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Message: <blockquote data-quote="seskis281" data-source="post: 2964801" data-attributes="member: 41593">In a Kalamar capaign a PC who was playing a young Rogue, the night before the first adventure, decided he needed to ply his thief trade (remember he was only just rolled up at 1st level). He went to the supply shop where the party had bought equipment. It was the middle of night. To my amazement he rolled a natural 20 and picked the lock, entered the store. I decided to add a "defense" that the shopkeeper kept, hoping to make the PC aware that he might be in over his head before gaining his first XP.It went something like this:Me: It's pitch black. You can't see a thing. Make a listen check.PC: Pretty good (something like 15).ME: Ok, there is mostly silence but you hear to your left what sounds like slight breathing or heavy purring.PC: I'm gonna try and feel my way to the counter where the (objects he had seen but couldn't afford - can't remember what -where)ME: Are you trying to move silently?PC: Yes!ME: Make a check.PC: Damn. (Failed) Nevermind, I'll just find it as quick as I can.ME: Make a dexterity check.PC: Damn it! (Can't remember if it was a 1, 2, or 3 but it was low).ME: You stumble in the darkness over some pick-axes and assorted digging supplies, making a terrible racket. To your left the breathing/purring stops and you hear heavy scratching noises and the sound of a chain against the floor.PC: I freeze!ME: After a moment you hear even heavier, cat-like breathing, more sounds of the chain moving, and the sounds start to move slowly towards you. It is still pitch black by the way.PC: Damn it, I want that (whatever it was)! Ok, I get up and reach out, feeling towards the counter - ME: (Sigh) Ok, you reach the counter. The sounds of breathing and chain seem to moving around behind where you were, between you and the door you entered from.PC: Quick, I feel the objects around the counter.ME: The counter is empty. The shopkeeper must have secured them for the night.PC: Damn it! Can I make a check to see if I remember where the locked cabinets were?ME: Uhm, by the way, the sounds behind you are almost on top of you. It is still pitch black.PC: Oh yeah. Hey, I've got a torch and a tenderbox, I'll light the torch.ME: Uhm... ok. You light the torch. Your facing the counter. You feel and hear heavy breathing directly behind you.PC: I turn...ME: Standing right before you, chained to a post in the corner, is the shopkeeper's guard cat - looks like he's got a mountain cat to deter unlawful "customers." It bares its teath and growls at you.PC: I look around, before I run can I spot the cabinets...?ME: Uh... (sighs) yeah, they're over to the right, on the North Wall opposite the door you came in.PC: Very, very softly.... I'm going to walk to the cabinets....ME: As you start to move the Cat attacks (surprise round - Cat rolls 16 or 17) - his right paw rips across your arm, tearing the skin you take (whatever it was) damage.PC: Damn - Ok, I'll kill the stupid cat and THEN get what I came here for... I pull out my knife...** Two rounds later the PC was dead. Remember, this was BEFORE the start of my actual campaign.John Maddog Wright  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f60e.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":cool:" title="Cool    :cool:"  data-smilie="6"data-shortname=":cool:" /></blockquote>

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