What is your overused plot hook ?

[questing gm]

Knowing my players who does not enjoy a heroic fantasy adventure or campaign. I find that my adventure plot hooks usually involves cold hard gold.....and the occasionally promise of treasure by the end of the adventure.

So what are your overused plot hook that sparks your players (and their character's) interest to the adventure or campaign ?

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

In my case it is probably:

"The PCs did something in past adventures that had unintended consequences, and now must deal with these consequences somehow."

 

[blargney the second]

"Roll for initiative, monkeyboys"

 

[Nifft]

"Travel to an exotic location which features an ancient ruin; while looking for one thing, find something else, most likely an ancient secret that reveals some dark truth about the setting, humanity in general, or your character in specific. The ancient ruin and/or exotic setting will probably not survive your visit."

Cheers, -- N

 

[GrumpyOldMan]

My top three
1) The characters need money, and employment.
2) A friend or family member needs help.
3) They have made a powerful enemy and must work to defeat him.

 

[Wobber]

A lot of my quests involve strangers on the roads desperate for help.

 

[Darklone]

My main plot hook starts with gold or some noble deeds (that are well paid). During this first mission, the players stumble upon some BBEG who kicks them really hard. Nothing like wasting a 10 players group with a level 9 wizard who wasn't prepared for battle.

That's it then, for the next 15 levels the players will do everything to get this NPC.

 

[Psion]

"Save the important sympathetic and helpless (typically female) NPC"

 

[maggot]

An evil guy wants heroes to help him save the world, because after all evil guys want a world around as much as everybody else. But when the world is safe, the evil guy turns on the heroes, because after all the guy is evil right. The evil guy might be disguised as a good guy, but not at all necessary for this old chestnut to work.

 

[Frostmarrow]

Revenge!

I start with: "Roll for initiative, monkeyboys" by blargney
and follow up with easy legwork
once the players know where the bad guys are they attack and exact revenge. Then I round off with treasure so the players have something to do while I plan the next ambush.
It practically runs itself.