My PCs have land! Now what?

[pogre]

Greetings!

Recently, the PCs in my campaign were granted fiefs by a local Count. The fiefs were a reward, but still come with the usual feudal obligations. I previously have had PCs with business enterprises and property in cities, but this is slightly different. The PCs all have various plans for their lands rangining from the usual manor house to more intricate business designs.

My question is - what books would you use to govern the various aspects of growing a manor? I have MMWS by Xpress, but are there any other decent books that warrant my attention?

If you have some rules you have cobbled together for similar situations I would love to see them as well!

Thanks,

pogre

 

[Ozmar]

Growing? Not sure. But I like to do this kind of stuff in my games, and some of the books that I have particularly enjoyed are...

Stronghold Builder's Guide, for the mechanics of building and buying.

Expeditious Retreat's Magical Society? (I think that was what it's called.) The first one deals with medieval society and applies the principles of D&D cosmology (magic and monsters) to these concepts, discussing how they likely could work.

And the recent Power of Faerun deals with running political campaigns and nobility in that highly magical world. Some of the ideas here might be helpful for you.

And finally, as a player, I have found the rules for Affiliations in the PHB2 to be very interesting. They are certainly creative and have helped me get some ideas about organizations I want to create and how to build them (as a player). You might want to check them out.

Ozmar the Landlord

 

[kigmatzomat]

I recommend XRP's Magical Medieval Society: Western Europe. It has everything a DM needs to integrate manorial lands into D&D as well as background on what rights and obligations that historically went along with land. The building system is also quite efficient and quick, though it takes a bit of thinking to wrap your head around the concept the first time.

It is also sprinkled with some plot ideas that help you get in the right frame of mind.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

A Magical Medieval Society: Western Europe excels at this.

And man, the fun you're going to have with your players ... I bet you can get them to sympathize with the Sheriff of Nottingham within three months.

 

[Aeolius]

My first response to the thread title was "dire gophers"

 

[GoodKingJayIII]

My PCs have land! Now what?

Well, I was going to say kill them, but that would be a little too uncreative, wouldn't?

Maybe their fields and peasants could inexplicably burn by a swarm of ravening dire monkeys from the elemental plane of fire?

 

[Nyaricus]

My first response to the thread title was "dire gophers"

My first response was "take it away"

No, really.

Have some powerful warlord come along, kidnap the person who gave them their land, and have a huge adventure about how the PCs get back thier lord, get back their land, and defeat the warlord guy.

I dunno, my two coppers. I realise that you're asking a completely different question, but that sounded cool to me

cheers,
--N

 

[greywulf]

Get the D&D Rules Cyclopedia and use the Domain rules from there. Works brilliantly.

 

[jollyninja]

Well, I was going to say kill them, but that would be a little too uncreative, wouldn't?

Maybe their fields and peasants could inexplicably burn by a swarm of ravening dire monkeys from the elemental plane of fire?

flying Dire monkeys, flying dire monkeys that spew flames out the back end.

 

[Chaldfont]

One theme I like to dump on my players whenever they get land is the comparison of a normal job to that of adventuring. How about an entire session on the drudgery of dealing with taxes, with petty infighting amongst the servants, with sitting in judgement of of annoying feuds between peasants, with traditions (The lord ALWAYS walks the fields on planting day, sire! Its bad luck if he doesn't!).

Then, at the end of the session, orcs attack. Or something. It reminds the players and their PCs what the fun is all about. Killing monsters and taking their stuff.