Prosperous Settlement

A prosperous settlement is a thriving centre of trade where merchants have money to invest, workshops stay busy and ordinary residents benefit from a stronger local market than neighbouring communities.

At a Glance

• Trade: caravans, guilds and merchants move goods through the settlement regularly.
• Availability: expensive and specialised goods are easier to find.
• Adventure pressure: wealth attracts rivals, thieves, speculators and political attention.

Legacy Settlement Rules

Under the legacy Pathfinder settlement rules, Prosperous increases Economy by 1, increases Base Value by 30% and increases Purchase Limit by 50%.

Using It in Play

Prosperity should be visible. Warehouses are fuller, merchants compete for customers, lenders are active and artisans can obtain better materials. Adventurers can usually sell valuable loot more easily here than in an isolated village.

That wealth creates problems of its own. Trade disputes, counterfeit coin, robbery, protection rackets, guild feuds and competition over routes can all generate adventures without reducing the settlement to a generic marketplace.

Sources & Licensing

Section 15: Copyright Notice — Pathfinder RPG GameMastery Guide. Pathfinder RPG GameMastery Guide © 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC.