First, I want to give them first go at designing the village. The theory is, if they decide what it is and take a hand in the design, they'll care about it more. I've told them I would like their characters to be part of an apprenticeship program. There will be an NPC in the town that is a Master (roughly 7th level, still short of Paragon) of each character class. The PCs will be the apprentices, soon to be promoted to journeymen by their teachers. To that end, the PCs are free to make their NPC mentors be whatever they wish. Any details the players don't want to fill in, I'll fill in later.
Second, I think it would be a good idea to give them something to do in town. I don't want to give them too much. I'm trying to make sure they're nice and low level. The campaign arc is supposed to go Mobilize for War (heroic), Fight the War (Paragon), Fight Big Evil that launched the war to begin with (Epic). I'm hoping to give each player a solo 'graduation' task, but also give the party some heroing to do before the hammer falls. A goblin nest would be pretty traditional, but I'm hoping to come up with something a bit more creative. I'm also looking at the possibility of a 'quest' of 'make the village better'. A series of skill challenges like raising a barn, or 'single encounter' things to benefit the community. Something relatively 'homey' but at the same time, befitting of adventurers.
Any suggestions? Either ways to get them hooked, or things they can do around town to make life better for everyone?
2) Ask your players to do a Ten-Minute Background. Pay special attention to what they put in response to Step 4 and Step 5. This is ammo, so you can...
3) Make the elements from their backgrounds have a definite roleplay impact when the players start. Develop their relationships with any family, friends, mentors, enemies, or any other NPCs that they've mentioned in their background. These elements should be prevalent throughout the entire length of the campaign.
4) Have the players first few adventurers have a definite effect on the town and how the towns people see them. Even ham it up a little. If they stop the kobold menace and become local heroes, make sure they're treated like heroes. Throw some festivals in there as well. Because all of that's gonna change when you...
5) Set them up the bomb. War was beginning and they must take off every zig for great justice. It would be a shame to just auto-destroy their town once they have invested so much into it. Have the war start as a creeping dread first. First it starts as rumors of violence in faraway land. Then traders stop coming. People start becoming nervous. Battles get dangerously close to town. Then the town itself finds itself target of raiders. Until finally it gets the the point that the town becomes a primary target of sieges. The PCs efforts up to this point may have been to investigate or oppose the direct or indirect effects of the approaching war front and do what they can to protect their town.
6) It's almost paragon time. Perhaps the players have succeeded in keeping their little town safe for now. Perhaps the players have failed and are in the middle of leading the evacuation effort. Either way, it soon becomes clear that they themselves must get involved in the war to protect (what/whoever is left) of their hometown.
Maybe they just finished the greatest task that you where going to have them. Fastforward a couple days and a great festival is inacted in there honor . Maybe what they just acomplished is the end of a mini campaign crafted so that they have through the teachings of there masters are always working to protect this one town form whatever thing threatens it. Maybe this has some connection to the war at large but nothing apparent untill some time into the paragon .
as for the in town parts. Maybe the masters of each person are all going to be part of a guild of some kind that is just starting out with these (insert number of PCs) older powerfull men . They picked the PCs for various reasions (witch are some of the things you give them controol over) Maybe thereare training missions or something like that. Maybe they can teach them things new skill or feats in exchange for or as rewards for training missions. Maybe each of them gets something of use from there masters Something that they will have after the fall of the city. Now dont make them the (sorry to use a wow term) Class trainer or cool thing vendor or they wont see them as people they should give a care about. You have to find a balance between them being dependant on the masters and them actually liking them. (well thats only an opinion taken from a friend of mine in the video game industry )
Finally as the city is taken down have them fighting along side the much more powerfull masters that they by now have come to like and have them die first All of the PC will be knocked unconsis I assume but the masters would be targeted because of there power. and thuss I would see the evil forces converging on the masters first taking them down then eather giving the PCs a chance to try and fight it or run away.
This will do 2 things. Besides the city being taken away with all the people who they know there masters are taken away at the same time. People they looked up to and liked . The ones who taught them what they knew.
The city itself would be another thing that they lost because they had spent so long protecting it. Killed posibly hundreds of creatures taken down the goblin king(or whatever you decide to put in there as the overall commander ) and now on the eve of there greatest acomplishment with this entire city patting them on the back and giving them all the praise posable an evil force sweeps in and levels the city in one night.
If that isnt enough modivation for them to feel like they lost something I dont know what is.
I am not saying don't do it - just a warning - I would have some people survive - though you were probably doing that as well - just to give them the small hope that not everything is destrpyed.
Also - throw in small hints about the War - villages moaning - tax increases that sort of thing - brings the villagers alive and sets up the background a little bit.
Finally I would stage the attack during their festival celebration of the heroes successes. Could be fun to have small effigies/dolls that the villages/children have created burn down/stomped on by a bad guy.
Adoring Children - Maybe some children in town who at first are in awe of the characters, then maybe an adventure later, start emulating the characters even dressing up like them carrying wooden play swords etc.
Adoring Love Interest - Male characters usually wouldn't mind having a few adoring young nubile girls after them...heh. Farmer's daughter? Merchant's daughter? Mayor's daughter???? Throw a few into the mix, some shy, some not, that give the PCs special treatment (like discount at the bar, or asking them to dance at the local fesitval, etc.). Also consider having love interests that aren't so nubile, like maybe a somewhat "not as attractive" young woman whom the PCs rescue etc. or how about an older woman who is infactuated with a character.
Loyal Merchant/Crafter Fan - be nice if a few merchants in town gave them a break now and then. Besides discounts, you can really ham out encounters where the PCs are at the merchant store or something. If the townfolk really love the party, consider giving them the "magical" weapons through their loving and adoring fans etc.
Good Hearted Townfolk - perhaps the PCs rescued non-town folk from the local villains etc. or they rescued like a pseudo-dragon or young koboldling etc. If the PCs bring them into town, the townfolk may show their good heart by taking in these folk/creatures and over the course of a few adventures, the players can see how these folks transformed under the love and care of the townfolk. On the flip side, you can demonstrate the frustration and passion of the townfolk as they enact justice (or mercy) against captured bandits...perhaps even debating over whether they should hang the villains or show mercy...and seeking out the wisdom of the PCs to help sway their decision (makes for great roleplaying!).
Rescued Princess - Players seem to become more vested in townfolk when they have to rescue or protect them from harm. However, players are even more wowed when the rescued protected princesses (and merchants, farmers, townfolk etc.) fight to protect their characters. When Young Esther Red hurtled her hand axe and crit the fey panther escaping from the caravan killing the beast...the Players sat around the table in awe....wow.
Orphaned Townfolk - Now imagine if Farmer Red jumped in the path of a poisoned arrow aimed right at the heart of the team cleric or warrior...saving the PC during an epic battle against the local villainy. As he dies, he whispers, "look after Young Esther for me.....please....ugh". At least one character should look into Young Esther Red whenever they hit town, possibly buying her food, clothes, what-nots to help the young orphan etc.
Building Shop - Okay, so Young Esther Red inherits her father's Woodcraft shop etc. or some variation like that. The Players could spend considerable time helping to run the shop and make sure Young Esther or whomever stays in business etc.
Anyhow, almost all of this requires that the Players spend a considerable amount of time roleplaying "town stuff". My Players LOVE that stuff and often spend more time doing their "town stuff" than even adventuring. One thing I felt that helped was creating these "town cards"....cards that represented different things in town...like town square, armorsmith, tailor, merchant's guild, etc. and I lay out the cards on the table. The Players then move their minis onto the cards when their characters are doing XYZ at that feature in town etc.
Anyhow, a few ideas here and there to build on what the others have posted. Hope this helps.
Fox
Slavers: This allows you to fight to rescue survivors.
OTHER ISSUES
Building Techniques: Clay, Mudbrick, Rock, Wattle and Daube, Wicker & Daube, Straw huts, Hides...all involve access to certain resources crucial to their use.
Skills: Stone cutters, Woodcutters, Dyemakers, Metal workers (Copper, Bronze, Iron, Steel...), Farmers, Hunters, Gatherers,
Assorted Skill Trees:
Wood Cutter - Dyemaker/Carpenter/Charcoalmaker/firewood
Sheep Farmer - wool [clothmaker/Ropemaker/rugmaker] or Milk [Cheese/butter] or Hides[Shoes/Clothes/Leather satchels/Saddles]
You are dealing in Specialization of Individuals (Bob the Blacksmith), Speciallization of Communities (Mining towns).
If the PCs come from a hovel - they may not care that it burns down.
Fireclave, I love that ten minute background. That's a gem. I'm fairly certain I'll be passing that around to my players and telling them to start with that and do more if they feel so inspired.
Several of you have suggested the idea of rumors of war going on in the background. Considering the Points of Light approach, I'm concerned about the viability of it, as per Yellowdingo's concerns. Village A isn't a pile of mud huts, but it is a smaller, isolated, vulnerable place. Village A is along a trading route between City B and City C, however trade caravans are a Big Deal. They have to be massively defended, and they're expensive. I figure there are probably only two per year. I think I might just make one of the caravans about a month late.
Foxen, I love your idea about the adoring love interests. More specifically, about the less desirable love interests. In fact, I'm pretty certain that I'm going to pick a time when a male PC is doing something particularly physical to have a group of the local forty somethings come by and make some appreciating comments. The adoring children are a great touch too, but I'll have to wait to see what my PCs come up with as backgrounds. I may have the kids instead tell tall tales about the PCs. Like how one of them out-wrestled a minotaur or has residuum flowing in their veins instead of blood.
Oh, Merdok, you're right that 'a small village' was vague. Since I'm thinking of giving my PCs the design rights, even I don't know how big it'll be yet. I just know it'll be small enough. The Forces of Evil will be quite sufficient to overwhelm it.
So, anyone, any thoughts as to what could be done around town? Some ideas of my own... someone has come down ill and the PCs need to go to the spot where the rare herbs grow and gather the cure. There is a raid by monsters of some sort on an outlying farm, so that the PCs must fight off the monsters while rescuing those trapped in the fire. One of the village taverns has been staying open to all hours and it's driving the neighbors mad, so the PCs must diffuse the conflict before there is (more) blood.
I think your idea of the caravan going missing is the initial idea - because it hasn't arrived they need to investigate, gather supplies to help the villagers out.
I remember reading about some isolated villages used to create a winter store hidden just in case of bad weather, unforeseen circumstances. What happens if that has been taken?
Also if you do the attack and there are survivors - the whole journey with refugees travelling to your Location B is a great way of building up heroics, adding NPC's and just general adventuring as they are pursued by the army.
Several of you have suggested the idea of rumors of war going on in the background. Considering the Points of Light approach, I'm concerned about the viability of it, as per Yellowdingo's concerns. Village A isn't a pile of mud huts, but it is a smaller, isolated, vulnerable place. Village A is along a trading route between City B and City C, however trade caravans are a Big Deal. They have to be massively defended, and they're expensive. I figure there are probably only two per year. I think I might just make one of the caravans about a month late.
Actually, I say that could work even more in your favor. If a trading caravan passing through is both an rare and important event, then people will definitely be concerned when their expected goods don't arrive on time. Especially if some of those goods are important to the livelihood of some of the villagers (the innkeeper needs his spices, the town's resident arcanist needs her alchemical reagents, the blacksmith needs some more iron, ect). Likewise, a trade caravan is probably the only source of news in a sleepy little village in the middle of nowhere. Farming mud can get boring, and people need new stuff to talk about around the water cooler. You could either have the caravan arrive with news that's trouble is brewing, or you can send the PCs to investigate and learn of conflict during the investigation, perhaps journeying as far as the next settlement (or what's left of it).
Foxen, I love your idea about the adoring love interests. More specifically, about the less desirable love interests. In fact, I'm pretty certain that I'm going to pick a time when a male PC is doing something particularly physical to have a group of the local forty somethings come by and make some appreciating comments.
Make the love interest a dragon. No seriously. Extra points if the dragon is also the damsel in distress and is obvious with her affections and minus points if it uses a magical disguise to hide its draconic nature. Have it be fairly young, perhaps younger (weaker) than the dragons in the MM so that it doesn't pose to big of a threat to the BBEG should the PCs befriend it (if you do make it younger, you'll probably have to create some stats). Not only would be an interesting roleplaying challenge, a potential draconic ally would be favorable later in the campaign. If nothing else, it'll be worth an interesting tale to tell at the tavern.
The adoring children are a great touch too, but I'll have to wait to see what my PCs come up with as backgrounds. I may have the kids instead tell tall tales about the PCs. Like how one of them out-wrestled a minotaur or has residuum flowing in their veins instead of blood.
Pah. I once out-wrestled two minotaurs made out of residuum. In the snow. With no shoes on. And it was uphill both ways. Kids today. Seriously though, every town should include a doddering old man who's tales of the PCs exploit get comically more absurd which each telling.
Returning to the subject of adoring children, it would be an interesting twist if one of those adoring children went from simply playing hero and actually started to take steps to gain class levels in order to emulate their idol. Perhaps even going as far as approaching the PCs to ask (plead?) for a mentorship.
So, anyone, any thoughts as to what could be done around town?
Sorry, I got nothing. I'm terrible when it comes to actually thinking up interesting plots and encounters. The best I can do at the moment is point you toward the Big List of RPG Plots.
Anyhow, here's a few quick ideas of what around towns...
1. Graveyards...either go and repair the ancient dragon bone (or whatever) that holds off the Shadowfell and prevent the undead from rising, or someone is reviving the dead. In the game I ran, Young Esther Red's grandma was the graveyard keeper, and she turned into a wight and destroyed the dragon bone. In the game I play, it was CIS graveyard, trying to figure out why there were missing bodies in the local graveyard.
2. Trouble with Bandits...a local noble was quite disturbed when his young teenage son went missing. It was rumored that local bandits were near where the son was last seen and the noble believes he was kidnapped. However, the twist, the son is actually one of the bandits, either joining the group for kicks and thrills, or he actually thinks the bandits are a local adventuring guild...great roleplaying when well, the son is brought in for justice (if the PCs remember to NOT kill him!).
3. Escaped WarMachine...one of the Dark Armies warmachines or creatures had escaped from the main battle...mostly to get away from war cause well, war sucks and there's much easier sources of food where there are unburnt farmlands. Perhaps a troll (what is a troll doing in our vale)? An Owlbear? Or something? Or perhaps the creatures from the wartorn landscape have travelled far to find a new home...wolves, panthers, hyenas, etc.
4. Property Line Dispute. As already stated...but I just love how this turned out. Miss Mary's sheep are eating Peter's pumpkins, and he's getting rather ******. He seeks out help to resolve this dispute (in the game I ran, the pally went around looking for work by "blessing" people with her prayers and "rituals"...). However, a previous warlocks attempt seemed to have proven useless...until the full moon where all the pumpkins become possessed with demons or fairies or something and go beserk, attacking and slaughtering Miss Mary's sheep and perhaps Miss Mary herself as she attacks the pumpkins! (in our game, the party err, didn't realize Mary was Young Esther Red's Aunt...and was umm, trying to cover their butts when Red asked the party for help cause some mean wizard (the warlock!) was putting Mary's sheep to sleep!).
Non-Combat Stuff
1. Law and Order - the local priests ask the cleric/pallys to take on some of their duties to help resolve disputes as local judges and even as local constables.
2. Con Man Land - a local travelling merchant band (of halflings and dwarves!) are ripping off the town folks (and even the PCs) with their shoddy items (loved it when the glow orb went dead right as the party pally entered into Grandma Red's bedroom.....alone). The PCs have to somehow catch the con men in action, and bring them to justice before the town.
3. The Riddle - somewhere located around town is a riddle...it is rumored to lead to the tombs of some of the great warriors and heroes of the town. However, the PCs must somehow solve the riddle (which requires talking to several townsfolk to learn more about the history of the town) and gain entrance into this catacomb!
ACk, that's it for now...having fun with this!
Fox
The first was to enter a swamp after an attack on an outlying manor house, then resvue the baron's feisty daughter, one other I cannot remember but it ended with helping the local elvish society but I also had ideas for the normal day to day stuff of guard duty, sorting out bar fights, looking for a lost love one Lucy (actually a pig or cow), chatting to merchants.
1) They must not see it coming:
Other than that, a good idea is to not make it obvious that people are going to die fast. Give them quirks, personamities, associations with the PCs and between them. The players have to think you designed recuring characters and plot devices, sort of like Jess (Xander and Willow's ill fated friend) was in the first episode of Buffy.
2) Avoid the clichées:
The thing you must avoid is the cosy pastoral village like the one at the beginning of Fable. Instead, make it a fronteer town, a mining community... The first village in Neverwinter II or in Jade Empire are good examples of starting places. Afterall, in a points of light type setting, people in isolated or small villages have to be a little tough and rustic.
3) Mentors, so many opportunities:
A definitly good way to make it personal is for one of the mentors you mentioned to be a traitor. That dark overlord thingy and his evil armies rased the place is one thing and causes a impersonal revenge against some evil guy they hardly know. However, nothing makes things personal like the betrayal of someone you admired and trusted. If Seven, the local heroic knight betrays the PCs and destroys the village or at least helps the bad guys, that gives the ennemy a face, one that the players will aim and track like rabbid bloodhounds.
Imagine this: An attack that was sensed for some time (through rumours and stuff suggested by other posters) and the PCs are part of the defence. The battle is known to be a tough one but thanks to the PCs, local hero/mentors, and some brave villagers, it is winnable. Fast forward and the battle is going on, things are tough but the good guys are holding thanks to good organisation and willpower. Then, comes the cold hand of betrayal: Mage master thingy, who was providing a steady barage of spells to help the defenders, is suddenly backstabbed by the knight hero who then goes on a rampage inside the village. The battle quickly turns into complete chaos as organisation is lost and people are just trying to survive both the exterior ennemies and the renegade mentor. How the PCs make it out alive is something which can be variable but at the end we have a bunch of really ****** off PC and someone they want not only dead, but painfully.
After a few minutes my first idea is this. The area is water poor, the reason the village is here is because this is where the water is and water is valuable. One day everyone comes down sick and the village cleric (or alchemist or old wise man or whatever) immediately traces it to the water supply.
If the players have the means (character skills) they can deduce the water is being poisoned. Regardless of whether they can figure that out a band of men come into town and tell everyone to leave this area has become contaminated due to [whatever fits]. The players will have a skill challenge to deduce that the men are lying, misleading, etc and if successful will be able to denounce them as the ones doing the poisoning.
If a fight ensues a rear guard, or one of the men has the ability to vanish/go invisible whatever, runs away. Is he escaping? Or running to warn others?
If the players follow they come across a band of men, bandits and get a chance to witness a meeting between the very first forerunner of the BBEG who's hiring locals to do his initial cleanup of the area before his own forces start to use it as a staging ground.
If they don't follow the men then the men show up to 'encourage' the players to leave. With sharp pointy things. If the players win they find some instrument that indicates the bandits were working for someone else. Perhaps newly minted gold in an odd currency. Or cryptic notes. Or some magical implement that they use to converse over distances and accidently activate.
If the players do nothing then the village will sicken and die.
Mosestrotsky, I have something up my sleeve for the survivors. I'm planning on making it so that the party gets to take two people with them. One an NPC that I'm planting to further the plot. The other, I'm going to make them decide. Do they bring an innocent child? Do they bring another warrior of some time, thinking ahead to when they make the rescue? Do they take one of the PC's parents? With luck, I'll make it a hard decision to make. I think that this winter supply is a good idea, I'll have to think of how to work it in.
Foxen, I love that bit about the riddle. I just wonder if I can get away with it twice. I want to set up a nobleman's manor to be a giant riddle in City B. If I make the village a riddle too, it might be beating a dead horse. I love that story of the pumpkins coming to life. I think I might just be stealing it. Perhaps a spirit from the feywild thought it'd be funny and the players will have to find a way to dissuade it from continuing this game. The conmen could be great too, partnering it up with the fact that the proper caravan is a month overdue. People buy a bunch of stuff from them, only to find it breaks...
Abel, I really like your notion of one of the mentors being a traitor. The group detects the incoming forces and prepares a defense. The mentors and PCs move out to ambush the forces. They go with a "Hammer and Anvil" strategy where the Mentors form the main battle line while the PCs are to strike from cover and pin the enemy. While the PCs are in their cover though, waiting for the Ranger mentor to return and tell everyone the force is incoming... the Ranger mentor and a monster band beseige the party. The fighting is furious, the Ranger mentor flees when he is bloodied, and the PCs get a victory. Interrogation of those just defeated reveals the size of the threat the party is facing. Returning to the village, they find that it's under attack and the fight is simply unwinable. The Mayor then proceeds to ask them to flee to City B, alert them of the threat. The mentors stay to see what they can do to rescue those who can be rescued while the PCs have to flee to avoid being captured. My one concern here... if the mayor gives them instructions, it might feel railroadish. But the mayor is someone in a position of authority...
its gonna be sweet
Works exactly like this:
[noparse]
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I love that story of the pumpkins coming to life....Perhaps a spirit from the feywild thought it'd be funny and the players will have to find a way to dissuade it from continuing this game.
Heh, perhaps the owner of the pumpkin patch is named Linus, or has a son named Linus who attempts to summon the Great Pumpkin each harvest season. Heh.
Fox