Tests of Heros

[jdrakeh]

A bad start, IMHO. By having the Guardian announce "Only a True Swordsman can defeat me."

Agreed. I think that the scenario is viable, but that the dialogue is a deliberate trap. Instead, I'd have the knight say something like "I yield only to the wise warrior." - implying that, not only is a non-lethal solution possible, but also that the solution involves using one's noodle rather than their blade. I'd also not make the knight unbeatable by default, but rather just give him a high CR and, if engaged in combat, have him fight until he is killed or the PCs yield (in which case the knight will yield in return). If he is killed, the PCs fail the test (obviously).

 

[Steverooo]

I am making a dungeon for my players that will effectively be a series of test. I want it to test several aspects of adventuring life. I have the names of the tests, but can't think of the actual tests.

<SNIP!>...

What I still need:
4. Test of Leadership

Can anyone on the vast network of ENWorld help me? Thanks.

An obstacle that must be crossed/gone over/through/around, but in order to do so, the party must all work together, and go together. Multiple ways around it should be offered, but if the party doesn't all go the same way, they can't get out!

So the party must choose a method, then all work together on that same plan, and then all get out together. If two or more sub-parties work on multiple plans, then no one can get out.

 

[Steverooo]

What I still need:
6. Test of Courage

Can anyone on the vast network of ENWorld help me? Thanks.

Within this dungeon, let the PCs encounter a Black Pudding, outside of the Anti-Magic area. Let them fight it, lose weapons, armor, shields, HPs, waste spells, etc. Then let them get free of it.

Later, while in a room or dead-end corridor, let them see a large, black, gelatinous creature come up behind them, cutting them off. Now, they have less gear, and probably no magic left that can hurt it! Unfortunately, the only way out is through the thing, and nothing they do seems to affect it!

The trick, of course, is that this thing isn't the Black Pudding. It is a magical construct, and the only way "out" is to be "Swallowed Whole" by it, reappearing on the other side of the doorway, alive and in one piece.

Non-courageous PCs may stay inside the room until someone comes back in to get them out. Then they will realize that a valiant defense in the face of a seemingly unbeatable opponent was the only way out of this one!

 

[Steverooo]

What I still need:
7. Test of Skill

Can anyone on the vast network of ENWorld help me? Thanks.

WHAT Skill? Any skill?

If so, hide the Exit as a Secret Door, DC:20 Search check to detect.

 

[vulcan_idic]

What I still need:
4. Test of Leadership
5. Test of Wisdom
6. Test of Courage
7. Test of Skill
8. Test of Mercy

For a Test of Leadership I would probably put each player with a group of argumentative commoners (i.e. two commoners from the hatfields, and two from the mccoys) whom they are told they are required to utilize to complete something beyond even the capabilities of PCs of that level... but they never need to attempt the actual task - the real test is getting the commoners to be (1) organized and (2) willing to do what it takes. The test proposed by godawful would be a test of tactics rather than leadership.

I like Steveroo's suggestion for the wisdom test, for the intellect test perhaps you could replace it with a variation on a classic logic problem, like the two persons, one of whom always lies the other of whom always tells the truth... or a "Lady or the Tiger" type puzzle - the players may know it quickly, but the characters might take longer to puzzle it out.

For a test of courage I think it would be fun to make them think they've done something hugely wrong and then put them in front of whatever the world's equivalent of the pope is and see if they have the courage to confess, the courage to do what's right despite the grave consequences it will have for them.

I don't have any really good ideas for the other two... the skill one especially seems pretty vague - what sort of skill do you want to test?

The test of Greed seems to be a bit backwards to me... I would think, based on the nature of the other tests, that it should be a test of Charity rather than Greed and should see if they will give something of value away, or restrain themselves from taking any of a vast fortune, rather than seeing how much they will take.

Thinking about this all though reminds me of a favorite test from a film, one I'd love to work into a series of trials like this is the Test of Faith from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - a room with a huge chasm in it has an invisible bridge across the chasm, to cross the chasm you must make a leap of faith and step out onto seeming nothingness. I thought that was the coolest part of that. While I'm on it though, their final grail test (a room full of many styles of grail where a quester must choose the true grail from among all the false ones... and risk their life for the choice for as the true grail brings life, the false ones bring death.) might work as a wisdom test too, after all, when Indy selects the right cup the knight says, "You have chosen... wisely."

Hope there's something in there of help!

 

[jdrakeh]

An obstacle that must be crossed/gone over/through/around, but in order to do so, the party must all work together, and go together. Multiple ways around it should be offered, but if the party doesn't all go the same way, they can't get out!

So the party must choose a method, then all work together on that same plan, and then all get out together. If two or more sub-parties work on multiple plans, then no one can get out.

Brilliant. And actually, I may have just the thing - it's a bit cliche, but seems to work well when it comes to uniting good players and breaking apart the self-centered/greedy players. A small series of.. oh.. fifteen or so identical 10'x10' rooms with a one-way stone door on each wall. The doors work like a maze, with only one correct path leading out.

Mapping will be key here. Agreeing on what to map and/or who maps is what always seems to set bad players at one another's throats (IC). Usually, players will assume that they don't need to map, and will blow through a few rooms before they realize what is going on... and by that time, they're turned around ass backwards.

Note that all players must cooperate to get out together - otherwise (and I've included this scenario in god knows how many dungeons over the years, so I'm speaking from experience here), one or more PCs will end up wandering around by themselves in the 'door maze' until they die, go mad, or are picked off by a wandering monster.

The real kicker is that the maze itself is neither large, nor deadly, and can easily be overcome with some character cooperation - I've found that this rarely happens, however. Instead, after the PCs get to that 'turned around ass backwards' stage, they start blaming one another, trying to bully others into following them, or wandering off on their own.

In more than eight years of using this 'test' in various fantasy games, I've only ever had one party actually make it out of the maze together (in most games, one or more PCs always wandered off on their own, determined that their way was the 'right' way, and were never heard from again).

If this is the last test in the series, I'd just make it the exit to the dungeon/pocket dimension/temple/etc in which the trials are being conducted.

[Note: Some players may try to stake open doors. If the doors are operated by a complex gear mechanism or weight and pully system, this will allow them to close with more than enough force to bend metal spikes and shatter wooden stakes - or crush silly PCs.]

[Edit: I guess this might more correctly be referred to as a test of humility (i.e., willingness to work with others rather than claim the spotlight for oneself), but it can easily be used for Leadership with a few qucik tweaks.]

 

[Steverooo]

What I still need:
8. Test of Mercy

Can anyone on the vast network of ENWorld help me? Thanks.

This one's easy! In a corridor of the dungeon, after the Black Pudding (if you decide to use it), the PCs encounter an NPC. He is injured, unconscious, and has been there several days (as the puddle of dried blood and urine indicates). Checking him, the PCs find that he is alive (stabilized), and checking his stuff, they find a vial labeled "Potion of Extra-Healing", or somesuch...

Do they give it to him, or drink it, themselves? Mercy, or Self-protection?

 

[Steverooo]

Brains Before Brawn:

Here's another one, for that:

The PCs hear noises, and follow it to a fortified gate, nearly finished, being constructed by Goblins. Besides workers, there are 100 armed & armoured Goblin guards, here. Due to the walls and gate, sneaking through will not be possible (since this is underground, the walls go to the ceiling, and can't just be climbed over).

The PCs can fight (and die), use magic, ask the Goblins (who will let them through, for a toll), or figure out their own way through.

 

[green slime]

This one's easy! In a corridor of the dungeon, after the Black Pudding (if you decide to use it), the PCs encounter an NPC. He is injured, unconscious, and has been there several days (as the puddle of dried blood and urine indicates). Checking him, the PCs find that he is alive (stabilized), and checking his stuff, they find a vial labeled "Potion of Extra-Healing", or somesuch...

Do they give it to him, or drink it, themselves? Mercy, or Self-protection?

Great....

The PC's swipe the potion, then cast cure mediocre wounds from a wand, blaming the theft on some other passers-by.

Otherwise known as having their cake, eating his cake, and "borrowing" a cup of sugar, some flour, and eggs from your neighbour, while pointing at your house, to indicate where they live.

 

[ThorneMD]

Updated Test of Heros

So far:
1. A measure of Greed

The characters walk into a room and are presented with a table that has three treasures on it. They may choose only one and each has a small description written underneath it.

1. Receive a gem that can be priceless in value
2. Receive 5,000 GP each now
3. Receive a map to a great treasure

This is measuring the amount of greed the players have. The small amount of gp that they can get easily, a map that will lead to treasure but with conflict on the way, or a gem that is priceless (only to a race that is long since dead making it completely worthless). Basically it can show the characters that greed is not always the best thing.


2. The Greater Good (Test of Guilt)

In an otherwise empty room, they players are confronted with a figure (can be anything you want). They are given three options and must choose one; To completely eradicate a race on your world (like elves for instance), to let the figure choose, or to let the choice fall randomly.

Do the players take the responsibility in their own hands, let fate decide, or let someone else take the control.

I should have said this before. In my world, there isn't a set alignment for races (ie there are good orcs and evil gold dragons). In this room, the players must choose between killing off a random race and take the blame themselves, let the figure choose a race (still a bad karma area, but better then killing a race themselves), or let fate decide (a quick type of evolution). This is basically a test of guilt and I should rename it that way.

3. Test of Wisdom

You enter a room, as a metal sheet slides down to block the door behind you. No way out! There is a 10' bridge spanning a chasm. Immediately, any spellcaster knows that magic does not work here, due to an Anti-Magic effect.

On the bridge stands a massive, towering behemoth with six arms, clad in black armor, with a terrible-looking sword. It's eyes glow red as it darkly announces:

"Not by magic, might, nor stealth may I be passed!"

The creature is CR 20.

The solutions: There are many. Ask :Will you let me pass?", Sheathe your weapon and embrace the guardian, Shake his hand, Anything like that. If done so, the guardian nods, steps aside, and intones:

"Only Wisdom teaches that there are challenges where magic, might, and stealth will not win through. An Adventurer must often rely upon his own internal resources."

4. Test of Mercy

You enter a empty room except for a lone figure. He attacks the party as soon as the door behind then closes until one of them is killed/dropped into negatives/he drops into negatives. Upon that he snaps out of a geas and explains his situation to the party and asks for forgiveness. Does the party do it, or kill him as an eye for an eye.

5. Test of Courage

You enter a room containing a 50' chasm. There is no bridge, no magic works here, and when the door closes behind you, lava slowly begins to spill out (1ft per round). There is a wind that does not allow arrows to be affected (for a rope) but does not affect the characters.

Solution: Take the jump of faith and walk across the chasm on a invisible bridge.

6. Test of Leadership

Upon entering this room, you see a table with a map rolled out on it. There are four men argueing by it. When questioned they tell you that they must find a way to sneak into the center of a well fortified city full of hostile guards. They must find an captured friend, sneak out, and do so without being noticed at all. The men come from two rivaling families and this causes a lot of tension between the four men. You must unite the men, find a way for the task to be done, and convince them to work together for the good of the cause.

What I still need:
7. Intellect before Brawn
I see what you guys are saying and now would like a better option for this. Optimally this would allow the wizard of the party to shine, but without too much magic (or none at all).

8. Test of Skill (Test of Versility)
This can be a situation where skills are what will get you through. This would be the test where the rogue or the bard of the group would excel in. Anything from the challenge in the D&D movie to pick a lock, answer this oscure question, and find a secret door.

Thanks for the great ideas guys. Two more to go. This is truely why ENWorld is so great.