|
|
Post by sparkusclark on Jan 28, 2016 17:02:44 GMT
So one of my players got their start by training with a Druid master, but then ran away (for several reasons) before officialy becoming a druid by passing the final test.
Now it's been left up to me to figure out what the final test would be and I'm thinking (esp. since said character stole a bunch of stuff on the way out the door) that it should be a druid fight.
Other than having the two of them slap it out in beast-form, I'm trying to come up with something that feels more like a challenge, like there's some lore to it.
Any suggestions?
|
|
|
|
Post by ino on Jan 28, 2016 19:44:31 GMT
What level and edition?
In my world, fey are embodiments of nature. They almost function like the spirits did in avatar: the last air bender. If nature is happy, so are they. If not, this go horribly wrong. Elemental a are spirits they call on. contact with a fey or elemental could be a good part of the test. You could also work in a relationship between a fey of elemental with one of the items they stole.
An interesting challenge would be traversing different environments in natural or wild shape forms. Running across plains or through forests, swimming through a river, flying or climbing through mountains, etc.
|
|
|
|
Post by sparkusclark on Jan 30, 2016 3:33:02 GMT
Current level is 3rd in 5e, but may be 4th lvl when this goes down.
I like the idea of having it be a trial of some sort. Calming an enraged beast, dealing with something only a druid could. But I'm also thinking the setting, as you said, may be just as important.
|
|
|
|
Post by ino on Jan 30, 2016 5:58:26 GMT
Yeah, that might be too early of a level for a crazy wild shaping triathlon.
Is it just her taking the trial? What is the rest of the party going to do? If they're gonna be at the table, u could have the players do something so they're not bored. I can see her being told to get to another location with nothing, only using the land to survive. The test may not say anything about being accompanied or how to handle defending herself, just as long as she doesn't receive assistance in her physically moving from other humans, anything a human has made, or has trained. They could fight bandits attacking her, but could not arm or heal her. What makes it interesting is the environment, and the hot meals or warm tents the rest of the group sleeps in as she suffers outside. She may have to make Will saves for morale or avoid temptation of going in. Then there's the group's tension of watching her climb a cliff unanchored while they have rope and pitons. Or watching her swim down Rapids from the safety of their boat.
|
|
|
|
Post by sparkusclark on Jan 30, 2016 22:45:05 GMT
Honestly I was kind of hoping for it to be something (relatively)quick, something that takes a thrid or half of a session instead of being an entire side quest of its own.
As for the rest of the party I was kind of hoping to get them involved at some point... unless the old master raises the challenege as a ruse in order to try and cripple the party. I'm looking to drop hints here and there of an issue with an evil death god, and a druid-turned-necro-cultist could be a good first step.
---
Footnote: I do like the idea of a trial w/o help or tools. Could build that into the lore.
|
|
|
|
Post by joatmoniac on Jan 31, 2016 0:05:36 GMT
I think that the trial is a great idea. having the druid player calm an animal sounds like a great idea. The other option could then be for the druid to accomplish something as the animal that they have just calmed down. From there it could be tracking down a hurt animal, and then restoring it to health. I think having them chain together would be better than having independent tasks that need to be completed. Hope that some of this is helpful.
|
|
|
|
Post by sparkusclark on Jan 31, 2016 2:00:27 GMT
I think that the trial is a great idea. having the druid player calm an animal sounds like a great idea. The other option could then be for the druid to accomplish something as the animal that they have just calmed down. From there it could be tracking down a hurt animal, and then restoring it to health. I think having them chain together would be better than having independent tasks that need to be completed. Hope that some of this is helpful. I like that. It helps keep it rolling rather than: Complete Task A before heading to Site B and beginning Task B. "There is a wild animal kicking up a ruckus in the nearby woods, go tend to it." "After you calm the bear, you find that it was injured." "Using your speak with animals you find that it was attacked by humans." "You manage to negotiate with the humans and find that something has been killing their cattle and they thought it was the bear." "Studying the dead cows with a successful Nature Check reveals they were killed by worgs." "You manage to track the worgs to the goblins nest." Etc., etc., etc. Cool, yeah this could be something useful! *Alt Ending: "You killed the bear, you have failed the test." |
|
|
|
Post by frohtastic on Feb 11, 2016 2:46:55 GMT
I guess there would also be different tests dependant on what kind of circle it is.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2016 6:07:33 GMT
Sparkusclark implied, and I want to bring to the forefront, the possibility of failure. Specifically, while figuring out the nature of the final test is the main thing, determining the consequences of failure is important, too.
As to the nature of the test, use challenges directly linked to druidic abilities. It is a druid test, afterall, not something that any other joe can complete. Get a look at his list of cantrips and spells that he normally prepares. It's a fortuitous coincidence that the trial requires (or is facilitated by) using those spells. For example, he has to acquire an object from a container/behind a barrier that can only be broken by a magical weapon (and he has Shillelagh). Or he needs to grab something from a distance he cannot physically cross (but he has Thorn Whip). Or he needs to cross a field littered with invisible, sleeping creatures that will attack him if he wakes them by stepping on them (he has Faerie Fire). Okay, that last one is pretty contrived, but you get the idea.
I would require the use of wildshape for another portion of the test. Perhaps he has to retrieve a single berry from a rare bush, but it's guarded by a terrible monster (turn into a mouse, get in and out without being noticed). Or perhaps he must travel a long distance in a short amount of time (turn into a horse and giddyup!). Add complications to make it more than a matter of simply turning into the right animal, or present situations where different animals can complete it with different approaches. For instance, the bush-monster setup could be completed by being clever and quiet (mouse) or strong and tough (bear).
|
|
|
|
Post by catcharlie on Feb 11, 2016 9:30:29 GMT
Sparkusclark implied, and I want to bring to the forefront, the possibility of failure. Specifically, while figuring out the nature of the final test is the main thing, determining the consequences of failure is important, too. As to the nature of the test, use challenges directly linked to druidic abilities. It is a druid test, afterall, not something that any other joe can complete. Get a look at his list of cantrips and spells that he normally prepares. It's a fortuitous coincidence that the trial requires (or is facilitated by) using those spells. For example, he has to acquire an object from a container/behind a barrier that can only be broken by a magical weapon (and he has Shillelagh). Or he needs to grab something from a distance he cannot physically cross (but he has Thorn Whip). Or he needs to cross a field littered with invisible, sleeping creatures that will attack him if he wakes them by stepping on them (he has Faerie Fire). Okay, that last one is pretty contrived, but you get the idea. I would require the use of wildshape for another portion of the test. Perhaps he has to retrieve a single berry from a rare bush, but it's guarded by a terrible monster (turn into a mouse, get in and out without being noticed). Or perhaps he must travel a long distance in a short amount of time (turn into a horse and giddyup!). Add complications to make it more than a matter of simply turning into the right animal, or present situations where different animals can complete it with different approaches. For instance, the bush-monster setup could be completed by being clever and quiet (mouse) or strong and tough (bear). Reading this I thought you could have like a scavenger hunt type of thing, where the thing you have to get has a clue to the next item and once you've completed all of them you are in the grove where they get given something to signify they've successfully completed it. (Apologies for my wording, I'm so tired right now and my brain is running a little 'simple' right now) |
|
|
|
Post by joatmoniac on Feb 11, 2016 22:37:50 GMT
I think that the ideas Nevvur presented are imperative to making the test have the right druidic feel, but I would caution against too many as they are essentially puzzles. As with most puzzles this could be great or the player could have a terrible time with them and get frustrated. You know your player though, so finding the balance between purely mechanical through rolls and more thought based through puzzles/riddles will be your task as the DM. I think it will be a lot of fun for your player(s) to tackle this test!
|
|
|
|
Post by sparkusclark on Feb 12, 2016 0:33:45 GMT
I think that the ideas Nevvur presented are imperative to making the test have the right druidic feel, but I would caution against too many as they are essentially puzzles. As with most puzzles this could be great or the player could have a terrible time with them and get frustrated. You know your player though, so finding the balance between purely mechanical through rolls and more thought based through puzzles/riddles will be your task as the DM. I think it will be a lot of fun for your player(s) to tackle this test! Boy I sure hope so! Thanks to all for the great ideas. Even if things go down differently (because Players) I'll try and incorporate these suggestions. |
|
