Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 karak6666666 Sep 23, 2009 1:17:44	So a group of us are starting a new 4e campaign soon. Last time we met, I allowed the players to craft the setting in which the campaign would take place. As it stands now, the situation is that there are two warring countries, both of which have been fighting continually for hundreds of years. Recently, both of them invaded a neatral country located in between them. Most of the PCs have crafted backstories that link them to the neutral country, and I get the feeling that they are going to enjoy playing in this campaign. However, I am having trouble creating plot hooks and adventures in this strange scenario, since it would have to be more than simply trying to band together and force one country's invasion force out, as the other would simply take over what the first lost. If there are any suggestions out there for creating some adventures or plot hooks, it would be appreciated.
#2 slobo777a Sep 23, 2009 6:18:05	You already have plenty of possible factions: 1) Invaders A + Neutral collaberators 2) Invaders B + Neutral collaberators 3) Neutrals who "want their country back the way it was" 4) Neutrals who "want their country back the way it was, but with the 'right' people in charge" 5) Neutrals who don't care for one faction or the other, but want to undo some aspect of the war 6) Neutrals who don't care for one faction or the other, but want to take advantage of some aspect of the war (probably something criminal, but may include merchants and or other people in the Collaberator bracket) 7) How many variants of (4) would you like :-) ? 8) Fifth columnists inside Invaders A or Invaders B who are in any of the above groups.  . . . none of these need to be actual groups with leaders, they could just represent the personal opinion of anyone caught up in the conflict. If any of these opinions gel with stories that the players have provided you, you've already got some hooks . . .
#3 dave_the_DM Sep 23, 2009 14:20:05	Well, this sounds great, but if you want this to succeed you need to do some ground work first. 1) Develop a time line. Why are these two factions fighting? Are they fighting for the reason they think they are?? Perhaps there is some greater overall plot that no one is aware... involving gods, angels, demons, etc. 2) Develop some Major and minor NPCs with detailed backgrounds. The rulers of the countries at war, generals, resistance factions, and so forth. 3) Develop some distinctive setting specific factions. The Mord Sith and Confessors from the the "Sword of Truth" series is a perfect example. Don't be afraid to steal. I mention this, because I did just the same for my campaign world. Look here for examples of what I'm talking about: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/758... community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/758... 4) Start small, with "common folks" that are affected by the war that are connected to the PCs in some way. Don't make the connection to the overall plot yet, but make this a repercussion of those plots. 5) Make sure you ground the PCs themselves into the story. You allowed the players to help craft the campaign world, now get them to connect themselves to it, and each other. The "Matriarchs of Truth" were a direct result of my daughter wanting to play some type of heroic female type from the animes she's been watching. Now, once you've done the ground work, step back, and take a look at what you've got, and I would submit that at that point the stories will begin to suggest themselves. Cool?
#4 leowulf Sep 24, 2009 0:00:49	As it stands now, the situation is that there are two warring countries, both of which have been fighting continually for hundreds of years. Recently, both of them invaded a neatral country located in between them.   Why did this happen?  Why was the country neutral, why did it escape invasion so long, and why was it invaded recently and by both antagonists?  I think here is the crux of a wonderful campaign. Who lives in this neutral country that the party all has connections to?  What secret does it hold, and what might happen if one or the other of the powerful warring countries acquires what is there? Who are the powers behind the powers, both in the warring countries and the neutral country?  Are some of them potential patrons for the PCs?  Is there an artifact (or artifacts) that are sought? Or perhaps, instead of a physical artifact, maybe there is something else at stake or sought?  Does the neutral country have secret knowledge that could save the world (or maybe destroy it)?
#5 Grimbus Sep 24, 2009 18:00:57	It seems like the players need to negotiate a fine line to ensure neither warring faction becomes too dominant whilst at the same time weakening them both so that they get thrown out. Several plots come to mind. First of all you could establish a resistance movement that the players could join. At low levels the local commander would act as a patron and the players would carry out missions for them. Missions might include stealing (powerful weapons), making and distributing propaganda, assasinating collaborators and officers, rescuing captured resistance people, spying and destroying transport networks. Resistance movements are open to iniltration too so you could run a hunt the traitor mission too. Examples 1/ The resistance consists of many untrained peasants. The resistance needs crossbows to give the army. The players have to go to a dwarf mountain and make a deal to buy as many crossbows as possible and smuggle them back into the country somehow. The dwarves double the price of the bows and the players have to raise the money somehow - they could convince patriots to donate gold, blackmail collaborators, steal it from one of the invading armies HQs or raid a dangerous dungeon. Smuggling the crossbows might involve bribery, steal, intimidation, sailing, forgery, concealment or fighting - getting caught means being sentenced to death. 2/ The remaining leaders of the neutral counties government is dispersed following the invasion. The players have to find as many of them as they can before they get executed. The government-in-exile decides to set up an HQ in an abandoned fortress, long forgotten. Guess who has to clear it out before they move in? 3/ A necromancer/mage has weighed into the battle. The problem is the resistance find his methods too extreme and do not entirely trust him. His methods are losing supppport. The players are sent to deal with him.  4/ The resistance has managed to decode the enemy's signals.  They know that a village is to be attacked and exterminated. The resistance does not have enough troops to defend the place. If they do anything, it will almost certainlty reveal that the resistance are intercepting signals. The problem is a resistance captain who lives in the village has disappeared and the fear is that he has gone to warn the village. The players must track him down before he can get to the village and reveal what he knows. (of course there may be another way of saviing the village on the way, bu tthe oplayers will have to find it (poweful illusionist) I suggest you look at war movies about resistance movements such as Carve her Name with Pride, Max Manus, Flame and Citron(?)