Critique My Campaign - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Critique My Campaign

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
vonzrucker
Sep 13, 2007 11:22:32 Okay, so my players wanted to play DS. I printed off and spiral-bound everything, then we began.

My brother played a Human Mind Blade or whatever it's called. I'm away from my house ATM.

My friends played:Human Psionicist, Mul Gladiator, Elf Rogue, and a Half-Giant Templar.

I play a water cleric for healing.

"Half-Giant Templar!," you say? We're playing in Tyr, and this Half-Giant, as the story goes, had the backing of an unusually kind-hearted elderly Templar named Vindras Mericles, who sponsored him into the templarate. Poor charisma mattered little for this templar, because it's Tyr. I know, Diplomacy is the main skill needed for the Templar's diplomatic abilities and all, but hey..

Anywho, long story-short, Timor sent my friend's Half-Giant to hire some adventurers and escort them to the Tyrian Mines to investigate "The Burning Plague" and what it's all about. (This is a great module free from the D&D website, easily adapted to DS!)

They were escorted by the Half-Giant for 2 reasons: 1) To make sure the adventurers didn't get sticky fingers in Tyr's currently(at the time of this adventure) abandoned mines.
And 2) Because Timor sadly sees the Half-Giant templar as expendable.

Okay, so, moving on: The party succeeds, some friends are made, an ally or two perhaps. Then the party is then sent into the Wards district to quell some gang violence, where they then happen upon a Templar named Sorm working with some local crime lords, and the Half-Giant proceeds to pop his head like a melon.

Reporting back to Timor, the Half-Giant is then sent to further investigate the leads found from Sorm and the crime lord who was arrested, leads that point toward Urik's templarate. Was Sorm a double-agent?

So, visiting the Wards one last time, our Mul friend was involved in an illegal death match with the gang's gladiator champion who wants justice for their numbers being thinned by the PCs, and their boss being captured. During the fight, the earthquake hits Tyr. The one that opens up the passage to Pterran Vale and the Lost Scale area(the adventure hook from the 2nd ED module that came in the box), and the PCs fall into a hole that the earthquake rips through the Wards.

Moving on, they see frightening and ancient sites in Undertyr, and eventually come upon a buried temple to a cult of a Sun God. The evil kind. Lots of evil Sun priests battle them, and after fighting many nasty beasts, and cleansing several cursed alters, they free a stone-encased Elder Water Elemental Lord, who grants them "The Convenience of Water."

They didn't quite understand until they finally managed the lengthy(over a month) trek back up the Tyr proper, where they discover Timor is practically being worshiped as a god, all hailing him as "The Water-Bringer! The Savior of Tyr!" Water now runs through the ancient water channels through Tyr, as it did long ago. Water is free, no longer being charged the ceramic bit per container.

Two things happen: The party is ****** off, especially since they can't openly and publicly disprove Timor's claims, and two, Timor, having now a nearly endless supply of fresh, live-giving water, his defiling abilities are elevated, and with the worship of him by the people of Tyr, he becomes a fledgling Sorcerer-King of sorts, and is now able to grant his Templars spells.

There are some small holes in my storyline, I know, but I've always wanted a way to give Tyrian templars spell-casting ability. Unfortunately, Timor is an evil man at heart, and his ascent to greatness could be quickly stopped depending on how he handles himself with this new power.

What say you? You likey? You no likey?

Anxiously awaiting your input, feedback, comments and critiques,

-Von
#2
j0lt
Sep 13, 2007 19:58:40 The twist of taking something good that the players did, and having an evil character take advantage for their own personal gain is a perfect plot for DS. Also, adding in events that happen outside the PCs' sphere of influence makes the world feel more alive for the PCs.
Timor should now have the majority of the templarate under his thumb, which should be more than enough protection for his rise to power, so I don't think you need to worry TOO much about him being stopped. (yet)
In short: Me likey!
#3
vonzrucker
Sep 13, 2007 22:05:25 Thank ya, Mr. Jolt!

Glad for the feedback, and a good point with the Timor/Templarate comment. I hadn't really thought about it that way. Even though harsh and run by people who still have evil alignments, Tyr -- by our group that is -- is seen as the "fair city," of a sort. Certainly the least corrupt in my players' eyes.

Thanks!

-Von
#4
jaid
Sep 13, 2007 22:44:46 a simple acid test to see if your campaign is being run correctly:

REPEAT
"Is your group having fun?(Y/N)"

IF answer = 'Y' THEN
"You are playing Correctly."
ELSE IF answer = 'N' THEN
"You are playing Incorrectly."
ELSE
"That is not a valid response."
Until (answer = 'Y' OR answer = 'N')

(note: to anyone who programs, yes i know i'm missing the read/write commands. presumably, you get the point though =P )

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 vonzrucker Sep 13, 2007 11:22:32	Okay, so my players wanted to play DS. I printed off and spiral-bound everything, then we began. My brother played a Human Mind Blade or whatever it's called. I'm away from my house ATM. My friends played:Human Psionicist, Mul Gladiator, Elf Rogue, and a Half-Giant Templar. I play a water cleric for healing. "Half-Giant Templar!," you say? We're playing in Tyr, and this Half-Giant, as the story goes, had the backing of an unusually kind-hearted elderly Templar named Vindras Mericles, who sponsored him into the templarate. Poor charisma mattered little for this templar, because it's Tyr. I know, Diplomacy is the main skill needed for the Templar's diplomatic abilities and all, but hey.. Anywho, long story-short, Timor sent my friend's Half-Giant to hire some adventurers and escort them to the Tyrian Mines to investigate "The Burning Plague" and what it's all about. (This is a great module free from the D&D website, easily adapted to DS!) They were escorted by the Half-Giant for 2 reasons: 1) To make sure the adventurers didn't get sticky fingers in Tyr's currently(at the time of this adventure) abandoned mines. And 2) Because Timor sadly sees the Half-Giant templar as expendable. Okay, so, moving on: The party succeeds, some friends are made, an ally or two perhaps. Then the party is then sent into the Wards district to quell some gang violence, where they then happen upon a Templar named Sorm working with some local crime lords, and the Half-Giant proceeds to pop his head like a melon. Reporting back to Timor, the Half-Giant is then sent to further investigate the leads found from Sorm and the crime lord who was arrested, leads that point toward Urik's templarate. Was Sorm a double-agent? So, visiting the Wards one last time, our Mul friend was involved in an illegal death match with the gang's gladiator champion who wants justice for their numbers being thinned by the PCs, and their boss being captured. During the fight, the earthquake hits Tyr. The one that opens up the passage to Pterran Vale and the Lost Scale area(the adventure hook from the 2nd ED module that came in the box), and the PCs fall into a hole that the earthquake rips through the Wards. Moving on, they see frightening and ancient sites in Undertyr, and eventually come upon a buried temple to a cult of a Sun God. The evil kind. Lots of evil Sun priests battle them, and after fighting many nasty beasts, and cleansing several cursed alters, they free a stone-encased Elder Water Elemental Lord, who grants them "The Convenience of Water." They didn't quite understand until they finally managed the lengthy(over a month) trek back up the Tyr proper, where they discover Timor is practically being worshiped as a god, all hailing him as "The Water-Bringer! The Savior of Tyr!" Water now runs through the ancient water channels through Tyr, as it did long ago. Water is free, no longer being charged the ceramic bit per container. Two things happen: The party is ****** off, especially since they can't openly and publicly disprove Timor's claims, and two, Timor, having now a nearly endless supply of fresh, live-giving water, his defiling abilities are elevated, and with the worship of him by the people of Tyr, he becomes a fledgling Sorcerer-King of sorts, and is now able to grant his Templars spells. There are some small holes in my storyline, I know, but I've always wanted a way to give Tyrian templars spell-casting ability. Unfortunately, Timor is an evil man at heart, and his ascent to greatness could be quickly stopped depending on how he handles himself with this new power. What say you? You likey? You no likey? Anxiously awaiting your input, feedback, comments and critiques, -Von
#2 j0lt Sep 13, 2007 19:58:40	The twist of taking something good that the players did, and having an evil character take advantage for their own personal gain is a perfect plot for DS. Also, adding in events that happen outside the PCs' sphere of influence makes the world feel more alive for the PCs. Timor should now have the majority of the templarate under his thumb, which should be more than enough protection for his rise to power, so I don't think you need to worry TOO much about him being stopped. (yet) In short: Me likey!
#3 vonzrucker Sep 13, 2007 22:05:25	Thank ya, Mr. Jolt! Glad for the feedback, and a good point with the Timor/Templarate comment. I hadn't really thought about it that way. Even though harsh and run by people who still have evil alignments, Tyr -- by our group that is -- is seen as the "fair city," of a sort. Certainly the least corrupt in my players' eyes. Thanks! -Von
#4 jaid Sep 13, 2007 22:44:46	a simple acid test to see if your campaign is being run correctly: REPEAT "Is your group having fun?(Y/N)" IF answer = 'Y' THEN "You are playing Correctly." ELSE IF answer = 'N' THEN "You are playing Incorrectly." ELSE "That is not a valid response." Until (answer = 'Y' OR answer = 'N') (note: to anyone who programs, yes i know i'm missing the read/write commands. presumably, you get the point though =P )