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Talanic
2007-05-15, 01:38 PM
Okay, I've managed to talk my girlfriend into trying a session of D&D, with me DMing. We're rolling up a paladin for her (planning on well above average power, 5d6 drop 2; we'll have 3 players for the main group) tonight.

After rolling up her character, we're playing a single session, just her and me (mind out of gutter, okay?). I'm pretty sure she's going to play the cautious type. This is GENERALLY how it may play out, but I know DMing, done right, does not ride on rails. Let me know what you guys think; is it good enough for a new player to be introduced this way?

The plan is this:
While she is going through a small village, carrying a message of minor importance (able to delay if needed) from one branch of her order to another, she is approached by a man who requests help. Dari (L1 Ranger) tells her that his daughter is missing and he's seen goblins in the woods. All of this is technically true, but sense motive may tell her that something is odd about the way the man says it.

Investigation with other members of the village reveal that there are a trio of goblins who live in a cave nearby. They are trappers who sell furs in town and to passing merchants, and pretty good at it too. Watch out for red stakes in the woods; that's how they mark their traps so that people don't get caught in them; even if they do, though, they are immobilizing traps rather than damage dealing or poisonous, and can be circumvented by escape artist checks.

If she searches for the goblins, they greet her amiably and engage in conversation. They know Dari and his daughter; she's not there right now, though. The goblins explain that they are competitors in the same business as Dari, and they were on poor terms with him a while ago but he seemed to have lightened up. Dari severely misrepresented them, but his daughter may still be missing. The goblins volunteer to assist in the search.

They find her tracks leading away past their territory; not an unusual occurrence, as her father has been raising her to be a hunter like himself. The goblins request that she represent them to Dari, and follow the daughter's tracks to ensure that she is, in fact, all right.

She goes to Dari, finding him about a half hour's walk away from the town (hunter, after all). On finding that she talked to the goblins, his attitude is unfriendly. A DC 15 diplomacy check will allow her to talk him down if she tries, convincing him to just try to get along with the competition. If she doesn't succeed on a good diplomacy check (or doesn't try; she does have grounds to arrest him for trying to get her to kill innocents), he may pull a knife and attack, planning to frame the goblins for her murder. He is unarmored, and should go down pretty easily.

Best scenario:
She takes Dari into custody and brings him in to trial by her order. If she thinks it through well enough, she may leave some funds behind to support the daughter in Dari's absence.

Ponce
2007-05-15, 01:50 PM
Nice enough. One problem I have with it is Dari's reaction at the end. He pulls out a knife and attacks an armed and armored Paladin? That's rather suicidal on his part, isn't it? I'm assuming the Paladin has some kind of weapon, a longsword or the like.

Talanic
2007-05-15, 02:07 PM
He's not the brightest, and is desperate to cover up his actions. Besides, he thinks he can get the drop on her.

And I need SOMETHING to be the combat tutorial. 8)

sikyon
2007-05-15, 02:29 PM
If you need combat tutorial, some sort of animal encounter might work...

Matthew
2007-05-29, 08:16 PM
So, how did this work out?

Miraqariftsky
2007-05-30, 08:09 AM
Your plan sounds good. Hope it went well.

Rincewind
2007-05-30, 01:51 PM
Okay, I've managed to talk my girlfriend into trying a session of D&D, with me DMing. We're rolling up a paladin for her (planning on well above average power, 5d6 drop 2; we'll have 3 players for the main group) tonight.

I see a problem right here.