100 Problems that aren't solved by violence alone

[Slife]

If violence isn't the answer, you must be on Jeopardy. Try "What is violence?"

 

[awayfarer]

22: The veterans of (insert war here) have become restless on the twentieth anniversery of (insert battle here). The town was smack on the border between (insert two nations here) and traded hands numerous times during the war. There are a number of veterans from each side that settled down here, and the townsfolks will be very upset if some otusiders come in and start hacking up one side or the other. Not to mention that openly declaring allegience a gang of zealous ex-soldiers would be highly illegal, and might cause the enmity of one country or the other.

 

[Herobizkit]

Twist on the orphanage:
Through a magical mishap, the PCs bodies have been switched with the bodies of an equal number of children. No harm must come to the bodies of the children, as they are under the influence of a debilitating disease (or vile damage!) that is resistant to healing magic.

 

[Holy Bovine]

24. The bar the PCs are in catches fire.
25. Three tables over is a know-it-all who won't stop bragging about his accomplishments - in a voice loud enough to hear in the entire place, he constantly calls over to other tables and asks 'Am I right or what?'.

 

[Lord Zardoz]

25. Three tables over is a know-it-all who won't stop bragging about his accomplishments - in a voice loud enough to hear in the entire place, he constantly calls over to other tables and asks 'Am I right or what?'.

Your mistaken. You can indeed solve that problem very effectively and directly with violence.

END COMMUNICATION

 

[Slife]

Just how I think many of these could be solved... not neccessarily the *best* way, but you wouldn't have the same problem anymore. And the new problem you have will almost certainly be solvable with violence. Assassination attempts are like that.

3. The King suspects that the Queen is cheating on him with an Ambassador from a neighboring country. He wants the pcs to a) Find out if its true, and b) dig up dirt to get get the ambassador expelled by his own country. They cannot hurt the ambassador because it will cause an international incident.

Kill the queen, Speak with Dead.

4. A blight has destroyed the harvest. As winter approaches, the PCs are asked to secure sufficient aid from a rival nation to be able to ensure the survival of the people.

Kill the rulers of the rival nation, take it over, send the grain to the nation you're helping.

6: The local peasants have taken up the worship of dark gods, and as a result, are living richer fuller lives. The only drawback is that one in every 3 children is born with a mark, and dies upon reaching adult hood, unless they sacrifice someone else. Another 1 in every 3 is a Half Fiend. If the villagers stop with the demon worship, then they all die.

The final aspect of this deal that any damage caused to those who worship the dark gods and are residents of the village is instantly reflected on their attacker, unless said damage is inflicted by another villager, an agent of that god. Or is a deity themself.

Buy a wand of CLW, kill the villagers. They have, what? 5 hp at most?
OR charm and buff up a villager, and have HIM kill the others.
OR kill the dark gods
OR kill some lesser deity nobody cares about, ascend to godhood, and kill the villagers with no reprecussions

[OLD reply]:
You must be mistaken. You can indeed solve that problem very effectively and directly with violence.
Kill the villagers and the dark gods they worship. Then nuke the village from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.[/old reply]

14) On the last two new moons, the Fairy Court has ridden through the village, insipring any who see or hear them to follow in their wake. Such unfortunates are found the next day miles away and dead aparently of old age. The Court does not even notice the mortals caught up in their glory, and doesn't care much about them one way or the other. Find out how to get them to parade elsewhere, tie up the villagers very securely or move them?

Attack the Fairy Court with lethal force whenever it rides through. They'll get the message sooner or later

19) An avatar, aspect, or harbinger of a god appears before the players and tells them that one among them shall betray the rest. The god in question is the god of lies. Just be sure to pull aside various players before hand and talk to each privately about something unrelated to this plot point. Or hand each a note asking the players to read it and hand it back.

Kill the god.

20) An influential noble family’s first born son has joined a cult. The PCs are hired to extract the son. The monastery is devoted to peace and nonviolence. The monks will resist any attempt to grab the son nonviolently. The monks will not make any attempt to defend themselves and will be treated as hostile but helpless if confronted by the PCs. Being monks the monks will put themselves between the PCs and the son forcing a massacre or other means of extracting the son. The DM must make sure the PCs know they will be outlaws if they commit murder and most likely hang.

If the "cult" is dedicated to peace and violence, and we're supposed to think they're the enemy, then obviously the king is evil, and it's perfectly justified to commit regicide.

 

[Lord Zardoz]

Ok Slife, a clarification then...

In my example with the village, it could be solved with violence, but you would have to resort to murder.

In your example, subdual damage would solve the problem.

I suppose it is a matter of degrees though. I will edit #6 to better qualify for 'violence will not solve it'.

END COMMUNICATION

 

[Michael Silverbane]

The local barbarian king has eaten too much chocolate. How do you get him to take his medicine?

Later
silver

 

[Piratecat]

A PC's parents have arranged a marriage for him, and the bride does not want to get married -- but it would shame his family to renege.

 

[reason]

The laughing madness from beyond that causes its victims to foam and flail, slaying all the unwary nearby, or clawing themselves to death, and which leaps upon that death to the nearest poor doomed fool.

Reason
Principia Infecta