Game Suggestion

[Major]

Alright, so I'm running a D&D game tomorrow. This group mostly formed in order to both hang out and teach some new players how to play. As such the group isn't highly optimized, but they have lots of fun roleplaying and learning the system.

Now then, I had a game idea in mind but due to certain players being unable to make it (*coughagaincough*) I need help coming up with a filler idea.

To sum up the party they have a

-Half-dragon Beguiler 1/Rogue 1 (don't ask...they knew it would hinder them, but the backstory and roleplaying appealed to them)
-Warlock 2
-Swashbuckler 2
-Dragon Shaman 2

In my world, magic is illegal and the tyrannical government is trying to kill all mages for "safety." Backstory is a giant mage war caused massive damage and with magic running amok and destroying things left in right in the cross-fire people began to fear mages. As such the government formed to crack down and "help the everyday person." So this government rose to power.

I have two groups, the anti-government and the pro-government. They don't do PVP nor do they directly clash or meet. However, each side will here about any major effects. (Example, recently the pro-government players destroyed an entire town that was harboring a mage and killed almost everyone to get to the mage. The anti-government heard about government agents destroying and killing an entire city. Blah blah.)

Point remains, I need to give these players an adventure for the day and the short notice of players vanishing left my current plans on hold.

Pretty simple, its a rebel group trying to stop this evil government because the ends don't justify the means (in this groups mind).

Anyways, thanks everyone for any help. (including what kinda monsters to sick on them, etc.)

[tuesdayscoming]

I take it this isn't the first session, right? Could you provide a bit more detail on what the party has been doing up until this point? Would help in keeping suggestions thematically relevant.

[Major]

It would be the second session. So far the only ones who have played are the beguiler/rogue, the warlock, and the swashbuckler. This is the Dragon Shaman's first session.

In the first session the beguiler/rogue and warlock were part of the resistance and were defending a town against government agents while the towns people escaped. During the battle, the swashbuckler (a drunk, womanizing, egotistical, smart ass) joined the battle in an attempt to show off to a female bartender.

During the battle, the beguiler/rogue and warlock were knocked out (failed saving throws against poison) but the swashbuckler finished off the survivors. Another member of the Resistance saw how good the swashbuckler fought and tried to recruit the swashbuckler to join. After a long bit of talking, they convinced the swashbuckler when the swashbuckler heard that the resistance was using the Red Light District as their base.

(Another player who hasn't joined yet runs the Red Light District and uses her influence to hide and help the resistance.)

As such the swashbuckler, rogue/beguiler, and warlock all headed back to the Red Light District to report on their success and get their next mission.

Edit: Originally this mission was going to be jail breaking the favored soul out of prison before her execution and introducing that player and the Red Light District boss player as well. But neither could make it...

[slaydemons]

In my world, magic is illegal and the tyrannical government is trying to kill all mages for "safety." Backstory is a giant mage war caused massive damage and with magic running amok and destroying things left in right in the cross-fire people began to fear mages. As such the government formed to crack down and "help the everyday person." So this government rose to power.

I have two groups, the anti-government and the pro-government. They don't do PVP nor do they directly clash or meet. However, each side will here about any major effects. (Example, recently the pro-government players destroyed an entire town that was harboring a mage and killed almost everyone to get to the mage. The anti-government heard about government agents destroying and killing an entire city. Blah blah.)

Point remains, I need to give these players an adventure for the day and the short notice of players vanishing left my current plans on hold.

Pretty simple, its a rebel group trying to stop this evil government because the ends don't justify the means (in this groups mind).

Anyways, thanks everyone for any help. (including what kinda monsters to sick on them, etc.)

I am both happy and upset at this statement but that is besides the point this is what you need (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/oa/20030530b&page=1)

[Major]

Hmmmm...I'll glance at a few of those adventures to see if they can fit or if I can refluff and make them usable.

[Dreadn4ught]

Rescue missions are always nice. Have the anti-government PCs need to bust an important person of their group. that was captured and was to be executed at dawn. Something surprising could happen during the mission, perhaps the prisoner turns out to be a double agent (maybe one of the pro-government PCs?).

EDIT: LOL triple ninja'd

[Major]

Well, actually a pro-government player who missed his game did want to play so that is an option. I just don't want to sick any PVP on the people so early.

Plus the next game where the favored soul shows up will be rescue, thus why I'm a bit hesitant to do a jailbreak mission when the next one is going to be.

Edit: Thanks, a couple of those adventures are very useful. I don't normally like adventures, but my day was really busy thus why I had planned it ahead of time. I could wing it (I did the first game when I was caught off guard by half the players planning a game then bugging me that day >.> ), but I don't want to wing too many games.

[Chilingsworth]

Another option:

So, your group was expecting to rescue someone? Ok, they learn that the prisioner has just been moved. Now, they have to spend time learning her new location, and then recon the place before they can break her out. Maybe she was moved (and her execution delayed) because the government thought she had some potentially useful information? Then she was moved to a specialized interrogation facility.

Also, about your setting: Does the government use magic of any kind? And, is it just arcane magic that's outlawed? What about divine magic? Psionics? Binding, Truenaming, and Incarnum? Martial Adepts?

[Major]

Most magic is banned, some are forced to either work for the government or death. Healers are the only non-illegal mage due to their inability to cast harmful magic. Clerics are registered, you either work for the government or you die. One slip up, and you die.

Truenamers and Binders I've actually not addressed due to the new people staying away from them. Psionics I've actually never introduced into my games because I've not had time to read how they work.

Actually, I ended up forming an idea by reading various adventures and refluffing and changing them a bunch to fit my campaign. However I did need a reason for them to be traveling to where they were going...Heading to rescue the prisoner actually works.

Thanks for that idea.

[Kol Korran]

another idea: the Group's superior in the resistance lets them know that theere might be some way to find refuge for mages, but they need to gain the cooperation of a certain group. this could be:
- a band of traveling gypsies, that can use magical ways to move around the country/ world without hindrance (the gypsies may have secrets of their own to consider however)
- a sort of a cult that had been living under the goverments noses for a long time, using anti divination magic, safe houses and good old subtlety. they may accept mages, IF they will lenc their power to the cult's cause...
- a similar idea- some pirates that have a safe island the goverment haven't found. they'd like the mages to create magical doo hikies for them.

and so on...

the party is required to investiage the group, deal with them, learn about them, and perhaps do a service for them to gain trust. what that may be i leave to your imagination.

i hope this helped,
Kol.

[Z3ro]

Here's an idea for you that wouldn't actually take that much work. If the party is an anti-government faction with a hideout, have the authorities raid the hideout. Scatter the rebels and have them form a new hideout. This has the advantage of having as much or as little combat as you want, in addition to changing the story and your previous prep almost none. You simply change "red light district" to whatever the group ends up using to hide.