1.0 RUINS GENERATION TABLES
GM’s often need to generate places of mystery. These charts enable the GM to construct ruins of a comprehensive nature. It’s useful for creating and documenting ruins, and also for allowing players to travel into unprepared areas or unpredictable situations.  When determining the type of ruins in any area make a preliminary roll consulting the chart below to see what size the ruins are. After that, roll on the RUINS TYPE table (Table 2.0) and subtables to determine the former purpose of the ruins. Then roll on the RUINS AGE table (Table 4.1) to determine how old the ruins are. Follow that with a roll on the RUINS CONDITION table (Table 4.3) to determine the current state of the ruins. Follow that with a roll on the TECHNOLOGICAL LEVEL table (Table 4.4) to determine the prevalent tech level of the culture that built the ruins. Finally make a roll on the OCCUPANTS table (Table 4.5) to determine if the ruins are currently occupied.
 
Locale
Roll D100
01-30 bu vl bu bu bu bu kp vl kp bu bu bu bu bu bu
31-50 bu bu bu co co co bu bu bu co co co co co bu
51-65 tw co bu cu cu cu bu co bu cu cu cu cu cu tw
66-75 co cu bu kp kp kp co cu co kp kp kp kp kp tw
76-85 cu kp bu vl vl vl cu kp cu kp vl vl vl vl bu
86-92 kp tw bu tw tw tw vl tw tw kp tw tw tw tw bu
93-95 kp ca bu ca ca kp tw ca tw vl ca ca ca tw bu
96-97 vl tn bu tn tn ca tw tn vl tn tn tn tn tn kp
98-99 tn tn bu ca ca tn ca tn ca ca ca ca ca ca vl
100 ca cy kp cy cy ca ca cy ca cy cy cy cy cy ca

 
Locale Key: B = Break/Wadis; F = Freshwater coasts & banks; G = Glacier/snowfield; I = Islet/reef/atoll; L = Lake/river; 
O = Oceans; M = Marsh/Swamps/Bogs; Q = Oasis/isolated water source; S = Saltwater shores/shallows; Z = Desert; 
C = Coniferous forest/taiga;D = Deciduous/mixed forests; H = Heath/scrub/moor; J = Jungle/rainforest; P = Plains grassland/savanna; T = TundraRoll Key: bu = Single building; co = small complex (1D10/2) buildings; cu = large complex (1D10) buildings; kp = Keep or Freehold;vl = Village base population ( 1D10) 10-100; tw = Tower/barbican; ca = Castle/fortress; tn = Town base population 50-500( 5x1D10) ; cy = City population ( 100x 1D100) 100-10,000.

To find out how  many buildings are in a small complex, roll 1D10, devide by two, then round up. For large building complexes, simply roll 1D10.Small Keeps, Freeholds, Towers, and Castles are military fortifications. The purpose of rolling on the ruins type table for military style fortifications is to determine the profession of the former occupant in order to add flavor, character, and uniqueness in designing the ruins. The major buildings in  villages, towns, and cities can be determined with  the city design rules ( 8.0 ) in the Rolemaster Companion â , however, if speed is of the essence, by all means, roll up  major buildings and complexes in villages, towns, and cities using the ruins type table.A small keep is a miniature castle, or a walled complex of buildings. The former occupants were usually clan chieftains, feudal lords, or wealthy individuals. A freehold is real estate or a keep granted to an individual by a feudal lord or wealthy individual for the duration of that individuals’ lifetime. Towers are individual fortifications which are popular with magic-using peoples, however towers can and do exist for other purposes also. i.e. military, as lighthouses, commerce etc.


 
2.0 Ruins Type Table
Roll
01-30 Residence / Residential - House, homes, manor house, estates.
31-50 Commercial - Shops, taverns/inns, factories, trade houses, guildhalls, warehouses, and marketplaces.
51-65 Government - Administrative, surveillance, police, prison, justice, embassy, and taxation
66-75 Religious - monastery, temple, shrine, holy sites, retreat.
76-85 Military - Castles towers and keeps automatically fall into this category.
Roll again to determine background of former owner.
86-92 Magical / Enchanted - Temple, Tomb, Shrine, Home, Shop, Tower, or other location.
93-95 Underground or Subterranean Ruins ( Roll again on this table ignoring a roll of 93-95)
96-97 Monument - Tower, temple, statue, marker, tomb, sepulcher, vault, crypt, shrine, or grave.
98-99 Artifacts - Weapons, Tools, Transportation, or instruments with unusual or unique properties.
100 Unusual - Extraordinary

 
2.1 Ruins Type Sub-Table Residence Commerce Government Religious Military Magical/ Enchanted Monument
Artifacts
Unusual / Extraordinary
Roll
01-20 House Crafter Admin Temple Outpost Guild House Statue Antique Dungeon
21-30 Villa Trader Police Abbey Tower Tower Tower Weapon Castle
31-40 Chateau Broker Meeting Hall Monastery Keep Stream Temple Instrument Mansion
41-50 Manor House Marketplace Admin Cloister Castle Temple Marker Transport Caverns
51-60 Mansion Storage Police Shrine Barbican Tomb Tomb Books Hill/Mtn
61-70 Estate Crafter Taxation Temple Outpost Location Sepulcher Scrolls Lake/River
71-80 Freehold Trader Justice Ossuary Stables Shrine Vault Staff/Wand Ship/Boat
81-90 Farm Crafter Prison Encampment Castle Residence Crypt Weapon Bridge
91-94 Treehome Guild house Spying Retreat Armory Weapon Shrine Tool Gateway
95-96 Underground Mine Embassy Occult Site Prison Scroll Grave Ring Garden
97-98 Houseboat Theater Retreat Vault Tomb Rod / Staff Tower Gem/Jewel Weather
99 Caverns Arena Library Catacomb Battlefield Occult Site Battlefield Ship/Boat Tree
100 Keep with Tower Encampment -Treasure - Special Holy Site Secret Fortress Forest Clearing Pyramid /Structure From Future Deity Residence

 

2.2 Residence Type Ruins Notes:
Estates - Contains a large central house, outlying servants and work quarters and grazing lands for a small to medium sized herd of domesticated animals. Usually surrounded by a low stonewall or fence line. Built in a once secure area.
Freehold - a keep, fortified farm or manor house, occasionally there will be a craftsman or two with a shop in the security of the freehold.
Treehome - A house within a tree, or within the high branches of an enormous tree. usually not accessible without rope & climbing skills.
Underground -  A home in a hill, burrow, cave, cavern, or abandoned mine.
Houseboat - A sailing vessel or flat bottomed boat converted into a residence. It may or may not be seaworthy depending on it’s current condition.
Caverns - Vast underground caverns of which only a small part may have once been inhabited.
Keep With A Tower - A walled keep or manor house with a central tower. Once housed several family groups along with stables and emergency shelter for livestock. Grain & food storage facilities were often found within the walls of a fortified keep.

2.3 Commerce Type Ruins Notes:
See additional Commerce tables for an exact breakdown on the type of commercial ruins.

2.4 Government Type Ruins Notes:
See the additional Government table for an exact breakdown on the type of government ruins.

2.5 Religious Type Ruins Notes:
Temple - A church, a place of worship, solitude and meditation for clerics and other spell users. A place of sanctuary or doom for common people.
Abbey - A monastery ruled by an Abbot or Abbess.
Ossuary - Depository for bones of the dead.
Monastery - A monastery is a house for religious people, or an establishment for monks. you’ll usually find complete living and research quarters here, along with a stable for livestock and draft animals.
Cloister - A cloister is an area within a monastery or convent to which the religious are restricted to.
Sometimes an entire monastery/convent is or was cloistered.
Shrine - A religious house where sacred objects have been deposited. Shrines can also be places where devotion and homage are paid to saints and deity’s. A shrine can also be a religious tomb for the dead.
Encampment - Encampment ruins are usually a site where the clerics were temporarily residing and then suddenly perished in an attack, or perished  from the malevolence of a powerful deity, demigod, or god.
Retreat - A retreat is a place (residence, abbey, convent, or temple ) where clerics went for solitude or sanctuary. Retreats generally tend to be found in wilderness areas, and may have been for the higher level clergy.
Vault - Vaults are storage areas for religious artifacts or documents.
Catacomb - A subterranean cemetery of galleries with recesses for tombs. Could be located under the remains of a monastery, temple, or convent. GM’s discretion.
Holy Site - A building, location, a hallowed, or consecrated place where a perhaps a saint, demigod, or deity supposedly related with mortals. A place with special powers or unusual features attributed to clerics, saints, demigods, or gods. A place of miracles.

2.6 Military Type Ruins Notes:
Outpost - A fortified encampment or site which once housed a military unit or organization. It could be something as simple as a ring of earth quickly thrown up to protect a military unit to small secret garrison complete with quarters, an armory and storage areas for valuables along with facilities for the protection of livestock and foodstuff.
Barbican -  A Barbican is two towers connected with a wall. The wall was usually 10 or more feet wide. Barbicans are used to protect important mountain passes, and entranceways to cities, or castles.
Stables - Military site devoted specifically to a cavalry or mounted units.
Armory - A place for the manufacture and storage of weapons.
Prison - Military prisons are usually built during wartime, and are temporary in nature.
Tomb - Burial place of a great warrior or military leader. In clan oriented cultures the burial place was often simply a mound. Generally the more advanced the culture, the more elaborate the military tomb. i.e. mound w/ chamber, vault, crypt, or even a monument.
Battlefield - The former field of glory or shame for an army. Good grounds for searching for lost and forgotten weapons, armor, tools, and documents.
Secret Fortress - A castle or series of extensive fortifications located within a mountain, under an ancient city, or in another naturally defensible or unknown location. GM’s discretion & imagination are the limits here.

2.7 Magical or Enchanted Ruins Notes:
Guild House - A residence or structure where an order, group, league, society, or fraternal order of magus and magic users called home. Here were meeting and research facilities along with libraries, living quarters, and perhaps stables.
Tower - The home of a sage, magi or wizard. Perhaps complete with a dungeon or a laboratory.
Stream - an enchanted stream, creek, or river  may help or hinder magicians and non-magic users alike ... see the table for enchanted streams for more ideas in generating fascinating and fun places for would-be adventurers.
Tomb - Magus and Wizards of all colors usually have very untimely deaths. The tomb of any spell user who survived long enough to be formally interred is bound to be an interesting place.
Location - Magical locations are places where magic occurs naturally, perhaps randomly. magical locations are akin to Holy Sites. They are places, maybe in urban areas, quite possibly in the wilderness which are consecrated with spells, unusual powers, or energies, and may even be places to gain power, or lose it. See the cool table for more ideas.
Shrine - A placer where objects with magical powers have been deposited. Shrines can also be places where devotion and homage are paid to spell users. A shrine can also be a magicians’ tomb or crypt.
Weapon - This is the location of a long lost magical weapon. roll again on the Ruins Type table to determine the building, or structure this goody is in.
Scroll - This is the location of a long lost magical Scroll. roll again on the Ruins Type table to determine the building, or structure this fabulous find  is in.
Rod / Staff , or Wand - This is the location of a long lost magical Rod / Staff , or Wand. roll again on the Ruins Type table to determine the building, or structure this find is in. Remember... finding it is easy... the real joy is in learning what this magic item is, and in how to use it.
Occult Site - An occult site is an outdoor location  where magical or clerical rituals take place. It can be a celebration of seasonal events, a location where clerics sacrifice others to their gods, or the place of diabolical magic order. In any event an occult site is undisclosed, and shrouded with secrecy.
Forest Clearing - An enchanted place where one is likely to find mystical creatures and where enigmatic events occur. GM’s take note, you have much creative license here, for the forest clearing could just as well be an isle in the middle of a fog shrouded lake, or a place the dead live, walk, and talk. etc.

2.8 Monument Ruins Notes:
See additional tables for an exact breakdown on the type of monument in ruins.

2.9 Artifact Ruins Notes:
Artifacts can be generated with the Treasures table on page 65 of Creatures & Treasures â or with the following tables.
Antique - Antiques are simply very old furniture, tools, weapons or goods. Many antiques are family heirlooms, in essence, worth very much to the descendants of the family whom originally acquired or manufactured the antiques. Antiques can also be held for sentimental or emotional reasons. Roll again on the Ruins Type table to determine what kind of structure houses this antique.
Weapon - There is a base 5% chance that the weapon in question is magical, otherwise treat the weapon as an exceptional quality antique. Roll again on the Ruins Type table to determine what kind of structure houses this weapon.
Instrument - Musical instruments, medical tools, navigational aids, and intricate mechanisms like miniature clocks are all examples of instruments.  Weapons and some magic items also qualify as instruments. Roll again on the Ruins Type table to determine what kind of structure houses this instrument.
Transport - Wagons, sailing ships and galleys, carriages, coaches, and carts all qualify as transport. In the case of an artifact, the transport has unusual capabilities. Some examples here include flying carpets and other flying conveyances,  Transportation that moves through time instead of space, and common vehicles/vessels which carry the unwary to different dimensions or planes. Note here, that the transport could also be accomplished with a wand, staff, rod, scroll, potion or other utensil or tool. Roll again on the Ruins Type table to determine what kind of structure shelters this transport.
Books - See the additional Book table for an exact breakdown on the type of books found in the ruins. Roll again on the Ruins Type table to determine what kind of structure houses the books.
Scrolls - See the additional Scrolls table for an exact breakdown on the type of scroll/scrolls  found in the ruins. Roll again on the Ruins Type table to determine what kind of structure houses the scrolls.
Rod/Staff/Wand - This is the location of a long lost, very powerful, magical or clerical  Rod / Staff , or Wand. roll again on the Ruins Type table to determine the building, or structure this find is in. The Rod, Staff or Wand will have been created by an  exceptional Spell user of the (1D100+20) th level.
Tool - Tools which are artifacts may be common tools with magical or divine purposes, antiques, heirlooms, or a tool unique to a specific culture or society. Tools include flagons, flasks, utensils, axes, shovels, hooks, lanterns, thieves picks & tools, trunks, cases, racks, gongs, woodcraft tools, metalcraft tools, stonecrafting tools, herbal and medical tools for cutting and grasping, along with mechanisms such as levers, cranes, and pulleys. Roll again on the Ruins Type table to determine what kind of structure the tools are located in.
Ring - See the additional Rings table for an exact breakdown on the type of scroll/scrolls  found in the ruins. Roll again on the Ruins Type table to determine what kind of structure houses the Ring.
Gem / Jewels - See the additional Gems / Jewels  table for an exact breakdown on the type of gems/jewels found in the ruins. Roll again on the Ruins Type table to determine what kind of structure the Gems/jewels can be found in.
Ship/Boat/Galley - Possibly a  seaworthy ship, boat, galley or magical vessel has been hidden or concealed for perhaps generations. The adventure party manages to locate this vessel. Note that the vessel may be located hundreds, or even thousands of miles from any sizable body of  water.
From Future - GM’s choice. Take your favorite tool, instrument, weapon, artifact, or document from  the future and Roll again on the Ruins Type table to determine what kind of structure the artifact can be found in.

3.0 Unusual Type Ruins Notes:
Many of the unusual types of ruins will require additional time to generate as they are beyond the scope of this optional supplement.
Dungeon - A subterranean prison, fortress, castle, complex, sewer system, catacombs, crypts & vaults, or the dwelling place of creatures and monsters, fair and foul alike.
Caverns - Vast underground network caverns, and caves, of which only a small part may have once been inhabited. A home in a hill, burrow, cave, cavern, or abandoned mine. Perhaps enchanted caverns, or... caves and caverns with unique or unusual features.
Hill/Mountain - Odd or unusual shaped hills and mountain. Hills or mountains composed of unique substances, such as crystal, or quartz. Hills or mountains with unusual properties such as streams which flow towards the higher elevations, or which change rapidly, or are extremely unstable or treacherous.
Lake/River - Enchanted streams and rivers, lakes with everlasting whirlpools, extraordinary tides or currents in lakes and rivers.  Lakes or rivers composed of substances other than water. Unusually calm lakes or rivers, lakes or rivers which bestow or remove spell power points, Bodies of water with will. Lakes or rivers permanently enshrouded in mist or fog, or possessing unusual navigational hazards.
Ship/Boat/Galley - Vessels without an obvious form of locomotion, i.e. a ship that has no sails, or oars. Flying vessels, Vessels with a unique purpose i.e. ramming, submersibles vessels, Vessels which travel on land and water. Metal or stone vessels. Vessels designed to travel through space, time, or on other planes.
Bridge - See additional Bridge table (table 3.8) for an exact breakdown on the type and structure of the bridge ruins.
 
3.1 Commerce Type Ruins Table
Craftsmen - Craft House
Tradesmen Trade House
Broker Brokerage
Goods Marketplace
Warehouse - StorageFacility
Unusual - Commerce
Roll
01-20 GoodsMaker Shop Storyteller Food Vendor Granary RareMaps & Books
21-30 GoodsMaker Inn / Tavern Bard Moneychanger Ice House Rare Animals
31-40 Weaponsmith Goods Trader Seer Weapons Trader Cistern Animal Parts
41-50 Weaponsmith Restaurant Oracle Goods Trader Warehouse Spell Supplies
51-60 Transportation Weapons Trader Scribe Broker Barn Gemsmith
61-70 Transportation Shop Magician Grain Trader Freight Depot Cleric Supplies
71-80 Foodmaker Travel Agent Mapmaker Spice Trader Cistern Junk
81-90 Foodmaker Animal Trader Thieves Guild Clothier Warehouse Guild Hall
91-93 Guild House Storyteller Investments Animal Trainer Armory Surgeon
94-96 Communications Stockyards Speculation Travel Agent Library Navigator
97-98 Architect Cloth Trader Spices Jeweler Bank Bounty Hunter
99 Painter/Artist Guild House Books & Scrolls Rare Items Rare Herbs Granary Assassin
100 Construction Spices Herbs Research Magic Spell Supplies Slaver

 
3.2 Craftsmen Type Ruins Subtable
Goodsmaker
Weaponsmith
Transportation
Foodmaker
Communication
Guild House or Facility
Roll
01-10 Clothier Enchanted Weapons Wheelwright or WagonMAKER Beer maker Brewery Mapmaker Woodcraft
11-20 Cooper Barrelsmith Bowyer or  Crossbow Shipwright Winemaker Post Office or Courier Gold or Silversmith
21-30 Potter Armorer Coachhouse Bakery Printer Jeweler
31-40 Utensil Toolmaker or Amorer Charioteer Butchershop Bookmaker or Library Weaponsmith
41-50 Precious Metalsmith   Swordsmith Small Boat Farmer Courier Guild House Shipwrights
51-60 Tanner Swordsmith Shipwright Bakery Bookbinder Tanners
61-70 Spinner or Weaver General Weaponsmith Saddlers Butchershop Printers Guild Weavers
71-80 Furniture orWoodcraft Small Weaponsmith Animal Trainer Icehouse Scribe Restaurant
81-90 Saddlers Lance / Spear Luggagemaker Warehouse Scribe Brewers/Wine
91-100 Perfumery orAccessories Exotic Weaponsmith Woodcrafter Restaurant / Exotic Chef Seer or Oracle Teamsters

 
3.3 Tradesmen Type Ruins Subtable
Inn / Tavern
Good Trader
Restaurant
Weapons Trader
Transportation or Travel Agent
Animal Trader or Trainer
Roll
01-10 Flophouse Exotic Goods & Spices Spices EnchantedWeapons EnchantedTransport HorseTrader
11-20 Small Inn Beer & Wine Trader Haute Cuisine Bowyeror Crossbow Coach or Wagon Company Dog Trainer or Trader
21-30 Medium Inn or Tavern Grain Trader Vegetable Daggers&Small Wpns Teamsters Cat Trader or Trainer
31-40 Large Inn or Tavern Foodstuffs orFoodshop StreetVendor General Armor Freight / ShippingCompany Bird Trader or Trainer
41-50 Tavern Leathergoods Trader FruitStand Knives &Swords Horse Trader HorseTrader
51-60 Livery and Inn Clothing Shop or Tailor Lamb Veal &Goats SwordShop Coach or Wagon Company Dog Trainer or Trader
61-70 Livery &  Inn & Tavern Lighting Supplies CheeseShop Sword Shop Teamsters Falconer or Hawk & Eagle Trainer
71-80 Boarding House General Store Milk Shop Axes &Hammers Chariot or Wagon Sales Mules Ponies & Donkeys
81-90 Gambling Hall General Store Bakery or Breadshop GeneralWeapons Ship Galley& Boat Sales HorseTrainer
91-100 Tavern Foodstuffs or Foodshop BoardingHouse ExoticBolaetc. Stagecoach Company Exotic Creatures

 
3.4 Government Type Ruins Subtable
Admin
Police / Military
Meeting Place
Taxation
Justice
Exotic
Roll 
01-30 Council Hall Jail or Prison Coliseum Tax Collectors Office Council Hall Embassy
31-45 Recordkeeper or Scribe   Quarters Arena Scribe Court Monument
46-55 Historian Offices Theater Enforcement (Guard) TournamentField Secret Laboratory
56-65 School Armory Amphitheater LivingQuarters AdministrativeOffices Warehouse or Granary
66-75 Administrators Quarters Jail orDungeon Council Hall Warehouse Jail orDungeon Research Center
76-85 Vassals Court Elite Guard Quarters Temple Tax CollectorsOffice Scribe or Historian Waterworks or Aqueducts
86-90 Legislative Center Warehouse Square Tax CollectorsOffice TrialExhibition Bridge or Port
91-94 Ceremonial Building Stables Fountain Tax CollectorsOffice Chambers of Justice Fortification or Castle etc.
95-98 Research Laboratory Intelligence offices Gymnasium High Officials Residence Torture Chambers Museum
99-100 Royal Palace High Officials Residence Chambers Treasury Judges Residence Secret Base of Operations

 
3.5 Monument Type Ruins Table
Statue
Tower
Temple
Marker
Tomb / Grave
Shrine
Battlefield
Pyramid or Structure
Roll
01-30 Human Round Tower ReligiousTemple Grave Grave orGraveyard Temple Battlefield Memorial Pyramid
31-45 Beast or Monster SquareTower Spell User Temple Navigationalor Sign Crypt Sanctuary Trenches and Fortifications Library
46-55 Petrified Person Bastion Tower Memorial Temple Boundary Marker Sepulcher Castle Graveyard Sewers or Irrigation
56-65 Talking Statue BarbicanTower Cemetery Pennant or Standard Tomb Caverns Keep Undertaker
66-75 Petrified Monster Minaret Monastery Guild Mausoleum Monster Shrine Castle Spell User Laboratory
76-85 Large10’ - 30’ SpireTower Tabernacle Battlefield Burial Mound Warrior Shrine Tomb Stellar Observatory
86-90 Alarm or Alert LookoutTower Ossuary Standard or Plaque Sunken Pit Tomb Dwarven Shrine Bandit Camp Solar Observatory
91-94 Guardian Triple Towers Portal or Gateway Coat of Arms Lost Shrine Fanatical Cult Boneyard University
95-98 Giant 50’ Plus Beacon Tower Abbey Totem Marker SacrificialAltar Elven or Fairie Tunnel or Mine Lost Avenue or Road
99-100 Magical or Enchanted Natural Tower Cathedral Secret Royal Tomb Devine Shrine Warship Uninhabited City

3.6 Monument Type Ruins Notes
3.61 Statue Type Ruins Notes
Beast or Monster - The statue can be of a common or mystical beast, monster, or animal. Roll on the encounter tables in Creatures & Treasures â to determine the monster or beast, or GM’s choice.
Petrified Person - This is the statue of a real person that was petrified into stone by a spell or mythical creature.
Talking Statue - Statue may ask questions or riddles of adventurers, or may answer questions or riddles. Statue may demand a password, code,  or signal before talking. Statue may be oracle or seer, or may possess important historical, or cultural data, or information that leads to a secret treasure or place. Note that statues found in ruins may speak in forgotten or unknown tongues and languages.
Petrified Monster - This is the statue of a real animal, beast, or monster that was petrified into stone by a spell or another mythical creature.
Large - Statue is 3D10 feet tall. Reroll on this table to determine type of statue.
Alarm or Alert - Statue will sound audible or inaudible alarm to scare off adventurers or will warn original owners of adventurers approaching. Original owners may, or may not,  be around to heed the alert. Reroll on this table to determine the type of statue.
Guardian - Guardian statues are constructs, or golems, or otherwise enchanted statues which were designed to protect or conceal a place or location. Reroll on this table to determine the type of statue.
Giant 50’ Plus - Exactly that, an enormous statue... Reroll on this table to determine the type and possible purpose of statue.
Magical, Enchanted - A magical or enchanted statue may cast a spell, or have an unusual magic resistance field in the area around it, or may simply modify the resistance roll of players, NPC’s, and monsters in the vicinity of the statue. Reroll on this table to determine type of statue.

3.62 Tower Type Ruins Notes
Round Tower - 20-50’ in diameter and 1D10 X 6 levels high. A Circular or Rounded Tower with battlements and parapets.
Square Tower - Commonly a 20’ X 20’ X (1D10 / 2) Level Square Tower with battlements and parapets.
Bastion Tower - A 20-30’ in diameter, 2 to 3 level high,  half circular tower with the battlements and parapets facing the outside diameter of the half-circle. The battlements in a bastion faced the expected direction of attack/hostilities.
Barbican Tower - Two round, or square towers connected with a 10’ or more, thick wall. Built most often as a gate for a castle or walled city. Barbicans occasionally were built as standalone fortifications or to connect two closely spaced towers.
Minaret - A narrow spiral shaped tower used for announcements, or as a lookout tower. Found often in deserts, plains, and overlooking cities.
Spire -  A high, narrow tower, usually without battlements and parapets for combat. Favored by spell users.
Lookout Tower - A tower especially situated in a high place, or overlooking an area to be protected. GM’s option whether this is also fortified for defense and combat.
Triple Towers - Three round, square, or spiral towers near enough to each other to provide overlapping defenses.
Beacon Tower - A large tower with a light or signaling source for navigation or communication.
Natural Tower - An unusual rock formation, or extraordinary tree converted into a tower, or residence.

3.63 Temple or Religious Memorial Ruins
Religious Temple - A church, or other place of worship, study, and reflection. It could also be a school or university.
A memorial for a specific slain saint or deity.
Spell User Temple - A Place of study and reflection for spell users, it could also be a school or university. A memorial to a great spell user.
Memorial Temple - A temple to commemorate a disastrous or great event or occurrence, such as a flood or other similar natural or unnatural disaster, or a meteorite strike location, or marking a great festival or celebration, or victory site.
Cemetery - Consecrated burial ground for the dead.
Monastery - The living and study quarters of clerics or spell users. Sometimes complete with it’s own fortification and a military defensive ( or offensive ) force.
Tabernacle - A tent sanctuary or temporary religious shelter.
Ossuary - A memorial where the bones of the dead are stored.
Portal or Gateway - A memorial linking several clerical locations which may be tens or hundreds of miles apart.
Abbey - A Monastery ruled by a charismatic cleric or spell user.
Cathedral - The official seat of a church leader. A monastery, church, fortress, sanctuary, and palace all in one.

3.64 Marker Ruins Notes
Grave - Where a person, beast, or monster is buried or otherwise interred, or stored.
Navigational or Sign - A unique structure, roadsign, post, marker, description, inscription, buoy, or flag used as an orientation or navigation guide.
Boundary Marker - Anything from irregularly spaced markers, to clawed or cut trees, to a fence, to a stone wall, to a great wall, to bodies and skeletons which outline a territory, an estate, hunting grounds, or the range, or grounds, of a beast or monster.
Pennant, Standard - A lost banner, pennant, flag or standard. Perhaps the remains of an ambushed military unit or commercial group. Perhaps the remains of a lost commander or leader. A building housing the a pennant, or banner, or standard of a leader.
Guild - The secret mark or sign of a guild or association. could be merchants, could be assassins, could be warriors or thieves... GM’s discretion.
Battlefield - An alter, or structure, memorial, or monument  dedicated to a fierce battle which once occurred at this location.
Standard, or Plaque - A plaque or standard bearing an inscription, in memorial to a great leader, event, or occurrence.
Coat of Arms - A banner or shield bearing a familial coat-of-arms. The coat of arms may, or may not belong to the player. The coat of arms may belong to someone the player knows, or perhaps is a clue to the location of a lost legendary commander or leader.
Totem Markers - Commonly found in primitive societies, a totem is an object which serves as the emblem of a family or clan, and often as a reminder of that clans heritage, ancestry, or beliefs.
Secret Markers - A marker which guards a treasure, or a secret, a secret object or location, or a hidden or disguised navigational, or communications marker.

3.65 Tomb or Grave Memorial Notes
Grave or Graveyard - consecrated ground for the burial or storage of the dead...probably a human graveyard, maybe not though.
Crypt - A chamber or vault wholly, or partially underground. A vault under the main floor of a church, Or a heap of stones which mark a graveside.
Sepulcher - A place of burial, or a receptacle, altar or structure for religious articles or objects.
Tomb - A house, chamber or vault for the dead, either on or beneath the ground, or in a specially constructed mound of earth.
Mausoleum - An exceptionally large tomb, or a stone building for the entombment of the dead above the ground.
Burial Mound - The burial place of a clan or tribal chieftain, or the burial ground of a nomadic tribe, or warrior barbarians
Sunken Pit Tomb -  A stairway or ramp leading down to a crypt or gallery tomb.
Lost Shrine - The site of a former pilgrimage, or a religious or magical altar or church devoted to a holy, or unholy being or object.
Sacrificial Altar - An altar or site where bloody public sacrifices and immolation occurred. Popular with the locals of the time, now the ruins may be the haunt of unhappy spirits, or a favorite hideout for evil monsters and bandits in the region.
Royal Tomb - The tomb of a king, queen, prince, or other national leader. Perhaps already looted... Perhaps all the peoples of the king went with him... who knows except the GM. Looters are heavily discouraged with a wide variety of ingenious traps.

3.66 Shrine Memorial Notes
Temple - A church or place of prayer to holy or unholy deities or saints.
Sanctuary - A hard to access or find monastery or church... or a secret refuge for members of a clerical or monks order.
Caverns - A labyrinth of especially beautiful or impressive caves or caverns consecrated by a clerical order or great leader as a shrine... now abandoned or forgotten.
Monster Shrine - A holy, or special place for a race of intelligent creatures or monsters... Roll up the former occupants with Creatures & Treasures â or GM’s choice. Even though the shrine is in ruins, trespassers beware.
Warrior Shrine - A shrine especially for a specific clan or order of warriors. Now abandoned... but the shrine hasn’t lost any of it’s former charm.
Dwarven Shrine - A holy or special place for dwarves. You can be sure there is good mining and prospecting locations near this locale. Could be a jewel or gem mine itself...
Fanatical Cult - The lair, hideout or retreat of an unstable  religious, magical, or fighting order. This locale may have been heavily damaged, or simply overrun. It could also be the birthplace of a particularly nasty or unconventional outlaw.
Elven or Fairie Shrine - The neat thing about the enchanted peoples is that they tend to simply wander away from their residences or playgrounds for extended periods of time, leaving much of trash behind. What’s trash to one race may be incredible treasures to another however...
Devine Shrine - A shrine built on the location of where a deity, demigod, or titan walked or talked on the earth... remember also that it may be a shrine for the benefit of a non-human deity too.

3.67 Battlefield Memorial Notes
Battlefield Memorial - A marker, tomb, plaque, statue, or building marking the site of intense personal combat or a great battle. Maybe a traditional battle,  maybe a magical or clerical battle, or a combination of all three. GM’s choice here.
Trenches and Fortifications - The overgrown ruins of a long forgotten military campaign site. You’ll find hastily created earthworks, traps, outposts, and fortifications scattered about in this area.
Graveyard / Cemetery - A shrine for the dead.
Bandit Camp - This is a fortified encampment in a naturally defensible area... now it’s ruins of course.
Boneyard - This is a shrine, or special graveyard. Bones will be found from whatever race formerly, or currently, uses this place as a repository. A great place for spell users to scavenge for spell components. Dogs and other carnivores tend to like this place too...
Tunnel or Mine - Could be a tunnel through an especially rough area, a mine created during a siege, or a good old fashioned precious metals, or gemstone mine. I’ll leave it to the GM from here.
Warship Shrine - A Warship or Galley, most likely run aground, possibly sunk in nearby shallows, that lie in ruins...

3.68 Pyramid or Structure Ruins Notes
Pyramid - From a simple pyramid shaped residence to an elaborate pyramid that required lifetimes to construct. GM decide what the primary purpose of the pyramid was, or reroll on the Ruins Type table to pinpoint a purpose for this pyramid or pyramid complex.
Library - A forgotten depository of historical and fanciful documents, scrolls and records... or maybe a secret Guild storehouse of knowledge.
Sewers or Irrigation - Aqueducts, cisterns, and sewers in a village, town, or city. Farm irrigation canals, dams and other water flow control boxes, and structures in the wilderness.
Undertaker - This is the ruins of a building where undertakers would prepare the dead for burial. A Necromancer would want to call this place home, especially in it’s current ruined state.
Spell User Laboratory - Ooooh... The research station, or a naturally enchanted place where a spell user set up facilities to study magic. Roll randomly to determine the basic type of magic the former user practiced.
Stellar Observatory - Stonehenge is the example of a primitive stellar observatory. A place with markers setup to gather information on the makeup and movement of the night sky. Astrologers and Astronomers alike would have to be hard pressed to leave this place, even though it’s in ruins.
Solar Observatory - Stonehenge is also an example of a primitive solar observatory setup to mark the passage of time, and honor the seasons. Also for observing or worshipping the sun... or suns depending on your world.
University - A school for advanced study of religion, magic, engineering, history, mathematics, other sciences, or other scholarly pursuits.
Lost Avenue or Road - Just that. A well built road, now  in ruins... that starts in the middle of nowhere and ruins to... well GM... you decide.
Uninhabited City - A real place of mystery... a complete city in ruins. Maybe the inhabitants left in a hurry... maybe they were annihilated as a race. Maybe this city was built in a real earthquake prone zone, or maybe it was attacked, and completely sacked, and then abandoned.
 
Roll 3.7 Bridge Ruins Type Table 3.8 Garden Ruins Type Table
01-30 Arched Stone Bridge Vegetable Garden
31-50 Wooden Truss Bridge Hedgerows and Fields
51-70 Rope Suspension Bridge Walled Garden w/ Flowers and Trees
71-80 Drawbridge Shrubbery Maze
81-90 Pontoon or boat bridge ( made of wood ) Gardens w/ Pools Statues & Walkways
91-95 Cantilever or rotating bridge Water Garden or Pond & Pool Garden
96-98 Natural bridge made of wood stone or ice Greenhouse
99-100 Enchanted or magical bridge maybe invisible Palace Gardens or Game Preserve

 
3.9 Gateway / Portal Ruins Type Table
Gate Effect
Gate Type
Roll
01-30 As Word of Return Spell - one being. one-way. 1x/Dayto another (GM) prespecified locale within the ruins. Arch
31-50 As Conveyance Spell -  17th lvl Delving Ways Spell.(Open Essence) Gate user leaves body & travel 1 mile/min or 10’/rdthrough solid materials for up to 250 minutes. MagicCircle
51-70 As Word of Return Spell - 30th lvl Channeling spell.1 being travels to another (GM) prespecified locale 1x/Day. Door
71-80 As Holy Bridge/ Unholy Gate Spell - 50th lvl ChannelingSpell (Cleric). Gate opens direct to a deity 1x/day. Rug
81-90 As Teleport True Spell - 50th lvl Essence spell (ClosedEssence). 1 being. 1x/Day. up to 500 miles. One way trip. Portal
91-95 As Gate Summons Spell - 50th lvl Cleric spell (Channeling).Gate operator may pull any being through to gate location 1x/Day. Intelligentbeings must be willing to come through gate. Staff orWand
96-98 As Time Returning Spell - 50th lvl Astrologer  spell(Time’s Bridge) 1 person may travel 510-1500 yrs for 10 minutes durationper level of the gate 1x per day. Gate is (50 +1D100) levels. SecretDoor
99-100 As Mass Teleport - 75th level essence spell (Lofty Bridges)51-150 beings may Teleport 510-1500 miles. It’s a one way trip folks... Pit

 
4.0 Ruins Detail Tables
4.1 Ruins Age Table
4.2 Condition Modifier
4.3 Current Condition
4.4 Technology Level
4.5 Current Occupants
Roll  
01-30 Less Than ten years +25 on ruins condition Rubble  Stone Age None
31-50 10-40 Years +20 on ruins condition Dangerous - Unstable Late Stone Age Animals
51-65 Roughly 50 Years +15 on ruins condition Dangerous - Decrepit Copper Age Wandering Monsters
66-75 About 100 Years +10 on ruins condition Slightly Decrepit Bronze Age Men or Non-player Characters
76-85 300 Years Nominal Ok condition Iron Age Wandering Monsters
86-92 At least 500 Years -10 on ruins condition Good Condition Iron Age None
93-95 At least 1000 Years -20 on ruins condition Good Condition- empty Steel Age Roll 2x ignoring another 93-95 roll
96-97 1-10 Thousand Years -30 on ruins condition Good - Hurriedly Abandoned Industrial Age Dragon
98-99 1-20 Thousand Years -40 on ruins condition Good - RecentlyAbandoned Technology Age Aliens
100+ 10-60 Thousand Years -50 on ruins condition New - Pristine- Owner Absent From the Future Other Mythical or Enchanted Beasts
Once you have determined the type of ruins, roll once on each of the tables above to flesh out the general details of existing ruins or places of mystery. 

Ruins Condition Key - Dangerous - Unstable ruins are partially or wholly ready to collapse. Dangerous - Decrepit ruins have portions aged so severely, they might collapse, or a player could become easily injured by debris, or by falling through  a rotted or decomposed floor, etc. Nominal ruins have patches or areas that may collapse with a bit of prompting from players, animals, monsters, or spells. Good conditions in ruins means that the ruins themselves pose only the normal hazards to players, monster, and beasts. (Mostly the players, monsters and beasts create hazards for themselves in good condition ruins.)

Copyright ©2001, by Dirk T. Collins. All Rights Reserved. ROLEMASTER®, ARMS LAW®, CLAW LAW®, SPELL LAW®, CHARACTER LAW®, CAMPAIGN LAW®, AND CREATURES & TREASURES® are registered trademarks of  I.C.E. Inc. Dungeons and Dragons ® is a trademark of Wizards of The Coast, Inc.

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