Rulers and Realms

So I've been working on this and the following post a little bit recently, this is it such as I have it so far, a series of tables for generating politics, roughly speaking. I think this is part one of three or so.

In this post I'm putting the tables (that I may add to or edit as we go) that you can use to generate the Rulers of realms, and the history of said Realms. The following post will be a method for making the maps of the realms using dice (or potentially maps of many things to be honest), and the final one as an example of how to tie it all together using said methods.

Anyway, here we go.

THE RULER

These tables are for generating the main attributes of a Ruler, what they use to enforce their rule, and how they rule. The rest you can extrapolate somewhat from there I think.

The Realm's Ruler

A d8 roll determines the primary attribute of the current ruler, that which they exercise most to maintain their power. If you wish, you can roll on the relevant secondary tables to determine further details about the Ruler's methods.

1 - Martial Might

2 - Sorcery

3 - Riches

4 - Secrets

5 - Diplomacy

6 - Despite

7 - Intrigue

8 - Divine Right

Martial Might (d4)

1 - They are a Terrifying Combatant

2 - They control an Elite Force of warriors

3 - They fight alongside Sorcery

4 - They fight using the best that Money can buy

Sorcery (d4)

1 - They have a terrifying Mastery of Magic

2 - They are apparently Immortal

3 - They have been Magically Enhanced beyond human limits.

4 - They control a force of Magical Guardians

Riches (d4)

1 - They can afford to pay Heavy Tribute for their survival

2 - They can afford a Mighty Mercenary Force

3 - They have made nearby realms Economically Dependent on them

4 - They produce a Unique Commodity

Secrets (d10)

1 - They hold the secret to controlling a Mysterious Guardian Force

2 - They have made it Magically Impossible for them to not rule

3 - They are a Doppelganger ruling for a Shadowy Power, and the real ruler is missing

4 - They have control over a Ruthless Guild of Assassins

5 - They have bound an Inhuman Deity to their command

6 - They know how to produce a Mysterious Substance found nowhere else

7 - Their rule was the result of an Ancient Prophecy

8 - Roll again, the ruler gained this ability from a Mysterious Source

9 - Everyone believes there's some secret to it, but there Really Isn't

10 - The ruler was once An Adventurer, now made ruler by their own hand

Diplomacy (d4)

1 - They have carefully cultivated a Web of Alliances

2 - They have nurtured a Longstanding Friendship with another People

3 - They utilise the terms of an old Peace Treaty

4 - They have made it in the Best Interests of a Foreign Power to keep them around

Despite (d8)

1 - They rule despite their utter lack of Might with Arms

2 - They rule despite their utter lack of Diplomatic Tact

3 - They rule despite their utter lack of Administrative Skill

4 - They rule despite their utter lack of Subtlety and Guile

5 - They rule despite their utter lack of Any Sort of Education

6 - They rule despite being the victim of a Horrifying Curse

7 - They rule despite their utter lack of Piety and Respect for the Gods

8 - They rule despite their utter lack of any of the Skills a Ruler Requires

Intrigue (d4)

1 - They have Plotted and Schemed to put themselves on the Throne

2 - All their opponents have "mysteriously" disappeared or died

3 - Their Bloodlines have been carefully Manipulated to produce them

4 - There are Secret Pacts with Mysterious Powers for the Throne

Divine Right (d4) (how true it really is though, is up to you)

1 - Their God/s literally chose them

2 - Their Ancestors literally chose them

3 - They were victorious in their Crusade, and so earned the Throne

4 - They recently converted to the Dominant Faith

The Ruler's Method

Roll a d6 to determine how strict or liberal the ruler's reign is. Perhaps consider rolling with advantage or disadvantage based on the ruler's methods, or alignment.

1 - Tyranny

2 - Authoritarian

3 - Strict

4 - Laissez Faire

5 - Fair

6 - Benevolent

THE REALM

These are further tables to determine the situation and history of the realm if you wish. Mostly I think these are as optional as you want them to be, perhaps with the exception of the Realm's situation. Certainly at this point the further through you go, the more optional it is I think.

The Realm's Situation

The minimum I would suggest that is needed for the realm, as the situation can inform a lot about each ruler's inclinations towards neighboring realms.

As simple as a d6 roll:

1 or 2: On the Rise

3 or 4: Comfortably Stable

5 or 6: In a Steady Decline

The Realm's Status Quo

A d20 roll determines how long the current Realm has stood for (or not in some cases). This does not necessarily mean that the current ruler has been reigning for the whole time, however. I would suggest it is a marker of how long the current Dynasty has been in power. If the realm is on the rise, roll with disadvantage, and if the realm is in decline, roll with advantage.

1 - Recently (d6 years)

2 - Recently (d6 years)

3 - Recently (d6 years)

4 - Recently (d6 years)

5 - In Memory (d6 x 10 years)

6 - In Memory (d6 x 10 years)

7 - In Memory (d6 x 10 years)

8 - In Memory (d6 x 10 years)

9 - In Memory (d6 x 10 years)

10 - In Memory (d6 x 10 years)

11 - For Ages (d6 x 100 years)

12 - For Ages (d6 x 100 years)

13 - For Ages (d6 x x100 years)

14 - For Aeons (d6 x 1000 years)

15 - Embroiled in a Civil War (began d6 weeks ago) - (Roll another Ruler if you wish)

16 - Embroiled in a Civil War (began d6 years ago) - (Roll another Ruler if you wish)

17 - In the Grips of Revolution (began d6 weeks ago)

18 - In the Grips of Revolution (began d6 years ago)

19 - Languishing as a Puppet State

20 - Under the Control of Outside Forces

Civil Wars (d4)

1 - Succession Crisis

2 - Upstart Nobles

3 - Religious Upheaval

4 - Rise Against the Tyrant

Puppet States (d4)

1 - Conquered by a Neighbour

2 - In a Dynastic Union

3 - Under Economic Dependence

4 - Ruled by a Shadow Government

Outside Forces (d8)

1 - Realm of the Dead

2 - The Kingdom of Heaven

3 - Hell on Earth

4 - A Primeval Forest

5 - An Impossible Devastation

6 - The Remnants of the Precursors

7 - Untamed Wilds

8 - Land of the Dark Lord

Events

Events are the Realm-Shaking activities that can often separate the rule of one Dynasty from another, and at the very least demarcate the periods of Status-Quo. I suggest using your best judgement to decide exactly when these events occurred; they may not necessarily indicate the end or start of a Rulers reign, but they can. If you go for rolling the history of the realm as well, you could spread some of these events back further.

When rolling for a Realm that has been in its current state for Aeons or Ages, roll with disadvantage. When rolling for a Realm that has been in its current state only Recently, roll with advantage.

Number of Events (d6)

1 or 2 - No Events

3 or 4 - One Event

5 - Two Events

6 - Three Events

Events (d12)

If you roll a War, Revolution, or other such struggle, roll on the Outcome stable below to see who won. Similarly, if you roll a cataclysm, roll on the cataclysm table.

1 - Civil War (d4 months)

2 - Civil War (d4 years)

3 - Revolution (Short-lived, 2d6 years)

4 - Revolution (Long-standing, has been finished for 2d6 x10 years)

5 - Golden Age (d6 years, explodes with each explosion also multiplying duration by 10)

6 - Succession Crisis (d4 months) - (Roll a deposed Ruler if you wish)

7 - Succession Crisis (d4 years) - (Roll a deposed Ruler if you wish)

8 - Minor War (2d6 months)

9 - Major War (2d6 years)

10 - Cataclysmic War (2d6 decades)

11 - Minor Cataclysm (d4% of population)

12 - Major Cataclysm (d4 x 10% of population)

War/Revolution Outcomes (d8)

1 - Utter Loss

2 - Minor Loss

3 - Tense Standstill

4 - Comfortable Standstill

5 - Minor Victory

6 - Total Victory

Cataclysms (d10)

1 - Rampaging Monster/Dark Lord

2 - Divine Apocalypse

3 - Magical Catastrophe

4 - Economic Depression

5 - Virulent Disease

6 - Genocide

7 - Noble Decadence

8 - Extra-Planar Threat

9 - Earthquake, or other Geological Devastation

10 - Unrivaled Storms, or other Extreme Weather

The Realm's History

Use this d10 table to determine what was going on before the current Ruler came to power. If you really want detail, I guess you could roll rulers and Status-Quo periods for them, but I wouldn't really recommend it, lots of detail that most wouldn't care for anyway.

When rolling for a Realm that has been in its current state for Aeons or Ages, roll with disadvantage. When rolling for a Realm that has been in its current state only Recently, roll with advantage.

1 - This realm rose up from an ever-expanding city-state

2 - A Warlord united the land's petty barons together into this realm

3 - This realm rose over time from the results of many political marriages

4 - This realm was hard won in a battle against an inhuman foe

5 - The realm has been torn apart by Internal Conflicts for as long as any can remember

6 - A series of 2d4 Dynasties ruled over this area in succession over as many decades

7 - A pair of Dynasties have been fighting over this land for d6 decades

8 - The realm was a part of another realm before earning its Independence

9 - A Dynasty ruled for d6 decades after uniting the lands

10 - A Dynasty ruled for d6 centuries after uniting the lands

Elves at War

When the Elves go to war, it is as mysterious, beautiful, and impossible to escape as anything else they do.

They find war a curious pass-time, one of the more intriguing mortal inventions. They do not practice it amongst themselves of course, they have other methods of settling disputes, but when they are brought to anger by the mortal realm, they respond as they believe the mortals would have them respond, in wrath.

And as everything the fey have copied from me, their method of imitation is vexing, unfathomable, and terrifying.

Before you first see the fey, arrayed for battle, there are signs of their approach. First, plants will grow wildly fast, and claw at you feet at the most inopportune times, and from the most improbable places. This should be your warning to pack and leave with all possible haste.

The next sign is the fog that rolls in. No wind will disperse it, no sun will melt it, and while it is a milky white barrier to your sight, it is nothing at all to elven eyes. This is your warning to run without care for what you leave behind.

Finally, it will rain. By now it is too late.

The lesser elves will hunt in the fog like packs of hyenas. They cackle and prowl, just out of sight of their prey. They find this stage particularly hilarious. They will laugh and howl with mirth when anyone is struck dead, even their own, creasing over in hysterics at the fountains of blood. They have no concept of death. The lesser fey elves can match 3, or maybe 4 untrained men in battle. Perhaps more while in the fog. Some have learned to hide behind rain.

The True elves are more terrifying still. They can kill a dozen men at a go. Fighting them is like trying to fight the wind. Each has a name, and each their powers, and their chosen weapons. Perhaps the mightiest of warriors could match a True elf, but then again, perhaps not.

Beware Roses, Hounds, Rust, Bugles, Will o'the Wisps, Bog, these are the signs of the Fey Lords. You should always run. Even you. You are only a man. You could not win.

Fey Knight Title Generator; for Elves at War

[For Clarity, these tables are for True Elves, though some can be applied to lesser, Bastard Elves]
For the Name of the True Elf you face, roll for a Title, and an Epithet to follow it. Lesser elves take their names from nature, such as Wind, Fur, Sable, or Molar. These titles are for True Elves, who leave their Court-Names at court, such that the base carnage of war does not tarnish them on their return.

Titles:
1 - Knight
2 - Rook
3 - Jack
4 - Ace
5 - Signet
6 - Knave
7 - Gallant
8 - Caballero
9 - Master
10 - Caracal

Epithets
1 - Roses
2 - Winds
3 - Rains
4 - Clouds
5 - Skies
6 - Flowers
7 - Hearts
8 - Claves
9 - Coins
10 - Pentacles
11 - Diamonds
12 - Staves
13 - Swords
14 - Cups
15 - Lovers
16 - Hermits
17 - Towers
18 - Stars
19 - Moons
20 - Rusts
21 - Dusts
22 - Fools
23 - Rivers
24 - Springs
25 - Lakes
26 - Brooks
27 - Mists
28 - Wolves
29 - Hounds
30 - Feathers
31 - Arrows
32 - Carrion
33 - Forests
34 - Woods
35 - Breaks
36 - Ivies
37 - Swallows
38 - Eagles
39 - Sparrows
40 - Starlings

Weapons
The weapons of war of the True Elves are beautiful one and all, to a level that mortal craftsmen would gaze upon in despair and weep. They are wielded with effortless grace and terrible strength, and blood does not dare linger on them long. No Elf, lesser or True, will carry a spear. They dance out of the way of metal death like leaves on the wind.

1 - A Spear
2 - A Glaive
3 - Twin Scimitars
4 - A Bow
5 - Twin Flails
6 - A War Pick
7 - Twin War Picks
8 - A Scimitar
9 - A Flail
10 - Many Knives
11 - A Spiked Chain
12 - Magic Alone

Powers
Each True Elf Knight will have a pair of powers, marks and gifts from the Fae Lords whom they serve. Some of the Lesser Elf captains might be granted a power for the duration of the conflict, and no longer.
1 - An animal familiar (giant if appropriate) [d6 roll: 1 - bear, 2 - wolf, 3 - hawk, 4 - snake, 5 - elk, 6 - wasp]
2 - Teleportation
3 - Impossible Speed
4 - Mastery of an Element [d4 roll: 1 - fire, 2 - water, 3 - air, 4 - earth]
5 - Blinding Breath
6 - Charming Gaze
7 - Poisonous Weapons [d6 roll: 1 - deadly, 2 - sleeping, 3 - paralysing, 4 - petrifying, 5 - maddening, 6 - polymorphing]
8 - Control over plants
9 - Invisibility
10 - Illusions
11 - Regeneration
12 - Magical Cones
13 - Irresistible Dances
14 - Ethereal Chains, 
15 - Wild Magic Surges
16 - Magic Null Zones
17 - Weapon Sundering
18 - Aging Strikes
19 - Terrifying Visage
20 - Impossible Weapons 

Aspects
Each True Elf has been twisted subtly by the uncountable aeons they have spent in the Undying Lands of the Fae. These changes manifest in the following ways. Roll once for each Fae Knight.

1 - They wear no armour, for their skin is like bark.
2 - They flow on the wind, they appear as if a tapestry.
3 - Vines cling to them, covering their body, their face.
4 - They are covered in thick fur, like that of a bear.
5 - Their skin is clear and crystal as glass, their blood is a deep and burning red.
6 - They shine from behind like the sun behind a tree.
7 - Water hangs in the air behind them, tracing their path.
8 - Feathers sprout from their arms and legs.
9 - Their limbs are long and beetle-spindly.
10 - This one is nude, with beautiful, chaste, porcelain skin.
11 - This one has a cascade of thistledown hair.
12 - Their form is not of flesh, but a swarm of worms and insects.
13 - Their nails and teeth are like chunks of flint.
14 - Ribbons flow from every join of armour and cloth, from their hair, from their fingers.
15 - Their armour is a beautiful, delicate cage of filigree silver.
16 - Their eyes are moons, the light of stars can be seen all over their night-black skin.
17 - Thorns blister and burst from this one's skin.
18 - This one wears their bones outside of their body like scaffolding.
19 - This one is merely a torrent of blood in shape of man.
20 - This one is covered in tiger-bands.
21 - This one has many eyes and many limbs like a spider of dreams.
22 - This one's fingers are long, thin needles.
23 - This one seems to have be sliced to pieces and sewn back together.
24 - This one has no feet, their legs mold into the material of the earth with each step.
25 - This one hangs in the air, their feet trailing behind in the air.
26 - This one is disturbingly flexible, with limbs like rubber.
27 - This one is covered in oily-rainbow scales.
28 - This one is wreathed in flame.
29 - The skin of this one is like Egg-Shell, and it leaks yolk and albumen from its mouth.
30 - This one stretches off infinitely, surrounded by fractal-clones and illusion-cousins.