Comments on: D&D Burgoo: Second Cities (Hardby)

By: Troy E. Taylor

Troy E. Taylor — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:01:49 +0000

@mygirlfriendisadm - Both columns I write for GnomeStew -- D&D Burgoo and the Crock Pot -- are just wordplay off our site's theme ... sorry to confuse. Inventing cities in existing settings is an excellent idea. A GM should always feel free to invent/re-invent cities, rivers (and their courses) mountains, hills and plains as they see fit. The published setting should never be considered "canon," but rather a jumping off point for adventure -- allowing the GM to craft as they see fit.

By: mygirlfriendisadm

mygirlfriendisadm — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:11:36 +0000

As a non-American, I haven't the foggiest clue what the connotative implication is behind naming this post after a type of meat stew, but I think this is a cool idea, especially since as a novice DM, I'm inclined to dislike any city that my players will know better than I do. Have you ever tried inventing cities in existing settings? I wonder if campaign setting die-hards object, as it would definitely violate their knowledge of the setting's geo politics. ("Since when did Breland have a city called Stratican?!" "Since I said so." "OMGWTF! Imma play WOW nao this game sux")

By: Scott Martin

Scott Martin — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:42:04 +0000

I like this type of city-- enough a part of the world that you get the flavor, not the spotlight of umpteen books, so I don't feel like I know less than the players. Lots of room to color around the edges and surprise players who know the big cities by heart.

By: Troy E. Taylor

Troy E. Taylor — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:40:36 +0000

@John Arcadian - Second cities are a great way to keep the flavor of a setting while still working with largely a blank space. @Kurt "Telas" Schneider - Elbow room ... I love that term!

By: John Arcadian

John Arcadian — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:55:07 +0000

Awesome idea! I know when I am playing in a published setting, having everything happen in the “BIG CITY” of the area feels contrite and limiting. Sure, there are many pre-established things to choose from, but it is harder to mold to my vision. The players can easily bring up a splat book and tell me how so and so organization should work, and thus why my way of doing it is wrong. They summarily lose a few levels to a wandering wight, but hey that is the price of knowledge . .

By: Kurt "Telas" Schneider

Kurt "Telas" Schneider — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:39:51 +0000

Excellent old-school Greyhawk lovin' right here... I try to avoid the Big Names in my campaigns, and focus on the supporting cast, whether NPCs, cities, locations, etc. They don't dominate the scene, the players probably don't know all about them, and the GM has much more elbow room.