| froesen2000 |
I embellished from the start of the main quest and added tonnes to the back end....and I have to say it was pretty awesome!
First I had them meet at an inn. They were answering a want ad posted around the city looking for adventurers. They met with a man who blindfolded them and took them to a secret location (a hidden room within a wealthy landowner's mansion) where they were given their task of retrieving an item that had gone missing (The Dragonblade).
They were sent to the cave to retrieve the sword and bring it back because (unbeknownst to the PC's) it was a magical heirloom that gave much influence to whoever possessed it, and (also unbeknownst to the PC's)their host desperately needed it to gain control over the city and its ruling merchant class.
If you noticed, there is a passageway beyond the dragon's cavern. I had my PC's have further encounters where they uncovered powerful secrets about the town where they came from. They learned the lineage of a forgotten noble family and came upon a man who had been trapped for months in a web of enchantment.
They went back to the city only to discover that the dragon Blackfang had gone on a few raids, raging and killing dozens of people, and destroying large parts of the city (he also regained his HP and then some, just to give a little challenge). The PC's were now wanted men for angering the dragon and putting the city folk in mortal danger.
In the end they had an encounter with the one who sent them, fought past hired assassins, looted his mansion and burned it to the ground, met with an angry mob, and then they fought the dragon again - this time to it's death. Finally, they were arrested by the city's rulers and had a trial to answer for all the recent events.
The trial was the most 'roleplaying' moment. They actually had to remember all the little pieces of information I dropped here and there throughout the quest. I had a little checklist and weighed out what they could remember and what evidence they could produce in their favor in order to determine the outcome of the trial. It was sweet watching them sweat as they tried to remember! I really hauled them over the coals, and they came out victorious. More than that, they did so well in the trial that they became heroes of the city!
The quest in the box is a good one, but it lacks the depth of a true story-based adventure. I recommend to all of you to take a week or two before playing and add whatever you can to bring the first adventure to life. You're players won't know it, but the experience is worth it!