Twilightpeaks.net

TP.net => The Great Beyond (OOC) => : DM B May 25, 2009, 09:37:48 PM

: OOC: General adventure observations
: DM B May 25, 2009, 09:37:48 PM
Although we have no FORUM adventures this turn, we do have two nice ones going on e-mail. One group is chasing the Book of Laws somewhere in Osoerde, while the other is looking at the Obelisk (or should we say, getting cut into pieces by it?) of Thenial.
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-Bellam & BC/TB (Bobby) May 25, 2009, 09:50:20 PM
OOC: Nice, he says.  By that he means he's enjoying himself DEEPLY.

So we're keeping these adventures in email, then?
: Re: Adventures #63
: DM B May 25, 2009, 10:27:10 PM
No-one has requested to do them in the forum...

I'm enjoying the Book adventure the most, because you're so extremely ill-prepared.
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-Osoerde (Alan) May 25, 2009, 10:32:14 PM
OOC: So utterly true. If I can get out, I am so getting out -- and then doing some more preparations -- on a side note -- WTF? Treats?!?!
: Re: Adventures #63
: DM B May 25, 2009, 10:34:35 PM
TreaNts.
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-DM Jon May 25, 2009, 10:41:18 PM
Trick or treants!
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-Mieres & SAS/AV (Mark) May 25, 2009, 10:47:39 PM
OOC:

while the other is looking at the Obelisk (or should we say, getting cut into pieces by it?) of Thenial.

That is so NOT my fault.

On a side note, I've learned never to mess with mysterious mystical artifacts of potentially awesome power.
: Re: Adventures #63
: DM B May 25, 2009, 10:48:37 PM
Says the regent before throwing yet another rock at it...
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper) May 25, 2009, 10:54:23 PM
Well if the book is not going well I must say it bode badly.

EOM Having gotten the Obelisk to stop cutting us to pieces the Gnoll ambush will soon leave us all dead unless someone come up with a real clever plan.

But Bjørn is correct; our the Obelisk one is quite nice; I shift between laughing my arse off and fearing to to read the next mail from Bjørn declaring us all dead  :D
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-Medoere & RCS/KE (Thorsten) May 25, 2009, 11:07:38 PM
Although we have no FORUM adventures this turn, we do have two nice ones going on e-mail. One group is chasing the Book of Laws somewhere in Osoerde, while the other is looking at the Obelisk (or should we say, getting cut into pieces by it?) of Thenial.

ooc: What the h*ck?... Right, I guess I'll remove the men supposed to aid the OIT in this from my DO then, and at the same time put in an "A-ok" to troops passing through Medoere. Guess I can use my LT somewhere else, then...
*pinches nose bridge* this is the DO from hell...
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-Elinie/RiD (Niels) May 25, 2009, 11:22:02 PM
No-one has requested to do them in the forum...

I'm enjoying the Book adventure the most, because you're so extremely ill-prepared.

...make it to the border.. make it to the border... make it to the border... heree kitty kitty...
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-Mieres & SAS/AV (Mark) May 25, 2009, 11:46:08 PM
OOC:

Says the regent before throwing yet another rock at it...

Hey - its not like anyone is coming up with a better idea - And that shouldn't be hard considering how BAD of an idea this is.
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper) May 26, 2009, 12:02:59 AM
I consider fleeing if faced with overwhelming odds a wise course of action - besides using the manipulation of the Obelisk to defend ourself with was something I came up with - only I suggested to have EOM and their god be the ones ussing the Obelisk - I believe they have by far the better skill in this ;-)
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-Tuornen/LF (Geir) May 26, 2009, 12:03:43 AM
from all this it really sounds like you have messed up big time :-)

My last one vs. the orogs was an inch from disaster, so I'm not saying I would do better, so you know that.

And then you are holding out on the rest of us that didnt get to adventure this turn! Same! Share the fun guys! :-)

Post the mails so we can get to see just how F-- up you have been able to get :-)
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-OIT/Narvelon Diem-Avan May 26, 2009, 01:13:32 AM
The only way to know how badly prepared you are is to plan a little and then go for it!  Heroes don't think through all the possibilities, they are doers.  Besides, sometimes waiting just isn't an option.  How wrong can it go?  I think we are finding out!!
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-Bellam & BC/TB (Bobby) May 26, 2009, 04:56:48 AM
Hey, I'm just following the big boss folks.  If people want me planning and preparing, they need to let me know ahead of time.  As it is, I'm just here for the show (And quite the show it is!  The burning shadow treant rampaging through the forest ranks up there with LotR's Balrog  :D  )
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-Haelyn's Aegis/RK (Andy) May 26, 2009, 09:36:47 PM
Hmm, I'm thinking that Bjorn's adventures should have a health warning:  'warning, this adventure could seriously damage your pc's health'

I tried to send aid to Bellam but it got there too late - and would probably have been useless from the sound of it anyway as it would have been 'vs goblins and scum' aid not 'vs shadow-world' aid.

Hmm, the Shadow World is pressing somewhat closely  in the game so far, we may need to try and come up with something to even the odds a little on their turf...
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper) May 26, 2009, 09:41:41 PM
But ofcause adventures can hurt your PC's health and then some  ;D

I for one wouldn't have it any other way; that said I will ofcause do my ritual dance of whine when Wallac bites the dust so consider yourself warned  ::)
: Re: Adventures #63
: DM B May 26, 2009, 10:01:24 PM
By rights entering the Shadow World should give players pause and make them reconsider...but I see them jumping straight into the well, so to speak. Me thinks it is the players that just HAVE to know what is on the other side.

Anyway, as you've all noticed by now, I find adventures that are not challenging pointless...and I'm also not too keen on scaling things to fit a low-level group...so if you risk much with your low-level regent, chances are you'll die fairly quickly.

To be heroic is to risk your life - and there has to be real risk, not the pretend risk that so many games have...and reward without risk is worst of all, things that come cheap give no sense of accomplishment.

Now, the only thing that is difficult in a PbeM game is to drive the story forward (players are too reluctant to add things to the story) and to evoke a sense of CHOICE in the span of just a few posts...

...for risk and reward without choice, now that is just a DM ego-trip...
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper) May 26, 2009, 10:05:56 PM
Bjørn dont get us wrong - I think I speak for all of us when I say you maneges to make the adventures exciting pretty well; and yes some of us may die; Will getting an heir through the lands choice constitute for fullfilling my minor agenda; find an heir?
 lol
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-Tuornen/LF (Geir) May 26, 2009, 10:07:21 PM
Hmm, the Shadow World is pressing somewhat closely  in the game so far, we may need to try and come up with something to even the odds a little on their turf...

oh? :-) this is Birthright :-) you can expect the Shadow to do much more then "pressing somewhat closely" :-) I would think what we have seen so far is just a warm-up. We’re still in the "4 Safe Turns" yet... A few major PC death-kills are just around the corner I am guessing. I have heard this time the DM is not going for the heroic style, but rather the dark Gotterdamerung style ;-) no more "boldly go where no man has gone before" but rather "This is the last tales of the last of the heroes"... Tip, stay under the radar...

I have lost 2 medium NPCs in the last two turns, the DM is setting the tone I'm guessing, giving a warning to be heeded...



: Re: Adventures #63
: X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper) May 26, 2009, 10:10:36 PM
I'll rather recruit some new heroes and keep adventuring; How else is our PC's and NPC's going to gain levels lol!
: Re: Adventures #63
: DM B May 26, 2009, 10:11:07 PM
To be honest you've been much more eager to go adventuring than I had anticipated.

And sending the Regent every time...not very wise. We've had 1 regent death already.
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-Tuornen/LF (Geir) May 26, 2009, 10:13:50 PM
I'll rather recruit some new heroes and keep adventuring; How else is our PC's and NPC's going to gain levels lol!

::) are we sure we are supposed to gain much levels?
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper) May 26, 2009, 10:15:54 PM
Likely not lol

That said I may hold a little back with my next regent. I did consider to have my ltn. going instead of Wallac but since I was introducing my Sidhe NPC I felt I needed the authority of my regent to see that going smoothly without anyone getting mad about a Haelyn temple with a Sidhe NPC; that part at least went well  :)

Regarding the adventures in Ilien I felt we where quite well prepared and had the needed firepower.

I thought so for this adventure as well (ETN, EOM, Mieres & IHH with a few regents, lots of bodyguards and some AA. around 100 people!). But alas we where totally outclassed it seems.

never the less I have enjoyed the adventure a lot so far and had a few good laughs (Mark keep it comming!)
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-Tuornen/LF (Geir) May 26, 2009, 10:18:30 PM
...a Haelyn temple with a Sidhe NPC; that part at least went well  :)

did it? Didnt you die? ;-)

those elvs are bad luck I tell you! ;-)
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-Bellam & BC/TB (Bobby) May 26, 2009, 10:21:57 PM
By rights entering the Shadow World should give players pause and make them reconsider...but I see them jumping straight into the well, so to speak. Me thinks it is the players that just HAVE to know what is on the other side.

In this case, I didn't see that we had a lot of options.  Divinations weren't providing a lot of guidance, and the thieves were systematically cutting their trail behind them at each step, changing couriers and locations.  In the Shadow World, whatever trail they might leave would vanish quickly, and without a trail to follow, we could very well never find them again - and the Book of Laws is too valuable to just write off as a loss.  Maybe it looks different from the other side of the DM screen.

Now, the only thing that is difficult in a PbeM game is to drive the story forward (players are too reluctant to add things to the story) and to evoke a sense of CHOICE in the span of just a few posts...

I'm never quite certain how much to add.  Several times things I've written or seen others write have been interpreted very differently from how they were intended (at times with unfortunate consequences) or ignored/changed due to the needs of the pre-existing story.  I've settled back into doing reactions instead.
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-ETN/Maire Cwyllmie (Libor) May 26, 2009, 10:23:44 PM
To be honest you've been much more eager to go adventuring than I had anticipated.

And sending the Regent every time...not very wise. We've had 1 regent death already.

If 2 more regents die this turn, we may start to reconsider :)  Actually I have joined the expediton to Thenial thinking that it will be quite safe and boring, just to keep an eye on Sarae  :-\

Anyway I look forward to my new agendas  ;)
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper) May 26, 2009, 10:25:15 PM
Wallac has not died yet; it may happen though.

I thought not this adventure where as über dangerous as the Vampires last season - they where in for a treat back then. Now lets see if the Elves brings bad luck though to be honest I think its more so the PC's gung-ho kinda approach that kills the PC's than the presence of an elf; Lachlan should plenty be able to look out for himself though for the rest of us that remains to be seen  ;)
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper) May 26, 2009, 10:29:14 PM
To be honest you've been much more eager to go adventuring than I had anticipated.

And sending the Regent every time...not very wise. We've had 1 regent death already.

If 2 more regents die this turn, we may start to reconsider :)  Actually I have joined the expediton to Thenial thinking that it will be quite safe and boring, just to keep an eye on Sarae  :-\

Anyway I look forward to my new agendas  ;)

Heh I too thought it to be rather safe and boring - seems it is neither  ;D
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-Tuornen/LF (Geir) May 26, 2009, 10:36:21 PM
to be honest I did bring an Elf too ;-) and being half my'self and still alive I think Elfs are luck bringers.

I am happy we did not loos our Pontiff, now get back home brefore you catch a cold or something. Don't you have someone to marry off? or some holy book to read up on? oh well, that one was stolen yes, sorry....
I would think the Pontif of all people would have guys to send on such errands as this? Now if there was a big demon walking around the city I would see the need for the Pontiff to get out and about and tell the bad fella to get lost, and dont come back either. But to run out in the bushes? You don't have some servants like guys for that? Templars or such knights? A Paladin maybe? Get home to the library and have some warm alterwine, it's good for the beard too ;-)
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-Mieres & SAS/AV (Mark) May 26, 2009, 10:42:36 PM
Actually I have joined the expediton to Thenial thinking that it will be quite safe and boring, just to keep an eye on Sarae  :-\

Anyway I look forward to my new agendas  ;)

Hell I only went with you guys to keep Mhisticai, Sarae, and Marie from ripping each other to shreds over the damned Obelisk.  Had a feeling we might meet some Gnolls but didn't expect this. 

I was a bit sad though when the Pontiff showed up - had to watch my language in front of His Holiness.

PS. I don't know about you guys but I plan on living through this and fulfilling my destiny - killed mysteriously by 14 stab wounds to the back.
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-OIT/Narvelon Diem-Avan May 26, 2009, 11:11:31 PM
I'm in total agreement that the adventures are exciting.... they are more than a little dangerous, and the Cardinal would not be on one - particularly in the shadow World - if he had a real choice, I can tell you!!  He isn't dead yet and is trying to keep it that way. Running away a lot seems to work!
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-Mieres & SAS/AV (Mark) May 26, 2009, 11:19:33 PM
Quick question - now that Kasper has put up the adventure in the forum are we posting our character's actions there or continuing the email thread?
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper) May 26, 2009, 11:28:28 PM
I assume in forum thread. everybody not present will only get the info OoC unless having other sources like whats get posted in SR (like the death of a few regents lol!)
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper) May 26, 2009, 11:31:54 PM
Actually I have joined the expediton to Thenial thinking that it will be quite safe and boring, just to keep an eye on Sarae  :-\

Anyway I look forward to my new agendas  ;)

Nah dont hold back - the Pontiff is used to grumpy sovereigns with fouls mouths and enormous egos. Use whatever language you feel like; The pontiff really dont mind unless the bad mouthing has Haelyn or other deities as the mark

Hell I only went with you guys to keep Mhisticai, Sarae, and Marie from ripping each other to shreds over the damned Obelisk.  Had a feeling we might meet some Gnolls but didn't expect this. 

I was a bit sad though when the Pontiff showed up - had to watch my language in front of His Holiness.

PS. I don't know about you guys but I plan on living through this and fulfilling my destiny - killed mysteriously by 14 stab wounds to the back.
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-DM Jon May 27, 2009, 12:16:22 AM
A word of advice from my side of the fence.

 Back in the day I jumped into adventure with glee - and got imprisoned, got my lieutenant killed,  feebleminded and subsequently rescued by outside forces.... Well that last part seemed to be all part of the EO's maniacal plan. He'd baited us into a trap, and sprung it on us - only in order to give us a clue where he was... You see he wanted access to something we would have to find for him. An ancient prison where he THOUGHT the Keeper of Secrets was still imprisoned... An ancient prison we would be certain he could be trapped forever in...
 Turned out the only future he couldn't see was his own inside a prison made by the Gods for a God that was no longer there...


 Sometimes you have to jump blindly, especially in the beginning. HOWEVER, this did mean that I scaled my adventurous actions down substantially and gathered enough support and competent aa's so the second time I went up against the Eyeless One, I tore the bastard to pieces (well not my regent, he mostly scrabbled to keep the group alive, but the group defeated him soundly - loosing only... Oh half a dozen named and known heroes of Anuire)

 AND EVEN THEN, even then, I discovered I had been played like a cheap fiddle all along... Lucky for us the EO overplayed his clever hand. He was able to see every possible mortal future, all outcomes of your actions - but not his own inside a divine prison.


 So a word of advice for the future of all adventurous spirits; prepare, prepare, prepare! Gather strength as long as you can and strike ONLY when you know what you're up against. I created the bloody Conclave in order to defeat the EO, that took time and alot of effort (and I might add, the bloody Conclave probably wouldn't have been created without an enemy like the EO to unite against, he was a veritable nuclear bomb...)
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-Bellam & BC/TB (Bobby) May 27, 2009, 02:00:10 AM
Ok.  How about a quick dissertation on what you MEAN by "prepare, prepare, prepare"?  It's a great concept, but I don't always have a good idea how to go about it.
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-Tuornen/LF (Geir) May 27, 2009, 02:05:01 AM
So a word of advice for the future of all adventurous spirits; prepare, prepare, prepare! Gather strength as long as you can...
ok, and so that is why you ended up as the dragon on the picture?....




;-) sorry....

Seriously!, I hope I learned something in my fight with the Orogs, and now as I know others have had …difficulties, now I am starting to get the message, I hope.
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-Medoere & RCS/KE (Thorsten) May 27, 2009, 02:46:03 AM
So a word of advice for the future of all adventurous spirits; prepare, prepare, prepare! Gather strength as long as you can...
ok, and so that is why you ended up as the dragon on the picture?....




;-) sorry....

Seriously!, I hope I learned something in my fight with the Orogs, and now as I know others have had …difficulties, now I am starting to get the message, I hope.

Heck, there's a reason I've nicknamed Kaven "the Maimed Knight". I believe myself prepared somewhat, and still bits and chunks of him are flying hither and fro around Anuire.
(Okay, going toe to toe against the Green Knight was NOT planned. I dreaded that outcome more than any adventure.)

I keep thinking to myself, that everytime Kaven looses yet another piece, it's Bjorn's way of saying "You where thiiis close, buddy! Notch it up the next time" and go back to the drawing table.
This is also one of the reason, I actually read up on medieval warfare and draw maps of battle formations (the one for turn #63 was not my first one)... trying to prepare for as much as I can.

I like being challenged, but I would like to face a challenge I feel myself somewhat certain I will be able to deal with (to the best of Kaven's abilities). Preparing is my way of doing that (though I never gathered an entire conclave to conduct one single adventure action, and I feel pretty sure, that I won't be going on any such adventures in the foreseeable future. Honestly, I'd rather face 5-10.000 gnolls, leading a batered and nearly broken army, than I would like to face... oh let's say for example the Red Wind, with a small group of high-level adventurers backing me up. Safety in numbers!  ;D).
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-Bellam & BC/TB (Bobby) May 27, 2009, 05:10:58 AM
Bjorn and Jon -

Alan and I spent a little while discussing Manethendar earlier tonight and brainstorming ways to even the odds if/when we go in after the Book of Laws again.  Coming off of that, I'm left with two thoughts. 

First, it'd be great to snag a couple other players who might be involved in such an adventure (off the bat, I'm thinking of some of the guys involved in the FIRST vampires adventure) to do some serious brainstorming OOC.  Alan and I had some good ideas.  A half-dozen of us could come up with some excellent ones if we pooled our brain-power.

And second, following closely on the heels of the first: would that sort of thing be inappropriate for a game like RoE?  I'd love to get some other insights into this, and lords knows that an adventure against someone as BADASS as him needs all the boosts we can come up with to succeed, but if that's the sort of thing that should happen in-character, within the much more limiting bounds of the game's normal discussions, then we'll stick to those.  I just want to know what the bounds are for OOC discussions of the game and plans.
: Re: Adventures #63
: DM B May 27, 2009, 09:29:06 AM
Bjorn and Jon -

Alan and I spent a little while discussing Manethendar earlier tonight and brainstorming ways to even the odds if/when we go in after the Book of Laws again.  Coming off of that, I'm left with two thoughts. 

First, it'd be great to snag a couple other players who might be involved in such an adventure (off the bat, I'm thinking of some of the guys involved in the FIRST vampires adventure) to do some serious brainstorming OOC.  Alan and I had some good ideas.  A half-dozen of us could come up with some excellent ones if we pooled our brain-power.

And second, following closely on the heels of the first: would that sort of thing be inappropriate for a game like RoE?  I'd love to get some other insights into this, and lords knows that an adventure against someone as BADASS as him needs all the boosts we can come up with to succeed, but if that's the sort of thing that should happen in-character, within the much more limiting bounds of the game's normal discussions, then we'll stick to those.  I just want to know what the bounds are for OOC discussions of the game and plans.

I have no problems with OCC discussions; players do that all the time, and I see no reason to disallow it here. As long as you keep the meta/OOC stuff out of the actual game I'd even recommend it.
: Re: Adventures #63
: DM B May 27, 2009, 09:30:49 AM
Ok.  How about a quick dissertation on what you MEAN by "prepare, prepare, prepare"?  It's a great concept, but I don't always have a good idea how to go about it.

Indeed. And sometimes the DM sets up things so that you feel compelled to jump into the well feet first.

On the other hand, if you take the Obelisk adventure, there was little reason to gather the regents of several domains and just blunder down there without really checking out a little beforehand...
: Re: Adventures #63
: DM B May 27, 2009, 09:32:55 AM
By rights entering the Shadow World should give players pause and make them reconsider...but I see them jumping straight into the well, so to speak. Me thinks it is the players that just HAVE to know what is on the other side.

In this case, I didn't see that we had a lot of options.  Divinations weren't providing a lot of guidance, and the thieves were systematically cutting their trail behind them at each step, changing couriers and locations.  In the Shadow World, whatever trail they might leave would vanish quickly, and without a trail to follow, we could very well never find them again - and the Book of Laws is too valuable to just write off as a loss.  Maybe it looks different from the other side of the DM screen.

Now, the only thing that is difficult in a PbeM game is to drive the story forward (players are too reluctant to add things to the story) and to evoke a sense of CHOICE in the span of just a few posts...

I'm never quite certain how much to add.  Several times things I've written or seen others write have been interpreted very differently from how they were intended (at times with unfortunate consequences) or ignored/changed due to the needs of the pre-existing story.  I've settled back into doing reactions instead.

Playing by post isn't easy. It takes practice. And in RoE it is intended to be but a small part of the greater whole, so its extra difficult to tell a good/involved story that also have some choices/opportunities for the players to drive the story. We'll just have to keep practicing  :)
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-EOM/SS (Marco) May 27, 2009, 09:50:32 AM

Indeed. And sometimes the DM sets up things so that you feel compelled to jump into the well feet first.

On the other hand, if you take the Obelisk adventure, there was little reason to gather the regents of several domains and just blunder down there without really checking out a little beforehand...

I totally agree with Bjorn. I'm thinking I was too rushy in starting the adventure of the Obelisk.
: Re: OOC: Adventures #63
: X-Bellam & BC/TB (Bobby) May 27, 2009, 12:43:43 PM
It IS tempting to just head in and see what all the interesting thingies do, isn't it?  I think we'll just have the astrologers announce this as "the Year of the Unfortunate Learning Experience", and maybe make some New Year's Resolutions along the lines of "I resolve never to jump into the Shadow World without a parachute again."
: Re: Adventures #63
: DM B May 27, 2009, 01:16:56 PM

Indeed. And sometimes the DM sets up things so that you feel compelled to jump into the well feet first.

On the other hand, if you take the Obelisk adventure, there was little reason to gather the regents of several domains and just blunder down there without really checking out a little beforehand...

I totally agree with Bjorn. I'm thinking I was too rushy in starting the adventure of the Obelisk.

Well, you at least had a motivation for seizing the Obelisk...but what about the others? But of course, you all knew there might be gnolls about, and the RW did take an interest in the Obelisk before, so...no blaming the poor DM please  :P
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-Medoere & RCS/KE (Thorsten) May 27, 2009, 01:45:57 PM

Indeed. And sometimes the DM sets up things so that you feel compelled to jump into the well feet first.

On the other hand, if you take the Obelisk adventure, there was little reason to gather the regents of several domains and just blunder down there without really checking out a little beforehand...

I totally agree with Bjorn. I'm thinking I was too rushy in starting the adventure of the Obelisk.

Well, you at least had a motivation for seizing the Obelisk...but what about the others? But of course, you all knew there might be gnolls about, and the RW did take an interest in the Obelisk before, so...no blaming the poor DM please  :P

Heheh... I believe the RCS *did* warn people (those present at the conclave meetings the two past turns anyways). :P

If anyone hasn't read about the Red Wind on the old forum, might I suggest doing so... and then, after finding out, that he thrashed the last (pretty darn high-level) party who visited it, with little effort. Ponder about why someone like the Red Wind would be interested in the Obelisk in the first place.  ;)

(hmm... I wonder if I could facilitate a hostile encounter between the Red Wind and Brandon Boeruine?)
: Re: OOC: Adventures #63
: X-OIT/Narvelon Diem-Avan May 27, 2009, 01:58:28 PM
Those that went to the Obelisk did the right thing.  Just imagine how much worse you would feel if you had jumped down a well into the shadow world with the OIT  ;D
: Re: OOC: Adventures #63
: X-Mieres & SAS/AV (Mark) May 27, 2009, 01:59:19 PM
It IS tempting to just head in and see what all the interesting thingies do, isn't it?  I think we'll just have the astrologers announce this as "the Year of the Unfortunate Learning Experience", and maybe make some New Year's Resolutions along the lines of "I resolve never to jump into the Shadow World without a parachute again."

What is really horrifying about our situation is that jumping into the Shadow World was the least disastrous of the two options in front of us. 

Bjorn - I would never deign to blame a Dm.   ::)  Actually I am Dm'ing right now in RL and had party deaths purely due to their own stupidity and possibly the belief that I wouldn't kill them. 

Hell I even warned them as a player myself that I thought what they were doing was incredibly stupid.  So yes - players have only themselves to blame for their poor choices.

(Though I am considering asking Captain Oeberon for my money back  ;D)
: Re: OOC: Adventures #63
: X-EOM/SS (Marco) May 27, 2009, 02:34:59 PM

What is really horrifying about our situation is that jumping into the Shadow World was the least disastrous of the two options in front of us. 

Bjorn - I would never deign to blame a Dm.   ::)  Actually I am Dm'ing right now in RL and had party deaths purely due to their own stupidity and possibly the belief that I wouldn't kill them. 

Hell I even warned them as a player myself that I thought what they were doing was incredibly stupid.  So yes - players have only themselves to blame for their poor choices.

(Though I am considering asking Captain Oeberon for my money back  ;D)

Mark's right. Things were growing desperate for us
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-EOM/SS (Marco) May 27, 2009, 02:36:43 PM
Well, you at least had a motivation for seizing the Obelisk...but what about the others? But of course, you all knew there might be gnolls about, and the RW did take an interest in the Obelisk before, so...no blaming the poor DM please  :P

The others were convinces by myself. No blame to Bjorn, only to Marco/Sarae  :-[
: Re: OOC: Adventures #63
: X-Bellam & BC/TB (Bobby) May 27, 2009, 06:37:27 PM
Those that went to the Obelisk did the right thing.  Just imagine how much worse you would feel if you had jumped down a well into the shadow world with the OIT  ;D

Well, look on the bright side.  We found out a probable identity for the Mastermind behind the theft of the Book, which isn't bad progress.  The PC's all survived (thus far!) - there've been worse outcomes.  And given everything I've heard about Manethendar, I'll take being able to walk away with my mind intact and still belonging to me as a win.
: Re: OOC: Adventures #63
: X-Tornilen/SM (Alexander) May 27, 2009, 07:47:45 PM
Hey folks, Kasper (IHH) asked me to post that he wouldn't be writing anything before tomorrow morning, as he is taking care of his sick daughter. Nothing serious, but he'll be back tomorrow.
: Re: Adventures #63
: X-Haelyn's Aegis/RK (Andy) May 27, 2009, 09:21:30 PM
Now, the only thing that is difficult in a PbeM game is to drive the story forward (players are too reluctant to add things to the story) and to evoke a sense of CHOICE in the span of just a few posts...

Hmm, what stopped me in the Vampires adventure was 'the dice point' - I could react to stuff, but when I got to a point where usually you'd roll dice, like a fight, I didn't know if Robhan would 'win', 'lose', 'get injured' etc, etc - and didn't feel I could just decide the outcome unless he was fighting a mook of some sort.  Some way of identifying outcome is necessary to write the post that would drive things forward.
: Re: OOC: Adventures #63
: DM B May 27, 2009, 09:37:03 PM
Do you think your PC could fight a vampire and win? If he fought cleverly? If you do, try and describe that, and if you describe it cleverly the DM will let you get away with it...but try to write it so that you hold and advantage, rather than have won. That way the DM can decide the outcome, but you've helped him make a decision.

Same if you're at a disadvantage; don't suddenly put yourself in a winning position, but write yourself out of the disadvantage.

Of course, when chased by a units of dark treants, you should know that running is for the best...but nothing prevents you from writing in torching  few of them along the way :)

(I'm actually pretty fond of diceless or near-diceless RPGing...)
: Re: OOC: Adventures #63
: X-Medoere & RCS/KE (Thorsten) May 28, 2009, 12:27:43 AM
Do you think your PC could fight a vampire and win? If he fought cleverly? If you do, try and describe that, and if you describe it cleverly the DM will let you get away with it...but try to write it so that you hold and advantage, rather than have won. That way the DM can decide the outcome, but you've helped him make a decision.

Same if you're at a disadvantage; don't suddenly put yourself in a winning position, but write yourself out of the disadvantage.

Of course, when chased by a units of dark treants, you should know that running is for the best...but nothing prevents you from writing in torching  few of them along the way :)

(I'm actually pretty fond of diceless or near-diceless RPGing...)

Yeah, this is how I understand it as well... Basically I try to write actions in such a way, as they leave the actual outcome open to DM decision. Using words like "trying to" or "hoping to" ("praying for") seems to be rather frequent in this kind of posting though  :D