Recent content by Hand of Evil

Yes, and more than I should. :) Things like, Cast spells produce waste! This material will be wasted away and collect in low laying place and form a solid magic substance. That "magic" surrounds the campaign world like space surrounds a planet. The conflicts of the different users: Those...

Wish more thought was put into the ecology of Dungeons/ruins/fantasy environments. As a GM I try to build every place to be used again and again. Dungeons that players have killed the BBEG become rental property to any henchmen or lesser monsters in the area, plus every up-and-coming treasure...

Best was Hollow Earth Expedition PDF of it can be found at DriveThurpg

Thing about a city is there are so many conflicts and jurisdictions that can generate plot hooks. Some examples: Law - in a fantasy this can get complex, you have guild law, civil, church, nobles and so on. Magic - Religion vs Mage, Schooled vs Unschooled, the casting of magic in general...

But Dingoes are another story

The old AEG GM Toolbox had some great tables in it, think it is on DriveThu

Start with a map, use nick names and have some thoughts of what the city looks like (don't think the real Yanjin looks like this but...)

Something I do with my players is allow them a number of NPCs that they can pull out at any given time. Say a player needs a to see a friend he knows of, so he just gives a description and brief backstory and I as the GM create the location where he can find them. Only rules I have most be a...

Also look at crazy history stories, examples: Shanghaied, press gangs, Edinburgh body snatchers, London undergrounds and such. The biggest thing in a city is figuring if something mundane or supernatural.

Steal from your local news. :) Police, detective, crime dramas and most other shows are full of plots for a city game.

Got to say I think conditioning plays a very big role in this; size and shape of books are imprinted in us. When something is outside of those parameters it feels and looks wrong. (Okay, it may just me)

Well, back in the day it was a lot of history books about European history and design that I could steal and base my games on. :) You use what is most available to you. :)