Sunday Respite - Adventure Hooks

Sunday Respite - Adventure Hooks

There’s only so many times that you can pull the ‘kidnapped princess’ or ‘lost artefact of immense power but little recognition and poorly maintained surroundings’ cards before your players begin to think that the deck is stacked against their favour. Therefore, feel free to accept a brief collection of interesting, open-ended plot-hooks for you Tabletop adventures.

Bones and Mortar

In a sleepy village, several buildings and houses have appeared around the settlement, fully decorated and uninhabited. After a brief investigation it is clear that the structures are more than simple stone and oak, but constructed of organic tissue, like bone furniture, curtains of skin, walls of teeth, and cloths of hair. These houses then animate and begin kidnapping the residents, walking them to their master in the hills on legs of cobble and brick.

The Oil Pit

A community whose primary industry is the drilling and excavation of oil and pitch from under the earth uncovered a creature of living oil, which proceeded to attack the workers, sending them back to their families and friends, wounded and choking, only for them to turn and attack once again, their blood replaced by slick.

Hole in the Sky

A traditional fireworks display to celebrate an annual event manages to crack a hole in the sky, piercing through into pitch blackness, dislodging a shard of the air to the ground. The next morning, descending from the gap, is a metal ladder, about 200 ft in height, with a paper note attached to the first rung - ‘You Knocked?’

The Clothes’ New Emperor

A local Duke, Noble or Lord has inherited a collection of rich and fanciful clothes and armaments from an unknown relative who passed away, brought to him by foreign mourners and friends of their kin. However, upon wearing the gifts, the clothes turned on their new owner, making the Lord believe that they are Prince Estobaan Raithgyr and that all of his servants and subjects are heathens and blasphemers, inciting an inquisition of his land, an inquisition lead by the mourners and friends.

Where Did We All Go Wrong?

Upon their travels, the party is confronted by a panicked and nervous Demon of horns and scars, horrid in his visage but pleasant and fearful in his address, informing the party that he means them no harm and is being hunted by ‘terrors and fiends’. Almost immediately, stepping through a portal, are three angelic humanoids, with golden skin and shining halos, who act aggressively and brutally, demanding the Demon to be executed along with the party, following up to breathe forth gouts of flame and spin curses with their words, in Demonic tongue.

Enjoy

Pixie x

9/13/15

Creature Variant - Grand Chimera

This is an alternative form for the Chimera, with a Cobra and a Wolf head in stead of a Lion and a Goat. This means that the creature, alongside his Breath Attack, has the ability to poison and trip those whom he bites, meaning that it can better handle groups of opponents and adventurers. I used this creature as the conclusion to the first half of a dungeon lair, having three mini-bosses represent each of its heads, allowing the build-up and narrative of this adventure to construct itself with the progression of the players. This was created using the Pathfinder RPG system.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1r6cc1-8h9Cq4OPOZuWwa_ZJbEfJHcEsc4SHElByhgAw/edit?usp=sharing

Enjoy.

Pixie x

16/08/15

Resources - Backstory Generator

After watching a YouTube video by Noah Antwiler (aka: Counter Monkey https://www.youtube.com/user/countermonkeybard/featured) I had to chase up one of the resources he mentioned, a random backstory generator for classic Tabletop RPGs called Central Casting: Heroes of Legend. 

After some browsing I found a PDF version of the book and began rolling up some random characters and what made them tick. Put briefly, this book is incredible. The amount of detail that it delves into and the quality of its variety means that every character is uniquely intriguing in who they are and how they came to be.

One issue is that the book does use some mechanical benefits for certain good rolls, such as magical gifts and starting wealth, even extra skills and proficiencies. If you are going to use this as a player make sure to address your DM before throwing your character in their face. 

Also, the book does make references to specific mechanics that may not exist in your system, like ranks and skills. However, if you are knowledgeable enough in your system you may be able to easily find a way to transfer the numbers without many issues.

All in all, be prepared to put in about an hour’s time into a backstory that will truly give your character that boot up the arse needed to start doing something epic and fantastical, so they in return can give you a boot up the arse to play something epic and fantastical in return.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-oQgX8_bvSLdlFsTDhDdUxfWTg/view

Enjoy

Pixie x

15/9/15

Character Design - The Shogun

This is an interesting character that I am using for my current campaign in Pathfinder, I use it mainly to patrol the city at night, encouraging intelligent timing and planning whilst putting up a deadly fight if they fall sour of his attitude (whilst also providing some worthwhile equipment). This is useful because it can act as a carefree and relaxed boss character who can be used at key times while both characterising my city and its lore.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aeaeTIvJ6GU8Leri9vR2KCrWLIvuVkbYNexsMTaaM3w/edit?usp=sharing

Enjoy.

Pixie x

15/07/15

Custom Item - The Crimson Mask

“This glimmering, rose-red, porcelain mask displays the demeanour of a blank, expressionless face detailed with smooth edges, floral decorations and black-ink on the lips and cheeks. It seems to twitch when held in your hands, as though anticipating something eagerly.”

I introduced this ancient, accursed item as something to collect, return and be paid for, to my three, first level PCs. It was described to them as the reason why an ancient king fell into madness, corrupting his judgement and his clarity. Needless to say, direct interaction with this item was not encouraged, shown even more prominently when they found a previous adventurer wearing the mask, shrivelled and insane, attacking on sight.

However, these PCs were not so easily discouraged and decided to ‘test it out’. What resulted was a succession of horrible rolls and saving throws in a pass-the-parcel attempt to deal with this mask, as one character would pull the mask off of the previous character, fail their save, put the mask on, and so on. Eventually the Druid solved the issue by throwing it in a sack, vowing to never allow it to leave its woven prison, losing sight of it only for said payment. Needless to say, that encounter was enjoyable for me to behold.

Enjoy

https://docs.google.com/document/d/15L-1yPkJitExjfeuTqBxreWUss9XRM8O3TYOoAuK5Gs/edit?usp=sharing

Pixie x

26/08/15

Boss Fight - Black Sun

This is a Boss Fight I used to conclude a tournament that the PCs were taking part it, building up his power and dangerous attitude and abilities through him slaughtering other opponents earlier in the tournament. Although, he can be used to conclude a dungeon with an undead theme, or act as a recurring villain in a larger campaign, hence the teleport scroll. He could also be used as a powerful NPC that runs some underground or Illegal religious cult or worship to a God or a Demon of undeath.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UnjPkKRAzcIAfvuQKtRsZr8zDk9FD9ubdvW7yXiDmkQ/edit?usp=sharing

Enjoy.

Pixie x

3/8/15