Contents:
Foreword: Our Mission Statement
Article: The Road to Plot Hook Recovery
Monster: The Dullahan
Adventure Seed: A Goblin Love Story
Afterward: Tell Your Friends!
Welcome to the premier issue of the Modular Gameworld Newsletter! It’s a pleasure to have you here. Our mission statement here is to provide you with quality content to improve your gaming experience. Expect quality plot hooks, inventive monsters, articles to improve your games, campaign inspirations, and so much more!
For those of you who haven’t heard of Roleplaying Tips Weekly our article from this newsletter was good enough to be featured as a guest article there, so if any of you have not checked it out please do so at RoleplayingTips.com. And for those awesome enough to be joining us from Roleplaying Tips Weekly we would like to welcome you and thank you for taking a chance on our new newsletter. We will be working hard not to disappoint.
Enough about us, lets get on to the content shall we?
-Ronny
The Road to Plot Hook Recovery: Stale Plot Hook Tips and Tricks
By Ronny (ModularGameworld.com)
What exactly is a plot hook? To me they are the baited hooks you tease in front of your players until they sink their teeth into one. Then you reel them into wherever you wanted to take them in your campaign.
Compelling plot hooks can launch an entire campaign, while stale ones can crash and burn leaving you to try to salvage your night of gaming.
I don’t believe bad plot hooks exist. Every hook has something to bring to your campaign. You just need to bring the greatness out!
Stale plot hooks are characterized by being overused, cliche or expected. People expect certain things to happen when they are in a tavern or when they meet strangers on the road. People have expectations, and you can turn these expectations into great plot hooks!
Part of the road to plot hook recovery is training your mind to see plot hooks differently. Old plot hooks are a great resource you can turn to when you get writers block or simply don’t have the time to prepare for a campaign. You just need to look at them in a different light and present them to your players in different ways.
Below are several ways to rejuvenate a stale plot hook.
1. Get the Players Invested
Get your players invested in the hook. A major flaw of stale plot hooks is that the players know the hooks so well they don’t care about them. Getting players invested in the hook brings the interest back.
It might seem like a simple thing, but connecting the hook to an NPC the players already care about can often be enough to get them charging into the dragon’s den for that darned princess.
For example, the Mayor asking the PCs to find a stolen locket is much less powerful then Anna, their favorite barmaid that has been giving them information for 10 levels, asking them to help find a stolen heirloom of hers. Getting the players invested is a quick and easy way to improve response to your hooks.
2. Do Something Unexpected
Freshen up a plot hook by do something with it the PCs don’t expect. It doesn’t have to be a big change, just some small twist to make it seem fresh and new.
A favorite tactic is to start the players in the middle of the plot and let them piece together what is going on. Just having the players start in the middle gives them such a different perspective on the events no one notices until long after the game that it seemed a bit similar to another hook.
Little, unexpected twists to the plot hook can add tons of value as players wonder what you might be up to next.
3. Add Details
The second major flaw in stale plot hooks is their cliche, generic nature. When a plot consists of “[authority figure] calls [hero] to slay [evil monster] in [creepy forest] to return [priceless treasure]” you know it’s stale.
That same plot hook could seem a lot more interesting loaded with details from your existing campaign. This tip meshes well with getting the players invested, but goes beyond using just established NPCs.
Maybe the [creepy forest] was where they fought the spiders 5 levels ago (I wonder what ever happened to those buggers?). The [priceless treasure] was the circlet of peace you delivered between the two feuding kingdoms months ago.
An established gameworld, even if only a couple sessions in, is a gold mine of content to use in your plot hooks. Take advantage of it.
4. Gunslingers in Space?
Strip the plot hook down to its basics to find out what made it entertaining in the first place. Keep that part and retool the rest of the hook around it.
Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh coat of paint to make something seem new again (it sure worked for my living room). After all, the classic save the princess from the Red Dragon feels a bit different when it’s the Dragonborn Matriarch that was kidnapped by the Stone Giant. Or if you take a cowboy western and base it in space.
These changes will seem large to the players, but really it’s just an older plot hook in a new setting.
5. What do you mean we were second?
One thing I can’t recommend enough is cultivating rival NPCs for your players. They can add so much potential to so many things in a campaign, including spicing up your hooks. Have the King give the two groups the same quest and have them compete to complete the task (and to get that juicy reward).
Another option is to have the NPCs get the job first, and send the PCs in later to rescue them (bonus points if the situation is ‘Not What It Seems’). Adding rivals into a plot gives the hook a whole new dimension.
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Additional Resources
For some other good tips on Plot Hooks check out:
Roleplaying Tips Weekly Issue #31 – Johnn’s work is always top notch, take a look here at how to craft some new plot hooks.
Roleplaying Tips Weekly Issue #32 – Part two of Johnn’s work.
Steal This Hook – Some great hooks from the official D&D site.
Monster: The Dullahan
By Ronny (ModularGameworld.com)
The Dullahan are the harbingers of death, headless horsemen who witness to deaths that affect the very fabric of fate. Their appearance is as monstrous as their duties; clad is the blackest robes and carrying their own decaying head under one arm, the Dullahan is unmistakably a creature of darkness.
Though native to the Feywild’s underdark, these deathly fey can naturally walk the paths twilight between the planes on their ghastly mission.
The Dullahan has only one terror, the sight of gold. The fear is seemingly instinctual, though a Dullahan will fight through it to perform it’s duties.
Dullahan are powerful allies to natives of the Feywild, taking no part in the war of the Fomorians and Eladrin. They are often used as guardians of portals and gateways, protecting them with their vicious whip and ancient magic.
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Dullahan Lore
A character knows the following information with a successful Arcana check.
Arcana DC 15: Embodiments of death and missionaries of fate, Dullahan are often known as the red hand of destiny, hunting those who have escaped their final fate. They only fear the glimmer of gold coins or the shine of a golden blade.
Arcana DC 20: The sages say two varieties of Dullahan exist. Those not on the hunt are known as Dullahan Guardians and protect sacred sites to the Fey, often passages to other planes. Those on the hunt are known as Dullahan Slayers, riding in their full frightful splendor, cowering with simply a look and slaying with but a word.
Arcana DC 25: The word of death is a Dullahan’s most feared ability. It is said that if a Dullahan speaks your name, only the touch of gold can save your soul from passing on.
Arcana DC 30: The oldest legends say to save those slain by a Dullahan you must first best the creature before the next moonrise. Then place a gold coin beneath its tongue. When the moon rises that night its victims will awaken as if from a deep sleep.
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| Dark Miasma (necrotic) aura 2; any enemy who uses a healing surge in the aura only gains half the benefit. | ||||||
| HP 755; Bloodied 377 | ||||||
| AC 31; Fortitude 28, Reflex 27, Will 25 | ||||||
| Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable 10 gold | ||||||
| Speed 6 | ||||||
| Action Points 2 | ||||||
| M Spinebreaker Whip (Standard; at-will) ♦ Weapon | ||||||
| Reach 2; +22 vs AC; 2d8+6 damage | ||||||
| m Blinding Strike (Standard; recharge 56) ♦ Weapon | ||||||
| Reach 2; +20 vs reflex; 4d8+6; target is blinded (save ends). | ||||||
| m Dullahan’s Hatred (Standard; at-will) ♦ Weapon | ||||||
| Target two adjacent enemies; +22 vs AC; 1d10+6 damage, and the targets are pushed 1 square. | ||||||
| c Chain Maelstrom (Standard; encounter) ♦ Weapon | ||||||
| Close burst 3; +20 vs reflex; 4d10+6 | ||||||
| Vengeful Maelstrom (Free; when first bloodied; encounter) ♦ Weapon | ||||||
| The Dullahan’s Chain Maelstrom recharges, and the Dullahan uses it immediately. | ||||||
| Guardian’s Might (Free; as encounter begins; encounter) | ||||||
| As the battle begins the Dullahan designates a square as his guarded zone. The Dullahan gains a +2 to all defenses while within 10 squares of his guarded zone. | ||||||
| a Cloud of Darkness (Standard; sustain minor; recharge 456) ♦ Zone | ||||||
| Close burst 2; this power creates a zone of darkness that remains in place until the end of the Dullahan Guardian’s next turn. The zone blocks line of sight for all creatures except the dullahan. Any creature entirely within the area (except the dullahan) is blinded. | ||||||
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| Skills Skills: Arcana +15, History +8, Insight +21 | ||||||
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Dullahan Guardian Tactics
The Dullahan Guardian waits by his guarded area for his enemies to move close before engaging them. The dullahan will begin by using Cloud of Darkness, positioning himself to catch as many enemies as he can within it. He will remain within the cloud as long as possible, using an action point to attack with Chain Maelstrom and Dullahan’s Hatred if he becomes surrounded. The dullahan targets the largest visible threat with his Blinding Strike, then focuses his efforts on the eliminating the weakest remaining enemy.
When bloodied the Dullahan Guardian will immediately use his last action point to use Chain Maelstrom, then Blinding Strike (if recharged). The dullahan will then continue with his earlier strategy, fighting to the death to protect his charge.
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| Dark Miasma (necrotic) aura 2; any enemy who uses a healing surge in the aura only gains half the benefit. | ||||||
| HP 920; Bloodied 460 | ||||||
| AC 37; Fortitude 34, Reflex 33, Will 31 | ||||||
| Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable 10 gold | ||||||
| Speed 10 (while mounted); 6 (when not mounted) | ||||||
| Action Points 2 | ||||||
| M Spinebreaker Whip (Standard; at-will) ♦ Weapon | ||||||
| Reach 2; +26 vs AC; 3d6+8 damage | ||||||
| m Blinding Strike (Standard; recharge 56) ♦ Weapon | ||||||
| Reach 2; +24 vs reflex; 4d10+7; target is blinded (save ends). | ||||||
| m Dullahan’s Hatred (Standard; at-will) ♦ Weapon | ||||||
| Target two adjacent enemies; +26 vs AC; 2d6+7 damage, and the targets are pushed 1 square. | ||||||
| c Chain Maelstrom (Standard; encounter) ♦ Weapon | ||||||
| Close burst 3; +24 vs reflex; 4d12+7 | ||||||
| Vengeful Maelstrom (Free; when first bloodied; encounter) ♦ Weapon | ||||||
| The Dullahan’s Chain Maelstrom recharges, and the Dullahan uses it immediately. | ||||||
| r Bloody Hunt (Minor; encounter) | ||||||
| Ranged 5; one target; One enemy becomes your quarry. Your quarry takes a -2 on all attack rolls against you. You may only use the Word of Death attack on your quarry. | ||||||
| r Word of Death (Standard; encounter) ♦ Necrotic | ||||||
| Ranged 10; only usable on your quarry; deaf creatures are immune; +24 vs Will; the target is dazed (save ends). First Failed Save: The target is stunned instead of dazed (save ends). Second Failed Save: The target is dead. This ability fails on any target touching gold. | ||||||
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| Skills Skills: Arcana +18, History +20, Insight +24 | ||||||
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| HP 100; Bloodied 50 | ||||||
| AC 30; Fortitude 27, Reflex 27, Will 28 | ||||||
| Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic | ||||||
| Speed 10 | ||||||
| Action Points 2 | ||||||
| c Midnight Fog (Standard; encounter) ♦ Necrotic | ||||||
| When the Dread Steed is killed it’s body will disperse into a dark mist, heavily obscuring enemies vision in a close burst 2. | ||||||
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Dullahan Slayer Tactics
The Dullahan Slayer attacks from behind, quickly activating Bloody Hunt on his chosen target and using the Word of Death. Afterward he will attempt to disable his targets companions using Blinding Strike, focusing on spellcasters first. The Slayer is constantly moving, trying to take advantage of that speed 10. If surrounded he will spend an his first action point to use Chain Maelstrom, then Dullahan’s Hatred to push back his adversaries. If his Dread Steed is killed the Dullahan will untilize the Dread Mist to his advantage, obscuring line of sight of his ranged foes.
When bloodied the Dullahan Slayer attempt to escape from combat, utilizing his recharged Chain Maelstrom if necessary as well as his second action point. If he escapes, the Dullahan Slayer will return during the next nightfall healed and ready to continue the battle.
Adventure Seed: A Goblin Love Story
By Ronny (ModularGameworld.com)
Genre: Medieval fantasy
Tier: Low heroic
This hook is the tragic story of two lovers divided by their species. The blacksmith’s daughter Eli secretly eloped with the chieftan of a nearby tribe of goblins, Ruar. The blacksmith is calling it a kidnapping, not wanting to shame the family name with her choice.
When the adventurers arrive in town everything seems to be closed except the inn, even though it is just nightfall. If they knock on a door a town person will explain that a gang of goblin bandits has been abducting people, and that the mayor has ordered all stores closed before the moon rises. Only the inn is still open, and is heavily guarded. At the inn the blacksmith is sitting in the corner with a pint, trying to figure out what to do about his wayward daughter. When the adventurers walk in into the inn they jolt an idea in his mind. He knows what he needs to do. He waits until they ask someone about the situation, then introduces himself. The blacksmith explains how Eli was kidnapped by the goblin chieftain and only his death can free her from his diabolical spell. He offers them anything he can make as a reward, and makes a map for them to the goblin’s lair should they accept.
Meanwhile Eli has been grudgingly accepted into the goblin tribe. Though she is inept at combat she is a trained healer and earns her keep by patching up the goblins after combat. The tribe of goblins only numbers around 18, but have had great success due to their chieftain. Ruar is exceptional in many ways for a goblin, he is almost at large a human and much more cunning. His intelligence and strength holds the tribe together. Though like most goblins he has a cruel streak, he genuinely seems to care for Eli and will take great risks to assure her safety. Several of his subordinates aren’t quite as accepting, and want to use his attachment to the maiden as an excuse to get rid of both of them.
The tribe dwells in a series of caves north west of the town. Eli remains in the cave during the tribes raids. If Eli witnesses the rescue attempt she will explain the situation to the party, Ruar is not so trusting though and assumes anyone sent by the blacksmith has bad intentions.
This campaign seed can be plugged into just about any fantasy game, usually at the low end of the power spectrum. Enjoy!
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Do you have some plot hooks, monsters, or other content you care to share with the list? Or perhaps you would care to write a guest article for the newsletter? Maybe you have some ideas or questions about something you read in this issue?
E-mail your content, ideas, or concerns to ronny@principlefactor.com. I would love to hear your ideas and we may feature you in our newsletter!
Well that’s it for the premier issue of the Modular Gameworld Newsletter! It’s been a pleasure having you with us.
-Ronny