D&D 5E (2014) How advanced/civilized are your cities?

[SkidAce]

Oh and @Mallus , also Tactical Survival Research (TSR) , a trade union specializing in standard and unique adventuring gear.

 

[DND_Reborn]

It's the 'typical' clause that poses a problem when voting.

All of those features can be found in at least one city in my game world, but as very few can be found in every city or even most cities the rest don't count as 'typical' and thus didn't get a vote.

It isn't just a 'typical city', it is a typical MAJOR city, in case you missed it. That has a very big distinction (one could even say, "major" distinctions... ) IMO. Most game worlds have maybe a handful of major cities in a kingdom or large region.

At least 80% of the things I listed would likely fall under typical IME for most major cities. They might not be things you "think about" or are so commonly accepted you just assume they are likely there.

The point was varying items assume varying levels of technology (like aqueducts), magical influence, and "civilization" (such as theatres and museums).

The question of history versus design is fine, but once you have made that decision, certain things will likely be present.

 

[DND_Reborn]

UPDATE: I added a few things that are probably no-brainers (taverns, inns) and one I forgot about (public transport).

 

[Lanefan]

It isn't just a 'typical city', it is a typical MAJOR city, in case you missed it. That has a very big distinction (one could even say, "major" distinctions... ) IMO. Most game worlds have maybe a handful of major cities in a kingdom or large region.

I can think of maybe a dozen in my setting that the PCs have had any real contact with. To me, "typical" would imply a feature appears in at least ten of those.

Not all are on a harbour or coastline; by no means do all or even most have things like public baths or a colossal statue; some don't have graveyards as we know them because not all cultures bury their dead; hardly any have aqueducts, etc., etc.

Some have magic as part of their design (e.g. a public-use mass-teleporter instead of a bridge across a big river in one city), others don't. All are civilized, but not all have museums. If amphitheater and arena were combined they'd have got a vote, but some have one, some the other, a few both, and a few have neither and so no votes for those. And so on.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

I am the only one who voted "aqueducts" so far. I mean, it is not every city - but sources of clean water are important to keeping a city going.

I've never had an aquaduct in my game design, but I once put in a sewerduct that was simar to a skijump ramp for ejecting all of a castles waste into a giant pile outside the walls.

Yes, the PCs ended up sliding down it escaping. Yes there were otyughs living in the poop pile.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I can think of maybe a dozen in my setting that the PCs have had any real contact with. To me, "typical" would imply a feature appears in at least ten of those.

Not all are on a harbour or coastline; by no means do all or even most have things like public baths or a colossal statue; some don't have graveyards as we know them because not all cultures bury their dead; hardly any have aqueducts, etc., etc.

Some have magic as part of their design (e.g. a public-use mass-teleporter instead of a bridge across a big river in one city), others don't. All are civilized, but not all have museums. If amphitheater and arena were combined they'd have got a vote, but some have one, some the other, a few both, and a few have neither and so no votes for those. And so on.

Fine, if it doesn't work for you, don't worry about it. Other people understand it and are voting accordingly.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

So, I am beginning to flesh out my city for my city campaign game online (when we return to it LOL) and I decided to ask you how advanced or civilized or developed (pick an adjective and run with it!) are you cities?

So, the poll includes a number of options, select any and all that are typical of a major city in your game.

I’d add indoor plumbing to the list, for my major port city of Firenz.

I voted magic shops even though really there is a big emporium with all kinds of stuff called Primeux’s Base Camp, which which began as a staging point for expeditions into the mysterious terrain inland and grew into the focal point of personal trade in the city, and an Apothecary called Ayala’s Alchemical Goods, and some high end trade through the Libram Dracans (big library).

There is a garden labyrinth adjacent to the old castle, and an undercity formed partly of old and new sewers, partly of storm runoff, and partly of the old town that the modern city is built on top of.

There is also a great lighthouse on the cliff face from which the castle is cut, that reaches high enough it can be seen from throughout the nearby region on clear days, and a line of highly refractive blue semi-translucent stone similar to iolite is built into the seaward side of the tower from top to bottom, which glows bright in the night and can be seen clearly from an incredible distance.

Oh! Also, semi-magical street lights, powered by the emotional “waste energy” of the people of the city as they go about their day.

 

[Flamestrike]

Most published DnD settings presume a late renaissance level of society (with magic taking the place of technology). Paid freemen, private land ownership, guilds and academies etc.

In many ways they're as or even more advanced than modern society (medical and Health thanks to Clerics, flying cities thanks to magic, instantaneous travel thanks to teleport etc).

 

[Zardnaar]

Most published DnD settings presume a late renaissance level of society (with magic taking the place of technology). Paid freemen, private land ownership, guilds and academies etc.

In many ways they're as or even more advanced than modern society (medical and Health thanks to Clerics, flying cities thanks to magic, instantaneous travel thanks to teleport etc).

They're not usually for the masses though is the difference. A flying ship may exist but no airports.

Clerics don't really get enough spell slots to heal en masse.

But yeah they can do things we can't probably not large scale.

 

[Flamestrike]

They're not usually for the masses though is the difference. A flying ship may exist but no airports.

Clerics don't really get enough spell slots to heal en masse.

But yeah they can do things we can't probably not large scale.

A major city like Waterdeep features literally dozens of different faiths, and based on the spell casting costs (and the costs for basic items like food, weapons, trade goods etc) most low level healing spells (while expensive) would be within reach of the average middle class citizen.

A 'comfortable' Middle class lifestyle costs 2gp per day in basic living expenses (before you account for luxuries and goods), and a skilled hireling (anyone with a skill or tool) earns a minimum of 2gp per day.

From that we can extrapolate a salary of around 100gp per month (around 3 GP per day) for a middle class person.

In Tyranny of Dragons, the following spellcasting services are available:

• Cure wounds (1st level) 10 gp
• Identify 20 gp
• Lesser restoration 40 gp
• Prayer of healing (2nd level) 40 gp
• Remove curse 90 gp
• Speak with dead 90 gp
• Divination 210 gp
• Greater restoration 450 gp
• Raise dead 1,250 gp

Effectively spellcasting seems to cost roughly ([level x level] x 10) + costly material components.

Raise dead is effectively a years salary, and you can speak with a dead relative or the victim of a crime for one for a months salary. Gaining information on a rival business or loved one, or the person who murdered your Aunt Mildred via Divination costs 2 months salary.

For the truly wealthy (or those in the good graces of a particular faith) you can have a limb regenerated, be cured of cancer or other diseases, be brought back from the dead months after dying, be cured of blindness or deafness etc.

All far more advanced than our current medical technology allows, and beyond even Star Trek levels of medical technology.