Adventure Generation 2

Here are a few of my own ideas on creating adventures.

Types of Antagonists:   

Negotiable: Will resort to violence if forced, but would prefer to make an arrangement with the characters.  (Example: cowardly or intelligent, but greedy and lazy, monsters.)

Situational: Violent if provoked because of circumstance.  (Example: wild animals that are out hunting or in their lair.)  

Confrontational: Violent if the characters happen to be there.  (Example: guards on duty, Orcs on a raid.)

Adversarial: Seek violence against the characters specifically.  (Example: assassins, someone seeking revenge for previous character actions.)

Bosses: Have big plans and manage large resources.  Violent against the characters if they get in the way or significantly degrade their holdings.  (Example: dungeon overlord.)

Shadow Bosses: Like a regular boss, but are protected by money, fame, title, and influence.  They are imperious to direct attack by the characters.  (Even if directly killed, they can easily be organizationally replaced.)  Confrontation is by proxy and the goal is to destroy the Shadow Bosses’ status and standing.  (Example: a corrupt king.)

Motivations for adventure:

These motives (adventure hooks) can be combined and vary from character to character even on the same adventure.

Circumstance: Opportunity/complication from being in the right/wrong place at the right/wrong time.  (Example: acquiring a treasure map in a dice game, running into a gang fight.)

Threat: The characters must act or they will incur a loss, either personal or on a larger scale.  (Example: invasion, theft of a treasure haul)

Obligation: Required as a consequence of prior actions, current status, or from family, friends, other groups, or country.  (Example: drafted, old master kidnapped)

Charter: Essentially an economic goal. (Example: raiding a dungeon)

Quest: Anything other than an economic goal.  (Example: destroying the ring of power)

Emotional: Curiosity, fear/survival, greed, heroism/fame, loyalty/honor/duty, and revenge.  (Example: character’s honor is called out, characters on the run after a heist.)