Create memorable towns and cities simply and quickly. Just roll ’em up!

• Every town should be noted for one thing, something that gives it a bit of notoriety locally.
• Every city should be the center of one industry and boast one or two other things of note and one claim to fame.
• A metropolis should be the center of two industries and boast several famous things of note and two claims to fame.

Layout

Use the Medieval Fantasy City Generator to determine the shape and layout of the city. You may have to (right-click) go into colors to add color and styles to get the districts tinted. You can also make other changes (Generate), like size, presence of a wall or river, etc.

Things of Note

1d20.

1. A famous hero grew up there… (1d6: 1=rogue; 2=warrior; 3=knight; 4=wizard; 5=cleric; 6=bard).
2. A famous creator lived there…(1d6: 1=author; 2=artist; 3=sculptor; 4=composer; 5=troubadour; 6=engineer/architect).
3. A famous noble died there… (1d6: 1=murdered by rivals; 2=executed on the orders of the king; 3=by mysterious poisoning; 4=in glorious battle; 5=of a speedy disease; 6=of old age).
4. It has the tallest… (1d4: 1=bell tower; 2=watch tower; 3=church/temple spire; 4=statue) in the area.
5. It has the largest hall in the area, used for all kinds of gatherings–even indoor markets when the weather is poor.
6. It has a famous tavern or inn where… (1d4: 1=a treaty was signed; 2=a surrender was made; 3=a royal slept a night; 4=a famous hero stayed briefly).
7. It has a rather large and venerable bell called… (1d6: 1=Old Heck; 2=Claire; 3=Big Bull; 4=Loud Lana; 5=Grandmother Toll; 6=Fingol’s Bell).
8. It includes a minor ancient ruin from the Old Empire… (1d6: 1=one of the gates; 2=a ruined bathhouse; 3=a few walls; 4=part of the outer wall; 5=a stone house; 6=a tower).
9. It has a wild magic zone.
10. It hosts a popular festival each year… (1d4: 1=woolmongers fete; 2=horse races; 3=knights’ tournament; 4=carousing in the name of the god and goddess of debauchery).
11. Known for its… (1d8: 1=basket-weaving; 2=shoe-making; 3=hide-tanning; 4=wood-carving; 5=flower-cultivation; 6=rope-making; 7=pottery; 8=cheese-making).
12. It has the best of some goods in the realm (beer, cider, wine, hats, gloves, musical instruments, cheese, baked goods, etc.).
13. It has a remarkable piece of architecture… (1d6: 1=house; 2=tower; 3=gate; 4-5=guildhall; 6=theater).
14. It has a local landmark… (1d6: 1=statue; 2=fountain; 3=bridge; 4=tower; 5=shrine to martyr; 6=theater).
15. It has the only industry of a type (roll on the Center of Industry table, below) in the area.
16. Certain animals migrate there each year (birds, butterflies, sea turtles, parrots, etc.).
17. It’s considered especially picturesque and may have colorful buildings or roofs, canals, etc.
18. It was the site of some famous tragedy (fire, building collapse, dragon attack, etc.).
19. It is the town nearest a famous battlefield and hosted wounded, surrender negotiation, hasty trial, and/or execution.
20. A great treasure or legendary artifact was found there or in the country/woods nearby.

Center of Industry

1d20

1. Grain trade
2. Brewing
3. Wine-making
4. Ship-building
5. Mining (salt, tin, zinc, lead, iron, nickel, wolfram [tungsten], copper, silver, gold, platinum, mythril, or adamantite)
6. Minting coinage
7. Wool trade
8. Cloth trade
9. Spice trade
10. Musical instrument manufacture
11. Armor manufacture
12. Weapon manufacture
13. Bookbinding
14. Jewelry manufacture
15. Clothing manufacture
16. Furniture manufacture
17. Horse trade
18. Carriage
19. Fishing
20. Dye manufacture

Claims to Fame

1d20.

1. Center of religion in the county/shire or whole realm, with a famous cathedral or abbey.
2. Home of a major pilgrimage sight.
3. Home of the council of sorcerers.
4. Home of a college.
5. Current home of a famous… (1d6: 1=warrior; 2=merchant; 3=knight; 4=wizard; 5=cleric; 6=bard).
6. A famous creator lives there…(1d6: 1=author; 2=artist; 3=sculptor; 4=composer; 5=inventor; 6=architect).
7. Withstood a famous siege and retains evidence of assault.
8. It includes an important ancient ruin from the Old Empire… (1d6: 1=a gatehouse; 2=a bathhouse; 3=a hall; 4=a counting house; 5=a villa; 6=a tower keep).
9. It is home to a major court of law and prison.
10. Has a famous rock that… (1d6: 1=a villain tripped over and subsequently died; 2=a prophecy was made on; 3=can be kissed to gain the gift of gab; 4=has a sword sticking out of it that only the most worthy can draw out; 5=the road was built around; 6=was once a part of the king’s Throne of Stone).
11. Home to… (1d6: 1=pigeons; 2=Mandarin ducks; 3=parrots; 4=peacocks; 5=gouldian finches; 6=kingfishers).
12. It has an anti-magic zone, etc.
13. It has a fantastical piece of architecture (house, tower, gate, guildhall, theater, etc.).
14. It has a famous landmark (statue, fountain, bridge, tower, shrine to a martyr, etc.)
15. It has the first of some mundane thing (sewer system, heating system, theater, arena, bathhouse, library, catacombs, harbor, etc.)
16. It has the largest of some mundane thing (sewer system, heating system, theater, arena, bathhouse, library, catacombs, harbor, etc.)
17. It has the finest library in the realm (private but available to reputable types).
18. It has a Hall of Heroes statuary hall or garden or statues all around town.
19. It a gathering point for the beginning of pilgrimages or is itself a pilgrimage site.
20. It has a famous menagerie or botanical garden.

Fashion

1d20. Any city might have something that is particularly in fashion.

1. Football
2. Tennis
3. Dice games
4. Card games
5. Drinking contests
6. Eating contests
7. Foot races
8. Horse races
9. Folk dancing
10. Face makeup
11. Pointed shoes
12. Tall hats
13. Revealing dresses
14. Women’s trousers
15. Men’s codpieces
16. Elaborate hairstyles (men and women)
17. Flower displays
18. Wards on doors (against witchcraft, vampires, werewolves…)
19. Dyed pet dogs
20. Lap dogs

Authorities

Each town should have a bailiff, who runs the place for the local lord (and is also the local guildmaster), and a constable, who runs the volunteer town watch, and one concern.

Each city should should have a mayor, who answers to the king’s ministers (or a church official, if it’s a major religious center); a constable, who runs the paid town watch; and two concerns.

2d6	Description	NPC	Concerns
2	Sour	Halfling male	Disease epidemic
3	Skeptical	Dwarf male	Potential riot✽
4	Disabled	Elf male	Violent crime
5	Superstitious	Human male	Petty crime
6	Nosy	Human male	Raids by… 1d3: 1=pirates; 2=monsters; 3=foreigners
7	Curious	Human male	Paranoia✽✽
8	Jolly	Human female	Street… 1d3: 1=filth; 2=vendors; 3=beggars
9	Friendly	Human female	Foreign spies
10	Knowledgeable	Elf female	Scarcity✽✽✽
11	Helpful	Dwarf female	Danger of… 1d3: 1=fire; 2=flood; 3=war
12	Conspiratorial	Halfling female	Stealthy murderer

✽ Potential Riot: 1d6: 1=A popular outlaw is about to be executed; 2=A popular person has been accused of a serious crime; 3=An unpopular person has been acquitted of a serious crime; 4=A popular fashion is being taxed; 5=An unpopular thing (military service, a new tax, food rationing) has been made mandatory; 6=Some scarcity (peas, flour, carrots, leather, iron, linen fabric, wool fabric, spices, sugar) is believed due to elites hoarding it.

✽✽ Paranoia: 1d6: 1=Witchcraft/evil sorcery; 2=Thieves have a “guild”; 3=Poisoned water causing disease; 4=Bribery among leaders; 5=Elites are in league with raiders; 6=An unpopular religion is dangerous.

✽✽✽ Scarcity: 1d6: 1=Water; 2=Food; 3=Wood; 4=Livestock; 5=Cloth; 6=Ale/beer/cider.