>A group of wayward Wanderers (the PCs) find themselves invited aboard the last train bound westward by the engineer (the DM) in the hopes of finding some last bastion of civilization out there at the end of the tracks.
>As they stop here and there along the way, the Engineer asks the Wanderers to leave the train in search of food or water or supplies, to investigate the area or try and find any new Passangers (NPCs) who might want to join them.
>There's no turning back once they've set out on their journey, not that there's much to turn back for as they make their way across the depopulated vastness of the countryside, moving ever onward toward that dreamlike goal.
Would this idea work? If so, what sorts of tasks would the DM Engineer give the PC Wanderers? What would they find along the way? What NPC Passengers would they pick up? What would they find at the end of the line?
I like the concept. I could see each session having a really nice structure if you had enough time to work it out. >Some time on the train to talk with the other PCs and NPCs on the train >Given a new mission by the Engineer when the train stops >Go through a self contained map of the area searching for supplies and potential survivors >Probably need to make it back to the train before it's forced to leave without them
My one question is, what is the main threat in this setting?
Luis Stewart
Stop fucking railroading me, DM
Gabriel White
I adore the idea, sidequests of fixing up the train, running into societies built in train stations...
Biggest problem being if the pc's are all like "Fuck the train yo"
Angel Carter
>There's no brakes on this rpg train...
Tyler Wilson
Pic related.
To contribute; what about the rails? Maybe the train has to travel at a snail's pace with a party scouting ahead to make sure the rails are intact / free from major obstruction?
This scouting role would be perfect for the P.C.s, as well as having them looking out for ambushes because perhaps the train carries huge amounts of stuff for trading wherever it stops?
Also; I'm stealing this idea and there's nothing you can do to stop me.
Nicholas Rodriguez
I think that the main threat could be more of an existential one in that there really isn't anything left for the Engineer or Wanderers to go back to, wherever they've come from. They might be able to survive on their own for a while, perhaps for a very long while, but civilization has collapsed and they wouldn't be doing much more than surviving. By going on this rail journey, the DM and PCs are building something of a community aboard that train.
I think an interesting way to end the campaign would be for there to be no last bastion of civilization waiting for them at the end of the line, but if they've worked hard and gotten enough NPCs to join them, they'll discover that they've brought civilization with them.
Levi Hughes
That's all well and good, but what is threatening the lives of the players? Is it just bandits and raiders? Monsters of some kind?
Camden Sullivan
They would have various mundane concerns, like having enough food, water and medical supplies to support themselves and any NPC Passengers they pick up along the way. That alone would keep them hustling along for much of the game. Also, their train would be a big, relatively slow-moving target as it chugs along across the countryside, and may attract bandits like you suggest. As for monsters, there could be a supernatural angle to it, though I hadn't considered it yet.
Nathaniel Young
Bandits, raiders, running out of supplies, all possible sort of delays and accidents, whatever caused the apocalypse...
