GM Tips – Adventure ideas made simple!

Came here from your streams. You’re one of a few streamers which I never get bored from watching!

My starting point has been for a very long time, the game world. This leads me to consider game systems that I think compliments the feel that this world is trying to convey. Having only just recently got back into GMing I spent a few weeks looking back at the old game worlds that I ran games for. So, Forgotten Realms & Greyhawk for AD&D, Middle Earth for Rolemaster or MERP and Harn for Harnmaster. Days and then weeks were spent pouring over maps and rule books. Even bought a few starter rule sets. Well, I love the work N. Robin Crossby did with Harn, and I really wanted to give it a good go this time. However, as much as I like Harnmaster, it can become a huge bookkeeping exercise once combat is engaged, and I like combat. So, I went looking for another old favourite that has a very similar style to Harnmaster, Rune Quest. This, of course, leads me to Mythras. Once the system was decided on, then the adventure could begin to be built.

I very much get my adventure ideas from published modules. Though when I run a module it can be unrecognisable from the original other than say its setting and NPCs, as well as stitching a few unrelated modules together. Sometimes the whole I feel, is better than its parts. I also do not restrict myself to work published purely for the game system I am playing. This can allow me to mix up differing game styles by adding in some horror or investigation into a fantasy hack and slash. I also like to read fantasy that has a similar feel to that which I am aiming my game world to feel like so as to put me in the mood and get some inspiration.

Then there is YouTube. Simply a fantastic resource for GMs and players alike. Listening to how other GMs have run modules and campaigns and dealt with the problems first hand is something I could only have dreamt about 30+ years ago. I do not think I could possibly say anything more that has not been already said about Youtube.

I have just started running a Mythras campaign on the World of Harn. Since Harn is very much like 10th century Britain I also picked up the Mythic Britain rules and looked to combine elements of this setting into my Harn campaign. Fortunately, it also has a mini-campaign in the rules. I also decided to read Bernard Cornwell to get a feel for a Celtic Arthurian Britain. To this mix, I then add in the regional background and history of Harn. This gave me a structure to work from where I have 2 overarching campaign themes, within which I can run mini-campaigns and individual scenarios. Although I can do freeform gaming, I prefer to have an overall campaign vision to keep me as a GM focused, so even if and when the players wander off course, I can have the campaign move on without them and have them intersect with it at any time allowing them to pick it up again if they wish, but also see that the world does not stop and wait for them.

As you can see, I very much think long term for my games. I can only hope that I have the skill to keep my players entertained long enough for them to watch, take part in and direct my vision.