An Introductory Adventure

[zedturtle]

NOTICE: This is a long thread, here's Theft of the Moon, final version.

Feel free to read through the rest of the thread, in order to see how the adventure came together.
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So for a long while I've been thinking about an introductory adventure, featuring this sickle:


For Reasons, I'm thinking that I'm going to amend Jon's original idea and place my fall festival in the Beorning lands instead of the Woodmen. Probably at Stonyford, since that's a good meeting point for both cultures to come together.

The framework I'm thinking about:

1. The Festival itself: Rules for using each of the 18 Common skills to some benefit. Introduces basic procedures of making rolls, Great and Extraordinary successes, and spending Hope.

2. The Theft of the Sickle: During the celebration, the Sickle is stolen in a mysterious manner. The Marshall of the Festival approaches the PCs... they're known to everyone (or strangers to everyone) and were obviously not the ones who stole the Sickle. Interviews with two or three witnesses reveals some truths. This chapter is all about Encounters, and has both group and individual spokesmen opportunities.

3. The Chase: Having determined who stole the Sickle, the characters must race across the wilderness to overtake the thieves. Introduces Journey rules.

4. The Confrontation: Once the heroes catch up with the thieves, they must recover the Sickle. Words will likely not suffice, so force of arms will be needed. Combat rules, obviously.

5. The Last Hank: With the Sickle safely home, the heroes deal with the aftermath of their actions. Getting Better / Recovery / etc.

I'm going to try to expand each of these in their own posts, but feedback is extraordinarily welcome. Half of me wants to make pregens for this, the other half wants to tell folks to use the iconics.

[zedturtle]

Okay, using the Common Skills in the Festival. These are going to be the sketches of what will become advice for the LM to use for each player who wants to have their character do something at the Festival:

Awe: Engage in a contest of will and wits with a Beorning strongman or {something else}

Inspire: Tell a rousing story to onlooking children or give a speech to kick-off an event

Persuade: Debate a wise woman in public or {something else}

Athletics: Run a foot race or a contest of strength

Travel: Tell a story of far-away lands or provide an updated map to the assembled elders

Stealth: Sneak into the harvest-field or the Marshall's tent {note, this may cast suspicion onto the PC}

Awareness: Play a game of Cups or notice a petty thief trying to cut a purse.

Insight: Judge the truth behind a haggler's words or {something else}

Search: Find a hidden treasure in the Seeking Field or {a clue to the upcoming thievery}

Explore: {something} or {something else}

Healing: Treat a minor injury or win the smile of wise women

Hunting: Chase a hare in the racing field or bring some extra meat to the evening meal

Song: Perform for the crowd or recognize a famous tune

Courtesy: Meet with an important personage or impress the Marshall

Riddle: Play the Riddle game or {figure out a clue}

Craft: Sell your own wares or determine the worth of others' work

Battle: Impress the guards with your display of tactical acumen or regale a crowd with a story of an old war

Lore: Speak with the elders or impress a crowd with tales of long ago happenings

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Whatcha y'all think? Suggestions extremely welcome, as always...

[Pangea]

Nice work.
In part 2, when you decide that: "they're known to everyone (or strangers to everyone) and were obviously not the ones who stole the Sickle", it could be interesting (especially if they are strangers to everyone) that they are suspects, and have to Persuade / Awe etc. their way out of being suspect ; and, if this fails, they then have to resort to finding the true culprits rapidly so as to be exculpated. Could raise the stakes a bit...

[Hermes Serpent]

If you speak French or can work through a translation grab that French Fairs of the Anduin ! mentioned in a recent thread. It has a bunch of these 'games' that you can use. Plus the Laketown book has some as well.

That aside it's a great idea and some of the LM characters that you introduce here can be possible mentors or helpful sages for later adventures.

[JoeArcher]

Very nice work Zed! You've put a lot of thought into that and looks to me like you're covering all bases for the core book. One thing though. The travel rules, do they cover some rules for an actual chase? Tracking, catching up etc. If they do, then that will be included of course. But if they do not I think it would be quite nice having your idea on how to run something like that - a chase weaved into the travel mechanics.

[Glorelendil]

Awe: Engage in a contest of will and wits with a Beorning strongman or {something else}

Or make it something dangerous but funny, like trying to intimidate a bull.

Inspire: Tell a rousing story to onlooking children or give a speech to kick-off an event

Persuade: Debate a wise woman in public or {something else}

Athletics: Run a foot race or a contest of strength

Travel: Tell a story of far-away lands or provide an updated map to the assembled elders

Stealth: Sneak into the harvest-field or the Marshall's tent {note, this may cast suspicion onto the PC}

Awareness: Play a game of Cups or notice a petty thief trying to cut a purse.

Insight: Judge the truth behind a haggler's words or {something else}

Search: Find a hidden treasure in the Seeking Field or {a clue to the upcoming thievery}

Explore: {something} or {something else}

Healing: Treat a minor injury or win the smile of wise women

Hunting: Chase a hare in the racing field or bring some extra meat to the evening meal

Catch a wiley coyote/fox that has been stealing chickens from the town.
The contest could be like a scavenger hunt where only one participant can win each one.

Song: Perform for the crowd or recognize a famous tune

Courtesy: Meet with an important personage or impress the Marshall

Out-courtesy other contestants in front of the judges.


Riddle: Play the Riddle game or {figure out a clue}

Craft: Sell your own wares or determine the worth of others' work

Battle: Impress the guards with your display of tactical acumen or regale a crowd with a story of an old war

Lore: Speak with the elders or impress a crowd with tales of long ago happenings

- - -

Whatcha y'all think? Suggestions extremely welcome, as always...[/quote]

I'll keep thinking.

[zedturtle]

Nice work.
In part 2, when you decide that: "they're known to everyone (or strangers to everyone) and were obviously not the ones who stole the Sickle", it could be interesting (especially if they are strangers to everyone) that they are suspects, and have to Persuade / Awe etc. their way out of being suspect ; and, if this fails, they then have to resort to finding the true culprits rapidly so as to be exculpated. Could raise the stakes a bit...

Yeah, I definitely thought of that as a possibility. Of course, in a con or intro session time will be of the essence so keeping it simple might be best.

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For the theft, I'm trying to find some way of the Sickle being stolen that's both flashy and mysterious. I think the thieves will try to throw suspicion on goblins (the actual thieves will be evil men). I'm thinking burning down the marshal's tent, stealing the Sickle from that tent and leaving a goblins body behind. Interviewing the Marshall reveals that thieves knew what exactly to grab and ignored other easily grabbed valuables. Maybe a young girl saw some men carrying a goblin sized bundle earlier.

One of Beorn's Thanes will be actually in charge... The Marshall is really just a festival organizer. The thane (Ava?) will be the one to actually send them on the hunt.

Thoughts? Suggestions? corrections?

[zedturtle]

Or make it something dangerous but funny, like trying to intimidate a bull.

Catch a wiley coyote/fox that has been stealing chickens from the town.

The contest could be like a scavenger hunt where only one participant can win each one.

Out-courtesy other contestants in front of the judges.

Ha ha! Brilliant... I especially like the out-courtesy other contestants thing, that could get to ridiculous lengths quite easily.

I'll keep thinking.

Never stop.

[Pangea]

Yeah, I definitely thought of that as a possibility. Of course, in a con or intro session time will be of the essence so keeping it simple might be best.
It can still be very simple, it is just that the more people have riding on the outcome the better it is to involve them. Vs. "debate a wise woman in public" using Persuade, they would have more at stake on their Persuade roll here (and learn about how spending Hope can be useful).

For the theft, I'm trying to find some way of the Sickle being stolen that's both flashy and mysterious.
What is the story of the sickle? Since it is the only thing stolen, and the thieves come prepared (lugging around a dead goblin) it must be something special: simply very old and valuable Treasure Point-wise, or is it a crucial implement for local rituals, or some kind of Relic?

[Robin Smallburrow]

Re your examples for Travel & Battle, I think that telling a tale about battles you've been in or places you've travelled to actually require the use of Song or some other social skill - being a seasoned traveller or warrior and being able to tell tales about your deeds are two different skills - note that Song also covers the telling of stories and tales, not just singing and playing instruments

Don't make the mistake many players make about downgrading the social skills!

Robin S.