Exile Game Studio

[Nestor]

I've got a new group of players who are interested in trying out this HEX thing (two of them played at my last demo and are hungry for more). As far as I know, none of them frequent these boards, so I figure it's safe to ask for suggestions here.

My general framing concept for a set of runs (I'm hesitant to call it a campaign for fear of jinxing it; I've had very bad luck getting campaigns going) is a group of heroic pulp types bent on doing good and foiling evildoers, in the Doc Savage/The Shadow mold, but without the central spotlight character.

I was racking my brain trying to come up with a decent backstory to support this (a rich benefactor who conveniently stays in the background, a government or military institution sponsoring the group, or even a non-profit philanthropic organization they can be a part of) but nothing jumps out at me as the best.

So I figured I'd plumb the collected brainpower of this august group and see what nuggets of wisdom float up (there's a rather unsavory metaphor in that sentence that I'd rather not explore).

So the question is: given a group of adventuring types, any suggestions as to how I could give them a reason in-character to get together and stay together through the many adventures?
_________________


"I've got a degree in kicking arse and I'd have a doctorate in not giving a damn if I'd bothered to attend the ceremony."

[dan daly]

In the past they were all saved from some peril by one of the aforementioned pulp heroes- Doc Savage, Shadow, etc. Pick whoever you want or make up your own. Now that hero is either (A) too old to keep up with today's villians or (B) past on into the next life. Either way he asked the PCs to help carry on his mission by fighting the evils of today. I like option (A) better since the old hero can serve as someone to steer the plot with if the players get off track, but maybe have him die after a few sessions so they are now really on their own. Of course being the heirs to a hero has it's perks- secret lair, cool gadgets, super crime fighting computer database, etc.

Or a second option- they've all been raised from birth to fight the enemies of whatever secret organization they belong to. The PCs stay together because they're the only family they've ever know and fighting evil is literally what they were born to do.

[Brajah]

Here's a little something that's been collecting dust for a couple of years



THE DEVEREAUX PUBLISHING CORPORATION

Founded by successful adventurer Alexander J. Devereaux to publish stories of his exploits, the Devereaux Publishing Corporation is one of the most successful and respected publishers of dime novels and pulp magazines. Any pulp writer may get a story or two published in Authentic Action Tales or Reckless Adventure but if he hopes to join the small staff of well paid writers he has to be ready to live the adventure.
A.J. Devereaux insists that all the stories that his writers publish be true...at least a little bit. Devereaux seems to have an inexhaustible supply of contacts around the world that alert him to all sorts of possible adventures and as the founder of the local chapter of the Vanguard Club he knows adventurers of all types.
Surprisingly, most of DPC’s staff seem to be adventurers who write rather than writers that go on adventures. Apparently, adventurers are natural story tellers. More than one professional treasure hunter still has his head thanks to the quick thinking pulp writer he thought he was babysitting. Most professional adventurers admit that the stories that are written only barely resemble the truth and some don’t even recognize themselves as written or remember their own gruesome demise as detailed in the pulp pages.

THE DPC TEAM

The Writers - DPC accepts stories from any writer and routinely publish first time authors in Reckless Adventure Magazine. The editors emphasize heroic characters and action over grammar but insist that things are researched and at least semi-accurate. A promising author will be investigated and if he or she meets DCP’s unknown criteria he may be asked to join the DPC team. Junior writers spend most of their time checking facts and examining the manuscripts for errors. Journeyman writers get to interview DPC adventurers and write some of the stories. Senior writers actually are required to accompany a DPC adventure team at least once a year to chronicle the heroics first hand.

The Adventurers – Adventurers with a tale to tell or who have heard of the DPC teams come to the office to spin a yarn in hopes of making some money. After a story is transcribed by a journeyman writer the adventurer’s background is researched and verified. Promising candidates are offered assignments, simple ones at first, and expected to return with a tale and possibly some treasure as well. Successful adventurers are given increasingly difficult, thrilling and lucrative assignments . DPC provides a great deal of assistance in the way of equipment, transportation and contacts and thus expects the adventurer to live up to his end of a predetermined split.

The Adventures – DCP has a network of informants and researchers that would be the envy of many nations if it’s existence was ever revealed. From this network, Devereaux himself puts together the information needed to send his teams off on their adventurers. Recent expeditions have included the exploration of hidden jungle cities, capture of exotic creatures, the recovery of lost treasures, rescue of kidnapped persons, the apprehension of a dangerous criminal, setting world records in aviation, sailing and mountaineering and finally the discovery of a primitive tribe of cannibals. Before the expedition leaves the adventures and DPC sign agreements as to the split of any treasure found, rights to the stories and obligations for secrecy and health care. Often DPC will only request a single, important item from a hoard, letting the adventurers divide the rest among themselves. What happens to these items after Devereaux gets them is unknown, though their fate is a common topic of discussion among the adventurers.



Alexander J. Devereaux – A.J. Devereaux spent his first fifty years living the kind of life most men could only dream about. If all the stories are to be believed has hunted big game in Africa, climbed the Himalayas, sailed around the globe, discovered a tomb in Egypt and trekked to the North Pole. He was a pilot in the Great War and may or may not have been some sort of spy. One story even has him battling a species of extinct giant reptile on a forgotten plateau. After one of his last publicized adventures while exploring the Yucatan he returned home a very wealthy man. He created the Devereaux Publishing Company to put his stories in print. Soon he and his writers were telling the stories of other adventurers as well as getting submissions from some of the freshest and brightest pulp authors.

Beyond publishing the most exciting and popular action stories, the ultimate purpose of DPC and the motivations of AJ Devereaux are a mystery to most. For those who know the behind-the-scenes stories of the adventures Devereaux commissions it would seem that he has been instrumental in defeating threats to the United States and at times to all of Humanity. Still for those who are keeping track Devereaux has accumulated more wealth, information and influence than one man should. The fact that he has taken possession of at least a dozen artifacts that are reputed to have “magical” powers worries more than a few people.


The Stories -

Reckless Adventure Magazine –

True Adventure –

Authentic Action Tales –


I don't know if this the sort of thing you were thinking about but there it is.
_________________
“It hath been my duty in times past to ease various evil men of their lives –"
Solomon Kane – The Blue Flame of Vengeance

[Arkangel]

Well, thinking off of the top of my head

You could go the 'Heroes' route - discover you have unique talent (s) and through some pre-game one on one sessions gradually have the characters meet through some mini adventures (get 'em hooked before a more ambitious campaign - if they like it cool, if they don't you've only had to write a few mini adventures!)

Have the initial villain as a megalomaniac (aren't they all ) with the delusion of being invincible (or could be a multiple personality trying to stop themselves = loads of interesting situations). Discovering that each of the characters has unique power (s) he has taken something of value to each and/or all of them; he then challenges them to defeat him. (could easily be a villainess too).

A superhero type with fantastic mental power draws the characters to himself (preferably in a subtle way) to help him defeat said villain. The hero is too old or infirm ( or even has been irrepribly damaged/crippled by the villain) to do it themself. Pretty much what was suggested above rounded out a little!

anyhoo that's some initial thoughts, i'll come back if i get any more

Arky

[Bretbo]

The Adventurer's Club

A social club (complete with five-story brownstone located downtown in "The City") that caters to the adventuring set. The members sit around trading "war stories" and boast about their last adventure in the Orient; while sipping Brandy and play pool (or Bridge). A rich man's diversion, the general public looks on the club as "snotty" and "uptight."

What the general membership and the public doesn't know is that the club is a front for a secret organization dedicated to investigating the mysterious of the world and stopping those unknowns that might, in fact, be dangerous. For those not privileged to be members, the organization has affiliates or friends it can call upon as the need arises.

Basically, the club acts as a method to get the players involved in the game (whether they are members or not doesn't matter) and offers the opportunity to have some interesting NPCs. One can imagine the retired, British Colonel who grumbles at the young whipper-snappers and the lovely, mysterious assistant who provides the details of a given mission.

[Linwood]

You could also try setting up the first run as the result of "right place, wrong time" - the PCs just happen to be in the same location when a trigger event happens and then have to deal with what follows. To make for a series of connected adventures, you could either do the "out of the frying pan into the fire" approach (the PCs resolve the current problem, but that just gets them into deeper trouble), or you could have the outcome of the first adventure provide a reason for them to stay together as a team. A shared common enemy, a rescued victim who hires them on, a glimpse of a treasure that all of them desire, or a secret they can only discuss among themselves are all possibilities.

For another thought - I started my current campaign by making the PCs all part of the same expedition; then the expedition (including the expedition leader, who hadn't gotten around to sharing ALL the goals and info that had guided progress to that point) got wiped out by a flash flood. That seemed to work fairly well....
_________________
"I think a plan is just a list of things that don't get done"

[Arkangel]

[HarrierPotter]

[Nestor]

[Nestor]

[Nestor]

[madwabbit]

Have you thought about discussing the setup concepts with your players? Getting their input and buy-in in advance might help you set it up -- knowing you, I assume that they're not the type who will look to YOU to provide the glue that brings them together, or blame you if their characters don't have enough "motivation" to cooperate with each other on a long-term basis.

But, on the off chance that you have one or two of those, throw a bit of the burden on them to help you with the concept, and that way they're more likely to embrace it and even help flesh it out over time.

[Nestor]

It's funny. After posting my replies, my brain continued churning on ideas and, after a bit, I realized what it is that I'm looking for.

One of the core elements of HEX is the concept of Motivation. It's one of the building blocks of the character: it is the main reason he/she gets up in the morning to face danger, peril, Nazis, dinosaurs, etc.

In the core rulebook, the context is related to the prospect of exploring the Hollow Earth. Whether you're looking for the Truth behind the legend, searching to satisfy your Greed, or following your quest for Power, your character has a reason, a drive, to go forth and do things, with the rule mechanic there to reward you for roleplaying it.

Now, with my game, I'm looking for something that can provide that same versatility. It's not so much a campaign background as a "hook" that players can attach their PCs' Motivations to so I can reel them into the adventure in an entertaining way.

Sorry for the ramble. Thanks for the suggestions, guys. There's some good stuff here and hopefully I'll be able to use it. I think I'm on to something here and am going to try and develop it as I go.
_________________


"I've got a degree in kicking arse and I'd have a doctorate in not giving a damn if I'd bothered to attend the ceremony."

[Nestor]

[Bretbo]