Adventure Seeds

[Bombaatu]

Hello, all. I came up with a few adventure seeds - notes to jog my imagination later - and thought I would share. If anyone else has some they'd like to post as well, let us pick your brains!

* The players are walking down a city street late one night when an old man comes stumbling out of an alley towards them, collapsing in one of the player’s arms. He is obviously frightened and a dagger is sticking out of his back. He is clutching a map which he thrusts at the player. He says “Ruby… FIST… Beware the…. flames…“, then collapses dead. From out of the alley comes a gang of toughs – roll initiative… (Arenjun, Shadizar or Zamboula works well for this)

* It’s been 3 days since the party’s caravan was ambushed by brigands – three days of wandering in the desert, wounded, sun-baked, watching their water supplies dwindle – when they feel the wind pick up behind them. Turning, they see a wall of sand heading their way. However, in the other direction, they catch a gleam of sunlight reflecting off something. Could it be salvation… or Death?

* A rich (and politically well-connected) merchant approaches the characters, seeking to hire them for a job of “particular delicacy”. While discussing it with them, he suddenly keels over – poisoned! Can Our Heroes escape his bodyguards and evade the merchant’s allies while they seek the real killer and clear their name?

* A feminine scream splits the night, punctuated by an angry male voice that screams “Foul Sorceress! Die!!” Hopefully, this isn’t something that Our Heroes will tolerate and they rush to her aide. In the chamber, they find a captain of the city guard about to filet a cringing, terrified woman of astounding beauty. Battle ensues and the guard captain is defeated. However, unbeknownst to the players, the assailant was correct – she is a sorceress, and a foully evil one to boot! (Is there any other kind?) And now, she has a powerful group of defenders – they should do nicely for the sacrifice…

 

[Samvail1]

I like your ideas Bombaatu.

Here is my first idea for getting a diverse group of heroes together.

The heroes are shaken awake, pounding hangovers and dry mouthes testify to the amount of alcohol and Lotus leaf that was bought for them by a mysterious stranger last night. The heroes find they are chained together, weaponless and in need of water. They have become captives and are about to cross the desert to a life of slavery. The heroes attempt to open the manacles, "Not today my friends", says last nights mysterious benefactor. A smile creeps accross the toothless mouth of the slaver as he brandishes the only key to the locks, hanging from a cord around his neck.

The slaver kicks his camel into life and proceeds to drag the heroes South. A couple of miles into the journey, the slaver is rudely interupted from his thoughts by a giant bird/monster which swoops down and plucks him from his camel. The bird/monster flaps away to a nearby peak. The camel, once it has been re-captured, holds the heroes weapons and equipment but no spare keys. Ten minutes of fruitless smashing fails to open the sturdy iron lock.

The heroes need to make their way to the nearby peak, still chained together, and locate the remains of the slaver and the only key.

So that should start a diverse group working together as a team.

Sam

 

[Anonymous]

* A feminine scream splits the night, punctuated by an angry male voice that screams “Foul Sorceress! Die!!” Hopefully, this isn’t something that Our Heroes will tolerate and they rush to her aide. In the chamber, they find a captain of the city guard about to filet a cringing, terrified woman of astounding beauty. …

I see nearly as less reason why the PCs should do this, as they would in a WFRPG campaign.

The bird/monster flaps away to a nearby peak. The camel, once it has been re-captured, holds the heroes weapons and equipment but no spare keys. Ten minutes of fruitless smashing fails to open the sturdy iron lock.

The heroes need to make their way to the nearby peak, still chained together, and locate the remains of the slaver and the only key.

So that should start a diverse group working together as a team.

Sam

One Axe, or even a good sword should be enough to smash the chains, or even the manacles itself if the PCs want to risk ist.

 

[Sword-dancer]

Guest was I

 

[Outlaw]

I like your ideas Bombaatu.

The heroes are shaken awake, pounding hangovers and dry mouthes testify to the amount of alcohol and Lotus leaf that was bought for them by a mysterious stranger last night.

This assumes three things: every PC drinks; every PC is willing to use lotus leaf/powder/juice; every PC is willing to accept these things from a stranger.

Although it's likely that you'll get at least half the group to accept this in a Conan setting (as drinking and debauchery is expected after a hard days battle), it's unlikely you'll get all of them.

Why? Because when you accept such things from strangers, you have a tendency to wake up, groggy, weaponless and chained together.

 

[Samvail1]

One Axe, or even a good sword should be enough to smash the chains, or even the manacles itself if the PCs want to risk ist.

Oh yes? Not with Conan's new rules on weapon damage. I was a playtester for Conan so I have a familiarity with some of the new rules.

Conan games are going to be much more episodic than most regular D&D stuff. For instance, half of your wealth disappears between adventures. It assumes you live the high life for a while. This is why it is much better to drop your characters into an already active situation, much like the old d6 Star Wars had a script element to get characters into action.

My feelings were that drinks could be 'spiked' quite easily, even water. So no problems there. And since they were going to be 1st level and had not yet met, this was just a one off situation to get them together.

So what ideas does Outlaw have for getting a diverse group of heroes to work together?

Sam

 

[Red Tulwar]

There are ways around the My-character-won't-drink-the-nasty-poison-in-the-ale-mug-to-kick-off-the-adventure problem. Here are a few suggestions:

1. The PCs could have their food poisoned. Not all characters will drink (except in my campaign! :wink: ), but all of them have to eat.

2. The bad guy could be a former friend (or someone posing to be a friend) that the PCs trust implicitly. Heck, the modest innkeeper/food preparer could be in league with the slaver.

3. The intoxicant could be a contact poison. Smeared on a chair, a book, or even the glove of someone who wants to shake their heroic hands.

Just wanted to offer those up for fun. :wink:

In my experience (at least with my players), the PCs are usually fine with beginning a scenario enslaved, drugged, ship-wrecked, down-in-the-dumps, etc. They're here for the role-playing experience and the thrill of overcoming whatever I throw at them.

 

[Sword-dancer]

One Axe, or even a good sword should be enough to smash the chains, or even the manacles itself if the PCs want to risk ist.

Oh yes? Not with Conan's new rules on weapon damage. I was a playtester for Conan so I have a familiarity with some of the new rules.

Sam

I expected that chains of iron or un/mild- hardenend Steel would be at a strong disadavantage against a good waraxe.
OTOH i don`t use regularly locks on manacles, i use usually a bolt of hammered iron(don`t know how to translate it really in English) because locks need a very skilled craftsman.

For instance, half of your wealth disappears between adventures. It assumes you live the high life for a while.

Thiese are the kind of rules i usually avoid like the plague.
What reason was it for those to be made ?

 

[Red Tulwar]

Thiese are the kind of rules i usually avoid like the plague.
What reason was it for those to be made ?

I suspect they were developed with the Conan stories in mind. In the original stories Conan never (except when he usurped the throne of Aquilonia) hoarded wealth. It was always assumed he blew it on wenches, drink, and misadventure.

 

[Samvail1]

[/quote] Thiese are the kind of rules i usually avoid like the plague.
What reason was it for those to be made ?[/quote]

This is the rule of High Living, and is of course, optional.

High Living
It is in the nature of adventurers to spend money like water whenever they have it. Folk who regularly risk their lives in the hope of gaining unimaginable wealth live for today, spending their gains on gambling, good company, expensive food, fine wines and spirits in enormous quantity, and even more frivolous pursuits. The Games Master should feel free to enforce the High Living rule whenever characters have a large quantity of cash and no definite plans for spending it:

Every week, all characters will spend a minimum of 50% of their current wealth on high living, if that wealth is currently over 50 silver pieces.

This expenditure includes all ordinary living costs such as food and accommodation. The Games Master should also consider granting circumstance bonuses to Gather Information checks made by adventurers who are spending particularly large amounts of cash.

It will be seen that even vast fortunes will rapidly be eaten up by the wastrel nature of every adventurer. Some adventurers may have other things they spend their cash on, but everyone has some vice or vices – otherwise why would they bother adventuring? Even a sorcerer is likely to spend a small fortune on ancient scrolls or other obscure research materials, most of which will prove worthless in the long run.

Sam

 

[Sword-dancer]

Sam[/quote]

High Living
It is in the nature of adventurers to spend money like water whenever they have it. Folk who regularly risk their lives in the hope of gaining unimaginable wealth live for today, spending their gains ... The Games Master should feel free to enforce the High Living rule whenever characters have a large quantity of cash and no definite plans for spending it:....
It will be seen that even vast fortunes will rapidly be eaten up by the wastrel nature of every adventurer.

Solomon Kane the Puritan Chevalier?
Francis Xavier Gordon El Borak?
None of these two were very motivated by riches, but very much by other motives, Justice, Friendship, loyality...
If spendthrift is part of the character, a player will play him so, if not what sense mades it to enforce it?
Railroading and Powermastering are the two very first reasons to leave a GM for me.

Some adventurers may have other things they spend their cash on, otherwise why would they bother adventuring?

I´ve experience with this kind of cliche enforcing play, i started roleplaying with TDE. "Quote from the IIed TDE over Riches
"Experienced Gamers let their Characters get poor, because they are the available for other adventurers, a Trader must then only wink with a few coins ..."

Even a sorcerer is likely to spend a small fortune on ancient scrolls or other obscure research materials,

Reads like the first mage i played. He had brokers/agents with buying orders for Books, Scrolls etc ... :wink:

 

[Jason Durall]

Solomon Kane the Puritan Chevalier?
Francis Xavier Gordon El Borak?
None of these two were very motivated by riches, but very much by other motives, Justice, Friendship, loyality...

Neither of these characters existed in the Hyborian Age, though.

I personally didn't see a problem with the rule - it enforces genre emulation in a nonobtrusive manner. Of course, the nice people at Mongoose have also included the disclaimer "The first and most important rule of Conan the Roleplaying Game is that if you don't like it, change it."

 

[Sword-dancer]

Neither of these characters existed in the Hyborian Age, though.

No, but they are all from REHs writings.
Would a RPG based on REHs Solomon Kane, have rules to enforce all characters to behave puritan?
And would these make the game more interesting.

I personally didn't see a problem with the rule - it enforces genre emulation in a nonobtrusive manner.

To much or to enforced game emulation could end or lead to easily in cliches.

Of course, the nice people at Mongoose have also included the disclaimer "The first and most important rule of Conan the Roleplaying Game is that if you don't like it, change it "

Yes, but they could`ve written the rule of High life in another form.
To often i read that this rule = or 1 is misused(mistakenly) by inexperienced GMs or by Power Wannabes, for if the adventure(read the PCs) don`t go in the way I´ve planned/ is written, want, etc to enforce/railroad it in these direction.

 

[Jason Durall]

No, but they are all from REHs writings.
Would a RPG based on REHs Solomon Kane, have rules to enforce all characters to behave puritan?
And would these make the game more interesting.

Not really an arguable point - the Conan RPG is about the Hyborian Age (not just about one guy) and is set in the sword-and-sorcery genre specifically - and the rule enforces that genre.

To much or to enforced game emulation could end or lead to easily in cliches.

Then it is within your prerogative to ignore the rule and any "enforced" genre emulation (see the Mongoose rule, excerpted in my previous post). Personally, I want the Conan RPG to be structured to make my games resemble the REH stories as much as possible. That's the entirety of what I want out of it, really.

Yes, but they could`ve written the rule of High life in another form.
To often i read that this rule = or 1 is misused(mistakenly) by inexperienced GMs or by Power Wannabes, for if the adventure(read the PCs) don`t go in the way I´ve planned/ is written, want, etc to enforce/railroad it in these direction.

As above, since the rule is clearly ignorable if desired, why are you arguing against it any further? You don't like it? Change it. To criticize it when it specifically supports the style of play the game was designed to emulate seems a bit pointless.

 

[Sword-dancer]

Maybe i read more(or /and wrong) in this sentence that was (meant?) to written.

 

[Outlaw]

So what ideas does Outlaw have for getting a diverse group of heroes to work together?

It's not my job to get a diverse group of people to work together. Sometimes it's unrealistic to assume that any combination of races/classes will fit together. I would restrict characters playing Stygians, but other than that, it's open game. However, after that, if the PCs can't work together, it's up to them to figure out how to make it work.

If there's one problem character and the player is intent on playing it, then you get the "chosen one" or some other mark to make that character important to the rest of the group. But that's a cheesey last resort.

I don't care for taking away the PCs' chances of surviving a given encounter. The last time I tried the "you're knocked out" angle it came through combat and the PCs almost survived because their Paladin kept making his saves. If I really want the PCs to start in the dumps I'll simply tell them I want to start that way and gain their consent. If the group would rather not start this way, I'll go a different route.

 

[Samvail1]

"It's not my job to get a diverse group of people to work together."

Glad I'm not playing in one of your campaigns, Outlaw!

Sam

 

[Outlaw]

"It's not my job to get a diverse group of people to work together."

Glad I'm not playing in one of your campaigns, Outlaw!

Ok. But it's not. Some of the best role playing I've seen comes from the friction between players, the lack of trust and the forging of that trust through life-and-death circumstances. I'm not going to steal all those role playing opportunities from the players just to contrive reasons why they should play together.

I play with adults and as such expect them to resolve their own differences. When they're ready to move on in the adventure, that's my cue.

 

[Samvail1]

Hi Outlaw

What techniques do you use when GMing, when you have 2 new characters whose views are diametrically opposed?

Do you decide before the game to avoid such situations? Do you let the characters get created with the knowledge that there will be friction between them and possibly combat? What happens when 2 player characters fight to the death, do you let it happen?

The opposition of views will be less defined in Conan than in D&D because it lacks an alignment system, favouring an Honour system.

I was just interested in your approach.

Sam

 

[Becket]

I would see a diverse group being a fairly easy to throw together and not in the you wake up in chains, unconcious etc. The Nemedians and the Aquilonians used mercenaries to quite some extent. Barachan pirates were of many and varied races. The pirates of the Vilayet were similar. My idea is the less railroading the better the roleplay. If you start as being associates in the beginning it beats the "you see this <describe your character Bob> standing in the bar.....Bob you see this <describe your character Tina> looking at you...what do you do". Some times adversity should throw people together. In the Star Wars RPG I run..I forced the characters together in a "shipwreck" situation. Pirates attacked their ship and they had to get to the pods to escape. Obviously this cannot be done in Conans time but a variation can be made...a storm destroys their ship and they are stuck in the jungles of Kush together. My GM in a D+D game did a similar situation where we all wake up in a cage..the twist was we were the only humans on the world. Again not easily done in the Conan world but could be adapted... the only group of Northlanders in the fleshpots of the south..ie a group of Aesir,Vanir,and Cimmerians. I would think that Stygians would be difficult to assimilate into a group that contains hyperboreans...to different of cultures. Language barriers etc. Just a few thoughts.
B