Ok, so here's the deal. I have a distinct feeling (mostly because our GM has said so) that our Carrion Crown Campaign (try saying that three times fast) isn't going past Haunting of Harrowstone, for a few reasons (GM leaving and general boredom). I want to write my own campaign, and have three ideas, all with various problems. I'm going to list them here so strangers on the internet can help me make decisions. Yay modern era thinking!
So here they are, and none of them are entirely thought out save basic feel:
PCs investigating the disappearance of several acquaintances are drawn to clandestine dining parties hosted by a prominent shadow sorcerer at his manse in the Spires. Soon after, they uncover evidence that some attendees engage in gruesome acts of cannibalism. Further inquiry leads them into the perverse world of a secret society of “living vampires” who host orgies where participants cut themselves with shards of volcanic glass and drink each other’s blood. The cannibals are actually shapeshifters hiding among these bloodletters that seek to manipulate the Umbral Court.
Since it doesn't explain what kind of shapeshifters, I was going to make it a cabal of serpentfolk (I really, really like serpentfolk, if anyone's noticed) who've lived amongst the Nidalese for centuries. Now after the defeat of Ydersius (this would be post-Serpent's Skull, a campaign my group got halfway through before various factors made us stop ((I'm sensing a theme here))), these humbled serpentfolk are attempting a subtler, less genocidal approach, hoping to create a nation on the surface where their kind can rebuild and, eventually, cooperate with other races more-or-less peacefully. But to do that, they need land, and it just so happens they've watched the Nidalese people and the Umbral court grow decadent and unsuspecting, and seeing as they are not very well liked by their neighbours (save Cheliax, but their hardly in a state to do some invading, seeing as they need to get their own house in order), they imagine as long as they present a mostly harmless front, that the rest of Avistan would see it as them doing the world a favour if they tore Nidal down and built their own nation. The PCs will have to decide between the lesser of two evils: helping the serpentfolk in a somewhat altruistic goal, and hope that they could possibly be turned to the path of good if given the right influence (assuming the party's good, if not who cares), or perpetuating the vile and evil status quo that is Nidal.
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I have a feeling people just ignore threads I start......hhhhmmm....they obviously need more Blackjack and Hookers...
I, too, think it's the vampires. What, is this Twilight V: Vampyres of Varisia?
Anyway, your problems you list are not really problems I think people can help with aside from telling you to man up. Your hesitant to do anything because it's already been done. Big deal. It's a custom campaign; if your players can't stretch imagination for you bending some customs then they fail to grasp the fantasy element of the entire game. It's all made-up with a basis in something else.
You're not willing to attempt something because someone else did it poorly a year ago? That's your own fault for letting some other person influence you so thoroughly.
And finally, if you and your compatriots are too squeamish to deal with cannibalism, I think I have no words. I'll assume you're all at least adults; grow a pair and do what your actually want to do. It's not like your LARPing the thing with actual dead bodies; you're reading text.
And that, that's my help for you. I don't mean to be rude or uncouth, especially because I don't know you, but again, your problems are hardly related to game play and more about your personal stance regarding what you want to do. And hey, if you don't want to write a path in Irrisen, make up your own location. The group was summoned to another plane of existence and now they need to deal with this impending threat. It gives you the liberty of making an area that is entirely your own so that you aren't combating anyone with "Well that's not the way I understand they do it in Whitethrone" blah blah blah.
Bonne Chance!
With number 3, we're not talking about cannibalism, that's nothing. I'm the guy who came out of Silence of the Lambs and said "ya know, that Hannibal guy had some good ideas" (joking by the way). We're talking about extreme sadomasochism; flaying your skin off and replacing it with someone else's, having choirs of mutilated slaves specifically tortured to emit musical notes, removing people's liver and feeding it to them while they sit in a vat of acid with open wounds covering 90% of their body. Sh*t like that. Think Dark Eldar from Warhammer only describing the tortures in lurid detail instead of broad strokes. If you don't play warhammer, think of the movies Hellraiser or Saw (I think. Never actually seen them. Heard they're terrible but a lot like this) only on crack. A mixture of Heavy Rain and Silent Hill. Nidal really should be called 'Really-F*cked-Up-O-Landia'.
And also, I know these problems aren't really game-breaking, I mainly started this thread because I'm indecisive and couldn't decide.
First, I'd like to say I love your ideas. I prefer the serpentfolk overthrowing Nidal the most. I also agree with downerbeautiful, you are the architect, so build what you want.
See, I love that idea too, but again, the squick factor. I have a feeling that at least two members in the group are really squeamish, and I don't want to alienate them.
Honestly, I'm the kinda GM that likes to put monsters into roles that they don't normally take. Having the PCs ally with serpentfolk to otherthrow an absolutely evil country is perfection in my eyes.
Yeah, basically it's the one I want to do, but to me, my job as GM is to make sure the players have fun, and if they have to hold their fingers in their ears and sing happy songs while I describe the Kuthite priest shoving splints into a guys joints and hanging him from chains directly in his flesh, that's not really fun is it?
If you spend all the time explaining the grittiness of the place, you'll never be able to play. Someone is getting flayed or flogged on a street corner every five seconds there. I feel like you should focus on that part when you first introduce the setting to your players and when it is crucial to a scene, otherwise it will become repetitive and slightly cheesy.
Good point. My players already think I'm weird though, and if I set a campaign in sadomasochism land, then they'll think I'm a pervert (which I am, but not that kind of pervert).
But, it's the one my heart calls to me to make, so I'll probably go with it anyway. I'll explain to them that, if at any point they feel uncomfortable, they just need say it and I'll tone it down.
Now just try to refrain from making Snake Men and King Hiss jokes at the table. You should keep a journal on here, I'd very much like to see your progress with this campaign idea.
just who i would do things: drop all 3 hooks, let the players "pick" one va role play not saying this dose not some time go weird on you and make you combined them.(happened to me once zombies + alines turned out great. thank you Aboleth)
Perhaps I will keep a journal of it. But we probably won't be starting that one for a month or so.
Also, I know it's only semi-related, but what's people's opinion on this: I'm still of the opinion that since serpentfolk are warmblooded and give live birth, females should, well, look female. I know they're reptiles, but still.....it creeps me out when I can't tell what gender a humanoid is by looking at it....Do people agree or am I just weird?
If people are interested I might put the finished (or mostly finished, I'll continue working on it) thing up on google docs or something. If it's not complete dribble maybe someone might want to try it themselves!
Yeah......yeah......
I don't think you're a perv, please put up a link to the doc.
Okay, UPDATE!!!
Apparently, we're not even getting past Harrowstone, as the current GM basically said 'f*&^ it, let's do your thing'. So instead of having a month and a half to prepare, I have a week......yay.......
Also, the players wanted to do the vampire one. That's ok, I can work around that and still do the Snakey Nidal-y one.
Here is our party so far. Note the vamp templates are homebrew, and are not mine. I'll provide a link when I can scrounge it up. Also, nosferatu in this are going by the 'Vampire the Masquerade' theme, as in they can look normal-ish, but there is always one creepy, disturbing features that shows that they're somehow 'off-kilter':
-NE Human Nosferatu Druid with the Storm domain. His feature is that he has fanged teeth sprouting from his face like acne (player chose that, not me).
-CE Giant Nosferatu Rogue. Not sure what kind of giant yet, but he's using modified ARG rules. Not sure what creepy feature he'll have yet.
-LE Demon-Spawn Tiefling Skeletal Champion Cavalier riding a Skeletal Horse. Didn't want to be a vampire. Le sigh....
My players are weird....
I'll post the basic synopsis soon.
EDIT: Forgot to mention, the PCs will be starting at 5th level.
His feature is that he has fanged teeth sprouting from his face like acne (player chose that, not me).
The teeth themselves have fangs? I genuinely hope they do, it sounds cool. Like those squid with teeth in their suction cups.
Here is the basic outline of the overarching plot. Not sure if I'm happy with it, but let's see what other people think.
I might actually go combine this with some of the other ideas, not sure. 'The Bloodletters' didn't turn out the way I expected, and I'm not sure what to think of it.
Any comments? Or am I just shouting into the void (i.e. business as usual)?
I changed around a few things. Changed the god of the Umbra from Lissala to Count Ranalc, and Pal Cadool from a LN wizard 5/cleric 5/mystic theurge 5 to a N shadowcaster wizard 10.
Well, here is the link for Chapter 1, which is still highly unfinished, but this way you can watch me as I update it. Nobody cares, but meh, might as well.
Also, as promised, here are the hookers and blackjack.
Blackjack
Pony Blackjack
Pathfinder Hookers
Pathfinder Hookers 2: Hot and Steamy
Pathfinder Hookers 9: Jungle Fever in Savith-Yhi (a.k.a. Elves do it in the Trees)
Click if you dare! Mwuhahaha!!!!
Yeah, I know that. I'm just new to actually writing the adventure down. I usually just think of a story and wing it from there. I'm still learning how to properly format it.
EDIT: There, fixed it.
Yeah, I'm not sure what I'm going to do now. I'm having trouble with this adventure, might do something else.
Just ignore the stuff I've posted so far.