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Rllmuk Dungeons and Dragons 5e - Ghosts of Saltm... BZZzzzt - The Curse of Strahd!

Clipper

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Clipper

Clipper

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@Sardan@Hexx@Totile@Nathan Wind@MDY@Mogster@Doctor Shark

 

As I mentioned last night we have just completed session 49 of this campaign (combining the pre and post Strahd Saltmarsh campaign portions). On our other two major campaigns this was the point where the campaign was just finishing and we decided to reset with a new campaign.

 

This time is a little different, Ghosts of Saltmarsh was created as a collection of adventures that were strung together with an optional "sort of" overarching story - and it wasn't set in Faerun at all. As you might have guessed I have removed what overarching story there was (It was perfunctory) and made the adventure our own with several plot threads and some links to backstories as well - including plenty of homebrew and other stuff borrowed from elsewhere. This has made the campaign very challenging for me but also enjoyable even if I can hear the adventure "creaking" at times. I have learnt a huge amount from it. From this point on there may be bits of the campaign book in but it will become more and more homebrew and "borrowed" from other sources.

 

The reason for the post is to say that, as a result of the way it has been constructed, there is no particular end point to this campaign. There might be "big bads" that you might get rid of (or neutralise or befriend or make irrelevant) - you may have noticed there are plenty of threads and possibilities in the mix. What I am trying to say is that there will be "peak points" leading to a possible "victory" but the campaign is the story of the characters and party. In terms of dramatic "peak points" we at least have a Kraken, an illithid aiming for great powers, bhaalists trying to return their god - and that isn't including the open strands left in the world by previous campaigns.

 

Given there is no end point these characters may well go to higher levels than you have done before. Also it is possible the adventure will branch out to other places - there are possibilities driven from backstories and other threads that could take us to some VERY different places.  All of this stuff is sketchy in my head but the idea is that depending on actions and events the adventure could go in many directions making it very open.

 

I am writing a very long message to try and explain where we are and give you an idea of where it might be going. We are leaving fully structure campaigns behind and going off piste and possibly to high level. This may not suit the group or a player as individual so I am putting it out there. Let us know here on thread or PM to me if you prefer letting me know if you might prefer traditional campaign books or you dont want to stick with character you have "long term" as it were (you could change to one from a previous campaign or a new one if this one isn't "working" for you, you can do that at any time really) - or anything else on your mind. I am not a dictator I am just the DM and trying to give ideas of what we could do :D

 

Finally (thank god I hear you say), the above is not saying that everything changes next week (it isn't). I am sending this message as the campaign is reaching a point where in next few sessions it might branch out. Saying that you could stay in Saltmarsh forever quite easily and adventure on, that is the beauty of D&D :D

 

 

 

 

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Sardan

Sardan

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2 hours ago, Clipper said:

@Sardan@Hexx@Totile@Nathan Wind@MDY@Mogster@Doctor Shark

 

As I mentioned last night we have just completed session 49 of this campaign (combining the pre and post Strahd Saltmarsh campaign portions). On our other two major campaigns this was the point where the campaign was just finishing and we decided to reset with a new campaign.

 

This time is a little different, Ghosts of Saltmarsh was created as a collection of adventures that were strung together with an optional "sort of" overarching story - and it wasn't set in Faerun at all. As you might have guessed I have removed what overarching story there was (It was perfunctory) and made the adventure our own with several plot threads and some links to backstories as well - including plenty of homebrew and other stuff borrowed from elsewhere. This has made the campaign very challenging for me but also enjoyable even if I can hear the adventure "creaking" at times. I have learnt a huge amount from it. From this point on there may be bits of the campaign book in but it will become more and more homebrew and "borrowed" from other sources.

 

The reason for the post is to say that, as a result of the way it has been constructed, there is no particular end point to this campaign. There might be "big bads" that you might get rid of (or neutralise or befriend or make irrelevant) - you may have noticed there are plenty of threads and possibilities in the mix. What I am trying to say is that there will be "peak points" leading to a possible "victory" but the campaign is the story of the characters and party. In terms of dramatic "peak points" we at least have a Kraken, an illithid aiming for great powers, bhaalists trying to return their god - and that isn't including the open strands left in the world by previous campaigns.

 

Given there is no end point these characters may well go to higher levels than you have done before. Also it is possible the adventure will branch out to other places - there are possibilities driven from backstories and other threads that could take us to some VERY different places.  All of this stuff is sketchy in my head but the idea is that depending on actions and events the adventure could go in many directions making it very open.

 

I am writing a very long message to try and explain where we are and give you an idea of where it might be going. We are leaving fully structure campaigns behind and going off piste and possibly to high level. This may not suit the group or a player as individual so I am putting it out there. Let us know here on thread or PM to me if you prefer letting me know if you might prefer traditional campaign books or you dont want to stick with character you have "long term" as it were (you could change to one from a previous campaign or a new one if this one isn't "working" for you, you can do that at any time really) - or anything else on your mind. I am not a dictator I am just the DM and trying to give ideas of what we could do :D

 

Finally (thank god I hear you say), the above is not saying that everything changes next week (it isn't). I am sending this message as the campaign is reaching a point where in next few sessions it might branch out. Saying that you could stay in Saltmarsh forever quite easily and adventure on, that is the beauty of D&D :D


 

I can’t believe it’s as long as the other campaigns. The fact that it doesn’t feel like it probably demonstrates how well you are doing.
 

I really like the aspects that hark back to the earlier campaigns, in particular the Kraken who cropped up in Storm Kings Thunder on the gambling boat and towards the end. 
 

I’m keen to plough on and defeat the illithid. 
 

Sardan is less keen on helping the Bhaalists but it’s an interesting alliance of necessity. 

 

Happy to continue with Sardan even though I sometimes struggle with the constraints I have imposed on him (he’s not an adventurer he’s a scholar; no flashy spells; etc). I haven’t quite got to where I want him to be. 
 

But I would like to see how this campaign links up to the others and see how the Heroes of the Hall are doing and revisiting some of those characters. No rush though, let it evolve naturally as the scope of this campaign widens. 
 

49 minutes ago, Mogster said:

I like the sound of that. This is rllmuk D&D: The TV show to the previous campaigns' movies. :)

 

I like it. 

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Clipper

Clipper

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exactly!

 

Bringing in new characters is always going to be a challenge but the RP has been great with Barley and the new elements he brings add extra colour to the party as well.

 

As for the campaign itself, thanks for the thoughts and feedback. Saltmarsh is a curious little campaign book but it fits our world quite well as there are plenty of plot strands and holdovers from other campaigns that can weave into it. I never plan major upheavals as you guys tend to lead the way with that :D But I have the confidence now to  let the campaign breathe a bit. It is never going to be full homebrew as that is too much work but it will be a mix of my own stuff and materials/modules/campaign chunks I find. My job is to make it a coherent world and only the different map styles tell you what comes from where :D

 

I have to say this new style of campaign is great for me to DM. I like it when, during a session, the characters AND players are discussing threads and goals and they aren't sure which is the "right" path or progression - that means that there is choice in there and it feels more organic and less like a linear tale. When it came to Strahd I gave you the choice as a party as I was aware I was letting things drift around a lot but now I'll just go with it :D

 

Finally if you want to change characters to an old one or new or change things up just ask me - I am very accomodating (ask Rikku - how mayn times have you chased her exiting characters around :D ).

 

 

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