First, a little prelude:
I'm relatively new to tabletop RPGs and completely new to being a DM. However, my local D&D (using this as a broader term) community has been so scarce that I decided to hop right into the fray and host a campaign for two of my friends. We're 2 sessions deep right now, and I could use some advice as to how do I develop the storyline now. If this was a painting, I would find respite in knowing that I could just toss it if I failed. But this is an experience shared by three newcomers, and I would really hate to spoil that by going the wrong way.
I'm using a custom dark-fantasy themed world. The story so far goes as follows:
A council of druids, the one and only of its kind, commonly occupied with keeping balance and relative peace throughout the realm, has received news of strange happenings in the Borderland Forests. People have gone missing, animals are reported to go feral, and dark magic has been suspected by some superstitious souls. As part of the initiation rite, a young druid has been sent to investigate the area -- there we have the first player. Prior to delving into the forest, the druid arrives at a large village of the Lizardmen, a wild, fierce, but ultimately honorable folk inhabiting vast swamps near the Borderland Forests. Here, another initiation rite has been conveniently prepared - a young adventurous lizardman (actually being the character of the second player) has to fight his old master to win the tribe's respect and receive the right to see the wide world. There's a twist to the rite, however - one additional participant is allowed on each side of the fight. The druid is "coerced" to participate by a subtle whim of his mind, and a grim human wanderer, appearing from the scaly crowd, gladly agrees to balance the odds. The fight ensues, the players win and set out to unravel the mysteries of the Borderland Forest.
On their way, they enter a second Lizardmen encampment. There they complete their first two "quests":
- - track down bandits who stole some of the lizardmen' food
- find the remains of a hunter group killed by those bandits
- - it is of dwarven origin. This is already known to the players, but everything further below is yet undiscovered and thus subject to change
- the dwarves are dead and gone from this place
- kobolds from the depths of the mountains are responsible for this, having invaded the place around 40 years ago
- there might be a treasure somewhere in this dungeon
- there is a tomb down below all the other rooms. some hints about the history of this place can be found there
- there is a library on the lower levels
- there is a necromancer, actually responsible for all the discord, holed up in the library
- the necromancer might be connected to a broader circle of evil-doers, that has recently become more active for some reason
- - (I find this a rather interesting thing) the human, the one who agreed to fight in the rite of the lizardmen, had a strange amulet on his neck - a round pendant with a figure of a fish. I have the idea that this human might have belonged to a circle of wandering monster fighters (think witchers, watered down a bit), who have exiled him due to some misunderstanding or moral differences. This might prove rather interesting - imagine the players stumbling upon this group, seeing their amulets and having the grim wanderer float up in their memory. Moreover, there are probably more adventures to be had alongside the fighters' circle.
- there is a large area populated by humans, located on the other side of the swamp. The players have not contacted these people yet, so it's completely flexible for now
- on the other side of the mountains, there might be a moderately large stronghold populated with a variety of warmongering species such as barbarians, minotaurs, harpies and maybe even dark elves and other monstrosities. Think "Dungeon" town from HoMM III
- one of the dwarves has escaped from the dvarven dungeon when it was pillaged by kobolds, and can, in theory, be found by the players somewhere in the world