Playing a micro-adventure
A micro-adventure is a fast paced content that helps the game master enrich larger adventures with interesting places, hidden treasures or additional situations. A micro-adventure can be played or improvised just as it is, or it can be refined in advance depending on the style of the game master. |
A strong smell of incense permeates the air of the small store. Junk and trinkets of all kinds cover the dusty shelves, attracting the attention of passers-by, more or less random. Sometimes, even for the most ancient and powerful relics, the best hiding place is in plain sight.
Adventure aspects: numerous rival gang, a puppy to save.
Contents: 3 situations, 1 antagonist, 1 treasure, 1 complication.
Tone: modern fantasy, pursuit, investigation.
Secrets
The story fragments down below are at the game master disposal to enrich any situation.
- The characters have just completed a quest for Mr Ander, the old shop manager, bringing back his beloved white fox cub, Fen'ek.
- Mr Ander is not as interested in the fox cub as he is in the ancient Aztec collar the creature wears.
- Some Protectors are not at all happy with how Master Moren runs the camp.
- In the streets of the market it is possible to gather information about Master Moren and even to gather a small group of rioters.
Adventure
Emporium window
Location aspects: shop in disorder, persistent incense, looming roar.
- A strong smell of incense permeates the air of the small store. Junk and trinkets of all kinds cover the dusty shelves, attracting the lazy look of travelers passing, more or less random. Whistles and screams ring in the air, shaking the tiny window of the restaurant.
Situation: the emporium is the most supplied activity in the market of Gran Recinto, in the camp of the Protectors, and for this reason often targeted by boasters and cutthroats. A group of ugly thugs suddenly burst in to bully Mr Ander, who refuses for the umpteenth time to sell them the goods requested by Master Moren. After some exchange, the henchmen will begin to raid the store, with the air of wanting to give a good lesson to anyone who gets in the way, but run away as quickly as possible with the cub fox in his arms.
Complication: Protectors can also make use of the wonders that the emporium has to offer!
Treasure: among the stalls there are various objects, some even technological, that could prove to be unexpectedly useful(see table below). If the characters have tried to support the handler in the fight, he will grant them an empowerment to confront the rascal Protectors and their leader.
🕹 Only those who are in contact with the fox can use tech objects (10+).
d20 | Object |
1-3 | Fiery talisman It infuses the elemental flow of fire to the next attack, after which it discharges (bonus attack). |
4-6 | Runic bands On the next turn they allow the character to perform an additional secondary action, after which they loses any power. |
7-9 | Kiri's prosperous staff In the next turn any failed test can be tried again, after which the stick breaks. |
10-12 | Exoskeleton mask It infuses the next attack with the technological flow of the atom, after which it discharges (muchstronger attack). |
13-15 | Semi-autonomous toy drone It can immobilize anyone caught in its hooks in mid-air (low difficulty). |
16-18 | Mobile phone with experimental AI In the next turn any attack aimed at the character can be dodged or parried. After a single use the mobile phone is damaged beyond repair. |
19-20 | Laptop-shaped chronoplastic chamber It releases a post-human at the command of the character. This ally imitates attacks in the next turn, after which it goes hopelessly haywire. |
Passageways: market streets
Location aspects: crumbling colonnade, sparse stalls, scattered beggars.
- The market streets branch off in the shadow of an ancient colonnade marked by time and by the graffiti of some time-wasting thug. A strong smell of dirt permeates the air, full of tension and quiet whispers. People wander around with a suspicious air among the stalls strewn with the most disparate goods, while some beggars cling to the clothes of passers-by praying for a crust of bread.
Situation: in the boldness of their passage, Master Moren's henchmen do not care in the slightest about who or what is in their path, but stop at the largest stalls to collect the hyperio tax for their leader. If confronted head on, they will initially accept the challenge as a game (mild threat), but will not linger too long: they seem to be in quite a hurry.
Arch of the Great Enclosure
Location aspects: massive stone arch, golf cart running, pack of noisy dogs.
- A golf cart wanders slowly, taking up much of the shadow cast by the stone arch at the edge of the Great Enclosure. Driving it a languid, rather portly-looking man bathed in sweat, intent on cooling himself with a small portable electric fan. All around, a host of followers and scoundrels in admiration of the infamous master Moren. At his side, a woman distractedly follows the trail left by the golf cart, while leading a small pack of barking dogs on a leash.
Situation: the fox cub is Moren's gift to Kala, crowning their union. After a few contemptuous exchanges with the characters, Moren will let his followers take care of these insignificant insects, leaving the field open to Kala if things get more serious than expected.
Complication: when fed a generous dose of hyperio, the collar on the fox cub causes it to transform into a giant ravenous fox. For some reason, Kala knows about this mysterious property and will have no qualms about having fun with it(serious threat).
Moren, tormentor of the Protectors
Relationships | From his flaccid appearance and sociopathic behavior, Moren appears to be anything but a leader. Nonetheless - and almost inexplicably - Master Moren is idolized by a large group of Protectors. Moren could be a treacherous local lord, or a previous ally of the characters who turned out to be a turncoat. |
Attitude | At the sight of the characters, Moren will act in a rather mocking manner, however remaining well behind the ranks of his acolytes. |
Tactics | In the event of an open battle, Moren will send forward his followers and his companion, who happens to be also his secret weapon: Kala, the fortune teller with a recent affinity towards animals. In the meantime, Moren will not hesitate to throw low blows using all the technology at his disposal - always keeping a safe distance, of course. |
Logical map
Characters can move from one zone to the next by spending a turn. Movement within a zone, for example to get away from an obstacle or an opponent, costs an action. Possible interactions are also shown in the boxes.