Post by ripx187 on Jul 10, 2018 19:39:18 GMT -5
The rules are simple, the DM creates a dungeon for their players to explore. I could either put it out in the wilderness or build a place around it, and I chose to build a city. This is where the player's character stock comes from, it has everything that we need to start the game quickly, the four classes are all represented, equipment is expensive but can be purchased here, and the players can find safety quickly. There is also a psychological angle to do this, I start all of my 1st level adventures as children. The game that we play is to follow these make-believe people. It isn't an epic story, these characters won't be chosen by God to save the world, that places limits on a world and gives us a definite ending. Our goal is not to beat a game, it is to explore the setting and simply have fun! When I created this city, I can tell the players that this is their character's world. As far as they know, there is nothing outside of Terrapin Crossing. They don't even think about it. That road that leads outside is scary. Maybe one day they'll be brave enough to discover where it goes, but not today.
I drew up a map of this city first, well kind of. From here a world will be spawned, but this place needed to be fleshed out. Truth be told, I didn't map most of the city, I don't even know how big it is. The gaming area is a walled island in the middle of a powerful river. This is Old Terrapin, built long ago, it's foundations laid by some ancient people who disappeared long ago, all that remains of them is the mystic circle in the centre of the island. The world is like ours, scared by long ley lines which cross here, marking it as a place of importance to the lost men. The original keep, rebuilt long ago, has been given to The Faith and is used as a Chancel, while the new palace has served the Beccete family for many generations now.
Terrapin Crossing once was a busy and bustling city, and is a wonder of Architecture, it's twin bridges and gate towers formed the only way to cross the unfordable Black Muddy River, an unforgiving and angry mistress, whose dark waters hide jagged rocks that can slice through a keel drowning her crew in seconds, thus Terrapin road was, and has been for as long as anyone can remember, the only passage. The boats agile enough to sail these churning and brutal currents are the Dirks, long skinny ships with 60 oars and huge masts of elaborate sails and rigging. Cargo space is very limited, and the highly specialized captains demand high prices. They have three peers on Terrapin island and are loyal to Lord Beccete who turns a blind eye to their smuggling as long as they keep the south banks clear and do their part to protect the gates.
The west side of Terrapin Island is not protected by the gates and walls of the castle, muddy lanes are lined with make-shift buildings and shanties which are washed away according to the will of the Black Muddy, though the lanes twist and turn and change regularly, the people who choose to set up business and residency here call the entire thing "Shakedown Street". Only two things here that are permanent, the Smuggler's peers which always seem to survive the cleansing of the floods, and Arista's Tower, a protective shell constructed by a heroic figure of the past, Arista the Smug. Not much is remembered of him, sometimes you'll hear unreliable tales but everyone agrees that with the exception of this tower, his deeds are just songs now.
The Tower itself protects the gentle folk, this is known! Below it there are great treasures to be found; however, creatures (the living-proof of The Obvious), stumble and live in the dark maze of corridors and vaults under the city itself and beyond. The Tower has been locked for hundreds of years, its horrors only remembered when a new generation found a key. Few keys exist. One, of course, being protected by the bloodline of Lord Beccete, though others have managed to turn up during strange times, and these are indeed strange times.
I drew up a map of this city first, well kind of. From here a world will be spawned, but this place needed to be fleshed out. Truth be told, I didn't map most of the city, I don't even know how big it is. The gaming area is a walled island in the middle of a powerful river. This is Old Terrapin, built long ago, it's foundations laid by some ancient people who disappeared long ago, all that remains of them is the mystic circle in the centre of the island. The world is like ours, scared by long ley lines which cross here, marking it as a place of importance to the lost men. The original keep, rebuilt long ago, has been given to The Faith and is used as a Chancel, while the new palace has served the Beccete family for many generations now.
Terrapin Crossing once was a busy and bustling city, and is a wonder of Architecture, it's twin bridges and gate towers formed the only way to cross the unfordable Black Muddy River, an unforgiving and angry mistress, whose dark waters hide jagged rocks that can slice through a keel drowning her crew in seconds, thus Terrapin road was, and has been for as long as anyone can remember, the only passage. The boats agile enough to sail these churning and brutal currents are the Dirks, long skinny ships with 60 oars and huge masts of elaborate sails and rigging. Cargo space is very limited, and the highly specialized captains demand high prices. They have three peers on Terrapin island and are loyal to Lord Beccete who turns a blind eye to their smuggling as long as they keep the south banks clear and do their part to protect the gates.
The west side of Terrapin Island is not protected by the gates and walls of the castle, muddy lanes are lined with make-shift buildings and shanties which are washed away according to the will of the Black Muddy, though the lanes twist and turn and change regularly, the people who choose to set up business and residency here call the entire thing "Shakedown Street". Only two things here that are permanent, the Smuggler's peers which always seem to survive the cleansing of the floods, and Arista's Tower, a protective shell constructed by a heroic figure of the past, Arista the Smug. Not much is remembered of him, sometimes you'll hear unreliable tales but everyone agrees that with the exception of this tower, his deeds are just songs now.
The Tower itself protects the gentle folk, this is known! Below it there are great treasures to be found; however, creatures (the living-proof of The Obvious), stumble and live in the dark maze of corridors and vaults under the city itself and beyond. The Tower has been locked for hundreds of years, its horrors only remembered when a new generation found a key. Few keys exist. One, of course, being protected by the bloodline of Lord Beccete, though others have managed to turn up during strange times, and these are indeed strange times.
