Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Positronica 11-19-07, 12:29 PM	I need some creative help for something in a campaign I'm running. Not to go into too much detail, but in the homebrew world I'm running, if a character dies, they don't go to the typical afterlife; instead they go to a sort of limbo. Once at this "limbo", I want to give a deceased character an opportunity to prove his worth and thus earn a second chance at life. What I have in mind is three tests that the character will have to undertake... They would be a test of strength, a test of the mind, and a test of the heart. The test of strength would involve having the character fight an enemy that was tailored to take advantage of the specific character's weaknesses, while at the same time being vulnerable to that character's strengths, thus forcing the player to examine and evaluate exactly what his own character's strengths and weaknesses are. A character who was too afraid of his own weaknesses and tried to run away would fail the test, as would one who stood and fought but failed to put his innate strengths to use. The test of the mind would involve giving the player a fantasy based riddle of some sort to solve. Since all the players in my campaign except for one are playing elves, I'd like to come up with a riddle that has a bit of elvish flavor to it. Ideally the answer to the riddle would be something that's more universal to life rather than specific. The test of the heart would involve placing the character into a situation where they have to make a difficult moral decision. Ideally the proper choice to make would not be immediately obvious, but would also not be ambiguous. Again, since most of my players are playing elves, and since it will most likely be an aspect of Corellon Larethian that is administering the test, the solution should be something the emphasizes the principles of chaotic-good. I think I'll be able to handle coming up with enemies for the first test myself, but I'm having some trouble coming up with good riddles and moral situations for the second and third tests. So, does anyone have any good ideas for riddles that they think would work in the second test, and does anyone have any ideas for a morality situation that they think would work in the third test?
Anuvrix 11-19-07, 01:19 PM	For the 3rd test, you could have them come upon a group of people fighting, the people are locked ina vicious battle, eaxh with their own reasons. One gorup approaches the dead guy, and pleads for help, saying that the other side attacked them and that they are but humble townsfolk. The other side is severely underpowered, but still keps fighting. They are in fact not good, but not all of them are evil. One the battlefield the pc encouunters a fighting force of men women children and elderly. The pc must decide to fight the innocent children and old people, or wipe out a people who are only defending their homes. Tough choice.
korcheck 11-19-07, 02:16 PM	Again this idea would work for the third test this is only a scetchy idea that you can fill in on your own: 2 people are struggling when the Pc comes along they ask the Pc For help and he/she suddenly realizes that he/she is wearing a constables uniform this is a classic case of one poor man trying to feed his family and the other man a wealthy merchant trying to protect his goods and wares from a thief. The Pc must decide who to help or to try to help both (perhaps the right answer would be to have the thief agree to work for the meal rather than just straight out stealing it.)
Positronica 11-19-07, 03:09 PM	Thanks for the replies so far. As for the riddle in test #2, here's my idea so far. I don't think the riddle is overly hard, but its not super easy either, plus the answer is something universal. Anyways, here's the riddle... Since the beginning all things have I devoured: The birds, the beasts, the trees, and the flowers; I gnaw iron, I bite steel; as I relentlessly grind hard stones to meal; Without pity I slay kings, without malice I ruin towns; Unseen, I beat high mountains down. What am I? highlight below for the answer. The answer is "TIME".
PenderGrass 11-19-07, 03:27 PM	Riddles: There are many online riddle sites. Try Google, or your favorite search method. Riddle - variation: Instead of coming up with a riddle, per se, try giving them a test that is related specifically to their class. If they are a wizard, test their arcane knowledge by having them transfer 100 scrolls of spells they don't know. If they are a cleric, have them recite the most important prayers of their god. If they are a fighter, have them plan a battle. Each of these would involve either a skill check or a base intelligence check. This enables the players to rely on their character sheet instead of their own ability to solve the problem - after all, the test is happening in-game, not out-of-game, right? Moral Test: Build this in the same way as the variant above. If they are a CG ranger, place a wolf attacking a young fawn in their path. Make the obvious answer, saving the fawn, the wrong answer. Why? The fawn is sickly and would never have grown strong - by saving it, the ranger has just condemned the wolves to death by starvation. The ranger would know this if instead of jumping immediately into the fray, he observes for the first round using his survival skill. Expand the situation out to meet each individual's ability and class. :dragon: *****