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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Oofta" data-source="post: 7798684" data-attributes="member: 6801845">I wanted to share a slightly edited/abbreviated/simplified/paraphrased version of a recent encounter. I'm curious how other people would have run this or similar scenarios.  I know I don't own the thread, but I was curious to see if we could just discuss a simple example or provide other brief glimpses into actual game play.The group is in a particularly dangerous corner of the world and Rae's PC has been separated from the group after bravely retreating.  She stumbles on a small cottage with an old woman outside.  After some brief introductions Rae is invited inside and served tea by the old woman, Granny.The scene starts with Rae's PC sitting at the table.  I've added my thoughts in brackets.DM: in my best old woman voice* "Here you go honey, you look like you've had a tough day.  Have some tea." Rae: "Do I see her pouring both cups?" DM: "Yep, she set the cups on the table in plain sight and poured both at the same time." [No check, the tea was poured out in the open in plain sight.] Rae: "I want to smell the tea, can I tell if it's okay?" DM: "Sure.  You hold the cup up to your nose and take a deep whiff.  Give me a perception check." Rae: rolling dice "Ugh.  That's only an 8." DM: "It smells like mint tea." [Rae said what she was doing (smelling the tea) and I asked for a perception check.  I don't allow re-rolls for things like this unless something changes.  If for some reason she hadn't wanted to take a deep whiff she could have stopped me right there.  She could have also described it in more detail, but she didn't] Rae: "Can I get a medicine check?" DM: "You think you'd have to take a small sip.  You can probably spit it out if your tongue tingles or goes numb." Rae: "Okay, I get a 15 this time." [She then asked for a medicine check.  Because it wasn't clear what she was doing, I let her know she'd have to take a sip of the tea before proceeding and a general idea of the risk.  She was also doing something different than just smelling or getting another perception check.] DM: "It's good, you detect nothing unusual.  Granny looks at you, sipping her own tea and says 'Oh, deary it's just tea.  If I wanted to kill you, you'd already be dead' with a wink." [Rae didn't mention anything about being subtle, Granny didn't need to make a check to see what Rae was doing.]The scene continues.  My point to this is that to me this was a very natural conversation.  It didn't really matter whether whether the tea was poisoned or not, Rae was paranoid and the skill checks just reflected the actions her PC was taking.  It also added a sense of uncertainty and tension for Rae that she would not have had if I had not called for or allowed checks.  It was fun.  If Rae had pestered me with checks (she doesn't) we may have to have a chat, but that's never been an issue in any of my games.This is just a simple example of the start of a fun little encounter.  Can you run through this scenario with your style of play? Or give an example of something similar and how you handled it?*Side note: I know not everyone is into acting, but when I do this I try to imitate an old woman.  Hunch over, squint, high creaky voice, maybe have a shaky hand wave the PC into the cottage and so on.  People learn by doing, so I've gotten better at it over the years. I hope.</blockquote>

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