Lazy DM adventure design - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 OrwellianHaggis Nov 22, 2014 5:42:46	I'm reading The Lazy DM, and I've decided to build a world and run an adventure using the advice therein. For a number of reasons I just don't have the time or energy to dedicate hours to preparation. So far, for the first adventure, this is what I have. Where does your adventure begin? The adventure begins on the road to the frontier town of Rothsbury. You are part of an escort for a supply caravan. The others (NOV militia and civilians) are nervous, because there have been greater and greater numbers of goblins sighted in the area, and numerous clashes. To what three areas might your adventure lead? An old dwarven housing estate, now inhabited by goblins of the black maw tribe. Rothsbury, to deliver the supplies. Old Walt's homestead, an abandoned fishing village inhabited by a hill giant, Muck. Six important NPCs: Ramesh, a militiaman and frequent volunteer to lead the dangerous supply runs. He hopes to rise in the ranks of the militia. Muck, an outcast hill giant looking for friends, food, and a safe place to live. Latte, a goblin mushroom farmer traveling in the goblin caravan. He hopes his business will take off one he joins the new empire (more on that below). Dareon, Rothsbury' s resident cleric. Overall a good man, but won't use his gifts to heal those not of his faith. The Stuart, Rothsbury' s resident mage. He'll do anything for a profit. Kes, a goblin of exceptional intelligence and integrity. He (and his family) hope to build an empire and civilise their fellow goblins. To that end he is gathering tribes from across the land. Secondary NPCs: Roth the blacksmith and Billy "Goat", his apprentice. Ash and Merrill, shop keepers. Farrer, the stable master. Bernadette the inn keeper and Simon, her assistant. Penny, the militia captain. Ideas: Kes will attempt to force an empire. He has no ill designs on humans and other civilised races. He's helped by his family, who form his bodyguard of "Immortals". The Immortals will be reskinned Night Hags, I think. And Kes may just be a normal goblin with increased mental stats and some Lair and Regional add ons. I've yet to cement these details. The first session will have two supply caravans (Rothsbury' s and the goblins') meet. The humans, nervous, will attack. One Immortal will be present and will try to make the goblins retreat, but if any die it will trigger a goblin attack by approx 12 goblins. The Immortal will attack these undisciplined goblins and the player characters if they get in the way, but its main aim is to save the supplies and withdraw as many goblins as possible. From there the players will choose their actions, and I'll try to adapt to what they choose. Any comments are welcome so far, whether advice or constructive criticism. But please be polite if you do decide the latter.
#2 Rhenny Nov 22, 2014 8:52:24	Hi OrwellianHaggis. I've never read the Lazy DM, but it seems like a nice template for a quick start. One comment I have is as follows: From your description, I can't tell what the real conflict is. To me, the goblins seem more like neutrals with no ill intent so if the party attacks them, the party really will be acting evilly. Is that your intention? What if the party doesn't attack? What if they realize that the goblins are not threatening? What if they negotiate? I think you need more contingencies, or you need to make the situation more clearly a threat to the party. Is there more to the backstory about the goblins in the area? (The way you write the NPC goblins makes them seem like other humanoids that interact peacefully with others).
#3 Noon Nov 22, 2014 13:58:24	What if the party doesn't attack? What if they realize that the goblins are not threatening? What if they negotiate? I think you need more contingencies, or you need to make the situation more clearly a threat to the party.
(Reply to #3) AaronOfBarbaria	Noon wrote:
#5 OrwellianHaggis Nov 22, 2014 14:35:50	Rhenny: The goblins in this case are neutral, not interacting peacefully with others. The emperor, Kes, is going to try and unite goblins and raise them up to the same status as, for example, humans and elves. So in this part of the adventure at least there is no deliberate, planned conflict. If the party attacks them I don't plan on portraying them as evil, but I will make clear that intelligent humanoids died because of ignorance and fear. If the party doesn't attack, all well and good. They may end up being the first point of contact with an emerging empire, the brokers of peace between traditionally good and traditionally evil races. In this eventuality the characters would receive missions aimed at fostering goodwill between races and establishing trust, as well as more direct missions such as "stop the monster killing my people" from Kes. I'm a big fan of the idea that few races are inherently evil, and my players know this. So I'm driving at different and misunderstood. I'm really trying not to plan further ahead than this. The Lazy DM has some good advice so far, and I think this is one of the best nuggets for keeping a game from becoming too rigid. I appreciate you taking the time to put forward your questions. Noon: Our table has noticed this problem too, and for a goodly while now we've rewarded XP for circumventing encounters as often as for slashing through them.
#6 Rhenny Nov 22, 2014 14:49:28	Great. I like the ambiguous situations where pc choices have consequences later in the adventure. Break a leg! Enjoy.
#7 Noon Nov 23, 2014 2:38:00	AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
#8 sleypy Nov 23, 2014 6:07:39	Noon wrote:

Post/Author/DateTime

Post

OrwellianHaggis

Nov 22, 2014 5:42:46

I'm reading The Lazy DM, and I've decided to build a world and run an adventure using the advice therein. For a number of reasons I just don't have the time or energy to dedicate hours to preparation.

So far, for the first adventure, this is what I have.

Where does your adventure begin?

The adventure begins on the road to the frontier town of Rothsbury. You are part of an escort for a supply caravan. The others (NOV militia and civilians) are nervous, because there have been greater and greater numbers of goblins sighted in the area, and numerous clashes.

To what three areas might your adventure lead?

An old dwarven housing estate, now inhabited by goblins of the black maw tribe.

Rothsbury, to deliver the supplies.

Old Walt's homestead, an abandoned fishing village inhabited by a hill giant, Muck.

Six important NPCs:

Ramesh, a militiaman and frequent volunteer to lead the dangerous supply runs. He hopes to rise in the ranks of the militia.

Muck, an outcast hill giant looking for friends, food, and a safe place to live.

Latte, a goblin mushroom farmer traveling in the goblin caravan. He hopes his business will take off one he joins the new empire (more on that below).

Dareon, Rothsbury' s resident cleric. Overall a good man, but won't use his gifts to heal those not of his faith.

The Stuart, Rothsbury' s resident mage. He'll do anything for a profit.

Kes, a goblin of exceptional intelligence and integrity. He (and his family) hope to build an empire and civilise their fellow goblins. To that end he is gathering tribes from across the land.

Secondary NPCs:

Roth the blacksmith and Billy "Goat", his apprentice.

Ash and Merrill, shop keepers.

Farrer, the stable master.

Bernadette the inn keeper and Simon, her assistant.

Penny, the militia captain.

Ideas:

Kes will attempt to force an empire. He has no ill designs on humans and other civilised races. He's helped by his family, who form his bodyguard of "Immortals".

The Immortals will be reskinned Night Hags, I think. And Kes may just be a normal goblin with increased mental stats and some Lair and Regional add ons. I've yet to cement these details.

The first session will have two supply caravans (Rothsbury' s and the goblins') meet. The humans, nervous, will attack. One Immortal will be present and will try to make the goblins retreat, but if any die it will trigger a goblin attack by approx 12 goblins. The Immortal will attack these undisciplined goblins and the player characters if they get in the way, but its main aim is to save the supplies and withdraw as many goblins as possible.

From there the players will choose their actions, and I'll try to adapt to what they choose.

Any comments are welcome so far, whether advice or constructive criticism. But please be polite if you do decide the latter.

Rhenny

Nov 22, 2014 8:52:24

Hi OrwellianHaggis. I've never read the Lazy DM, but it seems like a nice template for a quick start.

One comment I have is as follows:

From your description, I can't tell what the real conflict is. To me, the goblins seem more like neutrals with no ill intent so if the party attacks them, the party really will be acting evilly. Is that your intention?

What if the party doesn't attack? What if they realize that the goblins are not threatening? What if they negotiate?

I think you need more contingencies, or you need to make the situation more clearly a threat to the party.

Is there more to the backstory about the goblins in the area? (The way you write the NPC goblins makes them seem like other humanoids that interact peacefully with others).

Noon

Nov 22, 2014 13:58:24

What if the party doesn't attack? What if they realize that the goblins are not threatening? What if they negotiate?

I think you need more contingencies, or you need to make the situation more clearly a threat to the party.

(Reply to #3)

AaronOfBarbaria

Noon wrote:

OrwellianHaggis

Nov 22, 2014 14:35:50

Rhenny:

The goblins in this case are neutral, not interacting peacefully with others. The emperor, Kes, is going to try and unite goblins and raise them up to the same status as, for example, humans and elves. So in this part of the adventure at least there is no deliberate, planned conflict. If the party attacks them I don't plan on portraying them as evil, but I will make clear that intelligent humanoids died because of ignorance and fear.

If the party doesn't attack, all well and good. They may end up being the first point of contact with an emerging empire, the brokers of peace between traditionally good and traditionally evil races. In this eventuality the characters would receive missions aimed at fostering goodwill between races and establishing trust, as well as more direct missions such as "stop the monster killing my people" from Kes.

I'm a big fan of the idea that few races are inherently evil, and my players know this. So I'm driving at different and misunderstood.

I'm really trying not to plan further ahead than this. The Lazy DM has some good advice so far, and I think this is one of the best nuggets for keeping a game from becoming too rigid.

I appreciate you taking the time to put forward your questions.

Noon:

Our table has noticed this problem too, and for a goodly while now we've rewarded XP for circumventing encounters as often as for slashing through them.

Rhenny

Nov 22, 2014 14:49:28

Great. I like the ambiguous situations where pc choices have consequences later in the adventure.

Break a leg! Enjoy.

Noon

Nov 23, 2014 2:38:00

AaronOfBarbaria wrote:

sleypy

Nov 23, 2014 6:07:39

Noon wrote: