Things You'll Need:
- Dungeons and Dragons Monster's Manual
- Paper and Pencil
- A great imagination
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Step 1
image found at: http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/learning/features_facts/digging/images/large_roman_home.jpgSo you have a regular gaming group or have assembled one. What's next? The first order of business is to think about what type of campaign you want to run. Will it be a hack and slash dungeon fest? A campaign entirely in an urban setting full of political and personal intrigue? Or maybe something truly unique, like a campaign in the realms of the gods or underwater?
Once you have an idea, ask your players what they like in a game. If you really want to run a game of subtle court politics, but your players are all about combat, you might want to rethink your idea or figure out a great way to combine them. -
Step 2
Now that you have an idea what type of game you and your players want, start thinking of a setting to establish it in. You can use one of the many existing worlds such as the Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, or Eberron, or create a place that is truly yours alone.
If you are using an existing setting, be sure to do some research on that setting before beginning. You don't have to know everything about the place, just the main features. A warning though, established campaign settings are a harder nut to crack then creating your own. Eventually your players will want to move out of their starting space, which requires more research into new locals.
If you want to create your own lands you can place them in an existing world or create a new world all your own. Either way, start small. A small village or town and the surrounding countryside. As they advance and want to move on, begin to build more and more of the surrounding area. This will allow you to grow your world with the players. -
Step 3
image found at: http://www.feebleminds-gifs.com/big26.jpgCreate a big bad guy. This is the force that will be the main antagonist in the campaign. She should be someone of whom the players have no knowledge of at the start of the campaign. They should begin by tangling with the antagonists lieutenants or captains. As a rule of thumb, decide at what level you would like it end the campaign, then divide that number by 3. Once your players reach these levels, they should tangle with a member higher up the antagonists chain of command. So if you plan on running a game for 10 levels, they should run into a lieutenant or captain at level 3 and again at level 6 and 9. As the characters progress, they learn more and more about the antagonist and why they must stop her.
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Step 4
Set up your supporting cast.
Now that you have a main villain and her supporters set up, figure out what their agenda is and how it is opposed by the players. Maybe the antagonist wants to subjugate all around her or corner the market on food and extort the locals. Or maybe the big antagonist is simply an evil monster out to do no good. What ever their agenda, set the characters in motion by bringing them directly into the path of this agenda. It helps if the characters have a moral or personal interest at stake, but if not throw money at the problem. Have someone offer the characters a reward for their help. This is a bit heavy handed but puts the characters right in the middle of the action. -
Step 5
image found at: http://www.medexassist.com/images/Odyssey/pc/fall-08/kidnapping.jpgMake it personal.
As the characters throw wrenches into the antagonists workings, she'll take a personal interest and strike back at the characters. Keep the player's motivations strong by having the evil side strike at the character's wealth, income, or family. A kidnapped family member can do wonders for a lagging motivation problem. -
Step 6
picture from: http://www.alamy.com/stock_photography/8/1/ray+Laskowitz/A9XWM3.htmlGet the supporting cast.
Now that everything is set, create your NPC's (non-player characters). These are the main people in the setting that your players will interact with. Set up a shopkeeper, innkeeper, and maybe the local magistrate, whomever you think is important. Write down their name, a quick physical description and personality trait, and their goals and desires. It brings a setting to life when the shopkeeper with a nervous tick warmly greets the characters each time they enter her shop.
Once this is done, jot down a dozen or so others. Just quick notes like name, physical description, and a trait or two. Insert them into your game as needed. If the players decide to head to a temple use the name at the top of your list, write down her new occupation and keep it around for future use. Some of your best NPC's will be created this way. -
Step 7
Monsters and Villains O-my!
Now set up your encounters. Use the advise for creating encounters in the Dungeons Masters Guide for a reference. Each encounter should further the plot and put the characters into interesting situations. Create enough static encounters for two sessions and some random encounters to boot. Be careful not to get too far ahead in the time line as your characters might outgrow the pre planned encounters! -
Step 8
Image found at: http://www.apeiron.org/slf2009/images/what%20cheer2.pngPlay and revise.
Play and have fun. Notice if the players are having too easy or too difficult of a time. If so, revise your encounters to make them a little harder or a little easier. Remember, you are all their to have fun which comes easy if a group feels like they've truly accomplished something.
From time to time take a minute to ask your players if they would like anything added or removed from your game. We're not talking challenges here! But, maybe they dislike the last diplomatic skill challenge you set up, or weren't terribly fond of the side quest for the prince. This will help you to refine and build your campaign into one worthy of legend and song!
