urban adventures

[darkbard]

anyone notice that there is a serious dearth of urban-based adventures out there? sure, the sheer possibilities open to PCs make it difficult to pull off, but come on....

anyway, i'm looking for some good adventure ideas for a solo-character campaign. the character is a human bard1/diviner2/urban ranger1 of neutral good alignment adventuring in silverymoon (gotta make use of the excellent new supplement). she is quick-witted, more prone to rely on cunning than physical confrontation, and eager to use her diplomatic-type skills to become involved in intrigue. any ideas?

 

[Kilmore]

Bard/Diviner/Urban Ranger?

Not too familiar with Silverymoon, but with those classes, one detective idea quickly suggests itself. Not a lot to it, but I'll leave it for the board to flesh out.

The character is going through the city rather late, and there are few others around. She sees a mother and her four year old daughter passing through the streets. A dark horseman thunders by and kidnaps... the mother!

 

[fusangite]

I'd suggest that your problem is that urban adventures are ill-suited to solo play. Figuring out politics and human relations is not conducive to solo play in the way that breaking down doors and killing the kobolds on the other side is.

 

[johnsemlak]

It's not specifically solo, and it's basic D&D, but the module B6, the Vieled Society is pretty good. The adventurers get involved in politics of Specularum.

I think the old 1e module L2, The assassins knot, was also a good city/detective adventure though I'm not as familiar with it.

 

[Shadowdancer]

I disagree -- I think urban adventures are well suited to solo play if your talking about one player and a DM. I've run these types of adventures many times.

The problem might be in the described set-up -- that particular character in that particular city might not work too well.

The solo urban adventures I've run have usually involved a member of a thieves guild. There are many opportunities for adventures of that sort with can be run using one character.

The bard character described above does have possiblities as a performer. Maybe she could stumble upon some sort of conspiracy connected to taverns and bars which employee bards to perform. Perhaps a power-hungry bard has discovered a long-lost song or magical instrument which gives them control over people and can make them do things they normally wouldn't do -- like riot, or hunt down elves, or give their money to evil temples. Or maybe there is a secret group or cult which is using a bard as a pawn for some neferious purpose.

With a bard as one of the character's classes, and with the setting being Silverymoon, I think you need to go with some sort of story involving music and/or performing. There's a bard school in Silverymoon, and lots of opportunities to put a bard's skills to good use. The urban ranger class will give her some good combat skills as well as investigative abilities (tracking and such). The diviner adds information gathering possibilities. Maybe the character has a vision, or a dream, that foretells of this scheme. Then elements of the dream start to come true, and the character is the only one who suspects what is going on.

 

[crowquill]

I'll second the suggestion for going with a mystery theme. There are tons of hard-boiled, urban detective stories you can steal plots from. Grab one of those novels, give the story a fantasy twist, and you're ready to go.

 

[kengar]

And I'll second Shadowdancer in that urban settings work well with solo play. In an urban setting, you're usually talking with NPCs and RP-ing more than hacking. It's always a tremendous pain in the dice bag to deal with a whole party trying to talk at once with the NPC. Or worse, have part of the group itching to "get on with the REAL adventure and stop gabbing in town" while the other members are trying to RP their conversation.

 

[Hand of Evil]

First talk to the player and gather details about what type of games he/she is interested in, then build your game around that.

NPCs, be ready to have them. An urban adventure will take place with the player knowning and meeting with the same people over and over again.

Stories & Rumors - take them from your local paper/news. Make your city alive. If there is a flood somewhere, have a food drive. If a football player is in trouble with the law, make it a nobles son.

There are a lot of stories, murder, drug lords, guild troubles, wife beaters...

 

[Shallown]

I like Urban for solo player for a different reason. The danger of a solo game is a lucky roll or any nukber of factors can kill a person with no support. Luckily being in a city allows a more reasonable intervention of help than a dungeon. Also you can have more support that wouldn't happen in dungeon wilderness adventuring. People are more willing to help when they don't have to leave home and face danger constantly.

Setting up a healthy support network is crucial for this type of character.

later

 

[Xarlen]

I am so surprised No one has mentioned Urban Blight. Shame on you.

Urban *is* best for solo adventures. Or am I the only one who played Shadowrun?