Game fuel. Post about an upcoming session; get suggestions

[Jack7]

A magic act. To answer the original inquiry. One that possibly includes both real magic (in game terms) and stage illusion designed to achieve criminal ends or to teach others how to use magic and "prepared illusion" to achieve criminal ends.

I agree with many of the other ideas suggested here. Some have been quite good.


Depends a lot on what exactly you mean by scoundrel, but as a little sidenote when I used to work undercover I'd often hang around groups of criminals. (Did that since I was a young kid actually.) As part of a case I might be working or just to learn more about how they (criminals) or their organization actually worked. (Which is often a lot different form the movies.)

You don't have to do much to entertain them, other than provide booze and chicks and drugs, and a locale. Once word gets out they'll congregate easily enough, and they'll create their own entrainment(s).

For instance standard fare among such groups is, "doing something." And what we'd call networking, but they call be different names.

Such people sooner or later form natural associations of individuals who then form little cliques that like to "do stuff."
They obviously don't believe in working or work of any kind other than "doing stuff." Whatever comes to mind. Breaking and entering. Casing a joint to find out traffic patterns so they can rob it later. Seeing who they can roust up to help them make a hit against, either to murder or beat the hell out of. Maybe cripple. Trolling for victims, that is serial killers or gang members trolling the streets covertly, or surveilling their next target, or scouting locations for an easy mark.

So forth and so on. I don't wanna imply any respectability to such people or to their actions, but I will say this, many are quite entrepreneurial (just not in the way you might be thinking of - crime is their career, and like all career men you got your slack-offs but some take it very seriously, even if they are idiots for choosing that line of work). They'll make their own opportunities and create their own "work-load."

Just give them some interesting opportunities and somebody there will start "working it," as in doing all they can to avoid real work in order to steal, rape, rob, murder, and score.

And there ya go. Bad people entertaining themselves with real gusto.

They're not really looking for structured entertainments most of the time, cause that's not their way of thinking and acting. And just to be honest most are dumb as dirt. Cunning but stupid. But give them an opportunity to work, and many will go at it hammer and tongs. Until they're dead or caught of course. Or caught dead. That happens a lot too.

 

[Oryan77]

I've been casually giving thought to a couple of things in our new campaign story. I'll throw it out here in case anyone has any ideas of their own...

The PCs are level 1 and met each other after stumbling into the World Serpent Inn (an inn/tavern that appears randomly in other worlds/planes). When they eventually exited the front door, they stepped into the town square of a town located on a world unfamiliar to them.

Long story short; all of the adults in the town went missing, the town became overrun by evil marionette puppets led by an evil Pinocchio, the town materialized into a demiplane, and the PCs were searching for the local Toymaker. Last session, the PCs were overwhelmed by the puppets and awoke in cages in the toymaker's shop. Only, the PCs are now in the marionette's bodies (1 foot tall) while their bodies are being controlled by the puppets. The PCs escaped the cages and are currently searching the toyshop (where animated toys will begin attacking them). Their current mission is to find their bodies and switch their minds again.

I feel that there has been a lack of roleplaying opportunities. Most of the scenarios at this point are combats. I created 2 children for the PCs to rescue (which they did) and I created a 15 y/o boy NPC to rescue the PCs (which he did, sorta) by escaping into the sewers. I didn't get to roleplay much with them and I'd like to introduce these NPCs back into the story (the kids escaped and are not puppets because the puppets will not harm children). I'm trying to think of a way to bring them back that will allow for some interesting roleplaying.

My first thought is to have the 15 y/o band with other teenagers and act as the guardians for the now orphaned children. I'm just wondering if I can do more with this kid during this adventure.

I'll even listen to ideas about this adventure not related to the teenager. I'm just wanting some good scenarios that will offer plenty of banter between PCs & NPCs rather than just rushing in for the fight.

 

[SoulsFury]

I'll take some ideas.

My homebrew, post cataclysmic game just took a turn. The characters were supposed to lead a village to safety from a tarrasque that is waking up. Instead, they nearly got ate by the tarrasque and ended up going through a portal to the Shadowfell. Now they are underground, stuck in the Shadowfell. I decided to run Gardmore Abbey for them, but in a homebrew version. The Abbey will be the Tower of Aeldur. Aeldur is a dead God-King. They will find 1/3 of the crown of Aeldur, and will fight 1/3 of the undead king. When they find the crown and take it from Aeldur, it will transfer the Tower of Aeldur back to their world. However, Gardmore Abbey doesn't come out until the 20th, so I need something for them to do underground (or above). There were two beholder gauths inside the portal, guarding it from anyone going through it, but now I need to figure out who made the portal that is now closed, and where/how to get them to the location of Gardmore Abbey.

 

[Gilladian]

Oryan, kids are notorious for making bad decisions or at least being unable to evaluate the importance of their decisions. Maybe the little kids convince the teen boy that he HAS to rescue their (mcguffin) from the toymaker. So he breaks back into the house where the PCs are fighting. And the PCs discover that the toy/puppets won't attack him because he still fits their definition of "child". Or does he? Will they take the time to win his trust and ask him to help them? Will they take the chance that he's "safe" from the toys? It could be an interesting dilemma. And what would the kid think? If he realizes he's safe, will he take bigger risks? Will the toyMAKER also ignore him?

 

[Gilladian]

I'll take some ideas.

There were two beholder gauths inside the portal, guarding it from anyone going through it, but now I need to figure out who made the portal that is now closed, and where/how to get them to the location of Gardmore Abbey.

Perhaps whoever created the gate is not the same person who put the beholder gauths in front of it. The gate's creator might be quite relieved that the gauths are gone, and willing to interact with the PCs. As they have done him a favor by allowing his gate to be accessible once again, he asks them to do him one more little favor - travel to the Abbey and bring back to him X item, which he needs to reactivate the gate. Once the gate is reactivated, he might be able to help the party finish their rescue of the villagers (if they are still in need) or at least help the PCs get back home and away from the Tarrasque.

I'd love some more farm ideas; so far, I've decided that the farm is being run by a bunch of hobbyt tenants, who are raising illicit crops in a couple of the fields, knowing that the PC owner is too ignorant to recognize the crop type. The owner PC's father died a year or two back, very unexpectedly. Just recently he's come back as a haunt or poltergeist, trying to complete some task before he can rest. This task would relate to his death, in some way.

Jasper (the farm owner PC) has not yet discovered that the reason his father left him deep in debt after he died, is that the father was blackmailing the tax-collector; now that his father is dead, the collector demanded all the back taxes. What could the blackmail have been, and what does the ghost want?

I wouldn't mind involving a feud with a neighboring farm owner, as well. There's a wealthy merchant in town that the PCs already love to hate, and if he were somehow tied to the father's blackmail enterprises, it would be fun. He might easily own several farms in the area and he'd be happy to snap up Jasper's farm for his own profit.

 

[Wednesday Boy]

I'd love some more farm ideas; so far, I've decided that the farm is being run by a bunch of hobbyt tenants, who are raising illicit crops in a couple of the fields, knowing that the PC owner is too ignorant to recognize the crop type. The owner PC's father died a year or two back, very unexpectedly. Just recently he's come back as a haunt or poltergeist, trying to complete some task before he can rest. This task would relate to his death, in some way.

Jasper (the farm owner PC) has not yet discovered that the reason his father left him deep in debt after he died, is that the father was blackmailing the tax-collector; now that his father is dead, the collector demanded all the back taxes. What could the blackmail have been, and what does the ghost want?

I wouldn't mind involving a feud with a neighboring farm owner, as well. There's a wealthy merchant in town that the PCs already love to hate, and if he were somehow tied to the father's blackmail enterprises, it would be fun. He might easily own several farms in the area and he'd be happy to snap up Jasper's farm for his own profit.

I don't have any solid plot idea yet but I think it would be interesting if Jasper's father's unsavory actions were all in the wrong and his ghost cannot rest until the wrongs he committed are set right. It puts the players in the awkward position of doing the right thing and helping their enemies or spiting their enemies, not doing the right thing, and not allowing his father to rest in peace.

I'm just spitballing here but something like Jasper's dad heard a rumor that the wealthy merchant was going to start a trade route to the village that would drive him out of business. In order to secure a monopoly to negate the wealthy merchant's rumored enterprise Jasper's dad would need to expand his holdings and for that he'd need money. To get the money he blackmailed the tax collector who he knew had an illegitimate child. With the money he saved from not having to pay taxes, he made a land grab of his neighbor's lands through bribes, hiring muscle, etc. (thus sparking the feud).

Jasper's dad's plans worked but it caused the tax collector to never have a relationship with his child, threw the feuding neighbors into poverty, and there should be some harm that was caused to the wealthy merchant. (I think it would be better if there was a non-monetary wrong to the merchant but I can't think of any at the moment.) You could also include that the village succumbed to an epidemic because the wealthy merchant's caravans (which would have had medicines) were forced away from the village. It would be up to the players to right those wrongs if they wanted to let Jasper's father rest.

I think it would be nice if you could work the hobbyts into the mix too. Maybe they were the ones behind the initial rumor and once Jasper's father's trade business was established they killed him so they could set up their illicit crop business. That could make them a good adversary if Jasper tries to undo everything his father did because it would ruin them.

 

[Evilhalfling]

Battle at the End of Pargon campaign

I have enemies : Aspects of Star Spawn
Allabar (the opener of the way)
Maw of Acamar (black hole / devourer)
Spawn of Ulban (deciever)

and I have a great battlefield (among the stars, in permeable spheres)
bought a star map, using an overlaid grid.

and a Mastermind/ Victim - a woman who has always seemed like a helpful, bookish archeologist and has paid the PCs for minor tasks, or provided information. They seemed to have glossed over the fact that she can cast linked portal, and thus is at least 8th level, and has been for as long as they have.

I think the starspawn are helping the return of Zargon (immortal slime monster) by feeding less-aggressive stars to it. In return Zargon (epic-level but low int monster) is slowly coming back to life.
He is also raining slime and messing with the weather. (per elder evils source book)

I am wavering as to the goals of the battle.
are the spawn feeding the PCs to Zargon?
are they trying to trick the PCs into doing it?
is the woman, in charge, being deceived or held captive?


What would make a good climax?

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

I got such great feedback from this thread the first time, I decided to bring another campaign plea here! This one also pertains to my apocalyptic Fading Earth campaign.

Low-level settings have become a trend. Eberron revolves around low level characters and low level magic; 4e's latest [mini]setting is all about heroic level campaigns; and many forum DMs especially seem to extoll the virtues of low-level low-magic D&D. But that's not me.

I don't want my campaigns to end at name-level. I want bloody-handed warrior kings ruling floating cities in the sky. I want high level PCs founding bloodlines, faiths and nations. I want epic-level characters wielding nations and cultures as weapons, like Bayaz of the First Law trilogy.

At the same time, D&D is still about killing monsters and taking their stuff, so I don't want my high level campaigns to be all about the politics. Additionally I want to avoid the traditional Forgotten Realms syndrome where low-level players think "Why are we clearing out this demon cult dungeon if King Epic lives a week's ride down the road?"

So my question is: what kind of world setup does this best? The 'small world' setup, where PCs and NPCs of all levels exist at progressively higher political levels. Paragon characters govern cities, and epic characters rule nations. These characters fight each other, and sometimes seek out high level dungeons in the sandbox. Duke Paragon and King Epic don't clear out low-level dungeons because they've got better things to do.

Or the 'planar ladder' setup, where PCs and NPCs immigrate to other planes where the stakes are higher and the loot is shinier. At paragon levels, they go to plane Y where they help prevent really scary monsters from invading the mortal world. At epic levels, they go to plane Z, where they prevent even scarier monsters from ripping reality apart. After that, they become gods and...do whatever gods do. Duke Paragon and King Epic don't raid low-level dungeons because logistics prevent it; plane-hopping costs too much gold to return home every time some necromancer gets uppity, or maybe they can only plane-hop once a year. Maybe the other planes have slow time, like the traditional land of Faerie.

Or something else?

 

[SoulsFury]

Mine current setting goes like this, levels 1-15 may be doable on the prime material plane. Levels 10-25 are doable on the Feywild or Shadowfell dealing with something that involves saving the setting. Levels 20+ are when the PCs realize they have killed someone they weren't supposed to and will eventually have to challenge a God(s). However, I haven't gotten past 11th level while DMing in 4th edition, so can't really speak to how this works in practice.

I don't feel that kings need to be all powerful. Just really rich and well protected. In the real world, the best soldiers have rarely become Kings. However, if you want a high powered setting where you can walk down the street of a floating city and there is a group of adult dragons tied of outside of a tavern, I see no problem with this. It actually sounds lots of fun.

 

[Gilladian]

TS, I think that the planar ladder really works better, but you can modify it a lot. IMC the PCs and NPCs (before I shifted to E6 and nuked the high level stuff) had very different focuses at higher levels. The game shifted to mostly political things IN THIS WORLD, and the adventures all happened in other planes.

However, there's nothing that prevented them from coming back to the original world; it was ruled by high level NPCs (frequentlly retired PCS) and they often needed to be in touch. The lower level PCs often saw the higher level stuff, but always from a distance, and they were easily able to see it affect their world; they just knew better than to get too closely involved...