Need help getting the party started on your next adventure? Here are five ways to get the party started
Every adventure has its beginning. But, as Princess Irulan would say, in David Lynch's adaptation DuneThe beginning is a very tricky time. When you don't know how to get things started, before the party ends up in the dungeon, here are five ways to get the party together to start your next adventure.
A mysterious vision
A classic adventure start. The members of the adventuring party have been troubled by strange dreams and other visions lately. Whether they’re hearing mysterious voices in their heads or seeing visions of shooting stars and impending doom, you don’t have to wait for a divination wizard to cast a little ominous omen.
In fact, the adventure When a star falls The game begins with players seeing visions of a future to come. It doesn't have to be doomed. Whatever you decide, having premonitions of things to come is a great way to signal that an adventure is coming, and you'll get an incredible reward when the players finally see the thing from their visions.
A letter of summons
Another classic adventure opening. A letter from an old friend of the party. You might think that for this to work, the party must first have a friend. But no! Even if your party is full of antisocial adventurers, the letter could come from a powerful person who may have noticed them and is now called to intervene, the adventure literally knocking on their door – well, from the courier carrying the letter, at least.
You may have seen this same trick before in Skyrimwhere quests often start with a letter from someone you helped or who heard about your reputation. Steal it for your games. Make players feel like someone in the world is paying attention to them, and you'll have a stronger buy-in from the start.
A special occasion
Many adventures begin with a dramatic event on a special occasion. A dwarf princess is kidnapped on her wedding day. Goblins attack the town during the pie festival. I like this beginning of an adventure for many reasons.
First, it helps to better define the world you're in. What's the occasion? Someone's one hundred and eleventh birthday party? A political wedding to try to defuse diplomatic tensions? A festival with food and games?
You can spend some time having relatively “quiet” character moments. That is, you don't start by rolling initiative or talking about the upcoming quest, but by talking about the kinds of games your Tiefling thief excels at. Then, when the time is right, the adventure presents itself, usually followed by an initiative roll.
Ambush
Of course, sometimes the adventure catches up with you. And often on the way from one place to another. An adventure may begin with an unfortunate ambush against the party. But this is a fight the players are expected to win, and they can then discover notes and other clues on the ambushers that reveal that these attackers were sent to deal with the adventuring party.
If someone wants the party to end, this is often a great hook to get the player characters interested.
In the media
Finally, you can always start in the middle of the game. Have everyone sit down, roll initiative, and tell them that they've been fighting these enemies for a few rounds already. Or that they're just outside the door to the inner sanctum of the cultist's headquarters.
Not only does this get things moving immediately, but it also piques the player's natural curiosity, hopefully prompting them to try and find out what they're in for!
How do you like to start your adventures?
