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I guess this could apply to any D&D town, but I'm looking for some of the little tips and cheats y'all use to bring Sandpoint alive for your players.
I was thinking of having a list of social vignettes prepared that I could just drop into any other encounter as a way of adding depth. For example, if the PCs need to see the sheriff, I can have a paragraph describing how the deputy tells them he's over at the Pixie's Kitten. While the players are welcome to draw their own conclusions, he's actually visiting Kaye there.
I've also started working up a simple chart to keep posted on the back of my DM's screen listing all the NPCs by occupation with notes on what they think of each other.
Any other simple tricks you guys have used to add some dimension to your PCs' time in Sandpoint?
I've been trying to keep at least the broad strokes of the various NPCs in my mind, and I made particular note of which characters were sought out by the PCs most often. I noticed, for example, that they seemed to be interacting with "generic watchman" a lot, so I named all twelve along with a brief phrase of characterization for each. Then I drew up the watch schedule, so at leat I know who's on duty when.
I think that it's all about the NPCs. You're on the right track, and now it's just a matter of internalizing what all those people are like.
I had the player tell me where the PCs were eating every single meal: food was important in sketching out the town for us. They felt most at home with Risa and her daughters, and this brought in a lot of cultural stuff (the PCs were *very* Varisian). Ameiko kept trying to lure them to her place.
The PCs felt there was a connection between recent events and the Late Unpleasantness, and deduced that the noble families were involved, so I did a lot of detail on those. Mvashti had an ex-apprentice in the shipbuilding family who became an important contact for the PCs.
I had some named guards too, though not all of them like tbug; they come up a lot. The PCs definitely remember Peetie and his kids.
Having people learn to recognize and react to the PCs is important: we had chats with the bridge-guards on many occasions as they pumped the PCs for news and rumors. Then when the PCs were under suspicion in Skinsaw, they had friends among the guards who wouldn't hear anything bad said of them.
Don't feel you have to characterize everyone. Look for people the PCs seem to connect to, and flesh out those areas particularly. Otherwise a town this size is a bit overwhelming. I never did much with the Szcarni, for example; they just didn't come up. But there were plenty of other things going on.
Mary
I've been trying to keep at least the broad strokes of the various NPCs in my mind, and I made particular note of which characters were sought out by the PCs most often. I noticed, for example, that they seemed to be interacting with "generic watchman" a lot, so I named all twelve along with a brief phrase of characterization for each. Then I drew up the watch schedule, so at leat I know who's on duty when.
I think that it's all about the NPCs. You're on the right track, and now it's just a matter of internalizing what all those people are like.
You should type up and post that list, a few of us might want to steal it.
I used a few of the colourful characters as reoccurring encounters, the half-orc dung collector (who's name escapes me at the moment) tried to start a fight on the pretty boy sorcerer in the hagfish, got charmed and has now become his best buddy in the world. His cries of "mate" make that character want to dive for cover.
One of my tricks is to hold up the map of sandpoint as they move from one location to another and move my finger along the map, while describing the places and people they see.
"You walk past the garrison, and notice Sheriff Hemlock leaving the building. He nods as he walks past."
"You see Sable shaking the dust out a bright blue rug as you near the glassworks."
etc..
And have people interact with the PC's even when there is no story reason to do so.
For example: Have an NPC come up the party and start talking to them, but have him interrupted mid sentence by another NPC who comes up and starts talking to him , ignoring the PC's, then starts pulling the NPC off down the street abruptly while gesturing wildly.
The PC's are so used to being the center of the world, little reminders that they are not can be very useful.
Give the PCs people to like and people who dont like them. That way, when they soundly kick their arses, they can crow about it for the rest of the campaign. A nemesis is really a great way to bring the inner RPer out of a player.
QFT
Along these lines, if the PC's feel how their actions create ripples in Sandpoint or any place, they should create more interest than places that will blatantly ignore the presence of the PC's despite any actions they make.
One of my tricks is to hold up the map of sandpoint as they move from one location to another and move my finger along the map, while describing the places and people they see.
I did something similar, except that I made them choose their routes. (Everyone had their own copy of the map, so they could just tell me street names.) They soon learned which buildings scared them (since I have a party full of cowards) and thus which streets to avoid. They finally got so sick of avoiding Deverin Hosk that they damaged his stable.
One of my tricks is to hold up the map of sandpoint as they move from one location to another and move my finger along the map, while describing the places and people they see.I did something similar, except that I made them choose their routes. (Everyone had their own copy of the map, so they could just tell me street names.) They soon learned which buildings scared them (since I have a party full of cowards) and thus which streets to avoid. They finally got so sick of avoiding Deverin Hosk that they damaged his stable.
Yeah, I do that. I ask them which way they are going to go before doing what I describe above. They are really learning the town ..
One of my tricks is to hold up the map of sandpoint as they move from one location to another and move my finger along the map, while describing the places and people they see.
Y'know, this seems like kind of a no-brainer, but until you mentioned doing it I hadn't even thought of that approach.
My group's game time is very valuable, so I don't know if I could spend the time to do every building, but it certainly sounds worthwhile to give a description of each street they walk along.
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In my previous World of Darkness game I opened every session with three vignettes, set to music (I used 'Nothing Else Matters' by Apocalyptica; it became a sort of theme song for the game). These were small scenes showing pieces of the NPC's lives that would normally be off camera. It was especially effective as a way to show the players the impact their PCs had on the world around them.
If I were to do the same for Sandpoint, I'd do it from the perspective of a bird looking through windows.
- Ven Vinder with his head in his hands, weeping, his wife in the corner, holding her face.
- The girls of the Pixie's Kitten holding a silent prayer to Sheylin before opening for business.
- Ameiko kneeling in the drawing room of the Kaijitsu estate, playing a solemn song on a koto.
It's a very metagame tool, but it's powerful. Players are rapt when done well.
In my previous World of Darkness game I opened every session with three vignettes, set to music (I used 'Nothing Else Matters' by Apocalyptica; it became a sort of theme song for the game).
Mm. I like! I should try that for my next game.
Mary
You should type up and post that list, a few of us might want to steal it.
Can do. It's a little long, so I'll put it behind a cut.
2. Ileana Magravi (neice of Risa Magravi, only Varisian guard)
3. Jubal Nakrimor (m. Chelaxian, desperate for a promotion)
4. Kilana Hamdrelba (f. Chelaxian, particularly hates the Sczarni)
5. Lance Hurn (m. Chelaxian, has hay fever and works indoors whenever possible)
6. Merin Vargil (f. Chelaxian, single mom of twin 9-year-olds)
7. Nilly Ancera (f. Chelaxian, became a guard after the Chopper killed her dad)
8. Olhart Zemca (m. Chelaxian, not an animal person)
9. Paltero Banngar (m. Chelaxian, likes beer a little too much)
10. Quera Yngar (f. Chelaxian, a bit of a human supremacist)
11. Rip Charg (m. Chelaxian, unrequited crush on Hazgan)
12. Silver Enda (f. Chelaxian, newest guard hired, only 17 years old)
Sunday morning: Jubal, Kilana, Quera
Sunday day: Ileana, Merin, Silver
Sunday evening: Hazgan, Lance, Olhart
Moonday morning: Jubal, Nilly, Quera
Moonday day: Belor, Ileana, Merin
Moonday evening: Hazgan, Patero, Rip
Toilday morning: Jubal, Nilly, Quera
Toilday day: Belor, Ileana, Merin
Toilday evening: Hazgan, Patero, Rip
Wealday morning: Kilana, Nilly, Quera
Wealday day: Belor, Ileana, Olhart, Silver
Wealday evening: Lance, Patero, Rip
Oathday morning: Kilana, Nilly, Silver
Oathday day: Belor, Ileana, Merin, Olhart
Oathday evening: Lance, Patero, Rip
Fireday morning: Jubal, Kilana, Nilly
Fireday day: Belor, Olhart, Silver
Fireday evening: Hazgan, Lance, Patero
Starday morning: Jubal, Kilana, Quera
Starday day: Merin, Olhart, Silver
Starday evening: Hazgan, Lance, Rip
You should type up and post that list, a few of us might want to steal it.Can do. It's a little long, so I'll put it behind a cut.
** spoiler omitted **
Consider that "yoinked" and accept my gratitude.
You should type up and post that list, a few of us might want to steal it.Can do. It's a little long, so I'll put it behind a cut.
** spoiler omitted **
I must "yoink" this as well - many thanks tbug!!
Your Friendly Neighborhood Dalesman
"Bringing Big D**n Justice to the Bad Guys Since 1369 DR"
My pleasure!
thanks also from me, minutes before we game tonight
You should type up and post that list, a few of us might want to steal it.Can do. It's a little long, so I'll put it behind a cut.
** spoiler omitted **
Many thanks and many, many.......
Yoinks!!!
Thanks Tbug and to every one infact for making the pathfinder game so magnificent!
The immense number of "Yoinks" I've done on these forums is tremendous.
It just goes to show how strong the support is for this campaign setting.
DW
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I guess this could apply to any D&D town, but I'm looking for some of the little tips and cheats y'all use to bring Sandpoint alive for your players.
Create bonds. It's the best thing ever.
For example, one of my players had a childhood friend he had beqaten up and felt bad about. I named him. As it turned out...
One of my players wanted to be a foundling...so i had him grow up in the Academy.
Ameiko purchased the Rusty Dragon before the campaign started from the retired parents of one of the characters.
Stuff liek this was golden opportunity for roleplaying and concern later on.
-DM Jeff
My take was different. I made the mayor and the sheriff corupt, and made the whole town a little crazy. (I moddled it after the town in the movie "Hot Fuzz". A place that looks like small town USA, but it's a facade that hides a very dark insanity. By the end the PC have replaced the mayor and the sheriff and are now running the town with the help of several NPCs that I've had traveling with them. (In my set up, the PCs are outsiders comming in from an unfriendly area working as spys for the leaders.) One of the PCs in now Sheriff and a friendly NPC is now mayor. (This was achieved with some well placed charm spells in conjunction to the whole heros of sandpoint angle after the goblin raid.
One of the other things that I always do with a city is scrap most of the NPCs and replace them with unnatural creatures, goblinoids, and disguised monsters. I always hate the breakdown of human and demihumans in a game when there are so many creatures that can be intedrated into society. I also don't make them all blood thirsty monsters. I see survival in a humanoid dominated world requiring a certain tact.
I took one goblin clan and made them on friendly terms with the town (The clan that raids junkers point), the I put the owner of "Goblin Squash stables as the head of a anti goblin equivilent of the KKK. It added a dynamic of tension in the town, especially since one member of the group is a kobold.
I guess I have a problem with things being "Normal".
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When my PCs headed to the glassworks they were shadowed by a gang of kids who copied them (toy bows, sticks tucked into belts like swords, waving arms about going "Kazam!", one even had a trinket from his parents shelf thst looked like a holy symbol and kept on doing his "serious face" to be like the party cleric).
They had a hard time shoo-ing the kids away, but were very glad to have kept them from the factory.
When my PCs headed to the glassworks they were shadowed by a gang of kids who copied them (toy bows, sticks tucked into belts like swords, waving arms about going "Kazam!", one even had a trinket from his parents shelf thst looked like a holy symbol and kept on doing his "serious face" to be like the party cleric).
They had a hard time shoo-ing the kids away, but were very glad to have kept them from the factory.
I'm so sealing this idea! Thanks
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I'm so sealing this idea! ThanksWhen my PCs headed to the glassworks they were shadowed by a gang of kids who copied them (toy bows, sticks tucked into belts like swords, waving arms about going "Kazam!", one even had a trinket from his parents shelf thst looked like a holy symbol and kept on doing his "serious face" to be like the party cleric).
They had a hard time shoo-ing the kids away, but were very glad to have kept them from the factory.
LOL...yeah, me too!
Every time I think I am doing okay as a DM, I read one of these forums and realize how far I have to go.
Any of you great DM's live in Miami so I can play in your game???
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I'm so sealing this idea! ThanksWhen my PCs headed to the glassworks they were shadowed by a gang of kids who copied them (toy bows, sticks tucked into belts like swords, waving arms about going "Kazam!", one even had a trinket from his parents shelf thst looked like a holy symbol and kept on doing his "serious face" to be like the party cleric).
They had a hard time shoo-ing the kids away, but were very glad to have kept them from the factory.
That Idea is awesome and doesn't even have to be sandpoint specific. Totally gonna use it.
When I ran SCAP several years ago, I did an ingame newspaper and am doing the same for RotRL. I named it the Sandpoint Clarion, and I publish it at least once usually twice a chapter. I use it to introduce new game material, drop hooks, red herrings, etc. The players actually look forward to it, and get a pit preterbed when a new edition takes to long.
The game itself gives DM's a great opportunity to have the PC's get around town when they become sherriff for a few days. I had 3 events where they had to respond to citizen complaints before I ran the Glassworks events. I had a lost pet, a domestic disturbance, and a bar fight.
One of the hardest parts I found was handling Lord Foxglove. It's tricky to try and push him just far enough without going too far. You want to work him until you just get that tingle up their spine, then have him fade out fast. In my group, I had the benefit of two female PCs to work with. He fell hard for the Druid. I had an easy in because her firepelt companion got dandered by the goblin dog in Die, Dog, Die! Aldern helped her get her companion back to the Rusty Dragon and offered up some salves to help with the itching. It earned him instant points, and a bit of poetic flattery helped too. "It was really quite grand the way you all lept into the fray there." Turning to look at the PC in question, "When you swung your scimitar, it was like you were holding Sarenrae's cresent in your hand, and you swung it with the grace of Desna."
Through the boar hunt, the rest of the players started to get fed up, but the PC Aldern was fixated on was embarassed to have his attentions. Nobody complained too loudly though because they'd all been given horses. The moment that I got the chill up her spine was when Ameiko hesitantly informed her that Aldern had requested that she draw the PC a bath on his bill. Complete with scented oils and flowers floating in the water. Shortly after this, Aldern had to be away. It seems to have had the perfect effect. You need to lock him in there mind, then have him vanish so they don't figure out what's up immediately at the start of #2.
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I spent the first session working with the town, mostly by accident. After the battle, the heroes were soaking up a lot of the local color and characters. We are almost done with book four right now and some of the npcs have been showing up and showing up. For instance.
My paladin of Iomedae lives at the cathedral and has become friends with Father Zantus.
The party's cleric was killed in the end of book 1 and I replaced him with an npc priest in book three. NPC priest had been helping the characters with research for book 3 had joined them.
My mage character formed a relationship with Sheleylou (who is now pregnant).
I have a couple townspeople who hired them for various things, my bard works at the two deer / doe tavern. Lord Foxglove was easy. no women characters so he was most impressed with the magcian's power. That particular thread has continued. The mage inherited the townhouse in magnimar which has lead to some side stories.
ALSO when players cant all show up, I solo with the player that is around. Essentially we roleplay their past or recent past. The magician has benefited most from this so his brother and friends have worked into it. He has also crossed paths with servents of other Runelords who are trying to rise. I think I have made the story larger than it should be, but the characters love it and I can't stop trying tofigure out whats next. They keep saying they don't want to stop after Book 6, so I am working out a way to send the characters that survive back in time to fight the runelords originally, but I don't know yet.
One of the hardest parts I found was handling Lord Foxglove.
My party rogue developed a physical relationship with him, but since they've moved into the dungeon crawl portion he has fallen off the map so to speak. I will need to have him make a small cameo before the chapter ends with out casting to much suspicion his way.
It should be really fun when we get to Skinsaw!
I just have to say that I am very impressed with this board there are some great ideas that I will be using and level of polite and friendly discourse is very refreshing. thanks for all the great ideas
I have a problem Houston.
I am running Burnt Offerings and had desired to have some more "deputy sheriff" work for the heroes to engage in while Sheriff Hemlock is off to Magnimar being denied reinforcements.
My thought is that Sandpoint is known for smugglers. And I figured that I would have the local Customs Agent tap the party for some assistance in checking out a shady merchant. The merchant captain is a Varisian named Rirdas Triermi. He has a sixty-foot caravel called the Wind of Desna which he captains for the Androssi Costermonger Group of Magnimar. This is all well and good.
But I got to thinking, what would one smuggle in and around Sandpoint. Talking with Tbug we concluded that such smugglers would probably be looking to avoid Magnimaran shipping and entry duties. That makes sense as Sandpoint is ostensibly a colony of Magnimar. I was doing some further research to determine what exactly one might smuggle in this area when I got to reading the Magnimar section of Skinsaw Murders. I read the following:
First and foremost a trade city, Magnimar owes its prosperity
to the countless foreign merchants who readily make use
of the city’s reputedly safe and free port. Enforcing no taxes
on harborage or imports, the city welcomes business from all
lands and makes the bounty of Varisia available for trade.
Am I missing something here?
From reading this, Magnimar doesn't impose any import tariffs or duties. So...where do the smugglers come from? Now it could be that smugglers are transporting illegal goods -- but I'm not entirely sure what those would be either. From the sound of things, there aren't many things that are illegal in Magnimar.
If anyone has some ideas, please let me know.
Thanks.
CJ
Hrmm... very good question.
The first thought in my mind is Thassalonian relics. Perhaps these are simply not allowed to be traded. The Varisian Council in Magnimar has pushed through legislation that prohibits the trade or sale of these relics that they see as the birthright of their people (mistakenly thinking they are the decendants of the Thassalonians rather than just the working class members of that society).
It would also give you a chance to forshadow the Thassalonian links as well, like the sehidron rune, etc.
Sean Mahoney
[Tread Derail] To bring Sandpoint Alive? I would suggest a Mass Resurection ritual. [/Thread Derail]
I am new to this setting and have not read a ton about Magnimar but what about slaves esp, young women for brothels or children for sweat shops always good to arouse the PCs' righteous indignation. Just a thought.
Also after deciding to steal the idea about about the troop of kids emulating the pc's I was reading Skinsaw and decided that they would also make a great and very socking hook to drag the PCs into the murders. besides no one can be more selfish and greedy than a spoiled child. what do you think too far?
Hrmm... very good question.
The first thought in my mind is Thassalonian relics. Perhaps these are simply not allowed to be traded. The Varisian Council in Magnimar has pushed through legislation that prohibits the trade or sale of these relics that they see as the birthright of their people (mistakenly thinking they are the decendants of the Thassalonians rather than just the working class members of that society).
It would also give you a chance to forshadow the Thassalonian links as well, like the sehidron rune, etc.
Sean Mahoney
This just seems a little blatant/obvious from a story point of view.
I think that perhaps the editors were asleep at the switch and didn't take things to their logical conclusion. If Sandpoint has historically been home to smugglers (as evidenced by the tunnels under the city), there had to have been a reason and something to smuggle. Clearly when the first module was written, that writer had something in mind. Second module, new writer, Magnimar became a place where duties and import fees don't exist.
Presumably there is some law around the city-states, otherwise the Hellknights wouldn't have anything to do. And it isn't like Magnimar is a lawless place. For the purposes of my campaign I'm going to temper the "free port" idea for Magnimar somewhat. Yes they don't charge import duties or fees -- but that is only to traders licensed by the Magnimar Merchant League (or somesuch). They don't necessarily take a cut of a merchant trader's profits -- but they do charge a fee for the license and presumably also track what is shipped in. The license fees might change from season to season and merchant to merchant depending upon who has bribed the Merchant League the most...
"Yes, I'm sorry Mr. Merchant, to unload that brassware you now need a Yellow-Five License. You only have a Blue-Five License, and therefore you are already at your raw tonnage limit. Yes, sir, I'm sorry sir. It is 250gp for the Yellow-Five License. Thankyouverymuch."
Some merchants by their very nature don't want to muck with the licensing fees. Some merchants also don't want to give the Merchants League that much information/leverage to manipulate and control the markets. Hence there would be a need for smugglers willing to move things through other ports illicitly and then move it overland to markets.
Magnimar might also place a duty on goods passing through the city bound for towns up the Yondabakari River further inland. Sandpoint and Magnimar are pretty much the only ports (on the map) along the coast of Varisia between Roderic's Cove (near Riddleport) and Palin's Cove (within spitting distance of Korvosa).
As such I'm going to go with luxury goods and perhaps alchemical/herbal substances that have a high yield for their weight.
CJ
This just seems a little blatant/obvious from a story point of view.
My experience has been that players miss many of the clues that are put out to foreshadow things for them. So I tend to increase the amount of foreshadowing available and hope they get some of it (seems to work pretty well). Too often DMs have all these great things going on in their heads and it never gets conveyed to their PCs. I see this as one more opportunity for a good game.
If you don't see this a good thing in your campaign though, no sweat.
Sean Mahoney
This just seems a little blatant/obvious from a story point of view.My experience has been that players miss many of the clues that are put out to foreshadow things for them. So I tend to increase the amount of foreshadowing available and hope they get some of it (seems to work pretty well). Too often DMs have all these great things going on in their heads and it never gets conveyed to their PCs. I see this as one more opportunity for a good game.
If you don't see this a good thing in your campaign though, no sweat.
Sean Mahoney
I'm totally there with you Sean. I have plenty of dull-ish un-clue'd players. Your point is well taken. I may just mix in a box of "strange antiquities" in with the other illicit goods.
CJ
Also, if I recall from the book correctly, Sandpoint used to have a smuggling problem.
The tunnels under the glassworks are "abandoned" but the proprietor evidently still has Sczarni ties.
Maybe Magnimar once had more stringent import laws and tariffs, but repealed them in the last decade to distance the city from Korvosan policy.
Of course, that does you no good as an adventure hook, but it does help to rectify the paradox!
Part of the duties of the law enforcement establishment in Sandpoint is to serve as agents for the Magnimar Customs Service. With Sheriff Hemlock taking several watchmen and deputies with him to Magnimar – the customs agents are terribly understaffed and overworked. Barwell Sidgarn is the lead customs agent (so he doesn’t appear in the Town Watch Rotation). He sends Lance Hurn, who is currently assisting him, to find the heroes and summon them to the Customs Wharf (dock closest to the Sandpoint Mercantile #40).
Moored to the wharf is the sixty-foot caravel, Wind of Desna. The owner and operator of this vessel is the Androssi Costermonger Group of Magnimar. The ship’s captain (and pilot) is a Varisian named Rirdas Triermi. Barwell suspects that Rirdas has been engaged in smuggling, but he can’t prove anything. He is hoping the by having the new heroes poke into things they will jostle something loose.
I just added a town crier.
Really great for bludgeoning your PC over the head with certain choice bits of info.
I just added a town crier.
Really great for bludgeoning your PC over the head with certain choice bits of info.
'zonk. Consider that grabbed.
I'm running Burnt Offerings this weekend. Anyone have any tidbit conversations to be over heard by players?
I'm working on a spreadsheet for my game of small bits of information...