Looking For Adventure Hooks

[afroakuma]

Hell, DMs in the Playground! I'm working on a new PbP game here with rather ambitious scope, and to enrich the sandbox nature of it, I'm trying to come up with a diverse array of available adventuring hooks, prepared in a bulletin board or wanted ad format.

The signup thread is here, but the gist of the game is that there are five parties working for a large planar/spacing organization, the Wayfinders' Guild, whose operations have branched out into several sub-orders, each headed by an NPC with a punny name. These are undefined and easily mutable, and the adventure hooks themselves can span virtually any setting or any locale.

The parties all begin at 5th level with a fair bit of extra power available to them, and it should be quite diverse, so I'm looking for any suitable hooks you can think of, in the same vein as you might see posted on a bulletin board if possible.

[afroakuma]

Really? Nobody has any adventure hook ideas?

[Gnorman]

Really? Nobody has any adventure hook ideas?

I think most everybody on the boards has actually applied for your PbP game, my friend, so they're ethically barred from suggestions.

Though, since I have slacked off in my application and have effectively bowed out, here's a few:

Charting distant, unknown planets that turn it to be populated entirely by anthropomorphic, cannibalistic squirrels.

Hauling vast quantities of water to terraform a desert world, only to be hunted down and shot at by some of the local populace - sentient fire elementals with their own blazing fireship.

[chiasaur11]

An old Warforged factory's been found on the outer rim.

It's pretty busted up, but it's still closer to intact than pretty much any other found so far, and that means it's

1) a valuable cultural artifact.
2) A better bet than most for the technically minded would be world conqueror.

Fortunately, it's not common knowledge yet, and we'd like it boxed up and back here before it is. Twice standard rates, cash up front.

[Salvonus]

I'd make some suggestions, but I really shouldn't be in this thread, given that I want to apply.

Still, have a friendly bump.

[Coidzor]

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Hmm, there's always cribbing from Interstella 5555 and have some kind of evil power that's kidnapped a couple of prominent bards throughout the multiverse to make use of their bardic powers for some evil ritualistic ends.

Hell, a villain powerful enough to cherrypick minions from a variety of alternate material planes and so on for some kind of Oceans 11-style villainy and then having wanted posters placed for the lot of them start turning up when one of them tried to screw Vecna or sommat later on, such that whoever they screwed over found out it was them and so on with the adventurers....

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Heck, there's talk of what/who would want to steal/subvert the Pact Primeval by simultaneously getting their hands on all 3 copies of it at once or just shunting them out of existence in a couple of threads recently due to talk of Asmodeus going on about the place.

And that's a gambit if ever there was one...

Wanted: Xelias the Mad. Multiple acts of opening permanent holes in the fabric of the universe in order to access the far realm, creating kaorti infestations on 70 planets, and attempting to turn all of Limbo into a maelstrom to suck the rest of the universe into the far realm.

Known features: Rare variety of bearded elf. Has verbal tic of referring to self as 'The Gods-Damned Bat-Man.' Keeps an undead albino raven for a familiar.

[afroakuma]

Hell, a villain powerful enough to cherrypick minions from a variety of alternate material planes and so on for some kind of Oceans 11-style villainy and then having wanted posters placed for the lot of them start turning up when one of them tried to screw Vecna or sommat later on, such that whoever they screwed over found out it was them and so on with the adventurers....

That's both epic and hilarious.

Bit too epic, perhaps. I'm looking for smaller jobs. 5th-level characters, and all.

But I'll definitely keep it in mind.

[Coidzor]

Indeed. Hm...

Here's four of varying power-level and details.

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Wanted: Serge Hashramstrottler for treason and kidnapping of the crown heir.

Last seen planeshifting away with the princess of X after setting off the protective wards by teleporting into her room. His path was traced to Sigil and is believed to remain there.

That could make more of an intrigue/espionage, less of a direct combat thing if I'm interpreting Sigil properly. And you could take that basic idea in ... well, several directions.

Hmm...

Wanted: Experienced pilots and brave, adventurous sapients of all calibres for a scientific expedition to Valoria 4.

Captains with ships capable of stocking zoological samples will receive a bonus commission for each such sample chartered for transit.

Tired of waking up after every full moon with your tongue covered in hair? Researchers from the University of Gondsreich are looking for volunteers for a study into the metaphysics of lycanthropy on Tau Ce Prime.

Participants will receive free room and board for a month and monetary compensation upon completion of the study.

Wanted: Ambitious Demolitions Teams. Ever drawn up plans for shattering Baator with a few well placed thermo-nuclear devices? Then have we the job for you!

Lovis has two too many moons and needs them taken care of quickly and with minimum fuss. And that means copious amounts of well-placed explosives and gate spells.

Hehe... Here's another one... Variably scales depending upon the power of the state and the value of the comodity...

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Wanted: Someone to go raid ice shipments with me. Bring your own weapons and 'Jammer. You'll be paid when we get back and sell the ice. Come to the House of the Diseased Yak at Ca. 5. No berks or wusses. Safety Not Guaranteed.

[erikun]

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A cabal of wizards is trying to make their one demiplane, but their method is little more than trying to make a permanent Gate between two planes and hope something beneficial happens. Bonus points if it's two planes that don't mix well.

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Party receives a distress signal from a Jammer. After thanking the party and possibly giving a reward, the Jammer heads on its way. Getting back to Sigil, the party finds a wanted poster for the crew of the mystery Jammer... and anyone associated with their recent escape. Oops.

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Githyanki hires party to hunt down (insert creature here) and report back to them with an insta-divination. Party locates said creature shortly after a wandering Githzerth kills it. Do the call in the 'Yanki anyways, try to get the 'Zerth to leave, pretend like they killed it themselves, or wander aimlessly for a couple hours before "finding" the corpse again?

Yeah, I apparently suck at these. I guess I'd be better playing a PC than DM in Planescape.

[chiasaur11]

Wanted: Multi-species group of adventurers.
We've been established for a while as the planet's premier defense against invasion. Unfortunately, the locals are starting to doubt our value. Basically, we want you to go down, break a few things, clobber the local defenses (try not to kill anyone if you can help it.) then run after we show up and show some fight.

Cash on completion.

[Blackjackg]

I almost applied for the game, but decided not to when I realized I couldn't come up with anything awesome enough. So I have serious doubts about coming up with adventure hooks awesome enough. That being said,

Steampunk Pirates on the River Styx.

[afroakuma]

Lot of interesting ideas, good to see.

Of course, the one I intend to hand all the groups at some point may be too interesting to pass up:

Potential Players Keep Out

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Delivering letters from the Lady of Plane to the planar rulers.

[afroakuma]

Last time I'll bump this, honest.

Still looking for adventure hooks, if anyone has any more.

The whole of D&D is open for exploration - anything, on any world, in any setting. Doesn't need to be planar or spelljammer-related.

Any more would be a great help.

[Glyphic]

Here you go:

http://www.io.com/~sjohn/plots.htm

[HamsterOfTheGod]

How about some thinly veiled movie plots...

Wanted: The Society of Archives and Records Guards seeks an escort valuable shipment of eggs, exotic animals and biological samples.

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It's Alien and the eggs are Kythons.

Wanted: The Bloodstone Corp is hiring. Defenders are need to protect a mining outpost vs bandits.

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The Seven Samurai except the plot twist is that the employer, Aurabel Parson, wants the PCs to fail.

Wanted: Unique opportunity available with The Wayfinders Guild. Brave and skilled individuals are needed to retrieve special "Silver Helm" stolen from company.

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It's Jason and the Argonauts and PCs have to face sail spelljammer ship past obstacles, fight golems, harpies and skeletons and finally steal the "Golden Fleece"...er "Silver Spelljammer Helm" thingie.

Wanted: Think you can fight? Join the Bloodstone Corp annual team gladatorial tournament on the Blood Island.

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Enter the Dragon...sorta. The Bloodstone Corps wants to investigate the activities of one of their directories so they send the PCs undercover to the tournament. But they still have to fight in the games as they try to uncover what the local director is doing.

Wanted: The Wayfinders Guild requires a company of mature and intelligent agents for a special planar mission.

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Can't remember movie...The government of Sigil is on edge and is trying to stop open strif in the streets between two factions. Thus it is seeking outsiders for assistance. Pick two opposing Planescape factions, A and B. Someone is killing the members of planescape faction A. Everyone suspects planescape faction B but it's really a rogue element of planescape faction A.

[afroakuma]

Note also the wonderful puns in the leaders' names.

The head of the Wayfinders' Guild: Avery Way (every way)

The malevolent, psychopathic head of the mercenary corps: Aurabel Parson (horrible person)

The meticulous sage who oversees the archives and libraries: Noah Taull (know-it-all)

Other moronic names would also be enjoyed.

[chiasaur11]

Note also the wonderful puns in the leaders' names.

The head of the Wayfinders' Guild: Avery Way (every way)

The malevolent, psychopathic head of the mercenary corps: Aurabel Parson (horrible person)

The meticulous sage who oversees the archives and libraries: Noah Taull (know-it-all)

Other moronic names would also be enjoyed.

Head of cryogenics research:
Irvine Calvin Weiner.

[HamsterOfTheGod]

Here are some more...

- Have you seen this Paladin? Last seen on Avernus. Please contact Asti Kinass, Sword of Heironeous...

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It's a Paladin in Hell except the party has to go rescue him.

- Expedition to the Astral Plane! The great Astral Storm of Section G7 is dying. Explorers wanted. Contact Theo Soulfist...

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This is based on an old Dragon adventure. On an abandoned chunk of Astral debris, the Githyanki built a city long ago. A higher-than-the-allowed-level wizard has hidden himself from the Githyanki Queen for decades at the center of the storm. The adventurers have to deal with the Astral Plane, the wizard, the cities traps and defenses, competing exploring parties of Githyanki and Githzerai, and the remnants of the dead god which forms the chunk of Astral debri.

[Glimbur]

I've had great success with asking the players what sort of adventures they'd like to see.

That said, you could try:
-A race. Maybe it's a race through orc-infested mines, maybe it's a specially-crafted nonlethal dungeon full of puzzles and riddles, maybe it's finding a person in a city.

-Politics. A new idea has been born in the city the players are in; do they want to help it to gain new allies or quash it to gain favor with the current rulers? I had a consortium of merchants start a bank.

-A cookoff. They need to get recipes for an appetizer, a main dish, a side dish, a dessert, and a drink. But that's the easy part. Now you have to gather honey from Elysian bees to make your marzipan, and a Tyrannosaurus steak doesn't just grow on trees.

[WeeFreeMen]

I almost applied for the game, but decided not to when I realized I couldn't come up with anything awesome enough. So I have serious doubts about coming up with adventure hooks awesome enough. That being said,

Steampunk Pirates on the River Styx.

I did that for my Norse Mythology Camp.
Was rather fun, random, but fun

[Kris Strife]

One of the players (or the groups) owes 2d6x1000 GP to Jabba the Hut

[Eldan]

I know I'm technically not allowed in this thread, but I haven't read anything here, honest. Just wanted to give you these links, which might be helpful for planescape-ideas:

Planewalker: Adventure Hook Junction

Adventure Hook Jun tion 2: Adventure Harder

[RandomNPC]

NPC a5 gives you Plot Hook 7-3 to Quest for Treasure in Location.

feel free to change the names, places and details.

for instance: a5 could be Bob, Jim, Gilgamesh, or some other person, maybe a6 in disguise.

plot hook: hey i found this map in my grandpa Siliwrens attic, when i followed it there were some scarry monsters, you can beat them, but i want 10% of the loot in exchange for the map.

Quest: follow the map

Treasure: none, it was already stollen, and the monsters are dead when the party gets there. turns out the guy did follow the map, and instead of getting rid of it or keeping it as a keepsake, he decided to play a mean trick right before he moves far far away.

Location: should be a few days good hike, give the trickster some time to run for it.

[afroakuma]

Well, here's my compilation so far.

Assignment Board

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WANTED: Huyzur

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We know Huyzur's been disrupting civic post services and causing minor mischief. Now it seems he's rallied other mephits to interfere with diplomatic movements on the lower planes. We're expecting a lot of unrest because of this miscreant. Find him and snap him in two.
Bounty: 2500 gp.

Needed - Adventurous, Hardy, Strong-Willed, Persistent, Raisable Interviewers!

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Do you like to travel?

Do you like meeting new, exciting and unpredictable creatures?

Do you think you can stand up to savage mental bombardment?

Then sign on to track down and interview one of the mysterious, fascinating balseloths!

Fees to be negotiated based on raising requirements.

Charter of Recovery in the matter of the Merchant Jade

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The spacefaring vessel Merchant Jade was lost two days ago outside Realmspace. Divinations reveal it to be scuttled, all crewmembers lost. The proprietor, Cerule Charters, has authorized a recovery salvage.

The proprietor desires the unconditional return without questions or examination of the Merchant Jade's spelljamming helm. Any other spoils found among the wreckage are forfeit to the salvagers.

Seeking Security Crew

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Our survey team is set to explore the fifth planet of Rundaspace. As we are not familiar with the fauna of this planet, we seek additional forces to maintain our initial camp until we are firmly established. We will pay fees of 500 gold pieces per person per day once landed; provisioning and quarters will be supplied.

Hisan At-Jabb
Director of Rundaspace Exploration
Great Orrery Astrometrical Society

Urgent - Exotic Beast Required!!!!!

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The peoples of Ethurgha have lost their god-beast and are attacking their neighbors in retribution. A new beast (or the old one) is needed to reinstate their religious leadership and quell the savage warring.

The fee will be in Yndavian scrolls, plus monetary recompense for expenses.

Planar Wizard Needed

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A leaky portal from the Positive Energy Plane has been eluding the authorities deep in the Hive. Anyone capable of tracking down this rogue portal and dealing with any fallout that has already transpired should contact Witzen Dono, the local warden.

WANTED: Aver Walcris

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The faithful of the deity Kelemvor request any available information, and if possible the detainment and safe transport, of Aver Walcris or any spiritual remnant thereof.

Bounty: 1000 gp.

To the Faithful of Zeus

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Our great lord, Father of Gods and Men, requires aid in retrieving an important relic of the faith. This is a secret mission, to be undertaken for the glory and wonder of mighty Zeus. Please consult with Zethus, proxy of great Zeus in Olympus.

WANTED: Serge Hashramstrottler

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Assessed for Seizure of Person for Treason and Kidnapping of the Crown Heir.

Last seen planeshifting away with the princess of Imphaphor after setting off the protective wards by teleporting into her room. His path was traced to Sigil and is believed to remain there.

Bounty: 2000 gp

Seeking a Procurement Crew

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Archmage Ampotens seeks procurers to obtain esoteric arcane components for an experimental potion. Great haste would be preferred.

Wizardess Gysfyne
Tower Council of Arynchratus

Cash For Wands!!!

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Tired of that old wand of gust of wind? Feel like having a bit more gold to spend? Why not come to Hevius Blohard's Apothecary and Arcane Quartermastery and sell that wand for gold GOLD GOLD!

WANTED: Darian Gatelock

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Wanted for High Crimes against the City of Sigil as well as Petty Crimes, named here as Astral Arson, Common Arson, Assault upon a Planejamming Vessel, Sealing of the Lady's Doors, Theft, Robbery, Assault upon a Guilded Being, Assault upon Property of the City of Cigil, Magical Disruptions to Lawful Notices of Arrest, BlBlBlbgrrrUngrrhjksosi, Assault upon a Chartered Guild, Disruption of the Laddie's Doors, Murder, Theft again, Theft once more because, hey, I did it several times, Murder once more for the hell of it, Luring a Creature of the Astral Plane within the Confines of the City of Ciggle and Public Misconduct within the Sitty of Giggle

Gatelock is a renegade of the Wayfinders' Guild, known to have made off with a valuable relic destined for a very important buyer. His retrieval has not been possible via conventional divinations.

WANTED: The Mablight

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The Mablight has made off with a copy of the protocols for an important private planejamming dock. We feel that he is planning to sell these protocols to a hostile purchaser. He has been traced to Silkspace, a sphere known to be dead to divination magic. We require that you slay the Mablight and return the protocols.

Bounty: 5000 gp.

Transporters Needed

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A certain precious cargo of vital importance to the Blood War needs to be transported to a hidden location in Stygia. Several precautions will need to be taken at each step of the voyage, and no common portals may be used. Fees for transport will be generous.

- Incendius Frigidus

Convoy Investigation

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The Effluvius Vintners of Ysgard have missed their last three shipments of wraith almonds. The problem appears to be in transportation. Track down whatever is disrupting delivery so smoked wines can once again flow from Ysgard.

Convoy Investigation

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The Effluvius Vintners of Ysgard have missed their last three shipments of wraith almonds. The problem appears to be in transportation. Track down whatever is disrupting delivery so smoked wines can once again flow from Ysgard.

Seeking Upholders of Right and Goodness

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The population of fallen celestials seems to have noticeably escalated in recent weeks. A group of bureaucrats and administrators from Elysium have discovered some trends that correlate to this problem that they feel are worth investigating.

[Milskidasith]

I like the list so far, but it needs some more evil or neutral stuff on there, unless you are running a good-only campaign. Also, some of the missions don't seem to pay much; a sidequest for 750 gp is half as much as what they should be getting for one battle (and if it's a bounty, that is split X ways, so it's even worse).

[afroakuma]

Well, the job board's intended as postings for levels 1-5. Mostly biased to 5.

Also, the characters will of course be making money during the course of most missions; the ones that they don't are pretty short and low-expense.

[Berserk Monk]

Adventure hooks are simple:

"I'll pay you x gp to remove (monster(s)) from (location)."

Just fill in the blanks with what's appropriate and away the PCs go.

[Coidzor]

oooh!

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Planar Pest Control:

Infestations of fiendish and celestial vermin have been on the rise in recent months and are becoming a problem. Investigate possible causes and stop this assault upon the livelihood of our inns.

[HamsterOfTheGod]

Well, here's my compilation so far.

Looks very good...but you're not planning to post them all at this level, are you?

[afroakuma]

Looks very good...but you're not planning to post them all at this level, are you?

These ones, yeah. They're for five parties, so I didn't feel it to be too much.