Zombimode
2012-12-20, 08:05 AM
Since last session (on Saturday) I find myself constantly reflecting and contemplating what has happend that night - what went wrong, and what I could learn from it for the future - IF there is something to learn.
Rest assured, it was not my most sucessful session: when a player stops participating at a certain point with a frustrated expression on his/her face, one of the goals of the PnP session: that everyone has a good time, was not completely fullfilled.
Backround time!
The campaign and we as a group are very fresh. It was the thrid gaming session and we did not know eachother beforehand. We are using D&D 3.5 with some variant rules including E6, but this only matters in that most of my players are new to the system. I have DMed for 3.5 for a year now, but my DMing history is much longer. So I'm by no means new to the job.
To get the thing going the campaing has a very simple outline: Hilltrolls are gathering an army and are threatening/attacking other comunities, especially a dwarven settelement. Now, the prospect of war is always a tragedy, but the Dwarves could probably handle it. Unfortunately the dwarves never got a chance because the king's warhammer was stolen by another dwarf comunity. The hammer is a symbol of significant importance, both cultural and political. The theft has left the dwarves in disarray, they question the legitimacy of their ruler and if they even should figth against the trolls. In short they have lost their morale.
The giant eagle who stole the hammer was attacked on the flight by other airborne creatures and the hammer fall to the ground - in the depths of the infamous Forest of Doom! (Yes, it is my adaptation of the gamebook.)
The group set out the find and retrieve the hammer. They know that the hammer was found by two Goblins who discovered that it could be separated into two parts. Each took one part and left for different directions.
The adventure is structured as a randomized web of predefined encounters which should dynamically create the setting of the Forest. Within this setting the playes have to do some work to actually find both parts of the hammer, but it is thearetically possible to just stumble upon them by pure chance. This is how they got the first part.
After that they went to the dwarven settlement (I don't know exactly why but I don't argue on such matters - the players are free to do what they want). There they got caught a bit of guard on how hopeless the situation is: the dwarves really have lost all their will to fight. Basically the trolls raid the city of 1000+ dwarves in groups made up of 4-10 trolls - small enough to be easily defeated by an organized defense, but since their is no such thing they are strong enough to crush any opposition.
The, in my view, key event:
The group rested for some days in the town, because one of the PCs suffered from poison (-4 Str), was sucked dry by giant leech (-6 Con) AND suffered from the illness contracted from that leech (for another 8 str damage).
To spice things up and to make a point I improvised a raid of the trolls during that time: 5 trolls equiped with two ladders ran up the town walls, killed the sentry, overcame the wall with their ladders, 4 of the entered the town and broke into a house rampaging.
There were three players present:
A) His character is the one with the massive ability damage. He roleplayed his character since the start of the session feeling really bad, pretty much lying in bed the whole time - which is very in character. He would not fight the troll raid at this piont.
This leaves:
B) His character has some questionable values. In short he doesn't cara much for the dwarves besides their money and is something of a loner. Not my (as a DM) prefered type of character (I prefer cooperative types) its the players choice and he plays him consistently. He would not take large risk to stop this raid.
C) His character calls the dwarven town his home so he has quite the motivation to stop the trolls.
Players B and C went to find the raiding trolls. So, two PCs against 4 trolls. This was not intended as a straight combat encounter. I have dropped here and there that trolls are regared as exceptional fighters, so the PCs were reluctant to attack the trolls.
To give some intra-system perspective all PCs are currently level 3, whereas a typical Hilltroll is a (weak) CR 5 encounter; 3 humanoid hit dice + 3 levels of barbarian on a decent melee chasis (+4 Str, +4 Str, +2 natural armor, medium size + poweful build) to be precise. (Of course, the players don't have this detailed information).
For this reason I described how a single troll stands guard before a broken door to a house where, quite audible other trolls are rampaging and terrorizing the residents. Still, an isolated traget. The PCs decide not to attack.
To make the intimidation complete (and to do something) I let the trolls take a prisoner, a young female dwarf, take her to the plaza, shout some taunts concerning the cowardice of the dwarves and then execute her on the spot. The dwarves were too freigthned to do anything, but this was clear. The PCs did not intervene.
After that, the trolls expressed their contempt and just walked away. Only now player B decided to take the initiative and shot an arrow from behind cover against the trolls. Player C followed suit. While this attack did deal some damage it did not deter the trolls much. They prompted their unseens attackers (again) to come and fight them, but since this request was not answered by the PCs in any way, they just left.
To give some insight to my actions:
This sequence had two goals. First, the prior not really developed threat of the trolls a face and to show the dire situation of the dwarves. Second, to give the PC something to interact with. Of course it was not intended as a normal combat encounter. In fact it could just as well work a a narrated "cut scene" but with options for the characters to intervene. Negociation, bluffing, crafty ways of fighting... Or, espacially during the execution on the town square, simply an act of bravery and compassion (attack).
Now, I'm not disappointed by the lack of action of the PCs. It is completely fine. The point was made.
It is just that after that, player C did not really participated anymore and looked rather frustrated.
Some other information concerning player C: he is the son of player A, and, in relation to us other player, a bit young (about 16 - I'm 26 for that matter).
I think that he wants his character to be a hero, but maybe he wants it to be easy.
Also, his father has related to us others, that player C is in a phase where he wants to prove the world, or his father at least, that he is able. Ie. by having his character deal more damage then his fathers...
If this is true, it could creates its own problems.
To make it short: I don't really know what to do.
Did I made a mistake somewhere?
Should I make some changes to the adventure?
Or should I just proceed as planned and trusting that young people are flexible and that temporary frustrations are just as easily forgotten?
Should I make some (hidden) concessions for his chracters, ie. rebuilding the trolls so they don't have uncanny dodge since his build relies a bit on sneak attack for damage?
Rest assured, it was not my most sucessful session: when a player stops participating at a certain point with a frustrated expression on his/her face, one of the goals of the PnP session: that everyone has a good time, was not completely fullfilled.
Backround time!
The campaign and we as a group are very fresh. It was the thrid gaming session and we did not know eachother beforehand. We are using D&D 3.5 with some variant rules including E6, but this only matters in that most of my players are new to the system. I have DMed for 3.5 for a year now, but my DMing history is much longer. So I'm by no means new to the job.
To get the thing going the campaing has a very simple outline: Hilltrolls are gathering an army and are threatening/attacking other comunities, especially a dwarven settelement. Now, the prospect of war is always a tragedy, but the Dwarves could probably handle it. Unfortunately the dwarves never got a chance because the king's warhammer was stolen by another dwarf comunity. The hammer is a symbol of significant importance, both cultural and political. The theft has left the dwarves in disarray, they question the legitimacy of their ruler and if they even should figth against the trolls. In short they have lost their morale.
The giant eagle who stole the hammer was attacked on the flight by other airborne creatures and the hammer fall to the ground - in the depths of the infamous Forest of Doom! (Yes, it is my adaptation of the gamebook.)
The group set out the find and retrieve the hammer. They know that the hammer was found by two Goblins who discovered that it could be separated into two parts. Each took one part and left for different directions.
The adventure is structured as a randomized web of predefined encounters which should dynamically create the setting of the Forest. Within this setting the playes have to do some work to actually find both parts of the hammer, but it is thearetically possible to just stumble upon them by pure chance. This is how they got the first part.
After that they went to the dwarven settlement (I don't know exactly why but I don't argue on such matters - the players are free to do what they want). There they got caught a bit of guard on how hopeless the situation is: the dwarves really have lost all their will to fight. Basically the trolls raid the city of 1000+ dwarves in groups made up of 4-10 trolls - small enough to be easily defeated by an organized defense, but since their is no such thing they are strong enough to crush any opposition.
The, in my view, key event:
The group rested for some days in the town, because one of the PCs suffered from poison (-4 Str), was sucked dry by giant leech (-6 Con) AND suffered from the illness contracted from that leech (for another 8 str damage).
To spice things up and to make a point I improvised a raid of the trolls during that time: 5 trolls equiped with two ladders ran up the town walls, killed the sentry, overcame the wall with their ladders, 4 of the entered the town and broke into a house rampaging.
There were three players present:
A) His character is the one with the massive ability damage. He roleplayed his character since the start of the session feeling really bad, pretty much lying in bed the whole time - which is very in character. He would not fight the troll raid at this piont.
This leaves:
B) His character has some questionable values. In short he doesn't cara much for the dwarves besides their money and is something of a loner. Not my (as a DM) prefered type of character (I prefer cooperative types) its the players choice and he plays him consistently. He would not take large risk to stop this raid.
C) His character calls the dwarven town his home so he has quite the motivation to stop the trolls.
Players B and C went to find the raiding trolls. So, two PCs against 4 trolls. This was not intended as a straight combat encounter. I have dropped here and there that trolls are regared as exceptional fighters, so the PCs were reluctant to attack the trolls.
To give some intra-system perspective all PCs are currently level 3, whereas a typical Hilltroll is a (weak) CR 5 encounter; 3 humanoid hit dice + 3 levels of barbarian on a decent melee chasis (+4 Str, +4 Str, +2 natural armor, medium size + poweful build) to be precise. (Of course, the players don't have this detailed information).
For this reason I described how a single troll stands guard before a broken door to a house where, quite audible other trolls are rampaging and terrorizing the residents. Still, an isolated traget. The PCs decide not to attack.
To make the intimidation complete (and to do something) I let the trolls take a prisoner, a young female dwarf, take her to the plaza, shout some taunts concerning the cowardice of the dwarves and then execute her on the spot. The dwarves were too freigthned to do anything, but this was clear. The PCs did not intervene.
After that, the trolls expressed their contempt and just walked away. Only now player B decided to take the initiative and shot an arrow from behind cover against the trolls. Player C followed suit. While this attack did deal some damage it did not deter the trolls much. They prompted their unseens attackers (again) to come and fight them, but since this request was not answered by the PCs in any way, they just left.
To give some insight to my actions:
This sequence had two goals. First, the prior not really developed threat of the trolls a face and to show the dire situation of the dwarves. Second, to give the PC something to interact with. Of course it was not intended as a normal combat encounter. In fact it could just as well work a a narrated "cut scene" but with options for the characters to intervene. Negociation, bluffing, crafty ways of fighting... Or, espacially during the execution on the town square, simply an act of bravery and compassion (attack).
Now, I'm not disappointed by the lack of action of the PCs. It is completely fine. The point was made.
It is just that after that, player C did not really participated anymore and looked rather frustrated.
Some other information concerning player C: he is the son of player A, and, in relation to us other player, a bit young (about 16 - I'm 26 for that matter).
I think that he wants his character to be a hero, but maybe he wants it to be easy.
Also, his father has related to us others, that player C is in a phase where he wants to prove the world, or his father at least, that he is able. Ie. by having his character deal more damage then his fathers...
If this is true, it could creates its own problems.
To make it short: I don't really know what to do.
Did I made a mistake somewhere?
Should I make some changes to the adventure?
Or should I just proceed as planned and trusting that young people are flexible and that temporary frustrations are just as easily forgotten?
Should I make some (hidden) concessions for his chracters, ie. rebuilding the trolls so they don't have uncanny dodge since his build relies a bit on sneak attack for damage?