Hi! I am drawing several maps for a setting I am working on, and got stuck on a city, I am can't seem to think of any points of interest. The midsized city is on the coast surrounding a small bay with a pacific northwest like environment. I have the layout of the city drawn out, with the following districts:
The northside district (slums). I have a few locations here.
The workdocks. cargo docks, not residential.
The wallside district (Middle class) No locations yet
Old town (Middle class) No locations yet
Uptown (Upper class) No locations yet
Any help would be greatly appreciated! And thanks for your time!
Consider a local pub or tavern that attracts dock workers and sailors. Maybe it has some gimmick, like a stuffed sea-monster or it is made of a busted old ship drug onto dry land and converted.
The wallside district (Middle class) No locations yet
Maybe a merchant guild-hall of some kind not far from a nearby city gate. Or, failing that, maybe a training ground or a specialty animal enclosure.
Old town (Middle class) No locations yet
Old artistic buildings like temples or former manor houses that have been converted into more public spaces like museums or restaurants. Maybe a statue to a local hero or some other centralized art piece commemorating a big event.
Uptown (Upper class) No locations yet
Consider a public garden or park with fancy gazebos and maybe some small water features. Maybe a specialized greenhouse that one can stroll through and see various exotic flowers, cared for by druids and Vegepygmy with occasional Campestri performances.
Notable city landmarks tend to tell you something important about the city. For instance, a famous bridge/lighthouse ect. would indicate this is an important center of sea trade while a large temple or castle would indicate this is a place of importance for governance/religion. I used to live in Seattle so maybe theres a famous fish market adjacent to a carnival ground that really comes alive at night, the rich smell of a strange hot beverage brewed with roasted beans wafting through the air. :)
Thank you so much! your advise has helped me so much! My inspiration pretty much died out before this, and now I'm so exited at all the possibilities! Both of your are such awesome people!
No problem, we're hear to help. :) To go a little deeper ask yourself, why does this city exist (in the context of your world)? Who founded it, what are the primary industries (how does it make money), has it been fought over in the past (or is it being fought over right now)? If you answer these questions as you flesh out your city I think you'll have a fun time developing a home brew location that feels "real" and your players will notice.
Some kind of university or your world's equivalent can be a nice thing to have, probably in Old Town or Uptown.
I often like to have your typical market in the middle class area and then a scummier one in the slums for your more unsavory items. Maybe a full-on secret black market if you've got organized crime in the city.
If you have a decent sized city guard and/or a lord with retainers, you may want to have some kind of barracks area that might be a bit separate from the rest of the districts. Or maybe that's what the wallside district would be.
Something to bear in mind that a lot of fictional cities tend to forget about: cities don't just spring out of the ground when someone goes "I'd like a city here" (that happens rarely but it usually involves a crazy person or a religious exoidus or some other odd situation): usually, they have a core purpose that caused a town to spring up in the first place: an industry, a resource, or even just being at a convenient point at a crossroads or at a stop on a trade route. How does this city operate? What is its source of wealth? Is it prospering or stagnating? Who founded it and why?
I always like the idea of a big community just outside the city walls - sort of an unofficial extra district. Waterdeep has these and it's very fun. It could be a poor/slums area, or a farmer/rural area, a place where travelers gather, etc.
You could make a district have a large open-air market; the catch being that there are no permanent stalls. People traveling to and from here just set up shop where they can (maybe they need to get a license from a certain guild first?), and start hucking wares. Since it's always so confusing and can be chaotic, there are people whose specific job is to guide you through the market to what you're looking for. These people, sort of like taxi drivers, wait around at the edge of the market and make it a point to memorize the layout each day so they can gather customers.
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I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?
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Hi! I am drawing several maps for a setting I am working on, and got stuck on a city, I am can't seem to think of any points of interest. The midsized city is on the coast surrounding a small bay with a pacific northwest like environment. I have the layout of the city drawn out, with the following districts:
The northside district (slums). I have a few locations here.
The workdocks. cargo docks, not residential.
The wallside district (Middle class) No locations yet
Old town (Middle class) No locations yet
Uptown (Upper class) No locations yet
Any help would be greatly appreciated! And thanks for your time!
(Also, If you need any more info just ask!)
I'm singing in the rain!
just singing in the rain!
what a glorious feeling!
i'm happy again!
You can find me as Leaping bite (Bite) and Freyles at the tavern at the end of the world!
Well, for the following:
The workdocks. cargo docks, not residential.
The wallside district (Middle class) No locations yet
Old town (Middle class) No locations yet
Uptown (Upper class) No locations yet
Notable city landmarks tend to tell you something important about the city. For instance, a famous bridge/lighthouse ect. would indicate this is an important center of sea trade while a large temple or castle would indicate this is a place of importance for governance/religion. I used to live in Seattle so maybe theres a famous fish market adjacent to a carnival ground that really comes alive at night, the rich smell of a strange hot beverage brewed with roasted beans wafting through the air. :)
Thank you so much! your advise has helped me so much! My inspiration pretty much died out before this, and now I'm so exited at all the possibilities! Both of your are such awesome people!
I'm singing in the rain!
just singing in the rain!
what a glorious feeling!
i'm happy again!
You can find me as Leaping bite (Bite) and Freyles at the tavern at the end of the world!
No problem, we're hear to help. :) To go a little deeper ask yourself, why does this city exist (in the context of your world)? Who founded it, what are the primary industries (how does it make money), has it been fought over in the past (or is it being fought over right now)? If you answer these questions as you flesh out your city I think you'll have a fun time developing a home brew location that feels "real" and your players will notice.
Happy gaming!
Like try and think, how is this place getting food, what is their exports/imports, stuff like that
I have a PHD in traps
Some kind of university or your world's equivalent can be a nice thing to have, probably in Old Town or Uptown.
I often like to have your typical market in the middle class area and then a scummier one in the slums for your more unsavory items. Maybe a full-on secret black market if you've got organized crime in the city.
If you have a decent sized city guard and/or a lord with retainers, you may want to have some kind of barracks area that might be a bit separate from the rest of the districts. Or maybe that's what the wallside district would be.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
Something to bear in mind that a lot of fictional cities tend to forget about: cities don't just spring out of the ground when someone goes "I'd like a city here" (that happens rarely but it usually involves a crazy person or a religious exoidus or some other odd situation): usually, they have a core purpose that caused a town to spring up in the first place: an industry, a resource, or even just being at a convenient point at a crossroads or at a stop on a trade route. How does this city operate? What is its source of wealth? Is it prospering or stagnating? Who founded it and why?
I always like the idea of a big community just outside the city walls - sort of an unofficial extra district. Waterdeep has these and it's very fun. It could be a poor/slums area, or a farmer/rural area, a place where travelers gather, etc.
You could make a district have a large open-air market; the catch being that there are no permanent stalls. People traveling to and from here just set up shop where they can (maybe they need to get a license from a certain guild first?), and start hucking wares. Since it's always so confusing and can be chaotic, there are people whose specific job is to guide you through the market to what you're looking for. These people, sort of like taxi drivers, wait around at the edge of the market and make it a point to memorize the layout each day so they can gather customers.
I know what you're thinking: "In that flurry of blows, did he use all his ki points, or save one?" Well, are ya feeling lucky, punk?