D&D (2024) Non-Human Party - Campaign help!

[JohnSnow]

Okay, so...

I have a friend who's desperately interested in getting into RPGs after watching "Dungeons & Drag Queens," and for various reasons, I figured 5e (2024) would be the best fit for her, although my own preferences lean more towards Shadowdark/OSE minimalist game these days. But she's a "more is more" person who likes digging into things - so yeah, D&D 5.24e it is.

I've always been a "roll with it" DM, and after rounding up a group to have her play with, I've got 3 (moderately-to-very) experienced players and one other newbie (her bestie). No problems so far.

But then they started coming up with character concepts, and now I've got a group of swamp-dwelling non-humans: An ancient eladrin warlock (my excited newbie), an orc bard (her bestie), a tabaxi ranger, a firbolg druid, and a harpy rogue (my wife is feeling salty and got it into her head to play a harpy, so I'm slightly modifying an Aarakocra).

It's not actually a bad group mix, class-wise, but story-wise, the parade of non-humans doesn't readily mesh with how I usually motivate characters. I'm kinda leaning "Save the Swamp" for the initial adventure, but I'm sorta stuck at "from what?"

Anyone able to help a brother out? Suggestions welcome.

 

[prabe]

Okay, so...

I have a friend who's desperately interested in getting into RPGs after watching "Dungeons & Drag Queens," and for various reasons, I figured 5e (2024) would be the best fit for her, although my own preferences lean more towards Shadowdark/OSE minimalist game these days. But she's a "more is more" person who likes digging into things - so yeah, D&D 5.24e it is.

I've always been a "roll with it" DM, and after rounding up a group to have her play with, I've got 3 (moderately-to-very) experienced players and one other newbie (her bestie). No problems so far.

But then they started coming up with character concepts, and now I've got a group of swamp-dwelling non-humans: An ancient eladrin warlock (my excited newbie), an orc bard (her bestie), a tabaxi ranger, a firbolg druid, and a harpy rogue (my wife is feeling salty and got it into her head to play a harpy, so I'm slightly modifying an Aarakocra).

It's not actually a bad group mix, class-wise, but story-wise, the parade of non-humans doesn't readily mesh with how I usually motivate characters. I'm kinda leaning "Save the Swamp" for the initial adventure, but I'm sorta stuck at "from what?"

Anyone able to help a brother out? Suggestions welcome.

Is there some resource in the swamp? Possibly some resource that someone would have to destroy the swamp to get? The ordinary natural resources of a swamp probably aren't enough, but something magical might be. Maybe there's some spring in there that bubbles forth the equivalent of healing (or other beneficial) potions. Maybe there's something someone so motivated could use to some other non-altruistic end.

I think once you figure out what's in the swamp that someone might want, you can figure out someone who wants it, and work out what sorts of forces they'd bring with them. Honestly, given the obvious themes, here, it'd be really tempting to bring in something/someone using lots of constructs, here ...

 

[JohnSnow]

Is there some resource in the swamp? Possibly some resource that someone would have to destroy the swamp to get? The ordinary natural resources of a swamp probably aren't enough, but something magical might be. Maybe there's some spring in there that bubbles forth the equivalent of healing (or other beneficial) potions. Maybe there's something someone so motivated could use to some other non-altruistic end.

I think once you figure out what's in the swamp that someone might want, you can figure out someone who wants it, and work out what sorts of forces they'd bring with them. Honestly, given the obvious themes, here, it'd be really tempting to bring in something/someone using lots of constructs, here ...

My first instinct was that. I'm just worried it very quickly feels a little too "Shrek." But maybe that's okay.

I was kinda torn between there being some valuable resource in the swamp, or some kind of magical corruption taking it over that has to be stopped. In the end, I may use both.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Defending the marshlands from Human colonization seems the most logical.

We as D&D players often have campaigns where our homelands get invaded by goblins and orcs and the like... no reason you can't do the same thing except reverse the species. So urban colonizers of the Human, Dwarven, Elven and Halfling variety are impinging on the marshland / swamp / bayou that your player's PCs all live in for whatever reason you might want (as @prabe talked about). Quite possibly there could be various ancient ruins there that have treasures / artifacts within that Human adventurers are trying to acquire, and your Eladrin Warlock player's patron perhaps wants the eladrin to stop that from happening.

BTW - if you want a "semi-official" species write-up for the harpy... Keith Baker has a Harpy PC species in his Frontiers of Eberron: Quickstone product you can buy off of DMs Guild.

 

[Sorinth]

By suggestion would be a human kingdom has decided to drain the wetlands and convert it to farmland. However this awakens a powerful evil that was slumbering/buried in the swamp that is not only a threat to the human populations nearby but also the otherwise friendly-ish denizens of the swamp.

A black dragon, powerful hag, imprisoned demon, etc... could all be used as the evil. In this case since the BBEG is in the swamp and the humans are also antagonistic I'd be tempted to have the human kingdom to be split into factions, the ones originally in power are expanionist and want to take over the swamp, but others are more live in peace with the swampfolk.

Oh and for a harpy, the Planeshift pdf had a Siren species which was essentially flight + the Friends cantrip. There are also Tieflings which grant Charm Person at 3rd and Entrhall at 5th, which fits but doesn't have flight. Though since Fairy offered Flight + 1st and 2nd level spell it should be fine to take Fairy and change the spells to be enchantment/charm ones.

 

[prabe]

I was kinda torn between there being some valuable resource in the swamp, or some kind of magical corruption taking it over that has to be stopped. In the end, I may use both.

Why not both? Something in the swamp that someone who wants to corrupt (whatever that means) the world can use to do so? Obviously they have some forces and resources at their disposal already ...

And while I don't disagree with @DEFCON 1 much, I gotta say I was thinking more eco themes than colonialist ones--though they don't have to conflict much, they can both be there and you can front one or the other as things emerge and/or happen.

 

[MarkB]

BTW - if you want a "semi-official" species write-up for the harpy... Keith Baker has a Harpy PC species in his Frontiers of Eberron: Quickstone product you can buy off of DMs Guild.

Actually, it could be worth mining for a lot more than that. Given the party mix, having a Droaam-style "nation of monsters" for them to be part of might be the way to go.

See also "That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime" for inspiration about a burgeoning nation of monsters trying to fit in cordially with other more traditional nations.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

I love the concept of a swamp-based campaign!

I think undead works well in a swamp and can work for a pollution/corruption theme. Maybe a tomb was flooded long ago and things are now able to climb out. Maybe it’s a section of the swamp people avoided but now it’s able to spread.

I like the idea of a quiet human village that lives mostly in harmony with the swamp denizens but some kind of industrialist is draining the swamp to expand farm land. There should be a distillery that makes some nice peaty whisky! Maybe that’s one of the main industries of the village.

I think a black dragon works well but I think the dragon shouldn’t be the ‘big bad’. Instead, it’s one of the factions. Maybe the undead is pushing the dragon’s denizens further into other territory. The dragon might be younger and, therefore, can’t deal with the undead problem. They can just keep their territory clear. Maybe an adult or adolescent dragon. Because undead are pushing the dragon’s denizens out(kobolds obviously), they are pushing into the human lands and raiding more which is causing adventures to push into the swamp to ‘solve the kobold problem’

Several villages or tribes control different sections. Like lizard folk and some goblins.

There’s a hag coven who know the root of the problem or a way to stop it but what do the party need to sacrifice to get the information?

The warlock should have a tie in. What is the warlock’s sponsor?

 

[Piperken]

My first instinct was that. I'm just worried it very quickly feels a little too "Shrek." But maybe that's okay.

I was kinda torn between there being some valuable resource in the swamp, or some kind of magical corruption taking it over that has to be stopped. In the end, I may use both.

What a delightful party, very creative!

I'd say... lean absolutely into some of the themes in Shrek. Why not?! Use those vibes for the new players; keep aspects serious enough so the goal-oriented players have objectives to work toward.

 

[JohnSnow]

By suggestion would be a human kingdom has decided to drain the wetlands and convert it to farmland. However this awakens a powerful evil that was slumbering/buried in the swamp that is not only a threat to the human populations nearby but also the otherwise friendly-ish denizens of the swamp.

A black dragon, powerful hag, imprisoned demon, etc... could all be used as the evil. In this case since the BBEG is in the swamp and the humans are also antagonistic I'd be tempted to have the human kingdom to be split into factions, the ones originally in power are expanionist and want to take over the swamp, but others are more live in peace with the swampfolk.

Oh and for a harpy, the Planeshift pdf had a Siren species which was essentially flight + the Friends cantrip. There are also Tieflings which grant Charm Person at 3rd and Entrhall at 5th, which fits but doesn't have flight. Though since Fairy offered Flight + 1st and 2nd level spell it should be fine to take Fairy and change the spells to be enchantment/charm ones.

Thanks for the plot tips! Those are super-helpful!

As for the Harpy, I started planning to just use a Fairy and change the spells, then I glanced at a few home-brew Harpies, and then I was like: "Well, the Aarakocra already has flight, and talons, so it's soooo close, but Gust of Wind (a 2nd-level spell) doesn't feel quite right." And yes, in this world, Harpies are fey.

I'm bouncing back and forth between Detect Thoughts and some kind of enchantment/charm spell.