Chaos in the City: The Anarchy Index

Chaos in the City: The Anarchy Index

When the game starts the Anarchy Index is set to 0. Every day the PCs are in the area roll a d4-2 (-1 to +2) (keep in mind that ‘the area’ does not just mean 'in the city walls' but the surrounding metro area) and add or subtract that to that to the Anarchy Index. Also add or subtract any consequences from PC actions at the start of every day using the list below as a guide:

Consequences from PC Actions:

+1 A civilian is killed (+1 for each)

+5 killing or non-lawful removal of an influential member of the government, like a noble, high level bureaucrat, or guard chief

+2 kill a minor local NPC

+4 kill a major local NPC

+1 destroying a local business

+1 strange event of an arcane, alchemical, or religious nature (maybe more depending on how weird it is)

+1 disrupting a religious event or defiling a temple

+1 casting any sort of higher level or strange magic on the street (for each spell cast)

+1 killing or wounding a group of City Guards

+X Property damage for a given area (like a block). Use the table below to determine the scale of the damage:

+X	Description
+1	Minor damage. Few things broken. A window pane, some roofing tiles. The aftermath of combat in the streets.
+2	Moderate Damage. Heavy damage to a localized area. Windows broken. Doors shattered. Carts toppled. Intense combat.
+4	Considerable Damage. Most buildings damaged. Smaller weaker buildings destroyed (shacks, older buildings, poorly constructed). Trees snapped in half. Extended all out combat.
+6	Severe damage. Most normal buildings destroyed. Stronger buildings (stone buildings, fortifications, or reinforced structures) heavily damaged. Battle damage from an extended siege.
+8	Extreme Damage. Most buildings completely leveled. Only the strongest structures left standing.
+10	Total Destruction. All but the strongest of buildings completely annihilated, even then they will be severely damaged. Little more than piles of rubble and foundations. Like it was hit by an atom bomb.

-1 clearing level of a nearby dungeon (-1 for each level cleared)

-1 killing a local monster (or more depending on how strong it is)

-1 disrupting a local hostile cult, criminal organization, gang, or other disruptive group

-5 removing or permanently disabling a local hostile cult, criminal organization, gang, or other disruptive group

-1 A civilian is saved from death, major injury, or other similar event, that was not caused by the actions of the PCs (+1 for each)

-1 Save the life of a local minor NPC

-2 Save the life of a local major NPC

-3 Save the life of an influential member of the government, like a noble, high level bureaucrat, or guard chief

Every day the PCs are not in the area, -1 from the Anarchy Index until it reaches zero.

The Consequences: The Disruption Table

Whenever the Anarchy Index goes over 10, roll once on the 'd20 Disruption Table' to see what event occurs. Once this even ends, roll again if the Anarchy Index is still over 10. Anytime the Anarchy Index goes over 20, roll twice making sure to have two events active at the same time if above 20, over 30 three times making sure to have three events active at the same time if above 30, over 40 four times making sure to have four events active at the same time if above 40, and if the index goes over 50, everything has broken down and the city is in total anarchy and stops all function.

d20 Disruption Table

Roll	Event	Affect
1	Increased Guards: Guard patrols doubled. (When City Crawling, rolls of 2 are run-ins with the law.) Lasts for d6 days.	-1 per every day
2	Increased Prices: Disruptions to the city’s economy has cause a run in prices. 2-in-6 chance that any good or service costs d6 times more (roll for each instance separately). Last for 2d6 days.	No change
3	Shortages: Disruptions to the city’s economy has cause supplies to begin to dwindle. 2-in-6 chance that an item cannot be bought or services cannot be rendered, at least by normal means. Lasts for 2d6 days.	No change
4	Scapegoating: The people take out frustration on a particular group. Roll d6 1=Local religion or cult; 2=Group of demi-humans; 3=Local businesses; 4=Each other; 5=Spell casters; 6=Mercenaries or Adventures (including the PCs)	-d4
5	Prohibition: Something gets banned. Roll a d8 to see what is banned. 1=Alcohol; 2=Mounts; 3=Funny, colorful, or otherwise odd clothes; 4=Melee weapons; 5=Ranged weapons; 6=Wearing armor in public; 7=Music; 8=A particular word or phrase. 2-in-6 of someone alerting the City Guard whenever someone is seen with/doing said thing in public. Lasts for d6 days.	-1 per every day
6	Polite Society: The increase in chaos has put everyone on edge. Normally unarmed civilians armed on a 3-in-6 chance. May join in combat if threatened (or they think they are a hero). Lasts for d4 weeks. (Do not forget that killing these civilians may add to the index!)	No change
7	Magic Ban: All spellcasting is banned. Low-level spells get a fine (some may just get a warning). Higher level spells get jail time. 2-in-6 of someone alerting the City Guard whenever someone casts a spell. Lasts d6 days	-1 per day
8	Long Night: Ruckuses, brouhahas, and hullabaloos going on in the city prevent people from sleeping (and everything that would come with not being able to sleep for a night/take a long rest for your system of choice). Lasts for d3 nights.	No change
9	Fundraisers: Local religions begin intense fund raising campaigns to fund rituals to help win back the favor of the gods and sooth troubled minds. When City Crawling rolls of 2 are priests and acolytes fund raising, asking for a ‘suggested donation’ of d20gp per PC (d6gp per henchemen). Roll a d6 to see what the deal with this group is. 1=Conmen, obviously not with a religion (they keep getting their facts wrong); 2= Thieves pretending, will threatened violence if not payed; 3=Local cult pretending to be a religion (everything about them is a little off); 4-5=Legit religion; 6=Legit religion, also if the PCs donate they may cast some helpful spells or offer some simple religious items for sale (holy symbols, holy water, scrolls, etc.) at a 50% discount. This lasts for d6 days.	-1 per day
10	Emergency Tax: The government implements an emergency tax to help pay for aid. Roll a d4 to see how much. 1=1cp per head; 2=1sp per head; 3=1gp per head; 4=10% of any coin on their person. Anyone not able to pay the tax will be sentenced to a day of hard labor in service of the city. Anyone dodging the tax gets jail time or worse if caught. This takes place as soon as it is rolled, and City Guards will be patrolling the streets and knocking on doors to collect the tax.	+d6 now, –d6 a week later
11	Lockdown: All shops and services are closed. PCs might be able to get in with guile or the help of a friend. Lasts d4 days.	No change
12	Executions: Guilty or not, people are being rounded up for execution for crimes in an attempt to stem the tide of chaos. The crimes they have committed are most likely trumped up and they are guilty or innocent at the Judges Digression. Roll a d6 to see how many people are being executed and Roll a d10 to see who is getting the ax. 1=A random innocent person; 2=A random guilty person (still says they are innocent); 3=A Magic User or Priest; 4=Criminal Scum; 5=A Demi-human; 6=A member of the City Guard; 7=A friend of the PCs; 8=An enemy of the PCs; 9=Local business owner/noble; 10=One of the PCs. The executions take place d4 days after the call for the accused goes out. Before that time the City Guard will go all out trying to capture the accused.	-1 per execution -2 if the accused can be proved innocent correctly +2 for any foiled execution by other means
13	Epidemic: As society begins to crack, diseases take their toll. There is a 1-in-6 chance that anyone the PCs interact with has some sort of disease and close interaction with them may spread the disease. Lasts for d4 weeks.	No change when active, -d6 when over with.
14	Monster Attack!: A monster or monsters, not normally from the city or area, sees the chaos as an opportunity to attack the city. The attacks begin in d6 days. From sundown to sunup all business will be closed and all buildings locked. There will be mad rushes to get inside before sundown. If the PCs ignore the monster there is a 2-in-6 chance that the City Guard destroys the monster.	-2d6 if the Guard kill it -d6 if the PCs kill it +d6 if left unchecked
15	Holiday Declared: The local government declares a holiday, hoping that letting everyone blow off some steam will help calm things down. All shops and services closed for the day. Many people out in the street singing/dancing/drinking/having a general good time. An excellent time to go carousing (XP earned double if you do). Occurs d4 days after being declared.	-d6
16	Locked Gates: The gates/borders of the city are closed preventing anyone from getting in or out. (There may however be a brisk person smuggling operation going on illegally). Lasts for 2d6 days.	-1 per day
17	Faction War: Two factions in the city go up in arms against one another. PC intervention on one side will win the favor of that group and an animosity of the other. Roll a d6 twice to see what sides are fighting. 1=Rival adventuring party or mercenary group; 2=Local guild; 3=Demi-human group; 4=Criminal gang; 5=Religious organization; 6=City Guard squad. If the PCs do not intervene, roll a d6 for each side to determine the winner. Highest roll wins, ties are a wash, rolls of 1 means that that group gets arrested by the City Guards. This happens the day that it is rolled.	+d6 if unchecked +d4 if a tie -d6 if solved without combat -d4 if any one side gets arrested by the City Guard
18	Strange Visitors: The chaos has attracted strange visitors to the city. Roll d4 times on the d20 ‘In-Disguise’ table to see who has shown up.	+1 per visitor
19	Mood Swings: Everyone’s mood seems to be affected by the chaos. Roll a d6 to see the general attitude. 1=Irrational exuberance; 2=Melancholy; 3=Paranoia; 4=Disgust; 5=Argumentative; 6=Introspective. This lasts for d6 days.	No change
20	Solidarity: Everyone is ordered to wear an object, symbol, or color in solidary with one another to show that they cannot be broken by the chaos. Anyone not wearing said object, symbol, or color is distrusted by everyone who is. Lasts for d6 days.	-1 per day

Changing For Different Areas

If not in a city, use the following to better reflect the area of player interaction:

Village/Rural Setting from intervals of +10 to +5 (5,10,15,Anarchy)

State/Kingdom Wide Setting from intervals of +10 to +20 (20,40,60,Anarchy)