08-16-2011, 08:10 PM | #14 | ||
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Oz
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Re: The importance of an over all goal/climax to a campaign?...
Quote:
My favourite example is Cardinal Richelieu in The Three Musketeers (the original novel and the 1973-74 pair of movies with Michael York. All other versions turn Richelieu into a villain to save time and fit the story into a movie. The three musketeers and D'Artagnan respect Richelieu (even if they fear him a little), think he is a great man, a patriot, and the bulwark of the country. It's just that as gentlemen they can't countenance his Machiavellian methods, in particular his determination to make France safe by destroying the Queen and by assassinating the Prime Minister of England. This makes the adventures a lot more dashing and romantic. The main characters want to save the Queen because she is an innocent woman (well, at least not guilty of anything they don't do themselves), but there are things they won't do to save her, such as assassinating Richelieu or encompassing his downfall. So they have to refuse the choice, find the third way, and do something difficult and complicated to resolve their dilemma. Quote:
Of course most good campaigns do lead to facing the villain over live steel once the stakes have become so high that that is justified. But I never plan that encounter. I design the antagonist; put him in a situation that will not let the PCs leave him alone, nor him them (the "crucible"); and keep raising the tension until someone cracks.
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Decay is inherent in all composite things. Nod head. Get treat. |
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Tags |
campaign advice, climax, goal, new gm, story |
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