Tom's Campaign

Experimenting with the formating. First will be the title, then the campaign code which is made up of what categories from the questionaire that it completes. Then maybe a rant of the day about whatever I feel like. Then a basic list of the choices. Finally a breakdown of the background and the adventure arc.

Campaign Code: AGCACEAF

First, let it be known that Tom is a neophyte. A real noob. Great guy, but still real fresh around the ears. Only reason he plays with us is out of sheer boredom. It was either play D&D with us or sit doing another suduko puzzle. So he hasn't really established a lot of the preconceived notions that the most of us have. So I think his top choices for a campaign really reflect what a lot of other newcomers want. He's still so new that he hasn't really established his favorite character classes and is still in the mood to experiment with the vast smorgasbord that is D&D. I wish I was still that way. Someday he'll be jaded and sick of it all. Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt at a con. And he looks like Gordon Gekko from Wall Street.

So let's take a look at the breakdown, shall we?

Urban
Asian
Dragons
Planes
More Divine
Monster of the Week
Very Low (1st) Level
Unlimited Character Races

It would seem that it is a group of selections that doesn't go together very well. I mean dragons are big bad asses who eat starter characters for breakfast. But with a little work, they can all work together very well. Lets see what I can pull together.

Background: In the gorgeous city of Ryogoa, the seat of the Empire, sits a small temple. The temple is designed in the old style with pagodas and rice paper walls. The Temple is known as the 'Sanctuary for the Misbegotten', an orphanage for those intelligent creatures that some know as monsters. Orcs, goblins, and others are raised here in the goodly ways. The Temple of the Sanctuary for the Misbegotten was founded by a kindly old cleric Reverend Moon. Father Moon, as he was known, had once been a powerful adventurer, who was dismayed at the cycle of violence that adventuring left. Children of 'evil' monsters were left to fend for themselves, and would become evil just to survive. Reverend Moon was determined to break this cycle so that the children would grow up in a positive environment and eventually become missionaries to others to the worship of good and law instead of chaos and evil. It has been many years since Reverend Moon passed to the other side. His disciplines and children have endured much, but the worst is yet to come.

Shadowalker the dark, an evil shade black dragon has decided to become a god. He is evil and without remorse. He has inspired other reptilian races as his followers, calling themselves the Dragon Kin. They are dutiful and fanatic. Shadowalker himself, though is beyond mortal concerns. Instead of concentrating on raising their master up to the deity ladder, the Dragon Kin have decided to weaken the other gods.

Adventure 1: The PCs are orphans of various races that live in the 'Sanctuary for the Misbegotten' most if not all have cleric levels, if possible. The adventure starts with the temple being attacked by Kobolds who are Dragon Kin. The Kobold sorcerer who leads this group has decided the best way to raise his master is to destroy temples to other gods. So he leads an attack on the Sanctuary for the Misbegotten. The primary threats are just simple kobolds. However, some of them will have potions of fire breathing. The third level sorcerer can ride a giant moth. Which is just cool and invokes Mothra. The firebreathers primary target is NOT the PCs or the innocent children, but the temple itself.

Adventure 2: The Sanctuary of the Misbegotten having been destroyed in the previous adventure needs to be replaced. A local Shogun is willing to have his kharma enhanced by building a new one, but the PCs must do a favor for him. There is a roving band of Troglodytes that is causing havoc in his eastern fields. They are slaughtering his kobe beef cattle. Little does the Shogun know, the Troglodytes are Dragon Kin and are sacrificing his prize winning cattle to Shadowalker. The troglodytes have a crocodile, which should cause some trouble to the PCs if they do not think carefully!

Adventure 3: While the Shogun has begun building the new Sanctuary, the PCs have caught the attention of the local Dragon Kin High Priest. He has decided to take matters into his direct attention. He sends his loyal temple guard of Lizardmen and shocker lizards to cause havoc in the building site. The attacks are seemingly random and without reason. However, they are part of the Dragon Kin's high priests plan. The PCs will have to defeat the lizard men to allow work to continue.

Adventure 4: Really cooking now. The PCs should find out a clue to the High Priest's whereabouts from the lizard men. The high priest should be about 5th level or so. The PCs would find him in the undercroft of a larger legitimate temple aligned with the Sanctuary. As the PCs begin a raid on him, the High Priest will lead some of his temple guard through a portal to the demiplane of shadow. Here is where it can get really fun. They have to go through a shadow version of the good temple. Throw in fiendish versions of some of the things that they have already defeated. It should be a hard fight for the PCs that should be around 2-3 level. Then have a countdown for them to get out. Make it exciting and pulse pounding.

Ending the Campaign: Well, after the High Priest is defeated, that can be the end. The PCs have ended the trouble to the Sanctuary.

Continuing the Campaign: The PCs should realize that the High Priest is NOT powerful enough to establish a portal like that. There's still a whole cult dedicated to this dragon, and he might just take an active interest in them after they start cutting down his worshippers. So this campaign could work from 1st level all the way up to 18th or higher.

I think I hit all the points, there's monster of the week (Kobolds, Troglodytes, Lizardmen, and shadowthings), unlimited races (monsters), low level, divine concentration, and planar travel. You might ask where's the cool Asian stuff? Well, like I said, that type of thing is often a matter of taste. In this case, making mention of katanas instead of longswords, climbing claws, and change some of the weapons that the creatures carry will go a long way. For instance Kobolds normally carry Spears, but there's no reason that they can't carry nunchakus or Sianghams.