issues GM and players should agree on prior to campaign starting..

[Andrepartthree]

... This is on another forum , Privateer Press (creators of the Iron Kingdoms Role Playing Game.. can't speak to the newest version of the books since I haven't purchased them love the old books too much :P .. but I though the d20 based system was absolutely phenomenal in terms of the sheer amount of role-playing information and detailed campaign setting info ) .. but it struck me as being so useful that I thought it deserved a link here.. basically it's a series of questions a GM and player should go over to make sure everyone is on the same "page" as far as what they expect from the campaign ... mind you this is more useful primarily for long-term campaigns with a dedicated group of players as opposed to a more casual group of gamers (nothing wrong with the latter of course not making any judgements here ;) ) .. anyways :

https://privateerpressforums.com/showthread.php?181346-Starting-a-New-Campaign-Establishing-a-Shared-Vision&p=2349569&posted=1#post2349569

[JohnD]

Good list.

I'd add one to it, although it may tangentially already be included.

That is an approximation of the RP:combat ratio.

Some want nothing but fighting and others want to pretend they're on stage.

Most are somewhere in the middle, but when the extremes come together, well, we've all seen a game or two implode because of this in these forums.

[dulux-oz]

Yeah, not a bad list at all.

In a similar vein, for my long running campaigns I tend to write an Intro or "Teaser" to help set the mood/tone/expectations/etc, and I often also add in one or two "Interludes" at strategic points during a Campaign to help keep things both interesting and moving along. As an example, below is the Teaser from my current Übergame Campaign - A Prophecy Of Heroes

A Prophecy Of Heroes

Muted low moans and howls of anguish filtered into the room, mixing with the soft crackle and occasional pop from the slowly decaying fire burning in the fireplace. A divan and a huge overstuffed chair faced each other in front of the fire, separated by a low table. On the table sat two large goblets and a decanter, all made of crystal and holding what appeared to be a rich, red wine. The room itself was in shadows, illuminated only by the light coming from the fireplace and from a large candelabra on the far side of the table. The thick, black candles in the candelabra gave off a cold, blue light, mixing with the firelight to cast the room into a soft haze of purple. A thick rug covered most of the floor and heavy, dark curtains covered the walls as well as the windows.

The woman seated on the divan brushed her long silver hair back from her upswept, Elvan ears. She leaned forward and took one of the goblets from the table, raising the red liquid to her delicate lips, then curled her long, shapely legs up under herself and settled back into the corner of her seat. The silvery, shear silk gown she wore clung to her body in ways that left little to the imagination and provided a stark contrast to her dark, ebony skin. Her intense, violet eyes flashed in the flickering firelight as she lowered her goblet. She was, in a word, beautiful – but her beauty had a dangerous seductiveness to it; the same seductiveness to caste one’s self to one’s death when standing on the edge of a cliff.

The being who sat opposite was large, masculine, grossly fat and goat-headed. His huge gray body was covered in goat hair and two ram’s horns sprouted from his head some fifteen feet above the floor. He too reached forward and grasped a goblet in a surprisingly humanlike hand before leaning back into the overstuffed chair. As he contemplated the woman sitting opposite he crossed his goat-like legs and settled his vast bat-like wings against his chair. His snakelike tail coiled from a hole in his seat and the tip moved slowly back and forth across the rug, occasionally depositing small drops of a viscous liquid.

“So, my lord”, said the woman, “we are ready?”

“Aye my lady, we are”, he replied. “I have fulfilled my part of the plan. They are all in place.”

“Excellent! I, too, have ensured everything is ready. It is time to put our meticulous preparations into motion.”

He hesitated a moment, then replied “Aye”.

“You sound doubtful, my lord.”

“It is nothing; a minor thought.”

“No, tell me what troubles you”, she enquired.

“It is just… what of the Prophecy?”

“Prophecy?” she sneered. “What prophecy? The ramblings of a senile, old Elf are not prophecy! Let it trouble you no more.”

“But surely the others will try to stop us”, he replied.

“They cannot, as you know. They cannot interfere directly, just as we cannot interfere directly against them. Hence our plan. And they would have to discover our manipulations before they could do anything anyway. No my lord, by the time they decipher our plot it will be too late!”

“And what if they do discover us? What then?”

“Then it will mean little”, she replied, contempt for her enemies dripping from her voice. “The board is set. The Nine Lords are in place. The giants believe that Raganok is upon them and prepare for the final war, thanks to our agents. The Grandfather strains to crush those that stand in his way. The Witch-King is prepared and awaits your bidding while his enemies squabble amongst themselves like curs fighting for a bone under a table. Even the Snake, vain and self-centred though she is, will do her part, even if she knows not what part she plays. Add to these the minor players and those that do not know anything. Every crime, every squabble amongst our enemies, every act of Evil strengthens our cause. And the Amber Prince, their only champion, is disgraced, fallen and lost, all at our hand! There is no-one they can call on, even if they do discover us.”

“And what if they find new champions?” he asked.

“Granted’, she replied, “it is possible that new champions may arise, but we have prepared for this. That is why your minions and mine are in all of the likely places: to dispose of any likely candidates before they can become a problem. No, my lord. Our plan will succeed: that miserable world will be ours to do with as we wish and the rest of the Shell will fall under our sway. Then the power that is rightfully ours will be there for the taking!” She raised her goblet. “To what is rightful ours; by force or by guile!”

“To what is rightfully ours” he replied, raising his own goblet in salute.

***

The blond-haired goddess waved her hand and the image dissolved. Biting her lower lip she turned and contemplated what she knew of Fate, of Luck and of Goodness. This was indeed dire; she must inform the others! And they would need allies from among the other families, for this would cause all to fail – the Prophecy had foretold! They must find champions to defeat the Evil about to descend upon the world or all would be lost. They must find their "Prophecy of Heroes" and they must do it soon. She hurried from the room.

And So It Begins...

Thus the die is caste: Evil once again stretches forth its hand to take that too which it has no claim, while the forces of Good are weak and without a champion. An obscure prophecy has foretold all this, but the vast majority of the powers that be either do not know of it or dismiss it out of hand, believing themselves’ secure. Thus the world will fall, unless champions can be found in time – champions with the courage, the strength and the will to face down and defeat a plot so insidious, so carefully laid and so machiavellian that most do not believe it even exists!

Are YOU one of those champions?

[Andrepartthree]

That is just a freaking amazing write up dulux-oz ... makes me wish I lived in Australia (assuming you had a slot open for players and were interested in recruits such as myself to begin with :P .. all the way in the USA here other end of the time zone :P ) .. seriously that is REALLY well written :) ..

[dulux-oz]

Andrepart3 -> Wow, thanks, that's nice of you to say so.

As I said, I put it it up as an example to maybe help out other GMs as to what I do to attract players and set the tone of a campaign. If people find it useful then that's great.

Unfortunately the game's full, and we are already nearing the end of ACT II of the five Act Campaign - we've being playing regularly every 2nd week for just on 2 years now, and have got about another 3-3.5 years to go - yes, I like lllloooonngggg campaigns.

Other than that, I don't mind where my players come from as long as they fit in with the group dynamic, so keep an eye open for any game announcement(s) I may make :)

Cheers