Adventures are often linear, “rail roaded” scenarios designed around getting maximum play-time out of a single product, reducing GM prep time, and maintaining story arcs across “adventure paths”. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this approach, I still think there needs to be room for free-form roleplaying, chance encounters and so-called “sandbox campaigns.” One way to mix things up a bit is to introduce side-track mini-adventures into your campaign, and that’s the goal of this series of posts. Homebrew games can be created the same way, so try this for yourself you’ll see how fun it can be.
“A Fork in the Road” aims to set up a dynamic mini-adventure where the outcome hinges on player choices, not scripted design choices. The PC are invited to a local noble’s estate and hired to help him quell a local rebellion. Once the PCs meet the rebels, however, their choices are suddenly not so clear.
Editor’s Note: It should go without saying, but if the monster stats and encounter set ups aren’t appropriate for the PCs, simply retool the storyline of the encounter a little bit. Again, this article is designed for 4E D&D. There is no reason why the encounters can’t be used in any system or setting though!
A Fork in the Road – A 4E D&D Mini-Adventure
Read the following background to the players to set up this side-trek adventure and get them started. The proper names for this scenario are generally generic, so please feel free to change them to adapt to your own campaign.
The state of the Duchy is in flux. Several recent violent disputes between the county’s royal family and the commoners have occured, so Duke Regibald Darimus is calling for the aid of “independent individuals” (Adventurers!) to come to the aid of the ailing duchy. Nothing the royalty or their direct agents can say will calm the populace at this point, and they are worried that things may get out of hand before you have come to their aid. As court convenes, the time has arrived for you to discover what is happening in Duke Darimus’s territory and what you will do about it.
The PCs could hear about this general call for help through a town cryer, or perhaps be invited personally by the Duke depending on their notoriety and how it suites your campaign. As the PCs travel to the Court, they might hear rumors of unrest, fight a small battle with brigands who are capitalizing on the country’s growing unrest, or perhaps receive a warning letter from the leader of the Rebels. The exact nature of the perceived injustices by the people at the hands of the Duke’s rule should be tailored to your specific campaign setting: excessive taxation, land grabbing, religious persecution, or widespread corruption are all common themes that could be played upon. This initial phase in the adventure sandbox could last for one or more sessions, or none at all if the PCs want to get straight into the meat of the adventure.
The Duke’s Court
Eventually, the PCs will arrive to the Duke’s estate. Have them be welcomed by the servants and their horses and other belonging cared after by the Duke’s staff. They will escort them promptly to meet with the Duke in his audience chambers. The PCs should get the sense that they are not the only ones who answered his call for help.
After a brief journey, you arrive at the Duke’s court chambers, a grand room of marble adorned with golden chandeliers and red velvet tapestries. The floor is checkered, and covered with dozens of overstuffed cushions on which a few other Adventurers are already lounging about, idly talking amongst themselves. The mood in the air is solemn. The Duke stands at the far end of the room speaking to several advisors. Two downtrodden guards standing nearby. Duke Darimus then turns and makes an announcement:
“Thank you to all that have come to my calling. The Duchy is in dire need of your help. After some recent altercations, the commoners have taken it upon themselves to rise up in rebellion. I seek your aid in restoring order to my lands. If you will help me with this cause, stay here in court. I will approach you and task each of you myself. There will—of course—be rewards for your loyalty and actions to support my rule.”
Sounds of yelling, an argument perhaps, are suddenly heard from outside the court chamber. The two guards spring to action—blades drawn—and stand to protect the Duke. The double doors to the court chamber swing open and slam into the walls. A moment later, two men and a woman walk in. Two of them are dressed in cheap, but effective looking battle garb. The third carries a white flag. He steps forward and addresses the court without being introduced:
“I come on behalf of the good people of the Duchy. We will not see the injustices against us go unpunished. Surely the Duke has claimed our cause is selfish, but it is not. Any of you who wish to help us to rebel against the royals that have abused us, come to me before I leave. I will tell you where you might meet one of our leaders, Citizen Strauss.
It is custom that, even in the worst of times, the white flag bears total neutrality and peace for immediate time. Several of the members of court mutter and grumble to themselves that these rebels should be detained and executed, but the Duke, though fuming, but he does not signal his guards to detain them and permits them to leave.
The PCs now have a decision to make: should they stay and defend the Duke and become agents of the state or exit his Court and seek the Rebels at their hiding place. There are, of course, numerous other choices. Perhaps the PCs might opt to leave the kingdom entirely (effectively ending the adventure), or become a peace keeping force of their own focused on having the two sides find common ground.
What do you think? What other options do you see for the PCs? In our next post, we’ll set up the adventure to explore these options to pursue helping the cause of the Duke.
