So, give me some input...

I would like to ask my fellow Aeneans what ideas they have for
events/quests they would like to be involved in?

I am currently brainstorming myself for ways to structure "plot"
lines in such a way that multiple players may have contact over many days with
the "hooks" and "clues" and NPCs that will help tell a little side story

I am leaning towards a combination of things. In game, you may
see NPCs walking around "making trouble" or who are just there to chat
with you. Depending on how you deal with them, they or other NPCs
might react to your actions later. Sometimes you may also see
posts on these forums in the "in character" section related to
plots and maybe even mentioning things you did

The idea being that overall, I might be able to instigate player interactions
geared towards puzzling out the importance/meaning of various things
related to these "plots", and having the players actions directly impact
the course of events. I do not think I will be running such things all the
time, however, and these "plots" will more than likely take several weeks or
more to play out. Obviously I can only further them when I am online,
and hence it will be a challenge to try and get players involved whose
playtimes do not usually line up with my own. I promise to try my best.

Please toss out ideas for "plots" in this thread. I may steal your ideas wholly
or in part... and totally without warning

A few ideas for quests etc:

For areas like the sewers in Mountainholm, maybe if there was an NPC wandering around by one of the grates, who could explain the problem (a sewer cleaner perhaps)

A rich merchant hiring a bodyguard to cross a difficult or bandit infested area.

Assassination of an important noble etc.

Hunting/Collection of rare animal/plant for a healer/druid/evil witch?!

Absolutely Delicious!

I am new to the Dm client and functions, so please bear with me for the next couple weeks while I familarize myself with them. I will also be scouting potential locations to run events, the sewers sounds like a great idea

And i agree, we need some gathering quests for the herbalists, and animal handlers etc ...

Another idea, if players without the ability to craft themselves wanted to have a particular item made they could go to a particular blacksmith/wizard etc. and choose their requirements, and for the right fee and items (maybe some rare item(s) the maker could send you on a quest for) this could be made. Basically a similar idea to the custom items but in game??

I second mighty's suggestions about the in-game customization options. I like that idea because i think it would make the special item have a little more meaning for my character, if i had to go through the process of questing for materials and such! bravo!

hey, what about a name changer (for an item)? Again, just something that adds a little more immersion to the process!

Eric of Atrophy wrote:hey, what about a name changer (for an item)?

This one would be relatively easy to implement. I'd just have to do a quick little script on an item you could use, then go through the items in the toolset to flag those that I don't want renamed (like the ones that can't be dyed).

Could be ready in a week or so, depending on my schedule.

As far as in-game custom item maker...it's sort of possible. Not as customized as the reward items, it would basically be limited to "predesigned" custom items (kinda like new home builders that offer you a custom house, as long as you choose from one of the 6 floor plans they offer, but with a few more options).

I think that would fly! I mean, you guys are the bosses, so whatever you wanna do, right? but those sorts of customization options (even if there are limitations) are still a sweet sweet bonus!

As to other things, I'll post suggestions as I think 'em - but my poor brain-wheels don't turn as well as they should (it doesn't help that those miserable mind flayers sucked them out last night!), so it might take awhile!

But I'll troll the forums in the meanwhile, I promise!

Awesome.

I, too, agree that one of my absolute favorite things about Aenea is the customization of items and the playerdesigned housing. In any roleplaying game, players are going to have more sense of immersion and more investment in the game/environment when they are able to add thier own personalized creations to it.

To piggyback on that idea, I am also going to put some thought into ways to incentivise Player Driven plots.... as players have the most fun usually with plots they initiate and that suit their individual tastes and goals.

If anybody has suggestions about how to make these work, throw them out!

As for the idea about questing for parts to create customized items... I know there is an illithid merchant in Macedone that does this sort of thing with pre-defined items and recipes... im not sure how to go about expanding on that on the fly without adding new NPCs and items, etc. to the module itself.

Amethyst would know more.

I know that for pre-existing items from the original campaign, most of them anyway, and some of the items you can buy or find by defeating enemies, I could spawn them into the game with the DM tools, as a reward for a player who quested for the materials needed for a pre-existing NPC to "craft" said item. So in essence, a player could get an item that perhaps might not have a "level-cap" or that they could not otherwise find or afford to buy, if they find an NPC who can craft it, and then perform the needed quests.

So I suppose, it would be easy to offer quests to obtain certain items if a character knows what they are looking for, in general or in specific, and with the item or tool that Amethyst referenced, those items could be "personalized"... but I am not sure about "customized".

What are folks thoughts about what I have shared here?

Also, when I feel industrious, I could play around in the toolset, and whip up a slew of possible "custom items designs" that arent offered in the main module (to my knowledge) with properties that would be helpful to all classes, certain class groups, and specific classes. Heck, if amethyst wants, I can share some of the custom items I drew up for Crideas... i like those a lot, maybe y'all will too

If you have interest in an item with certain qualities or a "theme", feel free to post here and give me those parameters, so I can try and throw together something that fits them, or comes as close as I am able.

I like to think that making items is the one thing in the toolset that I excel at, hopefully Amethyst would agree, hehe.

As a side note, I feel I should mention this... I don't think it would be a good idea to have custom items of any sort, or the "quested" items be tradeable or sellable. I dont think the DM tools can toggle the "undroppable" flag, so I would need Amethyst to script up a tool that could be used to do it.

Not a problem, Dave. I can easily add simple tools like that.

Just bumping this so folks can have a chance to give me input on item qualities or combinations of qualities they want for different gear slots.

I may be embroiled in this most of the weekend when I am not workin on testing DM stuff for the plot I am cooking up.

I may also try to run some simple and fairly quick "go here and kill that" or "find me this thing" quests if people are online and have interest.

Ideas on what rewards (other than equipment) would be attractive to folks would be very appreciated. XP and gold are a given... any other ideas?

Just wanted to post an update for everybody.

I am still working on the next intallment of the "Meatshields and More" plotline.

I ask you all to be patient with me, as I am not a very experienced DM, and the creative process for me is time-consuming because I am a bit of a perfectionist. I want it to be as good as I can make it despite my inexperience.

Rest assured, things are progressing. When I have more concrete plans in place, I will update you all.

In the meantime, please please please, feel totally free to throw out some ideas of your own about plots and events you think would be enjoyable.

The feedback and input is welcome, and I will consider all of it, believe me. I may not *use* all of it, but I will definitely read through it, think about it, and possibly ask questions regarding it.

"Meatshields and more"? Was that the bandit-killing one that happened some weeks ago?

Indeed it was

I don't know if this is the sort of thing you are looking for, but I'd be interested in running some Asis related quests (maybe one of the Temple priests gets kidnapped, or an religious artefact goes missing, or... Asis suddenly stops responding to offerings, stops offering Favors, and stops replenishing spells (!) because she's missing... or something like that (though I have to admit that even so close to 20th level, Kaliria would be hard pressed to accomplish much with no spells, but it would be fun to try, playing the whole "fish out of water" role).

Rewards could include any number of things... the aforementioned xp and gold... a statue of the character in a somewhat prominent place, or maybe just a permanent posting on a plaque or sign somewhere, religious artefacts (even if it did nothing more than look cool, I'd love to have something that I could wear/carry that would serve as a constant reminder to me of what I'd accomplished), a title like High Priest or Priestess, etc.

Oh, and it goes without saying that if any of this sounds cool to you, feel free to corrupt/steal/modify/use for a different character or god... whatever. Like a Ranger could become a High Huntsman (or insert title here) for protecting the forests or helping the elves, or a Fighter/Paladin could become a High Protector, or a Knight of a realm, etc.

Just my .02

Sorry... I had some more ideas (I've moreoften been a DM than a player...).

What about something like a "Book of Exalted Deeds" sort of a thing. A commonly available book listing heroes of the realms who've accomplished certain great things.

Or what about appointing a character or group of characters as the heads of a stronghold, complete with npc soldiers and maybe even some shops, that occasionally gets attacked by rampaging orcs, etc. forcing the players to defend their holdings, repel an evil wizards incursions, etc.

The ideas are limitless.. I will stop now because if I don't I'll be typing all day.

I love this stuff.

I would like to piggy back on the weapon/item crafting idea. I think it would be interesting, whether it was quest specifc, or just an actual integration into the game, that you could go and look for "parts" of a weapon or item. For example, a quest for a Holy Avenger Sword and you would have to find integral parts like the hilt, the blade, the sheath and the magic that would accompany such the weapon. You could even have the Priest/Cleric of the specific temple give the magic out after all the parts were recovered.

Another few ideas might be

1. Gather intelligence - go to specific enemy town, then return (good for beginning)
2. Hunt down enemy scout (spy) before he gets away with important information.
3. Raid/(re)capture town.
4. For high-level people, may have specific number requirement - hunt down a war party.
5. Raid a caravan carrying strategic goods.
6. Free warriors from a prisoner train.
7. Training of Knights missions, could be for specific Temples.

1. Hunt down a "number" of specific bandit groups (to make roads safer).
2. Deliver a certain amount of goods to this city.
3. Deliver a certain amount of goods to specified city.
4. Punish a caravan raider, free it's prisoners before it escapes

When your in the Green Dragon Inn, you'll be asking for rumors, someone may tell that in 'insert city name here", some guy boasts about knowing a place where some sort of buried treasure is hidden. You go the "City" and pick that guy up from a tavern, for a price he'll agree to escort you to the place. When you arrive, it turns out that he already sold that location to an other party that already unearthed it and not willing to part with it. Battle ensues, if you win - you'll get some sort of unique item. The "treasure" guy either runs away, or can be hired as one of companions

mastersuntzu wrote:I would like to piggy back on the weapon/item crafting idea. I think it would be interesting, whether it was quest specifc, or just an actual integration into the game, that you could go and look for "parts" of a weapon or item. For example, a quest for a Holy Avenger Sword and you would have to find integral parts like the hilt, the blade, the sheath and the magic that would accompany such the weapon. You could even have the Priest/Cleric of the specific temple give the magic out after all the parts were recovered.

If my suspicions are correct, this is actually already in game.... I even have several PCs scouring the land looking for parts.... and I have staked a rather high reward for anybody who locates them.

Keep the ideas coming folks... I may bot use all of them, but I may take bits from here and there.

daveyeisley wrote:If my suspicions are correct, this is actually already in game.... I even have several PCs scouring the land looking for parts.... and I have staked a rather high reward for anybody who locates them.

Being rather new to this world I am unaware of such a quest. I would like to take part in something like that. My question is, Is it something that is DM ran rather than something that is integrated into the game? Is it specifically made to be achievable for only high level characters? Maybe what I envision is finding pieces along your way from the beginning, by searching for your specific class, until later levels, where the item/weapon will be most useful. Again, being rather new here I am still trying to find my way around and learning all the nuances.

Well, I will tell you this:

There is no "official" quest for it, it is integrated into the game world. It does not require DM interaction. You do not get a journal entry for it.

What I have found is half of an ancient page with a story on it.

Search the caves in Valorian's Vale, behind the Sleeping Dragon Inn...

You may learn more of what I speak. I very much wish to solve this dilemma, but the Purple One has been very tight lipped on the subject.

And not many of us have been able to crack this riddle open.

Darnit!