Knights of Neverwinter

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DDK
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Knights of Neverwinter

Post by DDK »

This will be a 4e D&D game that will be set in, and will revolve almost entirely around, the city of Neverwinter as presented in the Neverwinter Campaign Setting book. We will be using the Veggiesama 4e framework, Maptools (duh), Skype (for communication in-between sessions through a permanent chat channel), TeamSpeak (my own channel) and DDI (a current subscription required for character building and maintenance).

All races, classes, feats, powers and rules are as per the Character Builder using the standard point buy option. Backgrounds, gods and character history should fit with the Forgotten Realms setting. There are some some House Ruled exceptions that can be read about in the thread, “House Rules”.

The primary requirement for building characters will be that they conform to the expectations, style and plot elements that are presented in the Neverwinter Campaign Setting book. Themes, therefore, are restricted to the options available from the Neverwinter Campaign Setting book and the Dragon articles supporting it. I am willing to work to edit the theme text to suit a character as long as the core concepts remain intact.

The campaign will initially span 1st to 11th-level, although technically gaining 11th-level will be the finishing point. Beyond that will depend heavily on the group’s wishes and the DM’s (that’s me!) fortitude. If everyone decides to continue playing with the characters and story developed to that point, then it’s possible we may continue. I would, however, like to leave the option open to step-aside at that point and for others to leave gracefully if that’s their choice as well.

The choosing of players will not be based on first come, first serve. It will be based on who I believe will be a good fit for the group and who will make a good player over the long term. This may very well mean you might not get accepted. Please do not take this personally. Part of the selection process will be joining a group chat room on Skype and discussing characters and the game well before you ever join the game. This process will be part and parcel of getting to know one another and deciding who will be a good fit to the group.

Below I’ve detailed all that I can think of in terms of who I’d like to form a group with and how I’d like to run a game. If you feel that there is too much text to read, then there is really no need to tell me this as it automatically means that I’m not interested in you as a player. I consider this to be an excellent means of screening out those who can’t be bothered putting in a bit of effort to join a game :)
What I am looking for in a player

1. Maturity.

My definition of maturity is having respect for those with whom you play the game. Respect is manifested by little things like turning up on time, being ready, contributing to the success of the party and to the group as a social unit outside of the game. Don’t insult people, make immorally prejudiced remarks, cheat, act like a total douchebag, be prepared to work out any misunderstandings, etc.

2. Immaturity.

By immaturity I mean be willing to act like an elf in a magical fantasy world. Taking the game too seriously is the opposite of fun and at the end of the day, we’re all getting together in order to play this game for fun. A bit of clowning around and silliness is to be expected and encouraged. As long as it doesn’t interfere with the fun :)

3. Commitment.

I’m looking for solid, reliable players who can commit to a regular, weekly session of 3-4 hours in length. Turning up late or cancelling every so often is to be expected, we all have real lives, but if it starts to be a trend, then you’re not a committed player. Part of being committed also includes doing the work in-between sessions, like keeping appraised of the game through the forums, maintaining your character, keeping up to date with rules changes, etc.

4. Experience.

Sorry newbies, I’ve spent enough time teaching people about 4e, Maptools, Veggiesama’s, TeamSpeak and Skype; I want to play, not teach people how to play. I’m not expecting people to know everything inside and out or be an expert at any of these things, but I do expect people to have a solid, working understanding of all the above in order to join this group.


What I provide as a DM

1. Experience.

I have almost 25 years of experience in running D&D games throughout 1st to 4th edition. In that time I’ve maintained several long-term groups and run successful campaigns both in person and online. I don’t claim to know everything there is to know about gaming or being a DM, but I most certainly know how to run a good, fun, engaging game that people enjoy.

2. Commitment.

I obsess over the games I run and I start off 100% committed to them. That percentage starts to waiver if that commitment isn’t reciprocated by the players but if it is, then it never drops below 100%. I put a LOT of effort into the games I run and try to make great maps with exciting and interesting encounters and imaginative challenges. Now, it doesn’t always turn out that way, but I do TRY my darndest to make it happen :)

3. Immature Maturity (or is that Mature Immaturity?).

I like to joke around… a lot. If you think I’m being serious, chances are you’re wrong. If alignments existed I would be Chaotic Neutral. Reality is harsh enough without everyone around us making it worse by not having a sense of humour. Being human is about taking advantage of our greatest gift: our souls. If you’re not feeding your soul with laughter and joy every day, then what’s the point of living? So I might not be the most mature person you’ll ever know as I tend not to take a lot of things I deem unimportant (like taxes and death and republicans) seriously. I think this is a good thing.


The Game Itself

1. Tactical.

The game will involve tactics. I am not a tactical genius, but I think I can hold my own against you Sun Tzu’s out there. In AND out of combat, thinking tactically will bring you the most reward and the most satisfaction in the game. I also reward imaginative tactical thinking. For instance, you want to swing on the chandelier to get from one end of the room to the other? Awesome! I’ll allow that to be a move action that doesn’t provoke as you fly over the enemy’s heads… as long as you pass the acrobatics check!

2. Roleplaying.

This game will involve roleplaying. I am a roleplaying god. Or was that, I’m roleplaying a god? Bah! Doesn’t matter, it’s all the same to me! I will roleplay every NPC you meet, including monsters. Roleplaying can have its own rewards that are not measured in gold or character stats. Befriending the captain of the guard, for instance, may just get you lee-way the next time there’s a bar fight and you’re the only ones left standing. Or when the king is kidnapped and impersonated by a doppleganger and calls for your beheading, the captain of the guard might instead let you in the back way of the king’s castle and point you towards his bed chamber.

3. Railroad & Sandbox.

This campaign will be a limited sandbox. That sandbox is the city of Neverwinter and its environs. I will be building each session based on the events of the previous session but having said that, I will also be presenting fairly obvious and straightforward goals and objectives that, for the most part, I expect to be followed. So in that sense it will be a bit of a railroad. Obviously, how you achieve those goals and fulfil those objectives is entirely up to you and your glowing personalities :)

4. Engagement & Interactivity.

Part of this comes from the commitment and experience requirements of players. I need players who will engage and interact with NPC’s and the story. People who are passive and hardly talk on TeamSpeak or rarely post to the Maptools chat should probably avoid this game. This doesn’t mean I’m looking for obnoxious people who clamour over one another to talk, it’s simply that I require you to be actively engaged in the game and not just along for the ride. Talk in character. Ask questions of NPC’s. Offer suggestions for tactics. Make skill checks to try something. Do SOMETHING to move the game forward instead of relying solely on me or the other players.

5. Difficulty & Initiative.

I like to make the game a challenge both for the characters and the players. Some encounters will be push-overs whilst others you should probably run from; most will be somewhere in-between. The same goes for non-combat challenges. Some you might not even have to roll dice for, but others may involve improbably difficult circumstances to overcome whilst most will require your engagement and thought and a bunch of dice rolls. All but the very core aspects of the story that are required to move the game forward will have varying levels of visibility and difficulty. You may very well miss cues that could lead to substantial reward. Since these will not be essential to the continuation of the game, it’s up to you as a player to be vigilant and hunt down leads to uncover these rewards. Conversely, it is also up to you to realise when something is too difficult to overcome and when to run.
If, after having read all of the above, you’re still actually interested, then please ping me on Skype (Skype ID: akaddk) so that I can add you to the chat room and we can have a bit of a discussion and you can get to know the other people involved. Please keep in mind that the selection process may take some time and that addition to the chat room is not an automatic acceptance into group. The chat room is essentially our screening process to make sure we're all happy-happy, joy-joy, ducks in a pond that won't flap about and drown anyone.

Given the difficulty and time-consuming nature of this process, I require some level of patience and understanding that the game will not proceed until we have a stable, solid group of people who get along and share similar gaming-styles. It may take several weeks before this process is finalised and we actually start the game.

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