Hello fellow Pathfinder fans! I am a beginner Game Master, and have been creating an adventure for my friends set in a world of my creation that is based upon 18th century Europe.
The characters are:
1st level Cavalier
1st level Psychic Warrior
1st level Bloodrager
Here is the intro to my adventure:
In the great world of Torinzia, there are several great and powerful countries and kingdoms. The most powerful of them all are the kingdoms of The United Empire, The Kingdom of France, High Scotland, The New Mughal Empire, Mongolia, Austria-Russia, and the Order of The Holy Empire of Rome. Recently, there was a great war between the kingdoms of Torinzia, called the War of Scottish Succession, ending with the treaty of Europe. After the war, Poland, which held a lot of power before the conflict, was devastated. The Scottish lowlands were given to the Mughal Empire, which renamed itself the New Mughal Empire. The highlands of Scotland formed an empire and renamed itself High Scotland. After the war, a secret political coup happened in the countries that won the war. This coup was led by The Serpents Order which now controls the winning countries You three adventurers are only living people who know about this. All others are dead. They are ruthless. Stop Them.
Please give some advice. Criticism is always welcome!
How developed are the countries in this world? The power of magic often tend to outshine every mundane action, so I wonder if the rich have any reason to sponsor inventors seeking to test their new "Heat Engine". You could for example hire a magician to cast Teleport for you twice a day, or you travel by carriage for 3 months to reach the same destination.
How is magic treated? A level 16 wizard can eliminate the army of a country if he felt like it, and there should be some restrictions placed upon those who have the aptitude for magic. Maybe they are all captured by the government and trained from a very young age to be the perfect weapons? Void of emotions other than love for their country and hate for all others.
This is assuming that there will be magic at all in your world. But since one of your players is a Bloodrager, I think you should think through how magic is affecting the world in a setting other than the classic medieval one.
Other than advice about your world; how are the players supposed to accomplish their goal? A large organization chasing them would mean a more stealthy kind of campaign, do you think they can handle that? I imagine them to be avoiding the eyes of the Serpents by taking the smuggling routes and doing favors for the mob if they lack money.
Thanks for your advice and criticism!
In this world, magic-users are generally socially shunned, and considered evil in most countries. Exceptions are tribes (like the Tribes in Amazonia(another campaign country))and Austria-Russia, a corporate run country, where they consider them useful in business. I was planning to have the characters use blackmail, bribery and subterfuge to take over a militia that is openly run by a tyrannic gang, which thrives on a social hierarchy. Then, I would allow the player characters to have the option to use the resources they just gained to help their cause, and negotiate with a group of elves living in a forest.
So what is the main goal of this campaign? They have made themselves the enemies of atleast(?) half a dozen countries one way or another, and are probably wanted "criminals" in every country which the Serpents control.
Are they to they reveal some horrible secret the Serpents are hiding, and in that way undermine their influence?
Should they rally the remains of the defeated countries and the neautral countries to fight the combined might of the Serpents?
Shouldn't they just flee? When three individuals are against such a great force, the first logical act would be to flee.
Do the Serpents have some kind of hideous, evil masterplan for the world? Why would these three adventurers risk their lives fighting against the Serpents?
The most probable reasons for not fleeing are revenge, survival or sense of justice. The PCs are free to come up with their own motivations, but an enemy as big as half a dozen countries would discourage almost everyone.
you might want to decrease the scale of the conflict a bit if they are normal adventurers. A level 1 character is no superhuman, and would be squished like a bug if he tried to go against the local mob, even more so against a country.
Maybe you should start out the campaign at a much smaller scale, and then progressively reveal who it is that is really pulling the strings.
You appear to have a lot of Macro information about your campaign, which would be great for a wargaming campaign, but it might be worth looking at bringing it down and describing the micro part of the campaign. Where in the world will the characters come from? If it is 18th century style campaign, and they come from different countries how did they come together? Where did they come together? If characters are from a different country than the one they are in, how do the locals treat them (in Europe at the time you have it set there would be open animosity towards foreigners (with the exception of some costal ports, who may be used to them).
What are the social standings of the characters? Peasants, gentry, royals, outlanders? Why should they care about the big wars?
Is the church as powerful as it was in real life at the time of the campaign?
If, as has been suggested, magic plays a part in the campaign, what of magical creatures and monsters? playable races?
Thanks all of you for posting!
The characters, once coming into a town are treated with respect. My players usually try and insert themselves into the top positions of the social hierarchy and gain the resources of gangs.
Here are the reasons for why the characters fight against the Order.
One of my players character (the Psychic Warrior), witnessed her whole tribe slowly succumb to disease because of a trader who had brought the disease and worked for the serpents order. (similar to what happened to the natives of North America)
The Bloodrager wants to take over the serpents order for money, while the Cavalier wants to do it for the good of the common folk.
Sadly, I seem to have run out of ideas.
The players are doing a favor for a shady organization, taking over positions of power in a colonization and then giving them to the organization. When we last left off, the characters had just claimed positions of power. I'm planning to have the village fight of a group of barbarian tribes, but I don't know if this is the right direction for my campaign.
Any tips to get over Dm's block?
Thanks!
If they are taking over a colonization, you could implement historical incidents regarding the colonization of africa if you can't seem to get your inspiration going.
*****
The inhuman abuse of the natives is something I can see the Cavalier not being able to stomach if he has a sense of justice.
You could also try to recreate the Psychic Warrior's background story through their actions here. Maybe give them the choice of either poisoning one of the barbarian tribes' well, or lose lives in a battle against them. Make them question if the end justifies the means.
And as for the shady organization... what are the organization's reasons for trusting your players?
Shady organizations often get rid of their puppets once they have outlived their usefullness. You could wrap up the colonization sub-plot by directing your players against the shady organization, giving them more power as they take over the leader's position.
Not to bring down your balloon, but did you just create a campaign world where black people and Asian people don't exist?
Can you see why certain people might find that problematic? Hell, I'm a white guy whose family is from Eastern Europe, and I find it problematic.
Aside from that, I'm going to suggest that you do something radical: steal ideas from other places. Take a look for any adventure from Masque of the Red Death, or Cthulhu by gaslight, and you'll have plenty to use or adapt, without breaking your back over this.
The best adventure I know of that matches your criteria is Horror on the Orient Express.
Thanks Wonderstell and Anonymous Visitor 163 576!
Not to bring down your balloon, but did you just create a campaign world where black people and Asian people don't exist?
Can you see why certain people might find that problematic? Hell, I'm a white guy whose family is from Eastern Europe, and I find it problematic
Oops, sorry I wasn't clearer about what my campaign was based on. My sincere apologies. By based on Europe I meant the events in Europe, like the wars and stuff.
f they are taking over a colonization, you could implement historical incidents regarding the colonization of africa if you can't seem to get your inspiration going.
*****
The inhuman abuse of the natives is something I can see the Cavalier not being able to stomach if he has a sense of justice.
You could also try to recreate the Psychic Warrior's background story through their actions here. Maybe give them the choice of either poisoning one of the barbarian tribes' well, or lose lives in a battle against them. Make them question if the end justifies the means.
Hmm... good idea thanks!
Aside from that, I'm going to suggest that you do something radical: steal ideas from other places. Take a look for any adventure from Masque of the Red Death, or Cthulhu by gaslight, and you'll have plenty to use or adapt, without breaking your back over this.
The best adventure I know of that matches your criteria is Horror on the Orient Express.
Thanks, I shall take these into to account as well!