From: lucifer <[l--i--r] at [infernal.demon.co.uk]>
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.dnd
Subject: DM FAQ 4/4 [LONG]
Date: Fri, 22 Dec 95 17:26:42 GMT
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The FAQ's About DMing
Updated 09.dec.95
Version: 2.03
Part 4 of 4
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Example Adventures and Miscellaneous Subjects
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CONTENTS (global)
Part 1: An Introduction
Part 2: The Frequently Asked Questions About DMing AD&D
Part 3: The Place, The People and The Plot
Part 4: Example Adventures and Miscellaneous Subjects
CONTENTS (local)
10 Adventure Ideas. (A quick paragraph for each idea)
5 More Adventure Ideas. (Based on films, books, etc)
5 Taverns. (Example taverns)
5 Towns. (The makings of a town)
5 NPCs. (5 really annoying NPC's)
Common House Rules (Some of the more common rule variants)
Fantasy Name Generation. (Simple method to `roll' emergency names!)
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10 ADVENTURE AND ENCOUNTER IDEAS
For more adventure ideas see the net.plot.books, which provide a lot more
plots. I am told these are available via FTP from ftp.cs.pdx.edu in the
directory /pub/frp/general. Here are some to be getting on with:
- One of the PC's starts losing strength, there is only one antidote...
- "This sword!? It spoke to me!.."
- One of the PC's see someone who looks like him, follows, and sees the
look-alike get killed. The killers say "that's three, two more to go."
- Someone comes up to a PC and tells him that he is now the next in line
to the throne of Zlah-bun, because the previous heir has gone missing.
After a bungled assassination of the PC, they find out the previous heir
has been kidnapped by the 3rd in line.
- As the party go over the crest of the hill to look at the city, they
find it is gone. Not destroyed, but actually removed, leaving a perfect
symmetrical hole.
- The island has been shrouded in a cloud ever since the battle between
two evil wizards 100 years ago. Somewhere on this island is the egg of
the Quetzal-Xuateal, needed for...
- A noble says "look after my daughter"...
- "I can see the birds can not fly through the rain, and the livestock
try to hide from the thunder, but they find no rest because the ground
swallows them whole. I can see the parents choke on the smoke, as they
watch their children burn in the fires of the volcano. Watching them
is a lone rider, dressed in darkness. The name of the rider? Death.."
- It was a strange new religion. As it's priests walked the land, the
worshippers spread like wild-fire. Their god spoke to their inner
desires, their greed and their hate. The priests gained power, respect,
and soon the avatar would be upon us.
- "Take them to the arena..!"
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5 MORE ADVENTURE AND ENCOUNTER IDEAS
Get ideas from films, tv, history, books, landscape. There is a BIG list of
good media listed in the r.g.f.d FAQ.
- (Alien) The PC's are taking a boat trip, during the night their boat
bumps into a `ghost ship'. They board it, and find all the crew are
dead, and the whole ship is covered in cob-webs. Later, when they are
eating, one of their crew-mates coughs up some spiders...
- (Unforgiven) "Can you read? Or did you just not see the sign? NO
WEAPONS. You look familiar.. were you the group who slaughtered the
whole encampment of orcs? Their families turned up here,.. begging for
food.." (The players are surrounded by crossbow wielding sheriffs).
- (Terminator) And so it was that the mages wanted to create the ultimate
defence. They gave up there magical essences and put them into the
automaton. Soon, with all of the thaumaturgical energy, it started to
evolve and became sentient. It analysed the threat, and decided it was
humanity... (And you get to invent the `mercury golem' for T2!)
- (Die Hard) The party have gone to a ball held in the castle (no weapons
allowed obviously). One of the kings aids takes them to collect a small
gift. Meanwhile the entertainers downstairs are not quite what they seem
and the kings coffers will look very empty unless.. (potentially good
for a high level adventure).
- (Stargate) Need I say more..
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5 TAVERNS
It's normally inevitable that the characters will end up in a tavern at some
point. If each tavern has is different it can improve a normally mundane
aspect of the game. If there is a main tavern that the players use, put in
more `pub personalities', and remember, even the same pub has different
customers depending on the day of the week.
THE ORCS BLADDER. (So called because of the authentic sign)
Location: Middle of nowhere. Battered looking, but warm glow.
Rating: None. Bad food, bad service, the drink is strong and home brewed.
Rooms: 2 small rooms, 1 large room with a fire. No stable.
Landlord: Jameth, middle-aged, human, fat, big and mean! (also the cook)
Landlady: Alasia, middle-aged, human, fat, big and mean!
Barstaff: Kaidra, halfling female, treated like dirt by everyone, timid.
Clients: Entirely human, fight every night, especial if non-human present,
but are usually without weapons. Most are hunters, trappers,
woodcutters, and a few farmers. Often used as a neutral ground for
smugglers.
Quote: "Well, if it ain't one o' dem pointy ears, in OUR pub!"
THE COME ON INN.
Location: Halfway house, on well used road. Large, clean, warm.
Rating: **** Cheap, common food and drink, but large servings. Provide
free hay and grooming if staying the night, large stable.
Rooms: 5 medium size rooms with fires, 2 small rooms without.
Landlord: Erik, middle-aged, human, fat, friendly.
Landlady: Delia, young, half-elven, pretty, flirty.
Barstaff: Josh, human, young, cook. Simon, human, boy, stable-hand.
Selia and Natasha, human, female, maids.
Clients: Almost any type of character found here.
Quote: "Oh yeah! Well I caught one THIS big!"
THE CAT `N' BUCKET.
Location: Middle of a small village. Small, but warm.
Rating: *** Cheap, common food and drink, but large servings. Large `self
help' stables,
Rooms: 3 medium sized, 1 small, all with fires.
Landlord: Gamry, very old human male. Grumpy.
Landlady: Amy, middle-aged, cook (Gamry's daughter). Friendly, but plain.
Barstaff: Calabar, `dashing-young-wanna-be-a-swashbuckler' type, elven.
Clients: Locals, farmers, priest, etc. Clear segregation between the card
playing elders and the young "I'm gonna go to the city me.."
Quote: "Crop rotation, pah! I jus' lets me `orse crap on it. Crap rota.."
THE BULL'S MILK (Don't ask!!!)
Location: Near a port. Small and cold.
Rating: ** Variety of food and drink, but food is badly cooked. No
stables.
Rooms: 6 very small rooms, no fires.
Landlord: Kris. Old ugly human. Wierd.
Landlady: none.
Barstaff: Two female twins, Tabatha and Mariella, flirty, heavy make-up.
Clients: Sailers, traders, smugglers, others. Illegal business is normal.
Fights here are quick and with weapons.
Quote: "If tha's what ye want, I can get it for ye cheap.."
THE DRAGONS TAIL
Location: Near a merchants guild. Huge, warm, segregated stables.
Rating: ***** If you've got the money of course.
Rooms: 4 small, 4 medium, 2 large, all with fires.
Landlord: Thalamos, middle aged, been-there-down-that look about him.
Landlady: Sheadra, slender, attractive middle age. Mind like a knife.
Barstaff: Too many, and they don't seem to have names!
Clients: Merchants and Nobles. Security on the door prevents weapons.
Quote: "My word, they let anyone in here these days!"
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5 TOWNS
Towns and cities will crop up throughout the game. Why do they exist, who
lives there, what do they do, why is it the size it is, how old is the
town, who runs it if anyone, does it use the rules of the country or does
it have its own laws?
A small description upon entering a town can make all the difference, smells,
sounds, sights, etc.
DEEPWATER
Your horses take you over the crest of the hill, and the city before you
sprawls across your vision. Hailed as the jewel of the civilised world you
realise it is more like coal then a diamond. Dreary shanty building cling
to the outskirts of the city, the walls crumbling, serving no further use.
The smell of the sea, and the stench of Deepwater pervade your nostrils and
you gag upon its intensity, reminding you of distant spices mixed together
in a burning food. Even at this distance the noise is like a soft whisper,
industry and commerce at their best...
Population: 120,000
Army: 20,000 0th level militia (un-trained city folk), no armour.
5,000 0th level standing army, poor armour.
1,000 0th level town guard, poor armour.
500 1st level elite mounted calvalry.
25 2nd level commanders, mounted, good armour.
(Most merchants also put up some of their guards if city is
seriously threatened.)
Leaders: Mechants guild. Money equals power.
Quote: "Meat ina Bun, Getyer Meat ina bun `ere..."
TALONROACH KEEP
You notice the distant shouts of orders, and hear the rumble of a thousand
boots walking in time, before you clasp a look at talonroach keep. Guards in
brightly polished steel stand around a forboding wall. The ominous spires of
the keep loom above the tree line, and you feel your movements are being
watched from the ditant windows...
Population: 35,000
Army: 20,000 0th level standing army, good armour.
2,000 1st level elite troups, mounted, good armour.
25 3rd level commanders, mounted, great armour.
Leaders: Strict military structure.
Quote: "Are you eyeballing me boy? EYES DOWN! don't look at me..."
XAK-ZSATHAR
The only sound you hear is the call of a lone swallow (european-unladen),
and the cry of crickets. As you tread on the rocky ground you slowly realise
that the stone forms shapes. Walls, houses, buildings long since destroyed..
population: 367 undead.
Quote: "Whoooaaaaooooooo!"
WELLFORD
The long road winds past a field of wheat, and in the distance you can hear
the steady beat of metal upon metal and the high voice of children as they
play in the harvest sun. Slowly the shape of four small buildings become
clearer as you enter Wellford...
Population: 1,200
Army: 600 militia, pitch forks, etc
Leaders: No-one.
Quote: "Ar, it'll be a tidy step, that'll be."
SILVAN-HOME
You become aware that you are being watched as movement flitters around the
various trees. The voices of the forest creatures becomes dim as if the
sense you invading their territory. Instantly the forest seems to disappear,
into a clearing containing a quite lake. The feeling that you are being
watched is proved when several arrows land before your feet...
Population: 45,000
Army: 20,000 0th level, longs swords and bows.
5,000 elite 1st level troups, chain mail.
1,000 commanders 2nd level, chain mail.
200 leaders, 3-7th level, elven chain.
Quote: "Jarath, tor starak loi ta-bereth!"
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NPCs
THE COMPANY OF THE FLYING SQUIRREL
This is not one NPC, but an adventuring group of similar size and power to
the players. They have a habit of going on the same quests as the players,
and just hovering behind them, while the PCs get into all the fights.
Quote: "And now gentlemen, I think _we'll_ take that!"
[Alternatives, are the party amushes other adventurers but don't kill them,
e.g. in Indiana Jones I, he keeps having his treasure stolen]
CARLA DU-WHIT
A pretty young female orphan, who used to work in an inn that the party
used. She loves one of the party members and follows him everywhere,
although she is totally inept.
Quote: "I don't care if I get killed. I LOVE you.."
[Alternatives, the boy who thinks the characters are his heroes and wants
to be like them.]
"THE BLADE"
"The Blade" is a high level thief, who is no longer alive in the truest
sense. He has used a magic-jar and he now resides in the gem in the hilt of
his magical dagger. The ultimate assassin. He allows the players to kill
him so that one of them (there is always one greedy one) picks up the blade,
which because the players have been invited into a private party allows him
enterence. During the night he takes control of the body and kills a
prominent noble, then transfers himself (and the blade) to someone else.
The player must prove his innocent. They meet him occasionally in later
adventures, much to his amusement.
Quote: "If you look into the darkness, it is my face you see."
[Alternatives, others who just use the players and drop them. e.g. a nobles
wife sleeps with a player to make her husband jealous..]
JOHN PAPERSMITH
John is the guard at the main gate. He likes his job. He likes it when
things run smoothly and properly. Any trouble and you can spend the night in
jail. His marriage is breaking up and he's not in a good mood. Bloody
adventurers, always think they can carry weapons openly. Any trouble AT ALL
and you spend the night. Have you paid tax on that? He works there all the
time.
Quote: "That `familiar' as you call it must go into quarantine!"
[Alternatives, the tax-man comes round a lot and wants to know about the
treasure they have, or else they answer to the Kings Justice]
SIR DAGGERSDALE IV
He sees the players as moving in on his position within the court, trying
to gain the affections of the King. Yes, he's even noticed the way the Queen
looks at that warrior. Now the king doesn't stop talking about his new
friends, he has no time for his old. Well, that's just going to stop, if I
have to discredit them myself...
Quote: "Of course, you wouldn't know that with your upbringing."
[Alternatives, a guild member sees the wealth the characters are assuming
may give them political power, and the fame they are begining to get is
giving them some sway with the populace. MY populace, MY political power..]
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COMMON HOUSE RULES
Many DMs do not use the standard rules exactly as printed. Here are a few of
the more common changes, and the reasons for doing them.
- At first level (only) the players have maximum hit points. The reason
for this is simple survival, and to help the players enjoyment. A
character with 1 HP will not be a lot of fun.
- In addition to the rules of "knocking on death's door", whereby a PC
is unconscious between 0 and -10 hitpoints, there are changes such as
making that between 0 and half (or even a third) CON. The reason is to
make it more varied and more character specific.
- The stoneskin spell is often restricted in some way. Methods include
making the duration 1 day, or only dealing with one "hit". The reason is
simply to help in making it more of a challenge to the PCs.
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"FANTASY NAME" GENERATION
Roll d6+1 to see how many letter groups you will have. Then roll the prefix
group, soft group, hard group, soft group, etc, up to the number you rolled.
[C code is available upon request]
Prefix group - roll with a d50.
1 K 11 Lh 21 Pr 31-50 No prefix
2 Th 12 X 22 Sp
3 Sh 13 Sc 23 Cr
4 Cl 14 P 24 Sl
5 R 15 T 25 Tr
6 Qu 16 L 26 Fr
7 M 17 N 27 St
8 J 18 F 28 Gr
9 G 19 D 29 S
10 B 20 Br 30 Pl
Soft Group - roll with d20
1 a 11 ai
2 e 12 ya
3 i 13 io
4 o 14 oo
5 u 15 ui
6 y 16 ou
7 ee 17 a
8 ai 18 e
9 ae 19 i
10 ea 20 o
Hard Group - roll with a d50
1 h 11 lh 21 pr 31 ch 41 pp
2 Th 12 x 22 sp 32 fr 42 nm
3 sh 13 sc 23 cr 33 tch 43 mn
4 cl 14 p 24 sl 34 ph 44 j
5 r 15 t 25 tr 35 tz 45 w
6 qu 16 l 26 fr 36 vr 46 dl
7 m 17 n 27 st 37 rr 47 mr
8 j 18 f 28 gr 38 ss 48 rt
9 g 19 d 29 s 39 tt 49 lp
10 b 20 br 30 pl 40 ll 50 bl
Example:
Roll for number of groups (d6+1), 3. I roll for prefix (d50), 5. I roll
soft group and hard group (d20 and d50), getting 1 and 37. This makes the
name "Sharr".
This will produce silly names, but usually they will be OK. It's good to roll
up a few `emergency names' before each session just in case, but to create
names for main characters yourself.
Note that surnames were rarely a long running family name, but a profession.
Hence if Sharr was a blacksmith the name would be "Sharr Smith", or if Sharr
was an adventurer the name might be "Sharr Swiftblade". Likewise, if Sharr
was a very stupid thief, the name might be "Sharr Pickpocket"! :)
Another historical method is to take the fathers first name. For example if
Sharr's father was called "Branma", Sharr would become "Sharr Branmason"
(this still happens in some countries, which makes telephone directories a
pain).
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w `o' [l--i--r] at [infernal.demon.co.uk] (The Dark Abyss)
|--O-' Give a doller to charity, you know it makes sense.
| / \____^ A hundred to be exact.. :)
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