| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Khaa |
Posted - 03 Nov 2005 : 14:28:32
Here at my high school, I am currently trying to gather myself a group of hopefully skilled and/or mature players. But, I need some kind of starter. The old orc attack on the town you happen to be staying in has lost its flavor. So anyone got any good ideas? Im thinking of level 3 characters. |
| 29 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Kianna |
Posted - 08 Nov 2005 : 15:00:18
When I used to play in High School my DM at the time would have a sign over her head that read "DM means God" and we were allowed to question intelligently, but she had the final say because she was running the thing. Its no fun for anyone if the players are always running the show...
Stand up man! :) |
| Kentinal |
Posted - 08 Nov 2005 : 05:21:02
I tried to send reply some 12 hours, or more, ago and system ate it.
You as DM have the right to set rules. Require core races certainly would remove the one problem you cite.
As DM you do not however have to set up conditions that compell two disparitive characters together (you can let them kill each other should they so desire). You moderate the world in which the characters adventure. As part of the world you build treasure and hazards. The only obigation you have to the players is to provide a task, a goal of some kind. OK there in a large world can be many goals. It is not your duty to make PCs friends, your duty is just to make it posible that they meet. After that it is up to them (not you) to decde to work with each other or not.
Edit: cleaned up some typos. |
| msatran |
Posted - 08 Nov 2005 : 04:52:35
Tell them only FR stuff allowed as far as races are concerned. |
| Khaa |
Posted - 07 Nov 2005 : 13:13:05
Yes. Those are very good ideas. But, My friends try to rail-road me into exotic races. Like Slaad's and stuff. It's frustrating to restrict that because it makes campaigns easier later to play off racial enemies and stuff. I do have to admit its hard to bring a Black Slaad and a lawful good halfling together. Bah! |
| Kentinal |
Posted - 06 Nov 2005 : 06:48:28
quote:
Originally posted by Arivia
My problem with starting a game has never been the first adventure. Rather, it's always been figuring out why such a diverse and different group of people would encounter each other and then decide to adventure together without some giant consequence over their heads. Maybe it's just me, but I've always found that the singularily most difficult aspect of DMing in D&D. Any tips, anyone?
The start of putting a party together can be difficult.
I already did provide one way to do it. Barom (foo) calling for people that seek wealth and/or adventure. The yown crier of course not the only way to call for people. A public call for service in whatever form can bring people to a location and decide to form a company.
There are other ways that a DM can form a group. A M can require that the party members start from a certain town and their histories reflect that they grew up with each other, but after that last weekly orc raid have only each other left and band together for that reason. This of course becomes a mandate that some players might not like. The Wheel of Time appears to have started with Two Rivers and a cpmmon danger that brought the bands together, though not sure if Jorden is a role player.
In online play have seen campaigns evolve out of random encouters as well. Such campaigns however develp over time and can occur from randon comments. Lord Kentinal became as an NPC that plan was to kill because of his evil ways, Duke Thomas Kentinal is still very much alive after 5 (or more) years) and controls an Empire. There are still people that want to see him dead. This qas a matter of random events, at times unlikely allies and foes. It can work some of the time.
To pull any party together there needs to be a common cause. Search for the mother of dimonds or any other task, a group hears the tale of treasure from an bard and decide to band together. An authority compells service is one way to force PCs together, but this may not result in a long lasting party (forced together works for short term sometimes, but major goal is not concern of each other, just against whomever forced them together).
There is not any correct way to start a campaign, there though needs to be a common cause that for at least a time party members agree to work together. It can be protect the community from the weekly orc raids or to steal a dimond from the nearby lazy Red Dragon. From whatever common cause offered in your realm all other things can occur. What as DM you need to remember it is your realm, as DM you decide what is posible. If you want all PCs from Waterdeep - they will be from Waterdeep. If you decide Waterdeep slide into the sea and still what characters from Waterdeep the characters better be able to breath water *Grin* IAE as DM you do have the right to set up conditions for what characters start out as. They do not have to be just a random set of numbers that somehow come together for a time, there can be set a starting goal that brings the party together (The four youth at a picnic return to the village to find it distroried and in anger pladge to each other and self to advenenge the senseless killing). Such certainly brings a party together for a short term goal and also allows one or more to choose not to honor pledge for common goal.
The best way of course is to offer riches beyound the dreams of the PCs current condition that know by themself can not win the prise but with the aid of a few skilled people as a group can do so. The setting of plot hooks is all about that. |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 06 Nov 2005 : 06:27:55
Yeah, but remember, the adventuring company is a social construct in the Forgotten Realms. If you are a young warrior, and your buddy is a rogue, and you want to wander Faerun getting into trouble, in context of the setting, its perfectly natural to farm out for a cleric and a wizard to join you on your travels. Not unlike young adults trying to form rock bands in our culture . . . |
| Arivia |
Posted - 06 Nov 2005 : 06:26:49
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
One variation I had a DM pull was that all of the characters, for some reason, owed a favor to this mysterious little gold-skinned guy with big ears. He assembled the party for his own reasons... Of course, that's not a great reason for everyone to suddenly trust each other and be willing to work together, but that was what he did.
You're right, it is difficult to actually put the party together. That's always bugged me, too. I just met you in a tavern two days ago, and I'm expected to trust you today and risk my life for you, if necessary? Nope, not happening.
See, that's the problem: either you have to railroad the PCs onto their first quest as part of getting them together(your first example), or it's incredibly cliched(tavern & inn meetings.) Either that, or you really have to restrict player character creation freedoms(you were all childhood friends, you all are in the same class at the university...) |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 06 Nov 2005 : 06:21:49
quote:
Originally posted by Arivia
My problem with starting a game has never been the first adventure. Rather, it's always been figuring out why such a diverse and different group of people would encounter each other and then decide to adventure together without some giant consequence over their heads. Maybe it's just me, but I've always found that the singularily most difficult aspect of DMing in D&D. Any tips, anyone?
One variation I had a DM pull was that all of the characters, for some reason, owed a favor to this mysterious little gold-skinned guy with big ears. He assembled the party for his own reasons... Of course, that's not a great reason for everyone to suddenly trust each other and be willing to work together, but that was what he did.
You're right, it is difficult to actually put the party together. That's always bugged me, too. I just met you in a tavern two days ago, and I'm expected to trust you today and risk my life for you, if necessary? Nope, not happening. |
| Arivia |
Posted - 06 Nov 2005 : 05:33:44
My problem with starting a game has never been the first adventure. Rather, it's always been figuring out why such a diverse and different group of people would encounter each other and then decide to adventure together without some giant consequence over their heads. Maybe it's just me, but I've always found that the singularily most difficult aspect of DMing in D&D. Any tips, anyone? |
| msatran |
Posted - 06 Nov 2005 : 05:21:24
How about this?
Your PC's encounter a man who wants them to deliver several barrels of oil from Hill's Edge to Waterdeep. The oil is ordinary lamp oil, but is a special alchemical experiment that makes it burn longer. A wagon driver will accompany the group.
The PC's, on their way to Waterdeep, encounter numerous groups who attack them. (Make the groups fairly weak, because the journey itself is actually the main danger, some of these random encounter charts will eat low level parties alive.)
Obviously, what's inside the barrels is not what the PC's have been told. Make certain the barrels are made of permanent ironwood or some other substance that's difficult to destroy, or your party will die. The caravan driver is a Tainted One Swashbuckler 3/Rogue 3. He's VERY tough for low level guys, and should be able to bluff them all the way to Waterdeep. He will feign being a bumbling idiot, and cower under the wagons unless it looks like the barrels are in serious danger.
Inside the barrels are 6 Slithermorphs. (You'll have to rebuild them from 2nd edition, I'm pretty sure, but that's the breaks for running a good plot. And yes, the PC's will DIE if they discover this too soon)
The entire delivery is a scam run by the Tainted Ones and the Kingdom of Najara to get spies in Waterdeep and keep appraised of the other groups of serpentfolk, particularly House Extaminos and their minion in the sewers. (See Serpent Kingdoms for details)
Your entire campaign moves on from there. The PC's will have serpentfolk adventures aplenty. :)
|
| Crennen FaerieBane |
Posted - 04 Nov 2005 : 23:02:35
quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
So Kianna, what about a Necromental Magma-Para Elemental? (CF, I'd watch out for any upcoming encounters).
Hey, what are you doing! I thought you were my friend! 
C-Fb
|
| hooper101 |
Posted - 04 Nov 2005 : 22:00:53
How about pirate hunting |
| Kianna |
Posted - 04 Nov 2005 : 18:32:57
Hmm... necromancers living in a volcano. Cool. Although if we look again at that stupid map there is only ONE volcano in all of Faerun!!!!! GAH!!!
:)
And you know, that OGL Samurai book has some pretty cool volcano spells in it. |
| hooper101 |
Posted - 04 Nov 2005 : 16:53:00
How about a bumbling young mage accidently unleashes a demon or whatever challenge level outsider your party can handle and your party comes across the villagers trying to fend the thing off. Not only by killing the thing off do you get good press and any number of jobs but create an enemy that could return anytime you make the mistake of calling out his name. |
| hooper101 |
Posted - 04 Nov 2005 : 16:46:40
Or the the Yuanti are actually being controlled by a Naga and the villagers keep finding one of their own dead looking like they have been turned inside out. |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 04 Nov 2005 : 15:58:17
So Kianna, what about a Necromental Magma-Para Elemental? (CF, I'd watch out for any upcoming encounters).
I have to admit, the begining of the last campaign the PCs were present when Haresk Malorn's daughter was kidnapped from his house in Mistledale, and he couldn't get ahold of any of the Lancers, so he sent out the PCs to retrieve her from the Jaelre drow that stole her.
Pretty cliche, but it gets the PCs public in their new home. |
| Kianna |
Posted - 04 Nov 2005 : 15:51:46
I always liked the undead angle....undead in the cemetary coming at night to plague the village, vampires kidnapping people, killing people, a cult to the undead pops up in town, etc.
I do love undead....or volcanoes...but right now I can't think of any good staring quests involving volcanoes....so yeah, go for undead! |
| Crennen FaerieBane |
Posted - 04 Nov 2005 : 15:15:07
You could always just have them accused of illegal activities - which of course the PCs did not - only to find out later, the village they were in was actually in the control of the Yuan-ti
C-Fb |
| EvilKnight |
Posted - 04 Nov 2005 : 14:03:32
I like an old Dungeon module called "Night of Fear". A remote trading post, another adventuring group of NPCs, the family running the post, a nasty cold wet storm keeping everyone indoors, and a doppleganger that decides the trading post would be a great place to take control of and live a fairly easy life for awhile. Recommend looking it up. I've used it to great effect to introduce a group of characters.
EvilKnight |
| Khaa |
Posted - 04 Nov 2005 : 13:08:44
Those are good ideas. Thanks Wooly. But, My first campaign was a good one. I could change it up. It started in a large kingdom of racist humans. I happened to be the only idiot in the group that wanted to be an elf. (2e Bladesinger) Well, the caravans and the like were being attacked by elf-like creatures. So, they blamed me as a spy and put me in prison. It was my friends job to bust me out. On the way out, I rushed into none other than Drizzt. (Just kidding, it was a Red mage of They) He decided he didnt like me so attacked me. I disrupted he spells several turns and got him to low health. He let off a magic missle. (He was level 10) and my brother took all the blows because I hid behind him. Then I jumped up and cut the wizard down. Turned out the brigands were dark-elfs starting a war...
Twas my first and it was fun. Any ideas how to make that better? |
| Matthus |
Posted - 03 Nov 2005 : 20:06:03
Just let me know, if some wilderness beginning would be fine with you.
If you like to start in town, what do you think about some wizard who collected some intresting plants last month. Now you are asked to follow them in the sewers, because the ate the servant and some priceless book or scroll got tangled when the greens started moving.
Or a bunch of big mushrooms is spraying some nasty pollen every full moon and a whole quarter of the town got ill. You are charged with looking for the source of this and getting some cure.
If you are smitten with royality you might be asked to look in the nearby swamp for the old witch. She cursed the young princess on birth an the curse is going to finally changes the young pretty woman in an hag (literally if you like ) |
| hooper101 |
Posted - 03 Nov 2005 : 17:31:04
Seriously though, how about something a little more interesting. Third level, hmmm okay try this a group of adventurers sent by the king has diasppeared in a forest and the king has summoned you to find them. If you cannot find them then your group is asked to carry a copy of the message that was originally sent to an Archmage followed by a group of encounters as well as your characters finding that there is a border war about to begin of some devious sort, I don't know, maybe goblin, maybe wild elfs that are tired of their realm being tampered with our try an Archdruid whos gone off the deep end and is helping a dragon to mate with other creatures and make a really odd but powerful subspeices. Or go with the anhilation of a theieves guild who have over stepped their bounds and stolen too much from the crown. Let them hunt down an Assassin. Any one of these ideas could be fun. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 03 Nov 2005 : 17:27:20
You could look at the adventure hooks ("Untold Stories") created by Kuje and myself for The Candlekeep Compendium. Any of them could be spun into something that exactly suits your campaign... For example, the one about the mysterious statue that appeared in town could lead them to the lair of a half-orc druid living in the woods nearby, and his plot to scare the townspeople away... |
| hooper101 |
Posted - 03 Nov 2005 : 17:19:56
Okay so your party meets in the local tavern! ha ha he he |
| Matthus |
Posted - 03 Nov 2005 : 16:55:11
Well I read one in the dungeon magazine - some years back.
Nice little guys makes his living in selling fake testaments and maps, claiming he is to ill or to poor to get this big castle running... So - just take a good look for him, special price etc.
Normally he sells to low level partys so there aren't any complains, caus they never came back 
The site should be some real place with some nice monsters lurking - but we are all sure that there is more to find ... |
| Darkheyr |
Posted - 03 Nov 2005 : 14:39:00
The party rogue jumps into the box with a noblemans daughter. Unfortunately, she is promised to marry that-other-obnoxious-noble. Afterwards, she vanishes (for whatever reason) Her father (or her future husband, or both) finds out about it, and blames the rogue. |
| Kentinal |
Posted - 03 Nov 2005 : 14:38:32
"Haer Yee, Hear Yee.
The Baron Dreadnight seeks adventures for an imortant task for the realm. All bave and adventurist people should apply at the castle by sunset this eve.
Here Yee all the news of the Baron."
Then develpe a quest, perhaps a raid on the orc community. Perhaps carry I note though goblin invested lands to another Baron.
Also sometime merchants seeks guards, a banker might ask for transport, a mage might want some spell component.
Of course more work goes into something like this as oposed just fighting off the weekly orc raid. |
| Crennen FaerieBane |
Posted - 03 Nov 2005 : 14:35:33
Well, another cliche is kidnapped noble children, which can always be used to spin a larger, more political based plot.
You could also have a cult to some god or demon forming near the village that the PCs could go investigate. You could make it subtle or announced.
C-Fb |
| Kajehase |
Posted - 03 Nov 2005 : 14:29:54
Hmm...how about a goblin attack on the town you happen to be staying in? |
