Bummer... [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

Bummer... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Arganis
04-19-06, 01:38 PM Have a story about a character who tried something and just didn't pull it off?

Here's one:

The party comes to a narrow, shallow ravine that would require frustrating effort to cross on foot. There is a large, felled tree that spans the ravine--the tree has clearly been there for some time, as moss and vines completely cover it. Hanging from the middle of the trunk, suspended in the air 30 feet above the rushing stream, a completely decayed skeleton is tangled.

The fighter examines the tree... it is sturdy. The cleric casts detect magic and levels it at the skeleton. There is magic there, it is light, and located on or in the skeleton's hand. One by one the party refuses to try and get it. All except the grubby-handed rogue, Bob. Since Goldbrow "found" the ring, and Bob will go get it, the two agree to distribute the treasure between them.

Bob ties a rope to the nearest upright tree and lashes the other end around his waist. Then, he scurries out onto the tree. I roll his spot check secretly, and he notices a second skeleton, this one completely overgrown in moss and vines on the upper side of the tree. He fails to notice the creature that killed the two long ago. Meanwhile, the fighter bets the druid 5gp that Bob dies.

Bob fails his first climb check, but not by much, so he does little more than situate himself in preparation to descend.

The Assassin Vine right next to him attacks, successfully, and initiates a grapple, also successfully. In the following rounds, the party begins pelting the vine with arrows and magic missiles, and Bob is constricted to within inches of his life.

Bob reaches 1hp and the vine is killed before it can move again. Bob fails a reflex save to grab onto other vines, and the skeleton falls into the river. Bob takes 7 subdual damage, knocking him unconscious, as he swings by his attached rope into the side of the ravine.

He climbs down the side of the ravine and searches the river for the skeleton's hand. He fails his search roll, and the hand is lost to the current.

Bummer, Bob.
Illion the Red
04-19-06, 01:44 PM Indeed that is a bummer for poor old Bob. Perhaps Bob will be fishing in that self-same river at a later date and catch a large fish with the most curious stomach contents...
Krug_the_smasher
04-19-06, 01:49 PM Well, hehe this one is funny.

The party was adventuring down a tunnel and they came to a split. One went down, and the other went left. After doing the old 'spin the pencil' routine, it was decided to go down. So, since they knew there were Drow below them, the Drow Sorcerer went first and tried to climb down. He rolled his climb check, and failed. By rolling a 1. Next, he rolled a reflex save, also rolling a 1. So, he hurtled down the tunnel, bouncing off that walls, and eventually was knocked unconcious. The tunnel went for about 400 feet down, then a couple hundred feet sloped down, and finally dropped into a cavern and fell another 200 feet, hitting the rock bottom of the cavern. Which was filled with about 20 drow warriors, which saw him, and attacked. Lets just say he was coup-de-grace'd by 8 times, after taking about 60d6 falling damage. He was a level 1 sorcerer with 6 HP. lets just say he died.
Arganis
04-19-06, 02:33 PM Perhaps Bob will be fishing in that self-same river at a later date and catch a large fish with the most curious stomach contents...

I am still half-considering going to him privately and asking for a slight-of-hand roll for him to have gotten the ring while the rest of the party thought he lost it.

However, despite how the party let him get in over his head, he's not exactly karmicly due.

So, he hurtled down the tunnel, bouncing off that walls, and eventually was knocked unconcious. The tunnel went for about 400 feet down, then a couple hundred feet sloped down, and finally dropped into a cavern and fell another 200 feet, hitting the rock bottom of the cavern. Which was filled with about 20 drow warriors, which saw him, and attacked. Lets just say he was coup-de-grace'd by 8 times, after taking about 60d6 falling damage. He was a level 1 sorcerer with 6 HP. lets just say he died.

Dear lord man. Makes me miss the days when I allowed critical failures on skill checks.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Arganis 04-19-06, 01:38 PM	Have a story about a character who tried something and just didn't pull it off? Here's one: The party comes to a narrow, shallow ravine that would require frustrating effort to cross on foot. There is a large, felled tree that spans the ravine--the tree has clearly been there for some time, as moss and vines completely cover it. Hanging from the middle of the trunk, suspended in the air 30 feet above the rushing stream, a completely decayed skeleton is tangled. The fighter examines the tree... it is sturdy. The cleric casts detect magic and levels it at the skeleton. There is magic there, it is light, and located on or in the skeleton's hand. One by one the party refuses to try and get it. All except the grubby-handed rogue, Bob. Since Goldbrow "found" the ring, and Bob will go get it, the two agree to distribute the treasure between them. Bob ties a rope to the nearest upright tree and lashes the other end around his waist. Then, he scurries out onto the tree. I roll his spot check secretly, and he notices a second skeleton, this one completely overgrown in moss and vines on the upper side of the tree. He fails to notice the creature that killed the two long ago. Meanwhile, the fighter bets the druid 5gp that Bob dies. Bob fails his first climb check, but not by much, so he does little more than situate himself in preparation to descend. The Assassin Vine right next to him attacks, successfully, and initiates a grapple, also successfully. In the following rounds, the party begins pelting the vine with arrows and magic missiles, and Bob is constricted to within inches of his life. Bob reaches 1hp and the vine is killed before it can move again. Bob fails a reflex save to grab onto other vines, and the skeleton falls into the river. Bob takes 7 subdual damage, knocking him unconscious, as he swings by his attached rope into the side of the ravine. He climbs down the side of the ravine and searches the river for the skeleton's hand. He fails his search roll, and the hand is lost to the current. Bummer, Bob.
Illion the Red 04-19-06, 01:44 PM	Indeed that is a bummer for poor old Bob. Perhaps Bob will be fishing in that self-same river at a later date and catch a large fish with the most curious stomach contents...
Krug_the_smasher 04-19-06, 01:49 PM	Well, hehe this one is funny. The party was adventuring down a tunnel and they came to a split. One went down, and the other went left. After doing the old 'spin the pencil' routine, it was decided to go down. So, since they knew there were Drow below them, the Drow Sorcerer went first and tried to climb down. He rolled his climb check, and failed. By rolling a 1. Next, he rolled a reflex save, also rolling a 1. So, he hurtled down the tunnel, bouncing off that walls, and eventually was knocked unconcious. The tunnel went for about 400 feet down, then a couple hundred feet sloped down, and finally dropped into a cavern and fell another 200 feet, hitting the rock bottom of the cavern. Which was filled with about 20 drow warriors, which saw him, and attacked. Lets just say he was coup-de-grace'd by 8 times, after taking about 60d6 falling damage. He was a level 1 sorcerer with 6 HP. lets just say he died.
Arganis 04-19-06, 02:33 PM	Perhaps Bob will be fishing in that self-same river at a later date and catch a large fish with the most curious stomach contents... I am still half-considering going to him privately and asking for a slight-of-hand roll for him to have gotten the ring while the rest of the party thought he lost it. However, despite how the party let him get in over his head, he's not exactly karmicly due. So, he hurtled down the tunnel, bouncing off that walls, and eventually was knocked unconcious. The tunnel went for about 400 feet down, then a couple hundred feet sloped down, and finally dropped into a cavern and fell another 200 feet, hitting the rock bottom of the cavern. Which was filled with about 20 drow warriors, which saw him, and attacked. Lets just say he was coup-de-grace'd by 8 times, after taking about 60d6 falling damage. He was a level 1 sorcerer with 6 HP. lets just say he died. Dear lord man. Makes me miss the days when I allowed critical failures on skill checks.