First time adventure - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

First time adventure

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
pole287
Apr 18, 2010 22:33:22 I am a dm for a group of three and this will be their first adventure. I know i want to make it a test for them from their new employer who happens to be essentially a dragons assistant. Now you must keep in mind this is a party of three level ones a cleric a fighter and a rogue.

Now my current plan is to send them to destroy the nest of an adult dragon that has been making twisted creatures from metalic dragon eggs i plan to use draconian from draconomicon metallic dragons. Particularly baaz draconian the brass variety mixed with some kobolds and such other monsters. My plan is to have it so the Adult dragon has left the nest for 2 days so they will have a time limit. I also plan to have either a young or wyrmling version of the adult dragon at the nest acting as a guard of sorts too be the big bad boss.

Then as a skill challenge or combat challenge depending how the players handle it i will have a brass dragon wyrmling chained up at the end that hatched before the adult dragon could corrupt its egg and the adult has been raising it and torturing it. Now this will be a great chance for the characters to save this wyrmling and get an extra reward from their draconic patron.

Now this is all just kind of confused at the moment but some ideas would be fantastic.
#2
uhf
Apr 19, 2010 0:47:40 That sounds just plain complicated. (No offence.)

Figure out what the players want and offer that to them at first. Most begining players are really happy just to bash some heads, and they aren't too discerning. 4e is a little annoying to learn for players so, that's why I recommend that route. Maybe make this a longer adventure. i.e. hew their way through the Kobold worm worshippers first?
#3
calm
Apr 19, 2010 19:45:56 Start simple. Just have one twisted servant running a cult or group of baddies that the new group encounters and disrupts. Plant the seeds to the dragon lair adventure with clues on the servant. Work in a few adventures where they try to find out more info about this dragon and its servant. Then after a couple of levels, have them take on the nest. Don't have the dragon be there. Save that for down the line another level or two for the big confrontation (I'm assuming it won't be happy).
#4
rongermany
Apr 20, 2010 11:33:32 I agree with UHF and calm. Your employee could ask the pcs to help him find out about a cultists' temple that is in constant contact with said dragon. The cultists also regularly ship crates to the dragon's lair. The PCs are to find out what's in those crates (minor quest) and what's going on in that temple (major quest.)

Then map the layout of the temple. You can include a skill challenge for the heavily populated upper level. The employer managed to acquire a map for that level, but the PCs have to find out about patrols, traps, etc. The skill challenge would involve bluff, stealth, dungeoneering, perception, athletics - depending on your traps and patrols.

Once the PCs have reached the lower level, the have to fight their way through kobolds, dragonkin and the occasional guard dog, ooze, whatever. In the end they do find one of the "twisted creatures" you mention who they have to fight (solo with a couple of kobold minions trying to evacuate all the crates from the area!) Once they have completed this last fight, they can complete both quest - the minor one only if they stopped the kobolds from evacuating all the crates. In the crates they can find a substance which they cannot identify. Their employer will know it's a mutagen only found in the Elemental Chaos.

Now you have a connection to a planar adventure (Elemental Chaos), an angry dragon cult (the upper level), and a connection to the scientist adult dragon (the twisted creature.) Go from there ...

Hope that helped!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 pole287 Apr 18, 2010 22:33:22	I am a dm for a group of three and this will be their first adventure. I know i want to make it a test for them from their new employer who happens to be essentially a dragons assistant. Now you must keep in mind this is a party of three level ones a cleric a fighter and a rogue. Now my current plan is to send them to destroy the nest of an adult dragon that has been making twisted creatures from metalic dragon eggs i plan to use draconian from draconomicon metallic dragons. Particularly baaz draconian the brass variety mixed with some kobolds and such other monsters. My plan is to have it so the Adult dragon has left the nest for 2 days so they will have a time limit. I also plan to have either a young or wyrmling version of the adult dragon at the nest acting as a guard of sorts too be the big bad boss. Then as a skill challenge or combat challenge depending how the players handle it i will have a brass dragon wyrmling chained up at the end that hatched before the adult dragon could corrupt its egg and the adult has been raising it and torturing it. Now this will be a great chance for the characters to save this wyrmling and get an extra reward from their draconic patron. Now this is all just kind of confused at the moment but some ideas would be fantastic.
#2 uhf Apr 19, 2010 0:47:40	That sounds just plain complicated. (No offence.) Figure out what the players want and offer that to them at first. Most begining players are really happy just to bash some heads, and they aren't too discerning. 4e is a little annoying to learn for players so, that's why I recommend that route. Maybe make this a longer adventure. i.e. hew their way through the Kobold worm worshippers first?
#3 calm Apr 19, 2010 19:45:56	Start simple. Just have one twisted servant running a cult or group of baddies that the new group encounters and disrupts. Plant the seeds to the dragon lair adventure with clues on the servant. Work in a few adventures where they try to find out more info about this dragon and its servant. Then after a couple of levels, have them take on the nest. Don't have the dragon be there. Save that for down the line another level or two for the big confrontation (I'm assuming it won't be happy).
#4 rongermany Apr 20, 2010 11:33:32	I agree with UHF and calm. Your employee could ask the pcs to help him find out about a cultists' temple that is in constant contact with said dragon. The cultists also regularly ship crates to the dragon's lair. The PCs are to find out what's in those crates (minor quest) and what's going on in that temple (major quest.) Then map the layout of the temple. You can include a skill challenge for the heavily populated upper level. The employer managed to acquire a map for that level, but the PCs have to find out about patrols, traps, etc. The skill challenge would involve bluff, stealth, dungeoneering, perception, athletics - depending on your traps and patrols. Once the PCs have reached the lower level, the have to fight their way through kobolds, dragonkin and the occasional guard dog, ooze, whatever. In the end they do find one of the "twisted creatures" you mention who they have to fight (solo with a couple of kobold minions trying to evacuate all the crates from the area!) Once they have completed this last fight, they can complete both quest - the minor one only if they stopped the kobolds from evacuating all the crates. In the crates they can find a substance which they cannot identify. Their employer will know it's a mutagen only found in the Elemental Chaos. Now you have a connection to a planar adventure (Elemental Chaos), an angry dragon cult (the upper level), and a connection to the scientist adult dragon (the twisted creature.) Go from there ... Hope that helped!