Campaign Building Help [Archive] - Wizards Community

Campaign Building Help [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Watsyurname529
11-26-07, 05:27 PM Okay, so I'm starting a new campaign seeing as my old one sorta died and I'm getting a new player(s). I have 4 PC's with one (possibly 2) coming in and they are going to start at 5th level. I have some of the main idea, I just need help with the major plot line, also help on not making it too cliched.

Here is what I have so far. The campaign takes place in Eberron. The PC's on their 1st/2nd Adventure are going to find this mirror that allows them to connect and talk to this group (wizard, artificer, rogue-ish type) that is in the past. The past group is all around level 17-20 becase they needed to be that powerfull to create the mirror. The PC's can communicate with them as if it was real time and anything the past party does, effects the future. Some times hardly at all, others a lot. Eventually the Wizard can start to help them by finding their location and dropping uber delayed fireballs that explode off in the present, at first the timing will be off, then the blasts won't be as powerful, etc. to keep from them getting overpowered.

So I need help on the main plot on why did the Wizard create the mirror, what are the PC's trying to do, etc.

Any thoughts, help, ideas?

Note: The time-portal mirror was not my idea, I found it on the boards a while ago as a ideas for campaigns thread. I give credit for it to whom ever thought of it first.
Dragonsblood
11-26-07, 05:31 PM I'd advise against time traveley stuff. It may sound cool, but paradox's can be a headache.

Maybe instead of a direct link, make the mirror a recording of the past. That way you can more easily predict what the players will do with it.
Watsyurname529
11-26-07, 05:34 PM I'd advise against time traveley stuff. It may sound cool, but paradox's can be a headache.

Maybe instead of a direct link, make the mirror a recording of the past. That way you can more easily predict what the players will do with it.

It's not so much as time travel, as just talking with the past. If I have too much trouble with it I can easily take it out or have something happen to either mirror because you need both to work.
PenderGrass
11-26-07, 08:58 PM Maybe the wizard created the item to help his future relatives. His tower was robbed and the mirror was lost and thought to be a broken magic item by any that tried to use it (mostly because the wizard didn't trust the people trying to use it).

Now that the PCs have "rescued" it and the wizard can see that they are trustworthy he can ask them to reunite the mirror with his relative.

That right there should give you at least 10 adventures (including one or two to even find the mirror in the first place).

:dragon:
*****
Watsyurname529
11-26-07, 09:14 PM Interesting idea. I'll have a fun time on how to incorperate some action into that one. Thanks for the idea.
Watsyurname529
11-26-07, 10:42 PM Okay, so I think I've got a good idea, one that will work with both the time travel and Eberron.

So the PC's find the mirror in a ruined tower after the rumor of treasure (or something of the sort). They investigate the mirror and find out it's power to connect and communicate with the past. The Blood of Vol/Order of the Emerald Claw find out about the mirror and it's power. They sent assassians, mercenaries, etc. to retrieve it, and the same happens in the past (The Blood of Vol want it to connect to the past to try to learn more secrets about the Mark of Death). So now both parties much battle the Vol and the Claw.

Now, they must decide what to do with the mirror.

Thoughts, opinions, ideas?
Talisman
11-27-07, 12:06 AM The past group is all around level 17-20 becase they needed to be that powerfull to create the mirror.

Don't worry about the levels of the "past group" unless you expect them to time-travel to NOW, or the PCs to time-travel back to THEN. At low levels, 17th-level might as well be 30th level. This sort of crunch doesn't really impact the story.

Eventually the Wizard can start to help them by finding their location and dropping uber delayed fireballs that explode off in the present, at first the timing will be off, then the blasts won't be as powerful, etc. to keep from them getting overpowered.

Good Lord, don't do this! No 17th-level wizards, even time-lost 17th-level wizards, helping out the PCs! Can you say "deus ex machina?" Even if you don't intend it that way, it'll be darn hard to avoid...and to avoid the appearance of deus ex machina, which is just as bad as the actuality.

The most these past-heroes should be able to do is offer advice. Not cast spells. Not teach spells (I guarantee someone will try this). Not affect the future in any direct way.

My advice: Have each player write up a background/current sketch for their PC. It doesn't have to be long or polished; just something to indicate who their PCs is, where they came from, and what their goals are. You should get 2 or 3 story hooks from each backstory, for a total of around 10-12 story ideas. This should fill out the blanks in your main plotline nicely.
metalmayhem80110
11-27-07, 04:57 AM The past group was faced with an incredibly hard decision. Either to do this, or do this (I don't have any good ideas for that part... yet) and after they make the decision, they're not sure if it was the right one. They make the mirror to communicate with people in the future, to find out how their decision turned out.

They find out they made a wrong move, and something bad is about to happen (Maybe some evil force they didn't kill, but thought they did has been building up. This being exists in all times though.)

The PC's must work with this past group to destroy the evil, something they find out though... The being is immensely powerful in the past, the old group can't kill it....

Eventually they find out that they need to attack it, on the same day of the year, at the same time. Final battle could be a multi-time thing. This being has some weird time plane or whatever that it exists in, and both groups go to it. For end game the PC's will be slightly more powerful, and they team up on this thing.

Just give it cool abilities like a high initiave, extra actions, extra attacks, maybe slowing abilities? Just general speed/time things.

Just my idea.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Watsyurname529 11-26-07, 05:27 PM	Okay, so I'm starting a new campaign seeing as my old one sorta died and I'm getting a new player(s). I have 4 PC's with one (possibly 2) coming in and they are going to start at 5th level. I have some of the main idea, I just need help with the major plot line, also help on not making it too cliched. Here is what I have so far. The campaign takes place in Eberron. The PC's on their 1st/2nd Adventure are going to find this mirror that allows them to connect and talk to this group (wizard, artificer, rogue-ish type) that is in the past. The past group is all around level 17-20 becase they needed to be that powerfull to create the mirror. The PC's can communicate with them as if it was real time and anything the past party does, effects the future. Some times hardly at all, others a lot. Eventually the Wizard can start to help them by finding their location and dropping uber delayed fireballs that explode off in the present, at first the timing will be off, then the blasts won't be as powerful, etc. to keep from them getting overpowered. So I need help on the main plot on why did the Wizard create the mirror, what are the PC's trying to do, etc. Any thoughts, help, ideas? Note: The time-portal mirror was not my idea, I found it on the boards a while ago as a ideas for campaigns thread. I give credit for it to whom ever thought of it first.
Dragonsblood 11-26-07, 05:31 PM	I'd advise against time traveley stuff. It may sound cool, but paradox's can be a headache. Maybe instead of a direct link, make the mirror a recording of the past. That way you can more easily predict what the players will do with it.
Watsyurname529 11-26-07, 05:34 PM	I'd advise against time traveley stuff. It may sound cool, but paradox's can be a headache. Maybe instead of a direct link, make the mirror a recording of the past. That way you can more easily predict what the players will do with it. It's not so much as time travel, as just talking with the past. If I have too much trouble with it I can easily take it out or have something happen to either mirror because you need both to work.
PenderGrass 11-26-07, 08:58 PM	Maybe the wizard created the item to help his future relatives. His tower was robbed and the mirror was lost and thought to be a broken magic item by any that tried to use it (mostly because the wizard didn't trust the people trying to use it). Now that the PCs have "rescued" it and the wizard can see that they are trustworthy he can ask them to reunite the mirror with his relative. That right there should give you at least 10 adventures (including one or two to even find the mirror in the first place). :dragon: *****
Watsyurname529 11-26-07, 09:14 PM	Interesting idea. I'll have a fun time on how to incorperate some action into that one. Thanks for the idea.
Watsyurname529 11-26-07, 10:42 PM	Okay, so I think I've got a good idea, one that will work with both the time travel and Eberron. So the PC's find the mirror in a ruined tower after the rumor of treasure (or something of the sort). They investigate the mirror and find out it's power to connect and communicate with the past. The Blood of Vol/Order of the Emerald Claw find out about the mirror and it's power. They sent assassians, mercenaries, etc. to retrieve it, and the same happens in the past (The Blood of Vol want it to connect to the past to try to learn more secrets about the Mark of Death). So now both parties much battle the Vol and the Claw. Now, they must decide what to do with the mirror. Thoughts, opinions, ideas?
Talisman 11-27-07, 12:06 AM	The past group is all around level 17-20 becase they needed to be that powerfull to create the mirror. Don't worry about the levels of the "past group" unless you expect them to time-travel to NOW, or the PCs to time-travel back to THEN. At low levels, 17th-level might as well be 30th level. This sort of crunch doesn't really impact the story. Eventually the Wizard can start to help them by finding their location and dropping uber delayed fireballs that explode off in the present, at first the timing will be off, then the blasts won't be as powerful, etc. to keep from them getting overpowered. Good Lord, don't do this! No 17th-level wizards, even time-lost 17th-level wizards, helping out the PCs! Can you say "deus ex machina?" Even if you don't intend it that way, it'll be darn hard to avoid...and to avoid the appearance of deus ex machina, which is just as bad as the actuality. The most these past-heroes should be able to do is offer advice. Not cast spells. Not teach spells (I guarantee someone will try this). Not affect the future in any direct way. My advice: Have each player write up a background/current sketch for their PC. It doesn't have to be long or polished; just something to indicate who their PCs is, where they came from, and what their goals are. You should get 2 or 3 story hooks from each backstory, for a total of around 10-12 story ideas. This should fill out the blanks in your main plotline nicely.
metalmayhem80110 11-27-07, 04:57 AM	The past group was faced with an incredibly hard decision. Either to do this, or do this (I don't have any good ideas for that part... yet) and after they make the decision, they're not sure if it was the right one. They make the mirror to communicate with people in the future, to find out how their decision turned out. They find out they made a wrong move, and something bad is about to happen (Maybe some evil force they didn't kill, but thought they did has been building up. This being exists in all times though.) The PC's must work with this past group to destroy the evil, something they find out though... The being is immensely powerful in the past, the old group can't kill it.... Eventually they find out that they need to attack it, on the same day of the year, at the same time. Final battle could be a multi-time thing. This being has some weird time plane or whatever that it exists in, and both groups go to it. For end game the PC's will be slightly more powerful, and they team up on this thing. Just give it cool abilities like a high initiave, extra actions, extra attacks, maybe slowing abilities? Just general speed/time things. Just my idea.