Hi

Looking for a GM to run a FR campaign using 3.5 for a small group (3-5 characters).

Want to have some story progression, dungeon delving etc but open to suggestions.

Ideally 7-10 as the player levels.

Cheers
Hawke

Well, if you find one and there is still space in the group, I would like to join too.

I have a Waterdeep goes to Undermountain adventure lined up. Here's my pitch. It is just that.

<quote other forum with some snipping>
The gist, if you haven't played Undermountain in Waterdeep, is that there are four major players. The thieves, the mages, the guard and the temples. All of them have an inner circle; for instance the thieves with drow, and mages with mindflayers. Guards have the...I think Deep Dwarves???. Temples have the rebellion of the drow pantheon, which is integral back to the drow and the thieves. So each player represents a factional alliance, that among the surface have shared goal. If there was interest I'd want to develop the narrative to an assassins or harpers, and Thayan red wizards or (what would become) Mage's of the Arcane Order. Spellthieves would play well into the adaptatio. Motivation would dictate the group's central tie. Gold, power, wanton action, peace, prosperity, reputation, or whatever else the group thinks is a good bound pact.

The adventure features heavy aberrations, traps, drow, and tanari (I forget the apostrophe's location). It can also feature many angels, dwarves, constructs and undead. It can also feature many human, elementals, dragons, and fae. You won't however, see many notable undead, nor really any vermin or animals worth specialization. Oozes are uncommon, but could be beefed up depending on the nature of the PCs.

The Mad Wizard is less of a character in the module and more of a means of exposition. As are the Masks.

It's a part dungeon crawl, part puzzle, part mystery, and part political rivalry. The factions you neglect most become least profitable, and that absence shows in the later chapters, while the factions you fight or support have the biggest impact. Traps are also more than rooms, you can find reasons for "craft: trapmaking" in certain sub-chapters. There's enemies and than there are opponents, the latter can be more easily dealt with by wider variety of approaches. The former can still be kept prisoner, or given the guard "alive" (not dead), or converted.

It's a high magic setting. It's Waterdeep too! So political rivalry for thieves literally does pay. Temples have exclusive services for those with rating in the temple (using Complete Champion) and those clerics (there'd be one) that frequent the temple. The mages have their own scroll selection that some of which is quite unique. The guard have some fairly legendary items they can equip their candidate with.

There is, however, now ending this concept, the fact most builds, many base classes even, some feats entirely, do not mesh well with the module. Certain spells just not existing for clerics, and certain spells only accessible through the proper arcane alignment; also i.e. at more than just their gp worth in an open market, but how valuable they'd be to the specific navigation and exploitation. This lift, however, would make playing a non-fighter martial class fun, and also limit the cleric and wizard from what they'd end on in 3.7's Encounter based classes. So this would be heavily limited the pool to begin with, and then picking from what's in it to make your character. You can dibs, or free market these depending on the group of players' preference. I'd opt for a combination if consensus cannot be met.

So that's the background from a top down view. If that doesn't appeal to you, I wish you luck!. If there's more questions, I'll be glad to elaborate.

The level span is...eeeh...the only sort of iffy part. If I red tag it, it'll probably go to 12. If I white tag it it'll probably go to 22nd. It starts at 4th, and then goes to 7th in the introduction. You get a sort of background selection, then go to initiation, and as the group meets they have a couples combats and a few discussions, and then time passes while the divide into their respective factions. Then the game starts. Pink tag is...okay...but I find this unsatisfying personally, as it disincentivizes players being distinct; a casualty of the  prefabrication and death penalty. So I'd much rather white tag it or red tag it.

For those that haven't heard the term. Many, most in fact, D&D games are "red tag" by default. It means if you get your character killed, doesn't matter how or why, as long as you had chance to prevent it, your character is dead. Pink tag is the "three strikes you're out" or "Divine Intervention" and White tag is "it's not about death, it's about recovery". White tag being an early version of adventure mode. You can't "end" your character, they may "die" but like many protagonists this is just a side story that pays for the death. Instances of this are somewhat varied, but kensai can imbue their weapon, cleric and wizard can cast XP spells, rogues can UMD craft...whatever but with a high risk high reward fashion. There's literally a casino (two technically) that are built around the goddess(es). So White tag looks like down time for all but the dead character, and the dead character goes on their redemption arch, or side quest; which is mostly a conflict, resolution, renunion type. Red tag is very...hard to swallow but makes the game most exciting at the conclusion.
<//quote>
I think that's the pitch.

Timing wise, I'd want to workshop to begin with. I want players to have a good idea of their fellow players, and me as a GM. The "module" is heavily landscape not architecture. It is heavily adapted for the purpose of the players. The only gimmick is the factional rating. The story is a series of events the PC can prevent, circumvent, preempt or discover. Discovery is the default for players direction, but I will never make an "action" to be "investigate for clues". Searching is a participatory action.

Anyway, under no uncertain terms I'd want to discuss with who's involved and what they want to gain from the game, and bring to the table. I would, of course, suss out the early provisions with you, Hawke. I am a fairly slow poster annually, but my most successful game on RPoL was level 5th through 9th in "normal" XP, it took about 11 months per level. Despite having less active posting. So if that's a long term goal, it's something I can provide samples for.

Let me know what you think. If it's a pass, I understand. I hope this will refresh some mutual interest though.

Best of luck!

Im interested. I love Undermountain. Have fond memories of in-person gaming sessions exploring that labyrinth.

Some questions:
- We would be looking to align the group with one or more of the major players you mention, or each character would pick a group?
- Prob prefer red but that also depends on availability of resurrection spells. If the party has access or can afford resurrections then red becomes the best option, after all you want some consequences for actions and keeps people on their toes.
- Which classes would you think wouldnt fit or would be limited?
- Any restrictions on source books?

If you wanted to setup a game we can workshop it further in there?

Thanks for the response too, well thought out and covered.

In reply to Hawke (msg # 4):

I do want to say I feel very glad to discuss this segment here, but that to respect the forum, if we develop beyond this point, I can create a board to discuss further specifics.

So, the game is not sandbox persay. It's best fit to have one roguish, one god given caster, one arcane preparer (Wu Jen, Wizard...), or military non ToB character. It works best as a total package, so that you have all options to begin and from the characters you have those that defect or those that align. So I'd want four players, five if they fall within the area of something like a druid, or ranger that goes Beast Heart Adept. Those four players should fit each of those roles.

The aligning would be as a group. Edit: You'd pick one or two as a group in the middle chapters, even if they would be "helpful" they would form wedge between the PCs and opther factions, and thuis the PCs would be the "faction" above all others.

I will give one example. If the PCs are more good aligned, they will probably want to reform the corruption in the guard, and basically stop the thieves and assassins, with the roguish characterr being all in on the reclaimed real estate. If they are of a neutral position, and detest magical hierarchy, they may want to remove the mage's suspect harvesting of evil, but still sentient creatures. If they're evil aligned, they may have a cleric that would sooner see the temples all fall, and the assassin guild be the fingers to a divine hand risen in shadow (or an overt effigy) to those ideals. The idea though, is that each character would start as the spokesperson, but the PCs would have their own sort of "official" faction that their own. That above all, the PCs have cohesion. The factions would start one for one, but slowly eaven the arcane character could go all in with divine favor, while never taking a divine class or having any UMD. Just sheer sharing the ideals of the temple would afford the arcane mage free divine service. This could also apply to the guard./ Again, I'll use the mage. The mage may decide to act as a binder for the guard. Casting spells like endless slumber, or charm monster to have not the mage just align to the guard, but the guard align to them. As a group the start is a spectrum the end is a (near) point. Only one or two factions can survive the strife.

Red tag has EASY access to ressurrection. True Resurrection is beyond the--please feel free to correct my math (17*9*10+25,000)-- 41,730 gp. Instead costing closer to 50,000 since it's essentially the high priest called in. Resurrection, however is very easy to access. If you alienate the temples, the thieves can get you scrolls. If you alienate both the arcane can get you wish. If you alienate all three, your cleric has probably made preparation to have scrolls (plural) on hand. Ressurection is the only sensible red tag for D&D. So yes, raising the dead is a staple of D&D, IMO. It's what divorces, irreconcilably, the D&D expanse and the low magic D&D.

Spells that I have to limit are those very specific to books after the module was made. This is good thing too, because if I allowed them, you'd short cut the game and that wouldn't be fun. At least it wouldn't be if I played. These are some spells, feats or magic items from the races of or Stormwrack types books onward. Bo9S or ToB also wouldn't fit well with this. Factotum same. In the dungeon "encounter" is wayu too exploitative. The module is set up to even deal wioth you using rope trick and in some places creatures using extra dimensional spell. The whole spectral hand and never "face a monster" has counter intelligence as well. All this makes "encounter"  based powers even more of a problem. I don't mind some of these books material, just not very specific portions. Factotum is a no, but the trap class is fine. I think Beast Heart Adept is in that book??

Classes that I see fitting best:
Arcane:

1. Wizard Specialist NOT generalist.
   
   • Red Wizard.
   • Mage of the Arcane ORder
   
   
2. Wu Jen.
   
3. A bard focused on the intelligence as well, with the access to 9th level spells through the PrC (I forget the name of).

Sorcerers really wouldn't fit. I could see psions, but I'd need some convincing, especially as to the alignment with the mindflayers.
Divine

1. Cleric of a god
   
2. Favored Soul of a god

These divine classes would be limited more by spell access and PrC options.
Military

1. Paladin
   
2. Ranger
   
3. Fighter
   
4. Monk

I'd want to give the most latitude to the military classes for PrCs. Tattooed Monk, Cavalier, Beast Heart Adept, Exotic Weapon Master, Paragon Class, multiclassing, even to have monk like a...forgive me not having the name on  hand "...Hand Adept/Master" which is touch spell monk arcanist. Another is the monk cleric multiclass that allows you to dual progress. Another great adaptation is ina Races of Destiny. Which hasd non-Faerun god of humans. It's city class. This could work really well to help the military character feel great, like the casters.
Rogue types

1. Rogue ( want people to consider this the best choice, because definitively it is. Undermountain is vicious without a rogue trapfinding. En Elf Rogue would be a great fit, because of their ability to spot secret doors as well)
   
   • Assassin
   • Thief Acrobat
   • Master Thrower
   
   
2. Bard with Bardic Knack and some "thief" or "con".
   
   • Master of Masks (Complete Scoundrel, I may have butchered the name)
   • Cabinet Trickster

Restriction wouldn't be the source book, it would be a case by case. If you wanted to have a drow, I'd allow LA buy off. You'd have to convince me of your role in the city, but I don't need a hard sell. You can't however, apply that same to just any monster as character even with LA +2 or less. Even if it's just core MM. I mentioned Factotum. It doesn't fit well. Whereas much of the book does.

Thank you for the complement. I appreciate the feedback. I will make a game in the next 30 days. I will KISS. My roommate and I have had some friction, and her mother is going through heart surgery. I'm not a heel, so I put aside some of my dispute to be there for her. I am, however in transition, and I think the next 30 days is a good (honest!) estimate.

I have advertised, in IC, so I felt the opportunity arose with your advert. I wanted to seize the chance, not to snipe other GMs, I'm all for diversity and more games, but to make sure this didn't go stale. I do, however, feel confident it'll be more like the next 12 days that I open the game. I just don't know how said heart surgery will lead to complications. I'm eyes wide open to this possibility.

Well, that deescalated quickly...If you need to glance and think "TL;D(want to)R" skip to the red at the bottom. I highly suggest you read this, but I ordered the vital info in the shortest paragraphs.

I have the game board made. I thought it would be more work, and I'd have far less time. Neither were true.

Do note: Take this next sentence as unmodified text, but imagine it bolded and in red. This is a Mature Rated game.

I very much feel adult is way too overkill, but if I'm wrong, in practice, we can tone it down to mature again after I lock down the game and alert the mods. It will, however, be mature. In three ways. Cruelty of the underdark is not going to be graphic, but it also won't be implied. You'll have it spelled out. Grotesque horror is not the genre, but some scenes will be inspired by the John Carpenter's The Thing. Aberrations such as the Destrachan have at least one very shocking scene. It will not be graphic though, it will be unsettling to vicariously giove your characters the gravity of just how the evil reputation follows these seem ing bestial creatures even among the truly evil. Derro will also, very early on, have creepy tingly narrative that won't break the fourth wall, but will be using me, as narrator, to be the unreliable narrator in tone. This includes some OOC priming which will be ethically and responsibly forewarned. I plan to have Halloween be a good marker for that, the closer we get the more likely...but they are Derro...the 31st is not the most likely...nor least likely. Derro, however, are ambience; and will be easily no ostensible threat.

The game is also mature for a third reason. The sailors that do come in from the Sword Coast will be earmarked--quite literally, by their earrings--and ill spoken as much as ill speaking...or spewing. There are thieves with cant and counter thieves of the harpers that hold their tongue like a fine string, capable of a chord and discord in the flick of the tongue.

This game will have some comedic value, but should be fairly respected as a serious game. This doesn't warrant the mature tag, but since it will already have it from the above, I expect mature players. It is, however, not adult, and should it approach that my responsibility will be to avert that, and should that fail, lock that bad down tight and get mods to intervene where I am obligated and expected to.

So all this to say, I want to welcome those that can't honestly play in adult games, but are mature teenagers--or cautious adults--to feel welcome to RTJ as the workshopping goes on. I expect maturity regardless of age. Respect and dedication to the participants behind the characters being upmost. Fun being second only to that. I only include this because I did explain the game is mature. I have a decent grasp of the english language, but due to TS (Tourettes Syndrome) I make far more typos even going over it in post preview. I also don't prefer long posts as the mode, nor mean. I'm of the mind to read well written paragraph of twenty words, than a long vivid post unjustly so.

I am making this my final post here. I encourage any other GMs to post, irrespective of my ad. Thee more that Hawke has to choose and use, the better the environment. I will, however, make this post long, because it's my final one.

I welcome RTJs, but bear in mind that accepting you into the game is for the sole purpose of obviating RTJ introductions. RTJs will be far more informal. The selection process will happen as those in the workshop stage begin to find cohesion. I hate this fact, but I'll probably have to remove some of you, maybe even most that apply. That will, hopefully, not occur. It would be nice to have lightning just land in the open bottle and cork it with plenty of comfortable window space. I just want to be brutally honest, the RTJ process is going to take place in the game itself. Joining, at this stage, is to workshop. That IS the game until notice is given. I do, however, plan to move forward in October and get moving with less makes more.

Thank you; for reading this long winded ad and opportunity.

Here is the game!: link to another game

Are you going to have another GM then?