I agree with chrsevs. Maybe the Faith is trying to secretly move the relic out of the kingdom.
Edit: Perhaps the Faith is trying to make the reallocation very discreet. They do not want to bring any unwanted attention. Also, they plan to use the Rail as a mean of transportation?
@chrsevs. Man, I think I can learn much from you!! Good call on the fact that the Noctis are the ones in charge.
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Keegan was born and raised in the City of the Sea. Growing up he learned that he had a knack for finding people that didn't want to be found. Putting his skills to good use he got a job with the Faith hunting down apostates and followers of the false gods. Keegan doesn't really share the ideals of the Faith, but a jobs a job and hopes and dreams won't pay for food. He's hoping that joining his friends on this heist will finally allow him to leave this life. He has a contact within the Faith that gives him his next Bounty, Keegan hates his job, but is extremely attracted to his contact and flirts with her relentlessly. (DM's discretion on who the contact is).
Requested customization: Was hoping to have my favored terrain be Urban or City, something like that.
I'm fine with "Urban" being a Favorited Terrain.
If anyone has any objections, please let me know and we can all discuss it. (But since this'll be focused predominantly in a city, it makes sense to me)
Do you happen to know which class is the last player going to choose? My bard’s college is kinda going to depend on that. Basically should I go more melee or util/spellcasting. Thanks.
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
So a few of the questions I’d like to get nailed down.
Fleshing out your Contacts a bit. I’ve seen some good ideas, and just want to get those a bit firmer.
How does everyone know each other? Ideally, I’d like everyone to know one another in some capacity. This could be drinking buddies, to close friends, to other ideas.
Where’s the “hideout”. I know someone made a reference to a bar contact, so it could just be a back room of the bar (or a usual table.)
There’s other gangs on these streets. How would you describe one of them? (Friendly rival of yours? Mystery Cultists? Dragon-Born Drug Dealers?)
If you have any particular topics that are (triggers, uncomfortable, etc) for you - please let me know. I don’t want to create a situation that makes any of you uncomfortable.
I’ve got a campaign started, I know most of you have joined it. (If you haven’t and need the link, let me know.)
I’m also going to be creating a Group Chat Thread here on D&DB. It’ll act as a place we can all discuss things, get clarification for the eventual time I write something that’s confusing, etc.
Where’s the “hideout”. I know someone made a reference to a bar contact, so it could just be a back room of the bar (or a usual table.)
There’s other gangs on these streets. How would you describe one of them? (Friendly rival of yours? Mystery Cultists? Dragon-Born Drug Dealers?)
The idea of a regular table at a bar works for me. Maybe part of how we know each other is that we're all from the same neighborhood in Dunnour, not necessarily requiring that we know one another well, but well enough because of proximity and word of mouth. Would also make sense for the idea of starting a gang, since that sort of thing can come up out of a neighborhood bond really easily to start.
As far as the other gang, if we're just getting started out, maybe there's at least one that's well known. Frighteningly efficient and known for being dangerous / aggressive, but not working at the same sort of scale we're shooting for. Rather than top level heists and that sort of thing, maybe they're more interested in shaking down local businesses for protection money, human trafficking for bordellos, and have a hand in illegal import / export, especially since Dunnour is now, in a way, quite separate from the other four kingdoms.
Another idea could be that the other gang is a group of do-gooders trying to help folks get in pen out of the city. Could be an interesting problem if we’re needing to apply pressure or impersonate someone they’ve helped to escape the city.
Or maybe it’s a fantastical take on a railway gang, and they rob trains along the Rail, while also living outside normal borders, but near tracks. A bit Wild West, a bit Russian mob.
Fleshing out your Contacts a bit. I’ve seen some good ideas, and just want to get those a bit firmer.
How does everyone know each other? Ideally, I’d like everyone to know one another in some capacity. This could be drinking buddies, to close friends, to other ideas.
Where’s the “hideout”. I know someone made a reference to a bar contact, so it could just be a back room of the bar (or a usual table.)
There’s other gangs on these streets. How would you describe one of them? (Friendly rival of yours? Mystery Cultists? Dragon-Born Drug Dealers?)
If you have any particular topics that are (triggers, uncomfortable, etc) for you - please let me know. I don’t want to create a situation that makes any of you uncomfortable)
1) To flesh out my contact a bit more. Cade Rainmaker's Contact is Nikolai. Nikolai is in his late forties- early fifties and is friends with Cade's father. Nikolai is helping Cade by not telling Cade's family that Cade is alive. I think it would be a good idea for the gang's hideout to be this tavern or have a table at least. The name of the tavern I have still not decided on, but I was thinking either The Falcon's Nest or The Skilled Bachelor. Nikolai is a portly man, who never married and never had any children. He is rather bright and Cade usually goes to him for advice. Nikolai takes an avuncular role to Cade.
2) I agree with Chrsevs that the characters should be neighbors, but I kind of like the idea that Keegan is a man who can find anyone. Cade being a man who does not want to be found by anyone. The two characters would have an interesting dynamic, but if AKGrim doesn't want our characters to have a deeper history I am fine with the neighbors' angle. 3) As stated earlier a table at Nikolai's bar/tavern would preferable, but I am open to other suggestions. 4) I would like to think there is a group that is a bit more shadowy. A group that not many people know exists, but is quite powerful and intimidating because of their reach and their control in the city. I would like a group that can control politicians and the like. A group the corrupt and control officials. This would stop our characters in our tracks and think who can we trust? Who isn't in the pocket of this group? 5) I do not really have any triggers and I believe that the more realistic and darker a situation can be the better, but I will not push my ideals onto others.
Sorry guys. I worked on my response while you guys replied. It’s all suggestions.
Isabella is a devout servant, and she truly believes in the Faith’s teachings. She has just enough ranking that she knows all that’s happening in the Church. Isabella doesn’t know that Yorvalor might be up to no good, and, Queen forbids, he know any magic at all. She believes that Yorvalor is just an artist trying to make a decent living and trying to make it to an important theater. She has feelings for the dashing bard, but she is miffed that he doesn’t reciprocate her feelings.
As for the hideout, can we ask if Cade would allow us to use the “basement” of his father friend’s tavern?
If the hideout idea is ok for the team. Yorvalor used to perform or still performs at the tavern. He met Cade around the time he came back from his wanderings.
For the other gang. My idea is that we are a small timer, trying to keep a low profile, but dreaming that one of these days we will hit it big!! There is a gang out there that likes to bully us, and let’s just say we don’t like them very much. I think the team my need to flush this out together.
For sensitive topics. Everything is fair game for me. I will always respect others opinions.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
My contact is fully up to the DM to create, just someone that gives Keegan his Bounties and pays him. Keegan is attracted to her and flirts every chance he gets. She's the only part about his job he enjoys. Hunting down innocent mages or followers of other religions weighs heavy on him.
I like the idea of the hideout in the basement.
Maybe since Keegan and Yorvalor both grew up in the city together they could be old friends. Yorvalor recruits Keegan to the heist since his skillset is fairly useful here. Sound okay?
I like the idea of the other gang being a bit more 'big time' than us, definitely a rival. Maybe we have to pull off this heist before they catch wind of it.
For sensitive topics. It's almost impossible to offend me. I respect others opinions as well, I'm all about everyone having a good time!
@flamingrockets. The Falcon's Nest or The Skilled Bachelor. Both sounds great to me!!
I also like the idea of the other gang being shadowy. Perhaps they are made up of only Noctis. People kinda know this gang exists, but they have no idea who they are. They are feared, yet hated by everyone.
I like AKGrimmReaper907 suggestion that booth Keegan and Yorvalor goes way back, and we both know Dunnour pretty well. Maybe Keegan knows Cade through Yorvalor. Their relationship is more business like??
@chrsevs. Oh boy. I can imagine now. We are on horses stopping/boarding a train. Fighting bad guys on top of a speeding train. LOL.
Cheers guy. I am loving this already. Can’t wait for the adventure to begin. Btw, I am from New York. Great pleasure to meet you all.
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
After reading through about the other relationships, I’m thinking that it sounds like Keegan is the link between all of the PCs. Since he’s working for the Faith, that’s a way for him to have interacted with Emund. Though I don’t think it would be Emund giving out kill orders, since he’s more interested in letting that sort of thing flourish as a believer in something else himself—maybe he was the one who would bring Keegan to the person giving out the hunting jobs; the walk to and from being enough time for something to blossom out of smalltalk.
I was thinking maybe that Cade knew Emund. After Cade came back from his wanderings and still haunted by the images of war. He turns to religion for solace. He meets Emund through the Faith, looking for support or a new perspective.
Could certainly work too and more layers never hurt anything. Might also provide the opportunity to have someone else looking into Emund’s deity a bit, even if it’s not directly what he’s preaching
The Rail is becoming more and more common, so it does depend on what you’re transporting, distance, and how comfortable you want to be. (I’m not going to get into prices, cause D&D Economics are always just bizarre to me). Your average peasant (and maybe some poor) could take the train on a long trip to get away if the sell most their wares, save up, and get loaded into steerage with others. (Hope nobody is sick and nothing bad happens, cause you’re loaded as cargo.) The moderate / trained / skilled laborers and people could probably afford short trips to other cities from time to time, or a family vacation by the train after saving for a bit. Upper classes / workers / etc take it with more frequency for pleasure or work reasons. TL:DR the cars are separated by price and class, but the actual Rail is “open to all” (that can afford it)
Dunnour, being a port city, has plenty of trade and shipping. In my head its a cross of Dishonored’s City (less steampunk, more Americana) and Lisbon, Portugal (just dirtier). Big export? Oil from Leviathans. (Think a Whale, that’s been upped for monster. If how explorers talked about whales in legends were, well, true.). There’s a lot of warehouses and finishing centers. So they’ll take in raw materials, turn it into something, and export it. Combined with a large Market center for traders and different groups. Some chartered Guilds that work in all the Kingdoms have shops and large influence in Dunnour. (Although, with a new leadership, everyone’s questioning everything.). It’s a fairly Mercantile city - so money from taxes / tariffs / and knowing that they’re the major port.
Noctis and (every other race in this kingdom) are tense at this point. A long war, then combined with the fact that new Noctis rulers began beheading entire noble families for the last 2 years have not gone over well. Other Noctis from the other kingdoms are also moving in, creating a slow influx of Noctis from other regions. Dunnour was oddly not very impacted by the war, which makes the city on edge. (Did the Governor sell out to the Noctis? Did they chose to leave the city alone due to it being a fantastic spot to make money? ..are they coming to the city later to purge it? Rumors everywhere). Because Dunnour was not as heavily impacted, a lot have fled to this city (from the war front. Minor nobility sending their families here to find passage on a ship anywhere else. Opportunists. Etc). Some of the common folk may not even care; one King for another. And Noctis have always been in the city. Opinions range across the board.
Monsters are a real. That being said, they’re fairly rare in such a large city like this. Parents tell stories to kids to keep them home at night. Leave the city and head out into places where it’s more open, and there’s a lot more fear of monster (/bandits). Reasons that people like the Rail to travel if possible. There are probably some stories (or times you all have lived through) where something wandered into the city. Either from the sea, or flew over the wall, or a sorcerer brought into existence and needed to be stamped out. There are probably plenty of dark things wandering the corners at night though (A vampire. Some abomination stalking among the poor. Someone who’s found some kind of relic that’s actually corrupting them. Etc)
There aren’t any rituals or special things I can think of at this time. There are probably festivals, religious days, harvest celebrations, etc. But I don’t have it quite that fleshed out.
I agree with chrsevs. Maybe the Faith is trying to secretly move the relic out of the kingdom.
Edit: Perhaps the Faith is trying to make the reallocation very discreet. They do not want to bring any unwanted attention. Also, they plan to use the Rail as a mean of transportation?
@chrsevs. Man, I think I can learn much from you!! Good call on the fact that the Noctis are the ones in charge.
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
I'm fine with "Urban" being a Favorited Terrain.
If anyone has any objections, please let me know and we can all discuss it. (But since this'll be focused predominantly in a city, it makes sense to me)
DM PbP Series (Completed) : The Blackmire Company, Voyage of the Windhook ,Shanty of Soulripper, The Streets of Dunnour
Definitely makes sense, especially if the idea is most folks grow up in large cities. Our resident parkour expert 😄
@Wolfy911, I’m flattered haha
@Geist06 Perfect! Thank you
Hello DM,
Do you happen to know which class is the last player going to choose? My bard’s college is kinda going to depend on that. Basically should I go more melee or util/spellcasting. Thanks.
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
as far as I remember - it was also a rogue with more of a passive / investigate focus.
But I haven’t seen them post in the thread. I’ll tap em tonight to try and get them here. (Incase they lost the thread.)
DM PbP Series (Completed) : The Blackmire Company, Voyage of the Windhook ,Shanty of Soulripper, The Streets of Dunnour
Also, have you got the list of questions you’d like answered as far as how our folks fit into your world?
Hey everyone, trying to finalize some things...
So a few of the questions I’d like to get nailed down.
I’ve got a campaign started, I know most of you have joined it. (If you haven’t and need the link, let me know.)
I’m also going to be creating a Group Chat Thread here on D&DB. It’ll act as a place we can all discuss things, get clarification for the eventual time I write something that’s confusing, etc.
DM PbP Series (Completed) : The Blackmire Company, Voyage of the Windhook ,Shanty of Soulripper, The Streets of Dunnour
The idea of a regular table at a bar works for me. Maybe part of how we know each other is that we're all from the same neighborhood in Dunnour, not necessarily requiring that we know one another well, but well enough because of proximity and word of mouth. Would also make sense for the idea of starting a gang, since that sort of thing can come up out of a neighborhood bond really easily to start.
As far as the other gang, if we're just getting started out, maybe there's at least one that's well known. Frighteningly efficient and known for being dangerous / aggressive, but not working at the same sort of scale we're shooting for. Rather than top level heists and that sort of thing, maybe they're more interested in shaking down local businesses for protection money, human trafficking for bordellos, and have a hand in illegal import / export, especially since Dunnour is now, in a way, quite separate from the other four kingdoms.
Another idea could be that the other gang is a group of do-gooders trying to help folks get in pen out of the city. Could be an interesting problem if we’re needing to apply pressure or impersonate someone they’ve helped to escape the city.
Or maybe it’s a fantastical take on a railway gang, and they rob trains along the Rail, while also living outside normal borders, but near tracks. A bit Wild West, a bit Russian mob.
---
Will shoot you the others independently
1) To flesh out my contact a bit more. Cade Rainmaker's Contact is Nikolai. Nikolai is in his late forties- early fifties and is friends with Cade's father. Nikolai is helping Cade by not telling Cade's family that Cade is alive. I think it would be a good idea for the gang's hideout to be this tavern or have a table at least. The name of the tavern I have still not decided on, but I was thinking either The Falcon's Nest or The Skilled Bachelor. Nikolai is a portly man, who never married and never had any children. He is rather bright and Cade usually goes to him for advice. Nikolai takes an avuncular role to Cade.
2) I agree with Chrsevs that the characters should be neighbors, but I kind of like the idea that Keegan is a man who can find anyone. Cade being a man who does not want to be found by anyone. The two characters would have an interesting dynamic, but if AKGrim doesn't want our characters to have a deeper history I am fine with the neighbors' angle.
3) As stated earlier a table at Nikolai's bar/tavern would preferable, but I am open to other suggestions.
4) I would like to think there is a group that is a bit more shadowy. A group that not many people know exists, but is quite powerful and intimidating because of their reach and their control in the city. I would like a group that can control politicians and the like. A group the corrupt and control officials. This would stop our characters in our tracks and think who can we trust? Who isn't in the pocket of this group?
5) I do not really have any triggers and I believe that the more realistic and darker a situation can be the better, but I will not push my ideals onto others.
Sorry guys. I worked on my response while you guys replied. It’s all suggestions.
Isabella is a devout servant, and she truly believes in the Faith’s teachings. She has just enough ranking that she knows all that’s happening in the Church. Isabella doesn’t know that Yorvalor might be up to no good, and, Queen forbids, he know any magic at all. She believes that Yorvalor is just an artist trying to make a decent living and trying to make it to an important theater. She has feelings for the dashing bard, but she is miffed that he doesn’t reciprocate her feelings.
As for the hideout, can we ask if Cade would allow us to use the “basement” of his father friend’s tavern?
If the hideout idea is ok for the team. Yorvalor used to perform or still performs at the tavern. He met Cade around the time he came back from his wanderings.
For the other gang. My idea is that we are a small timer, trying to keep a low profile, but dreaming that one of these days we will hit it big!! There is a gang out there that likes to bully us, and let’s just say we don’t like them very much. I think the team my need to flush this out together.
For sensitive topics. Everything is fair game for me. I will always respect others opinions.
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
My contact is fully up to the DM to create, just someone that gives Keegan his Bounties and pays him. Keegan is attracted to her and flirts every chance he gets. She's the only part about his job he enjoys. Hunting down innocent mages or followers of other religions weighs heavy on him.
I like the idea of the hideout in the basement.
Maybe since Keegan and Yorvalor both grew up in the city together they could be old friends. Yorvalor recruits Keegan to the heist since his skillset is fairly useful here. Sound okay?
I like the idea of the other gang being a bit more 'big time' than us, definitely a rival. Maybe we have to pull off this heist before they catch wind of it.
For sensitive topics. It's almost impossible to offend me. I respect others opinions as well, I'm all about everyone having a good time!
@flamingrockets. The Falcon's Nest or The Skilled Bachelor. Both sounds great to me!!
I also like the idea of the other gang being shadowy. Perhaps they are made up of only Noctis. People kinda know this gang exists, but they have no idea who they are. They are feared, yet hated by everyone.
I like AKGrimmReaper907 suggestion that booth Keegan and Yorvalor goes way back, and we both know Dunnour pretty well. Maybe Keegan knows Cade through Yorvalor. Their relationship is more business like??
@chrsevs. Oh boy. I can imagine now. We are on horses stopping/boarding a train. Fighting bad guys on top of a speeding train. LOL.
Cheers guy. I am loving this already. Can’t wait for the adventure to begin. Btw, I am from New York. Great pleasure to meet you all.
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
After reading through about the other relationships, I’m thinking that it sounds like Keegan is the link between all of the PCs. Since he’s working for the Faith, that’s a way for him to have interacted with Emund. Though I don’t think it would be Emund giving out kill orders, since he’s more interested in letting that sort of thing flourish as a believer in something else himself—maybe he was the one who would bring Keegan to the person giving out the hunting jobs; the walk to and from being enough time for something to blossom out of smalltalk.
I was thinking maybe that Cade knew Emund. After Cade came back from his wanderings and still haunted by the images of war. He turns to religion for solace. He meets Emund through the Faith, looking for support or a new perspective.
Could certainly work too and more layers never hurt anything. Might also provide the opportunity to have someone else looking into Emund’s deity a bit, even if it’s not directly what he’s preaching
Alright, last player is going through some stuff so they're unfortunately out. Looks like it'll be you 4!
What kinds of questions are lingering in your heads that I could possibly answer for now?
In addition, I'm thinking Monday I'll post up the intro and officially kick things off!
DM PbP Series (Completed) : The Blackmire Company, Voyage of the Windhook ,Shanty of Soulripper, The Streets of Dunnour
The tavern I have decided the name will be The Falcon's Nest.
I don't really have any lingering questions. I am excited for us to get started.
How exclusive is the rail? Can anyone take it? Is it reserved for people of wealth or the mercantile class?
What sort of trade Dunnour participate in, and are their any products or crafts it’s particularly well known for?
What is the racial tension like between Noctis people in the city and the other folks since they seized power, if any?
Do folks in the cities have any fear of monsters? Are there monsters?
Are there any sort of customs we should be aware of like celebrations or rites of passage?
Solid Questions:
The Rail is becoming more and more common, so it does depend on what you’re transporting, distance, and how comfortable you want to be. (I’m not going to get into prices, cause D&D Economics are always just bizarre to me). Your average peasant (and maybe some poor) could take the train on a long trip to get away if the sell most their wares, save up, and get loaded into steerage with others. (Hope nobody is sick and nothing bad happens, cause you’re loaded as cargo.) The moderate / trained / skilled laborers and people could probably afford short trips to other cities from time to time, or a family vacation by the train after saving for a bit. Upper classes / workers / etc take it with more frequency for pleasure or work reasons. TL:DR the cars are separated by price and class, but the actual Rail is “open to all” (that can afford it)
Dunnour, being a port city, has plenty of trade and shipping. In my head its a cross of Dishonored’s City (less steampunk, more Americana) and Lisbon, Portugal (just dirtier). Big export? Oil from Leviathans. (Think a Whale, that’s been upped for monster. If how explorers talked about whales in legends were, well, true.). There’s a lot of warehouses and finishing centers. So they’ll take in raw materials, turn it into something, and export it. Combined with a large Market center for traders and different groups. Some chartered Guilds that work in all the Kingdoms have shops and large influence in Dunnour. (Although, with a new leadership, everyone’s questioning everything.). It’s a fairly Mercantile city - so money from taxes / tariffs / and knowing that they’re the major port.
Noctis and (every other race in this kingdom) are tense at this point. A long war, then combined with the fact that new Noctis rulers began beheading entire noble families for the last 2 years have not gone over well. Other Noctis from the other kingdoms are also moving in, creating a slow influx of Noctis from other regions. Dunnour was oddly not very impacted by the war, which makes the city on edge. (Did the Governor sell out to the Noctis? Did they chose to leave the city alone due to it being a fantastic spot to make money? ..are they coming to the city later to purge it? Rumors everywhere). Because Dunnour was not as heavily impacted, a lot have fled to this city (from the war front. Minor nobility sending their families here to find passage on a ship anywhere else. Opportunists. Etc). Some of the common folk may not even care; one King for another. And Noctis have always been in the city. Opinions range across the board.
Monsters are a real. That being said, they’re fairly rare in such a large city like this. Parents tell stories to kids to keep them home at night. Leave the city and head out into places where it’s more open, and there’s a lot more fear of monster (/bandits). Reasons that people like the Rail to travel if possible. There are probably some stories (or times you all have lived through) where something wandered into the city. Either from the sea, or flew over the wall, or a sorcerer brought into existence and needed to be stamped out. There are probably plenty of dark things wandering the corners at night though (A vampire. Some abomination stalking among the poor. Someone who’s found some kind of relic that’s actually corrupting them. Etc)
There aren’t any rituals or special things I can think of at this time. There are probably festivals, religious days, harvest celebrations, etc. But I don’t have it quite that fleshed out.
DM PbP Series (Completed) : The Blackmire Company, Voyage of the Windhook ,Shanty of Soulripper, The Streets of Dunnour