Scenario Writing Guidelines

The first step an author should take is to mail the general plot idea to the Triad. A few does and don'ts to save potential authors some trouble:

• Try to keep it to one round.
• The use of dark elves, dragons and fiends are discouraged in regional scenarios by the Circle. Unless you have got a really cool idea, chances are that plots using these creatures within Sunndi are not accepted. Fiends might be accepted if used in connection to Sunndi's history with the Great Kingdom and the fact that the rulers of that nation trafficked heavily with devils (see the free on-line product Ivid the Undying for more details on this).
• The Scarlet Brotherhood is at most a villain behind the curtains within Sunndi. Using them as a main motivator within a plot is also discouraged for Sunndi. That is not to say that the SB will not be used within Sunndi, merely that the Triad has got some distinctive plans with the SB that might not fit with the ideas within your plot. There should be more than enough other villains in Sunndi to use though.
• On the other hand we would love to see scenarios involving possible tension between the different races of Sunndi and the need for everybody to cooperate lest Sunndi be crushed by its many enemies.
• Ahlissa, The Vast Swamp, the cult of Wastri and the Bleak Academy are potential sources of villains as well.
• The maximum APL for regional scenarios is 12.
• The preferred spread for APL is 4 different tiers. The minimum is 3.

After your plot idea is approved the next step is to write an extensive summary of the scenario. This summary should consist of four parts. The first part is a summary of the plot and background of the scenario in about 300 words. The second part is a summary on a per encounter basis, with around 100 words for each encounter. The third part involves the conclusion, possible consequences and rewards of a scenario in 200 words. The final part consists on any items you want to use that do not come from any of the three core books. Truly new things -items that have not been published by WotC in a D&D product- are limited to two per scenario only. The complete summary will be read by our Circle representative (at the moment Creighton), the full triad and possible other people for advice and comments. The author will likely get advice on some of the things in the adventure. Sometimes these suggestions are nothing more then suggestions which the author is free to ignore or follow, at other times the advice needs to be followed if we want to accept the adventure. This process will take about 2 weeks as well. Both the triad and the Circle representative will have to give their consent, before the author should proceed.

Once the author has received the go-ahead, he or she can start working on the details. The actual scenario can deviate a bit from the previous summary as long as it is done with the consent of the Triad. The summary is not a text set in stone. It is a tool to help prevent trouble before they happen. After all, it is a lot easier to change the main villain at the start of the writing process then at the end. The author should try to send in the scenario within reasonable time if he wants to be sure the scenario will be used. We are limited to 8 rounds per year and no matter how cool your idea was, we prefer to fill all 8 slots. When the complete version is finished, the scenario will once again be read through and edited by the local triad. This edited version will be send back to the author and if he accepts it, it will be forwarded to the Circle for a final editing. From the moment the complete version has been send in to the Circle to the premiering date an author should count on at maximum 3 months. Within Sunndi an event can premier at anything but home games.

On one final note, do not be afraid to ask for help from the Triad.