Thoughts from an Australian Gamer
Themes in my Castle Greyhawk campaign
Posted 14th January 2009 at 12:13 AM by MerricB
With us getting back to speed with our roleplaying campaigns, I thought now would be a nice time to discuss the Castle Greyhawk campaign and where it's going. Because - as you might know by now - I don't have a clue!
The original concept for the game was mostly as a dungeon-delve campaign centred about Castle Greyhawk (using the Castle Zagyg material from TLG), with the option of more plot-based material being included as the campaign developed. It's been somewhat derailed of late with the inclusion of the Hall of Many Panes - although fitting the theme, not quite what I originally had in mind. I don't want to use much more of the HOMP at present, because it really wants you to be entering the Paragon tier. Yes, I do want to come back to it, because I think you'll enjoy it, but some of the threats really are too much for you at present.
Anyway, here's a summary of important campaign and personal themes as I see them. For my players, please add your own impressions of the campaign and your PC, and some suggestions as to where you'd like the campaign and your PC to go...
Campaign in General
The group began just as newbie adventurers, exploring Castle Greyhawk because it was nearby and had the reputation of a place you could find treasure(!). Slowly, you started doing small missions for people with an interest in your life - the church that uncursed Peggy; and, more recently, Peggy & Nate's tutor from Grey College, who was very interested in the old Chateau belonging to Zagyg.
PC-specific themes:
Martin - Martin made the mistake of telling me that his dwarf's (Gromley's) motivation was to pay off a debt to the thieves' guild. So, I decided to make the thieves' guild rather important to his character; sending him on quests and the like. I'm not sure if Martin wishes to keep up this relationship or not. (Me? I think it's fun!)
Nathaniel - as far as I can see, Will's main interest is in having fun; I've got minor plot threads involved with his tutor, Doctor Southey, but not much beyond that. Nate, would you like anything more for Will in the campaign?
Peggy - like Nathaniel, most of the plotting around Peggy has been incidental as part of being a student of Doctor Southey. Not really sure of much background, etc.
Adam - I don't know much about Adam's new character. Well, that it's a swordmage, yes, but not much more background after that. Adam's old character, the traitor, is likely to be an ongoing foe throughout the early part of the campaign. Which will be fun!
Rich - Paladin, and not much more known about him yet. (Deity is Heironeous, right, Rich?) I'll probably add a bunch more church-related stuff as the campaign shifts back to Greyhawk.
Foes and Friends
The Orcs of Iuz - these are the ones that Adam's old character joined. Led by a rather nasty priest of Iuz, they've been investigating the Chateau and otherwise proving troublesome.
The Church of Rao - a minor player in the campaign; this is the temple that healed Peggy's wizard from that curse she inflicted on herself, and, as payment, sent you on a quest to find a knight and his son who were captured by the humanoids of the Mouths of Madness (the caves around the base of Castle Greyhawk).
The Thieves' Guild - the thorn in the side of Gromley; they sent him to rescue a merchant from the caves. He rescued the merchant, and then the merchant was killed by a beautiful, female assassin (Jade). Oops. They're not so happy with Gromley as a result.
Jade - She killed a merchant. She's pretty. She's a mystery. I may have misremembered her name; my notes are at home.
Grey College - the academic institution that Peggy and Nate's characters are going to (under the tuition of Doctor Southey). They have an interest in artefacts of Zagyg, and they really can't wait until Adam delivers the toga of Zagyg. (It's a sheet they found in his chateau. Don't ask).
The Greenleaf Tavern - it's run by a couple of ex-adventurers (old PCs of Adam and me), and has been the base of the PCs for some of the campaign. It has good food, great booze, and gives a small discount to adventurers (compared to the rest of the taverns in the city, who mark things up for adventurers!) One of the owners is the high priest of Pelor in the city (Alvares Yulos), and may be a useful contact.
The original concept for the game was mostly as a dungeon-delve campaign centred about Castle Greyhawk (using the Castle Zagyg material from TLG), with the option of more plot-based material being included as the campaign developed. It's been somewhat derailed of late with the inclusion of the Hall of Many Panes - although fitting the theme, not quite what I originally had in mind. I don't want to use much more of the HOMP at present, because it really wants you to be entering the Paragon tier. Yes, I do want to come back to it, because I think you'll enjoy it, but some of the threats really are too much for you at present.
Anyway, here's a summary of important campaign and personal themes as I see them. For my players, please add your own impressions of the campaign and your PC, and some suggestions as to where you'd like the campaign and your PC to go...
Campaign in General
The group began just as newbie adventurers, exploring Castle Greyhawk because it was nearby and had the reputation of a place you could find treasure(!). Slowly, you started doing small missions for people with an interest in your life - the church that uncursed Peggy; and, more recently, Peggy & Nate's tutor from Grey College, who was very interested in the old Chateau belonging to Zagyg.
PC-specific themes:
Martin - Martin made the mistake of telling me that his dwarf's (Gromley's) motivation was to pay off a debt to the thieves' guild. So, I decided to make the thieves' guild rather important to his character; sending him on quests and the like. I'm not sure if Martin wishes to keep up this relationship or not. (Me? I think it's fun!)
Nathaniel - as far as I can see, Will's main interest is in having fun; I've got minor plot threads involved with his tutor, Doctor Southey, but not much beyond that. Nate, would you like anything more for Will in the campaign?
Peggy - like Nathaniel, most of the plotting around Peggy has been incidental as part of being a student of Doctor Southey. Not really sure of much background, etc.
Adam - I don't know much about Adam's new character. Well, that it's a swordmage, yes, but not much more background after that. Adam's old character, the traitor, is likely to be an ongoing foe throughout the early part of the campaign. Which will be fun!
Rich - Paladin, and not much more known about him yet. (Deity is Heironeous, right, Rich?) I'll probably add a bunch more church-related stuff as the campaign shifts back to Greyhawk.
Foes and Friends
The Orcs of Iuz - these are the ones that Adam's old character joined. Led by a rather nasty priest of Iuz, they've been investigating the Chateau and otherwise proving troublesome.
The Church of Rao - a minor player in the campaign; this is the temple that healed Peggy's wizard from that curse she inflicted on herself, and, as payment, sent you on a quest to find a knight and his son who were captured by the humanoids of the Mouths of Madness (the caves around the base of Castle Greyhawk).
The Thieves' Guild - the thorn in the side of Gromley; they sent him to rescue a merchant from the caves. He rescued the merchant, and then the merchant was killed by a beautiful, female assassin (Jade). Oops. They're not so happy with Gromley as a result.
Jade - She killed a merchant. She's pretty. She's a mystery. I may have misremembered her name; my notes are at home.
Grey College - the academic institution that Peggy and Nate's characters are going to (under the tuition of Doctor Southey). They have an interest in artefacts of Zagyg, and they really can't wait until Adam delivers the toga of Zagyg. (It's a sheet they found in his chateau. Don't ask).
The Greenleaf Tavern - it's run by a couple of ex-adventurers (old PCs of Adam and me), and has been the base of the PCs for some of the campaign. It has good food, great booze, and gives a small discount to adventurers (compared to the rest of the taverns in the city, who mark things up for adventurers!) One of the owners is the high priest of Pelor in the city (Alvares Yulos), and may be a useful contact.
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