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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
 Posted - 05 Jun 2007 : 01:50:05
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Last session my players completed a converted version of the 1st edition Dungeon module called "The Inheritence" which gave them control of a Keep at the SW corner of the Kryptgarden forest.
Now there trying to figure out what to do with it (technically it belongs to the Thorp noble family but Hulmara Thorp has given them the right to run it)
One of the players who runs a Knight has been romancing Hulmara Thorp and took the leadership feat after completing The Inheritence however hes leadership score wasnt high enough to recruit any followers so hes had to garrision the Keep with Mercs for the time being.
The players have asked what they can do with the keep
So far Ive come up with the following
The Keep sits just outside Kryptgarden forest so they could hunt animals in the forest and sell their furs and meat to make money
They could try and set up a mine somewhere in the Sword mountains
One player suggested they try and build a road from Red Larch to the keep and then run the road west until it joins up to the High Road at a point just north of the Mere of dead men thus putting the keep on a trade route
Anyone know whats in the Hills east of the Mere of Dead men that splits the the 2 Sword Mountain ranges? (Im using the old FR cdrom atlas)
And now for the bad guys who will likely oppose them
A Hobgoblin tribe thats ruled by Green Dragons (The PCs have already encountered them as they had occupied the keep)
Claugiyliamatar and Gnawbones, the keep is reasonably close to her lair and if it starts to make money then it will probably draw her attention
The Orcs of the Sword mountains, the PCs will more than likely run into them especially if they set up mining camps in the Sword mountains
If they build the road linking Red larch to the High Road they may have problems with Merchant consortiums trying to take over the road
Anyone else think of any other problems or resources the players are likely to encounter in the area?
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“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4690 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2007 : 04:50:33
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| Food, any keep needs food. It could all be imported, however that is unlikely. There are chickens, pigs and goats if nothing else that provide food. Odds are good that there are also a few farmers that grow crops. |
"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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Matthus
Senior Scribe
Germany
393 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2007 : 13:21:19
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Nice idea Dargoth:
I just remebered that there are Zhent agents in this aerea. You may bring in a spy with the household, or even a patrol with some agent trying to bring the whole keep under controll.
I would assume that working with a household may cause its own problems - if you are willing to play this out, there are numerous ways to make this a "fun play".
The maid thinks that there is a ghost in the cabinet and doesn't want to clean anymore - PC's find a secret compartment with regalia from an old noble family who is said to have claims on the throne from ???
The baker offended the miller who in return only wanted to play a minor prank - now the whole garrison lies ill - best if this falls with the scouting of the Hobos  The PC's have to find the cause of this before the whole tribe will swarm the keep.
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tauster
Senior Scribe
Germany
399 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2007 : 17:32:42
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Dargoth, now you'll got lots of great story hooks at your hands! 
I'm not sure about Kryptgarden Forest, but I think there's a lot of interesting stuff there to involve the party. some other random ideas:
- the dragons WILL intervene, period.  if there's an old castle in their domain that gets refurbished and re-manned, that's more than enough motivation for a dragon (especially for green ones who love intrigues).
- merchant groups might come to offer trade alliances or scare the characters off, trying to dissuade them from opening a new road (later more about the road...)
- the castle will need personnel. LOTS of personnel. not only that it has to be payed somehow, the party also needs to hire them somewhere. that necessitates "public advertisement", so it is unlikely they can keep their keep a secret. and since they have a few power groups around them, everyone in the know with enough resources will try to sneak in one (or more) spies.
- the road not taken (...sorry, could not resist *g*)
building a road is a HUGE project. they'll need lots of people for that. and these people will need food, water, shelter and protection - which in turn means "even more people".
- the dragon cult might like the idea of having a castle near two dragons. they'll probably first spy on the castle extensively, try to convert a few more denizens (most likely the ones in key positions - perhaps even an PC!) and then try to conquer the castle.
- the zentharim might try the same strategy, onle with different motivations (trade- & smuggling- routes). another castle would nice in their collection. perhaps one zhentarim big shot tries to establish his/her own power base?
- you can even try to link the different power groups with each other:
1) there might be a dragon-spy working inside the zentharims group, not knowing that there's another spy from his/her employer in the castle.
2) the merchant's spy might get wind of one of the other spies and whistle-blow it's identity to the party, trying to get into their good books. or (s)he offers to protect the castle against other spies, trying to convince the party that there are too many to get rid of them without "professional help".
- and then, of course, there's always the classic scenario of discovering tunnels leading into the underdark / unholy underground temples / ancient portals below the castle.
- I imagine that setting the required infrastructure up and running is an adventure (a.k.a. "logistical nightmare" ) all in itself. try to find an extensive list of (mediaeval) crafts and then decide which of them would be needed to refurbish a castle. everything that's not produced nearby has to be bought somewhere else and caravan'ed to the new settlement (which makes "outside goods" even more expensive).
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jun 2007 : 05:27:07
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Hmm according to the the old FR atlas the distance between Red larch and
the High road is around 111 (Anyone know if the FR atlas distances are in Kilometres or Miles?)
Im trying to make the experience similar to the Cross roads keep quests from NWN2
The player running the knight is planning on recruiting a cohort to run the Keep (either a cleric or a Wizard/Sorcerer) when his away doing adventures |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36812 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jun 2007 : 05:38:24
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quote:
Originally posted by Dargoth
Hmm according to the the old FR atlas the distance between Red larch and
the High road is around 111 (Anyone know if the FR atlas distances are in Kilometres or Miles?)
I believe they are all in miles. We in the US seem particularly resistant to the metric system, and our fiction tends to reflect this.  |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jun 2007 : 11:50:21
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| Just checked, everything in the old atlas is measured in miles. |
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Kajehase
Great Reader
Sweden
2104 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jun 2007 : 12:39:09
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Dargoth
Hmm according to the the old FR atlas the distance between Red larch and
the High road is around 111 (Anyone know if the FR atlas distances are in Kilometres or Miles?)
I believe they are all in miles. We in the US seem particularly resistant to the metric system, and our fiction tends to reflect this.
You know, I seem to recall reading somewhere that sometime in the late 19th century your congress took a decision that the metric system should be implemented - if I remember correctly, this has got to be the world record in political procrastrination (Sweden and San Marino technically still being at war since the San Marinoese didn't sign the Treat of Westphalia in 1648 doesn't count since most of the Swedish population didn't know the other country existed for quite a few hundred years). |
There is a rumour going around that I have found god. I think is unlikely because I have enough difficulty finding my keys, and there is empirical evidence that they exist.
Terry Pratchett |
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jun 2007 : 13:47:31
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quote:
Originally posted by Jorkens
Just checked, everything in the old atlas is measured in miles.
ok thanks
This roads going to take a while to build then |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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warlockco
Master of Realmslore
USA
1695 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jun 2007 : 19:29:49
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quote:
Originally posted by Kajehase
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Dargoth
Hmm according to the the old FR atlas the distance between Red larch and
the High road is around 111 (Anyone know if the FR atlas distances are in Kilometres or Miles?)
I believe they are all in miles. We in the US seem particularly resistant to the metric system, and our fiction tends to reflect this.
You know, I seem to recall reading somewhere that sometime in the late 19th century your congress took a decision that the metric system should be implemented - if I remember correctly, this has got to be the world record in political procrastrination (Sweden and San Marino technically still being at war since the San Marinoese didn't sign the Treat of Westphalia in 1648 doesn't count since most of the Swedish population didn't know the other country existed for quite a few hundred years).
Part of the reason for such resistance to going to metric is the high cost of replacing millions of traffic signs. |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4690 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jun 2007 : 21:13:03
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quote:
Originally posted by Dargoth
quote:
Originally posted by Jorkens
Just checked, everything in the old atlas is measured in miles.
ok thanks
This roads going to take a while to build then
Depending on local terain it could take years to build such a road, though I would benchmark a mile a day (if you have enough people to work).
Building a poad where none existed before requires a lot of work. Gaining control of the land clearly cpuld be a problem in itself. Trees need to be cut, bridges and/or tunnels might be needed as well as other infrastructure. If going though hostile teritory fortifiad Inns (at minimun) need to be built as well. Magic however can speed the process as well. Stone to mud can level rocky ground, then mud to stone can make a solid level road bed.
As DM you need to decide on the problems of building a road, the players need to figure out how to over come the problems. I do not believe you should make them play every mile, just how they get over the problems that will occur and how much resources they expend to build road and over come problems.
Sometimes the best choice is to change route of the road then fighting a large orc (or whatever tribe) then to try to go though it. The same applies to mountains and rivers. The PCs will need to scout out a best route, not just in construction cost of the road, but problems with terain and creatures.
Building a road where there is not one is a massive project. One thing the PCs might decide to do is improve paths or trails it can avoid some problems. Also use of ferrys or boats might be useful, perhaps some canal building might be effective as well. |
"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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Jorkens
Great Reader
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2007 : 07:11:17
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When it comes to roads there is also the problems of maintaining the roads. Floods, tree-falls, landslides etc will damage roads on a yearly basis. On a trade road bearing wagons this will be crucial, especially in anything but relatively clear and flat terrain. If the players want to control the road they will have to keep some retainers able to do repairs on the road.
Then there is the question of paying tolls. Deals can probably be made with certain trading coasters to help finance the road or maintain the road in some areas in exchange for the characters managing the building and patrolling of the road.. |
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So my players have gained control of a keep
