聚居地 SETTLEMENTS
冒险总得从某个地方开始，每个人都需要有个被认为是家的地方。玩家可以在相对平静的环境中休息、休整、重训，并投入到其他休整期活动中。但是聚居地也有自己的阴谋和危险，提供了其独有的冒险机会。
对一些玩家来说，聚居地可能只是一个方便购买装备和出售战利品的场所。但对于另一些人来说，聚居地可能是他们愿意冒一切风险保护的心爱家园。甚至有时候整个战役都没有超出城市城墙的范围。
游戏中的聚居地 SETTLEMENTS IN A GAME
GM应该清楚聚居地在冒险中扮演的各种角色，考虑它们在游戏中是如何运作的，以及如何最好地使用它们。几乎每个聚居地都使用了从《核心规则书》第514页开始的城市环境规则。但这些规则主要是针对遭遇战模式的，而以下指南可以帮助你充分利用聚居地，更广泛的描绘你的游戏。
聚居地的冒险 SETTLEMENT ADVENTURES
在聚居地中设计冒险通常会遵循第40页冒险设计(Adventure Design )中的指引。当然，更大的人口密度也允许一些在城外并不常见的冒险风格和元素。
社交遭遇是聚居地中最常见的互动之一，从城门守卫开始，一直到觐见女王。影响和声誉望系统(分别在151页和164页)可以以更结构化的方式促进这些互动。使用追逐场景（使用第156页开始的规则）是一个聚居地冒险标志性的组成部分，在大型城市尤为如此，那里密集的建筑和各种各样的结构共同形成了一系列令人兴奋的障碍。聚居地也是一个团队进行渗透(第160页)的理想场所。由于大多数图书馆、档案馆和类似的信息库都位于聚居地内，你也可以用上研究规则(第154页)。雄心勃勃角色可能想要利用领导子系统建立自己的组织(第168页)。
游戏模式 Modes of Play
和其他冒险地点一样，聚居地内也可以用上所有的3种游戏模式。由于聚居地比其他环境提供了更多非战斗活动的机会，所以角色可能会把大部分时间花在探索模式上。而休整模式几乎只发生在聚居地内。
市场 MARKETPLACES
有人的地方就有
江湖商业。在第24页的买卖（BUYING AND SELLING）部分提供了一些在你的游戏中处理商业的指南，但它也有助于了解一个特定的聚居地其自身的价值和经济实力。
在特定的聚居地中，角色通常可以购买与聚居地等级相同或更低的任何常见物品（包括公式、炼金术物品和魔法物品）。通常最高等级的可用物品很少——您可以使用《核心规则书》第509页的表10–9：团队财富等级表，作为有多少最高等级物品数量的指引，永久物品和消耗品的等级比聚居地实际等级低一级。聚居地的居民通常可以从PC那购买物品，只要这些物品与聚居地的物品等级相同或更低，但限制销售高等级的物品。如果一个聚居地的人口明显少于它的水平，那么它提供和购买物品的能力可能会更加有限。
如果一个角色等级高于聚居地，角色通常可以使用自己的影响力和力量优势购买更高等级的物品，例如他们说服商店专业订购或工匠手工定制商品，尽管这可能需要一点时间完成订单。
大部分聚居地都提供施法服务。但除非城市中有一个强大的施法NPC，玩家可以和他协商服务，否则玩家可以找到一个不超过殖民地等级的NPC来施放常见法术。例如，角色在9级城市中通常可以找到并花钱让某人施展5级普通法术——9级施法者可以使用的最高等级的法术。
一些聚居地许可（Access）拥有罕见物品、公式和法术。如果聚居地可以合理地被认为拥有许可物品或法术的条件，那么该物品或法术就能像普通物品一样可用。例如，矮人聚居地Kraggodan有大量的矮人武器可用很合理。
权力结构 POWER STRUCTURES
在城市之外，冒险者花了大量时间按照自己的方式行事，只对自己的道德准则负责。但在聚居地中，英雄们也只是一个更大系统的一部分，这里有自己的法律、程序和执行条例。聚居地中的权力结构细节决定了玩家团队在聚居地中的如何与之互动。
政府 government
政府通常反映该聚居地的性质。一个合法的、军国主义的城市可能会有一个等级森严的政府，一人独裁；一个十字路口的集镇可能会由最富有的商人家族控制；一个农业社区可能只会在必要时把领导权交给最年长的居民。
也就是说，合法且被公众认可的聚居地主持者并不总是发号施令的人。他们可能只是某个秘密力量在暗中操纵的傀儡。一些聚居地被隐藏的阴谋集团统治，从奇怪的宗教派别到盗贼公会。一个聚居地可能会受到有政治权势的居民的影响，比如神秘的大臣或政治上精明的高等祭司。在某些情况下，似乎是合法权威在统治，但实际上已经被一个无面潜伏者、一个伪装的魔鬼或一个强大的变形者所取代。
法典 Legal Codes
大多数文明都认为法律是确保社会正常运转的必要条件。具体法律的管辖范围在各个聚居地之间可能都有不同，它们可能是简单的禁止谋杀和盗窃，或者异常复杂的监管计划，规定从服装细节到被允许的零食点心。这些法律的知名度可以进一步影响当事人与聚居地的互动，因为在一个文件完备的系统中行动，可能比在一个仅通过经验和口口相传来学习规则的体系中更容易。
就像政府一样，法典反映了聚居地的阵营和整体性质。一般来说，一个更守序的聚居地可能有更复杂的法律，一个更宽松的地区有更少和更简单的法律。
执法 Law enforcement
绝大多数聚居地都有执行法律的制度。在一个小村庄里，居民们可能只是自我监督，让彼此为他们共同的价值观负责。城镇和较大的聚居地通常有一些警卫系统，无论是由志愿者轮流担任的职位，还是由城市政府支付费用的专业人员组成的城市警卫以维持秩序。大多数聚居地都有某种方式来处理罪犯，从罚款、游街示众到监狱牢房，以及负责执行这些判决的人。
组织、教会和势力 organizations, churches, and factions
政府并不是唯一对聚居地有影响力的势力。有声望的组织，著名教会和特定势力也都有些权利，并且经常与官方政府或者彼此冲突。宗教集会通常在信仰强大的社区行使重大权力。一个巫师、男巫或吟游诗人，即使只有普通的魔法才能，在一个小聚居地里也会是一个少有的、有影响力的社会成员。一个组织可以对其所在的社区施加明显的影响，也可以进行微妙的控制，就像探索者协会在艾巴萨罗姆所做的那样。其他著名的派系可能包括贵族家族、富商、旅店老板、退役士兵和冒险家。
腐败 corruption
在任何聚居地中，官员都有可能将自身利益置于公众利益之上。腐败可能从简单的职员愿意接受贿赂以加快一些文书工作，到罪恶的到把平民作为奴隶贩卖。
常见NPC
有几种NPC就算不会只出现在聚居地里，也是在聚居地里很常见的。本书的以下章节为运行聚居地提供了统计数据和额外的有用信息。
本书的以下章节为运行聚居地提供了统计数据和额外的有用信息。
•侍臣 Courtiers (page 206)上层社会在较大的聚居地中最常见。
•官员 Magistrates (page 224)这些政府官员制定并执行法律。
•法务人员 Officers (page 232)法务人员负责在聚居地中执行法律。
•艺人 Performers (page 236)艺人在居民区最常见，那里有大量的观众。
•服务员 Publicans (page 238)几乎每个聚居地都至少有一个聚会场所和它的常客。
•学者 Scholars (page 240) 大多数知识宝库都位于聚居地内。
•商贾 Tradespeople (page 244)商贾提供熟练工人，维持城镇供应和运行。
劇透 - 原文:
SETTLEMENTS
Adventures have to start somewhere, and everyone needs some semblance of a home. Settlements are where characters can rest, recharge, retrain, and dedicate themselves to other downtime activities, all in relative peace. But settlements can also hold their own intrigues and dangers, providing adventure opportunities of their own.
For some players, a settlement may be nothing more than a convenient place to purchase gear and sell loot. For others, a settlement might be a beloved home they’re willing to risk everything to protect. And sometimes, an entire campaign takes place entirely within the walls of a single city.
SETTLEMENTS IN A GAME
Given the variety of roles a settlement can play in an adventure, a Game Master should have a firm understanding of how they work in the game and how to best use them. Virtually every settlement uses the rules for urban environments presented starting on page 514 of the Pathfinder Core Rulebook. Those rules are primarily intended for encounter mode, however, and so the following guidance can help you best use a settlement in the broader narrative of your game.
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SETTLEMENT ADVENTURES
Designing adventures in a settlement generally follows the guidelines presented in Adventure Design on page 40. However, a settlement’s greater population density also allows for a number of adventure styles and elements that aren’t as common beyond the city walls.
Social encounters are one of the most common interactions within a settlement, starting with the guards at the city gates all the way to an audience with the queen. The influence and reputation subsystems (pages 151 and 164, respectively) can facilitate these interactions in a more structured way. Chase scenes, using the rules starting on page 156, are an iconic component of a settlement adventure, especially in a larger city, where dense buildings and a variety of structures make for an exciting series of obstacles. A settlement is also an ideal place for a party to conduct an infiltration (page 160). Since most libraries, archives, and similar repositories of information are located within settlements, you might make use of the research rules (page 154). Ambitious characters might want to build up their own organizations using the leadership subsystem (page 168).
Modes of Play
Just like in other adventure locations, all three modes of play can happen in settlements. Since a settlement presents far more opportunities for noncombat activities than most other environments, characters likely spend most of their time in exploration mode. Downtime almost exclusively takes place within a settlement.
MARKETPLACES
Where there are people, there is commerce. The Buying and Selling section on page 24 provides several sets of guidelines for handling commerce in your game, but it can also be helpful to have a sense of what items and economic power a given settlement has on its own merits.
In a given settlement, a character can usually purchase any common item (including formulas, alchemical items, and magic items) that is of the same or lower level than the settlement’s. Usually, fewer of the highest‑level items are available—you can use Table 10–9: Party Treasure by Level on page 509 of the Core Rulebook as a guideline for how many of the highest‑level items might be available, using the Permanent Items and Consumables entries for a level 1 lower than the settlement’s actual level. Inhabitants of a settlement can usually purchase items from PCs as long as those items are the same or lower level than the settlement, with limitations on higher‑level items similar to those available for sale. If a settlement’s population is significantly smaller than its level would suggest, its ability to provide and purchase items may be more limited.
If a character’s level is higher than the settlement’s, that character can usually use their own influence and leverage to acquire higher‑level items, as they convince shops to place specialty orders or artisans to craft custom goods, though it might take a bit of time for such orders to be fulfilled.
Spellcasting services are available in many settlements. Barring a powerful spellcasting NPC in the city with whom the party could negotiate for services, a character can find someone to cast common spells up to a level that could be cast by an NPC of the settlement’s level. For example, a character in a 9th‑level city can typically find and pay someone to cast a 5th‑level common spell—the highest spell available to a 9th‑level spellcaster.
Some settlements have access to uncommon items, formulas, and spells. If a settlement could reasonably be considered to meet the Access entry for an item or spell, that item or spell is available just like any common item. For example, the dwarven settlement of Kraggodan has plenty of dwarf weapons available.
POWER STRUCTURES
Outside of city limits, adventurers spend much of their time operating on their own terms, accountable only to their own moral code. But in a settlement, the heroes become part of a larger system with its own codified laws, procedures, and enforcement. The details of a settlement’s power structures shape the party’s interactions within that settlement.
government
The government of a settlement often reflects the nature of that settlement. A lawful, militaristic city likely has a hierarchical government with a single figure at the top, a crossroads market town might be under the control of its wealthiest merchant families, and a farming community might simply look to the oldest residents for leadership as necessary.
That said, the lawful and publicly recognized ruler of a settlement isn’t always the one calling the shots. They may merely be a puppet to a secret entity that silently pulls the strings from the shadows. Some settlements are ruled by hidden cabals, from strange religious sects to thieves’ guilds. A settlement might be swayed by politically powerful residents, such an occult vizier or a political savvy high priest. In some cases, the legitimate authority may seem to govern but has actually been replaced by a faceless stalker, a devil in disguise, or another powerful shapechanger.
Legal Codes
Most civilizations agree that laws are necessary to ensure a functioning society. The specific laws range from one settlement to another, and they might be as simple as a prohibition against murder and theft to exceptionally convoluted regulatory schemes dictating everything from clothing details to available confections. How well known these laws are can further flavor a party’s interactions with that settlement, as it’s likely easier to navigate a well‑documented system than one in which the rules are learned only through experience and word of mouth.
Much like a government, the legal codes reflect the settlement’s alignment and overall nature. Generally speaking, a more lawful settlement is likely to have more complex laws, and a more lax locale to have fewer and simpler laws.
Law enforcement
Most settlements have systems in place to enforce their laws. In a small village, the residents might just police themselves, holding one another accountable to their shared values. Towns and larger settlements usually have some system of guards, whether that’s a post filled by a rotation of volunteers or a city guard of professionals paid by the city’s government to maintain order. Most settlements have some way of dealing with criminals, from fines to public stocks to prison cells, as well as individuals responsible for meting out those sentences.
organizations, Churches, and factions
The government isn’t the only influential factor in a settlement. Prestigious organizations, prominent churches, and specialized factions all wield power as well, often in conflict with the official government or one another. Religious congregations usually wield significant power in communities where faith is strong. A wizard, sorcerer, or bard of even moderate magical talent would be a rare and influential member of society in a small settlement. An organization can wield overt influence over the community where they’re based, or subtle control, as the Pathfinder Society does in Absalom. Other notable factions may include noble houses, wealthy merchants, innkeepers, and retired soldiers and adventurers.
Corruption
In any settlement, it’s possible for officials to put their own interests before those of the people they serve. Corruption might be as simple as a clerk willing to accept a bribe to expedite some paperwork, or it might be as sinister as selling civilians into slavery.
COMMON NPCS
Several categories of NPCs are quite common in settlements, if not exclusive to them. The following sections from the NPC Gallery of this book provide statistics and additional useful information for running settlements.
• Courtiers (page 206) The upper crust of society is most common in larger settlements.
• Magistrates (page 224) These public officials create and implement the law.
• Officers (page 232) Officers are responsible for enforcing the law in a settlement.
• Performers (page 236) Performers are most common in settlements, where there are large audiences.
• Publicans (page 238) Nearly every settlement has at least one gathering place and its regulars.
• Scholars (page 240) Most repositories of lore are located within settlements.
• Tradespeople (page 244) Tradespeople provide the skilled labor that keeps a town supplied and running.
