circumnavigation module interest?

[alsih2o]

i have been working on a "module" of sorts for about 2 years. the plot involves a state sponsored race to circumnavigate the globe. the way i have it plotted it should take a party from 1st to 12th lvl.

would there be any interest from anyone but me for such a "product"? i am thinking of posting it in serial form.

 

[King_Stannis]

Actually sounds pretty damn cool to me.

 

[KnowTheToe]

Once again I have to agree with the king. This sounds like a great idea. Kind of an Eco Challenge race.

 

[orbitalfreak]

Cool, I could use a sea-faring module, it could fit into a campaign I've been working on.

 

[KB9JMQ]

Sounds Interesting.
Any more tidbits you could give us ?

 

[alsih2o]

Sounds Interesting.
Any more tidbits you could give us ?

well, i have approached it from 2 angles.

1. party is hired on to head the crew of a boat involved in the contest. scrying magic is used to assure that no cheating is involved (no teleporting 9/10s and sailing in). there are also some lucrative side contracts to be negotiated before leaving.

i have included a lot of historically inspired situations, like hauling a boat overland for miles and odd weather cituations.

2. in this version, each player is given money to spend on a boat and crew. they then stay in contact with their captain via magic and help him/her/it make decisions, and the outcomes are relayed to them. this is much more a competition between players and not a traditional module. it seems like a slightly more open boardgame.

the second one gives me a few problems because i am not a new mechanic maker

it just seems to me that circumnavigation would be a huge turning point for most societies, and it is full of d+d goodness

 

[BiggusGeekus@Work]

Hmmm. Alternate motive: the state wants the race because they want one of their wizards on each ship so they can "see the world" and thus teleport about more accurately and safely. The NPC wizard is given strict instructions not to fight, because the state needs him alive.

Just thought I'd chip in my two cents. And, yes, I think it sounds cool.

 

[Joshua Randall]

X1 - the answer to everything

You should mine the old OD&D module X1: Isle of Dread for ideas. The beginning part of that adventure involved getting the PCs to make a long waterborne journey to the titular Isle. I don't recall how much mechanical information was provided (and anyway, it would be in OD&D terms), but there was advice on the type of challenges and encounters the PCs could face.

Think of it! You can use every oceangoing cliche in the book, from giant squid attacks to dying of thirst while becalmed to sirens and mermaids. Of course, you could liven up or twist around the cliches to make them more interesting. (Although honestly I think a module involving tons of cliched encounters has its own coolness factor.)

Hope this helps!

 

[LostWorldsMike]

It sounds cool to me too. And, just to avoid chiming in with a only a "me too", might I suggest reading Paula Volsky's The Grand Ellipse which is about something very similar...

It isn't the first circumnavigation of the globe/world, but it is a race. Similar to Around the World in 80 Days, but with a definite fantastical twist.

Good stuff!

 

[King_Stannis]

It would appear to be a great place to showcase other cultures - even other campaign worlds.

If you cut down the "race" aspect of it and punched up the "exploration" (Magellan, Columbus, etc) aspect, the PC's wouldn't have to rush through stuff. This way the DM could intersperse adventures at predetermined stopping points.

Either way could work, and a race could be fun. However, an open ended contract to explore and circumnavigate the world would have great utility for a DM.