Danin
2008-05-06, 02:28 AM
Well, since the title of this thread does not in fact say it all I'll explain my dilemma.
Rather soon I plan on running a campaign with a very different style than I'm used to, that of a more subtle, in-depth sort of game. It will be set in a very badly ruined Greyhawk themed world where about a hundred years ago powerful creatures descended upon the land and wiped out most civilization. Only a union between the Churches of Pelor, Heironious and St. Cuthburt managed to protect a handful of major cities through powerful wards and fierce battles. The creatures still roam the land but the cities (5 major in total, one elven) remain safe behind their walls, connected by divine communication and a tightly guarded network of divine transportation.
In the aftermath of the fall the Churches sought to find an answer to why such evil fell upon them and decided that it was punishment for a lack of piousness. As such, in the ensuing years of rule dominated by the church that protected them, anything that was seen as disruptive to one's faith was outlawed and eventually hunted. No faith other than the trinity is accepted and, most importantly, the arcane arts are looked upon with hatred and fear for the Church blamed them above all else. The claims that the use of arcane arts will only lead to another, final fall as punishment from the Gods, the Church holds the state in a grip of fear, neighbors turning against neighbors for fear of them being a witch. Through the influence of the Church for all the years the populous has, for the most part, come to embrace the police state that their cities have become, thanking them for the protection they provide. Now, Paladins walk the streets of the cities that gleam with gold and marble, hunting any would be heretic who speaks ill of the faith or, worse yet, practices the forbidden arts.
The feel I'm going for is very Germany 1938, the state is in control and resistance is swept away without mercy. With a much more liberal interpretation of the alignment system this game will have a much darker, grittier feel than I am used to.
Now, as to the campaign, the likely players are a Binder, a Beguiler and a Beguiler / Illusionist and maybe a warlock or cleric of Vecna and it starts at level one. To openly oppose the church would be death so a lot more subtlety would be involved. The eventual plan is to discover a lot of corruption and scheming in the higher Church, escaping into the deadly deadly wilderness and finding out the true cause of "the fall" and saving the world. Now heres my problem.
The dilemma:
How do you run a more subtle campaign thats much less combat intensive? What plot hooks could I have at lower levels? How can I keep things fun but still gritty and scary (because have no doubt that any one paladin guard could kill them all at lower levels)? Is there anywhere I could go for advice on running a campaign in a setting like this? I really like the concept but I'm just not sure I have the experience to pull this off well on my own.
GiantITP forum gurus, ASSEMBLE!... Please?
Rather soon I plan on running a campaign with a very different style than I'm used to, that of a more subtle, in-depth sort of game. It will be set in a very badly ruined Greyhawk themed world where about a hundred years ago powerful creatures descended upon the land and wiped out most civilization. Only a union between the Churches of Pelor, Heironious and St. Cuthburt managed to protect a handful of major cities through powerful wards and fierce battles. The creatures still roam the land but the cities (5 major in total, one elven) remain safe behind their walls, connected by divine communication and a tightly guarded network of divine transportation.
In the aftermath of the fall the Churches sought to find an answer to why such evil fell upon them and decided that it was punishment for a lack of piousness. As such, in the ensuing years of rule dominated by the church that protected them, anything that was seen as disruptive to one's faith was outlawed and eventually hunted. No faith other than the trinity is accepted and, most importantly, the arcane arts are looked upon with hatred and fear for the Church blamed them above all else. The claims that the use of arcane arts will only lead to another, final fall as punishment from the Gods, the Church holds the state in a grip of fear, neighbors turning against neighbors for fear of them being a witch. Through the influence of the Church for all the years the populous has, for the most part, come to embrace the police state that their cities have become, thanking them for the protection they provide. Now, Paladins walk the streets of the cities that gleam with gold and marble, hunting any would be heretic who speaks ill of the faith or, worse yet, practices the forbidden arts.
The feel I'm going for is very Germany 1938, the state is in control and resistance is swept away without mercy. With a much more liberal interpretation of the alignment system this game will have a much darker, grittier feel than I am used to.
Now, as to the campaign, the likely players are a Binder, a Beguiler and a Beguiler / Illusionist and maybe a warlock or cleric of Vecna and it starts at level one. To openly oppose the church would be death so a lot more subtlety would be involved. The eventual plan is to discover a lot of corruption and scheming in the higher Church, escaping into the deadly deadly wilderness and finding out the true cause of "the fall" and saving the world. Now heres my problem.
The dilemma:
How do you run a more subtle campaign thats much less combat intensive? What plot hooks could I have at lower levels? How can I keep things fun but still gritty and scary (because have no doubt that any one paladin guard could kill them all at lower levels)? Is there anywhere I could go for advice on running a campaign in a setting like this? I really like the concept but I'm just not sure I have the experience to pull this off well on my own.
GiantITP forum gurus, ASSEMBLE!... Please?