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Alright, I'm starting my first campaign that has an actual storyline, instead of being a Castlevania-style dungeon crawler. It's also the test run for my homebrewed campaign setting. The problem is, I have no idea how to run it. I have a basic idea, which is:
The PCs will start out being brought together by yet-undetermined circumstances, which will lead to them being charged by the Church of Luna to fight against a cult known as the "Order of the True Flame". The Order claims that the gods are false ones, and are trying to remove the churches through sabotage. The PCs will eventually end up fighting the organized crime that is under the leadership of the Order.
Eventually, they will start fighting the higher-ranked priests of the Order, until they discover that the Order's High Priest is trying to unleash the wild magic that was sealed by the gods. This will lead to the party defeating the High Priest, which I want them to be around level 16 when they do so. Then, they will separate for a year, during which they research how to seal the wild magic that's already been released, and locating those points. The rest of the campaign, which will be mythic, will revolve around the party trying to seal the magic.
My real question is: what are some good ideas for things to put into the sessions? i.e. Like plots the Order is enacting that have to be stopped, how to gather the PCs together.
(Some other important info that I forgot:
Order of the True Flame: Kinda like Razimr's cults crossed with the Equalists from Legend of Korra. Made up mainly of sorcerers, with a couple of sorcerer/fighter "paladins".
PCs: A unicorn paladin of Luna, a LN unicorn arcanist, and a CN flame oracle pegasus.)
It always helps if the PCs start out already knowing each other. If possible, I usually ask my players to tie their backstories together to at least some degree. If not, they should at least be willing to work together. PCs who have no motivation to stay with the party are basically NPCs after all.
I generally like to give the players an idea of where the plot is going to go as well, which might include making them aware of an important NPC or two before they've started playing. In this case I'd say your best bet is to start out with them either knowing or getting to know someone in the church. A first outing/dungeon in the case of this plot might have absolutely nothing to do with the order, but rather serves to get the players acquainted with their allies. The order then comes in later, once the players are invested in the wellbeing of their friends in church.
Are you using Ponyfinder for the pony races, by the way?
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It always helps if the PCs start out already knowing each other. If possible, I usually ask my players to tie their backstories together to at least some degree. If not, they should at least be willing to work together. PCs who have no motivation to stay with the party are basically NPCs after all.
I generally like to give the players an idea of where the plot is going to go as well, which might include making them aware of an important NPC or two before they've started playing. In this case I'd say your best bet is to start out with them either knowing or getting to know someone in the church. A first outing/dungeon in the case of this plot might have absolutely nothing to do with the order, but rather serves to get the players acquainted with their allies. The order then comes in later, once the players are invested in the wellbeing of their friends in church.
Are you using Ponyfinder for the pony races, by the way?
Well, the arcanist and oracle have a connection already, but I'm still waiting on the paladin to finish up his backstory. Thanks for the idea, now I think I draw together a first session...
And yes, these are Ponyfinder races.
You sound like a person that would actually benefit from reading the GameMastery Guide. I'd recommend it.
What you need are not the answers but the skills to ask the right questions. The book will help.
Alright, I'll look into it.
And yes, these are Ponyfinder races.
Nice. I bought that book months ago and I've barely had any opportunity to use it, sadly. Only one character so far.
You should totally use one of the Unfulfilled, from Ponyfinder's bestiary, at some point. They're pretty darn cool.
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And yes, these are Ponyfinder races.Nice. I bought that book months ago and I've barely had any opportunity to use it, sadly. Only one character so far.
You should totally use one of the Unfulfilled, from Ponyfinder's bestiary, at some point. They're pretty darn cool.
Actually, they're custom races based on The Morphling's ruleset.
Campaigns are best when you can give the PCs reasons to begin a quest that are organic to their backstory. Figure out how to get them all moving in the same direction and the rest of your plot will fall into place.
Most PCs are motivated by money or the promise of treasure but the ones that you can figure out how to weave into the story will get the most roleplaying from the scenario. Paladins are easy to give quests to. Magic using characters will generally have a mentor that might ask them to perform a task for them. During that assignment, they meet the other PCs and join together.
There are some great 3pp supplements filled with adventure hooks to get PCs into a quest such as the aptly named 47 Adventure Hooks: Bringing Your PCs Together.