Monday, April 15, 2013

One By One We Will Take You

This could be you!

So a long time ago in an Illinois far far away, Jeff proposed using a table when PCs had to end a session in a dungeon.  The G+ Nightwick campaign already had a somewhat infamous moment when the party got trapped in the dungeon and the other party members had to enter it and rescue them.  While running this rescue mission was fun - my wife (who has been to the abbey more than any other player) and I co-DMed, with her taking the rescue team and me taking the lost survivors - it was a bit of a hassle.  It also looks like this situation might become increasingly common going forward due to changes I've made in how I run the dungeon.

As such, I've decided to make a version specifically designed for my special-snowflake huge ruined pile.  Since it affects the decision making process for the players, I think this is something I should be fairly transparent about - thus the blog post.

As with Jeff's version, you have a base 50% chance of making it out alive with no ill effects.  It's level of difference between your character's level and the dungeon level gives you a 10% bonus/penalty.  If you roll over your percentage chance, consult the table below.

Lost in Nightwick Abbey
d6
Result
1
You escape!  You lucky dog.  Roll a d6 1 - 3 You’re unscathed 4 - 5 you suffer the effects of a mangled limb from the Death & Dismemberment table 6 - you emerge confused and completely naked
2
Your character walked through a thick curtain of purple mist and now is lost in time and space!  You must reroll on this chart each week until you either perish or escape.
3
You have been captured! One of the intelligent groups of monsters in the abbey is holding you captive for some purpose.  Roll a d6 1 - 3 - They will ransom you for the value of your combined equipment 4 - they demand double the price 5 - 6 They are holding you for some alien purpose, treat this result as though you were lost in time and space.
4
The malevolent forces within the abbey have taken their toll on your mind and your soul.  You are now possessed!  You will wonder the level as a monster of HD equal to your level.  If you can be returned to civilization and taken to a church, it is possible that the demons might be exercised and your PC returned to normal.
5
Your character was cruelly slain by a band of monsters!  Roll a d6 1 - 3 location of corpse is unknown 4 - 6 location of corpse is known.  Warning: bodies left unattended in the abbey tend not to stay dead
6
You have been sacrificed in a Satanic ritual!  You are dead and a new horrible monster is added to the dungeon level.


Characters who are possessed and brought back to a church must undergo an exorcism before they may re-enter play.  Each week both the demoniac and a cleric attempting to loose them from their demonic chains must make a saving throw - treat as a magical effect to determine bonuses.  If both characters succeed, the demon is banished to the Pit.  If only one character fails the demon remains in control of the PCs body but no other ill effects happen.  If both fail, you must roll on the Super Secret Possession Mishaps Table.*

Note that this is still just a draft.  I'll make revisions to it as inspiration strikes me.

*Includes results such as "Demoniac breaks free to terrorize the village!" and "Now you're both possessed!"

1 comment:

  1. Just wanted to say I thought this particular Dark Country blog post was cool. The "Lost in Nightwick Abbey" table is something worth copying!

    VS

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