How do i bring these guys together? [Archive] - Wizards Community

How do i bring these guys together? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Shy_Guy
08-16-05, 08:22 AM I am DMming a new campaign in about one week and three of my players emailed me their PCs to me last night. And, im having a bit of difficulty figuring out how on earth im gonna bring these PCs together to begin adventuring.

One is a Human wizard from Chessenta. One is a Half-Drow fighter from the Dalelands and the other is a Wood Elven Ranger from the High Forest! And, there are still another two PC to come (they will probably be something wierd like a fire genasi and tiefling from god knows where).

Im not a lazy Dm. I have given it quite a bit of thought but my players are pretty smart guys and they are trusting that i will do a good job at starting off the campaign.

So, if you have any (intelligent, inspired) ideas of how i can bring together PCs who are from completely different backgrounds and locations, i would be much oblidged if you relay them to me.

Thanks.

EDIT: And one more thing. What's the deal with these overpowered weapons. Both the Fighter and Ranger have Mighty Composite Longbows (+2)! And, the wizard is starting off w/ a couple of 2nd level magic scrolls. I told them that they could create whatever they wanted, equipped with whatever they wanted as long as it was within the rules. Apparently, these are regional weapons for them and perfectly within the rules. But we are playing in v3.5 so do you think these weapons are too strong for them to start off with? If so, should i prohibit the use of these weapons as starter weapons?
Inspired_Mage
08-16-05, 09:33 AM You could always bring them to together and make their co-operation with each other essential to their ability to survive.

In one campaign my DM ran we all had our own starting story's where for various reasons we entered portals throughout the realms which were created by a then unkown source and they all led to the same place, upon arrival we were immediatly launched into combat against some undead (or other creatures that suit your campaign but are a threat to all the pc's) and then since they are all in an unkown venue they should try and come to the conclusion that a group will survive better than just a single person and voila the start to become a party.

Just an idea.
Razz
08-16-05, 09:34 AM If these are regional equipment, not really. Think about how weak a 1st-level PC is, they need all the help they can get depending on how you, the DM, sets up the adventure.

As for getting them together, I have had a similar situation: Male Kozakuran human Samurai 1 (family moved to Damara, long story), male mortif Warlock 1 (mortifs were presented in Dragon Magazine, they're deathtouched, humans with an undead bloodline tracing to some long ago ancestor) from Scardale, female tiefling Hexblade 1 from Scardale (no relation to the Warlock), male air genasi Warmage 1 from Thay, male maenad Psychic Rogue 1 from the Border Kingdoms, male lightfoot halfling Spellthief 1 from Luiren, male feytouched Bard 1 from the Great Glacier then moved to Damara, and male shyft Soulknife 1 from Western Heartlands.

Insane? Yes. It was. The bard and hexblade didn't come until a few sessions later, and the warmage, soulknife and psychic rogue left (apparently they didn't like the aspect of playing D&D online through OPEN RPG), but the original group was the samurai, warlock, warmage, soulknife, spellthief and psychic rogue. I placed the setting in Damara, and had a way for each of them to arrive in Damara around the same time.

The warmage had a father, who I say was a red wizard envoy that went to Damara to speak with the king on the matter of opening an enclave there and brought his son with him (his mother was a Calishite woman, who obviously was the one that carried the trace of djinn in her so her son was born air genasi, surprisingly).

The maenad psychic rogue lived in a small, unnoticed community of maenads on the shores of the Lake of Steam, him and his friends hung out in a sea cove together on some nights, where a hidden portal existed. THe portal opened, one of them was charmed, they followed her into the portal inside a yuan-ti ruins, entered an altar chamber where a yuan-ti cleric had 4 serpentflesh golems attack, kill them one by one, and brought back an ancient winged, sarrukh from ages past that slept in the form of stone and gems until the ritual was finished. As they got to the psychic rogue, he was saved by a yuan-ti hunting adventuring group, a wizard saved him, gave him an amulet of great importance and teleported him but the sarrukh malfunctioned the spell and he ended up in Damara.

The warlock was visited by dream visions of an elderly oracle of Selune known as the Eye of the Moon, telling him to come quickly to her in Damara and see the king. So off he went. The samurai already lived in Heliogabalus, Damara and the soulknife was a member of the church of Sardior, who sent him to Damara when the Eye of the Moon asked them (she had helped the church in the past and needed the soulknife for a reason).

And te halfling has an uncle caravan master who travels the world. He came home to show him some trinkets he purchased legally and illegally. One was a magic mirror, a heavy one for halflings, and as he tried to get it out of the wagon with the spellthief's help it fell on top of the spellthief, and revealed itself as a mirror portal leading to its exit point mirror in Damara.

Pretty much I had the prophecy of an oracle of Selune gather together all these different people from different regions right into the chambers of King Gareth Dragonsbane, who was throwing a ball. Some angry nobleman used a magic item to summon vargouilles and the group fought them off together. That's how it began.

So, try using an oracle or similar diviner to gather the group together. Sort of like a Professor X from X Men type figure.
Shy_Guy
08-16-05, 01:11 PM Two excellent suggestions. Thanks
Demetrios
08-16-05, 08:10 PM I
EDIT: And one more thing. What's the deal with these overpowered weapons. Both the Fighter and Ranger have Mighty Composite Longbows (+2)! And, the wizard is starting off w/ a couple of 2nd level magic scrolls. I told them that they could create whatever they wanted, equipped with whatever they wanted as long as it was within the rules. Apparently, these are regional weapons for them and perfectly within the rules. But we are playing in v3.5 so do you think these weapons are too strong for them to start off with? If so, should i prohibit the use of these weapons as starter weapons?

Those aren't all that powerful. The spells on the scroll can only be used once, remember, and in all likelihood they won't be used at all but eventually be put into the wizard's spellbook. Basically the wizard is getting an extra 2nd level spell or two in his book later on.

And those composite longbows (mighty +2 Str) aren't all that much - they're only worth 400 gp, after all. Remember, they aren't even masterwork, so they don't even get the masterwork +1 bonus to hit. All they get is the +2 to damage, if your characters have the strength (14+) to gain that bonus. Hopefully you and/or your players didn't believe that they were magical +2 bows! Make sure everyone is clear on exactly what mighty bows do if there is any confusion...
Spirithawkfellow
08-17-05, 02:08 AM The character's even though they have different histories and lands of origins, could have Journied together a few years back. This would be back story. Perhaps in their past they all shared a mentor or a fellow advenuter, who has either passed away, or been murdered, and they have returned to figure out how their companion passed. It thrusts your players instantly into an adventure. Or your players might not now each other but they all know the companion that passed....
bobsan
08-17-05, 12:21 PM I started my campaign off by having all of the characters working as bodyguards for a merchant caravan between Silverymoon and Everlund (No map on me - right name? SE of Silverymoon?).

I slapped a small town in their way (Off the road just inside the hills) that was having problems with a missing Cleric and the PCs were all mistaken as a band of adventurers. They ended up together without even realizing it.

BTW, the adventure was a re-hash of the old King's festival / Queen's Harvest adventures. Great Beginner Adventures if you ask me.

And now, thanks to the Queen's Harvest adventure, the group's company name is something to be questioned ^_^
Shy_Guy
08-17-05, 05:17 PM Thanks a bunch guys. Those are all helpfull. Thanks for looking out for us Demetrios. I knew that they were not masterwork actually. I only thought that they were overpowered b/c they would normally never be able to afford those weapons as beginning equippment. Guess they're not so overpowered after all if you guys dont think so. Anyway, thanks again. Keep 'em comin'.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Shy_Guy 08-16-05, 08:22 AM	I am DMming a new campaign in about one week and three of my players emailed me their PCs to me last night. And, im having a bit of difficulty figuring out how on earth im gonna bring these PCs together to begin adventuring. One is a Human wizard from Chessenta. One is a Half-Drow fighter from the Dalelands and the other is a Wood Elven Ranger from the High Forest! And, there are still another two PC to come (they will probably be something wierd like a fire genasi and tiefling from god knows where). Im not a lazy Dm. I have given it quite a bit of thought but my players are pretty smart guys and they are trusting that i will do a good job at starting off the campaign. So, if you have any (intelligent, inspired) ideas of how i can bring together PCs who are from completely different backgrounds and locations, i would be much oblidged if you relay them to me. Thanks. EDIT: And one more thing. What's the deal with these overpowered weapons. Both the Fighter and Ranger have Mighty Composite Longbows (+2)! And, the wizard is starting off w/ a couple of 2nd level magic scrolls. I told them that they could create whatever they wanted, equipped with whatever they wanted as long as it was within the rules. Apparently, these are regional weapons for them and perfectly within the rules. But we are playing in v3.5 so do you think these weapons are too strong for them to start off with? If so, should i prohibit the use of these weapons as starter weapons?
Inspired_Mage 08-16-05, 09:33 AM	You could always bring them to together and make their co-operation with each other essential to their ability to survive. In one campaign my DM ran we all had our own starting story's where for various reasons we entered portals throughout the realms which were created by a then unkown source and they all led to the same place, upon arrival we were immediatly launched into combat against some undead (or other creatures that suit your campaign but are a threat to all the pc's) and then since they are all in an unkown venue they should try and come to the conclusion that a group will survive better than just a single person and voila the start to become a party. Just an idea.
Razz 08-16-05, 09:34 AM	If these are regional equipment, not really. Think about how weak a 1st-level PC is, they need all the help they can get depending on how you, the DM, sets up the adventure. As for getting them together, I have had a similar situation: Male Kozakuran human Samurai 1 (family moved to Damara, long story), male mortif Warlock 1 (mortifs were presented in Dragon Magazine, they're deathtouched, humans with an undead bloodline tracing to some long ago ancestor) from Scardale, female tiefling Hexblade 1 from Scardale (no relation to the Warlock), male air genasi Warmage 1 from Thay, male maenad Psychic Rogue 1 from the Border Kingdoms, male lightfoot halfling Spellthief 1 from Luiren, male feytouched Bard 1 from the Great Glacier then moved to Damara, and male shyft Soulknife 1 from Western Heartlands. Insane? Yes. It was. The bard and hexblade didn't come until a few sessions later, and the warmage, soulknife and psychic rogue left (apparently they didn't like the aspect of playing D&D online through OPEN RPG), but the original group was the samurai, warlock, warmage, soulknife, spellthief and psychic rogue. I placed the setting in Damara, and had a way for each of them to arrive in Damara around the same time. The warmage had a father, who I say was a red wizard envoy that went to Damara to speak with the king on the matter of opening an enclave there and brought his son with him (his mother was a Calishite woman, who obviously was the one that carried the trace of djinn in her so her son was born air genasi, surprisingly). The maenad psychic rogue lived in a small, unnoticed community of maenads on the shores of the Lake of Steam, him and his friends hung out in a sea cove together on some nights, where a hidden portal existed. THe portal opened, one of them was charmed, they followed her into the portal inside a yuan-ti ruins, entered an altar chamber where a yuan-ti cleric had 4 serpentflesh golems attack, kill them one by one, and brought back an ancient winged, sarrukh from ages past that slept in the form of stone and gems until the ritual was finished. As they got to the psychic rogue, he was saved by a yuan-ti hunting adventuring group, a wizard saved him, gave him an amulet of great importance and teleported him but the sarrukh malfunctioned the spell and he ended up in Damara. The warlock was visited by dream visions of an elderly oracle of Selune known as the Eye of the Moon, telling him to come quickly to her in Damara and see the king. So off he went. The samurai already lived in Heliogabalus, Damara and the soulknife was a member of the church of Sardior, who sent him to Damara when the Eye of the Moon asked them (she had helped the church in the past and needed the soulknife for a reason). And te halfling has an uncle caravan master who travels the world. He came home to show him some trinkets he purchased legally and illegally. One was a magic mirror, a heavy one for halflings, and as he tried to get it out of the wagon with the spellthief's help it fell on top of the spellthief, and revealed itself as a mirror portal leading to its exit point mirror in Damara. Pretty much I had the prophecy of an oracle of Selune gather together all these different people from different regions right into the chambers of King Gareth Dragonsbane, who was throwing a ball. Some angry nobleman used a magic item to summon vargouilles and the group fought them off together. That's how it began. So, try using an oracle or similar diviner to gather the group together. Sort of like a Professor X from X Men type figure.
Shy_Guy 08-16-05, 01:11 PM	Two excellent suggestions. Thanks
Demetrios 08-16-05, 08:10 PM	I EDIT: And one more thing. What's the deal with these overpowered weapons. Both the Fighter and Ranger have Mighty Composite Longbows (+2)! And, the wizard is starting off w/ a couple of 2nd level magic scrolls. I told them that they could create whatever they wanted, equipped with whatever they wanted as long as it was within the rules. Apparently, these are regional weapons for them and perfectly within the rules. But we are playing in v3.5 so do you think these weapons are too strong for them to start off with? If so, should i prohibit the use of these weapons as starter weapons? Those aren't all that powerful. The spells on the scroll can only be used once, remember, and in all likelihood they won't be used at all but eventually be put into the wizard's spellbook. Basically the wizard is getting an extra 2nd level spell or two in his book later on. And those composite longbows (mighty +2 Str) aren't all that much - they're only worth 400 gp, after all. Remember, they aren't even masterwork, so they don't even get the masterwork +1 bonus to hit. All they get is the +2 to damage, if your characters have the strength (14+) to gain that bonus. Hopefully you and/or your players didn't believe that they were magical +2 bows! Make sure everyone is clear on exactly what mighty bows do if there is any confusion...
Spirithawkfellow 08-17-05, 02:08 AM	The character's even though they have different histories and lands of origins, could have Journied together a few years back. This would be back story. Perhaps in their past they all shared a mentor or a fellow advenuter, who has either passed away, or been murdered, and they have returned to figure out how their companion passed. It thrusts your players instantly into an adventure. Or your players might not now each other but they all know the companion that passed....
bobsan 08-17-05, 12:21 PM	I started my campaign off by having all of the characters working as bodyguards for a merchant caravan between Silverymoon and Everlund (No map on me - right name? SE of Silverymoon?). I slapped a small town in their way (Off the road just inside the hills) that was having problems with a missing Cleric and the PCs were all mistaken as a band of adventurers. They ended up together without even realizing it. BTW, the adventure was a re-hash of the old King's festival / Queen's Harvest adventures. Great Beginner Adventures if you ask me. And now, thanks to the Queen's Harvest adventure, the group's company name is something to be questioned ^_^
Shy_Guy 08-17-05, 05:17 PM	Thanks a bunch guys. Those are all helpfull. Thanks for looking out for us Demetrios. I knew that they were not masterwork actually. I only thought that they were overpowered b/c they would normally never be able to afford those weapons as beginning equippment. Guess they're not so overpowered after all if you guys dont think so. Anyway, thanks again. Keep 'em comin'.