To draw my players deeper into the Shackled City campaign and to increase their enjoyment of it, I've recently started weaving special character-based plots and rewards throughout it. For now, I'm focusing on adding guild involvements (using the excellent "Guildcraft" pdf from Bastion Press as a guide) and items that my players have expressed a desire in obtaining (using ideas and rules from WOTC's "Weapons of Legacy" book).
I'm interested in hearing what concepts other DM's have added to their campaigns to make it more unique and enjoyable for their players.
Here's a list of my players and what I've been working on for them:
Half-elf Thief
GUILD: After finishing "Life's Bazaar", this player was visited by the Last Laugh and will join them as a novice guildmember (which will, of course, run her into trouble later in the campaign).
ITEM: At some point soon, she will purchase/find a legacy item with the Dancing Blade ability that she's always wanted, but of course she'll have to work to develop her knowledge of the blade.
Halfling Paladin
GUILD: The paladin has recently met Alek Tercival, and Alek has offered to provide instruction and guidance for the up-and-coming Paladin. (It'll be tragic when Alek dies...)
ITEM: A family heirloom will be brought to the Paladin during the next module. At that point, the Paladin's father has died and bequeaths an ancient sword to him which appears to be a standard +1 longsword...
This individual also wants/needs the Boots of Springing/Striding that will be obtained when they rescue Shensen.
Barbarian Fighter
GUILD: This player unexpectedly runs into (literally) the chieftain of his tribe--I've been developing stats for a tribe in the Hellfurnace region. The chieftain reinforces their bond and the two of them exact a blood promise to support each other when most needed (which could involve a barbarian horde getting involved later in the campaign).
ITEMS: In an upcoming meeting with a dragon during Zenith's trajectory, the fighter will find what appears to be a standard +1 greatsword...
Human Sorceror
GUILD: I'm still researching a Sorceror's Guild to add. I haven't found anything in the Greyhawk Gazeteer that really grabs me, but I'm also examining what guild might be useful to port in from the Forgotten Realms or another setting.
ITEM: He found a staff in a recent treasure that radiates magic and is researching it, but he hasn't yet unlocked the first legacy power.
What have other DM's added for their players? Maybe I can steal some ideas...
Hurm.
>> I'm still researching a Sorceror's Guild to add
There's the MTA (Magical Threat Agency?) that appears later in the campaign.
Have you worked up full Guildcraft-levels for those yet? Those would be nice to see.
There's the MTA (Magical Threat Agency?) that appears later in the campaign.
Have you worked up full Guildcraft-levels for those yet? Those would be nice to see.
That's right! Thanks DMFTodd, I had forgotten about the MTA and I'll take a closer look at them. If I recall though, I was initially a little underwhelmed at the MTA's background and objectives, but that's a great hook for my player and I could weave them in with a more powerful Sorceror's Guild.
I plan to take most of my guildcraft levels/feats/benefits directly from the PDF that I referenced, perhaps with slight modifications.
Hurm.
That's right! Thanks DMFTodd, I had forgotten about the MTA and I'll take a closer look at them. If I recall though, I was initially a little underwhelmed at the MTA's background and objectives, but that's a great hook for my player and I could weave them in with a more powerful Sorceror's Guild.
I have used the Gray Hand Enforcer PrC and information from Waterdeep Accesory to describe the MTA. The wizard of the group will be their chieftain and trainer ;)
I'm interested in hearing what concepts other DM's have added to their campaigns to make it more unique and enjoyable for their players.
I've tried to make sure that every one of my players has connections to different NPCs and parts of the campaign so they can really feel the impact of the storyline.
Clarrissa Orion Rose, Favored Soul of Heronious was an orphan raised at the Lantern Street Orphanage. She was discovered to have divine magical abilities and was accepted into the Temple of St. Cuthbert at the age of sixteen to begin religious training. They discovered that Clarrissa was an odd child and were not quite sure what to make of her. Jenna became something of a mother towards the girl. Clarrissa continued to keep strong ties with the orphanage and was attacked by the Last Laugh twice for visiting the Orphanage. If it wasn’t for the involvement of some passerby’s she may have died. Very soon Clarrissa will meet the paladin Alek Tercival and develop a friendship with him.
Frieda McKay is a monk of Heronious that managed to escape the destruction of her monastery when it was destroyed by a red dragon attack on the Outskirts of Cauldron. She continued her training under the half-drow Shensen until the dark elf had nothing else she could teach her. Then she traveled to Cauldron to spread the faith of Heronious and made some contacts in all the local temples. She also picked up some work for the Lanthenmires teaching Cora Lanthenmire unarmed combat. When she discovered Clarrissa she felt it was a sign from Heronious that she had to help guide the young woman on the path of Heronious. After Life’s Bazaar she is going to be “let go” by the Lanthenmires since the Stormblades have become so successful. She will also meet Alek Tercivel.
Leif is a wood elf scout that had a sister that left home to live in Cauldron. He went to Cauldron to find her and ask her to come home. She had fallen in love with a human and when that relationship failed she began working as a waitress at the Tipped Tankard. She introduced Leif to Tyros Amberhlem who hired Leif to guard some caravans for him to nearby settlements. When Leif returned from one of these outings his sister had disappeared. She had become one of Kazmojens slaves. When Leif went to rescue her he was told that a beholder had spirited his sister away. When he returns to Tyros the dwarf will tell Leif that there is something big going down in Cauldron and that he believes the Scouts sister is still alive and part of it. Leif will also meet the Blue Duke and possibly receive an invitation to be hired by him.
Benner Scrivener is a wizard who was sent (along with his sister) to Lord Vhalantru for guidance in Cauldron. Lord Vhalantru set Benner and his sister up in the Bluewater Academy. Although Benner’s sister left the Academy Benner aspired to become a wizard under the tutelage of a master wizard (Weer). The young wizard decided that he wanted to gather together a group of adventurers so that he could gain money and experience and advance in power. He will turn to Lord Vhalantru to sponsor their adventuring charter in town.
Artemis Steelspell is Benner’s sister and a Spellthief. She was expelled from the Bluewater Academy for petty theft and took to a life of crime on the streets of Cauldron. She has ties to the Last Laugh and Ally Bashers. Jil is actually an associate of hers and will drop in from time to time to see how she is doing. Most of the party doesn’t trust her and Benner is trying to guide her away from a life of crime. Her involvement with the Last Laugh will become more evident as the game progresses as Jil befriends her.
Thump-thump is a simple half-orc with a heart of gold. His mother is a devout follower of Heronious and used to work at the same monastery as Frieda before it was destroyed. Now she works in Cauldron as a seamstress and her son Thump-thump works as a bouncer some nights at the Tipped Tankard. Thump-thump is friends with Artmus of the Tip Tankard and is about to meet and hopefully befriend Deakon Stormshield (Leader of the Stormblades IMC).
I have used the Gray Hand Enforcer PrC and information from Waterdeep Accesory to describe the MTA. The wizard of the group will be their chieftain and trainer ;)
Hmm. I wasn't planning on purchasing the Waterdeep accessory, but I'll scan it in my FLGS to see if I can spot some good details to add.
Thanks Mobuttu!
I've tried to make sure that every one of my players has connections to different NPCs and parts of the campaign so they can really feel the impact of the storyline.
Clarrissa Orion Rose, Favored Soul of Heronious...
Frieda McKay is a monk of Heronious...
Leif is a wood elf scout...
Sean,
Those are excellent ideas for weaving your player characters into the Cauldron background! I particularly like their linked history with a member or two of the Stormblades (since there's going to be a bit of contention between the groups in the near future) and I plan to incorporate some of those ideas into my current game. It's details like those that make Cauldron feel more like a living, breathing city, and one that they've grown up in.
Once I've settled on the general makeup of my barbarian clan and the sorceror's guild (the SC campaign doesn't really provide much in the way of suggestions for these two sorts of player organizations) I'll post a bit of detail here for comment.
Thanks!
Hurm.
Hmm. I wasn't planning on purchasing the Waterdeep accessory, but I'll scan it in my FLGS to see if I can spot some good details to add.
Sure, with minor tweaks it is easely adapted to SCAP.
It's probably too late for this, but I would have made Mommy Dearest BE Lady Rhvial (however you spell that) and I would have made the brother BE Alec. Introducing two extra NPCs adds further complications and having an NPC turn out to be the bad guy is more fun that the NPC being one-removed from the bad guy.
Maybe Mommy Dearest IS the Lady R. character. Mommy kills her off her at some point before Lords of Oblivion to take her place. Perhaps BOTH Alec and the Brother become entrapped in the Demonscar.
I like the tie-ins though.
I've introduced pretty modest sub-plots for the PCs. One that may be useful is a house affiliation. Nothing as important as in Eberron, but, for example, a house affiliation with Maavu through their parents. Sometimes when the PC goes around, he gets positive/negative reactions because of this. Particularly, when he is around when one of the warehouses of another merchant is robbed (perhaps in Drakthar's Way).
Dedekind
My party started out in Forgotten Realms, so most of the references are from there. It all started with a Half-Elf Bookkeeper and information broker with ties to both the Harpers (good) and the Kraken Society (evil).
He needed help to find Blankarde (from AoW), who has a different name in my campaign. So he hired a band of tieflings to help (the rest of the party). One died, and came back as a calishiete (middle eastern type) priest of Mask (god of thievery and intrigue).
I introduced a gang-war starting between the Last Laugh, and a very small number of highlevel calishiete assassins, lead by Sheik Al Emir Abu Jafar - a high priest of Mask run out of his home country. The guys, who are 50/50 into combat/intrigue, took an instant liking to them (think Last Man Standing type scenario).
Because they didnt kill Rhiavadi, or any of her guests, they are hoping to get a piece of the pie. At the moment, they are contemplating how to win some allies, and foil the plot to turn the Silver Marshes into a demoninfested area (which will bring about meddling wizards and adventures).
I think you are on the correct path. The more you can take each character and make something unique with your campaign that appeals to that character, and his backdrop - the more memorable for the guys.