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How to Train a Dragon (to leave you alone)
Sep. 1st, 2018 11:12 amRecently I got my first chance to play in a Pathfinder Society multi-table special. This involves characters of levels 1-11, divided into six tiers, multiple tables per tier, all playing simultaneously, with an overseer running a clock for each timed phase and relaying game-wide events. This one was played online, spread across three platforms (Roll20 for the tables, Discord for voice chat, a Twitch stream for the overseer) and heaven knows how many time zones (the overseer was on the East Coast somewhere, I'm on the West Coast, my GM was in France, at least one player at the same table was in Australia). It started late, the overseer had to also run a table because a GM didn't show up, it was at an awkward time for nearly everybody, it ran late, it was huge fun, and I can't wait to play another.
Near the end of the scenario, my party, all 1st-level characters, had to fight a very young white dragon. We survived, and, unconsciously assuming that was the boss monster, went to explore the surrounding cavern. Whereupon a second, larger, white dragon appeared and proceeded to nail us all with its breath weapon.
My skald, who was supposed to be the tank, was down to 3 hit points. The clock on Twitch was counting down the last few minutes. Players and GM likewise were getting tired. This was a moment which seemed to call for some kind of insane, desperate move. Something like... like...
GM: [Skald], it's your turn.
Me: I INTIMIDATE THE DRAGON
Rest of party: (frantic crosstalk about the dubiousness of this idea)
Me: I brandish my sword! "Look how easily we defeated your friend!"
GM: ...okay, go ahead and roll.
Me: (rolls fairly well, adds skald's excellent Intimidate bonus)
GM: Well... it's not running away, but it's definitely having second thoughts about this. [Oracle], your turn.
Oracle: I remove my mask [revealing his hideous countenance, which gives him a bonus on this spell] and cast Cause Fear.
GM: (fails the dragon's Will save)
So we got our extra victory just before the timer ran out.
The skald, of course, simplifies this story in the telling so that it's about how a chaotic evil dragon decided not to mess with her personally.
Near the end of the scenario, my party, all 1st-level characters, had to fight a very young white dragon. We survived, and, unconsciously assuming that was the boss monster, went to explore the surrounding cavern. Whereupon a second, larger, white dragon appeared and proceeded to nail us all with its breath weapon.
My skald, who was supposed to be the tank, was down to 3 hit points. The clock on Twitch was counting down the last few minutes. Players and GM likewise were getting tired. This was a moment which seemed to call for some kind of insane, desperate move. Something like... like...
GM: [Skald], it's your turn.
Me: I INTIMIDATE THE DRAGON
Rest of party: (frantic crosstalk about the dubiousness of this idea)
Me: I brandish my sword! "Look how easily we defeated your friend!"
GM: ...okay, go ahead and roll.
Me: (rolls fairly well, adds skald's excellent Intimidate bonus)
GM: Well... it's not running away, but it's definitely having second thoughts about this. [Oracle], your turn.
Oracle: I remove my mask [revealing his hideous countenance, which gives him a bonus on this spell] and cast Cause Fear.
GM: (fails the dragon's Will save)
So we got our extra victory just before the timer ran out.
The skald, of course, simplifies this story in the telling so that it's about how a chaotic evil dragon decided not to mess with her personally.
