Recurring Theme's in campaigns

[Arc_knight25]

So just wondering what recurring theme's people have in their campaigns?

For example with me Wail of the Banshee hiding in urns seems to be a thing for my group.

First story

Our first encounter with this devious trap was in a tight corridor with a bunch of urns on either side of the hall. Our group was taking our time sneaking and looking through this dungeon we were in. I guess our ranger was getting bored with it so as we are discussing about what to do with these urns she says she shoots one. She was Chaotic so it wasn't really out of character and no one really expected it to do anything. But then the DM says fort saves for everyone. Half the party dies from the Wail. She was a range so not affected. We have a good laugh now about it. But it was alittle upsetting for some at the time.

Second Story

So this past session, our DM (Who was a player in the other campaign) changes his mind on what to do with one of our characters backstories. So this character has a father that wants to kill him. His father is a PF Doppelganger who has lots of scars on his face. So as we just get out of this huge dungeon crawl that we've been doing for the past 3 months or so we finally are out and looking to unload our loot. We roll diplomacy to see if we can find any good deals. We come across this huge warrior type with a lot of scars(This should have tipped the character about his back story but didn't) He points us in the direction of a merchant that he swears by. We get to said merchant after the warriors directions and we unload our things. We were told by the warrior that he sells baubles with his wares. (at 15% discount and selling at +15%, I would have to agree) So we didn't question anything b/c great deal. The merchant had a turban covering most of his head and half his face(again this should have sparked the character about his backstory) So the merchant gives us a good story about the urn he wants us to take (which we do for the discounts) we get back to home base and the same player as the last campaign (she's a Sorc this time) breaks the seal on the urn and Boom fort saves all around. Only one to die this time was the guy who should have noticed these scars for his back story. As he drops the guys father appears (he was shapeshifted into a rat with a +50 stealth cheack) as the urn was opened he pounced on the dead guy and we ended our session on a cliffhanger.

So if you ever see an urn in your campaign steer clear...could be a wail of the banshee waiting for ya.

[The Trickster]

My friend has an issue with doors. Every time he interacts with a door, something bad happens. Either it blows up, or traps him, or some other crazy thing. Happens every game.

[Sith_Happens]

Do regular derailments into chain reactions of debauchery count, or do all campaigns have that?

[Calinero]

Literally every campaign I have run has had a common theme of civilization surrounded by chaos, with fraying at the edges, and some sort of inhuman menace lurking outside waiting to pounce. I blame my background with Call of Cthulhu.

[(Un)Inspired]

My players can never keep their airships intact. I'm seriously not trying to destroy them but in the past 2 years I think those hooligans have crashed 3 spelljammer ships, got their zeppelin burned/exploded in a sky pirate duel and used their Lyrander airship to knock a lightning rail off its tracks

[ElenionAncalima]

One from an old Pathfinder campaign was party members bringing up that the alchemist had bombs at the most inappropriate moments.

ex)
-The alchemist used it as a threat at a banquet to a well guarded and paranoid noble.
-A character brought it up when introducing the alchemist to his mother.
-Discussion of his bombs was overheard in tavern filled with commoner who were immediatly terrified.

Another running theme, throughout all the campaigns I play with a particular group, is that anytime there is a TPK or near TPK my character is always either the last to die or the tragic sole survivor.