A story of how memories are made in Dungeons and Dragons.
Let me preface with, I firmly believe that even though I am the Game Master and create the story and the world, that player should still have some say in how things should be in the world.
So I tend to ask my players how things happen, or why things are the way they are.
So for instance, if my player asked to do something I would have them make a roll for it. I will then in my mind, set the difficulty spread, and determine if they roll a certain number how well they or how poorly they achieve that action. Then once they have rolled, I tell them how successful or unsuccessful they were and ask them how they feel their character achieved that outcome.
However, there is a roll that will always succeed. No matter what they are rolling for, if I allow the roll, it succeeds. We call it a natural 20, or a critical roll.
One example of this that happened recently, let me share:
My players arrived in a new city, Porta Vann, after having fled from their main city since it had fallen to an overwhelming invading force.
These players went straight to speak to the Duke, who was the governing force here in Porta Vann. His name is Elric Vander.
My players generally ask things like “Do we know anything about this person?”, “Is he attractive?”, “Does he think we are attractive”, and lastly “Does this person know me?”.
For these questions, I would roll or have them roll their d20 to determine the answers.
For one of my players who asked if the Duke knew her already, I rolled a natural 20. So yes, he knew her VERY well. Critically well you may say.
But this player’s character is a gnomish cranky old retired soldier, and the Duke was described as being a young and well-mannered man. I had written him to be a human, but as you will see… My plans often get messed up.
So I asked my players for their thoughts. “Yes, he knows you very well, why do you guys think he knows you so well?”
The ideas start flying. “He’s an ex-lover”. “He is on the military’s most wanted list”, “he is a criminal mafia boss”… And a bunch of similar ideas along these lines.
That is when I heard it.
“SHE IS HIS MOM”
I laughed so hard. I quickly went to my game notes, and this my friends, is how my young red-headed human Duke, became a short dark-haired gnome.
It was now game cannon. The Duke is this player’s son, who left home early in life “to make something of himself” and stopped communicating with his parents. Deciding he was better off to build a life of his own.
This will go down as one of my favorite moments of player input ever.
Later I was talking to my wife about that story, and she told me that it was, in fact, HER that tossed out that idea. Man I am a lucky guy to have such a wonderful and creatively funny wife.
A huge THANK YOU to my wonderful players!
C4RV3R – Nathan
Isolde – Kira
Edea – Ashley
Feta Cheese – Delanie