Brainstorming for a new campaign!


Advice


So, I'm planning on starting up a one on one campaign with my future wife sometime after our wedding is done. (A bit less than a month now!) We tried playing once before, but I was very new at GMing and also was trying to run two or more NPCs. Needless to say, it was a disaster, and I'm hoping to redeem myself with this.
I have a rough idea of the tone of story, and she'll likely be playing a rogue. I'm probably going to be adding in an NPC teammate, now that I'm competent enough to do that. Anyway, here are some of the ideas I would like in play for a campaign story, feel free to throw out any ideas I could use!
-ancient civilisations/artifacts
-politics
-secret societies
-conspiracy
-elaborate heist scenarios


If you are starting her (and the NPC) off at first level and are using an urban setting, I suggest a street smarts sort of deal where she can pull small jobs, get into scrapes with guards and other NPCs, and she can get used to movement, combat and using her feats/skills. At low to middle levels, you can introduce a mysterious benefactor who hires them to find artifacts, steal art, plant evidence, kidnap or waylay people, etc. At mid to high levels, the thief has come into her own and has to negotiate the political environment of the thieves' guild and the town politicians.


My ideas so far: I'm considering running First Steps for an introductory adventure. Haven't decided if we'll just do part one, or the full three yet.
At some point during these missions, I'll tell the story of the Thieve's Coin (I'll probably make up a better name later), a coin that's rumored to hold magical properties, allowing its owner to find hidden gold anywhere they might travel, and perhaps other rogue related properties besides (and bragging rights, etc.). After this, I'll have my player come across a dying adventurer who gives her a map to one of several clues to the location of the coin. Some time later, upon the discovery of either a dead adventurer or an attempt on her life, the player will discover a secret plot by either the thieve's guild or one of the PFS factions (not sure which, I still have to read up on those) to cover up the existence of the artifact in the interest of balance of power.
Once the bread crumbs are followed, and the coin is found...who knows?


iambobdole1 wrote:

My ideas so far: I'm considering running First Steps for an introductory adventure. Haven't decided if we'll just do part one, or the full three yet.

At some point during these missions, I'll tell the story of the Thieve's Coin (I'll probably make up a better name later), a coin that's rumored to hold magical properties, allowing its owner to find hidden gold anywhere they might travel, and perhaps other rogue related properties besides (and bragging rights, etc.). After this, I'll have my player come across a dying adventurer who gives her a map to one of several clues to the location of the coin. Some time later, upon the discovery of either a dead adventurer or an attempt on her life, the player will discover a secret plot by either the thieve's guild or one of the PFS factions (not sure which, I still have to read up on those) to cover up the existence of the artifact in the interest of balance of power.
Once the bread crumbs are followed, and the coin is found...who knows?

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly happens.

But seriously, you could bum the plot off the movie and make it medieval.


That idea isn't half bad actually. I was originally considering using The Maltese Falcon for a plot, but I decided the artifact being a fake would be a terrible payoff.


I had an idea for an artefact centric side mission on a campaign. it works really well if someone in your party is after a legendary sword.

first the character or characters think they're going to find a legendary sword at the end of the dungeon. however when they get there all they find is a sword without a blade. essentially a magic rod, with a clue as to where to find the real sword.

one dungeon later they find shard of the sword which then reacts with the rod. you know have a dagger. rinse and repeat, Rod - Dagger - Short Sword - Longsword. each piece giving it an additional magical quality.

once the sword is complete it leads to a sacred place (shadow of colossus style) where you find the true artefact. what I had in mind was an alchemical dragon or some other awesome destructive engine haven't really made up my mind.

obviously, only one character can really benefit from the magic sword. so its best to include other awesome stuff for other players.

Dark Archive

Hmm, I enjoyed running part 1 of this. but part 2, 6 and 10 together sound a lot more like what you're looking for. You could easily start with part 1 and then follow up with the Olindor trilogy though. I ran part 1 for 2 players followed up by the Sixfold Trial, which is a great heist.

The coin sounds a little dull... I'd consider making it a lucky coin that gives a luck bonus on skills/saves a couple times per day, lands on heads if you call it 90% of the time, etc. The dying adventurers seem cliché, but if someone's actually behind this you might be able to pull it off.


iambobdole1 wrote:

So, I'm planning on starting up a one on one campaign with my future wife sometime after our wedding is done. (A bit less than a month now!) We tried playing once before, but I was very new at GMing and also was trying to run two or more NPCs. Needless to say, it was a disaster, and I'm hoping to redeem myself with this.

I have a rough idea of the tone of story, and she'll likely be playing a rogue. I'm probably going to be adding in an NPC teammate, now that I'm competent enough to do that. Anyway, here are some of the ideas I would like in play for a campaign story, feel free to throw out any ideas I could use!
-ancient civilisations/artifacts
-politics
-secret societies
-conspiracy
-elaborate heist scenarios

I think I may have a thread you can liberally rip ideas from. Here ya go.


Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I'm going to look into some of this stuff a bit further when I have some free time.


How about receiving a note with a clue about an ancient and or powerful treasure lost and forgotte from a dead relative.. That clue leads to another clue and so on and so forth... National treasure like.... Some require physical some require magical or some require mental challenges to get to the next clue.

Scarab Sages

Here's a 3rd party adventure path that might be right up your alley:

The Tomb of Haggemoth

It's got numerous fun interlocking scenarios, and its designed so that you can make your way through it with either combat, stealth, diplomacy, or all three as you like it. (full disclosure, I wrote it)

It's for 3.5, but crosses over to Pathfinder very easily.


Duncan888 wrote:
How about receiving a note with a clue about an ancient and or powerful treasure lost and forgotte from a dead relative.. That clue leads to another clue and so on and so forth... National treasure like.... Some require physical some require magical or some require mental challenges to get to the next clue.

I like the direction of this idea. Haven't quite nailed down everything, but I'm considering doing an 'Infinity Gauntlet' sort of artifact, maybe a belt, and have my PC collect the pieces. Still not sure if I want the gems to have powers or anything though.

RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

Will it be just your wife's PC and your GMPC?

Maybe look at "roguish" TV shows for inspiration, like White Collar, Psych, Burn Notice, The A-Team, Highlander, Xena, etc.

I think you definitely want your GMPC to have Stealth, too, but complimentary skills and abilities. And he should definitely be able to act as a flank buddy so your wife's PC can get sneak attacks. Maybe an inquisitor or ranger or bard?


It might be worth doing a court intrigue setting with buildings from an older civilization in the capital city. The castle that serves as the capitol could have levels beneath that are mostly unknown, with artifacts scattered throughout. There could be rival noble families who seek to explore the hidden levels to gain power and wealth. The king or queen hires your wife's PC and your GMPC to investigate both the lower levels and the families involved.

This allows a lot of interaction and roleplaying with NPCs at court, and allows for Indiana Jones/Tomb Raider style adventures. If a noble family acquires an artifact the two can break into their mansion to retrieve it. And there could be clues to other sites built by the ancient civilization, at higher levels you could travel to ruins of cities.

RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

And a team of rivals might be fun. Recurring not-so-bad guys.

A team of Inquisitor and Monk might be rivals from a church or something, maybe the church you usually get healing at.

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