Campaign Start Idea (peach) - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Campaign Start Idea (peach)

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
truecoyote
Feb 01, 2009 14:07:54 okay i was thinking in the draconomicon the book mentions with gray dragons i think it was about outpost lairs. I was thinking of starting a campaign with the characters at about level 5 or so stumbling across an outpost lair but of another type of dragon, not sure what kind yet. The idea is that the lair is being guarded by various minions of a level or 2 higher while the master is out, but the treasure equal to say level 15 hoard. Now of course i am not going to TELL them this of course. Was considering maybe putting in a couple wyrmlings let them think they just got lucky and run across some youngsters that found a stash. Then later on have the dragon's minions appear randomly in between encounters and such that are unrelated and attack them talking about retribution on thieves and childkillers along those lines. Eventually the minions let something slip so that they know all these trouble stem from this great treasure they found earlier on and ends up with them going up against and elder or even ancient wyrm. sound viable? sure it will give them a bit of a boost early on but that will be something they need with these monsters coming in randomly in either large numbers or 2 to 3 levels above them.
#2
Thought
Feb 02, 2009 13:56:16 Well the treasure boost would be nice, but not amazing. At that low level, they can't even make use of a lot of the power of higher level magic items, for example.

Also, if the end goal is to have them fight an elder or ancient dragon, you need a lot more stuff in there. That is an epic level challenge, if I recall right, so that is roughly 20 levels worth of material you'll need (or assuming you follow the guidelines of 10 encounters per level, 200 encounters). A Young or even Adult dragon might make a better foe, unless you have some ideas to flesh the campaign out a lot more.

Right now, it sounds more like an adventure than a campaign.

So to flesh it out, why did the dragon create this outpost lair? Is there anything special about this dragon? Other than revenge, why is it out for the PCs? Where did the PCs even come from and why are they together?
#3
truecoyote
Feb 02, 2009 17:32:20 yeah i didn't say that quite right. I intend that to be a big part of a campaign something that carries across the levels and tiers. Even fighting other dragon's and such. Family members and the like. Basically an adventure. Just instead of a series of encounters and such in row broken up and randomly worked in-between other encounters and such. Something to keep them a bit nervous. Ya know what I mean? Keep them looking over their shoulders unsure whats going on with these attacks. Also that is just the rough idea it definately needs more fleshing out no matter what. As for the magic items i figure i wont let them know what they are at first. Make them ask a wizard in the next town they get in to identify them foreshadow the future troubles with that by having him react to such low level pcs with high magic items and just have the items unlock as specific levels such as when they get in say 2 levels of the items key points like say 7 12 17 are the items levels well at 5 its close enough they would get the plus 2 bonus and lower level attributes from it then 10 they would get the plus 3 and 15 the plus 4 any other level based abilities opening up at the same time as the next plus. Does that make sense? sound reasonable? any suggestions for other way to do that? I mean i dont want them to have SUPER weapons/armor/items that early even though technically the book says if they manage to get their hands on items they can use them then goes on to suggest the unlocking thing if you dont want them to have the full use of it.
#4
Thought
Feb 03, 2009 10:01:55 Ah, that makes much more sense. I thought you were trying to give lowly 5th level characters enough treasure that they might be able to kill an ancient dragon in a few levels; unlike 3e, magic items can't make up that much of a level gap. But as I misunderstood, its not much of an issue.

Hmm... I'm not sure if anything's been released for 4e yet, but you might want to consider including a few organizations related to dragons, to provide contacts. For example, an organization dedicated to keeping down the dragon population (the Wyrmslayers or some such). They might provide the party with help, occasionally, as the party is facing a dragon. On the other side, perhaps a pro-dragon group (possibly even a cult worshiping this dragon in particular), to give the enemies that they face over the various levels a face (the Acolytes of the Ancient One, or the Order of the Scale, etc).
#5
truecoyote
Feb 03, 2009 18:24:16 interesting idea there yeah

The Itchy Scale

Motto: We scratch their backs so they won't scratch ours

Sounds like fun hehe.

but seriously not a bad idea make them worshipers of this particular dragon so they helping him and such

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 truecoyote Feb 01, 2009 14:07:54	okay i was thinking in the draconomicon the book mentions with gray dragons i think it was about outpost lairs. I was thinking of starting a campaign with the characters at about level 5 or so stumbling across an outpost lair but of another type of dragon, not sure what kind yet. The idea is that the lair is being guarded by various minions of a level or 2 higher while the master is out, but the treasure equal to say level 15 hoard. Now of course i am not going to TELL them this of course. Was considering maybe putting in a couple wyrmlings let them think they just got lucky and run across some youngsters that found a stash. Then later on have the dragon's minions appear randomly in between encounters and such that are unrelated and attack them talking about retribution on thieves and childkillers along those lines. Eventually the minions let something slip so that they know all these trouble stem from this great treasure they found earlier on and ends up with them going up against and elder or even ancient wyrm. sound viable? sure it will give them a bit of a boost early on but that will be something they need with these monsters coming in randomly in either large numbers or 2 to 3 levels above them.
#2 Thought Feb 02, 2009 13:56:16	Well the treasure boost would be nice, but not amazing. At that low level, they can't even make use of a lot of the power of higher level magic items, for example. Also, if the end goal is to have them fight an elder or ancient dragon, you need a lot more stuff in there. That is an epic level challenge, if I recall right, so that is roughly 20 levels worth of material you'll need (or assuming you follow the guidelines of 10 encounters per level, 200 encounters). A Young or even Adult dragon might make a better foe, unless you have some ideas to flesh the campaign out a lot more. Right now, it sounds more like an adventure than a campaign. So to flesh it out, why did the dragon create this outpost lair? Is there anything special about this dragon? Other than revenge, why is it out for the PCs? Where did the PCs even come from and why are they together?
#3 truecoyote Feb 02, 2009 17:32:20	yeah i didn't say that quite right. I intend that to be a big part of a campaign something that carries across the levels and tiers. Even fighting other dragon's and such. Family members and the like. Basically an adventure. Just instead of a series of encounters and such in row broken up and randomly worked in-between other encounters and such. Something to keep them a bit nervous. Ya know what I mean? Keep them looking over their shoulders unsure whats going on with these attacks. Also that is just the rough idea it definately needs more fleshing out no matter what. As for the magic items i figure i wont let them know what they are at first. Make them ask a wizard in the next town they get in to identify them foreshadow the future troubles with that by having him react to such low level pcs with high magic items and just have the items unlock as specific levels such as when they get in say 2 levels of the items key points like say 7 12 17 are the items levels well at 5 its close enough they would get the plus 2 bonus and lower level attributes from it then 10 they would get the plus 3 and 15 the plus 4 any other level based abilities opening up at the same time as the next plus. Does that make sense? sound reasonable? any suggestions for other way to do that? I mean i dont want them to have SUPER weapons/armor/items that early even though technically the book says if they manage to get their hands on items they can use them then goes on to suggest the unlocking thing if you dont want them to have the full use of it.
#4 Thought Feb 03, 2009 10:01:55	Ah, that makes much more sense. I thought you were trying to give lowly 5th level characters enough treasure that they might be able to kill an ancient dragon in a few levels; unlike 3e, magic items can't make up that much of a level gap. But as I misunderstood, its not much of an issue. Hmm... I'm not sure if anything's been released for 4e yet, but you might want to consider including a few organizations related to dragons, to provide contacts. For example, an organization dedicated to keeping down the dragon population (the Wyrmslayers or some such). They might provide the party with help, occasionally, as the party is facing a dragon. On the other side, perhaps a pro-dragon group (possibly even a cult worshiping this dragon in particular), to give the enemies that they face over the various levels a face (the Acolytes of the Ancient One, or the Order of the Scale, etc).
#5 truecoyote Feb 03, 2009 18:24:16	interesting idea there yeah The Itchy Scale Motto: We scratch their backs so they won't scratch ours Sounds like fun hehe. but seriously not a bad idea make them worshipers of this particular dragon so they helping him and such