Hi DMs, so I'm planning to try out an "Age of Discovery" (Christopher Columbus) style campaign and wanted advise and feedback.
So, a large new continent is discovered and it triggers a Colonial Frenzy. The PCs are from a smaller, struggling city state, who's leader is making a bold move and deciding to throw a lot of the city's resources at establishing a sister city on the new continent. After a bit of role play and intro quest, it is quickly decided the PCs are best suited to lead that expedition, and named as the new town's leadership.
The main feature of this campaign will be the PCs building a city from scratch, while making all the important decisions about what to build. For instance they could build a blacksmith or an alchemist lab or a bigger fancier inn, walls or a keep, a barracks, etc.... Buildings will be paid for by gold and a new resource, "supplies" which they get a steady supply of from the parent city state, and can gain more once they set the citizenry to task collecting, or found as loot.
The continent itself is creepy, with strong evidence of a once powerful empire that went into a steep decline. That gives me an excuse to put abandoned keeps and temples and crypts around as dungeons. Survivors of this fallen empire have devolved into hostile warlike tribes.
Oh, and they are far from the only ones intent on colonialism. Several kingdoms, most much more powerful than the city state they are from, has established footholds too. The might get along and trade with the PCs, ..... or maybe not so much...
Anyways would like feedback on a campaign like this. Thanks
I love this idea. The new continent to explore with ancient and unknown forces at work. And maybe an evil power that caused the empire's downfall and doesn't like "intruders. I also like the "competition" idea among the countries.
One thing I'm not sure about is the PCs being the town council of the new colony and making the decisions like putting in a blacksmith shop. If they are in that kind of a position, are they going to be going out on adventures? Usually the underlings do that. If I'm running this campaign (and I'd love to, overall it is a great concept!), the players will be hired by the expedition leaders as explorers (which sounds like the fun part) rather than running the town.
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Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
I agree with BioWizard it does not make much sense for adventures to be planning a city. Though I think it would be really fun to do so. How about having the pcs go on a scouting quest for the city, and as a reward they get to help plan a part of the city.
I would really love to play in this setting, your players should consider themselves lucky :)
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The 6 most hated words in all of d&d history: make me a dex saving throw .
I’d make the resources from home be few and far between to force them into hard choices. Is it more important to clear the goblins from the nearby arable land so they can grow food, or to clear the kobolds from the mountain that has high quality ore for tools. Or do they instead try to ally with those goblins, since they are holding back the orcs, they won’t have to fight (goblins or orcs) then, but they also will have to share the food. And they’ll have made enemies of the orcs, at least that tribe or orcs; they should come to see the benefit of making alliances, and every time the make an ally, that should also make an enemy.
Also, not to get too PC, but you should try to avoid the colonialist narrative that they are civilizing the savages and saving them from themselves. Besides that being problematic, it’s narratively more interesting if you have them be a vibrant civilization and force the players to question what right they have to even be doing this. It would be a lot more interesting if the native inhabitants have their own rich culture and technology, and are able to push back against these invaders.
Not sure if you've played Greedfall, but this is very similar to the games story. That said it still makes a fantastic concept to play in. In the game you weren't per say in charge of the new colony but rather a mix between an ambassador and a explorer. Capable of venturing forth, but also able to speak and have sway in the colonies. You could even negotiate with native tribes on behalf of your and other nations. As for applying this to many PCs perhaps have them all be from a respective organization with a vested interest in the colony. For example, a minor cleric from a growing faith, an apprentice mage from a brotherhood of wizards, or a small time purse snatcher from a thieves guild, etc.
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Hi DMs, so I'm planning to try out an "Age of Discovery" (Christopher Columbus) style campaign and wanted advise and feedback.
So, a large new continent is discovered and it triggers a Colonial Frenzy. The PCs are from a smaller, struggling city state, who's leader is making a bold move and deciding to throw a lot of the city's resources at establishing a sister city on the new continent. After a bit of role play and intro quest, it is quickly decided the PCs are best suited to lead that expedition, and named as the new town's leadership.
The main feature of this campaign will be the PCs building a city from scratch, while making all the important decisions about what to build. For instance they could build a blacksmith or an alchemist lab or a bigger fancier inn, walls or a keep, a barracks, etc.... Buildings will be paid for by gold and a new resource, "supplies" which they get a steady supply of from the parent city state, and can gain more once they set the citizenry to task collecting, or found as loot.
The continent itself is creepy, with strong evidence of a once powerful empire that went into a steep decline. That gives me an excuse to put abandoned keeps and temples and crypts around as dungeons. Survivors of this fallen empire have devolved into hostile warlike tribes.
Oh, and they are far from the only ones intent on colonialism. Several kingdoms, most much more powerful than the city state they are from, has established footholds too. The might get along and trade with the PCs, ..... or maybe not so much...
Anyways would like feedback on a campaign like this. Thanks
I love this idea. The new continent to explore with ancient and unknown forces at work. And maybe an evil power that caused the empire's downfall and doesn't like "intruders. I also like the "competition" idea among the countries.
One thing I'm not sure about is the PCs being the town council of the new colony and making the decisions like putting in a blacksmith shop. If they are in that kind of a position, are they going to be going out on adventures? Usually the underlings do that. If I'm running this campaign (and I'd love to, overall it is a great concept!), the players will be hired by the expedition leaders as explorers (which sounds like the fun part) rather than running the town.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
I agree with BioWizard it does not make much sense for adventures to be planning a city. Though I think it would be really fun to do so. How about having the pcs go on a scouting quest for the city, and as a reward they get to help plan a part of the city.
I would really love to play in this setting, your players should consider themselves lucky :)
The 6 most hated words in all of d&d history: make me a dex saving throw .
I’d make the resources from home be few and far between to force them into hard choices. Is it more important to clear the goblins from the nearby arable land so they can grow food, or to clear the kobolds from the mountain that has high quality ore for tools.
Or do they instead try to ally with those goblins, since they are holding back the orcs, they won’t have to fight (goblins or orcs) then, but they also will have to share the food. And they’ll have made enemies of the orcs, at least that tribe or orcs; they should come to see the benefit of making alliances, and every time the make an ally, that should also make an enemy.
Also, not to get too PC, but you should try to avoid the colonialist narrative that they are civilizing the savages and saving them from themselves. Besides that being problematic, it’s narratively more interesting if you have them be a vibrant civilization and force the players to question what right they have to even be doing this. It would be a lot more interesting if the native inhabitants have their own rich culture and technology, and are able to push back against these invaders.
Not sure if you've played Greedfall, but this is very similar to the games story. That said it still makes a fantastic concept to play in. In the game you weren't per say in charge of the new colony but rather a mix between an ambassador and a explorer. Capable of venturing forth, but also able to speak and have sway in the colonies. You could even negotiate with native tribes on behalf of your and other nations. As for applying this to many PCs perhaps have them all be from a respective organization with a vested interest in the colony. For example, a minor cleric from a growing faith, an apprentice mage from a brotherhood of wizards, or a small time purse snatcher from a thieves guild, etc.