Getting that gaming bug again

[Kreel]

some time ago a friend sent me a link on kiji that someone was looking sell all their Midnight game source books.  ALL OF IT!! including the box set, I didn't even know there was one,,, but I  digress.  I want to start a new group  but I haven't DMed in along time, tell you the truth I cant say I was good at it.Time to move out of my comfort zone.  How much time is required to adequately prepare? Do I need to have a full story before I start?  I'm looking for insight from this community

[Luiniel Blades]

Hello Kreel, welcome to the boards.

To adequately prepare for the game well... there's something of a rub. It really depends on what you want out of your game. Already in the 2nd edition core book there is a pre-written one-shot adventure and another book Crown of Shadows that is a full blown introduction path.

If you are looking to ease into running a game those are good places to start. Other books give you a ton of information about the world to help breathe life into it and also help to give you ideas with suggestions. I would say a few weeks of preparation time should go into it. Primarily reading over the core rule-book a few times will really help you get a feel for what you are getting into.

The history and setting of Midnight, the world of Aryth is a vast, rich world with lots of places to explore and things to do. I find it's best to get to know the setting, understand what the world events currently are, discern how the worlds primary magic systems interact within it, understand what the Fell Undead are, and then finally decide where the PC's initially fit into it.

Crown of Shadows campaign is a good way to do a continent spanning adventure that gives the PC's a taste of life for all the different races and what to expect. It then ends with them, hopefully, in a decently safe environment where they are now strong enough to help alter the world events as they desire.

[Chaotix]

To tag onto what Luiniel has said - my answer is "it depends on what information you already have."

If you're not super familiar with the D&D 3.5 ruleset, you should probably read up on that. If you are, but aren't super familiar with Midnight as a setting, the world and ways within, as well as how it alters the 3.5 ruleset, you should probably read up on *that*.

If you have that already under your belt and are looking to start DMing a Midnight game, but have never done so, the one shot in the book or Crown of Shadows is a great place to start. You don't have to write the story, you just have to read the adventure and make it suit you and your players.

If you and your crew prefer unscripted adventures, my preference is to start with the players. Get them involved in the planning stages of it and let them tell you what they're interested in playing. Halflings who are tired of ducking not only the Shadow from outside, but the demons infesting their forest? Cool! Humans who are just trying to make a living as traders in the midst of a super-restrictive Shadow political/social landscape? Awesome! An Elven strike team who gleans spy information and takes out Shadows R&D projects to prevent them getting any sort of edge in the ongoing war? Wow! - Let them help you get the ball rolling, then think of how you want to get them started. Once you've gotten them started, the ramifications of what they do and have done will help you continue planning ahead.

Personally, I'm in that last category there and I find there's not a lot of prep necessary anymore now that the story has really gotten rolling as much of how the world reacts to the players (which is my responsibility as the DM) is logical based on what the players have done to the world.

Also, again reiterating what Luiniel said, nothing wrong with running one of those scripted adventures and then going unscripted from there if everyone's excited to keep going.

It may sound like a lot, but it's so fun once you get the hang of it.