Campaign Overview Example - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

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#1 Greyson Sep 11, 2008 13:54:57	Okay, we have a "campaign overview" from Wizards of the Coast R&D. That's nice, but they missed the mark. Let's see if we can help them for their next effort at this. I appreciate them trying, but maybe they need to know what DMs are really looking for. Here is an example: *# Adventure Name, for Xth-level characters* By author's name Describe where the adventure takes place, and why and how the PCs are brought here. Tell DMs what happened in the prior adventure so we have some context to adapt or tweak the adventure for our individual needs. For example, tell us who the bag guys were and what happened to them. And, let us know what they'll be doing in this adventure. Next, tell us the vehicle and methods for the bad guys approach in this adventure and why he's doing it. Last, what is the expected outcome of the bad guys and the PCs. Which direction shall the the whole thing be pointed by the time each adventure ends. So, each adventure should have something like this: *[color=Navy]3. Death's Master, for 5th-level characters* By Hugh Jass During The Hidden Sanctum the PCs tracked down the evil necromancer Turgeon and discovered his grisly laboratory and slave pens. Assuming the PCs destroyed Turgeon and ruined his work in the city of Karsha, they have undoubtedly determined who the real master mind of the kidnappings and experiments is - the merchant prince of Saria, Progas. In Death's Master, it is assumed the PCs follow the clues they've recently found and pursue Progas across the countryside into the Slevorian hinterlands. But, Progas has many spies and sycophants waiting to waylay the PCs and throw them off course. All of these strange, raving henchmen only prove how truly evil and sadistic Progas is, and his master's identity begins to come to light - Orcus. It's likely that the PCs do not catch Progas in this adventure. Even if they do, it's okay. They'll certainly learn that this foul man left a poison pill in Karsha, and the PC will be compelled to return to the threatened city to help Lord-Mayor Brina stem the tide of evil undead that shall shortly vex the city and plunge it into an bloody feeding frenzy. [/color] The last sentence(s) is the crucial part. Many of us ponder how we'll portray and act out NPCs and creatures. The more time we have to consider how we'll role play, the better. Giving DMs these sign posts will help them recognize key campaign elements as they read through and prepare the adventure and the campaign as a whole. With more information about the whole campaign, DMs can better guide and prepare for the total gaming experience. And, as has been repeatedly mentioned, DMs like to foreshadow people, places and events. Sure, the knowledge skills can help. But, a truly immersive experience really comes when a player recognizes a key campaign element that does not involve a die roll. Also, I am running Scales of War (for now) in Middle-earth and Paizo's Golarion. These are two very different campaign settings. If I know what, when, why, where, who and how all in advance, it shall be vastly easier to do my DM work in reconciling the many tweaks necessary to fit into these two disparate worlds. Going adventure-to-adventure without this foreknowledge as DM is disappointing at best, and frustratingly problematic at worst. Anyway, repeat the above sixteen times in relation to Scales of War and we'll be good. Thanks.
#2 likethesearchengine Sep 13, 2008 0:23:41	This is what I was talking about in the stickied thread. That much information about each adventure would let me know that NPC X is a guy who I shouldn't just flippantly kill, change, or edit, and that the Dwarven Clan of XYZ is the one that the Pcs maybe should happen on a caravan from and gain a favorable impression of (share the campfire and food, trade, mutually fend off an attack) in an early adventure. Thus, when same Dwarf Clan XYZ comes looking for help in adventure piece 7, the Pcs have an investment and the yellow '!' isn't so glaringly bright above the quest giver's head. To reiterate: On pages 140, 141, 144, and 145 of the DMG, it describes the DM's duties to provide a good campaign for the players. These tasks include foreshadowing and providing a competent narrative which forms a comprehensive world for the future of the campaign. This involves more than just the fleshing out of the physical world and providing a small blurb about a couple of (possibly) key NPCs. Rather, we need to know who the recurring characters are, what the recurring themes and locations are, we need enough context to place foreshadowing and subtle hooks, and we need to know who the ultimate enemy is - a mortal BBEG, a devil, a deity? We need to know whether the Red Hand is a recurring theme, and we need to know exactly how much and which parts of an adventure we can season to taste before the later material in the AP is rendered useless. Please guys, the idea that the DM shouldn't know this stuff up front is counterintuitive... and goes against the very words you wrote down to guide us to making this game more enjoyable for our players!
#3 tomlib Sep 13, 2008 16:43:42	In my opinion this is an excellent example of an Overview Show Legacy of Fire Chapter 3: "The Jackal's Price" Chapter 3: "The Jackal's Price" by James Jacobs The savage Carrion King is dead, and in his treasure the heroes recover a mysterious magical map. Rumored to be a portal to several islands of paradise, the heroes must travel across the country to the distant city of Katapesh to seek aid in unraveling the map’s powerful magic and perhaps to find a buyer for the precious item. Unfortunately, the heroes aren’t the only ones with an interest in the map, and before long they’ll be thrown up against a mysterious group of violent genies and one of Katapesh’s most notorious crimelords—a shapeshifting cult leader known only as Father Jackal. This volume of Pathfinder also includes an in-depth exploration of the world’s genies, reveals many secrets of the world’s second-largest city, and features a bonus adventure set at a remote desert oasis. Also included are several new monsters and the third part of New York Times best-selling author Elaine Cunningham’s Pathfinder Journal.
#4 Cailte Sep 16, 2008 7:14:32	Having a rundown on Elsir Vale (no more mystery additions like in Brodin's Watch), much like the DMG has on pages 206-208 on Nentir Vale, along with a summary of each major settlement, like the one for Fallcrest on pg 198 of the DMG, would make the modules far easier to use for me as it would give them the relevant context to use them in. I cannot help but compare the AP to the Savage Tide AP (as I'm converting and running it for one of my groups) - the first page of the Savage Tide AP was more informative than what has been produced for the Scales of War AP so far. On top of the adventure (which had info about things like Rowan's return in the third installment) there was the 6 pages on Sesseraine, in addition there was 7 pages in the corresponding Dragon and the Savage Tides Player's Guide. We have less information than that in 2 Dungeon issues so far. The above information combined with meaningful blurbs like the examples above would make it very easy for me to either; 1) run the modules as given, or 2) adapt them for my setting easily. This is because I would know the terrain before hand, at least in passing. Further my players could use that setting information to drive their character backgrounds rather than being essentially empty husks that start in an inn.

Post/Author/DateTime

Post

Greyson

Sep 11, 2008 13:54:57

Okay, we have a "campaign overview" from Wizards of the Coast R&D. That's nice, but they missed the mark. Let's see if we can help them for their next effort at this. I appreciate them trying, but maybe they need to know what DMs are really looking for. Here is an example:

# Adventure Name, for Xth-level characters
By author's name
Describe where the adventure takes place, and why and how the PCs are brought here. Tell DMs what happened in the prior adventure so we have some context to adapt or tweak the adventure for our individual needs. For example, tell us who the bag guys were and what happened to them. And, let us know what they'll be doing in this adventure. Next, tell us the vehicle and methods for the bad guys approach in this adventure and why he's doing it. Last, what is the expected outcome of the bad guys and the PCs. Which direction shall the the whole thing be pointed by the time each adventure ends.

So, each adventure should have something like this:

[color=Navy]3. Death's Master, for 5th-level characters
By Hugh Jass
During The Hidden Sanctum the PCs tracked down the evil necromancer Turgeon and discovered his grisly laboratory and slave pens. Assuming the PCs destroyed Turgeon and ruined his work in the city of Karsha, they have undoubtedly determined who the real master mind of the kidnappings and experiments is - the merchant prince of Saria, Progas.

In Death's Master, it is assumed the PCs follow the clues they've recently found and pursue Progas across the countryside into the Slevorian hinterlands. But, Progas has many spies and sycophants waiting to waylay the PCs and throw them off course. All of these strange, raving henchmen only prove how truly evil and sadistic Progas is, and his master's identity begins to come to light - Orcus.

It's likely that the PCs do not catch Progas in this adventure. Even if they do, it's okay. They'll certainly learn that this foul man left a poison pill in Karsha, and the PC will be compelled to return to the threatened city to help Lord-Mayor Brina stem the tide of evil undead that shall shortly vex the city and plunge it into an bloody feeding frenzy. [/color]

The last sentence(s) is the crucial part. Many of us ponder how we'll portray and act out NPCs and creatures. The more time we have to consider how we'll role play, the better. Giving DMs these sign posts will help them recognize key campaign elements as they read through and prepare the adventure and the campaign as a whole. With more information about the whole campaign, DMs can better guide and prepare for the total gaming experience. And, as has been repeatedly mentioned, DMs like to foreshadow people, places and events. Sure, the knowledge skills can help. But, a truly immersive experience really comes when a player recognizes a key campaign element that does not involve a die roll.

Also, I am running Scales of War (for now) in Middle-earth and Paizo's Golarion. These are two very different campaign settings. If I know what, when, why, where, who and how all in advance, it shall be vastly easier to do my DM work in reconciling the many tweaks necessary to fit into these two disparate worlds. Going adventure-to-adventure without this foreknowledge as DM is disappointing at best, and frustratingly problematic at worst.

Anyway, repeat the above sixteen times in relation to Scales of War and we'll be good. Thanks.

likethesearchengine

Sep 13, 2008 0:23:41

This is what I was talking about in the stickied thread. That much information about each adventure would let me know that NPC X is a guy who I shouldn't just flippantly kill, change, or edit, and that the Dwarven Clan of XYZ is the one that the Pcs maybe should happen on a caravan from and gain a favorable impression of (share the campfire and food, trade, mutually fend off an attack) in an early adventure. Thus, when same Dwarf Clan XYZ comes looking for help in adventure piece 7, the Pcs have an investment and the yellow '!' isn't so glaringly bright above the quest giver's head.

To reiterate:
On pages 140, 141, 144, and 145 of the DMG, it describes the DM's duties to provide a good campaign for the players. These tasks include foreshadowing and providing a competent narrative which forms a comprehensive world for the future of the campaign.

This involves more than just the fleshing out of the physical world and providing a small blurb about a couple of (possibly) key NPCs. Rather, we need to know who the recurring characters are, what the recurring themes and locations are, we need enough context to place foreshadowing and subtle hooks, and we need to know who the ultimate enemy is - a mortal BBEG, a devil, a deity? We need to know whether the Red Hand is a recurring theme, and we need to know exactly how much and which parts of an adventure we can season to taste before the later material in the AP is rendered useless.

Please guys, the idea that the DM shouldn't know this stuff up front is counterintuitive... and goes against the very words you wrote down to guide us to making this game more enjoyable for our players!

tomlib

Sep 13, 2008 16:43:42

In my opinion this is an excellent example of an Overview

Show

Legacy of Fire Chapter 3: "The Jackal's Price"
Chapter 3: "The Jackal's Price"
by James Jacobs

The savage Carrion King is dead, and in his treasure the heroes recover a mysterious magical map. Rumored to be a portal to several islands of paradise, the heroes must travel across the country to the distant city of Katapesh to seek aid in unraveling the map’s powerful magic and perhaps to find a buyer for the precious item. Unfortunately, the heroes aren’t the only ones with an interest in the map, and before long they’ll be thrown up against a mysterious group of violent genies and one of Katapesh’s most notorious crimelords—a shapeshifting cult leader known only as Father Jackal.

This volume of Pathfinder also includes an in-depth exploration of the world’s genies, reveals many secrets of the world’s second-largest city, and features a bonus adventure set at a remote desert oasis. Also included are several new monsters and the third part of New York Times best-selling author Elaine Cunningham’s Pathfinder Journal.

Cailte

Sep 16, 2008 7:14:32

Having a rundown on Elsir Vale (no more mystery additions like in Brodin's Watch), much like the DMG has on pages 206-208 on Nentir Vale, along with a summary of each major settlement, like the one for Fallcrest on pg 198 of the DMG, would make the modules far easier to use for me as it would give them the relevant context to use them in.

I cannot help but compare the AP to the Savage Tide AP (as I'm converting and running it for one of my groups) - the first page of the Savage Tide AP was more informative than what has been produced for the Scales of War AP so far. On top of the adventure (which had info about things like Rowan's return in the third installment) there was the 6 pages on Sesseraine, in addition there was 7 pages in the corresponding Dragon and the Savage Tides Player's Guide. We have less information than that in 2 Dungeon issues so far.

The above information combined with meaningful blurbs like the examples above would make it very easy for me to either; 1) run the modules as given, or 2) adapt them for my setting easily. This is because I would know the terrain before hand, at least in passing.

Further my players could use that setting information to drive their character backgrounds rather than being essentially empty husks that start in an inn.