Barrel

barrel, n. 1. in general usage, a round bulging vessel of greater length than breadth that is usually made of staves bound with hoops and has flat ends of equal diameter, usu. used to store fluids or foodstuffs; from Middle English barel, c. 14th c. 2. in gamerese, a device used to indicate that a character's player is not present, and therefore the character is traveling with the party but is unable to interact.
Ex: Player: "I borrow Dracovich's Staff of the Magi to use in this combat." GM: Sorry, he's there, but he's in his barrel until Joe gets back from Bali."[GC]
3. used to refer to any stupid or unnecessarily difficult or uncomfortable escape plan; refers to Bilbo and the dwarves' escape from the elves of Mirkwood in Tolkien's The Hobbit.
Ex: "Now you want us to crawl down the privy drain? Why don't you just pack us in barrels and send us to Dale?"[GJ1]
4. any monster, danger or difficulty that is better avoided than confronted; inspired by Mario jumping over the barrels in Donkey Kong.
Ex: "Um, yeah, I could fight the kobolds, or I could just jump the barrels and close the freakin' door!" [EDE]