What are your most intense rp'ing moments?

[Uller]

The most intense rp moment...

About 10 years ago I ran a campaign for some of my army buddies. One particular adventure had some the PCs (about 7th or 8th level, IIRC) assaulting the throne room of the chieftain of a tribe of lizardmen (sorry...we're PC now...lizard "folk"). Needless to say, the players were a bit over confident thinking that they could just wade through the small horde of lizardmen to kill the chief. But I had applied classes to them much like 3e allows classes to be applied to all sorts of creatures so there were Fighters and Thieves and Clerics and even a Mage or two among them. The party was quickly feeling overwhelmed and just as it appeared they were finished and that the campaign would end tragicly, the party thief, who was invisible and silenced, back stabbed the chieftain and rolled a nat 20 (which was a crit and we ruled the crits scaled the same way that backstab damage did), thus slaying him. This happened just as the big baddy was about to finish of the party mage. Some of the more devoted lizardmen fought on to avenge their slain lord, but enough quit the fight to allow the PCs to escape...well...most of them. The Thief stayed behind to hold off some of them so that the mage could escape...there was no way out for him and he was eventually overwhelmed. The thief's player was quite proud of his heroism and after it was all over said "That was so cool that I'm shaking!"

When a player says something like that (especially after losing a character), the DM knows he has reached the pinnacle of game mastering...

 

[mseds99]

Cool.

Wow, this is some great stuff! Thanks to everyone for sharing. Keep it up, it's getting the grey matter moving.

 

[Furn_Darkside]

I handled it the way I handle all my players' concerns: "Who's DM?"

I realize the problem is that my players are much more casual players then I want to be, but since I am the only one competent and willing to dm regularly - this is a problem.

Our group has reached a level of compromise- I still write complex stories in the long term, but I keep the adventures themselves a bit more straight-forward.

I don't think a line in the sand would work with my players, and I would not feel right about using it. This game is supposed to be fun for everyone.

Having said all that, my adventures are still tough and the challenges keep them on their toes. We have a -9 club to celebrate those characters who reach -9, yet survive.

The monk in the group is a regular visitor.

FD

 

[barsoomcore]

I don't think a line in the sand would work with my players, and I would not feel right about using it. This game is supposed to be fun for everyone.

I was being HUGELY facetious. Colossal Facetious Canadian, that's my creature type.

Sounds like you're evolving much the same solution my group did. It has been very rewarding for me -- I'm sure you'll find the same.

 

[Furn_Darkside]

I was being HUGELY facetious.

I guessed you were being slightly so..

But- I never miss an opportunity to hear myself talk.

FD

 

[Old One]

From the DM's Chair...

I think my most intense experience came from the DM's chair early in my Faded Glory Campaign.

The PC's had been tasked by the Council of Elders with returning the son of a barbarian warlord to his people (so they would stop attacking townsfolk. The situation was complicated by the fact that the PC Barbarian was considered a renegade and had run off with the prisoner's betrothed some time before.

During the journey, the highly charismatic bard and sorcerer (brothers) befriended the barbarian NPC and laid the groundwork for a lasting peace agreement between the barbarians and the townfolk. Unfortunately, when they released the NPC within sight of his clansmen, a hidden assassain shot and critically wounded the NPC.

Quick thinking by the PCs saved the barbarian NPCs life, but his clansmen thought the PCs were attacking their leader and came howling after them. Faced with an unknown number (it was around 50) of blood-mad tribesmen, the PCs ran off into the fog and up a hill.

As I described the game of cat-and-mouse through the fog shrouded woods, with an unknown assassain and pissed off barbarians after them, I looked around to see all of the players on the edge of their seats.

As the session continued, they stumbled upon an abandoned legion hillfort and began a running defensive battle against the barbarians. Through skill, bravado, well-timed spells and sheer luck...they managed to slowly fall back to the last defensive position.

During the retreat, they found the PC barbarian's former lover (the betrothed of the NPC barbarian) and their "love child". She had fled from the tribe, taking the baby and a tribal artifact with her. During the battle that followed, the lover was slain, but the PCs triumphed...leaving the PC barbarian with a 3-month old baby to care for.

After the session, the players all said it was the most intense session they had ever been though. You can check the action out here Link...

It is about 1/2 the way down the page...starting at Session 5 (Part One).

~ Old One