How often does natural death/disease make an appearance in your game?

[Cor Azer]

I thought I'd get a feel for how often other DMs (or even players) introduce natural death or diseases, or even non-supernatural ones, into their games.

In my current face-to-face game, I've had one NPC die from a heart defect she had since birth (although, admittedly, the level of medicine in the world can't completely comfirm this), several old men walking on canes from withered limbs, an NPC dwarf with an amputed leg, an elderly NPC Lord die from a heart attack (albeit, caused by a big flaming demon), and a NPC Lady die during childbirth.

Personally, I've been using these to add a bit of versimilitude to the game, and really enjoy using them - because sometimes, there isn't a big bad evil to fight when your loved ones get sick. My players seem to enjoy it as well, because the NPCs change over time - people get sick, they get better, some move on, new ones arrive.

I guess it's all part-and-parcel in adding versimilitude... so maybe a better question would be: how much versimilitude do you try to add to your game?

 

[Crothian]

I use disease and other age dependaent problems, but not to your degree, though I would like to.

 

[the Jester]

The pcs were dealing with an exasperatingly senile retired old druid (he kept forgetting who they were). Eventually he expired. I don't think they were expecting that.

 

[WayneLigon]

In my current face-to-face game, I've had one NPC die from a heart defect she had since birth...

Yeah. I've done most of that and more. It does, indeed, add something. I generally have fewer actual spell-casting clerics running around than the DMG says, so the PC's see such things every now and again.

They've seen it more in the Arcana Unearthed game, since part of the theme is that there has been a tremendously devestating series of wars that stopped no tso much because anyone wanted them to but because the nations in question had no more resources to put into it. So, fewer healers out among the populace.

 

[spectre72]

I have not used it alot, but in a recent game I had a player who was playing a very interesting rogue who would always desert the rest of the party as soon as he got into town looking for some "ACTION".

Well he got some and a surprise along with it, and after contracting a STD has decided that his past course of action might not have been very wise.

His character is still feeling the effects in character as others in the group who found out tease him with no end in sight.

The player took it well, and the interaction in the party has been better than ever before.

Note - This is a mature and experienced group of players and I would not recommend this for all games or players

 

[Bendris Noulg]

I thought I'd get a feel for how often other DMs (or even players) introduce natural death or diseases, or even non-supernatural ones, into their games.

Quite a bit. Nothing like a good plague to stir things up.

To which, I use the rules from The Primal Codex for many real-world diseases (Typhus, Disentary, Plague, etc.), combined with the diseases from Book of Erotic Fantasy and Nyambe (with the later bringing in SR for diseases so remove disease doesn't make quick work of things).

Natural death in the form of old age, accidents, etc., occur frequently enough. Nothing like the look on players faces when the crown-prince, after being defended by the PCs through two wars and several assassination attempts, dies when the structure of a castle wall gives-out during peace-time.

 

[Gregor]

The free supplement for the Midnight Campaign Setting on www.againsttheshadow.org has an excellent section on natural diseases. Some include Typhus, Rabies, Cholera etc. I use them in my midnight game but they would work perfectly well in any setting and might make PCs think twice about drinking from a pool of stagnant water or stream. Moreover, slap the infection on some monsters and if your PCs get bit by a sick Bear or something, uh oh...now they have Rabies!

Cheers,

 

[ivocaliban]

I use illness from time to time, sometimes when it helps the plot and occaisionally at random. One of the more interesting times was in a plot involving a PC's significant other (an NPC) becoming ill while on an adventure. This illness was eventually revealed as nothing more than morning sickness...of which she (the NPC) was generally aware while the PC hadn't the foggiest.

There is also a young wizard NPC (who I like to think of as a cross between Harry Potter and C-3PO) in the same campaign who is often coming down with something. Allergies are the main culprit, but most think he's demon-ridden or tainted considering he's so commonly ill. Keeping that theme in mined I've played a bit with the idea of seizures or "fits" being either caused by demons or simply occuring naturally. I generally leave it up to the PCs to decide which is the reality.

As for random illnesses I generally make Constitution checks for the PCs if they're in extreme environments, have made contact with unwell individuals, or are under considerable duress. Most of the time the characters have made it somewhere where they may rest and recover by the time the illness becomes a real factor in game, but a few times I've had them come down with something just to remind them that they're mortal, after all. (Unfortunately, all you can do with a paladin is break his/her limbs. )

And, last but not least, let's not forget the PCs now imprisoned former First Mate Bolgen Orlok...a half-orc pirate with a penchant for visiting brothels. Many a joke has been made regarding his quite ordinary and extensive collection of specialized illnesses.

 

[Zappo]

I only use them as plot devices. I think I should use them some more, but the availability of Remove Disease makes mundane diseases rather harmless to PCs, so I generally end up ignoring them. They would be very good for added world detail, though (it's not like everyone can afford RD after all).

 

[Ron]

I follow Zappo in using them only as plot devices: a senile patron here or a very sick wizard that refuses to get help from a cleric. As a matter of fact, I don't recall ever using it with the PCs.