Since we have some scheduling issues with players missing and a holiday coming up, we aren’t going to start a new (regular) campaign for a few weeks. So tonight, instead, we’re going to go with our evolving The Deadliest Link alternative. I asked everyone to provide a favorite saying, theme, trope, what have you from game shows and I’ve tried to incorporate them to one degree or another into The Deadliest Link. Below the break is the introduction to the season premiere that I’ve shared with the players. I’ll be using another random dungeon tonight and pretty much winging it again so we’ll see how things go. đŸ˜‰
Welcome to The Deadliest Link! Faerun’s most exciting entertainment! I am your host, the Queen of Mean. For those who are tuning in for the first time, let me tell you a little bit about our show. It is all about Adventure! Adventure! Adventure! We have scoured every corner of Faerun to find the most clever, strong, tough, agile, and deadly individuals to be found. Each of our “Daredelvers” has agreed to explore, fight, and possibly die in the labyrinthine halls of the Mad Mage Halaster…in Undermountain!
The goal is simple: Survive!
Well, survive and entertain you, our audience! Each of our Daredevlers has been outfitted with a magical device, the Link, that brings you all of the sights, sounds, and smells as they progress through the perils of Undermountain. It is almost as you are actually there but without any of the danger to you!
Daredevils are richly rewarded for their participation. Not only do they get to keep a portion of the treasure that they retrieve while in the Undermountain but each surviving Daredelver receives a reward based on their position in our Victory Rankings. That’s right, audience! While you don’t actually participate in the adventure itself, don’t think that means that you are a passive participant. At the conclusion of each episode, we ask which Daredevler is your favorite. The rankings based on this survey determine the amount each Daredelver receives or that their trustee receives in the unfortunate case of the Daredelver’s death.
The only rule on The Deadliest Link is that there are no rules! While we certainly do not condone such a practice, one of the quickest ways for a Daredelver to move up our Rankings is to eliminate the competition. Some of our Daredelvers might have honor and scruples but many do not. Not only do they need to watch out for the creatures in Undermountain but they also need to watch their fellow Daredelvers!
Although I may be the Queen of Mean, I’m not heartless. Our Daredelvers face great danger to thrill all of us and so we will periodically provide them assistance. But don’t think that this assistance is simple charity on our part. No, a Daredelver wouldn’t be a Daredelver if they didn’t love to take risk and so are aid takes three different forms: Portals of Peril and Prosperity, Disks of Destiny, and the Boon Box.
Our Portals of Peril and Prosperity are a pair of doors positioned next to each other; one has a large number one emblazoned upon it while the other has the number two. Only one of the doors can be opened and our Daredelvers have to decide which. One of the doors leads to prosperity and a bonus reward at the end of the episode while the other leads to peril.
A Disk of Destiny can be found, mounted to a wall in Undermountain, once per episode. Each has a certain number of spins that can be made before it disappears. Our Daredelvers have to decide who gets to make a spin and in what order as there will never be enough spins for every Daredelver to make one. Some results might grant the spinner a small bit of treasure, others might grant a magical item or benefits of a spell, while yet others may curse the spinner or summon a creature bent on the spinner’s destruction. We wouldn’t call them Daredelvers if they didn’t dare to dance that thin edge between Lady Luck and Lady Doom!
The last bit of aid we provide to our Daredelvers is the Boon Box! Halfway through each episode, our Boon Box will appear before the Daredelvers. Each Daredelver has a small token upon which they select either their name or the name of one of their fellow Daredelvers and place the token in the Boon Box. The Daredelver who receives the most tokens is granted a Boon! The boon may be a magical item, a potion, a scroll, or even a beneficial spell placed upon them by one of our in-house wizards. But here’s the catch, there can be no ties; there must be a clear winner for the boon to be granted. To add even more excitement to the proceedings, the Daredelvers must vote in secret; they can have no discussion or collusion on the voting. If they do, I, the Queen of Mean will most certainly live up to my name!
But that’s enough talk…let’s get to the show!
Daredelvers! Come on down to Undermountain, you’re next on the Deadliest Link!!!
