05 April 2023

An AI-generated Dungeons & Dragons campaign

Obviously loads of people are mucking around with ChatGPT and similar sites at the moment, seeing what they can do. Seeing Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves yesterday reminded me that while there are already plenty of random adventure idea generation sites out there, it would be worth trying out the new AI approach.

The result of my ChatGPT query set out below are promising, which isn't too surprising given how much D&D content there is on the internet. The core ideas are reasonably well-formed, if a little hackneyed. The AI fails to provide nuanced details such as suggesting specific Forgotten Realms locations for the adventures, and it doesn't really understand the concept of 'low fantasy' (a less mythic milieu, rather than the super-powered 'high fantasy' of powerful magic, mighty kings, gods and immortals). And surely any starter adventure worth its salt has to include a mandatory kobold encounter?

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Query: Write an outline of a 'low fantasy'-themed multi-adventure Dungeons & Dragons campaign for starter players set in the Forgotten Realms world.

Response: Sure, here's an outline for a low-fantasy D&D campaign set in the Forgotten Realms world:

Title: Shadows of Faerun

Premise: The players are a group of adventurers hired by a local lord to investigate strange happenings in a nearby village. The lord has been hearing rumors of dark magic and otherworldly creatures, and he fears that the village may be in danger. The players must explore the village and surrounding areas, facing various dangers and uncovering a sinister plot that threatens to unleash an ancient evil upon the world.

Adventure 1: The Haunted Village

The players arrive in the village and discover that it is indeed being plagued by dark magic and other strange phenomena.
  • They explore the village and surrounding areas, investigating the source of the disturbances.
  • They eventually discover that the local necromancer has been using forbidden magic to raise the dead and control the minds of the living.
  • They confront the necromancer and put an end to his dark plans, but not before uncovering hints of a larger conspiracy.

Adventure 2: The Forgotten Tomb

The players follow a lead to an ancient tomb that is said to hold powerful magical artifacts.
  • They must navigate a series of traps and puzzles to reach the tomb's inner sanctum.
  • There they face off against a powerful undead guardian and retrieve a powerful artifact.
  • However, they also discover that the artifact is cursed and may have unintended consequences.

Adventure 3: The Cult of the Dragon

The players hear rumors of a cult that worships dragons and seeks to bring them back to power.
  • They infiltrate the cult's stronghold and discover that they are planning to summon a powerful dragon from another realm.
  • The players must prevent the ritual from taking place, fighting off cultists and their dragon minions.
  • They are ultimately successful in stopping the cult, but they also learn that there are other, more powerful cults at work in the world.

Adventure 4: The Demon's Curse

The players encounter a village that is being plagued by a demonic presence.
  • They discover that a powerful demon has been summoned to the village and is possessing the minds of its inhabitants.
  • The players must track down the source of the summoning and put an end to it before the demon can do more harm.
  • They discover that the summoning was orchestrated by a powerful mage who has been experimenting with forbidden magic.

Adventure 5: The Final Confrontation

The players learn that the mage they encountered in the previous adventure is part of a larger conspiracy to unleash an ancient evil upon the world.
  • They must travel to the mage's stronghold and fight their way through his minions to reach him.
  • In a climactic battle, they confront the mage and his dark master, a powerful demon lord.
  • They must use all their skills and wits to defeat the demon lord and prevent the apocalypse.

Conclusion:

  • The players are hailed as heroes and rewarded for their bravery.
  • However, they also realize that there are still many threats to the world and many more adventures to be had.
See also:
Games: Spinward Marches naval shipyards, 17 August 2022

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