The_Universe
First Post
Start with the taverns, bars, and deserted alleys. Work "up" from there. The most important places are going to be where the adventurers are - and adventurers love booze-houses.
creating a homebrew metropolis - where to start?
- Thread starter GlassJaw
- Start date
Varianor Abroad
Explorer
Cool. I'm working on a city-based campaign myself. I'll steal ideas from this thread. 
The one thing I've found from creating cities in the past that I don't see mentioned yet is that you need to detail things that PCs want early on. Where can they shop? Where might they get information? (Golden opportunity here to turn the boring Gather Information skill into some roleplaying and introduce NPC regulars.) Where can they hide if the law is after them? Where can they sell loot? Where's the law if they get arrested? Where are the major temples? You don't need a lot of information on these places early on, but to make the city live and breathe you want a good list.
The one aspect that Cityworks lacks IMO is material on designing good city adventures themselves. I thought it was thin on those possibilities. I like it's design structure and some of the PC options and other material, so it's really good for setting up your basic fantasy city.
The one thing I've found from creating cities in the past that I don't see mentioned yet is that you need to detail things that PCs want early on. Where can they shop? Where might they get information? (Golden opportunity here to turn the boring Gather Information skill into some roleplaying and introduce NPC regulars.) Where can they hide if the law is after them? Where can they sell loot? Where's the law if they get arrested? Where are the major temples? You don't need a lot of information on these places early on, but to make the city live and breathe you want a good list.
The one aspect that Cityworks lacks IMO is material on designing good city adventures themselves. I thought it was thin on those possibilities. I like it's design structure and some of the PC options and other material, so it's really good for setting up your basic fantasy city.
GlassJaw
Hero
Varianor Abroad said:
I'm curious to hear about your city campaign and design approach if you want to discuss some things over email (chris7476 at yahoo dot com).
As far as city adventure ideas go, I highly encourage you to check out some of the Freeport stuff. The main book is great as is Denizens of Freeport and the original Freeport module trilogy. The cool thing about the Freeport products is that there are adventure seeds EVERYWHERE. I'm not sure how dark your city campaign is going to be but mine will be oozing grit and grime and soot so Freeport fits in perfectly.
I've also really enjoyed Green Ronin/The Game Mechanics Thieves' Quarter. The maps are great and again, lots of adventure ideas. I haven't picked up Temple Quarter yet but it's on my list.
For older stuff, the Volo Guides are great, especially Waterdeep. Just flip to a page and start reading and I'm sure you'll get some ideas right away.
As Tonguez says but also think about its theme, all cities have them and they can be seen in their nicknames, mostly different names based on who is doing the talking. If a port, it may have the handle of the Greatest Trade Port on the Sea of Doom; now why is that? Or a rogue could refer to the city as Freebooter Hell; again why is that? A paladin could see it as Sin City; again why? The more nicks/handles the better the understanding for the players and ideas for campigns.
The same can be centered to wards/districts within the city too.
Landmarks, every city has them and they tell you how to get about more than directions, Black Pete's Traven is down by the marketplace, side street on the east side! Think about them in your game. Oh, common locations, things like barber shops, bath houses, bucher shops, etc will be everywhere (service X% of pop to service 100% pop must be...).
Don't do all the work yourself, have your players help you out. Let them give you description of places they find in their down time. Wizard: the Mage Guild Hall, the fighter: Buck's Training and Arms Arena.
AEG's DM Toolbox is worth a look!
The same can be centered to wards/districts within the city too.
Landmarks, every city has them and they tell you how to get about more than directions, Black Pete's Traven is down by the marketplace, side street on the east side! Think about them in your game. Oh, common locations, things like barber shops, bath houses, bucher shops, etc will be everywhere (service X% of pop to service 100% pop must be...).
Don't do all the work yourself, have your players help you out. Let them give you description of places they find in their down time. Wizard: the Mage Guild Hall, the fighter: Buck's Training and Arms Arena.
AEG's DM Toolbox is worth a look!
Smart
First Post
Wow, talk about the right topic at the right time.
I'm currently trying to build a corrupt government port city, ala homebrewed Lankhmar for my Iron Heroes campaign that starts in two weeks. I'll take some of the hints from this thread as writing prompts and see what I can come up with. Thanks everybody!
I'm currently trying to build a corrupt government port city, ala homebrewed Lankhmar for my Iron Heroes campaign that starts in two weeks. I'll take some of the hints from this thread as writing prompts and see what I can come up with. Thanks everybody!
Last edited:
Varianor Abroad
Explorer
GlassJaw said:
Sounds good. After Gen Con, okay?
As to adventure ideas, I don't lack for those. I wanted to get Mike's take on running city adventures - what were the good parts, the pitfalls, and the issues in a city, as opposed to a dungeon. Particularly over a long campaign. (At least, I hope he ran a city campaign for a while.) I wish Ptolus were out right now too, but that ain't happening. I'm sure I'll manage, but I just thought that was where Cityworks was a bit short of greatness. It's still goodness.
One thing I saw in Dungeon (or was it Speaking in Dreams?) a while back that I'm going to steal is the idea that different districts of the city have different gp limits. That way you can't just buy stuff off the rack. Part of the adventure includes going to different parts of the town and interacting with people. This makes it more fun if there's problems with various political groups.
Quickleaf
Legend
Hey! Creating a city is tough work. I remember detailing the PC's HQ in about 60 pages; then again 30% of it never got used! Some thoughts to consider....
- Would you be just as satisfied using a pre-existing city? Or creating a patchwork city out of elements of your favorite game supplements and novels? Or do you really want to create your OWN city?
- What kinds of players do you have? Imagine the PCs are in the city for the first time; what are they likely to get into? You might get inspiration thinking about what elements of a city your players would most like to explore.
- What do you want? Brainstorm all your cool ideas about a Victorian/Steampunk city onto paper. Then begin the work of fleshing them out. If an idea no longer appeals to you don't work on it; only work on those parts of your city that are a JOY to work on.
- Always fall back on that old staple: Build around your adventures. Don't make some temple that the PCs will never visit. Start with those things that are most likely to factor into your first several adventures.
The Glorantha site has some useful templates (esp. Homeland), that may serve as inspiration for creating your own city district or city event templates.
http://www.glorantha.com/support/templates.html
There are a couple threads at Mark's collection of EN World threads on DMing Advice that pertain to city adventures. Simply search this page for the word 'city':
http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?threadid=47525
Check out the Bodleian Library Map Room for good medieval city maps:
http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/guides/maps/mapcase2.htm
I also remember someone else on the DM Mastery list recommending watching "Gangs of New York" for inspiration.
- Would you be just as satisfied using a pre-existing city? Or creating a patchwork city out of elements of your favorite game supplements and novels? Or do you really want to create your OWN city?
- What kinds of players do you have? Imagine the PCs are in the city for the first time; what are they likely to get into? You might get inspiration thinking about what elements of a city your players would most like to explore.
- What do you want? Brainstorm all your cool ideas about a Victorian/Steampunk city onto paper. Then begin the work of fleshing them out. If an idea no longer appeals to you don't work on it; only work on those parts of your city that are a JOY to work on.
- Always fall back on that old staple: Build around your adventures. Don't make some temple that the PCs will never visit. Start with those things that are most likely to factor into your first several adventures.
The Glorantha site has some useful templates (esp. Homeland), that may serve as inspiration for creating your own city district or city event templates.
http://www.glorantha.com/support/templates.html
There are a couple threads at Mark's collection of EN World threads on DMing Advice that pertain to city adventures. Simply search this page for the word 'city':
http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?threadid=47525
Check out the Bodleian Library Map Room for good medieval city maps:
http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/guides/maps/mapcase2.htm
I also remember someone else on the DM Mastery list recommending watching "Gangs of New York" for inspiration.
tadk
Explorer
Just read a more city oriented Fantasy book
might give you a few ideas
Yes it is a Gaming oriented one
Got it yesterday
middle of the pack with some decent ideas as far as WOTC MtG inspired books go.
Read better, read worse.
Ravnica by Cory J Herndon
Basically a hive city like feel to it
the entire plane is a single city
follows the dealings of a single cop for lack of a better job title
lots of guilds, some stereotypical MtG ideas, some new ones.
He takes fm several other series for creatures so not too original in that respect
a few gladitorial ideas fm the Scourge ones
Can you tell for someone who buys no cards anymore I read too many of their books
But a dang site more interesting that that first Kamigawa novel.
But magic, city, metropolis, fantasy it is a little more Hive world than not
might give you a few ideas
Yes it is a Gaming oriented one
Got it yesterday
middle of the pack with some decent ideas as far as WOTC MtG inspired books go.
Read better, read worse.
Ravnica by Cory J Herndon
Basically a hive city like feel to it
the entire plane is a single city
follows the dealings of a single cop for lack of a better job title
lots of guilds, some stereotypical MtG ideas, some new ones.
He takes fm several other series for creatures so not too original in that respect
a few gladitorial ideas fm the Scourge ones
Can you tell for someone who buys no cards anymore I read too many of their books
But a dang site more interesting that that first Kamigawa novel.
But magic, city, metropolis, fantasy it is a little more Hive world than not
Since nobody else mentioned it, A Magical Medieval Society: Western Europe from Expeditious Retreat Press. Useful even for creating Victorian cities. Been awhile since I visited the site, but last time I look the part on creating cities was available free.
I do agree with those who advise starting with a broad scheme, then focusing on a particular ward/district/neighborhood. You can then do other areas while deciding on how they interact with other parts.
I do agree with those who advise starting with a broad scheme, then focusing on a particular ward/district/neighborhood. You can then do other areas while deciding on how they interact with other parts.
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