Post by kusodareka on Feb 28, 2016 13:41:57 GMT
Hi all,
I turn to you for help. I have been listening to the podcast for months, but am new to the boards.
I have been gaming for over 20 years, but with little DM-ing experience.
I really put my DM foot in it last night, and I'm not sure how to save my campaign.
We are playing 5e Eberron, and exploring the jungles of Q'barra. We are 4th level.
2 of the PC's just contracted Mummy Rot. Their permanent HP will decrease by 3d6 every 24 hours. When they reach 0, they die.
Assuming average rolls, that's about 3 or 4 days from now.
The PCs are 6 days from town, and a healer with access to Remove Curse. Call it 72 miles of Difficult (Jungle/Swamp) terrain.
I crunched the numbers, and they could try to Forced March at a back to town leaving right now, but they would need to do it at a Fast Pace. They would also need to make, each day, DC 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 Fort Saves to continue the march without exhaustion.
At the second level of exhaustion, their speed would be halved, and they would not realistically be able to keep up the pace.
So Forced March is not realistic.
Statistically, they will not survive. One player seems to really dig the challenge.
The other I am not sure about, but probably not thrilled. If I were a PC, I would be disappointed at being thrown against a challenge this lethal when we did not have the spells to deal with it.
At first I wanted to use Deus Ex Machina to keep the PCs from dying. However, I don't want it to be so easy that the "Up for a challenge" PC feels short-changed.
There is a powerful druid in the region who is friendly towards the party.
They have access to the spell Sending (a one-use Sending Stone), and could use it to contact the druid. He could use a scroll to get them to town.
I am worried that "Up for a Challenge" will feel cheated by this approach though, however I try to conceal it.
I would like to push them to solve this on their own. I think they will find that much more satisfying than handing a solution to them. Much less "Deus Ex Machina". I need them to remember to use the Sending Stone to contact someone (the druid, the local lord, etc.) for help. Whatever vaguely reasonable plan they propose, I make work.
I am sure they have forgotten the Sending Stone. How do I remind them of it without looking too obvious?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
-Kusodareka
I turn to you for help. I have been listening to the podcast for months, but am new to the boards.
I have been gaming for over 20 years, but with little DM-ing experience.
I really put my DM foot in it last night, and I'm not sure how to save my campaign.
We are playing 5e Eberron, and exploring the jungles of Q'barra. We are 4th level.
2 of the PC's just contracted Mummy Rot. Their permanent HP will decrease by 3d6 every 24 hours. When they reach 0, they die.
Assuming average rolls, that's about 3 or 4 days from now.
The PCs are 6 days from town, and a healer with access to Remove Curse. Call it 72 miles of Difficult (Jungle/Swamp) terrain.
I crunched the numbers, and they could try to Forced March at a back to town leaving right now, but they would need to do it at a Fast Pace. They would also need to make, each day, DC 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 Fort Saves to continue the march without exhaustion.
At the second level of exhaustion, their speed would be halved, and they would not realistically be able to keep up the pace.
So Forced March is not realistic.
Statistically, they will not survive. One player seems to really dig the challenge.
The other I am not sure about, but probably not thrilled. If I were a PC, I would be disappointed at being thrown against a challenge this lethal when we did not have the spells to deal with it.
At first I wanted to use Deus Ex Machina to keep the PCs from dying. However, I don't want it to be so easy that the "Up for a challenge" PC feels short-changed.
There is a powerful druid in the region who is friendly towards the party.
They have access to the spell Sending (a one-use Sending Stone), and could use it to contact the druid. He could use a scroll to get them to town.
I am worried that "Up for a Challenge" will feel cheated by this approach though, however I try to conceal it.
I would like to push them to solve this on their own. I think they will find that much more satisfying than handing a solution to them. Much less "Deus Ex Machina". I need them to remember to use the Sending Stone to contact someone (the druid, the local lord, etc.) for help. Whatever vaguely reasonable plan they propose, I make work.
I am sure they have forgotten the Sending Stone. How do I remind them of it without looking too obvious?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
-Kusodareka
