D&D 5E Help with new DM
Seriously, look at the dot points I compiled from your posts. You've got enough factions and NPCs there to keep a game going for years! I would really, really, really recommend starting with those ideas, seeing what happens at PC gen, and then going from there. You've got more than enough to let the players build their PCs, and then to work out an opening situation. Which is all you need. With all the ideas you've got worked out already, you'll have no trouble brining different factions or NPCs "onto the stage" in response to whatever the PCs do.
aco175
Legend
In the time before your grandfathers, legend speak of the towns and cities being ruled by men and people having the freedom to choose their own path in life. Since the arrival of the God-Kings, the people have suffered and been reduced to little more than slaves, forced to build the massive temples for the new Gods and fight in their endless wars. Stories also tell of a band of heroes that will rise from the people to reclaim their homelands once again and overthrow the shackles of tyranny. Are you brave enough to be those heroes?
AmandaBarbarian
Explorer
oh I am so stealing this. Zoink
that is the best yet
I know I'm late to the recommendations but as others have said, focusing down on what matters to the characters right off the bat often leads to a more fun game for everyone. Having a huge vast and deep set of lore can be good for filling in details of their explorations but there is nothing in the campaign more important than the characters, their drives, their ambitions, and the paths in front of them. A good campaign one-pager can help as can a solid session zero where you and your players work together on the characters, their relationships, and their drives in the world. Helping them focus on whatever the theme of your campaign is can help to. "Whatever you are, you are driven to work with your fellow companions to do X" where X is whatever the drive of the campaign is.
Here are a few articles that may help:
Here are a few articles that may help:
AmandaBarbarian
Explorer
I lot of people seem to dislike the way I was taught to play D&D. My first game the DM had a full binder of multi note books and folders that he had us go over for character creation.
The current game I am in had about 10 pages of world lord that is now up to more then double that, and at least 5 pages of house rules...
Oofta
Legend
I have page after page of lore on my wiki which people are free to read. But I can give them an overview of everything they need to know in 5-10 minutes and then explain more details if questions come up or it's relevant. I have about a page of house rules, most of which are just extra benefits for people or easily explained (i.e. plane shift doesn't work like normal).
Expecting people to actually know all your lore or to follow more than a page or more of house rules is generally not a good plan.
AmandaBarbarian
Explorer
yeah, no one of us normally knows it all.
My experience is the DM has like a ton worked out and gives us just what we need to make characters, then we learn more as we go, including "Oh you would know this or that" from the DM from time to time
Oofta
Legend
Yeah, I let people know it's there. Good reading if you're trying to fall asleep.
AmandaBarbarian
Explorer
I told two different DMs over the last few years they should write a novel. I have learned not all DMs take that as a compliment.Yeah, I let people know it's there. Good reading if you're trying to fall asleep.
