Writing a Drop-In Session
Below is an example and some guidelines for creating sessions in the world of Arcadia. We hope you'll find it useful, especially if you aren't familiar with drop-in D&D. When you're ready to write, click the "create" menu button on the bottom right of your screen, and use the template to get started!
A Step-By-Step Guide to Writing a Rumour
All Rumour content should follow our <GM Code of Conduct> guidelines.
Rumours last for approximately three hours, with two 5 to 10-minute breaks.
We ask that you stick to the suggested beat sheet where possible, and give Adrianna a heads-up where you make structural changes. We want sessions to be able to be run by anyone, so want to keep them as user-friendly as possible!
Information for Players:
Drop-in players choose their session from a noticeboard [in the Adventurer's Guild (in the venue)]. All they see before beginning their session is a hook and some key details.
Hook
The hook should indicate the objective of the quest in one line, from an in-world perspective.
For example, the hook might say:
or
Key details
Mark what kind of session it is; by default most sessions should have a mix of roleplay and combat, so if your session leans heavily one way or another, it's good to give players a heads-up. You can add other tags if you find them relevant (mystery, exploration, puzzles).
Mark any common known content warnings -- eg., spiders, caves, risk of drowning.
Arcadia staff will post this on the notice board.
Session Summary
A rough outline of the session's objective and what, as a GM, you are expecting for your players.
In this session, an astronomer will task the party with finding a falling star that he believes has magical properties. Players will make their way to the location of the star, and find wildlife and creatures acting strangely with starlight in their eyes. The wildlife isn't actively hostile, but there may be an aggressive monster from the Hills Region and some lightning encounters.
Session Content
Safety Information
This is placed automatically in every session - you don't need to enter it in.
Sidebar
Insert quick links here.
If you are creating NPCs or monsters for this session, insert "/" and scroll down to "stat blocks" to enter into the body of the session.
Opening & Character Introductions
Players should get a chance to introduce their characters as soon as the session starts. They have already accepted this quest -- but where do they meet up to get started? In a tavern? At the adventurers' guild? On the road?
Feel free to use the <Region Overviews> as a resource for descriptions of people and places.
It is night. PCs enter the <observatory>: description. [Stars twinkle through the round glass roof, but stars in configurations you have never seen before. A circle of the stars druid would feel very strange.]
A young astronomer, Percival Namely, is peering over the city rooftops through a dusty telescope. He whirls around excitedly when the heroes enter. Who is it that he sees?
He indicates that he read that falling stars have interesting properties, and offers a reward of 10 gold to each character who returns with a piece of a fallen star before dawn breaks.
He gives players a compass that is designed to point in the direction where he saw the star fall.
Story beat 1
In this section describe what is to happen in the first section of the session. Usually this is when the party makes its way towards the location where the adventure will be set, and runs into an early setback or difficulty, a strange puzzle, or a random encounter table.
Setting the Scene.
All Regions within the world of Arcadia have their own unique landscapes, effects, and monsters. To give players a sense of a consistent world session to session, make sure to read the Overview of the Region where your session takes place.
Break 1.
Try to time the first of two ten-minute breaks for around here (about an hour into the session).
Players enter the Giants' Hills. [Entrance text.]
The party navigates the natural dangers found in this Region: eagles and treacherous footing. Lightning strikes the higher rocks, coming dangerously close to the party. As the fauna (eagles and jackalopes) of this Region come into view, the GM rolls a d4; on a 4, they have strangely starry eyes. The compass points towards a cave carved deeply into one of the highest sections of rock.
Break 1.
Story beat 2
This should be the escalation of the conflict and should fulfill the premise of the session -- whether it is a combat encounter, RP encounter, or a twist. Completing this story beat should feel like the completion of a quest.
In general, it's a good idea to time the second break for partway through this section (about 2 hours in), just as the most exciting moment is revealed -- either the BBEG emerges, or the RP promises some new insight, or you drop the twist. Players are excited to return to the table, but it still leaves the GM with plenty of time to resolve the story.
The party enters the cave. Investigation check (DC10) reveals that it is an old giants' cave, with much more recent animal bones. An owlbear has taken up residence here.
The owlbear has strangely starry eyes. It is not hostile but will attack if provoked.
The compass is spinning, but there is no sign of any star. Players can make an investigation check in the cave.
| Investigation check | Result |
|---|---|
| 1-5 | A giant belt worth 5gp. It takes one hand to carry. |
| 6-10 | A giant clay pipe. It plays a simple, mournful note. |
| 11-15 | A giant coin made of copper alloy, worth 10gp. It can be lifted, but requires a strength saving throw of 14 or you drop it on your toe and take 1 point of bludgeoning damage. |
| 16+ | A large, very ancient oat cake. If you take a bite, roll a constitution saving throw. On a pass, you get 3 temporary hit points. On a fail, it tastes terrible. |
Anyone rolling 15 or higher notices that steps snake up the interior of this cave, up out the top. If the owlbear is not attacked, it will also hoot meaningfully and look upwards. A faint glow is coming from above.
At the top of the steps the party comes out on a high, hexagonal jutting of rock. Seven pieces of falling star sit glowing in a shallow, still-smoking crater. Lightning lashes fiercely here in the open air. [Roll initiative! ]
Break 2.
Players must withstand 2 rounds of lightning attacks in order to pry the Star Pieces out of their crater. Meanwhile, starlight seems to sparkle from the earth itself. PCs who choose not to look away from the Star become Charmed for the rest of the session. They cannot harm the Star but have advantage on Arcana and Investigation checks involving it.
Upon surviving the second round, each player receives one Piece of the Fallen Star.
Session Extension
Give an idea here about how you might extend a session that is running ahead of time. For example you could offer a table of random combat encounters, have a NPC show up with additional information, or have a puzzle/environmental complication that can extend the session.
Climbing the stairs is a challenge -- they are slippery, with missing pieces, and the lightning outside is shaking the very rock. Players make a series of skill checks and describe how they climb to the top.
Session Acceleration
Give an idea here about how story beats can be shortened if the group is playing very slowly, either through lengthy RP, new groups asking a lot of questions about rules, or real world delays.
Starry-eyed creatures are notably non-hostile. A starry-eyed wolf leads the party directly to the Star, bypassing the cave.
Session Conclusion
Wrapping up the story.
GMs should deliver players back into the city at the end of each session. They accomplished their task -- or not! -- and get appropriately rewarded.
This is a good place to tie up any loose ends regarding NPCs and items collected.
Rewards.
The standard session reward is 10gp and 2xp.
In general, players should keep their fun trinkets, but GMs can feel free to shut down attempts to pocket quest items.
For example:
Percival Namely meets the party at the door of the observatory. He thanks them profusely, and adds that the Star is likely highly unstable from being shattered into pieces. He will need to take the pieces and put them under a strong stasis spell for further study. Percival thanks the party for its bravery and its selfless commitment to Astronomy, and gives players 5gp each -- or 10gp each to those who give their Star Piece. Any Star Piece not handed over will become a lump of coal.
Closing
Every session ends with our <standard outro>. Like our safety intro, it doesn't need to be entered in.
Thank you for reading. Please DM Adrianna or a [lorekeeper ] on Discord or let us know via the GM Questions channel if you have any questions about this page.
Feel free to check out these examples:
Duck Duck Race
The Frog Prince
The Great Bakery Heist
