Hi Guy,

So I had a player last night end up in a duel with a Saxon.

They donned their armour and weapons, went outside exchanged insults and then the idiot went and fumbled his passion roll. :'(

So what went from a heroic duel, ended up with his character going mental and running off into the woods? :D

As you can imagine he wasn't happy, he said he didn?t understand it and that his character would rather die than flee like that. He added that I should write him off as his character would be too embarrassed to ever show his face again.

I tried to explain and said it was nothing to do with cowardice and that even Lancelot had his moments.

He kind of accepted it and is currently playing his backup.

I was just wondering how best to explain the consequences of a fumbled passion roll or what you have said in the past.

Cheers,

BigSteveUK

As you can imagine he wasn't happy, he said he didn?t understand it and that his character would rather die than flee like that. He added that I should write him off as his character would be too embarrassed to ever show his face again.
...
I was just wondering how best to explain the consequences of a fumbled passion roll or what you have said in the past.



I look forward to others' responses on this.

For myself, I'd have explained that it is not a matter of what the character would want to do, or would normally do. He's gone flippin' mad crazy because of his emotions. He got so worked up by his Hate that he was frothing at the mouth, howling and cursing and got so carried away that he just got consumed entirely by his emotions, entirely out of control.

Explain that these are the consequences of running on emtions (Passion roll) rather than cold cunning and skill.

--G

Players should be aware that rolls on passions can be risky as well as rewarding.
Some players I've encountered are not aware that the Arthurian tales are about strong, impulsive emotions. They can't understand why their noble paragon of chivalry has become disheartened/melancholic/insane.
The lack of control over their character when it all goes wrong is hard for some people to accept.

I've let him kill the saxon in an obvious dishonourfull maner, suck as attacking perhabs with passion bonus before the saxon had a chance to don his armor and/or find his weapon. And when the saxon was dead I'd let him flee into the woods, before anybody would have time to react, then the rest of the party would have to deal with the rest of the saxons, who probaly would be pretty pissed.

I know it's not by the rules, but it would drive the story foreward.

My method: I don't explain it. Simply put, your character had a psychotic break, and saw things man was not meant to know. 1d6 days later, he finds his way back, cold, tired, hungry, and relatively sane again. Fortunately, he has no memory from that fateful decision to think about *object_of_Passion*...

1d6 days, you're nice Aramis. I've had a pk out for 6 years shoving berries up his nose. My first Lady character, Lady Jenna of Salisbury, has been insane for about 20 years since killing her beloved husband in chirrugery. Her sons have grown and become knights, her still nuts.

You can explain it as whatever u want actually. You might say that as the knight strides down away from his comrades to face the adversary, he notices the glimmer of hope in some of his companions eyes, but notices even more that they all have DOUBT on their faces, as if they know that he will not return from this battle..... Or was he just imagining that? ... its hard to tell and keep his thoughts straight with so many men shouting.
As he nears his oppponent he tries to clear his head and think straight but his downcast gaze shows him all the mutilated corpses on the ground,. Proud warriors who thought of glory but are now crow fodder. Or... are they there? has there been a battle today? Or is that just the ancestors of the knight looking up from him in despair and pain? will he be just like that one day? Even if he wins now and keeps vanquishing his enemies, he will die one day to join the fallen ones and live in agonizing despair, knowing that eventually old age will suck his prowess from him and some newborn babe of a knight will strike him his deathblow... whats this all for anyway..... It proves nothing.......... All men are strong for a time and then grow old and feeble and careless and then just die.
As he nears the saxon he sees how scary he is. A head taller with scars all over... a veteran of many battles who is unafraid and has done this many times before. All the shouting is reallly getting to you now... you are shuddering.... you close your eyes tight to get your bearings and open them. The saxon is smiling at you and he has his great broad sword drawn. you are afraid. He has the poewer to kill and he has done it before.... To your sisters, and brothers, and fathers and mothers and all your ancestors and you will, be damned if he will kill another cymri!!!!!!!!!!! Auuggghhhhhhh, but your dizzy, and hot and feverish, and as your hate gives you power your fear blends with it and asks why? why do it? in the end of days this one duel that could end your life is unnecessary and will prove nothing... mean nothing...... men are watching you now silent and in wonder..... even the saxon has fixed a peculiar eye on you and wonders what spirit has taken over you. Something about you is strange..... Everyone waits with their breathe held............ for you..... your lungs collapse...you feel dizzy..... soon as your vision blurs you feel only the deathsong...and your hatred for the sais, and then you see them... all the ones that killed your ancestors..... just at the edge of the wooods. Then you know what to do....... dont waste your glorious death on one saxon when u can kill all those other offenders..... they will probably flee to the wooods.... it could take years to track all of them down.... but the more u kill the more of your ancestors will be avenged........
with a shriek you point your weapon at your advancing saxon enemy. checking him..... and then u go for the greater glory, and turn towards the woods scattering all other saxons before you as you chase them down and you hear them shouting in horror as they scurry away like so many rats.......... How exulting!!!!!! You are now like unto a God, and Your hatred blooms. AS you go deeper into the forest u see more and more saxons to hunt...some dress like friars, others herdsman, to escape your blade , but u find them all in the end. Hatred is a powerful tool indeed. :D Crazy sucka!

Or you could just say "You wake up six years later in the wood. Your nostrils are clogged with berries!"
:D

AS you go deeper into the forest u see more and more saxons to hunt...some dress like friars, others herdsman, to escape your blade , but u find them all in the end. Hatred is a powerful tool indeed. :D Crazy sucka!


Well, that was an inspired peice of writing, and with the last bit (see above) the doomed knight will probably be at it for some time to come.... Nice story idea, for the group to go search for him to stop him slaughtering "innocents" (or he might be unto something, and they are really saxons in disguise...)