Communal Worldbuilding: City edition

>>49948166
I shall contribute the logical suggestion that the city is located in a valley, and the nearby area is woodlands where stag can usually be found.

It is called Stagsvale after all.

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This post also serves as an example:

>The Amethyst Court
This castle is located just outside of Stagsvale, atop a mountain overlooking the city of Stagsvale, and the Stagsvale, the valley in which the city is located, itself. The court is home to many young noble ladies, most of them unmarried. This is one of two reasons why it is named the Virgin Keep, the other being that it was never taken by enemies, even though the city beneath was, multiple times.

>>49948166
There is a small shop located between the second tailor's shop and the third smith's shop, in the road that runs parallel to Main Street. In plain letters it says 'Maggie's Mystic Marvels', and the old lady that runs it sells the most peculiar potions - from ones that allow you to breathe fire (as in, suck in fire instead of air) in order to heal yourself, or the one that sprouts herbs from your hair. I wouldn't recommend haggling with her, though, since the price's already low (like two copper and the name of a future child you'll have for that fire-breathing spell), and she's running the store all by herself, no family to know of. But do visit her store only after sundown during full moon, because any other time you'll only find the walls between the second tailor's shop and the third smith's shop.

>>49948166
Alright, how about this. Beneath the city is an extensive sewer system and vast catacombs. Monsters may or may not roam down there.

Well, I'm new to Stagsvale, but seeing those towering edifices I'd say the High Guild of Masons really is as magnificient as the locals say. I mean look a these arcs and towers ... Hood's Breath. If you consider how many times this city has been sacked it's even more astonishing.

It must have been a nightmare for any attacker. Breaching the walls is the easy part. Fighting your way through a mace of streets and alleyways with every crossroad contested by skirmishers is what comes next. As if that would'nt be enough, those towers an bridges offer so many possible strongpoints, it will take weeks to root out every last pocket of resistance.

I'd say the city itself contributed quite a bit to the air of impregnability surrounding virgin keep.

>>49949119
Of course there are sewers. What do you take us for? Barbarians living in our own filth? We heavily invest in keeping those sewers clean and running. But the Rat Catchers Guild does mostly maintenance and pest control.

However, ever so often we have to "employ" cocky troublemakers like yourself to flush out the odd magical experiment some Sorcerer or Alchemist flushed down his toilet.

For the purpose of the game, the language of Stagsvale and the surrounding land will be represented by modern English. It will also use the same writing system.

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The monarch of Stagsvale is correctly stylized as "His/Her Grace, Grand Baron(ess) of the Stagsvale and the Seven Rivers." This is because they rule the entirety of the Stagsvale, a valley in which seven rivers conjoin. These seven rivers all flow into the great Aerran lake, a lake in the center of a large continent.

It is a semi-independent state, as it is part of the Myrtle Confederation, a confederation of small states. All states are technically subject to the Confederation, but most act independently from each other, only joining forces to defeat outside threats.

>>49949119
>>49949400

Despite the official proclamations of the mayor and other city officials, there are indded strange things in the sewers.
It appears that Stagsvale is built over the sunken buildings of a previous city, and there are entire cave systems under that.
We also think the area used to be a swamp, but the wizards are staying quiet on that point.
Needless to say, those sewers? Clean, yes. Mostly-pest free? Yes.
Everything that connects to the sewers but isn't legally part of them? Not so much.

>>49949869
Rumor has it that the non-submerged parts of these ruins and cave systems are inhabited by anything from isolated eldritch cults to squatting beggars.

>>49948166
is this really useful if we do it without some sort of organization and record?

should someone keep track of each topic with a google doc?
example: a google doc for the map, one for the major shop descriptions with subsection for each shop, one for royal family history and composition, one for general economy etc.

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>>49949273
Towers are not only commonplace in the city of Stagsvale, tall, stone structures are found through the entire Stagsvale. They serve the ritual purpose of attracting good spirits and banishing the evil ones. Usually, they are found every few miles, but they are closely packed in several holy areas.

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>>49949961
I've done some communal worldbuilding before (pic related) without docs, and it turned out great, even though it became quite confusing, I must admit. Docs are an idea, but I may not have the time to maintain them all.

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Due to Stagsvales location on the seven rivers, the commercial district is a hodgepodge of foreign cultures, even influencing the architecture of the buildings. While during the day it is a great place to buy anything you'd ever need, after dark a different industry comes into play as the criminal underworld comes to life.

The commercial district is located around the meeting point of the seven rivers.

>>49949734
>>49950083
There is an eighth river, across the lake, that flows out to the sea - deep enough across its entire run for many ocean-going ships to travel. Due to this connection, and Aerran Lake's central location, Stagsvale is the major port city.

Additionally, the Wizard's Tower (their guild) has spent quite some time setting up portals to far-away places, increasing the sheer volume and diversity of trade.

>>49950188
This eight river, however, is not within the demesne of the Grand Baron of Stagsvale, or any of the states of the Myrtle Confederation for that matter. The lands surrounding the river are owned by tribal lords, bandits and pirates, all looking to pillage the ships passing through, both to and from Stagsvale. The Myrtle Confederation has tried to both reason and subjugate these anarchic tribesmen, but their stubbornness and dangerous swamps have made both very difficult. Only one third of all the ships makes it through this river, yet the risk is well worth it for many traders.

>>49950324
On the topic of the outsiders of the eighth river, Stagsvales is at odds with the rest of the confederation on how to deal with them. While the others attempt diplomatic methods to appease the barbarians and eventually bring them into the fold, Stagsvale has suffered from their raids far too long. The Royal Navy leads assaults on pirate strongholds, attempting to destroy any base of operations these brigands can organize. The campaign has been met with varied success. While the Navy's ships and disciplined crew outmatch the Pirates, the Pirates knowledge of the river gives them an edge at waging a guerrilla war against Stagsvale. This stalemate has lasted since the founding of our great kingdom, and there is no sign of it ending soon.

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>>49949869
>>49949400

Sentries like pic related are stationed at all known exits of the sewers, to prevent any "Sewage from leaking out". They usually look like statues, but activate at the orders of a member of the Rat Catcher's Guild, provided their clearance is high enough. They are only a last resort, as magical curses prevent them from entering the sewers, requiring the living members of the Rat Catcher's guild to do the actual work there.

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There are many underground taverns in the city, some even made to last sieges from the outside. This trend started after the 3rd Sack of Stagsvale, one of many before. These taverns are filled to the brim with alcoholic beverages and rations. Usually, these are cheaply sold to travelers, but they always make sure they have enough to last several weeks