Return to Phandelver

Due to a sad pet event, didn't run a game last Saturday.

I'm at a games club with multiple D&D tables basically with an organiser. Since I keep getting new players (who in order to play at all turn up with a level 1 character in a dungeon for level 4 or 5!) we're looking at running the starter set for new characters to run through the POTA characters to recruit from - at least it's tuned to low level characters.

But I want to keep the 'story hook' part of POTA. I think of them more as motivations than 'hooks', but regardless the starter set doesn't really have them. It has a Dwarf who goes 'go do some task for me'. That's not really personal like the POTA motivations, which include wanting revenge on a guy who almost killed you and killed everyone else that was on the same boat as you. Now that's meaty! I'm hoping they have more motivations like that in latter D&D products - I should write a letter, I guess.

But anyway, I need to work out a list of motivations for the starter set - I need a list to ensure some amount of choice (and hey, if a player has their own motive in mind - one that the character would risk their life for, cool - saves me some work! :) ).

And I want to try and make the motive work in the starter set and in POTA.

Thinking so far of maybe the 'hired hand' hook in POTA, extending it that some of the mercenary bands that the cultists used were the redbrand ruffians (spelling?) from the starter set.

But that's just one motivation! Not much choice in one option!

Also I have no printer, so I'm gunna have to scratch it out or take it to the local print shop.

Edit: I keep calling Phandelver 'Phandalin'. My apologies! Have edit it!

Next Bit!

D&D 5e starter set, solo player

I'm thinking of running my daughter through the set. As intimated previously, I don't want to require violent play in order to play at all. Not to shield her from violent play (ie, killin' goblins) but because it makes being voilent not any sort of choice at all/not anything that can have consequences. So as per some previous posts I've got in mind some exploring of ruins. Some hunting for game to cook and sell the meal to those that pass on the road. It'll start near the start of the starter set adventure (wow, said 'start' too often there) so maybe she'll enter it by chance? I haven't drawn up the contents of the starting hex she'll be in - as said, it'll have some ruins. But not sure what else. I'm thinking one of the ruins will have some warning of a fell creature behind a door - and from behind the door the sound of slow scratching on the inside of the door will eminate. It'll be a skeleton. Don't have to fight it. Probably best not to if you're a solo player.

Might have a stirge in the distance as well.