I’m going to be running a system called Kids on Brooms, basically a magic highschool. I’m realizing I have a story for the town and an idea for a villain, but only a half formed plot for the players to uncover.
The magic school exists in a town that was formed by a group of witches fleeing the Salem Witch trials. The campaign’s main villain, Tituba, eventually followed the group years later and attempted to destroy them as revenge for abandoning her. Tituba was defeated with the help of the local Native American community by removing her magic power. Tituba lived out her remaining years within a local tribe as a bitter woman.
When settlers came to the area and forced the native tribes into reservations, a magic ritual was performed to summon Tituba’s spirit in the hopes she might protect the native population. But Tituba only cares for destroying the magical community, and her “ghost” has since existed in the local forest, biding its time.
The game has a fear mechanic that I plan to use. Tituba basically hopes to destroy the magical community by having it collapse in on itself from its members’ fears. If characters, NPCs and players, encounter Tituba, she may “infect” them with fear, causing them to act erratically in certain situations.
There is one student NPC at the start of the campaign that has been infected by Tituba. Player characters interacting with this NPC may notice oddities in his behavior and may collect hints that can lead them to discover Tituba’s spirit in the forest.
There is one adult NPC that has also been infected by Tituba. This character was a student at the school decades ago. However, due to their erratic behavior and uncontrolled magical power (via being infected by Tituba), their magic was removed. They have returned to the town decades later under a new identity to fuel Tituba’s mission.
My main issue with the character above is I’m not sure what they can do to aid Tituba. Being non-magical but having knowledge of the magical community, I think they could possibly draw outside attention to the town. Perhaps even government officials? With the idea that this magical community is trying to remain hidden from the vastly non-magical world, having non-magical people repeatedly visit could pose an issue.
I should mention the town is set in the US, has a population of around 3,000 people and highschool of about 250 students. So it’s relatively small.
Over the centuries the magical community has fought to remain hidden throughout the relocation of native americans, the building of a local damn - causing a population boom, the establishment of a local german POW camp, and the building of an airforce base during WWII (the last two things being eventually shut down and abandoned). I feel like Tituba should possibly have tried to use her powers to expose the magical community during these events, but I’m not sure how. But this is a history of the town the players can uncover, so there’s room for adventures related to this.
I think the campaign should bring up the question of whether it’s worth trying to keep magic hidden in a changing world where doing so is increasingly difficult.
Fear is also a theme. And the ritual that removed magic is secret.
I have ideas for mini adventures like exploring the forest, taking magic classes, participating in magic festivals. But I’m having trouble with the overarching plot - what exactly it is and how the players might encounter it. Some of this might reveal itself over our sessions at the table, but I was hoping I could pick some people’s brains and gather other ideas? I appreciate the help!
The magic school exists in a town that was formed by a group of witches fleeing the Salem Witch trials. The campaign’s main villain, Tituba, eventually followed the group years later and attempted to destroy them as revenge for abandoning her. Tituba was defeated with the help of the local Native American community by removing her magic power. Tituba lived out her remaining years within a local tribe as a bitter woman.
When settlers came to the area and forced the native tribes into reservations, a magic ritual was performed to summon Tituba’s spirit in the hopes she might protect the native population. But Tituba only cares for destroying the magical community, and her “ghost” has since existed in the local forest, biding its time.
The game has a fear mechanic that I plan to use. Tituba basically hopes to destroy the magical community by having it collapse in on itself from its members’ fears. If characters, NPCs and players, encounter Tituba, she may “infect” them with fear, causing them to act erratically in certain situations.
There is one student NPC at the start of the campaign that has been infected by Tituba. Player characters interacting with this NPC may notice oddities in his behavior and may collect hints that can lead them to discover Tituba’s spirit in the forest.
There is one adult NPC that has also been infected by Tituba. This character was a student at the school decades ago. However, due to their erratic behavior and uncontrolled magical power (via being infected by Tituba), their magic was removed. They have returned to the town decades later under a new identity to fuel Tituba’s mission.
My main issue with the character above is I’m not sure what they can do to aid Tituba. Being non-magical but having knowledge of the magical community, I think they could possibly draw outside attention to the town. Perhaps even government officials? With the idea that this magical community is trying to remain hidden from the vastly non-magical world, having non-magical people repeatedly visit could pose an issue.
I should mention the town is set in the US, has a population of around 3,000 people and highschool of about 250 students. So it’s relatively small.
Over the centuries the magical community has fought to remain hidden throughout the relocation of native americans, the building of a local damn - causing a population boom, the establishment of a local german POW camp, and the building of an airforce base during WWII (the last two things being eventually shut down and abandoned). I feel like Tituba should possibly have tried to use her powers to expose the magical community during these events, but I’m not sure how. But this is a history of the town the players can uncover, so there’s room for adventures related to this.
I think the campaign should bring up the question of whether it’s worth trying to keep magic hidden in a changing world where doing so is increasingly difficult.
Fear is also a theme. And the ritual that removed magic is secret.
I have ideas for mini adventures like exploring the forest, taking magic classes, participating in magic festivals. But I’m having trouble with the overarching plot - what exactly it is and how the players might encounter it. Some of this might reveal itself over our sessions at the table, but I was hoping I could pick some people’s brains and gather other ideas? I appreciate the help!
