Hey Folks, I'm looking for non-combat hooks and encounters. The stipulation being that they need to be geared towards kids - twisty political intrigue while fun, might be out of reach for some of them.
Thank in advance!
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"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
Scavenger Hunt - Perhaps a (group of trolls; key-slots in a magical door) require X items before they let you (enter; cross a bridge; have a reward, etc).
Mystery Investigation - A magical creature has been kidnapped and has left clues as its captors took it away. Investigate and uncover the hints to rescue the creature.
Magical Exploration - The group explores an old mansion and must solve riddles/magical puzzles to make it through to the treasure vault. Hidden doors, funny pranks, and magical effects - beware!
The visit to the local merchant can be an encounter, negotiating for the things you need and the price. This can also become the beginning of a quest/adventure. The merchant could ask that they go find something for him to complete a thing. He could ask that they deliver something or a chest of somethings (locked?) to a merchant in the next town. He could ask that they go pick up something inn the next town and bring it back to him. There are all kind of non-combat things that can begin at the merchant.
Likewise the local alchemist can do about the same thing.
A visit to the Adventurer's Guild can pick up all sorts of rumors, gossip or real information. And they might meet a needed companion for their upcoming adventure.
A visit to the temple/shrine can yield any number of quest like challenges.
I like having a roving bard provide a plot hook to the party.
The party can go on a mini-quest and earn a little money just escorting a merchant's caravan from here to there. That is a nice way to give the party a plot hook or quest.
If there are magic users among the party, they may inquire around town where they might connect with magic research. This could put them in touch with a modest level Wizard or Warlock looking to collect an item.
I also like having rangers near the frontier keeping watch over the orcs, kobalds, gremlins, or whatever that occasionally move beyond their established areas. Any number of reasons can be concocted to have the party meet the ranger.
These are all low level easy ideas. Later the party might want to find out why they keep finding this symbol on the items they loot from their victims. They may want to find out if it is wolves killing the sheep in that town in the hills. But these are higher level hooks where the party decides to jump onto some seeds you've been planting all along.
How old are these kids? Are you looking for a "Goblins stole the birthday cake and the party needs to get it back" encounter or is a "Let's do some fun and interesting skill challenges at the harvest festival" kind of encounter more their speed?
EDIT: vvvvvv Wally's stuff is top notch. I can't believe I didn't think to recommend him myself.
Oh, I had this perfect one for DND one shots on Tumblr. Ahem:
The party are delivery adventurers for an interplanar pizza shack in Sigil, and are sent to deliver a pizza to Zariel, Archduchess of the First Hell. After making their way through Avernus, they knock on the door, and Zariel answers.
And it turns out the champion of hell’s armies is a slob. Her hair is a mess, her dirty pajama pants are on backwards, and she’s wearing an old Bytopia University t-shirt covered in mysterious stains (either demon blood or salsa. Maybe both). She’s having a date over later, and the party needs to help her get her act together.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"What do you mean I get disadvantage on persuasion?"
I don't know, Sneet, maybe because your argument is "Submit and become our pet"?
My favorite in town non-combat adventure is the search of the lost dog/cat. Rich noble has a kid who lost their beloved pet, and the rich noble is happy to pay some adventurers to go track it down so their kid is happy again. Just being inside of a town discourages combat, and you can put all sorts of things to challenge/block their path: Constitution checks through sewers, chase scenes after the pet running away, bargaining with the little kid who found said lost pet and now has claimed it as their own, navigating through a parade...all kinds of fun issues!
Hey Folks, I'm looking for non-combat hooks and encounters. The stipulation being that they need to be geared towards kids - twisty political intrigue while fun, might be out of reach for some of them.
Thank in advance!
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Scavenger Hunt - Perhaps a (group of trolls; key-slots in a magical door) require X items before they let you (enter; cross a bridge; have a reward, etc).
Mystery Investigation - A magical creature has been kidnapped and has left clues as its captors took it away. Investigate and uncover the hints to rescue the creature.
Magical Exploration - The group explores an old mansion and must solve riddles/magical puzzles to make it through to the treasure vault. Hidden doors, funny pranks, and magical effects - beware!
The visit to the local merchant can be an encounter, negotiating for the things you need and the price. This can also become the beginning of a quest/adventure. The merchant could ask that they go find something for him to complete a thing. He could ask that they deliver something or a chest of somethings (locked?) to a merchant in the next town. He could ask that they go pick up something inn the next town and bring it back to him. There are all kind of non-combat things that can begin at the merchant.
Likewise the local alchemist can do about the same thing.
A visit to the Adventurer's Guild can pick up all sorts of rumors, gossip or real information. And they might meet a needed companion for their upcoming adventure.
A visit to the temple/shrine can yield any number of quest like challenges.
I like having a roving bard provide a plot hook to the party.
The party can go on a mini-quest and earn a little money just escorting a merchant's caravan from here to there. That is a nice way to give the party a plot hook or quest.
If there are magic users among the party, they may inquire around town where they might connect with magic research. This could put them in touch with a modest level Wizard or Warlock looking to collect an item.
I also like having rangers near the frontier keeping watch over the orcs, kobalds, gremlins, or whatever that occasionally move beyond their established areas. Any number of reasons can be concocted to have the party meet the ranger.
These are all low level easy ideas. Later the party might want to find out why they keep finding this symbol on the items they loot from their victims. They may want to find out if it is wolves killing the sheep in that town in the hills. But these are higher level hooks where the party decides to jump onto some seeds you've been planting all along.
Good Luck.
How old are these kids? Are you looking for a "Goblins stole the birthday cake and the party needs to get it back" encounter or is a "Let's do some fun and interesting skill challenges at the harvest festival" kind of encounter more their speed?
EDIT: vvvvvv Wally's stuff is top notch. I can't believe I didn't think to recommend him myself.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
I have an entire YouTube channel that is based on D&D Puzzles. Most of them are fairly easy and the kids might enjoy that...
Maybe start them off with these two... they use the idea of combing colors to open doors:
Room of the Prismatic Owl
The Prismatic Owl - Part 2
Hope this helps... most of my puzzles are easy... so the kids might enjoy them! Good luck!
I have a YouTube channel with 5th Edition D&D Puzzles, Character Creations, DM Tips and Quests ideas. Check it out!
Wally DM on YouTube
Oh, I had this perfect one for DND one shots on Tumblr. Ahem:
The party are delivery adventurers for an interplanar pizza shack in Sigil, and are sent to deliver a pizza to Zariel, Archduchess of the First Hell. After making their way through Avernus, they knock on the door, and Zariel answers.
And it turns out the champion of hell’s armies is a slob. Her hair is a mess, her dirty pajama pants are on backwards, and she’s wearing an old Bytopia University t-shirt covered in mysterious stains (either demon blood or salsa. Maybe both). She’s having a date over later, and the party needs to help her get her act together.
"What do you mean I get disadvantage on persuasion?"
I don't know, Sneet, maybe because your argument is "Submit and become our pet"?
-Actual conversation in a game.
Thanks guys I knew I could count on you!
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
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InsiderMy favorite in town non-combat adventure is the search of the lost dog/cat. Rich noble has a kid who lost their beloved pet, and the rich noble is happy to pay some adventurers to go track it down so their kid is happy again. Just being inside of a town discourages combat, and you can put all sorts of things to challenge/block their path: Constitution checks through sewers, chase scenes after the pet running away, bargaining with the little kid who found said lost pet and now has claimed it as their own, navigating through a parade...all kinds of fun issues!
Find me on Twitter: @OboeLauren