Now that the party of adventurers has formed, how do you begin the adventure or campaign? Here are a couple of ways (aka adventure hooks) to start the adventure or campaign:
You all meet in a tavern. I can here the groans from the players already . . . “We’re starting the adventure in a tavern . . . again!?” Ah, the classics. There’s nothing like them. This is a standard, tried and true method, trope if you will, of fantasy role-playing games as a way to start an adventure or campaign. (And some may say cliché.) What happens from here, after the characters get to know each other, if they’re lucky enough to do so before the adventure begins, is up to the Dungeon Master (DM) and the players. This scenario is rife with role-playing opportunities and character interaction, along with some possible pitfalls and perils.
A peril I’ve encountered in the you all meet in a tavern scenario, or any other scenario where characters meet each other for the first time, is that I’ve had some players that I’ve met for the first time or have known for a while, have their character do what I consider to be tantamount to an interrogation of my character, which is a less than ideal circumstance, and less than fun. You mean to tell me that my character just entered the tavern to have a flagon of their favorite beverage, meet some other fine folks and adventurers in the realm, and is already imperiled!?
That’s a way to get a relationship, whether between people in real life or between characters in Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), off on the wrong foot. D&D is a game, the purpose of which is to have fun! Let’s keep it that way! One way around this particular potential peril (character introductions) is to have the characters already know each other.
Adventures or campaigns can also be started by the local ruler, or some other local personage of importance, who summons the party for an audience with them as they seek a party of adventurers to go on a quest for them. A variation of this is a scroll posted in the town square requesting adventurers to go on a quest or perform some service for them. Now that Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything has introduced Group Patrons (83), that is yet another way to get this party (of adventurers) started! (As are any class specific ideas found in the character class descriptions that can be used to generate adventure hooks!)
Yet another way is to have the characters smack dab in the middle of a situation, called in medias res, usually an action filled one, right from the start. Mysteries are also a great way to start the adventure or campaign.
An online search will reveal more ways than the ways I mentioned above to start an adventure or campaign. Here are some unique ways to start an adventure or campaign of your own!
If you’re doing a one-shot, rather than any of the above adventure starters, I suggest using pre-generated characters and have the party already know each other or keep the character introductions brief as time is short. You’ll lose some of the role-play aspect; however, if you want to finish the adventure in one-session, though, sacrifices may have to be made.
What about you? What are your favorite ways to start an adventure, either as a DM, or Game Master (GM) if you’re playing a different game system, or as a player?