I am running a 'Dragons of FR' Campaign... [Archive] - Wizards Community

I am running a 'Dragons of FR' Campaign... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ErikkuShafer
03-04-05, 11:28 AM Hello everyone! First I guess I can post my experience just so you know my situation.
First, my english sucks. Please bare with me :P . I've DM'd for about a year and a half with campaigns going on and off continueously. Mostly my campaigns are not interesting enough, I can't create hooks. If I do I usually make it too complex for the PCs and everything goes whacko. The last year I have been 'trying' to start a good campaign in the Silver Marches but usually my campaign is delayed as the PCs have something planned or we just get bored.

This time things are different, I for the most part ( :D )plan ahead but I am going to be spending quite a bit of time on this campaign and each session. Last week I decided with my players that we will restart, but this one will last. We will agian be starting in the North, but instead of being level 4-6 area we're going to start at level 11. The theme is that the group has known each other for at least 6 months and is part of a group that has ran for hundreds of years known for slaying dragons (and other large/infamous beasts around). The group never exceeds the limit of 4 people, and I currently have 3 people in my campaign for sure. The forth member is one of my best friends I would like to have in , but he always is the one that says "lets do something else other than your campaign" or wants to do something else when we (the rest of the party) would like to play. He also likes to go against my hooks (which is normal, don't get me wrong) and the rest of the party nearly the whole time a hook or plot is presented (example: we've had two campaigns where the goal is to slay Obould Many-Arrows and he said that is not a plan/goal :mad: ).

Anyways, I read some Drizzt books quite a few years ago but my reading comprehension isn't the best. So I feel I know the world of Fearun, but at the same time I do not. If I consider myself to be knowledgeful of anything in FR it is the North, but that is it. I am not a NPC-know-it-all or anything, I rely heavily on the books for anything and everything it seems :( .

Anyways, I have a general idea what I want to do for the next adventuer and one after that (second one is actually today, dun dun dun) but no idea after that. I was wondering if you guys have any past experiences with a 'Dragon-Slaying Group' or could throw some ideas around for me that I could integrate with my own. Again, I do have my own ideas but I love using the Wizzy boards for ideas and plots. All my players have been previous DMs have have started when 3.0 came out, but so many people here have more experience. Not to mention a lot of FR's treasure is from AD&D and such.

PS: We got the idea of dragon-slaying because my "gaming-group" which has 4 campaigns running in it, one being mine (My FR, a Ebberon, a Rokugan, and a Norrweign/Barbarian theme) we ususally have a good ammount of Dungeons but never any Dragons. And we thought, "Why are we playing D&D? We have the Dungeon part down but not the Dragons!".

Anyways, Please reply if you can with any ideas, comments, concerns, questions, flames, or even to say 'Good Luck' because I have a feeling I am going to need it.

Safe journeys - Erik S.

EDIT: I'll list my players if that would help at all.
- Dwarven Defender (AC can reach to over 41, blah! Magic and traps for him?)
- Chultian Psychic Warrior Archer (Order of the Bow Iniate also. Basically pumps up one shot per turn for massive damage)
- Moon Elf Druid/Bard/Rogue (Some new prestiege class in I 'believe' the Complete Adventurer that every level he'll gain a new spell for each spellcasting class or something~)

And the party member I am unsure of having..:
- [Possibly Human] Paladin (Prestiege class is the _____ of Bahamut or something? Lots of neat abilities like making a nice Chest piece and gaining Dragon-Smite, ect).
Nightsinger
03-04-05, 03:50 PM Without meaning to cause offence, I still don't fully understand you're dilemma *winks*

That said, I can wish you luck. Just remember, when thinsg go wrong, blame a Helmite ;)

Singer
ErikkuShafer
03-04-05, 09:57 PM Not really a problem, just lookin to see if anyone has any ideas for some future adventures or hooks I could use. Or perhaps dragons that were famous in AD&D and such but havn't made an appearance in 3.0+.

- ES
ClobberinTime
03-08-05, 07:23 PM Okay let me explain some DMing tricks-

#1 you can make it so they never get off the hook, the basic point is that treasure, an artifact, legend of an artifact will induce alot of greed. Even if the char is a paladin, the player isn't LG and wants that holy avenger with a passion. If you want them to go somewhere and kill someone just mention that so and so is rumored to have such and such, blah blah blah.

#2 With the dragon plot you can double up on them, they are going to kill obould or some such and bam out of nowhere a dragon rips into them. Pretend like you are rolling a random encounter, look concerned, take the Monster Manual into the other room, etc... build up the tension... Don't kill more than one of them, but make them mad enough that they want to get that dragon, or have it snatch one of them.

#3 is a variation on No 2, build them a stronghold, dragon shows up while they are on an adventure and makes it his new home.

Read the portals of Faerun, bit on the dragon portals, you could make a long running campaign to cut those portals off.
Kuje31
03-08-05, 07:33 PM If you want FR dragons, check out my excel file that's linked in my sig. It's got all the dragons I've found so far under the monster tab in the file. :)

It's also got thousands of npc's from the old lore. I'm only about half done with it though.
ErikkuShafer
03-09-05, 10:18 AM Thank for you the advice everyone, keep it comin' if you have anything :D
- ES
Heron_Marked_Blade
03-09-05, 11:22 AM - Moon Elf Druid/Bard/Rogue (Some new prestiege class in I 'believe' the Complete Adventurer that every level he'll gain a new spell for each spellcasting class or something~)
You're probably thinking about the Fochlucan Lyrist. It's like the Mystic Theurge, but focused more on bardic spellcasters.

Regarding your campaign, all I can say is that you shouldn't cheat your players by playing a dragon to the least of its abilities. These are powerful and iconic creatures, worth every bit of fear and awe they inspire in readers. They are not stupid, and they are immortal creatures. They WILL prefer to live a long and fruitful life rather than stay in a fight and die.

Don't turn dragons into another "been there, done that" opponent. Your players will appreciate it more if you play dragons as the powerful, sneaky, and intelligent creatures they are.
ClobberinTime
03-09-05, 04:33 PM yeah, true strike and power attack, snatch, drop, say good by wizard, you were yummy, now for that fighter as the main course.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ErikkuShafer 03-04-05, 11:28 AM	Hello everyone! First I guess I can post my experience just so you know my situation. First, my english sucks. Please bare with me :P . I've DM'd for about a year and a half with campaigns going on and off continueously. Mostly my campaigns are not interesting enough, I can't create hooks. If I do I usually make it too complex for the PCs and everything goes whacko. The last year I have been 'trying' to start a good campaign in the Silver Marches but usually my campaign is delayed as the PCs have something planned or we just get bored. This time things are different, I for the most part ( :D )plan ahead but I am going to be spending quite a bit of time on this campaign and each session. Last week I decided with my players that we will restart, but this one will last. We will agian be starting in the North, but instead of being level 4-6 area we're going to start at level 11. The theme is that the group has known each other for at least 6 months and is part of a group that has ran for hundreds of years known for slaying dragons (and other large/infamous beasts around). The group never exceeds the limit of 4 people, and I currently have 3 people in my campaign for sure. The forth member is one of my best friends I would like to have in , but he always is the one that says "lets do something else other than your campaign" or wants to do something else when we (the rest of the party) would like to play. He also likes to go against my hooks (which is normal, don't get me wrong) and the rest of the party nearly the whole time a hook or plot is presented (example: we've had two campaigns where the goal is to slay Obould Many-Arrows and he said that is not a plan/goal :mad: ). Anyways, I read some Drizzt books quite a few years ago but my reading comprehension isn't the best. So I feel I know the world of Fearun, but at the same time I do not. If I consider myself to be knowledgeful of anything in FR it is the North, but that is it. I am not a NPC-know-it-all or anything, I rely heavily on the books for anything and everything it seems :( . Anyways, I have a general idea what I want to do for the next adventuer and one after that (second one is actually today, dun dun dun) but no idea after that. I was wondering if you guys have any past experiences with a 'Dragon-Slaying Group' or could throw some ideas around for me that I could integrate with my own. Again, I do have my own ideas but I love using the Wizzy boards for ideas and plots. All my players have been previous DMs have have started when 3.0 came out, but so many people here have more experience. Not to mention a lot of FR's treasure is from AD&D and such. PS: We got the idea of dragon-slaying because my "gaming-group" which has 4 campaigns running in it, one being mine (My FR, a Ebberon, a Rokugan, and a Norrweign/Barbarian theme) we ususally have a good ammount of Dungeons but never any Dragons. And we thought, "Why are we playing D&D? We have the Dungeon part down but not the Dragons!". Anyways, Please reply if you can with any ideas, comments, concerns, questions, flames, or even to say 'Good Luck' because I have a feeling I am going to need it. Safe journeys - Erik S. EDIT: I'll list my players if that would help at all. - Dwarven Defender (AC can reach to over 41, blah! Magic and traps for him?) - Chultian Psychic Warrior Archer (Order of the Bow Iniate also. Basically pumps up one shot per turn for massive damage) - Moon Elf Druid/Bard/Rogue (Some new prestiege class in I 'believe' the Complete Adventurer that every level he'll gain a new spell for each spellcasting class or something~) And the party member I am unsure of having..: - [Possibly Human] Paladin (Prestiege class is the _____ of Bahamut or something? Lots of neat abilities like making a nice Chest piece and gaining Dragon-Smite, ect).
Nightsinger 03-04-05, 03:50 PM	Without meaning to cause offence, I still don't fully understand you're dilemma winks That said, I can wish you luck. Just remember, when thinsg go wrong, blame a Helmite ;) Singer
ErikkuShafer 03-04-05, 09:57 PM	Not really a problem, just lookin to see if anyone has any ideas for some future adventures or hooks I could use. Or perhaps dragons that were famous in AD&D and such but havn't made an appearance in 3.0+. - ES
ClobberinTime 03-08-05, 07:23 PM	Okay let me explain some DMing tricks- #1 you can make it so they never get off the hook, the basic point is that treasure, an artifact, legend of an artifact will induce alot of greed. Even if the char is a paladin, the player isn't LG and wants that holy avenger with a passion. If you want them to go somewhere and kill someone just mention that so and so is rumored to have such and such, blah blah blah. #2 With the dragon plot you can double up on them, they are going to kill obould or some such and bam out of nowhere a dragon rips into them. Pretend like you are rolling a random encounter, look concerned, take the Monster Manual into the other room, etc... build up the tension... Don't kill more than one of them, but make them mad enough that they want to get that dragon, or have it snatch one of them. #3 is a variation on No 2, build them a stronghold, dragon shows up while they are on an adventure and makes it his new home. Read the portals of Faerun, bit on the dragon portals, you could make a long running campaign to cut those portals off.
Kuje31 03-08-05, 07:33 PM	If you want FR dragons, check out my excel file that's linked in my sig. It's got all the dragons I've found so far under the monster tab in the file. :) It's also got thousands of npc's from the old lore. I'm only about half done with it though.
ErikkuShafer 03-09-05, 10:18 AM	Thank for you the advice everyone, keep it comin' if you have anything :D - ES
Heron_Marked_Blade 03-09-05, 11:22 AM	- Moon Elf Druid/Bard/Rogue (Some new prestiege class in I 'believe' the Complete Adventurer that every level he'll gain a new spell for each spellcasting class or something~) You're probably thinking about the Fochlucan Lyrist. It's like the Mystic Theurge, but focused more on bardic spellcasters. Regarding your campaign, all I can say is that you shouldn't cheat your players by playing a dragon to the least of its abilities. These are powerful and iconic creatures, worth every bit of fear and awe they inspire in readers. They are not stupid, and they are immortal creatures. They WILL prefer to live a long and fruitful life rather than stay in a fight and die. Don't turn dragons into another "been there, done that" opponent. Your players will appreciate it more if you play dragons as the powerful, sneaky, and intelligent creatures they are.
ClobberinTime 03-09-05, 04:33 PM	yeah, true strike and power attack, snatch, drop, say good by wizard, you were yummy, now for that fighter as the main course.