Running the adventure outside of the game session? Yes, that’s right. Starting back in DM Dave’s Curse of Strahd campaign, we began to develop characters and backstories with narrative side quests via text, email, and online documents (like Google Docs). In our Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen campaign, we have utilized them from the very beginning for each character individually, as well as the whole party, to further flesh out the characters, world, and story.

In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave discuss their strategies for running narrative side quests outside the game as well as completely text-based campaigns.

Episode 358 of Dragon Talk.

DM Tony’s article on running narrative side quests outside the game.

3:08 What do we mean when we’re talking about a narrative side quest?

4:55 Our most recent use of narrative side quests in our Dragonlance campaign.

7:25 There must be an active give and take for narrative side quests and campaigns to work.

13:00 DM Chris’ Days of Future Past text-based Marvel Super Heroes campaign.

14:35 Narrative side quests for individual characters are a time to build out backstory and character, not for leveling and gaining experience.

16:48 DM Chris literally “Squirrels”!

20:12 Narrative, or “Descriptive”, side quests. What is your threat level? Will the character die while away?

22:40 How narrative side quests can help spur roleplay moments in-game.

23:55 How to build out actual side quests with monsters, loot, and experience for individual characters.

25:26 How far away are your characters and how long will they be gone? How many players are you currently juggling with side quests?

32:20 Narrative side quests allow players who miss a session to not feel like they missed out.

34:35 Excellent method for important plot drops… when they find it, they’ll want to shout it from the rooftops.

39:32 Final Thoughts.