Starting a New Campaign - Advice

[shilsen]

So... Jealous....

*cries*

My work here is done

 

[diaglo]

they could be a hired/chartered company of adventurers. where they get paid by someone in ptolus to do some job. the pcs not there for the week were off doing some of their own adventuring. or maybe researching some plans for adventures. or making items. or ale and whoring. or ... not there when the employer came to call.

they could be members of the thieves guild. not all thieves are rogues.

they could be the servants of some noble house. this works well for ptolus. as you get politics added to the mix.

they could be the city watch/guard.

 

[diaglo]

they could be members of the church. if you've ever read or use the Banewarrens there clearly is an opportunity to insert church rivalries. seeking holy or unholy artifacts to use or destroy.

 

[bento]

I've run one-shots based on the idea that the players have recently purchased a "Monster Hunting" guild frachise and have set up their business in a city. Every episode centers around a different monster.

The only time I've run this I had someone hire the players to hunt down a vampire near the docks. I used a Chelicera, which is a blood-sucking spider that has mimicry abilities as the supposed vampire, and the players spent most of the adventure trying to sort this all out.

Other monster hunters ideas I've had:
* A noble purchases a hippogriffin with the idea of taming and riding it. Unfortunately the beast has proven too much for him and he now seeks to get rid of it
* A mysterious merchant is selling miniature versions of monsters to children with wacky results
* Black dragon hunt in a swamp

Besides the monster hunt aspect, you can always throw in local politics, rival adventure bands, and the like. ENWorld Publishing has a book on this in their shop.

 

[Herobizkit]

This may or may not be an interesting concept, but I'll let you judge.

Have every player design a "cohort". This cohort is exactly like a cohort should be, save that s/he makes up the 'B' Team; for every player unable to attend, that player's cohort may take his place if needed. Each cohort is ultimately under the DM's control, and the DM and players should work together to create harmonious classes and personalities.

 

[drdevoid]

Herobizkit makes an excellent suggestion. I dislike the idea of having someone else play my character when I'm absent, but I appreciate the need to keep encounter design less confusing.

 

[diaglo]

So do you have any ideas. I'm looking for possible modules to run, as well as any DM tips for dealing with an erratic party configuration.

i'm not sure how fluid your style is, but if i were you i would have multiple modules ready to run.

if the group is mostly rogues and fighters i would have something set to run which involved heavy combat and traps.

if the group is mostly arcane casters i would have something that required magic to open the key to the adventure or used magic to scry or used magic to influence NPCs.

if the group is mostly divine pcs then i would have something set for them to heal the sick or cure a disease or battle the undead or outsiders.

if it is mostly bards. well then i would quit. bards suck.