Liadon Xiloscient Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 So I'm trying to make a fully and colorful world for my players to exist in and I'd like to set a few different plots around each area that way coming up with quests wont be all that challenging on the spot. Right now I'm working on a Major City, the Port City of Arcadia. Beside the capital city of the lands, this city is the MOST traveled and it is the main hub where all business happens. More or less, it's "America's New York". Some notes on what I have planned so far (concrete ideas): -it is EXTREMELY well guarded but the populace is so large it is also as equally difficult to keep it maintained. -Crime rates are high, and it is also the main hub for black market trades. -There is more than one market district, but there is a primary market district which is directly placed around the docks and ports. The inspiration for the time period is gothic-neo victorian, yet ALL magics and weapons are still available and firearms are also being used within my world... I'm looking for idea's of all kinds, and this is going to be my first world to have been created. The primary goal is to allow my world to be able to be played with heavy RP but on the same token to have it so RP doesn't have to push along the plot. Another thing I'd like is for combat to be extremely heavy but not so much that players that prefer RP to be completely bored. So to balance it out, I was thinking about having races that could speak so they could talk trash to one another, and maybe on a rare chance talk themselves out of fighting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raargant Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 Ever play 'Arcanum'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enethier Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 City chase quests are always fun, and they give the rogues other sneaky/acrobatic types something they can flourish in. Example: A novice pickpocket by the name of ______ attempts to steal gold from Party Members, each one rolling a spot check to notice his hand int heir coinpurse. The DC should only be 10, he's a novice after all. Once spotted, the pickpocket sprints off towards the market district. To prevent people from just rampaging through the city, make it known that if they break it, they buy it. So the party will then have to balance collateral damage with their objective, something that is rarely seen in most campaigns, but is vitally important to remember. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mali Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 The blackmarket depends on an underground tunnel system. There are different levels of tunnels. The top level is accessible through the sewer system and known about by thugs and thieves. The ghetto-fabulous crime organizations, slave runners, and spice smugglers use this layer. It is also a pathway to the thieves guild. Your characters should get robbed here or face extortion to do some quest deeper in the tunnels. Deeper, there are feral dogs and other creatures such as owl-bears and hobgoblins. There are some trashy animal layers but also rooms that appear to be very nicely preserved, with red linens and oil lamps, like some aristocrats escape route (these tunnels could link up near the keep). Some of these tunnels lead out of the city. Even deeper, and perhaps blocked through an old iron gate or a rockfall, there are cave like labrynths, umber-hulks and mindflayers, and you have entered the underdark. There might even be a dragons lair, and drow patrols. There are rooms with strange science and artifacts. There are pit traps, and there are tentacles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mali Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 Nothing is at it seems in the city. A circus performer may be a great wizard. A beautiful maiden may be the royal's assassin. A street thief may be the key to solving the mystery and winning glory. A dnd game should not be entirely open ended, and I suggest you approach a 'mission' style type of play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cephirus Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 I agree with Mali on the mission style of play, in my experience it is the most effective and actually helps the players feel like they are making some progression instead of just sandboxing. Some people really enjoy the sandbox feel and getting into random stuff and can run well with it, but I think you really should base it on the players that are playing. It is all well and good to have a really open world, but if they are not exploring it, or really vested in its exploration, there is no incentive and drive to explore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Implementor Volgathras Posted February 22, 2011 Implementor Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 This sounds a lot like The Longest Journey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liadon Xiloscient Posted February 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 Well I think maybe a Compromise, many of my players are relatively new, one however has been my DM for as long as I've ever played. She was the one suggesting I try to make my own world and DMing. (part of it I'm sure is that she loves to play as much as DMing. On a mini adventure I have played the DM to test out a dungeon in her world. Then a little quest in my own. In any case, I'll have "sandbox" area's while the rest of the world is pretty much scripted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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