The Anathean Chronicle

The Black Tar Road, Overview and Random Generation Tables for Science-Fantasy Campaigns.

Author's Nerd Rant, overly sappy

I love Science Fantasy. The concept of it, the vibes and the overall utility of it's implications.

Imagine, dear viewer. Take a moment to see this image.
A long, cracked and faded Asphalt road spanning for miles. No one alive remembers who or how it was built, just that it has been used for ages. In places, the road rises up onto pillars. Stretches of uplifted road upon crumbling Concrete Spires, graffiti'd in many languages. Some old, Some Dead.
Mountains/Hills are interconnected and traversable, yet all roads lead to Castles and Keeps. The travelers on Carts and Horse, Weaponry Swords and Shield.
Ancient Aquifers, Water Pipes under roads and wreckage of Metal Wheeled Vehicles can only hint at who built all of it. Less so, how powerful they were to create structures still operating in the current age.
1 For those who've aided in the process.

General Overview of the Black Tar Road

The Black Tar Road is composed of a Hard, Dark Rock type that is cracked into large sections. Around 50 to 300 ft. Wide, some sections are still contained within Stone walls and have Stone dividers in the middle.
Many miles of this road sit atop Pillars and long bridge-like structures, between 16 ft. and 100 ft. (Occasionally, different levels of road will be stacked on top of each other.)
Every so often, typically at intersections, turns and within a few miles of Settlements, will be Signposts (Described later).

Random Tables, and In-Depth Descriptions of what the Dice Portend

General Table

1D12 This Mile of Road...
1. Bends (Roll on Bends Table)
2. Contains an Interchange (Roll on Interchanges Table)
3/5. Continues Straight
6/8. Contains a Sign (Roll on Signs and Exits Table)
9/10. Contains an Elevation Change (Roll on Elevation Changes Table)
11. Contains a Ruin (Roll on Ruined Structures Table)
12. Has been Altered (Roll on Encounters and Special Features Table)

Descriptions will be included in their respective Tables Section.

Interchanges Tables and Descriptions

There are 2D4 separate Roads in an Interchange, including the one that leads into it. Roll on the following Tables for details of an individual road.

1D6 Elevation 1D6 Direction 1D4 Width
1. 50 ft. Below ground level (Tunnel) 1/2. N/S 1. 50 ft.
2/3. 16 ft. Above tallest Road 3/4. NW/SE 2. 80 ft.
4. Ground Level 5/6. SW/NE 3. 100 ft.
5/6. Hybrid ( Roll 1D3+3 on Merges/Splits Table) XX XXXXXXX 4. 120 ft.
1D8 Merges/Splits
1. Singular Road
2/3. Splits off (Roll Direction and Elevation)
4. Merges into adjacent Road on same Elevation
5/6. Merges into adjacent Road on higher/lower Elevation
7/8. Splits and Merges into Road on higher/lower Elevation

Descriptions

Merging Roads and Elevated Roads have a 65% of being structurally compromised. Large, heavy weight will crumble the structure (Dragon landing, Trebuchet/Cannon attacks on support pillars)
Elevation Changes signify that the road will be upheld by Pillars 4 to 8 ft. Wide (65% of being Structurally Compromised if Road isn't).

Tunnels are 40 - 50 ft. wide, and a height between 20 to 40 ft. They are typically bare but occasionally display Masonry Art around Large Settlements. 65% of the tunnel being structurally compromised, large damage to the roof or walls will cause a cave in.
50% of a tunnel being lit by torches, 25% of it being lit by the original fire-less glass lights.

Bends Table

1D4 The Road Turns... 1D6 Elevation 1D4 Sharpness
1. Left 90 Degrees 1/2. Ground level 1. Gradual, slight curve upwards
2. Left 45 Degrees (50% ahead/behind) 3/4. 16 ft. high 2. Mildly gradual, "Outer" side 1 ft. above "inner" side
3. Right 90 Degrees 5/6. 50 ft. Below ground level 3. Mildly Sharp, "Outer" Side 2.5 ft. higher than "Inner" Side
4. Right 45 Degrees (50% ahead/behind) XX XXXXXXXXX 4. Sharp, Heavily Curved Upwards (4 ft. difference)

Bend Descriptions

Any form of Road Curvature comes paired with Concrete Jersey Barriers (65% of being reduced to rubble for 100 to 600 ft.)
Tunnels are as described in the Interchange Descriptions.

Signs and Exits Table

1D8 From the Road Emerges...
1/3. A Rusty Steel Pole upholding a Green Reflective Metal Sign
4/6. A Makeshift Wooden Pole upholding 1D4 Wooden Slabs
7/8. A Graffiti'd Symbol indicating something Prominent is ahead
1D6 The Road... 1D4 Distance of Deviation from Sign
1/2. Bends (Roll Bends Table), Splits and continues original direction 1. 1 Mile
3/4. Splits off, runs Perpendicular to Original Direction 2. 1D10 x 50 Miles, 1D4 Signs along the way
5/6. Roll/Choose on the Ruined Structures Table 3. 2D12 X 10 Miles, 1D8 Signs along the way
XX XXXXXXXXXXXX 4. 4D8 X 20 Miles, 2D10 Signs along the way

Signs and Exits Descriptions

The Green Reflective Metal Signs are made of a material similar to Aluminum, and are only ever illegible from dirtiness. Their writing appears to be part of the metal sign itself and retain a bright white appearance. (85% of being written in High Elven, 15% of being graffiti'd in Old Common)

The Makeshift Wooden signs are made up of various wood scraps, with directions carved into them and painted on with vibrant assorted paint. (75% of being written in Common, 25% of being written in New Dwarven Script). 45% of the Sign being weathered to the point of illegibility, or broken down.

Graffiti'd Signs are usually done in Fire Chalk, emitting a 5 ft. glow that is visible at night.

What the Signs say and where they point to is up to the GM, they don't have to signify just the Road Deviation. Perhaps the Road Exit leads to a Major City, or Famous Landmarks. Use whatever is nearest on your World map for inspiration.

Elevation Changes Tables

1D4 The Road...
1. Rises up 16 ft. onto pillars for 2D4 Miles, 1D4 - 1 Roads passing underneath
2. Descends into the ground 50 ft, 1D4 - 1 Roads passing over the Tunnel
3. Remains on its level but has collapsed, the road is untraversable
4. Merges onto a road on a different elevation (50% higher/ lower)

Elevation Changes Description

Pillars and Tunnels are as described in Interchanges Section.

The routes of Roads passing above or below can be rolled using the Tables, or be determined by GM's Choice.

Merges onto different elevations have the same 65% chance of Structural Compromise as stated in the Interchanges Section.

If you want more variety and differentiation in your elevation changes or want something more realistic, only use Pillars/Piers when the elevation rises over 16 ft. above ground level. Otherwise, the road is supported by artificially constructed hills.

Ruined Structures Table

2D6 This Road Contains... 2D4 Status of Structure
2/3. A Culvert (60% of a River) 2/3. Renovated, repurposed
4/5 A Concrete Tunnel, Man-Hole Cover (80% of leading to Sewer System) 4. Charred, Mostly Collapsed
6/7. A Toll Pass (45% of being Inhabited) 5/6. Weathered and Ruined, portions intact
8/10. An Abutment and Support Piers (65% of Road Collapse) 7/8. Leveled, Vague Floorplans intact
11/12. A Viaduct (25% of still being operational) XX XXXXXXXX

Ruined Structures Descriptions

A Culvert is a Highway Structure going underneath the Road that serves as a path for Running Water, typically a long Concrete tunnel between 2 ft. x 2 ft. up to 12 ft. by 12 ft. (If for a River, the dimensions will accommodate the width of the flowing water.

A Man-Hole Cover is a thick Cast Iron Plate between 3 ft. and 8 ft. Wide, the Tunnel being between 20 ft. to 80 ft. deep. The housing structure may be as big as 10 ft. by 10 ft. (If the tunnel leads to a Sewer System, begin utilizing your Preferred Dungeon Generation Method.)

A Toll Pass is as wide as the road, and consists of small booths in between 12 ft. sections of road. All of it is housed under a long metal roof upheld by thin metal pillars. (25% of a Toll House being in the same area.)

An Abutment is a mound of dirt or concrete that supports the beginning of bridges and elevated roadways, Support Piers uphold the Road post-abutment and are wide enough to encompass the whole road.

A Viaduct is a long elevated roadway that utilizes Piers and Pillars to traverse valleys, or difficult low lying terrain. Those that are not operational will be Structurally Compromised, and do not need to be connected to the main Road nor continue on.

Encounters and Special Features

1D8 The Road Reveals...
1. A Village has been built near the road
2. A rusty Barbed Wire Barrier, 3D4 Bandits prepared for Ambush
3. 5D10 x 5 Ft. of crumbled and unusable Road
4. A Ruin (Roll on Table) that has become a Monster's Lair, 45% of a Graffiti warning nearby
5. An NPC Party has set up camp to the side, in a "hidden" spot
6. Ruins of a Large Town/City, mostly leveled and abandoned
7. A Sinkhole ravaged the area, the Road and ground are collapsed
8. 3D8 x 2 Religious Pilgrims or Travelers, en route to a far off destination

Encounters and Special Features Descriptions

Villages have a 25% of being built around an exposed Aquifer, otherwise they are near a body of water or Culvert.

Bandit Ambushes are pretty straight forward but utilize the terrain to their advantage and mean only to strip people of their wealth.

NPC Party camps are only guaranteed a fire pit, other camping supplies are at GM discretion. 35% of the NPC Party staying longterm, will inevitably begin building a Settlement.

Leveled ruins of a Major Settlement are mostly faded, barely existent roads and half-walls of buildings. On rare occasion, some will contain very tall Skyscraper-esque buildings or intact structures.

Sinkholes will lead into a Cavern or Dungeon 45% of the time, otherwise it is simply a very large hole.

  1. Mr. Horizon and Mr. Mann, on the Purple OSR Server. (Table Probabilities Feedback)