Campaign Help?
Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2017 3:22 am
Hi guys, I hope I'm posting this in the correct space (I don't normally use forums, but I'm learning to enjoy them). If this is the wrong place, would it be possible for a mod to move it instead of deleting it? I'd appreciate the help since I'm new here (and to forum posting in general).
I'm starting up a Ravenloft game using the Pathfinder RPG, and the excellent netbooks by Ryan Naylor (reading them over as I have time, they're great). As for the campaign itself, I'm trying for 1/2 of the party to be "outlanders" and the other 1/2 to be native to the demiplane of dread. I want to set it in a newly created domain, so that eventually the "natives" will learn that they didn't really exist before it was created (hopefully cueing existential crises). I'm toying with the idea of the main story being a power struggle being between a ghost, a vampire, and a werewolf vying for control of the new domain, each believing one of the others is the darklord. What they don't know is that the darklord is actually a cannibalistic dragon (Ravener, or Wyrmwraith, or some other type of undead dragon) that lives in some nearby mountains. There are a few issues I need help with, and I was told this was the place to get expert advice on all things Ravenloft, so here goes:
1) Names. I'm not good at naming things. Usually I try to find a closely related earth culture, and pick words from that language to name things (Like "Lou" for a french themed villager who is actually a werewolf). I'm thinking of maybe some Transylvanian names, any suggestions? Someone already suggested Balauria for the Domain name; balaur being the Romanian word for "dragon." That's exactly the kind of thing I like for names. Any other naming conventions people use that you're willing to share?
2) The Darklord. I'm not sure if dragons can even be darklords, or if it makes (logical/thematic) sense to have a dragon darklord. Do you think it would ruin the feel of gothic horror to make a dragon a darklord? Right now I'm thinking it was a brass dragon (or other traditionally good aligned dragon) that betrayed a higher calling (like being the guardian of a draconic graveyard), and in his madness thought he could escape his "curse" (his duty/higher calling) by eating other dragon's hearts to gain their power. Well, it "worked" as the mists closed in around him and "freed" him. They even gave him a new home; too bad it's infested with those filthy lesser races... Would a Darklord like this be better used as a dormant sleeping threat, or actively manipulating events? What would scare you more?
3) The Domain. Domains are made to fit the darklord right? So he's got a fairly large domain, but there are elves, dwarves, and humans "infesting" it. Should they be allied, or fighting each other; what would you guys do for the different races? Should there even be different races in the domain? I'm going to try and nudge my players towards human (and near human) characters, but I don't want to outright "NO" a few of my players that may want to be elves/dwarves so the xenophobia rules may get some flexing.
4) Alternative Darklords. If a dragon doesn't fit Ravenloft/gothic horror, I'll use one of the other antagonists as the darklord, but which one? Also, the domain will change from a fantasy styled land/kingdom to a victorian era themed domain (think the Bram Stoker's Dracula movie from the early 90's). I'll still need to take away some of the more advanced firearms and things like cameras. Any suggestions for alternate Domain themes that work well with Ravenloft besides "victorian era" flavored?
5) Introducing the Players. I may have a, "I'm a hero! CHAAAARGE!" style player. I don't want to run a combat heavy game, but I also don't want to throw level 1-2 characters up against CR 20 baddies in the first session to make a point. What tricks have you done to get new players to take the game a little more seriously, and to create a bit of anxiety (apart from the mature thing of talking to them before the game)?
6) What's your favorite low level/introductory module for Ravenloft? I'm looking for something to help with the first couple of sessions, and cannibalizing a module, like my Darklord cannibalizes other dragons, may be the thing I need.
Thank you guys for your expertise ahead of time. I look forward to hearing from you, and being a part of your community here in the mists.
I'm starting up a Ravenloft game using the Pathfinder RPG, and the excellent netbooks by Ryan Naylor (reading them over as I have time, they're great). As for the campaign itself, I'm trying for 1/2 of the party to be "outlanders" and the other 1/2 to be native to the demiplane of dread. I want to set it in a newly created domain, so that eventually the "natives" will learn that they didn't really exist before it was created (hopefully cueing existential crises). I'm toying with the idea of the main story being a power struggle being between a ghost, a vampire, and a werewolf vying for control of the new domain, each believing one of the others is the darklord. What they don't know is that the darklord is actually a cannibalistic dragon (Ravener, or Wyrmwraith, or some other type of undead dragon) that lives in some nearby mountains. There are a few issues I need help with, and I was told this was the place to get expert advice on all things Ravenloft, so here goes:
1) Names. I'm not good at naming things. Usually I try to find a closely related earth culture, and pick words from that language to name things (Like "Lou" for a french themed villager who is actually a werewolf). I'm thinking of maybe some Transylvanian names, any suggestions? Someone already suggested Balauria for the Domain name; balaur being the Romanian word for "dragon." That's exactly the kind of thing I like for names. Any other naming conventions people use that you're willing to share?
2) The Darklord. I'm not sure if dragons can even be darklords, or if it makes (logical/thematic) sense to have a dragon darklord. Do you think it would ruin the feel of gothic horror to make a dragon a darklord? Right now I'm thinking it was a brass dragon (or other traditionally good aligned dragon) that betrayed a higher calling (like being the guardian of a draconic graveyard), and in his madness thought he could escape his "curse" (his duty/higher calling) by eating other dragon's hearts to gain their power. Well, it "worked" as the mists closed in around him and "freed" him. They even gave him a new home; too bad it's infested with those filthy lesser races... Would a Darklord like this be better used as a dormant sleeping threat, or actively manipulating events? What would scare you more?
3) The Domain. Domains are made to fit the darklord right? So he's got a fairly large domain, but there are elves, dwarves, and humans "infesting" it. Should they be allied, or fighting each other; what would you guys do for the different races? Should there even be different races in the domain? I'm going to try and nudge my players towards human (and near human) characters, but I don't want to outright "NO" a few of my players that may want to be elves/dwarves so the xenophobia rules may get some flexing.
4) Alternative Darklords. If a dragon doesn't fit Ravenloft/gothic horror, I'll use one of the other antagonists as the darklord, but which one? Also, the domain will change from a fantasy styled land/kingdom to a victorian era themed domain (think the Bram Stoker's Dracula movie from the early 90's). I'll still need to take away some of the more advanced firearms and things like cameras. Any suggestions for alternate Domain themes that work well with Ravenloft besides "victorian era" flavored?
5) Introducing the Players. I may have a, "I'm a hero! CHAAAARGE!" style player. I don't want to run a combat heavy game, but I also don't want to throw level 1-2 characters up against CR 20 baddies in the first session to make a point. What tricks have you done to get new players to take the game a little more seriously, and to create a bit of anxiety (apart from the mature thing of talking to them before the game)?
6) What's your favorite low level/introductory module for Ravenloft? I'm looking for something to help with the first couple of sessions, and cannibalizing a module, like my Darklord cannibalizes other dragons, may be the thing I need.
Thank you guys for your expertise ahead of time. I look forward to hearing from you, and being a part of your community here in the mists.