HYPERBOREA / Downtime adventures

**Posted by Grimmshade** 1/09/2018 9:24 pm

I want to start doing interesting downtime events. The assassin and her thief henchman just both leveled and I'm going to send them on a downtime spying mission in place of training.

Is there a resource with a quick system for downtime adventures? I'm thinking something like a few simple skill tests. It's something I'd like to accomplish in texts or email between sessions. Has anyone done anything like this?

**Posted by Blackadder23** 1/09/2018 10:27 pm

At the risk of blowing my own horn, this can be used to quickly throw together a mini-adventure with a sword & sorcery flavor:

http://www.hyperborea.tv/uploads/4/4/6/6/44662451/asshrandom-adv-gen.pdf

**Posted by Jimm.Iblis** 1/09/2018 10:36 pm

Deleted previous post after reviewing the product showed it to be system-specific...

This might not be the answer you are looking for but a system already exists in AS&SH. Just make the mission an ability test, or a series of ability tests, or a task resolution check or a series of those. Narrate the results as lengthy spans of time. Offer tough choices on failures or not-so-tough choices on ties (my DW-inspired house rule).

Also BA, I'll toot your horn. Love that generator. That table was how I discovered AS&SH, by the way.

Last edited by Jimm.Iblis (1/09/2018 10:39 pm)

**Posted by Grimmshade** 1/09/2018 10:38 pm

Nice! I can easily incorporate some of those tables into a simple downtime adventure. Using simple rolls and fail forward I should be able to get some short narrative happenings.

**Posted by Handy Haversack** 1/10/2018 11:02 am

We use this: http://www.hyperborea.tv/uploads/4/4/6/6/44662451/drunken_debauchery.pdf

**Posted by Grimmshade** 1/10/2018 11:39 am

@ Jimm - you're ideas are basically what I'm planning! I guess one of the things I'm looking for some random (or not) outcomes. So let's say the Assassin and Thief go off spying for their guild. They make the required "Hide" test, so what do they find? One of them fails the test, what happens to them? Stuff like that. I can make it up, sure, but we enjoy some random tables, and it frees up my time for actual adventure creation. (Plus, things on tables often spark my imagination)

@ Handy - we use that all the time! It's great. I'm looking for something that's useful for more directed downtime. Like options for the characters that aren't training. I'll probably just end up making it all up myself, I just wondered if there was something out there already.
For example: While the Assassin and Thief go on their guild training spying mission, maybe the Ranger wants to scout out a hex on the main map, and the Huntsman wants to do some bounty hunting. Probably, like Jimm said, this already exists in the form of various tests, I was just wondering if anyone had come across some guidelines or had some tips from their own experience.

**Posted by under_score** 1/10/2018 12:09 pm

Grimm, check out the Tome of Adventure Design by Matt Finch. Not only is it one of the best books for adventure inspiration and dungeon design in general, it has a section specifically on generating missions, including generating the Villain's Plan, which could be help you generate outcomes for downtime missions. Just the section on the Villain's Plan includes 25 tables (the book has 405 tables total).

**Posted by Brock Savage** 1/10/2018 1:31 pm

Downtime activity greatly interests me as well. I'd really like to see how people handle it. I use a simple downtime system inspired by Jeff Rents, Kill it With Fire!, the AS&SH carousing table and other sources. The character spends gold and time, rolls an appropriate ability, and if successful gains a small benefit related to the activity. Complications are rolled on a table and vary depending on the activity; a spiritual supplicant might create a hostile tulpa through too much meditation while esoteric research could grant a glimpse of That Which Man Was Not Meant To Know.

@Grimmshade Jimm.Iblis beat me to it. Unless I completely misunderstand you, in your case I'd ask the player to make three checks based on the character's ability at subterfuge, perception, and staying unobtrusive. Zero successes and they are captured. One success and the mission is blown but they manage to get away. Two successes and they get what they want at a cost or with a complication. Three successes and they get what they wanted without complications.

I have shamelessly mined both BA23's adventure generator and the AS&SH carousing table for my own purposes.

Last edited by Brock Savage (1/10/2018 1:44 pm)

**Posted by Handy Haversack** 1/10/2018 1:31 pm

There's a whole system of downtime activities in The Nightmares Underneath. Free version: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/196352/The-Nightmares-Underneath-Free-Edition

**Posted by Grimmshade** 1/10/2018 1:33 pm

Underscore - Thanks! I'll check it out.

Things I Worked On · **Posted by Ynas Midgard** 1/11/2018 1:18 pm

Ah, TNU is such an amazing game!

**Posted by Grimmshade** 1/11/2018 9:28 pm

I'm going to try the some simple rolls method combined with play by email for downtime and see how it goes. I'm hoping it will inform the main game, creating more player oriented goals.

**Posted by Brock Savage** 1/11/2018 10:19 pm

Handy Haversack wrote:
There's a whole system of downtime activities in The Nightmares Underneath. Free version: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/196352/The-Nightmares-Underneath-Free-Edition

Thanks Handy. Work has kept me from reading much of the book but I already know the author is cool from his inspirations.

**Posted by Brock Savage** 1/12/2018 12:08 pm

Ynas Midgard wrote:
Ah, TNU is such an amazing game!

Agreed. I was able to get through half of it before work this morning. It's worthy on its on as a game and also as a source of ideas and inspiration for existing games. Also, 300+ pages of free, good content is nice.

Last edited by Brock Savage (1/12/2018 12:09 pm)

**Posted by Handy Haversack** 1/12/2018 1:55 pm

Brock Savage wrote:
Ynas Midgard wrote:
Ah, TNU is such an amazing game!
Agreed. I was able to get through half of it before work this morning. It's worthy on its on as a game and also as a source of ideas and inspiration for existing games. Also, 300+ pages of free, good content is nice.

I recommend the hardcover, too, if you get hooked. It prints up real nice.