Bastions are player-controlled strongholds that provide safe havens, generate resources, and serve as narrative anchors.
Bastion Overview
Bastions are player-controlled strongholds that provide safe havens, generate resources, and serve as narrative anchors. They can be anything from a fortified tower to a thriving town.
What Bastions Provide
- Safe Rest: Full recovery without encounter checks
- Resource Generation: Gain supplies, coin, or specialized goods
- Political Influence: Negotiate with domains from a position of strength
- Story Hub: NPCs, quests, and domain events center around your Bastion
Establishing a Bastion
To establish a Bastion, you need: a suitable location, initial resources, and permission from the domain (or the strength to claim it by force).
Founding a Bastion
Step 1: Choose Location
Near a portal, resource-rich area, or strategic chokepoint. Trickster determines suitability and initial threats.
Step 2: Negotiate or Conquer
Use Social Exchange to negotiate with domain entities (TN = Willpower × 4) or clear the area by force. Either way, achieve Disposition +2 minimum.
Step 3: Invest Resources
500 silver minimum + 1 month downtime. Hire workers, gather materials, construct core buildings.
Step 4: Define Stats
Set starting values: Population 1, Prosperity 1, Stability 1, Threat 0.
Resource Management
Bastions are tracked with four core resources: Population, Prosperity, Stability, and Threat.
Bastion Resources
| Resource | Range | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 0-5 | Number of residents. Determines workforce, defense, and project capacity. |
| Prosperity | 0-5 | Economic wealth. Generates silver per season, enables trade projects. |
| Stability | 0-5 | Social cohesion. Prevents revolts, improves morale, enables governance. |
| Threat | 0-5 | Danger level. At 3+, trigger crisis events. At 5, Bastion is destroyed. |
Resource Effects
Population Benefits:
- Pop 1: Can complete 1 project per season
- Pop 2: Militia (10 guards), market established
- Pop 3: Can complete 2 projects per season, attract specialists
- Pop 4: Town status, establish laws and governance
- Pop 5: City status, political power in domain
Prosperity Income (per season):
- Pros 1: 100 silver
- Pros 2: 250 silver
- Pros 3: 500 silver + 1 trade good
- Pros 4: 1,000 silver + 2 trade goods
- Pros 5: 2,500 silver + 5 trade goods (wealthy city)
Bastion Projects
Projects improve your Bastion. Each takes 1 season (3 months) and costs resources.
Fortifications
Cost: 300 silver | Effect: +1 Stability, -1 Threat. Walls, gates, watchtowers.
Market Square
Cost: 200 silver | Effect: +1 Prosperity. Attracts merchants, enables trade.
Housing District
Cost: 250 silver | Effect: +1 Population cap (up to 5). Homes, apartments, infrastructure.
Temple/Shrine
Cost: 400 silver | Effect: +1 Stability. Improves Disposition with domain by +1.
Workshop Quarter
Cost: 300 silver | Effect: +1 Prosperity. Crafters produce equipment at half cost.
Portal Anchor
Cost: 1,000 silver + Arcane Resonance TN 16 | Effect: Permanent portal to one domain. Fast travel hub.
Domain Relations
Your Bastion exists within (or adjacent to) domains. Managing relationships is crucial for survival and prosperity.
Domain Disposition
Track Disposition with each nearby domain separately (-5 to +5). This affects trade, threats, and Blessings/Curses affecting your Bastion.
At +3: Blessing applied to Bastion (your choice: +1 Population, +1 Prosperity, or -1 Threat)
At -3: Curse applied (your choice: -1 Stability, +1 Threat, or -1 Prosperity)
Threats & Events
At the end of each season, roll on the Event Table. Higher Threat increases negative event chances.
Seasonal Event Table (1d6 + Threat)
| Roll | Event |
|---|---|
| 2-3 | Windfall: +1 Prosperity or Population. Unexpected boon. |
| 4-5 | Growth: +1 to lowest resource (player choice if tied). |
| 6-8 | Uneventful: Nothing significant happens. Peaceful season. |
| 9-10 | Minor Crisis: -1 to any resource or +1 Threat. Trickster describes (banditry, supply shortage, unrest). |
| 11+ | Major Crisis: Roll on Crisis Table. Immediate threat requiring PC intervention. |
Crisis Table (1d6)
| Roll | Crisis |
|---|---|
| 1 | Monster Attack: Elite creature raids Bastion. Defeat it or lose -2 Population. |
| 2 | Plague/Curse: Domain Curse spreads. Test party's combined Survival TN 16 or -1 Population, -1 Stability. |
| 3 | Bandit Siege: Hostile force demands tribute (500 silver) or attacks. Combat or negotiation required. |
| 4 | Political Coup: NPC faction attempts takeover. Resolve via Social Exchange or lose -2 Stability. |
| 5 | Supply Crisis: Trade routes cut. Lose -1 Prosperity. Must complete quest to restore. |
| 6 | Domain Collapse: Nearby domain dying. Portal instability. +2 Threat. Must stabilize domain or relocate Bastion. |
Seasonal Turns
Bastion management happens on a seasonal timescale (3 months = 1 turn). Between adventures, resolve one seasonal turn.
Seasonal Turn Sequence
1. Collect Income
Gain silver based on Prosperity level.
2. Resolve Projects
Complete any ongoing projects (1-2 per season depending on Population).
3. Roll Event
1d6 + Threat. Consult Seasonal Event Table.
4. Adjust Resources
Apply event results. If Stability < 1, risk revolt (-1 Population). If Threat ≥ 5, Bastion destroyed.
5. Plan Next Season
Choose new projects, assign resources, prepare for threats.
See Also
- Social Exchange - Negotiating with domains and factions
- Domains & Portals - Domain Disposition and Willpower effects
- Equipment - Crafting in Workshop Quarters
- Gamemaster Guide - Creating Bastion-centered campaigns