Log of a Role Playing Adventure

Having read an article that basically says “Goddammit, video game RPGs don’t have enough choices.” I decided I would provide a transcript of one of my recent role playing adventures. Now mind, we were a little low on players this night, just me and the Dungeon Master, but hell, when you’re trying to play a real role playing game, you do what you can.

Transcript follows.

DM: You find yourself in a large throne room with a pair of thrones in front of you. A lone king sit wearily on the throne to the left as the one on the right remains empty. He looks as if he has something to tell you.

Me: Is there anything else in the room?

DM: You can see a few treasure chests to the side and a pair of guards by a closed door.

Me: I approach the king.

DM: He begins by telling you a long tale of the history of the land and how he is glad you are here and ready to be the savior to the people. He warns you that in order to restore peace to the land you will have to slay the lord of the dragons who casts his darkness on the land from his nearby castle. Unfortunately, it won’t be as simple as crossing the great lake between the two castles as all the kingdom’s ships have been destroyed by the evil lord. He asks that you do what you can to end this terrible reign, and that you may also find his daughter who has been captured recently. He notes that the chests to your right are yours if you choose to help his country.

Me: I accept his quest and head to the treasure chests and open them. What’s inside?

DM: You find a small key, a torch and a few bits of gold.

Me: I take it all, leave the throne room and head outside.

DM: There’s a locked door to the throne room, but you find the small key you discovered in the chest unlocks it fine. Unfortunately, the key breaks as you open the door. You head outside and find yourself surrounded by various amounts of townsfolk.

Me: Are there any shops? I’ll ask the townsfolk.

DM: They tell you that the nearest shops are not held within this great castle but the town to the east has some goods for you.

Me: I leave the castle.

DM: As you leave the castle the first thing you can see is the great ominous castle of the aforementioned Lord of Dragons. Between you and the castle is no surprise a great and terrifying looking lake. Off in the east you can see a great plain and what looks to be remnants of some sort of town.

Me: Guess I’ll head to the town.

DM: As you wander towards the town a mass of blue slime wriggles its way towards you. It lunges its flimsy body at you in an attack and hits you for one point of damage.

Me: I swing back at it with my fists. *rolls* Damn, a miss.

DM: The slime leaps again and hits you for 3 points of damage.

Me: Ugh, only 1 HP left. I try to run away.

DM: *rolls* The slime follows you and quickly lunges at your feet. *rolls* Take one damage.

Me: Dead. Goddamnit.