Ideas for short adventure.

[RealMarkP]

If this is in the wrong section of the boards, I apologize.

Designed for a group of level 5 characters, I would like to get ideas for a new adventure. I recently watched Rat Race, with John Cleese, and though about designing an adventure with a similar theme.


Basic High-level overview:
The rich and powerful nobles have become restless and bored with the lack of anything to do so they have commissioned a festival for their own amusement. With a promise of wealth/authority/prestige/women, many participants have made a trek to [Generic Town] and signed up at a chance of fame. Of those that signed up are the players.

To keep things interesting, the festival organizer will "randomly" put groups together. Your players are placed into a group and told they must complete this 'Rat Race' in order to win. The first group to complete it will gain fame and fortune alike.

The race will be a simple smash-and-grab adventure where the players are required to traverse through an array of terrain and into an ancient temple, dedicated to the god of [evil, spiders, dead, etc]. The item that they must retrieve is a [something old, large, heavy and ridiculous, like a throne] which, as lore has it, may be cursed.

The players are given nothing from the festival organizer and must fend for themselves. It would be wise to assume that the other groups will do anything to gain a lead over their rivals, including sabotage and murder. The race itself is fairly linear, but the route that the group must take has many options. Their path can take them through forests, over water, into/around/over mountains, etc.


Ideas:
- The DM will need to design several NPC groups. Perhaps the organizer "randomly" puts together a group of young nobles that "seem" to know each other. Perhaps another group many not have a problem with theft, cheating, and backstabbing.
- Since the item is cursed, anything to impede the players would allow other groups to potentially steal the item.
- Perhaps the item radiates an Antimagic Field, negating any attempt by the group to magically speed up their quest.


What I ask of you:
- What should the item be?
- What type of terrain should the players encounter or what type of non-linear routes can the players take? As an example, they have the choice of taking a long route around/over top a mountain, or take the shorter and riskier route through a long forgotten Dwarven city inside the mountain (a la, Lord of the Rings).
- What type of encounters could you suggest?
- What type of groups would you (as the DM) create to compete with the players?
- What restrictions could you add to this adventure that would prevent things like teleportation, etc?

[Unusual Muse]

- What type of groups would you (as the DM) create to compete with the players?

This sounds like a lot of fun!

It could be cool to put together one group that is the archetypal "balanced" party, perhaps going so far as to make them roughly analogous to the PCs so that they have a good set of arch-rivals (OotS vs. Linear Guild?:smallsmile:).

Then, to keep your story unique and flavorful, it seems likely there would be groups that assemble around a particular specialty or theme, like a Thieves' Guild teaming up to go after it, so in that case you'd have an uber-stealth group of rogues, ninjas, scouts, etc. And of course, the arcane contingent (a bumbling assemblage of apprentices could be fun!) and the divine contingent, etc. etc. etc.

[Solaris]

And of course, the arcane contingent (a bumbling assemblage of apprentices could be fun!)

The Big Bang Theory guys.


and the divine contingent, etc. etc. etc.

Nobody expects that anymore!

[Unusual Muse]

Nobody expects that anymore!

Nice! :smallbiggrin:

[RealMarkP]

This sounds like a lot of fun!
Yes. And the more I think about this adventure, the more it needs to become a reality.


It could be cool to put together one group that is the archetypal "balanced" party, perhaps going so far as to make them roughly analogous to the PCs so that they have a good set of arch-rivals (OotS vs. Linear Guild?:smallsmile:).
This is what spawned the idea in the first place. I wanted my players to have an analogous group of NPCs that have a smug (I'm better than thou) attitude. At any point where the players get stuck in a particular situation or whenever they barely scrape through an encounter, these NPCs will ride by and taunt/laugh at the players. This guy (http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/_img/chars/char_48369.jpg) was my inspiration. Oooohhh Wernstrom!!

I'm thinking of using Faerun as the setting since it has a large array of different terrain types that I could potentially expose the players to.



The Big Bang Theory guys.
Good idea. I could quote mine from the show, modify to be jokes about Arcana instead of physics.....

[Saito Takuji]

one way to prevent teleporting could be some form of permanant dimensional anchor, tho that would limit using thos things in regards to comabt effectiveness, you could also have required checkpoints in some way shape or form, required items that have to be gotten, and used in speciffic areas. another idea is to create an epic spell to have teleporation wildly inacurate, even if its teleport without error.

terrain, all sorts of hazardous and nigh impassable terrains, jungles, swamps deserts, frigid tundras, mountianous, mabey a foray into the under-dark even.

encounters could be a mix, encounters with other parties, indigenous monsters to the area the parties are going thru would be quite simple, a few dragons here and there would be neat. need at least one encounter with

for the item, have the descripton be somewhat vague, for example if it was a collosal ruby, say a red gem, actually the collosal gem(of any kind) might be cool, also a good idea to hook it into another adventure, make the nobles want the item for some sinister purpose later down the road

another idea to set this up, would be hard to co-oridinate properly would be run with a few different groups as PC's so you can have PC's fight, but then again that would be somewhat of a nightmare to figure out how to work right

would be funny to see a party of all bards based off of some real world band

[Kol Korran]

What I ask of you:
- What should the item be?
a few ideas:
- some sort of an orb/ whatever that once it is loosed from the temple, suddenly radiates a great light and makes a great chorus (it's a holt object of the celestial realms). the thing DRAWS attention. good luck trying to hide it now!

- the object is a chain holding up some devil/ demon in place. (the party are told this fiend guards the mystery item, not what it is), that suddenly whips about and splices into several chains, locking the group to each other. they magical chains cannot be unlocked. oh, one of the nobles have the key?

- or... perhaps the item is the statue of some fiend/ gremlin/ some kind of another annoying little creature that bugs and harass the party all the way back? it tries to ride them, breaks their stuff, demands to go certain routes and so on. if they piss him off, it may attract other groups, or try to run away! babysitting anyone?



- What type of terrain should the players encounter or what type of non-linear routes can the players take? As an example, they have the choice of taking a long route around/over top a mountain, or take the shorter and riskier route through a long forgotten Dwarven city inside the mountain (a la, Lord of the Rings).
hhmmmm.... some possibilities:
1) Swamp that has possible different trails in it. the most direct route is through the grounds of some lizardmen, another through the lands of hydra nd other nasties. if you can persuade the rual elves at the west they might let you ride their giant eagles, and the marsh halflings at the edge of the swamp are known to find the stealthiest routes through. but people speak of aa terrible price. they practice something people call... voodoo?

2) passing a great rushing river: the party might try to find the easiest place to swim, make a boat, hire a ferry (that may demans a great price) or cross one of the 3 bridges, which may be excellent spots for an ambust.

3) the desert: they can hire a guide and travel the harsh environment, or join a more secure but slower caravan route. some say the Djinn in the temple control some magical portals of the old kingdom, and hey- you may try to convince one of those free men to summon you a worm?


- What type of encounters could you suggest?

this is a bit too general for me at this point. i'll suggest particulars when i get to it..


- What type of groups would you (as the DM) create to compete with the players?
This highly depends on the players and characters. i'd suggest to avoid from "class themed" groups (since a wizard group would wipe the floor with a monk group) and try to design group on the following principals:
- group interactions: one work like a well unified team, one is in the fear of their lives of a prominent figure, one can't decide well what to do, one is utterly ruthless, one is sneaky and cannot be seen and so on.
- strength and weakness: what they excel at, and what they fumble at, which your party might take advantage of.

i suggest applying this article (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=170628&highlight=dust+villain+making) (with alterations) to the groups, and possibly their leaders.



- What restrictions could you add to this adventure that would prevent things like teleportation, etc?

first of all the level. i'd start at around level 5. if you wish a higher level the rat race could have magical trinkets (bracelets?) that prevents teleportation, perhaps over land travel though i'd allow scrying on other groups- make it more interesting. key locations (like the temple itself) might prohibit all kind of "non fun" magics. the item the party carries back might do the same.

[Unusual Muse]

would be funny to see a party of all bards based off of some real world band

Especially if that band was Dethklok. :smallamused:

[RealMarkP]

Especially if that band was Dethklok. :smallamused:
YES!! Two of my players are into heavy metal. This should amuse them.


terrain, all sorts of hazardous and nigh impassable terrains, jungles, swamps deserts, frigid tundras, mountianous, mabey a foray into the under-dark even.
These are great ideas, and keep them coming. The more specific the better. I'm starting to slowly narrow down the types of terrains I'd like the players to encounter. I don't think the adventure would span continents (or even a great distance) or go from varying climates such as a desert into a winter tundra. I'm leaning towards keeping the terrain temperate (for the most part) on the surface, cold and snowy on the mountain tops, dark and hot underground (lava?), and swampy towards the area with the ziggurats. I'm toying with adding multiple 'fake ziggurats', that are relics from an ancient civilization of Lizardmen that ruled the land ages ago. That should confuse the players.

I drew up a very rudimentary map and thought about the political climate of the land. It would be interesting to have two neighboring kingdoms, separated by a mountain range. The two kings feud and are never closer than an awkward stare across the room. For the path that leads through checkpoints and towns, bribes or clever role playing will be needed to get passed security check points and guard towers. Players could risk being detained for random searches. Your thoughts on expanding this topic?


This highly depends on the players and characters. i'd suggest to avoid from "class themed" groups.
If I was to add class themed groups, they would have disadvantages to them, no doubt. As an example, the 'wizard group' (aka. Big Bang Theory guys) might abhor martial combat. At the first sign of any damage, such as breaking a nail, they might run away screaming. I would think that the class-themed guys would be more for comic relief than anything. The other groups, such as the arch-rivals idea Unusual Muse mentioned, would offer the bulk of the resistance to the players. Also, thanks for that link.

[weenie]

Instead of the groups beeing comletely random people could have the options of selecting their teammates, or if they don't know anyone, be grouped up whit someone, that way it would be easier to have "themed" groups. Otherwise it's a great premise, hope you have fun! :smallsmile: