Great ideas all, thanks - I'll post a few others of mine as well. I especially liked the clones one, as it fit just perfectly for a city that's in a rich, but secluded valley - a good city state that everyone'd hate, but can't easily get into, since it's highly defensive.

Quote from: GameDaddy;732342My notes on the Pyu City States for my Arrows of Indra game originated here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyu_city-states

Very cool! So you're playing a southeast-asian Arrows of Indra?

RPGPundit

Quote from: Rincewind1;732317Should I be the one doing that, Clash ? But thanks for the random table, I'll play around with it once I return from the shop .

What I meant to ask (and I should've specified) were fantasy city - states. I was looking for various ideas to stea- riff off from people . Here's what I had in mind:

- A city ruled by a giant sentient slug - like creature, who controls the city via a complicated web of intrigues and plots, but can barely move itself.
- A city ruled by a spider - demigod.
- A city where nobody can leave the houses after midnight, except select few, who decide worth of money for tomorrow.

That sort of stuff .

Thinking about it, those tables probably won't help you in the least. Feel free to toss 'em.

I use city-states a lot; heavily in the history of my main game. but also as the main background for my bronze-age d20 game.

I have quite a few of these states I've detailed, fate-driven and scared of night.  Most of them are either run by a cult or faith of a particular oracle.  Here is the religion in one.

"Religion in Accis

Accis is a city-state of mystery and myth.  Religion is not a clean, clear cut thing,  Rather, it is a morass of politics and belief, a mess of cults and temples and rituals and prophecy.  In Accis, they worship the 'Divine Family', which is supposedly one of a few divine families, but the most powerful one.  The other divine groups are what rule other areas of the world, according to the Accians.   Juesak the Maimed yet strong, Herad the Burnt Smith, Calip the Lonely Scholar, Herani the Homemother, Ven the vain and beloved, and The 4 Weavers are the largest temples to the Divine Family.  Hetmar the Protector has a small temple, as does Rex The Father, Piner the brother and friend, and Warnock of the Night terror.  

Complicating this, there are 4 major and 4 minor priesthood that actually service and care for these temples, each attached to a prophet or auger in the area.   The Auger of the Serpent, the Profound Man, The Furies of the Flame, and Speaker of the Dead are the main, powerful prophets, that control priesthoods in the city.   The Secret Fire, The Guarded Library, The Eternal Family, and the Way of Flesh are the smaller ones.

There are also constantly rumors of mystery cults and secret religions, as well.   The Brothers of the Scrivan Way, The Hand of the Father, and other contemplative orders work with the Temples"

Added to this is the relationship of smaller settlements which resist the powers of the local city states.

Also, this game is a d20 homage, so the 'heroes' of these city states are all the level-capable small percentage of the population.  They are considered blessed or cursed by the gods, made for fated paths....

The Greeks had an almost religious connection with their cities. To be a citizen, you had to trace your ancestry back many generations, often to the founding demigod/hero. For a fantasy twist, you could make the citizens the descendents of gods, each with their own archetypal identity: sea-calmer, far-traveler, tricksy hero, battle-god, craftsman, etc.

Not quite a city state but in nearby Egypt you gotta have some Pharaoh enslaving 20,000 people to build a pyramid, just for kicks. Of course nowadays the scholars tell us it wasn't slaves who built the Egyptian wonders but skilled and paid workmen and guild groups. There's an ethical choice for you: which is more fun/interesting to play with, mass slavery or ancient capitalism?

Then there is the Jerusalem model. One city, but the holiest site to two or more religions so there is constant strife over who has rights/claims to this or that acre of land.

Ever read Lysistrata? The women of Greece withhold sex from the men to force an end to the Peloponnesian war. You could have a city state where the women are actually trying that tactic.

A city state composed of orcs (or similar 'dim, barbarian, sterotypically bad guy race') yet as civilised as anywhere else in the world.  There is a divine curse than anyone who spends more than a few hours in the city will find themselves magically turned into an orc (or whatever).  They keep there minds and personalities but if they travel more than a dozen miles beyond the city gates their minds start changing too, they forget their former identities and become orcs in body and soul.

Quote from: Doughdee222;732746Ever read Lysistrata? The women of Greece withhold sex from the men to force an end to the Peloponnesian war. You could have a city state where the women are actually trying that tactic.

Or a genderflipped version in an Amazon style city state.

Quote from: Haffrung;732741The Greeks had an almost religious connection with their cities. To be a citizen, you had to trace your ancestry back many generations, often to the founding demigod/hero. For a fantasy twist, you could make the citizens the descendents of gods, each with their own archetypal identity: sea-calmer, far-traveler, tricksy hero, battle-god, craftsman, etc.

Yes, that's an excellent idea! Every city had its story and had its own patron god or gods too.  These are details that could often be missed by modern GMs.

RPGPundit

A city state where an endless Bacchanalic orgy takes place, except for one day of the year in which everyone must be sober.

A city state where you get to own your dead ancestors as Zombies.  The longer your family has been resident in the city the more zombies you have and consequently the richer you are.

A city state that lies on the edge of a dry salt lake.  Several times a century the lake fills and strange sail craft cross port at the cities normally dry and empty docks, demanding tribute, with nasty consequences if it is not given.

A city passing through time in a different direction to the rest of the setting.  (It's good place to see an oracle).

A city guarded by sphinx.  The doors have no locks, only endless riddles (the thieves must be particularly clever).

A city which worships a snake god.  Deadly poisonous snakes are everywhere, and they often bite, but the residents are immune to their poison.  (Visitors may not be so lucky).

A city that appears at its site only once a century for one day, and then is gone again.

Quote from: RPGPundit;732704Very cool! So you're playing a southeast-asian Arrows of Indra?

RPGPundit

I'd Love to be playing in one. Instead I'm just putting together a game... The nearby independent Burmese City-States seem like an interesting addition being that they share religions with India, and were being invaded by the early szechuan Chinese from Nanzhao while the Bronze-age state of India was in it's birth throes.

Hmmm... that's interesting! Roll a d6! It came from India!

http://www.harappa.com/indus5/page_420.html

A harp-like instrument depicted on an Indus seal and two shell objects found at Lothal indicate the use of stringed musical instruments. The Harappans also made various toys and games, among them cubical dice (with one to six holes on the faces), which were found in sites like Mohenjo-Daro.

...and awesome!

http://www.harappa.com/indus4/e1.html

Bronze Age Mohenjo-Daro
http://www.mohenjodaro.net/

Many of the streets were pedestrian only, no carts, or oxen for these;
http://www.mohenjodaro.net/mohenjodarostreet63.html

A large avenue in Mohenjo-daro, with people for reference;
http://www.mohenjodaro.net/DKGstreet65.html

Streets with drains, for the rainy season
http://www.mohenjodaro.net/DKlane66.html

The city also had traffic control gates (of course, at the bath....)
http://www.mohenjodaro.net/greatbathgate70.html

how the covered drains work
http://www.mohenjodaro.net/draincoverstones73.html

Well water in the dry season
http://www.mohenjodaro.net/wellindus76.html

Public Wells
http://www.mohenjodaro.net/publicwell78.html

Each City Block had their own private well too
http://www.mohenjodaro.net/housewell80.html

They had big baths in some residences
http://www.mohenjodaro.net/indusbathingdrain85.html

Ancient indian boats
http://www.mohenjodaro.net/ancientindianboat95.html

Modern terraced Courtyard in a Harappan town
http://www.mohenjodaro.net/indianvillagecourtyard101.html

Modern Houses with well and drain, Sehwa Sind
http://www.mohenjodaro.net/sehwansharifstreet103.html

Steatite Seals (Runestones used for marking)
http://www.harappa.com/indus/31.html

The Indus civilzation
http://www.harappa.com/har/har0.html

Some really excellent links there!