The Modern Dispatch
Modern Adventure Generator
By Gareth-Michael Skarka
Introduction
Here s a little scenario for you: it s a little bit before
dinnertime, and you get a call from your playing
group. They re all coming over, ready to play...
#
tonight. Problem is, you ve got nothing prepared
29
-- the last time you played, your group completed
their latest adventure, and for whatever reason, you
haven t had the time to come up with anything else.
Content Manager:
Charles Rice, Chris Davis
What are you going to do?
Layout:
The following system is provided for Modern d20
Chris Davis
Gamemasters to generate adventure ideas on the fly,
giving enough of a core seed idea to proceed. Pepper
the idea that you get with some GM characters (easily
and quickly generated using RPGObjects Modern
Character Generator), and you re ready to go.
The tables provided in this issue of Modern Dispatch
will give a Modern d20 GM the bare outline of an
adventure. That outline will have to be tailored for
Requires the use of the d20 Modern Roleplaying
your specific campaign. For example, a modern
Game, published by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
military campaign will have very specific needs, and
differ greatly from a modern campaign where the
d20 Modern and Wizards of the Coast are
player characters are police detectives.
trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. in the
United States and other countries and are used
with permission. d20 System and the d20
System logo are trademarks of Wizards of the
About the Author
Coast, Inc. and are used according to the terms
Gareth-Michael Skarka has been working in the adventure games industry since 1988. He is the designer
of the d20 System License version 6.0. A copy
of several role-playing games, including Hong Kong Action Theatre!, UnderWorld and Skull & Bones.
of this License can be found at www.wizards.
His design imprint, Adamant Entertainment, ventured into ePublishing in 2003, and produces support for
com/d20.
Skull & Bones, the pulp d20 line Thrilling Tales, and more.
Modern Adventure Generator
Page 1
The Modern Dispatch
This variance will be especially noticebale when possibilities. For the Modern Adventure Generator, This can, admittedly, lead to some odd results, such
it comes to FX elements. There are some results however, we ll expand that basic structure even as Defeat the Treasure ....but, as a GM, that phrase,
on the tables which seemingly point to a fantasy, further, allowing for a wider variation. So, the basic which on its surface seems bizarre, begins to generate
horror or science-fictional elements of an adventure. dramatic structure of our Modern d20 adventures will all sorts of ideas for me. What is the treasure? Why
However, you should open your mind and let the read more like this: must it be defeated? How do you defeat a treasure,
results here lead you where it may---who s to say, for anyway? Before you know it, you ve come up with
example, that the result of Monster might mean in a The main characters must [DO] [SOMETHING], an adventure detailing the character s struggle to
Vietnam-era campaign with no supernatural elements at [LOCATION], but have to contend with overcome a malevolent magical ring with a life of its
at all? Perhaps it refers to a character like Colonel [COMPLICATIONS] while being confronted by own.
Kurtz in Apocalypse Now, whose madness has led [OPPOSITION].
him to become very much a monster. Sounds familiar, doesn t it....
The main difference between the standard format and
the one presented above is that the location of the
adventure has been added as a variable, and, more
Learning from Screenwriting How to Use the Generator
importantly, [DO SOMETHING] has been split into
[DO] [SOMETHING].
The basic format for the random adventure seed is the This type of system is not intended to replace
dramatic core taken from screenwriting: all plots can planning on the part of a Modern D20 Gamemaster,
Let s explain that a little bit further.
be boiled down the following sentence: but rather as a springboard for the development of
the Gamemaster s own ideas. Give it a try -- I think
The do something is the focus of the adventure
The main characters must [DO SOMETHING], you ll be pleasantly surprised at the results.
-- it s what drives the action. Making it a
but have to contend with [COMPLICATIONS] while To use the Modern Adventure Generator, the
single category under this
being confronted by [OPPOSITION]. Gamemaster rolls two eight-sided dice, and cross-
system will only result in
referencing the results on each of 5 category tables:
64 possibilities (by cross
This is the basic structure of any story, whether it is Do, Something, Location, Complications and
referencing two d8 rolls).
filmed, written or roleplayed. The variables Opposition.
However, after splitting
change, providing a wide array of
the do (the verb) and the
As stated before, Do provides you with the verb,
something (the subject)
Something provides you with the subject. Together,
into two categories, that means
they form the focus of the adventure. Location gives
that each have 64 possibilities, and
you where the adventure takes place, Complications
can combine for a total of 4096 different
are those things that arise during the adventure
results.
to hinder the player-character s progress, and
Opposition is the force or individual that is actively
For example, take these: Rescue the
going against the PC s efforts.
Scientist , Find the Treasure, and Defeat
the Monster. Under this new system,
Each category has 64 possibilities, so this system
these three focii can be split, giving you
allows for 1,073,741,824 different combinations...
those same results, but also additional ones
more than enough to give any Modern d20
such as Find the Scientist, Rescue the
Gamemaster something to work with.
Monster, etc.
Modern Adventure Generator
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The Modern Dispatch
Do
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Fight Defeat Rescue Protect Retrieve Hunt Look for Battle
1
Aid Talk with Find Attack Assist Defend Take Join
2
Arm Sell Buy Combat Guard Save Watch Create
3
Escort Chase Oppose Meet Ally Resist Kill Revive
4
Entreat Journey with Rally against Check Investigate Support Destroy Change
5
Move Track Amuse Enchant Dispel Injure Drop Comfort
6
Conceal Look at Reveal Race Quarrel with Observe Trade with Tag
7
Strike Snatch Beset Shield Contend with Confuse Manipulate Harass
8
Something
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Ruler Princess Treasure Worker Monster Creature Country Soldiers
1
Scientist People Citizens Freak Energy Train Police Assassins
2
Outcast Organization Enemy Object Relic Package Invention City
3
Animal Gang Secret Item Leader Artifact Vehicle Criminal
4
Company Wanderer Researcher Woman Man Child Insect Alien
5
Stranger Terrorist Driver Technician Rebel Government Fighter Military
6
Love Interest Thug Thief Politician Celebrity Spy Team Building
7
Contraband
Prophet Aircraft Friend Wealth Book Technology Nature
8
Modern Adventure Generator
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The Modern Dispatch
Location
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
City Rural Setting Small town Frontier Jungle At Sea In Orbit Under Water
1
Foreign
Ghetto Skyscraper Docks Resort Desert Mountains Forest
2
Country
Enemy Government
River Lake Tundra Subway Airport Port
3
Stronghold Installation
Entertainment Hidden Secret Distant Business Corporate
Military Base Plains
4
District Location Location Land District Headquarters
Remote Research
Hideout Casino Landmark Farm Residence Island
5
Location Facility
Beach Studio Underground Slums Market Nightclub Mansion Highway
6
Religious Sporting
Library Shopping Center Garage Bar Restaurant Warehouse
7
Location Event
Criminal Prison
North/South Pole Swamp Canyon Border War Zone Lab
8
Location
Complications
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Mistaken Government
Disaster Crime Legal Trouble Misdirection Lack of Info Unexplained
1
Identity influence
Travel Squabbling Lost equipment Abduction Barriers Weather Monster Trickery
2
Strange
Animals Riots Duplicity Fear Theft Mystery Survival
3
occurance
Transport
Police Power Struggle Politics Physical feat Mental feat Drugs Security
4
problem
Gangs Getting Lost Insanity Side-tracked Trap Vendetta Ambush Enemies
5
Bizarre Equipment Military
Interference Attention War Diplomacy Money
6
circumstance failure influence
Differing PC
Love Interest Random attack Red Herring None The Unknown Distraction Recurring NPC
7
motivations
Allies Bystanders
Bureaucracy Rivalry Lack of trust Desperation Betrayal Incompetence
8
Modern Adventure Generator
Page 4
The Modern Dispatch
Opposition
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Scientist Soldier Gang Member Priest Pilot Businessman Country Ruler
1
Monster Enemy Former Ally Criminals Company Terrorists Assassin Madman
2
Government
Friend Mobster Rebel Organization Creature Unknown War
3
official
Disaster Stranger Police Military Veteran None Corporation Outlaw
4
Spy Recurring Villain Cult Woman Man Roll Twice Lawyer Diplomat
5
Killer Agency Driver Technician Tycoon Traitor Conspiracy Occultist
6
Shadowy
Femme Fatale Thief Team Doctor Celebrity Mystery Themselves
7
Figure
Prisoner
Disease Cartel Friend Mastermind Smuggler Technology Nature
8
Example
in a shack in the mountains of Afghanistan. The unit
secure the power for himself.
I break out my trusty d8s, and give a few rolls on the
has to revive him and get the information, but they re
tables above. I will give an example of how it might
being fed incorrect intelligence by an allied country
Police Campaign: The detectives are investigating
be used in three different campaigns: A military
who have their own motives.
a conspiracy, possibly involving crooked cops.
campaign featuring anti-terrorist commandos, An
One witness, a common thief, is shot by a cop and
arcana campaign featuring modern-day sorcerers in a
Arcana Campaign: The PCs have discovered that
is wounded. The characters are placed with the
world-wide secret society, and a campaign where the
centuries ago, a thief stole a magical artifact from
thief in a safe-house (a ski cabin in the mountains),
PCs are police detectives in a large American city.
the Vatican, and fled to the Italian Alps. While
waiting for him to revive and reveal what he knows.
investigating the artifact, the thief triggered a
Unfortunately, the crooked cops are former friends of
My result: (4-8, 7-3, 2-7, 1-5, 3-1)
curse that placed him (and the artifact) in a state
the PCs, and have set up the entire situation to frame
The main characters must revive a thief, in the
of suspended animation, trapped within a wall of
the characters and get themselves off the hook.
mountains, while having to contend with misdirection
crystal. The sorcerers must journey to the Alps, find
and being opposed by a friend.
the thief and release him from the curse, so that they
You see? With a little bit of thought, the same result
can claim the artifact for themselves. Along the
can be applicable for a wide variety of campaign
Military Campaign: a common thief has information
way, however, they discover that they have not been
styles.
regarding the whereabouts of an infamous terrorist
told the truth about the true purpose of the artifact...
leader. The problem is that he s very ill...near death
because a fellow member of their order wants to
So -- grab your dice and start rolling!
Modern Adventure Generator
Page 5
The Modern Dispatch
Open game license
5.Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original 15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE
material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
conveyed by this License.
The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is
Modern System Reference Document Copyright 2002, Wizards of the Coast,
Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc ( Wizards ). All Rights Reserved.
6.Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE Inc.; Authors Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Charles Ryan, based
portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Richard Baker,
1. Definitions: (a) Contributors means the copyright and/or trademark
NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or Peter Adkison, Bruce R. Cordell, John Tynes, Andy Collins, and JD Wiker.
owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b) Derivative Material
distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright
means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations
holder s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2004, Wizards of the Coast,
(including into other computer languages), potation, modification,
Content you Distribute. Inc.: Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Bruce R.
correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation,
Cordell, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast,
7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity,
transformed or adapted; (c) Distribute means to reproduce, license, rent,
including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed Modern Dispatch #29 2005, Adamant Entertainment; Author Gareth-Michael
lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute;
in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Skarka
(d) Open Game Content means the game mechanic and includes the
Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability
methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content
with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work
does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior
containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, open gaming content
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independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered
the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including
Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not Designation of Product Identity: The following terms are designated as
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constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner product identity as outline in section 1(a) of the Open Gaming License:
excludes Product Identity. (e) Product Identity means product and product
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Modern Adventure Generator
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