I need help designing an urban campaign!

[Rainbaw]

Well, hello and thanks for reading my thread! I'll go straight to the point.
I'm considerably new to dming ( i've been dming for 2 years, on vampire and werewolf but only 6 month for D&D 3.5) and my players are all new to D&D, i've had some experience as a player before moving from my hometown.
So, the help i need is doign an urban campaign, my players after doing our current campaign (they are on the final part of it) which was a variety of dungeons, open world travel and cities, they decided that a city enviroment is what they wanted to try the most.
I've been reading on the CItyscape manual, trying to work around a big city, big enough to carry a long campaign (probably form level 3 to levels 15+). But id on't really know where to start... Where can i start? where can i find a tool to do urban maps (i've been using google maps to try and design my own city, but medieval planning was diferent i guess). do you ahve any advice for me?

I'll expand the thread as i progress on my work, when it's finished i'll try to show it to everyone who's helped me!


Update1: I've decided on a mid magic level for the city technology, the high level magic users and devices beign hoarded and privatized by the rich people for their own use, also the town guards/military faction having a good grip on magic over the day-to-day use.
Also the city beign near mountains but not directly into them.

thanks for all the help. I'm surely going to be able to make some progress in the proyect next week, as i have things to work out this weekend (like dming our current campaign and a final test ._. )

[Bullet06320]

you could check out the city of splendors book, its forgotten realms, but there is a ton of printed marterial on waterdeep and its surroundings, including a huge dungeon, Undermountain

[drewdp]

Well, hello and thanks for reading my thread! I'll go straight to the point.
I'm considerably new to dming ( i've been dming for 2 years, on vampire and werewolf but only 6 month for D&D 3.5) and my players are all new to D&D, i've had some experience as a player before moving from my hometown.
So, the help i need is doign an urban campaign, my players after doing our current campaign (they are on the final part of it) which was a variety of dungeons, open world travel and cities, they decided that a city enviroment is what they wanted to try the most.
I've been reading on the CItyscape manual, trying to work around a big city, big enough to carry a long campaign (probably form level 3 to levels 15+). But id on't really know where to start... Where can i start? where can i find a tool to do urban maps (i've been using google maps to try and design my own city, but medieval planning was diferent i guess). do you ahve any advice for me?

I'll expand the thread as i progress on my work, when it's finished i'll try to show it to everyone who's helped me!

As far as mapping, I would just design an overall city, and start arbitrarily setting districts. THIS is a poor district, THIS is a rich district, THIS has a large market in it, THIS district is run by a crime lord, THIS district has a strong military presence.
Then expand on it. Pick one district and draw that map out itself. Label points of interest such as Inns, Churches, Crypts (dungeon crawl), guard towers/barracks, sewer entrances (dungeon crawl), warehouse (dungeon crawl) or market squares.
Then expand farther, and dedicate a single map to the whatever dungeon crawl your party will be going through that session. Whether a warehouse where some criminals operate, a section of sewers that has been taken over by ghouls, the headquarters to an evil cult, either above ground or with a large set of catacombs underneath.
This way you can just expand on new districts and dungeons as the party travels about the city.

Also come up with some loose concepts for organizations throughout the city. Who rules the city? a King, council, nobleman? perhaps there is an inner city for the nobles with a wall separating the two areas. The inner city is law and order, where the outer city has more crime and adventuring potential. (Caemlyn from wheel of time (http://wot.wikia.com/wiki/File:Caemlynmap.png))
Develop concepts such as a criminal organizations, a crazy spellcaster doing experiments, or a new cult that is gaining popularity. Make up some NPC concepts, such as the leader of the criminal organization. You don't have to make the NPC yet, just a description, name, etc. So the party can HEAR about the crime lord. They may fight some of his goons, or encounter one of the spellcasters creations roaming the sewers.

You can do almost anything in a city. Just start by putting the party somewhere in it and have the immediate area planned out. I'd suggest they meet at an inn near one of the gate districts. Have a few npc personalities created to give the players the 411 on the city. Some information about the various districts, and some rumors the players can follow up on, leading to their first encounters.

[Jeff the Green]

As far as mapping, I would just design an overall city, and start arbitrarily setting districts. THIS is a poor district, THIS is a rich district, THIS has a large market in it, THIS district is run by a crime lord, THIS district has a strong military presence.
Then expand on it. Pick one district and draw that map out itself. Label points of interest such as Inns, Churches, Crypts (dungeon crawl), guard towers/barracks, sewer entrances (dungeon crawl), warehouse (dungeon crawl) or market squares.
Then expand farther, and dedicate a single map to the whatever dungeon crawl your party will be going through that session. Whether a warehouse where some criminals operate, a section of sewers that has been taken over by ghouls, the headquarters to an evil cult, either above ground or with a large set of catacombs underneath.
This way you can just expand on new districts and dungeons as the party travels about the city.

I tend to go the opposite way with maps. Unless your players really want a map or you plan on having a siege at some point, make an organizational chart instead. Lay out what's in each district, how the districts are connected to each other, and how long it usually takes to get from each district to each neighboring one, and you've got enough.

[veti]

Food and people come into the city from which directions? That will tell you where the biggest and most important highways are, and you can place a few markets. Those areas will also have a good concentration of respectable (mid-range) inns, and probably a noticeable military/police presence.

Rich people will live at the Exclusive end of town - uphill or upwind, depending which is the more noticeable factor. Rich people need servants, who have to live either in the same house or nearby, and they support high-priced merchants, shops and services. These in turn support industries, which will be located as far away from the rich people as possible. People who work in those industries will make up the poorer, smellier, more dangerous bits of town, between the markets and the industry.

Of course, there will be routes by which a rich person can get from their home to anywhere important (to them) without going through any really dangerous area - that's one function of main roads (well trafficked, patrolled). It's also a main function of the river. (Did I mention the river yet? It's the heart of the city, with big civic buildings - major temples, city hall, libraries, palaces and what have you - either facing directly on to the river, or very close to it. One of the best and safest ways to get around those areas is by boat. Docks, if any, are downstream of these areas.)

Does the city have a wall? The area directly inside the wall is definitely either military-use only, or poor. Is there building outside the walls? More defensively-conscious cities are likely to specifically forbid this, and will go to some lengths to remove anything from within about half a mile of their walls. However, if the city hasn't been militarily threatened in a century or so, they might be getting lax about that.

[veti]

Food and people come into the city from which directions? That will tell you where the biggest and most important highways are, and you can place a few markets. Those areas will also have a good concentration of respectable (mid-range) inns, and probably a noticeable military/police presence.

Rich people will live at the Exclusive end of town - uphill or upwind, depending which is the more noticeable factor. Rich people need servants, who have to live either in the same house or nearby, and they support high-priced merchants, shops and services. These in turn support industries, which will be located as far away from the rich people as possible. People who work in those industries will make up the poorer, smellier, more dangerous bits of town, between the markets and the industry.

Of course, there will be routes by which a rich person can get from their home to anywhere important (to them) without going through any really dangerous area - that's one function of main roads (well trafficked, patrolled). It's also a main function of the river. (Did I mention the river yet? It's the heart of the city, with big civic buildings - major temples, city hall, libraries, palaces and what have you - either facing directly on to the river, or very close to it. One of the best and safest ways to get around those areas is by boat. Docks, if any, are downstream of these areas.)

Does the city have a wall? The area directly inside the wall is definitely either military-use only, or poor. Is there building outside the walls? More defensively-conscious cities are likely to specifically forbid this, and will go to some lengths to remove anything from within about half a mile of their walls. However, if the city hasn't been militarily threatened in a century or so, they might be getting lax about that.

[Calimehter]

One of the very first questions you will have to answer is just how much magic has been integrated into society and been used as everyday "technology".

Google the Tippyverse as an example of how much things can be different from a typical medieval city. You'll run into a lot of controversy about just how "inevitable" the setting is, but you'll also get a lot of nice info on just how much magic can change things.

Even if you don't want to go to that extreme, the issues it brings up and the magic levels it explores are things you will need to answer before deciding what your city looks like.

[Gwaednerth]

I tend to go the opposite way with maps. Unless your players really want a map or you plan on having a siege at some point, make an organizational chart instead. Lay out what's in each district, how the districts are connected to each other, and how long it usually takes to get from each district to each neighboring one, and you've got enough.

Really? I always liked to have a big map I could point stuff out on. The chart just doesn't feel right.

What kind of setting are you thinking of? A desert, mountains, etc.? Because that could affect how you want to plan things.

[Rainbaw]

One of the very first questions you will have to answer is just how much magic has been integrated into society and been used as everyday "technology".

Google the Tippyverse as an example of how much things can be different from a typical medieval city. You'll run into a lot of controversy about just how "inevitable" the setting is, but you'll also get a lot of nice info on just how much magic can change things.

Even if you don't want to go to that extreme, the issues it brings up and the magic levels it explores are things you will need to answer before deciding what your city looks like.

Well it would be a mid magical city, they would have acces to some of the comodities of magic, but not going as far a flying ships or super modern constructions, at least for the common people. Military wise they would have more magic to work with, also the nobles can hog some magic artifacts or force wizards to charge enough so poor people can't acces their services.


Really? I always liked to have a big map I could point stuff out on. The chart just doesn't feel right.

What kind of setting are you thinking of? A desert, mountains, etc.? Because that could affect how you want to plan things.

I'm thinking mountains or hills at least, the city would be near the mountains not on them tho.



Food and people come into the city from which directions? That will tell you where the biggest and most important highways are, and you can place a few markets. Those areas will also have a good concentration of respectable (mid-range) inns, and probably a noticeable military/police presence.

Rich people will live at the Exclusive end of town - uphill or upwind, depending which is the more noticeable factor. Rich people need servants, who have to live either in the same house or nearby, and they support high-priced merchants, shops and services. These in turn support industries, which will be located as far away from the rich people as possible. People who work in those industries will make up the poorer, smellier, more dangerous bits of town, between the markets and the industry.

Of course, there will be routes by which a rich person can get from their home to anywhere important (to them) without going through any really dangerous area - that's one function of main roads (well trafficked, patrolled). It's also a main function of the river. (Did I mention the river yet? It's the heart of the city, with big civic buildings - major temples, city hall, libraries, palaces and what have you - either facing directly on to the river, or very close to it. One of the best and safest ways to get around those areas is by boat. Docks, if any, are downstream of these areas.)

Does the city have a wall? The area directly inside the wall is definitely either military-use only, or poor. Is there building outside the walls? More defensively-conscious cities are likely to specifically forbid this, and will go to some lengths to remove anything from within about half a mile of their walls. However, if the city hasn't been militarily threatened in a century or so, they might be getting lax about that.

What i have so far is, big walls around the biggest part of the city, outside of the walls only farms and small houses for the people who works the lands. I don't have a plan on big sieges on the city neither for a big scale war, the world would be tense but not at war, or in a war but one that does not involve this particular country/faction.


I tend to go the opposite way with maps. Unless your players really want a map or you plan on having a siege at some point, make an organizational chart instead. Lay out what's in each district, how the districts are connected to each other, and how long it usually takes to get from each district to each neighboring one, and you've got enough.

The exact words of one of my players was "i'd love ot play with a detailed map" what they expect is kinda a real map of a city, street by street and such. i doubt i'll be able to pull something as detaileda s they expect but i'd like to do a map as detailed as i can.


As far as mapping, I would just design an overall city, and start arbitrarily setting districts. THIS is a poor district, THIS is a rich district, THIS has a large market in it, THIS district is run by a crime lord, THIS district has a strong military presence.
Then expand on it. Pick one district and draw that map out itself. Label points of interest such as Inns, Churches, Crypts (dungeon crawl), guard towers/barracks, sewer entrances (dungeon crawl), warehouse (dungeon crawl) or market squares.
Then expand farther, and dedicate a single map to the whatever dungeon crawl your party will be going through that session. Whether a warehouse where some criminals operate, a section of sewers that has been taken over by ghouls, the headquarters to an evil cult, either above ground or with a large set of catacombs underneath.
This way you can just expand on new districts and dungeons as the party travels about the city.

Also come up with some loose concepts for organizations throughout the city. Who rules the city? a King, council, nobleman? perhaps there is an inner city for the nobles with a wall separating the two areas. The inner city is law and order, where the outer city has more crime and adventuring potential. (Caemlyn from wheel of time (http://wot.wikia.com/wiki/File:Caemlynmap.png))
Develop concepts such as a criminal organizations, a crazy spellcaster doing experiments, or a new cult that is gaining popularity. Make up some NPC concepts, such as the leader of the criminal organization. You don't have to make the NPC yet, just a description, name, etc. So the party can HEAR about the crime lord. They may fight some of his goons, or encounter one of the spellcasters creations roaming the sewers.

You can do almost anything in a city. Just start by putting the party somewhere in it and have the immediate area planned out. I'd suggest they meet at an inn near one of the gate districts. Have a few npc personalities created to give the players the 411 on the city. Some information about the various districts, and some rumors the players can follow up on, leading to their first encounters.

I have a list of various npcs with their background stories and general aspects of their personality detailed, tho they were meant for a small village (i have like 5-6) I'm going to start working on this bit by bit, i'd need the overall city first as they may just send my intended story flying and just explore...








Thanks for all the answers! i'll update the first post with some issues that came up. But i have more material to work with now! i hope to see more answers