ECONOMY & TRADE
Use this page to determine the realm's currency, how the population are fed, what resources it has available for trade, its trade partners and finally the individual businesses and proprietors involved in business pursuits.
You might want to note the realm's Economy Modifier here as well as in the At a Glance section. This modifier should have some influence on the availability of resources and level of trade.
Subsistence Systems
This is how the realm provides for and feeds the population.
Idea Charts & Resources
| Names & Descriptions | Resource |
|---|---|
| Subsistence systems | 2E D&D World Builder's Guidebook p57 |
| Prime industry | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox p110 |
| Main Industries | Sly Flourish The Lazy DM's Companion p37 |
Trade Resources
Resources rolled could simply be an indication of an abundance of said material or the realm may be well known for its crafting or use of the materials. In any case, the realm has plenty of the resource and is in the position to trade it.
You can roll for random resources on the table below.
If determining randomly give a Realm: 1d4 Resources +1 per 4 levels + Economy modifier.
Each entry has several suggestions for particular items. Choose the most relevant one for the realm you have in mind or (as I love to do) just roll random. You may wish to restrict the resource even further. This is more logical in communities. For example, on a roll of ‘Armor’, the GM then selects hide armors. There is then a 50% chance this is narrowed to a specific armor, such as leather or rhino-hide armor.
Many entries also have ‘exotic’ as an option. Be creative here and think of a resource that may be found in the realm and possibly nowhere else. This is where GMs can bring in items made from special substances such as bronzewood and cold iron.
| d100 Roll | Resource Category | Individual Resource Items | Extra or Alternate Tables |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01-05 | Animal Products. | meat, seafood, wool, hide, furs, horn, ivory, oil, fats, pearls, leather goods, dairy (milk, cheese), feathers/down, fish, venom, eggs, honey, bones, quills, exotic parts (teeth, stings, scales). | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox: Furs p115; Fish p112; Fetishes p279; 1E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide furs p27; |
| 06-08 | Armor | light, medium, heavy, shields, wood, hide/leather, metal, exotic (carapace, shell, cord). | - |
| 09-10 | Artworks | paintings, beads, wood carvings, sculptures, tapestries, silverware, jewellery, headwear, masks, ancient artefacts, mats. | 5E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p134; 4E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide Art objects p124; AEG's Ultimate Toolbox: Jewellery p238; Art Objects p238; Art pieces p239; Sculptures p240; Portraits p240; Tapestries p240-1; Rings p258; 1E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p218 |
| 11-16 | Cloth | silk, cotton, linen, canvas, hemp, wool, clothing, raffia. | - |
| 17-20 | Drinks | spring water, mineral water, wine, juices, ales, meads, strong spirits, milk, beer. | 1E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p218 |
| 21-23 | Foods | bread, sweets, trail rations, dried goods, spiced. | 5E D&D Explorer's Guide to Wildemount: cultural foods p197; AEG's Ultimate Toolbox: Bread p112; Basic Food p112; Exotic p113; Pickled p113; 1E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p218 |
| 24-27 | Gems | - | 5E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p134; AEG's Ultimate Toolbox - Gemstones p237; Mystic stones p280; 4E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p124; 1E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p26; |
| 28-36 | Livestock | pigs, goats, cattle, sheep, poultry, deer, ducks, chickens, exotic. | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox: Livestock p111; Game Fowl p112 |
| 37-38 | Magical Paraphernalia | potions, scrolls, minor wondrous items, components, implements. | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox: Rods p259; Scrolls p260; Scroll Containers p260; Staves p261; Wands p261; Potion Containers p262-3; Divination ‘stones’ p279; Components p281-3; Wizard’s workshop p284-5; Planar Portal keys p297-298; Bizarre Relics p299 |
| 39-44 | Manufactured Substances | perfumes, drugs, alchemical items, inks, dyes, poisons, ravages, vinegar, paints, wax. | 5E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide Poisons p257; 4E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide Poisons p50; AEG's Ultimate Toolbox: Healer goods p112 |
| 45-52 | Metals | bronze, brass, tin, iron, copper, lead, zinc, exotic (red iron, adamantite, mithril etc) | - |
| 53-55 | Minerals & Natural Substances | salt, incense, sulphur, carbon, pitch, coal, ambergris, amber. | - |
| 56-58 | Miscellaneous Small Crafts | books, paper, parchment/vellum, pottery, rope, metalwork expensive (lanterns, etc), metalwork mundane (chains, stirrups etc), woven goods, bucket & wood items. | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox: Clothing p114; Unusual Thief tools p122; Books p224-6; Lab Equipment p227; 1E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide Utensils, personal items, clothing p218; Sly Flourish The Lazy DM's Workbook p14 |
| 59-60 | Miscellaneous Medium Crafts | shipping supplies, farming implements, cookware, glassware, barrels & crates, tools, instruments, luxury goods (fine clothes, cushions, mirrors), furniture, rugs. | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox: Tools p114 |
| 61-62 | Miscellaneous Large Crafts | ships, wagons, siege engines, building supplies (doors etc). | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox: Nautical Equipment p179 |
| 63-65 | Plant Products | herbs, spices, pipeweed, poisons, tea leaves, coffee beans, olives, sugar, nuts, oils, drugs, gourds. | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox: Medicinal herbs p115, 286-7 |
| 66-71 | Precious Metals | silver, gold, platinum, electrum | - |
| 72-80 | Produce | grain crops, vegetables, fruit, hay, corn, chickpeas, lentils. | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox: Garden Produce p113; Fruit p113 |
| 81 | Sentient Specialties | slaves, mercenaries, specialists (sages, scouts, engineers etc), exotic. | - |
| 82-87 | Stone | strong building (eg: bluestone), common building (granite, sandstone), expensive (marble), exotic (obsidian), precious (jade, crystal), useful (flint, chalk, soapstone) | - |
| 88-89 | Trained Beasts | horses, dogs, cats, birds, exotic, large (elephants, camels, etc). | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox: Pets p111 |
| 90-94 | Weapons | martial, exotic, simple, primitive, hafted, double, blades, pole-arms, masterwork, special material, bows, crossbows, (in our House Rules we use Weapon Groups – roll one of these if narrowing down) | - |
| 95-00 | Wood | building timber, hardwoods, thatching, exotic. | - |
Idea Charts & Resources
| Names & Descriptions | Resource |
|---|---|
| Caravan goods | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox p110 |
| Special market goods | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox p110 |
Trade Partners
Trade partners are other realms (usually of a similar size) that this realm deals with on a regular basis. The partner realm needs to have a resource lacking in this realm. The partner realm is often an ally (with friendly or helpful relations) but this is not necessary.
Select some surrounding realms of note (and similar size) and roll on the following table to determine whether they are trade partners.
Modifiers
- Helpful relations with the realm: +30
- Friendly relations with the realm: +20
- Unfriendly relations with the realm: -20
- Hostile relations with the realm: -30
- Add the total result of the 2 Realms’ Economy Modifiers.
| d100 Roll | Parter Realm | Imports from Trade Partner | Exports sent to Trade Partner |
|---|---|---|---|
| up to 50 | Not a trade partner. No need to record anything. | Imports | Exports |
| 51 and up | Trade partner. | Imports | Exports |
Currency
If a small realm, you probably just need to state which kingdom's currency it uses. If a kingdom or large realm, outline what coins are used and their worth. Giving a kingdom its own currency with names and nicknames for its coins is a good way to add flavour.
Idea Charts & Resources
| Names & Descriptions | Resource |
|---|---|
| Coin names | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox p116 |
| Currency | 5E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p19 |
Businesses & Proprietors and Nobles
Describe any significant businesses and business operators. This section may also include roads, warehouses and transport.
Idea Charts & Resources
| Names & Descriptions | Resource |
|---|---|
| Buying business | House document attached under Files at bottom of the page City - Districts, Buildings & Businesses |
| Crafts/Professions | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox p117 |
| Docks | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox p174-7 |
| Gentry | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox p90 |
| Guilds | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox p130-4 |
| Hirelings | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox p384 |
| Locations | PF Gamesmastery Guide p211 |
| Merchant houses | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox p116 |
| mine chambers | 5E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p293 |
| Nobles | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox p95 |
| Noble dwellings | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox p94 |
| Roads | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox p56 |
| Services | House document attached under Files at bottom of the page City - Districts, Buildings & Businesses |
| Services available | 2E D&D World Builder's Guidebook p57 |
| Ships | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox p186-9 |
| Shops | 5E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p113; PF Gamesmastery Guide p210 |
| Trades | House document attached under Files at bottom of the page City - Districts, Buildings & Businesses |
| Warehouses | 5E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p113 |
Examples & Samples
| Name | Type (Level) | Known Traits/Features | Resource |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banking/Defenders Guild - House Kundarak | Organisation (6-7) | Banking, storage, prisons, keeping things safe, dwarves | 5E D&D Explorer's Guide to Eberron p51 |
| Caravan | Civilised (1) | Small f group of wagons. | 5E D&D Arcadia Magazine #4 p27 |
| Docks | Civilised (1) | Warehouse, caves, shipwreck | Sly Flourish The Lazy DM's Workbook p28 |
| Docks | Civilised (1) | Warehouse, ratfolk lair | 5E D&D Kobold Press Book of Lairs p4 |
| House of Making - House Cannith | Organisation (6-7) | Manufacturing, humans | 5E D&D Explorer's Guide to Eberron p45 |
| House of Passage - House Orien | Organisation (9-11) | Land transportation, humans | 5E D&D Explorer's Guide to Eberron p46 |
| Raincaller's Guild - House Lyrandar | Organisation (9-10) | Sea transport, air transport, half-elves | 5E D&D Explorer's Guide to Eberron p50 |
| Warehouse | Civilised (1) | Goblin tinkerers | 5E D&D Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica p169 |
Sample NPC Stat Blocks
| Name | CR | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Commoner | 0 | 5E D&D Monster Manual p345 |
| Noble | 1/8 | 5E D&D Monster Manual p348 |
| Mastermind | 10 | 5E D&D Monster Manual Expanded II p287 |
