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| Generated by the Medieval City Generator App, which is excellent. Google it. |
The City of Gisoreux lies within the Duchy of Gisoreux, and one of the three great cities of Bretonnia with L'Angelle and Bordeleaux. Formerly a holding of the Dukes of Gisoreux, the City's merchants obtained the rights of taxation and spending from the current Duke's ancestors in exchange for a hefty tithe paid to the Duke out of the City's coffers. The original Dukes felt their fee would be too exorbitant for the City to pay, not realizing how much commerce and learning would flourish if the City's mercantile class was able to run affairs to the benefit of trade and not merely noble prerogatives. Now, the City's Council of Aldermen and Mayor are in constant tension with the Dukes, jealous of the rights they have won and the Dukes in turn jealous of the rights they have lost and revenues they feel they have somehow lost out on. This is the main tension and power-struggle in the City currently, known to most educated (few) folk in the city.
Prominent Locations in Gisoreux
- The Cathedral of the Lady (visible throughout city, the "Temple" on the map): Presided over by Matriarch Charlotte the Fat, the Cathedral is filled during official ceremonies and Feast Days. Beyond the Cathedral, there are many small shrines and chapels to the Lady scattered throughout the City, tended by the nuns and friars who often live behind them. The Cathedral offers blessings to dedicated Knights undertaking important quests and maintains a few Chapter Houses throughout the City for traveling Questing Knights or Knights Errant, but Gisoreux is less faithful and more workmanlike than most of Bretonnia and these houses are smaller and harder to find.
- The Ducal Castle (visible throughout city): This low-slung, sprawling castle dominates the City. The Duke is often away hunting or attending the King's Court in Couroune or on tour, leaving his affairs to his Castellan Maurice. The Duke is currently back in the City, seeking an excuse to begin revoking the Council's rights to control the City. The Duke keeps his own men-at-arms in the City, recognized by his Coat of Arms, and they man the Castle.
- The Square: A large cobblestone market square filled with stalls, one of the best markets in Bretonnia. Many pickpockets, jugglers, food sellers, and conmen as well.
- The Docks: The river Grismerie docks, filled with river barges heading to the sea or shipping goods from the east and north of Bretonnia, the lands of the Empire, and Marienburg. The docks are less prominent than the land trade, mostly being used for exports. But the docks are the stronghold of the stevedores, notorious smugglers and ruffians; many warehouses have illicit goods.
- The Council House (the "Merchant" on the square on the map): The large hall where the City Council meets and the Lord Mayor keeps his offices, lying across the Square from the Cathedral. Banking merchants can be found here for loans and the Law Courts, which mostly concern themselves with trade contracts. True criminals are normally tried and punished at a Gatehouse or the Castle (if they were caught in its vicinity).
Using this City & Procedure
This City guide is based on the excellent Warhammer city guide to Middenheim by Mr. Russell,
found here. That guide contains additional charts to allow a DM to create adventure plots, random taverns, random chaos cults, random professions, and other useful stuff. The below chart is basically the factions for the city and major NPCs, composed of the Aldermen of the City Council, their rival the Duke of Gisoreux, and the Matriarch of the Cathedral.
Running the City:
- Gain entrance to the City. The Gates are manned by Guards or men-at-arms sworn to the service of the City (their heraldry is the City Coat-of-Arms). They are simply beefy men with halberds, bows, and clubs; not true troops, though they drill occasionally. The Guards really only patrol at night and man the city walls; they do not have detectives or investigators. The Lord Mayor's Decrees applying to travelers in Gisoreux are:
- Only Sworn Knights of the Realm or Their Retainers May Bear Arms (swords, axes, crossbows, etc.; daggers and shortbows are expected and allowed here; firearms are absolutely barred for all).
- Travelers from the South Must Be Quarantined For Plague for Three Days in the Pox Pits (ramshackle shantytowns surrounded by wooden gates near the City gates) and Obtain a Letter of Good Health to Enter the City (there is no way to do this practically; so expensive bribes, lies, or getting your name to a City contact is needed)
- Unlicensed Traders Must Pay the Tolls to Unload Goods (these are collected from any carts or large loads at the gates; strictly enforced as important to the merchants).
- Determine general city quarter based on adventurers' activities and landmarks. So if they were shopping, they're likely in a Craftsman district or Merchant quarter if they need food or expensive horses. They also will be oriented to the Cathedral (temple), Ducal Castle, and River as the major landmarks of Gisoreux. If I thought my group was going to stay in the City for a long period, like 5-10 sessions, I would create more details about various districts and give them names and plot hooks, but right now they're not likely (they just killed some men-at-arms), so I will provide another example from the inestimable skerples for his osr city.
- Run the locations based on skill checks and random shop rolls. This is where the Middenheim appendices come in handy, because you can generate a Shop or Tavern. Roll up one of those if that's what your party says they're doing. Or, describe the unique place they went: the house of the Notable they are meeting (unless they have an introduction or relationship, the party will interact with the person's underlings), the Cathedral (again, the Matriach's underlings like Noviate Nuns, etc.), or the warehouse where they are meeting the smuggler they met at the tavern. If they know they want some item or service, roll Gossip (or Reaction roll if D&D) to see if they can meet someone who knows (make this easier if they're tipping). Beware, unless the adventurers are intimidating or bear the badge of an important person, thieves are likely to want to steal or cheat them.
- While moving through the city between locations, feel free to add random encounters. I won't need one for the foreseeable future, but a 1d100 custom random encounter chart would add a lot to this. As a fudge: (1) roll 15% chance of significant encounter, (2) roll Bretonnian Career chart to determine the person encountered [sadly this is not as urban as I'd like; I'd reroll any Peasant careers], (3) decide why that person is talking to the PCs (a Scholar wants help finding text stolen from him by rival students or whatever), (4) have encounter somewhere between the PCs starting place (see above) and destination.
- Factions are based on the Notables, since all power flows from them. When the PCs have a significant interaction (beyond buying some arrows or whatever) in the City, roll on the Notables chart to see who the person is most closely associated with (we're going to dispense with divided loyalties and identities today). In this way, you can weave the PCs into the life of the City and more deeply involve them, spurring adventure plots. (A note: if you hate this politics shit, why are you playing WFRP? But seriously, just ignore this connection piece and let the PCs have a couple hijinks in the City and move out.) Ex:
- You know the party angered their current host a publican, who has decided to let his friends rob them, roll 1d10 and see who publican is most closely aligned with. Rolling a 6, checking the chart, it appears the tavern keeper, Goodman Jacques is associated with Lady Blanche, the City's preeminent Enchantress. Maybe she keeps a house nearby and so is Jacques's most important neighbor, or maybe she pays him to keep her informed and he considers her a patron.
- Anyway, what occurs between Jacques, his ruffian friends, and the PCs will come to Lady Blanche's attention and she may have reason to demand their presence, either to account to whatever the PCs do to Jacques or obtain information about a magical tome the PCs have or whatever.
- Additionally, Lady Blanche has business with the Stevedores Guild she may want help with; also, she is known to collect artifacts and be very active in the City's parades and life, which can be discovered with some Gossip or personal interactions.
Notables of the City
|
Name
|
Rank
|
Demeanor
|
Traits
|
Goal
|
Quirk
|
Relationship
|
1
|
Duke Henri
|
Duke
|
Haughty, Proud
|
Generous, Reckless, Intriguer, Huntsman
|
Power, regain City
|
Friend of King
|
Jealous of…
|
2
|
Thibault Vocat
|
Mayor, Lawyers Guild
|
Fashionable
|
Honest, Loyal to King
|
Fame-hound
|
Gourmand
|
Disgust with…
|
3
|
Agathe Bisset, Weavers Guild
|
Weavers Guildmistress, Alderwoman
|
Drunk, Pox-marked
|
Deceitful, Hard-working, Widow
|
Marry into nobility
|
Secret Cultist, Astrologist
|
Family
|
4
|
Louis Bisset
|
Scion, Weavers Guild
|
Seductive, Marienburger fashion
|
Earnest, Returned from trade business in Marienburg
|
Knightly Virtue
|
Hard-working
|
Grudge with…
|
5
|
Gauthier Lefèvre
|
Metalworkers Guildmaster, Alderman
|
Aggressive, Fast talker, snuff-taker
|
Craven, Energetic, Nervous
|
Scientific Inquiry
|
Dreams from exotic curio (demonic or necromantic)
|
Controls (with donations)…
|
6
|
Blanche de Montaigne
|
Enchantress (Noblewoman)
|
Aggressive
|
Cruel, Energetic, Valorous
|
Magickal Power, Fame
|
Artifacts
|
Business with…
|
7
|
Adele Debard (Smugglers)
|
Stevedores Guildmistress, Alderwoman
|
Sarcastic, Bored
|
Lustful, Hospitable
|
Social Rank
|
Cultist, Has Mutation
|
Blackmailing…
|
8
|
Godefroy Macon
|
Masons Guildmaster, Alderman
|
Curmudgeon, Grumpy, Crazy
|
Forgiving, Proud, Indulgent (Gout)
|
Common Good (King Lear-ish)
|
Diseased- Gout
|
Blackmailing…
|
9
|
Matriarch Charlotte
|
Cathedral Matriarch
|
Earnest, Fat, Close-talker/toucher
|
Energetic, Romantic Love, Vengeful
|
Money
|
Gourmand
|
Affair with…
|
10
|
Roubaud Marchand
|
Traders Guildmaster, Alderman
|
Inappropriate, flirt
|
Craven, Indulgent (parties), Fiscally Prudent
|
Lusty
|
Hard-working, Shrewd
|
Grudge against…
|
Duke Henri, Duke of Gisoreux
 |
| Henri at Court |
 |
| The Duke in his famous Silvered Armor |
Lord Mayor Thibault
Matriarch Charlotte
Louis Bisset, Weavers Guild
Gauthier Lefèvre
Enchantress Blanche
Adele Debard, Stevedore Guild
Godefroy Macon, Masons Guild
Roubard Marchand, Traders Guild
Bretonnian Random Encounters (based on random starting careers)
|
Career
|
1d100
|
Academics
|
Apothecary
|
01
|
|
Engineer
|
02
|
|
Lawyer
|
03
|
|
Nun (Damsel)
|
04-10
|
|
Physician
|
11
|
|
Scholar
|
12–13
|
|
Wizard (Enchantress)
|
14
|
Burghers
|
Agitator
|
15
|
|
Artisan
|
16–17
|
|
Beggar
|
18–19
|
|
Investigator
|
20
|
|
Merchant
|
21
|
|
Rat Catcher
|
22–23
|
|
Townsman
|
24–26
|
|
Watchman
|
27
|
Courtiers
|
Advisor
|
28
|
|
Artist
|
29
|
|
Duellist
|
30
|
|
Envoy
|
31
|
|
Noble
|
32
|
|
Servant
|
33–35
|
|
Spy
|
36
|
|
Warden
|
37
|
Peasants
|
Bailiff
|
38
|
|
Hedge Witch
|
39
|
|
Herbalist
|
40
|
|
Hunter
|
41–42
|
|
Miner
|
43
|
|
Mystic
|
44
|
|
Scout
|
45
|
|
Villager
|
46–50
|
Rangers
|
Bounty Hunter
|
51
|
|
Coachman
|
52
|
|
Entertainer [87]
|
53–54
|
|
Battle Pilgrim
|
55–56
|
|
Messenger
|
57
|
|
Pedlar
|
58
|
Sailors
|
Boatman
|
59
|
|
Huffer
|
60
|
|
Riverwarden
|
61
|
|
Riverwoman
|
62
|
|
Seaman
|
63-66
|
|
Smuggler
|
67-68
|
|
Stevedore
|
69
|
|
Wrecker
|
70
|
Rogues
|
Bawd
|
71–72
|
|
Charlatan
|
73
|
|
Fence
|
74
|
|
Grave Robber
|
75
|
|
Outlaw
|
76–80
|
|
Racketeer
|
81
|
|
Thief
|
82-84
|
|
Witch
|
85
|
Warriors
|
Guard
|
86-87
|
[109]
|
Knight of Bretonnia
|
88-93
|
|
Pit Fighter
|
94
|
|
Protagonist
|
95
|
|
Soldier
(Man-at-Arms)
|
96–100
|
