All stars fade. Some stars forever fall. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Homebrew (Mostly Outdated):Magic Items,Monsters,Spells,Subclasses ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If there was no light, people wouldn't fear the dark.
Throw 'em in media res. It's a great way to skip the dull, boring monologue / awkward side of the beginning session. Your players are immediately thrown into the situation and they figure out things as they go, slowly revealing things piece by piece.. For example, maybe your characters are all amidst a festival. Suddenly they hear screams ring out in the crowd as goblins attack. Or maybe their tavern is haunted and they all step out of their respective rooms to see spectral ghosts drifting down the halls. Those are just some examples but they don't always have to be action, but the general gist is a dramatic or challenging scene that engages your players. Don't forget the classic "you wake up in jail" intro too.
I like the idea of each character starting out on there own and meeting in a clearing on the first night. it sets the scene well and allows for some good narrative referencing backgrounds and means the roleplay is pretty open and can lead onto some fun side games to either boost your characters or set the tone upon which they are ranked within the party.
My most recent campaign had the players drafted in the military and sent on a mission as an elite group (I didn't want to have on player giving orders so they were all equal rank), and then a few sessions in they got the option for a discharge, so they could do whatever.
I think the majority of campaigns I've played in have started as either "you are travelling with a caravan" or "a noble has offered a reward for solving a problem, you have all answered the call". I'm not sure if I've been in a campaign where the characters started in a tavern, but I have been in several where the players did.
I like this idea. One short campaign that I played in did this, although it was not Opera. Our characters all met at a famous Folk Hero backstage at a concert who joined the party as well. We all had backstage passes and were hanging out when some crazy assassin broke into the backstage area to try and kill the person whose concert we had attended. The party barely escaped with their lives after the ensuing chaos had separated some of us. We later regrouped in a tavern to discuss what had happened and what we could do about it, but we met backstage at the concert initially.
It was a slow campaign, with lots of puzzle-solving and investigation to do, as well as political intrigue. Sadly it only lasted a few months as the DM ran out of ideas, and the campaign just fizzled out after that.
I enjoyed it, though, and though the alternate take of meeting at a tavern was pretty cool.
----
An edit, just to clarify. We stayed at the tavern where we met up while attending the concert, so we all met back up there because that is where we were staying. The Paladin brought along the folk hero as well to protect her, as clearly someone was trying to kill her, and he wasn't going to let that happen.
Waking up in a jail cell, the brig of a ship, or a dungeon somewhere.
Starting at a guildhall where you are a newly formed adventuring team.
Having everyone happen upon a scenario that forces them to work together to handle said situations.
Being summoned by a monarch, the future Parton of the party or some other important person to set out on an important quest.
These are all methods my group has used to get the party together besides the usual “meeting at a tavern”.
"Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and taste good with ketchup."
Characters for Tenebris Sine Fine
RoughCoronet's Greater Wills
Meeting outside of a tavern?
All stars fade. Some stars forever fall.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Homebrew (Mostly Outdated): Magic Items, Monsters, Spells, Subclasses
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If there was no light, people wouldn't fear the dark.
Okay, you win :P
Watch Crits for Breakfast, an adults-only RP-Heavy Roll20 Livestream at twitch.tv/afterdisbooty
And now you too can play with the amazing art and assets we use in Roll20 for our campaign at Hazel's Emporium
Throw 'em in media res. It's a great way to skip the dull, boring monologue / awkward side of the beginning session. Your players are immediately thrown into the situation and they figure out things as they go, slowly revealing things piece by piece.. For example, maybe your characters are all amidst a festival. Suddenly they hear screams ring out in the crowd as goblins attack. Or maybe their tavern is haunted and they all step out of their respective rooms to see spectral ghosts drifting down the halls. Those are just some examples but they don't always have to be action, but the general gist is a dramatic or challenging scene that engages your players. Don't forget the classic "you wake up in jail" intro too.
I like the idea of each character starting out on there own and meeting in a clearing on the first night. it sets the scene well and allows for some good narrative referencing backgrounds and means the roleplay is pretty open and can lead onto some fun side games to either boost your characters or set the tone upon which they are ranked within the party.
Please visit the shop ---> https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/EmperorsForge.
My most recent campaign had the players drafted in the military and sent on a mission as an elite group (I didn't want to have on player giving orders so they were all equal rank), and then a few sessions in they got the option for a discharge, so they could do whatever.
Waking up in a bath together...
I think the majority of campaigns I've played in have started as either "you are travelling with a caravan" or "a noble has offered a reward for solving a problem, you have all answered the call". I'm not sure if I've been in a campaign where the characters started in a tavern, but I have been in several where the players did.
The group could meet by waking up on a cart going to an unknown destination in a snowy mountainous region. Their hands are tied.
One of the other prisoners notices them stirring and says:
"Hey you. You're finally awake."
"everybody roll a dex save". "thus starts Stumpy's quest"
I like this idea. One short campaign that I played in did this, although it was not Opera. Our characters all met at a famous Folk Hero backstage at a concert who joined the party as well. We all had backstage passes and were hanging out when some crazy assassin broke into the backstage area to try and kill the person whose concert we had attended. The party barely escaped with their lives after the ensuing chaos had separated some of us. We later regrouped in a tavern to discuss what had happened and what we could do about it, but we met backstage at the concert initially.
It was a slow campaign, with lots of puzzle-solving and investigation to do, as well as political intrigue. Sadly it only lasted a few months as the DM ran out of ideas, and the campaign just fizzled out after that.
I enjoyed it, though, and though the alternate take of meeting at a tavern was pretty cool.
----
An edit, just to clarify. We stayed at the tavern where we met up while attending the concert, so we all met back up there because that is where we were staying. The Paladin brought along the folk hero as well to protect her, as clearly someone was trying to kill her, and he wasn't going to let that happen.
A caffeinated nerd who has played TTRPGs or a number of years and is very much a fantasy adventure geek.