Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice

[zDark Shadowz]

... is what I would like to say about a recent experience but unfortunately I can't.

A group of ours preparing for an end-game quest attempted to do the Sandy Crypt today, and we noticed that there were a bit more traps than usual. Around a corner were a number of undead, and our level 9 leader walked into the first room before those undead... and was killed instantly by a trap. The person that died to the trap wasn't someone that normally just rushed things, he took his RP seriously and was cautious where cautiousness is required.

I looked on EFUSL and noticed that there was a DM online, so I maybe? overreacted and sent as neutral a message as possible querying what the detection DC was on that instant-death trap, (because in my mind Walter wouldn't have run into it if he could see it.) Didn't get a response, and shortly after checking EFUSL again, after we'd agreed to abandon the quest there was no more DM online. It seemed a bit off.

I don't really like making posts like this, I get ranty... extremely easily so I'll cut the prior message short and probably edit it shorter later.

What I'd like to ask is, what does the EFU community consider to be 'spice' on a quest?

My own opinion of spicing a quest was like presenting an alternative story-line that players can interact with and become more immersive with. Doesn't need to be swathes of treasure or XP, just something that can lighten up would've otherwise been another run through of an adventure that's been done before. I have a lot of fond memories travelling with Geldgier for instance and the moment there was any spice he would scream 'Where's the treasure?!' and he'd get really motivated and it got everyone else motivated too, and there were some great fun side-stories created by the DMs that made it all extremely satisfying, even if half of us did end up dying. That was the kind of spice that was worth playing for.

[Talir]

This sounds like something which would better fit a DM Q&A and not a general discussion thread starting off on a negative note for further elaboration and sharing. We have specific guidelines when it comes to spice and they are never meant to punish.