I am a first time campaign DM (I have run a few one shots) and I want to build a world in which to set my pirate themed adventure.
So I have modified "Flotsum" from Limitless Adventures to be a pirate town. There are three characters in this town that have their own roles: the oldest resident in town (thought to be the first person to settle there); the madame of the ... errr... nudey house; and the master of the .... errr... substance den. What the players will not know is that they are secretly a coven of sea hags that are out to do ..... *something*
I was thinking that they can send them to various islands to collect rare "treasures" for their collections. However, they are actually ingredients for a spell that will do.... *something*
The three characters aliases will be like local legends to the pirates who will not know their true identity either. At some point, they will be captured and their treausures confiscated and our heroes will go to rescue them, battling this menace (possibly druids, possibly the Emporor of the rest of the continent that has been tamed). Our heroes will then realise that these are not the bad guys and the three hags will be revealed.
I need to know if this is too convoluted - I created the map (using Wonderdraft) and I am worried that I am trying to cram the story into the map. I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on this.
It doesn't sound too convoluted at all - in fact it sounds really fun - the only word of caution I'd give is to remember that your players might not always do what you expect, so be prepared to adapt the story you have in mind to events.
Edit: it might make for a more fun ending if you can keep the hags a secret until after the players free them, and they then have to try and stop the hags before they complete the *something*
I think your pirate campaign needs more piracy. Maybe one of the fetch quest items is on a ship that they have to take? Maybe the ship is flagged under a nation the characters have some kind of attachment to? Who kidnaps the hags? Just some random guys or a squad of marines and a naval vessel from that country?
Absolutely! I have a map of the pirate town all ready to go.
Two of the three items that I am planning on having them fetch are on remote islands that they need to sail to and battle with various seafolk both there and on the way. One is a merrow who has an amulet of disguise and looks like a mermaid. I also have a ship planned for them that they can hire crew to help them sail.
The idea of gathering ingredients to summon the Kraken is great. Perhaps the purpose is to use the Kraken to dominate the surrounding waters - so both traders and pirates will have to pay them dues for safe passage. This could help create that tension around the capture of the three hags.
I don't know how long you plan to run the campaign for - but I like the outline because you would also insert other little side quests or one-off adventures along the route if you don't want the whole campaign to move too fast.
Items needed to summon a Kraken would be pretty cool - maybe the Hags plan to use the items to bend the creature to their will - that way even if the party foil the Hag's plan, you still have the option of having an epic sea battle for the finale.
If you want more Lovecraftian vibes, you could flavour it as some sort of ancient leviathan or deep one. Or, homebrew up an aquatic Dragon.
A completely different option could be to have the Hags conducting a ritual to create a natural disaster like a hurricane - and the players are in a race against time to stop it from destroying all the places they have visited in the campaign.
Sounds like a great idea - I recently started building a pirate adventure myself involving a hunt across the sea for 3 hidden clues that will take them to a hidden hoard of treasure. With rival pirates, a colony of merfolk and various other creatures of the deep guarding the clues (and then a hidden island of flail snails and a froghemoth to finish things off).
An alternative to the kraken summoning could be summoning a kuo-toa (homebrewed) god. Then you could really go to town with a strange aberrant being that you could make as powerful (or weak) as you wanted. But I guess I just like kuo-toa gods.
Something to ask your characters is how they are 'pirates' - or seafaring adventurers anyway. It's really gratifying for everyone when the characters are just as sea-themed as the campaign.
Hi All,
I am a first time campaign DM (I have run a few one shots) and I want to build a world in which to set my pirate themed adventure.
So I have modified "Flotsum" from Limitless Adventures to be a pirate town. There are three characters in this town that have their own roles: the oldest resident in town (thought to be the first person to settle there); the madame of the ... errr... nudey house; and the master of the .... errr... substance den. What the players will not know is that they are secretly a coven of sea hags that are out to do ..... *something*
I was thinking that they can send them to various islands to collect rare "treasures" for their collections. However, they are actually ingredients for a spell that will do.... *something*
The three characters aliases will be like local legends to the pirates who will not know their true identity either. At some point, they will be captured and their treausures confiscated and our heroes will go to rescue them, battling this menace (possibly druids, possibly the Emporor of the rest of the continent that has been tamed). Our heroes will then realise that these are not the bad guys and the three hags will be revealed.
I need to know if this is too convoluted - I created the map (using Wonderdraft) and I am worried that I am trying to cram the story into the map. I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on this.
That sounds like a great start! I know that I’d enjoy playing in it.
Professional computer geek
It doesn't sound too convoluted at all - in fact it sounds really fun - the only word of caution I'd give is to remember that your players might not always do what you expect, so be prepared to adapt the story you have in mind to events.
Edit: it might make for a more fun ending if you can keep the hags a secret until after the players free them, and they then have to try and stop the hags before they complete the *something*
I think your pirate campaign needs more piracy. Maybe one of the fetch quest items is on a ship that they have to take? Maybe the ship is flagged under a nation the characters have some kind of attachment to? Who kidnaps the hags? Just some random guys or a squad of marines and a naval vessel from that country?
Absolutely! I have a map of the pirate town all ready to go.
Two of the three items that I am planning on having them fetch are on remote islands that they need to sail to and battle with various seafolk both there and on the way. One is a merrow who has an amulet of disguise and looks like a mermaid. I also have a ship planned for them that they can hire crew to help them sail.
That's amazing! Thank you so much for your feedback. Any idea what the *something* should be?
I was thinking ingredients or equipment they need to summon a kraken?
The idea of gathering ingredients to summon the Kraken is great. Perhaps the purpose is to use the Kraken to dominate the surrounding waters - so both traders and pirates will have to pay them dues for safe passage.
This could help create that tension around the capture of the three hags.
I don't know how long you plan to run the campaign for - but I like the outline because you would also insert other little side quests or one-off adventures along the route if you don't want the whole campaign to move too fast.
Items needed to summon a Kraken would be pretty cool - maybe the Hags plan to use the items to bend the creature to their will - that way even if the party foil the Hag's plan, you still have the option of having an epic sea battle for the finale.
If you want more Lovecraftian vibes, you could flavour it as some sort of ancient leviathan or deep one. Or, homebrew up an aquatic Dragon.
A completely different option could be to have the Hags conducting a ritual to create a natural disaster like a hurricane - and the players are in a race against time to stop it from destroying all the places they have visited in the campaign.
Sounds like a great idea - I recently started building a pirate adventure myself involving a hunt across the sea for 3 hidden clues that will take them to a hidden hoard of treasure. With rival pirates, a colony of merfolk and various other creatures of the deep guarding the clues (and then a hidden island of flail snails and a froghemoth to finish things off).
An alternative to the kraken summoning could be summoning a kuo-toa (homebrewed) god. Then you could really go to town with a strange aberrant being that you could make as powerful (or weak) as you wanted. But I guess I just like kuo-toa gods.
Something to ask your characters is how they are 'pirates' - or seafaring adventurers anyway. It's really gratifying for everyone when the characters are just as sea-themed as the campaign.
Chilling kinda vibe.
This is amazing! Thank you so much!