The Boz
2011-10-31, 05:51 PM
I literally ALL my games to date, there has always been an item, NPC or location that is intended as something random, default, generic or improvized, but the players somehow seem to "like" it.
Example:
In a PF game that I'm currently running, in a session last week, the party was trying to make a corrupt businessman talk. They were in his office, which I described in some detail, and he was at his desk. When diplomacy and bluff failed, the barbarian grabbed the flower vase that I mentioned was standing on the desk, hoping to threaten him with crashing it against his skull, or something. He rolled a natural 1, so he just explained his actions as "I pick up the vase, stare at it menacingly, then put it back down."
That night, the party rogue tried to sneak into the office, hoping to get some clues or steal some loot. He, too, rolled a 1 on his stealth check, and I just mentioned how he hears something fall and break (I was not specific, and I didn't mention it). The player immediately assumed it was the vase, and he abandoned the office for fear of being heard.
A few days later (and the next session, this week) they arrange a distraction for the business man in order to plant some evidence in his office. The rogue opens the door and surely enough, there's that vase, on the table, in pieces, with a pot of glue next to it. Naturally, he grabs the vase, plants the evidence and leaves.
Afterwards, the wizard changes his spells to cast Mending on the vase. It is now in the hands of the barbarian, who is carefully trying not to break the vase. Rolling a Reflex save for a trap? Check if the vase is OK. Being knocked down by a half orc barbarian? Check if the vase is OK. Falling from a window ledge? Dear god, no! The vase!
Do you have any similar stories, items or NPCs that you'd care to share?
Example:
In a PF game that I'm currently running, in a session last week, the party was trying to make a corrupt businessman talk. They were in his office, which I described in some detail, and he was at his desk. When diplomacy and bluff failed, the barbarian grabbed the flower vase that I mentioned was standing on the desk, hoping to threaten him with crashing it against his skull, or something. He rolled a natural 1, so he just explained his actions as "I pick up the vase, stare at it menacingly, then put it back down."
That night, the party rogue tried to sneak into the office, hoping to get some clues or steal some loot. He, too, rolled a 1 on his stealth check, and I just mentioned how he hears something fall and break (I was not specific, and I didn't mention it). The player immediately assumed it was the vase, and he abandoned the office for fear of being heard.
A few days later (and the next session, this week) they arrange a distraction for the business man in order to plant some evidence in his office. The rogue opens the door and surely enough, there's that vase, on the table, in pieces, with a pot of glue next to it. Naturally, he grabs the vase, plants the evidence and leaves.
Afterwards, the wizard changes his spells to cast Mending on the vase. It is now in the hands of the barbarian, who is carefully trying not to break the vase. Rolling a Reflex save for a trap? Check if the vase is OK. Being knocked down by a half orc barbarian? Check if the vase is OK. Falling from a window ledge? Dear god, no! The vase!
Do you have any similar stories, items or NPCs that you'd care to share?