suggestions for a 1-shot

[Loki]

I'd like to run RoS for my group as a 1- or 2-shot adventure with pre-generated characters for 3-5 players. I've been reading over the sections in the book that deal with SAs since they seem to be the heart of the game and I'm a bit stumped on how to proceed. As a side note, I would like to use the full rules rather than the QS.

I have been reading some of the threads that deal with demos and intros to RoS and Jake's example (I think it was Jake) of pre-generated characters with a SA of Destiny seemed to be the most grabby to me. We're also coming off of playing board games, CCGs and Great Ork Gods for the last few months, so a scenario with an objective like "acheive your destiny by the end of the adventure" is likely to fit well into our current goal-oriented mindset.

Another requirement of the scenario would be that it could survive multiple character deaths, since our experiments with the QS rules had pretty high mortality rates.

A final requirement (I'm pretty demanding, eh?) is that we stay away from the "become king" style of Destinies. Our last campaign (3e) was all about one of the PCs trying to become head of his clan, and my group is more in the mood for slumming it with the theives and hired swords for a while.

If any of you could help me brainstorm a bit I would appreciate it--I'm having a tough time getting my head around how to run a short RoS.

[Ashren Va'Hale]

How many players?

[Loki]

# of players: 3-5, most likely 4. I'm going to edit the original post to include that info.

[Ashren Va'Hale]

4 players:

1: street urchin thief
2: Best friend of street urchin... possibly older kid,
3: archetype: Street thug- tough
4: Street entertainer, friend of thug and urchin

The urchin wants off the streets, (drive) his best friend wants to help him (passion loyalty). The urchin overhears while picking pockets whatever that a rival group or some mercs or something have in their possession something valuable (maybe mgic). PC's now have an item that if they stole it they would have enough cash to live the good life.

Neither 1 or 2 are very tough or combat worthy, 3 and 4 are. They are friends with 3 and thus3 would help and 3 is friends with 4. All have a goal of wealth or social promotion. Some are greedy, some have passion loyalty. Some may have hatred for the people with the item.

Now if its a one/two shot, its get the item, steal it, get rich, get out.

If its a longer campaign its get the item, realize its more than they thought it was, run like heck with the owners and buyers wanting it bad!

You could even have it so that the next campaign branches off this one, the new PC's are after the item these PC's stole.

Just my quick IDea.

[Loki]

AV, thanks for the quick response. To clarify, I'd like to try giving each character a single SA: Destiny.

However the plot that you outline: steal something valuable (for varying reasons) fits pretty well into what I think would suit the group.

[kenjib]

Inspired by the suggestion of one of the posters here (I can't recall who), I did a one session one-off using a ship mutiny as the story.  For prep work I wrote up the crew manifest of the ship, complete with socio-political background for why mutiny would occur, and decided who would most likely side with each side.  It was really easy handling the ship's crew using the various NPC stats from Of Beasts and Men for the officers, sailors, and imperial marines.  I also came up with some basic layout of some of the likely events that would happen to get things rolling but after that the players took over and guided all the action.

I had them start as regular tars, but after that they were free to take on other characters to help them get in the middle of the action at all times and so that if they died they could just move to another character.  Whenever they took on a new character they could define the SA's on the spot.

In addition to being a one-off it was also a prologue/seque into the campaign proper, which will be starting soon with new characters.  The actual campaign will take place several years later and the implications of that mutiny will reverberate throughout the rest of the campaign.  Some of the old characters will also no doubt be showing up too, which will be fun.

It worked out really well and we had lots of fun.  I think the favorite character that night was the ship's cook.  I was err...liberal with the interpretation of his "become the best cook in the world" SA.  The captain was a terribly spiteful critic of his artistry after all and man he was one tough cookie with an iron skillet!

Another highlight of the night was after the quartermaster, whose destiny the player asked me to keep secret from him (this is fun!), committed several attrocities (including against one fellow mutineer) in the process of taking over the ship it was revealed that his destiny was to "become a terrible, dreaded, pirate captain".

[Muggins]

I did a 1-shot to play with the rules a while back. I took the background from a mix of the Spanish Reconquista and the Crusades, and tailored the party to be antagonistic. This will be a bit long, but it did get SAs to work: Pardon me if I forget a few details. Here's the outline:

The small Ferazzo states are strung out along the coast of Harabi. Carved out during the last bout of Jandist fervour, the three states are now under threat from a reorganised Harabim nation. So far, the only trouble has come in the form of raids by Harabim bandits into Sofia, the most isolated of the Ferazzo states. However, the Bishop of Sofia has prevailed on the Grand Duke to allow the Relics of Jand to be taken from the state to a safer location. After much discussion, it was agreed that the King of Ferazzo would take possession of the artifacts. To this end, a party of delegates is being sent from Ferazzo to Sofia to accompany the artifacts into safe keeping.

The characters form the party of delegates. They are:
Josephus- priest, renown for his devote holiness. SAs: Faith (Jand), Conscience( help the weak)
Hugo- Josephus' bodyguard, freed slave and superb longswordsman. SAs: Passion (protect Josephus), Faith (Jand), Conscience (hates oppressors)
Ser Talliard- courtier, current favourite of the King, and middling rapier man. SAs: Loyalty to the King, Conscience (be a Knight), Passion (the Good Life)
Ser Bastin- fighting man, noble warrior of renown. SAs: Passion (war), Passion (be rich and famous)
Bawlin (the Brute): An upwardly mobile 'merchant', renown for his great strength and cruelty. SAs: Passion (to become noble), Luck, Passion (cruelty)

The line is drawn through the middle of the party: Josephus and Hugo are the nice guys, Bastin and Bawlin are the nasty guys, and Talliard is the pendulum. Bastin is under Bawlin's thumb, as he owes Bawlin money, while Bastin is Bawlin's pass into the noble world.

The script as written was fairly linear. Audience with the King, go to Sofia, get the artifacts, return home, be attacked by bandits, get home. However, I threw several other elements into the mix. Three other factions want the artifacts, and are prepared to pay for it. One faction is the local knights of Sofia- they feel the artifacts should stay, as a rallying point to restart the Jandist crusades. One Knight, Ser Loaran, offers the noblemen in the party lands and wealth. The Harabim also have a stake in the game- a well-liked Sofia merchant named Haziz drops hints that the loss of the artifacts to some associates is worth significant money (but only to some members of the party). Finally, the Duke of Germania is in town, and thinks the Jandist artifacts belong much further afield- in Germania. He offers not only the knights but also Bawlin lands and money for the artifacts. Though his offer is less than some of the others, bringing Bawlin into the equation might make a difference...

[Judd]

http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=5303&highlight=

The following is a thread of adventure ideas.  Hope it helps.  Good luck with the 1-shot.

[Ashren Va'Hale]

why only 1 SA? Wouldnt it be best to have that destiny be one of the five? Maybe just have it be the same for all players?

[Muggins]

And here is how the whole scenario played out:

I started off the session with a bit of practice combat. Everybody had had their characters for a while, so the background (MUCH more than above- a page and a half each!).

Then we began. Bawlin and Bastin started playing off each other- drinking, partying, and bullying Ser Talliard around. The bodyguard went around growling at people, and Josephus went serenely along. The overland trip to Sofia went peacefully enough. On the first night, a Banquet is held in their honour. They meet many people- the Duke of Germania, here with two men-at-arms, Haziz al'Qura, a Harabim fish merchant who bankrolled the feast, and Ser Loaran, a local dignitary. All of these three approach different characters during the night, passing hints, and discussing things.

(Meanwhile, I pulled my twist out of the hat. Josephus meets the Bishop and recieves the artifacts. The ones to be publicly handed over are actually copies. Hugo hides the real artifacts in his saddle bags)

Overall, Josephus really liked the old Harabim merchant, and heard all about his sailing trips to other places. Ser Talliard proved incorruptible, but did get worried. Ser Bastin and Bawlin were simply overwhelmed by offers, but Bawlin arranged a deal with Haziz- get rid of Hugo as a sign of good will.

Next morning, Josephus had the bright idea that because the overland route was threatened by bandits, he would organise to sail home with Haziz. On the way down to the harbour, he and Hugo were attacked by two thugs. Hugo took them out pronto, but worries did set in. Josephus goes on to meet Haziz, who is ONLY to willing to book passage on his ship, leaving the next morning. That afternoon, the official ceremony handing over the artifacts takes place, after which Josephus informs his colleagues that they are going by boat. Uproar!

That evening, things fell apart. Haziz refused to hold up his offer, as the artifacts were already coming into his possession. The Duke of Germania stated his intention to ride to Sofia the next morning, and Ser Loaran got short shrift from everbody.

Next morning, the news arrived that Haziz's ship's mast had broken, anr repairs would take a week. (Phew! Bawlin bribed the ship's carpenter to sabotage the ship). So, thinking there is safety in numbers, Josephus and his allies agree to ride with the Duke to Sofia. Intrigue ensues, but before the deal can be struck, bandits attack! The party wins out, without serious worries (except Ser Talliard's inability to land a killing thrust with his rapier on a mailclad attacker!). Soon after that, Ser Talliard accepts the Duke's offer to ride ahead and check for more bandits. The duke, Talliard, Bawlin and one of the duke's men-at-arms ride off.

Suddenly, Ser Bastin and the man-at-arms draw weapons and attack Hugo. Before Josephus can summon his protective air elemental spirit, Hugo is dead. The air elemental kills the man-at-arms, and Bastin is forced to feel, injured. Seeing the game is up, Josephus tells the spirit to fly him and the artifacts to Sofia (seemed possible, given the power of magic and the fact that it was a Spirit 3 summoning, done the previous night).

Thus when the Duke and Talliard return, they only find Bastin, looking around amongst the wreckage of Hugo and the man-at-arms. He claims that bandits attacked again, and that he does not know where Josephus is. They still have the fake artifacts, so carry on along the way. The Duke and his man ride ahead again, and Bastin attempts to kill Talliard, who clearly suspects something (and is not in on the plot, though Bawlin is). After a long horse chase, Talliard is slain. Bawlin then whacks Bastin from behind, but in the final exchange take a wound that knocks him unconscious...

He wakes up on the back of a wagon of dried fish. Haziz leans over and says, "People always ask what I use to flavour my fish..."

In the end analysis, everybody played true to their SAs. Josephus survived, the artifacts arrived, and the true story will never be known...

[Loki]

why only 1 SA? Wouldnt it be best to have that destiny be one of the five? Maybe just have it be the same for all players?

I was reading this thread, about 3 posts in Valamir mentions a demo that Jake ran at a Gen Con. I'm not sure that Jake had only one SA, but I thought it would make it easier to get a handle on SAs if they were a limited number, and Destiny seemed to be one that is fairly concrete and easy to sink your teeth into.

I want to thank you guys for giving me examples of your adventures. It's not that I'm not appreciative, but I think I need more general advice on how to set up the party and structure the adventure with regard to SAs.

[Lance D. Allen]

I would personally advise against destiny, especially multiple characters having destinies, unless they were exceedingly complementary, and the group agrees to have that be the main thrust of the campaign.

I think Ashren's suggestion is one of the better ones I've seen for a short game involving thieves and such, though kenjib's recounting of his mutiny game could also work well.

[Tash]

I was just thinking of something today that brought to mind this thread.  Back when I was in college I used to game with a group of guys on my hall.  We had a long running campaign that we played most of the time, but periodically we'd take breaks and do a one session adventure whose plot was taken from a movie.  The one I did that went over best was ripped from Casablanca:  we had a fictional desert city that was at a crossroads between two warring nations.  The main characters (Rick, Lazlo, Ilsa, Renault) from the movie became the PCs, with me taking over the rest as NPCs.  The "leters of transit" became royal papers ensuring safe passage and everything else just fell into place naturally.  It made for a really fun session because we all knew the plot, but we didn't have to follow it to a T.  
It may not be exactly what you are looking for, but anybody wanting to do a quick 1 night game should try it out.  Just pick a movie everyone in the group knows that has a quick running plot and adapt the setting to whatever rules you are using (we were playing 2nd Edition AD&D).  
Great dialog helps too, having a PC emerge from a rapier duel only to voice catch phrases in a faux Bogart accent was simply priceless...

[Jürgen Mayer]

about 3 posts in Valamir mentions a demo that Jake ran at a Gen Con. I'm not sure that Jake had only one SA

I was in that game and no, the characters all had multiple SAs.

For example, my Unseelie character (ALERT! Gamer talking about his character!) had:

Destiny: To ruin EVERYTHING 2
Drive: To make and keep a close friend 1
Passion: Loyalty: his close friend 1
Passion: Hate Fritzen, another gifted Unseelie 1
Luck: 2

I didn't ruin everything, but I managed the close friend part. It's pretty clever for a one-shot to give each character a destiny and/or drive to fulfill during the session. It gives the players something to focus on and drives the story forward.

(And if you're interested, you can even find a photo from that session here: http://www.disastermachine.com/en_gallery_gencon2003.html - scroll down a bit)