Want to make sure the party always has plenty of choices about what quest to go on next? Mix a few items into your random treasure table that create the opportunity for another adventure.
Here are some ideas– they're generic so you'd need to turn them into something more specific.
1. Deed to a sawmill, mine, or other decently valuable piece of land. Currently has a powerful gang of bandits squatting in it.
2. Bearer bond from an ancient automated bank– still valid. Has the bank address on it, but the bank is now sunken into the underdark.
3. Blueprint to a goblin war machine– requires exotic components that will have to be sought out.
4. Powerful but cursed item. Curse affects the whole party– they can hand it off to each other but the party as a whole can’t get rid of it. The party is immediately granted a psychic understanding that lifting the curse requires going to *ruined temple* and performing *rite of atonement.*
5. A scroll containing a list of prophecies. All have already come true except the last, which foretells a great doom upon a nearby city. The last prophecy will come true unless the players prevent it.
6. Same as the last one, except the scroll is a scam and was actually planted there shortly before the party arrived. Figure out what the prophecy is and who would benefit from people believing it– that’s who put it there.
I really like the first three. They are treasure, but require work to do something with.
ReplyDeleteThe last three are fine for some groups, sure, but feels a bit too 'GOTCHA!' to me. As a player, I would prefer to find nothing and not those items, which doesn't feel very treasure to me
I mean...they all have uses, and their downsides should obviously be hinted at.
DeleteDamn that first one is great.
ReplyDeleteYou should consider adding your blog to Alex Schroeder's Old School RPG Planet , https://campaignwiki.org/osr/
Thanks, that's a good suggestion.
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