X2 - Castle Amber 2026 - Session 8 - There are Rules

I have a pretty strict rule. Don't throw dice unless you can risk Random. The gist of this is that if a player has agency or the DM needs agency, don't let a random die roll ruin that. The corollary is obvious: don't fudge rolls because you got a roll that you didn't like. 

What if you goof and throw those dice and get a result no one will like? As the DM you can not modify the die roll but you can modify the whole situation. 

Here is the scenario: Rety and the team are laying their friend Nononn to rest, burying him in the Indoor Forest in Castle Amber. They exited the Study, and since they weren't being terribly quiet, I rolled for wandering monsters. The result was 12 hobgoblins. 

Can the party kill 12 hobgoblins? Hell, yes. But the character's intention was to lay a friend to rest. I should not have picked up the dice. That was a bad call. 

How can I fix it? Play it through with a different point of view. 

The hobgoblin stepped out of a room and spotted the heroes. Numbers-wise, this would be an even fight, except the obvious magic-users were in plain sight. Plus, the magic users had the cover of their fighting men. 

The hobgoblins faded away, and the heroes continued on with their mission. 

Rather than let this one go, several of the party members have ESP. I would have explained the encounter in ESP-fuelled dreams. But using real-world logic. Funny logic, it is logical.  

The hobgoblins explain their actions to their leader.

"We saw the invaders," said Murg. 

"And where are their heads?" the chieftain asked. 

"Well... We didn't attack," Murg sheepishly answered.  

"Cowards!" barked the chieftain.

"But sir, they were carrying a human body. Towards the dining hall." 

"What?" said the chieftain.

"Sir, I think they're cannibals," said Murg.  

"Disgusting! Rally the gang. We must destroy these awful invaders. They have crossed a line, there must be rules and standards!" 

The encounter didn't result in a fight and it does make sense from a certain point of view. In this way, the die rolls are honored, but not in the way that was expected. Sometimes encounters can be misunderstandings. 

We will pick up with the hobgoblin attack after the funeral.