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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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 Posted: 26-Feb-2006 14:29 Post subject: Testing ideas for a D&D campaign |
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This is an idea I had for a side-story generator.
In a forest a few miles out from a major port city is a temple of Obed-Hai that also serves as an orphanage. The head cleric (10th level) runs the place with his daughter (5th level). The cleric used to be a military chaplain, but resigned his post in grief when his wife died. He has sons, but they are still in the service.
The temple will accept any orphan, regardless of age. If the orphan is not adopted by the time they are 14, then they begin training to be a cleric. Some of the older kids have stayed on to help watch the younger kids.
The prince over the region (fighter, 10th level) has been secretly courting the daughter for some time. Although the king - his grandfather - approves, he is unsure how his father and the nobles will react to his consorting with a common girl.
The prince's best friend (theif, 8th level) resides in a small cottage on the prince's property and works as an assistant. Said friend is actually a were-fox, and periodically goes into the woods to hide his transformations. During one of these excurtions, he encountered a nymph who was investigating the temple. They are also in a relationship, and as such the friend is spending more time in and around the woods.
If at any time the players make contact with one of the five NPCs, the other four will find out in short order. As such, the party's conduct will have an affect in the future. If the players maintain good conduct, then they will get occasional side-missions for which they will be repayed with assorted favors (such as free healing or better equipment). Likewise, if the players conduct themselves poorly then the prince may become an adversary.
Thoughts?
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"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." -Edgar Allen Poe"I knew there was something special about you, but I never realized you were really a cat." Wolfwood to a random cat (Trigun)
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Nightmare
Lyran Alliance
Kommandant-General
Joined: 03-May-2002 00:00
Posts: 2214
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| Posted: 27-Feb-2006 00:25 Post subject: RE: Testing ideas for a D&D campaign |
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Quote:
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On 2006-02-26 14:29, Kraken wrote:
Thoughts?
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Good ideas. Players should, at times, be made aware that their conduct with one person could affect how others see them.
Prince and girl: I'm sure the family of former military aren't quite as common as ordinary commoners. A priest(ess) is a cut above commoner too. Perhaps the prince gets the idea of bestowing noble status on the father of his sweetheart? The PCs could be sent off to find proof of something suitably heroic the father did in the field.
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A tree fall in the forest, and no one is around, and it hits a mime. Does anyone care?
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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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| Posted: 27-Feb-2006 01:57 Post subject: RE: Testing ideas for a D&D campaign |
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Another element is that since one of the characters is a royal, if the party incurs his wrath then he could possibly incite the government against them. If that's the case, then we're talking ramifications that will last the entire campaign.
That is, of course, if the prince allows them to live. His combat specialty is fighting with weapons in both hands. His main weapons are a pair of +3 long swords (acid, fire, and electrical damage for a total of +3), and between the magic bonus and his strength modifiers he could theoretically kill a lower-level character with one strike.
*****
Conversely, if the party consistently proves their skill and diplomacy, he might be inclined to grant them positions - especially since his were-fox friend will eventually retire to the woods in order to be with the nymph.
Plus, the other temples of Obed-Hai throughout the region might hear of what the party has done and offer them free healings.
_________________
"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." -Edgar Allen Poe"I knew there was something special about you, but I never realized you were really a cat." Wolfwood to a random cat (Trigun)
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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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| Posted: 04-Mar-2006 19:37 Post subject: monster question |
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A question since I can't get at my monster's manual.
Can any creature live to 1000 years or more without being some form of undead, demon, or celestial?
Thanks.
_________________
"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." -Edgar Allen Poe"I knew there was something special about you, but I never realized you were really a cat." Wolfwood to a random cat (Trigun)
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Sleeping Dragon
Draconis Combine
Tai-i
Joined: 06-Apr-2005 00:00
Posts: 4820
Location: Czech Republic
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| Posted: 05-Mar-2006 04:50 Post subject: RE: monster question |
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Dragons and fey are also quite long lived, constructs don't age and some high level spells can prolong life. I think that Magic Jar and Petrification also prevent aging, but the target is imprisoned by spell effect. Maybe moving mind / soul to younger body with some ritual...
It would depend on what you need to be so old.
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The dragon NEVER sleeps!
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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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| Posted: 05-Mar-2006 13:57 Post subject: RE: monster question |
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Basic plotline:
Once upon a time, the continent where the action takes place was divided between two empires - one to the west, and one to the east.
About 1,000 years ago, those two empires went to war. The eastern empire conquered most of the west, but the west sent an assassin that killed the east's royal family. With the royal family dead, the eastern empire collapsed as the nobles began to fight with each other.
However, the damage had been done to the west. The fighting had been so intense and costly that the government could no longer function. Within a few years, it too disintegrated into several factions.
These factions and nobles resulted in the nations as they exist today. Every so often, someone will get the idea to re-create one of those two empires, but the idea always fails.
My idea is that if there were creatures who could live that long, I might have it that the party encounters one of them who would tell them about how everything occurred.
*****
The campaign will involve a person who is the last blood heir to the eastern empire's royal family, and who has decided to re-unite the empire by force. To this end, he has recruited a number of bandit and barbarian groups, and has allied himself with several crime syndicates.
But the campaign won't end even if this guy dies. I have it that along his way he picked up a consort who eventually becomes pregnant; should he die, she'll go into hiding until such time as the child is born, then re-start everything in the name of the child.
_________________
"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." -Edgar Allen Poe"I knew there was something special about you, but I never realized you were really a cat." Wolfwood to a random cat (Trigun)
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Sleeping Dragon
Draconis Combine
Tai-i
Joined: 06-Apr-2005 00:00
Posts: 4820
Location: Czech Republic
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| Posted: 06-Mar-2006 05:38 Post subject: RE: monster question |
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Possible solutions (I had few story hook ideas, so they are included too):
Treasure, dungeon classic:
When exploring ruins of the eastern empire royal residence, one of the PCs, or important NPC triggers imprisonment trap. The other PCs will have find out what happened and then undertake a quest to obtain scroll of Freedom (not easy thing, lvl 9 spells probably aren't available anywhere near). Using the scroll may release several creatures, one of them may be royal adviser who was imprisoned when he tried to escape the place when western armies attacked.
PCs find a gem with trapped soul of lore master from ancient times in treasure hoard. For breaking the gem he would help the PCs and may even be a powerful ally and possible quest source.
One of the petrified victims in medusa's lair may be powerful mage who has a rare book detailing the history of the empires and royal families (PCs must cast stone to flesh to restore the book). Of course that the mage wouldn't give up the book for free. The statue may be in position that prevents killing the mage without destroying the book, or he may have contingency on him that would teleport him to heavily trapped lair if someone tries to kill him.
One of the magic items the PCs find belonged to high ranking general of western armies, is intelligent and has special purpose to destroy eastern empire and the ruling family.
Creatures:
PCs are approached by the ghost of one of the killed western royal family members when resting. The ghost cannot rest until the murder is avenged. Promising some reward and threatening to haunt PCs dreams if they won't comply. The ghost knows the history and will provide the info PCs need for the mission.
Old and powerful dragon is known for his great memory. As the dragons usually are, this one is proud, vain and greedy, so the knowledge will cost a lot.
Mundane info sources:
PCs may stumble upon old book detailing history of the empires in not too much used part of library when searching for some info.
If the history of the empires is still common knowledge (I guess that it isn't  ), than PC may hear the stories sung by bards in a tavern or as local sage (expert, lore master, ...)
History is chiseled in to the stone walls of forgotten ruin somewhere.
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The dragon NEVER sleeps!
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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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| Posted: 06-Mar-2006 08:36 Post subject: RE: monster question |
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Thanks.
An idea that I had was that if I could find a monster that long-lived, I could say that the monster has a surprising amount of first-hand knowledge about the assassination.
_________________
"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." -Edgar Allen Poe"I knew there was something special about you, but I never realized you were really a cat." Wolfwood to a random cat (Trigun)
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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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| Posted: 06-Mar-2006 08:47 Post subject: Implementation idea |
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Here's how the party could go about it-
The prince is frustrated that society keeps him from his lady-love. He's not eating, he's not sleeping, and is getting distracted. This is especially serious, as hostilities with another nation are increasing.
The friend approches the party and gives them this mission: find evidence to prove that the father is worthy of any sort of royal title.
Problems:
1. It takes at least two sources of testimony just to make someone a knight; the higher the level, the more testimony needed.
2. The party is expendible. If they fail, they die.
If the players ask around in the area, they'll encounter a lower-ranked officer whose deceased uncle served with the father. If the players can convince him, the officer will temporarily part with his uncle's journal. The journal details an incident where the father saved the uncle's unit from disease [source #1]. If the players make a high enough intelligence check, they can figure out the names of the other people from the unit; a diplomacy check will allow them the documents they need to locate any survivors [source #2].
_________________
"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." -Edgar Allen Poe"I knew there was something special about you, but I never realized you were really a cat." Wolfwood to a random cat (Trigun)
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Sleeping Dragon
Draconis Combine
Tai-i
Joined: 06-Apr-2005 00:00
Posts: 4820
Location: Czech Republic
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| Posted: 06-Mar-2006 12:10 Post subject: RE: monster question |
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Than ghost or imprisoned adviser of western family would be good. Or maybe a ring/amulet... that recorded whole assassination and was used as a proof that the assassin completed his job. Maybe even Speak with dead would provide some insight to these events. Another beast that would know something is Gravecrawler from MM2, undead slug with the ability to communicate with souls of the bodies it consumed. They aren't tough and usually the aren't hostile to the living.
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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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| Posted: 08-Mar-2006 12:15 Post subject: Basic campaign plot |
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At one time, the known world was divided between two empires: one to the west, and one to the east. About 1,000 years before the start of the campaign, the two beat each other into oblivion and a number of smaller states arose in their place.
The characters start out as draftees in the military of a nation that was once part of the western empire. Their outpost is on the border between their nation and another former western nation, and tensions have been brewing between the two for some time.
What they don't realize is that many of the nobles in their nation have conspired to re-form the western empire by way of conquest. Their target is their neighbor, the strongest of the former western nations. As such, every assignment that the characters get (or at least think they're getting) involve them eliminating groups that might oppose an upcoming war.
However, the other nation (this is the one with the prince character) has caught wind of the plot, and is working to sabotage their efforts. When the efforts start to falter, the party is held responsible and is marked for termination.
Before this can happen, the characters' nation sends assassins into the other nation; these assassins are caught, and a war breaks out. To the surprise of those nobles, they're the ones on the run. The characters are then saved before they can be murdered, but are still taken as POWs.
Eventually, they'll earn the trust of those in the other nation, and will wind up running occasional errands until such time as they are considered to be 100% trustworthy and are given more important tasks.
During the course of these tasks, they discover that someone is forcibly re-uniting the eastern nations and has also set his sights on the west. The characters are sent to sabotage this person's efforts, culminating in a final showdown involving the person, the characters, and a number of other NPCs.
How does that sound?
_________________
"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." -Edgar Allen Poe"I knew there was something special about you, but I never realized you were really a cat." Wolfwood to a random cat (Trigun)
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Sleeping Dragon
Draconis Combine
Tai-i
Joined: 06-Apr-2005 00:00
Posts: 4820
Location: Czech Republic
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| Posted: 08-Mar-2006 12:20 Post subject: RE: Basic campaign plot |
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Epic?
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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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| Posted: 08-Mar-2006 16:39 Post subject: RE: Basic campaign plot |
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It's just a basic outline. I'll be adapting it depending upon how the game goes.
_________________
"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." -Edgar Allen Poe"I knew there was something special about you, but I never realized you were really a cat." Wolfwood to a random cat (Trigun)
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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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| Posted: 11-Mar-2006 13:44 Post subject: Gossip Sisters (NPCs) |
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The Gossip Sisters are a group of female bards (level 1 or thereabouts) who work in a major city and the suburbs. Although they're only mediocre as far as their musical talents go, where they shine is in providing information.
If the players can convince one of the sisters to talk, then they can provide valuable information in regards to current events, local celebrities, the local government, or even general rumors.
However, getting information out of them is not always easy. Depending upon the topic, they'll demand a sum of money (10 - 1000 GP based on how sensitive the information is); alternatively, if the party has an attractive male PC then they will demand a date before they reveal what they know. The only alternative is to try and coax it out of them through role-playing.
Note that despite their weak levels, it is unwise to attack them. All the locals (including the younger men in the city guard) are familiar with the sisters and will go to length in order to hunt down the offending player(s). Plus, the other sisters will spread the news; the gossip will arrive ahead of the players, and so they will have to flee the entire region.
_________________
"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." -Edgar Allen Poe"I knew there was something special about you, but I never realized you were really a cat." Wolfwood to a random cat (Trigun)
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Sleeping Dragon
Draconis Combine
Tai-i
Joined: 06-Apr-2005 00:00
Posts: 4820
Location: Czech Republic
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| Posted: 11-Mar-2006 14:55 Post subject: RE: Gossip Sisters (NPCs) |
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The price for info is quite high for 10 gp you can buy yourself a cow and for 1000 gp a house. Even if the players probably can afford it they should know that the price is outrageous unless the info is really worth it.
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