Starting a campaign (Sammy dont read :P)

[Jurble]

Hi everyone!

firstly, this includes spoilers for the campaign im planning on running so Sammy or any others who will be playing with me DONT READ FURTHER













Now then!










So im trying to do some prep for the campaign we are going to start and im also trying to make sure i dont start railroading my players. Still i want to try and give them some sort of reason to be adventuring together other than "we were all in a bar at the same time and some guy came up to us...." etc. the DMGII/PHBII talked alot about adventuring groups and i figured it could be the basis for much more interesting player interaction and a closer bonded group.

Anyway heres my idea, im pretty new at this so all comments are more than welcome!

I have a large LG "jedi" type group in my world (High magic Fantasy), who have an army of mindblades (soulknives) who are their main force in the world. They are the Ta'a'lai

The continent the players are starting on is divided up into alot of small kingdoms and city states, many of which are ruled by Sorceror kings/warlords who decided to become rulers (and many of which consumed by greed became evil), and took over after together helping to win a globe spanning war over a thousand years ago. (thew warlords are now hereditary kingdoms mostly and the sorc kings maintain their lives through magic)

The players are probably going to start in one of the few LG kingdoms, (their background's stating how they got there). There is a secret brotherhood of normal adventurers and people who serve as helpers to the Ta'a'lai in whatever way they can. They undermine the LE city states and help the Ta'a'lai whenever they can, in the hope that one day they can free all those areas of the continent which are held in thrralldom by the few powerful and evil warlords/sorc kings.

before the campaign, one particular sorc king somehow finds the hidden stronghold of this group, and raids their guildhouse (possibly using a traitor who could reappear in the game). all are killed but two. Even so, known to the sorc kings men and so his cronies go after them. on the run they both run in different directions to try and save their brotherhood and alert the Ta'a'lai.

One stumbles to a nearby oracle, who sees where this path will lead unless she takes a hand. She enters the dreams of the players (as the start of the game) and so each has a dream convincing them to go to X tavern and wear X sign (an arm band or symbol or something) at a proper time. They also see each other in this dream (there is a dreamworld like Tel'aran'riod from wheel of time in my world). She also sends a dream of hope to the other survivor telling him to also go there. the first is hidden by the oracle, so that when the players come he can initiate them into the brotherhood (if they choose to join). Even though he was but a low ranking member of the order, he is now the guildmaster and takes upon himself the burden of rebuilding it even though he cannot leave hiding, for fear of the sorc kings assassins.

Hunted, the second makes it to the tavern and sees a bunch of strangers wearing the right sign. He grabs them, tells them a tiny bit, hands them something important and tells them to go to city X and begs them to take up the mantle of his brotherhood. Shortly after he is killed (maybe players have to run from the scene) and so they are left in a kinda "huh? what the hell is going on" kinda scenario. ie. "If you would take this upon yourselfs, go to Toron Heights and seek out the Purple Eye. She will help you upon the path to serve the Ta'a'lai."

From here they have a choice, they can head towards that city and after whatever happens in between maybe find out about this brotherhood and become the nucleus for a "new brotherhood" (which will allow them to rebuild the brotherhoods contacts in many cities etc), or just forget about it and leave it in the background as other things happen in the game.

If they do follow this path they will find the oracle who will tell them whats going on, then be directed to the hiding place of the last of the brotherhood, where they can be initiated as a nucleus of the new brotherhood.

Anyway im not really sure how to kick things off so this sounds like a good idea which gives them somewhere to start (go to X place and seek out X) while leaving them room to choose thier own path. At the same time if they dont want to become a CG group who "do good" they can skip out (even if they go to the place, find the oracle and say "bugger this im in it for the gold".

anyway thats my idea for starting off my campaign. I dont think its railroading too much but then again i need a more experienced player/dm to tell me what they think do yu guys think its too much/too little/enough direction to start off the campaign? Im a new DM and i have mostly new players. Im going to make the first few adventures work out of modules to get a feel then start playing around myself

thanks guys cant wait to hear what you think! (any suggestions would be great, btw the DMGII is awesome!)

M

 

[shilsen]

Why not have the PCs start off already knowing each other, preferably as friends and allies? That would give them a lot more of a reason to work with and trust each other than if they had a dream about it and some strange people telling them what they should do.

Personally, I'd get the players do at least some of the work towards creating the links between the characters. Get them to come up with some idea of what character types they'll be playing and then ask them to each come up with a link to at least one other character. Throw in a few suggestions of your own. Take the ideas they have and weave it into your campaign background and you're good to go.

 

[Jurble]

Thats a really good idea. I guess in the pregame having them find ways that their characters are related would be a great way to start off some basic connectsion between them and give them something to build on.

Last time we tried to start this campaign it was really hard because some were playing the "silent type" characters who dont really like to show weakness and so there was very little connection. Of course there were other problems like we didnt really play for mrore than 2 sessions and i accidentally was railroading them way to much (dont you hate hindsight!)

So what do you think about the original idea with the refounding a brotherhood as a campaign hook? I was thinking maybe they still have a dream which draws them to this place because the oracle has "chosen" them as a tool for a greater purpose (if the brotherhood dies, evil groups get stronger, may tip the balance on the continent or something?)

Maybe let them create the connections between themselves and even later on throw in that plot hook to give them an opening into that campaign line. Anyway honestly what are your thoughts, to railroading, to planned out?

thanks again

M

 

[shilsen]

So what do you think about the original idea with the refounding a brotherhood as a campaign hook? I was thinking maybe they still have a dream which draws them to this place because the oracle has "chosen" them as a tool for a greater purpose (if the brotherhood dies, evil groups get stronger, may tip the balance on the continent or something?)

Maybe let them create the connections between themselves and even later on throw in that plot hook to give them an opening into that campaign line.

I think that's perfectly fine as a campaign hook. Depending on the kind of players/PCs you have, they may jump on it the first chance they get. From the description of the hook in your first post, it seems that you want your players to be running good, heroic characters. I think it's a good idea to mention that to the players and discuss it. Unless anyone has any serious reservations about it, having them take that into account when creating their characters is a good idea.

Anyway honestly what are your thoughts, to railroading, to planned out?

Personally, I abhor railroading as a DM and as a player. So I completely avoid it as a DM, by doing a few things. Firstly, I make it very clear to my players that I don't have a pre-planned plot that I want them to follow or direction they need to go. The campaign will be about their PCs, whatever they choose to do and wherever they choose to go. This ensures that players aren't wasting time trying to work out what I want them to do. Secondly, I try to give myself as little opportunity/incentive to railroad as possible in my planning. While I may have broad general ideas for things that will happen in the campaign through the actions of NPCs and the society around the PCs, I only handle the mechanical planning for a session or two ahead of time. This ensures that if the PCs do something completely out of left field or head in a completely new direction, I have no wasted material or plans dangling in mid-air. One time my PCs, who were in the middle of a heavily urban, intrigue-laden, plot-based segment of the campaign, upped and left for another continent to do some old-school wilderness exploration and dungeon crawling. Since I had a bunch of ideas floating around but nothing actually committed to paper, I didn't waste anything.

To make a long ramble short, I'd say that you should plan only the next step or two in detail, and be flexible about letting the PCs go where they want to. Don't constrain their actions, but let their choices have repercussions, so they know that they matter.

I'd also say that the more practice you get at winging it, the better, but that's something which some DMs are just better at or prefer/dislike more than others.

thanks again

Glad to help.

 

[Jurble]

awesome advice definately wanted to go in a similar direction so i definately like the ideas you put out there.

Something so simple as "i dont have a focus that i want you guys to follow so do your own thing" is something i hadnt really thought about much, and a really great suggestion.

As far as the group, its not that i want the group to be a heroic good group, it just seemed like a really good way of getting the characters in a good group dynamic and a way to give them some interesting interactions with the world.

Anyway ill see what they think, ill definately keep this campaign idea in mind but at the same time i dont want it to rule them or like you said, push me into railroading them at all. Id rather they chose where to go and then i can throw interesting stuff in front of them

Definately something i need to learn and get better at, my few attempts have been kinda lacking but ive learnt from them (i hope!)

Thanks again, going to keep surfing those great threads out there on DMing and hopefulyl become better at it myself

M

 

[wmasters]

On the railroading note:

As a DM, I like to have things a little planned out, without trying to force the PCs down a particular path. The danger with not railroading at all, I find, is not giving the PCs enough direction. If they've got something they want to do, then that's fine, but if they don't then there's a degree of railroading to steer them towards the adventure.

Personally, I tend to go with an approach where there's different people, for example, recruiting them to the same adventure, with different motivations and ramifications. The PCs can only do 1 (say returning the ancient artifact to one of them, for example), so they need to make that choice.

So, for your example, they've got option 1 - go and seek out the brotherhood and helpout rebuild the Brotherhood II.

Or maybe they've got the alternative... the "bad guys" don't know where to find the oracle. They try to enlist the PCs help to find and kill the oracle, and put an end to any thoughts of the New Brotherhood. Of course, the PCs will be well rewarded etc...

This means that any prep that you've done isn't wasted - the PCs can be on the same adventure, but will affect them, and the world around them, very differently.

 

[shilsen]

On the railroading note:

As a DM, I like to have things a little planned out, without trying to force the PCs down a particular path. The danger with not railroading at all, I find, is not giving the PCs enough direction. If they've got something they want to do, then that's fine, but if they don't then there's a degree of railroading to steer them towards the adventure.

That's a good point. It also depends a lot on the given group, with some being much more proactive and able to choose a path for themselves than others. One way that I provide direction without rarilroading is by regularly throwing out a half dozen or more adventure options every once in a while. The PCs are free to pick any, more than one, or none of the options, and what they choose will affect the direction of the campaign. I also make sure to mention things going on in the world around the PCs. They can choose to pick up on some of these events and turn them into adventures, and some of the events will affect later plot options. Naturally, many of the options and choices tie into events from their character backgrounds and past adventures, and tie into ongoing threads and plots. The above approach means the PCs are never completely lacking in options, but are always free to choose the direction they will go.

 

[Jurble]

Wow more great suggestions!

Thats a really good point!

So maybe im thinking this. Instead of working out a possible plot line, ill work more on the "current state" of things which the PCs will begin in. They start in the starting town and X is going on, then as they walk around the city, check out messageboards outside taverns, listen to town criers etc they get an idea of what is going on. Like you suggested maybe have a few different sides of this whole brotherhood idea be offered (ie, badguys looking for mercs to hunt them down, a brotherhood guy's secret plea for help, an informant/sypathiser needing someone to find out what happened to his contact etc etc.) Ill figure out a bunch of possible hooks to different situations going on in the area and then once they've looked around abit, let thme take whatever path sounds their fancy.

Its a good point because knowing my group of friends, i dont want to railroad them but at the same time, if they have no direction they will probably end up ransacking an inn or something for the fun of it. I have to brush up on the town guards i think

Damn hooligans! My barkeeps will have to be responsible, cutting off those who decide to drop a few too many dwarven stouts down their throats tnx guys!

M