The Curmudgeon's Lair

So tonight we had an encounter with some Stirges. Brought about no doubt by the discussion around the table of our fond and not so fond remembrances of 1e D&D. Some of the conversation centered around the ways that the 1st edition rules (or lack of) were abused by players, with plenty of humorous examples.

In the ensuing, and very not so deadly encounter with said Stirges from Sturgis. The Avenger character was hit. If a strige hits with an attack, at which point the character is grabbed (and the stirge is attached) and must escape in order to end this condition. So the Avenger character uses an ability that allows him to teleport as an immediate reaction after being hit. Thus, according to the rules, allowing him to escape being grabbed. Never mind that he's been impaled by a mosquito the size of a pigeon. *poof* "I'm no longer grabbed". So that's all fine and good, no problems.

If you follow this logic through though, it has some interesting consequences. Apparently teleportation doesn't consider other creatures as part of "you", even when attached or in you? This means that if carried out to extremes, but still logical conclusions, that germs, being foreign bodies, won't go with a character who teleports. So feel free to have your character teleport themselves to a disease free state the next time they are so affected.

It also brings up another interesting question. When a character teleports do they leave behind a pile of feces and stomach contents?

I can just picture the groups ranger describing the scene of a battle with two Eladrin present, Ala Lord of the Rings style. Lets just replace the two Hobbits with two Eladrin and see how things turn out.

[Aragorn looks to the side and tracks catch his attention.]

Aragorn: "An Eladrin lay here, and the other."

Aragorn: "They crawled."

[Aragorn starts to follow the tracks, with Legolas and Gimli behind him.]

Aragorn: "Their hands were bound."

Aragorn: "Their bonds were cut."

[Aragorn holds up a broken rope.]

Aragorn: "They teleported over there and then ran over here… and were followed."

Gimli: "What! how can you tell they teleported?"

Aragorn: "From the huge pile of, you know....they left in their wake. Eladrin will do that you know."

[Aragorn pointing at the huge pile of bowel and stomach contents at his feet]

[Legalos leans over and barfs at Gimli's feet, smiles sheepishly, then wipes his mouth on his sleeve]

Legalos: "yep, they're a disgusting bunch, I'm embarrassed to be even quasi related to those guys."