In the end, what will really disappoint or upset me is an ending that doesn't allow us a chance to retire these characters. Do I hope that they will become gods? Yes I do. I am so excited about writing these guys and girls up as deities! I can't wait! However, if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. As long as it doesn't end stupidly. Let me put it another way. I don't want the end to be something contrived. So far you have never gone in the direction I intended, yet you have continued to do things that made sense and were lots of fun. I have faith you will keep doing that. jimkaren@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote: > 1. I had to chuckle when you brought > up the fact that NPCs give such > constant abuse to characters. I hadn't > thought of that, and had to respond > without reading the rest. Very good > point! As for Elminster, he had a lot > on his mind: powerful wizards seeking > godhood, vast sources of power leaking > into the realms, etc etc. A bit harsh, > but in line for him (at least from what > I've read over the years). I'll now > read the next section: > > 2. I'm getting a sense of relief from > reading section 2 as well. For some > reason, I just don't have a problem > with Baish! I should, and I remember > the character giving you tremendous > headaches as a DM. I think I've hit on > a "aha!" moment here: I'm really > overwhelmed by roleplaying spellcasters > in 3rd edition, not by character > personalities. It was reeeallly tough > running both Amrikals and not having > them annihilate everyone and everything > around them. I just don't have a firm > enough grasp of 3rd edition magic. > > 3. Yes, it does make sense. I left > last night mentioning two things to > Matt and Damon: (1) How to DM your > powerful characters (which we discussed > today), and (2) how terrified I am of > this plot. > > I'm loving it, and I'm glad everyone > else is having fun, but there's bound > to be some controversy from what > happens next! As each week progresses, > the danger level is going to go up. > > Some of that "controversy" concern > comes from my knowledge of things to > come that won't necessarily be popular > with the players - the events might > even come across as a "wet blanket" of > sorts. > > For example, Gadget and Faceus weren't > captured by Mylena - Tyr sent them. > They both have a specific mission: > Faceus to prevent the group from > succeeding, and Gadget to deal with > Klaw. > > For an example of what concerns me, > I'll mention one idea now that I won't > use in play: I considered having the > gods send a messenger to the Riders in > Sigil. They could return of their own > volition, or sacrifice all godly aid. > That would mean no spells or abilities > for any of the priests, among other > things. But I've thought of a > different, more democratic way that > they will handle the problem, and it > ain't going to be pretty either! :) > > That's why I feel like taking these > things to their logical conclusions is > going to make me as much a dreaded DM > as Dan Robinetti. > :)