Average Gul or how i learned to stop worrying and love the nat 20

let me tell you the tale of how an average fighter went on an epic streak of natural 20s the likes of which I've never seen before and never seen since.


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So let me share with you the amazing and strange tale of Average Gul.

Our story begins thus. Many seasons past when I was but a young DM who was just learning of the wonders of AD&D, I began my most ambitious undertaking, An extended campaign with a full world and an over arching story. Some friends joined me on this grand quest where I used house rules to allow them to have an 18 in an attribute if they didn’t have such at the start.
So one made a Mage, one a Paladin, one a Cleric, and the last made a fighter. The mage, paladin and cleric of course took their 18s and put them appropriately, but the fighter named Gul from here on refused the 18 and took his stats which were mostly averrage numbers with no bonus. after some debate I convinced him that a compromise of 14s in his con and str would be appropriate and he agreed thus Gul was borne with average stats far below most parties.
Then I gave a random chance for some magic items to the party, the mage gets a Staff of the Archmagi, the Cleric a glorious set of armor, the Paladin a Holy Sword.
and average Gul you ask?

He rolls an arrow of slaying EVERYTHING.

Now as a young GM I did not realize the signifigance of this one arrow, nor of the odds needed to roll to receive it, so average Gul took the black arrow and stuck it in his quiver along with the other arrows and his long bow and the adventures began.

The group used their might and abilities to journey from the Keep on the borderlands racking up kills and exp and general engaging in shenanigans until they reached the kingdoms main capital. In the capital a tourney was held for the right to be named to the kings royal guard and be granted a request from the king.

Here average Gul decides out of the clear blue to join the tourney against fighters at least 2-4 levels higher then him. Fighters with higher stats and magic weapons mind you. But Gul has no fear and promptly defeats his first challenger, and the second his cleric and paladin friends heal him between matches readying him for the finale against a 9th level fighter with a magic sword and armor.

As the fight begins the opponent rolls initiative and wins and takes a swing at Gul and I the DM promptly Roll a natural 1, Gul says “I duck under his strike, and lop off his head”. I tell him to swing away and if gets a 20 he lops off the mans head.
Natural 20; off goes the fighters head and Gul is to the astonishment and amusement of the group the winner. Gul happily takes his place among the kings guard and is granted a chance to woo the kings daughter a Princess of most fair beauty.

The kings mage a most evil and unscrupulous sort is involved with demons and wants the princess for himself and his own evil designs . So Gul confronts the man in the court before the king and accuses him of evil deeds. the Mage laughs for he is mighty and Gul is a mere lowly fighter. He casts a spell at Gul who resists the spell barely, and says and I quote “” I lop off the villains head.””
One natural 20 later and yep one headless evil mage to the again astonishment and yes humor of the group.
The mage returns sometime later as Gul is celebrating his engagement to the princess. He is alive and powered by demon energies. He kidnaps the princess and curses the king, and challenges Gul to come get his bride to be in HELL MEWAHHAAHHAH –his is an evil laugh.

The Cleric knows the cure for the curse is found in hell and so the group gathers their things–including guls bow and arrows– and off to Hell they go.
They suffer wounds and pains but persevere though the mage is forced to return after a near fatal encounter with a succubus.
Then there path is blocked by a Balrogg, the demon laughs at the puny heroes, smacks down the paladin, nearly beheads the cleric and stands on the puny fighters chest looking him in the eye.
So Average Gul reaches back and says “I grab a random arrow and stab him in the eye.” I have gul rolls a percentile dice because i remember the Black Arrow is in there and so give a teeny tiny chance he grabs the arrow.

 Gul  rolls a 100 on his % dice and grabs–of course — the Black Arrow and stabs it in the balroggs eye, The DM–ie me– rolls a natural 1 on the creatrues Anti magic save and then rolls –you guessed it– another natural 1 on its save versus death. the Balrog dies screaming in agony — and permanently since its on its own plane of existence–and then Gul soldiers on alone because the others are too hurt to continue.

Gul then promptly proceeds to successfully climb the demon princes tower a sheer climb by making 3 successive climb rolls *head desk* pulls a demon guard over the side sending it plummeting to its doom, and sneaks into the castles main chamber.
Here he finds the Archmage argueing with the Demon prince while his beloved sits in a gilded cage terrified. What does our hero do? He promptly strolls in and challenges the Mage to a fight for the princess and the right to escape unharmed. The Demon prince agrees and the Mage much stronger now laughs his evil laugh

Gul then promptly says –take a guess and say it in unison– “I lop off his head,”  Roll I say you need a natural 20
he rolls a Natural 20
BULL I cry roll again using this dice
he rolls a Natural 20

and off goes the Mages head AGAIN!! The demon prince then laughs hysterically and sends him and the Princess home with a nice wedding present and best wishes. Gul goes on to become King and his friends his royal advisors all at the tender young level of 7

And thiat is the story of average Gul who went on a Nat 20 rampage like I have never seen before or since.


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