```metadata title: 'ADVENTURE: Welcome to Green Valley' description: '' tags: [] systems: [] renderer: V3 theme: 5ePHB ``` ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/AKWB7Re.jpg){position:absolute;top:0px;right:0px;width:816px;height:1057px} \page {{wide # Welcome to Green Valley ### Four Merry Jaunts Through in the Bumpkin Quest Campaign It’s a big world filled with far off folks who have far off problems. In the quaint farming town of Hills Furrow that has certainly not been the case. Here life is simple, local, and paced by the seasons. There ain’t been a need for “Venturers” and their ilk since your Papaw was just a sprout. However, the winds of change are blowin, and things are about to git just a bit more exciting round these parts.
Welcome to Green Valley, The down-home home of Rural Fantasy Misadventures and Grass-Roots Shenanigans. The Valley is Filled with Colorful Characters, Brimming with Odd Ball Neighbors, and has more than a few Local Yokels. Welcome to Bumpkin Quest.
Bumpkin Quest is intended to be a series of silly adventures that all go awry in some way or another and stir up trouble throughout a peaceful little village that has in many ways been overlooked by the troubles of the world “outside”. They’ll range from things like “Dogs Runnin Away With Wedding Dresses” to “Neighbors Dumpin Manure in Wells.” to “Bandits!!!” to “Probably Bandits!!” to “Gotta Be Bandits this Time!” to “It Ain’t Bandits… Its Dragons!!!” }} {{toc, - ### Contents - #### [{{ 1) Setting Up Bumpkin Quest!}}{{ 2}}](#p3) - #### [{{ 2) The Green Valley}}{{ 3}}](#p4) - #### [{{ 3) Locals and Yokels }}{{ 6}}](#p7) - #### [{{ 4) Local Legends and Folk Tales}}{{ 16}}](#p17) - #### [{{ Maps}}{{ 24}}](#p25) - #### [{{ Shenanigans and Adventures!}}{{ 27}}](#p28) - #### [{{ Appendices}}{{ 29}}](#p30) }} ### ADVENTURE MECHANICS - Target Character Level: Commoners - Level 1 - Target Party Size: Four Players - Average Adventure Playtime: 1-2 Hours - Tone: Rural Misadventures ### PLAYING A.O.G. ADVENTURES AOG adventures are written and designed to be system neutral to avoid Copyright and IP conflicts or issues. They will lean toward a d20 system, particularly 5e D&D, but language referencing specific creature types, treasures, and environments may be more generic or cast in my Homebrew World. All of which should be easily imported into any system of your choosing. I will always include an appendix of notes and my thoughts on mechanics to help GMs and Players understand what I may mean by certain phrases and ideas, as well as helpful links to our own source materials. \column ## What is The AOG? It started 40ish years ago. I still remember the day my cousin brought out this thin blue book with a white sketched dragon on its cover and a pile of strange dice. He told eight year old me that we were going to play a game where I could be anything I wanted (as long as it was an elf, dwarf, human, or halfling). I immediately developed that love of bringing people along on journey after journey, and through all the moments and four decades of playing, the trip has never lost its wonder. : Now, I think we are best described as a network of Table Top Role Playing Gamers (Mostly D&D). I had been sharing my work online for some time but decided in April 2021 to open a Patreon and Discord. Honestly, I knew I was behind the Patreon Train, but it made sense as a platform. I’m not interested in money, but I am interested in sharing with and helping others in the hobby. So I run the site 100% free of any paywalls. More like a Digital Magazine than a Patreon. : Over two years in and we’ve grown quite a bit. We host Games through the Discord. I do a lot of requests for our supporters and some commission work. I coach many of our subscribers regularly on DMing and fantasy cartography. My son helps write our “Year One” series which are adventures designed for entry level DMs and players, and we use our content and Patreon Funds to run an after school Jr High Group. We even support a podcast my youngest son and I lend our voices to. It has been a busy year. : ### Contact us : [PATREON](https://www.patreon.com/amplusordogames) Amplus Ordo Games
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[FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/Amplusordogames) Yeah we know... Facebook... {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page # Setting Up ### A Very Different Game There are going to be quite a few differences while getting Bumpkin Quest up to speed with your standard TTRPG. For starters, the theme of this Campaign needs to be communicated up front to the players, and efforts need to be made to get everyone on board with the idea that Epic Dragon Slayers don’t live here. There are and will be Adventurer style threats, but their day to day will be closer to children fighting with sticks in the pig-yard. It’s a different world than the average game, one that is far more tuned into the adventures of “Florida Man” than it is a “Lord of the Rings”. ### Character Creation Let’s talk about Character Creation. We’re going to take a step back from typical “starting out’ adventurers, and move toward the players simply being local Commoners. The game will not begin with them as a “Classed” character, and to this point their Backstories and Backgrounds, should reflect something that belongs in a farming village. They should pick a trade or skill that connects with a slow way of life, but foreshadows their incoming Class. Things like Farmers or Hunters for Druids and Rangers, Tradesman like smiths or carpenters for Melee types, maybe a Priest’s son or Schoolteacher for Casters, or even the local layabout for Bards and Rogues. Backgrounds like this are going to become pretty important in Bumpkin Quest… that Animal Handling skill is going to come in a lot more handy here than it ever has. I mean someone has to help deliver the claves down at Ol’ Byron MacDougal’s Dairy Farm.
Lest move on to Stat’s, Skill Proficiencies, HP and Gear. Everyone gets completely average stats to start. You can decrease some of these Stats and increase others by the same amount. Example: Say you’re playing a system where 10 is the average score. You can drop that to an 8 and bump another stat to a 12. Characters should only get two skill proficiencies that are tied to their background. Example: It would make sense for the son of a local merchant to be persuasive and insightful. Another? A local farmer may be athletic and understand animals. I think you get the idea. In most d20 systems their HP should be 4, with maybe a slight bump if they raised a Stat that affects health. Lastly, gear. They shouldn’t have much, and much isn’t available. Hills Furrow isn’t a place of swords and armor, but of pruning shears and work gloves. That isn’t to say they won’t get weapons, but starting out is intended to be slow.
Once they become proper adventurers they can rework their stats to reflect their new class. But ONLY after a cool montage of them doing rough and tumble farm work lik choppin wood or wrastlin pigs! \column ### What Do Players Know? The valley has mostly been forgotten about or ignored by the outside world. So if the Players Characters are from beyond the borders then it is likely that they know almost nothing about the goings on of Green Valley. If they are playing locals, then they can and are encouraged to read most of this guide other than the actual adventures or things labeled DM Notes. ### As the GM Now that you’ve got your players ready to go, let's talk about you for just a moment. Being a GM is already a weird task. It's about to become weirder. Running an Adventure here mechanically won’t be much different. There will be challenges and combats and rewards. We’ll stick to a d20 system for the guiding structure. And have plenty of opportunity to roleplay. Where this thing is going to go way off the rails when compared to a normal adventure is going to be in the absurdity and hyperbolic approach to seemingly mundane farmland issues. You’re going to have to take the typical style of light hearted comedy and ramp it up to “Airplane” and “Spaceballs” level work. That doesn’t mean you have to tell all the jokes, but you will be responsible for properly setting the stage to do so. Do that and the players will tell the jokes for you. You provide the Giant Rolling Pumpkin (One of our planned Adventures), and they’ll fill in all the zany antics they get into trying to stop it. ### Adventure Pacing Finally, Bumpkin Quest will be designed to play very episodic, which as a form of storytelling we’ve kind of lost in the past decades. Instead we moved toward our media, including the way we plan for TTRPGs, to becoming more ten part movies rather than loosely connected episodes. Now, both forms are great and have their own strengths and weaknesses. We just felt like stringing these stories along without some “super plot” will make them a lot more fun, and honestly, easier for us to write. Also it’s a real ordeal to try and stretch chasing a runaway “horse” into a four hour tabletop adventure! And yes… the quotes on “hores” are certainly foreshadowing for absurdity yet to come. It will also enable you to have several adventures in one sitting or have shorter sittings for those players harder to manage attention spans. ### Bumpkin Quest: Campaign Guide We produced a [Guide](https://www.patreon.com/posts/guide-bumpkin-to-80202231) that fills in the deatails of Green Valley pretty throughly. The quests are simple enough to be runin any setting you choose, but if you're interested in more the [Guide](https://www.patreon.com/posts/guide-bumpkin-to-80202231) has dozens on NPC and locations. You can grab it Free at the links above. {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/IDfEShX.jpg) {position:absolute;top:20px;right:30px;width:750px} # Hills Furrow {{wide At the center of the Valley sits a patch of small grassy hills, through which the Slow Water meanders through. Built into these hills is the Village of Hills Furrow. Celebrated by everyone living in The Valley and boasting a whopping population of almost 150, Hills Furrow is the center of commerce and social importance. Well, at least as far as the locals are concerned. Realistically it would be less than a blip on the grand scale of things, a mere kernel of wheat in the silo of civilization, but to those who live here, there is nothing quite like living in the “city”.
The Village itself, like the Valley, is predominantly Halfling, and their fancy dwellings are burrowed into the hillsides as often as possible. These dwellings have been family owned for generations only becomeing available if there are no heirs to pass them along to. Other folk live in well kept two story shingled buildings, most of which house a business on the lower floor and house the Shopkeepers and their families above their workplaces, though a few live in nearby homes. There aren’t many “rental” spaces in town, as property is usually bought up quickly by the Halfling Families, but there are long term options at either of the Inns in town. }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/xJrMLV6.jpg) {position:absolute;top:20px;right:30px;width:750px} # Hills Furrow: Locations 1) The Crocked Crow (Inn and Tavern) 2) The Dancing Lamb (Inn and Tavern) 3) The Moaning Toad (Tavern) 4) Granny's Groceries (General Market) 5) Get Nailed (Hardware and Distilery) 6) Gimdurh's Hammer (Smithy) 7) Brenra's Mechanicals (Tinker) 8) Hjoldren's Home Goods (Carpenter) 9) Standard Industries (Office) 10) Fit to be Dyed (Tailor) \column 11) The Last Loaf (Baker) 12) The Cloudy Cleaver (Butcher) 13) Nature's Medecine (Apothecary) 14) Sheriff's Office 15) Green Valley School House 16) The Waterwheel 17) The Windmill 18) The Undercloak Estate 19) Truefoot Burrow 20) The Meadows Family Hill {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page The people themselves are hospitable and friendly enough, but they do not really trust outsiders. Folks from foreign places are good for trade, news, and little else. Those that come through are treated well enough as long as they don’t wear out their welcome. Locals, well, that’s a bit of a different story. The city and area doesn’t operate under a written caste system or social structure, but there is clearly a pecking order, and family heritage matters a great deal to folks in Hills Furrow. Most locals, whether they’ve gotten an education or not, can easily be classified as simple. It isn’t that they are slow of mind or unintelligent, but more that they are unconcerned with matters the outside world considers important. This sentiment has created a general, but friendly, dislike between those that consider themselves Highfalutin and those that clearly are not. : Well now that I've given you the fifty cent tour. Shall we get on to adventure? ## Chapter 1: Green Tide We will open our journeys in the Green Valley at Green Tide, the annual celebration of Winter’s End. This adventure is designed to give a tour of Hills Furrow and introduce them to the locals. It will begin with some chores around their house to prepare for the festival and end with a battle involving an enchanted broom. If you did not do Session Zero, this chapter may take a bit longer as we get to know everyone and their characters. ### ACT 1: Pre-Festival The locals spend the week cleaning out their houses and farms. They gather old junk and unused items to be used later in the festival. They also begin preparing what food is left from winter to be used in a celebration and feasts. #### Things to do! - Have the Players clean up junk around the house - Have them Find something strange (Perhaps used for a later mystery?) - Have them Decorate their Broom - Have them run a Household Errand (Meet an NPC) ### ACT 2: Sweeping Day A merry festival celebrating Spring cleaning and putting the past behind them. They form a parade, with one member from each house carrying a brightly decorated broom and using it to symbolically “Sweep Away Winter”. The rest of the family marches their winter’s trash and unused goods down to the Fairgrounds. The goods are often traded, while the trash is piled in the fire pit to await burning later. The entire day is filled with fun outdoor activities. Households also symbolically bring their problems to the bonfires to burn them later. \column #### Things to do! - March in the Parade - Carry Junk to the Bonfire - Meet more of the Locals ##### EVENT: I Love a Parade
The parade will march North from near the Cross Roads in the South up around the hill and back again to the South where it will head for the Fairgrounds. There isn’t anything particularly challenging about this event, but it would be a wonderful place to start leaning into or building local rivalries. ##### EVENT: Never Seen a Broom Do That…
As they come into the home stretch of the Parade one of the local’s Brooms will animate and take off. It will chase folks around the parade. The players can attempt to stop it, but the broom will flee soon after being attacked. It will fly up into the air, attack a flock of geese, and chase them off until it can’t be seen anymore. They can go and collect a fallen goose if they wish. I highly recommend giving it a motorcycle type sound as it flies around hitting folks. Maybe even going as far as giving it a rough gravel angry voice and letting it insult people. ### ACT 3: Winter’s End Winter’s End is a Combination of Groundhog’s Day and Fasnacht, this day gets a little wild. The Festival kicks off at dawn with the Great Gopher Hunt. Gophers are well known spies for The Voice of Winter and thus need to be hunted before they can tell The Voice to delay Spring. Gophers themselves are quite tasty, and are notoriously bad for crops, so this works out economically all around. Throughout the rest of the day families continue to contribute to the Bonfire Pile which often gets quite large. At dusk a large effigy of The Voice of Winter is placed on top of the pile. Once the sun has fully set they light the fire and burn the Effigy. Folk usually dress darkly during the day and brightly at night. After the burning they feast on sweets and treats that were made from goods saved up from winter storage. #### Things to do! - The Great Gopher Hunt - Carry Junk to the Bonfire - Meet more of the Locals - The Fairground’s Activities ##### EVENT: The Great Gopher Hunt
The Hunt begins at dawn and takes place all over the Valley. Locals race to collect as many Gophers as possible. It is easiest to kill the Gopher, but there are some that find that distasteful. Instead they live trap the critters. It is a bit tougher to do so, but an option should your players wish. This is most easily played out as a series of appropriate Skill Checks, in which the higher they score the more gophers they obtain. {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page ##### EVENT: Trash Removal
They may find some locals willing to pay them to help cart junk down to the bonfire pile. Not a lot of skill involved in this, but it is a great opportunity to meet locals, and you could throw a runaway cart at them. #### Fair Activities
They will probably want to take part in Fairground Activities. Players love these types of challenges. Here are a few ideas you can build on. - Axe Throwin: Basic attack rolls on a Round Target. Higher scores equal Higher points. - Bow Shootin: Basic attack rolls on Moving Targets. Higher scores equal Higher points. - Pig Chasin: Catch the greased Pig! Medium DC Challenge requiring three success before three Failures. - Mud Wrastlin: Nothing says bumpkin like a good Mud Wrastlin Pit. Contested Skill Challenges. - Sausage Eating Contest: Increasingly difficult DC Challenge. Eat till you puke! Can also be Pies or Ribs or Little Fish… you know whatever someone wants to stuff dozens of in their gullet. - Tug O’War: Team Strength Challenge. Three to Five Contested Rolls with opposing teams. - Gopher BBQ Cook Off: A Hard Culinary Challenge to see who can BBQ the best Gopher! - Races: Foot and Mount Races based on Three to Five Contested Rolls. I usually include a few odd mounts like a Giant Chicken or some such nonsense. ### ACT 4: Day of Ashes
The Day of Ashes is a day of rest, recovery, and reflection. Locals take the ashes from the bonfires and rub their hands in them to symbolize the end of a hard year’s work and hardships of the past. The day ends with a large family feast, typically Pork. Activities this day are light, but many folks head to the Temple for the Calling of Spring Blessings. They put on their fancies and head down to ask forgiveness for over-indulging in the festival and for worship. Well sort of…
Unfortunately, a lot of folks take this as an opportunity to peacock about and practice their one-upmanship over other locals. If you’re looking for inspiration for their outfits look to older photos of the Kentucky Derby. Over the years this troubling practice has caused more than one fight to break out after the service. #### Things to do! - Go to Temple and Meet More Locals - Pick a Local Patron! ##### EVENT: Temple Services
The majority of the town comes to Temple on this day. The service is usually longer, and a bit more “Where have most of you been all year?” But otherwise it is a call for the Divine Blessings to touch their crops and protect their lives. It ends with a ceremony in which the locals put their hands into the ashes from yesterday’s bonfire. Once services end they will head outside, where the trouble will begin. Two of the wealthier families will get into it with each other. Starting with a couple of veiled insults, probably before service and continuing afterward. If one of your players is from a local Rich Folk family then they can be right in the middle of it all, otherwise they will have to pick a side. This choice will determine their house Patron moving forward. Tension will increase until folks start drawing up sides, and then someone will throw a rotten tomato at one of the House Matrons. That will blow the lid off the incident and a yokel brawl will break out. For comedy purposes I recommend the instant appearance of several food carts filled with expired products, and maybe a six year old hustler selling big sticks for wacking folks with. As the locals brawl call for perception checks. Who ever rolls highest begins to hear… The Broom returning! ##### ENCOUNTER: Stick In The Eye
The broom returns ready to whoop some ash. It will be bsolutely bent on cleaning anyone and everyone who is even the slightest bit dirty! If it successfully attacks a character they will have to make a Strength Saving throw or be knocked to the ground and swept clean by the broom. As this would be an awful omen for the year folks are terrified and will be running around screaming. Absolute mass hysteria. If the players were lucky enough to hear it coming they can avoid being surprised by the broom. Otherwise the broom will get a full round to attack before they have a chance to do anything. They’ll have to beat the broom into submission any way they can before it sweeps the whole town into chaos! ### CLOSING
After defeating the broom things will settle back down again. Bumpkins are quick to return to normal when things go awry. However, they will have gotten the attention of one of the Wealthy Families in the area and be offered jobs. Which family is really, based on what will work best for them and you as the DM. For gags you might be tempted to have the Yokels pick them up, but that is a hard bit to sustain, and you may be better served keeping them on the side as a comic foil rather than up front. Completely up to you. The session should end with them being invited to meet their new patron tomorrow someplace important. {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/1lyYpvd.jpg) {position:absolute;top:20px;right:30px;width:750px} {{wide # Hills Furrow
### Homes on Tall Street The South side of town is where many of the non-halfling folk live. The majority of the buildings are two stories and a few of them even taller, thus the name. ##### NOTES
- Both of these homes have a Knocker house in their yeard. The locals believe that the Knockers are tiny Fey Folk who help locals when they run into trouble. People often leave offerings for the Knockers to keep them happy. - A Human Family lives to the South - An Elven Family lives to the North }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/RY7eKFL.jpg) {position:absolute;top:20px;right:30px;width:750px} {{wide # The FairGrounds
### Green Tide, Daytime Activities! Every Spring the Locals celebrate Green Tide. A Festival combining the draw toward overindulgence after rationing supplies through the long winter months and a good old fashined Spring Cleaning! They carry thier junk and trash down to the bonfire pit and burn it all that evening in a giant festival blaze! ##### NOTES
- During the Day the stages will have shows and live music on them - The Daytime Events are more Family Oriented than Evening Events - The tents will be selling goods, treats, and drinks, many of these will have traveled from outside Green Vally. - There are some games in the South. Archery, Axe Throwing, and a Tug of War }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/J9vcI69.jpg) {position:absolute;top:20px;right:30px;width:750px} {{wide # The FairGrounds
### Green Tide, Nightime Activities! Every Spring the Locals celebrate Green Tide. A Festival combining the draw toward overindulgence after rationing supplies through the long winter months and a good old fashined Spring Cleaning! They carry thier junk and trash down to the bonfire pit and burn it all that evening in a giant festival blaze! ##### NOTES
- During the Night the stages will only have live music on them - The Nightime Events are more Adult in nature. Lots more drinking and "Revelry" - The Goods tents are likely closed, but treats and drinks will still be avaiable. - There are some games in the South. Archery, Axe Throwing, and a Tug of War - BIG bonfire! Like Real Big. Like Melt stuff from 20' away big. }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/8xqeA2u.jpg) {position:absolute;top:20px;right:30px;width:750px} {{wide # St Torribia's
### The Temple Forecourt This Temple of the Martyr is dedicated to the married Saints Isidore and Maria who are the Patrons of rural life. In life they worked hard and fed the needy, often sacrificing their own need to care for others. The Temple is just Southeast of Hills Furrow. The Temple and Grounds are meticulously well kept. ##### NOTES
- The seeds of the flowers here are very rich in nuitrienst and often used in medecines and healing potions - Several of the trees on the grounds drop nuts that are extremely nourishing. They are collected for those in need. - Pilgrims sometimes travel here to often, as it is said that the Martyr's Statue in the front of the church sometimes weeps, and when it does powerful healling becomes availbe to all who touch the tears. }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page {{wide ## Chapter 2: A Cartload of Chickens ### }} After successfully defeating the Enchanted Broom, our Bumpkins have gained the attention of a possible local Patron. This individual has summoned them to a nearby farm to discuss future work. That work includes proving themselves capable and not just lucky. :: ### ACT 1: Meet the Boss In this Act the players will meet with their new patron, one of the Family Heads, who that is entirely depends on their choices from the last game. This entire side branch is designed to flavor the background of the campaign, but if you’d rather just have them stay freelancing and independent that’s fine as well. There is also the possibility of “competing” offers should they have second thoughts for any reason. Once they arrive at the meeting spot their Patron will ask them some questions about their ambitions (Class Goals), they will then hand them off to their new “boss” who will assign them their task. They will take them to a nearby barn. ##### NEW NPC: “Boss”
*Needs a fitting name for the Family they work for...*
Characterwise, what we got here is a standard “Ranch Foreman” character. They’re tough, A little mean, and completely loyal to their employer. They almost certainly chew tobacco (by the handful), have a tattoo of the Ranch Brand, and know where all the bodies are burried. They also have a huge and obvious scar on the side of their head where a Giant Chicken pecked a hole in their skull, so they’re not as bright as they used to be, not at all truthfully. Nor are they actually the Foreman anymore, but no one has a heart to tell them. They’ve been quietly downgraded to Chicken Handler, which is something they seem to remember quite well, but the brain damage keeps them from realizing all that. They can be found wandering the Farm giving strange orders to other Hands. These Hands nod politely and then go back to what they are doing. #### Things To Do
- Meet Their Patron - Discuss Their Future - Meet Their New “Boss” : ### ACT 2: Chicken Dance Boss will lead them into the odd looking barn. This building is filled with Giant Chickens. These two-three foot fouls have extremely exaggerated features, spiky looking beaks with sharp tooth like edges, big darting eyes, bumpy cracked skin, long gnarled talons, and dirty mottled feathers. They’re more beast than bird. But, they’re good for eatin! These creatures should have a stat block similar to an Axe Beak. When the players enter into the Barn the Chickens will go nuts, obviously deeply bothered by the intrusion. Boss will throw in some deer haunches and the birs will tear them apart in a feeding frenzy. They will then put on a Chicken Suit and begin a flapping dance. (Google Magnificent Riflebird) It should be absolutely captivating and the chickens will become mesmerized, watching every move. Boss will then load two dozen chickens onto a large wagon and lock it. They will have the players push the wagon out while he keeps the Chickens calm. Once outside they’ll hang heavy tarps on the sides of the wagon, and remove the suit. He will then explain to them that they need to keep the tarps on the wagon, and keep the birds well fed, or the chickens will get restless and become violent. When they do need to interact with them someone will have to wear the suit and dance to keep them calm. The bigger the person in the suit the better. Boss will then give them a Map of Green Valley and instruct them to drop off two chickens at each of the outer settlements. They have two days to get this done. #### Things To Do
- Head into the barn - Witness The Dance of The Chicken - Push the Wagon out - Get the Costume and Delivery Instructions : ### ACT 3: Bumpy Roads They will be off to deliver the Chickens to various locations. There is no specific order to this delivery, they just need to pick a route and go. If they’re short on time they can take the country roads that lead between the outer settlements, but these aren’t as well kept as the main roads are. Whatever road they take and wherever they decide to stop for the night there are problems they will encounter along the way. You can make them random or pick the ones that best suit your players. Most of these should at some point require someone putting on the suit and dancing for the chickens to keep them calm. I would also increase the difficulty of each event. If they fail a dance the Chickens will become restless and start attacking the cart until they are calmed down. Too many failures and the wagon’s cage will break and the remaining chickens escape. They will then have to be rounded up and the cage repaired. #### Things to Do
- Decide the delivery route - Deliver the chickens - Keep the Chickens calm {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page ##### Possible Road Events
1) Rough roads cause problems 2) Yokels attempt to see what’s in the cart 3) Bad Weather swamps the road or scares the chickens 4) Pack of Coyotes causes trouble. 5) Chicken Rustlers! Protect the Flock! 6) Wagon breaks and needs repair 7) Cows in the road, someone’s herd is out. 8) Broken Bridge, not gone, just broken ### ACT 4: Final Delivery They’re now closing in on the final delivery. Something needs to happen here to cause them to put the suit on. Or maybe they never took it off! I love that idea, that one of your players just loves the suit and wants to be a chicken… lol… Anyway I’m a fan of having them need to get out of the suit for some reason, maybe a bathroom break, or they stand on a fire ant hill, or a snake slithers up their leg. You know something silly and fun. BUT the the zipper is stuck! So they’ll have to try and unstick it and fast! Whatever happens they’re going to get shot at by some hunters looking for a big score who have mistaken the flailing caused by the stuck zipper to be the chicken attacking. After dealing with the Hunters they can go ahead and make the final drop. And head home. #### Things to Do
- Head for the final delivery - Get shot at! - Deliver the last chickens ##### ENCOUNTER: That’s a BIG Chicken!
Having two hunters in the field is more than enough to cause a problem for the players. The hunters will almost certainly surprise the players, but you can allow them a perception check, if they succeed they’ll see the hunters just before the muskets go off. It would be OK to down the Chicken Player here if the hunters successfully hit it. They’ll have healer’s kits on hand because, well, this seems to happen to them a lot out here. After the initial attack the players can decide to attack back or try and talk the hunters down. A basic Bandit or Scout stat block should do will for the hunters. If you’re looking for a bit more mayhem, if the hunters miss the players you could have them hit the cage, and you know, bust it open. This may be especially tempting if they haven’t had to chase down any chickens yet! \column ##### POSSIBLE ENCOUNTER: Big Ol' Frog
So there is a giant frog hiding in the mud down in the creek. If a player takes cover behind the banks there is a good chance that the frog will attempt to nab the player as a snack. If it is successful in grabbing a player with its tongue it will immediately head down river, and they'll have to chase it to get their friend back. ### CLOSE When they return, Boss will reward them. How much will depend on how successful they were delivering the birds. If they did a descent job, they will be paid two day’s wages each. If they were completely successful they can have a bonus. However, if the wagon is in bad shape they might have some money deducted. After they’re paid out, they will be dismissed, and told to expect a new assignment next week. {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/jR2WjvV.jpg) {position:absolute;top:20px;right:30px;width:750px} {{wide # The Ranch
### The Chicken Coup This rather large "coup" houses some of the most vicious livestock available. These foul foul are not carnivorous but they're smart as well, often using hunting techniques normally associated with higher level predators. They make fantastic eating and grow to full size in six months. Eating breeds typically grow to 2-3 feet. There are larger breeds that can reach 5' and make good mounts for smaller beings. ##### NOTES
- The pens inside are reinforced with iron bars - The chickens get riled up anytime someone approaches their pens. Most think this is because they smell prey. - They can be calmed by rhythmic dancing. This is usually done by someone in a chicken costume. }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/4qUgNWa.jpg) {position:absolute;top:20px;right:30px;width:750px} {{wide # Roadways
### A Collection of Various Roads for Encounters Roads in Green Valley are typically safe. But that isn't to say things don't go wrong on them. Wagons break down. Bridges wash out. Cattle decide to stand in the middle of them. And then there is the mud. The mud in these parts gets thick and sticky real fast, particularly in Springtime. }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/djBgaPM.jpg) {position:absolute;top:20px;right:30px;width:750px} {{wide # The Ambush Site
### Some Local Hunters Keep a Blind Here Lots of folks hunt in the Valley. There is plenty of game available so being successful isn't hard. Thing is, being easy doesn't mean everyone is really good at it. The two yokels who keep a Hunting Blind here are definitely not good at it and have accidentally shot quite a few things they shouldn't have. ##### NOTES
- The Blind can be spotted with a Hard Perception Check - The area has plenty of things that can provide at least half cover depending on the player's size - The river bank is about 10' down and will provide the best cover. - However, there is a giant frog living in the river and may consider any player that comes near an easy target. - The Frog can be spotted with a Medium Perception check. }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page {{wide ## Chapter 3: Marvin the Magnificent ### }} After successfully delivering chickens Boss is going to trust them with a more important task. Their employer has requested an item to be created by Marvin the Magnificent. This is a farming community so having enchanted Farming Equipment is extremely desirable. Marvin has done a lot of basic enchantments over the years, but this new one, an The Stone Skipper, a plough whose blade goes ethereal while in contact with stones too large to push away, has really put him to the test. He needs some help with the final enchantments. The players will have to travel to the Ethereal Plane and hit the Blade of the plow with large rocks. But there’s a problem, they’re going to have mischievous Ethereal Sprites attempting to stop them! If they’re successful, which they should be, they get to take the plough for a test drive, and deal with the strange side effects of the enchantment. Angry goats that blink in and out of existence. :: ### ACT 1: To the Tower They’ll be summoned out to the Ranch where they’ll meet with Boss again. Once there they will notice a large pile of bent and dinged up plows. Boss will explain to them that a recent land acquisition has become problematic. The Fields are filled with large stones just under the topsoil and they’ve damaged a lot of Plow Blades. The Smithing costs are getting out of hand and so their Patron is looking for an alternate solution to the problem. He is sending them to help Marvin the Magnificent, who has taken the job, but run into some complications and needs some help. They may ask about Marvin. Or perhaps the fields that were purchased, so be ready to answer these types of questions. Once they’re done here they can head to Marvin’s Tower, which is just north of town. Things to Do - Meet Boss again - Ask some Informational Questions - Head for the Tower ##### NPC: Marvin the Magnificent
Marvin is fleshed out up above in Chapter 3 : ### ACT 2: Marvin the Magnificent As they approach the tower they should see an explosion at the peak of the structure. It should look similar to a fireworks mishap. When it clears there will be no visible damage to the tower, But Marvin will plummet to the earth just off to the side of them, landing in a small pond. He will then come charging out of the pond, laughing hysterically, and riding on a large turtle. Once he gets a few feet away from the pond the turtle will disappear and he will tumble to the ground right in front of the players. He will leap up quickly and turn toward the players. “Behold Travelers, You stand in the presence of Marvin the Magnificent! And everything you have witness was mostly intended!” He will then strike a cool pose with his wand pointed to the sky! “Now why do you approach my tower!?” : Once Marvin finds out they’ve been sent about the plow he will become more nervous looking. “I see, well follow me. We have work to do.” He will then start walking toward the tower… his boots squishing out water. This should give them a little time to ask a few questions. Marvin will be a little subversive about what they need to do. He will attempt to frame it very mysteriously, saying things like “All will be revealed soon.” and “Save your questions! All Answers await us… in the future!” If they ask him about what they witnessed outside, he will tell them he was working on a mount summoning spell designed for lakes and rivers. #### Things to Do - Head toward the Tower - Meet Marvin - Ask Questions ### ACT 3: The Cabinet of Mysteries The inside of the Wizard’s Tower will be far more mundane than they likely expect. At least on the first floor. It will have a sitting room, dining room, and kitchen, as well as a few odds and ends about. Nothing special at all. The second floor, are Marvins’s personal quarters and some room for study, but it is the third floor, where Marvin will lead them, and it will be more of what one would expect in a WIzards tower. There will be books shelves, arcane equipment, and storage for components. In the middle of the room will be a tall cabinet. : Marvin will explain to them that the Cabinet is a transportation device, and that he will need them to enter into it with a plow that he has recently enchanted. They will be taken to the Ethereal Plane, and once there they’ll need to take the plow outside and begin hitting it with large field stones. There is a large pile of stones just on the north edge of the tower. They’ll have to do this quickly, before the “others” show up. Who are the others? Hard to say, but there are things that live in the Ethereal Plane that don’t like intruders. The idea is to imbue the Plow with Ethereal Powers so it can pass through large stones while plowing fields. Once they return with the Enchanted Plow, Marvin will have them load it on a cart, pulled by a very smart Donkey, and send them on their way. {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page ##### Skill Challenge: Enchant the Plow This skill challenge will require five successes before they’re incapacitated by the others. However they decide to do it, they’ll have to successfully hit the plow with five large stones. Failures will result in strange indiscernible entities attacking them. They do minimal damage but could knock people out if there are enough failures. #### Things to Do - Move Through Marvin’s Tower - Enter the Cabinet - Enchant the Plow ### ACT 4: Blinking Goats Upon returning to Boss with the Plow they will be happily greet and paid. Their Patron will be there and will be very pleased with their success. He will ask them to demonstrate the plow’s abilities. Once they get set up out in the field and begin plowing something weird will happen. Every time they hit a stone and the plow’s power activates an Ethereal Goat will manifest and kick or ram the plow, and then disappear. It will feel very similar to what they encountered in the Ethereal Plane. They’ll have to find a way to deal with the manifestations. ##### ENCOUNTER: Ethereal Goats These goats should function very similarly to Blink Dogs, but I would trim the HP and AC a little to put them in line with the party’s. They will be intent on breaking the Plow not the party, although they will attack the party if they can’t get to the Plow. #### Things to Do - Deliver the Plow - Drive the Plow - Defeat the Ethereal Goats ### CLOSE Once defeated the Boss will come over to yell at them, but the Patron will find the entire thing amusing and more importantly, another impressive demonstration of the player’s skills. He will invite them to the “House” for an important party next week. {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/4EidY0L.jpg) {position:absolute;top:20px;right:30px;width:750px} {{wide # Marvin's Tower
### The Outside Abut a half mile South of town and sitting up on a small ridge overlooking the road is Marvin the Magnificent's Wizard's Tower. This well built stone tower can be seen from Hills Furrow, particularily if someone is up on one of the nearby hills, and often as a gaggle of gawkers gathered for gawking. This occurs chiefly because of his frequent mishaps while conducting Magical experiments. This is his 3rd tower, the others destroyed by magical accidents. ##### NOTES
- Lilly Pond to the West is rather large and could esily take up a map or two on it's own. - Marvin's Tower is one of the nicer structures in the area - He keeps a fairly robust garden and orchard in which he grows his arcan components. He is actual a much more skilled gardner than he is a Wizard. }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/AAGkUVP.jpg) {position:absolute;top:20px;right:30px;width:750px} {{wide # Marvin's Tower
### Interiors and Basement Marvins Tower is three stories tall and includes a basement. It is well furninshed and prepared to house a few visitors. ##### NOTES
- Floor 1: Welcome Hall, Kitchen, and Dining Room - Floor 2: Guest Rooms, Marvin's Quarters, and Personal Library - Floor 3: The Laboratory - Basement: Storage and Arcane Confinement }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/8avfAxr.jpg) {position:absolute;top:20px;right:30px;width:750px} {{wide # The Stone Field
### A good sized field unsuitable for much due to the large stones Stones are common in fields, and somehow new ones turn up all the time. Fore reasons unknown, The Stone Field far more than the usual. It sells cheaply from time to time, usually to someone who thinks they have then next best idea to rid the field of obstructions. These always fall flat... until now? ##### NOTES
- This will be the battleground between the players and the Ethereal Goats! }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page {{wide ## Chapter 4: High Society ### }} They've definitely been noticed now and have impressed with their ability, unconventional as it may be. They are invited to their patron's home, but not as guests. Though, they might think they were actually invited as guests! They have been brought in to help work the event held out at the Party Field. They will have to gather party supplies, help put up the tent, and then serve the actual guests. During the evening’s entertainment a hypnotist “The Great Dr Hypnotika” will mesmerize the crowd and attempt to rob them all. Hopefully the players don’t fall victim to her schemes. And if they do oh well, they’ll be entertained all the same. ### ACT 1: Special Delivery The players arrive at the Patron’s very nice property. They will be greeted by a properly dressed servant with a clipboard, the Party Planner. The Planner will be rigid and direct. They will immediately begin tasking them about. If they mention that they were invited to the party the servant will laugh “You didn’t think you were a guest? Oh dear, how embarrassing. You’re the help! It is still a great honor to be tasked to help at the Party, but you’re not guests. Now as for your current task. Head into town and gather these supplies. Bring them to the field by noon.” After the instructions are given the servant will go back to their tasks and expect the players to do the same. They will have three stops; The Crocked Crow for Food and Beer, Get Nailed for the Tent and Spirits, and Shalana Proud-Breed’s Tailor Shop to pick up the Dry Cleaning. Feel free to make any and all of these go sideways! Its a good place to toss in some shenanigans as well! They should also be introduced to Dr Hypnotika and her associates. #### Things To do - Go to their Patron’s Home - Meet the Party Planner and Dr Hypnotika - Run their Errands ##### NPC: Dr Hypnotika
Dr Hypnotika and her group will perform for the party. Hypnotica is a Tiefling Mezmerist and illusionist. She has an obnoxiously high charisma and some pretty serious skills to back up her claims. However, she uses those skills to beguile her guests, robbing them blind while they are under her spells. She wears a fine robe with a bedazzled headwrap. She has dark upward spiraling horns, light purple skin, and matching eyes. She wears a monocle and walks with a ceremonially carved staff depicting the "Struggles of the Universe". She is extremely persuasive and even more deceptive. Even if someone were to grow suspicious she can easily talk her way out of trouble. \column ##### Clapper and Bob Hypnotika brings with her two assistants. Clapper the suit wearing Kenku who will perform wondrous displays of mimicry and slight of hand, and her strongman Bob the Kobold. Bob wears a leopard print strongman's outfit and is amazingly swole, particularly for a kobold, and capable of lifting upwards of 400lbs. Bob doesn't do much else other than get hit with things. in the act. ### ACT 2: Put up the Tent After they finish running their errands they will be tasked with putting up a large party tent. This Act is an ongoing Skill Challenge and should have a constantly distracted feel to it. First they have to unpack the tent. Then they have to realize some pieces are missing, they’ll have to form a solution to that problem. After that wind should cause some problems as the tent is at least being pulled up. This is a great moment for some wondrous tom-foolery. #### Things To do - Unpack the tent - Deal with missing parts - Secure the tent during the wind gusts ### ACT 3: Put These On After they finish putting up the tent they’ll be sent to the Servant’s Quarters to bathe and change. They’ll get a little time to explore and snoop if they wish. Afterward they’ll be tasked with helping in the kitchen, but unfortunately the cooks are going to have been playing a drinking game all afternoon and are no longer fully capable of doing their jobs. This would make a great moment for some sort of mini-game where the players have to determine whether or not the cooks are doing the right things. Once the dinner has been completed they will have to serve the guests. This is a good place to insert gossip and help them meet a few other folks. #### Things To do - Get changed for the party - Deal with the drunk cooks - Serve the guests drinks and food {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page ### ACT 4: An Evening to Remember At some point in the evening things are going to start sliding downhill. Some of the locals will have become extremely inebriated and will need to be encouraged to leave, or just moved off to the side as they’ve already passed out, before the show begins. Once the show begins the locals will become fixated on the goings on. “The Great Dr Hypnotika” will have put an additive in the drinks for the that will make everyone more susceptible to her powers of persuasion. Once the show starts she will have them all doing silly things, those who drank have disadvantage on saves against her powers. She will end the show asking the guests to display their most valuable treasure, a with a hypnotic pattern and then send her assistants out to collect those treasures. The players will have to “do something” about the thieves. #### Things To do - Deal with Drunks - Watch the Show - Stop the Criminals ##### ENCOUNTER: Hypnotika's Gang This encounter doesn't have to be a fight. If Hypnotika is caught she may claim it was all part of the act and simple return the valuables with a "no harm, no foul" type attitude. This will be he go to in an attempt to avoid a fight, but if the character persist in some kind of retribution or punishment the situation will devolve into a combat. Hypnotica herself is an Illusionist Wizard but is low on spells after the show. Clapper is a low level rogue and Bob a Barbarian, and should play out as such. Even with Skills they are combat adverse and will be looking for an opportunity to flee rather than fight. They do have a getaway wagon out front that they'll be headed for if things go south. ### CLOSING We’re assuming the Bumpkins at least attempted to stop the robbery. This will draw a lot of attention to them. Their Patron will be well pleased with them, and let them know they will be getting much more important jobs in the future. The guests will also take note and will begin treating them all a bit better. They’re all essentially Folk Heroes at this point for secondary backgrounds. Their Patron should reward them with something very nice as the party kicks back in. They will need to finish out the nights work of course. \column ## Quest-line Closing ### Congratulations! Your Players have completed their first Quest-line! Hopefully it was a delightful experience. But now that they've finished what comes next? Well, here are some ideas. #### Reward Them! They've been doing some rather Adventurerous things lately, and therefore should now have a Class Level under their belt, so the real D&D world now opens to them! Maybe it is time for some real adventuring gear. No more sticks, stones, and burlap sack armor. #### Folk Heroes? There's a good chance that the Valley is Speaking the News about them and their exploits while drinikng in the taverns. They may have even earned the actual Folk Hero Feat! Maybe someone would be interested in giving them a task! #### Simply Go Exploring! There are a lot of places in Green Valley that we only dipped our toes into. You could have them head down to Stinkmarsh, or maybe climb up the cliffs of Longridge. The world (Well, the Valley) is wholly open to them. #### Explore Local Legends There are lots of local legends they can look into! Hopefully they search out something that isn't too far over their heads! #### Continue Working for their Patron It would be an easy DM go to simply to have them continue working for their current Patron. They've probably been impressive enough fo a family to be interested in keeping them on. #### Establish Themselves as Adventurers! Maybe they want to set up a Adventurers for Hire business? This "Heroes Guild" approach is really appealing to a lot of players and absolutely plays into Bumpkin Quest. Just remember, this is a place of low key problems that locals make really big deals out of. So the idea of slaying dragons shouldn't really be on the table... that is until an actual dragon shows up! Which one day absolutely should. {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/otg0nNq.jpg) {position:absolute;top:20px;right:30px;width:750px} {{wide # The Party Tree
### The Empty Field The Party field is a more General Location and is likely to appear is multiple Adventures. ##### NOTES
- The Empty Field map is really just that. An empty field. - You could put something here... but then it wouldn't be an empty field now would it. - That was sarcasm... Use this however you want! }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/jczGocL.jpg) {position:absolute;top:20px;right:30px;width:750px} {{wide # The Party Tree
### With Transparant Tree The Party field here has been altered slightly to creat an environment suited for a pre-party scene. ##### NOTES
- Another version of the empty field. - This time with See Through Tree!!! }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/K4mWXr2.jpg) {position:absolute;top:20px;right:30px;width:750px} {{wide # The Party Field
### Setting Up for the Party The tent is up and gusts have arrived! Time for a party! ##### NOTES
- This is the location of the Skill Challenge to set up the party. - I've strewn some wagons about the map to give it a building in Progress feel }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ![Map](https://i.imgur.com/v8Hoxz8.jpg) {position:absolute;top:20px;right:30px;width:750px} {{wide # The Party Tree
### Party In Progress, Inside the Tent The tent is up and gusts have arrived! Time for a party! ##### NOTES
- Act four of the adventure will take place here. - The Guests will be assembled under the tree at the tables. - The servants and services will be working out of the rear tents and wagons }} {{pageNumber,auto}} {{footnote Bumpkin Quest, Spring 2023}} \page {{wide ## BASIC NOTES FOR PLAYING AN AOG ADVENTURE #### Homebrewed World
First off, almost all my adventures are set in my Homebrew World of Taalist, particularly the Continent of Krenshad. Which the majority of has a very Gothic Art and Renaissance Period cultural feel to it. With some Greek and Middle Eastern Cultre from various time periods thrown in there for flavor. That said… Almost all of my Adventures can be easily ported into your location of choice. If you would like to play in Taalist my Campaign Guide (All 150+ Pages of it) can be accessed on our Discord.
#### The Lay Out
I divide my adventures into “Acts”. An Act doesn’t necessarily reflect an amount of time, but more of an important series of events or locations. Some Acts may take 5 minutes, some 5 hours. Why? I dunno, ask the players who over complicate simple matters and simplify the overly complex.
#### Skill Check DCs
I don’t spend a lot of time defining DCs as I play with a bit wider scale of success and failures. What does that mean? For reference the DC scale in 5E looks like this.... Very Easy DC 5, Easy DC 10, Medium DC 15, Hard DC 20, Very Hard DC 25, Nearly Impossible DC 30. When I list a DC, I will tell you it is Hard. But Hard for one party may be easy for another so I leave the actual number value up to you. I also play with a “Success but with Consequences” mentality. That means if they get close they still accomplish their goal, but there is a “but” to that success. An Example? Hard Stealth DC is 20, they roll an 18, I tell them “You sneak past the guard you see, but the guard you didn’t see heard something and is headed your way.” I think it adds more to the story that way.
#### Search Checks
I often reference Search Checks. What is a Search Check? When the players want to “search” something or for something I let them use either Investigation or Perception. I know that isn’t RAW but it just makes things so much easier. I got real tired of explaining to players who have been playing with me for years the difference between the two… just let them look for stuff!
#### Treasure Sizes
Every game is different. So I do not *usually* list out treasures. Instead I use the follwing terms to assign value not size to the treasure Petty, Small, Medium, Large, Huge. Often I will use a combination of them. You can decide how best to fulfill that for your party.
#### Identify Rules
I use a different style of Identify. Items in my world have a Knowledge DC on them (Arcana, Religion, History, and Nature). I allow the player to use an appropriate Check on an item to identify it. The Identify Spell adds a +10 to this. It can be upcast for additional +5 bonuses. Depending on the score of the Check I give them different information. Some information is extremely hard to obtain, for example Curses are well hidden behind DCs that are at least DC 30, often much higher.
#### Opening Cutscene
I like to start my games with an Opening Cutscene which is read before anything else happens. These are usually really vague bits of information that give a glimpse into something that will maybe happen later, happened before the adventure, or is story adjacent to it. I have found these to be great tools to set the mood and create a little mystery.
#### Setting, Background Info, and Hooks
These portions can be used as you see fit. Each one is a little different, so it is hard for me to say how best to use them. Some will play better if you can get them into the hands of the players before the game. Others may have better influence when read just after the Cutscene. Some are really only relevant to moments in the story. But as in all things you do what is best for your game! That is always the way to go.
#### Skill Challenges
I use the idea of Skill Challenges a lot. What is that? It is an event in the game that isn’t quite an encounter and it isn’t a simple skill check. It is a problem they solve with their whole skill set. Typically they must get three successes before three failures in order to succeed in a skill check. The thing about a Skill challenge is they’re are vague on purpose to allow players to be creative in solving a problem. An example may help here.
> - DM says “Your Boat is taking on water. What would you like to do?” > - Player 1 responds with “I use my carpentry tools to fix the hole” and they make a Tool Check. But they roll a 2 so they fail. Too much water. > - Player 2 says “ wants to row harder with the crew to get us toward shore faster” They make an Athletics Check and roll an 18. So that is a success. > - Player 3 “I use Destroy Water to get water out” OK, well it only destroys 10 gallons so it isn’t super helpful, but the momentary reprieve allows a little drywork to happen and allow player 1 to reroll. }}