What is your overused plot hook ?

[Davek]

Sheep? Dare I ask...?

Oh what the heck, I dare! Explain!

I detect a wandering mind ...

Actually I have used the following themes at various occasions:

- marauding beast ravages flock of sheep, PC's are cajoled by commoners to investigate.
- shepherds are ambused by ruffians and sheep rustled, PC's are cajoled by sheep owners to investigate
- bad smell/taste in a local well, PC's investigate why dead sheep are being thrown into the well
- PC's encounter flock of sheep unexpectedly in the middle of wilderness, who do they belong to or are they feral
- PC's are hired to escort shepherds bringing a large flock of sheep in supply of employer's mercenary company. They encounter competitors along the way.

Ironicly the PC's are usually just trying to earn some petty cash during downtimes in the big quest, and thus are easily sucked into diverting side quests.

 

[Nightfall]

sheep being marauded...

For a second there I thought you meant the sheep WERE the marauding monster! Now that would be something...

*works up some ideas...*

 

[Davek]

Dire Sheep

 

[Nightfall]

Davek,

I was thinking more from Advanced Beastiary. There's an Anthromorphic template and maybe add in feral, along side the mob template. Now THAT would be fun!

 

[Bad Paper]

I think a full half of my adventures involve rescuing the kidnapped victim, or some close variant.

 

[Arkham]

So, your sitting in the tavern with all your remaining friends and a few new faces... You've had more than a few ales, and you're getting lonely, and right at your feet is a giant yawning portal into Undermountain. Besides, you're a better fighter than Thog ever was. Though what that pack of Mindflayers did to him, does give you second thoughts. And how exactly _was_ that Giant Gar hiding in three feet of water anyway?

 

[ivocaliban]

I suppose my big one is "Save the world from powerful dark evil force." There's always a Sauron or Tharizdun who never actually shows up to kick butt, but has an ever expanding influence in the world. Inevitably the heroes' quest to defeat this force (or at least hold it a bay) ends up being the heart of the story.

I blame this on my tendency to think epic or saga instead of story or tale. I'm not very good at running one-shot adventures and prefer a slower, more gradual approach to running a game.

 

[Steel_Wind]

1) You need to go to X to ask Y about Z in order to learn how to properly deal with THE EVIL THREAT

2) Save the ABC, Save the World (Heroes' writing staff ripped off my cliches)

3) "You are the only ones here who can save us. Will you help us?" This is a variant of "Save me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you are my only hope..."

 

[ssampier]

We mostly play pickup games, so it's the cliche, "A person wants to hire you to do [x] for gold." If I introduce other plot hooks, they have a tendency to wander/fart-around.

Treason! Leading to revenge!

A bit overused, I admit.

Me: "You meet this NPC who's really nice and helpful".

My players: "We slay him before he turns on us!"

...

/M

That sounds like my players. I don't remember a NPC ever turning on them. I think I'll send waves of helpful NPCs to their side, then spring the trap on them. That'll show them.

Okay, you're in this tavern.............

Am I getting drunk?!

Are there any girls around?! If so, I want to do them!

 

[Nightfall]

*is still working out the details of dire anthropomorphic sheep with the mob template* Now that will scare some low level adventurers!