Hello all,
I am currently running Rise of the Runelords and we just finished part 2 of burnt offerings "Local Heroes" it has gone really well so far, especially the shop keeper's daughter part, as I have one PC who is a rugged fighter who only cares about getting paid, laid and drunk. It was quite amusing. However I am having trouble really weaving each characters back story into the main one.
3 of my PC's have never played table top RPG's before so their backstories are quite simple but I want them to matter through this campaign.
Dakkon - Human Fighter
Mid 30's sell sword who is a skilled long sword fighter. He character has a "cursed" blade that stays with him. He doesn't want to acquire new weapons, only strengthen his main weapon. His background is pretty open and since he is hired muscle he can be incorporated into any other characters past as maybe he killed someone related to them or caused problems.
Idea: He went to visit Red Dog smithy and wanted to know about weapons and such. He pulled out his cursed blade and Red Dog was very curious. Now my idea is to somehow make an "heirloom" weapon that stays with him and grows stronger. As a way to balance it I was thinking it would break or weaken with use and he would have to keep repairing/paying to increase it's strength. Thoughts?
Kira - Half Elf Rogue
Mid twenties rogue who grew up in Magnimar but something bad happened and she was in an accident then lost her memory. She ended up in Sandpoint but doesn't remember much, she has been laying low and trying not to draw attention to herself until the swallowtail festival happened.
This PC is new and didn't know what to say for a back story, leaving it wide open for me to do whatever I want. I am not too sure what to do with this.
Jolrael - Human Druid
This is a pain, she is part of the Mwangi tribe, which is a crazy tribe that worships a devil god Angazhan whom is chaotic evil. She is seen as a weakling within her tribe and is sent out to prove herself by hunted a wild animal.
The only thing I can think to do is have her track down the sand point devil and use that as a trophy for her tribe? Any other ideas?
Marlowe - Ambiguous Half Elf Ranger
Orphaned at a young age and adopted by halfling's. She was raised an elderly couple and her grandmother passed away. She came to Sandpoint to arrange funeral plans for her. Her grandmother was also friends with Daverin Hosk (She chose campaign trait where she gets a free mount from him so it works nicely) and now they have a good connection.
During the raid I said that the stables was raided and Daverin's horses were taken. I gave her a sidequest to retrieve his prized horse and the baby which is her mount. I plan for them to find them in thistletop. Can't think of much else to do though with that.
Deckard - Human Sorceror
Also orphaned at a young age, he was best friends with a goblin named "Gapbelch" and they were caught stealing from a street performer named Deckard Deluto. The street performer took pity on him in and taught him the ways of swindling and magic, he began training with him and his inner arcane magic started to reveal itself. Eventually the old performer retired and the orphan took his name "Deckard Deluto" and began using his magic to do the same. He found himself at the festival as it was prime time to make some cash.
This is a good backstory and I plan to incorporate his childhood goblin friend, somewhere in thistletop. When Shalelu greats them adn tells them about the goblin tribes and their leaders. I plan to replace one with Gapbelch. Shalelu gives them a side quest to bring all the heads of the goblin tribes in doing so, it will trigger his memory and make him unsure what do to.
That's currently where I am at. This is my first time GM'ing a campaign and I am a little nervous. Luckily it's gone good so far and everyone is having fun. They managed to finish part 1 in a single session and part 2 in a single (long) session. I imagine part 3 will end up taking a lot longer and be more difficult for them.
Any advice that you guys have for me would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.
Hmm, I might have an idea for the amnesiac half-elf
Lets say Vorel Foxgloves wife, Kasanda, was an elf. Plus she was also a powerful mage. When the necromantic storm from Vorels failed Lich-transformation came over the manor, Kasanda tried to teleport her child away. Because of the magical residue still in the air, the spell slightly malfunctioned, teleporting her child to Magnimar a hundred years in the future. Plus, it ripped away most of her memory.
This origin could be used, to make Foxglove manor even creepier, as the PCs see pictures of the half elf, and the haunts seem to have something to do with her.
If she is Alderns obsession, the messages could be modified to Big Sister (When he met her in Sandpoint, he could not place her face, because he still had not come to terms with what happened in the manor, making him unable to remeber any portraits of her)
She totally is Aldern's obsession and that could work really well actually. However she wouldn't be his big sister right? If she was Vorel and Kasanda's daughter who was sent to the future, she would actually be a cousin to Aldern wouldn't she?
Thanks for the idea? What about the other ones? Having a hard time trying to make something really believable for all the characters.
The cursed blade could have a connection to the Runeforge, thus you could give the player a few hints about it.
Edit: Big Sister- it´s not about the real connection, more that she is Vorels original daughter, thus he feels that she is a sibling