Sometimes, especially for new GMs, it can be difficult to come up with ideas for
campaigns, be it for an entire arc or just a simple side quest. For this reason, a
handful of ideas for different campaigns and quests at various tiers are supplied here;
these can be the source of anything from a short quest to a full-blown campaign. The
only limit is your imagination!
Any Tier
The hooks given here are designed to be vague and open-ended, so that a GM can
easily modify them appropriately and slide them into their campaign regardless of their
party’s collective level.
Something eldritch has arrived from the Unknown Plane,
and either has started causing trouble or will soon. Perhaps the PCs arrive at a
town and notice all the residents acting a little… off, or perhaps they see the
silhouette of an Elder God against the sky the day after a meteor crashes into the
ocean. Consult the Others
section of the Bestiary and see what sparks your imagination!
A small hamlet has a cockatrice
problem they need taken care of; a dragon
has started stealing sheep right out of farmers’ fields; a succubus/incubus
is working their way through members of the government and needs to be stopped.
Consult the Bestiary
and try to imagine an interesting and engaging quest based around hunting and
stopping a monster of an appropriate tier for your party.
A remote city-state has suddenly gone silent: trade caravans sent there are never
heard from again, and messengers sent there never return. The cause of and solution
to this problem could be anything, so take a look through the Bestiary
and see what strikes your fancy.
A volcano has suddenly erupted, pouring out Scorched
like a geyser of burning hate; a portal in undiscovered ruins has suddenly switched
on, allowing Undead to
leave the Plane of Soul and
roam free; a host of Buried
have emerged from the ground, wreaking havoc on a nearby city. Any of these and
dozens more might make for an exciting and interesting adventure for your party.
Tier 1
These hooks are for beginning, low-level parties, and as such don’t present a very
big threat or much of a challenge to parties with a lot of adventuring experience under
their belt. Still, every adventurer has to start somewhere!
A group of bandits has moved in near the tracks of a supply train and has started
taking every opportunity to rob it that they can. This problem needs to be solved
sooner rather than later.
A Specter has recently been discovered in the basement of a local’s home, and it
is frightening their guests and keeping them awake at night. The owner would like it
dealt with in one way or another, before it becomes angry and escalates.
Recently, minor Undead (Zombies,
Skeletons, etc.) have begun attacking people at night – the casualties are
thankfully few so far, but the locals would like this looked into before any serious
damage is done.
Tier 2
At this point the PCs have had a few tastes of combat, and may even be making a
name for themselves. As such, the threats that they are able to handle have increased in
scale a bit, presenting bigger problems, but still nothing overtly serious or
catastrophic, and the hooks presented here should provide a few examples of just that.
The group stumbles upon ancient and as-yet-undiscovered ruins, and inside there
could be incredible and wondrous treasures – or mortal danger!
Pirates have begun raiding ships out at sea, and the merchants and governments
whom this affects would like to see justice brought to these sea-faring brigands.
Two tribes of Sentients have gone to war with each other, whether over resources,
racial tensions, a misunderstanding, or some other cause. The PCs must find a way to
bring the conflict to an end, either through diplomatic means or by picking a side
and ensuring their victory.
Tier 3
At this point in their adventuring career, the PCs should definitely have some
fame attached to them, and the local populace should at least have heard their names or
tales of their deeds. So in turn, they should be able to handle threats that may present
serious challenges to lesser parties, and in some cases may grow into larger problems if
left unchecked. Use these hooks as examples.
The citizens of a large town or city have accrued a rather long list of complaints
against their leaders, and something must be done to remind them that governments
serve the people, not the other way around; alternatively, a terrorist cell has
taken root in the city and is instigating riots, causing property damage and getting
bystanders caught in the crossfire. In either case, the PCs must investigate the
claims and subdue the guilty party accordingly.
A rich archaeologist, explorer, or merchant has brought the party on as hired
muscle for an expedition into an unexplored region of the world. Many unknown
dangers await them in those strange lands!
A rich merchant, a local bank, or a government agency has made an announcement
that they are creating a new vault and would like its security measures thoroughly
tested. They are offering any person(s) who is/are able to break into the vault
twice their weight in Aeons (or four times their weight in the case of Small beings).
Tier 4
By now the party is likely famous – or infamous – for what they have done and
should now be trusted by most to handle large and formidable threats, including even
inter-planar ones. Refer to the example hooks given here for some ideas as to the scale
of threats your party should be facing.
Two nations have gone to war with each other for one reason or another, and the
PCs must resolve the conflict in any way they see fit.
A powerful government official has taken to slandering the party and condemning
all that they have done, reframing all of their deeds in a negative light and
painting them as threats and terrors to the people. The party must find a way to
clear their names and silence the noble, who is too well protected and too powerful
for a direct assault or assassination attempt.
Recent years have seen the rise of a disturbing trend: Sentients being born with a
condition that can only be described as Soulless – quite literally, they are being
born without souls. The PCs must travel to the Plane of Soul, confront the Unliving,
and see what the problem is and how it can be solved.
Tier 5
Finally, the PCs are beginning to approach the absolute apex of their abilities.
Their names are well-known, the world regards them as heroes – or villains – and their
tales will likely be recorded in the history books and told around campfires for
generations to come. They may even be unmatched in their abilities, and for this reason
are entrusted with resolving only the greatest of threats – threats to the entire world
or the planes themselves. Refer to the hooks below for inspiration if you feel so
inclined.
One of the Titans has, for some reason, become absolutely enraged at the Sentients,
either as a whole or a specific group of them, and threatens to wipe them out.
Resolving this will take everything the PCs have.
One day, the sun and/or the moon simply stopped going across the sky, resulting in
a single long night that has left everyone the world over frightened to their very
core. The PCs must go to the appropriate plane and investigate what has prevented
these vital celestial bodies from making their rounds.
A collector of ancient artifacts contacts the party, telling them that one of the
powerful relics in their possession has gone missing, and that in the wrong hands,
that relic can wreak true havoc.
