Taking Over - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Taking Over

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
jsfallen
Dec 13, 2009 23:55:17 In two weeks I will be taking over my group as DM. Our current DM is stepping down after 6 months due to his lack of story telling. In his defense he is awesome at setting up combat encounters, he simply lacks story telling flare and has stopped trying.(our previous DM was a super story teller but ended up moving due to his job situation.) Our group has run non-stop dungeon crawls for the past few months. I would really like to find an adventure that plays off of skills challenges and PC/NPC interaction. I would love to stay away from what the group has been getting, which is more like a table-top war gaming than a RPG. The group wants to stay with their current characters and are level 13. I am looking for suggestions, so please fire away. Thank you.
#2
ellorin
Dec 22, 2009 15:52:19 I think we'll need some more information...currently I consider the question to be somewhat too vague .
#3
Fingolfin_Aeros
Dec 22, 2009 20:37:58 As some trick of the last dungeon they were in, when they emerge they are far, far from where they originally entered. At some point in their last delve, things happened and they emerge into the world of Eberron. Perhaps they emerge into Q'barra or Xen'Drik, perhaps the fabric between dimensions was weakened by the Mourning and they emerge into the ravaged lands formerly of Cyre.

From there, see what interests you about the setting. They could try working with Arcanix to find a way back to their home plane through the device on the top of one of their towers. Perhaps Morgrave learns of them, and has an interesting proposition. Maybe they stumble across something that Cannith is interested in while crossing between worlds.

Maybe the Dreaming Dark learns of this, and is interested in how the PCs managed the journey. They could start trying to haunt their dreams, and send Inspired agents after them.

As Paragon Tier heroes, they'd generally have quests that span whatever continent they emerge onto, if not the world.
#4
meshon
Dec 23, 2009 13:06:02 One thing to keep in mind is the experience rewards that the players are used to. If there have been a lot of combat encounters their progression is probably pretty steady and so you'll want to keep that up. Role-playing skill challenges are one way, but I also use lots of minor quests (sometimes for trivial things) to keep the experience gain going even when there are few regular combat encounters.

Since the characters are high level it might be worth taking the change in DMs as an opportunity for player empowerment. Find out what their character goals are and let them drive the story. The setting for Eberron has so many narrative arcs built in, if they're familiar with it then they might already know exactly what story they'd like to tell.

Good luck!

cheers,
Meshon
#5
jsfallen
Dec 25, 2009 22:23:27 Thanks for the ideas, I am digging the "we're not in Kansas anymore" angle and may run with it. I also have asked for player feedback and am awarding a free mile stone at the begging of our first session if a player brings character goals and player wants lists.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 jsfallen Dec 13, 2009 23:55:17	In two weeks I will be taking over my group as DM. Our current DM is stepping down after 6 months due to his lack of story telling. In his defense he is awesome at setting up combat encounters, he simply lacks story telling flare and has stopped trying.(our previous DM was a super story teller but ended up moving due to his job situation.) Our group has run non-stop dungeon crawls for the past few months. I would really like to find an adventure that plays off of skills challenges and PC/NPC interaction. I would love to stay away from what the group has been getting, which is more like a table-top war gaming than a RPG. The group wants to stay with their current characters and are level 13. I am looking for suggestions, so please fire away. Thank you.
#2 ellorin Dec 22, 2009 15:52:19	I think we'll need some more information...currently I consider the question to be somewhat too vague .
#3 Fingolfin_Aeros Dec 22, 2009 20:37:58	As some trick of the last dungeon they were in, when they emerge they are far, far from where they originally entered. At some point in their last delve, things happened and they emerge into the world of Eberron. Perhaps they emerge into Q'barra or Xen'Drik, perhaps the fabric between dimensions was weakened by the Mourning and they emerge into the ravaged lands formerly of Cyre. From there, see what interests you about the setting. They could try working with Arcanix to find a way back to their home plane through the device on the top of one of their towers. Perhaps Morgrave learns of them, and has an interesting proposition. Maybe they stumble across something that Cannith is interested in while crossing between worlds. Maybe the Dreaming Dark learns of this, and is interested in how the PCs managed the journey. They could start trying to haunt their dreams, and send Inspired agents after them. As Paragon Tier heroes, they'd generally have quests that span whatever continent they emerge onto, if not the world.
#4 meshon Dec 23, 2009 13:06:02	One thing to keep in mind is the experience rewards that the players are used to. If there have been a lot of combat encounters their progression is probably pretty steady and so you'll want to keep that up. Role-playing skill challenges are one way, but I also use lots of minor quests (sometimes for trivial things) to keep the experience gain going even when there are few regular combat encounters. Since the characters are high level it might be worth taking the change in DMs as an opportunity for player empowerment. Find out what their character goals are and let them drive the story. The setting for Eberron has so many narrative arcs built in, if they're familiar with it then they might already know exactly what story they'd like to tell. Good luck! cheers, Meshon
#5 jsfallen Dec 25, 2009 22:23:27	Thanks for the ideas, I am digging the "we're not in Kansas anymore" angle and may run with it. I also have asked for player feedback and am awarding a free mile stone at the begging of our first session if a player brings character goals and player wants lists.