AD&D Adventure Cookbook
Themes:
- Action/Adventure
- Comedy
- Espionage
- Horror
- Mystery
- Revenge
- Romance
Goals:
- Clear Name
- Escape
- Explore a New Area
- Encounter Old Villain
- Gain Money
- Gain Power
- Protect Endangered NPC(s)
- Rescue NPC(s)
- Retrieve Item
- Settle a Debt
- Survive Environment
- Thwart Monstrous Plan
- Win War
Story hooks and MacGuffins:
- Dying Delivery
- Grim Necessity
- Hero Offended
- Legend and Rumor
- Mistaken Identity
- Mystery Woman
- Old Enemy
- Old Friend
- Pressing Buttons
Setting (general):
- Alternate Plane
- Cosmopolitan City
- Exotic Distant Land
- Hero’s Home Town
- On the Road
- On the Sea
- Torturous Terrain
- Under the Ground
- Under the Sea
Setting (specific, twice):
- Catacombs
- Caves of Magical Folk
- Classic Dungeon
- Craftsmen’s Chambers/Quarter
- Demi-human Community
- Laboratory
- Legendary Forest
- Lost City
- Madman’s Fortress
- Magical Lake
- Mansion of Powerful NPC
- Military Encampment
- Palace of the Ruler
- Ruins
- Shacktown of the Oppressed
- Tavern/Inn
- Temple/Church
Ally/neutral:
- Absent-Minded Expert
- Arrogant Snob
- Childhood Friend With a Dark Secret
- Congenial Madman
- Crusty Old Professional
- Gibbering Madman
- Government Observer
- Hero-Worshipper
- Ingenue In Distress
- Inquisitive Chronicler
- Merry Minstrel
- Obsequious Merchant
- Romantic Loony
- Talkative Barkeep
- Tragic Fellow Hero
- Villain Ally
Master villain:
- The Agent Provocateur
- The Advance Agent
- The Avenger
- The Conquerer
- The Corruptor
- The Destroyer
- The God of Chance
- The Lovable Rogue
- The Organizer
- The Ravager
- The Sufferer
- The Zealot
Minor villains (twice):
- The Avenger
- The Chief Assassin
- The Childhood Friend With a Dark Secret
- The Corrupted Hero
- The Coward
- The Hard-Eyed Advisor
- The Inquisitor
- The Lovable Rogue
- The Misguided Moralist
- The Mistress or Daughter with the Heart of Gold
- The Moronic Muscleman
- The Single-Minded Soldier
- The Snivelling Vizier
Plot:
- The A-B-C Quest
- The Accumulation of Elements
- The Event
- The Geographic Progressions
- The Series of Villains
Climax:
- Bloody Battle
- Chase to Ground
- Divine Retribution
- Prevented Deed
- Scattered Duels
- Throne-Room Duel
Optional elements
Monster encounter:
- Assassin-Beast
- Beast Amok
- Foreshadowing Monster
- King Beast
- Loving Deceiver
- Noble Beast
- Nocturnal Predator
- Powerful Tester
- Ravager
- Reconnaissance Monster
- Stampede
- Terrain Monster
Character encounter:
- Bandit Gang
- Belligerent Soldier
- Blackmailer Bureaucrat
- Inquisitive Official
- Lying Accuser
- Old Friend at the Wrong Time
- Mean Drunk
- New Enemy
- Press Gang
- Seducer
- Thief
- Truthful Accuser
Traps:
- Animal Pit
- Avalanche
- Coliseum
- Demolition Zone
- Framed
- Mutually Assured Destruction
- Pit and the Pendulum
- Rock and a Hard Place
- Stampede
- Tomb Deathtraps
Special conditions:
- Coping With a Curse
- Magic Doesn’t Work Right
- No Hurting the Villain
- No Lawbreaking
- No Weapons Allowed
- Omnipresent Observer
- Stolen Identities
- Time-Limit
Red herrings:
- Artifact That Doesn’t Work
- Extraneous Details
- False Path to the Artifact
- Loony Who Has It Wrong
- Lying Rumor
Omens and prophecies:
- Birthmark Pertains
- Comet’s Progress
- Fortune-Teller Predicts Doom
- Hero Fulfills Prophecy
- Innocent Fulfills Prophecy
- Reincarnation
- Totem Animal
Moral quandary:
- The Ally Quandary
- The Friend Quandary
- The Honor Quandary
- The Respect Quandary
- The Saving Quandary
Chase:
- Aerial
- Endurance
- Footrace
- Horseback
- Special Terrain
- Water
Secret weakness (of the main villain):
- Element or Ingredient
- Holy Symbol
- Lack of Familiarity
- Love
- Secret Embarrassment
Cruel tricks and complications:
- Heroes Must Work With Villain
- Mission Is a Ruse
- NPC Turns Traitor
- Villain Accompanies Party
- Villain Is Related to Hero
- Wanted By the Law