How do you get your 1st level PCs together?

[KB9JMQ]

Well I used to make an elaborate story and background as to why the party was together or use the overused "something happens while you are all around and it brings them together" senario.

Nowadays I just say they have been together for a few days and let them come up with why (which I use for later if possible).

One time though I had 4 party members whom had just got together via the bar routine walking along the road when the last party member just fell out of the sky on top of them. He had to come up with why. It was pretty funny.

 

[TheYeti1775]

I believe we were started off by all of us being in the same town together, and not knowing each other. A monstorous body (Scorpiot - think Scorpian Man, Underdark dweller in the Valus) was found, a large town meeting was called to. We attended (in a tavern now that I think about it). The mayor asked for volunteers to find out if there were more of them or not. Offered a princely sum of 300 Silvers (In Valus 1 Silver is equal to a GP in PHB) per man/woman that took up the offer, there were eight that volunteered. Currently there are four left from the original group, this made up our core players and their characters.

You read the Story Hour for the particulars. It should be in the Sig.
In the Valus.

 

[VirgilCaine]

I start my player characters out at 2nd level, so I don't worry about the PCs knowing each other--the players can figure that out.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I prefer if they know each other. They didn't have to be friends as such, but it helps if they know each others' names beforehand.

I don't think this is a problem at 1st-level.

 

[Evilhalfling]

For low level groups I perfer it if most of the players already know each other, having grown up togeather. They can also be assembled by a mentor (to include the last couple of stragglers)

In the last 3 games:
several grew up in a small town, and they were in debt to the the local sage who sent them on early missions. Of course he eventually became a Insane Alienist and they killed him in the campaigns climax.

They had all joined a military order, and were assigned to patrols.

Two PCs were already on quest, met the other two in a sacred grove they had stopped at and were appealed to by a nymph to undertake a side quest. (they eventually backed out) but had become accusemed to traveling and fighting togeather, and all went on to finish the orgianal PC mission instead.

 

[Rackhir]

An opening for a campaign I was contemplating, was to have the PCs for separate reasons passing through a villiage that would then come under attack by orcs or undead and the PCs as the only combat able people would be essentially forced to work together for their own survival.

 

[Mallus]

...the 1st level PCs were brought together by a common interest in exploring/looting/rescuing somebody from the Lost City of Barakus

By chance, would that be the Lost City of B.A. Barakus?

"I pity the fool that disturb's my tomb!"

Of course, there should be a awful lot of gold buried there...

 

[MerakSpielman]

I've seen this used to good effect a couple times: "Each of you recieves a mysterious invitation to meet with an influential nobleman..."

 

[devilish]

In my campaign, the characters "defrosted" from statues in a
museum-like tower on it's own demi-plane. They're all characters
from different planes/worlds and end up phasing into a completely
different world (Valus) where they're trying to a) get back home,
b) figure out what's going on, c) adventure in the new world.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

I don't, the players do. It is up to them to figure out how they know each other and why they adventure together.

Ditto.