Older Beholder
Hero
Hey there,
Here's a couple of ideas for 'Romeo and Juliet' plot lines for anyone thinking of running a Valentine themed adventure this week. I tend to avoid romance plots involving players unless they seek such things out themselves, but the love story is still a common trope that can be used as a catalyst for adventure.
Based on the adventure in the 2E Planescape: Well of World's book called 'Love Letter'
The group are hired to transport a letter (or letters back and forth) between young nobles on opposite sides of a local war. The star crossed lovers are in fact a Succubus (demon) and an Incubus (devil) in disguise, both believing they have fallen for a human. As the players earn their trust (or just get nosey) they learn the truth, which can be a dangerous thing.
Do they expose the fiends to each other or to the authorities?
Will the pair still feel the same if the truth is revealed to them about the other, perhaps demanding more help from the PCs to hide their affair or help them escape?
Maybe they come after the adventurers to protect their secrets?
----{@
Based on the novel 'The Golem and the Jinni' by Helene Wecker
(for high levels)
Several hundred years ago a Genie (Dao) fell in love with a Stone Golem created with emotions. The Golem was in servitude to a powerful wizard who refused to part with his prize creation. He trapped the Dao in a magical bottle and sold it to a dragon to horde over.
For a quick start the game begins after the dragon has been slain with the characters splitting the treasure (as a way for the DM to hand out some magic items) and finding the bottle containing the trapped Genie.
If you're dropping this into a running campaign the bottle is found in whatever big bad guys treasure pile you want.
With the Dao unleashed it tells the heroes of its plight, promising them anything they wish in return for the help of the group in finding the Golem. The party need to work out what happened to the wizard (now a Lich) and then help the Dao to destroy the Golems master and free it.
----{@
The last idea is one I've been toying around with, inspired by the monsters manual
An affair between a surface elf and a Drow is uncovered and both are cast out of their respective societies. The elf is turned into a Dryad and bonded to a tree at the entrance of a cave that leads to the Underdark. The Drow is transformed into a Drider and lurks in the cave with his love, together they do their best to avoid attention while stopping anything that might normally find its why out of the Underdark.
A group of dwarves have discovered a map that marks the cave entrance, only they believe it to be an old mine that might still be rich in gems. The Dryads attempts to dissuade exploring the area only fuels their suspicions, but to play it safe they have decided to hire the adventurers.
Again the Dryad will try to turn the players away if they get within a mile of the entrance, exaggerating the dangers ahead or denying the existence of a cave at all. If continuing ahead the group meet the Drider, who will fight to defend itself, at which point the Dryad appears again and attempts to plead with the heroes. If the PCs have attacked the Dryad, the Drider will fly into a rage in an attempt to kill the offenders.
If the lovers can persuade the party that they guard the surface world from the dangers of the Underdark it will be then up to the characters to stop the dwarves who are not so easily convinced and will continue to hire adventures to clean out the cave.
----{@
Anyway, as I said above, just some loose ideas.
How about you? do you ever run or play in themed adventures based around holidays?
Do love stories like Romeo and Juliet tropes pop up very much in your games?
Have you ever had a character fall in love and retire from the adventuring life in order to settle down and start a family?
Here's a couple of ideas for 'Romeo and Juliet' plot lines for anyone thinking of running a Valentine themed adventure this week. I tend to avoid romance plots involving players unless they seek such things out themselves, but the love story is still a common trope that can be used as a catalyst for adventure.
Based on the adventure in the 2E Planescape: Well of World's book called 'Love Letter'
The group are hired to transport a letter (or letters back and forth) between young nobles on opposite sides of a local war. The star crossed lovers are in fact a Succubus (demon) and an Incubus (devil) in disguise, both believing they have fallen for a human. As the players earn their trust (or just get nosey) they learn the truth, which can be a dangerous thing.
Do they expose the fiends to each other or to the authorities?
Will the pair still feel the same if the truth is revealed to them about the other, perhaps demanding more help from the PCs to hide their affair or help them escape?
Maybe they come after the adventurers to protect their secrets?
----{@
Based on the novel 'The Golem and the Jinni' by Helene Wecker
(for high levels)
Several hundred years ago a Genie (Dao) fell in love with a Stone Golem created with emotions. The Golem was in servitude to a powerful wizard who refused to part with his prize creation. He trapped the Dao in a magical bottle and sold it to a dragon to horde over.
For a quick start the game begins after the dragon has been slain with the characters splitting the treasure (as a way for the DM to hand out some magic items) and finding the bottle containing the trapped Genie.
If you're dropping this into a running campaign the bottle is found in whatever big bad guys treasure pile you want.
With the Dao unleashed it tells the heroes of its plight, promising them anything they wish in return for the help of the group in finding the Golem. The party need to work out what happened to the wizard (now a Lich) and then help the Dao to destroy the Golems master and free it.
----{@
The last idea is one I've been toying around with, inspired by the monsters manual
An affair between a surface elf and a Drow is uncovered and both are cast out of their respective societies. The elf is turned into a Dryad and bonded to a tree at the entrance of a cave that leads to the Underdark. The Drow is transformed into a Drider and lurks in the cave with his love, together they do their best to avoid attention while stopping anything that might normally find its why out of the Underdark.
A group of dwarves have discovered a map that marks the cave entrance, only they believe it to be an old mine that might still be rich in gems. The Dryads attempts to dissuade exploring the area only fuels their suspicions, but to play it safe they have decided to hire the adventurers.
Again the Dryad will try to turn the players away if they get within a mile of the entrance, exaggerating the dangers ahead or denying the existence of a cave at all. If continuing ahead the group meet the Drider, who will fight to defend itself, at which point the Dryad appears again and attempts to plead with the heroes. If the PCs have attacked the Dryad, the Drider will fly into a rage in an attempt to kill the offenders.
If the lovers can persuade the party that they guard the surface world from the dangers of the Underdark it will be then up to the characters to stop the dwarves who are not so easily convinced and will continue to hire adventures to clean out the cave.
----{@
Anyway, as I said above, just some loose ideas.
How about you? do you ever run or play in themed adventures based around holidays?
Do love stories like Romeo and Juliet tropes pop up very much in your games?
Have you ever had a character fall in love and retire from the adventuring life in order to settle down and start a family?
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