Well THAT was a s**t show. I did a play test for the mini-module I posted, using my pregenerated character. I did the option of a rain storm... so first, I didn't realize to leap across the rocks. Then I hit the bear trap. And failed my sneak check. And failed my check to convince the gnoll to not start yelling for help. Then almost got beaned by a goblin with a sling. Then failed again to get the gnoll to stop yelling. Then failed to hit him with my sling, so I had to run up and cut his throat with my dagger, which I was trying to avoid.
Then my luck turned. I noticed the quality of the sling, so managed to upgrade my sling. And then I managed to sneak into the party with the goblins (area 5). And I managed to sneak around the outside through the trees without being seen. And I managed to sneak up and get close enough to the girl Abigail to tell her my plan - I'll cut her loose and let her borrow my boots to sneak back through the trees and wait for me... I'll follow a few minutes later, once she's clear (or create a distraction if she doesn't get out).
It was going so well. But I failed my CHA check with her. And she freaked out. Because I was too short for a stormtrooper or somesuch. I decide that there is a small chance (unlikely) that she sort of confesses what she's done, and I roll a 1. She blabbers something about how I'm not her boyfriend and she is SO done with him and she just wants to go home. Then she starts screaming.
I try to cut her ropes quickly, but it fails. Because that's how today is going. It's going to take me 1 round, but I don't have that because 9 goblins are alerted to my presence. They start pulling out bows. 9 of them.
I double-check my character's alignment. Lawful. Darn. I was kinda' hoping that I'd made him neutral. She would make a decent meat shield right now. Because I lose initiative, I don't have time to make a choice. 9 arrows come flying at me, but only 1 hits (because the goblins failed an INT check that maybe firing arrows towards your prisoner might forfeit your ransom). Unfortunately, two of those are 19's, which seems close enough to a critical failure that I need to see if she got hit. She does. Twice.
And she's dead.
She was about to make her big offer to the goblins, but didn't get the words out in time. They pepper me (and her dead body still tied to a tree) with arrows. They do a lot of damage to me, but once I've killed 5 of them, they fail a morale check and run.
Because I'm lawful, I feel the need to finish the job... I cut her down from the tree and try to sneak out of there (I think it's likely the goblins are in hiding at this point... I roll a 1. Yep. I can get out if I move quickly, which I do).
I hit the second bear trap crossing the stream (because of COURSE I do), and limp back to the manor house with a dead hostage, both legs wonky, and 3 hit points. I fail the CHA check with her dad (because of course I do) and he has me arrested. Fortunately, I make my CHA check with the local constable (I had advantage because I am telling the truth and all... that should matter) and they let me go, but tell me to never come around this family again, and to maybe lay low for a while.
But that's ONLY after I pay back the 10 gp I was given for taking the job in the first place.
Holy crap!
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