Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Haltherrion" data-source="post: 5385919" data-attributes="member: 18253">Since you are looking to get the players interested in the town, as a ref I would create hooks along the following lines, hoping the players might bite on one or more of them:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A few possible love interests from a cute barmaid to middle and higher ranked folks in town. A 'forbidden' love with the daughter (wife?) of a local noble might be interesting.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">An organization in town that might be impressed enough with a party member to offer them a prize, a title, an office in the group. The former gives them reasons to like the town; the latter might help bind them to the town.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A person in town who has one-shots and advice to offer in return for errands in the area.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If you use trainers, a trainer or two who might offer cheap or free training in return for errands around the town.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A source of wealth or magic within the town itself (buried city, something in the cemetery, etc.)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If there are foolish partymembers/players, a trap or a situation likely to lead to poor judgement that gets them in legal trouble that they can work off for duties (this might prove more short term: they hang around a little but are mad at the town and leave as soon as possible).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A puzzle related to something in town like a strange fountain, carvings on a crypt, a bizarre door in the local lord's basement, etc. If you make the resulting puzzle center on the town and give them reason to believe the loot is good, it can be a sure win <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A high level retired adventurer living in disguise who reveals himself to the party and offers assistance, maybe in return for something.</li> </ul>One thing about all these various hooks is even if they don't bite, it takes time for them to run through them and can be fun by itself although it works better if at least a few hooks catch. It depends on the group but for most of my groups, a mix of some love interests, some useful NPCs and a cool loot puzzle will almost always work to get them roleplaying and interested in remaining. The "trick them into a legal problem" can be fun but does not usually engender any love for the location unless someone in the town really helps them work through this and they eliminate the person who caused the issue.</blockquote>

Verification