Advancing characters while advancing a timeline

[Guillaume]

I have another suggestion. Is it possible for them to decrease in experience ? The idea I had is this : if they haven't been doing much adventuring/monster killing/plot resolving/etc. in the past 20 years, they might be a bit rusty at it. They reflexes aren't what they used to be. The spells do not come as easily as they used to. You get my drift. Couldn't this be reflected by a decrease in levels ?

I know you did mention that they would not feel the aging process through some undisclosed means. I just thought I'd throw this curve ball in.

Good luck,

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

I'd ask a few questions...

Most importantly, what level do you all want to have the campaign at?

IMO, you can justify anything from no experience gained to jump to epic level.

What level are the players used to playing at?

I wouldn't jump them into an 'unfamiliar level' terrirory, but that's because I've had bad experiences doing just that! (out of control games = )

 

[diaglo]

they retired/ settled down for 20 years...ergo..no lvl increase...

20 years sounds about right for the humans to have kids.

so maybe they can make new characters...lvl 1 ...the sons and daughters of the THree Muskateers...i mean the retired folks.

if you want poppa or momma gave them one of the "heirloom" items from their days of adventuring.

 

[Hand of Evil]

How much do you want to be a rat bastard DM? In a 20 year period, what can happen, build an encounter table for at least 20 events, items to place on it:

Marrage
Devoice
Child Birth
Child Death
Monetary gain
Monetary loss
Business Deal gain
Buniness Deal loss
Loss of hair
Loss of Body part
Illiness
Weight gain
Weight loss
Strenght Loss
Strenght Gain
etc...

Have the players each roll on the encounter X times (d10) then have the players make up the information for you.

 

[eris404]

Most importantly, what level do you all want to have the campaign at?

That is the $60,000 question, really. I truly do not know. Part of the problem is that, though I know most of the players will want to continue with the characters, a few will probably want to make new ones and I will need to figure out an appropriate starting experience point value.

IMO, you can justify anything from no experience gained to jump to epic level. What level are the players used to playing at?
I wouldn't jump them into an 'unfamiliar level' terrirory, but that's because I've had bad experiences doing just that! (out of control games = )

Our group has not really played any characters over 13th level, because we really haven't had a campaign that lasted long enough to achieve that (even though our campaigns tend to last years in real time - go figure). But the other players in my group are wonderful - I can't brag about them enough - and I think they would do OK with higher level or epic level characters, should we get to that point.

I am very concerned about giving them "too many" experience points, which might disappoint them, that they wouldn't feel like they had earned it. Giving them "too little" might frustrate them.

The one thing that is important, though, is that their characters have actually had twenty years to do other things, so I don't want to go the "Rip Van Winkle" route. It would feel too much like cheating the players, and I know some players had some specific things they wanted to do with their hard-earned loot. Some of the characters will bear the age better than others (there were a few non-humans), but they will age, even if more slowly than normal, and may suffer some penalties for it.

[This sounds sort of cheesy, but I was using Monte Cook's Requiem for a God and the characters found and drank some of a dead god's blood. The only long-term effect was that they would age half as much as they normally would.]

 

[kigmatzomat]

That is the $60,000 question, really. I truly do not know. Part of the problem is that, though I know most of the players will want to continue with the characters, a few will probably want to make new ones and I will need to figure out an appropriate starting experience point value.

Mmm. I'd at least let them level twice, for some classes 1 level is only a few skill points and non-adventuring characters will pick up several non-combat skills.

Personally I'd probably have them go up 3-4 levels. 10th level characters will likely get involved in something important: raising churches, training troops or apprentices, possibly being local thieves guildmasters. Spending a few decades as guard captain, high priest or warchief does a lot for experience.

Then there's the local-hero problems. They get used for negotiations, as figureheads, and their past glories trotted out. Their preternatural youth just augments their status as "heroes" Over twenty years there's been how many bandits, quickling infestations, poorly controlled demons, and lycanthropes to handle?

I'd come up with a quick 20-year timeline showing the wars, invasions, famines, plagues etc. and decide what everyone did during the major events.