Running 2 adventures in my GMs campaign, number two is reaching it's climax... I hope...

Its a good time, as its been a bit long and both the players and I want to see a closure and get started with a new adventure with a new scenario.

But, I made a noob mistake. The resolution of the plot calls for the players to infiltrate a "secret" organization. BUT that means that I hinged the entire adventure on a couple of dice rolls, which they are now failing, as they decided to send their 2 worst speakers.

How do I turn it around?

I mean, I could let them tail the members, but it would take another 3-4 session to get to, were we are now...

Any suggestions?

...Idless

Well never let the resolution of an adventure to be decided by a few tests alone, unless you want to your adventures to be 30-50% winnable...

In thise case, we'd need to know more to give you advice, but let there be some alternative resulution, perhaps one less successful but stil a resolution. Once in awhile a complete failure might be in order, if you think the players deserve it, but not just because of some poor luck.

So if they managed to piss off/didn't convince one group, let there be some alternative group that can help them instead, which may require special favors and/or money to persuade. Or force the PCs to go through a dangerous combat that could otherwise have been averted.The conclusion is that one roll should not decide the game, but succeding such a roll should not be for nought either.

I was just wondering - does the players or teh player characters know they did really poorly trying to convince the cult members to be BFF? If not, why not let them believe that they aced the test (or whatever it was you had to roll on) and let the nasty cult people lead them into a trap. I mean, just let there agenda be "hmm.. these idiots are trying to fool us, we need to lead them into a trap and get them to speak - who are they? where do they come from?" and then the rest of the group can come in rescuing them, since they actually followed the others (and the cult members didn't know there were more of them.

Hope it helps.

/Eido

Friend of the Dork said:

That is indeed why, I called it a noob mistake...

Its not just one roll, its several, as I run it as a DnD 4ed skill challenge... and and rather easy one for good roleplaying and preparation

And it does not stand or fall on this one skill challenge... only that most of the alternative routes will drone on...

@Eido - they have some vague idea that its not going so well... but they are still being treated nicely, so I might pull that one of.

I might also have them persue the tailing route

or simply say that it takes them a hell of a time to infiltrate them, and they feel that they are kept in the dark for almost the next month... "What do you do?" Let the in-universe time roll, but fast forward to the day they finally get it in, on the big meeting..

...Idless

Im thinking an evil interigation scene. Torture to the brink of death kind of thing. Unless they talk pretty fast off course. But that should have consequences when (or if) they return to their inquisitor. If they didn't talk, he knows they can be trusted, and vice versa (for which they should be punished off course).

Eido

Well there are a number of ways:

0)Did you let them use fate points to reroll? If not tell them as everyone is new at the game you're going to roll back time and let them try again.

1)If it was a series of rolls against the other side's rolls. Did the player see your rolls? There is no reason not to roll behind a GM screen, and fudge in the PCs favor. Just say the other side blew their rolls worse.

2)Have the bad guys decide to capture the PCs. Now the PCs need to escape and get their gear. Watch a James Bond movie or 2 for details....

Be ready for failure, and don't make it a dead end. Make it have a cost.

• Since the PCs with good skills were left out, you could have the chumps have to fight their way out, and require heavy disguises any further dealings with the cult. Let the other PCs do the talking next time.
• The cult suspects them, so will "test" them by giving them a suicide mission.
• The cultists attempt to capture the chumps, for use in creepy chaos rites. Should they be captured, let the players play red-shirts (local enforcers?) that the other PCs draft in helping with the rescue. Should they get away, let them know they will be attacked on sight by the cult.
• If the chumps kill all witnesses, no harm, no foul. Try again.
• The cult is riven with internal factions. The faction that interviewed the chumps says, "come on in" and sets them up to penetrate a rival faction's turf. They will then clean up any survivors.

Read this: http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/how-to-make-skill-checks-not-suck

Wrote a long answer, browers crash

Its a labour org. and they don't pray to chaos gods or kill people... they just never contact the player again...

sobs over 1 page of work wasted...

...Idless

A suggestion: don't let the dice dictate the results that completely.

What you need to have happen, plot wise, is that they infiltrate the group. So, failure on the Interaction test can not equal failure to infiltrate the group. Instead, failure could result in certain members of the group not trusting the PCs. Sure, the group leaders let them in, but the surly guy in the corner is suspicious of them and will watch their activities closely. Basically, failure makes the next tasks harder and more dangerous rather than impossible.

You know, that not a half bad idea...

I will let the players meta-game and think that I let them infiltrate the group because its a plot point(look at the failed roll and say "hmmm... well... its not that hard... okay, he offers you a drink!"

Now they think everythings is just fine... but there will be someone watching them, all the time...

...Idless

Nojo509 said:

Easier said than done. Last night one of my players failed big time on an intimidate on a ship's steward. I was ready. "No sir, you can't treat the crew like that, but for 28 Thrones, I'll tell you want you want to know."

A small price for the failure, as the character is loaded. BUT his character concept as a butt-kicker was not about to pay this NPC anything. In fact, the player robbed him. Leaving the NPC in the hands of a more sympathetic PC (the good cop).

So the party eventually got the information, but the player would not sit for anything other than bullying. He had to leave the scene in order for the other PC to calm the NPC down and get the info. She paid, it all worked. But my clever plan ran smack into the wall of a player's character concept. Oh well.

They decided they got freindly with all and that Scarlet was a particular nice ladywho like the character Kahli.

Then they decided at that offing a few members, would make them do desperate things, and then mistakes...

They decided not to take out Scarlet, as she was clearly a friend... she hang around Kahli all night, at the meeting

Because Scarlet is the one assigned by the organisation to watch Kahli, and find out what the suspicious person is up to.

Lets see what happens... I let slip that there are up tp 200.000 at the big gatherings. That means, that if they do research, there is only ONE place in town they can gather secretly. So typical for my players, not to notice.

...Idless