Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Rattleshirt 01-26-07, 09:49 PM	Ho' All! Well, I haven't picked up Complete Scoundrel yet, but I'll be getting it within the week. Back in 1st edition, in the 80s, the best game I ever played in was a "neutral thief" game where the PCs (including myself) were a band of theives who went about raiding a lord's castle during a harvest festival of somesort. The DM did his homework, we spent the week at the festival, pickpocketing, gathering information, casing the outer parts of the castle... then the last day, during the "great feast" or whatever we went for the castle... in any case, we ended up burning part of the castle down, getting out with a ****load of gold (although the DM later revealed we missed the main treasure room), put an arrow into the lord's son, and fled into the woods, being hunted... which lead to the next adventure. Classic game that I remember fondly to this day. Ok, long intro... but I'm going to try and recreate a "thieves" campaign to my current players. My initial thoughts are to start it in a large mercantile city... the opportunities would be endless. I've already got Cityscape to guide the setting portion... I was also a HUGE fan of the old Thief line of PC games for inspiration. I suppose that's nothing new. But anyway, I was wondering if anyone else ever experienced a game of this sort, and if any had any thoughts/advice/whatever? Thanks! Rattleshirt
Roscoe_Greenbottle 01-26-07, 09:51 PM	that sounds awsome! I love rogues so much. wish I could play.
Rattleshirt 01-26-07, 10:06 PM	Hey Roscoe, Yeah, having played DnD for years, that was the best campaign I was ever involved in. Mind you, the party wasn't supposed to be evil (although some were), we were simply a group of thieves, rogues and bandits out for a big score. Funny, to this day, I love heist movies like that... Oceans 11, 12, The Italian Job, etc etc etc... Anyway, sorry you can't play in mine... suggest it to your group? Just a thought. I'm hoping to set up a whole city with competing guilds, intrigue, mercantile guilds, of course magic guilds although it will be low magic... etc etc. Anyway, I digress. But seriously, suggest it to your gaming group. Give it a try! Rattleshirt
taradusis 01-26-07, 10:22 PM	1)YUAN-TI could be yakusa and tong type criminals and could control drugs and white slavery.Get mongoose publishing's slayers guide to yuanti for notes on how to run a yuanti nest,serpent kingdom is a good resource as well.2)Mafia racketeers-animal fights,book making ,loansharking ,protection,I once ran a game where the players had to take control of an areas "rackets"3)Spies-trying to spot enemy spies or carry out a mission,like a fantasy version of alias?4)-RACIAL-a minor race like the gnomes wants the players to extend their "influence"in the city,sort of like spies/diplomats/merchants.RANDOM THOUGHTS
Rattleshirt 01-27-07, 09:57 PM	Taradusis, I LOVE the Yuan-Ti idea... it seems perfect. They'll definitely be in the evil underworld role! Keep em coming! Rattleshirt
taradusis 01-27-07, 10:42 PM	Yuan-ti are always up to something,a yuan-ti or vrael olo always has some sort of scheme.Medical procedures like yuan-ti grafts,transformation via wereserpent or "tainted one"virus are offered by yuan-ti.The yuan-ti also control a wide variety of poisons and drugs.In some worlds the yuan-ti are masters of psionic abilities,which they offer to teach,in exchange for loyalty,sort of like a dark lord of the sith scenario.Yuan-ti tend to see humans the way demons do,we're stupid,foolish and lack strength of character(yuan-ti have better int,wis and cha than humans).A yuan-ti in a community of 4000 humans feels as if he's better than everyone in town(he's right 99% of the time)?A yuan-ti tends to own few possesions but insists on masterwork or high quality items.A yuan-ti who is deep undercover will often have a "slave"who thinks of themselves as lover or spouse,this person will be picked for a sort of quiet competence.Preferred skills in the "spouse"include preparing raw foods like sushi or steak tarter,ability to play chess or go,musical ability with flute,ability to read and write more than one language.HAPPY HUNTING.
taradusis 01-31-07, 10:35 PM	SMUGGLING-The party is offered a reward to smuggle small packages into the city.PIT FIGHTS-the players have chance to be in illeagle/un-taxed pit fights.BOOKMAKING-party is given a "book"a list of people who owe small sums of money to the mob,does the party "skim",can the party use intimidate to prevent non-payment?HOLDING-the party is asked to hold some hot merchandise,perhaps a scroll with a high level spell on it?RAID-party is asked/hired to wipe out a small group of independants.RANDOM THOUGHTS
Gr8tyrant 02-01-07, 02:11 PM	My group runs what we call the Dark Project (shamelessly stolen from Theif the videogame). We play d&d maybe every week, but 1 a month we try and play the Dark Project. This is where we are various “sneaky” classes some are CN, some are NE and some are N. The group currently has 1 fighter/rogue/assassin (me), 1 warlock/rogue, 1 scout, and a ninja/dragonshamen or something. We get a lot out of different factions in the city. The city we are in has probably three major thief’s guilds, a beggar’s guild, an assassin’s guild, multiple knight’s orders and tons of temples. The interaction with all these different factions is what makes it fun. We have to be careful who we steal from. Different major political and military players ally themselves with different factions, so we have to be really careful. It is also pretty free form where we are able to chose our hits and do what we want to do. We started this game by beign accidently alligned with a faction (Before knowing the political structure of the city) and spending the next three sessions in hide outs and trying to make things right so we could go out into public.
Undercover 02-02-07, 01:25 AM	Rattleshirt Hmm, you want some crow bones, eh? Good luck.
taradusis 02-02-07, 08:55 AM	LA SHIV-LA SHIV started out as a mutual aid society for women.Some of the original women had abusive husbands.A couple of the women got together and murdered a man who had beat his wife(a LA SHIV member)to death.The women all covered for each other and got away with murder.The women began picking one man a year to get rid of,eventually assassinating people for advancement of themselves.Since then LA SHIV has evolved into a sort of social club,in public anyway.They all maintain masterwork light crossbows and exscuse it by having the LA SHIV shooters club hold public archery contests.They own masterwork rapiers and maintain a facade of the LA SHIV fencing club.Not every woman in the LA SHIV group is evil,but the core group is.LA SHIV occasionally invests in things and might hire an adventurer or two.If you think of this as the country club from hell it could make a good villainous organization?
taradusis 02-09-07, 09:17 PM	MINDFLAYER INQUISITION A group of mind flayers has established a base in town,they've created a new type of gith that can blend in to society.They are looking to kidnap psionic people for their breeding program and may take a unique pc race as well?Their also pursuing knowledge of rods,this could lead to conflict with the party or as a tie-in to a rod of seven parts adventure?RANDOM THOUGHTS.
Rattleshirt 02-11-07, 09:57 PM	Taradusis, I love that you're still coming up with ideas... I'm picking and choosing. La Shiv is a neat idea. Where did that come from, I wonder? Gr8tyrant, the Thief Dark Project is one of my all time favorite games. I'm definitely going to be setting up various factions in this great city. All the adventures/capers won't be in the urban setting, as some will be out as well. The faction stuff sounds the same... I've got 3 thieves guilds plus independent contractors. At least two groups of mercenaries, plus the elite city guard (known as the Castellans, but more like samurai than anything else)... There are also a group known as Scryepsions... they're effectively shadowminds ... investigators and interogators for the Crown Prince who is a lecherous dolt that runs the city. The scryepsions do have some psionic attack ability as well. As for the Crown Prince, he'd like to overthrow his father's empire, but spends too much time scheming than actually building an army to that end. Also, there are the Materiasts.. actually an alchemical guild. Sort of a wizards guild, as actual use of magic is outlawed and believed to be evil or some sort. So, the Materiasts are more into the material plane and using different chemicals to create spell effects. Ok, enough for now... oh, Undercover... good catch. I actually took Rattleshirt from a character in George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series. Good read, that, if you haven't. Rattleshirt
taradusis 02-11-07, 10:26 PM	LA SHIV-came from a conversation I had with my Ex girlfriend about how none of my BBEG's was ever a female.I also happened to read STEPFORD WIVES and a murder mystery set in a country club that was being controlled by a cabal of women.THE VELVET SCORPIAN-There's a type of scorpian that has a hallucianagenic venom.Suppose you created a drug culture where people paid to stick their arms into a bowl and provoke a velvet scorpian into giving them an injection?These "velvet trippers"could arouse the ire of bar owners and self-righteous paladins?SHANGHAI SURPRISE-How about a bar designed to be a white slavery operation like the ones that used to "shanghai"sailors for ships?If the players get slipped a"mickey-finn"and wake up barefoot in a cell with broken glass surrounding it,how do they handle this and other real world methods of handling kidnap victims?RANDOM THOUGHTS
taradusis 02-13-07, 01:43 AM	THE GNOME ZIONIST CONSPIRACY- The gnomes are great pranksters and illusionists,suppose their biggest trick is convincing everybody that their a good race when they're actually neutral or evil?In this world you would have the gnomes controlling banking and the Gem trade.Do the gnomes make beleivable bad guys,just ask any DM who's had to put up with one too many C/N gnome bards?You could have gnomes setting up Coin Mints for various countries,creating national banks,setting currency exchange rates,bankrolling some countries while bankrupting others,all the things that ZIONISTS get accused of in our world.The faction of gnomes in any town would be tough to deal with because of all the illusionists and rogues,many of whom become SPYMASTERS.A gnomish fortified building with 4 ft tall ceilings would be tough to fight in as well?RANDOM THOUGHTS.
Stickboy2323 02-13-07, 08:26 PM	I once played in a rogue campaign (every character had at least a few levels in rogue) that was basically a Gangs of New York, Boondock Saints, The Godfather, GTA: San Andreas kind of thing. We started off small time, working jobs for the heavy hitters but slowly and surely consolidated power, built reps and eventually took control of all the rackets in the city. It's fun building your very own Guild from the ground up.
taradusis 02-14-07, 04:06 PM	THE ILLIUMINATI-The illiuminated order of bavarian seers was a real world conspiracy that specialised in penetrating secret orders like the MASONIC lodges and guiding them to "good" ends.If you have multiple factions then a group that wants to penetrare them all is a possibility.The illiuminati PBM game was a lot of fun,and the illiuminati trilogy is still sold at AMAZON and is popular on college campuses.RANDOM THOUGHTS
taradusis 02-15-07, 04:28 PM	THUGS-R-US-Many towns have a hiring hall for temporary "muscle"these people act as guides,bodyguards,lantern-bearers...etc.Since these people hang around petty merchants who are only in the city for a shortwhile they feel no loyalty to their employers and get to overhear their business.This is a good place to pick up rumors and recruit some 'muscle'.
taradusis 02-25-07, 01:02 PM	DIVINERS GUILD-While unable to function openly these wizards are able to work undercover for gangleaders by acting as oracles and seers,perhaps predicting the outcome of races and advising on criminal operations?THE NAUTILOID CONSPIRACY-This group wants to create and control superior naval technologies.things like piercing rams,corrosion-proof metals,diving suits,submarines,surf boards,aquaculture oyster beds and so forth?RANDOM THOUGHTS
Cazgal 02-25-07, 04:09 PM	Hi all There are some really great ideas here - currently looking to start a brand new campaign myself and may go down the thieves/rouges route if the PCs are up for it. Is there any written campaigns that would support this - or do you think it would be best to actually create my own ...... Thx
taradusis 03-02-07, 01:27 PM	CHERRY BOMBE` Cherry Bombe is a former amazon who now leads a small all girl mafia.Cherry Bombe loves things like chery pie,cherry lipstick,cherry bubblegum and etc.Cherry's hook is that she throws small exsplosive cherries.I tend to play this girl for comedic releif.
HomebrewedMonster 03-03-07, 02:48 PM	I would also look into Dragonmarked and Sharn, these books have a lot of information on how guilds (replace dragonmarked or even just put them in your campaign. (hell play in ebberon)) operate. Sharn also does a good job on giving you of feeling of how different quarters react to each other. Sharn in my opinion is the "new" Waterdeep. I rather like the refreshing take on a huge trade city other than, its full of powerful retired adventurers.
taradusis 03-04-07, 08:44 PM	You could have a lot of fun just having the players create or take over a political party.Missions to complete:Set up charities/control unions/stage marches/ruin reputations/rig elections/enlist famous supporters/recruit gladiators or ********ers for muscle/enlist rich patrons/beautify a nieghborhood/bring a villain to justice/free an innocent man/heal the sick/feed the hungry/clothe the naked/comfort the dying.RANDOM THOUGHTS
taradusis 10-19-07, 10:51 PM	THE FIRM-suppose every lawyer in town belonged to a guild and was also a rogue?This thieves guild would specialise in legal skullduggery and representing crooks?Based on the tom cruise movie.Suppose these crooked lawyers also ran for office and became judges?Within 20 years they could become quite powerful.RANDOM THOUGHTS