 
   
  
   
  FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE V 
   
  The city will be the gateway to the mega-dungeon. 
   
  In my campaign, the city is the adventure.  The dungeons and the wilderness 
  are the scenes for side quests.  The major side quest might well be your 
  campaign’s mega-dungeon. 
  What, you don’t have a mega-dungeon?  Well, if you follow the Blackmoor 
  example of David Arneson, the mega-dungeon is the subterranean undercity 
  right beneath the citadel.  Or, to follow Gary Gygax’s idea, the mega-dungeon is 
  under the castle ruin atop the hill … and that hill overlooks the city from just a 
  few miles away. 
   
  
   
  FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE VI 
   
  The city state is new, and it is ancient. 
   
  The design of your city should be haphazard, sprawling, and definitively 
  chaotic.  Medieval cities tended to grow in rings, with a castle, tower, or manor 
  at the center.  A great wall was (usually) built when the burgeoning city attained 
  wealth, attracting the envy of thieves, raiders, and even greedy kings.  Then, the 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  22 
   
  city would grow further beyond the walls, and either a new wall(s) would be built 
  to surround the new district(s), or an era of peace would intervene to make the 
  very concept of walls obsolete. 
  Considering this, your city should have the Overlord’s Citadel in its 
  approximate center.  This oldest area is a high-walled and protected place, where 
  a combination of strongholds, manors, new mansions, and colleges have grown 
  up to surround the prestigious acropolis.  (An acropolis, by the way, is a secure 
  area of elevated cliffs … it was where the people first decided that a stronghold 
  would fit perfectly to protect and overlook the town.)  This area does not just 
  feature soldiers and nobles, however.  It also has sage towers, archives, libraries, 
  and perhaps even a Lyceum (a temple devoted to education; you might want to 
  study Aristotle’s library if you want a model for inspiration). 
  Naturally, the current century’s peoples were not the first to build here.  The 
  elven elders will certainly remember that entirely different people, perhaps even 
  a different race, thrived there many centuries ago.  The location at the river 
  mouth between the inland and outer seas is simply too perfect for anyone to 
  ignore.  This in turn means that the current city is built over multiple (now 
  subterranean) sealed levels of ancient ruins.  You can use the ruins of Troy and 
  the Sumerian city state “mounds” as real-world models of this concept.  
  Considering that the game takes place in the world of magic and dungeons, 
  however, I encourage you to take this perfect opportunity to put an entire multi-
  level dungeon (if not several) under the city streets. 
  There will be tombs, temples, treasure vaults, cisterns, and perhaps entire 
  caverns beneath the earth.  The sewers, wells, prisons, cellar pits, and 
  undercrofts of the current city all lead down into this elder world.  The city’s 
  smugglers, thieves, outcasts, and assassins know some of these areas very well 
  … but no one person knows exactly how deep the undercity levels really go. 
  Or do they? 
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  23 
   
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  24 
   
   
  V 
  CITY STATE DESIGN: 
  THE 
  THEMATIC 
  PRINCIPLES 
   
   
  Now that you have the basic ideas that you want to incorporate into your city 
  state, you are probably starved for inspiration.  Where can you begin such a 
  major design project?  My old school answer and advice, as always, is this:  Look 
  to the past. 
  You can look at the works of the masters whom you admire, and see how they 
  tackled the idea of an adventurous urban locale.  Here are six people whose 
  creativity I personally admire to get you started.  (I quote from public domain 
  sources when I can.)  These sections are designed to give you ideas about a city’s 
  history, mysteries, description, mood, and atmosphere. 
   
  
   
  THEMATIC PRINCIPLE I 
   
  Inspiration from Lord Dunsany. 
   
  In Lord Dunsany’s Dreamer’s Tales, a fantasy city is a place of unthinkable 
  wonders, ancient lore, and forbidden mystery.  The city should be opulent, 
  unforgettable, wondrous, musical, wealthy, alluring, and secretive.  There should 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  25 
   
  also be a hint of dread, and the coming of some future apocalypse which echoes 
  the past. 
  Consider this, describing the city of Bethmoora in remembrance, following its 
  fall: 
   
  
   
  I had hoped to see Bethmoora once again.  It is many a year ago, they say, 
  when the vintage [wine] was last gathered in from the vineyards that I knew, 
  where it is all desert now.  It was a radiant day, and the people of the city were 
  dancing by the vineyards, while here and there one played upon the kalipac.  The 
  purple flowering shrubs were all in bloom, and the snow shone upon the Hills of 
  Hap.  Outside the copper gates they crushed the grapes in vats to make the 
  syrabub.  It had been a goodly vintage. 
  In the little gardens at the desert's edge men beat the tambang and the 
  tittibuk, and blew melodiously the zootibar. 
  All there was mirth and song and dance, because the vintage had been 
  gathered in, and there would be ample syrabub for the winter months, and much 
  left over to exchange for turquoises and emeralds with the merchants who come 
  down from Oxuhahn. 
  […] 
  All that day three men on mules had been noticed crossing the face of the 
  Hills of Hap.  […]  They carried staves, such as messengers bear in those lands, 
  and seemed sombrely clad when the dancers all came round them with their 
  green and lilac dresses.  […]  It was the hour when a light would have appeared 
  in some high tower, and window after window would have poured into the dusk 
  its lion-frightening light, and the copper gates would have been fastened up. 
  But no lights came out in windows there that night and have not ever since, 
  and those copper gates were left wide and have never shut, and the sound arose 
  of the red fire crackling in the vineyards, and the pattering of feet fleeing softly.  
  There were no cries, no other sounds at all, only the rapid and determined flight. 
  They fled as swiftly and quietly as a herd of wild cattle flee when they suddenly 
  see a man.  It was as though something had befallen which had been feared for 
  generations, which could only be escaped by instant flight, which left no time for 
  indecision. 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  26 
   
   
  
   
  And here is a description of the fabled city of Perdóndaris, as featured in Idle 
  Days on the Yann: 
   
  
   
  And as I sipped the wine and the captain talked, I remembered me of stalwart 
  noble things […] 
  Certainly Perdóndaris was a powerful city; it was encompassed by a wall of 
  great strength and altitude, having in it hollow ways for troops to walk in, and 
  battlements along it all the way, and fifteen strong towers on it in every mile, and 
  copper plaques low down where men could read them, telling in all the languages 
  of those parts of the Earth — one language on each plaque — the tale of how an 
  army once attacked Perdóndaris and what befell that army. 
  Then I entered Perdóndaris and found all the people dancing, clad in brilliant 
  silks, and playing on the tambang as they danced.  For a fearful thunderstorm 
  had terrified them while I slept, and the fires of death, they said, had danced 
  over Perdóndaris, and now the thunder had gone leaping away large and black 
  and hideous, they said, over the distant hills, and had turned round snarling at 
  them, showing his gleaming teeth, and had stamped, as he went, upon the hill-
  tops until they rang as though they had been bronze.  And often and again they 
  stopped in their merry dances and prayed to the God they knew not, saying, ‘O, 
  God that we know not, we thank Thee for sending the thunder back to his hills.’ 
  And I went on and came to the market-place, and lying there upon the marble 
  pavement I saw the merchant fast asleep and breathing heavily, with his face 
  and the palms of his hands towards the sky, and slaves were fanning him to 
  keep away the flies.  And from the market-place I came to a silver temple and 
  then to a palace of onyx, and there were many wonders in Perdóndaris, and I 
  would have stayed and seen them all, but as I came to the outer wall of the city 
  I suddenly saw in it a huge ivory gate.  For a while I paused and admired it, then 
  I came nearer and perceived the dreadful truth.  The gate was carved out of one 
  solid piece! 
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  27 
   
   
  
   
  THEMATIC PRINCIPLE II 
   
  Inspiration from H. P. Lovecraft. 
   
  Inspired in part by Lord Dunsany, Lovecraft’s Dreamlands tales feature cities 
  that each possess a very evocative yet very different atmosphere.  Lovecraft’s 
  dream realms are not only places of wonder; they encompass lost dreams, tragic 
  dreams, and nightmares as well.  A city might (for example) have 
  incomprehensible laws and ceremonies that exist because something happened 
  in ancient times, something that must be honored forever … even if that 
  reverence is no longer fully understood. 
  The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath is one of the best Lovecraftian sources 
  for city inspiration (which you can easily find online).  Consider also this, from 
  Celephaïs: 
   
  
   
  Down the hill amid scented grasses and brilliant flowers walked Kuranes, over 
  the bubbling Naraxa on the small wooden bridge where he had carved his name 
  so many years ago, and through the whispering grove to the great stone bridge 
  by the city gate. 
  All was as of old, nor were the marble walls discoloured, nor the polished 
  bronze statues upon them tarnished.  And Kuranes saw that he need not tremble 
  lest the things he knew be vanished; for even the sentries on the ramparts were 
  the same, and still as young as he remembered them. 
  When he entered the city, past the bronze gates and over the onyx pavements, 
  the merchants and camel-drivers greeted him as if he had never been away; and 
  it was the same at the turquoise temple of Nath-Horthath, where the orchid-
  wreathed priests told him that there is no time in Ooth-Nargai, but only 
  perpetual youth. Then Kuranes walked through the Street of Pillars to the 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  28 
   
  seaward wall, where gathered the traders and sailors, and strange men from the 
  regions where the sea meets the sky. 
  There he stayed long, gazing out over the bright harbour where the ripples 
  sparkled beneath an unknown sun, and where rode lightly the galleys from far 
  places over the water. And he gazed also upon Mount Aran rising regally from 
  the shore, its lower slopes green with swaying trees and its white summit 
  touching the sky. 
   
  
   
  Here is another memorable passage from The Doom That Came to Sarnath.  
  You might not want your city to be this fantastically opulent, but the details are 
  compelling nevertheless: 
   
  
   
  The wonder of the world and the pride of all mankind was [the city] Sarnath 
  the magnificent.  Of polished desert-quarried marble were its walls, in height 300 
  cubits and in breadth 75, so that chariots might pass each other as men drave 
  them along the top.  For full 500 stadia did they run, being open only on the side 
  toward the lake; where a green stone sea-wall kept back the waves that rose 
  oddly once a year at the festival of the destroying of Ib. 
  In Sarnath were fifty streets from the lake to the gates of the caravans, and 
  fifty more intersecting them.  With onyx were they paved, save those whereon 
  the horses and camels and elephants trod, which were paved with granite.  And 
  the gates of Sarnath were as many as the landward ends of the streets, each of 
  bronze, and flanked by the figures of lions and elephants carven from some stone 
  no longer known among men. 
  The houses of Sarnath were of glazed brick and chalcedony, each having its 
  walled garden and crystal lakelet.  With strange art were they builded, for no 
  other city had houses like them; and travellers from Thraa and Ilarnek and 
  Kadatheron marvelled at the shining domes wherewith they were surmounted. 
  But more marvellous still were the palaces and the temples, and the gardens 
  made by Zokkar the olden king.  There were many palaces, the least of which 
  were mightier than any in Thraa or Ilarnek or Kadatheron.  So high were they 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  29 
   
  that one within might sometimes fancy himself beneath only the sky; yet when 
  lighted with torches dipt in the oil of Dothur their walls shewed vast paintings of 
  kings and armies, of a splendour at once inspiring and stupefying to the 
  beholder. 
  Many were the pillars of the palaces, all of tinted marble, and carven into 
  designs of surpassing beauty.  And in most of the palaces the floors were mosaics 
  of beryl and lapis-lazuli and sardonyx and carbuncle and other choice materials, 
  so disposed that the beholder might fancy himself walking over beds of the rarest 
  flowers.  And there were likewise fountains, which cast scented waters about in 
  pleasing jets arranged with cunning art. 
  […] 
  Lofty and amazing were the seventeen tower-like temples of Sarnath, 
  fashioned of a bright multi-coloured stone not known elsewhere.  A full thousand 
  cubits high stood the greatest among them, wherein the high-priests dwelt with 
  a magnificence scarce less than that of the kings.  On the ground were halls as 
  vast and splendid as those of the palaces; where gathered throngs in worship of 
  Zo-Kalar and Tamash and Lobon, the chief gods of Sarnath, whose incense-
  enveloped shrines were as the thrones of monarchs.  Not like the eikons of other 
  gods were those of Zo-Kalar and Tamash and Lobon, for so close to life were they 
  that one might swear the graceful bearded gods themselves sate on the ivory 
  thrones.  And up unending steps of shining zircon was the tower-chamber, 
  wherefrom the high-priests looked out over the city and the plains and the lake 
  by day; and at the cryptic moon and significant stars and planets, and their 
  reflections in the lake, by night. 
  Here was done the very secret and ancient rite in detestation of Bokrug, the 
  water-lizard, and here rested the altar of chrysolite which bore the DOOM-scrawl 
  of Taran-Ish. 
   
  
   
  THEMATIC PRINCIPLE III 
   
  Inspiration from Robert E. Howard. 
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  30 
   
  Howard’s stories — particularly those featuring Conan, Kull, or Red Sonja — 
  are very interesting from a city state perspective, because they (in part) inspired 
  Gary Gygax’s conception of Greyhawk.  Howard put forth the novel idea that 
  barbarians are good people, no matter how violent they are.  This is because they 
  have forthright codes of honor, and they follow a baser nature instilled with 
  respect between strong, violent people.  Cities, on the other hand, are corrupt 
  places where weak people dwell because they cannot handle the savagery of the 
  wilds. 
  Therefore, a “Howardian” city might feature decadent nobles, guards used as 
  cannon fodder, dread magic, temples to gods that are actually demons (or aliens), 
  and “great” men of power who hide behind walls, keeping all of the wealth for 
  themselves while misery and turmoil rein throughout the city’s slums. 
  Consider for example this excerpt from The Tower of the Elephant: 
   
  
   
  The lurid lights and drunken revelry fell away behind the Cimmerian. 
  […] 
  He had entered the part of the city reserved for the temples.  On all sides of 
  him they glittered white in the starlight — snowy marble pillars and golden 
  domes and silver arches, shrines of Zamora’s myriad strange gods.  He did not 
  trouble his head about them; he knew that Zamora’s religion, like all things of a 
  civilized, long-settled people, was intricate and complex, and had lost most of the 
  pristine essence in a maze of formulas and rituals.  He had squatted for hours 
  in the courtyard of the philosophers, listening to the arguments of theologians 
  and teachers, and come away in a haze of bewilderment, sure of only one thing, 
  and that, that they were all touched in the head. 
  His gods were simple and understandable; Crom was their chief, and he lived 
  on a great mountain, whence he sent forth dooms and death.  It was useless to 
  call on Crom, because he was a gloomy, savage god, and he hated weaklings.  
  But he gave a man courage at birth, and the will and might to kill his enemies, 
  which, in the Cimmerian's mind, was all any god should be expected to do. 
  His sandalled feet made no sound on the gleaming pave.  No watchmen 
  passed, for even the thieves of the Maul shunned the temples, where strange 
  dooms had been known to fall on violators.  Ahead of him he saw, looming 
  against the sky, the Tower of the Elephant.  He mused, wondering why it was so 
  named.  No one seemed to know … 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  31 
   
   
  
   
  THEMATIC PRINCIPLE IV 
   
  Inspiration from Fritz Leiber. 
   
  Leiber’s stories tell the sordid swashbuckling adventures of Fafhrd (a fighting 
  man) and the Gray Mouser (basically a duelist / thief).  Unfortunately Leiber’s 
  work is under stern copyright, but I can say that you would do well to hunt down 
  a copy of the book Lankhmar:  City of Adventure, a TSR product published in 
  1985. 
  The stories which inspired that sourcebook are many and varied.  I 
  recommend beginning with Ill Met in Lankhmar, which involves the infiltration of 
  a thieves’ guild; and Bazaar of the Bizarre, in which two urban adventures 
  accidentally become intertwined. 
  In Leiber’s stories, the city is a place where daring adventures take place … 
  typically, to steal treasure or cause trouble for someone powerful.  The city is 
  where the best treasures, the scariest monsters, the deepest mysteries, and the 
  most alien attention are centered.  The city is therefore the perfect place to tell 
  the tales of human destiny, ultimate heists, and the manipulation of the fates. 
   
  
   
  THEMATIC PRINCIPLE V 
   
  Inspiration from David Arneson. 
   
  Again, I don’t think I can quote directly from Mr. Arneson’s chief works due 
  to copyright issues.  But I can say this: 
  The city (actually, the small town and citadel) of Blackmoor is the only major 
  protected area in the region.  It is surrounded by powerful evil.  The fearful 
  citizens and adventurers are therefore basically piled on top of each other, 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  32 
   
  because outside of the walls and a few other hard-pressed baronial states, death 
  reigns. 
  This means that the city is constantly being harassed by evil.  The citadel has 
  fallen in the past, and it will fall again in the near future.  The only reason the 
  castle exists at all is because the forces of good scored a temporary victory over 
  evil, conquering the surface of an orcish stronghold.  This means that there are 
  lots of dungeons just below, and dangerous legions of humanoids lurking 
  beneath the surface. 
  If Blackmoor sounds interesting, you might be interested in my FRPG history 
  series Hawk & Moor, where I can talk about these topics more freely than within 
  the constraints of the DM’s Guild.  You can also hunt down the TSR Blackmoor 
  books (Supplement II and the DA series), but I will say that for many reasons 
  they are not very true to Arneson’s original vision. 
   
  
   
  THEMATIC PRINCIPLE VI 
   
  Inspiration from E. Gary Gygax. 
   
  Gary was the man who took all of the above influences, and made them into 
  something wholly his own:  the Free City of Greyhawk.  I recommend that you 
  take the same approach:  Combine all of these ideas, emphasizing what you love 
  while downplaying anything that makes you uncomfortable.  This personal 
  selection process will give you a creative basis which will allow you develop an 
  epic city state of your very own. 
  You may be interested in Gygax’s novel Saga of Old City, or perhaps City of 
  Hawks.  There is also a fairly good City of Greyhawk boxed set from TSR, but I 
  will warn you that it was produced after Gygax had been ousted from the 
  company and it therefore is only partially in accordance with his creative vision.  
  It is a “nice” place, if you know what I mean.  The Yggsburgh city materials might 
  be more beneficial to you … if you can find them. 
  And I will close this section with Gygax’s own advice to GMs from a newsletter, 
  published in 1975: 
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  33 
   
   
  
   
  […] [The next step in designing your campaign] should be handled 
  concurrently with designing the first three or four dungeon levels.  Here your 
  players will find lodgings, buy equipment, hire mercenaries, seek magical and 
  clerical aid, drink, gamble and wench.  The town would do well to resemble some 
  of those in Howard’s ‘Conan’ series or Leiber’s city of ‘Lankhmar.’  Strange 
  towers, a thieves’ quarter, and temples of horrible deities add greater flavor to 
  play. 
  The ‘Thieves Guild,’ a society of evil clerics, a brotherhood of lawful men, and 
  so on bring a bit more interest also.  If a few warring nobles from the surrounding 
  territory also send large parties of men into the place occasionally, some 
  interesting brawls can occur.  Honest and dishonest merchants should be 
  indicated.  Taverns which drug patrons should likewise be indicated, and so on. 
  In any event, be sure and leave room for additional things and expansion. 
   
  (Wise words indeed.) 
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  34 
   
   
  VI 
  THE POWERS 
  THAT BE 
   
   
  Now that I have provided you with some fictional sources of inspiration (and 
  maybe some sourcebooks or boxed sets to add to your collection!), I can give you 
  my personal advice on creating the powers and authorities of the city state. 
  From my design work over the years, I can say that this is one of the most 
  difficult things to invent, and one of the hardest aspects to provide general advice 
  on.  For those reasons, I have decided to simply share my own material with you 
  in the hope that you find it interesting.  Feel free to borrow any or all of these 
  concepts; or, use this chapter to inform your own creative endeavors. 
  Basically, your city state will need a ruler, a cadre of powerful NPCs at his / 
  her beck and call, a set of rival rulers / nobles with different agendas, and 
  extensive tiers of minions, sub-leaders, and disaffected individuals.  This will 
  give your city a sense of realism, a source for law, a list of people to regard as 
  authorities (or fear), and a vast array of “quest givers” for future adventures. 
  Here’s how I do it.  Please note that this is not meant to be a “realistic” or 
  (ugh!) “idealistic” mode of government; it is meant to be dangerous, 
  unpredictable, adventurous, mysterious, and fascinating. 
  Help me out, I’m trying to make your urban campaign amazing here! 
   
  THE OVERLORD 
   
  The intensity, character, and atmosphere of the fantasy city state are 
  exemplified by the Overlord, the ultimate ruler.  It is therefore worth taking some 
  time to describe him, and how his personality affects the campaign setting. 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  35 
   
  The Overlord is a level 25 human fighter.  He is of Lawful Neutral alignment, 
  but he deviates in his devotion to that philosophy.  Over the next few decades he 
  will shift to True Neutrality, and then to Chaotic Neutrality during the final year 
  of his reign.  He is more charismatic and intriguing than he is beautiful.  He is 
  extremely powerful, intelligent, and eccentric, and the players will probably come 
  to have a love-hate admiration of him. 
  You can name him (or her) whatever you want.  In my campaign, he is Khom 
  Orthrul. 
  He is a retired adventurer and planar explorer, and is certainly one of the 
  most powerful people in the world.  He is whispered to be either a demigod 
  (literally, with a god parent and a mortal parent) or a hero, which means the son 
  of a demigoddess.  Which of these scenarios is actually the truth is up to you.  
  But what is certain is this:  he never sleeps, only meditates; and some say that 
  he eats only to pretend that his body is still tied to mortal and earthly needs. 
  He has fifteen loyal companions, who are known as the Exarchs.  The Exarchs 
  are either former Hierarchs (rulers of the city’s temple wards), or the Overlord’s 
  former adventuring companions.  The Exarchs are of randomly-determined races 
  and classes, and of one of the neutral alignments (20% chance of Chaotic 
  Neutral, 20% Lawful Neutral, 20% Neutral Evil, 20% Neutral Good, 20% True 
  Neutral).  Their experience levels range between 21 and 24. 
  As one might well imagine, there are many philosophical differences, grudges, 
  love affairs, rivalries, lifelong friendships, oaths, inside jokes, and broken 
  promises between the individual Exarchs.  They rarely get along with one another 
  if more than three are assembled in any one place.  However, they are united in 
  their loyalty to the Overlord, who plays no favorites … at least not in public.  And 
  in times of duress, they famously unite to defend the city state as a single 
  valorous force of exceeding heroism.  The Exarchs have slain invading dragons, 
  liches, titans, and many mighty demons and devils in the past. 
   
  
   
  The Overlord does have several known and distinct personal weaknesses, and 
  his enemies are fairly predictable in broadcasting and attempting to exploit these 
  idiosyncrasies.  He is sensitive to light.  He is blind in his left eye.  For some 
  reason, he fears magical cold.  And most intriguingly of all, he displays strange 
  emotional reactions to song, as if he had lived many lifetimes as a man, a woman, 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  36 
   
  an elf, a dwarf … no one truly knows what he once was, but in his vulnerable 
  moments he seems to exist as more than “one man.” 
  When he is alone with close friends and rivals in attendance, he is said to 
  experience melancholy bouts of what the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows terms as 
  sonder:  “The realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and 
  complex as your own — populated with their own ambitions, friends, routines, 
  worries and inherited craziness — an epic story that continues invisibly around 
  you like an anthill sprawling deep underground, with elaborate passageways to 
  thousands of other lives that you’ll never know existed.” 
  Through some eldritch power, the Overlord still appears to be in his thirties.  
  But he is known (by elves, sages, dimensional travelers, and the avatars of gods) 
  to be at least 170 years old. 
  He has no known heir, and no bride.  But he has many consorts, and every 
  bastard in the city loves to say that they are his long-lost son or daughter.  Some 
  of these caitiffs are not lying, but even they themselves do not know this. 
  It is said that one day, a great hero(ine) will rule as the city state’s second 
  Overlord / Imperatrix.  This shall occur (so sayeth the prophecies) in the decades 
  to come, and the age of the Hierarchs, the nine represented alignment 
  philosophies, and the glory of the temple wards will soon come to an end.  The 
  Overlord himself has vowed before an avatar of his goddess to relinquish his city 
  state to a worthy heir on the eve of his 200th winter.  Everyone believes in their 
  heart of hearts that he will do so, but no one knows exactly when that will be. 
   
  
   
  The Overlord revels in combat, but not in killing.  During great festivals and 
  the Saturnalia, he appears in the Colosseum to battle with great monsters, freed 
  arch-villains from the donjon, and all manner of challengers.  Those who are 
  bold and who manage to defeat him one on one — a rare feat, but by no means 
  unheard of — are showered by him with gold, honor, and adoration. 
  He respects strength even more than he does decadence; indeed, at least one 
  of the currently ruling Hierarchs gained her position by defeating the Overlord 
  in unarmed combat.  She used magic, of course; but the Overlord has been 
  known to face death in many forms, and he has proven time and again to his 
  people and to his enemies that he is willing to die in unjust circumstances if 
  doing so will ensure that his legend and his honor will live on. 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  37 
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  38 
   
   
  The Overlord has many powerful magic items, including ancient Gothic plate 
  armor (from no known nation) and an intelligent great sword of incredible power.  
  He also possesses a gauntlet christened the Lion Bringer, which in turn has only 
  minor magical powers.  But it also possesses a dire curse:  anyone who kills the 
  Overlord will in turn die, without hope of resurrection, as will all of the slayer’s 
  currently living siblings, first family, and children.  Somehow also the gauntlet 
  knows when an assassin has been hired, or coerced, and in such a case the true 
  person to blame shall suffer the same fate as well. 
  This fabled curse was displayed once in recent centuries, when the Hierarchs 
  united against him in the thirteenth year of the elder city.  And although the 
  Overlord perished, poisoned, all of the guilty Hierarchs and their entire 
  bloodlines died.  The Overlord was then raised by a Shadow Angel, a Lawful 
  Neutral spirit of time and destiny that is almost never seen on the Material Plane.  
  Clearly, although no love is lost between the Overlord and the deities of Good, 
  some higher (or lower?) power has foreordained that the Overlord and his 
  rightfully chosen heir are both intended to have some epic and unforeseen role 
  in the near future history of the Middle World, the domains which lord the lands 
  about the Inner Sea. 
  Needless to say, not only do the current ruling Hierarchs never dare to plot 
  assassination, but they actively root out one another’s agents and kill / imprison 
  them to prevent foolhardy attempts by underlings.  The Overlord treats these 
  frequent blood scandals and sordid revelations as a grand game.  He loves to see 
  the Hierarchs blaming one another for the latest bungled infiltration of his 
  Citadel.  In fact, he invites anyone who dares to try the mettle of his men, and 
  his own sleepless vigilance, and to come “visit him” before his iron throne. 
  The soldiery is thus accustomed to bizarre intrusions, wild schemes, and 
  elaborate break-ins to the point that any adventurers found wandering the 
  Citadel’s halls might either find themselves pilloried (if they break something or 
  kill someone), mocked (if they are immediately caught) or feasting with the 
  Overlord (if they impress him with how far they manage to get). 
  Whether the Overlord is fit to rule remains an open question.  But he rules 
  nonetheless, as he has for over a hundred years. 
  He is by no means infallible.  Will he reign to the fated end, or will he fall?  
  That is a great question that only the Game Master, and the players, can ever 
  answer. 
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  39 
   
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  40 
   
   
  THE GRAND COUNCIL 
   
  As mentioned, the Hierarchs are the rulers of the temple wards within the 
  city.  These are the walled sanctuaries where each alignment (Chaotic Evil, 
  Chaotic Good, and so forth) is honored, worshipped, and protected by the rival 
  divergent philosophies. 
  As there are nine fundamental alignments, there are nine temple wards, and 
  nine Hierarchs.  An assembly of “The Nine” can, by law, be convened by the 
  Overlord at any time.  And also by law, no Hierarch can use magic to enter or 
  approach the Citadel.  Great processions to the Citadel after midnight are by no 
  means uncommon. 
  The Hierarchs meet under the name of the Grand Council.  They always meet 
  under truce, under the watchful eyes of the Overlord and his Exarch 
  companions. 
  The Grand Hierarch (the Hierarch for the currently most powerful alignment 
  and gods in the city state) wields 3 votes in all proceedings.  Every other Hierarch 
  wields only 1.  The Overlord gets 9 votes, which means that it takes a near-
  unanimous dissent for the Hierarchs to overrule him.  The only known law (but 
  there are Secret Laws) against the Hierarchs’ voting is that they cannot vote to 
  depose the Overlord. 
  The Overlord does find himself outmaneuvered and outvoted, typically once 
  or twice a year.  When this happens, the reaction can seem unpredictable.  The 
  Overlord is known for his profound wisdom, eccentric mirth, and especially for 
  his passionate rages and wild proclamations at the height of his fury.  None of 
  these things can change a Hierarch vote majority.  However, temporary alliances 
  of convenience between Hierarchs almost always collapse (considering their 
  alignments), and even the wiliest of scheming Hierarchs have been shocked to 
  find themselves defeated in a second vote over a “random” matter in the weeks 
  after such an upset. 
  Not all votes are passionate, however.  When the Overlord does not want to 
  bother with something (non-violent rivalries, matters of the arts, things he sees 
  as petty, or issues of perceived injustice caused by his Inquisitors), he simply 
  does not vote. 
  The votes of the Hierarchs are always made public, typically when city criers 
  are yelling out a new proclamation.  The populace knows that the Grand Council 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  41 
   
  generally votes along expected good-vs.-evil lines.  But they also sometimes vote 
  along law-vs.-chaos lines, and there are frequent alliances of political 
  convenience.  Even agreements between the Lawful Good and the Lawful Evil 
  Hierarchs are surprisingly common.  Most votes end up with narrow majorities, 
  much political wrangling, and the diametrically opposed good and evil powers 
  trying to sway the five neutral (CN, LN, NE, NG, TN) Hierarchs to their cause. 
  Needless to say, the Kings and Queens who rule the kingdoms surrounding 
  the city state believe that that the free city’s political system is truly mad.  But 
  they never forget that the Overlord has ruled and remained in power longer than 
  any of them. 
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  42 
   
   
  THE HIERARCHS 
   
  Each of the nine Hierarchs is a person of extreme daring, perception, tact, 
  intelligence, and allure.  Those who do not possess all of these gifts never make 
  it to the upper echelon of power. 
  Most, but not all of them, are priests.  In game terms, that means clerics, 
  druids, and monks.  They are nobles from other lands, who have chosen to 
  relinquish foreign power for the glory of the peerless city state.  Most of them 
  have traditional noble titles — Duke / Duchess, Marquis / Marchioness, Count 
  / Countess, Baron / Baroness — although some have curiously exotic titles such 
  as Hetman, Herzog, Amier, or even Chieftain. 
  As with the Exarchs, their experience levels range between 21 and 24.  They 
  are of “random” sex, race, and class (from the players’ and the public’s 
  perspective, as determined by the GM).  Each of them is extremely well equipped, 
  resourceful, careful, and protected.  Those who are not tend to suffer “accidents” 
  within their first year of reign. 
  The violent killing of a Hierarch is extremely rare, and it is always an epic 
  scandal which leads to city-wide violence and riots for a time.  But nevertheless, 
  old age, sickness, and honest accidents do happen, and the exile or promotion 
  of a Hierarch is rather common.  In any given year, at least three Hierarch 
  positions will change even without the PCs’ machinations or the GM’s plans. 
  And yes, if you want to dive into an epic kingdom-running campaign in the 
  years to come, you could easily rule that any PC who reaches level 20 can run 
  for Hierarch of their alignment … provided, of course, that they are a titled 
  champion of their deity.  That doesn’t mean that they’re a cleric; it means that 
  they have completed an epic alignment quest of such notoriety that many of the 
  world’s kingdoms briefly take notice. 
  Make of that what you will! 
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  43 
   
   
  VII 
  MINIONS 
  OF THE 
  OVERLORD 
   
   
  It is true that the Overlord, the Exarchs (through their influence), and the 
  Hierarchs rule the city state.  But the alignment situation, the many rival 
  temples, and the appearance of the avatars of gods and goddesses from time to 
  time create a wild and nigh-miraculous urban landscape that — from the point 
  of view of a lawful outsider — seems volatile to the point of insanity.  How can a 
  Lawful Neutral Overlord let madness reign?  How can he let every alignment 
  coexist, and celebrate every cause that obeys the city’s laws? 
  It’s almost as if instability is the very foundation of his city’s power.  Every 
  power feels welcome here, but no one power can ever achieve a majority for the 
  purposes of influence, revolution, or revolt. 
  Wait a minute.  Maybe he’s actually smarter than anyone else.  He has ruled 
  and thrived this way for over a hundred years, after all.  And he only died once 
  … 
  This controlled madness is kept in check by the considerable forces at the 
  Overlord’s beck and call.  The city state is by far the most militarized power, per 
  capita, in the entire region of the Inner Sea.  The surrounding kingdoms do have 
  larger armies, certainly, but no one King or Queen ever feels so confident of 
  victory that the idea of outright war against the Overlord can be seriously 
  entertained. 
  There are five major branches of the Overlord’s power, his “fist” within the 
  lion gauntlet:  the Inquisitors, the Soldiery, the City Guard, the Night Watch, and 
  the Vigiles. 
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  44 
   
   
  THE INQUISITORS 
   
  The true purpose of the Inquisitors, although it is never openly acknowledged, 
  is to instill fear of the law and fear of reprisal in every powerful citizen.  
  Inquisitors rarely bother with the weak or the inconsequential.  They don’t have 
  the time … and that’s what the Guard and the Watch are for. 
  Each Inquisitor is an NPC of “random” (GM-determined) race, sex, and class.  
  Their experience levels range between 11 and 19 inclusive.  There is only one 
  level 20, and that is the Grand Inquisitor who leads the order. 
  The alignment of the Inquisitors is open to question, depending on the needs 
  of your city state design.  If the population of your city is mostly Good, they are 
  Lawful Good.  If the population is mostly Evil, they are Lawful Evil.  Otherwise, 
  they are all Lawful Neutral. 
  Inquisitors are the entrusted special agents who investigate rumors of 
  treason, sedition, heresy (e.g., threatened violence or disrespect against the 
  avatar of a god), and so forth.  They openly observe demonstrations, rituals, 
  processions, speeches, improvised public events, and even the occasional honor 
  duel.  In more secretive circumstances, they also investigate the more serious 
  murders (and other heinous crimes) that the Guard and the Watch are too fearful 
  or unimaginative to solve. 
  There are only 66 Inquisitors at a time, including the Grand Inquisitor.  They 
  are not true commanders of armed forces; they are special officers with special 
  powers.  They frequently take bodies of the Guard (during the day) or the Watch 
  (at night) when they are making raids, searching for someone, or “on a mission” 
  to places unknown. 
  By law, no one is supposed to speak to an Inquisitor unless spoken to.  
  Foreigners are famously oblivious to this law (until an Inquisitor points it out to 
  them, and everyone standing around goes all whispery and bug-eyed). 
  There is lots of potential here for role-play, secret missions, heists, foreign 
  blunders, and abject mayhem featuring the Inquisition.  Be sure to have fun with 
  all of that. 
  (And here’s a bit of secret GM information:  The Inquisitors are under orders 
  from the Overlord himself to only kill as a last resort.  He loves to question every 
  suspected heinous criminal personally.) 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  45 
   
   
   
   
  THE SOLDIERY 
   
  The Soldiery — sometimes called the Lion’s Claws — are the troops who 
  defend the city state.  They do not patrol the city or conduct law enforcement; 
  again, that’s what the Guard and the Watch are for.  They do patrol the state’s 
  roads and borders, wipe out humanoid outposts, wage skirmishes, battle with 
  bandits and pirates, and defend the realm.  When the Overlord goes out to slay 
  monsters or to secure the borderlands (which is a surprisingly common thing), 
  cohorts of the Soldiery always ride with him. 
  There are perhaps between 5,000 and 10,000 troops active in the formal 
  Soldiery.  Many more thousands of “Watchmen” (actually, well-trained citizen 
  militiamen and men-at-arms) are available to the Overlord within 48 hours of a 
  crisis.  A grim and common jest throughout the surrounding kingdoms is that if 
  you ever meet a city-state dweller who is not a ready Watchman, it’s because he 
  didn’t yet get a sword for his fifth birthday. 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  46 
   
  In play terms, the exact number of soldiers depends on what you decide, and 
  how martial and warlike your campaign is.  The figure probably shouldn’t exceed 
  10,000 because then we’re begging the question of why the Overlord doesn’t 
  conquer a nearby kingdom outright on a whim. 
  For the sake of convenience, and considering the gaming needs of a pulp 
  fantasy world, I prefer to pretend that the troops all have formal ranks associated 
  with experience levels.  This makes it easier for the GM to avoid terms such as 
  “level 2 guard-fighter,” “level 3 watch-fighter,” or whatever.  When we replace 
  these clumsy distinctions with “Lieutenant,” “Senior Sergeant” and “Master at 
  Arms,” the potential for role-playing and player understanding is very welcome. 
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  47 
   
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  48 
   
   
  Here are the Soldiery ranks that I recommend, based on Gygax’s 1979 DMG, 
  with some considerable elaboration on my part: 
   
  Fighter 
  Level 
   
  Authority 
   
  Soldiery Title(s) 
  0 
  Warrior 
   Soldier 
  0+ 
  Warrior + 
   Veteran 
   
  1 
  Petty Officer 
   Junior Lieutenant 
   Petty Sergeant 
  2 
  Petty Officer 
   Lieutenant 
   Sergeant 
  3 
  Petty Officer + 
   Senior Lieutenant 
   Senior Sergeant 
   
  4 
  Officer 
   Commander 
   Sergeant at Arms 
  5 
  Officer 
   Captain 
  6 
  Officer 
   Senior Captain 
  7 
  Officer 
   Captain at Arms 
   Master of Arms 
  8 
  Officer + 
   Champion 
   Vaunted Captain 
   
  9 
  Commander 
   High Champion 
   Lord Commander 
  10 
  Commander 
   Grand Champion 
   Lord Captain 
  11 
  Commander 
   Warlord 
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  49 
   
   
  Fighter 
  Level 
   
  Authority 
   
  Soldiery Title(s) 
  12 
  Commander + 
   High Warlord 
   
  13 
  Force Commander 
   General “III” (Silver / Tertius) 
  14 
  Force Commander 
   General “II” (Gold / Secundus) 
  15 
  Force Commander 
   General “I” (Platinum / Primus) 
  16 
  Force Commander 
   General of the Archonate 
  17 
  Force Commander + 
   Vice Marshal 
   
  18 
  High Command 
   Marshal 
  19 
  High Command 
   High Constable 
   Lord Marshal 
  20 
  High Command + 
   Archon and Grand Marshal 
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  50 
   
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  51 
   
   
  THE GUARD 
   
  And now, we come to the stereotypical “guards” who walk around the city, 
  bugging and chasing the Player Characters.  The City Guardsmen are 
  professional men-at-arms who patrol the city (not the surrounding state, just the 
  city itself) from dawn to dusk.  From dusk to dawn, their duties are taken over 
  by the more flexible force that is known as the Night Watch.  A formal “changing 
  of the guard” occurs throughout the city at sunset. 
  The Guardsmen and Guardswomen possess general powers of law 
  enforcement.  They are perhaps between 1,000 and 2,000 in number.  Their 
  ranks are increased with entrusted militia in times of need, and times of need 
  are common.  Examples of “hard times” for the Guard include:  religious holidays 
  and festival days; Colosseum and arena days; treasure fleet, treasure caravan, 
  and faire arrival days; visiting days for foreign nobles and ambassadors; and 
  whenever small battles or naval actions are being fought by the Soldiery. 
  The vast majority of Guardsmen are either level 0, or level 1 fighters.  A level 
  0 guard (equivalent to a Commoner in the MM, CR 0) is termed a Man-at-Arms 
  or Woman-at-Arms.  A level 0+ guard (equivalent to a Guard in the MM, CR 1/8) 
  is termed either a Guardsman or a Guardswoman.  A level 1 guard (equivalent 
  to a level 1 fighter with decent ability scores, CR 1/4) is termed a Veteran Guard, 
  or informally a “Helm.”  These men and women are in turn led by ranking officers 
  who follow the ranks of the Soldiery, as Guard Lieutenants, Guard Sergeants, 
  Guard Commanders, Guard Captains, and so forth.  There are surprisingly few 
  officers, and sometimes guards are forced to make judgment calls on the spot 
  without superior authority.  The High Captain of the Guard is only level 10. 
  Guards are always overworked.  They vary wildly in their goodness, 
  competence, intelligence, empathy, patience, and superstition.  They are cops in 
  a fantasy world, doing the best they can.  Play them as such.  And don’t let the 
  players get away with stupid things!  (Much.) 
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  52 
   
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  53 
   
   
  THE NIGHT WATCH 
   
  The Night Watch are widely (and unfairly) regarded as being more intelligent, 
  courageous, unpredictable, creative, and well-humored than their City 
  Guardsmen colleagues are.  It is true that Night Watch duty pays wages half 
  again as high from week to week, but their imperilment and casualty ratings are 
  through the roof.  Not everyone is cut out for this duty. 
  They patrol the city at night, while pretending they are nowhere.  They are 
  fewer in number, more experienced, more powerful, and are forced to take on a 
  more intuitive and investigative role in every venture.  These positions demand 
  détente, cleverness, and initiative, as well as bold devotion to the Overlord. 
  There are perhaps 1,000 Night Watchmen and Watchwomen in a good-aligned 
  city-state; 750 in a neutral one; or only 500 in an evil one.  In other words, the 
  overall alignment of your city state is in part caused and engendered by the law 
  enforcement, or lack thereof, which is present in the night. 
  Only about 50% of the Night Watch are male.  Their experience levels range 
  between 1 and 4.  Suggested ranks are Night Watchman (level 1), Night Sentry 
  (level 2), Night Protector / Protectress (level 3), and Night Constable (level 4).  
  They are led by a few officers (levels 5-14), and the officers never advertise their 
  special presence.  Officer ranks include Watch Commanders, Watch Captains, 
  and so forth.  Night Watchers dislike formal ranks of any kind (and their full 
  ranking system is indeed unknown), and habitually refer to one another by last 
  name. 
  Not all of them are fighters.  All classes are represented.  All of them, 
  regardless of class, are fairly skilled duelists, fencers, climbers, jumpers, 
  runners, and wrestlers. 
  A surprisingly large number of demi-humans serve in the Night Watch, 
  especially as opposed to the humanocentric City Guard.  Their powers of 
  Darkvision, enhanced senses, low-level magic, resistances, and / or small size 
  are greatly in demand.  For obvious reasons, intrepid gnomes and halflings do 
  very well in the Watch’s ranks. 
  These are the badass detective-warriors of your city.  Use them well. 
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  54 
   
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  55 
   
   
  THE VIGILES 
   
  The “Sardaukar”-like Vigiles are special elite troops of the Overlord.  They 
  serve as bodyguards, Citadel guards, firefighter commanders, and at level 5+ 
  (throughout the state, outside of the city) as judge-jury-executioner “gunslingers” 
  on special enforcement and investigative assignments.  They try to be 
  everywhere, and throughout the state, outside the city, they are greatly respected 
  and feared.  Within the city, even some citizens don’t understand what exactly it 
  is they do.  Until all hell breaks loose, and the gunslingers reveal themselves … 
  Most of them are warrior-spell casters.  If your campaign has firearms, they 
  have them.  Even the lowest of them have superior ability scores, especially 
  Dexterity, Constitution, and Intelligence.  Every Vigile has at least one 18 ability 
  score.  There are approximately 200 bloodlines represented in these hereditary 
  posts, and traditionally only 300 individual posts exist at any one time. 
  They are not only a fighting force, they are a secret society.  Their origin is 
  known only to the Overlord.  Collectively, they regard death in the service of the 
  Overlord as the ultimate honor, the attainment of eternal glory, and cannot by 
  law be resurrected if they die violently.  To resurrect a Vigile “away” from his final 
  glory is a grave religious offense.  (If resurrected by force in some way, the 
  desecrated Vigiles will ritually kill themselves at first opportunity.) 
  Those who survive the Vigile initiation and low-level experience gain ranks 
  based on their prowess (attained personal glory).  In game terms, the Vigile with 
  the lowest XP total is on the bottom of this hierarchy, and the one with the 
  highest XP total is on the top.  Ranks are fluid due to personal accomplishment, 
  and there is a great deal of competition within the order for exaltation. 
  Vigiles never need check morale.  They never retreat unless the Overlord 
  commands them to do so, and they are somehow immune to magical fear and 
  some forms of mind control. 
   
  
   
  The second generation of Vigiles were those troops who left the Eld Empire 
  with the Overlord, well over 100 years ago, to found the City State.  It is a time 
  still shrouded in mystery, and little spoken of by the Overlord or his companions.  
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  56 
   
  It is known that the Vigiles have Romanesque ranks, which hint that they must 
  hail from the ancestral warrior bloodlines of the now-crumbling Empire. These 
  ranks have been retained by the Overlord as honorable badges of superior 
  station. 
  The Overlord owes a great debt to the Vigiles, but no one knows exactly what 
  it is.  It is however known that they all committed ritual suicide when the 
  Overlord was assassinated long ago, and the order was then rebuilt in some 
  mysterious hereditary fashion. 
  The Vigiles are rarely seen in the city outside of the Citadel.  If they are not 
  on guard duty, they are “on the road.”  If they are within the city walls for some 
  reason, it is because there is serious trouble brewing and they are serving as the 
  “Eyes” of the Overlord.  Elder citizens generate a wild rumor mill on those rare 
  occasions when organized troops of Vigiles are moving through the districts.  
  Something huge is happening, but whatever it is, it might entirely happen in 
  silence and in secrecy. 
  Infamously, the Vigiles are also known to be present when an assassination 
  attempt on a person of power is rumored to be in the offing.  (Targets are typically 
  Hierarchs, priests, guild masters, noblemen, visiting unpopular officials from 
  foreign lands, and so forth.) 
  Although not always individually powerful, the Vigiles bear considerable 
  authority and mystique.  Each carries a personally-granted heirloom of the 
  Overlord on a silver chain about his or her neck.  Even the Inquisitors tend to 
  get nervous when the Vigiles are out of the Citadel, mucking about in “casual” 
  formation. 
  And here is an interesting role-playing note for you to consider:  It is forbidden 
  for Inquisitors of any rank to openly question a Vigile in public, regardless of the 
  circumstances.  If an Inquisitor expresses an urgent need to speak to a Vigile, 
  the Vigile can in turn insist that the conversation must take place in a private 
  audience attended by the Overlord. 
   
  
   
  These are the “secret service” of your campaign.  I could tell you more about 
  them, but it is better if I don’t.  You should come up with the mysterious details 
  yourself.  The suggested ranks of the Vigiles are as follows: 
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  57 
   
   
  Total 
  Experience 
  Level 
   
  Authority 
   
  Vigile Title(s) 
  1 
  Bodyguard / 
  Apprentice 
   Vigile (150 in number) 
  2 
  Bodyguard 
   Tesserarius (30) 
   Decanus (20) 
  3 
  Bodyguard 
   Praetorian (30) 
   
  4 
  Senior Vigile 
   Signifer (20) 
  5 
  Senior Vigile 
   Vexillarius (5) 
   
  6 
  Elite Officer 
   Optio Centurion (15) 
  5 
  Elite Officer 
   Centurion (15) 
  7 
  Elite Officer 
   Centurion Pilus Prior (3) 
   
  8 
  Grand Officer 
   Centurion Primus Pilus (1) 
  9 
  Grand Officer 
   Tribunis Militum (5) 
   
  10 
  Vigile Commander 
   Praefectus Castrorum (1) 
  11 
  Vigile Commander 
   Tribunis Laticlavius (1) 
   
  12 
  Force Commander 
   Praetor (1) 
  13 
  Force Commander 
   Legatus Legionis (1) 
   
  14 
  High Command 
   Legatus Pro Praetore (1) 
  15 
  High Command 
   Golden Lion of the City (1) 
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  58 
   
   
  
   
  (Above experience level 15, the Vigiles — in times of war — are under the 
  overall command of the General of the Archonate, who acquiesces whenever 
  possible to the presence of the Overlord himself.) 
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  59 
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  60 
   
   
  VIII 
  SOCIAL STANDING 
  AND 
  HONOR CASTES 
   
   
  In creating a glorious city state, you need to make sure that not only the 
  authorities and powers are interesting.  Every single citizen, including the Player 
  Characters — especially the PCs — has a very specific place in the social older, 
  however low it might be.  And social climbing, and falling, occur as direct results 
  of game play, victories, feats, exploits, and failures. 
  You want your players’ actions to change their personal social standing all 
  the time.  And not always for the better!  This, and the fact that each PC will 
  have a different and unique social level, is going to make the players hugely 
  invested in your urban campaign. 
  Therefore, the city state has its own very special social system, which 
  embraces all alignments, and races, and all classes.  Even criminals and 
  murderers have “ranks” of relative disfavor.  One’s worth is measured by a 
  complex admixture of bloodline, birthright, profession, rank, respect, authority, 
  and personal ambition. 
  Further, there is one old school concept that your players are going to figure 
  out right off the bat:  social ranks are not fair.  There’s prejudice against some 
  classes, and favoritism toward others.  Your players may howl that this is unfair.  
  Your reply should be, “It certainly is, and that’s the point.” 
  After the tears stop, the players may realize that one of their more silent, less 
  involved, or more eccentric buddies is actually “the leader” in regards to urban 
  adventures, based on his or her PC’s initial social standing.  And that is good … 
  you probably don’t want a single player dominating all of the play sessions.  If 
  the party has a different dungeon leader, a different wilderness leader, and a 
  different urban leader, that’s probably an excellent thing. 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  61 
   
  These social levels originate in Gary Gygax’s original writings, particularly as 
  featured in 1985’s release Unearthed Arcana.  Society frowns upon knaves, and 
  celebrates the knights, because that’s the way things work around here.  Priests 
  are respected, even if evil, because they are chosen and invested with power by 
  the gods.  Mages are respected too, even if they are empowered by dark forces, 
  because they are personal manifestations of the will of the arcane.  And in all 
  circumstances, a level 1 paladin (the incarnation of a revered feudal bloodline) is 
  going to be considerably more respected than a level 1 barbarian.  But then 
  again, the paladin probably has to worry about assassination attempts and 
  rivalries between knightly orders, while the barbarian can come and go as he 
  pleases. 
  If your players are still a bit uppity as a result of this unfair revelation, simply 
  explain to them that some character classes are more highly regarded by the 
  commoners than others are.  The stereotypes are reinforced by personal 
  experience.  Ask them this:  When you need to sit on the city bus for an hour 
  and there’s only two open seats left, would you rather sit by the polite and 
  charming gentleman, or the stinky and aggressive homeless person?  Alrighty 
  then. 
  You can further explain that an individual’s social standing will increase 
  based on his personal (mis)deeds, generosity, intelligence, and the favors granted 
  to him or her by the grateful powers who are aided (quest-giving Hierarchs, 
  Exarchs, guild masters, knight captains, gladiatorial clan masters, and so forth).  
  Some players may strive for fame, while others strive for infamy.  Either extreme 
  could yield some tremendous role-playing experiences for that person, and for 
  the group.  And you can quickly motivate your power-seeking players to one-up 
  one another in the influence game, too.  This will lead to some surprising 
  rivalries, make-up sessions, compromises, changes in lead, and so forth. 
  All of this is good:  This is a crucial feature of the game that is rarely addressed 
  in the modern edition.  Further, this is a special and unusual form of progression 
  that is unique to the city.  The dungeon and the wilderness cannot provide this 
  experience!  So play it up.  Anyone who is unhappy with their PC’s standing can 
  (a) suck it up, and (b) strive to improve it.  If you don’t want to be so unpopular, 
  then perhaps you shouldn’t have rolled an assassin, eh? 
  My own campaign has a lot more detail than what I am going to provide, but 
  I did not want to overwhelm you.  Basically, there are 100 “ranks” of social 
  standing, or peerage.  Each character (PC or NPC) is “born” at a specific rank, as 
  listed in the tables hereafter.  Personal good deeds improve this rank, and 
  personal bad deeds worsen it.  Good or bad deeds performed by the party may 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  62 
   
  provide all PCs with a blanket reward or punishment (+3, -2, or whatever).  The 
  magnitude of the deed affects the magnitude of the fall / climb, with minor 
  matters being a +/- 1 and major matters (murder of an innocent, saving the life 
  of someone important) being a +/- 5.  And importantly, events which occur 
  outside of the public eye — whether good or bad — do not affect social standing! 
  The rank “100th” is the worst, and the rank “1st” is the best.  No PC can ever 
  reach “4th” without becoming an Exarch, and no PC can ever exceed “2nd” 
  without overthrowing and becoming the Overlord. 
   
  
   
  The starting social standing ratings for PCs of level 1 — race, alignment, and 
  Charisma not withstanding, until personal deeds are observed — are as follows: 
   
   (Lowest) Rogues:  86th 
   Barbarians:  78th 
   Bards:  72nd 
   Fighters:  63rd 
   Druids:  60th 
   Rangers:  59th 
   Mages (Sorcerers, Warlocks, Wizards):  52nd 
   Monks:  44th 
   Clerics:  40th 
   (Highest) Paladins:  28th 
   
  So let the tears begin.  It’s time for the players to begin planning an 
  improvement of these disparate positions — individually, and also as a team — 
  if they wish to improve their station, power, and influence in the wild sphere of 
  power and intrigue that is the city state. 
  After they spend some time proving themselves, you may want to allow the 
  PCs to be regarded as an Adventuring Fellowship, rather than as individuals.  In 
  my campaign, that entails taking all of the PCs’ peerage ranks, adding them 
  together, dividing by the number of PCs, and rounding up.  For instance, if your 
  campaign has 5 PCs who adventure together and their social ranks are 80, 74, 
  52, 40, and 31, then they could collectively have a group rank of (80 plus 74 plus 
  52 plus 40 plus 31 equals 277, divided by 5 equals 55.4, rounded up equals) 56.  
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  63 
   
  Note that in this example case, the PCs who were ranked 31st, 40th, and 52nd 
  have all lost standing via being associated with the group, and those who are 
  ranked 74th and 80th have gained significantly.  But, the entire group will stand 
  or fall based on individuals’ actions.  If one PC turns evil and starts killing people, 
  the entire group’s reputation will be dragged down into the gutter. 
  Because of the volatility and inherent team danger that an Adventuring 
  Fellowship social ranking implies, I strongly advise you to only go that route if 
  four conditions are met:  [1] The players have played with the individual rankings 
  for at least a real-world month (30+) days, [2] You opt to allow the option, [3] The 
  players vote unanimously in favor of it, and [4] The players understand that the 
  group rating decision cannot be changed, and no one changes their vote as a 
  result of that understanding.  Then, the PCs can pay a customary fee for an 
  official charter, seal, and coat of arms to the magistrates of the Overlord; say, 
  1,000 gold pieces and a month’s wait.  How you handle the urban campaign’s 
  goings-on after that fateful decision, however, is strictly up to you. 
   
  
   
  THE 100 SOCIAL RANKS 
   
  The social castes of “normal” people (NPCs and non-social climbing 
  individuals) throughout the city state are as follows: 
   
  
   
   
  THE EXILED, CRIMINAL, AND NEFARIOUS 
  The Accursed and the Hunted 
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  100th 
   Blood Nemeses of the Overlord 
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  64 
   
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  99th 
   Arch-Enemies of the Overlord 
   
  98th 
   Enemies of the Overlord 
   
  97th 
   Infamous Criminals 
   Mass Murderers 
   
  96th 
   Notorious Criminals 
   Murderers 
   
  95th 
   Career Criminals 
   Man Slaughterers 
   Violent Criminals 
   
  94th 
   Habitual Criminals 
   Rebellious Slaves 
   
  93rd 
   Diseased Slaves 
   Petty Criminals 
   
   
  
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  65 
   
   
   
  CASTE I: 
  LOWER LOWER CLASS (LLC) 
  Slaves, Peasantry, and Untouchables 
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  92nd 
   Disgraced Slaves 
   Weak Slaves 
   
  91st 
   Unproven Slaves 
   
  90th 
   Diseased Beggars 
   Slaves (majority) 
   
  89th 
   Worthy Slaves (well-behaved, of long repute, etc.) 
   
  88th 
   Assassins (Level 1; i.e., Rogues) 
   
  87th 
   Esteemed Slaves (e.g., those with artistic talents) 
   Honored Slaves (e.g., those who save a master’s life) 
   
  86th 
   Assassins (Level 2) 
   Thieves (Level 1; i.e., Rogues) 
   
  85th 
   Beggars (majority) 
   
  84th 
   Assassins (Level 3) 
   Beggar Children 
   Thieves (Level 2) 
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  66 
   
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  83rd 
   Bordars / Cottars (Serfs of lower status) 
   Freed Slaves 
   Worthy Beggars (former soldiers etc.) 
   
  82nd 
   Assassins (Level 4) 
   Peons 
   Serfs (majority) 
   Thieves (Level 3) 
   
  81st 
   Peasant Farmers 
   Peasant Laborers 
   Villeins 
   
  80th 
   Assassins (Level 5) 
   Drudges 
   Thieves (Level 4) 
   Tinkers (of poor skill / repute) 
   
   
  
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  67 
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
  CASTE II: 
  MIDDLE LOWER CLASS (MLC) 
  Inferiors, Servants, and Laborers 
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  79th 
   Tinkers (majority) 
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  68 
   
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  78th 
   Assassins (Level 6) 
   Barbarians (Level 1) 
   Thieves (Level 5) 
   
  77th 
   Barbarians (Level 2) 
   Disreputable Actors 
   Tinkers (of considerable skill / repute) 
   
  76th 
   Assassins (Level 7) 
   Thieves (Level 6) 
   
  75th 
   Barbarians (Level 3) 
   Laborers 
   Unproven Men-at-Arms (no expeditions) 
   
  74th 
   Actors (majority) 
   Assassins (Level 8) 
   Herdsmen (unestablished, semi-nomadic) 
   Thieves (Level 7) 
   
  73rd 
   Barbarians (Level 4) 
   Blooded Men-at-Arms (having conducted one expedition) 
   Herdsmen (established, majority) 
   Jugglers 
   
  72nd 
   Assassins (Level 9) 
   Bards (Level 1) 
   Herdsmen (of long standing / repute) 
   Shifty / Disreputable Peddlers 
   Thieves (Level 8) 
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  69 
   
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  71st 
   Barbarians (Level 5) 
   Known Actors 
   Jugglers (charming / skilled) 
   Peddlers (majority) 
   Shifty / Disreputable Fences 
   
  70th 
   Assassins (Level 12) 
   Bards (Level 2) 
   Men-at-Arms (majority; having conducted two to five 
  expeditions) 
   Respected / Well-Known Actors 
   Thieves (Level 9) 
   Trustworthy Peddlers 
   
   
  
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  70 
   
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  71 
   
   
  
   
   
  CASTE III: 
  UPPER LOWER CLASS (ULC) 
  Kith, Kindred, and Lesser Citizenry 
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  69th 
   Barbarians (Level 6) 
   Fences (majority) 
   Lesser Freemen (likely owning a small home only) 
   
  68th 
   Assassins (Level 11) 
   Bards (Level 3) 
   Famous Actors 
   Thieves (Level 10) 
   
  67th 
   Assassins (Level 12) 
   Barbarians (Level 7) 
   Bards (Level 4) 
   Thieves (Level 11) 
   Trustworthy Fences 
   
  66th 
   Barbarians (Level 8) 
   Freemen (majority, likely owning a home of moderate size) 
   Shifty / Disreputable Moneychangers 
   Veteran Men-at-Arms (having conducted six or more 
  expeditions) 
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  72 
   
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  65th 
   Assassins (Level 13) 
   Barbarians (Level 9) 
   Bards (Level 5) 
   Low-Skilled Tradesmen 
   Thieves (Level 12) 
   
  64th 
   Assassins (Level 14) 
   Bards (Level 6) 
   Citizens (in general; those which are difficult to classify) 
   Established Freemen (likely owning a fine home of 
  moderate size) 
   Thieves (Level 13) 
   
  63rd 
   Barbarians (Level 10) 
   Fighters (Level 1) 
   Low-Skilled Tradesmen 
   Moneychangers (majority) 
   
  62nd 
   Assassins (Level 15) 
   Bards (Level 7) 
   Petty Merchants 
   Thieves (Level 14) 
   Tradesmen (majority) 
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  73 
   
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  74 
   
   
  
   
   
  CASTE IV: 
  LOWER MIDDLE CLASS (LMC) 
  Greater Citizenry, Veterans, and Yeomanry 
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  61st 
   Bards (Level 8) 
   Trustworthy Moneychangers 
   
  60th 
   Barbarians (Level 11) 
   Druids (Level 1) 
   Fighters (Level 2) 
    
  59th 
   Assassins (Level 16) 
   Craftsmen (majority) 
   Rangers (Level 1) 
   Thieves (Level 15) 
   
  58th 
   Barbarians (Level 12) 
   Skilled Tradesmen 
   Unprosperous Merchants 
   
  57th 
   Assassins (Level 17) 
   Bards (Level 9) 
   Druids (Level 9) 
   Petty Sergeants (Fighter Level 1) 
   Thieves (Level 16) 
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  75 
   
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  56th 
   Barbarians (Level 13) 
   Common-Origin Knights (Level 1 Fighters) 
   Enfranchised Citizens (general; those with hereditary 
  honors for voting or minor ancestral property rights) 
   Lieutenants (Fighter Level 1) 
   Merchants (majority) 
   Skilled Craftsmen 
   Rangers (Level 2) 
   
  55th 
   Assassins (Level 18) 
   Bards (Level 10) 
   Fighters (Level 3) 
   Thieves (Level 17) 
   
  54th 
   Barbarians (Level 14) 
   Druids (Level 3) 
   Low-Skilled Artisans 
   Sergeants (Fighter Level 2) 
   
  53rd 
   Assassins (Level 19) 
   Bards (Level 11) 
   Common-Origin Knights (Fighter Level 2) 
   Rangers (Level 3) 
   Senior Lieutenants (Fighter Level 3) 
   Thieves (Level 18) 
   
  52nd 
   Barbarians (Level 15) 
   Fighters (Level 4) 
   Mages (Level 1) 
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  76 
   
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  51st 
   Artisans (majority) 
   Assassins (Level 20) 
   Banker’s Apprentices 
   Bards (Level 12) 
   Druids (Level 4) 
   Prosperous Merchants 
   Senior Sergeants (Fighter Level 3) 
   Thieves (Level 19) 
   Worthy Citizens (typically Enfranchised Citizens of long 
  standing and high repute, elders etc.) 
   
   
  
   
   
  CASTE V: 
  MIDDLE MIDDLE CLASS (MMC) 
  Gentlefolk, Gentry, and Respected Citizenry 
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  50th 
   Barbarians (Level 16) 
   Common-Origin Knights (Fighter Level 3) 
   Rangers (Level 4) 
   Shady / Disreputable Bankers 
   
  49th 
   Bards (Level 13) 
   Fighters (Level 5) 
   Mages (Level 2) 
   Thieves (Level 20) 
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  77 
   
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  48th 
   Barbarians (Level 17) 
   Druids (Level 5) 
   Sergeants of Arms (Fighter Level 4) 
   Skilled Artisans 
   
  47th 
   Bards (Level 14) 
   Common-Origin Knights (Fighter Level 4) 
   Rangers (Level 5) 
   
  46th 
   Bankers (majority) 
   Barbarians (Level 18) 
   Fighters (Level 6) 
   Mages (Level 3) 
   Wealthy Merchants 
   
  45th 
   Bards (Level 15) 
   Druids (Level 6) 
   
  44th 
   Barbarians (Level 19) 
   Captains (Fighter Level 5) 
   Common-Origin Knights (Fighter Level 5) 
   Landed Gentry Folk 
   Monks (Level 1) 
   Rangers (Level 6) 
   
  43rd 
   Bards (Level 16) 
   Fighters (Level 7) 
   Mages (Level 4) 
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  78 
   
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  42nd 
   Apprentice Guild Masters 
   Barbarians (Level 20) 
   Druids (Level 7) 
   
  41st 
   Bards (Level 17) 
   Common-Origin Knights (Fighter Level 6) 
   Great Merchants 
   Landless Baronets 
   Monks (Level 2) 
   Prosperous Bankers 
   Rangers (Level 7) 
   Senior Captains (Fighter Level 7) 
   
   
  
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  79 
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  80 
   
   
  
   
   
  CASTE VI: 
  UPPER MIDDLE CLASS (UMC) 
  Honored Citizenry, Rising Personages, and Worthies 
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  40th 
   Clerics (Level 1; typically independent of a temple, 
  wanderers, prophet prentices, etc.) 
   Fighters (Level 8) 
   Mages (Level 5) 
   
  39th 
   Bards (Level 18) 
   Druids (Level 8) 
   Minor Guild Masters (typically of minor trade guilds) 
   
  38th 
   Captains at Arms (Fighter Level 7) 
   Common-Origin Knights (Fighter Level 7) 
   Monks (Level 3) 
   Rangers (Level 8) 
   
  37th 
   Bards (Level 19) 
   Clerics (Level 2) 
   Fighters (Level 9) 
   Mages (Level 6) 
   Temple Priests (Cleric Level 1) 
   
  36th 
   Baronets 
   Druids (Level 9) 
   Wealthy Bankers 
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  81 
   
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  35th 
   Bards (Level 20) 
   Common-Origin Knights (Fighter Level 8) 
   Lesser Guild Masters (typically of trade guilds) 
   Rangers (Level 9) 
   Monks (Level 4) 
   Vaunted Captains (Fighter Level 8) 
   
  34th 
   Clerics (Level 3) 
   Fighters (Level 10) 
   Mages (Level 7) 
   Temple Priests (Cleric Level 2) 
   
  33rd 
   Common-Origin Knights (Fighter Level 9) 
   Druids (Level 10) 
   Monks (Level 5) 
   Rangers (Level 10) 
   
  32nd 
   Clerics (Level 4) 
   Fighters (Level 11) 
   Great Bankers 
   Landless Barons 
   Mages (Level 8) 
   Temple Priests (Cleric Level 3) 
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  82 
   
   
  
   
   
  CASTE VII: 
  LOWER UPPER CLASS (LUC) 
  Champions, Exemplars, and Scions 
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  31st 
   Druids (Level 11) 
   Guild Masters (typically of fairly influential trade guilds, 
  or professional guilds; but if the experience level indicates 
  a higher social rank, use the higher rank instead) 
   
  30th 
   Aspirant Hierarchs (typically Level 9) 
   Common-Origin Knights (Level 10) 
   Monks (Level 6) 
   Rangers (Level 11) 
   
  29th 
   Clerics (Level 5) 
   Fighters (Level 12) 
   Mages (Level 9) 
   Temple Priests (Cleric Level 4) 
   
  28th 
   Common-Origin Knights (Level 11) 
   Druids (Level 12) 
   Monks (Level 7) 
   Paladins (Level 1) 
   Rangers (Level 12) 
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  83 
   
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  27th 
   Clerics (Level 6) 
   Fighters (Level 13) 
   Greater Guild Masters (typically of highly influential trade 
  guilds, or powerful professional guilds; but if the 
  experience level indicates a higher social rank, use the 
  higher rank instead) 
   Mages (Level 10) 
   Temple Priests (Cleric Level 5) 
   
  26th 
   Common-Origin Knights (Level 12) 
   Druids (Level 13) 
   Monks (Level 8) 
   Paladins (Level 2) 
   Rangers (Level 13) 
   
  25th 
   Clerics (Level 7) 
   Druids (Level 14) 
   Fighters (Level 14) 
   Mages (Level 11) 
   Temple Priests (Cleric Level 6) 
   
   
  
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  84 
   
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  85 
   
   
  
   
   
  CASTE VIII: 
  MIDDLE UPPER CLASS (MUC) 
  Heroic Champions, Lesser Nobility, and Peerage 
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  24th 
   Common-Origin Knights (Level 13) 
   Illustrious Guild Masters (typically of the most important 
  trade guilds, e.g. the top five markets in the city state) 
   Monks (Level 9) 
   Paladins (Level 3) 
   Rangers (Level 14) 
   
  23rd 
   Barons 
   Clerics (Level 8) 
   Fighters (Level 15) 
   Mages (Level 12) 
   Temple Priests (Cleric Level 7) 
   
  22nd 
   Common-Origin Knights (Level 14) 
   Druids (Level 15) 
   Monks (Level 10) 
   Paladins (Level 4) 
   Rangers (Level 15) 
   
  21st 
   Clerics (Level 9) 
   Fighters (Level 16) 
   Mages (Level 13) 
   Temple Priests (Cleric Level 8) 
   Viscounts 
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  86 
   
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  20th 
   Druids (Level 16) 
   Generals III (Tertius) (Fighter Level 13) 
   
  19th 
   Common-Origin Knights (Level 15) 
   Monks (Level 11) 
   Paladins (Level 5) 
   Rangers (Level 16) 
   
  18th 
   Clerics (Level 10) 
   Counts 
   Fighters (Level 17) 
   Mages (Level 14) 
   Temple Priests (Cleric Level 9) 
   
  17th 
   Common-Origin Knights (Level 16) 
   Druids (Level 17) 
   Generals II (Secundus) (Fighter Level 14) 
   Monks (Level 12) 
   Paladins (Level 6) 
   Rangers (Level 17) 
   
  16th 
   Clerics (Level 11) 
   Fighters (Level 18) 
   Mages (Level 15) 
   Marquises 
   Paladins (Level 7) 
   Temple Priests (Cleric Level 10) 
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  87 
   
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  15th 
   Common-Origin Knights (Level 17) 
   Druids (Level 18) 
   Generals I (Primus) (Fighter Level 15) 
   Monks (Level 13) 
   Paladins (Level 8) 
   Rangers (Level 18) 
   
  14th 
   Clerics (Level 12) 
   Druids (Level 19) 
   Fighters (Level 19) 
   Generals of the Archonate (Fighter Level 16) 
   Mages (Level 16) 
   Paladins (Level 9) 
   Temple Priests (Cleric Level 11) 
   
   
  
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  88 
   
   
   
  CASTE IX: 
  UPPER UPPER CLASS (UUC) 
  Aristocracy, Chosen Ones, and Greater Nobility 
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  13th 
   Clerics (Level 13) 
   Common-Origin Knights (Level 18) 
   Druids (Level 20) 
   Dukes 
   Mages (Level 17) 
   Monks (Level 14) 
   Paladins (Level 10) 
   Rangers (Level 19) 
   Temple Priests (Cleric Level 12) 
   
  12th 
   Clerics (Level 14) 
   Common-Origin Knights (Level 19) 
   Mages (Level 18) 
   Monks (Level 15) 
   Paladins (Level 11) 
   Rangers (Level 20) 
   Regents 
   Temple Priests (Cleric Level 13) 
   
  11th 
   Clerics (Level 15) 
   Common-Origin Knights (Level 20) 
   Grand Dukes 
   Mages (Level 19) 
   Monks (Level 16) 
   Paladins (Level 12) 
   Temple Priests (Cleric Level 14) 
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  89 
   
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  10th 
   Clerics (Level 16) 
   Mages (Level 20) 
   Monks (Level 17) 
   Paladins (Level 13) 
   Temple Priests (Cleric Level 15) 
   Vice Marshals (Fighter Level 17) 
   
  9th 
   Clerics (Level 17) 
   Monks (Level 18) 
   Paladins (Level 14) 
   Temple Priests (Cleric Level 16) 
   
  8th 
   Clerics (Level 18) 
   Marshals (Fighter Level 18) 
   Monks (Level 19) 
   Paladins (Level 15) 
   Regents of Influence 
   Temple Priests (Cleric Level 17) 
   
  7th 
   Clerics (Level 19) 
   Monks (Level 20) 
   Paladins (Level 16) 
   Temple Priests (Cleric Level 18) 
   Weak / Vulnerable Hierarchs 
  6th 
   Archdukes 
   Clerics (Level 20) 
   Hierarchs (majority) 
   Lord Marshals (Fighter Level 19) 
   Paladins (Level 17) 
   Temple Priests (Cleric Level 19) 
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  90 
   
   
  Relative 
  Peerage 
  Example 
  Personages 
  5th 
   Influential Hierarchs 
   Paladins (Level 18) 
   Princes / Princesses 
   Temple Priests (Cleric Level 20) 
   
  4th 
   Archon and Grand Marshal (Fighter Level 20) 
   Dishonored Exarchs 
   First Among Equals Hierarch 
   Kings / Queens 
   Paladins (Level 19) 
   
  3rd 
   Exarchs 
   High Kings / Queens 
   Paladins (Level 20) 
   
  2nd 
   Emperors (of other far realms, from the Overlord’s 
  perspective) 
   First Among Equals Exarch 
   The Overqueen (of rival kingdom) 
   
  1st 
   The Overlord 
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  91 
   
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  92 
   
   
  IX 
  AN END TO ELD2 
  AND A BEGINNING … 
   
   
  And now, you have a fundamental idea of all of the major “pieces” that are 
  going to be in play as you develop the living “game board” that is the city state.  
  I hope you have enjoyed this high-level overview of the concepts involved in 
  fantasy city design, and that you have gotten some exciting ideas on how you are 
  going to implement your own setting in the future. 
  So where do you go from here?  You can forge your own path, or you can 
  always take a look at my suggested development ideas for various aspects of the 
  city. 
  In our next volume (ELD3), we will begin the mid-level design process and get 
  busy with the nuts and bolts of the city itself.  The next supplements ELD3 and 
  ELD4 will detail the professional guilds (for fighters, thieves, wizards, and so 
  forth), the trade guilds (weavers, blacksmiths, spice merchants, etc.), the temple 
  wards, the races and alignments of the people, population numbers and their 
  implications, quarters, wards, districts, the city’s surrounding terrain, the 
  climate, the city’s inspirational culture, the roles and headquarters of the 
  character archetypes (priests, warriors, mages, etc.), caravans, shops, 
  shopkeepers, inns, taverns, streets, alleys, and more.  In ELD4 as well, we will 
  move these pieces into motion as we dangle thousands of adventure hooks under 
  the players’ noses. 
   
  
   
  Until next time, I hope you have enjoyed this supplement!  There is much 
  more to come … 
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  93 
   
   
  ABOUT 
  THE 
  AUTHOR 
   
   
  BEGINNING PLAY as a Chaotic Neutral normal human with one measly hit 
  point to his name, KENT DAVID KELLY eventually became apprenticed to a 
  magic-user of ill repute ... a foul man who dwelt in the steamy deeps of the Ivory 
  Cloud Mountain.  After this mentor carelessly misplaced an intelligent soul-
  sucking sword and then died under suspicious circumstances, his former 
  henchman Mr. Kelly escaped to the deeper underground and there began playing 
  Satanic role-playing games.  This, the legends tell us, occurred in the year 1981. 
  Hoary wizard-priests who inspired Mr. Kelly in his netherworldly 
  machinations included the peerless Gygax, Carr, Arneson, Cook, Hammack, 
  Jaquays, Bledsaw, Moldvay, Kuntz, Schick and Ward.  Sadly, a misguided made-
  for-the-basements movie entitled Mazes and Monsters gave Mr. Kelly’s parents 
  conniptions in 1982.  As a result of that blasphemous Tom Hanks debacle (and 
  other more personal lapses in judgment), Mr. Kelly was eventually forbidden from 
  playing his favorite game for a considerable length of time. 
  Nonplussed but not defeated, he used this enforced exile to escape to a 
  friend’s alehouse, and there indulged himself in now-classic computer RPGs 
  such as Zork, Telengard, Temple of Apshai, Ultima, Tunnels of Doom, The Bard’s 
  Tale, Phantasie, Pool of Radiance, Wizard’s Crown and Wasteland.  He then went 
  on to write computer versions of his own FRPGs, which led to his obsession with 
  coupling creative design elements with random dungeons and unpredictable 
  adventure generation. 
  Mr. Kelly wrote and submitted his first adventure for Dungeon magazine #1 
  in 1986.  Unfortunately, one Mr. Moore decided that his submission was far too 
  “Lovecraftian, horrific and unfair” to ever serve that worthy periodical as a 
  publishable adventure.  Mr. Kelly, it must be said, took this rejection as a very 
  good sign of things to come. 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  94 
   
  In the late 80s and 90s, Mr. Kelly wrote short stories, poems and essays ... 
  some of which have been published under the Wonderland Imprints banner.  He 
  wrote several dark fantasy and horror novels as well.  Concurrently, he ran Dark 
  Angel Collectibles, selling classic FRPG materials as Darkseraphim, and assisted 
  the Acaeum with the creation of the Valuation Board and other minor research 
  projects. 
  At this time, Mr. Kelly and his entourage of Evil gnomes are rumored to dwell 
  in the dread and deathly under-halls of the Acaeum, Dragonsfoot, ENWorld, 
  Grognardia, Knights & Knaves, ODD, and even more nefarious levels deep in the 
  mega-dungeon of the Web. 
  There he remains in vigil, his vampiric sword yet shivering in his hand.  When 
  not being sought outright for answers to halfling riddles or other more sundry 
  sage advice, he is to be avoided by sane individuals at all costs. 
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  95 
   
   
  AVAILABLE FROM 
  WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
   
   
  THE 
  DUNGEON CRUCIBLE 
  SERIES 
   
  Randomizer sandbox tools to help you build an infinite number of old school 
  dungeons in 5E, in a record amount of time. 
   
  1 
  2 
  3 
   
   
  DC1 ~ Dungeon Crucible 
  I:  Random Dungeon 
  Name Generator 
   
   
   
  DC1-B ~ Dungeon 
  Crucible:  1,000 Random 
  Dungeon Names 
   
   
  DC2 ~ Dungeon Crucible 
  II:  Random Dungeon 
  Room Generator 
   
   
  
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  96 
   
   
  
   
  4 
   
   
  DC2-S ~ Dungeon Crucible:  1,000 Rooms of Madness 
   
   
  
   
  SERIES CODE 
  DC 
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  97 
   
   
  
   
  THE 
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 
  SERIES 
   
  Guides and tools to bring the atmosphere and complexity of old school city state 
  adventures into your current 5E campaign. 
   
   1 
  2 
  3 
   
   
  ELD1 ~ Saga of the Elder 
  City I:  Random City 
  State Events 
   
   
  ELD2 ~ Saga of the Elder 
  City II:  City State 
  Creator I 
   
   
   
  ELD3 ~ Saga of the Elder 
  City III:  City State 
  Creator II 
   
  
   
  SERIES CODE 
  ELD 
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  98 
   
   
  
   
  THE 
  GUY DE GAXIAN 
  SERIES 
   
  Bringing the best Gygax-inspired 1E concepts back into 5E … one thematic 
  element at a time.  Book one deals with missing classic monsters. 
   
  1 
   
   
  GG1 ~ Guy de Gaxian’s Dungeon Monsters:  Level 1 
   
   
  
   
  SERIES CODE 
  GG 
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  99 
   
   
  
   
  THE 
  SPAWNING POOL OF THE 
  ELDER THINGS 
  SERIES 
   
  A highly complex and ambitious system which allows you to create an infinite 
  number of Lovecraftian horrors and Dreamland monsters for your game. 
   
  1 
  2 (Free Download) 
   
   
  SP1 ~ Spawning Pool of the Elder 
  Things 
   
   
   
  SP1-W ~ Abomination Development 
  Worksheets 
   
  
   
  SERIES CODE 
  SP 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  100 
   
   
  
   
  THE 
  TREASURE TROVE 
  SERIES 
   
  Simple systems to generate an infinite number of treasure hoards according to 
  the 5E guidelines.  Roll once instead of thirty times! 
   
   1 
  2 
  3 
   
   
  RTT1 ~ Random Treasure 
  Trove Generator 
   
   
   
  TT1 ~ Treasure Trove I:  
  Challenge 1 Treasures 
   
   
  TT2 ~ Treasure Trove II:  
  Challenge 2 Treasures 
   
  
   
   
   
   
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
  SAGA OF THE ELDER CITY 2 — CITY STATE CREATOR I 
  KENT DAVID KELLY (DARKSERAPIM) — WONDERLAND IMPRINTS 
  101 
   
   
  
   
  4 
   
   
  TT3 ~ Treasure Trove III:  Challenge 3 Treasures 
   
   
  
   
  SERIES CODE 
  TT 
   
  
   
  VISIT WONDERLAND IMPRINTS AT THE DM’S GUILD: 
  http://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?keywords=kent+david+kelly&x=0&y=0
  &author=&artist=&pfrom=&pto 
   
   
  AUTHOR CONTACT: 
  shadowed_sky@hotmail.com 
  Thomas Ward (Order #9985629)
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/System neutral/Tables & Charts/World & Planet Building/World-building/City-state Creator.pdf