At this time I’m running a 3.5 city based, slightly unbalanced party; supplemented by NPC’s. Currently the Main character (a Child Noble) is stuck being the only known survivor of a Balician Noble’s War, hiding out and bent on revenge. A half elf has been hired as a desert guide for the times things get out of hand in the city and as a sniper in the city. Now I know where I want the game to eventually go (out to look for the lead characters missing brother someplace up around the Trembling Plains), but that will be in a few more levels. The whole battle by proxy got old after the second encounter with assassins. I’m thinking of separating the PC’s from the NPC’s by having the Templar arrest or inflict some other unpleasantness on the slaves. I do have limited stats on the opposing noble family, but I’m holding them in reserve for the city story arc’s finale. But I’m out of ideas on how to get from where the group is currently to where I want them to be before the finish of the city portion of the game (at least 2 levels higher).
Oh date wise this is taking place in FY3, days after Borys double dipped Balic for Tyr’s Annual Levy, so chaos reigns.
The Current Party:
Child Noble: Telepath 5/Aristocrat 1 (with leadership)
Cohort: Fighter 2/Barbarian 2 (Bodyguard)
Half Elf Wastelander: Ranger 4/Rogue 2
NPC’s: Templar 6 (Secretly out to gain control of the Noble House for herself)
A merry band of six, first level Warriors (All slaves)
And one First level Expert (Concubine Slave kept from a treasure, really kind of useless)
Hope that will help you out of the jam
.Or any of Band2 adapted Steal This Hook plots... (see his thread)
With Band2's reviews I haven't been able to find any of the newer (post 2007) "Steal This Hook" pages.
Hey everyone, this is a repost from the Arena But the low down is I’m suffering from writers block and could use some generic ideas.
At this time I’m running a 3.5 city based, slightly unbalanced party; supplemented by NPC’s. Currently the Main character (a Child Noble) is stuck being the only known survivor of a Balician Noble’s War, hiding out and bent on revenge. A half elf has been hired as a desert guide for the times things get out of hand in the city and as a sniper in the city. Now I know where I want the game to eventually go (out to look for the lead characters missing brother someplace up around the Trembling Plains), but that will be in a few more levels. The whole battle by proxy got old after the second encounter with assassins. I’m thinking of separating the PC’s from the NPC’s by having the Templar arrest or inflict some other unpleasantness on the slaves. I do have limited stats on the opposing noble family, but I’m holding them in reserve for the city story arc’s finale. But I’m out of ideas on how to get from where the group is currently to where I want them to be before the finish of the city portion of the game (at least 2 levels higher).
Oh date wise this is taking place in FY3, days after Borys double dipped Balic for Tyr’s Annual Levy, so chaos reigns.
The Current Party:
Child Noble: Telepath 5/Aristocrat 1 (with leadership)
Cohort: Fighter 2/Barbarian 2 (Bodyguard)
Half Elf Wastelander: Ranger 4/Rogue 2
NPC’s: Templar 6 (Secretly out to gain control of the Noble House for herself)
A merry band of six, first level Warriors (All slaves)
And one First level Expert (Concubine Slave kept from a treasure, really kind of useless)
First, I am not sure I understand the level of Aristocrat. If I were you, I might swap that out for something else. Further, if you have a telepath who is bent on surviving and surrounding themselves with cannon fodder, then Thrallherd is the PrC for you. It works like leadership, only better, because your minions return.
This would also allow you to double cross the PC's with the templar, and still allow the party to be more than 2 members plus the cohort (who could stay, but would then be a thrall instead)
As far as advancement, exploration for an item rumor to be powerful enough to exact revenge in ancient ruins is always fun. Of course, it doesn't exist, but the PC's don't know this until after they get through it. Then there is the hiding out with a thieves guild within the city, building up knowledge and contacts to exact revenge. Laying low and hiding is harder than you might think.
Anyway, just a few (quick) ideas
With Band2's reviews I haven't been able to find any of the newer (post 2007) "Steal This Hook" pages.
Are you having trouble finding the original Steal the Hook articles here:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/duarch/hook
Or my Dark Sun versions thread here:
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=898676
As for ideas:
Do you want them to get involved in a templar election? Supporting a cannidate or running for office themselves.
If the Dragon just took his double due of slaves from Balic, slaves would be in short supply. Someone may come looking to make the characters into new slaves. Templars bringing false charges against the PCs, or form slave gangs to round up people on the street.
They could get involved in a trade war between Wavir and its rivals.
The gladiator arena in Balic is very unique. Lots of interesting fights could be had there. If not a slaves, perhaps there is a prize that the PCs need to win to get enough money for their long desert journey to come.
But I’m out of ideas on how to get from where the group is currently to where I want them to be before the finish of the city portion of the game (at least 2 levels higher).
Trying to force your players through a pre-constructed story-arc is probably the worst thing you can do, and the game-flow is trying to "tell" you that, showing up as you "getting stuck". That is, the reason you can't see a good way from Point A to Point B is because there isn't a good one.
Let the story unfold as it will based on the player's choices and their character's actions, and the responses and intrigues of your NPCs -- don't plan on things happening because then you aren't running a game, you're writing fiction. Instead, run your NPCs as though they are trying to achieve something, not as though you as the GM are trying to make certain things happen.