Page 320 - Reversal of Fortune

Like any sort of group in an operation where lives are at stake, a basic level of trust is required between the members of an adventuring party. It’s not really something you think about when you first roll up your characters, but when a campaign and its players start to really take shape, it doesn’t take long to find out if that trust is there or not.

Spike: C’mon, Twilight! Your special talent is all magic! How hard can it be to copy Rarity’s spell?
Twilight Sparkle: I don’t think I can replicate a spell I’ve never seen!
DM: Oh, just roll Arcana to see if you can figure it out.
Twilight Sparkle: I’m serious! This doesn’t make any sense!
DM: Alright, alright. Look, all it would take is for Rarity to have shown Twilight her spell at least once. You’ve all known each other for a few weeks now. Are you sure, absolutely sure, that Rarity never shared her talent with Twilight?
(beat)
Twilight Sparkle: You mean… during the downtime? Just as friends? M-My character and… her character?
DM: Yeah.
Twilight Sparkle: Well… I’m a Lawful Good Wizard… and she’s… a Rogue.
(beat)
Rarity: I believe the answer is “no.”
Twilight Sparkle: I’m sorry…
Rarity: No, no… it’s fine.
Twilight Sparkle: Really?
Rarity: Well, no, not really, but we shall have to discuss this later. <ahem> I’d like to roll my Arcana skill.
DM: Wait, what?
Rarity: Oh, I just had a flash of inspiration. If I were to, say, overcharge my gem-finding spell, I might be able to highlight all valuables within a radius. …Purely for the sake of expediting the mining operation, of course.
DM: Okay… That’ll be a skill challenge, actually. Somewhat complex, too, since Arcana is not your specialty.
Rarity: Very well. <roll> 14.
DM: That’s one failure.
Rarity: <roll> NATURAL 20!
DM: Oh. And… that’s your Cutie Mark skill, isn’t it. Which means a… spectacular… success…
SFX: (SHING SHING SHING SHING SHING)
Twilight Sparkle: …I think she’s this way!
Applejack: Don’t push it.