So, I have an idea for a campaign but not sure how to go about it. Random things are going to happen during the adventure from minor to major incidences. For instance, a character may roll a critical hit, and suddenly it changes to a critical fail, or the party slays a dragon only to have it suddenly spring back to life and start attacking again, but this time one of the party members is seriously injured. I even thought about killing one or two of them off for dramatic effect so I'd have them all make 2 characters each. All this without any explanation as to why.
At the end of the adventure, the players find out they were never real. They were simply living out the lives of characters in a story, hence the reason for all the changes during their adventure.
The problem I'm having is the beginning. This is where I need help. How would I transition them into the story without letting them know they are in the story? I had and idea of them listening to a Bard's tale and fast forwarding to some time in the future, or that they all grew up in an orphange together where they would play and act out adventures together all the time, or their caretaker would sit them all down and tell stories to them.
Anyone have any ideas how I can make the smooth transition from real life to story life without giving it all away?
First of all, your ideas appear to be purely negative towards the party. Second, the party is being punished without understanding why. Third, if the "it was all a game/story/dream" is pulled out at the end, you will only serve to anger your players further by invalidating everything they did.
How about this: a game within a game? You start with the "non-real" game for one dungeon. At the end of the First dungeon you reveal that they are actually playing people playing a game, whether a Pen and Paper or Computer RPG. Then you start focusing on the "real" game and integrate the "non-real" game as an important thing for progress in the "real" game. Basically, everyone has two character sheets. One that is a typical D&D one, that is the game within a game, this character can perhaps die without or with few consequences. In this one it's okay if random "glitches" occur. The other is a real character sheet, using a modern setting, if this one dies, they are actually dead. Maybe later in the story you can have "glitches" in that reality to increase the difficultly and anxiety.
I agree with the previous reply, I think that playing a game where the DM is against the players is a difficult and ultimately unrewarding experience. Especially with the "it was all just a dream" sort of meaningless ending because it leaves a sour taste in the players' mouths. You could tie in the idea of trickery, deception, and "randomness" in a more positive way through the medium of puzzles. Instead of making a critical hit/success turn into a critical fail and have terrible things happen to your party, perhaps tone it down with a smaller inconvenience or obstacle is manageable through some teamwork. Maybe you could have your party visit a place controlled by a god or goddess of luck (i.e. Bes, Hermod) that has those random instances where outcomes could change course. They could use con saves or other types of rolls to counteract the deity's powers or the power of the land that causes these instances to occur.
I can really see ways this could be interesting and fun.
How about an ancient murder mystery?
The group ends up on a dungeon crawl for loot, of course. They run into the standard encounters you would expect in a creepy, old dungeon. Certain areas have events tied to it that emanate strong enough to make the characters experience them as if it were real. Each event area is a clue in uncovering the full story behind the horrible deeds committed and freeing the spirits of those who suffered them. To keep the context of everything thing seeming weird and real, even a character that died during the re-enacting of a scene would find themselves shaken but, alive. Playing out the events and the actual dungeon encounters could really twist the character's sense of reality.
The payday to solving the mystery and sending their spirits to rest could be personal belongings or wealth/magic items the spirits know have accumulated in the dungeon in the centuries since their death.
Just because it's a story doesn't explain why events would suddenly invert. If I'm telling a story, I don't suddenly change my mind and say "You slay the dragon. NO WAIT. YOU DON'T!!!!" I don't really have an issue with the whole "it was all just a dream" schtick, but your premise doesn't make sense to me.
Further, if you do want to do this, and to prevent it being something your characters hate because they feel you've wasted their time (not all players would have this issue. For plenty, playing the game is reward in and of itself, so the lack of "real" levelling up and treasure wouldn't be a big drawback) you could have the dream be kind of a prophecy or prologue for an epic adventure that they are at the start of when they wake up. Or they could be the descendants of these EPIC heroes that they've just acted out the part of. Start them at level 15 or something truly spectacular if you think they could handle all of the abilities etc from the outset. Then when they wake up, they're the great grandchildren of such and such, and have kept in touch over the years as they're grandparents come together to reminisce. Now one of them is in trouble, and they have to get the band back together, so to speak.
It sounds like they've ingested some sort of hallucinogenic compound perhaps from some sort of beverage--tea being the most obvious but it could've been dissolved into a flagon of ale, cup of wine/mead etc--and entered a kind of group hallucination. It sounds like you might be able to make it work if it's just a part of a larger narrative. But if that's the entire game, it seems hard to pull off and remain fun. Most importantly, where are you going with this?
I'm not wanting to deny the players experience or loot or anything, but I don't want them to know they're in the story til the end. Kindda like how Bruce Willis' character didn't realize he was dead in Sixth Sence. Like the players are the audience to their own story and don't realize it til I reveal it. The changes won't all be negative either. Like if a character dies I may bring them back, or give them certain loot, or even jump them up a level or two because at that point in the story they were more experienced.
I'm not wanting to deny the players experience or loot or anything, but I don't want them to know they're in the story til the end. Kindda like how Bruce Willis' character didn't realize he was dead in Sixth Sence. Like the players are the audience to their own story and don't realize it til I reveal it. The changes won't all be negative either. Like if a character dies I may bring them back, or give them certain loot, or even jump them up a level or two because at that point in the story they were more experienced.
In regards to the 6th Sense plot twist comparison, something to bear in mind: While the reveal that Bruce Willis is a ghost the whole time does shock the audience, the reason it actually works as a twist is because it reveals something significant about the character to himself. Upon realizing he is dead, he has to come to terms with it and move on from this world.
I think one of the things your twist is missing is impact for the characters. Yes, finding out this was a story may shock (or anger) the audience, the characters will basically cease to exist at that point so it holds no significance to them in the game. It is less a twist ending and more a full stop.
Also I think Major Puddles makes a good point. Another reason the 6th Sense twist works is because you can go back through the movie and point to examples supporting it. His wife leaving during their anniversary dinner looked like she was just upset with him, but is actually indicative that she couldn't SEE him cause he's a ghost! Whereas, as Major Puddles puts it, I don't see random inconsistencies or reality glitches as an indication that they are in a story, since when you tell a story you actually take extra care to avoid those sorts of things.
Sounds like what might work better is a Matrix kind of twist, opening it up for a second campaign in the "real" world after it's revealed that their previous lives were a lie, albeit a shared lie. THEN going forward they have all this fun RP opportunities to question how much of their character is part of the lie, who they can trust, that kind of existential paranoia. Just a thought.
....Souunds like what might work better is a Matrix kind of twist, opening it up for a second campaign in the "real" world after it's revealed that their previous lives were a lie, albeit a shared lie. THEN going forward they have all this fun RP opportunities to question how much of their character is part of the lie, who they can trust, that kind of existential paranoia. Just a thought.
_______________________________________________
That's kindda what I had in mind. I wanted to start them in the real world, then traverse into the story without them knowing, and once it's all said and done they return to their real lives still with all the knowledge of all the experiences they had in the story. I just need a way to traverse them into the story so they don't know right away that they are in a story.
Yeah that sounds a little more solid, though setting that up as the premise without them knowing could be difficult.
That's why I came on here to ask for help LoL. I need ideas of ways to transition the campaign into the story without them realizing they are in the story. The "glitches," as people are calling them, are suppose to represent a sort of, " Well that's not what happened, this is what actually happened," premise to get the players thinking about why they're happening and try to piece it together before I actually reveal it. It's supposed to be a sort of challenge for them to solve before I give it away, for which I will probably award additional experience.
Use the idea for an adventure while the players are dreaming/having a nightmare. You could let them think that its actually happening. Just add other strange occurrences to stimulate the players into thinking of a solution, getting them to figure out whats going on. Show them the future and what would happen if the did or did not do something. Try to keep everything obscured though. Make shit very, and I mean very weird. If they die in the dream they just wake up or something. But not until they wet the bed. = ; )
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
So, I have an idea for a campaign but not sure how to go about it. Random things are going to happen during the adventure from minor to major incidences. For instance, a character may roll a critical hit, and suddenly it changes to a critical fail, or the party slays a dragon only to have it suddenly spring back to life and start attacking again, but this time one of the party members is seriously injured. I even thought about killing one or two of them off for dramatic effect so I'd have them all make 2 characters each. All this without any explanation as to why.
At the end of the adventure, the players find out they were never real. They were simply living out the lives of characters in a story, hence the reason for all the changes during their adventure.
The problem I'm having is the beginning. This is where I need help. How would I transition them into the story without letting them know they are in the story? I had and idea of them listening to a Bard's tale and fast forwarding to some time in the future, or that they all grew up in an orphange together where they would play and act out adventures together all the time, or their caretaker would sit them all down and tell stories to them.
Anyone have any ideas how I can make the smooth transition from real life to story life without giving it all away?
WOAH- wait! Ifyoudoitlikethiseveryonewillhateyou.
First of all, your ideas appear to be purely negative towards the party. Second, the party is being punished without understanding why. Third, if the "it was all a game/story/dream" is pulled out at the end, you will only serve to anger your players further by invalidating everything they did.
How about this: a game within a game? You start with the "non-real" game for one dungeon. At the end of the First dungeon you reveal that they are actually playing people playing a game, whether a Pen and Paper or Computer RPG. Then you start focusing on the "real" game and integrate the "non-real" game as an important thing for progress in the "real" game. Basically, everyone has two character sheets. One that is a typical D&D one, that is the game within a game, this character can perhaps die without or with few consequences. In this one it's okay if random "glitches" occur. The other is a real character sheet, using a modern setting, if this one dies, they are actually dead. Maybe later in the story you can have "glitches" in that reality to increase the difficultly and anxiety.
I agree with the previous reply, I think that playing a game where the DM is against the players is a difficult and ultimately unrewarding experience. Especially with the "it was all just a dream" sort of meaningless ending because it leaves a sour taste in the players' mouths. You could tie in the idea of trickery, deception, and "randomness" in a more positive way through the medium of puzzles. Instead of making a critical hit/success turn into a critical fail and have terrible things happen to your party, perhaps tone it down with a smaller inconvenience or obstacle is manageable through some teamwork. Maybe you could have your party visit a place controlled by a god or goddess of luck (i.e. Bes, Hermod) that has those random instances where outcomes could change course. They could use con saves or other types of rolls to counteract the deity's powers or the power of the land that causes these instances to occur.
I can really see ways this could be interesting and fun.
How about an ancient murder mystery?
The group ends up on a dungeon crawl for loot, of course. They run into the standard encounters you would expect in a creepy, old dungeon. Certain areas have events tied to it that emanate strong enough to make the characters experience them as if it were real. Each event area is a clue in uncovering the full story behind the horrible deeds committed and freeing the spirits of those who suffered them. To keep the context of everything thing seeming weird and real, even a character that died during the re-enacting of a scene would find themselves shaken but, alive. Playing out the events and the actual dungeon encounters could really twist the character's sense of reality.
The payday to solving the mystery and sending their spirits to rest could be personal belongings or wealth/magic items the spirits know have accumulated in the dungeon in the centuries since their death.
Just because it's a story doesn't explain why events would suddenly invert. If I'm telling a story, I don't suddenly change my mind and say "You slay the dragon. NO WAIT. YOU DON'T!!!!" I don't really have an issue with the whole "it was all just a dream" schtick, but your premise doesn't make sense to me.
Further, if you do want to do this, and to prevent it being something your characters hate because they feel you've wasted their time (not all players would have this issue. For plenty, playing the game is reward in and of itself, so the lack of "real" levelling up and treasure wouldn't be a big drawback) you could have the dream be kind of a prophecy or prologue for an epic adventure that they are at the start of when they wake up. Or they could be the descendants of these EPIC heroes that they've just acted out the part of. Start them at level 15 or something truly spectacular if you think they could handle all of the abilities etc from the outset. Then when they wake up, they're the great grandchildren of such and such, and have kept in touch over the years as they're grandparents come together to reminisce. Now one of them is in trouble, and they have to get the band back together, so to speak.
It sounds like they've ingested some sort of hallucinogenic compound perhaps from some sort of beverage--tea being the most obvious but it could've been dissolved into a flagon of ale, cup of wine/mead etc--and entered a kind of group hallucination. It sounds like you might be able to make it work if it's just a part of a larger narrative. But if that's the entire game, it seems hard to pull off and remain fun. Most importantly, where are you going with this?
I'm not wanting to deny the players experience or loot or anything, but I don't want them to know they're in the story til the end. Kindda like how Bruce Willis' character didn't realize he was dead in Sixth Sence. Like the players are the audience to their own story and don't realize it til I reveal it. The changes won't all be negative either. Like if a character dies I may bring them back, or give them certain loot, or even jump them up a level or two because at that point in the story they were more experienced.
In regards to the 6th Sense plot twist comparison, something to bear in mind: While the reveal that Bruce Willis is a ghost the whole time does shock the audience, the reason it actually works as a twist is because it reveals something significant about the character to himself. Upon realizing he is dead, he has to come to terms with it and move on from this world.
I think one of the things your twist is missing is impact for the characters. Yes, finding out this was a story may shock (or anger) the audience, the characters will basically cease to exist at that point so it holds no significance to them in the game. It is less a twist ending and more a full stop.
Also I think Major Puddles makes a good point. Another reason the 6th Sense twist works is because you can go back through the movie and point to examples supporting it. His wife leaving during their anniversary dinner looked like she was just upset with him, but is actually indicative that she couldn't SEE him cause he's a ghost! Whereas, as Major Puddles puts it, I don't see random inconsistencies or reality glitches as an indication that they are in a story, since when you tell a story you actually take extra care to avoid those sorts of things.
Sounds like what might work better is a Matrix kind of twist, opening it up for a second campaign in the "real" world after it's revealed that their previous lives were a lie, albeit a shared lie. THEN going forward they have all this fun RP opportunities to question how much of their character is part of the lie, who they can trust, that kind of existential paranoia. Just a thought.
I screwed up the quote. Anyway:
....Souunds like what might work better is a Matrix kind of twist, opening it up for a second campaign in the "real" world after it's revealed that their previous lives were a lie, albeit a shared lie. THEN going forward they have all this fun RP opportunities to question how much of their character is part of the lie, who they can trust, that kind of existential paranoia. Just a thought.
_______________________________________________
That's kindda what I had in mind. I wanted to start them in the real world, then traverse into the story without them knowing, and once it's all said and done they return to their real lives still with all the knowledge of all the experiences they had in the story. I just need a way to traverse them into the story so they don't know right away that they are in a story.
Yeah that sounds a little more solid, though setting that up as the premise without them knowing could be difficult.
That's why I came on here to ask for help LoL. I need ideas of ways to transition the campaign into the story without them realizing they are in the story. The "glitches," as people are calling them, are suppose to represent a sort of, " Well that's not what happened, this is what actually happened," premise to get the players thinking about why they're happening and try to piece it together before I actually reveal it. It's supposed to be a sort of challenge for them to solve before I give it away, for which I will probably award additional experience.
Use the idea for an adventure while the players are dreaming/having a nightmare. You could let them think that its actually happening. Just add other strange occurrences to stimulate the players into thinking of a solution, getting them to figure out whats going on. Show them the future and what would happen if the did or did not do something. Try to keep everything obscured though. Make shit very, and I mean very weird. If they die in the dream they just wake up or something. But not until they wet the bed. = ; )