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View Full Version : A Broken World(my campaign 3.5)



Nightmarenny
2010-03-31, 03:36 AM
Last Saturday me and some friends started a new campaign with me as DM. I've been working on the long term of this for quite a while, though we ended up starting early so I still have a lot to do anyway. I Intend to start posting a full campaign Journal in a week or so but for now I thought I would post some background info and ask for some advice.

So first an overview of the world. Many settings imply either a magically(or technologically) advanced society or group of individuals which existed in the world's past. This group often died out, leaving no mark on the world but some magical relics worth questing for. My world's old society has not. It is deeply scared by the old powers. A deep and thick cut has been made from the west ocean all the way to the old empires capital, an entire mountain was blown apart creating a blasted wasteland, and a deep hole has been burnt in the ground. A number of small kingdoms live in an old but easily disturbed peace.

That is the backdrop with the main plot centered around four gems which represent the corners of the alignment system and two groups who attempt to gain control of them, but that is something I'm saving for a bit later(my group is only at 3rd level) though I'm already laying the ground work. As I started my group just outside the first dungeon, to give them time to talk among themselves and establish a group dynamic before a lot of NPC interaction happened, they are about to reach the first town and I want it to be both immersive and memorable. I want to give them a little map and pictures to give them a feel for it.

The town is called Kings Hilt(named for its proximity to a river nick named the Kings Sword.) It is inspired very much by Venice. With much of its original city underwater the city's roads exist on very structured walkways which double as damns. Small boats are just as common as walking and a large docking system exists on one side of it(it is a strong city for trading and commerce). The nobility has mostly refused to rebuild and simply water proofs its buildings with magic. Towers are a common building type and much of the city exists underground. I am however having trouble turning my thoughts into pictures. Does anyone know some similar looking cities in the world of fantasy I could use for inspiration and guidance?

After a very combat heavy dungeon I want to cool down with some more unusual challenges. Something fun that lets them use a couple skill checks and some player interaction that I can throw around to fill time while they shop and certain players do more plot-centric activities.

TripperdeCleric
2010-03-31, 03:45 AM
It looks pretty interesting so far...keep up the work and let me know whats going on with changes to the story..

for some skill checks...whats is the alignment most players are geared towards??


Good/Neutral/Evil
Lawful/Neutral/Chaotic?

Nightmarenny
2010-03-31, 03:50 AM
I'll just do a full class/race/Alignment breakdown. Was going to later anyway

Paladin/Human/LG
Cleric/Human/NG
Pixie/NG
Rogue/Halfling/CN
Barbarian/Orc/CG

TripperdeCleric
2010-03-31, 04:12 AM
I like the setup of your game and the general group and how you have it set powerwise...and specific skills you want them to use? Maybe they need to try and talk to a "guild leader" to get a map and must use diplomacy and such and if all that fails they have to wait for him to leave...get into the house get the map and somehow get away...but thats not paladin or good like...but gets the job done and that rogue looks happy to do it.


Also on another small job...send them to "tail" someone for a while and get info...or multiple people so they have to watch and wait to know when to follow and such..it gives you time to prepare and allows them to have some time to learn and get used to each others characters.

I might be wrong in assuming that you asked for assistance in outside things to do...

bosssmiley
2010-03-31, 07:42 AM
Savage Afterworld (http://savageafterworld.blogspot.com/) - Thundarr the Barbarian Blog
After London (http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/13944) - quest story in a flooded regressed-future England
The Rainy City (http://superheronecromancer.blogspot.com/2009/03/rainy-city.html) - fantasy noir Venice urbancrawl setting

Nightmarenny
2010-03-31, 03:17 PM
I like the setup of your game and the general group and how you have it set powerwise...and specific skills you want them to use? Maybe they need to try and talk to a "guild leader" to get a map and must use diplomacy and such and if all that fails they have to wait for him to leave...get into the house get the map and somehow get away...but thats not paladin or good like...but gets the job done and that rogue looks happy to do it.


Also on another small job...send them to "tail" someone for a while and get info...or multiple people so they have to watch and wait to know when to follow and such..it gives you time to prepare and allows them to have some time to learn and get used to each others characters.

I might be wrong in assuming that you asked for assistance in outside things to do...
No you were correct

TripperdeCleric
2010-03-31, 03:26 PM
ok, another one that i came across would be a "person" persuades them to get thier daughters body (which contains an artifact)..the "person" is evil of course and just cannot enter the sanctuary...they must use skills to get to the end or to find out it is not his daughter and it is a setup.

Nightmarenny
2010-04-04, 02:48 AM
Session 1 Part 1
We began with two more characters(a bard and Fighter) who were absent last session and I don't expect them to return. So our seven heroes start their journey at the door of the Great Lighthouse. A mysterious structure on the west coast of the continent and very close to the small city Kings Hilt. Kobold's nested in the Great Lighthouse have been raiding convoys coming to and from Kings Hilts. They take what they feel is valuable and any hostage's who don't die in the attack. The last attack was done when most of the gaurd were protecting the convoy. They took them, too. Including Constable Glyn Martin. Desperate, the city offered a reward and called for adventurers. This is where the PC's come in.

The mayor tasks them with rooting out the Kobold's and freeing any living hostages and Sorin(Owner of the local alchemist shop) asks the group also attempt to recover the journal and spell book of an ancient and powerful Wizard who once resided within. He has offered a map of the first floor as pre-payment. So our Noble group rushes to the Great Lighthouse to complete their quest. They tear the boarding, covering the main doorway, down and enter a dark and wide hallway. Not twenty feet from them is a large mess of rubble. The first of many the group will find while navigating the Lighthouse. It is old and it shows its age.

While they cross the mess each begins to show their character. The Paladin is young, more an apprentice than anything. He was sent on this mission as a test by his master along with serving a good cause. The Cleric left her home "Estinna's Garden" with the fairy. She is stoic and responsible. the fairy is not. Some might call her a consummate adventures others would call her a damn fool. The Barbarian and Rogue also are companions this is the first time either has played that kind of character so they have chosen is go the way of the Stereotype. The Barb is big, kind hearted but a little slow. He saved the fast fingers/talking Rogue after a misunderstanding with the authorities.

*Thawt* a flurry of Arrows and spears from deep inside the rubble grab the groups attention, luckily all of them miss(I had rather bad luck that night) and the creatures that activated the trap scurry through a very small hole deeper into the dungeon.
"Kobold's" whisper's the Paladin "they scare easily but they'll be back and in greater numbers"

A detect Evil spell sees the Kobolds scurry into the next room. The party runs forward and prepares for a fight. The Cleric enlarges and Bull's Strengths the Barbarian... before discovering a large door made out of an unknown metalin there way. there is a glowing Glyph on the floor. After a few minutes of arguing the Paladin feels compelled to step of the glyph. After another round of Detect evil he does so. A complementary Glyph appears just infront of him. A blue incorporeal woman appears on it. She shows surprise then smiles. He feels a tingle in the back of his head, then she winks and disapears. The door opens.

Nightmarenny
2010-04-04, 11:50 PM
Session 1 Part 2
The room on the other side of the door is full of Kobolds. They hide behind metal boards on the other side of the room and the floor was greased... and the Kobolds have alchemist Fire. The bard starts a song and the large sized barbarian picks up the rogue and Paladin and hurls himself across the grease. He clears it well and the fight quickly goes in theier favor. The three clear the ranks of Kobolds and the Fairy hits them from behind. The grease is eventurally set on fire which the Cleric almost tries to put out with water(she was given a common sense roll) but the remaining Kobolds are vanquished. The adamantine door closes locking the Bard and Fighter out.

The session ends.