So I am working on a 17th Century adaptation of Barbarians of Lemuria. Part of this involves a playtest that I am running every couple weeks- but because I'm spending time working on the rules aspect, I need some advice on adventure ideas to throw at the PCs once the first campaign is complete. Right now they are in the Caribbean fighting pirates on an island with dinosaurs, headhunters, snake-men, and a mummy. However, I want the campaign to venture to Europe for a while so I can run some courtly intrigue and skullduggery. Any ideas for stories that I can have them get involved in some continental adventure?
Some background: Most of the PCs are British- but the game takes place in 1651, during the Interregnum while Cromwell is ruling, and they mostly "can't go home again" except as criminals (not that this wouldn't also be a fun scenario to run).
There is some magic in the campaign, but it is not D&D over-the-top magic- it is subtle, rare, and usually found in remote places.
I'd like a wide variety of adventure seeds, things that run the gamut from dark, Solomon Kane-esque stories to light-hearted Princess Bride-type stories.
how about politically biased ones, such as the fight for succession in the Dutch Republic. William of Orange kicked off right before then...
The only thing is how do I get them involved? They are a rag-tag of pirates and ex-cavaliers on the lamb.
Quote from: BASHMAN;337648The only thing is how do I get them involved? They are a rag-tag of pirates and ex-cavaliers on the lamb.
are they talented? Good sailorsd? Merchant skills?
I'd work the whole spanish vs Dutch thing, maybe hired to kill Balthasar Gérard, the assassin of William?
This is one of my favorite eras of history. My favorite author that wrote about this era was, strangely enough best known for his western novels, Louis Lamour. He wrote two very good books set in the early 17th century, Fair Blows the Wind and Sackett's Land. His book The Walking Drum is also a good read, though set in the 13th century. I rip a good deal of my campaign and adventure ideas from all the books I've read (hey, apparently it's ok to rip off Scooby-Doo, so historical fiction books must be ok).
Fair Blows the Wind deals with a fugitive Irish boy who tries to learn to to be a swordsman to avenge his family. yeah, yeah, we've heard that one before. Somehow, it never felt contrived, though. The boy travels all over England, Scotland, France, Spain, and even a short stint in the New World as he grows to manhood. Lamour overlays this story on the historical events of that time (Henry of Navarre, the Spanish Armada IIRC, secret societies that span countries)
Sackett's Land deals with a young Welshman who leaves his home to find his fortune in the world, eventually finding his way to the New World.
In other words, steal the basic plot of a good book or movie, regardless of the genre, and then change it to fit your game. In my experience, that makes it fresh enough that it seems new and imaginative to your players. I only told my players where I got the inspiration from after the campaign was over.
Good luck!
February 1651. The Fronde.
Turenne was defeated at Battle of Blanc-Champ this past December, but political unrest has reached a fever pitch, and Anne, the queen regent, fears for her safety and that of young Louis; she decides to release the imprisoned princes Condé and Conti and the duc de Longueville. Mazarin's government collapses and the cardinal must flee the country.
The adventurers can end up on either side of the struggle: locate the fleeing cardinal and the stolen wealth of France he is sure to have with him, or help him escape across the frontier into Spain.
Some generic ideas:
A merchant/noble hires the ruffian adventurers to break in and still an item (important document, valuable artifact) from another merchant/noble. This happening in a large, civilised city, discretion is the key.
Variations:
Item belongs to employer; item belongs to present possessor; item belongs to third party (supernatural?); item has curse or defenses affecting whoever takes it; burglars realise that the item getting into the wrong hands will cause diplomatic incident/great tragedy.
Romeo hires adventurers to spring Juliet (yes, I know that's earlier, they're not literally R. and J.).
Variations:
Juliet hires party to spring Romeo; Juliet hires party via proxy pretending to be Romeo to spring herself for reasons unrelated to romance; Juliet doesn't want to come along; Juliet to be replaced by simulacrum or long-lost twin sister; Juliet already replaced by simulacrum or long-lost twin sister, party nabs the wrong one; attempt must happen during large costume ball; Romeo loses patience, goes on springing attempt parallel to party, gets in trouble; Romeo or Juliet is a VIP (royal blood, etc.)
Keep an eye on my 'Dark Bowers' thread. I'm irregularly writing up a fictional journal there that roughly equates to that time period.
I'm currently "translating" The Erroneous Swimming of Elizabeth Hussey.
Quote from: One Horse Town;337690Keep an eye on my 'Dark Bowers' thread. I'm irregularly writing up a fictional journal there that roughly equates to that time period.
I'm currently "translating" The Erroneous Swimming of Elizabeth Hussey.
I'm writing the game with "Bashman". As you know, I'm already keeping a close eye on your Dark Bowers journal!:)
Simon W
Quote from: Simon W;338306I'm writing the game with "Bashman". As you know, I'm already keeping a close eye on your Dark Bowers journal!:)
Simon W
Ah, didn't realise that you were in cahoots!
Read some of Bernard Cornwell's novels set in that period (no, not his Sharpe novels). Try Gallows theif, A crowning mercy and Fallen angels. All three are EXCELLENT scenario-fodder.