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The 20th Hunger Games (Preview) – D&D One shot


    In this Dungeons & Dragons one shot adventure the players enter the world of the “Hunger Games”. The players are Tributes from District 7 who will be competing in the 20th annual Hunger Games.

    What do you need to know about Hunger Games?

    Knowledge of the Hunger Games universe is not required but does gives colour to the world through references to known locations and characters.

    What do you need to know about Dungeons & Dragons?

    You or part of your group need a base understanding of the game and one needs to be able to be the Dungeon Master.

    Available character options

    All player characters are (human) children between the ages of 12 and 18. For this adventure to fit into the narrative of the Hunger Games the PC classes are not able to cast spells or use any form of magic or Ki. Therefore the recommended classes are: Barbarian, Fighter, Ranger and Rogue.

    The provided clothing during the Hunger Games give each player an AC of 10 + Dexterity modifier. They start without any further equipment and their max HP has a -2 per level because of their age.

    This adventure is recommended to be played with 3 to 6 players and can be balanced by scaling their levels up or down between levels 6 (with 3 players) and level 3 (with 6 players).

    Tips for getting started

    This one shot covers a lot that might happen during this adventure and goes into detail of how the locations the players come across look and feel. Despite that, players tent to do stuff, meet people and go to places they are not supposed to go. It is your job as the Dungeon Master to fill in gaps where necessary and steer them back towards the main plot.

    Text in boxes can be read out loud to the players when the conditions above them are met.

    In this world called Panem exists a strong hierarchy. The people in the 12 districts work hard to provide the Capital with resources and they barely get by. The people in the Capital live a life of luxury. This divide is protected by an army of Peacekeepers. The rest of the world is a undiscovered wildernis. Keep this into account when adding or editing NPC’s and locations.

    This adventure uses a lot of randomisation by use of encounter tables. You as the DM can choose to re-roll doubles, edit the number of enemies or add extra options to the tables. This way you can make this one shot your own and create replayability.

    Tip: Turn on Hunger Games style background music.

    Enjoying this preview?

    This Hunger Games D&D one shot package includes printable documents of:
    – An easy access, print ready version of the adventure
    – Miniatures of the playable characters, NPC’s and enemies
    – 5 battlemaps
    – A blueprint map of the arena
    – Printable tables to keep track of exhaustion, time and remaining teams
    All enemy stats, available items and any further mechanics of this one-shot are available in the product.

    It wasn’t long after graduating college that the future President Snow became in charge of organising the Hunger Games. Especially in the early years he tried a lot of different tactics to make the games more entertaining to watch, more exciting to bet on and more horrible for the Tributes. There were successful years and some failures, but all of them were neatly documented and lessons were learned. All of them can be rewatched and openly discussed all throughout Panem, except for the 20th Hunger Games. The idea was simple, teams of various sizes of Tributes would participate as a team. However, the large amount of Tributes made it confusing and less entertaining to watch, the varying team sizes took the excitement out of betting, and the teamwork gave the Tributes hope. Mister Snow learned that year that the Tributes and their districts should not be getting hope. This is the story of what happened..

    At the day of the Reaping for the 20th annual Hunger Games you all gathered in front of the City hall of District 7. On a normal day you would chop down trees or work in the lumber yards but today all the children between the ages of 12 and 18 were required to be present for the Reaping. The moment drew closer and everyone around you became more and more anxious. Then a silver haired girl of no older than 20, dressed in a purple three-piece suit, stepped onto the stage with notecards in hand. With a cheery voice she says: “Hello and welcome all. My name is Laelia Collins and this year I am the lucky representative of the Capitol here to announce the Tributes from your lovely District 7. This year the rules will be a little different. Instead of 1 girl and 1 boy from each district, there will be rolled a six-sided die for the amount of Tributes. Those chosen are to participate in the Games as a team.” With that she picked up a small die and rolled it on the little table on which she had her notecards. The rolling die was projected on a large screen behind her. It spun for a moment before landing on a [number of players]. A shock went through the crowd. Then Laelia put her hand in a large glass bowl and pulled out slip after slip until she had called out each of your names.
    What are each of your names? Does any of you know the others? And what does the crowd see as you are being motioned towards the stage?

    Once you are all on the stage Laelia closes the gathering by saying “Give your tributes an applause. Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor”. Then she walks off stage and gets in the waiting train. The surrounding Peacekeepers herd you into the train as well and the doors close between you and your hometown. You find yourself in a expensive looking train cart with polished panelled walls, mahogany tables and a variety of foods and refreshments.

    The players have the time to introduce themselves to each other and discuss what they plan to do. The doors and windows are locked.

    When the players are done talking
    Suddenly the door bursts open and Laelia, now wearing a purple cocktail dress, walks in and sits down saying “I sure hope you didn’t wait for me, you are going to need te strengthen up if we want to win. Let me reintroduce myself, my name is Laelia Collins and I am a senior at the Academy which means I get the honor of Mentoring you. Tell me, what does each of you bring to the table? Any special skills that might help us win this thing?

    Laelia Collins

    Laelia is a smart and happy 18 year old. She will be greatly rewarded with job opportunities and prizes if her tributes do well, especially if they win. She has grown up a single child in a wealthy family, but she isn’t very close to her parents. She will do whatever she can to help her tributes win.

    After introductions
    “Very well, I see we have a strong team here. Follow me please.”. After that she leads you down the hall, past each of your sleeping quarters and into a small, dusty closet of cleaning supplies. “Close the door behind you please.”.
    After entering the closet
    In the closet Laelia whispers “Please be quiet. What I am about to show you might just help us win”. After that she unfolds a blue piece of paper with what looks like a circular map on it. In the center there is a large circle labelled “The Crater”. On the East side is a large, bordered space labelled “The Woods”. The rest of the map is filled with tiny squares and two larger ones which must represent buildings. On the South side a building labelled “The Factory” and on the North side is a cross shaped building labelled “The Church”. The rest of the tiny squares are collectively labelled “The Village”. On the top it says in bold letter: “20th Hunger games arena – Location: Atomic Bomb test site”. “I stole this map, if they catch us now, or if any of you talk about this afterwards it will certainly cost us all our heads. Memorize it and never mention it or the locations on it by name. I don’t know what a Church is, but does any of you have a question?”.
    After answering any questions
    After confirming there are no more questions she takes out some matches, strikes one and burns the blueprint until nothing remains. After that she steps outside and walks back to the dining cart. “Now that I have shown you your sleeping quarters we can get started on your training plans. Before going into the arena you have two days to train a particular skill that might be useful. You’ll get the most effect if you choose one training type each. You can choose to train Survival for recognizing edible plants, Stealth, Medicine, Athletics and Acrobatics. What will each of you focus on?”

    Training
    They can spend two days training and gain +5 to one skill or choose two skills and gain +2 in each.

    After a day in the train you enter the Capitol. You first see its shiny, tall buildings, when pulling into the station you see its colorful people, dressed in the most impractical garb. After that you are transported to a tall black tower in which you have your own floor. You spend your days training, sleeping and eating until it is time to go to the arena. Before you go Laelia gives you a last piece of advice, “In the arena you need to keep your strength up. Eat at least one portion and try to get some sleep every day or you only make it difficult on yourself.”

    Explanation: Exhaustion

    Stats, items and further mechanics are available in the full one-shot.

    Explanation: Improvised weapons

    Stats, items and further mechanics are available in the full one-shot.


    As a group you are put into a large cage inside a hovercraft. Each of you gets a chip implant in their neck and after about two hours of flying the floor opens and your cage gets lowered into a huge crater. All around you you see 11 other cages getting lowered around the center of the crater. Between all of the cages there are about 15 closed boxes of different sizes, spread out on the ground. Suddenly you hear “3.. 2.. 1..” followed by an enormous BOOM and the cages fall open on all sides. What do you do?

    Enjoying this preview?

    This Hunger Games D&D one shot package includes printable documents of:
    – An easy access, print ready version of the adventure
    – Miniatures of the playable characters, NPC’s and enemies
    – 5 battlemaps
    – A blueprint map of the arena
    – Printable tables to keep track of exhaustion, time and remaining teams
    All enemy stats, available items and any further mechanics of this one-shot are available in the product.

    It takes two people to open a box. The players can spend one round opening boxes and leave without entering combat. After that they see other teams approach them with weapons drawn. If they spend another round opening boxes they enter combat with two other teams and have to roll initiative for the crater fight. Roll 2D6 for the sizes of the other teams and take that many “Enemy tribute character sheets” (available in the product). Both these teams try to fight the PC’s and each other.

    Crater boxes (D4)

    Items, stats and further mechanics are available in the full one-shot.

    If they leave the crater without fighting
    You walk away from the boxes and after a couple of minutes you exit the crater and hear 3 canon shots, signaling the death of 3 teams. The games have begun and there are 8 opposing teams left.
    If they flee from the crater fight
    You walk away from the two teams and after a couple of minutes you exit the crater and hear 3 canon shots, signaling the death of 3 teams. The games have begun and there are 8 opposing teams left.
    If they win the crater fight
    The last opponent falls and you are left alone in the crater. Around you lay the weapons of your opponents and 6 unopened boxes. After a few seconds you hear 4 canon shots, signaling the death of 4 teams. The games have begun and there are 7 opposing teams left.
    You step out of the crater and every 4 in-game hours you need to choose as a group what you are doing the following 4 hours. You can choose to spend those hours to travel through an area to reach the next, you can rest in an area or you can explore that area. Where do you go?
    Use the location descriptions when applicable and roll on the different tables, depending on location and activity, to find out what happens in those 4 hours. Keep doing this until only three teams are left including theirs.
    Location: Forest
    You step into the woods and only see trees, as far as you can see. Your surroundings seem serene as sunlight/moonlight streams through the leaves and you hear nothing but the trees rustling in the wind.
    Location: Village
    All around you are broken down houses, ruble and cracked pavement. This once must have been a quaint little village with perfect brick houses along neatly paved streets. Now there is not a single wall still standing.
    Location: Church
    Nearing the building labeled as “Church” on the map you see a towering building, the purpose of which you do not know. The dark brick walls are overgrown with ivy and you see windows, made up of colorful panes of glass. Stepping inside you find yourself in a cavernous hall, supported by four columns. The walls seem stripped clean and on two walls and the floor you see the emblem of the Capitol. The only light comes from the sun/moon coming through the colorful glass mosaics.

    The moment you step inside you see that [number of PC’s] little loaves of bread fall from the ceiling onto the Capitol emblem on the ground.

    When they go inside
    Roll 1D4. On a 1 or 2 the PC’s are followed inside by an opposing team of 1D6 tributes. All of them draw their weapons. Pick for each of them a “Enemy tribute character sheet” (available in the product).

    If they stay for a consecutive round
    The floor suddenly starts to shake violently, throwing you against the walls, floor and each other. Everyone make a Dexterity Saving Throw. (DC 12, 12 (2d8+3) bludgeoning damage on fail or half on success)
    Location: Factory
    This huge, stately building has seen better days. Although the gray, towering walls are still standing, the roof is completely gone. Stepping inside you see that the entire building is one large room. Its only feature is a raised walkway, starting at both sides of the door and ending in a platform at the other end. On this platform you see a large, closed vault with a red light on it. On the ground of the room you see 8, lit-up, red-bordered squares among the floor tiles. Unsuccessfully investigating the vault is an opposing team of 5 tributes. When they see you walking in they draw their weapons and one of them shouts: “Do you want what is in here? Come and get it!”
    Pick for each of them a “Enemy tribute character sheet” (available in the product). To open the vault, living tributes needs to stand on all of the red-bordered squares at the same time. In the vault are 10 food rations, 3 weapons and 5 pieces of armor. Roll 3 times on the Weapon table (available in the product) for 3 the weapons with the +5 attribute and roll 5 times on the Armor table (available in the product).

    When they later come back here
    Roll 1D4. On a 1 or 2 the PC’s are followed inside by an opposing team of 1D6 tributes. All of them draw their weapons. Pick for each of them a “Enemy tribute character sheet” (available in the product).

    If they stay for a consecutive round
    The temperature suddenly rises to 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit). Make a Constitution Saving Throw. (DC 10, +1 level exhaustion on fail)

    Enjoying this preview?

    This Hunger Games D&D one shot package includes printable documents of:
    – An easy access, print ready version of the adventure
    – Miniatures of the playable characters, NPC’s and enemies
    – 5 battlemaps
    – A blueprint map of the arena
    – Printable tables to keep track of exhaustion, time and remaining teams
    All enemy stats, available items and any further mechanics of this one-shot are available in the product.

    Location: Border line
    Walking towards where you assume the edge of arena to be you see a bright red line of paint going over everything in it’s path.
    If someone steps over the border line
    You hear a voice emanating from the chip in you neck saying “Out of bounds. Elimination in 5.. 4.. 3.. 2.. 1..”
    If they don’t step back over the border line
    After that your teammates hear a BANG and see your headless body fall to the ground.

    Forest travel and exploration encounter table (D20)

    Stats, items and further mechanics are available in the full one-shot.

    Forest rest encounter table (D12)

    (for during sleeping, resting, cooking, etc.)
    Stats, items and further mechanics are available in the full one-shot.


    Village travel and exploration encounter table (D20)

    Stats, items and further mechanics are available in the full one-shot.

    Village rest encounter table (D12)

    (for during sleeping, resting, cooking, etc.)
    Stats, items and further mechanics are available in the full one-shot.


    When only 3 teams are left (including theirs)
    First you hear another canon blast. After that you hear a mans voice announce “Congratulations! You are one of the 3 remaining teams, but you have not yet won. For the final confrontation the battlefield will be limited to only the crater in which you started. Get there within the next 8 hours or face the consequences.”
    If they don’t reach the crater after 4 hours
    You hear a voice emanating from the chip in your necks saying. “You have 4 hours to reach the crater or you will be terminated.”
    If they don’t reach the crater after 8 hours
    You hear a voice emanating from the chip in your necks saying. “Out of bounds. Elimination in 5.. 4.. 3.. 2.. 1..”
    If they don’t step into the crater
    After the countdown the people all over Panem see on their television how your headless bodies fall to the ground and the team from District 7 is eliminated.
    When they step into the crater
    As you step into the crater you see that a team of 5 tributes is standing in the middle of the crater waiting for you. An other team of 4 tributes steps into the crater at the other end. Roll for initiative.
    When they are the last team alive
    First you hear the last canon blast, signaling the end of this years Hunger Games. After that you hear the announcer yell “This years victors are the tributes from District 7!” while a hovercraft lands beside you, it’s back opens and Laelia and [number of players] heavily armored Peacekeepers with drawn guns step out. Laelia approaches you first and in a soft voice she says “Congratulations, I knew we could do it, but we need to be quick. There is a lot of unrest because of your performance. Your show of cooperation, perseverance and the fact that this is the first year that there is more than one victor is sparking a rebellion in the districts. Snow wants to silence it by executing you. They sent me to bind your hands and feet for the televised execution, but I’m here to help”. As she is talking she uses a sort of plastic pistol to remove the chips from your necks and she loosely winds some rope around your wrists and ankles. “Please trust me and don’t do anything until you get my signal. I helped you to become the victors and I will help you survive”. After she walks away you see a camera crew get out of the hovercraft and set up while the Peacekeepers take position. They stay like this for about 5 minutes before they all load their guns and take aim. You are sure they are about to fire when a huge explosion goes off behind them, just beyond the crater’s edge, which they all turn towards. What do you do?

    They can either attack the Peacekeepers and then flee or try to escape during the confusion. It takes the PC’s two turns of movement with Dash actions to escape.

    Peacekeeper stat sheet

    Stats, items and further mechanics are available in the full one-shot.

    When they have escaped
    And so the 20th Hunger Games ends with you stepping over the border line of the arena. You step into the wilderness and, although you don’t know it yet, towards the ruins of District 13 where your role in the rebellion has not yet ended. Although the Districts are still under thumb of the Capitol, your actions have sparked a rebellion that will lead to it’s downfall. Maybe not now, and maybe not for another 55 years, but the oppressed can never be completely silenced.

    Enjoying this preview?

    This Hunger Games D&D one shot package includes printable documents of:
    – An easy access, print ready version of the adventure
    – Miniatures of the playable characters, NPC’s and enemies
    – 5 battlemaps
    – A blueprint map of the arena
    – Printable tables to keep track of exhaustion, time and remaining teams
    All enemy stats, available items and any further mechanics of this one-shot are available in the product.

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