09-22-2010, 09:43 AM | #1 |
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
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[DF] City Adventures
I wonder what kind of adventures the delvers can have in the city - and I'm specifically excluding "cleaning out the sewers" and "there's a monster in my basement", because they are just dungeons by another name.
Suggestions?
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09-22-2010, 09:57 AM | #2 |
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Houston
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Re: [DF] City Adventures
of the top of my head Im going to go with
Bodyguard/Bouncer Assasinate/Kidnap/Steal <NPC/Item> Investigate/Police/Oppose <NPC group like a Thieves Guild> Keep the Peace/Broker Deal between <2 NPC Groups> Any one of these might be a nice change up from Dungeon Delving and depending on the dressing could certainly be done DF style or even a gateway to an adventure. Nymdok ...and Charles Nelson Riley for the block. |
09-22-2010, 10:22 AM | #3 |
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Victoria, BC, Canada
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Re: [DF] City Adventures
They might be hired as guards. Something being moved, or a person would be more interesting than standing outside a vault. Getting something/someone back after they, or someone else lost it (or just to steal it) would be in between guard duty and plain delving and might include some social interaction and investigation. Both might extend beyond the city proper without venturing into a dungeon of any sort.
They might be hired as assassins, saboteurs, or general 'muscle' which would be similar to retrieving/stealing/kidnapping without the need to get the MacGuffin out. It doesn't seem as 'DFish' to me though. |
09-22-2010, 10:40 AM | #4 |
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Re: [DF] City Adventures
The town is caught between two rival thieves guilds fighting over who will run it. They're eager to hire muscle and they've got the money but the townsfolk would like both of them gone.
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09-22-2010, 10:41 AM | #5 | |
"Gimme 18 minutes . . ."
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Albuquerque, NM
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Re: [DF] City Adventures
Quote:
DF: Shakespearean Adventures! |
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09-22-2010, 10:46 AM | #6 |
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Re: [DF] City Adventures
Start with a normal "Kill the Evil Overlord who is oppressing the good folk of Burghopolistun" adventure.
In the treasure, include the EO's tax farming rights (assume it's some sort of document), giving the bearer rights to tax Burghopolistun as they see fit, in exchange for keeping order and (hefty sum) given to the High King when he processes through every Pangolinsday. Lots of fun you can have from there. |
09-22-2010, 11:07 AM | #7 |
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Canada
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Re: [DF] City Adventures
Recover the Malteese Falcon (mcguffin) from person/group X. To differentiate from a dungeon "recover the Plot Device Crystal (mcguffin) from the orcs in hole X" try to make it a situation where the players (and character) don't want to kill the Xs to get the mcguffin back.
Good urban McGuffins to recover: An item promised in dowery/bride price for an important marriage that's in THREE DAYS! Accept no substitutes - we only agreed to the marriage to get our hands on the McGuffin, no amount of money can compensate. The seal/scepter/crown of the king/city/bishop/whatever - some sort of important symbol of authority required for an important document or ceremony that's scheduled to happen in THREE DAYS! The deeds to the town/mill/blacksmiths/old fort by the road! The princesses/kings/archbishops/little orphan waifs' heart/soul/shadow/whatever, before it is ruined forever (in THREE DAYS!) Unique artworks, value may be expensive, priceless, or sentimental. People! Children are classics, as are important aristocrats. If you don't know who took the McGuffin, it can instead be an investigation to FIND the McGuffin, rather than negotiate for its return, or a heist to counter-steal it. For this you need a cast of suspects who would be interested in taking the McGuffin. In this variation, any of the above McGuffins usually work, along with "someones life" as in you are investigating a murder rather than a theft. I recommend GURPS Mysteries for this sort of adventure, it's a great resource. GURPS Harkwood is a FABULOUS example of a fantasy murder mystery adventure, by the way. My players LOVED it.
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09-22-2010, 11:29 AM | #8 |
GURPS Line Editor
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Montréal, Québec
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Re: [DF] City Adventures
Most of the best ones do indeed start out as clones of either Romeo and Juliet or Red Harvest. Substitute guilds for companies, families, etc. and you're well on your way. However, thievery is huge – it was good enough for Conan, and Cugel, and Fafrd and the Gray Mouser. Also, modern-day parkour movies are easily translated to fantasy; if you can't figure out how to convert Yamakasi (rogues turned good vs. urban injustice) or Banlieue 13 (rogues vs. the Big Bad with a city-destroying McGuffin) to work with dungeon fantasy themes and protagonists, then you aren't really trying.
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09-22-2010, 11:47 AM | #9 |
Join Date: Nov 2006
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Re: [DF] City Adventures
Well Vampire the Masquerade would work perfectly for DF in the cities. There could be many factions of evil forces controlling various parts of the city in secrecy. Not just vampires would do it, drow, mind warpers and so forth might make alliances with the nobles of the city so that each can further their aims.
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09-22-2010, 01:21 PM | #10 | |
"Gimme 18 minutes . . ."
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Albuquerque, NM
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Re: [DF] City Adventures
Quote:
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Tags |
dungeon fantasy, social engineering |
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