I attend a number of gaming conventions every year and usually run at least two or three RPG sessions. My favorite game for conventions is Dungeon World because it’s very easy for new players to pick up, has great self-contained character sheets featuring all the game’s rules, and is an incredibly easy to run on the fly. In fact this past year I don’t even bother to prep an adventure beforehand. Instead of spending a lot of time crafting an adventure and then trying to keep it on track I prefer to put together the scenario at the start of the session and, as they say in Dungeon World, “play to find out what happens.”
To do this I have created an adventure primer designed to facilitate convention-style gaming. My system allows me to quickly set-up an adventure and meet all my criteria for a good convention game:
- The scenario is a fully self-contained, one-shot.
- The players get to participate in its general theme.
- It launches the party right into the adventure.
- It requires no lengthy setting explanations or set-up.
- The players have a general idea of the adventure and their expectations drive much of the action.
At the start of my game, before the players pick their characters, I give them each a card. These cards each contain an adventure element and together the six elements form two sentences that give an overview of the adventure to come. I write down the completed sentences and while the players fill out their playbooks (character sheets) I cook up some cool ideas. So here’s what this looks like.
- We are exploring _____ that lies _____ seeking the _____.
- We are here to _____ guarded by _____ and _____.
That’s what the sentences look like a before they are filled in. Here’s the choices each player gets to consider:
We are exploring…
- ���� remote ruin
- ����n overgrown necropolis
- ����he ruins of an ancient city
- ���� flooded settlement
- ����n abandoned village
- ���� twisting canyon
- ���� lost valley
- ���� long-forgotten road
- ���� legendary battle site
- ���� mysterious cavern
that lies…
- ����n an uncharted island
- ����long the edge of a great swamp
- ����igh in the mountains
- ����n a desolate wasteland
- ����n the freezing tundra
- ����eep in an ancient forest
- ����n the windswept badlands
- ����mong the rolling dunes
- ����n a tropical jungle
- ����n the middle of hostile territory
seeking the…
- ����emple of a dead deity.
- ����rypt of a forgotten hero.
- ����ault of the last dwarven king.
- ����rison of a bound demon.
- ����air of a legendary beast.
- ����ideout of a notorious thief.
- ����athedral of a fallen god.
- ����onastery of a mystic order.
- ����ortress of a tyrannical warlord.
- ����ower of a mad wizard.
We are here to…�� 
- ����ind an ancient artifact
- ����earch for a cure
- ����escue someone in distress
- ����se a sacred site
- ����ring a villain to justice
- ����ind the chosen one
- ����ecover our souls
- ����top the release of an ancient evil
- ����eek forbidden knowledge
- ����lose an unholy portal
guarded by…
- ����ndead horrors
- ����razed cultists
- ����wisted abominations
- ����uthless assassins
- ����onstrous hordes
- ����oul demons
- ����eadly traps
- ����owerful constructs
- ����ild beasts
- ����killed warriors
and…
- ����n un-living lord.
- ����n alien horror.
- ���� fallen angel.
- ����n ancient dragon.
- ���� powerful sorcerer.
- ���� despotic warrior. ��
- ���� zealous priest.
- ����n infernal fiend.
- ���� criminal mastermind.
- ����he one that betrayed us.
As these sentences��are revealed��you can usually begin filling in the specifics, for example: the tower of a mad wizard might be a lighthouse on an uncharted island. In the time it takes me to write all six choices down I’ve usually managed to come up with a pretty good idea. Additionally, because the players have collective expectations of the adventure, they do a lot of the work for you through their comments and table-talk.
Final Thoughts
I’ve found that this technique does a great job of building interest, excitement, and expectation with the players and puts the group in the right frame of mind for the adventure. Getting everyone on the same sheet of music really helps a one-shot with players that may not have ever played together.
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One of the awesome Dungeon World fans on the Dungeon World Tavern (Google+) created this cool sheet of cards from this article. Check it out!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4a61fn5HcLQTUdEdE1UVk1GNWs/view?usp=sharing
John Lewis recently posted…Failure: A Second Look
As a newcomer to DW this was very interesting… I typically find for a one shot that I will run only 3 or 4 encounters. With this approach the players have specified 2 to 4 of them… Does that leave too little surprise for them? Im running a One Shot this weekend and am seriously considering giving this a go as is.
It has worked out well for me. I feel like the phrases are all just generic enough that there is still plenty of room for creative decisions to keep your players on their toes.
John Lewis recently posted…Failure: A Second Look
Hi John,
Yes, I really like that technique, especially the way you turn Player engagement into buy-in for the story. Giving the Players what they want is an easy way to run an improv game.
Your method is very much in the style of the Location Aspects I use in my HeroQuest 2 game.
Great article, thanks.
Phil
Phil Nicholls recently posted…RPG Blog Carnival: Cursed Items
You’re right Phil. I’ve found that this set-up not only generates a lot of buy-in from the players but also puts everyone on a similar sheet of music. It can be hard enough running a game for a group of strangers so anything that can be done to get them in sync with their expectations goes a long way to creating a great experience.
John Lewis recently posted…Failure: A Second Look
I posted a follow up but it looks to have been snafu’d
I ran your suggestion at a Con on the weekend. It was an online Con and I am still pretty bloody new to Dungeon World. The players chose:
“We are exploring a hidden valley that lies high in the mountains seeking the prison of a bound demon. We are here to rescue Atalea Karse of Naor guarded by undead horrors and one who betrayed us.”
Somehow I forgot the bit about the demon prison (doh!) – but the big challenge for me was in crafting the boss encounter into something cunning/tricky/challenging enough without just throwing more critters, swords, claws, hit points and spells at it. This is the bit I would normally spend the most amount of time trying to work out and I just couldnt come up with a twist on the night. The role play led to some fun twists but I did feel that my final challenge was…. lacking…
Any suggestions for creative influences for that very important act?
damian recently posted…MoreCore Extension
@damian;
First of all I’m glad the adventure builder basically worked out for you; it was primarily designed for when I go to cons!
Secondly, you’re in luck. My next Dungeon World article is on coming up with awesome foes and creatures on the fly. How to have memorable “boss fights” with minimal prep.
John Lewis recently posted…Dungeon World: Running a Mystery
This is pure genius. I GM’ed a game of Dungeon World for the first time this Sunday past. I did absolutely no prep work (apart from making copies of the character sheets and moves) and the players chose:
We are exploring the ruins of an ancient city that lies in the heart of a forest seeking the monastery of a mystic order.
We are here to recover our souls guarded by (I let them pick 3 choices here) wild beasts, undead horrors, skilled warriors and the one who betrayed us.
It evolved into a pulse-pounding trek through a dark forest, battling giant carnivorous apes, evading capture by amazon warrior knights that had been magically dominated by their old adventuring companion, a necromancer that tricked them into giving him their souls (which he now intended to use to power a dark ritual at the heart of the old monastery). They battled the necromancer and his undead guards (Amazon Knights turned to mummies by his foul magics) and eventually triumphed!
Powered by the Apocalypse games are incredible and this tool is perfect for getting them off the ground. I plan to adapt it for all PbtA games I run in the future. Thanks so much for sharing it!
I really like your post. Dungeon World is one of my favorite game. In this post you have shared a great method which is useful for the new players. Keep sharing such a nice posts.