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Message: <blockquote data-quote="On Puget Sound" data-source="post: 5552958" data-attributes="member: 68988">Lately I've been thinking about the virtues of shorter, more focused campaigns.  The basic assumption of the standard D&D campaign (some other systems may be more narrowly focused) is that 4 to 6 fairly low-powered adventurers of completely unrelated species, class, ethics and goals somehow find themselves pitted against a common foe.  They grow to trust each other and spend the next several years fighting together, increasing in power as their foes progress from kobold bandits to werewolves to demons to the Eater of Worlds.  This structure makes it difficult for a GM to provide an overarching goal or theme that will mean as much at level 30 as it does at level 1.  If each character has her own personal goal, then they either all have to find it at the same time, or the first one who does must decide "oh, what the heck, I didn't really want to rule that kingdom anyway, I'd rather hang around with you guys".I'm thinking of trying a series of small campaigns, set at different levels and with defined ending points.  Each one would have its own set of characters, and they might affect each other or be related.  Characters could be narrowly focused on a theme, geography or culture because they would never have to leave it behind.For example:Story 1:  The Last Days of CragholmStarting level: 4th  Characters: must be dwarves.A dwarven hold that has been in decline for decades is facing its biggest challenges.  The ore has run out, enemies are encroaching, and a strange curse or disease is killing newborn dwarves.  Ends when the hold falls, successfully relocates, or regains strength.  Probably by level 7.  A successful conclusion grants dwarven allies in Story 4.Story 2: Three Levels Before the MastStarting level: 1st  Characters: must have a background or theme compatible with shipboard life.The players begin as rowing slaves on a merchant galley.  A storm or pirate attack gives them the opportunity to mutiny and take the ship.  From there, it's a nautical sandbox with plot hooks featuring smuggling, piracy, mysterious islands, trading and exploration.  Depending on story 1, relocating a few dozen dwarves from a lost hold might be one adventure.  At around level 4, they are hired to transport a team of spies to the coast of an evil kingdom run by a vampire.  When they arrive and successfully offload those spies, Story 3 begins.Story 3:  Behind Enemy LinesStarting level: 11th Characters: are a team of undercover agents  who have been working together for a while.  Must therefore have the ability to blend in (no minotaurs) and get along (no secretly evil or serious incompatibilities).The players must infiltrate an evil and highly stratified society to track down rumors of an impending invasion.  There is, of course, a secret magical weapon or spell or something that must be broken or stolen.Story 4:  Knee Deep in the (un)DeadStarting level: 12-13  Characters: same group as story 3The vampire's army invades!  Depending on story 3, the invasion may be overwhelming or merely bad.and so on...has anyone tried this before, telling a story from several points of view and shifting PCs to play out the details at various levels?</blockquote>

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