The members of the party, for reasons of their own, are traveling by ship to a large city. Along the way, strange winds seem to follow vessel, sending it far off course. Without bearings, the ship travels for days until finding itself in the midst of a large hurricane, which rips the boat apart, dumping the passengers onto an unknown island. Before long, they realize that they aren’t the first people to ever land on the island, and they are not alone. Far from it.

There are many aspects of the show LOST that would make a great D&D (or, even moreso, Call of Cthulhu) campaign. Obviously, following too closely to the plot of the television show would become fairly predictable, and it’s best to take ideas from the show for a campaign. In fact, many of the plot points are synonymous with a survival story. Needing to find clean water, food, build shelter, and protect themselves from any indigenous life make good filler stories in-between plot ideas. There are other aspects that are simply good plot hooks, and below are a list of plot points which could be added to enhance the story:

• During the first night, loud noises can be heard from within the jungles, and trees are visibly knocked down by an unknown entity. It can be a large creature, an illusion, or something in-between.
• Someone finds an official criminal ledger and set of broken shackles, implying that someone on the ship was a violent criminal. The page is washed out, and they aren’t able to find out who it is. It can be a member of the party, or another survivor.
• The players find a burnt body near the outskirts of the jungle, with no way of discerning any information on who it is. A set of footprints from the location leads from the jungle, then back to the camp, and with no one missing people suspect that a changeling might be among them. But why?
• They find that there is another group of people on the island who have been there for a long time, and they are extremely hostile towards them, trying to kidnap different members during the night. What could they want with the survivors?
• Someone reports seeing an Elf ranger wandering in the woods, and upon investigation it turns out that she been stranded there for many years. She, similarly, had crashed onto the island, and has become a bit crazy. It’s worth dealing with her, however, as she seems to know more about the island. She’s also mumbling about an undead presence…
• The party discovers a massive rock blocking what looks like a cave, with ancient runes carved around the entrance. It’s far too large to lift or move by hand, and the runes seem to be warding it against magic. Was it put there to keep anyone from getting inside, or to keep whatever is inside from getting out?

There are plenty of other aspects of LOST that would make great campaigns, and it might be worth experimenting with flashbacks, maybe in the form of dreams, to show what caused the players to become stranded on the island. Either way, it’s obvious that they are supposed to be there, but why? Is it fate, the work of some powerful magic-user, or simply a strange coincidence? Though the show might lead viewers in one direction, a DM can lead it in another, and with some small changes the show’s plot makes for some incredibly fun gaming.

Stealing from… is a Pen and Paper Portal feature, which shows how different books, games, movies, or films can be modified to work in an RPG. 

The Thieves’ Game is intended for Heroic Level Characters.

The party members are approached and asked for help retrieving a lost sword, which is rumored to have been stolen by thieves operating out of a neighboring city. They are asked to sign a contract, and are given an upfront payment of ten gold pieces each as a forward on their fifty gold payment. After leaving the town they are ambushed by several kobolds dressed in dark, sleek armors, trying to assassinate them. On the kobold’s bodies they find daggers imbued with a dark rune.

Once they see the rune, they realize that other objects across the world have similar markings, including their own hands.  Upon investigating they find that the sword they are trying to find is actually a powerful magical artifact called “The Thieves’ Sword” and is part of “The Thieves’ Game,” a competition of sorts between rivals Thieves Guilds across the entire world. Their signature on the contract has entered them as official members of the thousand-year tradition, and they have some very important decisions to make.

The party is now a part of a massive underground game, intended only for thieves, murderers, and brigands. They can decide to either embrace their newfound positions, jumping into the seedy underworld and trying to claim the glory of The Thieves Sword, or try and break free of their newfound obligation. Here are some hurdles that might be met as they progress:

• They will likely try to find the people who gave them the contract, but they have already left town. Searching for them reveals them to be people who were in the same situation as they were, and felt that sucking more people into the game might free them of their obligation. It didn’t work, and they are currently trying to find other ways to escape.

• As they move from town to town they will see other people with the dark rune on their hand, signifying their participation in the game. Others might have different markings; showing that they are judges in the game, and whose job it is to lend information on the current holders of the sword. They are powerful beings, and confrontation with them is very avoidable.

• From time to time, the sword will change holders. Every session works for this, and if they don’t try to make a move there’s a chance the sword might be stolen from the current holder.

• The thieves are usually high-level, and require more than brute strength to deal with, so simply breaking in and grabbing it isn’t the best option.

• There are some cool, optional elements as well. One such option is making the party immortal while in the game, with their death ending in resurrection after the battle is over. They could exploit this, but it would lend an interesting gameplay mechanic to the campaign.

With a focus on combat the players could wield the sword, and the longer they hold it the more powerful they become. With a focus on research they can learn that the only way to end the game is to carve the rune out of their hands using the blade. There are plenty of ways to take this campaign, and a huge amount of customization for DMs with ideas.

You Can Find More Premade Campaigns Here.

The Final Offer is intended for Epic level characters and is Part Three in a Three Part series.

The party is rewarded as the portals to hell begin to disappear. Townspeople flock around them, cheering their efforts and thanking them for saving them. Their happiness is short lived, though, as one portal opens again and the Imp slowly flies out, moving towards the party. The townspeople scream and run from the creature, expecting certain doom. The Imp informs them that their task is not complete and begins making more demands of the party and, for that matter, the world.

There are a few ways to respond to this insult…

The Imps demands are as follows: the party returns through the portal along with several other people, he wants control of this town and some surrounding cities, and he wishes for the party to attain for him “The Holy Crown of Amn,” which is buried in a vault several weeks travel away. How does the party respond?

They can decline, and the Imp lashes out violently. He is a standard Imp and the level 20+ players will likely cut him down in one slice. The portal stays open now, and they must find a way to shut it by magical means. After researching they find that the “Holy Crown of Amn” would likely have the power to take down the portal, and can attempt to find it.

They could also travel through the portal and attempt to take out the masterminds behind all of this, a group of Devils who are manipulating their people from a castle in the Plane of Torture. Killing them can also end this.

There are several paths to take, leading players through their Epic Destinies and to different planes, leading to a very open Epic Campaign!

Be sure to check back for more Premade Campaigns soon!

Into the Throat is intended for Paragon level characters and is Part Two in a Three Part series.

The party was forced into a portal for unknown reasons as part of a cease-fire with the demonic realm, and they awaken in a somewhat strange enviornment. While they were probobly expecting something more hell-like, the actual area they are in is somewhat placid in comparison. While not a proper location for a summer getaway, they find themselves in a large, open field of scorched earth. There aren’t any hellfired, demons, or beasts in sight, and the only sign of danger is from the distance as there are large clouds of smoke rising into the sky. They do not feel hungry or thirsty, and the party can regain any daily abilities with only a one hour rest. They also all benefit from regeneration 5, and regain several hitpoints every round of battle. In a way, it almost feels like paradise despite the macabre setting.

There is a reason for this blissful feeling, however, and the party soon hears blood curdling screams in the distance.

The plane that the party was teleported to is the Plane of Torture, which slowly heals its captives. There, the party has been dumped haphazardly into a hunting area, where demons and devils hunt them for fun. Once escaped, they find their way into one of the many cities in the area, where they must hide or fear capture. There are a few people in the city who will help aid them in escaping, but many of them will attempt to double-cross them.

One specific demon will tell them that if they break a friend out of a local prison they will help them out of the plane, and this dungeon should be the end of the campaign. Upon completion it should be revealed to them that their time in this plane, though it may have felt like long, was only minutes on the Material Plane. They are sent back through the portal, to the confused glares of those who shoved them into it, wondering why they were chosen in the first place.

Check back tomorrow for the Epic continuation of this Premade campaign.

The Mouths of Hell is intended for Heroic level characters and is Part One in a Three Part series.

In cities around the world, strange portals have been opening and closing for unknown reasons. They last just long enough for someone to get a glance, but by the time anyone who might be able to identify their origin arrives they are gone, leaving no traces. Each time they appear they last longer, and word comes from across the sea that they have been identified as demonic portals, connecting the Nine Hells with the player’s plane. Around the world, civilization prepares to hold off against whatever deadly creatures are preparing to spill out of the portals, and they eventually begin their assault. All manners of creatures, both undead and demonic, start their attack. The damage is different from city to city, depending on the quality of the guards.

The players begin their journey in a city that has survived several assaults and is preparing to send some support to surrounding areas.

The party is drafted into the military, being lowly adventurers, to avoid having to make others fight. But as the soldiers leave the town a large assault begins, taking down many of the remaining men. The entire population is drafted into the army, and now there isn’t a man, woman or child without a weapon, preparing for the next attack.

The first ten levels should be spent with a small battle at the beginning (or end) of each session against a horde of creatures from the portal. The party can do whatever they want in-between these attacks, including attempting to help rebuild destroyed buildings or hunt down demons that escaped the initial battle and now roam the streets at night, praying on unsuspecting civilians. Eventually the invasion stops, and some time goes on without there being a single attack. The portals remain open, but nothing comes out for days…

A dark, deathly light shines from the portals as a lone diplomat walks out. An imp, no larger than a dog, floats out, holding a scroll with bloody words splattered across it. It asks for sacrifices, nothing more, and the assault will be let up. The townspeople, weary and tired from the months of fighting, erupt into a riot, attacking each other and looking for people to sacrifice. The Imp screams out to silence them, and demands that the party be the sacrifice, and they must enter the portal. Whether they want to or not, the party is going into that portal, by their own strength or the strength of a thousand angry citizens.

Check back tomorrow for the Paragon continuation of this Premade Campaign.

The One-Eyed God is intended for Epic level characters and is an alternative Part Three in a Three Part series.

When we last left the party they were fighting their way up the Orcish ranks, attempting to figure out if the Orc god, Gruumsh, had really come to the world and was leading his people in person. Great debate is raging between the people of the party’s kingdom, with no one willing to admit that there is any possibility that Gruumsh would come back to the world and set the Orcs on a destructive path towards their kingdom – there seems to be no real motive. Others laugh at the idea of “He Who Watches” needing a motive for slaughter, and are begging the king to evacuate the entire land. The players might hear rumors of a revolution, for people fear that their king isn’t doing enough to solve the problem, and the party must hurry and uncover the truth before their land is faced with internal turmoil that rivals the outside battles. All hope seems lost as they clear out another Orc den and find nothing but religious books and tortured soldiers.

That is, until, they find a prophecy scribed onto a cave wall telling of a god destroying a kingdom and reclaiming his throne of power.

Bringing the news back to the kingdom, the entire populous erupts in disdain and fear. Several prophets come forward, saying that they see the coming destruction, and attempt to get the people to flee. As this occurs, loud explosions can be heard from outside as the Orcs are assaulting the walls. This time the guards seem sure: there is a god-sized Orc among them, watching their progress. Many flee, but some stay inside of the town for fear of being picked off as they leave.

This campaign is for a party interested in more of a Survival-Horror themed game. The city is large enough for the party to hide while trying to evacuate people, and has enough underground areas to explore and find out what makes this land so special. After investigation, they find that this was the original home of Gruumsh, and that he attempting to reclaim his temple, which is buried deep underground. If the party is able to destroy this temple they can weaken his power enough to send him back to his own realm, or they could attempt to just kill him, which would obviously be much harder.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for another Heroic Premade campaign.

The Two-Eyed God is intended for Epic level characters and is an alternative Part Three in a Three Part series.

When we last left the party they were fighting their way up the Orcish ranks, attempting to figure out if the Orc god, Gruumsh, had really come to the world and was leading his people in person. Great debate is raging between the people of the party’s kingdom, with no one willing to admit that there is any possibility that Gruumsh would come back to the world and set the Orcs on a destructive path towards their kingdom – there seems to be no real motive. Others laugh at the idea of “He Who Watches” needing a motive for slaughter, and are begging the king to evacuate the entire land. The players might hear rumors of a revolution, for people fear that their king isn’t doing enough to solve the problem, and the party must hurry and uncover the truth before their land is faced with internal turmoil that rivals the outside battles. All hope seems lost as they clear out another Orc den and find nothing but religious books and tortured soldiers.

That is, until, they find a drunken giant in a tent, covered in nude Orc women and scrambling to find a bandage to cover his two, perfectly functional giant eyes.

The party rushes him as they might, but the Orc women jump to the giant’s defense before they are able to strike. By the time they are able to draw attention to the giant his face is completely transformed into an Orcs. He roars and points at the party, screaming about heretics and nonbelievers. Loud noises can be heard from outside the tent as hundreds of Orc on horseback arrive to defend their god’s honor. The party is able to stay and fight, but will likely decide that it would be better for them to take the back exit of the tent and prepare to take down the false god when he doesn’t have the support of hundreds of blind, religious zealots.

It is nearly impossible to convince the masses of Orcs that their god is a false profit even though the party knows it is simply a Hill Giant with a few fancy spells cast on his face. The giant himself isn’t an issue when it comes to combat, and the party can likely take him down before he would be able to spit, but there isn’t an Orc within a thousand miles that wouldn’t take a sword to the back before seeing their lord hurt, and there isn’t a moment where the giant isn’t surrounded by a dozen such men. The party should investigate more in order to find a weak moment or, if they are feeling so bold, raising a small army to launch an attack and take down the false god for good.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for an alternative ending to this Epic campaign!

“Gruumsh Calls!” is intended for Paragon level characters and is Part Two in a Three Part series.

In the first ten levels of this Premade series, there was likely little plot progression as the party rushed from outpost to outpost to save the remaining soldiers from the unprompted Orc attacks. None of the brutes seem willing to explain why they are attacking without reason, and would rather die a bloody, meaningless death than to say who sent them. As the party finishes off the last of the Orcs they return to the town, where several groups of Orcs are being held for questioning by the town guard. As they are tortured, the warrior’s screams of “For the eye!” and cleric’s yells of “Gruumsh calls!” can be heard for miles. Eventually, one of the Orcs snaps, screaming out “Gruumsh is back, and Gruumsh will save us!” before collapsing in a bloody heap.

That’s a good reason to launch attacks on a local Kingdom, the earthly return of the God of slaughter and pillage.

The town’s remaining guards (including the party) are sent to investigate the supposed return of Gruumsh, and each are given different areas to search. In three weeks, when the groups are to meet back, several have gone missing and the rest have found nothing. Given even larger groups, the remaining soldiers (once again, the party included) are told to search the areas of those who didn’t return, and they find scorched bodies and heads on pikes. As they leave, an Orc ambush tries to capture them, but the adventurers should be able to beat them back.

The rest of the Paragon tier should be investigating Gruumsh’s return, as it is a little more important than anything else that could be happening. Little hints from time to time show that he may, indeed, have returned to battle on the Material Plane, and by the end of the Paragon tier they may even catch a glance of a huge-sized, one-eyed Orc commanding troops in the distance. One surviving soldier from an ambush might also speak of seeing the god, who he describes as “A massive Orc, the size of a god.”

But of course Gruumsh hasn’t returned, and all of this is just screwing with your players into making them think they are supposed to fight a god at the end of the campaign – right? That all depends…

Be sure to check back tomorrow for the first of two possible epic endings to this Premade campaign.

“For The Eye!” is intended for Heroic level characters and is Part One in a Three Part series.

The party members all work for their kingdom as guards and have been stationed at a fairly desolate station for basic training. Few people know of the outpost’s existence due to its location, and the only reason it is still commissioned is for use in staging exercises. This has not stopped a group of nearby Orcs from deciding to overtake the outpost by starving out the soldiers inside the walls; capturing and killing anyone who attempts to leave or enter. Their numbers are great, and any diplomats that attempt to leave to speak sense to them soon finds his head on a pike. Food, water, and other sorts of supplies are running low, and the outpost’s morale is quickly dropping. During the night, the party is kept awake by the sounds of war drums and screams of prayer to Grummish, the one eyed god of the Orcs.

It will not be long before they decide to smash the gates and slaughter the soldiers, and the party must act fast if they hope to make it out of this training exercise alive.

The leader of the encampment is General Phillip Rodgers, alcoholic pessimist. It isn’t hard to see why he was stationed in such an off-the-beaten-path encampment, and he has very little control over the soldiers here, who don’t have a drop of respect for him. He would sooner surrender a thousand troops than lift a sword, and won’t encumber any actions of the party. Hidden in the general’s quarters are some barrels filled with ale (perfect for blowing up to cause a distraction or kill Orcs).

The encampment is only a few hundred feet in size, with large wooden walls and tents that fit the forty or so soldiers stationed there. Many of the people there thought of it as an easy retirement and are old, overweight, out of practice, and just want to get back to their families. The other soldiers are as new as the party to the military and none have ever even engaged an enemy in combat. Racially, they are mostly humans with the occasional dwarf, elf, and an Orc or two that are being persecuted by their angry peers. There are only two horses and one working wagon, but enough pieces and wood to make a few more (or modify the remaining one to make it extra badass).

There are several paths the party can take this campaign, and it is entirely up to them how they handle the Orcs outside. If they wish to spend time inside, allow them to spar with each other for experience and gamble with the other soldiers for money. This isn’t the most interesting route, but it is a way to at least get a little experience before being thrown into the fray of battle. They can attempt to barter with the Orcs or talk to them, but it will most likely just annoy or frustrate them into throwing stones and spears at the walls. The best bet is to plan an attack with the other guards, which can have this campaign be very tactical. After they do escape, they find out that this attack wasn’t just on their Outpost, but on others, and they are ordered to travel to the other encampments and help them deal with their Orc problem.

Check back tomorrow for the Paragon continuation of this Premade Campaign!

One Last Spell is intended for Epic level characters and is Part Three in a Three Part series.

Alright, so you followed my instructions and gave your players a dozen or so plot holes and are wondering why I would ask you to do it, right? Well, you are in luck, because not only was I not being a dick, but I had a plan all along. The party works their way through the different areas of the island, saving those who they can and messing with the space-time continuum enough to make Marty McFly do a back flip, now what? It is time to start wrapping up all of those delicious loose ends, and give the players their final goal.

In a flash vision from Marcelin, the party is told that he needs them to prepare an attack on the Barbarian base to give him time to make things right. He asks that they meet him in his cell, which is continently located on the highest hill on the island (in the middle of the Barbarian camp, no less). The encampment is guarded very well, so it would make sense for the party to tap into any friendships they have in order to successful complete a siege.

The Epic section, as well as the entire campaign, lead up to one, final battle atop the hill.

In their travels to find groups willing to aid them in their siege they will likely go back to the druids, the barbarians, and any others you have had them meet. Because time is as screwed up as it is (and is preparing to right itself), there are storms flashing throughout Tharsult. These storms do a number of things, from teleporting powerful beasts into the area that have been taken out of their own time to shooting the players back in time to where the island was inhabited by giants. When they get back to the druidic enclave they see a large group of barbarians riding towards the city of Urbeth. Heading to take them out, they see the town is being attacked again. Taking them out is only half of the battle, as they find a map on one of them with a marker on it of a small temple near the south. When they approach this building, their clock whistles wildly.

Stepping into the portal brings them back to the city on the first day that time was screwed up, as bugbears are attempting to assassinate the unsuspecting party. It would make sense for the group to split up and save themselves in the past from this threat from the future. If their past selves catch glimpses of their future selves give the player enough damage in shock to make them think twice before doing it again, and after slaying all of the would-be assassins they can make their way back to the future.

Several sessions later they may find themselves in a suitably situation to saving Marcelin, who guides them through the camp without being seen. None of the people they met and convinced to help have shown up as of yet, and they need to rescue him themselves. Once they slay the guards, Marcelin thanks them in person for the first time, and says that he needs to cast one more spell before they can leave, which will set things right. He pulls a sheet of paper from the book and says that the ritual will take five minutes to cast, and once he begins the barbarians catch wind of their intrusion and charge the hill. The party has to hold off the oncoming horde and protect Marcelin for 50 rounds, which should take an hour or two in real-time while defending him. If he is harmed and breaks concentration the ritual must begin again.

As he casts the spell he will occasionally lift slightly off the ground, spin slowly, and point at a member of the party. They will be out of the battle for several rounds, being sent back in time to make sense of the time-loop. Remember the plot holes I mentioned? The “arrow come from out of nowhere killing an enemy, an NPC in a cloak yelling out the location of their quarry, and the exploding?” This is where party members must go back in time and make this happen by shooting an enemy, donning a cloak, convincing a red dragon to attack the clocktower, and setting an explosive charge.

One of the party members should also be sent to the barbarian camp when Marcelin was first brought in, and be involved in the decision to put his prison on top of the hill. If anyone fails or dies during these segments, bring them back. Each time a party member successfully completes a goal, knock the total round count down by five, saying that one of the groups they tried to get to help finally came through with their end of the bargain and was able to distract the barbarians for a few seconds.

If all goes well, time should be restored and the party should have had a fantastic campaign. The prologue can be found here, part one is here, and part two is here.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for another heroic Premade campaign!