"Okay, let the adventure begin. You are in a tavern, owned by a balding man. It's raining outside, and thunder can be heard every so often. Suddenly, a stranger approaches you in a cloak. He says to you 'Hey, I have a quest for you. You interested?..."

This always seems to happen... it gets really REALLY old.

As for the Chaotic Neutral debate... I find Chaotic Naughty, and Chaotic Stupid MUCH more annoying.

Chaotic Naughty: The Chaotic Evil equivalent in a non evil campaign.

Chaotic Stupid: I wonder what THIS does...

or

I found a trap... just how dangerous is it? "I set it off."

Geeeee Gboy--that sounds verrrrry familiar. Morasennarion comes into the local pub, sits down and a strange cloak man comes up to her and says he had a story to tell, and it will only cost an ale and dinner.

ROTFLMAO

Couldn't help myself! It was too much fun!!!

Though I will admit, that's actually the first time I did that.

And technically... she started in the streets, and headed to the pub. The owner isn't old or balding either.

iunno if it was said...but i started A LOT of campaigns with...


your traveling in/around/with/on/ a caravan....

Your group has been traveling for days without seeing anyone and you find a ruined keep/castle/tower/building/manor just as a storm sets in ...

The closeness to the keep/fort/tower/whatever sets off a magical ward that activates a stormy weather. Interesting

Cliches that work are sometimes overworked:

Quest to find the magic sword or armor
(king Arthor, Sword of Isildur aka Aragorn's sword)
Rescue the fair maiden,
Taking the favored class of any given race straight from the phb.

Instead of a elf wizard or dwarf fighter questing for a magic sword to defeat a dragon and save the princess, Why not a Ogre commoner breaking the magic binding of a beautiful forest witch's voice, a voice that could kill the gnomish ruler of an oppressed land. To kill him would bring freedom and the ogre could get his swamp back.

sounds kinda familiar but at least to my knowledge its only been done once. hehehe