EN World City Project: Protecting the City (Guard Submissions)

[Conaill]

Hmm... of course, even a 1000gp item sounds *way* too expensive. Give one to each ranger, and you've easiliy exceeded the entire military budget for the year...

Maybe a one-shot item? That would only be 50 gp each.


PS: and I agree with the compulsory service. Every able-bodied man (how chauvinist do we want to be? women are definitely allowed to volunteer as well) should be able to use a weapon.

I vaguely remember that in Britain, every man had to learn to fire a bow. In a walled city, bows would probably be the weapon of choice for the common people.

 

[Lalato]

I was thinking the alarm stick would use something as simple as the Flare cantrip and perhaps Prestigitation. Nothing overly powerful. I like the idea of a flare arrow, though. Simple.

Now that I actually looked it up... Whispering Wind is a 2nd level Bard/Sor spell. Sorry about that.

The only problem I see with a non-magical solution is the ability of others to see the warning. Even an alarm stick has limitations... what if no one sees the flare? Actually... that's not really a problem... it's a plot hook.

I do agree, though, that the Rangers is one group that might not fit within the demographics of the city. Even with 20 to 30 men, they will be woefully undermanned to patrol an area around the city and lake. My guess is that about half of the Rangers patrol south of the city... and the other half patrol north. The northern rangers are the ones that perform the detective work and sheriff's duties. The southern rangers are more like scouts looking out for humanoid raiding parties. There might even be a little friendly rivalry between the two groups.

Northern Ranger insulting Southern Ranger...
"You pickle eatin', bog water drinkin' swamp refugee..."

--sam

 

[Lalato]

Maybe a one-shot item? That would only be 50 gp each.

If the item was inexpensive enough... it could actually be given to non-rangers that work in the more dangerous areas south of the city. Just a thought.

--sam

 

[jdavis]

The only problem I see with a non-magical solution is the ability of others to see the warning. Even an alarm stick has limitations... what if no one sees the flare? Actually... that's not really a problem... it's a plot hook.

I do agree, though, that the Rangers is one group that might not fit within the demographics of the city. Even with 20 to 30 men, they will be woefully undermanned to patrol an area around the city and lake. My guess is that about half of the Rangers patrol south of the city... and the other half patrol north. The northern rangers are the ones that perform the detective work and sheriff's duties. The southern rangers are more like scouts looking out for humanoid raiding parties. There might even be a little friendly rivalry between the two groups.

Northern Ranger insulting Southern Ranger...
"You pickle eatin', bog water drinkin' swamp refugee..."

--sam

There will be some Watch Towers to the south, as long as somebody sees the flare then the signal fires can be lit and soon everybody will know. A skilled woodsmen could use any old signal flare, they would be good enough not ot get caught.

I like the idea of splitting the areas the Rangers cover into North and South.

Southern Ranger insulting a Northern Ranger...
"if you had any skill you would be hunting goblins instead of goat poachers."

As far as manditory service, the 1500 men (and women?) on the role of the Muster would be roughly 14% of the population. That would require some sort of manditory service. I'll add manditory training to the requirements of being on the list for the Muster, I'll also add that having your name listed is age dependant (say 16 to 20). Military men or members of the city militia would not have to have their children listed (that would be a good perk for joining the voluntary city militia). Perhaps there should be a third level of defense to the city, a militia level where every able bodied man would be called to the wall, this would be only for the most dire of circumstances but having a population with at least some skill with a bow and a pole arm would be helpful if the city was in danger of being overrun. I would doubt civilians would be trianed to handle a sword as that seems to be asking for trouble, but short bow (or Crossbow) training and/or rudimentary pike training and manditory listing for service from the age of 16 to 20 should add to the frontier feel. These measures could of been set into effect many years ago after the city was overrun and burned, now people see them as a nuisance but you never know (plot hook)

 

[Conaill]

I would probably put 2/3 or more of the rangers on the south side of the river. That's where most of the danger is anyway.

Military service:

Commoners get to pick *one* simple weapon proficiency. Unfortunately, that leaves out regular bows. Guess the city could have an armory of crossbows on hand to defend the city walls, but most would likely be trained in Shortspear. Any use for plain old slings in the Muster?

How long should the compulsory service be, and how many men are in service at any one time? Let's say one year service (1-2 yrs is typical in current day countries with compulsory service). If Mor's End has ~7000 adults and ~3000 children, can we say ~200 in service at any one time? Three quarters or more of these would be in training and way too green to be of much use in defending the city. That leaves ~50 or so that could be put to use in low-danger situations: patroling the trade routes, repairing outlying reinforcements like the watchtowers, etc.

Wealthy individuals can buy their way out of military service and the Muster, for the price of hiring a professional mercenary for one full year (anyone?)

 

[jdavis]

One year of training and compulsary service and then the next 9 years after that on the list for the muster. Wealthy citizens can buy a guard for a year to take their place (going through the guild of guards). Crafts and guilds can get special consideration for skilled apprentices from the active duty but not from the list. Current members of the Military or members of the Volunteer militia can get special consideration for their children. Regardless of any special considerations all citizens at the age of 16 are required to train with at least one weapon and be prepared to use it in defense of the city. The guild of guards could also offer special tutors for the wealthy or the other guildhouses, for a price of course. Members of the military in one form or another could train their own children, or allow their children to attend the city classes. The volunteer militia holds regular drills to keep themselves sharp, maybe part of their drills is helping other citizens to train.

I would figure many town residents would view this as a major nuisance as a big part of this would be repair work on the walls and clearing overgrowth from around the walls and the caravan routes. There probably hasn't been a raid to get beyond the city walls in decades and who cares about the poor beyond the wall to the south. "Plot Hooks" could be brewing to pose a severe challenge to the cities defenses, will the town be ready or will the people have grown soft and forgotten their training?

 

[Lalato]

I can't remember who... but someone asked what level you would have to be create a clay golem. Here's what I found...

The clay golem costs 60,000 gp to create, including 1,500 gp for the body and 30,000 gp for vestments, which can be reused. Creating the body requires a successful Craft (sculpting or masonry) check (DC 15). The ritual requires a 16th-level creator who can cast divine spells. Completing the ritual drains 1,200 XP from the creator and requires animate objects, bless, commune, prayer, and resurrection.

I thought I would post some of the other golems... here you go...

The flesh golem costs 50,000 gp to create, which includes 500 gp for the construction of the body. Assembling the body requires a successful Craft (leatherworking) or Heal check (DC 13). The creator must be 14th level and able to cast arcane spells. Completing the ritual drains 1,000 XP from the creator and requires bull's strength, geas/quest, limited wish, polymorph any object, and protection from arrows.

The iron golem costs 100,000 gp to create, which includes 1,500 gp for the body. Assembling the body requires a successful Craft (armorsmithing or weaponsmithing) check (DC 20). The creator must be 16th level and able to cast arcane spells. Completing the ritual drains 2,000 XP from the creator and requires cloudkill, geas/quest, limited wish, and polymorph any object.

The stone golem costs 80,000 gp to create, which includes 1,000 gp for the body. Assembling the body requires a successful Craft (sculpting or masonry) check (DC 17). The creator must be 16th level and able to cast arcane spells. Completing the ritual drains 1,600 XP from the creator and requires geas/quest, limited wish, polymorph any object, and slow.

--sam

 

[Krug]

One year of training and compulsary service and then the next 4 years after that on the list for the muster.

How about next 12 years? 4 sounds limiting. But otherwise rest of it looks quite good.

 

[jdavis]

changed it to 1 year service and 9 years on the list for a total of 10 years. I also thought it might be ok for somebody to voluntarily stay on the list to keep one of their children from having to be on it.

 

[Krug]

changed it to 1 year service and 9 years on the list for a total of 10 years. I also thought it might be ok for somebody to voluntarily stay on the list to keep one of their children from having to be on it.

I think that'd be difficult to enforce in a medieval setting... I think we should just keep it simple.