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Dhomal
Senior Scribe
USA
565 Posts |
 Posted - 19 Nov 2005 : 04:35:02
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Hello-
I have been doing some work on a new campaign I am going to be starting right after the beginning of next year. I have been re-reading through Monte Cook's series of articles in Dungeon Magazine.
In Dungeon #126 he discusses Campaign Handouts.
I really like the idea - in fact - Ive had some ideas for that sort of thing floating around for quite a while.
What I am wondering is - has anyone else used such a critter for th FR, and how did it work out? Also - what sorts of specifics did you include in such a handout?
I myself am leaning towards a single generic handout that I can create and basicly leave unchanged that all new players would get - and then creating character-specific ones tailored to individual characters histories.
As an example - I would definately include calendar information for the players - so that they could understand how time flows in the FR.
Any thoughts anyone?
Dhomal
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I am collecting the D&D Minis. I would be more than willing to trade with people. You can send me a PM here with your email listed - and I can send you my minis list. Thanks!
Successfully traded with Xysma! |
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Brother Ezra
Learned Scribe
USA
268 Posts |
Posted - 19 Nov 2005 : 06:34:47
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When I began my current campaign about two years ago, I created a 'Players Guide to the Bloodstone Lands' handout that was given to each player prior to character creation. The handout had some common information about the geography, history, politics and economy of the region, as well as the prevalence of races and classes in the area. Since then, I update it occasionally as circumstances change in the game world (about a year in game time has passed over the past two years of playing).
In creating a handout for your campaign, you need to gauge your player's familiarity with the Forgotten Realms setting. If they're experienced in it, you don't need to educate them on the calendar, on the function of the Weave, or the details of the pantheon. My group was mostly newcomers to Faerun, so a bit more education was in order.
What I found most helpful was establishing a group website on Yahoo Groups. I allowed membership only to current players, and began a series of posts detailing various aspects of the Realms: The calendar was introduced in one, followed up by articles about the faiths of various churches that were of interest to the players. An article on magic in the Realms followed that. I've written about the role that non-human races play in the area, the functions of different classes in the region, and some more detailed write-ups of various organizations in the locality as well. As each player asked questions about a different topic, I would address them in these articles.
Overall, the amount of usefulness depended upon the player. Some read it once and filed it in a dusty corner of their computer. Others refer to it each game, hoping to find some clue or lead to aid them in their current assignment. I think it has been useful to most of the players to a greater or lesser extent, and I do recommend doing it, if nothing more that to assist the DM in understanding the campaign they're running. |
"Suffering is the touchstone of all spiritual growth."
-St. Sollars the Twice-Martyred |
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warlockco
Master of Realmslore
USA
1695 Posts |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 19 Nov 2005 : 10:58:10
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Yeah, the modern age is interesting. When I had a new player join, one that was less aquainted with Forgotten Realms than the other players already in the campaing, he asked me what he would know after he made up his character. It was fun making up a list of what he would know, from his character's (a Tunlar barbarian that had worked as a mercenary) perspective. I told him about the lands and organizations that affected Cormyr, Sembia, the Dalelands, and Anauroch, and about the gods that he personally would know about. It was fun to place myself in his character's shoes and write from that perspective. But again, as above, it was in an e-mail rather than on a handout sheet. He could even read over it at work (your ability to do this at work may vary . . . he owns his own company, lol).
I almost forgot, the campaign journal, which I keep on this site and one other, function as a handout as well, since it keeps track of the names and places and general plots of everything that the characters have gone through.
Since then, I often use e-mails to cover items "in between" adventures that are going on and minor things that might have fallen between the cracks. |
Edited by - KnightErrantJR on 19 Nov 2005 10:59:23 |
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RAKKIR
Seeker
61 Posts |
Posted - 21 Nov 2005 : 22:10:30
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Ahh yes, the handout....
I had quite the handout once, VERY extensive.... And my players took all of two seconds to look at it and never come back to it. Cursed players.....
How often does this happen to you guys? |
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warlockco
Master of Realmslore
USA
1695 Posts |
Posted - 21 Nov 2005 : 23:24:31
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quote:
Originally posted by RAKKIR
Ahh yes, the handout....
I had quite the handout once, VERY extensive.... And my players took all of two seconds to look at it and never come back to it. Cursed players.....
How often does this happen to you guys?
Too often, especially with my Cyberpunk Campaign. |
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Vangelor
Learned Scribe
USA
183 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2005 : 08:09:37
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I love hand-outs. I use them whenever I can.
Most recently, I actually encrypted various key journal-entries from a character's long-missing-presumed-dead grandfather, and provided just enough clues to show how a decryption key might be contructed, if one knew the word used to generate the cypher originally. I had three players working for days to try to figure out how it worked. Eventually, just to move the game along, I had them roll, and taught the player whose character figured out the cypher how to build the decryption key. They loved it.
My players are laso smart enough to realize that I am not going to waste my time making a hand-out that doesn't pertain to their investigation. So they don't ignore it. More often, they read too much in.
I don't use generic handouts, generally, because the info my characters would have varies too much from one game to the next, even in the Realms. I do have players read specific sections in the FRCS and other books, if I want to draw their attention to something. Then I have them everlastingly asking to see such-and-such a book again. |
Edited by - Vangelor on 01 Dec 2005 08:11:41 |
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Crennen FaerieBane
Master of Realmslore
USA
1378 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2005 : 14:53:02
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I usually use handouts to work as posts on town boards and broadsheets as well - especially in Waterdeep. I also broke down all of the combat maneuvers in 3/3.5E such as Bull Rush and Overrun, for my players as well. Having the rules, and understanding them, adds to a lot more flourish in the combat scenes.
C-Fb |
Still rockin' the Fey'ri style. |
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Fletcher
Learned Scribe
USA
299 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2005 : 21:22:22
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I too use handouts, but I put them into a "Player Binder" It includes
Party maps
NPC's and basic attitues towards players (as percieved by players)
Party equipment, including buildings,
Party funds, that are separate from individual funds.
A calandar, and holidays.
A roll of years that has both world events as they happened, as well as party events, and any other special event that happened in the game they may have heard of. They players often add things to this list to aid in their memory.
Scraps of parchement they pick up with a variety of clues, prophecies, warnings etc.
So it isn't so much a hand out, as a player resource for the party. It is very handy and very much used by the players for knowing what is going on in their characters lives.
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Run faster! The Kobolds are catching up! |
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scererar
Master of Realmslore
USA
1618 Posts |
Posted - 06 Dec 2005 : 03:34:11
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| I use handouts quite often. Most of my Players are not as familiar with some parts of the realms and I like to include bits of lore that a character in those parts would generally know about. I also use story polts in the form of rumors or signs for higher. This just gives my players a visual of what is going on. Additionally, I will sometimes include very general maps of an area or town. As a rule though I only insure that the information provided is common knowledge, rumor, or a hint to a story plot, if they are not going in the direction I am needing to at the moment. |
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Campaign Handouts
