What would you do if...part 1

[pblackcrow]

This was a game hook that 5 players could not get.

[pblackcrow]

I tried that!!! The players just sat there.

[Qev]

You left out the "shoot it down, cook it, and eat it" option.

But most of my characters would probably get curious, and follow it. Cautiously. Could be a trick!

[count zero]

What? Were they just flying around aimlessly, killing time? Or in the process of going somewhere, traveling to somewhere specific or in pursuit of a goal?

Me, I would have also "assume[d] that it's an obvious GM hook" and if I didn't have anything better to do, I probably would have followed it. If I was in the midst of another task, I would have thought it was kinda weird and kept on doing what I was doing.

If it was the hook, and the players ignored it, then you could've had it come back a second or third or fourth time until they got it through their thick skulls that you meant for them to investigate it further (someone notices a glint of gold on its leg or whatever).

pax
Ø

[Sentinel]

Wait, I'm already on a Flying Carpet?
Heck Yeah, I follow the Falcon.
Geez, this is what I live for.

[Sentinel]

This was a game hook that 5 players could not get.

I don't see how they missed this.
It's an adventure game.
One based in a high-fantasy enviornment.
What is there to think about?

[Guest]

Actually, I think I'm the most surprised. I see most folks are instantly assuming it's an obvious plot hook, rather than just flavor text or even a red herring. I guess it's all in what you're used to in a game.

[The Immortal ME]

I don't care what you are used to, that is odd behavior for a wild animal. It is probably either trained, affected by magic, or possessing higher intelligence. Whether the character is astute enough to realize that and how what to do about it are a different story.

[Sentinel]

Sometimes following a GMs Red Herring can lead to interesting things as well as anything else.

[Damian Magecraft]

i had to vote for "you dont have that happen every day..." i just dont see it as a plot hook perse...not enough context...i mean why am i on this carpet? where am i going? what OCC am I?
my wizard and druid would want to follow, my fighters and rangers would be mission oriented...my thief would be trying to figure out how to steal the party blind and not get caught at it...

[pblackcrow]

what were there occ or rccs used

A group of 1 scholar, 2 nobles, a bard, and a wizard...And all but the wizard ID'ed the crest.

They just assumed it was looking for a hand out. Until it came back the 5th time, and took a helmet.

The wizard did not roll well enough to see the crest either time. He was busy flying the carpet. Him, I can excuse.

Instead of the crest I should have tagged it Lassie. Maybe then they would have gotten the hint.

[Ridley]

What exactly was the adventure that followed after the hook?
After reading that, it is driving me nuts trying to figure out what exactly you did for the adventure.

Sounds like a good one.

[pblackcrow]

What exactly was the adventure that followed after the hook?
After reading that, it is driving me nuts trying to figure out what exactly you did for the adventure.

Sounds like a good one.

Okay...first off, this on a different planet. So bare with me...okay? They found a wounded naked, prince, who has a concushion. The clothing was stolden by a changeling (the former rule of the land, driven from it by the princes father, whom everyone thinks is human and dead). The prince went out without his escorts. The changeling rushed back to the castle, killed the king and took his place, and later burned the body. The prince insisted they stay that night, on the way to their room, they noticed the king having a great bit of dificulty carrying a large bundle out in the direction of the insinoratory, which burned the trash and other stuff. This was where they were supposed to have noticed that the king was up to something, instead they helped him and didn't stop and to think "why would the king be doing a servents work?" they loaded the body into the insinorator with several shovels full of trash on top of him. After that they were rewarded for seeing the prince home safely, and everything the next morning; they left the kingdom. And the adventure ended. I told them what the plot was. Afterwards I told them to subtract 3,500 exp. for their stupidity and got up and left the shop. And the players were all grad students in history!

[Shawn Merrow]

What exactly was the adventure that followed after the hook?
After reading that, it is driving me nuts trying to figure out what exactly you did for the adventure.

Sounds like a good one.

Okay...first off, this on a different planet. So bare with me...okay? They found a wounded naked, prince, who has a concushion. The clothing was stolden by a changeling (the former rule of the land, driven from it by the princes father, whom everyone thinks is human and dead). The prince went out without his escorts. The changeling rushed back to the castle, killed the king and took his place, and later burned the body. The prince insisted they stay that night, on the way to their room, they noticed the king having a great bit of dificulty carrying a large bundle out in the direction of the insinoratory, which burned the trash and other stuff. This was where they were supposed to have noticed that the king was up to something, instead they helped him and didn't stop and to think "why would the king be doing a servents work?" they loaded the body into the insinorator with several shovels full of trash on top of him. After that they were rewarded for seeing the prince home safely, and everything the next morning; they left the kingdom. And the adventure ended. I told them what the plot was. Afterwards I told them to subtract 3,500 exp. for their stupidity and got up and left the shop. And the players were all grad students in history!

Well the bright side if you ever need to dispose of a body you know who to call.

[Damian Magecraft]

What exactly was the adventure that followed after the hook?
After reading that, it is driving me nuts trying to figure out what exactly you did for the adventure.

Sounds like a good one.

Okay...first off, this on a different planet. So bare with me...okay? They found a wounded naked, prince, who has a concushion. The clothing was stolden by a changeling (the former rule of the land, driven from it by the princes father, whom everyone thinks is human and dead). The prince went out without his escorts. The changeling rushed back to the castle, killed the king and took his place, and later burned the body. The prince insisted they stay that night, on the way to their room, they noticed the king having a great bit of dificulty carrying a large bundle out in the direction of the insinoratory, which burned the trash and other stuff. This was where they were supposed to have noticed that the king was up to something, instead they helped him and didn't stop and to think "why would the king be doing a servents work?" they loaded the body into the insinorator with several shovels full of trash on top of him. After that they were rewarded for seeing the prince home safely, and everything the next morning; they left the kingdom. And the adventure ended. I told them what the plot was. Afterwards I told them to subtract 3,500 exp. for their stupidity and got up and left the shop. And the players were all grad students in history!

how much of the changeling background did the players/PCs have? yes the king doing servamts work is odd but not out of the ordinary (unless of course there has been evidence prior to this to prove otherwise...) i cannot say you are in the right...you are probably right about them being a bit dense...but remember you are too close to the material what seems obvious to you may not be to one who does not have all the pieces....if i were playing and all i knew was the king needed help disposing of something or someone that he didnt want the staff to know about; i would in all likely hood have helped as well (dependant on the OCC i am playing my reasons might be different, for example my thief would wonder more about who/what we just got rid of [great black mail material])...as a gm if my players did this to me; i would start having the king give them more assignments, and build a serious villan out of the "new king" all the while setting up the PCs to aid him...i have often told my players its their screwups that get them in trouble more often than not...

[drewkitty ~..~]

I'm suprised that there weren't more ppl saying to look at it closer to see if it had a golden thing on it, because the way the senario is set up they would of had to follow the hawk to see if it had something.

[sinestus]

would never have followed the bird...

and most of the groups i've run / played with wouldn't bother short of the ones with members that could communicate with avians...
half would've ignored the bird, and killed it if it returned thinking it a spy (had a similar event where a new team member sent his familiar to scout ahead, and another, not realizing it was the familiar, shot the bird down)

the other half would've just killed it outta reflex, ("Oh my, the GM brought up an insignificant encounter. Quick, KILL IT beofre it becomes a threat!")

as for "penalty for stupid"
does not help, ever. all that does is make the players think that they're only there to have you tell a story.... by far the most boring version of RPing ever.

[pblackcrow]

The prince went to them and told them that there was something very different about his father, that was why he asked the to stay...and they dismissed it!

By the way, I play with different people at the shop. Before I start, I give players a back ground chart, a map of the local kingdoms, a map of the town that they start in, and tell them that while I have some fighting in my games that they will have to use their brains.

So no, I do not consider it wrong of me to deduct points for stupidity.

I have ran the same game with no screw ups and awarded anywhere from 2,000 to 5,000 exp. It was a simple plot, the other groups loved it, was just this one group of twits that had a problem with grasping concepts.

Also, I deduct 5 points for braking character and talking while I am trying to explain things to other people. I mean, if you want to talk, have some respect for the other players, and leave the area.

[sinestus]

The prince went to them and told them that there was something very different about his father, that was why he asked the to stay...and they dismissed it!

well, the prince had suffered a great ordeal, it was possible he was suffering post-traumatic stress...

By the way, I play with different people at the shop. Before I start, I give players a back ground chart, a map of the local kingdoms, a map of the town that they start in, and tell them that while I have some fighting in my games that they will have to use their brains.

So no, I do not consider it wrong of me to deduct points for stupidity.

not all people think in the same circles.

I have ran the same game with no screw ups and awarded anywhere from 2,000 to 5,000 exp. It was a simple plot, the other groups loved it, was just this one group of twits that had a problem with grasping concepts.

or they're just that good at reading the GM...
was the "stupid" group the first you ran? 'cause gamers do talk to eachother out of the game... if the "stupid" group was first, they may have told others about how they were punished for playing in character differently than you expected... if they weren't the first, they may have been yanking your crank to see if you'd take the plot in a different direction since they'd already heard that story....

Also, I deduct 5 points for braking character and talking while I am trying to explain things to other people. I mean, if you want to talk, have some respect for the other players, and leave the area.

don't see how this is relavant to the story...

[pblackcrow]

It was the first time I ran this game in the US...The 3rd time I ran it. But I ran the other two in the UK while I was doing research for a book.

But, when I am GMing, there is no emotions shown, unless I am playing one of my many NPCs.

250 of the minus wasn't for stupidity, but for out right rudeness! I also, warned them about this at the beginning of the game when Victor asked why he couldn't find something, and I was explaining that it was a different world, they interrupted. I do it to the entire group, so they can remind the other one, know to write it down, hold their thought, or say "come on, let's chat over there" The guy playing the wizard tried to warn then a few tmes. It's a shame he had to leave early...he has some sense to him.

[Aaryq]

Well...I'd have to asume it's food...then again, there's nothing like Tristam, my 9th level Orc Vagabond with an IQ of 4. "Hey, George! I tink dat chicken would sure taste good with ketchup and beans!!"

[Cinos]

It would really depend what mood I was in, and how into the game I was. If I was intent on the game, and like my character, I'd shrugg and keep going about my day (as that's what I would really do). But if I was just putting for minium effort, I'd see "G.M Hook" written all over it, and follow it (but keep my eyes open for an ambush). The only time I would follow it while remaining in character, would be if I was a Priest, Mystic or had some other clue to run off of (Visions, or some pre-established assostion with someone and the falcon).

Cinos