WFRP: The Altdorf Truth 815

WFRP: The Party Dungeon

In my running campaign, the PCs are trying to build reputation in Altdorf society. So far this has met with mixed success, but they are adamant in their pursuits of the finer life of the rich and powerful. And they've got some enemies they need to humilate, which always proves a potent motivator for any player at my table.

Anyways, they are supposed to go to a party. I want to kick up the "acting" aspect a bit, but also keep the "gaming" aspect to make sure that the party is influenced by whatever good or bad skill rolls the players make.

Cribbing an idea from Dynasties & Demagogues, the brilliant d20 supplement covering political intrigue, I drew up the following conceptual map of the party. The idea is for the PCs to navigate each square as if it was a dungeon room, with skill rolls, social interaction ... and combat, if things turn nasty. Which there is a good chance of, judging from my players and their agendas.

So, what skill checks goes on in the different squares ... or rooms, if you so will?

/Magnus

WFRP: The Altdorf Truth 814

WFRP: The Altdorf Truth 813

WFRP: The Altdorf Truth 812

WFRP: The Altdorf Truth 811

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WFRP: The Altdorf Truth 807

What do people in Altdorf talk about? Just about anything. And very often they talk about what's being peddled as information, sold or given away by eager news sheet vendors, or posters glued to walls. The Altdorf Truth is one such news sheet, posted on the walls of buildings and sometimes even animals all over the capital. No one knows who is behind the rag's eclectic mixture of pro-Imperial and anti-authoritarian reporting. Part news, part opinion piece, part gossip, and all this with a second helping of hysteria, The Altdorf Truth has a curios finger on the very pulse of what people deem important in the largest city of the Empire. It is evident that the writer or writers are singularily well connected among the merchant class and the aristocracy, and it has laid bare many a scandal since it started circulation in 2501. Authorities have tried in vain to track down the elusive publisher and their failure has suggested that the culprit might even be of higher rank than any can imagine, maybe even sanctioned by one of the electors. I believe the truth to be more mundane than that, but will devote no further energy into finding out the truth behind the distribution of said news sheet.

Aldophus Altdorfer
Aubentag, Pflugzeit 31, 2523 IC

The Altdorf Truth is a tool I use to keep the players thinking about and taking note of the big and small things that goes on in the campaign world. It provides a nice counterpoint to their own little universe, where their PCs are always the most important people. Some events are major and will change the campaign for the PCs, and some are minor things they will never have to bother about. And some are secrets that will play out later on in the campaign. I hand out one new issue of The Altdorf Truth at the end of each session, and have one player read that issue at the beginning of the next session. Works very well to keep the players anchored in the setting.

Magnus

Do you schnoodle?

One thing that I remembered from entering the capital was a big black tree by the North Gate. It was long dead, almost petrified but even at this cold and wintery time it bore leaves. Paper leaves. When I looked closer at it I noticed that it was covered with small and large notices, asking for help, asking for jobs, asking for information, asking for just about anything you can imagine. I was told that this is one way for the people of Altdorf to communicate with each other. If I can find the time to read every such tree in the city, I will probably learn much about the life of the people here.

Adolphus Altdorfer
Wellentag, Nachexen 5, 2522 IC

I found a great thread at the Black Industries forum, and threw together the following picture, based on a post by Steve Darlington (co-author of Children of the Horned Rat). Open the picture in a seperate window to view it full-size, or just save it to your hard drive and open it which ever way you want to.


This poster is not adapted for my version of Altdorf, but I will check with Steve again to see if he allows some small changes. He was kind enough to give me the go ahead to put it up here, so I'm sure he won't mind. I'll just ask him first, since that is the right thing to do.

Magnus