My son is turning 14 on January, and for his birthday he is inviting 3 friends for a sleep over and we organized to play our first DnD session. First time mastering for me, first time playing for them. With us will be also the sister and the boyfriend, for a total of 6 players. I know, can be daunting as a first timer.
So, I am reading through LMoP as a first campaign, but I do not like the fact that it starts with the players already on the journey.
I would like to start like: "You know each other for some time, some of you longer than the other, and you had some adventure together. Tonight you all come together in the tavern in Neverwinter to celebrate the birthday of *my son character name*" Now from this point, I would like to create some RP situations to play, but also introduce the quest Meet Me in Phandelvin, but as said, I have no experience, so I would like some suggestion.
Thank you everyone who take the time to read this post.
It could be as simple as them meeting gundren and sildar at the party. They were about to leave town and wanted to pop in and wish their old friend a happy birthday. And to remind them the shipment absolutely needs to be on the road tomorrow morning, so don’t have too happy of a birthday party. Of course, he’ll buy everyone a round.
Basically, instead of reading the exposition text, you play out the scene. That’s actually a good idea, as it will help invest them in the NPCs that drive the story. And, bonus, they’ll have met in a tavern, which is as iconic a D&D moment as it gets.
Now, if you want to up the difficulty a little, you can always have the party meet an extra NPC or two at the party. Then keep track of any who make an impression. Then, you can throw them in later if you need to. Or use them for foreshadowing, like someone hunting hamun kost. Or they hear rumors of a dragon moving in over in the countryside.
It could be as simple as them meeting gundren and sildar at the party. They were about to leave town and wanted to pop in and wish their old friend a happy birthday. And to remind them the shipment absolutely needs to be on the road tomorrow morning, so don’t have too happy of a birthday party. Of course, he’ll buy everyone a round.
Basically, instead of reading the exposition text, you play out the scene. That’s actually a good idea, as it will help invest them in the NPCs that drive the story. And, bonus, they’ll have met in a tavern, which is as iconic a D&D moment as it gets.
Now, if you want to up the difficulty a little, you can always have the party meet an extra NPC or two at the party. Then keep track of any who make an impression. Then, you can throw them in later if you need to. Or use them for foreshadowing, like someone hunting hamun kost. Or they hear rumors of a dragon moving in over in the countryside.
Following your suggestion i prompted chatGPT to help me. (not sure how chatGPT is seen here, so pardon me if is not allowed, I will delete it)
Considering that english is not my native language and I do not have good writing skills, I consider myself pretty happy about it.
Here is the prompt:
act like an expert at dungeon mastering a game of dungeon and dragon:
I need a descriptive introduction for a campaign, here the key points:
- they know each other from some times, some of them longer than other
- they had some adventure together
- they arrive to town of Neverwinter and are inside a taver (give me a name of the tavern) to celebrate the birthday of one of the player.
- create one npc that will interact with them, is an elf hunter, and will reveal that he heard rumors of a dragon
- create another npc ( pick you race and class) to create a funny situation, like a game of dice, a gamble or some trick
- introduce the quest givers ( don't worry about the name), they are there to remind the group of tomorrow travel to phandhelin, offer the group a round of drink, and explain that he will leave tonight and to meet him in phandelin
And here the result:
As the sun sets over the bustling city of Neverwinter, your group of seasoned adventurers find themselves gathered in the heart of the city's vibrant district. The scent of exotic spices and the distant sounds of merchants haggling create a lively atmosphere. You all find yourselves in a quaint yet lively tavern known as "The Silver Griffin." The wooden sign above the entrance depicts a majestic griffin in mid-flight, its silver feathers gleaming in the sunlight.
Seated around a sturdy oak table, your group shares laughter and tales of past adventures. The atmosphere is filled with camaraderie as they celebrate the birthday of their comrade, sharing memories forged in the crucible of their shared exploits.
As the evening progresses, a mysterious figure catches your eye. An elven hunter, clad in green and brown leathers, approaches your table. His sharp eyes gleam with a hint of excitement, and a subtle rustling can be heard as he moves. He introduces himself as Ilthorin, a skilled tracker who has overheard whispers of a dragon lurking in the nearby wilderness. Intrigued, he offers to share more information in exchange for a drink.
Meanwhile, at the adjacent table, a mischievous figure catches your attention. A gnome bard named Fizzlebang the Trickster entertains a crowd with a dazzling display of illusions and sleight of hand. Fizzlebang challenges one of your players to a friendly game of dice, promising a small prize for the winner. This quirky gnome has a penchant for pranks and is known for his good-natured trickery.
As the revelry continues, the atmosphere shifts when two authoritative figures enter the tavern. Dressed in weathered traveling cloaks, they approach your group with a purpose. A human and a dwarf, the quest givers, extend a warm greeting. They explain that they have a mission for your group: a journey to Phandalin. Urgently, they offer a round of drinks to fortify your group for the upcoming adventure. The dwarf, with a hearty laugh, mentions that they must leave tonight and requests your presence in Phandalin by tomorrow. With a sense of purpose and excitement, the group prepares to embark on a new quest, leaving the lively ambiance of Neverwinter behind as they head towards their next adventure.
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Hi everyone, new here.
My son is turning 14 on January, and for his birthday he is inviting 3 friends for a sleep over and we organized to play our first DnD session. First time mastering for me, first time playing for them. With us will be also the sister and the boyfriend, for a total of 6 players. I know, can be daunting as a first timer.
So, I am reading through LMoP as a first campaign, but I do not like the fact that it starts with the players already on the journey.
I would like to start like: "You know each other for some time, some of you longer than the other, and you had some adventure together. Tonight you all come together in the tavern in Neverwinter to celebrate the birthday of *my son character name*"
Now from this point, I would like to create some RP situations to play, but also introduce the quest Meet Me in Phandelvin, but as said, I have no experience, so I would like some suggestion.
Thank you everyone who take the time to read this post.
Have a great day!
It could be as simple as them meeting gundren and sildar at the party. They were about to leave town and wanted to pop in and wish their old friend a happy birthday. And to remind them the shipment absolutely needs to be on the road tomorrow morning, so don’t have too happy of a birthday party. Of course, he’ll buy everyone a round.
Basically, instead of reading the exposition text, you play out the scene. That’s actually a good idea, as it will help invest them in the NPCs that drive the story. And, bonus, they’ll have met in a tavern, which is as iconic a D&D moment as it gets.
Now, if you want to up the difficulty a little, you can always have the party meet an extra NPC or two at the party. Then keep track of any who make an impression. Then, you can throw them in later if you need to. Or use them for foreshadowing, like someone hunting hamun kost. Or they hear rumors of a dragon moving in over in the countryside.
Thanks a lot!
I will work on the extra NPC to see if I come up with something. :)
Following your suggestion i prompted chatGPT to help me. (not sure how chatGPT is seen here, so pardon me if is not allowed, I will delete it)
Considering that english is not my native language and I do not have good writing skills, I consider myself pretty happy about it.
Here is the prompt:
act like an expert at dungeon mastering a game of dungeon and dragon:
I need a descriptive introduction for a campaign, here the key points:
- they know each other from some times, some of them longer than other
- they had some adventure together
- they arrive to town of Neverwinter and are inside a taver (give me a name of the tavern) to celebrate the birthday of one of the player.
- create one npc that will interact with them, is an elf hunter, and will reveal that he heard rumors of a dragon
- create another npc ( pick you race and class) to create a funny situation, like a game of dice, a gamble or some trick
- introduce the quest givers ( don't worry about the name), they are there to remind the group of tomorrow travel to phandhelin, offer the group a round of drink, and explain that he will leave tonight and to meet him in phandelin
And here the result:
As the sun sets over the bustling city of Neverwinter,
your group of seasoned adventurers find themselves gathered in the heart of the
city's vibrant district. The scent of exotic spices and the distant sounds of
merchants haggling create a lively atmosphere. You all find yourselves in a quaint
yet lively tavern known as "The Silver Griffin." The wooden sign above the entrance
depicts a majestic griffin in mid-flight, its silver feathers gleaming in the sunlight.
Seated around a sturdy oak table, your group shares laughter and tales of past adventures.
The atmosphere is filled with camaraderie as they celebrate the birthday of their comrade,
sharing memories forged in the crucible of their shared exploits.
As the evening progresses, a mysterious figure catches your eye. An elven hunter,
clad in green and brown leathers, approaches your table. His sharp eyes gleam with
a hint of excitement, and a subtle rustling can be heard as he moves. He introduces
himself as Ilthorin, a skilled tracker who has overheard whispers of a dragon lurking
in the nearby wilderness. Intrigued, he offers to share more information in exchange for a drink.
Meanwhile, at the adjacent table, a mischievous figure catches your attention.
A gnome bard named Fizzlebang the Trickster entertains a crowd with a dazzling display
of illusions and sleight of hand. Fizzlebang challenges one of your players to a friendly
game of dice, promising a small prize for the winner. This quirky gnome has a penchant for
pranks and is known for his good-natured trickery.
As the revelry continues, the atmosphere shifts when two authoritative figures enter the tavern.
Dressed in weathered traveling cloaks, they approach your group with a purpose.
A human and a dwarf, the quest givers, extend a warm greeting. They explain that they have a
mission for your group: a journey to Phandalin. Urgently, they offer a round of drinks to fortify
your group for the upcoming adventure. The dwarf, with a hearty laugh, mentions that they must
leave tonight and requests your presence in Phandalin by tomorrow. With a sense of purpose and
excitement, the group prepares to embark on a new quest, leaving the lively ambiance of
Neverwinter behind as they head towards their next adventure.