(Possibly) running an adventure tomorrow - looking for ideas

[Mercurius]

My group has been in the summer duldrums - we haven't played in a couple months as the current DM has been away for much of it (I was the DM for two+ years but got a case of burnout). Anyhow, I'm planning a campaign to run segments in starting sometime either late this year or early next, but we're looking for a quick one-off this Friday (tomorrow) and I was thinking of using that as an opportunity to run an introduction session or two.

I've linked to a thread with some initial thoughts above, but the gist of it is that the PCs hear about a vast ruined city in the jungle lands far to the south of the setting's heart. Being bold and adventurous of course, they hop on a ship and travel to the ruins.

The city itself is a massive complex of ruins - maybe a hundred square miles, probably the remnant of a settlement of 1-2 million or more inhabitants (the lost civilization fell a thousand years ago and was very sophisticated, with a sort of magical Atlantean feel, so there would have been "magic tech" to support a city of that size). Attached to the city is a small adventurer's town that exists solely to support explorers and treasure hunters...I'm somewhat modeling this off of the Earthdawn city, Parlainth.

Exploration of the city would take up most of Heroic tier (we're playing 4th edition, but for the purposes of this post it doesn't matter all that much). I want it to play like a sandbox, but with key plot elements and hooks thrown in that would potentially develop into a larger story in Paragon tier against an Ancient Evil that I might make the PCs unearth sometime in late Heroic tier.

For now, I'm looking for ideas on an intro adventure. The other members of the group really want a session so we're thinking of playing tomorrow, so time is an issue. Given that we'd have to make characters, we'd probably only have time for a mini-adventure, maybe two hours or so, so I'm thinking of running an intro scenario that lays out the premise and gets them into a fight, as well as introduces them to an NPC that will be the "native" guide of the region, sort of a mystic jungle ranger.

The city is in a jungle a day or two upriver from a city on the coast. I'm thinking of introducing the PCs to each other on the river boat, which is then attacked by some sort of river creature (any ideas?). I like this option because it is short and sweet, and relatively self contained. It introduces them to the basic idea of the campaign and would end with them arriving at the ruined city, hopefully wetting their appetite for more in a few months when I get things going in earnest.

I was also considering running a first exploration of the ruins or them getting to know the town outside the ruins, but just don't have the time to pull that together.

Any ideas to throw in the pot? Any river creatures that you recommend that would be challenging for 1st level characters? Any ideas on how to run a river boat combat? Any other advice?

Thanks!

 

[Tamlyn]

You might consider running it like an intro/prologue to a novel. You could create pregens for the players that (if some should survive) become NPC's when you start the campaign in earnest. That would eliminate the pressure of rushing creation of a PC they would want to play long-term, and it could free you up to make the encounters higher than first level. Lazybones did this in his novelized version of Keep on the Shadowfell here where he killed off the pregens as a prologue before starting the real story with the intended characters.

Regarding the encounter, I don't have any experience with 4E. But with my 3.5 campaign I re-skinned hellhounds to look like large lizards with acid damage instead of fire. I partnered them with lizardfolk and gave my lower level PC's a decent challenge and something they hadn't seen before. Or possibly undead in the water with very old equipment or unrecognized religious regalia to tie them into your larger story.

Regardless, let us know what you come up with.

 

[LostSoul]

The city is in a jungle a day or two upriver from a city on the coast. I'm thinking of introducing the PCs to each other on the river boat, which is then attacked by some sort of river creature (any ideas?). I like this option because it is short and sweet, and relatively self contained. It introduces them to the basic idea of the campaign and would end with them arriving at the ruined city, hopefully wetting their appetite for more in a few months when I get things going in earnest.

I'm thinking giant constrictor snakes - use the Crushgrip Constrictor but make it level 1 or 2. They can pull the PCs into the water once they grab them.

[sblock=Stats]Python; Level 1; Init +4; Per +6; HP 30/15; AC 14, F 16, R 13, W 11; Spd 6, Climb 6, Swim 6; Atk Bite +6 vs AC, Hit: 1d8+4 and grabbed; SA Constrict, grabbed target only, +4 vs Fort, Hit: 1d8+6 and dazed. Str 18, Con 14, Dex 14, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 8.

Characters in the water (including the pythons) have to make DC 20 Endurance checks each round they take damage or lose a healing surge. The murky water provides concealment at 5', and total concealment below that. Swimming in the calm river is a DC 10 Athletics check; failure means the character treads water, and a result of 4 or less means the character sinks 5'. Each square of water takes an extra square of movement to move through.[/sblock]

In the jungle banks there is a shadowy figure with a staff who seems to be controlling the snakes. He watches, not doing much - maybe he can grant a +2 or something similar. He runs if attacked. If he runs, the snakes will retreat once Bloodied - dragging away any prey they might have.

I was also considering running a first exploration of the ruins or them getting to know the town outside the ruins, but just don't have the time to pull that together.

You could have a look at Year of the Dungeon to grab a map with some inspiration, or maybe check out the One Page Dungeon contest stuff.

 

[Quickleaf]

First a picture from the Thai-Burmese border...

I've always wanted to travel there! Only now add one of these nasties...

Is that an afanc? Some bizarre type of giant lamprey? I dunno but that's what your players should have to look forward too!

I'd design the river float as a 3 or 4 part challenge, where they are trying to either escape this nasty elite/solo beastie or lure it into more advantageous (shallower) section of river to defeat it. After X rounds spent in a given area the beastie attacks, using stealth if possible and mixing in attacks which damage the boat plus force Acrobatics checks to maintain balance or fall prone/slide around on deck.

Possible sections of the river include:

* Tidal bore (like the famed Bay of Fundy) creating 8-10 waves at regular intervals. Waves can be surfed by river boat with hard skill check, gaining a boost in speed, but risk running into banks or shallows, or capsizing. Strong undertow holds drowners under 1 round. There may be crocodiles sunning along river shore, if a bloodied creature enters water so do 2d4 crocs.

* Waterfall pounding down a sharp turn with overhang/cave (see photo). Lots of Strength and Athletics checks, maybe Thievery or innovative spell use to avoid getting pinned under falls, or swimmers sucked into caves. All Athletics checks to swim here are HARD; a drowning PC sucked into the caves discovers a forgotten shrine of a six armed Kuo-Toa goddess with 2d4 cheap gemstones as offerings in a bowl before her. A passage leads up to a hill overlooking the next river bend the boat will pass - only thing is it's a 30' jump down!

* Overhanging trees and overgrown nettles make narrow path slow going, with a python lazing overhead and/or hidden predator vines. PCs need to hack a way through or boat dragged to a standstill, and in so doing disturb the critters. A DC 18 Nature check reveals useful ingredients to make an herbal poultice (AV); however if the check fails by 5+ the PC makes ground thassil root instead.

* Wide shallow slow-moving section with giant ginko leaves and lotus blossoms floating toward beach landing. This is ideal fighting turf for PCs as the water is only waist high for medium characters, acting as difficult terrain but probably avoiding drowning. A monkey decorated with colored ash is tentatively balanced on several giant ginko leaves; roll 1d10 to determine what the monkey does.

JUNGLE MONKEY REACTION TABLE (1d10)
1. The monkey throws feces and makes angry gibbering sounds.
2. It makes sour faces and will cling savagely to the head of any PC who comes near (+6 vs. Reflex; blinded and -5 Athletics checks/Endurance checks to resist drowning, save ends).
3. It motions to a random PC to follow and jumps over to far shore, disappearing into jungle.
4. The monkey makes a strange gesture with it's hands that a DC 15 Religion check recognizes as a prayer mudra of a monastic sect of Erathis.
5. Monkey screeches very loudly then flees. There's a 50% chance it returns at the party's next extended rest to steal an item.
6. Monkey makes begging noises and pleads for food, coming as close to river boat as it dares. It may be amenable to coming aboard if lured.
7. The monkey watches PCs quietly, too quietly. A DC 18 Perception check reveals a gang of vicious looking monkey-goblins is lurking in the trees of the far shore glaring at the monkey.
8. It has a necklace in its hand that appears to be made of platinum, and the monkey jumps from ginko leaf to tree limb following the riverboat until it hits shore. Then the monkey mysteriously leaves the necklace for PCs (it's a low-level magic item and ritual focus for a divination ritual).
9. The monkey is hand fishing, pulling out an ugly bottom dwelling fish to chomp on it hungrily. A river oriented / fishing PC recognizes this as a Frick learned from watching halflings.
10. The monkey appears stoned.

Good gaming!

 

[LostSoul]

You forgot...

11. The monkey begins following the PCs, scratching strange markings in the dirt. The monkey is actually a polymorphed wizard (who speaks a language unfamiliar to the PCs) and follows the PCs around, hoping they can help. If treated well it can act as a guide and scout; if treated poorly it will seek revenge once back in its natural form.

12. The PCs spot a monkey wearing a magical ring that allows it to speak Supernal. It has used this power to become the Monkey King, and has friends throughout the animal kingdom. If the ring is taken, the Monkey King will seek revenge.

13. A monkey befriends the PCs. The monkey is a spy for a wizard, as in Indiana Jones. Watch out for poisoned dates.

14. etc.

 

[Mercurius]

Some great ideas here, thanks folks. I called it off for tonight as I want to do this right and have other things going on in life, but I'm going to read over these ideas again and continue to develop this, sharing on EN World.

 

[Aeolius]

Any river creatures that you recommend that would be challenging for 1st level characters?

Freshies, eh? Do you have cable? NatGeo has a show about longfin eels coming on later today. Animal Planet Videos .

There was also a recent episode of Destination Truth on Syfy that discussed the Taniwha, "a creature of Maori legend in New Zealand, a white, eel-like dragon with sharp teeth which protects the country’s waterways". That episode had some inspiration bits about sacred cenotes and the Maya goddess Ixchel .

As for stock beasties.. perhaps an electric eel (or a shrieking eel from Princess Bride), freshwater ixitxachitl, or similar encounter.

Regarding encounters... I've always wanted to use the Cueva De Villa Luz in a game, somewhere.