WIR S1 Tomb of Horrors [SPOILERS!! SPOILERS EVERYWHERE!!]‏

[jonesy]

The sarcophagus contains a mummified human corpse partially wrapped in bandages. You can just barely see a huge amethyst under the wrappings that cover the corpse's head.

The mummy might as well be holding a sign saying 'the gem is a trap'.

What do you think the chances are that someone might find the ring? It doesn't say whether the ring is clearly visible or under wrappings. And the description of Detect Magic in 1e is vague enough that it makes me wonder whether the gem might mess up the detection.

 

[Stoat]

Am I recalling accurately in thinking that liches were reasonably well-established by the time this adventure came out, but this was the first introduction of the concept of demi-liches?

If so, this could all be part of the same attempt at misdirection, to ensure that the party are thinking of Acererak as some form of embalmed, preserved undead corpse, so they'll never suspect that bejewelled skull until it's too late.

I think you're right that Acererak was the first demi-lich.

You may be on to something with your second point as well. I'm starting to think that the theme of the ToH is "nothing is what it seems to be."

 

[Bullgrit]

I'm starting to think that the theme of the ToH is "nothing is what it seems to be."

If that was the theme, Players could use it to logically figure things out. I think the actual theme of the Tomb is:

If it looks dangerous, it's a trap.
If it looks safe, it's a trap.
If it looks neither dangerous, nor safe, or really like anything notable at all, it's still probably a trap.
If it turns out to not be a trap, it's a trap.

Bullgrit

 

[jonesy]

That's funny, I thought the theme of the Tomb was:

"Look. Look at that. Isn't it interesting? It's totally cool. You want to touch it, don't you? Go on, touch it. You want to. You really really want to. It's ok. Just walk over to it, reach out, and.. AHAHAHAHAH!!! GOTCHA!! ... Next, please."

Edit: I just got the strangest feeling that I've already used that line somewhere.

 

[jmucchiello]

This needs something....

If it looks dangerous, it's a trap.
If it looks safe, it's a trap.
If it looks neither dangerous, nor safe, or really like anything notable at all, it's still probably a trap.
If it turns out to not be a trap, it's a trap.

If it's something Admiral Ackbar would say, "It's a trap!"

 

[jonesy]

I think I'll use this if I get a chance (and time) to run the Tomb ever again:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpj1DYK4fCs]Star Wars: Return of the Jedi - Into the Trap - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Joshua Randall]

Small Room With a Door of Electric Blue

... would make a great jazz song title.

= = =

I read the crown-vs.-demilich story (in the Return to... intro) a while back, but thinking about it now:

Game mechanically, how do you stick the crown on the demilich's skull? Do you just say you're doing that and the DM lets you? Do you need an attack roll? Or maybe an ability check (did those exist in 1e or not until 2e)? Perhaps some random percentile dice based on DM's whim?

It all feels so arbitrary, like a badly designed Sierra text adventure. Nothing can harm the demilich skull except these three silver-bullet spells... oh, and the crown. But that wasn't in the parser, we're just letting you do it because it seems cool to Gary.

Bah!

= = =

And speaking of bah!, the story about Robilar begs the question, did he get lucky by winning inititiative vs. the demilich, or what?! I mean, did he narrowly avoid the below ignominious alternative?

RJK: I scoop up all the treasure and teleport out.
EGG: Ooo... close... but the demilich beats your initiative. It sucks out your soul and you're dead.
RJK: Well, crap.

 

[Freakohollik]

... would make a great jazz song title.

= = =

I read the crown-vs.-demilich story (in the Return to... intro) a while back, but thinking about it now:

Game mechanically, how do you stick the crown on the demilich's skull? Do you just say you're doing that and the DM lets you? Do you need an attack roll? Or maybe an ability check (did those exist in 1e or not until 2e)? Perhaps some random percentile dice based on DM's whim?

It all feels so arbitrary, like a badly designed Sierra text adventure. Nothing can harm the demilich skull except these three silver-bullet spells... oh, and the crown. But that wasn't in the parser, we're just letting you do it because it seems cool to Gary.

Bah!

= = =

And speaking of bah!, the story about Robilar begs the question, did he get lucky by winning inititiative vs. the demilich, or what?! I mean, did he narrowly avoid the below ignominious alternative?

RJK: I scoop up all the treasure and teleport out.
EGG: Ooo... close... but the demilich beats your initiative. It sucks out your soul and you're dead.
RJK: Well, crap.

According to the module, the demilich doesn't activate unless you touch it. It's not designed to be run as a combat, it's designed to be a trap. Touch the skull and die, otherwise you're fine.

 

[Joshua Randall]

According to the module, the demilich doesn't activate unless you touch it. It's not designed to be run as a combat, it's designed to be a trap. Touch the skull and die, otherwise you're fine.

Huh. My faulty memory was that if you touched the treasure, that would also activate the skull.

 

[jonesy]

Huh. My faulty memory was that if you touched the treasure, that would also activate the skull.

There is an effect which occurs upon touching the treasure, but it doesn't lead to anything if the characters ignore it. But if they attack..