Part of any problem with starting a new adventure is how can you get the PC's (in character) to feasibly go along with the adventure from the get go. In this case, Mr. Mona set up the very apropo motive of "getting the hell out of dodge." To really tie the PC's into Diamond Lake (or Daggerford from the FR, as I'm running it) we had a pre-session where we talked about characters, Diamond Lake, and what they may be doing there in the first place. To really encourage them, I gave them all a *free* level of one of the NPC classes to give them mundane reasons (besides adventuring) for them to exist and to tie them directly into Diamond Lake's economy/everyday life. This extra level is a bonus level and as I didn't want to penalize them for actually trying to go along with the story and develop peronsalities/wants/desires, etc., for their characters, they are still 1st level characters needing 1,000 exp. to advance to second level. While some used this extra level to avoid the ECL penalty for more powerful races (Aasimar and half-giant, respectively) I did get a drunken Dwarven Fighter/Expert Metallurgist, an Aristocrat/Sorceror apprenticed to Allustan (Delfen), and a lackey niece Moon-Elf Expert/Rogue "eavesdropper" working for Ellival. Luckily, the Aasimar went for a cleric (Lathander, whose temple is in town) and the half-giant went for a Druid (from the Bronzewood Lodge) who, while not proficient with an oversized great axe, is still capable of dropping it on a few Bombadier Beetles with splattering success.
Thanks to Mr. Mona, et al., for giving us a story to tell, rather than simply some dice to roll.
I'm getting ready to start running the game in a few weeks and I think I'm going to use this same idea. I was also thinking of just making all the PC's miners. Has anyone done this? Did it work?
Beldar
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Having the PCs be miners was my default plan if my players hadn't had such great ideas of their own. Giving them a level of Expert (or something similar) is an interesting idea. I'm curious how that'll play out.
I'm finding having one of the PCs interested in the history of the cairns helps to fuel things well. Here's what the players came up with some input from me, feel free to use and abuse to your liking:
PC#1: dwarf priest of Dumathoin from Greysmere, bastard son of Ragnolin Dourstone; the mining accident he cause was to kill the mother and her family; character is interested in Seekers (more ties to his past) and cairns along with facing his father for the truth.
PC#2: half-orc child of half-orc parents that worked in silver mine; parents killed when mine tapped into cairn with earth elemental guardian; PC was able to stop elemental when it broke into Ignan speech; recently arrived to town Allustan hears of this and takes half-orc as bodyguard; over nine years of service becomes a legitimate apprentice; huge interest in cairns and all thing elemental (earth genasai ancestry will come to bear later). It's odd having a wizard with a 20 STR — I wonder if he'll survive the way he is forgetting he is just a d4 HD...
PC#3: half Baklunish son of merchant family from High Ery (downstream from Diamond Lake); mother's maiden name is Land to help tie the PC to the ghost's plight in WC; father was a pro at Dragonchess; one trip to Diamond Lake for business and informal tournament father was killed and his Baklunish Dragonchess pieces were stolen; PC has trained and become part of garrison in attempt to ascertain who killed father and to try and track down the Baklunish Dragonchess set.
PC#4: Suloise decendent refugee from the Hold of the Sea Princes; survived the trail to the Free City by picking up art of cards and gambling (going to use the new card game WotC is releasing); was a successful gambler in Free City and was invited to a "special" game; opponent that broke him is the member of the directing oligarchy that is under the control of the doppelgangers; sent to Diamond Lake as part of debtor sentence; just released and looking to recover capital to play the oligarch once more...
Their backgrounds worked out nicely to give the PCs immediate ties to Diamond Lake and the Cairn Hills. By the time their own personal agendas are met, the bigger story of the Age of Worms will keep them moving forward.
I gave them the burning plague. Smenk is "recruiting" miners by offering to cure them of the plague, but they have to sign a year long contract to mine for Smenk. This gave me the chance to "give" the players a lot of information they picked up in the year they lived in DL.
I told my players "You're all currently in this town and you don't want to stay here much longer." The players went from there. One's a down on her luck bard, run out of Sharn for gambling debts. Another's a hometown boy and member of the militia, looking for soemthing better. I gave the group general carte blanche to create a story that met my requirements and they did admirably without need for my interference.
rooster
Well, our characters are in it just out of money and curiosity. We have no real ties in Diamond Lake, we just happen to be there...and currently no burning passion to get out either.
I have:
Fighter: A lackey of Smenk native to DL who is getting disenchanted with his life of thuggery. Plus he wants to take Constance Grace away from it all. I'm still deciding whether or not to have Smenk kill her off for giving away information about his involvement with the Ebon Triad to Neff.
Sorceror: Native to DL, she started working at the Emporium, although her uncanny abilities with a crossbow and magic act are wearing thin for her. (A point blank shot, precise shot and truestrike combo)
Druid: Horrified at the pillaging of nature on his way to warrior school, the son of a local squire stopped at the Bronzewood lodge and began druid training instead.
Rogue: The changeling is on the lam from the Free City after one of her scams went sour. She currently works as a human barmaid in the Emporium and also as an elven seamstress under the protection of Ellival Moonmeadow.
Both the fighter and sorceror also have 'find the child' plotlines; the sorceror's little brother ran away with the Emporium's beastmaster and the fighter is looking for Constance Grace's son. Unbeknownst to him, the boy has been kidnapped by Smenk, which should make for an interesting scene...