Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Ruckmaul Aug 24, 2015 14:34:27	* One night adventure ideas needed for first time player - light on combat. *     OK, I planned to run a one night adventure with my wife, who has never played any RPG before. Instead of using the PHB I just explained the setting (essentially low Magic D&D) and asked her to think up a character.    As she has no idea about classes I told her to pick a background and personality, what the character is like physically and how they fight if they need to. I figured I would make up a quick adventure and see if she liked it.    The character she choose is a girl who works/worked as a handmaiden for a noble lady, is plain and often ignored but has an agenda of her own. With regard class she chose Rogue but said the character doesn't tackle fights head on but maybe uses poisons but no-one knows it was her. I said what weapon would she use if she had to and she suggested maybe a blowgun.    I now need help writing something to engage her for one evening but without direct combat and an opportunity for her to play out the character she has imagined. I admit I'm a bit of a loss just at the moment!   Any advice?
#2 BRJN Aug 25, 2015 16:50:19	Her Ladyship is hosting a ball.  You get to (pick a few): - Check along the dark side of the building to make sure no teenagers are playing kissyface - Meet with the party supply people and make sure everything is in the building before the guests arrive - Double-check that Her Ladyship's gown is in perfect condition - When Miss Cruella DeVille arrives, see that her staff are shown to the Servants' Quarters, not allowed to follow her around.  (She uses them to make trouble.) - Listen to the gossip chatterboxes and plant certain rumors / disparage others - Two drunks are getting belligerent towards each other.  Break them up (preferred), or if you must - deck one as a warning to the other(s) - Her Ladyship is expecting a secret guest to arrive without being noticed.  Get a message to him and see him out - all while staying un-noticed - Somebody is wearing a Zorro / Robin Hood / Scarlet Pimpernel mask.  Find out if that is the real Zorro, or some teenager looking for attention / thrills
#3 WorBlade Aug 24, 2015 15:57:27	Perhaps she overhears a plot to assinate her Lady, but no one believes her. So she has to protect her Lady from the shadows so to speak. A biut of sneaking and hiding following people, some poisons - perhaps non lethal knock out types - from blowguns or dropped in a drink, an escape from dishonest guards chasing her, and finally the incriminating letter for teh assinination in her hands to give to the loyal heard guard.
#4 Qzoo Aug 24, 2015 16:53:14	Perhaps the noble woman knows that someone is out to kill her, but doesn't know who.  But, tonight's masquerade ball presents too good an opportunity for visitors to the court to go around unnoticed, and the lady has tasked you to keep a lookout, and deal with any attackers...after all, you are also her secret bodyguard.   Being the noble woman's handmaiden should give you access to any secret passageways within the court, or at least the one that goes to and from your lady's quarters.    An interesting twist might be if it is the lord (the lady's husband) who is actually behind the killing, but any evidence connecting him to the killer would be scarce.  Perhaps the noble woman suspects, but cannot come out and accuse him of such a thing and needs something more firm with which to imprison him and seek justice from a higher noble.   All this will exercise much sneakiness and perception checks, and perhaps even a deadly fight in the secret passages while the ballroom dance happens in the main court.  Timing should be carefully paced to create a few dramatic highs and lows.
#5 Ruckmaul Aug 24, 2015 19:06:37	Thanks so much guys, really good ideas!    I didn't say but I intend to play a character as well: class not certain yet but personality is not too bright, heart in right place but turns out to be kinda handy in a fix (like Xander from Buffy if you are familiar). Her character will obviously be the one to do any proper problem solving but he can nudge her in the right direction or be 'accidentally' on the right track sometimes. Also can be the 'tank' if any combat can't be avoided.    I hadn't intended it but I think the fact that we've watched a lot of Game of Thrones may have influenced her choice. I could definitely lift / get inspiration from some of the intrigue parts of that too.    Thanks again for setting me off in the right direction!
#6 Imaculata Aug 24, 2015 22:52:09	I would mix in the right amount of humor and suspense. A lot of the above ideas, like an assasination attempt (Worblade's idea), the twist (as Qzoo suggested), and the random gathering of gossip (BRJN's suggestion). For someone new to roleplaying, its nice to offer a lot of options. Apart from the whole ball, it would be interesting to work out the finer details of the mansion where the ball is being helt. Your wife may go off to explore the place, and it would be nice if there are some neat surprises for her to discover.   Maybe the lady of the house has some dark secrets, and has been dabbling in magic. Maybe this is why her husband intends to have her assasinated in the first place. Maybe she's not a very nice lady at all. And while she does explore the mansion, she may encounter the occasional stray party guest, or someone involved with the assasination.
#7 Ruckmaul Aug 25, 2015 1:51:15	Righto, have had time to properly look over your replies (was 3am when I looked before). Thank you Brjn for the idea that got the ball (ho-ho!) rolling. I LOVE the masked celebrity/villain and secret guest ideas as well!    I will definitely work with the assassination plot, Worblade, and I think an astute sleeping poison administered from the shadows when the Lady is potentially getting initiate with the would-be assassin could be dramatic and maybe funny!   Secret passageways are a must I think, thanks Qzoo. And I think the husband being behind it is a nice semi-expected twist, Imaculata. The Lady will definitely have a chequered past and my wife can choose which side to back or just leave the pair to it and head out on her own. Could be nice if it turns into an ongoing campaign to have the Lady be a pursuing villain chasing after some innocuous bauble the PC chose to pilfer when she left...    I am also looking forward to fleshing out the details of where/when the letter (or other proof) can be obtained and also mapping the location.    Your replies are all appreciated - what a quick turn around for loads of ideas! I'll be sure to post when I have the bones of it plotted out!
#8 strider13x Aug 25, 2015 9:21:48	One thing I try to incorporate in a starter adventure is making sure at least one check is performed for each of the 6 abilities. This helps new players know what each ability represents. If at a ball then Con for each glass of wine, Int for recognizing heraldry banners, Cha for costumes, Wis for noticing who is acting suspicious, Dec for making your way across a crowded dance floor, Str when a drunken guest gives unwanted attention...
#9 Gwaithador Aug 25, 2015 14:39:10	You should also add a moral quandry. Maybe she has the opportunity to frame somebody who crossed her, disgraced her family, etc. Does she frame the person or play it straight and honorable?