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View Full Version : Help with Campaign Idea (Forgotten Realms)



Tenshin
2010-08-17, 08:59 AM
Hello everyone. I must say that I am a very new DM with only a few sessions under my belt, and in each session the players chose to reroll and start a new campaign (they are very destructive and like to kill NPCs, steal, break and enter, plus get bored easily if combat doesn't go fast enough) that being said we are about to start a new campaign after about a 6 months break and I've a good feeling about this one.

Here's my idea for the campaign, key points:


The players start off in prison - this will initially cause them to be very unhappy, as the first thing they seem to always want to do is just "leave the village and explore", but hey the prison will be very BIG, with tons of NPC, Quests, Areas, etc.

No weapons, no armor, no magic use (though still possible, the rule will be physically enforced by the guards) - I envision that through this method, they will really learn to value even the smallest weapon or armor upgrade.

Criminal background/wrongfully imprisoned - Fits them pretty well, plus could make for some interesting roleplay and character backgrounds.

Gladiatorial action/Prison events - Make them fight each other or other prisioners as part of a quest.

Make them cell mates to create a bond perhaps


A big complaint I get from them is that I am very controlling. Yes, I admit it, of course. This very campaign has "control" written all over it, but I honestly believe that it will be for the best.

Any help, ideas, advice is welcome. Where would this prison be? Is it slavers or the government? Perhaps there aren't even such places (big prisons) in Forgotten Realms? Death penalty right away? :smalltongue:

hamishspence
2010-08-17, 09:01 AM
The Red Wizards of Thay might be good candidates for creating this sort of prison- and they love gladiatorial games. There is a Thayan Gladiator PRC in Champions of Ruin.

Aroka
2010-08-17, 09:06 AM
The campaign idea is fine by itself - pretty much all my Dark Sun campaigns start out with the PCs being imprisoned and thrown in a gladiatorial arena - but here's the rub:


A big complaint I get from them is that I am very controlling. Yes, I admit it, of course. This very campaign has "control" written all over it, but I honestly believe that it will be for the best.

So you want to go out of your way to run a campaign that's all about the thing your players complain about?

How about no?

Vangor
2010-08-17, 09:14 AM
Thay would be my first recommendation, too, especially as they have the Thayan Gladiator as mentioned in Champions of Ruin, Thayan Knight from Lords of Darkness, and Thayan Slaver from Unapproachable East (of course the Red Wizard itself), which should give you fairly easy characters to set up.


in each session the players chose to reroll and start a new campaign (they are very destructive and like to kill NPCs, steal, break and enter, plus get bored easily if combat doesn't go fast enough)

Not to say you are playing the game wrong, but if they are getting bored easily and are disrupting continuing any campaigns you may want the gladiatorial aspect to take a back seat to what happens in the complex below the arena. Give them a chance to explore a rather sprawling place including by sneaking beyond guards and such, plus this is a perfect opportunity to gain other aid from other slaves for an eventual escape.

Quietus
2010-08-17, 09:28 AM
What's your plot? If you just want to have this campaign go as a "Yes, I am in control and they will not run away from the village" deal... then you're kinda playing exactly to what they don't wanna see. Which is boring, as a player. If you have a REASON you want them to be in jail, then knowing that reason would help.

It seems like you're trying to build this to deny your players options - instead, put limitations, and then ask for responses based on what they'd like to see. For example, saying "I want to put them in prison so I can have them fight gladitorial matches and not escape", like you seem to be saying, comes across as very railroady and controlling. Saying instead, "I want them all to have a criminal background and start off in a jail, and scheduled for gladitorial matches, which they can then try to escape and flee the village as per normal if they insist" puts limitations - they're criminals, and in Thay that's REALLY not a good thing if I understand correctly - but even if they insist, the game will become about them running from the law.

But all of this aside, everything you do should be based around your plot.. which you haven't REALLY mentioned at all.

Tenshin
2010-08-17, 11:01 AM
Thank you for all the suggestions, guys. :smallsmile: You're right, I have a setting but not a plot, because, these players specifically, tend to simply ignore any plot I put forward, choosing instead to head for random encounters or pick fights at bars.

I mean, don't take it the wrong way, I understand you can hardly call our sessions part of a "campaign", but they are still incredibily fun. :smallwink:

And yes of course! The prison is ony the starting point, escape is only the beginning. Of what? I'm still figuring it out. :smalleek:

Thank you for the help with location, I'll look into it. Sounds really cool.

Quietus
2010-08-18, 09:42 AM
If that's the case, then run a sandbox. You have a setting - use it. Pick one to three things that could be happening in the town right now, including one that is in the process of occurring inside the prison you want to start them in. Then look at all the interesting locales they could reasonably flee to and have at least a one-sentence idea of what's happening there. Those woods over there? "Goblins and kobolds are warring over a newly discovered cave"... and if the PCs go there, they just happen to find said cave. Somewhere along that river off to the east? "Just so happens that a merchant boat got attacked, and kuo-toa/sahuagin/whatever have taken loot and people back to their cave". Don't put TOO much effort into them, you want things that can lead you into an adventure, but without developing them so much that you're afraid to throw them away. The stuff in town should be developed JUST enough that you can run it on the fly, depending on where they go.

I suggest, for the prison's "event", an INTENDED jailbreak - either they go with their usual "get us out of wherever we are!" and follow the plot you conveniently laid out, OR they go "EW PLOT", and stay in prison to fight gladitorial battles like you originally intended. Make it a real mean bastard of a ringleader for the jailbreak, one who doesn't just want out, he wants to hurt/kill as many people as he can while he does it, PC's included. If he can hurt the PCs in some way and get away from it all, he can be a recurring character, and become a real hated NPC.

And also, for the record? If your players seriously have this "EW PLOT" deal going on, then have board games on hand. If they show up, you have a plot ready to go, they know this, and they actively do everything they can to bugger off, then they're just being juvenile twits. It's perfectly legitimate, if they decide to wreck your plot by sitting calmly in their cells and doing nothing, for example.. to start putting away your D&D stuff and break out monopoly. Don't railroad them, but if they refuse to ever do anything that you might have maybe thought about just enough to create a rough idea of where they might go.. there's a serious issue there, and you're justified in going "Okay guys, well, I'm gonna need to plan for your sudden urge to rent a boat and go out into the deep blue sea, because you've actively avoided everything I had planned for tonight. So, let's go catch a movie/play Monopology/go bowling, shall we?"

MightyTim
2010-08-18, 09:54 AM
I'd had an idea along these lines that I hadn't gotten to use yet. If they're more inclined to random destruction than following a story, why not have it be an evil campaign? Their first goal would be to get out of the prison (which of course they will want to do, one way or another, so they can get better items/weapons). Either in the prison or outside of it, introduce an NPC who propositions them with an offer to join the Cult of [Pick evil diety], with the goal of overthrowing the kingdom, or somesuch. Then, your quests can even cater to the direction that your PCs tend to go anyway. Sure, they can pick a fight with a random NPC, but if that NPC happens to be the son of the Captain of the Guard, they can assassinate him and get compensated for what they'd be doing anyway.



A big complaint I get from them is that I am very controlling. Yes, I admit it, of course. This very campaign has "control" written all over it, but I honestly believe that it will be for the best.


I think what would be beneficial for your group is to sit down and ask them what they're looking for while playing, and then make sure your campaign provides it.

OMG PONIES
2010-08-18, 10:00 AM
I agree with Quietus. If your players rebel from what they see as control, give them the control. Start them in the midst of the jailbreak, or standing outside, tasting fresh air for the first time in years.

Do they want to run into town and start killing people? Go for it. Do they want to turn around and burn the prison to the ground? Sounds good. Do they get bored and twiddle their thumbs, not knowing what to do next? Then gently try to infuse some plot motivators into the game.

Maybe one character has an enemy--give them a chance for revenge. Maybe another seeks wealth/treasure--drop rumors of where it can be found. They may run into the open arms of your "control." But honestly, if I sat down and the DM pulled out another "you're in jail with no items or magic LOL" campaign, I would yawn, order a pizza, and think of the most annoying accent I could use for my character for the rest of the night. Yes, it's juvenile, but it's some people's response.

Tenshin
2010-08-19, 02:29 PM
Guys, THANKS for all the great ideas. After reading what you posted and listening to some dnd podcasts, I will in fact sit down and TALK to them about what they would like to see. :smallsmile: It's so simple, yet I never thought to do it. That having been said, I also took the time to materialize the first chapter of a possible campaign (that might be used or not, we'll see).


Chains of Destiny
-----------------------
Chapter 1 Life in Prison
-----------------------
A Way Out
The PCs start with no items, weapons or armor, stuck in individual cells with only a crack of light coming through the door visor. They learn that they have been in prison for quite a long time. Soon they start to hear an uproar, metal clashing noises, footsteps, a stampede. A large group of prisoners run wildly through the halls, being chased by guards not far behind. The PCs can:
• be set free by the prisoners and fight the guards;
The PCs follow the mob and are on the move. Faced with the possibility of gathering equipment from unconscious guards, they might stop and peruse the merchandise. A group of guards catch up to half-equipped PCs.
Combat Encounter!
• be set free by the guards and capture the escapees;
The guards hand the PCs some basic weapons and armor and send them in front of the group, eventually the PCs catch up to a group of prisoners blocked by a large door.
Combat Encounter!

After the battle, the PCs press on. They can activate the following encounters:
• Reaching the prison Armory, filled with dangerous prisoners set on looting any magic artifacts therein stored. The PCs will get some nice treasure here, including a vital story artifact (they don't know it yet). Full guard gear is available as well as many weapons. But first they'll need to get rid of the hooligans.
Combat Encounter!
• Crossroads;
• Be asked for help from a mystery prisoner still in his/her cell;
An illusionist passing for a feeble old man or a seductive woman, he will simply turn invisible and attempt escape as soon as the PCs free him.
• Locked doors, simply;
• Dying prisoners/guards;
• Room filled with traps;

Finally the PCs reach the prison courtyard, where a massive battle is taking place. The sky is clear and it is round noon, battlecries are heard throughout the courtyard. Prisoners and guards duke it out next to summoned elementals and even a huge mechanical golem blocking the only gate out of the fortress.
Combat encounter!

Once they escape, the players can activate the following events:
• a river blocks their path;
• a dense forest, where wild beasts roam and filled with dangerous prisoners;
Combat encounter!
• a high cliff;
• a cave where an escaped prisoner (gnome?) lives for decades now, he guarantees them there is no escape. "I thought I was out..."

Eventually they reach the end of the line, discovering that they are in fact on a floating island! The PCs venture along the ridge to a visible air dock, ships and all. There they will face the prison warden and his elite guards.
Combat encounter!

After defeating the guards, the players might commandeer an airship and fly out of the prison, however, because of heavy storms just under the island, they come crashing down!
-------------------------
End of chapter 1
-------------------------

I'll end it with a cliffhanger, the next session they can crashland anywhere on Toril and have all the freedom they want. (though that little thing they got from the armory will start to glow and lead them on a crazy adventure if they want to play along)

And yeah, OMG PONIES I was kind of disappointed at myself once I started to see how similar it was to Baldur's Gate 2. Guess it is kind of boring, but I'll try to bring some excitement to it somehow. Lots of improv will go on.

Hopeless
2010-08-19, 03:43 PM
Why not just ask them to design a background reason for why they were imprisoned in the first place?

Say that eventually these backgrounds will come to light and it doesn't mean they have to all come from the same place only that someone or several someone's arranged their imprisonment and their eventual release marks the fact they might have to do something about them before they ruin whatever plans they had in place that required their imprisonment in the first place.

You could have them having completely different reasons for their imprisonment say if one doesn't want to give a reason simply work one in like they aren't who they think they are perhaps a clone intended as an eventual replacement whether so their original can swap souls with them as their body does or the actual double has been perpetuating crimes and their return has left them with the blame for it all!

Tenshin
2010-08-19, 04:21 PM
Wow Hopeless that clone idea is great!:smallbiggrin: But probably won't use it heh.

As for their backgrounds, they can talk amongst each other during the campaign and reveal all the info they deem worthy. If they want to say they were all good friends before prison and had a 100 adventures or they never met each other, that will be up to them.

The only plot hole right now is like... 4 nobodies in a high security prison... doesn't make much sense unless they really embrace the hardcore criminal / vip background.

SigCorps
2010-08-19, 08:37 PM
If you continue to have any issues with your players being destructive to your campaigns and ideas...try just running gladiatorial combats. Let them design a new character and test it in the arena. Lets you be creative with challenges and they just get their combat. Or run team combats with player versus player. Many number of things you can do with a group that tends to not only go off the path but destroys it as well.

I like your idea, It will be a very hard situation for the PC's and should make them appreciate any little advantage they can get.