When anyone discusses Kalamar or Kalamar products, it always seems to me that there are two categories of gamers: ones who want ready-made conflicts and situations; and those who want a setting for conflicts and situations they create. The former will be disappointed, while the latter will usually be very pleased. Those who want hackfests ready to go 'out of the box' will wonder where the blood and gore is, those who just want a setting for their own encounters will be happy.
There are tons of things that could happen in Geanavue to suit any style of play but you, as DM, need to make them happen. They didn't create a guide to a conflict-in-progress. They created a highly detailed city. You can add conflict and there are certainly plenty of opportunities to do so.
Geanavue is peaceful and lawful (for the most part), but without even creating a conflict or disaster this makes it a very dangerous place for adventurers - the general population does not welcome them. I thought this was very clear. It's usually a safe city for the baker or the locksmith, the milkmaid or the serving wench. But who plays a milkmaid in D&D?
It states right from the beginning in the words of a local guardsman - "It's coming. Sooner or later we'll have a street battle, or half a street set ablaze, or pillage and butchery from one end of an inn to the other, and then the Lord's hand will come down and we'll hunt adventurers for a time. Mark my words: It's coming."
Then there are places like the Door of Dreams, a vast labyrinth of a place kind of like the Cantina from Star Wars mixed with the seediest D&D inn ever mixed with Moulin Rouge mixed with brothel and assassin's guild - right in the middle of the city. A former noble manor of twisting halls and secret passages where evil clerics hold secret meetings; headless ghosts roam the halls with messages, perhaps from the gods, nestled in the mouths of their decapitated heads; dark deals are made on a regular basis? It makes me wonder what the original poster is complaining about. I could make a long series of adventures just off this one oasis of lawlessness in a lawful city. This is a place where people go to lose themselves in decadence, but only the foolhardy go unarmed; where noble lords wear ornate masks to hide their identities while hiring mercenaries and hooded cloaks are rented by the night to those who want to keep a low profile. This is a place with harlots, dancers, acrobats, music and festivity. But this is a place where it states that there are rumors of magot-ridden bodies falling out of hiding onto unsuspecting guests. This is a place in the middle of this so-called 'boring' city.
I'm only part of the way through this supplement and although everything looks Smurf Village at first glance I'm constantly thinking "This could get ugly. Very ugly. Very quick."
Dark and evil faiths are trying to establish a presence in the city. It would make the perfect first strike for Kalamar expansion into the Bay area. Fire Giants roam the mountains and foothills. Undead lords hold dominion over neighboring cities. Sewers and secret passages lead everywhere, it seems at times. The current heir to the throne is not ready, even Lord Haar admits that, and there are wolves at the door waiting to take his place. The nearby shipping port is corrupt. Did I mention I've only gotten part way through the sourcebook? Where, exactly, is this lack of conflict - this 'blandness'? It seems like a great place to base a campaign to me.
I guess I'm at a loss to see where such a place is bland, unexciting or doesn't having anything of interest or challenge for adventurers.
