cmbarona
First Post
I'm trying to plan out the scope of a campaign, and I could use some advice. For the sake of my own sanity, I've divided the plot into a series of quests that connect to a much larger plot, and each of these quests corresponds to a level. We level once a quest is completed rather than by XP number.
The campaign will revolve around a series of nations going to war with orcs aboveground and drow below. Those will be levels 11-20. Right now, they are about to stumble upon the war-triggering event: a fishing village has been infiltrated and overrun by orcs, and they are using it as a staging area for creating and deploying an undead army.
After this attempt has been foiled by our reluctantly courageous heroes, the nation in which they live will need to muster support for a war. I’d like to spend the next five levels (6-10) with the heroes as ambassadors to the neighboring nations while their home nation assembles its own army. I figure each level will cover one nation, plus anything in-between (ambushes on their journeys in-between nations, etc.)
Here’s where I need advice: How do I make that exciting? Sure, it’ll give me a chance at world-building to visit the various nations of the continent, but what sorts of plot hooks will keep my players engaged? Things like assassination plots, coups, a succession crisis, etc.
I’ve kept info to a minimum thus far, but here’s a brief sketch:
Eladrin nation: where our heroes currently reside; first in elemental-based magical technology, transportation, communications. Roughly modeled after Arthurian legends of Britain.
Human nation: roughly modeled after Rome, they brought republican governmental structure to many of their neighbors in a centuries-old peace treaty. Said treaty stopped these nations from fighting each other long enough to stop the advance of the orcs over the entire continent, but did not kick them out of the territories they still occupy.
Dwarven kingdom: located in the vast caverns of the Underworld, they excel in magical biological engineering. One of the few civilized nations that still has a monarch with any real power. Roughly modeled after Russia.
Elven tribes: a confederation of tribes who only govern together through meetings among elders. While they have their own territory staked out, there are various tribes scattered throughout the continent. They’re mostly live-off-the-land types, and don’t have any major cities to speak of.
Tiefling annex: A small nation formed when tieflings fled their home on another continent in a mysterious disaster. The war was still in full swing at the time, so they annexed the first land they came upon (which happens to be in the tropics), but later joined the treaty against the orcs. Roughly modeled after Italy.
Halfling nation: conceptually speaking, my least-developed nation thus far. Roughly modeled after Australia. They also live in the tropics, and suffered the most loss of territory when the tieflings annexed their land.
The campaign will revolve around a series of nations going to war with orcs aboveground and drow below. Those will be levels 11-20. Right now, they are about to stumble upon the war-triggering event: a fishing village has been infiltrated and overrun by orcs, and they are using it as a staging area for creating and deploying an undead army.
After this attempt has been foiled by our reluctantly courageous heroes, the nation in which they live will need to muster support for a war. I’d like to spend the next five levels (6-10) with the heroes as ambassadors to the neighboring nations while their home nation assembles its own army. I figure each level will cover one nation, plus anything in-between (ambushes on their journeys in-between nations, etc.)
Here’s where I need advice: How do I make that exciting? Sure, it’ll give me a chance at world-building to visit the various nations of the continent, but what sorts of plot hooks will keep my players engaged? Things like assassination plots, coups, a succession crisis, etc.
I’ve kept info to a minimum thus far, but here’s a brief sketch:
Eladrin nation: where our heroes currently reside; first in elemental-based magical technology, transportation, communications. Roughly modeled after Arthurian legends of Britain.
Human nation: roughly modeled after Rome, they brought republican governmental structure to many of their neighbors in a centuries-old peace treaty. Said treaty stopped these nations from fighting each other long enough to stop the advance of the orcs over the entire continent, but did not kick them out of the territories they still occupy.
Dwarven kingdom: located in the vast caverns of the Underworld, they excel in magical biological engineering. One of the few civilized nations that still has a monarch with any real power. Roughly modeled after Russia.
Elven tribes: a confederation of tribes who only govern together through meetings among elders. While they have their own territory staked out, there are various tribes scattered throughout the continent. They’re mostly live-off-the-land types, and don’t have any major cities to speak of.
Tiefling annex: A small nation formed when tieflings fled their home on another continent in a mysterious disaster. The war was still in full swing at the time, so they annexed the first land they came upon (which happens to be in the tropics), but later joined the treaty against the orcs. Roughly modeled after Italy.
Halfling nation: conceptually speaking, my least-developed nation thus far. Roughly modeled after Australia. They also live in the tropics, and suffered the most loss of territory when the tieflings annexed their land.
