Adventure #127

Theme

Goal

Story Hook

Plot

Climax

General Setting

Specific Setting
I

Specific Setting
II

Master Villain

Minor Villain I

Minor Villain II

Ally/Neutral

Monster
Encounter

Character
Encounter

Horror
This type of adventure is designed to scare both the characters and the players. Just having a monster attack is not
enough for a horror theme; the monster must first frighten the characters.
Protect Endangered NPC(s)
One or more NPCs are in danger, and the characters must protect them. They might be doing this for a reward, or
because one or more of the NPCs is a friend or relative of the character. You need to decide what the characters are
protecting the NPCs from. The NPC might be a wealthy or powerful person being sought by assassins or
kidnappers. The NPC might be a whole village of peasants who are being terrorized by a bandit chieftain.
Grim Necessity
If the hero doesn't involve himself with this adventure, he's going to find himself suffering or dead -- period. That's
the hook to bring him into the adventure... but you have to determine why he'll suffer or die if he doesn't become
involved.
Accumulation of Elements
In this sort of plot, the heroes have to go from place to place -- perhaps covering very little area like a city, perhaps
roaming the known world -- and accumulate elements to be used against the Master Villain. These elements may be
clues, pieces of an artifact, evidence, or allies.
Bloody Battle
This is the best Climax for an adventure involving the clash of mighty armies -- or for any adventure where, toward
the end, the Master Villain and a large body of minions confront the heroes and their own troops. This finale is
characterized by a monstrous clash between the two forces, with the heroes chewing through the enemy ranks to get
at the Master Villain and his elite guards. It's strenuous, exciting, and classically simple.
Cosmopolitan City
Most of the story takes place in a large, sophisticated city; center the villain's plot and activities around that city.
This setting is best suited to adventures involving more people than monsters; most of your villains should be
human or demi-human.
Caves of Magical Folk
These can be either beautiful, glittering homes of gorgeous magical peoples, or the dank and terrifying lairs of
horrible monsters.
Lost City
This is the remnant of some lost civilization or expedition, still thriving in some forgotten corner of the world.
Remnants of lost civilizations can even inhabit cavern systems beneath campaign cities, preying on the aboveworlders for their goods, slaves, and sacrifices.
Destroyer
This villain is like the Corruptor, except that he likes destroying instead of corrupting. He operates like the
Conqueror, moving in his armies -- often nonhuman or monstrous armies -- and destroying everything in sight.
Again, the Destroyer could easily be an evil god or demon, meaning the heroes wil have to find his weakness in
order to thwart his current plan.
Mistress with a Heart of Gold
This character is much like the "Lover or Daughter of Villain" type of Mystery Woman from the Story Hooks
section. In this case, she usually accompanies the Master Villain, but sometimes goes on missions of her own, where
she runs into and develops affection for one of the player-characters.
Corrupted Hero
This villain was once a hero, possibly one known to the players. He was seduced by the dark side of the dungeon
master. Because of his own weakness, or of a curse, he has become a villain, a pawn of the Master Villain.
Grumpy Old Professional
Again, the heroes need an expert in a certain field -- this time a craft or art, such as blacksmithing, engineering,
horse-training, or whatever. The only or best professional they can find is an aged expert. He's grumpy, cranky, and
sharp-tongued; he constantly complains about the food, the weather, his companions, the decline in skill of his coworkers since he was a young man, the road conditions, the rotten pay he's receiving, and so on.
Nocturnal Predator
This is a classic monster encounter; the arrival of a hungry carnivore in the middle of the night. Usually, this attack
happens to heroes camping between villages or out in the deep wilderness; a wild animal, attracted by food odours
(from the heroes' campfire or from the heroes themselves) sneaks in for a bite.
New Enemy
In the course of his ordinary activities, one of the heroes can make a New Enemy. Hurrying along the street, he can
bump into a disagreeable fighter for whom an apology isn't enough; in a tavern, he can make some innocuous
remark that you deliberately have the irritable fellow misconstrue as an insult. The New Enemy will only exchange

heated words with the hero at this point, but will appear again later in the adventure and will eventually have to fight
the hero.
Pit and the Pendulum
Actually, we're applying this term to any of many time-delay death-traps. In this sort of trap, the villains capture the
Deathtrap
heroes and place them in a trap which will soon kill them -- it operates on a delay, often based on a timing device or
a burning fuse.
Aerial
The heroes could be riding pegasi or friendly griffons or allied great eagles; the villains could be carried aloft by
Chase
gargoyles or demons. The prospect of taking a mile-long fall if one's mount is hit is a very daunting and challenging
one for the hero.
Totem Animal
Omen/Prophesy If a hero has an animal which is his totem, he may see the animal engaged in a fight to the death with another animal
-- one which, coincidentally, is the totem of one of the villains. How his totem defeats the other -- or is defeated by it
-- gives the hero some clues as how to fight his actual opponent when the time comes.
Element
The Master Villain can be banished, dispelled, killed, or otherwise defeated by some of element or item. The Master
Secret Weakness Villain tries to get rid of all the examples of this element in his vicinity; he doesn't let his minions carry it or bring it
into his presence. But he's not stupid; he doesn't announce to the world what his weakness is. He tries to hide his
concern within another command. If he's allergic to red roses, for instance, he orders all "things of beauty" destroyed
within miles of his abode.
No Weapons Allowed
Special
At some point in the story, the heroes must surrender their weapons. Perhaps they're visiting some quarter of the city
Condition
where weapons are not allowed; or a particularly peace-loving temple. In any case, once they're there, they are
attacked by enemies belonging to the Master Villain.
Honour Quandary
You want to use this on the character with the most strongly developed sense of personal honour -- someone who
Moral Quandary has lived all his life by a strict code. Toward the end of the adventure, this character realizes that the best way to
defeat the Master Villain is a violation of that code. For instance, the character might be a paladin, who discovers
that the only possible way for the heroes to defeat the Master Villain is to sneak up on him and stab him in the back.
Extraneous Details
Red Herring When giving the heroes details on their enemy -- for instance, details they are learning from investigations and
readings -- you can give them just a few details too many. This may prompt the heroes to investigate the "extra"
(i.e., irrelevant) details in addition to the relevant ones, thus losing them valuable time.
NPC Turns Traitor
Cruel Trick He may alert he enemy when the heroes are planning a raid; he may steal the artefact and take it to the villain; he
may stab a hero or important NPC in the back (literally) before departing.