TEXT: EX NOVO
  a city-building game to generate playable settlements for 
  use in other creative endeavors. Designed for 1 to 4 players 
  with a playtime of about 2 hours. Created by Martin Nerurkar 
  and Konstantinos Dimopoulos.
  
  Ex Novo
  A playable city generator
  30. June 2020 
  Version 1.1
  Design
  Martin Nerurkar
  Konstantinos Dimopoulos 
  Layout
  Martin Nerurkar
  Artwork
  Konstantinos Dimopoulos
  Special thanks
  Alexander Zacherl
  Martin Buntz
  Nils Urban
  Vivi Papanastasiou
  Cover: Plan of Paris
  Truschet et Hoyau, circa 1550
  Website
  exnovo.sharkbombs.com
  Inspiration
  Kill Six Billion Demons, Tom Parkinson-Morgan 
  The Quiet Year, Avery Alder
  Invisible Cities,  Italo Calvino
  Sim City, Will Wright 
  Tales of the Arabian Nights
  Contents
  Basics 
  1
  Sequence of Play 
  2
  1. Discussion Phase 
  2
  2. Founding Phase 
  3
  3. Development Phase 
  4
  4. Topping Out Phase 
  5
  Elements & Actions 
  6
  Regions 
  7
  Terrain 
  7
  Landmarks 
  8
  Resources 
  8
  Citizen Tokens 
  9
  Districts 
  10
  Factions 
  11
  Example of Play 
  12
  Appendix: Further Mapmaking 
  14
  Urban Uses 
  14
  A Sense of Scale 
  14
  Diverse Development 
  15
  Tables 
  16
  Scale: Size 
  17
  Scale: Age 
  17
  Terrain: Geography 
  18
  Terrain: Features 
  19
  Purpose: Location 
  20
  Purpose: Decision 
  21
  Power: Hierarchy 
  22
  Power: Factions 
  22
  Events: Warfare 
  23
  Events: Politics 
  26
  Events: Economy 
  29
  Events: Culture 
  32
  Events: Infrastructure 
  35
  Events: Environment 
  38
  Gameplay Overview 
  41
  
  --- 1
  --- Basics
  Basics
  You (and up to three friends) take on the role of the guardian spirit of a freshly founded settlement. Its 
  founding just brought you into existence. And with it it brought you your purpose: to witness its growth, 
  shepherd its development and remember its stories. 
  During play you will make sense of the events happening as you draw and plan on a collaborative map of 
  the settlement and its changing shape. In the end you will have created an interesting fictional place with 
  a sense of history.
  Preparation
  To play Ex Novo you will need:
  1-4 players
   ʟ
  , you can create a city on your own or 
  collaborate with some friends.
  1-3 hours,
   ʟ
   depending on the number of events 
  during the development phase.
  Three six-sided dice
   ʟ
  , abbreviated as D6, ideally 
  in different colors.
  25 tokens
   ʟ
  , like glass beads, poker chips or,  
  preferably, little wooden people or houses.
  A large sheet of paper
   ʟ
  , that can be comfortably 
  seen by everyone.
  A few note cards
   ʟ
  , to note down factions and 
  other interesting things.
  Pens or pencils
   ʟ
  , simple writing implements for 
  everyone, possibly in different colors.
  Play Overview
  Play begins with a brief discussion phase. Here 
  each player shares their assumptions and expec-
  tations. In this phase you will also determine the 
  final size and age of the city. 
  If you play with multiple players, decide who be-
  gins. Our suggestion is to have the player go first, 
  who last discovered something new about the city 
  they live in. From there play proceeds in turns.
  We begin with a founding phase. Here the basics 
  of the settlement, such as its purpose or the sur-
  rounding terrain are determined. By following the 
  predefined sequence of turns you will end up with 
  an interesting starting situation.
  After this you enter into the development phase. 
  This is  where the exciting history of your city is 
  played out, and its shape evolves. The number of 
  times this phase is repeated depends on the age of 
  your settlement. During each phase you will add 
  an interesting event that needs to be interpreted 
  by the active player. Here the settlement will grow, 
  transform or even shrink. 
  The final phase is the topping out phase. A few 
  quick turns are taken to wrap up the development 
  and tie off all loose ends.
  Most turns, both during the founding and develop-
  ment phases, have the active player determine a 
  result on a table, explain how that entry relates to 
  the current situation and follow the actions stated. 
  This usually means you get to add some feature or 
  element to the city or its surroundings by drawing 
  it on the map.
  
  2 ---
  EX NOVO ---
  Sequence of Play
  Below you will find a description of the different turns and actions taken during the flow of the game. 
  You will often have to make use of the tables at the back of the book. Each entry will provide you with a 
  situation to make sense of and some actions that affect the game elements of your city. 
  1. Discussion Phase
  Ex Novo is a collaborative storytelling exercise. The goal of the discussion phase is to ensure that, before 
  play begins, all players are roughly on the same page in regards to their assumptions and expectations. 
  This will help ensure  a more enjoyable experience for everyone. 
  1.3. Target Size
  This turn has you determine the target size of the 
  settlement. Do not roll but instead simply pick 
  a table entry. This entry will ask you to draw a 
  number of lines on the paper to split the map into 
  regions. Players take turns drawing lines. You will 
  also  set aside a number of tokens to represent the 
  future citizens of the settlement. 
  Pick an entry from the Scale-Size table 
   →
  Draw lines and divide the map into regions
   →
  Set aside citizen tokens for the growth pool
   →
  1.4. Target Age
  In this turn you set the target age of the settle-
  ment: This will determine how old the settlement 
  will be when the game ends. Pick an entry from 
  the appropriate table. Additionally target age de-
  termines how many development phases you will 
  play. This means it also determines how long the 
  game will last.
  Pick an entry from the Scale-Age table
   →
  Mark the number of development phases in a 
   →
  timeline either on the map or on a note card
  1.1. Setting assumptions
  It is very useful to decide on a wider setting for the 
  city, ideally one that everyone is somewhat famil-
  iar with. Otherwise you might end up with dragon-
  caves next to a high-tech train system. 
  Granted, that kind of thing can be pretty rad, if 
  you’re up for it. But if one player wants to create 
  a high-tech city and another is going for high 
  fantasy then you’re probably bound for a mix of 
  confused and disappointed faces.
  So before you start play find common ground that 
  everyone is excited about. That could be a post-
  apocalyptic settlement in the wastelands, the 
  capital of a fantasy kingdom beset by dragons or 
  even a cyberpunk city choked by smog. 
  1.2. Game expectations
  What does everyone want from the game? Are 
  you just hanging out for a fun evening of making 
  something interesting, dark or goofy together? Or 
  are you planning to create an interesting place to 
  use for something else? Maybe as a backdrop for a 
  story or your next role-playing game session? 
  If half of the table is going for something serious 
  and useful, and the other half is just going crazy, 
  then again confusion and disappointment are 
  likely.
  
  --- 3
  --- sEquENcE Of Play
  2.1. Major Geography
  Find out what kind of region this settlement was 
  founded in.
  Roll on the Terrain-Geography table 
   →
  Draw the major terrain shape
   →
  2.2. Terrain Features (x4)
  This turn is repeated four times. Each time you dis-
  cover a new terrain feature and add it to the map.
  Roll on the Terrain-Feature table 
   →
  Draw the terrain feature
   →
  2.3. Founding Location
  Now we have the surroundings, let’s find out what 
  about this place was special enough to found a 
  settlement here. Access to a useful trade route? 
  Terrain that is easy to fortify or defend?
  Roll on the Purpose-Location table 
   →
  Draw a related landmark or resource.
   →
  2.4. Settlement Decision
  This turn tells us who initiated the founding of the 
  settlement. The options range from an accident all 
  the way to a divine commandment.
  Roll on the Purpose-Decision table 
   →
  Draw the first settlement district
   →
  Move one citizen token from the pool to the city 
   →
  (place it close to your settlement)
  2.5. Starting Hierarchy
  The people have settled, time to figure out how 
  they organize their lives. This turn determines the 
  power structures of the community. It also tells us 
  how these people got here. Draw the path and/or 
  the vehicle that got them here.
  Roll on the Power-Hierarchy table 
   →
  Draw the route that led the settlers here
   →
  2.6. Community Factions
  In this step we figure out how power is shared or 
  split within the community. This will produce a 
  number of factions. The active player rolls and de-
  termines the factions and adds the first landmark. 
  Then the next player adds the second landmark 
  until all have been placed.
  Roll on the Power-Factions table 
   →
  Note name and symbol of a faction on a note card
   →
  Draw a landmark for that faction
   →
  Move a citizen token from the city to the faction in 
   →
  power
  Change active player and create a note card and 
   →
  landmark for each remaining faction
  2.7. Name the City
  The final step before we can begin the develop-
  ment is to name the city. If you’re hard pressed for 
  a name, simply pick a feature of the terrain or sur-
  roundings and use that. Starting with something 
  like Gulltown or Lower Darkwood is perfectly fine.
  Write the city’s name at the top of the map.
   →
  2. Founding Phase
  In this phase you collectively determine the starting conditions of your settlement. The starting player 
  begins and then play continues in turns, with the active player changing clockwise after each turn. Each 
  turn has you consult a different table, which will lead you to the founding moment.
  
  4 ---
  EX NOVO ---
  3. Development Phase
  This phase represents the unpredictable events that change and shape a city as time passes. This se-
  quence will form its turbulent and fascinating history. The development phase is repeated multiple 
  times, alternating players after each phase.
  3.1. Historic Event
  You determine a random event and then try to 
  make sense of it within the story of the settlement. 
  The questions with each entry are inspirational 
  prompts and may be ignored or changed at will. 
  You may also ask the other players for ideas or 
  listen to their contributions.
  Often the results of the table will ask you to put 
  something on the map. Once you’re done you may 
  want to write down the name of the event to pro-
  vide a record of the city’s history
  Roll on the Events table 
   →
  Follow the actions as described
   →
  Note down the event on the timeline
   →
  3.2. Natural Growth (optional)
  If you want to, you can use a citizen token from the 
  pool to add a district to the map. This means that 
  during this period the city grew normally, from its 
  usual mixture of a high birth rate and immigra-
  tion. Don’t worry if you don’t spend all tokens by 
  the time you’re done with the city.
  Move a citizen token from the pool to the city
   →
  Add a district to the map
   →
  
  --- 5
  --- sEquENcE Of Play
  4. Topping Out Phase
  Topping out is what you do when you’re done with the basic shell of a building. So now, after all the his-
  toric events are done it’s time to wrap up the settlement. During this phase you get to spend all remain-
  ing citizen tokens and put your final touches on the settlement.
  4.1. Remaining Growth (xTokens)
  In regular player order, you take turns using the 
  remaining citizen tokens for districts. However 
  during this phase you cannot add new districts 
  directly. You may only increase the density of 
  existing districts, but this may still cause spillover 
  districts according to the rules for adding districts. 
  This represents normal city growth that had hap-
  pened earlier but wasn’t properly noticed. 
  Move a citizen token from the pool to the city
   →
  Increase density of an existing district on the map
   →
  4.2. Name a feature (xPlayers)
  As a final finishing touch, each player gets to name 
  one feature on the map, even one that wasn’t 
  put down yet. This could be a famous mountain, 
  a road, a city gate or a river. If you’re starved for 
  ideas, simply name it after yourself. Martin’s Gate 
  or Mount Konstantinos are perfectly fine.
  Name a feature of the city or environment
   →
  Add a landmark as needed
   →
  Sign the map (optional)
   →
  
  6 ---
  EX NOVO ---
  Elements & Actions
  The city consists of different elements that are added and changed over time. Most of them have some 
  sort of symbol that represents them on the map and all of them can be modified by actions during play.
  Removing elements
  When you are asked to remove a game element 
  that doesn’t mean you simply cross out or erase the 
  corresponding symbol from the map. 
  Cities are physical things and buildings don’t 
  just vanish. Building material is reused, old ruins 
  remain, a temple is repurposed as marketplace. 
  People will find a way to make use of what is there 
  and will remember what was important.
  Always make sure you leave a remnant landmark 
  behind. A district is deserted and removed from 
  the map? Put a landmark of the ruins of the aban-
  doned houses in its place. 
  In some cases it might not even make sense to 
  leave a landmark behind, but then think about 
  how this change might express itself in the city, 
  even if it is not visible on the map.
  Drawing the map
  When you’re drawing as part of play it’s not about 
  creating an accurate representation or a beautiful 
  picture. Your map is a working document and so 
  speed and readability are much more important 
  than pretty visuals. Especially since a mudslide 
  could destroy that painstakingly drawn house at 
  any time. Keep it fast and loose and make sure 
  everyone understands what you’re drawing.
  Off the map
  If you need to draw a representation for something 
  far away (like the reclusive vampire count ruling 
  over these lands from afar) then draw something 
  symbolizing it close to the edge of the map that’s 
  most relevant. For example: Draw a quick drop of 
  blood for the vampire count and put it next to the 
  road that leads to their faraway castle.
  Overview
  The different game elements that can be added, 
  changed or removed are:
  Regions
   ʟ
  , abstract units of space
  Terrain
   ʟ
  , areas of interesting geography 
  Landmarks
   ʟ
  , objects or places of interest, that 
  may be related to factions or resources 
  Resources
   ʟ
  , things of value to the city
  Citizen Tokens
   ʟ
  , represent the people living here
  Districts
   ʟ
  , areas where people live
  Factions
   ʟ
  , organized groups with agendas
  Factions are written down on note cards as they 
  appear but every other type of element is always 
  drawn directly on the map. 
  Adding elements
  This means you can add a new game element  to 
  the map. You can find more details on how this 
  works for each game element in this chapter.
  When you add a feature to the map, you may 
  always name it. 
  Transforming elements
  Instead of adding an entirely new element you 
  can instead transform an existing element. This 
  change needs to be substantial and should find 
  expression on the map in some form.
  Instead of creating a new landmark, for example, 
  you could state that the existing museum is ex-
  panded and improved, and then add another wing 
  to its symbol on the map.
  
  --- 7
  --- ElEmENts & actiONs
  Regions
  A region is an abstract unit of space that provides 
  a sense of scale and that helps you shape your city. 
  Individual regions can have individual characteris-
  tics, such as a difference in vegetation or elevation, 
  but that is not required. 
  Drawing regions
  When you split the map into regions you are not 
  limited to straight lines. You can use circles or 
  squiggles to create an organic structure instead. 
  Using a lighter color for the region lines is useful to 
  differentiate them from other elements.
  Terrain
  Terrain is the catch all term for all things topologi-
  cal and geographical. Anything from mountain 
  ranges, to volcanoes and rivers is part of this.
  Drawing terrain
  Simple elements like rivers or singular hills can be 
  drawn directly. But for larger areas like a massive 
  forest , drawing every single tree will slow game-
  play down too much. 
  Instead draw a dashed outline for the general ter-
  rain and fill it with a few simple icons of the type of 
  landscape within it. A set of three waves for a giant 
  lake or a simple scattering of a few dozen trees for 
  a massive forest. Using different colors can also be 
  useful here.
  Adding terrain
  When you add terrain to the map, simply draw a 
  shape that best represents the feature. 
  Removing terrain
  If you remove a terrain feature transform it ac-
  cordingly. A river dries out, a forest burns down. 
  Both leave something behind. Sometimes this can 
  be symbolized by changing the representational 
  icons inside. 
  The trees of a forest get replaced by the burnt out 
  husks after the woods have been ravaged by a for-
  est fire.
  
  8 ---
  EX NOVO ---
  Landmarks
  Landmarks are buildings or places that stand out. 
  These may be things like an important statue, a 
  major trade route, the fishing harbor, an imposing 
  mountain of legend or a wizard’s tower. Draw sim-
  plified representations for these as they pop up. 
  Note that landmarks have no size restrictions. A 
  landmark could be the massive stone walls encircl-
  ing the city, the imperial road crossing the entire 
  map or a tiny restaurant of renown.
  Adding landmarks
  When you get to add a landmark you can either 
  construct a new one, or re-purpose and even re-
  discover an existing one. 
  This could least to a new statue being erected, 
  an existing building being used differently or a 
  restaurant rising to prominence. Add an appropri-
  ate symbol to the map or change an existing one 
  as needed.
  Removing landmarks
  If you’re instructed to remove a landmark this 
  means that a landmark of your choice falls into 
  disuse, is destroyed or otherwise degraded. 
  A tower is demolished, a bridge collapses. Trans-
  form the symbol to one representing its new state. 
  If its physical representation is completely de-
  stroyed you can remove it altogether.
  Resources
  Resources are the sources of wealth for the city and 
  the sources of power the factions struggle over. 
  These can be concrete things such as gold or abun-
  dant fish but can also be representations of more  
  abstract things such as skills or knowledge.
  A resource is always directly represented on the 
  map with a symbol of your choice. If the city makes 
  use of the resource and if it makes sense you may 
  also add a landmark. For example the landmark 
  for “abundant fishing opportunities” could be the 
  fisher’s harbor. 
  
  --- 9
  --- ElEmENts & actiONs
  Adding resources
  When you add a resource, that means that a new 
  source of value is discovered, developed or an 
  existing one is transformed.
  For new resources you may add a landmark that 
  represents the object or its use. A mine, a harbor, 
  the alley of craftsmen. 
  Also, as a resource appears it often makes sense to 
  associate it with the faction that exploits or uses it.
  Removing resources
  A resource is generally removed because it has 
  been depleted, lost or otherwise no longer pro-
  vides appropriate value. Transform the resource’s 
  symbol and the landmark associated with it ap-
  propriately.
  Citizen Tokens
  Citizen tokens represent the people living in the 
  city. As you begin play you start with the majority 
  of your available tokens in the growth pool. These 
  people aren’t part of the city. This pool represents 
  the growth potential of your settlement.
  Moving tokens
  As you add districts during play, these tokens are 
  moved into the city and/or to factions. 
  Tokens moved to the city are placed on the map 
  close to the city. These symbolize the people living 
  in the city that do not directly support one of the 
  factions. Lethargic or politically disintrested.
  Tokens moved to a faction are put on the appropri-
  ate note card. These people represent clear and 
  devoted supporters for this faction.
  Removing tokens
  If you remove a district from the map you will also 
  need to remove a citizen token. This can come 
  from either the city or one of the factions. Simply 
  move it back into the growth pool.
  
  10 ---
  EX NOVO ---
  Districts
  Districts are the places where the people of the 
  city live, work and socialize. These are generally 
  mixed use but you can, especially in more tech-
  nologically advanced cities, mark the districts for 
  residential, industrial or mixed use as you add 
  them.
   
  Districts are closely linked to the citizen tokens and 
  have a density from 1 to 3.
  Drawing districts
  For districts draw an irregular blob that demar-
  cates the district’s shape. It should be roughly the 
  size of one region. If  your regions are vastly differ-
  ent in size just make sure districts have sizes that 
  relate to one another.
  As you draw a district, it may be helpful to set its 
  outline a slight distance back from the region lines 
  to clearly differntiate the two. For a more urban 
  feeling use angled lines for the silhouette instead 
  of organic shapes. 
  But in any case do not draw individual houses.  In-
  stead make sure to leave enough room for interest-
  ing landmarks to appear.
  District density
  As a district gains in density repeat the outline 
  to represent the density. One  line is a sparse and 
  spacious district. This could be a more rural area 
  or a hill filled with expensive mansions. Two lines 
  imply urban living, mostly streets and houses with 
  a few plazas. Three lines represents high densities, 
  houses piling on top of each other.
  Adding districts
  When you add a district, you can chose to either 
  add a new district or to increase the density of an 
  existing district by one.
  When a district is added you move one citizen 
  token from the pool to the city. If no citizen to-
  kens remain you can still add a district if an action 
  forces you to.
  District spillover
  If you want to or need to increase the density of a 
  district that’s already at max, the people’s need 
  for housing will persist, and finds its expression in 
  a new district of improvised and cheap housing. 
  Place this wherever there’s space and/or material 
  to build, generally nearby and on the outskirts of 
  the city. This is called the district spillover rule.
  Removing districts
  When you are asked to remove a district, this 
  means people die or move away and houses are 
  abandoned or destroyed. If you want to remove a 
  district, you can only outright remove a density 1 
  district. Higher density districts have their level of 
  density reduced instead. 
  When a district is removed move one citizen token 
  from the city or the factions back into the pool.
  And remember, if a district is removed completely, 
  something usually remains. Maybe ruins, a field 
  of debris marking the site of a battle or a new wall 
  built out of the building material no longer in use.
  
  --- 11
  --- ElEmENts & actiONs
  Removing a faction
  If a faction is removed its headquarter landmark 
  (or any other landmarks associated with them) is 
  generally repurposed, if not destroyed. And any 
  associated resources are soon to be gobbled up by 
  other factions, if possible.
  When a faction is extinguished, any citizen tokens 
  remaining on its note card are moved to the city 
  or other factions as needed.
  Gaining power
  When a faction gains power, take any number of 
  citizen tokens from the city or from other factions 
  and move them to the faction gaining power. This 
  represents people supporting this faction and join-
  ing their side.
  Losing power
  If a faction loses power, move any number of 
  citizen tokens from the faction back to the city or 
  spread them out among the other factions.
  This shows the  citizens no longer supporting the 
  faction and either abandoning it for another one 
  or simply no longer being involved.
  Factions
  Factions are crucial in keeping the history of the 
  city alive. Factions can be very specific groups of 
  people like “the council of elders” or they can be a 
  more nebulous movement like “rebellious factory 
  workers”. Factions can also be forces outside the 
  city such as the “tyrant king” or the marauding 
  “merfolk pirates”. 
  Important is that the factions have some power to 
  affect the city, either from the top down, the bot-
  tom up or even from the outside. 
  Faction power
  Factions make use of the citizen tokens to rep-
  resent their power over the people of the city. As 
  a faction gains or loses power citizen tokens are 
  moved to and from its note card. 
  These tokens  are a rough representation of the 
  sway and influence a faction holds. The  more of 
  a city’s population is loyal to a faction, the more it 
  can change and influence.
  Adding a faction
  Factions are not buildings and so they are not 
  directly visible on the map. Instead you record each 
  faction on a note card, ideally with their name and 
  a quick symbol representing them.
  And, just like resources, factions always generate a 
  landmark to represent them: Their headquarters, 
  a frequent, secret meeting place or something else 
  of value to the faction and its supporters.
  If it is possible, also assign an existing resource to 
  a faction as it appears. This resource is what gives 
  the faction its power and makes it relevant. 
  And lastly, when a new faction is created you need 
  to move at least one  citizen token directly to its 
  note card. This token should generally come from 
  the city but can be taken from another faction as 
  makes sense based on the story you are telling.
  
  12 ---
  EX NOVO ---
  Example of Play
  In the following example Vivi and Konstantinos play together to create the example town of Amalthea.
  1. Discussion Phase
  We decided to set our city in a typical fantasy setting played straight. We would be the guiding force driv-
  ing sturdy hobbits towards urban life. 
  Power: Factions
  For the factions we rolled a 6 and got ourselves a 
  complex web of power for our tiny village. These 
  would have to be the (leading) Nobles, the Peas-
  ants, and the accompanying Warriors. A landmark 
  for each faction was placed on the map: a small 
  town-hall for the Nobles in the village center, a 
  shrine to the moon for the Peasants next to the 
  fields, and a sword signifying the training grounds 
  of the Warriors at the foot of the mountains. The 
  token was moved on the Nobles’ faction card (well, 
  post-it note). 
  Scale: Size
  For the settlement’s size we picked 1: A village. We 
  drew 5 region lines and set aside 3 citizen tokens.
  Scale: Age
  As for the village’s age we picked 1 again: Nestling, 
  which gave us 4 development phases.
  2. Founding Phase
  Then we moved to the founding phase.
  Terrain: Geography
  First we rolled 2d6 for the overall geography scor-
  ing an 8: Our village was set in a riverland. A wide, 
  tame, gently snaking river was drawn on the map. 
  Terrain: Features
  Then we took turns rolling 2d6 and got a 7 (a 
  second, smaller river rich in salmon to the north), 
  a 4 (a small mountain range populated according 
  to legend by werebeasts further north), a 6 (woods 
  hiding tasty mushrooms and rich game to the 
  south), and finally a 3 (caves leading to a necro-
  mancer’s dungeon in the mountains). 
  Purpose: Location
  The dice showed a 6: The fertile land between the 
  rivers led the hobbits to this place.
  Purpose: Decision
  The village was founded following the business 
  venture of a young noble (we did roll an 8 for this 
  table). Of course the King of All Hobbits did grant 
  said noble the right to go forth with this scheme.
  Power: Hierarchy
  The first settlement district drawn on the map, and 
  a token was placed close to it, before rolling a 5 on 
  1d6 and determining that the village was ruled by 
  a caste of nobles. The initial settlement position 
  was approached by boat, and via the main river.
  
  --- 13
  --- EXamPlE Of Play
  3. Development Phase
  Our first d666 roll came up with a 4, a 2, and a 5, 
  and so we looked up entry 425. “Outsiders arrive” 
  and it seemed that this already idyllic village of 
  plenty was welcoming new arrivals as word of 
  its fertile fields spread. A new district had to be 
  sketched for the booming population. Then a sec-
  ond citizen token was moved to the Nobles as the 
  initial village district was given some extra density.
  Next, a 5, a 2, and a 4 were rolled on the d666. 
  According to the table, entry 524 demanded “A 
  place for the dead” and we simply had to draft a 
  small landmark for our graveyard. This was placed 
  outside the town and far from the suspiciously 
  looked-at mountains. Our settlement now started 
  vaguely resembling something interesting.
    
  The next event (354), “A new industry takes root”, 
  led to the addition of a hunting-and-game re-
  source near the rich woods. 
  As for our final roll on the Events table it was a 
  263, which meant that a “Discussion of equality” 
  between the factions and their subdivisions hap-
  pened; this, of course, led to nothing spectacular. 
  In the spirit of equality though we decided to add 
  a token on the Warriors’ faction and create a new 
  district for them. As nobody was looking we used 
  a token that was not in the original pool; we felt 
  both cheeky and magnanimous.
  4. Topping Out Phase
  To add a bit of extra life (and intrigue) to the 
  nestling, hopeful village of Amalthea we spent our 
  final citizen token to add population to the latest 
  district, which we then called “The Knives”.
  We graced it with a nice, sturdy, warrior-esque 
  castle of a landmark, because it seemed fitting - 
  even though there’s no rules for it. 
  As a final flourish we gave the major river a fitting 
  name: “The King’s Way”.
   
  
  14 ---
  EX NOVO ---
  Appendix: Further Mapmaking
  This chapter offers a number of further ideas, rules options and thoughts on playing Ex Novo and making 
  city maps. If this is your first time playing or reading Ex Novo don’t worry too much about these. 
  Urban Uses
  If you want to keep the settlement for use some-
  where else, you might want to end the session by 
  writing down all the important things that have 
  not found expression on the map. Also make sure 
  that all the symbols will still be readable a few 
  days later.
  Continuing Play
  Note that if you plan to use the city in a role-play-
  ing game or something similar, you are not forced 
  to start play in the completed version of your city. 
  You could go a few events back and introduce the 
  city there, keeping future development as inspira-
  tion for possible future events.
   
  And you can always roll on the events table to see 
  how the city develops during your story.
  Refining the map
  If you plan to create a cleaner version of the city 
  map, we recommend that you start by drawing the 
  main roads between important landmarks. Think 
  about which way people would frequently travel 
  and start there.
  Then separate your actual districts into blocks or 
  smaller groups of houses.
  You may also want to look at other maps for inspi-
  ration, and add appropriate details like a compass 
  needle, a scale and so on.
  A Sense of Scale
  If you want to get a rough estimate of your city’s 
  size and scale, the following rough measurements 
  may help you figure these things out:
  Region size
  If you have relatively equally sized regions you can 
  consider them to have an area of about 1 square 
  kilometer.
  Population size
  Use the following table to get a rough estimate of 
  the number of people living in your settlement:
  City Size
  Density 1
  Density 2
  Density 3
  Village
  100
  250
  500
  Town
  150
  500
  1.500
  Small city
  200
  1.000
  5.000
  Medium city
  350
  2.000
  10.000
  Large city
  500
  4.000
  20.000
  Metropolis
  1.000
  10.000
  50.000
  Tracking Time
  Time in Ex Novo is nebulous by design. The rolled 
  events represent the dramatic moments within a 
  longer span of time. But if you want to estimate 
  time more closely, you can roughly consult the fol-
  lowing table:
  City Size
  Duration
  Nestling
  5-10 years
  Budding
  10-20 years
  Grown
  20-50 years
  Aged
  40-80 years
  Elderly
  50-100 years
  Ancient
  80-150 years
  
  --- 15
  --- aPPENdiX: furthEr maPmakiNg
  Diverse Development
  If you are looking to spice up the development of 
  your city a bit, here are some rules you can try:
  Unpredictable Scale
  If you don’t mind leaving your playtime up to 
  chance, and you crave uncertainty, then you can 
  move the turns that determine size and age from 
  the preparation phase to the founding phase. And 
  then simply roll on the appropriate tables.
  Open ended
  If you want complete freedom you can skip the 
  steps to set the time and scale of your city during 
  the preparation phase. Simply start with a large 
  map, and set aside 25 citizen tokens. Then repeat 
  the development phase until you feel like you’ve 
  got something interesting.
  Temporal Determinism
  If you want to adapt your city development to a 
  specific timeline you have in mind, then you can 
  simply note down the number of time events you 
  have after the preparation stage. Possibly as boxes 
  at the side of the map.
  Then simply pick some specific events that you 
  know will happen at the appropriate points in 
  time and write them next to the empty boxes on 
  your development phase timeline. You will play 
  through the development phase as normal. How-
  ever when you hit a pre-defined event, do not roll 
  on the list but play out the one you have already 
  selected instead.
  Closed start
  You have a specific starting settlement in mind? Or 
  maybe you have a city from a previous game of Ex 
  Novo, that you want to continue? 
  You can either go through the preparation and 
  founding phase as normal but simply pick the ap-
  propriate entry instead of rolling.
  Or you can skip the founding phase completely. 
  Instead draw regions and the current state of the 
  city and its surroundings. Then add your factions 
  and resources and proceed with the development 
  phase as normal.
  Less Random
  This option gives you a bit more control over the 
  results you get during play.  
  At the start of the game, every player gets five 
  six-sided dice of a special color. These are called 
  correction dice. 
  Now during play, whenever a player gets a dice 
  result they are not happy with, they may roll one of 
  their correction dice and then have it replace one 
  of the dice they rolled normally. 
  If that’s not good enough, players can keep rolling 
  their remaining correction dice until they exhaust 
  them or get an outcome they like.
  
  16 ---
  EX NOVO ---
  Tables
  During many steps of the game you’ll be asked to either pick an entry from a table or randomly deter-
  mine one. To randomly find an entry you will have to roll one or more dice, and then look up the entry on 
  the appropriate table that corresponds to the number rolled.
  3. Find your Answers
  Your job is to then make sense of the entry for the 
  story of your shared city. Many entries will feature 
  questions that provide a jumping off point for your 
  story but don’t feel bound by them.
  Let yourself be inspired by the actions that have 
  gone before and try and continue their stories if it 
  makes sense.
  4. Perform Actions
  After you have figured out the story you may have 
  to perform some stated actions. There may be any 
  number of actions, sometimes even requiring you 
  to choose between multiple options or leaving it 
  completely up to the player’s choice. 
  Actions written in parentheses are optional. You 
  can perform these if you feel that they fit the story 
  you are telling. If not, don’t worry about them.
  Decide which of the given options best fits your 
  urban narrative and then resolve the actions ac-
  cording to the rules.
  1. Determine your Entry
  Sometimes you can freely pick the entry of your 
  choice but in most cases you will have to roll a 
  number of dice to randomly determine one. 
  The number of dice to roll are indicated at the top 
  right of each table. There are three options for dice 
  rolls:
  D6
   ʟ
  : Roll a single six-sided dice and simply use 
  the number shown (1-6)
  2D6
   ʟ
  : Roll two six-sided dice and add the results 
  together (2-12)
  D666
   ʟ
  : Roll three six-sided dice in sequence, 
  each dice representing a digit (111-666)
  For the D666 you will need a method to consistent-
  ly put the dice in the same order. You can either roll 
  them in sequence, use colored dice and determine 
  the order by color or you can roll them and go from 
  the leftmost to the rightmost.
  2. Read Aloud
  Once you’ve determined your result, read its name 
  and description aloud for all players at the table. 
  Each table entry consists of a few things:
  Number
   ʟ
  : This tells you what number the entry 
  corresponds to.
  Name
   ʟ
  : This is a quick description of the event.
  Description
   ʟ
  : This tells you what the event is 
  about and may pose some relevant questions. 
  Actions
   ʟ
  : Each entry may contain one or more 
  actions that need to be taken.
  
  --- 17
  --- taBlEs
  Scale: Size
  Scale: Age
  Village
  A small hamlet where everyone knows each other and 
  most people are focused on the necessities.
  Split the map with 5 lines, set aside 3 citizen tokens
   →
  1
  Town
  Big enough for some non-essential infrastructure and even 
  a few talented craftsmen or merchants.
  Split the map with 7 lines, set aside 5 citizen tokens
   →
  2
  Small city
  Large enough for a market place and maybe even a school.
  Split the map with 9 lines, set aside 8 citizen tokens
   →
  3
  Medium city
  A sizable city with multiple specialized industries and a 
  constant need for food imports.
  Split the map with 11 lines, set aside 13 citizen tokens
   →
  4
  Large city
  Big enough to be the capital of a nation and to hold at least 
  one university.
  Split the map with 13 lines, set aside 18 citizen tokens
   →
  5
  Metropolis
  A giant city of global fame, large enough to last ages. An 
  unmanageable melting pot of ideas and culture.
  Split the map with 15 lines, set aside 25 citizen tokens
   →
  6
  Nestling
  Still young, this settlement is only a generation old and has 
  yet to prove itself.
  Mark 4 development phases on the map
   →
  1
  Budding
  A settlement that has already put down some roots for the 
  storms that are yet to come.
  Mark 6 development phases on the map
   →
  2
  Grown
  At its respectable age this city has seen a handful of 
  generations live and die.
  Mark 10 developmet phases on the map
   →
  3
  Aged
  At a few hundred years of urban development, this city has 
  gone through its fair share of turmoil.
  Mark 14 development phases on the map
   →
  4
  Elderly
  Wars and rulers are only passing fads. This city was built to 
  last.
  Mark 20 development phases on the map
   →
  5
  Ancient
  This place has seen the millennia go by and shrugged.
  Mark 25 development phases on the map
   →
  6
  D6 (1-6)
  D6 (1-6)
  This defines the target size the city will reach as it develops. It  tells you to split the map into an appropri-
  ate number of regions and set aside the right amount of citizen tokens for the pool.
  These entries will let you know how old your city will be. They define the number of development phases 
  to play and thus how long the game will last.
  
  18 ---
  EX NOVO ---
  Terrain: Geography
  Mountains
  A settlement on the slopes of a towering mountain range. 
  How do these structures cling to the rock?
  Draw a mountain range covering at least 1/2 of the map
   →
  2
  Plateau
  Thin air but a stellar view. What stories do the settlers tell 
  of the winds and the birds?
  Draw a plateau covering at least 1/2 of the map
   →
  3
  Valley
  Hidden and nestled. Who found this valley? And what was 
  hiding here when people arrived?
  Draw a mountain range at least 1 region thick on two 
   →
  opposing sides of the map
  4
  Deep Forests
  Deep in the woods. What legends are told of these trees? 
  What mysteries do they guard?
  Draw a forested area covering at least 1/2 of the map
   →
  5
  Hills
  Rolling, rocky or rugged. Wide vistas or dappled in forests? 
  What songs of this land do the people sing?
  Draw at least two sizeable hills, each at least 2 regions big
   →
  6
  Inland
  Plains and sky as far as the eye can see. How do the people 
  deal with this vastness?
  Draw nothing
   →
  7
  Riverland
  Gentle and calm or treacherous and angry. What is the 
  reason for this river’s temperament? And how do the 
  citizens deal with that?
  Draw a wide, meandering river crossing the map
   →
  8
  Coastal
  A rugged or smooth coast. What do the people believe 
  about this sea or this lake?
  Draw a costal line covering about 1/3 of the map with ocean
   →
  9
  Peninsula
  Surrounded by water on three sides. What do the citizens 
  believe shaped this piece of land?
  Draw a costal line leaving at least 1 region of ocean on 3 sides
   →
  10
  Island
  A sizeable island. On the ocean or a lake? What meaning 
  does water have for the settlers?
  Draw the circumference of the island(s), leaving at least 1 
   →
  region of ocean to each side
  11
  Special
  This may be underground, on floating islands or some 
  other strange setup - you decide. How did the people get 
  here?
  Draw something fi tting
   →
  12
  2D6 (2-12)
  Use this table to find out what the overall geography around the settlement looks like. Each entry will 
  help you generate a different dominant feature of the surrounding environment.
  
  --- 19
  --- taBlEs
  Terrain: Features
  Volcano
  A single towering volcano or a chain of smaller ones. Do 
  the people remember any eruptions? Is it still active? How 
  do they appease it?
  Add the terrain feature
   →
  2
  Caves
  A single notable cave or a region riddled with holes. Where 
  do these caves lead? And what calls this holes its home?
  Add the terrain feature
   →
  3
  Mountains
  A lone mountain or a small mountain range. What riches 
  do these mountains hold? And what destroys the careless?
  Add the terrain feature
   →
  4
  Hills
  One big hill or an area of rocky or rolling hills. What hides 
  among the grasses and trees here?
  Add the terrain feature
   →
  5
  Woods
  An area of forest, maybe rainforest or grasses as tall as a 
  man. What hides in these trees?
  Add the terrain feature
   →
  6
  River
  A smaller branching river or a large meandering one. What 
  travels on this river?
  Add the terrain feature
   →
  7
  Lake
  A larger lake or a series of smaller ones, maybe an oasis. 
  What forms this lake? And what creatures frequent it?
  Add the terrain feature
   →
  8
  Wetland
  A swamp region, a marsh, a bayou. What useful but 
  disgusting thing lies below the surface?
  Add the terrain feature
   →
  9
  Depression
  A basin, crater or valley, a stretch of land lower than its 
  surroundings. Is it sheltered or exposed?
  Add the terrain feature
   →
  10
  Trench
  A canyon or � ord, chasm or rugged cliffs. What animals 
  live in these walls? What can be found at the bottom?
  Add the terrain feature
   →
  11
  Barren
  A region of wasteland. A desert, sand or salt or a stretch of 
  volcanic waste. What created it? And do the settlers dare 
  enter it?
  Add the terrain feature
   →
  12
  2D6 (2-12)
  These entries will add smaller terrain elements to the map. Add them in a way that makes sense to you.
  
  20 ---
  EX NOVO ---
  Purpose: Location
  Ruins of a former settlement
  An old fort or maybe a temple? What do the people think 
  this place once was? And what legends do they tell of the 
  former inhabitants?
  Add a resource
   →
  2
  Travel route
  Access to people and travellers is what makes this valuable. 
  Who travels here? And what waits at the end of this road?
  Add a resource
   →
  3
  Trade route
  A frequented road provides easy access to goods and 
  services. What dangers do these travellers bring? And what 
  strange or exotic goods?
  Add a resource
   →
  4
  Valuable natural resources
  Gold, gems or pretty shells. Something of value can 
  be found here. What risks and opportunities does the 
  extraction of this resource bring?
  Add a resource
   →
  5
  Useful natural resources
  Metals for war or wood to build. What useful materials are 
  present? What makes them so valuable?
  Add a resource
   →
  6
  Abundant edible plants
  Good soil, great weather or the boon of the gods. Why is 
  food so abundant here? And who or what did the settlers 
  have to push back to claim this place?
  Add a resource
   →
  7
  Abundant edible animals
  Great hunting grounds, abundant fi sh or perfect pastures. 
  Why do animals flock here? And how do the people treat 
  these beasts?
  Add a resource
   →
  8
  Defensible location
  Natural defenses make this location secure. What threats 
  does it protect from?
  Add a resource
   →
  9
  Strategic location
  A mountain pass, a hill with great view or a land bridge. 
  What makes this place important? And what does this 
  settlement protect?
  Add a resource
   →
  10
  Favorable climate
  Comfortably cool or the right kind of warm. What leisure 
  activities does this enable? And what do the settlers 
  believe must be appeased to maintain this?
  Add a resource
   →
  11
  Culturally important location
  A holy place or the site of ancestors. What makes this place 
  important? What rites are practised here?
  Add a resource
   →
  12
  2D6 (2-12)
  Every settlement has a reason for being where it is. The goal of this table is to tell you what about this 
  place made the settlers pick it. It will usually center around food, defenses or resources. There are how-
  ever plently of cities founded for different reasons.
  
  --- 21
  --- taBlEs
  Purpose: Decision
  By accident
  A shipwreck or a simple camp that somehow turned into a 
  town. How did this happen? And who was responsible for 
  the accident?
  Add the fi rst district, move one citizen token to the city
   →
  2
  Planned as temporary settlement
  This temporary outpost turned proper settlement. 
  What made people change their plans? What signs of its 
  temporary nature persist?
  Add the fi rst district, move one citizen token to the city
   →
  3
  Nomads settling down
  What catastrophe or windfall made them change their 
  lifestyle? What nomadic rites skills are still taught?
  Add the fi rst district, move one citizen token to the city
   →
  4
  Refugees in need
  Something destroyed their last home. What disaster was 
  it? And what important customs and memories did they 
  preserve?
  Add the fi rst district, move one citizen token to the city
   →
  5
  Settlers looking for freedom
  What kind of freedom is important to this community? 
  And what oppressive authority did they leave behind?
  Add the fi rst district, move one citizen token to the city
   →
  6
  Pioneers looking for opportunity
  An uncertain future and the promise of riches or cheap 
  new land. What made the conditions in their home so bad 
  that they set out?
  Add the fi rst district, move one citizen token to the city
   →
  7
  A business venture
  All because of a shrewd business calculation. Who put this 
  venture together? And what did they forget to plan for?
  Add the fi rst district, move one citizen token to the city
   →
  8
  Colonization efforts
  The time-honored practice of putting people down 
  somewhere to claim land. In whose name did this happen? 
  And who are the indigenous people?
  Add the fi rst district, move one citizen token to the city
   →
  9
  Exploratory outpost
  Brave explorers for science or for the military. Who sent 
  this expedition? And what were they hoping to discover? 
  What did they fi nd instead?
  Add the fi rst district, move one citizen token to the city
   →
  10
  A ruler’s whim
  A city to please a single ruler. Why did they want this city? 
  And did the people settle here willingly?
  Add the fi rst district, move one citizen token to the city
   →
  11
  Divine commandment
  Whether real or imagined, but some otherworldly being 
  picked this spot. How did the believers know this? And 
  what were they promised?
  Add the fi rst district, move one citizen token to the city
   →
  12
  2D6 (2-12)
  This table will let you know who decided to found this settlement. It will tell you about the motivations 
  of those living there. In most cases it’s people trying to fulfill a need, but it could also be by accident or 
  based on a spur of the moment decision of some remote ruler.
  
  22 ---
  EX NOVO ---
  Power: Hierarchy
  Power: Factions
  Unstructured collective
  Basic village communism or rampant anarchy. How do 
  people deal with outsiders or dissidents?
  Draw the route that led here
   →
  1
  Communal voting
  People get together and vote on issues. But what makes a 
  citizen eligible to vote?
  Draw the route that led here
   →
  2
  Improvisational hierarchy
  Experts or rulers are called together when needed. Who 
  manages this process? How are these people selected?
  Draw the route that led here
   →
  3
  Governing council
  A select few hold the reigns. How is this council formed? 
  What qualities do its members possess?
  Draw the route that led here
   →
  4
  Ruling caste
  By gods grace, by birth or by blood, some are just destined 
  to rule. What makes these people special? And how do 
  they enforce this hierarchy?
  Draw the route that led here
   →
  5
  Singular ruler
  One throne, one crown. What authority grants the ruler 
  their mandate? Who allows them to remain in place?
  Draw the route that led here
   →
  6
  United front
  A singular faction in power. What shared hope or fear 
  binds these people together?
  Add one faction
   →
  1
  Seeds of dissent
  Two factions, one in control, and the other newly born. 
  What questionable decision led to this new faction? Or did 
  values diverge?
  Add two factions
   →
  2
  Internal tensions
  Two factions, one in control but struggling, the other 
  resisting. What makes it hard for the leading faction to 
  remain in control?
  Add two factions
   →
  3
  Uneasy allies
  Two factions, working together begrudgingly. What 
  animosity have they set aside to cooperate? Or was it a 
  shared threat?
  Add two factions
   →
  4
  Staunch allies
  Two factions, working together amicably. Which fragile 
  bonds bind them together? What would break them apart?
  Add two factions
   →
  5
  Complex web
  Three factions, a delicate balance of interests. Which 
  faction is oldest? How do they share power? And what 
  ambition drives the others?
  Add three factions
   →
  6
  D6 (1-6)
  D6 (1-6)
  This will let you know how the city itself is organized. To make decisions and progress often some form of 
  hierarchy is employed. This table will help you figure out which one.
  The power within a hierarchy is often split up among several factions. This table tells you how united or 
  divided the people in your settlement are.
  
  --- 23
  --- taBlEs
  Events: Warfare
  Civil protests
  The citizens are unhappy, and not afraid to publicly show it. 
  What demands do the citizens have? Does the leadership 
  cave in or crack down?
  A faction gains power
   →
  111
  Civil unrest
  Violent, uncontrolled riots rage throughout the city. Chaos 
  reigns, hopes are raised and crushed. What spark ignited 
  this powderkeg?
  Remove a resource or landmark
   →
  112
  Civil war
  Citizens take up arms and fi ght each other. What 
  irreconcilable split in values or beliefs caused this?
  Remove a district and a landmark or resource, a faction gains 
   →
  power
  113
  The city militarizes
  Soldiers, informants, and the police control the streets. 
  Why are weapons needed?
  The ruling faction gains power
   →
  114
  An army is raised
  Thousands of citizens are drafted, and trained to 
  fi ght. Is the goal to conquer or to defend? How is this 
  accomplished? Or fi nanced?
  Add a landmark or resource
   →
  115
  The city demilitarizes
  Freedom does not need a standing army. Where does this 
  trust in peace come from? Is it warranted? How are military 
  resources repurposed?
  The least powerful faction gains power
   →
  116
  Skirmishes with nearby settlements
  The neighboring cities get bolder, or did the city become 
  the agressor? What are these skirmishes fought over?
  Add a landmark
   →
  121
  Skirmishes over resources
  The control of a crucial resource leads to conflict, and even 
  to a few battles. What is contested? And who wants it?
  Add or remove a resource
   →
  122
  Criminals make travel difficult
  Highwaymen, muggers and other brigands infest the 
  surrounding lands. What drives them?
  (Remove a resource)
   →
  123
  Criminal warbands roam the area
  The desperate or the greedy band together to raid the land. 
  What unites them?
  Rmove a resource, (remove a landmark)
   →
  124
  Creatures terrorize the landscape
  Venturing outside the city has gotten dangerous. What 
  beasts are lurking there? What has them agitated?
  (Add or remove something)
   →
  125
  Creatures terrorize the city
  What kind of monster is it? A scourge of hungry dogs or a 
  giant dragon? What drives them into the city?
  Remove something
   →
  126
  D666 (111-166)
  Strife, warfare and crime. Every city will see its fair share of these, provided it lasts long enough. As play 
  progresses during the development phase you may end up on this table to find out about the martial 
  events of your settlement.
  
  24 ---
  EX NOVO ---
  WAR!
  Thirty years of war or a hundred. This one just does not 
  seem to end even though it’s long since run out of steam. 
  Why can’t the city let go?
  (Remove a district)
   →
  131
  A war is won
  Was it a bloody war? Against who? What did the city win?
  Add a landmark or a resource.
   →
  132
  A war is lost
  By bravery or luck the enemy has won a war against the 
  city. How does the city pay for this defeat?
  Remove up to three elements
   →
  133
  A foreign war spills over
  Someone else wages war but its effects can be felt here. A 
  wave of refugees? Improved demand on the city’s forges?
  (Add or remove something)
   →
  134
  A siege is attempted
  Who besieged the city? What did they want? Why was the 
  siege lifted?
  Remove a resource or landmark
   →
  135
  A siege is successful
  With the defences overcome, and after a long war the city 
  falls.
  A new leading faction appears
   →
  136
  An enemy force occupies the city
  Not all occupiers have to act savagely, though most do. Do 
  these new rulers attempt to earn the citizens’ trust?
  Add a faction, add a landmark
   →
  141
  A military coup is attempted
  A faction attempts to take power by force. Does it succeed?
  A faction gains power, another faction loses power
   →
  142
  Enemy sabotage
  Enemy forces enter the city and destroy or damage a 
  resource. Who sent them? And what is their agenda?
  Remove a resource
   →
  143
  A spy has stolen secrets
  What where these secrets? What damage could be done to 
  the city with such knowledge?
  (Remove something)
   →
  144
  A traitor is unmasked
  Was it someone in a position of power? Who was he 
  working for? How was he discovered?
  A faction loses power
   →
  145
  A peace is brokered
  After a long, brutal war peace has been achieved. How do 
  the citizens celebrate and remember this?
  Add a landmark
   →
  146
  
  --- 25
  --- taBlEs
  A time of peace
  Peace brings prosperity. The people are happy. How do 
  they spend their new time of peace and leisure? Do they 
  grow lazy or creative?
  (Add a district)
   →
  151
  An empty warning
  Someone warns the city of a terrible danger that never 
  comes to pass. Does the city react in fear? Or does it grow 
  jaded?
  (Add something)
   →
  152
  A hostage is taken
  A faction has somehow managed to get hold of an 
  important hostage, either from a rival within or outside the 
  city. Who are they? Why are they valuable?
  A faction gains power
   →
  153
  A hostage is liberated
  Did a brave raiding party liberate a beloved prince? Did a 
  faction save its leader from the clutches of its opponents 
  instead?
  A faction gains power
   →
  154
  Crime is on the rise
  Crime is the means of the greedy or the last resort of the 
  desperate. What leads to this rise? Who do they work for? 
  What crimes are perpetrated?
  A faction gains power
   →
  155
  Gangs claim districts
  A crime syndicate or a gang has managed to gain control 
  of at least one district. What links them to this place? Why 
  aren’t they stopped?
  Add a faction
   →
  156
  An improvised wall is built
  Hastily stacked and quickly assembled. Why did the city 
  need this wall so suddenly? Who is left unprotected? Is it 
  even effective?
  Add a landmark
   →
  161
  A massive wall is built
  Towers, gates, and massive fortifi cations are constructed to 
  protect the city. Who is paying for this? Is this for prestige 
  or out of fear?
  Add a landmark
   →
  162
  City defenses are improved
  Leaders invest in towers, moats or cannons. What real or 
  imagined enemies are the justifi cation for this?
  (Add a landmark)
   →
  163
  City defenses are neglected
  Indifference, greed or stupidity lead to crumbling walls, 
  rusting weaponry and untrained soldiers. Who’s to blame? 
  Who might take advantage of this?
  (Remove something)
   →
  164
  A border is fortified
  Is it a border inside or outside the city? Who is it protecting 
  from?
  (Add a landmark)
   →
  165
  A border is breached
  Who breached it? What was this border? Was it a physical 
  or a cultural one?
  (Remove something)
   →
  166
  
  26 ---
  EX NOVO ---
  Events: Politics
  A beloved leader rises to power
  A benevolent dictator? A brilliant orator? A fair king? A 
  charismatic, honest leader of a political party?
  Add a faction
   →
  211
  A meteoric rise
  Someone rises to power. What deceit or duplicity led to this 
  increase in status? Who gets left behind?
  A faction gains power
   →
  212
  Death of a beloved leader
  Was the leader murdered by conspirators? Was it illness? 
  Old age? How will the leader be remembered?
  A faction loses or gains power
   →
  213
  Leadership vacuum
  History rarely tolerates vacuums but this one lingers. 
  Who or what’s missing? And why is there no replacement 
  possible?
  Remove a faction, a faction increases in power
   →
  214
  Leadership change
  Does the city gain a new ruler? Is someone else claiming it? 
  Or is this a dramatic change within a faction?
  (Add or remove something)
   →
  215
  The city rises in prominence
  It becomes a regional key city, or even its nations capital. 
  Was this a clever political move or prompted by neccessity?
  A faction gains power
   →
  216
  Elections are held
  Are the citizens invested in the campaign? Are the results 
  surprising or was it all rigged to begin with?
  A faction gains or loses power
   →
  221
  System of government is changed
  Who caused this change? What is this new system? Was 
  an old faction obliterated or did a new political block 
  manifest?
  Add or remove a faction
   →
  222
  A great scandal
  The people are shocked. And a little bit intrigued. What 
  rules of decorum were violated? By whom?
  A faction loses power
   →
  223
  Insidious rumors
  Do rumors hold shreds of truth? Can rumors breed hatred 
  or fear? Who benefi ts?
  A faction gains power
   →
  224
  Dangerous secrets uncovered
  Who kept the secrets, and why? Do the people care about 
  moral failings or are they more interested in scandals?
  A faction gains power
   →
  225
  A cover-up fails
  Sometimes truth simply cannot be contained. But what 
  kind of secret could be this dangerous?
  The most powerful faction loses power
   →
  226
  D666 (211-266)
  Rulers, spies and alliances abound. The people in power play their own games and some of these events 
  can be found in this table. This might involve powers within the city or without. Think about jealous 
  neighbors, roaming bandits or remote rulers.
  
  --- 27
  --- taBlEs
  An outsider upsets the balance
  Who is this outsider? What are the outsider’s goals? Is the 
  outsider rich? Can they promise power or abundance?
  A faction gains or loses power
   →
  231
  Inheritance issues
  Settlements and individuals can inherit all sorts of things: 
  castles, islands, curses, technologies... But who gets what? 
  And does anyone dispute the claim?
  Add something
   →
  232
  Questionable claims appear
  Only someone mad or desperate would bring forth a claim 
  to the city’s rule this weak. Why do they still try? And who 
  are they?
  (Add or remove something)
   →
  233
  A strong claim
  Someone remote with a credible claim wants the city. 
  A ruler’s bastard, a far away count. What makes the city 
  valuable to them?
  Add a new external faction
   →
  234
  Contradictory claims
  Two parties claim ownership of the city pulling its fate 
  in different directions. Is this resolved? Or does the city 
  languish in legal ambiguity.
  A faction gains or loses power
   →
  235
  TREASON!
  Someone betrays the city or its leaders. What drives them? 
  Are they successful or does the city make an example of 
  them?
  A faction gains or loses power
   →
  236
  A new faction emerges
  A sect, a political party, a guild. Why do they band 
  together? What gives them power? And who supports 
  them?
  A new faction appears
   →
  241
  A faction in decline
  A faction could become complacent or too bold and things 
  go wrong. Why does power slip from their grasp? And what 
  vultures are circling?
  A faction loses power
   →
  242
  A faction seizes power
  Finally! After years of plotting or with a sudden strike 
  the city has new rulers! What are their policies? Is this 
  legitimate in the eyes of the people?
  A faction becomes the strongest
   →
  243
  A faction is no more
  Sometimes even ideas can die, and with them the factions 
  that were pushing them forward. What was the fi nal nail 
  in the coffi n?
  Remove a faction
   →
  244
  An important alliance falls apart
  Is it an alliance of factions or an alliance within a faction? 
  What was the alliance about? Could the city be threatened 
  with a new war?
  (Add or remove something)
   →
  245
  An important alliance is forged
  What is the goal of this alliance? Was it forged by peaceful 
  means or by deceit?
  Remove a faction, a faction gains power
   →
  246
  
  28 ---
  EX NOVO ---
  Incompetence wreaks havoc
  A bureaucratic mess, criminal planning or the fatally 
  stupid decision that sea-beasts would never attack red 
  ships. How could this happen at all? Who benefi ts?
  Remove a landmark or a resource
   →
  251
  Bureaucracy increases
  Could a complex city ever function without bureaucracy? 
  Does bureaucracy make reactions slower? Can 
  administrative centres boost economies?
  Add or remove a resource
   →
  252
  Drastic changes enforced
  Could a law or a regulation really change everyday life? 
  Could something like alcohol ever be prohibited?
  (Add or remove something)
   →
  253
  A group is stigmatized
  Why? By whom? Does the group actually exist or is the civic 
  mind hunting witches? Do witches exist?
  A faction gains or loses power
   →
  254
  Radical ideology is born
  A call for freedom, a cry for segregation or, possibly, the 
  desire to embrace the gospel of dark, alluring gods. What 
  belief appears? Who espouses it?
  Add a faction
   →
  255
  Effective Propaganda
  A faction spreads their agenda via pamphlets, posters and 
  rumors. What or who do they discredit? Why?
  A faction gains power
   →
  256
  A peaceful neighbor
  It is nice to have new settlements nearby. Trade partners, 
  military allies or just a friendly rivalry in sports. Who are 
  they? What sets them apart?
  Add a new external faction
   →
  261
  A useful neighbor
  Close contract to a nearby settlement is established. What 
  makes them useful? Are they easy to exploit or just the 
  right market for the city’s goods?
  Add a new external faction
   →
  262
  An intimidating neighbor
  Is this a new village or a military outpost? What makes 
  them so threatening? What are their plans?
  Add a new external faction
   →
  263
  A revolution succeeds
  The system of power is upended. What was the espoused 
  goal? Did parts of the old regime survive? What’s the new 
  structure of power?
  Remove a faction, a faction gains power and rename it
   →
  264
  A revolution fails
  The status quo remains untouched. What do the losers 
  suffer? How are the heroes of the struggle immortalized?
  A faction loses power
   →
  265
  Redistribution of wealth
  Fairness prevails. The democracy of consumption brings 
  joy to the citizens. Was this enforced? How do the once 
  wealthy react?
  Add a district
   →
  266
  
  --- 29
  --- taBlEs
  Events: Economy
  Dependence on imports
  Self-suffi ciency is a noble goal, but, alas, the city would 
  never survive without imported goods. What needs to be 
  imported? Who provides it?
  Leading faction loses power
   →
  311
  Exports increase
  The goods the city provides are in demand! Who wants 
  these goods? And what makes them so special?
  (Add a resource, a faction gains power)
   →
  312
  A trade war brings wealth
  Shrewd tariffs, embargoes and blockades. A gambit is 
  successful and the city prospers. Who started this war?
  A faction gains power
   →
  313
  A trade war costs dearly
  A lack of goods, a lack of access or a lack of money. The city 
  loses the war and pays. Who is stuck footing the bill?
  A faction loses power
   →
  314
  Brief isolation
  Have the city gates been sealed shut? Did freak weather 
  suspend transportation? How does the isolation affect 
  people?
  (Add or remove something)
   →
  315
  Extended isolation
  Why is the city isolated? Who suffers the most? How does 
  the city fi ght off the effects of isolation?
  (Remove something)
   →
  316
  HYPE!
  There’s this one new thing everybody suddenly needs. 
  What is it? Why are people crazy over it?
  (Add a resource)
   →
  321
  A new need
  Diets change, fashions change, people change. Some new 
  desire manifests. What do people need? And who provides 
  it, at what cost?
  Add a resource
   →
  322
  A need now satisfied for all
  Either everyone has access to food and shelter or, fi nally, 
  everyone got a nice gadget or thingamajig. What’s become 
  commonplace in the city?
  (A faction loses power)
   →
  323
  A new source of power
  Electricity, magic, nuclear fusion or magical beasts of 
  burdern. What new source does the city leverage? Who 
  developed or discovered this?
  Add a resource, a faction gains power
   →
  324
  A new trade route is established
  With whom? What is mostly traded? Does knowledge and 
  culture travel on this trade route too?
  Add a resource and draw a road
   →
  325
  New production method
  Improved tools, clever spells or the assembly line. Better 
  exploitation, faster goods and cheaper production. Who’s 
  making money off this?
  Add a resource, a faction gains power
   →
  326
  D666 (311-366)
  The wheels and gears of economy are what pump the life blood through a city’s heart. Taxes, new devel-
  opments and trade wars all leave their mark on a city’s history. This table will add some of those to your 
  settlement’s development.
  
  30 ---
  EX NOVO ---
  Good times
  A quiet mostly happy period of modest progress, content 
  lives, and peace. Who is praised for this? Or is this taken for 
  granted?
  Add a district
   →
  331
  Windfall
  Sheer luck or a risky investment turns into abundance for 
  the city. What happened? Was anyone outdone?
  Add a resource
   →
  332
  Production rises
  More is produced! More of what though? Are the profi ts 
  shared by all?
  Add a resource
   →
  333
  Economic boom
  A time of plenty! The rich get richer, the poor get richer, 
  and everyone seems happy. However, what is this boom 
  based on?
  A faction gains power, add a resource
   →
  334
  A temple of economy is built
  Could this be a major auction house, the stock exchange, or 
  a the great marketplace of its age?
  Add a landmark
   →
  335
  Economic investment
  The city is doing well so it’s time to invest. Subsidies, tax 
  breaks and training programs. Who plans this? What 
  results does it yield?
  Add a resource
   →
  336
  Setting aside for tough times
  It makes sense to plan ahead, to store gold, grain, oil, 
  weapons or even seeds. What’s motivates this? What is set 
  aside?
  Add a landmark
   →
  341
  An unexpected shortage
  An embargo, a blockade or the collapse of a particular 
  supply chain? What good exactly is in shortage?
  Remove a resource
   →
  342
  Widespread poverty
  The markets are fi ckle and the poor grow poorer. Who 
  profi ts of this? What happens to those that can’t afford 
  housing anymore?
  (Remove or add a district)
   →
  343
  Production fails
  A catastrophe, a disaster or a cog that simply needs 
  readjustment? What was lost? Whose fault was it?
  Remove a resource
   →
  344
  Economic crisis
  Stocks plummet, prices rise, goods spoil. Was this 
  mismanagement or economic sabotage? Do the 
  responsible get away unscathed?
  Remove a resource, a faction loses power
   →
  345
  An economic revolution
  Production or consumption dramatically transform. Home 
  shopping or magic automation. How does this transform 
  the city?
  (Add a resource)
   →
  346
  
  --- 31
  --- taBlEs
  Improved resource use
  Better mining technology or a fi ner degree of 
  craftsmanship. What is improved and who benefi ts?
  Add a landmark or a district
   →
  351
  A complimentary resource
  From hunting game to bone-craft artistry or from mining 
  to fi ne metalwork. The city expands its methods. Is this a 
  shrewd invention or a widespread practice?
  Add a resource
   →
  352
  A resource loses value
  How much are people’s lives and livelihoods affected? Who 
  loses the most? Who wins?
  Remove something
   →
  353
  A new industry takes root
  What does this industry do? Is it focused on a district? Is it 
  polluting or loud?
  Add a district or resource
   →
  354
  A new employer appears
  A giant new factory or a successful business needs lots of 
  people. How do they leverage this position? What do they 
  produce?
  Add a resource, (add a faction)
   →
  355
  A revolutionary invention
  Is it the wheel? The internal combustion engine? An elixir 
  that grants new vigour? Who controls it?
  Add a resource, (a faction gains power)
   →
  356
  Massive influx of inhabitants
  Where do these people come from? How are they 
  welcomed? What new ideas do they bring along?
  Add a district and/or a faction
   →
  361
  Currency is transformed
  From coins to bank notes, from eggs to golden tokens, and 
  from bartering to debt bonds. What made the old currency 
  unusable? Why is this better?
  (Add or remove something)
   →
  362
  Smugglers network
  What is being smuggled in (or out of) the city? Are the 
  smugglers using tunnels and dark boats or simply bribing 
  offi cials?
  (Add or remove something)
   →
  363
  Taxes
  As unavoidable as death. Are they raised or lowered 
  though? What are they used for?
  (Add or remove something)
   →
  364
  Gambling increases
  Enticing and dangerous, gambling is on the rise. How do 
  people gamble? And why? For tax reasons? Or simply due 
  to the city’s permissive laws?
  Add a resource
   →
  365
  The economic system is changed
  Capitalism, communism, feudalism, slave ownership... 
  nothing lasts forever. Why does the system change? How 
  do companies and guilds cope?
  A faction loses power
   →
  366
  
  32 ---
  EX NOVO ---
  Events: Culture
  A great laugh!
  Sometimes humour can topple regimes. Who is the target 
  of this ridicule?
  (A faction loses power)
   →
  411
  A great Joy
  An ancient enemy is brought low, a disease cured or a 
  wonderful and undeniable omen has been identifi ed. How 
  do the people celebrate?
  Add a district
   →
  412
  A great fear
  What could possibly terrify a whole city? Is it a monster, a 
  virus, a curse? Or just the inflated rumors of a dangerous 
  neighbor?
  (A faction gains power)
   →
  413
  A festival is established
  A great celebration, a civic festival. When does it take 
  place? What does it celebrate?
  Add a landmark
   →
  414
  Grief spreads
  Thousands of widowers or widows weeping on the streets 
  or perhaps a deep, silent, prevailing silence?
  (Add a landmark)
   →
  415
  Internal tensions rise
  Different beliefs or ethnicities clash. What makes them 
  incompatible? What event led to this rise in tension?
  (A faction gains power)
   →
  416
  Local conflict
  Hatred divides a neighborhood in two camps. How could 
  this escalate? How is the border demarcated?
  A district is broken up in two
   →
  421
  The city receives visitors
  A surge in travellers. Why do they come to town? To see the 
  sights? To learn? To trade in its brilliant markets?
  (A faction gains power)
   →
  422
  A new social groups arises
  A new strata of society is founded. A new class of 
  merchants, a caste of undesirables or expatriates bonding 
  together. What unites them?
  Add a faction
   →
  423
  A wave of strangers settle
  Different or unusual people join the citizenry. What makes 
  them different? Are they here for opportunity or has 
  misfortune forced them here?
  Add a faction and district
   →
  424
  Outsiders arrive
  Where do the newcomers settle? What habits have they 
  brought along?
  Add a district
   →
  425
  A shift in cultural values occurs
  Does society become more permissive or more restrictive? 
  What faction tries to resist this? And does this affect the 
  citizen’s relationship to a resource?
  (A faction gains or loses power)
   →
  426
  D666 (411-466)
  Human culture happens wherever people get together. This makes cities the great melting pots of cul-
  ture. Festivals, beliefs, religion, fashion and food. The range is massive and this table gives you a smatter-
  ing of possible meaningful events that can shape your city.
  
  --- 33
  --- taBlEs
  Family structure changes
  The way people live together changes. Is this for work? To 
  save on rent? Do people enjoy this change?
  (Increase or reduce density of a district)
   →
  431
  Controversial laws are passed
  Maybe smoking is prohibited, a strict dress code is 
  enforced or a belief is outlawed. Who is affected? How do 
  they react?
  (Add or remove something)
   →
  432
  An unexpected law is passed
  A surprising decision by those in power. Did a widely loved 
  activity get prohibited? Is this law singling out certain 
  people?
  (A factions gains or loses power)
   →
  433
  A new tradition develops
  What type of customs and practices would be deemed 
  worth transferring from generation to generation?
  (A faction gains power)
   →
  434
  New funerary traditions
  The dead are now burned. Perhaps mummifi ef and then 
  buried. What dedicated space is needed? What prompted 
  this change?
  Add a district or a landmark
   →
  435
  Hygiene loses importance
  Grime and dirt collects and the city starts to smell. People 
  get sick more often. Is this out of poverty or carelessness? 
  Who used to take care of this?
  (Remove a resource or landmark)
   →
  436
  Hygiene gains in importance
  People start washing their hands. Public fountains become 
  popular as do sewer systems. Who helps keep the city 
  clean?
  Add a landmark
   →
  441
  Education gains value
  Kids are sent to school instead of to the mines. Reading is 
  valued and more people fi nd work in non-manual labor. 
  Who controls this education?
  Add a landmark
   →
  442
  Thinkers and philosophers appear
  Critics, cynics and classical realists. Introspective thought is 
  encouraged and the city becomes known for it. What is the 
  worldview of these thinkers?
  Add a resource
   →
  443
  A time of enlightenment
  The arts and sciences flourish. Wealthy patrons 
  commission works, wise men and women are revered. 
  What is practiced? Who funds this? And why?
  (A faction gains power)
   →
  444
  Critical thinking is discouraged
  Those in power would rather you think less and work more. 
  Libraries are locked, schools controlled. What critical 
  thoughts led to this crackdown?
  (Remove a landmark)
   →
  445
  Education loses value
  Books are for the folks with money. Everyone else has to 
  work to earn their share. Who emphasizes this mindset?
  (Remove a resource)
   →
  446
  
  34 ---
  EX NOVO ---
  A cultural fad
  A strange new dance, a silly new hat. What pointless 
  novelty has gripped the people? And what about those 
  that don’t join in?
  (Add a resource)
   →
  451
  Local arts develop
  The local artists and artisans mature and gain renown. 
  What do they practice? What is the subject of their art?
  Add a faction or resource
   →
  452
  Local fashion develops
  From togas to top hats, from studded leather to fi ne silk. 
  The city’s fashion gains fame or notoriety. What garment 
  becomes named after the city?
  Add a resource
   →
  453
  Local cuisine develops
  The local food becomes known as a delicacy and a staple 
  of local restaurants. What do the good people of the city 
  enjoy eating and cooking?
  Add a resource
   →
  454
  Entertainment activities flourish
  Is it the famous clubs, the rich museums, the stunning 
  theatres or the brave gladiators that fascinate the masses?
  Add a landmark or resource
   →
  455
  Public art displays
  Artistic expression spreads through the city. Illegal graffi ti 
  or sanctioned murals? What do they depict? Who creates 
  them?
  Add a resource
   →
  456
  A SIGN!
  An omen, a proof of divinity, a mirage, a promise. Who 
  leverages it for their purposes?
  (A faction gains or loses power)
   →
  461
  A prophet appears
  What type of prophet would this city wish for? What 
  prophet would it really need?
  A faction gains power
   →
  462
  A new belief appears
  Who or what could convince the good citizens to abandon 
  old ideas? Is the new belief widely accepted?
  Add a faction
   →
  463
  A new secret cult spreads
  Are these philosophers preaching heresy or heretics 
  preaching bloody revolt? How does the cult recruit? 
  Where?
  Add a faction or a faction gains power
   →
  464
  Religious boom
  People flock to churches or temples. Who is on the side of 
  this belief? What new places of worship are needed?
  Add a landmark, a faction gains power
   →
  465
  The city is condemned by a religion
  Probably all sinners, says fi gurehead of prominent religion. 
  What activity or belief caused this offense? Do the people 
  care? Do its allies?
  (Remove a resource)
   →
  466
  
  --- 35
  --- taBlEs
  Events: Infrastructure
  An new urban plan
  A vision to make the city more than it is. Wonderful 
  avenues or public fountains. Does this require demolition? 
  Are there protests?
  Add a landmark or district
   →
  511
  City beautification
  New parks, new avenues, new roads. Who plans this? And 
  is this a smooth transition or is force needed?
  Add a landmark
   →
  512
  A great new park
  Just how large can an urban park be? Who built it and 
  where? Does it take up a whole district or can it fi t in a 
  couple city blocks?
  Add a landmark or a district
   →
  513
  The seat of government is moved
  A new hut for the wise men or a seat of parliament. What 
  is the aim of this new edifi ce? Secrecy? Intimidation? 
  Effi ciency?
  Add a landmark, (remove a landmark)
   →
  514
  A palace is built
  A grand new building for those in power. Who pays for 
  this? Does it provoke jealousy or joy?
  Add a landmark
   →
  515
  A civic service proJect
  Public baths, libraries. Something useful for all citizen is 
  built. Who pays for this? How well does it work?
  Add a landmark
   →
  516
  A venue for the masses
  A place of mass gathering and entertainment. An 
  amphitheater for gladiatorial combat, a concert hall. What 
  is built? Who performs there?
  Add a landmark
   →
  521
  A center of learning
  A grand university or a martial arts dojo of renown. How 
  are students selected? And what is the price of admission?
  Add a landmark, add a resource
   →
  522
  A palace of worship
  A temple, a cathedral or a pyramid for blood sacrifi ces. 
  What do people practice here?
  Add a landmark, a faction gains power
   →
  523
  A place for the dead
  More people mean more graves or places of remembrance. 
  What space does the city create for these funerary 
  traditions?
  Add a landmark
   →
  524
  A maJestic new bridge
  A marvel of engineering spans across a river or the slums 
  of the poor. Where does the material come from? Who 
  suffered building it?
  Add a landmark
   →
  525
  A grand place of culture
  The city builds a monumental place for refi ned culture: A 
  theatre, an opera or an arena for electronic sports. Who 
  sponsored it?
  Add a landmark
   →
  526
  D666 (511-566)
  The infrastructure of a city is like its bones. It may often be taken for granted but it is essential. Roads, 
  bridges, telecommunications but also opera houses, baths and sewers. Expanding and maintaining it is 
  an essential part of any city’s development. This table lets you find out how your city fares.
  
  36 ---
  EX NOVO ---
  Public transportation
  The city invests in horse drawn buses, underground trains 
  or exotic beasts of burden. How does this transform the 
  city’s streets and avenues?
  Add a landmark
   →
  531
  Social housing
  The city tends to its citizens’ need for affordable living 
  space. Is this a useful measure or mired in incompetence 
  and failure?
  Add a district
   →
  532
  Sanitation & sewage construction
  Underground sewers or overground aqueducts. The city 
  makes sure clean water comes in and dirty water flows out. 
  How do people adapt?
  (Add a landmark)
   →
  533
  Trouble with the water supply
  Clogged pipes or tainted wells. Something makes the 
  water hard to drink. Do people die? Who is blamed? How is 
  this fi xed?
  (Add or remove something)
   →
  534
  Trouble with the food supply
  Food imports don’t arrive, harvest are meagre. People 
  struggle. Do they starve or move away? How does the 
  cuisine adapt?
  Remove a district
   →
  535
  An unofficial market is opened
  A black market, street vendors or back door bazaars. 
  Why does commerce hide from the watchful eye of the 
  authorities? What is sold?
  Add a landmark or resource
   →
  536
  To the countryside
  People leave the city to move to the suburbs or to the 
  country. What makes this so attractive?
  Add and remove a district
   →
  541
  More space is required
  An expanding city is a thriving city. Or so everyone keeps 
  saying. Where do the building materials come from? Is this 
  planned or spontaneous growth?
  Add a district
   →
  542
  A shortage in building materials
  We are out of bricks, sand, wood, cement, steel, glass, 
  and stone apparently. What led to this shortage? How do 
  buildings change?
  Remove a resource, you cannot add a district this turn
   →
  543
  Civic infrastructure is neglected
  Walls crumble, roads fall into disrepair, bridges collapse. 
  Are the coffers empty? The workers incompetent? Or is this 
  malice and limited to specifi c districts.
  Remove a landmark
   →
  544
  A proJect ends in tragedy
  Negligence or malice but something led to tragedy. What 
  happened? And who has to pay for this disaster?
  Remove something, a faction loses power
   →
  545
  BOOM!
  A explosion! Or an implosion? Destructive or dramatic? 
  Either way, something major is destroyed or someone 
  important is killed.
  Remove a landmark and a faction
   →
  546
  
  --- 37
  --- taBlEs
  A technical breakthrough is made
  Could this be a new construction method? Has a ground-
  breaking algorithm been discovered? Did someone invent 
  a much needed machine?
  A resource is added
   →
  551
  A new way to communicate
  Via bells, smoke signals or the telegraph. People can now 
  communicate at longer distances. How does this affect the 
  city? Who controls this channel?
  (Add a landmark or resource)
   →
  552
  A new mode of transportation
  The bus, the saddled dolphin, and the train are all valid 
  options. How are roads, canals and avenues changed?
  (Add a landmark)
   →
  553
  An innovative building material
  Could it be a new type of brick, bamboo or lighter than air 
  bricks? How does it change walls or roofs?
  Increase the density of a district
   →
  554
  Higher density buildings
  An architectural breakthrough, restrictive laws or simply 
  too many people, but buildings grow taller and tighter. Are 
  they stable or rickety?
  Increase the density of a district by two
   →
  555
  Ground becomes unstable
  Buildings tilt, roads crack open. Did the earth tremble? Is 
  the ground unstable? Or was this the work of evil mole-
  men?
  Remove a district
   →
  556
  A district is divided
  Why? Was the district divided for practical reasons or due 
  to faction rivalries?
  Split a district in two
   →
  561
  Two districts Join
  Sometimes internal borders make no sense whatsoever. Is 
  this for bureaucratic, practical or esoteric reasons? What 
  border is removed?
  Merge two districts into one
   →
  562
  A sub-center in a district forms
  A neighborhood specialized so intensely and so 
  successfully it had to become its very own sub-district. 
  What makes this place so distinct?
  Add a district within a district
   →
  563
  Dramatic transformation
  Poor districts are gentrifi ed or residences are removed to 
  make space for a new harbor. A coordinated or a natural 
  development? And what about the old residents?
  Change the nature of a district
   →
  564
  The city goes underground
  Sewers? Deep wells? Cheap new living space? What are 
  they digging for?
  (Add a landmark or district)
   →
  565
  A level is added to the city
  Below, above, on the air, floating on the sea?
  Add a district above or below the city
   →
  566
  
  38 ---
  EX NOVO ---
  Events: Environment
  Ecological imbalance
  Nature loses its footing and stumbles. Rivers move, 
  swamps dry out. How do the animals adapt? What new 
  resources or opportunities are created?
  Remove a terrain feature or resource
   →
  611
  Ecological destruction
  Imbalance turns to irreversible damage. A river dries out, a 
  lake turns sour. Animals die. Bad luck or bad choices? What 
  is lost forever?
  Remove a terrain feature and a resource
   →
  612
  Famine
  The weak and sick perish fi rst. How does the community 
  adapt? What terrible measures do they have to take?
  Remove a food resource and a district
   →
  613
  Drought
  Rivers run low and the gound thirsts for water. What do the 
  citizens believe is the cause?
  Remove a resource or a district
   →
  614
  Earthquake
  The ground shakes, buildings suffer and collapse. People 
  die. How do the citizens rebuild? And how do they hope to 
  prevent this in the future?
  (Add or remove a terrain feature or remove a landmark)
   →
  615
  Natural catastrophe
  A volcano erupts, a catastrophic flood or a hurricane. What 
  is swept away in the disaster? And who survives this?
  Remove at least 2 districts or landmarks
   →
  616
  Extreme temperatures
  Freezing nights or unbearably hot winds wreak havoc. 
  How do people and animals cope? And what parts of the 
  infrastructure break down?
  Remove something
   →
  621
  Terrible season
  A harsh winter or a scorching summer. An unusual season 
  throws the city out of sync. What suffers under these 
  conditions?
  Remove something
   →
  622
  Turbulent weather
  Storms can bring disaster and inspire architecture. 
  Lightning can burn towers and provide energy. How do 
  people emerge after this phenomenon?
  Remove something
   →
  623
  Beneficial weather
  An approaching army is hindered, storms destroy rivals or 
  crops are plentiful. Does someone claim responsibility? Is 
  this miracle commemorated?
  Add something
   →
  624
  Biblical flood
  A neverending rainfall or a flood of the ages. There’s more 
  water than the city can handle. What is washed away? How 
  do the lowest survive?
  Remove two things
   →
  625
  The sky falls
  Something falls out of the sky. A comets, meteorite or just a 
  satellite? What does it crash into? What do people believe?
  (Add or remove something)
   →
  626
  D666 (611-666)
  Cities may be man made fortresses of stone and steel but like even they are affected and influenced by 
  their natural surroundings. Maybe the wilderness is a source of danger, or a source of food. Whatever it is, 
  it can shape the city and leave its mark.
  
  --- 39
  --- taBlEs
  New discoveries
  Valiant explorers or a change in landscape reveals lost 
  caves, hidden valleys or a volcano. What values does this 
  new place provide? What dangers does it bring?
  Add a terrain feature, add a resource
   →
  631
  A new resource is found
  A new lode of metals, a newly discovered useful plan. 
  Which faction leads the exploitation? And what dangers 
  does it bring?
  Add a resource
   →
  632
  A natural resource is depleted
  A well runs dry, a lake is overfi shed. What worse alternative 
  does the city turn to? How are existing skills and 
  infrastructure reused?
  Remove a resource
   →
  633
  New land is created
  A hill is flattened, mountains are terraced or new islands 
  are made. What does the city do with this space?
  (Add a terrain feature)
   →
  634
  The land moves
  The ground shifts and changes. A hill is pushed up, a 
  mountain collapses. What force made this happen? Is it 
  benefi cial?
  (Add or remove a terrain feature)
   →
  635
  The land opens up
  The land stretches and opens up. A sinkhole forms, a 
  trench opens, a mountain pass is formed. What falls in or 
  crawls out?
  (Add or remove a terrain feature)
   →
  636
  A bountiful harvest
  Nature provides a massive bounty. What does the city do 
  with this surplus?
  (Add a landmark or district)
   →
  641
  Nature thrives
  Abundant growth. Forests expand, plants spread and 
  animals multiply. Why is this happening? Does the city 
  exploit this abundance?
  (Add something)
   →
  642
  New life
  A new species of a plant or an animal is discovered. Is this a 
  new mutation? Created? imported? Or fallen out of the sky? 
  What benefi ts or dangers does it bring?
  Change something
   →
  643
  Extinction
  An important species of animal or plant is eradicated. 
  What kind of life was it? And what caused this sudden loss?
  Remove something
   →
  644
  Pests in the city multiply
  An explosion of rats, pigeons or cockroaches. What 
  conditions lead to this growth? How are buildings changed 
  to adapt?
  (Remove something)
   →
  645
  Animals swarm the city
  The creatures of the wild make the city their new home. 
  Driven by curiosity or scarcity?
  (Add or remove a resource)
   →
  646
  
  40 ---
  EX NOVO ---
  A wild danger grows
  A danger from the wilderness multiplies and intensifi es. 
  Does the threat come to pass? Who suffers most?
  (Remove something)
   →
  651
  A predator appears
  A new beast stalks the wilderness. Does it hunt men? What 
  attracted it to this place?
  (Remove something)
   →
  652
  Minor civic fire
  Smaller fi res spread through the city. People and buildings 
  are lost. What laws, positions or rites are created to prevent 
  this?
  Remove a landmark or district
   →
  653
  FIRE!
  The fi re of a century tears through the city. Houses burn, 
  people die. Accident or malice? What does the city do to 
  prevent this from happening again?
  Remove at least 2 districts or landmarks
   →
  654
  Wildfires
  Dangerous fi res ravage the countryside. Animals are 
  displaced, harvests are ruined. Who do the people blame? 
  And how do they cope?
  Remove a resource or terrain feature
   →
  655
  Unexplained phenomena
  Flickering lights in the sky, glowing bands in the woods. 
  Something strange is happening. What is it? Is it a good or 
  a bad omen?
  Change nothing
   →
  656
  A plague scares the city
  Rumors and tales of a disease spread, maybe it already 
  reached the neighboring cities? How do offi cials and 
  citizens react? Decisively or haphazardly?
  A faction gains power or remove something
   →
  661
  A plague ravages the city
  A terrible disease has wormed its way into the city. Who is 
  blamed for this? And how does the city cope?
  Remove two districts
   →
  662
  Interesting times
  An especially turbulent stretch of history. Is it a curse or a 
  blessing? Is there a cause for this?
  Roll for two events and combine them
   →
  663
  Space expands
  The city increases its grip on the surrounding landscape. 
  Did gods or machines make this possible? How is this land 
  used?
  Expand the map
   →
  664
  A sudden void
  A region vanishes off the map: Swallowed by a dark fog, 
  the sea or hidden away by unnatural rays. What makes this 
  region inaccessible?
  Fill a region with “nothing”
   →
  665
  A sign of the end times
  A rain of blood, a black hole opening in the skies. What 
  terrifi c spectacle is it? And how does the city react?
  Add or remove something in a dramatic way
   →
  666
  
  --- 41
  --- taBlEs
  1. Phase: Discussion
  1.3 Target Size
  Pick an entry from the Scale-Size table 
   →
  Draw lines and divide the map into regions
   →
  Set aside citizen tokens for the growth pool
   →
  1.4 Target Age
  Pick an entry from the Scale-Age table
   →
  Mark the number of development phases in a timeline either 
   →
  on the map or on a note card
  3.1 Historic Event
  Roll on the Events table 
   →
  Follow the actions as described
   →
  Note down event on the timeline
   →
  3.2 Natural Growth (optional)
  Move a citizen token from the pool to the city
   →
  Add a district to the map
   →
  3. Phase: Development
  4.1 Remaining Growth (xTokens)
  Move a le�tover citizen token to the city
   →
  Increase the density of an existing district
   →
  Change active player
   →
  Repeat for each remaining token
   →
  4.2 Name a feature (xPlayers)
  Name a feature of the city or environment
   →
  Add a landmark as needed
   →
  Change active player
   →
  Repeat for each player
   →
  4. Phase: Toping Off
  2.1 MaJor Geography
  Roll on the Terrain-Geography table 
   →
  Draw the major terrain shape
   →
  2.6 Community Factions
  Roll on the Power-Factions table 
   →
  Note name and symbol of a faction on a note card
   →
  Draw a landmark for that faction
   →
  Move a citizen token from the city to the faction in power
   →
  Change active player and create note card and landmark for 
   →
  each remaining faction
  2. Phase: Founding
  2.7 Name the City
  Write the city’s name at the top of the map.
   →
  2.5 Starting Hierarchy
  Roll on the Power-Hierarchy table 
   →
  Draw the route that led the settlers here
   →
  2.4 Settlement Decision
  Roll on the Purpose-Decision table 
   →
  Draw the fi rst settlement district
   →
  Move one citizen token from the pool to the city
   →
  2.3 Founding Location
  Roll on the Purpose-Location table 
   →
  Draw a related landmark or resource.
   →
  2.2 Terrain Features (x4)
  Roll on the Terrain-Feature table 
   →
  Draw the terrain feature
   →
  Gameplay Overview
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Standalone/Ex Novo - Core Rulebook.pdf