The Campaign Builder's Guild

Well, if anyone here is already in, my own profile is here.

The revised playtest manuscript is now available in the Files section of the newly-created Doomed Slayers Mailing List!

Hope to see some of you there.

It took me longer than I expected, but I have recently finished a revised manuscript of this setting.

I have already sent it out to a number of proofreaders/playtesters, but I could use some more helpers in this regard. The plan is to start working on the final manuscript starting on June 12, so feedback until then would be useful.

If you are interested, please send me an email to jhubert@gmx.de . I cannot offer anything more than name mention and a copy of the final PDF product, though...

I've just finished the first draft of the manuscript. If all goes well, I might actually publish this before the end of May!

Quote from: CoyoteCamouflage1. How does one become a Slayer? Do you pay an entry fee and sign a few forms? Do you wake up one day and just decide to start calling yourself one? I am mostly curious how to differentiate between those who call themselves Slayers, and those who actually are. Is there any reason to pretend to be a Slayer?

Basically, most people will assume that if you look like a Slayer and act like a Slayer, you are a Slayer and will be treated accordingly. Sometimes others (especially tax-gathering authorities) will contest this, which is why some Slayers get their start by getting written and signed testimonies by other Slayers confirming their status, and others will get elaborate tattoos. But ultimately, these are not, strictly speaking, necessary. It does help to travel in the company of other Slayers - if an armed and dangerous-looking individual in the company of other armed and dangerous-looking individuals says that he is a Slayer, few are going to argue with him!

Frauds exist, of course, but their numbers are kept in check by (a) that part of the Code that expects them to help with dangerous monsters and (b) real Slayers who get ticked off at those imposters giving them a bad name.

Quote2. How independent are Slayers? Do they work under an organized banner, or are they simply wanderers who stumble around until they find something bad to smite or a troubled village to save? Do they have any communication with other Slayers? Do they team up routinely or are they generally loners?

3. Policing. Themselves, in particular. Do Slayers ever go rogue? With so much Enchantment magic around, it seems like a fair possibility. So when it happens, does anything particular occur besides simply having another bad guy to fight?[/quote]4. Possessions. OK, I like the bit about how they can only own what they can carry. Yet, what happens when that Slayer is killed? Obviously, in most cases, their gear is absorbed into some beast's horde-- but what if it isn't? Is there any stigma to taking/selling/bearing the equipment of a dead Slayer? Are their possessions expected to pass to anyone else or another group? My problem, however, is that coin-based currency is bloody heavy to carry around, meaning it is much more likely for them to not have much in the way of ready funds aside from small bits left aside for the express purpose of funding travel and basic necessities.[/quote]has[/i] been known to happen that Slayers rise as very angry undead after such a mortal slight.

Quote5. Payment. Honestly, I was never a big fan of the average interpretation of the 'Adventurer Income'. Making all of your money by murdering and stealing just seems... unabashedly evil.

them[/i]. If a character gets second thoughts after observing some rather less antagonistic "monsters", then that's good role-playing - but most people in that world will see nothing wrong with killing monsters and taking their stuff.

Quote6. As a random note, I do like the idea, but for some reason, the way its written, I keep thinking it's best served in an EL 6* setting, rather than the average game. That's probably just a personal matter, but I felt like mentioning it anyway.

*The EL6 (I think that's right...) is a setting based around the PC level cap being only level 6. It's supposedly quite popular for more historically-influenced games, or games where the PCs are not intended to seem like demi-gods to the average commoner.

I want to keep the setting rules-free anyway, and leave it short and flexible enough for any power level - and any suitably generic fantasy RPG. "Saving The World" epics should be possible, but so should be gritty war stories (heck, one region I have detailed is basically a ripoff of the Vietnam War!).

Quote from: Seraphine_HarmoniumI like thinking of this "framework" as you put it, as a document that circulates within a setting.  It reads like a how-to pamphlet for both "Slayers" and their clientele.  I imagine it being written and circulated by a retired adventurer.  

Hmmm... Now there's an idea for a future supplement for the line, if it works out ("The Slayer's Life for Dummies"?). Though in the beginning I want to keep it at a broad-brush overview.

I came up with this idea one week ago on RPGNet, and now I am seriously considering writing this up as a systemless miniature setting and selling it on DriveThruRPG as an ebook. But until then, I'd like to get some feedback on the basic ideas and concept. Basically, I wanted to come up with an in-setting justification for why all those armed bands of adventurers are running around in a typical fantasy RPG setting...


Terrible dangers lurk in the world. Monsters lurk everywhere. From hordes of orcs and goblins hiding just behind the next hills, ratmen and serpent people lurking in city sewers to dragons, demons and worse dwelling in remote areas and under the mountains, all of them could suddenly emerge destroy a village, a town, even an entire nation. Civilization hangs by a thread, always. Sure the nobles maintain their armies and the cities have their militias, but while they can deal well enough with the occasional goblin menace, they are often unprepared for when years of deceptive calm erupt into bloody and devastating violence.

No, somebody has to go out there and stop the monsters before they destroy innocent lives - or at least contain an outbreak before it gets worse. These somebodies are the Slayers - and they are usually called the Doomed Slayers because their life expectancies are so short.

People choose the lifestyle of a Slayer for all sorts of reasons. Often, especially among the more impressionable youths, it's a desire for adventure. Sometimes it's to avenge themselves against specific types of monsters that killed relatives and lost ones. Sometimes it is simply to get away from everything - a broken heart, a slandered reputation, or a criminal past are all reasons why someone would become a Slayer. Regardless of who and what they used to be, upon becoming a Slayer they stand outside the normal structure of society and operate by a different code of behavior. In fact, many communities ritually pronounce newly-proclaimed Slayers to be among the honored dead, thus severing all ties with them. This generally makes it easier for everyone involved, and some Slayers even take on new names during such rituals.


Regardless of how they came to become Slayers, these are the rules they all live by:


Go where you are needed, help where you can. Slayers have far more freedoms than just about anyone else in their societies. This is justified by their heavy duties - they are expected to slay monsters so terrible that they could slaughter entire villages with ease. While Slayers can refuse to help others, they are only expected to do so either when those asking for help could easily accomplish the task on their own - or when the threat is so terrible that the Slayers would be overwhelmed, in which case they are often asked to find someone who can deal with it. Obviously, few Slayers like to admit that they cannot deal with a challenge...

Don't tarry where you are not needed. Slayers are a rowdy lot whose mere presence disturbs peaceful communities. Thus, whenever Slayers have dealt with any threats to a community, they are expected to move on. Certainly they can stay long enough to recuperate from injuries and to partake in any celebrations in their honor, but after that they will hit the road again. The only locations where adventurers tend to stay for longer periods are monster-infested frontier regions or communities located next to a really big dungeon.

Own only what you can take with you. Slayers are forbidden from owning any land, houses, or other non-mobile property. All they can own is what they (and a pack horse or two) carry with them. While in the case of some really successful Slayers this still makes them fantastically wealthy, this and the other rules prevent them from becoming threatening to nobles, merchants, and other members of the local power structures, and their disruption tends to remain purely temporary.

Fight the Monsters, not thy kin. Slayers are supposed to fight the enemies of civilization, not nobles, merchants, and other members of the local power structures, ensuring their political neutrality. However, in reality this part of the code often gets blurred, as Slayers are often too useful not to use in political machinations, and thus they get swept up in politics regardless of their intentions and wishes. Furthermore, many ambitious nobles and others with grand aspirations resort to using monsters and fell magics in their schemes, which do make them legitimate targets according to the code, for consorting with the enemies of civilization - although proving that might get tricky.

If you stop living by these rules, then you are no longer considered a Slayer by society, and thus the rest of society will no longer allow you your freedoms and privileges. So, how does the rest of society treat Slayers?


Pay them what you can, appropriate to what you ask of them. Slayers deserve generous rewards for their deeds, which benefit all. Of course, not everyone can give equal rewards - if a poor, remote village can only give free food and a place to stay, Slayers will still be obligated to help them by their rules. However, if you are a noble or a rich merchant and need a Slayer's help, you are expected to give generously - and the more dangerous the task, the higher the reward should be. There is a pragmatic reason for this - if you develop a reputation for stinginess, Slayers will come up with all sorts of reasons to avoid you, and that will be very bad for you and everyone around you when you really need them.

Do not bar their way. Unlike many members of society, Slayers can go where they will and visit any village, city, noble fief, or even a war zone (though some specific areas might still be restricted - they don't have to be admitted to the King's Castle just because they want to see it!). What's more, the property they carry with them may not be taxed or confiscated on a whim of the authorities - again, such actions would make other Slayers very reluctant to visit such a place, to its ultimate detriment when it faces the next monster attack. Of course, this doesn't prevent innkeepers, craftsmen, merchants and the like from suddenly raising their prices drastically when their customer is a Slayer, but at least in theory nobody forces the Slayer to accept those prices.

What they find, they keep. Many monsters amass considerable treasures in their lairs, and if the Slayers manage to kill those monsters, the treasure is theirs, no matter how much you claim that the treasure originally belonged to you or an ancestor. If it really did belong to you originally - especially if it's an important heirloom - you may offer them a "reward" for its safe return, which Slayers are generally expected to accept (smart people will negotiate this in advance - it might even be sufficient to tell them about the location of the lair...). Again, trying to stiff Slayers over this is unwise. After all, they managed to retrieve the item in question despite dangers that you were too afraid to deal with.


I will leave it at this for the moment.  Any comments, suggestions, addendums?

Quote from: Cancerous CheI would think that if plants are so sacred, you would not sully them with nasty criminals.  Shouldn't it be an honorific to give yourself over to them even after death?

I'd say this is seen as giving criminals one last shot at "redemption". Also note that the food grown to these fields is given to the poor (and did anyone notice the pun?) - the good stuff is grown on other fields.

And here is another entry, deriving from the "pollinate" euphemism:


Pollination Row

"Pollination Row" is the popular name for the main red light district of Grüngarten, as "pollination" is a common local euphemism for sexual intercourse. This name also reflects a common local fetish, as in many brothels both prostitutes and some of their callers dress up as bees. Also popular are half-elven prostitutes, as well as human prostitutes magically altered (either via temporary illusions or more powerful permanent spells) to look like elves, sidhe, or even dryads.

Thanks for your suggestions so far! I've been preoccupied with other matters in the last few days, but I've finally gotten around to working with your ideas.

The idea of using the condemned bodies of criminals as fertilizers stuck with me, so I came up with the following:


Elendsacker

The Elendsacker is the main prison of Grüngarten, and it contains a large farm on which the inmates labor. It is infamous for its compost heaps, where the bodies of animals (exterminated urban pests like rats, farm animals caught on secret meat farms, and so forth) as well as the corpses of condemned criminals are left to rot, generating a truly vile stench persisting in both the prison itself and the surrounding areas in Grimmelfelden. Once the remains have decomposed, they are used as fertilizers on the fields, on which the inmates grow soybeans and lentil to feed the urban poor of the city. However, some of the fertilizer is sold off to certain plantation owners who swear by its unique properties (as they call it).

Quote from: Luminous Crayon"Plant" is a verb as well as a noun, and something that an agricultural society would be doing frequently, right? Are there any special planting-time festivals, rituals, or observances that visitors would be surprised by?

Good point. Kortus is the main deity of agriculture in the setting, and I've already established some unusual rituals (like the "God's Field" funeral rite for those who die without children). So, who can think of any unusual customs for that?

Quote from: http://urbis.wikidot.com/oberweilerOberweiler[/url], the main agricultural district within the city has a lot of fences around its fields...

QuoteDoes some sort of sacrifice (fruits, incense, prayers, songs, something altogether more sinister) prepare the fields?

Hmmm... I think you are onto something there. Any suggestions?

For Urbis, I'm currently trying to detail a city which is renowned for its agricultural prowess and is generally a bit more obsessed with plants than healthy - they have even outlawed the sale and consumption of meat.

So now I'm trying to come up with some new ideas for this city, and I'd like your help. This is essentially a brainstorming session, so please write anything that comes to your mind in association with the word "plant" as long as it could be connected to an adventure or would otherwise make an interesting setting element. After that, I will see what I can fit into the setting.

- "Government Conspiracy": The government in this city has secrets - lots and lots of secrets. Homeless people tend to vanish a lot - they are kidnapped and used in secret facilities for experimentation. The government manipulates elections, and suborns the local newspapers. A secret cabal in the government might have made deals with aliens (or demons, or angels) for their power. Men in Black prowl the city in black vehicles.

- "Hidden Fear": People tend to put on a front of normalcy, but everyone knows its a lie. While the city seems inviting during the day (though the locals won't make eye contact with strangers), monsters prowl at night and nobody will open the doors for anyone, even if they hear the screams. Especially if they hear the screams. There are lots of unspoken taboos nobody tells a visitor but which nobody willingly breaks for fear of simply vanishing.

- "City of Tomorrow": The city is an architect's dream. Grand buildings soar towards the sky, and all major constructions are centrally planned to give the city a unified and imposing aesthetic. If there are any problems the city needs to solve - whether traffic, water supply, or waste disposal - small, decentralized solutions just won't cut it when bold visions that will awe visitors can do just as well. Everything seems designed to make the individual small - which sometimes causes the city planner to forget the human element.

- "Military-Industrial Complex": Government and society are tightly intertwined with the military and the arms industry. The government buys the latest weapons of war from companies, and in turn either aggresses upon a neighbor to justify the expenses - or uses the threat of aggression by a neighbor to the same end. Most citizens support it, either because they are serving in the military, working in the arms and supporting industry, or because they have been affected by government propaganda.

- "Faded Glory": The city has grand buildings and large avenues - but the former are either run-down and abandoned, and the latter are dirty and showing cracks. There are still scions of families who used to be rich and powerful living in some of the grand old mansions - but they were forced to sell many heirlooms a long time ago and now desperately pretend that they are still important. The street lights are either damaged or stolen, and at night the city becomes dark other than a few better-off areas where the vestiges of government and hotels for foreign dignitaries are.

As pointed out in this thread, I am currently trying to come up with "themes" for cities which help me bring them into the proper focus. In particular, I want to develop the Flannish Cities region of my Urbis setting further, and I want to develop an overall theme for each of the major cities which help me generate further ideas.

To give you a general idea of the background (without forcing you to read through the entire setting), the Flannish Cities are essentially the most "modern" region of what used to be a fairly typical fantasy world. They are currently going through a Magical Industrial Revolution quite deliberately similar to what happened in late 19th century Western Europe, except that a merchant class has taken over the role of the aristocracy and instead of nations the most powerful political unit are vast city-states with populations in the hundreds of thousands, or even millions of people. And, of course, they use magic instead of steam as a power source.

Here is a map of this region:



The whole region is about 600 to 700 miles wide from East to West.

I already have themes for some of the cities: "City of Adventure" (Dartmouth), "Government Conspiracy" (Hogenrood), "Hidden Fear" (Hollowhill), "Corruption" (Nimdenthal), "City of Tomorrow" (Praxus), "Military-Industrial Complex" (Zuidenstadt).

Here are the others:


Bodenwald

"Population: 1,837,284

In Bodenwald, the Astromantic Society was founded, and the city still serves as its headquarters. Thus, Bodenwald serves as the center of most activities involving the exploration and colonization of other planets, and many people who hope to start over on a new world come here. The city has become rich by trading exotic goods and minerals from the colonies, and its zoological gardens, which feature many creatures from other worlds, attract many scholars.

Bodenwald is one of the few Flannish cities with a surviving aristocracy, and despite the fact that an elected parliament governs the city, the eccentric and wildly popular King Maximilian III can certainly influence politics when he puts his mind to it. He has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Astromantic Society, and the riches its efforts bring to the city have reflected well on him as well."

Think of Bodenwald as 19th century Bavaria in general and Munich in particular - except that it managed to establish some small but very lucrative interplanetary colonies via magical gates. These are some good elements which will no doubt generate lots of ideas, but I'd like the theme for this city to be summed up in fewer words.


Grüngarten

Population: 614,327

"During the Liberation War, the city of Holzau was conquered by an eldarin prince of neighboring Avareen after the city's rulers had inadvertently insulted him. He became bored of ruling a human city after a century or so, but a strong elven influence persists even today. As a result, the city (now named "Grüngarten" or "green garden") is renowned for its many gardens and greenhouses (many of which are located at the top of its tall buildings to catch as much sunlight as possible), which provide the city with most of its food. The agricultural specialists of Grüngarten are highly regarded even in far-off regions, and can command high salaries. Eating any kind of meat is strictly illegal in this city, which has lead to the establishment of underground "meat parlors" where customers can enjoy steaks, sausages, and other meat products of usually inferior qualities. Organized crime in Grüngarten is firmly in the hands of the "Butchers' Guild", which controls most of the meat parlors."

For this city some sort of garden or plant metaphor would likely work well, but so far I haven't come up with any.


Gorok-kar

"Population: 519,849

This dwarfhold has the distinction of having the only major seaport of the dwarven people. It is located within a long and mountainous fjord, which allows them to both engage in mining and selling the ore and finished products to human merchant ships. Some of the younger dwarves have even started to build their own ships, an activity which is frowned upon by their more conservative elders.

Gorok-kar used to be merely the southernmost of the many dwarfholds of the Norfjell Wastes, but it rose to prominence after Negroth the Doombringer besieged and plundered the others one by one during his early conquests in order to gain their secrets and potent artifacts. Gorok-kar was the last dwarfhold to hold out - and hold out it did through several years of siege, causing a horrific toll on the population as starvation and disease weakened the normally hardy dwarves. The only reason the city was able to hold out at all was that the dwarves managed to build artifact underwater vehicles which were able to get past the blockade and trade with enterprising smugglers from the rest of the Flannish Cities. Even so, some outlying quarters of the city were overrun, and even today some older parts of the city are sealed up because of the undead abominations still lurking there.

The day the Siege of Gorok-kar was lifted is still celebrated by dwarves of the region as the Day of Heroes. After the war, the city was able to regain its former population by welcoming dwarfish refugees from the other, now empty holds of the Norfjell Wastes (some of which had been enslaved, while others had simply been hiding out). After this close brush with annihilation, Gorok-kar joined the Treaty of Praxus, becoming a new member of the Flannish Cities. It serves as a major manufacturing center of metal goods for the region to this day.

Currently, most of the resources of Gorok-kar are tied up in the reclamation of the Lost Holds of the Norfjell Wastes - its rulers dream of the day when all those holds are restored and given back to dwarfdom - and linked via underground railroads. This is a monumental task, however, and as there are simply not enough dwarves available for this Gorok-kar has resorted to hiring mercenaries of other races. Furthermore, anyone who serves for at least 10 years in the guard of Gorok-kar will attain citizenship as a reward. An increasing number of humans and members of other races have accepted that offer despite the harsh conditions of that service period, and some dwarves already worry that the faster-breeding humans will one day outnumber them in "their" own nation. As a result, there have been increasing efforts to recruit city-dwelling dwarves from the other Flannish Cities - which does not go over well with some of the local Hidden Kings, who fear that their own communities will shrink rapidly if permitted."

There are elments of national pride and dwarf determination here... but what could truly sum up the essence of this city?


Oldenheim

"Population: 348,232

Ever since this city's merchant council slighted a powerful wizard more than three centuries ago, its inhabitants have suffered under a terrible curse: If they don't talk for at least one hour every day, their innermost thoughts and secrets will be broadcast to everyone in the vicinity. As a result, the citizens of Oldenheim are renowned for their talkativeness, and even those away from Oldenheim will tend to talk about any possible subject at great length. Visitors to Oldenheim should be aware that the curse affects all who are within the boundaries of the city."

This is the city where I am most tempted to do a complete rewrite. I think this curse could be a fun thing to explore, but on the other hand I am worried that this might be too silly. Can anyone come up with a good theme and its implication that might make this (or a different but similar) concept work?


Rondhaven

"Population: 2,538,757

Much of this wealthy coastal city lies at or below the sea level. Its neighborhoods are protected by several dikes of titanic proportions. Rondhaven is considered to be relatively "liberal", as far as Flannish cities are concerned, and many artists and free thinkers flock here."[/link]

This is intended to be the premier naval power of the region, and in atmosphere similar to the great Dutch port towns.


Svardholm

"Population: 430,383

This northern city-state is built on multiple small islands scattered along the coast. Svardholm is generally considered to be the last outpost of civilization before heading into the northern wastelands.

In the last decade, a popular (among the upper classes, at least) eugenics movement has influenced politics in the city council. People who get high marks on certain intelligence tests that every public official is required to take (though everyone can attempt them) are encouraged to have as many children as possible, and receive generous cash bonuses for each child they have. The poor and unemployed, on the other hand, receive a small sum of money if they allow themselves to be permanently sterilized via alchemical potions. The criminal and insane are automatically sterilized without their consent.

Svardholm also has to deal with an increasing stream of dwarven refugees arriving via the Great Lake from Gol Grungor. Until recently, Svardholm merely encouraged them to move to other cities quickly - sometimes deporting them forcibly via train - but the local dwarven community has taken to hiding them in the underground portions of their ghettos, often significantly expanding them. As a result, the city authorities now move all new arrivals from the east to one of the large islands along the coast until they can figure out how to deal with them. The conditions on this island have become very squalid because of the lack of infrastructure."

This city is otherwise somewhat similar in atmosphere to Stockholm.


Torburg

"Population: 2,167,529

This city seems to be determined to beat Rondhaven as the premier naval power among the Flannish cities. Its city council council has commissioned the creation of a fleet of merchantmen and warships that exceed any other ships ever built in sheer size. Whether these monstrosities will actually help Torburg achieve its goals is some matter of dispute, but all observers agree that the first finished ships are very impressive to behold."


These are all the cities which I need themes for. So, does anyone here have any suggestions?

Just as examples, several other themes I have chosen for my cities are "Government Conspiracy", "City of Tomorrow", and "Adventure Town".