Today, we'll be covering the second paragraph of the adventure plot "Lost Highway" in the book "Eureka: 501 Adventure Plots to Inspire Game Masters" by the authors of GnomeStew.com. It's a part of the "Recovery of a Lost One" dramatic situation located in the science fiction genre. In this article, I'm going to be reskinning this sci-fi adventure plot to fit the D&D 5e fantasy gaming system.
If you recall last week, we focused on transforming the first paragraph, which involved a mysterious AI discovered on an old website. The fantasy reskin replaces the AI with a mysterious magical scroll, the website with a retired, starving elven wizard named Almon Wildoak, and the AI's security interface with a terrifying demon-like being guarding a mystical realm.
This week, we'll focus on the second paragraph, which states: "The process claims to be a human testing out an experimental computer-brain interface. It says that it’s lost and can’t find its body to terminate its session. It dates from before the inception of commonly available cybernetic implants (at least a few decades back, if this isn’t old technology in your setting)."
In the first sentence, the faceless being claims to be a human. We could take this at face value, and basically say the demon-like being, the guardian of the mystical realm, is actually a human who was experimenting with unknown magic. Much like the PCs, that magic whisked him to this realm.
"I am lost," the demon says, "and cannot find my way back to my human vessel. I have been in this realm for many years, and I can dissolve this horrid place once I am put right."
As you can see, this second paragraph is giving us the notion the demon, which the PCs had been battling, is going to ask them for help. A demon asking an adventuring party for help? Yes. I have had this happen in a few of my games before, and some of my players can attest to this. A scenario like this isn't a surprise to me.
So, last week, we didn't really touch on the realm. I think this might be a good place to find a description for it.
My go to website: fantasynamegenerators.com. It has a neat Realm description generator. This is the one I randomly generated:
You cautiously venture forward through the florid portal hidden among the trees. You're immediately met by an engaging world. You can hear water, lots and lots of water. Rivers roar and waterfalls tumble down towering mountain sides. You have to keep reminding yourself to not let this astonishing world lull you into a false sense of security. A seemingly pristine landscape awaits you and a sea of time to explore it in. This world is no picnic, but now is not the moment to throw caution in the wind. Nearby you feel the presence of eerily familiar beings. There's definitely some hostility going on, you keep your distance and an eye on them. It's clear there are huge creatures, crawling creatures, and what you think might be fluffy creatures of some sort. With some rationing your supplies should last for a while as you begin a journey unlike any other. But, with an eye for details, a good sense of direction, and a bit of luck, you should be able to explore this realm for all it has to offer.
Below is my version of this realm:
You're immediately met by an engaging world. You can hear water, lots and lots of water. Rivers roar and waterfalls tumble down towering mountain sides. You have to keep reminding yourself to not let this astonishing world lull you into a false sense of security. A seemingly pristine landscape awaits you and a sea of time to explore it in. Nearby you feel the presence of eerily familiar beings. There's definitely some hostility going on, you keep your distance and an eye on them. It's clear there are huge creatures, crawling creatures, and what you think might be fluffy creatures of some sort. With some rationing your supplies should last for a while as you begin a journey unlike any other. But, with an eye for details, a good sense of direction, and a bit of luck, you should be able to explore this realm for all it has to offer.
I kind of like it, so I only did minor editing.
Next week, I will tackle the third paragraph of "Lost Highway," and continue this gruesome science-fiction by tailoring it to the fantasy genre of D&D 5e. If you're interested in follow along on this adventure design, I'll be posting one of these every Monday. Until then, keep adventuring.
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