A fun adventure for all levels! [Archive] - Wizards Community

A fun adventure for all levels! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Tuah
12-01-07, 11:30 AM So I've made a location-based adventure base that all can enjoy. Incorporate your BBEG in his attempt to stalk and defeat the heroes who enter!

It's a traveling funhouse, made either from a lot of easy-to-transport materials or a more stable structure transported by magical means. If the first, the attraction will be somewhat cheap; about two silver pieces per person. If the latter, the price might be about two to ten gold pieces, depending on how high-quality the magic involved is.

First Area: The entry way is small, and holds nothing but the payment desk, two mirrors lined up along the wall, and hallway on the side. The mirrors have a picture next to them of a famous knight touching his tongue to his nose. The caption under it says, "This knight can touch his tongue to his nose. Can you?"
As players enter the hallway, they see it come to a complete end with a bookcase at the end. Players should obviously think it's a revolving bookcase, however, the small area in front of the bookcase is really part of a revolving room. Once a player pulls on the obvious switch in the bookcase, the room turns around the bookcase and leads the player to another hallway. Only up to two people can do this at a time.

Second Area: A small path leads to an indoor patio to a nice looking house. When players open the door, they can see that the room is upside-down. If high-leveled magic is available though, the gravity doesn't function normally, but rather straight ahead of the players. A DC 10 Reflex save can help one resist embarrassment, however there is no damage involved. Once the first enters, the others realize the magic, and may continue through normally. The door on the other side of the room (now the floor) leads to a hallway with normal gravity.

Third Area: This is a hall of mirrors, with ten mirrors; five on each side, and have strange shapes which make characters' reflections strange. One mirror, however, is magically enhanced to show only the companions, and not the one looking.

Fourth Area: The hallway bends to reveal a 25'x25' room full of mirrors and glass panels. This is a very simple maze, but characters cannot navigate it easily due to the confusing reflections. The wrong path looks as though it actually is the exit hallway with a candle on the wall, while the real path constantly has the player looking straightforward into his or her own reflection. The mirror that shows the player right in front of themselves is the one that hides the exit.

Fifth Area: This is a narrow hallway with poor lighting and a door at the end. A DC 20 spot check reveals a glass panel five feet in front of the door. Those who fail this spot check and attempt to open the door run headlong into the glass panel. A DC 5 spot or search check reveals the real door; a false wall-looking panel. Elves might want to keep quiet about the door until they get a laugh out of any non-elves leading the group.

Sixth Area: The other side of the entry way's mirrors reveal that they're trick mirrors. Players can look out at people entering the funhouse and making fools of themselves in front of the mirrors.

Seventh Area: This hallway is revealed behind double-doors, and has double-doors that appear to be 20 feet away. They are actually 10 feet away, as the hallway seems to shrink. Any characters who are medium-sized or larger have to duck down to squeeze through. The doors open to a small 10 by 15 foot room with 6 foot ceilings. In the corner are a half-sized table and chairs, and the opposite corner a half-sized cooler with either ice or a cold spell cast upon it. Halflings feel like normal-sized humans in this room.

Eighth Area: The next room is an entry to a huge hallway leading to a room exactly like the previous one, but twice as big as a normal-sized version of the room. Medium-sized characters feel like halflings here, and halflings probably feel somewhat depressed in this room.

Ninth Area: This is a thin full-circle hallway full of water up to just under the players' feet. A small floating bench large enough for two people leads characters around the hallway, showing them mirrors with a special paint on them making it look like a skeleton, ghost, and bugbear are sitting with them. The last mirror, if magically enchanted, instead looks like a real blackguard, lifting his finger toward the players.

Tenth Area: The last section is a very long hallway full of moving platforms and circular hallways that turn and trip players. The first is a circular hallway, the second is a spinning circular floor, the third is a large circle floor which tilts the direction weight is put on it, the fourth is a cube-shaped spinning platform, and the last is another circular hallway. This leads back to the entry way, and through an exit gate that doesn't allow wrong entry.

Comments? :D
toucanbuzz
12-05-07, 12:12 PM It's a traveling funhouse, made either from a lot of easy-to-transport materials or a more stable structure transported by magical means. If I'm a hero or adventurer, what's my incentive to enter this?

First Area: The entry way is small, and holds nothing but the payment desk, two mirrors lined up along the wall, and hallway on the side.... What's the challenge?

Second Area: A DC 10 Reflex save can help one resist embarrassment, however there is no damage involved. No risk, no challenge, why roll the dice?

Third Area: One mirror, however, is magically enhanced to show only the companions, and not the one looking. I'm suspecting a Mirror of Opposition here but all I get is warped reflections?

Fourth Area: This is a very simple maze, but characters cannot navigate it easily due to the confusing reflections. The mirror that shows the player right in front of themselves is the one that hides the exit. There's no risk involved, so I'll just declare my character solves your maze and sit back. If you want me to play it, I'll break mirrors until I find the exit. Isn't there supposed to be a lightning bolt casting mage that seems to be at the end of the hall but really is reflected to the side?

Fifth Area: This is a narrow hallway with poor lighting and a door at the end. Elves might want to keep quiet about the door until they get a laugh out of any non-elves leading the group. My only incentive for actually directing my character to do anything is to avoid a boo-boo that makes my friends chuckle at me. Again, I'll just say I figure it out since there's no penalty for failure.

Sixth Area: The other side of the entry way's mirrors reveal that they're trick mirrors. Players can look out at people entering the funhouse and making fools of themselves in front of the mirrors. I say "Ok, I make funny faces at myself." Then what? That's it? Where's the roleplay, the challenge?

Seventh Area: Any characters who are medium-sized or larger have to duck down to squeeze through. In the corner are a half-sized table and chairs, and the opposite corner a half-sized cooler with either ice or a cold spell cast upon it. Halflings feel like normal-sized humans in this room. Is this a safe place to rest? Will anything in the cooler magically affect me if I eat/drink it?

Eighth Area: The next room is an entry to a huge hallway leading to a room exactly like the previous one, but twice as big as a normal-sized version of the room. Medium-sized characters feel like halflings here, and halflings probably feel somewhat depressed in this room. I believe halflings are comfortable with who they are and aren't ashamed of being small.

Ninth Area: This is a thin full-circle hallway full of water up to just under the players' feet. A small floating bench large enough for two people leads characters around the hallway, showing them mirrors with a special paint on them making it look like a skeleton, ghost, and bugbear are sitting with them. The last mirror, if magically enchanted, instead looks like a real blackguard, lifting his finger toward the players. If only there were other illusions out there making me question reality. But I suspect no one is going to get scared of the blackguard.

Tenth Area: The last section is a very long hallway full of moving platforms and circular hallways that turn and trip players. The first is a circular hallway, the second is a spinning circular floor, the third is a large circle floor which tilts the direction weight is put on it, the fourth is a cube-shaped spinning platform, and the last is another circular hallway. This leads back to the entry way, and through an exit gate that doesn't allow wrong entry. Again, no penalty for failure, no point in saying anything more than "I walk through it."

Comments? :D

A D&D encounter has to challenge the party to use their wits, their resources, and their unique skills and abilities. Your scenario does none of that. It makes the cardinal mistake of railroad adventures where you push the party where you want them to go, lead them through the adventure, and leave no decision making or incentive to make decisions.

Now, with that said, improvements can be had. Ravenloft, a realm of horror, used a "funhouse" to great effect in 2nd edition with a sneaky vampire jester who took joy in hiding his victims and activities in a fun house. Perhaps an illusionist has fled into the funhouse after stealing from the temple.

Give your party some incentives and drive, make it exciting, make them look forward to tentatively stepping into each crazy room of this funhouse.
Tuah
12-06-07, 06:33 PM Perhaps I should have specified. This is a base for a possible adventure.

Who really says, "Oh look, a funhouse! Let's weigh the probability of getting rich from this compared to the possible dangers that might lie inside this average commoner attraction!"?
Mysteria
12-07-07, 06:12 AM Well, the probability of getting rich is about nil too ... :)
So, it would rather be weighing fun then richness. ;)
Anyway, I don't think that really qualifies for the title 'adventure'. Fun sidetreck to be roleplayed through, yes, but adventure, not really.
WelcarThorn
12-07-07, 01:48 PM Your post has in fact inspired me to write several adventures. There is a lot of good stuff here. Perhaps we could revise it a bit? I'll post back in a few with some of my ideas!
...this is going to be good... :evillaugh
WelcarThorn
12-07-07, 03:07 PM I guess the first adventure scenario I thought of was perhaps this attraction is run by a serial killer (kind of like the movie SAW). He uses the rooms to put the PCs in terrifying situations were he uses confusion to play on their fears. The game is normally kill or be killed, but to avoid the TPK, perhaps we should encourage teamwork?
The second adventure scenario could be that the attraction is owned and operated by a famous Asimar. Many people know of this attraction because he travels about and many people look forward to him coming to their area. Recently, he has been captured (or killed) by a band of brigands led by an evil elven druid and/or a young adult green dragon. They begin to use the attraction as a front for they thieving operations. For the most part they let the locals in during the day making honest coin. But during the night they sneak about stealing from the locals. Perhaps if the PCs visit, the druid or the dragon notice some/all of their magic items and try to steal from the PCs. Or a little girl goes missing and she was last seen entering the attraction.
What do you think?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Tuah 12-01-07, 11:30 AM	So I've made a location-based adventure base that all can enjoy. Incorporate your BBEG in his attempt to stalk and defeat the heroes who enter! It's a traveling funhouse, made either from a lot of easy-to-transport materials or a more stable structure transported by magical means. If the first, the attraction will be somewhat cheap; about two silver pieces per person. If the latter, the price might be about two to ten gold pieces, depending on how high-quality the magic involved is. First Area: The entry way is small, and holds nothing but the payment desk, two mirrors lined up along the wall, and hallway on the side. The mirrors have a picture next to them of a famous knight touching his tongue to his nose. The caption under it says, "This knight can touch his tongue to his nose. Can you?" As players enter the hallway, they see it come to a complete end with a bookcase at the end. Players should obviously think it's a revolving bookcase, however, the small area in front of the bookcase is really part of a revolving room. Once a player pulls on the obvious switch in the bookcase, the room turns around the bookcase and leads the player to another hallway. Only up to two people can do this at a time. Second Area: A small path leads to an indoor patio to a nice looking house. When players open the door, they can see that the room is upside-down. If high-leveled magic is available though, the gravity doesn't function normally, but rather straight ahead of the players. A DC 10 Reflex save can help one resist embarrassment, however there is no damage involved. Once the first enters, the others realize the magic, and may continue through normally. The door on the other side of the room (now the floor) leads to a hallway with normal gravity. Third Area: This is a hall of mirrors, with ten mirrors; five on each side, and have strange shapes which make characters' reflections strange. One mirror, however, is magically enhanced to show only the companions, and not the one looking. Fourth Area: The hallway bends to reveal a 25'x25' room full of mirrors and glass panels. This is a very simple maze, but characters cannot navigate it easily due to the confusing reflections. The wrong path looks as though it actually is the exit hallway with a candle on the wall, while the real path constantly has the player looking straightforward into his or her own reflection. The mirror that shows the player right in front of themselves is the one that hides the exit. Fifth Area: This is a narrow hallway with poor lighting and a door at the end. A DC 20 spot check reveals a glass panel five feet in front of the door. Those who fail this spot check and attempt to open the door run headlong into the glass panel. A DC 5 spot or search check reveals the real door; a false wall-looking panel. Elves might want to keep quiet about the door until they get a laugh out of any non-elves leading the group. Sixth Area: The other side of the entry way's mirrors reveal that they're trick mirrors. Players can look out at people entering the funhouse and making fools of themselves in front of the mirrors. Seventh Area: This hallway is revealed behind double-doors, and has double-doors that appear to be 20 feet away. They are actually 10 feet away, as the hallway seems to shrink. Any characters who are medium-sized or larger have to duck down to squeeze through. The doors open to a small 10 by 15 foot room with 6 foot ceilings. In the corner are a half-sized table and chairs, and the opposite corner a half-sized cooler with either ice or a cold spell cast upon it. Halflings feel like normal-sized humans in this room. Eighth Area: The next room is an entry to a huge hallway leading to a room exactly like the previous one, but twice as big as a normal-sized version of the room. Medium-sized characters feel like halflings here, and halflings probably feel somewhat depressed in this room. Ninth Area: This is a thin full-circle hallway full of water up to just under the players' feet. A small floating bench large enough for two people leads characters around the hallway, showing them mirrors with a special paint on them making it look like a skeleton, ghost, and bugbear are sitting with them. The last mirror, if magically enchanted, instead looks like a real blackguard, lifting his finger toward the players. Tenth Area: The last section is a very long hallway full of moving platforms and circular hallways that turn and trip players. The first is a circular hallway, the second is a spinning circular floor, the third is a large circle floor which tilts the direction weight is put on it, the fourth is a cube-shaped spinning platform, and the last is another circular hallway. This leads back to the entry way, and through an exit gate that doesn't allow wrong entry. Comments? :D
toucanbuzz 12-05-07, 12:12 PM	It's a traveling funhouse, made either from a lot of easy-to-transport materials or a more stable structure transported by magical means. If I'm a hero or adventurer, what's my incentive to enter this? First Area: The entry way is small, and holds nothing but the payment desk, two mirrors lined up along the wall, and hallway on the side.... What's the challenge? Second Area: A DC 10 Reflex save can help one resist embarrassment, however there is no damage involved. No risk, no challenge, why roll the dice? Third Area: One mirror, however, is magically enhanced to show only the companions, and not the one looking. I'm suspecting a Mirror of Opposition here but all I get is warped reflections? Fourth Area: This is a very simple maze, but characters cannot navigate it easily due to the confusing reflections. The mirror that shows the player right in front of themselves is the one that hides the exit. There's no risk involved, so I'll just declare my character solves your maze and sit back. If you want me to play it, I'll break mirrors until I find the exit. Isn't there supposed to be a lightning bolt casting mage that seems to be at the end of the hall but really is reflected to the side? Fifth Area: This is a narrow hallway with poor lighting and a door at the end. Elves might want to keep quiet about the door until they get a laugh out of any non-elves leading the group. My only incentive for actually directing my character to do anything is to avoid a boo-boo that makes my friends chuckle at me. Again, I'll just say I figure it out since there's no penalty for failure. Sixth Area: The other side of the entry way's mirrors reveal that they're trick mirrors. Players can look out at people entering the funhouse and making fools of themselves in front of the mirrors. I say "Ok, I make funny faces at myself." Then what? That's it? Where's the roleplay, the challenge? Seventh Area: Any characters who are medium-sized or larger have to duck down to squeeze through. In the corner are a half-sized table and chairs, and the opposite corner a half-sized cooler with either ice or a cold spell cast upon it. Halflings feel like normal-sized humans in this room. Is this a safe place to rest? Will anything in the cooler magically affect me if I eat/drink it? Eighth Area: The next room is an entry to a huge hallway leading to a room exactly like the previous one, but twice as big as a normal-sized version of the room. Medium-sized characters feel like halflings here, and halflings probably feel somewhat depressed in this room. I believe halflings are comfortable with who they are and aren't ashamed of being small. Ninth Area: This is a thin full-circle hallway full of water up to just under the players' feet. A small floating bench large enough for two people leads characters around the hallway, showing them mirrors with a special paint on them making it look like a skeleton, ghost, and bugbear are sitting with them. The last mirror, if magically enchanted, instead looks like a real blackguard, lifting his finger toward the players. If only there were other illusions out there making me question reality. But I suspect no one is going to get scared of the blackguard. Tenth Area: The last section is a very long hallway full of moving platforms and circular hallways that turn and trip players. The first is a circular hallway, the second is a spinning circular floor, the third is a large circle floor which tilts the direction weight is put on it, the fourth is a cube-shaped spinning platform, and the last is another circular hallway. This leads back to the entry way, and through an exit gate that doesn't allow wrong entry. Again, no penalty for failure, no point in saying anything more than "I walk through it." Comments? :D A D&D encounter has to challenge the party to use their wits, their resources, and their unique skills and abilities. Your scenario does none of that. It makes the cardinal mistake of railroad adventures where you push the party where you want them to go, lead them through the adventure, and leave no decision making or incentive to make decisions. Now, with that said, improvements can be had. Ravenloft, a realm of horror, used a "funhouse" to great effect in 2nd edition with a sneaky vampire jester who took joy in hiding his victims and activities in a fun house. Perhaps an illusionist has fled into the funhouse after stealing from the temple. Give your party some incentives and drive, make it exciting, make them look forward to tentatively stepping into each crazy room of this funhouse.
Tuah 12-06-07, 06:33 PM	Perhaps I should have specified. This is a base for a possible adventure. Who really says, "Oh look, a funhouse! Let's weigh the probability of getting rich from this compared to the possible dangers that might lie inside this average commoner attraction!"?
Mysteria 12-07-07, 06:12 AM	Well, the probability of getting rich is about nil too ... :) So, it would rather be weighing fun then richness. ;) Anyway, I don't think that really qualifies for the title 'adventure'. Fun sidetreck to be roleplayed through, yes, but adventure, not really.
WelcarThorn 12-07-07, 01:48 PM	Your post has in fact inspired me to write several adventures. There is a lot of good stuff here. Perhaps we could revise it a bit? I'll post back in a few with some of my ideas! ...this is going to be good... :evillaugh
WelcarThorn 12-07-07, 03:07 PM	I guess the first adventure scenario I thought of was perhaps this attraction is run by a serial killer (kind of like the movie SAW). He uses the rooms to put the PCs in terrifying situations were he uses confusion to play on their fears. The game is normally kill or be killed, but to avoid the TPK, perhaps we should encourage teamwork? The second adventure scenario could be that the attraction is owned and operated by a famous Asimar. Many people know of this attraction because he travels about and many people look forward to him coming to their area. Recently, he has been captured (or killed) by a band of brigands led by an evil elven druid and/or a young adult green dragon. They begin to use the attraction as a front for they thieving operations. For the most part they let the locals in during the day making honest coin. But during the night they sneak about stealing from the locals. Perhaps if the PCs visit, the druid or the dragon notice some/all of their magic items and try to steal from the PCs. Or a little girl goes missing and she was last seen entering the attraction. What do you think?