User blog:Dragokar62/What To Do In A City

What To Do In A City

This has been the bane of many players over the years, what to do when you reach a city? Well, I thought I might offer some ideas that could help you enjoy those times when you leave the road, knock off the trail dust and finally get a chance to relax. Of course, sometimes, you don’t get to relax for long, but we’ll get there.

Most players tend to think in simple terms when they arrive in a city. I want to find an inn, get a hot meal, drink some ale, take a bath, then go get more supplies. These are all very good ideas and I would never tell someone that this isn’t. In thinking like your characters, all of the above are excellent choices when first arriving in a city. But what if you are going to be here for longer than overnight? This is where most get stuck. Unless there is a gambling house in town, they just don’t know what else to do. I’m here to help.

Those who value knowledge and history might want to pay the local sage or historian a visit. If this is something your character is into, then they would be a logical choice. Find out the history of the city. Learn what you can about the inhabitants and how the city is run. Who is the Mayor? How did they become the mayor? Who founded the city and when? Has there been any outlandish things that have happened here in this city over the years? Is there a library where you could brush up on your history? If you’ll be here for several days, this could be an excellent way to keep busy and learn something. Not only that, but it might lead to a side quest or two along the way. What happens when you hear that the Mayor has been acting strangely of late and keeping the company of an unknown wizard that no one has ever seen around? Hmm, that might require some investigation. Or maybe the city has been plagued with rats suddenly after a mysterious man left the city just a year back. Yet another nice piece of information.

For those who have an interest in crafting, such as leatherworking and blacksmithing, visit the local craftsmen/women and see if you can learn something from them, or maybe even teach them something new. It can go either way, and it can lead to some amazing discoveries in crafting. Alchemists, Apothecaries and the like are open to sharing some secrets with someone else who practices their craft, and perhaps your character knows something they don’t. And this could lead to improvement on your crafting proficiencies. Just a thought.

There are guild houses all over the lands, welcoming those who fit into their genre and each can have guild perks. The lists of guilds is too long to put here, but check with your DM to see if maybe your class has a guild in the land you could join. Membership dues are fairly inexpensive and it can be returned to you in the form of free lodging and meals, extra training and maybe even a secret location where only like minded folk like you hang out. Not only that, many side quests have formed in one of the guild houses. It could range from a local lord asking for your assistance with an orc problem to a coming war where they need a strong sword arm and some magical help. This isn’t just limited to fighter types, though. Thieves guilds, Bardic guilds, Wizard guilds and Hunter guilds are all a possibility. For clerics and the like, the churches are their guilds and the same perks can apply.

As a rogue in a city, this should be a playground for them. Pockets to pick, items to fence, all kinds of things you could do to spend your time and hone your skills. You can visit a local locksmith in town and see if he needs help with things. You could even learn more about locks from someone like that. Digging into the darker underbelly of a city is a rogue’s favorite pasttime. Where can I fence illicit goods? Who knows what’s going on in the city better than the underground? A rogue is about learning all they can about a place and exploiting it, so don’t sit in a tavern, go into the sewers and figure out what’s really going on in this city.

Another thing you can do, especially if your character is one of those goodie-goodie people, is to go into the main housing area and speak privately with the people. Find out how they really feel about their government and those who rule over them. Again, many good side quests can spring from this. They are the ones living here and they can probably tell you much more about how the city is run than pretty much anyone. Most players want to speak to a guard, but they are paid by the ones ruling the city, so rather than get a biased opinion, ask a citizen.

The other thing you might consider is having something made if you’re going to be around long enough to have that done. It could be something that can help you on the road or it can just be a trinket you wanted to have made. The item ideas can vary and there isn’t a handy list somewhere to help you pick something out, but if you come up with an idea, ask your DM what it would take to make something like that and I’m sure they can work with you on the materials and costs.

Another thing you can consider doing is dealing with your money. A fat purse is a target of rogues in any larger city, so finding a bank to deposit your gains in would be a wise idea. In my game world, banks have been around for a long time and have a history. They can take your hard earned gold and hold it for you, but they can also make it available to you in other locations that have a bank. I did this so people wouldn’t be walking around with bags of coins jingling, making them a target. I had to suspend disbelief to make this work, but I figured, in the long run, it would be something good for the players.

I’ve always looked at larger cities in the game as a big sandbox to play in for the players. You have a campaign arc you’re working on outside of the city, but now you can put that aside and find something else to make your character a hero. If there isn’t something to help the city with, then it’s a good time to relax, drink some ale and let the cares of the road fade away for a time. So the next time your character hits a big city, stop and think about how you would feel if you had just spent weeks on the road and finally had a chance to unwind. Look for those little things that you haven’t had a chance to do while on the road and do those instead of spending all your time in a tavern or gambling house. Relax and enjoy!