Terrific post by Gabe from Penny Arcade
- Thread starter awesomeocalypse
- Start date
Wik
First Post
I had this idea a while ago. Except, the basic idea was to have the general world fleshed out, and to use the various D&D rules to represent the different "ages" of the campaign world. The PCs would play a few sessions in each system - with each system representing it's own period of time. The sessions would connect to form a narrative arc (one involving a dragon - natch), with the final PCs (the 4e guys) being descendants of those previous heroes, or otherwise connected. Magic items would be connected to those previous heroes, for sure.
The OD&D was going to be this time of tiny city-states and high lethality, where humans were just beginning to emerge as the dominant race.
BECMI was an age of exploration and heroes, in a Greek sort of way, with the non-human races beginning to retreat into isolation.
1e was a time of collapse, as the empire that had emerged in the last era was beginning to crumble, and humanity became more isolationist.
2e was a time where a new empire was beginning, and the various non-human races were beginning to reestablish themselves.
3e was an age where that second great empire had become decadent and spread out over the world, with many previously unseen races walking the streets of even provincial capitals.
4e, of course, was after this second empire had fallen, and new threats poured out of a ruin-covered countryside.
The OD&D was going to be this time of tiny city-states and high lethality, where humans were just beginning to emerge as the dominant race.
BECMI was an age of exploration and heroes, in a Greek sort of way, with the non-human races beginning to retreat into isolation.
1e was a time of collapse, as the empire that had emerged in the last era was beginning to crumble, and humanity became more isolationist.
2e was a time where a new empire was beginning, and the various non-human races were beginning to reestablish themselves.
3e was an age where that second great empire had become decadent and spread out over the world, with many previously unseen races walking the streets of even provincial capitals.
4e, of course, was after this second empire had fallen, and new threats poured out of a ruin-covered countryside.
jdrakeh
Front Range Warlock
Awesome! I'm not the only one!
I've long wanted to run something akin to the Volsungasaga using different editions of D&D to represent different generations of heroes. At one time, the plan was to run a prequel to the Tomb of Horrors using OD&D, the original Tomb of Horrors using AD&D, and then Return to the Tomb of Horrors using D&D 3.5, with different generations of a certain heroic family fated to battle the evil Acererak in his different incarnations. I never got to run it (and currently don't have most of the material that I would need to run it), but the dream has not yet died.
evileeyore
Mrrrph
As well his players are accostomed to his style (which is to do something "outrageous" every session or so) and they trust him to keep it fun.
Like wise he knows what works with his crew and is flexible.
airwalkrr
Adventurer
One idea that I have always wanted to try is running T1-T4 The Temple of Elemental Evil simultaneously alongside Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil. The way the campaign would function is to use AD&D 1e rules for T1-T4 and use 3e rules (probably 3.5) for Return. I would run 3-6 sessions of Temple of Elemental Evil followed by 3-6 sessions of Return so that the PCs could experience some of the links between to the two adventures as they go.
TarionzCousin
Second Most Angelic Devil Ever
Perhaps Gabe could also get away with the old First Session "You are all naked and in prison, with all of your gear somewhere else" trick too, but I would advise against it. 
I've done this too. Back when I started fleshing out my very own homebrew, it was 1990, and the D&D players in my area were in a schism about editions. In order to accommodate both editions, I decided to do two separate continuities to represent different editions.
My 1E game took place in 1165 Tekkan Calendar, and my 2E game took place in 1285 Tekkan Calendar. I continued this idea, having the 3E campaign start in 1305 Tekkan Calendar. It's alive and well in 4E, with my 4E campaigns beginning in 1420 Tekkan Calendar.
Such large blocks of time allow enough of a gap for characters to develop, retire, sire children and found kingdoms and dynasties, and otherwise inspire the next generation of heroes. I really dig how I'm able to drop references to previous campaigns--they happened long enough ago that the current party can't call on them for aid, but recently enough that legends and songs of their deeds are well-known.
As long as it was a once off session, I can't see anyone objecting to it overly much. You'd have to be a bit 'precious' to be so against it, you'd storm off or complain bitterly about something like this, even if it was a genuine bait and switch.
Now if it was a permanent change that was never discussed with the rest of the group, then I could see justification for being upset. But as a once-off, I think this is a great way to change up the pace and throw the players a curve ball and would make for a fun session.
Now if it was a permanent change that was never discussed with the rest of the group, then I could see justification for being upset. But as a once-off, I think this is a great way to change up the pace and throw the players a curve ball and would make for a fun session.
Lanefan
Victoria Rules
So they'd roll up different characters for each age/game type, or would the same set of PCs time-travel from age to age?
And how much adventuring would they do in each age/system? Just a one-off adventure, or enough to gain a few levels, or ... ? I ask because I'm wondering how much character continuity there'd be for the players if they're generating a whole new one that frequently..particularly if they happened to really like the character they'd generated in one of the systems.
If it was the same set of PCs time-travelling forward through the ages and getting re-skinned to suit each edition, that could really rock. (though it'd be a lot of work...)
Lan-"or the 3e guys could meet the undead remains of the 1e guys"-efan
