So I'm starting up a new dnd game and have been wracking my brain for a good plot line to run. I've got modules a plenty and full length adventure paths to choose from but there's always somthing about running your own...
The premise I've got so far is straight forward enough but I'd like any insight or advice that can be given.
Basically the players hear legend of a mythical forge and a equally magical forge hammer both were created by warring nations in as a gesture of peace to each other and a reminder of the greatness they can create working together.
Both kingdoms eventiually fell and the forge and hammer lost to the mists of time.
Basically the group would discover the tales and start to investigate the legend. At some point a bbg is revealed to also be pursuing it...a race against time ensues...etc etc...
>>47295143
The hammer and forge were created by the gods, and were used to make creation. The BBEG desperately wants to use these ancient and powerful artifacts to either a.) make himself a god, or b.) remake the world in his (or his god's) image. Perhaps even both.
The BBEG's motive is tied to some personal tragedy; a family member, friend, or mentor who died what the BBEG believes is a meaningless death, the BBEG's childhood was in some way damaged or tragically cut short, or they are doing it for King, Country, and God.
BBEG doesn't have to be male. Just easier to type he and his since they're shorter.
>>47295143
Basically I'm just looking for tips, ideas or suggestions tg would think of help improve the plot or even better plot lines altogether.
>>47295255
Dubs confirmed for great idea
>>47295333
>better plot lines altogether
Your players have somehow come into possession of a castle and the barony surrounding it. They must deal with monsters in their land, dickass nobles on their borders, and the problems of the peasantry. All the while, they have to get the decaying old castle fixed up and remotely livable
>>47295421
>the 3 stooges get to run a a nation
>hilarity ensues
>>47295143
The party should find the hammer, but the BBEG should find the forge. Then they have to dungeon dive and take back the forge. Perhaps having the hammer offers some intense magical advantage, like they can make some special use of it in the forge to defeat the BBEG.
>>47296780
Maybe without the hammer the forge is simply a normal (if well crafted) forge?
>>47295388
Not OP but I never liked anthropomorphized stories of creation, with Gods being people and doing people shit with people stuff. Why would the Gods of Creation make things with the medieval technology mortals use to make tools out of minerals?
Unless... Perhaps the Hammer and Forge are just a translation of the dual forces of creation (male/female kind of thing). Like the forces of creation were channeled into these artifacts which were actually made by mortals.
>You're not a writer
>No one on /tg/ i a writer
>Fuck all those things you could pick from that are written by actual writers, just pick the random lolsofunnyXD posts idiots on 4chan post and make a campaign out of that.
I'm sorry your players have such a shit DM.
>>47295143
>Basically the group would discover the tales and start to investigate the legend.
Why would they give a fuck? What's their impetus to go chase down random might-not-even-exist macguffins from myths? Why the fuck would they do this at level 1? It's not like a PC would know they're an RPG character and say "Hey maybe if I depart on a quest for this magical hammer or whatever, by the time I get it I'll be a high level, so it's cool".
And why hasn't anyone else found it yet? Why are you planning a "race against time" before anything even starts?
Are you people physically incapable of understanding basic RPG narrative structure? You claim to have RPG modules and adventures, has it never occurred to you to maybe crack one open and see how they go about setting up a plot?
>>47296843
> wanting an outside opinion
You seem like the kind of person no one likes. The kind who believes he's never wrong
>>47296878
>Why would they give a fuck?
Because it's interesting.
>What's their impetus to go chase down random might-not-even-exist macguffins from myths?
Because it's interesting.
>Why the fuck would they do this at level 1?
Campaigns don't actually have to start at level 1.
>Are you people physically incapable of understanding basic RPG narrative structure?
I'm not OP, but I understand narrative structures pretty well. As hard as it may be for you to believe, it's not actually unusual for adventurers to go searching for priceless artifacts. In fact it would make more sense if they had more competition for looking for such a thing. People brave worse looking for less valuable things with less promising leads IN REAL LIFE.
In any case... What the fuck is your problem? Are you trolling or are you just that much of a spiteful creature?
>>47296938
>Because it's interesting.
This is pretty good b8. Pretend OP is good, and butter him up with shit ideas and false praise, and then laugh at him when he comes back here crying. Pretty good plan.
>>47296878
I did say I wanted opinions and criticism.
I've gone to tg numerous times to get an opinion on plot and gameplay ideas and most of the time it's for the better. If I come here and use only 5% of what I get from people then that's a success as it helped me make a better game even if only slightly.
While on the subject yes you are right the bait needs to be somthing very noticeable and would cause them to investigate further eventually discovering the myth itself.
As for why no one else has done it the idea I've managed so far is that the forge is practically useless without the hammer and knowledge of the whereabouts of either faded with time after the kingdoms fell.
>>47296956
Gee anon, I wonder why you've been struggling to find a game to play in so long.
Your cutting wit and completely unfounded criticisms seem like the kind of thing people should go out of their way to experience.
>>47296878
Good questions there m8, helped me refine my setting.
>>47296975
>Implying I am struggling to find games
Thankfully, I'm a DM (and a decent writer at that), so I'm never actually short. I've got more requests to run games than I have time to schedule.
And you know why? Because I'm not a barely-literate idiot who comes up with lolsorandom homebrew settings like OP and then solicits shitty plot ideas from idiot forever-players who only care about what kind of memes and greentext stories they can wrench out of the games they had to shotgun applications to finally get into.
>>47297081
>projecting this hard
>>47296820
The Hammer and Forge could represent metaphysical concepts, and they might actually change with every age. They don't actually have to be a physical hammer or forge.The could actually be advanced science, like an STC or Replicator that people have enshrined into legend, and the "gods" are actually their ancestors who fled an apocalypse so long ago that its now seen as a creation myth.
>>47297203
Had another idea:It's not an STC or Replicator. It's a terraforming device of awesome power, which in the wrong hands, could be used as a terrible weapon. Not exactly like the Genesis Device, but certainly dangerous.
If the players are high level:
>The hammer/forge is a wild goose chase they are sent on by a rival, enemy or perhaps just their employer. Everyone is surprised when it turns out that it's actually real. Now they have to deal with it and all those who want it or claim to have a right to it.
> The hammer/forge is an important quest they are being sent on but it turns out it's something completely different than what everyone was expecting. Now they need to deal with the situation.
If they are low level:
>They accidentally stuble upon the hammer/forge and are now badgered by a bunch of helpful and antagonistic powers, seemingly becoming puppets in the games of the mighty. They need to get stronger to take control of the situation.
>The hammer/forge is a legend, scoffed at by almost everyone, and when the players find it it actually seems worthless, but there are a few tiny clues which point at something greater being there...
