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Message: <blockquote data-quote="iserith" data-source="post: 6529106" data-attributes="member: 97077">ADJUDICATIONWhen it comes to adjudicating the actions of the characters in this scenario, I recommend that the DM use the "middle path" discussed on page 236-237 of the DMG. That is, you keep a balance between granting automatic success (or failure) and asking for checks. You want the player's skill to matter in a game like this and checks to come into play only when dramatically appropriate. As well, consider using "progress combined with a setback" (Basic Rules, page 58) wherever possible when adjudicating failure on a check. This means that on a failed check, the character succeeds totally or partially, but it costs something. Because of the timed nature of the scenario, a good cost is simply time. With only five minutes (50 rounds) to do what they need to do in the lift and vault, taxing the players 30 seconds on a failed Dexterity (Thieves' Tools) check to pick a lock stings, but doesn't stall the game or force the player to repeat actions. Another example of partial success would be in the traps in the vault. If the player fails an Intelligence (History) check when trying to figure out which of the bloodlines are correct, give them half of the answer (say, the two correct names nearest the spiked door). Also remember that any character that takes 10 times the normal amount of time needed to resolve a task automatically succeeds (DMG, page 237). So if picking a lock or disabling a trap takes a round with a check, then taking one's time about it, it takes a full minute without a check. This makes the time they have a resource the players can manage. If they're ahead of the game, they can afford to take their time. AFTERMATHThis scenario is called "The Snow Job" and there's no snow and no lies? What gives? First, there is snow - it's set during a wintry period in the Ironroot Mountains when the plane of cold is coterminous with the world. Also, the MacGuffin is an ice laser gun. But to beat that horse some more, let's throw in another twist: This heist was all a ruse by some shadowy group to get the snow ray out into the open where it can be stolen from the adventurers. Perhaps The Chamber knows it will be necessary to fulfill some aspect of the Draconic Prophecy. Or maybe The Trust orchestrated this whole thing to test the Warding Guild's security measures and get a feel for whether the adventurers might be capable of performing an even more dangerous and unlikely mission. Better yet, could this have been the work of a strange race of beings that live on the dark side of one of Eberron's moons, eager to get back a piece of technology they lost years ago in Cyre? I leave that to you and future follow-up adventures you might understake that are inspired by this scenario. Thanks for reading. I welcome your constructive feedback. If you run this adventure at your table, drop me a line and tell me how it went!</blockquote>

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