D&D 5E Prepping a one-shot with AI (+)

[Jfdlsjfd]

Hi,

Inspired by this thread, I propose we test how AI can help a GM generating a short scenario for a single evening, for the case where you're asked to run a game in a hurry (maybe the regular GM is calling in sick or something...) This is not a thread to disparage AI but one to test if we can get acceptable result while gaining a lot of time. And how much time over prepping something from scratch. Of course, the goal is to make something good, and it will be more involved than prompting "AI slave, do my work and write me an adventure", but the idea is never to input creative ideas in the process, just choosing (by voting in this thread) among several AI-inspired ideas. We will have ideas over the construction of the one-shot, but those are best kept for improvisation when running the module, I'd like to test the AI's ability to propose something coherent if not groundbreaking.

If there is sufficent interest in this experiment, it might be fun.

Since the premise is that we're asked to fill-in for the regular GM, I propose something that can be run stand-alone, like "you're travelling along a road and find a monastery as dusk nears, and it rains, and the rain is cold, and the monastery looks welcoming and yes, I haven't prepared anything else." Something that would be accepted by players who know that you're doing your best in a limited time. I also propose we use 5e rules, as I expect the AI to be most trained on it.

First, I asked chatgpt to provide a prompt for D3 to generate a map of the monastery, then fed the prompt to D3. The goal is to make it extremely low effort.

I got "Generate a detailed D&D map of a small monastery with key features including a courtyard, main hall, dormitory, kitchen, library, and prayer room. Ensure that the map is suitable for a tabletop role-playing game, and provide a legend or key to identify different areas and their purposes." which produced a choice of two maps.

View attachment 1704632094336.webp

And :

View attachment 1704632072280.webp

I am not sure the keys are meant to be readable. After we've chosen our map (I prefer the latter), maybe we can ask chat-gpt what sort of sinister secret the monastery hold, to provide a plot and hooks for the players.

 

[Velderan]

For this experiment, if you’re having different people show results of their prompts you should note whether it was with ChatGPT 3.5 or 4.0. I’ve heard 4.0 does a noticeably better job, but am not willing to pay to see for myself.

 

[Jfdlsjfd]

For this experiment, if you’re having different people show results of their prompts you should note whether it was with ChatGPT 3.5 or 4.0. I’ve heard 4.0 does a noticeably better job, but am not willing to pay to see for myself.

Great idea. I am looking forward to having other people add to it, and therefore mentionning the version used is great. Note that I have a ChatGPT subscription, so I can do everything based on suggested input by others. And comparing the results of using the two versions might be interesting as well.

 

[ezo]

I've already been using AI-generated overland maps, buildings, and dungeons for a few months now. They aren't "perfect", but work well and save me hours of time making maps.

I haven't bothered with asking AI to generate plots or hooks, however, as there's only about 6-8 story arcs really and I just pick one I haven't used in a while.

But, I'll follow along on the thread and see how things work out for those involved.

 

[Jfdlsjfd]

I also asked GPT4 to provide me 4 plot hook happening in the monastery.

Certainly! Here's a sinister mystery that the monastery could hold, which the D&D campaign hero could discover when invited to stay for the night:

Mystery: The Monastery's Dark Rituals
Background: The small monastery was once a peaceful sanctuary dedicated to a benevolent deity, but over time, it has fallen under the influence of a corrupt high priest who secretly worships a malevolent god of darkness and deception.
Discovery: When the hero arrives and spends the night, they notice strange and unsettling occurrences. Muffled chants echo through the halls during the late hours, and eerie shadows move silently in the corridors. The hero may come across cryptic symbols hidden in the monastery's library, suggesting a darker purpose behind the rituals performed.
Revelation: After some investigation, the hero uncovers that the high priest has been using the monastery as a front for conducting forbidden dark rituals, sacrificing unsuspecting visitors to empower a powerful, imprisoned entity. The malevolent god's influence is growing, and the monastery's residents are slowly falling under its control.
Heroic Quest: Realizing the dire threat, the hero must gather allies, decipher clues, and confront the high priest and their corrupted followers to put an end to the dark rituals. Along the way, they could uncover the history of the imprisoned entity, find a way to weaken or imprison it further, and ultimately save the monastery from falling into complete darkness.
This mystery provides a compelling storyline for the hero to uncover and resolve, involving investigation, combat encounters, puzzle-solving, and potentially moral dilemmas related to the monastery's corrupted inhabitants.

Certainly! Here are three alternative sinister mysteries that the monastery could hold, which the D&D campaign hero could discover when invited to stay for the night:
Mystery 1: The Curse of the Silent Bell
Background: The monastery was once known for its beautiful, resonant bell that could be heard across the land. However, it has been silent for years, and the monks refuse to speak about it.
Discovery: During their stay, the hero hears whispers among the monks, hinting at a terrible curse that befell the monastery when the bell mysteriously ceased ringing. They learn that the bell's last toll was heard on a moonless night.
Revelation: Investigation reveals that the high priest's ancestors made a dark pact with a malevolent entity on a moonless night, and the bell's silence is tied to this curse. The entity hungers for souls, and the monks fear that it will consume them all.
Heroic Quest: The hero must find a way to lift the curse, which could involve locating a hidden chamber beneath the monastery, retrieving a stolen artifact, or making a new pact with a benevolent deity to counter the malevolent entity's influence. Saving the monastery may require a risky journey into the entity's realm.

Mystery 2: The Vanishing Monks
Background: The monastery has a history of monks mysteriously disappearing over the years. The residents claim it's due to ascetic practices, but rumors persist.
Discovery: The hero uncovers secret diaries or letters from monks who have disappeared, revealing that they were conducting forbidden experiments on the nature of the soul and immortality.
Revelation: Through investigation, the hero discovers that these experiments inadvertently summoned a soul-devouring entity from another plane, and the high priest is using these experiments to siphon power from the entity to achieve personal immortality.
Heroic Quest: The hero must stop the high priest's dangerous experiments and find a way to banish or imprison the soul-devouring entity. They'll need to confront the high priest, gather evidence, and enlist the help of any surviving monks to save the monastery from both external and internal threats.

Mystery 3: The Haunted Reliquary
Background: The monastery boasts a famous reliquary containing holy relics, but it is said to be haunted. Monks have vanished while guarding it, and eerie apparitions have been sighted.
Discovery: The hero experiences unsettling encounters with restless spirits and unexplainable phenomena during their stay, making it clear that something is amiss.
Revelation: Investigation reveals that the high priest, obsessed with acquiring power, attempted to tap into the relics' magic for personal gain. In doing so, they unwittingly awakened vengeful spirits connected to the relics.
Heroic Quest: The hero must confront the high priest and find a way to appease or put the vengeful spirits to rest. This may involve learning about the relics' history, locating missing relics, or performing a ritual of atonement to cleanse the reliquary. Saving the monastery requires resolving the conflict between the high priest's ambition and the restless spirits' anger.


They are not groundbreaking, but we will be able to ask for elaborations on the most popular.

 

[Larnievc]

I use a chatbot to generate flavour text on the fly. It’s a massive time saver.

 

[Jfdlsjfd]

I use a chatbot to generate flavour text on the fly. It’s a massive time saver.

Interesting. Do you play over the Internet or do you prepare your interesting locations beforehand with it? (I can't really see using it while playing at the table but maybe?)

 

[cbwjm]

I've used chatgpt to see if I can create a campaign setting, complete with monster stats (they need a little work but still some decent ideas), it's great for that, it should be pretty good to create a quick adventure if you only have limited time before the session.

 

[cbwjm]

@Jfdlsjfd I think that you could probably somehow link mystery 2 and 3 without too much trouble, it all leads back to the high priest.

 

[Jfdlsjfd]

Yep, they were not that different. I was considering trying to go with the high priest ancestor being at the origin of the problem, because it couuld be interesting to have an investigation that would point to the priest and let the players decide if they off the priest or try to actually remedy the problem, but I like the idea of asking ChatGPT to link the mysteries. Using version 4, I got :

Your D&D adventure plot hook, "The Enigmatic Reliquary and the Vanishing Monks," offers a captivating blend of mystery and supernatural intrigue. Here's an elaboration to further flesh out your adventure:
Title: The Enigmatic Reliquary and the Vanishing Monks
Setting: A secluded, ancient monastery perched on a mist-shrouded hill, surrounded by dense forests.
Act 1: The Mysterious Monastery

• Arrival: The hero arrives at the monastery under the guise of a pilgrim or scholar. They immediately sense an air of tension and fear among the monks.
• Initial Investigation: Conversing with the monks, the hero learns about the revered, but feared, reliquary. They hear tales of monks who sought to study or protect it, only to disappear under mysterious circumstances.
• First Encounter: The hero witnesses a spectral apparition, perhaps a ghostly monk, pointing towards the reliquary or a hidden part of the monastery.

Act 2: Secrets Beneath the Stone

• Discovery of the Chamber: The hero uncovers a secret passage leading to an underground chamber, filled with forbidden tomes and alchemical equipment.
• Confrontation with the High Priest: The hero discovers the high priest conducting a dark ritual. The high priest reveals his obsession with the reliquary and the power he believes it holds.
• Unveiling the Truth: The hero learns that the relics are bound to ancient spirits, disturbed by the high priest's experiments. The spirits, seeking retribution, are responsible for the vanishings.

Act 3: A Duel of Wits and Will

• Stopping the High Priest: The hero must find a way to stop the high priest, who is now fully consumed by his quest for power. This could involve a battle of magic and wits, convincing other monks to help, or disrupting the ritual.
• Appeasing the Spirits: The hero needs to discover the true history of the relics and perform a ritual to appease the restless spirits. This may involve a quest to find a sacred text, ingredients for a ritual, or the assistance of a benign spirit.
• Resolution: With the spirits at rest and the high priest's plans thwarted, the monastery begins to heal. The hero's actions are celebrated, and they are rewarded with ancient knowledge or mystical items.

Twists and Side Quests:

• A Betrayed Monk's Spirit: A ghost of a monk who opposed the high priest seeks the hero's help to find peace.
• A Secret Ally: One of the monks, fearful of the high priest, secretly aids the hero, offering crucial information or access to restricted areas.
• Cursed Relics: Some relics in the reliquary may be cursed, affecting the hero or monks until lifted.

This plot offers multiple pathways for your players to explore, blending investigation, confrontation, and supernatural elements for an immersive D&D experience.

Since it starts with arrival, I asked for descriptiosn of various room in the monastery with apt description to evoke the feeling of dread the scene is supposed to create.

Absolutely! Here are descriptions for various rooms in the monastery to evoke an atmosphere of tension and fear during the player characters' (PCs) visit:
1. The Entrance Hall:As the PCs enter the monastery, they are greeted by a cavernous entrance hall. The air is cold and still, thick with the scent of ancient incense. Dimly lit by flickering candles, the hall casts long, eerie shadows across the stone floors. Faded tapestries depicting serene religious scenes hang on the walls, but their edges are frayed, and the colors are dulled by time. The silence is palpable, broken only by the distant echo of solemn chants. The monks they encounter here offer polite, but tight-lipped smiles, their eyes darting nervously around as if expecting some unseen presence.
2. The Dining Hall:The dining hall is a stark, spartan room with long wooden tables and benches worn smooth by years of use. The meals being eaten are simple and quiet, with monks exchanging few words. The clink of cutlery on wood seems overly loud in the hushed atmosphere. Some seats are conspicuously empty, and the PCs notice that a few monks glance at these vacant spots with a mix of sadness and fear. The flicker of candlelight does little to warm the chill in the air.
3. The Library:The monastery's library is a labyrinth of towering bookshelves, filled with ancient tomes and scrolls. The air is musty, the quiet only broken by the soft rustle of pages or the occasional creak of wood. Several monks study here, their faces illuminated by the dim glow of oil lamps. They seem deeply engrossed in their reading, yet there's an edge of desperation to their studies, as if searching for an answer they fear to find. Shadows loom ominously between the shelves, creating a sensation of being watched.
4. The Reliquary Chamber:A heavy air of reverence and unease permeates the reliquary chamber. The room is dimly lit, with rays of light filtering through stained glass windows, casting colorful but somber patterns on the floor. The reliquary itself is placed on a pedestal at the room's center, an ornate, slightly ominous piece that seems to absorb the light around it. The few monks present here move quietly, their expressions solemn and apprehensive, avoiding direct eye contact with the reliquary.
5. The Dormitory:The dormitory is a long room with rows of simple cots. Despite the presence of personal items, the room feels impersonal and austere. The air is heavy with a sense of unrest. Some monks can be seen lying awake, their eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling, while others toss and turn in their sleep, mumbling incoherently. The atmosphere is thick with a blend of fatigue and underlying panic, as if the monks are plagued by nightmares they dare not speak of.
6. The Secret Chamber (Discovered Later):Hidden beneath the monastery, this chamber contrasts sharply with the rest of the building. The air is stifling, and the walls are lined with strange, esoteric symbols. A sense of wrongness pervades the room, as if the very stone is rebelling against the activities conducted here. Strange apparatuses and alchemical equipment clutter the space, and the scent of burnt herbs hangs in the air. This room feels like a violation of the sacred peace above, a secret that corrupts the heart of the monastery.
Each of these rooms contributes to the overall atmosphere of the monastery, blending the sacred with the unsettling, and setting the stage for the PCs to uncover the dark mysteries hidden within.