The location of this gathering of dark ones is unknown, but whispers from locals may reveal some clues. Word spreads that they are preparing for something big. Word has it that since the invasion of the Frozen Peaks, evil creatures have been seen flocking to an ancient stronghold. Rumors are bountiful in taverns, inns and places where adventurer’s gather. The only way to defeat them is to find the Iron Horn of Valhalla and place it in the hands of the goliath chief. A hill giant leader wielding a magical weapon leads the invasion force to claim the peaks as their own. Hill Giants are organizing an assault on the mountain tribes of the Frozen Peaks. Legends say that the Iron Horn of Valhalla (DMG) appears when the goliaths need it most.
#DUNGEON MASTER STORY TRACKER FREE#
Get a FREE copy of the best-selling Challenge Accepted! Now that we have our first 5 quest paths outlined, we can now flesh them out, then add the list of steps the characters can take to complete them. Research and complete an arcane sealing ritual. Prevent the Kingdom of Armyrlin from entering civil war. You can ensure that each player character is rewarded with an aspect of the campaign that focuses on what they want.īelow are some sample quests to get us started.ĭestroy the Temple of the Crimson Exiles. By including these in each of your long-term goals/plot points. For instance, one might focus entirely on exploration, another on political intrigue, or maybe a more traditional dungeon crawl. Each block of the 5x5 can focus on a different playstyle to fit the character's motivations. This will ensure that it is easily able to hook the players. When deciding on these major points, make sure to include player character motivations, backstories, etc. Just a short line and convert them into a detailed paragraph or two later. Keep in mind that you don’t really need to flesh them in extreme detail. Each of these are going to be major plot points in your campaign, we will call them quest paths.
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The process simply starts by writing down 5 clear and distinctive long-term goals or quests. The 5x5 method essentially gives us the outline for twenty-five adventures that can generate seeds and hooks for over 75 encounters. Each quest path culminates into a critical event in the campaign's story. Each of which is broken down into five adventure concepts. This simple technique allows us to easily create five overarching quest paths. Additionally, it gives a large 1000 foot view of the story and allows me to easily connect those changes to different parts of the campaign. One of the things that I absolutely love about it is that it leaves the game open to the player characters' agency with a sandbox feel while limiting choices to a more manageable level. I originally read about the 5x5 method in Dragon Magazine written by Dave Chalker. All while keeping your prep time to a minimum.
![dungeon master story tracker dungeon master story tracker](https://i.pinimg.com/236x/0a/0a/a1/0a0aa1269adc32fcdbe313a37a067829--pjs.jpg)
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The 5x5 method is an organization tool for planning out an entire campaign with a vibrant network of linked scenarios and that means you will have more time to focus on other aspects of the hobby without stressing over a complex story. While there are a variety of ways to write a campaign it can often be a daunting task. Click here to get Notified and Join us Live Sundays 7pm Eastern! How do I build a Dungeons & Dragons Campaign?īeing a Dungeon Master in Dungeons & Dragons can be a lot of work.