Marcus Impudite Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Having done a bunch of WWYCD threads for supers in the Champions forum, I decided to do one here for the fantasy genre: Your character and his/her party have been hired by the king to rescue his daughter, Princess Holly the Helpless, from the vile Dirk Darklord. After a long journey and battling Dirk's flunkies, you reach Dirk's castle only to find Dirk is long gone (parts unknown). You finally find your way down into the dungeon where he's imprisoned her royal highness. But now comes the puzzle, ready? You find that all 13 cells in the dungeon are occupied by young women who match the physical discription of Princess Holly, and each of them claims that she is the real princess. You hear evil laughter and then an illusion of Dirk Darklord appears before you... Dirk: "Greetings! My, my, you've been quite a thorn in my side. Well, if you're that determined to rescue Princess Holly, perhaps I should let you have her...always assuming you can figure out which one is really her. Of course, if you pick the wrong one...Well, why ruin the surprise? Mah Ha Ha Ha!!!! Good Luck fools, you'll need it." With a final mocking laugh, the illusionary Dirk vanishes. From what you know of the fiendish Dirk Darklord, the fake princesses could turn out to be anything from mere illusions to some vile, wicked creatures in disguise... or possibly something even worse than that. How do you determine which is the real Princess Holly and which are the fakes? WWYCD? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawnmower Boy Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game Monsters=melee=XP. Or loot. Stupid Hero with its session awards. Anyway, the key thing is to make sure that the last one released is the real Holly, so you get all the encounters. Hmm, that might require some thought... Nah, thought hurts. We kill stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Jogger Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game Holly1: "Why thank you, you're so.... " GAAACCK! Me: "Don't worry, she's not the real one." I kill ALL of them. After all, if you're going to make 12 monsters that look and act like Holly the Helpless, why not make 13? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game "All right, who here wants a cut of the reward? Raise your hand. Okay, you. We'll take you back to the castle and tell the king you hit your head and won't ever be the same. That should hold us for a few days. After a fortnight you sneak us into the castle and up to the king's chambers, and we'll do the rest. We'll just take all the loot in the castle, you can have the kingdom. My queen." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drunkonduty Posted January 18, 2008 Report Share Posted January 18, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game It seems there's much more vile folk than simple old Dirk Darklord about. Me, I'd either use a glass slipper, or if I don't have one handy, a stack of mattresses and a pea. Mmm, that could pose logistical difficulties. My only ever fantasy hero character was a not too bright half giant. Once tried to head butt his way through the city wall on a dare. He'd eenie-meenie-mo his way through this test. Eventually he'd get the right one, the one that doesn't try to eat him. The rest he'd just leave in their cells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocelot Posted January 18, 2008 Report Share Posted January 18, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game Kill 'em all, wait for the illusion to fade, resurrect the real one. (Magic in the campaign I play in is pretty high, and it's a pretty Machiavellian group.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Trent Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game Hit on them. The one that rejects your advances is the real princess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curufea Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game Sir Miles Furmenglaive isn't the smartest knight, but he is wise enough to know this. His brother Milton, the wizard, would be best to handle this situation if he could contact him. But if left to deal with this situation by himself (sans retinue or lieges) he would release them all into the one room and see what happens - if there was some kind of illusion disguising monsters or undead, then the one not attacking is the one he'll rescue as soon as he was able. Preferably he would release them all into a nice plain in the sun, just in case he needs a good runup with horse and lance and a quick getaway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Weapon Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game Well we got down to the dungeon and we're not dead but we are detected. Logically there's only one way out and we lack the capacity to make a new one (otherwise we'd have ignored the door and gone straight in). So either can simply kill us one by one as we come out of the corridor into an ambush zone or he can't. This is assuming he can't just block the passageway and leave us to starve. If he can do either there's no point finding the real princess except as a witness to our heroic deaths. There's no point bringing back a fake princess since whatever it is it's the last thing the king wants brought into his castle/presence/kingdom. If he can't stop us getting away the situation is entirely different. Since he can't stop us when we're in a disadvantagous position he obviously can't stop us when we're not. Simply go up the stairway announcing that the castle is being occupied by representatives of the King as punishment for kidnapping. Demand the occupants surrender assuring them that they will keep their positions. If they refuse, fight you'll probably win, if you don't you'd have lost anyway. Try not to kill the servants though. When you win send a messanger to the king (and anyone else you think might be able to help) detailing the situation. We make it clear that we did not set out to annex Darklord's property but since we were authorised to use force (and we were) we are therefore authorised to take military positions. The King has the option to let Darklord have his castle back but we recommend doing so only after the daughter is identified and retured. In fact we recommend Offer people a slice of the gains for determining the right princess, provisional on the king rewarding you. Make the 13 beings in the dungeon as comfortable as possible in the meantime. Pray hard that Darklord isn't coming with reinforcements faster than the king is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teh bunneh Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game Chrissie Rocks (my Bard GMPC): She pulls out her guitar, strums a chord, and announces to all the princesses, "I am going to play a magical song, a song of such beauty and joy that will delight anyone with a good heart, but will cause agony to creatures of evil." She would then stand in front of each cell door and play her tune (1/2d6 RKA, NND (not vs. creatures with good hearts), Does BODY). The one that doesn't wince in pain is the princess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbarron Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game Having done a bunch of WWYCD threads for supers in the Champions forum, I decided to do one here for the fantasy genre: Your character and his/her party have been hired by the king to rescue his daughter, Princess Holly the Helpless, from the vile Dirk Darklord. After a long journey and battling Dirk's flunkies, you reach Dirk's castle only to find Dirk is long gone (parts unknown). You finally find your way down into the dungeon where he's imprisoned her royal highness. But now comes the puzzle, ready? You find that all 13 cells in the dungeon are occupied by young women who match the physical discription of Princess Holly, and each of them claims that she is the real princess. You hear evil laughter and then an illusion of Dirk Darklord appears before you... Dirk: "Greetings! My, my, you've been quite a thorn in my side. Well, if you're that determined to rescue Princess Holly, perhaps I should let you have her...always assuming you can figure out which one is really her. Of course, if you pick the wrong one...Well, why ruin the surprise? Mah Ha Ha Ha!!!! Good Luck fools, you'll need it." With a final mocking laugh, the illusionary Dirk vanishes. From what you know of the fiendish Dirk Darklord, the fake princesses could turn out to be anything from mere illusions to some vile, wicked creatures in disguise... or possibly something even worse than that. How do you determine which is the real Princess Holly and which are the fakes? WWYCD? Are you sure this isn't for Champions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Impudite Posted January 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game Why was this thread moved? I see no logical reason for this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curufea Posted January 22, 2008 Report Share Posted January 22, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game Why was this thread moved? I see no logical reason for this. No, it seems odd as it's definitely FH related. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teh bunneh Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game I'm curious about that myself. I'll find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeropoint Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game I don't really have any fantasy characters to respond to this, but my personal response would be to secure the castle and send for experts. AT LEAST twelve of the "girls" are fakes; all 13 could be. The place could be rigged so that releasing a fake princess kills the real one. The princess could be disguised with a shape-changing spell. (the one who looks like the real princess could be Dirk Darklord himself!) Better to let some royal wizards with better analytical magic deal with the situation. Chrissie Rocks (my Bard GMPC): She pulls out her guitar, strums a chord, and announces to all the princesses, "I am going to play a magical song, a song of such beauty and joy that will delight anyone with a good heart, but will cause agony to creatures of evil." She would then stand in front of each cell door and play her tune (1/2d6 RKA, NND (not vs. creatures with good hearts), Does BODY). The one that doesn't wince in pain is the princess. You're assuming that the fakes are evil (and that the princess ISN'T). This may not be the case. What if NONE of the girls wince in pain? Or all of them? Still, I guess it's worth a shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Impudite Posted January 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game I'm curious about that myself. I'll find out. Thanks Bill, I hope we can get this straighten out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teh bunneh Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game Thanks Bill' date=' I hope we can get this straighten out.[/quote'] OK, it's back in the Fantasy Hero forums again. Sorry about the confusion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Impudite Posted January 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game Thanks again, Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Squirrel Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game Zalvin ix'Daris Sebastian Corrielle would turn to his fiancee and ask her to read the minds of each of the "Princesses" to find out which one was the real one. Or she could sniff it out... princesses smell special to dragons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drhoz Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game Hmm. If playing Vitus, since he started out a Fantasy setting character - Assuming they're protected from simple mind-reading spells... do the same for myself. "Right! Princess whatsyourface - the last time we met in the Palace of the Living Ra, your Father happened to mention what became of the the last person to fall afoul of the god-statues along Hepashut Avenue. Care to remind me?" Get their responses one-by-one. Anybody that doesn't answer "What the HELL are you talking about?" or words to that effect gets there spleens removed for later analysis. Because Vitus has never met the Living Ra, etc. repeat as neccesary - triple-bluffs are simple enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pawsplay Posted January 26, 2008 Report Share Posted January 26, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game Ignore the princesses, hunt down Dirk. If we come back later and the illuions are still there, we proceed meticulously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flute Posted February 3, 2008 Report Share Posted February 3, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game It's time for a suppress magic aura? Of course this is HERO, so just to be unconventional they are probably all the real princess, the bad guy has Duplication with "usable on others"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psychoticbarber Posted February 3, 2008 Report Share Posted February 3, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game My roguish hero knows all about con games. The ball is in the con man's hand the whole time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber Nytstar Posted February 4, 2008 Report Share Posted February 4, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game First step: Before heading out, quiz king on every possible way to identify the real princess (both physically and intellectually). Look up ways to ID shapeshifting creatures. Second step: Stock up on 'see magic', 'sense traps', and 'suppress magic' items. Third step: Check current rogue's lockpicking and disarming skills; hire another rogue more skilled in these areas if necessary. Fourth step: Get to the scene described in the first post, have two characters use either a 'see magic' or a 'sense trap'. Mark dungeons each one finds suspicious. Fifth step: Cast suppress magic. Quietly work through identification process, eliminating (metaphorically) those revealed to be shapeshifters or do not have the physical qualifications. Sixth step: Either release the best candidate, or secure the castle and prepare to hunt down Dirk if they're all eliminated or there's half a dozen possibles. Send for the experts if the latter happens to be the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Querysphinx Posted February 4, 2008 Report Share Posted February 4, 2008 Re: WWYCD Fantasy HERO Edition #1: The Princess Shell Game It's a shell game. Ergo the princess is not in ANY of the cells. Lacking any mind controlling, truth determining magic, we let all the women go, one at a time and interview them about where Dirk the Darklord of Derkholm went. Listen to their sob stories, see if we can gather any clues about what Dirk the Darklord of Derkholm is up to next. If they turn out to be evil nasties, we whack 'em. If they turn out to be innocent we escort 'em to town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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