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The Keep on the Hinterlands, an old-school roleplaying experience
Need links to joining, organization, elevator pitch and setting here
Welcome to the codex of all knowledge for The Keep on the Hinterlands, a classic Dungeons & Dragons sandbox campaign in the Sugar Land/Houston, Texas area with an open table and an old-school style!
Existing players
Current players may want to peruse the gazetteer, table map or add their own information to the journal in the taproom of The Orc and Pie.
The elevator pitch
It's said that every undertaking that involves recruiting others needs an elevator pitch, so here goes:
Redo this for new setting ideas
It's been twelve days since you boarded the barge at the Dunfalcon docks, headed to the Baron's encampment in the Hinterlands.
You were told it would only take six days, but it's been almost two weeks in the open elements with little more provided to eat but foul-tasting pickled perch washed down with brackish water the scullery boy claims is tea. So far the journey has consisted of keeping an eye on your gear and long periods of overwhelming boredom, fortunately broken occasionally by ducking volleys from occasional goblinoid or bandit archers. It's not where you wanted to be, but it beats the alternatives you had back home.
During the river journey to the encampment you haven't really gotten to know many of the other cargo… er, passengers, but what you have heard sounds all too familiar: trouble with the law, trouble with the Church, trouble with family. Practically everyone seems to be running away from something. Oh, and of course, everyone is looking for their fortune. Everyone is certain they are going to become very rich.
That's how you ended up on this journey. You didn't know what your next move was but then you saw the handbill outside the hostelry. Everyone's heard the stories about Baron Aelfric, but you were undeterred by rumor. Immediately, you knew what to do.
This is an old-school sandbox campaign based on equally old-school rules and sensibilities and structured to fit into the busy lives of adults. Beginner and veteran players alike are welcome! New characters will be rolled before play begins or you may use a pre-generated character.
The premise is simple: a wide-open, wild frontier ripe with riches for the taking and a greater backstory and mystery, should you seek to find it.
The goal? Kill monsters, take their stuff and have fun. Sound good? Then grab some dice and pass the Doritos!
Blog testing
What is meant by a “West Marches” game?
A lot of people talk about a “West Marches” campaign.
– finish me
Link: https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/120770/what-defines-a-west-marches-campaign
Links to original articles:
“But, it’s what my character would do!”
Think about it. Then think about it again. Then think some more.
I can't really think of any situations where using that phrase to defend your character's actions is valid for a friendly game. If you still insist, then play another character. If you can't do that perhaps this isn't the game for you.
Rules lawyers suck, period, full stop
So do most of the gamer stereotypes, but rules laywers are by far the worst. Just… don't. (He who lives by the sword dies by it. Repeatedly.)
Being an edgelord, playing an antisocial character or “evil” characters in general
We're all here to play a game and have fun. For most it's not fun to have someone else in the party who is causing problems with their edginess or going around stealing from the other party members or doing things to cause harm to the group. (I'll admit it's not fun for DMs, either.)
I know you're supposed to roleplay, but players having to watch their characters' backs against the world while also worrying about other PCs or suffer the consequences of someone who is random for no purpose but their own edification is just… exhausting. It's also not fun. At the table, let's agree that the party are all allies and we hunt the monsters, not be the monsters.
A PSA for old-school gaming
Old-school gaming can be a bit brutal. For instance, if you can't handle that character fatalities can and do happen or feel like mapping isn't necessary to success then there may be a problem.
Also, old-school gaming often has no interest in your character backstory or concept other than how you play your character (“levels 1-3 are your character backstory”). Story is what you make, not something preordained for your character. There's a different style of play going on here.
