Party Development (Finding the glue that binds them together) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Party Development (Finding the glue that binds them together) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Levism84
08-18-05, 03:05 AM I am going to be starting a city campaign with some friends of mine, and will be acting as DM. I have run several campaigns before with this group, but every time it seems like I am just shoving them together in order to get things started. Since this campaign is going to be based more on character development than fighting hoards of monsters, and social interactions rather than fighting the BBEG (although there will be time enough for all of that as well), I want there to be a more natural feel to their relationship to one another.

The four main characters are as follows:

Human Male CG
Artificer 3
Owner of a clock shop/blackmarket magic item shop in town, he has the most contacts and a stable buisiness and home.

Ghaele Elderin Male CG
Ghaele Racial Class 1
The "new guy" on the block, he was being trained by an old cleric of Chaav, until the priest's death. He has no other contacts, and may be targeted by evil forces should they learn of his hidden potential and celestial heritage.

Changling Male NG
Rogue 2
Originally from Eberron, he is a man of many faces, and is known throughout the underworld as The Assassin, a fighter of evil. Now disguised as a "rogue scholar" with a degree in Assassinology, "Professor Nick Heart" has been hired by the local government to track down and assist in the capture of... that's right... The Assassin. With the ability to take on a few other guises, he has a wide array of contacts, but his resources are stretched thin as it is.

Human Male LN
Fighter 2
An Ex-city watch guard turned freelance bounty hunter, he will take on almost any job to provide for his lovely family and to protect the city he still loves. With a stable home, but some NPC baggage, he will be an interesting character to manage.

I was thinking that they should at least share the same neighborhood, being as the city is actually 4 huge cities that have grown together over the last century or so, and also contains about 12 outlying settlements and "sub-cities". It is also seated on a riverfront that splits the city into two halves.

One idea was that the Assassinologist, Professor Nick Heart, would need a place to stay while in town teaching at a univerity and assisting the town's watch. The house of the artificer (also his magic item/clock shop) has a spare bedroom he could rent out. Also, the priest that was teaching the young ghaele was originally one of the artificer's contacts, but he could have passed over charge of his young ghaele ward to the artificer (being as the artificer will most likely be the spokesperson/leader of the group).

The bounty hunter is kind of hard to work in, but could have connections with the artificer as well, maybe knowning about the secret magic shop, but keeping his mouth shut while on the watch because of a promise or old school friendship.

Any ideas on how this odd group can at least have some unity?

~Rain~
Fithero
08-18-05, 04:40 AM Ok...a couple of things. They dont *have* to be friends, they just have to know each other right

-Perhaps they were friends when they were growing up (done to death but it works)
-Maybe they worked together for the town's council or something like that, there was a killing and these people were either involved in the solving of the crime or were all suspects.
-Maybe they all played a game of cards together in a tavern a few monts back.

Basically they all just have to have been involved in something together at some point in the past. It doesnt have to be big, just rememberable. So that if they were walking down the street and they saw one of the others it would be like

"hey, your that guy that.......so what are you up to these days"

But thats just what i think, personally i think its better if the players characters dont know anything about each other but are just forced to worked together by circumstance...makes for some intense role playing.
derfenrirwolv
08-18-05, 05:28 PM Hmmm.. as much as it might put more stress on that particular player, the artificer seems like he could easily be the center of the group. The gheladrian frequents the shop looking for celestian items to send home, or evil artifacts to keep tabs on (While a lawfull good character would be justified in kicking on the door and raiding such a shop, that would let you destroy 5 or so items. however, if you simply buy every evil item that comes into the shop, and more keep comming in the more you buy you can eliminate hundreds.

the artificer occasionaly hires the assasin to get back an item thats been stolen or not paid for. that the assasin usualy waits untill he also has another contract on that person before actualy finding him is simply a bonus.

The human ex gaurdsman used to walk a beat with the artificers shop. the artificer has made several dozen large "donations" (cash and artifacts) to the city police benevolance assocation so the gaurdsman often looked in on the shop

The "professor of assasinology" could hire the ex town gaurdsman for local info and the inside scoop on how the police work around here. They may drag the gaurdsman out of retirement to work as a special consultant on the asssasin case
Levism84
08-30-05, 01:01 AM Ok... umm... I think it will work out...

Using the Artificer as a base for this explination of how the PCs decided to come together on their own, I will begin:

The artificer (Dallas) runs a clock shop and a black market magic item shop. The magic item shop is there to help keep the clock shop open, not vise versa. He is prone to throwing fits if things are out of alignment in his shop, and he has a horrible fear of lycanthropes, and all shapeshifting creatures ("I knew this day would come... DOPPLEGANGER! Save it for Queen Dopplepoppleus.")

The Gaele Eldrin (Fenrir) was being raised by a kindly old priest of Chaav (the smiling god) until his untimely death (of which the players swear he died of 10 simultaneous strokes, and thus have granted him the nickname in death "father strokesalot"). Now, he lives with the artificer (a friend of the good father) and is currently building up the funds to start a "prank-for-hire" buisiness with some of the neighborhood children. He also enjoys enraging the artificer by setting up boobytraps around the shop.

The Changling (markus/nick/ernie/a number of others) is currently going about as Professor of Assassonology Nick Heart. While looking for a place to stay in the city, he found a wanted add for a tenant (quiet, private and keeps late hours) and now lives in the quest bedroom of the artificer's house/shop/shop*. He also has a fear of being uncovered as the nightstalking "the Assassin" and has a natural aversion for guardsmen, even though he is currently working with the town watch to hunt down his alter ego. Also, the artificer does not know (in character or out) of his shapechanging heritage.

The ex-watch memeber (Dave) is decended from the Daveport Dave's, as his great great great great grandfather founded the very town they are currently living in. He was "asked to leave" the watch because of his uncontrolable temper, and he has an unnatural fear of celestial beings and water (they live in a huge port city). Now a bounty hunter, he has set his sights on the big fish "the Assassin", and hopes his new buddy, Nick Heart (a.k.a. the Assassin) can give him some leads so he can outshine his ex-watch partners. He also knows about the "other shop" the artificer is running, and from time to time makes purchases to suppliment his fighting prowess.

All in all, the group is comming together... interestingly. A couple in character slips and they may kill eachother, but other than that, goodtimes.
aleshandre
08-30-05, 11:13 AM I much preffer to give the players a chance to decide what common threads that they have. Often, players in a Role Play situation, rather than a strictly beat up the bad guys situation will create or find their own bonds. Any backstory that the GM creates is ultimately no different than the old throw them together and have them fight evil method. Both work as well as the players decide to make them work. By having them decide on thier own relations with the other PCs, you have a much better bond, because they have to work on it.
ShiverTheBard
08-31-05, 01:14 AM My favorite tried and true method: Barfights. If all the characters are in the Tavern/Inn and someone picks a fight with one of the melee characters, it's not to difficult to get all the other players involved. Especially good if you can get one character to protect another from a hidden danger such as a guy flanking them from behind.

Sorceror: O behind you! *Scorching Ray*
Fighter: Thanks! *Cut guy in front of him*

This works but I find usually the best way to get characters involved is simply to ask them how they would like to come into play after I present them with several options.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Levism84 08-18-05, 03:05 AM	I am going to be starting a city campaign with some friends of mine, and will be acting as DM. I have run several campaigns before with this group, but every time it seems like I am just shoving them together in order to get things started. Since this campaign is going to be based more on character development than fighting hoards of monsters, and social interactions rather than fighting the BBEG (although there will be time enough for all of that as well), I want there to be a more natural feel to their relationship to one another. The four main characters are as follows: Human Male CG Artificer 3 Owner of a clock shop/blackmarket magic item shop in town, he has the most contacts and a stable buisiness and home. Ghaele Elderin Male CG Ghaele Racial Class 1 The "new guy" on the block, he was being trained by an old cleric of Chaav, until the priest's death. He has no other contacts, and may be targeted by evil forces should they learn of his hidden potential and celestial heritage. Changling Male NG Rogue 2 Originally from Eberron, he is a man of many faces, and is known throughout the underworld as The Assassin, a fighter of evil. Now disguised as a "rogue scholar" with a degree in Assassinology, "Professor Nick Heart" has been hired by the local government to track down and assist in the capture of... that's right... The Assassin. With the ability to take on a few other guises, he has a wide array of contacts, but his resources are stretched thin as it is. Human Male LN Fighter 2 An Ex-city watch guard turned freelance bounty hunter, he will take on almost any job to provide for his lovely family and to protect the city he still loves. With a stable home, but some NPC baggage, he will be an interesting character to manage. I was thinking that they should at least share the same neighborhood, being as the city is actually 4 huge cities that have grown together over the last century or so, and also contains about 12 outlying settlements and "sub-cities". It is also seated on a riverfront that splits the city into two halves. One idea was that the Assassinologist, Professor Nick Heart, would need a place to stay while in town teaching at a univerity and assisting the town's watch. The house of the artificer (also his magic item/clock shop) has a spare bedroom he could rent out. Also, the priest that was teaching the young ghaele was originally one of the artificer's contacts, but he could have passed over charge of his young ghaele ward to the artificer (being as the artificer will most likely be the spokesperson/leader of the group). The bounty hunter is kind of hard to work in, but could have connections with the artificer as well, maybe knowning about the secret magic shop, but keeping his mouth shut while on the watch because of a promise or old school friendship. Any ideas on how this odd group can at least have some unity? ~Rain~
Fithero 08-18-05, 04:40 AM	Ok...a couple of things. They dont have to be friends, they just have to know each other right -Perhaps they were friends when they were growing up (done to death but it works) -Maybe they worked together for the town's council or something like that, there was a killing and these people were either involved in the solving of the crime or were all suspects. -Maybe they all played a game of cards together in a tavern a few monts back. Basically they all just have to have been involved in something together at some point in the past. It doesnt have to be big, just rememberable. So that if they were walking down the street and they saw one of the others it would be like "hey, your that guy that.......so what are you up to these days" But thats just what i think, personally i think its better if the players characters dont know anything about each other but are just forced to worked together by circumstance...makes for some intense role playing.
derfenrirwolv 08-18-05, 05:28 PM	Hmmm.. as much as it might put more stress on that particular player, the artificer seems like he could easily be the center of the group. The gheladrian frequents the shop looking for celestian items to send home, or evil artifacts to keep tabs on (While a lawfull good character would be justified in kicking on the door and raiding such a shop, that would let you destroy 5 or so items. however, if you simply buy every evil item that comes into the shop, and more keep comming in the more you buy you can eliminate hundreds. the artificer occasionaly hires the assasin to get back an item thats been stolen or not paid for. that the assasin usualy waits untill he also has another contract on that person before actualy finding him is simply a bonus. The human ex gaurdsman used to walk a beat with the artificers shop. the artificer has made several dozen large "donations" (cash and artifacts) to the city police benevolance assocation so the gaurdsman often looked in on the shop The "professor of assasinology" could hire the ex town gaurdsman for local info and the inside scoop on how the police work around here. They may drag the gaurdsman out of retirement to work as a special consultant on the asssasin case
Levism84 08-30-05, 01:01 AM	Ok... umm... I think it will work out... Using the Artificer as a base for this explination of how the PCs decided to come together on their own, I will begin: The artificer (Dallas) runs a clock shop and a black market magic item shop. The magic item shop is there to help keep the clock shop open, not vise versa. He is prone to throwing fits if things are out of alignment in his shop, and he has a horrible fear of lycanthropes, and all shapeshifting creatures ("I knew this day would come... DOPPLEGANGER! Save it for Queen Dopplepoppleus.") The Gaele Eldrin (Fenrir) was being raised by a kindly old priest of Chaav (the smiling god) until his untimely death (of which the players swear he died of 10 simultaneous strokes, and thus have granted him the nickname in death "father strokesalot"). Now, he lives with the artificer (a friend of the good father) and is currently building up the funds to start a "prank-for-hire" buisiness with some of the neighborhood children. He also enjoys enraging the artificer by setting up boobytraps around the shop. The Changling (markus/nick/ernie/a number of others) is currently going about as Professor of Assassonology Nick Heart. While looking for a place to stay in the city, he found a wanted add for a tenant (quiet, private and keeps late hours) and now lives in the quest bedroom of the artificer's house/shop/shop*. He also has a fear of being uncovered as the nightstalking "the Assassin" and has a natural aversion for guardsmen, even though he is currently working with the town watch to hunt down his alter ego. Also, the artificer does not know (in character or out) of his shapechanging heritage. The ex-watch memeber (Dave) is decended from the Daveport Dave's, as his great great great great grandfather founded the very town they are currently living in. He was "asked to leave" the watch because of his uncontrolable temper, and he has an unnatural fear of celestial beings and water (they live in a huge port city). Now a bounty hunter, he has set his sights on the big fish "the Assassin", and hopes his new buddy, Nick Heart (a.k.a. the Assassin) can give him some leads so he can outshine his ex-watch partners. He also knows about the "other shop" the artificer is running, and from time to time makes purchases to suppliment his fighting prowess. All in all, the group is comming together... interestingly. A couple in character slips and they may kill eachother, but other than that, goodtimes.
aleshandre 08-30-05, 11:13 AM	I much preffer to give the players a chance to decide what common threads that they have. Often, players in a Role Play situation, rather than a strictly beat up the bad guys situation will create or find their own bonds. Any backstory that the GM creates is ultimately no different than the old throw them together and have them fight evil method. Both work as well as the players decide to make them work. By having them decide on thier own relations with the other PCs, you have a much better bond, because they have to work on it.
ShiverTheBard 08-31-05, 01:14 AM	My favorite tried and true method: Barfights. If all the characters are in the Tavern/Inn and someone picks a fight with one of the melee characters, it's not to difficult to get all the other players involved. Especially good if you can get one character to protect another from a hidden danger such as a guy flanking them from behind. Sorceror: O behind you! Scorching Ray Fighter: Thanks! Cut guy in front of him This works but I find usually the best way to get characters involved is simply to ask them how they would like to come into play after I present them with several options.