DragonWitch
2016-10-02, 02:13 PM
Hello! New to this forum, forgive me if this is the wrong place to post for help.
I've been a DM for years but I've always gone for classic adventures (you know, an artefact is stolen and needs recovering, a dragon is killing off the locals, etc.) and I was getting pretty bored of it, but it was comforting and easy. I am trying out something new and for me really exciting, but I'm also running out of ideas and I need help!
The game is meant to be disturbing/creepy and less combat focused. I've written a few good strong scenes but I am also running out of ideas and feeling like I need advice from seasoned DM's who know their ****.
Game plot - Four characters wake up in cells with no strong memories, just vague recollections of pain and torture. A cellmate appears to have escaped and bust them out - the jailor lies dead on the floor with his guts stinking. They then have to make their way through a complex of an insane mage who has filled his place with traps and riddles. I really need more ideas for;
Crazy/magical rooms that contain puzzles and riddles
Dark/creepy potential scenes
Disturbing puzzles/riddles
Also, I'm torn between making it obvious that the escape was planned by having dark riddles like a key hidden inside a living persons skull or keeping it subtle. Currently I've written the game as having both sides but I feel like it's a bit clumsy... Why would even an insane mage go to that lengths to pretend they are escaping while also having really obvious puzzles/riddles to solve? But dark puzzles are so fun to write! But then if they know they aren't really escaping does that take some of the thrill out? Help me guys.
As time goes on they will begin to notice weird glitches and looping in the complex. Repeating rooms, objects defying physics and acting bizarrely, recurring characters, etc. Especially when they get to the third floor. They might guess the complex is illusion but they might not. They will have weird dreams that hint at them really being alive somewhere else. If they die they will go to a strange 'afterlife' that is really them waking up, then be sent back. If they "escape" the illusion will start to break apart and they will all begin to wake up in a totally different but real complex. I actually have no fricking clue what will come after that but I'll cross that bridge when I get there.
I've been a DM for years but I've always gone for classic adventures (you know, an artefact is stolen and needs recovering, a dragon is killing off the locals, etc.) and I was getting pretty bored of it, but it was comforting and easy. I am trying out something new and for me really exciting, but I'm also running out of ideas and I need help!
The game is meant to be disturbing/creepy and less combat focused. I've written a few good strong scenes but I am also running out of ideas and feeling like I need advice from seasoned DM's who know their ****.
Game plot - Four characters wake up in cells with no strong memories, just vague recollections of pain and torture. A cellmate appears to have escaped and bust them out - the jailor lies dead on the floor with his guts stinking. They then have to make their way through a complex of an insane mage who has filled his place with traps and riddles. I really need more ideas for;
Crazy/magical rooms that contain puzzles and riddles
Dark/creepy potential scenes
Disturbing puzzles/riddles
Also, I'm torn between making it obvious that the escape was planned by having dark riddles like a key hidden inside a living persons skull or keeping it subtle. Currently I've written the game as having both sides but I feel like it's a bit clumsy... Why would even an insane mage go to that lengths to pretend they are escaping while also having really obvious puzzles/riddles to solve? But dark puzzles are so fun to write! But then if they know they aren't really escaping does that take some of the thrill out? Help me guys.
As time goes on they will begin to notice weird glitches and looping in the complex. Repeating rooms, objects defying physics and acting bizarrely, recurring characters, etc. Especially when they get to the third floor. They might guess the complex is illusion but they might not. They will have weird dreams that hint at them really being alive somewhere else. If they die they will go to a strange 'afterlife' that is really them waking up, then be sent back. If they "escape" the illusion will start to break apart and they will all begin to wake up in a totally different but real complex. I actually have no fricking clue what will come after that but I'll cross that bridge when I get there.