At Cross Purposes

[dragsvart]

I am designing a one-shot adventure with each PC having a collection of secret tasks which they are trying to accomplish (most likely against other PCs) while on a mission to beat a dragon. What are some decent missions to give the PCs that can likely be brought up in a one-shot adventure.

Some ideas I've had so far are getting a certain item from the dragon's hoard, infecting another member of the group with lycanthropy/hiding the fact that you have lycanthropy, and arranging for the dragon to escape.

The adventure going to be set at level 10 and the aforementioned dragon will likely be an adult black dragon.

[greenstone]

As a player, I would be seriously annoyed if another player had a secret mission "let the dragon escape" and they messed with my plans to defeat it.

So....

Give every one of them the secret mission "let the dragon escape."

[dragsvart]

As a player, I would be seriously annoyed if another player had a secret mission "let the dragon escape" and they messed with my plans to defeat it.

To be fair, it is a one-shot and the whole point is that everyone has a secret mission that WILLscrew over someone else.

[INDYSTAR188]

One of the players could be on a mission for the Cult of the Dragon. Either because they are a member or because they are being extorted (kidnapped loved one, loan from the cult). The goal is to trap the dragon soul in a gem for some future ritual with the body.

[Inevitability]

4e had something like this. It was a very quick dungeon where all players were drow working together to ensure a mad elf wizard wouldn't be able to unleash drow-killing constructs into the underdark. Of course, every drow had different secret goals. One might be tasked to ensure a particular prisoner doesn't survive, others had to steal a certain object from the mansion... All in all, it made for an interesting game.

[JackPhoenix]

I'm currently dealing with something similar in a long-term Eberron campaign I'm running. There's imprisoned demon overlord, but the bindings are failing, he can influence the world and slowly gets closer to escaping. The party's endgame is defeating him and sealing him for good...except one of the characters is a secret cultist of the overlord, who wants to release him...maybe, he may find other ways to gain more from the whole situation.

The demon's servants themselves have different goals: officialy they want to free him, but his second-in-command want him to be weakened after escaping so he could drain his power and replace him. There are also other factions at work...I expect the endgame to be a CF of at least 4, maybe even more competing factions with different goals.

[dragsvart]

What I have so far is:

1. Steal the Dragon’s soul after you kill it
2. Ensure that the Dragon is able to escape alive
3. You have Lycanthropy, you must not allow anyone to learn of this. You must infect at least one member of you party with Lycanthropy.
4. Someone in you party has been infected with Lycanthropy, do not let anyone know you know. Find the Lycanthrope and kill them (bonus if you can make it look like an accident).

I'm not sure about #1 and still need a few other. I'm considering throwing a dark magic item in there for two or more people to try to grab but it seems like its a much smaller thing than these...

[Anderlith]

Steal the sword of a PC & make sure they dont return to town. (If its a fabled weapon or an heirloom to a House that the other party wishes to see fall)

Steal the dragons secrets that could let one faction rise to power. (Such as how to make good cheap contructs for an army)

Destroy said dragon secrets

Allow the death of a tribute lady/lad to the dragon because he/she is an important figure or heir

Save said lad or lady

Save your dragon lover & find a safe haven for your halfdragon brood

Kill the dragon but make sure your sire (or clumsy brother or etc.)winds up with all the credit

You are actually here to only serve the dragon his next meal. Sabotage the party just enough to weaken them too much & lead then straight into the hungry mouth of your scaled master

[Inevitability]

A set of four tasks of which only one can be fulfilled:

1. Make sure everyone survives.
2. Be the only one to escape the dungeon.
3. Kill the PC with task 4, then escape the dungeon.
4. Kill the PC with task 3, then escape the dungeon.

Add fluff as necessary.

[JeffreyGator]

I would first make sure that they all have the goal of hunting the black dragon which provides a party wide win/lose option so they have some reason to be together.

From there I like many of the mentioned ideas. Are you hoping for only one of the options to be possible?

Maybe the dragon has a prisoner.

Did a party member sell/sacrifice that person to the dragon and needs to cover it up?
(Objective dragon and prisoner dies before revealing cover up)

Another party member is a relative of the prisoner and wants the prisoner freed.
(Objective dragon dies and prisoner goes home)

The prisoner knows something critical to other party members but after revealing it must be silenced.
(Objective dragon dies and prisoner dies AFTER revealing information)

The prisoner knows something critical to other party members but after revealing it must be brought to testify at possible jeopardy of life.
(Objective dragon dies and prisoner lives but possibly risks life.)

There are multiple ways for each objective to be met and if an objective becomes possible or not creating shifting alliances and intrigue.

[krugaan]

A set of four tasks of which only one can be fulfilled:

1. Make sure everyone survives.
2. Be the only one to escape the dungeon.
3. Kill the PC with task 4, then escape the dungeon.
4. Kill the PC with task 3, then escape the dungeon.

Add fluff as necessary.

Task 1 seems nigh-impossible if the other three tasks are "kill someone(s)".

How about "escape the dungeon, but make sure all murderers in the party are left in the dungeon, dead or alive."

[Hrugner]

1. Have the one player be the hero of <evil foreign place>ordered to lead the dragon to <major city>, the beloved home of one of the other players, and lead it on a rampaging chase through the city.
2. Have a one player acquire everything he needs to steal the identity of one of the other players during play, and to be prepared to swap identities as soon as the other one dies. Give them a laundry list of items they need to take from the other player.
3. Tell one player that they can take the dragon on all by themselves with no help from the rest of the party as long as the other players don't know that they have this power. Don't give them this ability, but protect them from death if they run off on their own.
4. Make one character a lich like creature whose phylactery is part of the dragon giving them a need to solve the problem non-violently while also being an evil undead wizard; forcing them to hide what they are to justify the peaceful approach and avoid suspicion of their motives as well as immediate reprisal.
5. Give one character a gem that stores the souls of those who die and forces them to fight the dragon as ghosts during the final battle. If the holder dies early, it summons the dragon and the ghosts. It lets everyone stay relevant past their death, and incentivizes the lich not to kill the party outright. Let it work with all things they encounter. Only the holder and the lich should know about it.