Hey, Hubski
I just moved to a pretty small town and am in need of some inspiration! I run D&D games pretty regularly (once a week) back where I moved from but now that I'm in this new location I don't have my regular gaming group with me. So, in order to branch out and make some new friends, I want to write up a new adventure and take it to the local game shop! See if anybody around here has an interest in rollin' some dice.
What does this have to do you? Well, I need some ideas. The inspiration is running low from the stress of moving so I am reaching out to you all to see what your brains can think up! Do you have any fun ideas for a D&D game? Maybe a cool NPC concept or a trap! Perhaps a devilish cave system or haunted forest? An epic tome or tool steeped in legend? Or maybe something exceptional happened in a game you played once?
Whatever your thoughts are, jot them down here!
You rock,
Merlin
I have a bunch of whimsical items that could potentially serve as plot-hooks: The Wig of Persecution The person wearing it suffers a -1 penalty to AC on account of being persecuted. Otherwise, it looks like a proper barrister's wig; possibly to make the item's name more confusing. The Book of Canon A finely crafted book about local legends and fandom disputes. Once a day the book can be transformed into a cannon (treat it as fireball spell cast by a 6th-level spellcaster). Belt of lint pockets It's a belt with many pockets which can be used like normal pockets. However, you can always find a pinch of lint inside of those. Lint can be used as a substitute for worthless of cheap (6 copper maximum) spell components. Lute of invisibility Sustains the effect of invisibility spell as cast by a 4th level spellcaster for as long as you play the lute. Everyone can still hear you loud and clear. Axe of Grindness It looks dull and in a dire need of grinding to everyone looking at it. Onlookers inspecting it closely (i.e. perform either an evaluate, UMD, search or spot check) feels compelled to grind it. That's it. The DM has always been such a dickish smartass. You should punch him. EDIT: Just as a bit of background, I rarely GM humorous/gag scenarios, but even a serious campaign can use a bit of levity. One of my players was actually very fond of the Belt of Lint Pockets because it was so incredibly convenient.
I mean, humorous they may be, but there's no such thing as a useless item. It applies as much to players as the GM. Here's a basic overview of how those went on my sessions: The Lute of Invisibility is a perfect utility for bards of all levels to help use their songs during combat. Also, as I quickly found out, dramatic entrances. ooli The Wig of Persecution was a plot item, evidence in a murder mystery where the court adviser was found dead wearing it. My players used the Axe of Grindness as a distraction when they were captured by a bunch of bandits. They argued that it's damn hard to sharpen an axe in the forest and it should give our rogues enough time to 'take 20' while their guard was preoccupied. Aside from being a 1/day fireball, The Book of Canon is basically a low-level bardic knowledge substitute that anyone literate can use. I dropped many a hint to my players with it.
Oh man I love D&D. I'm a few months into my first real campaign. I had an idea for a second character that might be more fun as an NPC: a librarian obsessed with acquiring and documenting information. Alien looking figure, socially awkward, high INT and very low CHA. Speaks Zemnian. I'd name him Mark Sügerberg.
I wrote this adventure, and it's free. :) Of course, not everything is as it seems.Recently, a small team of Surveyors was lost on an expedition near the Niven's Creek trade outpost. A terrible creature has been plaguing the outpost ever since. Surveyor Guild Journeyman Anton Gauss has requested a team of Surveyors from Sheandril to help him protect the small mountain community.
My best experience as a player was playing the scenario of Alien (the movie) in a setting without alien... surprising, until we found the eggs (and it clicked ) and we all died soon after.. My guess: it work with any horror movie transposed into any normal setting. As a GM the most fun I saw my player have, is letting them save the life of a godlike figure (Elric of Melnibonée in the game of the same name) when they were newbs with 2 adventure on their belt. And they wielded the most powerful (and dangerous ) weapon of the world for a few round of combat.. it make their day... until it corrupted one of them It worked.. because Elric is nothing without his weapon, I dont see it happening with Elminster. Have good fun in your new city
It's just a retell of the alien movie story. No scenario to create: An alien is attacking (the one from the movie) and laying eggs. Period. You dont even have to gave it proper characteristics, it's just about scaring the players with an evasive powerful unexpected foe striking and disappearing in a heartbeat.
If you've never played you're on the right track!! Colville is an amazing resource. I'm always glued to his new posts. Not sure if you've heard of Roll20.com but I may start this game up on there depending on the local game shop scene. It's a pretty great site if you don't have anybody around you for an IRL game.
I know what you mean! I love writing for games. As for scale since I don't have a regular group I was thinking I would do a sort of Colville style West Marches game with a central start point city and then a large scale hex map. Each hex would represent an area with some kind of encounter ranging from a small discovery (item, shrine, person) to massive dungeons that might interlink hexes. I figure that way I'd be able to have players that don't have to be regular. They could just form a party from the starting city and then explore hexes. I'd reveal hexes as adventurers explored to become "city knowledge". It also lets me pull fun stuff from every where and adapt it to the game.
It will be loosely based on the forgotten realms but most geography and societies will be altered. I'll also probably pull from Dark Sun and Eberron and then some homebrew. The beauty of the hex explore system is the land can change pretty dramatically over distances.