Random Noble Houses

Work on an upcoming fantasy setting has me thinking about nobles. There are a few noble houses I want to flesh out, and since I’m on an Inspiration Pad Pro kick, I thought a set of carefully crafted random tables was in order.

I’ve incorporated a few assumptions into these tables (which is code for “I reduced the scope so I could meet my deadline”). Specifically, these tables assume a quasi-feudal environment, so they may require some adjustment for your campaign. That said, here’s the basis I’m working from:

• Nobles are landowning aristocracy and direct vassals to the king
• The “King” is whoever runs the country, probably in an “absolute rule” sort of way
• Nobles have their own vassals, to which they parcel out their land
• Consequently, nobles represent the only possible check against the king’s power

The tables below suggest a noble house’s background, from which you can glean its role in the campaign. You’ll still need to fill in some details of your own as (and when) you need them (e.g., house names and details about prominent members). You’ll also do well to come up with a coat of arms for each house—the campaign detail is worth the effort, and Inkwell Ideas Coat of Arms Design Studio is a fast and free tool.

Other than that, these tables should get you started. For each noble house, roll for Head of Household, Alignment, Influence, Holdings, Family Size, Recent Activity, Current Ambition, and Closet Skeletons.

Head of Household

The house’s patriarch (4/6) or matriarch (2/6), who ultimately directs or approves any activity that impacts the family’s status and fortune. Roll for general age category and corresponding personality:

Roll 1d6 twice:

1: Young (d6: 1 naive; 2 bold; 3 confident; 4 fearful; 5 rash; 6 arrogant)

2-4: Middle-aged (d6: 1 calculating; 2 assertive; 3 savvy; 4 cautious; 5 aggressive; 6 bullying)

5-6: Old (d6: 1 cunning; 2 demanding; 3 prudent; 4 subtle; 5 detached ; 6 domineering)

Alignment

The noble house’s default approach toward achieving its goals; exceptions amongst individual family members may (and in fact, are likely, to) occur.

Roll 1d6:

1-2: Lawful

3-5: Neutral

6: Chaotic

Influence

An aggregate measure of power, wealth, and prestige. Influence is helpful when approaching the king, dealing with other nobles, and leaning on vassals. In game terms, think of this as “What are the chances of the family achieving its goals?”. Use this to gauge the success of the noble’s plots, plans, and acquisitions. If you want to quantify influence for specific in-game ventures or your own OCD, roll 1d6 every time the noble wants to do something major (see “Current Ambitions,” below). If the result is less than their original Influence roll below, they push through on their plans.

Roll 1d6:

1: Nil

2: Scant

3: Marginal

4: Average

5: Significant

6: Considerable

Holdings

A noble’s real estate is their holding. Roll 1d6 on the table below to see how much land the noble owns; the number in parenthesis indicates how many 5-mile hexes are under the noble’s control (note that some or most of these hexes are unsettled wilderness). Assuming the feudal model is in use, the noble holds these lands in fief from the king, and has probably subinfeudated portions of it to vassals of their own.

Roll 1d6:

1-2: Modest (1d10 hexes)

3-5: Appreciable (1d10+10 hexes)

6: Extensive: (1d10+20 hexes)

Family Size

The number of relatives who can lay claim to the noble house’s resources. These are all relatives—not just immediate family. You can use this value in two ways. First, whenever you create an important NPC, check the size of noble families—it may make sense to squeeze them in as a relative (known or unknown). Second, whenever the noble needs a favour or has to draw on a connection, they’ll probably try relations before strangers—the bigger the family, the more resources they have to pick from. Whatever you do, don’t try to detail (or even identify) every family member straight away. Instead, add relatives as you need them, up to the number indicated below.

Roll 1d6:

1-2: Small (2d6)

3-5: Medium (2d6+6)

6: Huge (2d6+12)

Recent Activity

These are noteworthy events in the family’s recent history that happen by circumstance (i.e., the noble doesn’t specifically set out to achieve them, like “Current Ambitions” below). Use these to put a name behind important campaign events, or to justify a family’s current outlook (e.g., Lady Merrywhite is bitterly opposed to continued skirmishes in the north because she lost all her sons in the last border war). Players can use this info as a conversation starter the next time they find themselves at court. Not all houses are active, and the chance-in-six that you’ll roll on this table is based on family size (Small: 1/6, Medium: 2/6, Huge: 4/6).

Roll 1d20 (+1d6 as needed):

1: Favoured by the king (d6: 1-2 staunch loyalty; 3-4 the Midas touch; 5-6 shrewd politicking)

2: Achieved overwhelming military victory

3: Achieved Pyrrhic military victory

4: Supported a new vassal

5: Driven out/slain marauding monster

6: Returned after adventuring expedition to (d6: 1-3 local wilderness; 4-5 king’s wilderness; 6 foreign country)

7: Captured (d6: 1-3 outlaws; 4 spies; 5 marauding monster; 6 humanoid rabble)

8: Brokered diplomatic agreement on king’s behalf (d6: 1-3 trade agreement; 4-5 mutual defence pact; 6 truce)

9: Discovered valuable commodity (d6: 1-2 precious metal; 3-5 industrial material; 6 gemstones)

10: Birth in the family

11: Death in the family (d6: 1-2 natural causes; 3-4 battle; 5 accident 6 questionable circumstances)

12: Wilderness within fief is plagued by (d6: 1-2 outlaws; 3-4 wandering monster; 5 refugees; 6 humanoid band)

13: Family member ransomed by (d6: 1-2 foreign enemy; 3-4 outlaws; 5 humanoids; 6 unknown kidnapper)

14: Participated in a duel (d6: 1-2 won; 3-4 lost; 5-6 draw)

15: Afflicted by plague

16: Adventuring family member(s) presumed lost or dead

17: Losing money as a result of (d6: 1 stolen heirloom; 2-3 bad business; 4 raiders; 5 rival noble; 6 freak accident)

18: Vassal settlement endangered by (d6: 1 attack; 2-3 plague; 4-5 low food supply; 6 bandits)

19: Suffered military defeat

20: Snubbed by king for (d6: 1-2 poor military performance; 3-4 late rents; 5-6 causing trouble at court)

Current Ambition

This is the noble’s (current) pet project. For plot purposes, it’s their primary goal, though there could be multiple motivations (e.g., money, power, favour, prestige, etc.). The noble will set about to achieve this goal will all possible haste, using all available resources. Make sure to temper roll results with the noble’s alignment (e.g., a Lawful noble will not marry for nefarious purposes of their own, but they might be the unwitting pawn in another noble’s game).

Roll 1d12 (+1d6 as needed):

1: Support the king’s top priority plan (d6: 1-2 expansion; 3 warfare; 4-5 diplomacy; 6 rooting out dissidents)

2: Advance the (d6: 1 church; 2-3 pet construction project; 4 local commodities; 5 military; 6 population size)

3: Acquire more land (d6: 1-2 strategic location; 3-5 valuable resource; 6 special feature)

4: Dispose of (d6: 1-2 another noble; 3 non-secular official; 4 military officer; 5 high-level bureaucrat; 6 powerful adventurer)

5: Marry into a particular family for (d6: 1 wealth; 2 love; 3-4 political advantage; 5 lust; 6 nefarious purposes)

6: Bring about (d6: 1-2 political; 3-4 economic; 5 religious; 6 judicial) reform

7: Take a bite out of crime

8: Build fortification (d6: 1-2 defensive wall; 3-4 tower; 5 keep; 6 castle)

9: Establish a new settlement

10: Build infrastructure (d6: 1-2 road; 3 bridge; 4 watch tower; 5 signal beacon; 6 folly)

11: Clear stain on family name

12: Make a name for the family via (d6: 1-2 adventuring/exploring; 3-4 amassing wealth; 5 military conquest; 6 political influence)

Closet Skeleton

Bumps on the road to power are the heads you have to step on to get there. These are some dirty family secrets held by one or more members of the noble house. These issues may be common knowledge within the family, but they are carefully hidden from outsiders for fear of financial or political fallout. Not all houses have skeletons, and the chance-in-six that you’ll roll on this table is based on family alignment (Lawful: 1/6, Neutral: 2/6, Chaotic: 4/6), depending on how aristocrats roll in your campaign.

Roll 1d12 (+1d6 as needed):

1: None (outwardly, things seem a little too perfect…)

2: Engaged in treasonous activity with (d6: 1 independent actor; 2-3 official body; 4-5 foreign power; 6 dissident element)

3: Perpetrated and covered up a capital crime (e.g., murder, rape, arson)

4: Under the enchantment of a (d6: 1-3 cursed item; 4 spell caster; 5 demon; 6 demanding immortal)

5 fey creature; 6 geas (or similar spell))

5: Manipulates the system to avoid military service

6: Supports a band of (d6: 1-3 outlaws; 4 humanoids; 5 organised thieves; 6 dangerous mercenaries)

7: Withholds the king’s fees to (d6: 1-2 amass personal hoard; 3-4 divert funds; 5 cover gambling debts; 6 pay an extortionist)

8: Sideline poacher (d6: 1-2 fish & game; 3-5 natural resource; 6 valuable commodity)

9: Afflicted with lycanthropy (or similar disease)

10: Family history of mental illness

11: Member of (d6: 1-2 death cult; 3-4 outlawed profession (e.g. sorcerer); 5-6 seditious faction)

12: Addicted to (d6: 1-3 legal or widely available intoxicant; 4 committing crimes; 5 material possessions; 6 exotic drug)

Final Words

Noble houses probably do not assume a direct role in the campaign, so I’m not much interested in their stats or family trees. But nobles do have agendas, based on all kinds of motivations, and these are the bits that—as patrons, employers, foes, or allies—can influence the party’s activities. This makes them useful pieces of setting background for all kinds of campaigns. If your group is all about exploring, use nobles to sponsor PC forays; if your campaign is about urban intrigue, use nobles to drive plot; if your campaign is about dominion, use nobles as peers to help or hinder the PCs’ plans for conquest. Either way, give the tables above a few shakes and see what kind of nobles end up populating your setting.

Downloads