Short and Sweet

Had a great game session last night with my brother. We have an ongoing campaign that's been in progress now for nearly three years. It's a Forgotten Realms 3.5 game, and although he is the only player it ranks up there with the most fascinating and rewarding games I've ever DM'd.

He controls four characters (he started with two), and each of them has developed a very specific and defined personality - despite the fact that he is the only player.

Last night's game started at about midnight and ended at four AM (with brief breaks during which I had to feed and change the bedding for my convalescent squirrel, Shamrock... there's a story there). The game began with a terrific battle between the party and an Ogre Barbarian, who flew into a rage at having been awoken from his slumber.

In the first round of battle, the ogre dished out a collossal amount of damage with his greatclub; enough to have one-shot-KO'd the party's own barbarian if he hadnt been enraged. Shortly thereafter, the PCs changed up their tactics, and the sorcerer ended up suggesting that the ogre might find peace, tranquility, and the utmost happiness in a room with a massive iron door to which the party happened to have the key. Even with the +2 to will saves from his rage, the ogre considered this a good enough option and waltzed into the room, only to have the door slammed and locked behind him.

I loved that outcome. The PCs were getting hammered, and instead of standing around and just playing the who-can-dish-out-the-most game with the ogre, they came up with a better (and healthier) solution. This is exactly what cool spells like suggestion are for.

Even though the rest of the session was spent selling loot, it was still fun. A couple of characters presented themselves and were at least an entertaining way of dealing with an otherwise hopelessly boring aspect of the game.