The Gygax 75 Challenge: Week 4 Status

I made a good deal more progress on this week’s portion of the Gygax ’75 Challenge, but I still feel like I could spend another month fleshing the town of Tirbreth out.

What Were This Week’s Tasks?

Just as a reminder, the tasks for the first week of the Challenge were to:

• Find or sketch a city map.
• Name several shops based on your equipment lists.
• Locate and describe a political faction and its rival.
• Locate and describe the place where PCs can lose their money.
• Locate and describe a place where people gather news.
• Locate and describe a secretive guild hall and its reputation.
• Locate and describe the best place to get a meal and bed.
• Locate and describe a religious center and its gods.
• Locate and describe a feature unique to the town.
• Create 5 NPCs.
• Bonus: Create 5 hirelings.
• Bonus: Create a rumor table.

So how did it go?

Pretty well, I think. I started with a map generated from the Watabou website. I clicked through the options until I found one I liked. I then copied it into Illustrator, and sketched over the generated map to come up with something that I could make my own.

From there I roughly used the generator’s town districts, and started fleshing out the general parts of the city. This let me get my head more into what I need to do most of the other tasks–creating the people and places of the town.

One thing that I did that I am surprised I had not done before was take the equipment lists from Blades & Black Magic and update them with setting-specific determinations of availability. For my other settings, I just kinda winged it–but did not write it down. This did help a lot as I got into the feel of the setting.

I then used the templates I came up with for my other settings to create the people and places I needed. The temptation (as always) was to do a deep dive and go way overboard. I had to fight that urge and not go overboard on the NPCs, or stat them up, or try to describe too many places…

I did manage to create a solid rumor table. That is another one I could have spent more time on as a I got into the story of the town. I started with the two rumors that had to be in there (the dungeon and place to explore from Week 3) and expanded from there.

Overall, this week went better than the previous one. I think that is because I am more comfortable worldbuilding than writing adventures. That is probably something I need to focus more on in the future!

What I Did

• City Map. The map is of the town of Tirbreth Hold, a medium-size town on the banks of the Creaganrui River in Roatean Vale. The town has a defensive wall, with a number of districts or quarters inside, and a few outside the walls.
• Equipment List. The equipment list of Blades & Black Magic has been updated with the availability of arms and equipment in the Vales. (It is too long to post here, but I will post it along with the other setting info later).

• Political Factions. There are three major factions in Tirbreth Hold: The royal house of Rannoth, the rival house of Torrileth and the Black Wolf criminal organization.

  The ruling house in Roatean Vale, and centered in Tirbreth Hold. Led by King Othgar, House Rannoth is a very capable and well-liked organization. King Othgar has been focused on the relations with the other Vales, as well as fighting off any Raiders or other intruding evil in Roatean Vale.

  An older, rival royal house in Roatean Vale. Led by Baron so and so, the house has no other goals than to regain power in Roatean Vale. Blinded by their obsession, they have allowed themselves to become used by Madachru Vale in that Vale’s attempt to gain power and influence in Roatean Vale.

  The largest crime organization in Tirbreth Hold is the Black Wolf. The gang got its start by controlling the smuggling trade into Tirbreth Hold, but has got involved with politics in recent years. They expanded their activities into blackmail and intimidation of local nobles and civc leaders in order to gain more money and control the drug trade throughout the Upper Vales.

• Place To Lose Money. The Green Griffon. It is an average tavern frequented by commoners and the city guard. Located right off the Square, it is a good place to get news and rumors, as well as gamble and carouse.
• Place To Gather News. The Square. The marketplace plaza in the center of Tirbreth Hold. The Square and the shops and taverns near it are a place where everyone can meet and trade rumors or speak their mind.
• Secretive Guild Hall. Drothoch Hall. The Hall is a meeting place where the wizards of Roatean Vale meet. The Hall is nominally a tea house, but when the 6 wizards of the Vale are in Tirbreth, they secretly meet at the Hall to discuss sorcerous and political matters.The Hall has an unsavory reputation, which the owner and wizards do nothing to discourage.
• Place to Get A Meal and Bed. The Rising Sun Inn. Inn frequented by the river traders that ply the water up and down the Creaganrui River. Located in the Ceannach Rock District of Tirbreth Hold.
• Religious Center. Righteous Way. The Righteous Way is the religious district in Tirbreth Hold. The temples found there are those of the Raven and the Wolf. The two temples stand at opposite ends of the District, with supporting buildings between them.
• Other Places of Interest.
  • The Bucket of Blood. Dive bar located in the Waterfront District of Tirbreth Hold. Frequented by the people who work the river trade and the docks.
  • The Majestic Dog Inn. Seedy inn located in Eastside of Tirbreth Hold. Famous for the number of patrons who disappear there every year.
  • Ogam’s Arms. Very popular arms and arms maker in Tirbreth Hold.
  • The Crystal Curiosity. Place to find more unusual or rare equipment and items. Found in the Lower Waldere District, near the Square.
  • Dawkin Supplies. Trustworthy place to buy equipment for adventuring. Located in the Northside District.
  • Galin’s Clothiers. Place to buy cheap clothing in the Sealadh Gardens District. Owner will cheat every customer at any opportunity.
  • Turaire Hill Tower. The hill to the north of town is also known as the Old Graveyard, where the original inhabitants were buried. The ruined tower on top of the hill looks over the graveyard and haunted catacombs.
• 5 NPCs.
  • Cynric. Cynric is a wizard with an agenda. He is working with other wizards to keep the Upper Vales from exploding into open war, and to fight any evil comes to the land. Cynric and the other wizards keep this very quiet, working behind the scenes.
  • Ogam. Ogam is an aging armorer, dedicated to his craft. he has a fair reputation in Roatean Vale as an honest craftsman, with outstanding skills. Ogam has a very deep secret, though. When he was younger, he deserted from a warband in Collach Vale. He has found that shamefull, and has spent his life hiding that fact.
  • Horst. Horst is a man who enjoys being a part of the largest underworld organization in Tirbreth Hold. he is a know member of the Black Wolf crime family, and is very proud of that fact. Horst wants to move up in the Black Wolf, but is not sure what he is willing to do to get there. He doesn’t mind thievery or roughing people up, but outright murder is another thing.
  • Rok. Rok is a merchant with connections–and he knows how to use them. Rok can usually be found in his warehouse in the Lower Waldere District, haggling over his inventory or trying to cut some deal. When he is not there, he can be seen in the Square sniffing for leads on new goods.
  • Kerric. Kerric is the owner of the Bucket of Blood, a rough and tumble tavern in the Warehouse District of Tirbreth Hold. He is barely trustworthy, and will betray anyone for a copper coin. He has one secret: he killed his wife 2 years ago for cheating on him, and buried her body behind the tavern.
  • Raonull. Raonull is the innkeeper of the Rising Sun Inn, a place frequented by those who ply the river trade on the Creaganrui River. Roanull has been acting as an informer for the City Guard for the last couple years, letting them know anything he considers "suspicious."
• Bonus: 5 Hirelings.
  • Ulfin. Former soldier who is hiring out for muscle. He sees himself as above a hired thug, due to his experience as a warrior. His current financial situation may force him to take more unsavory jobs, though.
  • Wilhere. Wilhere is a former soldier from the Lower Vales who has come to Tirbreth Hold seeking adventure and fortune. He is an older warrior, with the scars to prove it. He is a bit old fashioned, but still alert. He is also a little prejudiced against people of the Upper Vales, seeing them as less civilized as those from the Lower Vales.
  • Anabal. Anabal is a thief who works the streets of Sealadh Gardens District in Tirbreth Hold. She is a very capable and outspoken young woman, but completely dishonest. She tells so many lies sometimes she forgets what is the truth.
  • Rhys. Rhys is an experienced, dedicated healer who hires his services out, including to groups performing dangerous adventures. He tends to act more formally, but his very compassionate and cautious when healing his patients.
  • Eadhelm. An aging scholar, with short, gray hair, beard. Has the mannerisms of a dreamer, particularly when talking about plants–but is actually very responsible. Very confident in his knowledge. Can be short with people who are idiots. Always looking for groups he can tag along with for excursions into the wilderness. Wants to study nature, and is willing to share what he knows in return for protection.
• Bonus: Rumor Table. Here are a number of rumors for the city. The truth of each rumor is rated 1-6, and denoted by a T and the number:
  • "There is an ancient temple in the mountain arm to the west, being used by cultists." T6.
  • "There have been monsters seen in the mountain wall to the west of the Vale." T6.
  • "The ruins of the old mines to the north that lead to an ancient horror." T6.
  • "Some warriors went to the old mines and brought back mountains of treasure!" T2.
  • "House Rannoth and House Torrileth are headed for open war." T4.
  • "The guards on the Hill beyond Eastside can be bribed." T2.
  • "The Black Wolf is secretly working with Collach Vale to bring down Roatean Vale." T2.
  • "Smugglers have been bringing in drugs through the south gate." T2.
  • "The Raiders have been seen within sight of the Tirbreth walls!" T1.
  • "The Raiders are being pushed into the Vales by an evil beyond the mountain." T5.
  • "There is treasure to be had in the Fulmhor Forest if you are lucky enough to survive." T6.
  • "The King is hoarding treasure in the catacombs north of the Hold." T1.
  • "The City Guard has gone over to the side of House Torrileth and will not protect King Othgar!" T1.
  • "The Captain of the Guard is in league with the Black Wolf!" T1.
  • "Wizards are gathering somewhere in the Hold… something is going to happen…" T4.
  • "All wizards are evil sorcerers." T3.
  • "There is a new religion in the south that will replace the Raven and the Wolf." T4.
  • "The Old Graveyard area by Marvaloch Hill is haunted." T6.
  • "The Raven is seeking virgins for a sacrifice to their god." T1.
  • "The priests of the Wolf are looking for warriors to fight beyond the mountain." T5.
  • "The swamps in the Forest harbor evil monsters." T6.
  • "The wizards of the Vale created the monsters in the Forest!" T1.
  • "Fadaerin Vale is looking for warriors to fight off Raiders." T6.
  • "Collach Vale is trying to renew their war with Roatean Vale next year." T6.

What Next?

As with Week 3 and the dungeon, you can really soak a lot of time into creating a living, breathing city. The key is to only do what you need to start gaming. I’ve done that, but need to polish the details on the people and places.

After this week, though–is a week of overall worldbuilding for the Challenge. There are a number of things to identify and write up, from the larger geography to religion. Much of this I have already thought about in order to frame the place where the dungeon and the city are located. Still–lots more to do and many rabbit holes to go down!

OK, one more thing I have discovered is the general format for writing up the weekly results of the Challenge is not really a great way to organize the information. I will be taking what I have done and posting it to the untold-realms.com website under the Settings & Campaigns portion. That will also be a good place for me to post more info as I flesh things out in the future!

Marko ∞