beginner dm running a solo urban campaign - advice? [Archive] - Wizards Community

beginner dm running a solo urban campaign - advice? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Golden Zealot
12-13-06, 08:54 PM After running a few simple, 'kick in the door' style games, I decided to take it up a level into a slightly more in depth roleplaying style thing, and since only one player saw fit to actually complete his character on time it's now become a solo campaign, unless the others later decide to participate, which doens't look likely. But anyway, the character is a rogue/fighter assassin style character, and it's going to be a kind of dark feel, with a fair bit of 'political intrigue' as it's called, and I was wondering if anyone has any good advice for this kind of thing?
The whole campaign is going to be set mostly in and around Waterdeep. The player says he basically wants to focus on how cool his character is when she beats people up, and how he wants her to be a professional assassin and all that. I thought I'd start by just introducing him to a few associates in a small time thieves' guild and just work his way up doing odd jobs for odd people until the campaign really picks up pace. I've got a whole bunch of stuff in mind later on I'm just wondering how it's going to work running a campaign entirely within a city.
Golden Zealot
12-16-06, 10:46 PM :bump: anyone?
Damren
12-17-06, 03:24 AM Running a city campaign can work really well. It's almost better to do it with one PC than a large group with varied interests. It almost sounds like your leaning toward a 'DarkAge BatMan' or 'BatWoman' kind of thing. Except it sounds like she going down the dark path.

I would work on generating a few low level street gangs. If you want to really play with her head go 'Jesters', 'Black Masks', 'Sages' and 'Croc's'. Have the PC encounter various low level members and give at least one gang (Sages?) a mystical edge.

She could seek out the 'Jester's Tomb', the legendary resting place of the first Trickster Thief of WaterDeep, buried deep in the tunnels beneath the city.

The 'Sages' have uncovered the presence of a 'new' rival gang in the city and want your PC to infiltrate them acting as a double agent. They promise high rewards and connections.

The Midnight City is in a state of unrest, the 'Croc's' have gone mad and gained unnatural strength. Your PC may discover they have been receiving strength potions from a 'new' rival gang. Sadly, these potions are tainted and have caused those that take them to go mad.
Gilean
12-17-06, 03:26 AM This Treasure Tables article (http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/08/two-to-tango-gming-a-solo-campaign) is probably useful.
KJW
12-17-06, 09:06 AM Take a look at the Guide to Solo Campaigns thread in my signature, it is a great source of information for solo campaigns and there are accounts of all manner of urban campaigns there. Post there with this question and you will gets more detailed answers as well.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Golden Zealot 12-13-06, 08:54 PM	After running a few simple, 'kick in the door' style games, I decided to take it up a level into a slightly more in depth roleplaying style thing, and since only one player saw fit to actually complete his character on time it's now become a solo campaign, unless the others later decide to participate, which doens't look likely. But anyway, the character is a rogue/fighter assassin style character, and it's going to be a kind of dark feel, with a fair bit of 'political intrigue' as it's called, and I was wondering if anyone has any good advice for this kind of thing? The whole campaign is going to be set mostly in and around Waterdeep. The player says he basically wants to focus on how cool his character is when she beats people up, and how he wants her to be a professional assassin and all that. I thought I'd start by just introducing him to a few associates in a small time thieves' guild and just work his way up doing odd jobs for odd people until the campaign really picks up pace. I've got a whole bunch of stuff in mind later on I'm just wondering how it's going to work running a campaign entirely within a city.
Golden Zealot 12-16-06, 10:46 PM	:bump: anyone?
Damren 12-17-06, 03:24 AM	Running a city campaign can work really well. It's almost better to do it with one PC than a large group with varied interests. It almost sounds like your leaning toward a 'DarkAge BatMan' or 'BatWoman' kind of thing. Except it sounds like she going down the dark path. I would work on generating a few low level street gangs. If you want to really play with her head go 'Jesters', 'Black Masks', 'Sages' and 'Croc's'. Have the PC encounter various low level members and give at least one gang (Sages?) a mystical edge. She could seek out the 'Jester's Tomb', the legendary resting place of the first Trickster Thief of WaterDeep, buried deep in the tunnels beneath the city. The 'Sages' have uncovered the presence of a 'new' rival gang in the city and want your PC to infiltrate them acting as a double agent. They promise high rewards and connections. The Midnight City is in a state of unrest, the 'Croc's' have gone mad and gained unnatural strength. Your PC may discover they have been receiving strength potions from a 'new' rival gang. Sadly, these potions are tainted and have caused those that take them to go mad.
Gilean 12-17-06, 03:26 AM	This Treasure Tables article (http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/08/two-to-tango-gming-a-solo-campaign) is probably useful.
KJW 12-17-06, 09:06 AM	Take a look at the Guide to Solo Campaigns thread in my signature, it is a great source of information for solo campaigns and there are accounts of all manner of urban campaigns there. Post there with this question and you will gets more detailed answers as well.