Advice for a hook for my new adventure.

[YCombinator]

Hi everyone,

I'm DMing for almost the first time and this will be the first big adventure. I'd like to outline my plan and first session, point out some weak spots, and get advice from anyone interested in how to firm up the plan.

The campaign is based in a city and set around several factions that are all loosely allied or in opposition but might fluctuate. This adventure has no specific big bad and it will be up to the players to decide how to influence the outcome.

The player characters (all level 1): Half-Elf Sorcerer, Half-Orc Bard, unknown race Bard, unknown race Druid, unknown character.

------------------------------
-- Summary
------------------------------
Magic is illegal, drow are attacking the city, the adventurers will need to escape the drow and live in the city under existing rule or change it.

------------------------------
-- First session
------------------------------

Here's the most important part I'd like help on. Drow are in the outskirts of the city and periodically attacking. I want the characters to start in their captivity. (Perhaps even reusing the start of Out of the Abyss) but once they escape will be able to go straight to the city I have created. Once they do, the magic caster will be apprehended and the rest will be offered a chance to help the city for great rewards.

I think escaping the Drow together is good enough to justify the party cohesion and help them continue as a group. I really don't know why they would continue to the city together? I'm thinking perhaps an NPC captive that says "You guys fight well, come to the city and I'll hook you up with the leader and he or she will give you a mission" (in a less cliche way).

Once they are there, they could detect the sorcerer and arrest her. Not sure how the players will react but I'm hoping they will try resist outright, flee, or plan to spring her from jail. I'd rather they not leave her alone to rot :)

I could sure use some better hooks. I realize this is D&D and players will generally give me the benefit of just going along with even a weak hook. But I'd like for them to come out of the escape with the Drow thinking "I know what we all must do, it's this, let's go!" and then when they get there there is a big wrench in the works which is magic is illegal and sorcerers are treated with great fear.

Anyone have any good ideas?

------------------------------
-- Details on the factions
------------------------------

Government: The rulers of the city. These are some elders and royalty that act somewhat like politicians but are not elected. They are mostly acting in the good of all people, have mild amounts of corruption, but also have recently illegalized magic in a pretty big overstep of their power.

The military: Mostly a branch of the government but controlled by a general who might try to enact military rule to gain more power and oust the existing government to which they report and work rather happily with currently. They are much less altruistic than the government and also tend to be brutal and more corrupt. If kept in check by the government they're existence is much more tolerable. They are the only force with the strength to fight off external threats like the Drow bellow.

The Drow: In my world the Drow are a little less their traditional evil selves. They are a little more sympathetic. They have been cast out of the rest of the world of Humans, Dwarves, and Elfs due to racist oppression and they are now attacking the city in retaliation. They are conducting persistent attacks on the city and will attempt all out war. They feel as though the land has been stolen from them.

City Merchants: The wealthy elite of the city. Have pull with the gov. Have been negatively affected by the ban on magic and turned to the black market. They will mostly act in their economic interests and do what is necessary to preserve order. In that way some of them agree with the magic ban.

Zhentarim aka The Black Network (from the DMG)
They have moved into town recently due to black market opportunities.

The Exiled Wizards & The Harpers (from the DMG)
A wizard school was shut down and they are in exile to avoid detention and registration. They believe in peaceful reintegration of magic into the city and are in hiding working out a political plan but are willing to fight when necessary.

Sorcerers in hiding
A ragtag band of innate magic casters. They are much less organized and don't believe that political reintegration will work. They are hiding and fighting for their lives. They will commit attacks on political leaders on occasion.

[Hudsonian]

Ummm.... So the biggest Hole I see in the outline is that all of the known characters are magic users. They would all get arrested. I also see the whole party trying to escape the guards, which would be upsetting to the pretty outline here.

[YCombinator]

Ummm.... So the biggest Hole I see in the outline is that all of the known characters are magic users. They would all get arrested. I also see the whole party trying to escape the guards, which would be upsetting to the pretty outline here.

Yes true they are all magic users. I forgot to mention that the government is much harsher to sorcerers due to their innate spell casting nature. I would be giving the bards and druid a chance to register as a former studier of the art and agree to not cast magic without a license which is very difficult to get.

The sorcerer, luckily a Wild Magic sorcerer, would be given little choice but to submit to a program designed to strip her of her magic nature. This might involve an inhibitor collar similar to X-Men which cannot easily be removed. She might have to spend some time in a jail before she is evaluated and cleared to be safe to leave.

So I agree, that part might need to be firmed up but it's also okay if everyone decides to flee. There would likely be an encounter and then they go into hiding.

Any thoughts on how to get them to definitely go to the city and end up in the audience of the leaders to begin with? The best I have is a fellow survivor, perhaps one who doesn't know yet about the illegalization of magic, will tell them that they should follow him or her to the leaders because they could be of great help.

[gfishfunk]

I could sure use some better hooks. I realize this is D&D and players will generally give me the benefit of just going along with even a weak hook. But I'd like for them to come out of the escape with the Drow thinking "I know what we all must do, it's this, let's go!" and then when they get there there is a big wrench in the works which is magic is illegal and sorcerers are treated with great fear.

Anyone have any good ideas?

When they are creating their characters, let them know that they are all a party of a merchant's settlement, bringing a caravan to the city. some are caravan guards, some are merchants, some are envoys. They traveled a long way to get to this town (which they only heard of) to see if there was a good market for some specialty items (say, magically imbued rugs that can glow softly on command...yeah, definitely a miscalculation given the anti-magic state of the city). The route home is presently cut off from behind. The rugs were destroyed prior to the beginning of the adventure when the drow captured them all, and now there is incentive to work with the city (or in the city) until they get enough money to pay off the damages.

Other (but similar ideas):
- settlers from a far land
- holy pilgrimage
- soldiers of a nearby (or far off) kingdom told to handle the drow specifically

The key to setting up a good hook is to provide enough information during character creation so that players can connect their character with the story. Tell them the basic set up, including that they will start captured by the drow. Also mention that the city that is their destination is nearby. Then see what they want to do: do you all want to be soldiers from a nearby kingdom? merchants? Harper agents sent to deal with the drow menace specifically? Often times, their discussion will provide you with the necessary hook - even if it is most of them saying 'whatever', because then you just assign something. Do this BEFORE character creation, imo.

[Hudsonian]

I would think that an overheard conversation of the guards about how much the hated that city and one about how they had just been ordered to leave that city or something would make the players view that city as a haven for a long rest. Especially if they escape with no gear and no money. "We escaped from your hated enemies! An enemy of your enemy is your friend?"

[Demonslayer666]

To get them to the next city, an NPC captured along with the party is a good idea. They could suggest the next city for just about any reason. Maybe it's close by, or defensible, or his uncle lives there and can help, or the guy is rich and wants to hire the party for safe passage. This NPC could also be the one to spring them.

Alternatively, you could have a non-evil drow have mercy on them and tell them where to run, or even give them the opportunity to escape by unlocking their bonds. They could also send the party there as a warning, that it is their next target.

You could also have the retreating army lead them there after the party escapes.

You could also arrange it so that their only means of escape leads them directly there, like a fast river. Please don't put them in barrels.

Maybe one of the party members knew of a job there that they now regret not taking.

You'll want to push them there, so make sure they don't see running off to the woods as an option. Drow occupation seems to fit.


Character descriptions are going to be important. Just because you are playing a sorcerer doesn't mean you are easily identified as one. If they cast a spell, or admit to being one, then the gloves are off.

[RickAllison]

Hi everyone,

I'm DMing for almost the first time and this will be the first big adventure. I'd like to outline my plan and first session, point out some weak spots, and get advice from anyone interested in how to firm up the plan.

The campaign is based in a city and set around several factions that are all loosely allied or in opposition but might fluctuate. This adventure has no specific big bad and it will be up to the players to decide how to influence the outcome.

The player characters (all level 1): Half-Elf Sorcerer, Half-Orc Bard, unknown race Bard, unknown race Druid, unknown character.

------------------------------
-- Summary
------------------------------
Magic is illegal, drow are attacking the city, the adventurers will need to escape the drow and live in the city under existing rule or change it.

------------------------------
-- First session
------------------------------

Here's the most important part I'd like help on. Drow are in the outskirts of the city and periodically attacking. I want the characters to start in their captivity. (Perhaps even reusing the start of Out of the Abyss) but once they escape will be able to go straight to the city I have created. Once they do, the magic caster will be apprehended and the rest will be offered a chance to help the city for great rewards.

I think escaping the Drow together is good enough to justify the party cohesion and help them continue as a group. I really don't know why they would continue to the city together? I'm thinking perhaps an NPC captive that says "You guys fight well, come to the city and I'll hook you up with the leader and he or she will give you a mission" (in a less cliche way).

Once they are there, they could detect the sorcerer and arrest her. Not sure how the players will react but I'm hoping they will try resist outright, flee, or plan to spring her from jail. I'd rather they not leave her alone to rot :)

I could sure use some better hooks. I realize this is D&D and players will generally give me the benefit of just going along with even a weak hook. But I'd like for them to come out of the escape with the Drow thinking "I know what we all must do, it's this, let's go!" and then when they get there there is a big wrench in the works which is magic is illegal and sorcerers are treated with great fear.

Anyone have any good ideas?

------------------------------
-- Details on the factions
------------------------------

Government: The rulers of the city. These are some elders and royalty that act somewhat like politicians but are not elected. They are mostly acting in the good of all people, have mild amounts of corruption, but also have recently illegalized magic in a pretty big overstep of their power.

The military: Mostly a branch of the government but controlled by a general who might try to enact military rule to gain more power and oust the existing government to which they report and work rather happily with currently. They are much less altruistic than the government and also tend to be brutal and more corrupt. If kept in check by the government they're existence is much more tolerable. They are the only force with the strength to fight off external threats like the Drow bellow.

The Drow: In my world the Drow are a little less their traditional evil selves. They are a little more sympathetic. They have been cast out of the rest of the world of Humans, Dwarves, and Elfs due to racist oppression and they are now attacking the city in retaliation. They are conducting persistent attacks on the city and will attempt all out war. They feel as though the land has been stolen from them.

City Merchants: The wealthy elite of the city. Have pull with the gov. Have been negatively affected by the ban on magic and turned to the black market. They will mostly act in their economic interests and do what is necessary to preserve order. In that way some of them agree with the magic ban.

Zhentarim aka The Black Network (from the DMG)
They have moved into town recently due to black market opportunities.

The Exiled Wizards & The Harpers (from the DMG)
A wizard school was shut down and they are in exile to avoid detention and registration. They believe in peaceful reintegration of magic into the city and are in hiding working out a political plan but are willing to fight when necessary.

Sorcerers in hiding
A ragtag band of innate magic casters. They are much less organized and don't believe that political reintegration will work. They are hiding and fighting for their lives. They will commit attacks on political leaders on occasion.

One option is a classic of the prison break genre:
http://gulagbarashevomovie.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/GULAG-CAMP-CGI-21.gif
Can the drow use magic? Let them keep watch lights going at their compound and have the surroundings be flat and open, just like a real POW camp. Once the party escapes, use the searchlights and patrols to herd them toward the city; the drow will be on high alert after an escape! It's not railroading if you give them the (suicidal) option of running the other direction!

[Brendanicus]

Sorry in advance, but it's time to be Mr. Negative. OP, if you are a first-time DM, you shouldn't plan a campaign so ambitious, and particularly one that plays with a basic premise of D&D (Ie: Magic is a thing some people do).

Think about this from your players' perspective. If all of your players are spellcasters, do you think they want to play in a setting where they will be punished for using their class features? Unless ALL of your players are TOTALLY on board with this premise, I suggest you try something more basic.

Additionally, if you are a new DM, then your players are most likely new-ish too. If that's the case, then they might not be a good match for an adventure like this, that implies a lot of politicking and mandatory RP right off the bat. It might be easier for them to be dumped into an adventure that just asks them to think about their character's abilities, combat or non-combat, rather an adventure that demands them to think about their character sheets AND a big complicated world.

Having a basic plot for a first adventure is nothing to be ashamed of. The most fun sessions I've been in have had missions that had the premises of , "Go slay that dragon" or "Clear out that fortress of cultists". That doesn't mean that missions with basic premises have to be braindead or devoid of plot and RP, just that you're utilizing a cliche or two as a springboard. That's how my first few homebrew adventures, and it worked out great.

Best of luck to you. If it;s any consolation, the drow parts and the sorcerer terrorists sounds awesome.

[Shining Wrath]

To get them to head toward the city, have other prisoners who were captured in the outlying farms and forests. Have them describe how the countryside is a swarming mass of drow and driders who would as soon kill you as look at you, and how the city is the only place within a week's march where there is any safety.

Does the sorcerer player know she's going to start out at a significant disadvantage? Starting one player out in jail with a magic-damping collar might not go over well.

Once the sorcerer is in jail, the "sorcerer's resistance" might well contact the rest of the party to aid them in their plan to free her, and make it clear that this is an offer the party can't refuse. Desperate sorcerers make bad enemies. Then once they've freed her the next adventure kicks off; flee the guards, find a hiding place, also hide from the sorcerer's resistance who are angry over how the rescue went. Now the party have a reason for cohesion - they are in a city with at least two hostile factions that consider them a group whether they like it or not.

[RickAllison]

Sorry in advance, but it's time to be Mr. Negative. OP, if you are a first-time DM, you shouldn't plan a campaign so ambitious, and particularly one that plays with a basic premise of D&D (Ie: Magic is a thing some people do).

Think about this from your players' perspective. If all of your players are spellcasters, do you think they want to play in a setting where they will be punished for using their class features? Unless ALL of your players are TOTALLY on board with this premise, I suggest you try something more basic.

Additionally, if you are a new DM, then your players are most likely new-ish too. If that's the case, then they might not be a good match for an adventure like this, that implies a lot of politicking and mandatory RP right off the bat. It might be easier for them to be dumped into an adventure that just asks them to think about their character's abilities, combat or non-combat, rather an adventure that demands them to think about their character sheets AND a big complicated world.

Having a basic plot for a first adventure is nothing to be ashamed of. The most fun sessions I've been in have had missions that had the premises of , "Go slay that dragon" or "Clear out that fortress of cultists". That doesn't mean that missions with basic premises have to be braindead or devoid of plot and RP, just that you're utilizing a cliche or two as a springboard. That's how my first few homebrew adventures, and it worked out great.

Best of luck to you. If it;s any consolation, the drow parts and the sorcerer terrorists sounds awesome.

He certainly has a point, though we can't be sure how much politicking he was actually planning. Heck, for all we know, he plans to have second session devolve into a glorious war between the city and the drow, with the sorcerers acting behind the scenes to establish the city as a safeguard for magic users. If he did that, they would at least have a base to run from and it gives them a variety of things to do (communications, shoring up defenses, spying, etc.).

Just make sure to get input from your players on how they feel about the campaign, and you should be fine. With your permission, I would like to use a similar premise for a campaign I'm going to run. I just really like the premise of it all!

[Syll]

I think getting them to the city would be the easy part.

Once they escape the drow it could be as simple as they can either head towards the drow, or towards the city, so they're not so much going to the city as they are running from the drow.

From there they could be some of the last 'refugees' to make it before the gates are sealed, before a drow siege begins.

Since they're now trapped in the city they have a vested interest in its well being.

As for how they find your sorcerer... As refugees they could be herded to a refugee camp or refugee 'processing', where they are interrogated on fear of them being spies or criminals as well a being inspected to determine their general worth to the city... Since they are another mouth to feed during a siege, they need to earn their keep, or be turned away.

The various fractions would seed the processing facility with recruiters looking for prospects to help to the scales in their favor

[MBControl]

On the surface, I like the idea. I agree with one of the earlier posters however, it seems pretty ambitious. I'm not saying that because you are a relatively new GM (I am too) but because the characters are starting at a low level, and I feel that they may not have the tools yet. That hurts you on two levels. First, you may not see brave RP choices that suit your story, in order to just stay alive. And second, you're handicapping low level PC's at a point when they are trying to "discover" and develop them.

I think that you can keep your story by simply splitting the stories on a timeline. For example, They must first escape the Drow and find safety in the city, at which point they help form a resistance and end the Drow threat. Upon victory, your hero's are being celebrated in the town square, when suddenly one/some/all of them are arrested for using magic. It seems that the city government blames the users of magic for causing the Drow threat, aiding the Drow, or perhaps the "mayor" was killed in the battle and his successor simply hates mages.

This gives you the same plot lines, with less obstacles all at once, for your PC's to overcome.

[Randomthom]

Maybe you could have an insider within the government recruit the players... "You seem like a 'charismatic' bunch... mostly" addressing the bards & sorcerers. "I need your help."

His plan is to break the siege and end the ridiculous fear of magic by secretly recruiting wizards, sorcerers, bards & even warlocks. He has access to the city armory and can provide uniforms so the magic users can join the city guard/militia & man the walls when the day arrives and very openly use magic in the city's defence. The enemy won't be expecting it since they'll know that magic is forbidden within the city so it should have a powerful effect.

You could then have a few sessions for recruiting the various underground groups, possibly doing favours for them to gain their trust e.g. The head of the Wizard's order always carried a certain staff which was confiscated. Retrieve this for them that they might select a new leader inside their order and then they will sign up. Possibly even performing a jailbreak of some already captured. Good opportunity to decide if they want to release the powerful psychopath warlock who will wreak havoc from the walls but might derail the political side of the campaign. If the players then want a break from the combat-light start, they could even attempt to sneak past the siege to free a captured politician who is also a powerful wizard from a nearby dungeon where he is being held by the Drow.

You could give each group and/or individual a secret ±score for city defence and politics e.g. the aforementioned psychopathic warlock might be a +3 defence but a -2 politics. Create some arbitrary break-points e.g. to successfully break the siege the players must recruit +15 worth of city defence and to also successfully negotiate the repealing of the anti-magic law they will need a +15 politics score. Keep track of this away from the players eyes. It might be that they don't break the siege that day but the city's authorities are sufficiently moved by the magical community acting in defence of the city that they repeal the law. It might be that they break the siege but there was some collateral damage from an anarchist sorcerer and the warlock settled an old score with a judge while he was released (good future adventure to hunt him down & bring him to justice).

There ya go!

[Hudsonian]

You could give each group and/or individual a secret ±score for city defence and politics e.g. the aforementioned psychopathic warlock might be a +3 defence but a -2 politics. Create some arbitrary break-points e.g. to successfully break the siege the players must recruit +15 worth of city defence and to also successfully negotiate the repealing of the anti-magic law they will need a +15 politics score. Keep track of this away from the players eyes. It might be that they don't break the siege that day but the city's authorities are sufficiently moved by the magical community acting in defence of the city that they repeal the law. It might be that they break the siege but there was some collateral damage from an anarchist sorcerer and the warlock settled an old score with a judge while he was released (good future adventure to hunt him down & bring him to justice).



I'll be tucking that idea into the file of "To-Do". But I'm going to get a little better at running "go kill the monster in the hole" first.

But that is genius

[ruy343]

War campaigns are hard to do, because it requires a lot of DM planning, and I'm a bit lazy myself. Besides, you've got a lot of wars going on at once that are all layered on top of each other, coupled with restrictions for players; that's going to give you a bit of a headache.

... but if you're up for it, then the following might help.

The idea for restricting the sorcerer should, rather than being a law, be an ideal that a particular faction in the city wants. That way, the players can seek refuge among other factions without difficulty, but if they have to take shelter with these guys (which you should try to make happen at least for a brief stint) then they have to submit to their rules.

The motivations for getting the PCs outside the city to start: one of the leaders of a city organization (or the government itself) hired your team of skilled individuals to infiltrate the enemy camp and assassinate the leader of the drow (They didn't expect you to succeed, but they don't know that yet). You're advised (by someone other than the guy who hired you) to attempt this shortly after dawn, approaching from the east because the drow hate sunlight (they get disadvantage on perception and on attack rolls in sunlight). Have them overcome several obstacles (such as guards, watchbeetles, and other low-level challenges) with an emphasis on accomplishing it quickly and quietly. They finally arrive at the large tent in the middle of the camp, having (hopefully) gone unseen. As they enter, they see/hear a drow who looks like their target, communicating with someone INSIDE the organization that hired them via some sort of communication magical item (sending stones?). They discover that the inside man is planning to compromise the defenses in 3 days, allowing the drow to enter the city and slaughter its inhabitants. The party can attempt to kill the leader now (which might hurt a lot), or can simply escape with the information.

Now, they have a reason to return: there's a villain in cahoots with the enemy hidden among the good guys. Can the PCs rally together the other organizations to take him out, or will they take matters into their own hands?