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Adindra
2011-09-27, 07:54 AM
I'm putting my players through a High Court of the Fey and while it is in 3.5 because they are Fey they can do essentially anything to pull tricks on others so i was wondering?

Given the opportunity to play pranks on your players what would you do? (not just in my situation but in general as well :smallsmile:)

gkathellar
2011-09-27, 08:15 AM
I don't have much for "fairy" pranks, but off the top of my head ...


The Lich's phylactery is a tarnished silver piece the party has been carrying around since day one.
The party slays the power behind the throne only to discover that the king was the power behind the power behind the throne all along.
A ruler hires the party-face to be his vizier, then fires him for a disappointing lack of sinister cackling, assassination plots and interest in the ruler's daughter.

The Random NPC
2011-09-27, 09:00 AM
I'm not sure what I would do in other situations, but if I were fey, I would never lie, but never tell the truth. I would stick to the letter of every agreement, but not the spirit. Try to make deals that seem fair, but after they resolve favors me immensely. Haley had a good example with the worthless rocks in the beginging of the comic. Things like that.

Fouredged Sword
2011-09-27, 10:25 AM
Dangerously Gene Savvy (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DangerouslyGenreSavvy)

walks away whistling....

INDYSTAR188
2011-09-27, 11:00 AM
Illusions! Maybe swarm's of curious pixies that are on the surface super annoying but in actuality gathering information or staying close to the PC's just in case.

Kol Korran
2011-09-27, 11:10 AM
I'm not sure what I would do in other situations, but if I were fey, I would never lie, but never tell the truth. I would stick to the letter of every agreement, but not the spirit. Try to make deals that seem fair, but after they resolve favors me immensely. Haley had a good example with the worthless rocks in the beginging of the comic. Things like that.

that actually sounds like Devils too me. Fey would almost always lie, use illusions, confusions, affect the mind, affect perception, making you douct what is real, what isn't. you can never trust them, they almost all wiggle out of a deal, are capracious, flitting, flirting and whimsy.

the key thing is in my opinion- Fey gain their fun from humiliation, from seeing you suffer. (and if you take the more grim and dark sort of fey in earliermythology, they rarely understand or fully grasp when their victims are hurting, suffering, or even dying. it's all amusement to them, but i guess that's not the OP is asking for)

a few simple ideas:
- there is a fruit/ wine/ something else that the fey promise "will make you feel brand new!" at first it doesn't seem harmful. but the next day you awake, you're of a different gender. (oldie but a goodie!) changing it back can be... troublesome.

- turn one of the players into an animal of some sort.this could be great for a player who has a familiar/ mount/ companion. they go look in a mirror, or go under some gate, and suddenly- they are in each other's body?

- a much nastier version of the above is to have a the character's soul move into some tree? rock? animal that is then given as a present to the "character", while a fey actually takes over the person's body. the fey may know more or less about the persona, in order to play him. pass to the player a note detailing the situation, and ask him/ her to play the character according to your shot notes of the fey persona (which should not be stupid, and keep up the play), and your instructions on further notes. the player also plays his own character (as the animal) by passing you notes, and you describing what the animal does.

You need to pick a good roleplayer, who might also get a kick out of this. (believe me some players do!)

how to avoid player/ character suspicion? by creating a sort of diversion- the fey, after transfering falls to the ground/ complains ofh ead aches, and perhaps his head getting fuzzy, his/ her memory "fuzzy". the "concerned" elves say it must be an effect of the court due to race/ class/ background/ religion/ who cares... the fey gets up, and ask the party forgiveness if he happens to "forget" something, acting a bit ill..

what does the fey want? well, it depends how you portray the fey, how mischevious, how cruel. it might just want to experience of being a humanoid, it might ant to humiliate or complicate the humanoid's life, making it do things it wouldn't do (again, pick a player who's into this!)- coming on to other player characters, making mischief, selling a prized possession, and many many more... or... it could be some agent of the fey court, for more devious plans, but this often leads to long possession, which is unadvised. how long does it stay? most likely, until it either had it's fun, was banished, or it's ruse found out. (it's just no FUN after that!) then it releases the animal. let it fly, run away, and switch places. this could take half a meeting, a meeting or two, but i wouldn't advise more. even the best of players prefer to play their own characters in the end)

- one of the PCs start talking in utter gibberish, not being able to say a damn word. when they write the same thing happens! they have to communicate in pantomime (make this affect actual play- the player can talk only in gibberish. if s/he wants to do something, they write it on paper and pass it to you. if they want to communicate with the others- pantomime. i suggest choosing a player that is creative, and that wouldn't be too frustrated in this, as this partially isolates him/ her from the group.

at your discretion, two more things to consider:
- how does it affect spell casting? (with a vocal component) one way would be to allow mystic words to function regulerily, another would require to make the character make some sort of roll (concentration) to succeed. a failure might mean the spell fizzled, or that he cast an entirely different spell! (or the same spell just with... side effects)

- a variation could be that the fey apologize for the horrible curse, it's something that sometimes happen in the fey world. they will do their best to find a cure ("as soon as we can, promise!") but in the meantime they give a translator- small innocent looking fey spirit, small animal, or perhaps an animated tiny elemental or the like? in any way, make it unaasuming, humble, nonthreatening, desiring only to please.

but still have the player hand you what he wants to say. why? because the translator repeats everything exactly, precisely, without error, including intonation. except of course, for crucial moments... :smallbiggrin: "no, we should not ally with Krogar's troups. i know they assasinated the Lord mayor!", "yes, we accept the deal demon lord", "actually, we're from <enemy organization> and we just infiltrated here..."

take at least two sessions for the translator to build it's credibility and trustworthiness, then start messing about.

- a character inexplicably start falling in love (over some time, take it slow, but not too slow), with someone who is either unattainable, or really inapropriate: the BBEG, or one of his/ her more disgusting underlings. a priest of the opposing faith, one of the fey (who plays on their feeling, toying with their "romance"), or perhaps one of the other PCs? again, choose a player how might like it.

- mess with character's favorite equipment- a spirit, a nasty, annoying, oranksting spirit, comes to inhibit the warrior's favotire sword, the wziard's robe/ spell book, the priest holy symbol and so on. it can go from taunitng, making rude remakrs and being a general jerk, to actually affecting game play, making the character have to "pacify/ deal with the object"- the sword stick to the scabbard, or feels very very heavy until the fighter apologizes for what he said at dinner, or buy a "softer" whetstone, or adorn it with jewels, and so on. the wizard's spell book wants a new cover, preferably from some exotic animals skin! the holy symbol thinks the cleric is lacking... lacking... LACKING! and won'tchannel any spells (or require concentration checks or the like)

- or mess with class features: a cleric connection to his/ her god is damaged, and now he only has access to the fey god domains (and needs to serve his goals or suffer reprecautions), a barbarian rage has a chance to get him into otto's irresistable dance and more.

- the fey may want to make a character closer to nature (especially if s/he offended the court) they make them more wood like... granting them some barkskin, but slower movement, and at least some hours a day it must be exposed to sunlight, and some hours s/he roots and drink water from the ground. the process may be gradual,taking more and more effect. i think mostly fits as punishment, less as a trick. not that funny really.

- the fey make an optical delusion on the person, making it look (and sound an smell0 like something else, often something disgusting. this is a more mellowed down version of the transformation ideas above, which is fun to roleplay, but requires less effort and underhanded work. if the player plays it right, it might even be quite useful.

- another weird idea is to change a character's vision- some things are always invisible to him/her- perhaps organic creatures? (can't see a forest, can't see people just their clothes, weapons and armor, might have problem fighting creatures not having tools) or perhaps they become blind by day? by night? every morning if not singing an AWEFULLY self humiliating song? (and doing a silly dance... must have the dance!) i'm sure you could come up with more ideas.

that's it for now, i'll come back if i have more. good luck!

Mikeavelli
2011-09-27, 11:58 AM
When travelling through fairy lands, give them some instruction from someone who would know about it that they must follow. Then spend a few encounters trying to get them to break that instruction.

Something like:

"You must greet everyone you meet on the way, or the Fairy Prince will be offended."
- Suddenly, Attacked by Trolls!

They still count.

"You must stay on the path, or else you will be lost in the Fairy worlds forever."

- Characters are presented with temptations to run off the path, including illusions of people having exactly what they want. If they run off the path, they can never find it again, and have to adventure lost in fairyland until they get to where they were trying to go in the first place.


[hr]

I was once had a fairy NPC the PC's were asking for help from, she outlined the terms that they'd owe her a favor. One of them said, "Sure" in the context of "Sure, but we're going to need some conditions first."

But, once that first word was out of his mouth, I shouted, "ACCEPTED!" And she disappeared to go do what they were asking her to do.

---


The old "Go into the fairy courts, come back out 30 years later with no warning" is always fun.

Hanuman
2011-09-27, 02:22 PM
Fey represent the trickiness of nature, it's not that their tricks are elaborate it's more of a metaphor.

Fairy rings, the old and true standard. Once you put them on, you can't take them off.

Foods that do all sorts of effects just lying around is another big one.

Shrinking the players to enter the fairy court is a really good touch, have long drawn out periods in-between court sessions where the players can explore the area around them in their tiny bodies, maybe even kidnap one with a rodent mammal or something along those lines. Bandersnatch works.

If you want to continue that path there's a toadstool race and you could always lead that into mario.

Symmys
2011-09-28, 12:34 PM
Fairy rings, the old and true standard. Once you put them on, you can't take them off.

:smallconfused: That's new to me. According to all the folklore I've ever heard, a fairy ring is a circle of mushrooms that grows where fairies have been dancing.

Hanuman
2011-09-28, 12:41 PM
:smallconfused: That's new to me. According to all the folklore I've ever heard, a fairy ring is a circle of mushrooms that grows where fairies have been dancing.
Then you grew up without muds. :smallsmile:

Irish Musician
2011-09-28, 01:26 PM
Playing tricks on your PC's is kind of one of the Golden Rules of being a DM, isn't it? It is all part of the fun, being sneaky, underhanded, and evil!! :smallbiggrin:

Thyrian
2011-09-29, 12:34 AM
-TIP! YOU'RE IT!-
Game of tips with opponents- a sticky ball that will explode in a random number of rounds. The sticky ball is what signifies who's 'in' and passing it to another means you're no longer in (can't tip the butcher back of course -make at least 40% of the faeries on the other teams trained in butchery and the sticky ball will never un-stick from the PC's to them, cause they're butchers) The sticky ball maintains contact with a player at all times and can only be dislodged from touching another player. When the rounds are up the sticky ball explodes turn the loser into CANDY!!!

Emphasize how this is not a malicious game at all and have their Fey opponents be deeply enjoying the game regardless of who loses with the remaining Fey descending with a 'Woot!" to consume the Candy remains of the loser. If the PC's for some reason get angry and try to kill the Fey have the Fey fight back or flee but whatever you have them do have them laughing with utter joy the entire time

-PIN THE TAIL ON THE DONKEY-
The rules and situation can vary essentially if someone manages to pin the tail to you, you turn into a Donkey and the Fey Lords laugh and make bad Donkey related Puns while brand you.

-ARE YOU BRAVE ENOUGH TO PUT YOUR HAND IN THIS BOX!!!-
If they are you cut off their hand- HILARIOUS practical joke, give them Daffodil to make them feel better.

-ILLUSION POWERS-
This one is more drawn out experience with a Fey Lord granting a player powerful magic, waiting for them to come and rely on it and revealing the entire power and its effects were all illusions. You can't coat yourself in Arcane Fire and -yes- that's a real Greater Ice Elemental the Fey Lord just sent charging at you.

Eldan
2011-09-29, 03:52 AM
There are three simple rules*, some of which have been mentioned.

The Truth: Fey never lie. Every word they say is true. That truth will also never be helpful. You can say so much without ever lying. But this works in many ways. If you get a fey to agree to a deal, it will keep it. Word for word, in the worst possible way for you. And the other way round, they can screw you over from your own wording.

Favours: All favours must be repaid. Always, and in both directions. Taking a meal is a favour. Giving a gift is a favour. Offering hospitality might be a favour. Fey operate on a gift economy, true, but not repaying a gift gives them power over you. Be careful not to take a gift by accident or they own you. Of course, what you repay may only seem valuable. And the fey will be honestly disappointed if repaying you a favour by giving you a sack of gold while you die of thirst in the desert doesn't make you happy.

Names: Names are powerful. Knowing a thing's name gives you power over it. A fey will not tell you their name. They will even be careful with titles. Expect powerful fey to have many, many titles and names, and to tell different names to different people. Why? Because if one thing has many names, and if different people use different names for it, each individual name will have less power. Similarly, defining a thing gives you power. What you can understand and predict, you can steer and control.

*Three. Always three. Threes are important.



So, what do fairy pranks involve? Always more than you think. They will offer you things. They will make you agree to apparently simple bargains that spectacularly backfire at the worst moment.