Hello,
smillan_31 very kind me asked me about my little own Greyhawk campaign on the greyhawk wargaming thread. I did not want to clog up that thread but also thought it very rude to ignore the comment so I have posted a little about my own campaign here which I think is the correct forum?
I am running my Knights of the Free Coast setting for which I have used the excellent poster size maps of the Pomarj and Greyhawk area that I downloaded from this fine site. I cannot seem to find them here now but they are excellent maps and very useful. If anyone knows who did them please do tell me so that I can thank them personally.
My little campaign is based around the ‘reconquista’ or liberation of a part of the southern Wild Coast in which my pcs take part in or at least witness events. They got involved with the actual conquest of the ruined town of Fax and its resettlement funded by a retired mercenary warlord and his old comrades. We developed detailed backgrounds for at least some of the pcs and they I tried to use it to tie it in to matters as the campaign developed.
They have to deal with the constant humanoid peril while handling the less obvious but no less dangerous matters. They had to consider the benefits of accepting help from Greyhawk to the north along with all that help is tied to. Then if not trying to fend off Greyhawk’s influence while dealing with the near invisible machinations of Celene to the west and the brute force of the Pomarjian Empire to the south. Of course I should not forget the slaver and pirate forces that harry them on Woolly Bay to the east.
We have done a few wargames of Reconquista forces versus humanoids and then of humanoids versus Greyhawk with the next one on the 27th. A brave Greyawk mercenary force landing at Fallowfield to march on Elredd, will they succeed, who indeed knows? I certainly do not as we fight a straight wargame with added magic, undead etc. The result will be my headache for another day.
They pcs get to fight with Reconquista units, like the axe wielding Proud Men of Fax, and assist or even lead them. Obviously if it all goes wrong it can be awkward for them. The wargames are very much mixed in with the heroic adventures reclaiming or exploring old ruins and sacked temples of which there is abundance on the Wild Coast.
The PCs are generally of a neutral (mildly good) aligned disposition so they get to be uneasy allies with the Church of Hextor and Baron Mastryne to fight the common humanoid foe. I must confess to dropping the heroes in to morally mire now and again. So I try to have a mix of general scenario violence and roleplay mixed in with more strategic geo-political matters and with an added dollop of good old religious hatred too. They struggle with in fighting amongst the settlers from heterogeneous backgrounds and I even introduced the sceptics to the campaign after their great success in Urnst!
I am not, in anyway, saying that it is Shakespeare because it is not but may players seem to enjoy it. That is all that I am after really.
Thanks for asking Ragr. The game has run well, well no one complained or went home- which is always a winner!
Have just finished my latest run and we are doing a campaign battle tomorrow between Hobgoblins in the service of the PCs versus orcs and half-orcs opposed to them. They went for the divide and conquer approach with the humanoids and, as virtually none of the PCs are good, they had no scruples about hiring humanoids to fight other humanoids. They have allies from the Temple of Hextor fighting with them too so it is really mixed up with no real ‘white hats’.
I ran the ‘Setting Sun’ scenario from Dungeon 73 set in the New Temple Parish and am running ‘The Ruins of Noel-Daer’ from Dungeon 13 soon too. All leads picked up from this fine forum btw.
They also dealt with the help and hindrance from Greyhawk who I treat as a power with its own agenda and schemes- basically C20th USA or C19th Britain. One day they help the next day they are at a cross purpose. I then put in allies who do not really help but are not malicious just part of an eclectic mix all allegedly on the same size. So I had one faction favouring the Old Faith and falling out with allies who follow Pholtus. Then one faction that favour an orderly lawful state and one that wants a chaotic mix of independent fiefdoms.
Basically a scenario session then a more strategic one with plenty of intrigue. I do like the idea of your adversaries being your own good intended friends through their actions that hinder you. Foiled by good intent ;-)
As ever nothing super but it seems to work for my players. They control Fax and are fighting over the bones of Badwall desperate to build defence in depth before the impending Pomarj counter attack comes home. If only they and their allies could stop bickering and unify, if only Greyhawk would bail them out for free, if only…..
Sounds like a lot of fun; especially the ambiguity of the factions.
My plans include an attack on the Pomarj from Greyhawk forces under the command of Turin Deathstalker unofficially supported by the Gnarley Rangers, Narwell Headhunters and Baron Mastryne. None of these will be co-ordinating with each other so it will open up a lot of good cross purpose intentions and the aftermath will be messy.
A further attack on the Pomarj will come from Ulek. This has all been precipitated by Mak withdrawing troops in order to fulfill a very lucrative mercenary contract from Sister Kuranyie in Onnwal.
I'm not sure to what extent pcs will be involved but it will reshape the Wild Coast map and restore some of it to its former, pre Greyhawk wars, state.
A few uncoordinated northern offensives along with an assault form Ulek. Lots of room for miscalculation and timing errors- sounds wonderful. Bringing in that’ loveable’ horrible man Mastryne too. Sounds a fine recipe for either a fine victory or an embarrassing clusterfu#k- either way great gaming.
Like the redeployment of troops to support the SB too- may well <cough> use that for my game .
In my own wee campaign the PCs attacked Badwall with their hobgoblin horde and got bounced and had to tactically retreat north. Lots of parody from real life with them asking, “Why don’t our ‘humanoids’ fight like their ‘humanoids’?” No one likes a defeat but if you win every battle then the fruits of victory grow bland. Anyway another reconquista (human) army is assaulting Badwall tomorrow but with no baddies in it at all. Second time lucky??
Please do tell how your campaign goes. This is the last of mine for a while as another Gm takes over, so I will be very keen to hear how you get on.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Canonfire! is a production of the Thursday Group in assocation with GREYtalk and Canonfire! Enterprises
