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Post by joatmoniac on Jul 5, 2019 21:22:57 GMT
Today we are tying back to #178: Sharing the Spotlight (feat. Shareef Jackson) so that we can lift those mental weights! Let’s practice throwing a bright light on targeted players in our campaigns with some practice scenarios. We’ll provide the first scenario, but if you’re feeling up to it, help diversify the pool of players for future responders to pull from by adding your own scenario. Which player from a scenario are you highlighting? What would you introduce to the scenario to engage that player? You do you! AKA anything else? Scenario: A dungeon chamber deep within an ancient building, rumored to be a tomb. As the party enters, torches magically flare to life, revealing a dias in the center of the room and three other passages out of it. Party: Liz plays a Berserker named Svetlana. Her favorite thing to do is engage in witty banter and deception, but in dungeon crawls and battles she tends to scout aggressively and just hit things hard. Almost no matter what the target’s AC, remaining health or counter attack capability, she uses Reckless Attack to get advantage. Clive plays a Wizard named Joe. He meticulously prepares his exact spell list every long rest, agonizing over what spells he might need in the coming day of adventuring. He is quiet, but if things quiet down at the table or it’s his turn, he confidently presents a spell that solves the problem or a solution to the puzzle. Dana plays a Druid named Angus. She really likes turning into different animals and spends most of her time in the Monster Manual trying to pick an animal that fits the current situation and frequently tries to convince you to approve a third-party animal from the internet. Sometimes they’re even balanced. Mitch plays a Rogue/Sorcerer named Bob Ross. He’s quirky and definitely has a fun vision for his character, whose very name brings him glee. However, he is awkward and tends to tell jokes that fall flat and recede into the background of the group at some point in a session. When picking new spells on level up, he listens to Clive and often looks to him for battle strategy as well. rorrik and I are excited to see what you all bring to the forums! |
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Post by 00dlez on Jul 26, 2019 20:24:32 GMT
Unsure exactly what sort of responses you are looking for here, but let me give it a shot...?
I would highlight Mitch in this situation because the prompt to me seems to be driving at a combination of magical and mechanical puzzle or trap that a rogue sorcerer would be uniquely able to address. It wouldn't be a one-man show, though, but the action would be centered on Mitch; perhaps he is identifying items or actions around the room that he can dictate to the others to perform such that he can perform the keystone role on the center dias. Using his skills he can identify the actions needed, dictate what needs to be done to the rest of the party, then lead the actions to resolve the encounter.
It might not be the best comparison, but something akin to the jail break scene from Guardians of the Galaxy comes to mind.
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Post by letterlost on Jul 28, 2019 11:56:35 GMT
I am going to divide the tomb into 3 sections: the entrance, the tomb, and the boss chamber.
The entrance:
I am trying to include all the players but mostly highlighting Bob Ross backed by Joe.
It’s dark. At the dungeon chamber there are some dead bodies that smell of decay and some skeletons by a rusted and vault door. The dead bodies are 10 ft. from the door and the skeletons are within 5 feet (it's obviously adventures vs skeletons, but actually adventures killed by traps and half incinerated down to bone). The door is locked tight, rusted, and if viewed by detect magic has a glyph of warding (fireball-ish, also if high intelligence realize that the glyph of warding has been triggered and reset, as has perhaps the lock). There is an ancient Pharaohs curse on the door warning against stealing from the tomb, the language is one that Joe the wizard knows (I am going to go with abyssal).
Angus the druid: if in animal form with any heightened smell she notices feint smell of burning on the bodies- hinting a fire trap aka glyph of warding, if she eats the bodies she makes a con save (but why would she eat a decaying body ... right?). If she makes a nature check on the door notices that the level of rust and corrosion signify that it is either prematurely aged by something inside or much older than the overlying dungeon.
Bob Ross the R/S: its dark so light spells or torch, lock pick the door, detect magic or if no one has done that at the point of unlocking have him get some clue that it is magicked by either a warming of the thieves tools or charisma check to feel resonating magic (so he feels good about having a high charisma and his multi-class synergies), history check if high enough tells of ancient Yuan-ti pharaoh who held the legendary thing (Serpents Brook?, the serpents Ankh?).
Joe the wizard: it’s dark so light spells, detect magic on door to find glyph, arcana on door notices markings that might be an ancient curse (all who steal from the pharaoh’s tomb will be tormented forever until it is returned; not immediately magical- but the words combined with the abyssal script have power).
Svetlana the barbarian: even with the door unlocked and magic dispelled, it's rusted tight and takes a big strong barbarian and a little more help to push it open, unless someone has a grease spell handy. Make the door have a high strength check so that it will be hard for any two people, combined strength check of 35 or something.
The Tomb or “the Halls”
This section will hopefully get engagement from the entire party, but I will be trying to highlight Svetlana (fighting), Bob Ross (traps), and Angus (druid stuff she will probably not do, but a DM’s got to try).
It’s even darker and the floor seems to be moving. If you use a light you will see that the walls are clay with cracks worn between them, out of many of these cracks all sorts of snakes enter the room. The snakes are not hostile until injured (dex saves to walk) or other means are taken- see Angus. There are two ancient looking yuan-ti snake skins wearing ancient armor. They do not move, but if investigated or magic detected you will see they are “spirit- powered Constructs” with scarecrow traits (MM pg. 268) that do not react unless you try to leave with anything from the tomb, one has a glowing rune of glyph of warding, the other a rune of fireball on their hand. In the tunnels the obstacles are any snakes you piss off (tiny- large), Yuan-ti Mummies, harmful mold, and several mechanical traps.
Angus the druid: if Svetlana doesn’t fight every snake, Angus can cast pass without trace and the snakes will not react to anything other than open hostility. Speak to animals will reveal that the snakes are drawn here for the wisdom of the greater race (50% chance will speak back in abyssal) and will reveal the way through the winding halls. If Angus wild shapes into any type of snake none of the traps will trigger for her, none of the snakes will attack her for any reason, and she will sense the sound of a softly flowing brook murmuring sweet songs as it flows over pebbles. She may (as a tiny snake) move freely through cracks in walls in the tomb. There should be some harmful mold (yellow mold, DMG pg. 105) she can identify with nature check.
Bob Ross the R/S: lots of mechanical traps should be present; perhaps a few plunder able murals or ancient tomes of lost lore or dark magic.
Joe the wizard: the tomb is infused with dark magic. As previously stated, Joe should understand abyssal (or other language you chose) so he will hear murmurs in the dark since 50% of snakes speak abyssal. He Might be interested in ancient tomes of lost lore or dark magic.
Svetlana the barbarian: enough enemies to bash, enough traps to temper. If Scooby-doo taught us anything then there will be chances for witty one liner's.
The Boss chamber; or Mummy Lord’s Lair
This section will be boss fight, so fighting from Svetlana and Joe, backed by Angus (unless she is in snake form and chooses not to fight) and Bob Ross.
Before you enter there is a door, magically sealed with a bronze knob that can’t be turned by anything other than serpents flesh (yuan-ti hand, or dead snake skin, or Yuan-ti mummies hand), add a clever little riddle to point them in the right direction.
Upon entering, meet mummy lord with minions. The room has the classic tomb stuff, treasure, tomes, and bronze murals. And a brook flowing through the center of it which Awakens you and gives you the ability to speak and understand (but not read or write) abyssal if drank (as per spell Awaken); the ancient Yuan-ti used this to create minions and create more obedient slaves (because now they could understand them … yay!). Make sure to hide the mummy lord’s heart somewhere creative so it’s not easy to destroy).
Not sure if this is what you had in mind, but hopefully it will suffice.
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DM Fennico
Commoner
Is it bad that I have an awful poker face?
Posts: 19 
Favorite D&D Class: Warlock
Favorite D&D Race: Human
Gender: Male
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Post by DM Fennico on Jul 29, 2019 2:13:59 GMT
My scenario doesn't highlight one person in particular, but supports a group dynamic.
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As the final torch is lit, the door magically seals itself with stone behind them. Upon the dias sits a podium with a locked tome with arcane sigils adorning it, the knock spell or thieves tools can unlock it (Clive/Mitch). The hallways are enchanted so that anybody that walks down them are returned to this room (Liz will likely discover this). When a character begins to read the incantation, the three open doorways begin to shine with arcane light (Clive will likely volunteer to read the incantation). Specters begin to pour out of the doorways and attach the characters.
The incantation is completed after cumulative DC50 Arcana checks are performed; multiple people can chant per round, but only those who can use arcane magic. (Clive and Mitch working together)
Each round 1d3 specters enter from the doorways and try to attack the characters who are performing the incantation. (Liz will get to bash things, Dana will have to protect the casters with her beast forms as they finish their work. If Liz doesn't have a magical weapon then Clive or Mitch will have even more responsibility to protect Liz)
Once the incantation is complete, the specters dissipate and two of the open doorways seal with stone. The remaining door stays open to reveal in the interior of the tomb itself.
If all characters perish before the incantation is complete, their souls join the specters to attack the next people who try to chant the incantation; the torches go out and the doors open as usual.
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DM Fennico
Btw... I'm definately using this in my next session. Thanks for the prompt coach!
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DM Just Jersh
Commoner
Posts: 9
Favorite D&D Class: Warlock
Favorite D&D Race: Gith
Gender: Male
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Post by DM Just Jersh on Aug 20, 2019 15:20:45 GMT
Which player from a scenario are you highlighting?
Ummmmm, them all? But let's say they decided to split because they know they only got some much time and there is a piece of the puzzle in each. Liz Storms down one chamber, Clive takes another (followed by mitch), leaving Dana to take her own.
Liz's Chamber:
As soon as she pokes her head into it, the entrance slams down behind her and she hears an evil laugh down the hall.
In the room at the end, there is a man standing there.
He is actually a not real.
He was a trap.
The second she swings at him, the room gets zapped appling damage, and then the room is filled around her with 5 replicas of him. They sling qiups at her trying to provoke an attack. The goal in the end will find a way to outsmart this illusion. If she insults or using hostile tones, another appears, but if she compliments him, one disapears. If all disappear, she gets her piece and the door opens.
For Clive and Mitch:
They get into their chamber, and loud music begins banging! They can't hear eachother. Their piece is high up (20 ft) on a floating disk, that is stood on, it disappears and a force wave (base drop) booms from the ceiling that auto disrups concentrion, send them to the ground, and applies force damage. While defened and limited to gestured communication, they must figure out how to get the piece.
Dana's chamber:
Let's build around an animal she found, but was then turned down because there's no way her druid would have ever seen it, thus can't be a form she can take on.
For my example, we'll go with with the flying monkey from Wizard of Oz.
There's a bunch of them in the chamber. They're all flying around doing tricks. There's one at the top holding the piece of the artifact on top of a little, what appears to be some sort of trophy. Now that she's seen the animal, she can now shift and join in on the competition (skill challenge) for the last piece.
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