So I'm looking to run a campaign for new players, and I myself have not DM'd before. I'm looking to run something more cinematic than purely role-play driven, as the players are used to Diablo 2, WOW and games like that, something that involves too much politics or pure role-play may put them off a bit.
My initial thoughts are to have a story centered around Talos split into 3 chapters.
Chapter 1 - Dragon of Icespire Peak, this is the intro for everyone to get to grips with the rules and character building, hints are dropped throughout the campaign regarding followers of Talos (which is part of the core story anyway). At the end of this story they meet a wizard who wants a group of heroes to defeat the Lords of the Tempest, a group of wizards serving Talos scheming to take rule of the Sword Coast. He tells the adventurers they do not have enough experience to yet join his quest, so he sends them to the Yawning Portal to prepare.
Chapter 2 - Yawning Portal, on arrival here the adventurers can pick up some smaller quests to increase their levels, gain new equipment etc in preparation for the final chapter. The idea being to throw in some variety, and not necessarily follow the Storm Lord theme.
Chapter 3 - Lords of the Tempest, this will be an adventure to travel to Gundarlun and defeat the wizards tying up the story, on the way meeting a kraken (fits in with the storm lord theme), and probably a dragon with a backstory related to chapter 1.
I'm leaving chapter 3 completely open at the moment as I will see how the players progress and the type of story they enjoy, other than some main plot points that can be dropped in at earlier stages. I'm looking for some ideas for chapter 2, I have a large number of 5E source books that I can pull pre-written adventures from, but wanted some thoughts from people that have run through any quests as a follow on from Icespire Peak, what worked and which adventures are good to provide a more action oriented play.
I would say a Kraken is a tier 4 BBEG though, so maybe throw it into chapter 4 as the chosen of Talos that is the mastermind behind the wizards, whether it be controlling or manipulating them. Plenty of other creatures to throw at them on their journey. You could probably also get some good ideas from the DoIP follow on adventures (Storm Lords Wrath and Divine Contention) as they continue the Talos cult story. Just drop the whole defence of Leilon thing and take the parts you want to fit into random ports (Foul Weather at Wayside), random islands (thunder cliffs) or sea travel (death knight dreadnought / storm lords hideout).
We deviated away from DoIP in the end and started a LMoP campaign where I'm dropping in homebrew hints of the cult. I like the idea of having the Kraken being behind all of this, I think I'll use that! I'm still going to incorporate the Kraken early on, but in a controversial dream sequence, where the characters are on a ship and off in the distance they spot another vessel. One of my PC's is an Aasimar, he's basically playing Sephiroth, so his god Jenova shares with him the real memory of some sailors, which the PC's will play out over a few sessions, they wake up in a jail cell and run a couple of adventures from the Ghosts of Saltmarsh book, then when they get the Sea Ghost ship, they head out for more wealth and adventure, being attacked by a Kraken and all killed. This is when Sephiroth wakes up and the vessel they see now much closer to them is the Sea Ghost floating and abandoned with a illusionary spell cast on it appearing as if there are sailors on board.
So I thought of a better way to "end" it for the players, they make their way to Gundarlun with their new ship and a few quests later and penetrate the ranks of the wizards. the PC's learn that there is a staff (or some other magic item) that the wizards will use to resurrect Talos, and when getting to the top of a wizards tower to find the room with the staff, they also see a prison where an elderly man is being kept, starved of food and water, which the players will (or should) be tempted to free. Upon doing so, he transforms into a weakened form of Talos who, with the aid of his Kraken, is regaining power to take over (maybe the Kraken can have a nice scar that was left from the previous battle they can recognise).
What the players will then discover is that everything they have learned about the Lords of the Tempest is actually a false rumour, they imprisoned Talos hundreds of years ago and bound by secrecy are keeping him imprisoned until they can't find a way to permanently banish him to another plane of existence. The Tempest Lords do not agree or disagree to any rumours they hear, as their only priority is keeping Talos safely confined by any means necessary, and therefore keeping secret their agenda.
That's the high level summary anyway, theres obviously a lot of detail that will be fleshed out over game sessions, and I know this may anger some "lore purists".
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Hey Guys,
So I'm looking to run a campaign for new players, and I myself have not DM'd before. I'm looking to run something more cinematic than purely role-play driven, as the players are used to Diablo 2, WOW and games like that, something that involves too much politics or pure role-play may put them off a bit.
My initial thoughts are to have a story centered around Talos split into 3 chapters.
Chapter 1 - Dragon of Icespire Peak, this is the intro for everyone to get to grips with the rules and character building, hints are dropped throughout the campaign regarding followers of Talos (which is part of the core story anyway). At the end of this story they meet a wizard who wants a group of heroes to defeat the Lords of the Tempest, a group of wizards serving Talos scheming to take rule of the Sword Coast. He tells the adventurers they do not have enough experience to yet join his quest, so he sends them to the Yawning Portal to prepare.
Chapter 2 - Yawning Portal, on arrival here the adventurers can pick up some smaller quests to increase their levels, gain new equipment etc in preparation for the final chapter. The idea being to throw in some variety, and not necessarily follow the Storm Lord theme.
Chapter 3 - Lords of the Tempest, this will be an adventure to travel to Gundarlun and defeat the wizards tying up the story, on the way meeting a kraken (fits in with the storm lord theme), and probably a dragon with a backstory related to chapter 1.
I'm leaving chapter 3 completely open at the moment as I will see how the players progress and the type of story they enjoy, other than some main plot points that can be dropped in at earlier stages. I'm looking for some ideas for chapter 2, I have a large number of 5E source books that I can pull pre-written adventures from, but wanted some thoughts from people that have run through any quests as a follow on from Icespire Peak, what worked and which adventures are good to provide a more action oriented play.
A bit late of a response, but I like your idea!
I would say a Kraken is a tier 4 BBEG though, so maybe throw it into chapter 4 as the chosen of Talos that is the mastermind behind the wizards, whether it be controlling or manipulating them. Plenty of other creatures to throw at them on their journey. You could probably also get some good ideas from the DoIP follow on adventures (Storm Lords Wrath and Divine Contention) as they continue the Talos cult story. Just drop the whole defence of Leilon thing and take the parts you want to fit into random ports (Foul Weather at Wayside), random islands (thunder cliffs) or sea travel (death knight dreadnought / storm lords hideout).
We deviated away from DoIP in the end and started a LMoP campaign where I'm dropping in homebrew hints of the cult. I like the idea of having the Kraken being behind all of this, I think I'll use that! I'm still going to incorporate the Kraken early on, but in a controversial dream sequence, where the characters are on a ship and off in the distance they spot another vessel. One of my PC's is an Aasimar, he's basically playing Sephiroth, so his god Jenova shares with him the real memory of some sailors, which the PC's will play out over a few sessions, they wake up in a jail cell and run a couple of adventures from the Ghosts of Saltmarsh book, then when they get the Sea Ghost ship, they head out for more wealth and adventure, being attacked by a Kraken and all killed. This is when Sephiroth wakes up and the vessel they see now much closer to them is the Sea Ghost floating and abandoned with a illusionary spell cast on it appearing as if there are sailors on board.
So I thought of a better way to "end" it for the players, they make their way to Gundarlun with their new ship and a few quests later and penetrate the ranks of the wizards. the PC's learn that there is a staff (or some other magic item) that the wizards will use to resurrect Talos, and when getting to the top of a wizards tower to find the room with the staff, they also see a prison where an elderly man is being kept, starved of food and water, which the players will (or should) be tempted to free. Upon doing so, he transforms into a weakened form of Talos who, with the aid of his Kraken, is regaining power to take over (maybe the Kraken can have a nice scar that was left from the previous battle they can recognise).
What the players will then discover is that everything they have learned about the Lords of the Tempest is actually a false rumour, they imprisoned Talos hundreds of years ago and bound by secrecy are keeping him imprisoned until they can't find a way to permanently banish him to another plane of existence. The Tempest Lords do not agree or disagree to any rumours they hear, as their only priority is keeping Talos safely confined by any means necessary, and therefore keeping secret their agenda.
That's the high level summary anyway, theres obviously a lot of detail that will be fleshed out over game sessions, and I know this may anger some "lore purists".