Original Commentary

Ok, having the game deliver that message was cheating, a bit. But how else do I show that it's a fumble while disarming a trap? And that it does maximum damage then, not that it does 1-500 damage and Brisbane got tremendously lucky. I wanted to emphasize that they were fighting not only monsters but also the clock and that clever designers would add a few time-wasting frustrations. Alternate idea: They get through the traps by summoning an animal and having that charge through the corridor, triggering the traps. With the possible explanation that it only works because this is an older area that never got recoded so summoned monsters didn't trigger traps. But that'd be too complicated - Terrence

Modern Commentary
The other influence on this storyline is Knights of the Dinner Table, where the game system is overly complicated and generally cruel. - Terrence