Papers, Please (Requesting help to build a short module)

[GM 8574]

I'm inspired by Lucas Pope's great game, and am interested in creating a short one or two session-length module where the PCs are gate guards determining if someone enters the city, gets denied entry, or is detained. Would love to collaborate on this with others, if anyone is interested.

Who comes to the gate?

What do the PCs do to investigate possible entrants?

Where does it take place (I like Golarion, but that's not required)?

What emotional quandries can we place the players in?

Thoughts? Thanks! :)

[Tacticslion]

dot

[DominusMegadeus]

Hellknights the world over just had a lawgasm. Stamping hands getting itchy, feeling that bureaucratic rush... Aww girl yes...

[GM 8574]

DominusMegadeus wrote:

Hellknights the world over just had a lawgasm. Stamping hands getting itchy, feeling that bureaucratic rush... Aww girl yes...

I know, right? I feel like using Fort Inevitable from the Emerald Spire would be a great thing, just for the fact that it's already laid out.

[GM 8574]

I think one of the bigger challenges would be around the papers themselves. What do identification papers look like in various parts of Golarion? I know that Eberron had described something about this at one point.

[Brad McDowell]

My first thought is to split the city into 2. "City Proper" anyone can get in, even commoners. The "Inner Keep" however, only allows those of noble birth, or militia, or city guard, etc...those that would have papers.

Then, I thought that the city could be split into many districts. Also...don't forget about "Order of the Day." Maybe nobles are allowed into a certain district as a standing order, but because of a conspiracy, now all of a sudden nobles need to be "more thoroughly" searched.

[lemeres]

DominusMegadeus wrote:

Hellknights the world over just had a lawgasm. Stamping hands getting itchy, feeling that bureaucratic rush... Aww girl yes...

Bellflower tillers, eagle knights, all varieties of assassins and thieves, barbarians, opera singing bards, escaped halfling slaves, rovagug cultists, and much much more.

[GM 8574]

I'm liking the way the "Papers, Please" only makes you responsible for several hours each day, rather than the full 24 hour segment. I figure that each day should be a series of encounters, some interesting, some boring, but each making the player wonder, "Did I really check everything that I'm supposed to on this person?"

Add in penalties to their pay for allowing the wrong person or denying the wrong person, and being strict on the cost of living (## GP or SP / Day) and it also becomes about resource management.

The other version of this game would be modeled on "Yes, Your Grace", an upcoming game that just got Kickstarted that focuses on kingdom rulership.

More thoughts coming.

[Fencer_guy]

Gate into the City or how about a Gate into different section of the city. Like a gate guard to the Noble area. Then two of the could patrol the area and roll perception for a rouge or two. Or they could be bribed to look the other way. What about if the caught the last part of an assassination plot and maybe they saw the assassin?