Stupid player decisions + bad dice rolls = dead PC

[Darklone]

Yeah, Reaper... not to disappoint you, but Berandors evil essence spawned long before you started to influence him

 

[Buttercup]

I'm unclear as to the motives of the Orcs and scruffy man. I know that the Emperor (Kinslayer) sent them to track down the Empress and heir, assuming they're with the party, but were they ordered to kill the party?

With scruffy (the Bard Slayer), it probably was dumb to go see him, as after the Orcs, the PCs should have expected trouble. But is the Bard really dead? Does (s)he have to be? The Militia got scruffy, so they should know what happened. They could have backtracked, and saved the Bard.

Good questions. The orcs want the PCs dead, because the PCs killed one of their clerics some time back. Scruffy wants the mother and child dead, and doesn't care one way or the other about the orcs. He isn't alone. There are half a dozen other imperial agents in the same general area looking for them. The thing is, they've made a deal with the orcs. So now we have a whole tribe of orcs and 6 mid level NPCs hunting for the whole party. The agents get the heads of mother & child to present to Kinslayer, and the orcs get everyone--and everything--else.

Likewise, as someone else previously pointed out, the fight would have drawn attention, and a maid, patron, etc., could have saved the Bard after scruffy left... So, does the Bard really NEED to be dead?

There were no other people on the second floor of the inn. The people in the common room were all huddled in a corner, afraid to go check out the ruckus, except for the wife of the innkeeper, who ran for the guards. The guards were actually almost to the Inn when the monk/cleric burst out the door, with scruffy hot on his heals. If the battle had gone on for two more rounds, they would have gotten upstairs, and possibly saved the bard, who would have been at -9 had she failed to stabilize.

You could talk to the Bard's player, ask them if they want to continue playing the Bard, and if they do, pick up the next game with her chained to a wall, somewhere, being healed by an (evil?) Cleric, and then asked where the Empress is, by one of scruffy's allies. The Emperor's Cleric, meanwhile, can be using Zone of Truth (or one of those "Healing Potions" he offered her may actually have been Truth Serum).

Except that Nadja and Gustav, the party's rogue and rogue/cleric respectively, upon hearing the first words of the story from the monk/cleric's mouth immediately ran to try to save the bard, but arrived too late. She was dead on the floor in a pool of her own blood. I'll grant you that it might have been more interesting if I had come up with a scenario whereby she *wouldn't* have been in the pool of blood, so they would have had to search for her. Too bad I didn't think of it.

Given my players' penchant for fighting rather than running, I will be prepared with this sort of scenario in the future. Live and learn, eh?

And I've already had email from the bard's player with a new character concept, so I don't think he's heartbroken. In fact, everyone else might have liked the bard more than he did.

 

[Lela]

And I've already had email from the bard's player with a new character concept, so I don't think he's heartbroken. In fact, everyone else might have liked the bard more than he did.

ROFLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[nimisgod]

I'd like to think that it isn't too common to stand idly by while someone bleeds to death just a few feet away from you.

You haven't been to my home country.

 

[Lela]

You haven't been to my home country.

He's right. It's going to depend on the town/city's general alignment and general fear of reprisal. In fact, it may depend more on the Inn's alignment and fear of reprisal. Something the DM would have to judge in any given situation.

 

[green slime]

Standing by and NOT providing assistance in an emergency is a criminal offence in Sweden. I believe (but do not assume to know) that providing assitance without proper medical training in the US can get you in the wrong end of a liability case.

Just standing by and gawking is somethng I'd hope is just a modern large city phenomenon, due to the expected arrival of the ambulance. Then again, there is the tale of the good Samaritan, which goes to show how old racial prejudice is.

 

[Lela]

Standing by and NOT providing assistance in an emergency is a criminal offence in Sweden. I believe (but do not assume to know) that providing assitance without proper medical training in the US can get you in the wrong end of a liability case.

Just standing by and gawking is somethng I'd hope is just a modern large city phenomenon, due to the expected arrival of the ambulance. Then again, there is the tale of the good Samaritan, which goes to show how old racial prejudice is.

Yeah, standing and gawking happens here but usually someone rushes forward to help. And plenty of people compeat to be the first one to call 911 ( standard emergency number).

It does depend on the area though. If you're in a crime filled (usually gang controled) naighborhood you'll very often find everyone (some good people some bad) huddling in there homes pretending not to hear anything for fear of reprisal. Even when the police question them they say they weren't home or didn't notice ("had the TV on loud").

But that whole situation can change in a couple blocks. The naighborhood and temperment of the people has a dramatic roll in this situation. The DM, should s/he choose to include this in the setting would have to decide (as always).

You could still have a maid who helps him out and then needs protection from the party later (as a plot hook) because she helped the wrong guy and is afraid she'll be taken down. She might also be a source for information later. Or even have a crush on the noble Paladin or rugged Barbarian. Plenty of plot hooks that make your characters feel less like they're being railroaded/controled can pop from that.

 

[Berandor]

Buttercup: Thanks for the additional info. It painted the situation slightly different.

Even though it is a criminal offense in Germany as well, not to help somebody in need, just a few weeks ago a disabled man sitting in a crowded bus was assaulted by some guy (not because he was disabled) and was repeatedly struck with an iron bar. Even after the attacker had left the bus, nobody helped the man, called the police, alerted the driver, anything.
Not before the man's parents saw him come home bleeding profusely, he was transported to the hospital.
And the bus had been so crowded that the man even had to stand during the ride - there were no seats left.
I think most people were waiting for someone else to help, but stil...

 

[frankthedm]

Bah! I think Buttercup was right to not save the bard. I'm presuming the bard had 4 rolls to try to stabilize according to the rules (from -6) and missed them all. We're talking 24 seconds here. If my DM had an "intrepid maid" save a PC in that situation, I'd roll my eyes and think about leaving the "game."

Some of the characters i run might kill themselves in shame for such a loss of face. It get sickening to watch characters be spared time and time again for actions that beg for a darwin award.

 

[Cerubus Dark]

I think I have been merciful once or twice with my group. It all boils down to karma and their actions.

Take my Monsterus Campaign. We have already had one of the monsters bite the big one. Since I run monsters from all over the place I allow just about any monster I have a book for. Our current party has(currnetly alive that is)

Greater Barghast (just became one)
Were spider (starts with an A can't remember of the top of my head)
Cleric of Vanghal (human/Half fiend)
Wratih Ratman (from creature collection 2 I think S&S book)

The party used to have a Nimblewright in its ranks but it had an unexpected meeting with a nastey fell blade weilded by the Herald of Vanghal.

Well let me put my head down now not feeling quite well.