I. Real filler material:
A. Leading economic indicators: Current quoted prices for grain
contracts at the next harvest (yes, they really did buy and sell futures
contracts during the Renaissance; that's about when the things were
invented). You work out the numbers once, then, in subsequent weeks
edit the numbers based on a. Weather, pestilence, wars, famine etc.
and b. How soon the general populace thinks the world is going to come
to an end.
B. Farmers' reports regarding how the crops are doing, bugs, blights,
drought, all that fun stuff. A Renaissance city would be highly
dependent on the food supply from the immediately surrounding farmland.
The city folks would want to know how the fields are doing.
C. Ship sailings and arrivals or, if this city is a weird one with no
dependence on water traffic, caravan arrivals and departures. A box on
the broadsheet somewhere that grows and shrinks with the season with all
the non-newsworthy routine comings and goings that the city residents
know are also important. Maybe even highlights of the incoming cargo.
II. Small news.
Steal your local police blotter, change the names and print it. Where
I am (suburban New Jersey) there is a local free weekly newspaper that
is mostly local advertising. They print the police blotter, which is
sort of a log of stuff that the police were called to in the towns where
the newspaper is distributed. If you have something like that, you
could find entries there to help fill in your broadsheet. Granted, some
of the entries may not be appropriate for 6 centuries earlier, but
domestic violence or neighbor disputes or drunk and disorderly or
interrupted burglaries are forever.
III. Throw in some advertising.
If you can't think of anything else to do with the space, advertise
Honest John's Used Horses. Or whatever. Or steal some personal ads and
print those (after changing a few acronyms to confuse the players --
SFDE looking for adventurous MSG; object, webbing.
Andrew Shiel wrote:
>
> Hi folks;
>
> As part of my ongoing AD&D campaign,
> I write up a broadsheet (once every game week or so),
> detailing current events in the main city.
>
> While the PCs provide some newsworthy material,
> and plot hooks and necessary information make more material,
> I'm starting to flag on the filler stuff.
> (Events which, while of interest, aren't relevant to ongoing plots.)
>
> This, therefore, is an appeal for ideas on possible events.
>
> The city is early Renaissance in tech levels,
> has a fairly strong magic presence,
> and is reasonably tolerant.
>
> Thanks!
> Drew.
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