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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 9333260" data-attributes="member: 42582">Here is <a href="https://www.enworld.org/threads/realistic-consequences-vs-gameplay.672385/" target="_blank">the OP of the thread that I mentioned earlier</a>:Going into the meeting, they knew the ruler was unstable and severely punished any dissent in his land - having heard from various NPCs and seeing it firsthand. The party got a private audience with the ruler and things were moving friendly enough, when a player (probably bored with the negotiations and playing the "but I have a low Charisma card") decided to trump the party's hand and yell out something to the effect of "you're crazy and don't deserve leadership here." For this affront, the ruler yelled for his guards to come and arrest that character. In response, another party member tried (and failed) to grapple the ruler and put a knife to his throat to take him as a hostage. The other two characters left the room and proclaimed their innocence. With some good roleplay (and great dice rolls) they were able to convince the ruler and his guards that they had no part of the attack and were allowed to leave. The two other characters (the would-be assassin and the instigator) were taken to the public stocks to await trial that could end in execution (or at the very least, expulsion from the land). That night they were given several opportunities to escape the stocks, but the would-be assassin failed and the instigator said he would rather die than let this corrupt man stay in power.Is this your model of a GM allowing the player to test the stakes that are meaningful to them in the play of their PC?I mean, was any test made to see if the ruler falters in the face of the accusation (in Burning Wheel, this could be Intimidate or even Ugly Truth to trigger a Steel check)? Was any test made to see if the guards responded to the PC's accusation, or held back (even in B/X D&D or AD&D this could require a morale check)? I mean, presumably they know that the ruler was unstable and unreasonable - perhaps this was what would change their loyalt?How was the fallout of the failed attempt to grapple establish? How was the response of the public to these individuals in the stock established? Did any of the attempts to help the PCs escape made by a sympathiser? It doesn't seem like it, given that the player thought - as his PC - that he would rather die that let this corrupt man stay in power.The notion of resolving the situation in a single roll is a total red herring in analysing this episode in railroading.</blockquote>

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