So I'm planning to run the Accursed Apple Twists one-shot with some friends. There's a lot of things in it I like. It'll tie nicely with the first one-shot I do for them (Grammy's Country Apple Pie) and the BBEG has a couple mechanics that'll be fun to narrate and play with.
The one weak point comes with the transition from two places where the given options are 1. They drink laced apple cider and get poisoned, then wake up in a cell. 2. They don't drink the cider so a mob comes and beats them unconscious. Then they wake up in a cell.
The first option works easily for me since it's a result of their own actions. And once they're in the cell I like what's going on since there's decent player agency on ways forward. So my *hope* is that they freely choose the route that ends up getting them drugged, but as you know players gonna player so can't rely on that.
And the second option is where I have trouble. It does make sense within the narrative since the town is tacitly accepting of the BBEG although they won't know that yet. But "rocks fall; you're captured" isn't my preferred style. And the "I cast SUMMON TARRASQUE" approach is also something I haven't enjoyed as a player when the DM needed a party capture. So the one thing I'm thinking of right now is kind of telling them over-the-board that it's a required transition to the next part, maybe reward them inspiration for not drinking the cider if they suspected something was off, and doing it that way. But the one weak point there being that it could break the narrative flow.
So curious if you've had similar things go down and how you've handled it.
I've handled it by not using "the PCs have to get captured for the plot to move forward" in adventures to start with, but if you really need it, telling them over the board is probably as good as you're going to get.
Not sure how the party gets apple cider, but have them go into a crowded pub. Lots of drinking and carousing can be heard from the street. But as they are strangers, the place goes silent as the PCs walk in. The bartender asks them if they want a free drink. If they refuse, a few drunks get belligerent about them being too uppity to drink.
Now you can poison those that drink, and yet have a ready made mob for those that do not.
I'd say the best outcome would be to not let it go too long, let them begin the fight and then cut out of combat mode by simply saying "the mob overwhelms you all" and make it a fade to black transition, either that or don't do the actual combat and say "before you can react the mob is already on you", a momentary break in narrative flow is alright in exchange for moving the plot forward and avoiding angry players
Wysperra nailed it, if you’re going the prisoner route start with it, don’t try to force it.
Also, understand many player will freak out over being captured in a way they don’t over being killed.
But, to answer the question, given those options, I’d say No. 2. If you go with 1, why aren’t they getting saving throws (with advantage for the dwarf of a number of other party members) against the poison? Why can’t the cleric throw around some lesser restoration? To make poisoning work, you have to completely ignore a number of rules. With No. 2, the show of overwhelming force, that at least gives an impression they could have tried to fight their way out, but it’s clearly a bad choice, so they make the better one. Though it has its problems, too: the Druid turns into a mouse and scampers off. The wizard grabs the fighter and dimension doors away, the firbolg turns invisible, the monk runs up a wall.
Really either option requires lots of ignoring character abilities that could easily get them out of the situation.
As a lover of apple-related things, I am deeply offended. Nah! Just kidding!
As you said, it would be best to do this either above table during session zero, or like others here have agreed on jait start the adventure imprisoned.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go check all my apple cider for poison.
I would just start the adventure with them being captive. There is nothing wrong with this start and is used in at least two official adventures.
Definitely more my style if I was making my own thing. Here though it would cut off the social half of the one-shot. (And other than this particular detail, my readthrough of it is otherwise positive.)
But, to answer the question, given those options, I’d say No. 2. If you go with 1, why aren’t they getting saving throws (with advantage for the dwarf of a number of other party members) against the poison? Why can’t the cleric throw around some lesser restoration? To make poisoning work, you have to completely ignore a number of rules. With No. 2, the show of overwhelming force, that at least gives an impression they could have tried to fight their way out, but it’s clearly a bad choice, so they make the better one. Though it has its problems, too: the Druid turns into a mouse and scampers off. The wizard grabs the fighter and dimension doors away, the firbolg turns invisible, the monk runs up a wall.
At least on lesser restoration/dimension door it'll be a lv2 party so no worries on that. But fair points on what you're getting at overall. And one of the players, barring a class change, will be a druid likely excited for lv2 wildshape.
From the responses overall, I might need to look at an overhaul on the transition if not just going the fade-to-black / over-the-board-talk.
Definitely more my style if I was making my own thing. Here though it would cut off the social half of the one-shot. (And other than this particular detail, my readthrough of it is otherwise positive.)
Just do the social half, say they had a great time, and woke up in chains. All the herky jerky preamble of poison or a fight is wasting time. If this truly is a one-shot then time is not your friend.
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"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
I agree with the above, simply start with them in jail and tell the players: "This one-shot starts with you in jail, either come up for a reason for your character or you can use one of the two prepared backstories : getting poisoned by some apple cider at the inn, or getting mobbed by thugs walking home."
Social interactions / lore hints they were supposed to get in the set-up scene can be moved to NPCs sharing the cell with them in the jail.
I agree with the above, simply start with them in jail and tell the players: "This one-shot starts with you in jail, either come up for a reason for your character or you can use one of the two prepared backstories : getting poisoned by some apple cider at the inn, or getting mobbed by thugs walking home."
That's the angle I've taken. Partner with the players by telling them the adventure needs them in jail and ask them to narrate how their character does. It empowers their creativity and allows them to stay true to their vision of the character.
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So I'm planning to run the Accursed Apple Twists one-shot with some friends. There's a lot of things in it I like. It'll tie nicely with the first one-shot I do for them (Grammy's Country Apple Pie) and the BBEG has a couple mechanics that'll be fun to narrate and play with.
The one weak point comes with the transition from two places where the given options are
1. They drink laced apple cider and get poisoned, then wake up in a cell.
2. They don't drink the cider so a mob comes and beats them unconscious. Then they wake up in a cell.
The first option works easily for me since it's a result of their own actions. And once they're in the cell I like what's going on since there's decent player agency on ways forward. So my *hope* is that they freely choose the route that ends up getting them drugged, but as you know players gonna player so can't rely on that.
And the second option is where I have trouble. It does make sense within the narrative since the town is tacitly accepting of the BBEG although they won't know that yet. But "rocks fall; you're captured" isn't my preferred style. And the "I cast SUMMON TARRASQUE" approach is also something I haven't enjoyed as a player when the DM needed a party capture.
So the one thing I'm thinking of right now is kind of telling them over-the-board that it's a required transition to the next part, maybe reward them inspiration for not drinking the cider if they suspected something was off, and doing it that way. But the one weak point there being that it could break the narrative flow.
So curious if you've had similar things go down and how you've handled it.
This is a signature. It was a simple signature. But it has been upgraded.
Belolonandalogalo Malololomologalo Tumagalokumagalo, Sunny
Eggo Lass, Bone and Oblivion
Tendilius Mondhaven Paxaramus, Drakkenheim
Silverwood Group 1 | Silverwood Group 2 | Hacking the Hackett
Get rickrolled here. Awesome music here. Track 51, 10/23/25, Viva La Vida
I've handled it by not using "the PCs have to get captured for the plot to move forward" in adventures to start with, but if you really need it, telling them over the board is probably as good as you're going to get.
Not sure how the party gets apple cider, but have them go into a crowded pub. Lots of drinking and carousing can be heard from the street. But as they are strangers, the place goes silent as the PCs walk in. The bartender asks them if they want a free drink. If they refuse, a few drunks get belligerent about them being too uppity to drink.
Now you can poison those that drink, and yet have a ready made mob for those that do not.
I'd say the best outcome would be to not let it go too long, let them begin the fight and then cut out of combat mode by simply saying "the mob overwhelms you all" and make it a fade to black transition, either that or don't do the actual combat and say "before you can react the mob is already on you", a momentary break in narrative flow is alright in exchange for moving the plot forward and avoiding angry players
I would just start the adventure with them being captive. There is nothing wrong with this start and is used in at least two official adventures.
Putting the party in a fight that they cannot win is railroady and the players will hate it with a fiery passion.
Don't drug them, don't have them lose a fight, just start in jail.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Wysperra nailed it, if you’re going the prisoner route start with it, don’t try to force it.
Also, understand many player will freak out over being captured in a way they don’t over being killed.
But, to answer the question, given those options, I’d say No. 2. If you go with 1, why aren’t they getting saving throws (with advantage for the dwarf of a number of other party members) against the poison? Why can’t the cleric throw around some lesser restoration? To make poisoning work, you have to completely ignore a number of rules. With No. 2, the show of overwhelming force, that at least gives an impression they could have tried to fight their way out, but it’s clearly a bad choice, so they make the better one. Though it has its problems, too: the Druid turns into a mouse and scampers off. The wizard grabs the fighter and dimension doors away, the firbolg turns invisible, the monk runs up a wall.
Really either option requires lots of ignoring character abilities that could easily get them out of the situation.
As a lover of apple-related things, I am deeply offended. Nah! Just kidding!
As you said, it would be best to do this either above table during session zero, or like others here have agreed on jait start the adventure imprisoned.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go check all my apple cider for poison.
Definitely more my style if I was making my own thing. Here though it would cut off the social half of the one-shot. (And other than this particular detail, my readthrough of it is otherwise positive.)
At least on lesser restoration/dimension door it'll be a lv2 party so no worries on that. But fair points on what you're getting at overall. And one of the players, barring a class change, will be a druid likely excited for lv2 wildshape.
From the responses overall, I might need to look at an overhaul on the transition if not just going the fade-to-black / over-the-board-talk.
psst: Your cider is fine. It's your cups I poisoned.
This is a signature. It was a simple signature. But it has been upgraded.
Belolonandalogalo Malololomologalo Tumagalokumagalo, Sunny
Eggo Lass, Bone and Oblivion
Tendilius Mondhaven Paxaramus, Drakkenheim
Silverwood Group 1 | Silverwood Group 2 | Hacking the Hackett
Get rickrolled here. Awesome music here. Track 51, 10/23/25, Viva La Vida
Just do the social half, say they had a great time, and woke up in chains. All the herky jerky preamble of poison or a fight is wasting time. If this truly is a one-shot then time is not your friend.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
I agree with the above, simply start with them in jail and tell the players: "This one-shot starts with you in jail, either come up for a reason for your character or you can use one of the two prepared backstories : getting poisoned by some apple cider at the inn, or getting mobbed by thugs walking home."
Social interactions / lore hints they were supposed to get in the set-up scene can be moved to NPCs sharing the cell with them in the jail.
That's the angle I've taken. Partner with the players by telling them the adventure needs them in jail and ask them to narrate how their character does. It empowers their creativity and allows them to stay true to their vision of the character.