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Working up a mega-detailed DnD city for Urban adventuring. It's built on the ruins of an old wizard community that was destroyed by barbarian hordes after they made a temporary alliance to take out the strange guys with dresses who looked down on them and invaded their territory. This will lead to all sorts of ancient secrets being discovered, of course. For one, I need a name for the city but I'll also need names for each of the 20 districts. Cityscape ftw!

First district:

Function: Entertainment

Class: Lower

Combat: Legal. Killing of a reactionary nature usually goes without penalty.

Law: Average enforcement. A person being murdered with no leads would be treated with low priority. Shops may have one or two contraband items available Not a power center.

Buildings: Theater (20%), Taverns (30%), Brothel (5%), General Stores (10%), Fine Restaurants (10%), Inns/Rented Residence (10%), Criminal Activity (10%)

Description: This district is held together by one large street, playing host to a number of taverns whose only similar decoration is mediocrity. 'For Lease' signs are very common and constantly change position as businesses open and close with relative frequency. The only thing that stands out here is the large theater which was converted from an old colosseum of some kind and several fine dining establishments. The former are the main reason this district is visited by middle and sometimes upper class citizens. This district also has one of the city's only legal brothels. The main street is clean, with drainage ducts ever so often though the side roads are fairly dirty, smelling of rotten food when behind restaurants. This district has no residential areas and very few guard posts, though the ones that are there tend to set patrols on the main road while ignoring the side roads.


More to come, assuming I get any responses. Bear in mind I have to name 20 districts so save the cliches for later. Let's see what you come up with

The city name sounds like it should be based on the reason it was created... Maybe the first settlers were remains of a watch that made sure that there weren't any mages hiding in the ruins or returning from trips that would need to be smashed?

Somethign like "Magehold" hold might work, or perhaps 'Arkenfall' (a corruption of 'Arcane' and 'Fall' as in where the Arcane fell from power.

Now, for the district, I'm thinking something like Terry Pratchett's "The Shades": A name that sounds like it is semi-official at best, doesn't show up on the better tourism maps, and is the product of benign neglect at best. Maybe "Wastrel Row" or similar.

What kind of general 'feel' do you want for the place? Standard D&D is a big genre... If it's more on the 'modern' or 'steampunky' side that suggests one set of names and naming themes, while if it's more primitive that may suggest other ideas. Is the culture based off any real-world cultures?

I approve heartily of this venture.

How serious do you want this to be ?

I'm assuming we can ignore and not bother with ( HINTS ) ridiculous or daft names, are you alright with references and or tips of the hat to other creations, people and so on ?

If so I'd suggest perhaps "Enoch" perhaps for the name of the old wizard community, and then I would shamelessly rip and steal anmes from things like the Golden dawn and so on. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermetic_Order_of_the_Golden_Dawn

Taking from there I would suggest either "Meyrink", " Todhunter" or perhaps even "Allgood" as district names --


Sara Allgood (1879–1950), Irish stage actress and later film actress in America
Gustav Meyrink (1868–1932), Austrian author, storyteller, dramatist, translator, banker, and Buddhist
John Todhunter (1839–1916), Aktis Heliou Irish poet and playwright who wrote seven volumes of poetry, and several plays

as they have some theatre type connections. As does Annie Horniman (1860–1937), British repertory theatre producer and pioneer; member of the wealthy Horniman family of tea-traders... but knowing RPG players there's no way any of you will be able to say or use the name Horniman without cackling and going off on tangents.

.. course that might appeal

Nice to "see" you BTW.

Pretty base fantasy, but very urban. A few districts at least will be named after people who were powerful or well-known.

And the city was founded by adventurers who came across the ruins and invited others and it just sort of grew. The ruins were a ways out of the way of anything else at the time of the city's founding. They were already extremely ravaged after being ignored for 500+ years so picture it kind of like modern day Jerusalem with the old stuff being either buried or incorporated into the layout. When I'm talking large city we're looking at 14,000ish population. It's been around for a while now (maybe 700 years?) and people tend to stick in it because they have whatever they need and it's still inconvenient to travel in and out of due to being half a month's travel on foot from the closest town. Like anywhere there's a harsh divide between upper and middle class, and less between middle and lower. It's not a "dark" city or an unpleasant place to live, but it does have it's shady areas and at least one or two districts on the outskirts with primarily monstrous humanoid inhabitants. Politics only get in the way when law is enforced in that area or a particular group's way of life is heavily infringed on. Leadership is by a council and members are selected from each district to make sure of even representation by the council itself. Hopefully that adds a little to the flavor for ideas. I like the idea of "Arkenfall" though I keep hearing Arkansas in my head XD The population is majority human (60%) with an elven district stretching into the city from the woods and a fair spattering of whatever else you could think of in a DnD city that large. Hopefully some of that helps!

Edit: I like it, red! And yes, I've had some major drama Being blamed for selling drugs by your roommate tends to create a hostile atmosphere, though things have cooled down quite a bit and I'm in a better place now (and mainly sober :(). I'm thinking mixing real world references like you were saying with fantasy stuff might be cool. Merrylin (Marilyn Monroe and Merlin) might work the aforementioned entertainment district. Does the peanut gallery agree?


Next!

Function: Residential (Ghetto)

Class: Lower

Combat: Legal. Killing often goes without penalty or unnoticed. Enforcement is often taken into citizen's hands.

Law: Light enforcement. Once in a while a patrol troop will be seen, but typically anything goes unless it spills over into a wealthier district. Gang activity occurs with minor frequency. Not a power center.

Buildings: Poor Residences (55%), Average Residences (25%), General Stores/Pawn Shops (5%), Criminal Activity (10%)

Description: This district has rows and rows of poorly constructed residences. Towards the north there is an area of better quality housing and a few paved roads that borders the [Entertainment] district. A foul smell runs throughout this entire district though it's residents grow basically immune to it and simply perceive cleaner areas as “extra fresh smelling.” A few community baths dot the city, with separate pools to gather fresh water nearby. A small commercial area runs along the east side. There is one well fortified guard post near there as well, though it is poorly manned.


And feel free to suggest districts too! I'm only starting with these because my first confirmed player wanted to be an actress by day with a connection to the criminal under ground. I'll be running separate one-on-one games with players using Gestalt characters ("a bit of the magic rubbed off on them, eh?") and having group sessions every once in a bit too. By keeping it in the same setting it's all in continuity and on the same time scale interfering with each other when I choose.

http://nine.frenchboys.net/fantasyplace.php

A handy random name generator for places

Personally I like certain districts to be named for what they are, or what is there (temple district/street, merchants quarter, glass street, forge row, etc).

Much easier for players to remember where stuff is if they can more easily relate with it.

I was just messing with that one earlier, actually And I totally agree with that point. I also want to make sure each name is easy to pronounce (as cool Kyanri'thiar looks).

Entertainment District: Chamspurne (w/ or w/o French "ch"), the main street could be called Chamspurne Avenue

Ghetto: Writhley's Ward (likely after some well-intentioned philanthropist who established what is now this slum)

Great to have you back Cannerus. We were just talking about you over in OT. Glad things have settled in a bit adn I'm happy to play this naming game.

Since I do traveling all over my state, I steal names of towns for my games, such as Ayrshire, Osgood, Baden.

Find a decent state map, any state, and find some easy names.

I choose not to name any places in my campaign after Bacon, Indiana, though. That is sacred.

the slum area of the city could have some nickname associated to it..

Perhaps, something like "high road", to suggest that prior to the war with the invading barbarians, this was once in fact, the nobles district, and after the war, either all the nobles were dead/gone, or they moved to build bigger and better places, OR perhaps they saw a change in their fortunes during this war

If you dont want a "grand neighborhood that fell from grace" type name, you could go with something like, the Shades, or an easier to remember Slums. Maybe, if you came up with a sort of mob boss, or other local leader, the district's informal name could share his, like "X's neighborhood"

You could always call it Birmingham...

Manchu wrote:
Ghetto: Writhley's Ward (likely after some well-intentioned philanthropist who established what is now this slum)

Dig this! Love the little story to. I can picture some priest who always tried to help but no matter what he did it always went horribly awry XD Plot hook: Writhley's ghost is haunting people, attempting to "help" them but horrible things keep happening (poltergeist - "I'll help with the dishes!"). He must either be cast out or the players must help him accomplish one successful kind deed before his spirit can move on. Ha, epic.

And what thread was I being discussed in? My ego wants to know

Mattlov wrote:
Find a decent state map, any state, and find some easy names.

Awesome! Google maps will see all sorts of new uses. I especially like this idea for street names.

@Ensis: Since the theater is converted from an old coliseum I could go with something like "Champion's road" which also co-insides with it's current role in that district, being the one road that matters.

@Silver: The DFW equivalent would be Stop 6 or Riverside (which would totally work...).

Love the ideas, people! I'll have a couple more today.

do you have a generic list of city "quarters" that we can get an idea of, so that we can further, and possibly quicklier help come up with names??

will things like a prison, or palace completely occupy its own complete district?

Cannerus_The_Unbearable wrote:Writhley's ghost is haunting people, attempting to "help" them but horrible things keep happening (poltergeist - "I'll help with the dishes!"). He must either be cast out or the players must help him accomplish one successful kind deed before his spirit can move on. Ha, epic.

That's excellent. Maybe the Writhley's ghost could even be a quest-giver after his spirit is soothed. No love for Chamspurne?

And what thread was I being discussed in? My ego wants to know

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/30/332634.page
. . . towards the bottom . . .

Manchu wrote:

Cannerus_The_Unbearable wrote:Writhley's ghost is haunting people, attempting to "help" them but horrible things keep happening (poltergeist - "I'll help with the dishes!"). He must either be cast out or the players must help him accomplish one successful kind deed before his spirit can move on. Ha, epic.

That's excellent. Maybe the Writhley's ghost could even be a quest-giver after his spirit is soothed. No love for Chamspurne?

And what thread was I being discussed in? My ego wants to know

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/30/332634.page
. . . towards the bottom . . .

Eeee! I love it! XD Also, I love the "cham" part but the "spurne" sounds so harsh.

A few other generic ones I need to flesh out:

Function: Fine Shops

Class: Upper

Description: Has a small government office and large guard post. Serves as a buffer between an as of yet undecided middle class district and an upper class residential area.

A couple of Middle Class agriculatural districts.

A couple of Middle Class Industrial districts.

A middle class area on the edge of the city for adventurers who wander out (taverns, fair amount of wealth but with rough types so it makes it middle, bards and what not, touristy in DnD terms).

A middle class Temple district (basically the good-neutral pantheon from the PHB plus a few) and a lower class Temple district (some good, more neutral and a few monstrous ones). The upper class have their temples spread throughout their other districts.

Need a few Lower, Middle and Upper class residential as well.

Government district - basically a giant castle with little buildings inside. Still trying to put this one together.

Hopefully that's a start

Perhaps Chamspurne for the shopping district/class buffer zone, instead? Sounds reasonably snooty.

perhaps the government castle district could be something rather ominous.. something like "The Mountain"

the middle class Temple district could be known as "Martyr Hill" after the numerous soldiers who selflessly gave their lives on that very hill during the previous war against barbarians. As a result, a fair number of Deities were alleged to manifest their presence there, and in later days, during the rebuilding of the city, temples sprang up in there multitudes to these deities.

Imblynock, Brodemint, Elmsfold, and Filkston for middle-class residential/industrial districts.

Serrah's Walk for the upper-class temple district. Riffing off of ideas posted by Enis Ferre: this was once a residential district called Lillybank and, as the story goes, a young prositute--dying of disease and physical abuse--walked from house to house begging mercy. When she reached the end of the road, she collapsed and died. A good-aligned priest, hearing of this travesty, castigated the residents who, in turn, drove him out to Harrowell (see below) across the river. There, he preached angry sermons to the poor until they rioted and burnt down Lillybank. Peace was brokered by the priest with the city authorities and the district was rebuilt as a temple ward and named after the prostitute.

Harrowell for the lower-class temple district/cemetary. In the earliest days of the city, this was the far bank of the river through which most of the city's commerce streamed and the location of shops, warehouses, and the working poor. As the city grew, the poor found themselves pushed out but they would not allow the removal of their shrines and temples. These faith communities remained strong even as the city's prosperity waxed and waned, so that the temple priests were gradually able to buy up most of the district property. The name comes from a legend about the magical imprisonment of a mad wizard and city founder inside of a well here. Whether the story is true or not, the well remains sealed.

Manchu wrote:Perhaps Chamspurne for the shopping district/class buffer zone, instead? Sounds reasonably snooty.

Absolutely Perfect. Residential ones are great as well.

I also really like these story driven ones. I'll get a map drawn up with what I have so far and we'll see if that helps some too.

Cool, I look forward to it.


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Oh, and give you give some more sonic direction regarding the entertainment district?

Just make sure that if "murder often goes unnoticed/unrecognised" make sure speak with dead does not work.

btemple0 wrote:Just make sure that if "murder often goes unnoticed/unrecognised" make sure speak with dead does not work.

Awesome! Totally going to work in how people know if it's a murder by whether the victims head/mouth is removed assuming they even leave a body to begin with.

I haven't abandoned this project! Here's what I have so far: https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AvTmzbFA3gm5dFNmcXl0SldDQ2pHV1Zod0pWOUZ2aFE&authkey=CLn_4tUG&hl=en#gid=0

Here's the editable version if anyone wants to add some details: https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AvTmzbFA3gm5dFd1VzFYNVJwZWNGQzJDb1BVd3pkcmc&authkey=CMT4oZ0E&hl=en#gid=0

I should have a definite map scan soon so I can begin placement of the districts. If anyone wants to add anything or has any suggestions, please give them! I'm opening this up to asking for suggestions on districts I'll need like more agricultural, industrial and residential sectors. Feel free to only contribute to some fields if you like, though I ask you not delete what was there previously, just add more and I'll consolidate what I think works best later. Thanks to everyone who has helped so far!

What usually will happen though because of this, rogues may end up prestige classing as assassins so they can attempt speaking with the corpse, this is of course acceptable. IIRC there was a pre written adventure that was a murder mystery that went along these lines, cleric using speak with dead will always fail, but an assassin will be able to glean the necessary information.

Downside to this is that if you are playing good characters, someone will have to bite the bullet and become evil if they really wish to find out who killed their friend/mentor that was helping them out in town. Then again that is usually what will happen with the "vengeful" type of character.

I need to do something similar to this for a campaign I am starting soon. I know that my city will be a cross between Port Royal and Tortuga. Its name will alter between Crownport, Freeport and at least one more alternative as the status of the city changes through the campaign. I think I will be referring to this thread for inspiration myself.

see if you can find yourself a .pdf of "world's largest city" supplement for D&D it might give you a few more ideas

btemple0 wrote:What usually will happen though because of this, rogues may end up prestige classing as assassins so they can attempt speaking with the corpse, this is of course acceptable. IIRC there was a pre written adventure that was a murder mystery that went along these lines, cleric using speak with dead will always fail, but an assassin will be able to glean the necessary information.

Downside to this is that if you are playing good characters, someone will have to bite the bullet and become evil if they really wish to find out who killed their friend/mentor that was helping them out in town. Then again that is usually what will happen with the "vengeful" type of character.

There should be more than one way to solve a mystery or else the adventure is pretty poorly written IMO ;D Just in the example above, the group could hire an assassin and no one would have to become evil. And power-gaming is never a problem in my groups because I nip it in the bud. I used to try to restrict or ask approval on what people took, but that was dumb, so now I just help people flesh out their characters to the point that they fall in love with them and it feels wrong to not take feats that fit their personality I also notice that the more fleshed out my world is, the players want to match that same level of depth with inter-twining back stories and things of that nature.

Middle-class agricultural zone

Rahme's Landing

- Run by a mysterious cabal of mages that apply their knowledge to agricultural pursuits: proto-naturalists if you will. They were known throughout the realm and were sought out by farmers for their advice.

Of course that was in the past. Over the last several years the group has become more and more withdrawn. They almost never leave the Landing and visitors are not permitted audience with the council. The food keeps making it to the market but it seems...different.

There are no problems yet but something could be a brewing.

Story hook set...adventurers go!

woot! Perfect That one can drop in nigh-verbatim. I love the idea of "magical preservatives" and how that might freak people out, or blocks of square corn


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Fifty wrote:I need to do something similar to this for a campaign I am starting soon. I know that my city will be a cross between Port Royal and Tortuga. Its name will alter between Crownport, Freeport and at least one more alternative as the status of the city changes through the campaign. I think I will be referring to this thread for inspiration myself.

If you'd like we can establish your city in the same world for the sake of casual mention or possible adventure tie ins and vise versa and I can update you if you want to throw anything in your game or whatever Could be kind of fun.

Edit 2: I now also need the name of a "Mage's University." It will go in the academic district (whoo! party town!). I'f prefer there be a tie between all of the colleges, or some sort of interesting history. Again, thanks for the help everyone!

Maybe your mage's university sits over some portal to some other plane in which a demon tried to destroy the city in its infancy, and an archmage sacrificed himself to destroy the demon and seal the rift it came through.

I like it He was a member of a secret order who still has it's members spread about and are perhaps serving some stronger cause than the welfare of the citizens. Maybe the group caused the portal to open in the first place, intentionally or not, and had to cover their tracks. Maybe they're secret good guys... the only thing for sure is that other secret order doesn't seem to like them very much. I could go on for hours I love this stuff.

@ahtman: ::filch!:: I'm filing that one away for my own use. Simply brilliant.