The escaped human gladiator Neeva wearing a wing-like cloak, in Brom's box art for the first Dark Sun module, DS1: Freedom by David "Zeb" Cook (TSR, 1991)
have a gm who insists that story comes first. this had led to 1 dozen sessions without combat, followed by an announcement that we would be performing a 30 round combat against "infinite" level 1 guards. we were level 6 at the time. there was no way to stop "the story." i quit the campaign, immersion broken forever
The only thing worse than a player who thinks the story comes before the rules is a GM who thinks the story comes before the rules. This is not only obviously really severe railroading, but that scenario is also treating the game like a video game more than a TTRPG.
I actually think there is a lot that TTRPGs can learn from video games (like “your game should ship with playable levels”) but a scenario like that doesn’t really play to the strengths of TTRPGs as a medium.
“Survive for a set amount of time against infinite enemies” is really fun for an action video game, but will usually very quickly get repetitive in turn-based combat, especially if that combat is relatively slow to play out like in most TTRPGs.
While I don’t think a concept like this can never work (like for instance it could be a puzzle of some kind - infinite goons until the party figures out how to close the portal or whatever), I think that turn-based tactical combat in TTRPGs should almost always aim towards relatively low numbers of rounds, with majorly impactful tactical decisions to make each round. In one of the best dungeon crawls I have ever played through (it was in AD&D2e using an AD&D1e module, which in my opinion is the best way to play D&D), the most tense and nail-biting instance of combat in the entire thing lasted about 2.5 rounds. Every other instance of combat lasted 1 round, because the party either snuck up on the enemies, tactically surrounded their enemies and forced a surrender, or at one point just paid the dark lord’s mercenaries to jump sides after a tense stand-off.
Absolutely none of this was planned as part of “the story.” The only planned part of the story was “the party (mercenaries currently in the employ of the Castellan Sir Raul) are being sent to [this village] to figure out why they suddenly stopped paying taxes.” Of course the answer to that question was also already known to the GM. It’s because the dark lord’s mercenaries had been sacking the wagons carrying the taxes, and the dark lord’s lieutenant had set up a secret forward operating base in an abandoned castle in preparation for a larger invasion. How the party finds this out, however, and if they even survive doing so, is up to their own actions.
The GM didn’t adjust anything on the fly to make sure the party won, no fake dice rolls, etc.. Just playing the game straight; and it resulted in a “story” that we still talk about all the time.
A lot happened that we didn’t want to happen, too, but in the moment that’s the adversity and challenge that makes the game engaging to play, and in retrospect it makes the resulting story much better. One of the characters got taken out pretty early on in a fight with the dark lord’s spies (the ACTUAL scariest fight in the adventure, but it happened nowhere near the dungeon), and another character got badly injured by a trap (technically a monster but basically a trap since it drops from the ceiling and only attacks one person) really early into exploring the abandoned castle (the dungeon). Both characters ultimately survived. The first character was dropped to 0 HP with a dagger buried hilt deep in her gut and “died” mechanically but was able to be taken to a surgeon which in this campaign is just reskinned resurrection mechanics but with a much higher chance to fail. She spent the rest of the adventure on a cot being tended to around the clock and made a near miraculous recovery, though with -1 total Constitution. The second character was very very narrowly saved from going below 1HP by quick thinking and action on the part of everyone else in the room. If they had been just 1 round later she would’ve died.
Anyway if you are going to play D&D any edition please just play normal dungeon crawls without a plot (beyond just some kind of framing device to give the PCs a good reason to go into the dungeon), it’s what the game is built to do and itll even produce a good story a lot of the time. If you don’t like dungeon crawls please play something besides Dungeons & Dragons - and im not saying that to “gatekeep” people out of D&D I am saying that because if you don’t like dungeons then there are so many other games out there that you would probably enjoy so much more than D&D.
I did my first in-person DM session, doing a Planescape pre-written adventure for my bf and 2 local friends and it went really decently! Everyone's types of autism fitted really well together, everyone had fun, I could tell, people tolerated the 2e AD&D rules and the fact I barely know the 2e AD&D rules. I was worried that I would find THAC0 difficult to handle in real life but it totally isn't, it's actually beautiful and simple and I felt very smart. This whole time people have tried to convince me thac0 is hard and I've had to concede that maybe it is hard if you're playing without a vtt but NO it's always easier than goddamn 5e with its fiddly little modifiers which I will never understand and hope never to see again.
Many of us got into role-playing games when we met some friends who simply asked us to "come by and watch". Little did we know that we had already watched plenty of role-playing games in our all too short lives. In fact , the films and novels we've read over the years hold that same spark of imagination that drew us into these crazy games in the 1st place.
When setting up a new campaign world, there are 2 basic schools of thought :
- those who feel the game should be very historically accurate
- those who do not
Of course, the introduction of magic into the historical world is a mainstay of the AD&D game and cannot help but distort an otherwise historical setting.
Which do you choose in your campaign?
Is your world going to be classically accurate, as it was seen in Great Roman and Biblical Epics we've all watched on TV?
Or will the world have an element of magic and superstition lurking just out of sight { or even in full view } , like the great epic stories of Excalibur and Conan the Barbarian?
If you choose the latter, you must decide how far to take the magic. Very popular in recent fantasy literature are the "no holds barred" magical worlds where everyone and their brother/sister lives and breathes magic. In many ways, this is similar to the way in which the average person sees technology today. After all, most people have no idea how a television set works, but they accept it as a common part of their daily lives.
The average AD&D campaign remains somewhat in the middle along the lines of Tolkein's works and the stories of King Arthur. Of course, because the AD&D game is your game, no single style of play is considered to be correct. If you and your players are having fun, then you're playing the game properly.
As with all the things in the AD&D game, your interpretation is what matters, so feel free to pick and choose, discard and exploit. The more excited you get about your choices, the more your campaign will thrive and grow. Hopefully, this information will give you a wealth of adventure ideas and add life to all your future gaming.
ENJOY!
Notes on Campaign Politics
In many campaigns, the problems of national politics fall into the background for lower level characters. After all, the majority of 1st Level adventurers are not able to cope with problems like major wars, thwarting the ultimate evil, or slaying that most horrible of horrors, The Dragon.
At this point in their careers, the characters are not going to be overly concerned with the ramifications of the king/queen's political alliances for the same reason that most of us are not experts in the details of our country's own foreign relations:
it simply doesn't enter into our daily lives.
As they progress in levels, however, things will begin to change. At first, this will be only a passing thing. Perhaps 1 adventure brings their actions to the attention of a local baron/baroness who, for better or worse, makes a mental note to keep an eye on the characters. By the time they have reached 9th level, the character characters are usually fairly well known and have acquired the status of folk heroes. As he begins to attract followers, the character cannot help but come to the attention of the local government.
It is almost certain that, given time, they will become as well known in their homelands (or the region in which they adventure)
as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, or the Wright Brothers are in the modern United States.
Of course, this may also mean that they are expected to undertake tasks which seem impossible and confront unstoppable armies as a matter of routine duty to their king. Oh well, that's what they get for giving up a simple life of a blacksmith.
In any case, it is important to note that relationships with the local nobility ( even for those who are a part of it ) are not always cordial. Just as the king can be a very valuable friend, so too can he be a deadly adversary.
Feudal Society
The basic element of feudalism is simple enough to understand. All in all, it is nothing more than an arrangement between 2 men, a lord and a vassal, to work together for their mutual betterment.
The Lord, who is the recognized owner of a piece of land - gives it to the vassal, who will manage and live on it. In exchange for such a favor. The lord is entitled to certain duties and favors from the vassal, which include the payment of taxes and the requirement that he support the military forces maintained by the lord.
In most cases, the owner of the land is the king/queen and the vassals are his/her nobility. Of course, 1 can't expect the nobility to work the land themselves, so we come to the serfs and common folk.
The Vassal, in an agreement similar to that which he/she has with his/her king/queen, turns the land over to the peasants and serfs to farm and live on. Like the vassal, they agree to work the land and provide their lord with income and food from it. Of course, the serfs expect to earn enough money to live on and to be protected by the lord in times of unrest or military conflict. The lord knows this, just as he knows that he can expect the same from the king/queen, and is only too happy to provide it.
While this does not mean that life for the serfs is wonderful, it does allow them to live without fear of extreme repression or exploitation.
The feudal system works well so long as everyone in it recognizes their own responsibilities and the rights of others. Since they are in a position where it is in their own best interest to do so, they almost always do. Those who ignore their duties or seek to take advantage of their own position are quickly pegged as troublemakers and may well be strongly disciplined by the leadership of the society.
The reasons for this are simple enough to understand. While the king may not care too much about the life of a single serf, he must concern himself with their overall happiness. Without the serfs, his vassals have no power or income. Without the power and income of the vassals, he himself is impotent. Each block in the pyramid of power rests very solidly on those below it in the feudal system. Without the support of the base, the entire structure will collapse.
Of course, the key to the whole thing is land. Whoever owns the land has the power. While there are certain regions which might not belong to the king/queen (a yeoman's farm, for example), these are insignificant when compared to the vast stretches of land owned by the king/queen him/herself. Even such small patches of independent land will be forced to recognize the power of the king/queen, of course, if they are to expect any protection or assistance from the crown during times of war or calamity.
Social Classes
One important aspect of the feudal system is its clear and almost absolute recognition of social classes. Anyone born as a serf can expect to die as a serf. There is no provision in such a society for the advancement of individuals from a lower class into the higher classes. This is not to say that it is impossible, only that it is very difficult.
How might someone in a lower class make the jump to a higher place in society? Usually by doing a great service to one's lord or church. In some societies, in fact, any knight has the right to bestow the rank and title of knighthood on any individual who proves himself worth on the field of combat. Of course, the problem with such an approach is that it often ends up in the would-be knight's death at the hands of a better trained and better equipped warrior. As we said, it is not easy to improve your place in such a system.
In the following section, we will examine the many levels of society which characters in an AD&D game will encounter.
Serfs
By the time of the Middle Ages, slavery had gradually fallen out of favor in feudal Europe.
While there are certain to be isolated pockets of slave trading in most worlds, the vast majority of a chivalric campaign world should not be a party to it.
While the distinction between a serf and a slave may be obscure to many, the most important thing to understand is this; the serf had certain rights.
While he did not own the land which he worked and did not have a say in the local government, he was acknowledged to own himself. Unlike more primitive societies, where members of the lower class were thought of as animals or property, the poor in a feudal society are recognized as having a right to fair and just treatment by the nobility and society in general.
Most feudal estates have laws to protect the local serf population from abuse or mistreatment—even by members of the nobility. While these laws may be more or less enforced, depending on the disposition of the local lord, the fact that they exist at all is a major turning point in cultural evolution.
Yeomen
Unlike the serf, who spent his days laboring on land owned by his lord, a yeoman was recognized as the owner of his own farm. As a rule, it was not a large estate, but it was enough to provide for his needs (and those of his family). If times were good, it might even provide a surplus which could be sold or bartered for a few choice items or luxuries.
In many cases, of course, a yeoman will swear loyalty to a nearby lord and pay him or her some tribute each year. This serves two purposes. Primarily, it allows the yeoman to keep on good terms with the lord and provides assurance that his land will not be taken from him. Secondly, it obligates the lord to help protect the yeoman's land in the event of a disaster or attack. In short, the gesture simply assures that the two will be "good neighbors."
Tradesmen
Tradesmen make up the lower classes of a feudal town. They include the common laborers, lesser craftsmen, and small businessmen. As individuals, they hold little power. Because of their overall importance in society, however, they are treated fairly well by the lord of the manor.
As a rule, tradesmen make enough money to support themselves fairly well and to provide a comfortable home for their families. In a modern sense, they might be described as the middle class.
Guildsmen
In order to counter the power which a lord maintains over his holdings and make certain that he does not abuse his status, the members of many professions form guilds. In essence, they function like the thieves' guild which is so much a part of many AD&D game campaigns. Guildsmen, the leaders of such groups, have much power in a town, for they can call on workers to stop key activities or delay important projects. Likewise, they can urge increased quality or quantity in times of strife.
In addition to the important members of the various guilds, this class of citizens includes unusually gifted artisans or those who work with precious materials (like a gem merchant). This class may be the most diverse of any because it serves as a buffer between the nobility and the common folk. In modern terms, the guildsmen might be considered to be the upper middle class.
As a side note, some guildsmen might have more actual power in a region than the nobles they serve. Such power is probably not openly manifested, but used in subtle ways to help the friends and family of the guildsman. The most important members of this class might be considered nobles who just haven't been given a title yet.
Chivalrics
The lowest rank of the nobility, the chivalric class is made up of knights and barons who have been given a grant of land to administer. In some cases, they have earned the land themselves through wealth, power, or service. In others, the land may have been awarded to one of their ancestors and they have inherited the title and responsibilities which come with such an estate.
Members of this class are endowed by their own lord (usually a duke, count, or earl) with land of their own and a manor house or keep in which to dwell. In return, of course, they swear loyalty to their benefactor and vow to serve his interests in their daily lives. As such, they pay a portion of their own incomes to him as a measure of their respect and gratitude. In a time of crisis, they are expected to come promptly to the aid of their superiors.
Nobility
The nobility are second in status only to the royal family. In practice, they are perhaps the most powerful of the classes. Members of the nobility, most of whom bear the title of Count, Duke, Earl, or Marquis, are each entrusted with a large section of the king's land. They swear loyalty to the crown, just as the members of the chivalric class swear loyalty to them. It is their responsibility to see to it that affairs in their lands are orderly and that all taxes and revenues due to the King are collected in a timely manner.
Members of the nobility have a very close relationship with the royal family, but they can claim no direct blood ties to the throne. In the event that a great disaster were to decimate the ruling house, the successor to the throne would certainly come from this class. The means by which such an individual came to power might be very controversial and a political power struggle is sure to erupt whenever the throne is left unclaimed.
Royal Family
At the top of it all is the royal family. Members of this group can trace a direct family relationship to the ruling monarch. When the current king dies, one of them will be next on the throne. In any feudal culture, members of this class are the absolute upper crust. Everyone, even the most powerful members of the nobility, swears fealty to the royal family and to the king in particular.
In the event of a dispute between the king and a member of the nobility, either in the form of a political challenge or an outright rebellion, members of lower classes are expected to side with the king and royal family. For example, if a powerful count decides to make a grab for the throne, many of the knights and barons who serve him may well be forced to turn against him. Failure to support the king in an internal struggle can be disastrous if the king should prove to be triumphant in the dispute.
As a rule, the king will be replaced by his first-born male child when he dies or steps down. If there is no such heir, then a pre-established pecking order exists to decide who has claim to the throne. In the event that no clear successor exists, the nobility will step in to select which member of the royal family will become the new King. In such cases, a great deal of political manipulation and deal-making can be counted upon.
The Imperial Family
In some cases, there exists an element of society above the traditional royal family; The Imperial Family. Where a king/queen is the recognized ruler of an individual country, an emperor/empress has united several nations under his/her own banner.
Empires are very rare indeed. The power required to hold one together is almost impossible for one man to attain. In most cases, an empire is formed by conquest. When one nation becomes so powerful that it can overrun a number of neighboring states, its king is elevated to the status of an emperor/empress.
There are other ways in which an empire might be formed, but these are rare in the extreme. Several nations with the same religion might be united in a holy war which causes them to select a single individual as their leader. If things go well and the new leader has acquired the power to hold this alliance together after the war, an empire may be forged.
There will always be men who claim to rule empires which exist only in their own minds, of course. It is not uncommon for a king to refer to himself as emperor/empress and his/her lands as an empire. For our purposes, however, these people are no more than kings with delusions of grandeur.
