About running a campaign in a town/city

[Zaruthustran]

I recommend reading your local newspaper, especially the columnists' sections religiously for a month. Create equivalents for the kinds of things that are being discussed. When I read the Confessions of Saint Augustine, I was stunned by how much life in 4th century Carthage was like urban life today.

Take the people who get written about a lot -- governors, senators, legislators, congressmen, lobbyists, religious leaders, sports heroes and re-imagine them in your world. Imagine what kind of character classes they might have.

Often the best way to create a fantasy city is to concentrate on how it is similar to our modern cities. Also, for inspiration in giving your cities a fantastic edge, there is no better book than Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities.

This is a great idea. And thanks to the magic of "cut-and-paste" technology, you can really go over the top:

Most newspapers have archived online editions. Pick a city--any city other than your own--and pick a date a few months back. Then just do the ol' cut-and-paste job on certain stories as they develop. Replace John Johnson the mayor with Elviral Turinston the mage guild leader. Replace Local Machinist's Union 51 with Local Thieve's Guild 51. Replace the striking teachers with striking Guardsmen. And of course replace the name of the town.

Do the cut-and-paste dance on the front page, local news, obits, police beat, and editorials. You'll get a fair bit of content.

Poof! Now you have a newspaper for your players, all in about 3 or 4 minutes. Either print it out in a cool font and give it to them, or keep it for ready-made plots.

-z

PS to knowthetoe and tonguez: thanks!

 

[Nikodemos]

Hi Folks

Asked the group last night, if they were interested in playing a Thieves' World Campaign. Couple of them weren't sure what Thieves' World was, so I am going to lend the First book, so that they can get a flavour for the setting. Now the real work starts.

As for a Midkemia RPG, I haven't heard anything, but I know that Raymond, is a Role-player and I believe that Midkemia, came about from a game he ran. Raymond, did get a couple of computer games made based on his world, and then wrote some books based on the computer games. So maybe he will join Robert Jordan, and help write the campaign setting material for Midkemia and maybe there will be a Kelewan campaign setting as well.

Yours Nikodemos

 

[Khorod]

Nothing at all is on the plate for Kelewan- that was a joint venture with Janny Wurts, and neither of them have intentions of revisiting it. REF has indicated that if JW wants to do more with it, that would be fine.

The Midkemia series was based on a multi-decade campaign run in a homebrew system. I believe it was released in the 80's, and there is some vague discussion of doing more with it now. The campaign setting actually stretched through about 5 Riftwars and several millennia, or at least the setting history.

Oh, and lesser path magicians aren't weaker, just slower and subtler. How does changing planetary weather patterns in the course of a couple months stack up against mass teleportation?

I believe there is some minor stuff at www.midkemia.com, the site of the Midkemia Press publishing company.

 

[Nikodemos]

Hi Khorod

Thanks for the info, I am a big fan of his Midkemia books. I have read virtually everything from this series, except for Murder at La Mut and Talon. But until recently I didn't even know that Talon existed, or that it was another Midkemia series. I know most of the players at the club, I am a member of, have read a lot of the Midkemia books. So if there was a Midkemia Campaign book produced, there would be a lot of interest generated around the world, especially in my corner of it.

Yours Nikodemos

 

[Khorod]

Well, then that last post was for other folks then.

What 'club'?

 

[Nikodemos]

Hi Khorod

I take it your not a fan then, each to there own .
The Club, I mentioned is my local games club, they play both RPG and boardgames. The group I am with are currently playing 3E, in FR, using the Giants campaign from I believe GH. We have a good selection of systems, AD&D 2E, Shadowrun, Role Master, Champions 3rd, Hero, Dragon Warriors, Chivalry & Sorcery, Harnmaster, Judge Dredd original & D20, Kingdoms of Kalamar, and Runequest. On the boardgame side we have Railway Rivals, Lord of the rings, plus expansion, Civilisation, Merchants of Venus, Rogue Trooper, Diplomacy, and Pharoah. There are loads more but not really being a boardgame fan I cannot remember them all.
I also play with a group who meet at a pub on Mondays, this is the group I am hoping to run TW, for.

Yours Nikodemos

 

[Khorod]

Not a fan of what? Ray? I'm a big fan of all his stuff.

I thought you meant some sort of REF Club I didn't know about.

 

[Nikodemos]

Hi Khorod

I see just a little bit of confusion on both our parts . I am a member of a Yahoo Group, who are fans of REF. Plus a YG, who are fans of TW.

Yours Nikodemos

 

[evil_rmf]

The Thieves' World boxed set was pretty nice, IIRC, and they had some expansions. Chaosium put them out. The products were:

2007x Thieves World boxed set
2014 City of Carse (revised from Midkemia original)
2015 Thieves World Companion
2016 Tulan of the Isles (revised from Midkemia original)

If you could find the boxed set, it would help a ton. Lots of NPCs, and a full map of Sanctuary, the sewers, etc. Very cool stuff.

In fact I see it on eBay, current bid at $8:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?viewItem&item=1763706151

FASA put out a couple of modules for the TW setting as well. If you can dig 'em up, Gamelords had a series called Thieve's Guild (I think). A buddy of mine had them in middle school. I remember being impressed back then, but I dunno if they'd hold up to my 33 year old mind now. Would dearly love to see them today and find out though!

 

[Nikodemos]

Hi Evil rmf

Thanks for that unfortunately, FASA, sold all their holdings and got out of the business. I understand that Shadowrun and Mechwarrior are still active, but run by new owners. The only way I can see to pick up the Chaosium and FASA, related TW, modules, is to look at things like E-Bay and other such auction sites. The downside being that because these modules were produced in the 80's, their owners are either unwilling to part with them, no surprises there, or over the years have lost track of them or lost parts of the module. I posted to Lynn Abbeys, YG, and asked Lynn, if she had considered turning TW, into a 3e/D20, campaign setting, Lynn owns the rights to TW. Lynns' reply was not positive, apparently there have been many offers of different types, to use the TW license. And because of the upheaval between WotC and Hasbro, Lynn doesn't trust them with any part of TW . One can only hope, that things will settle down and Lynn, may change her mind or that some other RPG company will make Lynn, an offer that is more appealing.

Yours Nikodemos