My Dream Campaign

This month’s RPG Blog Carnival theme is “campaigns I’d like to run“. I’ve been lucky to have been able to run some fantastic campaigns in my time, but there is something that I would love to be able to do that just hasn’t jelled for a variety of reasons.

My dream campaign isn’t based on some outre concept, or weird and wild setting. There are no mutant elves with mohawks riding down Cthulhu-worshiping orcs with steampunk cyborg parts or anything. That’s not my cup of tea.

Rather, my dream campaign is different because of scope. I want to have a lot of different stuff going on, simultaneously, on different scales, all interacting with one another.

There would be at least two bands of adventuring parties, separate from one another, co-existing in both the same area and time. Actions taken by the one would have an impact on the other, but balanced so that a full-blown confrontation is held off.

There would also be a group playing various nobles. They’d be playing what I call The Power Game, which is much less about going forth and looting dungeons as it is about manipulating various factions in the realm. They’d all be playing the power centers of a kingdom; some would be nobles, some would be guilds, prominent churches, the local Scarlet Brotherhood, etc.

There would be interaction between the two levels. If some noble sent his army marching across the river in the direction of one of the PC groups, they’d have to deal with the consequences. Too, if one of the PCs looted the main temple of one of the churches, that would have an impact. Self-generating random events.

It’d be set in the World of Greyhawk, naturally. Probably CY 577 because that’s when everything is starting to head in interesting directions, but before everything gets hopelessly mired in a half-dozen full-scale wars. This is when the foundations of those wars is being laid. There are skirmishes, sure, and even full-blown military campaigns in places, but it’s not Greyhawk Risk just yet.

I’m thinking Ratik would make a great setting for this game. It’s small and relatively self-contained, with lots of pressure from the barbarians to the north and humanoids to the south and west. Bissel could work as well; I’d love to get into the scheming between Ket, Veluna, and Keoland that permeates the place.

The only thing holding me back at the moment is time. This would require a huge investment of time to pull off (even playing via the Internet). Just don’t see it happening, but man it would be glorious.
__________

Also, please don’t forget the Adventures Dark and Deep Bestiary Kickstarter going on right now! 900 monsters, suitable for most OSR-type games, all under one cover. Can you help get us to having an illustration for each and every one?