Adventure Prep for NewbiesBy Mon Macutay, Sept 27, 2015

The Problem

YOUR REAL AUDIENCE

Bullets Are Great

• Do not write like a pro• Don’t plan for EVERYTHING• Over-thinking is a waste of time• Your players will do SOMETHING ELSE!• Write and plan in PARTS and BULLETS

The Dungeon

• Confined space (party is boxed in)• Controlled environment• Limited Choices• Highlights Class roles• Simple and fun• Easy to design and conceptualize

FIREBALLNOT good in confined spaces!

Prep Guidelines

30 mins / 2 hours of play

Reskin if possible

Generators save time (Names, NPCs, Treasure, Statblocks)

Google is your friend

1. Random Dungeon Generator2. Tweaking Published Modules3. Five-Room Dungeon4. Three Paths Method

Random Dungeons

Pros Fun to create Wild and chaotic Like a video game

Cons Random (often) doesn’t make sense (ecological) Thin or weak story-based elements

Published AdventuresPros

Already made Easily Available CR levels

Cons Reading Time Tweaking part System Conversion

5-Room Dungeon

Developed by Johnn Four (roleplayingtips.com)

Definition of “Room” Formula, Plot Structures PROS

Simple Allows improv, thematic Allows for character involvement, twists,

etc

5-Room Dungeon

1. Entrance and Guardian

2. Puzzle or RP Challenge

3. Red Herring, Trick or Setback

4. Climax, Big Battle

5. Reward, Revelation, or Plot Twist

The Tomb of the Dragon Queen

Backstory During the great War of Dragons, Tiamat

appointed a Dragonborn to be her Queen. The Dragon Queen led the evil Dragon Army to

battle and defeated the elves, humans and dwarves.

But soon, other gods heeded the call to war and the Time of Dragons soon faded into history.

Her Tomb, once assumed to be merely legend, has recently been found…

1 – Entrance and Guardian

Altar to Tiamat in center Sarcophagus made of black stone If desecrated, Monsters will come

out and attack Monster Ideas: Spectre, Aspect of

Tiamat, Baby Dragon

THE ALTAR OF TIAMAT

2 – Puzzle or Role-Play Challenge

Black and White tiles like a chess board

Ruined chess pieces on the other side (actually petrified adventurers)

Black tiles are illusion Pit Traps or Magical Trap Ideas: Petrification, Spikes,

Lightning, Fire

THE CHESS ROOM

3 – Trick or Setback

Only way to reach main chambers is through flood tunnels

May take away armor or risk drowning While swimming, ghastly hands grasp at one PC (easy

to escape or kill) On dry end, one of the PCs will be possessed by a dead

adventurer (the one who tried to grab him or her) The adventurer, Dorian, a Warrior, had a quest to find

a special healing potion to cure his wife of a magical disease. He heard it was in the treasure vault and asks the PC to locate it and bring it back to her.

THE FLOODED HALL

4 – Climax, Big Battle

Main chamber. More elaborate, bigger black sarcophagus

Burial chamber of the First Dragon Queen

Guardian: Dragon (Red). Age, dependent on PC levels

Roll for initiative!!!!

THE TOMB OF THE DRAGON QUEEN

5 – Reward and Plot Twist

Determine Treasure and magic items based on CR and Party levels

The “magical healing potion” for Darion is there If the party tries to locate Darion’s wife, She has been dead for a hundred years Darion’s grandchildren (or great) are still alive DM can determine their motives or their

reaction to what they bring Which can lead to new plot hooks, new

adventure

THE TREASURE CHAMBER

The 3 Paths Method

MECHANICS• Start with an adventure seed• Add “The PCs start in…”• Add 3 “Branches”• Locations• NPCs• Villains• Encounters

• Flesh it out further• DM assignments • Stats• More Info• More details

Example (Adventure Seed)

Dwarven Explorers uncover a Mad Wizard’s Vault underground

A floating Keep from another Plane crashes into a nearby forest

Assassins are out to kill a young girl for her powers

Audience choice or recommendation