Tuesday May 04, 2004

How This Campaign Generally Works...

The Lorenvale Campaign is governed by only a few standard principles, which are circumvented only occasionally when a real need arises:

1. The world is what it is.  Oerth (the Material Plane of the World of Greyhawk and this campaign) is a place where the PCs may travel as they wish.  I merely establish what exists in that world, and let the players explore it.  Consequently, if the party is averaging 2^nd-level and they walk into a stone giant’s lair, it is because that’s where he lives, not because I have set up an encounter that the PCs have no prayer of winning.  They must know when to run rather than fight because not everything they stick their nose into will be specifically tailored to their capabilities.  Likewise, at higher levels, some of the PCs’ encounters will be ridiculously easy…for the same but opposite reasons.

2. I do not lead by the nose.  As DM, I am only the storyteller, but the story is unfinished.  I set the stage, being sure to supply ample opportunity for adventure, but not guaranteeing that adventure will come to the PCs.  On the one hand, if the players do not actively seek out adventure, the game can get bogged down in a hurry.  I take it upon myself to assure that this is not commonplace, but still I place the primary responsibility for finding adventure upon the adventurers.  On the other hand, by also providing several options for the PCs, they do not get the feeling that they had no choice, and whatever the outcome, whether it was profitable or deadly, they can only credit themselves.

3. I am not the players’ adversary.  It is the job of the monsters and evil beings to defeat the PCs.  It is not the DM’s job to defeat the players, but to give them reasonable challenges and to make the game both fun and interesting.  There are plenty of evil things for the PCs to battle, and when the smoke clears, the PCs should still be standing.  Beaten up maybe…but still alive.  When a PC death does occur, it is not something I gloat in as if having accomplished a goal.  DMs who act as if they have a vendetta against characters (whether this is real or a ruse) only breed mistrust in the players and over-protection in them toward their characters.  I do not tailor encounters to specifically match either a PC’s strengths or his weaknesses, nor do I purposefully hand out magic items that I know will never have a good use.

4. The PCs are the good guys.  This generally means no PC can be of evil alignment (there are exceptions to this, as explained).  As a Christian, I believe that a good story includes the Christian element of good defeating evil.  With this in mind, there is a general ban on un-Christian behavior in both player and PC.  This does not mean the PCs necessarily are devout followers of good gods, but it does mean that they will not be involved in overt evil, like sexual perversions (including homosexuality), torture, murder or other heinous acts.  We also greatly discourage role-playing wanton criminal activity, flagrant rebellion, and general gratuitous sinfulness.  Having said that, however, occasions arise where the player must play an evil PC: magic items that change alignment, storylines of evil characters redeemed, and dominated or cursed PCs are all obvious ways this could happen.  This is not the issue.  At issue is the unhealthy desire to play an evil character, and without compelling reason to do so, it will not be allowed.

5. We play a Christian game.  The players themselves (regardless of their PC's alignment) will not engage in cussing, drunkenness, lewd talk or coarse jesting, or other behavior that is unbefitting a Christian, but rather they will play in a manner pleasing to both God and their mothers.  Whether playing a chaotic swindling rouge, an atheistic wizard, a runaway pit-fighter, or even someone with an evil alignment (which is discouraged)...the PCs may be godless or god-haters, but the players must still behave in a Christian manner.  A player can say "I cuss him out for stealing my pig," or "I stay the night in the brothel," without actually cussing or describing the night's activities.

Player Principles

1. This is a game.  Try not to get too bent out of shape....  Relax.  Have fun.

2. The DM is not your adversary.  See point #3 above, as this one is worth repeating.

3. Roll with the roll.  That is, the players are highly encouraged to accept the roll of the dice in any given situation, whether it is favorable or not.  If during character generation, the dice indicate the PC has an insanity, or the psionic wild talent to swat flies (or anything else deemed harmful or useless), the player ought to see that as an opportunity for creativity and memorable role-playing instead of something to complain about.  The DM will be the final arbiter of all things judged as truly debilitating, and short of that, the player should make the best of it.  This campaign probably won’t read like a fantasy novel, where all the heroes are stunningly beautiful, captivatingly charming, extraordinarily lucky, super-strong, robust, and invincible.  This campaign is more about making heroes of ordinary people.  I reward those who carve out their own niche, who embrace their “baggage” as part of life, and who prevail in spite of themselves.  In my opinion, the players of those PCs are better off for it, and their characters more believable and more memorable.

4. "Rewinding" is seriously frowned upon.  Rewinding is what happens when the PC gets into a jam and the player says, "But...Bob the Victorious wouldn't have done anything so stupid as rush into the hydra's lair buck naked." My stance as DM is this: if you state that your PC has done something, he has done it.  Period.  Yes, the wizard has a 20 Intelligence, but if you have him cast hold person on a dog, don't appeal to his intelligence to cover your folly.  Rewinding is sometimes necessary to fix major gaffes, but it should never be a crutch device for fixing player screw-ups.  If it's a crucial situation, appeal to the DM's mercy--and this DM is often merciful--but remember that the practice is seriously frowned upon.

5. You can do whatever you want.  During play I'm often asked, "Can my PC ______?"  My answer is always: "You can do whatever you want, and I'll tell you what happens."