How often do you watch a movie or read a book, and think, this would make an awesome D&D adventure? If you are like me, all the time! The rich narratives found in books and movies offer a treasure trove of inspiration for creating compelling adventures. By adapting these stories into the D&D adventure framework, Dungeon Masters (DMs) can craft adventures that resonate with players, offering familiar yet novel experiences. Let’s explore how to convert the plots of the movie Alien and the book Sharpe’s Rifles into engaging D&D adventures.
The Movie: Alien
My favorite movie of all time. I remember watching it as a 16 year old on a rocking chair in my parents house. I kept the lights off, which coupled with the creaking of the old house added to the scary atmosphere. The bleak industrial sci fi, kick ass heroine and beleaguered crew had a big impact on me. Despite the fact there is an Alien RPG and others like Mothership and Those Dark Places I’ve always though that Alien is also great fodder for a D&D adventure.
Synopsis: In Alien, a spaceship crew responds to a distress signal on a distant planet, only to encounter a deadly extraterrestrial creature that picks them off one by one.
Conversion into a D&D Adventure
- Setting the Stage: The adventure begins with the party receiving a distress call from a remote outpost or a derelict ship. The setting could be a mystical planes jumping vessel, a forgotten temple, or an ancient dungeon.
- Initial Exploration: As the party investigates, they discover signs of an unknown threat—strange symbols, remnants of battles, or cryptic messages left by the previous inhabitants.
- The Threat: Introduce a powerful, terrifying creature that stalks the party. This could be a homebrew monster or an adaptation of an existing creature like a mind flayer or a remorhaz.
- Survival and Escape: The focus of the adventure shifts to survival. The party must use their wits and resources to outmaneuver the creature. The tension rises as they realize direct confrontation might not be the best option.
- Climactic Escape: The adventure culminates in a high-stakes escape, where the party must make critical decisions to ensure their survival while sealing or destroying the creature to prevent further harm.
I can already picture the experience at the table. Slow dawning dread as they uncover the clues. Followed by a frenetic, time pressured escape. I want to play this already! In fact I will be including this in my regular campaign at some point in the future. So if any of my players are reading this, you better beware when you come across that ancient temple…
The Book: Sharpe’s Rifles
As a boy/adolescent in the 1990’s the Sharpe books and subsequent TV movies were a staple part of my media diet. Tales of derring-do aplenty with lots of inspiration for D&D shenanigans.
Synopsis: Sharpe’s Rifles follows Richard Sharpe, a soldier in the British Army during the Peninsular War. After a series of setbacks, Sharpe takes command of a group of riflemen and leads them on a daring mission to rally Spanish allies and defeat a superior French force.
Conversion into a D&D Adventure
- Setting the Stage: Place the party in a war-torn region where they are part of a larger conflict. They are separated from their main force and must navigate enemy territory to regroup with allies. The enemies could be anything from a chaotic orc horde to well disciplined Drow.
- Leadership Challenge: One of the party members (or a trusted NPC) must step into a leadership role, rallying a group of local militia or refugees. The focus here is on building trust and cohesion within the group.
- Skirmishes and Guerrilla Warfare: The adventure includes a series of skirmishes against enemy patrols. The party must employ guerrilla tactics, using the terrain and local knowledge to outsmart a superior force.
- Rallying Allies: The party seeks out local leaders or resistance fighters to bolster their numbers. This involves diplomacy, persuasion, and perhaps a daring rescue or theft.
- Final Battle: The adventure culminates in a strategic battle where the party and their allies confront the enemy. The players’ earlier choices affect the strength and morale of their forces, adding weight to the final confrontation.
I envisage this adventure being played in the sandbox style. The players are provided with a map of the area. Potential ally and enemy locations are detailed. Now the party must decide where to rally allied troops and where to enact guerilla actions. The final battle could be at the key strategic location being held by the villains. Perhaps a cross roads, bridge over a chasm or a magical portal. Played as a short campaign this gives plenty of opportunity for player dilemmas and cinematic scenes. I know exactly where this sort of adventure can fit into my current campaign.
Final Thoughts
Adapting plots from books and movies into D&D adventures allows DMs to introduce players to thrilling, narrative-rich experiences. By drawing on the suspense of Alien or the military strategy of Sharpe’s Rifles, DMs can create adventures that challenge players in new and exciting ways. The key is to capture the essence of the original story while allowing for the flexibility and creativity that makes D&D unique. By thinking about the inspirations above I now have two potentially awesome adventures to run my players through. I cant wait.
Where are your go to sources of inspiration for your D&D adventures?