Running a new urban campaign and looking for thoughts...

moriarty777 · Post by **moriarty777** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:42 pm

I think I've been roped into running a new C&C campaign and it looks like I'll be doing an urban/city campaign. I also don't have as much time to develop the city so I've decided to go with something already done up. The City State and Yggsburgh both came to mind very quickly and Bard's Gate is more of an afterthought. I own material for all three (d20 in the case of the City State) but know little about them (which means I'll still have to sit down and do a bit or reading).

Given the choice, which would you prefer to play or run? If you have played or run these, please feel free share some of your thoughts and experiences with them.

Thanks!

M
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DangerDwarf · Post by **DangerDwarf** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:48 pm

I voted Yggsburgh because right now I'm on a "C&C for C&C" kick. I'd rather use products made for C&C.

But really, all three are SOLID choices but all three have things I don't like too.

Bah. Go with Dro Mandras.

its super win.

Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:35 pm

You can do what I did, tie all three cities together and have them travelling between them due to the adventures. You have the time to prep, since they likely will spend several sessions in the first city before going to any of the others.
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CKDad · Post by **CKDad** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:20 pm

For me it comes down to the flavor of the game you want to run. For example, Yggsburgh is really written with an early-Renaissance vibe that doesn't fit the kinds of games I like to run. (I like a late Roman empire to early/mid-medieval flavor.) This doesn't mean I think Yggsburgh is bad, far from it, just that it doesn't fit for me.

For a smaller game, Dro Madras would certainly work well - still working through DB5 but both are very well done. I'm planning on dropping Dro Madras into my world. Do they still give Origins awards? This should be nominated.

If you want the teeming metropolis feel though, Dro Madras (good as it is) might not fit the bill. That would push towards a CSIO or Lankhmar. I haven't picked up Bard's Gate yet so can't comment on it, but sounds like it might be the right size for an epic city campaign.
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serleran · Post by **serleran** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:49 pm

I'd go with a smattering of CSIO and Yggsburgh, and leave Bard's Gate out of it, but that's me -- its not that I don't like BG, but I just don't find it meshes well, for my style, with the other two. Could work, certainly.
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Treebore · Post by **Treebore** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:55 pm

serleran wrote:
I'd go with a smattering of CSIO and Yggsburgh, and leave Bard's Gate out of it, but that's me -- its not that I don't like BG, but I just don't find it meshes well, for my style, with the other two. Could work, certainly.

Personally, their dichotomy of "flavor" is exactly why it did work for me. Kind of like how you go to various cities in real life, a certain amount is the same, but there are differences. These 3 are very different, since it is so easy to show those differences.

Bards Gate is a relatively nice merchant/college town, while Yggsburgh is a rather idyllic rural town, and CSIO is a slave trading city of sin. I like how well they contrasted each other.
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Omote · Post by **Omote** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 10:43 pm

I'd have to say Yggsburgh from a tradtional standpoint, but as mentioned above, you do need to figure out the flavor of your cmapaign. All three cities are very different. I happen to be a big fan of Bard's Gate right now so I am going to vote for that one. Bard's Gate (the book) has a nice wilderness section detailed out around the town, Gods, and plenty of adventure hooks outsside of town. So if you need more than just a city setting, Bard's Gate might be your best best. Though, if you don't like the fact that there are lots of bard-like references in a city (Lyre Valley, Lyre Guard, etc.) than BG is not going to be your thing. I suppose you could gloss over the overt bard references though.
-O
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Maliki · Post by **Maliki** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 11:38 pm

I have/had all three, my vote went with CSIO, but it is a dark and evil place, not a typical "safe haven" for adventures.
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Lord Dynel · Post by **Lord Dynel** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 5:14 pm

I almost went with CSIO, because you can go with just about any spot on any map, start the campaign, and have something interesting to do in every direction. But I chose Yggsburgh - plenty big enough, plenty opportunities for adventure, be it city, wilderness, or dungeon!
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moriarty777 · Post by **moriarty777** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 5:40 pm

In each case, I'll be dropping the city into Aihrde. This will present NO problem with Bard's Gate. It shouldn't be a problem for Yggsburgh either even if there is a 'renaissance' vibe to the city though I will have to think on where to drop it in a bit more. CSIO doesn't present much of a problem either but I think I'd entwine some of the Aihrde mythology in with it. The City State would have been heavily influenced by Unklar and the order imposed by his reign. I think that would work REALLY well.

With Yggsburgh, I'd capitalize on that period feeling and also introduce early firearms. These would still be rare and their inclusion would be contingent on a couple of things. However, I'd try and go with a more 'pulp' feel to the campaign. Despite being on the doorsteps of a certain famous fortress, the focus would be pretty much urban all the way.

With the CSIO, I'll be able to preserve a bit of 'grit' by the virtue that it won't favor the adventurers (so to speak) and the darker tone may be interesting to adventure in. Very much different than the possible Yggburgh campaign.

The only strike I've got against Bard's Gate is it might seem a bit more 'magic heavy' when you compare it to the other two settings but i could completely wrong on that count. Besides, even if it were, this would be a very easy thing to change.

M
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moriarty777 · Post by **moriarty777** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:45 pm

Crap! I just remembered Freeport!

I've got the C&C Freeport Companion and the Pirate's Guide to Freeport at my disposal.

Any thoughts on Freeport in comparison with the other three?

M
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Plaag · Post by **Plaag** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 9:46 pm

Well I picked CSIO because its been the one I've looked over the most throughout the years. And sort of didn't want to be biased by picking Bard's Gate since I helped write it. I do think Freeport would work in Aihrde, though I don't think it would change my vote.

((course another reason for my vote is the map for CSIO is better imho compared to the other 3))

ShaneG.

Frost · Post by **Frost** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 9:49 pm

What are your plans for the campaign? The cities you mention all have different feels to them, so it's hard for me to pick not knowing the feel of your campaign.

Is the band a bunch of near-do-wells? Heroes? What?
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cinderblock · Post by **cinderblock** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 12:07 am

With some conversion and streamlining Ptolus could work for you.

moriarty777 · Post by **moriarty777** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 3:40 am

TheFrost wrote:
What are your plans for the campaign? The cities you mention all have different feels to them, so it's hard for me to pick not knowing the feel of your campaign.

Is the band a bunch of near-do-wells? Heroes? What?

That's a very good question! Actually, I don't have anything really decided as yet since the city will certainly color my plans.

What I can tell you is this:

The campaign will be a short series of episodic adventures in a city as opposed to a mega campaign. The party are not going to be heroes out to save the world but probably more mercenary and roguish -- at least to start. So schemes to get money... hired on for some 'interesting' work... possibly other 'illicit' activities. That is until they cross the wrong people which will be a good way to get them on a larger adventure. I've also started reading the Lankhmar books and, combined with a few other stories with feature a bunch of classic sword & sorcery, been itching to do something of this sort.

There will be a blend of pulp and grit. Not too pulpy to be too over the top and not too gritty to continually punish the players and rub their noses in it.

I've always had a tendency to do some classic dungeon crawls with some wilderness but I've never done much in an urban setting. I know all this probably doesn't help...

As much as I like Yggsburgh, I know that I'd be more tempted to try and steer my players towards the castle. However, I like the 'foreboding' tone that CSIO seems to offer.

M
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serleran · Post by **serleran** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 3:42 am

If you have it, I would also suggest adding in some things from Midkemia's Cities and City of Terrors. The latter is for Tunnels and Trolls (can be used for any game, though) and the former is definitely "open" for any game. Good stuff. Might add a little random spice... or, maybe I can finish SG2 and see what you think of it. But, I doubt it.
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Frost · Post by **Frost** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 4:46 am

Given what you had in mind, I voted for CSIO. Bard's Gate is great and I'm using it now myself, but it's more of a safe-haven for adventurers. I have Yggsburgh too, which I love, but it has same kind of feel. Both certainly have their seedy underbellies, but given what you're going for CSIO seems more of a fit. I think the PCs would find more dirty deeds needing to be done dirt cheap in CSIO.
On the other hand, you could try to tract down a copy of the 1e or 2e Lankhmar setting books and use it.

Here is the 1e on eBay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Module-LANKHMAR-Cit ... ltDomain_0

or NKG:
https://www.nobleknight.com/ProductDetail.asp_Q_ProductID_E_1886_A ... GenreID_E_

I'm not sure why, but I believe the 1e has a better reputation than the 2e version.
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dachda · Post by **dachda** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:13 am

TheFrost wrote:
I'm not sure why, but I believe the 1e has a better reputation than the 2e version.

I looked at them, the 1e version is only 96 pages, while the 2e version is 145 pages. The covers are essentially the same. Did the 2e version have more material? or just more artwork and bigger fonts?
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Frost · Post by **Frost** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:18 am

I don't really know what the differences are. I only own the 2e one. The most I can find is in threads like this that say the 1e got the "feel" better.
http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rp ... khmar.html
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CKDad · Post by **CKDad** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 3:49 pm

Given the vision you expressed, I concur with the others - Lankmar or CSIO sound like better venues.
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Jynx · Post by **Jynx** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:38 pm

LOL!!!!!
Haven't been around for a while so here I am looking at the first post I see and it's from my future CK!

LOL!!!!!

You want a city... er.... don't ask me. You know what I'll pick and I won't say it to prevent any WOTC bashing! LOL!

Seriously... I just wanna game man! It's been to F$%&@ long!

Any city. Any setting. I wanna run up and down the city streets, in and out of slums and sewers, running from other thugs and perhaps some corupt law enforcement types.....
ANYTHING! LETS JUST PLAY!

The only thing I would prefer is not to be in a HERO mode all the time. Maybe over time if we play the same characters, I can make a name for myself and then be looked on as a hero or someone to avoid. Also, I prefer less monster types, more character type adversaries. A cool monster every now and then is good, but not too much.

Can't wait.........
Hope that helps.

Indigo Rose · Post by **Indigo Rose** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 11:44 pm

I chose City State myself, since it seems that not only are there many things that could happen there of a darker nature, but it's more "medieval" in feel to me than Yggsburgh. I personally prefer a more Dark Ages feel to adventures, and CSIO comes closest to that from your choices, IMO... Let us know what you eventually do go with!
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Frost · Post by **Frost** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 5:28 pm

So, what was chosen? I will say that Omote has a good point about Bard's Gate. It can really serve as a pretty nice campaign setting, with gods, surrounding areas to adventure, etc.
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moriarty777 · Post by **moriarty777** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 6:00 pm

Well, I finally went with the City State of the Invincible Overlord.

All the settings are great IMO for various reasons so my choice wasn't an easy one. Omote is right about Bard's Gate and it *is* an awesome book but it probably had the least of what I was looking for at the moment. Yggsburgh also has plenty to offer with many avenues for adventure and mystery. I have some big plans for a certain castle and the depths to be found beneath the Upper Works but I decided to save that for another time.

I think that the City State with it's foreboding nature where risk and danger is part of everyday life makes it the ideal choice to explore. I've begun to read through the material I have on the City State (the NG book) and I also have access to the Mayfair box set if I'm looking for an additional idea or two. Alas, I don't have some of the original Judge's Guild material for the City State but I believe a PDF version is available on RPGNow! if I need anything additional. However, it looks like the treatment done by Necromancer Games was very solid.

As for other setting such as Lankhmar or Freeport, I expect at some point a visit will be made to these locations even if for a brief time.

Thank you all for your input. I'll post some material as it develops!

M
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Lord Dynel · Post by **Lord Dynel** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:24 pm

Pretty good choice, Mort. I was close to suggesting that over Yggsburgh. I think the NG stuff is pretty good, so they'll serve you well (I've had that book since release and NG did a bang up job).
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Jynx · Post by **Jynx** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:36 pm

moriarty777 wrote:
Well, I finally went with the City State of the Invincible Overlord.

Well... don't know much about it, but I read a little bit here and there this afternoon, and I like the choice.

Can't wait!

moriarty777 · Post by **moriarty777** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 8:44 pm

Jynx wrote:
Well... don't know much about it, but I read a little bit here and there this afternoon, and I like the choice.

Can't wait!

I'm glad you approve.
M
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