My first TROS campaign(or any campaign), need help.

[coryblack_666]

Ok, so writing a capmpaign is a lot harder then i thought it would be.  I have a basic outline of a campaign going, the group is off to find the riddle.  The brief outline is them in a town because they heard someone here found the riddle, they find the guy and he did find it. he tells them to deliver something for him first, so they havea to take this neat crate with a fallen warrior sleeping inside with a magic sword.  So if they crack it and take hte pretty sword they can kill alot of stuff real good, including the warrior who will try to eat them because they took his sword.  Then the sword will lead them to who they were going to deliver it to anyway.

So the guy will be mad that the fallen warrior isn't with it, but glad he got the sword, unless they don't open it then he's really happy.  anyway, the guy they deliver the sword to is in a hut somewhere in anghard and is a mage who knows that the town they started in (which was in oustrenich(or something like that)) was taken over by gelure and the guy who sent them on the quest died of age anyway.  Then the wizard dude says the guy who found the riddle found it somewhere in the mountans of Odeon, so that's gonna inspire the characters to go there.


That's all i have so far, i have enough filler at the begining in the town for atleast a session or two.  there's gonna be a group of guys try to steel from them,  a guy they have to beat up for something, and a bounty on someone.  stuff like that.  but i really need some advice here, some idea's for small adventures on the side during their quest, something to add to it.  what kind of encounters and chalanges do you guys put in yours?  I don't want them fighting off some robin hood wanna be's all the way to the wizard and to odeon.

And i have a character who is a merchant like guy,  and i want him to have stuff to do to.  Any help guys?  This will be my first time writing a campaign and running a game.

[kenjib]

Hello Cory,

What are the characters' Spiritual Attributes.  If we know what they are, maybe we can give you some suggestions for things that tie into them.

[Ingenious]

Perhaps Cory, you could add some additional conflict to the plot.
Maybe some other such entity or person catches wind of the goods they are transporting.. and they might make an offer to the PC's.. OR, they might make them an offer they cannot refuse.. :-D
This can give way to many splits into how the rest of the story develops, do they double cross the wizard and feel his wrath? Or do they decline the new offer, and earn the wrath of the new entity? Or do they double-cross the new group, and then still deliver it to the wizard?
I'm sure the wizard would like it best if they didnt open the crate, double-crossed the people making the offer(who for all intensive purposes could/should be enemies of the wizard)..

I too would have more input if SA's were listed..
I wouldn't worry so much on the SA's, while they are a major part of the story.. they aren't the WHOLE story. Which I assume is why you are asking for side plots and events and such.

Sounds good so far though.
-Ingenious

[Alan]

Hi Cory,

The Riddle of Steel is unlike many RPGs you might have experienced.  Rather than have the seneschal set out a story for the players to follow, the players set out the elements that interest them and the senschal follows those.  

So the trick is to surrender to the SAs - provide an environment and then respond to the player's SAs.  Offer each player as many events that let them play their SAs as possible.  Weave your ideas into those events, don't set out your events and hope players will buy into them.

So, we might be able to offer some advice for this approach if you let us know the player's spiritual attributes.

[coryblack_666]

well i dont actualy ahve all there SA's. any of them as a matter of fact.  I havn't quite pounded into them how importent they are and so they havn't even made them all yet im betting.

The biggest thing im worried about is the guy who isn't combat oriented.  mostly the merchant dude, i htink he'll come up with lots of stuff for himself to do that i can easily help supply him with, but i still want to have stuff in there where he's gonna be needed for more than his crossbow.


but yea SA's wouldbe good, i figured throwing in stuff for the SA's would be easy.  i was just hoping for help with little extra's you throw in there for the guys to find or see or do.    What you gave me though was good.

But yea, all of us are new to TROS, they have the jist of the combat, and i know most of it.

So you guys are saying to make up side adventures on the fly invlolving their SA's?  IM gonna make most of them have atleast the DRIVE for seeking the riddle, or faith or something, and have everyone els have some kind of connection to thosep eople for htem to seek.  Well i spent many hours setting up what i did in the town, and so it's set up so im sure they will follow it, i didn't put alot of detail there's lots of room for play and what not.  but there are some triggers i set up for them so im almost positive they will atleast get to the wizard guy.

so you guys say not much els for planning afterwards, and just wing what's happening?  HAve just a bunch of random NPC's ready for them to fight or argue with or whatever?  Caus i can improv, but man!  i gota hve somethin rdy, if there walkin around doin stuff and nothing ever happens to them...bah im gonna stop here, i think im just repeating myself, im tired. any and all imput is good guys, sorry for incoherency and typingwrongo's.

[Bankuei]

Hi Cory,

Welcome to the Forge!  I think many people here, myself included, would be very worried about the fact that you have:

1) begun outlining the campaign without SAs
2) have characters without SAs.

For most TROS games, the GM would either poll the players for the sort of things they're wanting in the campaign, or out and out inform them in a general sense what the campaign will be about, and let them craft the SAs from there.

But, and very important:  SAs come before either of the 2 previous mentioned steps!!!!

The campaign should be about the SAs, not the side quests!  The players are telling you what the game should be about through the SAs.  Trying to do it otherwise will likely lead to some serious problems.

Chris

[coryblack_666]

That's completely udnerstandable.  But how me and my group usualy play.  The gm or senamachaleraguy(im tired) usualy comes up with some amazing type of game idea,  then we usualy make characters around it.  But that's just us, the next one i do will be based on SA's.  This one, SA's will come into play as often as possible and that will be alot.  But it's not exactly HUGE number one O' thing.  We're a crazy gaming group who have alot of fun RPing it and wow im tired.  Is it hopless??  I mean, there gonna be after the riddle.  There's no tiny side stuff you guys can give me for idea's that don't require SA's?

IM done postin tonight, i hope now.  Ill apologize now for the garbagey questions and typing and stuff, and probably again tommorow when i know what i mightbe talkin about.  g'night.

[nsruf]

So you guys are saying to make up side adventures on the fly invlolving their SA's?

I'm new to the game myself, but from reading the rules and helpful posts on these boards, the situation is even "worse" (from a traditional POV): anything that does not involve the PC's SAs is - at best - a side adventure.

Consider this: if SAs are not involved, combat is very deadly, and character advancement is limited to skills only.

So how to approach a campaign? The first step would be to sit together with your players, outline the scenario you have come up with, and then let them design characters that are tied into the scenario via their SAs. And don't be afraid if they also include other key plot elements this way.

Reading the compiled threads on SA use (see the sticky thread on top of the page for links), should be helpful.

[Ingenious]

(Excuse the length of my rant, please)
Well, I did have that idea that basically adds to the main plot of delivering the guy/sword to the wizard..
and you could further modify that by making the second group that is interested in it stop at nothing in trying to prevent the wizard from getting it. Whether that be conjuring up some undead, hiring assassins, bandits, etc.. is up to you.

I also think the underworld would be quite adept at finding out that something's afoot.. and finding out there's a very powerful sword that is ripe for the stealing.. so that could be a third group involved..which poses alot of interesting plot ideas. What if they get tracked by some underworld types eh? What if their travelling mode gets sabotaged? If they're travelling by ship.. would they be attacked by pirates? (I figure word travels fast with these people)

The group I game in doesn't really come up with SA's beforehand, we usually start with a game concept(the current one being a zombie-infestation of Farrenshire.. which plays into the previous adventure a little bit..) So, as a player.. I just came up with SA's that revolved around the central theme of the story. I'd recommend that way of easing into TROS over just coming up with SA's and trying to have group cohesion with that in mind...because if you have alot of character's SA's that arent common(though you do state they should/will share the common drive of riddle-seeking) to the others.. it leads to some serious non-linear storyline. My only fear with non-linear storylines.. is that the characters/players end up persuing their own goals and therefore group cooperation suffers dramatically.

I'd say you're doing fine, try it this way once.. and then try it by creating SA's before the story. How can you run a TROS campaign in a specific style without writing the adventure's premise before the SA's eh? While many say that SA's are the most important thing in the game.. that can vary from different GMing styles. Maybe they occupy 70% of the story, maybe only 40%.

Have their horses or other mode of transportation to Odeon either die, sink.. etc. This presents a huge challenge to the characters then.. to either find a village, find another ship.. get rescued, etc etc. Also, do they have enough money to compensate for this? If not, you'll have to come up with something in the plot for them to get a few horses, or another ship..etc.

I can't think of anything else for now.. since it's 530am and like you, I'm tired.


Also, regarding the above post.. which was posted as I was writing..combat is only as deadly is you make it. For first timers, I myself would adopt a strategy of being soft on them for the first few sessions.. then gradually increase the NPC's combat abilities. You can soften the deadliness by just outright modifying the number of successes your NPC's roll. I don't recommend doing this with major NPC's though. So with minor NPC's.. thugs, brigands, people not important in the plot.. I'd not use counter, or evasive attack, or beat, or try to steal initiative.. etc etc etc.

-Ingenious

[Alan]

But how me and my group usualy play.  The gm or senamachaleraguy(im tired) usualy comes up with some amazing type of game idea,  then we usualy make characters around it.

Well, you can use TROS rules that way, but then you're missing out on what makes the game exceptional.  You were saying that you're having a hard time coming up with material for play.  Well, if your player's have SAs, coming up with material is easy.  There isn't much sweat.  You just make the main story about what they chose in their SAs.

Also, keep in mind that SAs have enormous effect on game mechanics.  They add to dice rolls when they are important to a conflict.  Combat is very deadly and SAs make the difference.  Also, SAs are the only way to improve traits and proficencies.  Playing without them is like playing without XP in D&D.

At this point, you could take three steps:

1) Sit everyone down before play and explain that they need SAs because otherwise they don't get any experience.  Then hammer out SAs for each character according to the rules.  Ask them to base SAs on what you've played so far.  You might suggest some like:

Faith: Riddleseeker (see the rulebook on religions)
Drive to be rich (great for the merchant).
Drive to explore the valley of [whereever their going]
Drive to gain knighthood
Drive to Bring Home Lost Brother
Passion: Hatred of [name the wizard their delivering the sword to]
Passion: Loyalty to [name the wizard their delivering the sword to]
Destined to Betray a Wizard
Destined to Uncover Great Power
etc.

And good old Consience and Luck are always good choices.

But make sure characters don't all have the same SAs!


2) Take some time to think of events that will let the players earn SA points.  If the SAs lead them on to something completely different from what you've been planning, go with the SAs.  Make lists, prepare opponents.  You can probably use the NPCs you've already got, but in ways different from what you originally planned.  If someone has "Drive to Bring Lost Brother Home" make someone his lost brother who doesn't want to come home.

3) Play.  The Seneschal's main job is to give players what their SAs say they want.  Be absolutely sure to give out SA points any time a character does something related to their SAs.  (I aim for 3 to 5 points per 4 hour session per character).  Be sure to suggest when SAs apply to a skill roll or whole combat.  Let players take it from there.  

I know it sounds wierd or impossible the first time you encounter it, but it really can be great fun - in my experience as GM, more fun than my previous carefully planned stories.

[coryblack_666]

well i had a good sleep and im back, thanks guys.  Ingeniuse, you gave me alot of help and sparked some idea's for me.  Alan, you had some great stuff too.

About the SA's i know how to use them and all that stuff, but thakns for the reminder that i need them for leveling up.

so thanks guys, you've been alot of help.  Next campaign ill build it up from the SA's this time SA's are gonna be built around it, atleast a few anyway,  they're seekin the riddle.  Ill just prep NPC's and throwing in encounters and stuff will be easy.

Thanks guys.

Any more idea's you guys have like the zombie infestation and bah i dunno. thanks.

[Tash]

I'm also preparing to run my first TRoS campaign, but with an added difficulty: my group rotates who is GMing on a weekly or bi-weekly basis so everyone can get to play.

I've sketched out a campaign (modeled on both the Black Company and the Sharp's Rifles series of novels) that will start off like this: In the south-western region of Stahl there are a pair of holdings, each run by a mid-level lord.  These holdings are fairly remote and isolated because of the mountainous terrain surrounding them.  I've screwed with the geography a bit, but basically they are nestled into a small triangle formed by two spurs of the Iron Teeth (I think that's the right range, don't have the map around right now) and the sectioned off from the rest of Sthal by a pair of rivers (actually tributaries of the same river).

Now Holding A is quite a bit larger than Holding B and makes a good deal of money from mining in the ore-righ mountains, however it must take its finished wares to markets via the river, which passes through holding B.

Holding B is smaller, has better soil and is therefore more agriculture based, but has the advantage of not only the larger river being entirely in its holding, but of a pair of passes that move through the mountains in Angharad.  So it makes quite a lot of money from trade.

Now peace has reigned in the region for some times, because of an accord between the two nobels.  A pays a reasonable tax to B for the use of the river, and in return they are able to buy food and goods from Angharad cheaply.

Unfortunatly this is about to come to an end.  The lord who holds teritory A has died and his eldest son has assumed the thronr.  He has decided that his people shouldn't have to pay to ship their goods to market (because that money should be going into his treasury).  The new lord was educated in the Stahlanish capital and is a ferverent atheist.  He decries all ties to other religions, especialy the Druidic nature worship that is common among the area's smallfolk.  Both his father and the lord of holding B were tolerant of it (and it is rumored even took aprt from time to time).

So he decides to launch a campaign to annex holding B, based on the the fact that evil religions and witchcraft are being practiced there.

Both sides begin marshalling their forces, with A have superior numbers and arms.  To combat this the aging Lord B issues a call for mercenaries and freeswords to enter his ranks.  The party members are all answer this call, for their own reason (I don't know yet, they will be defined when we do creation tomorrow and pick SAs).

Now the first session will basically be a boot camp:  the characters will fight a series of mock duels against each other (friendly sparring is a good way to build camraderie).  They will also pair off as a group against a group of mooks from the ranks (for group tactic practice).  This will give us all a feel for the system, which none have used before.

Following this they will be singled out by the master of arms and sent to meet an NPC named General Vargus.  He is the leader of the Grey Companions, an group of mercenaries hired by Lord B to supplement his forces.  They are specialists in light infantry tactics and fulfil the role of scouts/flankers/raiders/etc. in the army.  Impressed by the way the group handles themselves in training (assuming they don't make idiots of themselves) Vargus will offer the party a temporary commision, which both pays better and has the chance of landing them full membership in the companions (who are a repected and well regarded force in Stahl and abroad).

Their first mission will be to sneak in holding B and fire a series of bridges the the lord is using to bring his forces together.  After that the war will escalate rapidly and the party will be assigned various missions as the war progresses.

The cool thing about this setup is that there are plenty of open places for almost any SA to hook.  Someone is looking for a lost brother, what if they find him fighting for the other side?  Someone has strong faith in thier religion, well Lord B is brutally surpressing it in his lands and will do the same here if he wins.  Someone has a powerful love?  Ooops...she got kidnapped by raiding forces and is somewhere in enemy territory.

Do the players break from their assigned mission and risk the war to chase their SAs?  Conscience anyone?

What you need to do is look at your story and figure out where you can hook SAs into it so that they become the driving factor.  That way regardless of what the players want you can hook it into the existing flow of the campaign.  In my situation the "mission based" aspect of the campaign also makes it very easy for different people to take over GMing (we, as I said, we do frequently).  With SAs in place its easy for the new GM to steer the campaign in the right direction simply by reviewing the other character's SAs.  He'll know "Tash's character has this destiny and this passion and a high conscience, lets tie them together into a mission".

I think its a good setup, can't wait to get started.