valadil
2010-08-24, 02:21 PM
So I've sent my PCs to the Underdark. I read up on the subject and I'm trying to focus on the feel of the place. I want it to be more than just another dungeon. So far the encounters have been meaner and the sociable NPCs have been jerkier, but other than that it doesn't seem that special.
What I want to focus on is the effect it has on the players. The UD book described how it alters the adventurers moods. Not just because they aren't seeing the sun. Being down there makes you go a little crazy. People hear voices. What I want is to make the players paranoid.
The question is how to do this.
What I want to do is pass out delusional notes telling the PCs what they're experiencing. My first thought was to do kind of a reverse skill challenge. As the players spelunk, they make skill checks. Failed checks result in delusions. This mostly makes sense for perception (ie, success means you spot incoming enemies, failure means you imagine the cleric just insulted your mother).
The problem with that is twofold. I don't just want to run a skill challenge where failure is interesting and success is meaningless. I also don't want to run a skill challenge that consists of 12 perception checks.
I also want this to be an ongoing thing. Like, it should be that the players experience intense paranoia between the second and third encounters, and then things go back to happy. I think it needs to be spread out.
Anyway, my plan is to pass out a few notes to each player between other events. I think this will work, but it's pretty uninspired. I worry that the players will see what's going on and ignore the delusions. Like "hey guys, I got deja vu. Let's get to the next combat." I'm trying to make the effects personal, but I'm not sure it's enough. I'm also not confident about my ability to create enough delusions to last until they're out of the Underdark.
So I'm taking suggestions for how exactly to run this. I'm also taking suggestions for delusions to throw at my players. Here's what I've got so far (some are player specific, to try to draw people in. Most are generic because I don't want to deal with 5 stacks of individualized notes):
About PCs
Kreetok took an extra share of rations this morning.
Why does Tarim carry all the loot? He could slip away with all of it and you'd never see your gold again.
Why are you trusting a svirfneblin to guide you? He flat out told you he'd slurp the marrow from your bones given half a chance.
Marad's prayers sounded different this morning. Is he still praying to Torm or to something else?
Crash gave you the smallest serving of rations at lunch today. And at breakfast. What's up with that?
Crash is only pretending to sleep. He’s been staring at you for your whole watch.
Did Selim take a shorter night watch again? He woke you after what felt like very little sleep.
For PCs
Tarim: If Ogallo replaced a party member to get to you, who would he be?
Tarim: What if Shar is the only deity that will have you?
Selim: Why haven't the War Wizards reformed yet? They were dispersed, but casualties weren't so bad that they couldn't recover. Have they forgotten about you?
Selim: Maybe the Drow won’t kill you. They’ll catch you and then you’ll be a slave again.
Kreetok: What if the church of Kelemvor catches the plague from that corpse you dropped off?
Kreetok: Is it possible to delve so deep that when you die your soul can’t reach Kelemvor? The thought makes you shiver.
Marad: Justifiable homicide is one thing, but a murderbox? Torm will not approve.
Marad: Torm doesn’t love you anymore.
Crash: Tarim would fetch a fair price in Akanul. Doppelgangers are rarely captured, let alone put on sale.
Crash: (need one more. this would be easier had he written a backstory)
About Plot
The assassins in the Raven's Bluff Inn knew about you from rumors from Lyrabar. Why didn't you find out who they spoke to?
What if both Luciens are evil? Maybe this whole thing is a setup to keep you underground.
Could Jesse have made it back to his earth mote yet?
If Oswin gave away a murderbox like it was nothing, what horrible devices does he keep for himself?
How much longer can you ignore Thessa?
Underdark
You hear something in the cave behind you.
You hear something in the cave in front of you.
You just passed the same rock formation for the third time. You're going in circles.
How do you know the map is still oriented correctly?
Shouldn't these caves have run out of breathable air by now?
How far will those guards from Tantras go to track you down? They probably haven’t followed you to the Underdark, but what if the rest of Vesperin suspects you of murder?
It’s been a while since you worked towards your the debts in Lyrabar. You doubt they’ve been forgotten.
You experience déjà vu. The next thing somebody says has started the same conversation at least three times before today.
What I want to focus on is the effect it has on the players. The UD book described how it alters the adventurers moods. Not just because they aren't seeing the sun. Being down there makes you go a little crazy. People hear voices. What I want is to make the players paranoid.
The question is how to do this.
What I want to do is pass out delusional notes telling the PCs what they're experiencing. My first thought was to do kind of a reverse skill challenge. As the players spelunk, they make skill checks. Failed checks result in delusions. This mostly makes sense for perception (ie, success means you spot incoming enemies, failure means you imagine the cleric just insulted your mother).
The problem with that is twofold. I don't just want to run a skill challenge where failure is interesting and success is meaningless. I also don't want to run a skill challenge that consists of 12 perception checks.
I also want this to be an ongoing thing. Like, it should be that the players experience intense paranoia between the second and third encounters, and then things go back to happy. I think it needs to be spread out.
Anyway, my plan is to pass out a few notes to each player between other events. I think this will work, but it's pretty uninspired. I worry that the players will see what's going on and ignore the delusions. Like "hey guys, I got deja vu. Let's get to the next combat." I'm trying to make the effects personal, but I'm not sure it's enough. I'm also not confident about my ability to create enough delusions to last until they're out of the Underdark.
So I'm taking suggestions for how exactly to run this. I'm also taking suggestions for delusions to throw at my players. Here's what I've got so far (some are player specific, to try to draw people in. Most are generic because I don't want to deal with 5 stacks of individualized notes):
About PCs
Kreetok took an extra share of rations this morning.
Why does Tarim carry all the loot? He could slip away with all of it and you'd never see your gold again.
Why are you trusting a svirfneblin to guide you? He flat out told you he'd slurp the marrow from your bones given half a chance.
Marad's prayers sounded different this morning. Is he still praying to Torm or to something else?
Crash gave you the smallest serving of rations at lunch today. And at breakfast. What's up with that?
Crash is only pretending to sleep. He’s been staring at you for your whole watch.
Did Selim take a shorter night watch again? He woke you after what felt like very little sleep.
For PCs
Tarim: If Ogallo replaced a party member to get to you, who would he be?
Tarim: What if Shar is the only deity that will have you?
Selim: Why haven't the War Wizards reformed yet? They were dispersed, but casualties weren't so bad that they couldn't recover. Have they forgotten about you?
Selim: Maybe the Drow won’t kill you. They’ll catch you and then you’ll be a slave again.
Kreetok: What if the church of Kelemvor catches the plague from that corpse you dropped off?
Kreetok: Is it possible to delve so deep that when you die your soul can’t reach Kelemvor? The thought makes you shiver.
Marad: Justifiable homicide is one thing, but a murderbox? Torm will not approve.
Marad: Torm doesn’t love you anymore.
Crash: Tarim would fetch a fair price in Akanul. Doppelgangers are rarely captured, let alone put on sale.
Crash: (need one more. this would be easier had he written a backstory)
About Plot
The assassins in the Raven's Bluff Inn knew about you from rumors from Lyrabar. Why didn't you find out who they spoke to?
What if both Luciens are evil? Maybe this whole thing is a setup to keep you underground.
Could Jesse have made it back to his earth mote yet?
If Oswin gave away a murderbox like it was nothing, what horrible devices does he keep for himself?
How much longer can you ignore Thessa?
Underdark
You hear something in the cave behind you.
You hear something in the cave in front of you.
You just passed the same rock formation for the third time. You're going in circles.
How do you know the map is still oriented correctly?
Shouldn't these caves have run out of breathable air by now?
How far will those guards from Tantras go to track you down? They probably haven’t followed you to the Underdark, but what if the rest of Vesperin suspects you of murder?
It’s been a while since you worked towards your the debts in Lyrabar. You doubt they’ve been forgotten.
You experience déjà vu. The next thing somebody says has started the same conversation at least three times before today.