Isles of the Saharan Sea: Thoughts on the First Adventure...

Good Afternoon, All:

Now that the old house is almost ready to be put on the market, and I've moved into a new place, I feel like I can start to focus on my writing once again. Most of my gaming collection should be going on eBay with the next few weeks, and I'll be sure to post info here once it's up and running.

I could resume the Isles of the Saharan Sea campaign setting development, but I'm almost done with it, at least at this point. I think I have enough to get started with a campaign, between the work I've posted and some work I've done at home. Well, almost enough. I probably could use a "First Adventure" to kick things off, just to make it easier.

So, what should be in a "First Adventure" for such a setting? I'd likely want to introduce the main antagonist of the setting, and make allusions to the two other major villains. I'd want to explore the concept of a hollow earth setting, and I'd want to make that integral to the entire adventure, if I could figure out a way. I'd want to introduce the concept that all non-perishable magic items are non-standard and unique. And I'd want the adventure to end with the players having their own ship, so that they could travel around the setting of their own accord.

So that first adventure should have ninjas, a gorilla-man naval patrol, some pilgrims seeking Mavarasha, an issue where perpetual daylight is either the cause of the problem or the solution to one, one permanent magic item and someone to introduce the concept of unique items, and a small sailing ship capable of piracy, should the mood take the party after the adventure is said and done.

Hmmm, how about this? A merchant, a recent survivor of one of Mavarasha's attacks, approaches the party, asking them to strike against some pirates that have captured one of his ships and stolen a magic item. He explains the rarity of such, introducing the concept of unique weapons, and offers them a small ship from his merchant fleet if they can retrieve the item. (That's how rare these items are, or how bad off the ship is.) The problem: they can't approach the island where the ship is moored without being seen, because of the perpetual daylight and the concave nature of the surface of the World Within. The merchant mentions that he tried to hire the Black Rose to fetch it, but they wouldn't accept his payment. The party encounters a gorilla-men naval patrol en route to the island. The party will have to find a way to get past the patrol, and either negotiate with the pirates or overcome them (hehehe, yeah, right) to get the item and save the day. The pirates do have some slaves, including pilgrims of Thanatos seeking out Mavarasha to join his crusade. (If the merchant finds out the party helped the pilgrims, he may be sorely upset, given his previous encounter with Mavarasha.)

Well, it's rough, but in a sandbox campaign, sometimes rough is okay. I'm sure more ideas will come to me over the course of the next few months. Of course, the guys may simply change their minds and go with something akin to Odyssey Prime, a cross-genre romp through gates to visit worlds of fantasy, sci-fi, pulp and horror in a quest to save humanity from an impending apocalypse. Players can be a fickle bunch at times, but either way, I feel I'm up for the challenge.

More Later,
Flynn

GM Mentoring: Adventure Creation Through Myth And Television...

Good Evening:

I often find inspiration for adventures in the television series I watch or the stories of mythology. Often the best ideas come from a blending of the core concepts from two unrelated sources, and then running with the resulting Frankenstein creation, smoothed out to fit the events of the campaign itself. Let's work through an example, by way of illustration.

Let's start with a story chosen from mythology. It often helps if we look at a religion that is not common to the usual experience of the gaming group. As mine is primarily made up of Christians, choosing a non-European mythos is highly recommended. While I started thinking initially in terms of oriental myths, I eventually decided to try something a bit closer to home. With that in mind, I searched Google for Polynesian myths and found an interesting site that mentioned a number of legends we can pull from. I liked the following for an adventure idea:

In Tahitian mythology, the supreme creator deity was Ta'aroa, also called Rua-i-tupra (source of growth). Ta'aroa emerged from a cosmic egg and started the process of creation. To fill the emptiness around him, he used part of the egg to make the sky and the other part to create the earth. Satisfied with his accomplishment, he filled the world with all the creatures and things that are now found in it. The Tahitians believed that Ta'aroa sent both blessings and curses, and they tried to appease him with human sacrifices.

This evening, I also watched a show on the Smithsonian Channel entitled "The Mystery of the Hope Diamond." One of the stories of the origin of the Hope Diamond curse can be found on Wikipedia:

According to these stories, Tavernier stole the diamond from a Hindu temple where it had been set as one of two matching eyes of an idol, and the temple priests then laid a curse on whoever might possess the missing stone. Largely because the other blue diamond "eye" never surfaced, historians dismissed the fantastical story. Furthermore, the legend claimed that Tavernier died of fever soon after and that his body was torn apart by wolves, but the historical record shows that he actually lived to the age of 84.

We start the process by breaking each down into their component pieces, or at least the pieces we want to use for our adventure idea. From the myth snippet above, we can grab the following tidbits:

• A creator deity emerges from a cosmis egg, and uses part of it to create the sky and the rest to create the heavens.
• Then he filled the world with all the different forms that occupy it now.
• Human followers tried to appease him with human sacrifices.

From the Hope Diamond legend, I found the following pieces that might prove interesting in an adventure:

• An adventurer steals a gem from an eye of an idol in an ancient temple.
• A curse laid upon the stone afflicts any who possess it.
• The original adventurer died of a fever and his body was then ripped apart by wolves.

Putting those ideas together, I came up with the following adventure concept:

The temple of an ancient cult devoted to a Creator God was once robbed by a band of adventurers. The biggest score of the heist was a gem stolen from the main statue of a wolf-headed Creator God; however, the theft came with a price, for the cult had lain a curse upon the stolen gem. One by one, the adventuring band has succumbed to a deadly disease. Now, the last surviving member, in the hopes of removing this disease, is seeking adventurers that are willing to escort him back to the temple, to return the stolen gem to the eye of the statue. The biggest challenge isn't the wilderness through which the survivor and his crew will travel, but the human-sacrificing cultists and sacred dire wolves that demand blood to atone for the theft of their God statue's eye.

This adventure could pack in a lot of cultural flavor, and creates a fairly unique motivation for the adventure that is different from most that I've run. Most of the adventures I run tend to be going to a location in order to steal/acquire the contents of that destination. Here's a scenario that features taking an object to a destination, despite danger to life and limb. I'd be interested in seeing what my players would do with the scenario. What are your thoughts on it?

With Regards,
Flynn

GM Mentoring: New Campaigns Demand New Stories...

Good Evening:

Sometimes, when you want to come up with a new idea for an adventure or a campaign story arc, you find yourself locked into the same story lines you've been repeating for the last few years (or even decades). You look back at those scenarios that have effectively become cliches to your gaming group, and want to relive the cherished memories you created or desire to capture some element of a scenario that eluded you every time you implemented that storyline before. Whatever attracted you to a given storyline held some importance to you, and there's a good chance that it still does, if you can't get it out of your head.

However, let's face it, if you've tried it more than once, or if your first run of a given storyline was an outstanding success, the kind that's talked about months and even years afterward, then your players are likely to be ready for this scenario. Chances are, they will not react as openly to a repeat performance. In order to continue to build on your already solid reputation, you have to step up your game, so to speak. There's nothing like an original idea to help keep things fresh.

So, what do you do when the ideas don't come? You can always check out Eureka, the book of plot summaries by the crew from Gnome Stew. You can also read through old Dragon and Dungeon magazines, or review old D&D modules (or even new D&D modules) looking for adventure ideas that are new to you but still sound like fun to run. You can read some fantasy fiction (or even better, some non-fantasy fiction) and adopt the plot from the book as an adventure or campaign story arc. Watch the news, and translate each news story into a plot. Think about your two favorite television episodes you watched this last week, and see if you can blend elements of the plots of the two episodes together to come up with something that is new and definitely yours. Think about your favorite movie, or at least a movie you know very well, and translate that into a campaign storyline for your party's future adventures. (I think Star Wars: A New Hope would make a great swashbuckling adventure.) Build a random table or two, and see what comes of that.

There are always means to move beyond the cliches that maintain their grip on you. While the suggestions given above offer a number of options for you, don't be afraid to try other things as well. You never know when the next great adventure idea will come to you, nor how you'll end up getting it. If you have any suggestions on other avenues one could pursue, please feel free to post them in the comments below.

With Regards,
Flynn

The Madlands Campaign: Brainstorming On The First Adventure...

Good Morning, All:

I've started thinking about the first adventure I want to run in the Madlands Campaign, which will help establish the setting and provide future opportunities for campaign expansion. Toward that end, I started looking at the basics in Old School module design. Using the twelve touchstones of Old School modules post, I have started the brainstorming process that hopefully leads to a strong starting adventure.

I know that I do not want to start with a formal dungeon site, but I still want a good adventure locale. I figure that a dungeon so close to the starting village would probably already be explored, so I'm looking at a small cave system. A set of natural caverns gives me a number of options for some great environmental considerations, such as ledges, slippery slopes, underground rivers and cave formations that can act as cover.

For the baseline creatures, I'm figuring that I'll probably use either simple humanoids (goblins, kobolds or orcs) or human bandits. Other creatures that I'll consider are probably giant insects or some of the low-level monsters I've posted previously.

Given that there's usually one encounter that must be resolved by means other than combat in an Old School module, I'm thinking that I may put a tharkanth in a relatively isolated area of the caverns, to see how the players handle a beast that is obviously more powerful than they are.

I'll definitely have to include some kind of obstacle that challenges players to think rather than rely on die rolls, but I have no idea what it is as yet. I'm sure it'll involve the three-dimensional nature of the cavern system, though. This will likely be a trap or puzzle of some sort.

I’m not sure what to do about the “permanent effect via random chart” encounter that is one of the touchstones of an Old School module, but I’ll eventually come up with something. Perhaps I’ll include a pool that has been tainted by gods’ blood.

Obviously, one of the treasure items will have to be a cursed item, to incorporate that element into the game and provide motivation to seek out spellcasters of greater mastery and talent, thus opening more potential plot hooks.

The “false climax” situation should be easy enough to set up, and will presumably based around the main treasure trove of the adventure. Some of the treasure will be quite large and thus difficult to transport. This implies that the bandits will have some transport, or had it at some point in time, so I’ll need to include some kind of stables in the cavern complex.

The twisty nature of natural caverns, plus a possible stint through an underground river, should add the disorienting effect that will make mapping difficult.

Finally, I have a wonderful thought for an encounter that makes absolutely no logical sense within the context of the adventure, so I can look forward to how the players attempt to explain it. That will likely lead to at least one more plot hook for future adventures, I’m sure.

Given that this is a lower level adventure, I need at least one encounter with the undead to allow for the priestly types to do their thing. I’ll also want at least one situation where a non-combat special ability can resolve it easily, and one or two that are easily resolved by magic. One or more of the encounters should be aimed at resolution through negotiation rather than combat.

Okay, that’s all I’m willing to talk about as I brainstorm, simply to avoid giving too much detail away to any curious participants. However, any thoughts, suggestions or other commentary would be greatly appreciated.

With Regards,
Flynn

One Shot Adventure Creation: The Climax...

Good Morning, All:

This article continues the One Shot Adventure Creation Series. Like others in the series, we will be discussing one of the core scenes from the basic One Shot adventure outline I originally proposed at the beginning of this series. In this article, we will be looking at the Climax, the final major scene of the One Shot adventure.

The Climax scene is the final showdown, the last big fight with the Big Bad Evil Guy and his minions. This scene is most often a big fight, but under the right circumstances, it could combine combat with a social or mental challenge as well. More than any other scene in the adventure, this is the scene where everyone should have a chance to shine. It is suggested that this scene contain a good number of minions, as well as one or two challenging leader types. Having too few opponents could end in a quick resolution through ganging up on the enemy. The extra numbers allow warriors the chance to engage in martial combat, while rogues can use their extensive skills and sneak attack abilities. Priests and mages should have plenty of targets for their offensive spells, and reason to be happy for their defensive preparations. The site for the climax should also include at least two different terrain features, to provide for some interesting situations that make such scenes memorable. While you don't want to overdo yourself, you also want to make this scene feel more important and more exciting than the others in the adventure.

While the effort you've put in to designing your One Shot adventure in the previous scenes helps to create a well-rounded and challenging game experience, if the climactic scene of the adventure is lackluster, the sense of fulfillment from completing the adventure is reduced. Creating a memorable game requires distinctive and exciting moments to help lock the adventure into the memory of your players. While near devastating combats, leaving half the party at only a handful of hitpoints or even unconscious before the final villain dies can get the adrenaline pumping, you are essentially putting your trust in the vagaries of the dice. Don't depend on the dice for the success of your climactic scene. Instead, create distinctive environments and interesting characters that stand out. A kobold dressed in over-sized purple robes may not work for you, but it adds one more detail that may stand out in the players' memories of the game later on. Running up the stairs towards a dark granite altar is fairly mundane, but racing across one of three rope bridges to get to the crystal platform both sounds cooler and offers more distinctive flavor to your final climactic scene.

When planning on time constraints for the Climax scenes, picture this one taking at least an hour, if not an hour and a half. If you are running your One Shot adventure within the time constraints of a standard three and a half to four hour time slot at a convention, you will want to make sure that you are entering this scene no later than two hours, forty-five minutes into the game's scheduled time slot.

So, dear readers, what are the most memorable Climax scenes of any One Shot adventure you've participated in? What made it memorable for you? What could have been done better, if anything? Your experiences could help out other readers, so please feel free to share.

With Regards,
Flynn

One Shot Adventure Creation: The Complication...

Good Morning, All:

This article continues the One Shot Adventure Creation Series. Like others in the series, we will be discussing one of the core scenes from the basic One Shot adventure outline I originally proposed at the beginning of this series. In this aricle, we will be looking at the Complication, a scene about half-way through the adventure that impacts the party's ability to fulfill the needs of your plot.

The Complication scene often forces the party to decide between several consequences as they proceed with fulfilling the needs of the plot. This scene often requires the characters to expend resources, forcing them to decide on whether to spend their resources on this particular challenge or the big climactic challenge that is coming up next. In addition, this scene often introduces a plot twist or restriction that makes the resolution of this challenge and/or the climax that much tougher. Forcing players to make such decisions often leads to a deeper investment in the game, as challenging the players typically brings a stronger focus on the events of the scenario.

The complication that arises here often possesses a moral quality, since moral judgments and other ethical challenges are frequently not governed by game mechanics (and it is a very small issue on the GM's part to avoid those challenges that are). What you are seeking here is something that would require players to step beyond their character sheets and add an element of roleplay into the scenario. We've already looked at the combat and non-combat capacities of the characters with the first two scenes; this one hopefully adds elements of character portrayal into the mix.

Of course, if the entire party sees the complication you've presented in the same light, there may not be any issues that arise, and the ability to roleplay in regards to this scene is somewhat diminished. If you have NPCs in the mix (which I strongly suggest against doing, unless they are simply men-at-arms, guides or porters), you can introduce the different sides of the dilemna through them, and let the players talk it out once you've opened that can of worms for them.

Another key point in the complication scene is that the dilemna you've created impacts the course of action the PCs might undertake. If they are fighting trolls, the trolls could have a pair of human children in an iron cage suspended over a cauldron of boiling water, which limits the kinds of area effect abilities that the party can use without putting the children at risk. (Children are always good for creating limitations on the scene itself.) If the PCs are chasing bandits that have captured the princess and the bandits set fire to hovels of the poor district to help cover their escape, the party has to decide whether they will save the orphanage or pursue the bandits as they pursue the kidnappers. (Should they decide to split the party, you have carte blanche to hit them with your best shot.) There are literally hundreds of different complications you can add to a given scene to create dilemnas and promote character choices.

One final point to remember is that there should be no right choice and no wrong choice here. Each option should have both good points and bad points. Ultimately, this is a One Shot, and you want the players to leave the game feeling good about the game. If making a choice totally screws them over for the rest of the adventure, then you've probably created the wrong complication. Even if it seems like the decision should be a no-brainer, chances are that you'll get the party of adventurers that take the choice you'd prefer they didn't consider, and then you're stuck. Make plans for either option, including both success and failure for each, so that your overall adventure can move forward. This may place more obstacles in the climax, of course, but their decision shouldn't remove their enjoyment of the scenario, however matters get resolved. It can be a rough line to walk, but if you can manage it, the result will be a very memorable encounter and a very enjoyable game.

With Regards,
Flynn

From Another Blog: The Twelve Touchstones of Old School Modules...

Good Evening, All:

The other day I read a great blog entry on the 12 Touchstones of Old School Modules that pretty much blew me away. When I look at a list like that, it reminds me not to forget certain elements in my adventures if I really want to capture that Old School feel. For the sake of covering the basics, here's the list in brief:

1. Environmental hazards, such as slippery floors, ledges, extreme temperatures, etc.
2. Combat encounters with baseline monsters, increasing the difficulty through use of terrain and/or circumstances.
3. At least one encounter that would best be resolved by means other than combat, lest it lead to a TPK.
4. At least one trick, puzzle or obstacle that requires the players to think rather than rely on a die roll to resolve it.
5. At least one item, location or creature that causes a significant permanent effect to the character, as determined (good or bad) by rolling on a random chart.
6. At least one item of treasure that is cursed or has a detrimental side effect when used.
7. A "false climax" that sends inattentive players home or takes them off their guard, while clever players will realize that this could not have been the true climax of the adventure.
8. At least one disorienting effect that makes mapping difficult.
9. At least one location where resources are an issue due to environmental circumstances.
10. At least one area that has items of value that are too large to transport without considerable detriment.
11. At least one creature that appears to be something it is not.
12. One encounter (and only one) that makes absolutely no logical sense, for the players to explain through their own imagination.

I tend to write smaller adventures than this, simply to keep a smaller scope on "modules" and give players a greater sense of accomplishment and forward motion. However, it wouldn't hurt for me to expand my repertoire to include these elements at least once every other adventure, just to make sure that the campaign as a whole captures that Old School feel.

Now, don't let this kind of thing fool you. Having an Old School campaign is not simply a matter of following a formula. It's really a flavor of how you run the game. Still, certain iconic experiences trigger certain reactions in your players. If you tap into those iconic experiences, you can encourage them to feel the same way about your game that they've come to associate with other Old School campaigns. These elements, when used judiciously, can help you achieve exactly that.

And besides, it's just a lot of fun. :)

More Tomorrow,
Flynn

Random Chart: 36 Challenges for One Shot Adventures...

Good Morning, All:

As a companion to my post on One Shot Adventure Creation: The Challenge, I would like to provide the following random chart of thirty-six different challenges that the Referee could consider. The essence of this chart can be summed up with the following sentence:

The party must [Challenge] before they can proceed with the rest of the adventure.

To create the following table, I looked at the six primary ability scores for D20 System-based games, and created six challenges each that emphasized a particular ability score. The end result of that exercise follows.

Table: Random Challenge Chart

d66	Challenge Result
11	remove an obstacle of significant size and weight
12	carry an object of significant size and weight over a significant distant
13	scale a significant height
14	swim a significant distance
15	survive a duel or combat
16	engage in a martial competition such as a joust or tournament
21	perform a delicate or intricate operation or repair
22	perform some sleight-of-hand or other act of manual acuity
23	navigate through a dangerous moving environment while dodging
24	navigate along narrow or slippery surfaces to avoid danger
25	engage an enemy at range
26	engage in a ranged competition such as an archery tournament or thrown weapon contest
31	survive an extremely hot or cold environment while travelling some distance
32	withstand a poisonous or diseased environment
33	perform a marathon task or forced march
34	survive severe weather or a natural disaster
35	endure an extended and torturous drudgery
36	endure a short but painful experience
41	engage in an intellectual competition such as a chess match
42	solve a challenging riddle or logic problem
43	outwit, outsmart or similarly overcome an opponent's defenses
44	translate something in a foreign language
45	investigate and research a solution
46	seek out the assistance of a skilled professional
51	locate an exploitable weakness in an opponent's defenses
52	obtain the blessing of a spiritual advisor or clergy
53	aid an unfortunate stranger in overcoming his immediate predicament
54	overcome a significant distraction
55	resist a significant temptation
56	face an extremely fearsome situation
61	lead a larger group to victory in an encounter against great odds
62	negotiate an exchange of services or items
63	soothe and becalm a savage creature or crowd
64	interrogate or seduce a member of an opposing force
65	persuade an authority figure to offer support
66	entertain a large crowd through performance

If you have any thoughts, comments or suggestions, it would be greatly appreciated.

With Regards,
Flynn

One Shot Adventure Creation: The Challenge

Good Afternoon, All:

This article continues the One Shot Adventure Creation Series, which I began more than a hundred posts ago. I was thinking about it this morning, and realized that I never did wrap up that series, so this is the first of a few posts to give some closure on the creation of One Shot adventures.

To this point, we've addressed the basics, the plot (including a random chart for those in need, and the story hook. The first scene of your One Shot adventure was built around action. It's purpose was to introduce the goal of the adventure and get your characters involved in the story you are telling. Now that you've met the needs of your more action-oriented players, you should create a roleplaying scene or puzzle challenge that further escalates the plot.

The Challenge scene is intended to provide non-combat characters with an opportunity to shine. In addition, it builds on providing a full roleplaying experience to the players, emphasizing why the group is playing an RPG instead of a board game. Commonly, this is a challenge that is most easily resolved through wits and roleplay, as opposed to skill challenges or combat solutions. It could be a magical trap inspired by the game of chess, or a riddle posed by a powerful guardian or a pair of magical doors. Maybe it's a trap involving scything blades or rolling boulders activated by pressure plates and trip wires. Perhaps the challenge is simply a roleplayed negotiation with a sage-like figure, such as a hermit or a sphinx. Whatever you decide to make this scene, you will know that you've done it right when you look at your write-up for it, and can see that the solution doesn't require game mechanics (such as die rolls or spells), but rather player ingenuity or character interaction.

Of course, that being said, don't penalize a group that uses their character abilities to gain an edge or even an alternate solution to the challenge you pose. Ultimately, it's all about everyone in the group having fun, not about being a jerk to a captive audience. Reward creative thought, and encourage a sense of involvement and investment in the outcome of the scenario. If the problem could have been solved with character abilities, an NPC would have done it, so the PCs need to feel like they are making a difference.

Hope This Helps,
Flynn

One Shot Adventure Creation: The Hook...

Good Afternoon, All:

The first big scene of any adventure, particularly a One Shot, is the Hook. This is the scene that draws the players into the scenario, and gives them a chance to decide whether they want to pursue the rest of the adventure or not. If you don't have a good Hook, they will move on, and you'll never have the chance to run the rest of the adventure.

Of course, at Cons, many Game Masters assume that you've already accepted the mission, but I prefer to RP it when I can. However, for those situations where we assume the characters have already accepted the mission, this is the first scene they play out in the mission itself, and represents your chance to settle them into your game and your gaming style.

It's my preference to use the Hook scene to introduce the plot to the characters. Here's where they learn specifically what the task is that lies before them. If the plot is to retrieve an item from the ruins of an ancient stronghold, then here's the scene where they enter the stronghold. If the plot involves rescuing the cheerleader from a supervillain, then here's where we present the players with the fact that the cheerleader is not at home, but instead snuck out and went to the big Homecoming game. If the plot requires the party to take a local noble to the subsector capital to appeal for Imperial aid, then here's where the patron offers the party a job. I'm sure you get the picture.

For most non-tactical scenarios, I tend to make the Hook the scene that leads to the party getting hired. I look at the plot I've created for the adventure (or generated), and figure out all the basic parts I'll need for it: the patron, the target, the opposition, the authority figure, etc. I don't have long to cover my bases, so my general rule of thumb here is to introduce these elements as quickly as possible. How many of these elements can I introduce by the end of the first scene, the Hook for the adventure? Depending on the plot, I may be able to do all of them, but I am okay if I only introduce two plot-based elements. The rest can come up in the second or third scene (but definitely before we get to the half-way mark).

One of those elements, almost always, is the Patron, the guy that hires the party to perform the task required by the plot. I can do this in a number of ways: The party may witness the Patron having a problem with the Opposition I've selected for the adventure, and feel compelled to intervene or at least help the guy out afterward. The Patron may not be having luck with an authority figure, and so turns to the nearest competent heroes, the PCs, for assistance. Maybe the Opposition picks on the player-characters, and the Patron approaches the party after the altercation to make his offer. However I do this, I want to end the Hook scene with the players actively in pursuit of the plot itself. This is where I insure their buy-in, and that's important if I want the adventure to be successful.

Also, some players (okay, many players) prefer to be given large neon signs from their Game Master in regards to what direction their next adventure lies. Your Hook scene should give them that insight, so there's no doubt as to where to go and what to do next. Even if the ultimate goal of the adventure is to get a clue for another adventure, you should leave the players with a strong idea of what they need to do next in order to get the clue they're looking for. You won't have to do that after this scene, if you lay the adventure out reasonably well, but in the beginning, if your players have no clue what to do, then you are wasting valuable game time watching them get frustrated. As we all know as players, that is simply not cool.

Of course, as a GM, we should only point the way. It's up to the players to decide whether they are going to take it or not. This early in the game, if they choose to take another course of action, you still have time to introduce a new adventure. The only exception I see to this is if you are running a specific scenario at a Convention, in which case, you can be a little more heavy-handed here, but it's always better if they choose to go along of their own free will.

In closing, I would strongly suggest that you look at the adventures you've enjoyed playing through in the past as a player, or your favorite books, movies or TV shows that approximate the plot of your adventure. Look at how those plots started in terms of involving the main characters, and borrow from there. You may have to change some names or make a few modifications, but there's nothing wrong with stealing good ideas if it helps improve the enjoyment of the adventure for your players and yourself. Remember, in the long run, it needs to be fun, for you and for them.

With Regards,
Flynn

Random Chart: 36 Dramatic Situations-Inspired Random Plot Generator

Good Morning, All:


As a companion to my post entitled One Shot Adventure Creation: The Plot..., I mentioned the possibility of using a random chart inspired by Ploti's 36 Dramatic Situations to help inspire a plot for a One Shot Adventure. Here's a quick random chart I whipped together that fits the bill. To use this chart, roll 2d6 and treat them as percentile dice: one die is the tens place, and one die is the ones place. In Traveller, this is called a D66 roll. Consult the table to determine what that result means.

Table: 36 Dramatic Situations-Inspired Random Plot Generator

D66 Roll	Basic Plot
11	present a request for assistance before an authority figure against the schemes of a rival, enemy or other opposing force
12	rescue a victim or target from the cruel maneuvers of a rival, enemy or other opposing force
13	exact revenge upon a rival, enemy or other opposing force for crimes against a victim or target
14	assist a victim or target, who is fleeing punishment from a rival, enemy or other opposing force
15	hunt down a victim or target for punishment by an authority figure
16	aid a victim or target, who has fallen on hard times
21	provide disaster relief/humanitarian aid to a victim or target, despite interference from a rival, enemy or other opposing force
22	aid a victim or target in rebellion against an authority figure
23	assist a victim or target in a daring enterprise, despite the efforts of a rival, enemy or other opposing force
24	abduct a victim or target from a rival, enemy or other opposing force
25	secretly consult with a victim or target on a delicate matter, while avoiding the attentions of a rival, enemy or other opposing force
26	retrieve an item of importance from a remote location, in competition with a rival, enemy or other opposing force
31	intervene in a family squabble between a victim or target and a rival, enemy or other opposing force
32	become involved in a love triangle involving a victim or target, a rival, enemy or other opposing force and the possibility of murder
33	protect a victim or target against an insane a rival, enemy or other opposing force
34	recover an item of importance lost through the naivete of a victim or target to a conniving rival, enemy or other opposing force
35	hinder a courtship between a victim or target and a rival, enemy or other opposing force, who are unknowingly related
36	seek out a rival, enemy or other opposing force, who unknowingly killed a relative
41	aid a victim or target in performing an act of self-sacrifice for his ideals
42	aid a victim or target in performing an act of self-sacrifice for his family
43	aid a victim or target in giving up everything for his beloved
44	help a victim or target, who is being forced by a rival, enemy or other opposing force to choose between two loved ones
45	become involved in a love triangle involving a victim or target and a rival, enemy or other opposing force
46	protect a victim or target from the actions of a rival, enemy or other opposing force, who is motivated by love
51	reveal the dishonor performed by a rival, enemy or other opposing force against a victim or target
52	help two lovers overcome interference created by a rival, enemy or other opposing force
53	help a victim or target locate an item of importance to further his ambition against a rival, enemy or other opposing force
54	aid a victim or target who has, out of jealousy, falsely accused a rival, enemy or other opposing force of actions against a loved one
55	help a victim or target who has been falsely accused by a rival, enemy or other opposing force of illicit or immoral actions
56	help a rival, enemy or other opposing force atone to a victim or target for illicit or immoral past actions
61	help a victim or target track down a long-lost love
62	protect a victim or target as they request assistance from an authority figure for actions against loved one by a rival, enemy or other opposing force
63	deliver an item of importance to a victim or target, despite interference from a rival, enemy or other opposing force
64	deliver a victim or target to an authority figure, despite interference from a rival, enemy or other opposing force
65	map an unexplored area, despite interference from a rival, enemy or other opposing force
66	retrieve a victim or target, or an item of importance, despite interference from an ongoing military action or natural disaster

If you have any feedback or constructive comments, please feel free to leave a comment to this post.

Enjoy,
Flynn

One Shot Adventure Creation: The Plot...

The Plot of an adventure provides the creative skeleton around which all the action takes place. Without a plot, the One Shot Adventure simply becomes a series of unrelated scenes, and it is very difficult to get player buy-in and enjoyment from such. This is also a symptom of a weak plot, which simply goes to show that having a bad plot is just as bad as having no plot at all. My goal as a Game Master is simple: create a fun and compelling gaming session for all those involved. The first step in that process is have a good plot.

Good plots, as stated in the first article in the One Shot Adventure Creation series, comes in the form of a single sentence that captures the task the adventurers must pursue, the target of that task, and the opposition that creates the challenge. You can get ideas from movies or TV shows you like to watch, books you like to read, other campaigns you've played in, and other obscure resources (like what's going on with that talkative cubemate in the office, or tales lifted from ancient mythology). If that works well for you, great! Sometimes, though, some of us need a jump start.

When I am looking for inspiration and I just can't find it, or when I want to challenge myself, I turn to Random Charts and Tables. Those are a lot of fun for me, because I have to either find a way to make sense of the results I get, or I find inspiration as I go along and that becomes the seed I use to develop the actual plot. It helps to develop your own charts for this, but I can show you an example of the kind of thing I use.

For the inspiration for my main plot chart, I turn to The 36 Dramatic Situations by Ploti, based on an RPG article I read that introduced the concept to me. While not entirely comprehensive, the 36 Plots works very well for creating a wide range of stories. We all know stories that follow these basic plots, and we can easily turn those into the source of our inspiration for an adventure. Besides, 36 is a a great number for a D66 table (from Traveller, wherein you role 2d6 in a manner similar to percentile dice, where the first die being your tens place and the second die being your ones place, to create 36 different results.)

Alternately, I can create a simple list of goals for an adventure, such as Steal Item, Explore Ruins, Save Princess, etc. and turn that into a quick Plot Task generator. The advantage here is that you can create more focused and specific plots very quickly using that as your inspiration. The 36 Plots method is very generic and can admittedly take more effort to create in terms of a specific plot, but given a wider range of plot choices, I get a wider range of adventuring possibilities as a result. However you create your Random Plot Task generator, feel free to choose the approach that seems to inspire you the best. That's what it's there for.

I will follow up on this article with some random charts later on today, to provide some examples of what I'm talking about here. For now, though, think about what kind of plots you like to run for your adventures, or the kind of plots you like to play in when you are on the other side of the GM Screen. That's the best source of plot ideas you've got, right there.

With Regards,
Flynn

One Shot Adventure Creation: The Basics...

I've always enjoyed running short adventures and One Shots at gaming conventions, D&D Meetups, and those nights when some of the gamers do not show up and those that do elect not to pursue an adventure in the regular campaign. I find them entertaining to create and run and, in the case of the occasional emergency pick-up game, a challenge to my ability to run an improvised game that is both engaging and complete within a span of three to four hours.

There are some that may say it's an art, and there is some truth to that. However, as a somewhat analytic GM, I find that having an understanding of basic story or adventure structure can help ease my efforts tremendously.

Plot
In essence, like any story, I know that an adventure needs to have a Plot. For me, the Plot is a simple summary of the adventure in hopefully one sentence. A plot should include a task that needs to be accomplished, and it should involve a target for this task and a challenge of some form that opposes the party as they attempt to perform this task. Optionally, a plot may identify a patron, who sponsors the actions the charactgers must undertake to achieve this task.

Basic Structure
A simple adventure of this kind tends to follow a simple structure, almost like a formula. I tend to break One Shots down into five parts, or thereabouts. There's the Hook, the scene that gets the characters involved in the storyline; the Challenge, a non-combat challenge that empowers either a roleplaying or skills-based resolution instead of a combat resolution; the Confrontation, a combat encounter that is most easily resolved through combat and warskill; the Complication, an encounter that embodies a plot complication that must be overcome; and the Climax, the final encounter that should represent the biggest and most dangerous encounter of the adventure. While the Climax does not have to be a combat encounter, I've found that players in general tend to prefer that it involves at least some combat as an aspect of the scenario.

While the Hook needs to come first, and the Climax should come at the end of the adventure, the remaining three parts (the Challenge, the Confrontation and the Complication) can be presented in whatever order makes the most sense for the adventure at hand. This middle section should help the characters stretch themselves a little bit, and perhaps expend some resources, but the big challenge should be saved to the end. The reason behind this is simple: no one wants to play the first half hour of a One Shot and then sit out the rest while his friends have fun without him. By keeping that thought firmly in mind during your adventure creation, you are insuring that the entire group is more likely to have fun.

Okay, that sounds like a good place to wrap up the first article here. Next time, I'll start discussing each segment of the basic adventure structure individually.

With Regards,
Flynn