Leaving the shire (Character generation)

#1

I am about to start some connected sessions (I hesitate to call it a campaign) with two new groups of players and would like the start to be somewhat like a ‘Leaving the shire’ type experience. Let me explain:

In all session 0’s I have seen, the system assumes the Player Character is already, at least minimally, established as a person. That is, they already know if they are a fighter or archer or will use magic, and put numbers in their stats to represent that. They already come with equipment that matches etc.

What I want is something more akin to the Lord of the Rings, where a group of friends, who have all lived in the same small village, isolated from the world, to have something catastrophic happen and have to leave. As they go through the woods they come across a mauled travelers body, who had a sword, a bow and a dagger. The players can then discuss which one of them takes what. As they start to use the equipment their strength or dex will raise. Magic is introduced a lot later as a mystical event that will be part of one or two of the groups character arc.

Has anyone ever done it like this? If so, tips?

#2

I’ve never done this, but I’d use famine as the underlying cause for their leaving and venturing to find resources. Maybe an extremely dry Summer coupled with a plant eating insect swarm or plant disease wiped out current and stored crops leaving the village without food. The nearby river has dried up reducing access to water.

I really like the idea of the characters slowly finding and acquiring equipment over time! :+1:

#3

Let’s make it more dramatic.

The river turns black. Debris and parts of creatures they have never seen before are seen floating down. Two days later the river stops.

They have to follow the river to find out what has happened.

#4

Hey what about having them start with Zero stat points, and then when they use a Stat (or your roll against their Armor) they can mark it off and at a predetermined point or session end they get an amount of points to jot down on the marked off Stats?
Just on the top of my nose

Then it’s up to you to present them with diverse challenges and different tasty treats to overcome them.

#5

Or, instead of Zero stats, they start with their Bio-Form stat bonus, plus whatever Starting Gear they have. Then perhaps the Class Starter Reward comes as found or reward Loot.

It’ll take more work on your part, but it sounds like it could be really rewarding for you & the players. Everyone starts as hobbits with a walking stick and some food: where everyone ends up is all based on character choices in game!

#6

I love hobbits, first of all, so hats off to you for doing an all-hobbit campaign. Or “small folk.”
Secondly, I am a fan of starting characters out with very little. Just make sure that one thing is happening: the players are having fun and dangerous encounters from the beginning. Putting them in mortal danger 3-5 times per session should always take precedence over long, world-explaining and loot-finding RP rounds. At least that’s what I believe.

#7

@Kreeba
this reminds me on the old tv D&D show. were high school teen are thrown in to the D&D world and Dungeon Master shows up and give them weapons and gear based on there Character traits. some of them were the opposite of their traits, but the same idea.

look up the opening of kingdom hearts , there player picks his abilities in the tutorial to define his power levels.

i was kicking around the idea of 3 players no starting gear, no class.
just bio-form stats. basic “Farmers”

then add 3-6 chests in the first room. 3 in the cage area not in picture(could also have the take weapons from fallen characters or guards). 3 by the door. and random roll the loot . who know what they will get. they will find more as they fight there way through the dungeon. might end up making 3 brand new classes… ass you can see i have these map made. lol

#8

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1znr42HO4VmVEp0F8aD99LXbI4nRiC6uC/view?usp=sharing

ICRPG funnel goodness on pages 15-17 by
@Seraphim

#9

I’m going to put a plug in here for another RPG which might help you out: Beyond the Wall. BtW has the players generate their characters and home village together before the first session using playbooks. The characters are all friends and have connections with each other and the village is fleshed out with locales and NPCs. The default is the characters are young and haven’t been far beyond their little village. The wider world is unknown to them.

If you also get the supplement Further Afield you get a cool system which has the players also generate the lands around the village, including adventure locales and hooks for the GM to use. Most of these systems are suitable for ICRPG with a little tweaking.

Check it out here: Beyond the Wall at Flatland Games

#10

Lots of games have level 0 play. Shadow of the Demon Lord and DCC come to mind. As has been mentioned, Beyond the Wall may be closest to what you are thinking about.