So one of my players hasn't been able to show up to the last few sessions. Rather than come up with a lazy excuse for his absence, I wanted to create a fun and short side quest for him before he reunites with the rest of the party. I have most of the quest planned out, I just need a hook for him to really 'start' the quest of his own volition. So if you'd like to offer suggestions, keep reading below!
Mos'kal is a Crocodilian Barbarian. His party had arrived in a port town to wait for a client about a quest out at sea. With a few days to spare, the party took on a short quest just outside of town. Mos'kal opted to stay behind considering the quest sounded 'boring', involving a book rather than something exciting. He leisurely swam the waters of the shore, enjoying the feel of saltwater more than expected (come to find out he's a saltwater croc). Further out from shore he found a small rock formation which he proceed to sunbathe on and nap. He dreamt of floating in the infinite darkness of the ocean as a large yellow eye observed him silently. He was then rudely awoken to being chained and dragged into the water by some Merrow. After some wrestling and desperation, he freed himself, rapidly swimming for the shore. He shot out of the water, landing on the wood planks with a solid 'thud'. In that exact moment he found himself back in the dream. The infinite darkness of the black ocean. The massive yellow eye. Three words he heard in his mind. "...tenacious..." and "...free me..." Again he awoke, realizing the Merrow were part of the dream. He was still safe on the rocks far from shore alone with his thoughts about what had just occurred.
This is where the story has currently gone for his solo quest. The rest involves him venturing into the depths of the ocean to find a primitive Merrow tribe. They're vicious and heartless, poaching sea life and making more intelligent lifeforms battle in their gladiator style arena. Mos'kal should be led to suspect the the large eye in his dream is a creature held captive deep in the ocean, presumably by the Merrow. The hope is that he will fight his way through a couple gladiator rounds before the Merrow leader commands that the 'Beast' be released. The crowds chat "Grot! Grot! Grot!". A massive gate opens revealing a huge, ancient creature in chains is. It resembles many powerful reptiles mashed into one. Dragons, dragonturtles, crocodiles. How Mos'kal finds the Merrow encampment and how he deals with the captured creature is entirely up to him. By the end of the quest, his reward is a tooth from 'Grot' and the revelation that his ancestry traces back to this creature. So he is bestowed with a new weapon and abilities. What I currently need is that 'hook' to get him started on the quest. Mos'kal may be a big angry barbarian, but he isn't a fool. He needs the right motivation to enter the depths and free the beast. As a DM I'm working on allowing my players to forge their own paths without me directly forcing them into situations. Or at least creating the feeling that they have a choice in the matter. So. Any thoughts on how to direct him without forcing it too much? I'm open to other comments on the quest as well, but I'm not too worried about overcomplicating the rest of it.
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So one of my players hasn't been able to show up to the last few sessions. Rather than come up with a lazy excuse for his absence, I wanted to create a fun and short side quest for him before he reunites with the rest of the party. I have most of the quest planned out, I just need a hook for him to really 'start' the quest of his own volition. So if you'd like to offer suggestions, keep reading below!
Mos'kal is a Crocodilian Barbarian. His party had arrived in a port town to wait for a client about a quest out at sea. With a few days to spare, the party took on a short quest just outside of town. Mos'kal opted to stay behind considering the quest sounded 'boring', involving a book rather than something exciting. He leisurely swam the waters of the shore, enjoying the feel of saltwater more than expected (come to find out he's a saltwater croc). Further out from shore he found a small rock formation which he proceed to sunbathe on and nap. He dreamt of floating in the infinite darkness of the ocean as a large yellow eye observed him silently. He was then rudely awoken to being chained and dragged into the water by some Merrow. After some wrestling and desperation, he freed himself, rapidly swimming for the shore. He shot out of the water, landing on the wood planks with a solid 'thud'. In that exact moment he found himself back in the dream. The infinite darkness of the black ocean. The massive yellow eye. Three words he heard in his mind. "...tenacious..." and "...free me..." Again he awoke, realizing the Merrow were part of the dream. He was still safe on the rocks far from shore alone with his thoughts about what had just occurred.
This is where the story has currently gone for his solo quest. The rest involves him venturing into the depths of the ocean to find a primitive Merrow tribe. They're vicious and heartless, poaching sea life and making more intelligent lifeforms battle in their gladiator style arena. Mos'kal should be led to suspect the the large eye in his dream is a creature held captive deep in the ocean, presumably by the Merrow. The hope is that he will fight his way through a couple gladiator rounds before the Merrow leader commands that the 'Beast' be released. The crowds chat "Grot! Grot! Grot!". A massive gate opens revealing a huge, ancient creature in chains is. It resembles many powerful reptiles mashed into one. Dragons, dragonturtles, crocodiles. How Mos'kal finds the Merrow encampment and how he deals with the captured creature is entirely up to him. By the end of the quest, his reward is a tooth from 'Grot' and the revelation that his ancestry traces back to this creature. So he is bestowed with a new weapon and abilities. What I currently need is that 'hook' to get him started on the quest. Mos'kal may be a big angry barbarian, but he isn't a fool. He needs the right motivation to enter the depths and free the beast. As a DM I'm working on allowing my players to forge their own paths without me directly forcing them into situations. Or at least creating the feeling that they have a choice in the matter. So. Any thoughts on how to direct him without forcing it too much? I'm open to other comments on the quest as well, but I'm not too worried about overcomplicating the rest of it.