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Hi all,
I'm GMing RotR and we're just past the Glassworks in RotR. I'm finding the work to sufficiently flesh out Sandpoint quite a burden. But I really want to "bring it to life" rather than simply leave it as a 2D backdrop to the story.
The community content provided here has been immensely useful, but not quite enough.
I've read that there is Sandpoint related content in the first part of Jade Regent. Is it worth buying that just for the parts that might be useful in RotR?
Any other Paizo products I could look into? (already have the Inner Sea Guide and the free RotR/Varisia players guides.
Any other suggestions to help me fill out my depiction of the town?
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Brinewall Legacy only has rudimentary information, probably not worth picking up with the exception of some write-ups of notables and additional information. Most of it you can find on the wiki. There is an article on the Hinterlands around Sandpoint, but it won't help you much with Sandpoint itself.
For running the Adventure Path itself, I would suggest picking up Varisia: Birthplace of Legend Player Companion. It will help immensely.
For making Sandpoint a thriving community, I would suggest taking a little time having encounters with different NPCs around town. Sabyl Sorn is seen doing simple carpentry outside the House of Blue Stones... The Alverin twins call out to the PCs to buy some fresh breads... Rynvynn Povali suggests a PC come by for a change of style, some new threads... Gorvi smacks the behind of a female PC, showing a toothy grin and a wink...
Little things go a long way. The trick is not to rush to finish the adventure... take a little time. Especially before you start the Skinsaw Murders.
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It's odd - my experience has been the opposite. My players are getting a bit bored with the expository stuff and are craving more action. To the point that they believe that the background must somehow be significant to the plot. They think Chopper is behind the goblins, and he may be hiding in Foxglove manor...
Some things that I have found useful:
The festival. I embellished the activities to do a bit more foreshadowing. I also had the Hagfish owner bring some of Nora's water to his table. Stuff like that.
I made the festival mark 'end of the late unpleasantness', which has my group feeling that another shoe is about to drop.
Sheriff Hemlock doesn't trust them and doesn't really have time for them. So when 'do gooder' stuff happens, it's a double opportunity.
They have had dealings with a number of merchants in town, and I name drop as much as possible. So I use specific shop names and NPC names, even if I have to 'er um' a bit and flip to the back of the book.
Speaking of - is it possible you don't have the full location-based writeup that's in the appendix of the AE? Maybe you're using the classic version of Burnt Offerings or something? (Just guessing)
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McBobbo brings up a good point. Know your players, know what kind of gaming that they like. A bunch of my players are tired of the grind, and wanted something different.
Regardless, there needs to be a connection that the PCs can make to the NPCs of the town. They don't need to like everyone, but four or five NPCs could make all the difference in the world.
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Yeah, I think they only need to care that the town survives, etc. They don't necessarily need to love their time there. Remember, almost nothing in Burnt Offerings has a key role within the metaplot, including Sandpoint. You could, for example, use a town of your own design instead and it would only require a handful of changes to the overall arc.
...I would suggest taking a little time having encounters with different NPCs around town...
Excellent suggestions, thank you.
Speaking of - is it possible you don't have the full location-based writeup that's in the appendix of the AE? Maybe you're using the classic version of Burnt Offerings or something? (Just guessing)
I'm using the appendix of the AE a lot and it's really good stuff. It's just a bit dry, factual and densely written for me to draw from directly in play (& I have a memory like a sieve). It's also fairly shallow in the face of inquisitive players (which is not an indictment of the material - players do have that knack of being unpredictable).
I'm honestly a little surprised there isn't a 500 page sourcebook dedicated Sandpoint. I imagine that's because it has grown in different directions for every player group since it's inception, and setting one version in stone for everyone would be a creative misdeed of epic proportions.
I haven't checked out the player companion myself, but it's on my list of "should get this once I get some cash".
Regarding JR, I do own it and found that it has helped more for the key NPCs from Jade who live in or are from Sandpoint, most notably Ameiko and Shalelu. Jade gives you more information on their background, and helps flush them out as NPCs more. In our group, Jade has been our "backup" AP for when 2 of the players can't make it. So for the 3 players who are also doing Jade, it's been fun to drop hints as to "future" events which they've already accomplished, and at the same time foreshadow crossover events. We haven't had a Jade night since we started RotR (just a few weeks ago), but I'm planning on using Jade to also drop hints as to "past" events that will happen in RotR. My ultimate goal is to make my player's heads explode w/ the time warp ;)
One other source for this area is the comic books... they've included small gazetteers for Sandpoint and the Hinterlands, and I've used some of that information from that for side quests and such. Not having read the player companion, it could be that they are pulling info from that, but in any case it's been helpful to me.
I think the Sandpoint stuff at the back is really well done. It's got enough info to give plenty of ideas without being so much that it's overwhelming. A 500 page Sandpoint book would be exhausting.
My players don't tend to go out of there way to explore towns and chat with random NPCs. They generally like to focus on the adventure and don't really engage in "masturbatory rping." So for me bringing the town to life is a little challenging as well. I've just started the campaign and there's only so much you can cram into a session, so I try to find a good balance between action and rp. If I can introduce them to a couple of new NPCs in town each session they spend in town I'm happy.
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Still prepping for my own RotRL game. One thing I spent some time on to make Sandpoint come alive is listing out all of the streets in the Sandpoint Map, noting which shops and such are on each street, and then going through the description of Sandpoint making notes of who may be traveling where and why, and then added a few additional random encounters. The idea being that I'll have the PCs at start explore Sandpoint, let them walk into any random store, telling me which streets they are traveling down. I'll pick one or two from the list of scenarios, and if they choose to interact, the we'll have a small roleplaying encounter I'll cross out those that should only happen once, but some are regular occurrences that happen every day. And as we go, from time to time afterward, the PCs can walk around town as a little sandbox exercise, or I have some fluff to throw at them as they travel to Brodert's or the Rusty Dragon, or whatever.
For example:
High Street
Notable Places: Savah’s Armory (12)
Encounters:
* Wagons and travelers from hinterlands
* Savah Bevaniky traveling to/from Savah’s Armory (12)
* Adventurer traveling to/from Savah’s Armory (12)
* Das Korvut walking his large red mastiffs
* Children playing hopsquares chanting Das Korvut doggerel
* Gorvi or one of his boys pushing red wheelbarrow, collecting trash to take to (6)
* Mayor Kendra Deverin walking the town
* Wagon carrying product from Two Knight Brewery (39) to Inn/Tavern
* Hayliss Korvaski traveling to/from cathedral (1)
* someone riding a horse
* (After Swallowtail Only) A procession of worshippers crowds the street, singing hymns and bearing ceremonial icons and banners. They march to the Cathedral to conduct important ceremony.
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A good way to bring the town to like (and the game in general) is to use audio. My group uses a program called syrinscape which is an ambient sound program for RPGs. It's a nice but subtle touch for when you are in the town. You can hear the hustle and bustle of people going about their business, dog barking and morning birds.
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I created a handout for them with a few tidbits about some of the locations that would be of most interest to them
Places of interest in Sandpoint:
The town of Sandpoint was founded just over 40 years ago. It is built beside an ancient ruin known to Varisians as the “Old Light.” According to Varisian legend, what’s left of what once must have been a massive stone tower was once a lighthouse for a long lost civilization.
In addition to the places you have visited there are many other places of interest to adventurers in town:
The Feathered Serpent: This curiosity shop is a good place to start for anyone looking for minor magic items for sale.
Hannah’s (Herablist/Midwife): Hannah is a good person to see for medical care. She’s a skilled herbalist, but also a low level cleric of Gozreh (nature god).
Fatman’s Feedbag (Sandpoint’s most notorious tavern): A good place to make friends in low places and blow off steam cracking some skulls together.
Turandurok Accademy (orphanage and school): This school is run by a retired adventurer/wizard named Ilsoari Gandethus. He lives in the basement and has large collection of oddities that he keeps down there. He’s probably Sandpoint’s smartest fellow and is considered its resident wizard.
Madam Mvashti’s House (Varisian seer/fortune teller): Is the eldest woman in town. She’s a Varisian seer and fortune teller.
Bottled Solutions (Alchemy/Potion shop): A good place to buy minor potions and alchemical items.
Savah’s Armoury: A place where masterwork weapons and armor can be purchased and even the odd minor magical weapon or suite of armor.
Brodert Quink’s (Sage): A local historian and sage who is an expert on ancient cultures and has been studying the Old Light.
The House of Blue Stone: This place was built 10 years after Sandpoint was founded by a wandering monk, and it is now run by his daughter, Sabyl Sorn who is a monk and worshipper of Irori (the god of physical self-perfection and knowledge). She maintains a library of books and scrolls in the basement, but only followers of Irori are welcome.
The Curious Goblin (Bookshop): A good place for wizards looking for writing supplies.
Sandpoint Theatre: A very impressive theatre for a town (rivals those in Magnimar). It is run by a respected and talented bard named Cyrdak Drokkus.
I haven't checked out the player companion myself, but it's on my list of "should get this once I get some cash".
Where the player companion really helped me was with the map and travel times.
What is this player companion?
At first I thought it was the player's guide...but it's free so not sure how the first quote applies?
I think he means Varisia: Birthplace of Legends.
I think he means Varisia: Birthplace of Legends.
Hah...apparently I need to put points into reading comprehension. I see that Aeshuura had mentioned this in an earlier post. Thank you. :)
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When I ran Rise of the Runelords our party really became quite enmeshed with the citizens of Sandpoint. I ran a couple of subplots set in and around the town between Burnt Offerings and The Skinsaw Murders. This allowed the party to get to know the natives a bit better. They put trophies of monsters they killed on the wall of the Rusty Dragon, started to add shrines to their deities in the cathedral, held parties in the Hagfish and even got the local Sczarni thugs onside during the attack by the Stone Giants.
Once the party started to get a bit more famous Cyrdak started writing plays about them and was forever pestering them to star in them (to the point that the party sorceress became almost as famous for her performances on stage as for her adventuring!). When Cyrdak was killed later on in the Adventure Path they moved heaven and earth to find a way to raise him from the dead, if only to assuage the grief of Jasper.
It doesn't take much to get the party thinking of the town as home, just little things and interludes during down time really helps it come alive and makes a huge difference to the campaign on the whole.
One of my players won the purse from Norah's tank - and now stops in every time they are in town to get a mug with 'some of that water' added.
Given the popularity of the party in town I figured it has become a popular drink and so it now one of the best sellers :)
The nice thing about the town really is that the AP has a very serious lack of funds to start out with - but this is very balanced by the 'helpful townfolk' who really go out of their way to give the characters some nice stuff.
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Yeah, that is a problem I noticed, Ckorik. They really don't get any treasure until they explore the Glassworks, and law-abiding PCs would probably have problems taking some of the treasure there, since it's really Ameiko's. Mine sure did. The easiest solution? I had her extend a line of credit for saving her life equal to the amount of money they would have gotten for looting the place. That let them equip themselves to prepare for Erylium.
I think Stonk has a great suggestion.
I wrote in both random encounters with NPCs already in the book, plus created a few of my own. I also assigned minor storylines, or even possible combat, to a couple of them (like a pickpocket visiting for the Swallowtail Festival from Magnimar, or a possible story award for getting Ameiko and Cyrdak to make peace).
The NPCs in Sandpoint are very ready to go. To breathe life into them, give them all different personalities. Don't be afraid to model them after people you know, if that helps you. But remember that not every NPC has to love your PCs, and not every one has to be antagonistic. It's organic life ... let it develop where it goes.
Would you be willing to post all of your street notes? Or at least message or e-mail them?'tis 11 pages. I'll send you a PM. I could do a post per street for the general readership if that wouldn't constitute spamming.
I'd be interested in these as well!
And me, and me!
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Here are my street encounters. I have added a couple of generic entries from other sourcebooks, but most are from the Sandpoint descriptions in the Anniversary edition. I'll post a couple of streets per post. Numbers in parens are building #'s per the Sandpoint map.
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Bent Street
Notable Places: entrance to Cracktooth’s Tavern (18) Rear of Sandpoint Theatre (23)
Encounters:
Group of actors walking from (23) to (18)
Actor(s) rehearsing lines
Musician tuning up, playing impromptu street concert
Cyrdak Drokkus regaling entourage with stories
Cyrdak Drokkus and Jasper Korvaski walking together
Cart with baked goods from Sandpoint Savories traveling to Inn/Tavern
A couple kissing
Bishop Street
Notable Places: Carpenter’s Guild (24) is on corner of Bishop & Festival
Encounters:
Sounds of Carpentry
Aesrick Battlehorn discussing jobs for outlying farm
Aesrick Battlehorn speaking loudly, complaining about quality of lumber in last shipment
Wagon carrying lumber traveling to/from Carpenter’s Guild (24)
Laborers - 1d3 traveling to/from Carpenter’s Guild (24)
Brokestone Alley
Encounters:
Clueless tourist from Magnimar asking where
The Feathered Serpent (44) is located
Sailors: group of 1d6 sailors walking down street
Sczarni: group of 1d3 thugs in guise of laborer, fisherman, hunter
someone sweeping
Hedeon, a man in exotic dress, bumps into character, dropping large satchel. Scrolls and other items spill out. Panicked and nervous, he tries to quickly gather his things, waving off assistance. In confusion, he leaves behind a valuable item.
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Chopper’s Alley (Crawdad Alley pre-Unpleasantness)
Notable Places: behind Carpenter’s Guild (24)
Encounters:
Sounds of Carpentry
Aesrick Battlehorn discussing jobs for outlying farm
Aesrick Battlehorn speaking loudly, complaining about quality of lumber in last shipment
Laborers - 1d3 traveling to/from Carpenter’s Guild (24)
Church Street
Notable Places: Cathedral (1) White Deer Tavern & Inn (3) Jeweler (5)
Encounters:
High Priest of Sandpoint, Abstalar Zantus
Garridan Viskalai, Shoanti owner of The White Deer with/out his wife and family
Garridan Viskalai arguing with Sheriff Belor Hemlock about Shoanti traditions
Pennae Kesk berating Maver Kesk for leaving the vault door open again
2 guards walking to/from Jeweler (5) with box of gems/cash
Wagons and travelers from hinterlands
Mayor Kendra Deverin walking the town
Cart with baked goods from Sandpoint Savories traveling to Inn/Tavern
Wagon carrying product from Two Knight Brewery (39) to Inn/Tavern
Naffer Vosk traveling to/from Sandpoint Boneyard (2)
Clerics/monks -1d2 traveling to/from Cathedral (1)
someone riding a horse
Menlo the monk practices his technique, performing acrobatics and fighting maneuvers that draw a small crowd. A diversion? A bully who challenges a PC? Young ascetic? Else?
Cliff Street
Notable Places: White Deer Tavern & Inn (3) The Way North (4)
Garridan Viskalai, Shoanti owner of The White Deer with/out his wife and family
Garridan Viskalai arguing with Sheriff Belor Hemlock about Shoanti traditions
Veznutt Parooh traveling to/from The Way North (4)
Gorvi or any of dozen vagrants and curs with red wheelbarrow collecting trash to take to (6)
Seri, an old woman, has her cat stuck in a tree. She will often bring them pies.
Cog Street
Notable Places: Wheen’s Wagons (31)
Encounters:
Bilivar Wheen walking slightly tipsy
Vorah Wheen yelling at Bilivar
someone sweeping
Crab Street
Notable Places: Sandpoint Lumber Mill (25)
Encounters:
Wagon of wood being transported to Lumber Mill (25)
Laborers – 1d4 traveling to/from Lumber Mill (25)
Gorvi or any of dozen vagrants and curs with red wheelbarrow collecting trash to take to (6)
Wagon carrying product from Two Knight Brewery (39) to Inn/Tavern
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Drunkard’s Walk
Notable Places: The Curious Goblin (22) Sandpoint Theatre(23)
Encounters:
Patrons of Cracktooth’s Tavern (18)
Actors practicing lines
Chask Haladan traveling to/from The Curious Goblin (22)
Students of Turandarok Academy (27)
1d3 druids traveling with Niska Mvashti (28) on weekly visits for countryside walks
Koya Mvashti, cleric of Desna, traveling between home (28) and cathedral (1)
A couple kissing
Festival Street
Notable Places: Red Dog Smithy (15) Sandpoint Theatre (23) Carpenter’s Guild (24) Madame Mvashti’s House (28) Grocer’s Hall (29) Sandpoint Market (35)
Encounters:
1d3 druids traveling with Niska Mvashti (28) on weekly visits for countryside walks
Koya Mvashti, cleric of Desna, traveling between home (28) and cathedral (1)
Wagon of wood being transported to Lumber Mill (25) or shipyard (46)
Laborers – 1d4 traveling to/from Lumber Mill (25) or shipyard (46)
Wagon of ore being transported to smithy (15)
Wagon of goods being transported to market (35) or Grocer’s hall (29)
Grocer’s Guildmaster tosses an apple to a child
Barker advertising next performance at theatre (23)
Sailors: group of 1d6 sailors walking down street
Laborers – 1d2 traveling to/from Grocer’s Hall (29)
Clerks – 1d2 traveling to/from Town Hall (11) or Mercantile League (40)
Wagons and travelers from hinterlands
Das Korvut walking his large red mastiffs
Children playing hopsquares chanting Das Korvut doggerel
Aesrick Battlehorn traveling to/from Carpenter’s Guild (24)
Laborers - 1d3 traveling to/from Carpenter’s Guild (24)
Cyrdak Drokkus regaling entourage with stories
Cyrdak Drokkus and Jasper Korvaski walking together
Gorvi or any of dozen vagrants and curs with red wheelbarrow collecting trash to take to (6)
Mayor Kendra Deverin walking the town
Cart with baked goods from Sandpoint Savories traveling to Inn/Tavern
Wagon carrying product from Two Knight Brewery (39) to Inn/Tavern
Volioker Briskalberd traveling to/from Sandpoint Theatre (23)
Customers and merchants traveling to Valdemar Fishmarket (34) or Sandpoint Market (35)
Turch Sterglus and/or his 5 sons traveling to/from Valdemar Fishmarket (34)
Ethram Valdemar traveling to/from Valdemar Fishmarket (34)
Beginning of week: farmer’s market at Sandpoint Market (35)
End of week: merchants from Magnimar, Galduria, Nybor, Wartle and beyond set up in Sandpoint Market (35)
A couple kissing
Group of Varisians (2d4) with perhaps a cart
someone riding a horse
Fox Street
Notable Places: Vernah’s Fine Clothing (30)
Encounters:
Rynshinn Povalli carrying cloth to Vernah’s (30)
Potential suitor or customer traveling to Vernah’s (30)
Chod Bevuk traveling to/from meat market (36)
someone sweeping
Frog Alley
Encounters:
Sczarni: group of 1d3 thugs in guise of laborer, fisherman, hunter traveling to Pillbug’s Pantry (16)
Aliver “Pillbug” Podiker
Nisk Tander traveling to Bottled Solutions (17)
Cart of bottles (glass, ceramic, etc.) traveling to (16) and (17)
A stray dog follows the characters, whining pitiably and gazing longingly at any food they carry.
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Gaffer’s Walk
Notable Places: Madame Mvashti’s House (28)
Encounters:
Turandarok students or professors (27)
1d3 druids traveling with Niska Mvashti (28) on weekly visits for countryside walks
Koya Mvashti, cleric of Desna, traveling to/from home (28)
cat
Glass Street
Notable Places: Sandpoint Glassworks (20) House of Blue Stones (19)
Encounters:
Lonjiku Kaijitsu traveling to/from Glassworks (20)
Ameiko Kaijitsu traveling to/from Glassworks (20)
Wagons with sand, soda, ash, lime traveling to glassworks (20)
Sczarni: group of 1d3 thugs in guise of laborer, fisherman, hunter
Cart with glasswares
Sabyl Sorn traveling to from monastery (19)
Gorvi or any of dozen vagrants and curs with red wheelbarrow collecting trash to take to (6)
Visiting monk traveling to/from House of Blue Stones (19)
Gull Street
Encounters:
Lonjiku Kaijitsu
Ameiko Kaijitsu
Wagons with sand, soda, ash, lime traveling to glassworks (20)
Sczarni thugs
Cart with glasswares
Gorvi or any of dozen vagrants and curs with red wheelbarrow collecting trash to take to (6)
High Street
Notable Places: Savah’s Armory (12)
Encounters:
Wagons and travelers from hinterlands
Savah Bevaniky traveling to/from Savah’s Armory (12)
Adventurer traveling to/from Savah’s Armory (12)
Das Korvut walking his large red mastiffs
Children playing hopsquares chanting Das Korvut doggerel
Gorvi or any of dozen vagrants and curs with red wheelbarrow collecting trash to take to (6)
Mayor Kendra Deverin walking the town
Wagon carrying product from Two Knight Brewery (39) to Inn/Tavern
Hayliss Korvaski traveling to/from cathedral (1)
someone riding a horse
(After Swallowtail Only) A procession of worshippers walk down the street to the Cathedral to conduct an important ceremony.
Hook Street
Notable Places: The Pixie’s Kitten (43) Hannah’s (45) Sandpoint Shipyard (46)
Encounters:
Kaye Tesarani traveling to/ from Pixie’s Kitten (43)
prostitutes and/or Shoanti Bouncer
Sczarni: group of 1d3 thugs in guise of laborer, fisherman, hunter
Kaye Tesarani and Sheriff Hemlock walking together
Hannah Velerin traveling to surrounding wilds in morning, afternoons treats patients from Hannah’s (45)
Sailors: group of 1d6 sailors walking down street
Shipwrights traveling to shipyard (46)
Old Ethram and/or Belven Valdemar traveling to shipyard (46)
Gorvi or any of dozen vagrants and curs with red wheelbarrow collecting trash to take to (6)
Junker’s Way
Notable Places: Junker’s Edge (6) Gorvi’s Shack (7)
Encounters:
Wagons and travelers from hinterlands
Debris being dumped over edge by Gorvi or any of dozen vagrants or curs with red wheelbarrow
Lone adventurous/suicidal goblin from Seven-Tooth Tribe
Cart with baked goods from Sandpoint Savories traveling to Inn/Tavern
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Main Street
Notable Places: Sandpoint Garrison (10) Sandpoint Town Hall (11) Sandpoint Savories (21) The Curious Goblin (22) General Store (26) Turandarok Academy (27)
Encounters:
Brodert Quink, Sabyl Sorn or Ilsoari Gandethus walking to/from The Curious Goblin (22)
Wagons and travelers from hinterlands
Gorvi or any of dozen vagrants and curs with red wheelbarrow collecting trash to take to (6)
Kaye Tesarani carrying lunch to Sheriff Hemlock
Garridan Viskalai arguing with Sheriff Belor Hemlock about Shoanti traditions
Vachedi, Sandpoint Jailor traveling to/from Garrison (10)
Sheriff Hemlock or deputies(town guard) traveling to/from Sandpoint Garrison (10) possibly with drunk/prisoner
Citizens attending weekly militia training
Mayor Kendra Deverin traveling to/from town hall (11)
Ethram Valdemar, Titus Scarnetti, Lonjiku Kaijitsu, Aesrick Battlehorn, Sir Jasper Korvaski, Olmur Danvakus and/or High-Priest Abstalar Zantus visiting Mayor
Alma, Arika, &/or Aneka Avertin traveling to/from Sandpoint Savories (21)
Cart with baked goods from Sandpoint Savories traveling to Inn/Tavern
Chask Haladan traveling to/from The Curious Goblin (22)
Vinder: Ven, Solsta, Katrine, Shayliss (any or all) traveling to/from General Store (26)
Customers traveling to/from General Store (26)
Wagon or cart traveling to/from General Store (26)
Banny Harker from Lumber Mill (25) with or without Katrine Vinder
Ilsoari Gandethus traveling to/from Turandarok Academy (27)
Children playing in street or traveling to/from Turandarok Academy (27)
Clerks – 1d2 traveling to/from Town Hall (11) or Mercantile League (40)
someone riding a horse
Market Street
Notable Places: Sandpoint Meat Market (36) The Rusty Dragon (37) Goblin Squash Stables (38) Two Knight Brewery (39) Sandpoint Mercantile League (40) Sandpoint Boutique (41)
Encounters:
Wagons and travelers from hinterlands
Gorvi or any of dozen vagrants and curs with red wheelbarrow collecting trash to take to (6)
Mayor Kendra Deverin walking the town
Cart with baked goods from Sandpoint Savories traveling to Inn/Tavern
Cart with animals traveling to Meat Market (36)
Chod Bevuk traveling to/from Meat Market (36)
Hunter bringing in game to Meat Market (36)
Ameiko Kaijitsu traveling to/from Rusty Dragon (37)
Patrons traveling to/from Rusty Dragon (37)
Adventurers traveling to/from Rusty Dragon (37)
Daviren Hosk traveling to/from Goblin Squash (38) on horse or leading horse
Customer exiting Goblin Squash (38) on horse or leading horse
Gaven Deverin traveling to/from Two Knight Brewery (39)
Wagon carrying product from Two Knight Brewery (39) to Inn/Tavern
Sir Jasper Korvaski traveling to/from Mercantile League (40)
Mayor Kendra Deverin, Ethram Valdemar, Titus Scarnetti, Lonjiku Kaijitsu, and/or Aesrick Battlehorn, visiting Sir Jasper Korvaski at Mercantile League (40)
Hayliss Korvaski traveling to/from Sandpoint Boutique
Customers traveling to/from Sandpoint Boutique
Hayliss Korvaski arguing with Scarnetti family member
Clerks – 1d2 traveling to/from Mercantile League (40)
Group of Varisians (2d4) with perhaps a cart
someone riding a horse
Mud Lane
Notable Places: Wheen’s Wagons (31) Goblin Squash Stables (38)
Encounters:
Billiver Wheen traveling to/from Wheen’s Wagons (31)
Vorah Wheen yelling at Bilivar
someone sweeping
Mud Street
Notable Places: Vernah’s Fine Clothing (30) Sandpoint Market (35) Sandpoint Meat Market (36) The Rusty Dragon (37)
Encounters:
Billiver Wheen walking slightly tipsy
Rynshinn Povalli carrying cloth to Vernah’s (30)
Potential suitor or customer traveling to Vernah’s (30)
If not market day, children playing whistleball or other games in Sandpoint Market (35)
Beginning of week: farmer’s market at Sandpoint Market (35)
End of week: merchants from Magnimar, Galduria, Nybor, Wartle and beyond set up in Sandpoint Market (35)
Chod Bevuk traveling to/from meat market (36)
A couple kissing
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Net Street
Encounters:
children playing with dog
cat
Patron or adventurers traveling to Rusty Dragon (37)
A couple kissing
someone sweeping
Prickelback Lane
Notable Places: Grocer’s Hall (29) Vernah’s Fine Clothing (30)
Encounters:
Olmur Danvakus traveling to/from Grocer’s Hall (29)
Laborers – 1d2 traveling to/from Grocer’s Hall (29)
Farmer driving wagon to/from Grocer’s Hall (29)
Laborers – 1d2 traveling to/from Grocer’s Hall (29)
Rynshinn Povalli carrying cloth to Vernah’s (30)
Potential suitor or customer traveling to Vernah’s (30)
1d3 druids traveling with Niska Mvashti (28) on weekly visits for countryside walks
Gorvi or any of dozen vagrants and curs with red wheelbarrow collecting trash to take to (6)
Rat Alley
Notable Places: House of Blue Stones (19)
Encounters:
Sabyl Sorn traveling to from monastery (19)
Visiting monk traveling to/from House of Blue Stones (19)
Sczarni: group of 1d3 thugs in guise of laborer, fisherman, hunter
Cart with glasswares
Raven Street
Notable Places: Bottled Solutions (17) Cracktooth’s Tavern (18) Sandpoint Theatre (23)
Encounters:
Nisk Tander traveling to Bottled Solutions (17)
Cart of bottles (glass, ceramic, etc.) traveling to Bottled Solutions (17)
Gorvi or any of dozen vagrants and curs with red wheelbarrow collecting trash to take to (6)
Mayor Kendra Deverin walking the town
Wagon carrying product from Two Knight Brewery (39) to Inn/Tavern
Actors and artists traveling to/from Cracktooth’s Tavern (18)
Jesk “Cracktooth” Berinni traveling to/from Cracktooth’s Tavern (18)
Cyrdak Drokkus regaling entourage with stories
Cyrdak Drokkus and Jasper Korvaski walking to/from Cracktooth’s Tavern (18)
Razor Alley
Notable Places: Sandpoint Boutique (41)
Encounters:
Customers traveling to/from Sandpoint Boutique
Sailors: group of 1d6 sailors walking down street
Adiambo, a foreigner who does not speak the local tongue asks for directions.
Razor Street
Notable Places: The Pixie’s Kitten (43)
Encounters:
Sailors: group of 1d6 sailors walking down street
Patrons traveling to/from Pixie’s Kitten (43)
Wagon carrying product from Two Knight Brewery (39) to Inn/Tavern
Kaye Tesarani traveling to/ from Pixie’s Kitten (43)
prostitutes and/or Shoanti Bouncer
Gorvi or any of dozen vagrants and curs with red wheelbarrow collecting trash to take to (6)
Brother Bookbinder, a street corner preacher, harangues passersby about the evil of the gods and the selfish practices of their clerics.
River Street
Notable Places: Sandpoint Lumber Mill (25) Scarnetti Mill (32) Two Knight Brewery (39)
Encounters:
Wagons and travelers from hinterlands
Gorvi or any of dozen vagrants and curs with red wheelbarrow collecting trash to take to (6)
Mayor Kendra Deverin walking the town
Gaven Deverin traveling to/from Two Knight Brewery (39)
Wagon carrying product from Two Knight Brewery (39) to Inn/Tavern
Wagon of wood being transported to Lumber Mill (25)
Banny Harker and/or Ibor Thorn traveling to/from Sandpoint Lumber Mill (25)
Laborers – 1d4 traveling to/from Lumber Mill (25)
Courrin Whesterwill traveling to/from Scarnetti Mill (32)
Titus Scarnetti traveling to/from Scarnetti Mill (32)
Laborers – 1d3 traveling to/from Scarnetti Mill (32)
Rum Street
Notable Places: The Feathered Serpent (44)
Encounters:
Vorvashali Voon traveling to/from Feathered Serpent (44)
Patrons from Magnimar and adventurers traveling to/from Feathered Serpent (44)
Sailors: group of 1d6 sailors walking down street
Visiting merchants
Wagon carrying product from Two Knight Brewery (39) to Pixie’s Kitten (43)
Gorvi or any of dozen vagrants and curs with red wheelbarrow collecting trash to take to (6)
A pickpocket tries to pick a PCs pocket.
Rusty Nail Alley
Notable Places: The Curious Goblin (22) Sandpoint Theatre (23) Turandarok Academy (27)
Patrons of Cracktooth’s Tavern (18)
Actors practicing lines
Students of Turandarok Academy (27)
Chask Haladan traveling to/from The Curious Goblin (22)
Children playing
A couple kissing
someone sweeping
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Salmon Street
Notable Places: Sandpoint Mercantile League (40) Sandpoint Boutique (41) Fatman’s Feedbag (42) The Pixie’s Kitten (43)
Encounters:
Day: Gorvi or any of dozen vagrants and curs with red wheelbarrow collecting trash to take to (6)
Night:Gorvi spends the evening on the boardwalk, harassing women, and raising hackles at the Hagfish.
Cart with baked goods from Sandpoint Savories traveling to Inn/Tavern
Wagon carrying product from Two Knight Brewery (39) to Inn/Tavern
Customers traveling to/from Sandpoint Boutique (41)
Sailors: group of 1d6 sailors walking down street
Visiting Merchants traveling to Mercantile League (40)
Sheriff Hemlock and/or deputies responding to fight at Sheriff Hemlock and deputies responding to fight at Fatman’s Feedbag (42)
Gressel Tenniwar traveling to/from Fatman’s Feedbag (42)
Sczarni: group of 1d3 thugs in guise of laborer, fisherman, hunter
Jubrayl Vhiski traveling to/from Fatman’s Feedbag (42)
Kaye Tesarani traveling to/ from Pixie’s Kitten (43)
prostitutes and/or Shoanti Bouncer
Kaye Tesarani and Sheriff Hemlock walking together
Sand Street
Notable Places: Sandpoint Savories (21)
Encounters:
Mayor Kendra Deverin walking the town
Alma, Arika, &/or Aneka Avertin traveling to/from Sandpoint Savories (21)
Lonjiku Kaijitsu traveling to/from Glassworks (20)
Ameiko Kaijitsu traveling to/from Glassworks (20)
Wagons with sand, soda, ash, lime traveling to glassworks (20)
Sczarni: group of 1d3 thugs in guise of laborer, fisherman, hunter
Cart with glasswares
Shark Alley
Notable Places: Sandpoint Mercantile League (40) Fatman’s Feedbag (42)
Encounters:
Fight with Fatman’s Feedbag (42) patrons –drunk?
Sheriff Hemlock and/or deputies responding to fight at Fatman’s Feedbag (42)
Gressel Tenniwar traveling to/from Fatman’s Feedbag (42)
Sczarni: group of 1d3 thugs in guise of laborer, fisherman, hunter
Jubrayl Vhiski traveling to/from Fatman’s Feedbag (42)
Sailors: group of 1d6 sailors walking down street
Visiting Merchants traveling to Mercantile League (40)
A couple kissing
Shell Street
Notable Places: rear of Savah’s Armory (12)
Encounters:
Mayor Kendra Deverin walking the town
Savah Bevaniky traveling to/from Savah’s Armory (12)
Soggy Alley
Notable Places: Risa’s Place (13)
Encounters:
Cart with baked goods from Sandpoint Savories traveling to Inn/Tavern
Wagon carrying product from Two Knight Brewery (39) to Inn/Tavern
Risa Magravi walking to/from Risa’s Place (13) with one or more of: Besk, Lanalee, Vodger Magravi
Sandpoint locals traveling to/from Risa’s Place (13)
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Tanglefoot Alley
Notable Places: The Pillbug’s Pantry (16) Bottled Solutions (17)
Encounters:
Sczarni: group of 1d3 thugs in guise of laborer, fisherman, hunter traveling to/from Pillbug’s Pantry (16)
Aliver “Pillbug” Podiker traveling to/from Pillbug’s Pantry (16)
Nisk Tander traveling to/from Bottled Solutions (17)
Cart of bottles (glass, ceramic, etc.) traveling to (16) and (17)
Tower Street
Notable Places: Gorvi’s Shack (7) Sage (8) Locksmith (9) Sandpoint Garrison (10) Sandpoint Town Hall (11) Savah’s Armory (12) rear of the Pillbug’s Pantry (16)
Encounters:
Gorvi or any of dozen vagrants and curs with red wheelbarrow collecting trash to take to (6)
Gorvi traveling to/from his shack (7)
Sheriff Hemlock or deputies(town guard) traveling to/from Sandpoint Garrison (10) possibly with drunk/prisoner
Citizens attending weekly militia training
Mayor Kendra Deverin traveling to/from town hall (11)
Brodert Quink traveling to/from Sage’s shop (8)
Adventurer/visitor traveling to/from Sage’s Shop (7)
Volioker Briskalberd traveling to/from locksmith (9)
Cart with baked goods from Sandpoint Savories traveling to Inn/Tavern
Savah Bevaniky traveling to/from Savah’s Armory (12)
Adventurer traveling to/from Savah’s Armory (12)
Aliver “Pillbug” Podiker traveling to/from Pillbug’s Pantry (16)
Sczarni: group of 1d3 thugs in guise of laborer, fisherman, hunter traveling to/from Pillbug’s Pantry (16)
Clerks – 1d2 traveling to/from Town Hall (11)
Undercliff Way
Notable Places: Risa’s Place (13) Rovanky Tannery (14)
Cart with baked goods from Sandpoint Savories traveling to Inn/Tavern
Wagon carrying product from Two Knight Brewery (39) to Inn/Tavern
Risa Magravi walking to/from Risa’s Place (13) with one or more of: Besk, Lanalee, Vodger Magravi
Sandpoint locals traveling to/from Risa’s Place (13)
Wagons and travelers from hinterlands
Hunters or wagon with game traveling to/from Rovanky Tannery (14)
1d3 laborers traveling to/from Rovanky Tannery (14)
Larz Rovanky traveling to/from Rovanky Tannery (14)
Patrons traveling to/from Rovanky Tannery (14)
Das Korvut walking his two red mastiffs
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Water Street
Notable Places: General Store (26) Turandarok Academy (27) The Hagfish (33) Valdemar Fishmarket (34) Sandpoint Market(35)
Encounters:
Wagons and travelers from hinterlands
Gorvi or any of dozen vagrants and curs with red wheelbarrow collecting trash to take to (6)
Cart with baked goods from Sandpoint Savories traveling to Inn/Tavern
Wagon carrying product from Two Knight Brewery (39) to Inn/Tavern
Billiver Wheen traveling to/from Hagfish (33)
Vinder: Ven, Solsta, Katrine, Shayliss (any or all) traveling to/from General Store (26)
Customers traveling to/from General Store (26), Valdemar Fishmarket (34) or Sandpoint Market (35)
Wagon or cart traveling to/from General Store (26), Valdemar Fishmarket (34) or Sandpoint Market (35)
Turch Sterglus and/or his 5 sons traveling to/from Valdemar Fishmarket (34)
Ethram Valdemar traveling to/from Valdemar Fishmarket (34)
Beginning of week: farmer’s market at Sandpoint Market (35)
End of week: merchants from Magnimar, Galduria, Nybor, Wartle and beyond set up in Sandpoint Market (35)
Ilsoari Gandethus traveling to/from Turandarok Academy (27)
Children playing in street or traveling to/from Turandarok Academy (27)
cats
Fisherman – 1d3 traveling to/from Valdemar Fishmarket (34)
Laborers – 1d4 traveling to/from Valdemar Fishmarket (34) or Sandpoint Market
Clerks – 1d2 traveling to/from Town Hall (11) or Mercantile League (40)
someone riding a horse
Wet Dog Alley
Notable Places: possible access to General Store(26)
Vinder: Ven, Solsta, Katrine, Shayliss (any or all) traveling to/from General Store (26)
Customers traveling to/from General Store (26)
someone sweeping
Whisker Street
Notable Places: Sandpoint Boutique (41) Sandpoint Shipyard (46)
Encounters:
Gorvi or any of dozen vagrants and curs with red wheelbarrow collecting trash to take to (6)
Customers traveling to/from Sandpoint Boutique
Sailors: group of 1d6 sailors walking down street
Visiting merchants
Ethram and/or Belven Valdemar traveling to/from Sandpoint Shipyard (46)
Hannah Velerin traveling to surrounding wilds in morning, afternoons treats patients from Hannah’s (45)
Patients traveling to Hannah’s in afternoon (45)
Sczarni: group of 1d3 thugs in guise of laborer, fisherman, hunter
Sailors: group of 1d6 sailors walking down street
---Stonk posted a veritable cornucopia of small "flavour" encounters---
Wow, that's a lot of excellent work Stonk.
Thank you very much indeed for sharing!
Thanks a lot Stonk, everything grabbed. Wonderful add on to bring Sandpoint Alive
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One little thing I'm just gonna drop here as it seems fitting:
The campaign starts sometime in Rova (mine on the 23rd) and the way things went with my group they were done with the first chapter in mid-Lamashan. I just found out that the 13 Lamashan is the traditional day for the Harvest Feast which makes a perfect opportunity to introduce Horran and Lettie Guffmin, Maester Grump and Old Crade Hambley (who should be haggling over something embarrassingly cheap) from the second chapter, third act.
Just joining the choir of thanks to Stonk. This is even better than the swallowtail games thread.
My thanks as well, Stonk. I'll be running RotRL in the coming months, and the first piece of advice I received was to tie the PCs to Sandpoint, make them feel connected the city.
These should help.
Thanks for sharing. This is great work!
HOLY COW!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bravo, and huge thanks! This is PERFECT!!!!
One of the things I did with Sandpoint was get the map folio. That way the map can be on the table for all to see. Then I made a key that listed all the numbered buildings.
Then I set it up so each pc had been in Sandpoint long enough to know the basic lay of the land. I actually had half the party in the watch. One party member was the daughter of the man that ran the Meat Market, and he was also leader of the watch. Then another pc was the adopted son of the owner of the Goblin Stomp Stables (He also has a mad crush on Keitsu, and drove his father crazy sneaking next door to her kitchen to observe her in action).
Basically I worked hard to get the party embedded in Sandpoint, then gave them enough information to feel like it. Having some grounding facts and a list of what shops/locations were highlighted and what their names were made it easy for the party to become part of Sandpoint.
This is pretty standard for me in any campaign. You can let players really come up with their history, but then use your knowledge of the campaign to tie them in. So my ranger with an adoptive father became the Son of a specific NPC. Now who's more tied into do what's best for Sandpoint, and just to kill all the goblins he can find? Even a character that sets up a real outsider can get enough ties from having a place in town for the last few weeks, if the rest of the party is firmly tied into the community.
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Quick note on the encounter tables...
I played with them for the first time on last Friday's session. The PCs were simply going across town to catch a show at the theater, and on the way there and back I used the encounter table to describe the streets as they went. The players instantly became suspicious of the Laborers walking home or the cart of ale being transported to a local tavern, so they followed them a ways and eventually stopped to interrogate them. They worked really well as Red Herrings, especially as they are trying to investigate the goblin attack and find out who was involved.
This is going to have a great effect, because as they get used to hearing these descriptions (and begin to discount them as flavor), I can mix in some actual clues into the scenes and foreshadow events. It slowed down play a little, but not so much that it began to drag (and they still think those carpenters are up to something!).
Quick note on the encounter tables...
I played with them for the first time on last Friday's session. The PCs were simply going across town to catch a show at the theater, and on the way there and back I used the encounter table to describe the streets as they went. The players instantly became suspicious of the Laborers walking home or the cart of ale being transported to a local tavern, so they followed them a ways and eventually stopped to interrogate them. They worked really well as Red Herrings, especially as they are trying to investigate the goblin attack and find out who was involved.
This is going to have a great effect, because as they get used to hearing these descriptions (and begin to discount them as flavor), I can mix in some actual clues into the scenes and foreshadow events. It slowed down play a little, but not so much that it began to drag (and they still think those carpenters are up to something!).
That's a party for you. Obsessed over guys digging a ditch, but not even bothering to look at the various thieves and murderers loitering in their favorite watering hole.
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Thanks Stonk! That encounter table is awesome. I'll definitely be putting it into play when I run this.
Another thing I'm planning to do is add a little fiction in between encounters during the goblin attack and later, the giant attack. There are enough townsfolk with adventuring levels that they wouldn't sit idly by while goblins overrun the town. I don't have it written up yet, but a few ideas off the top of my head are:
1. Father Zantus channeling to heal some downed villagers or the party and inadvertently waking up a few unconscious goblins.
2. Belor Hemlock and the town guard working as a team to take down goblins and keep people safe behind a shield wall.
3. Das Korvut turning his Mastifs loose on the goblins
4. The alchemists taking down goblins, Pillbug with scary effectiveness and Nisk Tander with comical failure.
5. Sably fighting hand to hand
6. Cyrdak inspiring courage for everyone
7. Ameiko cutting down goblins with flare
8. Daviren Hosk bursting out of his stable on his warhorse, scattering and trampling goblins as he goes.
9. Jubrayl and some Sczarni thugs ambushing goblins from around a corner then ducking out of sight. Or possibly grabbing some unattended stuff in the chaos.
10. Gaven Devrin bulls-eyeing goblins with his crossbow from the steps of the cathedral.
This will be a few sentences in between encounters while the party catches their breath to let them know that they're not holding off the raid all by themselves and to showcase some of the personalities around town
