Just dropping in to give my praise for the Fifth Edition DM Guide. Excellently written resource, and super helpful. So much good advice contained within. I wanted to show you guys the Orientation Sheet for my new campaign, which was made 90% from all the random rolling charts the DM Guide provides, with a little bit of creativity on my part to flesh out some details:
Basic Kingdom Info
The First Campaign is going to take place on the Island at the top of the map. This Island is called Redoran, and is owned by the Kingdom of Redoran. All of the PCs are citizens of Redoran and live in the Port City of Karburg. Redoran is a small nation whose primary trade is fishing. Redoran follows your a-typical feudal government system. The King rules from the Capitol and has selected Barons/Governors to rule over each of the towns in the Kingdom. The official military of the Kingdom is quite small, and rarely leaves the capitol. Each Town/City is responsible for levying militia units to provide for their own security and the security of the Kingdom as a whole. All of the PCs belong the the local militia, in addition to whatever form of trade you choose.
Basic City Info
Karburg is the second largest town in Redoran, with a population of around 1,200 people. The racial profile of the city is mixed, and all of the races are treated equally and get along fine. Karburg is, however, not a great place to be. The residential area of Karburg is mostly shacks and shanties, and the people are poor. Trade is at an all time low, due to fear of Ghoul Rot (Which I will explain later) so the Port isn't as busy as usual. Warehouses sit empty or abandoned, or filled with thieves and the homeless. Shrines to various Gods dot the town, but most are unused and unkempt. Most businesses have collapsed, or have been abandoned for some time. Only four notable shops remain, which I will detail in the next section. Travelers and Residents of Karburg should move quickly, and avoid the shady warehouses and shacks as best they can. Common sights/encounters in Karburg are Pick Pockets, Shady Street Vendors, Street Urchins, Beggars, and Abandoned Shops/Buildings.
Notable Buildings and People
The Governor (Human Male) rules from his "mansion":at the center of town, which by any other standard would be an average house. The Governor, Tarkin Twoface, is known for being an incompetent idiot who likes to dress in flamboyant clothes and throw his authority around. He is lazy, selfish, and hot tempered. He got his position by being the King's cousin, and is very protective of his position and his son, Ulfric Twoface, commander of the Militia.
Ulfric Twoface (Human Male) is the commander of the Militia in Karburg. In contrast to his father, Ulfric is friendly and humble, and dedicated to fairness and justice. He places great pride in the Militia, and instills loyalty and bravery from his subordinates. He is always wearing his uniform, which is smartly creased and clean. Ulfric is extremely lucky, constantly retelling the story where he escaped a Dragon's mouth while only losing some fingers.
Ragnar (Dwarf Male) is the owner or The Broken Hammer (Smithy). Ragnar is a complete screwball. While undoubtedly a good blacksmith, his quirks are hard to imagine. Ragnar is completely clean shaven and bald. He is covered in gaudy jewelry and frequently breaks out into dance. He always speaks in a whisper and frequently mixes up his words. Despite his odd tendencies he is honest and charitable. He has an extreme phobia of loud speech however, so make sure you whisper to him.
Janice (Female Elf) is the owner of Battered and Broken (Pawnshop/General Store) Janice is exceptionally ugly with missing teeth, hideous scars, and numerous piercings. If she wasn't easy to spot before, she's prone to dying her hair in extreme colors. Janice is irritable and constantly squints and taps her fingers impatiently on top of her tendency to speak loudly. Despite her offsetting demeanor, she speaks many languages fluently and is extremely protective of a box on her store counter. Janice has been known to deal in "secondhand goods" and knows The Thieves Cant.
Telma (Female Orc) is the owner of The Lonely Spirit (Inn/Tavern) Telma is hideously ugly and always dresses in soiled and ratty clothes. Telma is rude and suspicious with a particularly deep voice, but she is an expert cook and is desperate for a man to love her. The quality of her food and drink far surpasses her rooms however, which are as dirty and run down as her clothes.
Pippy Short Stockings (Female Halfling) is the one person you'd never expect to see in a place like Karburg. Pippy is exceptionally beautiful with intricate tattoos and fashionable clothes. Pippy is an excellent cook in addition to being absolutely bubbly and friendly. She makes constant jokes and puns and is charitable, routinely giving away free meals to the homeless of the city. Pippy is extremely protective of her amulet, though no one knows why.
Current Calamity in Karburg/Redoran
The Kingdom is currently suffering from some sort of plague, nicknamed Ghoul Rot. Ghouls have been appearing in ever increasing numbers in the forests and caves around Redoran, and their bite is contagious. Anyone bitten will suffer a horrible week of pain and suffering, and then mutate into a Ghoul themselves. So far, magic and alchemy has failed to cure the Rot, and neighboring Kingdoms have placed a Naval Blockade around Redoran, fearing the infection may spread to their shores.
The King, worried about his own safety, has kept his military within the Capitol. This puts extra strain on the various town militias to protect not only their citizens, but the roads and through ways of the Country as well. The various towns around Redoran are slipping into despair. During the day bandits and highwaymen prey on the unwary, and at night howling Ghouls roam the countryside and even attack the villages, looking for flesh to devour. There are rumors from the few remaining travelers who make it safely into town that the Dead Wood is stirring, and ghostly noises can be heard coming from within. The Dead Wood is covered by a choking purple fog, and it appears the fog is spreading…..
There is so much potential here for RP and fun. I rolled on the NPC charts for all the characteristics of the Notable NPCs, and I compiled that into a description for each of them. I added a few minor details to flesh out the chart rolls and the names. I can't wait to Rp them to my players!
The town was done similarly, I rolled for Residential, Government, Notable Traits, Common Encounters, Religion, Notable Buildings (I named the Shops and Town)
For the calamity I rolled Plague, and decided I want to do a semi horror campaign, so I fudged it into a Ghoul Plague.
The DM Guide is very useful with lots of great advice on building your world and keeping players engaged. I cant recommend it enough, I just wish it cost less, but I don't feel jipped with my purchase at all.
