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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rel" data-source="post: 2626177" data-attributes="member: 99">Much of the standard stuff has been covered but you should consider how "standard" you want your game to be.  I'm not looking down on covering the basics but after a while I've done the "quiet little village" thing a lot and I look to put a new twist or three on the whole scenario.  What if...1) The blacksmith in town does NOT make or carry weapons.  It isn't that he doesn't know how (in fact rumor has it that he used to be a sword maker of reknown) but the Baron is concerned about peasant uprisings and has issued a prohibition on those who are not members of the nobility or guard carrying "real weapons".  Clubs, "walking sticks" (quarterstaves) and "skinning knives" (daggers) are fine as are short bows for hunting but swords and spears and crossbows are forbidden in the hands of civilians.2) This puts the PC's in the position of perhaps seeking a spot in the Town Guard as a way of legitimizing their carrying of weapons.  It also gives you a way to insert some other interesting PC's (maybe another recruit who's always getting into trouble or a nasty "drill sergeant" type of guard captain).  And it gives you a way to add some "time passes" sequences ("You spend the next couple weeks doing drills and making repairs to the aging town walls").3) Go ahead and put in a "sagely old man" (or woman) who might be able to tell the PC's a thing or two about the local history or perhaps the history of a (Masterwork or Magical) weapon they find.  But don't put anybody who can Identify anything beyond a Potion.4) Instead have a Treant and Dryad living in the forest together.  The Treant has a few levels of Druid and the Dryad knows a little sorcery.  Their arrangement with the town is "You don't cut too many trees and we'll keep the crops growing well."  The townsfolk have always respected this arrangement keeping their farms small but productive but they fear the "Guardians of the Wood".  It is said that they know more magic than anybody though and if the PC's want to find out what the magical figurine does, they'll have to visit them or go to "the big city".  The Guardians might ask the PC's to fix a problem for them (confront a rogue band of lumberjacks?) in exchange for IDing their stuff or offering healing.5) Instead of a single Temple, make sure you have at least two and even if (or particularly if) they represent similar alignments have them struggling over the gathering of worshipers.  Have them standing on the steps of the temple calling out to passers by to "Come embrace the light of Pelor!  No tithe for the first year!" and stuff like that.I think you get the idea of what I'm saying.  You don't necessarily have to put a twist on every one of the "basics" but I think adding a few of these in would lend a certain novelty to what you're doing.  Good luck and have fun.</blockquote>

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