Modules: Hero marries the Princess

[Endur]

Anyone know of any adventure modules that do a good job of capturing the classic story theme of how the brave hero overthrows the evil tyrant and rescues the princess.

Most D&D modules are designed for parties, and don't really award the idea of one character marrying into royalty.

Likewise, we don't have many adventure modules where the adventurer suddenly discovers that he is the long lost last son of the last king, and is now king.

 

[Sir Elton]

Anyone know of any adventure modules that do a good job of capturing the classic story theme of how the brave hero overthrows the evil tyrant and rescues the princess.

Most D&D modules are designed for parties, and don't really award the idea of one character marrying into royalty.

Likewise, we don't have many adventure modules where the adventurer suddenly discovers that he is the long lost last son of the last king, and is now king.

Interesting.

I tried to set one up and the editor blasted me for sending "notes." Which was crap, actually. Hmm. I can set one up pretty easily. After all, Erik Mona wanted an Atlantis with weird sci-tech, dinosaurs, and princesses.

 

[Andor]

Heh. This reminds me of the book "With a Single Spell". In it the hero who can kill the dragon is offered cash and the hand of a princess in marrige. Of course in the book he finds a wife on his own, but when he does kill the dragon he finds out he can't just take the cash. It's actually the princesses dowery. You see the Royal Familly has a surplus of princesses and figured this was a good way to get rid of one.

 

[el-remmen]

In the initial set-up of my "Out of the Frying Pan" campaign the PCs were offered the hands of five princesses in marriage (as they were five of them). The eldest had already been married off for some political gain - marrying the rest off to successful adventurers (the marriages were predicated on the party defeating a dragon) would make good economic sense.

Oh, as Andor mentioned it, yes, this scenario was inspired by "With a Single Spell" by Lawrence Watt-Evans

 

[ruleslawyer]

It's hard to do this one, generally. H1-4 (the 1e Bloodstone modules) had a plotline in which one of the PCs (the pregen paladin, or substitute one appropriate character) was supposed to marry the "princess" (the baron's daughter), but I thought it a tricky proposition to implement in actual play due to the spotlight element. I'd rather have different PCs be able to shine in different ways.

 

[the Jester]

I think ruleslawyer hit it on the proverbial head- the problem is, if one pc marries the princess, does he suddenly become the "main character"? Even if not, will the other pcs perceive it that way? And what do you do to share the spotlight, once someone is prince?

 

[Endur]

I think ruleslawyer hit it on the proverbial head- the problem is, if one pc marries the princess, does he suddenly become the "main character"? Even if not, will the other pcs perceive it that way? And what do you do to share the spotlight, once someone is prince?

That is the problem. But what is the solution?

To a certain extent, there is BirthRight, which gave all of the characters some political power.

Still, this is a problem that D&D should be able to solve, but published modules rarely seem to handle. They tend to avoid it, rather than dealing with it.

 

[Fieari]

A Game of Thrones d20 is based extensively around this concept, but then, that game focuses HEAVILY on political machinations over mere acts of daring do. Acts of daring do come into it, but only to support the politics. Political marriages are very important.

 

[Celebrim]

"Most D&D modules are designed for parties, and don't really award the idea of one character marrying into royalty."

Why not? It gives you a permenent plot hook, and marrying into royalty is not always a reward. Nothing says 'dysfunctional family' like crowns.

 

[Victim]

That is the problem. But what is the solution?

To a certain extent, there is BirthRight, which gave all of the characters some political power.

Still, this is a problem that D&D should be able to solve, but published modules rarely seem to handle. They tend to avoid it, rather than dealing with it.

Because it's a module, and thus exists independently of the groups running it. Most of the solutions are going to relate largely to specific settings AND the dynamics of the group.

Moreover, it's easy enough for the DM to add a marriage into royalty or nobility as part of the reward for some other adventure.