D&D 5E First-time DM - having trouble with Princes of the Apocalypse

[Carl Anderson]

NOTE: SOME SPOILERS

First-time poster here!

I must be completely crazy...I decided to DM a 4-PC PotA campaign at work, having only played D&D one time before. Crazy.

But here I am, and today was the group's first day to play. One note: I've not read the entire PotA book; I think I've read all of chapters 1 and 2, and that's about it. Oh, and a bit of chapter 6.

We started everyone as first-level characters, and as such I'm trying to guide them through Red Larch's side quests. Right off the bat I hit a snag. I know the overarching storyline, with the Believers and all that, and I was fine with the PCs going to the tavern and learning from an NPC about a mysterious group of hooded figures going into a secret tunnel behind the wagonworks. But when the PCs decided to go investigate the wagonworks, I realized that I had no idea what to tell them if and when they went around back. In other words: Where's the "quest" that leads them to the tunnel? Where's the info on how to proceed when they start talking to the shopkeeper?

Did I do the wrong thing by agreeing to DM, or can I somehow recover and figure all of this out?

The good thing is that we won't be playing again for at least two days, if not more than a week...so I've got time to dig myself out of a hole. For what it's worth, I've read some of the quickstart guides and blog posts that one can find about running PotA, but I'm still a bit confused.

Help!

 

[Zaran]

I think that's the same dungeon as is in the Quarry. Maybe there is a page number mentioned at the Quarry entry?

 

[maugrim]

I found this blog very helpful running PoTA.
thecampaign20xx.blogspot.com/2015/04/elemental-evil-guide-to-princes-of

You could have the Constable Harburk, Ilmeth Waelvur, and several men show up and shoo the PCs away.
As Constable Harburk is doing this he could help direct the PCs to other beginning side quests of Lance Rock or the Bandits.

 

[Rabbitbait]

NOTE: SOME SPOILERS

First-time poster here!

I must be completely crazy...I decided to DM a 4-PC PotA campaign at work, having only played D&D one time before. Crazy.

But here I am, and today was the group's first day to play. One note: I've not read the entire PotA book; I think I've read all of chapters 1 and 2, and that's about it. Oh, and a bit of chapter 6.

We started everyone as first-level characters, and as such I'm trying to guide them through Red Larch's side quests. Right off the bat I hit a snag. I know the overarching storyline, with the Believers and all that, and I was fine with the PCs going to the tavern and learning from an NPC about a mysterious group of hooded figures going into a secret tunnel behind the wagonworks. But when the PCs decided to go investigate the wagonworks, I realized that I had no idea what to tell them if and when they went around back. In other words: Where's the "quest" that leads them to the tunnel? Where's the info on how to proceed when they start talking to the shopkeeper?

Did I do the wrong thing by agreeing to DM, or can I somehow recover and figure all of this out?

The good thing is that we won't be playing again for at least two days, if not more than a week...so I've got time to dig myself out of a hole. For what it's worth, I've read some of the quickstart guides and blog posts that one can find about running PotA, but I'm still a bit confused.

Help!

Don't panic! Think about what you would like to happen and make it up. You don't even have to prepare, making it up on the spot is fine - although I like to have a couple of bullet points written down as reminders.

Also - the players may end up doing something totally unexpected. Just roll with it and let it go to it's logical conclusion. You may end up inventing stuff that is not in the book but that is fine. Just remember, the game is yours, the book is a list of handy suggestions for what could happen.

Also - don't panic if you stuff up. Your players will understand that this is your first time DMing. Feel free to stop the game early if you don't feel confident continuing and tell the group that you feel you need to do some prep for the next bit. Ask the group to help you look up rules or make adjudications (if you want) but the final decision is always yours.

PoTA is a tricky one for first DM so be gentle on yourself.

 

[Rhenny]

The wagonworks basement leads to a door that leads into the Tomb of Moving Stones dungeon (the same one that you can use the sink hole encounter to get the PCs into). It is the north most passageway in the sink hole tunnel that leads to the wagon shop. See page 155 under entry T1.

For a lot of this adventure, it is best to make a flow chart/outline of what you think might possibly happen or possible directions that the PCs might choose. It is a sprawling adventure path that can be tough for new DMs. Also, I like to make up 2 or 3 rough encounters that I can plug and play so that if the players decide to do something I'm not ready for, I have a contingency.

Also, if I get caught during a game and I don't know where something leads or what part of the adventure gives more detail about it, I just make it up. Then I write down what I've made up so that I can incorporate it into the bigger adventure if it is something that affects the rest of the action/exploration.

Oh...and welcome to the boards.

 

[BoldItalic]

On p.27, #16, Key NPCs : there is an old cellar door at the back of the wagon works that leads to T1 (it's along the tunnel in the NW corner of the map on p.154)

When they go around the back of the wagon works, you can simply tell them straight out that there is an old door and drop a broad hint that it might be meaningful. But only if they are really floundering.

edit - Ninja'd by Rhenny

 

[Gnarl45]

Did I do the wrong thing by agreeing to DM, or can I somehow recover and figure all of this out?

Nope you didn't do anything wrong when agreeing to be a DM!

And you'll manage to recover just fine. As long as your players get to play, they'll be happy.

 

[Uller]

When you're a new DM (or even an experienced one), it's okay to "contain" your party to a smaller set of the adventure. It sounds like you have basically started the Tomb of Moving Stones adventure. Play out out, make sure there are a couple seeds for one or two (three at most) other adventures in there and then let the players choose what to do next from that smaller list. Avoid feeling like you need to present every option and every hook available. Once the party has a couple give them a little time pressure to get them moving toward one of those.

In my group, one of my players has a tendency to want to uncover every possible hook before moving on. I can tell when I've revealed enough because my other players start to get fidgety.

Don't feel like you need to let your players play every possible adventure in the campaign. My group only did two of the Haunted Keeps and will likely only do two of the temples before moving on to the Fane. Otherwise I think the campaign will start to feel a bit grindy. But maybe that's just me.

 

[Rabbitbait]

Also, I found this thread has helped me immensely as the campaign has gone on: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?444419-Princes-of-the-Apocalypse-campaign-recaps

Seeing how other people do it is always useful.

 

[Brotton Goodfellow]

Not PoTA related, but the Angry GM is revolutionizing how I think about running my games (especially the articles about initiative and resting). I'm not allowed to post a link because I'm new to the forum, but if you google search angryGM, you'll find what I'm talking about.

Enjoy, and try not to sweat the small stuff.