Plot / story / adventure ideas

[cdsaint]

Well, It's been two weeks since I ordered Grim Tales from BadAxe, so hopefully soon I'll recieve it and get my new campaign off the ground. In the meantime I'm doing what work I can without a ruleset, and was hoping for some advice. Magic will be around, with various tribes having various magical traditions (one might be necromantic, another might deal with outsiders, etc.). Firearms will be available but expensive, basically flintlocks as far as tech level goes. I'm hoping that given some information folks might have plot / story / adventure ideas or advice for a low magic campaign that they would be willing to share on this thread.

The following is what I have written up so far for my player handout.

Transported!

The Emporer William IV Archipelago was first discovered 160 years ago in the stormy South Sea. At first glance, it appears to be a lush tropical paradise inhabited by mainly peaceful if backwards natives. At second glance however, you begin to notice the disease, dangerous wild animals, unfriendly natives (some rumored to be cannibals), and natural disasters. At this point you begin to understand why all attempts at colonization to this point have ended in tragedy. Legends of untold riches just don’t pack in the volunteers when all the previous volunteers are dead or missing.

About two years ago, a new wave of colonization began, one that doesn’t rely on willing volunteers. Emporer Fredrick I sent forth his edict from the Iron throne: empty the prisons, stop all executions, stop all the standard forms of punishment. All criminals are to be transported to the Archipelago named after his great grandfather, where they will become productive members of The Empire, or die trying! Since then the crime rate has plummeted, the population of the islands have expanded, and raw materials of various sorts have begun to trickle back to the empire from the new colony.

Port Helen, a small port city on one of the smallest islands (and a well fortified island) is now the only “free” city in the archipelago, and serves as a waypoint for all goods being shipped to and from the colony. Most of the inhabitants of Port Helen are military and military dependants, and a few transient merchants on their way to or from trading with the colonists. Only free citizens are allowed access to this Island, no natives or “colonist” transportees are allowed. New colonists are dropped off in the ironically named Freeport, the only other city of any size on the islands. Once on the islands the only law is survival of the fittest.

Your characters have either been convicted of some crime (major or petty, real or imagined, it really doesn’t matter) or for some unknown reason have decided to be transported. You cannot be sure what the future holds, but for certain it will be interesting. And dangerous. Possibly fatal.


Thanks, Chris

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

I have a couple of immediate concerns with that write-up.

First, it doesn't really give much background about the larger world. A little something to ground the campaign first would help, even if it's just a couple of lines. "Imagine yourself in 1609..."

Second, as a campaign world, it seems very limited. It seems a very small place (an archipelago) to throw PCs and expect them to find adventure. I'd think they'd surely find some way to get from island to island, even the "off limits" one. (Having just come back from a trip to the Caribbean, you'd be surprised how far folks are willing to go, on the open sea, in just a kayak.)

For certain, you need some kind of "Call To Action." When you get Grim Tales (which should be soon, btw) check out Chapter 14, the GMs section, which gives a few hints on how to set up adventures. The Call to Action is very important, even in a "regular" or more familiar D&D setting. You're going to be introducing players to a new set of rules, and they'll already be a bit unsure and confused, so take them by the hand and give them a very solid shove in the right direction. Put them into the action immediately, if you have to.

Consider the difference between these two approaches:

1) Your PCs start their game, having just been set aground on the beach. They know who they are. They know where they are. They know as soon as they enter the jungle, they'll find adventure.

2) The PCs start their game in the hold of one of the criminal colonization ships. Suddenly, the deck explodes inwards in a shower of splinters and their cell is smashed open...

You still haven't told the players any more than you wanted to tell them in your hand-out, but there's an immediacy to the second approach.

This isn't just a Grim Tales thing, mind you-- anytime you're putting new players in an unfamiliar setting, you're better off getting them right into the action so they don't have to worry about how much they don't know about this new setting, they only have to worry about the matter at hand. If I were going to run Eberron, which despite having the same rules as D&D is a wholly new kind of experience for folks, I'd do the same thing.

Wulf

 

[GlassJaw]

First, it doesn't really give much background about the larger world. A little something to ground the campaign first would help, even if it's just a couple of lines

I've really tried to do this with the campaign I'm working on too. I have a lengthy timeline about the world itself but the players/characters only know an extremely small part about what is really going on.

as a campaign world, it seems very limited. It seems a very small place (an archipelago) to throw PCs and expect them to find adventure

I don't really have as much of a problem with this. It's better to start small IMO. But Wulf is right, there should eventually be a means to expand the adventuring area. But if you are just starting your campaign, focus only on the places the PC's will access to early on.

 

[Runesong42]

Depends on what you want to do

From what I see here, he might be trying to run a "local" campaign, one where all the action takes place in a localized setting; in this case, his archipelago. I like the idea - dump a whole lot of no-goodniks in an empty city, fill with goods, shake liberally. I would totally run this as a prison camp, where tough guys peck out the social order, who becomes the big banana, who gets the most food/supplies/weapons, and so on... very much like Lord of the Flies, but with adults. What I would like to see is the PC's to become motivated into becoming top banana, and then starting their own city-state whcih then breaks off from the "republic" and begins to fend for its own. The campaign could run over several years before this takes place, and the build up is great... *IF* the PC's go this route.

If the PC's would rather just leave, let them. But make sure Mr. Top Banana KNOWS thaty they're leaving, and have them branded (perhaps literally) as traitors to the "throne"... and have the baddies come looking for them later, once they're settled in. Muhaha.

 

[cdsaint]

First, it doesn't really give much background about the larger world. A little something to ground the campaign first would help, even if it's just a couple of lines. "Imagine yourself in 1609..."

True, I definately need to spend a little time on "The Empire". All of the PC's will have been, if not natives of The Empire, at least aquainted long enough to get arrested for something.

Second, as a campaign world, it seems very limited. It seems a very small place (an archipelago) to throw PCs and expect them to find adventure. I'd think they'd surely find some way to get from island to island, even the "off limits" one. (Having just come back from a trip to the Caribbean, you'd be surprised how far folks are willing to go, on the open sea, in just a kayak.)

Actually, I think the archipelago will keep the group busy for quite some time. The "big island" which has yet to be named is about 400 miles by 350 miles, and there are a total of 51 other Islands in the chain. It will be supremely easy for the PC's to aquire a small boat and Island hop to thier hearts content. Archipelago may not be quite the proper description for it, but it just isn't quite up to continent status. I'm not sure if my players are more likely to take over the colony (more like win over, but still end up in charge) Or just get enough experience to go back to the Empire and raise heck, or even go another way entirely, but I will almost certainly get a years worth of play out of the islands either way.

For certain, you need some kind of "Call To Action." When you get Grim Tales (which should be soon, btw) check out Chapter 14, the GMs section, which gives a few hints on how to set up adventures. The Call to Action is very important, even in a "regular" or more familiar D&D setting. You're going to be introducing players to a new set of rules, and they'll already be a bit unsure and confused, so take them by the hand and give them a very solid shove in the right direction. Put them into the action immediately, if you have to.

Putting them into action immediately won't be a problem. I've got a couple of hooks for them to take if they allow themselves to be dropped off in Freeport, and if they jump ship before then (the guards will allow this once they are in the island chain) then nastys will start hunting them pretty quickly. As far as the new game system goes, I'm not at all concerned. Most of us are over 30, and have experience with D&D from the old basic box on to 3.5, D20 Modern, and more RPG's and wargames than I'm willing to list. Plus, I'm trying to get all my ducks in a row by composing a list of feats and talents from all the D20 supplements I have that will be allowed. It's more work than I thought translating the complete books class features and feats into GT feats and talents, and deciding which classes they wil be for, but I need to have the majority of it done before I start the game.

Consider the difference between these two approaches:

1) Your PCs start their game, having just been set aground on the beach. They know who they are. They know where they are. They know as soon as they enter the jungle, they'll find adventure.

2) The PCs start their game in the hold of one of the criminal colonization ships. Suddenly, the deck explodes inwards in a shower of splinters and their cell is smashed open...

You still haven't told the players any more than you wanted to tell them in your hand-out, but there's an immediacy to the second approach.

This isn't just a Grim Tales thing, mind you-- anytime you're putting new players in an unfamiliar setting, you're better off getting them right into the action so they don't have to worry about how much they don't know about this new setting, they only have to worry about the matter at hand. If I were going to run Eberron, which despite having the same rules as D&D is a wholly new kind of experience for folks, I'd do the same thing.

Wulf

Well, the two possibilities I'm anticipating are:

1) They are dropped on the dock in Freeport, immediately thrown in with a lot of beggars, theives, toughs, and other assorted malcontents who would like to strip them naked and take all their stuff. Of course there will also be some potential allies and employers there, but telling the difference between th allies and enemies might get interesting, and of course even the allies are going to want something.

2) They jump ship as soon as they are in sight of land (a few other transportees will do this just to show it can be done) and then deal immediately with wild animals, hostile tribes, and possibly worse.

One of the possible allies/employers is a thin, severe woman in her late 30's whom everyone knows as Lady Hysterium for her well spoken high class ways (she was indeed a Lady before being convicted of poisoning her entire family) and her habit of flying severely off the handle. She was in the first batch of transported individuals, and so is sort of a "founding mother" of Freeport. She owns and runs The Suspended Sentence, a very popular tavern / inn / brothel in town. She is also known for taking any female transportees who request her assistance in, and protecting them, and treating them well (as well as can be expected anyway). She's recently had one of "her girls" kidnapped by a nasty character and needs some help retrieving her.

 

[cdsaint]

From what I see here, he might be trying to run a "local" campaign, one where all the action takes place in a localized setting; in this case, his archipelago. I like the idea - dump a whole lot of no-goodniks in an empty city, fill with goods, shake liberally. I would totally run this as a prison camp, where tough guys peck out the social order, who becomes the big banana, who gets the most food/supplies/weapons, and so on... very much like Lord of the Flies, but with adults. What I would like to see is the PC's to become motivated into becoming top banana, and then starting their own city-state whcih then breaks off from the "republic" and begins to fend for its own. The campaign could run over several years before this takes place, and the build up is great... *IF* the PC's go this route.

If the PC's would rather just leave, let them. But make sure Mr. Top Banana KNOWS thaty they're leaving, and have them branded (perhaps literally) as traitors to the "throne"... and have the baddies come looking for them later, once they're settled in. Muhaha.

Overall, Your idea is pretty much what I expect, but I wouldn't be surprised if they go for revenge against the Empire, or do something else completely. I'm sick to death of "save the world" as a player and GM. I'm trying to leave the general direction of the campaign up to the players. Let the goals of the characters determine the direction of things.

And yes Runesong, it is going to start as a local campaign. I need to work some more on history, at least of the archipelago and the Empire. Just enough to get started with a basic background so that I can make up specifics on the fly.

 

[cdsaint]

Whoo-Hoo!
Finally got my GT book today! It was postmarked Oct 8th, so the delay was due to USPS. Second day air my great Aunt Fanny!

Anyway, time to get busy typing up talents, and loads more stuff.

Chris

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Whoo-Hoo!
Finally got my GT book today!

WHEW!

Sorry bout the delay!

 

[Runesong42]

Off-topic

... I just noticed that BadAxeGames isn't able to deliver their product to Canada. What the hey? We have a free trade agreement, after all...

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

... I just noticed that BadAxeGames isn't able to deliver their product to Canada. What the hey? We have a free trade agreement, after all...

We can deliver to Canada, just not for the automated-system pricing of 4 dollars.

If you are willing to pay shipping costs (and I will ship it by whatever means you want, from priority to slow boat) I will be happy to send you a copy.

That shouldn't be necessary, however, as we do have distributors in Canada. Ask your local game store to order it and you should be fine (and probably get it faster than you would by making me shag myself down to the post office...)

Wulf