Behind The Screen: Multi-Tiered Campaigns part the third: Secondary Tier

Behind the Screen

Crap!  They found me again!

Welcome back!
Last time we developed the primary tier of a plot driven fantasy rpg game. This week I want to go through the creation of the Secondary Tier, which will add spice and a feeling of openness to the gaming world for your players to enjoy. Let us begin!
Personally, I am a huge fan of ripping off lovingly imitating my favorite movies, and these side quests are where you can drop a lot of your favorite silly elements or unrelated ideas that you come up with but arn't sure how they apply to the story. This is also the perfect place to expand a players knowledge of the game world itself by placing "fluff" pieces and hackneyed cliches into the game. In addition, the secondary tier is where you want to place any background elements your players may have given you regarding their characters (last scions of noble houses, quests for family heirlooms, frog-princes, etc). This really is the tier to just go wild with your ideas as these are the filler pieces that you throw in with when your players don't want to continue the main story, or when you want to take a break from seriousness. One last point I should make is that you can have as many or as few of these written up as you like, though I believe you should have no less than an equal amount to your Primary Tier missions.


Secondary Tier
Basis: Unaligned quests, Moral boosting, Alliances
Major Players: 4 Kingdoms of Man, Lost ruins of dead civilizations, Gods and Devils.

Mission one: Save the mayors daughter
The players are approached by the sheriff of a small town (since they look so mighty and tough!) to rescue his only daughter who has been stolen by bandits. The town is small and can't afford the outrageous ransom the bandits are demanding for her return, but they are willing to give the P.C.'s what they can if they will rescue her, such as a nearby plot of land, discounts at the bakery, etc.
Note: to spice this mission up, feel free to throw the players a curve-ball. Ex: The bandit leader IS the mayors daughter. The mayors daughter ran away with a suitor from another town and they the ransom money is to pay for their new life together, the daughter was killed by the mayor in a incestual-cannibalistic frenzy and now he's trying to cover it up. Anything goes really.)

Mission two: Bank Heist
The players Resident Thief has been called in for his overdue guild fees... Unfortunately since the interest is so high (s)he can't pay them. Luckily for the party, the Thieves guild has a way they can pay the money off: A Bank Heist.
The players are given a time-frame and contacts to get them what they need. Beyond that, they make the heist and the thief never need pay dues again (until the next time). If they don't make the heist, then they better disappear fast... The guilds reach is long and fearsome.

Mission three: Caravan  Escort
The players are contracted to escort a Merchant caravan through s patch of fearsome wilderness/mountains/underground caverns. In return they are offered a permanent discount with the associated merchant house, as well as, for the course of the escort, food, supplies and pay.
Note: this is also a great mission to  introduce players to rival factions or adventuring groups (perhaps hired on as escorts as well, or better yet, to attack the caravan by another merchant house!)

Mission four: Lost ruins
A recent mining expedition has uncovered some unidentified ruins deep in a series of caverns. The foreman has called a stop on all work until it can be determined if it is safe to continue. The players history expert/Wizard/Priest/Sage/whatever is asked if (s)he can investigate the uncovered ruins. Of course the ruins are not only not safe, but they are protected by some ancient evil. And traps. Lots and lots of traps.

Mission five: Hired muscle
The players are hired on as Escorts/bodyguards for a wealthy noblewoman. GM's choice as to whether they are attacked (thieves and bandits), the noblewoman is attacked (assassins), or they are used as hired goons. Either way, the money is good.

Mission six: Mistaken Identity
The players are mistaken for a group of bandits/adventurers/assassins that are responsible for the murder of a local priest/noble/dude-man. They must prove their innocence whilst simultaneously defending themselves against every bounty hunter/rogue/adventurer party/bandit attempting to collect the ridiculously large reward posted for their capture.
Note: this is another great mission to throw in player background elements. Also: this is a great mission to put bottles on your fingers, tap them together and yell out "WARRIORS.... COME OUT TO PLAAAAAYAAAAAAAAAAAY"

Mission seven: Exterminators
The players are hired to wipe out an infestation of something in a nearby cave/tavern basement/ruin. The money is small, but based on a "per head" rate. In addition, there should be some reason why all of these creatures are gathering and being a nuisance. This could be anything from a super-monster to an over-eager mining expedition breaking into their resting place/hive/hatchery to the pied piper of Hamelin gaining his revenge.

Mission eight: Slay the Beast!
A Monster is wreaking havoc on the country side. The players are hired to hunt it down and slay it.
'Nuff said.

Mission nine: Who dun it?
The players are attending a reward ceremony/diner at a remote nobles estate when the host mysteriously dies. Cut off from escape, the players must race against time to discover who or what killed the host, amongst a steadily rising body count, before they, themselves are added to the grim tally.

Mission ten: Destroy the Ring
The players have come into ownership of an item of power that can only be destroyed in the same place it was forged.
Note: Obviously this quest can be bigger than the main plot if the players center on it. But who's to tell them no? It's their game as well!

So there you have it, a series of side-quests that are not directly connected to the main quest but obviously can all be used to further the story line if the players don't want to partake of the main plot. The key is to have a few of these drafted up for any given gaming session as it allows freedom for the players and more in-depth enjoyment of the gaming world. Join me next time when we finish off this series by creating a tertiary tier for the players enjoyment and bring real life to the gaming world.

Leaving already? But I brought scones... AND DEATH! Mostly scones.

Until then,
Revel in cliches, they work for a reason.
Bean out~