New Birthright Campaign, looking for ideas!

[Ellendael Nightstalker]

Hey gang,

I'm considering running a new Birthright campaign using the D&D 5e rules.

Right now I'm trying to brainstorm some ideas of the best way to start out a new campaign. Ideally, I'd like to have 3-5 adventures as regular adventurers before they get a chance to come into Regency.

So I'm asking the best Birthright site on the web... what are some great ways to start out a Birthright campaign?

[Arentak]

I'd introduce the players at the lowest levels to the political system. I'd keep it very simple. Have any religious types be members of the local church organization. Use that to introduce them to the rival church and give players reasons to dislike the other church. Let there be exposure to rival guilds as well, perhaps as part of the church conflict, they can bring in help from either guild a or guild b. Then meet the local Baron type of thing.

Eventually, the players are made lieutenants of various regents, and perhaps heirs. Eventually, the first player inherits something and everyone says "WTF, we're playing Birthright? I thought it was just a dungeon with some political background". And you're on your way.

I'd absolutely stay away from starting at 1st level with a "charmed one" heir type character. It can be demoralizing to the others.

My approach may take too long, however.

A somewhat quicker approach is to have all of the PC's as heirs. Perhaps sons of Dukes or Counts all loyal to some larger realm. Then have a big war where the parents all go off to fight and leave the PC's in charge. One or two domain turns later, BAM, parents all die, army all gone, and enemy army is coming! Force them to band together for a while before defeating the menace and then realizing "hey, my buddy over there has some holdings I could take..."

[Vicente]

If it's 3-5 adventures, I think I would go for players are scions that are going to inherit holdings soon and they are getting groomed for that. The adventures can be related to stopping a plot during the vassalage ceremony, finding the culprit and dealing with him (another pretender, maybe a distant blood relation).

[AndrewTall]

Using Pc's as "trouble shooter" for a regent / heir is a good start as they can have awareness of the wider domain campaign drivers, be introduced to the "right people", and possibly wangle the odd minor holding if they play their cards right even before they get formally noted as heir.

[arpig2]

A good one is what I call the Prince Hal scenario, where one PC is the younger son of some lord who does not expect to ever inherit, and the other PCs are all various other minor nobility with no real prospects, so they are basically his boon companions.

And then suddenly, due to some unforeseen event, that PC either becomes the heir apparent, or inherits outright, and the rest of the party become his favourites, upon whom he showers lands and titles, etc.

[arpig2]

Another good one is a colonization scenario, where the PCs are involved in establishing an entirely new realm.