Wannabe Dungeon Master, Welcome!
I am Harbrus and today we will talk about
your first one-shot!
Every adventure
and in particular oneshots,
need a strong beginning.
Both characters' goals and motivations
must be powerful and clear, and set
from the start.
In my example, the characters are entrusted
by the burgomaster of a village with
the elimination of kobolds from the area.
These creatures are stealing animals and provision and ruining the fields.
to sustain their colonies
but also, to raise a baby brass dragon.
The baby dragon lives in one of the cave
with thousands of parents venerating him like a god.
This because the kobolds have some features derived from their draconic heritage.
The session starts directly in front of one of the kobolds' cave entrance
You can describe this prologue before the session (without the dragon part - spoiler) or you can start with a description like this.
After two days of travelling, following every trace of these foul creatures you are looking for,
through steep hills and muddy soils,
by a river, in a hideous forest, finally, you are at the slope
of a mountain.
And it's here that you hear
the mild roar
of a small waterfall hitting the stones.
the stream is so thin that cannot hide
fully
the hole, the tunnel, hidden behind.
The ceiling of branches and leaves
which cover and protect you, leaves you
after few steps.
Suddenly, someone notices a reflection of light
on a metal surface at his/her right.
You notice also,
you see, a man, tied
struggling and dragged by 4 kobolds
to the entrance of the cave
From where other 2 kobolds come out
wielding a lance and a shield
and taking position at the sides of the hole.
The burgomaster has been clear.
You need to kill every threat.
Fortunately, the enemies aren't aware of your presence yet.
What do you do?
After this description, that you can change as you wish,
The characters will be in front of their first decision.
Obviously,
the imagination has no limits
and so, they can take different approaches
but if your group is new to DnD,
and not sure about what to do, it’s your job to guide them.
You can suggest the most prudent action: Wait and see what happens.
Probably, the party will think that this patrol
with the human will enter in the 
cave leaving only 2 Kobolds to guard the entrance. 
It could be an easier combat this way compared to the whole 
pact of enemies, while the second option could be
a stealth approach, through the few obstacles:
Behind a rock 
or a tree and then attack the unready enemies. 
In this case, let the player roll a group stealth check.
Each result must be compared with
the kobolds’ passive perception that can be found on their stat sheets.
I left an Italian sheet in the description.
If everybody rolls a higher number than
the enemies’ passive perception, the party can decide if and how
the fight will start. In the case, they want to attack the enemies,
Everybody will roll initiative. In the surprise round, only the party will take an action because of their stealth success.
The enemies cannot attack or react because they will suffer the surprising status.
If at least one player fails the stealth check the kobolds won’t be surprised.
You can also let the kobolds find that player immediately if the result was too poor, or you can decide
to wait for the players’ moves and then roll initiative. Nobody will be surprised, so
The round goes normally. You could
add that any successful stealthy characters will have an advantage on their first attack rolls.
The number of enemies is just an example. I put 4 enemies and
the 2 guards at the entrance thinking at a party with at least
5 people, so my advice is of 
having a number of enemies equal or inferior of the players’ number.
You must focus instead on the outcomes of Players’ actions,
Adding dynamic elements. In this combat encounter 
you can add custom mechanics like 
a way of freeing the human using an action with a 
dexterity skill check.
The human can now ally with the PCs, 
 (a good element of advantage). Another good and interesting 
idea is the possibility of having kobolds run if in difficulty
especially if the party is brutally winning the fight. The wounded could run into the cave,
to alert all the dungeon and call reinforcements.
Let the party see the enemies running away
and let them wonder about possible outcomes.
This because the DM should always teach his players,
Another possible approach is the
social encounter. In fact, if you have a look at their
sheet, kobolds speak common and draconic.
If one of the party members knows draconic 
let him/her highlight the feature 
and social interaction with these creatures, asking
for example to free the human instead of fighting.
This human is in real a bandit, came here for the baby dragon.
Eager of killing the creature for earning a big sum. 
Once free, the bandit could join the party and fake his identity 
and help the party against the kobolds.
Once in front of the dragon,
there will be a cliff-hanger with the bandit attacking the creature
or convincing the party to fight the dragon because it is dangerous.
This action is evil, baby dragons especially if metallic
are good creatures. So, it is illegal to kill
this kind of creatures (at least in my setting).
Amaze your player with this final trick.
All of this was the first challenge of the session.
Now, the player must face the obscure and dangerous
kobolds’ dungeon which would be different
based on the first part outcomes.
Indeed, we will have two dungeon modes:
the first would be quiet and involve sneaking past the tunnels
because the kobolds would be unaware of the characters’ presence;
the second is an alert mode, in which kobolds have set all the traps and are organising deadly ambushes.
Let’s start, with the map opened, to analyse each section of the dungeon.
This is the dungeon I have made for you with
Dungeon Painter Studio, which can be bought on steam at 15 euros.
This is a very good tool for the ones like me
with no or poor art skills because it offers 
different ready objects and tiles, terrains, walls,
textures etc, which will help in an easier building process. 
You can find in the description two version of the map shown on the screen. One for the 
DM the other for the players (with no marks on it). Let’s begin with the dungeon analysis!
As you can see, there are different
tunnels of different sizes, so it is important
the marching order.
The party enters from area 1 in which there are two tokens
the L is a light source and the T, 
which it is the first trap. This first small tunnel
requires the party to proceed in a row,
so you can suggest choosing carefully how to manage the queue.
For example, the tough character on the front, while
the squishy ones on the back or in the middle, so you can teach the group
a first step on how to survive in every dungeon.
The first area is illuminated by a little torch with
a range of 4 squares back and forth from the token.
In this area, all the character have good visibility.
and would be able to stop both the small tunnel in the north
where I drew the narrow brown textures and the T trap.
This is done in order to present the dungeon.
These features reflect kobolds’ nature and capabilities.
Indeed, they have a small size, so they can squeeze in these small holes
for emergencies or for preparing ambushes.
Plus, they have Darkvision so the light in the dungeon would
be low. The last thing, kobolds use
traps a lot. In this way, the party can face any danger with the necessary tools
and knowledge to succeed with this easy beginning.
Teach always your player in this slowly way.
Back on the trap, it is a simple one to discover
but also, in the case somebody will fail to spot it
the consequences are minimal. 
I have written the map all the rules about this first trap which
is a trap-hole. An investigation check will spot it, 
a dexterity saves for avoiding the fall, and the damage
in case of failing everything. Going to the area 2
the light starts to dim. Every character without dark vision
will have disadvantage on every check relight on sight.
From this moment on, it will be crucial
the dungeon mode. If quiet every trap on the map
would be inactive, and the most of kobolds will be resting in area 5.
Instead, both in quiet and alert mod, the patrol which
have encountered in the entrance will be roaming from
area 4 to area 6.
In alert mode, the 2 Ts in the south of area 2
represent 2 kobolds trying to release a large
rolling boulder. Indeed, area 2 is inclined to 
increase the rolling boulder speed.
All the characters without darkvision have their passive perception
reduced by 5 in this part with dim light.
If nobody asks to investigate the area with a perception,
the kobolds will push the boulder.
after the characters have fully entered the area 2.
If somebody has enough passive perception, let them hear the noises made by the kobolds
before releasing the threat as last warning to 
prevent the danger 
before too late. Kobolds have not a lion's heart
so they will run away if the characters spot, intimidate or attack them
using the back tunnel all the way
to area 5 ready for the next ambush.
If the boulder is release, the players have 
the possibility to stop it, maybe a strong enough warrior or barbarian can try
to stop it with brute force, or the party can escape towards one of the 3 tunnels around them going to
area 5 or area 4 or area 3.
The latter is a dark area used as a store by kobolds.
It contains everything they have stolen.
This can be a chance to give the party some weapon or treasure,
a new sword maybe, or magical items!
As a reward for all the troubles faced before.
The bandit would be here if not rescued before 
inside a cage and can be freed following the rules
I have written in the map. Area 5, instead, 
in quiet mode would be sleeping, otherwise
the kobolds would be hidden in the shadows,
ready for ambushes. Apply same rules as before,
passive perception vs stealth 
remembering that characters without darkvision have 
passive perception reduced by 5
Kobolds fight to death in this area to protect the secret 
passage where I put the token S, which leads directly to the baby dragon area (6). Follows the rule written on the map to spot the entrance.
If the party chose to go to area 4,
they have to face an encounters with 2 kobolds where I put two side platforms
with the T on it,
attacking the party from the distance.
In area 4 there is a large hole intended to contain the boulder and the famous patrol,
if still alive, who will drop
on the floor loads of oil. The terrain is considered slippery and difficult to walk on.
Another challenge for your players.
To avoid the fall they have to roll acrobatic check every time they move.
If they fail 2 times they fall for 20 feet.
And don't forget the boulder which can crash them!
Obviously, take your time in this scene,
describing well every action and let the players cooperate 
to succeed and avoid a terrible death.
Finally, we arrive in area 6. To sum up:
They have fought outside or sneaked in the dungeon at the start 
as challenge number 1,  succeed against different traps as challenge 2
an optional fight in area 5 as challenge number 3, saved the bandit
in area 3 or outside as challenge 4, and as final challenge we have the encounter with
the baby dragon in area 6. Pay attention to the hidden entrance from area 5.
This passage leads to area 6
to the half moon elevated from the ground by 10 feet.
A position of advantage or disadvantage depending if
the players have exploited the hidden entrance
before and now they would have an easy fight
or on the contrary, the kobolds if still alive will use it instead to support the dragon.
This final challenge can be approached in different ways:
Again, a social encounter with the dragon who knows draconic.
Despite the dragons being impetuous and young
can be convinced to
to resolve the conflict peacefully.
Maybe, with good persuasion check the party can convince the dragon to command the kobolds to move away.
finally freeing the nearby villages.
If the situation goes dire, instead, the fight
begun. The dragon first approach would be to scare the enemy
and lure them away, it won't kill the party.
But don't forget about the bandit if still alive and on the scene
will do everything to instigate the characters to fight,
so he will gain lots of money.
Leave freedom choice to your player, whether
ally with the bandit or with the dragon and let the fight begin.
In this area, use rocks, covers,
natural features of the cave to bring sauce to the combat.
You can use stalagmites and stalatties as covers
from the dragon breath attack and from kobolds' ranged attacks.
There are 2 different types of cover:
half cover gives +2 AC while 3/4 cover gives +5 AC.
We finally reach the end of this
dungeon. Now, it depends on you, wannabe dungeon masters.
Remember the goal of the game is having fun. I suggest to 
delay any comments and arguments about rules
to end session so the narrative flow won't be broken.
This is an important step to grow as a dungeon master.
In the following video of "Be a Dungeon Master", we will speak about
the foundation of creating a solid gaming group for a lasting campaign.
The video will be divided into 2 sections,
The first part would be a collection of advice and table rules to decided with your players,
while in the second part we will discuss the creation of heroes or villain (depending on players' choice)
and how to use players' interest and ideas for building
a more appealing campaign.
As always, use the comment section for asking anything,
and if you liked the video subscribe to the channel
and hit the like button.
Arrivederci, e Grazie!
