Cart Crusher

A Free Sample from Would You? Should You?

by the makers of

Puzzles Predicaments
& Perplexities

1
cREDITS Full Product
​ riting & Design: Steve “Jaspor” Orr, @AgentJaspor,
W Would You, Should You? is a collection of short encounters
Bill Putrino, @bputrino & DJ Brewer meant to present player characters with interesting,
Producer: Steve “Jaspor” Orr thought provoking, and difficult ethical choices.
Cover Illustration:
Editing: Steve “Jaspor” Orr
Layout: DJ Brewer
Interior artwork: Shutterstock/Firstear
Some artwork © 2022 Jack Holiday
Some artwork © 2022 Dean Spencer, used with permission
All rights reserved.
Some artwork © 2022 Wizard Sleeve Studios. All rights reserved.
Some artwork © 2022 Emmanuel Bou Roldan published by
1manstudio.de
Some artwork © 2022 Publisher's Choice Quality Stock Art Rick
Hershey/Fat Goblin Games
Some artwork © 2022 Gordin McAlpin
Some artwork © 2022 Bag/Lore Wise Games
Some artwork © 2022 Jeshields
Some artwork © 2022 Bandit Camp

Version 1.0 February 8th, 2022

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Bill Putrino is a pop punk skateboarder living the good life in
the world of nerdy pop culture. Bill is an avid Board Gamer, RPG
player, and DM, not to mention an amazing artist as you can tell by
his work on his site dnd2d.com.

Steve “Jaspor” Orr is a homebrewer, retired punk rock guitarist,

and software developer. Steve has been playing and DMing D&D
games for many years, and has been publishing on the Dungeon
Masters Guild since February 2019. One day he might even learn
how to draw more than just stick figures.

D.J. Brewer is a humble public servant, defined by his love of

video games, beer, and occasionally working out at the gym. A
longtime fantasy geek, D.J. is determined to become a layout pro,
or at least not have to search how to do basic layout functions.

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, the dragon ampersand, Ravnica
and all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA
and other countries.

This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission
under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.

All other original material in this work is copyright 2022 by Steven Orr, Bill Putrino, and DJ Brewer, and published under the
Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.

Wizardsleevestudios.net
 Introduction
C
hoices aren’t true dilemmas when everyone
would do the same thing in your situation. Stop
Chasing the Throat-Slitter. A local prince has placed the
the marauding orcs from harming an innocent
party in charge of a task force to apprehend a notorious
family. Slay the beholder before it enslaves your friends.
war criminal known as “The Throat-Slitter,” who stages
Those choices are easy. But what about when the path isn’t
increasingly brutal attacks against the populace. The party
entirely clear? How about torturing an innocent person to
must balance its need to stop the Throat-Slitter’s deadly
ensure the happiness and health of an entire village? What
plots against the possibility of causing collateral damage.
about sacrificing an unsuspecting stranger to save many
lives, or revealing truths about someone’s past that may An Ugly Truth. When an upstanding community leader
bring harm to a good person? asks the party to take care of an unfortunate situation, the
party realizes there might be some deep dark secrets at
Would You, Should You? is a collection of short encounters play. The truth could harm the person who has done much
meant to present player characters with interesting, thought good, but do the people close to her deserve to know the
provoking, and difficult ethical choices. This free sample truth?
-- Cart Crusher -- is just one of the eight scenarios available
in the full product. Insert this classic ethical dilemma Fly Or Die. An innocent citizen has been captured by an
anywhere in a campaign and watch the sparks fly! evil warlock and is being held in their stronghold built into

What's in the Full Book? a volcano. They plan to sacrifice the poor captive in a dark
ritual. The party arrives just in time to stop the ritual, but
the way the sacrificial chamber is built, they must choose
The full Would You, Should You? provides eight encounters between saving the captive from certain death or making
to be inserted into any campaign where solving a difficult sure the villain does not escape.
moral question may be appropriate. The encounters
themselves are short enough that they may be used in a Eat the Rich. The party makes its way to a small village
variety of scenarios, including setting up a larger quest, as a that has a clear dividing line between extremely wealthy
temporary break in the action during a campaign, as a fork- and impoverished residents. After witnesses the arrest of
in-the-road flashpoint during travel or exploration, or in any a local hero, the party must choose between doing what is
other way an enterprising Dungeon Master might imagine. legal or helping the poor.
A Father's Love, A Child's Loss. The party can save a son’s
Some encounters include options to tweak the details, life by sacrificing the willing father, but nobody in town
allowing Dungeon Masters to sway the party one way or wants to help the man kill himself.
the other. Be care of your decisions, as many encounters
include potential short- and long-term consequences the
party should face for their actions or inactions.
Heavy Material
Some of the details of these encounters deal with weighty
Encounters available in the full product include: subjects, such as the deaths of loved ones, friends, and
innocent people. This makes each choice feel difficult and
Needs of the many. The party encounters a village paradise impactful. If some are uncomfortable with such choices as,
whose happiness comes a disturbing price. Should the say, killing a father to save the son, DMs have the option of
happiness of an entire village come at the suffering of an adjusting details to fit each player's comfort level
innocent victim?

Cart Crusher (included). The party must make a split-

second choice between letting a runaway mining cart kill a
group of miners or actively switching the tracks to kill just
one.

The Streets Demand Justice. A mob of angry elves forms

outside town hall, demanding justice for the killing of one of
their own at the hands of a human. The party must decide
whether or not to offer up an innocent man to a bloodthirsty
mob to avert wider bloodshed.

3
Cart Crusher
A
rope pulling a mining cart laden with heavy ore
snaps, sending the cart barreling towards a group
of workers. The party must make a split-second
choice between letting the runaway cart continue to kill the
group or switching the tracks to kill just one.
The adventurers happen upon a dwarven mining
encampment during their travels.
Read or paraphrase the following to set up the dilemma:

The outside of the mine is shaped like a giant bowl dug into
the ground, with several mine shafts tunneled into the earth
at various points throughout the encampment. Ramps,
pulleys, and tracks cross everywhere, as the dwarves work
with amazing efficiency mining ore and hauling it up and out
of the encampment to be refined.
As you approach closer, you observe the dwarves going
about their business with an industrial fervor. Some dwarves
work on laying a new track into a recently opened shaft.
Higher along the track, several sturdy dwarves pull a heavy
cart laden with ore out of the mine. Suddenly, the rope the
dwarves are using to pull the cart snaps, sending the workers
tumbling. The cart barrels back down the tracks, with a few
of the exasperated dwarves vainly running in tow.
The cart easily leaves the dwarves behind and blazes past
you. The hilarious scene instantly turns tragic as you now
notice that the cart is headed directly for the five track-laying
dwarves. The workers are all much too far away to hear
anything and are oblivious to the danger heading towards
them. They will all surely die. There is a fork in the track,
however, leading to a lone dwarf preparing some empty
carts to be sent back into another shaft. Having bent over
to remove something from the last cart, the dwarf is waist
deep and upside down, his legs dangling in the air; his back
turned to the action.
You are near a lever that shifts between the two tracks. The
lever has been set to lead to the track with the five workers,
which is where the cart heads if you do nothing. If you pull
the lever, however, the cart diverts into the lone dwarf who is
retrieving something from the cart, killing him.

Alternative Scenario
This dilemma provides two variations on the same scenario.
The choices and outcomes are nearly the same, but the lead
up is slightly changed in one version to introduce the lone
dwarf to the party. Perhaps the party might choose differently
if they personally know one of the would-be victims?

4
 If the party does nothing, the cart continues down its path

The Dilemma and smashes into the five dwarves laying track. Read or
paraphrase the following:
The party must choose to pull the lever or do nothing. You decide not to pull the lever and let the cart continue.
When the cart breaks, the players are located next to the The speeding cart crashes into the dwarves at a terrifying
lever along the tracks. The lever has two simple arrows clip, severing arms and legs and sending bodies flying before
indicating which track is currently selected. Players who it finally smashes into the end of the short mine shaft. All
succeed on a DC 8 Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom five dwarves lay lifeless in a pile of body parts and corpses.
(Insight) check confirm that the track is currently set to hit

Irncentives
the group of workers, and that by pulling the lever, the cart
is diverted to the other track.
and
The cart rapidly accelerates and is moving so quickly there
is no time for the player characters to make any other
eservations
actions other than deciding whether or not to pull the lever.
The party may make the decision together or individually.
See the Conflicting Choices sidebar on how to conduct the
scenario in a turn-based format.
Any attempt to use magical or non-magical means to stop
the cart, alert the dwarves, or disrupt the track is nearly
impossible (DC 23) due to a variety of factors:
• The cart and track are of sturdy dwarven make, and
resist almost all direct magical attacks.
• The sheer speed of the cart and the limited amount Most parties are likely to elect to kill lone dwarf to save the
of time to react puts incredible stress on the group. Spice things up and make the choice a bit harder
characters. by introducing the lone dwarf to the party at the beginning
• The dwarves are so busily engaged in their work and of the scenario. This forces the party to choose saving one
are so far away that any attempt to communicate dwarf they know versus a group of strangers. DMs may
with them fails. create a backstory for the lone dwarf or use the following to
begin the alternate version of the scenario:
Conflicting Choices The outside of the mine is shaped like a giant bowl dug into
If the DM chooses, this scenario can be conducted over the ground, with several mine shafts tunneled into the earth
one combat round. Players roll for initiative and, in-turn, at various points throughout the encampment. Ramps,
decide whether to pull the lever or pass. The cart starts pulleys, and tracks cross everywhere, as the dwarves work with
at the top of the track at the beginning of the turn, and amazing efficiency mining ore and hauling it up and out of the
travels approximately 100 feet to reach the unfortunate encampment to be refined.
victims by the end of the turn. When it is their turn,
characters may elect to undo the previous character’s As you approach closer, you meet a young dwarf who is
decision by pulling the lever back! This continues until all enjoying a short break in the shade of a small tree. Sweat
players have completed their turn, at which point the cart glistens from his ruddy brow and his dark auburn red beard is
will have smashed into its victim(s). matted with mining dust. “Ahh, travelers!” he smilingly shouts
in a thick dwarven accent; “come on over and take a load
off.” You gladly sit and swap news with the young dwarf, who

Choices and Outcomes introduces himself as Rufus Redstone. Rufus shares some of
his sweet dwarven ale with you. “Here!” he laughs, “this should
wash out some of that road dust from your throat.” After a few
If the party pulls the lever, the cart diverts and crushes the moments, the dwarf looks up and says “well, time for me to get
poor dwarf. Read or paraphrase the following. back to work. But before I go, let me get ye a couple more pints
for the road. Don’t worry, the company pays for it all.” Rufus
With no time to hesitate, you pull the lever and switch the runs to a nearby mining cart and begins searching for your ale.
tracks. At the last second, the cart turns and smashes into
the dwarf’s legs and backside that had been dangling out of
the cart. He is crushed. You just killed an innocent person to
save others.

5
Another method is to make the group of five dwarves
less likable. This can be done prior to the scenario by
introducing the five dwarves in a way that shows them to
be surly drunken louts who act with aggression and anger Alternative Details
to the party. Perhaps the party previously met this group
The details and setting of this scenario can be changed to
in a tavern or some other encounter under unpleasant
fit a variety of circumstances, although the choice should
circumstances. A little prep work here could make the
always come down to killing one or letting many die. Some
decision much more enjoyable and difficult. possible scenario changes include:

Long-Term Consequences • In a city, pulling a lever to lower a gate to stop an

out of control wagon headed for a group of people.
The wagon crashes into the gate, killing the driver,
If the party decides to kill the lone dwarf, they find out
he was the youngest son of a local dwarven king named but the group is spared.
Ludvar Ulfhammer. Ludvar is nicknamed “The Mad” due • Using a gate to divert a rampaging monster or
to his propensity to sponsor lavish building projects and animal headed for a group of people. If you close
gaudy events, and – more to the point – to throw perceived the gate, the monster or animal heads along a side
enemies off the highest peak in his kingdom. It isn’t long route to gore a lone person.
before Mad King Ludvar learns the details of his son’s death
and begins plotting his revenge against the party.
If the group spares the lone dwarf, he reveals himself to
be the son of Mad King Ludvar and provides a signed
invitation to be the guests of honor at the next Festival of
Autumn’s End to be held in his hometown of Bavarn. What
unforeseen adventures might befall the party should they
choose to cash in on this invitation?

6
 Appendix A: Magic Items
(Six in Full Product)
Bow of Friendly Fire
Weapon (longbow), very rare (requires attunement)
A blood red bow with a black bow string. This bow gains
strength by stealing the health of friendly party members.
The wielder of this bow can sense that the bow enjoys
hurting your friends.
Friendly Fire. When you nock an arrow on this bow, it
whispers in Infernal, "Friendly Fire?" then chuckles. When
you use this weapon to make a ranged attack, you can use 1
of 3 command words to increase the damage of the attack.
"Hurt them, but be nice," "Hurt them," or "Bring the pain."
Each party member within 60 feet of you takes damage
equal to your command word’s damage.
Add the damage amount from your command word, times
the number of your party members within 60 feet of you to
your rolled damage.
Friendly Fire can be used once per combat.
"Hurt them, but be nice" = 3 damage.
"Hurt them" = 4 damage.
"Bring the paint" = 5 damage.

Disa-Re-Appearing Gold
Wonderous Item, very rare (requires attunement)
Ordinary looking set of 25 gold pieces. Any gold pieces from
the set that are 500 feet away from its attuned character
for 24 hours disappear from their current location and
reappear in the pocket of the attuned character. In order for
the gold to reappear, the character and gold must be on the
same plane of existence.

7
 Appendix c: Maps
Cart Crusher (Three in Full Product)

8
 Beyond
Good & Evil
Would you reveal the deep dark secret of a seemingly
good person in order to ensure those that depend on
her know the truth? Should you pull the lever to divert a
runaway mine cart so it doesn’t kill five unaware dwarves
only to kill a single dwarf who is currently safe from
the danger? Should you save the captive who is about to
plunge into a pit of lava, but let the dangerous villain
escape and cause further death and destruction?

Would You? Should You? is a collection of scalable standalone

encounters that present the party with difficult moral
dilemmas and complex ethical quandaries. These
encounters are designed to be placed into any campaign
or adventure and offer guidance on customizing them
to make the choices even more difficult than they may
initially appear on the surface.

A Dungeons & Dragons supplement for

adventures of all levels and types
to be used by Dungeon Masters.

Wizardsleevestudios.net