Peasants, Serfs, and Slaves
-


-
-
Typical Inhabitants
-
-
The Campaign
-
-
-
DMG

In feudalistic societies, no person not of gentle or noble birth would be allowed weapons of offense, other than those for hunting.

Therefore, swords, lances, maces, etc. would be totally banned.
In societies which heavily oppress the commoners, serfs and/or slaves will be even more restricted than common peasants.
They can have no weapon of any sort whatsoever.
They cannot leave their AREA, be it a farm, estate, village, or whatever.
They are chattel.

Peasants, serfs, and slaves generally resent this treatment.
Revolts of these sorts of peoples are common in history.
Any character who forces peasantry, serfdom, or slavery upon any inhabitants of an AREA he || she controls will have to be very careful to guard against uprisings. The oppressed folk will most certainly attempt an uprising once every five years, min..
If there is weakness noted, there will be an uprising immediately.

  • Peasants will demand more freedom, rights, and lesser taxes;
  • serfs will be attempting to gain peasant status;
  • slaves will simply desire to slay their former masters and escape to somewhere where they can be free.

    • Exact details of such uprisings are not possible here, but you should
    be able to determine them without undue difficulty.
    The oppressed populace will give rise to about 1 fighter for every 5 total, as men, women,
    and just about anybody able to carry a club or a knife will join in. Arms
    and armor (if any) will be scant and crude. Troops will be 0 level, peasant
    class. Tactical ability will usually tend to be nil. The exception is if some
    mercenary group aids peasants, or if some slaves have had military experience.

    If a rising does occur, the PC must suppress it as soon as
    possible. If it lasts more than one month, the revolting folk will gain experience,
    organization, recruits, and better weapons && armor. Therefore,
    for each full month of successful revolt, add 10% to the number of
    people in revolt, assume 10% of the total force becomes equal to regular
    men-at-arms in training and armor && weapons, and allow them greater tactical ability.
    After six months of successful revolt, the rebellion can be assumed to have taken on the status of a civil war,
    and the revolutionaries will be able to field something approximating a regular military force.

    Peasant


    -
    FREQUENCY:
    NO. APPEARING:
    ARMOR CLASS:
    MOVE:
    HIT DICE:
    % IN LAIR:
    TREASURE TYPE:
    NO. OF ATTACKS:
    DAMAGE/ATTACK:
    SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
    SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
    MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
    INTELLIGENCE: 3d6
    ALIGNMENT:
    SIZE: M
    PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
        Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
    LEVEL/X.P. VALUE:

    Farmer: 2-7 HP if male, 2-5 HP if female. Fights as 0 level.
    See T1 Village of Hommlet.

    Serf

    FREQUENCY:
    NO. APPEARING:
    ARMOR CLASS:
    MOVE:
    HIT DICE:
    % IN LAIR:
    TREASURE TYPE:
    NO. OF ATTACKS:
    DAMAGE/ATTACK:
    SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
    SPECIAL DEFENSES:
    MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
    INTELLIGENCE:
    ALIGNMENT:
    SIZE:
    PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
        Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
    LEVEL/X.P. VALUE:

    Farmer: 2-7 HP if male, 2-5 HP if female. Fights as 0 level.
    See T1 Village of Hommlet.
     

    Slave

    http://revolutionmagik.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/team_chow_with_alex_and_jana_2_by_algenpfleger6.jpg
     

    FREQUENCY: *
    NO. APPEARING: *
    ARMOR CLASS: *
    MOVE: *
    HIT DICE: *
    % IN LAIR: *
    TREASURE TYPE: Nil
    NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
    DAMAGE/ATTACK: *
    SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
    SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
    MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
    INTELLIGENCE:  *
    ALIGNMENT: *
    SIZE: M
    PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
        Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
    LEVEL/X.P. VALUE:

    * = Varies

    Slaves have a -30% loyalty mod.
    Slaves have a -30% reaction mod.

    With regards to the latter, it is sensible to treat this as a postive modifier, towards rescuers.
     


     

    <The following is just for reference, and will be deleted when the statblocks above are finished. See TYPICAL INHABITANTS>
     

    TYPICAL INHABITANTS

    The bulk of the people met on an adventure in an inhabited AREA -
    whether city, town, village, or along the roads through the countryside,
    will be average folk, with no profession as adventurers know it, and no
    special abilities for clericism, fighting, magic, or thievery. They are simply
    typical, normal people (as you define typical and normal for the milieu, of
    course). When dealing with these types, it is suggested that the following
    factors be used:
     
    General Classification Hit Points Combat Ability
    sedentary females 1 - 3  -3
    sedentary males 1 - 4  -2
    active females 1 - 4  -1
    active males 2 - 5 0 level
    laboring females 2 - 5 0 level
    laboring males 2 - 7 0 level

    Sedentary occupations are those where the individual does nothing, or is a
    clerk, scribe, etc.

    Active occupations are those involving considerable movement and
    activity such as a serving maid, carpenter, etc.

    Laboring occupations are strenuous and include farming, mining, and most menial labor tasks.
    <Piscodaemons are oftimes summoned to the Prime Material Plane to act as labor or guards.>
     

    Innkeeper (terrain: village, TPL12:2nd) (REF3.77)

    <
    Add as a quick reference note? Add this note to hirelings?
    General Characters: Roll 3d6 for each ability as usual,
        but use average scoring by considering any 1 as a 3 and any 6 as a 4.
        <General Characters would include Typical Inhabitants & Hirelings>
    >

    <link to here from Men in the Monster Manual?>