When I had first envisioned this campaign I was hoping to create something that would allow the party fully organic decision making. I could have the party pick any place on the map and then stick their characters in and allow them to go from there. I was recommended by a friend to not do that. He told me to choose one area and make it the opening adventure. Sand box them in till they complete a task, like a mini-campaign. This would give me the chance to get to know the characters, the players and better arrange the rest of the environment to suit them. It would allow for greater enjoyment of the game by all involved. And after breaking the sandbox I can allow the whole of Adama to be open as I had originally intended. I think that I will do this. And the area I choose to be the sandbox is White.
White is a city built on the principal of defense. It's location is on an artificial floating craft, made of a combination of reeds and scrap wood, most of which is wreckage that is brought by the current. An entire caste of people make their living salvaging from the waters. The area of calm water it floats on is in the center of the most active water in the entire Territory. All rivers, flows and tides in all the city-states, both originate and terminate is the wild waters of White. It is also the deepest city of all, with a dangerous undertow under the calm water of the city proper.
Salvaging is very dangerous, but potentially very economically rewarding. Many poor take larger and larger risks in the dangerous waters for a chance at improving their lives permanently by bringing in a good haul. Many of the richer denizens of the city are former salvagers, commonly known as salrites (salvage pirates). The rest of the population is made up of pirates of the normal variety, and the services that pop up to cater to them. Inns and brothels are the most legitimate business present. White is also the capital of the black market for the entire Territory.
The survival of the city as a whole depends on a measure of co-opertion to maintain its infrastructure and to expand. Tolls are charged at the docks and are 'taxed' to cover costs. Since the salrites are freelance, only three officials are employed at a time to oversee collecting the money from dock owners, seeing to overseeing the construction of new 'land' and the repair of old. Their other main source of revenue is the sale of new 'land'. These positions are basically self regulatory and therefore very open to corruption. This is the problem that I will put to the present to my party. They will not be able to leave until forming some sort of solution for saving the city from its own lack of bureaucracy. I figured the irony would be amusing to my projected player base.
To get them together I'm going to have to play the characters for the players a little. One Character (already know which one) will have a treasure map and a boat, and will put out an advert that the players will be responding to for a crew. I can leave the reason for responding up to them, so hopefully this won't be to invasive.
The reason they can't just set sail is that...I haven't really gotten that far. I actually think That is the last think I need for the story line, besides NPCs and the map.
Anyone got any suggestions?
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