Looking for ideas for PCs owning a town

[RealMarkP]

I've given the PCs the ruins of a town. Their task, for now, is to clean the baddies out of it and make it livable. The thing is that the town is alive. It once was a wizard, that through some experiment-gone-awry, ended up fusing with the structure of the town. So, the PCs are aware of this and the wizard projects a human version of itself using the Project Image spell.

The PCs will be tasked with:
1. Populating the town.
2. Protecting the town.
3. Governing the towns people.

This is the easy part. I know this setting opens many doors for adventure within and around the town walls, but I'm having a heavy onset of writers block. I require help kick starting my creative juices. The PCs need a foe, a struggle, some intrigue, at the mid-level range (~10th level). Ideally, I'm thinking a massive battle around the town, involving hundreds of men and siege weapons. But really, I'm finding it difficult to weave in the story to make it happen.

So, what do?

[Shining Wrath]

Was the wizard the only entity fused into the town? Because it certainly seems plausible that more than one spellcaster got caught in the vortex.

Oh, and a ruined town in the process of becoming not-ruined and repopulated by humans (or elves, or whoever the logical choices are) is a threat to whoever lives in the surrounding area and likes it just the way it is. Barbarians? Orcs in the hills? Dryads in the forest?

Then there are those who will view a city with humans but lacking strong walls as a source of loot or food. Dragons? Undead?

Then there's national / feudal politics. Who's the local government? How do they feel about this? Peasants leaving the town of Baron Ignatz the Petty may irritate his pettiness. Skilled craftsmen leaving will almost certainly do so.

Is the town on the border between two nations? Do both have a claim to the area? Taxes, fortresses, trade routes?

[Pancritic]

Imagine a starship, space station or other outpost that has a sentient central computer. Now imagine all the problems that might arise if the computer has different ideas on how to use the outpost than the people using it. It might even try to protect the people from themselves.

Now imagine that the outpost is in fact a town in a pseudo-medieval setting and the central computer is the essence of a wizard.

[mattie_p]

Might want to get a copy of Strongholder Builder's Guide, as well as Heroes of Battle.

[thorgrim29]

take a look at Girl Genius's last few arcs. They deal with repairing a town that is controlled by a central intelligence. Or maybe, a bit like in Stargate Atlantis the wizard need some resource or another to be fully operational, and when he is he can help a lot more when the barbarians/orcs/whatever attack. Dragon's blood perhaps?

[Shining Wrath]

take a look at Girl Genius's last few arcs. They deal with repairing a town that is controlled by a central intelligence. Or maybe, a bit like in Stargate Atlantis the wizard need some resource or another to be fully operational, and when he is he can help a lot more when the barbarians/orcs/whatever attack. Dragon's blood perhaps?

Of course, making the wizard stronger may not be in the character's best interest. He's using them for his own purposes (getting free).

[RealMarkP]

In terms of conducting relations with neighbouring towns/duchies/hordes, is there any published material that one could use as a basis (or supplement) at this level. I have a copy of Cityscape and plan on introducing things like guilds, crime and so forth. Perhaps I could model it after an existing city, such as Freeport or something.

Basically, is there any published material I can easily pillage into this setting? Stronghold Builders guide was mentioned.


Of course, making the wizard stronger may not be in the character's best interest. He's using them for his own purposes (getting free).
Oooohh, very intriguing. So far the trust between the PCs and this 'town' is rather fresh. The PCs need his help and he needs theirs.

[Shining Wrath]

I'm drawing a blank on something that guides a DM in creating political situations. I will say, though, that unclaimed land with a ruined city in it is unlikely.

De facto, there has not been a government.
De jure, someone somewhere has a map that includes this territory as "theirs". Some king thinks this is part of his kingdom, most likely.
So he's going to be perfectly willing to let the PCs do all the work, and then send an emissary and demand fealty (oaths of feudal submission), taxes, and so on. He may even want to appoint rulers over the town that he trusts, and dub them Baron / Pasha / High Mucketity of TownName.

[Fouredged Sword]

Also, just attracting people can be hard. You need to provide a reason for people to pull up roots and come live in your town. You need to start with the poorest farmers and build your way up to actual skilled labor. Guards need to be arranged and armed.

I would set up quests to bring things and or people to the town.

And factions. Factions are great. Elves don't like dwarves don't like halflings. Cultural clashes need to be sorted mater that the holy day of Pelor conflicts with Buhamut, and that to a dwarf, crossing his threshold without welcome is a killing offense.