| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Rune wolf |
Posted - 27 May 2009 : 19:08:04
Hello, I'm a very new DM and this is I could probably count as my first campaign!
I have most of the 3.5 sourcebooks, but as of yet do not own any forgotten realms books, so I truly hope nothing here stands on any well established toes.
Here's the situation:
In my game the players were tricked by a very nasty mage who has them in a slightly modified epic geis. And for the moment has to do everything that he tells them to the letter or within several days death will ensue.
At the moment while the players are trying to figure out what's going on in the region this takes place in he is assigning them quests one at a time for very specific spell components.
However! misinterpreting the commands does not set off the geis they quickly found, they have to follow his command though, so began the biggest game of playing stupid ever to buy themselves time and maybe find a way out!
Here are some examples that i've used so far and sollutions they took =
- (The first one here was to ease them into the concept) The mage explained he needed a perfectly formed emerald owned by a local powerful family named Rithe that was worn as an amulet known locally as the eye - they were commanded "Bring me the Rithe's emerald eye" Yes, they ended up tracking the eldest son on a hunting trip, an arrogant pretty boy with blonde hair and green eyes he had guards with him and a fight broke out, they literally brought back hs eyeball
- He ordered them into the local citys prison, offering to teleport their gear inside for them once they were in the tower for serious offenders... the mission he gave them was to use a special gem he gave them with soul bind on it to "In the prison's tower, Catch the most powerful undead spirit that remains" They were thrown in from minor atrocity, and in the haunted tower cleared out the spirits that came for them, untill only a small ghost of a rat skittering about was left, they took that!
- Next he told them to get a specific chemical from a warehouse that another family was using to build constructs. "Bring me the chemical I need, do not fail in this you abysmally slow people" They with a lot of difficulty managed to get to the back of this mostly underground warehouse and came to the alchemist lab, in dwarven by the chemical was a note warning that if removed from the enchanted flask it was in, it would eat through almost anything else within 12 hours. So they changed the flask and brought it back triumphantly to the mage.
- He's not a happy man... he sends them out to the mines to the north through frozen tundra to "Collect as much of the unworked gold from the mines as your barbarian can carry and bring it to me post haste" The dwarf couldnt help but notice that in the mines there was a seam of pyrite and one of the cunning players remembered that it is also known as ...yup, fools gold! They brought that back.
I need more idea's that they can mis-interpret, and will love anyone who can suggest anything 
There is a hell of a lot going on in the background, and this line of questing is effectively time keeping while they delve into this new city they were forced into.
I didnt want to overload this post too much though with background detail of my amatureish scribble!
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| 4 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Kentinal |
Posted - 28 May 2009 : 07:33:28
All in all, at the start you were asking for commands that were not specific enough
Go defeat my foe is the type of thing you are seeking. Defeating a foe does not mean killing, though might be what was expected.
This is much like twisting a wish spell. To achieve that is all you need to do is not have a more defined quest. It appears your players have been inventive enough to meet the letter of the command without meeting the intent of the command.
As long as the commands can have more then one way of meeting it, you should be fine.
However I will note, having an entire party under a geis tends to be bad form. The PCs should be able to gain free will sooner or later and it appears it should be soon now. |
| Rune wolf |
Posted - 27 May 2009 : 23:28:59
The campaign beginning
Four prisoners, some have spent a few short years inside, some a comparative lifetime.
(When they made their chars, they made their own backstories as to why they were in a prison)
Arson, Murder, Ritual sacrifice, Grevious bodily harm on a noble...They dont know eachother, or why they were picked. They can only ponder as the small prison ship travels north day by day.
There are other prisoners aboard, but these in particular have greater crimes on their shoulders - accident? framed? guilty as sin? - it doesn't matter, they were never ment to see daylight again. But here they are, each in their own dark cell looking out a porthole each.
Day by day the waves get higher.
Day by day more ice accumulates on the porthole.
Day by day the boat groans and creaks more.
Day by day the cold bites further down to the bone....
Finally the boat makes port, even in the belly of the ship they can see their breath - where the hell are they?. The answer comes in the form of a hatch being pulled open above them with a flurry of wind and snow. Guards which seem to seep misery and sour mood from every pore begin to open the cells to guide the four out.
"Welcome to the far end of the world" one says, tucking another layer of cloth around his lower face. One of the other guards finishes, taking a few moments to find breath in the bitter wind "You've been sold. You are now employee's of the miners guild here in Lacuna Vultus - the city guards will be here to collect you soon and take you. As of then you are no longer our problem"
It doesn't take long for the shivering prisoners, lips turning slowly blue and hands freezing into numb claws to glance over the cityscape and wonder how something so vast looking could be in such a desolate location - they are in luck that the guard soon arrive.
Large figures, forge their way over the dock to the ship dressed in uniforms of piecemail and fur, holding finely crafted halberds proudly. By comparison the gruff and rude prison guards seem suddenly small and less imposing. Gold is changed hands between the guards and certain items from before incarceration are returned to the prisoners before they are led off.
The main thing they notice while being taken through this city is that few buildings have more than two floors, and the massive walls in the horizon have huge pyres burning from brass outcroppings un preturbed by the weather.
At the miners guild the four are handed over, freezing, hungry and miserable. A short dwarven man greets them with the monotone voice of a man with two much work on his hands. "You four are the last off the ship, your pay will be one gold a month! Furs to wear, a bunk to sleep and food will be supplied"
Each mind draws the same conclusion, for lack of a better term slavery.
Opening a small stringed bag he hands each of the four a gold piece "This is an advance on this months pay, I suggest you get a drink - we leave at dawn for the mines"
City description and economy
(Will edit this in tomorrow e_e hope this isnt a case of "tl;dr" as the long bit is done!)
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| Rune wolf |
Posted - 27 May 2009 : 22:15:55
Thank you Zealot  all advice gladly taken in!.
I think I should explain a little more about the scenario!
Firstly it takes place about as far north as assisted survival is possable, I've named the area I created the straights of famigusa.
(A few of you might think Famigusa sounds familiar, yes, I did pinch the name from the real life abandoned city in Cyrpus named Famigusta)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v490/Eentidade/Misc/Famigusa.jpg
This is the overland map I made - however turning it to jpg RUINED this copy, the original bmp rocks.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v490/Eentidade/Misc/Famagusta2.jpg
This is Lacuna Vultus - the main city - beautiful frozen jewel.
I'm trying to think of a short way to describe it, like the blurb from a back of a book x_x I have a weakness with making a summary |
| Zealot |
Posted - 27 May 2009 : 20:32:49
Ive been Dming for a long time and would Like to give you a few words of caution. Beware of railroading your players. I have to admit I like the way your campaign sounds and I find it absolutely bloody hilarious that they are misinterpreting their orders. Sometimes when writing a campaign be sure to leave it somewhat open ended so you can be sure to adapt when the players inevitably do something you were not expecting. The other thing to keep in mind, is subtly lead the party where you want them to go.
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