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TheThan
2009-12-14, 03:38 PM
Ok it looks like I’m probably going to be DMing a steampunk game for our next campaign. Some of the other members of the group have expressed interest in playing one. So I’m happy to oblige. However, I’ve never run a steampunk game and I seem to be kind of stumped as to what sort of adventures I could throw at my players.

So I’ve come to the playground for inspiration. Does anyone have any ideas for adventure hooks.

jmbrown
2009-12-14, 03:55 PM
The industrial revolution was a time marked by everyone basically rushing to see who could build the biggest business, create the most efficient technology, and control the most resources. In the Americas, think of a massive land grab as travel across country was made easier and natural resources were easier to exploit. Big corporations sprung up, innovation after innovation were created, and even the poorest land worker could make some extra spending cash to be spent on leisurely activities. At the same time it also destroyed jobs as a mechanized loom could do what 50 workers could in half the time. A few things I can think of:

-An inventor hires the PCs to sabotage his rival's machine. His rival is but a commoner who wishes to sell his invention to supply food for his family.

-The train the PCs are riding on comes under attack by bandits (a classic). The bandits were once simple farmers who lost their jobs to steam powered tillers.

-Luddites (or druids in a fantasy setting) hire the PCs to destroy a generator that leaks oil into the environment. On the flipside, the owner of the generator hires the PCs to protect against the eco-terrorists.

-At a convention, a scientist unveils an armored, steam powered mobilized personnel carrier (basically a tank). A group of kids hop into the tank and go on a destructive joy ride down town.

Amador
2009-12-14, 03:55 PM
Mad scientists: See this. (http://www.girlgeniusonline.com)

Also, steam powered robots taking over the world?

Swok
2009-12-14, 04:01 PM
What's the overall structure of the game world? That could help a lot more for adventure ideas than just saying it's steampunk.

Though really, you can't go wrong with a mad scientist.

TheThan
2009-12-14, 04:14 PM
What's the overall structure of the game world? That could help a lot more for adventure ideas than just saying it's steampunk.

Though really, you can't go wrong with a mad scientist.

I’m still designing the campaign setting. One thing is I like the magic vs technology dichotomy and plan on utilizing a lot of it. I plan on magic being something found on the fringe, shamans, hedge wizards that sort of thing. The world is suffering from growing pains as people take sides, some embrace the new advances in technology while others are fighting against it.

I plan on it being vaguely Victorian in feel, but with some later technology such as telegraph wires, automobiles, zeppelins and a few other things.

Amador
2009-12-14, 04:24 PM
Based on that, two plot arcs come to mind right away. Mad Wizards and Mad Scientists. Scientists are more interesting villains, cause they get steam power for their robots. The PCs are forced to make the choice for one side or the other when the BBEG's minions come raiding through where ever the PCs are. Stuff happens and things develop from there.

BRC
2009-12-14, 04:38 PM
I’m still designing the campaign setting. One thing is I like the magic vs technology dichotomy and plan on utilizing a lot of it. I plan on magic being something found on the fringe, shamans, hedge wizards that sort of thing. The world is suffering from growing pains as people take sides, some embrace the new advances in technology while others are fighting against it.

I plan on it being vaguely Victorian in feel, but with some later technology such as telegraph wires, automobiles, zeppelins and a few other things.
Have there be a school of thought dedicated to combining Magic and technology. And personally, I wouldn't have magic be the fringe thing.



Here is the thing about DnD style magic, or any magic really, as opposed to technology. It's much more exclusive. A Wizard, with education and study can cast a Fireball, but anybody can be handed a grenade and taught "Pull the pin, throw it at the thing you want destroyed, get away fast". To put it another way, if you train a Wizard, you have a wizard. If you train an Engineer, you've got lots of people.


The way I would do it is simulate the Renaissance conflict between the rising middle class and the established aristocracy. The Aristocracy has had some sort of hold on Magic for some time, maybe it's a blood thing, or maybe they just control access to all but the most basic spells, so anybody who wants to learn magic needs support from the Nobles. This system kept them in power, because nobody could match the power of the nobles without support from other nobles (and therefore other magic users). In addition, any magic-related services had to be purchased from the nobility.

At least, until some upstarts started with technology. Suddenly, middle class merchants can compete with Nobles. Nobles can conjure food, other build better farm equipment. Nobles can shoot deadly magic, others can shoot guns.

So now the conflict is between the Magic-based Nobles, and the Technology-based middle class, mostly Bankers and Merchants and Factory owners. Conflicts can occur between the Noble House of Auris, and Smith and Sons Textiles.

The response of the Nobility has varied some give in and start working for industrialists, some open up magical universities, teaching magic to anybody willing to side with them, and some have pulled up the hatches and resisted the Industrialists in every way.

Bibliomancer
2009-12-14, 04:44 PM
Assuming there is a non-artificer caster in the party (artificer can be easily adapted to a true technician instead of a magical one), you could set up the party near the border between the primary industrial power and the last, fading, magical realm. Ultimately, the players will have to choose, and could eventually go on a quest to alter the nature of the universe to, say, reduce steam-powered technology to its actual effectiveness by reducing the proximity of the Plane of Fire from the Material Plane. Alternatively, the players could be attempting to prevent such a dislocation from occurring, as that will destroy their nation (and possibly their class abilities).

That could be a campaign arc. For mini-quests:

-A rare buoyant gas is required for zeppelins, which is only found in the mountains of a distant nation. The PCs must negotiate a contract to extract the gas with the local technophobic barbarians.

-In the depths of Sharn the leading industrial city of the world, the players must contend with insane workers, steam-spirits, mechanized fey, and rogue constructs as they attempt to locate the hidden shrine of the elves, abandoned centuries ago at the beginning of the age of humans.

-A village has recently been brought into the modern century with a series of steam-powered engines. However, villagers are disappearing and the local techie is blamed. Can the players differentiate truth from prejudice in time to find the real cause of the disappearances?

-In the aftermath of WWI a devastating war, two rival powers are both limited in the number of warships that they can produce. However, recent evidence has been found indicating that one side is in violation of this critical peace agreement. The PCs must paradrop into the foreign nation, find evidence of the wrong-doing, and escape with proof before it is too late and the secret fleet grows large enough to decide the war once and for all.

-A mad cult of technicians seeks to create a host of cyborg undead when the once a decade Strom of a Thousand Bolts strikes in the coming week, Can the PCs find them before the army is animated?

BRC
2009-12-14, 04:54 PM
It also depends on what type of game you're running.

Combat-Centered: A group of soldiers deserted from the army with their weapons war machines, they have now taken to banditry.
An Inventor's creation has gone out of control, stop it.
A group of angry druids have sic'dRust Monsters on a town, stop them before they devastate it.
Investigation:
An inventor is murdered the day before he reveals his big project, which goes missing. Was it his Rival, who wanted to take the credit for himself. Was it his patron, who didn't want to fulfill his end of the contract and pay the Inventor when his project was complete. Was it the town wizard, already made mostly useless by the advances of technology. Was it his Lab Assistant, who had done all the real work while the Inventor partied and didn't want the Inventor taking credit for his design.

Intrigue:
A new industrialist has showed up in town, built a factory, and began employing the masses. But nobody is quite sure what exactly is being built there...

TheThan
2009-12-14, 05:19 PM
As far as the system goes, I plan on using D20 modern as a basis for the system with a few elements taken from dnd 3.5 and other sources. Tech wise, it’ll be roughly early PL 4.

I really like the middle class Vs the established aristocracy. I think I’ll make that a large portion of the setting.

BRC
2009-12-14, 05:37 PM
As far as the system goes, I plan on using D20 modern as a basis for the system with a few elements taken from dnd 3.5 and other sources. Tech wise, it’ll be roughly early PL 4.

I really like the middle class Vs the established aristocracy. I think I’ll make that a large portion of the setting.

Some metaphors you can use, Blood to represent the Aristocracy, Steam to represent the industrialists (Somebody may comment "This is a Bloody (Aristo-ruled) Town, but Steam will wash that away soon enough).
Gold represents the Aristocracy, Coal as the Industrialist middle class, and Iron as the working class. "Gold may buy you alot of Iron, but Coal will turn it into steel" (meaning that, while the Aristo's may be able to use their pre-existing power to get people on their side, the middle class can equip larger numbers of people for less money since they have access to mass production).

Bibliomancer
2009-12-14, 06:41 PM
If you're going for upper-class versus middle class, sorcerer could become a very interesting niche, since they tend to spring from the lower classes. With a few tweaks, sorcerers could use a fusion of magic and steam (cyborg abilities making them more gish-like) to open up a third faction mid-way through the campaign.

Also, what is the situation on the other continents? Is it like the real world, where only Europe is this advanced, or are the other continents also like this? Also, is the other continents don't have access to these technologies, they could be bastions of magic when the upper-class begins to retreat.

Volkov
2009-12-14, 07:31 PM
Battleships are a must in a steampunk setting, since Aircraft would not yet render them obsolete, which is a good thing as a Battleship is a far cooler sight than an Aircraft Carrier. Other things to include are the comically oversized rail-way and stationary artillery guns of yore. Nothing will scare your PC's like a bunch of shells the size of tanks raining down on their city from gigantic cannons a hundred miles away. Tanks are also a yes, as the moment the combination of Trench warfare and Machine guns made the infantry charge a mass death warrant, the tank became an inevitability. Perhaps you could have an war between two global powers as the plot hook. A la Britain and the Kaiser's Germany.

TheThan
2009-12-14, 07:53 PM
Well I’ve been thinking on that subject. And I think I’m going to have on “advanced” continent with a few different countries on it. I’m thinking one standard monarchy, one Magocracy that’s a lot more ridged and feudal than the monarchy and probably a republic. I like the idea of a technocracy. A society ran by of those with the highest (or best) technology. In fact this might be have started out as a more normal country and then it goes through a revolution and the new government is based on scientists and engineers.

I’m thinking on having a “Dark Continent” one that’s ripe for exploration and adventure!


And yes I plan on using battleships, as well as steamers for intercontinental transportation. I’m not sure what level these battle ships will be at during this stage of the campaign design.

Volkov
2009-12-14, 07:54 PM
Try looking at ships like the HMS dreadnought for inspiration. If you feel it's not powerful enough, increase it's size and up-gun it.

MickJay
2009-12-14, 08:03 PM
Sounds a lot like the cRPG Arcanum setting, maybe use a few things from there? Also, Deadlands and Victoriana have both elements of steampunk and could provide you with some extra plot/setting ideas.

Bibliomancer
2009-12-14, 08:15 PM
Well I’ve been thinking on that subject. And I think I’m going to have on “advanced” continent with a few different countries on it. I’m thinking one standard monarchy, one Magocracy that’s a lot more ridged and feudal than the monarchy and probably a republic. I like the idea of a technocracy. A society ran by of those with the highest (or best) technology. In fact this might be have started out as a more normal country and then it goes through a revolution and the new government is based on scientists and engineers.

I’m thinking on having a “Dark Continent” one that’s ripe for exploration and adventure!


And yes I plan on using battleships, as well as steamers for intercontinental transportation. I’m not sure what level these battle ships will be at during this stage of the campaign design.

So...2 continents?

In Eberron there are 4:

Khorvaire (the, slightly steampunk [magical trains, airships, etc.] civilized world split into over a dozen nations jockeying for position after a century of war]

Xen'drik (Dark Continent, place ot explore, picture Africa except the natives are drow and the ruins of Atlantis are scattered everywhere)

Sarlona (Asia, run by LE outsiders attempting to take over the world)

and Argonnessen (where the dragons live. Don't even think about going there).

Are there going to be any non-steampunk civilizations in your world?

BRC
2009-12-14, 08:22 PM
So...2 continents?

In Eberron there are 4:

Khorvaire (the, slightly steampunk [magical trains, airships, etc.] civilized world split into over a dozen nations jockeying for position after a century of war]

Xen'drik (Dark Continent, place ot explore, picture Africa except the natives are drow and the ruins of Atlantis are scattered everywhere)

Sarlona (Asia, run by LE outsiders attempting to take over the world)

and Argonnessen (where the dragons live. Don't even think about going there).

Are there going to be any non-steampunk civilizations in your world?
Why does the number of continents in Eberron have anything to do with Than's setting?

Volkov
2009-12-14, 08:24 PM
So...2 continents?

In Eberron there are 4:

Khorvaire (the, slightly steampunk [magical trains, airships, etc.] civilized world split into over a dozen nations jockeying for position after a century of war]

Xen'drik (Dark Continent, place ot explore, picture Africa except the natives are drow and the ruins of Atlantis are scattered everywhere)

Sarlona (Asia, run by LE outsiders attempting to take over the world)

and Argonnessen (where the dragons live. Don't even think about going there).

Are there going to be any non-steampunk civilizations in your world?

Those civilizations would be very quickly defeated. The HMS dreadnought could easily take on every wooden military vessel to have ever existed at once and win.

JonestheSpy
2009-12-14, 09:22 PM
Read China Mieville's Perdido Street Station and its sequels. Right Now. Really, its the absolute best source material you're going to find. I'm not saying you need to use his setting as your campaign world or anything, but Mieville explores the milleau of magic-mixed-with-the-industrial-revolution like no one else. You will be inspired.

Deep sea rigs that drill for both oil and magical energy. Underground newspapers. Trains crisscrossing the city and building out into the unknown wilderness. Probabilitly physics. Striking amphibian dockworkers that can control water elemntals. Magical theory taught in universities along side biology and engineering. An island whose beach is made up of tiny gears and other machine parts instead of sand. Just read them.

Forevernade
2009-12-14, 09:41 PM
Another option you may not have considered is, instead of doing an European Steampunk setting, doing another culture. This will assure you your campaign is different to Ebberon and 'the movies'.

My Steampunk setting is in fact a Wild Wild West - Mexicans, Rednecks and Elven Aristocrats are the main population. I made a Giant stone Hive City, think of AnkMorpork from Discworld, which is located in the middle of an unimaginably large red desert. Canyons and fauna, small strips of 'towns'. The hive, because of the immense population, divides the magic-users into a separate district where they produce, and sell food and magically materializable goods at a market area dividing the 'wizards district' and the rest of the hive. It is an E6 campaign, so it is understandable that wizards don't run the world.

Now, how I introduced technology was by saying the desert is made of unstable planar energy, and the other planes leak into this one through 'anomalies'. A number of Prime Planes interacted directly with this world, including out modern day world. They got introduced to the first rifle by coming across a Petrol Station in the middle of the desert. They took the rifle and rebuilt it, because of it's bad condition. The party ranger is now an engineer and a crafter, crafting his own better guns. There are other 'mad scientists' hiding in the wizard's district, because the anomalies are caused by arcane magic - there is a chance to create an anomaly every time an arcane spell is cast, so the wizards dont have to venture out into the desert to find interesting pieces of technology.

Warforged already exist, so steam-powered cyborgs aren't exactly needed, though I am allowing replacement limbs that are cybernetic, later on. A train line is being built to do a circuit along the largest trade route visiting all the major mini-towns in the desert.

My point is, it is a very industrial setting, but is really low-magic and low-technology. Magic is industrialized through the need for living, and technology is controllable because it is limited by Anomaly Occurrences.

TheThan
2009-12-14, 09:59 PM
Another option you may not have considered is, instead of doing an European Steampunk setting, doing another culture. This will assure you your campaign is different to Ebberon and 'the movies'.

My Steampunk setting is in fact a Wild Wild West - Mexicans, Rednecks and Elven Aristocrats are the main population. I made a Giant stone Hive City, think of AnkMorpork from Discworld, which is located in the middle of an unimaginably large red desert. Canyons and fauna, small strips of 'towns'. The hive, because of the immense population, divides the magic-users into a separate district where they produce, and sell food and magically materializable goods at a market area dividing the 'wizards district' and the rest of the hive. It is an E6 campaign, so it is understandable that wizards don't run the world.

Now, how I introduced technology was by saying the desert is made of unstable planar energy, and the other planes leak into this one through 'anomalies'. A number of Prime Planes interacted directly with this world, including out modern day world. They got introduced to the first rifle by coming across a Petrol Station in the middle of the desert. They took the rifle and rebuilt it, because of it's bad condition. The party ranger is now an engineer and a crafter, crafting his own better guns. There are other 'mad scientists' hiding in the wizard's district, because the anomalies are caused by arcane magic - there is a chance to create an anomaly every time an arcane spell is cast, so the wizards dont have to venture out into the desert to find interesting pieces of technology.

Warforged already exist, so steam-powered cyborgs aren't exactly needed, though I am allowing replacement limbs that are cybernetic, later on. A train line is being built to do a circuit along the largest trade route visiting all the major mini-towns in the desert.

My point is, it is a very industrial setting, but is really low-magic and low-technology. Magic is industrialized through the need for living, and technology is controllable because it is limited by Anomaly Occurrences.

Actually I’m taking some inspiration from the old Wild, Wild West TV show.

Forevernade
2009-12-14, 10:54 PM
Really you could do any culture...

Aztec Steampunk anyone?
http://www.aztec-indians.com/aztec-technology.html
Obsidian-plated walking machines. Rangers with a black panther and greenstone blades. Giant Bone-drill mole machines. Volcanic glass has been refined into crystal quality.

Egyptian Steampunk anyone?
This would explain their exceptional engineering and architecture... Magically bound Titans solely built for construction of the famous structures left today. Egyptian gods are really high-tech aliens, replicating magic through technology. Take inspiration from Stargate series :smallamused:
The moon is really another habitat, Anubis are robots and albino orcs (instead of green orcs, which would ruin flavour), by god-right, are slavers to the petty humans!

Volkov
2009-12-15, 07:40 AM
Really you could do any culture...

Aztec Steampunk anyone?
http://www.aztec-indians.com/aztec-technology.html
Obsidian-plated walking machines. Rangers with a black panther and greenstone blades. Giant Bone-drill mole machines. Volcanic glass has been refined into crystal quality.

Egyptian Steampunk anyone?
This would explain their exceptional engineering and architecture... Magically bound Titans solely built for construction of the famous structures left today. Egyptian gods are really high-tech aliens, replicating magic through technology. Take inspiration from Stargate series :smallamused:
The moon is really another habitat, Anubis are robots and albino orcs (instead of green orcs, which would ruin flavour), by god-right, are slavers to the petty humans!
No giant battleships with big cannons of doom=Not very steampunkish.

Forevernade
2009-12-15, 09:41 AM
No giant battleships with big cannons of doom=Not very steampunkish.

Fine, we can call it Aztech, or Steamtec, pun intended.

Just because I didnt mention such additions doesn't mean you cant include them, I was just giving some examples of non-European settings that are still adequately cool.

I would include, instead of trains in the desert, giant Sidewinder vehicles, Onyx steam-powered based on the anatomy of the Sidewinder Snake. Youtube it, if you can imagine a giant black-scaled train of metal spines snaking diagonally through the desert, spraying steam everywhere, you will cream in your pants like me.
Train-ride anyone? Running on the latest technology of Decanters of Endless Water, this Fire-elemental run Sidewinder can get you from one side of the desert to the other in just 15 minutes! The Onyxian plates dynamically designed to replicate the scales of a snake, the entire trip is smooth running. Read your latest scrolls, or sharpen your sword while we take you from A to B in no time at all!

GolemsVoice
2009-12-15, 10:10 AM
- Recently, scientific breakthroughs and political debates have made it possible to equip most of the bigger cities with running water to the houses of at least the middle class. This system iss till new and prone to error, and the PCs are either: hired to deliver a poision through the water system or: leanr of a plan to do so and have to stop it.

- A scientist has developed a device that can replicate almost any spell, but feeds of the magical energy of magic users, "drawing" the spells put of them and storing them somewhere for later use. Fear grips the magical world, as the device's creator was murdered and his work is nowhere to be found. If you go with the whole magical upper class versus technological working class, this would be a powerful and terrible weapon to any anarchist or revolutionary reckless enough to use it. Even if you don't want to incorporate that, it's still scary enough. And suddenly, SOMEONE starts abducting magic-users.

- you could always do some gentlemanly exploring of the savage depths of the jungle! Good for some light-hearted fun in best pulp action manner.

- or, if you want more serious exploring: an incredibly powerful ressource has been found, but it is located in terrain that is almost inaccesible to large groups, but could be made so when bases have been established. All nations rush to claim it, and stop the others from doing so (either lethaly, or just hinder them, your choice) The diplomatic situation is that once one nation claims it attacking the site would provoke war at home. Should a small band of mercenaries choose to attack the newly claimed land, that's another story. So, the PCs are sent out to claim the land, or, should it already by claimed, stop these news from getting back into civilization while planting the flag of their own country.

Another_Poet
2009-12-15, 01:22 PM
Feel free to check out the Sewers link in my sig, it's a very detailed campaign journal of my steampunk game using Iron Kingdoms setting and Pathfinder rules.