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<blockquote data-quote="Voadam" data-source="post: 9177428" data-attributes="member: 2209"><p>Description and player skill exploration. Description and player skill exploration. Dice whammy.</p><p></p><p>[SPOILER="1e DMG pages 99-100"]</p><p>DM: (Rolling a few dice behind the screen several times, knowing that tapping won’t show anything, as the secret door is 10’ above the floor) : “The entire wall sounds VERY solid. You spend a full 10 minutes thoroughly checking, even to the far east and west, and all 3 are convinced it is not hollow beyond. However, the gnome, whom you placed in the middle, noted some strange holes in the wall. These were square places cut into the natural stone, each about half a foot per side and a bit deeper. There were 2 at the 20’ and 2 at the 30’ line, 1 above the other, the lower at about 3’, and the higher at about 6’. He found some small splinters of wood in one.”</p><p>OC: “Does the smudged area give us any clue as to what the holes could be for? Let’s feel around inside them to see if there are levers or catches or something . . .”</p><p>LC: “Yes. Look at the map, and carefully check those holes with daggers first — we don’t want to lose fingers or hands!” (When all that comes to naught) : “Can anyone think of why there would be wood splinters in the holes? That must be some sort of a clue!”</p><p>OC: “The only thing I can think of is that the holes are sockets for some sort of wooden construction —“</p><p>LC: “Sure! How about a ramp or stairs? How high is the ceiling in this place?”</p><p>DM: “Oh, it must be at least 25’ or more.”</p><p>LC: “Let’s form a human pyramid and see if there’s a secret door higher up on the wall — right here in the center where the passage seems to go on southwards. I’ll form the base, and the rest of you help the gnome and the halfling up, and hold them there (use the pole!), while they tap. What do they discover?”</p><p>DM: “The halfling at the top of the stack has a 1 in 6 chance of slipping and</p><p>bringing you all down.” (A roll of 4 follows, so) : “But it doesn’t happen, and both the gnome and the halfling manage a few taps, and even that feeble work seems to indicate some sort of space beyond.”</p><p>LC: “Let’s change the plan a bit. The cleric and I will hoist the gnome up</p><p>and hold his legs firmly while he checks around for some way to open the secret door. Meanwhile, the halfling and the magic-user will guard the entrance so that we won’t be attacked by surprise by some monster while thus engaged.”</p><p>DM: “You accomplish the shuffle, and let’s see if anything comes —“ (A d6</p><p>roll for wandering monsters again gives a negative result.) “The guards see nothing, and what is the gnome doing now?”</p><p>OC: (The gnome) : “I’ll scan the stone first to see if there are marks or some operating device evident.”</p><p>DM: “Some stone projections seem rather smooth, as if worn by use. That’s all you are able to note.”</p><p>OC: “Then I’ll see if I can move any of the stone knobs and see if they operate a secret door! I’ll push, pull, twist, turn, slide, or otherwise attempt to trigger the thing if possible.”</p><p>DM: “The fist-sized projection moves inwards and there is a grinding sound,</p><p>and a 10’ × 10’ section of the wall, 10’ above the floor in the center part, swings inwards to the right.”</p><p>OC: (The gnome) : “I’ll pull myself up into the passage revealed, and then I’ll</p><p>see if I can drive in a spike and secure my rope to it, so I can throw the free end down to the others.”</p><p>DM: “You get up all right, and there is a crack where you can pound in a spike. As you’re doing it, you might be in for a nasty surprise, so I’ll let you roll a six-sider for me to see your status — make the roll! (Groans as a 1 comes up indicating surprise. The DM then rolls 3 attacks for the ghoul that grabbed at the busy gnome, and one claw attack does 2 hit points of damage and paralyzes the hapless character, whereupon the DM judges that the other 3 would rend him to bits. However, the DM does NOT tell the players what has happened, despite impassioned pleas and urgent demands. He simply relates) : “You see a sickly gray arm strike the gnome as he’s working on the spike, the gnome utters a muffled cry, and then a shadowy form drags him out of sight. What are you others going to do?”</p><p>LC: “Ready weapons and missiles, the magic-user her magic-missile spell, and watch the opening.”</p><p>DM: “You hear some nasty rending noises and gobbling sounds, but they end quickly. Now you see a group of gray-colored human-like creatures with long, dirt- and blood-encrusted nails, and teeth bloodied and bared, coming to the opening. As they come to the edge you detect a charnel smell coming from them — 4 of them, in fact.”</p><p></p><p>What will the party do? Will the cleric realize that they are ghouls and attempt to turn them? Will he succeed? If not, there may well be no survivors. If so, what treasure lies beyond? Possibly the great gem . . . but the thief still awaits the party’s return. Well, that is the stuff from which adventures are spun, and now you know how to spin your own.</p><p>[/SPOILER]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Voadam, post: 9177428, member: 2209"] Description and player skill exploration. Description and player skill exploration. Dice whammy. [SPOILER="1e DMG pages 99-100"] DM: (Rolling a few dice behind the screen several times, knowing that tapping won’t show anything, as the secret door is 10’ above the floor) : “The entire wall sounds VERY solid. You spend a full 10 minutes thoroughly checking, even to the far east and west, and all 3 are convinced it is not hollow beyond. However, the gnome, whom you placed in the middle, noted some strange holes in the wall. These were square places cut into the natural stone, each about half a foot per side and a bit deeper. There were 2 at the 20’ and 2 at the 30’ line, 1 above the other, the lower at about 3’, and the higher at about 6’. He found some small splinters of wood in one.” OC: “Does the smudged area give us any clue as to what the holes could be for? Let’s feel around inside them to see if there are levers or catches or something . . .” LC: “Yes. Look at the map, and carefully check those holes with daggers first — we don’t want to lose fingers or hands!” (When all that comes to naught) : “Can anyone think of why there would be wood splinters in the holes? That must be some sort of a clue!” OC: “The only thing I can think of is that the holes are sockets for some sort of wooden construction —“ LC: “Sure! How about a ramp or stairs? How high is the ceiling in this place?” DM: “Oh, it must be at least 25’ or more.” LC: “Let’s form a human pyramid and see if there’s a secret door higher up on the wall — right here in the center where the passage seems to go on southwards. I’ll form the base, and the rest of you help the gnome and the halfling up, and hold them there (use the pole!), while they tap. What do they discover?” DM: “The halfling at the top of the stack has a 1 in 6 chance of slipping and bringing you all down.” (A roll of 4 follows, so) : “But it doesn’t happen, and both the gnome and the halfling manage a few taps, and even that feeble work seems to indicate some sort of space beyond.” LC: “Let’s change the plan a bit. The cleric and I will hoist the gnome up and hold his legs firmly while he checks around for some way to open the secret door. Meanwhile, the halfling and the magic-user will guard the entrance so that we won’t be attacked by surprise by some monster while thus engaged.” DM: “You accomplish the shuffle, and let’s see if anything comes —“ (A d6 roll for wandering monsters again gives a negative result.) “The guards see nothing, and what is the gnome doing now?” OC: (The gnome) : “I’ll scan the stone first to see if there are marks or some operating device evident.” DM: “Some stone projections seem rather smooth, as if worn by use. That’s all you are able to note.” OC: “Then I’ll see if I can move any of the stone knobs and see if they operate a secret door! I’ll push, pull, twist, turn, slide, or otherwise attempt to trigger the thing if possible.” DM: “The fist-sized projection moves inwards and there is a grinding sound, and a 10’ × 10’ section of the wall, 10’ above the floor in the center part, swings inwards to the right.” OC: (The gnome) : “I’ll pull myself up into the passage revealed, and then I’ll see if I can drive in a spike and secure my rope to it, so I can throw the free end down to the others.” DM: “You get up all right, and there is a crack where you can pound in a spike. As you’re doing it, you might be in for a nasty surprise, so I’ll let you roll a six-sider for me to see your status — make the roll! (Groans as a 1 comes up indicating surprise. The DM then rolls 3 attacks for the ghoul that grabbed at the busy gnome, and one claw attack does 2 hit points of damage and paralyzes the hapless character, whereupon the DM judges that the other 3 would rend him to bits. However, the DM does NOT tell the players what has happened, despite impassioned pleas and urgent demands. He simply relates) : “You see a sickly gray arm strike the gnome as he’s working on the spike, the gnome utters a muffled cry, and then a shadowy form drags him out of sight. What are you others going to do?” LC: “Ready weapons and missiles, the magic-user her magic-missile spell, and watch the opening.” DM: “You hear some nasty rending noises and gobbling sounds, but they end quickly. Now you see a group of gray-colored human-like creatures with long, dirt- and blood-encrusted nails, and teeth bloodied and bared, coming to the opening. As they come to the edge you detect a charnel smell coming from them — 4 of them, in fact.” What will the party do? Will the cleric realize that they are ghouls and attempt to turn them? Will he succeed? If not, there may well be no survivors. If so, what treasure lies beyond? Possibly the great gem . . . but the thief still awaits the party’s return. Well, that is the stuff from which adventures are spun, and now you know how to spin your own. [/SPOILER] [/QUOTE]
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