Dark Sun Adventure Hooks - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Dark Sun Adventure Hooks

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
vellitrax
Sep 10, 2010 19:33:25
i would really appreciate some low level adventure hook ideas for dark sun campaign, i have my plans for paragon onward but need to get the ball rolling once my players finish Marauders of the Dune Sea,
Any help would be appreciated.
#2
RyndarLocke
Sep 10, 2010 22:38:18

i would really appreciate some low level adventure hook ideas for dark sun campaign, i have my plans for paragon onward but need to get the ball rolling once my players finish Marauders of the Dune Sea,
Any help would be appreciated.

That module is a horrible start for any Dark Sun game. A great list of plot hooks are simple in Dark Sun.

Accused of a crime they become slaves.

Lost in the wilderness, how will they survive.

Raiders attack to make them slaves.

Village well runs dry, tampering from elven traders upwards of the underground source are to blame.

#3
Duskweaver
Sep 11, 2010 3:11:10
One of the PCs learns a relative/friend/mentor has been arrested by the templars for using magic/being a member of the Veiled Alliance.

As above, but the relative/friend/mentor has been kidnapped by slavers.

A templar finds out one of the PCs is an arcanist/member of the VA and blackmails him/her into going on a suicide mission.

A templar/noble/trading house wants to know why an important trade route has suddenly become 'dead' - i.e. no-one who tries to use that route is ever seen again.

Tieflings have started attacking caravans along an important trade route. The sole survivor of one raid can only babble incoherently about some great and ancient evil the tieflings are attempting to free from its prison.

Two noble houses are locked in conflict and their vendetta threatens to disrupt order in the city. The templars recruit the PCs to settle the dispute by any means necessary, while keeping their own hands out of it publically as they cannot afford to be seen taking sides.

A stranger arrives in town one day. He keeps himself to himself, but fights break out around him as old greivances are brought to the fore. Soon, the town is on the brink of tearing itself apart. Who is this mysterious stranger and why does his presence seem to serve as a catalyst for violence?

The only well/oasis serving an isolated settlement is poisoned by persons unknown. The PCs need to find a new source of water before everyone (including themselves) dies of thirst, as well as tracking down the perpetrators before they can foul this new source of water too.

The ambitious young leader of a small trading house sends the PCs to find a route through the Ringing Mountains and open up trade with the halflings of the Forest Ridge.

A hidden cache of steel weapons dating from the Green Age has been found and everyone seem to want in on it, but everyone who learns of the cache's location ends up dead before they can make use of the information. An old mul prospector whispers the secret to one of the PCs as he lies dying.

If all else fails, go watch some Clint Eastwood films and lift the plot from one of them. Two of the above suggestions are (very) loosely based on High Plains Drifter and A Fistfull Of Dollars.
#4
claytoniantomb
Sep 11, 2010 6:46:40 looks like a TNG plot made it into those suggestions as well.

Hmmm... any TNG plot may suffice with some work...
#5
Nyarlathotep
Sep 11, 2010 13:39:13

If all else fails, go watch some Clint Eastwood films and lift the plot from one of them. Two of the above suggestions are (very) loosely based on High Plains Drifter and A Fistfull Of Dollars.

Heh. I was just thinking that westerns in general actually make a good inspiration for Dark Sun, a lot of the same themse come into play...large stretches of lawless hostile terrain where an individual has to look out for their own self between large population centers filled with corrupt authority figures, hostile natives and bandits, etc.

In fact, the adventure I am using to kick off my campaign is loosely based on Stagecoach.

#6
hellgrammite00
Sep 11, 2010 13:53:51 - Tyr's nearby outposts are being hit heavily lately by raids. The recently free city is spreading its military too thin, and begins drafting people from the streets and arenas to defend its borders. The party group is part of one conscription that has to defend a nearby fort which has an important rescource for the city.
#7
junri
Sep 12, 2010 1:20:33 - The high templar of Urik, Elabon Escrissar, contacts you as team and informs you that a child of one of his slaves has been kidnapped and that you WILL find the child, bring him back alive, and you WILL bring back the kidnappers, dead or alive. But why is one of the most wicked and feared templars concerned with this particular child?

- One of the few things keeping the city of Raam is the gladiator games, and even they are barely doing the job. So imagine the fear when the morning of the games comes and the arena is on fire. Nobody was killed, but the templars are too busy assigning blame to figure out who did it. Among the mysteries is why Alelach-Re personally summoned you to solve the mystery, how it was done, and why she was insistent that you not enter the arena ruins.

- A wealthy farmer has a map to a suit of metal armor. He needs to hire some people to get it. He tells them to bring it to him in one piece, don't let it leave their sight, and, "Do not wear the armor, no matter what it says to you."

- A mated pair of thri-kreen enter an inn, looking for somewhere to stay and rest while the PCs look on. The female is very pregnant. While checking in, a band led by a halfling come in, demanding vengeance against the male thri-kreen for some minor grievence, and declares that killing his mate and child would be perfect. Naturally, when the fight begins, the female goes into labor.
#8
Duskweaver
Sep 12, 2010 2:07:02
- A mated pair of thri-kreen enter an inn, looking for somewhere to stay and rest while the PCs look on. The female is very pregnant. While checking in, a band led by a halfling come in, demanding vengeance against the male thri-kreen for some minor grievence, and declares that killing his mate and child would be perfect. Naturally, when the fight begins, the female goes into labor.

Uh... you do know that thri-kreen lay multiple eggs, right? Your description implies a single mammalian-style live birth, with an involuntarily initiated labour involving a prolonged period of helplessness, but that's not at all what thri-kreen do. I'm not sure a non-thri-kreen would even be able to tell if a thri-kreen female was pregnant (or even female for that matter).

It's still a good idea, but I think it would be improved by playing up the 'alienness' of the thri-kreen:

"She's pregnant?"
"She's a 'she'?"
"Look out! They sometimes go into a berserk rage if they get stressed while laying!"
"Aargh! That ovipositor's bloody sharp!"
#9
dreamernaut
Sep 12, 2010 3:30:10

Uh... you do know that thri-kreen lay multiple eggs, right? Your description implies a single mammalian-style live birth, with an involuntarily initiated labour involving a prolonged period of helplessness, but that's not at all what thri-kreen do. I'm not sure a non-thri-kreen would even be able to tell if a thri-kreen female was pregnant (or even female for that matter).

I guess since thri-kreens seem to have lost there abdomens it raises the question of how females can carry multiple eggs? Maybe they have egg capsules like roaches do. That would be noticeable. I am almost wondering if this could be a subject that is new thread worthy.
#10
thegreatgalstaff
Sep 12, 2010 11:49:37 I'm doing this around level 2.

They enter said city (TYR, for me) they realize that the king there is rationing food and that the food the adventurers want to buy is close to 5 gold pieces and that is not including water!!!

this hit to their pockets will make them want to investigate.

when they do they find the small farms (they do exist, but only usually in cities) have been having their crops stolen they cant find a single foot print or clue the plants don't even look like they have been picked, they more look like they were eaten by the earth.

Simple Skill challenge (adjust for your level)
4 successes before 3 failures
look for Clues

Perception (moderate)-obviously looking for clues
Insight (easy)- realize the farmer left somthing out of his testimony.
Intimidate (Moderate or Easy) if they passed a insight check they get the easy DC. they scare the farmer into telling them about a scraching sound and a horrible odor.
Nature (Hard to easy) this depends on how many success they have before they do this subtract 2 for every success for the target DC

if they succeed they realize that there is a trail of pheromones that belong to giant ants (MM2), and find a sand dune that has a volcano like shape (A giant Ant hill).

if they fail they fallow a false trail and wander the desert for awhile they lose 2 healing surges expend 1 survival day and must roll for "Sun sickness" (or what ever its called), but eventually find the Ant hill.

make a underground dugeon with narrow hallways a couple rooms , with some small encounters, make them fight the queen (level 5controller, but a small group of 2's can do it and if you throw in a couple ant minions at the start it makes it a hard encounter.

how about that for a small adventure.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 vellitrax Sep 10, 2010 19:33:25	i would really appreciate some low level adventure hook ideas for dark sun campaign, i have my plans for paragon onward but need to get the ball rolling once my players finish Marauders of the Dune Sea, Any help would be appreciated.
#2 RyndarLocke Sep 10, 2010 22:38:18	i would really appreciate some low level adventure hook ideas for dark sun campaign, i have my plans for paragon onward but need to get the ball rolling once my players finish Marauders of the Dune Sea, Any help would be appreciated. That module is a horrible start for any Dark Sun game. A great list of plot hooks are simple in Dark Sun. Accused of a crime they become slaves. Lost in the wilderness, how will they survive. Raiders attack to make them slaves. Village well runs dry, tampering from elven traders upwards of the underground source are to blame.
#3 Duskweaver Sep 11, 2010 3:11:10	One of the PCs learns a relative/friend/mentor has been arrested by the templars for using magic/being a member of the Veiled Alliance. As above, but the relative/friend/mentor has been kidnapped by slavers. A templar finds out one of the PCs is an arcanist/member of the VA and blackmails him/her into going on a suicide mission. A templar/noble/trading house wants to know why an important trade route has suddenly become 'dead' - i.e. no-one who tries to use that route is ever seen again. Tieflings have started attacking caravans along an important trade route. The sole survivor of one raid can only babble incoherently about some great and ancient evil the tieflings are attempting to free from its prison. Two noble houses are locked in conflict and their vendetta threatens to disrupt order in the city. The templars recruit the PCs to settle the dispute by any means necessary, while keeping their own hands out of it publically as they cannot afford to be seen taking sides. A stranger arrives in town one day. He keeps himself to himself, but fights break out around him as old greivances are brought to the fore. Soon, the town is on the brink of tearing itself apart. Who is this mysterious stranger and why does his presence seem to serve as a catalyst for violence? The only well/oasis serving an isolated settlement is poisoned by persons unknown. The PCs need to find a new source of water before everyone (including themselves) dies of thirst, as well as tracking down the perpetrators before they can foul this new source of water too. The ambitious young leader of a small trading house sends the PCs to find a route through the Ringing Mountains and open up trade with the halflings of the Forest Ridge. A hidden cache of steel weapons dating from the Green Age has been found and everyone seem to want in on it, but everyone who learns of the cache's location ends up dead before they can make use of the information. An old mul prospector whispers the secret to one of the PCs as he lies dying. If all else fails, go watch some Clint Eastwood films and lift the plot from one of them. Two of the above suggestions are (very) loosely based on High Plains Drifter and A Fistfull Of Dollars.
#4 claytoniantomb Sep 11, 2010 6:46:40	looks like a TNG plot made it into those suggestions as well. Hmmm... any TNG plot may suffice with some work...
#5 Nyarlathotep Sep 11, 2010 13:39:13	If all else fails, go watch some Clint Eastwood films and lift the plot from one of them. Two of the above suggestions are (very) loosely based on High Plains Drifter and A Fistfull Of Dollars. Heh. I was just thinking that westerns in general actually make a good inspiration for Dark Sun, a lot of the same themse come into play...large stretches of lawless hostile terrain where an individual has to look out for their own self between large population centers filled with corrupt authority figures, hostile natives and bandits, etc. In fact, the adventure I am using to kick off my campaign is loosely based on Stagecoach.
#6 hellgrammite00 Sep 11, 2010 13:53:51	- Tyr's nearby outposts are being hit heavily lately by raids. The recently free city is spreading its military too thin, and begins drafting people from the streets and arenas to defend its borders. The party group is part of one conscription that has to defend a nearby fort which has an important rescource for the city.
#7 junri Sep 12, 2010 1:20:33	- The high templar of Urik, Elabon Escrissar, contacts you as team and informs you that a child of one of his slaves has been kidnapped and that you WILL find the child, bring him back alive, and you WILL bring back the kidnappers, dead or alive. But why is one of the most wicked and feared templars concerned with this particular child? - One of the few things keeping the city of Raam is the gladiator games, and even they are barely doing the job. So imagine the fear when the morning of the games comes and the arena is on fire. Nobody was killed, but the templars are too busy assigning blame to figure out who did it. Among the mysteries is why Alelach-Re personally summoned you to solve the mystery, how it was done, and why she was insistent that you not enter the arena ruins. - A wealthy farmer has a map to a suit of metal armor. He needs to hire some people to get it. He tells them to bring it to him in one piece, don't let it leave their sight, and, "Do not wear the armor, no matter what it says to you." - A mated pair of thri-kreen enter an inn, looking for somewhere to stay and rest while the PCs look on. The female is very pregnant. While checking in, a band led by a halfling come in, demanding vengeance against the male thri-kreen for some minor grievence, and declares that killing his mate and child would be perfect. Naturally, when the fight begins, the female goes into labor.
#8 Duskweaver Sep 12, 2010 2:07:02	- A mated pair of thri-kreen enter an inn, looking for somewhere to stay and rest while the PCs look on. The female is very pregnant. While checking in, a band led by a halfling come in, demanding vengeance against the male thri-kreen for some minor grievence, and declares that killing his mate and child would be perfect. Naturally, when the fight begins, the female goes into labor. Uh... you do know that thri-kreen lay multiple eggs, right? Your description implies a single mammalian-style live birth, with an involuntarily initiated labour involving a prolonged period of helplessness, but that's not at all what thri-kreen do. I'm not sure a non-thri-kreen would even be able to tell if a thri-kreen female was pregnant (or even female for that matter). It's still a good idea, but I think it would be improved by playing up the 'alienness' of the thri-kreen: "She's pregnant?" "She's a 'she'?" "Look out! They sometimes go into a berserk rage if they get stressed while laying!" "Aargh! That ovipositor's bloody sharp!"
#9 dreamernaut Sep 12, 2010 3:30:10	Uh... you do know that thri-kreen lay multiple eggs, right? Your description implies a single mammalian-style live birth, with an involuntarily initiated labour involving a prolonged period of helplessness, but that's not at all what thri-kreen do. I'm not sure a non-thri-kreen would even be able to tell if a thri-kreen female was pregnant (or even female for that matter). I guess since thri-kreens seem to have lost there abdomens it raises the question of how females can carry multiple eggs? Maybe they have egg capsules like roaches do. That would be noticeable. I am almost wondering if this could be a subject that is new thread worthy.
#10 thegreatgalstaff Sep 12, 2010 11:49:37	I'm doing this around level 2. They enter said city (TYR, for me) they realize that the king there is rationing food and that the food the adventurers want to buy is close to 5 gold pieces and that is not including water!!! this hit to their pockets will make them want to investigate. when they do they find the small farms (they do exist, but only usually in cities) have been having their crops stolen they cant find a single foot print or clue the plants don't even look like they have been picked, they more look like they were eaten by the earth. Simple Skill challenge (adjust for your level) 4 successes before 3 failures look for Clues Perception (moderate)-obviously looking for clues Insight (easy)- realize the farmer left somthing out of his testimony. Intimidate (Moderate or Easy) if they passed a insight check they get the easy DC. they scare the farmer into telling them about a scraching sound and a horrible odor. Nature (Hard to easy) this depends on how many success they have before they do this subtract 2 for every success for the target DC if they succeed they realize that there is a trail of pheromones that belong to giant ants (MM2), and find a sand dune that has a volcano like shape (A giant Ant hill). if they fail they fallow a false trail and wander the desert for awhile they lose 2 healing surges expend 1 survival day and must roll for "Sun sickness" (or what ever its called), but eventually find the Ant hill. make a underground dugeon with narrow hallways a couple rooms , with some small encounters, make them fight the queen (level 5controller, but a small group of 2's can do it and if you throw in a couple ant minions at the start it makes it a hard encounter. how about that for a small adventure.