How to begin a war-based campaign?

[Nightfall]

Mike,

That is true but one has to see if the PCs WANT to be cannon fodder for the first 5 levels.

 

[Michael_R_Proteau]

True dat Nightfall! I always layer multiple hooks in to see where the PC's bite, but most wars involved impressment or conscription of some sort
Playing the reluctant heroes of necessity can make for an interesting campaign as well.

-M

 

[Nightfall]

Yeah well reluctant heroes are one thing. Reluctant heroes that are in the middle of the hell that is War...little different.

Still your point is well taken Mike.

 

[ThoughtBubble]

So, do you know who the players (and PCs) are and what they want? If you have that, it should be pretty easy from there to hook in the important things to them and drag them along by the teeth.

Younger sisters, family honor, national pride, bloodsworn vengence, grabbing any one of them can really hook someone in. The thing is, you'll have to find out what their hook is. From there, the guy who slaughtered your village is a high ranking commander of the black legion, who did so at the behest of the evil wizard who...

 

[Nightfall]

Thought has a point Dog. We need more info on your PCs if we are to properly bait this hook.

 

[BlackMoria]

Start small and work up.

For example: a small skirmish sized action that PCs are involved in or circumstance has them present. Friendly side is holding its own when the small unit commander is killed. Then things start going south rapidly as, devoid of leadership and inspiration, the soldiers become indecisive or panic and start getting overrun. It is up to the PCs to step in and take command and save the situation. This can be easily scaled for low level PCs.

It doesn't matter how many enemy there are in the above situation. What is important is that PCs stepped up , took command and snatched victory from apparent certain defeat. The survivor soldiers do two things - they tell their upper commanders how the PCs took charge and they develop a bond of trust with the PCs (they will more readily follow the PCs than a unproven replacement leader)

The next thing could be a relief of cut off forces. The local commander has deemed that attempting to fight thru and relieve a cut off unit is suicide (a wrong decision and assumption - the unit can be saved) and the cut off force is left unsupported. The PCs conceive a plan that can work and with the willing support of the soldiers in the first example, they fight through, link up with the cutoff force and push back the enemy or withdraw in good order and save the soldiers of the cut off force.

Again, the abilities of the PCs have saved the day. More soldiers view the PCs as competent impromptu leaders and soldiers talk. And smart sub commanders listen.

Eventually, by showcasing the competence, bravery and skill of the PCs in a variety of actions, the PCs come to the attention of the movers and shakers directing the war and the PCs achieve the position of dominance in the war you want.

 

[Dog Moon]

Thought has a point Dog. We need more info on your PCs if we are to properly bait this hook.

Sorry, but even I don't have any information on my PCs. They should be making their characters this week and, if all goes well, I should be starting next week. I was trying to find something to do for next week, but be assured that once I do have more information, I will certainly post it!

 

[hong]

How to begin a war-based campaign.

1. Start a war.
2. ?????
3. Profit!

 

[Wolv0rine]

Sorry, but even I don't have any information on my PCs. They should be making their characters this week and, if all goes well, I should be starting next week. I was trying to find something to do for next week, but be assured that once I do have more information, I will certainly post it!

But do you have any information/knowledge about your players? Because really, that's exponentially more important than the PCs themselves when considering what kind of plots and hooks they'll want to take.

 

[gizmo33]

How do I go from refugees to recognized leaders? How do I make it interesting instead of someone finding them, seeing that they're better than the others and skilled in combat and use them for minor missions until giving them forces of their own? Heck, I'm completely at a loss atm of what missions would be good to start off...

One thing that refugees might have going for them is that they are (perhaps) unrecognizable to the enemy. That means they'd make good scouts/spies.

Most PCs (of good alignment) will intervene if they see something obviously evil attacking, and overpowering something good. So if a lone deep gnome is set upon by a few low-level drow, the PCs can save them. That lone gnome might be an advisor to one of the higher-ups in the city, and so in a position to recommend the PCs for a spying mission.

Rather than spy within the stronghold of the enemy, they could spy on an outpost. They think they're just going to collect information and return, but in the course of spying they see something that intrigues them and/or forces them to intervene - perhaps a long-lost friend from their old town being held hostage, or maybe a chance to steal/break/take something important.

Or maybe they are following another spy to a city that's "neutral" in the conflict. A "neutral" city could be hard to come up with. I suppose you're running this in a standard Underdark environment? In that case "city" could be replaced with a Mercane trading post, Myconid colony, or whatever. Scouts have followed some agents of the enemy to this place - no doubt they plan on buying some obscure magic item to help them with a phase of the war. Perhaps PCs could use diplomacy to get the myconid/mercane to not deal with the enemy. Of course they get bonuses to diplomacy if they first undertake a mission on behalf of the traders...

Also - perhaps a fellow refugee is really a turncoat for the enemy. The PCs, being from the same hometown, are in a unique position to overhear the turncoat talking to agents of the enemy, and intervene.