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A recent community survey found that 17.4% of you would be interested in playing Expedition with a Game Master (GM) if you had more rules for doing so. Only 3.4% of you said you'd never consider playing with a GM, so in this installment of The Forge, we're going to provide you with an idea to enable quick crafting of a quest by a GM, without the need to use the Quest Creator app.
Many people find writing the introduction to a quest to be the most difficult part of the process. You have the action and climax in mind, but how to start that “Journey of a thousand miles”? How do you take that difficult “single step”?
How do you explain how the adventurers have come together and why they’ve made common cause against the villainous antagonist?
This week we’re introducing a mechanic based on a classic childhood game: The Mad Lib!
Mad Lib Intros (MLIs) give you a quick and easy way to craft an adventure on the fly.
We’re hoping these MLIs help draw in your gamers, make the stories more interactive by involving them in the creation of the entire quest and thus give them more of a stake in the play. Plus, as we all know, Mad Libs can be downright hilarious. Welcome to the first MLIs.
MLI #1: The Heist
Your party has been contacted by (Name #1), (Official/Title) of the (Community Type#1). It appears the community’s supply of (Loot Card #1) and (Adjective) (Item) has been stolen by the nefarious forces of (Name #2), the (Adjective) a (Encounter Card Tier III or IV) of considerable (noun). Desperate to recover the (Loot Card #1/Item) before word of this scandal gets out, the (Community Type#1) has contacted your band of (Adjective describing you) Adventurers. They believe the minions of (Name#2) the (Adjective), a raiding party of (Tier I-III Encounter Card) and (Tier I-III Encounter Card) have fled back toward the (medieval building). Can you intercept them before they arrive? Dare you brave the treacherous (Color) (location) so as to arrive at (medieval building#1) before them and lie in ambush?
So let’s see how this MLI might play out in two different scenarios, one humorous, another more serious.
MLI #1: (Comedic Tone)
Your party has been contacted by Olaf the Scurvy, Captain of the ship the “Sea’s Bride”. It appears the community’s supply of Rope and sacred pork rinds has been stolen by the nefarious forces of Jim the Leprous, a Giant Rat of considerable vulgarity. Desperate to recover the rope and sacred pork rinds before word of this scandal gets out, the Sea’s Bride has contacted your band of smelly Adventurers. They believe the minions of Jim the Leprous, a raiding party of Zombie Hands and Giant Spiders have fled back toward Castle Firewick. Can you intercept them before they arrive? Dare you brave the treacherous Chartreuse Forest so as to arrive at Castle Firewick before them and so lie in ambush?
MLI #1: (Dramatic Tone)
Your party has been contacted by Mayor Marbrand of the Town of Bildenstein. It appears the community’s supply of Sparkstones and precious ore has been stolen by the nefarious forces of Azcalon the Black, a Lich of considerable bloodthirstiness. Desperate to recover the Sparkstones and ore before word of this scandal gets out, the Town of Bildenstein has contacted your band of resolute Adventurers. They believe the minions of Azcalon the Black, a raiding party of Zombies and Skeleton Swordsman, have fled back toward Castle Firewick. Can you intercept them before they arrive? Dare you brave the treacherous River of Sorrows so as to arrive at the abandoned Fort before them and so lie in ambush?
Interested in seeing more MLI as seeds for your quests? Let us know by commenting below...
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