It took a little while, but I've been bitten by the 5e bug. As such, I'd like to run a game though aren't too sure what to run. I have a few ideas, but nothing concrete.

My first idea is that 4-5 characters find themselves on a tropical/jungle island, possibly on the Astral Sea (yes I know it isn't am actual ocean) or somewhere else but definitely planar. The edges of elemental planes visibly in the sky kind of thing. The island would have a few clans of different monsters fighting for territory, standard stuff. So the players have to figure out where they are, how they got there, and how to get back, all while trying to survive. There may be dinosaurs because they feel right ;) I would let the characters be pretty much whatever, from any plane though preferably a Prime Material Plane.

Another idea is actually somewhat Borderlands inspired, though it would be a serious game. A magic portal leads to an ancient and magnificent dungeon, however the portal only opens for a month or so (probably more, still WIP) and only opens once every several hundred years. The portal is somewhat random in its destination so everyone doesn't come out at the same place. It would jump around every few minutes, so groups would remain together. Getting out wouldn't be too hard, and there would be ways of making the portal put you where you were last time you came in (which some groups of elves who were here last time are doing.  Though I wouldn't let a player be one of those elves.) So the game would be fairly dungeon-crawly, but plenty of opportunity to rp at 'base camp' with both friendly and unfriendly fellow adventurers. Plus if after a while you want to explore somewhere else or spend all that gold on building a castle, etc the game can move in that direction. The portal would likely be smart enough to send you to CR appropriate areas. Not having the dmg out yet, plus 5e seeming low on magic items in general, I'm expecting this option might be less popular than if it was run in 3.5 or 4e.

But for both ideas, I would be generous with XP and am pondering having stronger stat generation with 3d6 drop lowest one, plus 6, which would keep it random but made sure no one was too disadvantaged by keeping the minimum stat at 8.

So, thoughts anyone? I'm also open to considering something completely different.

If you are expressing interest, please specify which idea, even if you're happy with both. Thanks.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the user at 01:45, Fri 24 Oct 2014.

I rather like the idea for the second game a bit more, but I tend to like High Fantasy settings where magic is commonplace.

Some other ideas for helping with surrounding story.  Maybe this is a way for certain adventurers' guilds or other such organizations to claim honor and glory?  Or maybe this is a way for smaller kingdoms to earn extra power and prestige in some way?  Maybe there's some people using the portal that have nefarious purposes in mind for their acquired power or whatever?  Or maybe the "dungeon" is a huge underground complex running under the whole country that is normally sealed, so there's multiple entry points scattered all over the place and it's next to impossible to tell how many others are exploring the place.  Are there maps from when the dungeon has opened previously?  Something specific that was discovered last time, but the team that found it had no time to do more than mark its location?  Man, I have to admit that the second location sets my creative mind on fire with questions.  Anyway, that'd be all up to you, but there's a mind-dump of some potential ideas that you can feel free to use or ignore :)

Anyway, I would be intensely interested in playing another 5e game.  I'm having a blast playing a monk right now, but I'm very keen on trying other classes, too!  Personally, I very interested in playing a Bard and seeing how it compares to things from previous systems.

I like the idea about the Adventuring Guilds, would give plenty to play with at base camp with all the guilds setup at the same place. Perhaps the dungeon door/portal became neutral ground the last time it was open and has been occupied ever since both for any negotiations and so everyone can keep an eye on the door so no one can keep the portal to themselves.

But back towards topic, yes it could be used for honor and glory for the guilds, and as a manner to recruit more members. But in addition to the guilds, all sorts of others will be venturing in too, from bandit groups looking for quick gold, to military bands sent in by a near or far kingdom.

My thoughts on the random entry is so that while there will be plenty of maps, they will be disjointed and maybe only a rare few actually connect to each other. But I like the idea that something was found last time and many are trying to get back to it.

Yes, the idea is still at high level of development, but that's why I'm here, to find out which idea to further develop :)

So is no one else interested in either of my ideas? I was thinking starting level 3-4 if that helps..

If that's the case, what do people want?
This message was last edited by the user at 01:58, Sat 25 Oct 2014.

The first idea has some kind of a charm, since it can allow for diplomacy and a certain variety of scenarios with survival in mind it also admits more varied characters and a closer group dynamic with xloser bonds between PCs. The second one is also interesting, if something of a hack and slashy vibe, but it may allow for different expeditions and constant changes in lineup.

I know I would enjoy the second idea. I haven"t had a chance to play a good dungeon crawly adventure in a long while. Personally i would play if it were 3.5 of 5e, i never really liked 4e
This message was last edited by the user at 14:13, Sat 25 Oct 2014.

Alright, feeling better about my ideas now I've had more than one person interested :)

Interested in the 2nd game if you're interested in helping along a new (to 5e) player.

No problem helping those new to 5e, as many people are :)

Sounds like enough interest in the second idea to focus my attention on that one. So if anyone has any further ideas or questions about it, I welcome them.

 I would like to be involved in the 2nd option of game type, that would be fun to this jaded old guy. I do not have the 5th phb but some in my ftf group will be buying the new/better/wonderful/got to have D&d phb.

 I am familiar with 3.5 and somewhat 4th if that helps.

5e is more like 3.5 than 4e, with some of 2e thrown in, so no problem with that.

You can get the basic rules, which are free (no SRD as of yet, probably won't be one) The PHB contains more options (races/classes) but this should be enough to get a handle on the system.
http://dnd.wizards.com/article...les?x=dnd/basicrules

Thanks for the link, puppet.  I've downloaded the free rules and will read them over the next few days.

Here's what I have so far, which is mostly just background. I'll need to write a bit about the guilds, just a paragraph or so, but I'm thinking the PCs will be independent or from a smaller guild, so as time goes on the other guilds might try to recruit them and pitch woo.

Any thoughts or suggestions on the following is welcome. Even if it is to say it's rubbish.

---

While it might have had a more impressive name during its conception, the magical portal that leads to a seemingly infinite dungeon is now called The Portal to the Maze. While not a maze that a noble might have in their garden, it is a series of everflowing rooms and corridors with no one path to follow. Or perhaps there is a correct path, but it is impossible to find due to the randomness in the location in which travellers enter.

The portal itself is a freestanding archway of adamantine, ten feet across at the base, in the middle of what was an overgrown forest until it was rediscovered centuries ago. When a group of curious adventurers discovered the arch it was filled with a white light and, as adventurers are known to do, they walked through it. The party found themselves in what seemed to be a typical crypt with some very surprised goblins, who they quickly slayed, as adventurers are known to do.

The party explored the crypt's expertly worked tunnels and happened upon some undead guarding a sarcophagus of an unknown but long-dead king. The group destroyed the undead and looted the tomb of a large amount of gold and gems. They explored for days in the unknown tomb, eventually leaving it and finding themselves in a dungeon of jail cells full of long dead six-armed humanoids. Continuing to explore, there was a flash of white and the group were back in the overgrown forest, on the other side of the white portal.

They decided to go back in, but found themselves somewhere else than expected. Instead of the tomb or tunnel, they were in an underground banquet hall populated by lizard men. After another couple of days there was a white flash and the party were outside in the forest again. With pockets full of gems, the party quickly returned to civilisation and started telling their story to both their guild and anyone who happened to be in the tavern at the time.

This started a kind of gold rush, people from all over the continent (and beyond) coming to try their luck and fortune. Many of those who entered were guild adventurers, but there were also independants, bandit groups and a few military squads sent from some of the more powerful or curious kingdoms. Some came back with stories of wonderous sights like a room full of full-size dragon statues of colored marble or a pool of inky black liquid that melts anything that touches. Some never came back at all.

Guild wizards had tried to determine the destination of the portal to create their own portals there, but even the most powerful of their magic failed to discern its true location. Priests and clerics asked their Gods for information on the portal and the domain beyond, but the response was silence. This lead some sages to believe that the Gods, or at least one God, had a hand in creating or at least fortifying the maze. Upon their return, some parties mentioned encounting expansive areas of elementals and other planar energy, hinting that the maze may be on the planar boundries of several elemental planes. Not that this information is particularly useful, of course, if it was proved true. Much of the art recovered beared similaries to items around, none of them represented people or events that could be traced though.

After just over 4 months of heavy activity, the light of the portal started to fade and the occupants started to be ejected with greater frequency, until there was a steady stream of people being pushed into those before them and some quick thinking mages pulling people out of the way before they were crushed. The exit mechanisms for the closing of the portal didn't seem to have been developed with so many occupants in mind.

The major adventuring guilds had setup small camps around the closed portal, all keeping a watchful eye on the portal for a flicker of life so they could go back in. They had their wizards trying to force it open, including one of the guilds using a Wish spell. The guilds were unsuccessful in opening the portal, but as they all waited together, it did create a small settlement in the middle of the forest. As generations passed, the small settlement evolved into a massive city where the guilds moved their headquarters as all high ranking members still wanted to be first in when the portal reopens.

Founded by (and filled with) adventurers, the city of Mazeguard is one of the wealthiest cities in the world; it is also one of the safest with a population including archmages, high priests, and warriors capable of taking on armies by themselves. There have been a few invasion attempts, and a couple of dragons, but they have been easily rebuffed. The city is also home to many armor- and weaponsmiths, academies, and a temple to almost every god. Mazeguard is ruled by the Council of Five, made up of the heads of the five powerful adventuring guilds, who have varying degrees of guild bias when it comes to issues that affect the whole city.

The portal arch sits in the city center, unable to be moved, surrounded by a large open paved area that became a marketplace. Since the portal's reactivation, the whole area has been cleared of stalls and is now a moderately controlled staging area. Due to the initial burst of adventurers trying to get in, the city watch had to setup and arrange procedures and processes for entry. The watch are letting groups in 1 minute intervals, which was done last time so people entered somewhere different to the previous entrants.

These processes are simply for order and they are not disallowing anyone to use the portal, in fact they have cleared the passage from the front gates to the portal to facilitate entrance for non-citizens.

I am Johnny come lately, but the game you are currently building sounds real fun.  Let me know if there is room for one more.

I'm free for the magic portal depending on what you have open. (this post has been edited because I realized its previous content could be construed as "picking a character")
This message was last edited by the user at 06:50, Wed 29 Oct 2014.

The premise sounds quite interesting.

So far there's no spots taken as there's no game. I figure I'll create it once I have everything done - plus this way it lets me keep this thread open for feedback ;) If anyone has thoughts or ideas on the guilds, that would be awesome. I'm currently thinking that after all this time, despite what they say and think of themselves, they've become almost identical beyond their 'territory' as primary guild.

I'm considering making the game Adult, just because that is my preference as I don't have to worry about what I say or get violent as I sometimes accidently get with my descriptions. And if some PCs want to run off and 'enjoy each other's company' during down time is Mazeguard, I just send the rest on a little side adventure while they canoodle. Everyone wins! If many are opposed to Adult, I can drop to Mature.
This message was last edited by the user at 07:15, Wed 29 Oct 2014.

A bog standard "adventurer's guild" needs no identity really. I could see the same for a cartographer's guild.


YES! Absolutely.

I've been considering running a similar game (adventurer's guild, not the portal idea) in a different system, but that doesn't really matter, because I'm only saying it to get around not having enough text for such a long quote.

A portal to get the party to 'Random Dungeon of the Day' is fine by me.  I'm also OK with an 'Adult' rating.

I'm also interested in this game.  Is there anything known about the gods?
This message was last edited by a moderator, as it was against the forum rules, at 14:13, Thu 30 Oct 2014.

I'm considering using the Greyhawk gods AKA the standard ones from 3e, because I'm most familiar with them, but I'm open to other ideas. The 4e gods were somewhat interesting.

I like both ideas and would be interested when this opens up.

I'm very enthused about using the 3e gods because that's what I'm most familiar with as well. I even have a few ideas for which one(s) I might follow.

Game is up. Let me know if I'm missing anything.

link to another game