cybernetic
Explorer
I am currently in the initial brainstorming phase of a new campaign that I intend to run. My group is currently playing a standard D&D campaign (core books and WotC's Complete line of books only)....once the current campaign is concluded, it will be my time up to bat and I'd like to change things up a little bit (while still keeping it d20).
I intend this thread to be sort of a thinktank for my campaign concept and maybe a bit of world design. I was hoping to get feedback, opinions, and advice along the way as well.
The first step was determining what I wanted to do in the campaign.
The following is the aspects I wanted to include in the campaign:
- Relatively low magic setting without invalidating spellcasters. My group always seems to have campaigns (I'm guilty of doing this as a DM as well) where the magical items just get handed out like candy, and the characters end up becoming walking magical arsenals.
- I want to actually develop the plot and general story as opposed to coming up with most of it in the spur of the moment. Our campaigns always seem to be thrown together at the last minute with little real thought of how the story will flow from A to B. That tends to happen when both of the groups primary DMs (myself and my best friend) tend to be pretty good at winging it as a DM.
- I want to take the players somewhere we haven't really been in a game.
- I want to create a world (not necessarily fully fleshed out) than allow the players actually do something that changes it! No forgotten realms here, where every 5 feet there is a new uber hero changing the world.
- I want a story that involves the characters in such a way that the story becomes about them and not what they need to do.
- I want a campaign that actually has a logical closure point. I want a campaign that the characters are able to complete. We tend to have campaigns that just keep going until we get bored and want to do something new.
Thats what I want to do...now here's where I'm starting.
I intend to use Iron Heroes by Malhavoc Press as the engine to drive this game. The systems therein are perfect for allowing the characters to handle things without relying on the next new magical item. I also really like the true hero feel that the game gives to player characters.
For magic, I will be dropping the magic system within Iron Heroes and replacing it several other systems: True Sorcery by Green Ronin and Tome of Magic by WotC. True Sorcery will handle the primary magical styles/forms in my world. I intend to make several Spellcasting classes to fit the system into my world and to define the various magical archtypes. These classes will all have access to spells in addition to some class features to emulate their archtype. I also want to include the three forms of magic from the Tome of Magic into the world as well: Pact Magic, Shadow Magic, and True Name magic.
I also intend to use the Magic of Incarnum book by WotC. In fact the story I am currently brainstorming makes the material in this book a big part of the campaign's plot. I want the heroes to unless Incarnum on the world (or rather re-release). The story will invlove them being convinced, tricked into, or bought into opening the pandora's box.
The last peice is I intend to create the campaign as a desert Persian/Egyptian themed one. I do have the boxed set for Egyptian Adventures: Hamunaptra by Green Ronin and will probably take some inspiration from that source. I also have the Sandstorm book from WotC. I'll probably be wanting to have some seafaring as well, so I'll be picking up the Stormwrack book soon.
That the general ideas I have at the moment....more to come, including the campaign overview I've been conceiving.
I intend this thread to be sort of a thinktank for my campaign concept and maybe a bit of world design. I was hoping to get feedback, opinions, and advice along the way as well.
The first step was determining what I wanted to do in the campaign.
The following is the aspects I wanted to include in the campaign:
- Relatively low magic setting without invalidating spellcasters. My group always seems to have campaigns (I'm guilty of doing this as a DM as well) where the magical items just get handed out like candy, and the characters end up becoming walking magical arsenals.
- I want to actually develop the plot and general story as opposed to coming up with most of it in the spur of the moment. Our campaigns always seem to be thrown together at the last minute with little real thought of how the story will flow from A to B. That tends to happen when both of the groups primary DMs (myself and my best friend) tend to be pretty good at winging it as a DM.
- I want to take the players somewhere we haven't really been in a game.
- I want to create a world (not necessarily fully fleshed out) than allow the players actually do something that changes it! No forgotten realms here, where every 5 feet there is a new uber hero changing the world.
- I want a story that involves the characters in such a way that the story becomes about them and not what they need to do.
- I want a campaign that actually has a logical closure point. I want a campaign that the characters are able to complete. We tend to have campaigns that just keep going until we get bored and want to do something new.
Thats what I want to do...now here's where I'm starting.
I intend to use Iron Heroes by Malhavoc Press as the engine to drive this game. The systems therein are perfect for allowing the characters to handle things without relying on the next new magical item. I also really like the true hero feel that the game gives to player characters.
For magic, I will be dropping the magic system within Iron Heroes and replacing it several other systems: True Sorcery by Green Ronin and Tome of Magic by WotC. True Sorcery will handle the primary magical styles/forms in my world. I intend to make several Spellcasting classes to fit the system into my world and to define the various magical archtypes. These classes will all have access to spells in addition to some class features to emulate their archtype. I also want to include the three forms of magic from the Tome of Magic into the world as well: Pact Magic, Shadow Magic, and True Name magic.
I also intend to use the Magic of Incarnum book by WotC. In fact the story I am currently brainstorming makes the material in this book a big part of the campaign's plot. I want the heroes to unless Incarnum on the world (or rather re-release). The story will invlove them being convinced, tricked into, or bought into opening the pandora's box.
The last peice is I intend to create the campaign as a desert Persian/Egyptian themed one. I do have the boxed set for Egyptian Adventures: Hamunaptra by Green Ronin and will probably take some inspiration from that source. I also have the Sandstorm book from WotC. I'll probably be wanting to have some seafaring as well, so I'll be picking up the Stormwrack book soon.
That the general ideas I have at the moment....more to come, including the campaign overview I've been conceiving.
)
