<<Midnight>> Calling all Midnight DMs

[Calico_Jack73]

I've recently purchased every book in the Midnight line (I was that impressed with the setting) but I'm still waiting for delivery. Anyway, I've convinced my group to keep their character concepts from our Forgotten Realms campaign but to recreate their characters as Midnight characters. We've only run through the Sunless Citadel so I'm going to have that have been a dream sequence. SO... here I am eagerly awaiting my books with some players that have agreed to play and the only information I have is what I've seen on the Official Website and the Against the Shadow website. I've seen several really good Adventure seeds on the Against the Shadow website but I thought I might ask the great community here at ENWorld about how they would best start a Midnight campaign.

How would YOU do it?

 

[StalkingBlue]

Hmm. Midnight is open to many game styles... I'd have an easier time offering suggestions if you could provide us with more details.

First, what type of game are you aiming for? Are you seeing the PCs as the last flickers of hope in a dying world who'll be fíghting back without (in the end) making a major difference to the world, or will they be allowed to win actual large-scale victories over the Shadow, maybe actually turn this war around?

Second, what PCs are you expecting to have in the party? I don't see how keeping FR char concepts will work well btw. Midnight and FR are perhaps the most diametrically opposed settings I can think of in spirit and mood and you may be depriving your players and yourself of a unique chance for starting something new if you drag Fr characters over into your MN game. I'll say more about this once I get to read more about your party.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

My suggestion is to do a sort of introduction adventure (see my PbP game over at Against the Shadows. See here), then lead into the adventure in the back of the Midnight book. From there, it's pretty easy to tie into Crown of Shadow which is an awesome adventure.

Good luck!

PS - Make sure you grab Tome of Sorrows from my sig.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

They'll keep their overall concept. We've got a Human Rogue, Dwarven Fighter, Elven Bard, Elven Wizard, and a Tiefling Monk.

The Rogue and Fighter will be easy crossovers and the Wizard will most likely go the route of the Channeller (from what I've read). The Bard and the Monk are going to be a little more difficult so I'd appreciate any help you can offer with those. I've come to understand that there is a Monk-ish class that is offered in the setting but the name escapes me.

By the way... glad to see that you are here Ashrem. I applied for membership in the Midnight Yahoo group and it is still sitting there for approval. Could you expedite it for me please?

 

[StalkingBlue]

The Wizard will prob convert best to an INT-based channeler (although the Wizard player may regret losing his wide range of spells). The Bard will convert a lot more easily to a CHA-based one.

The unarmed melee class in Midnight is the Defender - more like an unarmed Fighter than a DnD Monk in feel because it doesn't have most of the Monk's supernatural baggage. There are Tieflings in Eredane, so if you want to allow a Tiefling PCs that'll be fine.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

I'd be happy to, but I'm not active on the Yahoo news group myself.
Hope to see you over at AtS though!

As far as your game goes...

I recommend starting players new to Midnight off with a new group built from the ground up specifically for the setting. If you are dead set on porting the characters over, I see the greatest problems with the two characters you mentioned before.

The bard could be a rogue with spellcasting abilility and a penchant for entertaining. The monk is a bit tougher. Teiflings are pretty much unheard of in Midnight. The standard D&D demons and devils are really rare due to Aryth being cut off from the other planes.

I'd suggest getting the player to pick a new race. Obviously he could take the Defender class in place of monk. His race is the real problem. Maybe a human with the Shadowwalker path? Maybe his path powers originate from demon blood in his ancestory.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

First, what type of game are you aiming for? Are you seeing the PCs as the last flickers of hope in a dying world who'll be fíghting back without (in the end) making a major difference to the world, or will they be allowed to win actual large-scale victories over the Shadow, maybe actually turn this war around?

Okay don't laugh but I was thinking about running it like I used to run my Robotech: Invid Invasion campaign back in the late 80's. In both settings humanity is a conquered race. In both settings magic/protoculture can be sensed by "the powers that be" and is illegal, possession is punishable by death. In both settings the local townsfolk are more likely to turn in the heros for much needed supplies rather than help them out. One is Dark Fantasy, the other is Sci-Fi but overall the theme is the same.

Twilight:2000 also kind of captures the feel that I was looking for. In both Twilight:2000 and in Invid Invasion the heros are just trying to do the best they can in a world turned upside down. Like in the Invid Invasion eventually when the heros get high enough level they can attempt to do something lasting to improve the world. Just like in the Invid Invasion it will be a long shot against incredible odds but just maybe they'll succeed.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

Just thought. If you have Unearthed Arcana, you could maybe use the major Demon or Devil bloodlines as Heroic Paths. The level of power looks about right.

There are Tieflings in Eredane, so if you want to allow a Tiefling PCs that'll be fine.

I guess it's a matter of prefference as the DM. I don't recall any offical Midnight info on Teiflings, so it's really up to the DM. I personally wouldn't allow them, but there really isn't anything wrong with them.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

The bard could be a rogue with spellcasting abilility and a penchant for entertaining. The monk is a bit tougher. Teiflings are pretty much unheard of in Midnight. The standard D&D demons and devils are really rare due to Aryth being cut off from the other planes.

I'd suggest getting the player to pick a new race. Obviously he could take the Defender class in place of monk. His race is the real problem. Maybe a human with the Shadowwalker path? Maybe his path powers originate from demon blood in his ancestory.

Actually the Bard was originally a Swashbuckler but as the party was without a healer she decided to instead go the route of the Bard. The player is really open to anything so I'll let her check out the new classes. We are going to have a character creation session before we even begin so as to ensure party balance (not too much of any one thing). I was thinking about using the Demonic bloodline rules from Unearthed Arcana for the Tiefling instead of the Tiefling race. Demons may be almost unheard of but perhaps back before The Sundering one of his forebears had a fling with a demon and his blood is just now hearkening to the call of Izrador. Whether the player answers that call is up to him but it would make for an interesting role-playing situation.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

Calico, one question you need to ask yourself is: "How hard do I want to make it on the characters?"

There are really two styles of Midnight game:

HARD: Similar to normal D&D, but the heroes fight against the seemingly unbeatable forces of evil.

VERY HARD: Unlike normal D&D, the characters in this Midnight campaign are simply struggling to survive most of the time. They must locate food and shelter and do what they can to maintain their supplies. All the while, the are hunting and being hunted by the forces of the Shadow.

In a HARD campaign, things like food and supplies don't usually play an important part in the game. In the VERY HARD campaign, such mundane things can be the most important aspect of an entire game session.