Discworld - ideas for a scenario

InnerBrat · Post by **InnerBrat** » 2003-05-01 01:50pm

I've been nominated to gm a game of GURPS Discworld (thanks for the Amber pointer, but I have GURPS)

Anyway, I'm famous for having no originality at all, so can anyone htink of an idea for a scenario (don't worry, I can flesh out a sketchy one)
Thanks.

-edit: clarified title

Hendrake · Post by **Hendrake** » 2003-05-01 01:53pm

Who are your player characters? Watchmen, Wiz(z)ards, Witches, Weasels, or what?

InnerBrat · Post by **InnerBrat** » 2003-05-01 01:59pm

no PCs as yet. That'll be decided first sesh. But I will quite happily tell them what they have to be. (if they have to be UGrad wizards, then UGrad wizards they will be)

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2003-05-01 02:14pm

innerbrat wrote:no PCs as yet. That'll be decided first sesh. But I will quite happily tell them what they have to be. (if they have to be UGrad wizards, then UGrad wizards they will be)

Well, you could always start by flipping through some collections of common stories, and putting the Discworld Spin on it.

Common story: Adventurers need to recover artifact from villain in a dungeon maze.

Discworld version: The artifact is gone, with a note from CMOT Dibbler in it's place.

InnerBrat · Post by **InnerBrat** » 2003-05-01 02:23pm

SirNitram wrote:
innerbrat wrote:no PCs as yet. That'll be decided first sesh. But I will quite happily tell them what they have to be. (if they have to be UGrad wizards, then UGrad wizards they will be)
Well, you could always start by flipping through some collections of common stories, and putting the Discworld Spin on it.

Common story: Adventurers need to recover artifact from villain in a dungeon maze.

Discworld version: The artifact is gone, with a note from CMOT Dibbler in it's place.

Actually, I like the idea of looking for a mystical artefact - following it's trail and discovering it's in Mrs Cosmopilite's living room.
Kinda like the Neil Gaiman story about the Holy Grail.

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2003-05-01 02:38pm

innerbrat wrote:
SirNitram wrote:
innerbrat wrote:no PCs as yet. That'll be decided first sesh. But I will quite happily tell them what they have to be. (if they have to be UGrad wizards, then UGrad wizards they will be)
Well, you could always start by flipping through some collections of common stories, and putting the Discworld Spin on it.

Common story: Adventurers need to recover artifact from villain in a dungeon maze.

Discworld version: The artifact is gone, with a note from CMOT Dibbler in it's place.
Actually, I like the idea of looking for a mystical artefact - following it's trail and discovering it's in Mrs Cosmopilite's living room.
Kinda like the Neil Gaiman story about the Holy Grail.

Pretty much. Epic stories happen in Discworld, but they're never quite how they are 'supposed' to go.

InnerBrat · Post by **InnerBrat** » 2003-05-01 02:43pm

*taps chin*

Hmm.. now what could the artefact be/do?

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2003-05-01 03:02pm

innerbrat wrote:*taps chin*

Hmm.. now what could the artefact be/do?

The Tear Of Offler?

Some old magical item that's starting to get cranky?

A crown?(Crowns are dangerous things. Read Wyrd Sisters if you haven't to get an idea)

A wizard's staff?

Or just some old thing that people believe is important, and thus has become such(The comb of prosperity!).

InnerBrat · Post by **InnerBrat** » 2003-05-01 03:14pm

SirNitram wrote:
innerbrat wrote:*taps chin*

Hmm.. now what could the artefact be/do?
The Tear Of Offler?

Some old magical item that's starting to get cranky?

A crown?(Crowns are dangerous things. Read Wyrd Sisters if you haven't to get an idea)

A wizard's staff?

Or just some old thing that people believe is important, and thus has become such(The comb of prosperity!).

Hmmm... the Tear of Offler - that'll be in Miss Flitworth's house, would it not? Or cleaned out by villagers. That has possibilities...
Not a wizards Staff - too bulkky, nor a crown - too important. (if I haven't... I'll have you know the only Discworld book I haven't read is Wee Free Men)
The comb of prosperity.. something Dibbler sold a tourist who guarded it with his life, then lost it... I bet it's behind the sofa.

OK the Tear of Offler would be being sought out by the priests who lost it... so the PCs would be trying to follow a trail of clues to find out where it is. I think the Rite of Ash'Kente is in order.

The Comb of Prosperity would have grown in rumour started by the gullible tourist (a foreign Prince disguised as a humble peasant, no doubt), so that the University want it, the Guild of Archaeologists want it (yay for Laredo Cronk), the Patrician is interested... huge power struggle that our poor little PCs find themsleves stuck in the middle of.

Thanks, SirN. That'll do nicely...

Post by **weemadando** » 2003-05-01 07:54pm

Just to throw something interesting into the mix, make the item that needs to be recovered a sapient pearwood version thereof, bound to another master, so just when the PCs think they've got it all wrapped up the item makes a break for it...

Hendrake · Post by **Hendrake** » 2003-05-02 08:00am

You could get a bunch of UGrads look for the Lost Reading Room in the Library.

A bunch of thieves to steal something from the High Energy Magic Building.

Famous explorers exploring the deserts of Klatch or climbing Cori Celesti to present a petition in triplicate to the gods, or to sue them.

Regular life in the Assassin's Guild.

Watchman investigating on the assassination of an older zombie Watchman, with the victim following and criticizing them .

A bunch of people buys something from a shop that the following day has never been there and a wierd cult starts pestering them about it.

GonK · Post by **GonK** » 2003-05-02 08:29pm

Depends on the characters but one starting point would be to go re-read some fairy tales then just twist them.

Another idea would be to use the History monks from Thief of Time and Nightwatch. Use them to get the adventure started and point people in the right direction, getting the players to the right (or wrong) place and time to ensure that something either happens or doesn't happen. Preferably something suitably surreal like buying an artifact off CMOT Dibbler and returning it to the counterweight continent ( so that they don't invade Ankh Morpork) then the History monks taking the PC's through time to ensure that Dibbler actually has the artifact to sell to the players and possible even further back to steal the articact in the first place.