4E and "Old School Gaming" (and why they aren't mutually exclusive"

[thecasualoblivion]

In that case it sounds like you have a rare treasure.

Story time:

Several years ago, a new guy started gaming with us. I was running a 3.0 Scourge of the Slavelords adventure and he joined the group and played a cleric of Kord.

The party had a roadside encounter with a group of slaver agents led by a nasty dwarf (one of the Ruvik brothers). The encounter turned to combat and the PC's defeated the bad guys and took thier stuff. The PC's decided to drag the bodies off the road and bury them to conceal evidence of the struggle. (The cleric had no trouble wearing the dwarf's armor though )

The next day the PC's reached town and went to the local pub ( controlled by slaver agents) to start looking for clues. After sitting down and ordering drinks, a dwarf was seen on the balcony above. Upon spotting the party, he came trotting down the steps towards thier table.

The dwarf ( the other Ruvik brother) made a complimentary remark about the cleric's armor. The party noticed something faintly familliar about his facial features. After a couple pointed questions the dwarf fixed menacing eyes upon the cleric and asked: " Where exactly IS my brother?" to which the cleric replied: " We buried him."

Initiative was rolled a second later

After we recovered from the fits of laughter, a major battle took place, sparked by that response. I wouldn't trade that moment for anything.

What made it so funny was that it was in no way an attempt at intimidation. He had formulated a story in his mind that involved the party discovering his brother's corpse, and laying him to rest peacefully. The line was delivered innocently and in a tone that conveyed "our condolences".

End story.

Sometimes you have to appreciate those moments and make lemonade from the lemons.

If that happens here and there its all good. When it happens every time the party talks to NPCs, it gets old really fast. For the players that is. His muzzling is more a response by the other players than any imposition by the DM. My only contribution as a DM is the fact that when he says this stupid stuff, I will respond unfailingly in a negative fashion.