DM's Block

[Dave G]

This Thursday is the scheduled start date for my campaign. I'm running a monster campaign... We have a Spider-Eyed Goblin Rogue, a Winged Aasimar Barbarian, a Lizard Man Druid and my NPC is a Dactyl Wizard

Tonight, I sat down with all of my books and started trying to put together all of the ideas flitting around in my head into a first adventure/campaign session and really kind of drew a blank...

I ended up with the names and class info for the three important tribal NPC's who would give the PC's their first mission... but from that point on I kept spinning my wheels...

Set in Forgotten Realms: in Cormyr: The Mountains (Storm Horns?)

Overall idea: PC's are in a tribe of monstrous humanoids who are trying to establish peaceful relations with the settled lands... Little do they know that the increased levels of monster attacks is being coordinated by a powerful demon who's moved into the area and is organizing an army of sorts...

What I've got so far: The PC's are recruited by their own chieftain to go out and do some scouting, to find out what the Orcs who fled Arabel are up to in the King's Forest. They are not expected to take on that warband, for it's probably beyond their abilities for them to do so at this juncture.

That's where my brain stalls... I'm worried that isn't enough pre-planning for the first adventure, but I feel like I'm chasing my tail. I feel like it's important for the first session to have a variety of encounters, both role-playing and combat, but what do I put in?

Any ideas? Thoughts? Should I post-pone the start?

 

[Angelsboi]

Hiya Billy!!

Ok lemme get this straight ...

We have a Spider-Eyed Goblin Rogue, a Winged Aasimar Barbarian, a Lizard Man Druid and my NPC is a Dactyl Wizard

And ...

The PC's are recruited by their own chieftain to go out and do some scouting, to find out what the Orcs who fled Arabel are up to in the King's Forest. They are not expected to take on that warband, for it's probably beyond their abilities for them to do so at this juncture.

Ok

1) Are they all in a tribe together? If so, what is it and how do they all interact? I mean an Aasimar and a spider eyed goblin? '

2) Do they know each other? If so, how and for how long?

3) If you have answered no to either 1 or 2, i think you might want to get them acquainted with each other first, get them together.

4) I would have them happen upon a small scouting group and have them fight them and have them discover a unique, odd symbol branded into them (the demons mark) and maybe have them holed up in an abandoned church (small) in the woods, thts been defiled. Have them have some traps set up (for the rogue and use stealth for him as well); the demonic symbol and maybe some books on the infernal arts for the wiazard, restoring the holy site to non-defilement for the aasimar and some battles for the barbarian.

Hope this helps ...

 

[Dave G]

The tribe of humanoids in the mountains are not one racial group, rather they are the remnants of several tribes that were 'spanked' by the Purple Dragons of Cormyr years ago, and who were bright enough to say... "hmmm, if we don't fight them they don't fight us!" In the time since, they have started trading peacefully with some of the peoples of Cormyr.

I'm putting the onus on the players as to how they hooked up, I didn't want to be too artificial in arbitrarily setting the ball in motion. Knowing the player who's running the Aasimar, she's not going to be your typical Aasimar... but then again, that's kind of the whole groups theme...

I really like your idea of a raiding party and the church, thanks for helping a couple more pieces fall into place!

Any further ideas along this line are welcome... as for now, the players are in this tribe as, it is an amalgamation of different races, therefore they fit in there better than in settled lands...

 

[Angelsboi]

It might also be bennificial to see a rough timeline of what will ahppen. ya know ...

PCs Meet

PCs go scouting, run into scouting group
- Scouting group (# of creatures, brief notes on weapons, motivations)

etc etc etc

Might help generate more ideas from yourself and from others =)

 

[ScarletDuke]

Are you looking for action, ie encounters, or are you looking for content, ie RP encounters.


If you are looking for content i would add the Diety The Beastlord in the mix. He may not want there to be peace between monster and humans, but he sure as hell does not want a stinkin demon musclin in on his turf.

Also what is the time line of your campaign. Is Azoun still alive, or is it his regent daughter, or has the child grown and incharge. Also does it take place the same time as the old Nethril empire making their play for power. Either of these can give you some content for you gamers to chew on.


If the Archwizards are making their way back into the lands of Faerun. You have massive storms destroying alot of the forgotten realm real estate. I believe arabel has fallen to the Phariem monster army(magic devouring tornado shaped creatures.) The Archwizards are stirring up tons of political intrigue so that people will not look into the massive weather that is destroying the land. They are trying to make the great dessert liveable for themselves.

Having the monster PC group fighting monsters is going to cause a little problem and may be confusing to the human population. Set up some form of situation where the human factor learns that your gamers are out to help them and create peace.

If Azoun is dead then Vangey has turned over his position at the Castle so he is out an about looking for some adventure.

Shandril the mistress of spellfire is in Cormyr, that can add in some action.

Just some ideas, hope it helps

ScarletDuke