ptath
2012-05-09, 03:08 PM
Group Background:
I’ve ended up as the DM for my geographically remote group of friends. I’ve run a few one-off scenarios in 4e and 3.5 that went relatively well. My players are all either new players with a handful of sessions under their belts or slightly experienced players who’ve done -/+1 campaign several years ago.
We’re planning to start playing on a regular basis next month using the 3.5 D&D rules. As we’re all geographically distant from each other, we’ll be utilizing the Wizards of the coast Virtual Tabletop for map and token purposes and either Google+ Hangouts or Ventrillo (voice-over-IP chat program) for audio/visual communication.
The Plan:
I work full-time and have a long commute. I’m a new professional, so I don’t have piles of money to spend on Ebay or Half-Price Books. As such, I don’t have any present 3.5 campaigns on hand to read and run for my players. What I do have is a large number of shorter 3.5 adventures that I’ve started (loosely) stringing together to create the overall campaign.
Adventures list:
Lvl 1: The Burning Plague by Miguel Duran
Lvl 2: The Secret of the Windswept Wall by Eric Haddock
Lvl 3: Something’s Cooking
Lvl 4: Bad Light by Owen K. C. Stephens
Lvl 5: Base of Operations by Ed Stark
Lvl 6: The Ghosts of Aniel by Stephen Kenson
Lvl 7: Hasken’s Manor by Scott Borcius and Mark A. Jindra
Lvl 8: An Eye for an Eye by Monte Cook
Source: http://www.dungeonmastering.com/campaigns-adventures/83-free-dd-adventures
Assistance, Please:
I’ve had trouble in the past getting everyone really enthused with the game. I have players who love the smashy-smashy combat bits and others who get bored with those and just want to get on to the roleplaying. As such, I’m working hard to really involve my players in the planning process as a way to build-up anticipation for our sessions and it’s definitely working. Everyone is really excited and we’re having a chat session this weekend to work on everyone’s characters.
Where I need help is in building the introductory session (it will not be an adaptation of a pre-made adventure) and in building the overall story plot and End-Game scenario.
The Story:
The party is a hodge-podge: a fighter, a sorcerer, a paladin, a barbarian, and possibly a druid (there’s also one other person who may or may not be joining). They’ve all been arrested and thrown into prison (save, perhaps the paly) and have the choice to either (1) work for a Mysterious Benefactor or (2) Rot in Prison/Be Executed. They chose option 1.
The Mysterious Benefactor is either a wealthy merchant or a member of the nobility with his own reasons for selecting each party member to serve him. Adventures 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7 are Benefactor missions. 3 and 6 will be centered on specific players (lots of elves and half-elves in this group). 8 will be the Enemy's retaltion of their Benefactor missions. After that, I’m not sure yet. I haven't even figured out who the Enemy is going to be.
The Introduction:
The first session starts with the players (1) awakening en route to prison, (2) in prison when we start, or (3) insert option here. The Mysterious Benefactor is testing them – if they can escape, they’ve passed his first test and he appears to make them their offer they can't (and won't) refuse.
The prison is in the middle of a lake, which sits at the feet of a fairly tall mountain range. The land around the lake is forested. The prison itself is a tower on the west end of a courtyard. Boats for transferring good, guards, and prisoners dock at the south end of the courtyard.
There are four levels in the prison plus a drainage system underneath that runs the full length of the courtyard. The levels are: drainage system (sewers which allow for passage from the sub-basement to the courtyard), sub-basement (cells), basement (guards quarters), main hall (entrance, dining), and second floor (Captain’s quarters, could be a research/alchemists lab).
My design for the prison is based on what I’ve made thus far in the Virtual Tabletop. I can change or adapt things as needed.
So.
Thoughts? Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.
I’ve ended up as the DM for my geographically remote group of friends. I’ve run a few one-off scenarios in 4e and 3.5 that went relatively well. My players are all either new players with a handful of sessions under their belts or slightly experienced players who’ve done -/+1 campaign several years ago.
We’re planning to start playing on a regular basis next month using the 3.5 D&D rules. As we’re all geographically distant from each other, we’ll be utilizing the Wizards of the coast Virtual Tabletop for map and token purposes and either Google+ Hangouts or Ventrillo (voice-over-IP chat program) for audio/visual communication.
The Plan:
I work full-time and have a long commute. I’m a new professional, so I don’t have piles of money to spend on Ebay or Half-Price Books. As such, I don’t have any present 3.5 campaigns on hand to read and run for my players. What I do have is a large number of shorter 3.5 adventures that I’ve started (loosely) stringing together to create the overall campaign.
Adventures list:
Lvl 1: The Burning Plague by Miguel Duran
Lvl 2: The Secret of the Windswept Wall by Eric Haddock
Lvl 3: Something’s Cooking
Lvl 4: Bad Light by Owen K. C. Stephens
Lvl 5: Base of Operations by Ed Stark
Lvl 6: The Ghosts of Aniel by Stephen Kenson
Lvl 7: Hasken’s Manor by Scott Borcius and Mark A. Jindra
Lvl 8: An Eye for an Eye by Monte Cook
Source: http://www.dungeonmastering.com/campaigns-adventures/83-free-dd-adventures
Assistance, Please:
I’ve had trouble in the past getting everyone really enthused with the game. I have players who love the smashy-smashy combat bits and others who get bored with those and just want to get on to the roleplaying. As such, I’m working hard to really involve my players in the planning process as a way to build-up anticipation for our sessions and it’s definitely working. Everyone is really excited and we’re having a chat session this weekend to work on everyone’s characters.
Where I need help is in building the introductory session (it will not be an adaptation of a pre-made adventure) and in building the overall story plot and End-Game scenario.
The Story:
The party is a hodge-podge: a fighter, a sorcerer, a paladin, a barbarian, and possibly a druid (there’s also one other person who may or may not be joining). They’ve all been arrested and thrown into prison (save, perhaps the paly) and have the choice to either (1) work for a Mysterious Benefactor or (2) Rot in Prison/Be Executed. They chose option 1.
The Mysterious Benefactor is either a wealthy merchant or a member of the nobility with his own reasons for selecting each party member to serve him. Adventures 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7 are Benefactor missions. 3 and 6 will be centered on specific players (lots of elves and half-elves in this group). 8 will be the Enemy's retaltion of their Benefactor missions. After that, I’m not sure yet. I haven't even figured out who the Enemy is going to be.
The Introduction:
The first session starts with the players (1) awakening en route to prison, (2) in prison when we start, or (3) insert option here. The Mysterious Benefactor is testing them – if they can escape, they’ve passed his first test and he appears to make them their offer they can't (and won't) refuse.
The prison is in the middle of a lake, which sits at the feet of a fairly tall mountain range. The land around the lake is forested. The prison itself is a tower on the west end of a courtyard. Boats for transferring good, guards, and prisoners dock at the south end of the courtyard.
There are four levels in the prison plus a drainage system underneath that runs the full length of the courtyard. The levels are: drainage system (sewers which allow for passage from the sub-basement to the courtyard), sub-basement (cells), basement (guards quarters), main hall (entrance, dining), and second floor (Captain’s quarters, could be a research/alchemists lab).
My design for the prison is based on what I’ve made thus far in the Virtual Tabletop. I can change or adapt things as needed.
So.
Thoughts? Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.