The Campaign Builder's Guild

Hello!  I've not DM'd (or posted on the D&D forums or here) for some time -- almost 2 years -- and the itch finally got to me.  I am going to be running a play-by-post 4e game (once the system is released, obviously) for friends and want to get a jump on the setting.  I'll preface with the fact that I've never run a play-by-post game before so any advice or constructive criticism is truly appreciated!  Also, I'm not sure exactly where this post belongs -- here or Homebrews -- but I settled on CE&D hoping that I'd get some advice and present my setting in the same thread.

Normally when I design a world I take a look at the big picture and slowly focus on the areas that will most affect the PCs but this time I've settled on a more organic approach.  I'd like to start with a city and grow as dictated by player action or knowledge (including skills like Geography and History).  The reason for the change in philosophy is, I think, that it will allow me to present adventure hooks in a way that shaves off most of the expository text while also adding the sense of an unknown, larger world beyond the city's borders.

Below is a short written introduction which I've already presented to the players; it's incomplete but it received positive feedback.  I'm curious if leaving it incomplete is better, affording players a chance to introduce themselves into the scene before anything else happens.  Thoughts?

[ic=Introduction]Built on the hills overlooking a bay, Jenev is a bustling maze of narrow brick streets and white stucco to rival any ant colony.  A dozen sun-bleached piers reach into teal waters which bristle with masts.  Gulls circle lazily on the warm coastal breeze.  The scene is idyllic '" a perfect image of tropical paradise '" save for a score of dark warships sitting at the mouth of the bay, sentinels near which no skiff dares approach.

We begin our story in occupied Jenev, a port as ancient as the Scriptures of Jin.  Of its captors we know only that the wood of their boats is foreign to Jenev's shipyards.  Through threat of force alone these conquerors have laid the city bare, cowing the merchant princes and their sell-sword fleets.  Even the Sun Temple's bells hang silent at noon for fear their clanging might be mistaken for an alarm.  Jenev --  no stranger to violence at the hands of monsters or pirates -'" is paralyzed with fear and uncertainty under the scrutiny of these foreigners.

Today, the third day of Jenev's occupation, a thousand soldiers stand in formation on the boardwalk, chainmail and halberds resplendent in the morning sun.  Statues but for wind tousled hair, each is an image of discipline staring out over the water.  Their commander will soon arrive to inspect his prize.  

The merchants have gathered, too, but wringing hands and shared worried glances steal the dignity they've earned as the rulers of Jenev.  Each is accompanied by hand-picked guards and a small army of servants laden with gold, spices and other tribute.  The curious but uninvited peek out from behind curtains or vacant stalls.  Gone is the hawking of the fishmongers and fruit vendors, only the lap of the waves and ceaseless crying of gulls is heard as mooring lines tighten on bollards.

Two vexillaries* cross the gangplank first, their intricate coats of arms a mystery to pennant-flying locals.  Behind them an armored figure strides confidently and with purpose. The commander is dragonborn '" rare in Jenev '" and radiates an air of command.  As the trio reach the foot of the pier the assembled troops move as one in clamorous salute.[/ic]
* Standard-bearers.  A vexillum is a standard hung by the top rather than the side, typically used in Rome (and Italy, today).  That's roughly correct, anyway.

Obviously, the hook here is the occupation of the city by an unknown force for unknown reasons.  The players haven't started concepts (with me, anyway) but I think I may limit them to characters of Jenevan heritage.  I entertained the idea of allowing players to choose from the ranks of the occupying soldiers but I'm still on the fence; would an occupying soldier's knowledge of his homeland remove the mystery from the campaign once brought into the confidence of the other PCs?

As for motives, I've already decided that the occupying army is up to no good (big surprise).  Without touching on gods just yet, I'd like the aggressors to be Roman in scope and feel.  I'm still not sure whether the occupation will be hostile (colonization) or a more subtle form of conquest (capitalism?). I'm undecided on whether I want Jenev to be an island or on the coast of a continent, sequestered from the bulk of the land by a mountain range.

Anyway, that's it for now.  Thanks in advance for any dialog!

[note]
I'm absolutely giddy to see you back, Eladris, and I do have to admit that there is a large hope that it has been the not-so-regular (two) emails I've sent you about your campaign setting, Wake, that has brought you back (or at least, hopefully that was even a minor, baby-sized influence?)!![/note]
Well you're obviously doing the ground-up method - do you plan on fully expanding to a full world/setting, or focusing mostly on city adventuring in and around Jenev?  Is Jenev the capital of any particular kingdom/nation, just a big city, or even relatively unimportant in the grand scheme of things (though that's unlikely, since armies don't usually occupy unimportant cities)?

What will the tech/magic level be?  How powerful do you plan the PCs to be?

What are the Scriptures of Jin, and what kind of religion will you be doing in this campaign?

When you say "Occupation of the city by an unknown force for unknown reasons," does that mean "unknown to the players," or "unknown to you, the DM?"  Because there's quite a difference ;)  If it's unknown to the players (and presumably, the people of Jeven), that could lead to an interesting take on possible rebellions, insurgencies, etc.

I see Jenev as a wealthy city-state with a turbulent political history.  Maybe in this century or the last its wealthier merchant families staged a coup on the corrupt local government, ushering in laissez-fairre economics, cultural diversification and what most would call a "golden age".  I would liken it to Venice -- on a smaller scale without the many and varied markets of the Mediterranean.  Due to its geographic location Jenev would be a local powerhouse but a relatively small fish in the global pond.  

As for expanding my window on the world, yeah, I don't plan on limiting the campaign to a single city though I imagine my players will spend several months exploring Jenev's intricacies.  I'm leaning towards a scenario in which the occupying forces are interested in Jenev only as a favorable geographic location for their exploits, i.e. there is some natural or magical resource unique to Jenev that they are after and the city is an innocent and mostly ignorant bystander.  In such a setting the occupying forces would "negotiate" some favorable (to them) trade treaties, build a barracks and private pier outside of town, set up an embassy in town and then hire out locals to scout for said resources.  I think there'd be innumerable adventure hooks open at that point and -- as only a play-by-post game can really do -- I'm not opposed to diverging story lines even at level 1.  I've no doubt I can plot a convergence down the road. :D  

My brief mention of the Sun Temple and the Scripture's of Jin were intended to hint at the presence of religion despite a largely agnostic city.  I'd like religion to be establishing a firmer foothold; making a comeback now that the city has maintained order for a few decades after prior unrest.  I'm a big fan of polytheism in D&D but with gods that remain aloof from the populace and thus lend doubt to their identity.  Less Grecian and more open to philosophical interpretation -- in that sense Wake was a deviation from my normal practice.   Jin will be the god of the sun, vitality, health and virtue.  Inje will be Jin's brother, the laughing god of mischief, night and the stars, who wooed Jin's lover, Inessa, the goddess of the moon, fertility and the oceans.  I've not solidified any creation mythology in my mind other than that.  I played with the idea of a fairy tale in which Jin now eternally longs and searches for Inessa ("moons" over her, ha!), though her heart belongs to Inje, to explain the endless cycle of sun and moon.  I will probably prescribe a monotheistic religion to the occupying army but that's also up in the air.

The PCs will be low power, low influence to start.  I expect the campaign to run for several years so I can afford the slow build up.

Thanks for the questions!  They really get me thinking about the shape I want the city to take, which is exactly why I'm posting here!

P.S. The e-mails led me to bookmark the site a while back so in effect, yes, they did lead me back here. I'm glad my schedule has finally allowed me time to visit them.

I think you're really going the right track with this, by just developing the information that players are going to need.  I know that, as a world builder, that's somewhat blasphemous, but I'm really starting to focus more on important, game-relevant material in my writings as well.

Have you thought anymore about the nature of the occupation by an "unknown force?"  I would like to hear more about these peoples' motives and agendas.

Quote from: IshmaylHave you thought anymore about the nature of the occupation by an "unknown force?"  I would like to hear more about these peoples' motives and agendas.

Some, yes.  I've settled on a controversial theme that should keep things interesting for me.  

The "unknown force" will be a Republic -- more specifically, one of its fleets -- searching for magical resources in Jenev as a result of information gleaned in said Republic's historical texts.  The Republic [of Macéa] is very magically advanced society on the fast track to consuming its own continent's magical resources and is now expanding overseas, using its fleets to gain footholds through colonization or trade.  

Macéa's history recounts Jenev as a port city of a larger, unfriendly continental empire with which trade ended some X hundred years ago.  Fear of Jenev's parent empire stifled state-backed trade and exploration while pirates halted entrepreneurial ventures -- until now.  The Macéan fleet arrives to find Jenev orphaned, its parent empire collapsed long ago, amenable to peaceful trade and ignorant of its intentions: to rape the land of its "magic" and cart its loot back home across the sea.

If you haven't guessed yet, the campaign will be allegoric for America's exploits in the middle east while in search of oil.  The goal is to maneuver the PCs into acting as an insurgents.  They'll most likely serve as agents of the Macéans until they've learned too much about the Republic's motives.  Should be fun, I think.

Quote from: EladrisSome, yes.  I've settled on a controversial theme that should keep things interesting for me.  
...
If you haven't guessed yet, the campaign will be allegoric for America's exploits in the middle east while in search of oil.  The goal is to maneuver the PCs into acting as an insurgents.  They'll most likely serve as agents of the Macéans until they've learned too much about the Republic's motives.  Should be fun, I think.

Interesting....  

Do you plan on them starting full-scale rebellions?  What would you do if the PCs decide to cooperate with the occupants?

Quote from: IshmaylDo you plan on them starting full-scale rebellions?  What would you do if the PCs decide to cooperate with the occupants?

I'm not sure!  My players are certainly the type engineer such grand plans.  I'll be prepared either way, although running the PCs as a counter-insurgency would be a little bit less fun for me, at least where I'm sitting now.  I imagine I'll have plenty of time to guess at which way they'll decide.   I plan on more than a couple of lucrative Macéan-funded adventures into the interior to start.

I'm considering sending a small unit of NPCs with each venture -- an archaeologist, some guards -- to serve as both insurance/spies for the Republic and also as a method of keeping the PCs mindful of the Republic's presence and its unknown motivations.  I'd have them set up a base camp outside of any ruins (forgotten cities, dungeons, etc.) so they would be a non-factor in the adventure's combat.

I think having a magically inclined archaeologist along will give the PCs some insight into Macéa's magical superiority, as well, maybe adding some healthy fear and/or resentment once they see that force used against them.

First off, I'm glad to see you've returned, as I've been a fan of your setting Wake since I first read it on the WotC boards. I like your approach here as well even though it seems to be on a different level, with concern primarily for the players. My only thoughts so far are regarding the status of Jenev of being on an island or on a continental coast and boxed in by mountains, and the nature of the invading army's religion.

It seems to me with a campaign that's focusing on the players and giving them lots of options, Jenev would be better suited to being a coastal city with a mountain range and larger continent beyond - this gives them different types of adventure locales, as well as more than one method of leaving Jenev when/if they choose to do so.

Since Macea is part of an allegory for North American presence in the East, having a monotheistic religion for them is perfect not only because of the similarity but because when it comes to converting the population, it's a case of "your seventeen gods are actually all one god called XX" instead of "we're replacing your seventeen deities with twenty-five new ones, have fun". The religious conflicts that would arise still work in either case, and it probably won't matter that much to the players which way you do it, but it'd probably be easier for you if you ever needed to go into detail. :D You could also probably do quite well with a dualism.

I'll be keeping an eye on this.

Quote from: WickedTrollIt seems to me with a campaign that's focusing on the players and giving them lots of options, Jenev would be better suited to being a coastal city with a mountain range and larger continent beyond - this gives them different types of adventure locales, as well as more than one method of leaving Jenev when/if they choose to do so.

I didn't explicitly state that Jenev would be a coastal city on a larger continent but yes, that's exactly what I plan to do.  If Jenev was on a small island or even part of an archipelago it wouldn't be feasible for Macéa to have any lasting interest in the city -- at least not as a "trading partner".

Thanks for the compliments on Wake and here!  I do plan to touch up Wake a bit come 4e, as well, though this project is slightly more interesting to me at the moment.