Thread by @DropTheDie

When you're writing an adventure for #dnd5e, try present the quest/job/bounty in the following order.

Tagline
Reward
Guidelines
Description/Background
Action
Conclusion

Tagline: "The gargoyles have come to life!"
Reward: "For each of the creatures you slay, I offer 80 gold pieces. If you find my missing men, I'll double the reward."
Guidelines: "Their roosts is irreplaceable. If damage comes to the repaired church, you'll answer to the Duchess."

Description/Background: "One of my men, Salfax, saw the creatures coming to life with his own eyes. There was no enchantment, no mage casting spells, just a stroke of lightning that hit the church. A moment later, death descended on the town."

Action: 3d4 gargoyles swoop out and collect any living creature they find, bringing them back to the church's bell tower. 2d4 commoners, 1d4 guards, and 8d8 animals are gathered. At midnight, lightning strikes the tower, creating a flesh golem with HP= to all the creatures inside

Conclusion: If the church is empty at midnight when lightning strikes, the bell, recently REPAIRED, splits again and is rendered inert. Otherwise, the gargoyles and flesh golem remove the bell and flee into the near-by wood, where they repeat the ritual at the next thunderstorm.

"Why that order"
If you withhold the reward till last, the party wont expect it or care, just a windfall.
If the guidelines are withheld, your players will feel cheated to be punished/chastised for something they didn't know.
If the action is first, nothing else feels natural...

why would you stop fighting to hear about what happened the night before or the church's renovations?

If the conclusion is ignored, the encounter feels awkwardly disconnected from the world and the players' actions.

all things have their place. Just give it a shot!

and yes, i see all the typos and such - it's been a day.