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Non combat climactic challenges
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<blockquote data-quote="nimisgod" data-source="post: 1561538" data-attributes="member: 10283"><p>As a GM, I prefer endings that are non combat. The dice can screw the players on terrible occasions, laying waste to a campaign without them to blame. I'd rather they choose how to end the campaign, though I tend toward LOTR-ish martyrdom to destroy the great evil. Choices, choices, choices.</p><p></p><p>My beloved players play selfless characters, generally, but it just takes just some shaking up for their characters' despair to bubble up. Well, not a little.</p><p></p><p>One campaign had two sacrifices.</p><p></p><p>The party's fighter, Freyd, found out that his ancestral weapon held the last piece of essence of a dying evil gawd. And it was an artifact. The only way to destroy it was his death. Not just a normal death, but one by his own hand. By any other hand, he wouild arise again as an incarnation of that gawd, like he did several sessions previously when he temporarily went crazy. The result was ravaged town. After some poetics, he slew himself and the sword shattered. </p><p></p><p>Instead of getting destroyed however, the divine essence possessed the resident CN turning CE sorcerer, Surrandel Blackaster. </p><p></p><p>"Arson Blackaster" now had to go against his twin because Surrandel was mad with power and possessed by a dying gawd. One of the kewlest moments was when the Surrandel offered his beloved brother to join him in power. Throughout the entire 7 year campaign, Arson's sole motivation was to protect his "weaker" brother no matter the cost to himself. Caramon and Raistlin-esque, I know.</p><p></p><p>But Arson shook his head. <em>"I'm sorry brother. The cost is too great" </em> then he plunged his sword into the other's chest. After the requisite explosion and avalanche, the remaining 2 PCs had to convince him not to gut himself with that very same sword.</p><p></p><p>It was a fitting end. And I've been running somewhat diceless endings ever since.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="nimisgod, post: 1561538, member: 10283"] As a GM, I prefer endings that are non combat. The dice can screw the players on terrible occasions, laying waste to a campaign without them to blame. I'd rather they choose how to end the campaign, though I tend toward LOTR-ish martyrdom to destroy the great evil. Choices, choices, choices. My beloved players play selfless characters, generally, but it just takes just some shaking up for their characters' despair to bubble up. Well, not a little. One campaign had two sacrifices. The party's fighter, Freyd, found out that his ancestral weapon held the last piece of essence of a dying evil gawd. And it was an artifact. The only way to destroy it was his death. Not just a normal death, but one by his own hand. By any other hand, he wouild arise again as an incarnation of that gawd, like he did several sessions previously when he temporarily went crazy. The result was ravaged town. After some poetics, he slew himself and the sword shattered. Instead of getting destroyed however, the divine essence possessed the resident CN turning CE sorcerer, Surrandel Blackaster. "Arson Blackaster" now had to go against his twin because Surrandel was mad with power and possessed by a dying gawd. One of the kewlest moments was when the Surrandel offered his beloved brother to join him in power. Throughout the entire 7 year campaign, Arson's sole motivation was to protect his "weaker" brother no matter the cost to himself. Caramon and Raistlin-esque, I know. But Arson shook his head. [I]"I'm sorry brother. The cost is too great" [/I] then he plunged his sword into the other's chest. After the requisite explosion and avalanche, the remaining 2 PCs had to convince him not to gut himself with that very same sword. It was a fitting end. And I've been running somewhat diceless endings ever since. [/QUOTE]
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