paddyfool
2009-07-26, 09:36 AM
So, I'd had an idea for a campaign I'd like to run, sometime, in which the characters would have two lives - one, as a member of an adventuring party, and another as a noteworthy citizen of a particular city. So that not only would they be developing their characters as adventurers, they'd also be building careers/businesses/whatever in the city. Such characters would have the following stipulations:
- A backstory that details their particular career start and projected path, giving them a clear stake in building a life in this specific city, whether via career interests, family ties, or whatever
- Required to take skills that fit that path; probably full ranks in at least one profession or craft skill for most, but going easy on skill-monkeys in this way (see first example below).
To make this easier, I was also thinking of saying that any Tier 3 or below classes (I've lost the link to the Tier system, but Tier 3 or below is pretty much everyone except full casters) could go gestalt with one career-suitable NPC class of their choice.
Some ideas for party members:
- A treasure-hunting rogue, and his path in his mafia-style family business (rogue//warrior, with a roguish skill set that fits the path).
- A wizard with a career as a scholar researching ancient texts etc. (straight wizard, lots of knowledge skills, languages etc.).
- A cleric establishing the first place of worship for his particular faith in the city (cleric or cloistered cleric, full ranks in profession: priest).
- An expert swordsman and blacksmith with a young family to look after (warblade//expert, full ranks in craft: swords, craft: armour).
What I'm wondering is - what problems would you foresee in this? I foresee a few:
- Bards. About the only NPC classes that offer anything to a bard in gestalt would be adept or warrior; I find it a little hard to imagine a background, and professional path, for a bard that would suitably fit such combinations, particularly as bard pretty much defines their profession for them. Perhaps a bard//warrior could just be a slightly more hard-edged bard, or a bard//adept could be the wayward, minstrel son from a family of healers, who brews up a few healing potions etc. when stuck for gigs or adventure.
- Keeping the adventures suitably varied while also keeping them within a small radius of the city. I've an idea for it to be a old, once powerful city that has gone a long way downhill and although it remains fairly populous, is not as much as it was... old abandoned outlying areas of the city gone entirely to rack and ruin, and sinking into a swamp or being overgrown by jungle; most of the population having pulled back within the old city walls for safety from miscellaneous dangers etc., but also challenged by threats from factions within.
Also, does this sound like the sort of adventure you'd be interested in playing, or not so much?
- A backstory that details their particular career start and projected path, giving them a clear stake in building a life in this specific city, whether via career interests, family ties, or whatever
- Required to take skills that fit that path; probably full ranks in at least one profession or craft skill for most, but going easy on skill-monkeys in this way (see first example below).
To make this easier, I was also thinking of saying that any Tier 3 or below classes (I've lost the link to the Tier system, but Tier 3 or below is pretty much everyone except full casters) could go gestalt with one career-suitable NPC class of their choice.
Some ideas for party members:
- A treasure-hunting rogue, and his path in his mafia-style family business (rogue//warrior, with a roguish skill set that fits the path).
- A wizard with a career as a scholar researching ancient texts etc. (straight wizard, lots of knowledge skills, languages etc.).
- A cleric establishing the first place of worship for his particular faith in the city (cleric or cloistered cleric, full ranks in profession: priest).
- An expert swordsman and blacksmith with a young family to look after (warblade//expert, full ranks in craft: swords, craft: armour).
What I'm wondering is - what problems would you foresee in this? I foresee a few:
- Bards. About the only NPC classes that offer anything to a bard in gestalt would be adept or warrior; I find it a little hard to imagine a background, and professional path, for a bard that would suitably fit such combinations, particularly as bard pretty much defines their profession for them. Perhaps a bard//warrior could just be a slightly more hard-edged bard, or a bard//adept could be the wayward, minstrel son from a family of healers, who brews up a few healing potions etc. when stuck for gigs or adventure.
- Keeping the adventures suitably varied while also keeping them within a small radius of the city. I've an idea for it to be a old, once powerful city that has gone a long way downhill and although it remains fairly populous, is not as much as it was... old abandoned outlying areas of the city gone entirely to rack and ruin, and sinking into a swamp or being overgrown by jungle; most of the population having pulled back within the old city walls for safety from miscellaneous dangers etc., but also challenged by threats from factions within.
Also, does this sound like the sort of adventure you'd be interested in playing, or not so much?