Starting a new campaing, seeking advice [Archive] - Wizards Community

Starting a new campaing, seeking advice [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
heffroncm
09-08-07, 03:12 AM This was originally posted on "What's a DM to do?", but I realzied it is more appropriate here.

I'm starting a new campaign this Sunday, and wanted to touch base here to get some suggestions first. The basic premise is that the player characters will be responsible for establishing and developing a township in otherwise wild lands.

Everyone will be starting at level 2. For various reasons, they were all involved in defeating a group of bandits in the area. Everyone was very happy, except the local Baron. The bandit leader was the Baron's brother, and possessed letters that, while not incriminating, were certainly embarrasing for the Baron.

As luck would have it, the King recently demanded of all his vassals expansion of his lands. The only unclaimed territory that was readily available to the Baron was through a very nasty mountain pass. As his base of power is in a Small City of 9,254, the Baron had no access to the sort of magic which would make establishing this township easy.

Now, this Baron has a number of people chafing under his rule. He has gathered and readied an expedition of the most vocal dissenters, of those who have caused him embarrasment, those who know too much, and those who balked at what he demanded. All told, there are 250 Commoners, 40 Experts, 40 Warriors, and 20 Aristocrats in this group. At the last minute, as a 'reward' for their bravery in defeating the bandits, he assigns the PC's joint lordship of valley and the vassalage of the group he is sending over.

That's the basics of the game. I've already talked this much out with the players, they are incredibly interested in playing it out. My problems lie in two places: Where to start, and what to do?

I had originally planned on letting the PC's start in the valley with their vassals, to break in from that point, with no real explanation of how they originally got there. It would just be assumed that the Baron had the more powerful residents of the city escort them through the pass. As he has no real desire to see this expedition be successful, the Baron would never leave his most competent soldiers and servants with the party.

However, I already have the player's talking about how they are going to get through the mountain pass. I almost feel it would be a disapointment for them at this point to gloss over the difficulties of the trip. My main issue is I'm not sure how to go about setting up this mountain pass in such a way that the NPC resources of a Small City (Average 2 each of 7-11) would not be able to easily set up a town on the other side, while still having it set up so that a party of four 2nd-level characters along with a small army of NPC's could survive the trip.

As for what to do, the initial aspects play out themselves. I can only assume that it will take a bit to get things organized and moving towards a town. From there, I was not sure what to do. My options, in my head, were either Monstrous Humanoids or Wild Animals. Both seemed almost too cliche. Encroaching on the territory of a goblin tribe, or disturbing the hunting grounds of a bunch of Worgs, are the easiest answers. Other potentials include an ancient, half-senile Druid causing trouble because of the new town "despoiling the land," or possibly an evil wizard or cult that is using the valley as a staging area for their research.

Any suggestions, advice, criticism, and comments are welcome.
roir1k
09-08-07, 10:58 AM Work on plot lines protecting the town and its resources-- if they're in the wilds, then sure, you'll have a few arcs that are going to revolve around eliminating the monsters that are going be in that area. 9000+ people is a pretty established town, though... That's nearly 200 families, which is going to need a lot of farmland, which means a lot of clearing.

There's going to be interactions with Faeries, Druids, monsters who don't want all that land cleared. What kinds of negotiations will they have?

Do they need to build a wall around the town? What about adventures to acquire craftsmen to assist in those tasks? Dwarven stone cutters-- and then arranging laborers for quarrying-- is there even a good quarry nearby, or will they just build a stockade?

Has this area always been empty? Are there no indigenous people? If so, they might have had burial areas... this kind of civilizing might stir up some undead who don't like their gravesite made into a corn field.

What about politics within the town? Is it a council of elders who report to a sherriff who reports to the Baron? What official role to the PCs have, and how will they enforce it? Who prioritizes what projects need to be completed? Will the characters be in the middle of a tug-of-war over who's field or craftworkshop is completed first?

Those are big things to remember for this sort of game:

Infrastructure
Defense
Supply
Experts
Outside Enemies
Internal Politics

Depending on the detail you want to explore, all that can keep you busy for months.
heffroncm
09-08-07, 11:08 AM Thanks for the reply. I should have specified, they are going to be mostly cut off from the main city of 9,000, with less than 400 total at first to start this pioneer city. I think you've given enough to go on to keep the player's busy for quite some time though.
roir1k
09-09-07, 02:50 PM at about 400 people, all the points I suggested even become more amplified, as they start in the wilderness with no infrastructure and a need to be ready to go with the winter. You might want to check out histories on Jamestown and Roanoak(?) Island, some of the first colonies for good ideas. This has a very similiar feel to it-- the financial focus, the need to be profitable, the need to survive, establish themselves. Should be a very fun game-- you will probably want to speed the passage of time in many places, pausing to drop into a sort of campaign speed and the passage of weeks, that kind of thing.
taradusis
09-10-07, 08:25 PM Many colonies had a religous basis,how much help/hindrance is the church going to be?
mattymorgs
09-12-07, 02:53 AM This is also going to spur creativity and out-of-the-boxism on both you and your party's parts. Any colony will have a similar base to its origins but slowly drift away. Linguistically, technologically, culturally, etc.

What if the colonists find a plant that can be used to treat wounds that is only available in their area? The colony may not have need for trained doctors or a large hospital any more, freeing up manpower, land, and resources to work on things like defense and exploration (after all, they can simply eat a berry after a fight and not worry).

Alternately, perhaps the military/expeditionary forces have to take a back seat to the church and other sources of spiritual and physical healing because the lands are particularly rife with anything from a previously unknown but sever allergen or germ, or that since life is so tough here everyone wants to stick together in the walls and need a common ground just to get by.

The mood of your campaign will be to challenge preconceptions (maybe gnolls are peaceful people on this side of the mountain?) and be vigilent about your new surroundings. You have a great opportunity to enthrall and surprise your players by putting them in such a spot. Good luck with it, I'd love to hear more how it is doing as you play it! :cookie:

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
heffroncm 09-08-07, 03:12 AM	This was originally posted on "What's a DM to do?", but I realzied it is more appropriate here. I'm starting a new campaign this Sunday, and wanted to touch base here to get some suggestions first. The basic premise is that the player characters will be responsible for establishing and developing a township in otherwise wild lands. Everyone will be starting at level 2. For various reasons, they were all involved in defeating a group of bandits in the area. Everyone was very happy, except the local Baron. The bandit leader was the Baron's brother, and possessed letters that, while not incriminating, were certainly embarrasing for the Baron. As luck would have it, the King recently demanded of all his vassals expansion of his lands. The only unclaimed territory that was readily available to the Baron was through a very nasty mountain pass. As his base of power is in a Small City of 9,254, the Baron had no access to the sort of magic which would make establishing this township easy. Now, this Baron has a number of people chafing under his rule. He has gathered and readied an expedition of the most vocal dissenters, of those who have caused him embarrasment, those who know too much, and those who balked at what he demanded. All told, there are 250 Commoners, 40 Experts, 40 Warriors, and 20 Aristocrats in this group. At the last minute, as a 'reward' for their bravery in defeating the bandits, he assigns the PC's joint lordship of valley and the vassalage of the group he is sending over. That's the basics of the game. I've already talked this much out with the players, they are incredibly interested in playing it out. My problems lie in two places: Where to start, and what to do? I had originally planned on letting the PC's start in the valley with their vassals, to break in from that point, with no real explanation of how they originally got there. It would just be assumed that the Baron had the more powerful residents of the city escort them through the pass. As he has no real desire to see this expedition be successful, the Baron would never leave his most competent soldiers and servants with the party. However, I already have the player's talking about how they are going to get through the mountain pass. I almost feel it would be a disapointment for them at this point to gloss over the difficulties of the trip. My main issue is I'm not sure how to go about setting up this mountain pass in such a way that the NPC resources of a Small City (Average 2 each of 7-11) would not be able to easily set up a town on the other side, while still having it set up so that a party of four 2nd-level characters along with a small army of NPC's could survive the trip. As for what to do, the initial aspects play out themselves. I can only assume that it will take a bit to get things organized and moving towards a town. From there, I was not sure what to do. My options, in my head, were either Monstrous Humanoids or Wild Animals. Both seemed almost too cliche. Encroaching on the territory of a goblin tribe, or disturbing the hunting grounds of a bunch of Worgs, are the easiest answers. Other potentials include an ancient, half-senile Druid causing trouble because of the new town "despoiling the land," or possibly an evil wizard or cult that is using the valley as a staging area for their research. Any suggestions, advice, criticism, and comments are welcome.
roir1k 09-08-07, 10:58 AM	Work on plot lines protecting the town and its resources-- if they're in the wilds, then sure, you'll have a few arcs that are going to revolve around eliminating the monsters that are going be in that area. 9000+ people is a pretty established town, though... That's nearly 200 families, which is going to need a lot of farmland, which means a lot of clearing. There's going to be interactions with Faeries, Druids, monsters who don't want all that land cleared. What kinds of negotiations will they have? Do they need to build a wall around the town? What about adventures to acquire craftsmen to assist in those tasks? Dwarven stone cutters-- and then arranging laborers for quarrying-- is there even a good quarry nearby, or will they just build a stockade? Has this area always been empty? Are there no indigenous people? If so, they might have had burial areas... this kind of civilizing might stir up some undead who don't like their gravesite made into a corn field. What about politics within the town? Is it a council of elders who report to a sherriff who reports to the Baron? What official role to the PCs have, and how will they enforce it? Who prioritizes what projects need to be completed? Will the characters be in the middle of a tug-of-war over who's field or craftworkshop is completed first? Those are big things to remember for this sort of game: Infrastructure Defense Supply Experts Outside Enemies Internal Politics Depending on the detail you want to explore, all that can keep you busy for months.
heffroncm 09-08-07, 11:08 AM	Thanks for the reply. I should have specified, they are going to be mostly cut off from the main city of 9,000, with less than 400 total at first to start this pioneer city. I think you've given enough to go on to keep the player's busy for quite some time though.
roir1k 09-09-07, 02:50 PM	at about 400 people, all the points I suggested even become more amplified, as they start in the wilderness with no infrastructure and a need to be ready to go with the winter. You might want to check out histories on Jamestown and Roanoak(?) Island, some of the first colonies for good ideas. This has a very similiar feel to it-- the financial focus, the need to be profitable, the need to survive, establish themselves. Should be a very fun game-- you will probably want to speed the passage of time in many places, pausing to drop into a sort of campaign speed and the passage of weeks, that kind of thing.
taradusis 09-10-07, 08:25 PM	Many colonies had a religous basis,how much help/hindrance is the church going to be?
mattymorgs 09-12-07, 02:53 AM	This is also going to spur creativity and out-of-the-boxism on both you and your party's parts. Any colony will have a similar base to its origins but slowly drift away. Linguistically, technologically, culturally, etc. What if the colonists find a plant that can be used to treat wounds that is only available in their area? The colony may not have need for trained doctors or a large hospital any more, freeing up manpower, land, and resources to work on things like defense and exploration (after all, they can simply eat a berry after a fight and not worry). Alternately, perhaps the military/expeditionary forces have to take a back seat to the church and other sources of spiritual and physical healing because the lands are particularly rife with anything from a previously unknown but sever allergen or germ, or that since life is so tough here everyone wants to stick together in the walls and need a common ground just to get by. The mood of your campaign will be to challenge preconceptions (maybe gnolls are peaceful people on this side of the mountain?) and be vigilent about your new surroundings. You have a great opportunity to enthrall and surprise your players by putting them in such a spot. Good luck with it, I'd love to hear more how it is doing as you play it! :cookie: