Hail hero and welcome to the RPGA. We're glad we've piqued your interest in our band of intrepid adventurers. I'm the Web Dwarf -- your guide on this exploration of what the RPGA is all about. Aside from fighting evil and foiling the plots of dastardly villains, our ultimate goal is to enhance your roleplaying experience, so you can play more, with more people, and receive rewards for the games you already love. We're also expanding your opportunities to meet people and duke-it-out with D&D Miniatures skirmish leagues and tournaments.
Allowing for such a massive play experience requires us to make a lot of decisions to about how games, events, and people work together while maintaining a fair and consistent experience world wide. Sharing in this experience means there's stuff you need to know, so grab your pick and let's dig in. If you encounter a few asides in the follow text [like this one], it's just the humble mumblings of a dwarf gone mad.
Here is a list of topics we'll cover. Clinking on them lets you jump ahead to that section. Go ahead, try it, I won't be too offended.
1. Personalities of Note
Before diving into the nitty-gritty, let me introduce some personalities you might run into from time to time -- don't worry, they're not all mine.
Ian Richards, Program Manager
Chris Tulach, Content Manager
Jeff Simpson, Web Producer (a.k.a. the Web Dwarf)
We developed a fictitious gaming group we call the iconic players to help us describe various situations, rules, and programs. They are:
Dante, our fearless GM.
Ashley, last surviving member of Dante's first gaming group.
Stefan, joined Dante's group when they were in school together.
Kat, met Ashley and Dante at a local game day.
James, responded to Dante's game club flyer at Just Down the Road hobby store.
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2. About the RPGA
The RPGA is the roleplaying arm of organized play at Wizards of the Coast dedicated to providing play opportunities and support for Dungeons & Dragons and other d20 System games. Originally, RPGA was an acronym for Roleplaying Gamers Association. For a good while, we slapped on the word Network and went by RPGA Network. A few years back [frustrated with the redundancy of Roleplaying Gamers Association Network], we streamlined all that and now we're simply the RPGA.
We're a social bunch and want to make it easier for people to enjoy the face-to-face roleplaying experience. Recognizing that sometimes it's hard finding a gaming group and it’s a lot of work for GMs to provide new material week after week, we provide free adventures to members from our extensive adventure database, and an events calendar featuring games all over the world. When you download adventures and set up game days or conventions, these events are automatically added to the Events Calendar.
[At times, you may wonder why certain words on the website are bold faced while others are not. Usually the bolding is a style requirement indicating certain trademarks and registered trademarks.]
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3. Membership and Participation
The RPGA allows different levels of participation: general membership (sometimes referred to as player membership) and game master (GM) membership. Whichever you choose, you must be a member to participate in all the fun. Membership is free, and you don't have to worry about continually renewing -- it's good forever.
With the general membership you are eligible to play in RPGA-sanctioned events all over the world. With the GM membership, not only are you eligible to play in RPGA-sanctioned events, you can GM games at those events, download free RPGA adventures, and even host your own events. This later option is a great way to build gaming groups in your area, especially when you team up with a local retailer using the retail kits.
To join as a general member, you must attend an RPGA event. GMs or event organizers will provide you with a short application that has your membership card attached. Once you fill out the application and detach your membership card, hand the registration portion back to your GM, the event organizer, or drop it in the mail. With that completed - congratulations! You're a member.
Each membership card features a unique number. Once your application is processed (within usually a few weeks), this number allows you to sign onto the Members Page, and enroll in D&D Rewards. This number is also used by event organizers and GMs to report your play. Many die-hard players have their numbers memorized. While that's admirable, it never hurts to have your card on hand.
To join as a GM you must have an existing RPGA number registered in your system and pass the Herald-Level GM Test located on the RPGA website. Once you pass the test your membership card is mailed to you. Please allow a couple weeks for us to process your GM information and mail your card out. If you are already a member you will not receive a new card; go ahead and use the one you've got.
There is no way for general members to join online. Processing memberships requires us to collect personal information and collecting this information online requires compliance with various national and international child protection laws including the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). These laws closely regulate the collection of personal information from children online and require us to take certain measures to protect these youngsters. The Herald-Level GM Test combined with requiring that GMs must be 18 years of age to download adventures ensure that we fulfill these requirements. The Herald-Level GM Test provides anyone wanting to join online with a suitable option. Wizards privacy statement can provide you insight concerning personal information we collect online.
Details about joining the RPGA are available on the Become a Member page.
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4. Miniatures Tournaments
D&D Miniatures are great for spicing up your roleplaying session, but miniatures skirmish games are also a lot of fun. The RPGA in conjunction with the DCI supports D&D Miniatures skirmishes through league, tournament, and championship play.
Leagues are casual D&D Miniatures skirmish events. The typical league runs a two-hour session each week for a predetermined period, usually a month. Participants earn points each time they play at a session. At the end of the month, the players' points are totaled to determine a victor and prizes are awarded.
Tournaments are more competitive D&D Miniatures skirmish events. They are typically limited to a single day of play. Participants are matched in a series of consecutive games based their win/loss records. After the final match, the victor is declared and prizes are awarded. Rules for sanctioned skirmish play are available from the Tournaments section of the D&D Miniatures website and cover both league and tournament play. These rules also contain a section on substituting Chainmail minis into your warband.
The Championship Series is serious competition. Participants compete at Qualifier tournaments for prizes and an invitation to the Championship tournament. Only qualifiers are allowed to compete in the Championship tournament. Current Information about Championship tournaments is located on the Tournaments section of the D&D Miniatures website.
Because miniatures tournaments have different reporting requirements than roleplaying games, the DCI has kindly offered to share their technology and reporting system with us -- saving us from reinventing the wheel. This does create one wrinkle. Although the RPGA is spearheading D&D Miniatures skirmish play, you need a DCI membership card to participate.
Getting a DCI membership is free and easy. You can participate in any DCI-sanctioned event, including D&D Miniatures skirmish leagues and tournaments, to get a DCI number. You can find the list of upcoming event using the DCI tournament locator.
If you want to hold sanctioned D&D Miniatures leagues and tournament in your area, partner with your local game or hobby retailer and ask them to order Retailer Kits. These kits include instructions, promotional materials, and prize support for sanctioned play.
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5. Roleplaying Styles
The RPGA offers two different styles of play for roleplaying games: campaigns and classics.
Campaigns
Campaigns follow large story arcs -- often spanning years. To participate in these unfolding plots, members create campaign specific characters using the instructions in the campaign sourcebook. Each campaign has its own campaign sourcebook. Characters grow in power (gaining gold, experience, equipment, and class features) as they complete adventures. We offer two campaign styles: Living campaigns and D&D Campaigns.
While most Living campaigns are D&D games, they differ from D&D Campaigns in several ways. Living camaigns use adventure records, logsheets, and certs to track your character's progress. D&D Campaigns use online tracking to chart your character interaction with the story encounters. Your character's interation with the adventure encounters helps determine the course of the plot in D&D Campaigns. If the majority of parties playing an adventure kill a villain or foil some evil scheme, that villain or scheme is foiled campaign wide. If the villain survives or completes his plans, these consequences are also reflected in the campaign. D&D Campaigns are designed to retire after two years (taking characters from 1st- to approximately mid-teens levels in that time), while Living campaigns are open ended but may feature a retirement level for characters.
Classics
With classics, characters are prewritten as part of the adventure. Once each player chooses a character, the game begins. Classics are a great way for both beginners and experienced players to jump into action without lots of preparation time. Once the adventure is over, you're done with the character.
While D&D Campaigns and Living campaigns follow the campaign model allowing your character to progress with you to the next game, they also provide a classics element. A group of pre-generated heroes called fastplay characters are available allowing easier access for first timers [or if your characters die a lot like mine, it's a quick way to get back into the action.]
Characters from Home Campaigns
Typically, characters you play in home campaigns are not allowed in RPGA-sanctioned games. Since character creation rules for the campaign style games are standardized to allow everyone an even footing, and classic events provide characters appropriate to the adventure, there's been no avenue for incorporating characters from home campaigns. However, you can sanction your home games or sanction adventures you play from Dungeon Magazine!
In order to report your play for these events and add them to your play history, your GM requests the adventures from the RPGA website like any other adventure (so your GM needs to be a GM member of the RPGA). Instead of receiving the adventure as a downloaded file, the GM uses the one published in the appropriate Dungeon Magazine, or one they’ve created. Requesting the adventure flags the the GM's account so the adventure results can be report once you've played. It's important to report your play so you and your players can earn D&D Rewards.
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6. Required Materials
D&D Miniatures Skirmishes
Players must bring the following items to participate in D&D Miniatures skirmishes. These requirements are taken from the D&D Miniatures DCI Floor Rules.
The map the player wishes to use
A 20-sided die (d20)
Tokens for clearly tracking damage and other effects
Models and corresponding stat cards (for constructed events)
Roleplaying Games
Despite the bounty of really cool game accessories, it doesn't take a lot to enjoy roleplaying. To keep the game easily accessible for a wide audience, we've tried to keep the contents in a gamers survival pack to a bare minimum. At the very least you need these essentials:
Current rulebooks required for the campaign you're playing
A pen or pencil
A set of dice (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20)
A miniature or token representing your character on the battle grid
An appropriate character sheet
RPGA number (so we can track your play)
One game master and four to six players
Each game setting discussed below under 8. Roleplaying Campaigns provides detailed instructions about how to participate in that campaign. These instructions include a list of the rulebooks they require. These campaign instructions are referred to as campaign sourcebooks (i.e. Living Greyhawk Campaign Sourcebook). You can download these sourcebooks for free from the appropriate campaign's website. They are usually PDF files. You need Acrobat Reader to view these files (we recommend using at least version 7.0). Acrobat Reader is available as a free download from the Adobe website.
Keeping the above list of gaming essentials in mind, we haven't forgotten all the cool stuff in those game accessories. In addition to containing character creation guidelines, campaign sourcebooks explain how supplemental material is used in the campaign. Players are responsible for providing GMs access to any campaign-approved, supplemental material they are using for their characters during game sessions.
For D&D games, the core rulebooks are the Dungeon Master's Guide v.3.5, Player's Handbook v.3.5, and Monster Manual v.3.5.
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7. Retailer Kit
In addition to being a campaign style, D&D Campaigns refers to a retail support program for both D&D Miniatures skirmishes events and roleplaying events. Each month a new D&D Campaigns season begins and a new retailer kit is released. The kit contains materials to support up to twelve players for skirmish play or seven people for a roleplaying session (one GM and four to six players). Since retailers can order up to four kits per month, we include instructions on combining kits to support many more players if necessary.
Each kit contains:
2 season posters
12 exclusive epic stat cards
7 exclusive alternate paint promo miniatures
3 spell/effect templates
3 copies of a new roleplaying adventure
Tournament, league, and roleplaying paperwork
A D&D Campaigns newsletter
Reporting forms
The kit is available to retailers through the Wizards of the Coast direct sales department. Retailers need to order the kits; however, if your store has a group of willing RPGA and DCI members as customers, you are more than welcome to have interested members run your D&D Campaigns events.
Each month the goodies contained in the current retailer kit are added to the D&D Campaigns Seasons page. A more detailed look at the retailer kit is available on the Retailer Kits page.
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8. Roleplaying Campaigns
RPGA Campaigns
Eberron: Xen'drik Expeditions
D&D Core: Living Greyhawk
D&D: Living Kingdom of Kalamar
Other Campaigns and Settings
We support play for lots of game settings including Medieval fantasy, sci-fi, and modern era. Here is a quick look at what is available including links to the various campaign websites. Living Kingdoms of Kalamar is a member-enabled campaign, meaning they are sanctioned by the RPGA and receive oversight from Ian and Chris at RPGA HQ, but the day-to-day administration of the campaign is handled by Kenzer & Company. When you visit the websites for this campaign, a warning appears informing you that you are leaving the Wizards website. Don't be alarmed. We're just letting you know you are entering someone else's domain where we don't directly control the content.
The RPGA supports other settings using the classic play style. Classic adventures feature pre-generated characters and are typically one-round adventures.
Visit the d20 System to learn more about the Open Gaming License and games using the D&D core rules as the foundation for their campaign setting.
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9. Play Opportunities
There are several event types supported by the RPGA. The best way to find an RPGA-sanctioned event is to check the Events Calendar.
Home play: Private events were GMs download adventures and run them for a group of players they select. These events don't appear on the events calendar. Home play is great for playing RPGA adventures and earning D&D Rewards with you regular gaming group.
Game days: Public events, usually one day, devoted to playing games. Anyone is welcome to attend and RPGA members in good standing are welcome to participate.
Conventions: Large public events featuring lots of game sessions and lasting at least two full days. Conventions may also feature dealer rooms, auctions, seminars, workshops, award ceremonies, early or exclusive access to new adventures, or other special features. Anyone is welcome to attend and RPGA members in good standing are welcome to participate.
Members in good standing are people who are not currently suspended from participating in RPGA events. The appropriate Wizards of the Coast staff at RPGA Headquarters (RPGA HQ) is the only valid authority for suspending membership. Read the RPGA General Rules for more information.
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10. What to Expect at Events
A couple weeks before a show, it's a good idea to take a look through the campaign sourcebooks and start working on your character for the campaigns that interest you. If you are new to a campaign, it can be daunting to create a complete and fun character while under the gun as your slot is about to begin.
RPGA-sanctioned adventures are designed to be played in four hours. At events, these adventures are scheduled in five-hour slots. The extra time in the slot allows everyone to collect in groups of four to six player of about equal level, find a GM, and set up their play area before the adventure starts as well as allowing time to complete campaign paperwork and clean up the play area when the adventure ends.
We use some special terms to refer to the various aspect of this process. Here's a quick overview.
Senior GM: The main event coordinator whom downloaded the adventures and runs the show.
Mustering: The process of grouping players together and matching them up with a GM at the beginning of each slot. Mustering a slot is usually one of the more frantic times during an event and marshals help smooth it out.
Marshals: Marshals assist the Senior GM to muster players and GMs together at larger events. They help ensure each group has four to six players of about equal level and a GM. Marshals also help distribute any special paper work during the slot and help collect tickets when applicable.
Marshalling Area: Typically, everyone participating in an adventure gathers together in a designated area, or marshalling area, for that adventure.
Session: Each group of players and their GM playing a game during a particular slot is called a session. It's easiest to think of it like, "During the second slot of the show, Dante, Ashley, Stefan, Kat, and James played their game sessions as a group, while I played my game session with my friends."
Slot Zero: A game session running before the first official slot at an event. Slot zeros allow GMs a chance to play games before they run them for other people.
APL: An acronym for average party level. The APL is a calculation that takes into account character levels for everyone in your party and factors in specific party resources to help the GM scale the adventure. Scaling an adventure means adjusting the encounters to provide an appropriate challenge for the players. These adjustments are normally already written into the adventure.
It's important to remember that not every party at larger events is ideally balanced. Part of the challenge and fun of opening up roleplaying events to everyone is loosing a little bit of control when planning each game session. GMs rarely know everything the players are going to throw at them, and players aren't always sure who they are adventuring with. The number of players allowed in a game session, campaign specific rules variants, and adventure scaling all help keep play balanced and fun.
To allow as many people as possible to participate, occasionally it is necessary for a group with five or six players to give up players to a group with only two or three players to satisfy the four player minimum for a session.
At select conventions, the RPGA holds special meetings and events. These are usually announced on the website, but some examples include the semi-annual RPGA Members' Meeting held at D&D Experience and Gen Con Indy, the D&D Open at Gen Con Indy, and the Living Greyhawk Open Gaming Fiesta at D&D Experience, Origins, and Gen Con Indy.
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11. Downloading Adventures
RPGA GM members who are least 18 years of age may download free RPGA adventures and sanction their own events when they sign on to the Members page. For a detailed discussion about adventure downloading visit the Adventures page. In the meantime here are some general requirements you need to keep in mind.
Any time members select adventures with game day or convention as the event type, the event is considered open to the public and appears on RPGA events calendar. If you select home play when selecting adventures, those events are considered private and you need to specifically invite anyone you wish to show up. Each event type has additional requirements.
Age requirement: You must be at least 18 years of age to download adventures. Younger GMs are welcome to run these adventures for players.
GM Membership: You must be an RPGA GM to download adventures. Passing the Herald-Level GM Test online qualifies you. Initially, we need a couple of weeks to process the results of your test before you can select and download adventures, but once you are set up, you're good to go.
Download Timeframe: You must download adventures at least two weeks before your events start date.
Outstanding Events: You may only have four outstanding events scheduled at one time. You must report play results for an event in order to clear an outstanding event.
Home play: You may download up to two adventures when you select home play as your event type. Home play events are not displayed on the events calendar.
Game days: You may download up to four adventures for each day of your event you when selecting game day as your event type. Game days are public events. Anyone is welcome to attend and RPGA members in good standing are welcome to participate. These events can be as intimate or as large as you care to facilitate. Successful game days have four components: an event date, some games, a place to play, and people. This event type is automatically added to the events calendar when adventures are selected.
Conventions: You may download up to six adventures per day of your event when you select convention as your event type. Conventions are public events. Anyone is welcome to attend and RPGA members in good standing are welcome to participate. To qualify as a convention for downloading RPGA adventures, a gathering must run twenty-five or more session of RPGA events over at least two full days. Conventions may also feature dealer rooms, auctions, seminars, workshops, award ceremonies, early or exclusive access to new adventures, or other special features. If organizing a convention seems overwhelming, volunteer for an established gathering to learn the ropes and meet knowledgeable allies. This event type is automatically added to the events calendar when adventures are downloaded.
Prior Knowledge: Members considered to have prior knowledge of an adventure are not eligible to participate as players in sanctioned play of that adventure. The criteria for determining prior knowledge is detailed under Player Eligibility in the RPGA General Rules. If you select and adventure for download you are considered to have prior knowledge for that adventure even if you do not run the adventure.
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12. Reporting Play
After running the adventures for your event, it is imperative to report the play results. Results are due within eight days of your event date. We award D&D Reward points based on your play reports. In some cases, character and campaign plot advancement hinge on timely reporting.
To report results:
Sign on to the Members Page.
From your list of outstanding events, select the appropriate gathering.
Follow the instructions on the page that appears.
Once you enter the results for all your sessions, validate all results. Your event is not considered reported until your results are validated. The reporting page allows you to edit sessions you've already entered at any time up until they are validated.
Until your results are reported and validated the event is considered outstanding. You are only allowed four outstanding gatherings. Submitting late results may affect your ability to download more adventures.
If you notice errors after you’ve reported your event, or if you have further questions on reporting, please email [email]rpgasanctioning@wizards.com[/email] for information and help. Allow approximately one week for a response.
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13. D&D Rewards Program
With D&D Rewards you amass reward points every time you participate in RPGA-sanctioned games. When event results are reported, your points are recorded in the RPGA database. Your points accumulate over predetermined intervals called durations. After each duration, your points are totaled and we mail you some gaming goodies. Although this program is free, you must register for D&D Rewards to participate. Players and GMs both earn points for their participation.
Players earn points toward Campaign Cards -- full-color, collectable, gaming cards granting unique character creation and play possibilities.
GMs earn points toward special game templates, RPGA exclusive D&D Miniatures, and Campaign Cards.
Playing and GMing at select conventions earns you extra points. A complete list of these conventions is maintained on the D&D Rewards page.
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14. GM Program
The GM Program is designed to help game masters (GMs) showcase their talent while developing the vital skills and rules knowledge needed to run great RPGA events. Participants begin at the Herald Level and may advance all the way to Paragon Level. Each progressive GM rank builds on the previous levels while adding both greater responsibility and greater rewards. The application requirements also become more demanding with each new level. Ultimately, the program will feature four GM levels, but currently only the Herald Level and Master Level are available.
While you will never drop below Herald Level, the other GM levels have annual participation requirements for maintaining those levels.
Herald Level: The Herald Level is the entry level to the GM program. Aspiring members are tested on their basic D&D v.3.5 core rules knowledge.
Master Level: Master-Level GMs possess a strong command of the core rules and are adept at handling players during a game session. You must satisfy annual participation requirements to maintain this level.
Grand-Master Level: Grand-Master-Level GMs are rule experts and skilled in captivating and managing players during a game session. Additionally, they posses the skills need to run a game day, small convention, or a slot at a major show. You must satisfy annual participation requirements to maintain this level.
Paragon Level: Paragon-Level GMs form the elite upper ranks of RPGA GMs. Game rules and session management are in their blood. These individuals have also mastered the skills for managing large conventions and shows. You must satisfy annual participation requirements to maintain this level.
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15. General Rules
Just like the games we play, the RPGA has established a set of rules to govern participation in our organization so we can all work and play in harmony.
The RPGA General Rules help maintain fair and consistent worldwide play for every game system the RPGA sanctions and supports. The RPGA General Rules apply to sanctioned play in addition to game system rules and campaign rules. In order to maintain a diverse and extensive event system, RPGA members are required to follow the RPGA General Rules and the spirit in which they were created.
The RPGA Penalty Guidelines provide structure to help gamemasters (GMs) determine the appropriate action for RPGA General Rules infractions that occur at events and during game sessions. Penalties exist to protect players from misconduct.
Whether your chose to reference these rules online or download a copy for yourself, it’s important that you familiarize yourself with them.
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16. Message Boards, FAQs, and Customer Service
With so much going on in the RPGA, it's hard to cover all the bases in one document [sometimes even on one website]. Whether you’re a newcomer or an RPGA veteran and something confuses you or seems to be missing. There are several places you can turn. First, try the RPGA message boards on the Community section of the Wizards website. Diligent eyes scour the boards seeking to aid members in distress. Many of the issues addressed in this column filter their way into the RPGA FAQs.
Another great resource for direct support is Wizards customer service. For all the latest contact information, visit Contact the RPGA page.
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17. Glossary of Terms
Adventure:
The written game scenario a group of players play. RPGA-sanctioned adventures can sometimes have multiple parts (called adventure rounds) making up the total adventure and are then played over multiple sessions.
Appeals GM:
GMs appointed by the Senior GM to help in the performance of their duties and to perform other tasks deemed necessary.
Campaign:
An environment that is designed for a player to create his or her own character(s). By ongoing adventure play the player develops this same character or character concept using the guidelines (sometimes called campaign standards) set out by the specific campaign and game rules.
Convention:
A convention is one to four days long, usually comprising of multiple adventures, slots and 25 or more sessions at a given venue and pre-advertised by the Senior GM. These events are open to the public.
Employee:
Anyone that is employed by Wizards of the Coast, Inc., Hasbro, Inc., or companies directly associated with a particular game system featured in an RPGA event.
Event:
A convention, game day or home play occurrence.
Game day:
A single day event at a given venue and pre-advertised by the Senior GM. These public events are comprised of one or more slots, multiple adventures, and feature between two (2) and 24 sessions.
GM:
Game Master; the person who runs an adventure for the players at an event.
Home Play:
A nonpublic game that takes place in the Senior GM's home, or other place of the Senior GM's choosing.
Marshals:
Marshals assist the Senior GM to muster players and GMs together at larger events. They help ensure each group has four to six players of about equal level and a GM. Marshals also help distribute any special paper work during the slot and help collect tickets when applicable.
Mustering:
Grouping players together and matching them up with a GM at the beginning of each slot. Mustering a slot is usually one of the more frantic times during an event and marshals help smooth it out.
Slot:
A five-hour time period (four hours of play and 1 hour for initial game preparation, break during play and final paperwork) an RPGA adventure is to be run in. Often events, conventions or game days have multiple slots.
Session:
An occurrence of RPGA game play by a GM and four (4) to six (6) players at an event.
Senior GM:
A Senior GM is a GM who serves as the official RPGA coordinator for a sanctioned convention or game day, or the sole GM for home play event.
1) Are there adventures for me to download that comprise an overarching story/campaign?
2) If I run this campaign out of the home with my friends, can they track their progress online?
3) What rewards could they earn from taking part in this?
4) Why would they want to track their stuff online, if it's only for use in our little RPGA-sanctioned campaign?
Thanks!
1. What does it all mean?
2. What is the catch?
So here is my take:
1. What does it mean? It depends on if you mean RPGA or LFR. I sold it to my players as "why would you do this?" as a GM it means a supply of free Living Forgotten Realms adventures and a framework within which to operate and structure a campaign. I am going "full" LFR/RPGA rules with my game (see the character guide 1.7 for more info on what that means) so that my players can earn rewards or play in sanctioned games with their characters at conventions if they desire. For my players; they can earn rewards (reward cards mailed quarterly by WotC..they are currently running behind I hear) and they get to partake in a "living world" campaign where the results of their adventures effect future module direction. What does it mean to the group? It means following the campaign rules set forth in the character guide 1.7. If you decide to not go "full" LFR and just follow the RPGA rules, you can still earn rewards for you and your players (albeit more slowly), but they can't take and play them in sanctioned events at conventions.
2. What is the catch? Other than following the rules in the character Guide 1.7 (or the current version) not much, You need an RPGA/DCI Account # and one of the people in your group needs to pass a "Herald Level" GM test to order the adventures.
I have paraphrased here so read through the post above as the info there is very valuable. Someone correct me if I am wrong...For I am very new to this, but this is my understanding.
1) Are there adventures for me to download that comprise an overarching story/campaign?
Sort of. Some the adventures are part of larger story arcs and some are one shot adventures (most all of them are able to be played in 3-4 hour blocks...so if your group plays all day you may be able to fit in 2+ of them). The best way to think of it is "Forgotten Realms The TV show" some "episodes" are one shots and some continue. Most of the aventures take place in a specific region and NONE of the regional adventures so far continue in another region. For example the CORM1-1 (Cormyr adventure #1) might have plotlines that continue in CORM1-2 (Cormyr adventure #2) but that is a "might" they dont all lead one into another. And the continuations (if there are any) are all in another level band 1-4, 4-7 etc...so your players will be playing in LOTS of other adventures in other regions before you get back to the story in Cormyr....they won't likely continue from one game to another (unless you are in a BIG module like Scepter Tower of Spellgard).
2) If I run this campaign out of the home with my friends, can they track their progress online?
I am not sure to what degree you can do this. I know there is a charcter tracker. But I think it just has some basic stuff and is not very complete.
3) What rewards could they earn from taking part in this?
Reward cards (do a search for RPGA cards on ebay to see what they look like). And the fact that their actions may effect the Living World game at large.
4) Why would they want to track their stuff online, if it's only for use in our little RPGA-sanctioned campaign?
As a back up to your paper copy. But I hope it gets more full featured as time goes on. I hear it is pretty limited. If you are doing a "little" RPGA-sanctioned campaign (home only) there might be little use. But playing "full" rules and taking your character to a convention and playing it there might be fun.
1) Are there adventures for me to download that comprise an overarching story/campaign?
From the sense of, "one interconnected set of modules with an overarching plot that will take my group from low levels to high levels" -- no. RPGA campaign modules are generally written so that they do not have to be played in a particular order -- one should keep in mind that RPGA adventures are generally written to be compatible with play at conventions and public game days, where you can't predict who is going to play, or that players are going to be able to play a series in "correct" order. They *can* be used for home games, but they aren't generally written with home play as the priority.
That said, there are inter-related adventures, and story arcs within RPGA modules...but you might see one module start a story, and the next "chapter" not come out for months or years, with the expectation that PCs will be playing other adventures in between.
2) If I run this campaign out of the home with my friends, can they track their progress online?
Yes, if you are running Living Forgotten Realms, and are diligent about reporting the results of your games.
3) What rewards could they earn from taking part in this?
As players, they can earn Player Reward points, which, if they accumulate enough, will earn them Reward Cards, which allow minor benefits during RPGA play (such as allowing for a dice re-roll, or a bonus on a certain skill check, or access to an otherwise-restricted class or race). As a DM, you could earn cards, as well as D&D minis.
4) Why would they want to track their stuff online, if it's only for use in our little RPGA-sanctioned campaign?
No really compelling reason, to be honest. It would let them keep track of the magic items they find, and "story awards" that they earn...but the hard-copy adventure logs and reward certificates that they're supposed to maintain do the exact same thing.
Honestly (and this comes from someone who enjoys RPGA play, and has been playing for 7 years)...if you're only doing a home campaign, and really want a tightly-written, overarching plot, RPGA modules may not be your best solution.
First the RPGA which is a way of having some common rules for running campaigns. Second it helps organize groups and serves as a governing tool for various campaigns. These campaigns vary from classic D&D games to games such as Star Wars. RPGA officially sponsors several campaigns such as the new Living Forgotten Realms. You can run a home campaign under the RPGA umbrella or even participate in the LFR each having its own 'catches' or certain rules players and DMs go by. Playing either way gives you points to rewards such as specific cards or limited production miniatures.
I think with LFR maturing slowly you can mold a home campaign and have characters advance through experience gained in specific LFR modules which are free to download as long as you pass the Herald DM test. I think it is too early to have a series of modules that can really stretch a campaign out in a solid storyline. I would say this with a couple of exceptions. Running characters through the adaptable Barrow of the Ogre King and running through the new adaptable Scepter Tower you can run your players from level 1 to 5. I would then have your characters come out of the tower and probably be able to find more modules out by the time your done. I think it is totally doable but may not truly have the amazing depth of a home campaign.
What would the bundle's contents usually be? A random assortment of four-point rewards?
Player Rewards are 3 randomized cards from the current series (typically a series of 10 cards) for each 20 points (if you have, say, 24 points, you'd get one bundle and 4 points would carry-over to the next mailing).
GM Rewards are the same as Player Rewards, however GM's also get alternate paint minis (one for each 20 points). There are also occasionally spell templates and other little goodies (though, with 4E the usefulness of templates is greatly reduced, and the last couple mailings haven't included them).
When does the current cycle end? I have been watching my rewards section and the points keep piling up with none being moved to the sent column.
Based on recent comments from the LFR staffers, it sounds like the "summer duration" (which should have ended at the end of September) will be "ended" once they get the GenCon stuff entered into the system.
All I know is if they count the points from the Weekend in the Realms for this mailing, there is going to be a LOT more cards being sent to DMs. I managed to run two full sets and play in another, so that's a bunch of points for me. On the other hand, if they let those points build up with whatever gets earned in the next four months, they are going to need a great big box to send the next mailing my way
im thinking they are pretty close to finishing up gencon entry as there have been quite a few people saying they are seeing their points being entered
Yes, people are seeing their Gencon events show up in the database, one module at a time. As I have only seen Mods for Thursday so far, I think they are far from done.