It seems like more than a few folks are using these boards for pitching around adventure/campaign ideas, so I thought I would join in the fray with my predicament.
I've been trying to brainstorm some new ideas for a very long running campaign which focuses on a group of rogue/thief/thug types. My games typically have a combination of Ravenloft creepiness and Riddleport like thuggery. Themes include robbery, murder, assassination, larceny, embezzlement, extortion, and spying.
So my question: what kind of game would you want to play, if you were in a party of rogues? (Also, any references to pre-written urban adventures or favorite books, would be great.)
Thanks!
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It seems like more than a few folks are using these boards for pitching around adventure/campaign ideas
That is a very good point. The forum administrators might want to make these posts in a separate category (like they did for feedback on rejected synopsis for Pathfinder modules).
I've been trying to brainstorm some new ideas for a very long running campaign which focuses on a group of rogue/thief/thug types. My games typically have a combination of Ravenloft creepiness and Riddleport like thuggery. Themes include robbery, murder, assassination, larceny, embezzlement, extortion, and spying.
So my question: what kind of game would you want to play, if you were in a party of rogues? (Also, any references to pre-written urban adventures or favorite books, would be great.)
Thanks!
A party of Rogue-types will need to cover many roles with the same basic build. It should be fun to have the suave con-man, the know-it-all genius, the bruttish thug, the deft burglar and the stealthy spellcaster all having their time of glory.
I once played a member of a team of military covert ops being assigned various missions which ended up in our characters working with many different covers and thus exploring many facets of adventure : be the elite crimefighters one day and the criminals the week after ... I must say that I enjoyed it very much.
Three words for you: So Pran Os
It seems like more than a few folks are using these boards for pitching around adventure/campaign ideasThat is a very good point. The forum administrators might want to make these posts in a separate category (like they did for feedback on rejected synopsis for Pathfinder modules).
I use to be a huge fan of "What's a DM to do?" on the old Glemmax boards. I wish Paizo would bring something like that back - just catch all DM/Player advice.
Three words for you: So Pran Os
My trouble is that I have trouble sometimes translating stories from the Sopranos into interesting fantasy adventures and encounters. It's one thing to have the idea, another to put it into a cool encounter/adventure... but honestly, maybe I just need to sit down with the box set :)
Four words for you - Fafrd and the Grey Mouser. Okay, that's five, but the Lankhmar adventures have some good ideas for rogue type adventures
Do you think the books lend themselves to adventures leaning towards an evil-aligned party?
Maybe I should phrase the question like this: What kind of things to rogue do?
Stolen from Wikipedia:
Anthony Soprano, a capo in the DiMeo Crime Family, begins therapy with Dr. Jennifer Melfi after having anxiety attacks. His mother, Livia, refuses to move to a nursing home. Tony's Uncle Junior wants to use Tony's friend's restaurant as a location for a murder, but Tony prevents this by having the restaurant blown up. Christopher Moltisanti, Tony's nephew, murders the representative of a Czech mob that was trying to move in on the family waste management company.
[PC 01] starts having dreams that [PC 01’s god] punishes [PC 01] for not carrying out [PC 01’s god]’s design. If none of the PCs worship a god, then substitute a local noble or elder for the god. At some point an NPC will suggest that [PC 01] talk to a cleric/counselor/elder.
[PC 02]’s mother is getting on in years and needs taking care of. This does put a crimp in [PC 02]’s style and he will need to find a place to stash mom. If, like most true role players, all of your characters sprung to life fully formed, feel free to spring family/friends/acquaintances on them.
One of the PCs over hears the details of an assassination attempt that is planned in their favorite tavern. When they show up to prevent it, the tavern is already ablaze. Now how do you suppose that happened?
Target one of your trigger happy PCs to kill off some nobody. However, this nobody turns out to be a member of the local Thieve’s Guild. An easy way is to have this nobody be a local bully in the PC’s favorite tavern. This bully picks a fight with one of the PCs. Assuming the PCs are relatively sane and do not draw weapons first, some unfortunate accident happens to the bully. Maybe the PC grabs a mug and whaps said bully upside the head, except Mr. Bully does not get up. Or the PC lands a solid hit and Mr. Bully falls backward until a sharp object. Whoops. If the PCs attempt to rescue the bully, let them succeed. It works just as well if they do. Now the bully is grateful and treats the group like his best buddies. In fact, he introduces them to other members of the Thieve’s Guild.
Maybe I should phrase the question like this: What kind of things to rogue do?
What don't rogues do?
I've actually thought a few times that it would be cool to do an urban/rogue campaign with almost comicbook feel. During the day the thieves may have their "real" lives but at night they thrown on their gear and a mask.
You could actual just pick up some Batman comics for ideas. Take the ideas of Gotham city and make it fantasy. Especially some Catwoman stories.
And if your PC's are in fact "bad guys" you might even have your own "caped crusader" after them besides john law.
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Or a standard dungeon crawl.... the lower wards of the city and the connection to the smugglers den. It would be a hoot to track down the cities thieves guild only to find they are being controlled by a more powerful group, an evil cult, a group of snake men, or a branch of the crown itself. Then have to track them into a dark realm unknown to most in the bowls of the earth to go through and remove the traps and terrors with, all while not letting them know you were there.
I've been trying to brainstorm some new ideas for a very long running campaign which focuses on a group of rogue/thief/thug types. My games typically have a combination of Ravenloft creepiness and Riddleport like thuggery. Themes include robbery, murder, assassination, larceny, embezzlement, extortion, and spying.
Some general possibilities:
1) The PCs are members of the same criminal organization. They are given tasks to perform by their superiors; if they consistently do well, they are given more challenging (and lucrative) missions. There is also the possibility of moving up in the organization, getting them involved in (sometimes literally) cut-throat, backstabbing politics.
2) The PCs are independent criminals (bored aristocrats, street gang, etc.). They commit crimes while avoiding both the law and the local Thieves' Guild. Perhaps they are at "war" with the local guild or wish to supplant the leaders. Maybe they just want to stay independent or have other goals requiring large amounts of money.
3) The PCs are part of a secret organization (governmental or otherwise) involved in espionage. They are central to various intrigues and plots (finding things out, hiding secrets, etc.) advancing the organization's goals (or protecting the organization against rivals). This can be interwoven with one of the other two possibilities.
4) The campaign could be styled after Shadowrun, where the PCs take various jobs from "Sir Johnsons"...