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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lancelot" data-source="post: 5576210" data-attributes="member: 30022">It'd work much like air travel in our own world.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A long list of items that you cannot carry; some of which are completely inexplicable. For example, you can't carry a lantern... because it's fueled by lamp oil... which resembles alchemist's fire... which is sometimes used for arson or combat. In more restrictive towns, you may not even be able to carry a waterskin... because it could be used to carry lamp oil...</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Armed guards patrolling street corners, as expected. But also, at least one "plain clothes" armed guard assigned to every ship, tavern and public meeting place.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Multiple surveillance checkpoints. You will be forced to remove your armor and clothes from time-to-time to prove you're not carrying contraband.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Regular, magical scanning of citizens. Detect magic is used on a regular basis to ensure nobody is using magical items or charms to gain unfair advantage over other citizens, and to ensure that nobody is carrying magical contraband. Also, to ensure that all PCs are correctly taxed for importing magical items into the city. In some locations, ESP and detect lies will be used regularly as well.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Documentation is required for all travel, and will be checked multiple times - even simply moving between quarters or districts of the town.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You must inform the authorities days, or weeks, before you intend to arrive or leave the town. Failure to do so will prevent your travel.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Many topics and activities are prohibited. Strange behavior of any kind, or simply referring to certain substances (like alchemist's fire, or maybe even potions of healing), may result in arrest and questioning by the authorities.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Past associations or actions will be grounds to refuse entry or trade. This could include religious affiliations (priests of foreign deities), past run-ins with the law in other cities (regardless of what laws those cities choose to administer), and any hint of culpability in genocide (that goblin lair your party wiped out last month, for example...).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Food and water cannot be brought into the town, but can be purchased locally. Locally-bought food is 25% more expensive than normal, due to monopoly control of the market and government levies.</li> </ul>I thought about doing something like that for my own campaign a few years ago, but realized my players would just end up sacking the town. They have no problems fighting flying fire-breathing 50-foot long lizards, but they'll go nuts if I tell them that carrying a waterskin is illegal in a town because it might contain alchemist's fire...</blockquote>

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