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 si ple one. To get to their goal, %vent A, the" find that the" ust first acco plish so e other task -- %vent B. But &hen the" undertake the task of acco plishing %vent B, the" find that the" ust first acco plish %vent C. This goes on for several encounters, until the heroes acco plish all the o'stacle events &hich prevent the fro returning to %vent A, their original goal. Cli a( )cattered *uels In this cli a(, the heroes have gotten to the end of their +uest -- the" a" have 'roken into, sneaked into, or escaped fro i prison ent &ithin the villain,s citadel, or have arched into the little to&n &here the villain is holed up -- and the" 'eco e 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 si ultaneousl". the",ll have to run in all directions at the sa e ti e or suffer failure. /nce the part" is 'roken do&n into 'ite-si0ed chunks, "ou confront each individual or s all group &ith the ene " or ene ies he ost deserves to face -- his personal ene ", the onster &hich defeated hi 'efore, etc. -for a grand series of cli actic 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 &ideranging "ster", are part of a caravan, or are 'eing pursued '" loatheso e villains. )pecific )etting I #ansion of a 3ord

This can 'e the ho e of a villain -- the characters a" have to 'reak in and rescue so eone 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 so e no'le an,s 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 cri es the" did or didn,t co it, etc. #aster $illain Advance Agent This villain is the vanguard of so e sort of invastion. often, he is tr"ing to open up a portal to a di ension full of trapped de ons and evil gods.

#inor $illain I In+uisitor This villain is the one &ho interrogates the heroes and 5PCs captured '" the villains. 6e acco panies 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 e(perienced, co petent, persistent soldier -- a field-trained officer &ho serves the villain &ith ilitar" precision. 6e is usuall" encountered in the field as leader of the villain,s 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

)o e "outh -- an urchin, a 'rother or sister of one of the heroes, or a child run a&a" fro ho e -- hooks up &ith the heroes, follo&ing the &herever the" go, 'eing ad iring, talking to ever"one (neutrals and villains included) a'out ho& &onderful and po&erful the heroes are. #onster %ncounter Terrain #onster

*on,t forget the si ple run-in &ith the ani al '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 e(cept that he,s not as tough, is of course drunk, and is usuall" acco panied '" other #ean *runks. *eathtrap Pit and the Pendulu

Actuall", &e,re appl"ing this ter to an" of an" ti e-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 ti ing device or a 'urning fuse. Chase 9ater *on,t forget the &ater chase! 9hether it,s a 'attle of sea anship '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 dra atic 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 so e ancient prophec".

)ecret 9eakness

)ecret % 'arrass ent

:inall", the villain a" have so e a'erration or secret sha e that &ill force hi to flee &hen he is confronted &ith it. It could 'e so ething as si ple as the fact that his nose is too 'ig, or that he is a s all and ne''ishl" &i0ard pretending to 'e so e vast, po&erful de onic po&er. 9hen his sha e is revealed, he is too hu iliated to continue. this is a good option for co ed" adventures. )pecial Condition Ti e 3i it

:inall", the ost o'vious condition to place on an adventure is to give it a ti e li it. 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 ti e to rest, plan, gather allies, or an"thing e(cept 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 -- so eone &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 2u or

This is the &orst and ost useful t"pe of red herring -- the interesting ru or &hich 7ust happens to 'e false. In adventures of this sort, the 'est 3"ing 2u or concerns the #aster $illain. it gives the heroes so e ;i portant; infor ation a'out hi &hich later turns out to 'e useless. Cruel Trick 9anted '" the 3a&

/ne final co plication, 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" li ited in the resources the" can ac+uire