A player of mine has unfortunately drawn the Rogue card from the Deck of Many Things, turning 1 NPC hostile toward them. The NPC in question has a high chance of killing the player character, which brings up the issue. When is the Rogue card completely over and done with? Would it be resolved after the PC is dead? Would it re-activate if the PC is brought back? How would you play it?
A player of mine has unfortunately drawn the Rogue card from the Deck of Many Things, turning 1 NPC hostile toward them. The NPC in question has a high chance of killing the player character, which brings up the issue. When is the Rogue card completely over and done with? Would it be resolved after the PC is dead? Would it re-activate if the PC is brought back? How would you play it?
Rogue. A nonplayer character of the GM's choice becomes hostile toward you. The identity of your new enemy isn't known until the NPC or someone else reveals it. Nothing less than a wish spell or divine intervention can end the NPC's hostility toward you.
That PC is boned unless you decide to go easy on them, which is entirely up to you. I hope they're friendly with a Cleric!
Dying does not remove the hostility. If anything, I'd think knowing the target of their hostility has managed to come back from the dead would enrage them even more.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
Honestly if this effect is causing problems at the table it is because the DM is allowing it to.
Yes, nothing less than a Wish or Divine Intervention will end the NPC's hostility towards the character that drew the Rogue. But which NPC is made hostile, the extent to which the NPC is able to act on that hostility, and how far that NPC chooses to go to pursue that hostility are all up to the DM.
The NPC could be anywhere in the world and anything from a commoner to an archmage. If the NPC were chosen at random the likelihood that the NPC is located in proximity to the player or has enough power to actually cause a meaningful impact, let alone both, is extremely unlikely.
Dying does not remove the hostility. If anything, I'd think knowing the target of their hostility has managed to come back from the dead would enrage them even more.
Agreed, glad it wasn't just me thinking this way. This will be the PCs 2nd death, so maybe it's just fate. *shrug*
The player that this will be impacting will be more than OK with either result. They've been pulling cards from the deck for quite some time and know the possible consequences. If I knew any of my players would hate a certain outcome, I'd change things up.
As for the hostile NPC... I made a list of possible NPCs and at the players request let them roll to see which NPC it would be. So their life has been in their own hands the whole time.
Sounds like that player will be rolling a new character or moving somewhere far far away from the NPC, though if the enmity is that great, the NPC will hunt them down anyway. As cited above, only a wish will stop it.
I find it amusing that out of all the magic items in the game, WOTC decided to make a book about the Deck of Many Things ... I don't know of a single campaign that survived having the characters pulling from the deck (I played in two that imploded after the Deck showed up and heard of others). The characters just became so overpowered, weak or dead that adventuring together no longer really made any sense so it became time for a new campaign.
Sounds like that player will be rolling a new character or moving somewhere far far away from the NPC, though if the enmity is that great, the NPC will hunt them down anyway. As cited above, only a wish will stop it.
I find it amusing that out of all the magic items in the game, WOTC decided to make a book about the Deck of Many Things ... I don't know of a single campaign that survived having the characters pulling from the deck (I played in two that imploded after the Deck showed up and heard of others). The characters just became so overpowered, weak or dead that adventuring together no longer really made any sense so it became time for a new campaign.
There's a reason it's also known by such epithets as "the Deck of Plot/Campaign Destruction".
This character has pulled 10 cards in this campaign so far, so it was only a matter of time before something catastrophic happened. Still remaining in the deck however is the Moon card(1d3 wishes), the Void(soul prison), and the Donjon(complete removal)... so there could be a chance for salvation.
Well - hostile doesn't translate into violence. It might, sure. But it doesn't have to. There's a daycare worker at my sons kindergarden. She's fairly openly hostile towards me - this seems to arise primarily from a disagreement over naps - but this has not yet devolved into fisticuffs. Just as an example.
It might be fun, in some cases, to have hostility result in actual bloodshed. But if the hostile NPC is substandially more powerful than the PC, that seems ... unwise and unfun.
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Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
It is fun thinking about it from the perspective of that NPC. You are just some ordinary guy doing your own business, maybe some shopping or gardening. When, suddenly, you feel this overwhelming urge to hurt and destroy some unknown character located god knows where and for no apparent reason...
This character has pulled 10 cards in this campaign so far, so it was only a matter of time before something catastrophic happened. Still remaining in the deck however is the Moon card(1d3 wishes), the Void(soul prison), and the Donjon(complete removal)... so there could be a chance for salvation.
If the character is willing to take such chances by pulling cards 10 different times then I don’t see a problem. You decide if the character runs into the NPC and if it happens then let it play out. You don’t have to have the NPC scour the earth for the character but if they meet, then bad things can happen.
I want to echo what Acromos already said -- when I read the OP, my immediate thought was "but the card doesn't mention they want to kill you".
I mean, yeah, that's the easy thing. And there's drama in it and all that. But something like that is far more interesting and practical a thing when you think about it from a position of something other than killing.
Ruining someone is more satisfying, and has a durability that hate tends to inspire. Granted, I might be drawing from some rather touchy things, but as a person whose mere existence has been cause for people to hate me without ever knowing me, I would say the more likely outcome is doing everything to make them as miserable as possible.
Towns that refuse to provide service, expanding it to those who give aid and comfort to the enemy. Friendlies who are suddenly put into a position of having to turn away. Fewer quests, lower pay, mistrust, efforts to pass laws outlawing the person, bounties and other things.
Even better if the NPC can do so while pretending to be the person's friend.
Have the NPC be edmund dantes, come to claim a pound of flesh that may not have any basis in truth, but the card has made them that way.
(also, yeah, I know, mixing two stories is bad form, but I couldn't resist).
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Only a DM since 1980 (3000+ Sessions) / PhD, MS, MA / Mixed, Bi, Trans, Woman / No longer welcome in the US, apparently
Wyrlde: Adventures in the Seven Cities .-=] Lore Book | Patreon | Wyrlde YT [=-. An original Setting for 5e, a whole solar system of adventure. Ongoing updates, exclusies, more. Not Talking About It / Dubbed The Oracle in the Cult of Mythology Nerds
This character has pulled 10 cards in this campaign so far, so it was only a matter of time before something catastrophic happened. Still remaining in the deck however is the Moon card(1d3 wishes), the Void(soul prison), and the Donjon(complete removal)... so there could be a chance for salvation.
All three of those resolve the issue one way or the other.
A player of mine has unfortunately drawn the Rogue card from the Deck of Many Things, turning 1 NPC hostile toward them. The NPC in question has a high chance of killing the player character, which brings up the issue. When is the Rogue card completely over and done with? Would it be resolved after the PC is dead? Would it re-activate if the PC is brought back? How would you play it?
The Rogue card causing an NPC to become hostile toward the character doesn't have to be a death sentence. So depending on the NPC and it's relation with the character, an hostile attitude would be inclined to get in it's way somehow, as mild or as hard ranging from gossip, backbiting or scandal mongering, scheming to turn people against it, blackmailing, extortion, to verbal attacks, insult, open threats and finally to physical violence, skirmish, brawl up to fight to the death.
I would play it in a way that escalate until one is neutralized, arrested or killed.
Social Interaction: In general terms, an NPC’s attitude toward you is described as friendly, indifferent, or hostile. Friendly NPCs are predisposed to help you, and hostile ones are inclined to get in your way. It’s easier to get what you want from a friendly NPC, of course.
A player of mine has unfortunately drawn the Rogue card from the Deck of Many Things, turning 1 NPC hostile toward them. The NPC in question has a high chance of killing the player character, which brings up the issue. When is the Rogue card completely over and done with? Would it be resolved after the PC is dead? Would it re-activate if the PC is brought back? How would you play it?
That PC is boned unless you decide to go easy on them, which is entirely up to you. I hope they're friendly with a Cleric!
Dying does not remove the hostility. If anything, I'd think knowing the target of their hostility has managed to come back from the dead would enrage them even more.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
Honestly if this effect is causing problems at the table it is because the DM is allowing it to.
Yes, nothing less than a Wish or Divine Intervention will end the NPC's hostility towards the character that drew the Rogue. But which NPC is made hostile, the extent to which the NPC is able to act on that hostility, and how far that NPC chooses to go to pursue that hostility are all up to the DM.
The NPC could be anywhere in the world and anything from a commoner to an archmage. If the NPC were chosen at random the likelihood that the NPC is located in proximity to the player or has enough power to actually cause a meaningful impact, let alone both, is extremely unlikely.
The player that this will be impacting will be more than OK with either result. They've been pulling cards from the deck for quite some time and know the possible consequences. If I knew any of my players would hate a certain outcome, I'd change things up.
As for the hostile NPC... I made a list of possible NPCs and at the players request let them roll to see which NPC it would be. So their life has been in their own hands the whole time.
Sounds like that player will be rolling a new character or moving somewhere far far away from the NPC, though if the enmity is that great, the NPC will hunt them down anyway. As cited above, only a wish will stop it.
I find it amusing that out of all the magic items in the game, WOTC decided to make a book about the Deck of Many Things ... I don't know of a single campaign that survived having the characters pulling from the deck (I played in two that imploded after the Deck showed up and heard of others). The characters just became so overpowered, weak or dead that adventuring together no longer really made any sense so it became time for a new campaign.
There's a reason it's also known by such epithets as "the Deck of Plot/Campaign Destruction".
This character has pulled 10 cards in this campaign so far, so it was only a matter of time before something catastrophic happened. Still remaining in the deck however is the Moon card(1d3 wishes), the Void(soul prison), and the Donjon(complete removal)... so there could be a chance for salvation.
Well - hostile doesn't translate into violence. It might, sure. But it doesn't have to. There's a daycare worker at my sons kindergarden. She's fairly openly hostile towards me - this seems to arise primarily from a disagreement over naps - but this has not yet devolved into fisticuffs. Just as an example.
It might be fun, in some cases, to have hostility result in actual bloodshed. But if the hostile NPC is substandially more powerful than the PC, that seems ... unwise and unfun.
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
It is fun thinking about it from the perspective of that NPC. You are just some ordinary guy doing your own business, maybe some shopping or gardening. When, suddenly, you feel this overwhelming urge to hurt and destroy some unknown character located god knows where and for no apparent reason...
If the character is willing to take such chances by pulling cards 10 different times then I don’t see a problem. You decide if the character runs into the NPC and if it happens then let it play out. You don’t have to have the NPC scour the earth for the character but if they meet, then bad things can happen.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
I want to echo what Acromos already said -- when I read the OP, my immediate thought was "but the card doesn't mention they want to kill you".
I mean, yeah, that's the easy thing. And there's drama in it and all that. But something like that is far more interesting and practical a thing when you think about it from a position of something other than killing.
Ruining someone is more satisfying, and has a durability that hate tends to inspire. Granted, I might be drawing from some rather touchy things, but as a person whose mere existence has been cause for people to hate me without ever knowing me, I would say the more likely outcome is doing everything to make them as miserable as possible.
Towns that refuse to provide service, expanding it to those who give aid and comfort to the enemy. Friendlies who are suddenly put into a position of having to turn away. Fewer quests, lower pay, mistrust, efforts to pass laws outlawing the person, bounties and other things.
Even better if the NPC can do so while pretending to be the person's friend.
Have the NPC be edmund dantes, come to claim a pound of flesh that may not have any basis in truth, but the card has made them that way.
(also, yeah, I know, mixing two stories is bad form, but I couldn't resist).
Only a DM since 1980 (3000+ Sessions) / PhD, MS, MA / Mixed, Bi, Trans, Woman / No longer welcome in the US, apparently
Wyrlde: Adventures in the Seven Cities
.-=] Lore Book | Patreon | Wyrlde YT [=-.
An original Setting for 5e, a whole solar system of adventure. Ongoing updates, exclusies, more.
Not Talking About It / Dubbed The Oracle in the Cult of Mythology Nerds
All three of those resolve the issue one way or the other.
The Rogue card causing an NPC to become hostile toward the character doesn't have to be a death sentence. So depending on the NPC and it's relation with the character, an hostile attitude would be inclined to get in it's way somehow, as mild or as hard ranging from gossip, backbiting or scandal mongering, scheming to turn people against it, blackmailing, extortion, to verbal attacks, insult, open threats and finally to physical violence, skirmish, brawl up to fight to the death.
I would play it in a way that escalate until one is neutralized, arrested or killed.