DangerousPuhson
My my my, we just loooove to hear ourselves don't we?
Got bored, started making random tables with an eye for generalities rather than specificities. Feel free to offload in here, if you'd like,
Why hasn’t the dungeon been looted yet?
Why aren’t the authorities solving this?
What time pressure threatens the party?
How does the party get hooked into things?
Why hasn’t the dungeon been looted yet?
1 | Nobody knew where it was/just revealed itself |
2 | Powerful guardian/trap kept people away |
3 | Reputation as being too dangerous/haunted |
4 | Entrance physically could not be opened until recently |
5 | Illegal to go inside (recently rescinded) |
6 | Under private ownership |
7 | Deep inside hostile territory |
8 | Really remote/far away (mountaintop, lost in woods, etc.) |
9 | False entrance tricked everyone |
10 | Was previously looted but they missed a bunch |
11 | Only certain people could access it (now you) |
12 | Conspiracy to hide its existence |
13 | Mistook it for something mundane/ignored |
14 | Entry is invisible/well-hidden |
15 | Sacred to certain group who don’t allow guests |
16 | Warded by powerful magics |
17 | Entirely inaccessible until now (dry seabed, cross-dimensional, mirage, etc.) |
18 | Nobody can access it voluntarily, only by accident |
19 | Warded by a deity/devil/entity until recently |
20 | Something new was built on top of it |
Why aren’t the authorities solving this?
1 | Selfish jerks who don’t care |
2 | Resources tied up dealing with bigger problem |
3 | Sent lots of men already but lost contact |
4 | Weak authority can’t wrangle a decent response |
5 | Skilled folk were called away and nobody else remains |
6 | Couldn’t get inside |
7 | Nobody wants to take responsibility |
8 | Power struggle means authority is uncertain/scattered |
9 | Conflicting orders/intel sent them on wrong path |
10 | They’re being bribed/threatened to stay away |
11 | Their resources are compromised/sabotaged |
12 | Incompetence/fear |
13 | Solution requires skills they don’t have |
14 | Authorities are the cause of the problem |
15 | Powerful people trying to cover it up |
16 | Time-sensitive, can’t get there fast enough |
17 | There are no authorities around here |
18 | Powerful opposition keeping them back |
19 | Too remote to send a proper force |
20 | No volunteers/can’t force anyone |
What time pressure threatens the party?
1 | A stronger force is enroute to secure the space |
2 | Prisoners/hostages have been taken |
3 | Brief window of opportunity to access (eclipse, solstice, festival, etc.) |
4 | Rival party is already clearing the place out |
5 | Political/practical deadline set by authorities |
6 | Someone is readying to make an escape |
7 | Impending major catastrophe |
8 | Space is closing up/filling in/sinking |
9 | Site moves around/only here for limited time |
10 | Something inside is about to expire/vanish/de-power |
11 | A large bet was made involving a deadline |
12 | Race to get something specific before someone else |
13 | Someone is dying and needs a cure |
14 | Planned sacrifice/ceremony must be stopped |
15 | Protections have limited duration (water breathing, heat resistance, etc.) |
16 | Aggressive curse/affliction coming to fruition |
17 | Enemy is getting stronger and stronger |
18 | Grand agenda is on a timetable |
19 | Being pursued by an unstoppable entity |
20 | Literal countdown is happening |
How does the party get hooked into things?
1 | Desperate person pleading for help |
2 | Huge reward being offered |
3 | Town is abuzz with news and rumors, bets made |
4 | Rival is bragging about doing it |
5 | Party ally goes missing |
6 | Something unique is required for party’s agenda |
7 | Famous lucre too tempting to pass up |
8 | Party earns/wins the opportunity |
9 | Forced as punishment/repentance |
10 | Guided by divine insights/dreams |
11 | Inherited obligation/dropped onto their lap |
12 | Lies/tricked into doing it |
13 | Weird happenings/looming threat can’t be ignored |
14 | Followed a treasure map |
15 | Lured/seduced into it |
16 | Directly ordered by patron/authority |
17 | Called-in favor |
18 | Opportunity to become famous |
19 | Something taken must be recovered |
20 | Need to clear their reputation or fix a mistake |
