Resources

I'm too wiped out right now to work up the random tables or additional quickie kingdoms today, so I'll talk about resources for information and inspiration instead. I'm sure plenty of GMs already use The History Channel, especially for researching specific historical periods. But there are some shows that are more generally useful:

Cities of the Underworld -- shows you those underground tunnels, vaults, crypts, and chambers we build our adventures around. One thing you learn from this series is how small and cramped most of the tunnels really are, and yet there are amazing exceptions... and although cramped, there are plenty of underground places that sprawl much more than do modern adventures. Some tunnel systems extend for miles. I also learned about a site in Turkey where the inhabitants had rolled large, round millstones to block entryways. That's like sealing a tunnel with a boulder that can only properly be rolled away from one side. There should probably be more of that in dungeons.

Life After People -- shows in detail what happens to unmaintained buildings, tools and materials. Aside from the obvious post-apocalyptic gaming uses, it's very illuminating on how long ruins and dungeons should last after being abandoned. Maybe there are humanoids in every dungeon because only the dungeons being maintained still exist?