So I've always wanted to play D&D but no one I knew was into it. Thankfully my kids want to start playing! I brought Dungeon-the new and easy to master set. It's old with the older rules but learning it has been fun and a great base to get started. My kids have been learning along with me. Once we've completed all the leaning steps(pre set dungeon adventure) I'm planning on writing up my own campaign and drawing up my own maps etc. Kids will pick names of places but some names will come from D&D. Just wanted you all to read my introduction and let me know if you think I'll be heading in the right direction/has what it takes to imagine up and decent campaign?

Zoowaa has been a land of relative peace for the last five centuries. Blood thirsty Orcs, Trolls Gnolls, Kobolds and Goblins still roam across the land but their sightings have been fewer and father over the decades.

No word has been uttered by anyone alive today about dragons, hydras or Medusa's.

Most people agree that they never actually existed. People laugh at the mention of the undead. Zombies, mummies, specters and wights are tall tales used to scare the young. 

All know, Eldath created the land of Zoowaa. Eldath the god of peace. It is only the most fanatic followers that tell of a forgotten time. The clerics. The clerics tell of a time of darkness and despair. A time when dragons darkened the skies, vast numbers of orcs pillaging and burning towns to the ground, trolls under every bridge ready to pick the bones clean off of and weary traveller, all manor of monsters lurking in the dark waiting to lure people to their deaths, zombies infecting any who got to close, specters and wights feeding off the people's fear and despair, pulling you into the land of the undead. All this darkness doing the bidding of evil dark wizards. Former Clerics that perverted the blessed magic given to them by Eldath. 

Clerics mean well. But these stories of a "dark forgotten time" are just that. Stories. Tall tales to keep Eldaths prayers on the lips of the people of Zoowaa. Tall tales.  Surly? 

Deep to the south of Zoowaa is a small town named Deadend. People further north call it arse-end because it leads to nothing, goes nowhere, and no one chooses to travel there.

Deadend is where this adventure begins.

My idea is is that my kids PC will take a job rescuing a price from bandits(no one believes the escaped page it was "monsters") and as they set out they soon start to realise that the page might not be so crazy. I'm fairly decent at art and making "old map"s with teabag stained paper was brilliant as a kid so I'm confident I can draw up some great locations. 

How's my story telling? Story idea? Any tips? Criticism? I want to make this as fun and as exciting as I can for my kids(and me!) 

Thanks 👍🏻

I like it.

The concept of the world is easy to grasp and has a fairytale vibe. Depending on the age of the kids it could become more complex further down the road , but i don't really see the need, especially for a 1st campaign.

Thanks 👍🏻 so my kids are 16, 12 and 10. So I do need to find a happy medium in both complexity and simplicity. That's kind of why I've gone with the narrative that the world I'm planning on creating isn't actually filled with all possible monsters. Yet. They seem really keen on playing and have had fun with the mini learning scenarios so I hope to have us playing for years to come. I plan to have dark wizards appearing again and creating/opening up portals for more monsters/creachers to spill into the world. Any tips from your own experience what players don't want/like from their DM? 

This is almost spot on with my path, only you are some years ahead of me :D

I've always wanted to join DnD session but never found the option or opportunity to do so. Now I have av 5 and 3 year old which realy enjoys fairytales and folklore (I read to them every night). I have a brother as well... which is realy into fantasy stuff, but not that into roleplaying I think. 

Anyhow I see a possible future where I might want to introduce DnD as a familiar event. Try to capture that amazing creativity of kids and have fun.
I also would enjoy a world that start out less fantastic, but very mystical... like you describe... so this is very aligned :D

I realy like your storytelling!
I also thought about "magic" being something hard to grasp. Most "wizards" are more illusionist than mages... doing tricks to make people think they do magic. While the real magic is there, but more in the form of dangerous sorceres (which are rare) and everyday "talents" like the extreme talent of tracking an animal where it should be impossible... is actualy individuals that utilize the magic weave without knowing it. another example is healing through herbs... which is impossible if not the individual, without knowing it firmly, actualy added healing magic to the herbs through the preparation of it. Of course, through adventuring magic, monsters and fantastic discoveries will be uncovered. :D

Good start with plenty of room to adventure and grow.

perhaps Zoowa was "sequestered" by Eldath and the outside world is still a place of danger and adventure. Deadend could be on "the border" and there's been some bleed through. maybe Eldath's followers aren't as devout or fervent as they once were and the protection is fading.

give your setting depth by having some history for them to learn about or see vestiges of. also make sure stuff happens both in reaction to what they do and randomly for no reason (giving them the feeling that the world goes about its business without them, but heroes do make a difference).

My campaign has grown from an original setting/history/continent to a globe encompassing other D&D settings with some cross traffic. that way I can use almost anything, anywhere. I just need to creatively cross reference WIldmont and Faerun (for example) just enough so it fits while still feeling like other cultures and lands...

Sounds brilliant 👍🏻 I've read fantasy my whole life and luckily my kids have picked up on it!! We enjoy board games like Heroquest so this is our next step!! Starting our first campaign today 🙌🏻 your lucky as you have a few years of some serious planning ahead. So much time to fully grasp the rules and watch DND captains/ on YouTube and listen to podcasts to really get a great idea on how to plan/run a campaign. I've loved watching and listening these past few weeks to give me a good idea on it all. Once they get a bit older try get them in to fantasy style board games. That how we started a few years back. 

Mate that's brilliant!! Love the "bleed through" idea 🙌🏻 and brilliant little tips to add depth to the game. Thanks 👍🏻 starting our first campaign later but you had me adding those little extra touches to my notes on my night shift last night! 

Appreciate the advice 👍🏻

Any time just PM me!  Been playing D&D off and on since @1978 and read, watch, and love writing Fantasy so I love thinking of new scenarios or settings.

Be ready for the crazy and absurd! Some of the things my kids have attempted (and rolled Nat 20s on) would be right at home in a Scooby-Doo episode!