City Design - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

City Design

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
PoJo72
Mar 23, 2013 20:31:56 I have been playing 4e for about 8 months now. So far I have only used published adventures with a few side quests thrown in. I recently bought the Eberron guide and I am building my first adventure from scratch.

The campaign guide is a little overwhelming in the amount of detail in includes, but a little disappointing in the stuff I thought that it would include. My disappointment stems more from my lack of experience with D&D rather than the product itself being faulty.

What I am having trouble with is the cities and towns. Only a small number of them actually have descriptions and even those are limited. And the only maps provided are of the regions. There are few of the actual cities.

I am assuming this is intentional. Is the idea that the guide provides the history of the region and an overall map, but it is up to you to build the cities however you wish to suit your adventure?

Is there a guide that says how to do this? What should I include in a city or town? Any tips to make sure I build something useful and not something that I will scrap after one session? I would want my city to be a place that I can use for future adventures as well.

Thanks
#2
Syltorian
Mar 25, 2013 10:03:30 There's some material to help you, but I'm afraid that I am still in 3.5 and hardly acquainted with 4e.

As regards Eberron cities, there's some material out there. The capitals of the Five Nations have received some treatment in Five Nations, Thaliost in Forge of War (for all it's quirks...), and Sharn and Stormreach have their own books.

As for cities themselves, there was a 3.5 Web Enhancement to the Dungeon Master's Guide which listed city districts that could help you build a city. Cityscape expanded on this, though I'm only lukewarm about it. Too much space is taken up with Houses, Churches, Guilds etc. for my taste, but it does have some good stuff. The Dungeon Master's Guide II showcases Saltmarsh (World of Greyhawk, I believe?) as an example of how to create a city. Beside that, there is third party material; search for "City" and "Settlement" at appropriate sites.

Other than that, my advise would be to check out a few real-life cities. What makes them special? What are they famous for? What does it mean to live there, as opposed to live in a different city down the lightning rail line? As for what to include, at the basic level, a city needs

1) A reason to be there. People generally do not settle in the middle of nowhere for no reason whatsoever. Most commonly, cities were build for trade (at road intersections, bridges, natural harbours, etc - or developped from a market town), around an important site (monastery, castle, etc), or for defense and control (frontier, recently conquererd territory, as is the case with many Roman colonies). It might also be there to exploit a natural resource, and, in a world like Eberron, a magical one (for instance, a manifest zone).

2) Access to supplies. A city needs food and water as well as building materials. Access needs to be relatively easy, which means you don't want them on top of the tallest mountain. There needs to be an infrastructure to distribute these materials, in the forms of granaries and storehouses, and either a government or trade group running the distribution. Crafts will come second, but are also essential to a city: primary needs (food, drink, water) do not suffice, but tradesmen again need supplies. Ideally, there will also be a regular market or even a fair which attracts people from even further abroad.

3) Infrastructure. How do people get around the city? In a time before mass public transport, cities would be limited by their size (or people kept to their quarters) because it would be impossible to get from one end to the other in a reasonable amount of time. Roads need to be maintained. So does the water supply - whether it's simple wells or a complete aqueduct-and-pipes system. Laws and regulations, and people to enforce them, are also required in most cases.

4) Religious needs. Most communities need some kind of focus, which tends to be a local church - denomination varying on the region. Some communities have more than one religion, others will put restrictions on them.

5) Defenses. Cities can exist without them: most modern cities have long outgrown their walls. But Eberron comes just out of a century-long war, so some defenses would be in order. Just take into account that, unlike ancient, medieval and early-modern fortifications, Eberron cities will have to contend with attacks from the air and magic, and some artillery-like spells might even make star-forts more logical than simple ramparts.

6) History. Communities tend to accumulate traditions and history, in the form of statues, old buildings and landmarks, festivals, etc.

7) Effects of the war. Again, this is Eberron. You'd need to consider how the war affected the community. Even if it never saw an enemy army, it will have felt the effects of requisitioning, drafting troops, and in some cases famine and plagues, exasperated by refugees from the front lines. Terrorist activity also occured, along with sabotage; industries may have been geared towards the war effort, communities traditionally allied with an enemy could face persecution, whether they were shut up in ghettoes or exiled (with their property redistributed).

Overall, though, I'd suggest you walk through your own town and take a good look at what makes it special. Think about other cities you have visited. Simply look at photos of landmarks or browse the back-covers of guide books at your local bookshop. That should get you some ideas to get started.
#3
PoJo72
Mar 25, 2013 10:57:34 This is great information. Thank you for the detail. This definitely gives me a direction to start creating my city/town. I had been thinking of some things to put in the town like a tavern and church and all that, but I had not actually stopped to think of the 'Why'.

I am going to look at what is going to happen in this town and why those things are happening there. Then I will build on that foundation.

Thank you.
#4
Syltorian
Mar 26, 2013 11:07:55 You're welcome. By the way, which city did you want to develop? One named on the map, or a new one (there is, after all, plenty of space)? I'm sure people on the board will be glad to provide additional input.

Also, for a twist - if you don't want to do the work all by yourself - have the PCs build a colony. You could create a rival to Stormreach and Dar Qat in Xen'drik, or perhaps take up Kaius III's plans to expand into northern Karrnath (I've read somewhere that he has plans that way). There might even be plans to rebuild Desolate in the Demon Wastes. That way, your players get to decide whether they want to built it for trade, defense, exploitation of resources, etc.
#5
PoJo72
Mar 26, 2013 12:03:55 I am developing Wyr into something tangible. Based on its location and using some of your feedback, I was going to make it a waypoint for those travelling betwee the Eldeen Reaches and Fairhaven. I'm planning to have the village split between Druids with their religious structures and the other section more built for travellers. For the purposes of the adventure I am creating, the 'mayor' is a soldier who lead the troops stationed in the area when the war ended. He essentially never gave up power and likes running his little kingdom

I am still in the early stages of planning.

I'd thought about just building a new town in one of the blank spaces. I might do that as things develop. I am brand new to this so I am easing myself into it.

#6
Syltorian
Mar 26, 2013 12:30:45 If you can get hold of it, check out Five Nations. It's 3.5, but it's still pretty good on the fluff. The section on Aundair will most likely be the interesting one although there is some overlap with the 4e Campaign Setting. Wyr is not detailed, though, leaving you free to experiment.

Just some random brainstorming... considering its location, it'd be interesting to figure out how Wyr fared historically during the Lycanthropic Purge and more recently during the Eldeen Rebellion. From this, consider perhaps its position on the Silver Flame (although towards the end they got overzealous, they saved the region during the Purge), and whether its sympathies lie with Aundair or the Reaches. Looks like your soldier-turned-mayor is pretty much on the Aundairian side along with his veterans. What about the druids, though? You might also consider what the vicinity of the wood to the east means (for travellers, industry, local legends). Also, Aundair is famous for its wines. Anything good in Wyr? Does the name have anything to do with the royal line of Wyrnarn (sometimes spelled Wynarn)?

Best of luck and have lots of fun!
#7
Madfox11
Mar 27, 2013 2:50:11 Considering its location it probably also contains House Vidalis farms. I also wonder whether the Wynarn River is traversable by boats. Mind you, the lack of a big harbor at the river mouth suggests otherwise. Still, fisheries (especially during the salmon season), a large saw mill with attached furniture business would make sense as well.
#8
Syltorian
Mar 27, 2013 10:10:09
I also wonder whether the Wynarn River is traversable by boats. Mind you, the lack of a big harbor at the river mouth suggests otherwise.

Interestingly, apart from the Dagger (Sharn) and the Redwater (Taer Valaestas), all of Khorvaire's rivers seem to lack estuary ports. Possibly, Korth could be at the mouth of the Karrn, depending on where that ends and the Sound begins. Perhaps, though, the Bitter Sea (that's the one in the north of Khorvaire, right?) might be difficult to navigate itself due to climatic conditions, rather like the sea of Siberia, but I've always been puzzled by Khorvaire's climate, considering even northern Karrnath (described as having long, cold winters and short, wet summers which is pretty much Taiga) lies rather far south if mere latitudes are considered.

Salmon runs are a great idea, though! I wonder what monsters share their habits...

#9
Madfox11
Mar 27, 2013 10:52:19
It is the Bitter Sea. From what I gather from various source materials, the soutern parts (Eldeen Bey, Karn Bey) to the Lhazaar Principalities is relatively heavily sailed. The route around the Demon Wastes is likely used a lot less if at all. Note that if I take a look at the world map, it looks rather northern to me. Mind you, the continent geography and ecology looks a bit odd from a RL perspective. So I would not pay too much attention to RL science when applied to Eberron ;)
#10
Syltorian
Mar 27, 2013 12:36:42

It is the Bitter Sea. From what I gather from various source materials, the soutern parts (Eldeen Bey, Karn Bey) to the Lhazaar Principalities is relatively heavily sailed. The route around the Demon Wastes is likely used a lot less if at all. Note that if I take a look at the world map, it looks rather northern to me. Mind you, the continent geography and ecology looks a bit odd from a RL perspective. So I would not pay too much attention to RL science when applied to Eberron ;)

You're right that RL science is going to cause some headaches. I've tried to superimpose the map from the inside cover of the original ECS with a world map, aligning the equator: this results in the polar circle missing mainland Khorvaire and passing through southern Orthoss. It would also miss Icewhite Island, and cross Icegaunt, though both are by the lore (PGtE) considered to be part of the Frostfell. This would leave Rekkenmark (which I would consider northern Karrnath) at about the latitude of Paris in the real world. Hardly Siberian. Naturally, there are many possibilities. Latitudes are not alone responsible for climate, even minor manifest zones and other magic may influence the climate, and I may be doing the geographical calculations wrong! So it's probably best to assign a climate and vegetation zone to the place for story and flavour reasons, and let the scholars at Wynarn University figure out why it's colder in northern Karrnath than in Aundair across the Sound.

As far as navigation goes: the Lhazaar seem to manage, on the eastern side and all the way up to Farlnen. But beside some mentions that the Bloodsails are raiding Karrnathi communities now the king has renounced the Blood of Vol (and that the same Bloodsails were responsible for the first collapse of the White Arch Bridge by FoW), I find that most mentions of navies in the north concern the Scions' Sound with a few references to wrecks in Karrn Bay. Strangely enough, there does not seem any harbour-city in the northern sea apart from Storm Home, which is specifially said to influence the weather to make it a viable port. Although ports are few and far between in the south too. Looks like everyone who liked ships stayed in the Principalities...

Though it is said that Lhazaar pirates prey on the shipping in the Bitter Sea, so unless they've become delusional from cabin fever and the wrong food, there must be some.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 PoJo72 Mar 23, 2013 20:31:56	I have been playing 4e for about 8 months now. So far I have only used published adventures with a few side quests thrown in. I recently bought the Eberron guide and I am building my first adventure from scratch. The campaign guide is a little overwhelming in the amount of detail in includes, but a little disappointing in the stuff I thought that it would include. My disappointment stems more from my lack of experience with D&D rather than the product itself being faulty. What I am having trouble with is the cities and towns. Only a small number of them actually have descriptions and even those are limited. And the only maps provided are of the regions. There are few of the actual cities. I am assuming this is intentional. Is the idea that the guide provides the history of the region and an overall map, but it is up to you to build the cities however you wish to suit your adventure? Is there a guide that says how to do this? What should I include in a city or town? Any tips to make sure I build something useful and not something that I will scrap after one session? I would want my city to be a place that I can use for future adventures as well. Thanks
#2 Syltorian Mar 25, 2013 10:03:30	There's some material to help you, but I'm afraid that I am still in 3.5 and hardly acquainted with 4e. As regards Eberron cities, there's some material out there. The capitals of the Five Nations have received some treatment in Five Nations, Thaliost in Forge of War (for all it's quirks...), and Sharn and Stormreach have their own books. As for cities themselves, there was a 3.5 Web Enhancement to the Dungeon Master's Guide which listed city districts that could help you build a city. Cityscape expanded on this, though I'm only lukewarm about it. Too much space is taken up with Houses, Churches, Guilds etc. for my taste, but it does have some good stuff. The Dungeon Master's Guide II showcases Saltmarsh (World of Greyhawk, I believe?) as an example of how to create a city. Beside that, there is third party material; search for "City" and "Settlement" at appropriate sites. Other than that, my advise would be to check out a few real-life cities. What makes them special? What are they famous for? What does it mean to live there, as opposed to live in a different city down the lightning rail line? As for what to include, at the basic level, a city needs 1) A reason to be there. People generally do not settle in the middle of nowhere for no reason whatsoever. Most commonly, cities were build for trade (at road intersections, bridges, natural harbours, etc - or developped from a market town), around an important site (monastery, castle, etc), or for defense and control (frontier, recently conquererd territory, as is the case with many Roman colonies). It might also be there to exploit a natural resource, and, in a world like Eberron, a magical one (for instance, a manifest zone). 2) Access to supplies. A city needs food and water as well as building materials. Access needs to be relatively easy, which means you don't want them on top of the tallest mountain. There needs to be an infrastructure to distribute these materials, in the forms of granaries and storehouses, and either a government or trade group running the distribution. Crafts will come second, but are also essential to a city: primary needs (food, drink, water) do not suffice, but tradesmen again need supplies. Ideally, there will also be a regular market or even a fair which attracts people from even further abroad. 3) Infrastructure. How do people get around the city? In a time before mass public transport, cities would be limited by their size (or people kept to their quarters) because it would be impossible to get from one end to the other in a reasonable amount of time. Roads need to be maintained. So does the water supply - whether it's simple wells or a complete aqueduct-and-pipes system. Laws and regulations, and people to enforce them, are also required in most cases. 4) Religious needs. Most communities need some kind of focus, which tends to be a local church - denomination varying on the region. Some communities have more than one religion, others will put restrictions on them. 5) Defenses. Cities can exist without them: most modern cities have long outgrown their walls. But Eberron comes just out of a century-long war, so some defenses would be in order. Just take into account that, unlike ancient, medieval and early-modern fortifications, Eberron cities will have to contend with attacks from the air and magic, and some artillery-like spells might even make star-forts more logical than simple ramparts. 6) History. Communities tend to accumulate traditions and history, in the form of statues, old buildings and landmarks, festivals, etc. 7) Effects of the war. Again, this is Eberron. You'd need to consider how the war affected the community. Even if it never saw an enemy army, it will have felt the effects of requisitioning, drafting troops, and in some cases famine and plagues, exasperated by refugees from the front lines. Terrorist activity also occured, along with sabotage; industries may have been geared towards the war effort, communities traditionally allied with an enemy could face persecution, whether they were shut up in ghettoes or exiled (with their property redistributed). Overall, though, I'd suggest you walk through your own town and take a good look at what makes it special. Think about other cities you have visited. Simply look at photos of landmarks or browse the back-covers of guide books at your local bookshop. That should get you some ideas to get started.
#3 PoJo72 Mar 25, 2013 10:57:34	This is great information. Thank you for the detail. This definitely gives me a direction to start creating my city/town. I had been thinking of some things to put in the town like a tavern and church and all that, but I had not actually stopped to think of the 'Why'. I am going to look at what is going to happen in this town and why those things are happening there. Then I will build on that foundation. Thank you.
#4 Syltorian Mar 26, 2013 11:07:55	You're welcome. By the way, which city did you want to develop? One named on the map, or a new one (there is, after all, plenty of space)? I'm sure people on the board will be glad to provide additional input. Also, for a twist - if you don't want to do the work all by yourself - have the PCs build a colony. You could create a rival to Stormreach and Dar Qat in Xen'drik, or perhaps take up Kaius III's plans to expand into northern Karrnath (I've read somewhere that he has plans that way). There might even be plans to rebuild Desolate in the Demon Wastes. That way, your players get to decide whether they want to built it for trade, defense, exploitation of resources, etc.
#5 PoJo72 Mar 26, 2013 12:03:55	I am developing Wyr into something tangible. Based on its location and using some of your feedback, I was going to make it a waypoint for those travelling betwee the Eldeen Reaches and Fairhaven. I'm planning to have the village split between Druids with their religious structures and the other section more built for travellers. For the purposes of the adventure I am creating, the 'mayor' is a soldier who lead the troops stationed in the area when the war ended. He essentially never gave up power and likes running his little kingdom I am still in the early stages of planning. I'd thought about just building a new town in one of the blank spaces. I might do that as things develop. I am brand new to this so I am easing myself into it.
#6 Syltorian Mar 26, 2013 12:30:45	If you can get hold of it, check out Five Nations. It's 3.5, but it's still pretty good on the fluff. The section on Aundair will most likely be the interesting one although there is some overlap with the 4e Campaign Setting. Wyr is not detailed, though, leaving you free to experiment. Just some random brainstorming... considering its location, it'd be interesting to figure out how Wyr fared historically during the Lycanthropic Purge and more recently during the Eldeen Rebellion. From this, consider perhaps its position on the Silver Flame (although towards the end they got overzealous, they saved the region during the Purge), and whether its sympathies lie with Aundair or the Reaches. Looks like your soldier-turned-mayor is pretty much on the Aundairian side along with his veterans. What about the druids, though? You might also consider what the vicinity of the wood to the east means (for travellers, industry, local legends). Also, Aundair is famous for its wines. Anything good in Wyr? Does the name have anything to do with the royal line of Wyrnarn (sometimes spelled Wynarn)? Best of luck and have lots of fun!
#7 Madfox11 Mar 27, 2013 2:50:11	Considering its location it probably also contains House Vidalis farms. I also wonder whether the Wynarn River is traversable by boats. Mind you, the lack of a big harbor at the river mouth suggests otherwise. Still, fisheries (especially during the salmon season), a large saw mill with attached furniture business would make sense as well.
#8 Syltorian Mar 27, 2013 10:10:09	I also wonder whether the Wynarn River is traversable by boats. Mind you, the lack of a big harbor at the river mouth suggests otherwise. Interestingly, apart from the Dagger (Sharn) and the Redwater (Taer Valaestas), all of Khorvaire's rivers seem to lack estuary ports. Possibly, Korth could be at the mouth of the Karrn, depending on where that ends and the Sound begins. Perhaps, though, the Bitter Sea (that's the one in the north of Khorvaire, right?) might be difficult to navigate itself due to climatic conditions, rather like the sea of Siberia, but I've always been puzzled by Khorvaire's climate, considering even northern Karrnath (described as having long, cold winters and short, wet summers which is pretty much Taiga) lies rather far south if mere latitudes are considered. Salmon runs are a great idea, though! I wonder what monsters share their habits...
#9 Madfox11 Mar 27, 2013 10:52:19	It is the Bitter Sea. From what I gather from various source materials, the soutern parts (Eldeen Bey, Karn Bey) to the Lhazaar Principalities is relatively heavily sailed. The route around the Demon Wastes is likely used a lot less if at all. Note that if I take a look at the world map, it looks rather northern to me. Mind you, the continent geography and ecology looks a bit odd from a RL perspective. So I would not pay too much attention to RL science when applied to Eberron ;)
#10 Syltorian Mar 27, 2013 12:36:42	It is the Bitter Sea. From what I gather from various source materials, the soutern parts (Eldeen Bey, Karn Bey) to the Lhazaar Principalities is relatively heavily sailed. The route around the Demon Wastes is likely used a lot less if at all. Note that if I take a look at the world map, it looks rather northern to me. Mind you, the continent geography and ecology looks a bit odd from a RL perspective. So I would not pay too much attention to RL science when applied to Eberron ;) You're right that RL science is going to cause some headaches. I've tried to superimpose the map from the inside cover of the original ECS with a world map, aligning the equator: this results in the polar circle missing mainland Khorvaire and passing through southern Orthoss. It would also miss Icewhite Island, and cross Icegaunt, though both are by the lore (PGtE) considered to be part of the Frostfell. This would leave Rekkenmark (which I would consider northern Karrnath) at about the latitude of Paris in the real world. Hardly Siberian. Naturally, there are many possibilities. Latitudes are not alone responsible for climate, even minor manifest zones and other magic may influence the climate, and I may be doing the geographical calculations wrong! So it's probably best to assign a climate and vegetation zone to the place for story and flavour reasons, and let the scholars at Wynarn University figure out why it's colder in northern Karrnath than in Aundair across the Sound. As far as navigation goes: the Lhazaar seem to manage, on the eastern side and all the way up to Farlnen. But beside some mentions that the Bloodsails are raiding Karrnathi communities now the king has renounced the Blood of Vol (and that the same Bloodsails were responsible for the first collapse of the White Arch Bridge by FoW), I find that most mentions of navies in the north concern the Scions' Sound with a few references to wrecks in Karrn Bay. Strangely enough, there does not seem any harbour-city in the northern sea apart from Storm Home, which is specifially said to influence the weather to make it a viable port. Although ports are few and far between in the south too. Looks like everyone who liked ships stayed in the Principalities... Though it is said that Lhazaar pirates prey on the shipping in the Bitter Sea, so unless they've become delusional from cabin fever and the wrong food, there must be some.