Kingdom Skills
Unless otherwise specified, kingdom skills generally work in the same way as character skills. Checks require you to roll a d20 and add the skill’s appropriate modifiers, including proficiency, status, circumstance, and potency modifiers.
The kingdom trait applies the same rules for activities as the downtime trait, though it also can be used only during the kingdom phase by a kingdom or by one of its leaders.
General Skill Activities
Most kingdom skill activities are associated with only one skill. General skill activities are associated with more than one. Each general skill activity indicates which skills may be used with it, and each kingdom skill entry lists which general activities it can use. Some skills may only be used for general skill activities in specific circumstances.
Control Checks
Most kingdom skill activities call for a kingdom skill control check. This simply means that the check is made against the kingdom’s Control DC, potentially modified by its Size.
Developing in Rough Terrain
Several region activities (Clear Hex, Fortify Hex, Build Roads, Establish Work Site, and Irrigation) activities require the kingdom to spend an amount of RP depending on the primary terrain of the hex. Use the following table to determine the cost of these activities.
Kingdom Activities
General Activities
Abandon Hex (Kingdom, Region)
Skills Exploration, Wilderness
You renounce your claim to a hex currently under your control and pull back any settlers or explorers. Attempt an Exploration or Wilderness control check. You can abandon more than one hex at a time, but each additional hex you abandon increases the DC of this check by 1.
Special Any Unrest gained from this action is doubled when abandoning a hex containing a settlement.
Critical Success You abandon the hex or hexes, decreasing your kingdom's Size by 1 per hex abandoned. Settlers and explorers return and resettle elsewhere in your kingdom, bringing with them bits of salvage from the abandoned hexes. Gain 1 RP per abandoned hex.
Success As critical success, but you gain no RP and increase Unrest by 1.
Failure As success, but some citizens become disgruntled refugees, increasing Unrest by 2. Attempt a DC 6 flat check; on a failure, the refugees become bandits, and your kingdom experiences a Squatters kingdom event as a bonus event during the next term’s Event phase.
Critical Failure As failure, but increase Unrest by 3 and experience a Bandit Activity event instead of Squatters.
Build Structure (Civic, Kingdom)
Skills vary based on the structure being built
You attempt to build or repair a structure in a settlement granting a Civic activity. You may choose any structure for which you meet the requirements; you normally can't build a structure whose level is higher than your kingdom's level. Select the appropriate number of contiguous buildable lots in a single block as specified by the structure's entry and spend the specified RP and Commodity cost. Then attempt the structure's kingdom skill check.
You can also use this activity to attempt to repair a damaged structure which hasn't been replaced by Rubble. To do so, spend half the structure's RP and Commodity costs, then attempt the specified check. The existing structure gives you a +2 item bonus to the check.
Unless the structure's entry states otherwise, its effects are immediate; if the structure adjusts a Ruin's point total, adjust it upon construction.
Critical Success You construct or repair the structure with great efficiency and get back half the Commodities spent in construction or repair.
Success You construct or repair the structure.
Failure You fail to construct or repair the structure. If you reattempt this activity before the next kingdom turn ends, you don't need to re-pay the costs.
Critical Failure You fail to construct the structure and the lots are filled with Rubble, which need to be Demolished before you can attempt to Build a Structure there again.
Claim Hex (Kingdom, Region)
Skills Exploration, Intrigue, Magic, Wilderness
Requirements You have Reconnoitered the target hex and it is adjacent to a hex already part of your kingdom.
Your surveyors fully explore the hex and attempt to add it to your kingdom’s domain. Spend 1 RP and attempt a kingdom skill check. The DC is based on the level of the hex to be claimed. If the hex contains hazards or dangerous monsters, increase the DC by 4.
Special The kingdom can only perform this activity once per kingdom turn. Starting as a 4th level kingdom, it can be performed up twice per turn, or up to three times per turn starting at 9th level.
Critical Success As success, and it goes so smoothly that the kingdom receives an extra Region activity this turn.
Success You claim the hex and add it to your territory, increasing its Size by 1. Immediately gain XP for claiming the hex as well as any terrain features in it.
Failure You fail to claim the hex.
Critical Failure As failure, and some early settlers and explorers are lost, imposing a -1 circumstance penalty to Stability-based checks for the rest of the turn.
Craft Luxuries (Kingdom, Leadership)
Skills Arts, Industry (trained)
You encourage your artisans to craft luxury goods. Roll any number of Resource Dice and spend RP equal to the result, then attempt a kingdom skill control check. If your Resource Die are a d10 or larger, roll d8s instead.
Critical Success Gain 1d4 Luxury commodities for each Resource Die rolled.
Success Gain Luxury commodities equal to the number of Resource Dice rolled.
Critical Failure Your artisans not only fail to produce anything noteworthy, but some took advantage of the opportunity to push their own agendas or earn more for themselves by selling to underground markets. Increase your Corruption by 1.
Establish Settlement (Kingdom, Region)
Skills Engineering, Industry, Politics, Scholarship
Requirements The target hex has been Claimed and Prepared and has the space necessary for a settlement (at most one major terrain feature)
You draw up plans, gather resources, entice citizens, and establish boundaries to found a settlement. Attempt a kingdom skill control check. If you cannot pay the RP required by the result, treat your result as a critical failure.
A settlement always starts as a village.
Critical Success You establish the settlement largely with the aid of enthusiastic volunteers. Spend 1d6 RP.
Success You establish the settlement. Spend 3d6 RP.
Failure You establish the settlement, but inefficiently and at great expense. Spend 6d6 RP.
Critical Failure You fail to establish the settlement.
Establish Trade Agreement (Kingdom, Leadership)
Skills Boating (trained), Trade
Requirements You have established diplomatic relations with the target group.
You send a band of merchants out to establish a trade agreement between your kingdom and a group with whom you've established diplomatic relations. Attempt a kingdom skill check against the target’s Negotiation DC.
Typically, you attempt a Trade check. If a navigable waterway connects your kingdom with the other group's territory, you can instead attempt a Boating check. If navigable waterways or roads connect one of your settlements to your target, you gain a +4 circumstance bonus to the check.
Critical Success As success, and you roll 2 Resource Dice and gain that amount of RP in good-faith gifts.
Success You establish the trade agreement.
Failure The attempt fails unless you sweeten the deal by rolling 2 Resource Dice and spending the rolled amount.
Critical Failure The attempt is a shameful loss. Gain 1 Unrest. Until the start of the next kingdom turn, suffer a -1 circumstance penalty to Economy-based checks.
Focused Attention (Kingdom, Leadership)
Skills any
You set aside time to focus attention on aiding another leader in an activity. Choose another leader and a kingdom skill, then attempt a control check using the chosen skill at a -2 penalty.
Critical Success You grant the other leader a +2 circumstance bonus to one kingdom check using the same skill you used, provided they attempt the skill check during the same kingdom turn. They must choose to use this bonus before they roll their check. If the kingdom has expert proficiency in the skill you rolled, the bonus is +3; if the kingdom has master proficiency, it's +4; and if the kingdom is legendary, it's +6.
Success As critical success, but the bonus is half as much (rounded down).
Critical Failure The other leader takes a -1 circumstance penalty to kingdom checks of the chosen type for the remainder of the kingdom turn.
New Leadership (Kingdom, Upkeep)
Skills Intrigue, Politics, Statecraft, Warfare
You announce the promotion of a character into a major leadership role, whether they're a newly appointed leader, shifting from one leadership role to another, or just an existing leader attempting to invest in the role.
Attempt a kingdom skill control check with one of the Loyalty-based skills. Each skill is particularly suited to assigning two specific leadership roles, granting a +2 circumstance bonus when used to assign the listed roles.
- Intrigue Emissary, Treasurer
- Politics Counselor, Ruler
- Statecraft Magister, Viceroy
- Warfare General, Warden
Rulers are particularly difficult to assign, imposing a -4 circumstance penalty, and, unless you achieve a critical success, you gain 1 additional Unrest.
Critical Success As success, and the people love the new leader. They gain a +1 circumstance bonus to leadership activity skill checks until the end of the next turn.
Success The people accept the new leader. If possible, the new leader invests the role and may use activities during this kingdom turn. They may forgo all of their Leadership activities this turn to perform their regular duties instead, preventing the role from being considered vacant.
Failure As success, but the people are unsure. The new leader takes a -1 circumstance penalty to kingdom skill checks. At the start of the next kingdom turn and each turn thereafter, they attempt a Loyalty-based control check of their choice; unless they succeed, they continue to take the penalty.
Critical Failure The people reject the new leader entirely. If you attempt to assign the same character to the same role within 1 year, increase the DC by 2. Gain 1 Unrest.
Pledge of Fealty (Kingdom, Leadership)
Skills Intrigue (trained), Statecraft (trained), Warfare (trained)
When your people encounter independent groups which are gathered in the region but aren't part of a nation, you can offer them a place in your kingdom and grant them benefits of your protection, security, and prosperity in exchange for their fealty. You can attempt this skill check with Intrigue, Statecraft, or Warfare; however, certain groups respond better or worse to each skill, at the GM’s discretion. The DC is the group's Negotiation DC.
Critical Success As success, but you need not supply RP for the group to integrate into your kingdom.
Success The group pledges fealty and are willing to join your nation. Roll 1 Resource Die; if you spend RP equal to the roll, you also successfully Claim the freehold Hex. If the hex isn’t adjacent to your kingdom, it is secondary territory. If you cannot supply the necessary RP, you take a failure on this check instead.
Failure The group declines to pledge fealty at this time, though you can attempt this activity again with them during the next turn. Gain 1 Unrest.
Critical Failure The group refuses to pledge fealty to you indefinitely, barring exceptional circumstances. Gain 2 Unrest and 1 Ruin of your choice.
Quell Unrest (Kingdom, Leadership)
Skills Arts, Folklore, Intrigue, Politics, Warfare
You send your agents among the citizenry with the charge of suppressing dissent and calming unrest. Attempt a kingdom skill control check to Quell Unrest.
Special The kingdom can attempt this activity only once per kingdom turn (rather than once per turn per leader), and may not use the same skill for Quell Unrest on consecutive kingdom turns.
Critical Success Reduce Unrest by 1d6.
Success Reduce Unrest by 1.
Critical Failure You not only fail to reduce Unrest, you incite it. Choose one of the following: increase Unrest by 1d4 or increase two Ruins of your choice by 1 each.
Reconnoiter Hex (Kingdom, Region)
Skills Exploration, Wilderness
A team is sent to survey a particular hex. Spend 1d4 RP, then attempt an Exploration or Wilderness control check.
Critical Success As success, but you are refunded the RP cost of this activity as new resources replace what’s used.
Success The hex is successfully Reconnoitered; if the check exceeds the hex’s Zone DC, they also find any hidden or secret encounters in the area. If the hex contains any non-hidden and non-secret encounters of a level equal to or lower than the kingdom level, the PCs may choose for them to be resolved.
Failure The team can’t successfully Reconnoiter the hex, though if there are any non-hidden and non-secret encounters, they can report back basic details on it.
Critical Failure As failure, and some of the team are severely injured or lost. Gain 1 Unrest.
Recruit Army (Kingdom, Leadership)
Skills Statecraft, Warfare
You call for new soldiers which can fulfill a desired set of criteria. Attempt a kingdom skill check against the army’s Recruitment DC.
Critical Success As success, and the army is efficient.
Success You recruit the army and it resides in one of the kingdom’s settlement hexes, as long as the settlement chosen is the capital, contains a Barracks or Garrison, or is at least the same level as the army recruited.
Failure You fail to recruit the army.
Critical Failure The potential recruits are offended by your attempts. Gain 1 Unrest.
Relocate Capital (Kingdom, Leadership)
Skills Arts (trained), Defense (trained), Industry (trained), Statecraft (trained)
Requirements The target settlement is not your current capital and contains a Castle, Palace, or Town Hall.
The kingdom leaders announce that they are uprooting the seat of government from its current home and reestablishing it in another settlement. Attempt a check with a DC equal to the Control DC + 5. You cannot Relocate your Capital again for at least 3 Kingdom turns.
Special All leaders must spend two leadership activities during the Activity phase on this activity. Any leader may take the lead and be considered personally responsible for the attempt.
Critical Success The move goes off splendidly, with people excited about the new capital and celebrating the leadership's wisdom.
Success The move goes smoothly, but some folks are upset or homesick. Gain 1 Unrest.
Failure The move causes unhappiness. Gain 1 Unrest and increase two Ruins of your choice by 1 each.
Critical Failure The people reject the idea of the new capital and demand you move it back. The move is unsuccessful, and your capital remains unchanged. Gain 1d4 Unrest and increase three Ruins of your choice by 1 each and increase the fourth Ruin by 3.
Repair Reputation (Kingdom, Leadership)
Skills Arts (trained), Defense (trained), Engineering (trained), Intrigue (trained)
When things have gotten out of hand in the kingdom and the nation's reputation has become damaged, you can focus efforts on a campaign to reassure the citizens and bring them closer together, stamp down crime, organize repairs and maintenance of public structures, or strive to adjust poor public opinions.
Attempt a check against your Control DC + 2. The kingdom skill used depends on the Ruin you hope to reduce: Corruption (Arts), Crime (Defense), Decay (Engineering), or Strife (Intrigue).
Critical Success You reduce the target Ruin by 2 and reduce its current ruin penalty by 1 (minimum 0).
Success You reduce the target Ruin by 1.
Failure You fail to reduce the target Ruin and cannot attempt to reduce it again this kingdom turn.
Critical Failure As failure, but attempts are particularly public and embarrassing. Increase Unrest by 1d4, and you cannot attempt to reduce the target Ruin again during this or the next 2 kingdom turns.
Rest and Relax (Kingdom, Leadership)
Skills Arts, Boating, Scholarship, Trade, Wilderness
Working non-stop can burn out even the most devoted and dedicated individuals. As such, it's important to take time for yourself, and set a good example for the nation.
You take time to relax, and you extend the chance to unwind to your citizens as well. Attempt a kingdom skill control check. The kingdom skill you use determines the means by which you relax.
Boating represents trips on the lakes and rivers of your kingdom. Scholarship represents time reading or studying a topic of personal interest beyond daily duties. Trade represents shopping or feasting. Wilderness represents getting away from the bustle and relaxing.
Special If your kingdom used Rest and Relax last kingdom turn, the DC increases by 4, as your kingdom's production and output hasn't had a chance to catch up to all those vacation days. Multiple attempts on the same turn do not suffer this penalty, as they are assumed to happen simultaneously.
Critical Success As success, and you and other leaders gain a +2 circumstance bonus to one leadership activity taken before the end of the next kingdom turn as the rest pays off. The decision to use this bonus must be made before rolling the check.
Success Relaxation calms nerves. Reduce Unrest by 1.
Failure The rest is welcome, but not very beneficial.
Critical Failure The time is wasted, and when you get back to work, you have to spend extra time and effort to get back on track. You take a -2 circumstance penalty to your leadership activities for the remainder of the turn.
Take Charge (Kingdom, Leadership)
Skills any
Requirements You are invested in your leadership role and performed your duties during the last month.
You spend some time getting directly involved in helping your kingdom. Choose a civic, region, or army activity the kingdom is capable of using this turn. Attempt a kingdom skill control check using the same skill as the chosen activity requires, or a trained or better skill of your choice if the activity does not require a skill check.
Special Each leader may attempt this activity multiple times per kingdom turn, but they must use a different skill for the activity each time they do.
Critical Success As success, but you also gain a +1 circumstance bonus to any check made for the activity.
Success You may perform the chosen activity during the appropriate step of the Activity phase without counting against the number of region, civic, or army activities available during that step. In addition, you are considered to be personally responsible for the granted activity, applying your leadership bonuses as appropriate.
Critical Failure You take a -2 circumstance penalty to your next leadership skill check made this turn.
Tap Treasury (Commerce, Kingdom)
Skills Industry, Politics (trained), Scholarship (expert), Statecraft, Trade (trained)
You tap into the cash reserves of your kingdom for the PCs' personal use or to provide emergency funding for an event. Attempt a kingdom skill control check.
Special After you succeed or critically succeed at this activity, you cannot attempt it again until funds equal to those taken are repaid via Capital Investment.
Critical Success You may withdraw funds as listed for your kingdom’s level on the table below, or you fund the unexpected event requiring you to Tap your Treasury.
Success As critical success, but you overdraw your treasury, taking a -1 circumstance penalty to Economy-based checks until the end of the next kingdom turn.
Failure You fail to secure the funds and rumors about the kingdom's potential shortfall of cash cause you to take a -1 circumstance penalty to all Loyalty- and Economy-based checks until the end of the next kingdom turn.
Critical Failure As failure, but the rumors spiral out of control. Gain 1 Unrest and increase one Ruin of your choice by 1.
Agriculture (Stability)
Agriculture measures the kingdom's ability to cultivate the land by bringing up crops and rearing livestock
Establish Farmland (Kingdom, Region)
Requirements The target hex’s terrain is plains or hills, or you have Cleared the Hex using Engineering; and the hex is in the area of influence of one of your settlements.
You plant crops and establish livestock in permanent farms, ranches, and other growing operations. Spend 1 RP and attempt an Agriculture control check.
Critical Success As success, but you may establish an additional farmland terrain feature if another major terrain feature is available in the same hex or an adjacent hex which also meets the Requirements.
Success You establish one farmland terrain feature.
Critical Failure You fail to establish a farmland and your attempt potentially causes blight. At the start of each of the next two Event phases, attempt a DC 6 flat check; on a failure, your kingdom experiences a Crop Failure event in this and all adjacent hexes.
Harvest Crops and Livestock (Civic, Kingdom, Region)
Attempt an Agriculture control check to collect efficiently from livestock or gather excess crops from farms.
Special This is both a civic activity and a region activity, and can be used in either appropriate step. If used as a region activity, you must select a settlement to use it and that settlement cannot be the target or source of this activity again until the next kingdom turn.
Critical Success Gain 1d4 Food commodities. You gain 1 additional Food commodity for each farmland within the settlement’s area of influence.
Success Gain 1 Food commodity, or 2 if the settlement has at least 1 farmland in its area of influence.
Critical Failure Lose 1d4 Food commodities to spoilage; if you do not have enough to lose, gain 1 Unrest instead.
Arts (Culture)
Arts measures the kingdom's devotion to entertainment, artwork, and public works such as monuments.
- Craft Luxuries by stoking the inspirations of your people and investing in their artistic endeavors.
- Quell Unrest by building inspiring public monuments or creating arts that promote the kingdom’s government.
- Rest and Relax spending time enjoying entertainment or indulging in a hobby.
- Relocate Capital by establishing the new capital as the cultural hub of the nation.
- Repair Reputation (Corruption) by spreading art with themes tied to your cultural values and promoting a strong sense of community.
Create a Masterpiece (Kingdom, Leadership)
You encourage your kingdom's artists to create and display a masterful work of art to bolster your kingdom's reputation. Attempt an Arts control check.
Special This activity may only be attempted once per kingdom turn, regardless of how many leaders pursue it.
Critical Success As success, and at the start of your next kingdom turn, gain an additional 1 Fame. Immediately roll 2 Resource Dice and gain RP equal to the result.
Success Gain 1 Fame immediately.
Critical Failure Not only does your attempt to create a masterpiece fail, it does so in a dramatic and humiliating way. Lose 1 Fame; if the kingdom has no Fame to lose, instead gain 1d4 Unrest.
Boating (Economy)
Boating reflects the kingdom’s affinity for navigating rivers and lakes, especially when using waterways to bolster trade.
- Rest and Relax by spending time traveling along thescenic routes of your kingdom’s rivers and lakes.
- Establish Trade Agreement by displaying your nation’s sailing prowess to transport goods efficiently.
Go Fishing (Kingdom, Region)
Requirements At least one of your settlements has a lake or river within its area of influence.
Attempt a Boating control check to fish for food from the rivers and lakes in your kingdom.
Critical Success Gain 2d4 Food commodities.
Success Gain 2 Food commodities.
Critical Failure Some fishers are lost or severely injured in the course of fishing. Gain 1 Unrest.
Defense (Stability)
Defense measures the kingdom’s ability to police and protect itself from monsters, crime, incursions, and plague, but not natural disasters (which are covered by Wilderness). It includes both physical fortifications and barriers as well as dedicated individuals guarding the land.
Fortify Hex (Kingdom, Region)
Requirements The target hex must be claimed by your kingdom and either along one of your kingdom’s roads or within a settlement’s area of influence.
Your engineers construct a protected encampment to serve as a defensive post. Spend RP appropriate to the hex's most inhospitable terrain (see Building on Rough Terrain), then attempt a Defense control check. A fortified hex gains the refuge minor terrain feature, granting bonuses during warfare and giving travelers a safe place to rest without random encounters.
Critical Success As success, and you are refunded half of the RP you spent on the activity.
Success The hex is fortified, gaining the refuge minor terrain feature, and Unrest is reduced by 1.
Critical Failure The attempt ends in disaster, typically drawing out the exact dangers you hoped to protect against before fortifications are raised. Gain 1 Unrest.
Provide Care (Kingdom, Leadership)
Attempt a Defense control check in order to organize and encourage healers, apothecaries, and other caregivers to provide care and support for citizens in need.
Special This leadership activity can only be performed once total per kingdom turn, rather than once per leader
per kingdom turn.
Critical Success As success, and your compassion gains the government favor among the people; reduce one Ruin of your choice by 1.
Success Caregiving reduces worry. Reduce Unrest by 1.
Critical Failure Your attempts backfire. Increase your choice of Unrest or a Ruin by 1.
Engineering (Economy)
Engineering measures the kingdom’s ability to alter the physical landscape of its territory to improve infrastructure, enhance the value of the kingdom’s holding, and facilitate more efficient collection and allocation of its resources.
- Establish Settlement with a focus on the developing of early infrastructure.
- Repair Reputation (Decay) by deploying your engineers to repair wear and tear, as well as more significant damage, with a special interest in critical infrastructure to promote the health of the citizenry.
Build Roads (Kingdom, Region)
Requirements The target hex must be claimed by your kingdom and adjacent to another hex containing a road or a settlement.
Your kingdom's engineers construct a network of robust roads through the hex, laying the groundwork for future roads as well, should they become necessary.
Spend RP appropriate to the hex's most inhospitable terrain (see Building on Rough Terrain). If the hex includes any rivers that cross the hex from one hex side to any other, you must spend double the normal RP cost to also add a bridge minor terrain feature. Then attempt an Engineering control check.
Critical Success You may choose to either be refunded half the RP spent or you may automatically gain a success targeting an adjacent hex which would cost as much or less than this hex to Build Roads in.
Success You build roads in the hex, granting it the road minor terrain feature.
Critical Failure Your attempt ends in disaster. You not only fail to build the roads, but also lose several workers in the process. Gain 1 Unrest.
Demolish (Civic, Kingdom)
Choose a single occupied lot in the settlement and attempt an Engineering control check to reduce it to Rubble and then clear the Rubble away to make ready for a new structure. For multiple-lot structures, you'll need to perform multiple Demolish activities (or critically succeed at the activity) to fully clear all of the lots. As soon as you begin Demolishing a multiple-lot structure, all of the lots occupied by that structure cease to function.
Critical Success As success, and you either immediately apply a successful Demolish on an additional adjacent lot or recover 1d6 Lumber, Stone, or Ore commodities (as appropriate to the structure).
Success You demolish the lot and clear the Rubble.
Failure You reduce the building to Rubble but fail to clear it until you successfully Demolish it.
Critical Failure As failure, but the demolition also results in multiple severe injuries or deaths. Gain 1 Unrest.
Establish Work Site (Kingdom, Region)
Requirements The target hex’s terrain is appropriate to the type of work site to be established and the hex is either in the area of influence of one of your settlements or connected to a settlement by a road.
You hire a crew of workers to establish a functioning worksite in a hex containing appropriate resources of Lumber, Ore, or Stone. Spend RP appropriate to the hex's roughest terrain (see Building on Rough Terrain). Then attempt an Engineering control check.
Critical Success As success, and you proceed to discover an unexpectedly rich supply. All yields granted by this site are doubled until the end of the next Kingdom turn.
Success You establish the work site major terrain feature in the target hex.
Critical Failure As failure, but the endeavor also results in multiple severe injuries or deaths. Gain 1 Unrest.
Irrigation (Kingdom, Region)
Requirements You control a target hex adjacent to a hex with a river or lake terrain feature that you also control.
You send excavators to build waterways, canals, or the like to convey water from areas that have natural access to a river or lake. Spend RP appropriate to the hex's terrain (see Building on Rough Terrain). Then attempt an Engineering control check.
Critical Success As success, and you regain half the RP spent building the waterways.
Success The hex gains a non-navigable river terrain feature (or you change a previous critical failure into a failure).
Critical Failure Your attempts are so completely useless that they become breeding grounds for disease. Gain 1 Unrest. From this point on, at the start of the Event phase, attempt a DC 4 flat check; on a failure, your kingdom suffers a Plague event in addition to any other event it might have. The flat check DC increases by 1 for each hex in your kingdom containing a critically failed Irrigation effect. You can attempt this activity again in a later turn to undo a critically failed Irrigation attempt.
Prepare Hex (Kingdom, Region)
Requirements The target hex is clear of hazards, either though adventuring or by the Clear Hex activity.
Engineers prepare a hex to serve as a civilized part of your kingdom. Spend RP appropriate to the hex's roughest terrain (see Building on Rough Terrain). Then, attempt an Engineering control check.
Critical Success As success, and you are refunded half of the RP you spent.
Success You successfully clear the hex.
Critical Failure As failure, and workers are severely injured or killed in the process. Gain 1 Unrest.
Exploration (Stability)
Exploration measures the kingdom’s ability to look outward and see what lies beyond its own borders, and to closely examine claimed territory to discover secrets.
- Abandon Hex by withdrawing citizens by expedition.
- Claim Hex by exploring it in exacting detail.
- Reconnoiter Hex with an explorers’ expedition.
Clear Hex (Kingdom, Region)
Your explorers attempt to remove hazards or dangerous monsters. Attempt an Exploration kingdom skill check. The DC of the check is the level-based DC of the highest-level creature or hazard in the hex.
Critical Success As success, and, if removing dangerous creatures (but not hazards), your explorers recover 2 Luxury Commodities as treasure.
Success You successfully clear the hex.
Failure You fail to clear the hex.
Critical Failure As failure, and workers are severely injured or killed in the process. Gain 1 Unrest.
Hire Adventurers (Kingdom, Leadership)
While the PCs can strike out themselves to deal with ongoing events, it's often more efficient to simply Hire Adventurers. Attempt an Exploration check against a DC equal to your Control DC adjusted by the event's level modifier. Roll 1 Resource Die and spend RP equal to the result each time you attempt this activity.
Critical Success You end the continuous event immediately.
Success The continuous event doesn’t end, but you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to resolve the event during the next Event phase.
Failure You fail to end the continuous event. If you try to end the same event using this activity, the cost increases to 2 Resource Dice.
Critical Failure Word spreads throughout the region that this adventure is far too dangerous, and you can’t attempt to end the same continuous event by Hiring Adventurers.
Folklore (Culture)
Folklore measures the kingdom’s connection with faiths and customs of all kinds, indicating how tradition affects public life and prominence of faith and cultural activities.
- Quell Unrest by reinforcing your peoples’ culture via celebration and cultural campaigns.
Celebrate Holiday (Kingdom, Leadership)
You declare a day of celebration or prepare to celebrate an established holiday, whether it be religious, historical, martial, or simply festive. Though it is a great relief to your people, it can be expensive. Attempt a Folklore control check. If you have Celebrated a Holiday since the beginning of the previous kingdom turn, the DC increases by 4, as your kingdom hasn't had a chance to recover from the previous gala.
Critical Success As success, but incidental income covers the RP cost and the circumstance bonus is +2.
Success As failure, and the entire kingdom gains a +1 circumstance bonus to checks until the end of next turn.
Failure Immediately roll 1 Resource Die and spend RP equal to the result. If you can't afford the cost, treat the result as a critical failure.
Critical Failure Your festival days are poorly organized, and the citizens actively mock you. During the next turn, reduce your Resource Dice total by 4. The failure also causes the kingdom to take a -1 circumstance penalty to checks until the end of the next kingdom turn.
Industry (Economy)
Industry measures the kingdom’s devotion to the business of building and making things, from basic necessities to luxury goods for trade.
- Establish Settlement by getting citizens to invest in it.
- Tap Treasury by acquiring loans and investments.
- Craft Luxuries by organizing skilled artisans.
- Relocate Capital by gaining the support of businesses and collecting resources for the move.
Sell Commodities (Commerce, Kingdom)
Select one commodity your kingdom currently stockpiles and reduce that commodity's stockpile by up to 4. Then attempt an Industry control check. This trade can be with private citizens in your borders or with interests outside your kingdom. If you trade with a group with which you've established diplomatic relations, you gain a +1 circumstance bonus to the check, or a +2 if you have also established a trade agreement with them.
Critical Success As success, but you gain twice as many bonus Resource Dice.
Success At the start of the next kingdom turn, you gain bonus Resource Dice equal to the number of expended commodities, or by twice this number if you selected Luxury commodities.
Failure You gain 1 bonus Resource Die at the start of the next kingdom turn.
Critical Failure You gain no additional Resource Dice, but the commodities are spent and you gain 1 Unrest.
Intrigue (Loyalty)
Intrigue measures the kingdom’s mastery of the hidden forces of politics. It includes manipulation of factions within a country and espionage beyond its borders, as well as more covert investigations into criminal activities.
- Claim Hex by spreading the certain knowledge that the area is now part of the kingdom.
- New Leadership assigned through covert influence of the citizenry, perhaps even underhanded means; especially effective for the Emissary and Treasurer.
- Quell Unrest by investigating the more disruptive among the citizenry and quelling their disturbances.
- Pledge of Fealty secured by manipulating the hidden forces behind the target group’s government.
- Repair Reputation (Strife) by investigating the problem citizens and ending their disruptions, one way or another.
Infiltration (Kingdom, Leadership)
You send spies out to gather intelligence on a neighboring nation, a cult or thieves' guild within your borders, an unclaimed freehold, or even an unexplored adventure site. Attempt an Intrigue control check.
Special If infiltrating a nation of higher level than your kingdom, reduce your degree of success by one step.
Critical Success You learn something valuable or helpful, and it is exact and precise. For example, if infiltrating an unexplored ruin, you might learn that the site is infested with web lurkers and spider swarms.
Success You learn something helpful about the target, but the information is vague and imprecise. For example, if infiltrating the same ruin mentioned above, you might learn some sort of aberration uses the ruins as its lair.
Critical Failure You never hear from your spies again, but someone certainly does! You take a -2 circumstance penalty on all kingdom checks until the end of the next kingdom turn as counter-infiltration from an unknown enemy tampers with your kingdom's inner workings.
Clandestine Business (Kingdom, Leadership)
Requirements trained in Intrigue
You know the criminals in your kingdom, and they know you know. You encourage them to send kickbacks, but the common citizens will be more than upset if they find out! Attempt an Intrigue control check.
Special Each subsequent attempt cumulatively increases the DC of the next attempt by 2. Each turn that passes without using the activity reduces the DC by 1 (to a minimum of the kingdom’s control DC).
Critical Success As success, but you gain both benefits and don’t gain Unrest as the public is none the wiser.
Success Choose to either immediately roll 2 Resource Dice and gain RP equal to the result, or gain 1d4 Luxury commodities. Regardless, rumors spread about where these “gifts” come from. Increase Unrest by 1.
Failure Immediately roll 1 Resource Die and gain RP equal to the result. Witnesses call the government out. Increase Unrest by 1 and Corruption by 1.
Critical Failure You gain nothing but angry citizens. Increase Unrest by 1d6, Corruption by 2, and one other Ruin of your choice by 1.
Magic (Culture)
Magic measures the kingdom’s affinity for the mystic arts, whether arcane, divine, occult, or primal. It may reflect the breadth of natural magical talent among the people or it may represent the study of ancient secrets and magical theory.
- Claim Hex by performing a ritual to mark the area as belonging to your kingdom.
Supernatural Solution (Fortune, Kingdom, Leadership)
Your spellcasters try to resolve issues when mundane solutions aren't enough. Attempt a Magic control check. If you are unable to spend the RP cost, treat the result as a critical failure.
Critical Success As success, but there is no RP cost.
Success Spend 1d4 RP on research. You can call upon your spellcasters' solution to aid in resolving any kingdom skill check made during the remainder of this turn. Just before a kingdom skill check is rolled, attempt an additional Magic check against the same DC, and take whichever of the two results you prefer. If this benefit isn’t used by the end of this turn, it is lost and the kingdom gain 10 XP instead.
Failure Your attempt at researching fails, though it still costs the kingdom 2d6 RP.
Critical Failure As failure, but your spellcasters' morale is impacted such that you cannot attempt Supernatural Solution again until after the next kingdom turn.
Prognostication (Kingdom, Leadership)
Requirements trained in Magic
Your kingdom's spellcasters read omens and provide advice on how best to prepare for events in the near future. Attempt a Magic control check.
Critical Success As success, but the bonus is +2. In addition, if a random kingdom event happens this turn, roll twice to determine which event takes place; the players choose which of the two results occurs.
Success The kingdom gains a +1 circumstance bonus to checks made to resolve kingdom events this turn.
Critical Failure The predictions are inaccurate and lead to strange events. A random event automatically occurs during the Event phase this turn. If the random event flat check succeeds, the GM rolls twice to determine the event, selecting the more dangerous event.
Politics (Loyalty)
Politics measures a kingdom’s embrace of civic life of all kinds, from deeply rooted local traditions to cosmopolitan cross-cultural connections. It also reflects the importance of the citizenry’s shared values, whether they are dedicated to freedom and justice or to more unsavory ethics.
- Establish Settlement by calling on the citizenry’s shared values to expand the kingdom’s presence.
- New Leadership is assigned by appealing to the new leader’s representation of the people’s values. This is more effective when assigning a Ruler or Counselor.
- Quell Unrest by calling on the connections between your people and your common goals and values.
- Tap Treasury by appealing to public opinion.
Improve Lifestyle (Commerce, Kingdom)
You draw upon your kingdom's treasury to enhance the quality of life for your citizens. Roll 1 Resource Die and spend RP equal to the result, then attempt a Politics control check; if you cannot supply the RP, you automatically critically fail.
Critical Success You afford your citizens great comfort. For the remainder of the kingdom turn, the kingdom gains a +2 circumstance bonus to Culture-based checks and a +1 circumstance bonus to other leadership activities.
Success Your citizens enjoyment is buoyed. For the remainder of the kingdom turn, the kingdom gains a +1 circumstance bonus to Culture-based checks.
Failure As success, but you've also strained your treasury, so the kingdom takes a -1 circumstance penalty to Economy-based checks for the remainder of the turn.
Critical Failure Your attempts backfire horribly as your generosity is abused and doesn’t affect most people. The kingdom takes a -1 circumstance penalty to Economy-based checks for the remainder of the turn, gains 1 Unrest, and increases a Ruin of your choice by 1.
Scholarship (Culture)
Scholarship measures the kingdom’s interest in teaching and training its citizens to learn about the world around them. It also includes researching answers to problems in every field, from history and medicine to alchemy and philosophy.
- Establish Settlement by producing a well-reasoned plan for a new location, convincing various public and private interests to invest in the idea.
- Rest and Relax by pursuing scholarly interests.
- Tap Treasury either by providing well-reasoned arguments to the public or by temporarily skirting public eyes through clever financial maneuvering.
Creative Solution (Fortune, Kingdom, Leadership)
You work with your kingdom's scholars, thinkers, and practitioners of magical and mundane experimentation to come up with new ways to resolve issues when the usual is just not working. Attempt a Scholarship control check. If you cannot afford the RP cost, treat the result as a critical failure.
Critical Success As success, but there is no RP cost.
Success Spend 1d4 RP on research. You can call upon your scholars to aid in resolving any kingdom skill check made during the remainder of this turn. After a kingdom skill check is rolled, but before you necessarily know the effect, reroll the check with a +2 circumstance bonus; you must take the new result. If this benefit isn’t used by the end of this turn, it is lost and the kingdom gain 10 XP instead.
Failure Your attempt at researching fails, though it still costs the kingdom 2d6 RP.
Critical Failure As failure, but your scholars and other citizens are deeply frustrated by the failure, imposing a -1 circumstance penalty to Culture-based checks until the end of the next turn.
Statecraft (Loyalty)
Statecraft measures the kingdom’s ability to engage and interact with nations, freeholds, and other political powers in various above-the-board political manners, including its trustworthiness in the eyes of other nations and its own citizens.
- New Leadership assigned via a well-established set of processes, such as an election, competition, or scheduled promotion from other governmental positions. This is particularly effective for assigning Magisters or Viceroys.
- Recruit Army by employing bureaucratic means to call forth and regiment soldiers.
- Tap Treasury by following bureaucratic procedures.
- Pledge of Fealty secured by traditional inter-government practices and legal agreements such as treaties.
- Relocate Capital by making deals with the local bodies of governance across your nation.
Send Diplomatic Envoy (Kingdom, Leadership)
You send emissaries to another group to foster positive relations and communication. Attempt a Statecraft check against the target group's Negotiation DC.
If the kingdom is at war with the one of the target’s allies, it takes a -2 circumstance penalty to the check. If the kingdom is at war with the target group, it takes a -5 circumstance penalty and treats the result as one degree of success worse. The GM may increase or decrease the DC of this check by up to 5 depending on the severity of the circumstances surrounding the war or the concessions the kingdom is willing to give the target for the purpose of reestablishing peace.
Critical Success Your envoys make a great impression. You establish diplomatic relations with the group and grant a +2 circumstance bonus to all checks made with that group until the end of the next turn.
Success You establish diplomatic relations.
Failure Your envoys are received, but the target isn't ready to establish diplomatic relations. If you attempt to Send a Diplomatic Envoy to the target next turn, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to that check.
Critical Failure Disaster! Your envoy fails to reach their destination, is turned back at the border, or is taken prisoner or executed. Choose one of the following: gain 1d4 Unrest, increase a Ruin of your choice by 1, or immediately roll 2 Resource Dice and spend RP equal to the result. Regardless, you cannot attempt to Send a Diplomatic Envoy to this target again during this or the next 2 kingdom turns.
Recruit Special Army (Kingdom, Leadership)
Requirements trained in Statecraft; you have established diplomatic relations with the target group which grants access to at least one specialized army.
You go through proper bureaucratic channels to bring on a special army. Attempt a Statecraft check against the specialized army’s Recruitment DC. If the target has not Pledged Fealty to you, the check takes a -2 circumstance penalty.
Critical Success As success, and the army is efficient.
Success You recruit the special army in the target group's home hex.
Failure You fail to recruit the special army.
Critical Failure The potential recruits are offended by your attempts. Gain 1 Unrest. If the target group was not friendly to you, their attitude toward you is reduced by one step; if this causes them to become hostile, they may break diplomatic relations.
Request Foreign Aid (Kingdom, Leadership)
Requirements trained in Statecraft; you have established diplomatic relations with the target group and have not Requested Foreign Aid from them yet this turn.
When disaster strikes, you call for help from allied nation. Attempt a Statecraft check against the other group's Negotiation DC + 2. Regardless of the result, you cannot attempt to Request Foreign Aid from the same group on consecutive kingdom turns.
Special Each attempt to Request Foreign Aid from any group cumulatively increases the DC of further attempts from all groups by 2. Each kingdom turn that passes without using this activity reduces this DC modifier by 1 (to a minimum increase of 0).
Critical Success As success, but you can choose to gain both benefits or to gain one benefit twice.
Success Choose one benefit: support or resources. If you choose support, the kingdom gains a +2 circumstance bonus to a check of your choice before the end of the turn; you may choose to apply this bonus after rolling the check but before the effect is necessarily known. If you choose resources, immediately roll 2 Resource Dice and gain RP equal to the result.
Failure Your ally can’t get aid to you quickly. At the start of the next turn, you gain the resources benefit.
Critical Failure Your ally either can’t or won’t aid you. You gain no aid, but gain 1d4 Unrest.
Trade (Economy)
Trade measures a kingdom’s involvement in commerce of every kind, but especially in moving goods from one place to another and in the health of its market. You take a cumulative -1 item penalty on Trade checks for each settlement in your kingdom that has no Land Borders, unless it has at least one Water Border with a bridge or at least one port, harbor, or pier.
- Establish Trade Agreement by sending merchants with wares and funds to display your mercantile prowess.
- Rest and Relax by stimulating the economy to promote shopping and leisure services.
- Tap Treasury by calling for public investment in private endeavors with the potential to pay back dividends.
Capital Investment (Kingdom, Leadership)
Requirements You must be within the influence of the Capital or a settlement containing at least one bank.
You contribute funds from your personal wealth for the good of the kingdom. The funds required to make an investment is set using the amount listed for your kingdom’s level on Table K-7 (page 18). Investments below the threshold cause this action to have no effect; investments above the threshold do not generally provide any additional benefit. Attempt a Trade control check.
Special You may use Capital Investment to repay funds borrowed using Tap Treasury. In this case, no check is attempted; you simply deduct the appropriate amount of funds from your personal wealth to pay back that which was borrowed.
Critical Success As success, but use 4 Resource Dice.
Success You may either choose to gain 2 bonus Resource Dice during your next turn, or roll 2 Resource Dice now and immediately gain the rolled RP this turn.
Failure Your investment ends up being used to shore up shortfalls elsewhere. Gain 1d4 RP immediately.
Critical Failure Your investment is embezzled, lost, or misappropriated. Choose one of the following: either roll 1 Resource Die and gain RP equal to the result and also increase your Crime by an equal amount, or gain 0 RP and increase Crime by 1.
Collect Taxes (Commerce, Kingdom)
Tax collectors travel through the kingdom to collect funds for the public betterment. Attempt a Trade control check.
Special If you choose not to Collect Taxes during a turn, attempt a DC 11 flat check; on a success, the kingdom’s Unrest is reduced by 1. If you attempt to Collect Taxes after using the activity on your previous turn, roll a flat check with a DC equal to your current Unrest; on a failure, reduce your degree of success on your Trade check by two steps.
Critical Success As success, and your people are willing to give more as your leadership helps the kingdom’s economy to flourish; you gain twice as many RP and the bonus to Economy-based checks is +2.
Success Your tax collectors gather reasonable taxes. You gain RP equal to the kingdom level and the kingdom gains a +1 circumstance bonus to Economy-based checks for the remainder of the Kingdom turn. If you attempted to Collect Taxes during the previous turn, increase Unrest by 1.
Failure The people pay up but are unhappy about the taxation. Gain RP equal to half the kingdom level (minimum 1) and increase Unrest by 1 (or by 2 if you attempted to Collect Taxes the previous turn).
Critical Failure Your tax collectors encounter resistance from the citizens and their attempts to gather taxes are rebuffed. While the tax collectors still manage to gather enough taxes to support essential government needs, you gain no RP, increase Unrest by 2 (or by 4 if you attempted to Collect Taxes during the previous turn), and choose one Ruin to increase by 1.
Manage Trade Agreements (Kingdom, Leadership)
Requirements You have at least one trade agreement.
You send agents to attend established trade agreements. Choose one of the kingdom’s trade agreements; if the kingdom is an expert in Trade, you may select 2 trade agreements, up to 3 if master, or up to 4 if legendary. Spend 2 RP per trade agreement you wish to manage. Then attempt a Trade control check.
Special This activity may be performed any number of times per turn by an individual leader. For each target trade agreement managed since the start of the previous kingdom turn, increase the DC by 1.
Critical Success As success, but you gain both benefits.
Success At the start of your next kingdom turn, you gain one of the following: 1 bonus Resource Die per trade agreement managed, or 1 commodity of your choice per trade agreement managed (no more than half of these commodities may be Luxuries).
Failure At the start of your next kingdom turn, you gain 1 RP per trade agreement managed.
Critical Failure You gain no benefit and you can’t use this activity again during this turn or the next turn.
Purchase Commodities (Kingdom, Leadership)
You can spend RP to Purchase Commodities, but doing so is usually more expensive than gathering them or relying upon trade agreements. Select the commodity you wish to purchase (Food, Lumber, Luxuries, Ore, or Stone). Expend 4 RP, or 12 if you chose Luxuries, then attempt a Trade control check.
Critical Success You immediately gain 4 commodities of the chosen type and 2 bonus non-Luxury commodities.
Success You gain 2 commodities of the chosen type.
Failure You gain 1 commodity of the chosen type.
Critical Failure You gain no commodities.
Warfare (Loyalty)
Warfare reflects a kingdom’s readiness to mobilize its military forces against its enemies: be they lone rampaging monsters or entire armies bent on invasion. Warfare can be used with any army activities, which are listed in the Kingdom at War section.
- New Leadership assigned by declaration supported by military and peace-keeping forces. This is particularly effective when assigning a General or Warden.
- Quell Unrest by dispatching military-trained peace-keeping forces.
- Recruit Army by organizing military leaders to recruit.
- Pledge of Fealty secured through a display of military force, whether to be intimidating or to show off your potential value as an ally.
Wilderness (Stability)
Wilderness measures how well the kingdom manages its natural resources, integrates with the natural ecosystem, and handles dangerous wildlife. It also reflects the kingdom’s ability to anticipate, prevent, and recover from natural disasters, in much the same way the Defense skill protects against other threats.
- Abandon Hex by guiding citizens out and establishing new kingdom borders.
- Claim Hex by guiding survey teams and scouting the area with great detail.
- Rest and Relax by spending time in the safely managed, natural environs of the kingdom.
- Reconnoiter Hex with yeoman and wilderness guides.
Hunt and Forage (Kingdom, Region)
Attempt a Wilderness control check to hunt or forage for food from the wild lands of your kingdom.
Critical Success Gain 1d4 Food commodities.
Success Gain 1 Food commodity.
Critical Failure Some hunters and foragers are lost or severely injured during the activity. Gain 1 Unrest.