Atsull
2014-10-05, 06:43 PM
I'm currently DMing for a group. This is the first time I've tried to incorporate a story spanning more than 5 adventures, and I would love some advice on how to keep the story fresh and interesting, but give them breaks from the storyline so the party doesn't rush through it. Here's the story:
It is the 3rd Era, year 1016. The dwarves of the Zaltéröu fortress, like the other Dwarven settlements, have made rapid technological developments. Early firearms, such as lever-action rifles, blunderbusses, and revolvers are becoming more and more widespread (although still very expensive), and the invention of rocketry have the dwarves very excited about launching huge columns of explosives into space.
For years the astronomers of Zaltéröu have believed that life may exist on Yelovire, a nearby planet in the solar system. A rocket launch, planned for the year 1019, would send a team consisting of 2 dwarves, a half-elf, and a human to Yelovire, where they would use organic materials found on the surface to refuel the lander and come back. The plan is highly secret.
Meanwhile, the inhabitants of Yelovire have learned of the dwarves plan and have sent back an elite strike team to stop the launch, finding the components the dwarves have hidden in caves and stealing them.
So far, the players have found a cave which used to be filled with goblins, but instead was filled with goblin corpses. All the chests of loot in the cave had been unlocked and opened, but only one chest had been emptied. The leader of the goblin warband was found hung from the ceiling, with "Zalterou will never fly!" written behind him on the wall. A nearby village had been slaughtered.
So, my questions for you all are:
1) how can I keep the storyline fresh and interesting? I generally want to give the story a Disturbing, mysterious vibe.
2) how should I space out adventures related to Zalterou? I don't want the party to lose interest, but I don't want it to be the only thing happening for the first 7-10 adventures.
Thank you!
It is the 3rd Era, year 1016. The dwarves of the Zaltéröu fortress, like the other Dwarven settlements, have made rapid technological developments. Early firearms, such as lever-action rifles, blunderbusses, and revolvers are becoming more and more widespread (although still very expensive), and the invention of rocketry have the dwarves very excited about launching huge columns of explosives into space.
For years the astronomers of Zaltéröu have believed that life may exist on Yelovire, a nearby planet in the solar system. A rocket launch, planned for the year 1019, would send a team consisting of 2 dwarves, a half-elf, and a human to Yelovire, where they would use organic materials found on the surface to refuel the lander and come back. The plan is highly secret.
Meanwhile, the inhabitants of Yelovire have learned of the dwarves plan and have sent back an elite strike team to stop the launch, finding the components the dwarves have hidden in caves and stealing them.
So far, the players have found a cave which used to be filled with goblins, but instead was filled with goblin corpses. All the chests of loot in the cave had been unlocked and opened, but only one chest had been emptied. The leader of the goblin warband was found hung from the ceiling, with "Zalterou will never fly!" written behind him on the wall. A nearby village had been slaughtered.
So, my questions for you all are:
1) how can I keep the storyline fresh and interesting? I generally want to give the story a Disturbing, mysterious vibe.
2) how should I space out adventures related to Zalterou? I don't want the party to lose interest, but I don't want it to be the only thing happening for the first 7-10 adventures.
Thank you!