Need help with a low level Kobold campaign

[danzibr]

Hello playgrounders,

So I want to run a campaign which goes about like this:

For some reason (undetermined atm), a group of low level (probably level 1) Kobolds want to escape from the Underdark. I'll probably be DMing for 3 people. I want to give them all 3-5 character sheets for the different Kobolds they'll be commanding.

The goal of the campaign is to just escape. They'll be getting around Illithids and beholders and the like, so most of the time combat won't be an option. Not always, however--I expect them to do a little bit of fighting. The campaign ends when they escape (or perhaps shortly after).

I would like help with three things:
1) Why would they want to escape the Underdark? My only ideas at the moment are freedom or perhaps they discovered something and need to deliver it.
2) Suggested encounters and how to run them. I don't want them to just have to sprint by groups of Illithids and stuff.
3) Party composition of Kobolds. Should they mostly be generic Fighters/Rangers and Clerics/Sorcs? Should I throw in more exotic classes? My players aren't too experienced, but aren't total novices.

And any other advice is welcome. Thanks!

[TroubleBrewing]

1) This one is the easiest: They want to escape the Underdark because the Underdark sucks.

2) They should most definitely at one point run into a group of high-level adventurers who have just finished escaping from a group of Tucker's Kobolds. Don't tell the Kobold players this, however; let there be a really tense moment where the players feel like they are about to be utterly annihilated by the clearly much higher-level party, and then have the adventurers run away shrieking at the top of their lungs, begging not to be killed.

3) Up to you, really. If I pre-make characters for a party, I usually amuse myself and choose classes for the players based on what they'd be in real life. (Our black belt is a Swordsage, our PhD candidate is a Wizard, our actor is a Bard, and our med student is a Cleric.)

[Greenish]

1) Because their tribe got squashed, and a handful of kobolds don't stand much of a chance in Underdark. Because the dragon their tribe reveres told them to find it's offspring and serve her instead.


2) Traps! Kobolds love traps, so they'll have hours of fun! (Just don't make them the "roll for search and disable device" style ones.) Maybe force them to build a trap of their own.

Catching food in the Underdark is no minor encounter, either (except maybe if they settle for eating dirt, which kobolds can do).

Finding, catching and taming mounts. Because walking sucks, and those cave fleshrakers are much cooler.


[Edit]: Give them all Dragon Wings (for free, or just burn a feat for it). They're trying to get to the surface to learn to fly!
3) Exotic stuff, absolutely! You might even have a theme, where every character has, say, trapfinding. Pick from artificer, factotum, rogue, cleric, beguiler, spellthief, barbarian, ranger, scout, incarnate…

[danzibr]

Thanks for the ideas Grey and Greenish (hey, I just realized your names have to do with colors). I'll definitely make use of them.

I've done some more thinking. I plan on having a few Kobolds per person. Probably 1 Dragonwrought (for free) with 30 point buy per person, 1 regular 20 point buy, a couple 10 point buy. The Dragonwroughts will be the exotic classes, 20 point buys normal classes, 10 point buys maybe things like Commoner and Warrior.

Also, I've thought of three things for the plot: they somehow get teleported there from their home; they mined too deeply, got stuck, want to get back; the rest of the Kobolds on the planet have been wiped out and only a few were Drow/Illithid slaves, broke free, want to escape. Maybe something like they came into possession of something important and need to transport it, but I'm not as keen on that one.

I'm sure I'll do some traps and I really like the Tucker's Kobolds idea (though I don't know exactly what that is). Oh, and Grey, why didn't you give the black belt a Monk? :P

[danzibr]

I looked up the Tucker's Kobolds thing. Cool. Alright, so here's what I have so far. I've decided on all the characters but I'm not sure what feats. I want to stay away from flaws. I'm up for alternate class features though, probably no familiars to simplify things, you can see a Paladin of Tyranny. One of the Barbarians is going to be a pouncer. I'm also thinking Kurtulmak for deities, Kobold domains for the Clerics, and all of them have the alternate racial features in the web enhancement. Also, most of them will be miners and a few will be trapmakers. The only gear will be some picks of various sizes, the leader *maybe* having a magical weapon or something.

The point buy goes lower as the spoilers go down. I plan on giving 25% of them the level 1 spell thing that's in RotD (Draconic Rite of Passage).

This first guy is the leader. He has the Draconic template for free.Draconic, gestalt Sorc//Paladin of Tyranny, LE
The leader of the group
Str 14.5->16-2=14
Dex 14.5->14+2=16
Con 14.5->16+0=16
Int 14.5->10+0=10
Wis 14.5->12+0=12
Cha 14.5->16+2=18
feat:
These next 2 have Dragonwrought for free. I'm debating giving the wings/tail for free, opening them for another feat.
Dragonwrought 1, Sorc, middle-aged, NE
The only one with some years
Str 13->10-4=6
Dex 13->12+2=14
Con 13->14-2=12
Int 13->09+1=10
Wis 13->11+1=12
Cha 13->17+1=18
feats: free Dragonwrought, wings

Dragonwrought 2, Monk, LE
The Monk
Str 13->16-4=12
Dex 13->14+2=16
Con 13->14-2=12
Int 13->10+0=10
Wis 13->14+0=14
Cha 13->08+0=8
feats: free Dragonwrought, tail

These next few have 24 point buy, regular peeps.

Normal 1, Barbarian, regular, NE
One of the brawns of the group
Str 12->16-4=12
Dex 12->14+2=16
Con 12->14-2=12
Int 12->08+0=8
Wis 12->10+0=10
Cha 12->08+0=8
feat:

Normal 2, Bard, NE
The sprucer
Str 12->12-4=8
Dex 12->12+2=14
Con 12->10-2=8
Int 12->14+0=14
Wis 12->10+0=10
Cha 12->14+0=14
feat:

Normal 3, Rogue, ranged, LE
Str 12->14-4=10
Dex 12->14+2=16
Con 12->12-2=10
Int 12->12+0=12
Wis 12->10+0=10
Cha 12->10+0=10
feat:

Normal 4, Fighter, ranged, LE
Str 12->16-4=12
Dex 12->14+2=16
Con 12->14-2=12
Int 12->08+0=8
Wis 12->10+0=10
Cha 12->08+0=8
feat: racial sub, Str

Normal 5, Ranger, ranged, LE
Str 12->16-4=12
Dex 12->12+2=14
Con 12->14-2=12
Int 12->08+0=8
Wis 12->12+0=12
Cha 12->08+0=8
feat:

The last guys and gals only have an 18 point buy.

Subpar 1, Fighter, melee, LE
Str 11->14-4=10
Dex 11->12+2=14
Con 11->14-2=12
Int 11->08+0=8
Wis 11->10+0=10
Cha 11->08+0=8
feat:

Subpar 2, Cleric, caster, LE
Str 11->10-4=6
Dex 11->10+2=12
Con 11->12-2=10
Int 11->08+0=8
Wis 11->14+0=14
Cha 11->12+0=12
feat:

Subpar 3, Rogue, melee, LE
Str 11->14-4=10
Dex 11->12+2=14
Con 11->14-2=12
Int 11->10+0=10
Wis 11->08+0=8
Cha 11->08+0=8
feat:

Subpar 4, Paragon, LE
Str 11->12-4=8
Dex 11->10+2=12
Con 11->12-2=10
Int 11->12+0=12
Wis 11->12+0=12
Cha 11->08+0=8
feat:

Subpar 5, Cleric, caster, LE
Str 11->10-4=6
Dex 11->08+2=10
Con 11->12-2=10
Int 11->08+0=8
Wis 11->14+0=14
Cha 11->14+0=14
feat:

Subpar 6, Barbarian, pounce, NE
Str 11->14-4=10
Dex 11->14+2=16
Con 11->14-2=12
Int 11->08+0=8
Wis 11->08+0=8
Cha 11->08+0=8
feat:

Subpar 7, Sorc, LE
Str 11->08-4=4
Dex 11->14+2=16
Con 11->10-2=8
Int 11->08+0=8
Wis 11->08+0=8
Cha 11->16+0=16
feat:
Also, for encounters, I still don't have much planned, but I want them to run across a group of Gnomes at some point.

[TroubleBrewing]

You should have them run across a cave full of Gnomes guarding their Gnome eggs waiting for their Gnome hatchlings to spring forth and devour the paralyzed victims that the drones have carefully selected for the Gnome queen.

Wait... It occurs to me that not every DM's Gnomes are like mine...