adventure; abc

8/13/2019 Adventure; ABC

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Plot A-B-C Quest

This is an epic sort of plot. In it, the heros are given (or undertake) a task to perfor! The

taking of a cit", the rescue of an innocent, the destruction of a onster, the creation of a

agical ite, the defeat of a #aster $illain, etc. But the path to victor" is not a siple

one. To get to their goal, %vent A, the" find that the" ust first accoplish soe other

task -- %vent B. But &hen the" undertake the task of accoplishing %vent B, the" find

that the" ust first accoplish %vent C. This goes on for several encounters, until the

heroes accoplish all the o'stacle events &hich prevent the fro returning to %vent A,

their original goal.

Clia cattered *uels

In this clia, the heroes have gotten to the end of their +uest -- the" a" have 'roken

into, sneaked into, or escaped fro iprisonent &ithin the villains citadel, or have

arched into the little to&n &here the villain is holed up -- and the" 'ecoe separated.

ou can separate the '" having traps and tricks 'reak the part" apart, '" having the

see t&o or three things the" ust resolve (such as danger to innocents or the

appearance of inion villains) pop up siultaneousl" the"ll have to run in all directions

at the sae tie or suffer failure. /nce the part" is 'roken do&n into 'ite-si0ed chunks,

"ou confront each individual or sall group &ith the ene" or eneies he ost

deserves to face -- his personal ene", the onster &hich defeated hi 'efore, etc. --

for a grand series of cliactic duels.

1eneral etting /n the 2oad

#ost of the adventure takes place on the road, as the heroes are travelling fro place to

place. This is especiall" good for adventures &here heroes are investigating a &ide-

ranging "ster", are part of a caravan, or are 'eing pursued '" loathesoe villains.

pecific etting I #ansion of a 3ord

This can 'e the hoe of a villain -- the characters a" have to 'reak in and rescue

soeone or steal evidence, or 'reak out if the"ve 'een captured -- or of a heroic all", in

&hich case it a" 'e used as the head+uarters for the heroes plans and activities.

pecific etting II Palace of the 4ing

The heroes could 'e here for an", an" different reasons! Tr"ing to get a favor fro

the ruler, part of soe no'leans retinue, e'ers of the palace guard, sneaking in to

save the ruler fro assassins, sneaking in to assassinate the ruler, thro&n into the

dungeon for cries the" did or didnt coit, etc.

#aster $illain Advance Agent

This villain is the vanguard of soe sort of invastion often, he is tr"ing to open up a

portal to a diension full of trapped deons and evil gods.


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#inor $illain I In+uisitor

This villain is the one &ho interrogates the heroes and 5PCs captured '" the villains. 6e

accopanies the other #inor $illain out into the field and &orks on an"one captured he

en7o"s inflicting pain and suffering.

#inor $illain II ingle-#inded oldier

This ost trust&orth" of villain inions is the eperienced, copetent, persistent soldier

-- a field-trained officer &ho serves the villain &ith ilitar" precision. 6e is usuall"

encountered in the field as leader of the villains field operations. 6e is not encountered

directl" until the iddle of or the latter part of the adventure until then, the heroes

encounter onl" his su'ordinates.

All"85eutral 6ero 9orshipper

oe "outh -- an urchin, a 'rother or sister of one of the heroes, or a child run a&a"

fro hoe -- hooks up &ith the heroes, follo&ing the &herever the" go, 'eingadiring, talking to ever"one (neutrals and villains included) a'out ho& &onderful and

po&erful the heroes are.

#onster %ncounter Terrain #onster

*ont forget the siple run-in &ith the anial 'elonging to the terrain &here the heroes

are! %ver" t"pe of &ilderness has its predators and 'ig, nast" her'ivores.

Character %ncounter #ean *runk

The #ean *runk &orks uch like the Belligerent oldier ecept that hes not as tough, is

of course drunk, and is usuall" accopanied '" other #ean *runks.

*eathtrap Pit and the Pendulu

Actuall", &ere appl"ing this ter to an" of an" tie-dela" deathtraps. In this sort of

trap, the villains capture the heroes and place the in a trap &hich &ill soon kill the -- it

operates on a dela", often 'ased on a tiing device or a 'urning fuse.

Chase 9ater

*ont forget the &ater chase! 9hether its a 'attle of seaanship 'et&een naval vessels,

a chase of rafts to&ard the inevita'le &aterfall ahead, a contest of canoeing a'ilit", or a

chase 'et&een the villain and his giant shark vs. the heroes and their dolphin friends,

the &ater chase can 'e a distinctive and draatic one.

/en8Prophes" 6ero :ulfills Prophec"

This is the ost useful sort of prophec". In the earl" part of the adventure, one of the

heroes discovers that he fulfills soe ancient prophec".


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ecret 9eakness ecret %'arrassent

:inall", the villain a" have soe a'erration or secret shae that &ill force hi to flee

&hen he is confronted &ith it. It could 'e soething as siple as the fact that his nose is

too 'ig, or that he is a sall and ne''ishl" &i0ard pretending to 'e soe vast, po&erful

deonic po&er. 9hen his shae is revealed, he is too huiliated to continue this is a

good option for coed" adventures.

pecial Condition Tie 3iit

:inall", the ost o'vious condition to place on an adventure is to give it a tie liit. If

the #aster $illain is going to conclude his evil spell in onl" three da"s, and his citadel is

three hard da"s riding a&a", then the heroes are going to 'e on the go all throughout

the adventure -- &ith little tie to rest, plan, gather allies, or an"thing ecept get to

&here the"re going.

#oral Quandr" 6onor Quandr"

ou &ant to use this on the character &ith the ost strongl" developed sense of

personal honor -- soeone &ho has lived all his life '" a strict code. To&ard the end of

the adventure, this character reali0es that the 'est &a" to defeat the #aster $illain is a

violation of that code. :or instance, the character ight 'e a paladin, &ho discovers that

the onl" possi'le &a" for the heroes to defeat the #aster $illain is to sneak up on hi

and sta' hi in the 'ack.

2ed 6erring 3"ing 2uor

This is the &orst and ost useful t"pe of red herring -- the interesting ruor &hich 7ust

happens to 'e false. In adventures of this sort, the 'est 3"ing 2uor concerns the#aster $illain it gives the heroes soe ;iportant; inforation a'out hi &hich later

turns out to 'e useless.

Cruel Trick 9anted '" the 3a&

/ne final coplication, one &hich occurs prett" fre+uentl", is &hen the heroes are

&anted '" the la&. 9hen the"re &anted '" the la&, the" have to travel in secret and

ver" liited in the resources the" can ac+uire

adventure; abc

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