From: tgt33358@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Deus Imperator)
Subject: Re: Surprises
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 08:09:30 GMT

In article <1992Sep13.220137.16939@cs.yale.edu> lower-tony@CS.YALE.EDU (Tony Lower) writes:
>   For the GMs (or players for that matter) out there,
>I would appreciate postings on the following subject:
>
>    WHEN HAVE PLAYERS SURPRISED YOU?
>
>   I'm not talking about picking the blue tie instead
>of the red one you thought they would prefer.  I'm
>talking things that really SHOCKED you at the time,
>and hopefully have been memorable in some amusing or
>astounding way.
>
Heh.  I've got two, and sadly, I think you were there for the first, Tony.

After completing the AD&D module series T1-4 (Temple of Elemental Evil) and
A1-4 (Slavers), one of the characters, a LE illusionist (okay, I allowed
them...) decides to blast the plot hook that dragged them through both
these hellish adventures, the FIANCE of one of the other CHARACTERS!  
Apparently, the LE illusionist felt that he wasn't playing his alignment
properly, and took the serene moment when they're riding into the sunset
to correct that.  Most of the characters stood there, transfixed by this 
(forget evil) STUPID act, when the fiance got up.  Seems she was a 4/3 
fighter/MU, and could withstand that.  Then the illusionist challenges
the LG cavalier to a duel, to save his fiance.  The OTHER LG cavalier
jumps up, (after doing a variety of non-cavalier-like things) and reminds
the LG dude that he _has_ to accept the challenge, and that he will make
sure the loser _stays_ dead.
	One cavalier on a horse with a +2 sword, vs an illusionist with a
staff of thunder and lightening at 100 paces.  Guess who won?  

The other took place just last night, in my Vampire campaign.  One character,
a Toreador by the name of David Drake, found his humanity in a nosedive.
He eventually made a deal with a total stranger to acquire a faberge egg,
an egg, he learns, that has the power to transfix a kindred.  What payment 
does he expect?  Heh.  The _name_ of the person he's dealing with.
	After risking life and limb to retrieve it, he's sadly disappointed
to find out that the stranger is not who he thought it was.  Instead,
the stranger is the leader of a gang of Diabolists who have set their 
sights on the Prince of Chicago.  After going to his Haven, and dragging
Drake along, they use the egg, and slay the prince.  His payment?  Two
young children, recently embraced, are brought to him.  They are of better
generation, and he can increase his generation through them.  He does so.
The stranger removes the children and leaves him.  During his moment of
panic, Drake summoned (through the discipline) the head of Clan Toreador, and
an influential anarch.  Both see the diabolized body of the Prince, and the
blood on Drake's lips, as well as the diablire in his soul, and moved to 
tell all.  
	Drake sits back in Lodin's haven, chilling out, realizing how clevely
he had been set up, and how he had allowed himself to be used.  I move onto
the other players, and their reaction as the news hits the streets.  Just then,
Drake announces he's going to the roof, and awaiting the sunlight.  I stop.
	"What?!?!"
	"Yup."
	">gulp<"sOJ
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-- 
Thanatos, DeathUrge, Master of Everything But Love tgt33358@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu
"Oh God, does this mean we have to fight?"
			-Selina Kyle, _Batman_