LordGhee Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Last night we started into what we call a one shot Fantasy Horror game. Our intrepid group was signed up, order to, tricked and volunteered to take a witch prisoner to a monastery and save the countryside. when we got to the dark old damp evil feeling forest of wormwood our forester went off to hunt in order to feed the party. The GM asked for a survival skill roll and with a smirk of the highly skilled, the player threw, yes that right, you guessed it, an 18 and we use critical hits and fumbles. so as GM What would you give as a result? Thanks Lord Ghee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndianaJoe3 Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . Well, if there was something evil in the forest, it found him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manic Typist Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . He falls into a trap, or simply falls due the naturally difficult (and ominously treacherous) terrain of the forest floor, injuring himself. He has to limp/crawl back to the group (who hopefully will start to look for him when he takes longer than he should) while something stalks him from the shadows.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phookz Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . I like Manic Typist's suggestion of injury and evil bad-nasty stalking him/her from the shadows. Throw in some nice and spooky unexplained stuff ala Blair Witch or something. Depending on how much tension you had built so far, this could either be an actual fight or not. Maybe have him get hurt, start the limp/crawl back to camp with something following him from just out of sight. Meanwhile, back at camp, there are noises from just beyond the trees. The group doesn't know the forester has been hurt, and they are challenged to investigate the strange happenings while keeping an eye on the witch prisoner. Throw in a few weird phenomena, maybe a small stack of stones that wasn't there before. A bundle of twigs and branches hanging in the branches somewhere else. The key is to not actually let the players see anything for certain. Then when the forester finally shows up, and the group is already spread out, you can decide to either have an actual encounter or maybe make it something not supernatural at all. Perhaps the bad-nasty is nothing more than a curious critter. Or maybe it is a real threat, like wolves or something, but they are easily dispatched or frightened off back at camp. Whew! That problem is solved, but it doesn't explain the rocks and twigs back at camp. Cue spooky music... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost-angel Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . The forest hunts back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boll Weevil Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . An enchanted forest is an excellent place to experience a hunter's worst nightmare: talking animals. As one who makes his living killing soul-less animals to feed men, imagine his surprise to meet a talking deer who wonders by and asks if he is lost or is in need of assistance. Go ahead, let that arrow fly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RexMundi Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . Falls into a Pit Trap, containing the Bear the Pit was meant to trap.....or Tiger....or Saber Toothed Cat....Or Sabertoothed Bearcat! Or worse, a very amourous Elf named Bubba...... ~Rex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancer Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . Could be something as mundane as steps onto and through the rotten log that's hosting a yellow jacket nest, spraining the ankle at the same time as p***ing off the insects. A couple hundred stings and forty yards on a badly damaged ankle later.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starcloud Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . I don't like applying critical hits and fumbles to pure skill checks. Failure alone is typically enough, but the idea that he tracks down.. or is stalked by.. something dangerous in the forest sounds good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . He could turn out to have hunted successfully in the wrong forest. Seriously, in medieval times poaching in some prince's hunting ground was a really bad idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midas Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . Since this is fantasy/HORROR, I presume that script immunity isn't much of an issue. "Anybody can die at any time." Thus: It depends on whether the forrester has made any comments about whether to get the witch to the monastery or not. If he's of the "let's perform our mission and get her to the monastery" he's got a Special Save (the witch will pull mystic strings because she wants to get there herself). If he's made "lets just off her now and go home" remarks, well, effectively he's tripped a hunted he didn't know he had. Seriously. If the DM is following the script, living or dying depends on how much effort the characters put into performing the mission. If he's trying to get her to the monastary, then the Blair Witch/Hellhound pack just rustle the bushes menacingly, maybe with the wasp swarm noted above. If not, he's probably looking at being surrounded by a pack of demon wolves, and even if the rest of the crew comes to the rescue, he personally is toast. Midas (Who'se seen that one) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoloOfEarth Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . First off, I'm assuming he's hunting with a bow of some sort. Presuming that it isnt' an irreplaceable magic bow, you could have the bow break, thus removing one of his primary weapons. That's when the animals begin stalking *him*. Alternately, the idea of him falling into someone else's bear trap sounds like a good idea. Maybe drops the bow as he's falling, and it's still up top. And then as he's trying to climb back out, a bear comes sniffing around. Or a pack of hungry wolves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escafarc Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . Here's a real world example: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41573688/ns/world_news-asiapacific Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlHazred Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . He ends up stalking something that stalks him as skillfully as he stalks it. Then suddenly they come upon each other, him fighting with his weapons it tearing at him with tooth and claw. Play out one Phase of combat, where the wound he inflicts on it inflicts damage to him as well and vice versa. Then turn to the other players at the camp and ask what they're up to. Have them roleplay through some camp stuff. Then, they suddenly hear the most horrible howls and screams echoing from the woods. Dark animals and... other things... break from cover around the camp and flee away from the sounds of fighting. Intrepid characters who try to investigate rapidly become lost in the brambles and thickets that choke that part of the woods; the trees overhead completely block out all light from the stars there, and only luminescent moss lights their way. As they try to find a way to penetrate the thicket, the sounds cease; after a pause of a few seconds, the insect noises begin again. Then bring the hunter to another room and reveal that the that his prey turns out to be the Darkly Feral version of himself. Play out the combat. It should have the same number of points as him, but no weapons -- just claws and fangs, and a fiercely intelligent hunting/fighting style. If he wins the battle (and it should be dramatically tough), tell him he thinks its hide looks especially valuable. Should he skin it or take other souvenirs, they should be worth something -- a small one-time (or extremely limited use) bonus to Survival or Tracking, or a single charge of Moderate poison damage. If he loses, he passes out. When he comes to, both the hunter and the area the battle took place in are completely covered in blood and gore. He's down to 1 BODY (or half his BODY stat if healing is not readily available) and he feels terrible, but he's alive. Secretly, you know that the hunter and his Dark Shadow have merged. It will slowly try to turn him towards feral nature and away from civilized society. There are benefits to be had (let him buy Tracking Scent, and give him +1 bonuses to OCV or Survival once in a while) but always at a price -- if he takes advantage of the gifts he slowly submerges his higher self into the primitive urges and savage fury of the shadow. Should be worth a subplot that runs for at least one season or so of campaign. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yukonhorror Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . I say survival is survival against many things. Specifically for food, I'd say he either picked some bad mushrooms or served up an obviously sickly creature and any who eat it get food poisoning. How to define food poisoning, maybe damage over time and some SERIOUS drain (that has a seriously slow recovery rate). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Neilson Posted February 15, 2011 Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . I really like the Dark Feral idea, but I think yukonhorror's approach is more consistent with the actual skill roll which was failed. Missing a "find some food" skill roll doesn't seem likely to create a dark alternate of the character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolgroth Posted February 16, 2011 Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . The Dark Feral idea is golden and I wish I could toss some rep that way. It is an extraordinarily creative idea to toss in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asperion Posted February 16, 2011 Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . I believe that this should not be immediately threatening. However since he did make a crit, (and you said that you use crits) he should have some nasty side effect. As a result, the visible effect would be as simple as finding food that is tainted (possibly making a hero into villain or vise versa). Not quickly appearant would be that he got the attention of something. This something could be good, neutral, or evil, depending on how you want to play it out. However this something will not show itself to the group right away and only follow them to see what they are up to and how it would either defend them or fight them depending on the nature of the something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlHazred Posted February 16, 2011 Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . I figured the Dark Feral idea adds plot, gives meaning to a critically failed die roll, and isn't inconsistent with Survival Skill. I also figured the failed roll didn't "create" the dark mirror, so much as lead the character to the "worst" prey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshairCollie Posted February 16, 2011 Report Share Posted February 16, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . I'm with Yukonhorror on this one, though I probably wouldn't make it quite so debilitating (I'm not a fan of fumbles). Perhaps a mildly humorous scene a few hours later when suddenly everybody has to go 'do their business' at the exact same time, but I wouldn't apply any statistical penalties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Divago Posted February 17, 2011 Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . dunno... i read a lot of nasty and cheerful ideas but... i got one really bastard he hunt a wonderful prey. a stag, a big boar, or like. or just a lot of wondrous roots and fruit and then come back at the camp they all ate the dinner, and they need to admit, it's a wonderful dinner. but the game is fantasy horror and they hit a fumble. so they get cursed. something nasty, something like drain their powers or stats, or just make'em sleep while the witch flee. or, if you are really bastard inside, the curse is not a real curse but something could make'em think about a curse: they hear noises, and the GM are secretely rolling his dice with an evil grim. then evidence something not unusual, ie while one is guarding tell him "you hear a footstep behind you" and while he turn scared, one of his mate is going to the toilet. describe EVERY SINGLE noise he hear. make them fear their own paranoia and if they does'nt die by their paranoia, the day after you can still apply the curse thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Neilson Posted February 17, 2011 Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . I'd say a lot depends on just how nasty you want a fumble to be. What effects would you typically apply for an 18 on a to hit roll in combat? Presumably, an 18 on a skill roll should have an effect of similar disadvantage to the character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted February 17, 2011 Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . Wow, instant cripplement or fatality? That's harsh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manic Typist Posted February 17, 2011 Report Share Posted February 17, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . I'd hardly call a minor, temporary sprain when you cockily roll an 18 after your hunter goes off alone into the haunted woods at night while escorting a witch to be imprisoned so as to rescue the land from the frightful forces assaulting it....in a specifically Horror game...... to be harsh. It's dramatic, certainly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Neilson Posted February 18, 2011 Report Share Posted February 18, 2011 Re: What would you do as GM when our intrepid . . . . . . Assuming that a minor, temporary sprain is a reasonable result for rolling an 18 to hit in combat, it seems equally reasonable for the survival skill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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