pitch for new campaign

[vigean]

been mulling over running my own campaign.
but never had the time to sit down and write it out, or the balls to actually run it lol.

so this is my pitch to make sure i actually do this.

setting will be my own,

i will be tweaking some basic lore and world functions
(namely magic. how it works, its source, and how people react/interact with it.)

plan to take on 4 players. 5 maybe.
(open invite for everyone, but please be gentle. it's my first time.)

level projections will be low heroic to low paragon.
(sorry. i kinda hate how absurd builds get at higher lvls.)

i plan for less intrigue and politics, but focus more on world exploration, while still maintaining an overall storyline i want to deliver.
(this is what i plan/want to aim for. what i'm actually able to write/conduct is yet to be determined)

i really want to explore some alternate combat mechanics
(less round by round slugfests till 1 team is dead. i want to try objective based combat, planning and reactions, enemies bending some combat rules, etc)

will provide more details later once i get the chance to plan things out

so if anyone is interested, leave a note.
projected start date at least 2 months from now.

[Zyraen]

awesome! assuming you're working with 4E, I can try to organize a group for you too.

[vigean]

yep probably 4e. its the system i'm most familiar with right now.

much obliged.

[vigean]

sry for the delay guys, anyway, here's some information on the setting i'm trying out.

usual fantasy dnd setting with the following tweaks:

1.Magic

-Magic in this setting waxes and wanes.
Meaning that every few centuries, magic disappears from the world, then reappears centuries later.
This has gone on for many cycles, but no one seems to have figured out the cause for this phenomenon yet.
During the active periods, people realize their ability to use magic. Some more potent than others.

Currently, magic is active, and has been for several years.

-All forms of magic (divine, arcane, primal, psionic, etc, even racial abilities) are simply classified into Magic as a whole

-Magic is treated almost as a sort of technology.
Several institutes are set up and serve as research facilities, or educational facilities.
These places are often seen with a sense of prestige.
This is where "wizards" and "artificers" work at an academic level.

2.Religion
Religions for sake of ease, will use the default pantheon.
Many worshipers (of whichever deity) believe that magic is a sign of the gods' triumph over dark forces.

3.World exploration
Scattered across the world are old sites. ancient cities, abandoned fortresses, forgotten laboratories, even hidden weapons caches.
These sites are valuable places. both for their scientific and military value.
Many adventuring companies make a good living off working for institutes (or otherwise) to find and hold these places.
(this is where the party starts)

4.Character Creation
For the most part i have no issues with most character options.
I will be allowing players to take racial and class bonuses outside the normal selection.

However i will be placing the following restrictions:
-Warforged and Changelings will not be permitted.
-Wizard as a PROFESSION isnt allowed. you can take it as a CLASS, just not as a "character background" (simply think of it as a sorcerer class with different stats and properties)


So basically this is the setting i have in mind.
if anyone is interested, please do step forward.
if anyone has questions regarding more specific details on the world lore/mechanics, please do speak up. it will also help me flesh out a more solid world.

[vigean]

some questions asked so far:

- what's a profession? Is background mandatory?
Profession would just be a fluff/background thing. basically, no one from the party should be a wizarding academic in this setting.
Backgrounds are not necessary if you dont want to flesh one out.
- what will we be doing? exploring and Recovering stuff?
For the most part yes.
I'll change this up from time to time, and in according to the story i have planned.
- if there's institutes studying magic, what happens when it wanes? How can researchers be viewed with prestige if what they study and are good at is gone?
When magic is latent, researchers tend to take on the role of an archive keeper. they try to collate findings in order to help further generations better understand, and look through old writings.
as cycle durations are not fixed, there are those who go into research hoping that resurgence comes during their generation.
there are those who also seek to uncover a way to solve/fix/bypass the cycles. either by trying to find the cause, hasten the resurgence, or to find a way to preserve magic.
- are most ppl martial now or magic? Is there an increasing transition due to resurgence?
during latent periods, martial is naturally favored. during transitions, those that have an awakened ability (of notable potency) usually embrace that part of themselves. others may choose to stick to their martial roots, and never attempt to further their magical aptitude
simply put, there is no favored side. some people embrace it, some ignore it, some dont even awaken.
- does religious fervor / regard for magic users wax and wane accordingly?
from a religious standpoint, there is markedly less frevor during dormant periods. usually prayers come as " i hope the gods bring back magic soon". and during resurgence, prayers are " thank the gods for this magic.
this of course depends on an individual's beliefs. someone who is born and dies during latent periods are just as easy to think " fuck it there is no god and no magic."

magic users are usually seen as blessed (not necessarily in a religious way). or just lucky rather. most people regard magic users with some measure of awe, but not necessarily respect, as there will always be those that misuse their talents.
there are even those that see magic users as undesirable. believing that normal people are often oppressed (whether true or not)

but generally, reception is positive.
- since each cycle is centuries I guess ppl always have to relearn from scratch?
not entirely. as written above, there is some form of record keeping to aid future generations. however this is of course theoretical knowledge for the most part. actually being able to practice it when it resurges is another matter.

does this answer those questions? or was there a point i misunderstood?