So I’m gearing up to once again start something and I’ve got an idea in my head. But once I put it down into something concise it either becomes bloaty or dry. I mean just the parts below are almost a google docs page, pretty much 2000 characters. And that is even when I removed 2/3 of the situation text as it was rather big picture information. Explicitly writing down the campaign style was something I took Colville’s recent game design video, trying it out.
What I really would love feedback on is mainly Situation. Enough/too little information? Is it confusing? Does the information fit with the Campaign Style? And also is Campaign Style something fitting in a campaign ad/synopsis?
Situation
You all are part of the third imperially sponsored caravan into the Aablu, the hot and arid lands east of the Pearl Cities. The first caravan went out eight months ago and was expected to have returned two months ago. Second left four months ago with another destination. Yours have the same destination as the first with the additional task of bringing back news of the first.
Information about Aablu is scarce and unreliable, mostly because traders and inhabitants in the Pearl Cities don’t venture into it and its local people consider themselves under no obligation to divulge information. There are of course tidbits of information: old travellers’ journals, hearsay and sales-talk. You are not headed blind into the Aablu, only mostly.
The caravan itself is the size of a small village, with competent people of various professions who are there for their own reasons. Some want to strike it rich, some are running from something, some are there for the glory and some just want a bit of adventure. Your characters are also competent individuals, filling a role in the caravan and have ambition to make something extra of themselves.
Campaign style
Adventurous daring sword and sorcery.
Adventurous - The very nature of the caravan is an adventure and on it are those with an adventurous spirit. When it calls, your characters are those who step up, those who have a bit extra drive to see what is on the other side of the hill.
Daring - Rewarded are those who boldly go where no one has gone before. Daring plans are to be rewarded and there is always a chance to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Sword and Sorcery (from Wikipedia) - A subgenre of fantasy characterized by sword-wielding heroes engaged in exciting and violent adventures. Elements of romance, magic, and the supernatural are also often present. Unlike works of high fantasy, the tales, though dramatic, focus on personal battles rather than world-endangering matters.
Excellent points! I suspect OP wants to have the whole caravan in order to not make this a survival/resource management focused campaign so I’ll offer a way to do so that would make sense since, as you describe, they shouldn’t be bringing a huge trade caravan into the unknown: big old disaster. Some terrible, world changing thing happens and the only way to go is forward, into the now unknown region.
I think letting them be a shot force works just fine but if OP has some crafting or job based thing baked in an act of God could let them keep that and verisimilitude.
The primary reason for such a sizeable caravan is for there to be a consistent cast of background NPCs, not that it is the most efficient or anything. And yes, I cannot be bothered with survival/management if it doesn’t serve to drive drama. Instead of asking how long the food lasts I ask how with the people deal with the possibility of food running out.