Encounter Ideas for city adventure?

[Aximes]

So I'm setting up a new campaign for my players. They've done their characters already. I'm writing quests etc... Ofc I use their characterstory to get some cool ideas etc... But I've got a little problem here.

So this campaign is about a civil war... The city "Faycross" is a medium sized city and one of the rare places in my world, that has his own magic academy. But the Government of the city is not being runned by magicians. To be exact... They've changed lately and the new owners of the city doesn't like magic very much... Also they have a very strict rule enforcement... Long story short: There is a little war going on between the Government, the Magicians and some revolutionists, who are against the government for other reasons.

Its planned that my group will join the revolutionists (what they will most likely do, according to their character storys) and yeah... I'm kinda excited about the campaign... My Players are also excited... So everything should be fine, right?... Yeah, thats kinda my problem... While I was creating the NPCs/Encounters I've noticed, that I just have guards to throw at them really... I think that could be a little bit boring over time... I mean... I can play around with terrain and different situations, but even then I'm very limited there... So long story short: Do anyone know some cool Encounters my group can fight too?

PS: Noob dm. Be gentle. ^^'

[damned]

Magical Races - maybe some Elves are being persecuted or some Orcs are getting in on the persecution.
Merchants looking to take advantage of the situation
Thieves (or other) Guilds taking advantage of the situation
Maybe there are some riots as people are torn between each side

Also this is your primary story arc - you can have all sorts of side adventures and encounters that have nothing to do with the main arc.

[LordEntrails]

Here are some thoughts, the 5E Waterdeep Dragon Heist module has some ideas you can adopt, but not directly (i.e. not worth you buy in it imo and...) It is poorly written for new GMs. But, Justin Alexander is really good at GM development and helping work out stuff. I suggest you read everything of his you have tolerance for. Particularly; read this article about remixing Dragon Heist (DH); https://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/41217/roleplaying-games/dragon-heist-remix-part-1-the-villains
Then read his article on Gamematery 101, especially the Three Rule Clue and Node Based Scenario Design; https://thealexandrian.net/gamemastery-101

More random thoughts:
- In a city, even level 1 guards can threaten level 10 characters, not because of the combat, but because to kill a guard (or noble) can result in the entire army being sent to capture you for trial and a death sentence.
- In the DH remix, read the part about Response Teams, imo this is how you should handle the various factions. No pre-planned encounters, but rather events that impact the players, and then the response teams the factions may deploy.
- Remember, you don't have to have the whole thing figured out. Layout the power groups, the personalities, the motivating factors, and some key events that will probably happen. Then after each session you can figure out how each group responds for the next game session.
- Even more importantly, the players do not know what is supposed to happen, so whatever you do, they will think that is what you planned. Hence when it comes to "plot" or story-line, you really can never make mistakes.

[Aximes]

Here are some thoughts, the 5E Waterdeep Dragon Heist module has some ideas you can adopt, but not directly (i.e. not worth you buy in it imo and...) It is poorly written for new GMs. But, Justin Alexander is really good at GM development and helping work out stuff. I suggest you read everything of his you have tolerance for. Particularly; read this article about remixing Dragon Heist (DH); https://thealexandrian.net/wordpress...1-the-villains
Then read his article on Gamematery 101, especially the Three Rule Clue and Node Based Scenario Design; https://thealexandrian.net/gamemastery-101

I will definetly keep an eye on that. Thank you! :)



- In a city, even level 1 guards can threaten level 10 characters, not because of the combat, but because to kill a guard (or noble) can result in the entire army being sent to capture you for trial and a death sentence.
- In the DH remix, read the part about Response Teams, imo this is how you should handle the various factions. No pre-planned encounters, but rather events that impact the players, and then the response teams the factions may deploy.

Would agree under normal circumstances, but aren't the guards and the army very busy here? I mean its basicly a war szenario. And yeah... The death scene is basicly how my campaign starts... I've read the storys of my PCs (who know very little about the city and the plot) and they kinda already implemented some crimes they did, cruelty they have withnessed and one player already have added one guards name to her blacklist because he killed his magician friend etc... Since the whole party is already criminal at this point, I decided to start the campaign in prison, they will stay there for 1-2 days (this will replace the typical tavern scene, where my players can talk a bit and start knowing each other etc) and then after that, they will escorted to the market, where they should be publicly executed. The Revolutionists will attack there and safe the party and we have either a big fight, or chase scene going on... So I have this already. ^^ Kinda.

Sidenote... The Guard who is on the black list of one of my characters... I decided that he got a promotion after killing that magician and restrain the PC... He's now a watch captain and a side boss later on.



- Remember, you don't have to have the whole thing figured out. Layout the power groups, the personalities, the motivating factors, and some key events that will probably happen. Then after each session you can figure out how each group responds for the next game session.
- Even more importantly, the players do not know what is supposed to happen, so whatever you do, they will think that is what you planned. Hence when it comes to "plot" or story-line, you really can never make mistakes.

I don't even know the full plot yet... I just write an intro and then watch, where all this is going... I've experienced, that you really can't plan the plot, because the players will decide otherwise (even accidently) anyways. ^^
I just have my little intro here, that maybe fills 1 or 2 sessions and after that I'm just gonna watch, what the party wants to do... Maybe with some Quests in the back hand.

[GunnarGreybeard]

I would think you could also throw in some 'hit teams' from the opposing sides. Assassins and the like where it's ambush style attacks and not the obvious, "here come the guards", dressed in their official garb. Also hard to tell friend from foe and they could ID a hit team out on the street and take them out, later finding out they were actually on the player's side of the feuding.

[LordEntrails]

Would agree under normal circumstances, but aren't the guards and the army very busy here? I mean its basicly a war szenario.
...

I don't even know the full plot yet... I just write an intro and then watch, where all this is going... I've experienced, that you really can't plan the plot, because the players will decide otherwise (even accidently) anyways. ^^
I just have my little intro here, that maybe fills 1 or 2 sessions and after that I'm just gonna watch, what the party wants to do... Maybe with some Quests in the back hand.
It sounds like you have it pretty well in hand and are taking the approach I would, and intro and then let things develop from there.

Only comment to your question is yes, the guards are very busy, which mean they might be a bit more lenient on small crimes (why bother with petty theft when you have rebels to worry about), but also more extreme when they do act.

Let us know how it goes and always feel free to ask :)

[Nylanfs]

Also don't forget that there will be intrigue from other city states and possibly rival magician guilds taking advantage of the chaos. Nothing happens in a vacuum. That's how the majority of the wars in Europe happened, a little spark and others fanning the flames to profit from the war.