I need an overarching idea for an adventure. The party is about to leave a tropical island in the middle of nowhere and have agreed to sail to Squall's End, a port several thousand miles away, but still the closest large port. I would like Squall's End to be a home base for a while, not the least because I spent a decent amount of time making the map, key NPCs, etc. It is at the mouth of a river and depends on trade. It has several temples and a local lord. The chief priestess for on of the temples actually sailed to their island on a lifeboat after being shipwrecked in the open sea. She was arrogant, beautiful, powerful and downright annoying (and very fun to play!).
The party is mid level and came from a frozen continent in the Antarctic region two campaigns ago. They are barbarians and would be very unfamiliar with the customs and ways of a large port city. They need to accumulate some gear and level up a few times before completing returning to the ocean to complete the previous campaign.
I had a few ideas, but none are great, and none give a solid foundation for an adventure. Would appreciate additional thoughts or expansion of any of the below ideas.
1. A group of "guards" greet the players as they disembark, demanding a dock tax. A brawl, negotiation (or whatever zany idea my players come up with) ensues. 2. The players visit the chief priestess in her temple who has indeed sailed solo thousands of miles and made it back to Squall's End. And then??? 3. The players see a group of men about to be hung and/or some are being placed in pillories. a. The party decides to sit back and watch. A brawl breaks out and the men overpower the guards. Then??? b. The party decides to sit back and watch. The prisoners beg for help as they are being hung or stoned in the pillories. The prisoners are actually wrongfully convicted? Truly evil? c. A brawl breaks out and the party decides to help the guards. Similar result to b. d. A brawl breaks out and the party decides to help the prisoners. Similar result to a. 4. Something else?
I am a 40 something year old physician who DMs for a group of 40 something year old doctors. We play a hybrid game, mostly based on 2nd edition rules with some homebrew and 5E components.
I think I'd start with a session that just helps the players see this different society and culture through the eyes of their character. Have them arrive a day or so before some festival and then your four points are table dressing to help them see this new place.
How do they celebrate in a festival? What excites everyone? What are the local rumors, political intrigues, and general drama? Who are the major players, why are they the majors, what do they need, and how are they causing each other trouble?
Sow in a few whispered bad things, places of adventure up the river, etc. and see what excites the characters and players most. Then you can design the next session for that!
You've got some encounters, but I think more mystery is the key to make them hooks. Let's zoom out for ideas.
Every town has its problems - what are this one's? How are the port's political connections faring? Are there any raiders or vagabonds that cause trouble? Are there pirates? Do the temples get along? Are there any strange beliefs, traditions or practices among the natives? What's the wildlife and flora like? Maybe it'll help to figure out what life is like there, as Agile_DM indicated, before you plan how the party might get involved.
Some bigger-picture ideas based on your encounters:
- A gang of local thugs is harassing people for protection money at the docks and the lord is letting it slide because one of them is his kid.
- You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave. Some itinerant mystical force has begun to lure sailors here and mind-control authority figures to ensure people don't run away. The docks are full, the people are scared and frightened, and the economy is starting to feel the strain.
- A prankster has been slowly lacing imported casks of ale with a psychedelic nectar and people are behaving a lot more rashly/erratically than normal. Bonus points if the prankster is a vintner trying to boost sales of their own wine, or get revenge against an old lover.
Instead of thugs, a group of people, including some kids, distract the party with some juggling and antics, and two urchins run off with their backpack of holding. Nothing angers players like losing their stuff. The thieves are part of a local guild. Maybe some of their members are the ones being executed???
People are gathered around something floating in the surf at dusk. If the party approaches, they notice it looks like a small boat. In reality, it is a casket wrapped in heavy chains. A sailor pries open the lock and a mist rises up out of the coffin and floats away over the city. There are some sort of clues on the casket as to the identity of the vampire. A few days later, people start disappearing...
Like, dislike? Can you improve them?
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Velstitzen
I am a 40 something year old physician who DMs for a group of 40 something year old doctors. We play a hybrid game, mostly based on 2nd edition rules with some homebrew and 5E components.
It sounds like you're going down a similar rout I took with my world, have a home base in a central-ish town with lots of trade and people passing through to provide plenty of options for plot hooks, which I think is really good, it'll depend on how your group like to play: dungeon crawling, roleplay, intrigue, westmarches or on rails etc. and how comic / seriouse you want it to be.
The ideas youve got are good hooks, it depends on if you want a game on rails or to let the players explore the world, if its the latter its best to have vague ideas and motives for the NPC so they can react to the players and the players then make the adventure (hopefully, still struggling with this part myself)
1. A group of "guards" greet the players as they disembark, demanding a dock tax. A brawl, negotiation (or whatever zany idea my players come up with) ensues. Beaurocracy can be fun! it doesn't just have to be a quick tax and done, it could be they have to prove their magic items are safe to enter or the actual value of their kit which opens up for all sorts of mischief. They might have to be in quarantine for a while, or complete a customs form which talks back or tries to trick them, or like in Oxventure go into a dungeon to retrieve the form to extend their submission date. OR the guards could be corrupt and simply looking to shake them down, could end up with a fight, even the players getting rewarded for tackling the corruption of the guards maybe (IF they only take them down, I'm not sure killing them would be taken well)
2. The players visit the chief priestess in her temple who has indeed sailed solo thousands of miles and made it back to Squall's End. And then??? After that journey she might be a bit cracked and 'odd' maybe she wont see them unless they perform a specific ritual (could be a fun find the stupid items game in town, a good way to get players to explore) she might have a monster or curse from her sea travel attached to her they need to break so she can help them in future?
3. The players see a group of men about to be hung and/or some are being placed in pillories. a. The party decides to sit back and watch. A brawl breaks out and the men overpower the guards. Then??? b. The party decides to sit back and watch. The prisoners beg for help as they are being hung or stoned in the pillories. The prisoners are actually wrongfully convicted? Truly evil? c. A brawl breaks out and the party decides to help the guards. Similar result to b. d. A brawl breaks out and the party decides to help the prisoners. Similar result to a.
Not sure on this one, its a good premise but it could lead to absolutely anything. maybe one of the people don't die (but looks like he did) could have a map to something long lost. a/b) maybe they try to free them, fail but are so certain they are innocent they are given the task to prove it in a short time or be executed themselves? c) maybe the guards are impressed and thank them, then ask them for help dealing with some big trouble beyond them, could be a crime underlord to big to tackle publicly and they need someone off the books who will make no arrests? (think gangster squad) or they were innocent and the guards know it, but can't do anything as the captain or judge is acting odd?
4) I've got a simple one shot I drew up with a cursed wandering lighthouse, they get wrecked in a storm on it and can't escape the lighthouse or storm until the light is put out (que tower dungeon crawl to get to the top) (message me if you want the notes)
The theives could be an initiation for the guild, or then need items specificaly from 'newcomers' for some client to perform a magic ritual so would lead the players down a dark conspiracy.
The vampire sounds great, maybe the coffin disintegrates into splinters of rotten wood (its real age etc) after its opened and the mist escapes? Vampire could be good or maybe it was something else, It reminds me of a french film from 2K where there is a legend of an alchemist who hunts people in paris to live forever, the police and a private investigator are after him, but they only find where he's been so its unclear who the alchemist realy is (could be the head of police, the investigators mistress, his assistant, anther police man, a journalist following the story)
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Hello everyone.
I need an overarching idea for an adventure. The party is about to leave a tropical island in the middle of nowhere and have agreed to sail to Squall's End, a port several thousand miles away, but still the closest large port. I would like Squall's End to be a home base for a while, not the least because I spent a decent amount of time making the map, key NPCs, etc. It is at the mouth of a river and depends on trade. It has several temples and a local lord. The chief priestess for on of the temples actually sailed to their island on a lifeboat after being shipwrecked in the open sea. She was arrogant, beautiful, powerful and downright annoying (and very fun to play!).
The party is mid level and came from a frozen continent in the Antarctic region two campaigns ago. They are barbarians and would be very unfamiliar with the customs and ways of a large port city. They need to accumulate some gear and level up a few times before completing returning to the ocean to complete the previous campaign.
I had a few ideas, but none are great, and none give a solid foundation for an adventure. Would appreciate additional thoughts or expansion of any of the below ideas.
1. A group of "guards" greet the players as they disembark, demanding a dock tax. A brawl, negotiation (or whatever zany idea my players come up with) ensues.
2. The players visit the chief priestess in her temple who has indeed sailed solo thousands of miles and made it back to Squall's End. And then???
3. The players see a group of men about to be hung and/or some are being placed in pillories.
a. The party decides to sit back and watch. A brawl breaks out and the men overpower the guards. Then???
b. The party decides to sit back and watch. The prisoners beg for help as they are being hung or stoned in the pillories. The prisoners are actually wrongfully convicted? Truly evil?
c. A brawl breaks out and the party decides to help the guards. Similar result to b.
d. A brawl breaks out and the party decides to help the prisoners. Similar result to a.
4. Something else?
Velstitzen
I am a 40 something year old physician who DMs for a group of 40 something year old doctors. We play a hybrid game, mostly based on 2nd edition rules with some homebrew and 5E components.
I think I'd start with a session that just helps the players see this different society and culture through the eyes of their character. Have them arrive a day or so before some festival and then your four points are table dressing to help them see this new place.
How do they celebrate in a festival? What excites everyone? What are the local rumors, political intrigues, and general drama? Who are the major players, why are they the majors, what do they need, and how are they causing each other trouble?
Sow in a few whispered bad things, places of adventure up the river, etc. and see what excites the characters and players most. Then you can design the next session for that!
You've got some encounters, but I think more mystery is the key to make them hooks. Let's zoom out for ideas.
Every town has its problems - what are this one's? How are the port's political connections faring? Are there any raiders or vagabonds that cause trouble? Are there pirates? Do the temples get along? Are there any strange beliefs, traditions or practices among the natives? What's the wildlife and flora like? Maybe it'll help to figure out what life is like there, as Agile_DM indicated, before you plan how the party might get involved.
Some bigger-picture ideas based on your encounters:
- A gang of local thugs is harassing people for protection money at the docks and the lord is letting it slide because one of them is his kid.
- You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave. Some itinerant mystical force has begun to lure sailors here and mind-control authority figures to ensure people don't run away. The docks are full, the people are scared and frightened, and the economy is starting to feel the strain.
- A prankster has been slowly lacing imported casks of ale with a psychedelic nectar and people are behaving a lot more rashly/erratically than normal. Bonus points if the prankster is a vintner trying to boost sales of their own wine, or get revenge against an old lover.
Hopefully that sparks some ideas!
Thanks guys.
I also thought about these ideas....
Instead of thugs, a group of people, including some kids, distract the party with some juggling and antics, and two urchins run off with their backpack of holding. Nothing angers players like losing their stuff. The thieves are part of a local guild. Maybe some of their members are the ones being executed???
People are gathered around something floating in the surf at dusk. If the party approaches, they notice it looks like a small boat. In reality, it is a casket wrapped in heavy chains. A sailor pries open the lock and a mist rises up out of the coffin and floats away over the city. There are some sort of clues on the casket as to the identity of the vampire. A few days later, people start disappearing...
Like, dislike? Can you improve them?
Velstitzen
I am a 40 something year old physician who DMs for a group of 40 something year old doctors. We play a hybrid game, mostly based on 2nd edition rules with some homebrew and 5E components.
It sounds like you're going down a similar rout I took with my world, have a home base in a central-ish town with lots of trade and people passing through to provide plenty of options for plot hooks, which I think is really good, it'll depend on how your group like to play: dungeon crawling, roleplay, intrigue, westmarches or on rails etc. and how comic / seriouse you want it to be.
The ideas youve got are good hooks, it depends on if you want a game on rails or to let the players explore the world, if its the latter its best to have vague ideas and motives for the NPC so they can react to the players and the players then make the adventure (hopefully, still struggling with this part myself)
1. A group of "guards" greet the players as they disembark, demanding a dock tax. A brawl, negotiation (or whatever zany idea my players come up with) ensues.
Beaurocracy can be fun! it doesn't just have to be a quick tax and done, it could be they have to prove their magic items are safe to enter or the actual value of their kit which opens up for all sorts of mischief. They might have to be in quarantine for a while, or complete a customs form which talks back or tries to trick them, or like in Oxventure go into a dungeon to retrieve the form to extend their submission date. OR the guards could be corrupt and simply looking to shake them down, could end up with a fight, even the players getting rewarded for tackling the corruption of the guards maybe (IF they only take them down, I'm not sure killing them would be taken well)
2. The players visit the chief priestess in her temple who has indeed sailed solo thousands of miles and made it back to Squall's End. And then???
After that journey she might be a bit cracked and 'odd' maybe she wont see them unless they perform a specific ritual (could be a fun find the stupid items game in town, a good way to get players to explore) she might have a monster or curse from her sea travel attached to her they need to break so she can help them in future?
3. The players see a group of men about to be hung and/or some are being placed in pillories.
a. The party decides to sit back and watch. A brawl breaks out and the men overpower the guards. Then???
b. The party decides to sit back and watch. The prisoners beg for help as they are being hung or stoned in the pillories. The prisoners are actually wrongfully convicted? Truly evil?
c. A brawl breaks out and the party decides to help the guards. Similar result to b.
d. A brawl breaks out and the party decides to help the prisoners. Similar result to a.
Not sure on this one, its a good premise but it could lead to absolutely anything. maybe one of the people don't die (but looks like he did) could have a map to something long lost. a/b) maybe they try to free them, fail but are so certain they are innocent they are given the task to prove it in a short time or be executed themselves? c) maybe the guards are impressed and thank them, then ask them for help dealing with some big trouble beyond them, could be a crime underlord to big to tackle publicly and they need someone off the books who will make no arrests? (think gangster squad) or they were innocent and the guards know it, but can't do anything as the captain or judge is acting odd?
4) I've got a simple one shot I drew up with a cursed wandering lighthouse, they get wrecked in a storm on it and can't escape the lighthouse or storm until the light is put out (que tower dungeon crawl to get to the top) (message me if you want the notes)
The theives could be an initiation for the guild, or then need items specificaly from 'newcomers' for some client to perform a magic ritual so would lead the players down a dark conspiracy.
The vampire sounds great, maybe the coffin disintegrates into splinters of rotten wood (its real age etc) after its opened and the mist escapes? Vampire could be good or maybe it was something else, It reminds me of a french film from 2K where there is a legend of an alchemist who hunts people in paris to live forever, the police and a private investigator are after him, but they only find where he's been so its unclear who the alchemist realy is (could be the head of police, the investigators mistress, his assistant, anther police man, a journalist following the story)