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Turnstrike
Acolyte
United Kingdom
3 Posts |
 Posted - 26 Jan 2023 : 23:46:10
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My group play using Roll20, despite playing in person, as a way to keep and maintain character sheets and view mapping and so forth. It was the way to keep the younger ones interested in it. It helps quite a lot, but sometimes it's an absolute pain in the buttocks. Like tonight...
... The mood is tense. The party are exploring a dungeon which was once a dwarven outpost until it was attacked by Orcs and "Evil Humans" who sought to steal their wealth. There are a large number of undead in the dungeon. Anyway, the party are slowly cleaving their way through Zombos and Skellies and all sorts of creatures, until they decide to take a short rest in the corridor. Roll Wandering Monster - Uh oh. They pass Passive Perception so won't be surprised...
I set the scene... "As you sit with your back against the wall, taking a breath from the exploration of the forge, you hear a shuffling noise coming from the east corridor. Suddenly a hideous creature lurches from the darkness, charging towards you"
And I, the experienced and confident Dungeon Master, weaver of stories and teller of tales, bringer of adventure, excitement and thrills...
Dropped a Goat on the table instead of a Ghoul.
Ambience = Gone.
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4685 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jan 2023 : 00:52:07
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Maybe a Were-goat?
Clearly a visual error, which can be hard to fix. Or the goat drop had fixed stats in the software which clearly turns into a hard to explain event, A few ideas occur to me, however could only might help next time that events. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jan 2023 : 05:36:30
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Who says Ghouls can't be goats?
Two kicks and a headbutt or a bite?
Just saying, Goat Ghouls may very well make an appearance at my table...because Orcus says! |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7969 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jan 2023 : 06:28:54
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Not every random encounter has to be a monster or villain. Not every random encounter has to end with someone killing something.
Sometimes a goat is just a goat.
But why would a goat be found indoors and underground?
Maybe it was chased? An orc marauder or hunter might be nearby, looking for that animal that ran into a hole, the one he was trying to steal, eat, or kill.
Likewise, an innocent farmer or child - the actual owner of the goat - might have followed it in. Sure to be worried about his livestock/pet being lost or injured. Not likely to approve when a bunch of armed hobos attack it.
Maybe one of the "evil human" kitchen stewards might be searching for the missing animal frantically. Desperate to find it before his/her "evil human" kitchen master discovers the bandit lord's favourite meal managed to chew, dig, or headbutt a path to escape.
Maybe the "evil humans" let it escape. Deliberately, accidently, part of a sport or dare or contest or drunken celebration or whatever. The goat may have stumbled into a group of armed killers while attempting to escape from (and being closely followed by) another group of armed killers. |
[/Ayrik] |
Edited by - Ayrik on 27 Jan 2023 06:36:14 |
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ericlboyd
Forgotten Realms Designer
USA
2066 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jan 2023 : 15:53:23
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Are you saying you dropped the greatest ghoul of all time, Doresain? In these parts (where Tom Brady hails from), Doresain is the GOAT Ghoul.
George Krashos might whine about the encounter being CR-inappropriate, but I admire your moxie.
;-)
--Eric |
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http://www.ericlboyd.com/dnd/ |
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AuldDragon
Senior Scribe
USA
549 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jan 2023 : 20:15:53
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I was in a Dragonlance campaign when I was 12-14 years old, and we made it to the final fight with a wizard in his tower, and the fight took place in a large greenhouse. The wizard cast a Stinking Cloud spell and our minotaur threw a potted plant at the glass ceiling to try and clear the gas. In the middle of this tense fight at the end of an adventure, the DM says:
"I need everyone to make a saving throw to avoid the falling grass."
Cue the nearly dozen or so early teen boys in our group immediately start making jokes about smoking the grass.
;)
Jeff |
My 2nd Edition blog: http://blog.aulddragon.com/
My streamed AD&D Spelljamer sessions: https://www.youtube.com/user/aulddragon/playlists?flow=grid&shelf_id=18&view=50
"That sums it up in a nutshell, AuldDragon. You make a more convincing argument. But he's right and you're not." |
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jan 2023 : 20:22:19
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And thusly is the Goat of Ill Omens born!
I salute your reading of the room and the appropriate action to address it. As someone whose character owned a pet rock (it followed me around and would want to get petted and told "you're a good boy" and was very afraid of mud for some reason), humor at the appropriate time is a great way to create nice memories among all involved. |
"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jan 2023 : 22:20:04
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quote:
Originally posted by AuldDragon
I was in a Dragonlance campaign when I was 12-14 years old, and we made it to the final fight with a wizard in his tower, and the fight took place in a large greenhouse. The wizard cast a Stinking Cloud spell and our minotaur threw a potted plant at the glass ceiling to try and clear the gas. In the middle of this tense fight at the end of an adventure, the DM says:
"I need everyone to make a saving throw to avoid the falling grass."
Cue the nearly dozen or so early teen boys in our group immediately start making jokes about smoking the grass.
;)
Jeff
Once, in 2E, I was playing a minotaur who used a great axe (among other weapons). We were about to go into combat, and what I meant to say was "I'm pulling out my big ol' axe!"
I didn't say "axe."
The word I used was three letters starting with an A... But it rhymed with "grass."
It took us several minutes to get back to that particular combat!  |
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Dungeon Master Failure
