In which we look back ... and start again.

Ok, we all know what railroads are.  There's a LOT of argument about  sandboxes.  And some folks use the term "amusement park."  And they're all kind of mobile plot points on a graph and fine if you like that kinda thing.  I was HOPING to move beyond that but I keep missing the mark.  We started with the Masks of Destiny campaign and a bunch of little side trips that were fun, when needed, to bump the party up a level.  It was good.  We all had fun.  Until they all died.  

And then we started over.  I wanted it to be more of a "garden" type game, but I couldn't resist the urge to throw in a through-line with a campaign-closing BBG.  So I planted my garden and sowed a bunch of seeds of plotlines that were interconnected.  And they traipsed through the garden for a while.  Then wandered off for a while.  Then came back adn started making progress.  Then they all died.  

So now we're starting over again.  No more over-arching BBG.  Yet.  Tried using a world balance mechanic last game.  Nice touch but surely better mechanics have been developed in the last 40+ years.  So THIS time around I'm trying (more) new things.  Players wanted a little more political intrigue and I have a "mechanic" to handle that.  AND I'm going to try using Dungeon World Fronts more.  After a session I'll review existing fronts, move them forward (or not) and review the session to see if perhaps there's a new front coming.  Party can address the front or not and we'll where that leads.  Already have one front in place.  Two more in development.  As the folks at DW say: 

"Fronts are built outside of active play. They’re the solo fun that you get to have between games—rubbing your hands and cackling evilly to yourself as you craft the foes with which to challenge your PCs. You may tweak or adjust your fronts during play (who knows when inspiration will strike?) but the meat of them comes from preparation between sessions."

Looking fwd to where next Tuesday takes us.

 

In which we kinda have a TPK

 or perhaps have a kinda TPK.  I'm delaying this post for a bit so the party can "move on" from these decisions.  

So .... The party was at the brink of a lost shrine seeking to retrieve a powerful artifact for the Cartographers Guild who would compensate them with some info they'd been seeking.  They enter the shrine, dispatch a few random encounters, move deeper into the complex, locate a hidden secret exit from the shrine. find the McGuffin, outwit the traps and obtain it. They're down to about 50% HP.  There's been a countdown die on the table.  It's gone from 10 to 1 while looking for the McGuffin.  Instead of leaving asap they opt to "explore the rest of the complex."  I keep the countdown die at 1 but their next encounter is with a modified Yuan-ti Night Talker who gives them a vision.  The Barbarian and the Champion see a panorama of the earth opening up, demons spewing across the earth as the party leads Yuan-ti, humans, elves and dwarves in an epic battle against the BBEG.  The Druid sees cultists pouring forth from this shrine, heading through the woods to locate the Druid's mentor in order to kill him.  And The Bard sees that this IS the McGuffin they've been sent to find but that it's also the 2nd part of the three-part weapon needed to slay the BBG.  A tough choice awaits.  

I figured seeing all this would result in them heading out to find the third part of the Dingus.  Nope.  "Let's explore more of the dungeon."  Turned the countdown clock to 0 and the resident BBG found them.  They coulda taken him at 75% but not at 50.  Rather than killing them blindly here I opted to capture them.  They found themselves stripped naked and tied together.  After freeing themselves they set about ... exploring the shrine - hoping to find weapons, clothing, equipment ... before setting out into the below freezing weather for the 5-8 day trek back to civilization.  And that's where we left it.

In the week off I reached out to each character and offered them safe passage to civilization IF they'd swear fealty to their dragon lich demon lord. leave the continent and never return.  None of them have accepted it .... yet.  We'll see what happens Tuesday night.  

In which we start over

 TPK last time out.  In the first hour of a three hour session.  But the last two hours were a fun session of character building for the NEXT campaign.  Players wanted a little more political intrigue, maybe a military invasion, in a traditional campaign setting.   That exists!  Northern hemisphere.  Bucolic forests and beautiful rivers, nestled between a stereotypical Celtic culture and the eastern edge of a bunch of wood elves.  

A ranger.  A warlock.  A wizard leaning toward Hexblade.  And a fighter leaning toward Battlemaster.  With a high level rogue waiting in the wings.  A little short on the healing arts but the players know how to work as a team.  

Ready to rework the econ system just a tad.  Modifying the spreadsheet to account for the presence or raw materials and manufacturers.  Might have a two month breaking hitting which will allow for those changes.  Also need to incorporate the political struggles of a bunch of lordly houses.  Know I have a book coming which will result in the addition of a crap-ton of resources.  And I need to look into that whole military campaign thing.  

The map was largely made.  Took me an hour to rough out the infrastructure.  I need to start dropping POI's.  Come up with a "system" - already incipient.   The last two campaigns were plotted out 20-step mega-campaigns.  This one?  One step at a time.  I'll put together 2-3 plot lines each week and see which hook they bite.  And where the story takes us.

Almost forgot - The Boy (part of my Kitchen Cabinet) pointed me to this youtube video.  I watched it a few years back but had forgotten. 

In which we make a big leap in the plot development

 I admit this is the first time I've "written" a campaign.  Designed is a MUCH better word. And as expected there were ... ahem ... issues.  But the study, learning and development goes on.  I regularly visit a dozen design blogs and follow half as many youtube channels.  And only two podcasts.  But the "how to improve/fix" gene is strong here.  

I've wrongly assumed the party would follow my well-placed plot hooks.  They didn't.  Spent most of the winter (in-world) heading the wrong direction.  But I've FINALLY planted the clues (and they've been taken up) that cajole them back into the maelstrom.  They're finally seeing that that IGNORING the problem will only make it worse - for them, and others.  And they're seeing the other side of THAT coin - that addressing the problem, in no matter HOW small a fashion, will have a positive impact on the world.  

I think when spring came but winter didn't leave is when they realized something bigger than them was up.  Right now they're standing at a doorstep.  There's still ample opportunity to turn away.  To pass the cup (since it's Easter.)  But I don't think they will.  Sometime in the next session there will be three major revelations - one clear and two cloudy.  If they unravel the cloudy ones they will clear up and give them a total of three positive courses of action.  

Or they can get on a boat, sail for Dwarfheim and leave this land to rot.  I'm ready for that too.

ps.  Sorry for starting three paragraphs in a row with "I."  Having an Obama moment.  

and thanx to Red Ragged Fiend.  Followed their advice on "building" a DM binder.  Helped immensely. Even (especially?) the parts I ignored.