Colony & Settlement System

Last Updated: 2026-02-03

Complete documentation for the colony (settlement tracker) system in pf2e-starships.

Overview

The Colony system provides a settlement tracker for managing locations your party visits, owns, or operates. It tracks:

• Leadership - NPCs assigned to administrative roles
• Vendors - Merchants and service providers
• Structures - Buildings with income generation
• Points of Interest - Notable locations linked to journals
• Treasury - Shared party funds (player-owned colonies)

Creating a Colony

1. Create a new Actor of type "NPC" or "Loot" (any actor type works)
2. Right-click and select "Configure Colony Settings" or use the module's colony conversion
3. Configure the colony type and ownership

Colony Types

Colony type is a descriptive label only - it doesn't affect mechanics.

Ownership Types

Administration Tab

Leaders

Assign NPCs to leadership roles within your colony.

Adding a Leader:

1. Click the + button in the Leaders section (GM only)
2. Select an NPC actor from the world
3. Assign a role name (Administrator, Commander, Warden, etc.)

Leader Features:

• Click the external link icon to open the NPC's character sheet
• Role names are freeform text - use whatever fits your setting
• Leaders are tracked for narrative purposes, not mechanical bonuses

Vendors

Track merchants and service providers in your colony.

Adding a Vendor:

1. Click the + button in the Vendors section (GM only)
2. Select an NPC actor (typically one with a merchant sheet)
3. Optionally specify their location within the colony

Vendor Features:

• Click the store icon to open the vendor's sheet for shopping
• Location field helps players find specific shops
• Integrates with PF2E's merchant actor functionality

Shared Treasury (Player-Owned Only)

Player-owned colonies have a shared treasury that all party members can access.

Deposit:

1. Click the Deposit button
2. Enter the amount to deposit
3. Funds are deducted from your character and added to treasury

Withdraw:

1. Click the Withdraw button
2. Enter the amount to withdraw
3. Funds are deducted from treasury and added to your character

Transaction History:

• Recent transactions show amount, character name, and date
• Deposits show as positive (+), withdrawals as negative (-)
• Treasury balance is shared across ALL player-owned colonies

Structures Tab

Structures

Buildings and facilities in your colony. Add structures by dragging equipment items onto the colony sheet.

Adding a Structure:

1. Drag an equipment item onto the Structures tab
2. The item is added to the colony with default settings
3. Configure ownership, income, and staff as needed

Structure Properties:

Managing Staff:

1. Click the users icon on a structure
2. Add staff members (NPCs or named hirelings)
3. Staff count affects whether the structure operates at full capacity

Income Calculator (GM Only)

The Income Calculator automates revenue distribution from all structures.

How It Works:

1. Click "Calculate & Distribute Income"
2. System calculates: (Income per Day × Days) - (Staff Salary × Staff × Days)
3. Net income is distributed to structure owners
4. Works across ALL colonies globally

Example Calculation:

Tavern:
  Income: 5 gp/day
  Staff Required: 2
  Staff Salary: 1 gp/day each

  Net Income = 5 gp - (2 × 1 gp) = 3 gp/day

Points of Interest

Notable locations within or near your colony, linked to journal entries.

Adding a Point of Interest:

1. Click the + button in the POI section (GM only)
2. Enter a name for the location
3. Optionally link to a journal entry for detailed information

Using POIs:

• Click the book icon to open the linked journal
• Use for quest locations, dungeons, landmarks, etc.
• Helps organize narrative information about the colony

Linked Scene

Connect your colony to a Foundry scene for easy navigation.

Setting Up:

1. In the colony header, select a scene from the dropdown (GM only)
2. The colony is now associated with that scene

Benefits:

• Quick access to the colony's map
• Visual reference for players
• Organize scenes by settlement

Workflow Examples

Setting Up a New Settlement

1. Create the Colony Actor
   • Create new actor, configure as colony
   • Set type (Settlement, Station, etc.)
   • Set ownership (Player if party-owned)
2. Add Leadership
   • Assign governor/administrator
   • Add security chief, dock master, etc.
3. Register Vendors
   • Add the local blacksmith, general store, etc.
   • Set locations for each vendor
4. Add Structures
   • Drag in buildings the party owns
   • Configure income for revenue-generating properties
5. Link Resources
   • Create journal entries for notable locations
   • Add as Points of Interest
   • Link to the settlement's scene

Managing a Trade Post

1. Structures for Income
   • Add warehouse (storage income)
   • Add marketplace stall (merchant income)
   • Set appropriate staff and salaries
2. Vendors
   • Add trading company agent
   • Add supply merchant
3. Regular Income
   • GM runs Income Calculator periodically (weekly, monthly)
   • Income distributed to structure owners

Running a Starbase

1. Colony Type: Station
2. Leaders: Station Commander, Chief Engineer, Security Chief
3. Vendors: Quartermaster, Tech Supplier, Medical Officer
4. Structures: Docking Bay (income from fees), Cantina (entertainment income)
5. POIs: Reactor Core, Observation Deck, Cargo Hold Alpha

Tips for GMs

When to Use Colonies

• Hub Locations - Places the party returns to frequently
• Party Property - Bases, ships-as-settlements, claimed territories
• Quest Hubs - Towns with multiple NPCs and services
• Trade Centers - Locations for commerce and downtime

Income Balancing

The income system is meant for downtime wealth, not primary income:

Adjust based on party level and campaign wealth.

Integrating with Adventures

• Use POIs to track dungeon entrances, quest givers, plot locations
• Leaders can be contacts, quest givers, or information sources
• Vendors provide equipment and services between adventures
• Treasury serves as party bank for shared expenses

Structure Item Flags (Developer Reference)

When equipment items are added as structures, they gain special data:

flags.pf2e-starships.structure = {
  isStructure: true,
  owner: "characterId" | null,
  publicAccess: true | false,
  lots: 1,
  income: {
    enabled: true | false,
    perDay: { gp: 0, sp: 0, cp: 0 },
    staffRequired: 0,
    staffSalary: { gp: 0, sp: 0, cp: 0 }
  },
  staff: []
}

Related Documentation

• Quick Reference: Colony Management Quick Reference
• Compiled Rules: Module GM Rules (Part VI)
• Structure Catalog: Item Catalog (Section 1)
• Source Code: src/actor/ColonyActorSheet.ts

End of Colony & Settlement System Documentation