So you have seen the two AW hacks of Dark Sun, right?

Dark Sol and Dark Sol II. There's certainly ideas to be found in them.

 

QFT and reference

Quote from: rubiconium on June 21, 2012, 01:04:19 PM

Should that be stuff like "You stand before the steel door of the Vault. What lies behind it?" or "You hear skittering in the darkness. What creature of the vaults do you fear the most?"

those are awesome questions, but I think it varies with the group, there is no question that's 100% useful for every group.

However, I would be more subtle. The "Getting Started" paragraph and the "Ask Questions" goal should clarify what I mean.

Examples of questions I asked the recent first session:
• how works your magic?
• how's organized your tribe?
• why would the evil cult attack you like this?
• how about your thieves guild?

When asking question, you should look for what's interesting for the players and their characters. You are gathering details, facts, motivations, that set in motion the story and basically build themselves the fronts for the future sessions. They describe their dear homeland? Someone attacks it. They describe an enemy? You have him raise to power. They declare important facts about setting-specific details—like the wizard who learned magic studying on powerful magic tome wich allows the owner to control spirits, found in a mystical cave with walls covered by arcane signs? Then someone tries to steal her that tome, while the cave becomes conscious and starts to spawn evil elementals all around.

The book is actually very clear about all those things. Check this quote:

Quote

The first adventure is really about finding out what future sessions will deal with.

And I'm speaking like a pro while I learned how to write fronts yesterday.

'Hey those beetles are just getting angrier and nastier, every time you smash one down more swarm to fill the gap. As another mandible slices perilously close to your groin, your hopes about this course of melee seems like folly. What did your old mentor Darius tell you about giant beetles? Can you remember?'

This is golden.

Courtney Campbell has already made these! And I highly recommend them; comprehensive and useful! And free!

On Tricks, Empty Rooms, and Basic Trap Design has extensive room designs and furnishing descriptors. The companion Treasure goes into much more detail about furniture and other valuable  but mundane things found in a dungeon.

This is a mad idea!

Would work well combined with Johnstone's spellbook creation move:

My spellbook… (choose up to 4 options):
?   …consists of multiple volumes.
?   …constantly reorders its own contents.
?   …has a reputation.
?   …is dedicated to a specific extraplanar entity.
?   …is beat to shit and falling apart.
?   …is bound in human skin.
?   …is engraved and decorated with gold.
?   …is lavishly illustrated.
?   …is made of metal.
?   …is my own creation.
?   …is perfumed and scented.
?   …is stolen.
?   …is written in a dead language.
?   …was made from the corpse of a fantastic beast.
?   …was written by demons.
?   …was written in human blood.

By default, your spellbook can hold up to a dozen spells or rituals. Give it a name and choose up to 2 tags for it:
?   Alive: Your spellbook is a living thing (+alive).
?   Copy: There are multiple copies of this book in existence.
?   Encrypted: Written in code that cannot be read by others without powerful magic.
?   Inconspicuous: Does not look or read like a magical tome.
?   Insight: Grants +1 to rolls involving one type of magic when consulted.
?   Large: Holds up to two dozen spells or rituals but is bulky and cumbersome.
?   Limitless: Holds an infinite amount of non-magical writing.
?   Monograph: Choose one subject from the Sage's list of specialties. Your spellbook contains extensive information about this topic.
?   Poisonous: Those who touch it, save for you, are poisoned. Choose a poison type.
?   Secure: Magical locks or wards prevent others from opening it.
?   Small: Holds half a dozen spells or rituals but is easy to conceal and transport.
?   Trapped: Those who open or read it without your permission suffer harm (2-harm intimate; applied, magic, trap). Choose a damage type.
?   Unusual shape: You spellbook is not a book. It is a scroll, perhaps, or a memory cube, a box full of intricate clockwork, a collection of engraved coins or knotted strings, or a deck of playing cards that must be laid out in specific patterns.
?   Warded: You always know where your spellbook is and who touches it.

That link didn't work for me. Is this the map you're referring to: Luka Rejec – Deep in the Purple Worm

This discussion reminds me of a question: Do Cleric's make the Cast a Spell move to cast a rote? I'm guessing not by the name of the move but I can't find it discussed explicitly anywhere?

Right back at ya if you're ever in Canberra!