Adventure #64

Action/Adventure
This is the most common and straightforward sort of adventure there is. In the Action/Adventure
Theme
scenario, you present your characters with a task and then confront them with obstacles to overcome in
order to accomplish the task successfully.
Encounter Old Villain
If your campaign has a villain who shows up again and again to bedevil the heroes, then this is an
Goal
episode featuring that villain. You might wish to roll once again on this section to see what the villain's
goal is.
Dying Delivery
Story Hook
On some occassion when the hero is out wandering the streets or is otherwise all alone, a dying man
bumbs into him, hands him something, says a few words, and dies.
Series of Villains
This is a very dramatic plot, and very well-suited to oriental campaigns. In it, the heroes have
undertaken a quest, usually the finding and defeat of the Master Villain. They may have to travel to his
citadel, or head off in another direction to find some artifact capable of defeating him, or run away
Plot
from pursuing villains until they can figure out what's going on. All along their route, they are set upon
by villains -- each villain has a name and distinct personality, and each encounter is life-or-death for
the heroes and villains; the villain never escapes to safety if the tide turns against him, he fights unto
death.
Throne Room Duel
This is set up much like the Scattered Duels, except that you don't separate the heroes. It's harder to
Climax
control whom fights who in this situation... but if it doesn't matter who has the final duel with the
Master Villain, this is a classic climax choice.
Cosmopolitan City
General Setting Most of the story takes place in a large, sophisticated city; center the villain's plot and activities around
that city. This setting is best suited to adventures involving more people than monsters; most of your
villains should be human or demi-human.
Magical Lake
Specific Setting I This is the acquatic equivalent of the Legendary Forest, here beautiful and glistening, there treacherous
and dangerous, filled with water-breathing magical folk.
Temple/Church
Specific Setting This can be either the church of some lofty and good diety, or the dark and grisly temple of some
II
horrid deity (doubtless filled with evil soldiers and monsters), or even the temple that the madman
villain has dedicated to himself for when he becomes a god.
Destroyer
This villain is like the Corruptor, except that he likes destroying instead of corrupting. He operates like
Master Villain
the Conqueror, moving in his armies -- often nonhuman or monstrous armies -- and destroying
everything in sight. Again, the Destroyer could easily be an evil god or demon, meaning the heroes wil
have to find his weakness in order to thwart his current plan.
Misguided Moralist
This fellow has been convinced that only by helping the villain achieve the Master Plan can he
Minor Villain I improve the world. He tends to be encountered all through the adventure's plot, usually escaping from
the heroes and taunting them for their wrong thinking. Fortunately, he's no more effective as a villain
than he is as a thinker.
Mistress with a Heart of Gold
Minor Villain II This character is much like the "Lover or Daughter of Villain" type of Mystery Woman from the Story
Hooks section. In this case, she usually accompanies the Master Villain, but sometimes goes on
missions of her own, where she runs into and develops affection for one of the player-characters.
Tragic Fellow Hero
The heroes are in the company of some hero well-known to them; he may have been a companion or
Ally/Neutral
ally, or they may just know him by reputation. He is a tragic figure; he may have lost his family to the
master villain, or lost his properties and titles, or be afflicted with a curse he cannot be rid of, or be
committed to a quest he knows will take his life. He's dour, and gloomy, prophesying doom and having

no fun at all.
Assassin Monster
This mosnter, at some time in the adventure, is sent by the Master Villain to attack one or more heroes
Monster
when they're at their most vulnerable -- asleep, enjoying themselves, etc. Usually, the Assassin
Encounter
Monster attacks, but the hero, though injured, is able to hold it off long enough for his friends to
respond to his shouts. The Assassin Monster is usually killed by his friends, who can then speculate on
who sent it and why.
Seducer
One of the characters is invited to a romantic liaison with an attractive local. This local can just be
Character
interested in a brief tryst, could fall madly in love with the hero and follow the hero through the rest of
Encounter
the adventure, could be a Loving Deceiver monster encounter, could be a thief and rob the hero blind,
or could be a spy or assassin working for the Master Villain.
Demolition Zone
Deathtrap
In this classic deathtrap, the heroes are placed (usually bound and weaponless) in some building or
area just as it's due to be destroyed.
Special Terrain
You can make any chase more memorable by having it take place in a setting to which it is utterly
Chase
unsuited. For instance, horse chases are fine and dramatic when they take place through the forest, out
in the open plains, or along a road -- but they become diabolical when they take place inside the Royal
Palace or in dangerous, labrynthine, treacherous catacombs.
Hero Fulfills Prophecy
Omen/Prophesy This is the most useful sort of prophecy. In the early part of the adventure, one of the heroes discovers
that he fulfills some ancient prophecy.
Element
The Master Villain can be banished, dispelled, killed, or otherwise defeated by some of element or
Secret Weakness item. The Master Villain tries to get rid of all the examples of this element in his vicinity; he doesn't let
his minions carry it or bring it into his presence. But he's not stupid; he doesn't announce to the world
what his weakness is. He tries to hide his concern within another command. If he's allergic to red roses,
for instance, he orders all "things of beauty" destroyed within miles of his abode.
Time Limit
Finally, the most obvious condition to place on an adventure is to give it a time limit. If the Master
Special
Villain is going to conclude his evil spell in only three days, and his citadel is three hard days' riding
Condition
away, then the heroes are going to be on the go all throughout the adventure -- with little time to rest,
plan, gather allies, or anything except get to where they're going.
Saving Quandry
Moral Quandry Finally, another classic quandry puts the heroes in the position of choosing between a grand
opportunity to hurt the Master Villain -- or saving the lives of a number of individuals.
False Path to the Artifact
Once again, if the heroes have had too easy a time finding the artifact capable of destroying the villain,
Red Herring
give them trouble this way: When they get to the place where the artifact is supposed to be contained,
they find the coffer or chamber or whatever empty, obviously looted by robbers, who have scrawled
such remarks as "Kelrog was here!" upon the walls.
NPC Turns Traitor
Cruel Trick
He may alert he enemy when the heroes are planning a raid; he may steal the artifact and take it to the
villain; he may stab a hero or important NPC in the back (literally) before departing.
Based on tables from the Dungeon Master's Design Kit by TSR, Inc.