OOC: General adventure observations

[X-Bellam & BC/TB (Bobby)]

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."

[DM B]

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 

[X-Medoere & RCS/KE (Thorsten)]

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 

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

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?)

[X-OIT/Narvelon Diem-Avan]

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 

[X-Mieres & SAS/AV (Mark)]

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  )

[X-EOM/SS (Marco)]

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  )

Mark's right. Things were growing desperate for us

[X-EOM/SS (Marco)]

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 

The others were convinces by myself. No blame to Bjorn, only to Marco/Sarae 

[X-Bellam & BC/TB (Bobby)]

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 

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.

[X-Tornilen/SM (Alexander)]

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.

[X-Haelyn's Aegis/RK (Andy)]

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.

[DM B]

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...)

[X-Medoere & RCS/KE (Thorsten)]

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