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Sneak
2005-07-01, 09:38 PM
Here's my city.

The City of Troubles

Introduction
You finally arrive wearily at the gates of the city, grateful that you will have some rest before continuing your journey. One guard hails you, and starts to open the gates, while the other one just stands there blankly, staring into space. You thank the other guard and enter the city, wondering if the blank guard was drugged. Finding no other explanation, you glance around warily, questioning the safety of a city that had drugged guards at the gates. As you glance around, you see a multitude of beggars, drunken men, and other down and out sort of people. Seeing more people like the ‘drugged’ guard, you begin to wonder if there is something wrong with this city…
…and it is truly ironic how right you are. This city is Ikonus, the City of Troubles, a city that is truly deserving of that name.

Stats
Town Size: Small City
Population: 6000
GP Limit: 15,000 gp

Background information
General: Ikonus is called the City of Trouble for a reason. It is a safe haven for the down and out, the drunkards, the amnesiacs, the poor, and anyone else who is seriously troubled. The city does help them with their lives, but sometimes they just go there for company, to know that they are not alone.
Physical description: Ikonus is located in a barren valley with very little water. The city itself is organized into districts. There is the Health District, which concerns health, temples, healing, magic, and all that, the Merchant District, which is full of merchants and houses of nobles, the Government District, which contains all military and government things, and the Public District, which is where most people spend their time, especially the people with worse problems, or at least when they’re not in the Health District over some health issue.
Arts and Culture: The city has no single culture, but a mixture, as all of its citizens are from different places, and very little citizens were actually born in the City of Troubles, but rather traveled their as their lives became troubled.
Economics: The economy of the city is actually well off, as the townspeople are more than happy to work, as long as the get paid the slightest bit of money, as most of them are very poor. Some major industries are Mining, Fishing, and Textiles.
Class: Class isn’t really recognized very much in the City of Troubles, as everyone is in trouble, but some people are considered nobles, as in they have more money. All this means is that they are richer, although most of the goods for sale are very cheap anyway.
Religion: The citizens worship many, many gods and goddesses, and none of them are more common than the other.
Government: The government in Ikonus is generally well respected by the people, although much of what goes on is kept secret from them. However, the government manages things very well. The City of Troubles is held in very low regard in the outside world, as many of its citizens are ill, mentally or physically, have amnesia, disabilities, or other handicaps or problems.
Crime: Crime is a problem in the city, although most of it is handled well and stopped before it can escalate to something bad. Most crimes are commited out of insanity rather than malicious intent, and so usually when the police arrive, instead of places in jail, the criminal is taken to a health facility.

The Monument
History:The monument is a huge statue of a man weeping. The man is the founder of the City of Troubles. His name was Pyrin Ikonus. He was born the son of a very rich family. However, when he was three, his parents were both murdered before his eyes, and he was kicked out into the streets. He grew up on the streets, and when he had finally established a wealthy business, he got mugged again, and was as poor as when he had first come to live on the streets. Eventually, he resorted to crime, and he was caught by city officials and exiled from the city. He walked for 10 days, until he reached a valley. It was a barren valley, and he stopped and wept. He built a little cottage in the valley, and lived there for a while. Travelers came to know him, and eventually he was known by most of the adventurers and travelers in the area. They came to him for advice when they had problems. Although he had been unable to solve his own problems, Ikonus was a very wise man, and he helped many people. Eventually, enough people came at the same time that there was a kind of camp around his cottage. More and more people kept coming, and got good advice and treatment, and some just came to be with others like them: down and out people with troubles. Eventually, since everyone needed and wanted his advice and help so badly, they built a city, and named it after him: Ikonus.
Physical Description and regard: The monument, generally called The Weeping Man, is held in very high regard by the citizens. Even though Pyrin Ikonus is no longer alive himself, the government he left in place is good, and is able to give out good advice. Sometimes when people are in desperate need, they come to the statue and pray. They say that if you pray at midnight when the moon is full, Ikonus’ spirit will come and help you. If this is true or not may never be discerned.

Important People and Places:
(coming soon)
General Nagerie Stoneburner: this surly dwarf is in charge of all military operations going on inside the City of Troubles. The reason that she came is unknown, although it is rumored that she is claustrophobic, and so left the Dwarven lands. It is also rumored that she came because of a mental problem. She does have a very sharp temper...
General Black: Her real name is unknown. In fact, very little is known about her except that she is the head of the extensive spy network in Ikonus, and that she is a halfling. It is rumored that she is an amnesiac.
Pyrin Ikonus: the founder of Ikonus, it is rumored that he is now a ghost, that appears when you pray at the Weeping Man at midnight when there is a full moon, although how much of this is truth or legend is unknown.
Jamel Kisara: This man used to be a pirate, but has now turned from is evil ways and has become the ruler of Ikonus, with the aid of his advisors. He was the first one to stay with Pyrin Ikonus, and Ikonus has taught him many things. He is very wise and is getting old, but still has a trick or two up his sleeve. He came to Ikonus because he felt guilty for all his piracy and crimes.
Anders Ibellum: this man is the spiritual advisor for Jamel, but also acts as his advisor on many other things, such as fiscal matters. He came to Ikonus because he felt lost without a deity, and found his spirituality and ultimately his inner self at the hands of Ikonus himself.
http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/2374/important9pm.gif
Jail: The jail is located in the Health District, and is more of an insane asylum than a prison.
Hospital: Before anyone is taken to jail, they are usually taken to the hospital to see if they have mental health problems. If these problems cannot be fixed, they will either be released or put in Jail. The hospital is located in the Health District.

Plot Hooks:
[/list] The party finds an injured/ill man on the road. He tells them to take him to Ikonus. They go to Ikonus and the man gets healed. However, they witness an attack between The Military faction and the Black Army, and they are captured and not allowed to leave the city, as they are witnesses. They must escape from capture, and to be able to leave the city the must side with a faction and help them.
[list] The party is ambushed by bandits, and the bandits leave them tied up and unconscious on the road. A traveler finds them and takes them to Ikonus. In Ikonus they are captured by the military, and because of the power struggle they need more weapons, and therefore need more metal. The party is sent into the mines, and they must escape.

Any of these plot hooks may also be used just until they reach the city, where the DM can make up something else.

Power Struggles:
There is a new power struggle going on in the City of Troubles, although most of the general public doesn't know about it. This secret war has many factions, as the war is mostly between Jamel Kisara, the leader of the city, and his advisors and generals.
The Government Faction: The first faction is commonly known as the Government, which consists of the police force in the city, as well as all the government officials and Kisara himself. They mostly get there ways by using the strong arm of the law to get to their opponents. Also, although there isn't really a clear good and evil side in the struggle, The Government is the closest to the good side that there is, besides The Light. The Government is not willing to kill anybody in the war, just lock them up.
The Black Army: The Black Army is General Black's spy network, hooking up with the local thieves' guild and assassins' guild to make one huge stealth force. They are powerful, stealthy, quick, and not afraid to kill to reach their goal: General Black as leader of the city. So far, in the war, The Black Army seems to be winning.
The Military: the military force is led by Nagerie Stoneburner, and this is one ruthless fighting force. This force is almost never put to use in all-out war, but in this secret war, they seem to be doing fine. However, brute force doesn't work as well in this war, as all sides are worried of alerting the public to what is going on, besides the few who already know.
The Light: The Light is led by Anders Ibellum, and consists of many priests, clerics, and monks. They are trying to make the city into a theocracy. Although they'd rather not, they will kill if need be to reach their goal.
The Rebels: The Rebels are a small group of commoners and nobles, just normal citizens of the city who know what is going on. They too want to come out on top, so they have organized a rag-tag army of whoever and whatever they can find. Barely trained and poorly armed, these men have the advantage of numbers on their side, but that's about it.

Sneak
2005-07-01, 09:48 PM
Anyway, this idea first started out as a city full of amnesiacs. Then I realized, reluctantly, that there probably wouldn't be enough people with amnesia to make up a whole city, so I decided to make it any trouble. Amnesia, mental problems, insanity, physical problems, addictions, money problems, etc.

Sneak
2005-07-02, 08:03 AM
Map
http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/4275/map0bs.gif

zeorge
2005-07-05, 07:42 PM
Oo... I like the concept. Good job. ;D

Sneak
2005-07-18, 07:27 AM
Thanks. Anyway, I'm holding a roleplaying campaign in this city, partly for fun, partly to see if it's functional. And it better be. If anyone is interested, look for it in the finding players section. We'll only be taking one or two more people.