Writing Adventures

[Cithindril]

Super advice so far...I do a lot of this myself. I would add that you need to know your players and their character concepts cold. Being able to weave the many threads of character backstory, ambition and interaction into the metaplot for your world is key to transforming the generic adventure into an enjoyable campaign story that the whole group can tell.

Including the adventurers as living/breathing elements of the world doesn't have to be done at an epic or earth-shaking level to add flavor and enjoyment either. The brand-new first level party can be intimately tied to the history and developments of the hamlet where they grew up, even though their actions won't impact the rest of the region or nation for many levels to come. This gives the DM built-in adventure hooks and a way of allowing each player to achieve goals for his/her character.

It's important to tailor the adventure's challenges to the play style of the gaming group (some players eat up the hack and slash and want roll play 'lite' while others could care less whether they ever fight and want to focus on character interactions). It's equally important to adjust the plan for the composition of the party. I've had some parties with 80% spellcasters and others where everyone wanted to be a pirate (oddly the same group of players ). Along the same lines, rarely does someone volunteer to be the cleric. Rather than penalizing the players for these choices, making adjustments and compensating for the lopsided party can result in a more enjoyable and original flavor for the game.

Hope that makes a bit of sense...late here and I'm off to bed.

PEACE!

 

[Psion]

Build a big bad villain.
Decide what that big bad villain wants.
Decide what the big bad villain has.
Decide what the villain will do with what he has to get what he wants.
Put your players next to the events.

I usually do steps 1-4, then repeat for "spoiler", "villain #2", "potential ally", look and see what comes out of it and where the players can come into it (which is usually step 2 or 3, as the players usually end up filling the hole in some power's resources.)

 

[Wraith Form]

I would add that you need to know your players and their character concepts cold. Being able to weave the many threads of character backstory, ambition and interaction into the metaplot for your world is key to transforming the generic adventure into an enjoyable campaign story that the whole group can tell.

Small problem with that: what if you're a beginning DM--as in, the adventure hasn't begun? You need an initial adventure to run for the players, right? Well, they haven't rolled up PCs yet. What if you're not even sure you have all the players in your group yet? (I'm experiencing this now.) Even before you get a group together, you need to have an idea of what type of adventure you're going to run, correct? (I'm asking this in sincerity, not just to be sarcastic or snide.)

 

[Rel]

Small problem with that: what if you're a beginning DM--as in, the adventure hasn't begun? You need an initial adventure to run for the players, right? Well, they haven't rolled up PCs yet. What if you're not even sure you have all the players in your group yet? (I'm experiencing this now.) Even before you get a group together, you need to have an idea of what type of adventure you're going to run, correct? (I'm asking this in sincerity, not just to be sarcastic or snide.)

The process I tend to go through with my players is like this:

*I tell them about the world.
*They tell me about their characters (i.e. they make the PC's and write up their backgrounds)
*We start the first adventure, complete with hooks into their individual background information.

Yes, I have already written much of the background for the first adventure before they make the characters. But before I run it, I go back over it with the PC backgrounds in hand and make changes and add things to tie it in with the PC's. I'll say, "Hmm, I'll make Mook #3 be the shady guard that's been hassling the Rogue. And the BBEG will be responsible for the disappearance of the Druid's sister. He sold her into slavery and knows where the PC might start looking and he'll use that as a bargaining chip if the PC's get him in a bad spot. And I'll change that +1 short sword into the lost family heirloom that the Fighter is questing for."

Suddenly the adventure becomes much more than "kill them and take their stuff" and the players feel like the work they put into their backgrounds has paid off.

In case it isn't obvious, I never start a campaign on the same night that the players make the characters.

 

[Wraith Form]

Rel - thank you. I understand everything you described. And yeah, I caught the "create PCs on one night & take time to think of hooks until adventure starts" thing.

(I just hope a potential next group that I may be starting will be creative and willing to make backgrouds as complex as what you've described. I've been gaming for 10+ years and find that rarely does anyone--sometimes myself included--in the groups I've been with come up with that level of detail for their background. Some background, yes, but just not at that level.)

 

[Rel]

Rel - thank you. I understand everything you described.

(I just hope a potential next group that I may be starting will be creative and willing to make backgrouds as complex as what you've described. I've been gaming for 10+ years and find that rarely does anyone--sometimes myself included--in the groups I've been with come up with that level of detail for their background. Some background, yes, but just not at that level.)

I forget that this is often the case outside our group. Our group of players always write up a decent sized background for their characters (usually a minimum of one page but I've seen them stretch to 7 or 8 typed pages before).

This is probably a product of our Experience Point System that we've developed over the years. It rewards, among other things, how well you portrayed your character and this is measured against the way that the PC is defined in his background as well as how you've played him through the course of the campaign. If your PC has no well-defined personality via his background then it is much tougher to get those XP.

 

[Scribble]

I find that if you think to hard about "scenes" the tendency is to railroad players into doing what you saw in your head. If you just layout the background concepts the adventure almost writes itself and the player's will write the scene for you.

Here's my advice:

Let's use your idea of discovering an island with an undiscovered race.

Now for an adventure like this, there are several things that you can prepare ahead of time.

*A Map
*NPC stats
*Monster stats
*Terrain features
*Wandering Monster Tables

In this case, the adventure will primarily take place on an island, so your map should consist of an island. Also possibly a map showing it's position in relationship to other world features, though this is not essential.

With the map, use a key to designate where important terrain features are.

Also you might want to think about whether or not some feature of the island has kept this race hidden for so long and adjust the terrain accordingly...

Now lets think about a few "fillers"

Are there monsters on the island? (Of course there are! ) If so where are they?
Are there Other NPCs on the island if so where?

Ok now that we have a map of the island and come up with some fillers let's pretend we decide several things:

*The Island is mostly jungle, and swamps, but surrounded by huge mountains and cliffs.

*The "lost" race is living in an ancient city hidden deep within the jungles.

*There is another tribe living on the coast on the beach.

*The swamps are filled with nasty critters, swarms, and maybe a big baddie like a black dragon.

*The only way to get into the center of this remote island is to either, climb dangerously slick, and high cliffs, traverse through a cave system that leads through the mountains and out the other side, or some other means you haven't thought of that your players will probably come up with.

Ok, soooo let's take a moment and mark a few things on our map shall we?

*Where is the lost race?
*Where is the coastal NPC tribe?
*Where is the cave system?
*Where is the Black Dragon's lair?

Got all that down? Good. Now no matter where your players go, you'll always know where they are at least in relationship to everything else.

Ok now.

Let's get to the next step. Now that we know what's around and where it is, let's get some important stats you'll need.

Do things one at a time.

Let's start with the NPC tribe on the coast.

First drawl a map of their Camp. Then, ask yourself some more questions:

*What is their tribe like?
*What are they likely to be doing during any given part of the day?
*Who are the major personalities?
*What do they know?
*What can the PC's find there?
*Is this a place where PCs can retreat if they are loosing?

Ok so let's say we decide the tribe is for the most part a helpful, friendly, human tribe, but somewhat suspicious of outsiders, of whom they don't see very many.

At this point list a few ideas of how they can overcome this suspicion, or even if they have to.

List stats for some major NPCs. I can think of a few:

*The Chief
*Some generic warriors
*The tribal "hero"
*The one guy who for some reason takes an instant dislike to the PCs and is therefore against you.
*The Shaman.
*Some commoners.

Decide who knows what at this point and how to get to that info.

Let's be easy. The tribe itself has stories passed down by the shamans telling of an ancient tribe living in the center of the island. Long ago a great evil came and the two races lost contact with each other.

The only way to get the above info is to befriend the tribe. The only way to befriend the tribe is to challenge and beat the "hero" in a friendly sparring match.

There is a small boy who knows of the cave system. He's not sure where it leads but found it one day while out exploring. He got scarred after he found an area in the cave littered with bones... He'd be willing to show it to the PCs if they are friendly to him.

Remember there's also the grumpy guy who doesn't like you... Perhaps here is a chance for the diplomatic PCs in the party to shine as they attempt to win over the chief.

Next... The cave system.

Drawl the map (Get the pattern here?)

Decide what's in the cave.

*Monsters?
*Treasure?
*Dangers?

Go nuts have fun. This is classic dungeon crawling right here.

Make a key that describes what each area looks like, and where important things are. (Like the island map but at a smaller scale with more info)


The Black Dragon.

Well earlier we decided where the lair was sooo:

Let's say it's lair is an old abandoned temple in the northern part of the swamp, Just a few miles away from the mouth of the cave.

*Drawl the map of the lair.
*Get the stats for a black dragon.
*List where the dragon is likely to be at any given time of the day. This way you know how likely the PCs are to be spotted wherever and whenever they go somewhere.

The Hidden Tribe.

Design them just like you did the other NPC tribe.

Look we're almost done!

Next make a wandering monster list if you want them. Just think of the types that might inhabit a lost jungle or swamp, and put them on a list. Check out the DMG and MM for more info on this.

*Dire crocodiles?
*Dinosaurs?
*Swarms?
*Leeches?
*Dire apes?
*Regular Animals?

(Also remember this doesn't always have to be monsters, swamps and jungles are dangerous places filled with things like quicksand and diseases... just think up any fitting way to kill or maim a poor PC and voila!)

Ok Now

You might want to study and make a list of all the modifiers or games rules that will come into play in a jungle or swamp... For instance:

*list the chances the PCs will have of catching a disease.
*The effects of the heat on the PCs.
*Anything you can think of to help keep yourself prepared.

Finally!

The last question to ask yourself is why the PCs would want to be here, or how they end up here. Maybe:

*They find an ancient treasure map showing the island and something about a diamond the size of a man's head...

*Or maybe their ship is caught in a storm and wrecks on the coast near the first NPC tribe...

*Anything you can think of that might capture the interests of the PCs.

Wooohoooo!!!!

BAM! Just add PCs.

Sound like a lot of work? Sure is. Some of it goes quickly, some takes more time. After a while you learn you can "wing" certain things, and if you're organized use NPC stats from one adventure for others... This works well for things like common warriors and people... This cuts down on a lot of the work.

But after all is said and done it's fun to watch the PCs as they explore this thing you've created. And if you've taken eh time to get together all of that info you can be ready for just about ANYTHING the PCs decide to do.

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask any other questions if something is unclear!

{edited some speeeeeling mistakes and UBB code stuff}

 

[Puskara]

Thank you

Thanks to everyone who responded! There is a lot of great advice here and I am going to try to apply it to some of my ideas. I do hope to have the first adventure or two set up and then once we create characters I will make adjustments if necessary.

Perhaps Once I get them fleshed out a bit I will post them on the appropriate board to get comments.

Thanks again for all the great help!


Puskara

 

[Cithindril]

Small problem with that: what if you're a beginning DM--as in, the adventure hasn't begun? You need an initial adventure to run for the players, right? Well, they haven't rolled up PCs yet. What if you're not even sure you have all the players in your group yet? (I'm experiencing this now.) Even before you get a group together, you need to have an idea of what type of adventure you're going to run, correct? (I'm asking this in sincerity, not just to be sarcastic or snide.)

Maybe a difference in style. I usually start with a general adventure concept and starting location and then poll my players as to what they would like to play (I do this off-line with each one to avoid wasting the group's time). We actually spend a healthy amount of time working up each character concept about a week or so before we plan to begin.

After I have a good feel for what I have to work with, then I sit down to write the actual adventure.

This may not work for everyone, but it's been a positive in my game and I think it encourages better character development/portrayal. Just my 2 cents.

PEACE!

 

[Wraith Form]

Thanks to everyone who responded! There is a lot of great advice here and I am going to try to apply it to some of my ideas. I do hope to have the first adventure or two set up and then once we create characters I will make adjustments if necessary.

Perhaps Once I get them fleshed out a bit I will post them on the appropriate board to get comments.

Thanks again for all the great help!


Puskara

I'd like to echo the THANK YOU to everyone. Very helpful! Cheers!

Scribble--that was useful, thanks. I think I'm "overthinking" things with some of my plots--your post shows me that I can keep it simple without detracting from a cool plot.