I need to make a quick quest for my group, but I have writers block. I can whip up a dungeon in about an hour, but I don't want it to just be dungeons. I want it to be balanced between role-play and combat. I want more combat than role-play, but I still want a considerable amount of role-play. The party is all level 1 and we have allowed custom races, as long as they don't exceed 11 RP. This game is IRL, so it needs well thought out.
It's hard to provide any input without more knowledge about your current situation. Are you running a module? If so, which one? If it is a custom designed campaign, you might have more leeway.
Some of the most common side-quest scenarios would include:
1. Someone has kidnapped a member of the local Royal Family or political class, and the party has to play detective to locate the kidnapped person, and play hero to rescue them. Usually there's a specific reward involved.
2. The party has stumbled across a treasure map that just might be real and the treasure is just the sort of thing the party would be interested in finding.
3. The party has been approached by a local patron to perform a quest to locate and procure a rare and valuable item that the patron desperately needs for some unknown purpose. This can be run straight for a reward, or there can be a twist where the party learns in the quest that the patron has a nefarious purpose and that they cannot return the item to the patron as asked. This can create some role playing conundrums for certain alignments.
4. The party has been framed by a local villain to get them out of his way for a while. The party has to decide if and how much to cooperate with the local authorities while clearing their name. This allows the game to develop a real conflict between the BBEG and the party.
5. The party stumbles upon a desperate local citizen who needs help but cannot reward the party. The citizen has information that is compelling enough that the party might want to deal with the issue even though there is no monetary reward. It might be information about a pending goblin invasion, the disappearance of some local children or the evil acts of a local Lord or Sheriff.
Just a few ideas.
OK, this encounter was right for a group of 4th level characters, you may need to tone down the numbers, and I came up with it after pre-generating an encounter for travelling near the borders of the Hold of Belkzan. I diced up 2d12 Orcs...but I couldn't just leave it at that! You could reconfigure this for kobolds, or gnolls, or any other generic humanoid monster.
The orcs have snuck into human lands, travelling by night and setting up a chain of hidden bivouac lairs back to their home territory. They have pre-armed themselves with longspears in case of attack by cavalry patrols, their main real fear out in the open. They consist of Rexgov, the chief, four orc lieutenant/scouts (rangers), and up to 18 regular orc warriors. Also present is the half-orc Salja, a witch.
Salja (brains of the outfit) then disguised herself as human using her disguise hex and entered a small but well-defended settlement as a beggar-woman. She then waited until darkness and used her slumber hex to put the guards to sleep and gave them a coup-de-grace from her punch-dagger before opening the gates for the rest of the orcs to sneak in.
The raid was a great success, the only problem was that some of the orcs forgot in their excitement that they were not supposed to burn the village and set some buildings on fire. Collecting up their captives and booty the raiding party made off, leaving two scouts behind to mop up any "slaves" that thought they could escape and then cover the tracks as they catch up with the rest.
Inside the palisade it's pretty clear there was a massacre here: any humans old enough to bear arms are dead, female corpses are few, but it looks as if the elderly, infirm, and infants have been killed. From the village's central house (long house, keep, town hall depending on design) comes the sound of screams and sobbing, along with raucous laughter. A little detective work shows the guards all dead at their posts by a single thrust to the neck, apparently without resisting.
Inside, the two orc scouts have found a teenage girl and her younger siblings and are currently preoccupied in enjoying her company, ignoring their primary task of covering the tracks of the rest of the raiding party. The party should get surprise on the two orc rangers, but they will recover fast and fight hard.
The rescued girl will be able to relate that the orcs attacked without warning in the night, and nobody knew anything until they were inside the village and killing anyone that might resist. The survivors of the attack have been chained up and force-marched away, along with all the booty from the raid.
If the party found just the two scouts, they will make escaping and raising the alarm their priority.
The chief will charge the toughest looking foe, and Salja will support the orcs with her spells and hexes - however, she will reserve a potion of invisibility to aid her escape; she has no intention of dying. If all else fails she will surrender and try and escape later. Once the chief dies, or half the remaining orcs are down, she will be thinking of escape.
In the camp will also be any booty from the village, and the surviving prisoners.
Here are the stablocks I used, you will almost certainly wish to use less orcs and lower level bosses for your party.
Rexgov, Orc Raid Chief CR 2
XP 600
Male Orc Barbarian 3
NE Medium Humanoid (orc)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +4
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Defense
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AC 13, touch 9, flat-footed 12 (+4 armor, +1 Dex)
hp 37 (3d12+12)
Fort +7, Ref +2 (+1 bonus vs. traps), Will +2; +2 morale bonus vs. spells, supernatural abilities, and spell-like abilities but must resist all spells, even allies'
Defensive Abilities ferocity, trap sense, uncanny dodge
Weakness light sensitivity
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Offense
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Speed 40 ft.
Melee Masterwork Falchion +10 (2d4+13/18-20/x2) and
. . Unarmed strike +9 (1d3+9/x2)
Ranged Composite longbow (Str +5) +4 (1d8+5/x3)
Special Attacks rage (10 rounds/day), rage powers (superstition +2)
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Statistics
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Str 24, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 9
Base Atk +3; CMB +10; CMD 19
Feats Cleave, Power Attack -1/+2
Skills Acrobatics +4 (+8 jump), Climb +11, Escape Artist +0, Fly +0, Handle Animal +3, Intimidate +5, Knowledge (nature) +4, Perception +4, Ride +4, Sense Motive +0, Stealth +1, Survival +3, Swim +10
Languages Common, Orc
SQ fast movement +10
Combat Gear Oil of magic weapon, Potion of barkskin +2; Other Gear Masterwork Chain shirt, Composite longbow (Str +5), Masterwork Falchion, 25 GP
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Special Abilities
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Cleave If you hit a foe, attack an adjacent target at the same attack bonus but take -2 AC.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Fast Movement +10 (Ex) +10 feet to speed, unless heavily loaded.
Ferocity (Ex) Fight without penalty even while disabled or dying.
Light Sensitivity (Ex) Dazzled as long as they remain in bright light.
Power Attack -1/+2 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Rage (10 rounds/day) (Ex) +4 Str, +4 Con, +2 to Will saves, -2 to AC when enraged.
Superstition +2 (Ex) While raging, gain bonus to save vs magic, but must resist all spells, even allies'.
Trap Sense +1 (Ex) +1 bonus on reflex saves and AC against traps.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex) Retain Dex bonus to AC when flat-footed.
Salja, Half-Orc Witch CR 3
XP 800
Female Half-Orc Witch 4
NE Medium Humanoid (human, orc)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +4
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Defense
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AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +1 deflection)
hp 18 (4d6)
Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +5
Defensive Abilities orc ferocity (1/day)
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 Called Punching dagger +3 (1d4+1/x3) and
. . Unarmed strike +2 (1d3/x2)
Ranged Light crossbow +2 (1d8/19-20/x2)
Special Attacks hexes (disguise [4 hours/day], flight, slumber [dc 16])
Spell-Like Abilities Feather Fall (self only) (At will), Levitate (self only) (1/day)
Witch Spells Prepared (CL 4):
2 (3/day) Web (DC 16), Detect Thoughts (DC 16), Lipstitch (DC 16)
1 (4/day) Cause Fear (DC 15), Mage Armor, Infernal Healing, Ear-Piercing Scream (DC 15)
0 (at will) Touch of Fatigue (DC 14), Daze (DC 14), Detect Magic, Dancing Lights
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Statistics
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Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 19, Wis 12, Cha 13
Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 13
Feats Eschew Materials, Improved Initiative
Skills Bluff +2, Diplomacy +2, Disguise +2, Fly +4, Heal +5, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (history) +8, Knowledge (nature) +9, Knowledge (planes) +11, Perception +4, Ride +1, Sleight of Hand +1, Spellcraft +11, Stealth +2, Swim +4, Use Magic Device +6; Racial Modifiers +2 Intimidate
Languages Abyssal, Common, Daemonic, Orc, Shoanti, Varisian
SQ +3 to appraise checks, called, deliver touch spells through familiar, empathic link with familiar, patron spells (plague), share spells with familiar
Combat Gear Potion of cure light wounds (2), Potion of endure elements, Potion of hide from animals, Potion of invisibility, Potion of mage armor, Scroll of Magic Fang, Scroll of Sleep, Color Spray, Identify, Wand of Cure Light Wounds; Other Gear +1 Called Punching dagger, Crossbow bolts (20), Light crossbow, Ring of protection +1, 68 GP
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Special Abilities
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+3 to Appraise checks You gain the Alertness feat while your familiar is within arm's reach.
Called Can teleport up to 100 ft into hands.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Deliver Touch Spells Through Familiar (Su) Your familiar can deliver touch spells for you.
Disguise (4 hours/day) (Su) Can change own appearance, as disguise self but with longer duration.
Empathic Link with Familiar (Su) You have an empathic link with your Arcane Familiar.
Eschew Materials Cast spells without materials, if component cost is 1 gp or less.
Orc Ferocity (1/day) If brought below 0 Hp, can act as though disabled for 1 rd.
Scroll of Magic Fang Add this item to create a scroll with spells on it.
Scroll of Sleep, Color Spray, Identify Add this item to create a scroll with spells on it.
Share Spells with Familiar Can cast spells with a target of "You" on the familiar with a range of touch.
Slumber (4 rds) (DC 16) (Su) Foe in 30 ft falls asleep for duration, or until damaged or roused by ally (Will neg).
Wand of Cure Light Wounds 18 charges remaining.
Orc Scout CR 1
XP 400
Male Orc Ranger 2
CE Medium Humanoid (orc)
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +6
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Defense
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AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor, +2 Dex)
hp 19 (2d10+4)
Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +1
Defensive Abilities ferocity
Weakness light sensitivity
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee Falchion +6 (2d4+6/18-20/x2) and
. . Unarmed strike +6 (1d3+4/x2)
Ranged Composite shortbow (Str +4) +4 (1d6+4/x3)
Special Attacks favored enemy (humans +2)
Ranger Spells Prepared (CL 0):
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Statistics
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Str 18, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +2; CMB +6; CMD 18
Feats Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot
Skills Bluff -1 (+1 vs. humans), Climb +8, Intimidate +3, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +3 (+5 vs. humans), Knowledge (geography) +3 (+5 vs. humans), Knowledge (nature) +3 (+5 vs. humans), Perception +6 (+8 vs. humans), Sense Motive +1 (+3 vs. humans), Stealth +7, Survival +6 (+8 vs. humans, +7 to track), Swim +8
Languages Common, Orc
SQ combat styles (archery), track, wild empathy
Combat Gear Potion of cure light wounds; Other Gear Leather armor, Composite shortbow (Str +4), Falchion, You have no money!
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Special Abilities
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Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Favored Enemy (Humans +2) (Ex) +2 to rolls vs Favored Enemy (Humans).
Ferocity (Ex) Fight without penalty even while disabled or dying.
Light Sensitivity (Ex) Dazzled as long as they remain in bright light.
Point Blank Shot +1 to attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at up to 30 feet.
Precise Shot You don't get -4 to hit when shooting or throwing into melee.
Track +1 Add the listed bonus to survival checks made to track.
Wild Empathy +2 (Ex) Improve the attitude of an animal, as if using Diplomacy.
I want to make it the start of a new campaign. I might do the treasure idea, and make each treasure on the map a different session.
A side quest I used on my low-level PCs; I've toned it down for 1st level by using the standard goat.
Stinkweed, an ingredient needed for Brewed Reek and other pungent alchemical scent devices, grows in the scrub and wastes amid the rugged wooded hillocks near the starting settlement. These gnarly rootlets are so nauseating that their growth within the settlement is outlawed. The local herbalist has run out of her most accessible supplies. Unfortunately she also can't leave her shop to go tromping around the woods looking for more.
She hires the PCs to find more of the stuff. She'll pay 1 GP each for any they manage to recover. There are 2 complications with the adventure before it even begins:
1. Stinkweed is exceedingly delicate; once the rootball is punctured it's functionally useless. It requires a DC 15 Survival check to harvest it correctly.
2. The weed is only good for 24 hours after harvest. PCs can't stockpile it and make a killing.
Knowledge: Nature DC 12 tells the PCs the basics of where to find it, what it looks like, the delicate nature of harvest, etc. A DC 17 however reveals that it is a delicacy of Grinning Goats; a fiercely territorial and aggressive breed of local wild goat. They refuse to be domesticated. Their name comes from the eerie skull-like markings in their fur around their stout muzzles that, when they lower their heads to charge looks like a grinning skeleton. Finally a DC 22 informs the PCs that these plants are so sensitive that vigorous actions, magical emanations and even extremely loud noise may prove detrimental to the plants within 5'.
Challenge 1: location
This can be whatever mechanic you feel comfortable with. I had the PCs roll a number of skill checks for Survival, Perception and Knowledge: Nature, aided by whatever clever ideas they came up with. I set the DC at 15 but you can use whatever number makes sense based on the PCs. Success gets them to the patch of Stinkweed without incident; failure indicates the PCs cross paths with a team of Goblin Faerie Hunters: x3 Goblin Warrior 1 armed with nets, clubs and insect sprayers filled with a noxious gas (DC 11 Fort save or Dazzled for one round due to the vapors and the tears in the eyes). They are accompanied by a Goblin Expert 1/Adept 2 Feynettler; he carries a masterwork cold-iron lantern to use as a prison for any fey captured and has the following spells ready: 0 level - create water, detect magic, touch of fatigue; 1st level - protection from chaos, sleep. The Feynettler's familiar is a toad named Nubbins.
Challenge 2: weather
As a debuff I had the temp going down on the PCs. It hit 39 degrees prompting 1/hr Fort saves when I ran the encounter but you may choose to disregard.
Challenge 3: harvest
The PCs find the root and can set about gathering it. Hiding nearby are x4 of the Grinning Goats (Stealth 15 versus PC perception). If they note any of the PCs going for their food they charge. I had the goats use a Climb check to ascend rocks and use this to justify ignoring difficult terrain during the charge. Note: when the PCs arrive there are subtle signs of the goats' grazing (Survival DC 15; Knowledge: Nature DC 17) but otherwise the PCs are unaware of their presence unless they beat the goats' Stealth check, giving them a round of surprise.
Also note that there are 10 potential plants to harvest at the time of arrival. As combat wears on 1 of the plants may be lost every round to trampling, swinging weapons or the radiation of hostile magic in the area unless specific precautions are taken. After combat the PCs should finish gathering the plants and be ready to return to the settlement.
Challenge 4: return
When I ran this I had the sky darken and a steady rain start falling. It was a bitter cold rain which not only maintained their Fort saves every hour (they were four hours outside the settlement) but also reduced visibility prompting chances for getting lost. It also forces the PCs to make a choice; they can either press on and risk the potential consequences of wandering the forest lost and cold or hole up for the night and lose the commodity they harvested.
Also on the way back I added a cave inhabited by a korred. The creature ALSO found the weed to be a delicacy so the PCs may bribe him with the substance for aid; should the PCs succeed on a Diplomacy to adjust the thing's attitude he offers to buy the food with shiny rocks; uncut/unpolished crystals worth about 5 GP each but which can be improved to 7.5 GP with the proper skills.
Challenge 5: rewards
The PCs in my game trudged through the rain, hauling field-dressed goats for sale at the inn, 4 successfully gathered Stinkweed plants and the looted gear from the goblins. They went to the alchemist and successfully negotiated "hazard pay" bumping up the cost per plant to 2 GP ea. They then went to the inn and sold the animals' meat and skins for 20 GP total. They decided to keep the goblins stuff but that might also be sold as loot.
When I ran it the PCs never came across the korred. This optional encounter didn't end up being needed since the players were really good at staying immersed in the action and making their PCs appear miserable in the weather.
Incidentally I used the 5 Room Dungeon method for this side quest. I can't speak highly enough of the style as it provides a nice tidy beginning, middle and end to a short adventure. Also I've used this format but also tacked on extra encounters here and there to amplify the 5 "rooms" of the quest. Hope this helps.
Mark Hoover you sound like an excellent GM. I wish you were here in Wisconsin.
Mark, when you are done helping this guy maybe I can run one of your modules, or maybe you can help me make a Kobold themed game to lure Halflings into a dried out swamp of mazes bridges and traps.
I'm inspired by the Dragon slayer release. I'd love the Gnome Rainbow Dragon illusionist (Force)-Color Spray, ruling the Shiny Scales-Kobold Kin and forcing them to manufacture a Gambit style traing course for Halfling adventurers- Below the Bridges in the Swamp of emptiness.
Cramped spaces low overhangs, a lot of down climbing decents into Darkness. I could have the commonality of the party be no sense of smell like Dewey Cox-Walk Hard. To rescue the fragile Stink bulbs would be epic.
People usually give the illusion of choice, but I've seen the nauseated condition and color spray own games. A Halfling hook might be freeing slaves , test of a guild initiate, bring the Gnome to justice, White Giant Undead Gator Trophy. Kobold historical records of the Drake of Horrific Hues, Seven Shaded Serpent, the Albino All-Father.
I just don't know Kobolds well enough, what level should the boss Gnome be?
I'd love "UnderBridge" to be a maze of vine and viciousness.
Kobolds would stay hidden, hope swarm traps and thorn barriers would hold, but maybe if the characters all start ensnared in a net might be cool.
I did the kidnapping one, have a idea for another quest continuing off of that? They are level two now, and they like combat.
Thinking about doing the orcs
lolz, they burned their base down!
@ Better Get Shaco: so, they burned the orc's base down, or their OWN? If it's theirs, the next adventure should be "The Epic Re-Building of Their Base!" complete with music from Return of the Jedi. Y'know, the one where they're rebuilding the Death Star?
@ Wisconsin Frank: I'm one over, in MN. I don't want to jack the Saint of DJ's* thread though. If you want to PM me or start another thread, I'm always open for collaboration. I'll warn you though; I suck with art and have no skill at online maps.
* Please note: the initials of the OP are S T D J...
@Mark Hoover: Yes they did it by themselves, all of them are level 3, and
this is their team comp:
Fire Sorcerer
Battle Cleric
Gunslinger
Barbarian Tank
The sorcerer apparently had 10 flasks of alchemist fire and oil. Orcs failed perception to see that the tent they were in was wet. They saw the scouts with a natural 20 perception roll. The barbarian cleaved through their heads. They set alight the tents with and explosion that asically murdered them all. Then the raid leader about one-shot the gunslinger with his masterwork falchion. The barbarian raged and with his 20 strength dealt over 60 damage to the raid leader. The witch left and went into a secret dungeon, and the party followed.
Well, I use donjon dungeon generator. And this dungeon had lots of ghasts in it. And ghasts typically drop LOADS of gold, well, one dropped a Steel Stele inlaid with silver; worth 5000 gold alone. They leveled up twice in this dungeon. I now need a quest for them that involves lots of role-play. They are getting tired of dungeons and I want to spice things up. I want the king to have them do a task for him, something like find the criminals responsible for killing children, stuff like that. Things that require them to ask around and role-play
Some interesting plot-based stuff I'm doing for my game, to involve non-combat encounters is introducing a new outcast race: Fetchlings.
So some background to my homebrew: the PCs hail from a town called Staghorn Reach. The place, despite being a Large Town from it's statblock is in fact more a sleepy little rural burgh; Its Superstitious, has Rumor-mongering Citizens and has a Holy Site. Essentially it's a bunch of hamlets and villages built so close to one another that over time the settlements and their rulers have banded together. The place is so rural they don't even have a wall.
Anyway, on the outskirts of town is a ruin; the crumbling remains of one of the noble houses of the town. Dammenterem and House Damayth was long-ago cursed by a wicked fey queen (one of the Eldest) and their home and bloodline mingled with the Shadow Plane. Servants of the house became Fetchlings - slaves to the nobles in the Shadow.
All of this backstory is unknown, though bits and pieces have been hinted at over the last 5 levels. Finally the PCs have added it all up and begun unraveling the truth for themselves. The PCs, because of the superstitious nature of the town have always felt like outcasts here, but one PC has family so they stay.
Now, in the last session we were finishing up some background roleplaying in the form of the Barrel Festival of Staghorn Reach. It was a fun little fest but as the night wore on an old villain (recurring BBEG wererat) and his minions attacked, but not to get the PCs but rather to try and kidnap the numerous strangers who'd begun gathering through the festival. These meek and demure folk were anachronistic; out of touch with modern manners and customs of fashion and such.
So the PCs helped foil a bar fight/distraction, made it to the final blessing the NPC cleric issues over the whole town and there's the strangers. This time the villain unleashes ALL his minions: hordes of rat swarms, Ratkin Warriors and some minor wererats under his control. The vile company makes again for the strangers. This time the PCs meet them in open combat.
One thing leads to another and the PCs manage to save a couple dozen strangers. The cleric never actually got disturbed, so the ritual completes, shunting out the BBEG and his minions (the rite was an ENORMOUS protective ward that encircles the whole of the main town) and in so doing reveals the strangers as Fetchlings.
Now the PCs are in a quandary. They've been fighting shadow plane creatures for a couple levels now (though one of the PCs became an NPC and he's taking the fight to the shadow directly, so they have officially stopped their campaign into the megadungeon) and suddenly they've got a horde of these unfortunates begging for asylum and shunned by the entire town.
So...back to Shaco. I've used these fetchlings' dilemma as fuel for non-combat encounters. A few of them begging on the street near the PCs and being violently rebuked; a fetchling mother with her starving daughter refused at the PCs' favorite inn; accompanying the same mother out into the hinterlands to find the fetchling camp to be nothing more than a bunch of badly-made lean-to's in the midst of a wood just as winter is about to set in.
These people are very obviously slaves with no survival skills. They also have no means of supporting themselves; the only job they've held for a century is stepping and fetching for their masters or mistresses. I described it like the entire staff from the show Downton Abbey suddenly showing up out in the wilderness.
So the PCs have taken them on as their pet project. They are helping the fetchlings build proper homes as fast as possible as the snow is starting to fall. They are also going off on hunting trips to provide whatever they can fish or hunt for the refugees. Finally they have had a chat with the town's priest and have made a point to rally other locals to help support these people.