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Recommend me some good political adventures
- Thread starter The_Dood
- Start date
Beowolf
Explorer
your best bet is looking up campain books on settings like forgotten realms and ebberon. they can give you some ideas on political setups,motivations, treachery, dealings ect.
i dont know of anything that specifically deals with a political adventure, aside from mabye some articals from dragon that deal with social settings.
i dont know of anything that specifically deals with a political adventure, aside from mabye some articals from dragon that deal with social settings.
jdrakeh
Front Range Warlock
Ascension of the Magadalene by Atlas Games is heavy on the political intrigue (but also manages to make time for a dungeon crawl). Of course, it has to be -- its freaking' Unknown Armies cast via d20 Fantasy (and, yes, it is every bit as cool as it sounds). Likewise, the Warlords of the Accordlands adventure path is rife with political intrigue, from the first adventure onward (it is, however, very specific to the Accordlands setting). Finally, I'm of the opinion that the Shackled City adventure path has a good deal of political skullduggery going on, though much of it happens behind the scenes (i.e., off-screen).
cimbrog
Explorer
You won't find much in the way of political adventures, as politics tend to be very campaign specific, but in the CM series of modules I believe there were a few dealing with ruling a dominion. Mostly they dealt with events that could occurr in your dominion to cause trouble (and have an effect on the dominion rules from the Companion boxed set).
I believe I have one called Earthshaker where a giant gnome-designed robot-thingie arrives a circus-type attraction and then goes nuts, causing massive damage and shaking your peoples' confidence if it can't be stopped.
I believe I have one called Earthshaker where a giant gnome-designed robot-thingie arrives a circus-type attraction and then goes nuts, causing massive damage and shaking your peoples' confidence if it can't be stopped.
CanadienneBacon
Explorer
The 2e Birthright campaign setting boxed set is full of interesting politically themed adventure ideas for lieges and lords.
BiggusGeekus
That's Latin for "cool"
Dood,
What exactly were you thinking of? I've run a few (as in two or three) with mixed success. What I find works best is a regular adventure that has political repercussions.
Example: Orcs have established a base in the nearby caves! The party has to get them out! But....
Faction A: wants the orc chieftain dead and his head on a pike on public display on their gates. This will reinforce their image that they are the penultimate military force in the area.
Faction B: wants the orc chieftain captured and put on trial. This is part of their image as one committed to law over tyranny.
Faction C: Wants the orcs working for them and commissioned as a kind of mercenary/privateer force against the hobgoblins. Why put human lives at stake.
... so now we have three factions all with goals that are at odds with each other. The PCs can simply ally with one faction and ignore what the other two say about it. If they do that, you have a big signal right there that your group isn't quite yet inclined to get deep into a very complex plot (which is fine, this is just a game that we are playing for fun and relaxation). However, if they try to negotiate a compromise they will find....
Faction A: is overstretched and while their military looks great on paper they can't quickly move their troops and they certainly can't do it in strength without leaving territory undefended. Additionally, one powerful member of Faction A has romantic intentions with a member of Faction B and will not be happy if she ends up looking bad as a consequence of the PCs actions.
Faction B: only wants their law and order image played up because they are tied to criminal elements and need to be able to dismiss charges of corruption. Additionally, one powerful member of Faction B, has a financial stake in the ventures of Faction C and will not be happy if he loses money as a consequence of the PCs actions.
Faction C: is making a bid for control of a large military force, but they are trying to be subtle about it so as not to arouse suspicion or have their efforts undermined. Additionally, one powerful member of Faction C is trying to recruit a commander from Faction A, and he does not want that commander's reputation besmirched as he also needs the loyalty of the troops he commands.
So let's review what we're doing here.
1) We start with a regular adventure.
2) We assign conflicting "victory" conditions for your political groups.
3) Assuming the players are into this kind of game we...
3a) give each political group a reason to compromise
3b) give one member of each political group a tie to one of the other groups
A final word of advice: these games are more fun when the NPCs do not plan to backstab the PCs or are secretly evil or are all lying. Because if you do that then the PCs will simply assume all the NPCs are bad guys and then the political nature of the game falls apart.
Hope that helps!
What exactly were you thinking of? I've run a few (as in two or three) with mixed success. What I find works best is a regular adventure that has political repercussions.
Example: Orcs have established a base in the nearby caves! The party has to get them out! But....
Faction A: wants the orc chieftain dead and his head on a pike on public display on their gates. This will reinforce their image that they are the penultimate military force in the area.
Faction B: wants the orc chieftain captured and put on trial. This is part of their image as one committed to law over tyranny.
Faction C: Wants the orcs working for them and commissioned as a kind of mercenary/privateer force against the hobgoblins. Why put human lives at stake.
... so now we have three factions all with goals that are at odds with each other. The PCs can simply ally with one faction and ignore what the other two say about it. If they do that, you have a big signal right there that your group isn't quite yet inclined to get deep into a very complex plot (which is fine, this is just a game that we are playing for fun and relaxation). However, if they try to negotiate a compromise they will find....
Faction A: is overstretched and while their military looks great on paper they can't quickly move their troops and they certainly can't do it in strength without leaving territory undefended. Additionally, one powerful member of Faction A has romantic intentions with a member of Faction B and will not be happy if she ends up looking bad as a consequence of the PCs actions.
Faction B: only wants their law and order image played up because they are tied to criminal elements and need to be able to dismiss charges of corruption. Additionally, one powerful member of Faction B, has a financial stake in the ventures of Faction C and will not be happy if he loses money as a consequence of the PCs actions.
Faction C: is making a bid for control of a large military force, but they are trying to be subtle about it so as not to arouse suspicion or have their efforts undermined. Additionally, one powerful member of Faction C is trying to recruit a commander from Faction A, and he does not want that commander's reputation besmirched as he also needs the loyalty of the troops he commands.
So let's review what we're doing here.
1) We start with a regular adventure.
2) We assign conflicting "victory" conditions for your political groups.
3) Assuming the players are into this kind of game we...
3a) give each political group a reason to compromise
3b) give one member of each political group a tie to one of the other groups
A final word of advice: these games are more fun when the NPCs do not plan to backstab the PCs or are secretly evil or are all lying. Because if you do that then the PCs will simply assume all the NPCs are bad guys and then the political nature of the game falls apart.
Hope that helps!
If you can'tfind modules you can always try the real world for inspiration. Read about the Wars of the Roses, Italian city states & principalities back in Macheivelli's day, Feudal England, Japan, China, etc. Modern conspiracy theories might be adapted to your campaign world (think Kennedy assasination, with your friend's Lord character discovering a plot to kill the King, or maybe trying to find our who dunnit afterwards.)
Another possible source of inspiration is Science Fiction/fantasy. For example you might be able to transpose the situation in Dune, G.R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series, or other politically oriented tales into your campaign world, changing the territory, titles, and resources being fought over as necessary.
Another possible source of inspiration is Science Fiction/fantasy. For example you might be able to transpose the situation in Dune, G.R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series, or other politically oriented tales into your campaign world, changing the territory, titles, and resources being fought over as necessary.
Infernal Teddy
Explorer
I can recommend this sorcebook: Dynasties & Demagogues (Atlas Games, product link: http://www.atlas-games.com/product_tables/AG3220.php)
