Hi all, I'm getting set up for my next CotCT campaign and one of the big things I wish I had done last time around was make some little tables of general Gather Information (Diplomacy)/Knowledge (Local) information for the players. I've got a good list going now, but I thought it would be fun to have others chime in, and if possible for this to just be a growing list for anyone to use. I'm using DC 10, 15, and 20 for the beginning of Edge of Anarchy, and my intention is to add on a little bit of pre-story for the players before they get summoned by Zellara to make the city come alive a bit and to make Lamm and his operations feel a bit more like they're run by a "crime boss."
DC: 10 - A new/old play opened up, the "Six Trials of Larazod." Not to be outdone by Westcrown, Ileosa requested it be brought to Korvosa, though the local actor's guild refuses to make it lethal. Rumor has it that in another of her fits Ileosa was heard calling Korvosa a "backwater colonial village" because of this...
(introduces players to the city's and the queen's background, and brings them up to speed on how the queen might, y'know, hate the city)
DC: 15 - Big rash of fever up in North Point recently. The Abadarians conveniently stepped in to clean up, for a hefty price. Those bastards are no better than the crime bosses or thieves' guild, I tell you...
(red herring, totally unrelated to 7DttG but may serve to keep players less concerned about the plague later on... =D )
DC: 20 - A recent string of kidnappings of pretty young women in the Old Quarter have prompted the people there to lock up tight and call on the watch. However, the guards don't seem to be helping much and the residents are angry, saying that it's just another case of the city's elite looking down on the problems of the lower-class.
(foreshadowing the Grey Maidens and helps build some tension for the riots to come)
Those are just a few that I've got written down. Post yours!
Moonbeam made a list of rumors in another thread for gather information. Many people mentioned assigning DCs to each of those rumors, so I would suggest perusing that list.