[dungeoncrawl] Re: Thursday Morning Review
- From: jimkaren@xxxxxxxxxxxx
- To: dungeoncrawl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2002 14:16:34 US/Eastern
Yes, next week should definitely be
more action-oriented. I'd really like
to continue the adventure to help Sonya
find her soul. When that is done, the
group will be heading back to the Green
Mill - an excellent time to springboard
to the other group if we want to. That
might be at the end of next week, but
the following week at the latest.
> Okay, I'm back! I missed the
beginning of the conversation, but I can
> participate now. I echo John's
sentiments about the individual role
> playing. It does tend to take away
from the momentum of the night and from
> the mood that is set. If two people
aren't into the game, then they can't
> help establish the mood and end up
detracting from it.
>
> I did enjoy watching Mylena go around
and collect the Riders though. It was
> fun to watch and Jim did a great job
of making it entertaining. I would say
> that it would have been more fun to
get to play the characters together.
> Certainly that is more fun than
watching other people role-play for long
> periods of time.
>
> I can also say that over the past two
weeks my enthusiasm has lessened,
> simply because we didn't really get
much of a chance to work with the
> characters together as a group. We
are still getting things "set up" and
> the set up stage is the most tedious
and least exciting from a group dynamic
> standpoint. But, I look forward to
the next few weeks as we get to see the
> groups in action.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Johnathan Detrick
[mailto:jdetrick@xxxxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Thursday, September 05, 2002
1:21 PM
> To: dungeoncrawl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [dungeoncrawl] Re: Thursday
Morning Review
>
>
> You have certainly given her tons
of style. I'm interested to see
> her in action with the Riders.
>
> jimkaren@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>
> > I have to say also that I really
had no
> > idea if Mylena was going to
succeed -
> > especially at the end. All of my
> > expectations had Rig doing all of
the
> > work, and her doing the
transportation
> > afterwards.
> >
> > She could have easily been killed by
> > Baish, if things had gone
differently,
> > or especially by Nadan. Gadget
never
> > got the chance, and I was really
> > relieved that he didn't. I don't
even
> > want to think about it if Marnie and
> > Escrima weren't my own characters
near
> > the end there.
> >
> > On a personal note, my favorite
moment
> > (one of them, anyway), was when
Nadan
> > made a very real threat to finish
her
> > off and she said "Hold on a minute,
I'm
> > thinking." Very Swordfish, if you
ask
> > me!
> >
> > >
> > > Oh thank God! I feel so much
> > better! I wanted to make sure you
> > > understand that I truly respect
your
> > skills as a DM, but I did want to
> > > make my feelings known.
> > > I thought that Mylena
returning
> > was you trying to get us to do it
> > > ourselves, and I almost did.
> > However, Magnus had used Mylena in
the
> > > first place just so he didn't
have to
> > do it himself. He figured, if he
> > > started going after people now,
why
> > bother to use her at all?
> > > Anyway, I already feel better
> > about next week. I'm anxious to
play
> > > again.
> > >
> > > jimkaren@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> > >
> > > > Nah, you're right. I'm really
> > > > committed to the long-term
story arc
> > > > that I envision, but it's
important
> > to
> > > > me that the foundation not be
> > > > undermined to rush to the good
> > stuff.
> > > > Last night, I went in assuming
that
> > > > after the first two or three
> > characters
> > > > got free, they'd get together
with
> > > > Magnus and take care of the
rest on
> > > > their own (eliminating any need
for
> > > > individual roleplaying).
> > > >
> > > > That's one reason why Mylena
came
> > back
> > > > partway thru - she thought that
the
> > > > group only needed her to get
them
> > > > started, and they'd take it from
> > > > there. Still, though, it was
> > important
> > > > to me that the characters come
> > together
> > > > in a plausible way - after all,
they
> > > > were put on the planes in a
manner
> > that
> > > > made it tough to leave, and I
didn't
> > > > want to make that seem like a
> > trivial
> > > > limitation.
> > > >
> > > > I don't foresee any need for
nights
> > > > like the last few down the
road -
> > > > actually, if it does happen,
I'll be
> > > > banging my head on the wall to
keep
> > > > things moving - but it does seem
> > like
> > > > it's becoming the norm.
> > > >
> > > > I guess the stakes are so high
in
> > what
> > > > we're doing with the "powerful"
> > group,
> > > > that I want to make sure the
group
> > > > earns their victory - warts and
all.
> > > > The last thing we need is for
the
> > > > characters to easily obtain
godhood,
> > > > and then for us as players to
find
> > the
> > > > whole thing so unsatisfying
that we
> > > > look for ways to make them
mortal
> > again.
> > > >
> > > > Definitely open to suggestions -
I'm
> > > > actually planning on emailing
Shawn
> > B.
> > > > soon (hee hee) to get guru level
> > advice
> > > > on my long term plans, but it's
> > > > important most of all that
everyone
> > is
> > > > having fun when we get
together -
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Ok, I'm going to start by
> > being
> > > > honest. I have been debating
how to
> > > > > respond to Jim's e-mail,
which may
> > > > seem odd, since I am the cold
> > hearted
> > > > > bastard of the group and I
usually
> > > > have no problem being honest.
My
> > > > > concern is that I know that
Jim
> > is a
> > > > superior DM, and I don't want
this
> > > > > taken the wrong way. That
being
> > > > said, I didn't enjoy last night
as
> > much
> > > > > as I had hoped to.
> > > > > I think the thing that
really
> > > > killed me was the second week
in a
> > row
> > > > > of individual role-playing.
It
> > seems
> > > > to be a common thread for us,
and
> > > > > I'm not sure how we became
caught
> > in
> > > > the trap. Three weeks ago,
before
> > > > > the Riders fought Rig, Jim had
> > > > brought the subject up with
me. I
> > had
> > > > > advised against it. He
decided
> > to do
> > > > it anyway, and he did some
> > > > > individual role-playing with
> > Ilana,
> > > > Kilian, Valeria and the group.
And
> > > > > it went very well. Jim jumped
> > from
> > > > one player to another and kept
the
> > > > > sessions short. He had
proved me
> > > > wrong; individual role-playing
can
> > > > > work, and he went on to DM
one of
> > the
> > > > best nights of D&D we have had
in
> > > > > a long time. He also left me
> > feeling
> > > > incredibly positive and excited
> > > > > about the future. I believe,
if
> > Jim
> > > > had suggested it, I would have
> > > > > called off work, and told
Brad I
> > > > wasn't coming home, and then
> > barricaded
> > > > > myself in the basement for the
> > next
> > > > three weeks straight to see
what Jim
> > > > > had planned.
> > > > > Then last week happened.
We
> > did
> > > > almost all individual role-
playing,
> > > > > and it caused the night to
slow
> > > > down. I know that when I left
last
> > > > > week, my enthusiasm had
dimmed a
> > > > little, but I was still excited.
> > > > > Unfortunately, last night was
> > more of
> > > > the same. I had hoped that Jim
> > > > > would quickly gather the party
> > and we
> > > > could be off. Instead, each
> > > > > individual character was
gathered.
> > > > It took almost all night. And
I'm
> > > > > afraid it drained my
enthusiasm
> > even
> > > > more.
> > > > > I'm still looking forward
to
> > > > where Jim is going with this
plot.
> > As
> > > > > we saw three weeks ago, he
can DM
> > an
> > > > adventure better than most, and
> > > > > deliver us a great night of
role-
> > > > playing. But I fear that the
last
> > two
> > > > > weeks have leeched some of the
> > > > momentum he had going. It's
going
> > to be
> > > > > more work on everyone's part
to
> > get
> > > > us back to the fever pitch we
were
> > > > > in a few weeks ago.
> > > > > Comments? Please? I
don't
> > > > intend to be overly critical of
> > Jim. I
> > > > > know how hard it can be to DM
(I
> > am
> > > > the person that has had more
than
> > > > > one campaign that I put a lot
of
> > work
> > > > into shot out from under me when
> > > > > the players said that they
weren't
> > > > interested), and I know Jim can
pull
> > > > > it together. But the last few
> > weeks
> > > > just haven't worked for me.
> > > > >
> > > > > jimkaren@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > I don't know about everyone
> > else,
> > > > but I
> > > > > > had a good time last
night! It
> > was
> > > > an
> > > > > > odd night, in a way, as
only one
> > > > player
> > > > > > was doing anything at any
given
> > time
> > > > > > for most of it. I didn't
intend
> > > > that
> > > > > > at first, but somehow it
worked.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > The gist was Magnus sent
> > Mylena, his
> > > > > > alternate-reality daughter
> > (believe
> > > > it
> > > > > > or not, it all makes sense
from
> > a
> > > > > > campaign perspective)
> > to "capture"
> > > > > > certain Riders who were
> > imprisoned
> > > > on
> > > > > > the outer planes. If they
left
> > of
> > > > > > their own free will, or
> > knowingly,
> > > > > > there was a greater chance
of
> > the
> > > > gods
> > > > > > becoming offended or
realizing
> > what
> > > > was
> > > > > > happening.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > And since the gods have no
> > > > influence in
> > > > > > the city of Sigil, and since
> > Mylena
> > > > > > technically never existed in
> > these
> > > > > > characters' version of
> > > > the "realms", it
> > > > > > seemed plausible that her
> > activities
> > > > > > could go unnoticed for a
period
> > of
> > > > time.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > In the end, Mylena
succeeded in
> > > > > > capturing most of the Riders
> > she was
> > > > > > sent for after a very
difficult
> > > > > > struggle. She exhausted
Rig,
> > my now
> > > > > > very-deceased evil 17th
level
> > > > > > gladiator, five powerful
> > mercenary
> > > > > > githyanki, and almost
herself
> > to do
> > > > > > it. She used sheer power,
> > > > treachery,
> > > > > > luck, or whatever it would
take
> > to
> > > > pull
> > > > > > it off, and it was fun to
see in
> > > > action
> > > > > > since I didn't have a
definite
> > > > outcome
> > > > > > in mind.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I thought about forcing
> > characters
> > > > to
> > > > > > be captured last night, but
in
> > the
> > > > end,
> > > > > > I would be helping the
Riders to
> > > > win.
> > > > > > And that wouldn't be fair.
It
> > may
> > > > > > sound like a "yeah sure"
thing,
> > but
> > > > the
> > > > > > group's rivals (like
Celane, the
> > > > Black
> > > > > > Legion, and maybe Dr. Klaw)
all
> > > > have a
> > > > > > chance to succeed.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > So the Riders ended up
> > prisoners of
> > > > the
> > > > > > Dustmen faction in Sigil's
> > Mortuary
> > > > (as
> > > > > > Mylena is a member there -
> > > > apparently,
> > > > > > she's at least partly a
> > > > necromancer).
> > > > > > They were released
> > simultaneously
> > > > from
> > > > > > gas-filled iron caskets, and
> > > > proceeded
> > > > > > to deal with their
situation.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > In the end, Magnus got a
core
> > group
> > > > to
> > > > > > agree to his crusade. Some
> > other
> > > > > > characters offered to help
> > Marnie
> > > > (my
> > > > > > swashbuckler) search for her
> > > > husband,
> > > > > > Surrote, who had gone
missing
> > on his
> > > > > > own and couldn't be located
by
> > > > Mylena.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Ambrosia preferred to remain
> > > > retired,
> > > > > > running her new inn, and
> > the "lower
> > > > > > level" riders that we used
last
> > week
> > > > > > are still doing their own
thing.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > And that is where we ended.
> > > > > > Thoughts/comments?
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
>
>
>
>
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