"Annihilation of a Barbarian Tribe (4)" Topic

Our scouting party strode through the next few valleys and into Nirmathas (our goal) with only minor friendly encounters. If we had done things differently, there was potential for explosive encounters and even ultimately the possibility of large-scale warfare, but we did not make those mistakes, so the adventure as it is kinda fizzled last night.

Another aspect was the PC motivations. The DM heavily encouraged us at the get go to make an immersed backstory, our long term goals, who we know and how, friends/enemies and rivals, a reason to exist. We did this individually, so we do not have any one, uniting goal or "need" to stay together except when the means to our goals run parallel.

So now that the current mission (building a trade road from Korvosa to Nirmathas) has been organized and set up so thoroughly it is almost a fait accompli, and we have handily taken out the biggie baddies and NOT been distracted by side-quests (like locating/handling the Frost Giants that ran off), there are really no RP-worthy challenges for day-to-day style gaming, and with all the divergent PC goals, a lot of us are just along for the ride until it is complete and we can focus back on our individual goals (which will split the party.)

The DM was expecting us to partner up in one settlement that we'd be co-barons over and we'd adventure together from that one base of operations. We found during our play that the personalities of the characters would not allow for that.

One wants a title and fame only but no lands. His PC wants to go back and stay in Korvosa and live off his fame. He'd be the type to write a book and get paid for stories and speeches about the road building adventure and experiences.

Another is OK with ruling, but is not the "adventurous" type and is just fine having minions do everything while he sips wine and gets privately tutored in magic.

My PC wants to attract more dwarves from Janderhoff and mine the local mountains for the mithral he knows is there (but needs to kick out the Fire Giants we found out are under those mountains first.)

Our newest PC member has grand designs (by the questions he is asking and how he frames off-game wording I can see it already…) on taking over Nirmathas itself with an undead horde. Thing is… the DM would game that in a way that overly favors that PC and that goal… as he himself thinks Nirmathas is stupid and should not even exist as written given its neighbors and their power-level and stories. PLUS has a personal pro-undead bias.

So – the DM asked us for input – he saw there was dead air, saw that this was going in a geo-political, not-adventurous direction that would end up splitting the party, and wanted to ensure he ran an involved game where the PC's were not unduly railroaded (too late for my needs with that sentiment.) We all decided that it would be best to take the rest of the road building, "episodically," as the circumstances regarding the need for RP & encounters came up. So we'll be fast-forwarding days and weeks and such at a time with gameplay only when we run across a settlement or incident that has to be dealt with. We'd throw in some Star-Trekesque party-unity efforts also… meaning the leaders do things personally that in any sane world they have trained professionals that take care of those things so the leaders deal with "big picture" issues.

As an aside – I would be OK with doing split-continuity… rolling up a new PC more undead-inclined that joins in on the, "Take over Nirmathas," continuation of the campaign, and having other players roll up new PC's for the, "Fight off the Fire Giants," storyline. Think I'll table that and see what everyone thinks.

Interesting. Hope it all works out. keep us updated.