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Post by ripx187 on Oct 27, 2019 21:09:10 GMT -5
I don't know what to do. I've got a group but 0 time and no energy to prep. I had a story in my head but it is less real every day. I've been looking at the 5e stuff, I really enjoyed the starter sets and all of the prep seems to be done. I am thinking of buying my way out of it. I recently changed jobs, my last one was a mental job and my current one is very physical, I can read on my breaks but not as much as I'm used to. I really want to prep, I've got some stuff done, but I'm just over-whelmed and don't feel that I really have enough solid things to go off of. I want to tell a villainous story, but I think that it is heading to a wargame which my players probably wouldn't like very much.
Forgotten Realms is appearing very attractive right now :/
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Post by hengest on Oct 27, 2019 21:19:57 GMT -5
Dude. Have fun. If you want to run 5E and have fun, do it!
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Post by ripx187 on Oct 27, 2019 22:02:34 GMT -5
I enjoy designing, and I feel terrible because we just started this campaign. They wanted to play 2e, and they let me set it in my world; these are good things! I want to create too many things at once, so I don't get anything done. I'm not even happy with my map.
We are playing with a viking theme, I've done a lot of history reading and exploring and now it is time to use it and I just don't know where to begin. Like I said before, I think that this is heading into armies and war, I want it to lead to piracy and looting on the mainland. Even then, I don't know if this is appropriate for the RPG medium. *sigh*
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Post by ripx187 on Oct 27, 2019 22:14:31 GMT -5
We were supposed to play last night, but instead we sat around a campfire and celebrated. I screwed up last game by not having enough information from them to prep with. Looking at what I have, I think that I have too much to work with. I need to cut back on what is out there, but that still doesn't help me find the story.
The player's characters have been kept a secret. Everyone around them was involved in destroying their home, why would they keep the characters being alive a secret? The guy who is now in charge of the land got this power by betraying the warlord of their clan. I don't know why he is helping them survive now. I keep hoping that the answer will just come to me, but so far all I have is that he is a sick son-of-a-gun, and this is some weak form of revenge. I don't know. Maybe he feels guilty . . . I doubt it, but maybe he does. He was the warlord's bannerman. He chose his king over his clan and was rewarded. I've got to answer this question before I can get anywhere.
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Post by ripx187 on Oct 27, 2019 22:24:22 GMT -5
The sandbox is alluding me as well. This, according to the mainland, is enemy territory. The men here are alligned with orcs. There isn't enough resources to stay alive, they must steal to survive. Killing people who aren't them is not just the means to an end, it is a way of life. My players are already surprised that orcs aren't badguys here. I have no real conflict except for humans. The players aren't citizens, according to the laws, they are slaves but they have not yet been discovered. That isn't a very interesting sandbox. Perhaps once we advance the story some I can start adding elements in? We're starting out in the wilderness, and trying to get to civilization, perhaps I should reverse things and make the cities the deadly areas?
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Post by The Perilous Dreamer on Oct 28, 2019 3:27:16 GMT -5
I do not know that I can give you much advice since I do not really prep at all. In fact, for me doing anything ahead of time is really tough, but when the players are in front of me the ideas flow. But given what you have told us so far, it looks really interesting to me. I like the viking stuff a lot and the clans, that is rich territory to work with. The bad guy, the warlord's bannerman is now the new warlord. So he needs to deal with all the close relatives/friends of the old warlord, probably selling them all into slavery. So does he want them as his own slaves or does he want them sold far away, sol they will never make it back. So maybe they have to steal some ships to escape or they have to get loose and take over the ship after it sets sail to where ever the slave markets are. They will probably be chained to a bench pulling on a oar or something like that. Maybe they have to pick the lock on their chains.
A lot of ways this can go.
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Post by ripx187 on Oct 28, 2019 12:24:13 GMT -5
Most of my problems have to do with story and character motivations. I've got an orc-lord who was instrumental in killing the men of the PC's clan. He is in on the secret and keeps it. So the players robbed a war-chest from the guy who is really in charge of the area, "The Mumbler", the orc was responsible for transporting supplies to the battle so the Mumbler told him to go find the missing supplies and return them. One of the Mumbler's commanders went with because he had a magic item in the caravan that was lost. Once they found the PCs, the orc turned on the commander and walked away without any of the supplies.
He can't go back to The Mumbler empty-handed, I don't know what he is going to do. He had suggested that they all return to the battle and fight the dwarves, but the players chose to keep the money and try to fence it to Huron, the Warlord who "politically" is in charge but kept under the thumb of the King by "The Mumbler".
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Post by The Perilous Dreamer on Oct 28, 2019 15:04:31 GMT -5
Most of my problems have to do with story and character motivations. I've got an orc-lord who was instrumental in killing the men of the PC's clan. He is in on the secret and keeps it. So the players robbed a war-chest from the guy who is really in charge of the area, "The Mumbler", the orc was responsible for transporting supplies to the battle so the Mumbler told him to go find the missing supplies and return them. One of the Mumbler's commanders went with because he had a magic item in the caravan that was lost. Once they found the PCs, the orc turned on the commander and walked away without any of the supplies. He can't go back to The Mumbler empty-handed, I don't know what he is going to do. He had suggested that they all return to the battle and fight the dwarves, but the players chose to keep the money and try to fence it to Huron, the Warlord who "politically" is in charge but kept under the thumb of the King by "The Mumbler". I am a little confused here, did they steal a war-chest or steal supplies? I could see fencing the supplies, but not a war-chest? If the orc and a commander found the PCs with the supplies, then if the orc turned on the commander that would (IMV) mean that he was throwing his lot in with the PCs and joining them. Why are the players wanting to sell supplies to the Warlord? Why are they not trying to cut a deal with the dwarves?
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Post by mao on Oct 29, 2019 6:18:56 GMT -5
Maybe the Mumbler is a Rakshasa in disguise? Maybe he is a cultist(my go to answer)? Controlled by a Mind Flayer? Doppelganger? The machinations of a powerful Orc Shaman?
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Post by ripx187 on Oct 29, 2019 12:20:02 GMT -5
The party group up hiding in the mountains and forests, they are starving and living fist to mouth. Gold in here has only one purpose, gift giving. The old shield maiden who saved them and kept them alive for the last 15 years hopes to restore Hvaf, their home. The Dwarves here are hostle. In D&D they are in decline, but not in my world. They hate everybody.
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Post by Admin Pete on Oct 29, 2019 15:18:39 GMT -5
The party group up hiding in the mountains and forests, they are starving and living fist to mouth. Gold in here has only one purpose, gift giving. The old shield maiden who saved them and kept them alive for the last 15 years hopes to restore Hvaf, their home. The Dwarves here are hostle. In D&D they are in decline, but not in my world. They hate everybody. Wait a minute, the party has been hiding and starving for 15 years of game time? Ok, the dwarves are hostile, but they still love gold don't they?
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Post by ripx187 on Oct 30, 2019 11:16:17 GMT -5
The party group up hiding in the mountains and forests, they are starving and living fist to mouth. Gold in here has only one purpose, gift giving. The old shield maiden who saved them and kept them alive for the last 15 years hopes to restore Hvaf, their home. The Dwarves here are hostle. In D&D they are in decline, but not in my world. They hate everybody. Wait a minute, the party has been hiding and starving for 15 years of game time? Ok, the dwarves are hostile, but they still love gold don't they? Anyone who goes into the Fells of the Dwarf are never heard from again. Long ago a man managed to return from the Fells with his life, and a hammer. With this hammer he crafted steel and smited his enemies with lightning. He who holds the hammer of the Fells rules. This man is King and the Hammer has stayed in his family ever since. It is known that great riches and power can be had in the Fells, the Dwarven Stonemen make raids upon the vikings, hoping to exterminate them once and for all, they burn what little crops they can sow, take entire herds of livestock, and do whatever it takes to keep men as far from the mountains as possible. The King pushes back. Dwarves in this world are not Player Characters, they are unable to be in the sun. They do not forgive and they do not forget.
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Post by hengest on Oct 30, 2019 19:35:39 GMT -5
Wait a minute, the party has been hiding and starving for 15 years of game time? Ok, the dwarves are hostile, but they still love gold don't they? Anyone who goes into the Fells of the Dwarf are never heard from again. Long ago a man managed to return from the Fells with his life, and a hammer. With this hammer he crafted steel and smited his enemies with lightning. He who holds the hammer of the Fells rules. This man is King and the Hammer has stayed in his family ever since. It is known that great riches and power can be had in the Fells, the Dwarven Stonemen make raids upon the vikings, hoping to exterminate them once and for all, they burn what little crops they can sow, take entire herds of livestock, and do whatever it takes to keep men as far from the mountains as possible. The King pushes back. Dwarves in this world are not Player Characters, they are unable to be in the sun. They do not forgive and they do not forget. I don't have much helpful to add here, but I like this. I wish I could play.
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Post by The Perilous Dreamer on Nov 4, 2019 0:42:14 GMT -5
How is this coming along ripx187? You have some conundrums here.
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Post by ripx187 on Nov 4, 2019 0:57:52 GMT -5
Just free-writing here has helped immensely. I just have to set up my sandbox, and keep things moving and more action packed than normal games that I have DMed in the past.
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Post by The Perilous Dreamer on Nov 4, 2019 1:06:34 GMT -5
Just free-writing here has helped immensely. I just have to set up my sandbox, and keep things moving and more action packed than normal games that I have DMed in the past. Cool! Glad it has helped.
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Post by mao on Nov 5, 2019 6:49:51 GMT -5
Was there something specific that has shaken your confedence? Keep at it , your muse is waiting for you
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Post by Mighty Darci on Nov 19, 2019 1:38:48 GMT -5
ripx187, does your world, your players party have any thieves? Are they high enough level to have a chance at the Hammer?
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Post by ripx187 on Nov 19, 2019 12:45:23 GMT -5
ripx187 , does your world, your players party have any thieves? Are they high enough level to have a chance at the Hammer? Those who have tried before, Mighty Darci, earned only an agonizing death as it slowly rendered their bodies to something best not discussed. Even a dwarf cannot just take the item from its owner; the Hammer has made its choice.
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Post by Mighty Darci on Nov 24, 2019 16:35:14 GMT -5
ripx187 , does your world, your players party have any thieves? Are they high enough level to have a chance at the Hammer? Those who have tried before, Mighty Darci , earned only an agonizing death as it slowly rendered their bodies to something best not discussed. Even a dwarf cannot just take the item from its owner; the Hammer has made its choice. ripx187, without knowing much more about your setting, it looks like you have painted them into a corner and now you need to decide how to give them options that don't guarantee death. You need to introduce some wild cards, so they have new options that are not there right now. At least that is the way it looks. Have their actions painted them into this corner, if so let them die. Or have you painted them into this corner, if so was this always a no win scenario?
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Post by ripx187 on Nov 25, 2019 12:17:18 GMT -5
Those who have tried before, Mighty Darci , earned only an agonizing death as it slowly rendered their bodies to something best not discussed. Even a dwarf cannot just take the item from its owner; the Hammer has made its choice. ripx187 , without knowing much more about your setting, it looks like you have painted them into a corner and now you need to decide how to give them options that don't guarantee death. You need to introduce some wild cards, so they have new options that are not there right now. At least that is the way it looks. Have their actions painted them into this corner, if so let them die. Or have you painted them into this corner, if so was this always a no win scenario? They aren't in a corner, they are outclassed by the king. I designed a viable world: This king, for all of his violence and viciousness, is stable. The players wanted to play in the section of the world that were badguys, which might be fun! They are just starting out, and low level. I don't design worlds with gaming in mind, I try to design fictional settings that work on their own. Fighting the King and all of his men should be hard, if not impossible, but there are other ways to harm the king than combat. These are long-term campaigns, not short things that we play a couple of times and move on. There are things to do, and objectives that are available, but the King is a long-term goal.
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Post by Admin Pete on Nov 25, 2019 14:24:08 GMT -5
ripx187 , without knowing much more about your setting, it looks like you have painted them into a corner and now you need to decide how to give them options that don't guarantee death. You need to introduce some wild cards, so they have new options that are not there right now. At least that is the way it looks. Have their actions painted them into this corner, if so let them die. Or have you painted them into this corner, if so was this always a no win scenario? They aren't in a corner, they are outclassed by the king. I designed a viable world: This king, for all of his violence and viciousness, is stable. The players wanted to play in the section of the world that were badguys, which might be fun! They are just starting out, and low level. I don't design worlds with gaming in mind, I try to design fictional settings that work on their own. Fighting the King and all of his men should be hard, if not impossible, but there are other ways to harm the king than combat. These are long-term campaigns, not short things that we play a couple of times and move on. There are things to do, and objectives that are available, but the King is a long-term goal. OK,that sheds a different light on things. I thought, and maybe others did too, that your players were at the point of an unavoidable TPK.
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Post by Mighty Darci on Jan 25, 2020 2:09:21 GMT -5
Fighting the King and all of his men should be hard, if not impossible, but there are other ways to harm the king than combat. There are things to do, and objectives that are available, but the King is a long-term goal. Hmm other ways, I have been giving this thought and I am not coming up with any, a hint please.
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Post by hengest on Apr 11, 2021 18:32:45 GMT -5
Whatever happened with this? I just read over these freewriting posts and wanted to play in this game.
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Post by Admin Pete on Apr 23, 2021 16:26:24 GMT -5
Whatever happened with this? I just read over these freewriting posts and wanted to play in this game. I imagine that the bug brought all of this to an abrupt halt. But an update by ripx187 would be a great thing, if he has time.
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Post by Morton on Apr 24, 2021 23:40:39 GMT -5
Whatever happened with this? I just read over these freewriting posts and wanted to play in this game. I imagine that the bug brought all of this to an abrupt halt. But an update by ripx187 would be a great thing, if he has time. Man ripx187, reading through all of the above, you are hardcore. That is some crazy world you have there.
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