Adventure #203

Theme

Goal

Story Hook

Plot

Climax

General Setting

Specific Setting
I

Specific Setting
II

Master Villain

Minor Villain I

Minor Villain II

Ally/Neutral

Monster
Encounter

Romance
This sort of adventure (rarely played, but worthwhile anyway) has as its central plot the romance between two
characters, usually a player-character and an NPC.
Escape
Early in the adventure, the heroes are captured. The remainder of the adventure consists of them learning enough so
that they can escape. They have to get to know their fellow prisoners, learn the prison's routine, inventory their
possessions, acquire other possessions they need, plan an escape, and execute it.
Legend and Rumor
In this classic story hook, the hero stumbles across some new or long-forgotten knowledge that promises great
treasure or gain.
Geographic Progression
This is the simplest sort of adventure plot. The heroes have an area to investigate or travel through; they have
encounters based on where they are. For instance, the traditional dungeon, where monsters are tied to specific rooms
or areas. Or, if the heroes are travelling along a narrow valley or through an enchanted forest, they might suffer
ambushes and other encounters fixed to various points along their travel plan. The plot, then, is getting to the villain
by surviving the intervening obstacle encounters.
Chase to Ground
First, you have the Heroes Chasing the Villain. The villain, after a series of encounters with the heroes, is running to
safety, to some place where he can acquire more power, or to somehwere he can accomplish some dread purpose
such as assassination or mass murder. The heroes chase him, have to deal with the obstacles he leaves behind, and
finally catch up to him before or just as he reaches his goal. Here, we have the final duel between the villains forces
and the heroes. Second, you have the Villain Chasing the Heroes. Often, in a story like this, the heroes have found
out how to defeat the villain -- such as getting to a particular temple and conducting a particular ritual. The villain
chases them all through their quest, catching up to them just as they're commenciing their ritual; they must, with
heroic effort, conclude the ritual while suffering his attacks. Third, you have the Master Villain's Sudden Escape
Attempt. This takes place in adventures where the Master Villain's identity is unknown until the end. His identity is
revealed and he makes a sudden bolt for freedom; the heroes give chase. This usually results in a dangerous footchase through nasty terrain -- such as across rooftops, through the dungeons, or across an active battlefield.
Exotic Distant Land
The adventure will take the heroes to some fascinating and exotic distant country, where they'll have to cope with
new customs, monsters unfamiliar to them, and very colorful NPC encounters; choose one of the more fascinating
foreign lands from your campaign world.
Demi-human Community
In wilderness areas, this will be a large community of demi-humans -- elves, dwarves, halflings, whatever -- or
intelligent nonhumans such as orcs. If your action is taking place in a city, this could be a hidden community (such
as a secret underground dwarf community) or a section of the city inhabited mostly by demi-humans.
Laboratory
This can be alchemical lab of a friendly wizard, or the horrible experimental chamber of the villain where new
monsters are created and relased upon the world.
Zealot
This villain is like the Conqueror, but he's not trying to conquer to own; he's trying to purge the world of something
he feels is pure evil (another religion, a human, demi-human, or nonhuman race of sentient beings, a custom). He
operates just like the Conqueror, enslaving or killing all those who belong to the "wrong" race or philosophy.
Moronic Muscleman
This fellow is a huge, powerful monster of a fighter. His job is to smash anything the villain tells him to smash. He
does that very well, but don't ask him to do any thinking; he has no time for such brainy stuff.
Lovable Rogue
This character is like the Master Villain of the same name, except that he has no minions of his own and serves at
someone else's bidding. However, he's very independent, not always working in his employer's best interests; he
often makes fun of the Master Villain's pretensions and may suffer that villain's retaliation because of it.
Hero Worshipper
Some youth -- an urchin, a brother or sister of one of the heroes, or a child run away from home -- hooks up with the
heroes, following them wherever they go, being admiring, talking to everyone (neutrals and villains included) about
how wonderful and powerful the heroes are.
Beast Amok
Some time when the heroes are in a village or city, an animal, probably an otherwise tame or captured beast, is set
loose by the villain's minions or driven mad by the Master Villain. The beast goes berserk in the crowds; if the
heroes aren't inclined to capture or kill it, it goes after them.

Thief
At some point in their adventure, the heroes have a run-in with thieves.
Avalanche
This is an outdoors trap. Some time when the heroes are in a narrow canyon or gorge, or are on a snow-covered
Deathtrap
mountain, their enemies can arrange to dump an avalanche upon them (rocks and boulders in the first instance, snow
in the second).
Water
Don't forget the water chase: Whether it's a battle of seamanship between naval vessels, a chase of rafts toward the
Chase
inevitable waterfall ahead, a contest of canoeing ability, or a chase between the villain and his giant shark vs. the
heroes and their dolphin friends, the water chase can be a distinctive and dramatic one.
Hero Fulfills Prophecy
Omen/Prophesy This is the most useful sort of prophecy. In the early part of the adventure, one of the heroes discovers that he fulfills
some ancient prophecy.
Element
The Master Villain can be banished, dispelled, killed, or otherwise defeated by some of element or item. The Master
Secret Weakness Villain tries to get rid of all the examples of this element in his vicinity; he doesn't let his minions carry it or bring it
into his presence. But he's not stupid; he doesn't announce to the world what his weakness is. He tries to hide his
concern within another command. If he's allergic to red roses, for instance, he orders all "things of beauty" destroyed
within miles of his abode.
Magic Doesn't Work Right
Special
If the adventure is taking place on an alternate plane, then that plane's magic works oddly or not at all. (A spellcaster
Condition
will find that just making himself useful is a challenge when none of his spells works.)
Respect Quandry
This is much like the Ally Quandry, only at a greater distance. The heroes have been utilizing the aid of two (or
Moral Quandry more) powerful NPC allies. Now, in the course of the adventure, the heroes come across a task which can be
accomplished in one of two ways -- say, through military intervention or by esoteric magic. The problem is, the
NPC allies are arguing for different choices, and the one whom the heores choose against will no longer aid them.
Lying Rumor
Red Herring This is the worst and most useful type of red herring -- the interesting rumor which just happens to be false. In
adventures of this sort, the best Lying Rumor concerns the Master Villain; it gives the heroes some "important"
information about him which later turns out to be useless.
NPC Turns Traitor
Cruel Trick He may alert he enemy when the heroes are planning a raid; he may steal the artifact and take it to the villain; he
may stab a hero or important NPC in the back (literally) before departing.
Character
Encounter