So i decided to start a campaign for my friends since we have never really done a consistent campaign.
the campaign starts out with them getting contacted by a new republic that is forming far to the north, they’ve gained fame from past adventures and a few of the towns in this new republic ask for their help. They get payment for their barge toll and sail to the continent where this republic is forming. They head straight for the first town that had contacted them to offer their assistance, upon arriving they all are promised payment for extermination of some unfriendly patrons in the town’s mine. They agree and set off to the mine, after entering and making a few checks and casting some dancing lights from one of the wizards of the party they get attacked almost immediately. They can’t really tell what the creature are only that they certainly aren’t human. One of our party wizards gets almost destroyed by three of these creature.
That’s about where we have stopped but the main plot line is this virus that is changing the DNA of any race that it infects into a ghoul like being. The virus is actually a weapon that an extremely powerful otherworldly abomination is using to return back to its former glory on this continent. The players as they progress will slowly learn this and their actions will shape what route this campaign takes as the virus does adapt and they all are now infected (if they can’t make the proper saving throws or find a cure).
Wether this virus over takes the continent and converts its inhabitants into servants for this otherworldly abomination. or they stop the virus in its tracks and save the population. Or they cause the abomination and its servants to hide with the virus slowly growing their forces. The plot itself won’t change (at least shouldn’t) but the route it plays out is up to their decisions.
I don’t really know what to say in regards to help improving since this is mostly conceptual but I’d sprinkle other lesser story lines along the way as well, perhaps ones loosely connected, heavily connected, or not connected at all to the main plot.
I'd say to also leave room for individual character side-plots. Let them finish some personal missions, or give one of them an NPC love interest. For extra layer of fun, make a personal quest happen at the same time, but in a different place, from either another personal quest or the main quest, so the party has to make a decision. And be clear that this isn't a video game where the quest giver will wait for them to arrive. They can do one or the other, but not both.
Okay the comments actually gave me a few thin to think about and some neat ideas that I’ll have to try with them as we progress along unless everyone dies lol jk. Thank youns for the comments, if anyone has more would love to see them.
Your main plot should work: "A virus will change every human into a ghoul unless the players are able to stop it."
What's nice with that premise is that it has an actual consequence, there's something at stake. You can even create a time lock if you want that. I wouldn't have done that to early, but when you want your players to focus on this problem, it should be quite easy to sell the idea that "unless you do something NOW, all will be lost". Still, you are quite free when it comes to when you want to implement this, and how the players can solve it. That creates a lot of room for the players to choose their own path.
But to be the Devil's advocate and try to pinpoint the weakness in your campaign idea:
It's at the moment (or more correctly: "as you present it to us") lacing any "steps" between the players learning that someone is turning into ghouls, and that they should stop this. The "danger" here is that you should expect that as soon as the players learn the premise of your campaign, they will (and should) work only towards that goal. The "problem" with this is that it then tends to get a little frustrating if the goal is too far ahead. This of course depends on how long a campaign you want, but from the moment the PC's learn what's really at stake, you should ensure that they feel they are really progressing against this goal and the final stand off.
The usual way to solve this is by information management. Try to create some "sub goals" they can achieve that will eventually lead to them understanding the greater truth. To avoid having to railroad them, you don't need to make it written in stone, but be aware that you need to keep information back. If the players learn that some people are being changed into ghouls in the first adventure, what do they do next? Where can they go to learn more? How can that be an interesting adventure? You should listen a lot to what your players think and want to do, and follow up on that. Just be aware that as soon you give them the whole truth, they will not be very interested in anything else than stopping what's happening.
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Ludo ergo sum!
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So i decided to start a campaign for my friends since we have never really done a consistent campaign.
the campaign starts out with them getting contacted by a new republic that is forming far to the north, they’ve gained fame from past adventures and a few of the towns in this new republic ask for their help. They get payment for their barge toll and sail to the continent where this republic is forming. They head straight for the first town that had contacted them to offer their assistance, upon arriving they all are promised payment for extermination of some unfriendly patrons in the town’s mine. They agree and set off to the mine, after entering and making a few checks and casting some dancing lights from one of the wizards of the party they get attacked almost immediately. They can’t really tell what the creature are only that they certainly aren’t human. One of our party wizards gets almost destroyed by three of these creature.
That’s about where we have stopped but the main plot line is this virus that is changing the DNA of any race that it infects into a ghoul like being. The virus is actually a weapon that an extremely powerful otherworldly abomination is using to return back to its former glory on this continent. The players as they progress will slowly learn this and their actions will shape what route this campaign takes as the virus does adapt and they all are now infected (if they can’t make the proper saving throws or find a cure).
Wether this virus over takes the continent and converts its inhabitants into servants for this otherworldly abomination. or they stop the virus in its tracks and save the population. Or they cause the abomination and its servants to hide with the virus slowly growing their forces. The plot itself won’t change (at least shouldn’t) but the route it plays out is up to their decisions.
Sounds pretty cool.
I don’t really know what to say in regards to help improving since this is mostly conceptual but I’d sprinkle other lesser story lines along the way as well, perhaps ones loosely connected, heavily connected, or not connected at all to the main plot.
I'd say to also leave room for individual character side-plots. Let them finish some personal missions, or give one of them an NPC love interest. For extra layer of fun, make a personal quest happen at the same time, but in a different place, from either another personal quest or the main quest, so the party has to make a decision. And be clear that this isn't a video game where the quest giver will wait for them to arrive. They can do one or the other, but not both.
Okay the comments actually gave me a few thin to think about and some neat ideas that I’ll have to try with them as we progress along unless everyone dies lol jk. Thank youns for the comments, if anyone has more would love to see them.
Your main plot should work: "A virus will change every human into a ghoul unless the players are able to stop it."
What's nice with that premise is that it has an actual consequence, there's something at stake. You can even create a time lock if you want that. I wouldn't have done that to early, but when you want your players to focus on this problem, it should be quite easy to sell the idea that "unless you do something NOW, all will be lost". Still, you are quite free when it comes to when you want to implement this, and how the players can solve it. That creates a lot of room for the players to choose their own path.
But to be the Devil's advocate and try to pinpoint the weakness in your campaign idea:
It's at the moment (or more correctly: "as you present it to us") lacing any "steps" between the players learning that someone is turning into ghouls, and that they should stop this. The "danger" here is that you should expect that as soon as the players learn the premise of your campaign, they will (and should) work only towards that goal. The "problem" with this is that it then tends to get a little frustrating if the goal is too far ahead. This of course depends on how long a campaign you want, but from the moment the PC's learn what's really at stake, you should ensure that they feel they are really progressing against this goal and the final stand off.
The usual way to solve this is by information management. Try to create some "sub goals" they can achieve that will eventually lead to them understanding the greater truth. To avoid having to railroad them, you don't need to make it written in stone, but be aware that you need to keep information back. If the players learn that some people are being changed into ghouls in the first adventure, what do they do next? Where can they go to learn more? How can that be an interesting adventure? You should listen a lot to what your players think and want to do, and follow up on that. Just be aware that as soon you give them the whole truth, they will not be very interested in anything else than stopping what's happening.
Ludo ergo sum!