Rich H wrote:
I was the one to suggest it here, and SirKicley backed me up, but I really think a good option is to have you gain a certain amount of temporary shadow on Corruption Tests even if you succeed. That way constant exposure will affect the PCs and it's their Wisdom that helps soften the blow, so to speak, which I think feels right for the game and the source material.
Yes I believe this is the most intuitive way to handle it; and the easiest without worrying about changing TNs or math or probabilities etc. I believe that a combination of doing this - AND allowing Shadow only to recover in a Sanctuary (as opposed to simple getting two rolls in one) OR halving the bonuses of those earned back in a non-Sanctuary will result with a more Darker and Edgier game experience for those clamoring for more influence of Shadow in their games.
with RAW, with Virtues that allow you to reset your HOPE along with Fellowship Pools replenishing hope, along with traits like woodcraft or Smithcraft or others that allow you to auto succeed in "Craft" skills allowing 2 Shadow to restore automatically, does give propensity to create a gaming experience that is light on long-lasting shadow, madness, etc.
As a veteran of having run Ravenloft setting of D&D 2nd edition for nearly 4 years, I have a good grasp of what/when situations place a person in jeopardy of attacting "the mists" (The Shadow in M-e).
Some of my players in TOR never were exposed to the rigors of Ravenloft, and they come for a D&D-ish RPG background of the 9 alignment system and tend to play shady types and unheroic "Dirty Harry" heroes if you will. It's a matter of "training" them to embrace the Middle-earth heroic flavor.
So far I've given automatic Shadow Points in several occasions but two specifically stand out where I gave TWO auto and made them roll to avoid a third point that would be permanent.
1) During the "Don't Leave the Path" adventure, when they met the bizarre hermit, two players resorted to "bullying" and trying to intimidate him fear tactics to pressure him into speaking and giving answers - despite his obvious shattered mind.
I described the sense of power and control flowing in their hearts, (a la Sam vs Gollum) and the other characters saw a change in their demeanor - an unpleasant aura that seemed to take over them (a la Frodo watching his friend become a mean bully). Both characters were slayers so it actually wound up being perfect. I didn't enact a bout of madness officially - but I narrated a pseudo-semblance of one gripping their hearts and minds and how it made them feel powerful and left them feeling like a heightened rush. But described to the others that it was disturbing to see. I assigned two shadow points to each and had them roll Corruption for a third. One failed and earned three total (one being permanent) Neither player ever played Ravenloft before, but one is a true fan of Middle-earth and has read all the books, so he totally understood and enjoyed the narration of the scene and respected how it played out. The end was a good result because both players agreed that they need to find a way to curb some of that Dirty Harry mentality.
2) The other was when a wicked NPC held a man hostage and was using him as a shield against the Barding player character who was trained in bows. "throw down your bow, or I will run this captive through the heart!" The player was determined to shoot the wicked NPC and when he asked me what the situation was I explained that a miss would certainly result in the NPC running the man through. And I added the human as a parry bonus like a shield would. The player in his thirst for blood and without real concern for the NPC shot anyways and rolled and EYE. I narrated his arrow piercing the innocent captive's throat killing him instantly.
In the aftermath of that fight, I explained the feeling of dread and guilt that is awash over him, leaving him stricken and sick. I assigned two shadow points, and rolled for corruption for a third. He succeeded. Later in his fellowship phase, he destroyed his bow in a ceremony to wash away his sins, and "Crafted" a new one that lifted his spirit - which removed the two points of shadow.
[in Ravenloft - if you perform fell deeds, you gain 'shadow' like in TOR - but it comes in the form of a "reward" that makes them more powerful. But when this power is enacted it comes with an equally debilitating curse that nearly forces the character to have to do more bad things.....that simple creates MORE shadow.
One player I remember being gifted with healing of near grievous wounds because he murdered a foe that had surrendered and given himself up. The player seeing the benefit of this did it again the next time he was hurt severely. This time he was gifted with the ability to resist wounds....but the wounds that he did take would not respond to magical healing from good clerics. He learned that he had to kill someone to get them healed. So he killed them and then he gained the power to avoid wounds from any non-magical weapon. But when he did get wounded from one, he learned that it would only heal if he consumed the flesh of a victim. The next time he learned the wounds would reappear each day that he didn't kill someone. Shortly thereafter he had gone mad and evil and became a wicked NPC for the game that the other heroes had to eventually encounter and fight. This is not unlike the benefits granted from a magical Ring in LOTR, while simultaneously destroying your soul.]
Robert
