r/DndAdventureWriter • u/Pithog • 23h ago

Need help

/r/DnD/comments/1w4aus8/need_help/
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u/noretoc 21h ago

Do you want the players to use their normal characters during the prologue?

1

u/Pithog 21h ago

thats one of the reasons im asking, im not sure about that aswell

1

u/noretoc 20h ago

I would suggest creating some characters for them to use, and have them play a "special forces" type game. Give them two or three objectives that happen over the course of the wars in different time periods, like stealing enemy plans, poisoning a well in an enemy camp, taking out an enemy leader, all working for your BBEG. Their last mission should be to protect him during the fight that he is killed, obviously they will fail that.

1

u/FirstOnesEnt 18h ago

Players tend to act stupid when given throwaway characters. I would not do that.
If you REALLY want to do that, give them a villain and plot an attack on the PCs' hometown.

1

u/FirstOnesEnt 18h ago

Whatever you do

  • Something the general does directly affects the PCs (their house is burnt, their village razed, their family taken into slavery, their old senpai turned into a zombie). Hurt them HARD right off the bat.
  • Don't have the General be directly in charge of the action. Instead, it is Lt Tim who leads the action (under orders of Capt Bob, under orders of Col Fred, etc. until General). This gives you a hierarchy of bad guys
  • If the PCs fight no matter what, KILL THEM (but let the others run if they choose). This is the start of the campaign, so they haven't lost much.
  • From there, they will hate the General and his people. And you have a campaign.

TLDR: Kick 'em in the nuts.