Box Text

Crothian said:

Box text seems to be something people are hating on now even though it was very common in the days of 1e. So, why is it bad? What where some of the worst examples and what are some of the best ones?

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Oryan77 said:

I personally think it's more entertaining to hear a description of a scene as a present tense action than I would if it was a travelogue or bullet points. My gaming style is narrative, I play D&D as if it's a story. When you just give out facts with no fluff to it, the game is more instructional...and that's not my cup of tea

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Quasqueton said:

I tell you what I'll do, though. Tonight, when I get home, I'll open up a classic module. I'll post the information for one room in that adventure, and let folks write the box text for it.

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arscott said:

I dunno, Quas... Sterile boxed text can be as bad as florid boxed text, and creative writers often fail by writing "greenish, hideously slavering hulking monstrosity"

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Quasqueton said:

I would say:What’s the difference between straw and hay?

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hong said:

I must work this phrase into my next session. Ideally when describing a PC.

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12. ORC LEADER'S ROOM: This large creature is clad in chain mail, has a shield +1, and carries a mace. He fights as a 4 hit dice monster, has 15 hit points, and adds +2 to damage he causes when successfully striking an opponent (thus, 3-8 points of damage). This is due to his strength and skill. He carries 31 gold pieces, and wears a ring set with a gem (total value 700 g.p.).

The room is carpeted, has tapestries upon the walls (note one of these covers the entrance to the small cave to the west), and battered but still serviceable furniture and a cot. His two mates sleep on cushions at the foot of his resting place. The two females in the place fight as males (AC 7, HD 1, hp 3 each, #AT 1, D 1-6, Save F 1, ML 8), and each has 2d6 gold pieces on her person. The chests and other furniture have nothing of value.

If hard pressed, the leader will wiggle behind the tapestries on the south wall and attempt to work the catch on the secret door to the south and go to the rival tribe for help, but his very life must be in great peril before he will do so. (Adventurers can only spring this catch by rolling a 1 (on a d6) twice in a row, or having two characters do so simultaneously.)

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BP. THE MYSERY LIGHT.
When this door is unlocked, opened by knock or broken, there will be no rush of air between the rooms. Instead, a solft light will grow in intensity until it equals full daylight radiance. Undead will not enter the room. Upon crossing the threshold the temperature will increase dramatically to 65 [degrees] F. and the air will be fresh and slightly scented of orange blossoms. Immediately characters must make a saving throw versus magic at -3 from a powerful charm person spell. The characters who fail their saving throw will go to the door to BQ, open it, and walk right in. The charmed characters will say nothing at all performing only that action. Room BP itself contains no items at all. The walls are dry. The charming effect occurs only when the threshold is crossed. Those who are uncharmed will shiver as the spell rebounds from them, but will have no recollection of what has just occurred. Nor will they recall where the charmed characters have gone.

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7. WIZARD'S ANNEX. Another room off of Zelligar's chamber is the unusually-shaped annex. This room apparently was for meditation and study, as well as the practice of magic spells. The triangular widening at the south end of this room was apparently for this purpose, and the stone wall (although not noticeable to adventurers) is actually thicker than elsewhere in the complex. the [sic] floor near the south wall is bumpy and darkly discolored, as if charred and partially melted by intense heat (this will not be noticeable until the illusion described below is dispelled).

At the sought end of the room is a magnificent sight visible when explorers enter the door and cast light within. The spectacle is indeed impressive: two large wooden chests, each studded with jewels, overflowing with riches. A pile of gold pieces is arrayed around and within them, and scattered among this treasure trove is an assortment of glittering gems and jewels.

The massive treasure is in reality a permanent illusion, and it will be temporarily dispelled as soon as the first bit of "treasure" is touched by any creature. The illusion, once dispelled, reappears in the same place again within 24 hours.

In reality the room is empty (and it is recommended that no treasure be placed here).

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Dim, colored light filters through broken and boarded up stain glass windows, illuminating the ancient chapel of Ravenloft. Pews and benches lie about the floor in jumbled disarray, coated wtih centuries of dust. Beyond this debris, lit by a single, piercing shaft of light, an alter stands upon the platform. The light falls directly on a small statue. A figure is draped over the alter. This room seems as though nothing has disturbed it in centuries, and that nothing ever could.

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You enter a small temple 30 feet across east to west and 20 feet deep north to south. There is a door in the center of the south wall and another at the east end of the north wall. Within this dark and smoky room, a dull red glow is visible from a pile of burning incense in the center of the room. Against the west wall stands yet another statue of Amun-re, his hands forming an altar platform 5 feet above the floor. Prostrate on the ground in front of the statue is the Assistant Holy Iaseda.

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The floor of this large room is wood parquet. The acoustics in this room are excellent. In the center of the north wall is a balcony. You notice several musical instruments lying on the balcony. Swinging from a large chandelier in the center of the room is a small, hairy, mishapen figure dressed in the clothing of a court jester. He holds the ends of three long chains. The chains are connected to iron collars around the necks of three white furred apes who are standing on the floor.

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