Rotating DM Game - need help fast!

[blargney the second]

In about 18 hours, I'm going to run the first game of a new campaign that will be run by two DMs alternately. We decided to do this 1 hour ago when we found out that half of our regular game's players won't be attending.

Here's the concept:
The PCs are a mercenary band based on a ship. Every episode, the characters will start and end on-board the ship. The captain of the boat will brief the company on the mission, and they'll decide who goes in on it. There will be a bank of ~8 PCs for the players to choose from each game. All PCs will start at 5th level, and as a group they'll cover a broad spectrum of abilities.

Here's where I need help: I need an adventure to run for two unknown 5th level mercenary PCs! I'm feeling a little overwhelmed at the short notice, but confident that things will be okay once I have a direction to follow.

-blarg

 

[Piratecat]

Rule one: don't panic.

We're going to steal a lesson from various sci fi shows here, believe it or not. Here's a sample adventure you can use.

1. In a moderate storm, the ship comes across another large boat run aground on a reef. The wrecked ship ran aground fairly recently, and is tilted at an angle on the rocks. The storm and rising tide may free it to sink completely in about two or three hours.

2. The captain sends out the longboats. Most are instructed to look for survivors, but the longboat with the mercenaries (PCs) and an NPC are told to board the other ship and look for survivors - and loot - onboard.

3. The other ship could have crashed for any number of reasons, but the most likely is that there's somethig intelligent and nasty on board that ate the sailors. The first thing this monster does while the PCs are examining the carnage is destroy their longboat. The PCs ship has sailed farther away because of the storm, so now the PCs must survive for about an hour. . . in a storm. . . on a sinking ship filled with the dead. . . being stalked by a sadistic monster.

Sure, it's Alien. But it's fun. for extra points, make the monster regenerate, so that the PCs can kill it multiple times unless they do something creative.

4. The Pcs discover that the ship has a very rich cargo (albeit festooned with the dead, since that's where the beast was sticking the bodies in a hideous parody of art.) Maybe silks, or spices, or something else that make the whole experience worthwhile.

I'd recommend that one of the ship's officers (they can find his cabin) tried to summon a demon to help the ship in bad weather. He got something MUCH worse than he expected. You should take a minor-ish demon and change it to look different (more fishy, I think) and more cruel. Have it enjoy playing with its prey, so that you can draw up the tension as it taunts them mentally and attacks out of the shadows.

How's that?

 

[Mark Causey]

The creature has to be dessicated to be killed fully. You can used the drowned from Monster Manual III for extra creatures or for the big baddy (but reduce its HD, for goodness sakes - unless you want it to go through, say, 4 HD at a time as a single manifestation).

Or, you could use that 20 HD and distribute it amongst 40 previous crew members ...

 

[BiggusGeekus]

My personal rule of DM'ing is: "Do whatever Piratecat says". By all accounts he is an amazing DM and if I were Planetary Emperor the very first thing I would do is give him a column in Dungeon.

Now assuming the game design part of your brain gets hit by a meteroite, pick up a free adventure: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/oa/20030530b The ones that fourth level should challenge your two level 5 guys.

Happy gaming!

 

[blargney the second]

Piratecat, you're amazing. Thank you very much!

BiggusGeekus, that's a great idea. I'll browse through them to see if there's anything inspiring.
-blarg

 

[Piratecat]

Oh, good, I hope it was useful. Mind you, it's just five minutes of brainstorming. . . but your set-up really sparked creativity.

Let us know what you use, and how it goes!

 

[Len]

BiggusGeekus, that's a great idea. I'll browse through them to see if there's anything inspiring.

Take a look at this one (for 4 10th-level characters). It's set in/near the sea, and I had a lot of fun playing it.

 

[jerichothebard]

My personal rule of DM'ing is: "Do whatever Piratecat says". By all accounts he is an amazing DM and if I were Planetary Emperor the very first thing I would do is give him a column in Dungeon.

Amen. Your story hour rocks, PC - and the rules of DMing you posted once upon a time, somewhere, have made it into my DM folder of goodness.


Thanks! And great setup for a backup campaign, by the way, blarg... Very flexible and easy to drop in at a moment's notice if people don't show up.

 

[JoeBlank]

That reminds me, PC, can you repost or link to the rules of DMing jericho mentioned? I was not DMing as much back then, and feel that I need a refresher.

 

[Rel]

That reminds me, PC, can you repost or link to the rules of DMing jericho mentioned? I was not DMing as much back then, and feel that I need a refresher.

I second that emotion.