Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Oct 02, 2003 9:03:46	Hey gang, I'm going to be starting a new campaign next week. I haven't DMd in many a moon, so I'm a bit rusty. The group I'm going to be playing with, for the most part, are unexperienced. Most have red the rules, but other than CRPG gaming, have never played. Anywho, we are going to play in the DL setting, all first level characters. Here's my idea so far. It's rough and I was wondering if you could offer some input for fleshing it out. The Heroes are in town (possibly Solace), where they discover that a strange rash of minor thefts have been occuring over the past few weeks. They might find out from listening to conversations at the bar, or their might even be a reward posted for solving the mystery. After some investigation, the Heroes will discover that the thefts are being commited my a band of gully dwarves that have taken up residence in a near by cave/ruin of some sort. They have been stealing shiny items, bits of food and the like and bringing them back to their home trying to appease a 'spirit' that has also taken up residence in their home. The 'spirit' is actually a Draconian spy who is using the cave as his base of operations. He is part of a larger group of a Draconian raiding party looking for trouble. This will lead to the next chapter in our adventures. Like I said, it's rough and that's why I need some help. We are going to play twice monthy (hopefully) and I figure that we will have about 4 hours of play time per session, so I'm trying to write something that can be resolved in that time period. Somewhere in there I need to add a few combats (I'm thinking maybe giant spiders and centipedes living beneath the filth the gully dwarves seem to relish). Also, setting up the scene for the next session is important. I'd like to introduce an arch enemy early on, but I'm not sure how. Let me know what you think! Thanks, Zack
#2 zombiegleemax Oct 02, 2003 9:25:35	If the draconian turns out to be an Aurak, that'd be a quick way of introducing an arch enemy. To keep your players alive, have him simply leave when his plan's been found out, taking his various shineys and setting the cave to collapse (or something). As for combats - You don't need a whole lot for that first one, since you've got a lot of investigation. If you keep clues sparse, that'll keep them very busy. But once they're checking out the ruins/cave, there could be plenty of possibilities - Oversized vermin, like you suggested, or even gully dwarf defenders in strategic spots. They'll likely run, at the first resistance, but it's something to plague the heroes nonetheless. A nice touch to the cave-in idea is letting the players know in character that the gully dwarves were really just pawns, and aren't bad. Then when the heroes have to run, they'll have to consider whether to save the gully dwarves or not. Just some further ideas. What time period are you in, by the way?
#3 zombiegleemax Oct 02, 2003 9:31:11	That was exactly my thought on the Draconian - having him leave before the Heroes get creamated by him. I was thinking there might be a little fight with him though - something in which he gets wounded and takes flight which could lead to the Heroes setting chase... I've got it set in the Age of Mortals, after the War of Souls. Would Solace be a good setting? I was pondering the idea of setting it in a larger city, someplace that would have sewers.
#4 zombiegleemax Oct 02, 2003 9:43:23	I was going to suggest Haven, but I recall it being in bad shape around that time period. I'd go with something besides Solace, though, yeah. A bigger place of some sort. Can't suggest anywhere offhand, though.
#5 zombiegleemax Oct 02, 2003 20:51:42	Try something like Barter, which is a town on the southside of the kharolis range. Its small, has no discription in the DLCS or Age of Mortals, and its location is ideal for being filled with refugees, which means squallid living conditions, which attracts gully dwarves. The draconians could be former Beryl minions, which means you could also add in some Green Dragonspawn without much difficulty at higher levels. Maybe have the archnemesis one of Beryl's dragon ex-toadies. That would give you plenty of opportunity for conflict with the Knights of Neraka from Qualinesti, encounters with refugee elves, a larger city nearby (Tarsis), Ice Mountain Bay is just downriver, so the possibilities for sea travel/campaigning are within easy reach.
#6 zombiegleemax Oct 03, 2003 10:14:25	After the War of Souls, Sanction becomes an excellent setting. It's a good-sized city that has been run by bad guys and good guys relatively recently, and Hogan Bight's leaving the city creates a kind of power vacuum that politicians are struggling to fill. So, you have political intrigue, hidden caches of treasure, spies for the Knights of Neraka, even dungeons...all without leaving town. Its also detailed rather nicely in the AoM book. That's why Im using Sanction for my game... (Plus a river of liquid hot magma around the city is wikkid kool.)
#7 zombiegleemax Oct 03, 2003 11:13:52	D'oh! I just ordered the Age of Mortals book from Amazon because I couldn't find it around these parts. It won't arrive till one day after our first session. I've got a lot of work to do and so little time! Thanks for the input - keep it coming!
#8 zombiegleemax Oct 03, 2003 14:09:41	Just a crazy thought:D. If you go with the Sanction idea maybe they could be partisans from Teyr. A little extra funds from stupid gully dwarves might seem like a small contribution to whatever cause they are fighting for. I mean the draconians of Teyr do kind of owe the KON for attempted racial genocide. Just a little of my characters personal back ground involved.
#9 zombiegleemax Oct 06, 2003 14:39:31	I'm thinking Stillwater...What can you tell me about it?