Peasent Campaign

[JmOz]

Anyone ever run one and any ideas for it

 

I am currently thinking of starting characters as 25+25 points

[Basil]

Re: Peasent Campaign

 

Peasants are, more or less, the FH equivalent of agents in Champions or DC. Any advice or resources for agents-as-PCs can be applied, mutatis mutandis, to peasants in FH.

 

Though you should note that at 25+25 you're above most peasants, who are more 10+10.

[JmOz]

Re: Peasent Campaign

 

Peasants are' date=' more or less, the FH equivalent of agents in Champions or DC. Any advice or resources for agents-as-PCs can be applied, [i']mutatis mutandis[/i], to peasants in FH.

 

Though you should note that at 25+25 your above most peasants, who are more 10+10.

 

on the point totals, probably true, one of my goals in this is to help a few players learn the system (including character gen), so I want to provide enough points to give choices, but not to many to overcomplicate things, I will be working up a magic system as well to make it a little bit more plug and play

 

Right now I am thinking that all magic will be based on a MP

 

MP has the following manditory limitations

RSR (-1/2)

Side Effects (-1/2)

Every slot must have at least -1 in aditional limitations from list (-1/2)*

 

 

*this list only reduces cost of pool, List includes: Gestures, extra time, concentration, Incantation, & Foci, any other ideas?

[Blue Jogger]

Re: Peasent Campaign

 

When I started my FH campaign, it was 25+25.

 

I did magic as a VPP with ever-increasing limitations as the point total increased. To keep it from being too unbalanced, the player would describe the spell, I figured out the active points (sometimes I would rule that a limitation applied towards the active cost) and that determined the minuses to the roll, extra time figured out the bonus. Roll, if successful, it casts the spell, if failed, damage occurred (usually a cute and irony backfire).

 

The number of spells that you could "stack your rack" were INT/3.

 

If they wanted to "fast cast" as a full phase action, that was fine, but it was at a -3. Otherwise, it took at least a turn (this prevented mages from slowing down combat by wanting to suddenly cast something they didn't prepare first) to get a -0. The highest bonus was +4 for hour.

[Blue Jogger]

Re: Peasent Campaign

 

The biggest thing for a 25+25 campaign, is to figure out what the player wants.

 

If they want hack and slash, make hackable and slashable monsters and give 3 or 4 per character. Surprisingly, the high number makes it easier to balance. You, after chopping kobold #3 in one swing, all five go after you.

 

If they want nobility and intrigue, make sure to include a murder mystery.

 

Don't be afraid to add familar characters, I introduced the Van Pelts. Lucile and Linus. And they good old wishy-washy friend, Sir Charles the Brown.

[Curufea]

Re: Peasent Campaign

 

Give everyone an occupation.

[Markdoc]

Re: Peasent Campaign

 

Anyone ever run one and any ideas for it

 

I am currently thinking of starting characters as 25+25 points

 

Yeah, I've GM'ed a game where the players started as peasants - three peasant brothers, in fact. Their first "adventure" was guarding their sheep It was a huge hoot and one of the most famous story arcs I ran among our gaming circle. As GM, I had a lot of fun - and one of the players (Sir O'Feelya) is on the boards.

 

There wasn't any magic initially, though: the three brothers were simple sword-swingers.

 

cheers, Mark

[Jongluer]

Re: Peasent Campaign

 

I never ran one, but have been toying with the idea. However, friends of mine played in a very long running game where they started out as peasants and ended as beings of God-like power.

The GM started them out at 0 points with 50 in Disadvantages. I've always thought that was a little tight, and would suggest either 25+25 or 10+40.

The best part of a peasant game as I can see it is that the PCs really do start out as humble characters who grow into their power at a reasonable pace. They start out protecting sheep from wolves, or the like, and the end of the first major story arc might be them leading their village against the harassing orc tribe.

I'd agree with Curufea that having each of them have a definite occupation in the beginning can be helpful. Helps character creation, and get into roleplaying their character more (ie if you're the lazy and commonly drunk town guard, you know to perhaps get Dependency as a disadvantage, know a little about law, and have some weapon ability).

[JmOz]

Re: Peasent Campaign

 

some good ideas so far, keep them coming PLEASE

 

Right now I am thinking that the town the players will start in is primarily human (Only one non human allowed in group, and it is reserved for a Half-orc barmaid).

 

The town will have 5-6 important NPC's written in capsule form

 

The town will be a walled town on the outskirts of civilization

 

Master Arwyn: a mage who has chosen to live a "quiet" life teaching the kids of the town various basic academic skills like reading, he is reluctant to use his magic in any meaningful way, but does throw some illuisons (and fire) around on holidays. He will also be the master to any apprentice mage's the group may have

 

Master Roberts, the local blacksmith, big man with an easy laugh, totaly overdominated by his wife

 

Lionell, the local innkeeper, Halfling, comes from outside the town, has a adopted half-orc daughter who works as a barmaid

 

Captain Donalds, in charge of the King's guards in the town (small regiment of 12-15 soldiers).

 

Still need ideas for the mayor

[Shadowsoul]

Re: Peasent Campaign

 

Depending on how effective the Mayor is supposed to be I feel moved to suggest a Halfling. That would be fun.

 

Alternatively a lean and clever middle aged man who is not especially charismatic but has a sharp tongue that can cow all but the most volatile of peasants. He's also respected because of the modest fortune his excellent business has gained him.

[OddHat]

Re: Peasent Campaign

 

In my old Imperium Romanum thread I suggested some options for a peasant campaign, and the campaign in play started at that level (with big XP awards to represent time passing).

 

In practice, I used a Fantasy Novel model. The PCs started out as very ordinary (a traveling minstrel, a young mercenary, and a slave girl with minor psychic powers), and had their first few encounters with a coming evil. Then a jump forward in time; everyone got an additional 125 points to pump into their characters. The minstrel was now famous and well connected, the mercenary was now a master of his martial art, and the slave girl was now a free woman with more developed powers and a magical artifact. They met again in time to confront the now fully awakened evil they'd faced ten years before.

 

Worked pretty well.

 

Of course, you could do a full campaign without ever going over 25+25; you'd just keep facing lower power opposition.

 

I guess you could do a Serfs! campaign, with the peasants unable even to leave their land and spending 15 hours a day farming. Might be OK for a comedy thing or soap opera. Can't say I'd enjoy it much.

[Basil]

Re: Peasent Campaign

 

Still need ideas for the mayor

 

Well, historically, a mayor would be selected by the heads of the guilds from among themselves, and would usually be the head of one of the richest guilds: merchants, goldsmiths, weavers/tailors/mercers in towns based on the cloth trade, stuff like that.

 

So your mayor would be very wealthy, probably middle-aged to elderly, probably pompous, likes the status quo, and likely to be overweight.

 

At least, that's how I'd play him.

[Markdoc]

Re: Peasent Campaign

 

My plot was fairly simple: the three brothers' family owned some good riverside pasture. One of the local wealthy men wanted it, so he simply moved his flocks and shepherds onto it. The brother's father sent them to chase the shepherds and flocks off his land - which they did. The rich guy sent his servants down to chase them away and there was a big fistfight. A shepherd got hit in the head with a stone - and died.

 

There was big trial with much politics and in the end, although the villagers generally thought the three brothers had the right of it*, enough bribes were accepted that they were exiled. They spent the next year trying to survive in the wilderness, and after many trials in which two of the brothers die, the survivor returns home, now a hardened warrior - to find that his dad has been murdered and the rich guy has appropriated their land anyway.

 

He swears vengeance, finds the murderer and kills him and then late one snowy night goes to the rich guy's house, sets fire to it and kills as many people as he can while they are trying to escape, before skipping town.

 

That story arc kept us running for about 6 months of weekly play and the surviving brother went on to play in the game for another two years real time (about 10 years game time) before settling down to an affluent semi-retirement in a far-off land as an armorer and teacher of the fighting arts.

 

cheers, Mark

 

 

*I still fondly recall the speech in his own defence by the brother accused of killing the shepherd: "Eet is maa contention thet thet man 'ad a theen skooll an' as sooch 'ad no business being ootside at all, mooch less indulgin' in fisticoofs"

[JmOz]

Re: Peasent Campaign

 

In my old Imperium Romanum thread I suggested some options for a peasant campaign, and the campaign in play started at that level (with big XP awards to represent time passing).

 

In practice, I used a Fantasy Novel model. The PCs started out as very ordinary (a traveling minstrel, a young mercenary, and a slave girl with minor psychic powers), and had their first few encounters with a coming evil. Then a jump forward in time; everyone got an additional 125 points to pump into their characters. The minstrel was now famous and well connected, the mercenary was now a master of his martial art, and the slave girl was now a free woman with more developed powers and a magical artifact. They met again in time to confront the now fully awakened evil they'd faced ten years before.

 

Worked pretty well.

 

Of course, you could do a full campaign without ever going over 25+25; you'd just keep facing lower power opposition.

 

I guess you could do a Serfs! campaign, with the peasants unable even to leave their land and spending 15 hours a day farming. Might be OK for a comedy thing or soap opera. Can't say I'd enjoy it much.

 

Basicaly I plan on staring them off low, but giving generous xp awards to help them grow fast

[Old Man]

Re: Peasent Campaign

 

Warn them to fight conservatively. Players learn a certain level of invulnerability playing D&D or even 125pt. FH; near-normals with no armor could die quite suddenly if they are not more careful.