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So, I'm making a campaing for my girlfriend who has agreed to game with me. She really likes high fantasy, and the world of the magic and fairies, unicorns, potions, nymphs, gnomes, glyphs, and so on. Still, a story to be compelling must have a conflict and a hero. But what will this hero defend if not a beautiful world.
I want to create a world where the pixie faires are born from flowers and halflings tap their feet to bardic music along with forest nymphs that dance to the tone. I know my girlfriend doesn't enjoy bloodshed, but she herself enjoys being the hero (she herself has wrote a fantasy story, where the main characters fend of evil gnomes and kill their leader.)
Might sound cheese to most of you, but still I need your help.
Help me create the story of this world and the "why" it needs defending.
I'll much appreciate it =D
Stealthy infiltration/sabotage is something that's actually easier to run when there's only one person (since there won't be that fighter/cleric/whoever in heavy armor announcing your presence). There are a lot of adventures where heroes fight as a last resort, and have missions to retrieve information/mess up the production of weapons or whatnot.
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Stealthy infiltration/sabotage is something that's actually easier to run when there's only one person (since there won't be that fighter/cleric/whoever in heavy armor announcing your presence). There are a lot of adventures where heroes fight as a last resort, and have missions to retrieve information/mess up the production of weapons or whatnot.
I'm listening, would you care give me an example?
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Inspirations: Fairy Tales, Disney Feature Films, Terry Pratchett (Particularly Wee Free Men, Hat Full of Sky, Wintersmith, I Shall Wear Midnight), Mouseguard, Stardust (Neil Gaiman), Blue Rose, The Goonies, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Brave, Fables (old ones and the Comic Book), The Legend of Zelda.
Faraway
The Land of Faraway is a land steeped in Magic and lore. Where mortals and fey often meet. Spooky Forests give way to well tended apple orchards, meadows mix with farmlands, massive mountains give way to hobbit holes. Faraway is ruled by a king or queen, elected by the Council of Seasons, the current monarch is Queen Sable. Beloved by her people she has remained Queen for 10 years with her fair rulership, from the throne at Swanheath Faraway has known the longest peace since the defeat of the Wicked Warlock of Whitestone.
The Conflict: Strange monsters are stalking the land, nightmares the likes of which haven't been seen since the Warlock War. Normally the armies would be made ready at the Queen's command, but the queen has fallen ill. A sleeping sickness that she can not awake from and the Council of Seasons is at a stalemate as to what to do, and where to send the armies.
The Story:
Part 1: The Wishing Tree
Our hero (or heroes), begin far from Swanheath, in the Spring Village of Aluvel. Teenagers coming of age, and seeking apprenticeship. First there is an old tradition in Aluvel; to seek out the Wishing Tree in the Alu-Wood and make a wish. Normally this is a pleasant stroll through the woods, a chance to have a picnic. This time though there's complications. More than half-way there the PC comes across an injured animal, its foot caught in a cruel bear trap (a big cat, or wolf basically a free animal companion). The animal can talk! Although it doesn't remember how it can talk or why, it just remembers falling asleep and waking up as and waking up as an animal.
Once at the tree itself they find a tribe of Goblins! Camped outside and within the Wishing Tree. The PC will need to trick, sneak or fight her way through the goblins in order to make her wish.
At the the well inside the tree as the PC is about to make their wish lights spring up from the well and show the Sleeping Queen, and then the land itself slowly being covered in darkness. People being taken prisoner by monsters. Cats sleeping with dogs. Mass hysteria. Then the vision suddenly changes and it's the queen again, turned into an animal (the type found by the PCs), and three items: A Lock, A Key, A Bell and a Book. These four items when brought to the queen awaken her from her dream and drive back the dark forces at that are awakening. The animal companion suddenly remembers that she is in fact the queen, or at least part of her. She is not sure how her mind has been put in the body of an animal but she begs the PC to help her return to her body.
Part 2: The Call to Adventure
The PC(s) then go back to the village, and can ask around. Many people are incredulous at the PC's claim that the animal is in fact the queen, especially since no one else understands the animal's speech. Except for one person: Old Hatty, the witch of the Slushfens. Hatty can help the PCs with their quest, but first Old Hatty needs some help. Lizardfolk are squatting in her Shack of Many Doors, and she needs help clearing them out.
The PCs head to the Slushfens and discover the Lizardfolk aren't squatting for no reason. A group of Hobgoblins have taken over their traditional home in the Deep Slushfens, the lizardfolk fear the return of the Wicked Warlock of Whitestone. The PCs need to convince the Lizardfolk to be brave, and take back their home and the PC can help.
When the Hobgoblins are sent packing the PCs can then use the Shack of Many Doors to find the objects they need.
The Doors to Adventure:
The Key is in The Summerlands: Guarded by orcs in a great tomb (which in turn is guarded by skeletons and a mummy!)
The Lock is in the Winterlands: Held by a capricious Yuki-O-Na, who uses it to keep her love locked away, because she can not be with the mortal she loves so much. The PC needs to convince the Yuki-O-Na that it's okay to feel the pain of rejection, or to convince the object of her love to return it (he is afraid because he has made a promise to another). Basically it should be a sticky knot to untangle.
The Bell is in the Autumnlands in the Clockwork village of Avernell. The town was once populated by gnomes, but now the entire population appear to be clockwork people that run to the time of the enourmous clock in the centre of town. This is a mystery adventure where the PCs talk to the strange clockworks (think Modrons from Planescape), and learn where the Gnomes have gone. The answer to the mystery is that the gnomes are beneath the clocktower providing its power and thus the power for all the clockworks.
The Book is in the Springlands in the Slushfens, in the Hut of Many Doors! Hatty was using the PCs to collect the other objects for her in order to use the Queen's Soul to restore her youth! The PCs will either fight Hatty, or convince the old witch of the error of her ways. Either way the PCs will have all the objects they need. Now they need to get to the Queen!
The Journey:
With the power of the Hut of Many Doors closed to the PCs, they'll need to trek from their village at the edge of Faraway to Swanheath. This is a travelogue adventure, along the way the PCs should become aware of the rising threat of goblins, hobgoblins, bugbears, dragons and undead - the Servants of the Warlock of Whitestone. Along the way the PCs:
- Rescue a boy witch from being mobbed by frightened villagers.
- Get chased by an overwhelming number of Goblins, Hobgoblins and Bugbears.
- Defend a village from the above monsters.
- Try to avoid a dragon by travelling through the Dwarf-Halls beneath a mountain. Learning the history of the Warlock of Whitestone.
- Discover the dragon is possessed by the spirit of the Warlock of Whitestone.
- Escape that dragon by sealing it within the mountain.
Reach Swanheath.
The Quest:
Unfortunately not just anyone can visit the Queen. The PC will need to convince the Council to do so. Spring is an easy sell as the PCs are from the Spring region. They must convince at least two other council members to let them see the queen.
Winter is against it - the Dark Elf emissary distrusts the PC or any magic they might work on the Queen in her weakened state (more dangerously the Dark Elf Emissary of Winter enjoys her greater power whil the queen is asleep). She can be convinced if the PC can discover the Dark Elf queen's true reservations and confronts her with it.
Autumn - The Scarecrow Prince of Autumn is curious to see what will happen (since nothing so far has worked), but has an issue in the city that needs attention first. Children have been going missing from the Autumn Quarter and the watch have been unable to solve the mystery. The PCs can try and solve the mystery (the children are being kidnapped by Goblins and taken into a secret place in the sewers where hideous Goblin Alchemists are turning children into GOBLINS!
Summer - The Warchief of Summer is against the PC doing any rituals in the Queen's room without proof that that what they say is true. He demands the PC enter the Chamber of Dreams. Inside the Chamber the PCs will fight their greatest fears and nightmares, while trying to protect their hopes and dreams. After which the vision from the first adventure will play again for the Warchief of Summer to see.
After the PCs have convinced the Council they can enter the Queen's Chamber and release her soul from the animal's body. Just as they do so, the clarion sounds. The Dragon is attacking Swanheath!
The Battle for Swanheath
The PC will be made a general by the Queen and charged with helping the defense of the city.
The Summerwalls on the outskirts of the city are being sabotaged by Sappers. The PCs will need to travel beneath the city and stop the sappers.
The Winter River is being attacked by Goblin Pirates and the PCs need to commandeer a ship and use the cannons against the goblins!
The Spring Parks are being razed by the Dragon, the PCs will need to evacuate as many people as they can.
Autumntown is dealing with street fighting, and morale is falling the PCs will need to inspire the troops to take back key locations.
Depending on the PCs successes they might fight the climactic fight at the walls of the Palace or at the edges of one of the districts. The Warlock Possessed Dragon comes down and the PC will need to smite the creature once and for all with the help of the queen of course.
The End
Damage Rule Changes:
Change all damage to non-lethal unless a PC takes a -4 penalty on the attack roll to deal lethal damage. PCs are more likely to be knocked out than killed outright.
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If it's a solo campaign, I'd recommend throwing some helpful NPC companions. Let her command them, but you should still control their voices and decisions, but during combat allow your player to make the rolls for these companions.
Alternatively each adventure gives an opportunity to introduce new boon companions:
The Cursed Queen in adventure 1.
Mad Hatty, A Summerlander (half-orc or human), An Autumnlander (gnome or clockwork) and A Winterlander (dwarf of dark elf) in adventure 2.
Elves, Guards, Travellers and Dwarves in adventure 3.
Swanheath citizens, or the emmissaries in adventure 4.
The Queen and soldiers and perhaps old NPC friends in adventure 5.
In any case let me know what you think, I may have been influenced by Kingdom Hearts somehow as well.
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If it's a solo campaign, I'd recommend throwing some helpful NPC companions. Let her command them, but you should still control their voices and decisions, but during combat allow your player to make the rolls for these companions.
Alternatively each adventure gives an opportunity to introduce new boon companions:
The Cursed Queen in adventure 1.
Mad Hatty, A Summerlander (half-orc or human), An Autumnlander (gnome or clockwork) and A Winterlander (dwarf of dark elf) in adventure 2.
Elves, Guards, Travellers and Dwarves in adventure 3.
Swanheath citizens, or the emmissaries in adventure 4.
The Queen and soldiers and perhaps old NPC friends in adventure 5.In any case let me know what you think, I may have been influenced by Kingdom Hearts somehow as well.
Dudemeister my friend! you are now regarded as a trusted ally =D
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Yeah, Dudemeister, you get 10 Dude points for being awesome.
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Longínqua.
It is Portuguese for faraway... Not Castellano but close :-)
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Dudemeister, your ideas are amazing!
Remember the Kingdom of Far Far Away was a place in Shrek 2. :) I like the translations though.