Ordinary Person 1 or 2-shot

[Dlanaan]

I am working on putting together a campaign that is likely to develop in a Nightbane campaign. But it opens up pre-Dark Day. For those unfamiliar with the setting, Dark Day was a cataclysmic event where the whole world went completely dark and the major villains 'crossed over'. This event also triggered a bunch of Nightbane to appear.

Prior to Dark Day occurring, I wanted to give the players a couple of adventures where their characters, who are teenagers and are "ordinary" have to deal with a couple of problems. I just would like some suggestions in regards to keeping the power level in check. Without psychic abilities or weaponry, the characters likely will not be able to handle taking on any particular large beastie.

Is anyone able to offer suggestions? I'm happy to provide more details if need be as well.

[Mr. Jays]

A lot of how your adventure(s) go depends on the characters. I would definately have them encounter some sort of supernatural force, just a weaker one. This will help them deal with Dark Day better.

Does this group have access to weapons?

Equipment?

Why are they encountering supernatural?
Are they belivers, or do they just happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time?

How you answer these questions will deterine how the encounters will play out.

p.s. You can always have the group "resuced" by someone who is better equiped to fight the supernatural.

[Dlanaan]

A lot of how your adventure(s) go depends on the characters. I would definately have them encounter some sort of supernatural force, just a weaker one. This will help them deal with Dark Day better.

Does this group have access to weapons?

Equipment?

Why are they encountering supernatural?
Are they belivers, or do they just happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time?

How you answer these questions will deterine how the encounters will play out.

p.s. You can always have the group "resuced" by someone who is better equiped to fight the supernatural.

Thanks for your response. I think I am going to have them enter a haunted house on a dare. More specifically, they are going to be asked by one of their mutual friends to go in and spend the night with them because the friend has to go in (or get beat up at school, or the like). The characters are ordinary teenagers (as far as they know) so do not have access to normal weaponry or equipment. There may be a few baseball bats lying around, or other similar weapons, but definitely nothing high grade and no firearms.

The house itself is the danger. I think if there are any actual beasties (who will only show up if there is time and the player group seems like they want to handle such), they will be poltergeists (and maybe gremlins), but those are not the main focus. I think I am going to have them work out how to escape the house by exploring it, since the whole house locks you in thing will be in effect.

This is mostly a wrong place at the wrong time situation. The supernatural energies are starting to pop up because of some of the Nightlord prep for Dark Day. I may have the house also be near the residence of a Nightbane who may end up being a mentor after Dark Day hits. Still working on those potential details.

[Mr. Jays]

Don't forget the non-supernatural dangers of the house.

1. It's falling apart
2. Rats
3. Asbestos
4. Crazy homeless guy
5. ect.

You can use these elements first to help with atmosphere and then start adding in the supernatural. This way they get challanges they can handle, but are not overwhelmed.

[Glistam]

If I remember right Nightbane can sense each other, so I would think these kids who will become Nightbane should feel some sort of "connection" to each other that they can't explain.

Haunted house is a great starting adventure. They can be trying to survive and escape it, or maybe there's actually something they can uncover and do which will end it.

For another adventure or two, something that can tie into Nightbane is to have some kidnappings occur. These young kids are being kidnapped by a local "Cult of the Night" to be used as sacrifices to help empower the upcoming Darkday ritual. If the younger brother or sister of a friend is one of the kids kidnapped, that can be the hook for the characters.

There's a neat adventure hook in the book "Through the Glass Darkly" which involves exploring a castle through an enchanted mirror - that might be able to be adapted to a BTS game of this style. It would also be a way to expose the characters to the Nightlands.

Has a new, suspicious person moved into their neighborhood recently? Is that person some sort of creature who only maintains a human facade for some nefarious purpose? There's another potential adventure too - uncovering what this creature's goals are, what this creature actually is, and how to stop it/drive it away.

[Dlanaan]

Another one of the "dangers" are snotty teenagers who decided to dare others to go to a haunted house, and think that the events of Carrie were a good idea since psychic abilities aren't real.

Thank you both for the suggestions.

[Mr. Jays]

No Problem!