Dark Sun Style

[ItBeJonnyD]

Hey Im getting ready to run my Dark Sun gladiator driven campaign, and i was wondering if anyone had any good ideas to spin my way. Iv got the general idea of where it will go, but are there any little things that i should be thinking about? The setting is in the City of Draj. The pc's have been captured as slaves and forced to fight as gladiators. They dont know each other until they realize that they can help eachother survive the arena, which forms camaraderie and gives the reason why the pc's stick together. This is my first home brew campaign so i just want to make sure im on the right path.

Heroic Tyre -Gladiator gain respect, Perhaps meet Veiled Alliance resistance
Paragon Tyre- Leading up to the Death of Sourcer King perhaps primordial and elemental are involved abyssal adventures?
Epic- Dragon of Tyr end game maybe?

Any advice from experienced Dm's and Pc's alike would be awesome!

 

[L1qw1d]

I've had a lot of fun in Glad campaigns before and I find it gives a lot of chances to develop people in a funny way- TECHNICALLY they have a day job they can't get away from, they have Managers and popularity (check the Dragon Annual book for that type of stuff! VERY helpful), themed battles, rivalries, people with grudges, etc.

One of my old DM's actually made one of those competition rosters, tiers, and putting it into 4th ed, it would be run almost as a separate game and the PC's MAY make it to the top of the Gladiator world in the Paragon tier.

I'd say don't RUSH things, and find out where people are coming from and what they want to do with the game for the first couple levels (level 1 is where they awaken and learn to train in dorms and meet their new manager; Lev 2 is where they go out for their first actual FIGHT, and if they WIN they get a small perk, if they LOSE they get a bit of lashing)

Level 3, you can throw in the actual story element. like Noble versus Noble using the games to get rid of people they want to, they dont like, or people who are threats. The vets who know how things REALLY work, the manager they LIKE is actually a spy for the nobility.

So you can actually pace it so that 1-5 are just a few fights, and like themed fights (just replace water with silt!) 6-11 are them trying to get out and introduction to nobles lackeys but still restrained 12 and up can be entire escape from the city (which...when nobles, guards, thieves, psionicists, all in unfamiliar terrain...not easy!) getting to an abandoned ruin, and finding some lost lore or something important... and then a few Epic things here and there. There's a lot of adventure you can jam in!

 

[ItBeJonnyD]

Wow this is great stuff! Do you know which dragon mag has all the Gladiator stuff in it? Should I focus a lot on the NPC's then? Im kind of being mentored by my dm hes teaching me the tricks of the trade and he also suggested that I shouldn't rush things yet, i guess players have a way of giving you options to work with.

Thanks again.

 

[L1qw1d]

Players. We're an interesting lot lol Never trust a one of us!

As far as I know, the 4th ed gladiator stuff that Ive seen was printed in the Dragon Magazine Annual for 2009. I'm guessing 12 issues a year and they're in the 190's...so like high 160's- low 170's?

The part that is the hardest is making the PLAYERS want to keep their characters alive and motivated. In the start, I'm thinking that "First Blood" rules are good, but escalation happens FAST in this campaign, especially when the teams and ladders have to compete against each other (my old DM was a psychotic lol)

What I find is handy is watching your PC's. In a lot of real life cases historically, the Gladiator wouldn't see any money- what would happen if a PC was approached to throw a match? or to cheat to win? or (and this could be a low level event) sharpen his weapon, cover it up, and go after someone or a loved one dies? Can the PC's figure out a way to make bets on the side?

You have a LOT of movies, stories, and even pro-wrasslin' to refer to. Can you imagine all the PC's being put together not at level 1 in the same dorm, but at level 6, having to cross dangerous obstacles(eg: flame gout traps), and/or race with skill tests (eg: acrobatics, nature ,athletics checks to cross a "forest of pain", and as SOON as they think they are done... a fight with a team made of similar composition and a monster- who do they fight? who gets out? how many of the PC's are loyal to the TEAM over other PC's?

And for me, a mass melee in a maze to get to a Boss Fight is pretty much commonplace. All for a crowd that by THAT time may be BOOing them as Heels!

Remember: no matter what everyone thinks of the system (4th ed), the story and role that the characters play out is the main part of having fun. Keep your story moving, but let hijinx ensue!

 

[jbear]

You could check out Spartacus: Blood and Sand tv series for some ideas for your gladiator campaign.

You may find some jems especially NPC wise

 

[Alphastream]

I have a Dark Sun blog you may find useful.

In particular, I reviewed some different campaign ideas in this blog entry.

Of late I am starting to review different sessions and I may go back and catch up on the overall campaign plot as well.

 

[Pbartender]

As far as I know, the 4th ed gladiator stuff that Ive seen was printed in the Dragon Magazine Annual for 2009. I'm guessing 12 issues a year and they're in the 190's...so like high 160's- low 170's?

Dragon 368 is the one you're looking for. It had a two-part article on gladiators in arena combats.

The first half focused on player options... All of the crunchy stuff from this article is already in the online Compendium and Character Builder.

The second half focused on encounter design for the DMs.