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Trickquestion
2013-08-25, 04:56 PM
So I've got a group of friends looking to start playing tabletop games. The roster is still flexible, and we haven't played our first session, but very few involved have played tabletop, though most have played video game RPGs. I figured the best way to go would be to start them at level one, and have them adventure through my home brewed setting, which I've been developing in pieces since I started playing.

What I've got so far: The players start out in a dirt poor village on the continent of Abysite, a wild land being colonized by the Juptoran Empire, a sort of even handed tyranny. The starting village is composed largely of debt fleers indentured servants. The characters start in the inn, just as a famous hero emerges from the jungle with a huge sack of gold and checks in. One of the players is tasked with bringing him soup, and the hero suffers an allergic reaction and dies, leaving the players with a huge sack of gold but nowhere to spend it. The idea is that they will brave low level beasts, scrawny criminals and imperial militias to try and reach the prosperous coast city. They should be about level five by the time they reach the city, but we all know how players can be, so I'll see how things go.

Thoughts, criticism, suggestion? I've only DM'd a little before this, so advice is appreciated.

Freddrick
2013-08-25, 06:00 PM
Here are my thoughts on what you have.


One of the players is tasked with bringing him soup, and the hero suffers an allergic reaction and dies, leaving the players with a huge sack of gold but nowhere to spend it.

Be careful with this. It can become a slippery slope very fast. What happens if the player is accused of poisoning the hero? They can be put in a very tough spot, especially for a new player. If this is done to an more experienced player it could look like you are playing favorites.


The idea is that they will brave low level beasts, scrawny criminals and imperial militias to try and reach the prosperous coast city. They should be about level five by the time they reach the city, but we all know how players can be, so I'll see how things go.

My suggestion is to have the hero come into the inn after having received an order from the king to tame the wilderness and is hiring people to get this done. As the party completes adventures more gear becomes available from the merchants as the players get larger payments from the hero. He can even reward the players with treasure from his personal stash for an exceptional job.


I've only DM'd a little before this, so advice is appreciated.

I wish the best of luck and offer a few words of advice.

1) Always have a backup plan or be ready to adapt on the fly. The players will come up with ideas that nullify or bypass parts of the adventure. Don't penalize them, just go with the flow and reuse that part later.

2) No matter how simple something seams to you the players will make it as hard as possible.

3) Talk to your players, find out what they want. Sometimes the player really wants something and gets unhappy if it doesn't happen but you have no idea they want it.

4) Make sure you have fun as well.

Happy gaming.
-Freddrick