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Message: <blockquote data-quote="LostSoul" data-source="post: 4618159" data-attributes="member: 386">So we're playing Thunderspire Labyrinth and the PCs want to assault a well-defended complex that's ready for them.  They have very good intel on the site, so they know who's manning what location and where to assault from.They decide they need to cross a deep (300') chasm and slip onto an undefended battlement.  But how?They start looking for a Rope of Climbing - the Wizard in the group has Enchant Item, he can make it.  But no, it's too high level, he can't make it.Well I think it's a cool idea, so I make a ruling: You can make a one-shot rope of climbing if you succeed at a level 10 skill challenge.The Wizard starts describing how he's preparing for the ritual.  I say that he can sacrifice some animals to get their spirit into the rope - a snake to make it climb.  He runs with this, summons some animals using Animal Messenger, and infuses their spirits into the rope.All good so far.I describe the rope coming to life, and the first thing it does is to strangle the Wizard.  Skill challenges don't work without some kind of conflict, right?  So they tear it off the Wizard and the Warlock, using an Infernal power, tries to command it to obey.  I say somethng along the lines of, "So you want to infuse it with a devilish spirit?"  He nods yes.The roll comes up as a failure.  I decide that the rope, imbued with infernal spite, is starting to come to life with a personality all its own.  An EVIL personality.  When the Wizard follows up with his final command, there's another failure, and the rope feigns obedience.When they actually use the rope, they fail to notice that it's being deceitful and they miss their last chance to get the rope to obey their commands.  The skill challenge is failed.The outcome of that failure means that the PCs have a permanent rope of climbing, but it's cursed - it has a personality all its own; it's evil; and it craves the blood of slithering, crawling, flying creatures.  Though human blood will serve just as well.That's what I like about skill challenges - you go in with a basic idea, and through roleplay you end up in a place that no one would have ever expected.</blockquote>

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