Dungeon Tricks and/or Dragon Treats

October 14, 2020 9:12 AM

My nephews aren't going trick or treating this year, because pandemic. Since we play D&D frequently, I've gotten the go ahead to come up with a Halloween "dungeon" (or town, fortress, whatever) that they can explore and find characters who will give them magic items (aka Halloween candy). Help me come up with characters and fun interactions (especially those that let them roll dice or use things from their character sheets). Keep in mind that both boys should be getting exactly the same amount of candy from each interaction.

If it helps, 8 year old nephew plays a 40 year old stoic war veteran half-elf ranger, and 6 year old nephew plays a dwarf fighter/wizard/paladin-ish dude of indeterminate age (he was five when he started; we let him go nuts) that is a big fan of, as he puts it, "smash! smash! bang! bang!"

posted by ocherdraco to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (11 answers total)

Response by poster: Of note: I have no time to put together costumes or props for myself. This will all be theater of the mind.
posted by ocherdraco at 9:13 AM on October 14, 2020

This might not be quite what you’re after, but perhaps you can incorporate elements of Curse of 300 Wands, a commonly stolen one-shot where players are testing various wands that each have a random magical effect. When my group played it, we were our normal characters (not level one commoners as the original adventure specifies) but it still got pretty zany pretty quick. I feel like a random effect mechanic could be integrated into a “trick or treat” setting to great effect!
posted by ceramicspaniel at 10:16 AM on October 14, 2020 [4 favorites]

Clarification question: Are you using 5e as your core system? In terms of characters, are you looking for ideas for NPCs? I'm a 5e player and my spouse is a DM, I'll see what we can come up with when he gets home from work.
posted by snowysoul at 11:08 AM on October 14, 2020

Do you usually DM? If not, this is a big thing to put together.

If you are, here are my thoughts:

Usually when doing a themed D&D event, characters don't go "trick or treating" in game - it's a normal session. There's a ton of resources out there for one shots. I like dmsguild, which is usually pay what you want, but dungeoncontest and many more resources exist.

My personal recommendation is either https://winghornpress.com/adventures/wolves-of-welton/ the wolves of welton, or the secrets of skyhorn lighthouse https://dl.richen.io/dnd/one-shots/The%20Secrets%20of%20Skyhorn%20Lighthouse%20%5BKelsey%20Dionne%5D%20%5B5e%5D.pdf

A fan favorite out there is https://winghornpress.com/adventures/a-wild-sheep-chase/ this one.

Then, give out candy instead of gold / items.
posted by bbqturtle at 11:28 AM on October 14, 2020

OK my first idea is something where they have to go around a village & do small mini quests for each villager & in return get a treat. So ideas off the top of my head. One villager has rats/giant rats in the basement (a rpg classic), they kill a few rats, get a treat, Maybe someone has a cart full of pumpkins going to market that needs repairing, strength check to lift it up & put the wheel back on, some skill checks to repair it. A pumpkin farmer needs his pumpkins harvested, maybe goblins are sneaking in & stealing them too, fight the goblins, some strength checks for bringing in the pumpkins. Witches cat stuck up a tree needs rescuing, escaped pigs, pie eating contests, but first the baker needs help gathering wood for their oven, oh no monsters are in the woods. Repairing a roof (climb checks, skill checks galore here). If you feel like it all the checks can be to help different villagers prepare for the big Halloween party in the village for the big feast, each one paying them in a magic item/candy. Or just be a collection of random helping out some people on All Hallows Eve depending on how much work you want to do.

I'd have a magic item that maybe made them look like "monsters" so they get turned into a skeleton & a zombie say or something silly like chickens & have to go back to the witch they helped to get turned back as no chickens are allowed in the pie eating contest or something at the end and have them get a real piece of pie to eat.

Character ideas I highly recommend a character generator, I suck at characters & a few rolls on one usually inspires something. But I'd totally lean into the harvest time/halloween monster cliches.

Sorry if this is a bit chaotic, it's a brain dump of ideas while I'm supposed to be working.
posted by wwax at 11:53 AM on October 14, 2020 [2 favorites]

If you have or can prep any slightly-melted chocolates within silvery wraps (3 Musketeers, Kisses, etc.), then you've got some easy physical comedy involving a Heat Metal spell!
posted by miles per flower at 11:56 AM on October 14, 2020 [1 favorite]

The sign on the tavern board says: "Rewards! Brave Adventurers needed! Our candy factory is overrun with monstrous creatures, apply at the front gate. --W. Wonka."

Pick low level monsters for combat that, when beaten, will drop candy that thematically matches the monster. Fortunately the creatures have been eating all the candy and are sluggish and easy to defeat.

Zombie rabbits: raisinets.
Gelatinous ooze: caramel.
Zombie cows: cow tails and Hershey kisses.
Pixies: Pixy stix
Treasure chest shaped mimic: 100 Grands
Panther: Kit Kats
Snakes: licorice
Bats: fake vampire teeth

If found, the big bad causing the infestation is a wizard who shoots fireballs, and drops ring pops and atomic fireball candy if defeated.

Explore the Wonka factory. Any remainder of candy is awarded by the proprietor, who shows up to clear the room once it gets near bedtime.
posted by enfa at 12:12 PM on October 14, 2020 [4 favorites]

Ooohh, could you make them encounter gelatinous cube, and then actually make a real one with treats suspended in it?

It would be like, the grossest best D&D piñata ever.
posted by furnace.heart at 12:27 PM on October 14, 2020 [6 favorites]

Response by poster: I’ve been DMing a 5e campaign for them and my BIL since the spring, to answer snowysoul’s question.
posted by ocherdraco at 1:50 PM on October 14, 2020

I'd like to post a link to my friend's new project Pumpkins & Dragons which is meant to be a very lite RPG centered around this very theme.
posted by komara at 2:47 PM on October 14, 2020

I run convention games and regularly instead of hauling cases of miniatures to represent the miniatures, I often will use different colored/flavoured candies. Hershey kisses are a huge favorite because of the different varieties with colorful wrappers...killing a monster earns you a candy to eat yourself or pass on! Pretty much for all my convention games I use gold coins to flip to people to use as inspiration points (eat/use them yourself, pass them to a friend or save them up for later!). If they are fans of combat maybe tie it into some sort of arena type situation where they have to fight their way out (and earn lots of goods)....or maybe some sort of big prize (ala chocolate easter rabbit style) for a trophy the winner(s) could take home at the end of the game/night.
posted by AnneShirley at 3:15 PM on October 14, 2020 [3 favorites]