hushblade
2011-10-15, 06:25 PM
I've decided to start everyone out as a slave forced to be a gladiator in a quasi-Roman setting. Partly because I love the setting idea, and partly because it gives me an excuse to start them off in 1 on 1 fights to get the feel for things, and the king can spare their lives if I manage to over-challenge them.
This is what I have so far, forgive the shifting tone, it was mostly just written for my own use:
You wake up to find yourselves shackled in the back of a caravan with wrought iron bars preventing any possibility of escape. An armed guard says: “Good, you’ve finally all woken up… We’re headed to the Grand Arena’s training ground. You’ll all learn a fighting style and then fight for the crowd’s and our king’s amusement. If you fight bravely, you may just earn your freedom.”
You commence to tell how you’ve wound up in this situation, giving a good opportunity for in-party role playing and character exposition.
(Ideas: Prisoner of war, Forced into slavery from debt, Felt the call of the arena and sold self into slavery voluntarily ect…)
[Select your classes, train to the appropriate level(2-5 depending on level adjustments people choose)]
2 months later
You’ve finished your intensive training yesterday. You’re awoken by a man wielding a large spear ushering you into a line leading a stage. You quickly pick up on the fact that you are being auctioned as gladiators today. (player characters names, NPC party member names) were all sold to a man wearing a dark cloak, but still a somewhat regal air about him. He has strikingly attractive elven features, long white hair, very pale skin, and violet eyes.
Everyone rolls a spotcheck and A Knowledge: Arcana(religion?) check to see if they notice that he’s undead(he's a necropolitan elf)
A guard escorts you all to your new owner. The man introduces himself self as Griffisu and proceeds to say in a very amicable “I’ve been in this business for a long time, and I’m confident that I’ve paid for the very best. In a few weeks, The Grand Arena will have a gladiator team tournament. If you win, I will be given a substantial prize, as well as bragging rights amongst the nobility here. If you do this for me, I promise your freedom and 1000 gold pieces to each of you. I promise I am I fair master and I will honor my word and treat you humanely. Does anyone have any questions?”
They now have a chance to practice interacting with NPCs and learn more about their predicament.
You get on the back of his cart and soon arrive at a small cottage at the back of a large mansion. Griffisu says “You’ll all be living here” You see its stocked with all the rations you’ll all need, practice weapons, and a large room with 6 bedrolls.
Chance to interact before bed
You all sleep.
The next day you are awoken by Griffisu. “You all have your first bout today, as fresh combatants; you’ll all have a 1-on-1 match”
If they don’t ask anything, they all load up onto the cart, arrive at the arena and each commence to have their first match 1 on 1 against a level 1 generic warrior.
Win: He is lying on the ground, helpless, the crowd is cheering, chanting “KILL KILL KILL!” Do you do it?(nice introduction to moral decisions)
Lose: You fall to the ground helpless, as he is about to deliver the killing blow, the king decides you’ve fought valiantly, and lets you live.
(Middle stuff: Fighting as the party against other groups, speaking with people in the Arena about the world you live in, the champion of the arena ect...)
(Ending stuff: facing the final team in the tourney, mostly a mirror of the party, facing the arena champion, being set free and starting your own adventure[general direction dictated by the party])
Griffisu will probably be recurring, unsure as to his alignment or intentions, but it's clear he's honorable enough to let them go. The arena champion will probably be a cohort for a bit of the manage to beat him, He's a Goliath frenzied berzerker.
Anyway.... The group is pretty mixed as far as experience. I have 2 previous DMs in the group that will probably help me on the fly if I don't know something, but I can't ask them before hand because I don't want to spoil it. I have 2 players that have minor experience, and I have 1 total newbie.
So I guess I'm looking for any advice, thoughts or feedback, story or otherwise. I want my first campaign to be sucessful.
This is what I have so far, forgive the shifting tone, it was mostly just written for my own use:
You wake up to find yourselves shackled in the back of a caravan with wrought iron bars preventing any possibility of escape. An armed guard says: “Good, you’ve finally all woken up… We’re headed to the Grand Arena’s training ground. You’ll all learn a fighting style and then fight for the crowd’s and our king’s amusement. If you fight bravely, you may just earn your freedom.”
You commence to tell how you’ve wound up in this situation, giving a good opportunity for in-party role playing and character exposition.
(Ideas: Prisoner of war, Forced into slavery from debt, Felt the call of the arena and sold self into slavery voluntarily ect…)
[Select your classes, train to the appropriate level(2-5 depending on level adjustments people choose)]
2 months later
You’ve finished your intensive training yesterday. You’re awoken by a man wielding a large spear ushering you into a line leading a stage. You quickly pick up on the fact that you are being auctioned as gladiators today. (player characters names, NPC party member names) were all sold to a man wearing a dark cloak, but still a somewhat regal air about him. He has strikingly attractive elven features, long white hair, very pale skin, and violet eyes.
Everyone rolls a spotcheck and A Knowledge: Arcana(religion?) check to see if they notice that he’s undead(he's a necropolitan elf)
A guard escorts you all to your new owner. The man introduces himself self as Griffisu and proceeds to say in a very amicable “I’ve been in this business for a long time, and I’m confident that I’ve paid for the very best. In a few weeks, The Grand Arena will have a gladiator team tournament. If you win, I will be given a substantial prize, as well as bragging rights amongst the nobility here. If you do this for me, I promise your freedom and 1000 gold pieces to each of you. I promise I am I fair master and I will honor my word and treat you humanely. Does anyone have any questions?”
They now have a chance to practice interacting with NPCs and learn more about their predicament.
You get on the back of his cart and soon arrive at a small cottage at the back of a large mansion. Griffisu says “You’ll all be living here” You see its stocked with all the rations you’ll all need, practice weapons, and a large room with 6 bedrolls.
Chance to interact before bed
You all sleep.
The next day you are awoken by Griffisu. “You all have your first bout today, as fresh combatants; you’ll all have a 1-on-1 match”
If they don’t ask anything, they all load up onto the cart, arrive at the arena and each commence to have their first match 1 on 1 against a level 1 generic warrior.
Win: He is lying on the ground, helpless, the crowd is cheering, chanting “KILL KILL KILL!” Do you do it?(nice introduction to moral decisions)
Lose: You fall to the ground helpless, as he is about to deliver the killing blow, the king decides you’ve fought valiantly, and lets you live.
(Middle stuff: Fighting as the party against other groups, speaking with people in the Arena about the world you live in, the champion of the arena ect...)
(Ending stuff: facing the final team in the tourney, mostly a mirror of the party, facing the arena champion, being set free and starting your own adventure[general direction dictated by the party])
Griffisu will probably be recurring, unsure as to his alignment or intentions, but it's clear he's honorable enough to let them go. The arena champion will probably be a cohort for a bit of the manage to beat him, He's a Goliath frenzied berzerker.
Anyway.... The group is pretty mixed as far as experience. I have 2 previous DMs in the group that will probably help me on the fly if I don't know something, but I can't ask them before hand because I don't want to spoil it. I have 2 players that have minor experience, and I have 1 total newbie.
So I guess I'm looking for any advice, thoughts or feedback, story or otherwise. I want my first campaign to be sucessful.