Book of Quests is Drivethrurpg’s deal of the day.

[pachristian]

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/112581/Book-of-Quests?src=DotD&from_home=1

If you don’t already have it, now’s A good time.

[Matt_E]

I agree.  It's a flavorful introductory campaign, with a S&S vibe, lots of action, and some seriously grim opponents.

It also provides "The Realm" as an open-ended setting that you could handily make your own.

Finally, there are two related scenarios that could be tied to BOQ:  Hessaret's Treasure, from TDM, and Secrets of Blood Rock, from Old Bones Publishing.  I know a little something about those. :-)

 

[clarence]

That's nice. 

[rsanford]

2 hours ago, Matt_E said:

Finally, there are two related scenarios that could be tied to BOQ:  Hessaret's Treasure, from TDM, and Secrets of Blood Rock, from Old Bones Publishing.  I know a little something about those. :-)

 

I’m game. Could you talk a little bit about Hessaret’ Treasure and Secrets of Blood Rock beyond their descriptions?

[rsanford]

2 hours ago, Matt_E said:

Finally, there are two related scenarios that could be tied to BOQ:  Hessaret's Treasure, from TDM, and Secrets of Blood Rock, from Old Bones Publishing.  I know a little something about those. :-)

 

I’m game. Could you talk a little bit about Hessaret’ Treasure and Secrets of Blood Rock beyond their descriptions?

[rsanford]

3 minutes ago, rsanford said:

I’m game. Could you talk a little bit about Hessaret’ Treasure and Secrets of Blood Rock beyond their descriptions?

Sorry for the double post. Actually I just read the description of Blood Rock and it’s sounds like my kinda thing

DriveThru says it’s both a sandbox and linear. How linear? Is it just linear in terms of progression or does it force specific player choice to advance?

[Matt_E]

In Blood Rock, events unfold in the background whether the characters do anything or not.  That is the linear part.  This is not to say that the players' choices don't matter--far from it--, but the fact that the villains are always executing a plan with a well-defined goal, and a fast approaching endpoint, means the plot remains manageable for the GM.

Put another way, even though the students get to root around in the corners of the sandbox as they prefer, in the end the recess bell will ring, and they will be brought back to where the teacher needs them to be for lessons. ;-)  They start off in the classroom, and they end up in the classroom, but in between they can mess around as desired, as long as they stay in the yard.

Translation:  Even though the adventurers get to root around in the corners of the village as they prefer, in the end the imaginary Doomsday Clock will chime, and they will be brought back to where the GM needs them to be for the climax.  They start off in a structured introduction, and they end up in a structured conclusion, but in between they can mess around as desired, as long as they stay in the isolated mountain vale.

Player agency is crucial, and we don't want to write every adventure to be totally on rails, yet pure sandbox play can meander, leave plot points unresolved, or even sputter out.  That's even more disappointing in the case of an investigation.  Here the story I had in mind has (and needs, really--and deserves!) a very clear conclusion.  As the project came together, I tried to keep it both open where it should be, and closed where it should be, so that the GM will always have a good feel for what is really going on, even though there are a lot of (mostly hidden) moving parts, and can react with ease and confidence to player decisions while relentlessly advancing the plot.

--Sorry, don't mean to divert the thread...  Go buy Book of Quests!

 

Edited January 9, 2018 by Matt_E