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Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
 Posted - 24 May 2011 : 19:19:02
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I've begun my "Hulburg and the High Seas" campaign and a core component of it will be a Kingmaker-esque plotline as a young lord will work to turn Hulburg from what it is in the 1350s (a keep and 12 shieldsworn) to a what it is in the 1470s (a thriving city).
Obviously (since the Hulmasters do this in canon realms) all the components for rebuilding the city do exist. But, I'd like to see peoples thoughts, comments, and ideas on how you get from an adventuring party and no more than 20 NPCs and start attracting settlers.
My basic thought, so far, is to use stronghold builders guidebook for the PCs to work on the "new" keep and transition into Kingmaker as they start building up the town. But that period of time inbetween vexes me.
Ericon (the young noble) has returned to Hulburg, after saving Phlan, New Verdigris, Melvaunt, and Hulburg from Marcus' Pools of Darkness scheme. He hired two retainers and a manservant in Phlan, mainly to serve as guards for his wagon during the trip. He brought a few adventurers with him.
I could just "let them figure it out," but Agryl Hulmaster is still alive, having adopted Ericon through his marriage to Amali Hulmaster. He is the driving force behind the rebuilding of the city and will have to be throwing ideas out to the group. I've already come up with him giving them locations of various rumored treasures to seek out and bring back.
It's also important to me that Ericon not become the key figure of the campaign, that this still remain the adventures of the group as a whole.
So, what ideas are out there?
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
Posted - 24 May 2011 : 19:52:14
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The single most important factor for the formation of an initial city in Fearun is I think military protection. So when your noble is able to convince the local population that he can ensure their safety people will begin to flock to his side out of fear for the dark, dark world around them.
I'd advise to start with marching a considerable group of military types towards the main tower. After having them set up a tentcamp have them erect a wooden pallisade interspaced with watchtowers. Afterwards have them digging a moat and have them start gathering enough bricks and stones to start to fortify the pallisade. Eventually strive to throw up a stone wall, install a good waterhole and a flushable sewage system, a sturdy granary and/or a small fortified port.
After this start scouring the near areas for threats, and drive them off or eradicate them. Start patrolling the newly built roads to and from the nearest next big settlement to ensure safe trade. Eh voila, a new city is in the making!
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My campaign sketches
Druidic Groves
Creature Feature: Giant Spiders |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4687 Posts |
Posted - 24 May 2011 : 19:58:49
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To build any realm, you need security, fertile fields if crop land, if a trade port/inland city, low taxes at the start.
People will come if they fell safer, then from where they come from. In my view securuity is likely the most important factor. It though is never as simple as that, how does the Lord deal with floods, how much aid provided to the farmers or merchants when a problem occurs. These and other issues clearly can and likely will arise. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
Posted - 24 May 2011 : 21:06:59
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So lower or no tariffs might pull people from Thentia. Thentia's always been relatively safe, so they can't really make security a drawing point from there. Safety might help bring people from Glister. I could have a few people start showing up and talking about how a few dozen tried to make the trek and ended up killed. That'll make road security a priority, too.
This is cool. More ideas? |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 24 May 2011 : 21:20:52
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| Did you look through Power of Faerun? There's a chapter about kingdom building.... |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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Lord Karsus
Great Reader
USA
3740 Posts |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4687 Posts |
Posted - 25 May 2011 : 13:17:27
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To attract people there are many factors.
Offer 10 acres to a farmer that has 5 elsewhere and he will come even at the price of higher taxes paid to the Lord.
Provide craftsmen, black smiths of great skill and people will come for the goods.
Build roads for ease of travel and merchants will come.
Buy slaves and give them freedom and 5 acres, they would tend to be loyal.
There never is one single thing that dds to a realm being built and doing well.
If the land can be mined, clearly miners will come. A smelter build would add to industry and so on. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 25 May 2011 : 16:27:25
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Aluded to in other replies, but look for refugees/displaced people and give them a home. For instance, when the fracas starts in the Bloodstone Lands, some of the people will decide the flee. Many would settle in Impiltur, but you can hire bards to play up your new city, and sponsor ships bringing new folks.
Additionally, cities are almost by definition over-crowded, and will always have some people looking to make a life elsewhere. Hire bards and get them to advertise.
For inspiration, take a look at the US Homestead Act, that rewarded people willing to go west with land. That one helped set out a great migration. You're probably going to be spending gold hand-over-fist to attract people at the start, but you'll eventually start making it back once enough people arrive that taxes start generating revenue. Trade is also imperative. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Rhewtani
Senior Scribe
USA
508 Posts |
Posted - 26 May 2011 : 18:25:47
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Well, last evening, the adventurers were able to return to Hulburg. They discovered that there were three ships "run aground." The first had been there for quite some time, one was up on the shoals, and the third had been beached for repairs by humanoids. After meeting with Lord Hulmaster, the party set out and destroyed the humanoids, capturing a dozen. The older shipwreck, it turns out, was filled with ghasts. So far, the ship up on shoals, the shining star, appears uninhabited.
Devek Harpwind, a cleric of Valkur, recommended hanging the pirates and no one disagreed. Lord Hulmaster had 12 posts put on the shores, and hung each orc from them. |
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Transforming a keep into a city.
