Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 hyperionrising Jul 17, 2009 21:08:22	I'm working on my first adventure, planning to build the world as I go. How does this setup sound: The characters, first level all, have come for there own reasons to a rather dingy, city, a "hive of scum and villainy", as it were. I have confirmation on the backstories of two of the three characters: a human paladin, apprenticed to a famous hero; and a former servant of the dark lord said hero is famous for defeating (class and race undecided). Niether of these characters starts off with any knowledge of the other. The third character will probably be a cleric, possibly of a pantheon few people still worship. These three have the misfortune of wandering into the wrong alleys and are knocked out. There captors lower them into a blocked off section of the old, unused sewers, and make a profit betting on their survival time while watching through magical means. Three factions will be introduced here: -First, the people running this sick gladiatorial event, who will turn out to be the most powerful crime family in the city. Our local bad guys. -Second, an eccentric group of scholars, one of whom has been living in these sewers for a long time. These guys are so mysterious, even I don't really know what they're up to yet. They're after knowledge at any cost, which means they will be allies and enemies to the PCs depending on the situation. -Third, our possible regional bad guys, a group of necromancers that's just starting up. What happens with them will depend entirely on when the PCs investigate them. Take them on early, they're practically comic relief, and some can even be convinced to turn away from their rather nasty ways. If the PCs wait though, they're going to become a major problem. As for the first dungeon, it will be fairly straightforward and small. The main trick will be finding the weakness in a wall that will allow them to escape, and avoiding the thugs sent after them before they get all the way out. Is that enough? Given that they'll be going in with minimal supplies, I think it might be. My players want a lot of time to focus on roleplaying, and the next section, where they end up in the rather surreal, nearly abandoned outskirts of the city. Oh, the NPCs I'm planning... Good/Bad/Pizza?
#2 graxith Jul 17, 2009 21:52:26	I'd say that that's a solid introduction. It's quick, it gets to the point, and it brings them together. Although you might want to have something that keeps them together after the pit [PCs can't always come up with a reasonable reason to stay together, that is unless they were looking for a couple people to help them with the city.]. That way there's no question on the stability of the group and the players don't have to come up with elaborate reasoning.
#3 garner_adam Jul 17, 2009 21:55:29	If you're definitely going to knock out the team do it right at the beginning as a part of the campaign set up. I wouldn't even have them start role playing or introducing characters until their characters woke up. However starting your game off in a dungeon might lead to some player expectation issues considering you already know "...My players want a lot of time to focus on roleplaying..."
#4 garner_adam Jul 17, 2009 21:57:56	I'd say that that's a solid introduction. It's quick, it gets to the point, and it brings them together. Although you might want to have something that keeps them together after the pit [PCs can't always come up with a reasonable reason to stay together, that is unless they were looking for a couple people to help them with the city.]. That way there's no question on the stability of the group and the players don't have to come up with elaborate reasoning. Yeah I can never understand why PC's can't figure out how to stay together and work as a team. To me the most obvious answer is also the most realistic... "I just survived some thing ultra dangerous with these guys and lived to tell about it. If I ever have to do that again I want these guys with me!" I mean real soldiers who barely know each other often bond for life after even a single hairy battle.
#5 graxith Jul 17, 2009 22:17:39	Yeah I can never understand why PC's can't figure out how to stay together and work as a team. To me the most obvious answer is also the most realistic... I know, I get that too, but if I'm guessing correctly then they'll want a little more then that. It's not the smartest thing that they do, but I guess that it helps them sleep at night so I can't complain. That's becuase the warriors know that they can trust each other becuase they're in danger, that bond lasts, the bond formed by three people sitting next to each other depends on their lives together, and they could be just as inclined to seperate after that becuase there's no danger to themselves. [or at least try and come up with some half baked reason to stay together] I've found it easier to spoon feed them so that they can get to getting to know each other.
#6 hyperionrising Jul 18, 2009 11:42:54	I know my players pretty well, and I'm guessing they'll roleplay at least a bit when they first wake up in the sewer. These are pretty story oriented people, they're not going to just do the minimum.
#7 garner_adam Jul 18, 2009 13:01:45	Because there's spectators watching them I'm assuming the sewers are very dangerous and don't actually lend much room towards roleplaying encounters. I mean just how long are the people betting against the players willing to watch? :P
#8 strand0 Aug 08, 2009 7:02:20	I'm working on my first adventure, planning to build the world as I go. How does this setup sound: ... There captors lower them into a blocked off section of the old, unused sewers, and make a profit betting on their survival time while watching through magical means. This is pretty cool. Except... how are they supposed to know that Three factions are watching if the are using magical means? Maybe the watchers can be heard and somrtimes spotted watching from windows or balconies? Then the can get an idea that these are not all the same. They might even spot clues to the ID of some of the watchers. Fer EX: Signet ring, necklace, magic staff, fine sword, or scroll case. Three factions will be introduced here: -First, the people running this sick gladiatorial event, who will turn out to be the most powerful crime family in the city. Our local bad guys. -Second, an eccentric group of scholars, ... -Third, our possible regional bad guys, a group of necromancers ... These are cool. Idea: Is the survival contest fair? Are they expected to drown when the victory room is flooded? Maybe someone else should defeat them at the end and they recover to see that (they were left for dead, but) the "winner" is dead. :evil: