Static quest plots

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If anyone has any good, preferably original, static quest plot ideas send them my way. We are looking to brink a new server up and would like to avoid the 'kill the rats for 1gp a time' cliches.

 

Idea #1 Irrigation Dilemma.
There is an outlying farm that supplies most of the corn and grain for the city. The owners have grown comfortable, but not rich in this trade, but with the climate things have been tight. They have recently dug a well to irrigate the fields better, and tapped into some unclean water. They need a group to;

1) Scout the cavern to find the source of the filth

Scouting, they find that the water-table has been soured by a demonic altar. There are some bad guys (mephitis, imps?) spawning from it. They report this back to the farmer who sends him/her to the hermit.

2) Find the hermit ... a bit of a journey. The hermit is old and remembers what fell god the altar is dedicated to, and provides a counter-spell. The group has to return to the cave, read it, and either it goes away, or they can fight a higher level demon (can you build an if/then clause into the quest? If the pc is over 5th level, a slaad appears, if not, 4 dust mephitis?)

3) Report the success

This is good because it has some travel, some combat, and a few "hooks" where you and Arwen can step in as DM's and spice things up .... taking a group or a person on a larger journey. It also plays well for either good or evil, as even the evil folk need food.

Idea #2 Re-Open the Quarry
With the new lord in town (don't know the politics in Yatar ... new ruler, new rich family moved in, new temple perhaps), they have commissioned a magnificent marble fresco to decorate the temple. Donatalino, the renown sculptor won the commission, but cannot get his supplies. The old marble quarry has become infested with (what's a common monster in Yatar, lizard men, gnolls?). Seems straight forward enough, they player goes there, kills off the 2 lizard men, looks around a bit.

They find in a pile a note from Topliano who had paid the lizard men 20 gold to camp out here for 8 months ... the time Donatalino has to finish his work, or forfeit.

If they find this and report it to Donatalilno & the new lord, they get some bonus xp. If not, just the bare bones for killing the bad-guys and clearing the quarry.

I like this one because it introduces the PC to some of the local NPC's. Again, the DM can step in when he/she wants, having Topliano try to get revenge perhaps. Anything to spice life up for the unsuspecting PC's

[ June 18, 2003, 19:28: Message edited by: Mathetais ]

 

Some ideas:

An escort detail through the city...Maybe getting attacked by a weak thug if single. Or 2-3 weak thugs if a party.

Zombie hunting in a cemetary to bring back an heirloom for someone. Zombies can be deadly, but a smart pc can take one on singlely...Even at 1st level.

ANy static quests that make you learn a coty is a good call too...Courier jobs, transporting magic components, weapons, etc..

Maybe a guard detail or something...Where a a spwn pops up when the pc is "patrolling."

Not great ideas...But any others I have would be ripping off from BG/IWD, etc...

 

Fire Beetles are burning up crops.
A Badger moves into the barn so the milkmaids are scared to take care of the cattle.

Surely you got tons of ideas of static quests.

 

Maybe not a static quest, but check out Ironbeard's note (near the bottom) of this thread ...

http://www.sorcerers.net/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=8&t=000544#000021

the Half-Orc Ghengis Khan ...

 

Had an idea about a series of quests coming from a merchant who would hire adventures for jobs, the next job being dependent on how well you did the job before. 1st one could be " caravans overdue, go find it" 2nd one " productions off at this farm or mine, find out why and report back". I liked the idea that you had to gain the merchant's trust and if you blew it he wouldn't have any more jobs for you.

 

TVS has a nice set of random 'contracts' available from the guards to help clear the roads. The contracts are categorized by level (1-4, 5-8, etc), but the categories are broad enough to give a wide variety of difficulties regardless of your level.

Each time the PC speaks with the quest giver and offers his/her help, the PC is given a) a creature encounter and b) a number of said creatures (on TVS it's 1d4). Once the PC has fulfilled the contract they can claim a small reward from the quest giver (about 24xp and 25gp). What makes this really interesting is that the PC with the contract *must* be the one that delivers the killing blow in order for the contract to be fulfilled.

This makes it a little more challenging for the PCs, as it isn't quite as simple as it seems. The contracts differ quite a bit, so in a 5 member party each party member could have a completely different contract. The creatures are also not static: contracts are for creatures that spawn in random encounters (although some fairly regular encounters) rather than 'those goblins in the cave behind the mill'. This reduces the 'rinse wash and repeat' nature of so many other static quests, since it can also take a while to find the creature. And it's also more plausible than continually sending PCs after the same thing: "What? You have to clear the farmer's field of kobolds? But, we did that yesterday."

As an example, my 1st level character had a contract for 2 bandits. He was given the contract several days ago, and after hours of playing time (doing a number of other things) finally managed to complete it last night. The new contract is for 1 ogre Higher level PCs are getting things like Ettins and giants.

Another suggestion is for reconnaissance-type quests. These are great for rogues, bards, ragners, and even wizards and sorcerers. The number of 'go kill so-and-so' quests on some servers is rather disturbing, so I really enjoy these when I find them. Arabel has a good one, for example. The key to reconnaissance quests is to make it challenging and 'tense'. It's also a nice touch to have to gain the quest givers trust first before they send you off on some reconnaissance.

For example, Bob the quest giver requests that the PC bring him back a simple item such as the symbol of a rival thieves guild, or the stone-axe of a kobold. After one or two of these type of quests, Bob the quest giver decides he can trust the PC and asks that they scout out the are of the thieves hideout, or the kobold camp. Once the PC has scouted a sufficient area (I think you can use waypoints to set variables as a PC passes), they can return and give their report. The difficulty here is usually on being able to remain hidden - being spotted should be a *bad* thing. I know the one on Arabel is particularly deadly if you are spotted - standing there watching in the woods and seeing an orc champion walk passed, or an orc shaman with a dire wolf, will make you sweat every time!

Okay, excessively long post so I'll stop now

Erran, what server is this for? If you give me the region and surrounding layout I could probably come out with something more original than the above stuff.

 

A quest to kill the orcs that have slaughtered 80% of the applicants family .

 

Thanks to all. Variations on some of these will appear in Yartar. (Silver Marches, between Waterdeep and Silverymoon. Inland on a navigable river with some major trade routes)

And LOL Morningstar!