Sartar: adjusting the scenarios to the presence of flying PCs

From: hcarteau_at_C1uAvbVLi8Sx5W3q6OQsmDI-bCOpyWZAeXmKQEASMGZst5zgLrPTOW2k-dXICg57szO
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:50:39 +0100

> >> Same thing during the Heroquest. The bridge guarded by the giant who
> >> knocks people into the River of Swords. My guys will probably try to fly
> >> around him.

/// That's a familiar feeling : trying to anticipate what the players are going to come up with, and how to react to it.

My take is first, never forget it's about fun, for the players and the GM. So go for the solution you'll think offers the most fun, the greatest intensity of play for them and you both.

What kind of people are they ? Do they prefer to be guided along, in which case they'll probably accept the "wall of swords" instead of the "river of blades" ? Or are they the kind that takes pleasure in finding other, unplanned ways ? Do they like taking odds or do they play it safe ?

For instance, the air above the Upland Marsh is unsually foggy in all seasons. This weird fog goes pretty high and has a strange disorienting effect once you're flying inside. It might be "Very Difficult" to get your bearings and very easy to get separated. Add to this a flock of flying vulture zombies (or harpies) and it will make your players think twice. It's possible to do, but much more dangerous than taking the water route.

In the Otherworld, things are even more scary. It's a -20 in Hell because it's not their proper otherworld, said the HQ 1 rules, or it's "Almost Impossible" to fly in there unless you did prepare extremely well. Maybe this difficulty is not so much in flying as, again, finding your way in a very shifting environment. And if you get lost, you get LOST. In another otherworld, or back in time, or in Pamaltela. You could end up anywhere/anywhen.

If the players do begin whining about "railroading", then perhaps a minor concession will help, such as allowing short uses of Flight during a combat scene, for instance.            

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