Yes I've been over there, but I need a really basic scenario, one that would take about an hour to finish. I figured I could do that easy enough.
Have to get the rules all sorted before I take the players (a nine year old and 45 year old - such the awesomeness of roleplay!) on 'Sleeping Gods'.
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[EDIT]
Thought someone may find these two 'adventure design' things' handy:
Here is a common structure found in many stories, illustrated by examples from Tolkein's 'Lord of the Rings' (and Star Wars apparently).
1. Initial harmony [Stasis]
The initial state is one of general everyday happiness or humdrum. Nothing unusual is happening and the normality allows the reader to associate into leading characters.
The setting may be pretty much anywhere or any time, from family life in the 1950s to a military base on Mars in the 22nd century.
In Lord of the Rings, the Shire is portrayed as a happy and harmonious agrarian place, with beer and fireworks at Bilbo's birthday party.
2. Harmony disturbed [Trigger]
Once established, harmony is fractured in some way, creating a tension that forms the basis for the story. There are many ways that harmony can be disturbed, including:
• An attractive other person is seen
• A relationship is broken up
• A crime is committed (from murder to fraud)
• An opportunity appears
• A natural disaster happens or is threatened
• A war breaks out
• A terrorist incident occurs
In the Lord of the Rings, Bilbo gives the ring to Frodo, Gandalf warns of danger and the Black Riders appear.
3. Hero is found
The disturbance of harmony leads to much machinations and fretting as people run around 'like headless chickens', seeking help from any quarter. The arrival of the hero is thus greeted with much relief.
The hero can come from a number of sources, including:
• The police, military or other official organization
• An outsider who mysteriously appears
• An insider who steps up to the plate
• The person most affected by the disturbance or some friend or relative
The hero may be a single person or it may be comprised of a group of people. In a group, all the attributes of heroism may be divided amongst various individuals.
In Lord of the Rings, although Frodo is the main hero who must complete the quest, the 'fellowship of the ring' has several other strong characters who support this ultimate goal.
4. The quest [Quest]
The hero adopts or is given a quest, the goal of which is generally to restore order and harmony. This can include:
• Restoring something that was stolen
• Winning the heart of another
• Rescuing those who are lost, taken or at risk
• Capturing or vanquishing a criminal
• Conquering an opposing force
• Finding something new, from knowledge to artefacts
There can be multiple quests, particularly if there is a group of people involved, although there is often still only one main quest and other activities may well be steps along the way.
In Lord of the Rings the main quest was to take the ring to Mount Doom and thence defeat Sauron. Other quests by the party include rescuing Merry and Pippin and defending Helm's Deep.
5. The trials
Along the way, the hero may have to face a number of tests or trials. These form episodes in the story and can be used to extend the story almost infinitely. Trials include:
• Battling with enemies
• Enduring hardship
• Solving puzzles
• Finding hidden things
• Demonstrating skill
• Showing integrity
These may be combined, for example in a car chase, the hero may be demonstrating driving skill whilst battling with enemies in other cars, enduring the hardship of crashes and showing integrity in not harming bystanders.
Trials prove the character of the hero, as well as all others involved. It is through hardship that the strong, weak and evil are shown for what they are.
The story may be one long, exhausting stream of trials, although it these may also be separated by periods of respite.
In Lord of the Rings many characters are tried and some fail, such as Boromir (although he redeems himself in self-sacrifice). Other trials include getting through the mines of Moria, the defeat of Shelob and persuading the Rohirrim to join the quest. Respites include time with the elves in Rivendell and Lothlorien.
6. Harmony re-established [Resolution]
Eventually, the problem is solved and the story comes full circle to a restored or new harmony. All outstanding tensions are resolved,
The hero is celebrated and rewarded, for example with the hand of a beautiful woman. In darker stories, the fallen are remembered.
The ending of the story may come immediately with solving with the quest. Endings may also be longer, with reparation of things wronged and a search for final harmony.
Lord of the Rings has a long ending, including the final end of the restoration of the Shire and the journey to the ship that takes heroes to the Undying Lands.
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And (more literary in form but just as useful):
1. Stasis
Normal everyday ordinary circumstances. Conflict may occur but it is essentially a day like any other.
2. Trigger
The ordinary is interrupted by an extraordinary event(s) beyond the control of the protagonist; it may be huge, tiny, unpleasant or pleasant. Here the characters really come alive.
3. Quest
That forces the protagonist to seek something out. The quest may change throughout the novel. But if it does, current/future quest(s) should always incorporate past quests, raising the stakes all the time.
a. Surprise *
But things don’t go according to plan. Surprises can be pleasant as well as unpleasant; can involve internal (character) conflict or external (environment) conflict, but the surprise must be both unexpected (reader must be genuinely surprised) and plausible (believable).
b. Choice *
So the protagonist has to make a difficult choice, even if it’s a choice to do nothing. The character must be responsible for his actions.
c. Climax *
The critical decision made manifest, which results in some type of closure - which may be good or bad. Remember, events are only interesting if they profoundly involve the human protagonists.
4. Reversal
A change from one state of affairs to its opposite, which should develop out of the very structure of the plot. If there is no reversal, the question is asked, is there a purpose to the climax other than spectacle (action for the sake of action)? The protagonist is somehow changed by these events. The reversal should be inevitable (but not predictable) and probable.
5. Resolution
And things turn back to a semblance of normality, a ‘fresh’ stasis.
* Surprise, choice and climax can occur multiple times throughout the story; all must be somehow consistent with the main theme, and all the time leading up to the final main climax.
