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5 years ago ::
Jan 29, 2008 - 11:51PM
#91
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Date Joined:
May 18, 2004
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But then we run the risk of becoming too busy, which is something I think we should avoid, especially in a "points-of-light" environment. Don't get me wrong, I like the ideas; but, I don't know if their well-suited to what we're trying to accomplish yet.
To clarify, I was talking about a handful (3-5) dragonborn at most with perhaps 2 or 3 eggs. Just something to indicate that there is no "virgin" land left in the world and that everyone is in need of help, and also add some racial diversity and area knowledge to the new city.
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5 years ago ::
Jan 29, 2008 - 11:53PM
#92
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Date Joined:
Jan 15, 2008
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Some public domain photographs for inspiration:
Little Yosemite
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This one seems most like the city to me.
Ok, thinking actual city wise now:
How old is the city? Was it founded a generation ago or a century ago?
How much traffic does it see from outside lands? A large amount would be conducive to trade, but without large amounts of traffic and trading the city would have to produce most of it's own goods.
So, if they do trade, why? Are they in a good location? Do they have a resource nobody else has?
And if they don't, what resources would they have on hand? Forests and mountains are easy, so we have wood, stone, probably minerals too. A small valley might be able to supply enough grain and veggies to support a small city but definitely not a large one.
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5 years ago ::
Jan 29, 2008 - 11:56PM
#93
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Date Joined:
Mar 28, 2001
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To clarify, I was talking about a handful (3-5) dragonborn at most with perhaps 2 or 3 eggs. Just something to indicate that there is no "virgin" land left in the world and that everyone is in need of help, and also add some racial diversity and area knowledge to the new city.
Perhaps then they're initially wary of the intrusion into their normal routines. I think that tension should be the key here, to highlight the element of "twilight". (I have had an idea brewing in my head about a group of humanoids refuting the refugees "claim" on the pass and the valley.)
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5 years ago ::
Jan 29, 2008 - 11:57PM
#94
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Date Joined:
Jan 15, 2008
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Tension builds drama and the oldest form of tension is racial. That and religious.
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5 years ago ::
Jan 29, 2008 - 11:59PM
#95
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Date Joined:
Mar 28, 2001
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Spoiler:
Show
This one seems most like the city to me.
Ok, thinking actual city wise now:
How old is the city? Was it founded a generation ago or a century ago?
How much traffic does it see from outside lands? A large amount would be conducive to trade, but without large amounts of traffic and trading the city would have to produce most of it's own goods.
So, if they do trade, why? Are they in a good location? Do they have a resource nobody else has?
And if they don't, what resources would they have on hand? Forests and mountains are easy, so we have wood, stone, probably minerals too. A small valley might be able to supply enough grain and veggies to support a small city but definitely not a large one.
The city we are creating will be new, brand new. No buildings, no crops, unexploited resources, no outside trade, the works. The denizens will originally be survivors from a recently destroyed city, struggling to reclaim hope and a future. (Having a map on hand will serve as source of inspiration.)
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5 years ago ::
Jan 29, 2008 - 11:59PM
#96
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Date Joined:
May 18, 2004
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This one seems most like the city to me.
Ok, thinking actual city wise now:
How old is the city? Was it founded a generation ago or a century ago?
How much traffic does it see from outside lands? A large amount would be conducive to trade, but without large amounts of traffic and trading the city would have to produce most of it's own goods.
So, if they do trade, why? Are they in a good location? Do they have a resource nobody else has?
And if they don't, what resources would they have on hand? Forests and mountains are easy, so we have wood, stone, probably minerals too. A small valley might be able to supply enough grain and veggies to support a small city but definitely not a large one.
The "city" doesn't exist yet. That is the whole point of the Build a City Thread. To build a city from Day 1, Month 1.
Which reminds me: what kind of calendar should we use? Are we going with a standard Jan-Dec?
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5 years ago ::
Jan 30, 2008 - 12:03AM
#97
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Date Joined:
Mar 28, 2001
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That would be the easiest to follow and for others to adapt. (Although, it might also be interesting to invent one.) More tomorrow though, I'm tired.
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5 years ago ::
Jan 30, 2008 - 12:05AM
#98
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Date Joined:
Jan 15, 2008
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*Goes back and looks at old TBACT threads*
Ah, I see.
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5 years ago ::
Jan 30, 2008 - 4:08AM
#99
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- Hero Craftsman Gold Medalist
Date Joined:
Jun 25, 2006
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Thinking about practical reasons why the citizens might stick to building houses up the steep slopes rather than on that much flatter valley floor, I took another mental look at the river/stream running along the valley.
What if the river flooded out over the valley floor each winter? It would make the soil there much more fertile, but also lead to ongoing problems of higher and lower floods each year. If the water was that much deeper and wider, it would also make the quiet winters a better time to bring narrow boats up river to trade, but a worse time to try and attack (natural moat).
Competition places
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Winner of Hero Craftsmen 3: Gladiator
Winner of Master Storyteller Competition 1: Ancient Ruins
Gold Medallist in MDMC 38: Populate a map
I placed first (that's right, FIRST!) in the second CowCon: "We All get Old" Contest!
Gold Medallist in MDMC 42: Create a Remote Location
Winner of Master Storyteller Competition 7: I am Legend
Best in Category: Rules Use - Hero Craftsman 17
Best in Category: Clarity - Hero Craftsman 17
Second place in Master Storyteller Competition 6: Fall from Grace
Silver Medallist in MDMC 32: Magic Item Spectacular
Joint Silver in Hero Craftsmen 6: The Frostfell
Silver medallist in Hero Craftsman 17: We're going Underground!
Silver Medalist in Hero Craftsman 18: We need a Hero!
Silver Medalist in Hero Craftsman 20: Back to School
Spoiler:
Show
http://drewbaker.com/warlord/images/group9/Durga.jpg
Now that's a half-orc!
Like Joe Wood? Meet Gwen.
http://tinyurl.com/ringofnine
If you think commoners can't do anything, you should meet Joe Wood! The pen is mightier than the sword - but only if the sword is very small and the pen is very sharp - Terry Pratchett Methinks (still) wizards bit off more than they can chew. 
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5 years ago ::
Jan 30, 2008 - 5:28AM
#100
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Date Joined:
May 26, 2006
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Several people have mentioned bringing in elements of the points of light setting including me. The two main elements that seem to be most prominent to this discussion are races and fantastic elements/locations.
The races given in Races and Classes are and their incorporation I have read so far in this thread, IIRC:
Humans - Everyone seems to treat this as the default race of the original city though I have seen no direct confirmation/vote on this.
Dragonborn - Clutch pre-existing in valley or grouped in with original refugees.
Dwarves - Original creator of redoubt, no mention as part of refugees.
Eladrin - No mention.
Elves - One reference of possibly existing previously in nearby forest or perhaps it was a group of refugees that will move into nearby forest.
Halflings - Interest in having the river fordable enough so their water cravavans can reach the new city, no reference as part of the refugees.
Tieflings - No mention.
Now for the fantastic elements of the surrounding lands we have only three things mentioned so far:
Earthberg - Brought up by me as something to use in the new city (a couple of times :P ) or mentioned by Dougan Axehammer as being part of the lighthouse object in original city.
Natural Portal to Other Planes - Cave or well that acts as a way point to other planes (though I personally think the "Well of the Worlds" idea is going a bit far, a gate to a single plane - say the Feywild - is probably best).
Steep Cliffs in Mountainous Valley - Fantastic elements that exist in natural world.
If we are really trying to create a starting element for the new edition we should at least figure out the place, some place, for each of the base races (including determining if humans actually are the default refugees) and incorporate a more fantastic element into the geography in the new city. I like the steep cliffs from an aesthetic point of view, but they are not really the fantastic terrain I think of when I first read the Worlds and Monsters book.
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