Building a Community

These are questions useful for world building and planning campaigns based on different sized communities.

Food – Plant
Where does the community get their grains, beans, nuts, vegetables and fruit?
Locally grown – Circle all that apply
All, Staples, Supplemental, Luxuries

Imported – Circle all that apply
All, Staples, Supplemental, Luxuries

Does the community grow produce for other communities? Yes, No

Where do they export to?

Food – Animal
Does the community eat animal products? Yes, No

Circle the activities the community takes part in for food and sport. Fish, Hunt, Trap

Are domestic animals farm raised?

Locally Raised – Circle all that applies
All, Staples, Supplemental, Luxuries

Imported – Circle all that applies
All, Staples, Supplemental, Luxuries

Are there large herds? Yes, No

Do families keep a few animals for food? Yes, No

Does the community export animals? Yes, No

Do they host hunters from other communities? Yes, No

Do they host fishermen from other communities? Yes, No

Food Service
Is there a market or restaurants? Yes, No

Are these services for the local population or to accommodate travelers? Local, Travelers

Does the community have breweries wineries or distilleries? Breweries, Wineries, Distilleries

Are these commercial businesses or operated by individuals?

Fuel – Electrical
Does this community have access to electrical power? Yes, No

If so, how widespread is it’s distribution? Central source, Distributed source, Distribution network

Why do people receive electrical power? They pay money, It is considered a right, By title position or rank

Generating electricity requires powerplants and possibly electrical transmission equipment.

Is water, wind, steam engine, or some relic the source of electrical power? Water, Wind, Solar, Steam, Other

Where does the community get the fuel for electricity?

Fuel – Chemical
What fuels are used?
Wood, Coal, Gas, Oil, Animal dung Other

How do people cook their food?

Do people control their home’s temperature, how?

Do they use fuel from local sources? Yes, No

Do they import fuel? Yes, No

How abundant is the supply?

What machinery, equipment and jobs are needed to provide fuel?

Raw Materials
Does the community harvest trees for building materials?

Do they grow crops or raise animals for making thread?

Do they have clay in their soil for making bricks or tiles?

Do they mine for metal

Are raw materials imported? From where?

Refined Materials
Does the community refine raw materials?

Circle how they refine materials
Lumber mill, Weavers for textiles, Smelting refinery, Cement kilns, Brickworks, Chemical plant, Oil refinery

If the community does not have these facilities themselves, where can materials be obtained from?

How often can the materials be acquired?

Tools
Does the community produce it’s own tools?

How do they make tools? Circle all that apply.
Carpenter, Blacksmith, Foundry, Machinist

Do they import tools? From where?

How hard is it to obtain tools?

Clothing
Communities will need a source of clothing. Does the community make their own?

If so, for small towns they may have tailors or for large cities, garment factories. However in very small communities a family member may make clothing for each household.

Where does the community get their textiles? Where do they get the tools for making clothing come from? At it’s simplest this could be sowing needles.

If the community does not make their own clothing, where does it come from?

Shelter
The vast majority of communities make use of some kind of shelter. The more the society produces as product, the more elaborate their homes are.

Who makes the shelters the community uses? Does a family make their own? Are their skilled individuals that build shelters? Is there an industry for making shelters?

Where do the refined materials and tools for shelters come from?

Transportation
How do people move themselves and goods around?

If they use animals, which animals are used and for what purposes?

Are the animals used as mounts or do they pull carts or wagons?

Who makes the gear for harnessing animals?

Who makes the carts if they are used?

Does the community use powered transportation?

Where do the vehicles come from? Who maintains them?

Does the community use water travel? Are there special hazards in doing so?

Who makes the boats or ships?

Are there different tiers of prestige linked to methods of transport?

Security
How is law and order maintained?

How does the community ward off attacks from the outside?

Is there a central figure that handles security or are there many people that get involved in security decisions?

In small close knit communities, law and order may be kept socially, where each individual upholds the group’s ethics.

Larger towns, especially those with travelers going through it may need someone empowered to enforce law like a sheriff or chief. In the case of external attack, the enforcer is likely to select able individuals to aid them in defense.

Cities require a network of enforcers such as a military or police force. In many cases, the role of maintaining law and external defense are different specialized roles but not always.

Aggression
Does the community make aggressive attacks on others?

If so, are the attacks carried out by untrained civilians or a trained, dedicated military?

Why would the community make aggressive actions against others? What could make them change their stance?

Small communities may raid neighbors for resources especially if they are not self sufficient. Often a leader selects and possibly trains individuals to go on raids.

Tribal or territorial conflicts may cause medium sized communities to attack one another. These are usually calculated attacks intended to push back a rival. These conflicts are often carried out by militia that arm themselves.

City states may go to war over trade conflicts philosophical differences or territorial disputes. City states are likely to have militias or their own standing army depending on how centrally controlled they are.

Entertainment
Who does the entertaining in the community?

Are there a few talented people that play music or act?

Is entertainment something that everyone has a part in?

Do travelers have a part in sharing stories from afar?

What kinds of entertainment is common, what kinds are taboo?

Information
Even in small communities information is an important resource. What is the role of gossip in the community?

How much are people involved in news of their community?

Is keeping up on the lives of people encouraged or is it frowned on?

Is there an industry built around information or is it just a hobby?

Is there one or more dedicated spy networks?

Information Distribution
Is there a way of recording and spreading news?

How do people find out about events that happen around them?

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