Kismet's First D&D Campaign
The original PCs of my first D&D game, from left to right, courtesy of the PortraitWorks app (beta version): Aseir Rein (aasimar paladin of Torm, later Sune); Lance Daymar (human paladin of Hoar), Thorik Wyvernbane (dwarven cleric of Moradin), and Tika Frostdale (halfling rogue).
When I first started to run D&D in early 2001, I had no previous DMing experience and few models to work from. I'd only seen a few relatively fun D&D sessions but had never gotten close to seeing a successful D&D campaign. I wasn't entirely lost in the dark because I had the light of inspiration to guide me, and that light was able to carry me far. Not everyone is so fortunate, however, and DMing is a complex undertaking. I realized quickly that I wanted to share what I learned and made and to give people an idea of how a campaign can develop.
My first campaign ran regularly for over four years, though we took some breaks to allow for for real life and other games. We had our fair share of fussing (as every group seems to), but we had a great time overall and always had what we called "the main campaign" on standby. The story grew as the PCs built their own stakes in the world and engaged a couple hundred NPCs. As some of the original characters were retired, new ones were brought on board. It even survived a months-long split of the party into different adventure paths and the fall of one of its paladins.
The campaign didn't come to a proper end, but many don't. I don't know that I'll ever have the heart to run it again, but I'll leave these articles up as an example, a fun read, and a pleasant reminder of how far we got. If you decide to use Thandell or any of its characters in your game, I'd love to hear about it.
