Building campaign around a map? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Building campaign around a map? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
nytemare3701
06-03-07, 03:37 AM My new OpenRPG game needed a map containing a 2 countries, a capital for both, and at least 1 desert. I found this floating around the net and snagged it immediately. It's perfect.

Now I need a way to smoothly move players across the map without railroading them.

I know they are starting in the capital city.
I know they need to travel to a desert between lvls 5-6

The BBEG is actually a player, and he needs to go to the darklands to start his evil empire by level 10. He already has a preset reason to reach the desert.

Plot driven "evil" nation's capital is bottom left, in Vaduzhan

The area marked Slovia is the "good" capital (campaign starting point)

Darklands are the northern splotch

Any ideas for this case, or building around a map in general?
nytemare3701
06-03-07, 01:41 PM After posting the above, I realized the way I worded it made me sound like I was asking someone to do my job. what I meant to ask was:

Has anyone found a valid method of transportation that involves overland travel AND encounters (i.e. no teleporting)?

I always have a problem with moving around the map.
Araes
06-03-07, 02:31 PM There's always walking.

After that, they could be part of a caravan going somewhere. Those always seem to get ambushed by somebody - especially near deserts.

Depending on the technological level of the world, they could travel by rail, and then you could have trainrobbers or some other style of rail adventure. Tons of ideas for that kind of thing in wild West literature.

Speaking of wild west, they could also travel by stagecoach, which is basically similar, but on a smaller scale.

Depending on the types of encounters you want, perhaps they could fly? They might not be able to make it in one day with flight, and they could get into encounters while resting, or they could be attacked and driven to the ground by large flying predators like rocs.

Finally, if there are rivers that run near the area, they could do something like the Fellowship, and take a cozy boat trip down to where they need to be. Large vessel or small, you could allow different kinds of encounters either way.

That's almost every form of overland travel I can think of without just *pop* being there.
Lindwyrm
06-03-07, 03:06 PM Undead camels. Always a good thing for deserts.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
nytemare3701 06-03-07, 03:37 AM	My new OpenRPG game needed a map containing a 2 countries, a capital for both, and at least 1 desert. I found this floating around the net and snagged it immediately. It's perfect. Now I need a way to smoothly move players across the map without railroading them. I know they are starting in the capital city. I know they need to travel to a desert between lvls 5-6 The BBEG is actually a player, and he needs to go to the darklands to start his evil empire by level 10. He already has a preset reason to reach the desert. Plot driven "evil" nation's capital is bottom left, in Vaduzhan The area marked Slovia is the "good" capital (campaign starting point) Darklands are the northern splotch Any ideas for this case, or building around a map in general?
nytemare3701 06-03-07, 01:41 PM	After posting the above, I realized the way I worded it made me sound like I was asking someone to do my job. what I meant to ask was: Has anyone found a valid method of transportation that involves overland travel AND encounters (i.e. no teleporting)? I always have a problem with moving around the map.
Araes 06-03-07, 02:31 PM	There's always walking. After that, they could be part of a caravan going somewhere. Those always seem to get ambushed by somebody - especially near deserts. Depending on the technological level of the world, they could travel by rail, and then you could have trainrobbers or some other style of rail adventure. Tons of ideas for that kind of thing in wild West literature. Speaking of wild west, they could also travel by stagecoach, which is basically similar, but on a smaller scale. Depending on the types of encounters you want, perhaps they could fly? They might not be able to make it in one day with flight, and they could get into encounters while resting, or they could be attacked and driven to the ground by large flying predators like rocs. Finally, if there are rivers that run near the area, they could do something like the Fellowship, and take a cozy boat trip down to where they need to be. Large vessel or small, you could allow different kinds of encounters either way. That's almost every form of overland travel I can think of without just pop being there.
Lindwyrm 06-03-07, 03:06 PM	Undead camels. Always a good thing for deserts.