Village

Villages are usually agglomerations of people that occur in type-4 hexes, though some settlements are also villages, regardless of the hex type. Villages possess a wealth of 1-2 coins, facilities of 2-4 hammers and a production of 3 food.

In general form, villages are a scattered collection of cottages, hovels, gardens, nearby fields and mills. Most are built on stable ground above flood level, 49 years out of 50. They are often built near a river or late, but they may only possess an easily reached water table. Excepting settlements, they rarely have any defenses, though natural features often favour the inhabitants against an enemy.

Demographics

Villages with two hammers have a population of (200-500) +1-100. Villages with three hammers have (400-900) +1-100. Levelled persons number 8-10% of the population, with the highest level between 4th and 7th. Mages, paladins and illusionists are rare, while bards, monks and assassins are very rare. Druids occur two thirds as often as clerics, while rangers occur one third as often as fighters.

Lay-out

Villages occupy one block (435 yard diameter) per 70 persons, including accessible orchards and vegetable patches. The most common form are "open space villages" that have a central village green (one block) that's adjoined by animal enclosures and used for cropping. Remaining blocks in the village surround this green.

"Linear villages" create a line of blocks that follow a road or stream, possessing no meaningful center. A third type, "river fords," feature a village built on both sides of a crossable large river; a bridge may or may not be built over the ford to make passage easier.