Building a new campaign: the one-page overview

In my last post, I said I’d nearly finished a one-page overview for my next writing project. Well, here it is!

I’m very impressed by the ‘control panel’ layout of the Old-School Essentials books, and I plan to emulate this in the final project. I’ve really tried to keep my writing as tight as possible. Think of this as the first page of the project itself. Please let me know what you think in the comments below.

Next steps: the starting town, the local area map, and the megadungeon.

Core pitch

In a vast and perilous land, ambitious treasure-hunters chart the wilderness, descend into dark places, and claim whatever riches they can carry.

Old-school gaming for 5e players

This campaign uses Old-School Essentials, including the Advanced Expansion rules. It’s quick, exploration-focused, and well suited to open-table play.

• Treasure is advancement. Most XP comes from gold recovered, not monsters killed.
• The world is open. Encounters are not balanced. Combat is dangerous and often avoidable.
• Logistics matter. Light sources, time, encumbrance, and hirelings shape every expedition.
• Failure is part of play. Retreat, character death, and other mishaps are all possible outcomes.  
• You are not a superhero. There are no subclasses, few special abilities, and little chance to optimize your way out of danger. Success comes from caution, planning, teamwork, and paying attention.

This campaign will use several optional rules, including ascending armour class, weapon proficiencies, morale, and separate race and class. A full list will be provided separately.

Campaign structure

This is an open-table campaign set in a shared world. There is no prescribed plot, nor is there an expectation that the same characters appear on every expedition.

1. Sessions begin and end in town. The town is a safe place to rest, gather rumours, and purchase supplies.
2. Assemble the party. The ideal group size is six to eight characters. Smaller groups may want to hire retainers.
3. Determine the marching order. You might also want to consider ‘standard operating procedures’ like light sources and equipment readied.
4. Decide your objective as a party. The adventure starts when you leave town. If you can’t agree, the default is ‘explore the megadungeon.’
5. Start adventuring. Once the party leaves town, start tracking time. Maps are drawn by the players, and exploration follows established procedures.
6. Return to town. If you don’t return to town by the end of the session, there will be a consequence.
7. Divide treasure. XP is always divided evenly, but players can decide to divide treasure however they like.   

In general:

• Track resources and equipment.
• Take notes and share information.
• Plan, coordinate, and accept risks.
• Make choices, and play to see what happens.

Genre touchstones

• Darkest Dungeon. Oppressive atmosphere, Lovecraftian horror, and the slow attrition of resources (and sanity) across repeated expeditions.
• Might and Magic VI and VII. A dense, kitchen-sink fantasy world with vast dungeons and a science-fantasy underbelly waiting to be discovered.
• The Elder Scrolls III, IV, and V. Open-ended exploration and a vast range of things for players to do, from Morrowind’s alien wilderness to Skyrim’s harsh travel and Oblivion’s sense of impending doom.
• Diablo II. Relentless darkness and corruption, paired with the simple, dangerous pleasure of finding better loot in ever worse places.
• Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage. A vast, self-contained megadungeon, varied in tone, occasionally gonzo, and comfortable mixing danger with humour.
• The Dark Crystal. A world that feels old, broken, and hostile, with strange ecosystems and ancient civilizations.
• Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Eerie, uneasy journeys through a hostile wilderness, haunted by strange memories and moral tests.

What feels missing here? What excites you about this as a pitch, and what would you like to see next? Let me know in the comments below.

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