The Surface Kingdoms

The kingdoms of humans dot the surface of the world, living in a complex but usually unfriendly relationship with the underworld.

The surface kingdoms are raided by monsters, but also give rise to adventuring groups and expeditions that enter the dungeons in search of treasure and glory.

The surface kingdoms are of lawful alignment.

Setup
Surface kingdom represent knights and peasants. represent loot.

At a randomly select point in the surface section of the page, draw a castle about 1 bead in size and give it a name. Place 2, 1 on this castle.

Each surface construction (castle, farm, or city) acts as if it were a single wandering monster during encounters, i.e. if an underground breeder group encounters an occupied farm near an entrance to the dungeon, the in the farm fights as though it were a lone wandering monster.

If the surface kingdoms are ever entirely wiped out by monsters, the Age of Monsters ends, and the Age of Villainy begins. If this happens, re-set the Surface Kingdoms as soon as you start the Age of Villainy.

The Season
Add 1 to the castle up to a maximum of 5.

Each in castles requires 1 occupied farm to support it.

If the castle is not fully supported
If there are any empty farms, move 1 from the castle to a farm.

If there are no empty farms, draw a new one somewhere in the surface realm at least 1 bead away from any other construction. Place 1 on the farm.

If there are at least 2 on the castle, and no, place 1  on the castle.

If the castle is fully supported
If there are any occupied farms that aren’t needed for castle support, move 1 from a farm to the castle, otherwise, create a new farm with 1  on it.

If there are at least 4 in the castle, launch an excursion as a group. Move 3 of them (and up to 1, if there are any in the castle) to the nearest dungeon entrance. The group enters the dungeon, travelling up to 1 finger in distance, encountering groups along its path.

Remember that surface kingdom groups encounter as if they were wandering monsters.

If the excursion is not wiped out, return it (and any loot it may have gathered) to the castle and create a Special Construction (see table). This includes cases where the excursion doesn’t encounter any monsters at all! The knights consider themselves lucky to have gotten off so lightly.

If the castle is supported, but doesn’t have enough to launch an excursion, dig a dungeon room 1 bead in size under the castle. Add new dungeon levels underneath existing ones.

If the dungeon levels connect to any existing dungeon tunnel or room, cease adding dungeon levels to the castle.

Important: If the surface kingdoms end the Age of Monsters by accumulating 6, take 5 of those and set them aside, then give them to the arch-villain when the Age of Villainy begins.