Opening Quest

[limejuicepowder]

In the very near future, I'm going to be starting a campaign with 3 totally new players. Since I'm busy doing other stuff and can't focus on the game, I'd like someone here to do all the prep work for me I have a vague notion of what I'd like to do, but would like to bounce some ideas of y'all.

The party is a human ranger, half-orc sorcerer, and an elven druid.

I was thinking of starting with the ranger. He has a favored enemy of orcs, so one day while stumbling around the woods he comes across the remains of an encampment that has just been left that recently (track check to determine how old). He could follow the tracks to the orcs who are hiding in a cave near the town, probably waiting for nightfall when they'll attack the local town.

Track will give him the party size, which hopefully will be enough to deter him from charging the cave. Go to town, warn the inhabitants, meet other PC's.....now they have to figure out how to deal with the orcs.

Seems like a solid level 1 quest. Anyone have something interesting to add?

[Gray Mage]

How does the half-orc player feel about a quest to specificaly hunt orcs? In specific, the hunter having FE: orcs and a half-orc player could result in animosity.

About the plot per se, it seems pretty standard, which is good. Will there be a "boss" orc for them to face at the end? Also, somestuff to set a follow quest can be good.

Edit: Something to keep in mind, depending on the Druid's AC the party won't have a frontline character, which might be an issue.

[limejuicepowder]

Yeah I thought about the ranger/half-orc problem. Not really sure what I'm going to do about it 'cause I don't have their backstories yet. Hopefully I get lucky and the half-orc player hates his own kind for making him ugly.

Standard I like, I don't need anything fancy for a completely green group. I just want to make sure I introduce as many concepts as possible - different skills, combat decisions, and most importantly some role playing.

I'm definitely going to have some kind of boss figure....maybe I'll have him be carrying some odd trinket, and the players will have be faced with a mystery. I do like interrogation scenes. This would also make a nice segue to the next challenge.

[Gray Mage]

Yeah I thought about the ranger/half-orc problem. Not really sure what I'm going to do about it 'cause I don't have their backstories yet. Hopefully I get lucky and the half-orc player hates his own kind for making him ugly.

Well, talk with your players. That's the best advice. Waiting to see what they think until they're playing is not a good idea. Run a brief idea of it to them beforehand.

[BowStreetRunner]

Yeah I thought about the ranger/half-orc problem. Not really sure what I'm going to do about it 'cause I don't have their backstories yet. Hopefully I get lucky and the half-orc player hates his own kind for making him ugly.

Regardless of the half-orc's attitudes toward orcs in general, you shouldn't have a problem with this, as orcs by their nature are often divided by tribal or clan affiliations. Just have multiple warring orc tribes and powerful feuds among the various orc clans and you will always have a group of orcs that both the ranger and sorcerer can agree to dislike.

[limejuicepowder]

Regardless of the half-orc's attitudes toward orcs in general, you shouldn't have a problem with this, as orcs by their nature are often divided by tribal or clan affiliations. Just have multiple warring orc tribes and powerful feuds among the various orc clans and you will always have a group of orcs that both the ranger and sorcerer can agree to dislike.

That's a really good idea, thanks. I knew I was doing the right thing by asking y'all.