New OOTS products from CafePress
New OOTS t-shirts, ornaments, mugs, bags, and more
Page 1 of 48 123456789101126 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 30 of 1433
  1. - Top - End - #1
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    jagadaishio's Avatar

    Join Date
    Mar 2007

    Default Community Worldbuilding Project [Ishka: Urban and Urbane]

    Well, playground, it's time for another community world building project. This time, let's make it urban-themed. The idea that I had was for a city that started as a small town in the very bottom of a deep canyon and, over time, layer after layer was added until the entire canyon was filled up to the top, leading to a vertically-built city where even the deepest parts of the undercity are inhabited. The city would have expanded into the rock walls of the canyon too, and it would have been ruled over by so many different cultures at different points in its history that many layers would have very different architecture than the rest of the city.

    Now, the trick is in making this city of multiple millions of people its own distinct campaign setting. Something to make it cut off (or largely cut off) from the rest of the world. This could be anything from an impenetrable force wall to being trapped shifted to its own demiplane to forced isolation by mages holding a border to physical isolation.

    Aside from that vague framework, I have nothing else thought up for this setting. So, playground, what are your ideas? What do you think?
    Last edited by jagadaishio; 2009-08-24 at 07:14 PM.
    GENERATION 12: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig and add 1 to the generation. social experiment.
    ----------
    Fogmere City
    ----------
    Brute
    ----------

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Limos's Avatar

    Join Date
    Nov 2008

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    Well I could see a lot of conflict with the various tunneling races if their excavations have gone too deep and impacted clans of Druegar or Kobolds.

    For residents of the city Dwarves seem like a very obvious choice, and Elves seem very unlikely. Unless possibly you made the city an organic growth. More like a hive than a city.

    Lots of tree roots forming the lower layers. That would also explain the upward growth of the city, if it was literally growing. They would weave the branches together in each upper layer to form the floors, maybe plaster it together to make solid walls.

    As the city grows the canopy closes over each layer and they move up, leaving behind a warren of organic homes in each lower gallery.

    That would make a good home for Fey, lots of Gnomes, and Elves. Maybe even Banshrae. They have always struck me as insectile and would make a good Hive resident.


    What started as a hidden grove in the bottom of the canyon has grown out of control and become a massive hive of Fey.


    On a different subject, I recently started a campaign setting of my own, and you guys seem to be good at this. Do you think you could take a look and tell me what you think?

    Warbreaker
    Last edited by Limos; 2009-08-03 at 01:50 PM.

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Halfling in the Playground
     
    MindFlayer

    Join Date
    Jun 2009

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    Ok here are some jumbled ideas i have to make the ultimate macro-city. It would have to heavily impact the history of the city but here goes.

    the city starts out as a small fishing village on the river banks at the bottom of a canyon. Precious metals and minerals are discovered in the canyon walls, so the villagers start to mine the canyon. The wealth of the mines attracts the interest of people abroad and the population of the village spikes as people immigrate.

    The hollowed out parts of the canyon walls are thus converted into houses and shops to accommodate the growing population. Eventually, the miners reach the top of the canyon walls and the city extends over the cliffs of the canyon above.

    Bridges are erected to help citizens commute between neighborhoods on either wall of the canyon. These bridges continue to expand and expand to accommodate the increased traffic, until the bridges themselves become neighborhoods, with there own dwellings and businesses.

    All the while this is happening on the surface, miners have continued to dig deeper and deeper into the canyon. The oldest of these mines, directly beneath the original village, unexpectedly opens a massive cavern and connected network of caves. The caves are full of even more riches then their previous mines, so the digging continues.

    As the miners dig, once again the tunnels and caves behind them are annexed as new sections of the city. While the city continues to expand below the canyon, massive skyscrapers are erected along the cliffs of the canyon, even as the city expands out horizontally.

    After much horizontal expansion, the city reaches the lake at the end of the river. The creatures living in this lake reach an agreement in the city. In exchange for not being forced out of the lake, and a large monetary settlement, the city will be allowed to expand onto the lake.

    the city constructs buildings on supports that extend to the bottom of the lake, and skyscrapers built on the water become a new luxury of the city. Beneath the water, the cities best craftsmen construct entire communities at the very bottom of the lake.

    The next development of the city was perhaps the oddest. As more and more powerful mages were draw to this city over time. Their magic began to react with the natural magical forces of the canyon, and the amazing destiny of the city.

    The reactions created a number of permanent Planar Gates throughout the city. Seeing an opportunity, the citizens poured through the gates and began to colonize the other sides. These colonies were not really new cities, but rather extensions of the original city through the gates.

    With the wealth of their massive mines, and a half dozen planes at their disposal, the leaders of the city looked upward. The scoffed at their "skyscrapers" and said "we can do better." They began to construct towers of a size and scale never seen before. Towers so tall, their tops require magic to keep them full of air and keep the vacuum of space at bay.

    A city of this size would no doubt be the fiscal and cultural center of the world, with a citizenry of almost every intelligent race.

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    jagadaishio's Avatar

    Join Date
    Mar 2007

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    Quote Originally Posted by 50cr4t3s View Post
    The hollowed out parts of the canyon walls are thus converted into houses and shops to accommodate the growing population. Eventually, the miners reach the top of the canyon walls and the city extends over the cliffs of the canyon above.
    So, would the mines have been capitalist ventures and the depleted mines would have been sold back to the city by the businesses, or would the mines have been a community venture and would have therefore been converted automatically? Or would the community have used something of an eminent domain clause to snatch up the depleted mines once they stopped producing?

    Quote Originally Posted by 50cr4t3s View Post
    After much horizontal expansion, the city reaches the lake at the end of the river. The creatures living in this lake reach an agreement in the city. In exchange for not being forced out of the lake, and a large monetary settlement, the city will be allowed to expand onto the lake.

    the city constructs buildings on supports that extend to the bottom of the lake, and skyscrapers built on the water become a new luxury of the city. Beneath the water, the cities best craftsmen construct entire communities at the very bottom of the lake.
    What would the reason for this aquatic expansion have been? Would there be some kind of vital or valuable resource there on the lake? If not, wouldn't it have been more efficient to just build on the shores and have a community for the water-breathers on the lake bed without the floating buildings?

    Quote Originally Posted by 50cr4t3s View Post
    The next development of the city was perhaps the oddest. As more and more powerful mages were draw to this city over time. Their magic began to react with the natural magical forces of the canyon, and the amazing destiny of the city.

    The reactions created a number of permanent Planar Gates throughout the city. Seeing an opportunity, the citizens poured through the gates and began to colonize the other sides. These colonies were not really new cities, but rather extensions of the original city through the gates.
    It seems like it would make more sense for the gates to only open at certain times of the day, week, or month. It would create a massive rush-hour in the gate districts, and it would also limit the flow of commerce between the regions. I think that would be a necessary balancing factor in the development of the city.

    Quote Originally Posted by 50cr4t3s View Post
    With the wealth of their massive mines, and a half dozen planes at their disposal, the leaders of the city looked upward. The scoffed at their "skyscrapers" and said "we can do better." They began to construct towers of a size and scale never seen before. Towers so tall, their tops require magic to keep them full of air and keep the vacuum of space at bay.
    A space tower? That seems a little... extreme. Maybe a tower that just expands a little ways past the cloud level, where those at the top of the tower would literally be able to look down at the storms raining misery on the proletariat below. If it actually stretches into space, you would think that at some point some mad wizard would disintegrate part of one of the central supports and have it go crashing down so hard that the canyon would become a crater.
    GENERATION 12: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig and add 1 to the generation. social experiment.
    ----------
    Fogmere City
    ----------
    Brute
    ----------

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Halfling in the Playground
     
    MindFlayer

    Join Date
    Jun 2009

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    In response to your first question:
    That would depend greatly on the type of government ruling the city. If the city is heavily capitalist, then the mines would probably be privately owned and sold back to the city at cheap rates. If the city is feudal, then the mines are owned by the cities lord anyway. If it's a Communist government, the mines already belong to the cities people. It all really depends on the government. And if we follow your idea that the city has had different regimes in power at different times, it may have been all of the above.

    To your second question:
    To be honest, I don't have a reason for he aquatic expansion beyond "It would be awesome and make for some interesting game play perhaps." As far as resources in the lake, that really depends on the geography of the area. Although one possible reason for the expansion into the lake may have been a lack of sufficient space on the shores of the lake.

    To your third question:
    A recurring phenomenon of gates opening and closing is perfectly acceptable. However, this places barriers between the city and the settlements on the other planes, making them essentially separate cities. In order to be truly considered parts of the main city, they would have to be constantly connected.

    To your last question:
    Yes this is a bit extreme, but not much more so than the idea of a city that spans such a large landmass and multiple planes. Like I said, I was simply throwing out ideas, so the height of the cities towers are absolutely not a deal breaker.

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    EvilClericGuy

    Join Date
    Aug 2008

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    or disintegrate a support and have the magic that keeps it up still hold the top in place miles above the canyon floor.
    Last edited by kopout; 2009-08-03 at 03:19 PM.
    Quote Originally Posted by ToySoldierCPlus View Post
    Now you're attempting to model physics when arguing your case for armor made by a guy who explicitly tells the laws of physics to sit down and shut up whenever he starts tinkering stacking with regular armor. Stop that.
    Miny city!
    Industrial miny city!
    transportation!
    round one, fight!

  7. - Top - End - #7
    Titan in the Playground
     
    PirateCaptain

    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    On Paper
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    What tech level do we want for this city?

    Truely large-scale cities require some sort of Industry that needs more people than space. Historically, it was largely factories that could use large numbers of unskilled laborers that led to the rise of large cities.I propose somthing similar here. Whether you want to use steam power (Perhaps a portal to the plane of water, opposite from a portal to the Plane of Fire, generates enough steam to power and entire factory district). Either way, there should be somthing that takes alot of unskilled labor.



    Also, here is an idea I had for this city. Horizontally, it's divided by district, but vertically it's divided by social class. So there is a (or multiple) "Market District" That goes all the way from the top to the bottom. At the very top, it's a high-class mall, where merchants sell the finest goods to the richest denzens of the city. From there, you can go straight down, until you reach the bottom, which is a filthy bazzar where toothless traders try to cheat each other out of a few coppers while exchanging the roughest of goods.

    Now, perhaps in some areas of the city, this is reversed. Maybe there is a district full of sentient undead. Where the poorest, free-willed zombies and commoners with the Necropolitan template, live on the surface, while at the bottom vampire lords and liches smart enough to work within the city laws live in obsidian palaces.
    Quote Originally Posted by Dsurion View Post
    I don't know if you've noticed, but pretty much everything BRC posts is full of awesome.
    Quote Originally Posted by chiasaur11 View Post
    So, Astronaut, War Hero, or hideous Mantis Man, hop to it! The future of humanity is in your capable hands and or terrifying organic scythes.
    My Homebrew:Synchronized Swordsmen,Dual Daggers,The Doctor,The Preacher,The Brawler
    [/Center]

  8. - Top - End - #8
    Halfling in the Playground
     
    MindFlayer

    Join Date
    Jun 2009

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    I like your idea of varying social levels for different parts of the city, but i don't think it need be a vertical structure.

    If we keep the buildings on the lake idea, this could be a high class neighborhood, but then so could the towers high above, and perhaps a palace in one of the the deep caverns.

    I think we can take this idea one step further. In addition to varying social status in different districts, different regions of the city could have varying tech levels. An example would be a district of the city that has the gates to the planes of fire and water like you suggested using steam power, but the Undead district you proposed would utilize negative energy as the basis of it's tech.

    BTW: I love the idea of an Undead district. I'm a big Necromancy fan.

  9. - Top - End - #9
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Owrtho's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2008

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    Well, first, I'd note that you should have first tried bumping the older community worldbuilding project to see if there was still any interest in it before starting a new one. That said however, I'll comment on this one:

    I don't really care for the idea of the bridges and skyscrapers idea myself. I would see it being something more like this:

    After the mines that were level with the canyon floor began extending upward, some miners began complaining about always having to walk back down whenever they wanted to take a break for food or a drink. One of the more inventive tavern owners near the canyon walls happened to hear this while they were having a meal at his establishment. From this he had an idea. He spent a large sum of his money to have additions built onto his tavern adding a third story common room, and built a walkway to the cavern wall and had a passage opened to the nearest mining tunnel. The venture paid off and soon he had much more business than before and began expanding to better accommodate the large number of miners who enjoyed not having to track back though a number of tunnels to the level below. Other businesses noted his success and soon began imitating his idea. Soon even the stores not near the canyon wall began making pathways that linked to the pathways of the closer buildings. Over the course of the year such pathways formed a spiderweb across the entire community extending from one side of the canyon to the other. Despite this though, you could only get to the upper level through the buildings that had levels there or the mines. Seeing this, a somewhat wealthier miner had his house extended to the upper level passageways. Some less wealthy miners who saw this decided to do the same, but had to sell the lower levels of their home to afford it. In this way the first level was formed.
    It was not long though until the mines extended higher up the canyon wall. Businesses this time businesses immediately went and expanded higher up. Some new businesses even were built only on the first and second level without a place on the canyon floor. This process continued each time the mines reached a higher level. The first four levels could only be crossed between through buildings and the mines, but the fifth level and up began building stairs between the levels as well. It was not until the tenth level however that the manner of building the next level ceased to be a random spider web of walkways and began to become standardized. Along with this, some buildings and businesses continued to be successful extending from the canyon floor to the highest level, while others went out of business and stopped expanding and still other were started on higher levels and extended up from there.

    Edit: Also I seem to have been nijad by a number of posts, so oh well.

    Owrtho
    Last edited by Owrtho; 2009-08-03 at 03:57 PM.
    Tables
    Want them to look nice? Have a guide

    My Homebrew
    [creature]Shiny: Monster Competition XXXVI entry.
    [class]Wisp fire guide: Follow me. I have such sights to show you.
    [class]Ozodrin: A class to play as an eldritch horror.
    other hombrew

  10. - Top - End - #10
    Titan in the Playground
     
    PirateCaptain

    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    On Paper
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    Quote Originally Posted by 50cr4t3s View Post
    I like your idea of varying social levels for different parts of the city, but i don't think it need be a vertical structure.

    If we keep the buildings on the lake idea, this could be a high class neighborhood, but then so could the towers high above, and perhaps a palace in one of the the deep caverns.

    I think we can take this idea one step further. In addition to varying social status in different districts, different regions of the city could have varying tech levels. An example would be a district of the city that has the gates to the planes of fire and water like you suggested using steam power, but the Undead district you proposed would utilize negative energy as the basis of it's tech.

    BTW: I love the idea of an Undead district. I'm a big Necromancy fan.
    Heh, thanks. When I designed a city for a campaign, I put an undead community in the sewers, led by the ghost of a paladin named "Andre the Ghoulslayer". The undead in question were all perfectly free-willed, I imagine this being like that. There are no necromancers in this district, the other undead don't like people who want to control them. If need be, just take normal Undead types, and call them free-willed.



    Ooh, Idea. "The Order of the Bone Shield". The city has learned how to cope with the unusual needs of it's inhabitants, especially it's undead ones. In a city where there is no room for cemetery's, corpses that are not to be raised are left for a few days, to see if they are going to rise, and if not, the Ghouls take care of them. Vampires must always pay for their blood, and they must provide for the healing and recovery of their "Dinner Partners". And for the most part, these rules work. However, sometimes they don't, which is when the Order of the Bone Shield steps in. The Bone Shields are Paladins, largely undead, who enforce the laws of the undead community, while at the same time protecting them. If a pack of ghouls eats a merchant in the street, or if a vampire decides to drink from an unwilling citizen, the Order arrives to mete out justice. At the same time, if a out-of-towner cleric decides to start waving his holy symbol at some undead miners trying to go about their buisness, or some stake-happy idiot tries to stab a vampire while he's enjoying the opera, the order will defend them as well.
    Quote Originally Posted by Dsurion View Post
    I don't know if you've noticed, but pretty much everything BRC posts is full of awesome.
    Quote Originally Posted by chiasaur11 View Post
    So, Astronaut, War Hero, or hideous Mantis Man, hop to it! The future of humanity is in your capable hands and or terrifying organic scythes.
    My Homebrew:Synchronized Swordsmen,Dual Daggers,The Doctor,The Preacher,The Brawler
    [/Center]

  11. - Top - End - #11
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    jagadaishio's Avatar

    Join Date
    Mar 2007

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    On the topic of varying tech levels, I like the idea. In the factory district, steam power would be very common, as it's what workers use to make mundane goods. In the mage's district, constructs and other animated processes would likely be more common. In places like the negative gate district, various forms of specialized mindless undead serving as transportation, labour, and so on would probably be the most frequent occurance.

    As for the progression that Owrtho posited, I like it. As I understand it, the lower levels would be very chaotic and haphazardly designed, with only the upper levels having well-made stairs and bridges. Furthermore, because of the way it was described, the wealth really would be concentrated near the top, since that's where the business would have constantly been moving, leaving only unsuccessful business and poor people in the lower levels (the undead district being the key exception).

    Quote Originally Posted by BRC View Post
    Ooh, Idea. "The Order of the Bone Shield". The city has learned how to cope with the unusual needs of it's inhabitants, especially it's undead ones. In a city where there is no room for cemetery's, corpses that are not to be raised are left for a few days, to see if they are going to rise, and if not, the Ghouls take care of them. Vampires must always pay for their blood, and they must provide for the healing and recovery of their "Dinner Partners". And for the most part, these rules work. However, sometimes they don't, which is when the Order of the Bone Shield steps in. The Bone Shields are Paladins, largely undead, who enforce the laws of the undead community, while at the same time protecting them. If a pack of ghouls eats a merchant in the street, or if a vampire decides to drink from an unwilling citizen, the Order arrives to mete out justice. At the same time, if a out-of-towner cleric decides to start waving his holy symbol at some undead miners trying to go about their buisness, or some stake-happy idiot tries to stab a vampire while he's enjoying the opera, the order will defend them as well.
    Fantastic! Undead cops! I imagine that they would also have some casters specializing in necromancy and divination for things like Speak with Dead and scrying serving as their forensics team. The paladins would be the ones working the beat.
    Last edited by jagadaishio; 2009-08-03 at 03:52 PM.
    GENERATION 12: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig and add 1 to the generation. social experiment.
    ----------
    Fogmere City
    ----------
    Brute
    ----------

  12. - Top - End - #12
    Halfling in the Playground
     
    MindFlayer

    Join Date
    Jun 2009

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    The Order is a good idea when dealing with undead. It would go a long way in maintaining a cooperative state. But I think there would still be a major anti-undead sentiment in many parts of the city.

    I think it's time we start talking about the governing body of this city. Whatever it started out as, the current government has to be able to keep a city larger than any other in the world from falling into chaos. A feudal system is the standard in most fantasy settings, but i think we as a community are above blindly accepting a king/queen + aristocracy and moving on.

  13. - Top - End - #13
    Titan in the Playground
     
    PirateCaptain

    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    On Paper
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    Quote Originally Posted by jagadaishio View Post
    Fantastic! Undead cops! I imagine that they would also have some casters specializing in necromancy and divination for things like Speak with Dead and scrying serving as their forensics team. The paladins would be the ones working the beat.
    After writing up that description, I had the idea that each community would have it's own police force that answered to a city-wide "Justicator Corps". The Undead have the Knights of the Bone Shield, A human community may just have The Watch, or somthing. The Mages District has "The Eyes of Justice", ect.

    Under this system, each district is somewhat self-governing. How about the entire city is governed by a Legislature, which elects a pair of Consuls, who serve two year terms, being elected on alternating years, ect. Each district has it's own system of choosing it's leaders. One district may use an Aristocracy, while another may be democratic, while another may use some sort of Test to determine it's leadership.
    Quote Originally Posted by Dsurion View Post
    I don't know if you've noticed, but pretty much everything BRC posts is full of awesome.
    Quote Originally Posted by chiasaur11 View Post
    So, Astronaut, War Hero, or hideous Mantis Man, hop to it! The future of humanity is in your capable hands and or terrifying organic scythes.
    My Homebrew:Synchronized Swordsmen,Dual Daggers,The Doctor,The Preacher,The Brawler
    [/Center]

  14. - Top - End - #14
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Owrtho's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2008

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    Well, the wealthy wouldn't have to go to the top, they just usually would stay with the most recent section of their business. Also the really wealthy businesses would extend through multiple levels, with a few of the elites extending all the way from the canyon floor to the highest level (not many, but likely there would be around 3 to 6 such businesses). In general people might also judge a business by its number of levels. Such as "Oh, I know a really nice 6 level tavern around here." or "This place isn't that good, but whats to be expected from a two level establishment." Even when a business doesn't reach to the top though they tend to be considered better if they manage to maintain more levels. That said, some good businesses would not have many levels. These could be both those that didn't bother/couldn't afford at the time expanding to the higher levels and as such got cut off, or ones that are in the top levels so haven't had the chance to expand any higher.

    Also with lower levels being mined out it would tend to go the opposite way, as the caves below the canyon floor would be traveling down as their wealth followed the miners deeper.

    On the idea of the gates, I could see it being that there are some regularly occurring gates which have been used to expand the city. If they occur on a fixed schedule (that is at least once every two weeks if not more often, and being open for at least a day at a time), then they wouldn't make it separate cities, it would just require scheduling by the populace.
    However I would also see there being random gates that form. These could occur anywhere in the city and go to anywhere else, lasting for unknown periods of time. This has caused many of the better establishments to add dimensional anchor enchantments to their buildings so that they can assure you that a monster or the like won't suddenly be able to show up from a random portal.
    Due to this issue, there have also been relatively cheep magical items made that can tell you how long a gate has left to last, allowing for safer exploration without worrying about getting trapped. It has also led to rather expensive devices that look to be ornate door frames that can be placed on a gate and activated to memorize that gate and keep it accessible. However, these cannot be moved or reused. Once set they only work for that gate. They have to parts (one for each side of the gate), and come in two varieties. The more expensive keeps the gate always open. The less expensive will not keep the gate open, but will keep the location memorized and by imputing some magical energy can reopen the gate for varying amounts of time. This second type is often set up around the regular portals and other portals that lead to sections of the city on other planes. Around such public gates, it is not uncommon to find people with magical talent willing to open the gate for a small fee. It is also not to rare to find privately owned gates of this variety. There are even items made for the express purpose of storing magical energy to open these gates when you need to go through them.
    Last edited by Owrtho; 2009-08-03 at 04:07 PM.
    Tables
    Want them to look nice? Have a guide

    My Homebrew
    [creature]Shiny: Monster Competition XXXVI entry.
    [class]Wisp fire guide: Follow me. I have such sights to show you.
    [class]Ozodrin: A class to play as an eldritch horror.
    other hombrew

  15. - Top - End - #15
    Halfling in the Playground
     
    MindFlayer

    Join Date
    Jun 2009

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    maybe we should scrap (or at least scale back) the idea of randomly occurring gates, and simply create and order of mages, who run a scheduled network of gates in various parts of the city, providing cheap transport to other parts of the city, and to the districts of the city on other planes.

    As for the idea of varying government styles in different districts, I like it, but it does present certain problems. What if two districts of the city take issue with how the other runs things? In a system with independently governed districts, the risk of splintering, and inter-city warfare greatly increases. A strong unifying factor is needed. More than a simple representative on a council.

  16. - Top - End - #16
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    jagadaishio's Avatar

    Join Date
    Mar 2007

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    Quote Originally Posted by 50cr4t3s View Post
    maybe we should scrap (or at least scale back) the idea of randomly occurring gates, and simply create and order of mages, who run a scheduled network of gates in various parts of the city, providing cheap transport to other parts of the city, and to the districts of the city on other planes.

    As for the idea of varying government styles in different districts, I like it, but it does present certain problems. What if two districts of the city take issue with how the other runs things? In a system with independently governed districts, the risk of splintering, and inter-city warfare greatly increases. A strong unifying factor is needed. More than a simple representative on a council.
    I like the idea of the mage-run gate system. It would be like public transport in modern cities, but facilitated by instant-transport magic. As for the varying government styles, I like the idea of each district having its own style and laws, but being forced to also elect or appoint one official to sit on a unified city council. The council would make decisions which affect the entire city, and would put forth laws more powerful than the ones individual districts put forth.
    GENERATION 12: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig and add 1 to the generation. social experiment.
    ----------
    Fogmere City
    ----------
    Brute
    ----------

  17. - Top - End - #17
    Titan in the Playground
     
    PirateCaptain

    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    On Paper
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    I picture it working like State vs Federal government in the US. The Dwarven district could, for example, make a law that says "All Goblinoids in this district will be imprisoned and fined', but the council could convene and say "Dwarves, stop being stupid. We Nullify that law". And because the Police Forces must answer first and foremost to the citywide government, they would listen. If things get really bad, and one district really starts acting up, then it's one district vs all the rest, and that won't end well.
    Quote Originally Posted by Dsurion View Post
    I don't know if you've noticed, but pretty much everything BRC posts is full of awesome.
    Quote Originally Posted by chiasaur11 View Post
    So, Astronaut, War Hero, or hideous Mantis Man, hop to it! The future of humanity is in your capable hands and or terrifying organic scythes.
    My Homebrew:Synchronized Swordsmen,Dual Daggers,The Doctor,The Preacher,The Brawler
    [/Center]

  18. - Top - End - #18
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    EvilClericGuy

    Join Date
    Aug 2008

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    Quote Originally Posted by BRC View Post
    I picture it working like State vs Federal government in the US. The Dwarven district could, for example, make a law that says "All Goblinoids in this district will be imprisoned and fined', but the council could convene and say "Dwarves, stop being stupid. We Nullify that law". And because the Police Forces must answer first and foremost to the citywide government, they would listen. If things get really bad, and one district really starts acting up, then it's one district vs all the rest, and that won't end well.
    but a coalition of "federation " of districts could conscionable cause a civil war.
    Quote Originally Posted by ToySoldierCPlus View Post
    Now you're attempting to model physics when arguing your case for armor made by a guy who explicitly tells the laws of physics to sit down and shut up whenever he starts tinkering stacking with regular armor. Stop that.
    Miny city!
    Industrial miny city!
    transportation!
    round one, fight!

  19. - Top - End - #19
    Halfling in the Playground
     
    MindFlayer

    Join Date
    Jun 2009

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    fair enough

    I imagine some initial hostilities as the city expands, some gang violence all the way to maybe a civil war or two. But since this setting would be the city in what would essentially be it's final form, all the major conflicts would all be in the past, and the system would be stable.

    Although, this doesn't preclude the presence of tension between certain districts (i.e. the undead district and a district belonging to celestials)
    Last edited by 50cr4t3s; 2009-08-03 at 04:31 PM.

  20. - Top - End - #20
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    jagadaishio's Avatar

    Join Date
    Mar 2007

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    Quote Originally Posted by kopout View Post
    but a coalition of "federation " of districts could conscionable cause a civil war.
    And it has. More than once. Who could forget the time the temple district marched on the necropolis or the time when the dwarves raised their axes against the entire city in defense of the Goblin Imprisonment Act? They all get resolved pretty quickly, though, if not in a bloodless fashion.
    GENERATION 12: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig and add 1 to the generation. social experiment.
    ----------
    Fogmere City
    ----------
    Brute
    ----------

  21. - Top - End - #21
    Titan in the Playground
     
    PirateCaptain

    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    On Paper
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    Maybe we should start thinking up districts. Like this
    Names: The Necropolis
    Other Names: Shambletown. Boneville. Gravecity.
    Government Type: Lichocracy.
    Police Force: Order of the Bone Shield.
    The Necropolis is ruled by a lich named Graveborle the Uncaring. He has been "Alive" so long that he no longer has any interest in actually running the district. Instead, he appoints ministers to handle things for him, so the powerful undead in the district are always trying to figure out how to interest him so he picks their candidate of choice. Interesting novelties, especially books, are prized in the district as they are the best way to attract his favor. Each minister serves for a decade, or until Graveborle is convinced to dismiss them from service and choose somebody to replace them. They are currently represented on the council by the vampire Lord Charles Marche.
    ...ect. I only described their government here, but a full description would include other interesting aspects of the District.
    Last edited by BRC; 2009-08-03 at 04:38 PM.
    Quote Originally Posted by Dsurion View Post
    I don't know if you've noticed, but pretty much everything BRC posts is full of awesome.
    Quote Originally Posted by chiasaur11 View Post
    So, Astronaut, War Hero, or hideous Mantis Man, hop to it! The future of humanity is in your capable hands and or terrifying organic scythes.
    My Homebrew:Synchronized Swordsmen,Dual Daggers,The Doctor,The Preacher,The Brawler
    [/Center]

  22. - Top - End - #22
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    jagadaishio's Avatar

    Join Date
    Mar 2007

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    Quote Originally Posted by BRC View Post
    Maybe we should start thinking up districts. Like this
    Names: The Necropolis
    Other Names: Shambletown. Boneville. Gravecity.
    Government Type: Lichocracy.
    Police Force: Order of the Bone Shield.
    The Necropolis is ruled by a lich named Graveborle the Uncaring. He has been "Alive" so long that he no longer has any interest in actually running the district. Instead, he appoints ministers to handle things for him, so the powerful undead in the district are always trying to figure out how to interest him so he picks their candidate of choice. Interesting novelties, especially books, are prized in the district as they are the best way to attract his favor. Each minister serves for a decade, or until Graveborle is convinced to dismiss them from service and choose somebody to replace them. They are currently represented on the council by the vampire Lord Charles Marche.
    ...ect. I only described their government here, but a full description would include other interesting aspects of the District.
    I like it. I also think each place should have its own gate station, appropriately themed to the region. The Necropolis would have the Shadow Station with a gate to the Negative Energy Plane. The mages' district would have a gate to the Astral Plane, and maybe a massive trading area around it. A bazaar of the bizarre of sorts.
    GENERATION 12: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig and add 1 to the generation. social experiment.
    ----------
    Fogmere City
    ----------
    Brute
    ----------

  23. - Top - End - #23
    Halfling in the Playground
     
    MindFlayer

    Join Date
    Jun 2009

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    Name: Primordium
    Other Names: The Beginning, The First District, The Ancient City
    Government Type: Seat of the City's Ruling Council
    Police Force: Eternal Guards
    As the city grew larger and larger in the canyon, a group of mages thought it would be prudent to preserve part of the original city before it was lost in the massive network of bridges, tunnels, and towers. They transported the entire original village into an extra dimensional space, in order to preserve it. Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain. After the last of the mages died, a new order of mages decided to expand upon the original village, to make it a more fitting place to house the City Council. The extra dimensional space is now a city in it's own right, with some of the most beautiful architecture in all the city. It is guarded by an order of immortal warriors (not undead) who have pledged to guard Primordium, and the council members, for all of eternity.

    what do you think? Go or No Go?
    Last edited by 50cr4t3s; 2009-08-03 at 04:58 PM.

  24. - Top - End - #24
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Owrtho's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2008

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    Not so sure about the Primordium. For one thing by the time mages would have started taking an interest in the city it would already have been too late. I could however see the original village being renovated to be the council center with extra-dimensional additions added on due to the inability to expand.

    Also, not sure about the details, but I could see something along the lines of The Cut-throat Alliance. The alliance, as it is commonly called refers to a network of the underground agencies, many based in the less savory districts, and their smaller branch offshoots. While there are many different underground agencies, almost all belong to the alliance, mainly for the benefits it grants. Among other things, the alliance has a general rule of not interfering with other members 'buisness'. While very little enforces it, it is seen as a mutual arangment, and has other groups in the alliance more willing to render aid. They also have set up a network of secret gates between they're various bases. This can make catching thieves, and cut throats rather difficult to catch as you chase them into a building only to find they aren't anywhere inside and aren't on the level above or bellow (the went through the small 3' by 3' gate behind the false pannel on the wall that has now been closed for the rest of the day, and are now in a different district). While certaintly not on the best terms, the alliance has caused a spread of crime through many parts of the cities. Often even in the better districts members can be found near the edge or in more rundown buildings. They are however frequently hunted by the council of the city and its various law enforcement groups.

    Owrtho
    Tables
    Want them to look nice? Have a guide

    My Homebrew
    [creature]Shiny: Monster Competition XXXVI entry.
    [class]Wisp fire guide: Follow me. I have such sights to show you.
    [class]Ozodrin: A class to play as an eldritch horror.
    other hombrew

  25. - Top - End - #25
    Titan in the Playground
     
    PirateCaptain

    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    On Paper
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    Looks good. Though I don't like the idea of it being "A city unto itself", it should be a small district, and most of the people that live there work directly for the government, often as bureaucrats.

    Another Organization: The Streetbuilders.

    The City is constantly falling apart, being torn down, and being rebuilt. Most of this work is done by private construction firms, but some work can only be tackled by the Streetbuilders. Since the city is built on top of the city, which is built on top of more city, one pillars worth of disrepair can cause a disaster. The Streetbuilders are in charge of preventing such disasters, and ensuring the physical stability of the city. They are a massive organization, employing everything from common unskilled laborers to expert mages. Most of the time, they are too busy making sure everything dosn't fall apart, but sometimes enough things get fixed that they can devote resources and manpower to large-scale construction projects, often at the whim of the director at that time. For the most part, these projects are abanoned halfway through when money runs out, or when the number of nececssary repairs becomes too great for the Builders to spare workers, and the city is dotted with half-built architectural wonders, though a few projects are finished.

    The current director is a dwarf named Modrin Klackgradle.
    Quote Originally Posted by Dsurion View Post
    I don't know if you've noticed, but pretty much everything BRC posts is full of awesome.
    Quote Originally Posted by chiasaur11 View Post
    So, Astronaut, War Hero, or hideous Mantis Man, hop to it! The future of humanity is in your capable hands and or terrifying organic scythes.
    My Homebrew:Synchronized Swordsmen,Dual Daggers,The Doctor,The Preacher,The Brawler
    [/Center]

  26. - Top - End - #26
    Halfling in the Playground
     
    MindFlayer

    Join Date
    Jun 2009

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    Here are some ideas for other organizations in the city.

    The Eyes:

    The Eyes are the most complex and efficient network of spies to ever see you when you're sleeping and know when you're awake. The organization was started by a particularly brutal regime in the cities history. One which intended to keep an eye on it's citizens to ensure a rebellion could never be organized. The Eyes consist of an unknown number of informants, hundreds of undercover agents, and dozens of powerful scrying mages. After the fall of the tyrannical regime that started the eyes, a massive effort to shutdown the order was organized by the new government. But while many operatives were found and executed, the order was never fully disbanded, and the effort was eventually given up. Some how, The Eyes still send reports to the City Council on activity within the city, despite the Council's public opposition to the organization. If you can find them, the information they collect may even be for sale. For those willing to pay the price.

    The Holy Hands of Saint Merkiel:

    A coalition of clerics and holy-men from dozens of religions, who have banded together for the common good. "Temples" of this guild can be found all over the city, offering affordable healing to any who ask for it. The guild is essentially serving as the hospitals of the city, and have at least one "temple" per district, with multiple ones in more heavily populated districts. They are highly vocal in their opposition to the existence of the Necropolis inside the city, holding protests and pressuring Councilmen to propose legislation on a regular basis. The guild has set up a controversial establishment within the Necropolis, offering its undead inhabitants "A Chance at Redemption." (you can guess what that means) The building has sparked a heated debate in most areas of the city over undead rights.

    I'm going to have to leave this thread for awhile. I'll be back later to see what happens.
    Last edited by 50cr4t3s; 2009-08-03 at 05:52 PM.

  27. - Top - End - #27
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Owrtho's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jul 2008

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    Some more on the alliance.

    Alliance Holes: These are places where alliance members seems to be able to just disappear into. The more notable ones tend to be buildings that are owned by alliance members (normally they tend to be normal business owners who don't mind making some money on the side helping underground organizations and getting some protection from them) that are designed with places to hide alliance members or have gates designed to help them escape. They usually have a few other alliance holes they are linked to, and will have different gates to go to different ones. The gates are usually small (often less the 4' by 4'), and can be activated and deactivated on command (usually unique to the gate). many now have the ability to be closed and made unusable for a set number of days. It is also not uncommon to have other features tied to them such as being able to make a changeable room's door slam shut and lock when used (just in case there are guards close behind and you want to throw them off). Some alliance holes even have gates built into the doors of some rooms so that if opened the right way it makes a gate until closed.
    When alliance holes first started being found, it was considered a highly punishable offense to own one. However, the alliance realized this and stated having alliance holes made in the homes and businesses of those who opposed them, as well as random businesses. Due to this, the punishment for having alliance holes has gone away, though attempts are made to record where they are (a feat made more complicated by fake ones being made as well).

    Alliance Builders: Alliance builders are the ones who make alliance holes. it tends to be a rather lucrative job, though is rather risky as it has come to be treated as a crime as bad or worse than murder depending on the area (by the government, not as much the people). Alliance builders usually work as builders or mages for other groups. However, every so often either at the alliances command or at the request of the owner of an alliance hole, they will make the workings for an alliance hole in one of their jobs. The builders work the physical parts into the construction, while mages (if contacted in the case that a real one is being made and not just a fake), will come by later and add the enchantments to make it work.
    This has lead to it being almost impossible to tell what places might have alliance holes or not. It also makes it much worse if you make the alliance want you dead, as you never know where you can go without worrying about cut-throats coming after you. Even in a locked room you might suddenly find a panel sliding away for a group of alliance member to come finish you off. It is also for this fact that alliance builders and knowing alliance hole owners will rarely go back on their deal with the alliance.

    Owrtho
    Tables
    Want them to look nice? Have a guide

    My Homebrew
    [creature]Shiny: Monster Competition XXXVI entry.
    [class]Wisp fire guide: Follow me. I have such sights to show you.
    [class]Ozodrin: A class to play as an eldritch horror.
    other hombrew

  28. - Top - End - #28
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    jagadaishio's Avatar

    Join Date
    Mar 2007

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    Name: The Steamworks
    Other Names: The Clanks, Factory District, Rustland
    Government Type: Unions/Merchant Leaders
    Police Force: The Merchant Agents

    The Steamworks is the generic name given to the various steam-powered factory regions scattered throughout the city, nestled away in the old caves. Their industry is powered by vast steam turbines, fueled by permanent elemental fonts. They are the source of almost all modern technological advances and house the best craftsmen of the city. Most of the structures in this area of the city are made of riveted metal, and they rust extremely quickly in the steamy, humid climate, leading to its nickname of Rustland.

    There is a constant competition between the unions of the Steamworks and a council of the most powerful merchant managers in the region, always vying and competing with each other to be recognized as the district government. They do this by trying to win the favour of the Merchant Agents; those that do so are virtually guaranteed of being the official governing body for as long as they can maintain that favour. The Merchant Agents are a skilled police body which both maintains the peace in the district and ensures that the industry remains profitable and efficient. Proposing new plans for increased efficiency is a good way to win favour from the Agents.

    The rapid rusting that occurs in the Steamworks means that the Streetbuilders spend an inordinate amount of time keeping the Works together.
    Last edited by jagadaishio; 2009-08-03 at 06:46 PM.
    GENERATION 12: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig and add 1 to the generation. social experiment.
    ----------
    Fogmere City
    ----------
    Brute
    ----------

  29. - Top - End - #29
    Halfling in the Playground
     
    MindFlayer

    Join Date
    Jun 2009

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    New Organization: Humans First

    Much knowledge concerning the original village that started the city has been lost to the passage of time. Whether it's the truth or a fiction, this faction believes that the original village was an exclusively human settlement. They see the multitude of other races that now flood the city as usurpers of their birthright. They believe that the city should be ruled by the race that had the foresight to settle in the canyon eons ago. They despise non-humans in any form, be they Undead, Gnolls, Elfs or Dwarfs. They are considered a small radical group by most in the city, but those in the know believe they may have more influence on the Council then most would think. Most members of this radical group keep their membership a secret, but many are quite vocal about their beliefs.

    I figured we needed a good ol' fashioned hate group in the city

  30. - Top - End - #30
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    jagadaishio's Avatar

    Join Date
    Mar 2007

    Default Re: Community Worldbuilding Project [Urban and Urbane]

    How about this. Occasionally, raiders of an unknown persuasion or a random monster will spill out of one of the temporary, randomly-occuring gates. The monsters will rampage and are almost always put down by some sort of peace-keeper. The raiders spill out, gank stuff, stab people, and retreat back into the gate just as it closes. They have been captured before, but they all seem to die shortly after the closing of the gate. No two seem to be alike - while all having the same basic abilities, they all are structurally quite different, with different dental patters, eye count, finger count, limb length, skin colour and texture, and so on.

    Defeating a raider party or putting down a gate beast is a good way to earn a bit of prestige in the eyes of law-enforcement organizations.
    GENERATION 12: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig and add 1 to the generation. social experiment.
    ----------
    Fogmere City
    ----------
    Brute
    ----------

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •