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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cyronax" data-source="post: 5407651" data-attributes="member: 822">For my current campaign, I had planned it as a sandbox Points of Light-style world, but the party would be united by a strong overarching theme which gave them direction. The strong theme was that I gave each 1st level player character the option of designing an 11th - 14th paragon tier item -- called a 'regalia item' -- that would be tied to their character somehow. For both characters, their regalia item, and the setting I provided only the following barest guideline:- campaign will be Points of Light and a sandbox. - the age of splendors died in a fiery Ragnarokk three hundred years ago. Only three good gods survive. The other gods sacrificed themselves to save Midgard from the final twilight of the gods.  The surviving caretaker gods are Sehanine (Freyja), Erathis (Frigga), and the Raven Queen (Hel); the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone. The world was loosely Norse-themed, but I told them not to let that stop their creativity.- the PC's regalia items probably come from some long dead hero who died in the earlier age of glory (possibly facing down the forces of Ragnarokk). - their characters didn't know each other. - they wouldn't start the campaign with their regalia items nor would their character know about the regalia, but the regalia items would be a perfect match for them because of fate/destiny.I then required each player to write a one-page background about their PC and then a one-page background about their regalia item.Once I started receiving the two backgrounds from four of my five players (one player was lazy), I took the results and used all of their ideas to start building a sandbox. So far the strong theme has worked really well, and I haven't had much in the way of railroading. I have had several 'events' occur, but those were often based on the response to actions taken by the players. Ironically, a few of my players expressed desires for me to tone down the 'sandbox' and as a DM to provide more direction for their characters. (using powerful NPCs or clear cut paths) The PCs all united together into a formal adventure group because they all realized that their regalia items tied them together through 'destiny.' What was interesting was the the PC's themselves forged the 'destiny' idea. I had intended to not be a Fated DM. Campaign's up to 13th level now, having started in September 2009, and still going strong. This campaign is actually the longest continuous and highest level campaign I've run from beginning level in my life. ::knocks on wood::C.I.D.</blockquote>

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