Original D&D Discussion - where do campaigns start?

Alex
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where do campaigns start?
« Thread Started on Sept 14, 2010, 12:30pm »

I'm trying to get a feel for where most Traveller campaigns have their roots. S3 suggests Regina or Glisten sub-sectors. Do most GMs use these? If so which is more popular as a starting point? If not, what do you do?

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eris
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Re: where do campaigns start?
« Reply #1 on Sept 14, 2010, 4:35pm »

Sept 14, 2010, 12:30pm, Alex wrote:

I'm trying to get a feel for where most Traveller campaigns have their roots. S3 suggests Regina or Glisten sub-sectors. Do most GMs use these? If so which is more popular as a starting point? If not, what do you do?

When I saw your topic's title, I thought, "Why they always start at the Starport, of course...and usually in a bar.", but that's not what you meant.

Yes, I've used Regina, Glisten and Gateway as starting points. I've also used Reavers Deep, District 268 and Beyond (outside the Imperium). However, I'm particularly fond of using my own sub-sectors and settings.

For a new Ref and group, I actually recommend going home-brew.

Sandbox Traveller!

Use Book 2 (or 6) to generate a sub sector. If you look the sub sector over you'll probably see a story jumping out at you from one, or a group, of the worlds, and even if you don't the PC's will very likely stumble into something, improvise on that and keep improvising on whatever the PC's do all the while letting them think there is a method behind all the madness. Plop the characters down on an "interesting "world in your sub sector and let them take it from there!

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Yusuf Kamal(Chainmail & Shield: AC 4, MV 6, HD 1, XP: 0, hp 6. #AT 1. 1d8 Sword, 1d6 Bow, 1d4 dagger x 2. Lucky Amulet, rations, waterskin x 2. GP: 0. [gold necklace & jewelry case with a few silver rings & bracelets...est. 70 gp])

barrataria
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Re: where do campaigns start?
« Reply #2 on Sept 15, 2010, 11:07am »

I had the adventure "Research Station Gamma" which details Rhylanor subsector; I used that but don't remember which system we started in.

http://traveller.wikia.com/wiki/Rhylanor_Subsector

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ffilz
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Re: where do campaigns start?
« Reply #3 on Sept 15, 2010, 3:51pm »

My only significant Traveller campaign actually started with a home brew set of SF rules based on RuneQuest (this was before Ring World came out). I used my own universe that didn't follow Traveller sector rules (though I did use Traveller system generation if I actually cared about such details).

Frank

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themattjon
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Re: where do campaigns start?
« Reply #4 on Sept 15, 2010, 5:13pm »

Sept 14, 2010, 4:35pm, eris wrote:

For a new Ref and group, I actually recommend going home-brew.

Sandbox Traveller!

Use Book 2 (or 6) to generate a sub sector. If you look the sub sector over you'll probably see a story jumping out at you from one, or a group, of the worlds, and even if you don't the PC's will very likely stumble into something, improvise on that and keep improvising on whatever the PC's do all the while letting them think there is a method behind all the madness. Plop the characters down on an "interesting "world in your sub sector and let them take it from there!

+1 on this. And don't forget Patrons: NPCs in need of retired "blasters for hire" to do a job for them...

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eris
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Re: where do campaigns start?
« Reply #5 on Sept 16, 2010, 3:27pm »

Sept 15, 2010, 5:13pm, themattjon wrote:

Sept 14, 2010, 4:35pm, eris wrote:

For a new Ref and group, I actually recommend going home-brew.

Sandbox Traveller!

Use Book 2 (or 6) to generate a sub sector. If you look the sub sector over you'll probably see a story jumping out at you from one, or a group, of the worlds, and even if you don't the PC's will very likely stumble into something, improvise on that and keep improvising on whatever the PC's do all the while letting them think there is a method behind all the madness. Plop the characters down on an "interesting "world in your sub sector and let them take it from there!

+1 on this. And don't forget Patrons: NPCs in need of retired "blasters for hire" to do a job for them...

Oh, yeah! I remember it well!

The PC's had a 100 dton ship and couldn't make any money on regular trade, so they had to make expenses each month taking on "odd jobs." Some times the patrons were NPC's with and actual job, but often they were NPC's "in the right place and the right time" to involve the PC's in some sort of adventure. They rescued a kidnapped scientist who was going to be smuggled off planet by a rival MegaCorp, the patron on this on was his daughter. They did a break in and data pilfer at a Corp HG and got paid by an environmental group. They transported a pair of archaeologists to a near by world and assisted them in checking out some ruins...that were more than just ruins, but they again so were the archaeologists! They failed to save a man from being beaten by a mob just outside the Starport, and ended up being chased across the planet...and two more...by religious fanatics who were after a medallion the dying man gave them. They undertook a rescue mission to an isolated research institute after a hurricane swept through, and found that the hurricane was the least of their worries when the monsters came out to play...the Professor at the university didn't tell them about the monsters.

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Kelmult Dwarven Fgt-2
Olaf, the very lucky...so far! Human Fgt-2
Yusuf Kamal(Chainmail & Shield: AC 4, MV 6, HD 1, XP: 0, hp 6. #AT 1. 1d8 Sword, 1d6 Bow, 1d4 dagger x 2. Lucky Amulet, rations, waterskin x 2. GP: 0. [gold necklace & jewelry case with a few silver rings & bracelets...est. 70 gp])

makofan
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Re: where do campaigns start?
« Reply #6 on Sept 20, 2010, 7:59pm »

I always create my own settings, but giving them a ship and not enough money is usually sufficient

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