D&D 5E Telegraph This

[JacktheRabbit]

I hate doing things like make a perception check, passed "you notice the grey dwarves eyeing your money pouch.

First off it suggests that professional adventurers are dumb enough to have their money pouch openly hanging where it can get in the way of jingle when being quiet.

To me a car better option is verbal. If the players move in and discourse actually happens then at some point the grey dwarves state "sorry lads but we are being PAID to watch this area and we always do what we are PAID to do." If this is too subtle for your players then they are just brick walls and there is nothing you can do other than have the dwarves demand payment and attack if refused.

As for the mechanical devices. I would let dwarven characters make history checks if they take a moment to study the devices and a pass gives them a clue that they can be controlled.

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[Rhenny]

For the animated weapons and Dwarves, if the weapons swirl around and attack everyone but the Dwarf, the Dwarf player might get some ideas. You could even describe the weapons flying around towards their intended targets...one of them flies near the Dwarf, but then it stops and swerves to attack another PC. If they don't get it, no biggie.

 

[pukunui]

There's an animated table, a rug of smothering, and an animated "arming dummy" with the stats of animated armor. I have a few options.

The rug is the easiest: If the dwarf PC steps on it, nothing happens. If anyone else steps on it, it attacks them. If the dwarf *and* another PC step on it together, well ... maybe it just attacks the non-dwarf. Or maybe it does nothing.

I could have the arming dummy bow deferentially to the dwarf PC before attacking one of his compatriots.

As for the table ... perhaps it leaps over the dwarf to attack someone else, or "looks" sheepish as it charges past him. Or maybe it runs up and "sniffs" him like a dog and then moves past him.

 

[Rhenny]

There's an animated table, a rug of smothering, and an animated "arming dummy" with the stats of animated armor. I have a few options.

The rug is the easiest: If the dwarf PC steps on it, nothing happens. If anyone else steps on it, it attacks them. If the dwarf *and* another PC step on it together, well ... maybe it just attacks the non-dwarf. Or maybe it does nothing.

I could have the arming dummy bow deferentially to the dwarf PC before attacking one of his compatriots.

As for the table ... perhaps it leaps over the dwarf to attack someone else, or "looks" sheepish as it charges past him. Or maybe it runs up and "sniffs" him like a dog and then moves past him.

Yes...make sure you make them seem sentient and purposefully ignoring the Dwarf. I think all of those will work.

I think it would be awesome if the Dwarf and another PC step on the rug and the rug flexes creating a bump that knocks the Dwarf off of it as it swirls up and tries to engulf the other PC. It basically pushes the Dwarf off as a protective bonus action.

 

[Harzel]

Is there a way I can let the PCs know that bribery is on the table without just coming out and saying it?

Isn't bribery always on the table?

More seriously, I think others have pretty much covered the ideas that occurred to me, but I will just add that they mainly stem from a general principle: Don't tell - show. Show the duergar being greedy; show the duergar ordering around some other animated objects; show the objects being deferential to dwarves. Of course, 'show' still means 'describe', but the point is to describe instances/examples of a general idea and then let the PCs infer the general idea. Of course, since you have limited opportunities to make the point, the examples often have to be quite blatant, but, as [MENTION=6783882]Nevvur[/MENTION] noted, what is obvious to the DM is almost always not obvious to the players. The players may only get one or two examples of what their PCs would see dozens or hundreds of instances of.

 

[hastur_nz]

I think you have some great advice here. In addition, I'd just say:

1) be prepared to have some options that never come into play - it's totally fine for the dwarves to be bribeable, and for your players to never realise; same for the animated objects. i.e. don't force the "cool stuff" upon your players, especially if they are not the kinds of players who love exploring different options of approaching problems etc. Let the "cool stuff" be a reward for the "thinking player" - if none of your players are into thinking too much, then so be it, let them have fun in the areas they do like the most.

2) forcing combat too early is often what closes people minds to options that don't involve fighting, so especially with the dark dwarves, allow the players to intereact with them way before it becomes "roll for initiative" - bribing them mid-fight isn't really an option, but if there's genuine dialog in play, it could easily be steered towards the dwarves giving subtle, or not so subtle, clues that money might help.

 

[Satyrn]

I think it would be awesome if the Dwarf and another PC step on the rug and the rug flexes creating a bump that knocks the Dwarf off of it as it swirls up and tries to engulf the other PC. It basically pushes the Dwarf off as a protective bonus action.

I was about to suggest the opposite, that as long as the dwarf is standing on the rug then it stays docile. That way, if the scenario happens, it hints even stronger that the items can be controlled bh tbe dwarf - or at the very least the players pught to realize they can cross the rug safely if the dwarf "escorts" them across bg staying standing on it.

But your suggestion would totally work, too, and is certainly more visually fun.

 

[Satyrn]

I gotta say, guys, posting in @pukunui's threads is a great way to grind XP!

 

[pukunui]

I gotta say, guys, posting in @pukunui's threads is a great way to grind XP!

It's my way of saying thank you for taking the time to post in my thread. I may not always accept the advice given to me, but I still want to acknowledge the effort made to contribute.

 

[Satyrn]

It's my way of saying thank you for taking the time to post in my thread. I may not always accept the advice given to me, but I still want to acknowledge the effort made to contribute.

Aye.

I find I can get irritated when someone asks for our thoughts and then argues with me over my suggestion. It's why I wanted to acknowledge your consideration.